The sprawling town of Oxenfurt played host to and endless list of artisans, noblemen, and some of the greatest minds available on the Continent, all of whom flocked to the Academy It also happened to be home to the most illicit industries, its lax policies allowed prostitution and mercenary activity to thrive, so long as they paid their dues to the crown.
Though Redania was firmly in the grasp of its royal family, any sorcerer or sorceress knew that the real management of the kingdom came down to Philippa and Dijsktra, both of whom engaged in a constant battle to win influence over King Vizimir.
But the politics at work behind the scenes was of no concern to Yennefer. She was content with exploring the winding streets of the colourful Oxenfurt, taking in the different cultures on display in the main square. Yennefer held her nose high, gratefully acknowledging the respectful nods of the citizens, a tribute to the wise leadership of the various sorcerers allocated to the northern kingdoms.
However, Yennefer had a more pressing matter she wished to attend. For the first time in a number of years, Yennefer found herself with a substantial amount of free time to herself, a rarity for a sorceress with her seniority. With a gentle nudge from Tissia, Yennefer decided to use some of that time to unwind, to rid herself of some of the pent up stress that had been building.
She located the district of the town that catered to precisely what what she was in search for. A sign swaying lazily caught her violet eye, advertising a bathhouse that guaranteed the best service on the Continent. Highly doubting such a boast, Yennefer wanted to ignore it, yet she couldn't doubt how tempting it was. Yennefer had always found a certain solace in a sauna, comforted by the feeling of hot steam rolling across her naked body, something Margarita had first introduced her to decades prior.
As she entered, she was met with a number of unique scents, all emanating from Incense sticks dotted around the guest area. She spotted a small wooden counter close by and wandered over to it, looking around for the person meant to occupy it.
"Hello? I wish to book a session in your sauna," Yennefer called out to a backroom, resting her arm against the counter.
Suddenly, a short, young woman with dirty blonde hair leapt through the door behind the counter, huffing as she used the counter to hold herself up. "Sorry, miss, I was just restocking the sauna rooms, gotta keep the stones hot. Otherwise we'll have clients sitting in ice boxes. Booking a room, was it?"
Yennefer was taken aback a touch. "Er, yes. I wanted a room to myself for an hour. Could you accommodate me?"
"Of course, of course," the girl replied genially, "do you want the room put down under any particular name?"
Yennefer shook her head and retrieved a few crowns, adding an extra one as a small tip. "Let's just put it down as being used by anonymous. One can find themselves quiet vulnerable while nude, especially if there are any enemies lurking around."
"A woman of importance," the girl tapped her nose and handed a set of towels over to Yennefer, "down the stairs and it's the first door on the right. All the others are a bit packed, busy day."
"I can imagine," Yennefer smirked.
She made her way towards a stone set of stairs leading to the steaming chambers below the surface of Oxenfurt. The further down she travelled, the warmer she could feel the climate becoming, causing her white blouse to stick to her increasingly perspiring body. Once she made it down she quickly spotted her room and entered inside. Immediately, the heat struck her, forcing her to quickly strip out of her typical all black and white clothing, ensuring the feather trimming wasn't damaged in the process. A small box that jutted out from the wall allowed her to store her clothing without worrying about it being affected by the steam.
Standing in the steaming room, with sweat already trickling down her alabaster skin, Yennefer picked up the towels and wrapped one over her torso, wishing she had asked for a larger size due to her bust. The other was tightly wound around her raven locks. Satisfied, she sauntered over to a small wooden lounger and gracefully lied upon it, resting her head against the soft rest as she slowly closed her eyes, allowing the soothing sensation to let her drift off.