Winter
Geralt rode slowly down the dirt road as he stared around at the glorious countryside of principality of Toussaint. The beautiful scenery of the apple orchards and the vast vineyards spanned out across the horizon only disturbed by Mount Gorgon.
Watching the people pass him by, greeted by each of them with a courteous nod, hello or a rather enthusiastic greeting. Shaking his head as he realised that he would have to deal with this for the next few months, Geralt knew he would soon be agitated by it.
Arriving at Corvo Bianco via the bridge north east of The Cockatrice Inn, Geralt stepped off Roach and walked along the path to the estate. The grounds was just as he remembered them, spending out on the refurbishments when he had passed through here almost eight months ago had been a good investment.
"Ah, Master Geralt, it is a delight to see you on this fair morning" Barnabas-Basil Foulty, or BB to Geralt, was the Majordomo of Corvo Bianco estate and Vineyard.
"I told you BB, its Geralt, not Master, nor Sir, you and I are friends not master and servant" Geralt chuckled and handed off the reigns to a stable hand who would take care of Roach much better than Geralt ever could. BB would have hired the best stable hand he could afford.
"As you wish sir." BB smiled, unable to stop the etiquette of calling Geralt 'sir'. Geralt knew that and did not mind it.
"How goes the harvest? I know we only just planted the first harvest just before I left." Geralt questioned.
"It has been a good crop. We have had a few problems in the south field but nothing too serious. It will not be ready to harvest until another two to three years at the most. I will keep you updated when we have a suitable batch for fermentation, although it will still be years before we can sell a quality wine" BB spoke as they both ascended up the staircase. Geralt eyed the statue of Reginald d'Aubry that he'd received for finding the 'Jewels' of the Reginald statue.
"Why have I not thrown that thing out?" Geralt mused and Barnabas-Basil laughed softly to himself.
"I think it has some charm, plus the staff like to rub the balls of the statue similar to the main statue in the city, they think it has some magic linked with the original" BB explained, rubbing his chin as he walked.
"They don't realise that this is just a casting? It probably has never even been near the original." Geralt laughed and patted the statue's head as he ascended the staircase to the house.
As they entered the house, Geralt took a deep breath and looked around, it was nice to have a home; it was a strange thing for Geralt. Even after living with Yennifer for almost three months he had not gotten used to it; now he had a home, an actual home.
"It is nice to be home, isn't it sir?" BB asked and Geralt turned to him, he seemed to read his mind sometimes.
"It is, I used to winter at Kaer Mohren but with Vesemir dead, I don't want to go back there just now." He sighed and thought of the other Witchers, they would all be wintering somewhere else too. Kaer Mohren would be cold this coming winter.
Walking into the house, Marlene's cooking could be smelt from the moment that he walked in. He was happy that she was doing well here and that she was enjoying cooking so much.
"Is Marlene doing well?" Geralt asked as he ran his hand over the dinner table.
"Yes, she is enjoying her time in the kitchen, she makes the food for the rest of the estate. She is well liked and will never go without friends and family now" BB nodded and smiled, watching Geralt who began to remove his belts and scabbards and hung them up on a hook beside the door.
"I'm going to go rest for a little BB, then I'll be out for dinner. Have Marlene put something small together; a bit of meat and some potatoes perhaps." Geralt nodded to himself, thinking of a nice meal not 'cooked' using his sickly cooking skills or being made by some tavern owner who's attempt at making food consisted of using the least amount of prime ingredients while charging the most for his work.
"Will do sir" BB bowed his head in an informal courteous way and headed out to the kitchen.
The bedroom was just as Geralt had left it except that the bed was made. Studying the maps left on the table, he rolled a few up and slotted them into small holders set into the writing desk. After a quick change into some fresh clothes, a simple white cotton shirt, black side-laced trousers and a set of high ankle leather boots. Smiling as he walked out the house and leaning over the railing. He was sure that this was going to be a good winter.
"Sir, your dinner is ready" BB appeared beside him and motioned inside the door.
"Its going to be a good winter isn't it BB?" Geralt spoke over his shoulder, staring over the sun peeking between the two twin cliffs in the south.
"It is sir, it's going to be warmer for you, I believe the Nilfgaardian Empire has a warmer winter than the North. I believe that you are used to the winters in the north" BB chuckled softly and rested his hands behind his back.
"It's going to be nice with the sun, and not feel like a winter." Turning back into the house, Geralt went to sit for his dinner.
Six weeks later, Geralt would be getting tired of the quiet and nothingness if it wasn't the for the fact that it felt more like he was working than actually wintering. Yennifer had allowed him to go about and travel, as long as he returned to her and stayed with her for at least 3 months minimum, more if she ordered it. Geralt had accepted these terms, he was to not go Witchering for more than eight months and was to send her mail either by conventional means or by the small stone he carried in the pouch beside the photo of Yen and Ciri.
Remembering the day Ciri had left for her own Witcher career, Yennifer had taken the pair to a Magician who was working on a new technology, 'Instant-paintings'. A device would capture a painting of a person, a scene and be copied to paper, even going as small as a bankers note. He now carried the photo of Yen, Ciri and himself in the pocket beside the speaking-stone.
He had sent word to Yen that he was in the south and was going to stay at Corvo Bianco for the winter, she had told him she had business but would be down in a few weeks; she was due to arrive in the next two weeks.
Work had picked up the moment he had arrived. Taking a walk around the city of Beauclair when he had been approached, he had not been carrying his sword but it was obvious who he was by his gait, stance and movement.
Standing at the window of the sword seller, a voice from behind had called for his attention.
"Sir Geralt of Rivia?"
Turning to face the voice, Geralt saw an old man, hunched over from work in the field and years of back breaking work.
"I am." Nodding, Geralt knew what this was going to be, it was going to either be work, an offer for him to join a party or to attend some event for high society.
"If I may, I would like to enquire if you are available for work? As our field has come under some misfortune of the monster variety.
With that simple job for an old man in need, Geralt had been back and forth for the last six weeks, doing a simple job of a Nekker nest to even a dangerous Fiend that had descended the mountain after being found and attacked by a wandering band of bandits avoiding the Knights-Errant.
Relaxing in the small off shoot garden of the estate, Geralt relaxed back in the chair; a glass of 'White Wolf' Wine in his hand and a book set on the side table. It was interesting, just relaxing out like this, sipping wine and reading a good book; Yen was right, perhaps relaxing was a calming thing.
"Gotcha!" a cry came as something went over Geralt's head. How had he not sensed it coming? His medallion had shook so violently the moment he'd been grabbed he'd had no chance to react. Almost turning to violently punch the person who jumped him, Geralt's lips cracked wide as he realised who it was.
"Ciri!" he laughed heartily.
