''Be there at 7!''

As my bed was on fire I was out of it within seconds. I don't know when or how I got to my room in the first place, but that did not matter. What matter was: Being outside at 7:00. My life literally depends on it.
The fun from last night was already buried. My new life started for real this day, this morning, right now. I was not sure what exactly awaited me out there, but I assumed it included some sort of training with the other stripes. My first training with them. I had to admit it felt strange. All my life I had worked alone and trained alone, most of the time. And now, with a group. With a group of people who preferably wanted to see me dead? This was got to be interesting. Will they co-operate, or will they actively try to make my life a living hell, without consequences?
Now was the time to find out.
I looked around me, my three roommates were sleeping heavily. Good for them, I thought. They probably needed it. I was not the only one drinking and doing. . . stuff, that night.
A blue scarf, the last thing I put on, and tied it carefully around the neck. I put my hand on the door handle and sighed.
''First day of my new life''.

Outside, in front of the fountain, I saw three other stripes. I did not think too much and went straight to them, joining the circle as I already were one of them.
They looked at me with a skeptic eye.
''Good morning'', I said.
One replayed, one nodded and the last one just stared at me. Not more than I suspected.
After a few minutes more stripelings woke up and joined the circle. Everyone looked as tired as I was, so, they were humans after all.
The commander and Leo arrived.
Oddly enough he was in a good mood and seemed happy to see me there. And surprised.
''I said I will be here'', I said.
He smiled. And I think at this point, he was the only soldier of Temeria that shared me a smile.
And not long after this friendly meeting we were told to go inside to pick up our shields before we started the morning training with Sir. Robert, who together with Let. Leo collected a ton of weapons. Spears, axes, swords, polearms, knives – whatever you can think of were lying in a pile under the tree.

''These shields are your responsibility, now'', Commander Hatzel told us.
I looked at a small, round, shield marked with the Temerian lilly.
''Keep it with you at all times, do not leave them anywhere without an eye on them. They will get lost, people will try to steal them, sell them, break them. Keep them close!''

And so the training started. I was no longer the hangedman, I was a soldier. There and then I was one of them.
Quite surprised over my own disbelief I actually enjoyed working in formation, fighting with different weapons and always be aware on where your enemies are at all times. It came natural to me, for some weird reasons. It was nothing I just did to keep myself alive. Because Hatzel were watching.
I liked it. No one tried to kill me for real, to Gretels great sorrow, I guessed.
After an hour, the horn called us in for breakfast and we all got back together. . . in a group.

My first meal with the Blue stripes happened now. I would not sit by the Spirits table, never again. I wondered how they will take it. How Ilya would accept the news?
It did not matter, I told myself. I can't do anything about it, anyways.

Around the table, with our plates filled up, the speech of the day happened by Commander Hatzel and Let. Leo. Part of it was directed to me, and all the time I could see Captain Gretel's hatred from the other side of the table. Questions of why, how, she's a murderer always glowed from the cold eyes.
''She met up and completed the morning training''. Someone defended my name. I was glad I did not have too. Every word I said was disapproved anyways, so.
''If you like it or not, she will from now on be a part of us, and you will all treat her so.'' I think it was Hatzels word.
''Now, hangedman, what is your actual name?''
I looked up. I guess it did not matter at this point. I was already dead to my own people. My name was dead.
''My real name is Raysha'', I said. ''But all my friends call me Ghost. Well, they would have if I had any friends.''
Even that said, people still name me Ghost, or Hangedman – depends on their mood or likes of me.
At this point I first learned the names of everyone around the table.
Names. . . not my best skill. And with the Stripes it seemed like everyone had a nickname, which makes things both easier and worse at the same time.
Leo, the Commander and Gretel I got, for obvious reasons.
The man with the moustache is Crane, he seemed friendly enough. He was the one who replayed ''good morning'', before the morning training.
Then there was Marissa, the one who nodded, not sure if she will give me a chance or not. She was the one who were closest to Gretel, I believe.
Next to her it was Adam, or Champ as people called him at times. He was always present, no matter where we was. He did not seem too hostile, but he definitely did not trust me. If Gretel commanded him to kick me, he would, without hesitation. Not necessary because he wanted to, but because he was loyal. Next to him there was a very proud woman, I don't remember her name, but as with Adam, she also had this loyalty aura around her. There were a few more, another woman. Selis, but I heard someone name her 'Silent but solid'.
Of course there was Durdin. I sort of knew him from before, but he was barely at the table.

When that was done, Hatzel threw a badge over to me. A blue piece marked with three white lilies.
''You are making a mistake'', Gretel said, but he ignored it. Instead he told me that this is the badge of Temeria's special forces, or something. I should stitch it somewhere on my clothing as soon as possible, and make sure it was visible. Again – DO NOT LOOSE IT, it will be count as a betrayal and I will be hanged again.
Needless to say, the first thing I did after breakfast was to stitch it. And the next thing I heard from Gretel was that it was not stitched the right way and I should fix it.
No matter what I did, it was not good enough in her eyes.

The badge gave me attention. Mostly: ''So, they recruited you this fast, already''?
To my former Spirits I replayed with I did not have any choice. The rest I did not care for. Why do they care what path a stranger choose in the first place.

Back to the table.
We got a mission. Commander Hatzel gave us a paper, or a contract and a message that we need signatures from the witchers. Everything we needed to know was written on the paper. He did not care how we got the signatures, as long as they were signed. Bribery, persuading, threatening, talking, luring. Up to us, just don't make a big scene out of it.
My eyes lighten up, but Leo looked through me.
''No bloody ways. No killing, no torturing.''
''But he said. . .?''
''No.''
I mumbled, ''fine.'' All my methods were excluded. How to get the damned paper signed now, I had no idea. I'm a thief and a murderer, not a bloody politician. Maybe I could trick someone to sign it, or get them drunk or drugged?
I decided to just follow along with some of my new friends and see their techniques.
At that time the mage, Gildarts came and joined our table. As always, talking about things. Always in a creepy way being extremely helpful, thankful, positive. I could just look at the others that they did not like him, at all. Commander Hatzel had already left the table.
I still did not know where to place him. As far as I noticed, he was just a man with a glowing stick, walking around, talking rubbish. If the king trusted him, he can't be that bad.
Again. As long as I live, I don't give a shit. He may be doing his mage things for all I care, just don't practice. . . bad. . . magic on me.

On my way out I met up with this artist, that made portraits. Imagine this school, hosting all kinds of people, and not only witcher adepts. To me, sometimes this castle looked and acted like a big, fancy tavern.
Anyways. For some reason I wanted a portrait done. She was as talented as she was beautiful, and apparently we shared a love for fancy hats. Who am I to resist?
We agreed to meet again in the tavern later that evening to do a portrait.
Stripes had breaks once in a while, too, right?

With my new mission for the days, recruiting and make witchers sign the papers that will allow them to take contracts within Temeria, I went outside.
And there, just outside the doors – I was surprised with a wall of laugher and a fist-slapping game of some sort.
Not a bad way to start the morning, I thought.
I stood in a big circle with cheering adepts surrounding two men, waving their hands towards each other. The game was about slapping the other person over the face.
Funny, enough. Never seen two people so happy to be punched in the face. Even better. A member of the Spirit won the fight and were looking for a new challenger. The cheerful guy with the black bandana. I never spoke much with him, but as with all the others. They did not care much for the stripes. And that's ok. I did not care much for them originally, either.
But either so, he was always a jester. And this place needs one. Everyone is so serious. Included myself. I smiled at him.

No one answered. No one dared?
To, hell with it, I thought. I will challenge him.
I stepped into the ring with a smile.
''Ghost'' he yelled, and bowed mockingly. I replayed the same way, still with the stripes contract in my belt.
''A witcher and a blue stripe. Rules are simple. First to three hits over the cheeks,'' he smiled and raised his hands. I did the same.
''Bitchslap game. I can do that'', I said and got ready. I've been on many late tavern nights. This might be my sport after all.
He had too, apparently – Instantly got a hit on me. I re-payed him with a counterattack. The cheering in the background was uplifting, though few were cheering on me, the Blue Stripe.
''Come on, one for a kiss!'' he laughed and rushed towards me.
''Hell, no! No kissing'', I answered and dodged the next attack.
''Come on, Ghost, don't be like that. I know you want to.''
Another hit came in, mine.
And before I knew it, the bastard distracted me and gave a big smootch on my cheek, together with a slap of course.
2-2
I felt the adrenaline raise, as I can't loose. I hate loosing!
Perhaps that rude gesture was my chance, and I abused the moment before I lost it. I had a reputation to keep. Quick as a cat in the night I swung my hand from below and made sure he felt the winnerslap.

''Stripe has a hit. Stripe won.'' A judge announced.
What a cheater, I thought and laughed with him, before we all went back to our duties.

To make a long story short. Since I was the new guy, and nobody really knew me, I was assigned to: Mission Meinard.
Which means, go to to the master, talk to him and find out as much as you can about his plans, idea, thoughs of this place, and his goals. Find out about the mutagens. As much as possible. Especially where they are and if they can be removed.
Get under his skin. Do whatever you will, just don't make him suspicious.
I can do that, I thought. I did not know a shit about mutagens, but that might just make my job easier. I did not have to act stupid, just pretend I was interested.
Only problem is. He was a tricky nut. Not easily approachable that man, and not a man of many words.
But, there was a spark in me saying this is an important mission. A test even. I will take it. (I have no choice) but I will for sure try and see how far I come.
I think it was Leo who assigned me that mission, together with the rest.
Guess what?
Later, the next day Gretel accused me for not have done anything for the Stripes since I got here. Heh.
She never knew, or cared, how hard I tried on mission Meinard while she was busy being in pain from a few lashes.
More about that later.