Eskel stepped into the dim room of the Wicked Wench. He took in the various men who made up this company. At the nearest table three men with filthy beards and hands gnarled from hard work glared at him. A pair of dwarves watched carefully from the back corner. A lone man in his prime sat to the left side of the bar, and he knew how to handle a sword. Other sailors and wet work men eyed him suspiciously from several points in the room, assessing him and the weapons he wore. He walked slowly to the barkeep and placed the worn token on the bar as he leaned on the smooth boards.
"Can you point me in the right direction?" Eskel asked in a low voice. The barkeep looked up from the bar and then nodded slightly in the direction of a small man sitting alone at the table next to the dwarves. Eskel nodded his thanks and slid the token off the bar then made his way through the room to the man indicated. He stopped and stood with his arms crossed looking down at a small, wiry man with wispy black hair and white beard. He placed the token on the table. The little man picked it up and turned it over, then motioned for Eskel to sit.
"You're not the one I gave this to," his voice was hard.
"He gave it to me."
"You could have taken it from him."
"Take a good look at me then say you believe that. Geralt is calling in his favor."
"Which is…?"
"To help me. Transport for me, a young woman and two horses." The captain curled his lip in thought.
"Only room for one horse. And I can't guarantee the safety of the woman. Ship full of lonely men," he grinned a wicked grin, "you know how it is."
"You get us to Kovir and I'll see to her safety as long as you know some of your men might not go ashore again." Eskel stared back into the menacing blue eyes. The oily little captain chuckled darkly and nodded.
"We sail in the morning. Bring the horse tonight. The wrong people could notice us loading an animal in daylight. Third dock after you hit the boards."
"Can I trust you?"
"Me? No," he picked up the token. "But you can trust this. Bring it in the morning." He placed it down on the table in front of Eskel, then stood and left the bar. The serving girl dropped a tankard of ale in front of him. Eskel nodded and drank deeply, trying to ease the tightness in his chest.
Brinna rose just before dawn to find herself alone. By the hearth were Eskel's saddle and bags. He must have slept on the floor. Or not at all. She pulled her dress on and repacked her small travel bag. Behind her the door opened. There was a pause before it closed softly. She felt his presence as he crossed slowly to stand behind her, but not touch her.
"Brinna," his tone and the rasp of his voice told her what he was about to say. "I'm…" she turned to him quickly and placed her finger over his lips.
"Don't…don't say it," tears shone in her eyes. "Because I'm not." He looked at her for a beat, losing himself in her eyes, then grabbed her wrist, slipped her arm around his neck as he pulled her closer with his other arm around her waist. He kissed her hungrily. His arms crushed her to him as her fingers gripped his hair. He groaned as his lips skimmed hers then he pulled away.
"We have a ship to catch," He said huskily. She nodded, no breath left to speak. Untangling her hand from his hair she released him reluctantly. He threw the saddlebags over his shoulder and picked up the saddle. They left the inn, and headed toward the docks.
"Once we board this ship, do not leave my side. These men are barely a step above bandits, probably worse in fact, and would not think twice about hurting you." As they approached the ship, she slid closer to him. Once on board, the deck hands watched her eagerly. A nearby sailor flashed a dirty grin at her.
"Well, look what we have here," he reached out to stroke her cheek with a dirty finger. Eskel pulled his sword out and pointed it at the offending man.
"Touch her and die," he looked around at the other sailors. They glared at him, some still watched her, but all took a step back.
"Stop gawking you filthy bastards and shove off, we got company," the captain called from the deck above as he watched a company of witch hunters ride into the docks. The crew turned their attention to the work of getting the ship out of port as fast as possible. They were highly capable sailors despite their many other failings and the ship began to move. Eskel returned his sword as the ship slipped from its moorings and led Brinna below deck where Scorpion had been secured the night before. He heard the horse whicker in his direction. He dropped the saddle and bags on some crates lined up against the hull next to the stall.
"It'll be a little safer here. He gave them quite a time last night. He's not fond of strangers."
"He is quite friendly to me." The ship rocked violently as it left port, throwing Brinna into Eskel's arms.
"You're special," he said quietly as he leaned in to kiss her but the door opened and the captain stomped into the cargo hold.
"Thought I might find you here with that devil you call a horse. Shoulda sold this one and kept the other." He looked at Brinna then back at Eskel. "Token?" and he held out his boney hand. Eskel placed the token in his hand. "When we get in, you can unload your beast first and be off. Tell Geralt we're square." He looked over Brinna again. "And keep your woman close. The men have taken quite a shine to 'er." The captain left and Eskel released Brinna and sat down. He was quite tired after yet another sleepless night. He stretched out against the hull, laying his head on the saddle. He motioned for Brinna to join him. She sat on the edge next to him.
"Now what?"
"We wait. This is a good crew as far as handling a ship goes. It should go quickly. I'm guessing we'll make landfall tomorrow night." He fell silent, yawning and shifting around to find a more comfortable position.
"Then?" She prodded. He was trying to slip back into that taciturn way of his.
"I'll take you to Geralt and Triss."
"And you?" But he didn't respond.
"Well, it seems that you know more about me than I do you and since we have a little time maybe you could tell me about yourself."
"There's not much to say. I'm a witcher. I was raised and trained at Kaer Morhen. I have spent decades killing monsters."
"How old are you exactly?"
"Ninety-nine."
"And the scars?" she asked softly. He stared at the boards above in the dim light. For a while he didn't speak and Brinna thought he was going to ignore her.
"There is a very old tradition called the Law of Surprise. You will grant me whatever unexpected thing you encounter when you return home. I had heard Vesemir tell these stories over and over. I guess they got into my head." He spoke softly but steadily. "A long time ago, I saved a man's life, the Prince of Caingorn. He had nothing to repay me with at the time so I cited the Law of Surprise. Stupid. He then returned home to find his wife expecting. I avoided Caingorn after that. I didn't want to take a man's child. A girl at that. Her name was Dierdre Ademayne," Eskel said her name with a soft bitterness, "My Unexpected Child." Brinna watched his face in the dim light. He seemed lost in another time.
"Twenty years later this little blonde girl shows up at Kaer Morhen. The way to the fortress isn't exactly common knowledge so we were put on edge by her appearance. When Vesemir asked how she found us and what she was doing there, she said that all she had to do was think of me and she knew where I was and that she came so I could fulfill my destiny."
"What destiny?" Brinna asked softly. Eskel shrugged.
"I don't know. She said we were bound by destiny but hell if I know what that was supposed to mean. All I know is that for almost thirty years I had these horrible dreams. Dark and bloody. I drank a lot to clear my head so I could sleep or I just didn't sleep at all.
"Dierdre was born under the sign of the Black Sun. There was an eclipse during her birth and many young women born then were horribly mutated. Some called it a curse. I think it was some sorcerer's meddling. But she was violent. Very violent. I heard about some of the things that she did to people and it made my blood run cold.
"Her brother, Merwin, and a scorceress, Sabrina Glevissig, followed Dierdre to Kaer Morhen. Merwin wanted her to recant her claim to the Caingorn throne and the sorceress wanted to dissect her. And everyone wanted me to decide what to do with her. I didn't want to hand her over to Sabrina but I sure as hell didn't want her around me. She set me off balance, gave me a headache and I couldn't use my signs around her. Thank gods Geralt came back when he did." Eskel lay quiet for a few moments before continuing. "There was a fight with the mercs that Merwin hired and Dierdre turned on me and attacked me. Nearly lost my eye. She told Geralt later that she didn't mean to do it. That I scared her. The girl was just so violent and bloodthirsty that I don't think she cared who she hit as long as it drew blood."
"What happened to her?"
"She went back to Caingorn and ruled jointly with her brother. I never saw her again. But I carry a constant reminder of her. Years later I received a letter sent by a crow from Caingorn."
"What did it say?"
"Never read it. I threw it in the fire. I already knew what it said."
"Which was?"
"She was dead. I have another set of scars to mark that occasion." He lifted his shirt, exposing his left side. Talon marks slashed down his side, crossing his lower abdomen and ending somewhere beneath his waistband. "I was in the valley near Kaer Morhen when she died. I felt the disconnect. I became so dizzy I nearly blacked out. A forktail I'd been hunting almost disemboweled me. I was still recovering when the letter came. For years after that I struggled. People always looked sideways at me because I was a witcher but after that…it was worse. Children would run screaming from me. Women who once would dally with a witcher turned their heads in disgust. I learned to adapt." Eskel closed his eyes. He felt a huge weight lift off him and he relaxed. It felt good to tell that story after all this time. Even some of the deep seated pain from his disfigurement vanished. As the darkness pulled him down he thought he could feel Brinna caress his face as he fell into a deep sleep.
Eskel woke to darkness. Beside him he could feel something soft and warm. Brinna had lain down next to him and curled her body against his and he had draped his arm over her in his sleep. He slid his hand down over her hip and thigh and back up. She felt good next to him. He laid back down and returned to sleep, and for the first time in a long while he had pleasant dreams.
When Brinna awoke, it was light. The sun filtered down into the hold illuminating the dust and casting shadows in the corner. She turned to her back to see Eskel leaning up on his arm, looking down at her with a somewhat sad expression as he toyed absently with the ends of her long hair.
"Sleep well?" he asked.
"Mostly," she said, sitting up. "I have a problem."
"What?"
"I, uh, have to…" Eskel looked blankly at her for a second.
"Oh. Come on. There's a head on board somewhere. Usually near the crew quarters." He led her up to the deck then down to the crew quarters. They passed by two bunk rooms with a few heavily snoring crew. At the end of the passage was a door with a crude sign nailed to it. Eskel banged on the door then opened it. Empty.
"It's not pleasant, but it'll do. I'll wait here." She closed the door as a large man stumped down the hall. He reached for the door. Eskel grabbed his arm.
"Wha'?"
"She's in there." Eskel warned.
"There's mor'in one head." He grinned lasciviously.
"I don't care. You wait."
"Bleedin' cock," he muttered.
"Yeah," Eskel said as he whipped out his sword and touched the point to the man's lips, "and here's my steel one. Want to suck on it?" The man backed off and leaned against the opposite wall, glaring at him. The door opened and Eskel put his sword away and guided Brinna down the short hall.
The rest of the trip was uneventful. They spent the daylight hours above deck, leaning on the rail in companionable silence watching the water go by. The wind was strong over open water and the fast built ship made good time. As dark approached, land could be seen in the distance.
It was full dark when they rode toward Pont Vanis. They took a leisurely pace, a change from the hectic pace of travel on the continent. The journey had ended and they were glad but there was something unsaid that hung between them.
In the distance, Eskel could see a lone figure in the moonlight standing up high. Geralt. He really was watching for them. They picked up the pace to a trot when an arrow flew by. He looked back. Hunters. Two charged from the trees as a third continued to shoot at them. He pulled Brinna from her horse and set her in front of him then let Scorpion take off. Another arrow was loosed and hit Eskel low in the back. A second hit him halfway up. He grunted when a third hit him, spewing blood. Brinna wiped away the blood that dripped from is bottom lip. Scorpion rounded a corner and barreled through the open gate skidding to a halt. Geralt helped Brinna down. Eskel struggled to sit upright.
"He's coughing up blood," she said as her feet touched the ground and held her hands out showing the blood she had wiped away.
"Must have hit his lungs." Eskel managed to get his right leg over the horse and slid down. Geralt grabbed him and eased him down to his feet.
"Can't. Breathe." Eskel wheezed.
"Triss! Triss get out here!" Geralt yelled. Brinna saw a pretty red head in leather run out from the house. This must be Triss. She fought a pang of jealousy as Triss ran her hands down Eskel's chest and sides.
"His lungs have been punctured. We need to get those arrows out. Get him in the house." Geralt half carried Eskel in and sat him at the table while Triss cast a spell to help him breathe.
"This isn't going to be any fun for you."
"Stop talking and just do it Wolf." He gripped the opposite edge of the table. Brinna stood in the open door watching the white haired witcher put his boot to Eskel's back and yank the arrows out one at a time, closing her eyes with his yell as the last one was pulled from his flesh.
"There goes your perfect back."
"Had to happen sometime." Triss eased him up and led him to another room to tend his wounds. She stripped Eskel to the waist and bandaged his back. As he lay face down across the bed, Triss sat next to him and placed a sleeping spell on him. She stayed until his eyes drifted closed, his breathing deep and steady.
Brinna sat at the table holding a cup of tea in both hands watching the steam rise. Triss sat next to Geralt. Brinna looked up. Triss was surprised at the wisdom and power that radiated from her despite how young she looked.
"How are you doing? This hasn't been easy for either of you. I'm Triss and this is Geralt."
"I know who you are," she replied softly. "Eskel told me about you both. Besides, I'd recognize Geralt of Rivia anywhere thanks to the bard Dandelion." Geralt groaned. Brinna smiled. Triss felt the air around them charge with warmth with that smile. She has some considerable power if a mere smile can affect her surroundings, Triss thought. "But I am fine thanks to Eskel. How is he?" Her concern for him showed greatly in her eyes. She's in love with him, Triss thought sadly.
"He'll be fine. Witchers are a sturdy lot. It's amazing the abuse they can walk away from," Triss said as she gazed lovingly at Geralt.
"Eskel may have been poisoned."
"What?"
"When he came back for me, he had been hit with two arrows. Both were poisoned."
"If they were then it's a good thing he took the hit then. It means they'd just as soon kill you as catch you." Geralt said. Brinna regarded him thoughtfully.
"I can't be poisoned." She said.
"How do you know that?" Asked Triss.
"Poison comes from plants and plants are from nature. I accidentally ate some wolfsbane as a child. My parents were beside themselves. I simply willed it away." Geralt and Triss watched her in awe as she gently sipped her tea. This was not some run of the mill witch. If she could just will away poison, there was no telling what extent her powers reached. She set her cup down and looked back at them. "There is just one thing that bothers me."
"What's that?" Geralt responded.
"How did they know we were coming here? We stayed off the path and away from towns and villages until the port. Except for that one time…"
"What one time?" Geralt asked.
"We stopped briefly and some Hunters found us. Eskel…killed them all." She glazed over, recalling how the blood seemed to fall in slow motion to the ground. Each drop forming a tiny puddle in the dirt. The strange new music began to play in her head as she swayed in her seat. Triss grabbed her shoulders and gave her a good firm shake. Brinna snapped back. "Sorry."
"Don't focus on the blood. That's what you were doing, right?" Brinna nodded. "Don't. We know why Eskel brought you here. I can help you learn to better control your power. We may need it before the end."
"Before the end of what?"
"We're not entirely sure." Triss said helplessly.
