Chapter 28

Outside the wind had begun to die down as the night wore on and Emiel Regis came to the fire with a kettle of water for tea.

"Good evening, Vernon. How are things?" Regis said kindly, acting as if he didn't hear the loud sounds of passionate sex coming from Geralt's tent.

Roche gave him a sideways look and nodded, clearly more than a little embarrassed by what he was hearing.

"All is well, my good man." He said, clearing his throat. "The weather is clearing up."

The vampire found it amusing that of all things Vernon would comment on that it'd be the weather. But Regis knew that not everyone was as open about sex as the next person.

"Ahh let's see, oh I have sprig of pine yet, that'll be good with these rose hips and chamomile flowers. Did you want some tea, Vernon? I can get a second cup if you like." Regis said glancing up at the soldier.

Vernon turned and gave Regis a very confused look.

"Yes?" he said, already knowing what Roche was going to say.

"Look, man, I saw you and Root together in the grand hall. I watched you dance with her, and I've seen how she looks at you. How can you sit here knowing what Geralt is doing to her?" Roche asked, somewhat exasperated.

"Because she loves him." Regis answered. "And he loves her. And Geralt isn't doing anything to her per se; it sounds to me like they're doing it together."

"But…" Vernon began, looking at Dandelion who crawled out of his tent, wrapping his cloak about his shoulders.

"Greetings, Dandelion." Regis said, but then turned back to Roche. "My good sir, sexual desire, or love for that matter, doesn't always stop at one person. I realize that for many that is so, but not all. Our Root here has grown up in the wild, with Nature, surrounded by all sorts of creatures who are not monogamous. Being with one person is as foreign to her as being with multiple partners seems to be to you. Although to be fair, she's aware of the popular custom. And if it puts your mind at ease, I've given both her and Geralt my consent." Regis explained nodding to the poet.

"I suppose I better take a turn at watch." The bard said with a yawn and a stretch, turning his head as Root cried out. "Is that? Oh good! Finally! The tension between those two was so thick you could cut it with a knife. Hey, Regis, you don't happen to have anything for a headache do you?"

"I may just. Let me check." He said and walked to the storage tucked under the wagon where he kept his herbal wares and bottles.

Dandelion gave Vernon a nod. "Hey, Roche. What's nagging you?"

"Nothing." Vernon said, crossing his arms.

Another loud cry from Root made the soldier clear his throat and Dandelion had to chuckle.

"Oh that? What's bothering you about that? Geralt's bedded loads of women. I mean yeah sure usually at an inn or whatever, but you hear those kinds of noises all the time. You're a traveling man, Vernon, I'm sure you've heard wild sex before. What's the big deal?" the bard asked as Regis handed him what looked like a piece of tree bark.

"Chew this in small pieces but don't swallow them, just the juices. That should help." The healer said and checked on his tea kettle. "Ah perfect."

Vernon rolled his eyes. "Well, it's not a big deal that…I mean yes I know about…Look, I was just concerned that Regis maybe was…"

"And I appreciate it, Vernon. Let me be clear. I understand the norms surrounding sexual activity and can admire some of the beautiful unions that come from certain practices among exclusive couples. In a normative situation, you would be right to be concerned, and asking me about it would be admirable. Even admonishing me for seeming indifferent could be seen as virtuous. So in no way am I, nor Dandelion I would wager, making light of your own personally held views or feelings. But as I'm sure you've guessed, Geralt, Root, myself and Dandelion do not fall into the categories laid out by many cultures." Regis explained, packing his wooden pipe with a smoking blend.

After that explanation, Vernon nodded his head and felt more comfortable knowing that truly Regis was not at all bothered by what was going on. So he looked over to the poet who was chewing the headache bark while standing by the fire to keep warm.

"So what about you? Do you want to bed her as well?" Roche asked.

"Oh goodness wouldn't I like to!" he said with a sly smile. "But I doubt it's in the cards as they say. Yeah sure she likes how I dress and all, and I've laid on the charm. But alas no, I think the v…

"Barber-surgeon and herbalist." Regis interrupted, giving Dandelion a stern, quick look.

"…and the Witcher have claimed her." The poet finished, recovering from his almost blunder.

"Well, claimed is a bit strong, Dandelion." Regis said, lighting his pipe with a bit of stick and drawing on it deeply, exhaling a cloud of sweet smelling spice. "Oh my, it's been too long. Smoke, Vernon?"

"Sure." Roche replied, accepting the second pipe and small sack of herbs to pack it.

"As I was saying, claimed is a bit strong. I promise you, Root has consented to everything, even as she…well, ahem, I shouldn't say more on that." He said, sipping his tea.

"You lot are strange, do you know that?" Vernon said shaking his head, lighting the pipe.

And the three gentlemen all shared a hearty laugh, a smoke and passed around the kettle of tea.