"Pia. Stop looking at him."
"Mum, who is he? And why shall I stop looking at him?"
"He? Just a stray. Now stop it. He´s evil."
"A stray? Dogs are strayers. He´s not a dog."
"A dog? Pia, darling, he´s way worse than a dog."
"Why?"
"Stop asking me questions!"
"Why? He´s not doing a thing."
"Not now but believe me, darling, he is a bad man."
"So not a stray but a man!"
"Still not a good one! He´s a witcher!"
"Mum, why are you spitting out? That´s disgusting."
"That elps against misfortune. And witchers always bring misfortune"
"Mum, what is a witcher doing?"
"He kills, little one. That´s why you should stay clear of him."
"He kills?"
"Hm."
"Who?"
"Hm?"
"Who does he kill?"
"Killing is bad, child. Everybody who kills is evil, no matter who."
"Dad is killing deers for us to eat them. So dad is evil?"
"Stop talking bullshit, Pia. Of course dad is not evil. He is only killing animals and only for us to have food. Only when we need them."
"So what does the witcher kill?"
"He kills monsters. That´s erverything he can do. He was made for it."
"Monsters? But that´s good! Uncle Marvin was attacked by a monster, right? So a witcher is good because -"
"Stop it now, Pia! He´s not only killing monsters. He is one himself. He is dangerous and he could kill you as well. Or me. You want this?"
"You said he can only kill monsters! Are you a monster, mum?"
"Oh, Pia, stop it! Just look at him! That´s all you have to do, look at him and you know that he is evil! Those eyes! And his swords!"
"His eyes are like the ones of a cat. My cat is not evil. She is hunting mice so they cannot eat our wheat, that´s what dad said. He calls them little beasts. A beast is like a monster, insn´t it? So cats are like witchers? Cause they hunt and kill monsters?"
". . ."
"And my cat is white, too. That´s why his hair is white, mum?"
"Pia, if you won´t stop -"
"And dad has a sword as well. He says it always depends on how you use it and then it´s not evil!"
"Pia!"
"So why is that witcher evil? He looks rather sad."
"Witchers don´t have feelings. And now hush."
"But mum, why is he evil?"
"Cause he´s a witcher. They´re all evil."
"So why is he sad the, mum? I can see he is."
"He. Is. A. Witcher!"
"Is he sad because of that? Because he doesn´t have a name?"
"What?"
"You always call him a witcher. So doesn´t he have a name, mum? Dad is farmer and hunter but he is also called Frederick. So he is a witcher but he is called somehow, too."
"I don´t care about how he is called."
"Cause he is evil?"
"Right."
"But why is he?!"
"Hush, Pia. Let your mum eat now."
Geralt sighed as he stood in front of the tavern again. He had no choice but to listen to the talking mother and child, though they both tried to whisper.
Sad. Shocking how sensitive children can be when it comes to feelings. He was sure that not even Jaskier would have noticed how bad he felt. In the nearest village a werewolf had massacred several children, one of them had still had a little life in it when Geralt found her. A little girl with green eyes and ash-blond hair that reminded him massively of Ciri. He wasn´t able to help her. He was with her when she died though, holding her hand. So she was not alone. He guessed that she was around seven years old and she didn´t understand what happended with her.
And he was left alone with his thoughts, like he was always in the last weeks, alone with his fear of Ciri being hurt or killed. Of course she was an adult now and able to take care perfectly of herself; but the thought of her lying somewhere out there, deadly wounded by a creature of the Wild Hunt, alone, dying . . . without him being able to be at her side at least . . .
He shuddered and went to the stable. He´d leave Velen today and follow Ciris tracks. And he would find her.
Deep in thoughts, he didn´t even realise the sound of steps behind him. He flinched as something touched his leg and turned around.
Pia watched him with big brown eyes, a bouquet of flowers in her hand. Seemed like she picked them next to the tavern.
She hold the flowers out to him.
"Take them. You are sad and I don´t like people being sad. Mum says, you are evil but that is not true, is it? She doesn´t know you."
Geralt took the flowers, speechless. He was even too surprised to say thank you.
"What´s your name? Mum calls you a witcher but that is only a proffession so you have to have a name. "
He had a hard time finding his speech back. "Geralt."
"That is a nice name", Pia said. "Don´t be sad, Geralt. Okay?"
From somewhere deep inside of his mind he remembered how to smile. He did it.
"Okay. Thanks."
She smiled back and in that moment, the mother started to call out for her child in the tavern.
Fuck.
"I need to go back", Pia said instantly, turned and ran on her bare feet back to the tavern. Geralt fled preventively into the stable. Inside, he stood in front of Roach´s stall and eyed in thoughts at the little bouquet.
"Oh, Roach", he murmured and pet her nostrils. "Why can´t all people be as smart as some children are?"
Roach didn´t know the answer but she reached out interested to the flowers.