Year 1226 - Small village just outside Maribor
Even though it was raining and dark, he wanted to continue on his journey. He was drenched to the point of being soaked through and through. It isn't far from the village. At the inn there, I'll sleep and dry off. It was absolutely dark when he arrived, and he could hear laughter and cries from inside. He dismounted, patted his horse, and tied it to a stable pole before going inside. The guests fell silent as soon as he opened the door. He had a black clock covering his body, armor under it, and two swords on his back. He removed the hood to show his face. His moustache under his nose, like his hair, was grey, his face was wrinkled, and his eyes were golden with cat-like pupils. His movements were brisk for an elderly man. Until he met the inkeeper, he could sense their gazes following him around.
"We don't have any room left." The innkeeper's voice was full of lies.
"I think you can find one free, I'll pay extra." Clearly unhappy but too exhausted to argue.
"Now that I think of it... there is one, upstairs." A wide grin formed on his face, delighted that his trick worked.
I don't remember a time when this didn't happen. Greedy bastards.
The room was small, but it didn't matter. All he wanted to do was get a good night's rest. He took off his armor and put it by the fireplace so it could dry off. He placed his swords underneath the bed, just in case, and slowly drifted to sleep.
He awoke before dawn, dressed in his armor and clock, slung his swords over his shoulders, and walked out of the room to pay for his stay.
"Here, your coin inkeeper." He said while passing out orens. "Are there any contracts for a witcher?"
"There is one, set by Sir Merigold, a wyvern. Quite a generous reward for it."
"I'll have a look then, thanks."
He set out to consult with the contract's issuer. It was just a short trip. The man and his family lived in a tower in the heart of the city. He received a warm welcome.
"Master Witcher! Greetings Vesemir, I'm glad you came." Sir Dorrigan said. "It's most likely for a witcher contract; why else?"
"I'm glad to see you as well. Tell me how your father is doing." He pondered the issue, not because he didn't care, but because he was eager to see an old acquaintance.
"Unfortunately, my father passed away a few winters ago. Let's not linger on it now; it was bound to happen. For the sake of tradition, I'd like to invite you to dinner."
"You say dinner... I can't say no to that." He hadn't had a proper meal in a long time, and his usual fare consisted of hunted animals found along the way.
The tower was taller than he recalled, which he attributed to the fact that it had been a while since he had visited. He wandered around admiring the furniture and paintings on the walls while the feast was being prepared. One piqued his curiosity. It depicted his now-deceased old friend at his wedding ceremony. It had been such a long time ago. It bothered him greatly. He had never met a man like him in his entire life.
"Reminiscing about the past?" Dorrigan Merigold snuck up behind Vesemir and caught him off guard.
"Yeah, do you know how I met your father?" He didn't expect a response when he asked the question.
"I do actually, my father told me once." A smile formed on his face. "You saved his life when he was attacked by a pack of wolves. Then, as a token of his gratitude, he took you to a brothel. Since then, you've been friends and are still welcome to visit our tiny tower."
"It seems as if he told you something." Vesemir was taken aback. "Whenever I was nearby town, I always paid him a visit."
"I'm sure you did. I recall the stories you told me when I was a child. I was still ecstatic when I heard them. They would undoubtedly appeal to my daughter."
"Your daughter? It seems that I've been missing out on a lot in recent years. Would I have the opportunity to meet her?"
"Soon enough, you'll meet her. The meal is nearly ready." The bell rang just as he finished speaking, signaling the start of dinner. "It's right here."
They entered the dining room. In the center of the room, a table with six seats stood. Plates, silver goblets with wine, and food trays sat atop the table.
"Please take a seat; I'll be bringing my girl."
Vesemir sat and waited. Sir Merigold appeared after a few moments had passed. A small figure stood behind him, her head turned slightly so she could see the man at the table.
"This is Master Witcher Vesemir, go and say hi, Triss."
Behind him, a lovely little girl took a step forward. Her chestnut hair was long, and she had plump cheeks and cornflower blue eyes.
"Pa said that you are a friend. Are you?" The girl asked curiously.
"Since your father said it, it must be true. Come over here so I can take a look at you, child." She took a few steps closer. "How old are you?"
"I'm six." She mumbled. "Pa said you are a witcher. What does a witcher do?"
"A witcher makes sure that little girls like you don't get eaten by big bad monsters." He jested. "We make sure that people are safe outside of cities."
"Triss I think that's enough questions for our guest. Go take your seat." Triss retreated to her seat without a fuss, curiously observing the old man. "I hope she didn't annoy you Vesemir, she has never seen a witcher before."
"It's perfect, and it's a welcome change from what I encountered on the way. Your daughter is fun to be around." He grinned as he looked at her. "When we first met, you mentioned a witcher contract. Is it about a wyvern?"
"Yes, how did you know? Oh, never mind, my hunters said it was a wyvern, and it has a nest in the nearby forest."
"I'll take care of it. Is there someone who can show me where the nest is? Maybe one of your hunters?" It's almost impossible to track down a wyvern in Temeria's massive forests. He was in desperate need of a lead. "Has there been any recent activity that could lead me to it?"
"No, there haven't been any assaults. One of my hunters will lead you in the right direction. They have a small hunting cabin near the forest's edge." He asserted. "Just tell them I sent you, and they shouldn't have any issues."
"I'll be on my way then. The faster I get the job done the better." He tried to stand but Dorrigan stopped him.
"Leaving already? You haven't even touched any food yet, and don't tell me you're going hunting on an empty stomach, the beast can wait."
"Ehh, you convinced me. I'll stay for a while and prepare."
The 'while' turned into hours, and they sat there listening to his tales of recent hunts until late at night.
"It's late, Triss; go to your room and sleep." Dorrigan ordered.
"But I don't want to! I want to hear one more tale, pa!"
"Triss, child, go to sleep, I'll tell you more tales tomorrow when I come back, ok?" Vesemir's voice was warm and friendly.
"You promise?" One could hear disappointment in her voice.
"I promise." With that said, she hurried into her room without a word.
"You grew fond of her." There was a slight distress in his voice. "She was born after my father died... You could become her grandpa if you want..." Vesemir was shocked.
"What did I do to deserve such a proposition? I'm just a witcher."
"You are a witcher, but you were a part of our family for years. For us, you are more than that." He paused, trying to find the right words.
"I'll... think about it." Vesemir stood up and tried to leave, but someone grabbed him by his forearm.
"We have a free room, you can use it to rest. I'm not going to let you sleep outside." Dorrigan said with a firm voice, it wasn't a proposition.
"Thank you." He mumbled, confused at what had just happened.
The witcher couldn't sleep that night, and his thoughts wandered to events from earlier in the day. Was it all real or was it just a cruel joke? Witchers don't make families, don't die in their own beds, or form attachments. So, what makes this time different? He began to recall the young girl he had met. What was her name? Triss? The last time I felt like that was when I trained Geralt. Finally, calm came to his mind, and he fell asleep, exhausted from feelings overflowing his senses.
He woke up to the sound of breakfast being prepared. The sizzling sound and smell of bacon and eggs being fried overwhelmed his senses. What hour is this? I should've woken up sooner. But I wouldn't mind a nice meal before the hunt. He stood up and searched for his armor. It was nowhere to be seen. Unexpectedly, the door opened. It was little Triss. She had a plate in her right hand and a goblet of wine in the left.
"It's for you Master Witcher Sir." She put his food on a nightstand near the bed. "Pa said you need strength to fight a big dragon, so Ma made you something to eat."
"Thank you, child." He looked at the plate. It contained fried bacon, eggs and fresh fruits. "Do you know where my armor is?"
"Pa said it smelled bad and needed to be washed, and he told me to tell you it'd be ready before you left." She dashed up to him and embraced him tightly. His wolf medallion on his neck began to move, but he was unaware. "You said you'd tell me stories later, so you'll have to return."
"I will, don't worry about it." He felt all the troubles leave him at once. He was needed not as a monster slayer but as something more. "Alright, that's enough hugging, I need to eat and talk with your father."
"I'll go find him." She replied, then left.
Vesemir started to eat food brought to him and sip wine. It didn't take him long to devour his meal. After that, he took a quick glance at the room. It was cozy and clean, nothing like his room at Kaer Morhen. It had a small window overlooking the market square. When he looked outside, he estimated the time to be eleven based on the direction of the sun, and saw various merchant booths with goods imported from outside the kingdom. Beautiful sight. His ears were drawn to the sound of approaching footsteps.
"Good morning Vesemir, did you sleep well? " Dorrigan asked politely.
"Yes, thanks to your hospitality. Triss told me you took my armor to clean it up. Do you mind if I have it back? "
"It's resting with your swords in the hall, just before the exit door." He explained. "You should leave it there when you visit, there is no need to carry all this weight."
"Thank you, I will. I should get going; the beast isn't going to kill itself." With that said, he left the room and dressed up in his armor, slung his swords over his shoulders.
His horse was already waiting for him in the stables. It had been cleaned, watered and fed.
"They took good care of you, did they? That's great, we have quite a long journey." He patted the horse, mounted it and rode off to meet the hunters.
The cabin was a three-hour ride from the city gates, but it was easy to spot because it stood next to a main pathway with smoke billowing from its chimney. The incoming rider was seen by a man in a fur coat who was tending to the dogs.
"Greetings witcher, it's a pleasure to meet you. Sir Dorrigan has already informed us of the matter. I'll show you the way." He motioned for him to follow by waving his hand.
Vesemir asked the necessary questions, he wanted to make sure what he was dealing with.
"Are you sure that it's a wyvern?"
"I'm certain it is. I'm not a witcher, but I do have some knowledge; otherwise, I'd be eaten by monsters on a first random hunt."
"I don't have any doubts about that..." Their talk was cut short by a loud screech. "You heard that? We're almost there; I'll take over from here, and you can go."
"You'll find me here, and I'll be ready when you arrive. For a specialist like you, it shouldn't take long."
The witcher went to find out what was making the noise and discovered it had yellow-green scales on its body, wings tucked to the sides, a long neck with its head on it, and sharp white teeth within its mouth. The beast jumped into the air as soon as he tried to get closer. The monster swooped by a few times after he unheated his silver sword, but he avoided them all. He waited for an opportunity, and when it came, the witcher dove under the beast's attack while also severing the monster's head in one swift motion. He got to his feet and looked around; the monster's carcass lay a few meters away, the head an arm's length away, and the cut on its neck was clean. He returned to his horse after walking over to the head and putting it in a sack. The terrified horse whined.
"Look, it's as dead as it gets, so there's no need to be afraid." He reassured it, then patted it to settle it down so he could secure the sack to the saddle.
"Witcher, you did an outstanding job." The hunter congatulated. "I've never seen someone move so quickly and kill a beast in such a short amount of time. You are a true professional."
He was used to being praised, and if one came his way, he nodded in acknowledgment.
"A lot of experience comes from a long time on the path." He said whilst also mounting his horse. "I'll get on my way now, thanks for your help."
"No problem witcher, it was a pleasure working with you, farewell." The witcher simply nodded and waved his hand before looking up at the sky, where the sun had set at fifteen o'clock.
That's not bad; I might even make it back before supper. His journey was fortunately uneventful, and he arrived on time, where he was welcomed by the servant of the household.
"Greetings sir, Sir Dorrigan is asking you to join him in the tavern. He'll pay you there."
Vesemir went to the tavern, which was easy to find because it was a large structure that could hold a few dozen people. Sir Dorrigan immediately recognized him as he walked in.
"Master Witcher! Over here!" With a wave of his hand, he shouted from the table. He and his company were joined by the witcher. "Was the hunt successful?"
The inhabitants of the tavern shouted praises and stood up to get a clearer view of the scene as the witcher presented the nobles with a blood-stained bag and pulled out the trophy.
"Well done Master Witcher!" shouted one of the nobles.
"I see blood on your armor; do you need medical assistance?" Sir Dorrigan inquired, worried.
"I came out of the fight unscathed, it's monster blood."
"Ha! He makes it sound so easy! I'm thinking about being a monster hunter myself!" A fat noble laughed out loud.
"You wouldn't be able to kill a simple wolf, Sir Marquis." Said the fourth noble mockingly.
"Master Witcher, tell us how you do it." Sir Dorrigan asked.
"The trick of the Guild is knowing when to duck." Vesemir was joking. With a goblet of wine in hand, one of the nobles rose.
"A toast! Witcher, to the mighty ducking! Join us for a drink and a seat."
"Go and put that filth in a bucket of vinegar. I know people who are willing to pay a lot of money for this kind of thing." Sir Dorrigan was the one who made the suggestion. "It should be a nice bonus on top of your pay for your honest job."
"Thank you Dorrigan."
They drank wine and told stories, none of which were particularly interesting; it was just some aristocracy babbling. Dorrigan shifted his gaze to Vesemir.
"I believe we should be on our way; there is a meal waiting for us. Will you come along, Vesemir?"
"I believe you are aware of my response; I promised your daughter that I would tell her stories, and I intend to keep my word." He said with a smile on his face.
"Gentelmen, it has been a pleasure to keep you company, but we must depart; we will speak again at a later date, farewell." Dorrigan said, and then he and Vesemir both went to his tower.
Before entering the tower, a servant greeted them. Vesemir hung his swords on the wall, then removed his armor and placed it on an armor stand that had been prepared for him.
"Vesemir, go take a bath. We've already arranged it for you, and a fresh set of clothes have been put in the bathroom."
"I'll do that, thanks."
It had been a while since he had taken a bath; he usually bathed in streams or lakes. It was refreshing. He washed his hair and body thoroughly, remained inside until the water was cold, then stood up, dried himself with a towel and changed into the clothes that had been prepared for him. The outfit consisted of a white shirt and black trousers. He stepped out of the bathroom and into the dining room, where Dorrigan joined him shortly after.
"Did you enjoy your bath?"
"Mhm, you are being mighty generous, thank you"
"Nonsense, you are a part of the family. There is no such thing as 'too generous' to your family."
"Hmm, I guess you are right. Anyways, how are you managing all this wealth? It must be difficult."
"Not at al, my father taught me how to do it before he died."
They reminisced about the past for a bit. Vesemir's mind drifted to a wonderful sweet scent of food being prepared in the kitchen. It smells like chicken, and it's made with applesauce and cinnamon. A curly chestnut mass appeared from the corridor, carrying a bottle of wine and two goblets. She bounced her way to the table, set the goblets, and turned to hand a bottle to Vesemir.
"Ma said to give you this bottle, it's a gift."
"Thank you, that is a wonderful gift." He inspected the bottle. Fiorano, barreled in 1176. That is a really expensive gift. It's the same wine he had at his wedding. Vesemir smiled.
"Now that you've returned, does that mean the dragon is no longer alive?" Triss questioned, amused. "Pa warned me it was extremely dangerous."
"Yes, it was, and no one will be bothered by it any longer. Come sit on my lap and listen as I tell you the story."
She jumped into his lap, and his wolf medallion began to twitch as a result. Interesting, it reacts to magic, to her? No it can't be...
"The wolf's head on your neck is moving!" She jumped off and the twitching stopped. "It's not dancing anymore! Is it magic? Can you make it dance again?"
"Hmm, give me your hands and let's see if it will dance for you again." He said as he removed his medallion and handed it to her. It began twitching and jumping erratically. The little girl squealed with joy. That's very interesting, let's see where it goes...
"Oh, thank you Sir Witcher!" She returned his medallion to him. "Do witchers use a lot of magic?"
"We know a few tricks but it's not proper magic." A delicate stream of power extinguished the flame in front of him as he cast Aard. "It takes years to learn proper magic; we spend the majority of our time learning about monsters and mastering the art of the sword." The old witcher used Igni to give an impulse to the candle, allowing it to relight. Triss expressed her gratitude by clapping her hands.
"Please, sir, one more time!"
"All right, child." Vesemir smiled and performed the trick with the two signs once more. The girl's gaze was fixed on his fingers this time.
Her eyes narrowed in concentration as she stretched her arm towards the candle and formed a shape with her fingers. A cold blast of energy extinguished the flame, as well as blowing the candle and a tray of grapes behind it, into the wall. The little girl froze, her blue eyes wide open and fixed on her father's puzzled expression. Vesemir was the first to recover from the shock.
"Perhaps it would be better if you didn't try the second part for now." he said slowly. "Particularly not when you're inside."
"I'm sorry!" Triss dashed to her room as if her life depended on it.
"Well done witcher, look at the mess you've made." Dorrigan laughed. "How did she do that anyway?"
"My medalion twitched when she was near it, as it does whenever magic is present. I believe she possesses power, which is unusual for a child of her age."
"What do you propose? I don't want her to get harmed..."
"I propose..." Vesemir said carefully. "That you send her to a magic school for girls, Aretuza. They'll show her how to manage her power. And who knows, maybe she'll find success in the future. She is truly taletned."
"We'll have to think about it; it's a big deal to give your kid up for such a long time."
"Trust me, it's in her best interest." Vesemir reassured him. "Besides, there's no need to give her right away; you can wait until she's older."
"You are correct; she is entitled to a decent life, and becoming a noble's daughter will not suffice. Before I submit her, I'll try to make her childhood worthwhile... And I want you to help me with it. You know how."
"I'll do my best." The witcher stood up and smiled. "I'll get started right away; I promised her I'd tell her tales, and I always keep my word."
The old witcher opened the door the little girl's room and entered, finding her seated on her bed.
"Am I in trouble?" She expressed her remorse and sadness in her words. "I tried to do the same trick as you."
"In trouble? No." He walked over and sat on the bed next to her. "Actually, we are glad that nothing happened to you." She hugged him.
"You are not mad?"
"Mad? I can't be mad at you, child." His voice was warm and soothing. "There is nothing to be mad for."
"But I made a mess."
"You did, but we can clean it up at any moment."
"Thank you, Master Vesemir."
"Just 'Vesemir' is enough."
"Will you tell me stories now Vesemir? You promised you would."
"Yes, of course. I'll go find a chair while you lie in bed."
"There is one in the corner." She pointed it out with her index finger. "Pa uses it sometimes when I ask him to tell me stories."
While the witcher took the chair to the side of her bed and sat on it, she tucked herself under a blanket. He kept telling her stories until she fell asleep, and then he dozed off in his chair.
His back ached as he awoke the next day. Definitely not the most relaxing way to sleep. His gaze wondered at the girl sleeping in the bed. At least she had a proper night's rest. He got up and walked out of the room. Dorrigan was already seated at a table in the dining room, waiting for him.
"Did you sleep well?" He greeted him with a warm smile. "That chair can be a bit painful, particularly if you plan on sleeping in it." He jested.
"I figured it out on my own skin."
"Don't worry. You will get used to it."
"I don't really have a choice." An awkward silence followed after that. Dorrigan was the first one to break it.
"When do you plan to leave?"
"In a couple of days. I've got to get back on path."
The days flew by in a flash. He awoke in the mornings and spoke with Dorrigan about the past and the days ahead until evening, with breaks for breakfast, dinner, and supper, then proceeding to Triss's room and telling her tales. To him, it felt like a routine, one he might get used to. The day has come. He was prepared to get back on the path. Triss was the last of the family members to wish him goodbye. He could tell she was hesitant, so he got down on his knees and opened his arms in an embrace gesture. She dashed up to him and gave him a warm embrace. They remained in this position for a short time until Vesemir broke the embrace. He could see tears welling up in her eyes and brushed them away silently.
"Will you come back?"
"I will. I promise."
And he was true to his word. He paid them visits whenever he was in the vicinity of the city, which was just a few times a year, always with new stories to tell. That is, until one day...
Year 1230 - Small tower in Maribor
He knocked on the door to the tower and was greeted by a servant.
"Greetings Master Witcher. Please come inside, Sir Dorrigan will be delighted to see you."
He went inside, removed his swords and hung them on the wall, then removed his armor and put it on an armor stand. He had an odd sensation. Normally, Triss would have greeted him as soon as he walked through the door. Maybe she didn't hear me knocking. He went into the living room and walked over to Dorrigan, who was sitting in his chair and smoking a pipe.
"Vesemir! What a pleasant surprise! Come sit down and share a drink with me."
"Greetings Dorrigan, it's a pleasure to meet you too. Where is Triss? I hadn't seen her when I came inside."
"You don't know?" Dorrigan stood surprised. "I'm a complete fool. Of course, you have no idea. We agreed it was time, and a few weeks ago sent her to Aretuza."
Vesemir's heart was stabbed by his words like a thousand knives. He would miss her, dearly.
Trireme deserves a lot of credit. He was the one who inspired me to write this story.
I hope you found it as enjoyable to read as I did to write it.
All characters are property of Andrzej Sapkowski and CD Project Red. (Unless they were created by me)
Years are given solely for the purpose of comparison and should not be taken seriously.