Rayden sat in the brush watching the grass sway in the light breeze. Out in the field, a small, white goat nestled down for a nap. Rayden's patience was quickly wearing down and he was sorely tempted to join the goat.
"As for forktails, bait them thusly: pound a stake in the soil, bind a goat to it then hide in nearto shrubbery posthaste." He muttered, agitated.
"Hey, Brother Adalbert hasn't led me wrong yet," Eskel replied.
"We've been in this 'shrubbery' for hours. I don't think it's coming back."
"They always come back," Eskel said quietly, still watching the sky. Rayden shifted position and sighed wondering how his father could sit like this for hours on end. It wasn't the first time he'd thought it and it wouldn't be the last, so Rayden settled in to wait some more.
The sun had sunk a little further on the horizon when Eskel finally moved. He pointed up to a black dot in the red sky. Rayden squinted as he tried to make it out.
"Get ready. It'll come in fast." Eskel pulled out his silver blade as Rayden readied a weighted rope.
"Don't know if I can hit it facing the sun."
"Come at it from the north. Throw it and get clear," Eskel said. He watched it circle closer and closer. "Damn, it's a big one." Rayden moved away from Eskel's side to face south.
True to what Eskel had said, the forktail moved in fast. It tucked its wings and dove toward the bait, claws outstretched. Rayden stood and swung the rope, the weight pulling it faster and faster before letting go as he aimed for the forktail's legs. The weight swung out and wrapped around one leg while the other end followed, swinging wide to catch the opposite leg. A perfect hit.
The forktail screamed as its balance was thrown off, sending it straight into the ground, missing the goat. One of the giant wings struck the stake and the goat ran as fast as its short legs could carry it.
Eskel was out of the trees the second it hit the ground. He dodged the thrashing wing and claws on his way to the beast's head. The nimble neck swung around, and sharp teeth snapped at him but the witcher was faster, bringing the blade down hard, slicing into the flesh though hard scales and leathery skin. Suddenly it heaved to its feet, the rope that bound it snapping. Eskel back peddled as it came at him, blood running from the wound on its neck. Eskel changed direction and slashed at the body. The beast reared up and flapped its wings, sending a gust that nearly bowled the witcher over. Eskel dodged again as it lifted into the air only to have it claws drive straight back down at him. Eskel held his ground and shoved his blade into the forktail's body. It tried to shift midair and landed on its side, blood pouring over the hilt of the sword. Eskel retrieved his weapon then ended the creature's life.
Rayden joined his father as he stood over the carcass, breathing heavily. After four years of walking The Path, a true witcher's skill never ceased to amaze him. Beside him, Eskel dropped to his knees and pressed a hand to his stomach and grimaced. He had been nicked by the point of the the creature's wing. Sitting back in the grass, he pulled out a vial and downed the contents.
"Get the head," he ordered. Rayden whistled and the horses came trotting out of hiding. He grabbed a hatchet from his saddle bag and set to work. He looked up from his gruesome task at a small bleating sound. The little goat found Eskel and had settled in beside him.
"Got yourself a new little bleater," Rayden laughed.
"Lambert needs to stop telling tales," Eskel grunted from the ground. Once the head was removed and on the trophy hook, he harvested some other ingredients that would fetch a high price. Rayden wiped his hands in the grass then stood over his father.
"Can you ride?"
"Yeah," he sighed and heaved himself to his feet. "I'm getting too old for this shit." Eskel mounted up and the pair rode back to town, the little goat close on their heels. They found the Tretegor watch captain outside the barracks office. He looked the pair over then at the gruesome trophy.
"Big son of a bitch," he said.
"Tell me about it. Almost landed on my head." Eskel replied.
"You don't look so good Witcher." The Captain said, dropping a pouch of coin on the table. Eskel grunted.
"I'll be fine come morning."
"Where's the closest inn?" Rayden asked.
"There isn't one. Not that he could go to anyway. I do have an empty barracks building you can stay in tonight."
"Appreciate it." Rayden replied. The Captain led them to a small building that needed some repair, hence it being empty. Eskel entered and dropped his gear, jacket and removed his shirt. Rayden carefully smeared a thick ointment over the long cut and wrapped bandages around Eskel's waist. Eskel then lit a small fire in the hearth and knelt in meditation.
Rayden proceeded to clean and hone their blades. He sat in contemplation as he ran the whet stone slowly over the fine steel, the weapons care process becoming a sort of meditation for him. He finished his blade and went to slide it into its sheath when he heard horses approach outside. Lots of horses. He eased the door open a crack. The watch captain stood straight as a beefy soldier approached him, but Rayden could see the tension in his shoulders. The large man ran a hand over the golden sun of his black armor.
"What is it this time?" The captain asked. Muscles rippled in the soldier's neck as he flexed, trying his best to intimidate the man before him.
"Why the impatience? You should be glad to serve His Eminence."
"Please…don't insult my intelligence with that trash. You haven't served 'His Eminence' a day in your life. You take what you want for your own self without regard for anyone else. So, I'll ask again. What do you want?" The large soldier decked the captain then shouldered his way into the tiny office. Rayden slipped out, sword in hand. He reached the captain as the hulking brute exited, a small chest in his meaty hands.
"What do you think you're doing?" Rayden demanded.
"Don't do it, kid." The captain whispered at his side, but Rayden kept his eyes on the men in front of him, waiting for the dawning recognition he had seen so often. The soldier looked at him with disdain instead.
"Okay," Rayden said under his breath. "Guess my luck has run out."
"What do you mean, 'what am I doing'? Think a runt like you can stop me?" he grinned, showing more than a few gaps in his teeth.
"Fight me."
"Fight you?" The man tipped his head back and laughed.
"Yes. I win, you leave without our spoils. You win, take whatever you want." He roared with laughter again and thrust the chest into the arms of the nearest soldier.
"Alright, then." The others backed away and gave them plenty of room. The watch captain tried to reason with Rayden.
"Kid, you don't have to do this. Look at him."
"It's okay. I know what I'm doing."
"You're no witcher."
"You're right. I'm not. But growing up with one I'm already a master swordsman which is way more than he is." Rayden walked out to meet his opponent as he swung his sword around to a backward grip, just like his father. The soldier chuckled again as he watched and waited. Rayden held his ground, unmoving. Arrogance won out and the Nilfgaardian swung hard. Rayden spun easily dodging the sloppy blow then brought up his own weapon, the steel clashing together. He dug in as his teeth rattled in his head. This man was strong but slow and blocking this one swing told Rayden everything he needed to know.
Rayden swung his blade a few times and blocked a few more before ending the charade. Ducking low, he completely dodged a swing which threw the soldier off balance. Moving quickly, Rayden kicked him in the back of the knee forcing him forward to the ground. When he attempted to straighten up, he found Rayden's blade at his throat. He swallowed.
"Looks like I win." Rayden allowed his finely honed blade to shave some of the stubble from the soldier's throat before he sheathed his weapon. He backed away a few steps before turning to the chest keeper and snatched the plain box from him. From the corner of his eye, he watched another soldier scurry forward and whisper something into the large man's ear. Rayden deposited the chest in the Captain's hands before facing them. He grinned as a familiar look spread over the soldier's face.
"There it is," Rayden said with mirth. "I've been waiting for that. Now, it's time for you to hold to your end of the bargain. I'm going to bed." He walked slowly back to the barracks, listening to the shuffle behind him.
When he entered the dark room, he found Eskel just as he had left him, deep in meditation. He sighed and stripped off his gear and lay down on the cot in the darkest corner.
"Did you win?" Rayden's eyes popped open at the sound of his father's voice.
"Of course I did." He replied jovially.
"Good boy." Rayden smiled at his father's praise then rolled over and went to sleep.
He stood on the far side of the market square. It looked a lot bigger at night when all the vendors had taken their carts home. His eyes flicked between the buildings looking for her. A shadow darted between the miller and the baker, so Rayden followed. Crossing the empty streets quickly, he slipped into the narrow alley between the stone buildings. Waiting to see if she would slip by him again, he caught a whiff of her perfume and smiled. He walked to the edge of the wall and a slender arm slowly reached out. He grabbed it and pulled her to him. She laughed softly.
"There you are," he said releasing his grip and sliding her arms around his neck as he leaned her back against the smooth stone and pressed his lips to hers. The secret lovers stayed locked together several minutes before breaking away. Rayden gently stroked her face. He wanted more. So much more but he knew it wasn't to be. They both knew it. Her virginity would be sold to the highest bidder by her parents, mostly her mother, who sought wealth to some man who sought prestige. Eislyn sensed a solemn change in him.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing."
"Liar. I can see it in your face."
"It's dark," he teased.
"And we are very close." She pulled him down to her but Rayden hesitated.
"What if we didn't have to hide?"
"You mean what if I could openly love and bed the foundling son of a witcher?"
"If we could be together…Would you be willing…"
"Rayden, I would leave everything and everyone I've ever known to be with you."
"You say that now," he retorted.
"I mean it. At least with you I would be loved for myself and not as a bargaining chip. I can see it in my mother's face. She's getting impatient. She wants me to marry. I still have some say with my father, but I can't think of how much longer that will last."
"Then don't think about it right now." He lifted her chin and they lost themselves in one another.
The summer continued in a pleasant monotony. Rayden's nights were spent in Eislyn's company when she could escape her parents notice. His days were spent with his sister or completing contracts. When he was at home, he and his Witcher parent trained mercilessly. Eskel continued to push Rayden to his limit, working him to exhaustion.
One such day found the pair sparring and sweating profusely in the late summer heat. Rayden was worn out while Eskel was barely winded. Despite his utter exhaustion, Rayden continued to put up a solid fight. Rayden pushed up hard on a down swing and moved in closed, taking Eskel to the ground.
"I beat you," he gasped. "Now can we stop?" He helped Eskel back to his feet.
"Sure you don't want to go another round?" The Witcher teased. Rayden panted, bent at the waist, hands resting on his knees.
"I'm sure." He said. Eskel chuckled as sheathed his sword. Rayden straightened and did the same. As they turned to go into the house, the clop of horses entered their yard. Turning they saw three Nilfgaardian soldiers in light armor. The rider at the rear bore a white flag. Rayden studied them as the front rider dismounted. The man had no weapon.
"What the hell are you doing here?!" Eskel yelled as he spun and pulled his steal sword. Rayden reacted quickly, putting himself between his father and the visitors.
"Stop!" Rayden yelled at Eskel placing a firm hand against his chest. "They aren't armed. They aren't armed." Eskel lowered his sword and looked at the men before him. He stepped back and sheathed his blade, scowling. Rayden turned to the soldiers.
"Who are you and why are you here?" Rayden asked them.
"Emhyr begs your presence at the capital city."
"Why? Since when does the Emperor of the largest empire beg anything of anyone?" The messenger and his escort took a knee before Rayden.
"You are his sole heir, Your Highness." Rayden of course knew this already. He had known if for years.
"You can go tell Emhyr…" Eskel began.
"No." Rayden interrupted him. "I'll go."
"Rayden…" Eskel whispered. Rayden turned to face the only father he had ever known and was struck by the pain in his eyes.
"Don't you see? All those people on The Path that we passed by, I saw it in your eyes. You hated doing it as much as I did. As emperor, I can change things. Make things better. I may not be able to save everybody, but I can at least save most of them. I can start to give them back a semblance of their lives." In that moment, Eskel was proud of the man his son had become. He had raised him with the same ethos Vesemir had instilled in him. A sense of fairness and responsibility. He placed a hand on Rayden's shoulder.
"Okay," he whispered.
"Your Highness, we should prepare for the journey ahead."
"I'll go in my own time. My sister is due with her second child. I won't miss that. We will leave after the birth. Not before. Go back to your camp. I'll come to you when it's time to go."
"Very well. We are…"
"I know where you are camped. I have been watching you for several days. Does that surprise you? It shouldn't. I was raised by a Witcher."
Four days later, Rayden sat on the edge of his sister's bed holding his new nephew. And niece. Twins, just like them. A soft touch on his arm roused him.
"Something is on your mind. Tell me." Izzy said softly. Rayden sighed. He knew she would sense it.
"I'm leaving. I'm…I'm going to Nilfgaard." Silence hung between them. He looked up from the tiny babes to his sister, tears swimming in his eyes. "Izzy, say something. Please…" She patted the bed and he lay the new bundles down on the blanket. She took his hands in hers.
"I always knew you would go, eventually. Ever since we were kids. You were protecting me then, but others need your protection now."
"How did you know?"
"I see the strain every time you come home with Papa. I know you've seen terrible things. I also know you're the only one who can fix them, and you can't do it as a Witcher's apprentice. You know it too." Rayden hung his head and let the tears flow as Izzy held her brother. She had always seemed fragile and sensitive, yet in this moment she was the strong one.
"I'm going to miss you." He said. Rayden had secretly called Eislyn his heart and Izzy his soul and now he was leaving them both behind.