Of bets and bats

Witcher Trick or Treat 2022 October 23 Prompt: Bat

Angoulême has an idea. Actually she has loads of ideas. Truly ingenious ones. However, there is a problem. She has to pick one of those ideas, but which one? They are all exceedingly hilarious, at least in her opinion. Well, it could be a bit tricky to create a huge glowing pumpkin costume within just a few days. Moreover, such a costume might not be very practical for dancing. It would keep any unwanted groping hands at a distance, though. Crap, any wanted groping hands, too. No, not the pumpkin then. Something sexy. Too bad Milva does not fancy her twin prostitute idea. Geralt would probably give her a good spanking, too, and send her to bed early if she dared come as one of these nightly creatures. Hm, which other creatures of the night are there that are sexy? Zombies, ghouls, skeletons and their likes are definitely not. That leaves - ah, yes, that is a sexy creature of the night for sure and not too difficult. But maybe a bit unimaginative? Perhaps she can spice it up a little? Let's think. Oh yes, of course, that is it! If she still had it, she would bet her virginity that none of the others will come up with such an amazing idea. And neither Milva nor Geralt can possibly object. They will never suspect it is her anyway. Jaskier can surely organise the few items she needs for the costume, too. Only, how to catch him on his own without his Little Weasel? Hm, she could write him a secret note. However, if Anarietta finds it, she might misinterpret it. And throw her in the dungeons. Or have her executed. Or kick them all out of Toussaint. No, maybe the direct approach is safer. And she can always duck and run if the Duchess starts throwing things at her.

Having made up her mind, Angoulême spends most of the afternoon lurking around the Duchess and her consort's chambers. Eventually her unusual and totally out of character patience is rewarded when the two lovebirds finally emerge from their rooms, obviously to go for a stroll in the park. Co-joined at both the hips and the lips, they do not notice her at all. Bollocks. What to do? She has heard stories about Toussaintees - or is it Toussaintois? Toussainters? Toussaintins? - having earned a stint in the dungeons for far less than disturbing a tete-a-tete of their ruleress. Fuck it, she has been waiting here for hours, she cannot just let them leave without talking to the bard, no way. So, undaunted by death, Angoulême picks up a few grapes from a nearby table and throws one at Jaskier. Who, completely engrossed, does not seem to notice at all. The third grape, however, obediently following the proverb, is the charm and does the trick. The bard stops rubbing his nose against the Duchess's slightly too pointy one and turns around. As does the Duchess. Lucky for Angoulême, she only wrinkles her pointy nose a little and does not call for the guards. When Angoulême performs a perfect curtsy - contrary to rumours she has not grown up among wolves - Your ladyship even gives her a little smile. What an honour. And graciously grants her a five-minute one-to-one with Jaskier, better known as Count Julian in Toussaint. Not today though but the next morning. Another exercise in patience for the almost-bursting-with-impatience girl. Well, at least that will leave her with ample time to think about the details of her costume, maybe make some sketches, too, if she can find some ink and paper ...

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Cahir has an idea. Actually, it is a truly ingenious one, at least in his opinion. Nobody will ever suspect that it is him. At least not as long as he keeps his mouth shut. He would bet any amount of money on that, hell, even his head. And he has become quite attached to his head after having almost lost in not only once but twice. However, there is a problem. He needs some expert help and quite a bit of equipment for this ingenious idea to actually come to life, but has no means to acquire any of it. As he has not a single floren to his name. Nor a groat in his pocket or a lintar hidden in his sock or a farthing stored away in wherever ... Of course, he could ask Jaskier for the things he needs. The Duchess has been very generous with her guests so far, providing them with rooms and food and everything totally for free. But then the bard would know what he is planning for the masquerade and this would spoil half the fun. No, not Jaskier. Fringilla. She can keep a secret and will surely help him. After all, they were friends back in Nilfgaard. Only, how to catch her on her own without Geralt? The two are like attached at the hip these days. Or rather attached at the lip. Very quickly Cahir rules out the library. The sounds he heard through that particular building's wide open window just the day before were definitely more than he ever wanted to hear of the two. Much more. No, very much, much more. Hm, maybe he could leave a note for the sorceress with a time and place where to meet in secret? However, what if Geralt finds the note? The Witcher might misinterpret it. And if so, Cahir would be dead as a doornail within mere seconds. No, that is not an option. Perhaps the direct approach is the safest? After all, Geralt, surprisingly, has not threatened to kill him for quite some time. Not since the fight in Belhaven. So he might actually have a chance to survive this.

Having made up his mind, Cahir spends most of the afternoon lurking near the entrance of said library - as far away as possible from the thanks-to-the-gods closed window - waiting for the sorceress and the Witcher to finally emerge from their very in depth anatomical as well as physiological studies of the human - and mutant - body. Eventually his patience is rewarded and, although Geralt's expression darkens considerably at Cahir's request of a five-minute one-to-one with Fringilla, the Witcher does not rip his head off, nor draw either of his swords, nor raise his fists but just one of his eyebrows before he nods curtly. That was easier than anticipated. Now he only needs to convince Fringilla to help him out with a few things ...

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Milva has no idea. Well, she has a few, but they are all shit. A zombie costume would be scary and easy, but pretty ugly. Same with a ghoul, a drowner, or a skeleton. No, some un-ugly creature of the night. A bat maybe? Better, but there will surely be loads of bats. Something more unique and just a little bit sexy. Hm, yes, that could work. Maybe not the most ingenious idea, but she likes it anyway. And nobody will suspect it is her. However, there is a problem. She would need to purchase a few things for the costume, but has no means to do so. As she has not a single copper to her name, nor an oren in her pocket, nor any idea at all what kind of currency is used in Toussaint. Neither does she want to ask anybody for help. No, not an option. She will come up with a costume all by herself. It will have to be something easier to make then. Something from stuff she can find in her room. Cut her white bedsheet into stripes and dress up as a mummy perhaps? Would probably look quite ridiculous, though. Maybe as a last resort if she cannot come up with something better. There must be something better. Or a way how to earn some coin? Mm. She is an archer, after all, the best she has ever met. She would bet her right hand that there is not a better one in all of Toussaint. And most people like their meat ...

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Regis has an idea. An ingeniously hilarious and likewise scary one. And he has no problem, none at all. Neither does he need any help. It will be easy-peasy for him to get everything that is necessary for his costume. After all, he knows his herbs and, in his bat form, he can fly wherever he wants and get whatever he requires in the nights around the full moon. He will not need much anyway, nothing costly that anybody would actually miss, mostly some pieces of fabric and a special plant - no, not really a plant but a symbiosis of algae and fungi to be precise. Should not be too difficult to find in the light of the almost full moon. He will only have to patiently wait until darkness falls. As patience is his second name, no problem here either.

So it happens that, a few hours later when it is as dark as it can get in an almost full moon night, the few Toussaintois - for that is what the people of Toussaint call themselves - that are not yet asleep and happen to look up into the sky might catch a glimpse of the unusually large bat that flies across Beauclair and into the close-by mountains. Some might feel a cold chill run down their spine thinking of bruxas and vampires and quickly close the windows. Others might promise themselves not to drink that much wine in the future, fall soundly asleep and soon forget both about the promise and the huge bat. Others yet do not worry too much about it as they know there is a Witcher close at hand who can take care of the monster bat if need should arise. Well, they might worry a bit about their coin as the Witcher's services do come at a price ...

Only the members of Geralt's Hanza, knowing exactly what - or rather who - it is, worry neither about their money - which most of them do not have anyway - nor their safety or sobriety. After weeks of traveling together, they have learned to trust Regis with their lives, no matter his form or nightly activity. They all would bet an arm and a leg, hell, even their heads, that the giant bat's nocturnal flight has no sinister motives but has something to do with the upcoming fall masquerade. What exactly this could be, they have no clue, though. None whatsoever at all.