CHAPTER 2 – MINE OR NO ONE'S (PART 1)

Roni

"How many Drowners? It was Drowners, right?" Jaskier asks fascinated with a determination to make a note in his mind for later songs. He decided to join us on our journey - at least for a while, of course right after I managed to convince Geralt not to cut him into small pieces...

"Yes." I answer with a slight smile. He's kind of cute with his childish excitement. "And I don't know, probably around a dozen, I lost consciousness"

"That's when he showed up?" He beckons to Geralt's direction, who I swear murmurs something most probably not so nice under his breath.

I just nod agreeing as we continue our tour to the next tavern for some breakfast.

"Oh, how romantic! The White Wolf saves the Lady of his Heart!" He gets carried away immediately as terror courses through me even at the thought. "You two are together, right?"

"No!" We say synchronously almost too soon as Jaskier looks at us with a knowing, smug smile.

I glance at Geralt, but as our eyes meet I avert them, feeling uncomfortable as memories from yesterday rush my mind. The heat of his body, the familiar scent of him, his lips on my skin... We are not together for sure, but what if Jaskier arrived a few hours later?

I shake my head slightly, this is nonsense. Just my imagination playing with me...

"Remind me again why shouldn't I hit him?" Geralt asks me annoyed as the bard ignores the warning sign.

"The two lover who is destined to be together, but they live in denial... Even better!"

Geralt takes a step closer to him threateningly, but it's not necessary.

"Ouch!" Jaskier cries out as I nudge him hard in the ribs. "Okay, okay, so you're free then?" He tries with a charming smile as I let out a small laugh. He is unbelievable...

"Jaskier" Geralt hisses his name with a death-glare as Jaskier stumbles backwards in terror.

"Don't worry, he seems much more scarier than he actually is" I whisper to him trying to offer some comfort. The bard nods, though I can see the doubt in his eyes.

"I've heard that" Geralt murmurs under his breath as he leads Roach forward on the road, gaining some distance.

WWWWWWWWW

Geralt

I look up at the sky again, frowning. Birds. Wheeling in peaceful circles, slowly, then suddenly swooping and soaring up again, flopping their wings furiously. They don't do it for nothing... I have a bad feeling about it.

"I don't like it either" Roni speaks, just like reading my mind, startling me for a moment. I look at her as she's staring at the sky too. "There's something dead there. We should check it" She reaches the conclusion very correctly and in any other circumstances, I would agree, but right now, my priorities are to get us to Kaer Morhen as fast as possible. Roni's dreams really got me worried.

My silence draws her attention back to me as our eyes meet.

"It's probably just a dead elk" I say as we walk forward on the highway.

"You're a horrible liar, Geralt" She raises her brow, seeing right through me. But it doesn't matter. We have important things to do. The village is not so far, we will have some food, get another horse then head straight to Vesemir.

"Oh, it sounds like an adventure! Let's go, I need stories to write!" Jaskier becomes excited too.

"No, we're on our way and it stays like that" I declare it fastening my steps.

"Come on, it would be only a little detour. It's not that far." Jaskier reasons.

"No." I cut him off quickly.

"Please, Geralt, I've been waiting for this for so long..." Roni starts pouting, looking at me with those deep, green eyes, I could get lost in anytime. That is such a low blow.

I sigh accepting the turns of event. I guess a little detour wouldn't hurt...

"Alright" I nod eventually reluctantly, wondering if I ever be able to say no to her. Roni yelps in joy, leading the way eagerly.

After a good fifteen minutes of walk we are approaching the scene. The birds are flying off as they notice our presence, but the wolves stays, watching us curiously. Roach neighs discontentedly at the sight but before I could act, Roni calms her down.

"What the hell happened here?" Jaskier askes, almost throwing up. Two corpses. A man and a woman. Almost torn apart.

"It wasn't animals" Roni notes it as we both walk closer to the bodies. She's right. The woman's missing her left thigh, her throat and almost her entire face. The bite on her neck though is definitely not from a wolf, neither a bear.

"No, it wasn't" I murmur under my breath as I examine the man. He is in no better shape. I find his linen purse though. A tinder box, a sealing wax, some silver coins, a shaving knife, keys, a talisman, two letters, only one legible. A note from the dwarf's bank, small amount.

"Ouch" Roni hisses behind me. I turn around and see her checking her finger. "She had a rose on her chest. A pretty unique one, I must say" She added, explaining as I walked to her. It was indeed an exceptional flower. Blue petals with a slight purple edge.

"They were on their way home from Murivel" I start to sum up what I got.

"But why did they decided to travel through the forest and not use the highway?" Roni's sharp eyes see the point again.

"That I don't know..." I admit it thinking. "But they both dismounted or fell. The man died instantly. The woman ran, fell and was dragged by the creature her neck still between its teeth. Two, three days before."

"Oh god..." Jaskier mumble, turning away.

"What could it be?" Roni asks staying focused. "A werewolf?"

"No." I shake my head. "Nor a lesky. None of them would've left so much meet." I explain it to her, trying to get the best out of this detour. "If there was a swamp I'd say a kikimora or a vyper, but there's no swamp around."

"Let's follow their trail then" Roni suggests it and before I could say anything, she does as she said, finding the way. I curse under my breath, but otherwise I quickly follow her.

Roach is getting more and more anxious as we're heading deeper and deeper in the forest. I have to use the Axia sign on her for several times till we reach a tower. It has a sturdy gate with rusty hinges and a brass knocker. I'm about to knock when I suddenly feel the familiar prickle on my skin.

"We are being watched." Roni notices it the same time as I spot a girl on the hill. She is far, but I can still her petite figure, her black hair and pale skin. Her white dress makes her even more ghost-like. I take a step closer to the girl, raising my hand in a greeting, but she disappears like she was only an illusion.

"You all saw her, right?" Jasker asks, not believing his eyes as we nod in agreement. This place is strange for sure.

I knock on the door which opens immediately, but no one is behind it, only an abandoned courtyard. I decide to go in, my senses are fully alert. Roni walks next to me, her heart beating fast as she's ready to jump just like me. Roach still under the sign's power lets me to lead her while Jaskier bit reluctantly but follows too.

The court is framed with rose bushes. All of them the same blue-indigo colors. In the not so far distance there is mansion, equally abandoned. I can easily imagine how breathtaking it must've looked like in it's time though.

I leave Roach at the entrance, tying her reins to a pole when I hear the mansion's door open and a deep, blood-chilling roar. I turn around immediately, pulling out my sword the same time as I notice a monster charging Roni who was smelling the flowers a moment earlier. I don't think twice, I step in front of her, guarding as the monster stops seeing my weapon. We start measure each other.

He's humanoid. As long as it goes his body, but his face is more like a bear, with huge fangs and terrifying jaws. He wears good quality clothes... weird.

"Flee mortals!" The creature growls, flapping his paws, but he isn't moving. "I'll devour you, tear you to pieces!" He promises it not so convincingly, yet Jaskier takes a few steps back.

"Let's assume you can take all the three of us" Roni starts confidently. "Then what?"

"Look at her" The monster tilts his head mockingly. "Isn't she brave?" He speaks calmly and unusually intelligent for a real monster... "Put that iron away, if you please" He now turns to me. "Perhaps you haven't released you're in my courtyard? Or maybe it's customary, wherever you came from?"

"It is customary" Roni says agreeing, placing her small hand on my shoulder as my muscles relax immediately.

"Especially when faced with people who greet their guests with a roar and the cry that they're going to tear us to pieces" I add but placing my sword back to my back as asked. "I'd prefer you not to make any sudden moves. This sword can always be drawn again, faster than you imagine." I warn him just in case, but he seems quite aware.

"I noticed." He rasps. "If it wasn't for that you'd have been out of this gate a long time ago. What do you want here? How did you get here?"

"We got lost" Jaskier lies without a blink of an eye.

"You got lost..." Repeats the monster with a menacing grin creeping across his face. "Well then, unlose your way. Out of the gate, turn you left and keep walking and you'll soon get back to the highway. What are you waiting for?"

"Is there any water?" I ask determined. If we came here we gotta figure out his story. "The horse is thirsty."

"And so am I" Roni adds sweetly. Well, if he is ever so slightly a man, it has to work. "If that doesn't inconvenience you too much"

The creature shifted from one foot to the other, looking puzzled.

"Listen, you... Are you really not frightened of me?" He asks, his voice softening as Roni shakes her head.

"I am" Jaskier states. "Just saying..." He declares quietly but the monster still focuses on Roni.

"What the hell, what's the harm of some guests in the house?" He decides finally. "It's not everyday I meet someone who doesn't run away or faint at the sight of me. Alright then, I invite you in, but I must warn you, no funny business, the house does what I tell it to."

He lifts its hairy paws, all the shutters cluttered against the wall and the door opens.

"My house is your house" He says, leading the way inside.

Roni

As we step in I can't help but notice how much the interior is matching the garden. It would need an extensive repair, but otherwise it's relatively clean and tidy.

"Light!" The monster growls and the torch in the iron bracket bursts into flames and sooty smoke as we head up on a staircase.

"Not bad" I beckon politely.

"That's it?" He asks surprised as I shrug with a small smile "I see you won't be amazed by any old trick. I told you this house obeys my commands." He says as we enter a large room, completely devoid of windows, empty apart from a huge oak table and an enormous brass candlestick.

The monster commands and the candles light and flickers, brightening up the space. The wall facing the entrance was full of hunting trophies. Elk, stag antlers, bear and lynx, eagles and hawks and a dragon.

"My grandpa killed it" The monster says as Geralt examines the dragon more closely. "It was probably the last one in the vicinity when it got itself killed. Sit my dear guests" He shows the table as Jaskier and I take a chair where Geralt soon joins us. "Are you hungry too, little minx?" The monster asks me with a small smirk playing in the corner of his mouth. I chuckle at his nickname as Geralt shifts barely noticeably next to me. Did he really just growl? I look at him questioningly, but he just clears his throat innocently, like nothing happened. As weird as it is, I leave it to him for now.

"I won't deny it, dear host" I raise my cup to the monster with an irresistible smile, while he murmurs the words and a complete dinner appears in front of us at the table, offering a very, very interesting evening for us...