A/N: So here we are part two. Things are going to get a little complicated for our pair from here on out. Thank you for all your lovely comments, they mean the world to me and inspire me to keep going. This is likely going to be my longest story yet. I look forward to these Wednesdays and I'll see you all next week. As always, read, review and enjoy! :)
Part Two – Kaer Morhen
'In every century, in every country, they'll call us something different. They'll say we're ghosts, angels, demons, elemental spirits, and giving us a name doesn't help anybody. When did a name change what someone is?'
- Brenna Yovanoff, The Replacement
Chapter 13
Ellie wasn't sure how long they had been on the road, but it felt like over a week. Her days had shifted into a well-oiled routine of sorts. In the mornings they rose early, just after dawn, and set out on horseback always heading north. The small villages and homesteads they passed were spaced out, separated at first by undulating fields of grass and hardy shrubs, which gradually morphed into rocky valleys and vast forests of pine and other coniferous trees.
They kept to the roads but avoided any settlements as best they could, choosing instead to camp nearby and send one of the three witchers into collect supplies and ask the locals about any contracts or rumours concerning monsters. This was partly down to funds, but also to find out if talk of a demon girl who had been causing trouble near Novigrad had reached the far-flung parts of the Northern Kingdoms.
The names of the towns and regions meant little to her, although she took them in as they passed. Alness, Winespring Grange, Bowden. As the fields gave way to forests the witchers commented that they had passed into the region of Kaedwen. Ellie never sort to pry, but she had picked up from their scattered conversations about it that they were headed for a pass that would close up once the winter snow arrived.
They would spend most of their days travelling, unless they were stopping for supplies or for one of the witchers to deal with any stray monsters or vermin for a few coin. Then once the sun began to touch the horizon they would make camp, off the road and hidden from other travellers. The witchers all seemed practiced in living outdoors and once while Ellie was watching with fascinated interest as Eskel gutted and prepared a fish he had caught, he had told her how finding an inn that would house them was a rare occurrence. She had felt a swell of sadness at this. The men fulfilled a purpose in the community, as much as she might disagree with the outcome, for that same community to shun them seemed…cruel.
In the evenings, as one of the witchers set up camp, the others would practice their swordsmanship. Clearly taking advantage of the company to do so. This was Ellie's favourite time of day. She would often find a quiet spot to observe the men training, her chin resting on her knees as she followed their graceful, sinuous movements. The sword an extension of themselves. The more she watched, the more she was able to tell their different techniques apart.
Eskel favoured a dancer's approach, his footwork intricate and fluid. She found she was reminded of a time when her parents had taken her and her brother to see a production of Swan Lake, although she would never say that to the witcher's face.
Geralt was wilder, less beautiful to watch but unapparelled when it came to brute force and raw ferocity. Often times, whomever he was sparring would give up long before he did, holding up their hands or in the case of Lambert swearing for him to cut it out. An uneasy trust between her and the 'white wolf' had been established, although his eyes would always find her when she was sat watching him train and an ominous shiver would pass down her spine.
Out of all of them however, it was Lambert she enjoyed watching the most. His style was quick and agile, like a panther. He would stay low to the ground and was very inventive when it came to throwing his partner's balance off. He would regularly somersault and roll to flank them, then use elegant down ward attacks with his sword to catch them off guard. It was the style that was closest to the way she fought, and Ellie often found herself grinning with excitement as he dodged and harried his fellow witchers.
Once evening practice had drawn to a close, the witchers would eat. Swapping stories of monster hunting and conquests with each other. Ellie had begun by sitting on the outskirts of the group, unsure whether she was welcome in this small brotherly circle. Especially due to her not sharing their food. However, about four days into their journey Eskel had made a space next to him, and as she moved to go to her usual spot on the edge of the firelight, he had smiled and patted the bed roll invitingly.
'Come have a seat Ellie. We don't bite, promise.'
She had paused, her eyes flicking between the three men now watching her. Eskel's warm and inviting, Geralt's hard and unwelcoming, and Lambert's cool and indifferent. Unable to refuse him without seeming rude, she had nodded and cautiously sat down, her movements slow and deliberate. As if she were entering a den of rabid wolves. There had been an awkward beat of silence before Eskel, ever the diplomat, had stuck up conversation with Geralt about the advantages of using Golden Oriole when fighting kikimores. At points in the night's discussion Eskel had tried to include Ellie, but after a few failed attempts he let her sit quietly, listening to their strange, foreign words. She liked it that way, and she never sat away from them after that.
The talk of monsters was one thing, but when conversations turned to women Ellie felt extremely out of place. Demons weren't ones to discuss anything personal with strangers or friends, let alone sexual partners, but the witchers seemed just as animated about the subject as they were about their profession. It wasn't the lude comments that disturbed Ellie, to the contrary once the men had decided she didn't care they had dropped all pretence and acted like she wasn't even present. It was the way they referred to the women or otherwise, as if they were barely people. At first, she had taken offence to it, then gradually she had realised that like Eskel's comment about the inns, it eluded to the way witchers were viewed by the people in this world.
It seemed only Geralt managed to have any kind of meaningful relationship with any of his bed mates. A fact that Lambert and Eskel teased him for relentlessly. Whenever it was Lambert's turn to relay his exploits in the bedroom department, Ellie found herself the least comfortable. With the other two she could listen, half-heartedly to the tale of how they had jumped out of that window or got involved with that daughter of a Duke, but with Lambert she found her stomach twisting and her mood dropping rapidly. After a while she had learnt to excuse herself once the monster stories came to an end and drift off to the outskirts of the camp once more.
She wasn't sure where this aversion to the gory details of Lambert's sex life had come from, but she imagined it wasn't helped by their daily rides. She would have liked to say that over time riding with him had gotten easier, however, it seemed the opposite was true. The longer they spent together in the saddle the more unbearable it became. The way his arms brushed against hers as he caged her in. His thighs pressing against the backs of her bare legs as he rode, his chest a constant wall by which she had to support herself. And his smell, his smell was everywhere. The heady scent of spice haunted her every moment of the day, even when she had dismounted and the witchers had gone to rest for the night, she still found the smell lingered on her clothes and in her nose.
Their relationship since the day of the dead griffin had become this untested mine field of animal attraction and bitter indifference. With the other two witchers Lambert had found a buffer so he didn't have to interact with her at all in the evenings, but he still insisted on making her ride with him, and always found a way to lean in and smell her hair or brush his hands just so over her knee. It was infuriating…and confusing.
Part of their routine was to dismount after a long day of riding, both staring at each other uneasily. Their eyes both bright with excitement, their bodies tense with pent up energy. Lambert would give her a deliberate look up and down then mumble his excuse, storming off to complete any task that took him as far away from her as possible for the rest of the night. Ellie half wondered, what would happen if it had just been the two of them still. But it wasn't, and entertaining those ideas was a dangerous and slippery road to go down.
With all the weird tension with Lambert, and Geralt's less than welcoming mood towards her, it was Eskel - the warmest and most excepting of the witcher trio - she found herself gravitating towards. He would allow her to sit next to him at the fire while they talked and ate, and if he was doing something for the camp he didn't seem to mind her tagging along. She would ask him questions, enjoying the gentle sound of his voice as he patiently explained what he was doing or things about their world. Occasionally he would return the favour and question her, but she noticed how he would watch her in those instances. His amber eyes losing some of their friendliness, a cold, analytical quality coming over them, as if he were studying her. Not wanting to lose her one source of enjoyable company, she increased her questioning and dodged around his own when the time came.
Today they were traveling through a valley of high rocky cliffs, the pine forests dense on the slops either side. The last settlement they had passed had been a good two days ago, and it had looked more like a hunter's camp than a town of any kind. Ellie had the feeling that they were reaching the fabled pass she had heard so much about. A pack of wolves howled in the distance, but the witchers weren't alarmed by them. The beasts around here evidently knew not to attack the humans carrying two swords.
The air had a definite chill to it. The further north they had come the colder it had gotten, until they were frequently seeing their breath clouding in the morning. There had been no frost, or snowfall yet, but the air had a bite to it today which made even Ellie shiver.
As they continued down the road, Lambert noticed her trembling against him and shifted himself. Not away like she had been expecting, but a lot closer. His arms encasing her so she was surrounded by his body warmth. Ellie's breath hitched as she felt his chin brushing against her hair, the now very familiar scent of cinnamon overwhelming her.
'Pretty fucking impractical clothing if you ask me.' Lambert said in a low voice as she felt him reach behind for something. Seconds later he tossed his sleeping blanket over her legs. Tucking it around his own thighs so it bound them close together, he returned his mouth to her ear.
'Lean back Blue eyes, I'll keep you warm.' There was a heavy note of suggestion in his words, and she swore she felt him smirk as he said it. She should have been irritated at his childish teasing but this was the first time he had jibed at her in a long while, besides the cocoon of warmth he had created was too nice to ruin with her bad mood.
Instead she wordlessly obliged. Leaning further back so her head rested against his collar bone, his hands coming together in front of her so he was practically hugging her. From beneath his leather armour she could feel the steady beat of his heart, slower than a normal human's, and solid…like him. Just as she was growing used to the fluttering sensation in her stomach, the sound of approaching hoofbeats reached them. Seconds later Eskel's grinning face appeared in her peripheral.
'Glad to see you two are getting along again. I was being to lose sleep over your little tiff.' As much as she liked Eskel and his personable manner, his contribution to this already awkward situation was not appreciated…by either party.
'Fuck off Eskel.' Lambert snapped eloquently. She could see his hands tightening on the reins. Eskel gave his trademark chuckle, then shot a saucy wink at Ellie.
'Ever the charmer, eh El?' The audible sound of Lambert grinding his teeth came from above her. She was fond of the nickname Eskel had bestowed on her half way through their journey, but right now she really wished he would stop antagonising her driver.
'When this is all over brother, I'll get you back for every comment and fucking wink you've thrown my way for the past week.' The threat was evident in Lambert's voice and Eskel held up his hands, his deformed face splitting into a grin.
'Whoa, truce. Far be from me to step on your turf Lambert, but the sooner you do something about this, the better. The tension is driving me nuts.'
Ellie was sure they could have lit their way with how bright her face grew. The heat was a jarring juxta position to the bitter cold, and she did her best to avoid Eskel's pin sharp gaze. Dipping her head. Lambert's heart beat took a drastic spike in the speed department, then she heard his angry growl vibrating through his chest.
'I'm gonna' throw a bomb right in your face if you don't piss off and leave me alone.'
Eskel let out a deep, booming laugh before reining Scorpion, his black stallion, in so he fell behind Lambert again. They continued on, Ellie watching the steep, grey cliffs of jagged rock, crowned with dark pines drift by. The cry of a bird of prey met them on the wind, and Ellie found herself sifting past the all-encompassing smell of Lambert to breathe in the clean mountain atmosphere. She got a whiff of everything she expected at first; crystalline cold air tinged with pine and spruce. The musky smell of wolf and bear, deer roamed these unforgiving wilds as well, but in amongst the familiar there was also the unknown. She wondered idlily what monsters lurked in these parts. Nothing good probably.
'You know, we really ought to get you better clothes. Winter in the keep is as cold as a frost giant's navel.' Lambert's voice snapped her out of her investigation. She blinked a few times, uncertain whether she had imagined him talking in such a relaxed manner to her, then he spoke again. 'Eskel has always liked fucking with me. Don't pay any mind to his shit.'
Ellie frowned, a delayed anger trickling through her like poison. 'Actually, I quite like Eskel. At least he doesn't ignore me for over a week, then strike up a conversation like nothing has happened.'
She felt him tense against her. Glaring out at nothing in particular, as she was not able to glare up at him without twisting awkwardly, Ellie waited for his impending explosion. She had learnt very quickly that much like his beloved bombs, Lambert had an extremely short fuse. To her surprise, she felt the witcher take in a deep breath, his chest expanding against her back, letting it out slowly.
'I suppose I deserved that.' He muttered. Now Ellie really wanted to see his face. He fell silent, the sound of the horses' hooves reverberating off the steep cliffs. The atmosphere shifted and suddenly she was too hot wrapped up in his blanket, his agitated body rocking against her back. She wriggled trying to get some breathing room but this only served to tangle the blanket tighter around their legs. Something akin to panic set in; not because of any danger but because she needed some space from the man behind her.
'Will you cut it out. You're going to throw us off.' He said, irritated but under his breath. 'Here.' With two deft movements he loosened the blanket, allowing Ellie to sit forward slightly.
The cold rushed in against her back, but she was able to think clearly again without his heat and stupid heartbeat muddling her thoughts. The road ahead was starting to incline; gradually at first, but then with an abruptness that surprised Ellie. The cliffs had opened out now to expose a winding mountain pass. Towering, snow-capped mountains loomed ahead of them, the swaying pine forests like a dark sea lapping at their feet. The road they were on climbed then disappeared in the junction of two of the mountains. She assumed this was the fabled pass that the witchers kept speaking about.
Her breath hitched at the intimidating sight. Then Horse came to a stop and Lambert nudged her, gently, with his elbow. 'Down you get.' He said.
Twisting round she gave him an incredulous look. 'We're camping? Now? But it's still daylight.'
His mouth pulled into a wry smile, his eyes glinting dangerously. 'We're not camping Blue eyes.'
'We're walking.' Eskel finished, appearing once more by their side except this time he was leading Scorpion by his reins.
Ellie looked from Eskel to the pass, to Lambert then back to the pass. 'How far is it?' She asked, not entirely sure she wanted an answer to that question.
'About two days. The horses can't navigate the pass and carry us. So, this is the only way.' She swore she heard just the faintest hint of glee in Lambert's voice as he explained. Still angry at his weeks of cold shoulders and lecherous glances Ellie beamed up at him, making him recoil blinking.
'Good job I got so much practice at the start of our journey then, isn't it?' Despite the bitter cold she ripped the blanket from her legs and performed a lightning fast dismount. One second, she was sat in front of the witcher, the next she was stood a few feet in front of Horse, her hands behind her back, rocking on the balls of her feet. It was the fastest she had moved in their presence, but now her strength had all but returned to normal and it was only them, she felt like the stretch might do her good.
All three witchers instinctually went for their weapons, her speed a complete surprise to them. Then one by one they registered what had happened and relaxed. Eskel first, his scarred face splitting into a wide grin, then Lambert, a bewildered look in his eyes even as his eyebrows pulled together in a troubled expression. Geralt was predictably the last to stand down, his stony gaze remaining fixed on her with an untrusting intensity.
'Holy shit El. That was quick. You've been holding back on us.' Eskel said, walking over to give her an appreciative pat on the shoulder. His large hand dwarfed her thin frame but the force of his friendly slap didn't move her in the slightest. Ahh, it was good to be whole again.
She looked at the other two, tilting her head to the side. 'Are we walking then or not?' Her voice was honey sweet, but thick with sarcasm. Lambert's eyebrows lowered even further and he muttered something about 'crazy ass demons' as he dismounted. Having readied themselves for the familiar climb to their mountain home, Ellie let the witchers lead. Walking at a leisurely pace behind them. Without Lambert's warm body and woollen blanket, she could feel the cold nipping at her skin again. She hoped the walk would help that particular problem.
Ellie enjoyed the feeling of freedom. It was a bitter kind of irony that she was now grateful for a chance to walk instead of ride Horse. Two weeks ago, she had been desperate for a break from staggering unceremoniously behind the witcher. Two weeks ago, she had been weak and exhausted, now there was a confidence and a grace to her steps. The road really began to climb up into the mountains. The ground uneven and rough with jagged rocks. The witchers took it slowly, letting their horses pick their way carefully over the treacherous terrain. The higher they went, the steeper and narrower the path became, and the colder the air.
She could cope with most weather dressed as she was. She liked the freedom shorts and light tops gave her, she was built for agility after all. However, the term cold only half described the climate on the road to the pass. The other words she could've used were glacial, frigid, sub-zero, fucking freezing. All fitting but still not quite living up to the bone numbing pain the dropping temperature brought to her. She began to hop from foot to foot, the leather boots Lambert had given her providing some protection from the sharp rocks beneath her, but only just.
The more she moved, the more she felt the built-up energy inside her starting to brim over. She had barely moved for two weeks, with so many towns and villages on their route she had found no opportunity to test her recovered legs. Now, in the solitude of the mountains and with growing need to get some heat into her she let rip. Pausing for a moment, she crouched down, eyeing the rocky outcrops on either side of them. The witchers were travelling single file in front of her, blocking the path, so she'd bypass them. Spying a good handhold about twenty feet up, she tensed her legs, priming them with all her bottled up energy.
Right before she leapt Lambert froze and turned to look over his shoulder at her. She flashed him a broad grin, and saw his eyes widen briefly in shock, his mouth opening to say something, just as she launched herself up the mountain side.
'Shit! Blue eyes!' She heard him yell after her, but she was already bounding from the handhold to the next one. Her feet absorbing the impact, then relaunching her like a coiled spring. She was at least seventy feet above them when she reached a large perch of flat rock, sticking out of the cliff face. Sitting down with a bounce, she peered over her dangling legs to see all three witchers staring up at her open mouthed. Her eyesight was just good enough to see the expressions of horror, surprise and anger on each of their faces. No prizes for guessing which was Lambert's.
'Get…the fuck…down!' She heard him shout.
She waved cheerfully at them. 'I will do. Just give me a moment. I'll catch up with you, trust me.' The wind carried some of her words away but she knew they'd heard them. Witcher hearing, she had observed, was far superior to hers.
'Not likely demon. We wait for you.' This was from Geralt. She could see him squinting up at her, his constant aura of mistrust practically pulsating at her. Better to not piss off her guides she thought. Letting out a sigh Ellie took in the view for a second; up here the mountains and forests seemed endless. Far off, back the way they had come she could just make out the flatter country, dotted with deciduous woodland and farms. Ahead of them the mountains created a solid barrier to what lay beyond. These witchers definitely didn't like company.
When she had felt like she had pushed her luck far enough, she dropped down the same way she had come, landing gracefully next to the three, disapproving witchers. There was a moment of silence, then Lambert shook his head.
'Every time I think you're somewhat normal, you do something bat shit crazy.' She narrowed her eyes at him, but the exhilaration of the climb made it hard to get really annoyed at him.
Geralt shot a sharp look at Lambert. 'Keep her feet on the ground please.' Without waiting for a response, he turned and began traversing the narrow path. Eskel gave Ellie a shrug and his small, apologetic smile before following him. Lambert watched his brothers go, she moved to continue walking, not feeling in the mood for a lecture from him but his hand snapped out, grabbing her arm firmly.
'One piece of advice Blue eyes, don't do that when we get to the keep. In fact, try and keep your weird demon shit to a minimum for the rest of our time together.' He gave her a stern look, and she couldn't help her stomach clenching at his mention of their reason for coming here. He wanted her gone.
'I'm not going to hurt you. You know that right?' She said, her voice betraying her hurt. His brow furrowed, his eyes flicking across her face as he attempted to read her.
'I do. But Geralt doesn't trust you, and our teacher, Vesemir, he's an even harder stone to wear down when it comes to monsters.'
'Is he the one that can help me?' She asked.
Lambert hesitated. 'Potentially. Although, me bringing you here is already a risk, if you start leaping off the parapets like a demented harpy I don't think the old coot is going to be inclined to listen to your side of the story.'
She studied him for a second. Despite his usual sardonic tone, his words seemed sincere. In fact, she could have sworn she saw a touch of worry in his amber eyes.
'Fine.' She answered simply, 'No jumping off parapets. Got it.' He regarded for a moment, then clearly satisfied she was telling the truth he released her arm slowly and nodded to where the other two were disappearing over the ridge.
'Come on then. Want to get there before Imbaelk.' Ellie frowned at the strange word he used, but decided not to interrogate him on the side of a freezing mountain. She resolved to ask Eskel about it later, he was always more forthcoming with her questioning. They set off again in silence, Ellie a few steps behind Lambert. As they journeyed on the temperature dropped further, if that was even possible, until finally she felt the faint, tickling touches of snowflakes hitting her skin. Looking up she saw the gathering grey clouds above them, their soft appearance belaying the storm they held within. They were just reaching the pass, the only opening in the impenetrable wall of mountains, when the previous light flurry, thickened into an all-out blizzard.
The witchers hunched their shoulders against the storm, their leather armour and thick clothes doing a lot to keep them warm. Ellie on the other hand resorted to practically hugging Horse's hind quarters, her meagre dress now a proper issue. It was impossible to hear or see much in the storm, her guides blurred shadows in a white haze. Lambert however, turned his head ever so slightly and saw the girl pressed against his mount's rear. Foregoing his usual biting remark about her lack of clothes he rooted out his blanket again and tossed it towards her. Even with her numb hands she still managed to snatch the fabric out of the air before the wind took it hungrily in its grasp. It still smelt of him and her, their scents mixed in amongst the warm wool as she wrapped it around her shoulders gratefully. She didn't have time to thank him before he had turned away, his figure disappearing into the blizzard.
By the time the snow had eased, Ellie was sure if she was going to die, it would be frozen to death up here. Either that or she'd be a living icicle on the mountain side for eternity. As the visibility improved she could see they were flanked on either side by towering rock walls. They were worn smooth by years of erosion from snow and rain. Compared to the cliffs further down the mountain there were very few places to grab hold and climb here. From the thinness of the air as well she could tell they were high up, likely near the snow-capped peaks she had seen earlier from a far.
After what felt like forever, the path gradually started to descend. As it did the snow lessened more and more until it was back to the gentle flurry that had signalled the start of the white haze. Ahead of her the witchers shook off the snow that had collected on their armour. Forcing her frozen arms to move, she shrugged her own coating of ice off of the blanket. It fell in great clumps at her feet with a soft thud, causing Lambert to glance back at her. His expression was guarded but she saw his eyes rake over her. Despite her numb state, a small, flicker of warmth lit up inside her at the look.
The pass opened out after continuing down at a steep angle for another hour, the high rock walls falling away abruptly to reveal the valley beyond. Ellie felt the breath catch in her throat as she looked through the dancing snowflakes at the scene laid out before her. The clouds were thinning and in places had gone entirely, as if the storm was in another world and they had passed through a gateway. The sun was beginning to set behind them and the mountain pass they had just come through, casting long shadows along the valley floor. Where the sun did touch, it lit the mountains on either side in a golden light. Warming the slate grey stone. Some of the thick forest that lined the valley floor was also glowing in the evening sun, turning the dark greens and browns, vibrant reds and oranges. It looked like the forest was on fire from here. A meandering river snaked its way through the centre of the valley, its fast-flowing water glittering in the light.
For as far as the eye could see there was nothing but forest and mountains. No pockets of civilisation; no villages, no farms, no people. It was about as far away from the bustling cities that Ellie knew. For a brief moment she was reminded of her home…her first home. When she had been human. A house set in a quiet village, on the outskirts of a forest. Her chest squeezed tightly, although it had been years and years since her heart had beat. This was a sanctuary, and she had been allowed in.
The group made their way down into the valley and off the mountain that blocked this wild paradise from the world on the other side. As soon as they had reached the first of the trees the witchers began the familiar ritual of setting up camp. The very fact they still had days to travel made Ellie wonder just how secure these witcher's had needed their home to be. There was a history there that made her burn with curiosity, but she could see by the weary set of their shoulders that tonight was not the time for questions. Even some of Eskel's joviality was dampened by their difficult journey through the pass.
They travelled through the forest, following the river for two more days. Mercifully the temperature, although still cold was back to a bearable level. The snow left behind them on the mountain top. Even though they had left the precarious mountain pass behind the ground was still steep in places and very difficult to traverse. There were no signs of a path or any sort of route through the trees, but her guides never faltered in their walking. Striding confidently forward and even chatting amongst themselves, seemingly not paying attention to where they were going. Ellie found her renewed strength extremely useful for keeping up with them. She wasn't familiar with their surroundings and so keeping one eye on her feet and one eye on the witchers was essential to not face planting from a misplaced foot.
Halfway through the second day a very faint path appeared as if out of nowhere alongside the river. It was little more than a strip of worn dirt, from multiple hooves traversing it. It was at this point the ground began to slope upwards once more, but before Ellie could get concerned about the chance of more snow her witcher guides mounted their horses again. Without a word Lambert offered his hand out to her and partly out of habit and partly down to a fear of freezing again, she accepted it.
This was how she got her first look at the keep of Kaer Morhen. Riding on horseback, with the steady beat of Lambert's heart at her back. It appeared as if in a dream. A great monolith of light grey stone, looking like it had been carved from the mountain it was set against. The forest they had been walking through for two days circled its base, the great towering trees dwarfed by the keep. The gigantic cliffs of stone surrounding it were wreathed in ethereal mist that curled around the many parapets that Lambert had mentioned. The concentric circular walls and increasing height level on level, reminded her of home, the demon city of Purgatory. There was something of the mythical about it, like it shouldn't really exist. An unbelievable feat built high up in this secluded valley.
'Home sweet home.' Lambert muttered as they made their way along the path leading down to it.
As they got closer, Ellie was able to see that the impenetrable fortress was actually crumbling, quite significantly in places. Great, gaping holes in the outer walls, thick columns of twisting ivy climbing the architecture that was still standing. Just peaking over the, at least, eighty-foot-high wall was the keep proper. Cracks and one collapsed tower visible. It had an air of sad neglect about it, as if this once great structure had seen its best days and now it was just slowly disappearing back into the wilderness that had made it.
It wasn't long before the path ended, coming to a medieval style drawbridge. A portcullis blocked the entrance to the keep, made of thick oak beams. Once again Ellie wondered what exactly had been the purpose for all this defence when it was already in the middle of nowhere. Seemed like overkill. As she stared in wonder at the colossal gates of Kaer Morhen, a wizened, grey haired head appeared over one of the parapets to the side of them. Ellie started at the sudden, unexpected motion but the witchers barely twitched a finger as they looked up at the old man. This, she thought, must be Vesemir.
'Wait all year for you fools, and three of you show up at once. What time do you call this?' His familiar amber eyes narrowed as he focused on Ellie sat very conspicuously in front of Lambert. 'And who, pray tell…is that?'