Note: Witcher!AU, inspired by the Netflix series.
Warning: Mentions of violence and bloody descriptions
Rabastan did his best to keep his steps quiet as neared the cave entrance. It wasn't as if this job was hard for him, but he would like to get it over with as quickly as possible. Captors in ransom situations tend to react idiotically when they're attacked.
He also wanted to handle this quickly because royals can be impatient pains in his ass; and they wondered why their kingdoms were always in ruins. The only good thing that came from them to Rabastan was their coin.
That was the only good thing for any witcher, aside from getting the job done.
Speaking of the job, Rabastan had a princess to retrieve. A group of thugs thought they would make a profit by kidnapping the young princess of Hangleton and holding her for ransom in the mountains. Many monstrous creatures were rumored to be in the mountains, including dragons, though Rabastan knew where the real monsters resided.
Fortunately for the king, Rabastan had taken a room in the town's inn to rest from his latest basilisk slaying in a nearby castle. He agreed to the task not just out of obligation but because anyone who would put a child in harm's way like that deserved a good punch in the throat.
It took him a day's ride to reach the mountains, picking up on any traces the thugs or young princess left behind. The trace ended a short distance away from the cave, and with no sign of life otherwise, he knew that he would find something there.
The more he inched towards the cave's entrance, the more the medallion around his neck vibrated against his chest. That meant there was something wicked or magical nearby, and he felt the need to take an extra precaution. He reached into his leather jacket, retrieving a small bottle filled with a blackish liquid. He used his mouth to open the bottle and then downed its contents, grunting at the taste.
He could feel the potion coursing through his body, further enhancing his already formidable abilities. The magic washed over his eyes, and the world around him now had a darkish glow. Once he knew the potion was in full effect, Rabastan reached for the sword on his back.
The sound of the silver blade unsheathing hissed in his ears, accompanied by the thunderous pounding of his slow heartbeat. Rabastan rounded the corner and entered the shadowy space. His night vision kicked in, and he was only surrounded by the rocky walls.
"Hn," he grunted, scouring the cave for the source of his medallion's vibrations.
The witcher ventured into the cave deeper as he continued to be met with nothing. Apparently his plans for a swift slash and rescue weren't going to happen.
Suddenly a deep, guttural growl hit his ears, and his senses sharpened even more. Rabastan rushed and followed the growl.
He stopped once the creature was in his sights, though that wasn't the only thing he saw.
There were three shredded and mangled bodies near the creature; obviously they had to be the thugs that kidnapped the princess. They wouldn't be collecting any ransom anytime soon.
The creature itself was grotesque. It had three long and sharp spikes for fingers; its skin was grey and wrinkly. Horns rested crookedly atop its head, and its razor sharp teeth were dripping with blood.
"Idiots," Rabastan stated, "being killed by something as ugly as you."
He was pretty sure the thing knew what he'd said as it roared and bared its teeth at him.
Rabastan stood in an offensive position, ready to strike when he spotted the small figure in the corner behind the monster.
Her blonde hair was dirty, disheveled, and covering her face. Her wrists and ankles were bound by rope, and a gag covered her mouth. Even though most of his attention was focused on his current opponent, Rabastan could clearly see the fear in her eyes and her shivering body. He deduced that the child was saved from one threat, only to be cornered by another.
The witcher cracked his neck, a low growl erupting from his throat. The dark glow in his eyes intensified as he charged to fight and kill the creature.
Of course, Rabastan slayed the creature. He didn't go without his own cuts and aches from its strikes against him, but they would heal momentarily. His body was made that way. The effect from the enhancing elixir had worn off sometime after the fight was over and he'd thrown the monster's body in a pile with the dead thugs.
With that taken care of, Rabastan shifted his focus on the most important part of this hired job. Despite his sword being decorated with dirt and blood, Rabastan sheathed it into the scabbard on his back and approached the bound child. She was no longer shaking, simply meeting his gaze with serenity in her green eyes; there was no fear in sight. It was slightly unsettling for Rabastan, as he was used to disgust, arrogance, or fear when someone looked in his cat-like, golden eyes. Then again, children held the last bit of innocence the world possessed.
"Are you alright?" Rabastan asked as he kneeled in front of the princess. He reached for the cloth tied around her mouth and removed it, untying the ropes binding her wrists and ankles afterwards.
She mutely nodded in response. Once she was free of her bonds, she tried to stand but fell back down with a soft cry.
Being in the same position for that amount of time could not have been kind to the princess' muscles, and he cursed under his breath for not reaching her sooner. With tenderness he rarely exuded Rabastan lifted the child in his arms, cradling her so he didn't injure her further.
"You're safe now," he said, making his way out of the cave. "You'll be home soon."
The princess wrapped her arms tight around Rabastan's neck and nestled against his shoulder. Though it didn't affect him physically, the action rustled up emotions foreign to the witcher's everyday life. The last time they existed was right before he was ripped from his older brother's arms…
"Thank you, mister," the princess whispered.
It made his ear twitch and shook him from delving into dark, painful thoughts. Without hesitation, Rabastan patted her head gingerly.
Remembering his earlier thoughts, Rabastan resigned himself to the fact that there was something else good about his jobs other than coins. It was just part of a life he would never have.
"You're welcome." Though it might have come out gruffer than intended, he was certain the pure, small human in his arms wouldn't notice a bit.
A/N: Written for Quidditch League Fanfiction Competition and HSWW (Challenges and Assignments)
(QL) Team: Holyhead Harpies; Position: Keeper; Prompt: Title Interpretation: So You Think You Have Superpowers? (Witchers being enhanced 'super' beings)
(HSWW) Assignment #3 Calligraphy Task #7: Write about a kidnapping (since the when wasn't explicitly stated, I went with events that happened after the initial kidnapping.)
Word Count: 1,117