Chapter one: I hate portals, and this is reason why
Geralt of Rivia looked at the old tower. Avallac'h hid with Ciri here. His last encounter with the Wild Hunt teached him a lesson. Never trust an elven mage at all costs. The angered witcher took the stairs by three and prepared his steel sword. 'Ciri, hold on!' he thought, when he opened the door and without a single word rushed with the unsheathed sword at the bastard, who tricked him and Eredin into their roles.
But, he saw the runes too late. Avallac'h knew, that Geralt will arrive to kill him and prepared teleportation runes. "Fuck." Geralt muttered and saw a devilish grin of Avallac'h staring at him. "You have no Yen, Triss or Ciri to save you. You are bold, but at the same time a fool." the elf announced. It was several months, since their last encounter at the same place. And this time, the famous White wolf fell into a trap.
Suddenly, a voice rung through Tor Gvalch'ca. "Geeeeeeeeraaaaalttttt!" Geralt sighed. Dandelion followed him to Skellige and even he secretly sneaked on the witcher all the way there. "Go away! It's not safe!" Geralt shouted, but the bard did the opposite. "Two birds in one go. Thank you bard, for coming here. With both of you out from my way, Cirilla will never finish her goal and I'll be the ruler of the entire Time and Space!" Avallac'h said.
"You will be only owner of ice and snow, you crazy mage!" Geralt countered. Avallac'h stared daggers at Geralt. The witcher countered with a more aggressive stare. 'Activate!' the elf broke silence after a second. "Geeeeeraaalttt… !" Dandelion shouted, but the vacuum of portal travel cut him off.
The travel felt like dozens of princess Adda's claws in her Striga form. It lasted for an unknown time, because the pain never let Geralt to count the time. 'I bet, that the people, who were killed by this type of travel, felt this much pain.' the witcher thought. Soon after that, the pain ended and both of them appeared in a forest. It was not big or dark like Brokilon, but it was still ancient.
"Geralt?! Where are we?" Dandelion asked. "I don't know, but it is a world with just last bits of magic." the White wolf answered. He looked at the nearest bush and prepared his steel sword. "Go out from the bush! I see you." he continued. Only a low growling answered. "A wolf or a dog." Geralt muttered. Dandelion hid behind the nearest soldier pine, that he saw. "Yer not goin' anywere!" a man announced from behind. "A bard? Yer will pay us all of yer clotes and dat lute too." a womanly voice continued.
"Fuck. Folk gone wild." Geralt stated and jumped at the attackers. "Wat da fuck? A Wite walker!" the man in fur announced and rushed away, leaving his fine (stolen) steel dagger on the ground. 'Cowards.' he thought and helped the scared bard back on his feet. Dandelion bent over to grab the dagger. "Good choice. You would probably need it." Geralt said as the bard used his belt to sheat the dagger.
They looked around for a road to follow, but they were deep in the forest. It took them to reach the nearest thing to a road almost six hours."We have four more hours of light. If this is a road, we'll reach the nearest city, village or fortress in two days at best." Geralt announced. Suddenly, he heard galloping of a group of horses. Soon after, three boys showed up. But, they were almost men, when Geralt looked more closely. Behind them were some guards. One of them held a white banner with a wolf on it.
"Halt you two!" the second oldest boy from the group shouted. Both of them froze in place. "Wildling scum." the oldest from the trio stated. "No, they are not looking like them. Wildlings are wearing furs. Both of them are more Essosi." the youngest countered. Dandelion seemed angered at that quick assumption, that he is one of those wild folks. "We are not those wild folks. Two of them tried to rob my friend, but I managed to scare them away." Geralt said before the worst thing could happen.
"That colorful clothed man is a bard. Look at the lute on his back." The middle one stated. "Robb! What happened?" an elder voice asked. "We just found two Essosi look alikes. They were ambushed by Wildlings not so long ago. One of them is a bard. The second is a Targ look alike fighter." Robb answered. The sound of galloping horses intensified by the second and they were encircled by thirty men. "Fuck." Geralt muttered for a millionth time.
"I don't know, what you are talking about. I am not a Targ and we aren't from this Essos either." the witcher said. "Tell that to king Robert. He would've killed you in seconds." the youngest from the trio added. "A bard will only dig his way to the women. We will do the best thing, if we kill both of them here and now." one of guards stated. Some of the other guards agreed, but Geralt unsheathed his steel sword and pointed it at the speaker. "He would try his best to not be a whoremonger, right Dandelion?" Geralt countered.
The bard nodded and touched his lute in a defensive manner. "Well then, we will give him only one chance." the lord or baron or whatever his title was, sighed. Geralt sheathed his sword and looked at the small wolves on the saddles. "They would be hard to tame. They can eat their whole weight, if they start eating meat." the witcher announced and turned to the direction, where the group was heading.
Dandelion gulped, when he saw the keep for the first time, while Geralt only felt homesick. The Winterfell looked like Kaer Morhen at it's prime. Only three things were missing to call Winterfell a home. His mare Roach, Yen and his fellow witchers. "It reminds me my home." Geralt announced quietly to Dandelion. The bard nodded. He only wanted wine and a whore to be happy for now.
Geralt rolled his eyes. When they were in the courtyard, almost everyone said something about his hair or eyes. Geralt never liked royalty… well, only Ciri was the different case. Dandelion shot a few glances at some maids, but he was cut off by lord Stark. After a few seconds of arguing about flirting with maids, they were led to the Great hall for dinner. The Stark family wanted a song from the bard. So, he grabbed his flute and started singing.
When a humble bard, graced a ride along with Geralt of Rivia, along came this song. 'Fuck.' Geralt thought. He HATED that song. But, he decided to control himself. When the White Wolf fought a silver tongued devil, his army of elves, at his hooves did they revel. The Starks grew more confused after that. Only the youngest girl and the second youngest boy-Bran, if he heard well, were seemingly listening with growing awe.
They came after me. With masterful deceit. They broke down my lute and they kicked in my teeth. 'Here it comes.' Geralt realised in his mind. While the devil's horns minced our tender meat, and so cried the Witcher: "He can't be bleat!" "It wasn't like that. How many times I must ask you: Where is your respect?" Geralt interrupted. "That 'devil' or Torque, as he liked to be called, helped us escape." the witcher continued. Dandelion stared daggers at Geralt. The White wolf countered with his own glare and smiled a bit.
The Starks were shocked. The witcher's story (or the part, that he told) was right. Geralt finished his meal and went to the room, in which he will sleep for now. The first day in the new world was eventful. 'Ciri, where are you now?' Geralt thought and went to sleep. Avallac'h won this time, but the White wolf will take his revenge.