Icy rain hammered mercilessly around me; a harsh wind howled through the streets. I plodded along, with the head of a Drowner tucked under my arm. The potions were finally starting to wear off, my limbs growing heavy the more I walked on. Only the thought of the bath my bards had prepared for me kept me going, the sound of their music felt like it was calling me home. I smiled at the thought, thinking longingly of getting the disgusting remnants of the Drowners out of my hair, my skin and my favourite leather jacket.
Now at the tavern, I paused, listening the boisterous noise, waited for the crescendo and pushed the door open. As I suspected, the entire tavern were far too enchanted by the four bards to pay any attention to me probably a good thing really, I was sure I was quite the sight.
I couldn't see the bards playing past all the patrons packed in the tavern like fish in a barrel but I could hear and smell them, that was enough to reassure me that they were all there and safe. I approached the bar keep just as the song faded away.
Silence fell.
The scents of fear and disgust seemed to crash into me, mutterings of monster, freak and mutant spread through the crowd. I swallowed hard and sighed, I was far too used to this treatment but it never failed to sting fresh, especially after the bards pushed and shoved their way into my life, with all the force and subtlety of a boulder cascading down a mountain.
I dumped the Drowner head on the bar as I heard Geralt strum the opening chords to Toss a coin.
"When a band of bards, graced a ride along, with Juliet of Lettenhove, along came this song" He sang and as abruptly and suddenly as it had started the fear and disgust dissipated and the mood lifted. The bar tender, a short, slender, no nonsense older woman with greying red hair threw me my coin and a mug of ale. The voices of the other bards joined his.
"When the Bay Wolf fought a silver-tongued devil,
his army of elves at his hooves did they revel.
They came after us, with masterful deceit,
Broke down Lam's lute and kicked in our teeth.
While the devils' horns, minced our tender meat and so cried the Witcher.
She can't be bleat!
Toss a coin to your Witcher, oh valley of plenty,
Oh, valley of plenty
Oh!
Toss a coin to your Witcher, oh valley of plenty"
The crowd cheered, I caught Geralt's eye and he winked.
"That's all from us, you've been a wonderful crowd, have a good night!" Cried Eskel, who had covered his facial scars with makeup.
"I'd like to order a bath" I asked the bar woman,
"The pretty bard already ordered one for you, it's being prepared now" She said,
"Thank you, my lady"
Her lips twitched into a smile then wondered off to serve another customer. The other customers had given me a wide berth but that was quickly invaded by Vesemir,
"Girl" He boomed. "How did your contract go?"
"All fine, the Drowners are all dead. Well. Deader"
"And you? Are you hurt?"
"Not at all but Geralt is more than welcome to check me over personally later"
"I ordered a bath for you; it should still be warm" I almost chocked on my ale. Vesemir was the pretty bard?! Vesemir?! I had never really thought about him as attractive, it felt too weird, he was like a father to me in a way.
"You alright?"
"I'm fine but I think you have a chance with the tavern owner" His eyes flicked to the red head and blushed fiercely, his jaw dropping open. I grinned.
"I… I couldn't"
"Up to you but I would take the Silver fox
"Hmmm" He ran a hand through his silvering hair. I resisted the urge to cackle.
"Anyway, I'll go on up and take that bath, I expect I'm stinking out the tavern and I wouldn't want the future Mrs Vesemir to lose any customers"
His blush bloomed fresh, he stammered, gaped like a fish and I took my chance to escape before speech caught up with Vesemir.
Geralt caught my eye and he gave me a small, genuine smile that always made my heart race. Again, I was struck by the overwhelming scent of melting honey on fresh bread and then the moment faded and Geralt was pulled back in to talk to one of the girls. I tore my eyes away from the way light caught on his dark curls and his eyes.
After peeling off my armour and clothes, I gave the water a quick blast of igni then sank under the beautifully warm water. Scents of lavender, chamomile and lemon wafting off it. I groaned happily, the tension and monster muck seeping out of me.
I sang quietly to myself. An old lullaby I distantly remembered someone singing to me. I closed my eyes and leant my head against the edge of the bath. I scented Geralt standing by the door, from the way his breath hitched Geralt could hear me singing. He entered the room and I resisted the urge to stop. Among the group of bards, only Geralt knew that I can sing, that I love to sing and I was shocked that Geralt had kept his word not to tell another soul, even Eskel who he told everything.
After a long moment, Geralt appeared in the doorway and his eyes were on me again I smelt that strange mix of honey on fresh bread and something else unidentifiable and yet so very Geralt.
He slowly approached and perched behind me, his strong, calloused fingers massaging shampoo into my hair.
The lullaby finished.
"If you want to, don't stop" Geralt breathed, his fingers felt amazing and I felt my resolve melt away.
"Only if you join me" His lips twitched. "You pick the song"
"When a band of bards…"
His eyes met mine and I knew that he thought I was going to stop him; I raised an eyebrow and on Geralt sang.
"Graced a ride along" He finally continued, "With Juliet of Lettenhove, along came this song"
"When the bay wolf fought a silver tongued…"
Our voices flowed surprisingly well together, Geralts rough baritone with my own soprano. Geralt was clearly getting into the music and I found myself lost in the flow before I knew it the song was over and our voices faded away.
"You're incredible" Whispered Geralt, his eyes filled with longing and the air was filled with the familiar scent of male lust and something unidentifiable.
"You good sir are far too kind to little old me. I am old enough to be your great grandmother, I sincerely hope I've picked up more than a few talents"
"You could be a bard with a voice like that"
"Perhaps in another life I would have been but alas in this life I am a Witcher and Witchers don't make good bards"
"How do you know? If you hid that medallion, you could come up on stage with us. We'll introduce you as our very weird cousin"
"Weird cousin?!" Geralt laughed,
"Okay, not my best"
"I appreciate the thought but it would never work"
"Juliet, can I ask you something" Said Geralt and he disappeared for a moment only to return and dunk a bucket of water over my head. I spluttered and glared at him. Geralt threw back his head and howled with laughter.
"How anyone thinks you're scary is beyond me when you can look like a half-drowned puppy"
"I am a wolf"
"A teeny tiny, adorable little puppy"
"Grumpy old Wolf who can kill you in a hundred different ways and still make it look like an accident"
"So cute"
"I won't answer your question now"
"Please?"
"No"
His eyes met mine and I felt my heart and my resolve melt away. Fuck. When did this week, feeble human male gain this much power and influence over the all but immortal, mighty Witcher?
"Ugh… fine. Ask away but don't expect a nice reply"
Geralt said nothing for a long moment, I was surprised to note that he was rubbing the back of his neck with his hand, the way he did when he was nervous. I took the moment, to climb out of the bath and his eyes widened. His jaw dropped.
"Bloody fuck" He whispered and I heard his heart race. I glanced at him then down at me. Did he find me attractive? Sure, my face was vaguely pleasing but the rest of me were littered with ugly scars. Scars tended to make their bearers appear thrillingly dangerous, very few liked that on women. I had a lot less luck than the male Witchers in finding bed partners. Usually I was pretty good at charming them into my bed but once they saw the scars, they tended to run away. One fainted. All except the Count De Stael.
I bent over and scooped up my towel. The lust scent grew stronger again until it was all but heavy in the air. I turned away. I couldn't risk falling into bed with Geralt, I cared for him too much, I cared for all the bards too much.
A lot of people said the bards were mine, they had it wrong, I was their Witcher. I couldn't risk my relationship with the bards, no matter what.
"So, what were you going to ask me?" I asked Geralt, breaking the moment. I threw on an oversized, white shirt and the smell almost entirely faded away.
"The next town, are there any contracts in it?"
"Not that I know of. Why?"
"So, there's no reason to go there"
"Not really but it is particularly prone for Wraiths, Drowners and Nekkers so it wouldn't be inconceivable for there to be a contract there"
I watched him carefully, he rubbed the back of his head and our eyes met. I knew he was hiding something from me and he knew that. He sank onto a chair and buried his face in his hands, running his long fingers through the thick strands.
"I am going to bed. Goodnight Geralt"
"Night" He whispered.
The next day dawned bright and early and yet I hadn't slept a wink. My mind whirring with everything Geralt both did and didn't tell me. That something had been bothering my bards had been obvious. Lambert more than the others. Ever since he learnt the route, I was using to get to Cintra, he had been bristling with tension.
With fear.
I would never push them to reveal their secrets before they are ready to, I had more than a few secrets of my own to keep but I did need to know if their secrets would put any of their lives or my life in danger. Whatever had Lambert so afraid, the others clearly knew too. I had caught the tail end of more than a few conversations that I wasn't supposed to hear. Enough to know that something or someone had Lambert terrified. It was something very bad and it was coming up soon. Perhaps in the very next village
After eating breakfast, Geralt and I went to the stables to ready Roach and Pegasus. Eskel and Lambert staggered in, looking exhausted
"What the fuck happened to you two?!" Demanded Geralt
"Vesemir slept with the tavern owner last night. I could hear everything" Said Eskel,
"My ears will never be the same" Said Lambert,
"I think my eyes and ears need cleaning in acid"
"It would be a kinder death"
"It can't have been that bad" Said Geralt,
"You weren't there. I could have gone my whole life without hearing how Vesemir moans in bed. I'm surprised you two didn't hear. Horny bastards were up half the night"
"He's coming" I warned them as Vesemir staggered into the stable, smiling,
"Good morning children" He sang,
"Shut. Up" Snarled Lambert,
"It's a beautiful start to the day isn't it?"
"We heard you last night. Keep it down next time" pleaded Eskel,
"I've overheard you boys more than my fair share of times thank you very much"
"That's different!"
"How?!"
"Will you two stop it" I interrupted, "We have a long way to go and I want to get started" Any good humour in Lambert's face drained away.
"Fine" He snarled,
"We're going a different route I'm afraid. Got word that an old rival of mine has been seen in the next village, he has no qualms about killing you mere humans so I would like to avoid him. We're going back the way we came for a few miles, there's a fork in the road. It'll take longer to get to Cintra but at least there's a better chance of us all getting there in one piece.
Why are you all looking at me like that? We can risk my sworn enemy if you like"
The bards exchanged glances,
"You… you're going to avoid Bath?" Asked Lambert slowly, hope flickered in his face but he was clearly trying to suppress it.
"Yeah"
"Worried you can't protect us from another Witcher?"
"I can but there are four of you, one of me and one of him. I can't murder my rival as a very old friend of mine made me promise not to"
"Who could elicit that kind of promise from you?" Asked Geralt frowning,
"Are we moving or not? We need to get going if we want to make up on lost time"
"But how did you…?" Began Eskel but Vesemir clamped a hand over Eskel's mouth.
"We'll go. C'mon boys" Said Vesemir. Geralt and I led our horses out of the stable and back up the road. It would take longer to reach Cintra this way but it was more than worth it to see how much lighter Lambert seemed, how the tension seemed to seep out of him with every step, his smile returned and he laughed, joked and sang with the others again.
Yes, I would do anything for my boys.