Eskel woke up the next day with one of the worst hangover he ever had. Him and Geralt had stayed together all night long, trying to catch up on all the lost time as much as they could. They had been drinking almost constantly, and were both more than happy to do so, but Eskel was pretty sure Geralt was -just like him- bitterly regretting drinking so much. No, actually. He was just too content to be here, to be once again with his brother -and Ciri ! Having a headache was totally worth it, in his opinion.

Opening a lazy eye, it took a few seconds for Eskel's blurry vision to adjust to the light and focus on the sun. Given its position in the sky, where he couldn't see it from his bed, the Witcher knew it had to be around noon. Which would explain why he had woken up with a growling stomach, and why his mouth was desperately dry. Before heading downstairs to the kitchens, he decided to use the remaining water from the previous day that was sitting in a large ceramic bowl to wash his face. The cold water certainly did help him to wake up, and help pulling his brain from its state of fogginess. Deciding to just put on a pair of trousers and a shirt for now, he trotted down the stoned steps of the Keep.

The main hall was empty, only cluttered by the numerous bottles they had emptied the night before. Most of them were gathered on the table, but Eskel spotted some on the ground, and even one on the mantle of the large chimney. Shaking his head as he mentally counted them, realising just how much they had drink with the White Wolf, the Witcher decided to first tend to his biological need before attempting to clean their mess. Raiding the kitchen, he managed to find a loaf of bread that wasn't too hard, took the remaining apples and took a pitcher of water. Sitting at the kitchen table, he took his time, enjoying the shy rays of sun piercing through the remaining clouds, soaking in every bit of warmth they were providing.

The Witcher was almost done with his meal when the door opened on a grumpy-looking Geralt. Eskel could not help but chuckle as the sight of his brother, for once in a state worse than his own.

" Had a rough night ?" he smirked.

Geralt groaned something about Eskel talking too loud as he sat down, opposite of his brother. As the White Wolf was eating and drinking cups of water, Eskel watched in fascination his face become less and less crumpled, and his yellow eyes recovering their usual sharp look.

"You've seen Ciri ?"

Of course, Geralt's first concern went to her adoptive daughter.

"Haven't seen anyone. Besides you, I mean."

With a grin on his face, Geralt looked up from the table:

"I know how much you like me being the first thing you see in the morning."

Eskel barked a laugh. He had miss this.

"Sure Wolf, keep believing that. If it makes you feel better about yourself !"

Geralt's only response was an eye roll.

After a moment of silence, Eskel continued

"Gotta admit, I was surprised to find Letho here."

His brother looked at him once more, and sighed a little

"I know you don't like him. After… the Wild Hunt attacked, I offered him to stay here. I wouldn't have done so if I didn't trust him."

Eskel knew it to be true, he could not imagine for one second Geralt putting anyone from his family at risk. But the scarred Witcher never really had the time -nor the desire- to sit down with the Viper to talk about his actions and motives, he was therefore still on the fence about him.

"What about her ?"

"Erryn ?"

Eskel nodded.

"Letho originally refused my offer to stay. Said he wanted to leave the country. Wanted to get a fresh start away from here. From what I know, he took a contract on his way out of the country and that's how they met."

"So what ? She offered him a job and to thank her, he made her a Witcher ?"

Geralt shook his head at his brother

"Not what I said. I never asked for the full details, but my understanding is that they did met through a contract, but she was not the employer."

"I don't get it. No one in their right mind would willingly go through the mutations. We did because we were kids and we had no other choice…"

Eskel trailed off, his mind not able to find a good reason why someone would want to become a mutant. She had to have a reason, there was no other explanations.

"Please tell me you didn't help him."

Geralt looked at him straight in the eyes

"No. She had already been through the Trial when they arrived here."

Eskel sighed in relief. Many years ago, after the death of their youngest Witcher -Coën; the remaining of the Wolf School had all sat down to drink to his memory. Vesemir was there, with Geralt, Eskel and Lambert, while they drank and reminisced about the young man, recollecting stories about him, and contracts he had told them about along the years they had spent together. After their mentor decided it was time for him to sleep, Geralt, Lambert and Eskel had stayed a bit longer sat around the table. After they had ran out of stories to tell, and silence had fell upon the three of them, Lambert had made them promise: No more Witchers. The -now- youngest of the batch had always been very vocal about despising his Witcher condition, but mostly how he resented the fact that he had no say in the matter. So the three of them made a pact. They were to be the last Witchers of the Wolf School. No one would have to endure what they had to go through; to be taken away from their families, to be robbed of their childhood, and pushed onto a Path they had not chosen.

To learn that the White Wolf had kept his word reassured Eskel. At least, even if he had found more Witchers than he had ever expected to when he had decided to come back; his brother was still person he had known his whole life, and for now, that was all that mattered. Even if his winter wasn't exactly going as he had expected, he could still count on Geralt to be true to himself.