The Witcher: Black and White
Surprise
The tall man with long white hair, slits for eyes, yellow irises, and a scar running down his left eye stared at the young couple standing before him. He studied every inch of them, how they dressed, how they spoke, what they said. Everything was a crucial detail in his profession.
"You put up the notice about the contract?" the Witcher spoke in a deep gravelly voice.
Iain; the owner of the house, nodded. "We've had some trouble recently."
The Witcher glanced around their humble home. "With what, exactly?"
Iain glanced down at the rough wood floor. "We don't know. Only I saw it, it was big, scaly, and looked like the offspring of a chicken and a lizard." he explained.
The Witcher nodded. "Cockatrice. You're lucky to be alive. Don't usually spare people."
Iain looked back at his wife, who was clearly worried. "You know how to kill it, right?"
"I do. Stay here, don't venture outside at all until I return." the Witcher said.
The Witcher turned around and walked out, his two swords dangling from a leather strap on his back.
/
Deep inside the forest near where Iain and his wife's home was, Geralt searched around for the dreaded Cockatrice. As he walked, Geralt's sharp senses searched the ground below him for cave systems, a Cockatrice's favorite hiding spot. Suddenly, he stopped. Looking down, he spotted a pair of massive three toed prints in the dirt.
Geralt knelt down. "Too big for an average Cockatrice. This one's been around a while." he said to himself.
Standing back up, Geralt glanced around him along the path. The treeline was thick and the underbrush didn't help visibility either. Luckily, he didn't need his eyes, he had his ears. Focusing his ears into a direct beam, Geralt picked up sounds no ordinary human could. He sensed the smallest of the mice scampering about, the call of a wolf four miles away, and the sound of an old Cockatrice right behind him.
In a split second, Geralt drew his sword of silver and dove to the ground and rolled out of the Cockatrice's range. He spun himself around to face the creature. It's beak was cracked and splintering and it was covered in scars from years of being hunted. It's breath was labored and it had an uncomfortable demeanor. The Cockatrice hacked and something spilled from it's beak and onto the dirt path.
"What's the matter? Ate something you didn't like?" Geralt taunted.
The Cockatrice lunged forward and Geralt sidestepped it's attack. As it passed, Geralt ran his sword down it's side, cutting it open. The Cockatrice screamed and turned again for another attack.
Geralt braced for another headlong assault but instead of doing that, the Cockatrice turned and slammed it's tail into Geralt. Geralt went sprawling to the ground and his silver sword toppled away from his grasp and reach.
The Cockatrice advanced on the grounded Witcher but Geralt turned over on his back a fired a blast of Aard into it's ugly mug. The creature fell backwards, giving the Witcher time to retrieve his weapon. He picked it up and was ready to defend himself just as the Cockatrice launched another attack upon him.
Geralt crouched and plunged his sword into the Cockatrice's belly as it flew over him. It landed hard on it's twisted face, finally shattering it's cracked beak. The creature gave out a wail of pain as Geralt stood up and walked over to the creature's abnormally large head. It's dark eyes looked up at the silver haired man.
"Nice try, ugly." Geralt of Rivia said as he plunged his sword into the neck of the Cockatrice.
In a spurt of dark blood, the Cockatrice began to seize wildly before settling down and dying. Geralt sighed, wiped the sweat from his brow and the blood from his blade. Drawing a silver knife, Geralt carved himself a trophy in the form of a massive Cockatrice talon.
Walking back to Iain's homestead, Geralt was soon greeted by his trusted and only companion, his horse Roach. Actually, Geralt had no idea which Roach this was, he had had so many he lost count. Every horse was Roach to him. Roach was a chestnut mare and as loyal as any beast was.
Geralt slung the Cockatrice talon over Roach's saddle and continued to the homestead. They soon reached the clearing that housed the small homely cabin where Iain and his wife were waiting. His senses detected the scent of potatoes, onions, garlic, carrots, and beef. Soup.
Geralt opened the door to the cabin's interior and Iain jumped up from the rough wooden table and bench.
"Master Witcher! Did you slay the creature?" Iain asked.
Geralt nodded. "Put up a fight, but it's dead."
Iain sighed. "Thank the gods." he said happily.
"Now about my reward." Geralt said bluntly.
Iain looked up at Geralt grimly. "Master Witcher, please forgive us but we have nothing to offer you in compensation."
Geralt's golden eyes narrowed at Iain, then at Iain's wife. "If you haven't gold to pay me, I invoke the Law of Surprise."
Iain looked back at his wife in confusion. "Master Witcher, what is this Law?"
"It is an alternate form of payment. You don't possess gold as a reward so I shall request that which you have but do not expect." Geralt explained.
"We have nothing like that." Iain said.
Geralt shook his head. "Not entirely true. I will return in a year for your child." he said as he turned and left.
Iain turned back to his wife in shock. "Child?"
His wife was even more shocked. "How? How did he know?"
/
As promised, Geralt returned a year later and sure enough there he was. A boy, a healthy baby boy and his parents knew from the start, they'd have to give him up and they did. So, off Geralt went with his new ward. He had been informed of the child's name, Marvo. Geralt decided to take the child to Kaer Morhen to train him to become a Witcher.