Disclaimer: The Witcher and every character aswell as location, that is not created by myself belongs to CD Projekt Red aswell as Andrzej Sapkowski, the original author of the books.

Reviews and ConCrits are always welcome!

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Chapter 7: Way Back When

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"Wow, you have quite a lot of scars, sir."

Aliona was taking the measurements of Kaleb, which required him to strip down to his pants, revealing the lots of scars on his upper body, to which a few more shall be added in the passing of his adventure, "Does it hurt?" she asked.

"What, the scars? Not really," Kaleb shrugged in a rather careless tone, "Except for the ones I've just received, that is." he pointed to his right arm, which had just been stitched by Benson.

"Then I'll have to make sure to be extra careful." the woman joked smiling.

"I think I'll survive the gentle of a woman." the Witcher replied. He's survived nights with succubi, so he'd manage this easily.

It wasn't long until the work for the moment was done. Kaleb, charming as he was, invited the young woman to a drink or two at the tavern, on his expenses of course. Aliona agreed and thus it was settled.

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The atmosphere in the tavern was cheerful, not too noisy, but more like a well earned break after a hard day of work. While the two of them chatted lightly and switched this or that story, Aliona couldn't help but notice all the looks the other guests were giving them, and especially her company. She couldn't help but feel rather uneasy, which Kaleb of course noticed.

"Is everything alright?" he asked.

"I'm fine, it's just... don't you notice all those weird looks?" Aliona replied in a lowered voice, not wanting to have anyone hear them.

"Of course I have, why?"

"Doesn't this bother you, to be observed like this?"

Kaleb smiled sadly, looking at his mug, "You know, I've been around for a few years. You get used to it eventually."

Aliona nodded with a look of sadness on her face, "I imagine it to be a lonely life." she mumbled.

Kaleb didn't respond. At first he thought if he'd deny it, but to what use? She was right, it was lonely. It was no life he'd wish anyone, if he's honest, everywhere you go, you get looked at the same way. Either with hostililty or fear and that's how you get treated all the time, no matter what you do. Of course, there are a few exceptions where the folks would actually show gratitude and didn't despise Witchers that much. Kaleb noticed both extremes during his visit in Ban Gleann.

"I'm sorry," Aliona finally said, ripping the Witcher from his thoughts, "I didn't want this conversation the way it went."

"It's okay." Kaleb replied, "In fact, it's good to talk about such things once in a while. Kinda relieving." he noticed her cheer up with this glow in her eyes returning. He'd seen it a few times today and everytime it caught him, "But to be honest, the shirt itches a bit." the two laughed. Aliona had give him one of the shirts in her shop for the time being. He couldn't walk around with a bare upper body, lest he wanted to catch a cold or fever. The Witcher had left his sword and the rest of his equipment in the shop aswell.

"Why don't you tell me something about yourself for a change?" Kaleb suggested.

"And why would you want to know anything about a simple tailor in a jerkwater town?"

"Because you've caught my interest."

The Witcher once again caught a faint blush appearing briefly on her cheeks, "Very well then.." she replied, "I've grown up as a refugee in an elven rebell camp. My mother had run away from her home, where she was forced to do hard work while being abused by her father. She an elven rebell and so one thing led to another. Some time later I was born. The first few years we've been constantly on the run until we got separated in a battle. I don't think my father survived, at least I haven't seen or heard anything of him. It wasn't until I reached the age of thirteen, in human years, that it, that we arrived here and I've stayed here ever since."

She paused for a moment to take a sip of her drink, "I haven't done too much since then, except tailoring. For a short time I was helping out the local hunters, my father used to teach me a few tricks about hunting and stealth."

"You've never done anything else since you got here? You've never left to see the world out there?" Kaleb asked in disbelief.

"I guess, that sums it up." Aliona nodded, "I know, it sounds pretty stale, but it's been calm and I've prefered a calm life before a life on the road in constant fear of death."

The Wticher nodded thoughtfully, not looking up from his cup, "I can see why." he agreed.

"Can I ask you something?" she asked after a short pause.

"Sure, anything."

"What do you remember of your time before you were a Witcher? Or have you always been one?"

A sad smile etched itself on the corners of Kaleb's mouth, "I don't remember much. I think, I've started the trials when I was about seven years old. In human years, that is, it was before my mutation. As I said I'm from Toussaint, but I don't recall much of that life, I remember my drunk father and my desperate mother. One day, this old man came to our house, asking about a contract. And after the job was done, he received his payment, via law of suprise."

"What's the law of suprise?" Aliona asked, tilting her head lightly.

"The law of suprise dictates, that, whoever invokes it, is allowed to take whatever he finds once he enters the home of the quest giver. This can be anything, a sword, a vase, money, pets or even children. That's how most us became witchers."

"So let me guess, this man walks into your home and the first thing he sees is you?"

"Exactly. And to be honest, I think my mother couldn't be more reliefed. I'm certain, she was aware of the potential dangers, but she thought it was better than to grow up in a lowlife house with a constantly agressive drunk father." Kaleb continued, "You know, if one would ask me if I would make the same choice now, that I now better – I would say no. Just alone because of the trial of grasses, which is the first step of the training. The transformation. No matter what you think of, no matter how horrible, you'll probably never experience anything more physically painful than this. Most of the children die there, before the actual training even begins. I can't even begin to describe the torture we had to endure. Even worse, learning that the others didn't. We've been on this Witcher school for a few weeks before they started with the training, we've got to know each other, forged bonds. You can probably imagine, that, especially for someone at this age, this was a horrible experience." the witcher looked down on his table, "I remember being asked afterwards how painful it was on a scale from one to ten."

"What did you say?" Aliona asked, leaning forward, her eyes full of pity.

"I said nine." the witcher replied.

"Nine?" the half-elven woman repeated, "But didn't you say that this was the worst pain you ever had to endure?"

"Physical pain." Kaleb replied, "But I've heard about people talking about an even greater pain, wounds that cannot be treated, that cannot be healed. I can't quite tell you what it is that they were talking about, but I heard it was worse than any kind of physical pain. So that's why I decided to keep the ten for when I experience this."

Aliona, not being as emotionally numb as the witcher, due to his mutations, of course understood what he was talking about. She herself never really had a heart ache that bad, that she'd describe as the worst kind of pain, but a broken heart is always painful.

"You know, some of us complain about the ways of the witcher training," Kaleb began once again, ripping Aliona out of her thoughts, "One's voice being louder than anyone else's. Some call it annoying, I call it refreshing. He's been the first one to really question our traditions and would have everyone hear it." he giggled weakly, "Wonder what the damn hellhound's doing now." suddenly he looked up,

"Someone's coming."

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Just then a younger man, probably in his early thirties, came storming into the tavern, his face full of horror as he looked around, scanning the area. He was calling for Aliona, and asking of someone had seen her. Obviously, he hadn't looked at the darker and less crowded areas, where the woman in question said, hidden behind the Witcher. Aliona rose from her chair to see who's been calling for her, responding to those calls, "I'm here!"

"Who's that?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Just a good friend of mine." she sighed.

In front of their table stood a tall, muscly man, with a long, scruffy beard and long, dark brown hair. He had a scar going straight across his nose, from left to right and a fog eye, "Aliona, where have you been?" his deep voice was almost intimidating, the witcher found it rather impressive.

"I've been at my shop and then here." she replied.

The man looked over to her company, eyeing him up and down without saying a single word.

"That's witcher Kaleb of Rivia. He's a customer and kindly invited me to a drink here." she then turned to Kaleb, "Kaleb, this is Wyatt, he's a childhood friend and is a bit over protective sometimes."

Wyatt grunted as the witcher offered his hand, but finally took it anyway, "Nice to meet you." Kaleb said.

Wyatt then took a chair and sat down at the table aswell, "I was worried. The battle started again."

"Again?" Aliona repeated, "Won't they ever stop..." she sighed.

"What battle?"

"There's been a battle, not far from here between the temerians and the nilfguardians. You've probably seen, or smelled the battlefields." Kaleb nodded upon her explanation, "For a while we thought it was finally over, but seems not. It's ridiculous, if you ask me, plus it hinders me from getting the materials I need, the same goes for everyone else. This is why we have to be especially frugal with our remaining resources until they've settled this battle."

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The next started rather uncomfortable as the witcher, who was leaning against a tree just outside the village was awoken by shouting and the sounds of clashing swords. He jumped up from his resting spot, only to find that there was no battle near, nor was there in the village, "Must be from the battlefield in the east..." he grunted, "Damn it." Then there was another sound. He heard light footsteps approaching from behind him, the direction of the village. As he turned around, he met emerald eyes and brown, braided hair, "There you are, master witcher! What are you doing out here all by yourself?"

"Sleeping. Even witchers need that once in a while." Kaleb replied blatantly.

"Yes, I know, but why out here?" Aliona asked.

"I don't like the beds in the inn." the raven haired witcher explained, rather asking himself, than responding.

"Your not exactly a good liar, witcher." the woman raised an eyebrow.

"A lot of people would beg to differ," Kaleb sarcastically responded, "But you're right... I guess, you could say I was trying to keep an eye on the town and make sure no one would get inside without me noticing."

"Oh, that's awfully generous of you, master witcher," Aliona joked, "But I see a problem, how will you protect us if you fall asleep?"

Kaleb walked up to her and put her right han on her shoulder, "Aliona Mervay," he said, "You seem to be forgetting something," A smug grin etched itself on his cheeks,

"I'm a Witcher."

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