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 11: Fancy Dressed Pig
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"There you are, kid!"
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Elron got ripped right out of his thoughts by the gruff voice of his travel companion. As he looked around he saw the witcher in question walk towards him in a rather fast pace. The expression on his face promised nothing good coming for the young man.
"Come now, we've got our destination." the witcher grunted.
"Wha- what destination? Did you find your contact?" Elron asked.
"Not yet, but we'll see to that." Kaleb replied, "We're going to the bathhouse."
The bathhouse was a lot larger than Elron remembered it, probably because it's under a new lead. A mysterious man, as they say. He can't recall knowing anyone, that would know this person. Maybe Kaleb did?
He didn't dare ask, seeing as the witcher's mood wasn't exactly showing signs of talklativeness.
Inside they were asked to leave their weapons at the entrance, aswell as their attire, leaving them only in towels. This was the first time Elron got to see the other scars covering the witcher's body. As expected, there were many covering his upper body, especially the left arm. One of those stitches stood out. The stitches went around the entire arm, right in the middle of his upper arm, like it had been cut off and sewn back together.
It left him wondering how long he's been living this life as a witcher and how many creatures and monsters he encountered. Just the thought about how many digits this number would have made him feel a cringe on his spine.
Cute giggles, blushing faces, young, soft skin, slim bodies. This is what met the two of them after they entered – amongst other, less pleasant things, that is...
Elron noticed that most of the other guest's attention was drawn to his scarred traveling companion, Kaleb. However, the witcher in question did not seem to care, simply ignoring any compliments or invitations thrown at him by the mainly female audience. He had a strict goal.
"So, um... Kaleb, who are we looking for?" Elron timidly asked.
"A man that goes by the name of Sigi Reuven, maybe you've heard it before. He runs the place." the witcher explained.
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"Sigi Reuven?"
A woman's voice came from behind them. Kaleb heard that she was approaching, though her footsteps were much quieter than the rest of any of the other visitors. He's heard this voice before.
Elron turned around first, his eyes met a beautiful, young woman with green eyes. Never has he hated towels more for the view they were prohibiting him to have.
"Haven't you heard the latest news?" she continued, "Well, by now it's an old hat, it's been almost three years now.. since he died."
"And I suppose that you wouldn't happen to have been involved in this matter?" the witcher asked, still not having turned around.
"How would I? I had much more pressing matters to take care of. I bet you heard the stories." the woman replied.
Elron's look had manifested itself on the scar on her face. He wondered how a woman like this would end up with a scar such as this one, but he didn't dare ask right now.
"How's the scar?" Kaleb suddenly asked, entirely to the suprise of his comrade.
"Oh you know scars. Some of them don't heal to good." she replied, a rather mischievious grin spreaing lightly on her cheeks. Now Kaleb turned around, "Elron, we're done here." he said plainly, the two of them passing the young woman, "We'll meet up outside." he whispered into her ear as they left.
As the two waited, the green eyed woman slowly stepped outside to join them, her ashen hair being made even more prominent in the light of day.
"Cirilla Fiona Elen Riannon." Kaleb said, "How long has it been?" the woman in question jumped into his arms, embracing him warmly, "Seven years at least!" she replied.
"Elron, this is Ciri, you might've heard of her as the lost daughter of Emhyr." the witcher introduced.
"The-what?!" quickly, the young man kneeled in front of her, but was almost immediatly told not to, as it would raise to much attention.
"Because, she went kind of undercover." Kaleb explained, "I recall having told you about the events on Udvik. News spread about the death of Duny's daughter and heiress to the throne of Nilfgaard."
"Indeed, you have." Elron nodded, "I am sorry, I was simply caught off guard."
"Forget about it," Ciri replied, "But I suggest we'd head for another, quieter location."
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"You never told me you knew the heiress to Nilfgaard's throne." Elron whispered to his companion, making sure that only the witcher in question would hear it.
"Well, the topic never came up." Kaleb bluntly replied, "And I'm not a big talker."
"But I thought she was dead? Died on a hunt after she decided to become a witcher and abandone the throne and her father."
"She isn't, is she."
"Ye-yes, but.."
"What? Would you rather have her dead?" Kaleb raised his eyebrows, though this question was obviously a sarcastic one. Seeing his companion blush nervously and desperately looking for a way to word him out of this conversation amused the raven haired witcher.
It wasn't long before they once more left the city, though they would not go too far, as the witcher had decided to spend some time within Novigrad's walls, thinking that Elron would more than welcome this change of pace and environment. He'd also look around for names. Maybe Ciri could help him.
"So, what brings you two to Novigrad? I suppose you're not taking a break from being a witcher." the ashen haired woman asked.
"True." Kaleb replied, "I'm looking for the man that took my steel sword. He and his band of brigands."
"Your steel sword? You mean your dearest Allie?" Ciri smirked.
"Who told you that name?" Kaleb questioned, narrowing his eyes suspiciously.
"No one, but it's engraved on your empty sword hilt, so it was merely a wild guess."
the raven haired witcher sighed and looked aside.
"How come," she went on, "Someone like you to have lost their steel sword to a group of bandits?"
"I was on a contract, in the middle of a fight with a leshen. I've noticed them having sneaked up, but too late. The leshen got in the way and thus my sword was lost." Kaleb explained, "However, I've managed to get a good look at one of them, I'm assuming they are dressing similarly."
"And what makes you think that?" Elron wondered. Kaleb turned around and gave him piercing look. "If I may ask." he added quickly.
The witcher rolled his eyes, "The way they acted was too organized. Their uniforms, or at least the one I saw stood out from anything I've ever seen on common bandits. There is something unique about this group..." he explained.
"And let me guess, you wanted to ask Dijkstra if he could help you find them? Because he knows everything and everyone."
"Dijkstra?" Elron thought. Who was that supposed to be? Weren't they looking for a man called Sigi Reuven?
"That was the plan," Kaleb confirmed, "Until we've met you and you told us that he had died."
Ciri shrugged her shoulders, seemingly careless, "He had it coming."
"Apparently." Kaleb's carelessness suprised Elron a lot. He expected a different reaction, shock, anger, confusion, not.. apathy. Kaleb continued to ask Ciri if she knew anything about this group, or knew anyone that might. Unfortunately she had only little knowledge and a few wild guesses but no real names. In total the only thing she could attribute was 'I've seen someone like this before', which obviously didn't help anyone.
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The hours passed, Kaleb and Elron, accompanied by the young witcheress walked through the streets of Novigrad, where Ciri put them on the most recent state of things. Kaleb couldn't help but notice how Elron didn't seem all too attentive, but rather sunken in his thoughts. He decided not to rip him out of it, as it seemed as though Novigrad had a lot of meaning to the young man. Kaleb remembered Elron telling him about a volatile love, a wonderful night and his first kiss.
The witcher didn't make himself too much out of love, thinking it would just get in the way of his profession. It would weaken him, make him vulnerable, so he decided not to care, rather living numb. It wasn't always like this, though.
"And thus we've reached today." Ciri said finally.
"Well, doesn't seem like too much had happened since I last checked." Kaleb mumbled rather disinterested.
"You say this like it's a bad thing," the woman commented, "Are you not happy that it's been calm for a change? That there have been no wars or intrigues?"
"It's not that I'm not glad that the war is over. I merely find it stale. Uneventful," the witcher replied, crossing his arms, "But it could be worse."
"For example?" Ciri wondered, raising a suspicious eyebrow.
"Have you noticed the sudden absence of witchers? When was the last time you heard of a fellow witcher, other than me?" he remarked.
Indeed, there has been no word of the mutant monster slayers in years. After the events regarding the Wild Hunt and the child of the prophecy everything went dead silent around the witchers.
"I have. In fact I've been wondering where everyone it quite a lot." she replied, "I know that Lambert and Keira Metz ended up together, that Eskel traveled east and that Geralt and Triss moved to Kovir, where he retired."
Kaleb's eyes shot up, right into the green eyes of Ciri, "Triss?" he repeated, "Triss Merigold?!"
"Yes.." Ciri replied rather questioning.
"Why would he do that? What's become of him and Yennefer?" the witcher questioned.
"Don't ask me." she replied, "Let's say it was... complicated between them. She traveled into the opposite direction."
"And here I thought the two were unseperable..." Kaleb grunted.
Ciri shrugged her shoulders, "You know how it is.." she said,
"Love can be a complicated thing."
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