For the Witchery Yuletide Calendar Day 5: Chocolate
Rather late in the morning of the following day it is finally time for action - the Yule market awaits. Regis has been to human markets before, of course, but the one in Dillingen was very small and what you could buy there rather limited while the market he visited in Toussaint was all about wine and nothing else. The market in Novigrad, however, turns out to be a lot bigger than Regis could have imagined in his wildest dreams, and he and Jaskier are soon lost in what must be hundreds of stalls selling thousands of different kinds of wares, not to mention the many food and drink booths. Never before in his very long life has Regis been overwhelmed with sounds, sights and smells like at this huge Yule market. After hours of wandering about that seem to pass in the blink of an eye, he has found all the medical ingredients he could wish for, even several so exotic that he has only ever read about them but never laid eyes and even less so hands on these rarities before. Yet, shopping for presents is not as easy as he assumed it would be. One problem is that he has spent far too much of his coin on those exotic roots and seeds and blossoms and has to look for things far cheaper than planned, which rules out his original ideas of what he intended to purchase. The other difficulty is that there is such unbelievable variety of wares, he simply cannot decide what to buy. And Jaskier is not that much help either, especially not after he downed a couple of mugs full of mulled wine to keep warm in the frosty winter weather. Soon dusk will fall and the market will close for the day.
"Re'is, ol' chum, 'ave you eve' tried this?' Jaskier suddenly asks, putting one arm around the higher vampire's shoulder, whether just out of friendship or because he needs the support is not entirely clear, probably both. The usually so eloquent bard's words are slurred from the wine. With the hand of his free arm he holds out something to Regis that looks rather inconspicuous. A small, darkish brown cube? Although the looks are very unspectacular, it smells nicely of chocolate, Regis has to admit. He takes it between two fingers and puts it in his mouth sceptically. A second afterwards, his face lights up with something close to rapture. Whatever this brownish thing is, it tastes like heaven.
Not much later, when the moon rises over the many roofs of Novigrad, it is time for Regis to say good-bye to his old friends. For, unfortunately, flying is something he can do only during the three nights of the full moon, and this one is the third already. If he does not leave now, he will have to wait another four weeks and miss the Yule celebrations at Kaer Morhen, or he will have to find himself a mount. Which is not so easy without any coin left. So, as much as he regrets not being able to stay longer and spend another fun night or two with Jaskier, the famous bard and Zoltan, the dwarf, he gives the two a big hug. Then he grabs his two big bags, one full of ingredients and another one filled with gifts. Smiling at his friends one last time, he transforms into a giant bat and flies off, leaving Jaskier and Zoltan stunned, their mouths agape. Of course, they both knew that Regis could do this, theoretically, but they have never before seen it with their own eyes. Now they have.
Not only Regis flies, but time seems to do so as well, and in a trice, it is Yule, the longest night of the year. Finally!
Everybody at Kaer Morhen is excited and in their most festive mood. Well, at least Regis assumes everybody is, with Lambert and Geralt their usual grumpy selves, it is hard to tell. But Ciri's joy shines bright enough for all of them, and soon, even those two overcome their emotional constipation and begin to smile when nobody is looking. At nightfall, they all sit down around the huge wooden table in the great hall of the old witcher keep. A sea of more than a hundred golden beeswax candles of different sizes and shapes cast the hall in a warm, golden light. The fire in the fireplace is crackling happily and the festively decorated table is overflowing with food - thanks to Melitele not curtesy to Lambert's cooking, but to Yennefer's magic. Yet, the most delicious treats come from Regis's bag. It is filled to the brim with the small, cubical, brown confections Jaskier recommended. A mysterious grin gracing his lips, Regis walks around the table with the bag and places a dark brown cube in each of his friends' hands. They look at the things dubiously, none of them wanting to be the first to try theirs. Not that they believe for even one second that the higher vampire would want to poison them or harm them in any other way, yet, the taste buds of a vampire might work differently from human and witcher taste buds, right?
"What are you waiting for, friends?" Regis asks when everybody has received one of his little gifts. "Tug in! It's not blood confect, I promise."
Still a little reluctant, they take a bite. The cubes melt on their tongues. An ingenious combination of soft gingerbread, marzipan, cherry jelly and dark chocolate. A heavenly delight. Regis beams. Judging by the expressions on his friends' faces, his little gifts are very much to their liking. Luckily he bought every single one the vendor had on offer, and there are plenty left.
"Gods, what is this, Regis?" Yennefer sighs, taking another cube from the higher vampire's bag.
"I'm not quite sure, my dear. Jaskier promised to write a ballad about them. He was a bit drunk when we bought the chocolate cubes, but I think he called them—"
Unfortunately, they don't hear the name of the layered confection as, at exactly this crucial moment, Lambert's rather old chair breaks apart under the weight of his - after the hearty dinner considerably increased - bulk and, in falling, he takes the special Yule tablecloth and plates, mugs, bowls of food and tankards filled with beer with him in a deafening clatter. When they have recovered from the first shock, everybody begins to laugh, including Lambert, who is still sitting on the floor and, with food spilled all over him, looks a total mess.
Fortunately, Yennefer is a very powerful sorceress and the chaos is quickly cleaned up again, no lasting damage done, just one more funny story they can tell in the years to come.
Only, the question about the name of the delicious chocolate cubes is thoroughly forgotten.