Hi guys, Wolf here with another chapter.
Before you start reading, I have to explain something so that you can understand the chapter better. Most of the chapter will be influenced by events in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, but mainly by the bad endings of some quests and relationships.
But just to be clear, Geralt didn't try to stay with either Yennefer or Triss here so as not to hurt either of them, so he chose to stay alone.
English is not my first language, so I apologize if there are any mistakes. If so, let me know and I'll correct it as soon as possible.
That's all folks, have a GOOD READ!
Geralt's carriage crossed the main road for two days with a few breaks so they could rest, the witcher having underestimated how much work it would be to take a child with them. Gretka was as easily distracted as any child and thanks to this, Geralt found himself interrupting their journey so that they could stretch their legs and eat properly.
Despite this, Geralt couldn't help but feel good about everything that had happened, normally it was just him and Roach riding from one village to another picking up any and every job they could before setting off for the next village, but now with Shani and Gretka? Everything seemed livelier. He found himself enjoying telling stories to Gretka and even teaching her some fencing basics, despite Shani's disagreement.
And Shani, the woman he had loved for a long time who, under different circumstances, could have had a life together, was now with him. Geralt's love life had always been a mess, even more so after all the trouble with Triss and Yennefer, they hadn't parted on the best of terms, something Geralt didn't blame them for, he knew he had hurt them. But now he was with Shani all the time, the two of them had spent the last two days mainly talking and looking after Gretka and for the first time in a long time the witcher felt happy.
Many things had happened that made Geralt plunge further into the path, hunting monster after monster with redoubled vigor, much tragedy.
Vesemir's death.
His break-up with Triss and Yennefer.
Priscilla's death and the ensuing fight with Dandelion.
Ciri's disappearance.
Geralt had never felt emptier than in the last few months after losing the wild hunt, and so he accepted Olgierd's contract that brought Shani back into his life. For a brief moment he felt happy, until the moment of their separation and now that they were reunited Geralt didn't feel so inclined to part with her again.
"Hey Geralt."
Hearing Shani's voice, the witcher turned his head briefly to the side to look inside the carriage where the doctor was sitting with a sleeping Gretka leaning against her.
"Yes?"
"Are you all right? You've seemed a bit down for a while." Asked Shani with concern, Geralt looked away for a few seconds before nodding.
"It's okay, I was just thinking. We should be at the stonemasons' settlement in a few minutes." Geralt comments, turning his gaze back to the road.
"Geralt, you're already doing a lot for me, the least I can do is listen to what's bothering you, maybe I can help." Shani offered in a soft tone.
Geralt remained silent for a few thoughtful seconds, which made Shani look away from him, crestfallen.
"I... I'm enjoying this." Geralt suddenly declared, making Shani stare at him. "A lot has happened and I've ended up alone along the way. It didn't bother me normally, but... I felt lonely, now that you and Gretka are here I'm enjoying the company, all of it."
"I think it's the first time in a long time that I've considered retiring after a job." Upon hearing this, Shani's eyes widen and she turns to face him.
"Retire? Geralt, are you really thinking of stopping hunting monsters?" Shani asks in surprise.
"Yes, maybe when I finish this job in Toussaint I can join you and Gretka. Hang up my swords, help raise Gretka, maybe do some local services and hunt some monsters if necessary, but retire without going after more contracts."
"That's... good to hear, I'd take you up on that offer." Shani commented, smiling at the witcher.
Unknown to her, Geralt also smiled at this until he noticed the village they needed to go to just ahead.
"We've arrived." Geralt declared before snapping the reins, causing the horses to pick up speed.
The carriage sped up until it entered the village where Geralt saw a pair of horses covered in armor, a crowd of peasants gathered in front of a house that had two knights in golden armor with a banner bearing the coat of arms of Toussaint. The sorcerer immediately recognized them as the ones who must have left the notices on the Velen and Novigrad boards.
But that wasn't the most surprising thing.
A little behind the knights, leaning against the wall of the hut, was a young woman with fair skin, white hair and green eyes, with a scar on her cheek, wearing a red outfit covered in dark blue armor with a sword strapped to her back.
As soon as the carriage stopped, Geralt jumped out and approached the young woman, and could hear Shani following him.
The two knights noticed him and greeted him, but Geralt ignored them as the young woman disappeared in a flash of light before reappearing in front of him and wrapping her arms around him in a hug. As soon as he noticed her action, Geralt promptly reciprocated by hugging the girl with the same enthusiasm before pulling away and staring at her.
"Ciri... You're alive." Geralt declared with a soft look that made most of the peasants and knights stare at him in surprise, witchers are supposed to be emotionless, but Geralt was showing more emotion than usual for a mutant witcher.
"Geralt... it's good to see you again." Ciri greeted, smiling at the witch. "Sorry for the delay, I had some unforeseen circumstances and..."
"Never mind." Geralt interrupted her with a smile, raising his hand. "All I care about is that you're alive and well, the rest you can tell me later."
Ciri only smiled in response before glaring at Geralt, which made the witcher turn to face Shani and Gretka, who was now awake staring at Ciri.
"CIRI!" Gretka exclaimed before running over to Ciri, who knelt down and hugged the child as the two laughed.
Geralt watched the scene with a smile on his face as Shani approached him, observing the reunion of the two girls.
"I knew you'd come back! I knew it! Geralt, it's Ciri, she's back!" Gretka exclaimed, smiling as she turned to Geralt, who nodded.
"Yes, she really is back."
"I'm back to stay." Ciri declares as she stands up and looks at Shani. "And who might you be?"
"I'm Shani, a full-time doctor and former Redanian aid worker." She shakes Shani's hand, which Ciri quickly shakes back with a firm shake, giving Geralt a brief glance.
"Nice to meet you, Geralt told me about you before." Ciri nods, having heard about Geralt's romance with the doctor before he was reunited with Triss.
"Right..." With that Geralt turned to the two knights who had signaled him into the hut before they entered, and the witcher turned to his traveling companions. "I think we'd better talk inside, they've come a long way to offer me this contract."
"You mean offer us that contract." Ciri smiled, putting her hands on her waist. "I'll go with you on this one."
Geralt just smiled at the girl and waved at her.
(Some time later.)
As soon as everyone had entered the house, the two knights took the initiative by sitting down on chairs with Geralt and Ciri sitting side by side to face them, while Shani took Gretka into the other room.
"I saw your message on a notice board." declared Geralt calmly, with Ciri nodding.
"You see Palmerin? I told you. The griffin from White Orchard... I knew that if we followed the tracks of its slayer, we would, in the end, find Geralt and what's more, we'd get another huntress to help us." Said the seated knight with a cheerful, confident tone that made his colleague nod.
"Milton of Peyrac-Peyran and Palmerin de Launfal. Good to see you both. It's been years since the last time. And yes, Ciri is extremely capable, I trained her myself." Geralt declared in a friendly tone before glancing at Ciri, who smiled proudly.
"Be assured, we share your joy ." Palmerin said, smiling at them both.
"You must forgive us... ah... for the surroundings. When we pledged to place the village under our protection, the village elder gave us this hut for our lodgings. He swore us it is the best hut in the village." Milton comments hesitantly, causing Geralt to nod.
"Did you get involved in some squabble?" Ciri asks with narrowed eyes.
"We discovered that in retreating, the Redanian garrison left this land's tillers at the mercy of numerous plagues, the tyranny of bandits the most onerous among them." Palmerin explained with a solemn tone while Milton nodded. "These plunderers shall soon descend on this village to collect tribute. Milton and I will dissuade them."
"We both sworn to fight injustice and oppression wherever they rear they heads. The matter doesn't concern you, of course, but do us the kindness of waiting? Once we have deal with these marauders we have a matter we must present to you." Milton said briefly as Ciri and Geralt exchanged a look before the girl nodded to the sorcerer.
"So, pretend to go out and meet the bandits when they arrive? Fight them?" Geralt asked, causing Milton to nod before gesturing to his colleague.
"Palmerin wants to appeal to their sense of decency first. haha. But I expect they'll be deaf to this."
"Yeah... that sounds like something the thugs here won't listen to." Ciri commented with a nod.
"We must afford them a chance to stand down. Many a hardened out laws has left the path of wrongdoing upon hearing words of admonition." Palmerin declares with his head held high.
"Doesn't happen in these lands. Ever." This time it was Geralt who spoke up in support of Ciri while Milton nodded solemnly.
"If they do not listen to my reprimand, we at least will know that we have done all within our means to evade bloodshed." Palmerin continued with conviction, raising his arm pointing upwards as he looked determinedly at the sorcerer and Ciri.
"Fine... When Palmerin's rhetoric falls in deaf ears, we'll help." Warns Geralt to the two of them.
"Excellent! Then all we have to do is wait for the bandits to arrive." Milton declares with a nod.
(Some time later.)
"Why can't we see Geralt and Ciri in action?" Gretka asked, sitting in front of the dining table eating some fruit while Shani sat in another chair quietly reading a book.
"Because you're still very young and a fight like this is no place for a child." Shani replied calmly as she turned the page when the shouting started outside.
"...Do you have any other Geralt stories to tell me?"
Geralt and Ciri were leaning against a wooden wall as they watched Palmerin talking to the bandits and how the knight was being mocked by the evildoers. Ciri let out a sigh and shook her head as Geralt rolled his eyes before looking at one of the huts on fire.
"Seems to me they're unmoved." Geralt comments, which makes Milton nod and turn to Palmerin.
"You tried, my friend."
After a few seconds, everyone fell silent before Palmerin took the initiative in the battle, drawing his sword.
"We've taught enough! I challenge you all to combat! By my honor! For Toussaint!" Hearing Palmerin's proclamations, Geralt and Ciri moved away from the wall, also drawing their weapons, while Milton also prepared to fight.
"For Beuclair! By the crane, defend yourselves, harlotsbroods!"
With that, the battle began. Palmerin and Milton advanced with surprising speed towards the bandits, already fatally wounding two who were in front of them and starting to strike sword blows with the others with a grace worthy of their knighthood.
At the same time, Geralt joined the battle by blocking a blow aimed at Milton, the witcher easily knocking his opponent off balance with a kick before slashing him in the chest before stepping back to dodge an arrow that flew past him. Geralt looked at some of the houses and noticed two bandits holding bows and arrows preparing to shoot again.
"Ciri!"
Hearing her name being called, the girl suddenly disappeared in a flash of light before reappearing in front of the archers who stared at her startled by her appearance and with one fluid movement of her sword she slit both their throats.
"Surround them!" exclaimed one of the bandits holding a large axe before a bolt hit his throat, causing him to choke on blood before falling to the ground as Geralt and Ciri approached them.
Geralt began to make a circular attack hitting the two bandits around him, accompanied by Ciri who pierced those wounded by the sorcerer, throwing them to the ground.
"For Beauclair!" Suddenly Palmerin struck a sword blow at his opponent's weapon, throwing him against the wall before piercing the bandit's chest and throwing him to the ground.
Soon another bandit fell to the ground before grabbing his sword and getting up, but he was pierced in the stomach by Milton before being thrown to the ground again.
The two knights together with Geralt and Ciri stood in the now empty village with the corpses of the bandits lying on the ground with blood covering them. Palmerin meanwhile looked around in confusion before looking at Geralt.
"Why don't they show up? It's over. We've banished the evildoers, freed them from the yoke of oppression." Asks Palmerin in confusion as Geralt sighs and puts his sword away.
"I warned you it would be like this. Now they fear you as much as they feared the bandits. I'm sorry, there'll be no fanfare, no flowers, not Toussaint." Said the sorcerer seriously, causing Palmerin to sigh in disappointment.
"Ah... it's true what the people say: in the North, no noble deed goes unhindered. It's time to go home." Palmerin declares seriously.
"And so we shall, my friend." Agrees Milton, holstering his weapon before turning to Geralt and Ciri. "Come on Geralt and Ciri, it's time to deliver our message."
And that's it folks. I hope you like.
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Thanks for your attention and see you next time.