OXENFURT - Redania
"It's been more than two weeks and he still didn't show up. I think he is dead." Lambert admitted while he was eating his meal. They were eating lunch outside before their home.
"Don't be ridiculous Lambert." Eskel shaked his head.
"Then where is he genius? Because if someone would give me a roof above my head for free and treat me like my own family, I wouldn't just ran away." he answered with full mouth of food.
"I will try to find him. Maybe he is in trouble." Geralt told them calmly.
"Or maybe he already betrayed us because he's working for Rience. I told you Geralt we shouldn't have to trust a stranger." Lambert crossed his arms.
"If he betrayed us then I'm gonna kill him personally. You don't have to worry about it anymore." Geralt smirked.
"First Ciri, then Jahve and now Gabriel.. I wonder when it's gonna stop.." Lambert said thoughtfully.
"Stop what?" Eskel was confused. Geralt rather didn't answer.
"An orphan clinic."
"Have you finished?" Geralt looked at him.
"Finished what?" Lambert didn't understand.
"Talking bullshits. You've been irritated for a long time Lambert and this need to stop. Tonight I'm taking both of you on a beer to the local Tavern."
"He needs a woman Geralt, not a beer." Eskel said with laughing.
"I think we can arrange it. Jaskier it's going with us." Geralt smiled from ear to ear.
"You two do realize I'm sitting here right next to you and I can hear you. I'm not deaf for fuck sake."
"Good you can hear, because I almost thought you have lost interest in women.." Geralt was teasing him.
"Can't I be a single witcher for a once? I don't need Yennefer or Triss as you two to make myself satisfied. I can be independent and happy at the same time." Lambert frowned.
"He certainly needs a girlfriend." Eskel admitted.
"Yes, he certainly needs." Geralt nodded.
They looked at each other and then they both burst into laughing.
"Screw you both." Lambert rolled his eyes. Geralt finished eating his lunch, he stood up and came towards Lambert.
"Don't worry Lamby.. we will make sure you will release your steam and relax properly today." Geralt petted Lambert's hair like a dog.
"Go relax by yourself Geralt.." Lambert removed Geralt's hand from his head.
"You don't have to tell me twice.." Geralt laughed. "I'm gonna take out Yennefer from the University now. See you tonight in the Bear's tavern. It's less visited. We should have some privacy there." Geralt winked at them and left.
Lambert coughed into his fist.
"Don't you think he forgot to mention one thing?" he looked at Eskel with amusement smile.
"That Yennefer gonna have the last word about it? Yeah, he definitely forgot to mention it." Eskel laughed.
"And you two fools still wonder why I still don't have a woman.." Lambert started laughing.
They were walking hand by hand in the Flawels street near to the port of Oxenfurt. Geralt already took out Yennefer from the University and now they were going back to Philippa's house.
"How was your lesson?" Geralt asked her.
"Good."
"They listen to you?"
"Of course they do. I made pretty clear at the start what will happen if they won't listen to me." Yennefer made amusement smile. Yennefer was getting better with her mental health day by day since her breakdown in Geralt's arms. He made sure to be with her every moment when he could.
"I'm so proud of you Yen." he leaned closer to her and kissed her on her cheek.
"For what?" she laughed and looked at him.
"You know for what." Geralt smiled.
"No, I don't know. You must tell me." she used a teasing tone.
"For many things.. but the most I'm proud of you're my wife." Geralt whispered to her ear.
"I also think that I didn't choose so bad.. I could have much worse husband.." Yennefer laughed. She caught his collar and pushed him closer to her. Then she kissed him. Geralt had to stop walking because he would fall off.
"Yen..watch your moves. People will think that we're drunk." he told her between kisses.
"You're the one who can't stand straight, not me." she kissed him longingly again. Then she started pulling him by his hand to start walking again.
"I love you Yen." he told her while walking.
"I'm glad to hear that." she purred. "Love you too babe."
Geralt raised her hand which he was holding and pressed his lips on it. She gave him lovely smile.
Then he cleared his throat. "Can I ask you something?" Geralt was trying to smile.
"Since when you can't ask me my love?" Yennefer told him kindly.
"I want to go on the beer tonight to the local Tavern."
"With me?" she raised her eyebrow.
"No, not with you, with the witchers." he explained.
"Thanks God, because I hate beer."
"I know, you like Est Est."
"If you know my favorite wine then why you haven't asked me out already somewhere? We're almost a month in Oxenfurt."
"You know why."
"But you don't care about Rience when you want to go drink.. Should I take that personally?" her face was calm.
"Yen.. that's not the same thing." Geralt sighed.
"It seems to me like a same thing." she stated.
"I wouldn't forgive myself if this fucker would screw up our night and something would happen to you. I can't let that happen. That's why I haven't take you out. I'm scared he would want to hurt you for what you did to him.." Geralt stopped walking and looked her seriously. "It would kill me if he would hurt you again." he caressed her face.
"But you can't be always by my side witcher. It's not possible." Yennefer with caring voice.
"I know it's not. But I have to try it. Why do you think I've never let you go alone anywhere? That you're always going with someone?"
Yennefer realized he was right. But until now she never noticed it.
"Geralt.." she shaked her head and then hugged him. "You don't have to worry about me like that."
"I need to Yen. Rience wants a revenge and I'm sure he won't leave you alone from it." he caressed her back. "I need to protect you."
She pulled away from him. "We're gonna take care of each other. Okay?" she kissed his forehead. "But for now, into which Tavern you want to go?" she smiled at him.
"You will let me go then?" Geralt's eyes started shining.
"I haven't said that yet." Yennefer smiled. "But try to give me one good reason.."
Geralt started celebrating inside. Because he had one bulletproof reason already prepared.
"I talked to Philippa yesterday. She told me her spies didn't see any of Rience's men. It's just one night Yen. Nothing bad won't happen."
"Fine.. you have a good excuse." Yennefer sighed. "But I will give you my star. If something will happen you gonna active the locator spell in it."
"Yes, I will my love." Geralt pressed his lips on hers.
"You rather should witcher." now she kissed him. Geralt suddenly pushed her into small side street next to them and softly pressed her body towards the wall. The street was quite black because of many roof above it.
"If you want a real permission to go tonight, you have to do more than pressed me to the wall.." she told him teasingly.
"Too shame we're not in our room.." Geralt laughed and kissed her passionately.
THE BEAR TAVERN
"How did you persuade Yennefer?" Eskel asked him when they entered inside of Tavern.
"It wasn't for free. I needed to buy two bottles of Est Est for her night talk with Triss tonight. Then I need to prepare her a dinner twice a week and.." he paused. "I had to make Yen very happy.."
"I won't ask for details." Eskel said with laughing.
"Please don't." Geralt laughed
"There's a free table." Lambert pointed with his head.
"Let's go then."
They sat down to the table and ordered a two beers for each of them. After couples minutes had every witcher two cups of beer in front of them.
"Where's Jaskier anyway?" Lambert asked him and drank his beer.
"You can't wait to meet your woman of your dreams?" Eskel was teasing him.
"No, Eskel. I'm just asking where he is." Lambert smirked.
"He's playing in another Tavern now. But Ciri is meeting with him there and then she will bring him here." Geralt explained.
"She will come too?" Eskel is surprised.
"Yes, is that a problem?" Geralt gave him confused look.
"Not at all. But I remember how we were teaching her how to use a sword recently and now she is old enough for having a beer with us." Eskel smiled. "It's just just crazy how the time flows.."
"Yeah, it really is.. She was playing with wooden swords and now she's dating boys.." Geralt admitted.
"Nothing last forever Geralt.. not even a childhood." Eskel said with laughing.
"To be honest, I don't know what it worse. Protecting her from breaking her knees or protecting her from breaking her heart.."
"Guess, you'll have to wait to find out witcher." Eskel smiled at him.
"Then let's drink on our little Ciri." Lambert laughed. "Pardon, not a little anymore.." he raised his cup of beer and then they all cheered and drank.
THE ALCHEMY TAVERN
Ciri opened the door and entered inside. She should meet with Jaskier around 10 pm after he will finish his performance. She started hearing the music from another room. She also heard Jaskier's voice, no one could sing like him. Suddenly the music stopped and the big applause appeared. The music then started playing again. She followed the sound and went to that room.
Then the voice she thought she would never hear again started singing.
"You gotta be kidding me.." she stopped walking when she spotted the person who was singing. Jaskier was now just playing the lute.
Gabriel was singing and some girl was sitting on his lap. The girl had wrapped arms around his neck. She didn't know what surprised and upset her more at the same, the fact that he was alive or the fact that he was singing and smiling like a fool. Not to mention that girl.. She immediately wanted to leave but the words of the song made her for some reasons interested.
ð¶
The world was on fire and no one could save me but you..
It's strange what desire will make foolish people do.
I never dreamed that I'd meet somebody like you.
And I never dreamed that I'd lose somebody like you.
No, I don't wanna fall in love.
No, I don't wanna fall in love..
with you.
What a wicked game you play, to make me feel this way.
What a wicked thing to do, to let me dream of you.
What a wicked thing to say, you never felt this way.
What a wicked thing to do, to make me dream of you.
And I don't wanna fall in love..
ð¶
She stopped listening and stormed out from the room. She couldn't listen to him anymore. His words disgusted her, but also made her frustrated. She hated him. She hated him that he dared to showed up himself like that.. She then went to bar.
She needed to calm down.
She needed to forget.
She knew what started happening to her. She knew what changed, why she felt this way. She started to care about him.. and she couldn't get over this fact.
"Kill him." these words suddenly appeared in her head. "Kill him before he steals your heart.."
She stood up in front the innkeeper who was standing behind the bar.
"One beer please."
"Are you old enough to drink young lady?" he narrowed her eyes on her.
"And are you old enough to ask stupid question?" she told him angrily.
The innkeeper stay puzzled for a while. He didn't expect offensive words from her.
"Will you give me the beer finally?" Ciri was strict.
"If you want it so desperately than have it.." the innkeeper rolled his eyes and prepared her the beer.
Ciri then started drinking. She drank out her beer very quickly. Then she ordered two more.
"When I found you here today, I would never thought we two will be singing together." Jaskier laughed. They ended with their performance a couple minutes ago.
"Life is full of surprises.." Gabriel faked his smile.
"No, really, good job Gabriel. I didn't know that you know to sing that well." Jaskier told him surprised.
Gabriel opened the mouth to say something but the girl next to him overcame him.
"He's been practicing with me." she almost whistled it.
"No wonder he is so good when he has so beautiful company.." Jaskier said teasingly.
"I love to be his company." she kissed his cheek and started smiling. "No one in his age has so much muscles."
"Well, I need to kill monsters not a straw soldiers dear.." Gabriel used sarcastic tone.
"I love when you're so scary.." she purred and kissed him on his lips. "I'll go order whiskey." then she left. Gabriel stayed confused for a second.
The bard started smiling.
"What?" Gabriel looked at him.
"Nothing, you just remind me myself when I was young. When I started singing, the girls would do everything for me." Jaskier laughed.
"Sometimes is advantage and sometimes not."
"But got your pleasure? Didn't you?" the bard was teasing him.
"I did."
"Then I'm think this advantages are always worth it."
"Not everything is about pleasure." Gabriel face was calm.
"I'm surprised I hear this words right from you." the bard admitted.
"Me too." Gabriel answered honestly.
"Well, I'll give you one simple advice, enjoy your youth till you can. Believe me." Jaskeir winked at him. "But it was good to see you young witcher, but I need go now. Ciri should be waiting on me here. I need to find her." the bard said with laughing.
"Cirilla is here?" his face immediately changed.
"Yes. We should have meet here and then go together visit others into another tavern." Jaskier explained. "I will go to find her.."
"I can do it for you."
"You want to find Ciri?" Jaskier got surprised.
"You certainly must be tired after the performance. Don't worry I'll find her and bring her into..?" he looked at the bard.
"Bear Tavern."
"We'll come there then. Go, they must be waiting for you." Gabriel was trying to smile.
"Hmm.. I'm bit tired, but I don't know.. Ciri won't be very happy about it." the bard said unsure.
"You don't want to miss all fun there? Don't you?" Gabriel raised his eyebrow.
"You right, I should go. Tell Ciri greetings from me. We'll be waiting on you. Bye!" the bard said happily and left.
Gabriel then started searching for her. It didn't last too long when he spotted her and his heart started beating faster. He wanted to see her. No, he needed to see her..
He went towards her.
"Cirilla."
His voice was like a needles into her back. She wished she wouldn't heard his voice tonight. She then slowly turned to him.
"Look who raised from the dead.." Ciri smirked. "What do you want?"
"Talk."
"Do you hear yourself how ridiculous it sounds?" she burst into laughing. She couldn't control her emotions too well anymore. The alcohol in her veins was doing its thing.
"What's so wrong about it?" he asked her without emotions.
"You are wrong Gabriel. Everything about you is wrong. Your existence is one big.."
He interrupted her. "Disaster."
"Exactly.." she was surprised from his reaction. But then she came back to mind. "Just leave me alone. I don't want to see you anymore."
"Fine, as you want."
"Who is she?" suddenly the girl who was sitting on his lap appeared next to him and wrapped her hands around his arm.
"No one." Gabriel answered quickly.
"So, now you even pretend you don't know me?" Ciri laughed sarcastically. "You're a misery Gabriel.." she turned around and started leaving away from them.
"You know her?" the girl looked at him confused.
"I thought I did.." he started staring at Ciri's back. Then he took a cup of whisky from girl's hand which she brought and drank it to the bottom.
THE BEAR TAVERN
Geralt was holding arm by arm with some Elf. They were holding a beers in their hands and singing loudly:
ð¶
Ah, you're drunk, you're drunk.
You silly old fellow, still you can not see.
That's a lovely sow that me mother sent to me.
Well, it's many a day I've travelled a hundred miles or more.
But a saddle on a sow sure I never saw before..
ð¶
"Geralt! I didn't know you have some lovely voice!"
The witcher closed his mouth and narrowed his eyes on him.
"Jask! It took you a while!" he came towards the bard while the Elf still continued in signing.
"Performance takes time Geralt." Jaskier laughed.
"I can see. You're already late with six beers." Geralt said with laughing. Then his face changed to serious. "Wait, where's Ciri?"
"Oh, little Swallow? She stayed with Gabriel. But they're coming here."
Geralt got sober in that moment.
"You've met Gabriel?"
"Yes, I've met him in the Tavern and he was singing with me." the bard said proudly.
"Gabriel was singing? Doesn't matter.. where the hell is Ciri!?"
"I told you they will come here soon."
"I'm going after them."
"Geralt, don't." Jaskier stopped him with his hand. "Have some fun."
"But Yennefer will kill me if.."
"Yennefer is not here, and she would certainly forgive you."
"You don't understand.. I.."
Jaskier's loudly voice interrupted him. "Now, let's sing 'Ride, witcher ride'!" Jaskier started playing the lute and the band of other bards followed him.
The whole Tavern cheered loudly and the people started singing with the bard. Geralt was ready to leave when someone caught his arm and pulled him into the circle dance.
THE ALCHEMY TAVERN
He found her laughing and drinking beer with some men. But they disappeared immediately when he stood up next to them.
"What are you doing?" he looked at her strictly.
"I'm having fun Gabriel, do you have a problem with that?" she drank her beer.
"All right, take it easy. We both know you can't handle too much."
She coughed.
"Really? Do you think I'm gonna let the alcohol addict to tell me how to drink?" Ciri raised her eyebrow.
"I'm not drunk."
"Yeah, and you can't stand straight then because?" she provocatively drank again.
"I hurt my leg two days ago." he smirked.
"I don't believe you."
"I don't care what you believe. But now you should stop drinking if you want go visit the others tonight." he was serious.
"You won't tell me what to do." she told him angrily.
"Give it to me." he tried to take her cup of beer from her hand.
"No." she moved with her hand and Gabriel caught only the air.
"Cirilla, you're drunk. Give it to me." he tried to catch her hand but he didn't succeed again because she moved away her hand.
"You're too slow.." she said with laughing.
"I warned you." he did a quick move and caught her arms. But in that moment hers body bumped into his and the beer spilled at his black shirt. He gave her a killer look.
"Oops.." she was trying to smile. He angrily took out the cup from her hand and then gave it to the man standing next to him. The man gave him confused look but Gabriel already started pulling Ciri away with him towards the escape.
"Let me be." she tried to escape from his arms while they were walking.
"No."
"Let me be or I will start screaming." she told him angrily.
Gabriel suddenly stopped walking.
"Should I let you go? You're welcome." he let her go from his arms. Ciri immediately lost her balance and started falling to the ground but Gabriel managed to catch her. He helped her to stood up.
"Satisfied? As you saw you're not able to walk by yourself." he looked at her. She didn't say anything.
He then helped her to leave from the Tavern.
"I need to sit." Ciri told him when they were walking outside.
"Later. We need to go now."
"I really need to sit Gabriel, I'm not feeling well.." suddenly her head spun and she lost her balance again. Gabriel managed to caught her before she would fall.
"How many beers did you have?" he looked at her seriously.
"Four."
"And you wonder you can't walk now?"
"Stop tutoring me. Don't pretended you've never had a hangover.." She rolled her eyes.
"I've had but not from four beers.. but ten."
"So, I was right, you're an alcoholic.." she moved forward but in that moment she tripped over. Gabriel caught her again.
"Alright, this is not gonna work anymore.." he raised her into his arms, but with this move their faces touched. Gabriel immediately pulled away his face but she put her hand on his cheek and turned his face back.
"You pretend to be tough guy but one touch is able to freak you out.." she looked straight into his eyes.
"And you're unlikely unafraid when you're drunk." Gabriel told her calmly. But his testosterone started boiling in him.
"Eyes dark as deepest night but with so much anger inside it." she said more for herself. Then she combed his hair with hers hand. Again and again. Gabriel almost stiffened.
"Cirilla.." he begged her to stop. Her moves was making him frustrated. Because he wanted more from her, but knew he can't go that far.
"Soul worse than a devil but he still decide to help.." her mouth shivered to small smile. Now she caressed his cheek with a hand.
"Soul more beautiful than an angel but she still decide to run riot.."
"What an opposites we are.." she said teasingly.
"We are. Definitely." he couldn't take her eyes from her now.
"You're quite handsome up close.." she said thoughtfully and softly caressed his mouth with fingers.
"You too.." he slowly caressed her cheek. He let himself to carry away by her presence in that moment. He leaned closer to her and stopped because he realized what he was doing. He then waited for her reaction. She didn't pulled away so he leaned closer to her. He took that as a yes. He could feel her breath. He was ready to press his lips on hers. Now she pulled him closer.
They lips almost touched when suddenly strained her to vomit.
"I need to vomit.."
Gabriel came back to mind and quickly put her on the ground.
In that moment she started vomiting. He helped her held her hair from behind.
They were walking at least fifteen minutes. Ciri was still laying in Gabriel's arms.
"You're doing it on purpose. You just want to be in my arms. Admit it."
"I want to punch your face." she managed to say. Her head was like a rollercoaster right now.
"Not the answer I expected to hear." he laughed.
"No, I'm serious. I want to punch you. You just disappeared.."
"I had to do it."
"You could tell me."
"What was it? What changed your mind about me Cirilla?" he looked into her eyes.
She didn't say anything for a while.
"Your silence explains everything."
"I didn't want something happen to you. Okay?" she said with irritated voice.
He was just staring at her.
"I was.." she paused." I was worried about you."
"Thanks." he answered without emotions.
"Yes, I worry about you. Why don't you even have to hear me to say it?"
"No reasons." he put her down on the ground. "Sit here and wait." then he left.
In that moment she wanted to explode from the anger and scream at him every unpropitious word she knew.