Her Sweet Kiss | Geralt of Rivia X OC | The Witcher FF

Chapter 12 - Armour -

"How did you get the Queen to pay for that?" The blacksmith asked. His blonde hair was dirty from the coal he'd just thrown into the oven. Just like his leathery apron and his gloves were dirty. I examined the armour with a small smile before I could look over the swords. "Does she hire Witchers now as bodyguards?" he joked around at what I quickly looked at him with an amused smile. "No, she's my mother." I said and his jaw fell open a little and the laughing stopped. He started to stutter. I stopped him with a gesture. "Please don't." I said and took ahold of my silver sword that was shining again and didn't look so dull anymore. 

"As you wish." he said and I mentally rolled my eyes. "I hope she paid you well for this fine work." I said and placed the swords back into their holders and the armour under my arm. I'd be putting it on later when no eyes are watching me so intently. "She did. Thanks to that I could send my daughter to study at Oxenfurt." he smiled which I returned. I nodded at him as a symbol of me leaving now. "Good luck for her then and you too." I said and walked out of his small shop.

Amber waited patiently, chewing on some hay that made cracking noises. A few degrees cooler and it'd be frozen. I tugged her reins and lead her through the streets with my new armour lying on the saddle, waiting to be worn. 

It was black armour made out of thick leather. Strong enough to endure hits of swords and claws but light enough to not slow me down in fights. from the collar bones, it separated into two attached protectors for my shoulders, also made out of leather. It went down to my hips, the tight leather that was almost corset-like. The only difference between this and a corset was that this was comfortable and one could move easily in it. How else am I supposed to get that Griffin down? Along with that, I had long, also black leather, gloves that reached my elbows. They were fine and slim fitted. Here and there he used silver and white elements to attach the parts to each other.

After I had put it on and my swords were back on my back I made my way towards the village where I had a Griffin to kill. Hopefully, it didn't catch any more cows or people in the last two days that passed since I have taken the contract. As I reached the village's open gate I hopped off of Amber and attached her to one of the many feeding troughs that were around here. The wood had drawn very few frozen lines across from it. After this contract, I'm heading to Kaer Morhen. I bet there and in Posada, as well, there's already thick layers of snow everywhere. It won't take long until it's the same here.

I looked around the village and received suspicious and curious looks from the people living here. Some were hanging their laundry, others were busy feeding the pigs. "Isn't that the princess?" I heard one mumble, not noticeable for a not mutated human. "No, that's a Witcher." Another one spoke, a little louder. I ignored the mumbling, it happened everywhere. Most people are not good to speak on Witchers. 

"Heard that Kazimir hired one." another one mumbled and my head shoot in her direction. The brunette flinched and pulled the grey rag in her hands closer to her belly. I approached her and she gulped heavily at that. "Where do I find this Kazimir?" I asked her and she licked her lips and didn't dare to speak as it seemed. Why do people fear Witchers? We slay monsters for them. They should be grateful. She pointed at a small hut that looked kind of separated from the rest. It was small, dark and was nearly swallowed by the big oak in front of it. "Thanks." I said and turned on my heel.

I knocked on the old wooden door of the small hut and not even seconds later an elderly woman opened it. Her eyes shoot open and she stepped a little back. "Your husband. He hired me for a monster problem." I stated. She chuckled a little and smiled a little at me. "I doubt my husband is in reach to hire the princess herself." she said and I shook my head, flashing a small smile as well. "I prefer the title of Witcher." I clarified and only now did she let her gaze fall over my shoulders towards my swords. Her mouth formed into an 'o' and she cleared her throat. "Apologies, your Highn- I mean, Witcher." she said and corrected herself mid-sentence. 

"Witcher, you're 'ere." The old man, I had made the contract with, exclaimed and rushed next to his wife and she held him back a little to not stumble over his own feet. "Thank the gods ye 'ere. Last night, we lost 'nother cow." he said and ruffled the few strands of hair that were left on his head. I nodded, almost eager and happy to hear that. "Great, uh- I mean, I'm sorry. Do you mind bringing me there? If it's still fresh I think I might be able to track it down faster." I explained and he grabbed his coat from the hook in the wall and quickly put it on. 

"F'course. I'll be right back, dear." he said and rubbed the upper arm of his wife then. She smiled a little and closed the door afterwards. "Gotta go behind this house, outside the fence." he declared and we left the wooden fence, or more wall, that surrounded the village and arrived at a fenced meadow, the gras short and in a pale tone. There were cows standing around and at the far right side there was a small halfway dried pool of blood. We headed over there where I could identify pieces of the cows that could be a hoof, or part of the nose. It was frozen already.