The Witcher: Raven and Wolf

6. Prisoners

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Geralt and Aderyn travel through the forest for some days and soon come to the other side, where they encounter a small village at the foot of the Kestrel mountains. It's raining heavily and both of them are wearing their hoods. In the time that they were traveling in the woods, they only spoke what they deemed necessary, not yet trusting each other. From afar the village looks harmless. Almost peaceful. But peace does not exist on this continent.

There is smoke coming from the village, painting the sky grey. The two are hungry, not having eaten anything in three days. From what they gathered, the witch's curse is planted throughout the continent and is slowly infiltrating everything. Turning normal beings into monsters, and killing humans through poisoned waters or mutated plants. Geralt has not yet asked Aderyn about her past, and he doesn't intend to. Not until he is sure that both trust each other.

When getting closer to the village's gates, they dismount their horses and guide them into the village, bringing them to a stall. Geralt throws an elixir into the horses' drinking water to make sure that it wasn't poisoned. Then, both witchers make their way to a tavern. As soon as they enter and remove their hoods, all eyes follow them as they step up to the bar. Geralt asks for two pints and some food. The bartender knows better than to start a scene and brings Geralt his demands and both witchers step to a table in the corner of the tavern.

Some people still stare at them while they sit down but soon look away when a bard starts singing and playing music. The people of Tridam are untrusting, hating the newcomers. As the two witchers eat, they are never in a moment of their stay not looked at. But the two, able to speak in a tone so quiet that humans don't hear, can communicate. And when Geralt understands that Aderyn can do this too, he is one step closer to believing that she is truly a witcher.

"We can't stay here long," Aderyn says, looking around but avoiding eye contact with the villagers. Geralt slightly nods. "And we need a mage to help us find this witch. It's impossible to trace her alone."

"Are you doubting your own strength, witcher?" she asks, smirking at him. He frowns, now thinking that she might not be a witcher after all.

"Come on, let's leave before we get beaten by these people." Geralt says and the two get up, pay the bartender and leave the tavern, only to find a dozen armed soldiers and a mage surrounding them.

The two stand there in shock but show no emotion.

"Well at least you got your mage." Aderyn says.

Geralt sighs.

"Fuck."

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Meanwhile, in other parts of the continent, the raging war continues. However, this one has nothing to do with the witch. It is the great cleansing. Humans call it so, but it is the opposite of cleansing. Blood and Tears of fallen elves coat the very ground where they once lived peacefully. Thousands dead within a day, and many more fall. The hate humans express against these creatures is horrifying. And yet still they do so. This leads to elves fleeing, trying to find a new place to survive. And it is them that have brought doubt to villages and cities all around.

It is also what made the people of Tridam doubt the two witchers. Many have decided to push away any type of being, except humans. They believe it is the only way to find trust again. But it costs them a big price. A price, that they cannot pay without the help of mages. Tridam was one of the many cities and villages that decided to hire a mage to help them out. Grow them food that they used to only be able to grow with the help of half-elves or witchers. Children of the continent are being taught to hate the other races, and never speak to them.