HEART | Geralt

03

"Can you not leave it alone for a moment?" The sharp words called out, catching Azalea's attention. She looked towards the source of the voice, finding a woman with thick yet short brown hair that had been unevenly cut. She fingered at her food a little, slighly put off by the scene the men in the inn were creating. Her dark eyes examined Azalea's red ones, slightly intimidated but not letting it show. 

"Witchers can't be trusted."

"I'm not speaking to you." The woman snapped, glaring before looking at the men that were trying to provoke the basic killing machines. "I apologize for my man's interference in your day." She said to the Witchers. "Hopefully he can improve his behaviour by tomorrow's market."

"Sorry, Renfri. Come on, lads." The bald man said slowly before he ushered for the men to go back to their seats and leave the Witchers alone. When they were under no more threat, Azalea nodded and looked towards Geralt, a small smirk threatening to appear.

"You got a little, uh, something." He used his thumb to motion where the blood splatters were on her face, something that made Azalea roll her eyes.

"I know." She retorted, using her glove to wipe it away the best she could.

"Beer for my friends here and one for me." The woman, Renfri, said as she sat back down. Azalea sat beside her with Geralt finally sitting down next to Azalea. The two Witchers pulled their hoods down. It was far more dramatic for Geralt considering he had white hair. "I am speaking to you now, good sir." Renfri pressed after the innkeeper simply crossed his arms and glared at the two travelers.

Geralt glanced towards Renfri, a frown evident on his face as he did so.

"Want some breakfast?" She asked after catching his gaze, glancing at Azalea at the same time.

"We're full. Venison." Geralt answered for the pair of them, something Azalea nodded for. When she spoke with strangers, it was mostly with a cold edge to her tone and it perhaps wasn't the best of tones to be speaking with considering Renfri had saved them from brutaly murdering a load of people.

Eventually, a mug of beer was placed in front of all three of them. In sync, Azalea and Renfri chugged their drinks back like it was water, something that astonished Geralt. When the girls noticed they had done this, they looked at each other and laughed softly.

"My mother," Renfri began after seeing the looks Geralt was sending their way, "God rest her, would be mortified."

"Our secret, then." Geralt said, and Azalea suddenly didn't feel comfortable sitting between Geralt and Renfri. A bad feeling made her stomach feel unsettled, her brows pinching together as she racked her brain for an answer.

"So, what brings you to Blaviken, White Hair?" Azalea didn't miss the way Renfri spoke mainly to Geralt. "You guys came for a monster?"

"We were travelling by the swamp." Geralt answered, not looking at Renfri much anymore.

"That would be your mistake, then." The woman in the red shirt said with a small chuckle. "WHy wouldn't you travel by main roads?"

"Monsters don't lurk much on the main roads." Azalea answered, looking at her empty mug. "Makes it hard to earn a living, hm?"

"And you desperately need money for new clothes." Renfri countered almost immediately, something that made Azalea frown as she looked down at what she wore. True, it could probably do with being upgraded, but it wasn't the worst. The clothing hadn't ripped at the seams, it was mainly still intact and did the job of protecting her good enough. Geralt was in a smiliar situation. "Three more beers."

With a begrudging look, the innkeeper turned and grabbed the massive jug that the beverage was kept in. He placed it on the counter in front of Renfri, the girl scowling for a moment.

"More and more," she said as she picked up the jug and made her way in between Azalea and Geralt, putting her attention solely on Geralt. "I find monsters wherever I go."

"They're called mankind." Azalea gruffly replied before she shook her head and stood, leaving the inn almost swiftly. She stroked her stallion's neck once she got there, sighing almost inaudibly. "Women." She scowled. There was a spark of jealousy and anger when Renfri put her attention solely on Geralt, and it was frustrating her as to why she got so affected by it.

Geralt was her friend, he could fuck whoever he wants for all she cared. Couldn't he?

Azalea couldn't help but scrunch up her nose at the partially severed Kikimora on the back of Roach's saddle. She pouted at the mare and stroked Roach's snout.

"Bet that must be uncomfortable, huh?" She spoke to the mare, her eyes closing slowly as she simply took in the slightly unpleasant smell that surrounded Blaviken. It wasn't long before the door to the inn opened, Geralt's familiar scent catching Azalea's attention. She turned to look, seeing Geralt being guided by a young girl that seemed innocent. 

"You mentioned coin." Geralt said gruffly, as he usually did, as he followed the girl. He sent a nod to Azalea when he saw her at the horses and not wandering off somewhere.

He had a need to protect the Red Wolf, a dying need. Something that tied him to Azalea, but he didn't really complain about the feeling.

"Isadora said you were looking for my father. She's a gossip, you see. Probably went two steps into the Lord's Inn before she was running off telling everyone evil witchers had arrived." The girl said before she frowned. "But she said a woman was with you."

"Geralt." Azalea called, gaining the young girl's attention. Before the Witcher could respond to his friend, the girl gasped allowed and stared at Azalea like she had seen a goddess of sorts. "What's going on?" Azalea then asked, not paying too much attention to the girl.

"You don't scare me." The girl said, glancing between both Witchers whilst her hand held up the cloth Geralt had used to cover the Kikimora.

"That's too bad." Geralt told her, voice deep and rumbling off of his chest. It was a sound that soothed her immensely.

"And," the girl said as she further inspected the beast on the back of Roach, "I can also tell you that my father will have no use for this beast." The light brunette girl in village attire patted down the cloth after finishing her inspection, looking at the Witchers with guilt.

"Your father...the alderman?" He received a nod. "He posted a flyer."

"For a graveir." The girl replied, her guilt seemingly intensifying. "Kikimoras are useful. Population control."

"A fuckin' graveir." Azalea spat under her breath at the fact they had killed the wrong creature and now stood at getting no coin. "Can you believe it, Ger?" Her voice was as quiet as a mouse, the girl not hearing her, but Geralt heard.

"You should speak to Master Irion," she then said to the two close friends, "our wizard. He's willing to pay for odds and ends he needs for elixirs. I sold him our dog when it died....mysteriously."

"Fine." Geralt's guttural voice said before he looked towards Azalea for guidance and confirmation on the decision he had just made. She raised a brow, her shoulders slightly tensing into a shrug where she side-eyed the girl afterwards. Looking back to Geralt, Azalea gave a firm nod. They needed the coin, after all. "Take us to him."

~

a/n

two in one night? lucky readers x how is it? pls comment and vote x