The Witcher The Swallow and The Monster

The Crooked Inn

(F/N) laughed a little, as Geralt spoke up, "We'll ask around for Yennefer."

The old witcher nodded as he slowly took the armor around his shoulder off. The two witchers took a few steps away from Vesemir, "We need to keep a low profile, so don't start any fights or use Axii."

(F/N) sighed, he already felt restrained, he liked having all of his options available, "I can try, but no promises."

Geralt gave him a hard look, until his ward finally broke, "Fine, you have my word." Neither of the men said anything as they broke away. (F/N) looked around the inn, almost everyone was glaring at him, or not meeting his gaze. It was a welcomed surprise when one man smiled at him, raised his glass, and beckoned him over.

(F/N) raised an eyebrow as he walked over and sat down, "I'm..."

The man spoke up, "(F/N) (L/N), the executioner of Eargo," The young witcher laughed, forgetting what he was supposed to be doing, "It's been a while since anyone's called me that."

The man smiled, "I seem to recall that you slayed 10 Arachnomorphs?" (F/N) smiled, "The story get's more over blown every time I hear it, it was 4 and one that was bigger than a house. The villagers named it Eargo."

The man nodded and listened, "How you managed to slay a beast like that, astounds me, let me buy you a round." He looked at the innkeeper and yelled, "Two schnappsies."

(F/N) turned and shook his head, trying to keep his manners, "No, I'm fine, I...I'd have to take this off."

(F/N) gestured to the mask that covered his face, "Oh yes, your signature, why do you cover your face? It must be hard to fight when only your eyes are visible." (F/N) looked at his hands, and casually scratched his sharper than average fingernails, "I'm not much to look at."

The man nodded, and smiled, but it looked as though their was hate and cruelt behind his eyes, "I can understand that, a man has to keep some secrets to himself."

(F/N) folded his arms and leaned back, "Anyway, I'm looking for a woman, she has black hair, dresses in black and white, smells like lilac and gooseberries, a bit of an uppity demeanor."

The man smiled, "Yennefer of Vengerburg?"

The young witcher leaned forward, "How do you know her?"

The odd character smiled, "What a question. Master Dandelion's ballads, of course. The only way a humble merchant might hope to rub up against greatness. Unless you're as lucky as I am, to be under the same roof as you, and Geralt of Rivia."

(F/N) frowned, it was scaring him how much he knew, "And who are you exactly?"

The man smiled, "A mangy vagrant, like yourself. Gaunter O'Dimm at your service." (F/N) frowned, and cut straight to the point, "What are you? If you don't mind me asking." O'Dimm smiled, "I'm a lot of things, a merchant of mirrors, a co-author, and many other things."

(F/N) frowned, and squinted his cat like eyes,  "A merchant of mirrors, that must be difficult to maintain." The man smiled, and gave him a creepy look, "Perhaps." The young witcher felt the need to end the conversation, "Anyway, where did you see Yennefer going?"

O'Dimm smiled and danced around the question, "Deepest apologies, but I must ask: Is this about love?"

(F/N) laughed, "Love? You think I love her?" the young witcher laughed even more. O'Dimm smiled, he hadn't been talking about Yennefer, but his reaction told him all he needed to know, "I doubted you did, after all you blame her for what happened that night? Am I correct?"

(F/N) stopped laughing, he leaned forward, not completely sure he had heard him correctly, his tone was gravely and serious, "What did you just say?"