PHILIPPA'S HOUSE - Oxenfurt
"I thought they managed to reach at least their own rooms.."
"Clearly not. They are in the same position as they came here." Yennefer crossed her arms.
"Three of them together always ends like this." Triss shake her head.
"I really wonder when this will stop to surprise me." Yennefer said honestly.
It was early morning and they were staring at witchers. Lambert was sleeping on the floor. Eskel's and Geralt's heads were resting on the kitchen table. Ciri was sleeping on the chairs connected to each others and Gabriel were under it. All of them had a strong hangover.
"Should I wake them up or will you?" Yennefer's eyes flashed.
"Will you make them suffer?"
"Definitely."
"Good." Triss laughed. Suddenly her stomach rumbled. "But I think I'm starting to be hungry." she was trying to smile.
"I'm hungry too. Let's make breakfast then." Yennefer stated and went to prepare something for eat. Triss didn't protest same as her stomach.
Ciri was woke up by some noise. She opened her eyes to see what was happening. She noticed Yennefer how she was cutting the onion on the table and talking to Triss. She managed to sat down but in that moment her legs hit unknown object on the floor. The object murmured something. She narrowed her eyes to see better and noticed that it was just Gabriel's hand. He was sleeping like a wood. For couple of seconds she wondered how the hell he got under the chairs. Then she tried to stood up but her head spun and her stomach twisted. She somehow started walking to the table but she wanted to vomit with every move which she was making.
Suddenly Yennefer appeared in front of her and gave a pail into her hands. "Sweetheart, come to sit down please. You're not able to walk now."
Ciri just nodded and Yennefer helped her walk to the chair.
"How are you feeling?" Yennefer asked her when she was already sitting on the chair.
"Very bad." Ciri in the moment started vomiting to the pail in her hands.
"It's okay. Let it out." Yennefer caressed her hair.
When Ciri stopped with vomiting she looked at her. "Are you angry on me?" She said sadly.
"No, I'm not." She caressed her face. "You're clever girl, that's why I know you will learn from this."
"Well, I already know I won't drink ever again." Ciri stated and then she vomit again.
"You can drink, but more wisely. I will teach you how to do it without getting the hangover." she laughed a bit.
Ciri raised her head. "Please do, because this is torture."
Yennefer smiled. "Get up, I'll take you to the bed. You need a proper sleep on it." She helped her to stand up. "And Triss is already making you a potion, you will feel much better then."
"Thank you." Ciri told her honestly.
"Always Ciri." She kissed her daughter's forehead and they left upstairs.
Yennefer softly kicked into his body with her foot.
He slowly opened his eyes to see what was happening.
She knelt down next to him. "Gabriel, did you give Ciri the drugs?"
He gave her confused look. "No."
"Okay, I wanted to be sure. And just between us, do not use it in front of Geralt. He is very sensitive on these kind of things." She started to standing up, but Gabriel managed to stop her with his hand.
"How did you know?"
"I'm master in alchemy, I quickly recognize when someone is using something." She answered calmly.
He made a thoughtful face.
She smiled a bit. "Now go to your room if you don't want to be pour by cold water." She stood up.
He looked at her confused again. "Yennefer, why are you helping me?"
"Because sometimes even lonely wolf needs a little help."
He managed to stand up and then tried to stand straight. The hangover hit him hard too. "But I'm not a wolf." He tried to hide his sadness, but his eyes betrayed him. She noticed it.
"Well, that's only up to you, isn't it?" Yennefer told him with challenge in her voice.
Gabriel was staring at her couple of seconds, then he turned around without a word.
Yennefer waited until Gabriel left, then she said the spell. Suddenly the water poured out on the witchers.
"Fucking hell..!!" Lambert immediately jumped on his legs. Geralt almost fell down from the chair and Eskel just opened his eyes and then closed it again. He continued in sleeping like nothing happened.
Lambert noticed standing Yennefer in front of them.
"Did you lost your mind?!" Lambert was almost yelling. He didn't like the unexpected things, especially wake ups.
Geralt just narrowed her eyes on her. He wasn't able to do more now. His whole world was spinning around, even his own wife.
"Which one of you got my daughter drunk?" Yennefer crossed her arms.
"What? What the hell are you talking about?" Lambert's tongue tangled.
"You heard me." She told him calmly.
Lambert was trying to say something but he lost his balance and fell down to the floor.
"Yennefer.." Geralt almost whispered. His whole head was pinching. "I need.." His voice failed.
She ignored her hurting husband and continued. "I asked you something. Who got my daughter drunk like that?"
"I don't know.." Lambert sighed from the pain in his head.
"Yennefer.." Geralt again tried to call her name.
She turned to him. "Darling, I know you want the potion from me which will stop the hangover, but until you or Lambert won't tell me what I'm asking, you won't get that lovely potion." Yennefer faked her smile. "And I'm not counting Eskel because he's clearly out."
"I swear, I don't know it.." Lambert sighed.
"I don't believe you." Yennefer stated.
"Please.." Lambert sighed painfully." For the love of God gave me that potion!" He begged her.
"I told you my conditions Lambert. The potion isn't for free."
"Geralt, tell her something!" Lambert was getting frustrated.
"He won't help you Lambert." Yennefer smiled under her nose.
"Fuck. Just stop this pain in my head!" I will do anything. I swear! Only give it to me!" Lambert was hopeless.
She stood up above him. "Rules are rules witcher." she then went to confused Geralt sitting on the chair.
Lambert cursed.
She raised his chin with her finger and looked into his eyes. "Do you know who got Ciri drunk?"
Geralt just shake his head.
"Alright then, you both chose your destiny." Yennefer shrugged her shoulders. "Enjoy the hangover."
"No, no, no.." Lambert's voice failed.
Geralt gave her terrified look.
"Don't worry love, tomorrow you will be like a new." Yennefer kissed his forehead. "I promise." She winked at him and then left from them. She said the spell and the water was poured on them again.
She heard how they started cursing.. Her mouth shivered in smile.
A WEEK LATER - Philippa's house
"You can go with me to Novigrad. I will have a free weekend. I can show you some interesting places and then we could go on the dinner or.." Matthew paused. "Ciri, are you even listening to me?"
She came back to her mind. "What were you saying?"
"Why I am even trying. You don't care about it." He sighed.
"That's not true. I do care about it." she stood up from the chair and came towards him. "Tell me your ideas. I want to hear them all." She kissed him on his lips.
"Fine." He laughed. "But you will have to listen to me for real."
"I promise." She kissed him again.
He smiled at her and caressed her face. "I thought maybe we could visit the Cabaret show in Rosmary Tavern. On the weekends they play the best things." Matthew suggested.
"I don't know Matty. I don't have really a thing for theatres.." Ciri started thinking, then she looked at him with excitement. "And what if we would go to the Silver Square. There will be a sword tournament."
"I don't think is the best idea Ciri."
"Why not?"
"I would rather go on something more calmer and spend some normal time with you."
"You're talking like an old people now. Those things are boring, we should follow the modern habits." Ciri laughed.
"But you liked those things before.." Matthew was confused.
"I did. But can't I like also something different?"
"No, of course you can." He smiled a bit sadly. "But I have feeling you've changed a lot these days."
Now Ciri was confused. "What do you mean?"
"You behave different. That's all." He lowered his eyes.
"That's all? Matthew, will you tell me what's going on?"
Matthew's face changed. "Since he came here you behave differently." He stated.
"What? What are you talking about?"
"About that witcher. He has bad influence on you."
She looked at him surprised and confused at the same time. "You can't be serious right now.."
"I am serious. You've got seriously injured in the Ruins, then you drunk yourself as hell in the Taverns and I really wonder what will be next."
"So, what? I can't do dangerous or silly things anymore because you think is a bad?"
"You are recklessly going in risky situations because of him."
"I was risking my life before I met him."
"You almost died in that Ruins Ciri!" He raised his voice.
She just shake her head. She tried to ignore the fact that he raised her voice on her for the first time since they've started dating.
She tried to answer him calmly, but it wasn't that easy. "That was not his fault.. and he was trying to save me." Her voice trembled a bit. She wondered if he noticed it too.
"He was the reason why you went there at first place." His eyes were full of anger.
She couldn't believe what she was hearing from him right know. She needed to end this sooner than she would say something to him what she would then regret. "We should end this discussion." She said without emotions.
Matthew looked at her with frustration. "I'm just trying to protect you Ciri, why you can't see it?"
She stepped closer to him. "No, Matthew. You're just trying organize my own life. But you know what? I don't need this from you. I'm grown up woman, not a child anymore." She started leaving from him.
"He isn't good for you. He will only bring darkness into your life.." He told her sadly.
She stopped walking and looked at him unbelievably. "He is just my friend Matt. Nothing else."
He came closer to her and softly caressed her face. "Is he?"
"How can you have this low trust in me after everything what we've been through?" She was trying to hold her tears. Then she pulled his hand from her face and started leaving from him.
He stopped her with his hand. She turned to him. They was staring at each other.
"Look me in the eyes and tell me you don't find him attractive." Matthew was serious.
She was taken aback by his words. She didn't expect it from Matthew as she didn't expect from herself not to have a clear answer for him. He noticed her moment of hesitation.
"I asked you something Ciri." Matthew said strictly.
All the emotions inside her got out in that moment. "I don't feel anything to him! Okay?!" She raised her voice.
Suddenly the door opened and inside entered Geralt followed by Yennefer, Triss and other witchers. They had to return from the market place with ingredients for today's lunch.
"Sorry, did we interrupt you?" Geralt asked them kindly when he noticed what was happening.
Ciri immediately started feeling embarrassed. They had to hear her very well but they didn't show it on themselves. She didn't know what to say, she opened her mouth but no words went out from her.
Matthew put his hand on her back and answered calmly. "No, you don't. But can we help you with something?"
Ciri couldn't handle this whole situation anymore. "I need to go. Excuse me." She said quickly and then stormed out from the room.
"I will go too. Sorry." Matthew told them when he saw their confused faces. Then he left from the room.
"Well, well, well, our young lovebirds had their first drama as I see.." Lambert laughed.
"This sometimes happen when you love someone Lambert. But what else to expect from someone who don't even have a relationship.." Eskel crossed his arms.
"Neither a brain." Yennefer added and went to the kitchen with laughing Triss.
Lambert frowned. Then he noticed witchers who were staring at him without a word. "What?"
"Nothing." Geralt said with smile on his face.
"What it is?" Lambert started to be irritated.
"How is Eve doing?" Geralt told him teasingly. "No drama?"
"Oh, screw you both." Lambert cursed. "I should have never tell you about her." he started angrily leaving from them.
"We wanted know if you're okay Lambi!" Eskel called at him.
Lambert in that moment stopped walking and turned to them. "What do you think? She broke up with me you morons." He smirked and then left from the room.
Geralt and Eskel burst into laughing.
"We will burn in hell for it." Eskel said with laughing.
"We will definitely." Geralt laughed.
"But at least he broke his new record. She stayed with him the whole one week. That's too long even for Lambert."
"And you forgot on that she also had a dance with him." Geralt added with smile.
"Shit. How could I forget on this memorable moment?"
They both burst into laughing again.
"Come, we should join our women. I really don't want to listen the whole day that we want to eat but won't give a shit.." Geralt said with amusement.
"You don't have to tell me twice." Eskel laughed and followed Geralt into another room.
The witchers entered into the kitchen with laughing but suddenly their faces froze. The view got them surprised.
Geralt stopped walking in that moment. "Philippa? What are you doing here?"
She ignored his words and gave her attention to other witcher.
"Phil." Eskel greeted with her and kissed her both cheeks. Then he went towards Triss.
"You should learn Eskel's manners Geralt. It would be good for you once." Philippa told him snidely and sat down to the table.
Yennefer looked at her strictly. "Forgive yourself that notes Philippa. I'm here to tutor my husband, not you." She used a warning tone.
"Calm down Yenna. I don't want to rape him. You don't have to make a scene here." Philippa made cheeky smile.
Yennefer wanted to kill her in that moment. She was ready to make a spell but Geralt caught her hand and lowered it. He sat down next to her.
"You didn't answer my question Philippa. What are you doing here?" Geralt told her calmly and caressed Yennefer's back to calm her down.
"Very well. I needed to speak with you. That's why I'm here."
"Something urgent?" Triss raised her eyebrow.
Philippa looked at her. "Triss, I do like you, but you really think I would waste my time here if it wouldn't be urgent?"
Yennefer rolled her eyes.
"Then what's so urgent? Because now you're wasting our time." Geralt told her without interest.
"I see you have learned something from Yennefer witcher. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree.." Philippa faked her smile.
"Could you hurry up your lovely story telling? I would like to finish cooking lunch till today." Yennefer told her sarcastically.
"As you wish." Philippa smirked. "It has happened several murders in Oxenfurt. My spies are aware of it because it's going on almost for a year, but those murders has got higher intensity now which why I've started to be very concern about it." she explained.
"You think it could be Rience's work?" Geralt asked her with serious face.
"Yes, I think he could be the one who's behind it. After all he is the boss of many bandits." Philippa admitted.
"If you're right Philippa, that means we're in danger because it won't take too much time when he will find us." Geralt answered uneasy. Yennefer in that moment squeezed his hand under table. He understood. She was worried the same as him.
"Or Rience already knows where we hiding.." Eskel added.
"That's why we need to be sure. We need to find out who is responsible for those murders and if it's really Rience, we need to be ready on him."
"I will go to investigate it, I just need more details from you Philippa." Geralt told her seriously.
"I'll help you Geralt, it's not safe to go alone anywhere now." Yennefer was honest. Geralt gave her soft smile.
"I will stay here with Lambert and protect the house." Eskel told them.
"And I will meanwhile find the safe house if we would need to run away from here." Triss said calmly.
"Very well. Then go to work witchers." Philippa made a cheeky smile.
Yennefer raised her eyebrow.
"Fine, I apologize.." Philippa rolled her eyes. "Witcher's family.."
"That's better Phil." Yennefer faked her smile.
STREETS OF OXENFURT - Redania
He opened the door without knocking. Then he continued further in the room. He heard that someone stood up from the chair. It didn't stopped him. He entered in the dining room and stopped walking in the middle.
"What do you want in my house?" The man told him with fear in his voice while he was covering his wife behind his back.
"I came here for the payment." Gabriel put down the black cape from his head.
The man swallowed. "But I don't have the money yet. He told me I can pay for it later.."
"He wants the payment now."
"But I don't have any money now." The man said with frustration.
"You know what means not to pay the debt.." Gabriel looked at him seriously.
The man stepped closer to him. "Please.. have a mercy. Please.." His voice failed.
"Say goodbye to your wife."
"But.."
Gabriel interrupted him. "I won't give you a second chance."
The man then without protest turned to his wife which was already crying and hugged her.
"Come with me to the next room and close the door behind you." The young witcher commanded him and left.
The man looked with the fear at his wife and followed him.
Gabriel returned back after couple of minutes with a knife covered in blood holding in his hand. He turned to the woman standing next to the table.
"You murderer.." she said with tears in her eyes. "You killed him."
The witcher stepped closer to her. "I had to."
"No, you wanted to." She hissed. "Burn in the hell."
"Gladly." His face didn't even move.
The woman in that moment grabbed the knife from the table and attacked him.
Gabriel immediately reacted.
The woman looked at him with the fear in her eyes when she realized what happened. The witcher stabbed her. Her body then fell down into his arms. He caught her and looked at her.
The tears started rolling down her face. "He didn't do anything wrong.." she whispered.
"I know."
The woman started heavily breathing. The life was slowly disappearing from her. "I don't wanna die.." she coughed the blood.
"You're going on better place now.." He pulled out the knife from her stomach. She made a painful sigh.
"I promise." He looked at her without emotions but inside he was fighting with himself. He has killed so many times before, then why the hell he felt that way now?
The woman fell down to the floor. Gabriel knelt down next to her.
"How.. how do you know?" She was barely speaking.
"Someone told me." He remembered on her.
The woman mouth shivered in small smile and then she closed her eyes. She died.
Gabriel stood up and cleaned his knife from the blood into his armor. He looked one last time at the woman laying on the floor, then he put the cape on his head again. He took the package from the shelf on the other side of the room and then left from the house.
He passed couple of streets already when he noticed him and stopped walking. He was laying over the column.
"You were following me?" The witcher gave him angry look.
The man came closer to him and pulled down the witcher's cape. "Gabriel, my favorite person.."
"You suck in lying Joshua."
"Bla, bla.. bla.. do you have the package?"
Gabriel took the package from his packet and gave it to him. "Here."
"Any witnesses?"
"No, both after death."
"Good." He admitted. Then he continued in serious way. "Your next jobs. Two in Oxenfurt and one in Novigrad. You have five days on it." Joshua gave him the letter.
"Only five days? Just to travel to Novigrad and back will take me two whole days."
"I don't care. Make it happen."
"Give me at least a week Joshua."
"No."
"I can be more productive if.."
Joshua interrupted him."Look, boy. I'm not the one who has lost in cards and now have to pay the debt. Lehart said five days, so it will be five days. End of discussion."
"You really call that a discussion?"
Joshua in that moment hit his face with the fist. "Screw you." Then he hit his stomach with the knee. Gabriel sighed painfully.
"You have five days, no more." Joshua smirked. "And remember.. clocks are ticking." He faked his smile and started walking away.
Gabriel spat on the ground and then he wiped his mouth from the blood. He cursed.
Ciri was walking in the port around ships when she decided it's time to sit down on the wall. She still couldn't believe that she had a fight with Matthew. With the person she thought she would never had any argument at all. But life is full of surprises obviously.. but the worst thing was that the main reason of their argument was Gabriel.. How can Matthew think such a thing? That she and him could be.. she immediately buried that thought.
She started watching the fishermen on the boat how they were taking out barrels with caught fishes. She wondered how good it would be to sail with them on the ship through the whole Continent. But she couldn't let her family alone. At least not now when Rience were going after them. But maybe one day she could go..
Then her attention got kids which pranked their friend. She had to laugh with them. What a silly kids she thought. She started staring at the sea when her attention got a person in a black cape.
She knew this style of walking immediately.
She stood up and said loudly. "Gabriel!"
He stopped walking and turned to her. "What are you doing here?" He was surprised to see her here.
She came to him. "Well, you tell me. You're the one who has disappeared again on two days."
"I was working."
"You have a job?" Ciri raised her eyebrow. Now she was surprised.
"Yes, I have. If you didn't notice your daddy doesn't pay me anything and I need a money, so.." He explained.
"Maybe if you would tell him this he would.."
He interrupted her. "I don't want to owe him anything Cirilla." He used serious tone.
"Okay, fine. I was just asking." She smirked. Then she narrowed her eyes on him. "Why are you wearing a cape?"
"I always wear a cape."
"Since when? Because I've never seen you wearing it before." She looked at him suspiciously.
He sighed. "It doesn't matter." He pulled down the cape from his head. "Satisfied?" He faked his smile.
"No. I want to hear the explanation not a.." She paused because she noticed it. "Why is your armor covered in blood and your face is bleeding?" She was serious.
"I told you I was working." He started walking away from her.
Ciri immediately went after him and stopped him with her hand. "Where do you think you're going? I didn't finish talking to you."
Gabriel rolled his eyes. "Cirilla, can you stop dealing with it?"
"Yes, if you gonna answer me."
"I have many contracts on a monsters from villagers. This is Ghoul's blood." He pointed on the blood on his armor.
"Fine. And what about your face? Or you want to tell me that Ghoul knows how to use fists?" Ciri crossed her arms.
Gabriel sighed again. "I also joined the fist competition near the Bear Tavern."
"Alright." She answered calmly but she didn't believe him. She knew he lied to her.
And he knew she knows it.
"I'm hungry. Want to join me?" He changed the topic. But he was glad she didn't want to know more for now.
"Yennefer is making a lunch."
"So, let's go. We shouldn't miss her cooking masterpiece."
"I didn't say you were invited." Her face was serious. Gabriel looked at her surprised.
Ciri burst in laughing. "I'm kidding. You should have seen your face."
"Very funny." He smirked.
"I'm sorry, but you can be pranked so easy." She said with laughing.
Gabriel almost smiled. "We should go."
Suddenly Ciri's face got serious. "Wait." She grabbed his arm. "Can we sit here for a while?"
He got surprised but he didn't ask more. "Of course."
They were sitting on the wall and staring at the sea. Gabriel interrupted a long quiet between them. "Why are you upset?"
Ciri cursed inside. He literally noticed everything.
"I had a fight with Matt."
"About what?" He paused like he realized he shouldn't. "If I may ask.."
She sighed. "Life. Future. He's got it all mapped out." She decided not to tell him that he was also part of their argument.
"And you don't want it?" He looked straight into her eyes.
"I don't know what I want."
"That's not true. You want what everybody wants."
"What? Mysterious stranger who came from nowhere and has all the answers?" She laughed a bit.
He laughed too. "Huh, I've been around some time and I've learned a few things."
She smiled. "Then tell me stranger. What is it what I want?"
Their looks locked.
"You want a love that consumes you. You want passion, an adventure and even a little danger." He didn't let his eyes from her not even for a second. Neither did she.
"And what do you want?"
"Many things." He made a cheeky smile.
Suddenly she started feeling warm on her face. She cleared her throat to cover this obvious thing. "Can we go now?"
"Sure." He answered with amusement. He noticed her reaction very well.
They were standing in front of door of Philippa's house. Gabriel was ready to open the door.
Ciri couldn't hold it inside her anymore. They didn't talk about it since that day.
"Look, about that night in the Taverns.."
Gabriel in that moment stopped pushing the door. "What about it?"
She frowned. She really chose the best moment to ask him this. But she couldn't take it back now. She continued.
"What we did.. it didn't mean nothing.." She hesitated. "Right?"
He turned to her and answered calmly. "Look princess, we were both drunk. We just got carry away. Nothing more."
"Right." She was a bit confused but she didn't showed it on herself.
"After you." He opened her the door. She entered inside without a word. He followed her.