SOMEWHERE ON THE PATH - Redania
Geralt and Jaskier were travelling almost three days. They had to stop travelling on one day because of Jaskier. He ate bad mushrooms and he was then vomiting all day. They were camping near the river Pontar now. Jaskier was playing the lute and taking care of fire while Geralt was fishing in the river.
He was standing in the middle of the river, he already caught three trouts into his fishing net which he made by yourself. Jaskier was already grilling others trouts on the fire. After couple of minutes later Geralt took his net again from the river and put it on the shore.
He was surprised when he spotted brown pitcher next to trouts.
"Jaskier come to look on something.." Geralt shouted at the bard.
Jaskier didn't wait any longer, he stood up and he immediately started running towards Geralt.
"What? What have you found?" Jaskier was curious but also catching his breath. Geralt took the pitcher from the net.
"I don't know exactly.. but here is something written in Elder's speech.." Geralt pointed on the words with his fingers. "So, it must be important I guess." he started to be suspicious.
"Why would be something like this laying in the river?" the bard asked him confused.
"Jaskier.. am I looking like somebody who knows it?" Geralt gave him angry look, then he continued more calmly.
"We should find someone who can read those words before we open it. We don't know what's inside of it." Geralt said seriously.
"Well, I know this region very well and now we're not to far from Rinde. We could go there first, maybe we can find there someone who can help us." Jaskier suggested.
"Can't believe I'm saying this but you're right Jaskier." the witcher admitted.
"I've grown up since I met you." Jaskier said proudly.
"I doubt that." Geralt laughed.
"You know I thought I'll share with you trouts which I already grilled but now I changed my mind. Do it by yourself." Jaskier smirked.
"No problem, after all your cooking sucks." Geralt made amusement smile.
"I will pretend I didn't hear what you just said witcher.." the bard came closer to him. "After all you're a very bad liar.." Jaskier winked at him and then returned back to the fire. Geralt just smiled under his nose and followed the bard.
RINDE - Redania
They were traveling almost half a day when they reached town Rinde. They entered through the main gate and then wanted to go to the center of city. As was Jaskier saying there should be a best marketplace in the town which also means it will be centre of every gossip or useful information. Geralt didn't protest and after couple of minutes walking they arrived on the marketplace.
"So, what now?" Jaskier asked Geralt when they were both looking at lot of people selling everything from vegetables to cursed amulets. It was more like a black market than an ordinary market.
"I have no idea." the witcher admitted.
"You told me you have a plan Geralt.."
"I told you we need to find someone not that I have a plan." he frowned.
"Isn't it the same thing?" Jaskier sighed.
"Clearly not if we don't know what to do next." Geralt smirked.
"Then we should ask someone about it.. maybe we could go to that woman looking like a Shaman, she seems she would definitely know something." Jaskier started going towards her but Geralt pulled him back. The bard lost his balance and almost fell down.
"And what you're gonna tell her? That you found it miraculously in the river? Firstly she won't believe you and secondly she will call the guards on you because you will look too suspicious.." Geralt let go bard's coat and narrowed him. Jaskier frowned and fixed his coat which Geralt crumpled.
"Fine.. then what you want to do?"
"I will talk not you." the witcher stated.
"Was it so hard to tell me this before you almost tore up my coat?" Jaskier couldn't believe it.
"Yes, because you very often do things before you use your brain.." Geralt threw Roach's bridle into Jaskier's arms. The bard got surprised and almost didn't catch it.
"Hold it properly." Geralt commanded him.
"But.. I don't want to be alone with that horse.. you know he always wants to bite me." the bard started protesting.
"Then try to be friends." the witcher petted Jaskier's arm and then went to the woman looking like a Shaman.
Jaskier murmured something under his nose.
The woman was watching some people buying things next to her stall when suddenly her view get darker like when the sun is covered by cloud. Then she spotted him. The body hard like a rock with a face of killer.
"What do you want monster slayer?" the woman looked into his cat's eyes.
"Nice collection of crystals." the witcher said calmly.
"I hope you will buy something and not just stay in my view." she snapped back.
"It matters on what you will offer me."
"Tell me what you really want because you're just scaring away my potential customers." the woman frowned.
"Do you know someone here who can read the Elder speech?" Geralt asked without emotions.
"Maybe or maybe not." the old woman smiled under her nose.
"How much do you want?" the witcher crossed her arms.
"I would certainly find the way how to use your medallion.."
"No. Choose something else." Geralt stated.
"What about your sword then, it seems very sharp." the woman crossed her fingers.
"Are you kidding?" Geralt started losing his patience.
"You can't ask questions without a price, you're not in dreamland witcher."
"Well, then I'll go rather find it." Geralt turned around and he was ready to leave.
"Wait!" she shouted at him. Geralt hesitated couple of seconds but he turned back to her.
"I'm listening." he told her without emotions.
"Burn in the hell mutant!" the woman started laughing. Geralt turned around with anger and went back to Jaskier.
"Have you learn something?" Jaskier asked him when Geralt came to him.
"Yeah.. that people will never stop despising witchers. We need to find our own way.. nobody will help us here." Geralt explained and started leaving. Jaskier didn't ask more, he saw on Geralt's face that his recent conversation opened his deep down buried scars. The bard followed him without words.
They were sitting on the ground in not very populated street as it seemed because they only has met some children whom were playing here. Geralt wanted to be alone and think. He was doing it when something was bothering him as the bard noticed.
Geralt still didn't say a word and Jaskier let him be quiet. He knew that everyone has a different methods how to heal or solve their problems. But he was the bard which means he will get bored very quickly. That's why he got an idea. He was watching Geralt and when he was sure Geralt wasn't paying any attention to him, he stood up and went to Roach. He searched pockets pimped to the horse's back and slowly took the pitcher which Geralt found today. He couldn't help himself, he was very curious about this new stuff. The bard started staring at it and rolling it in his hands. Then he thought out the stupidest thing but he decided to do it anyway.
"What are you doing Jaskier?" Geralt appeared behind his back.
"Don't open.." the witcher even didn't managed to finish his sentence when Jaskier screamed like his life depends on it.
"Let it go immediately!" Geralt shouted on him and in that moment he raised his sword. Jaskier was still holding a signet from the pitcher when some big grey-black thing looking like a phantom attacked him. It threw bard strongly to the ground which caused that the pitcher fell down from the bard's hands. Geralt in the last second managed to catch the pitcher and stop it's hit to ground. But he couldn't catch the signet which broke into pieces which scratched his skin after it broke and his forearms started bleeding. Geralt immediately put the pitcher on the ground and attacked the phantom with sign AARD. It threw away the monster but not enough to stop the phantom to come back. Geralt realized that maybe not even his sword will be enough to kill it. He then remembered on some formula which he once heard from some priest. He shouted it and wished it to work out. Geralt didn't know if it was because of Gods or just simple luck but the phantom suddenly turned around and disappeared.
Geralt then didn't wait any longer and immediately knelt down next to Jaskier who was holding his throat and sighing painfully.
"Jaskier! Are you alright?" Geralt said worried.
"I....I...Ger...alt......fu.....ck!" Jaskier was barely speaking.
"Don't speak, you'll make it worse." Geralt was trying to calm him down. But after couple of seconds Jaskier started coughing blood. Geralt knew this wasn't a good sign and he has to do something if he wants to save the bard's life.
"We have to find somebody who can help you, immediately!" Geralt almost shouted. He grabbed Jaskier from the ground and he started walking towards Roach. He put Jaskier on the horse back, then he quickly collected all the pieces from the pitcher because he knew he will need it later. He jumped on Roach and he started riding away. He wished there was at least one mage in Rinde.
Geralt searched many streets and squares. But his hopes was getting down every second when he couldn't find the mage anywhere. Then he decided to ask the guards even if he knew the guards could arrest him only for disturbing them. He spotted two of them standing on the corner of the main street. He stopped his horse next to them.
"What are you do.." the words stuck in the guard's throat. "Oh' my God.." the guard said and he reversed back when he spotted Jaskier. "What's wrong with him?
"Look, we're in hurry.. he is wounded. Can I find any mage here?" Geralt begged him.
"Yes, there's a mage here. Go straight two streets then turn to the left." The guard answered. Geralt was relieved at that moment.
"Thanks." Geralt didn't even wait for their reaction and started riding the way the guard told him.
The witcher finally came to the place where the mage lives. He got surprised because there was lot of people standing in line and waiting. He stopped Roach next to them, jumped down from horse and put Jaskier who was almost already unconscious on his his arms.
"Hey, do not outrun!" someone shouted on him.
"Does the mage lives here?" Geralt ignored the comment and asked what he needed.
"Yes, but go to the end of the line. We were here first." the man told him angrily. Geralt started to be hopeless but he was ready to do everything to get in that house.
"Sorry, it's life and death situation." Geralt went closer to the door but someone stood up in front of him.
"I don't care about it, you will wait as others. You don't have any higher right to go first." the town man crossed his arms.
"And I don't fucking care that you're waiting here all day because my friend can die at any minute and as I see everybody is standing still straight without any harm. So, I'll go first and if you try stop me I will kill you." Geralt gave the town man a killer look. Nobody said a word. Geralt then went towards the door. He stopped in front of the door.
"If someone touch my horse, you'll lose your hands." Geralt warned them and then he entered inside without knocking.
The historians claim that nobody could be prepared for what happened. Not even the universe, storytellers or bards. Then how could be a simple witcher as he claimed about himself, without emotions, be ready for someone like this..
"Who the hell told you that you can enter here without knocking!" some woman said angrily without looking at him. Surprisingly she didn't get any response. To be honest she wasn't use to it at all. She turned around to see who is the one who disturbed her in this rude way. But then she stayed speechless.
Even his witcher's abilities weren't able to stop his surprise look when he saw her.
He forgot to take breath for a moment.
Because he expected everything but not this.
THE END: Chapter 6