RINDE - Redania
They both entered into the mayor room. Beau was shouting at someone but Yennefer recognized her. It was Abigail. After couple of minutes the conversation between them ended. Abigail turned to leave. She was going around Geralt and Yennefer.
"My dear colleague." Yennefer said sarcastically. Abigail looked at her but she didn't say anything and she left from the room. Geralt looked confused at Yennefer.
"Come Geralt." Yennefer commanded him and she went towards Beau. Geralt followed her.
"Finally! I thought I will get old soon.." Beau said angrily.
"I don't think so.. you'll first drunk yourself to the death." she smirked. "And do not tell me I'm late. I'll come when I want to." Yennefer was strict.
Geralt was standing there in quiet, he didn't like these types of conversations.
"Yennefer do not upset me. I almost kicked out Abigail. Do not make me to kick you out too." Beau was serious. Then he looked at Geralt.
"You! What did your performance mean in the street? Witcher, this is my town and I won't suffer here any vandalism!" Beau raised his voice. Geralt didn't answered. Beau narrowed his eyes on him.
"You won't say anything now? But when it was about her you embarrassed me before the whole town!" Beau pointed at Yennefer. "You should ended at cemetery for what have you done and you'll if this will repeat again." Beau was filled with anger.
"I meant all my words which I said to you." Geralt was honest.
"Are you threatening me?" Beau stood up from his chair.
"Undoubtedly." the witcher said calmly.
"You.. you scoundrel! You should be glad that I didn't throw you to the sewers already!" Beau was shouting at him but Geralt didn't care about it. So many people has already shouted worse words at him. Those were lovely to listening.
"Enough! My head will explode if you both won't stop talking!" Yennefer interrupted them. Then she looked at the mayor.
"Beau, we didn't come here to listen your bullshits. Nobody care about it. You need the witcher, then tell him for what." she gave him a death stare. Beau started to be terrified of her, so he rather sat down.
"And forgive yourself that sarcastic look please." Yennefer commanded him. Beau frowned and rolled his eyes. Geralt was again amazed by her power. Beau then looked at Geralt.
"Master witcher, I have a work for you. In the town's canal is a monster. Some my villagers have already died there. I want you to kill that awful monster." the mayor told him without emotions.
"No problem, but it won't be for free." Geralt was clear.
"Fine.. 200 coins." Beau smirked.
"270 or you can find another witcher." Geralt said calmly. Beau hesitated but when he saw Yennefer's look, he quickly changed his mind.
"What I won't do for my people.." mayor faked his smile.
"I need more information about that monster. Has someone seen her?" Geralt asked him.
"Everybody who saw her are already dead. So, you are alone in this." Beau was honest.
"Hmm.. I will go then. Yen?" he turned to Yennefer.
"I need to talk with her alone." the mayor interrupted him. Yennefer hesitated for a while. She came closer to Geralt and her eyes changed.
"Be careful Geralt." she said worriedly. Geralt noticed it. She's shown her vulnerability again but this time it was different because for the first time she's done in front of others. Even if she was trying to hide her real emotions before the people, sometimes she wasn't so good actress as she wanted to be. Geralt was proud that he was the reason of her distraction. He caressed her face and smiled at her. Then he left from the room.
Yennefer then sat down on the chair and she looked at Beau.
"You and that witcher? I wouldn't expect it.." Beau was surprised.
"I didn't come here to talk about my private life." she gave him angry look.
"Well.. I rather change the topic." he sighed. "I need you to save my cat, I would ask you this earlier but you were always busy.. obviously.." Beau smirked. She didn't answer on that sarcastic comment. In this moment she wanted to slap him for that but she was trying to control herself.
"Where is that cat carpet?" she faked her smile.
"In the corner." Beau pointed there.
Geralt was staring at the edge of the gate. It was one of the entrance to the local sewers. He was looking for some clues. He already visited inn because he needed information about the monster before the fight and the local inn was the best place where to find them. From the rumors which he heard he figured out that the monster was big and she had a wings. He supposed it could be Basilisk because he likes dark places.
After couple of minutes of searching he found scratches from claws at the ground but he needed more clues. He needed to be sure what kind of monster it was because he wanted to use elixirs before the fight or put oil on his silver sword. He then entered into sewers. There were many corridors and the stink from the water was horrible. But the stink which he started feeling was different now. It was stink of dead bodies. Where are dead bodies, there are usually monsters. He followed that stink.
After couple of minutes he found the dead body. He started analyzing the man's death. He found many wounds from small teeth. Drowners. They are always in the sewers. He should have be prepared. Drowners could jump on him from anywhere. Geralt continued on his way. He found another dead body. But this time the wounds were from different monster. In the one wound he found Venom, one of the strongest known toxins. He was sure now. It was Basilisk.
He heard some noises. Monsters were close. He took his silver sword and he was waiting. Suddenly something jumped on him but he managed to jumped away. The drowner ended on the ground but he quickly stood up. Meanwhile two another drowners attacked him from behind. He quickly turned around and he made sign Igni. The monsters started burning, but the first drowner jumped on him and he bit him into his arm. Geralt elbowed him and he cut him with his sword. He turned around again and attacked the others drowners who were almost burned and they died after some seconds. Geralt then sat down. He needed to prepare on his fight with Basilisk. Maybe he'll meet another drowners on his way but he can handle them without elixirs and oils.
When he ended with preparation, he drank elixirs Golden Oriole which will provide resistance from Basilisk's Venom and Thunderbolt. He also put oil against Draconids on his silver sword. When he was ready, he continued deeper into sewers. He met some drowners again and he killed them easily. Then he came into big hall where ended many corridors. He noticed bones and also dead bodies on the ground. There were many feathers on the ground too. It had to be the Basilisk's nest. He then hid in the one of the corridor and he was waiting when the monster will finally showed up.
He was waiting at least one hour when Basilisk showed up. Geralt didn't see him but he heard him. His medallion started shaking. He went to the middle of the hall. He was listening noises of his wings, he was trying to figure out where he was. The monster suddenly attacked him from behind. He managed to jump away but the monster's claws hit him. He quickly turned around. Basilisk attacked him again from the sky, he did sign Igni and the monster fell to the ground. He ran towards the monster and he hit Basilisk with his sword. The monster screamed. Basilisk quickly stood up and he attacked the witcher but Geralt stopped the monster with his sword. They were fighting on the ground too long. Then the Basilisk flew up. He started circulating in the sky around the witcher. Geralt was watching the monster with his cat eyes.
"You lost your nerves?!" Geralt shouted at him.
Basilisk then attacked again and Geralt hit the monster with his sword but in that moment Basilisk grabbed Geralt with his claws and he knocked down to the water. The monster landed on the witcher and it wanted to kill him. Geralt was trying to throw monster away from himself but Basilisk was too strong. He scratched the witcher's chest. Geralt sighed painfully. Geralt then managed kick Basilisk and the monster fell to the ground. Geralt quickly stood up, he cut one of the monster's wings. Basilisk started to defending himself but Geralt in that moment stabbed him into chest. Basilisks fell down killed on the ground.
The witcher sighed. He then looked at himself, his whole armor was covered with slops.
"Fuck.. that stink.." Geralt sighed and took his knife. He then cut Basilisks head to show it like a proof later.
"You stink Geralt.." Yennefer said while she was preparing some potion.
"I was in the sewers and I fell down to the water with slops.. What did you expect Yen? That I will smell like a flowers?" Geralt frowned.
"I expect you to wash yourself immediately." she commanded him. "In the bathtub is still water."
Geralt frowned and without words he undressed himself and then he slowly entered into bathtub.
"To the hell! This water is so cold. Could you warm the water?" he looked at her.
"No.. the spell will pointlessly exhausted me and the cold water is good for your organism after the elixirs.." she still didn't look at him.
Geralt didn't answer. He knew that arguing with Yennefer won't make any sense.
"Anyway, did you succeed? What kind of monster it was?" she was bit curious.
"Basilisk. It looks like a dragon but it has beak instead of teeth and it lives in the dark places. It wasn't easy fight.. to be honest." Geralt stood up from bathtub after he washed himself.
"I didn't need to know every detail of this monster.. the name would be enough for me.." Yennefer admitted. Then she turned to him on the chair.
"You should rest Geralt. The elixirs exhausted you.. " she told him honestly.
"I'm not exhausted." Geralt protested.
"And please stop using them finally. They are just destroying you." she was serious. The witcher sat down on the bed. Yennefer stood up and came to him.
"I must use them before every fight. You know that." Geralt was defending himself.
"Geralt, lay down before the elixirs put you down." she sat down next to him on the bed.
"They won't.." he didn't finish because he suddenly felt cold and spasms in the whole body. He started trembling. He's again underestimated power of elixirs.
"Shit.." he said quietly for himself and he laid down on the bed.
"I told you that." she shaked her head. Geralt frowned.
"I'll look at you.. maybe that monster hurt you somewhere and the wounds can be infected." she was worried about him.
"I would feel it.." he said slowly. The exhaustion was working properly.
"Do not tell me this. You wouldn't feel that your leg is broken because of elixirs.." Yennefer said strictly and Geralt just sighed.
How he could be so irresponsible sometimes? Yennefer thought. She was really mad at him because of it. She cared about him and he was not making it very easy for her. She narrowed her eyes on him and then she started searching for wounds on his body. After couple of minutes she angrily raised her eyes at him.
"I found two wounds Geralt. They are already infected. So, you wanna tell me that you felt it?" she raised her eyebrow. Her tone of voice was serious.
"Basilisk hit me many times but I didn't feel it that way.." he looked at her. "Fine, I'll use my elixir to neutralize the infection.." he slowly raised up on his arms.
"No, you won't use any other your elixirs before my eyes. Use them when I don't see you." she said strictly.
"But the infection.." she interrupted him.
"I prepared my own potion for you which will stop the infection and it won't do any damage to your organism." she calmed down a bit. She stood up and went towards her table.
"Thank you Yen." he smiled at her when she came back to him.
She didn't answer but Geralt knew she heard him. She has communicated in this way very often. Yennefer sat down on the bed and she put the potion on his wounds. Geralt sighed painfully and then he suddenly started feeling exhaustion again. Then he slowly started falling asleep. She lay down next to him and caressed his face.
After couple of hours Geralt opened his eyes. He noticed Yennefer laying on his chest. He smiled under his nose. He loved to be in her presence. He turned to her and softly caressed her hair.
"How are you feeling?" she asked him. She surprised him, he thought she was sleeping.
"Better. Thanks to you." he smiled. She raised her eyes at him.
"You have 26 six wounds.. and two another now.." she caressed one of his wound. "Does it hurt too much?" she asked him.
"Sometimes it hurt and sometimes I don't feel it because you know why.." Geralt was honest.
"You're risking your life every time when you fight Geralt.." she didn't like the idea of losing him.
"I don't like it too.. but I'm the witcher. It's my lifestyle Yen and I can't change it." he explained but suddenly he felt the exhaustion again and he quickly fell asleep.
"Geralt?" she called on him but he didn't answer. She shaked her head and smiled. She's never felt so safe and calmly with anybody before. She embraced him tightly and then she fell asleep peacefully at his chest.
THE END: Chapter 11