Yennefer of Vengerberg

Now at the mill, which is where his hunt and eventual kill of the Griffin had led him, he'd have to travel North West over to the Nilfgaardian Garrison to collect his reward. He mounted Roach, and by the time he'd followed the winding path past the bridge and across the water, sundown had come, the ride in total taking him two hours. He dismounted Roach and left her at the stables to rest and rehydrate, walking past the Nilfgaardian soldier at the bottom of the stairs, his shiny blade resting on his shoulder.

It was different than the last time he entered, one of the gates were already open as though expecting him, and the moment he stepped through he was hit with a red sky, the red rays bouncing off the cobblestone and dirt path almost blinding him. He saw Captain Peter Saar Gwynleve perched on one knee before the farmer that Geralt had bumped into days ago. "what the hell is this?" The Captain demanded harshly. "R-rye" the guilty looking man replied quickly. "you take me for a blind man or a fool? This grain is rotten." Gwynleve said looking at him tipping one of the bags, most of the grain that should have been a golden colour was brown, Geralt hung back and watched how the situation unfolded. "i-...I didn't know." He stuttered as the Captain stood. "so a fool. Damnit, you never learn..." He shook his head. "Military codex, article 2, section three: "For the delivery of defective goods - fifteen lashes with a knout" Make it so!" The nervous man looked at the two soldiers who were standing nearby. "No, no, no! By the gods, no!" he begged and fell to his knees. The two soldiers flanked him and pulled him away. Geralt stared after them, focused on the man.

"What?" Captain Peter Saar Gwynleve snapped harshly. "guess you've dropped your good uncle act?" Geralt responded after a moment and finally turned to face him. "it was no act. I extended a hand to these people..They spat on it." he complained. "could it be cause it held the sword that killed their loved ones?" Geralt suggested. "Hah! A moralist! And what would you do in my stead?" he asked pointing at the Witcher. "wouldn't ever be in your stead" he deadpanned. "tell me why you've come" he ordered. "fulfilled my end of the bargain. Your turn. where'd Yennefer go?" he asked. "To Vizima" the captain replied straight away. "she was a days ride from here the whole time, under my nose? might've said so." he gestured towards the captain with his hand, slightly irritated. "Yes. I might have. but you would not have killed the Griffin. Tit for Tat." he said with a scowl. Geralt turned his back and began walking away. "Halt!" the Captain demanded. "we are not done. it's yours. this gold. I would not want you to say you were inadequately compensated" He said making Geralt come to a stop in his tracks. He turned around and grabbed the pouch out of the Captain's hands, 150 crowns worth.

Geralt called Roach and rode back to Vesemir, it didn't take long to reach the tavern, and now he had to prepare to leave White Orchard with Vesemir. He entered and saw him sat at a table rather broodingly his face lit by the candle. "Yennefer's in Vizima. Got a few friends there, so..." he trailed off noticing how Vesemir didn't even glance his way. "something wrong?" Geralt asked as he sat down too. "Look around. Trouble brewing" he said as they both looked around the tavern. "who are they?" Geralt asked Vesemir looking to a table with three men as one was stabbing a knife In-between each gap of his fingers that was spread out on the table as fast as he could, unless that was he missed and stabbed or cut himself. "patriots. Drinking their seventh round for Temeria, fists starting to itch." Vesemir grumbled. "don't see any Nilfgaardians" Geralt replied. "they'll find another foe" Vesemir mumbled looking back at Geralt. "I'll buy some provisions for the journey. then we'll go" he nodded. "Geralt. we should stay out of it...just this once." Vesemir warned him as he stood up.

Geralt listened and waited and watched as Vesemir approached the bar. "What happened to the lilies?" a woman sat at the bar asked the older woman behind it. The woman briefly stopped stirring whatever was in her pot and glanced behind her at the short haired lady. "Took 'em down" she replied quickly getting back to work. "Took 'em down? To hand a golden sun there now?" she asked in disbelief and anger as she tapped her index finger impatiently along the rim of her goblet. The older woman came forward and took Vesemirs bottle from him, all the while staring at the younger lady who slammed her goblet down on the side. "I cannot show Temerian colours. they'll come and burn the tavern down" the drunken woman clenched her fist. "maybe it's true what they say? you fond of the imperials? you Nilfgaard's whore?" the woman didn't reply, her brows furrowing slightly, returning the now full bottle back to Vesemir who grabbed it immediately. "I'll let that pass. I know grief eats at your heart" the woman behind the bar said calmly. she leaned towards the younger one, who stood up. pushing her stool back and slapping her palms down on the top. "you know shit. That hanged my sister - dragged her out o' the cloister like a dog. said Nilfgaard's no place for superstition. that they don't fear the wrath of the gods. And you, do you fear it?" Vesemir remained at the bar, even Geralt had noticed the commotion now, and other customers were starting to listen in. "if not for Annie your child woulda choked on its navel string. you owe your son to my sister attending the birth. and you don't fear the gods' wrath?" The woman behind the bar tried to turn away and leave the conversation but the other girl grabbed her arm tightly tugging her back. "let go!" she screeched. the angry girl grabbed both sides of the other woman's head, fingers gripping into her hair. "you don't fear it, you cunt?!" The angry woman too focused to see that she was reaching across the surface top to reach a meat clever. the woman removed one hand and violently shoved down the side of the woman's head onto the bar, her temple connecting to it with a thud, shortly followed with a scream of pain. she was barely given any time to recover before her head was being gripped again from both sides and lifted up and smacked hack down, her forehead hitting the top of the worktop, she did it again and again, smashing the woman's head on top of the counter until blood was running from an open wound at the bridge of her nose and she was on her knees unable to stand. The reason it wasn't worse was because Vesemir interrupted. He approached from behind and grabbed the woman's arms raising them up. "Leave me be!" she whined like an insolent child and snatched her hands away. a man came over at the woman's protests and shoved Vesemirs shoulder barely nudging him to the side, with this, Geralt scowled and stood up pushing the chair back quickly with the back of his legs and quickly making his way around the table. the two blokes on the table beside him, villagers, also stood up. "recognise this medallion? you know what it means. back off." Vesemir growled as he held the wolf medallion around his neck for them to see. The woman took the opportunity to storm off, Geralt came over to peer over the bar to the woman who was holding a hand to her face and sitting on the floor. "you all right?" Geralt asked. "they say witchers steal young 'uns!" the man who pushed Vesemir asked. "that true?" he asked. "What'd the emperor promise you freaks? your own land? like he did the elves once?" another man continued on, a steady line of the men now appearing in front of them. "Get out. all of you" Vesemir grumbled to the six men as he watched one in the middle crack his knuckles. "we ain't going nowhere" another replied reaching to his side and drawing out a wooden blackjack, a blunted weapon like a baseball bat. "and neither are you" the others mumbled drawing out their weapons. "they won't back down now" Geralt and Vesemir drew their swords from their sheaths on their back. "I can see that" Geralt replied to Vesemirs comment. "For Temeria!" one of the men shouted, and the fight began.

it was over almost as quick as it began, it took three minutes for Geralt and Vesemir combined to defeat the six men, all of them dead on the floor, the last one Geralt cut across the knee, he fell to his floor and Geralt Swiftly decapitated him with a flick of his wrist. the man's head rolled away and next to the woman who had assaulted the other one early. Geralt had blood dripping all down the front of his armour. "it's all right. it's over" He said making his way over to her and extending a hand to help her up. she instead scrambled away, crawling backwards along the floor. "Leave me be! Get away!" she whined. Geralt frowned softly and looked at her confused, a pang of hurt in his eyes. she stood up and ran away, Geralt slowly standing up fully, hand still slightly extended out, not knowing why she'd refused his help. "see his face? god's save us!" a man in the room said, much to Geralt's hurt, he'd just wanted to help. The woman at the bar his behind the counter. "Begone. and don't ever come back." she said.

Vesemir walked over to Geralt and slapped a hand on his shoulder making the other witcher surprised, briefly catching him off guard, he turned around to look at the old man. "So much for not getting involved. come on. let's go." He told Geralt who looked at Geralt with narrowed sad eyes. They walked outside the tavern and were met with a small band of Nilfgaardian Soldiers, one in the middle surrounded by three other soldiers who had black wings on their helmet. "That brawl. we didn't start it" Geralt said immediately, he stopped. trailing off, he couldn't believe what he was seeing.

A woman walked towards him with a steady stride, wearing all black and white, just over shoulder length raven hair flowing down her back, her pale skin and light pink lips grew Geralt in. He swallowed and he stared at her, lips parting slightly as he watched her saunter towards them slowly. "Excuses, excuses... You've not changed a bit." Came the sarcastic woman's voice, but in a friendly way. Her lips turned into a small smirk and she came to a stop in front of the soldiers, resting both her hands on her hips as she looked at Geralt. "Ye...Yen? How?" Geralt asked immediately taking a nervous step towards her. "I received a report. About a Witcher who'd appeared in White Orchard. I knew it was you. Looking for me." Yennefer briskly walked over to Geralt and stopped but two feet away from him. "I might've waited until you found me, but...you know me. Patience has never been my strong suit." Yennefer told him, ignoring Vesemir shaking his head behind Geralt, not amused. "it's...good to see you, Geralt. I...I'd even embrace you...were you not covered in blood." she tried to find the words. "sorry...wasn't expecting to see you. To be honest, this isn't at all how I imagined we'd meet." he shook his head and gazed into her light blue eyes. "How did you imagine it?" Yennefer teased slightly. "He didn't imagine you'd have a Nilfgaardian escort." Vesemir cut in coldly. "Don't get me wrong, Yennefer. I'm glad to see you...but I do think you owe us an explanation." Vesemir and Yennefer exchanged a glance, Geralt's gaze fixed on the fair woman before him. "And I shall provide it...in Vizima. Ready your horses." Yennefer said immediately. "We can talk here. some charming orchards nearby. in bloom, even, so you almost can't smell the corpses." Geralt said making Yennefer smile slightly. "A tempting proposition. sadly, I must say no" she replied raised one eyebrow. "You see. someone awaits you in Vizima. Someone who doesn't like to be kept waiting." She paused a moment before carrying on. "Emperor Emhyr Var Emreis...or, to those on more intimate terms with him, the White Flam Dancing on the Graves of His Foes." Yennefer explained. "doubt I number among that group. Far as I remember, last time we saw each other, he wanted to kill me." he shrugged. "Well, now he wishes to make you an offer" she warned. "The kind one can't refuse?" Vesemir inquired. "I didn't. Though I could have." yennefer replied seriously. "Must've been a damn good offer, then" Geralt said gazing at Yennefer still, glad to see her. "Not many things you'd give up your freedom for. And even fewer people." Yennefer dodged the question. "The sooner we set off, the sooner you'll find out" she turned her back and left the men. "what about you?" Geralt asked Vesemir turning to face the old mentor. "I'm going in the opposite direction. I somehow doubt the emperor's invitation mentioned me. Besides, I've for things to do at Kaer Morhen, remember?" He replied to Geralt. "Yeah, I remember. Thanks for your help, Vesemir. see you soon." the two clasped forearms and firmly shook before Geralt walked over to Yennefer who still had her hands on her hips. "How's your horse? Swift?" She questioned. "can't complain. why do you ask?" He asked coming to stop to face her. "I'd like to he back behind some thick city walls. As soon as possible" Yennefer added as they both walked off to the stables nearby and went to their own horses, mounting them for their ride to Vizima.