NOVIGRAD - Redania
"Why are you in Oxenfurt? I miss you here." She caressed his wet hair.
"I've got a job there." He kissed her neck.
"You barely visit me."
He pressed his lips on her shoulder. "That's not true."
"You've visited me only four times since you left there. That's neglecting witcher."
"You're exaggerating." He laughed a bit.
"You have a new girl there. Haven't you?" She narrowed her eyes on him.
"Just one waitress in the Tavern."
"Better than me?"
"No, one night stand. You have different spot in my heart."
"I had to hear incorrectly. You really said you have a heart?" She laughed.
"Anna.." He leaned over her. "Make yourself a tea. Okay?" He kissed her lips.
"Don't worry, I will."
"Good." He stood up from the bed and grabbed his pants and then his shirt.
"But I wouldn't mind to have your kid Gabriel.." She told him teasingly. He froze for a moment while he was putting his pants. Then he put his shirt on and sat down on the edge of bed without a word. She moved to him and sat down on his lap.
She started buttoning his shirt. He was staring at her face.
"Look at us, we would make a perfect couple."
His mouth shivered in small smile. "In different life, maybe."
"You stubborn realist." She shakes her head with the smile.
"And you naive optimist."
"I really wonder which woman will broke your iron heart and finally let emotions in it."
"Well, neither you succeeded." He made amusement smile.
"And you're still surprised why?"
"Not at all." He admitted.
"So, you see." She raised his chin with her hand. "How's your arm?"
"Better, thank you."
"I don't like this wound. It can easily get infected again. You should check it more often."
"I'll try."
"I'm serious. You would be dead without me. You're lucky I'm medic working in army."
"I am." He said honestly.
"You should stop risking your life Gabe." She caressed his cheek.
"Without risking my life I will be moneyless."
"There are plenty different jobs you could do instead."
"There are, but I like this one." He kissed her cheek and stood up.
"Stay here a little longer.."
"I need to go Anna. Tomorrow I need to be back in Oxenfurt and I'm already in hurry."
She stood up from the bed and stepped behind him. "This has never stopped you before.."
He turned to her. "Things have changed."
She narrowed her eyes at him and smiled. "There is someone, isn't it?"
"No, it's not."
"Gabriel, I know when you're lying. You live in Oxenfurt for a year now. You have to met many people already."
"Fine." He rolled his eyes. "I met a witcher's family and I'm living with them almost a three months."
"You're full of surprises."
"Tell me about it." He said sarcastically.
She wrapped her arms around his neck. "Don't go.."
He hugged her. "I have to."
She pulled away from him. "Okay, but have a bath with me first." She started unbuttoning his shirt. "We're both sweaty." She kissed him.
"I can survive it." He told her between kisses.
She looked at him teasingly "But you owe me."
In that moment he raised her into his arms. "Let's make it worth then." He kissed her and left with her to another room.
They were sitting naked in a bathtub opposite to each other.
She was staring at his thoughtful face. "What is? Maybe you're here with me, but your thoughts are somewhere else."
He came back to the mind. "I have a problem I need help with. It's really messing with my mind."
"Then tell me about it." Anna relaxed and leaned to the edge of the bathtub.
"I'm in love with a woman I can never have." Finally he let it out from himself.
She was bit surprised by his answer. She didn't expect to hear this from him at all. "You talk about love, but you have no idea what it is Gabe." She was honest.
"You're right. I don't know anything about it. I lived alone before I met her. Maybe I'll live alone again. But it's fucking torture Anna. It's torture to love her. That all I can do is to dream of her.. If this is not the love then I don't know what is." He stated.
"Only you can compare torturing to loving. But you persuaded me. You're definitely in love." She shake her head with the smile. "But why can't you have her? She's with another man, I assume?"
"Yeah, but that's not the point. The point is I'm in love with her and I..." He sighed. "It's driving me crazy. I'm not in control." he explained.
"You don't trust yourself around her?" she raised her eyebrow.
"I don't trust myself around anyone. I'm bad Anna. I do things. I kill people.. I kill monsters." his eyes got darker.
"Okay, I know you kill monsters because you're the witcher, but why do you kill people then?"
"Because I like it. It's in my nature, it's who I am. But then I want to protect her and she wants me to be a better man, which means I can't be who I am. Do you see the problem I'm having?"
"Well, maybe this is who you are now. Love does that Gabriel. It change us." Anna told him honestly.
"Please stop talking. Kiss me and be my distraction." he leaned over her and kissed her.
TWO DAYS LATER - Oxenfurt
It was couple minutes after midday and Yennefer was looking at people walking the streets to distract herself. She was waiting on Geralt. But for her surprise she didn't have to wait too long.
He give her a smile when he noticed her.
Yennefer waited till he came to her and then she hugged him.
"You're late." she snuggled closer to him. She loved to be in his strong arms.
Geralt smiled. "Only two minutes."
She pulled away from him. "I'm glad you haven't forgotten counting."
"Hmm.." he pressed his lips on hers.
"Where is that house?" she asked him kindly when they pulled away from each other.
"Two streets away from here."
"Then let's go." Yennefer smiled. He grabbed her hand and they turned to leave, but then they both got surprised as the person in front of them.
"How are you doing it that you always just appear somewhere?" Geralt told him with amusement.
"That's years of practice." The young witcher's mouth shivered into smile.
"It seems to me like you're trying to hide something." Yennefer said with teasing tone.
Gabriel's face almost got white, but he answered calmly as he could in that moment. "Why would I do that?"
She smiled teasingly. "Well, you tell me wolf pup."
"Stop torturing him Yen, you will just scared him. He's not me, so you could tease him all the time." Geralt laughed.
Yennefer was smiling. "That's not true. I think he can handle a lot."
Gabriel was trying to smile and hide his embarrassed at the same time. "Can I?"
Yennefer leaned closer to him and softly slap his face couple of times. "Of course you can." She winked at him. Gabriel almost swallowed.
Then she stepped back and grabbed Geralt's arm.
Geralt looked at him thoughtfully, but his eyes were full of amusement which clearly caused the sorceress's behavior. "But maybe I could use your years of practise. Are you free now?"
Gabriel face didn't even move. "Yes, I am."
"Then come with us." Geralt smiled.
The young witcher just nodded. They started walking away.
"Are you sure it's safe Geralt?" Yennefer told him worried when they entered inside the house.
"Of course. The murder happened yesterday and as I am aware the both victims should be after dead now." He explained calmly. "Or you think that the bodies can raise from the dead just like that Yen?" Geralt raised his eyebrow.
Yennefer ignored his amusement in his voice. "No, I don't think that." she smirked.
"Thank God, I almost thought you have started to be paranoid." Geralt was smiling.
Yennefer in that moment elbowed him into his ribs. "That's not what I was asking you witcher."
The witcher laughed. "I know, I just like to tease you as well." He kissed her forehead.
She rolled her eyes with the smile on her face. "You're lucky I love you that much, otherwise you would be laying on the floor in the pain right know."
Geralt hugged her from behind and pushed her body closer to him. "Well, I'm definitely the lucky one." He smiled and caressed her back. Yennefer mouth shivered into smile and then she wrapped her arms around him. They continued to another room in the hug.
"You are somehow quiet Gabriel." Yennefer told him with the question in her voice.
He tried to answer calmly. "I didn't want to interrupt your talk."
They stopped walking and she turned to him. "You don't have to feel ashamed in front of us, you know that."
"I know." Gabriel admitted a bit sadly.
Yennefer noticed it, but she didn't say anything.
"When did you return to Oxenfurt anyway? I haven't seen you almost a week." Geralt asked him while he was looking at broken plates on the table.
The young witcher stiffened a sigh. "Yesterday."
Yennefer looked at him confused. "Why you didn't come to tell us that you're back?"
"I had some things to do." Gabriel answered without emotions.
Geralt interrupt Yennefer's try for another question. "We should find the victims. There is nothing helpful to see in this room anymore."
Then all of them went upstairs.
Geralt was kneeling down and examining one of the bodies. He was examining the wounds and bruises. He was looking for clues which could tell him why this man was killed. But at least the witcher didn't have to find out who killed those two people, because he already knew it.
This was again work of Raven.
Yennefer was meanwhile searching the whole room. She was looking for something suspicious or clear things which could help their investigation.
The witcher was fully poured in his work when he heard his name. "Geralt, come to look at this."
The witcher raised his eyes on her, then he stood up and went towards her.
"I found it covered in the shelf. There is written some agreement of borrowing the money and then the debt. There are also some conditions and threats. But that's not so important now." Yennefer pointed on the letter which was now laying on the table with her hand. "Do you recognize this signature or signet?"
Geralt narrowed his eyes. "I don't recognize the signet, but I do recognize the signature. I think I've seen it once, but I can't really remember where.. " he started thinking.
"Maybe try to remember what were you doing when you saw it." Yennefer suggested.
Geralt's mind was racing. "I was in Arden, I think I got the contract on Archgriffyn." He paused. Then his eyes flashed. He looked at her with the excitement. "I think I know whom is that signature!"
"That's great that you know babe, but you should be more specific." Yennefer laughed a bit.
"I should have sign the contract, so I could guarantee the king that I won't ignore it. But I wasn't alone on it. The king already found the witcher and I should have joined him. That's where I saw this signature. It was written on that contract." Geralt explained.
"Alright, then whom it belongs?"
"His name is Joshua Fachs. He is from the School of Cat."
Suddenly the noise of kicked glassy bottles filled the room. They both turned around with raised eyebrows.
"Sorry, I forgot to look under my feet." Gabriel was trying to smile. Then he put back the bottles as they were before.
Yennefer looked back at Geralt. "But that means then one of your friends is responsible for those murders."
"He's not my friend. He's just a psychopathic, very skilled murderer." Geralt was serious.
"Then we have to report him to commander of Oxenfurt's guards Geralt."
"It's not that simple Yen. Witchers from School of Cat are not like us." He softly caressed her face. Then his eyes filled the anger. "They don't hesitate to kill, rob or rape just for fun. They also don't hesitate to work as hired assassins. I have no idea whether they chose their candidates specifically from young outcasts with a penchant for aggression, or if some unforeseen cruelty was somehow unleashed during the trials, but the final effect was a cadre of psychopaths, madmen, and sadists. Needless to say, the ill fame of their deeds hangs like a dark cloud over our reputation to this day."
Yennefer started thinking. "So, you think he could be killing for someone?"
Geralt nodded. "Yes, it's very possible."
Yennefer sighed. "It's getting too complicated."
The witcher smiled at her. "Don't worry, we will solve this." Then he turned to the young one. "What do you think about it?"
Gabriel almost swallowed. "Me?"
"Not my grandpa." Geralt laughed a bit. "Of course I meant you. I told you maybe I could use your help. So, I'm asking on your opinion." They both went closer to him.
The young witcher felt how his face started sweating. He cleared his throat. "Well, like Yennefer said, it's getting too complicated."
"Hmm.." Geralt scratched his chin. "What would you do?"
"What would I do?" Gabriel tried to lower his fast breathing.
"Yes, tell me." Geralt told him calmly.
"Maybe I would first look at the bodies.." his voice almost trembled. He swallowed. "You know, the way how the victims were killed can tell you many things."
Geralt crossed his arms. "I'm surprise you said that, because you barely looked at that bodies today." He said honestly.
The young witcher's face was suddenly white.
Yennefer came closer to him. "Gabriel, are you alright?"
He felt how the drops of the sweat started falling down his back. "Why I wouldn't be?" He tried to smile.
"Are you sure? Because you look like short before fainting." Yennefer said with worry in her voice.
He took a deep breath. "It could be just a stomach issues. My lunch didn't fit me." He tried to answer calmly.
It seemed like the sorcerer's worries stopped because she didn't ask anything else.
"What do you think it about that wound?" Geralt suddenly appeared next to him and pointed at one of the bodies.
Gabriel looked at the body. "Victim tried to defend herself which are proving the bruises. But the wound is too accurate. She died within a seconds." Then he quickly looked away.
"What about the second body?" The witcher looked at him.
Gabriel squeezed his fists. "Stabbed into liver. Immediate death."
"Good examination even though you didn't get too close to the bodies." Geralt admitted. "What's your conclusion then?"
Gabriel lowered his eyes. "That the killer isn't amateur. He haven't kill for the first time."
"Do you think the killer could be Joshua Fachs?"
He stiffened a sigh. "Probably. It suits his style of killing.." He paused "Sorry, I need to go now." Without looking at them he almost stormed out from the room.
"That boy is full of surprises." Yennefer admitted a bit confused.
"Or a secrets.." Geralt said thoughtfully for himself.
Gabriel stormed out from the house and then he started vomiting into the grass. He couldn't stand it anymore. He couldn't look at people which he killed yesterday. What was the worse that he was lying to Geralt and Yennefer, someone who trusted him and he betrayed them..
He vomited again.
Then he started leaving away. He needed to be alone. He needed to forget. He needed to drink the unbearable anxiety away..
He saw the Bear Tavern. He was couple meters away from it when someone interrupted him.
"You know it's not wise to come back on the same places?" The witcher stood up from the table in front of the tavern.
"What do you want Joshua?" Gabriel told him without emotions. He needed to be alone. He didn't need this moron around him, at least not now.
"If it would be up to me, I wouldn't even care about you Gabriel. You know, when you left us, you broke my heart." He made a sad face.
"Can you stop pretending that you care?"
"Gladly." Joshua faked his smile." Lehart wants to see you."
"Suddenly he remembered that I exist after half a year?" Gabriel smirked.
"I don't fucking care what he wants with you. I just have to bring you to him."
"Can't wait to meet him." Gabriel said sarcastically.
They entered inside some house. They came to the hall. Two witchers were already waiting on them. Gabriel quickly recognized his old brothers, Axel and Kiyan. But the fact they were here was making him more uneasy. It meant they were in this shit all together again. Joshua nodded towards them. In that moment they attacked and captured him. Then they tied his hands behind his back.
Gabriel didn't even managed to react on them because he didn't expect it at all. "What the hell is this?" he almost growled.
"It's just one of a preventive measures. You are always so explosive and we wanted to be sure you won't do some stupidness." Joshua told him calmly.
"Fuck those measures. I want to be treated like one of you, not a fucking prisoner." Gabriel said angrily.
"Calm down kitten. In a moment you will be free again like a raven." Joshua started smiling in provoking way.
The young witcher smirked. "I'm curious."
They started pulling him to another room.
Kiyan leaned closer to him while they were walking. "I'm sorry Gabe.." he whispered to him. Then he pulled back.
Gabriel understood his reaction. They weren't friends, but they were partners which respected each other.
At least someone was normal, Gabriel thought.
They pushed him to his knees. Then they stepped aside.
Gabriel looked around the room. There were couple soldiers, but mostly witchers. He wondered what they were doing for Lehart. Then he noticed Joshua going towards some man using one stick. The witcher was telling him something, then they both turned to him and came closer.
"So, you're my iron in the fire." The man with the stick told him.
Gabriel gave him a death stare. "That's how you treat people who works for you?"
"So, rude. I like him." Lehart started laughing. "Why you didn't show him to me sooner Joshua?"
"When you have an ace up his sleeve, you have to wait till the best opportunity." Joshua's eyes flashed.
"So, it's true what you told me about him?" Lehart asked him calmly.
"Without a doubt." Joshua made it clear.
"You don't know anything about me." The young witcher stated.
Lehart then looked straight into his eyes. "Oh, believe me I do know you Raven."
Gabriel face froze in that moment.
"Never caught, never seen.. nicknamed by villagers as a Phantom of death. The Raven. Where he goes the death follows.. or am I wrong?" Lehart raised his eyebrow.
Gabriel was trying to act normally and cover his uneasiness. "I'm not that person anymore."
Lehart's eyes got darker. "Really? Because your kills says something different."
"I have to pay the debt to you or did you forget?!" he spill it into his face.
"Then you're doing fucking bad job when your murders are getting investigate!" In that moment he hit him with his stick into his stomach. Gabriel stiffened painful sigh.
Lehart continued angrily. "You do realize if they will find you, then they will go right after me?"
"Yes, I do." He answered without emotions.
His stomach was again hit by the stick. "Clearly not enough." He then calmed down a bit, but in his voice were a warning. "You will do everything to stop that investigation of your murderers. Cover your clues or make a false one. I don't care what you will do, but they can't find you. Do you understand?"
Gabriel wanted to kill him with his eyes. "Yes, I understand."
Lehart faked smiled. "Then I'm glad we understand each other." He turned to Joshua. "Give him a proper lecture."
Joshua smiled under his nose, then he nodded towards his men.
After couple of seconds they grabbed Gabriel by his arms and they started pulling him away from the room. "Hey! Where are you taking me!?" Gabriel was trying to escape.
Lehart ignored the young protesting witcher. "But do not make it too obvious Joshua. I don't want that bruises to arouse any suspicion." He was serious.
"Sure." He paused. "Do you think he knows about it?" Joshua asked him.
Lehart made a cheeky smile. "He has no idea."
PHILIPPA'S HOUSE - Oxenfurt
Ciri entered inside the dining room. It was couple of hours after sunset. She thought she will find Geralt here but instead she found Eskel, Lambert and Gabriel playing cards and drinking beer.
She raised her eyebrow. "Did you see Geralt?"
Lambert looked at her. "No. But isn't he with Yennefer?"
"Yennefer is sleeping with Jahve." Ciri explained.
"Then maybe he went for a walk. He is doing it very often these days." Eskel admitted.
Gabriel was looking at her without the word. Their looks met.
Ciri smirked. "What are you looking at?" she told the young witcher angrily. She turned around. "Thanks for any information at all.." She said sarcastically and left from the room.
"What's got into her?" Eskel was confused.
"I have no idea." Lambert answered honestly.
Gabriel was silent. But her behaviour got his interest.
"Ha, I won!" Lambert said with excitement.
Eskel cursed.
Almost one hour passed. Ciri was laying on the bed in her room and thinking when someone knocked on the door.
She narrowed her eyes. "Come in."
The door opened. "I heard you was looking for me." Geralt smiled at her and came closer to her.
"Geralt!" Ciri said happily. She jumped from her bed and almost ran towards him. She hugged him.
Geralt laughed. "Easy, you almost knocked me down."
"I missed you." Ciri purred.
The witcher smiled. "I missed you too."
She pulled away from him. "I wanted to speak with you."
"What is it?" Geralt said kindly.
"I want to go to Novigrad."
"What?" The witcher got surprised. "Like now?"
"Yes, now. I want to surprise Matthew.."
He interrupted her. "No."
She got confused. "Why not?" She expected he won't have any problem with it.
"Because it's dangerous. Rience could be anywhere and.."
She cut him. "So, now I can't do anything because Rience could harm me? I can take care of myself Geralt. I've proved it to you many times." She was serious.
"I know you can take care of yourself, but this is different situation." Geralt was trying to make her understand.
She looked at him with sad eyes. "You think I'm weak. That I'm not able to do it."
"No, I didn't say that. I just don't want you to go alone.." He caressed her cheek.
She pulled away from him and then turned her back to him.
"Ciri.."
"No matter how hard I train, no matter what I do, it will never be enough for you." she said with disappointment.
He came closer to her and put his hand on her shoulder. "You are already enough for me Cirilla. You are extraordinary."
"Then why you don't want me to go alone?" She turned to him with the frustration.
"Because I'm your father and I don't want something happen to you." He said with caring voice.
"No.." She shakes her head. "It's all about choices and you already chose for me."
"Being strong it's a choice Ciri, not an ability." He gave her sad look.
"You don't understand.." she was trying to hold her tears.
"I do understand. I do understand how you feel. But risking your life for others if you don't have to, it's reckless." He caressed her hair.
"You would do the same for Yennefer.." She protested.
"She would understand why I wouldn't do it."
Ciri's face changed. "But I don't understand." she started leaving away from him.
Geralt got sad.
Suddenly the door opened and Ciri stormed out from the room.
Yennefer in that moment entered inside the room with the confusion on her face.
"What happened to her? I didn't even manage to greet with her."
Geralt looked at her sadly.
Yennefer understood. "She wants to leave.."
The witcher nodded.
Yennefer came to him and hugged him.
He caressed her back. "She just wants to visit Matthew, but how can I let her go alone now? The killers are literally behind our backs. I couldn't say yes to her. Not now."
"She will understand why you did it Geralt. She just needs some time."
"She thinks I don't believe in her.." Geralt said sadly.
Yennefer pulled away from him and caressed his face. "No other love in the world is like the love of father has for his little girl. You're always so stubborn when it's about her." she smiled at him. "You behaved like her father, not a friend. That's why you didn't let her go. You made a right decision Geralt."
Geralt smiled a bit. "I wonder why she didn't go after you first.."
"Is this even a question? She knew she wouldn't have a chance with me, so she rather didn't try it at all. With you she had at least a small chance. You are more persuasive." Yennefer laughed a bit.
"Am I?" Geralt was teasing her.
"Definitely." She laughed again. "Now behave like my husband please." She kissed him on his lips.
"With pleasure.." Geralt smiled and returned the kiss.
Ciri went outside the house. She needed the fresh air and clear her mind. She understood Geralt's decision, but she couldn't accept it. She was strong enough and she will prove it to him. Somehow.
She looked at the sky, it was full of stars already. She smiled a bit.
"Life sucks, huh?" He interrupted her from her thoughts.
She looked at him. He was laying over the column in the shadows and he had crossed arms.
"What are you doing here?" Ciri said without emotions. She didn't want to see him or talk to him. He has disappeared again and returned back like nothing happened. She lost her patience with him. She lost her patience with his secrets..
"Looking at the stars."
"You should find a better excuse if you want to impress me."
He came towards her. "I'm not trying to impress you."
"Oh, really?" she said with sarcasm.
"You have your days, don't you?" Gabriel asked her with calm face.
She couldn't stop her facial expression which looked like a bad morning. "Excuse me?"
"I've noticed you're more irritated when you have your period. You're also explosive which you're usually not."
She thought she didn't hear him well. What the hell he just told her?
"Oh my god Gabriel.. Are you spying on me or what?"
"No, I'm not. Why would I do that?" Gabriel was confused.
She sighed. "Can you just leave me be for now? I don't really have a mood."
"Fine, I will look again on the stars then." He put his hands into his pockets and raised his eyes on the sky.
Ciri raised his eyebrow. "Really? Now you pretend that I'm not here at all?"
He looked at her calmly. "I was here first. So, if you don't want to be in my presence anymore, then you should leave princess."
Her mouth almost shivered in a smile. "You're a fool."
"A fool who is trying to understand what happened to you."
She sighed again. "I want to go to Novigrad, but Geralt don't want to let me go there." She didn't know why she told him this, but it was so easy talking to him sometimes.
Gabriel's face changed. It was more thoughtful. "Why he doesn't want to let you go?"
"Because he worries about me. He won't let me go alone."
Gabriel didn't say anything for a while. She almost thought he lost interest about her.
The young witcher then looked straight into her eyes. "You can go with me if you want. I'm going there in two days."
Ciri got surprised. She expected everything but not this. "I.. don't know.. I.." She was searching for words.
"I will protect you. Nothing will happen to you when you'll be with me. You have my word." Gabriel was honest.
She started thinking. She knew what was at stake and what she could cause if she would accept his offer. She knew it was bad idea, that it will have a consequences..
She made a serious face. "I will go with you, but we will leave in early morning."
"Okay." Gabriel didn't protest. "Any special requests?"
She came closer to him. "Do not dare to try something on me."
He noticed warning in her voice. He leaned closer to her. "I would never.." He made a cheeky smile.
"I hope so." She smirked. "But I will need to write a letter that I'm leaving. I owe at least this to my parents." She said with doubt in her voice.
Gabriel understood.