« Don't need to tell you but your arrow's made of stars,
and the shot that you've made punched it straight into my heart.
It's a little ignorant but everybody's saying that forever is the place
where you and I were made. »
Started: November, 2020
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[ The witcher kept riding in silence, he clenched his jaw and he didn't look at her. ]
It was almost night again when they reached the next town. Perhaps it wasn't the safest or wisest idea, but Darrene had decided (without telling anyone) to stay in this town. She was clearly not wanted amongst the people that had helped her and did not want to be a burden or a nuisance. She also didn't want them to become one of either for her.
The town was small, she didn't have the opportunity to see much of it due to the lack of light. As they rode slowly through it, she took sight of a tavern, an inn and a few houses that looked nearly abandoned.
The trio tied their horses to the wooden poles outside of the inn and entered it. The place was the same as the town, barely one or two candles could be seen lighting up what they could of the room.
The innkeeper was an old man, behind the counter he looked almost disfigured by the shifting candlelight. Darrene just assumed that perhaps it was just that what made him look that way, the bad lighting. They got close to him, so much so that she could clearly see how his skull was sunken on its left side, a part of it was missing.
Darrene looked at both of the men she had come with. The bard seemed both mesmerized and horrified by the sight in front of him, and the witcher just had an unbothered look plastered on his face while he asked for three rooms, as if it was the most normal thing he had seen lately.
Apparently, there was no one else staying at the inn at that moment, yet they only had two rooms available. The inn was pretty dingy, it looked like it was going to fall apart at any second, but it was the only one in the small village so they would have to settle with what they had. The men went into the room with two individual beds, leaving the one with just one bed to her.
The rush of adrenaline from the hectic day had worn out a few hours ago and she felt like a bunch of horses had run her over. While she took off her boots, she also untied her corset lazily, and when it was loose enough to not have to untie it anymore she just let it slide to the floor. She took off her dress and threw it on the floor, near her corset and shoes. Darrene threw herself on the bed, her arms slightly hanging off the small piece of furniture, but that didn't stop her from drifting off to sleep quickly.
Darrene woke up with the sunlight beaming right into her eyes. She still felt tired but visibly better than the night before. She pulled herself from the uncomfortable bed and quickly threw on the same dress and corset that she had used the day before. She laced her corset loosely enough for it to be comfortable and put on her boots while walking out of the room.
The brunette woman looked around at the bottom floor while she walked down the creaking wooden stairs, observing everything that she couldn't see before. Even now, the small wooden windows of the place didn't light it up much. She caught a glimpse of grey hair in a corner so she walked towards it. She sat down beside the bard, in front of the witcher. The first one was apparently telling a story to the latter, who answered in monosyllables and grunts, looking down at his plate.
"And then he-"
"We are leaving in a few hours." Geralt interrupted Jaskier, evidently not having paid attention to the story since the start, "When the sun is higher."
A plate with a piece of bread was placed in front of Darrene. She looked at the person that was serving her, finding the innkeeper scowling back at her before leaving.
She spoke after taking a bite off her food, not looking at him either, "I'm staying."
He lifted his head and looked at her for the first time since she had entered the room, "It's not safe here." Geralt turned his voice into a whisper, leaning forward even though there was no one close, "If the bandits reached your town yesterday, they will reach this town in no time."
"I do not care, if there's any issue, I will sort it out it on my own." Darrene spoke with confidence, looking back into those yellow eyes, "I am very much capable of defending myself."
The witcher was serious, almost scowling, but he seemingly wasn't in the mood for fighting so he just answered with a faint "fine" and dropped a couple of silver coins on the table while he stood up, almost dropping his chair.
He stormed out muttering something about preparing his mare and Darrene turned her head towards the bard, who gave her a shrug and a grimace. After some seconds, he also stood up and walked outside. The woman didn't move, she chose to stay seated until she finished her meal and a little bit after as well, looking at the moths that were eating away the wood on the table.
