Van Bereaver

Chapter 4- Saovine

Geralt

I had been roaming around the wilderness for a few weeks now. A part of me wanted to find a job to gain some coin but I wasn't in a hurry, and I enjoyed spending time with my mare, Roach.

I tossed a net into the stream I was fishing at and heaved the small load onto shore. It seemed that the stream was scarce of food and I had been lucky enough to find a meal. But, I also found something else. I sifted through the net that contained flopping fish and picked up a small jar with grooves at the top. The jar was covered with dirt and moss so I quickly washed it off to see a djinn's sigil.

Setting it down, I turned to more important matters which was food. I started a fire and grilled my fish to eat. I set Roach off to eat in the trees and whenever she was done, she would come back to me. She always did.

I heard leaves crunching and quickly stood, drawing my sword and the intruder shrieked. The shriek came from the well-known and noble troubadour Dandelion—what an odd name.

"What," I grumbled, setting down my sword.

"Aren't you happy to see me, Geralt?" he grinned. "We haven't seen each other since the engagement party."

"Have you been following me?"

"T-T- puh!" he stammered. "Yes. I have been to create more ballads. I even sang for Lady Anna Henrietta, the Dutchess of Toussaint."

"And where is your acquaintance, Sage Anika van Bereaver?"

"You're not going to ask me what songs I've written about you? You don't want to hear them? All you want to know is Sage," he rampaged on.

"Fine Dandelion. What songs have you written?"

"'Toss a Coin to Your Witcher.' Everywhere I go, someone will recgonize me and beg me to sing that one. I should probably make a new one, it's starting to get old."

"Good, Dandelion. Would you like some food?" I offered.

"Why, of course," he nodded, sitting on a log. He immediately grabbed a stick of fish and bit into it. He then reached into his satchel and brought out a loaf of bread for us to share. "My horse has more."

"So where is Sage?"

"Sage, Sage, Sage!" he repeated, annoyingly. "Why don't us men not talk about women for once? Maybe that'll get you more coin."

"It's obvious that you slept with the dutchess and had to flee Toussaint. I can see it on your face."

"And I could see that your smitten by my dear friend. I promise you, Geralt, she does not feel the same," he responded in defense to my accusation.

"I was curious with her."

"And so is everyone. No one has met a beann'shie. Her presence means a bad omen and her scream..."

"What's it like?"

"I don't know. She's mainly vocal on Saovine Night when it echos throughout the sphere and wakes everyone up."

"Doesn't the holiday start tomorrow?" I realized.

"I think. I haven't seen an Elven calendar in quite some time but in the town nearby, the people have been crafting a pillar of Falka which they will burn on the first day of November."

"We should go check it out."

Dandelion eventually agreed and we ended the fire. I collected my djinn and slid it in Roach's satchel. We trekked to the edge of the wilderness where Dandelion had said to leave his horse, Pegasus, and we rode to the town he had mentioned.