Ancient Wanderers - The Witcher

Chapter 4: The End's Beginning

*Unedited

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𝓐𝓯𝓽𝓮𝓻  retrieving my horse, Death, I follow the faint scent that I associate with Geralt - a blend of horse, nature, and blood but under that the musk of leather, amber, and warm spice.

We trot into the forest surrounding Blaviken, darting through trees before we arrive at a stream. I spot him, watering his mount. My feet make ample sound as I leave Death behind to walk over to the Witcher. Wouldn't want to startle one as deadly as he.

"She's not what you think," I say as a greeting.

He does not reply, but he cocks his head so I know he's listening.

"She used to be a princess. She had everything any young girl could dream of." I continue, "Until Stregobor sent a huntsman to butcher her in the woods and bring back her heart and liver."

"She killed him," he answers.

I shrug, knowing full well that he's looking at me out of the corner of his eyes, "With her mother's brooch. She still keeps it with her, you know?"

I approach him and he shifts to finally lock gazes with me. His horse turns towards me and nudges me. Without asking, I stroke the brown mare's head. She eats up the attention.

"Horses have always loved me," I ramble, "Do not ask me why, for I cannot say."

I lovingly pet the creature and whisper, "Such a pretty girl."

"Her name is Roach."

I continue to spoil the animal before I sigh and turn towards the Witcher once more, "Stregobor's man took pity on her and let her go. After that son of a bitch raped her and robbed her."

Sensing my change of mood, Roach nudges me again. My hand absentmindedly begins to stroke her once more.

"No more princess," I add. "She had to survive. The pretty dress grew torn. The dirt, hunger, stench, stink, and abuse became her new life. She stole rather than starved. It was only dumb luck and perhaps a touch of Destiny that brought her to me."

The Witcher scowls at my mention of the Destiny. I ignore it, "I made sure she would never go hungry again. She never had to sell herself to old bums for soup or a roof over her head after me. But she had many times in the year she was by herself. I taught her how to defend herself."

"You taught her to kill."

"Should I feel regret? My lessons helped her to avoid the assassins and poisons and spells that her stepmother and Stregobor sent," I reply with not a single drop of remorse, "She killed rather than be killed."

"Aridea and Stregobor tried to poison her?"

I nod before recounting the story, leaving out how I too ate part of the fruit, though it had little effect on me, "With an apple seasoned with nightshade. She was saved by myself and a gnome."

"One of the seven gnomes?"

I tilt my head, "Ah, you seem to know a lot about her."

"Tales of the Shrike circulated far and wide."

I grimace, "She hates being called that... even though that title bought her many protections."

His eyes seem to doubt me.

"The heads on spikes part of the story is true," I admit, "Though they left out how all of Renfri's kills were self-defense. I would know, I was there."