The Path: A witcher's tale

Chapter 21

I entered the palace of the Koviri monarch Esterad Thyssen with Íbegard as the court official heralded our arrival seeing as he ran into the palace without a second thought. When I entered the throne room to present the results of the contract to Thyssen, I found the ploughing official on his knees thanking the monarch rather than the hunters who saved him. Upon seeing the monarch I threw the dragon claw I had hooked on my belt at his feet and told him the deed was done. "Witcher, half-breed, why couldn't you bring the dragon's head?" I simply replied by saying, "Well, I take it you've never seen a dragon before. A dragon's head is huge, we would've needed an oxcart to lug it back to this damn palace." "Fair enough. Servants, take these gentlemen to the guest chambers and have them prepare themselves for a feast to take place later this night." Thyssen said, as the servants were bidding us to follow them. Íbegard then told everyone that he was not going to stay for the feast, he had to keep moving, so Thyssen gave the half-elf his gold and he walked out into the world.
Afterwards, I was led to a chamber along the way, I found Karadine, I told her about the dragon, the sorceress, the official, and the slaughter. I explained that I wanted to be alone for a while and I needed some time to gather my thoughts and nurse my burns. I entered the guest chamber and saw a bath ready for me to enter. I disrobed and entered, shaving the beard I had begun growing during my time in the mountains.
Halfway through my activities, a sorceress walked into my room, this wasn't the one who lived in the mountains, she probably died from the extreme cold and out right grief. This sorceress had beautifully disheveled ashen hair, cold, icy blue eyes, fair complexion, a deep blue dress, and a sapphire pendant that seemed to pulsate with magic. She walked in explaining that her name was Anna she had never seen a witcher before and since one just waltzed in she had to take the opportunity. She never expected this witcher to be the Bloody Wolf that's being mentioned all across the continent and she also was surprised that she managed to examine a naked witcher at that.
As she approached, I used the suds to cover up everything from the waist down. She stared in wonder over the many scars I've collected over my career. She motioned to the burn scars that were on my arms and asked it that was from the dragon. I answered affirmatively, as she kept asking questions, "Your eyes are fascinating, can you dilate your viper-like pupils on command? Is it true that a witcher can take almost any blow as if it was nothing?" I answered all of her questions, until she started asking about the trials, to which I stayed silent. "I see you're not too keen on speaking about how you were made into what you are now, but can you at least answer me this, what exactly are you?" "Well, that depends, some view me as an mutant abomination, a guardian, a man who has lost his humanity, a friend, or a killing machine. It depends on what you see me as." I replied, as she started indicating that she knew that she struck a nerve when she asked about the trials, so she suggested a physical examination, without questions.
Before I could respond, she started disrobing and began entered the tub, as I tried to gather more suds to cover myself. She told me to relax, for according to her, once you've seen one naked man, you've seen them all. I guess the same could be said for women, I mean she wasn't all that different from Karadine, aside from some scars. We spent a good while in the tub when I decided that it was time for me to get ready so I bade her farewell as I donned my clothes and headed towards the great hall where the festivities were.
I took my seat next to Karadine and the sorceress took her seat next to me. We all introduced each other, and we feasted as if we were friends and since I knew some of the Elder Speech and Karadine didn't, Anna would occasionally lean in and whisper part of her account of the bathtub in my ear in Elder Speech. We would laugh and Karadine and I would talk about our hunts tell Anna about the beasts we have slain. By the time dawn came by, it was time to depart, I said Va fail to Anna and she said the same to me and Karadine as we mounted our horses and set off down south, for by now it was time to make our routine trip to Kaer Morhen for the winter.