Reincarnation ➵ The Witcher

xxxvii.

EDITH'S back mimicked Geralt's. His gaze was on the men stationed on the bridge of the building, but hers was focused on trying not to smirk triumphantly. After numerous nagging and following Geralt like a lost puppy, he had caved and agreed for her to accompany him as long as she stayed outside during the whole ordeal, which meant she had slightly succeeded. Her teeth chattered slightly in the chill of the day, but Geralt's focus did not once falter.

"How much longer are you going to stare at the bridge?" Edith questioned, head tilted back onto the stone wall behind her comfortably, "I mean, the voodolake isn't going to save itself."

"Vukodlak."

She raised an eyebrow in confusion, shuffling closer to Geralt in hopes of hearing him better - not that it would make any difference with the deafening whistle of the wind, "What?"

His own gaze turned to focus on her, and Edith had a perfect view of his golden eyes, "It's vukodlak. Not a voodolake, girl." Her eyes narrowed at his own, sighing slightly before attempting to retort to his smart ass reply with denial.

"I said that!"

"Hm," he greeted her with a look of strong disbelief, before turning and watching the men stationed on the bridge like he'd done moments before, "whatever you say, Edith."

She had a perfect view of his back, and of his ashen hair blowing calmly in the wind. If a civilian was passing by, she would be sure they both looked like a pair of stalkers with nothing better to do with their lives, and that wouldn't be too far from the truth. Edith was attempting to spit strands of hair that would blow into her mouth regularly, and she felt slightly jealous of Geralt's lack of problem with his own seemingly elegant hair that didn't have a problem with not causing him an issue. If only.

"You were both told to leave Temeria." Edith turned slightly, watching as Triss rounded upon them with her blue dress she had worn earlier. Her tone was ever so slightly scolding, but Edith was happy for her presence. Atleast she wouldn't die of boredom now.

"But come on." Geralt teased in return, hands raising to signal the landscape around the trio, "These views."

They both watched him turn back towards his observation, and a question hung on the tip of Triss's tongue, "Are you going to kill her?"

Edith shook her head knowingly, "Geralt's too much of a whiteknight for that." The man in question turned once again, back slouched slightly as he looked at the pair.

"I don't want the miners' coin."

"Or mine, apparently." Triss retorted, curly brown locks blowing behind her in the gale, "What is this girl to you? Why do you care?"

At her words, Edith also grew curious. Why did he care? Normally, they would be on the road again without a second thought, but not this time. Geralt seemed to debate her words, looking down briefly but remaining passive, "You first. I saw how Foltest and his boy spoke to you. Why help those who won't listen?"

Triss faltered in her thought, and her face crinkled slightly at his words, "I'm sure someone as legendary as you has already figured out several ways to get past Segelin's guards." She predicted; and she was right, but at the current moment in time Edith didn't care about any of it, she was sure if she chattered anymore she would end up biting her own tongue off.

Geralt grasped a rock from infront of him in his gloved fingers, turning to show the pair before he lobbed it onto the bridge. An echoing thud was after heard, and Edith leant over Geralt's crouched position to watch the guards skittish off with the sounds of birds growing in volume. Edith grinned, standing up as if Geralt would let her enter with them.

"You." Geralt pointed to her, then at the ground in exaggeration as he stood from his own slouched position, "Stay."

Edith rolled her eyes, frown pulling at the sides of her lips, "I'm not a dog, Geralt!"

"I don't care. Stay here, Edith. I mean it." He reiterated, golden eyes glowing in warning. She grumbled back at him in turn, pulling a face at him once he turned his back to her. Now that he'd made a big deal of it, she knew she certainly wasn't staying anywhere. Especially not after being ordered like an animal, anyway.