Eskel x Reader | A winter in Kaer Morhen

At the end of every year, the temperatures sank down too low to work as a witcher, just like it would happen soon.
Since Imbaelk was over, Eskel has been waiting for this time, counting each and every day.
The sun was going down already when the hoofs of his black mare Scorpion clacked aganist the streets of Oxenfurt.
"Meet me in the tavern 'The Alchemy' after Velen, I'll be there, waiting for you."
The Witcher remembered your voice as if he had just heard them a mere second ago. Soon he'd finally see you again. Knowing this, he felt his heart skip a beat. With a soft smile on his scarred face he pressed his heels against Scorpion so his mare trotted faster.

Not long after, Eskel reached the tavern, his smile grew even bigger by now. He smiled, because when it came to you he couldn't help himself.
The witcher got off from his horse and tied the rein to a wooden balustrade near the entrance.

The man's steps were impatient when he walked up the stairs to the wooden door which he opened with a powerful swing. He'd surely be trembling if his mutagens wouldn't suppress it, yet Eskel was quite nervous on the inside. Once he had made his way over to the barkeeper his catlike eyes scanned through the room, catching nothing but a bunch of uncomfortable looks, a few drunken men hanging in one corner, a bard playing his lute and a hand full of tipsy women wiggling their hips around in front of a small group of men.

No (Y/N) so far.
"Oh, another witcher?"
Eskel turned to face the barkeeper who just talked to him.

"So there's been one here before?"
The man behind the bar scratched his neck as he nodded.
"Are you looking for him, master witcher?"

Again, Eskel scanned through the room to see if he really couldn't find you.
"I'm looking for a woman, her name is (Y/N). (h/c), (h/l) hair, (e/c) eyes. She said I would find her in this tavern."

The barkeeper didn't even have to think for a long time to remember you. "Oh yeah, (Y/N), that female hunter, right, she was here! We played Gwent every evening, by the holy fire, I've never lost so many games to a woman... We had a monster problem near the west gate, she took care of that in a few days. But soon after, that other witcher came here. They seemed to know each other very well and left together the next morning. That was... a week ago."

The smile on Eskel's face had faded entirely. "Oh, is that so, huh..." the witcher muttered in a low volume, his voice cracked a slight bit. The lump in his throat was hard to swallow.

"Can I get you anything else, witcher?"

Eskel just raised his hand and shook his head. He couldn't, no, he didn't want to believe that. He had worked extra hard this summer so he could stay in Kaer Morhen a month or two longer to have more time with you, maybe even until Belleteyn was over. And now you were gone, without even leaving a note or anything. Disappointment spread in his mutant heart when he turned to leave again, alone.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

In only 4 days he had returned to Kaer Morhen. Dark rings were visible underneath his amber eyes and his emotions were clear from his visage only. Normally it would have taken an entire week to get back to the fortress but since he couldn't sleep anyways the man just continued to travel at night as well.

Once he had removed the saddle and bridle from his mare, he left it in the courtyard to rest. Eskel made his way to the fortress and brought his bags in. As soon as he had entered the main building he could already hear Lambert's laugh echoing through the room.

"Ay, Eskel! S'been some time! Come here, buddy!"
The way he was talking made it clear already; Lambert had downed more than one mug of vodka this evening.