His Dreams of Memories

3

Traveling alone wasn't Jaskier's favorite thing, it hadn't been for such a long time. But he had just lost his companion- no, his best friend, and dare he say the man he loved. It was making him feel empty like he no longer existed.

Then there was the fact that he couldn't do most things on his own. Geralt was there for many things: monsters, a warm fire, and protection against the waking world. And now... Jaskier faced it on his own, with a mere dagger and his lute.

"Oi, are ye a bard?" The innkeeper asked before Jaskier could drop a bag of coin onto the counter. Jaskier licked his dry lips and nodded slowly. "If ye play at the tavern 'cross town, ye can forget the bag of coins. Yer songs can be yer payment."

Jaskier held back a tired sigh. He wasn't in the mood to sing much, but a free room for some songs was promising.

The innkeeper took note of his hesitation. "I'll throw in a free bath while yer at it," that perked the bard's interest. "Final offer, bard."

"Very well," the bard smiled lightly. "Hope you don't mind the bath coming first, it's been a long journey." The innkeeper tossed a key in his direction before ushering him off. "Thank you, good sir, I won't be long!"

Julian opened his eyes. A shiver ran down his spine, the water had grown cold.

"Fan-fucking-tastic," he mumbled. A perfect lavender-scented bath ruined just because he fell asleep. And the bloody dreams had to do it all! "Stupid dreams..."

"What to play, what to play..." Jaskier asked himself while walking to the middle of the bar. Several ideas popped into his head, but they all had to do with Geralt... the damned man.

Oh. Oh... "Geralt." Jaskier knew the Witcher was one of the keys to earning coins. Singing of his praises and their adventures together- but there was one song that he hadn't shared yet- something that had to do with the Witcher, and it didn't quite praise him. No, not at all.

"Whatcha got for us, bard?" A man called from the audience. There were murmurs of the same question, it was a stupid question, but people asked anyway.

Jaskier settled his lute against his chest and placed one hand on the neck, then the other on the strings. "It's not the happiest song, I can tell you all that much, but it's something I have yet to try."

The man raised his glass. "As long as you got one!" Everyone raised their glasses in agreement. That was good enough for the bard.

"The fairer sex, they often call it
But her love's as unfair as a crook
It steals all my reason
Commits every treason
Of logic, with naught but a look

A storm breaking on the horizon
Of longing and heartache and lust
She's always bad news
It's always lose, lose
So tell me, love, tell me, love
How is that just?

But the story is this
She'll destroy with her sweet kiss
Her sweet kiss
But the story is this
She'll destroy with her sweet kiss

Her current is pulling you closer
And charging the hot, humid night
The red sky at dawn is giving a warning, you fool
Better stay out of sight

I'm weak my love, and I am wanting
If this is the path I must trudge
I welcome my sentence
Give to you my penance
Garrotter, jury, and judge

But the story is this
She'll destroy with her sweet kiss
Her sweet kiss
The story is this
She'll destroy with her sweet kiss

But the story is this
She'll destroy with her sweet kiss
Her sweet kiss
But the story is this
She'll destroy with her sweet kiss
The story is this
She'll destroy with her sweet kiss..."

Jaskier sighed, removing one hand from his lute to brush away the tear that had fallen. His azure eyes scanned the audience, watching their faces twitch in confusion.

Slow clapping erupted from the back, causing everyone else to do the same.

The bard smiled and bowed, trying to find the individual who started it all. But the smile faltered when he met two pairs of burning gold eyes.

"Lambert-" Julian gasped and shot up out of bed, his chest falling and rising at an unhealthy speed. "Oh god..." He put his head in his hands, whispering to himself over and over to ignore it all.