Kill Your Darlings (Jaskier x Assassin!Reader)

Chapter 9

"What a beautiful piece of land you have here." Jaskier's smile was genuine as he gestured to the cabin in front of you. The man, who you learned was called Toby, could only nod, his eyes nervous as he looked between all of you.

The walk here wasn't long at all — it was just outside the village, closer to the entrance of the woods and a large body of water. It was the perfect spot for a fisherman, but still risky with the woods right in the backyard. Unless Toby was a hunter as well, having the open forest in your backyard was pretty much a death sentence. Monsters lurked, day and night, and often strayed from their forest home.

The cabin itself was in pretty good condition — no major damage, and though it was small, it was big enough for a father and daughter. Hell, it was much bigger than the place you used to call home, but you pushed that thought aside as you followed Toby around the outside of the house.

Toby cleared his throat. "I last saw my daughter playing in the back, as usual. I turned my back, just for a moment, and then she was gone."

Jaskier frowned. "Just like that?"

"Well, I thought she just went to play in the woods. Sometimes she'd just run off after a squirrel, or go pick a flower for me. So I didn't think much of it."

"The woods are pretty dangerous for a child." You lifted your chin up; a challenge.

Toby was quick to answer. "We have a hunter in town who goes in there to check around, make sure no large...beasts are...lurking. I usually go with my daughter when she runs off, but this time—"

You nodded, taking a step back from him. Part of you felt guilty for inquiring about his parenting, especially because of the hurt look in his eyes. But you wanted to make sure that when you found this little girl, she would be returning to a safe home.

Geralt quickly filled the silence, "How long until you looked for her?"

"It wasn't that long before I started to worry. I went out to look for her, where she usually went. There's a small stream in the woods that she likes to play in. That's where I found this."

He walked up to his back porch and grabbed something. When he came back to the three of you, his eyes were glazed over. In his hands was a small doll, stitched with a smile that made your stomach drop.

Toby looked at it carefully, his hands shaking under its weight. "Her mother made it for her. Before she—" He stopped, swallowing a sob. The three of your stood quietly, waiting patiently for him to compose himself. Once he did, his jaw was clenched with anger. "She's only a child, but she wouldn't run off without her doll, not this one. I fear that she was...taken."

"Taken?" You stepped forward, making Toby look at you. He shamefully looked away, back toward the edge of the woods.

"Bandits have been traveling around these parts recently. Stole from Ivon's farm just up the road."

"And where were they seen last?"

"Just up the trail, yesterday. You don't think they—"

Geralt spoke before you could, his voice as cold as usual but somehow, reassuring. "We'll follow the trail in the woods first, try to track her from there."

Toby nodded, his eyes still lingering on the forests' edge, almost like his daughter would emerge any second. You followed his gaze, taking a deep breath as you searched for something that wasn't there. You wondered what your mother or father would have done if this happened to you as a child — if they were still alive. Would they be as concerned as Toby? Would they post parchments all over the village and in the city, doing anything they could to find you?