The Widow and The Witcher (Complete)

Chapter 17 (Edited)

Chapter 17

The inn was full of loud raucous laughter as the wolf brothers and Jaskier was well into their night of drinking and fun. The final hurrah of "Women and Ale" is how Lambert had described their adventures tonight and to some extent, Geralt was enjoying himself. The brothers only came together each winter in Kaer Morhen. A place where the Witcher's could regroup, rest and organise their assignments for Spring. Since Geralt had been captured and then at Julia's he had not seen his brothers in a long time. So, tonight was tolerable.

Wishing to get some air, and peace Geralt stepped outside. The inn was positioned on the outer limits of the village. On one side stood a bakery and on the other side was a cornfield. It had been lightly raining, but it had let up so Geralt deciding to go for a short walk. He entered the field breathing in the fresh smell of damp soil. A voice cleared its throat alerting Geralt to their approach as Vesemir stepped into the Field. Geralt acknowledged the man with a nod and then looked out at the sea of corn. The tall stalks moving in the breeze created a sound like the ocean. Vesemir was never one to talk too much, and Geralt had appreciated this about his old mentor. The silence was like a warm blanket familiar and safe. The two men stood in the field like this for a long time before Vesemir spoke.

Turning to face Geralt the old Witcher uttered bearly above a whisper: "I want you to know I'm proud of you Geralt, you're doing something I wish I had done when I had the chance." Geralt's eyes widened at the words Vesemir had spoken. "I didn't know you had someone you cared about in that way?" Vesemir shrugged looking out over the corn, though it was not what he was seeing, sighing he gave just a glimpse of his past "it was a long time ago, Mignole stole my heart but her father found out about us. He was not happy that a Witcher was sleeping with his daughter. I should have fought for her but instead, I had to run away. I will always regret not protecting her. I don't even know what her father did to her after he ran me off" Geralt could hear the sadness in his mentor's voice. Grunting as if he had enough of emotion and sentiment Vesemir turned to go "I guess, I just wanted you to know that, you might question domestic life at times but don't ever stop fighting for what you have, it's precious." At that Vesemir left leaving Geralt to mull over his old mentors' words.

Julia was sitting in the Library surrounded by her girls, Hannah, Ruth, Nessie, Renee, and Ciri. They were laughing at Ciri's antics as she was trying her best to describe an Animal without saying the word. "It's white, had a Gold thing sticking out of its head and it can fly" Ruth yelled out "A Unicorn" sending everyone into giggles. Next, it was Nessie's turn, "it has a long neck, wings, and claws and its skin is golden" that stumped everyone until Ciri stood up and cried out "a Golden Dragon" more laughter. It was now Julia's turn she was trying to think of something challenging shutting her eyes she imagined all the beasts she and Geralt had been reading about. "Ok, I have a long tail, short body my fur can be any color. I have a long snout and little ears" the girls were whispering amongst themselves until Nessie lifted her head and said, "Is it a mouse?" Julia laughed "Yes that is it Nessie, of all the beasts Geralt has been getting me to read about that's the one I'm terrified of" the girls all broke out into fits of unabashed laughter.

The Fire had died down to a low crackling, Julia was sitting on the couch with Ciri curled up asleep in her lap. The other girls had left one by one each to attend to their night duties. Renee was the only one left, she was laying on the soft rug in front of the fire. Her body stretching out with a small bump protruding showing her mid-point pregnancy. She held a book in her hands and was reading, a small smile crossing her lips as she felt a kick. Looking up at Julia she said "This little one is active, it keeps giving me little kicks to remind me it's still alive" this made Julia's heart swell with joy. She might not have her own little ones but in this room right now she had a daughter in law a teenager and a soon to be grandbaby.