The winds of the night, they kissed the forest. Branches shivered and rustled, and silvery moonlight showered the ground. A crackling campfire was lit in the woods, and around it sat a man and a woman.
The woman's violet eyes were set on the night sky. With passion, she said, "The mutant they mentioned goes by the name of Coen. Have you heard of him, Roy? You're a witcher too."
"I have, yes." Roy took Gryphon out and placed it on his lap. Then he patted its soft little belly. It rolled around happily and smacked the witcher's hand around like a stick.
The girl felt more at ease when she saw the cat. "He comes from the base of the Dragon Mountains. Lives on a cliff by the sea. And he's a graduate of Kaer Seren. A Griffin, so to speak." Unlike how she was a few moments ago, Igsena had a gentle look in her eyes, and the moonlight gleamed softly on her face.
"So you went to Kaer Seren before? Can you even find it?"
"Coen took me for a tour before, but I don't think his mentor likes me very much. Didn't want me to stay around for too long. The fortress lies in ruins now. Coen told me most of the buildings were destroyed in an avalanche many years ago. He and his mentor are living in the few buildings that remain."
Roy nodded. He tried to remember anything he could about Coen, but all he remembered was his teaching Ciri swordplay in the future. He could remember a lot about Keldar, though. More information was needed if he wanted to rope these Griffins into his brotherhood.
"Ahem, I mean no harm, but I might have to visit the fortress in the near future. I'd like to know more about the Griffins. Are you going out with Coen right now?"
Observe didn't show any special stats. This woman was just a regular country girl with regular stats. However, she was lithe, beautiful, and had fairer skin than most country girls. Beauty was a good trait of hers, though her chest was flat.
She hung her head low and stayed silent for a moment. "Yes," she whispered. "We've known each other for more than a year."
Roy nodded. Alright. Coen owes me one now. "I heard what these fools said. Your village doesn't take to witchers too well, does it? So how did you run into Coen?" Roy paused for a moment. "It's alright if you don't want to say. But if it's okay, I'd like you to go into as much detail as possible.
"I…" Igsena placed her hands before the fire to warm them up. A hue of red painted her cheeks, and she looked at the men lying on the ground nearby. Their 'activity' had come to an end, and now they were sleeping together, their snores filling the air. "Is it really okay to leave them like that, witcher? What if they wake up?"
Roy gave the men weird looks. "Sorry. Never expected them to finish this fast. They might have to see a doctor for that. But it's alright. They won't wake up for an hour. Continue."
"I used to think witchers were monsters, executioners, bandits, and heretics. That was what the villagers told me." The woman recounted her tale. "Witchers hide among the mountains, where powerful snow monsters and savage wolves reside. They drink the blood of their enemies and rob all passing travelers, but their most heinous act would be the kidnapping of children. People say they love to sneak into villages and spirit children away, some who are just babies."
Roy heaved a sigh and massaged his temples. That's no witcher. That's an animal. It's going to be hard to change the public perception toward witchers. Especially in remote places like these. "Haven't you guys asked for a witcher's help?"
"It's been less than twenty years since our village's establishment. Most of the people there get their information on witchers through stories and rumors." She shook her head. "Last summer, I was doing the laundry at the riverside, and some slimy monster appeared from the waters. It held my feet and tried to drag me down into the river."
"That's a drowner," Roy interjected.
"Yeah, that's it. The people in my village talked about it. They drag humans down into the river. If it's a man, they kill him and devour his flesh. But if it's a woman…" Igsena took a deep breath. Fear flashed in her eyes, and she lowered her voice in terror. "They are taken back to a nest, where the drowners will breed them."
"Lies." Roy rolled his eyes. "Humans can't breed with drowners. They have no idea how cross-breeding works." Please don't come up with anything stupider than this.
"I will never forget that day. He showed up out of nowhere and shot fire out of his hand like magic. His flames burned that monster to a crisp." Ignesa shook her head. There was love in her eyes, and her voice was gentle, unlike how she was a while ago. "He saved a poor, foolish girl. I was drenched, and I swallowed a lot of water. I was shivering and scared for my life, lying on a boulder without any strength. But Coen helped me."
She continued. "He took me into the woods and lit a campfire so I could dry my clothes and get warm. And he fed me a vial of green liquid. He told me it was a potion to stave off the cold. Very caring, Coen was. But I was scared. Worried he might hurt me. I wouldn't look up at him, though I did steal some glances."
Ignesa was starting to sound even gentler. Roy felt like he was listening to her recounting a love story. "He's tall and strong. His hair is black and lustrous, and he has a little beard. Very manly. There are some pockmarks on his face, perhaps an aftermath of smallpox. But what caught my attention were his eyes. His eyes have many colors. White, yellow, green, and more."
At that point, Roy looked a little concerned. The harder the mutation, the more color a witcher's eyes had. He almost died from the Trial, and his eyes only had two colors. Coen must have gone through worse stuff than me.
"I thought he would say something, but once I regained my strength, he was gone," she said. "Without saying a word. After I went back home, I gave the ordeal a lot of thought, and all the stories I heard regarding witchers seemed so preposterous." She said solemnly, "Witchers aren't villains, unlike what the people make them out to be. Coen saved me like a knight in shining armor."
"Congratulations, you saw through the world's lies." Roy nodded. "Griffins follow the code of the knight. Altruism is part of them."
Roy admired the Griffins and Vipers out of the six witcher schools. The former was righteous and cared about their brethren, while the latter were people who would give up their lives just to revive their school. Every other school either lacked a goal or camaraderie. That included the Wolf School.
***
"I didn't manage to say thank you." Ignesa went on. "And I told nobody about it. The next day, I went back to the river and the woods where he helped me out. And the next. And the next…" She stared at the ground, muttering to herself, "I would go back like a woman possessed. And three months later, I saw him again by the river. So I went and said hi. The big guy smiled at me, though it was a stiff and awkward smile."
***
"I loved every part of him. His mannerisms, his deep, reassuring voice, his beautiful eyes, his warm hands, and even his heartbeat." A beautiful smile curled Ignesa's lips. "We fell in love. We'd see each other at the riverside once every two weeks. And we'd talk about everything. We'd also connect. Physically speaking."
Roy held the cat up and huffed at it. Alright, that should stop the boner. Good kitty.
"But I had enough of this underground relationship. Yet I couldn't afford to let it slip, or everyone would call me a slut. Including my father. They would burn me at the stake." Resolve flared in Ignesa's eyes. She balled up her fists and sat up straight. "I've decided to leave. I will save enough coins and move to the city with my love. Either Lan Exeter or Pont Vanis will do. The city is filled with people from all walks of life. They don't hold up ignorant superstitions like the people in these villages either. Witchers won't be discriminated there."
"But you'll need a lot of money," Roy said. The cities she mentioned were Kovir and Poviss' winter and summer capital. Both of these places were bustling and teeming with life. "You'll need to work for years just to save up enough money. Even if you're stealing from your own family. And did you tell Coen about this? Are you sure he's willing to move with you?"
Ignesa hesitated for a moment. "I… I was going to save up for a little more and surprise him, but…" She turned her attention to the sleeping men on the ground. "How will you deal with them, Roy?"
Roy tucked the cat away in his hood and put on his sunglasses again. That's about as much as I need to know. "Here's an idea." He shot up and did the slicing motion near his neck with his hand, his eyes glinting with the ferocity befitting of a Viper. "You're Coen's partner, which makes you our friend. Why don't I take them out permanently? They already had enough fun."
"No. Just let them be." She clenched the hem of her dress, creasing it. And then she spat at the men. "I want them to remember what they did when they wake up. An-And if it's possible, I have a request." Her voice faltered at first, but she regained her composure. "You're going to Kaer Seren, aren't you? I'd like to go with you. And I know where the entrance is."
Roy hesitated. This technically counts as eloping, and she's someone else's woman. Why should I take her along, though? She's a liability. But Roy didn't refuse her in the end. If he took her along, Coen should be thankful enough to repay this favor even if Keldar refused to budge. A little bit of blackmailing, but effective enough for knights like the Griffins.
"Are you sure you want to come with me and let these two go? They might slander your name right after they wake up. Your reputation would be ruined, and my Sign isn't enough to wipe their memories just yet." Roy stared at the woman and said seriously, "Think about it. Take all the time you need. Once you leave, you cannot return. You will never see your family again."
"I've had enough of my family. Abusing me is all he does. And I've had enough of these pathetic neighbors. They're nothing but fools and maggots."
Ignesa had snapped out of Axii, and her having a heart to heart with Roy convinced her. She didn't even hesitate for a moment. "Please, help me."
***
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