Red- The Witcher

Striga

Geralt

Sage's eyes were wide open, looking at me but not at me. I let go of her wrist, watching and waiting for her to finish this absurd thing she was doing with my necklace. She finally let go with a large gasp as if she had come back up for air after diving.

"I've seen your story," she told me. "You've been through a lot."

I pulled away from her, slightly angry for her prying through my life when I had eased my way into hers. I stood up, towering over hers and as I was leaving she called, "I have my tether."

I paused and partially turned my head to see her in my peripheral vision. "Then we leave in the morning."

"Including the bard?"

"Including the bard," I sighed. I closed the door behind me and returned to the bar. The bard was now singing while people were telling him to shut up. I grabbed his instrument and set it down. "Gather your things... and Sage's things as well, we're leaving."

"I'll do it when she says so," he replied.

"Jaskier, she said so," I said with intensity. He gulped, grabbing his stringed instrument and jacket. I grabbed my satchel and went outside to see the sun rising. Going to the stable, I released Roach and led her to the front.

"I've got myself a banshee," I told the mare. "She's going to be quite useful."

"So where're we going!" Jaskier called from the doorframe.

I grumbled, annoyed from the fact that he was coming with and when I was about to speak, Sage chimed in with, "Temeria. There's been an attraction of multiple deaths."

"What if I don't want to go there?" I asked. I wasn't against the location, I just wanted to know what she would say.

She pursed her lips before replying, "Well... you'd come anyway because you need and want me."

I hated her response only because she was right. I did need her. Wherever we're going, I'd have to fight the creature and I'd need her to tell me if I'm going to die. If I'm not, I'd have better confidence but if I am.... The wanting her part was something I wasn't too sure about. I want her to join me but wanting her was something else.

I climbed my horse and Jaskier managed to get behind Sage and I led the way to Temeria. It continued on behind the bar.

"Toss a coin to your Witcher oh..." Jaskier trailed off during his song, "valley of plenty."

"Will this be a cherry song?" Sage asked. "Or mellow?"

"A little bit of both."

"How about no song at all?" I pitched. The two ignored me and Jaskier continued on with rhymes.

"I'm trying to make you famous, in a good way," Jaskier told me. "So then no one thinks that you're a butcher."

"I suppose."

I was annoyed by nightfall and we took a stop in the trees. Luckily, the ground was dry so we could lay flatly. I ordered the bard to fetch some wood so I could set up a fire and Sage sat on a log like a princess.

Once Jaskier returned, I made the fire and we sat around it; mostly Jaskier on the other side and me sitting beside Sage, leaning my back on the log. His singing became our background noise when I began a conversation.

"What was it like at first?" I lifted my head when I asked to meet her blue eyes that fluttered, reflecting the orange glow. They were like that for a moment before she drew her gaze away.