Chapter 42: Did you kiss her?

“Ok Kerrass. I think I've been really really patient up until now. We haven't seen any other sign of civilisation now for over a week other than this stupid track that we keep following. I'm tired, dirty and desperately in need of a drink so I hope that you take all of those things into account when you consider this question. Where, the fuck, are we?”

“We're in Nilfgaard.”

“I'm an educated man Kerrass and I know how to read a map. I know that. But what I also know is that Nilfgaard is a big place. One might even go so far as to describe it as being Fucking huge. So I will ask again. Where the fuck are we?”

Kerrass smiled a little. “Don't worry about it. We're nearly there.”

“I ask because, as you might have noticed. It's beginning to head towards autumn now, the leaves are dying and it's beginning to get fucking cold. These things tend to pray on a man's mind when he's miles from fucking anywhere.”

“As I say, we're nearly there.”

“That's lovely and everything but where exactly is that?”

“In Nilfgaard.”

“You know that I can tell when you're winding me up right? Your back has this particular tilt to it that tells me that you're being a smug bastard.”

“Temper,”

“Temper? My left tit. I want a bath Kerrass.”

“I once knew a man who lived to be a hundred and forty years old. He claimed that the only reason he lived so long was because of his steadfast refusal to take a bath.”

“I've heard this story before Kerrass. The man you're talking about was a Witcher. He further went on to claim that his stench used to do half of his work for him to subdue the monsters in question. I also remember hearing you say that he could clear a nekkers nest by stench alone. I, however am the son of a nobleman and as such I do not require such aromas to be announcing my presence three days in advance of my actual arrival.”

“It would at least tell you who your friends are.”

“Yes. My friends are those with no sense of smell. Where the fuck are we?”

“We're nearly there.”

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“I also seem to feel as though you've been saying that for several days now.”

“I know, it always used to shut you up before.”

“Yes well that was before I caught on to your gambit. Where the fuck are we?”

“Wrap your cloak around you, you're beginning to shiver.”

“Now, you're not going to catch me out with that one either. That's because we've been climbing steadily for the last three weeks. I'm not good at guessing but we're considerably higher than sea level now.”

“I'm impressed. Does that mean that you shouldn't wrap up warm?”

“Why so interested in my health all of a sudden?”

“Because Ariadne threatened to pull out my spleen if you die up here.”

“Yes, but she meant it affectionately. Also, don't think that you've changed the subject. Where the fuck are we?”

It has to be said that I have since looked at a map. The area we were moving through was well forested on either side and was also well away from any of the major trade routes. It was indeed sparsely populated where the odd village seemed to be in place because it had been a while since people had settled anywhere. I tried to look up the history of the area and there is an astonishing lack of anything happening. As it held little to no strategic value, nor did it have any mineral wealth to speak of then the people there were left well enough alone to enjoy their freedoms. It was the kind of place where the imperial tax collectors would have to collect their payments in goods rather than in coin. What they did have, were trees. Thanks for reading on ManaNovel!

Lots of trees.

The people there were large and heavily built. They maintained long dark hair and beards, men and women were both heavily muscled and wore heavy woollen clothing. They spent their days hunting and felling trees which were used to make, just about anything. Animal skins were their only real export to speak of and as such, everything else was used up.

I had the feeling that they were good people over all but at the same time they had a way of staring at you that would kind of put you off. As though they were measuring you up with their eyes and finding you wanting in every way.

We had landed on the shores of Southern Nilfgaard some three months before hand. We spent a couple of weeks on the coast line where Kerrass spent some time working and getting together what he described as “Capital” as he didn't want to be working while we travelled further inland. He gave me an odd look when I suggested that I could happily provide for us while we did any kind of travelling before insisting that he would be providing our travelling expenses.

This from the man who had used to insist that I pay for my own way as well as often demanding that I pay for certain amenities for himself as well.

He saw it as a responsibility now. Because I was doing something for him then that meant that he had to provide for me. As I say, he needn't have bothered. I had discussed my finances with my sister before departing in the summer and with the added amount that had been left to me by father, I had more than enough money coming to me on a regular basis for Kerrass and I to live in relative comfort for the duration of whatever errand it was that had brought us this far south.

He wouldn't hear of it though because he was a stubborn wretch.

I also knew that Emma had taken it upon herself to pay Kerrass for his time. Even though I had commissioned Kerrass to find my brothers killer and my payment had been in the form of performing a favour for him, Emma had insisted on paying Kerrass with Family funds.

I also know that that sum was not small and that Kerrass had made no effort to refuse payment.

But now we slept outside as often as we did inside and we ate frugally.

When we had been back at my fathers castle I had found myself looking forward to being out in the open air, of dressing simply without having to wonder what the current fashions were and who I might be offending if I wore blue rather than red. I had also been looking forward to plain and simple food rather than the carefully crafted dishes that our family cooks had implemented all of those times.

But now that I was out here, on the road. I found that I was becoming desperate for those small luxuries that people take for granted. Mattresses, pillows, properly cooked fresh meat and bread.

“Seriously Kerrass, where the fuck are we?”

“Patience.”

“I don't want to be patient Kerrass.”

“It's good practice for you.”

“What do I need the practice for?”

“When you get married.”

“Who says I'm getting married?”

“I would say that Ariadne has already decided the issue myself.”

“Yes... well... Don't think you're distracting me. Where the fuck are we?”

“I've told you before, I want you to see it for yourself and draw your own conclusions.”

“Fucking Witchers and their fucking air of mystery and their stupid, superior...”

“What was that?”

“Nothing. I just belched.”

“Well you can't be that hungry then can you.”

I swore loudly.

It was around four months now, since father had died but try as I might I couldn't quite get myself back into the mind set that I had used to occupy. So much had changed now, even just between Kerrass and myself. His attitude towards me had changed. Now he acted more like some kind of mother hen, fussing over my clothes and preparations, clearing up after me and making sure that I had had enough to drink and eat and that I was getting enough to sleep.

There was also the other thing that seemed to have happened, without much input from myself. As far as women went I was now off the market.

Ariadne had spent that first night consoling me before I eventually fell into an exhausted sleep. She was gone when I woke up however I did get to discover that she had brought us a cooked breakfast from the castle.

That would set the pattern for the next little while. Kerrass and I would ride on, taking our time to get to Novigrad. She and Kerrass seemed to have come to some kind of understanding although I never saw them talking about it. We would ride on the main road for the majority of the day, taking it easy and eating from the saddle but at various points, Kerrass would look up as though he had seen something and lead us off the road to a place where we could camp. There we would always find Ariadne waiting for us, food preparing over the fire, firewood stacked, fodder for the horses as well as fresh supplies for the day ahead. The three of us would sit and talk while Kerrass and I ate. Ariadne claimed to have eaten at the castle with Emma and Laurelen although I never had the nerve to ask her what they had eaten. She and Kerrass kept the tone light, her asking comical questions about modern civilisation and courts while he asked her about the habits of various monsters and alchemical ingredients that she might know about.

At some point over the course of the evening, I would find myself alone with Ariadne. Sometimes it was Kerrass that would wander off to “train” but just as often it was the pair of us that would go off for a walk. I remember waiting for some gesture of intimacy. For her to take my arm or to offer a cheek or a hand to be kissed in some way. I don't know what I expected really as I had never really had the opportunity to be part of any kind of formal courtship but what I do know was that it wasn't happening. She seemed perfectly content to just walk and talk with me.

For my part, I talked about my family mostly. I did a lot of grieving during that week or so that we took to get to Novigrad. One of the first things we had been told by Ariadne was that Emma had booked us passage on a ship that wasn't due into port for a little while so we took the time. I was grateful for that. Novigrad is a wonderful place, second only to Oxenfurt in my opinion but at the same time there would be far too many people who would know who I was there. Far too many people who might harbour ill will towards my family and I, and I didn't entirely trust my temper to stay subdued.

Not that I needed to say that to Kerrass. He either knew, or had his own reasons to want to stay out of the city.

But mostly Ariadne and I spent time talking about my family or the works that she had begun to take in Angral. She talked excitedly about the new manor house that she was having built and about how she was entertaining herself by asking for open planned buildings with lots of light and ventilation rather than the dank and unpleasant buildings that people expected of her. She talked about her meetings with the Lodge of Sorceresses and her thoughts about them. She had lots of questions about those women, about their past history, about what they did, what they had been doing and what they intended to do.

One of the important things to be said was that she not only heard everything that I said, but that she listened to what I was saying. There is a difference after all but she listened to my opinions and took them on board.

I liked that.

But she said absolutely nothing about any potential betrothal or even a remotely possible wedding. Every time I tried to steer the conversation towards the subject she, just as deftly steered the conversation away.

When our ship came into port, the visits stopped. She told us that she didn't want to risk teleporting onto a moving ship but that she would do her best to be in touch when we reached port. Her intention was to return to Angral after all as Emma was getting stronger and more assured in her new position.

We parted on the docks. I bowed as formally as I could manage and she nodded a reception to that bow and told us that she would see us in Nilfgaard.

The voyage was long but relatively peaceful. We did have one exciting period where the captain had us run from some pirates. Whether by skill or luck, we lost them in a small grouping of islands before making landfall in Nilfgaard.

Ariadne was waiting for us on the docks.

I'm not entirely sure how I feel about a potential wife who knows where I am at all times.

She greeted us and told us that we had rooms booked and paid for at the local inn so that we could get a good nights sleep before heading off.

I was still feeling a little bemused by the entire thing but was lead by Kerrass who seemed to take the entire thing in his stride.

Ariadne was waiting for me when we got downstairs.

Technically Kerrass was waiting for me. He had managed to snag us a table but when he saw me he pointed over to the bar where Ariadne was standing. She was gently, but firmly declining lewd suggestions from a couple of the locals who were suggesting things like “Dangerous night for a lady,” and “What's a nice girl like you...” and things of that nature.

Never let it be said that I am not at least a little bit shallow and the fact that Ariadne is clearly a beautiful woman.

She seemed to be enjoying herself though but she deftly disentangled herself from their clutches when she saw me before leading me outside.

“Are you alright?” I asked.

“I'm fine. There are always going to be people like that.”

“They would run a mile if they knew who you are.”

“You mean, if they knew what I am,”

“That's not what I said,”

“I know,” she smiled a little, half teasing, half melancholy. “But it was what you felt. Anyway, I wanted to talk to you and also I have something for you.”

“Right,” I said it a little more guardedly than I had at first meant to. We sat on a nearby bench.

“This is awkward,” she said before laughing a little.

“More than a little bit,”

“Right then, I'll just come out and say it. I'm not going to talk to you about romantic things. My general feeling from you is that you are still too...”

“Terrified?”

She smiled a little.

“That as well, but I was going to say that you have a little too much on your mind to be worrying about romance. That's not to say that you would necessarily say no to a roll in the hay with some willing woman but long term intimacy is not something that you are really ready to consider yet. Am I wrong?”

“No you are not wrong,” I admitted after a while. “I will also admit that you surprised me when I got home to find out that you had opened negotiations with my family.”

She smiled at that. She has a wonderful smile when she does so genuinely. She sometimes has a habit of hiding her mouth with her hands to hide the fact that she has fangs rather than teeth.

“I'm glad, I wanted it to be a surprise but...I also know that...Dammit.” she chuckled again. “This is a lot harder than I thought it would be.”

“Conversations like this often are.” I said. “Try it from my end. I'm talking to an undeniably beautiful woman,” I ticked the points off on my fingers. “Who is of higher noble rank than I am, from a different time and a different race. Not to mention my trained prejudices as well.”

“Does it make it uncomfortable for you?” she sounded fascinated, as well as delighted by the effect that she was having on me.

“Arousal, plus terror, plus shyness, plus nervousness plus Flame knows what else. Discomfort and confusion in equal measure I think.”

She nodded, clearly delighted. “You really think I'm beautiful?”

“Of course you are.”

“I should tell you that I' not wearing an illusion at the moment.”

“Really?”

“Really.” She peered at me to try and guess my reaction.

I felt a little stunned.

“Wow,”

“Is that all you can say?”

“Hey, don't just lay that on me. Terrified remember.”

“Oh yes. I forgot. Anyway...” She was all business again. “I wanted to tell you that I don't consider you to have any kind of obligation towards me. Of course I would like you to tell me if you find someone else to marry and I will admit to being disappointed if that happens but at the same time I have no objection if you decide to have the aforementioned, “Roll in the hay” with a willing woman.”

“Right?” I felt as though there was a catch here somewhere.

“I will also say that you seem a lot better after the sea voyage so I will no longer be keeping tabs on you. I will continue to write to your sister in an effort to maintain that relationship. I would like to think that even if negotiations between you and I fall through, that I would be able to maintain that relationship. I will also write to you as well if you are agreeable.”

“Of course.”

“Good, I am pleased.” She said it as though We had completed a business transaction. “But I want to give you something.”

She produced a small cloth bag.

“It will be a small effort of will not to keep track of you because I know that the life you are living at the moment is a little dangerous. I...worry about you.” She looked away as she said it. “And I would hate to think that something happened to you when I could have done something about it. So I have made you this.”

She produced a small pendant. It was a beautifully made holy symbol of the eternal fire wrought in silver with the fire made from some jewel. I could not imagine how much it must have cost.

“You didn't have to do this.” I said as I looked at the pendant in wonder.

“No,” she said with a slight smile. “But I want to. I made it with my magic as crafting from silver was an old skill amongst my ancient people and I wanted to see if I still had it. I also had it blessed by the Bishop of Angraal who said he was honoured to do it.”

“It's beautiful. Thank you so much.”

“Before you get too grateful there is something else I should say.”

I looked back up at her.

“This pendant is tied to me as well. If you take hold of it with your right hand and call my name, I shall come to you. Kerrass knows about the pendant and what it does.”

“What did he have to say about it?”

“He said that it would be nice to have some artillery support. Whatever that is.”

I laughed. “What should it be used for?”

“For any reason. Although if it's combat then you might want to give me some warning so that I don't accidentally throw balls of fire into your allies.”

“That would be problematic.”

“That's one word for it.”

She held it out and I ducked my head so that she could fit the chain over my head.

“Thank you Ariadne.”

“You really like it?”

“I love it.”

“Good, I am so relieved.” She laughed again. “Well I'd better get going.”

“You won't stay for dinner,”

“No, you have fun with your friend.”

“Did Kerrass tell you where we're going?”

“No, although he did tell me what might happen there?”

“Is that bad?”

She laughed again. “No, I don't thinks so. Indeed, you should enjoy it if what he says is true. Take care of yourself.”

“I will,”

She took a moment to stare at my face for a moment before abruptly walking off amongst the buildings. A blue circle formed in the air and then she was gone.

Kerrass was eating when I went back inside.

“Do you like the pendant?” he asked without looking up.

“It's beautiful.”

“That's not what I asked.”

I thought about that for a moment.

“Yes, I like it.”

“Did you kiss her?”

“No,”

“You should have kissed her.”

It seemed that that was the end of the discussion as far as he was concerned as he took that opportunity to shovel spoon full of vegetables into his mouth.

Two months later and I'm still getting used to the extra weight around my neck.

Kerrass spent a lot of time procrastinating around the area where we landed, taking various jobs and working monsters that I didn't think that he would have bothered with previously. I found the entire situation rather amusing, certainly from a studious perspective. Kerrass is always the most comfortable person in the room.

He lounges while other people fidget. He has the soldiers trick of being able to fall asleep in the most uncomfortable positions in all kinds of strange and wonderful places. I found myself wondering if this was his version of being uncomfortable. If this was his version of wasting time, or putting off a task that he didn't want to do, in the same way that I used to put off writing a particularly long essay, or cleaning out my horse.

Very carefully though, I said nothing. Nor did I do anything that might interrupt whatever was going on in his head. I figured that he was doing something, processing something that I didn't know about, something that he hadn't told me about.

So I watched, waited and did what I was told.

I made some new contacts in the south. Many more letters of introduction were given to various nobles who wanted to make the acquaintance of the new Baron Von Coulthard and the lady who would be heading up the Coulthard trading company. I made some notes on some of the monsters that could be found in the southern areas of the continent that don't turn up in our more northern climates. I was even able to perform a couple of autopsies and send off some samples to the university.

In the end, Kerrass' decision seemed to come on him fairly abruptly. We were sat on the outside of a nearby town. That curious state of being where a place is bigger than a village but much smaller than a city and Kerrass was negotiating the destruction of some kind of beast that was haunting the outskirts. Abruptly Kerrass just stared off into the distance for a long moment, much to the concern of the villagers that we were talking to at the time. Then he turned and told them that he had to leave. He left some instructions as to how the beast should be driven off and methods to be used to render the beast harmless. (Apparently they really like milk. A small bowl of milk left outside will send the creature into a torpor where it will sleep for days at a time) Then he turned his horses head and without another word we started to ride South East.

After several weeks travel of travelling through rather boring farmland I became aware that we were beginning to climb. The terrain started to become rockier and with a lot more trees dotted around the place. There were other changes as well. People stopped farming sheep and started farming goats instead. Cows started to become a much hairier variety and I was informed that they were called Yaks.

Still Kerrass said nothing, other than to tell me that there were less likely to be bandits attacking us and more likely to be wandering beasts of some kind. For himself, the silver sword was strapped next to his steel one so that he ended up wearing the two together. I've only seen him do that kind of thing when he's really concerned about the kind of place we're going in to.

Regardless, the signs of civilisation became less and less. Villages became fewer and fewer. The road became less and less maintained. There was a frontier kind of feeling to the place. As though humanity made occasional efforts to set out into that wild place and yet that same frontier fought back.