A/N: This was an ask from I believe @creatingstuffinpeace but I accidentally deleted the ask right as I was about to post it. I am going to probably make this into a little series with at least one more part because I have an idea, it's just a matter of when I have time to write it out :)
***
Thunder rumbled outside.
You moved around the bookshop, tidying things up.
“But momma! What about Gunnar?” Your son, Cas, tugged at your skirt.
“He’s probably just outback chasing a cat, love.” You brushed your fingers over his hair momentarily before picking up a small stack of books. “Will you help me with putting these back, Cas?”
He took two of the books from you and began to follow you to the other side of the little store.
“But momma! It’s about to storm! Gunnar doesn’t like storms!”
“Cas–,”
“What if he’s hurt? What if someone’s taken him or something’s happened to him? What if he’s lost!” The more the six-year-old thought about all the things that could have happened to his pup, the more frantic he became.
“Casimir.” You placed the books down on a table and knelt down to his level. You took the books from him and put them aside.
Tears welled in his eyes as he gazed at you. His bottom lip quivered.
You cupped his face and brushed your thumb over his cheek.
“I don’t want to take you out in the storm. But if you promise me to stay upstairs until I return, I will go look for Gunnar.”
“You will?”
You nodded.
“Okay.” He sniffled.
You wiped the tears away and leaned in to kiss his forehead.
“Let’s get these books put away. Then I’ll take you upstairs.”
As you stood up, Cas grabbed four of the books and tried to hurry towards the bookshelf they belonged on.
The front door creaked open and the bell above the door chimed, signaling someone was entering.
You glanced to your son once more before turning to greet the customer.
It was a tall figure with broad shoulders and a hood over his head. Something underneath his cloak moved and out poked Gunnar’s head.
“Gunnar!” Cas squealed in delight, running towards you.
The man put Gunnar down and the pup ran to meet Cas.
“I was just about to go searching for him.” You smiled at the stranger, taking little note of his vibrant golden eyes with catlike pupils.
“I found him clear on the other side of town.” His voice was deep but quiet. He gave a tight smile before turning to leave.
“Have you got a hunt to tend to at the moment, Master Witcher?” You asked, messing nervously with your hands. You hoped you weren’t crossing any boundaries by asking this.
“Not with the storm outside.”
“Would you want to stay for dinner? As a thank you for bringing my son’s dog back?”
The man hesitated to answer.
“I don’t want to impose.”
“It wouldn’t be imposing if I invited you.” You smiled just a little. “The rain seems to be coming down awfully heavy out there. And we’d like the company, wouldn’t we, Cas?”
Cas held Gunnar in his lap but was watching the witcher curiously.
“Yeah.” He answered quietly, a shy smile tugging at his lips.
“Your manners, son.” You lightly chided. The witcher turned back to you.
“Yes.” Your son repeated, this time lifting his head a bit.
“You don’t have to do this, m’lady.” The witcher insisted, his voice quiet and a bit on edge.
You could see with the way the poor lighting caught his face that there was something…. unnatural about his features.
“If you feel uncomfortable with the matter, my apologies.” You murmured softly, smiling. “I just wanted to thank you for your kindness. Not many people would bring the dog back, especially not in such weather.”
The man said nothing.
“Please stay, s-sir.” Cas spoke from behind you, his voice timid. “You brought-brought Gunnar back h-home. Let-Let us thank you.”
The witcher looked past you to your son briefly, before nodding his head.
“I am Y/N. This is my son Casimir.”
“Eskel.”
***
You took Eskel upstairs to your home located above the bookstore.
As you prepared dinner, you made conversation with the witcher. He was very polite and well-spoken, though he remained silent unless you asked him a question.
Your son sat by the hearth, watching Gunnar as he ate his dinner. You happened to be looking at your son when he looked into the kitchen. His eyes were focused on Eskel.
The witcher’s eyes flickered over to Cas, shifting ever so slightly in his seat. Was your son making him uncomfortable?
You moved around the table to place a mug of tea in front of the witcher. Golden eyes found you once more, taking in your every move. He turned his head just slightly away from you as if he was trying to keep his right side from you. But you had already seen the scars, the mangled lines that pulled at his face.
“You’ll have to forgive Casimir.” You lowered your voice so that only Eskel could hear you. “He’s young and just a curious boy. He means no harm, I promise you.”
Eskel’s brows furrowed together just slightly. Had he given you the illusion that something was wrong?
“Cas?” You looked up, smiling as your eyes landed on your boy. He perked up and raised his head. “Is everything alright, love?”
“Yes…. Can I get the book about daddy?”
“Of course, love.”
Cas shot up to his feet and ran to his room. Without finishing all of his food, Gunnar followed the boy.
“Your boy did nothing wrong.” Eskel spoke as you moved away from him. His eyes followed you. “There’s no need for any apologies.”
“But I know how cruel children can be, Master Eskel.” You focused on the pot of soup over the fire, stirring the contents steadily. “They are mean and cold because they are raised to be that way by their parents. They see it in the ones they look up to. They see fathers calling women in the streets filthy slurs and mothers degrading anyone who looks different from them or from their idea of what is normal and what is right….”
You trailed off, only realizing with the silence that followed that you had started to ramble.
You turned your head to Eskel, completely embarrassed that you had let yourself start down that path.
“I’m so sorry, Master Eskel. I didn’t mean to lecture you on my views of society.”
“Don’t apologize.” He shook his head, holding a hand up just slightly. A little smile tugged at the corner of his lips. “What you said is true. Children learn from their parents.”
You nodded, turning to check the bread in the oven.
“Momma, here!” Cas ran into the kitchen. He held a thin book high above his head. Gunnar was on his heels, happily wagging his tail.
“Set the book down on the table, Cas.”
Cas chose to stand at the table directly to Eskel’s right. He placed the book down on the wood and opened it up.
“Tell Master Eskel what the book is about, Casimir.” You took the bread out of the stone oven and placed it on the counter top.
Cas turned his head to look at Eskel but only for a split second. He didn’t want to stare for too long. Staring was rude and Casimir was better than that.
“It’s about the tales of a witcher!”
Eskel read some of the words over Cas’s shoulder, but the six year old seemed to just want to flip through the book.
“Momma?”
“Yes, my love?”
“May I ask Master Eskel a question?”
“He’s right beside you, Casimir. Go right ahead.” You paused what you were doing, placing one hand on your hip as you watched your son.
“Master Eskel?” Cas closed his book and rubbed his fingers over the wording on the front cover.
“Yes?” Eskel looked down at him.
“How many witchers do you know?”
“I suppose a handful. There aren’t too many of us left.”
Cas nodded his head. A furrow formed between his brows. You could tell he was deep in thought.
“Casimir? What else would you like to ask Master Eskel?” You moved towards the table, kneeling down so that you were at your son’s level.
“Do you think he knows the one who knew daddy? The one who gave me this?” Cas tapped on the book.
“Oh, love.” You gave him a sad little smile, brushing your fingers over his hair. “The one who gave you that wasn’t a witcher. It was a man who travels with a witcher. A Witcher’s barker or bard. I don’t think Master Eskel knows him. That happened so far away.”
Cas nodded understandingly.
“May I ask who it was?” Eskel asked almost hesitantly.
Your eyes met his. You weren’t sure if you wanted to keep talking about the matter knowing that it would upset Cas, but Eskel was just curious.
“It happened when we lived in Cintra years ago. The witcher’s name was Geralt.” You explained.
“And we had to move far, far away from home.” Cas nodded his head, taking a deep breath. His voice was sad and made your heart break. “Now we live here.”
“This is home.” You leaned forward to kiss his head.
“I’m going to put my book back.”
You watched him leave the kitchen.
“I do know that witcher.” Eskel spoke. He didn’t want to say anything loud enough for Casimir to hear him. He wasn’t sure if you wanted your son to hear what he was saying. “He’s my brother.”
You opened your mouth to speak but nothing came out at first. You weren’t sure what to say. You were surprised. What was the chance that this witcher sitting here at the table knew your dear friend Geralt?
You pulled out the chair directly across from him and sat down. Your eyes fell to the wedding band on your left hand.
“Geralt was great friends with my husband. Geralt saved him on more than one occasion.” A fond smile came to your lips at the memories. “My husband, rest his soul, could never stay out of trouble in his youth.”
“I’m very sorry for your loss.”
Your eyes flickered up to Eskel, offering him a smile.
“Do you know Geralt’s bard, Jaskier? He wrote stories of Geralt and my husband’s journeys together for our son and had a book created so that Cas would have a book to always remember him by. He clings to it.”
“That was very thoughtful of Jaskier.”
“It was. Brought me to tears for nearly a month afterwards.”
Eskel watched as you tapped your fingers absentmindedly against the table. Your eyes were stuck on the hallway but you weren’t watching the hallway. Your mind was elsewhere. You were absent. He knew that look. The look of someone who had lost someone, a part of them.
Silently, the witcher wondered how long ago your husband had passed. Time never made things better, but it did help to numb the ache of a loss. He had plenty of experience with time and with loss.
“How long has it been since you’ve seen Geralt?”
You blinked and straightened your posture, no longer lost in your mind. The sound of Cas coming back to the kitchen made you remember what was happening, where you were, and what you were supposed to be doing.
You stood to your feet and began to finish the last bits of dinner.
“Um, oh…. I’m not sure…. He, um, I think he came to visit just after….” You trailed off, looking at your son then at Eskel. “Just after it happened.”
Eskel nodded understandingly.
Casimir returned to his seat directly next to Eskel.
“Alright, gentleman. Thank you for your patience tonight.” You placed two bowls down in front of them then turned to get yours.
“Thank you for joining us, Master Eskel.” Cas picked up his spoon and began to eat.
“Thank you for having me.” Eskel smiled, golden eyes flickering over to you.
You met his gaze. Your eyes lingered on him for a few heartbeats before finding your soup.
I can totally buy the miserable winters. It's just 4 of them for entire keep, even if they didn't have stupid rules they would be stretched so thin between upkeep and rapairs, training, keeping the place clean enough etc... And I doubt they'e be thaught about keeping animals or growing food so they have what they buy and what strays close enough to get hunted. [Permission to be inspired and maaybe write a variation of this idea? Cause the blot bunnies are breeding. xD]
Please do write all the variations you fancy! I’m super excited that you’ve got plot bunnies out of silly ramblings. If you post, would please tag me? I want to come and scream about your writing and get excited over it.
CW: Implied cannibalism (the last paragraph - under a cut)
You’re absolutely right by the way, they wouldn’t have the time or the energy to keep animals or grow food. Because growing things happens over the spring and summer usually, they can’t exactly grow things in the winter. And animals need their own feed, their enclosures need to be maintained, cleaned, enough bedding has to be provided to keep them alive during the cold months. So there is no chance that Witchers can keep animals or grown their food. The fact Eskel had a goat with him was already frowned upon. It would eat up resources, Eskel would be less likely to trade things. Usually, Eskel had a few spices he could trade but with the goat there, he probably didn’t have enough coin or space to bring those with him and Geralt would be grumpy about not having flavours he’d grown somewhat accustomed to over winter - it was one of his small treats and it was now gone.
Whenever forktails or other creatures get too close, they go out to hunt them not just to keep their home safe but also because they will eat forktail meat. It’s not nice, tough and bitter but when it’s towards the end of winter and they’re all rationing their food to try and make it last, a forktail rump is better than nothing.
We could go super dark on this one actually and talk about the bandits that somehow ended up close to the keep. Desperation makes witchers do things they never would usually consider. It’s something they never speak of again, nor do they look each other in the eyes for the rest of winter.
Gay people at brunch! They meet up every Sunday for brunch & mimosas but Eksel (right) is Muslim so he gets orange juice instead and half the time Danil (left) just gets ice water and mooches off Hamid's (center) food
