Orianna peered at the stranger from under her hood, head tilted in mild curiosity. Dusk was coming quickly, the last vestiges of sunlight peering over the horizon; thankfully, the light was low enough that her lack of shadow was of no concern.
“Further south, I wonder?” With a raised eyebrow, the common speech faded into Nilfgaardian, fluent and effortless. “Perhaps even the heart of the Empire.”
“ I know… something ill is afoot. But as I’m averse to violence I’d rather deal with this through calm conversation. ” The vampire spoke softly to his companion but dark eyes were kept keenly on the fellow that stood in the road, whose nose was turned up and hands resting on hips with a haphazardly sewn – and likely incorrect – coat of arms on his gambeson and a sword on his hip in a manner that held great confidence and had tell of a very obvious bandit trap.
Regis urged his mare forward and donned a friendly face, giving the grimy vagrant a polite wave. “ Greetings. By the sigil on your coat I assume you’re of the local Lord’s men. ”
“ That I am, sir, that I am. ” The man spoke with a strong, drawling accent and moved forward a bold step. “ I’d ‘ave to ask you to get off the horse, though. We’ve ‘ad rumours of unsavoury folk smuggling goods through this way and need to check your gear. ”
“ Surely you can see we are neither hawkers nor smugglers considering what little we carry. If you think us here for nefarious reasons I am more than happy to tell you our reasons for travelling through here and– ”
The bandit hand raised to interrupt the vampire, “ Couldn’t care less ‘bout where it is you’re going. Just need to ‘ave a look at what you’re carrying. Now dismount ‘fore things get out of hand. ”
“ Do you always threaten Nilfgaardian officials? ” Evyn, finally making his presence known, drew the bandit’s attention toward him. “ I don’t attack without reason, but if you set your blade upon my companion or myself I will have no choice. And I assure you, my blade is far sharper than yours. ”
There was a moment of tense silence as the two stared each other down, strengthened by Regis’s nervousness and inability to produce the proper words to defuse the situation before it escalated.
“ Well, that’s quite the shame you’ll be partin’ with it then, m’lord. ” The man in the road drew his sword suddenly and whistled a high-pitched signal, likely to alert others that hid amongst the trees – whom lay ready to pounce on their next victim – to take up arms.
A sharp, sudden pain blossomed in his chest and he slumped forward onto the neck of his spooked mare, an arrow now peeked through his chest giving him such a fright it had stolen the air from his lungs. His mount panicked in the sudden fray, knocking the unprepared vampire from his perch and onto the ground with a painful thud before it ran off further down the road.
He lay on the ground for a short while, gathering himself through the consistent pain radiating in his chest. If he didn’t remove the arrow it would certainly continue to cause discomfort and refuse to heal. Unfortunately, he wasn’t given the opportunity as the bandit laid steel upon him, barely given the chance to withdraw from the bandit’s sword as it struck soil, tearing a hole through the gambeson he wore. Before the bandit could retreat he gripped the sword’s cross-guard to stop him from pulling away and rammed his foot as hard as he could against the brute’s knee.
The bandit cried out in pain and dropped to his knee, giving Regis an advantage to strike the other’s unguarded head. An advantage which he then took without hesitation as fist connected with their head. The bandit fell with a thud, unconscious and no longer a threat.
With that dealt with he could turn his attention to his companion, who was dealing with a threat of his own. The archer – who had shot him – had since drawn a blade and set upon the Nilfgaardian with another of his bandit allies.
The young man had since dismounted his horse – which was now nowhere to be seen – and drawn steel of his own, the blade flashing brilliantly as he parried and defended himself from the two vagrants that lay arms upon him; the effort already showing in the soldier’s movements with each blow he was forced to deflect. Regis felt inclined to help but still worried about his true nature being discovered and that knowledge be taken badly, instead opting for the blade that lay unattended at his feet and rushing to his companion’s aid.
“ Evyn! ” His cry was followed by a clash of metal, blocking what could have been a fatal blow for the soldier from the archer’s blade. In his effort he was forced to grip his own blade, the sharp edge slicing through his glove and into skin, causing blood to trickle down his arm. The archer looked genuinely shocked, prancing away to a safe distance after his surprise subsided and brought up their guard as Evyn dealt with his own bandit, who also moved away but cackled and taunted like a giddy child.
“ Regis- ” Evyn tore his gaze from his opponent for a split second to look at the vampire in horror, “ You’ve an arrow sticking out of your chest! And is that blood– ”
“ I’m aware, but that shouldn’t be our greatest concern right now. ”
“ Right. ”
Silence and concentration befell them as their attention was returned to the bandits that circled them, like prey sizing up a delectable meal. Regis stood with his back against Evyn’s, raising the sword and preparing for the attack.
It came with little warning, tearing them apart in the heat of it. The vampire didn’t have the skill to keep up with his trained companion as Evyn was forced away and he forced backward, barely able to deflect each of the archer’s blows and placing him a fair distance away from the Nilfgaardian. His shoulder had begun to ache fiercely, the arrow that stuck out from his chest making itself known to him once more and slowing his parries.
The archer’s sword caught his and tore it from his hands, the blade falling to the dirt some distance away. Regis staggered, tripping on an uneven bit of the road and fell backwards. Metal met his neck before he could return to his feet, freezing him on the spot.
“ You’re done for. ” The archer drawled with a wicked smirk.
“ Regis! ” The vampire turned toward his name, his companion deftly slicing through the bandit he fought some distance away, the vagrant falling to his knees as blood gushed from his wounds. The archer spat a curse at his fallen ally and raised his sword to strike the vampire.
Evyn had no chance of reaching him in time. He had no choice.
As the blade arched toward him, his body took the appearance of smoke, shifting to bodiless form to avoid harm, and took shape again. Only now he stood, with monstrous form revealed and claws bared, which quickly sank into the archer’s chest, forcing the other to the ground.
Blood bubbled from the archer’s mouth as the terrified expression he’d worn slowly grew absent with death. Regis withdrew a few paces backward – his inhuman appearance subsiding and replaced with that of exhaustion and pain – and fell heavily to his knees.
Evyn stood still as a statue with a look of terror plaguing his features, almost as if he’d turned to marble with the colour drained from his face as he stared, knuckles white around the hilt of his sword. If not for the rise and fall of his chest he could have easily been mistaken for a statue.
“ Evyn– ” Regis coughed, voice but a croak as blood stained his lips. The arrow had begun to pain him greatly and pulling it out himself seemed an impossible task as he gripped the arrow and pain radiated through his shoulder. “ I would be ever so grateful if you could help me remove this arrow. ”
There was an obvious look of hesitation in the Nilfgaardian’s blue eyes, grip shifting on his blade before nerves were steeled and he quickly moved to aid Regis. He knelt beside him, leaving his blade within arms reach. “ H-how… ”
“ The back, snap it off and pull the rest out of the front. ”
Evyn still seemed hesitant, likely knowing full well doing such a thing to a human would mean more injury. But as he’d come to know of Regis’s true nature there was little he could do but trust the vampire’s instincts and knowledge. And so he obliged, cautiously gripping the arrow and snapping the thin wood, earning a pained curse from the vampire.
Regis straightened, bracing for the next wave of agony, clenching teeth and digging pointed nails into his thighs.
Evyn gently took hold of the remaining arrow and braced his hand against the vampire’s shoulder but paused, looking at Regis with concern. “ Are you certain this won’t injure you further… ”
“ It will heal. ” he spoke surprisingly calm and forced the calm to reflect in his eyes as he looked at Evyn, but an unmistakable strain edged his voice.
The Nilfgaardian forced his gaze to the arrow, grip shifting slightly in preparation.
The vampire let out a stifled cry as the wood was yanked from his chest, catching himself on a hand as he fell forward. Breathing had become taxed, now catching up after he’d involuntarily held his breath against the inevitable pain but it quickly subsided with that pain, relief taking it’s place.
With senses unplagued by pain he could see the Nilfgaardian’s still pale hand resting beside the hilt of his sword, ready to defend himself. Evyn still feared him. Still heeded caution around him. It was to be expected. Foremost, Regis had withheld the truth, and then revealed that monstrous form without prior warning. He was right to fear him.
“ To tell you the truth, Evyn, I’ve not been completely honest with you. It’s high time I was, though. ” He paused and straightened from his hunched position, unsure of how best to articulate his words to soften the blow. It was a difficult task to reveal oneself as a monster to begin with, but to explain himself in this way was difficult. “ As you might’ve guessed, I am not human. I am, in actual fact, a vampire. ”
A tense silence gripped them as the word hung in the air, almost as if it were a forbidden word. A word that instilled fear in most, for it was synonymous with monster. A dangerous, usually mindless beast with nothing but the thought of hunger upon their minds.
“ If you wish to no longer travel with me, I understand. ”
Evyn continued his silence for a moment longer before he stood, extending an outstretched hand to help Regis to his feet, a gesture the vampire hadn’t expected. “ How many years have we known each other, Regis? And you still haven’t drained me of blood yet. I think it’s safe to say my neck is safe from harm. ”
Regis smiled after a moment, gladly taking the other’s hand and standing. “ Let’s go find our horses. ”
feaine replied to your post “cries a lot because they’re making a witcher series on netflix and...”
ok but imagine: detective rosa diaz as yennefer :')
I cannot believe you just asked me to turn on my wife Jennifer Connelly, whom I love. No, but seriously, that’s. That’s some good casting jfc. I would pay IRL money to see Beatriz in this role.
Disney Lyrics Starters ( not accepting ) , @feaine
“Truly, you mean?”, she lowered her ganze and pondered for a while. “Long ago, I’d say, when I asked for a life with Lady Stella. When the wish for a safe and loving home, the wish for someone who would truly love me, for what I am, not for what I look like, was stronger than the fear of stumbling and falling.”
“Dear scout, you’ve wandered far from comfort’s reach. Your company may worry.” And there it was. There he was. Crouched atop a branch high above, the elf paid his welcomes through an arrow nocked with deadly poise. Anwyl had watched his brethren slew folk by the hundreds, reaping men like wheat in times of harvest. He knew not of who they were, these soldiers of the sun, but in him bred more apprehension than Northern hate. Training his sights on the Nilfgaardian, he asked, “Have you found what it is you seek?”
For a short moment, his fingers twitch to reach for the staff on his back, but he stills himself for the time being. ❝ Careful with that sword -- last time a man looked at me like that -- well, that’s a story for another time. I am not looking for a fight, and I do hope you are not, either. I did not know the Orlesian army was suddenly against Tevinter -- or mages. ❞
“I thought Niflgaard would send more than a single soldier to invade Novigrad.”
Her comment drew a laugh from some of the guests who surrounded her - a merchant, two poets, a fellow courtesan and someone’s wife, though she did not currently remember whose. An artist quietly painting in the corner did not heed their words any attention. The salon of Miss Janna was open to everyone who sought beauty, art and intellect in this city. She could not offer Oxenfurt, and all of this was yet another thinly veiled set up for less reputable favours granted in this place- still, she kept true to her principle of civility and strict avoidance of politics.
Thus, an arm adorned with golden bangles gestured around. This man was rather young and a soldier and thus, she assumed he was neither here for art nor for some companionship. Novigrad had cheaper women for this. However... maybe his visit was of a more professional nature. The seemingly young woman finally leaned back again, watching the man through thick lashes for a couple of moments, waiting for silence to settle.
