Never Surrender

25

We stuck to the road I walked in my human form, tossing an apple up and down the only form of entertainment on this mud swollen road. "Do you intend to eat that?" Jaskier asked.

"Yes, when I'm hungry," I said throwing the apple up again my eyes trained on the red bruised sphere.

"Bard, leave her alone," Ciri said.

"I do have a name," he replied.

"Yes, and she doesn't care to use it," Geralt said. Roach neighed and threw her head up, "easy," Geralt rested his hand on her nose. We reached a small village. Our gazes trained on the ground as the villagers stared.

"Hello. Hi. Hi there," Jaskier said greeting everyone.

"Don't engage them," I said flashing my eyes at him.

"What is the worst thing that they are going to do?" he asked and looked at the man sitting on the well as Geralt tied Roach up to a metal ring on the side of the tavern.

"Cut your throat," Geralt replied and slapped him on the back.

"Ar, right," he said and followed us into the tavern. We sat in the corner while Geralt spoke to the barkeep. After a few moments of waiting, he came to join us or so we thought.

"I have to slay something you three stay here until I return," he said none of us argued and we watched as the witcher left us.

"What do we do now?" Jaskier asked looking at Ciri and I but we were too busy drinking from our flagons.

"Go, play a song or something," I said placing my flagon down.

"That I can do," he said walking away from us and standing in the middle of the tavern, he strummed his lute but no one was listening. "Ahem!" He coughed, the only response he received was from two older gentlemen, battleworn and tired. One punched him in the face and knocked him to the floor, Ciri and I giggled at him. Jaskier whimpered and laid on the ground for a few moments before hauling himself off the ground and cradling his jaw. "That's no way to treat a musician!" He exclaimed, embarrassed he wandered back to us. He sat opposite us, rested his hands on the table and pouted. "Obviously people don't appreciate good music."

"Or you're just talentless," Ciri giggled.

"That's not the case, I'll have you know I'm a professional," he said.

"Professional moron," I said. He laughed at us sarcastically and threw his lute over his shoulder.

"You all have horrible taste," he said a little too loudly to the drinking peasants behind him. We exchanged glances.

"No, they just have no cheerful music here," Ciri said.

"There's nothing but mercenaries, bounty hunters and soldiers," I said.

"And we're going to stay here and wait for Geralt are we?" Jaskier asked.

"Yep," I said popping the 'P'.

"You can run and hide Bard and we'll protect you," Ciri teased. "Keep your voice down we don't need unnecessary attention being drawn to us," Ciri said.