The Witcher: Raven and Wolf

3. The Raven

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When the letter arrived in Ban Ard, no one was expecting something so horrible. The leaders gathered the whole city to tell them the news. She was in her cabin, eyes closed and sat on the ground, gathering all her senses, when she heard the first shouts. People were calling each other to come to the centre of the village, for there were news coming from the King.

She opens her eyes and hear their shouts, listening to their words. Deciding that she should go see what all this madness is about, she stands up and grab her cloak, throwing it over her shoulders. She hides her face in it, covering the scar over her left eye. Sliding a few daggers into her boots, she opens the door and steps out into the cold, rainy day.

The grey sky stares down at the townspeople while they ignore all except for a man standing on a wooden platform. Mud covers pretty much all of his clothing. He rode here. And just as she presumed, a brown horse is standing behind the platform. There is a symbol on it's saddle. A black horse. The Kingdom's banner.

"Dearest people of Ban Ard!", the man shouts loudly, letting all hear him, "The time has come for me to gather an army. Brave warriors are needed for this war, so I ask of you to bring the strongest of soldiers to the Kingdom as soon as possible! This war will be harder to win, it will be more hopeless than others. If you wish to join this war, for our Kingdom, I advise you to bid farewell to your dearest. Without you, Kaedwen will not be safe! Let us fight this war! Let us win this war! Let Kaedwen be as beautiful as never before!"

At that the people cheer for the King's words. But no one can doubt that everyone is scared. The King had never called for such an awful war. She sighs, leaning against a housewall, watching the people and their oblivious faces.

Just as she wants to turn away and walk back to her cabin, she hears another man's voice. "Ban Ard! Our time has come! We must choose our strongest of warriors and send them to the King! Who of you is willing to fight for Kaedwen?" the man asks.

She waits to see who will answer, and a group of men raise their hands. The Ard Boys. That is at least what they call themselves. A group of about ten men, who will do anything to prove that they are better than the rest. Selfish men, that know nothing of killing beasts.

"Oy! Freak!" she hear a voice and slightly turns her head towards the person. That is what she lives with ever since she denied to tell them where she came from. "Aren't you going to fight for the King?" another person says. Her golden eyes look straight into his brown ones, intimidating him visibly.

He shuts his mouth. But other people start to gather around her and urge her to go. "You have to fight for the King if we should really believe that you kill beasts!"

"Stop hiding youself from the world! We'll find out what you are eventually!"

They continue to speak things such as these and soon the whole crowd's eyes are directed at her. Even the Ard Boys are now watching as the townspeople push her to the middle of the crowd. But not physically, for they fear her.

She steps towards the middle of the crowd and up to the Ard Boys, stepping behind them and grabbing her black horse, mounting it and adjusting the saddle.

Without a word she turns away and rides out into the night, leaving the village behind. Let's just hope that what the King wants isn't for his selfishness.

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The truth, the hidden truth is that she is not human. She is a witcher.

No one, not even she knows how this is possible. Female witchers don't exist. They're myths. But they live in a world where myths aren't as far from reality as rumors.