Maneater

The Bard's Song

I had fallen asleep not long after my encounter with the girl. But it's late in the night now, a little after midnight. I slide my armor back on along with my cloak, bag, and sword and head downstairs. The second my feet hit the last step, I notice how busy the bar had become. The loud strumming of a lute and a male's singing echoes through the building.

I take a seat at the bar and watch the man performing. It's the bard from earlier, which means the girl and the Witcher are near. How wonderful. The bard's eyes meet mine, and I give him a grin with a sarcastic wave.

His voice falters as he switches the lyrics, "She only comes out at night, giving everyone a fright. Men cower before her. She's a Maneater."

He stands in front of me now, his eyes locked on mine as he continues singing. "Wearing her crimson cloak and swinging her sword, not uttering a word. She thrives off their fear. She's a Maneater."

He stops, and the crowd cheers loudly. His blue eyes are still focused on me, like he's frozen in fear. I take a sip of my drink and grin, "They're clapping because it's over."

He snaps out of his trance. "I happen to be an amazing singer and songwriter."

"You men are so full of yourselves, always building up your fragile egos."

He leans against the counter next to me, "I am incredibly offended! Your insults hurt worse than Geralt's, and that's saying something!"

"Is Geralt your Witcher friend?" I ask.

"We're not friends," someone answers.

The Witcher takes the seat on the other side of the bard, his yellow eyes narrowed into a glare. I glare back, "I wasn't talking to you, Witcher."

"And now you are."

The bard gives me a nervous look, "Geralt, how about we not smart off to the Maneater? You know, the woman that is known for killing every man she deems bad!"

"Ah, lucky for you, bard. I don't see you as a threat. Your bitchy Witcher friend however is really starting to piss me off."

The Witcher straightens his back, amd the bard raises his hand. Like he's shushing him. "Don't mind, Geralt. He's horrible with new people."

I guzzle the rest of my drink and hop off the stool, "This was unpleasant. I hope to never see your faces again."

I grab my stuff and head out. The sun will be rising soon, and I plan on making it to the next town by noon. I shiver at the cold wind, silently cursing the snowflakes that coat my hair. When I make it to the stables, I look around to make sure no one is near. I take my gloves off and form a ball of fire in my hand to warm myself up.

Loki snorts at me, and I frown, "It's only for a minute. I just need to warm myself up."

I shake my hand to get rid of the fire and put my gloves back on. After I'm done saddling Loki I climb in the saddle and the two of us leave the village.

~~°°••°°~~

We make it to the town just in time for lunch. I make sure to rent a stall for Loki and feed him first, ignoring my growling stomach. Horses get fed first. They do all of the heavy lifting, so it's only fair. I give Loki one last pat on the neck and exit the stables. There's got to be a decent restaurant somewhere around here.

The hood of my cloak falls, revealing my bright hair. I quickly pull it back up, glaring at anyone who looks at me. A small building comes into view, and there is a sign hanging above it with a painting of a bowl of soup. Simple enough. I just hope the food is worth eating.

I push the door open, and everyone's eyes fall on me. I take a seat in the back corner of the building, hiding as well as I can. A woman throws a bowl of soup down in front of me, most of it splashing onto the table. I stare at the bowl and then look up at her.

"We don't want you in our town, Maneater."

I drink a spoonful of the soup, "Your food tastes like shit."

I stand up, causing her to back away quickly. A smirk makes its way onto my face as I push past her. Surely there's another restaurant in town with better waitresses and food. People glare at me as I walk down the street. A woman sticks her head out of a building and waves me over. "We have fresh food!"

I give her a weird look but follow her inside. It's an inn and restaurant. Just what I needed.

"I assume you'll need a room as well?"

I sit at the bar, "For three nights."

She sets a bowl of soup down in front of me and smiles. "I appreciate what you do."

I nod in response. What else am I supposed to do? Thank her for being okay with me murdering men? She walks away to tend to another customer. I eat the soup in peace and am surprised to know that it actually tastes good.

I pay her for the food and room and head upstairs. There's a bathtub in the corner of the room, I pull the curtains over the window and begin to get undressed. I twirl my hand, hot water magically appearing in the tub. As I sink into the water, I let out a sigh. Maybe I can stay in this town for a little while. It would be nice to finally stay in one spot for longer than a day and a half.

I step out of the tub and dry myself off. Then, dig through my bag and pull out my warmest outfit. Tonight is supposed to be cold, much colder than it has been. I flick my finger, sending a spark to the stacked up wood in the fireplace. It catches on fire within seconds, and I smile to myself. I may not understand my powers or where they come from, but they really do make things easier.

Author's Note: I promise this story will get more interesting as it goes on.