The Right Thing (The Witcher Netflix)

Under The Pale Summer Moon

Merrian could not close her eyes.

No matter how hard she tried to make her mind grow quiet. She could not.

It was back.

The creature that paced outside her window every night for the past three months. Her insomnia never wavering as it scratched at the stones outside. This creature only terrorized her, never her mistress, Lady Mari Baunette.

Merrian sat up in her bed, holding the edge of her woolen blanket in tight fists. She relented her better judgement and struck a match, lighting the candle beside her bed. On the nights she couldn't sleep, she would read, in hopes of tiering her mind into slumber, but the creature always woke her as soon as her eyes would drift shut.

By now the soft light of the beginning of dawn started to creep into the indigo sky and Merrian knew that sleep would not come for her this night, and decided on getting dressed for the day.

Merrian was a servant, but unlike most servants she was given a seat at the table, a large room, and the almost motherly care of her employer. As Merrian pulled on her simple dress she felt as if eyes we're watching her, she did not bother to try and look. She knew the creature was just outside her window waiting for the sun to appear over the tree tops before finally disappearing without a trace. She left her room without turning towards her window, for she knew just what horror was staring at her through that window.

As she set the table that morning Lady Mari came gracefully down the stairs, it was hard to believe she was only forty-six, she looked as if she were still in her early thirties, the only indications of her age was a sharp streak of grey against her natural black hair. Her piercing storm grey eyes framed by laugh lines and faint outlines of crows feet around the corners of her eyes. A sharp angular face that exuded power and nobility, her will and wit was enough to rival that of the young Queen Calanthe of Cintra.

"Merrian, did the creature return last night?" Her sharp commanding voice held a softer motherly tone, one not many heard come from the famous "Lady Of Ice". Merrian was silent for a moment, her long braid of thick brown hair being wrung with her petite hands, the delicate fingers gripping the braid until the knuckles turned white.

"It did..." she answered quietly and the noble woman sighed heavily.

"I see, and did it watch you as it has done before?" Merrian's hazel eyes looked down at the floor the taste of bile building in the back of her throat.

"Yes..." she breathed and Lady Mari nodded simply.

"Then I sent for him just in time it would seem." She said and Merrian looked up at her releasing her braid.

"Sent for who Milady?" Merrian was confused as to who Lady Mari was referring to

"Hopefully the man who can solve our problem." She said hopefully and sat down in her place at the table, Merrian sitting on her left side as always.

"I've sent for a Witcher, child. He will know what this beast is, and he will kill it." Merrian looked up at her employer astounded by her casual use of the word 'Witcher'.

"But Milady! Aren't they dangerous? Can't they not be trusted?" Merrian asked, she only knew of  the stories and tall tales that merchants and travelers would tell when she met them at the market. From what she had heard they were ruthless killers of both monsters and men, it made no difference. They only killed for coin and pleasure, known for seducing poor women and taking many harlots into their beds.

"Foolish child," Mari chuckled looking over at her twenty-four year old ward

"This Witcher I have summoned is not like the others, he's different. And I hope you will treat him as a guest. I summoned him on your behalf after all, offered him a decent reward as well. He has no business to refuse such a good paying job." Lady Mari chuckled with a self satisfied smirk on her lips as she ate her breakfast.