alluring {𝖌𝖊𝖗𝖆𝖑𝖙 𝖔𝖋 𝖗𝖎𝖛𝖎𝖆} WATTYS 2022

chapter nine

"One day, someone will walk into your life and you will wonder how you ever lived without them."

-unknown

GERALT KNEW AMELIA BETTER THAN HE KNEW ANYONE. Which was slightly concerning because he had only known her for two days now.

He had known her for only a short period of time, but he was willing to kill for her, though she could handle herself. He felt a sense of protectiveness that he had never felt before.

When the two went into a tavern at Posada, he urged her to sit in the corner and wait for him to get their drinks and he grabbed her a tart. He took a sip of both of their ale as he sat down with her.

"Should be good." Geralt handed her the pint and she smiled softly at him. He handed her the tart, which also had a bite out of it from Geralt.

"Thank you," she said softly and his heart thudded. "You don't have to keep doing this if you don't want."

"You were nervous." Amelia's eyes gleamed with something Geralt had never seen before and he couldn't figure out what it was.

"You think you're safe / Without a care / But here in Posada / You'd be wise to beware / The pike with the spike / That lurks in your drawers / Or the flying drake," The bard sang in the tavern and Geralt almost audibly growled.

"It's alright, Geralt," Amelia spoke. "I feel safe when I'm with you."

Geralt didn't know what to say. "Hm."

"That will fill you with horror / Need old Nan the Hat / To stir up a potion / So that your lady / May get an abortion," The bard drew out his notes and Amelia snickered at the last lines.

"Abort yourself!" One of the villagers yelled and Geralt saw Amelia place a hand on her mouth to keep from laughing.

"Oi, fuck off!" The bard yelled and the people in the tavern threw bread at him. "I'm glad I could bring you all together like this." He swooped to pick up the bread and took out a chunk of it and popped it in his mouth.

"Sit down and shut up!" Another villager yelled.

"Unbelievable." The bard shook his head, it was when he started to walk towards Geralt and Amelia she finally spoke.

"Christ, is he really making his way over here?" Amelia asked, raising her pint to her lips so he couldn't be seen talking. Geralt just grunted in response.

"I love the way you just... sit in the corner and brood." The bard sat at their table and Geralt felt annoyance wash over him.

"We're here to drink alone." He stated, his voice deadpanned.

"Good. Yeah, good. No one else hesitated to comment on the quality of my performance, except... for you two." The bard seemed like he just realized Amelia was sitting beside him. "Well, hello, there."

Amelia nodded politely. "Hello."

The bard offered his hand to Amelia, which she took. But instead of letting him kiss her hand, she shook his, as a man would do. "The name's Jaskier. And you are...?"

"Amelia of Traven." 

"Well, Amelia of Traven, can you convince the big brood next to you to give me some insight to my performance?" Jaskier asked, and attempted to flirt with her.

"Maybe you should get on with it so he'll leave us be," she muttered under her breath to Geralt, who sighed heavily.

"Come on. You don't want to keep a man with... bread in his pants waiting. You must have some review for me. Three words or less." The bard pleaded.

"They don't exist." Geralt spoke and he heard the delightful snort of Amelia at his side.

"Clever," she complimented.

"What don't exist?" Jaskier asked, conclusion splashing on his features.

"The creatures in your song."

"And how would you know?" The bard seemed appalled, but then the gears seemed to turn in his head. "Oh, fun. White hair... big, old loner, two very... very scary-looking swords. I know who you are."

Geralt groaned in the back of his throat, only loud enough so Amelia could hear it.

"You're the Witcher, Geralt of Rivia. Called it." The bard all but shouted.

"Jaskier, dear, we gave you your reviews--" Amelia started, but a man stood from a nearby table and cut her off.

"A job I've got for ya. I beg you. A devil- he's been stealing all our grain." The man seemed terrified and angry. Geralt cast a look at Amelia, who was already looking at him with approving eyes. "In advance, I'll pay you. A hundred ducat."

"One-fifty." Amelia pressed and the man looked at her.

"And who might you be?" The man asked, ruder than Geralt's liking.

"One of the most cutthroat women you will ever meet." Geralt defended her before she could get herself in more trouble. "You heard the woman, one-fifty."

"I've no doubt you'll come through. You take no prisoners, so I hear." The man handed Amelia the pouch of coin the man offered, and she handed it to Geralt.

♘ ♘ ♘

"Hell of a bard," Amelia joked, bumping her shoulder into Geralt's arm. "Do you think he'll follow us?"

"Don't jinx it, Amelia." Geralt looked down at her, a ghost of a smile on his lips.

"Hey! Hey!" Amelia let out a loud laugh while Geralt groaned as they heard the bard's footsteps running after them. "Need a hand? I've got two. One for each of the, uh, devil's horns."

"Go away." 

"Oh, Geralt, lighten up." Amelia was still smiling and Geralt knew he couldn't say no to that smile.

"Yes, I won't be but a silent back-up." Jaskier agreed with Amelia. "Look, I heard your note, and, yes, you're right, maybe real adventures would make better stories. And you, sir, smell chock-full of them. Amongst other things."

Geralt looked at Amelia, but she looked so happy with the bard's antics that he couldn't fully tell him to eat shit.

"I mean, what is that? Is that onion? It doesn't matter. Whatever it is, you smell of death and destiny. Heroics and heartbreak." The bard was dramatic and bright, much like Amelia. But Amelia was funnier and better-looking.

"It's onion." Geralt said, stoically, making Amelia burst out in laughter. Geralt felt a small twinge of pride in his chest.

"You have jokes, witcher." Amelia looked at him with that strange gleam in her eyes again.

"Right, yeah. Yeah. Ooh, I could be your barker, spreading the tales of Geralt of Rivia, the- the Butcher of Blaviken." Geralt maybe not get rid of Jaskier, but he did have another thing he could do.

Geralt stopped in the path and gestured to the bard. "Come here."

Jaskier's face lit up and he walked towards Geralt. "Yeah?"

Geralt punched him in the gut so hard the bard's legs went out. Amelia howled with laughter and hooked her arm in Geralt's.