alluring {𝖌𝖊𝖗𝖆𝖑𝖙 𝖔𝖋 𝖗𝖎𝖛𝖎𝖆} WATTYS 2022

chapter ten

"Sometimes I wonder if life is worth fighting for, but then I look at you and I'm ready for war."

-Bruce Durham

GERALT SUGGESTED AMELIA RIDE ROACH SO SHE WOULDN'T GET TIRED. Geralt lead Roach by the reins while Jaskier walked beside him.

"No one said anything about the witcher having a lover," Jaskier commented and Amelia laughed loudly as Geralt's cheeks turned the faintest shade of pink.

"No, no, Geralt is accompanying me to Oxenfurt." Amelia smiled, reaching out patting Geralt's shoulder. "I'm not exactly relationship material."

"So you're available?" The bard said, flirtatiously while stepping toward her.

"Step away." Geralt growled and Jaskier quickly retreated with his hands up.

What she said was true, she wasn't relationship material. Especially if she were to fulfill this curse and then fall into a deep sleep. When she thought about that before, she would feel excited to help her people.

Now, she still felt that excitement, but she also felt hurt when she looked at Geralt.

"Reading between the lines and the gut punches, chum, I'd say you have got a bit of a... an image problem," Jaskier chatted along as nothing had happened and like Geralt didn't hate him.

"Were I to join you on this... feat to defeat the devil of Posada, I could relieve you of that title. All the North would be too busy singing the tales of... Geralt of Rivia, the- the white Wolf or- or something."

"Butcher is right." Geralt grumbled and Amelia smiled at her travel companion. She found his grumpiness adorable.

Geralt tied Roach to a tree and offered to help Amelia down. The bard continued to yap and Geralt and Amelia walked off into the valley.

"It's quite a beautiful sight," Amelia said to Geralt, but her eyes on the sunny valley in front of them.

"Yes, it is." But Geralt's eyes weren't on the valley.

"Geralt? Amelia? Wh- Where are you going? Guys, don't leave me. Hello? What are we looking for again?" The bard ran to catch with them, making Amelia chuckle.

"Blessed silence." Geralt and Amelia trekked on, the bard at their heels.

" Yeah, I don't really go in for that."

"Jaskier, honey, we know." Amelia retorted sarcastically, earning a low chuckle from Geralt. She doubted Jaskier heard it, but she did.

"Have you, uh, have you ever hunted a devil before, Geralt?" The bard asked, his voice littered with nervousness. 

"Devils don't exist." The trio made it to a flat landing, filled with tall bushes and sand.

"Right. Obviously. Then, uh... then what are we doing?"

Amelia heard Geralt's eyeroll. "Sometimes there's a monster, sometimes there's money. Rarely both. That's the life."

"C'mon, boys, let's go back." Amelia piped up. There was a small whiz through the air and a small projectile hit the center of Geralt's forehead.

"Shit!" Geralt covered Amelia's body with his own.

"Act Two begins!" Jaskier exclaims, leaning to look into the bushes.

"Damn. I left my bow with Roach." Amelia kicked herself mentally.

"What was that? Looks like a tiny cannonball from a..." Jaskier trailed off and his eyes widened. "Oh, my gosh. Geralt... it is a devil. Ooh. I have to see this magical, this mythi-"