enticing {𝖌𝖊𝖗𝖆𝖑𝖙 𝖔𝖋 𝖗𝖎𝖛𝖎𝖆}

chapter four

"Anger is never without reason, seldom a good one."

-Benjamin Franklin

"ONLY ONE MORE WEEK, GERALT," Jaskier said, excitedly. Geralt just hummed, sipping his pint. "What are you going to do? When you first reunite with your love?"

"Jump her bones." Geralt grumbled in hopes to shut up him, but he just laughed at Geralt's comment.

"I will be sure to give you two space when we see her for the first time." Jaskier laughed, getting his own ale.

Geralt sat at a table on his own as Jaskier started to perform for everyone in the tavern. He mulled over his own thoughts, but the conversation at another table picked up his interest. 

"Did you hear that knight is going for a public execution in Traven?" One man with fiery red hair and a huge beard said to another man who looked like he weighed less than a twig.

"Travenites are bloodthirsty little fuckers." The twig man shook his head. "What'd he do again?"

"He killed a witcher in his sleep. Apparently the court didn't like that too much." The red-haired man replied. "They're making a big thing about it."

"Well, didn't he force himself on one of the women of the court? Saying he was her fiance?" The twig asked and that is what made Geralt break his silence.

"Princess Amelia?" He asked and the two men exchanged looks while chuckling.

"Where have you been, buddy?" The red-haired man asked. "Princess Amelia fell into a coma after breaking the Traven curse nearly ten years ago."

"Hm." Geralt grunted as he stood, walking over to Jaskier. "We need to go, bard."

"But we just got here."  He whined as Geralt paid for their drinks.

"Amelia is bringing a witcher killer to court and the slaughtering him in front of her people." Geralt gripped the bard's shoulder while dragging him out of the tavern. "Some men said that he forced himself upon her, claiming that he was her fiance."

"Oh-ho-ho-ho, I feel very sorry for that man." Jaskier whistled lowly. "He hasn't the slightest what he's done."

"I'm going to tear him limb from limb." Geralt growled, which Jaskier raised a brow at.

"Uh, Geralt, your eyes are doing their scary witcher thing again." The bard pulled Geralt's hood further down so the people around them wouldn't see Geralt's darkening eyes. The witcher didn't reply as they both got on their own horses.

"He's a dead man if I get my hands on him." Geralt muttered, just loud enough for Jaskier to hear as they rode out of town.

"I'm sure whatever Amelia has in store for him is much worse than what you can imagine." The bard chuckled, trying to calm down the witcher before the town people started to notice. "We have to be careful."

"Trying to say he's her fiance. How dare he?"

"Alright, you big jealous witcher." Jaskier shot him a look. "Amelia will always ever love you. There's nothing for you to worry about."

Geralt looked at the bard. "But what's if... that's what is best for her? I mean, I can't give her children. What is there to gain by marriage to me? A life with me?"

"For her? A lifelong exciting adventure filled with happiness standing beside the witcher that destiny gave her." Jaskier replied. "And don't you dare go into that--that self-loathing thingy that you do. We're getting Amelia back."

Strangely, that did make Geralt feel better about the whole thing. "It's strange for her to a public execution. I would think that would be too brutal for her."

"Amelia? Too brutal?" Jaskier laughed heartily. "I'm sorry, do you remember the four men she killed and then put their heads on spikes? That she specifically handcrafted for the purpose of putting heads on? Nothing too brutal for that woman."

"Hm."

"And he's a witcher killer. I'm sure she took that personally." Jaskier commented. "You know, because she's in love with one."

"Do you think her brothers will let her leave again?" Geralt asked after a few moments of silent riding.

Jaskier looked thoughtful before speaking. "Do you remember, way back when, when we went to Pavetta's marriage banquet?"

Geralt nodded.

"And how the Lioness of Cintra caught on to all our lies beside the fact that you and Amelia weren't really engaged?" Jaskier tapped his chin as Geralt nodded again. "That because when people look at you two, they can feel the connection that you share."

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"Because no one in their right mind would try to split up love like that."