The Girl in the Woods

Chapter 8

            Roach's hooves hit stone as they finally arrived at the city of Oxenfurt. Even late into the evening the streets were full of people; Students, Lecturers and general revelers mixed together stumbling around outside of numerous taverns, brothels, street stalls and merchant shops. There was a different ballad spilling out of every bar, Geralt's sensitive hearing was attempting to pick out one particular bard, but he wasn't having any luck.

           Their first stop was a stable so the Witcher could get Roach settled in, fed and watered. Geralt's hand stretched up to assist Beth's dismount from the saddle, her head still whipped around in all directions taking in the many sights, smells and sounds.

"This feels a lot like a college town near where I live." She commented, "Sometimes I wished I went to a State school instead of community college so I could experience what it would be like."

"Oxenfurt's pride and joy is the Academy." Geralt informed, "The entire city is filled to the brim with the most eccentric, ambitious and learned people of the kingdom. I personally find most of it annoying."

"Well that's not a very good attitude!" Beth chastised him. "If I'm going to be stuck in some bizarre world of magic I'm at least going to explore."

        Two giggling women in rather revealing dresses and a man wearing a bright yellow doublet and blue pants paired with a matching blue hat accented with a feather passed by the two travelers.

"You look like you need a drink!" The man thrust a large mug of frothing ale towards Geralt, the liquid sloshing over the lip due to the momentum.

"I'll get my own thank you." the Witcher grumbled at him, not in the mood to deal with the drunken antics of strangers. The two women grabbed tighter to his arms and started to giggle uncontrollably.

After deciding Geralt was no fun to talk to, the man shifted his attention to Beth.

"And you, fair lady!" He exclaimed, "What is a maiden of your beauty doing with some ugly old Witcher!"

            Geralt growled under his breath. "I rather enjoy his company." Beth told the man. Geralt tried to hide his smile hearing her words, even if she was just trying to get the drunkard to leave them alone. "And I think you've had a few too many if you look at him and think he's ugly." She added. Geralt was aware that since she came from a far away place much different than his own that she had not been exposed to the normal treatment of his kind,but he was still unused to hearing such things. He felt a warm feeling in his chest at her admission.

The man scoffed and rolled his eyes dramatically. "Must be a well paid whore." He muttered to his companions, deciding they were bored and moving on to something else.

           Geralt instinctively lurched in the man's direction after hearing him call Beth a whore, stopping at the feeling of her small hand gripping his arm. His head spun around to her and he started to calm seeing her face. She shook her head, braids swishing around her "Not worth it. Let's go check out one of those bars." She was excited at the thought of finally being able to experience a real tavern, not just one of the ones set up at the Fair. She could already feel the energy coming from the nearest said establishment.

           Next thing the Witcher knew he was being dragged by the hand towards a building marked with signage saying "Three Little Bells". Inside were tables and booths around close to the walls, a large bar and a clearing in the middle where several couples were dancing enthusiastically to a bard's upbeat jig. Geralt could tell before they even made it into the door that this was not a place he wanted to be, but it was an inn and at the very least he could secure them lodgings for the night and retire to the room. He felt very uncomfortable with the idea of leaving Beth alone in the establishment though, especially with her being so uninformed on customs and currency. He focused on that excuse and not another that came to him about the untrustworthy male patrons being that close to Beth, the thought of which he couldn't stand.