The Witcher: Elder Blood

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***

The first signs of awakening appeared, not so sharp, gradual, I didn't want to open my eyes yet. I wanted to lie in the comfortable, soft bed for a while longer.

The scent of flowers hit my nose, the familiar lavender appealing pleasant scent - the scent of serenity. Continuing to inhale it, he only relaxed more, pressing his face against the pillow to hide his eyelids from the incoming rays of the sun.

As he sank back into the realm of Morpheus, he squeezed the pillow tighter in his hands.

- Shit, you're going to crush it,' I heard a familiar voice from the pillow, which made me stand up sharply on the bed.

- Mm-hmm,' I heard a disgruntled mooing from behind me, coming from the elf I'd rented from the best brothel in Temeria-the House of the Queen of the Night-right in the capital of the kingdom, Vyzima. My jerk caused her arm, previously hugging me from behind, to swing to the side, causing her to open her sleepy eyes. - Not yet... - and hugged me again, forcing me back under the blanket. - You have such a curious daughter... - the elf mumbled sleepily.

- I'm not his daughter!

- I'm not that old,' my consciousness had time to finally recover from the dream, forcing me to start thinking.

- Who knows you warlocks... - she said one last thing before she went to sleep.

- What are you doing here? - I asked Galantea more quietly, so as not to disturb the elfess further in her sleep.

- What-what? They themselves forgot to rent me a private room - they were in such a hurry to get here. Where else would I sleep?' she got under the blanket again, and got a sharp look from me. - What?

- Galanthea, remind me, forgetful fool, how old are you?

- It's been a week since my sixteenth birthday,' she lifted her chin proudly, covering her eyes. - Really, you forgetful fool, you bought me a big cake that day. Aye-aye,' I took her ear with my free hand, bringing her face close to mine.

- So tell me, sixteen-you big brat, why didn't you take a handful of wrens and get a room in the tavern for them? - I hissed in her ear.

- Come on,' Galantea pushed my hand away. - I wasted all my money,' she pointed a finger at my chest. - And you don't give me time to earn money with your songs in taverns,' she continued pointing her finger accusingly at me.

- You could have taken from me.

- Let me sleep,' the elf hugged me tighter, covering herself completely with the blanket and most of me at the same time.

- Move over and don't disturb your sleep, I told you, - Galanthea lay back down, so I was hugged from both sides, not being able to take a more comfortable position. The discomfort didn't stop me from falling asleep after one minute of silence, though. When you go to bed in the morning and wake up with the first cock crowing, it's not much to think about, it's more important to sleep.

***

- Why so sour, Eren? - Detmold asked me when I got to the ground floor of the brothel. - You're, oh-oh, so you, when you just ...

- Shut up, she was just sleeping in the same room with us,' I replied, when I noticed Detmold's gaze on Galanthea, who jumped out from behind me and immediately ran to order breakfast. Then one of the staff showed up, the elf Nyssa, who had caught my eye the night before when we'd decided to have a good time.

- Ah, it's nice here,' he sighed blissfully. - Why haven't we stayed here before?

- Because it was too expensive? - I answer him with a question for a question, sitting down opposite to him. - Go, get ready, we're leaving in ten minutes.

- I was just relaxing,' he grudgingly went upstairs to get his things.

His place was taken by Galantea, who had brought some snacks along with fruit.

- 'The money invested by customers will be used to purchase goods, pay guards and repair carts if necessary,' she quoted my rules written in the contract before setting down a glass of water.

- It wasn't funny the second time round, and there wasn't much left invested in our pockets. Almost everything was returned with interest.

Six months had passed since our departure through the kingdoms of the continent. We've managed to complete an entire circuit of them.

We started in Kaedwen, from which we travelled to Aedirn. Next on the route was Temeria (where we are now).

We decided not to go to Cintra, it was lower on the map, there was nothing to sell and buy there, it was famous for its ports, and this is the main source of import and export of goods, and what goods are there? Fish mostly.

From Temeria we travelled to Redania, our next waypoint, and from there to Kovir. From Covir back to Kaedwen, thus circling the continent.

Now we were making a second circle. Given the experience gained on the first journey, it was easier. Fewer people had to be signed up as depositors, now the minimum amount had increased many times over. The list of items to buy and sell underwent final changes, becoming the most profitable. And the ability to negotiate (not without the use of mental magic) only developed, allowing faster buying and selling of the goods themselves.

- But it would be funny if I told that sorceress about your adventures,' she crossed her arms over her chest.

- First of all, I don't have any serious plans for her to be afraid of. We were just talking about the possibility of her working with us. You know how much I hate dealing with paperwork. But, Jennyfer has decided to pursue her medical career, you see, she likes to do her treatment at Wengerberg. Secondly, what's got into you today?

- It didn't stop you from spending time alone together when we visited Wengerberg for the second time.... Okay! - she threw her hands up when I got bored with her attempts at pressure. - I was going to say, have you thought about doing something more...? - she waved her open palm. - Busy, interesting, something that might bring fame, expose you to the world. Eren,' she moved to the arm of my chair. - You're such an amazing mage, okay, just gifted,' she corrected, noticing my sceptical look. - What's the interest in trading all the time? Okay, let's say one or two more trips, but do you really want to keep doing it?

- I told you about my plans, you can't build something like this without money.

- I understand,' her head drooped in thought.

- I understand, too,' I pulled her into my arms, squeezing her tighter when she started to pull away. - Someone lacks stories for songs and balads? Isn't that right?

- It's not like that, let go!

- I don't like this life myself,' I tilted my head back in the chair as Galanthea calmed down in my arms. - We have time to see the world.

- How do you feel about elves?

- Elves? Why do you ask?

- Simple,' she looked away. - You don't mind taking an elf for the night, of course. I mean, what do you think of their race?

- They're too much like humans to be treated differently. I don't treat them any differently, I hardly distinguish them from humans. It's the behaviour of the individuals that matters, they're not all the same. So why do you ask?

Her face turned back to me, showing me a slight smile.

- I just don't like the fact that many people dislike them and persecute them. I would like everyone to live in peace, but that's not going to happen.

We continued to sit in silence, waiting for Detmold, until she said:

- Have you ever heard of a prophet.....

- I'm packed! - The sorcerer came downstairs at a brisk pace, giving us a judgemental look. - Which one? Eren! You're going to get ready while you're lounging in the arms of our bard!

- I don't need to take so long to pack,' I snapped back. - Come on, let's go, we need to check our belongings,' I let Galanthea get up from my lap and took my sword and belt with the pouches on the sides, fastening them on my belt.

- Are you leaving already? What a pity, I hope to see you again, - near the exit we met the owner of this place, I didn't know her name, I heard only a nickname, received in honour of the brothel itself - the Queen of Night.

- We'll be sure to stop by as soon as we visit Vyzima again, - my companions had already left the brothel, I didn't want to keep them waiting, so I hurried to say goodbye to the hospitable hostess.

- I'll be waiting, also I hope for your company next time, you like not only elves, don't you? They are definitely the best of the best,' she looked at Nyssa, who was next to me. - But it's me you'll be able to feel the real pleasure with,' I was embarrassed by the way she licked her lips carnivorously.

- Yes, I will,' I said, once I was outside. - What was that?

- What are you talking about, Eren? - Galanthea asked me.

- Just that the landlady here is a rather peculiar person.

- I see, she is indeed peculiar, - for some reason I didn't think to ask what was so peculiar about her, and later I forgot about the brothel owner.

We went to one of the merchant hangars, which we had occupied for a small fee before going to the brothel. Two (yes, we bought a second) carts were waiting for us in the hangar.

The journey was a short one. The brothel and hangar were in the Merchant Quarter of Vyzima, it was only worth walking along one street towards the city walls to check out the carts of goods.

The city itself wasn't bad. It had a good defence in the form of high walls around the entire city. That being said, Vyzima stands on the shores of a lake of the same name, whose waters flow between the districts of the city.

Each district is separated from the other not only by the water, over which bridges are built, but also by the same walls, which increase the defence capacity of the capital of Temeria even more.

The city itself is divided into neighbourhoods. The poorest of them all is the Temple Quarter. I've been there once, and I think that's enough, I don't see the point of visiting it again. On every corner there you can meet beggars, irritated non-humans, suspicious types constantly flicker on the periphery of vision, and also, on the street closer to the evening appear unrepresentable-looking whores.

None of the above, except for suspicious types, can be found in the Merchant's Quarter, and even less in the Royal Quarter, which is not allowed without a pass.

Beggars in the Merchant's Quarter will be dispersed by the guards. Courtesans are only allowed to work in brothels, one of which we visited earlier. As for elves, it's even worse: elves are allowed to live only in Old Vyzima - a separate part, separated from the whole city, and through which you can get only to the Temple Quarter.

Only now it occurred to me that Galanthea was asking me about the elves precisely because of such an unfair separation.

As if only non-humans were treated unfairly here. The same people, as it was clear earlier, are also divided into several classes: poor people in the Temple Quarter; merchants, rich residents and some small nobles and wizards live in the Merchant Quarter; in the richest quarter - the Royal Quarter - live only wealthy nobles, knights and employees of the castle, including the families of those listed.

There's also the countryside outside the city, where the Kmeti dwell, growing food in the fields and raising livestock.

As we headed towards the warehouses, we passed the town hall. There you can use the services of scribes and officials. Also, of note, the Merchant's Quarter houses a bank and a market square.

There was a knock on the door - Detmold started to wake up a merchant named Garbis. A few minutes later, a sleepy, overweight man appeared.

- I didn't expect you so early.

- Open a warehouse with carts for us, and then you can go and lie on your side,' Detmold grinned.

Garbis went back to his inconspicuous house to retrieve the key, and then we travelled to the warehouse next to his house.

Inside our carts were waiting for us, the only thing left to do was to check them out, which I did, as I had a good memory of everything in them.

I didn't like what I saw, as evidenced by the frown on my face as I turned towards the merchant.

- Wh-what is it, sir? - The merchant panicked as I started to approach him.

- You're going to tell me what the fuck is going on! - There were several valuable goods missing inside the cart.