"She screamed like a madwoman. In an instant, the wager had been forgotten. Every man ran to save his own skin, even if he were to break his own neck."

"They make it?"

"Some, aye. Others were not so fortunate. But what happened then..." Phillip shook his head. "I must say, Witcher, I've seen a lot, but not like this. Ever."

"I know that look."

"You'll get the rest when Juray returns and the two of you find Anna."

"I'm pretty sure I know where she is."

"Where? Why haven't you brought her home?"

"She's in Crookback Bog. Got food, a place to live, and keeps herself busy. Didn't look like she had the slightest desire to leave."

"You were to bring her back! Not report on her living conditions!"

"I was supposed to find her. And I did. That was our deal, nothing more."

"You still think me rotten to the core, a base bastard, don't you? You believe I alone am at fault here?"

Geralt didn't respond and Phillip shook his head, turning and taking a seat behind his desk.

"My opinion doesn't matter," the Witcher said.

"Yet I see contempt when I look at you. I don't know about the world you Witchers inhabit, but in ours, nothing is ever black and white."

"Then enlighten me." Geralt sat across from Phillip.

"With Annie, it was love at first sight. A spear tore through my shoulder at the Battle of Anchor, she tended my wound. Once I'd recovered, I asked her to marry me." Phillip smiled. "She wept with joy. Soon after Tamara was born and after that they sent me to Cidaris. A warlord had risen against King Ethain and Foltest sent help. It was one battle to the next, one conflict after another. 'Twas a life of war, I was seldom home and I found comfort in drink." He scoffed. "Grew so fond of hooch I couldn't part with it when I did get home. I went from front to front, battle to battle, collecting soldiers' coin, while Anna sat alone with the babe for months. Later, I learned she'd not been so alone after all. For nearly three years, she found comfort in one Evan, a childhood friend." Phillip scoffed. "A dog's bunghole." Phillip stood. "Understand, damn it! One tussle in the hay, I'd 'ave waved aside, put it out of my mind, but the woman cuckolded me for years! Without a whisker of concern for me. For my love!"

Geralt realized now that there had been much more to their rocky marriage than his drinking and heavy hand. "How'd you find out?" he asked.

"Came home one day and Anna was gone. Her things, too. Found a letter. Wrote that she didn't love me, that she'd left me for that knoblicker and taken Tamara with her." He sat back down. "Felt like I'd been rammed in the arse by a horse. I went to find the bugger, to get the girls back, bring them home. Yet, soon as I saw him, something inside me turned, something dark. I slaughtered the shit-eating twat and fed his carcass to the dogs."

"Guess they call you the Bloody Baron for a reason after all."

"What?"

"Your nickname. Makes sense now."

"No, no." He waved his hand. "That's an entirely different story."

"Mhm. Imagine Anna wasn't pleased."

Phillip laughed. "Bloody understatement, if I've ever heard one. She flew into a fit, hysteria, threw herself at me, kickin' and clawin'. Finally grabbed a knife. It would have been the end of me if I hadn't leapt aside." He looked down. "First time I hit her. Had to calm her. Felt I had no other means. Things changed, they would never be the same. Anna tried to take her own life, and mine, several times." He stood again and walked over to the fireplace. "She would prod me, goad me, taunt me, in the hopes that I would hit her again, perhaps? She'd scream that I robbed her life of love, that I destroyed the idea for her and so might as well kill her. How many times I apologized, how many armfuls of blooms and gifts I brought." He shook his head sadly. "She cared not a bit. Two years of her anger turned to indifference, broken at times by her bouts of hysteria and my bouts of drunkenness."

Geralt stood and joined him at the fireplace.

"Cannot fathom how we survived those years, but we did. Though as you know now, not everything was as it seemed."

"You're right," Geralt finally agreed. "Fault's on both sides, yours and hers."

"I'm content that you finally see that. If you won't bring Anna home, at least tell me how she ended up in that blasted swamp."

"She made a pact with the Crones and, well, I think she might've lost her mind."

"A pact? What the bloody hell?"

"She was with child, a child she didn't want. Went to the Crones for help. They promised to rid her of the problem in exchange for a year of her service. And they kept their word, in their own twisted way."

"What do you mean?"

"Anna must have thought the child inside her would just disappear. Instead, the Crones sapped her of her strength and forced her body to miscarry. I think that's when she started to lose her mind. Then they placed magic tethers on her, tethers that cause great pain when tested. A guarantee that she'll pay off her debt."

Phillip couldn't believe what he was hearing. "A pact with witches... Bloody nightmare, sounds like some jest! We must get her out! We can't just leave her!"

"The swamp's a dangerous place. Even if you went in with armed men. And I think those Crones are a greater threat than anyone realizes."

"I'll not sit on my arse and wait for them to return her! Would you wait, count on their mercy if they had your daughter?"

"Probably not, but I'm a Witcher."

"And I'm a husband and father who's fucked up his life and the lives of his loved ones. I'll gather my men, go there and retrieve Anna."

"And you're obviously suicidal if you want to go marching through Crookback Bog and fuck with these Crones."

The men turned to see Juray leaned in the doorway.

"How long have you been standing there?" Geralt asked.

"Long enough." She pushed off the doorframe.

"Tamara?" Phillip asked. "Where is she?"

"Oxenfurt, but she has no intention of coming back here. Ever."

"What!? She belongs here with me!"

"Tamara is a big girl and can make her own choices."

"What if it was your child? Wouldn't you do anything you keep them safe?"

"I would. But he is free to make his own choices."

This caught Geralt's attention.

"Choices that make him happy. Tamara is safe and sound and happy to be making a life for herself. Would you rather she be miserable?"

Phillip deflated. "No, I wouldn't."

"Then respect her choice."

Phillip nodded and turned to Geralt. "I believe I had a deal with you to finish the tale."

"You did since we've kept our part of it."

"Now what did I just..."

"Basilisk. It just attacked you."

Juray only raised a brow.

"Ah right. Gargantuan. One solid brute. It landed right in front of us. I thought we'd breathed our last."

~~~

"Look out!" Ciri cried.

"If I don't survive this, you're to take whatever you want from the fortress," Phillip said.

"You'll survive!"

"Let's show this bastard what we're worth!"

The basilisk attacked them and they defended, Ciri's blade hitting true more often than Phillip's as they danced around to avoid the poison the giant creature spit at them. Just as Phillip landed a hit, the basilisk swung its head around, knocking him back. He hit the ground hard, his sword flying from his hand and skittering out of reach. The basilisk saw he was vulnerable and jumped into the air as Phillip was scrambling to his sword. It landed on top of him and went for the kill, only to be interrupted by Ciri's blade across its back. It screeched and threw a wing back, knocking Ciri several feet away. She rolled head over heels, twisting her body around to where she would land on her feet. By the time she was darting back towards it, the basilisk grabbed Phillip into its talons and flew to the tower with him, the Baron screaming.

"Fuuuuuuck!"

His voice and screams faded away and Ciri looked for a way to get to the tower to help him. She climbed the nearby rocks until she was at the base of the tower and hearing his curses and the beast's roars. Ciri focused on the Power, the reason so many people had tried to take advantage of her and use her and the reason the Wild Hunt was looking for her. Without it, she wouldn't be able to reach Phillip in time. Bending time and space itself, Ciri jumped to the top of the tower, just in time to slice her sword across the charging monster's chest, causing it to fall back. Ciri charged at it while it was down, jumping onto its back and slicing the back of its neck and severing its spine. The basilisk collapsed and Ciri casually stepped off of it before finishing severing its head. She turned back to see Phillip with the dagger he carried at his chest in his hand and looking at her slack-jawed. He continued to stare at her in shock as he moved to sheath the dagger, missing twice before finally taking his eyes off her to properly sheath it.

~~~

Ciri was preparing to leave with the mare she'd won from Phillip when he joined her in the stable.

"You got everythin'?" he asked.

"Yes, thank you."

Phillip had supplied her with supplies and a pass across the Pontar. She would head to Novigrad, hoping to find Geralt and Yennefer there. She heard that her father's best friend lived there and if Geralt wasn't there, then Jaskier would know where to find him. Or be able to point her to someone that could help her with something that needed to be done.

"What you did for me...," Phillip began. "I... I'll never forget that."

"I certainly hope not," she replied with a sigh. "It brought me no small trouble."

"Meanin'?" Phillip had a concerned look on his face.

"I must flee. Wraiths pursue me. The Wild Hunt. I was foolish to use the Power. They're sure to have caught my scent."

"The Wild Hunt? Pursuing you?"

"I'll endanger all of you by remaining here. You must tell the people to bar their windows and doors. And no one is to wander the night."

"And you? Where do you think you're going?"

"Now, I ride for Novigrad. And then who knows where." Ciri turned and mounted the mare. "Thank you for everything."

Phillip inclined his head and Ciri urged the horse on, the Baron following her out the stable and watching her ride past the gate.

"Gods go with you, my friend."

~~~

"She mounted and rode off. It grew awfully empty without her."

"She tends to have that effect," Juray said with a smirk, earning her a look from Geralt. She gave him a grin before he turned his attention back to Phillip.

"So there's a chance Ciri's still in Novigrad," Geralt said, as Juray turned her head towards the door. "Thanks for helping her."

She had never felt magic like what she was currently sensing.

"It's nothin'. Now you've learned what you've wanted to know, you must be in a hurry. But... if you could...," he trailed off.

"Spit it out."

Juray wasn't paying attention to their conversation now, as she was trying to pinpoint what she was sensing.

"I want to go get Anna. Free her, bring her back. I don't believe she's there willingly."

"Must not have heard me. The swamp is suicide."

"I heard you. Which is why I could use both your aid. I've no more tales of Ciri to offer you, but go with me and I'll be generous with what I do have. Very generous."

"Extra coin never hurt anyone. Juray?" When she didn't respond, Geralt looked over at her. "Juray."

She turned her head towards them. "What?"

"Going to the swamp to get Anna? We'll be rewarded."

"Of course. For Anna."

Geralt gave her a concerned look.

"I'll round up my men and ride to Downwarren. You can join us there. Why is she looking like that?"

At that moment the door slammed open and the ugliest creature either Witcher had ever seen came running in shouting jibberish, their medallions vibrating. It was maybe three feet tall and hunched over with thin arms and legs. It had boils on its body, a large misshapen head, and one eye that was bigger than the other. It was wearing shorts with bells attached to it.

"What the...?" Geralt started.

Ardal ran into the room. "There you are!"

Phillip motioned to the creature as Ardal grabbed him under his arms and dragged him out, the creature screaming jibberish the entire time.

"Escaped again," Ardal said.

It reached out towards Juray as they passed by in the moment before Ardal turned it around to go back out the door.

"Sorry. We was never here."

"What the hell was that?" Juray asked, realizing that was the strange magic she was sensing.

"You tell me," Phillip said. "Man or monster? My men call him Uma and say he's a beast, but he seems a man to me, just hideous as Ardal's shit."

"Definitely not a monster."

"You were sensing that?" Geralt asked.

Juray nodded. "It's a magic I've not sensed before."

"Is that why you weren't listening?" Phillip asked.

"Curse of birth. The mutations amplified what I can sense magic and monster-wise."

"Where's he get the name Uma?" Geralt asked.

"He gave us no other."

"He can talk?"

"Hardly. I asked what they call him. He sat there, not sayin' a thing, tryin' to stick a toe up his nose. So I grabbed his hand and looked him in the eyes and asked, 'What's your name?' Gave me this damned foolish look and says 'Oooh... Uma?' and the name stuck."

Geralt looked at Juray. "You're positive this isn't a monster?"

"I think I've been doing this long enough to know the difference between magic and monster. Did you conveniently forget the medallions tremble at magic as well?"

He gave her a look before turning back to Phillip. "Where'd you find him?"

"Funny story, actually. Won him in a game of cards."

"You're right, that's hilarious," Juray said sarcastically.

"Went to Novigrad once, to rest, indulge in the city's pleasures. Stayed at a tavern, and some folks were playin', so I joined in. Cards were kind that day. One devilish hand after another, robbed the whoresons blind. One fellow, a merchant, took it especially hard. He'd gambled away everything he'd brought from Skellige. Wanted terribly to play another hand, so I let him. Asked him what he had to wager and he shows me that sideshow." Phillip shrugged. "Not much in it for me, but fuck it. Thought I'd give him a chance to win something back." He shook his head. "Luck was not with him and Uma wound up here at Crow's Perch. End of story."

"Proper baron now," Geralt said. "Even got a jester now."

"Aye, though I feel something's not right with him."

"How so?"

"Seems more beast than man, but there's wisdom, cunning in the bastard's eyes. Maybe I'm imagining it. Ever run into anything like that?"

"No." Geralt looked over at Juray.

"I haven't seen or sensed anything like him. And I've seen a lot. I don't think he's dangerous."

"Neither do I."

"Then that's that," Phillip said. "Doesn't eat much, so long as he stays out of trouble, the boys might as well have some diversion."

"I have some things to take care of before I meet you in Downwarren," Geralt said.

"Farewell." Phillip stuck out his hand and Geralt shook it. "I hope you find your daughter." The three headed towards the door. "And prove to be a good father to her."

Geralt stopped for a moment before continuing on. The Witchers stopped at the stairs leading down to the courtyard as Phillip and Ardal headed to the stable that was being rebuilt after the baron's temper tantrum.

"You've always been a good father, Geralt," Juray said. "Don't let anyone tell you different."

"You told him that you let your child make his own choices." He looked over at her. "Or was that you talking out your ass again."

"His family was killed by the beast I'd been Contracted to kill. I wasn't going to leave this toddler to fend for himself, but I wanted him to have as normal a childhood as he could. One of the last things Angelo did before he died was to set us up with a house and Finn's daughter watched over him while I walked the Path. I had just broken it off with Gavin and I wasn't ready to return to wintering at Kaer Morhen and deal with Lambert."

"I'm pretty sure at that time, we would have been conducting Lambert's funeral."

Juray scoffed a laugh. "You may be right. I trained him, naturally, and let him make his own choices with his life."

Geralt nodded. "Are you going to head to Downwarren?"

"There's a Contract I've had my eye on. What are you going to be doing?"

"Heading back to Midcopse. Kiera asked me for a favor."

"Good luck with that." Juray headed down the stairs as the Baron and Ardal headed towards the gates. "Meet you in Midcopse, then?"

"Lindenvale is closer to Downwarren."

"Meet you there."