"Umamamamama!" Uma greeted when he saw Juray return with Vesemir.

The two Witchers joined Eskel at the table he was sitting at. Without saying a word, Eskel asked if she was alright. Juray nodded. Uma was entertaining himself by kicking his feet.

"Interesting creature," Eskel commented, indicating Uma. "Looks a monster and talks gibberish, but there's intelligence in his eyes. His reaction to seeing you just now makes me think that he knows about your rep for lifting curses."

"It's a complicated curse. I'm hoping we can lift it."

Yennefer joined them. "I'm confident we can."

"I'd be more comfortable knowing what your plan is for this."

"In due time."

Juray rolled her eyes as Geralt and Lambert arrived.

"Got you everything you need," Geralt said as he handed her the phylactery and Lambert sat on the other side of the table from Juray and Eskel.

"Splendid. Lambert, prepare the apparatuses. Eskel, go—"

"Last I heard, my dear," Vesemir said, crossing his arms. "I give the orders around here. Not you."

"I believe we made an agreement. To seek to cure Uma my way."

"I said we would help you. That's it. I don't know what you want to do with him – you haven't deigned to inform any of us, including the one that's supposed to do the lifting with you. But it's not safe, is it?"

Yennefer didn't answer, only glanced at Juray.

"Unlike you, I don't read minds," Juray said. "But judging by your silence, it obviously is."

"I think we should first try another, less invasive method."

"What's this method?

"Derives from folk traditions. I've used it many times, in 1211, to lift the curse that held the Swan of Poviss, for instance." He looked over at Juray. "James had success with the method as well. I'll take Uma into the mountains."

"What then?" Yennefer asked. "Will you howl at the moon together?"

"Yennefer!" Juray hissed.

"A bit of respect," Lambert said. "You're not talkin' to Geralt."

"No, we will not howl at the moon. I'll lay him down on a gravestone. Come midnight, I'll give him a tea made of hemlock harvested from... But I don't see that I need to explain this to you."

"In my opinion—" Yennefer started.

"I know your opinion. But I'm not asking anyone's permission. I'm saying what will happen. I'll be back at dawn. With Uma...or whoever hides inside him."

Juray stood. "I'll take him."

"Out of the question, Juray. You will not be able to do this one. It's near a Place of Power."

Juray sighed and sat again, not even bothering to argue. Everyone knew her sensitivity to magic made it near impossible to spend long periods of time near a Place of Power. She'd pushed herself during the Trial of the Medallion at the Circle of Elements. Berenger and the others knew something was off but didn't point it out, only encouraged her. Naturally, Vesemir found out about it, but kept it from Rennes.

Uma looked at Juray. "Umamamama?"

"Go with Vesemir."

Uma hopped off his seat and left with Vesemir.

"You're pretty good at communicating with that thing," Lambert said.

"Have 70 years experience from dealing with you," Juray answered taking a drink.

Eskel snorted a laugh.

"That's not funny."

"It kinda is."

"Fuck you."

"Vesemir's gotten a bit grumpy in his old age," Geralt commented.

"That was nothing. Shoulda been here last winter when Lambert tried to convince him we oughta abandon Kaer Morhen for good."

"You actually said that to him?" Juray asked.

"What good's this old ruin anyway?" Lambert said. "Moldy walls, leaky roof, and it's one big fucking ice cube in the winter." He jerked his thumb at Juray. "Even she doesn't winter here anymore."

"Vesemir didn't say a word," Eskel continued. "Stood, grabbed his sword, and slammed the door on his way out. Didn't come back for a month."

"You're an idiot."

"So..." Geralt said before Lambert could retort. "Got the evening off. What do we do with it?"

"Vesemir mentioned some roof beams in the tower need replacing," Eskel said. "Maybe we could see to that."

Juray only gave him a look while Lambert shook his head while practically facepalming.

"Or..." Eskel added. "We could have a drink."

Lambert grabbed a bottle that was sitting on the table. "Sounds a lot better than the beams."

"Wouldn't mind a shot myself. Or two."

"Drinks sound good to me," Juray added.

"Nothing I can do –" Eskel said with a smirk. "Been outvoted. Let's go."

Lambert poured everyone the drinks.

"Do as you will..." Yennefer said. "But in a moment. Geralt and I must talk."

"Oo, sounds serious," Eskel said. "C'mon, Lambert, Juray... See you in a bit, Geralt."

The two walked off and Lambert set the bottle down.

"Be a while before Geralt gets back," Juray said.

Lambert brought his mug to his lips.

"They're going to go shag."

Lambert spit his drink. "What the fuck, Juray!?"

Juray shrugged and took a drink while Eskel laughed.

~~~

The three Witchers were smirking when Geralt and Yennefer rejoined them.

"Well, well...," Lambert said. "Lovebirds decided to join us. Enjoy yourselves?"

"You heard the answer to that question, Lambert..." Eskel said. He took a drink. "Besides, not our business."

Juray was trying not to laugh as Geralt and Yennefer sat on Lambert's side of the table.

"Uh, Yen, we don't have glasses. You all right drinkin' from a mug?"

"I'd drink from an old boot tonight." She picked up the mug Juray just filled for her and Geralt and draining it in one sitting.

"Now I'm impressed," Juray said with a grin.

"Perhaps instead of getting crocked in a deep glum, we could do some catching up?"

"Where'd you go while you were away, Eskel?" Geralt asked.

"Aldersberg. Hunted a higher vampire."

"Oh-ho-ho... Dangerous whoresons, those."

"No shit," Juray muttered.

"Finicky, too. Specimen in question only went for young women from the upper classes."

"That's like me."

Juray rolled her eyes.

"We've no interest in your fantasies, Lambert," Yennefer said, causing Juray to smirk. "Whereas the vampire... even I'm curious to know how you managed." She motioned to Juray. "Considering what happened the last time one of you took on one."

Juray extended a middle finger on the hand holding her mug as she took a drink.

"Actually could have used Juray's help in this one. My client threw a masquerade ball for the city's notables – to lure the vampire out of hiding. I was there, too, disguised. Lemme tell you, never had so much success with the ladies as I did that night."

Juray gave a smile. "Taking lessons from Lambert?"

Lambert laughed. "Maybe you should wear a mask permanently."

"And maybe you should wear a gag," Eskel responded.

"I'm sure I can make one for him," Juray said.

"What about the vampire?" Geralt asked.

"I'd made a deal with this young alchemist. She really loaded up – fisstech, vodka, magic mushrooms. Went out into the garden, vampire found her and drank his fill. Fight was an afterthought."

"Hm..." Yennefer said. "A fairy tale on gluttony for modern times."

"Take it you could have used me for bait?" Juray asked. "Doubt I would have been able to hide this," She motioned to her own scars.

"You'd be surprised."

"Alchemist come out of it all right?" Geralt asked.

"Fine. Lost a bit of blood, I suppose. Hangover was the worst part. She drank nothing but pickle juice for the next month."

"What've you been up to, Lambert? On your way west last time I saw you."

"Uh, yeah. Contract in Lan Exeter. Not to boast, but a pretty lucrative one."

"Yeah," Eskel agreed. "Kovir's where the gold's to be made. Know how much they pay there for a drowner?"

"Shush, I'm talking now. So this giant was giving 'em trouble. Attacking convoys, dragging folk off into the swamps..."

"...and relieving himself on the highway, rendering it dreadfully slippery," Yennefer said. "You've built enough suspense, get to the point."

Lambert looked annoyed. "Fine. Turns out it wasn't a giant, just a fat forest troll. And a group of bandits were ambushing the convoys."

"What did you do?" Geralt asked.

"Killed the bandits to keep the roads safe. Then I killed the troll. Needed its, uh, head to collect the bounty."

"Naturally," Juray commented.

"Pragmatic as ever..."

"You could stand to show some of Lambert's expediency," Yennefer said, "Set ideals like justice for trolls aside, keep yourself out of poverty instead." She looked at Juray. "Both of you."

Juray only smiled. She was far from poor, but Yennefer didn't need to know that.

"Knew the sorceress would see it my way."

"Keep your pants on. Pretty sure you're not her type."

Geralt smirked as Lambert glared at her.

"What about you, Juray," Eskel asked. "What have you been up to?"

"Most interesting Contract I had was a katakan that preferred the blood of drunks."

"Why do I have a feeling you used yourself as bait?" Eskel asked.

"Because I did. I don't recommend hunting anything shit-faced drunk."

Geralt laughed. "Why am I not surprised you did that?"

"Since you're still here, I'm assuming you killed it," Yennefer said.

"Obviously. Ran into a Bear School Witcher friend of mine and he watched my back. Pretty sure he thinks we're all crazy."

"Did you tell him you were the only crazy one?" Lambert asked.

Juray shrugged.

"Eventful times for me, recently," Geralt said. "Kings, dragons, conspiracies and, then," He looked over at Yennefer. "I found Yen."

Yennefer smiled at him.

"We're thrilled for you," Lambert said, drily. "But why don't you tell us about Uma instead?"

Geralt took a drink. "Long story. I was on Ciri's trail – went to Velen," He motioned to Juray. "Where Juray joined me in looking for her. Then Skellige, Novigrad – where Dandelion needed saving again."

"He get caught ploughing somebody he shouldn't 'ave been?" Eskel laughed.

"More or less," Juray answered.

"Right," Lambert said. "Speaking of old friends, Novigrad, and ploughing... How's Triss?"

"For the love of fuck..."

Yennefer glanced at Geralt, who looked annoyed.

"We were talking about Uma, weren't we?"

"The night is young. Got time to talk about everything."

"Fuck off, Lambert," Juray said.

"Last I heard, you two weren't fucking. Unless you did your own ploughing in Novigrad."

Eskel saw the look come across Juray's face and knew Lambert was a comment away from her coming across the table at him. "Lambert. Not funny."

"Fine. Conversation turned serious?" He turned his attention to Yennefer. "Let's talk. Yen, what do you plan to do with Uma?"

"I said I'll tell you tomorrow."

"It is tomorrow," Juray said.

"Juray's right," Eskel said. "It's after midnight."

Yennefer took a drink. "I'll subject him to the Trial of Grasses. But only—"

"What?" Juray all but screeched.

"You'll fucking what?!" Lambert said at the same time, jumping from his seat.

"Mind your manners, Lambert," Geralt said.

"Did you hear what—?"

"Not gonna ask you again."

"Uh, sorry..." Eskel couldn't believe what had come out of Yennefer's mouth any more than the others. "Looking to turn him into a Witcher?"

"Of course not. As I was about to say, I'll only apply the first half of the Trial, because—"

"Because you want to watch him suffer?" Lambert asked, angrily.

"Stop interrupting, or I will watch you suffer."

Lambert decided not to press his luck and sat back down.

"To restore Uma's former appearance, we must first... Hmm... How do I explain it... Imagine a lump of clay. In order to shape it, you must first moisten it or it will crumble. The Trial's initial part does just that. It opens the body to change, so to speak. Only then can mutagens produce a Witcher."

"Do you have any idea what you plan to do, Yen?" Juray asked. "Do you know how many boys didn't survive the Grasses? And you want to put Uma through that? There's a chance he won't survive this!"

"But we've no choice."

"Unless Vesemir can do the trick with his hemlock," Lambert said.

"Might be surprised," Eskel said. "Old man knows his stuff."

"It'll be the first Trial in years..." Geralt said, slowly. "Decades."

"I knew you'd be wary," Yennefer said.

"Wary?" Lambert said. "That's not the problem. Those secrets have been forgotten. And that's how they should stay."

"I'm in agreement with Lambert on this," Juray said. "They weren't just forgotten. They were lost with the sacking of Kaer Morhen. And they really need to stay lost."

"I'd be the last to suggest you start producing hordes of Witchers," Yennefer said.

"You hardly need to," Eskel said. "See, till now we had a great excuse not to take in apprentices. Seems we'll need to talk it over."

"Considering the last apprentice we had here was murdered."

"Maybe later," Geralt said. "Who's up for another round?" He was attempting to defuse everything.

"Oh, I am," Eskel said. "But we're all outta stuff to chew on. Geralt, mind raiding the kitchen?"

"Not at all."

"Gentlemen, pleasure drinking with you..." She stood. "Lambert especially. But the hour is late. Don't stay up long. Tomorrow's an important day."

Geralt followed her but the two split and went different ways.

"That was a first?" Lambert said.

"What?" Juray said. "You didn't have a woman throw herself at your feet and beg you to fuck her?"

"Ha ha. Very funny. You agreeing with me. Thought you were all happy to be a Witcher."

"I might like being a Witcher, for the most part, but I'm not going to wish the Trials on anyone. Half the boys in my group died during the Grasses. And Leo... Leo would have never become a true Witcher. He'd probably still be alive if we hadn't taken him in as an apprentice."