After diving into the river to retrieve the buckthorn, Geralt headed back to the inn to find Vesemir. It was dark when he returned to their meeting place.

Vesemir was standing outside the inn speaking with a local. "Whose field is that on the other side of the river?"

"By the wood? Boyan Klimmick. Good lad, Master Witcher, though he..."

"Yes, yes,"

Geralt dismounted.

"This Boyan, will he venture to inspect his grain any time soon?"

"What for? Harvest is a long way off yet."

"Good. Thank you."

The villager walked off as Geralt joined Vesemir.

"What was that about?"

"Take you this long to talk to the commander about where Yennefer is?"

"Got good news and bad news. Good news first, captain of the Nilfgaardian garrison knows where Yennefer went."

"And the bad is we gotta kill the griffin for him. What else could he want from two Witchers? What do you know? Since I know you've been figuring out what we're dealing with."

"Griffin's abandoned its lair. Gotta make a lure, set a trap."

"And how's that going?"

"Learned some things. Griffin's male, had its nest in the Vulpine Woods. The Nilfgaardians burned the woods, killed its mate, smashed their eggs. Thought they fixed things." Geralt was pretty sure Vesemir rolled his eyes so hard he saw his own brain.

"It's always the same. Instead of sending for a professional, they try to do it themselves, only end up making matters worse. Hell, Juray was just here. They could have asked her to take care of it."

Geralt shrugged. "Got buckthorn."

"Outta work like a charm. Powerful scent."

"More like stench."

"City boy. Rotting meat, manure, piss, standard smells of the countryside." Vesemir smirked. "Remember Tretogor, hunting that zeugl in the trash heap? You spent half the next day bathing, scrubbing yourself."

Geralt sighed. Vesemir seemed to love bringing that Contract up. More so when the younger Witcher had amnesia.

"How can I forget? You ever gonna stop bringing that up?"

Vesemir snorted, remembering that Geralt had regained those memories and his fun with that was over. "Fine, if everything's ready, say the word and we'll get to work."

"No point in waiting. Let's find a good spot to ambush it."

"Picked one out already. Other side of the steam there's a field and a grove. Plenty of room and far enough so no one will get in our way."

"Good. Let's go."

Vesemir and Geralt rode to the field Vesemir had scouted, a hastily made wooden sheep in the middle.

"A stream, amber waves of grain... charming place," Geralt commented. "Perfect for an ambush."

"I know how to pick 'em," Vesemir responded with an annoyed tone. "So, ready?"

"Wind's good, bait's scent will spread quickly."

Vesemir spread the buckthorn onto the sheep. "Now all we have to do is wait. It probably won't show up until daybreak. We can cower in the shade of those birches."

Geralt shook his head as they went to the trees to wait for the griffin to take the bait. "So, tell me, once we find Yennefer, what'll you do? Got your eye on a Contract?"

"No, I'll go to Kaer Morhen."

"A little early to settle in for the winter."

"Snows are a ways off, yes. And that's what worries me." Vesemir crouched down to make himself comfortable as they waited for the Griffin, Geralt following so he wouldn't have to look down on his mentor. "Nilfgaard's crossing the Pontar in the east. Puts them maybe a week's march from Kaer Morhen. If they reach the valley before snows cover the passes..." He looked over at Geralt. "Well, we need to cover our tracks. Hide our paths."

Geralt understood. Each side wanted the Witchers on their side, despite the renowned monster hunters being politically neutral for centuries, Geralt taking jobs from royalty from time to time, and the incident involving King Foltest's assassination a few years earlier.

"Speaking of winter and wintering, think you'll come this year?"

"Maybe. Might bring a guest."

"Juray would be glad to see you. She tries to stay away from Lambert as much as she can, but sometimes I swear he seeks her out to start fights with her."

"I heard the last time the two got into it, he almost ended up being thrown off the walls."

"Eskel tell you that?"

"Mhm."

"I think he was ready to throw Lambert off the walls as well."

Geralt grimaced and rearranged his position. "He's never liked Juray for some reason."

"Because she chose to become a Witcher. She thrived on the training. And Lambert hated that she was at peace with becoming one of us, while he still held onto so much bitterness for being a surprise child."

"I think we all could learn from Juray. She has every right to be bitter and angry considering what James took her away from."

Vesemir nodded. "Aye, you're right. But I think she knew she wouldn't survive childhood had she stayed. James saved her and she knows it."

Geralt nodded in agreement and the two fell silent, watching for the griffin.

~~~

Juray crouched next to the looted supply wagon after being able to track it down. The bodies all belonged to Redania.

"Didn't have a chance to defend themselves," she said aloud. "Wounds suggest arrows and their attackers took them with them."

An arrow suddenly embedded itself into the wood of the wagon, but Juray didn't flinch. She glanced at the arrow before taking it.

"That was either a warning shot or you have bad aim, Scoia'tael."

"Do you think you're amusing, di'one?"

"Only to those with a sense of humor. I would like to talk to your commander."

"I don't trust you!"

"I'm sure you have an arrow trained at my back and I'm not prone to stupidity."

"Disarm, then. Hand me your weapons and I'll take you to Vernossiel."

Juray reached up and unstrapped her swords, holding them out. The Scoia'tal scout took them before motioning for her to come with him.

Vernossiel turned out to be a young woman with tattoos gracing the edges of her face. She was surprised to see Juray, judging by the look on her face when she laid eyes on the Witcher.

"Vatt'ghern?" she said. "Strange. No monsters trouble us here."

"Maybe not you, but one seems to be troubling the Redanians. Hired me to kill it."

"Well, they're mistaken. Not their first time. No monster here, your job is done."

"Because no monster uses arrows to attack their prey, then steal supplies off a wagon. Men have died, Vernossiel."

"Soldiers have died." She walked toward Juray. "Radovid's soldiers, serving the man who torments the Aen Seidhe from the Great Sea to the Blue Mountains. Soldiers who joined in massacres, tortured our brothers, raped our sisters. I shan't cry for them."

Juray crossed her arms as she spoke.

"We shall not stop attacking those transports. We must eat, same as you. So you've a choice... Leave now and forget what you saw, or you die."

"There's no need to threaten me. I kill monsters, not elves. But the Redanians are going to want answers."

"Very well." She motioned to one of the men nearby and spoke to him in elvish, requesting the squirrel tails of the fallen. She handed them to Juray. "Show them these, then. Give her things back, and a little something from the supplies. Wise decisions should be rewarded. Va Fail."

~~~

Dawn came, along with the sound of a griffin's scream.

"Hear that?" Vesemir asked as the two Witchers stood. "It's close."

"Let's go give it a warm welcome." Geralt reached up to draw his silver sword, both of their medallions beginning to tremble.

"Wait. Take this." Vesemir handed Geralt a crossbow.

"A crossbow?"

"Won it in a card game while you ran around."

Geralt hooked it to his belt.

"Might come in handy."

"A Witcher with a crossbow? We breaking with tradition?"

"Stop talking. We got a griffin to kill."

Just as Vesemir said these words, the griffin took their bait, landing next to the decoy sheep and biting into it. The two Witchers then attacked, Vesemir immediately casting Aard and stunning the griffin. Geralt leapt at the beast, bring his sword down. The griffin swiped a claw at him and he dodged.

"Look out!" Vesemir cried.

Geralt spun around and brought his sword down across his flank. He screeched and quickly spun around.

"Damn, he's fast!"

After a few more blows between the two, the griffin took flight.

"Don't let him get away!"

Geralt immediately sprinted after it. The griffin circled around and dove at Geralt. He rolled away from him, unholstering the crossbow and firing at the beast. This succeeded in pissing him off and he dived at him again. This time, Geralt cast Aard, knocking the griffin out of the air. Geralt immediately leapt onto the griffin, driving his sword through the griffin's chest. He screeched in pain before falling limp. Geralt picked up the crossbow he'd dropped, replacing it, as Vesemir approached him.

"Not bad, not bad," Vesemir commented. "Though you could stand to improve on some things."

Geralt looked over at Vesemir. "For example?"

"Upward vertical strike. It's too obvious." He looked at Geralt. "But more on that later. Take the griffin's head to the Black Ones. I'll ready the horses. Meet me at the inn."

Geralt gathered his trophy, while Vesemir retrieved the horses and helped tie it to Roach's saddle. They parted at the inn and Geralt rode towards the Garrison.

Geralt walked through the gate with the griffin's head, the two guards on duty gaping as he walked past them. Peter was inspecting the grain the farmer brought and not looking very happy.

"What the hell is this?" the Nilfgaardian asked.

"Rye," the farmer answered.

"You take me for a blind man or a fool? This grain is rotten."

"I-I didn't know!"

"So a fool." Peter sighed. "Dammit, you never learn..." he muttered to himself. Louder, he said, "Military codex, article two, section three: 'For the delivery of defective goods, fifteen lashes with a knout'. Make it so!"

The farmer fell to his knees. "No, no, no! By the gods, no!"

Peter waved his hand and two of the guards took the farmer away, begging for mercy. Geralt watched them go, convincing himself to stay out of this.

"What?" Peter snapped.

"Guess you dropped the good uncle act."

"It was no act. I extended a hand to these people. They spat on it."

Geralt walked towards him. "Could it be 'cause it held the sword that killed their loved ones?"

Peter scoffed. "A moralist! And what would you do in my stead?"

"Wouldn't ever be in your stead."

"What do you want, vatt'ghern?"

Geralt dropped the griffin's head at Peter's feet. "Fulfilled my end of the bargain. Your turn. Where'd Yennefer go?"

"To Vizima."

Geralt's jaw set. "She was a day's ride from here the whole time, under my nose? Might've said so."

"Yes, I might have. But you would not have killed the griffin. Tit for tat."

Geralt glared at him before turning on his heel and heading for the gate.

"Halt."

Geralt all but growled when he stopped.

"We are not done. It's yours, this gold."

Geralt turned back to Peter, who was holding a large coin purse in his hand toward the Witcher.

"I would not want you to say you were inadequately compensated."

For a moment, Geralt considered telling Peter to shove it up his ass, but he knew he would need it in order to buy provisions for the road and took it. He then turned and left the garrison as the sounds of the farmer being lashed and his screams filled the air.

Geralt joined Vesemir in the inn, sitting across from him at the table he'd claimed. "Yennefer's in Vizima," he reported, "Got a few friends there, so..." Geralt stopped, noticing that Vesemir's attention was elsewhere. "Something wrong?"

"Look around," Vesemir said in a low voice. "Trouble brewing."

At the table across from them, a man was playing Johnny Johnny Oops, his friends looking like angry wet cats.

"Time we were on our way then."

"Mhm," Vesemir agreed. "I'll buy some provisions for the journey, then we'll go."

Geralt nodded and Vesemir stood.

"And, Geralt," the older Witcher added. "We should stay out of it. Just this once."

The men at the table watched the older Witcher like hawks watching a mouse. Vesemir set the provisions on the bar to pay for them.

"What happened to the Lilies?" A woman at the bar asked as the innkeeper packed the provisions.

"Took 'em down."

"Took 'em down? To hang a golden sun there now?"

"I cannot show Temerian colors. They'll come and burn the tavern down." She handed the packed provisions to Vesemir.

"Maybe it's true what they say," the woman continued as Vesemir handed her the coin for the provisions. "You fond of the Imperials? You Nilfgaard's whore?"

"I'll let that pass. I know grief eats at your heart."

Vesemir nodded his thanks and turned away.

"You know shit!" She stood up so quickly the stool shot behind her.

Vesemir stopped the stool from hitting him with his foot.

"They hanged my sister! Dragged her out of the cloister like a dog! Said Nilfgaard's no place for superstition. That they don't fear the wrath of the gods! And you? Do you fear it?"

The entire tavern was watching the spectacle, including Geralt.

"If not for Annie, your child would have choked on his navel-string."

The innkeeper turned away but the woman grabbed her arm and pulled her back.

"Let go!"

"You owe your son to my sister attending the birth. And you don't fear the gods' wrath!?" She grabbed her by the head and the innkeeper tried to pry her hands off. "You don't fear it, you cunt!?" She slammed the innkeeper's head on to the bar several times before Vesemir ignored his own advice and stepped in, pulling her off the woman. "Leave me be!"

The innkeeper's hands went to her now broken and bloody nose as another man shoved Vesemir. Geralt stood and headed towards Vesemir. The woman shoved past the two men as a couple more men advanced on Vesemir.

Vesemir picked up his medallion from where it hung on his chest. "Recognize this medallion?" he warned. "You know what it means. Back off!"

Geralt walked past Vesemir to check on the innkeeper. "You alright?"

She nodded.

"They say Witchers steal young 'uns!" the man that shoved Vesemir said. "That true?"

Geralt turned to see the men at the other table had joined the others.

"What'd the Emperor promise you freaks?" another asked. "Your own land? Like he did the elves once?"

"Get out," Vesemir said. "All of you."

One of the troublemakers drew his weapon. "We ain't going nowhere." The others followed his lead. "And neither are you."

The Witchers were forced to draw their steel swords.

"They won't back down now," Vesemir said.

"I can see that."

Three charged at Geralt and he cast Aard, throwing them across the room as the other patrons screamed. The Witchers defended themselves, their long years of training taking over and leaving a mess for the innkeeper to clean up. The men hadn't a chance against the Witchers and the fight ended almost as soon as it began.

"Well, shit."

"Begone!" the innkeeper cried. "And don't ever come back!"

Vesemir placed a hand on Geralt's shoulder and nodded his head to the door. "So much for not getting involved."

"What exactly happened to that?"

"Come on. Let's go."

They stepped outside the inn to see several Nilfgaardian soldiers standing in the yard.

Geralt assumed they were there because of the fight they'd just had. "That brawl?" he said. "We didn't start it."

The Nilfgaardians said nothing, but a familiar female voice spoke next.

"Excuses, excuses," she said, the soldiers stepping aside to reveal a woman wearing a black and white outfit and calf high heeled boots with long raven colored hair and violet eyes. "You haven't changed a bit." She stopped in front of them with her hands on her hips and a playful smirk.

Geralt was almost speechless upon seeing Yennefer again. It had been years since he'd last seen her, but she hadn't changed at all. She was still as beautiful as he remembered her. "Yen? How?" He took a step towards her.

Yennefer closed the distance between them. "I received a report. About a Witcher who'd appeared in White Orchard. I knew it was you. Looking for me. I might have waited until you found me, but... you know me. Patience has never been my strong suit." She then smiled at him. "It's... good to see you, Geralt. I'd... even embrace you," she motioned to his armor. "Were you not covered in blood."

"Sorry. Wasn't expecting to see you. To be honest, this isn't at all how I imagined we'd meet."

Yennefer gave a smirk. "How did you imagine it?"

"He didn't imagine you'd have a Nilfgaardian escort," Vesemir answered instead, seeing that Geralt's entire focus was on the sorceress in front of him.

Yennefer's hands went back to her hips.

"Don't get me wrong, Yennefer. I'm glad to see you, but I do think you owe us an explanation."

"And I shall provide it. In Vizima. Ready your horses."

"We can talk here," Geralt said. "Some charming orchards nearby. In bloom, even, so you can almost not smell the corpses."

Vesemir rolled his eyes.

Yennefer gave a laugh. "A tempting proposition. Sadly, I must say no. You see, someone awaits you in Vizima. Someone who doesn't like to be kept waiting."

Geralt raised a brow.

"Emperor Emhyr var Emreis... or to those on more intimate terms with him, the White Flame Dancing on the Graves of His Foes."

"Doubt I number in that group. Far as I remember, last time we saw each other, he wanted to kill me."

Despite helping lift a curse placed on him, Geralt and Emhyr hadn't been on good terms for years, having tried to kill him on several occasions before he was finally content with leaving him be.

"Well, now he wishes to make you an offer."

"The kind one can't refuse?" Vesemir asked, knowing the Emperor's rocky relationship with Geralt.

"I didn't. Though I could have."

Geralt sighed. "Fine. I guess I can hear him out."

"The Emperor of Nilfgaard, lord of Metinna, Ebbing, and Gemmera, Sovereign of Nazair and Vicovaro, will feel honored."

"Was all that necessary?"

Yennefer only smiled and turned away.

Geralt shook his head and looked over at Vesemir. "What about you?"

"I'm going the opposite direction. I somehow doubt the Emperor's invitation mentioned me. Besides, I've got things to do at Kaer Morhen, remember?"

"Yeah, I remember. Thanks for your help, Vesemir." The two clasped forearms. "See you soon." Geralt joined Yennefer and her escort.

"How's your horse?" she asked. "Swift?"

"Can't complain. Why do you ask?"

"I'd like to be back behind thick city walls. As soon as possible."

Geralt mounted Roach and waved goodbye to Vesemir before heading out of White Orchard. He would have liked to check on Lena before leaving, but there was an urgency to Yennefer in leaving. Vesemir watched them leave before mounting his own horse and heading the opposite direction.