Toussaint (Part 1)

"Vinery?" - marvelled a girl with a curious, but slightly tired eyes. - "I never saw them before."

"I have a hunch we ended up in a very tricky dukedom with a very strict duchess." - said a youth with two swords on his back. Scorching sun reflected from the metallic pommels in a shape of wolf and dragon with dim luster, while he stood in place frowning. - "But I've seen worse places."

"Alan, version in good mood." - Ciri rolled her eyes at her friend and smirked. - "I can use some nutritious food."

They stood atop a hill near a big tree. A colorful expanse of green land stretched to horizon. Here and there one can see houses, plantations and an immense city in the distance.

Ancient elven architecture crawled on the high ground with an intricate design of streets and a palace that stood there for all to be amazed. Behind it Alan saw a lake and an enormous garden.

Everything seemed so peaceful, warm and unhurried from the other bank of a river.

"This place is so beautiful." - said Ciri.

"Yeah, until the first flock of drowners and their victims with intestines lying all around." - grumbled Alan.

"You nag like Geralt. Let's go! I see the bridge there. Hope this place has an inn." - Ciri didn't put to mind Alan's mood at all. She was too stubborn to let something like this influence her mood.

"I'm not grumbling. You can say I even hope for monsters to be in abundance here, or we will be out of money soon enough." - Alan corrected her as they walked by the shore.

"This mountain, I saw nothing like that."

"Gorgon mountain if I'm right about the place. The highest mountain in the world. At least among the ones we know."

"Wow! So, where are we?" - Ciri hopped around while walking and turned to him. Big forest green eyes looked at Alan with wonder. She saw his slightly unsettled look and smirked in the corner of her lips.

"You already forgot a world map? Ah, what will Vesemir say if he knew?"

"A witcher shouldn't forget his knowledge even in sleep or while drunk. He should be ready all the time. His sword should be oiled and clean, his elixirs accounted for and armor well managed. Preparation is mother of success!" - Ciri said in low and slow voice while putting her hands on the narrow waist and lifting her nose to the sky.

"Haha... yeah, that's the old man. But it's better for you not to do this in front of gramps Vesemir. One Lambert is enough." - laughed Alan, remembering how an ancient witcher nagged at them during Kaer Morhen.

The duo moved through the coast and finally found a road, narrow and uneven. It was too clear to call an animal track, but too deserted to call a regular path.

"We are halfway there." - said Ciri, while hopping over a huge stone.

"Wait, I hear some cries." - stopped her Alan and paid attention to one direction.

They moved on the sound of the noise, and soon Ciri could hear the cries too. When the forest grew thinner and the ground more even, tombstones appeared all around. It wasn't any magic or illusion, but a regular cemetery that had about ten people standing by the side of a fresh grave.

"Look, it is so small. And there are dozens of graves in one place." - Ciri pointed at it with a perturbed voice. - "Poor children. What happened?"

Alan frowned. They made all graves during the last month or two. It can't be just a coincidence. He closed and opened his eyes. They shone with magic, but he failed to see anything unusual on aura level.

"Who are you? What are you doing here?" - asked a man who finally noticed newcomers. He did so in a hushed voice and a suspicious tone.

"We are travellers who got lost by accident and then heard cries of a woman in the forest." - Alan nodded at the kneeling figure of a young and able lady.

"Ah, poor girl. But there are many like that recently. This case reached the ears of our honorable duchess, and she ordered to find the reason. Many knights tried, even palace sorceress tried, but everything was fruitless." - the man looked at the pair and his eyes landed on two swords behind his back. - "What a fine steel! Wait, that one is an alloy with silver and dimeritium and something else..."

"An old man once said: it is not about steel, but the hand that wields it."

"Wise words. But you don't look like a knight... that medallion. Could you be a witcher, a legendary witcher?"

"Legendary? That is an overstatement." - shrugged Alan and glanced at Ciri, who had the same medallion. The girl stood near, but was in her own thoughts.

"We need to talk, but not here. Follow me." - the man waved his hand at the duo to follow.

They stepped out of the damp forest walking on the narrow path and ended up on the downhill road to the village.

"Our honorable duchess Anna Henriette sent people to farther lands to find a witcher, but until now no one responded to the call and several knights died during their travels." - said the man.

"You know much for a smith."

"Ah, you don't quite understand how we live. I can see that you are not from here. Your accent and clothing, the way you move and behave. Everything is showing that you are a foreigner." - the man removed a branch from the way and politely nodded at Ciri to walk through. The latter wanted to snort, but merely smiled and followed. - "My great-great-great-grandfather Tofonso was a smith who forged a blade for the duchess family. He was so enthusiastic and hardworking, that ended up dying from a heart attack after the completion of the sword. Touched by such a show of loyalty the duke rewarded my great-great-great-grandfather with a title and land, that immediately was inherited by my great-great-grandfather Gofonso, that time also named as Gofonso de la Pork."

"Pork?" - Alan nearly tripped. Looks like the duke was a man with ample imagination. - "And may I know you name?"

"Alfonso de la Pork at you service." - a man straightened himself and made a ceremonial bow, making two froze for a moment. - "I see you are as shocked by my lineage and noblesse as every person from afar I happen to know. Don't fret, my great-grandfather Sofonso taught the family well. We don't discriminate against people of lower standing."

"My name is Alan and the girl by my side is Ciri. As you noticed, we are from afar. So, what about the contract, can I see it?" - Alan changed the topic, because Ciri was already quite red. She worked hard to stifle the laughter. One has to admit, that is a hell of a naming sense. Perhaps even the duke of that time made fun of it in his own way.

'Pork... my goodness. This world is so multifaceted.' - thought Alan on his way to the village.

Toussaint was a land of wines. They had vineries in every place and mostly the entire dukedom was divided among noble families, who one way or another produced wines. Thus the variety of it. But some families went down another path after receiving the land.

The example will be baron de la Pork. They didn't grow grapes, but olives and produced oil from it. Their family were hereditary smiths, and that was the primary source of both income and prestige.

The village was a family property, and they truly lived in harmony with people. Yet, they could see no smiling faces.

"Alan, we need to help them." - firmly said Ciri, noticing dark mood of the people. Just one thought of so many little kids dying made her angry. This was a proper work for the witcher as she saw it. And Ciri, who always wanted to be one, vowed to see it to the end.

Alan saw and felt way more. He already heard some gossips that made him wary of the task. It can be a powerful curse and also, from the very top of the dukedom, because it influenced not only de la Pork lands, but his neighbors too.

That might be a very difficult and dangerous case. The one Anna Henrietta involved in. And she is by no means amiable person to know. Actually, Alan wanted to avoid her by any means possible.

But that was merely a wish. If he needs to meet her for the job, he will do so without hesitation.

"It might be a tough case. But you are right. Like Vesemir said many times: a witcher can't forgo his duties out of any reason. Frist complete them, then take care of anything else. Plus, we need some money." - replied Alan. He noticed the mood of people. They were grieving and afraid, but not yet desperate.

"The reward should be suitable." - said Ciri, taking over the negotiations. She didn't want any loss. Especially after knowing how hard sometimes it is for a witcher to survive with their pay.

"Naturally we know that you need a pay. I assure you it is not the issue. After all, the honorable duchess made a big contract with ample reward. Not only witchers, many knights and mercenary companies tried, but failed. They are good at killing bandits or even a stray drowner, but with such cases, a professional is what we must seek to complete it."

"Knights." - Ciri wrinkled her nose in disregard.

"We are here, come inside and have a rest." - Alfonso invited them inside the house and immediately introduced another man. - "This is my butler, Valser de Basha. He is an accomplished majordomo from a family with a rich history of servitude to many well-received families under the duke family rule. You can ask anything you need from him. Valser, arrange for a residence for my two guests and I will dine today at home. Table for five."

"As you wish, your grace." - slightly bowed Valser and with polite face turned to Alan and Ciri. He didn't show any negative attitude. Even as much as the slight surprise didn't flash in his eyes, as that could be an insult for the guests of his lord.

"Follow me, please."

They walked out and took a turn to the smaller house.

"As you can undoubtedly notice, this is a house for every honorable guest of our grace. With all respect, our guests, I'd like to introduce the place to you." - he bowed.

"We agree, please do." - answered Ciri with a minor change to her tone. It was stricter, less frivolous and a huge leap more regal. Now Alan saw the slight shift on butler face.

That tone, one can't fake it. It was the one that every royalty has. Every time when she used it amazed Alan. It was almost like a special power, yet a product of her upbringing and lineage.

But it was like a proof. Every person will know she is not a simple person the very moment Ciri spoke like that.

"I sincerely invite you to tell me if anything is not to your liking. We will absolutely change it on shortest notice."

The trio entered the residence.