Chapter 20

"Go away! Bolt not come back! Bolt bad troll! Leave or Bolt get mad and start smashing things." The sound of a large rock troll in severe emotional distress was accompanied by sonorous sobs and what sounded like someone drinking an entire bathtub dry. Given how much a troll could pack away, the chance of him using a repurposed wooden tub as an ale mug was actually pretty good.

...so that's what the alderman was talking about earlier. Oops.

I guess the group of disgruntled locals being served their midday beer outside and actually giving me approving nods as I went in the inn should have been a good clue.

"Alright, alright. I'll go Bolt." the middle aged man said with a long sigh as he turned and left the troll to continue his sad drinking binge in the corner of the inn. As he walked over he finally spotted me and his tired look suddenly became one of worry and concern. He quickly walked up to me with a desperate look in his eye.

"Please, Master Witcher, don't hurt Bolt! Just give me more time to convince him to leave peacefully! I'll pay you double, triple what those whoresons are offering you to kill him! Bolt isn't bad he's just upset right now." He practically begged me, which caused me to raise both my eyebrows in surprise at that.

"Relax, beyond the alderman asking to look into things no one has hired me to kill any troll, or Bolt. What is the issue anyhow? It looks like he's drinking away the inn's whole stock of ale all on his own." I asked curiously. I knew trolls could get depressed and go on drinking binges just like humans but it was strange to see it in person, seeing such a powerful being just… seem so vulnerable.

"Well there's a story there. When my grandfather was a young man he came across Bolt living in a cave not far from my family's farm, and somehow befriended the big lug. My grandfather even offered him work doing various odd jobs around the farm, he can do the work of tens of men easily and for hours on end so he has been invaluable. Been with us ever since and has helped make my family one of the most successful farms in the region. My father grew up with him, I grew up with him, my children are growing up with him, and despite what many feel about nonhumans we consider Bolt like family. However, a few days ago he accidentally killed one of my prized bulls. After that he just left and has been drinking himself sick ever since. I tried to tell him I know it wasn't on purpose but he hates himself for it and refuses to listen to me. Everyone is afraid of him due to his size and strength, I was afraid they would send someone to get rid of him and… no offense, but you are a Witcher. But he's harmless! If something happens to him not only would I be ruined since I can't run the farm without him but I could also never forgive myself for losing a friend." He explained, seemingly at the end of his rope and not knowing what to do.

"Hmmm, he hasn't done anything bad yet, right? What if I talked to him on your behalf? Make him see reason and go home before anything goes wrong, from him or others?" I offered, feeling rather sympathetic at the moment and because just seeing the troll cry into his drink was so depressing. I could see the light in the farmer's eyes come back brightly at my offer.

"You… you would? Thank you! Bolt the Bull Carrier came by his name honestly and I would hate for him to hurt anyone or for them to hurt him. He's strong-willed and stubborn, though if you speak softly you should be able to convince him. I'll even reward you for your efforts if you can convince him. I'll be talking with the innkeeper to make sure everything is alright. Thank you again." he says before walking over to the presumed innkeeper.

"Aww, such a kind heart you have Markus." Ivar couldn't help but comment with a smile.

"Shut up, Ivar. Let me handle this since the big guy doesn't seem in most talkative mood right now. Take Dogmeat and find me the local bard that is supposed to hang out here. He wasn't outside so I assume he's in a room or something. We still have our mission of putting the specters to rest after all and you need to learn that song to make it so we can do it." I pointed out.

"Right away! I'm sure I can converse with this Bolt after you have calmed him anyhow." Ivar says as he picks up Dogmeat and walks off.

Alright then, time for diplomacy… but just in case I activate Quen again since the last thing I want is to be hit by a drunk rock troll.

Walking up to him Bolt certainly strikes an imposing figure, even hunched over slightly he is still easily over half my size in height alone to say nothing of his girth that is pure muscle. He was wearing an over-sized poncho that looked to be made from a whole tanned cowhide, but I guess for a troll doesn't feel uncomfortable at all, which I am thankful since I was in no mood to see troll junk. There were rocky growths all over his form with his back looking like half of a boulder in truth. Despite his large teeth sticking out of his mouth it was hard to see him as intimidating what with the fresh tears going down his face as he drank out of a wooden bucket, not the tub like I thought.

"Go away! Bolt no want talk with you!" Bolt demanded and waved one of his long arms towards me. It was a good thing I kept about five feet away so he didn't smack me by accident.

"Your boss wanted me to talk to you." I said to get his attention.

"Bossyman sent you? … Wait, you Witchyman, yes? Come to kill Bolt? Good, Bolt is bad troll and killsy he deserves. Bolt kill bull, Bolt bad." Bolt said while sobbing.

"That depends, why don't you tell me what happened and then I decide if you deserve it." I offered, trying to get the story from his point of view and see if I couldn't convince him to go home peacefully.

"Bolt work farm for Bossyman and small bossies. Dig ground, carry fings, all kinds. Bolt love carrying bulls most. Bolt make friends with bulls, would play lots. Bolt throw bull in air and catch, bull loves it most…. But one day Bolt throw bull up and not catch. Bull fall and hit head… bull now dead. Bolt kill friend, that why Bolt is bad. Bolt not want live, so Bolt drink lots to not think… it not work." Bolt said as he took another large drink of his bucket.

Damn, this is really hitting him hard. I always liked the trolls from the Witcher games, the ones that weren't hostile were always fun to talk to and were honest to a fault. You could almost always find some way to reason with them and deep down I felt they weren't bad, they just didn't always think things through. This was no different.

"It sounds like you loved bull a lot and didn't mean to hurt him. It was an accident Bolt. Your boss wants you home and drinking here doesn't solve anything."

"No! Bolt no go back! Bolt kill friend bull, and brothers and sisters bull will hate Bolt. Bolt too strong and not gentle, no want to kill more friends. No want to hurt Bossyman and little bossies, Bolt loves them. Bolt promised to always do best to be good… broke promise and now no get to be happy." Bolt refused a little angirly.

Okay, time to change tactics since this guy obviously is in no mood to forgive himself… guilt trip?

"Fine, doesn't matter to me one way or the other. Though you should know if you don't come back that your boss will lose the farm, little bossies will go hungry, and all bull's brothers and sisters will be separated. Do you want that, Bolt? Your family being broken up because of you?" I asked.

"Wha, no! Bolt no want that! Bolt love farm, warm and soft. Not like cave at all… but how Bolt go back? Bolt bad troll, bad troll no be happy." Bolt asked desperately.

"We all make mistakes, Bolt. The important thing is that we work hard to make up for those mistakes and do the best we can to be better. Your boss needs you and you need him and the farm. Dying won't fix anything, that is the worst way you can repay bull." I stated seriously. When it comes it trolls it was important to follow their logic and then use it against them so they understood.

"You… Witchyman right! Boss need Bolt, hows Boss to give bulls bath without Bolt? Bolt go back, for bull." Bolt nodded and then finally put down his bucket. I smiled and nodded back to him.

"I'm sure he will be happy to hear that."

As we walked over to the innkeeper and farmer together I was proven right.

"Bolt sorry, Bossyman. Bolt come back. Bolt being sad won't make bull not dead. Make bull sad and Bolt no want that." Bolt apologized to his employer.

"Oh, don't worry about it you big lug. I'm just happy you've seen reason. I know everyone will be happy to have you back." the farmer said as he actually went up and hugged the big troll, something which Bolt returned with a surprising amount of gentleness.

"Thanks Witcher, troll might have been a good customer but he was scaring off lots of my regulars. Business can finally go back to normal, though I will need to restock my cellar sooner than expected. I'm just happy the troll's keeper paid his tab." the husky innkeeper stated to me, but by the way he didn't look me in the eye I figured he wasn't totally happy to thank me.

Ehh, I would take what I could get.

"Thank you as well Witcher, here's 100 crowns for the trouble. It's well worth the price after getting my best worker and friend back." the farmer said as he handed me a coin purse, one which might require me to visit the bank when added to the tower reward later. "Come on Bolt, let's go home. The wife's sure to make the stew you like so much."

"Bolt coming. Bolt go home with Bossyman."

"Well, I'm sorry to say that no one is going anywhere right now." A new voice said and I turned towards the inn door to see over a dozen well armed and armored men walk through, all barring their weapons out at the ready. The looks on their faces and the way they stood told me everything, they were ready for a fight. In other words, trouble.

"What… what do you want?" the farmer asked in confusion and fear.

"Been hearing things about a troll disturbing the peace and thought it would be our civic duty to handle it since the guards and Order don't want to. Reward would be a nice touch as well and I know more than a few who would pay a lot of coin for troll bits." the leader of what I assumed to be mercenaries stated while idly picking at his warhammer. He had a large scar over one eye and was wearing a heavier set of medium looking armor, not totally unlike my own.

"But-but Bolt hasn't done anything! The guards and the Order only said they would get involved if he broke any laws! He's leaving peacefully now so there is no reason to do anything! I don't know what those assholes outside told you-" the farmer started to rant before the merc leader interrupted him.

"Oh, it's not just that. Seems like a rival of yours sees this as a great chance to remove some competition. It's a damn shame really… your pet troll kills you and the poor residents of this inn, we only came in time to put the mad beast down. Such a pity, isn't it?" he finished with a cruel smirk and around him his fellows chuckled as two stood by the door.

Oh, it's like that now, is it? Why would I expect anything else?

"You really don't want to do that. I assume you don't stay long in the mercenary game by being stupid, right? Do the smart thing and walk away." I warned.

"Is that so, Witcher? And why would I care about what a mutant freak like you thinks? Besides, we are doing your job for you since obviously you couldn't hack it by yourself." was the response.

"I'm not about to let you kill anyone here just cause your employer told you to." I growled, hating these kind of people who killed innocents for money.

"Oh yeah, and you plan to stop us?" he challenged.

"Yes, and I'm sure my new friend Bolt here would be very much against you hurting his boss." I stated.

On que Bolt banged his fists hard into the inn floor, causing it to splinter in the process.

"Mensy no hurt Bossyman! Leave or Bolt smash!" Bolt roared out.

At that the mercs actually paused for a moment, most looking towards their boss who had a thoughtful look on his face. He glanced at a heavy-set man who seemed to be his lieutenant. A conversation passed between them at a glance, then the leader looked back at me and Bolt.

"Well… it seems like we're at an impasse. Alright then, you win this round freak. Me and my lads will be on our merry way for now, but you should watch yourself in the future. Even Witchers need to sleep. Let's go!" the merc leader shouted to his men and I watched wearily as they all filed out of the inn one by one, throwing me and Bolt dirty looks all the way until the door finally shut.

"Jeez, what did I just step in?" I muttered to myself as I felt my muscles uncoil.

"Bolt and Witcheyman tellsa them!" Bolt happily stated.

"Yeah, we sure did. Any idea what that was about?" I directed my question towards Bolt's boss who seemed to be working to get his own breathing back under control. He could only give a sad shake of his head.

"Unfortunately, when you are the most successful farmer in the region and own some of the largest and best lands there are plenty who envy that fact. Wouldn't put it past a few of my rivals to find a way to kill Bolt since he's one of the biggest parts of why my family is so successful; killing me would be a bonus. Whoresons could have even gotten their coin together for that lot. If you don't mind Master Witcher, I want to get me and Bolt home as soon as possible, gonna let the town guard know before we leave though. Spending any more time here is not good for my nerves." he said with a lopsided grin.

"And I would like it if you all left and never came back to my inn, nothing personal but…" the innkeeper said while getting out from hiding beneath his counter.

"No, no, that's fair. No reason for me to come back if all goes well anyhow." I reassured him, not his fault mercs came in apparently quite willingly to kill him just as well.

"Markus! I am glad to report that!... Did I miss something?" Ivar said suddenly behind us, causing both the farmer and innkeeper to jump a bit.

"Bolt and Witcheyman talksa about bull and bossies, humsies comes to fightsa us, but wes makes thems fuckh off. Nows we'sal goes." Bolt happily informed the scholar, who cocked his head slightly to the side just like Dogmeat to process that.

"... I totally understand." Ivar said with a thumbs up.

Did he really? Not sure which is more worrying.

Honestly I was ready to just head back to the tower since dealing with mad wraiths was sadly becoming safer.