Meeting the Scoia'tael

They follow the same way back finding themselves crossing the same muddy river again which they passed like last time just that this time the tracks went North instead of west towards Crow's Perch.

"I really hope we can talk to them," says Vincent as he saw the tracks leave the path entering the wilderness now.

"They are nearby. We should prepare just in case that they attack us," says Karliah as Ellana hits the ground with her staff making the high grass move away.

A path appeared making the horse trails visible as they followed them slowly and noiseless so the Mers won't notice them.

They arrived at the camp finding the Mers with their horses that were still alive when they hear, "Do we kill the horses for provisions? We are running down on provisions lately and we won't be able to meet with the other near Novigrad because of the outposts Redania made to control that no Nilgaardian Spy enters Redania."

"It depends on how long we have to wait," says the one in charge of them.

'They want to kill our horses, it seems,' says Vincent via telepathy to the others.

'Do we intervene before they kill them?' asks Karliah as Vincent used his illusion skills again turning himself back like before on Nirn.

'Ellana, you look almost alike to them. You should talk to them with Kirvena while we make sure nothing happens,' says Vincent as Ellana and Kirvena nod while Ellana's ears turned back and Kirvena changed into her real appearance.

They walked out of the bushes and lift their hands up as the group was pointing their arrows at them when Ellana says, "We are here to talk to you. Can you point the arrows down. We really don't want to hurt a fellow Mer."

"Mer?" asks one of the Elves as Ellana tied her hair back showing her ears.

"Elf in your language. We are Elves as well and you stole our horses this morning while we were taking care of some orphans nearby that needed help," says Ellana as the person who stole the horses came forwards.

"That can't be they belonged to humans. I was spying on them the whole time," says the elf responsible for stealing the horses when Kirvena and Ellana turned back.

"We are in disguise so the people don't become suspicious of our group since we aren't from the Northern Kingdom," says Ellana as she used illusion magic again turning them back to Mers.

"So the others are Elves too?" asks the leader of the group as she lowered her bow.

"Well, not all. Three are Mers, one is a human and the last is complicated to explain if you don't see him yourself. They are watching us right now ready to intervene if everything would have escalated," says Ellana as she looked at both their flanks.

"Why would it be complicated to explain?" asks the leader as Vincent came out from behind them.

"Because I look like something you would call a demon," says Vincent as he stood in behind them.

They raised their bows towards Vincent as he smiled and says, "I wouldn't do that since it would be a waste of arrows."

"We will find out about that," says the Leader when Vincent sighs.

"It seems you aren't any different than the humans you all hate so much. Now then shoot and find out. I'm not afraid of some arrows that I could use as toothpicks," says Vincent appealing that they were as much of a hypocrite as the humans they hate so much.

"You don't understand anything. You haven't seen your village burn while everyone else was killed," says one of them as Vincent glared at him.

"Oh, I have," says Vincent as his aura changed from positive to negative instilling fear into them.

"I have seen my village been burned down by Dragons. I have also seen my own people been killed by Elezens because they believed they were followers of the Dragons. I went to war and only lost because my war started out of a lie our Ancestors told us," says Vincent as two Dragons appeared behind Vincent looking at the Mers.

The Mers could feel the Dragons' breathes against their face when Vincent says, "I believed that talking with you civilized would work but it seems you only understand this language. Be happy that we only want our horses back. If it were someone else you would have been dead."

One of them loses his grip over the string releasing the arrow which flew towards Vincent who just let it hit his chest as it then fell to the ground and Vincent says, "I will ignore this attack because the person was in a panic."

"Are you sure?" asks Vlad who was holding his dagger against the throat of the person that released the arrow surprising them that he was between them without them noticing.

"Yes, let us just take the horse and never meet again," says Vincent as he mounted his horse when Vlad disappeared in the shadows right in front of everyone.

The Mers fell down as they saw it happen when one of them says while stuttering, "Va-ampire!"

"Nice observation," says Vincent as he turned back into a Nord while the other mounted their horses.

"I hope our next encounter won't escalate like this one. I would rather not burn you all down," says Vincent as they leave the Mer Camp.

"Did you really have to scare them like that? They are only children," says Ellana as they were traveling south.

"I had to or Vlad might have gone serious and had killed them all," says Vincent as Vlad was his shadow, he was there to protect him and kill all threats may they be insignificant or not.

"He is right on that. If it were Hrotti that was guarding Vincent they all would have been dead the moment they had their arrows pointed at you," says Karliah remembering that Hrotti wasn't a patient person like everyone in Aela's lineage.

"How Fenris is doing watching over their daughter and granddaughter," says Serana since Hrotti was dead while her husband was still alive watching over his family as the shadow of the Werebeast Queens.

They passed the muddy river again before continuing going south until they reached a village that seemed peaceful from outside but once they entered they hear people complain about that their former Lord was hiding on an island inside a tower.

They were talking about raising a mob to take his head making Vincent have mixed feelings about this. He could understand the people since he also rebelled against Archbishop Thordan VII with the others. But he can now also understand the side of a ruler that is trying to protect his family.

"It seems some of them have ulterior motives to join the mob," says Kirvena seeing the people as Vincent nods.

"I heard from the Innkeeper of Crow's Perch that the former Lord's daughter was a beautiful girl," says Vincent as his eyes were cold looking at the people gathering.

"Swines," says Karliah angry as she turned towards Vincent and asks, "Are we going to do anything against that?"

"We will when the time is right," says Vincent as he takes the map out saying, "We are here at Mulbrydale and our destination is around here."

"And where is the destination of the mob?" asks Serana curious.

"It's here Fyke Isle. We will have to find a boat to get there. Maybe we help them out if we aren't too late," says Vincent as he put the map away.

"We have a big terrain to search only to find some Hagravens," says Karliah as she already had gathered some information in Crow's Perch and Midcopse.

"Some that even dared to enter Nirn don't forget that," says Vincent as they continued south passing a bridge.

The sun was going down and it wasn't wise to travel in the dark as they were lucky and found a village named Lindenvale. They entered the village and found the tavern right away. They leave the horses in the stable and enter the tavern finding twins behind the counter with different clothes on so they could differential one from another.

"Five beds?" asks Vincent as one of the twins was attending them.

"Of course," says the twin coming from behind the counter while saying, "Follow me."

They follow the twin as he brought them to a middle-sized room with one big bed that could fit three people when Vincent scratches his head seeing the bed.

It was well made for this time period when Vincent says, "We will be sleeping in one bed tonight."

"Well, that means we will be having some fun tonight," says Kirvena as some of the others had the same opinion.

"But first let us find some dinner," says Karliah as she seemed the only serious one between them.

They went back out and sat down on a free table when Vincent spots a bald man and one of the twins playing a card game when the other twin sees Vincent.

"Never heard of Gwent?" asks the twin as Vincent nods.

"My husband loves card games," says Serana informing the twin while ordering dinner.

"How about you sit beside them and watch them play. I will serve your companion dinner in the meantime," says the twin as Vincent stands up and walks towards that table.

He felt an ominous presence for a moment before sitting down at one end of the table to see them play as he says, "Can I watch you play. I never heard of Gwent before."

"Of course, the more the merrier," says the bald man as he smiled at Vincent while stretching his hand out while saying, "I'm Gaunter O'Dimm, a simple mirror merchant. Maybe one of your companions want to buy one?"

"Trust me they would if they needed one," says Vincent taking his hand while saying, "I'm Vincent Highwind, nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you as well," says O'Dimm as he began to explain how Gwent was played to Vincent while offering him a deck to start playing against people when he says, "It is nice to have a conversation with a person that isn't just your average person but has a brain in his head."

"The same thing back. The last few days in Velen I just found people that either have no brain and if they have one they only thing about raping women all day," says Vincent as he ordered some ale for himself and O'Dimm while saying, "This is on me since you haven't revealed our identity."

"You didn't reveal my either why should I do it if you are keeping my secret as well. It is good to see that there are some honorable beings out there. I feel sorry for those strucking a deal with you but they searched it themselves," says Vincent as O'Dimm smiles.

"Not everyone would have the same opinion," says O'Dimm as he was surprised that Vincent hasn't anything against it.

"I would be against it if they didn't strike a deal with you but your very being would go against it. You would only go against someone that would try to hurt you or knew too much but it seems we are friends so you won't do anything," says Vincent drinking the ale in one go.

"I hope so. But let us keep it between us and your wives over there," says O'Dimm as Vincent nods.

"Agreed," says Vincent ordering another ale before O'Dimm leaves while Vincent joined his wives again.

"He seems to be a nice guy," says Karliah before she continues, "For a demon."

"He is like the Daedric Princes. They confuse him for an evil entity while he is only following his laws. Just don't make a deal with him and nothing shall happen," says Vincent as be warned them about O'Dimm's nature.

After that, they went to their room where they had fun the whole night before falling sleeping.