Chapter Text
Life returned as normal as days were for Geralt. Moving from village or town or city to the other with his companion Roach. He thought back of Jaskier more often than not since he never had another companion. Especially not a siren. The time they had spent was not long at all, especially not in the witcher’s eyes.
Yet, Geralt found himself thinking back of that time. The curiosity of someone who had never been on land before. It made him realise how different their worlds must be. Would Jaskier think of their time together too? He didn’t even know how long he had been imprisoned by that earl. Did he have a family to miss? Was he safe now?
The siren had been eager to get away from him.
Geralt knew why. Jaskier had been on land against his will and at that moment he was finally free.
The witcher patted Roach’s side to pull himself back at the moment. He would never see the siren again and that was fine.
Geralt stopped in a small town, stopping before the notice board for any jobs. He ripped an alert off the board to read it closely. Something was in the forest nearby that had been luring people in. Surprisingly all came back unharmed.
Geralt began asking around town for any leads, but he only received glares and sneers. Geralt almost wanted to leave the place, not wanting to help people who wouldn’t even look at him. But the coin was good and something inside of him urged him to do this.
That is why he put Roach in the stables, giving the stableboy extra coin to take care of her and walked into the forest.
Soon, the noise of the market disappeared and was replaced by a tranquil ambience. Birds twittered above him, the sun was shining down through the leaves. The witcher bowed down, trying to find a particular scent that didn’t belong in this area.
He walked around until he smelled it. A faint aroma, not pleasant, oily, the smell of gold, metal? He followed it, not seeing any footsteps or traces on the ground. Whatever this was, it could be whatever was seducing people.
After some time the scent grew stronger. Geralt could distinct the smells: one of fish and one of coin?
He reached a clearing and he saw a river. Geralt unsheathed his swords, not knowing what to expect. He crouched down in the bushes and peeked through the leaves.
There, half in the water was a siren. Golden tail, brown hair, blue eyes.
Geralt’s eyebrows furrowed. Jaskier was there all of a sudden. Was he hallucinating?
The siren hadn’t seen the witcher since he was distracted by an unconscious man on the ground next to him. Unconscious, Geralt knew, because he could hear enough heartbeats.
Jaskier was putting his webbed fingers on the man’s body as if he were looking for something. He let out a small: “Oh~“ as he pulled out a pouch of gold from the unconscious man's pockets. He peeked in, removing the golden coins from the pouch and just looked at them as they sparkled in the light.
Geralt decided this was a good time to intervene and he rose, stepping in Jaskier’s line of sight.
“You.” The white-haired man stated.
Jaskier yelped, dropping the coins and instinctively falling in the water. His eyes were still above water, and then recognition was displayed on his features. “Geralt?” He breathed out in disbelief.
“Jaskier? Why aren’t you in the ocean?” Was all Geralt could think about. They were days from the ocean. This made no sense at all.
“What? No hello? It’s me, the siren you saved, remember?” The siren propped his elbows on the grass again, not afraid of the witcher at all. His tail moved around swiftly as if he was a dog that finally saw its owner again.
“I remember. The siren I saved and thought I put in a river that leads to the ocean. What happened?” Geralt put his sword back in his sheath.
The creature laughed, flustered. He picked up the dropped coins again, but as Geralt saw this his put his shoe on the coins. “Answer me.”
Jaskier moved his hands back, coughing. “Yes, you see… You put me in the river. I swam for a while and then I got lost. Kinda. I didn’t mean to. But it’s fine. I’m good here. Enough food.” He eyed the man on the ground, who was now gently snoring.
“You want to eat this man?”
“Perhaps.” Jaskier’s hands moved to the coin again, prying it from under Geralt’s shoe. He got one and smiled. “No, of course not! I eat fish. Human’s taste… tangy.” He tried to take the next coin and Geralt let him. He ignored the fact that Jaskier just admitted that he had tasted human flesh once in his life.
“You are a siren, what are you doing robbing people.”
“Tsk, tsk. What do you care?”
“I care because people are looking for you. You are luring people in the woods and they come back mugged.” Geralt started to pull the man out of the water.
“Well, I don’t kill them. I just… take their shinies.”
“What? Why?” Geralt looked up at him. The siren shrugged. His tail flicked again as he smiled and put the money in the pouch.
“They look nice.” Jaskier shrugged again.
“You can’t just take from people, Jaskier! It’s money. They need this to live.’ He snatched the pouch of gold out of Jaskier’s hands, but the siren’s grip was stronger.
“I don’t care. I am- I just don’t care.” Jaskier pulled back. Geralt growled. Jaskier was so obnoxious.
“This man probably worked hard for this.”
“What do you care? He is human, isn’t he?”
Geralt glanced at the man, and let go of the pouch. Jaskier yelped and fell backwards, unable to keep himself upright with only one arm.
“He is human, yes.”
“Well, you aren’t human. You told me so. What do you care about humans?” Jaskier asked.
Geralt blinked and sighed deeply. “Mh.” He had no idea what to say to that. Still, it was bad to steal, no matter if Geralt wasn’t human.
“Don’t steal.” He growled. He held up his hands for the pouch. “I don’t want other people wanting to hunt you down. Just get out of here and I’ll lead you back to the ocean.”
Jaskier looked at Geralt, his hand and then at the pouch. “Oh.. I don’t wanna get back to the ocean,” Jaskier declared.
“What?”
“Do I have to return everything?” Jaskier asked, changing the subject and putting the pouch in Geralt’s palm.
“How much do you have?”
“Some.”
“We will return all.” Geralt stated.
Jaskier splashed in the water. “well then, let's go.”
-
They made their way to the rest other loot. Jaskier, swimming in the river and Geralt trailing behind, following the long and powerful tail which moved in the water like a breeze through the trees.
Eventually, they reached a waterfall, and Jaskier entered. Geralt sighed and dropped himself in the water, following the siren under the descending water.
He let out an annoyed “Mh.” As his clothes and hair were drenched. Then he saw the pile of silver and gold, coins and necklaces and rings. It wasn't a big pile, but it was still a lot.
Geralt clenched his teeth, “What the fuck is this?”
Jaskier picked up a ring, looking through it. ”Good right?”
“Not good. How many people did you steal from?”
“A few. I don’t know.” Jaskier dug in his treasure, more proud than worried.
“I don’t… understand this. Gold and coins? What are you going to do with this?”
“Nothing? It looks nice. What else does it need to do?”
Geralt was speechless. “You are a thief. Crimes like these are punished by people.”
“Yeah, so what? I’m not afraid.” The siren said, uncaringly. He smiled, sharp teeth suddenly sharper than before.
Geralt hummed. “I will get Roach-”
“Oh, the horse!” Jaskier exclaimed.
“Yes, the horse. Then I will take this back. Listen Jaskier. Don’t do this again, alright?”
Jaskier dropped the coins he had picked up and frowned. “Alright, I won’t.” He pouted. Geralt sighed, pinched the bridge of his nose and reached down in his pouch and got three silver pieces. He gave them to the siren. “Here.”
Jaskier accepted it with wide eyes. “Thank you! No one has ever given me shiny things.” He said, blue eyes sparkling, even in the cave.
Geralt looked at the siren. Then nodded. Then left.
The witcher got Roach and lead him to the hidden location. He watched without pity at Jaskier’s morbid expression as he loaded his stolen golds and silver in the saddlebag.
“You sure you don’t wanna go back to the ocean?”
“Pretty sure. Very sure. Yes- Oh.." He waved as Geralt mounted Roach. "Bye. I’ll be here!”
Geralt left without another word, making the siren watch him until he disappeared out of sight.
The business in town was short-lived. He dumped all he had taken on the ground in the town square.
“I’ve taken care of the problem.” He said.
“Well, what was it?”
Geralt looked at the innkeeper who had spoken to him. ”It doesn’t matter. It’s gone. Payment now.”
Geralt received half of the coin he was promised, which made the witcher moodier than he already was. He just wanted to leave.
Geralt started going in the opposite direction, ready to continue his journey. He hadn’t said goodbye to the siren.