The Witcher: My Own Path

(Present time, late summer, year 1254, the autskirts of the castle, The home of Tyr).

Thinking back to the time when I recruited my first subordinate, I had a not-so-sophisticated plan in my mind for my second main project, namely to start building my own tavern. A stable source of income, right behind the brothel and the forge.

I put on my summer coat with the hood covering my eyes. On my way out the door I glance at the sun. I still have some time before I meet the "Nightingale", or Loona. I gave her this nickname along with the title of my "Master of Spies" as a reward for sorting out all the guidelines I imposed on her two years ago. Today, around six o'clock, our monthly meeting will take place. It is important insofar as it may bring into our ranks a potential recruit for our cause. A dwarf by the name of Gavorn. I found out about him from our secret correspondence about three weeks ago. I didn't want to meet him straight away, I trusted Nightingale, however I wanted to keep an eye on him until he reported back a few weeks later.

Gavorn is, or rather was, a small businessman living and running a small construction company in the non-human quarter of the Vizima Temple Quarter. He employed several dwarves and elves, about ten people. Due to rampant racism, his company went bankrupt due to lack of orders, so he had to close the business. Loona, who had sent her daughter Hela to Oxenfurt at the time and used the leftover money to buy herself a small flat near the road to the causeway and the descent to the Vizima canals. She intended to turn her much larger house into a public house and information centre. I was very grateful to her for this; we saved a lot of money that way. Loona then found out about Gavorn and offered him and his people to rebuild her old house. During the work, his team worked very well and professionally, behaving discreetly when some of Loona's instructions turned out to be out of place. After a while they became friends and kept in touch even after the assignment was completed. She later informed me about him and today is our first meeting.

I head to the storeroom and take the beautiful sword I was commissioned to forge, placing it in a good quality and fancifully decorated oak lacquered chest, lined with red silk. On my way out of the storeroom, I wave my hand to my working father, showing him the chest and Vizima. He understands what the gesture means, nods and goes back to work.

Thirty minutes later, I leave the house of a satisfied townsman and the customer, delighted with the quality and appearance of the weapons, adds an additional fifty orens to the promised sum of seven hundred. I have earned two hundred and fifty orens on this transaction! With this money, a family of three from a poor neighbourhood could survive for about five months. Easy money, and my good growing reputation means that I get two such jobs a month, so I don't have to worry about smaller jobs like my father, and I don't have to sit in the forge all day.

Now it's time to move on to the really important stuff, so I traverse the entire shopping district and head towards Nightingale's house, discreetly donning the added protection of a power cloak.

Ten minutes later, I'm standing outside the flat door and gently knocking with the code. I don't have to wait long before Loona opens the door and lets me in.

The flat was not decorated in any special way, just a small functional flat. Sitting at the table is Gavorn, who immediately stands up when he notices the mysterious 'Lord' who may be the saviour of his company and the people who trusted and worked for him. A typical dwarf with a long luxuriant brown beard, small beer eyes, a high forehead and baldness above, dressed in a worn and worn dusty craftsman's outfit.

Nightingale knelt down on one knee, showing his submissiveness and my higher status.

''Welcome, my lord!'' He said with his head bowed in submission.

''Rise Nightingale.'' I said to her in a calm but authoritative tone, not mixing my own feelings into this greeting. We have built up a very close relationship over these few years, but now she is my subordinate and we are not alone, I cannot be informal and she knows it.

I walk up to Gavorn and pull the hood off my head, showing my face. I notice the surprise on his face, I'm not sure if it's because of my young age or because he recognised me. I extend my hand in a gesture of greeting and look at him carefully.

Looking into his eyes, I speak first, waiting with my hand outstretched. He extends his own and we greet each other with a firm hug.

''Hello Tyr, disciple of Ryzz!''

This time I am the one who is surprised. However, I do not show it.

We sit down and I indicate a chair with my hand, she nods in agreement and we both sit down. Loona has gone into the kitchen to pour us something to drink.

- 'Hello Gavorn, I've heard a lot of good things about you from Loona. However, I am not sure how much Loona has told you about me. When it comes to building my inn, I can already tell you that of course the commission will be yours if you want it. Loona has told me how well you and your people are working, so I see no reason to pass the task on to someone else. One thing, however, does not give me peace of mind: why did you insist on our meeting, why did you come here?

Gavorn looks at me with sharp eyes, but is unable to make me look away, he is too thin in the boots for that. Prolonged silence leads to nothing and he knows it. Loona puts juice on the table so we can wet our throats.

''I'll be honest with you, Tyr, I don't really know why you came here. All I know is that Loona promised me a job building a tavern for some rich man. I didn't know for which one, but the mere fact that another person besides her is able to employ us 'non-humans' was reason enough for me to contact such a person and whether there is a possibility of further cooperation, because as you know we don't have it easy.''

I nod in his direction.

''Besides, leaving aside what other ''people'' might think, I'm not stupid! The task Loona hired me for was quite unusual, at first, I thought she had some hidden agenda in it herself, but I didn't worry too much about it, she treated me and my people with respect and didn't try to deceive us, which, no offence, you "people" often do!''

I nod again, not discouraged by this statement, I can see from him that he is grateful to me for this. With a hand gesture I show him to continue.

''Although, when she announced that she was working for someone and this person was willing to continue employing us and could offer us dwarves and elves fair and honest treatment, I thought that although there might be something behind it, a simple job building an inn might be enough. Now, however, I have changed my mind. He declares.

''What do you mean?'' I ask.

He snorts, as if I don't know what he means.

''Well, I'll tell you! You may not know it, but you have quite a reputation in the Nonhuman District, especially among the dwarves. Your outstanding blacksmithing skills are well known and these are not just idle rumours, I have seen some of your wares myself. As you know, smithing is very important to us dwarves, which is why we highly value talented smiths. Besides, since you became Captain Ryzz's personal apprentice almost two years ago, it has resonated in the area, so you have gained more publicity and started patrolling the streets. The number of attacks on non-humans began to drop week by week. You were even seen arresting humans, bullying elves. Now, even in the Nonhuman District, you can occasionally see guards patrolling the area. Finally, almost all the prostitutes have disappeared from the streets, admittedly they still work in brothels, or "pleasure house" as they say now, but they are healthy and not starving, nobody beats and rapes them like they used to. You may not know it, but I felt very sorry for them. Thanks to you, the Temple Quarter has started to change. Changing for the better! So, if you have another plan for change and I know someone like you does, I want to be part of it. It may sound selfish, but I feel that non-humans can benefit from it!

I nod with satisfaction at all his deductions and sincerity. I look at Nightingale and also nod that once again she has not let me down and has brought in a valuable person.

''Thank you Gavorn for your honesty and yes, I do have a bigger plan, not just for the Vizima Temple Quarter, but further afield! This is not a venture that will be accomplished overnight and without people I can't completely trust. You are also not wrong about my feelings towards non-humans. Human, dwarf, elf, lowlander - they are all the same to me. Everyone should be treated the same, with the same respect, only fools think differently, and that's almost the entire human population," I sighed loudly. Gavorn agreed with me, accentuating this with a light tap of his hand on the table.

''But I must warn you, there will be no turning back! I expect absolute loyalty!'' I look deeply into his eyes, but I assure him that I reciprocate the same! He nods and gets up from the table.

He kneels down, ''I am ready to serve you, my lord!''