Chapter Text
Jaskier stirred, rapidly blinking his eyes. He tried to reach up to rub them, but found that he couldn't.
The shock woke him completely, panic coursing through his veins.
He looked down, noticing that he was tied to a chair.
“What the…what is this?” He asked himself, flexing his wrists, but the material wouldn't budge.
“Struggling….struggling is pointless!” A voice exclaimed from the shadows.
“I know why you're here…and I'm not afraid of you. Who are you and how did you find me?” The voice spoke again, feigning confidence.
“What the….” Jaskier squinted at the shadows, more confused than ever.
“Who are you? And how did you find me?” The voice asked again, sounding more confident this time.
“Right….I know not who you are, nor how I came to find you, but may I just say-”
Radovid stepped out of the shadows at that moment.
“Woah…wow, you-you're um….Fuck. I've lost track of my thoughts.” Jaskier stammered.
“I'll ask you one last time. Who are you, and how did you find me?” The blond asked, glaring at him.
“My name is Jaskier and I am but a humble bard-”
“Who else knows you're here Jaskier?” He pointed the dagger at him in what he hoped was a threatening manner.
“Listen here blondie-”
….that clearly hadn't worked how he'd hoped….
“Radovid.”
“Alright, listen Radovid, I was in a rather sticky situation, running from the king's guards. I happened to stumble across your tower and-wait! Where's my lute!? I had her with me when I came up here!” The bard exclaimed, looking around desperately as his memories came back to him.
The blond haired man turned his back to him, stepping away. It was in that moment that Jaskier noticed that whatever he was tied up in matched the man's incredibly long hair.
“This lute?”
Jaskier looked over, seeing his precious baby being held by her neck. And was one of her strings broken!?
“Give her back!” He exclaimed. He wiggled in his restraints to no avail.
“I'll give her back, once you tell me what you want to do with my hair.” Radovid held the dagger out once more, Pip's words coming back to him. “Cut it? Sell it?”
“What? No! Listen, the only thing I want to do with your hair is to get out of it. Literally.”
“You-wait….you don't want my hair?” Radovid asked, suddenly confused. His brows furrowed. Could Pip and Sigi have been wrong?
“Why in Meletelie's name would I want your hair?” Jaskier groaned, rolling his eyes, “Look, I was being chased, I saw a tower, and I climbed it. That's that.” He summarized, gesturing with his hands to the best of his abilities.
“You're telling the truth….” Radovid observed.
“Yes, I do that quite often, you know.”
Radovid turned away from him once more, a million thoughts running through his head.
This man, Jaskier, was clearly telling the truth. And Pip wasn't going to be back for another three days….this could work….
“Alright Jaskier, I am prepared to offer you a deal.” He spoke with utmost confidence.
“A deal?”
The blond walked towards the fireplace, using his hair to climb the mantle. The force made the chair Jaskier was sitting in drag loudly across the floor.
“Do you know what these are?” He asked, moving the iron shield to the side.
The bard rubbed his ear with his shoulder before looking up at the painting of a familiar scene.
“You mean the lantern thing the kingdom does every year for the prince?” He said, raising an eyebrow.
“Lanterns, I knew they weren't stars!” Radovid exclaimed to himself, “Well, tomorrow night these lanterns will be released. You-” He gestured to Jaskier, “Will act as my guide, take me to see these lanterns, and return me safely to my tower. And in the meantime I will decide if you are worthy of getting your lute back. That is my deal.”
“See, I truly wish I could, truly. But unfortunately the kingdom and I aren't on the best of terms at the moment. So I won't be taking you anywhere. I rather suggest you do return my lute though.” Jaskier smiled and bat his eyelashes.
Radovid pursed his lips. He climbed down, slowly walking towards the bard.
“Something brought you here, Jaskier. Call it what you will. Fate. Destiny-”
“Pegasus.”
“So have made the decision to trust you-”
“A truly horrible decision really-”
“But trust me when I say this,” Radovid pulled on his hair, making the chair tip forward onto its front legs. He caught it right before it tipped all the way forward,“if you don't take me to see those lanterns you will never get your darling lute back. Of that I will make sure. ” He couldn't help but notice that the bard's eyes were the most gorgeous shade of blue he had ever seen.
“Let me get this straight. If I take you to see the lanterns, you'll give me my lute back on the way there?” Jaskier emphasized.
“You have my word.” Radovid promised.
“Alright. This might make for a good song. Or at the very least an epic poem. Now….can you please untie me?”