Chapter Text
“Here,” Jaskier smiled and placed the plate in front of the girl. “Eat up.”
Judging by what the innkeeper had said, and the looks she’d given him, she thought Jaskier was trying to get the poor child into his bed. What aggravated him most, was that she hadn’t tried to stop him.
But regardless of what people thought, Jaskier wasn’t a lecher. He’d seen the girl, alone, and clearly scared, and thought she deserved to have a good meal.
“Thank you,” she whispered. “I heard your song-” She took another bite, then looked up. “You know him?” she asked suddenly. “You know Geralt of Rivia?”
Jaskier scowled. “Unfortunately,” he said. It was hard not to be irritated, even after yelling at him and sending him away, people were still far more interested in Geralt than they were in Jaskier. It wasn't fair at all.
“I need to find him,” she said, grabbing his arm. “Please. I- I-”
“You don’t want to find him,” Jaskier promised. “He’s a whoreson and-”
“Please!” There were tears gleaming in her eyes.
“Shhh,” Jaskier whispered, leaning across the table to pat her hand. “Everything’s going to be all right, tell me what I can-”
“You can take me to him.” Then, as though it were an afterthought, she added, “Please.”
“Why?” He studied her, cursing his human weaknesses. No doubt Geralt would already have worked out what she wanted, but all he could figure, was that she looked vaguely familiar and very dirty. “What you need,” he told her. “Is a warm meal, a bath, and a bed.” The last thing he wanted to do was see Geralt again, and he could only imagine how pissed the Witcher would be if he showed up again. Maybe if Geralt had a few years to cool off first, but this soon? No. Jaskier liked having all his appendages attached and unbruised.
The girl looked into her soup, a frown on her face. “He claimed the right of surprise.”
The Child Surprise. For a moment, he could only stutter. When he finally found words again, he managed, “The Child Surprise. That makes you-”
She clamped her hand over his mouth. “Fiona,” she said. “That makes me Fiona.”
“Fuck,” Jaskier whispered.