The two barghest had put up a fight to be sure, but they were easy enough to dispatch. Sadly, Geralt had not arrived on the scene until they had first waylaid the young couple who had been caught in a particularly vulnerable position. Thankfully, the mess left by the barghest implied that their suffering was minimal. It also provided a trail that could have been followed by a troll. Those two barghest would trouble the people of Vizima and its outskirts no longer.
Walking back to the Outskirts Inn was a thankfully short affair. The night air was cool, and the path was well-lit by the silver moon. The quiet of the village streets was welcome, as was the warmth that hit Geralt's face as he made his way into the Outskirts Inn.
"Rough night's work, eh? By the look of the mess on your face, you should have no trouble collecting the bounty from the Alderman." The barkeep was a remarkably skinny young man, but he was never cross with Geralt. If anything he was pleasant, which was a feeling nearly unknown to him among humans. Something told the Witcher that this young man had faced judgment and scorn of his own. That was a cross whose weight Geralt knew all too well. He placed five oren on the surface and turned his attention to the Alderman's table.
Indeed, the de-facto mayor of this little hamlet required only one look at Geralt before reaching into his waistcoat for a small purse. "Two-hundred oren, as promised. Many thanks on behalf of our people." With that, the alderman reached out with his strong hand and delivered the bounty. His broad shoulders released tension and his strong jaw relaxed as he was assured in the knowledge that his villagers were safe.
"Glad I could be of service. It's a shame I hadn't come by a few days earlier, it may have changed the fate of the young couple that fed the beasts their last meal."
The alderman nodded his head and said solemnly, "Aye that may be true, but the people had been warned, from here all the way into the heart of Vizima. They knew the dangers lurking by our trails, along the river, and in the woods. That is nothing I would hold against you, Witcher. You may be a mutant but your dealings here are always honest. Even if people don't want to hear the truth."
"It seems you know something about telling hard truths to unwilling ears. The fact you're still breathing and not holding a collection of daggers in your ribs says you do it well, Mattias."
A chuckle escaped the alderman's belly, and he gripped Geralt's upper arm with a strong hand. "I certainly do my best, my road-weary traveler. Now do yourself, and all of us a favor, and go wash up in your room. I believe Yennefer is in there with Shani, having her wounds tended to."
