Bab 71: Chapter 15
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***
This was a turn of events no one had expected. Several warlocks and courtiers, not to mention Blackheart's cronies, were able to observe a unique scene that they would remember for a long time.
- Stop, you bitch! - Damian shouted to Heralt as he ran after him. - Stop or it'll be worse, you witch freak!
- I didn't do anything to you! - shouted Geralt, dodging another ball of flame. - Why are you trying to kill me?
- So you don't take your rake to my mother! - and added the Thunder of Alzura, but the witch once again in the last time managed to get out of the trajectory, only the shards of the statue caught him from which the witch awkwardly and tiredly fell on the marble floor.
- Stop! I don't want to hurt you. - said to him Geralt trying to get up.
- You should be thanking me that you'll die by the sword, not by me casting some kind of spell or spell on you. So I've already messed up Vizimir's property. You're gonna have to pay the price, you bastard!
- I love your mother, and she loves me.
- She's my mother! And you, you bastard, will die! - Damian swung at Geralt, but he froze and was thrown aside.
- What's going on here? - asked a very angry, and very displeased Jennyfair looking at both the perpetrators of the noise.
- Nothing, Mum. Shouldn't you be in the herbalist's shop? - Blackheart asked, already smiling, but his scarlet eyes were burning with as much anger as Yennyfair's. Only towards a particular white-haired witch.
- He didn't have the goods I needed. And when I got back to the palace, I immediately heard the sound of fighting.
- What fight? - Damian waved his sword away, surprised and amused, but he didn't put it back in its scabbard. - I was just chasing a white rat. I was trying to do a good deed!
- Who gave you the right to try to take his life? I see you found out we were lovers? So why did you want to kill him?
- That's why I wanted to kill him. I know that idiot philosopher. I met him in Cintra. And I'll tell you what, you'll have a lot of trouble with him! I'm telling you, Mum, just stay out of the way and I'll--
- Stay where you are! And put your sword back in its sheath. - she looked at her son, and after a minute of staring at him, without averting her eyes, she put the sword into the scabbard that was fastened to his back. - Well done. Now apologise!
- Never!
- Apologise. You--
- I said no-no-no-no-no-no-no!
- Damian. - Yennyfair hissed, making not only Geralt, who had discovered some minor wounds after his run in with Blackheart, feel sick, but most of Damian's group and Keira and Dijkstra somehow shrank from the tension in the air. - Now...
- No!" he spoke calmly now, emotionless, and did not take his eyes off his mother's.
They both had the same eye colour and now they were glowing with anger and flowing with power in the same way. Only if the dark-haired sorceress did not hold back her emotions, the young mage kept a stony face, crossed his arms on his chest and did not show any signs of being embarrassed.
The enchantresses who were watching the scene noticed the striking behaviour under pressure from his mother and couldn't understand what exactly dictated it? Was it that he was only hoping to get away with it because of Ian's unbridled maternal love? Or that he could get away with it on his own? Or was he just building up confidence and not realising the consequences for himself?
- Jennyfair. - Philippa called out to her. - I realise it's a bit out of my hands, but would you mind not making a jealous scene in front of everyone? The boy's jealous of his mum and his uncle. It happens. He hasn't seen you for so long, so Damian's a bit mad with joy.
- Damian? - the sorceress turned to him, calmly suppressing her anger.
- Yes, Mum?
- You won't be staying in the palace. There's a good tavern in the capital called the Three Kings. You and your men will stay there. There'll be room, don't worry.
- So you're kicking me out of the palace like a mangy dog? - Damian asked in the same tone of voice, but there was something odd about his words.
- I do not own this palace. I'm just saying it's for everyone's peace of mind. - his mother reassured him.
- Hmm. Bella, Iskra and Miro, we'll take my mother's suggestion and get out of here to the tavern, where we can make some noise and... and make some noise. - He was still oozing a good deal of discontent.
But after that he didn't say a word, he just opened a portal and walked out of the palace through it.
Damian Blackheart.
My mum's rubbed my nose in it in front of everyone.
It's infuriating. And it was obvious to all my boys. That's why they didn't touch me. Even Mika, my squire, tried to avoid me as much as anyone else, while I drank alone and was angry with myself for my stupid, rash and impulsive behaviour.
When I was in my mother's room, Geralt walked in unexpectedly. I greeted him without a backward glance and was even pleasantly surprised to see this witcher in King Wisimir's court. And when I asked him what he was doing here, and then got the answer that they'd been messing with my mother for six months, I freaked out and lost control of myself.
I've got the mind of an old man, the body of a young man, and the idiocy of a complete moron.
Whether I wanted to admit it or not, I came to my senses only in the middle of our "races" with Geralt, but I couldn't give up, so I let him get away from the trajectory of my spells and blows. I could kill him, but the first attacks he missed and left, only due to my emotional instability and his crazy luck. And after that, it was up to me.
But my mum.
She's not so easy to explain the dangers of her relationship with a witch, not just a relationship with a witch, but even simple communication.
I have to think about what to do.
- Is it busy? - Philippa's mocking voice sounded almost unexpected. Still, I remembered her soaring gait. - May I sit with you, or will you try to slaughter me on the spot like a poor witch?
I looked up at Philippa. I saw her in her typical outfit. Some version of "I'm Indian!" There's even an owl feather behind her forehead patch.
- Sit down. - I shrugged. - Do you want a drink?
- I will enjoy the wine, not drink. - She corrected me and sat down across from me. - How did you not get drunk? - She looked at the two empty bottles on the table.
- I'm resilient.
- Hardy? - she looked up at me with her brown eyes. - What else are you tough for besides drinking and chasing poor witches?
- Ask any girl I've been in bed with. - she smiled enigmatically and rested her chin on her crossed fingers in front of her. - But that's not important right now. - I took another look at Philippa and realised that she was here of her own volition and thoughts. - Why are you here?
- I just want to explain to the stupid boy that is bragging and trying to be a man for his mother what he did wrong. You shouldn't have blatantly tried to kill the man who tried to take your mother's bed. You should have been careful and cunning. Now you're in disgrace with Yennifer. All because you acted on impulse. It's common for men, but sometimes you don't think with your head.
- Women are not far from it either. - I answered her.
- Only certain individuals, they are young and romantic. But that's the tenth thing. Don't show up at court yet, my advice. Take a walk, have a drink, kill a couple of boars or some girls in the hayloft, or better still, keep your wits about you and continue your studies. As far as I've learnt, you have a huge library at home, full of rare and useful books and manuscripts, so don't waste your time. Well, and Ian... that's Ian. She'll soon forget this witch. She'll play with it and throw it away. It's just a matter of time. And you're her one and only favourite man, her son. Something a lot of witches or warlocks dream of. She has you, and I'll tell you a secret, I wish I had someone like you. - she stroked my cheek and leaned closer. Her breath was scalding and the smell of perfume just cut into my brain. - So young, handsome, loyal, kind, brave, smart and... so interesting.
- I could be yours for the night, if you want. We could play mummy and son. - I jokingly suggested, watching her reaction. - How about it?
She pulled me to her and kissed me hard and passionately. I've never been kissed like that before.
The kiss felt like it lasted about a minute, maybe less, before she pulled away from me, licking her lips.
- Sweet boy. - she whispered. - Your offer is interesting to me. But... not today and not tomorrow. Grow up a little, and moderate your ardour, then maybe I'll let you into my bed.
- Don't let me be less interested in you than in any other girl, Philippa. - I answered her with dignity and a smile.
She returned my grin and stood up from the table.
- Be careful, Damian. You shouldn't piss off women and tease them, we are a dangerous and unpredictable people.
- Believe me, I'm even more unpredictable. You could say "dark horse"!
She didn't say anything else, just went about her business, and I took Eilhart's advice and rented a couple of inn prostitutes for the night.
I didn't see my mother for two more days, until she showed up in the company of Keira, who had come with her rather out of boredom, and settled on the ground floor, pretending to have fallen for Baldur's advances.
Mum and I went up to my room and decided to talk.
I sat on the bed, leaning against the wooden wall, crossing my legs in a Turkish style. Mum sat on the edge of the table. She had set up the wiretap protection.
- We're leaving! - she said to me and stared me straight in the eye.
- Who are we?" I was a little surprised at her aggression.
- You and I are going to Aedirn. You've travelled the world enough. I'll be the one to raise you from now on. I was going to send you to Detmold, but I thought about it and decided that your impulsive nature would only damage your reputation and mine. And I missed you. - she said the last words softly and affectionately.
- I wanted to go to Ard Carraig with my boys. You and I never got there. Why don't you come with us and then we'll go to Aedirn?
- No. We're going, without your companions.
- I don't quite understand what you're saying, Mother. Perhaps you could at least explain what this is all about. You didn't even tell me how you met that white-headed weirdo, and now you're saying strange things about my people.
- They're not your people. And you will not be a mercenary. - she told me.
- What?! I was starting to boil again. - What are you talking about? I had already decided that--
- I don't care what you've decided, Dami. I'm your mother! And I'm sick and tired of you getting involved in vague stories with a surprise ending. No, I can understand what happened in Toussaint. You men never keep your dick in your trousers for long, as they say, but you can do that in Wengerberg, there's plenty of pretty girls there. And your boys... give them a lot of money and send them home!
- No! - I was really angry and I realised it now, but I didn't want to hold back. If I don't stand my ground now, I'm fucked, not my own personal army and adventures. - That's not gonna happen.
- Sit down and listen to me, boy. You are too young and I will not let you, my only favourite son and heir, die in another skirmish with some monster. You've travelled the world. It's time to do the honours. If you want to travel again, you'll have to earn it with your wits. I mean, when you prove you can think, then I'll let you go wherever you want to go, and until then, you'll be by my side. And that's the end of it. Pack up!
- No!
- What a stubborn child! - I raised my eyes upwards. - Who are you like that?
- Maybe the only parent I've ever known? - I smirked. - Heredity is a contagious and serious matter.
- You're a smart one. - She smiled more softly, but her smile quickly faded. - I realise that you don't want to break up with anyone, but think about it....
- No!
- Okay, you don't want to think. - I was almost bound by magical chains and a sleeping spell that almost knocked me out.
Mum's very quick on the uptake and experienced, and after the literature I got her wish, she's probably in the top ten most dangerous wizards in the North, if she hasn't been in it before.
And I would have fallen into her hands, except that I've read all the same books, even more than she has, and I know how she works, and experience counts for something. So I freed myself from them and immediately cast a few spells on my mum who didn't expect it.
- Let me go at once, you little rascal! - Mum was outraged.
- Hmm. Did you manage to cast the sleepy one? - I was surprised, but I was only surprised to look surprised. Mum's no stranger to it, either. - You didn't think I'd just sit still, did you? I don't give up that easily, you taught me that. Don't you remember?
- Ah-ha!
- It's no use Mum, you obviously didn't read section 19 of "The Magical Shackles of Ophir's First Mages" very well. So you will only be able to get out of these shackles after an hour, when the power I put in is no longer active, or until I remove them.
- Take it off now!
- Give me your word that you'll stop trying to force me into Aedirn, and not try to brainwash me for dispersing my crew? Only then will I release you. Besides, I'm faster than you, and I can re-spell you. I'll just run out of Redania and into the middle of nowhere with my boys. And I can do it, take my word for it.
Mum was silent with her lips pressed together. She realises that I will, because we're too much alike in some of our freedom issues.
- You have my word!
I broke the spell and she just sat silently on the bed, staring at the floor. Her face was frowning, she was very upset about what had happened. I knew she was worried about me, because she loved me, and that was the payoff. And I was even a little ashamed, if that term still applied in my case.
I hugged her closer, and she immediately burst into tears, burying her face in my shoulder.
It was embarrassing. I don't like a woman's tears.
- Why are you being so stupid? Damian, I'm worried about you. - She kept crying and hugging me. - Please stay with me. I was worried when I knew you were safe with Eastredd, and now you're going to go everywhere you can and try everything. And your monster-catching and your company scares me even more...
Yes, yes, Mum, I believed that's what scares you. I especially believed you'd cry on my shoulder like that.
- Mum. - I stroked her head. - You seem to have forgotten that all my childhood you repeated how disgusting it was to look at a crying and weak-willed sorceress who couldn't control herself. You expect me to believe you're one of them? Besides, it was you and Marguerite who explained to me how women manipulate men.
Her tears stopped instantly.
- So unconvincing? - She even seemed offended that I'd figured her out, but no, it was more of a self-inflicted grudge. - I think I'm getting out of shape.
- It's just that I learnt from the best, and I'm of her blood and flesh. - I smiled at her for which I received the same smile.
- Well, at least you won't be falling for any slutty bitches," she sighed. - she sighed. - But maybe I can talk you out of this 'trip' of yours? At least for a little while? There's a possible apprentice waiting for me in Vengerberg, she's very intelligent and capable, and she also wants to see the world. Perhaps she and I could go travelling together? It would make me feel better.
- Hmm. What about your Geralt and the service after all?
- Geralt ran away after a little talk with me, after you almost killed him. - she grimaced. - A coward and a slimeball. He covered himself with the "don't break up the family" impulse and took off somewhere. Let him go to hell!
- I told you.
- All right, let's just say you were right and I was just a fool with my ears open.
- And the service to Demavendu?
- You forget that councillors can be away from their country for years without seeing their king, if it's in their best interests - only you didn't specify whose "best interests". - and do what they think is in their best interests. Besides, I wasn't going to stay with Marty in Wengerberg for long anyway. We'll stay there for a month or two and go to Ard Carraig like you wanted. And then we'll go wherever you want to go. - she assured me.
- Hmm. Marty?
- Yes, Marty Sodergren. - Mum nodded. - A young mage who, after Arethusa, decided to gain a little experience from me. Before that, she'd practised with Detmold and Gedymgate. - Mum smiled slyly. - She's very pretty and a nymphomaniac by the way.
- Hmm. Right. Well, I'll take that as a yes.
Is it just me, or can I tell from the glint in her eye that she's the one who somehow shoehorned me in without me noticing?
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone