"I figured you'd be pissed at me cause I did somethin' stupid, almost killed everybody and now I'm a cripple." Eskel says gloomily. "And..." He drains his cup again, fingers white knuckled where he grips it, as he struggles with what he needs to say next.
"And I am angry with you. A Child of Surprise? How could you? Don't you know better?"
Forty years ago, the same year Jaskier was born with his viscount's silver spoon in his mouth in far away Lettenhove, Eskel had called a law of surprise after saving monarch of a petty kingdom that was since absorbed into the current realm. Being a young witcher then, Eskel had hoped for a new horse, a blade from the Royal armory. But instead, he learned that the queen had discovered she was pregnant. In seven years time, the child would be his by right. But being a young witcher, Eskel shirked his responsibility. He'd learned the child was a girl anyway, what use did he have for a girl child? And all the mages were dead then, there could be no more witchers. Off the hook, he thought, but he still took an extra week getting home to ride as far away from the city as possible. His irresponsibility had brought down the full wrath of Destiny. His child of surprise had grown up under the curse of the black sun, like the murderess Shrike who had made his brother the Butcher of Blaviken. When it came time to balance the ledger, death came to the gates of Kaer Morhen. Unable or perhaps still unwilling to help her, Eskel had allowed the remaining witchers to put it to a vote. She would be turned away, but he would carry the news of this fresh abandonment to her himself. She had carved her displeasure into his face, laid it open to the skull and ripped his belly open like a fish. Only magical intervention had saved him, but left him maimed for life. The young woman then road down the mountainside and began a campaign of ravenous violence, knowing he would have to witness the aftermath every time he came home for winter. In that kingdom they still tell the story of the brutally scarred stranger who so gently laid her body in the city square and fled before the bounty could be paid to him. He had never recovered from the guilt and the shame of those years. Not ever.
"Why didn't you tell me?!" He snarls, feeling anger he hasn't allowed himself to feel bubble up in his chest. "You know what the Law of Surprise does if it is not heeded! If you did not want the girl, I would have taken her on your behalf just to see that the Law was satisfied. I don't know what I would have done but the old man could have helped me. Why did you do to her what I did to Deidre? You should have tried to talk sense into the Lioness. Or just kidnapped the girl. Why didn't you at least tell me?! You've been my best friend since we were brought here!" His first sparring partner, his first friend, his first experience fearing for the life of someone else as the Trial of the Grasses leeched all the color out of his brother's skin and hair, first person he got drunk with, first person he raced a horse against, his first kiss, his first lover. Two drops of water, always together, I couldn't even tell you apart, the old man used to say.
To know Geralt had kept a secret like this from him made Eskel's insides hurt almost as bad as the leshy's roots had.
"And...and you were so busy dealing with that I felt like I couldn't ask you for help." He says, bitterly. "I came home and needed you and suddenly I felt like I didn't even know you. How could you have hidden this from me? The old man maybe, sure. But me?"
He's shaking but it feels like he does when he's purged the toxins from too many potions. The poison is outside of him now, at least.
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timeasmymeasure
Whoops this got long and is also game canon so I wanted to be sure I explained lol
Date: 2023-08-25 12:55 am (UTC)"And I am angry with you. A Child of Surprise? How could you? Don't you know better?"
Forty years ago, the same year Jaskier was born with his viscount's silver spoon in his mouth in far away Lettenhove, Eskel had called a law of surprise after saving monarch of a petty kingdom that was since absorbed into the current realm. Being a young witcher then, Eskel had hoped for a new horse, a blade from the Royal armory. But instead, he learned that the queen had discovered she was pregnant. In seven years time, the child would be his by right. But being a young witcher, Eskel shirked his responsibility. He'd learned the child was a girl anyway, what use did he have for a girl child? And all the mages were dead then, there could be no more witchers. Off the hook, he thought, but he still took an extra week getting home to ride as far away from the city as possible. His irresponsibility had brought down the full wrath of Destiny. His child of surprise had grown up under the curse of the black sun, like the murderess Shrike who had made his brother the Butcher of Blaviken. When it came time to balance the ledger, death came to the gates of Kaer Morhen. Unable or perhaps still unwilling to help her, Eskel had allowed the remaining witchers to put it to a vote. She would be turned away, but he would carry the news of this fresh abandonment to her himself. She had carved her displeasure into his face, laid it open to the skull and ripped his belly open like a fish. Only magical intervention had saved him, but left him maimed for life. The young woman then road down the mountainside and began a campaign of ravenous violence, knowing he would have to witness the aftermath every time he came home for winter. In that kingdom they still tell the story of the brutally scarred stranger who so gently laid her body in the city square and fled before the bounty could be paid to him. He had never recovered from the guilt and the shame of those years. Not ever.
"Why didn't you tell me?!" He snarls, feeling anger he hasn't allowed himself to feel bubble up in his chest. "You know what the Law of Surprise does if it is not heeded! If you did not want the girl, I would have taken her on your behalf just to see that the Law was satisfied. I don't know what I would have done but the old man could have helped me. Why did you do to her what I did to Deidre? You should have tried to talk sense into the Lioness. Or just kidnapped the girl. Why didn't you at least tell me?! You've been my best friend since we were brought here!" His first sparring partner, his first friend, his first experience fearing for the life of someone else as the Trial of the Grasses leeched all the color out of his brother's skin and hair, first person he got drunk with, first person he raced a horse against, his first kiss, his first lover. Two drops of water, always together, I couldn't even tell you apart, the old man used to say.
To know Geralt had kept a secret like this from him made Eskel's insides hurt almost as bad as the leshy's roots had.
"And...and you were so busy dealing with that I felt like I couldn't ask you for help." He says, bitterly. "I came home and needed you and suddenly I felt like I didn't even know you. How could you have hidden this from me? The old man maybe, sure. But me?"
He's shaking but it feels like he does when he's purged the toxins from too many potions. The poison is outside of him now, at least.
Now he waits.