Jaskier approaches, and when the wind blows just right, Geralt can smell the anxiety coming off of him in sick waves. And if he can smell it, he knows Vesemir can, too, but there is one saving grace that Jaskier still possesses-- he smells worried, but not afraid. It's reasonable for him to be worried when meeting Vesemir, a man he has never met who nevertheless controls his fate. But he approaches the old wolf with the same fearlessness that he took ales out of Geralt's hand and ordered Eskel to show him his wounds.
He leaves the theatrics behind, and merely inclines his head to Vesemir. It's a smart choice; Vesemir gives him a brief nod in return, and that's the most that he could hope to get.
"Test him."
Geralt looks at Jaskier, standing in the snow and wind in his own old cloak, the silver wolf brooch pinned at this throat. He ducks his head to take the wolf medallion off from around his own neck, holding it by the chain.
"You hands," he says, and when Jaskier holds them out for him, he pulls the gloves off and then drops the medallion into his waiting palms. There is... no reaction, not even the slightest hum from the medallion nor any reaction in the skin it rests on. Purely mundane.
Geralt knows, of course, that Jaskier is human. Has known it for ages, and even if he hadn't been so sure, the bard has slept with the medallion pressed against his skin more than once. But there is a faint sense of relief, nonetheless, that he's passed this test. Vesemir nods to him and Geralt takes the medallion back, replaces it around his throat.
"Bring him inside. Eskel will see to your horses."
Eskel huffs at being volunteered, but he doesn't argue with an order from Vesemir. The old wolf doesn't wait for any of them, but turns and walks through the gate, up through the courtyard and towards the keep proper. Geralt gives the bard's gloves back to him and follows after, Eskel bringing up the rear with the horses; he has a hand on Pegasus' bridle to lead him, and Roach knows to follow on her own. He splits off from them, taking a different path through the courtyard to reach the stables and get the horses settled, while Geralt and Jaskier go with Vesemir through the front door.
The keep itself is maintained in some areas, run-down in others; Vesemir leads them mostly through the well-traveled areas of the fortress, into a sitting room with a roaring fireplace and a comfortable couch and several chairs. Sitting in one of them, a large book open on her lap, is Geralt's child surprise. As they walk in, her head snaps up from the book and a smile breaks out across her face.
"Geralt!"
She closes the book, sets it aside, and leaps to her feet, then runs across the room and throws herself into Geralt's arms. He catches her in a hug, holding her so tightly that she squeaks and he has to remember to be gentler. When she pulls away, she looks up at his face and frowns.
"You look terrible. Have you not been sleeping again?" she says, and when Geralt tells her that he's fine, she clearly doesn't believe him. But she's distracted by the new person in the room, and she peers around Geralt's bulk to get a look at him.
"Oh, hello." She looks a little closer at him. "I've met you before, haven't I? You're the bard that used to sing at court."
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He leaves the theatrics behind, and merely inclines his head to Vesemir. It's a smart choice; Vesemir gives him a brief nod in return, and that's the most that he could hope to get.
"Test him."
Geralt looks at Jaskier, standing in the snow and wind in his own old cloak, the silver wolf brooch pinned at this throat. He ducks his head to take the wolf medallion off from around his own neck, holding it by the chain.
"You hands," he says, and when Jaskier holds them out for him, he pulls the gloves off and then drops the medallion into his waiting palms. There is... no reaction, not even the slightest hum from the medallion nor any reaction in the skin it rests on. Purely mundane.
Geralt knows, of course, that Jaskier is human. Has known it for ages, and even if he hadn't been so sure, the bard has slept with the medallion pressed against his skin more than once. But there is a faint sense of relief, nonetheless, that he's passed this test. Vesemir nods to him and Geralt takes the medallion back, replaces it around his throat.
"Bring him inside. Eskel will see to your horses."
Eskel huffs at being volunteered, but he doesn't argue with an order from Vesemir. The old wolf doesn't wait for any of them, but turns and walks through the gate, up through the courtyard and towards the keep proper. Geralt gives the bard's gloves back to him and follows after, Eskel bringing up the rear with the horses; he has a hand on Pegasus' bridle to lead him, and Roach knows to follow on her own. He splits off from them, taking a different path through the courtyard to reach the stables and get the horses settled, while Geralt and Jaskier go with Vesemir through the front door.
The keep itself is maintained in some areas, run-down in others; Vesemir leads them mostly through the well-traveled areas of the fortress, into a sitting room with a roaring fireplace and a comfortable couch and several chairs. Sitting in one of them, a large book open on her lap, is Geralt's child surprise. As they walk in, her head snaps up from the book and a smile breaks out across her face.
"Geralt!"
She closes the book, sets it aside, and leaps to her feet, then runs across the room and throws herself into Geralt's arms. He catches her in a hug, holding her so tightly that she squeaks and he has to remember to be gentler. When she pulls away, she looks up at his face and frowns.
"You look terrible. Have you not been sleeping again?" she says, and when Geralt tells her that he's fine, she clearly doesn't believe him. But she's distracted by the new person in the room, and she peers around Geralt's bulk to get a look at him.
"Oh, hello." She looks a little closer at him. "I've met you before, haven't I? You're the bard that used to sing at court."