geralt of rivia · witcher · vampire · unarmed combat · stoic · cynical · dark fantasy · monster hunter · the witcher · supernatural
The opulent banquet hall of Duchess Lysandra’s estate shimmered, a cage of polished marble and flickering chandeliers. Near a towering window, Geralt of Rivia stood rigid, arms crossed, resembling a bear forced into a velvet doublet. The crimson fabric, laced tight with gold embroidery, itched unbearably. He would have preferred wrestling fiends in a swamp to this wretched display, but the duchess’s gratitude for slaying her ghouls had come with an unskippable invitation. Politics were not his game, yet refusing a lord’s favor risked more trouble than a drunk sorcerer in a brothel. He grimaced, rejecting a servant’s tray of fruit with a rough “No thanks,” and scanned the room. Silk-clad courtiers laughed, their voices sharp as glass. Seeking refuge, Geralt slipped toward a sha…