Chapter Text
It was past midnight when the ship arrived at the port. The captain, tired from the voyage, managed to safely dock and deliver his passengers to their destination. It would be natural to think many of them would be in slumber, but considering the neverending wrath of the Great Sea, it was highly unlikely that anyone got a wink of sleep.
The island air was different. The cold that seeped into the lungs refreshed the mind, clearing all doubt and daze. As any other port, the smells of fish and sea were undeniable. The wind howled and rocked other boats in the port, the sound of sloshing water pleasantly filling the ears. It was a clear night that gave a promise of a clear day ahead.
Taehyung stepped off the ship with Areum behind him. She was most unhappy with the voyage and the witcher didn’t blame her one bit. He was never a fan of travelling by sea, but it had to be done from time to time. He stood on the docks, letting the horse readjust to still ground before setting off for the nearby inn. The vary looks of other passengers that walked by didn’t escape him. The captain hollered at him from the ship.
“Oi, witcher!”
Taehyung looked up and found the little stumpy man waving at him on the deck. The captain signalled him to come over. Areum was left on her own devices as Taehyung approached the ship.
“Say, witcher. How long do you think you’ll be stayin’ around ‘ere?” the captain questioned, leaning on the side of his ship. They say a man can leave Velen, but Velen never leaves the man, which was quite true considering the captain's thick accent.
“Don’t know yet. Hopefully not for too long.”
“Right. I’ve got business back in Novigrad, but I don’t plan on leavin’ you out ‘ere on your own. Do try to be quick, eh?”
“Yes, I will make it my priority to wrap it up fast just for your benefit.” Taehyung replied dryly, a slight smirk playing on his lips.
“Hey, don’t you tease me, witcher. I like gettin’ paid for my services, especially in times like these. Now get outta ‘ere, I can’t look at you for too long, I start gettin’ awful sick.”
Taehyung knew the captain was a good man and meant no harm. He nodded in agreement and went back to his horse in silence, shaking his head slightly as he heard the old captain laugh to himself. Areum welcomed Taehyung as always, glad to see her master return.
“Come on, girl. Let’s get you somewhere warm.” Taehyung whispered reassuringly, grabbing the reins as he patted Areum’s neck. The horse seemed to agree with the statement.
After leaving Areum to rest in the stables, Taehyung proceeded to the inn. There was nothing special about it, looked like every other inn on Skellige. The tables were occupied by large men with long beards and iron helmets, animal skins warming them up as they drank various alcoholic beverages. Taehyung’s presence garnered a few looks, but nothing like what he usually gets; these looks were appreciative, respectful. Witchers weren’t considered a disease on Skellige and it made Taehyung feel somewhat at ease.
The innkeeper regarded him with warmth, offering him a drink. Taehyung accepted and requested a room to rent. Luckily for him, there was space for a traveler and it wasn’t awfully pricey. The atmosphere was almost pleasant; it was a nice change of pace for Taehyung to not feel wildly out of place and so violently unwelcome. However, the witcher didn’t linger for long. The day ahead of him was packed and he longed for some sleep, seeing as he was unable to get any on the ship.
* * *
Taehyung stood in front of the tailor's shop for ages, debating with himself whether to go in or not. He was invited to a banquet that evening as a guest at Kaer Trolde. He received an invitation from Eist Tuirseach, the Jarl of Skellige and King of Cintra himself, which he could not refuse. It wasn’t in the witcher’s interest that the man was royalty; it was the royalty’s fat bag of coins that made him set off from the Continent towards Skellige Isles.
Given the occasion, the witcher was unsure whether he should be respectful and dress accordingly, or show up in his usual gear. Eist had quite an honorable reputation and Taehyung didn’t want to step on any toes unless necessary, and he saw no reason to do so. On the other hand, Taehyung hated dressing up. He only ever felt safe and comfortable in his trusty armor. Anything else made him feel itchy and out of place.
“You gonna come in or what?”
A female voice disrupted his troubled thoughts. He looked to the side to meet the intruder.
“You been standin’ ‘ere with a stinky face for half a day, master witcher. Doubt you’re admirin’ the decor of me ‘ouse.” the lady spoke with a typical Skellige accent. She was most unamused with his presence, if her annoyed stance was anything to go by, “What’s troublin’ you?”
Taehyung didn’t know how to reply, being fully aware his problem would sound most ridiculous to anyone, particularly a tailor.
The woman clicked her tongue, “Is it that dirty armor of yours? I’m no smith, but it looks like it’s seen better days, lad.”
“My armor is just fine. I’m here for a different reason.”
“Yeah? And what would that be, eh?”
“Eist Tuirseach’s banquet.” Taehyung replied with a blank face. The woman straightened up in surprise.
“You what? Gods, come inside, now.” she ushered him into her shop quickly, practically pushing him. Taehyung wouldn’t admit that he was a bit surprised by the woman’s audacity to approach a witcher so freely.
He managed to explain to her that he wanted to respect the Jarl, but also that he absolutely detested clothes. The woman gave a hearty laugh, shaking her head. It wasn’t something she heard for the first time in her life. With that in mind, she did her best to give the witcher the best of both worlds.
* * *
Guards stood at the entrance of Kaer Trolde, stopping the witcher in his tracks as he approached. One good look at him and he was through. Taehyung was grateful he didn’t have to explain much and figured Eist probably briefed his guards beforehand. Wish more people would do that.
A servant guided Taehyung into the banquet hall that brimmed with guests. He recognized the majority of the Clan colors, most of them being the colors of Clan an Craite and Tuirseach. He quickly scoured the room for any possible danger and located all exits, calculating every scenario possible in his head to prepare beforehand, if anything were to happen. The witcher was left to his own devices, when someone approached him.
“Witcher!” a boisterous voice came from his left, “What a joy to see one of yous here!”
Taehyung met with the man that spoke with him and saw a young man standing before him. His shoulders were broad, clearly a man in shape. A mop of red hair sat atop of his head and those hawk-like eyes stared at Taehyung with wonder.
“Name’s Crach an Craite, Eist’s nephew.” the young man continued, extending his hand to the witcher.
“Taehyung.” he nodded politely, accepting to shake hands with Eist’s kin. Taehyung knew well the two clans were strong allies.
“Unusual name, that one. Where do you hail from, Taehyung?”
“Lyria.”
“Splendid! Come, let’s drink in your honor! I’ve been so looking forward to meetin’ you.” Crach pulled Taehyung along towards one of the tables.
Taehyung didn’t let his confusion show on his face, “You knew I was coming?”
“‘Course I did, uncle Eist told me to be on my best behavior for such an esteemed guest.” the young man laughed loudly, pushing a goblet into his hand.
Taehyung remained in Crach’s company for a bit out of politeness, but soon retreated as things got more wild. Skelligers were a rowdy bunch; they loved ale and they loved fighting. At any given moment, a fistfight could erupt and Taehyung didn’t wish to be caught in the middle of that type of affairs tonight. Instead, he enjoyed his solace as much as he could, hoping no one would approach him in the darkest areas of the hallroom, where he stuck around for the majority of the time. He wasn’t the most sociable being and would rather be anywhere else, but the shadowy corners were all he had at the time to find comfort in as the night went on.
It seemed to work. Taehyung had maybe a couple of people come up to him throughout the evening, but he managed to swiftly get rid of them. Once alcohol started kicking in properly, no one paid attention to the shadowy figure that loomed silently in a dark doorway. This allowed the witcher to get lost in his own thoughts as the revelry continued.
“Stop skulking around the edges of the room. It is most unsightly.”
A sudden intrusion made Taehyung look up, but he saw no one that was speaking to him. He stepped out of his little corner and met the owner of the voice.
A seemingly young man was leaning against the wall with arms crossed on his chest. His hair was short and dark, darker than the night itself, neatly styled back to reveal his handsome face. Taehyung’s quick observation noted the rather interesting outfit the man was wearing, as well as the magical aura that emanated from him. A sorcerer.
“It’s kind of what I do.” Taehyung finally responded. The man slowly looked at him, a playful smirk on his lips. They were plump and pink, full of mischief.
“Oh? Hiding in shadows during a banquet is in the job description?” he teased. Taehyung was met with a glistening pair of pink eyes.
“Do I know you?” Taehyung squinted lightly.
“You do not, actually,” the man pushed himself off the wall and approached Taehyung gracefully, “My name is Park Jimin. I am a sorcerer at Aedirn’s court.”
Jimin stood straight, his posture proper and elegant. He was shorter than Taehyung, having to look up slightly to meet the witcher’s gaze. His outfit was all black, evidently made out of expensive material. The man wore a sleeveless shirt that seemed almost transparent and hugged his torso closely, exposing the skin of his arms and defined muscles. His hands were wrapped in black leather fingerless gloves, except the leather seemed thin, much thinner than the leather of Taehyung’s gloves. A long necklace plunged down through a slit in the shirt, revealing only a bit of the man’s toned chest. The shirt was neatly tucked into the pants he wore, but the material didn’t seem to be leather. It was rather tight around Jimin’s legs, leaving next to nothing for the imagination. To finish off the look, the sorcerer wore knee-high boots that seemed to be made by a master crafter who knew fashion well. Jimin looked even more handsome up close, where the light revealed a lot more. His voice was higher in pitch, much higher than Taehyung’s baritone. It was sultry and full of secrets, making Taehyung’s interest peak ever so slightly.
“Taehyung. Witcher.” his curt response didn’t seem to please Jimin. There was a very brief look of mild annoyance that swept over the sorcerer's features, but he recovered quickly, a slight smile not faltering for a moment.
“Pleased to meet you, master witcher. Tell me, what brings you to the great Ard Skellig?” Jimin inquired.
“A job.”
“My, aren’t you a talkative one.” Jimin rolled his eyes almost playfully, sarcasm evident in his tone.
“A monster hunting job.” Taehyung clarified. Jimin couldn’t help but give a light laugh at the witcher’s apprehensiveness to have a conversation.
“Indeed. I must say, I am quite thrilled to have met you. In all my life, I’ve never had the pleasure of meeting a witcher,” Jimin spoke without breaking eye contact with Taehyung, “Such a rare breed, really. Finding one these days is like scouring the ocean floor for a single jewel.”
“There’s nothing much to see, I’m afraid.” Taehyung crossed his arms on his chest, feeling a little unsettled by an apparent compliment.
The sorcerer didn’t seem to agree with the statement, “Oh, quite on the contrary, my dear witcher. You see, I am a man that prides himself in knowing everything there is to know, really. I don’t like surprises,” he paused for a second and lifted his brow as he corrected himself, “Or most surprises, to be frank. But you, you’ve always been a mystery to me. I’d like to ask you some questions, if that is alright with you.”
Taehyung didn’t know what the sorcerer’s angle was, but for some reason, he wanted to entertain it. For now.
“Whatever you have to ask, ask now.”
Jimin gave the witcher a smile, “Oh no, my questions require, what I presume, lengthy answers. I would prefer to ask them… in a private setting.”
Jimin took a step closer, as if silently challenging the witcher. Taehyung quickly looked around the room, telling himself it’s because it’s his job to be alert, and not because Jimin’s scent was overwhelmingly alluring.
“I’m leaving for a job tomorrow, and I’m not coming back. You have time now or never again.” Taehyung wanted to leave an impression of being unbothered and disinterested. Which, he was, to a certain degree. He knew how sorcerers operated and seduction was definitely one of their main tactics. Although, he was unsure if Jimin was trying to be flirty with him, or if he was just naturally like that.
“You sound like you’re in a rush to leave.” Jimin’s smirk spread, containing a laugh.
“I am,” Taehyung’s eyes met with Jimin’s again, “I have to get back to the Continent.”
“Rest assured, no one is vying for the mantle of a witcher back there. Monster hunting isn’t a popular profession,” Jimin shook his head lightly, “I have a strong feeling your handsome face and I will meet again, and soon, too. At any rate, I hope the seas haven’t given you troubles during your travels?”
Taehyung ignored once again the compliment given to him and sighed thinking of the unpleasant journey, “It was… as peaceful as it can get, I suppose.”
“Yes, the waters here can get ever so testy.” Jimin nodded.
“I doubt you would know.”
The sorcerer felt the bite in Taehyung’s tone. Suddenly, his interest peaked even more. The witcher was very standoffish and rather unwilling to engage, but this was the first sign of any emotion and Jimin knew he had to explore it further.
“...Is that contempt I hear in your voice, master witcher?” he wondered, eyes slightly squinted as he peered at the taller man.
“I mean no offense when I say that I don’t like your kind.” Taehyung’s response was cold, but still emanating bitterness and even anger.
Jimin raised his brows inquisitively, “Do pray tell. What was it that made you so disdainful of us; a job gone wrong? A bad lay? Or both, perhaps?”
Taehyung didn’t like being mocked. The sorcerer was toying with him, making him feel like an idiot and taking the piss out of his feelings, which didn’t sit well with him.
“They do say that sorcerers don’t do anything out of kindness for a good reason.” Taehyung bit back, unwillingly allowing the sorcerer to get the rise out of him.
But Jimin didn’t wait a beat to respond, “Same goes for witchers. So what makes us so different, then?”
“I save lives.”
“And you take money for it. Just like we do.” Jimin’s smile faltered, a more serious expression sitting on his face. The conversation turned serious, as both sides grew defensive.
“I don’t play a court jester or a puppeteer behind thrones. All sorcerers do is whisper into ears and play spies, toying with people's lives. We are not the same.”
Jimin didn’t respond for a brief moment. He took in the ire in witcher’s yellow eyes that resembled burning flames in the room’s lighting. Taehyung was a very handsome man, he couldn’t deny it for one second, but the sorcerer understood why he was also feared by many. White hair fell into his face, and yet he seemed unfazed by it as he stared Jimin in the eyes, awaiting the next smart comeback.
“You seem to be quite acquainted with the political atmosphere. And here I thought witchers were supposed to be neutral.” Jimin crossed his arms once more, that mischievous smirk returning.
“I have to know in order to remain neutral. Politics don’t interest me in the slightest.” Taehyung straightened up. Jimin could see the witcher’s anger subsided, but wasn’t forgotten.
“Hm, I suppose that is true. Staying neutral means just choosing the lesser evil, then?”
Jimin instantly felt the tension that rose between the two. It was incredibly suffocating and the air grew hot. Regret bubbled in his chest, but he decided to ignore it, being as prideful as he was.
Taehyung, on the other hand, felt something combust inside him. There’s nothing more that he hated than hearing that particular sentence. Lesser evil, they always said to him. Morality was always and would always remain way more complicated than that, but no one outside of his profession understood it.
“I think we’re done here.” Taehyung turned on his heel, deciding that conversation was over. He internally scolded himself for even allowing it to come that far, so now he had to deal with the consequences.
“Wait!” Jimin quickly yelled after him, slight panic evident in his voice. He reached out for the witcher, but decided last second not to actually stop him physically. Limits were already crossed, he didn’t want to anger the man even more.
Taehyung stopped, his back turned toward the sorcerer.
“Please, accept my apologies,” Jimin sounded sincere and continued to speak as Taehyung turned to face him once more, “I got carried away and stepped over boundaries. Forgive me.”
Taehyung didn’t say a word, only observed. Jimin nodded once, getting the message, “It was my utmost pleasure meeting you, master witcher. I am looking forward to seeing you again. Farewell.”
Jimin bowed elegantly to show his respect before he turned and went on his way.
“...Farewell.” Taehyung muttered to himself, watching the sorcerer walk away and disappear through a set of doors.
He stood in place, eyes locked onto the door Jimin went through. He replayed the conversation in his head and wondered why the sorcerer was so certain that they would meet again. Quite frankly, Taehyung wasn’t sure if he wanted that or not, given their rather fiery encounter.
“Sir, your presence has been requested.”
Taehyung turned to look at the servant; it was the same man that led him here when he arrived. He knew the time had come, and nodded as a sign of understanding. Once again, Taehyung found himself following the servant and going through a set of large double doors that led into several corridors, before reaching their destination.
The room he found himself in was rather small. Bookcases lined the walls and a sturdy table sat in the middle, with a fireplace lit in the background. The chair behind it was occupied.
“Ah, Taehyung! I’m glad I could finally meet you.”
Eist Tuirseach stood up from his seat and approached, matching Taehyung’s height. They shook hands and Taehyung noted Eist had a very strong grip. It didn’t come as a surprise, as the witcher was aware of the man’s reputation.
“Forgive me for takin’ so long, I’ve had other affairs to deal with.” Eist explained, voice confident and suited for a king.
“Forgiveness is not needed.” Taehyung spoke calmly.
“Thank you. Have a seat. Let’s have a chat.”
Taehyung sat down on the offered seat without a word and Eist went back to his own.
“Right, let’s not stall any longer. As I have mentioned in the letter that, thankfully, found you, I’m in need of your assistance, Taehyung. You see, there have been stories about a giant rampagin’ on the south of the island for a while now, but I unfortunately didn’t hear any of it up until my arrival. I was in Cintra for a while to aid my wife, Queen Calanthe, and came back to the news that several villages have been destroyed. I need this taken care of, witcher, and I will pay you for your efforts.”
“What else can you tell me about this giant and the destruction?” Taehyung inquired, content that this night was finally looking like it was going to end soon.
“I haven’t seen it for myself, so not much, I’m afraid. All I know is the bloody bastard came from the mountains past Palisade and started terrorizing. Look, I would’ve taken care of this myself, but I’m not a monster hunter. I don’t want to expose my men to danger due to my ignorance, not at times like these. Do you understand?”
Taehyung nodded as he got up from his seat, “I’ll take off first thing in the morning.”
“Wait,” Eist stopped Taehyung, seeing the witcher was already prepared to leave, “I’m not finished.”
Taehyung sat back down, a slight frown on his face. Eist leaned back, a heavy sigh leaving his lungs.
“Taehyung, I know your reputation. You are an admirable monster hunter. But I can’t let you do this on your own.” Eist spoke slowly.
“I work better alone. I don’t need help.”
“Oh, I don’t doubt it. But, these are my people that got hurt. I need to make sure, however I can, that this is sorted, once and for all, so my people can live their lives again and grieve their losses in peace. You will not travel alone.”
“Respectfully-”
“Taehyung, this isn’t up for debate. You will have company on this journey.”
Eist’s words were final and left no room for further discussion. Taehyung knew there was nothing he could say to change the man’s mind and just accepted it. He had no other choice.
“I understand.”
“Good, good. Understand, I’m doing this for my people, not to disrespect or undermine you.” Eist clarified, leaning forward to show his sincerity.
“That’s fine. I can deal with company, as long as they don’t get in the way and know what they’re doing.” Taehyung chose his words carefully.
“Trust me on this, they are… very capable.” Eist’s pause sounded somewhat ominous, but Taehyung decided to ignore it for the time being.
Concluding their business and settling on a payment, Taehyung was instructed to meet his companion early in the morning at the foot of Kaer Trolde. With nothing more left to discuss, the witcher took his leave. As he walked past the rowdy room of drunk Skelligers once more, he thought back to the sorcerer and was overcome with a strange feeling. Eist decided to keep the identity of his companion a secret, which Taehyung wasn’t comfortable with. Brushing that away, Taehyung left Kaer Trolde and returned to the inn.
He had to prepare for the journey ahead of him.
* * *
Taehyung was already wide awake at the crack of dawn. After putting his armor on and making sure his swords were securely strapped to his back, the witcher collected the bunch of potions he prepared and headed for the stables. Areum greeted him happily.
“Good morning, my girl.” Taehyung smiled at his horse, feeding her an apple. Areum greedily accepted it.
“We’re off to hunt a giant today, y’know. That’s gonna be fucking fun, I bet.” he muttered as he put the potions in the saddlebags. Areum shook her head, not pleased to hear these plans.
“Yeah, me too. But how else am I gonna pay for all the food that you eat? Maybe if you weren’t so painfully hungry all the time.”
Areum neighed loudly. Taehyung’s hands rested on his hips as he looked at her, “I’m right. You’re getting too fat.”
Another dissatisfied grumble from Areum.
“Don’t talk back to me. I’ll leave you on this damn rock and fuck off back to the Continent without you. Find me a horse that actually respects me.” Taehyung scoffed, propping himself up and settling into the saddle.
Areum shook her head once more, the threat clearly working.
“Let’s go. If you behave, I won’t leave you. Promise.” Taehyung patted her on the neck with a teasing tone. As if I’d ever leave this damn horse.
The ride to the foot of Kaer Trolde was short. Approaching, Taehyung could spot a hooded figure standing on the side of the road. Must be my dear companion, Taehyung thought to himself. As if on cue, the stranger waved Taehyung over. Areum stopped in front of them.
“Hello, you must be-” Taehyung started, but stopped mid sentence as the person took their hood off, revealing their identity.
“Hello again, master witcher.”
Jimin smiled at Taehyung’s surprised face, clearly enjoying the element of surprise.
“I think we’ll have a fun day today, you and I.” Jimin spoke up.
“Eist hired you?” was all Taehyung managed to think of.
“Yes, he did.”
Taehyung knew things were only going to get more complicated from that point on.