The auction ended after a while and the moment the auctioneer's gavel fell for the last time, Velm of Tretogor was already gone. He was out of sight and left through the crowd with the speed of a man who had been planning this escape for longer than anyone had realized. By the time Sebastian and Lambert reached the entrance, he was already outside, already swinging onto a horse that had been waiting for him, saddled, bridled, ready to ride.
"Of course.." Sebastian muttered. "Of course he had a horse waiting!"
Lambert was already running. "Grab one! Any one! Move!"
They burst through the door of The Gilded Cage and into the night. The street was empty save for a few tethered horses, their owners presumably still inside the auction house. Sebastian grabbed the reins of the nearest one a grey mare with a disgruntled expression and swung himself into the saddle.
Lambert had already mounted a chestnut gelding. "Go!"
They rode and the streets of Novigrad blurred past them alleyways, squares, the dark shapes of buildings that leaned toward each other like drunkards. Velm was ahead, a dark silhouette against the distant lights of the Temple Isle, his horse's hooves striking sparks from the cobblestones.
"How did it get to this?!" Sebastian shouted, his voice rising.
Lambert's response was immediate and sharp. "Because we were stupid! And you were busy bidding for a stupid mask!"
Sebastion's jaw dropped. "It's my fault now?!"
"No Damn it! Fuck! Let's not let him get away with my coin!"
Sebastian urged the grey mare forward, she responded with a grudging increase in speed, her gait rough and uncoordinated.
"We didn't think he'd have a horse ready at the door!" Sebastian called out. "Clearly someone else helped him! He was well prepared for an escape!"
Lambert's gelding was faster, pulling ahead. "It doesn't matter now! Focus on your damn donkey! You're sure that's a horse?!"
Sebastian glanced down at the grey mare. Her ears were almost flat, her stride short, her expression one of profound indignation.
"Shit," Sebastian muttered. "You might be right!"
The city gates loomed ahead, the Oxenfurt Gate, its massive doors still open despite the late hour. Velm's horse plunged through without slowing, and Sebastian and Lambert followed close behind.
The outskirts of Novigrad spread before them, the shantytowns, the makeshift villages, the huddled homes of those who could not afford to live within the walls. The road was rutted and uneven.
Velm was still ahead, but he was not watching where he was going. He was looking back, his face filled with panic, his eyes fixed on the two witchers who were closing in.
He did not see the cart in front of him.
It was a sturdy dwarven wagon, piled high with barrels and crates, pulled by a pair of stout ponies. The driver, a dwarf with a magnificent red beard was guiding his team along the side of the road, his attention fixed on the road ahead.
Velm's horse crashed into the cart. "OUT OF THE WAY, YOU STUPID DWARF!" Velm had screamed, just before impact.
The impact was spectacular a splintering of wood, a shriek of horse, a cascade of barrels that tumbled to the ground. Velm was thrown from his saddle, flying through the air that ended with a heavy thud against a stack of crates. He lay there, dazed, groaning, his fine clothes covered in mud and splinters.
The dwarf's reaction was immediate, now climbing down from his cart, angry and responded with a torrent of dwarven curses that would have made a sailor blush. He stomped over to Velm, his boots squelching in the mud, and grabbed the fallen man by the collar of his fine doublet.
"Ye call ME stupid?!" the dwarf roared. "Ye charge into me cart, in me lane, an ye have the GALL to call ME stupid?! Ah'll show ye stupid, ye soft-handed, horse-faced, shite-brained.."
Lambert dismounted, his boots hitting the ground with a squelch. He drew his steel blade.
"Oh, you have really done it now.." Lambert said. His voice was cold, already had been pushed past the point of patience.
He advanced on Velm, his sword held low, his eyes fixed on the fallen man.
"I understand why you're partners with Viktor," Lambert said. "But thieves, both cunts." He shook his head slowly. "You didn't think I'd catch you? You didn't think I'd follow? He stole from a witcher, Velm, and you just did the same. That's not a smart thing to do."
Sebastian dismounted and moved to intercept Lambert, his hand held out in a placating gesture.
"Whoa, Lambert," Sebastian said. "Let's just take what's yours, no need for bloodshed."
Lambert's eyes did not leave Velm. "He ran and he tried to escape, that changes things."
Velm, still lying in the mud, raised his hands in surrender. His face was white, his eyes wide with terror.
"I'll pay!" Velm gasped. "I'll pay you back. Every crown. I swear it! Just, just don't kill me!"
Lambert's sword did not waver.
The dwarf, who had been watching the exchange with interest, folded his arms across his chest.
"Ooh," the dwarf said, his voice carrying a note of approval. "A witcher, an' another witcher." He spat to the side. "This is goin to be grand."
Lambert glanced at the dwarf. "Stay out of this."
The dwarf shrugged. " Wouldn't dream o' interferin. Just enjoyin' the show.."
Sebastian stepped between Lambert and Velm. He did not draw his sword.
"Lambert," Sebastian said, his voice low and calm. "We get what we came for, the coin, we can take it and go. No one has to die tonight, this could be a bad idea."
Lambert's jaw tightened, for a moment, it seemed as though he might argue. Then, slowly, he lowered his sword.
"Fine," Lambert said. "But you know he could just try to reclaim it some other way, the temple guard for example by lying or.."
"He won't." Sebastian turned to Velm. "The coin, now."
Velm fumbled in his belt pouch, his fingers trembling. He produced a heavy leather sack and held it out with shaking hands.
Sebastian took it. He weighed it in his hand, then he turned to Lambert.
"Everything that fellow Viktor owes you?"
Lambert took the sack. He opened it, counted quickly, and nodded. "Everything."
Sebastian turned back to Velm. "Now get out of here, before we change our minds."
Velm scrambled to his feet, his fine clothes covered in mud and splinters, his dignity in tatters. He looked at the two witchers, then at the dwarf, then at his ruined horse, which was limping away into the darkness.
"I'll remember this," Velm said, his voice trembling. "Both of you. I'll.."
Lambert raised his sword again, just a fraction of an inch.
And Velm ran, Sebastian watched him disappear into the darkness. Then he turned to Lambert.
"There, done. Let's go."
Lambert sheathed his sword. He looked at the coin purse in his hand, then at Sebastian.
"Thanks," Lambert said quietly. "For stopping me."
Sebastian's expression softened. "You would have regretted it."
"Probably." Lambert tucked the coin purse into his belt. "I mean my problem is with his partner I guess, he was just caught in the middle. Let's get out of here."
They turned to leave.
"Wait," the dwarf called. "You two, Witchers."
Sebastian and Lambert turned.
The dwarf was standing beside his cart, his arms still folded, his expression one of respect.
"Name's Gundar," the dwarf said, "Ah'm a merchant. I sell... things. To the right folk, for the right price."
He glanced at the mask that Sebastian had tucked into his belt, then at the coin purse at Lambert's waist.
"I saw ye at the auction," Gundar said. "I know what ye're carryin'."
Sebastian's eyes widened. "What?!"
Lambert's head snapped up, "I'm sure I didn't see you there, also, we just came from there and here you are, coming with your cart, trying to get into the city."
Sebastian's eyes narrowed. He studied the dwarf's face, searching for any hint of deception.
"You see how this doesn't make sense?" Sebastian said slowly. "Gundar."
Gundar's grin was unrepentant. "Aye, I was there, I just left a bit early. Saw ye biddin' on that mask. Saw ye get it. Saw ye chase that soft-handed bastard out the gate now." He shrugged. "I did need to stay for long there, nothing interested me."
Sebastian and Lambert exchanged glances, neither of them bought the dwarf's story the timing didn't make sense, and yet... he knew about the mask. He knew they had acquired it in an auction and the auction itself was not public knowledge.
Gundar's smile widened, a wide, toothy grin. "I'm sayin' that if ye're lookin' for answers, ye should come to me shop. In the city, The Gilded Anvil and ask for Gundar."
He turned back toward his cart, bending to inspect the damage Velm's horse had caused. It was minimal, a few splintered boards, a scattered barrel. Nothing that couldn't be fixed. He gathered the reins and climbed back onto the driver's seat.
"I might know a thing or two about that mask," Gundar called over his shoulder.
He clicked his tongue, and the ponies began to move. The cart rumbled forward, its wheels squelching in the mud, and within moments it had disappeared around a bend in the road.
Sebastian and Lambert stood frozen in the middle of the road, utterly confused.
"Well," Lambert said finally. "That was... weird and unexpected."
Sebastian looked down at the mask tucked into his belt.
"Yeah," Sebastian said slowly. "Weird..."
/-\
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