Chapter 19: Moonlit Lake

As Mikael and Shani were walking out of the barn, the latter a little bit tipsy as she had too much to drink, Shani suddenly held Mikael's hand, holding it tightly as Mikael escorted her back to Oxenfurt.

"Did you… enjoy the wedding?" she asked curiously.

He scoffed. "Are you kidding? Best thing that ever happened to me in this world."

"Yeah?" she smiled.

"Yeah, I mean, dancing, swimming, chasing pigs." he said the things he did one by one. "Not to mention a kiss from a fair maiden."

Shani giggled. "True, it's your reward for being the most gallant beau I've ever met… by taking my shoe from the pond."

Mikael laughed at her words, and continued walking. They then encountered the bride's daughter and the groom talking to each other.

"You needn't worry about our finances, sir," said the groom. "My workshop? Business is boomin'."

"Good." the father sighed in relief. "I'm relieved to hear it. See, coin's tight at our end, but don't tell the old battleax. She'd be furious if she learnt I let it slip."

"Never you worry sir," said the groom calmly. "My lips're sealed as the grave. Us menfolk need to stick together."

"'Sir', 'sir', Hah! Enough o' that! I'm Vassy, but you can call me 'da'."

"Ohhh thank you, da. I feel honored. Let's drink on it!"

As the two father and son-in-low chatted, Mikael and Shani continued to walk, chuckling, amused by what they just heard.

"The family's bonding." said Mikael.

"That's a relief." Shani sighed. "I was afraid the wedding wouldn't happen at all."

"Money? Status?"

"Both." Shani answered. "John's family didn't like the fact that Aldona's family is poor."

"They clearly love each other though." stated Mikael. "But… When do parents care about that? Am I right?"

Shani chuckled sadly. "Yes… unfortunately… my mother would've probably thought that something's wrong with me right about now…"

"What makes you think that?"

"I mean… I'm twenty two, and I still have yet to find a partner in life…"

Mikael chuckled. "That's bullshit, you don't have to marry your whole life if you want to. Shani, you've got a doctorate, your own clinic, and a bloody war medic. You're a good person, you don't need a husband to complete your life, not a thing is wrong with you.."

Shani smiled. "Really think so?"

"It's the truth," he said. "You live in the age where women could freely learn. If that's what you want to do, then do it, I'm sure your mother will be proud of you."

Shani chuckled in embarrassment. "Thanks…" she murmured. "But… I really do want to get married someday… What about you?"

"Me?" Mikael laughed as he heard that. They both walked towards the port of a lake, and glanced at the sight. "I don't know to be honest, I still need to think about what I will do in the future."

"Alright, fair enough." she said. She then looked around, and saw a rowing boat just sitting idly on the shore. "Say… want to row for a little bit?"

Mikael just chuckled. "Sure, I'll push it."

Shani then looked around again, and saw a bottle of wine, practically full on the edge of the deck. "Oohh, wine, it's full too. Let's take it."

—

As Mikael was rowing the boat gently with his only arm, Shani was admiring the full moon shining on the sky. The light was reflected on the lake, making it look like the moon was inside the lake itself.

"Row me to the moon~" she sang, taking a sip from the wine bottle in hand.

"Knew a song like that." Mikael commented. "Except it's 'fly me to the moon'."

"Yeah? Care to tell me the song?" she said, interested in the topic.

"Nah, can't sing." shrugged Mikael. "Besides, we're on top of the moon already." Mikael commented as he touched the water below him, the moon reflection was below the boat, shining the water faintly.

"Well you look at that." Shani giggled, drinking another sip of wine. "You have a strong hand, able to bring me to the moon like this. Using only one arm I might add."

"I have peculiar talents." Mikael chuckled.

"So…" Shani passed the wine bottle to Mikael. "Even though you don't know the future yet… you could at least tell me your plans for the next month, right?"

"For the next month?" Mikael hummed as he sipped the wine. "I'll probably just find jobs around Oxenfurt until I have enough money to buy a horse."

"Then?"

"Dunno." Mikael shrugged. "I suppose I'll get to know you more while I plan out the future…"

Shani chuckled as she blushed. "You sure you want to get to know me more?"

"You're certainly the most interesting person to be around so far," said Mikael calmly. "But that's not much though… as I really ever knew Vesemir, Geralt, and you."

"Wow, you have a lot of acquaintances." she rolled her eyes.

"I know right?" Mikael laughed self-mockingly. "I really need to make friends…"

"Well I'm sure you'll get to know many people in the future." she smiled, taking the bottle from Mikael and sipping it. "Some might know 'more' about you."

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Mikael chuckled. "Yeah?"

"Yeah." she giggled. "You said to me that I could pick any man I want. Well, you're the same, you could probably pick any woman you want and they'll happily hop to your bed."

"Well, I don't know… knowing a woman like you will probably make my tastes unrealistic," he said casually.

She scoffed. "What's so great about me?"

"Well, you play gwent. That is enough to make me put you on the top of my list." Mikael laughed, making Shani kick him jokingly, fake-annoyed by it.

"Seriously though, what do you like about me?" she questioned.

Mikael just looked at her Hazel eyes gently. "Well, for starters, you're nice to me, so that's always a plus…"

Shani just rolled her eyes. "That's the bare minimum."

Mikael chuckled. "Well, I just like your ideals… your perseverance in helping people, you don't see it based on their skin or race or gender or nationality, that's what I like about you. Today you'll help Redanians, and tomorrow, you could help Nilfgaardians, your loyalty isn't to a banner or anything else, your loyalty is to living beings. A dangerous and naive ideal in this world, but that's what I like about you, you stick to it, yet you know the world is against you. I couldn't possibly be like that."

"Well, I wouldn't say that my loyalty is to living beings…" she murmured, her cheeks flushed. "I just… don't like to see people suffering. And if I could help them, why shouldn't I?"

Mikael smiled. "Exactly. That's why I like you. If possible, I would like to protect that, but if not, I understand… we have different circumstances after all…"

Shani was a little bit surprised at Mikael's words. She stared at his icy blue eyes as she noticed that he looked… serious, unlike she had ever seen.

"I–"

"Let's go back." Mikael smiled, pushing the row backwards towards the port once more. The trip towards the trip was silent, Shani was staring at him, trying to read his icy blue eyes carefully.

—

As they landed on the shore, Mikael helped Shani get off the boat without making her boots wet. It was quite awkward, but Mikael looked like he was not bothered at all.

"I'll walk you to your clinic." he said, but Shani didn't move, she just stared at him deeply.

"I– do you– are you serious?" she said, didn't really think of what to say.

"About what?" he questioned.

"What you said, a couple minutes ago." she continued.

"I mean…"

"Mikael… we just met." she said calmly. "I know we spent practically the whole night and day together, but still, we just met."

"Hey, I'm often a good judge of character." he shrugged. "Look, if you don't want to take my words seriously, then don't."

"Are you serious?" she chuckled dangerously. "You just don't say something like that suddenly and expect me to treat it like a joke."

Mikael sighed. "Look, maybe I said something out of bounds a little bit–"

"A little bit?"

"Well– Okay, what do you want me to say?" he asked. "The point is, I just wanted to know you better… I think you're a charming, smart, and beautiful girl, and I was hoping that this could be much more…"

He sighed, and he rubbed the back of his neck, confused on what he wanted to say. "I'm not good at this…"

"Clearly." she said, rolling her eyes.

"So… Can I get a second date?" Mikael chuckled nervously.

Shani stared calmly at his icy blue eyes, and sighed. "I'll think about it."

"A-Alright, that's enough for me." he smiled.

The two then walked away from the port, but then Shani stopped.

"You okay?" questioned Mikael.

"I forgot something." she murmured, her cheeks flushed a little bit. "You go on… I'll go home alone tonight."

"Are you sure? The road's kind of–"

"It's fine Mikael." she said. "I'm a big girl, I can protect myself."

Mikael sighed. "Okay, just stay safe."

Shani hummed, and walked away from Mikael, walking to the barn once again.

Mikael watched as Shani walked away from him, and cursed.

"Fuck."

—

Shani ran to the barn, scouring every corner of the place. "Shit… where is it?" she cursed. She looked around some more, and remembered that she had sat in the corner of the barn with Mikael earlier. She ran towards the spot, and saw the bench she sat on.

As she looked at the bench, she sighed in relief as she walked up to it. "Thank the gods it's still here…" she murmured. She took something from the bench, a simple stuffed pig. It looks dirty, probably got soaked by the rain, but it's fine for her.

She hugged the stuffed pig tightly, and exited the barn once more, going home to her clinic.

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