A Question of Price

"A Question of Price" is a short story included in The Last Wish collection. This short story serves as a study on what witchers are, how they are observed, and paying prices.

Plotline
The story begins with Geralt being clean-shaven, washed and nicely clothed by the servants and castellan of the royal family's castle in Cintra. Cintra's crown-princess, Pavetta, has turned fifteen years old and as is the custom, contenders for her hand have turned up by the dozen.

Geralt, who is officially invited to the party as the honourable Lord Ravix of Fourhorn, sits next to Queen Calanthe, yet has not been told what is the reason for his invitation. During dinner, he has a long discussion with the queen about how she sees witchers, what she thinks their profession is, and if she invited him for the right reasons. Suddenly an uninvited guest enters the room: a spiked-helmed knight who introduces himself as the Urcheon of Erlenwald. Granted leave to speak by the queen, he says that he has come to collect the promised reward for saving King Roegner's life; by the Law of Surprise, princess Pavetta has belonged to him from the day of her birth.

Although Queen Calanthe admits that what he says is true, she does not have any intention of giving her daughter away to a stranger and an uproar starts among the guests. When the queen asks princess Pavetta if she chooses to leave with the knight, she answers yes. The queen collapses in her chair and a fight breaks out, with the guards and knights attacking Urcheon.

A force, The Force that Geralt and the druid Mousesack have already felt for some time, explodes from princess Pavetta as she sees her lover being attacked. As the guests fight, the princess' power grows and becomes very dangerous to everyone. Distracted by Coodcoodak, Geralt breaks through the magic and gets Pavetta back to her senses.

When the ruckus has calmed down, the Urcheon of Erlenwald, or Duny and Pavetta explain the situation. They have been seeing each other for over a year now, and have fallen in love. Having calmed down, queen Calanthe agrees with their love, and their forthcoming marriage. Eist Tuirseach, who came that night for the hand of princess Pavetta, ends up accepting the proposal to marry Queen Calanthe. Thanking Geralt for saving his life earlier, Duny offers him whatever he asks for. Geralt asks for "that which you already have but do not know", breaking the news to everyone, including Duny and Pavetta, that the princess is pregnant. He asks that their child be raised as a witcher.

Characters

 * Geralt of Rivia
 * Honourable Lord Ravix of Fourhorn (Geralt's alias at the banquet)

Royal family of Cintra
 * Adalia (mentioned only)
 * Queen Calanthe
 * King Roegner (mentioned only)
 * Princess Pavetta
 * Castellan Haxo
 * Marshal Vissegerd

Friends of the royal family of Cintra
 * Eylembert of Tigg (also known as Coodcoodak)
 * Draig Bon-Dhu
 * Drogodar
 * Mousesack

Contenders for the hand of princess Pavetta
 * Urcheon of Erlenwald (Duny)
 * Eist Tuirseach
 * Crach an Craite
 * Prince Windhalm of Attre, accompanied by Rainfarn
 * Tinglant, Fodcat and Wieldhill (sons of Lord Strept)

Other characters
 * King Vridank the Elf (mentioned only)
 * Queen Cerro (mentioned only)
 * Zatret Voruta (mentioned only)
 * Mad Deï (mentioned only)
 * Supree (mentioned only)
 * Zivelina of Metinna (mentioned only)
 * Rumplestelt (mentioned only)
 * Akerspaark (mentioned only)

The short story has been adapted as episode 6 of The Hexer TV series, entitled "Calanthe".

Kwestia ceny Une question de prix Eine Frage des Preises (Kurzgeschichte)