Hey, guys! I hope you liked the first chapter. Here's chapter two of Helping a Witcher?
Enjoy!
-LadyGreyBergamot-
By the time Geralt had left, the sun was directly above us; mid-day. I grabbed a basket, placed half a loaf of bread in it then laid a white handkerchief on top of it to protect it from the rain and dirt outside. I opened the wooden door to my hut and stepped out. The mixed smell of rain and mud was oddly refreshing.
I breathed in deeply then set off on my way to another hut across the village. I came across a familiar little girl who was crying on the side of the path.
I kneeled down so I was her height and lightly stroked her hair which was in twin braids flooding over her shoulders, "What's the matter, sweetheart? Why is such a cute little girl like you crying?"
She cleared the tears from her cheeks and looked up at me with puffy red eyes, "Papa said I'm not allowed to be a Witcher because I'm a girl. Is that true Miss Kelliana?" The look in her eyes was begging me to tell her that she would be able to one day.
"Why would you want to be a Witcher? They hurt people and they're always around scary monsters." I tried convincing her out of it since, as far as I know, women are not allowed to be Witchers; their bodies are incapable of enduring the mutations.
"I… I thought… Maybe I could protect momma and papa… From the same monsters that attacked your village… I don't want to kill people…" She looked down shyly.
"You can protect your mother and father by staying here and being a good little girl. You don't need to be a Witcher to do that. Plus you wouldn't be able to stay here; being a Witcher means always having to move around the world taking on contracts."
She looked up at me surprised, "You're right, I can protect Mama and Papa from here! If I go away, Mama and Papa will miss me. I'll stay here in Novigrad City." She hugged me and ran towards where her parents were sweeping outside her home.
I hope no trouble comes to this village, I wouldn't be able to bear another monster attack. Images of Carsten shot through my head and I began to tear up. There was so much blood… So much death and destruction… Never again do I want to witness that.
I continued on my journey until I came across Cerys. With a vivacious smile, I greeted her. "Good evening, Sera. How fares you?"
"Oh!" She whirled around to face me, "Good evening, Kelliana. I'm well thank you. You look troubled, is something the matter?" She frowned as she scanned my face.
"May we go inside? I brought some food for you. I'll explain the situation inside."
"Of course, right this way." She didn't push the matter further and led me to her home. She closed the door after me and I looked around a bit. It was the same size as mine, but hers looked so much bigger on the inside due to the floor being immaculate. Her table was rectangular and wooden, pushed up against the wall next to the front door. Four chairs were arranged- one on each end and two in the middle - with beautiful Skellige plates and tableware placed neatly on top the table.
She had various bookshelves loaded with books, some in different languages. On one of the shelves was a horn with an intricate design etched into it. In the far right corner was her bed roll. I've only seen bedding like that in books. It was so beautiful.
"Wow, Cerys… Your home is so beautiful!" I beamed.
"Most of this came from my old home in Kaer Trolde. The bedclothes were a gift from my father for my 18th birthday in hopes of pleasing a potential husband. The dishes were my mother's. The Siren Horn came from my older brother Hjalmar when we went hunting down in Undvik some years past." She gazed at her belongings with a melancholic smile.
"Why don't you go back for a while? I bet they miss you."
She broke out into laughter as if I just told the funniest joke ever. I looked at her confused and embarrassed.
"When I told them I was leaving, they said that they banished me from ever stepping foot in the hold again. They said that I wasn't part of the family anymore if I left. I left anyways of course; but... I can't ever go back, Kelliana." She said the last part with sorrow in her voice. I can understand why she'd be upset. Never being able to see your family again… I know the feeling all too well. However, to know they're living but refuse to see you must hurt more. You have the feeling of loss and betrayal.
"I am sorry for bringing it up." I sincerely apologised to my new friend.
She smiled and shook her head, "Don't apologise. You didn't know, you were simply inquisitive - which is perfectly acceptable."
"Oh! That reminds me, this is for you." I handed her the basket I had placed in my lap when I sat down at her table. "Also, Geralt of Rivia conveys his regards. He wanted me to visit you after talking about the Contract for the Fiend; he didn't say why though... How do you know Master Witcher?"
Her eyes brightened at the mention of his name. "Oh, Geralt! Isn't he so handsome?" She giggled to herself. "Excuse me, he came to Skellige once looking for his daughter Ciri. He helped my brother and I back in Skellige. One day during a banquet we were holding, massive bears slew many of the people attending. He decided to aid my brother in finding the one responsible. As a result, Hjalmar was crowned King - well, soon to be King. Who knows, maybe he is King now. I left shortly after the incident."
She stood and walked to one of her storage trunks. Opening it, she carefully removed a beautifully crafted silver sword. "Geralt gave this to me when I saw him last. He called it Aerondight. I'm not sure where he found it - perhaps Toussaint while he was away for a contract. What I do know though, is that it's a very strong sword."
Amazed, I silently took in all the carvings on the hilt of the blade. Cerys held out the blade to me which I took, quicker than I meant to. I could only imagine how it would feel to use this in real combat. As if reading my thoughts Cerys continued, "I'd like to train you with it since you'll be needing some protection from now on. Plus, if you want to take the life of the creature that killed your family, you'll have to know how to wield a blade. That is most likely the reason he asked you to see me. Come, let us go to a quiet spot where I can teach you the basics."
"Wh-what!? You want to train me!? I've never held a blade in my life…" All of sudden my anxiety was getting the better of me and I was starting to regret my decision of begging to help.
"Come on already!" She grabbed me by the arm and started out the door with me stumbling closely behind.
We ended up leaving the settlement and travelling into the woods away from people; Cerys wanted to make sure there were no villagers around in case of an accident.
"Right! First things first - how to handle the blade…"
For the next two hours was just me being taught the proper posture and the correct way to wield a blade; which it turns out, I can't do.
My shoulders sank as I let out a deep breath. Sweat was trickling from my face as I was trying to breathe regularly again. "Cerys, I don't think this is for me… Do you think he will still accept my help if I am unable to fight with a sword? I mean, I'm an alchemist - I make poisons, oils, different concoctions… Even bombs if I had the proper materials!"
"Hey, don't look so down. This isn't the kind of thing people can master in one day. I definitely know it takes a long time; heck it took Hjalmar and I years to perfect our techniques. Don't be so discouraged. Join him at The Nowhere tomorrow. Tell him I said you are a fast learner and I approve." She gave me a light slap on the shoulder with a smile.
I smiled back and nodded, "Thank you for this, Cerys!"
Back at my hut, I crumbled to the floor in front of my stove. My arms and legs felt like jelly and I was dizzy from exerting myself so much. "I don't think I ever used that much energy in my life before." I wheezed out.
Reaching out to my 'table', I took the cup that held my water I was going to use for dinner and drank the whole thing. I fell back onto the floor with a thud; my body felt so heavy that I ended up closing my eyes and falling asleep right there in the middle of the floor.
Some time in the middle of the night I was awoken by an all-too-familiar scent; the smoke of a fire. Not like a firepit or someone's oven. The smoke of a fire that consumes all in its path. The smoke of a fire that burns like a million cuts from the sharpest blade. The smoke of a fire that overwhelmed my home village.
I sprang up from the floor and raced outside as fast as I could. The fingers of the fire were searching hungrily for something else to demolish. I stopped dead in my tracks as images of Carsten flooded back into my head. The screams of terror and panic...
"Me daughter! Please! Someone get me daughter! She's trapped in the house! Rosalie, don move! Someone, help!" I heard a frantic voice that pulled me out of my thoughts. I turned to see the mother of the little girl I had talked to earlier that day.
My legs moved as quickly as they could to get me into the burning hut before it collapsed. I was moving before my mind even processed all of it. I ran quickly through the flames that barricaded the front door and found the little girl in the far right corner of the home. "Grab hold of my hand, I'll get you out of here."
"Miss Kelliana!" She whimpered as she ran over to me.
A wooden beam fell in front of the door blocking our main escape route. I quickly looked around and saw a hole in the roof. It's the perfect size to get a small child through. "Rosalie, I'm going to lift you. Climb through that hole and jump down as quickly as you can. Do you understand me?"
She gave me a faint nod and we moved quickly. She struggled at first to get up but she was up and out in no time. Now to figure out my escape now that the girl is safe.
I was kneeling down close to the ground to avoid too much smoke inhalation since I was getting unsteady and weak. The window, I could break it and escape that way.
I grabbed a nearby item and hurled it at the glass. As the glass exploded, flames shot madly through the air. My heart sank as the realisation hit me that I probably just made this situation worse.
My only way out was in fact through that window… which was engulfed by flames.
I took a deep breath and ran toward the opening. I covered my face as I dived out to avoid major burns to my eyes, mouth and nasal passage. I landed with a heavy thud onto the ground while my skin was burning. I didn't care so much about the burns since I was able to get out with my life. I could have easily died if I lingered too long or hesitated.
I stood up and I started trembling in pain all throughout my body. I went around to see the little girl waiting anxiously with her mother for my return. When she saw me her eyes lit up and she instantly ran into me, hugging me tightly. "Miss Kelliana! I'm so happy you're okay! Thank you for saving me. Mama and I was really scared."
I allowed her to hug me even though the excruciating pain was coursing all throughout my body. Her mom came up to me crying. "Thank you fer risking yer life to save me child."
I smiled at her and inclined my head, "I'm just glad she's safe."
They ran to the city while I stood there watching the hut crumble to the ground. "Kelliana! Kelliana are you okay!?" I heard a familiar Skellige accent come from behind me. I turned to see Cerys running towards me.
"I'm in pain, but I saved a little girl's life… The pain is worth what I did." I smiled and turned back to watch Rosalie and her mother walking in through the entrance gate of the Novigrad and meeting up with the girl's father.