Author's Note: Sorry for the late update friends, my personal life is currently in shambles and I started a new job. Not to worry, I haven't even gotten to the meat and potatoes of this story and am still planning to keep going. Please favourite, review and follow if you're interested! The reviews are a good kick in the ass to update, although this chapter did require hours of re-writing/reading! Thanks :]
Ward of Kaer Morhen – Chapter 10
"Ouch. Well, why didn't you say she had magic?" Eskel said, examining his fingers.
Geralt stood between Nym & Eskel, a stunned expression on his face.
"...Have you not felt it? The burning sensation?" Eskel asked, looking up at him in confusion.
Geralt didn't reply, realising what had just happened. He relaxed slightly, his brow furrowing in thought.
Eskel let out a grumble, then bent to pick up the plate and the remnants of the food.
"Nym, would you excuse us for a minute?" He asked, glancing behind Geralt at a thoroughly confused Nym.
Eskel beckoned Geralt over with his head, leading him towards the stairwell so they were out of earshot.
"What the hell's going on? You and Vesemir said she had strange talents, but nothing about magic. Her skin felt like a flame." He began, frowning as he spoke.
Geralt clenched his fists to his side. What had he been feeling?
"So you have sensed it. …Did you think it was just you?" Eskel asked cautiously, eying Geralt.
"Yes, of course I did," Geralt growled in retort. "No one else we've encountered has mentioned it, I've seen other people touch her."
"Might I ask why the three of you are making such a racket at this time of night?" Came Vesemir's irate voice from somewhere above them. He descended from the upper floor, shooting them a look of disapproval.
"Vesemir.. Listen, have you felt anything strange when you've touched Nym? Some sort of burning magical sensation?" Eskel asked, ignoring the look.
"No, I haven't. I've never laid a finger on the girl." Vesemir replied, raising an eyebrow.
"Geralt… I don't know what you thought it was but I know what I felt. It is some sort of magic." Eskel continued, exasperated.
"I suppose you'd know best," Geralt said gruffly.
"Hmph, couldn't we just ask Nymeia? Now that we're all congregated?" Vesemir huffed, brushing past them.
Nym twirled the quill between her fingers while sitting at the kitchen table. She straightened the piece of parchment before her where she'd already written her first questions - 'What's going on? What burning sensation?'
"Evening, Nym." Vesemir said from behind her. "I heard a commotion, thought I'd join in on the fun." He said as the three of them sat down with her at the table. Vesemir bent down to read what she had written, then tilted the piece of parchment towards Geralt and Eskel.
"I'm sorry to have startled you, but I felt something when your arm touched my hand. It was.. an intense heat, magical in nature I believe." Eskel explained, glancing at her hands. Nym's frowned at his use of the word 'magical,' blinking rapidly.
"Has anyone else felt this before, Nym? Your family, or people you've come across?" Vesemir asked.
'No, never in my life.' Nym scribbled quickly, head spinning. Vesemir looked up at Geralt, who exhaled and uncrossed his arms.
"I felt it the day I found you. Didn't know what to make of it. Then… no one brought it up - I wasn't sure if it was something only I was sensing." Geralt admitted, his eyes searching hers.
He cursed inwardly at himself, he should have mentioned it to Vesemir as soon as he'd arrived. Instead, he had misconstrued the sensation as some sort of special influence she'd had on him and him only. He hadn't been quite as affected as Eskel, but that was because Eskel had a better grasp on magic than most Witchers - he was practically brimming with it.
…Magic, he thought again. This information could have helped them long ago. Nym stared back at him, seemingly reading his mind. The quill remained in her hand.
"Nym, may I..?" Vesemir asked, rolling up his sleeve and extending his hand. Nym nodded, reaching out to him with her own. He held it for a brief moment, then let go of her.
"..I believe Eskel is right, Nym. That is magical energy, and quite potent too. Are you sure you know nothing of this?" He asked.
'I'm sorry, I wish I knew more. About everything.' She wrote.
"There's no need to be sorry. I do however think your father may have hidden some very important information from you." Vesemir leaned back, stroking his beard.
Nym closed her eyes, trying to process that there was yet another thing to resent about her family, and of all things, it was to do with magic. But what could it mean to her now, if it had never meant anything before today?
The group turned in for the night, Nym feeling particularly exhausted after the events of the day. The Witchers had asked her a few more questions but eventually gave up, having reached no conclusion. She had stated plainly and truthfully that she had never made anything strange happen, or had had any visions. She had never been instructed and had only ever read about practical magic in books she found in her home. If she possessed any sort of power - she was sure she had never wielded it consciously. She placed a pillow over her face and sighed frustratedly into it as the other scenes from the evening darted through her thoughts again. If the feeling was as Eskel had described, Geralt had experienced it every time he'd touched her, including when he'd kissed her just earlier. Her cheeks warmed as she recalled the moment. She removed the pillow and looked straight up at the dark ceiling, the weight of her feelings dawning on her.
Geralt sat on his bed, tracing the medallion absentmindedly. Even now, he wanted to be near her, as she tossed and turned in her room, no doubt troubled by tonight's discovery. He hung his head and shook it slightly, scoffing at himself. His feelings had influenced his decision to keep the sensation private and had perhaps cost Nym her answers. What was going through his head? He had been infatuated with women before - this was not the same thing. It had been an entirely different beast from the beginning.
Dawn crawled along, bringing birdsong and sunlight with it. Nym peered out of tired eyes at the window and propped herself up on her elbows. Making her way downstairs, she picked up a piece of stale bread and some dried fruit, then filled up buckets of feed and slipped into the still-chilly courtyard. She fed each of the horses and raked their stalls, scattering fresh straw over the stone floors. She spent some time brushing down each horse and ensuring that they had enough fresh water. Blue pawed at the ground impatiently, hoping for an opportunity to stretch his legs.
"Today, I promise," She mouthed, raking her fingers through the knots in his long mane. The horse huffed into her hair.
"Ready to go, is he?" Came Geralt's familiar husky tone from behind her. She turned, dusting the straw off her cloak.
"Good morning," He said, bowing his head slightly, sunlight beaming down on his silver hair. She nodded slightly.
"Are you feeling alright?" He asked, his eyes scanning her face. She smiled and shrugged - neither of them had slept well it seemed.
"I think so," she mouthed. "Are you?"
Geralt turned towards Roach tersely, stroking her back. Nym braced herself for another apology, one that might make her feel silly about last night.
"Hmm… Could do with a nap," he said, glancing back at her. She grinned, grateful for the broken tension.
"There's a place I want to show you. Up for a ride?" He asked. She hesitated, then nodded, grabbing Blue's saddle off the mount.
They set off into the vast forest around Kaer Morhen, Nym riding behind Geralt at a steady pace. The narrow path widened slightly, allowing them to ride beside one another. Geralt's swords shone in the sunlight filtering through the canopy above them. Nym relaxed into her saddle, enjoying the sounds of the woods. She was thankful that Geralt wasn't the type for idle chatter, especially while riding. It was also much easier to be around him when she hadn't been drinking, her emotions were neatly tucked away today. They did unravel a little when he glanced at her, or if she rested too long on his face, but that she could manage. Nym took a breath in as they began to approach a glade bordered by pines, the smell of the forest deep in her lungs.
"Almost there," said Geralt as the horses made their way down the sloping path. She caught a vivid flash of blue and smiled. It was a pond, right in the mountains. It must have been the one Vesemir mentioned earlier.
"Freezes over while we're here usually, but I thought you might like to see it." He said, looking over at her.
They dismounted as they neared the water, Nym looking up at the cloudless sky. The pond was bordered by rocks and gravel, and she could already tell that there would be a variety of edible plants and fungi in the glade surrounding it.
"Celandine," Geralt said, pointing at some yellow flowers, "Cortinarius.." He continued, identifying red-tipped mushrooms on a log. Nym nodded, bending down to examine them and memorize their names.
"Potions?" She mouthed, frowning in the sunlight.
"Blade oils, decoctions, antidotes. Not for soups and stews, however.." He added with a smirk.
She grinned, peering into the brush around them. She caught sight of a patch of white at the base of a tree and made her way towards it.
"Tell me - what's this?" She mouthed, quizzing Geralt.
"Not sure. Something you can eat?" He asked, examining the shaggy white fungi. She nodded, crouching at the base of the tree.
"Lion's mane," she mouthed, enunciating clearly.
"Taste as strange as it looks?" He asked. She smiled and shook her head, collecting the fungi carefully.
They led the horses to the edge of the pond, the water glimmering in the morning sun. It looked like a small lake from where she stood, the centre of it had to be quite deep. Geralt left Roach to graze and took a seat on the rocky shore. Nym released Blue's reins and stepped closer to the pond.
Geralt watched as Nym crouched to put her hand in the water. It was a beautiful place, one which the Witchers rarely had a chance to enjoy. The scenery was only improved by the woman standing before him. His lips quirked upwards as she began to remove her boots. She had discovered that the water was cold, and would still dare to venture into it? He watched as Nym resolutely dipped her foot into the water. She turned to shoot him a quick smile, then promptly began to roll her trousers up to her knees. As expected, her tanned skin and lithe body set off a brief ache of desire within him. He ignored it, watching in amusement as she waded barefoot into the frigid water. Nym curled her toes into the slippery pebbles at the edge of the pond, then leaned down to soak her wrist in the cold water. She looked up coyly at Geralt, then splashed some water up at him. His head moved a few inches to the right, just in time to avoid it. He picked up a pebble and deftly launched it at the water below her, sending droplets into her face. She straightened abruptly, laughing silently and wiping herself.
Geralt found himself grinning back at her as she dabbed at her face with her shirt, her nose crinkling as she laughed. As she stood in the water, he thought back to the night he had found her, terrified and with her arm drenched in blood. He had watched her sleep for hours as the fire burned to ashes in the encampment where they had stopped to rest, wondering what to do with the wounded girl. Why now, was he wondering what he would do without her? Oblivious to his thoughts, Nym combed through the edge of the pond for pebbles. She picked one up, dusting the dirt off of it, then returned to his side and handed him the stone. It was a rather large piece of orange agate, smoothed into an oval shape by the water.
"Thank you, why did you pick this one?" He asked.
She gestured to her eyes, tapping the side of her cheek. He took the stone from her and ran his thumb along the glassy surface of it. She had chosen it to match the amber of his eyes.
He pocketed the stone, repressing an urge to cup her face and bring it towards his. He had to make sure of something before that ever happened again.
"Nym… Last night - was that something you wanted?" He began, his eyes meeting hers.
Her answer was interrupted by the sound of something large moving in the trees. Geralt whipped his head around and stood up, scanning the forest behind them.
"Ah, fuck." He said. She stood up to follow his gaze, her ears still flushed. The trees closest to them began to rustle as a figure emerged from the glade on horseback - it was Eskel.
"Thought I'd join you for a ride!" He called out as he approached, dismounting his horse.
"Eskel, what-" Geralt began.
"I should have brought some fishing poles. You interested, Nym?" He asked, cutting Geralt off. She nodded, stifling a laugh at Geralt's disgruntled expression.
"Don't look so sour. Vesemir's had his head in books all day, I got bored." He said, shrugging at Geralt as his horse neared them.
"Couldn't entertain yourself in any other way?" Geralt grumbled.
"No, I'm leaving my entertainment entirely up to you two." He replied with a self-satisfied smile. Nym covered her face with her hand. Eskel ran a hand through his hair, smiling at her through his scarred lips.
Vesemir dropped a stack of books onto the desk, sorting them individually into smaller stacks. He took his time returning them, sliding each book back onto the shelf where it belonged. He stopped at the very last book - it was a title he hadn't read in years. He thumbed through the yellowed pages, it must have been a book Nym had picked up. A strange choice for a young woman, he thought. He frowned, his golden eyes arrested by one particular chapter heading. It must have been the shortest chapter in the entire book. He took his time, reading each sentence carefully, his thumb stroking the page. Were they just coincidences? He asked himself, flicking through the book again to see if there was more written on the subject. Finding nothing, he shut the book and brought it up to his room.
"Watch out, I don't need any more scars…" Joked Eskel as Nym's hand grazed his. He took her saddle and reins from her, hanging them up on the mount. She rolled her eyes and gestured at the ample distance between the two of them.
"And you'd do well to keep it that way," he raised his eyebrows in mock warning. She smiled and shook her head, heading inside with the items she'd found by the pond.
"What are you doing exactly..?" Geralt asked once Nym was out of earshot, glaring at him.
"What? She's good-humoured." Eskel replied, stabling his horse. He stroked Blue's long neck."Purebred Kaedweni, just like mine..." He added.
"Probably just being nice. Never seen you crack so many bad jokes..." Geralt said, stalking back into the keep.
Nym unclipped her robe in her bedroom, then began braiding her hair. It was getting far too long and would need to be cut soon. She heard a knock at her door, opening it to find Vesemir standing outside.
"I was about to get started on some food, would you like to help?" He asked.
She nodded and followed him downstairs to the kitchen.
"Hrm, these would make for a nice lunch." Said Vesemir, picking up the various mushrooms she had left on the kitchen table. Nym nodded, and set to work on washing and peeling some potatoes. Vesemir lit the fire, pouring water into a large iron pot.
"What do you make of Eskel's discovery?" He asked. She shrugged into her shoulder.
"Not sure yet," she mouthed. She had pushed the thought to the back of her head ever since last night.
"We're all anxious to know more. I'm sure Triss will have an idea." He said, taking the peeled potatoes from her.
"Eskel, and Geralt? Are you comfortable in their presence?" He continued.
She nodded, not certain how else to answer. Eskel was likable and gracious, but Geralt was a different matter. Comfortable wasn't exactly how she would put it.
"Hm, that's right - your father and brothers.. Perhaps not so different with the three of us of here." He mused.
She hesitated, there was a vague similarity there but her life had been massively altered since Geralt had discovered her and brought her to Kaer Morhen. In comparison to being around her family, this was the most comfortable Nym had ever been. She prodded at the potatoes with a wooden spoon absentmindedly, head full of images from the past.
"Has Geralt been minding his manners?" Vesemir asked, leaning on the stone hearth beside her.
Nym tried her best not to react to the question, but failed, reddening. Was everyone aware that there was something between them? Vesemir sighed and took the spoon from her.
"Geralt is a good man, but you should know that you don't owe him, or us, anything. You've lost your voice, but you're clever and resourceful. Brave, too. You have more agency than you know, Nymeia." He said, stirring the pot of boiling water. Nym pulled up a chair beside Vesemir and sat down, chin resting on her knuckles. No one had ever spoken to her so candidly about her insecurities. The Witchers were the strongest people she'd ever met, and it meant something to her that Vesemir was trying to assure her of her own strengths. She reached over to him and brushed his sleeve in thanks, careful not to touch him.
"Ah, must be getting soft as I get on in years." He said dismissively. "Now, how about these mushrooms?"
The smell of food brought both Witchers to the dining hall, where Nym and Vesemir had already tucked into plates of mash slathered in a herbed mushroom and butter sauce. Geralt and Eskel heaped their plates high and began to eat.
"Might have to loosen my belt," said Geralt, leaning back in satisfaction after he had finished.
"Can she stay forever?" Eskel asked Geralt seriously, finishing up his second helping. Nym laughed silently, collecting their plates.
With full bellies, each of them retreated to their own corners of the keep to rest. Nym tried in vain to find her book of history in the library, but failed and chose another one instead. The afternoon blurred into the evening as she read, flexing her wrist now and then to make sure it didn't get too stiff. Geralt had asked after it again today while preparing to spar with Eskel, but she'd have to wait a few more days before she could train again.
A soft knock came at the door. She put her book down and peered at the stained glass window, was it dusk already? The door opened and Eskel peeked his head into the library.
"Sure you don't want to come down?" He asked, entering the room. "You don't have to use your wrist, you can just watch."
Nym uncrossed her legs and stood up, putting the book aside. Eskel bowed dramatically, opening the door for her.
They walked down the stone stairs into the outdoor training area lined with dummies. A row of large wooden balancing posts and a few swinging contraptions sat in this courtyard, although she had never seen them used until now. Geralt stood on a post, the pink and gold light of the sunset reflecting in his hair. He wore the same black studded gambeson he had worn when he found her. He turned, wisps of hair floating around him as he looked at her. Nym inhaled, her breath suddenly caught in her throat.
"Hmm, you brought an audience…" Geralt said, still standing just as sure-footed as before. Eskel hopped deftly up onto the post opposite him.
"Ready, old man?" He needled, unsheathing his sword. Nym leaned against a training dummy, entirely unprepared for what was about to happen next.
Geralt nodded and swung at Eskel, who ducked under the blow, swinging his sword at Geralt's feet. Geralt jumped in time to miss it, then let a burst of flame fly from his hand towards Eskel, who met it with a sign she'd never seen - a translucent barrier that shielded him from the fire. He gritted his teeth and launched himself at Geralt, his sword arcing through the air towards Geralt's shoulder. Geralt stepped back onto another post, dodging the attack. He swung at Eskel again, but Eskel parried his sword mid-air and pushed him off. Geralt's hand rose as he made another sign, sending a blast of invisible energy at Eskel, causing him to fly backward. Eskel caught himself on another post, only wavering for a millisecond.
Nym watched open-mouthed as the two traded blows and signs, not unaware that they were doing this on the edge of the courtyard. Some aged wooden scaffolding was the only thing between them and a long, fatal fall. Eskel was an incredibly skilled swordsman, but it was clear that Geralt was quicker and more graceful. His natural sense for movement combined with his unforgiving strikes made him a deadly opponent, even for another Witcher, it seemed. The scene was over in minutes, Geralt besting Eskel with a feigned blow and blast of telekinetic energy, toppling Eskel and leaving him vulnerable. Eskel stood up, scoffed, and raised his hands.
"I concede, but just this once." He said, winking at the thunderstruck girl. She hadn't had time to analyse their movements but the fight was almost like an elaborate, violent dance. Geralt sheathed his sword and led the group back inside. Nym walked behind the Witchers, fidgeting with her fingers.
"Tired?" Geralt asked, slowing down. She returned his question with a nod.
"Hmm, we'll stay out of your way if you'd like to have a rest." He replied. She nodded again in thanks. Geralt was becoming quite good at knowing when something wasn't quite right with her. That didn't help either, she thought, looking up at the back of his head. She entered her bedroom and shut the door, a bowl of hot barley and herbs in hand. She eyed the parchment and ink she'd brought up earlier, then sat at the small wooden desk. "Write, and tell me what's wrong," Geralt had said last night. She loosened her braid and began scratching out a letter with the quill, intent on doing exactly that.
Nym sat there in candlelight until she'd almost finished the letter, dipping her quill into the last little bit of ink. How much time had passed since she'd started writing? She repressed another urge to scratch everything out and start again. She wrote until the quill went dry, then opened the door quietly, candle holder in one hand. Everyone had retired for the night, or so it seemed by the lack of light in the halls. She tiptoed up the cold stairs in her bare feet, sure that she had seen multiple pots of ink on the writing desk upstairs. There was a faint glow emanating from the ornamental grille at the top of the staircase. Had the fire been left to die out? She knocked softly on the door.
"Come in," came Geralt's telltale low pitch from inside the room. Nym hesitated, looking down at her bare feet in the candlelight, then opened the door gently.
Geralt stood in front of the fireplace, clothed only in his trousers and with a towel held to his dripping unbound hair. His body glistened under the light of the fire as he turned to face her. She fumbled with the candle for a minute, then put it down on the sideboard.
"Sorry, just got out of the bath." He said simply, gesturing to the tub. Her gaze flickered to the tub of water, then back to him.
"…Ink," she mouthed, pointing at the writing desk.
"I see. Ink." He said, the corner of his lip tilting upwards. She held his eyes, refusing to let them waver anywhere south of his neck. She had seen him bare-chested before, there was no reason to get flustered.
Geralt threw the damp towel over a chair, walked over to the desk, and pulled open a drawer to retrieve a small bottle of black ink for her. Her eyes roamed his muscular scarred back and the long scratch marks striping it. She dropped her eyes as he turned around, wishing she'd just waited till the morning.
"You didn't get a chance to answer my question." He said, shaking the bottle of ink. "Last night - when I kissed you, was that something you wanted..?" He continued, tilting his head slightly.
Nym looked up in surprise at his candidness, meeting his eyes. She hadn't been prepared to face the question again. Saying no would be a lie, and saying yes would be a complete admission of the feelings she had tried to repress for days. Saying yes would also mean complete and utter vulnerability. She shifted her weight to her other leg in anxiousness.
"Hmm," Geralt said, "I understand." He outstretched his arm, handing her the inkwell. His eyes burned into hers like embers.
"It's not..." She began mouthing, only to be cut off by him turning away to slip his shirt on.
"It's alright. I apologize if I crossed a line." He said, back still facing her. She had said something wrong without saying anything at all.
Nym looked up in exasperation for a moment, all her trapped words stuck in her throat. That wasn't what she meant. He hadn't crossed a line. Yes, she had wanted it, but she didn't belong in his world whatsoever, even with the strange magic. All of these thoughts had been written down moments ago in the letter she hadn't had a chance to finish. She repressed the urge to grab his shoulders and force him to read her lips.
"I'm sure it's not fair to say now but…" he began, slipping his belt through his trouser loops, "-I wanted it. Quite badly in fact."
He turned around as the last words left his mouth. Nym held the bottle of ink at her side weakly, disarmed by the steely look in his eyes. He put his hand on her shoulder briefly, then strode towards the doorway, leaving her in the room alone.