Author's Note: Alright folks, I forgot to pat myself on the back for reaching ten chapters last time I posted so here's my longest one yet - thanks for waiting patiently, and welcome new followers! My life is currently a trainwreck and I'll be on vacation soon but will get another chapter out in the next few if possible! In the meantime, please let me know what you're enjoying about this fic so far. Thanks and lots of love.
Ward of Kaer Morhen – Chapter 11
Geralt shut the bedroom door, raking a hand through his damp hair and then taking a seat on the creaky bed. He waited until he heard Nym's soft footsteps come down the stairs and into her room. He heard her open and close a drawer, blow out the candle and get into bed. She shifted restlessly for a few hours, then eventually fell asleep. He closed his eyes and exhaled in frustration, getting up to pace around the room, the mixture of disappointment and confusion fresh in his mind from earlier. To be told no then and there was something he hadn't expected, but if that was how Nym truly felt, then he would have to bear it without overreacting. As dawn began to near, he strapped his swords to his back and left the room. Sleep would not be an option tonight.
He stepped into the pitch-black training courtyard, a light mist wafting up around his feet. It looked as if it might rain today, which meant that they'd be trapped inside the keep together. He recalled the day they had arrived and the way Nym had run gleefully across the slick cobblestones into the keep. He continued his walk up to one of the crumbling parapets, leaning against the balustrade and inhaling the scent of the heavy mountain air. He remained there in thought until the sky began to lighten.
Geralt turned around to leave, hunger eventually beginning to gnaw at him. It would be early enough that the kitchen would be empty. The air before him started to shimmer, then emit a faint orange glow. He stopped in his tracks - it was a portal. He frowned and waited for it to materialise completely, bright orange beams of light swirling around it as a figure emerged from the centre, stepping out gracefully onto the octagonal base of the tower.
"Well, I was hoping to surprise you, but I suppose this will do…" said the red-haired sorceress, smiling up at him.
Nym slunk out of her room, careful not to make too much noise. Geralt's door was closed, and she had no intention of bumping into him in the early hours of dawn after last night. She collected a bow and a quiver full of arrows from the armory, then made her way to the stable where she swung up onto Blue's back, forgoing a saddle and reins. She nudged him into a saunter, leading him through the misty cobblestone paths that led out of the keep. Geralt had assured her that it was safe in the woods closest to the keep, but she had brought a dagger just in case. The stone path turned into dirt as they neared the forest. Nym hopped off of Blue's broad back and crouched, nocking an arrow loosely in her bow.
An hour or two later, she had found and killed two plump hares, both of whom had eaten well in an area free of most predators. She stroked Blue's muzzle, leading him out of the patch of trees and towards the plateau she had first spotted when they had arrived at Kaer Morhen, the grassy mound would be a perfect spot to watch the sunrise. Nym slipped out of the bow straps and tucked her knees into her chest as the first tinges of sunlight began to appear behind the heavy veil of clouds and mist. Blue stopped grazing, turning with his head held high as if to admire the soft rays of grey light that shone through the clouds.
When the entire sky had filled with dim light, the pair ambled back towards the keep. Eskel was standing in the stables as they approached, feeding the horses.
"Thought you had run off, although I wouldn't blame you…" He said, turning to look at her. Nym shook her head and smiled, lifting up the two hares.
"Here, I can take those." He offered, taking the game from her as she dismounted and stabled Blue.
They headed slowly towards the entrance of the keep, Nym turning to glance at Eskel as he walked silently beside her. He looked up and caught her eye.
"You always look at everyone like that?" He asked.
"Like what?" She mouthed, frowning.
"Nevermind." He said. shaking his head. He held the heavy front doors open so she could enter first.
"Are you hungry? I'm starved." Eskel said, heading towards the kitchen to hang the hares. She nodded, she could do with a bowl of hot groats and honey.
"Sounds like someone's here," Eskel said.
She could hear it too, the faint sound of feminine laughter coming from the dining hall by the kitchen. As they neared, Nym could see that it was Geralt and an unfamiliar redheaded woman, both seated at the dining table. She shuffled the bow strap around her shoulders nervously. Geralt stood up as Eskel and Nym approached the dining hall, the woman joining him to greet them.
"Good to see you, Triss." Nodded Eskel, breaking the silence.
"Eskel," said the woman, smiling politely.
"Triss.. I'd like you to meet Nymeia Salskin. Nym, this is Triss Merigold, the sorceress I spoke of." said Geralt, not quite meeting Nym's eyes. Nym attempted a curtsy with the bow still slung around her body, then nodded at the woman before her. Triss Merigold was not at all what she had expected from a sorceress. To begin with, she looked young, perhaps a little older than Nym. Instead of robes or a flowing gown, she wore dark trousers with heeled boots and a brown leather tunic. Her bright red hair was pulled gracefully into a bun, displaying her slender neck and the abundance of freckles on her face. Triss nodded graciously at Nym as they neared the table.
"It's a pleasure, Nym. Geralt explained your situation in his letter, but we can discuss it further when you're ready. He tells me that you've made a discovery." She said, turning to face Geralt. Nym smiled tightly and nodded in return at both of them, suddenly aware of her comparatively disheveled appearance.
"Ah, Triss, good to see you again. How has Temeria been treating you?" Came Vesemir's approaching voice from behind them.
"Hello Vesemir," said Triss, bowing her head in acknowledgment. "It's treating me well, for now. We could do with a few Witchers in the area though.."
"Monsters running amok, are they?" Vesemir asked, chuckling darkly.
"Hmm, yes. That and more." Said Triss, rubbing her arm.
If Triss had business in Temeria, it probably meant that she was part of the Temerian throne's counsel, realized Nym.
"Here, let's hang these up first." Said Eskel, ushering Nym towards the kitchen while Vesemir, Triss, and Geralt took a seat at the dining table. Geralt's eyes followed Eskel and Nym before he turned his attention back to Vesemir and Triss, who were trading political tidbits. They had gone out hunting, Geralt realized. He had been caught off guard when the pair had entered through the keep doors together. He repressed an urge to angle his head back towards the open hearth wall, through which he could see the two of them standing in the kitchen.
"You don't have to worry about Triss, you'll be in good hands with her. Damn good sorceress, if I ever knew one.." Eskel said quietly, leaning against the far end of the kitchen table. He was aware that Geralt and Vesemir could see and hear them through the open hearth that separated the dining hall and kitchen, but they were engrossed in their own conversation. Anyway, Geralt had his hands full now that Triss had arrived. Nym nodded, eyes downcast as she dried off her hands.
"Here, eat something," he said, passing her an apple.
"Thank you," Nym mouthed, biting into it hungrily. Eskel nodded his head, the girl usually ate in a hurry, which meant they'd kept her on her feet in her father's home. From Geralt's accounts, she was thin and peaky looking when he'd found her with her arm ripped up by the griffin. That wasn't entirely the case anymore, from what he could see. He had noticed that she was attractive as soon as he'd met her, of course. Her brown skin and light dusting of freckles were particularly charming, especially in combination with her lustrous dark hair and eyes that changed colours in the light.
Eskel shifted uncomfortably on his feet as Nym began to pour water into a pot.
"Here," he said gruffly, igniting the stove for her. She nodded, getting ingredients together on the kitchen table for a large serving of groats. She popped her head out of the kitchen and made a gesture towards the dining table, presumably letting them know that she was preparing breakfast.
"You're spoiling us, Nym. Vesemir once boiled an onion for dinner." Eskel said, chuckling at her instinct to feed people. She grinned at him, turning around to gather clean bowls and cutlery.
"Sorry, I'm in the way." He said as she reached behind him for a jar of honey, her dusky head moving closely beside his arm as she did so. He glanced at Geralt and Triss briefly through the hearth, catching Geralt's eye as he did so.
"So, tell me about your problem." Said Triss, glancing towards Nym. Vesemir and Geralt looked at each other.
"Nym is less of a problem and more of a… question." Said Geralt, quelling his annoyance at her choice of words. Triss hadn't meant to be cruel, but he had written the letter long ago, and she might have interpreted that Nym was a burden to him.
"When I found her wounded and chained up in the attic of her house, it seemed quite straightforward. Now… I'm not so sure." He continued.
"To put it simply, Nym's family are crooks. She has no other family to be with, or so it seems. We've also discovered that we can't touch her, or not for very long, at least." Vesemir explained, stroking his chin.
Geralt looked at Nym and Eskel through the hearth again as they stood together by the stove. Nym had somehow persuaded Eskel to help, which only increased his irritation.
"Can't.. touch her?" Said Triss, a look of confusion on her beautiful face.
"It burns, to touch her. Ordinary people seem to be able to grasp her arm or shoulder without any issue, but Eskel barely brushed her hand the other day and was scalded." Geralt said, tracing the grooves of the table.
"Something magical in nature, I'm assuming?" Triss said, crossing her arms.
"Yes, but we were hoping you'd be able to investigate it a little further," Vesemir said.
"Well, you've piqued my curiosity now. I'll certainly try my best." Triss nodded, casting a smile at Geralt. "I will say however that.. she's not quite what I expected."
"Hrm… What did you expect?" Vesemir asked, glancing at Geralt.
"Well, she doesn't look like a girl from rural Kaedwen, for starters," Triss said quietly. Geralt didn't reply, eyes following Nym as she diligently brought out bowls of cooked groats and honey, placing them down in front of everyone. No, he had to admit, she did not.
Nym returned to her bed after breakfast and closed her eyes, exhausted from a night of racing thoughts and bad sleep. Geralt had shown Triss to her room - the balconied suite on the third floor. That meant that there'd be no more chance encounters upstairs, she thought as she settled into the covers. Geralt hadn't seemed upset with her today, in fact, he'd seemed quite agreeable once Triss had arrived. Everyone had eaten, thanked her for the food, and insisted that she stay seated while they cleared up. Triss had made a comment about having another woman present and being glad for it, which was kind of her. She took a deep breath and tried to quiet her thoughts, eventually falling into a dreamless haze.
"Why have you made her sleep in the Witcher's quarters?" Triss asked, tracing the ornamental carving on the edge of the desk. Geralt suppressed an image from the other night, where he'd hoisted Nym onto it, lips and hands on fire as he did so.
"She wanted to sleep there. Thought this room was too big, I think." He replied.
"I agree, it is rather big for one person." Said Triss softly, turning to face him. She raised her hand to his jaw and stroked his stubble. "It's nice to see you again, Geralt."
Geralt covered his hand with hers.
"You too, Triss." He replied. He was glad to see her again and had waited all morning to feel what he had felt the last time he'd seen her. It hadn't come.
The morning blurred into the afternoon as Nym slept, the fatigue of the last few days finally taking hold. She awoke to the feeling of being too hot, with marks on her face from the covers. She uncoiled her hair, deciding that it would be a good time to attempt a respectable appearance - Triss's clothing and hair had been a stark reminder of the fact that she'd let herself become scruffy over the last week and a half. Nym poked around the empty kitchen for a pair of shears, then found a looking glass to bring back to her room. She balanced it on the table, then untangled her hair. It was almost waist length and looked frighteningly untidy. At home, her hair had been shorn short every time it reached this point by her father, who insisted that long hair made her look feral. Secretly, she had always wondered if he hated the reminder of another man's influence on her appearance since the rest of her family had light-colored hair and eyes. She took a breath and raised the shears to her hair, aiming to cut it just below her collarbone.
The shears were snatched from her hand before she could even begin cutting. Geralt stood in her open door, a stormy look on his face.
"No. Absolutely not.' He said firmly, stalking away with the shears and leaving her alone in her room. Nym glanced at herself in the mirror, open-mouthed. She felt heat rising to her ears, this time in an overwhelming feeling of irritation. He had left her alone and without words once again. Nym stood up and stormed after him, following the sound of his footsteps downstairs. He spun around as she caught up to him, pulling the shears away from her outstretched hand, reaching to take them from him.
"I said no." He repeated bluntly, towering over her even on the stairs. Her eyebrows furrowed incredulously as she made another grab for the shears. He tucked them into his pocket swiftly, then took a step up towards her. Nym balled her fists, beginning to feel like a petulant child having a temper tantrum. Who was he to decide what she could and couldn't do with her appearance? He was not her guardian or her chaperone, and he had for the second time, left her flailing around emotionally. She suppressed a wild urge to struggle with him again for the shears.
Geralt smirked, still stood before her. For someone who was normally quite kind and docile, Nym looked as though she was ready to gouge his eyes out. Her cheeks and ears were flushed in anger, and her dark brows had never been so stern. This was fine by him, however. He would under no circumstances allow her to cut the cascading mantle of hair that he had grown so fond of. The sting of rejection from last night faded into the background as she stood before him, confused and irate. Something about Nym's hot temper made her even more desirable, which was inconvenient for him now that he'd decided to halt his pursuit of her.
"Geralt..?" Came a voice from the lower floor. It was Triss. They'd have to put this aside for now.
The pair walked into the dining hall, Nym keeping her distance from him. She unclenched her fists and felt her face, still warm from her temporary lapse of sanity. They greeted Triss, who had changed into a deep blue embroidered tunic that complimented her eyes. Vesemir and Eskel joined them a moment later, both had emerged from some work in the laboratory that had clearly involved some form of blood and grime. Eskel shot a smile at Nym and sat down opposite her. The group sat in silence for a moment, as if they were readying themselves for a verdict.
"If you're ready, I'd like to take a closer look," Triss said finally, outstretching her hands and smiling reassuringly at her. Nym looked down at them, then back up at Triss. Geralt must have filled her in on the other details if she was already happy to examine her. Before she had a chance to fear the outcome, Nym gently placed a hand on Triss's open palm, grasping it loosely.
Triss gasped, then smiled, gritting her teeth.
"I see," she managed to say before she removed her hand from under Nym's. Geralt, Vesemir, and Eskel leaned in as she flexed her hands. She let out a small laugh and shook her head. Nym held her breath, cradling her hand in her lap.
"Geralt.. That's a curse. And a badly done one at that." Triss said after a moment, meeting his eyes.
"A curse? Are you certain?" Geralt asked, frowning at Triss.
"Well, that would explain the magic.." Eskel said, looking at Vesemir.
"What kind of curse, Triss? Can you tell?" Asked Vesemir, glancing at Nym.
Nym blinked rapidly, trying to take in what had been said. Triss reached for her hand again, and she gave it hesitantly.
"It's suppressive, something that I'm sure was put in place to ward off magic-wielders. I believe it masks Nym's whereabouts, but it's been impressively botched.."
"What does that mean, what is it doing instead?" Geralt asked urgently. Triss leaned back.
"I think.. it may be suppressing other things too - her voice, perhaps. Her abilities, if she possesses any. Tell me Nym, do you remember having a voice when you were younger?" Triss asked.
Nym nodded, pulling the inkpot and parchment towards her.
'I remember crying and screaming as a toddler. I did have a voice, I think.'
Geralt tempered his excitement at her words, this would change everything if the curse was inhibiting her from speaking.
"Hmm, so someone has done this to her intentionally," Vesemir said, leaning back and stroking his chin.
"Any guesses as to who?" Eskel snorted contemptuously.
Nym looked at Eskel, it was clear that he was insinuating that her father had done this to her somehow. She didn't doubt it, but why? What reason would he have had to do something so drastic? And how had he achieved it? He had never possessed any magical ability from what she could tell. Still, there must have been a reason to hide her away from the world as he had.
"Triss," Geralt said, interrupting her train of thought. "Can you lift the curse?"
Triss paused, considering the question.
"Yes, I think so. I'll need to make a potion, and it'll have to be strong. Nym, is this what you want? For me to lift the curse?"
Nym's heart leaped as Triss said yes. There was a possibility that she still had a voice. Her voice - something she'd thought was lost to her forever. All the trapped words and laughs and cries she'd contained her entire life were struggling to burst free from her chest at the promise of a solution. Vesemir cleared his throat, looking down at his boots. She hadn't noticed the tears beginning to prick her eyes. She swabbed at them quickly and nodded, picking the quill up once more.
'Yes, please. I'd like that very much.' She wrote.
The group sat in silence again, each of them lost in their introspections. Triss smiled and nodded at Nym.
"It'll take a few days to brew. You should eat well and get some fresh air while you can, there's a chance that your body might reject the potion."
"Reject it?" Asked Geralt.
"Yes. Curses usually have one or two effects, but Nym's curse is fractured and poorly made. There was a chance it was cast in haste, hence the secondary effects - her voice, her burning skin, perhaps some suppression of her full abilities - magical or otherwise."
"So you have to combine various potion elements to target the other effects…" Eskel said, realizing the kind of skill Triss would have to employ to make it.
"Will this cause her any harm?" Geralt asked, a clear tone of agitation in his normally steady voice.
'I said yes,' Nym scratched out, underlining the word. She appreciated the concern, but Geralt would have absolutely no say in this. Some part of her had already made peace with gambling with her health. What point was that health if she could never express herself, or have autonomy outside of this place?
"It's done then. If you'll excuse me, I have some things I need to write down. I'll need some help once I've finished." Triss said, glancing at Geralt and leaving them at the table.
"I see no reason to worry, Geralt. This is very good news. I think we have a reason to celebrate." Said Vesemir, clapping Geralt on the back.
"Triss did say to eat well…" Said Eskel earnestly.
"I don't think she was referring to you…" Geralt muttered, getting up to go after Triss.
Several hours later, Triss had sifted through her formulae and written down a list of ingredients for the potion required to lift Nym's curse. Geralt had grilled her about the potential dangers of the concoction, but there wasn't much Triss could offer in the way of answers. This wasn't her typical brew, and it wouldn't perform like one. There was even a possibility that it could lift only a few of the effects of the curse. Triss had left the list of ingredients in the lab - the Witchers were cloistered there, tasked with gathering them for her.
Nym strode down to the kitchen cheerily, her hair freshly washed and skin scrubbed clean. Behind the elation was a tiny twinge of fear, but that would abate after a few glasses of wine. She poured herself a pre-emptive goblet and began to skin and butcher the hares. If she was to enjoy herself and strengthen her body over the next few days, this meal would have to be rich. She smiled to herself at the thought of Triss, and how relieved she was for her presence here at the Keep. She began to fold dumplings filled with potatoes, chives, and cheese, then layered sliced apples into a tin with laminated sheets of pastry. A generous sprinkling of coarse sugar topped the dessert before she placed it carefully in the stone oven to bake. The hares were cut into large pieces, then braised till tender in a rich gravy of carrots, onions, mushrooms, and herbs. As the hare bubbled away on the stove, Nym tapped her chin in thought. She fetched the bowl of elderberries she had foraged a few days ago and pounded them into a puree. An elderberry jelly would do well to compliment the hard cheese, wine, and cured meat. When the food was finished cooking, Nym jogged quickly up to her room to change into the green blouse Lise had kindly given her. She brushed her hair and fanned it out behind her, scoffing internally at the thought of Geralt's outburst this morning. With the long table in the dining hall set with candles and clean plates, Nym began to set out the food. She put her hands on her hips and admired her work for a moment before fetching everyone for dinner.
"You've well and truly outdone yourself," chuckled Vesemir, eyeing the hare stew.
"And there's dessert..?" Said Eskel in disbelief, catching sight of the apple pastry.
Geralt searched Nym's eyes as everyone took a seat at the warmly lit dining table, She had outdone herself. She looked radiant in the candlelight, dressed in a green blouse he recognized and with her hair brushed out into soft waves. She smiled at everyone, crinkling her nose in delight at their reaction. Her happiness calmed the feeling of unease that had coiled up within him earlier, he would have to make some peace with her choice and rely on Triss's skills.
The group tucked into the meal with enthusiasm, oohing and aahing when Nym cut and served the warm apple pastry. Geralt glanced up at her from behind his goblet as he drank, watching her laugh silently at Vesemir's tales, and at Eskel's rebuttals. He felt a leg slide up towards his as they continued to drink and eat, immediately knowing that it wouldn't be Nym's. He returned Triss's flirtatious smile and drank deeply again, resisting the urge to see if Nym had caught their exchange.
After dinner, Vesemir sat and drank with them a few moments longer before retiring to his quarters. Eskel leaned up next to Nym beside the stained glass window. She was already flushed from the wine and found herself relaxing into the indent of the window with Eskel.
"You'd love Toussaint, mostly because of the food of course. There are flowers everywhere, not to mention the courtesans.." He trailed off, catching himself and laughing at his misstep. Nym laughed, elbowing him in the rib.
"Ouch," he exclaimed in jest, "Curse isn't lifted yet Nym."
She rolled her eyes in response and inadvertently glanced at Geralt and Triss, who looked quite cosy with each other at the dining table. A pang of jealousy rang through her as she noticed how Geralt had angled himself towards Triss. She had picked up on it hours ago, of course, that they had some history together. Although it had knocked her momentarily to realize it, she had made herself too busy to reflect on it until now. Thankfully, Eskel had done a fine job of distracting her with his stories of adventure in far-off lands. She looked back at Eskel, wondering if some part of her was warming to him.
"You need to stop doing that," Eskel said quietly, stifling another smile.
"Doing what?" She mouthed.
He shook his head.
"Stop doing what?" She repeated.
"Most women don't look past my scars, Nym." He said in a serious tone. "It's disconcerting!" He added mirthfully.
"I don't know Eskel very well, but he looks completely besotted," Triss said, glancing at the pair of them by the window.
"Hmm," Geralt said, trying to keep his voice impassive. "You think so?" He was already quite aware that his brother was becoming more and more captivated with Nym by the day.
"They'd make a fine pair. Eskel would be well-fed for the rest of his days, at least," joked Triss.
The comment smarted more than Geralt thought it would. Now that Nym had jilted him, watching her smile and laugh with another man was difficult to bear. He looked over at the two of them again, Eskel was making her giggle again. It was unlike them to let a woman get between them, but he knew exactly what Eskel saw in her. An image of the two of them settled together as a couple flashed through his mind. He took another big swig, he had switched to liquor after dinner and was becoming dangerously inebriated. He shifted his focus back to Triss and her sparkling green eyes, willing himself to give over to her.
"Shall we go upstairs?" Triss asked coyly, finishing her drink. Geralt nodded, downing his glass and glancing at Nym one more time. She met his eyes, her smile falling slightly as she realized what was happening.
Geralt closed the door behind them in the upstairs bedroom, quickly igniting the fireplace. The darkness had reminded him of when Nym had grasped his hand in the pitch-black room, right before they had kissed. Triss turned towards him, loosening her bun and allowing her red hair to fall around her shoulders. She drew closer to Geralt, laughing as she neared him. He leaned down into her neck, inhaling the scent of her. She snaked a hand up under his shirt, stroking his scarred back. Triss angled her face upwards and placed a trail of kisses from his neck to his jaw, then close to his lips. In an instant, his body refused her touch. He drew back and looked at her, disappointed that the wrong face was looking back at him. No, that hunger and frustration that was eating away at him wasn't for Triss, or any other woman. It was for Nym.
"What is it?" She asked, puzzled.
"It's nothing," He shook his head. "I- Triss, I can't. I've had too much to drink."
"That's never been a problem." She said, cocking her head.
"I know, I just... I'm not-" He said, interrupted by her laughing softly and shaking her head.
"It's the girl, isn't it?" She said.
He stood stock-still, letting his hands fall to his side.
"You were looking at her all night.. I thought you might have just been worried for her, but it's not that, is it?" Triss asked, folding her arms tightly into her chest. Geralt didn't reply.
Triss laughed again, a hint of bitterness in her voice.
"I thought you wanted me here for something more than just my help."
"No, Triss. I did, but…" He began,
"But it's all changed now, hasn't it?" She said, turning away from him.
Nym left her clothes on the floor, feeling more tipsy and flustered than she had in a long time. She slunk into the bed and stared up at the ceiling, trying to ignore that right above her, Triss and Geralt were likely intertwined in some way. The room spun around her as she tried to push away the image. She didn't blame Geralt for choosing Triss when she had never had a chance to admit how she felt. It wasn't hard to see why he was taken with her in the past either. Although she had no claim on him herself, it hurt to know that he had passed her over in the span of one night. She wondered what she'd say to him if her voice returned, or if she'd had a chance to use it earlier?. Would it have been the two of them upstairs together instead? She should have made it plain earlier if that was what she wanted, but now it was too late. Nym turned over in the bed, trying to force herself to drift off. She bristled when she heard Geralt enter his room, then cast an eye in the direction of the desk where her letter sat in the drawer, unfinished.