Geralt looked at Jasmine as she adjusted her shirt and vest. She tighten the straps on the saddle and placed her saddle bags in place. She turned and looked at Geralt and smiled.
"Thank you." She said with a genuine smile. He nodded and mounted his horse. Jasmine mounted her own horse and headed toward the nearest town, she was in need of a good meal, and hoped no one would mind how she looked. She knew these roads were frequented by bandits and made sure she was alert for anyone that might attack her. One attack was plenty for her.
Geralt went in the same direction but kept a distance between them to give her the chance to do anything needed on her own, they came to a crossroads and she went one way while he went the other. But he still kept listening in case he heard something and as he expected he was not disappointed. Her scream echoed the almost silent forest, he turned his horse and headed in the direction she had gone. He found her horse but she was no where to be seen.
"Fuck." He grumbled as he dismounted and pulled his sword and headed into the forest thinking what ever caused her to scream probably pulled her in that direction. Geralt looked around his senses alert for even the smallest of sounds.
Jasmine struggled against the creature that held her, she was unsure of what it was but its iron grip and strange vines that had covered her body making it so she barely could move and no way to scream. It brought her to a clearing where it threw her bound body onto the ground and looked around. Her eyes scanned the area where she saw more coming from the darkness, they weren't creatures at all they were mages, but something about them was different almost dark.
"I brought the sacrifice as you asked. The white haired mage."
"Very good." She heard one say, she felt the tight bonds slowly loosen only to have her arms pulled behind her and tied, a cloth shoved into her mouth and tied off, her legs bound, they lifted her off the ground and lay her on a large slab, again her arms were freed only to be shackled to the slab with her legs the same way. Jasmine's eyes widened when she saw the dagger one held, he lowered the dagger and cut away her shirt and pants leaving her naked as her legs were freed to remove her boots. She lay naked before them. Her screams now muffled as the cut into her skin. Each cut deeper than the last, her eyes looked up as one raised the dagger above her chest. She felt blood splash the side of her face, she turned her head to see him. Jasmine closed her eyes tight as she tried to block out the sounds, she felt a hand touch her arm. She felt her wrists come free and then her ankles she pulled the gag free and had no idea what to do, she still couldn't bring herself to open her eyes as she felt him lift her into his arms. He carefully walked back to the horses, once he stopped at his horse he pulled the large jacket out and covered her with it. She slowly opened her eyes, he lifted her onto his horse and mounted it behind her holding her in place.
"Are you alright?"
"I am not sure." She said to him. He reached for the reins of her horse and led it behind his own. Geralt thought about what had just happened, he had never seen mages that were willing to take a life in a strange ritual, as much as he hated the idea he knew he would have to keep her safe.
Jasmine leaned against him as he held her in place, the only thing hiding her body was his coat.
"I have no more clothes."
"Then we will buy some." He told her, again someone had tried to hurt her and he felt the need to be sure to keep her safe and he really had no idea why. But he was willing to do it as best he could.