AN: Is she dead, or isn't she? Read this chapter and find out :P
Marmottine: I am still waiting for the "real" review you promised me on the last chapter :(
Nah don´t worry, everything is fine :) I kind of hoped for that reaction and I am glad it worked.
Kuon: I really wanted to let them meet up and chat a bit and we will see slightly more of Geralt in this Chapter. There will be maybe one or two LOTR or Hobbit references coming up ;)
Nely Winged: You made a good job with expressing what you thought about the ending. The fact you were (in some way) speechless is compliment enough^^
Last Chapter was my first attempt on writing something this emotional, and I had the fear his reaction was a bit too cheesy.
So thank you for your Comments and showing it had the effect I wanted.
A warm breeze flew over her body and she cold feel the warm rays of sunlight on her skin. Sound of birds and rustling leaves entered her ears. Her eyelids and extremities were heavy, just like she was waking up from a very deep slumber.
What happened. Where am I. Was that all nothing but a dream and I fell asleep on that bench?
Slowly opening her eyes, she sat up. Pain radiated from her neck and the places were the bloodsucker had grabbed her.
Not a dream then. Damn that hurt. Am I dead?
Frowning, the young woman looked around, hoping there wouldn´t be winged people or some crazy lights around.
No angles, so not heaven. Or maybe this is like Supernatural were everybody has his own personal heaven? Better take a look around, don´t want to stay in one place if this is hell or some other crazy afterlife world.
Standing up, she realised she was barefoot and only dressed in her usual nightgown. At least I am not naked anymore.
One step after the other, Milli made her way towards a little clearing she had spotted.
"I see you are awaken. I feared we have lost you." A deep voice greeted her as soon as she stepped into the open. Searching for the unknown and jet somehow known voice.
Sounds a bit like Lambert.
Following the noise, she turned to her left and met the known gaze of the wolf.
"Where am I. Am I dead."
"You are in a dream realm and no, you are still alive, when only barely. You lost a lot of blood."
The wolf told her, moving her lips in a human manor.
"Who are you?" Milli asked in disbelieve and shock. She should be dead and jet, she was standing and speaking with a wolf.
"I am your Guide and he is your Guard." The wolf answered her question, motioning with his head towards a big mountain of fur behind him.
"Wait. What?"
"I was tasked to watch over you and Lamberts lives. When I found out neither of you were happy with the lives you had. I decided to bring you here. I thought you will find it easier to adjust to this world, than he would to yours. I asked him to be your guardian, when I figured you are not all suited for this life. If you had called for him later, the higher vampire would have gone through with her plan and you would be dead."
"What about my family and friends back home?" She asked, they must think her missing or dead.
"I let them believe you are on an extended holiday, where you met the love of your life."
"So, they don´t think me missing or dead?"
"no."
"And what if I die? They will never know that I am dead."
"You may return upon your death, and if you wish I will bring you back to the time when we met in the park."
"What happened after I lost consciousness?" Milli asked, fearing the wolf answer.
"I was able to get to you in time. Ripped the bloodsucker into shreds, just like I did with the bastards in the woods." The mountain of fur grumbled, and she saw it turn into the Chort.
His snout and fangs were dark with dried blood, drawing a heavy contrast to its white fur.
"Sorry. Hope the bitch didn´t hurt you."
"Na. I am good. But next time, call me to your aid a bit earlier.-please."
"Now that I know about you, I will. But what´s with Lambert? How long am I already in this state?"
Worry was evident in her voice and she saw the expressions of her guide and guardian fall.
"Come and look." The wolf said and motioned for her to follow him to a little river.
Looking into the water, she felt her heart clench and tears dwelled into her eyes.
She saw her pale body laying on the bed (placed in the recovery position), covered in clean sheets with Lamberts body wrapped around her in a protective manner. His face was tears stained and he looked ill.
Milli saw a figure stand over their bodies and Lambert sat up, accepting something the shadow offered him. He took a sip and leaned of her body, his hands securing her face and parting her lips.
"What is he doing?" She whispered more to herself than anything else.
"They are giving you a watered-down Swallow-potion, trying to heal your body and regenerate your blood. The shadow you saw is Geralt, the white Wolf."
"Lambert hasn´t left your side, since they found you, neither did he sleep. It was him who had the idea with the potion."
"He looks so ill."
"He is out of his mind of worry. And I fear, should you decide to return to your old life-"
"You think he would hurt himself?"
"Not on purpose, but he will become reckless and his heart will be closed for good."
No pressure at all.
"You feel something for him. Don´t you? Not as much as he realized he felt for you, though."
"I feel safe around him. Feel wanted and cared for. I feel anything I should have felt with Leon. So yeah, I feel something for him, although I don´t know if it is love jet.- Can I return? In my body down there?" She nodded at the water surface.
"Your body is weak and if you return now, the potion will make you feel a lot of pain."
"But at least, he knows I am still there." She mumbled, her gaze never leaving Lamberts pained face.
The Guide nudged her with his snout in her lower abdomen and then against her forehead.
Losing consciousness, she heard the guardian rumble "Whenever you feel unsafe or deeply uncomfortable, call me and I shall help you." The last part was barely a whisper when her world went black again.
The first thing she felt was the warmth that surrounded her, the second the burning pain that rolled though her veins and the third the tightening grip and movements behind her back.
Damn that hurt.
Jolts of pain went through her body with every heartbeat and breath she took.
After minutes of agonizing pain, Milli was finally able to open her eyes, but it was just to bright to keep then open, the light stunk in them and she quickly closed them again.
"Milli?" A hoarse voice asked from behind her, and she felt Lambert move to hover over her, one of his hands gently moved hair out of her face.
"Milli?" This time it sounded more like a plea, and she forced her eyes back open when a shadow cast over her face.
Her eyes didn´t want to centre on the face in front of her, but she knew it belonged to her male companion.
"Thank anything, you are alive and awoken." Relieve washed over him and he wanted nothing more than to pull her closer to him. But he had seen the pained expression on her face and he could only imagine what she was going through.
"Lambert. It is time for the next potion, but I don´t-" Geralt voice suddenly sounded from the door.
"She just woke up. I told you it will work." Lambert told his friend, a big smile on his face.
"It seems you were right. Milli, can you sit up?" Geralt smiled at her, when he leaned down to look her in the face.
Not wanting to move to much because of the pain, she moved her eyes in a shaking manner, hoping the man would be able to understand what she was saying.
"You are in immense pain, aren´t you." He asked again, this time she nodded with her eyes.
"We will need to give you the swallow potion like the other days then."
Wait, days? How long was I gone?
Slowly and very carefully Lambert turned her on her back, the erupting pain send tears to her eyes, but she refused to cry.
Lambert hand move to secure her face and he took a little sip of the potion. She knew what would come now and opened her mouth. His lips brushed over hers, when he let the potion sip into her mouth, slowly enough so she didn't need to swallow.
The cold potion tasted bitter and a bit like she imagined old socks would taste like, but she felt her strength come back a bit.
"You must be tired. Sleep and rest. Your body need any strength he can get to heal." Geralt told her and motioned for Lambert to help her lay in a comfortable position again.
As soon as her head hit the pillow, she fell asleep, regardless the pain she was in.
When Milli woke up again, she felt stronger and the pain had lessened enough for her to be able to breath properly again.
Carefully, she began to move. First her toes and fingers, then her feet and hands and finally she tried to sit up to look around. Her veins weren´t on fire anymore.
Her body still felt like molten jelly though, she knew was caused by the loss of blood she had suffered but succeeded and slowly let her eyes wander.
On the floor were remains of blood to be seen and a shudder went through her veins on that sight.
I stink. Damn am I pale.
She thought upon lifting her hand up to look at it.
"Awoken I see." Geralt´s voice sounded from the door and she slowly turned around.
"Yeah." She said with a raspy voice that hurt her throat and made her frown.
"Your neck is pretty bruised. You won´t be able to speak for a while. Do you know what happened?"
She nodded as an answer, not wanting to agonize her throat more.
"Lambert is downstairs and get some stew for you. I was finally able to get him to bath. You have him smitten. He didn´t want to leave your side for anything." He told her, answering her untold question.
Just after he finished the door opened, and Lambert entered, a smile appeared on his lips when he saw his female companion sitting. She was still pale like a ghost, but at least she was up and alive.
He had felt so empty, when she was laying on the bed neither alive nor dead.
"Think you can eat something?" He asked with a warm voice, showing her the bowl of stew in his hands.
Slowly, she nodded but she knew she wouldn't be able to eat on herself, she was out of strength just from sitting upright.
Lambert seemed to notice that as well, the next thing Milli knew, was that she was seated between her companion's legs, her back resting against his chest.
Heat rose inside her cheeks and she blushed, he was about to feed her like a little child.
At any other time, she would have laughed about this, but now she was just too hungry and week to care.
Half an hour later the stew was cold, but the bowl empty.
Lambert helped her lay down to rest again.
Cold crept into her bones and she began to shiver. Seeing this, Lambert laid down next to her, to spend her some of his own warmth.
Within seconds she was asleep again.
Next time she woke up, her body felt strong and she sat up again. Candles lightened the room and the woman knew it was in the middle of the night.
Both divan couches were occupied with either Witcher, both snoring.
A smile graced her lips when she saw how peacefully Lambert was laying there, the sign of his
tears-stricken face had burnet itself into her mind.
When did he get over there?
"Something wrong?" The Witcher she was thinking about asked her with a sleepy voice.
Damn Witcher senses and their shallow sleep.
Quick she shook her head and send him a smile.
"You sure you alright?"
He worries too much.
"We have some fresh water for you to drink." He stated and Milli was wondering why Geralt wasn´t waking up jet.
Feeling her dry throat, she nodded as an answer and opened her hand to grab the flask, but Lambert sat down next to her and held it to her lips.
With every swallow, she felt the skin on the side of her next stretch and sting, only then did she realise, the men had probably stitched her throat back up and that there would be scars.
The water felt refreshing and the soreness declined.
"Thank you, Lambert" She whispered carefully, but it didn´t hurt as much as she anticipated.
"No worries. I told you I will look after you." He sends her a sincere look and she couldn´t but smile at him.
"How long-"
"were you out? The attack happened over a week ago, and the first time you woke up was four days ago. You slept most of the time." Milli was able to hear the pain in his voice and her heart clenched, she didn´t want to be the reason for anybody ´s pain especially not if she would consider that person a friend or even more.
She still tried to speak as less as possible, so her part of conversations would consist of movements of her head and one-word answers for the foreseeable future.
"Bath?" she asked her companion.
"Right now?" Shake of her head.
"Tomorrow?" With pleading eyes and a little smile on her side.
"Maybe. Depends on your wounds and how strong you are then. But I think it may be ok."
Happy about the possibility to relax in a warm bath and get the smell of her own death (at least for her it smelled like that) off her skin, she pulled Lambert on a hug and placed a grateful kiss on his cheek.
A shiver went though her body and she yearned after the usual body contact during sleeping. Since the first village where they had stayed, Lambert and Milli would cuddle or at least stay close to each other at night to spend warmth. Well Lambert was spending the warmth and Milli was receiving it.
"Stay? Cold." She whispered and groaned on the inside about how stupid she sounded with her one word-sentences.
I sound like a two-year old.
After some seconds of silence and consideration, Lambert laid down next to her and he helped her lay back down, his strong hand supporting her back.
Settled back into the sheets and pillows, Milli sighted in relief when she felt the calming heartbeat of her companion against her back.
Unbeknownst to them -or most likely just her- the other Witcher had woken up alongside his friend and had heard anything that was been said. A knowing smirk showed on his face and he was happy for his friend.
When the next morning came, the white wolf said his goodbyes. He wanted to know what happened in that room, but he couldn´t wait for her throat to heal. He must wait until they meet on the road or at Kaer Morhen again.
"The wound on your neck is still not fully healed, that means you need to keep it as dry as possible, I fear you can´t take a bath on your own."
The young woman´s face fell upon hearing it, she really wanted to take that bath.
Waaaaaait. He said not alone-
"You, with me?" Dammit, stupid throat.
"I with you what?" He asked her with a wink.
Back to mocking I see. You know exactly what I mean!
"Flying-" she answered with a ´don´t think I am dumb´- look on her face. "Bathing."
"If you insist. I will get the water ready, you stay here." He told her and Milli was glad he was close to his old self again.
Grabbing the mirror, she saw laying on the little table next the bed, she tried to look at the side of her neck, where she was bitten. What she saw made her gasp, the whole length of her neck had been ripped open. The scar went from where the neck meets the shoulder up to her ear and it was jagged.
The surrounding skin was all kinds of purple, black and blue.
The Bloodsucker had made good work.
No wonder I can´t speak properly.
Lambert returned some minutes later (naked) and without anything else to say, he lifted her up bridal style and carried her into the joined bathroom, where the tub was filled with steaming water.
He sat her down on the edge of the tub and carefully pulled the shirt she was dressed in over her head, leaving her in her underpants (that were soon gone as well)
Lambert must have gone through my back and - Oh my god, Geralt saw me naked!
Lifting her back up bridal stile, he slowly lowered them both down into the warm water. Lambert moved her, so she was seated between her legs, her back resting against his chest and her head tucked under his chin.
Her skin prickled, and she was able to relax, her sore muscles and skin thanked her.
Letting out a deep breath Milli closed her eyes, her arms were resting crossed beneath her breasts.
To keep her from slipping under the surface and watering her injury, Lambert had one of his strong arms laying around her waist, carefully not to agonize her bruised rips. His other arm was draped up on the edge.
"You shouldn´t stay to long in the warm water, it isn´t good for your still weakened heart." She heard Lambert mumble into her ears, his lips brushing against the side of her head.
"Ok." She whispered, her heartbeat already faster than it should through the warm water.
"I will help you." He told her with a gentle voice no one else had ever heard, and she felt him grab something from the floor.
"Can you sit up straight for me?" He asked, and she did as she was told, planting her hands on his legs to stabilize herself.
Seconds later, she felt his free hand move over her back and shoulder soaping her in. Finished with her back, he carefully lifted one arm after the other to wash the sweat away and then handed her the soap, so she was able to wash her chest area.
Still respecting the boundaries I have never set.
Quickly but carefully she washed her chest, stomach, crotch and upper legs, the whole time secured by his strong hands at her waist.
When he knew she was finished Lambert stood up, lifting her back up and setting her down outside of the tube.
The water on her skin combined with the cooler air, send a shiver through her body that made her bruises hurt, but before she could say anything a warm towel was wrapped around her body and strong hands began to massage her body dry.
Turning her head around, she saw Lambert standing behind her (a towel wrapped secured around his waist) with a soft but concentrated look on his face. Realizing she was looking at him, the Witcher send her a little smile and got down on one knee to dry off her legs. Finished, he stood up and lifted her back up into bridal style and carried her back towards the bed where he laid her down.
His face was hovering over hers for a short amount of time and the young woman thought he would kiss her any second. A part of her was sad he didn´t do it in the end.
"Here, I will help you get dressed and then go downstairs to grab something to eat"
Half an hour later, they sat at the little table. Lambert was eating grilled meat with vegetables and Milli was only getting stew. She knew she would probably throw up should she eat anything else. None the less she sends him a little glare, making him chuckle and moan on purpose eating his meat.
I hate you!
Suddenly, Lambert haltered in his movements and looked at her with guilt in his eyes.
"What?" the young woman asked with a frown on her face.
That sounded harsher than intended.
"I am so sorry. If I had left with you that evening the Katakan wouldn´t have been able to harm you." Lambert said, his voice heavy with guilt and his companion was able to see tears dwelling in his amber eyes.
"She would have attacked later." Milli said, immediately taking a sip of her tea (Lambert said it would help with her soar throat) to wet her throat again.
"You don´t know that."
"She told me." Confusion entered her companions face and she began to tell what happened. Slowly, with a gulp of tea after every other word.
Lambert listened intensely, his eyes darken with anger when she told him about that.
The Witcher let out a string of curse words under his breath, his head hidden behind his large hands.
"Not your fault." She tried do reason with him, and when he didn´t react, she walked to him and pulled him in the strongest embrace she could muster at that moment.
"How? What-"
"Remember the Chort that saved my ass from the Witch hunters? Turned out he is something similar to my guardian angel or protector. Before I woke up again, I was on a clearing with the wolf and chort. One my guide, the other my guard. Turned out I must actively call him for him to be able to save my ass. Although I have no idea what happened to the bitch." She mumbled in a soothing voice, hoping she was able to calm him down.
"The wolf told me he brought me here on purpose so I might get a happy life, but when he saw I wouldn´t be able to survive on my own he got the chort to play bodyguard."
"Everything was covered in blood and we didn't know what happened. The only thing we knew was that something ripped a Katakan into little pieces and that you laid lifeless in your own blood." Pain was written in his voice and Milli was sure she heard him sob against her shoulder.
"I am here. And I am alive. Lambert calm down, listen-" She moved his head so it rested above her heart. She wanted him to hear her heartbeat, that he realised she was still there no matter what happened to her.
"Lambert, I am still alive and here with you because you saved my life with the potions and body heat you gave me. But know I need you to stop with what you are doing in your head and get back into the here and now. Geralt needs your help with the wild gang, or whatever the name was, and to do that we need to get to Kaer Morhen as soon as possible. I can´t imagine what you must have felt when you saw me then, I only know that I would have been a mess. Please?" She pleaded with him and she was calmed when he nodded against her chest.
They stayed like that for the next couple of minutes in silence, until he suddenly lifted her up (she shrieked in surprise) and walked her again over to the bed.
But this time, after he had laid her down, he stayed hovering over her uncertainty in his eyes, like he feared what he would do next.
"Milli, when I saw you laying there I felt like I was dying. I felt pain I never felt before and all I wanted to do was scream. Us Witcher usually don´t have feelings, they get lost with the trial of grass. But you woke something in me- all I wanted the whole time was a normal life and traveling with you felt like that. You never treated me with hate or saw me as a monster." His voice was barely louder than a whisper. "I just wanted to tell you that before – I just wanted for you to know what I think, what I feel."
Without thinking, more like a reflex, Milli grabbed the back of his neck and pulled him towards her, her lips pressed against his she kissed him in a way they never kissed before.
Lambert was surprised at first, but quickly recovered and kissed her back. Breaking the kiss, the man let his forehead rest against hers; a smile graced his lips.
What was that? Damn girl.
"Lambert, I-I have no idea where that came from- wait- I don´t regret it. It´s just, I feel save and cared around you. You make me feel like I am wanted and I really really care for you, but, and this will sound so wrong, I don´t know if its love, or the fact that you give a shit about me, but there is no other place I would want to be than here with you. Does that even make sense?" The last part was more of a loud thought than an actual sentence.
"It does, I think. Damn Kitten. It seems we both have no idea what is going on." He whispered.
"Why don´t we just see where this leads to. Know that we both know how much the other means to us. And maybe learn more about the other a bit more."
That hurts! Stop talking Milli!
"We can do that. But for now, I need you stop talking. Or you won´t have any voice for the next couple of days." He smiled at her, happy about how his confession had worked out.
Initially he had feared she would push him away, but that she might feel the same things he was feeling had only been a far away hope on his side.
He saw her eyelids close and he left her to rest, her body was still weakened, himself began to take care of his gear.
AN 2.0:
So Milli is still alive and brought to that world to find happiness as well as Lambert, so will this story get a happy end? Who knows? :P
Hope this chapter brought a bit of light on the role the Wolf and Chort are and will be playing in this story ;)
I fear a bit I might have moved on too fast with their relationship after the "little" scare.
As always let me know what you think, I hope you enjoyed this chapter and thanks for reading ^^
If you have anything you want to happen, just send me a message or put it in the comments. This story develops as I write (I have some ideas though, who would have thought ^^), so there is nothing set in stone jet!