Chapter II

A month had passed and Rhaena was on the path again and she came across a contract on a archgriffin so she went to the ealderman who put the contract out on the griffin.

"I'm here about the contract" Rhae said from atop her horse

"You better hurry young lady, another witcher came and saw about the contract a few minutes ago"

"Which way did he go?"

"To the inn, that's where the witness is"

"Thank you"

Rhaena headed to the inn, once she got to the inn she dismounted her horse then she walked inside the inn that's when she saw the other witcher she looked at him she decided that she'd let him take the contract since there are plenty more contracts strewn out the countryside, she goes to the inn keeper for a hot meal and a mug of mead, she turned to see Lambert and an unknown witcher staring at her as she waited.

"Rhae?"

"Hello Lambert" She walked pass Lambert and the unknown witcher towards an empty table carrying a bowl and mug, Lambert was hot on her heels.

"Rhaena wait up"

Rhaenastopped once she reached the table, she didn't want to look at him she felt guilty for leaving the way she did after he saved her life.

"What is it Lambert?" She set the bowl and mug down her back still to him.

"Can you at least look at me? It's the least you can do" Lambert answered but that wasn't the answer she wanted.

She slowly turned and looked at him, not able to face him she kept her eyes fixed on his chest "What is it Lambert?" She looked intensely at his chest.

"Where have you been?" Lambert didn't take his eyes off of her.

"Around" she shrugged not really wanting to answer the question

"Are you here for the contract?"

"Yeah, I was but you and your friend can have it, considering it a parting gift" Rhaena turned and sat down.

"Since Lambert won't introduce me to you, I'm Eskel"

"And I'm Geralt" They all looked toward the new comer.

"I'm Rhaena, three Witchers one contract what a lucky town"

"You're not staying?" Geralt asked as he walked over to them.

Rhae shakes her head before taking a sip from the mug "Unlike you wolves, I have no where to winter once the snow sets in, not since the last griffin school was destroyed, so I should get moving before the snow begins to fall"

"Where will you go?" Geralt asked as he sat across from her.

"North maybe, I don't know yet, I go wherever the contracts are" Rhae began to eat as Lambert and Eskel sat as well.

"Then you'll come to Kaer Morhen with us, I don't feel like hearing Lambert whine about how you slipped through his fingers again" Eskel added with a smirk planted on his face.

"Sure, why not, Lambert you have a contract, while me, Eskel and Geralt don't, you should get moving whilst you still have daylight"

Lambert left as Eskel and Geralt went and got the same thing Rhae had gotten only moments earlier, hours had passed by the time Lambert had returned, Rhae was leaning against the wall asleep as Eskel and Geralt played gwent to pass time.

"Is the Griffin dead?" Geralt asked

"Yes but there was fucking two of them and a nest of eggs" Lambert folded his arms on the table and laid his head on them.

Geralt laughed as he passed Lambert a mug of mead he took a mouthful as he looked over at Rhaena who looked peaceful as she slept he set the mug down.

"I'm going to get payment" Lambert stood up and walked out of the inn.

"You ready to go?" Geralt and Eskel look at Rhaena who was still asleep.

One week later…

Geralt and Rhaena were riding in front of Lambert and Eskel they were talking about the weirdest contract they've ever taken, Lambert was getting a little jealous he wanted to ride next to her, he wanted to be the one talking to her and the one to be making her laugh, Eskel could see that Lambert was getting annoyed, he rode up to Rhaena and whispered something to her, she looked back at Lambert who had his head hung low she looked at Eskel and Geralt.

"You guys go a head to Kaer Morhen, me and Lambert won't be far behind"

They both nodded and took off as Rhae stopped her horse, Lambert looked up as he heard horses galloping off he saw that Rhaena had stopped completely and he stopped his horse beside her.

"Everything okay?" Lambert looked at her.

Rhaena looked at Lambert before pulling him into a kiss Rhaena gripped Lambert's Jacket as her lips pressed against his, Lambert pulled her as close as he could with out pulling her off of her horse as he kissed her back, after what felt like a life time they both pulled away they both rode to Kaer Morhen in silence Lambert was too shocked to speak and Rhaena was enjoying the silence, by the time they had reached Kaer Morhen there was a welcoming party not for Lambert but for Rhaena, Triss, Yennifer and Ciri were talking to Geralt the three of them had their backs to Lambert and Rhaena.

This must be some kind of new trendRhaena thought to herself.

Eskel and Vesemir were of to the side talking about repairs that Kaer Morhen needed.

"Rhaena! Lambert!" Geralt pushed pass the two women and child and grabbed the reins of Rhaena's horse as he patted its neck, Rhaena dismount.

"Solid ground" Rhae used her horse to hold herself up.

Geralt laughed as Eskel and Vesemir made their way over to them, the two women and child behind them, by the time they reached them Rhae had gotten over her jelly legs and was standing straight, she took the reins from Geralt as she patted the white blaze on her horses head.

"Who is this beautiful creature? And the owner isn't too bad on the eyes either" Vesemir patted Rhae's horse

"His name is Storm"

"How did he get that name?" Vesemir asked confused.

"He was born in a storm"

"Make sense"

Rhaena covered her mouth as she yawned, Lambert looked over at her then at Vesemir who also noticed her yawning.

"Ciri, would you show our guest to the room above the library"

"Yes uncle Vesemir"

Ciri grabbed Rhae's hand and starts to drag her up the ramp, towards the the castle, once the two of them reach the doors, Ciri opened them before grabbing Rhae's hand again and walk into the castle Ciri looked at her swords.

"Are you a witcher too?" Ciri asked not taking her eyes off Rhaena's swords.

"Yes I am"

"When I grow up I want to be a witcher too" Ciri stated as she showed Rhaena to the room she'd be staying in for the winter, it was bigger than any room she has stayed in.

"It'll be hard work become a witcheress but if you become one you'll become the second female to become a witcher" Rhaena removed the swords from her back and laid them on the table, she looked around the large room stopping her search of the room when her eyes were met with a large wooden bath, she looked at Ciri who smiled "Am I seeing things or is that really a bath"

"It's a bath" Ciri giggled "I'll get Lambert to bring some water up for you"

Rhaena smiled as she nodded and with that Ciri raced down the stairs and out to the courtyard where Lambert was standing with his horse, he lent down to hear what Ciri had to say, Rhae was standing on the balcony overlooking the courtyard she looked down at Ciri and Lambert.

"Lambert"

"Yes Ciri"

"Your girlfriend wants a bath, help me get some water?"

"My who?"

"Your girlfriend" Ciri pointed to Rhaena who was now fighting back laughter and tears.

"Ok, I'll help, and she's not my girlfriend"

Lambert walked off Ciri skipped after him humming softly to herself, Rhaena walked inside closing the balcony doors, before wiping tears from her eyes, sitting on the bed she heard footsteps coming up the stairs she listened carefully hearing the two heartbeats one was calm and the other one gave off a excitement type of vibe, Rhaena knew it was Lambert and Ciri, Ciri was the first one to enter the room.

"We have your water, there's more down stairs so it might be a little while before the bath is full" Ciri placed the bucket of water she was carrying down as Lambert came in behind her.

Rhaena got up from the bed and walked over to Ciri and Lambert as Lambert set the two buckets he was carrying down.

"Here let me help, it'll be faster if the three of us carry the buckets up"

"Good idea" Ciri grabbed Rhae's hand and pulled her towards the door as Eskel, Geralt and Vesemir carried the remaining buckets up.

Rhaena looked down at Ciri who looked defeated by their actions, both Ciri and Rhae moved out of their way as they carried the buckets over to the bath, the four witchers began pouring the water from the buckets into the bath, Ciri looked at the four men once they filled the bath up, Lambert and Eskel were both looking at Rhae as she pulled her raven locks out of the bun they were trapped in, as her hair fell lose Ciri looked at all of the men as she pointed to the door Vesemir and Geralt left the room, Lambert and Eskel stood looking at Rhae ,Ciri cleared her throat which caused Eskel to look at her, Rhaena turned and looked at the three of them, Eskel left the room only because Ciri was death staring him, she then turned her gaze to Lambert.

"It's ok Ciri, I need to talk to Lambert"

"Ok" Ciri looked at Rhaena "do you want me to close the door?"

"Yes please"

Ciri smiled as she left the room, leaving the doors opened before heading down the stairs, Rhaena looked over at Lambert who stood across from her the two of them held each other's gaze for what felt like a life time, Lambert didn't know what to say to her, he knew she wanted to talk about the kiss why else would she want him alone, Rhae walked over to him while he tried to figure out what she wanted, Lambert snapped back to reality when he felt lips against his own with out thinking his hands automatically moved to Rhaena's waist as he kissed her back, she wrapped her arms around his neck as she kicked her boots off as Lambert began removing her shirt stopping when she took a step back grabbed her side, Lambert moved her hand seeing the claw marks.

"When did this happen?"

"A week ago? It was a werewolf contract"

"I'll go get you some swallow"

"Lambert, wait" Rhae walked over to him "I've already had swallow only time will heal this now"

Lambert closed the door in case she wanted to take the bath, which Rhaena did after removing her clothes Rhae got into the bath and sat down, this was heaven the first real bath she had in weeks since leaving Graham's.

Three weeks in…

Three had passed since Rhae had arrived at Kear Morhen and she was becoming stir crazy, she was not use to being in the same place for long periods of time the longest she had ever stayed somewhere is when she broke her leg and the man… vampire who stayed with her until her leg was mended and he only let her leave when she was able to walk without a limp, she owed him everything she even burned the contact she had on him. The four withers watched as Rhae paced back and forth Eskel could tell that Rhaena didn't want to be at Kaer Morhen and the only reason she is here is for Lambert but after the fight they had neither of them had spoken a single word to one another, Eskel stood up and walked over to Rhaena.

"Rhae is everything okay?"

Stopping Rhaena looked at Eskel "Everything is fine, I'm just not use to being in one place for too long, not since I broke my leg, maybe I should just leave, it not like I'd be missed" Vesemir, Lambert and Geralt walked over to where Eskel and Rhaena were standing, Vesemir looked at Rhaena.

"What's going on?" Geralt looked at the two witchers in front of him

"Rhaena is thinking of leaving"

"Come my dear I'll brave a round of gwent with you and we can talk about you wanting to leave" Vesemir looked at her as he smiled.

"Alright Vesemir, let's play"

Both Rhae and Vesemir walked over to the table and sat down, they both pulled a deck of gwent cards each, Rhae pulled out her Nilfgaardian deck and Vesemir pulled out a monster deck, Rhae could tell Vesemir was in it to win, they both tied the first round, which was an automatic win for Rhae, Rhaena looked over at Vesemir as he played a 'Botchling' card to the 'Fringilla Vigo' that she had played her previous turn.

"How long have you been a witcher?"

"Feels like forever" Rhae played a spy card and in result picked up two cards from her deck.

"Only reason I'm askin' is I've a friend who was in the school of the Griffin and he made no mention of a female witcher"

Rhaena looked up from her cards to look Vesemir in the eyes, his gaze met hers "You saying I'm not a witcher?"

"Well…"

"Vesemir what is the meaning of this?" Eskel looked at Vesemir as he walked over Geralt and Lambert following him.

"It's a good question Eskel"

Geralt and Lambert stood behind Vesemir as Eskel stood beside Rhaena, Rhaena could tell Lambert was asking the same question Vesemir did without a word just by the expression on his face.

"Least I can see where you stand Lambert, and it's okay Eskel" Rhaena stood up and lent over to table "It's true I'm not a Griffin my husband was, I wear his medallion, my school died out way before any of youse were mere thoughts in your parents minds"

Rhaena stormed off the the room where her belongings were, grabbing her swords and bag, she packed her clothes before walking out the door and into Eskel, wrapping his arms around her Eskel caught Rhaena before she fell backwards.

"Where are you going?" Eskel unwrapped his arms from around her form.

"Anywhere but here" Rhaena pulled out a medallion and slipped it into Eskel's hand "thank you for standing up for me back there"

She placed a kiss upon Eskel's cheek as she slid past him as he looked at the medallion in his hand by the time he looked up Rhaena was gone, running down the stairs he ran past Geralt, Lambert and Vesemir as he V-lined for the door, the three men followed him as the four of the ran to the stable Rhaena had finished saddling Storm up as they reached her, placing her hand on Storms cheek she ignored three of the four men behind her.

"What school is this?" Eskel held up her medallion

"Manticore, just like the creature the school is also nearly extinct"

"Rhae what do you mean?" Lambert was the one that asked the question that was on all of their lips.

"I'm the last living Manticore witcher"

Rhaena pulled herself into the saddle before looking down at the four men, not able to keep eye contact with any of them she rode off not wanting to hear of or from any of them again except for Eskel.