Eyes of Honesty | ~ Geralt of Rivia ~

Chapter 10 - Monsters

Geralt and Faye had just finished eating a fine meal and Faye found herself lost in thought when Geralt’s voice rumbled deeply. 

“Do I frighten you, Faye?” 

She eyed him suspiciously, confused by the question “No.” She replied. Where had this come from? How many days had she been travelling with him?

"I should.” He declared his eyes watchful.

"Why do you eat young women for sport?” She mocked, rolling her eyes. 

"Some” He said unable to stop himself, a sly smirk peaking at the corning of his lips.

"Geralt!" She choked on her ale, horrified at what he just said. "If you're saying what I think you're saying” She scolded. 

"What do you think I'm saying, Faye?” He teased, he smiled as her cheeks reddened and her eyes turned a shade of misty green. "I'd be glad to demonstrate" He mocked, clearly enjoying her embarrassed reaction.

She smacked his arm. "Keep your tongue away from me you devil" she hissed. 

He chuckled. "As you wish fair maiden" he grabbed her hand bowing over it. She rolled her eyes, reclaiming her hand.

"Hardly" he felt her go rigid at the word, a shame washing over her. He bit his tongue hard. 

"Faye, you know you have nothing to be ashamed of.”

"Drop it, Witcher. Just don't call me that anymore.” She said tensely, her shoulders were rigid, her eyes darkened, but she was adamant. 

"Just because someone took something from you doesn't make you any less pure" He reasoned, intrigued by this fierce response. 

 “I’m not pure.” She ground out angrily.

“More pure than the rest of us." He admitted.

She scoffed at that in anger. 

“Don’t pretend to know me Geralt of Rivia." She seethed between clenched teeth.

"You want to compare kills?” Geralt asked nonchalantly, crossing his arms over his chest.

Her demeanor changed at the drop of a pin. She went from glaring at him with anger and indignation to shock and then fear.

His eyebrow raised in intrigue, "Who'd you kill Faye?" he asked, leaning forward, uncrossing his arms, watching her carefully. 

She stared at him a good long while before finally sighing and dropping her head to rest against her hand. "Someone who deserved it. I took fate into my own hands" she whispered, gnawing at the inside of her lip.

"Is that why you left the druids?” 

"You really are a clever man." She looked at him with a melancholy smile, her eyes dark, the color of sage. 

"I'm more than just brawn and good looks" he admonished with a quirk of his eyebrow. 

"Clearly" a half hearted smile on her face.

He took her hand and cradled it in both of his overly large warm hands. "I'm not here to pass judgement on you" He said quietly, gazing into her troubled eyes. 

"Aren't you the wise witcher who says evil is evil?" She asked reproachfully, but allowed him to hold onto her hand.

"I deal in monsters and you've faced your own and come out on top.” He commended, brushing his thumb over her knuckles. 

"Did I? Even when it still haunts me?" She whispered. 

"The first one is always the hardest. I still remember my first.” He recognized her struggle, and knew that doing the right thing didn’t always end up feeling right. 

Faye sighed and slowly stood up to come around the table to sit next to the witcher. She leaned her head against his shoulder and stared at nothing, though her mind was going a mile a minute. He shifted beside her, he moved his arms so she sank firmly against his side, that arm then came to wrap around her shoulder. 

This was the first time she spoke about her misdeeds out loud, and surprisingly it didn’t hurt as bad as she thought it would. Geralt didn’t pass judgement on her, he didn’t make her feel like a pariah, and didn't think human life was untouchable. 

“Thank you Geralt.” She whispered, nuzzling her head comfortably against his chest.

“For what?” He asked, staring down at her, watching her think and spin in her own thoughts.

“For accepting me.” It was barely audible but he heard her. His grip on her tightened, as he bent down to kiss the top of her head.