The Witcher: Raven and Wolf

9. Dhu

Tears slip down her face as she rushes out of the house, pulling her hood over her face and walking towards the stalls. Geralt follows her, trying to sort the information he just gathered. It hurts him to see her like this, although he wonders why she didn't just kill Stregobor. Maybe she didn't believe what he said. Or the bond between him and her is too strong for her to break it. Either way, she seems to have a dark past. And he wonders how he never noticed her in Kaer Morhen. Maybe she was kept hidden. But then Vesemir would have known about her. And the way he talked seemed as if he only ever heard rumours about Aderyn.

Or, he said that on purpose.

Aderyn climbs onto Váli and rides out of Tridam. Geralt struggles to keep up, having a slower horse. "Ryn!" he shouts, speeding up Roach. But Aderyn is too hurt to stop anywhere near the village. She makes course for the Kestrel Mountains, riding out into the night. Trees pass her, and she soon sees the river Buina. Following it, she soon leaves Geralt behind. He continues to follow her, a deep feeling gripping him, although he doesn't know what it is. When the night becomes too dark, Geralt follows her scent. The fresh scent of elixirs he knows too well.

The scent fades for a while, but soon gets stronger again and he slows Roach down, arriving at the crossing of the rivers Buina and Merops. There he sees some trees, all huddled up together and forming a perfect hiding place. The trees are all grown, yet Geralt can smell that they are young. Aderyn planted these. He climbs off Roach and takes her to where Váli is tied to a branch. He leaves his mare there and makes his way through the trees. They're grown very close to each other, letting none of the light of the fire in the middle escape. The place where the horses are is too under a protection spell.

"Ryn." Geralt sighs in relief when he sees the woman sitting on a large blanket, fidgeting around with her amulet. She stares into the fire and quietly whispers a rhyme.

Wolves asleep amidst the trees,

bats all swaying in the breeze.

But one soul lies anxious wide awake,

fearing all manner of ghouls, hags and wraiths.

My dear dolly polly shut your eyes,

lie still, lie silent utter no cries.

As the Witcher,

brave and bold, paid in coin of gold.

He'll chop and slice you,

gut and dice you,

eat you up whole.

Eat you whole.

Geralt frowns at Aderyn as she speaks parts of the lullaby of woe. A tear slips down her cheek and she looks up at Geralt. "That is what they sing, Geralt. Of us." she says and Geralt is now absolutely sure that she is a witcher. The white wolf sighs and steps over to the raven, sitting down next to her. "That song is for children, Ryn." he says and she looks up at him. "And yet they despise us as adults." she whispers.

The two come into a deep silence, both of them tired, yet experiencing insomnia. The fire slowly dies out and Aderyn adds another pile of wood to it. She leans back against one of the trees and sighs. "Agwetheill." she whispers, and the branches of the trees open up to let the two witchers look up into the starlit night. Geralt looks at the sky, seeing the stars twinkle, as a sign of hope. The two stay silent for another while, before Geralt sees Aderyn fidget around with her amulet again.

"Who is Declán?" he asks. Aderyn looks at him with a numb expression. "My brother." Geralt frowns at her words. "Is that why you chose to go after the witch?" Aderyn gives him a look of guilt, grabbing her bag and getting some seeds out to eat. "I chose to go to Ard Carraigh because I fight for the people."

"No, you don't." Geralt says effortlessly. Aderyn sighs and closes her eyes, taking her time to answer. "What else is there left to do, Geralt?" she gets up and walks around, "As a mage, I am nothing, I have no political power whatsoever over the continent and the brotherhood hates me. And as a witcher, I am a joke. Do you really think anyone would ever trust me to kill a kikimora? A striga? A ghoul itself?"

"I would."

Aderyn gasps and looks at Geralt who is now standing in front of her, softly grabbing one of her arms and turning the raven towards him. Her grey eyes meet his yellow ones, letting her see the deepness of them for the first time. Geralt's fingertips trace Aderyn's scar over her left eye as she closes them, letting Geralt guide her. "A week ago I would not have believed it if you told me that female witchers exist. I thought they were myths. Lies created by men to drive witchers mad into their service. But when I met you, everything changed."

Aderyn chuckles and opens her eyes. Geralt's eyes jump from her eyes to her lips and back. He slowly leans in, now blinking less and closing his eyes when they hear a rustle in the trees. Aderyn steps back, grabbing two daggers and standing in an alert position. Geralt draws his sword. "Dhu." Aderyn whispers, making the fire go out and the smoke rise up into the sky. The two witchers quietly step to the trees, peering out into the darkness. There is nothing moving, at least nothing they can see, and so Geralt steps out, slowly tip-toeing to the horses.

The darkness Aderyn made with her spell causes them not to be able to see as much as before, blinding the witchers from the truth- something is lurking in the dark. Geralt sniffs the air, smelling blood. He steps closer to the horses and sees that both horses are hurt by their hooves. Not killed, and not mortally injured. Just incapable of riding fast. Geralt sprints towards them and turns around- only to find himself alone.

Suddenly he hears a scream, so pitched and horrifying, crawling its way into his mind, breaking into every cell. Pain rushes through his head but he fights it, running back to where he had seen Aderyn last. "Ryn!" he shouts before barging into the circle she had made out of trees.

She is gone.

On the ground there is blood. And her amulet.

__________

Heyy, it's good to be back!

hope this doesn't haunt you too much.

next part will be up soon!!

x B

P.S. Dhu means dark in Elder speech