The Boy from Rivia and the Girl from Oxenfurt

V

The morning light burned through my eyelids, pulling me from my sleep. My eyes finally fluttered open. My surroundings were unfamiliar. For a moment, panic covered me. I gasped, sitting up quickly. Pain surged through my body from my stomach. A man slept in the chair next to the bed I laid in. His golden eyes opened quickly as the sounds of my motion.

"Vivian." He rose from the chair, putting his hand on my forehead. "How are you feeling?"
"Sore. My stomach and my leg." I groaned, leaning back against the headboard.
"You'll be sore for awhile. The raiders cut you deep in both places. They also used a poison from a monster. You saved yourself by telling us an ice bath and golden oriole." Geralt laughed, sitting back in his seat. The pang of worry had gone from him face.
"The raiders!" I gasped again. "My home. My dad." I looked at Geralt, fearful my father was gone.

"He and most of your village are alive. Thanks to you I hear." He leaned forward. "Eskel and the others finished off what was left of the raiders when they left a week ago. They found the villagers and brought them back home. They've been waiting to tell you for days." He explained.
"How long have I been out?" I asked, unsure if I wanted to know.
"You've been in and out for a week. We didn't know if you'd make it the first night here. The bleeding wouldn't stop. Then that night you had a fever that wouldn't break. The next day was hallucinations. When we got the fever to stop, you wouldn't wake up. Vesemir thought the fever had already hurt your brain too much. So I've been here every night. I wanted to make sure you were still breathing." Geralt looked upset. His face twisted in pain. My hand found his.
"Thank you." I smiled, squeezing his hand slightly.
"Don't do that to me again. I-" He paused, looking at his feet, "I can't lose you." he muttered.
"I'm sorry, Geralt." My heart broke to see him like this. I tried to soften the mood. "Well, I haven't eaten in awhile. Take me to find food?" I asked. He nodded and began helping me out of bed.
"Geralt, where are my clothes?" I snapped a look at him. I was in a giant black tunic. I assumed it was Geralt's since it looked like his size.

"Well... They were kind of ruined by all the blood and sweat. So we couldn't save them. But, Eskel did bring you some things that your father had packed for you." I grabbed the bag as he picked it off the ground. I dug around for clean pants. I leaned against the bed, pushing a leg into each hole. When I tried to stand, J wobbled, falling back onto the bed.
"Here. Hold my shoulders. I'll pull them up." Geralt chuckled.
"I'm not a child, Geralt." I growled.
"No, but you need help. Let me help." I nodded. I grabbed onto his shoulders as he pulled me onto my feet. His hands pulled my pants up around my waist, careful on my injured leg. His hands remained under the large tunic and rested at my waist. My heart began to pound in my chest. I could feel my face flush for
his touch.
"Are you feeling sick? Your heart is racing and your face has turned red." He looked confused.
"I'm ok, Geralt. Let's just go eat." I let go of his shoulders. He held me up with an arm under mine, helping me stay steady as I walked.

"Ah, the brave warrior of Ban Ard lives!" Lambert called, raising a pitcher of ale.
"Indeed! Be careful White Wolf, her right hook is nasty!" A witcher laughed.
"What?" I gasped, as Geralt set me at a table across from Lambert and the other witcher.
"I came to check on you while Geralt helped Vesemir. I wiped your brow of sweat and you caught me right in the eye!" The witcher laughed again. "I'm Eskel by the way." My mouth hung open in surprise.
"I'm so sorry." I gasped, shaking his hand. "I'm Vivian. I heard you were one of the witchers to check on my village?" Eskel nodded in response.
"Coen and Hager also came. The village was burned in some spots but you left a wake of destruction of your own." Eskel explained.
"I've never seen so many men killed by one person lined up across the ground like that." Coen looked stunned as he spoke.
"Yeah, I didn't mean to kill them all. But this isn't the first village of mine they've attacked." I rubbed the back of my neck. Geralt placed a plate in front of me. Bread, dried meat and a few pieces of fruit covered the plate. He set a mug down as well. I peeked into it, disappointed to find only water. I looked at him puzzled.
"No ale until your wounds fully close." He grunted, eating his own food. I rolled my eyes as the boys across from us laughed. I ate my food and conversed with the witchers. They found me interesting. A girl, trained for battle, with the knowledge of a mage healer, but the eyes of something not human.
"Maybe she's elf." Coen guessed.
"Or a mage." Eskel laughed
"Or a magical creature." Hager's eyes widened.
"Or just a human with nice eyes and a smart head." Geralt grunted, tossing back the rest of his ale. I laughed at them. I finished my food and let out a small yawn.
"Let's get your bandages changed and then put you back in bed."
"Geralt, I've been asleep for a week, I'm ok." I stated. His flat expression basically said he didn't care what I said or wanted. I got back to my feet with his help and we walked back to his room. He helped me sit on the bed before grabbing more bandages.

"I need to remove your pants so I can redress your leg." He looked up at me from his kneeling position on the ground. I nodded. He stripped off my pants then examined my leg. The cut was mostly healed. It would definitely scar. His touch sent shivers down my spine. He then stood up and looked at me.
"You need to remove the tunic so I can dress your stomach." I looked at him in a panic. The tunic was the only thing covering my body by now.
"Uh, Geralt. I'm not dressed under this tunic." I muttered.
"And?" He groaned, annoyed I was wasting his time.
"You'll see me naked." I whispered.
"I'm not going to attack you because I see you naked, Vivian." He laughed. "And after this last week, the last thing you should worried about it me seeing you naked. I've already seen it. Who do you think has be changing your clothes when you sweat though everything. I'm out of clean tunics." He smiled at me.
"Oh." I mumbled, suddenly insecure. His hand touched my face, pulling my chin so I would look at him.
"You are safe with me, Viv. I'd never hurt you." He sighed.
"It's not that... I-..." I paused, giving up. "It's stupid. Just-" I pulled the tunic over my head, revealing my underwear garments only. His eyes trailed up my body like he would love to just take a bite. He helped me stand as he removed the bandages from my stomach. This cut was deeper but seemed to be healing the same as my leg. He rewrapped it and helped me sit down again.
"Vivian... Talk to me." He said, handing me the tunic again.
"No, friends don't talk about what's going through my head." He sat next to me on the bed.
"Fine then we're not friends."
"You saw me naked..."
"You didn't want me to?"
"Not like that!" I burst. My hand covered my mouth. He let out a little chuckle and patted a hand on my uninjured leg.
"Vivian, oh, Viv." He got up then kneeled between my legs to be able to be face to face with me. "If there was any way to see you naked while you weren't unconscious and bleeding, I would've." He smiled, caressing my cheek with his hand. My eyes widened.
"But... You said..." I stuttered
"I thought that's what you wanted." Geralt muttered, still holding my cheek. "I thought it would keep you safe."
"No, you idiot!" I laughed. His gaze was warm and affectionate. His face drew closer to mine, pulling me into a deep kiss. His tongue flicked over my bottom lip, asking for my own. He kissed me with such passion and affection. It was delicate and soft but rough and deep. It was everything I'd dreamed of.