The Boy from Rivia and the Girl from Oxenfurt

XVI

Months had passed. I lived alone in a far away land. I didn't talk to people. I didn't make friends. In the village, I was known as a loner. When I did go to the village, I only spoke to one or two merchants to buy things. Otherwise, no one looked at me or said anything to me. They got the sense that I was dangerous and uncaring. That was the farthest thing from the truth though. I lived as far from the village as I could, to avoid bringing monsters to the innocents. I left medicines and herbs at the homes of villagers I knew were sick. What can I say, I have a skill for eavesdropping and would hear who was ill. But to everyone, I seemed mean and rude.

Maybe in some capacity, they were right. In those months, my heart had turned cold. I didn't think of Kaer Moren. I didn't care for myself. I didn't perform magic except for when I would toy with the cat that stuck around my little home. I murdered monsters with such rage. I didn't feel remorse when I killed deer or rabbits for food. I didn't think of Geralt.

At least, not until the day he found me. The day the monster took over. The day I died. What happened you ask?

The village decided I was the monster killing young girls in the woods. It wasn't me. I was hunting it. Someone in the village had followed me to the monsters liar. They told the rest of the village it was me. The next time I went to the village for supplies, they grabbed me, tied me up, and made me stand "trial."

"I saw her. She picked at the bones of my baby girl. See even her eyes glow like a devil! She's the monster!" The man who followed me cried from the ground below me.

"I seen her pick the meat off a horse's bones like it was nothing!" A young woman cried. I picked at the ropes that bound my hands to the pole behind me. More chimed in crazy nonsense to push me further into guilty.

"Settle down!" The priest called from next to me. I glanced out at the crowd, a familiar face watched me. It was a captain from my father's castle. His eyes said something evil. In that moment, I knew he'd been killing in the woods or he was responsible for whatever was killing in the woods. My father sent him I'm sure. Payback for killing his son and running away.

"By the authority of the Eternal Flame, I find you guilty of murder." The priest ordered. At this moment, I realized they would burn me. I stood atop a pyre. The priest walked off the platform we stood on and men stacked wood onto the sides of the platform. Another man lit a torch, bringing it to the edge of the platform, lighting the wood that had just been stacked.

The flames rose, engulfing new parts of the platform every second. I didn't struggle, I didn't move, I watched the captain of my father's guard. Our eyes locked in a stalemate. I was ready to die. I wouldn't go back to my father's castle to rule. He was on his own. When the flames reached me, I could feel the heat searing through my clothes and skin. Minutes passed, the world went black.

———————— Geralt's POV ———————
Reports of a monster in the woods reached me quickly. It was far away from Kaer Moren. A plausible place for Vivian to disappear to. I wanted to search for her, but I knew she was running from me. Vesemir told me to look. My heart told me to look. But my mind told me no.

Either way, I went to where the reports originated. The village was holding a witch trial. The body had been burned already. I went to the town tavern, wanting to get information about the thing in the woods.
"What can I do for yer, Witcher?" The barkeep asked, wiping out a mug.
"Looking for information on the monster in the woods." I grunted, taking a seat next to a man.
"Ah, the town solved that problem. That pyre is what ended the monster's life. Its body is still up there."
"Mmm." I grunted again, staring at the mug of ale in front of me. "It was killing young girls?"
"Aye. The monster was a loner who lived on the edge of the village. She was captured this morning. This fine gentleman next to you actually tipped us off." The barkeep motioned to a dark haired man. His hair pulled into a ponytail. The captain... My eyes darted to him. He was here for the same reason as me. Vivian. The captain smiled at me.
"Just doing what I can for the people." He dropped some coins on the table and began leaving. I did the same, following him out of the building. Once we entered an alley, my hands grabbed his shoulders, shoving him against a wall. My heart pounded in my ears. What did he do to her? Was that her body? Rage made my face hot. My heart felt like it was in my throat and ass at the same time.
"That's Vivian isn't it?" I growled, digging my fingers into his shoulders.
"You know the answer."
"Why?"
"Her father ordered it. Plus, she was a monster. You know it and so do I. I always wondered what would happen when someone asked a mage for help with a baby. Now I do. You get a female witcher who has more monster tendencies than you." He laughed, pulling the knife from his belt. Without a second thought, my hand twisted his knife from being directed at me, to plunging it into his abdomen. I pushed my face towards his ear.
"Fuck. You." I whispered, twisting the knife in his stomach before releasing him to fall on the ground. I left the alley, slowly approaching the town square, looking at the pyre. A slender body slouched, burned, not breathing.

A necklace dangled from her neck. It was mine. One I'd given her. I yanked it from her neck, letting a tear fall from my eye. With that, I left. Taking Roach in search for Vivian's home in the woods. I needed to see for myself that the girl on the pyre was her. Before reaching the edge of the village, screams erupted from the town square. I turned, seeing the burned body had disappeared. Bodies covered the floor of the town square. The woman from the pyre was ripping people apart. Vivian was killing people. Her eyes glowed brighter than normal. They darted towards me, making eye contact before grabbing the man in front of her who swung a sword towards her. She pulled off his head before disappearing into the woods. She'd only killed those who attacked her. After she dismembered that man, she ran into the woods.