An Oath To A Lion (Ciri X Reader)

Debt

Ciri took one last look at the man before quietly leaving the healer to her duty and retiring to the village inn. She hoped to see Geralt tonight but the reunion didn't happen, after staying up a few hours waiting she eventually payed the innkeeper for a room and retreated to it. After unburdening herself of her gear she let out a sigh as she plopped onto the bed, she lay awake thinking about the knight in not-so-shiny armour she saved today, she was just itching to find out more about him all the while praying that he'd make it through the night, with these thoughts on her mind sleep was not taking her on this night.

The next morning your eyes peel open like its their first time ever doing so, the light from the morning sun peers in through the windows of the small wooden house you're in. "Where am I?" You ask, hoping a figure would be there to answer as you hadn't yet scanned the environment thoroughly.

"Oh!" An older woman's voice calls out in shock.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you" you say softly, you now see the woman standing at a table not far from you.

"No, no! You didn't scare me, I just... Didn't think you'd survive is all" she said nervously while she gives you a strange look.

"What happened?" you ask as you slightly lift yourself, you feel sore as hell but not enough to stop your curiosity and concern.

Before the woman could respond a knock on the door interrupted the conversation. "I'll get that" the old woman said.

You sat up now, the ache was intense, you saw bandages wrapped around your very nude body, you didn't really care about the whole nude thing, you were just lost, sore, and had many questions...

Ciri walks in at the healers beckon and looks toward the knight instantly, seeing his fully naked form was not the sight she expected and she chuckled "so do they not have clothes where you come from?" She teased. Even the healer was shocked to see him despite working on his wounds likely late into the night.

You flinched as you quickly sat down and covered yourself up with a nearby blanket you were obviously given last night "Sorry M'lady, I wasn't expecting company" you say shyly.

"M'lady? Wow, real gentleman aren't you?" She said with a slight chuckle, clearly slightly taken back by the etiquette.

You looked around awkwardly, still trying to gather yourself and to your relief the healer approached you with some clothes, an aqua blue tunic with brown breeches, it would do. You nodded as you took them from her and then stared at the beautiful white haired woman in your presence, she stared back with a smile. "Well I should probably get these clothes on..." You say, generally as a warning that you're about to reveal yourself again.

"Oh! I'm so sorry- right, right! Clothes!" she said in a flustered mess as she turned her gaze toward the healer who had a smug look upon her face.

After she averted her eyes you dropped the blanket and began to dress appropriately. Despite your serious wounds you were actually alive and mobile, it was shocking, even to yourself.

Ciri swallowed, or tried to, seemingly she had trouble swallowing which caught the attention of the old woman who knew very well what was going on with her. "Oh dear you're as red as a tomato!" The healer said, just to draw unwanted attention to Ciri who then turned to see the Knights reaction without thinking if he was dressed yet, he was. But his gaze was fixated on Ciri who now really was as red as a tomato.

"Are you okay m'lady?" You ask with genuine concern and take a step closer to the poor girl.

Ciri, unable to find words just nods her head awkwardly with a smile before finally finding her tongue "Yes, yes I'm fine, thank you" she says sweetly before shooting a demonic glare at the healer who was just revelling in this whole situation.

You shook your head as you realized you hadn't thanked the healer for well, saving you, and clothing you. "Ma'am, I'm sorry, my manors must've escaped me, I never thanked you for all you've done for me, you healed me better than I thought possible and gave me these clothes, for that, I am deeply greatful" you say as you gently bow.

The old woman smiles "Oh it's no worries, I'm just glad you pulled through so well, I still advise you stay away from combat for some time to properly heal. As for the clothes, they aren't the best but they belonged to my late husband and they're all I have I'm afraid"

Ciri butted in, just wanting her presence to be known "what happened to your husband if I may ask Ma'am?" The ashen haired one asked.

"Not far from here there is an accursed tower keep where an evil spirit rests, my foolish husband wanted a better life for us, he went after the bounty on the spirit and... never returned..." It was clear that the retelling of the story was yet painful, there was no closure.

Ciri's eyes opened wide in shock as she looked toward the knight who looked traumatized at the woman's story, he recognized it.

You stood there, fragmented memories that felt like they didn't belong to you came flooding in, memories of slaughter and evil, memories of the white haired girl who stood before you but she was an adversary, she was with an older man who also fought you... You put the pieces together that all the wounds you remember receiving are still fresh on your body. You panic and dart out the door of the healers hut and look around frantically while breathing deeply.

What the hell happened to me?

Ciri comes running out not long after "Hey! Wait! We need to talk" she says as she runs up to the knight, she noticed his wound reopened and he was bleeding through his shirt "You damned fool, calm down! You opened a wound" she said with a stern growl. She knew after the recent episode it was best to fix the man up herself as the healer would surely have questions that Ciri doesn't exactly have the answers for. She escorted the man to the inn and straight into the room she rented the night before, hoping that it was still valid.

The woman sat you down on the bed and took no time in pulling the once blue shirt off your body "Red must just be your colour" she says as she shakes her head and examines your wound, it's the exit wound from the sword that was thrusted into you only hours ago. She growled again at the mess you made "be still" she said. "M'lady, I'm fi-" "BE still" she then demanded "and stop calling me that, it was charming at first but now it's creepy" she says as she began to stitch your wound up. "Well are you not a lady? You certainly look like one" you said, genuinely confused.
"I'm a woman yes, but I'm no lady" she said as she roughly pulled a thread trough your flesh hoping for a painful reaction "Ow!" You replied, giving the girl what she hopped for, she smiled as she eased up and continued to stitch you up.