I dedicate this chapter to @mandalores
Can't wait to read your Witcher fanfic!
~~~
Anaya groaned, clutched her stomach that was rumbling painfully every chance it got. She hadn't eaten in a day, which was something she wasn't used to. Growing up in a castle, she didn't have to worry about if there would be enough food to satisfy her, she didn't have to worry if there would be enough food for her family. When she sometimes left half her plate unfinished, it didn't even occur to her that her subjects would kill for the food on her plate, that most of them were starving. Now, looking around at both Garrison and Geralt who seemed completely unfazed by how long they'd all gone without food, she wondered how many days of hunger they must have had to endure for their stomachs to not even make a sound.
"I swear, woman, you're making more noise than a new whore," Garrison whispered.
"I can't help it," Anaya said from underneath her cloak that had gone stiff from the dried mud.
The two stood patiently near the entrance of a village they'd come across, careful not to draw too much attention to themselves as they waited for Geralt to return with some food and supplies. Despite Anaya's offer to assist him, Geralt had decided it was too risky for her to be roaming a village where there may be royal guards and huntsmen. So, there she stood with Garrison, waiting eagerly for whatever food he would bring.
Soon, Geralt returned with Roach following close behind. Much to Anaya's disappointment, there was no trace of food, only a flyer in his hand.
"Where's the food? More importantly, where's the ale?" Garrison asked.
"They were charging me three times the usual price," Geralt said.
"Why?" Anaya said.
"I'm a Witcher. Even with your coin there wasn't enough."
"So, what do we do now?"
Gelt sighed and held up the flyer, "There's a kikimora nearby that's been plaguing the fishermen of this village. I figured if I kill it for them, it'll earn us enough coin for the food and supplies we need."
After hearing the name kikimora, Anaya's stomach finally stopped rumbling. She didn't feel so hungry anymore, not now that her stomach was filled with fear. She'd heard of such creatures before, her nannies used to tell her tales of these horrible devil spawns. These creatures, with multiple speak-like legs that would jab at you and multiple black eyes that would follow your every move, were practically raised from hell. She'd never actually seen one, but she knew she didn't want to.
"Where do you want us to wait?" Anaya asked.
"Wait? You're going to be my bait," Geralt said.
"Great."
~~~
When they'd arrived at the woodland lake where the kikimora was located, the creature was nowhere to be seen. For a moment, Anaya even felt relieved. That is until Geralt informed her the creature inhabited an underwater cave and he needed Anaya to draw it out so he could attack the creature from behind.
"You want me to go out there? Into the water?" Anaya said, looking out at the green lake. From afar, it didn't look that bad, the lake actually looked kind of pretty. However, when she looked closer she noticed the bones of people and fish that were licked clean floating on top of the water.
Geralt nodded as he wiped his sword clean of the dried blood from the hunter he'd killed.
"Why can't Garrison go?"
YOU ARE READING
Heart of Ice • The Witcher
Fantasy"He was her dark fairytale and she was his twisted fantasy. And together they made magic." A retelling of Snow White and The Huntsman Based on the Netflix series This is a little fluffy and a little smutty so read if you're into that Geralt Of Riv...
