Kyana Of Cintra

17

Behind a few ferns, not far from where the trio stood, was a creature. Geralt made no answer, instead pulling Kyana next to him behind the rock, shielding her from the next pellet.

"Oh, I have to see this magical, this mythi -" Jaskier didn't have time to look upon his next song, instead being knocked out cold by the next silver pellet that clipped the left side of his forehead.

"You take that rock over there." Geralt whispered, pointing to the rock to his right. "I think he's behind that rock. Divide and conquer." Kyana nodded, keeping low and hurrying to the nearby rock. She and Geralt started to move through the grass towards the rock, both swords sheathed.

The creature hadn't seen Kyana move, and so Geralt was the first target. "Leave me be!" The creature cried out desperately, headbutting Geralt back at least ten feet. Geralt got up immediately, walking steadily back to where he had previously been.

"You talk." Geralt spat. The creature went to headbutt him again, although Geralt grabbed his horns and swung him around, throwing him onto the dusted floor. Kyana watched, partly in horror, before emerging from behind the grass, watching him toss the creature around cruelly.

"Of course I talk!" The creature mocked him, being held down by Geralt. Kyana looked around for anyone else; she didn't want to be caught out by another creature.

"Geralt, you don't even need my help, at least give me something." Geralt looked up for a split second, hearing her and smirking up at her. He enjoyed showing off around her, it was fun and boosted his ego massively. Kyana allowed her hand to fall to her side, the sword limp in her grip. 

Geralt returned his attention to the creature, refusing to look at her again in case he couldn't look away. Instead, he continued to taunt the Sylvan. "What happened to you? Your mother fuck a goat?"

"I am Torque the Sylvan, a rare and intelligent creature!" Held down by Geralt, who was muscled up to the brim for his job, he was helpless. Kyana watched Torque curiously. He didn't kick or try to pry himself away from Geralt, he knew he didn't have the strength for it. 

"You're a dick. With balls." Kyana's eyes rolled at Geralt's vulgar insult. Torque breathed in to yell straight back at Geralt.

"Balls I got from humans, who left our food filled with iron meant to poison me!" He reached up and ripped out a large chunk of Geralt's hair, which must've been mighty painful. Torque looked down at it and nearly laughed at the colour. "Did your mother fuck a snowman?" Kyana huffed a laugh, holding a hand up to hide it before Geralt saw. There was no need, however. Geralt had heard her, and turned his head to glare. 

Geralt punched Torque in the face, hard. "You're intelligent, I'll give you that, so I won't kill you, but you can't stay here." Torque looked apologetic as his words moved from his mouth. 

"Neither can you." Kyana frowned, unsure of what he was implying. Kyana saw the she-elf long before Geralt did. Her hair was a flaming red, she was lean and tall, and she moved to kick Geralt's head in. Kyana reacted as quickly as she could, roundhouse kicking the elf in the face.  

The elf hurled backwards, clutching her face, which had a fresh split lip. After taking a small breath, she turned to Kyana, who drew her fists upwards in preparation for a fight. The elf snarled, ready to pounce on Kyana. The she-elf made a common mistake in believing Kyana was weak without Geralt, charging full steam ahead to throw her off balance. Instead, Kyana let her barge past her, before ploughing her elbow down into her back. The she-elf landed on the floor with a thud, a groan leaving her bloodied lips. 

Kyana turned to check if Geralt was okay, and he was perfectly fine. Geralt stood, holding a firm grip on Torque as the she-elf struggled to stand. "How many more are there." He demanded, forcing Torque to answer under the pressure of his hands. Torque cried out, but said nothing. "Tell me!" 

Just as the she-elf underestimated Kyana, Kyana underestimated the she-elf. The next thing Kyana knew, she was kicked in the ankles and was sent flying forward by a foot in her back. She fell, her head hitting a sharp rock, and suddenly her gray world was submerged in the darkest of black.

******

Geralt's head stirred, shooting up and observing his surroundings. His thoughts made him wince at the pain in his skull, like someone had hammered his head in. His pulse was accelerated, something he could hear in his ears, and his hair was no longer tidy and held back, but wisps flew around his face as he breathed.  

Slumped on the floor in front of him, out cold and unmoving, sat Kyana. Her hair was much like his, the hair tie completely snapped and her ribbon clinging onto the ends of her hair. The tight curls of sapphire cascaded like a waterfall in front of her face, which sported a fresh, purple bruise. Geralt struggled against the ropes. "Blue?" He became very aware of her still form. "Kyana, wake up!"

Kyana's head slowly started to move, her eyes blinking open as her hair got in her eyes. Blood trickled from the back of her head, along with a bright and painful bruise that rested just above her eyebrow. She groaned, trying to lift a hand to her head. Kyana noticed the restraints around her wrists, which lay behind her back, and her ankles tied together in front of her. She groaned even louder, and lifted her head.

Her eyes met Geralt's immediately. Soft relief mixed with fear lingered in his eyes. "Are you alright?" His voice, thick with tiredness, perspiration, and reassurance greeted her like it never had before. The truth was, Geralt was worried. Kyana looked like she had been out for more than a week, he had never seen her hair this wild and out of place, and her forehead displayed a small trickle of blood. 

"I'm alright, are you okay? Are you hurt?" Geralt shook his head, a small cut on his forehead was the only sign of blood. The only thing that was causing him pain was his head, but that was insignificant. 

"I'm not hurt." He said gently, watching her struggle against the ropes. 

"Neither am I, I'm glad somebody cares." Geralt's head turned to his side, noticing Jaskier tied behind him. "This is the part where we escape." Jaskier said obviously, annoying Geralt but amusing Kyana.

"This is the part where they kill us." Geralt spat, breathing heavily as he tried to figure out what he could do to get out.

"Who's they?" Jaskier got an answer to his question when a boot met Geralt's face. Kyana's smile dropped immediately as she struggled even harder against the ropes. She felt helpless, watching as the one person in her life that she actually cared about was beaten.

The other elf started playing around with Jaskier's lute, uncaring if it broke when he tossed it to the floor. The strings broke with a loud twang, cracking like a whip around the elf's ankles. "Oi, that's my lute. Give that back. Quick, Geralt. Do your Witchering-"

"Shut your mouth Jaskier!" Geralt growled. He was rewarded with a kick to the groin by the female elf, who spat another language venomously at him. Geralt thought it was fair he killed her now. 

"Don't touch him." Kyana growled up at her, defiantly staring up into her eyes. The elf looked Kyana up and down, spitting a spiteful comment in Elder. Kyana continued in her speech, copying her and saying her next statement in fluent Elder.

She earned a slap.

Jaskier laughed, somehow understanding everything she was saying. Geralt winced when Kyana's head reared backwards at the slap, but he still turned his attention to Jaskier.

"What did she say?" Geralt demanded gently, concerned that Kyana had just said something that would kill them all. 

"Well, the elf told her that she was a weak whore in love." Geralt's eyebrow rose his gaze shifting to Kyana, who breathed heavily and sneered up at the she-elf.

"And?"

"Kyana told her that she was a jealous kicking donkey who lacked the capability to be desirable." Geralt barked a laugh, which was soon silenced by the elf with a quick kick to the stomach with the tip of her boot.  

"Do you want to die now as opposed to later?" The elf taunted, walking towards Jaskier as he aimed his statement at the Witchers.

"No, please not the lu-" Jaskier was kicked in the stomach, which for a human hurt twice as much than it hurt Kyana and Geralt. Kyana winced at his pain, feeling the pain through her enlightened senses. 

Kyana knew in that moment they won't make it out of there alive.