Bound By Destiny (book 1)

Chapter 42

Ten years later.

  Selene was walking along the ruins of Cintra, she had once again left Kaer Morhen, this time without Geralt who was off traveling around Novigrad, they had agreed that eventually they would meet up and stick together during the war but the destruction and damage had slowed down Selene's trip. Making her way out of the fallen city she caught sight of some tracks. They were horse tracks and she tilted her head. "Hm?" She knew that she needed to eventually catch up to Geralt, but also felt this nagging feeling deep in her gut, something yelling at her to follow this trail.

    Shaking her head she decided to see what made these and followed it as best she could. Eventually she came across a carcas of a horse and she shivered, those sights still disturbed her. And while she wished she had Geralt beside her she knew she had to overcome this alone. The only reason she stayed behind a bit longer then normal was because she had been the one helping Vesemir rebuild, that and because she honestly needed the extra rest. So she told Geralt to go ahead and meet up with Jaskir in Novigrad and that she would meet up with them both as soon as she could.

    Shaking her head she saw a fallen rock. "How the fuck?" She shook her head, now wasn't the time to try and figure shit out. That's when she saw the dead body and walked past it realizing he was dead from a wound to his head. As she walked she came across a pair of foot prints so she knelt down. "Hmm, not to small, but not big, very light on their feet, must not weigh much either, hmm, probably a girl." She stood up and looked around now knowing she needed to find this child and get her to safety.

    She quickly made her way through the forest where she found a strand of ashen colored hair stuck in a tree and she frowned. "She definitely ran through here, the question is why?" Deciding not to ponder on it she continued to make her way through the forest, following the scent and the footprints.

     Meanwhile in Novigrad.

"Geralt!" Said man looked up and smirked when he saw Jaskir. "Dandelion." "Where is Selene? I thought she was coming back with you?" Geralt frowned a bit. "Stayed back for more rest, she was pretty injured." "What happened?" "Griffin, almost killed her. She was defending herself and the next thing we both knew is she was screaming as it slashed her. She's got some new scars as well." Dandelion frowned. "Well I'll see when she arrives, any idea when that will be?"

    "I have no idea to be honest, if anything she should have gotten here before me, she tends to take the main roads." Dandelion frowned. "So you haven't heard?" "Heard what?" "Cintra, it fell to the Nilfguardians." His eyes widened at this. "That means..." "yes, Selene is probably stuck taking the long way." "Fuck, I knew I should have stayed with her." "Probably, but you tend to take the longest ways. But anyway, you two are still good?"

    Geralt sighed softly. "No we broke up for at least 3 months before I tracked her down." "What happened?" "I got paranoid. A bit overprotective and she felt suffocated and overwhelmed so she left me. It took me tracking her down, killing a bandit, who left a nasty scar on her face." Dandelion grimaced at that.

    "I don't know what happened next, if it was the adrenaline, high stung emotions of what, but the next thing I know is I'm kissing her." "Uh Huh." "That morning I woke up in a bed beside her, naked. Apparently we fucked but we don't recall it very clearly." Dandelion felt his jaw drop. "She has scars on her arm now too, more then just that time the drowner..." "I remember." He nodded. "So I asked her to take me back and she did. Haven't left her since, well until then, but we decided that I need to chill on the overprotective shit." He chuckled.

   "Well she wasn't wrong, you and I both know she's scary as fuck when she's mad, but she's even scarier when she's killing something and short tempered." "Yes i know, but she means a lot to me, she's...shes important." And then his eyes widened at what he said. "Shit." "Geralt? Geralt whats wrong?" "I promised her I wouldn't say that. That I wouldn't say she was...well you know."  "Important?" "Yes."

   "Because she never wanted to be important, but she always was and will be to me. I don't know exactly why those words scared her so much." Dandelion frowned and placed a hand on his friends shoulder. "Calm down, I'm sure she won't be mad at this." "I really hope not." And with that dandelion led him into a tavern. "Come on, let's get a drink and catch up. By the way, don't ever leave Selene again. As her self appointed brother, I will kick your ass."

    Geralt blinked and stared for just a moment. "Another brother huh." Dandelion blinked "I'm sorry?" Geralt chuckled. "It's not bad, just reminds me of Lambert and Letho along with Eskel. They all basically appointed themselves to be sel's older brothers." Dandelion nodded. "Well She's Gonna have one crazy family then." "She already does, and now a bard." The two laughed a bit. "But I am serious Geralt, don't you hurt her." "Trust me, I don't plan on it." And with that the two went silent as they ate and drank their ale.

     Selene had finally found the entrance to Brokilon or commonly known Brokiloén forest. Walking through she came across some elves who pointed spears at her. "What do you want Witcher?" Selene arched an eyebrow before she spoke. "I'm looking for a girl with ashen colored hair, she's short probably just comes up to my side." She saw them exchange a look and knew the girl was there. "Why do you seek her?" "She's in danger." "How are you so sure?" "Because i just fucking saw the ruins of Cintra, a dead man and a destroyed camp where she had resided temporarily."

   They looked at each other again. "And how can you protect her?" "First off I'm a witcher. Second of all I am taking her to Geralt of Rivia." That's when the girl came out. "You know geralt?" She looked over at the sound and nodded. "More then know him." "What are you to him?" Selene blinked before shrugging. "His lover, and his other half." Ciri felt her eyes widen before she weakly smiled. "So you're Selene, my grandma she heard of you." Selene nodded to confirm this. And the warriors slowly stood down.

   "I'll go with you, geralt told my grandmother that a woman with silver eyes will be protecting me as well. He even swore it to her." Selene blinked. "So that's how he got me roped into this."
Ciri smiled weakly. "Yeah i guess so." The girls looked each other and soon left. "So, where is Geralt?" "Novigrad."

   "And how are we getting there." Selene motioned towards her horse. "Horse back." "I don't have a horse." "No worries, you'll ride with me. Safer that way." Ciri nodded and Selene helped her onto raven. That's when she saw the scar near Selene's left eye, and a few more on her arm along with one near her neck. "You got all of those from monsters?"

   Selene climbed up behind Ciri and raised an eyebrow. "The scars." "No, a lot are from humans as well." Ciri's eyes widened but before she could ask Raven took off heading right for Novigrad.