Kyana Of Cintra

25

Kyana looked in Adda's dresser, searching for any indication of human life. All that she found was a small, silver necklace. Hanging from the chain was a circular silver pendant with the name 'Adda' engraved on it, half of it broken off from time. There were a few rags in the place of silk dresses; tassels, long, frayed and faded in colour. Kyana ran a hand over the deteriorating fabric, a sudden wash of sadness overcoming her for the poor girl.

Geralt moved towards the bed, observing the sheets closely. He smelled the air around him, his eyebrows lifting. Silently, he motioned to Kyana to join him, asking her to confirm his thoughts. She smelled the air, eyes wide, then nodded once in his direction. After she had confirmed his hunch, Geralt felt physical rage, and although he tried to hide it as best as possible, Kyana still saw it. She placed a calming hand on his bicep, which he covered with his own. His hands were freezing, and hers warm. He moved to retract his hand immediately, yet paused when Kyana did not flinch at the coolness of his hand, he let her keep it within her grip.

Music started to play. Kyana and Geralt's heads snapped towards the sound, which protruded from a small music box Triss was handling on the floor. She started pulling at the keys, and a compartment revealed itself. Inside, were old, dusty letters. Triss pulled them out, untying the ribbon and letting it drop to the floor. She opened a letter, reading its contents quickly.

"Geralt, Kyana, letters." She called, looking up at the two. "From Queen Sancia, Foltest and Adda's mother." Triss mumbled as she shuffled through the papers. Knowing they had stumbled across something important, Triss summoned the man from earlier, who's name Kyana had found was Lord Ostrit. Kyana distrusted Triss. She found her slightly imbecilic for resting the Witcher's fate on a hope, a hope this Lord Ostrit wouldn't toss Geralt and Kyana out of the castle.

"A Queen Mother cursing her own children for their affair. This could destroy the throne." Ostrit pointed out, looking once again through the letters.

"Sancia wanted Adda to get rid of the child." Geralt stated, having read the contents of the letters.  

"It seems she refused." Triss said.

"Repeatedly." Kyana added. Adda had refused her mother many, many times, but still her mother wrote again, and again, and again. As a woman who had longed for a child, who had seen her friends bear children around her, Kyana understood why Adda would want to keep the child, even if it was born of incest. 

"And now she's taken that curse with her to the grave." Lord Ostrit sighed.

"You've served that family for decades. Was Sancia involved in dark sorcery of any kind?" Triss asked warily. Kyana would admit that although Triss could be absurdly passive, she was wary beyond her years. Misplaced trust must've done that to her. 

"No, of course not." Ostrit denied immediately. Geralt, sensing something wrong, pried further.

"What was your relationship to Adda?" Ostrit leaned against the table casually and calmly as he answered. His beard was practically white with age, although only his forehead showed signs of wrinkles. 

"Well, I like to think that she saw me as a confidant, a protector even. We used to talk at great length about her troubles. She could be very naive." Geralt didn't look convinced at all, and even if he was unaware of the information he had acquired, he still wouldn't be convinced. 

"She ever mention her brother?" Ostrit motioned towards the letters. 

"Certainly not like this."

"She was ashamed." Triss half stated, half asked. Heaven knows Kyana would be ashamed if something like that happened to her, yet she had no brothers to commence an affair with. 

"Or she was frightened. What if the relationship was not consensual?" Ostrit suggested.

"Hmm. You think he raped Adda, then cursed the child to cover it up?" Geralt considered it for less than half a second. His face was sour, angry behind his calm face, held back only by the presence of Kyana's shoulder pressed against his in an attempt to soothe him. 

"Well, kings have done more for less." There was something about his tone that made Kyana cringe. Kyana knew what this man had done, yet Ostrit had not only been convincing them, but convincing himself. 

"True. There's only one wrinkle though." Geralt called him out, drawing closer to Ostrit. "Your scent was on her sheets." He growled out. Kyana's attempts to calm him ceased, allowing her companion to release every inch of rage he harbored against the man in front of him. 

"Geralt!" Triss slightly scolded, trying to pull him away from Ostrit. He didn't budge.

"Old ones, and new ones."Geralt insisted, glaring at Ostrit in disgust. Ostrit scoffed.

"What would I be doing in a dead girl's bed?" Geralt saw red, his huge frame drawing closer to him still. It was not an easy thing to do; stand in the way of one of the most intimidating men in the world. Geralt's mouth closed in condescendingly to Ostrit's ear as he spoke in a low, enraged tone.

"I smelled what you were doing." He said, moving away from him slightly and watching his reserved expression fall from his face. He crumbled under his gaze.

"Foltest had no right!" Geralt wrinkled his nose in disgust, pacing between Kyana and Ostrit in his uncontrollable fury. He moved away, feeling almost ill at the confession. "He seduced Adda. Abused his position! He was always nagging her for attention! But he didn't love her! I did."

"You cursed the woman you loved?" Triss asked, disgusted with the man before her.

"I cursed Foltest, not her." He defended. His face looked crazed, all composure lost when arguing with the Witchers and the Witch. 

"Countless are dead because of your jealousy!" Triss cried angrily.

"Countless are dead because of Foltest! He spoiled Adda with his seed, he refuses to kill the Striga, he lies to his people, and yet you wag your finger in my face." He looked Triss up and down with annoyance. Kyana's mouth hung open at the comparison. 

"Foltest refrains from killing his sister and his daughter, who are cursed with a monstrosity you caused! So yes, my lord, we wag our fingers in your disgusting, molesting, vile face." Kyana growled, her anger beginning to grow. 

"If you wanted him to suffer, you could have just exposed the affair." Triss stated simply, attempting to ignore the insult hurled by Kyana.

"I'd never hurt Adda. Never. Her memory will not be sullied, not while I'm alive to protect it." Having no more to say to Ostrit, Triss remained quiet.

"Tell us how to lift the curse." Geralt demanded. Ostrit shook his head gently, refusing as soon as the words had left Geralt's mouth.

"No. Foltest will watch as Temeria turns against him. Just as he turned Adda against me." Kyana looked at him, seeing how serious he was. Geralt hummed, walking towards him quietly. Kyana held her hand out, the back of hit hitting Geralt's chest lightly and stopping him in his actions.

Kyana walked to Ostrit, her eyes never leaving his, before heaving a hand behind her and driving it into his temple, effectively knocking him straight out. He fell to the floor like a sack of flour. Kyana rubbed her knuckles gently, looking towards Triss and Geralt. Triss just stood there, mouth agape, while Geralt nodded proudly, thankful that he could see the disgusting little man laying on the floor. If Geralt had punched him, he wouldn't have ever woken up, that he'd make sure of.

"What? The slimy bastard deserved it."