Bound By Destiny (book 1)

Chapter 51

As they walked inside of Layla's house did Geralt finally notice the tired expression and the haunted look. "Sel?" Silver eyes looked at him, but instead of having their usual light they seemed almost dull. "Hm?" Was her only response and even Layla looked worried. "Come Miss Selene Sit. The rest of you as well."

    Geralt led Selene to the sofa and sat her down before sitting next to her, Ciri and Dandelion were sitting on chairs nearby, yet no one took their eyes off Selene. "Now, Miss Selene would you or your companions like anything to eat or drink?" Selene motioned with her head towards Ciri. Said girl blinked before she knew what Selene meant. "Ah, just water if you don't mind."

    Layla nodded. "The rest of you?" "I'm alright." Dandelion nodded in agreement and Selene just wouldn't speak yet, "very well, Selene I'll have them make you some tea, it should calm you back down." She simply shrugged as she gripped Geralt's hand.

    All was silent for a few moments, save for sounds of distant footsteps. Layla looked at Selene and folded her hands on her lap. "You haven't aged a single day since your last visit here." Selene looked at her, slightly confused, especially since she was in pretty bad shape last time she had been here. "I'm sorry?" It was the first she had spoken since the market place.

    Layla smiled a bit. "Right I forget you were barely conscious when I met you." Selene blinked but kept her eyes trained on the woman sitting across from her. "Roughly 12 years ago I believe, you passed through Neris looking for work." Selene frowned as she wondered why this was important.

     "You had found work, by slaying a Leshen that haunted our woods. However your payment wasn't enough I remember." Selene shrugged. "What happened then?" Layla looked at Geralt. "That's what I wish to know, because last I ever knew is she was tied to a tree." Selene sighed and rubbed her forehead.

   Geralt gripped her hand in a silent form of comfort so she subconsciously moved so she was curled into his side. "That's correct, I was here 12 years ago, on a job to kill a Leshen, the pay wasn't much but I did the job, one of the men said he believed it wasn't enough and said they had a bonus." The way she said bonus was full of spite and venom making the others shiver.

    "So one snuck up behind me and knocked me out, stripped me of my swords and strung me up on a tree, my hands tied above my head." Geralt's eyes widened slightly and Ciri looked ready to cry yet it was Dandelions look of anger that surprised her most. Layla nodded slowly. "I remember." Selene nodded and took a shaky breath.

   "I came to a bit later, my swords at my feet, and they proceeded to actually stone me before leaving me for dead. My face was bloody, my mouth was bloody and I was weak, cold and tired." She let out another shaky breath.  "Most of that time is a blur, winter was coming and I was getting weaker. A man, a begger he cut me down from the tree and tried his hardest to nurse me back to health with what he could. When I had enough strength to speak i was able to tell him about the elixirs in my bag that was also by the tree."

    She shuddered and geralt saw the pain this time. "Sel...." she shook her head and continued anyway. "I took my elixir with help, and once i had recovered I left him my bag of coin and thanked him before I left. I never knew what happened to him after though."

   Layla looked upset at this news. "I had no idea how bad it was....I was but a child when this occurred. You have my deepest condolences Selene, the man who helped you however, used that coin to start his own business, he's a traveling merchant now." Selene faintly smiles at that. "That's good, I'm glad he's doing better for himself."

    Geralt however could still see the pain so he pulled Selene to him and Ciri moved not even thinking as she curled up on the other side of Selene. "I understand now why you didn't want to come through." Selene nodded at Dandelion who looked sick to his stomach. "Yeah, but....I guess it couldn't be avoided."

   Layla stood up and walked out of the room which gave Dandelion just enough time to somehow also manage to fit himself on the sofa. When Layla came in she almost laughed. "Such a close family, even if you aren't all really related, well maybe the young girl to the older one." Geralt shifted before he shrugged. "She's my daughter, and she's Selene's daughter." Layla smiled.

    "I'm glad to hear that, I hope you do not mind staying for dinner though and possibly the night." Selene looked at Geralt and he shrugged. "Sure, I guess one night won't hurt. Besides I don't want Selene or Ciri traveling when it's late like this." Even though that was a lie, they had traveled much later but Layla didn't need to no that. So with a smile she led them to the kitchen where they could all eat before heading to bed.