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For days Caira travelled with the old man—whom she had learned was a merchant—and Geralt's still body. For days she prayed to whatever gods there were to save Geralt. She prayed and prayed and prayed. And she cried and cried while clinging to his body on the back of the merchant's wagon. Roach and Meg were tied to the wagon, trotting along, and watching Caira grieve over Geralt. She felt him dying. His heartbeat, although already slow, had slowed even more. His breathing shallowed. And he hadn't awoken in days to eat or even drink.
Slowly, Geralt stirred awake. Caira sat straight up, ready to tend to him. His eyes were confused as he looked around. Caira could tell his mind was spinning in circles. The bite was taking its effect on him. "He's delirious, but he's not dead." The merchant told Caira.
"That's a good thing?" Caira brushed Geralt's white hair out of his face as his eyes tried to focus on one thing at a time.
"You better be lucky he had drank whatever that black liquid was you say he took. Looks like it saved his life. Wasn't quite sure it did until he woke up now." The merchant informed her.
She sighed out in relief. The gods were listening. She thought to herself. She felt like her praying had worked. She wasn't quite sure who she was praying to and how they had done it, but she had seen other people pray and they seemed to believe in it.
"We're going to my farm. Just as soon as these poor old horses can take us there." The merchant assured them.
"Caira?" Geralt grumbled as his eyes tracked her face. He was furiously sweating.
"You stay awake. You hear me?" Caira squeezed his hand.
"Ma? Ma?" He was hallucinating.
* * *
Geralt finally stopped hallucinating and looked up at Caira with sweet eyes. "C?"
"You're okay, now. You're fine." She caressed his cheek to keep him calm. She noticed smoke rising off in the distance. "What's that?" She asked the merchant.
"Looks like Nilfgaard has reached Sodden. Shit, look. Take Sodden, you take the North, some say." The merchant spoke as he stopped his wagon to inspect Geralt's wound.
Geralt turned to look at what Caira was speaking of while the merchant grabbed Geralt's thigh. Geralt smacked his hand away and groaned in pain, sitting up. "Fuck. My bag!" Geralt barked at the merchant to give it to him.
The merchant handed him his bag and Geralt quickly pulled out another vile of black liquid and downed half of it before pouring the other half on his wound. He hissed as the liquid sizzled in his wound, clearing it out. "You need a healer." The merchant told.
Geralt panted furiously. "Take me..to the Blue Mountains."
"That's the other side of Sodden." The merchant huffed.
Geralt placed his large hand on Caira's neck, gently. "He'll...save me." Geralt spoke through gritted teeth. He noticed her tear stained cheeks.
"Who?" She asked, feeling the tears well up in her eyes again as she realized he wasn't fine. There was still a risk he could die. "Who?!" She shouted. He began to black out once again.
"I need...to go home." Geralt mumbled, as if he were inebriated.
"You bastard! Stay awake!" She gripped the collar of his shirt.
"Visenna. Vesemir." He whispered as he blacked out once more. Caira knew the name Visenna. It was the name of Leianna's sister. She had beautiful wine red hair just like Leianna, and she was just as kind and gentle as her, too.
* * *
Upon arrival to the merchant's farm the next morning, a strange feeling bubbled up in Geralt and Caira's throats. Geralt had healed quite well, and the bite was well bandaged up by Caira, too. Caira decided not to ask about Visenna just yet, at least until she was sure he was going to be okay after that bite. The merchant spoke to his wife upon their arrival, speaking of their safety during the battle that was going on in Sodden only about an hour's ride from the little farm.
"We're all okay. The war is close, but we're okay. I need to tell you something. I met a girl." The merchant's wife spoke aloud. "An orphan, I found her in the woods nearby."
Caira's interest peaked and she looked up. Geralt slowly looked over to Caira, realizing who it was. The girl in the woods will be with you always. The words rang out in Caira and Geralt's heads. It was what Renfri had told Geralt back in Blaviken, right before he killed her.
Geralt hopped off the wagon and began walking into the forest. Caira followed him, having the same gut feeling he was having. The girl. It was Cirilla. Caira walked right beside Geralt, as his equal, and they began to quicken their pace at exactly the same intervals. They felt themselves drawn to a particular spot until they spotted the blonde haired girl. The girl felt it, too. That she was meant to be with them, that there was Geralt of Rivia, waiting for her as her grandmother, Calanthe had told her. The little girl began sprinting toward Geralt and Caira. Geralt's eyes widened in shock. Cirilla didn't think twice about running into Geralt and Caira's arms, feeling at home and safe with the both of them.
The three embraced one another and Geralt nuzzled his head between Ciri and Caira's contrasting hair. The starkly blonde hair and the jet black hair gave a symbolic balance to the trio. "People linked by destiny will always find each other." Geralt muttered, realizing that was why Caira found Geralt back in Cintra. That was why they had just found Ciri. They were all three linked by destiny. Meant to be together.
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authors note | that's it for now until season 2! see y'all in December !
