Chapter 22

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A/N: Sorry if this starts to suck right about now because I have a ton of really cool ideas in my head right now but since college has started back up again my brain is a tad fried and it's a bit hard to put all that to words in a way that does it justice. Probably be a bit until the next one just because I want to make sure I do it right. 

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"Hold!" Izor bellowed at the rest of the mage's shooting off chaos into the atmosphere around them. If they were to shift the weather for a long enough period of time they could not afford to cut the spell off prematurely.

"I don't know how much longer I can!" One of the youngest of the mages in the circle yelped. Veins bulging in his neck and eyes bloodshot with the effort his body was procuring.

"Just hold for a few moments longer dammit!"

                 Just a few minutes later Izor gave the order to finish the spell and the circle dropped their hands, the young man that had complained earlier dropped to the ground, blood was trickling from his mouth and nose, his eyes closed. Izor did not particularly care whether or not he was breathing.

               Behind the circle of mages were several lines of sell-swords and mercenaries on horseback as well as some men on foot. In all there was an impressive army considering they were expecting less than five people that could actually fight back. Their biggest worry would be the younger Wolves, particularly the protector of Theodric's affections, Geralt of Rivia.

"Onward!" Theodric ordered, and they began the ascent up the mountain Trail to Kaer Morhen.

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                   Elizabeth and Geralt were outside the keep looking out over the mountains when Geralt first heard the group approaching. He apologized to Elizabeth for cutting her off from an actually rather interesting story to prick up his ears and try to zone in on the vibrations. The last time he had heard that many footfalls on the Trail, the castle had been sacked and most of the people inside slaughtered. Elizabeth was still sitting on the ground, sipping from a cup of wine when her Witcher jumped to his feet quickly, drawing his steel and pulling her up roughly by the hand not currently occupied. The jostling caused her to drop the cup, a puddle of maroon absorbed by the dirty snow until it was just a hint of pink among the bright landscape.

"Geralt what's happening?" Elizabeth demanded, recognizing that they were making their way back down the mountain and returning towards the castle. One of her boots caught the too-long hem of her dress and she faltered, her hand ripped out of the Witchers and Elizabeth ended up catching herself on her palms before she could end up face-first into the ground.

              Elizabeth hissed in pain at the fresh blood welling in the scrapes that now donned the heels of her hands, her ankle stung as well when she tried to pull herself up. Geralt hadn't stopped a beat, instead he simply picked her up and slung her over his shoulder. His eyes were wide and he seemed to be straining all of his senses at once trying to keep track of something. He looked scared, an expression Elizabeth had never really seen on her Witcher before.

"Geralt!" She pounded small fists on the back of his ridiculously firm thighs.

"What. The. Fuck. Is. Happening!"

"Beth, just stay quiet and I'll explain when it's safe." His usually low voice had taken on that growling quality it did when he was angry and it shut the blonde up fairly quickly. Any amount of tingling warmth she had been feeling from the carafe of wine she had consumed was gone and replaced by what she imagined ice water injected straight into her veins would feel.

         It was about as third as slow as it had taken them to walk up the mountain originally to get back to the keep with Geralt running the way he was. A slight sheen of sweat was gleaming on his brow but he still was not exerting very much energy compared to a human. He threw open the heavy wooden door like it was made of Styrofoam and bellowed down the hall.

"Ves!"

           The oldest Witcher must have heard the urgency in Geralt's voice because he looked as though he dropped everything and ran as fast as he could. There were breadcrumbs in his beard and foam from ale on his upper lip.

"There's a company of men coming up the Trail towards the keep, I sense magic as well and not just a single sorcerer. This could be a final attempt to tear us down for good."

"Why would they attack? Have any of you angered the townspeople more than usual?" He was blinking over and over as though he was processing the implications of Geralt's words.

"I don't know why they are coming just that they are and it's going to take everything we have to keep them at bay. Where are Lambert and Eskel?"

"In the courtyard, I'll go get them and we will meet in the armory." Vesemir was gone in a flash, wiping the back of his hand over his lips and muttering to himself.

"Can you put me down now?" Elizabeth asked, starting to get lightheaded from being dangled practically upside-down.

"Oh fuck, yeah." Geralt shook his head and settled her back on the ground, grabbing her hand again and continuing to drag her somewhere.

"You've already been told about the reason why Witcher's especially those from our school are so scarce, correct?" Geralt confirmed. Elizabeth nodded in return, trying to focus on not tripping as they ascended a ridiculous amount of steps swirling upward towards a tower.

"Those people want to attack the keep? Why?" Elizabeth was very confused, she witnessed herself the way the locals reacted to Geralt's presence but no one seemed like they wished to actually kill him. People actually acted quite wary towards the looming structure of Kaer Morhen.

"I honestly don't fucking know and it sounded like we are significantly outnumbered." her Witcher confessed as they finally reached the intended destination. Geralt found a hidden key behind a loose stone and opened the door to the room. It was dark and windowless and she felt like she was entering some kind of medieval broom closet as she was nudged through.

"They probably don't know there's anyone else here but us since no one has brought a guest up here in a very long time. I need you to stay here for me. I will come back for you when it is safe Beth. I promise you that."

"Geralt I don't want to be alone, I can help!" She protested weakly and hating how whiny her voice sounded in her ears, pressing her scraped palms to his chest. She could actually feel how hard and fast his heart was working the mutated blood throughout his body.

"I won't let you so close to danger Beth. I don't want you to get hurt, I can't let you get hurt." For the second time in his very long life the Witcher begged. Begged the ridiculously stubborn woman in front of him to just listen.
"What about you? You can get hurt!" Tears escaped the corners of Elizabeth's eyes and she gripped Geralt's collar with white knuckles.

"That may be but I'll be fine, I've been fine for centuries and I'll put up one hell of a fight. Just stay. Please I-"

Elizabeth cut him off with a hard kiss that he hastily returned, she saw the look in his eyes and had a very good idea of what he was going to say.

"You can tell me when you return, we have a lot to talk about still." A ghost of a smile was given as she pulled back and poured just as much emotion as he did into her gaze.

"Don't you dare fucking die." And she shoved him out the door, slammed and locked it from the inside. 

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