The Fate Of Destiny

Brave Heart

"What's this between you two.." Tithuba asked. The sun was rising, and Geralt was outside tending to the bushes of herbs for their breakfast. "What's what.." Adina laughed, a stein cup full of herbal tea pressed to her lips, "This tastes like shit.." she mumbled under her breath.
"It'll help with your strength, now answer my question.." plucking a white strand off her daughter's shoulder. The question Tithuba asked was a question she asked herself every time he'd hold her or even opened up to her little by little.
"I.. love him but.."
"But what.." Tithuba's green eyes peered over her cup. The fireplace crackled behind, them the two tucked in warm wool blankets. The cottage was known to be colder during the early mornings.
"He's not mine.." she laughed, "He's a witcher they're.. they're cold and cruel.." she sighed, remembering his warm touch that she woke up to; his rough finger pads tracing over her warm but ragged scars. "What makes you say that.." placing her stein down, Tithuba could see the fear in her eyes that Clarion replaced where she had once put dreams in.
"Not the ones I know... Well, I knew.." Tithuba laughed,
"You've encountered Witchers before..." Adina asked, leaning in closer towards her mother, like a child hearing a hero's tale.
"What was he like.. did he have sharp teeth.." She joked, "What his name." her round brown eyes now focused on the witch in front of her. Tithuba only laughed at how naive she still was.
"He did have sharp canine teeth and Black hair that was turning white." Tithuba smiled, "He went by Vesemir.." she shrugged her shoulder, "He was a monster with a sword. " she laughed, "Meaning great swordsmanship." she corrected herself.
To say that Tithuba had admired Vesemir was an understatement. Her cheeks would burn red when she talked about him, and her eyes would have a sparkle in them.
"However, back to you."
When Adina heard the subject brought back around again, her heart nearly fell back in her chest.
"Why do you question your emotions .." And within one thought, Adina had said something that she knew she could never take back.
"Because if knights and Witchers rarely mix, then why should a Princess and a dumb mutant ex-"
"Gods.. you couldn't be fucking worse than anyone else.." Geralt said, standing against the door frame, holding the chopped wood in his arms. Geralt would never admit it, but he had felt more pain in that entire sentence than any monster he had faced.
"Geralt, I didn't-" Adina's voice became hush.
"Get out of my life!"
"You don't mean that!" Adina interjected, running towards him, "You can't possibl-"
"You're a burden, and I don't want you around fucking my life over!" at the moment, he had meant every word that came out of his mouth.
"What's going .."
SLAM!
The door behind The Witcher nearly sounded as if it would break off. "Adina, you're crying.." Flora said, rushing to her side. Flora knew of broken hearts when she saw one, and this was it. "What have I done..." she balled her fist up.

The sweet smell of Summer had left, and the crips snow had fallen. "Are you sure you have to go.." Tithuba asked, watching Adina climb upon the back of Buttercup in her winter cape, the fur from a fallen white wolf on the hood. "I promised Florian I would be there at the ceremony .." her smile still a bit dim. "This isn't because Geralt might be there, is it.." a silence fell upon the pair. Watching as her daughter galloped away into the winter sunrise, Tithuba knew that she still had a soft spot for Geralt. Besides, why on earth would she wear the fur of a white wolf if not to catch him. Adina, who had found herself in a pub, heard the ever-familiar tune,
Toss a coin to your Witcher

"Jaskier.." her head shot up: she hadn't seen the bard since the day Geralt had left out of her life. Within those times, Adina had not only taken care of her mothers' establishment but had been apart of a few hellish crusades. With a healing scar going through her eyebrow, she still managed to look so regal but with a bit of an edge. Her tired eyes, much like Geralt's, were only now focused on one thing. "Ale... that was Geralt's favorite.." she laughed to herself, looking back at the snow; she hadn't noticed the same plunky bard in front of her grinning like a foolish idiot.
"Geral-" Jaskier almost said, watching as the wolf hood cape came down: he was in complete shock. " Adina.. " he gasped, a bit surprised but also aroused by her new look. Her hair was shorter, but her curls were still as beautiful as ever. " A Greva got your tongue Jas.." she asked, fingers in her hair. As she turned her back towards him, the bard had noticed a mark that resembled a dragon rising from flames.
"You're.."
"Aye! It's the knight of the Flame!" a few villagers said. Jaskier had never seen Adina so vibrant as she was now. Jaskier had only heard songs about her, but he never connected the two. Watching as she waved, Jaskier just knew that he had to get back with Geralt.
"So what happened to you and Flora.."
"We had a very bloody falling out.. after you helped her find her family.. they refused to let her see me again.. and well.." he sighed, " I haven't written a love song since.. " listening to him talk, she realized just how much your fate depends on the person willing to chase it. "Well, accompany me to Anore for the union of Florian.." leaving a few coins on the table, the two were later on their adventure through the cold, rough winds, and soon the beautiful kingdom where the flowers still sprouted in the death of winter cold.
"And then I said..." seeing a few leaves rustle, Jaskier began to quiet down. Unsheathing her sword was the knight ready for any monster or witcher she came across. "Do you hear that.. suppose it was a Djinn.. or.. or those hasty Hagons.. or worse.." the brightly colored man said, hiding behind Buttercup.
"If you want me come and get... FUCK!" almost snow blonde hair toppled out from the tree and onto Jaskier, dressed in her traditional winter apparel, was,
"Flora.."
"Jaskier.." her cheeks red from the winter bite, Flora couldn't believe it. Right under her was Jaskier, who had seemed to grow a bit more chest hair since she last saw him. "Why are you in my forest.." getting off of him as she pressed an arrow to his throat, "Did someone send you to kill m-" Adina only smirked, her neck-length hair getting covered in snow. "Drop the arrow.. " her sword drawn to the new warrior's neck.
"You wouldn't. "
"Try me.."
Watching the elf drop her weapon, she later put her sword down. Embracing her in a hug made her remember the simple times when there wasn't a war. Or her attending to the needs of the people of Vizima.
"Being a knight has not been kind to you, has it," Flora asked, looking up at the taller woman who shook her head, "No, but it's been rewarding." She climbed back on Buttercup, "
Are you headed to Anore by any chance?"
"Get your arse on the horse we'll, pick up clothes on the way there. " as the trotting of Buttercup continued, she realized how much she had missed having friends. Hearing both Jaskier and Flora pick up right where they had left off brought joy to her slowly welting heart.
When they arrived in the kingdom, Adina could feel the love that Florian had for his bride surrounding it. It almost made her hopeful. Looking in the mirror, she had made an illusion of Geralt, knowing that if he were there right now, he would have been rendered speechless. "

"Adina, you're going to be late for the ceremon.." Flora gasped, seeing the added tone to her build in her dress. She looked like what people imagined the goddesses to look like, "You look beautiful .." she whispered, lost for words at what she had just witnessed. "You think so.." she gave the gown a twirl.
"I know so... If you leave now, you can get to Kaer Morhen in two weeks.."
"What.."
"Go to him.."

The heavy snowfall in Kaedwen was almost unbearable. Leaving her horse in the pastures, she found herself lost, not being able to find the witchers trail. Feeling as though she would now die alone in an unknown, land Adina felt as though this would be her fate, or so she thought. Hearing soft footsteps, she knew that something and or someone was behind her. Taking out her sword, she flipped it in her right hand, turning to the left and almost stabbing what seemed to be another witcher but older. As he blocked her attack, he grew impressed with her footwork as well as her stance. If only his students moved the way she did, he'd had been proud of them. Taking her blade to the throat of the man, she had only one thing to say.
"Any last words.." her Abbinshire accent now replaced with the Lryia one her mother had.
"I've been expecting you, Tithuba's daughter.." he smirked,
"You're Vesemir.." she gasped, looking up at him, removing her blade from his neck.
"Perhaps we should find you some other clothes.." he shook his head, guiding her to the path of the castle: Adina was in awe of everything that she had seen. From the snowy mountains to even a few Witchers training. "So this is where he's from.." she mumbled, under her breath, looking around, changing into a linen shirt, pants made of leather, and a doublet or deep blue: She realized just how much warmer she felt,
"He should be here soon.." Vesemir sighed from behind the door.
"I didn't come to find G-" she then nodded, noticing that he had already walked away with a possible shit-eating grin on his face. Vesemir had already known what happened besides: it wasn't as if Geralt was roaming around the halls brooding a bit more than he usually did. Finding her way towards the keep, she had noticed two other Witchers, one with red spikes and the other mostly in black.
"Curly hair.." the one in red mumbled,
"Check."
"Brown eyes to get lost in."
"Check"
"Looks like a Knight.."
"Check.."
"You must be the one wolf's been brooding on about.." Adina looked up in confusion, "I'm Eskel.. The idiot over there is Lambert." he introduced himself, looking at the woman that Geralt had seemed to never shut up about,
"Don't listen to the loving bastard," Lambert smirked, kissing her hand. "Wolf picked good.." he then mumbled, watching as the knight blushed.
"I see where Geralt gets his charm from.." she laughed. The two witchers waited for the return of Geralt. The pair both had begun teaching Adina how to play Gwent, in which she was losing even though Eskel took it easy on her.
" That's bullshit, Lambert, you cheated!" Adina's laughter filled the keep
"Kiss my arse princess!" he growled.
"Mayhaps I will!" She smirked, putting her best card forward. As time passed, Adina kept bonding with the witchers, who seemed to have taken her in their wolf pack. From playing Gwent to a bit of sword fighting, she felt that she found a family.
"And then the Striga was behind us, and it nearly ate Geralt.." she looked behind her. The so-called white wolf, who she had now heard every embarrassing story about, was standing there,
A feeling of shock at her new look washed over him, trying to keep a stoic appearance. "It's been a while.." Geralt said, shifting his weight around, trying to seem more intimidating. "Seems it has .." she looked into his weary eyes:
"I see you became a Knight.." he looked at her now rough hands. She looked beautiful, but the words that she said still rang in his head.
"I did... it's been tiring, bloody and lonely.." her hand on his face. Both Lambert and Eskel watched in the background, their heads in the palm of their hands. The pair only gasped at how whipped he was for her.
"You should take him to bed!" Lambert shouted.
"You dick.." Geralt grumbled under his breath.