To Thaw A Frozen Heart

~ chapter 4 ~

I turned my back and began to undress. I heard him doing the same. I took off my boots, and began to untie my corset. I was having trouble with untying the knot, seeing as my hands were still shaking, and I saw no other option than to seek help.

"Um, Sir?" I pleaded.

"Geralt." he corrected. "Yes?"

"I'm terribly sorry, Geralt, but I'm having trouble with my tie and..." she said, flustered.

The way his name rolled of her tongue made Geralt take a breath. The name suited her velvety voice perfectly. He approached Antea and began to undo her corset ties. He could feel his heart thumping in his chest as his hands were so close to her breasts. Even the sight, nearly spilling over the corset was enough to make him squirm.

He was much gentler than I thought. His nimble fingers gliding over the ties, quickly undoing them without difficulty. Once finished, he turned away without a second glance at me, and I couldn't help feel my heart sink a little. I turned to gaze at him, and saw his broad, muscular back that was covered in scars. I wondered what had happened to him.

I lay in the cot, unable to sleep, just listening to the sound of nature, and Geralt's labored breathing. He was mumbling in his sleep, and I was trying to figure out what he was saying, which was an ultimate failure. He suddenly let out a shout and started thrashing in the bed. I got up immediately and went to him.

"Geralt! Geralt!" I called as I held onto his large, bare shoulders.

He awoke with a start, sweat clinging to all the perfect crevices of his body. His hair was a mess and his eyes were panicked, but he still had a certain beauty about him.

"It's okay. Shhh, shhh." I closed my eyes and sent a wave of calm his way, stroking his hair.

He grumbled, and grabbed me by the throat, flipping me so he now hovered over me.

"Witch." he snarled. "What did you do?"

His grip tightened, and I struggled beneath him. I couldn't breath. I panicked once more, and my mind brought me back to that night 3 years ago. I gasped and tried to pull his hand away, but I was losing energy. One last gamble, I thought. I called to the nature outside my window, crying out silently for help.

The vines were silent as they entered through the window. My sight was slowly blurring, and I almost missed the look of pity in Geralt's eyes as a tear slid down my cheek. Almost. The pressure of his hands was suddenly released and I drew in a desperate breath, only to end up coughing everywhere. My neck was sure to have a mark on it tomorrow. As I regained my breath, I looked over to the large man, now struggling to escape the grasp of several ivy branches, once clutching each of his limbs, and one wrapped around his neck and torso.

"Let me go right now, witch, or I'll finish what I started earlier." he growled, struggling to move with the grasp my vines had on him. The green in my eyes died down as I commanded them to stiffen.

"Geralt, darling, as much as I would LOVE to get back in that position, I need you to calm down." I teased.

"What did you do." he stated bluntly.

I sighed. A way with words, this one has.
"It's called axii. It's a calming magic that was supposed to make you stop thrashing and panicking, but it didn't work. Why?" I questioned.

Geralt's eyes widened.
"Axii? How could you know that?" he asked, puzzled. Before I could answer, he continued with "I'm a witcher, I resisted it."

A witcher. Of course. Well, my life just got a whole lot shittier.
"A witcher? I didn't know there was any of you left. As for axii, my father taught it to me when i was young, but I've always kind of had a way with calming others."
My thoughts drifted back to my father. It had been nearly 10 years since he disappeared, but I never before wondered how he knew magic. I just accepted that he was like me.

"And you're a mage, but the vines - really? Couldn't have sent a fireball my way?" he asked with a huff, and I was sure there was a hint of a smirk in there.

"I'm not that kind of mage." I said sternly. "My father called me an 'ecomancer'. I never really knew what it meant, but always had a connection to nature. I'd much rather get through something calmly than try and fight my way out. Besides, whenever I attempt destruction magic, it never goes my way. Always end up burned or unconscious or something like that."

Geralt studied the young woman carefully as she spoke, listening to hear heart and registering her tone. She spoke clearly to him, explaining her situation, but there was a certain doubt in her voice. Not regarding him, but herself.

"You can let me down. I believe you, you have my word - I won't cause you any harm." he spoke softly.

Once again, I chose to trust him. I can't explain why, it was just one of those gut-feeling moments.
"Yeah, that's what you said last time..." I mumbled as I released him from the vines and thanked them for their help.
He looked at me curiously as I thanked them, a smirk growing on his face.