Celeste || The Witcher ||

Chapter Two - Kaer Morhen Part II

Author's note: kinda decided to post once a week, let's see if this works out! Also using elle fanning for younger Celeste.

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Celeste didn't look the same, something had definitely changed and Geralt could see this without a shred of doubt. Vesemir didn't look happy either, and later Eskel told him what had happened.

Geralt couldn't believe it. He knew that Celeste's dream was to be a witcher and he remembered the girl's rebellion when the real training and trials began, with Vesemir not allowing her to participating. Unfortunately for Celeste, Geralt shared Vesemir's feelings; he was so afraid of losing her that the thought of her injecting part of the elixirs sent shivers down his spine in an inexplicable way. But he couldn't tell Celeste that, for it was certain she wouldn't understand and would read concern as a lack of faith in her.

So Geralt chose not to speak, something that was nothing new, but it was strange to Celeste to have Geralt so silent and distant. She wanted to ask what had happened, but she knew the answer very well. It wasn't just that he disapproved of her actions, nor was it the fact that he was completely exhausted and had seen death passing like a glimpse near him during the trials, there was something more to it, something involving fear.

 Maybe it was the fear of getting closer, the fear of accepting to throw himself headlong, because the mere possibility of losing her left Geralt with a twisted stomach and a racing heart. Then he seemed to drift away, little by little, more and more silent, more and more lonely.

Not long after, something unexpected happened. Vesemir had an idea, an idea that he would bitterly regret.

Send Celeste to a girls' school in Cintra. He had a friend inside the school, an elite school, of wealthy and influential people, who sent their daughters at a very young age to learn everything they needed to know about 'being a woman', a wife, and also to develop their intellect. They could become teachers, discover some kind of magic and then go to Aretuza, they could realize that they were full of fertility and have a large family, they could even become queens, since some were princesses.

Celeste would never be accepted into such a school if it were not for Vesemir's contacts. He let her know that she would be spending some time at the school the same weekend they came for her. Celeste was confused, she didn't understand why Vesemir would do something like this, why he would send her to the other side of the Continent when she had spent most of her life there, with him, in Kaer Morhen. He was taking her away from her home, from everything she knew, from the family she had raised, from the friendships she had made, taking her out of her comfort zone. She understood that this was a punishment for what she had done, she always knew that there would be consequences, she was aware of all this when she stuck the big needle in her thin skin, she just didn't expect that this would be the punishment.

He didn't want her around anymore? Didn't want to see her anymore? Was he so angry? That he would send her away without much explanation? Did he see her as fragile? Just a lost little girl, without a mother, without a mother's presence, surrounded by men stronger and more deserving than she?

A whirlwind of ideas ran through her head and left her simply motionless, like a rock, standing close to the ground. It took her a while to process everything that had happened and what was about to happen. When Vesemir finished his explanation, telling her that it would be good to be with other girls and look for a real direction, something legitimate to do, Celeste didn't respond, she just stared at Vesemir's boots.

This was definitely not the reaction he had expected from the girl. And it hurt him, it hurt to send her away, but he no longer saw himself as a good father, as a good influence on her. He had failed Hilda, and nothing could take that out of his mind. He couldn't sleep, because he felt so angry with himself that he thought he was going to go crazy. He wanted Celeste to yell at him, curse him and even beat him, because he felt that was what he deserved, but the real and worst punishment he could receive was Celeste's silence.

He loved her, loved her with all his heart, as if she were his own blood, his daughter, because that was what Celeste was to Vesemir, a daughter. He only wanted the girl to be happy, healthy and safe, but he realized with each passing day that it was practically impossible to reach all three and keep the balance.

So he preferred that she hated him, as long as this meant that she would be healthy, alive, and safe.

That same day Celeste went to Geralt's room and without saying anything, just lay down beside him, the moon illuminating her wet face, after hours and hours of crying before, exhausted, she decided to leave her room. It was a silent cry, for she knew that the witchers' hearing was better than anyone else's, and she didn't want anyone to hear her.

She remained silent, as if she had lost the ability to speak. She was disappointed in Geralt, but she couldn't care enough to be upset at that moment because she, she alone, knew that this might be the last time she would see him, that she would be by his side. So she closed her eyes and rested her head on the boy's shoulder, hugging his waist and letting her body rest.

Geralt didn't question it, as confused as he was, he missed Celeste so much that he felt a pain in his chest every time he saw her pass by and she didn't even look at him. He didn't care about anything else at that moment, he didn't care about the fear of losing her or the decisions he felt he needed to make, because he knew she needed him at that moment, he could understand that.

He wanted to feel apathetic, but there was no apathy when it came to Celeste. So he hugged her, let her find a home, comfort and security in his arms, and with his fingers stroked the girl's hair, until they both fell asleep.

When Geralt woke up the next day, Celeste was no longer there. Her scent was still on his pillow, on his arm, on his neck, a unique scent of wet earth and a touch of citrus, even a little floral. He put his face in the pillow and then smelled it, feeling every hair on his body tingle and his heart flutter. He then got up to look for Celeste, but she was nowhere to be found. When he asked Vesemir where the girl was, the only answer he got was:

 "she's gone".