The Red Wolf : Healer of Witcher's (complete)

A midnight swim and a talk

I'm startle awake breathing fast , drenched in sweat. That dream was so real. I run a hand down my face and turn to look out my window to see that it's still dark out. I sigh knowing that I'm not going to go back to sleep.
I remember there are hot springs beneath the keep. In need of a good soak, I grab a change of clothes , some soap, lilac oil and my pick. I head down the hallway and hear snores coming from the rooms. I laugh at all of these men sleeping so soundly. Making my way through the dining hall I see Vesemir reading my the fire.
He looks up at me. " Where are you off to?" I shrug smiling sheepishly while holding up my bar of soap. He chuckles " There are towels at the edge of the pool. As well as additional rags to cleanse yourself. I'll make sure no disturbs you."
I lean down to kiss his cheek. " thank you Ves." His face pinkness slightly and he waves me off. " go on before one of these ruffians tries to take your virtue!" I roll my eyes at his exaggeration.
" I seriously doubt any of them see me that way." I remark. Before I pull the door open to the stairs he grunts " you really don't see it do you?"
I pause at this , I look back over my shoulder to him. " what do you mean?" I ask he smirks at me.

"That you could have any of these men crawling on their hands and knees with just a smile pointed their way."
I laugh at this and ask
" Then why does the one man in this world that I have feelings for only see me as a friend?"
I see his face drop in realization.
" I'm sorry Rafe. Whoever he is , is an absolute idiot." I shrug in a nonchalant way.
" it's my lot in life to love a man who's to blinded by friend ship to see what's right in front of him." He sighs at my situation.
" Don't worry about me Ves, I'll get over my broken heart. There isn't much more he could do to break me even more."
I leave him to think about my words. For they are true no matter how much I want him, Geralt will never see me as more than a friend. I know him well enough to know there was a woman he cared deeply for. There's a sadness that lurks in his eyes, it appears when he thinks no one is looking. No matter how much I want to be the one to comfort him, I won't be second best to a ghost.
I come to the end of the stairs and sigh when the the temperature changes. How I've missed these hot springs. I step towards a deeper pool at strip. I dive into the pool , slicing through the water. I wish I could stay beneath the water forever.
Everything is so peaceful beneath. All my worries seem to fade as I swim to the other side. I break the surface , gasping for breath.
I do laps for a long time swimming from one side to the other. The repetitive strokes helping the stress, from the dream , slip away. I reach for my soap and begin to scrub my skin. Soaping up until there's a nice lather.
" Vesemir must have been out of his mind to think that, I could have my pick of any man here" I shake my head. Knowing he must be mistaken. I start washing my hair , beginning at my roots , moving to my ends. I finish soaping my hair and dunk to rinse it . I haven't ever laid. With a man. There have been times a few men I. The towns I've visited gotten a little to hands on for my liking and I've had to put them I. Their place. Kind of pathetic to hold out for a man that will never see me as anything other than as just Rafe. Not Rafaela. I've always been Rafe or Red to him. I break the surface ,blink my eyes to clear water from my eyes . My eyes connect with golden ones and my eyes widen in shock.
I cover my breasts and glare at him. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" I yell . His eyes slowly move down my body in a sensual caress. I shiver as his eyes take me in. Then his eyes move back up to mine. I gulp at the heat I see there. " I was coming to bath but I see you've beaten me here." I turn my back to him and dive beneath the water to hide my embarrassment. Why me? Seriously ? I come up for breath to see that he has striped and climbed into the pool.
" Seriously? There are four other pools that you could've gotten in to bathe. " he shrugs his shoulders
" True, but the other pools don't have you in them."
My jaw drops at the casual way he says this. " You...I ...ugh..." My face has flushed in embarrassment. I can't believe this.
Have I slipped and hit my head? No surely not. Because Geralt is flirting with me. I don't know how to process this.
" Well I was finished any ways. " I reach for my towel , fixing to ascend the stairs. I look back over my shoulder to see him still watching me.
" Look away please." He boldly holds my gaze " Why?"
He asks I stammer out an answer
" B-because I don't want you to see me naked." At least not right now.

He smirks and closes his eyes. I scramble to get out , quickly drying off to dress. First thing I'm going to do is to somehow put up a privacy screen down here.
" nice tattoo Rafe, never knew you had one in such a delicate location." my face burns brighter. He saw the tattoo. I run up the stairs and hide in my room . He saw the tattoo.
The tattoo of a Red wolf head ,holding a single white rose In its mouth. It's a symbol of my feelings for him. A single white rose with golden accents around the edge of each petal.
With his name hidden in one of the petals. On my left butt cheek!

He saw my rear! Oh my word! I flop down on my bed and groan into my pillow. I can't believe this. I am never coming out again. A knock on my door has me sitting up. " Rafe? You in there ?" Asks Lambert. My brows scrunch in confusion. Lambert is at my door?

I get up to open the door . When I do I see him standing there and he looks to be in pain. " what's wrong?" I ask. He sighs and rubs his head " do you have anything to help with a hangover?" I chuckle , move to my bag and pull out some ginger root and and some new herb that a friend of mine gave me, called Panax Ginseng. It's been proven to help with hangovers.

" yeah come on. I'll make it for you."

We head towards the kitchen and I begin to slice and peel the ginger root and Panax Ginseng. I place them both in a hot pot of boiling water. I add some suger and a few pieces to of lemon. After about ten minutes I grab a cup and pour the tea in it sitting it in front of him.

" Here drink this." He grabs the cup and blows on it and takes a cautious sip. Some thing Vesemir said earlier comes back to mind.
" Lambert? Can I ask you a question? And you be completely honest with me?"
He looks at me and nods his head. " Is it true? " he looks puzzled at the question .
" Need a little more than that Rafe. Is what true?"
I take a deep breath and ask " That if I turn my gaze to any of you, you'd crawl on you hands and knees to try to get my favor? romantically ?" His eyes widen at he gulps.
" Uh.....why do you ask?" I can tell he's getting nervous with this line of questioning.
" Something Vesemir said. It got me to thinking. I just want to know if it's true."
He runs a hand across his face and sighs "Look Rafe, before you left there was a bet on which one of us could catch your eye. You were absolutely stunning back then. We tried to show off in practice. Tried flirting with you but it kind of went over your head. We all thought you were cold towards us. None of us realized you were shy and naïve."

My eyes narrow at that word. " Naive? You all thought that."
He chuckles " Yeah , you'd blush like a tomato anytime someone said anything in a crude manner." I stare at him.
" I wasn't naive. Just...... inexperienced" I whisper the last part refusing to meet his gaze.
His eyes widen and his jaw dropped . " You're a ......" I nod my head and shrug . " Virgin Witcher. Yeah. Kind of pathetic , but thats ok. I'm basically immortal I've got plenty of time." I laugh as I look back at him. I see pity .
" don't pity me. I can't help that I'm in love with someone and he only see's me as Rafe. Not as Rafaela. Not as myself."
I feel tears gather in the corner of my eyes. I quickly change the subject.
" Did you know I love to draw ?" He shakes his head no.
" Yeah , I started after I left here. When I missed you all,I drew. When I was angry I drew. When I was hurt I drew."
" To answer your question from earlier, some of us realized you had feelings for someone and backed off. Others continued to pursue you. But eventually they got the message. But if you ever decided that you wanted to become .....experienced, every one of us would line up at your door for a chance to be with you." I scoff.

" I highly doubt Geralt would." I say. He smiles at that and laughs shaking his head. " He'd be the first in line. Swinging his sword at the rest of us , fighting us off." I stare at him and then bust out into laughter. I laugh until my sides are sore and tears are streaming down my cheeks.
He crosses his arms and starts to chuckle long with me. " You must be joking? Geralt doesn't see as anything other than a friend" he shrugs "there's only one way to find out"
I raise my eyebrows at him. My mischievous side come to the surface. " Ok what's the plan? He leans towards me and begins telling me.