Witchers of Camelot

Potions and Campfires

Ciri turned over some rocks before picking up the purple moss that grew underneath. 

Lancelot, who stood behind her, groaned. 'Can't you just buy that in the town somewhere? I swear I saw some old hag selling something just like that somewhere in an alleyway'.

Ciri, after listening to him complain for what felt like the hundredth time, stood up, exasperated. 'Why are you with us again? I thought you were busy peacocking around the princess's maidservants'. 

'I'm here to help you, of course. We can't have a gorgeous young maiden such as yourself getting hurt in these woods now, can we?'

Ciri rolled her eyes. 'First of all, not one moment in this entire trip have you done anything but complain. And second, I can defend myself just fine. And I doubt you can actually protect me from those after me'.

Lancelot was about to say something when Tristan suddenly came from out of the bushes. 'My lady, the herbs you asked for', said Tristan as he handed her various leaves and mosses. 

'Thanks, Tristan'. Ciri took the herbs and gently placed them on her pouch. 'Good thing, someone here actually knows what help means'. 

Lancelot snorted. 

Ciri checked every ingredient on her pouch. 'Looks like that's all of it. Let's head back'. 

When they got back to the clearing, it was almost dark. Lucky for Ciri, there was already food warming over a campfire waiting for her. Galahad set aside a small log for her to sit in. As she did, the young knight handed her a bowl of warm soup. 

Ciri looked around. So far, there was only Galahad, Arthur and Merlin warming up around the fire. 'Where's the rest of your entourage?'

'They had to stay. Gawain, Bors and Percival are watching over the princess' answered Galahad while giving her an encouraging smile. 'Don't worry. They're all with the child and her mother too'.

'How goes the scavenger hunt?' asked Arthur. 

'Pretty well, thank you very much. Went quicker than I expected. If we keep up this pace, we'll have enough time to rest before we start'. Ciri spoke between sips. She took the soup in slow gulps as she slowly felt the heat spread to her body.

'What exactly are we doing here?' asked Lancelot. 'Aren't we supposed to be hunting down this Black Dog or whatever it is?'

'We will. I just need time to prepare'. She quickly gulped down the last of her soup. As she finished, she took out each item from her pouch and carefully placing them on the ground. Finally, she took out a mortar and a pestle, carefully measuring each ingredient before crushing them and mixing them together.

'What's that you're doing this time?' curiously asked Galahad. 

'You ever wondered how we'll get the demon to find us'. She shook the mortar, showing it to the rest of them. 

As she moved, everyone watched her. But none of them watched more intently than Merlin. 'So, a hunter, a guide, a warrior. And now, an alchemist as well, I see', said the old man, more of a question than a comment.

'This, no. It's no way near as articulate as what alchemists do. No, this. This is just a potion'. 

Merlin studied her more intently. 'But by the way you move about, it seems that you've done this a dozen times already'. 

'Aye, Geralt made me practice this. Every night, he'd make me tell him the name of every herb and what they're used for'. 

Lancelot grinned. 'And who might this Gerald be? Your lover perhaps?'

Ciri answered, not stooping down to Lancelot's mocking. 'Geralt's my father. Took care of me since I was little. Taught me how to do this. And how to fight. And almost anything I know, really'. 

'And did he know magic too?' asked Merlin. 

Ciri looked at him for a long moment before finally answering. 'He taught me signs, yes. Everything he knew about being a witcher, he taught me'. 

'A what?'

'Witcher. Where I'm from, that's what we call monster hunters. Well, it's like a guild, really. Men trained to kill beasts since they were young. It's a long story'. Ciri pounded the herbs into a fine mush before draining all the liquid into a glass vial.As a final ingredient, she took out a strand of hair and dropped it into the vial before finally securing it with a cork. 'That's done. Now we just have to wait for the full moon to rise'. 

'So what do we do now?'

'Now, we wait'.

From the moment they first met her, Arthur had done nothing but watch her every move. Just as his father taught him. Watch every move, his father used to tell him. Every motion, every twitch. Look for weaknesses. For blind spots. Because in a fight, one slip is enough to save your life, or get you killed.

But the longer he watches her, the more dangerous she became. Every movement was done to perfection, the way she sat and ate and even the movements of her hands as she mixed and crushed those weeds with her mortar. It was as if she was an actress who practiced every move just to show them in this very moment's performance. No flaws, no mistakes. Every bone in his body warned him not to cross her.

'Tell me more about your father. He seems like a good man', Arthur finally asked.

'He is', replied Ciri. 'More than you'll ever know. Geralt and Yen protected me from everyone who wanted me dead. And they rescued me when I got taken away. They both sacrificed so much for my sake'.

Arthur saw her eyes as she stared into the distance, reigniting the memories of her past.

'How are they now?'

'I don't know. It's been years since I last saw them both. All I know is, they're together'.

She sighed. 'That's enough reminiscing. Are we here to hunt or what?'

She said it with so much excitement that for a few moments, Arthur might have forgotten what they were actually hunting, a powerful soul devouring demon. 'Very well, my lady. What will you have us do?'

'Alright, everyone. Here's the plan'.