Destinies Lie (The Witcher)

chapter three

A/N sorry for not updating yesterday. So Here's the next chapter. 

...............

I was surprised, Renfri seemed absolutely normal when me and Geralt had first met her. Stregobor led us both over to a fountain that lay in the center of the garden, clear waters pouring from the top to the bottom.

"Destiny has many faces Witcher, mine for example is beautiful on the outside, but hideous on the inside." He took a pause as if to make what ever he was going to say more dramatic, honestly. "She has stretched her bloody talents towards me."

Why do all the stories I hear about wizards being critic have to be true, but before I could voice my opinion Geralt beat me to it. "You wizards are all the same you speak nonsense while making meaningful faces."

He seemed a little offended but I didn't care so I just spoke bluntly. "Speak normally." He seemed frustrated now but still continued. "Have either of you ever heard of the curse of the black sun." I looked over to see Geralt finally looking like he was intrigued in what the wizard was saying. Me on the other hand, I wasn't intrigued I was just listening to his nonsense.

Due to Geralt's sudden interest Stregobor continued. "First full eclipse in twelve hundred years. It marked the imminent return of Lilith, demon goddess of the night, sent to exterminate the human race."

I tune in and out of his little speech listening to  the little bit's that interested me until he said "I tried to cure them, lock them in towers for safe keeping, but the girls always died." This didn't intrigue me, instead it angered me. I couldn't stay still or quite anymore.

I walked back to the two from were I had wondered off, rage burning inside me. "So you kidnapped innocent girls, locked them in towers and tortured them until they died." At this point the anger was just bursting out of me, even Stregobor looked scared.

When he could finally speak Stregobor answered back. "These girls were no innocence, they were dangerous mutations. They could have destroyed entire kingdoms if I had let them wonder free."

Geralt came up beside me and held me by the waist, probably worried I was going to hurt Stregobor, which if he didn't shut up would make my to do list. He whispered in my ear trying to calm me down. "Karina calm down, I know your upset." I huffed and said "I'm not upset, I'm disgusted."

This time it was Geralt's turn to sigh. "I know. Go find Rouch, I'll meet you on the outserts of town once I'm done here." I nodded my head and he let me go. I made way back through the garden and out the door were I found Rouch tied to the post. "Hey boy, come on"

I untied Rouch from the post and together we made it to the gates of the town and into the nearby forest.

..............

Waiting now for probably around another half hour I could finally spot Geralt's figure leaving Blaviken and making his way into the forest. Coming up to me I asked him, "So what are you going to do about Renfri?"

He stood for a second stroking Rouch's main. "At the moment, nothing." This took me by surprise, but at the same time made me pleased to know that she was safe, at least from Geralt.

I passed Rouch's reins over to Geralt. "Well I guess this is good bey." Looking at Geralt's face I noticed slight sadness enter his eye at my words. He turned to me with a half smile on his face. "You know, I don't actually mind your company, perhaps if you've no were to go you could travel with me for a time." At this I broke into a wide smile and at my reaction Geralt's half smile turned to a full one, no smirk, he seemed genuinely pleased. "I think that could be something I'd consider, but I'd have to ask Rouch." Geralt started chuckling and as he did I turned to rouch who decide to nudge me in the face with a neigh. "I think he approves of you."

Both of us now chuckling at Geralt's comment made our way further into the forest. We hadn't been traveling long before we came up to a river. "We rest here for now and start again in an hour." Geralt was checking on Rouch whilst I went to the river to get a drink and wash my face.

Once I reached the river I bent down and cupped the water in my hand, but before I could take a sip I heard rustling coming from behind me. Geralt must have heard it as well because he started walking over to me, but before he reached me a very familiar voice spoke. "The girl this morning, she took you both to see Stregobor didn't she."

I stood from my crouched position and found Geralt standing beside me before he started walking off again. "I know who you are Renfri." Keeping my eyes on Renfri I noticed how she watched Geralt walk off before focussing on me. "You both know I want to kill Stregobor."

I may not know the full in's and out's of why she would want Stregobor dead, but from what I did know about him I wouldn't blame her, hell I would even help her. "I use to be a princes. Did he tell you that?" Now I was shocked, she use to be a princes, well no wonder she wanted to kill Stregobor.

I now started to walk forward until I was right beside her. "Until he sent a man into the woods to kill me." Geralt had now come to us and was quick to comment. "You killed him." Renfri now seemed like Geralt had told a joke by the expresion on her face. "With my mothers brooch."

Geralt now moved to crouch by the river and I followed him, then I was joined by Renfri. "Stregobor's man raped me, robbed me and let me go. No more princes." My heart beat seemed to stop for a second at her words. I didn't now what to say, nor what I could say to something like this.

I turned my head to face Geralt and I could see the look in his eye's. I wasn't sure what it was, but my best guess would be sympathy. I turned back to Renfri as she continued. "I stole rather than starve ,and killed rather than be killed."

In my own way I could relate to that. All my life I had been travelling on and off the roads, trouble would always seem to find me, and when I was younger her words 'stole rather than starve' really summed it up for me, until I started killing monsters and doing odd jobs just so I could live.

I felt movement beside me and noticed it was Geralt getting up. "You want me to help kill Stregobor for you." Renfri herself got up and shouted towards Geralt, "it's the lesser evil."

Getting up from my own position I made my way over to Geralt. "Geralt can't you at least consider what she's saying." He turned around probably almost giving himself whiplash. "I have considered it, but there is no lesser evil. I'd be killing someone for someone else's revenge. It's not my fight."

I could see were he's coming from, he didn't want to fight someone else's battle for no other reason then they believed it was the lesser evil. "I understand that, it's just." I cut myself off with a sigh not wanting to argue.

Hearing footsteps from behind me, I knew it was Renfri so I didn't bother turning around. "Stregobor asked you to kill me didn't he? Because I was a girl born during an eclipse. I could have become so many things."

I decided to turn around so she didn't think I was ignoring her, and when I did I could see plenty of anger  in her features. "Yet here I am trying to convince you both I am not a-" before she could finish Geralt interrupted. "A monster."

I could tell Geralt wanted to continue but I did instead. "Are you." I kept my voice even and calm trying not to make her upset. "How am I to know, when I cut my finger I bleed, that's human. When I over eat my stomach aches. When I'm happy I laugh and when I hate someone for steeling my life, I kill them."

There was a long silence between the three of us before Renfri started to talk again. "People call you a monster to." Geralt was quick to clarify. "A mutant." Renfri continued. "What if they come after you."

She turned to face me. "What about Karina, people are scared of you just because you've never had a home." She had a point, people's fear can quickly turn them against you, and if your not wary you could be killed. 

................

A/N Hope you enjoyed this chapter and again sorry for the late update.