Van Bereaver

Chapter 18- Lullaby

Geralt

While Sage was fratenizing with an Elf on another world, I had been sleeping around Fringilla Vigo. She was a magnificent sorceress with her powers and in bed, but she was also conniving. She had only been using me to find a way to get to Ciri the same way everyone was. She had first started by getting my medallion stolen by bandits just to pay them Orens and give it back to spark conversation.

Because of that, and her affiliation with Nilfgaard, I rejected her and forced her back to her emperor. She had reported my behavior and sent men after me which died by my sword, then I admitted that the Princess of Cintra was gone and caused a minor panic to certain powers that the emperor was about to marry a fake.

I told Sage that after she was done with her story. Neither of us had a right to judge each other and we could only exchange comfort. The one thing that I had missed the most was her smile, and she had given one to me.

"I need to speak with Cahir," her voice faltered.

"Go ahead," I said. I was sure that I came off rude from the look she gave me. She cleared her throat in almost a scoff and stood, walking out of the room. "Fuck him."

When Cahir was angry with me about staying in Toussaint, he had pointed out that he was aware of my liking of Sage. I didn't deny it but I had to punch him in the face when he stated that she was never going to pick me. I later gave him an ultimatum on whether he would stay with us or leave. His choice had been clear because she had come to me in the forest.

An hour had passed as I brooded in my own thoughts and I finally decided to get up. I hadn't taken a bath yet so I went to my bedroom. On my way there, Sage had left what seemed to be Ciri's room, glanced at me, and crossed over to Cahir's room. I then entered Ciri's room.

"She's confusing now," Ciri said. "The relationship part. I don't think she understands what it means to have a lover or lovers."

"And you do?" I questioned.

"Well- sure. I've had some."

I glanced at her and went to a dresser and leaned on its side. "You have scar on your cheek."

"And many more on my body, Geralt. I'm a Witcher."

"Of course you are. I am your..." I paused for a second.

"Father," Ciri said. "It's alright. Sage is my mother if you put it that way. We talked about it briefly when we went to the future and saw a few paintings of the three of us."
I pushed myself from my relaxed position, taking a step forward and even though I was going tense, Ciri remained in a calm manner on the bed. "A woman there was very interested in you and Sage's love story." Ciri was beaming. "There's still a chance Geralt."

I uncrossed my arms and barged out of Ciri's room. Nearing Cahir's door, I heard a small thud and moan, and stopped in my tracks. I couldn't help but hear her being pleased by someone else. I had already told her how I felt but maybe I could show her. It had been easy for a devilish Elf to snake his way through and even a strong knight, what was different about me?

I backed away and when I turned around, Ciri had a pitying look in her eyes which melted my heart. As I wanted to do before, I went to my bedroom, took a bath, and went to bed.

***

"Geralt," I heard. It was a low and rumbling sound, the voice of a thousand men echoing after it. "Geralt of Rivia."

I shot up in the middle of the night to see the figure of a ghost hovering over me. Unlike Sage's white and angelic wraith, this one was black with dashes of red. He wore a thick suit of armor made out of bones and blood, his ribcage open and there were pieces of flesh on his body. He had a large crown on his head with pikes atop of it and a mask covering his face. When he lifted his arm to point at me, the chains creaked and the red cape on his back wavered.

"Eredin Bréacc Glas," I cursed and he chuckled. Withering away, he flew through the walls and I pursued him. My sword was useless to his physical form but I knew my silver would disorient his projection.

He found Sage lying in Cahir's bed and removed his mask to reveal his face and began shouting in the Elder Speech. It wasn't love that he had for her, but an obsession, which prompted him to act this way.

I was in the room too, Cahir exclaiming in confusion, and Sage screaming at the top of lungs out of fear. I brought the blade of my sword high and swung across his body to where he diminished into thin air. The banshee had stopped wailing and loosened her grip on the sheets that covered her body.

"What the fuck was that?" Cahir questioned. "Was that the man you slept with?"

"My goodness," I muttered, turning my body halfway away from them. He just had to be annoying. It was clear that he wanted to be the only one who had her heart but in this day and age, everyone belonged to everyone else.

"I did him wrong," Sage whispered, looking at me.

"You've come to me as a specter now go deal things with him." My sword felt heavy in my hand and I lowered my head, walking out of the room.

"What was that?" Lady Anna Henrietta asked, the Duchess of Toussaint. Her chestnut hair danced on top of her shoulders that were barely covered by a nightgown.

"Was it Sage?" Dandelion poked out of the duchess's same room. "I think I should sing her a lullaby."

"If she lets you," I said. I didn't say more and went into my bedroom, hearing Dandelion call my name, but I wasn't in the mood to talk, and locked the door.

"I think you're in need of a lullaby." Dandelion had lastly said that before I fell asleep to the strumming of a lute down the hallway.

I was sure that during the harassment of an Elf from another world, an imposter who had been roaming around the castle had been able to creep into Ciri's room and take her. She put up a fight from what I had seen in the disarray of her room but there seemed to be no exit. The guards had said that they hadn't seen the girl which led me to conclude that this person used magic. I could've guessed Fringilla, but she was a sorceress who had decorum and was more organized than this madman. But I thought long and hard to deduce that it was Vilgefortz of Rogeveen from the fallen eyeball that had rolled underneath the bed.