The Witcher: The Never-ending Cycle

Part 2: The New and the Same

This girl had been a simple tryst. A one-time event. When you always find yourself passing through towns, you find your past rarely get discussed. This case was no different. Ciri had not fit a list of personal red flags into the flirtatious and risqué tavern conversations. And even if she had, drinking and emotional unavailability probably would have made the warning list far above a scream that punches the world.

The window and basin burst into shards instantly and the tavern girl tumbled to the floor, blown back with the force of it. Her hand landed on one of the stoneware shards and started to bleed. The floor now resembled a dangerous haphazardly strewn jigsaw puzzle. She wasn't good at puzzles, and it, along with the girl in front of her, was not a problem she planned to attempt. For all she knew, a demon was about to crawl out of Ciri's mouth. She turned on her feet, and in nothing but a shawl and nightdress, bolted out the door and into the courtyard below.

As the room in front of Ciri came into focus, she eyed the broken window and pottery. Add into account her now drenched hair and shirt, and the disheveled room. Sure enough the next thing she heard was boots stomping up the stairs, alongside gruff voices and the wheedling sound of the innkeeper. No doubt they were summoned by the commotion she just caused.

She rushed to the door and threw the bolt across before frantically grabbing her few possessions. They were at the door now, hammering at it and threatening. As the window was already broken it seemed almost like an invitation to slip through it and down the straw overhang. Behind her the innkeeper could still be heard complaining about damages and dues if the guards hurt the lock. She would not be getting her deposit back today.

She slinked along the base of the bustling inn, hearing patrons gossiping about the noise and workers complaining about what was sure to be mess awaiting them. As she cleared the back corner on the way to the stable, a girl holding a large water pail stared at her. She seemed to know Ciri and with a moments focus, the blurry images of the night prior came into focus. This was the girl she had been dancing with, with the coy laugh and bright smile. But in the daylight, all the warmth of the past week was gone. All she had for Ciri was a lip curled up in disgust and hatred in her eyes.

She realized with a start she must have been the one who threw the water on her.  She must have been shocked just moments ago, but she didn't seem afraid now. The light of day changes people, and this is a sobering example she thought.

After a couple moments frozen, Ciri broke her eye contact and continued in a light jog. The town wouldn't look kindly on the girl either if the full story came out. She must have wanted her gone, but not caught. Maybe she resented the risk and attention that was almost brought upon her.

As she entered the stable the sound and smell of horses enveloped her. Back in the corner she saw her beloved selkie, and whistled. The ears of a gorgeous black mare pricked toward her voice and she hustled to get the saddle and tack on and adjusted. Then they were off. She deemed the town big enough and her escape certain enough to walk the horse instead of ride and grab food at a market stall on the way out. Apples and warm bread, and some strips of cured meat. She didn't ask what kind of meat.

She was itching to ride but she kept a low profile and walked besides Selkie until the outskirts of the forest came into view. Then she hoped into the saddle and together they ran. Two creatures becoming one. The residual stress and fear from the dream she no longer remembered was slowly left behind, along with the town, the muddy streets, and the girl with her lip curled in disgust.

Just another day.

The path through the forest winded, back and forth, up hills and across creeks. There was peace in the land now. At least peace in comparison to how it was. There was still political upheaval here and there, but in many ways, it didn't affect the common folk and small towns. It stayed in the castle ballrooms and the nobles bedrooms, and so could be ignored. Her whole life had been one long war with her right in the middle of it, so she was happy to live a little while in blissful ignorance. There were no guarded checkpoints to cross. No warring factions attacking travelers. One could hardly even know there was a famine 2 years ago, although the effects were still visible to those who knew what to look for.