Bound By Destiny (book 1)

Chapter 8

 

    When Geralt awoke the room was oddly silent and he felt a bit dazed. With a groan he slowly sat up only to feel a hand on his shoulder. He blinked before he turned to see who touched him and frowned in disappointment when he saw it was only Triss. "Where....where is she?"

    Triss blinked, her green eyes narrowed slightly as she felt a moment of pure confusion before she sighed. "She's gone." Geralt almost cursed, he had been hoping she was still there, one so he could finally learn her name, and two he wanted to travel with her, yet it would seem she was true to her word and left without even a goodbye.

     "Fuck." Triss raised an eyebrow but didn't question it. "Did she at least take the coin?" It was silent for a moment as triss debated on an answer, before finally deciding to tell him the truth. "No, she left all of it for you." This time he glared at her.

    "She deserved at least half of the reward." Triss sighed as she rubbed her forehead. "She refused it, claiming she didn't do anything to deserve any coin. And yes before you snap again i know se..." she caught herself just in time "she helped you but felt as if you deserved all of it."

    He blinked his brow furrowing as he heard her start to say something but stop and correct herself. "You know her name." It wasn't a question, no it was a statement. "I've sworn to not tell a soul, not even you." He growled a bit as he went to stand and was once again stopped.

     "Stop, you need time to rest and recover." "No, I need to be on my way." The pull was already far away at this point, to faint for him to track while he was still stuck at the cottage and he wanted, no needed to catch up to this mysterious woman before she was far enough away for him to no longer sense her.

    "There's more to life then coin and monsters." He snorted. "No need for there to be." "But there is!" He rolled his eyes as he stood and removed the bandages. "I'm not just going out for coin at this point."

   This however confused the woman as she tilted her head. "Huh?" Geralt was finally standing at this point and putting his clothes back on, or well just his shirt since he was still thankfully wearing pants.

    Triss frowned when he didn't respond so she crossed her arms. "Let me guess you're going to spend coin on some whore." This finally made Geralt snap and he turned on Triss with a glare. "That's rich coming from someone who was begged me to sleep with her."

     She couldn't help but flinch at this point, she had never seen him so angry at her. "I'm sorry, I'm just worried, you were heavily injured while dealing with the Striga." He rolled his eyes. "I'm fine, I already finished healing and if anything I'm thankful for that woman for staying around long enough to help heal me. While you, Someone I trusted with my life was more concerned about the princess!"

    Triss sighed and felt her shoulders slump. "I had never seen something like that, never saw a curse reversed so successfully. Her necks fine by the way."
He snorted, while he was slightly concerned about that he really didn't care. The woman was now getting further away and he was becoming agitated.

    "You're going to look for her aren't you." It was again a statement, and Geralt just looked at her. "Look, she's already made it obvious she's going to be avoiding you after all of this." He arched a single eyebrow this time as he waited for Triss to explain.

     With a groan she finally leaned against a wall her arms crossed over her chest yet Geralt paid this simple action no mind. "She said that if you were smart you would ignore her and this supposed pull you both feel."

   "Yeah well, unlucky for her I'm not so smart." Was the sarcastic reply. "I will find her, and I will thank her. Now, if you don't mind, I have a long journey ahead of me and I would like to be off before she gets even further away." Triss sighed as she realized that trying to stop him would be pointless so she simply handed him his coin and watched as he walked out of her cottage.

    Once outside he let out a sharp whistle. It didn't take long however for a brown haired mare to appear and stop in front of him. "There you are girl, come on now we have a long journey ahead of us." Roach simply nudged him and he chuckled before climbing back into the saddle.

    "Geralt." Said man turned to look at the woman and he raised an eyebrow. "Be safe and approach her with caution, I'm not saying it because I fear she'll hurt you, but because she's wary around everyone." He nodded. "I could tell that the day I first met her. But that's a story for another time."

    Triss wanted to press him for more information about Selene, about how they met but she knew Geralt was ready to go and nothing would stop him. "Alright, have a safe journey and don't be a stranger you and....well that woman should come and visit me sometimes."

    His eyes narrowed, now he knew that triss knew the woman's name and he also knew she wouldn't share after making a promise not to, he also thanks to her earlier statement had an idea that Triss knew more about his mystery woman then he himself did. "Right, goodbye Triss." And with that he clicked his tongue urging roach to move.

    Triss watched as he left, knowing that she had restocked all his potions, elixirs and some food and water for his journey. And not once, not once did he look back and that's how she knew, that she would never be more then a simple friend to him. Someone he could talk to but nothing more.

    With a sigh she finally turned on her heal and went back into the cottage with the intentions of finally giving it a good clean, especially after Geralt had gotten blood everywhere, then again, that was normal Considering everything that had occurred.

     Geralt was now out of the town and heading down the road where the pull felt at least a bit stronger but not by much, he could still hardly sense this woman, and he knew she wasn't stopping, that she wasn't waiting for him to catch up. No he wasn't that lucky. "And here we go again Roach, off to find a troubled woman because that's apparently what we keep attracting."

    He sighed as he realized that talking to his horse was weird but he didn't care, Roach was his companion and he would be damned if he went insane from overwhelming silence. Urging Roach forward he decided that he would just keep going until he or Roach seriously needed a rest and he wondered how this woman, who he assumed was on foot was already so far away. Shaking his head he just sighed as he realized he now had more questions then answers.