Chains of Destiny (book 2)

Chapter 8

As Selene made her way back to white Orchard she made sure to avoid most of the townsfolk and keep a hand on her bleeding shoulder, thankfully it wasn't a deep wound but it did need to be wrapped until she could brew some more elixirs, or until she could ask Geralt if he had any. Walking to the inn she carefully made her way inside, careful to not disturb any of the other customers.

Quickly but surely making her way to the counter she stopped and waited for the woman to acknowledge her. "Oh hello dear what can I do for you?" Selene shifted and kept her voice low. "I needed to know if you had bandages." The woman blinked before her eyes widened at the sight of the blood. "What happened?" "Griffin attack. I was sent here by a man named Bram, he said to ask for a woman named Elsa?"

The brown haired woman's eyes widened even more if that was physically possible. "My cousin, tell me lady Witcher is he alright?" A single eyebrow arched again but she chose not to ask how she knew. "Alive And well, got there just as the griffin swept down for the mare, got my shoulder trying to fight it off."

"Oh you poor thing, come with me I have some bandages and salves you can put on that cut of yours. And any friend of Bram is a friend of mine." Selene smiled slightly before she followed the woman to another room. Elsa rummaged around in the drawers for a few minutes before she pulled out some bandages and a bottle that she assumed contained the salve.

"Here you go sweetheart, this should help, if you need anything else please let me know." Selene nodded before she spoke. "Thank you Elsa, I have a friend with me, he has ashen colored hair, also a witcher his name is Geralt, if you could keep an eye out for him I would appreciate it." "Of course dear." And with that she went to the front of the inn once more.

After the woman left and closed the door behind her, Selene finally removed her shirt and stood in front of the mirror looking at the cut to her shoulder. It was a bit deeper than she would have liked, but it wouldn't hinder her. Grabbing a rag that she saw next to the bandages, she picked it up and dipped it into the water before ringing it out and washing up the cut.

Said cut was roughly 4 inches deep and 3 inches long, nothing to be really worried about. But she would still be making herself an elixir or two. Once that was done and the rag discarded she opened up the salve and scooped out a small amount before carefully applying it to the wound. This part made her wince slightly but it was mainly due to the fact it was cold. Once she finished she put the lid back on the salve, wiped her fingers and began to wrap her shoulder with the bandages.

This thankfully only took a few minutes before she was putting on a clean shirt, shoving her old one into her bag and standing up before she grabbed it and walked out of the room where she saw Geralt waiting by a table hidden in the far back.

"Ah, there you are dear, your friend is here and he's waiting by the table for you." "Yes, I see him, thank you again." And with that she walked over to Geralt who simply raised an eyebrow at the sight of her new shirt. "Wanna explain the new shirt Sel?" His voice barely above a whisper, yet that didn't matter Selene could still hear him clear as day. "Oh ya know, I felt dirty." Said man only looked at her, his arms crossed as he waited for her actual explication.

Selene sighed before she looked at him again. "Griffin got my shoulder, not horribly but it's wrapped up." He slowly nodded "and treated with a salve I see. Need an elixir?" "If you wouldn't mind." He chuckled before he handed her the vial. "I could smell your blood the second I entered so I had one ready." He said before Selene could even ask.

"Thanks, did you by chance learn anything?" Geralt sighed before he motioned for her to drink the elixir. "No, no one had any useful information other then to check the ruins. And that was without saying we had already been there." Selene frowned but took the elixir and handed him back the empty vial that he seemingly put in his bag.

"What about you? And how did you manage to come across a griffin?" "I learnt nothing, as I was nearing the main roads I heard a man screaming for help. So I went to go and assist him, but I heard the Griffin before it even arrived at the location, if it wasn't for the man warning me, I feel as if this would be so much worse." He nodded and waited for her to continue.

"I managed to cut it, not deep but enough to force it to retreat but not before it grabbed Bram's horse." He raised an eyebrow once more. "Bram?" She shook her head. "Merchant, I wouldn't let him pay me. But perhaps we should go and see him, I told him I would swing by once my shoulder was taken care of." Geralt was silent for a moment before he nodded. "Alright, lets go pay this man a visit shall we?"