Chains of Destiny (book 2)

Chapter 29

A few days later Selene was walking around one of the towns. Looking for anything that could either point her in the direction of the books or a job that would keep her occupied while Geralt took off on his own for a bit. Crach apparently had a job that was just for Geralt which irked the both of them but if Selene was honest she was glad she didn't tag along.

It wasn't unusual that Selene often preferred to work alone, however this time she was more relieved than any other. This allowed her to work at her own pace, and if she was honest her stomach was still healing. While it wouldn't slow her down, it did mean she had to be more alert than normal and she had to make sure nothing else tried to kill her. As she continued to walk she heard the mumbled prays of a man and slowed her pace.

He was praying to the gods to save his son. Which confused her. What could be so horrible that a man had to pray to the gods instead of seeking help from an herbalist? Walking over Selene saw a long stick stuck in the ground before she saw the horse head and she flinched. It brought back one to many bad memories. Ones that still caused white hot anger to fill her. Looking closer she could see the name of someone, the boy she assumed, scribbled onto it.

Walking towards the man she crossed her arms and spoke in a soft voice. "Is everything alright sir?" The man looked up at the sound of a voice and turned to look at the silver eyed woman. "I didn't interrupt did I?" He shook his head. "No Lady Witcher. I fear now that pray will no longer work and that my only son will die by the next moon." Selene frowned as she listened. "Seems to me like someone's cursed you. A very interesting curse as well." The man's eyes widened and he looked ready to beg.

"Please lady Witcher, please tell me what curse ails my poor boy." "A Nithing. An old curse that is hardly used nowadays. Any idea who would want your son dead?" He shook his head. "Nay Lady Witcher, I swear on me honor I've done no wrong to anyone." Selene raised an eyebrow and tried to think of who would want a child dead. "First off, what's your name, second there are two ways to break the curse."

The man's eyes widened at her news. "Lady Witcher please, tell me. My names Lothar, please I just want to save Tjalve." Selene nodded as she thought back to what she was once taught by Vesemir. "A curse, or the Nithing as this one is called, can be removed either by the caster removing it themselves, or I direct the curse back to them." Lothar's jaw dropped at this.

"Please, please find out who did this to my boy. I'll pay ye, I swear it." Selene simply nodded. "Of course, I'll need to look around but once I've gotten an idea I'll come back." Lothar nodded as he mumbled his thanks and Selene walked off and examples the curse a bit closer this time. "Whoever did this really has to hold grudge to wish death upon a child." Biting back a growl Selene noticed a set of footprints. Kneeling down she carefully studied them. "Small, light. Definitely female. And that perfume hm.."

Standing up, Selene started to follow the scent only stopping as she saw something snagged on a tree. Reaching up she pulled it down and her eyes narrowed. "A shawl from Rannvaig. Skellige material though, let's see if we can't find our curse Castor with this." Following the smell back to town she stopped only to groan at all the muddled scents. "Damnit, to many smells." Looking around she sighed as she realized trying to use the scent now would be futile. "Maybe someone else can help me though."

Mumbling a curse she walked further into town and asked a few people if they knew who owned such a shawl but to no avail. Just as she was about to give up did she notice a woman looking at her. Blinking she could now see the woman was trying to Motion her over. Shaking her head Selene went to see what the woman had to say. "Did you need something?" "Actually I was thinking I could help ye instead. That shawl you hold belongs to the town's herbalist, Jonna. However if ye wish to speak with her ye best do it at night."

Selene raised an eyebrow at that as her eyes narrowed slightly. "Why night?" "Why it's when She's usually out and about gathering herbs for the following day." Selene nodded at this. "Then May I wait here till nightfall?" "Of course Master Witcher." Selene simply mumbled a thanks before she found a corner and sat down in it. Kneeling in her usual pose she closed her eyes as she waited for night to come.

It was hours later when those silver eyes once again opened. It was now pitch black and she knew most people were sound asleep, yet the person she was after was wide awake. "I see ye awake now, her hut is right across from me. Ye can't miss it." Selene nodded as she stood, but before she left she tossed a bag of coins at the woman. "Thank you, for your help. Make sure you feed your family." The woman's eyes widened before she smiled. "Thank ye mistress, and best of luck." And with that Selene walked out of the hut closing the door behind her.

Quickly walking towards the herbalist's hut, she made her steps light, she didn't need the herbalist running off after all. Once she saw the woman she scowled, she had short brown hair and beady brown eyes. "Excuse me, I couldn't help but wonder, is this shawl yours?" The woman turned with a fright and stared at Selene before seeing what she had. "Ah, that is mine, musta lost it while lookin for herbs." Selene kept a blank face as she spoke. "Or placing curses on innocent children."

Jonna's eyes widened before she crossed her arms. "So what? Lothar only has himself to blame. He made a laughing stock outa me." Selene crossed her arms. "Remove the curse." "I'll only remove the curse if he denounces his wife and son and comes back to me. And you can tell him that." Selene's scowl only deepened and while she was tempted to use Axxi on her she knew it would only bring more trouble.

"Tch, waste of my time, leave it to you to be so petty and jealous that you would kill an innocent kid." And with that she left heading right back for Lothars hut. The man was exactly where she left him, sitting outside by the makeshift shrine. "Jonna cursed him. She refuses to remove it until you come crawling back to her and denounce your family." Lothar's eyes widened in horror. "That bitch! I knew I shouldn't have trusted her. But I loved her at one point, but when I saw how toxic she was..I left, I couldn't help that I fell in love with another. Please Lady Witcher, Please Save my boy." Selene sighed before nodding.

"Very well." And with that Selene walked over to the Nithing. Pulling out some charcoal she wrote the herbalists name. "Jonna, May your death be quick and painless." Once done she returned to Lothar. "It's done, Jonna will die and Tjalve will recover." "Oh thank ye master. Thank ye. Here ye coin, 400 pieces. Would ye like to stay for dinner?" Selene shook her head. "No, I have many places to still visit. So I must leave here." "Of course master, good luck on the path." And with that she left.