Broken Chains

Chapter 8

A few days had passed and Selene had decided that she was going to head into town. She was running low on coin, and honestly sitting around didn't help her at all. She needed to move. Letting Caidrin know she would be back later. "Where are you heading Sor'ca?" "I'm only going into town. Gonna see if i can't get a job or two." Caidrin raised an eyebrow. "If it's coin you need you know we are willing to help." Selene raised a hand. "It's fine, I have to do this. One it will help me keep my strength up, two I hate sitting around. It's not helping me and i know you are willing to help but please, let me do this."
      Caidrin listened to the way she spoke and sighed. "Well I can't stop you, none of us can. Especially if you think it'll help. All I can say is I'm coming with." Silver eyes widened at what he said. They were still on the dull side but a bit brighter then before. "Caidrin I'll be fine." "Nope, I've made up my mind. I'm going with and nothing you say will stop me." "But I'm going into Flotsam." He shrugged. "That's not stopping me. Besides I can pick up what I need. After all, it was you who killed Leredo was it not?" Selene blinked before she looked away. She wasn't sure still if she made the right choice.
       "I killed him, that's correct. I found someone who was willing to work with Elves and other none humans." Caidrin saw the way she looked away before placing a hand on her shoulder. "You left out the most important part. You faced him alone. You fought for days to have the Scoia'tael given freedom. To allow us free reign into town." Selene glanced at him. "How do you know that?" "Cedric was there the day you argued it. The day you raised your sword against Leredo. The man never once thought that the town would support a Vatt'ghern." Selene blinked. "I still don't know if I did the right thing."
       "It's never black and white Selene, that's not how it works. You did what was right to you. Leredo killed innocent people. And you in turn stopped that. Had you really made the wrong choice, you would have paid for it already." Selene finally gave a weak smile. "Thanks Caidrin." He nodded and watched as she slung her bag over her shoulder. "Alright, let's get going to Flotsam." Caidrin smiled and the two soon left. Neither aware of the fact that Iorveth had accidentally overheard their conversation. "So she's why Leredo is dead. Hm perhaps it's time I spoke with Cedric and see what brought this about."
       Walking away he soon found Cedric. Said man was sitting under a tree and drying out herbs for elixirs. "Cedric we need to talk." The man looked up and nodded. "Take a seat." Iorveth sat down across from Cedric a thoughtful look to his face. "What's on your mind?" He asked after a few minutes of silence. "The day Leredo died. You were there correct?" Cedric looked up and blinked. "I was, I witnessed the entire ordeal." Iorveth nodded as he leaned back against the tree.
      "What happened that day? What brought it on, who killed him and who saved our women?" Cedric finally stopped what he was doing and looked up at the sky. He was oddly silent for a few minutes. Which only worried Iorveth. "Selene, Selene of Vesina single handedly killed Leredo and saved our woman. Among those woman is Sally, she can confirm that for you." Iorveth was shocked. How had she managed both? "The fight with that bastard wasn't Easy, not in the slightest. But she didn't peruse him first. Oh no, she ran right into a burning building."
     
      Flashback-

   Selene had been in town for a while, something was clearly going on, and it was easy to tell. The town was far to silent and anyone who wasn't human was on edge so she walked over to an elf, unaware that this one was part of Iorveth's unit. "Can I ask whats going on?" The elf looked at her before looking around. "Vatt'ghern, you haven't heard? Leredo captured some of our woman and is holding them hostage to force the Scoia'tael out of hiding." Selene was angry. "He won't get away with it."
         He already has, he plans on burning them alive." Selene gripped her sword. "He won't succeed, I'll head to the wharf and stop him." As she got closer she could see Leredo locking a door behind him. "Leredo." The man turned and smiled. "Hello Lovely are you lost?" She glared at that. "No, and don't call me lovely. It's insulting." He held up his hands in mock surrender. "Pardon me but I thought it would be alright." Silver eyes narrowed yet again as she listened. "Then allow me to introduce myself. My name is Selene of Vesina." That made the man go still, eyes wide as he knew what that meant. She was a witcher, a deadly one at that.
       "What is it you want Witcher?" He was trying to keep calm. To stay in control, but it was too late, Selene was already in control. Cedric however was hiding nearby, having covered his ears with a shawl he watched the exchange between dh'oine and Vatt'ghern. Needless to say what he heard next shocked him to his very core. "Elves, dwarfs Scoia'tael and any other non human do not deserve the treatment you give them! Those beings helped build these towns! And it was wrongfully stolen from them! You sit there all High and mighty as people mindlessly kill those around them!"
        Several people in the crowed looked at each other. What the Witcher said honestly made sense. "No non human the Scoia'tael included have ever murdered a human who ventured into their forests! If anything they were attacking the monsters that roam the forest!" Leredo was angry. Who did this bitch think she was? "Then that makes you an enemy of Tamriel!" She snorted. "I'd rather be an enemy then a monster in human skin!" Leredo looked at his people. "Kill them all and they witcher too!" A few people did what was asked but Selene, no Selene saw red.
      The building was now on fire and she knew she didn't have long. So she spoke quickly. "If you care, if you care about your friends, your neighbors, non humans, you'll stop the ones who are trying to kill them right now!" And with that she blasted open the door and ran into the burning building. Smoke blinded her, if only for a second and she could hear the terrified screams of the woman above. Yet Selene's words struck a cord in those outside the fact she also ran into a burning building as well. "What do we do?" One of the townsfolk looked over and Drew a sword. "We fight, we protect our neighbors, they aren't non human they are just different, now let us show this Witcher that we will follow her example!" And with that people ran off to stop the fights.
      Cedric who was injured already was amazed, he had never seen someone jump to their defense so quickly. There was also the fact Selene had given them something he thought was lost. She gave hope. Standing up he was going to go inside and help when he heard people rushing his way. Running out of the town he kept going until he collapsed by the river where he thought he would die.
       Selene however had freed the woman who thanked her and then jumped out the window. With said woman right behind them. She swam until she was able to climb out, she knew Leredo was still close, he was in the forest, a place that was a literal maze. Moving quickly she spotted a trail of blood, who was hurt? Deciding to follow it she soon found an elf. "Vatt'ghern, you....you really came." Selene looked at him and started to pull out an elixir. "Of course I did, I can't let you die." He only weakly smiled.
       "You saved them?" "Yep, got a few burns to prove it." And it was true, she had several burns on her one hand, probably from climbing the ladder, one across her arm where it looks like something fell. And she was covered in soot. "Take an elixir." She Only shrugged as she poured her last one over his wound. "Since you're not human, this will help you." Just then she stiffened and drew her blade as Leredo came out of hiding. "I should have known you were an Elven lover."
        Selene didn't even bother answering that. In fact she only stood up and drew her sword. "To think Geralt of rivia has a cheater for a wife." Selene snorted. Only she knew that those two were growing distant so she could use that to her advantage. "Afraid I'm not married at the moment. But he knows i don't cheat. I however won't idly stand by and watch this needless destruction." And with that being said Leredo attacked. Cedric however saw the shift in her stance and knew it was a second to late. Leredo had cut open her side. She didn't wince, didn't scream instead she used that, she used it to her advantage.
      Turning against the blade that was no longer against her skin she sliced open Leredo's shoulder severing tendons and nerves leaving the man howling in pain. Cedric also began to think back to what was said. She wasn't married, yet those two had been together for so long. Then it clicked, something was happening between them and he swore to himself he would keep her safe from what was to come. The fight was finally nearing its end, Leredo was covered in blood and Selene was only slightly hurt. So with one quick swing of her sword she had detached his head from his body and watched as it rolled away.
      Turning to Cedric she sheathed her sword and helped him stand. "Let's get your some place safe." And with that she took him to a camp, a camp belonging to the Scoia'tael. She didn't go in, didn't call attention to them. She just set him down. "Call for them. I have to go, I need to make sure chaos hasn't taken that town."  Just as she was about to leave he grabbed her hand. "Sor'ca, Wait. Great pain is coming for you. Find me when it does, I'll help you, take you somewhere safe. But also please take an elixir."
       She smiled at him. "I'll keep that in mind, I'll take an elixir once I've made more." His eyes widened. She had used the last one on him to save his life. Before he could stop her again she vanished into the trees just as several Scoia'tael came out to help him. "We saw what happened." One of the women spoke. "Our woman also made it into the forest. Told us that a female Vatt'ghern saved them. We saw her with you, do not worry Cedric, she'll have someone track her down soon to give her the elixir." And with that Cedric was able to relax. He only wish he knew how soon he would see her again.
  
     Flashback end-

    Iorveth's eyes were wide, the story had indeed been a long one, and when he looked up the sky was becoming dark. "They should be back soon." Iorveth nodded before he spoke. "Yes, and learning what I have, I've decided something." Cedric looked at him. "What is that?" "I shall give her the mark of the Scoia'tael. She could have died in that fire, could have died saving you, could have died against Leredo. Yet she didn't, it also now explains the scar on her wrist. It's from the fire." Cedric nodded slowly. "Yes, but had I known even three weeks later Selene would have her heart absolutely shattered I would have immediately sought her out and saved her from it."
      "I know you would have, yet she came to us anyway. Even if it wasn't planned. But I'll say this, she is the dumbest, yet bravest Vatt'ghern I know. A woman I deeply admire and respect." Cedric smiled. Perhaps Iorveth had finally met his match. "They're coming." Turning around he saw it was true, the pair was indeed coming back, with Selene actually limping. Both men now worried. Standing up they both ran over. "Sele, what happened?"
      Selene blinked before a smirk graced her lips. "A bit of an accident, we almost tumbled down a cliff thanks to some nekkers, my foot caught a trap pushing this idiot out of the way." Caidrin rubbed his head. "Yeah, she told me to pay attention and I didn't, she got hurt. Yet thankfully we didn't go down the cliff as she caught a root from a tree and stopped it." Iorveth felt his jaw drop before he picked Selene up. "Careless woman. Don't you know I hate seeing you hurt?" Selene blinked, sure she knew he cared but to see how deeply he did it surprised her. "It wasn't planned."
     Cedric smiled. "We know that. Just take that elixir before I make you take it." "Kinda why we came here." "Oh?" "I need you to brew it." Cedric laughed. "Oh lords don't yell me you went without one." "Ah, not exactly. I was about to take it." She was still holding onto Iorveth who had yet to set her down. "But the vial maybe kinda exploded?" His eyes widened and he moved quickly setting to work on the new one. "How?" "Badly aimed attack from a certain sorcerers." Cedric blinked. "Who?" "Triss Merigold who followed us but I told them to kinda not let her through."
        Both men blinked. "Look I don't know why they listened to me. But I managed to complete my job despite the injury." Iorveth rolled his eyes. He could care less about that job. He cared about her. That's when he laughed. "What's so funny?" "Sele, they listen to you because I asked them to the first time. Now it's just out of respect." Selene blinked and if possible she probably would be been bright red. "Oh, um right. But maybe I should have let her follow..." "just tell one of them to bring her Sele." Selene nodded slowly. "Motta,if you're listening and I'm sure you are, bring me Triss Merigold." And with that the woman vanished only to come back moments later. "Hello Selene."