The Widow and The Witcher (Complete)

Chapter 27

It can't be....... Her eyes pleaded with Renee to tell her otherwise. Her friends, the women who had been with her since her days as Wilfred's wife and those who had joined the journey after. They all looked at her in shock. It had to be a joke, a nasty joke the unnamed God was playing on her. To give her symptoms so similar to pregnancy as her body fought its final moments of ability to conceive.   

Renee moved close to Julia and laid her hand on the small of her back as she heaved again what little was left in her stomach. Sitting back on her legs tears running down her cheeks she looked again to Renee "Since I have been gone have you treated anyone finishing there childbearing years?" Renee frowned as did Nessie while they thought Hannah and Ruth had organised a wet compress and bread for Julia. She was so grateful for their care and quick thinking. The cool cloth felt good on her head and the bread helped settle her stomach. 

Moving back to the picnic cloth she sat gingerly hoping that no other smells would set her off. After a moment both Renee and Nessie gazed at her Renee speaking "I'm sorry Julia I have to ask this and you can get angry with me if you want. But, have you had intercourse with anyone apart from Geralt in the last 6 weeks?" Julia's face blazed red at the thought of being with anyone other than her beloved. It was this action that made the women raise their eyebrows at her. Balling her fists she glared at the pair "Thhe Answer is an emphatic No! How could you even think that I was capable of being with anyone else." neither looked repentant as Nessie spoke, "Mistress we had to ask because your symptoms now including vomiting points less to your end of childbearing years and more to pregnancy."

A child, a baby, could it be true? but how? could one of Geralt's blanks spark to life? her body whirled with thoughts and emotions. Good and Bad. First was a feeling of Joy, second fear. If this truly was a miracle child would Geralt believe her? Or would he accuse her as she was sure the subconscious minds of her caring friends were? Would he leave her believing she had cheated on him? They had not been particularly close in the last few weeks, could this ad to his beliefs. Her final thought as panic overwhelmed her was, how could she prove her innocence and that if she was indeed pregnant that this child was his? as she passed out.

She could smell horse and the unmistakable smell of her husband. His large arms were holding her close her head nestled into the crook of his shoulder. Opening her eyes she saw that they were on Rose. She was being held between his arms sitting side-saddle as the horse walked slowly home. She could hear his normally slow steady heartbeat slightly elevated against her ear as she shut her eyes again. This was the closest they had been in days and she was not ready to look him in the eyes knowing that she needed to talk to him. Geralt must have heard the change in her heartbeat, without stopping or changing his position he tightened his arm around her.

Rose walked them home in silence, on arrival he slipped off the horse as Petra took hold of her reigns. Taking Julia into his arms, Geralt was not willing to let her even touch the ground as he carried her into the house to their chambers. His heart was racing, mind spinning, but if the last few weeks had taught him anything, it was to stay silent. For once she was not pushing him away but was settled into his arms and he would relish this for as long as she would allow it. Reaching their room he sat her down on the edge of the bed, kneeling before her, he looked up at her a silent question as he began taking off one shoe. Her face was shadowed, drawn unable to look him in the eye. 

After removing her shoes and riding coat he tucked her up in bed. Head now on the pillow she scrunched up her eyes and curled into the blankets. Geralt sat beside her his large hand lightly running his fingers through her hair until her face relaxed in sleep. Determination settled in his gut, she had been patient with him. Had walked him through his weak moments both at the beginning of his time here at the estate and at Kear Morhen. Now it was his turn, to walk with her through this time of grief. To patiently wait by her side until she was ready to talk to him.