The Witcher - Imagines and One Shots

From the fire - Part 4 - Geralt x Reader

The phoenix watched the big man's every move. Her nerves jangling, as he kept stabbing the tip of his sword into the ground. He had sent the nice man called Jaskier, to the town, in hopes of retrieving what he could of her possessions. The female wishing that it was the Witcher that had gone instead. For, for as long as she had been trying to hide her identity from all others around her, she had been doing the same, from men just like this pale haired creature that sat across the extinguished fire from her.

She had heard the tales of the Witchers; people that were once normal humans who were mutated by a combination of science and magic, that went through onerous trials that few survived. Those that did, came through the whole process with powers; powers that gave them the abilities to overcome the monsters that they hunted. Monsters just like her. Creatures that came to this world during the Conjunction of Spheres.

"You're the one they call the butcher........aren't you...........?" The phoenix suddenly asked, her voice sounding much meeker than she had meant it to. But she was alone with him now; still fearing what the pale haired man might actually have in store for her. She had felt safe when Jaskier had been here; he seemed kind. He had a gentleness in his eyes and a sweet voice, that made her feel calm..........made her feel safe. But at this moment, as the Witchers yellow eyes stared deep into hers, she felt anything but that.

"What................?"

"You..........you are the Butcher of Blaviken, aren't you..............?"

"And what if I am...................?"

"Then it just proves that you are more dangerous than I thought you were. I jumped out of the frying pan and into the fire, didn't I? I suppose that that is quite apt for a phoenix." She continued, a small unamused laugh leaving her lips, as she thought about what choosing that little, out of the way town, to rest, had brought her to. That she had inadvertently delivered herself into the arms of one of the only other beings in this world, that could cause her any real harm.

"Do you mind if I ask you something..................?"

"Jaskier told you, I have no intention of killing or selling you............." Geralt replied with a huff, as he got to his feet and looked to the woods to see if he could see the bard returning from the town.

"Not that..............no. What happened to the men that were following me.........?"

"Like Jaskier told you, you don't have to worry about them again..........."

"You..........you killed them.............?"

"Yes. Do you have a problem with me doing that............?"

"No.......no problem at all; especially given what they probably had planned for me. No.............I was just wondering why you would kill them and not me. After all, I'm the monster.............."

"You're no monster..............." Geralt retorted angrily, as he turned back and looked at her. The phoenix shrinking a little at his harsh tone.

"Leshy are monsters. Striga, Kikimora, Bruxa, Zeugl, they are all monsters. You.......... beings like you..............you are anything but.........." The Witcher continued, as he made his way over to her and knelt before her.

"When I was at the School of the Wolf, high in the Blue Mountains of Hertch, I would hear the mages and druids speak of your kind, about your abilities. I was always fascinated by the huge scrolls that hung from the walls of the great library. The illustrations of the mighty, fiery birds would stick with me; would follow me to my sleep and through my trials. Out of all the creatures that live in this world, both good and bad, you.............your kind, were the ones that I had always hoped to meet. That I hoped to find out the truth about. And then.........then when I do find you, you think that I would want to harm you.........." The Witcher confessed, as took a seat on the floor next to her. His words, his tone and the look in his eyes, now so much different to what they had been. So gentle, that she had begun to feel guilty. Awful for accusing him of what she had; of accusing him of things, merely because of what she had heard of him. The phoenix always priding herself on not harming others; but without really meaning to, it appeared that she had done what others could only dream of doing. She had hurt a Witcher.

"(Y/n)................"

"Huh................?"

"My name..............they call me (Y/n). And you.........you are Geralt. If I am to be travelling with you and Jaskier, it is better to know one another's names........don't you think?" She told him, this time moving closer to him. His big, black cloak moved back up over her bare shoulders, before she offered him her hand to shake.

"I won't burn you or anything............" (Y/n) chuckled, as the feared Witcher looked at her hand for a moment. The phoenix smiling as he finally took it.

"Well, as your friend Jaskier still hasn't returned with my things, and we can't really go anywhere until he does; why don't you ask me some of the things that you have always wanted to know about phoenixes, and I will do my best to answer." The phoenix added. Geralt actually finding himself smiling, as he got himself comfortable.