To Thaw A Frozen Heart

~ chapter 14 ~

3rd person POV

Geralt did not once close his eyes, not for one moment. They were glued open, fixed on the pale, bruised face he found himself cradling. Her limp body rested it's entire weight on his side, but he didn't care. He checked her chest every so often to make sure it was still rising and falling, and it was. Witcher's aren't supposed to feel fear. They strip you of the capability. So why was this witcher finding himself fearing for this young woman?

Then he heard it. Three long awaited crows. Geralt slowly reached over Antea's body to the lid of the crypt and pushed it aside. He stood, lifting her body with him. Then he saw the girl. Dirty, naked, shivering on the ground. He gently lay Antea down and approached the girl. The Princess. Geralt slowly crouched beside the shivering girl, and placed his hand gently on her shoulder, turning her to face him. Her eyes met his with an expression of pure fear, and she raised her hand to reveal long claws, and sliced at his neck. Geralt stumbled, backing away clutching his neck, a shocked expression on his face. The princess advanced on him and took a chunk out of his neck. Geralt yelled, and kindly returned the favour, biting down hard on the princesses neck. She whimpered and backed away, but Geralt could feel his vision failing.
'Fuck.'
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Geralt POV

Geralt eyes struggled to open, the ache residing in his neck pulsated around his head, causing the worst headache he had ever known. As he began to come to, he was met with the curly auburn hair of the witch, Triss.
'Where is she?' Geralt asked quickly.

'I've arranged for her to stay with the Sisters of Melitele.' Triss responded. 'You should know Goltsst issued a statement. The honorable Lord Ostrit gave his life to slag the vukodlak. Miners are gathering ore for a statue.'

'Great. But I didn't mean the princess. Where's..' Geralt stopped as his eyes landed on a small body laying on a table in the centre of the room. Her face had been cleaned and her hair brushed. She was covered from her shoulders down by a cloth.
Geralt looked at Triss with panic in his eyes, as he hurried up despite the pain to go to Antea.
Triss followed calmly.

'She is sleeping.' She whispered. 'But I do not know when she will awaken.'

'What...' Geralt mumbled.

'Whatever happened in that crypt, it took a great deal of power and energy from her. Her body is restoring itself - it could take time.' Triss explained.

'How long?' Geralt looked to Triss

'Well, I'm not really..'

'How long Triss!' Geralt growled.

Triss gazed at him with sympathetic eyes, and paused before responding;

'In cases I've seen to date? Usually a year. If not more.'

Geralt could feel his chest cramp, and his throat choke up.

'A year. A year? No. Use magic, witch. Fix this. Wake her up now' Geralt said urgently.

'I cannot, Geralt. This is a natural process, it cannot be hurried. She must take her own time to heal. She almost bled out, Geralt.' She said slowly.

He glanced at the pale face lying in front of him once more. How could this happen? He should have been watching her. How could he let this happen. It was all his fault. He grabbed the nearest thing to him - a pot with lavender - and smashed it on the floor, before putting on his tunic and burying out the door. A whistle for Roach, and away he went. Only he knew to where.