Heart of Ice • The Witcher

Chapter 13 • The Most Beautiful Ones

   "Do you know what happened to him?" Atticus asked, adjusting his thin wired glasses to get a better look at Geralt. 

   "He ingested this," Garrison said, showing him the flower he had tucked away in his pocket. Atticus took it and examined it carefully. 

   "Ah, foxglove. Also known as dead man's bells. Beautiful to the eyes, yes, but deadly once ingested. Symptoms include, but not limited to arrhythmic heartbeat and tremors. In severe cases, such as your friend here, the toxicity can be deadly. Truthfully speaking, he should be dead, but based on the area around his eyes, he has taken something to enhance his strength." 

   "Yes, he took some potion or something," Anaya said, looking down at her paling Witcher. "Can you save him, Atticus?" 

   "It will take some time, but yes, I can save him," he told her with a reassuring smile. For some reason, whether it was his kind smile or his warm brown eyes, he reminded her of her father. He just gave off this feeling of warmth and honesty that Anaya hadn't felt in so long, since her Father's last hug. In that moment, she realized just how much she missed her father, how much she missed his voice and his touch and his presence. She missed running to him when she felt scared or unsafe. She missed every part of him so much. 

   "Thank you," she said hugging him, her eyes filled to the brim with unspilt tears that were forced to remain back by hidden emotions, emotions she didn't want getting out.

   Atticus gave her a comforting pat on the back. "He will be okay, my child." 

   "Aya," Garrison said, "let the man work."

  "Right, sorry," she said, pulling away from the hug. 

   "No need to apologize, child. I can see you've been through a lot, so I won't question you with questions you will answer with lies," Atticus said, walking over to one of his seemingly endless shelves lined with herbs. "However, I will ask you to remove your horse from my shop," he said, looking over at Roach who hadn't moved from his spot.

   "I'll go do that," Garrison said, walking over to Roach who followed him out of the shop. 

   Atticus got straight to work, grinding up different herbs and mixing them into a bowl. Anaya looked down at Geralt and smiled. He was going to be fine, but he was going to be angry once he realized what they'd done to him. Anaya walked over to the end of the bed where a neatly folded blanket sat. Geralt still had his boots on, so she decided to take those off first before unfolded the blanket and gently placed it over him to keep him warm. 

   "You care about him, yes?" Atticus said, glancing up at her as he mixed different ingredients together. 

   "Yes," Anaya said. 

   "It is clear in the way you look at him, it is the same way my wife used to look at me. You remind me of her, you know? Yes, she was very beautiful, but sadly God likes to choose the most beautiful ones first. Like most people, I suppose. They all want the most beautiful ones," Atticus said. He kept his smile, but his eyes couldn't hide the sadness behind them.

   "I'm sorry," Anaya said, her heart sinking at the sight of him. 

   "I am too, she was too young. She was taken from me before she was taken from this world, but I guess it was easier that way. Maybe that was God's way of showing me mercy."

   "Someone took her away from you?"

   "Yes, the mayor of this town is a vile man. He took her when he wanted a new wife, ripped her away from my arms and took her to his house where she stayed until she died."

   "That's barbaric," Anaya said, the very thought of that angering her. 

   "As I said, people want the most beautiful ones."

   "Did no one stop him? Did no one say anything?"

   "The mayor, he is a very powerful man, but he got what he deserved. After my wife went, so did his vision. Now he lives a blind life, unable to see the beautiful ones, unable to harm any more families." 

    "You don't sound very angry."

   "I was, for most of my life, but anger has a funny way of turning into sadness. I am no longer angry, what happened has already passed. I can't change it. Now, I just miss my wife, my beautiful, Maple," he said. 

   "Well, I'll be angry for you. If I ever see the mayor, he's going to get a piece of me. Hell, I have half a mind to run into his house right now."

   "Well, actually, there is something else you can do for me. It can be payment for my work here with your friend."

   "Yes, what is it?" Anaya asked.

   "The mayor, he has my wife's ashes. If you could get them for me, I would be forever grateful to you. Do you think you could do that?"

   "Of course."