Heart of Ice • The Witcher

Chapter 16 • Ashes To Ashes

   In her hands were the ashes of Atticus's wife, but what she was to do with them she had no idea. There was no Atticus and there was no Geralt to give the urn to, they were gone and along with them went the apothecary house in flames in a fire that burned so high it must have been visible from many towns over. Someone had burned the house down while Anaya and Garrison had been gone, either as a warning or as an attempt to murder the future Queen. They had failed, however, but it wasn't safe there anymore. 

   "I checked the stables, Roach is gone," Garrison said, making his way to Anaya with a solemn look on his face. Anaya just stared at the burning house, the heat brushing her face and her eyes dancing with an internal fire that was just waiting to get out and scorch those who had attempted to harm her friends. 

   "That means they could have escaped," she said, allowing her mind to cling onto that small possibility, the possibility her friends were still alive somewhere out there, that they hadn't burned to death in a fire that was meant for her, a fire that wouldn't even have harmed her. 

   "That is a possibility, but-"

   "But what, Garrison?" Anaya snapped at him. 

   "Geralt wasn't well," Garrison sighed. "The likeliness of a man as old as Atticus being able to carry a man as big as Geralt out in time is low. I don't want to admit it, but we need to face the facts. They're most likely dead, Aya."

   "You may believe whatever you wish to believe."

   "Fair enough, you're inclined to your own thoughts on this matter. However, something we both need to agree on is that this village is no longer safe. We need to leave now before whoever did this comes back to finish the job."

   "I'd like to see them try," Anaya said, stifling a laugh. 

   "What was that?"

   She looked down at Garrison, her eyes filled with the anger bubbling up inside her, an anger so heated it resembled the burning flames near them. Garrison stepped back, he'd never seen her look so angry, so furious, so void of light.

   "What's that saying, Garrison?" Anaya said. "Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned?"

   "Aya-"

   "Well, they've successfully scorned me. They want to play with fire? I'll give them fire. I'll give them enough to burn everything they've ever known, ever cared for, and ever loved down into the ground. I'll make sure they have enough fire to carry with them to hell where they can play with it, rotting and burning until the end of time."

   Garrison stared up at the princess, his eyes full of concern and fear that he didn't want to admit was there, but it was. He'd never been hesitant to speak with her, he'd had no need for a filter up until that point. But now, as he opened his mouth to speak, he did so with plain hesitancy, afraid that his words might further upset her. 

   "You're not yourself right now, you don't mean that," he said.

   "Maybe," she frowned. "Or maybe this is what Geralt was talking about. Maybe the Queen was right about me. Maybe I am a monster."

   "You're not a monster, Aya," he assured, taking her hands in his. "You're just angry. You're saying things you don't mean because you're unable to deal with your emotions. Having these thoughts, saying these things, it doesn't make you a monster. Following through with actions, however, will. We can continue this discussion later, but right now we need to keep moving. We need to get you somewhere that's safe."

   "Alright," Anaya agreed, pulling her cloak further over her head. "You're right, let's go."

   "Great," Garrison turned to leave.

   "But let's get on thing straight first, Garrison," she said, bringing him to an immediate stop. "If Geralt and Atticus really are dead and the fire we've been watching for the past hour was the cause of their demise, know that if we ever run into whoever sparked the flames, I will scorch them on the spot, whether it be in front of their friends, their families, their children, I will not hesitate. They will burn."

   With that promise engraved into their minds, the two began their journey through the woods with no supplies, no guardian, and no clear path to follow. It was as though they'd started their journey all over again, back at square one before they'd met Geralt. However, things were different now. Even with no supplies, Anaya felt more confident in her ability to survive, to keep going and track down her missing friends if they were still out there. 

   "That first night with the fire," Garrison said, recalling the night Anaya and him had spent in the woods before Geralt had run into them. "That was you, wasn't it? You got the fire going?"

   "Yes, that was me," Anaya said. "Why do you ask?"

   "Was that the first time you've wielded your powers?"

   "No, the first time was when I was a little girl," she smiled. "I don't know how it happened, but I remember I was with my father. He was reading me a bedtime story when the candle blew out. Before he could even attempt to light it, I did it for him."

   "How did he react?"

   "Surprised at first, but he was a good father and accepted me for who I was despite what he knew I was capable of. He told me to keep my gift hidden from others who would wish harm upon me, and I did, for a time."

   "Until what?"

   "Until he passed," she sighed a painful breath. "By then he was already married to my stepmother who he'd told about my gift. He thought she would protect me as he had, but he didn't know she was one of the ones who wished to bring harm to me. So, one night, she came into my room with the intention to kill me in my sleep and take the throne."

   "But you weren't asleep, were you?"

   "My maid Perilla had warned me not to fall asleep that night, she must have known somehow. So, to defend myself, I used my power against the Queen. The flame I created was meant to just frighten her, but I let it frighten me and get the best of me because the next thing I knew her flesh was burning. I didn't know how to stop it, so I ran away from the castle, away from my home."

   "And then you found me," Garrison said.

   "Sometime after, yes."

    "Don't worry, Aya. You did nothing wrong. Things will work out for you."

   "When did you become so optimistic?" 

   "Well, you're currently planning all the different ways you're going to go about roasting our enemies, so I figured one of us has to be optimistic," Garrison shrugged. "At least for today."

   "Fair enough," Anaya laughed. 

   Suddenly, an arrow flew past their heads and impaled the tree before them. 

   "Alright, fuck optimism!" Garrison exclaimed. "We're fucked."