Anielica

Elena

Minutes seemed like hours, and hours seemed like days. Elena had waited patiently by the lake, head in hands. She was just about to give up all hope when she heard the sound of steady footfalls close by. Her head snapped towards the sound.
It was Geralt!
He was on foot- Roach towed behind him. On the horse's back was the creature, strapped in at unusual angles- it's terrifying legs protruding obscenely.
He'd defeated it.
Elena couldn't believe her eyes.
Geralt himself looked tired and filthy, but in whole appeared uninjured. He was walking straight towards her, but he was looking past her, a passive look in his eye.
"Geralt!" She cried, picking herself off the ground.
He walked right past her. Not even a glance in her direction. A feeling of unease suddenly creeped over her.
"Are you hurt?!" She asked attentively, addressing his back. His shoulders stiff with tension.
She received no answer.

Elena watched as he shrugged out of his armour and walked towards the lake.
Cautiously, she followed him.
His undershirt was dark, but she could easily see where he had been wounded in battle with the creature. His shirt was stuck to him, equally stained with sweat and blood.
He was looking out across the small lake, hands on his hips- his expression unreadable.
"We'll need to clean your wounds," Elena said gently, moving closer to him. Slowly, she put out a hand to touch his shoulder but suddenly stopped, changing her mind.
She wanted to comfort him but she didn't know how. Dismayed, she watched as he kicked his boots off and peel himself out of his clothes. Despite the seriousness of the situation she couldn't help but admire the strength and shape of his body. The muscles in his broad shoulders bunching and relaxing as he threw his clothes into the lake. Something bright caught her eye and drew her attention to his lower half.
Blood.
Panic shot through her at the sight of it.
There was blood running down the inside of his right thigh. She made a small involuntary gasp and Geralt half turned towards her- as if compelled by the sound- yet still wouldn't look at her. From this angle she could see he had an even more serious wound at his abdomen, her hand involuntarily covering her mouth.
Suddenly dizzy, she worried she might be sick.
Her stomach squeezed as she took in the sight of all his scars, old and new. He turned away from her and waded into the lake with strong deliberate movements. He stopped once the water reached his knees and sat down, the water coming up to his mid back- hiding most of the gore.

Elena debated momentarily with herself before following him in. She didn't bother removing any of her clothes, apart from her boots.
The water was clear and cool. Her toes sliding into the pebbled water bed with each step.
She sank down on her knees beside him and did her best to ignore the blood swirling beside them. Patiently waiting, she watched as he cleansed himself. Hoping he'd stop ignoring her soon, so she could finally help him in some way.
He stopped splashing water on his face and finally looked at her. He was angry.
The realisation of this made her feel confused and a little hurt. He looked at her coldly, his jaw clenching. The muscles of his throat and shoulders were strung tight.
"You're angry with me," Elena said, looking him in the eye, trying to be brave.
"Yes," his tone was colder than the water they sat in. "You didn't run when I asked you to. You stood there staring at that creature like a fool- you could have been seriously hurt, or worse! You could have been killed."
Elena felt her face and blood begin to heat.
"I could have helped. My powers could have stopped the fight. That creature would never had attacked us, if you had let me try," she said, squaring her shoulders defensively.
"That creature would have ripped you apart before you could even blink at it," he snarled viciously. She was suddenly shaking. The urge to run was almost overwhelming. Yet somehow she managed to stay put, glaring angrily back up at him, "It wouldn't have hurt me! My powers wo-"
"FUCK YOUR POWERS!" He snapped at her. Effectively making the rest of her sentence scatter from her mind, her mouth still trying to form the words she had been about to speak. She could feel the anger rolling off him. "It would have killed you instantly," he continued mercilessly, "I know you've been living in a fantasy land for seven years but this is the real world. The world is cold. And cruel. Without me you'd be dead in a day!"
Elena recoiled from him.
Each word hitting her like a punch in the gut. "You don't need to be rude," she said through clenched teeth, trying to swallow back the tears that were stinging in her eyes. He turned his glare back to the lake. He closed his eyes and took deep breaths. She watched his shoulders rise and fall until his breathing returned to normal. She matched her breathing with his until she felt the anger drain away. She felt warm wetness on her face and hastily brushed away her tears. There really wasn't any need for them but she couldn't stop them from flowing. She closed her own eyes and tried to swallow away the full feeling in her throat, her hands cupping it gently.

Calm down, she ordered herself.
He had saved her life. Even if he was acting like a complete brute right now, she was grateful.
He'd chosen to help her from the moment they met and asked for nothing in return. He was a Witcher, and he was taking on a task that wasn't expected of him. This is new territory for him too.
Yet she couldn't help but feel utterly miserable. Was it because he was angry with her? No one had ever been angry with her before. She didn't like it.

"I'm sorry," his low voice startled her after the long silence. She risked a quick peek at him from the corner of her eye, trying to wipe her nose indiscreetly and failing. He had been watching her. She only got a quick look at him but she noticed with a sharp pang in her chest that his eyes were so terribly sad.
"I know," Elena replied quietly. "Thank you Geralt. For everything." Suddenly her words came rushing out loudly, "I am truly grateful for everything you've done for me, and I understand if this task is too much. It's not fair for me to burden this on you. I understand if you don't want to go on. I can make my way back home."
He groaned loudly, shaking his head. "No Elena, I want to do this. Please let me help you," he pleaded, turning the full force of his golden eyes upon her, they were filled with warmth she hadn't yet seen from him. It made her heart skip slightly, and she couldn't help the smile that formed on her lips. She could feel herself become less miserable by the second as she basked in the warmth of his gaze.
"Alright," she murmured, relived he didn't want her to go. "But let me help your wounds in return."
He nodded and sat back, shifting his weight onto his hands. Elena scooted closer to him in the water. She didn't bother examining the wound at his thigh- gore always made her feel dizzy. Instead, she hovered her hands over the wound and closed her eyes.
Heal him, she willed- reaching down deep inside her. Heal him. She thought again and again until she felt that familiar feeling stir inside her. 
Her ears filled with a loud whoosh and everything was blinding light. She gave into it, letting the power course through her body.
It felt like fire in her veins. Completely untamed and unstoppable.
I can do anything.