To Heal A Lonely Heart

Monsters and Money

"The princess?" Geralt rasped out. I held onto his hand, rubbing soothing circles with my thumb, tears of relief blurring my vision.

"I've arranged for her to stay a while with the Sisters of Melitele."

"But... I... Her neck?" worry laced his weak voice.

"She'll heal, too," Triss assured.

Relieved, Geralt let his head fall back into the pillows. I caressed his face, smiling down at him.

"You gave us quite a scare," I whispered, "Any other man would be dead. I thought you'd..." I couldn't finish the sentence I choked out, tears already spilling from my eyes.

"I'm here, love. It's alright," he rasped out, his voice weak and scratchy from not using it in days. With one last squeeze, I let go of his hand and got off the bed to get him a cup of water.

"You should know Foltest issued a statement. The honourable Lord Ostritt gave his life to slay the vukodlak. Miners are gathering all for a statue."

Geralt lay in silence for a while. I returned to his side, helping him drink the cool liquid. Triss only watched us, leaning against her desk.

With a grunt then, Geralt attempted to sit up. I helped him, whispering to him, "You've lost a lot of blood, minne. Take it slow."

But one glance told me: he couldn't. Roach and Shadow had been alone for too long, we had to get back to them as soon as possible.

"Anyone else would've killed the princess. You chose not to," the sorceress pondered, but Geralt didn't respond, pulling on his boots.

"I'll take the coin now," he grumbled instead. "We need to get back to our horses."

Triss turned, grabbing the coin-purse. "Who's Renfri?" she asked with her back turned to us.

The witcher tensed up, halted his actions and stared at Triss.

"Hers was the only name you uttered over and over in your sleep," she explained. "One would think a man would mumble his wife's name, but you didn't."

Again, Geralt did not respond. "My coin." I heard it in the changed tone of his voice: defeat, guilt. I stroked his arm reassuringly, then got up to get his new tunic, issued by the sorceress.

"So that's all life is to you. Monsters and money. Well, besides Nienna..." I heard Triss say from the other side of the room.

"It's all it needs to be. It's more than I ever wanted, and so much more than I deserve." A grumble.

That wasn't true. He deserved so much more than I could ever give him, and I dedicated my every day to try. I walked back to the bed, tunic in hand, and sat down next to my husband, just as the sorceress sat down on the chair at the foot of the bed.

"You say this is all life is to you..." She said, handing him the coin-purse, "but there is a vortex of fate around all of us, Geralt, growing with each and every one of our choices... drawing our destinies in closer."

Tentatively he pulled something from the purse. It was Renfri's broach. He had given it away?

"I feel something out there waits for you. Something more."

The witcher looked at her sceptically. It hurt to see he still thought of himself as if he was nothing. What Triss had said... yeah, I felt it as well, faintly, though, but it was there. And I also felt that whatever Renfri had told Geralt, it was somehow connected with what the sorceress just said.

She left us alone for a little, giving us some privacy as I helped Geralt get dressed. He complained he could do it alone, but with the wound between his neck and shoulder, I wouldn't let him.

As an extra on the payment, the king had Geralt's armour be repaired, so once he slipped it on we were good to go.

Triss accompanied us to the castle gates, to say goodbye.

"Take care of yourselves," she smiled at us.

"Yeah, uh, you too," Geralt grumbled, eager to get back to our horses. It would be a two-days march.

I pulled her into a hug. "Thank you... for everything," I whispered. In the time we had waited for Geralt to wake up, we had gotten to know each other better. I had told her about my mother's lessons, and Triss had taught me a little more, mostly to distract me from worrying. One of the things she'd taught me was how to make a portal, and I actually learned that very quickly. Though, I've never used one. But I could conjure it. That was something.

The sorceress hugged back. "It's nothing," she smiled, "stay safe."

"You too. I'll see if I can send letters. Goodbye, Triss," I said as we parted.

Geralt took my hand in his and we started walking down the road. After a few miles, it was growing dark, I spoke up.

"You know if we used a portal, it'd so much faster."

He tensed up. "No. No portals," he pressed out.

"Why?" I turned to look at him, seeing he was pale as a sheet, an almost terrified look on his face.

"I... I don't like them."

"You mean you're scared of them." I cocked a brow. Had I just found something – after twelve years – that the brave White Wolf, like Jaskier liked to call him, was afraid of.

Geralt glared at me, but then his expression changed and he inhaled deeply.

"You're... Nienna, are you still in pain? You smell... normal again."

I beamed at him. "Triss lifted the curse."

At that, he stopped, grabbed my waist and spun me around, wincing when his wound screamed at him. He set me down, pulled me close and kissed me.

While he was distracted, I let a portal appear beneath our feet, taking us right in front of the inn we stayed at. Startled, Geralt took a step back, holding on to the wall next to him. He was pale; paler than when I had mentioned the word 'portal'. I snickered slightly at him, seeing how scared he was at such a small thing. He fought monsters, for crying out loud.

"Don't ever," he panted out, "do that again!"

"Or what?" I challenged.

"Or..." he stopped to think about what would be the right punishment. The go-to, no sex, wouldn't work. I had spent three whole without anyone touching me; and let's be real, it had been harder on him. "Ah, forget it. Just don't do it again!" he waved off, going inside to pay the debt to the innkeeper.

All the while I went to the stables to prepare the horses. We'd ride the night through. Nothing would make us stay at this place for any longer than we needed to.