Anielica

Geralt

There was only one place he was sure Elena would be safe; with Nenekke in Ellander. The priestess' temple was in the kingdom of Temeria- a days ride from where they were now.
About thirty minutes after they had set out, Elena started to slump in her saddle. She was exhausted. Geralt forced her down from her horse and lay her down on the ground. Within minutes she was fast asleep. Laying so frighteningly still. She remained this way for almost fourteen hours. Every hour he checked her pulse, touched her forehead. Just to make sure she was in fact, still alive and with him. Her skin had remained warm to the touch and her heart thumped steadily the whole time. None of it making him feel anymore at ease. He didn't know how to help her. He simply waited by her side until she woke.

"Geralt?" Her voice dry and weak, snapping him back into reality. She was trying to sit up, and failing. Geralt gently took hold of her, slowly letting her body lay back down, supporting the back of her head with the crook of his elbow. "Drink," he said, bringing the water skin up to her dry lips. She drank thirstily, only stopping for large gulps of air in between swallows. He felt very much like he was nurturing a small animal back to health. Her hair was tangled wildly around her face, her hands dirty from sleeping on the ground.
Ever so slowly, he eased her up so she could sit next to him. His arms wound around her waist for support. She let her head fall onto his shoulder.

"What happened?" She asked.
"Where to begin?" He said more to himself than to Elena. "What's the last thing you remember?" He looked down at her face, seeing only the tops of her brows and her thick, brown lashes.
"I remember you challenging Khron- you drew your sword. Then... I remember feeling my power and I saw it light up the room and then... Well, I can't remember anything else!" Her voice tinged with frustration.
"Hmmmph," Geralt sounded, bewildered.
"What happened?" She lifted her head off his shoulder and looked right at him. The worry clear in her blue eyes.
"You started glowing like before- in the forest and at the lake- but it was different this time. More intense," he explained. She nodded silently at him, urging him to go on.
"And you were floating. Your power made me completely immobile, and it kept Khron on the ground. Then you started talking, but it wasn't your voice. It sounded... different; older, wiser."
The little colour that had returned to her face quickly drained away. Her mouth pressed into a tight grimace as she motioned for him to continue.
"You told him that he would never have your power or any other. You took away his ability to manipulate chaos. But then you done something truly remarkable... You cleansed him of evil. I watched the darkness that you pulled from his body scurry back into whatever abyss it came from. You saved him from himself."

She was looking at him, eyes wide.
"Elena... You are an Angel. There can be no other explanation. Never have I encountered such a pure and beautiful being," he said, gently stroking the wayward locks of her hair from her face. "I brought you here thinking I could save you," he snorted. "You don't need saving Elena. You saved me." He reached desperately for her, yearning for the feel of her mouth on his.
He kissed her harder than he had meant to. He couldn't help it. All these emotions he couldn't begin to comprehend poured out of him. She was trembling in his arms but he couldn't stop. He was afraid to let her go. This is wrong. I can't have her. I need to let her go.
He unwillingly turned his head away, forcing his eyes shut. Knowing all to well if he looked at her now he wouldn't be able to stop himself.

"Geralt?" The longing in her voice made his breath catch in his throat. He didn't look at her. "You saved me too," she said, burrowing her head into his neck. Both of them sighing simultaneously. "I can't believe I'm an Angel... What does that even mean? What am I supposed to do now?" She asked incredulously.
"I have no idea... But I know someone who might," he replied, standing up and pulling her up with him. She wobbled slightly, and he held her firmly by the waist. He didn't want to let go. He kept one hand on her waist as he helped her back onto her horse. "I thought you might say that," she said. "I just hope the journey isn't too far," she grumbled to herself.

Luckily for Elena, it wouldn't be.
They rode silently side by side. Geralt was lost in thought. Nenneke would know what to do. She would take care of her. Khron was right, he thought bitterly. He couldn't keep her. What would a Witcher do with an Angel? More to the point, what kind of life would Elena have with him? Living her days out on dirty roads, watching him kill monsters. No- she would try and stop him. She'd want to save them. Then what kind of Witcher would he be? No, that wouldn't do. Geralt wasn't a hero. He knew that all too well.

He glanced over at her, his heart clenching painfully as he made his decision. She smiled at him, the sight of it making the tendrils around his heart squeeze even tighter. He prayed silently to himself, begging for the strength to do what needed to be done.
As soon as he saw her safe and happy, he would leave her. It was the right thing to do.
Witcher's don't get happy endings after all, he thought grimly.
He pressed Roach on harder, knowing each step brought him closer to saying goodbye.