alluring {𝖌𝖊𝖗𝖆𝖑𝖙 𝖔𝖋 𝖗𝖎𝖛𝖎𝖆} WATTYS 2022

chapter twenty-six

"When two hearts are meant for each other, no distance is too far, no time is too long, and no love can break them apart."

-unknown

AMELIA CUT OFF A LOCK OF HER OWN HAIR WITH THE DAGGER GERALT GAVE HER. In Traven, them doing this would be almost as serious as marriage. 

"Geralt, you have to be sure." Amelia locked onto Geralt's eyes. "This isn't just a fancy hair accessory." 

"I am sure." His amber eyes gazed into hers. "I know what it means I know it's true."

The unspoken words floated between them like thick air.

I will never love anyone else but you. 

Gently she wove her own fawn-colored lock into his pure white hair by his temple so it hung around his face. She watched as the hair mingled together, her heart slowly feeling the pain of her reality.

She leaned forward and gently kissed Geralt. "It's time to go."

He sighed while closing his eyes and leaned his forehead on hers. "I know."

He stood, the offered her a hand to stand on her feet. The three packed up their things from the wonderful picnic breakfast and went back to their respected inns to get their things together for their last travel together.

The only thing that Amelia needed was a satchel full of scrolls. She didn't know what to do with all her other things.

"Leave them here," Geralt's voice sounded as if he could hear her thoughts. "I'll keep them."

"Are you sure?" She asked and he came up to her and placed his hand on her face. 

"Yes, I'm sure." Amelia reached up and touched her lock of hair that contrasted to dramatically to his. She threw her arms around his torso, burying her face into his chest. "I'll miss you every day."

"You can't let this wreck living for you, Geralt." Amelia pleaded, her fingers threading into his shirt.

"I wasn't living before I met you." Geralt held Amelia close to him, nestling his face into the crook of her neck.

"Oh, Geralt. I never lived before I met you, either." They hugged for the rest of the time until Jaskier knocked on the door, yelling through the door that it was time to go.

♘ ♘ ♘

"Do you think you'll dream?" Jaskier asked while mindlessly strumming his lute as the trio walked to the Oxenfurt graveyard.

"I would like to think that I will dream of Geralt's fantastic arse." Amelia joked, which made Jaskier laugh loudly and Geralt cracked a smile.

Amelia stood on her tiptoes and kissed Geralt's cheek as they walked. Geralt held her hand as they walked and stroked this thumb over the back of her hand.

"This is very anticlimactic, isn't it?" The bard said, looking around them. "I expected a terrible beast to be guarding the gravesite."

"Do you not remember the dozen men I slaughtered yesterday?" Amelia inquired, shoving the bard's shoulder playfully.

"What I remember is me bashing a man's head in with my lute," Jaskier said triumphantly, gesturing to the red staining on the back of his lute.

"I was impressed, bard." Geralt cracked a smile and Jaskier gasped, his eyes lighting up.

"Geralt of Rivia saying he was impressed by my incredible intelligence and compatible fighting skills?" Jaskier was in awe and Geralt grunted.

"That is not what I said." Geralt growled and Amelia chuckled, squeezing his hand. Suddenly, all three were faced with the entryway of the gravesite. They had all been too busy talking and reminiscing about their time together to even realize. 

Geralt's hand gripped hers and his whole body tensed.

"Amelia," Tears streamed down Jaskier's face and he gripped her tight in a hug. "My first and only blood brother, I will always remember--"

"Jaskier, we're not saying goodbye." Geralt said stiffly and Amelia turned sympathetic eyes onto the witcher she fell in love with. She squeezed Jaskier's shoulder.

"He's right, Jask. We're not saying goodbyes." The two friends hugged again and said a tearful farewell.

"Well, I--I'll just wait out here for you, Geralt." Jaskier wiped at his face while squeezing Amelia's shoulder once more.

"See you in a bit, bard." Geralt offered Amelia his arm and she took it. They walked into the gravesite, Amelia's heart thudding in her chest. "So you have to place the scrolls on the grave of this girl?"

 She nodded, wordlessly. Amelia felt breathless and her feet guided her to where she needed to go. The graveyard was in the side of a mountain, filled with moss and smelled like earth. There were what looked like fireflies floating around them and colorful flowers sprouting from the ground.

"It's beautiful here." She whispered, looking at the cave in wonder. There was one grave that looked more like an altar in the middle of the graveyard with different colored candles and dead flowers.

"Is that it?" Geralt's voice was tense.

"Yes." She whispered, her arm tightening around Geralt's. "Fuck, I'm scared."

"It's alright," Geralt hugged her tightly. "Everything is going to be alright." His fingers trailed over her jawline and she smiled as widely as she could up at him.

"I guess it's time then." Tears blurred her vision and she felt Geralt's soft lips on hers. Her fingers threaded into his hair and pulled him as close to her as she could manage. "I'll see you around, witcher."

His burning amber eyes looked glassy and he clutched onto her hands. He slowly released her hands from his grip as he saw the first few tears slip down her face.

Geralt brushed them away and kissed her cheeks. "I'll see you, princess." His voice was barely above a whisper.

She smiled as best as she could before walking toward the alter on her own, the satchel in her hand.

"Amelia," Geralt's voice echoed through the graveyard and she turned back to look at him. "I--I love..."He stumbled over his words.

"It's okay, Geralt. I know." Amelia gave him a watery smile. "I love you, too." 

Taking a shuddering breath, she turned back to the altar, clutching the satchel in her hand. Closing her eyes, she dropped her bag on the altar while exhaling her breath.

Then darkness submerged her thoughts and head, making her knees buckle.