"I feel like we passed this rock before," Claire said as she looked at the massive rock and he sighed a bit.
"No Claire we haven't passed this rock yet," he said as she sat down for the rock with a sigh.
"Feels like we have been here before. I remember back before you were even thought of I was a good tracker now I just get confused all the time. Do you know what's funny I can't even remember how old I am!" She laughed making Jaskier smile a bit.
"Claire come on the next town is just up a head," he said as she paused for a second.
"Weren't we looking for someone?" She asked.
"Yes why?" Geralt asked.
"I wouldn't make much sence to me if people were after me I would go off the path and into the woods," Claire informed.
"She might not be in the woods Claire," he informed.
"Well she might be in there. Your true love or what ever," she explained.
"Claire she is a child, not a a wife for him or me we are way to old for her," Jaskier pointed out.
"Then why would a girl be in the woods then? Her parents should be with her; I fought monsters long before you two were born. They could be in the woods and she could be scared well I may be old and deaf also a little blind but that will not stop me from... no I wasn't going to town.. the woods! Yes the woods I love the woods. Have ever told you I hunted really big monsters before you two were born?" She asked as Geralt smiled a bit.
"No I would love to hear it," Geralt said as she yawned.
"Probably another time Geralt I am so sleepy," she said as she started taking a nap where she sat.
"She has been sleeping a lot recently," Jaskier said worried.
"I know, her times about up. At least hopefully she won't burst into flames," Geralt said weakly as Jaskier nodded.
"Yeah, I'm going to miss her Geralt, she is still as sharp as a nail," he informed as Geralt grabbed his knife.
"I'm going hunting, don't let her out of your sight. She has been wondering off recently," Geralt said as he sighed.
"Fine, just come back quickly I will be bord and I might fall asleep with her honestly," Jasker informed.
"I'll be back when I come back," he informed then went off to the woods.
An hour passed an Jaskier fell asleep and Claire woke up and looked at the forest and noticed Geralt was missing.
"Ah that boy! What am I going to do with him?! He's going to be the death of me at this rate. Probably out there lost now, that's what I get for napping on the job," Claire said as she got up and went into the woods.
Geralt came back a few minutes later and noticed she was gone and dropped the wild pig and woke up Jaskier.
"I told you to watch her!" Geralt yelled.
"I was tired to she couldn't have gone far," Jaskier informed.
"Her curse may end her tonight, you better hope she doesn't die before then!" He growled as he grabbed his sword and ran off into the woods.
"Pretty flowers, little Claire might like them. Oh no! That crazy child, just as bad as her father! It's always bad when children are quiet. Ciri!" She shouted and started looking around for her.
"Claire! Claire!" Geralt yelled as he was trying to fallow her sent but pure worry filled his body especially since she wasn't answering him.
She was hard of hearing now and almost completely blind. Im her cat form she couldn't move anymore, her legs were useless so if a wolf got to her before he could find her he would be devastated and he would blame himself for losing her. Geralt really loved her no matter how far gone she was Claire was still Claire. Wait Claire thought Ciri was in the woods, she was looking for her. Once she found Ciri she might die!
"Claire!" He screamed as Claire was walking along in the woods happily.
She completely forgot why she was in the woods but she was happy to be there. She started tosing a lullaby and play with the flowers by her feet. She sat down and smiled once she sat down on a fallen tree. Suddenly Ciri came running threw the woods and stopped as she saw Claire sitting on the tree.
"Please help me I'm being chased!" Ciri begged as Claire looked at her and nodded.
"Ciri come here quickly get in the tree now," Claire said as Ciri ran to her and hurried into the log.
Claire quickly moved som stuff in front of the hole and sat back on the log. She grabbed the knife that she had in her dress pocket and waited for who ever was after her.
"Come on I dare you to come get her, I got two things you don't have. A curse that's killing me and a very protective witcher. I'm sure he will be here any moment knowing him, he has a very good noise," she said as Claire said as she cut her hand a bit.
Suddenly a man with a knife came running threw the woods and saw Claire sitting on the log waiting for him. He scoffed as Claire smirked a bit.
"What are youbdoing here young man? I think you would catch some fish better then getting an animal around here especially with how loud you are dear boy," she said as he chuckled.
"Have you seen my daughter? She got herself lost in these woods," he said as Claire thought for a moment.
"What does she look like?" She asked.
"Very bond wearing a blue cloak," he informed.
"Um no, there is a river by that could be where she went lots of pretty flowers grow there," Claire said as the man started getting closer to her and held the blade out so she could see it.
Come on Geralt he knows I'm lying. I am trying to buy you some time here.
"There is no river around here," he said as she chuckled.
"Really? Then where was i thinking of? I'm so old everything is getting mashed together now. Never get old, it makes you go crazy in a strange sort of way," she informed.
"I'll keep thst in mind. Tell me where she went or I will kill you," he growled.
"I really don't know I cut my hand on my own knife trying to get flowers, you think I would lie to you. I may be old but I don't have a death wish," Claire informed.
"You are hiding her, tell me where she is!" He growled.
"You know I have two things you don't have. A curse that's killing me and a very protective witcher. He doesn't like it when you mess with things that are his especially me," she said as she saw Geralt behind him.
"Really? Is thst supposed to scare me?!" He growled.
"Depends on if you can beat a witcher," she informed.
"Get away from her know!" Geralt growled.
"You weren't bluffing," he asked as Geralt grabbed him and stabbed him with his sword.
"No she wasn't, he said as he dropped his sword and hugged Claire.
"Don't ever do that again!" He said as she smiled.
"But I found something you might want to see," she said as Ciri came out of the log and Geralt smiled at her but then he looked at Claire softly.
"But Claire thst means," he paused.
"I know, we might have a couple of days left maybe a week at most. My mind is starting to leave me again," she sighed.
"It's okay, I'll be here with you I promise," Geralt said as she smiled at him.
"I know, you have always had my back even when I was a bitch to you. I'm sorry Geralt," she informed.
"Don't be, its my favorite part about you," he smiled as she tucked her hair behind her ear.
"You need to stop getting lost in the woods! I'm getting to old to be chasing you," she said as he sighed weakly.
"Yes you are," he smiled as Claire looked at him confused.
"What's wrong with her?" Ciri asked.
"She has a curse, her time is almost up now. She found you that was her job," he sighed as he helped her up.
"How did we get here? Oh well hello there, I must have daydreamed again and went wondering off in my garden," she chuckled.
"Yeah you did," Geralt smiled as he helped her up but then scooped her up in his arms after he put his sword away.
"I could get used to this," Claire smirked as he looked at her.
"Don't get any idea's young lady," he chuckled.
At night Claire turned into a cat and Geralt explained her curse to Ciri making her upset.
"It's not fair, Claire didn't do anything! Why does she have to die because someone decided to it was okay to put it on the first queen! She found me now I killed her!" Ciri said weakly.
"You didn't kill her, she was already dead when I found her. She loves you Ciri and for her to love you is a big deal since she cant love things. I didn't know she was going to die, i thought i could save her but I'm glad she came along I probably would have found you later but finding you now will make you safer," he informed as he held Claire in his arms.
"I think she can love, if she doesn't like men but only likes it when you hold her. She must really love you," Ciri informed.
"I know she does, even if it's hard for her to. I love her to," he said with a smile.
It was hard for Geralt to watch Claire age so much then when they went to a safe place to give Claire some peace and help Ciri with her powers that she told Geralt about. Nenneke's place was neutral territory and hopefully it was going to keep them both safe.
Yennefer met up with them but apparently lost her powers trying to save a kingdom from people that were interested in total world domination.
"Sorr I guess I can't braid as well as I used to," Claire said as Yennefer put her hand on her shoulder.
"It looks nice,you did great," Yennefer said as Geralt was talking with Nenneke hoping to break Claire's curse.
"Geralt, I'm sorry but you know without the words there is no breaking the curse. I have a space for here prepared for her when she goes. Her time is ending quickly Geralt you should be spending time with her not me," she said as he nodded.
"I just... I don't want her die ," he informed as she nodded.
"I know neither do I she's a child still, and Ciri loves her I can tell," she smiled as ciri huged Claire.
Claire pushed them away quickly and landed on the floor. She started coughing up blood and she turned back to how she was before she turned old then into a cat then back to her old self.
"Geralt times up," she said as she turned into a cat again then back into a person.
"Please Nenneke is there anything spell anything at all?" He asked as she shook her head no.
"I'm sorry Geralt if there was I wouldn't hesitate to do something about her curse you know that," she said as Geralt went to her side and picked Claire up.
He moved her to her room and Jaskier, Yennefer, and Ciri were there watching her turn old and young and into a cat. It was happening so fast it was like her body didn't know what to do anymore. Her teeth would come back and fall out again she was shaking in pain and because she was freezing. This was it. Claire was going to die. It was hard for anyone to except even Geralt as he tried so hard not to cry but seeing her in so much pain hurt him to.
"Thank you for not leaving me behind, this has to be the qorst pain I have ever felt in my life," she said as tears started to run down her face.
"I told you I wouldn't, I love you Claire and I'm not just saying it because you are dying I think I started loving you as soon as you slapped me across the face," he said as she chuckled a bit.
"You are a strange man but I like thst about you. I think your the first man that kept his promise to me. You did save me but from myself. Thank you for the adventures and for being patient with me. I love you to and Ciri to so you better promise to protect her like you did me otherwise I will haunt you for the rest of your life," she chuckled as she couched up more blood.
He whiped the blood away a day and patted her back.
"I think you will anyway just to make sure Ciri is safe," he said she smiled.
"I just might," she smiled as he kissed her gently.
"Kiss of death huh?" She asked as he nodded.
"I always wanted to kiss you," he said as the blanket ignited into flames.
"Oh my god!" Yennefer yelled as she tried to put them out but she couldn't not even water stopped the flames from spreading quickly.
Claire screamed as her body ignited into flames and he went to Ciri and turned her around and covered her ears as she screamed.
"I can't out the fire out!" Jaskier informed.
"You can't it's her curse," Yennefer informed noticing it didn't hurt her when she touched them.
Ciri tried not to cry but it was hard not to hearing her scream in pain. The flames stopped and Claire shot up and put the last of the flames out.
"Claire?!" Yennefer asked as Claire covered herself up.
"I didn't die, weird and of corse I'm naked again. Can I have some cloths please?" She asked as Yennefer nodded.
"Jaskier come with me," she said as Geralt looked at her happily.
"Claire?! Why are you um?" Ciri asked as she shrugged.
"Good qestion better qestion is why am I still alive?" She asked as ciri whiped her tears away and was now getting uncomfortable with her being naked.
"I think I um I think I will go," Ciri informed.
"I don't blame you I would to," she informed as ciri left and Geralt quickly ran up to her and started kissing her frantically like it was the last thing he was ever going to do.
"Geralt look at my arm," she said as a bright light with words appeared on her arm.
For as long as the blood line exists the curse will pass on unto the children until true love is found. No kiss needed but the will to stay for the worst or the better is needed for love to exist. If married to a person they don't love they will be killed to save them from eternal torment for the rest of there lives. As they age the curse will only get worse but as long as love is found the curse will be broken at any stage of this curse. May the breaker of this curse be blessed with many children.
"I think we love each other," he said with a smile.
"I think so to, now bed me," Claire demanded.
"Ciri and the others are coming back with cloths," he informed.
"I'm right here naked, come on you have been teasing me this whole time!" She complained.
"I have been teasing you? You are the one that threatened to tie me to the bed," he said with a low growl.
"I will still do it if you don't bed me now," she threatened.
"I dare you," he laughed.