0.3 |the land of the living|
VALERIA'S BACK WAS TURNED TOWARDS JASKIER. Slowly, she turned to face the two men walking towards her. A small smile graced her face as she looked at Wiscar.
Jaskier looked down, knowing she wouldn't even acknowledge his presence.
"Well, I guess we better get going. If it is true what you say then we can't waste any time to help Geralt with whatever it is he needs help for."
She gestured towards Wiscar as she explained "I am sure you have told him by now what it is our witcher needs help with so he'll try to locate him and we'll follow suit."
The man's wings fluttered as he disappeared into the sky not a second later. Valeria began to walk away as Jaskier followed. He tripped trying to keep up. When his steps were next to hers he slowed down.
"Thank you, Va-, my lady."
Without even looking at his direction she responded "For what?"
"For listening and helping me try to find Geralt."
Stopping in her tracks, she finally turned to look at him. Any spark of kindness that she once held for him, nowhere to be spotted in her eyes. "Just so we are clear, Jaskier. Even though Geralt left me on that mountain just as you did, he saved my life once and took care of me so I owe it to him to return the favour. I am not doing this for you, I'm simply paying my debt." She started walking again but not before muttering "And when that is payed I won't have to be bothered by either of you."
Jaskier watched her walk away for a moment. Was this truly Valeria? Yes, she deserved to be furious but how could she turn so coldhearted? If someone were to tell them the real Valeria was actually dead and someone else had come back as her, he'd believe them in an instant. This was not the woman he fell in love with.
...
Naath was in ashes.
It had been a quiet day, the queen flying around on her dragon while the little green one was practising alongside them. Valeria had smiled at little Gisela as her wings fluttered insecurely through the sky.
That was until a huge arrow pierced through the tiny dragon's neck and it fell from the sky. All hell had broken loose.
Nilfgaard had found them and an army was fast approaching. Being so unprepared for any attack, the people of Naath never stood a single chance. The city guards had tried their best but to no avail. Valeria didn't know what to do since burning Nilfgaard's army would mean the risk of burning her own people as well.
Rhenvys roared at the sight of his little sister falling down towards the ground. More arrows were fired at the large dragon but most of them weren't strong enough for a beast as big as him. Nilfgaard had managed to invent some sort of weapon to hurt dragons and no one even knew about it.
Valeria still didn't know what to do until Rhenvys cried out in pain as an arrow managed to penetrate his shoulder. Not being able to fly properly, he was forced to get back safely on the ground.
Soon enough, Valeria was on the ground and tried to save as many of her people from the swords of her enemy. Torwig had joined her side as well and together they fought off as many people as possible. Rhenvys was still in pain so Valeria had to pull the arrow out while Torwig covered her back. More and more soldiers came so Valeria had no choice but to risk her own people as well. She ordered her child to burn the incoming soldier.
Opening his mouth, Rhenvys did nothing but let out a screeching noise. He tried again but nothing. Valeria turned back towards Torwig. Both of their faces in shock. Whatever that arrow was laced with, made sure that the dragon had no use of fire.
That was the day Naath fell. Eyewitness reports speak of how the queen screamed out as her most loyal soldier fought to the end. Two arrows piercing her skin and stabbed at two times as well, Torwig still stood trying to protect her queen. It was the third time a soldier slashed at her that caused her to fall down, her eyes cast at her queen while she took her last breath as the army ran towards the queen. Rhenvys' fire returned, some say it was becuase of pure fury when he saw his mother getting stabbed in the heart by one of the soldiers.
Not a second later the dragon burnt everything and everyone on the isle, not caring if they were foe or friend. There were only a few who survived that day. Most of them were former masters, now thriving again in Nilfgaard's court while other survivors were back into a life of slavery. That is all the reports about that day said.
...
Rhenvys had flown for days, his huge paws holding his mother's dead body and his sister's limp form, still with the arrow prodding from her neck. At last he felt safe enough to land after flying over mountains for the most part. Gently he landed, as to not hurt his family's bodies even further. Once he settled down he nudged his mother a few times more to see if she was actually dead or just pretending. He cooed when she didn't respond. He nesstled his body around his mother and sister, closing his eyes hoping that they would be walking around again as he woke up.
The dragon's eyes snapped open and he roared as he heard shouts near him. He snapped at the people not standing too far away from him. It didn't take long for them to run away. The dragon didn't even chase them in fear of his family being gone as he returned.
It had taken a few hours until he could hear footsteps softly approaching him. Baring his teeth, the dragon turned to stare at the enemy coming closer. He opened his mouth ready to burn them but he stopped. The man in front of him held up his hands and carefully threaded forwards. The dragon blinked at him cocking its head. The man stared up at the large beast with oneone, the other one covered by an eyepatch. He had the same hair as Valeria. Rhenvys made a noise out of suspiscion and curiosity. Something about the man seemed familiar but still he could not let anyone get close to his mother's body. The man spoke unfamiliar words and at last he touched the dragon's nose and Rhenvys knew he could trust the man. The unknown person nodded towards Valeria's and Gisela's body. "May I?" Rhenvys let him. Not long after that he was alone again. The man had taken away his mother and sister and he actually let him. He didn't know what else to do so he balled himself up again and went back to sleep.
...
Voices from far away could be heard. It was freezing. The voices became clearer, they were chanting something in an anfamiliar tongue. A breeze and finally the burning sensation of fire erupting in her chest.
Valeria sat up with a gasp.
Gasping for air she grabbed at her chest, feeling the thick scar of where a sword penetrated her heart. A cloak was thrown over her shoulders and now she noticed she was naked. Still trying to find her breath, she whipped her head around to the person who covered her body. The first thing she noticed were the huge white wings and the horns covering his white hair. She wanted to get off the table, she was currently on but another pair of hands stopped her.
A woman with sleek black hair held her down and she was too tired to fight back. Her chest hurt, probably from the mortal wound and the inability to breathe normally.
"I see you finally made yourself useful, mage."
Another man entered the room. The last word meant as an insult. Valeria stared at him with furrowed eyebrows. He could be the male version of her, except for the eyepatch covering his eyes.
"You actually managed to do it, who would have thought" he continued in a mocking tone as he stared down at Valeria with pursed lips.
She pushed away the woman's, presumably the mage's, arms as she screamed
"Who are you people?"
The man that looked so identical simply laughed. The door opened again and everyone bowed as another man entered as well.
His black hair, covered by a crown adorned with shells. His neck decorated with all sorts of colourful beads but the most noteable thing were his elf ears.
"Welcome back to the land of the living, my princess."
...
They finally set camp. Wiscar had returned as well and was making a fire. Jaskier stared at the flames and each time it made a cracking sound he flinched. Balling his fists, he tried to ignore the burning at his finger tips. When he averted his gaze, he saw Valeria staring at him with squinted eyes. With a suspicious look, she slowly turned her attention back to Wiscar.
"You do know it would have saved you a lot of time if you just let me start it."
The white winged man turned back as the woman had spoken with a smile. It was silent for a moment and then the two laughed at something. He must have done that weird mind thing, Jaskier thought.
After a while Valeria responded to something Wiscar must have said. "Really, again?"
She stood up and Jaskier followed her every move as she continued
"How many times do I have to do this for you?" she laughed.
Wiscar sat with his legs crossed and a small smile appeared as he opened his wings fully. The bard stared in wonder at the size of the white feathers in front of him. Valeria had her lips pressed together as she looked around the wings and soon enough she crouched down. As careful as possible, her hand reached between some of the feathers and she pulled out some small branches. She sat down as well and started to inspect every corner.
Jaskier watched as her hands carefully held the feathers in her hand with a concentrated look as she pulled out all sorts of leaves and such. She turned to him with a smile and said "Wiscar warns you that this will take some time, so you don't have to stay awake."
A smile spread across the bard's face and he forgot about the fire burning so close to him. Finally, she looked at him with some of that love she used to have and he actually heard words that weren't of anger. As he followed every move of her hands over the soft feathers, he recognised the woman he met all those years ago. There was kindness there left in her, he knew it. Being able to see it again, he just wasn't able to stop smiling.
This was the Valeria he loved.