{15}

[Content Warning: Gore]

A dizzying slumber was taken from me when I heard their voices.

I knew who it was, an educated guess based on two.

Yennefer.

Fringilla.

Fringilla.

Something stirred, and my body shot up, watching Geralt and Yennefer embrace.

Some unfamiliar faces,

Fringilla.

My eyes narrowed on her disheveled form, "Fringilla."

And my hands, they clenched into fists, a glow in my eye as I tried desperately not to burn.

But I was seething as I hissed her name.

And while Geralt and Yennefer embraced, I strode towards the mage, the one who'd chased me away.

"Mirabel, I can explain," she said, a look of panic in her eyes, but someone stretched their arm to stop me.

The mother.

"There's no need for violence here," she said.

I closed my eyes a moment, then opened them to stare deep into Fringilla's soul, "you're lucky I've learned to better control my powers."

"Fringilla's helped us, and I believe she helped you too."

I looked at the mother, "Tissaia?"

She nodded, "I trusted that, besides her betrayal, Fringilla would develop some sense. Seems I was right. I've reason to believe she was helping you..." Tissaia shot a side glance at her, "or am I mistaken?"

Fringilla swallowed, "you're not."

"I've heard many things of you Mirabel. I know what you've done, what you're capable of. Once we're finished here, might I suggest you come home with us to our school?"

I looked at Geralt who watched me pursing his lips, then to Yennefer who smiled.

"I..." I started, hesitant. I couldn't abandon my Witcher family, but with Tissaia, I could better learn of my origins and powers.

"Think about it," the woman said catching on to my hesitation, "right now we've bigger concerns."

With that comment, Tissaia went to converse with the other guides. Fringilla, who hugged herself, struggled to make eye contact. Every time I sensed her gaze, she shied away, pacing back and forth awkwardly. I couldn't blame her, surely somewhere somehow, she was compelled to join Nilfgaard. I'd reason to believe Yennefer had something to do with it, but decided my curiosity was to be sated at another time.

Tissaia was right after all, we had other concerns.

Yennefer rushed beside the mother, who now stood shaken atop a rock. Her breath, cold vapors flowing in the air like a stream, jumped as she spoke.

"They've taken so much from us. Taken our homes, our families, our lives. They've forced us into slavery, slaughtered us like lambs. And those of us who turned their backs," she eyed Fringilla and me, "they shall not be blamed, for this is a war that concerns us all. Only when Nilfgaard has yielded, whether by force or recognition, we will not back down."

She looked between those of us from both schools, Witchers and Witches alike, "it is time we finally take back what is ours!"

Exhausted cries erupted from the mages, the Witchers stood brooding and with crossed arms. But regardless of their expression, I saw it in their eyes. We were all ready to put this to an end.

With that, we headed toward the Nilfgaardian army. Standing on raised ground, we stared down at their slumbering bodies and shouted. This caused a stir, and within seconds, their groggy sauntering bodies rose, weapons shakily at the ready.

[Play song for a more immersive experience]

And they charged like fools.

I closed my eyes a moment, a deep breath of the cool, crisp, but clean air. The scent of nature before it was tainted with the smell of blood.

My eyes opened, narrowing down at the fools as mages shot power at them. Some soldiers who were hit fell, blood spraying in bursts of entrails as their bodies imploded.

Others lit up in whisps of flame, like a dragon licking the flesh.

And, as my brothers had taught, I drew my sword, my white hair rustling elegantly in the wind.

The wind, the rustling of the trees around the open plain field grew silent. The caws of crows hushed.

And I screamed, the fury and grief in my heart releasing.

Lines of light crackled around my eyes as they glowed, embers of flame erupting in my floating hair.

And tears streamed down my face as brothers and sisters ran alongside me, slashing their way through the army.

The first soldier who ended in the way, I pushed my sword harshly through his neck, a gurgling sound passing his lips from the pain and blood suffocating him.

Slashing my sword to the right, his head was nearly thrown off as he fell to the ground.

I kept running.

Slashes,

Gashes,

Broken,

Another tried taking a swing at me with his sword. His disorientation from the sleep spell made his movements heavy, and as the weight of his sword forced him to stumble forward, I stabbed him in the gut. 

Blood sputtered from his mouth, and his attempt at trying to swing at me again warranted the hilt of my blade to cross his wrist, crushing it, and thus forcing him to drop his sword.

I took the opportunity to force my weapon up through the lower part of his jaw, watching it protrude from the top of his head.

Brains and blood splattered on my face. I clenched my teeth as I kicked his body forward and kept running to my target.

And when I'd caught sight of him, everything suddenly went slow.

Those brilliant blue eyes, his perfect lips, and sharp cheekbones.

For a moment, my heart shattered picturing what could have been.

Distracted, I was rammed to the ground, the wind knocked from my lungs.

My sword was thrown from my hands as the shock of the brunt force shot a string of pain through my ribs, neck and back.

The soldier atop me smiled with pride, "now I've got you, witch!" he spat.

I struggled a moment, the weight from his body and armor suffocating as he threw heavy punches. He pulled a dagger from its hilt, tauntingly cutting my cheek as I screamed from the sting.

The Beast stirred, and I screamed louder than I had before.

As soon as the sound erupted from my lungs, a piercing shriek thickened the air as the soldier fell back, ears bleeding. Kneeled in pain, I grabbed him by the sides of his face, my eyes growing dark as my thumbs dug into his sockets.

He screamed in agony as the other soldiers began recovering from my shriek. 

My body twitched, the ground shaking as if thunder boomed in the sky, a disturbing glint in my eye like the dagger of the now dead soldier's.

Cahir drew his sword as he rushed toward me.

I shrieked again, and he stumbled.

The golden streaks of glow around my eyes, the flowing of my hair, and a dark smoke began enveloping my body.

Cahir drew near, and hastily, though more carefully than his soldiers, he tried taking a swing at the darkness around me.

I lifted my arms, and the smoke grew into the Beast.

Dark, moving like a crazed animal. It barely took on the form of anything, but it was a sight to behold, so disturbing that the average man might have gouged his own eyes.

Cahir screamed in fear and frustration, unable to reach me. The smoke surrounded him, throwing off his helmet, tearing away his cape, biting his armor until it was damaged beyond repair, and he screamed.

And all around the pair of us grew dark. But my form, it walked over to his kneeling one, caressing his cheek.

And Cahir, he did something so amazing: he cried.

He cried, holding on to the linen on my clothing so tight as he released his sorrows onto my legs.

And on his knees, he looked up, face twisted in pain.

The dark glow in my eyes dissipated, my hair settled, the golden lighted veins around my eyes ceased, and suddenly I was the girl he found all that time ago in the village.

"Why couldn't it've been any different?" He cried,

and I knelt, hugging him, "I wish it was."

The Beast continued stirring around us, screams of the soldiers who tried entering heard outside.

"Do you think...?" He continued.

"Under other circumstances, maybe."

He stared at me, that love in his eyes, and this time I was the one brushing some dirt from his skin.

"You weren't always bad... To put it fairly, I don't think you ever were," I said.

"But people made me bad..." He continued.

"Me too. Everyone has darkness."

"Take me with you, please Mirabel."

I looked at him broken, "you know I can't do that."

I embraced him, one of his hands on my back, and another on my stomach, "I love you."

"You don't" I mumbled.

"I do," he retorted.

"You're in love with the idea of being in love," I retorted.

Cahir went silent, then spoke for the last time in a while, "maybe you're right. But I'm glad it was for you."

I pursed my lips, wrapping my arms around him tightly. He made a choking sound as I held my eyes closed, tears streaming down my cheeks. His body went limp, and I lowered it gently to the ground. He slept so peacefully, his handsome features and frazzled hair spread elegantly.

And the Beast, once swirling around our forms in chaos, lowered until it disappeared and dispersed.

The few Nilfgaardian soldiers that remained fell to their knees, some throwing their weapons and helmets in frustration and broken honor.

Some took their lives.

No way would they ever want to return to the Emperor, not with the news.

Despite all the action around us, I just sat there on the large circle of soil where the Beast had torn all vegetation, crying as tears fell on him. The droplets glistened in the sunlight.

The Beauty and the Beast,

The Seedlings in the sun. 

Someone placed a hand on my shoulder, "have you...?"

I didn't turn to look, "He's asleep."

"I'm sorry," Yennefer said, kneeling beside me, embracing me suddenly. My eyes widened in shock, but all I could do was turn to hug her back, sobbing.

"I don't know what to do anymore," I muttered shakily.

Yennefer hushed me comfortingly, rubbing my back as a mother would her sobbing child.

Little did any of us notice the womanly figure watching us from the forest.

A story for another time.

Tissaia walked over, "well?"

I sensed Yennefer glare at the mother, "not now."

"I have to make things right," I stated, thinking of the remnants of several villages, and Cintra. Ache took over my body, no doubt blood seeping from my nose (at the least).

But before I could utter another word, darkness took my vision.

--

It was not until what I felt like hours later, I woke up in the comfort of a bed.

The most comfortable bed I'd ever slept in.

I practically sank into it, and the pillow was soft.

But the room, it was unfamiliar.

Then I felt someone's hand on mine, "Yennefer," I mumbled.

She smiled gently, "you're safe, we all are."

"Where...?"

Yennefer pursed her lips, "you're at Aretuza, the school I was taught at. The one Tissaia was talking about."

"No, I meant Geralt."

Someone stepped out from the dark of the room, arms crossed, "I'm here Cirilla."

I tilted my head, "Cirilla?"

Yennefer shot Geralt a look, "she's exhausted."

"She needs to know," Geralt argued.

"Know what?" I asked, sitting up but wincing at the aches.

Geralt rushed over, placing a hand on my shoulder and gently pushing me down.

"Remember when we met? At Cintra?" He asked, "the Queen.."

"Yes?"

"Geralt." Yennefer cut in, shaking her head, mouthing a "don't."

"There's a thing called the Law of Surprise. A while ago, I made a very stupid mistake, and ended up with something known as the Child of Surprise," Geralt rubbed his temple, "the parents of said child passed... but they were gifted like you, and the mother of said child was the daughter of Queen Calanthe."

I tilted my head, and Geralt continued, "That child is you."

I couldn't believe it, I didn't want to, but I knew Geralt wouldn't lie. And given Yennefer's stoic death glare, I knew for sure he wouldn't have risked saying so unless it was the truth and only that.

"Does that mean I...?" I mumbled, disturbed not only at the fact that I'd killed my own people, but was also rightful heir to the Cintran throne.

"Here," Yennefer said, "you need some food in your system."

I took the tray of poached egg, bacon, pancakes, and fresh fruit. Awkwardly, I took a bite of the pancake, swallowed it, then tossed the tray to the side as I rushed for the room washroom.

I threw up in the throne, hurling painfully when there was nothing left to hurl.

Yennefer came in as I leaned away from the bowl, "how long have I been unconscious?" I asked, placing a hand on my aching stomach as she brushed sweaty strands of hair from my face.

"Nearly two weeks," she said, stroking my back.

My eyes widened again as if ready to hurl again, but instead, I rushed back to the bed, past a seated Geralt, who had a hand over his mouth.

Yennefer helped tuck me back into the bed, then made a face at the White Wolf, "what?"

Geralt grunted, "it might be best to stay with the mages for a while. After all, a house commonly filled with women and not whores may be more suitable for the situation at hand."

He stood then, preparing to leave, "see you Cirilla."

I pursed my lips, "wait! Don't go... dad."

The Witcher stopped in the doorway, muttered under his breath, "fuck."

He turned then, striding toward the bed. He stood awkwardly a moment, then leaned down and pecked me on the forehead.

"And my name isn't Cirilla... I just want to be called Mirabel."

Geralt's lip twitched as if contemplating a smile, "take care of her Yennefer."

"When will I see you again?" I asked.

"Not long, little bird."

With that, Geralt exited the room. After a few minutes, I heard the familiar cheeky neigh of Roach depart into the distance from below.

I looked at Yennefer, "what will I do? How can they forgive what I've done?"

Yennefer's eyes saddened, "I don't think they will, not for a long time."

"And him?"

"He's in the dungeons."

"I want to see him," I said, rising until Yennefer pushed me back into the bed.

"Not now, not until you're better."

"How is he?""You took a toll on him, but he'll live. We've been in contact with the Emperor... He's eager to meet you."

"Oh."

Yennefer handed the tray back to me, "eat. You need the energy. I'll have someone look after you. Call me if you need."

I nodded, "where will you go?""Just downstairs. I've some matters to discuss with the others."

I nodded, nibbling on the food.

And downstairs Yennefer went, approaching the other members of Aratuza, in the midst of a gathering of other mages, "she's awake."

——

Wardruna - Runaljod (English Lyrics):

Wealth cause dispute among friends;The wolf lives in the forest

Slag come from bad iron;Often runs the reindeer on frozen snow

Giant causes woman's sorrow;Few are cheerful from misfortune

River's mouth is the way of most journeys;But the sheath is the one of swords

Riding, one says, is for horses the worst;Regin forged the best sword

Ulcer is fatal for children;Death makes man pale

Hail is the coldest of grain;Herjan shaped the world in olden times

Need leaves you little choice;The naked freeze in the frost

Ice we call the broad bridge;The blind man must be led

A good year is a blessing for men;I say that Frodi was generous

Sun is light of the land;I bow before the holy

Tyr is one-handed among the Æsir;Often the smith must blow

Birch is the limb greenest with leaves;Loki brought success of deceit

Man is increase of soil;Mighty is the hawk's claw

Water is what falls from the mountain;But of gold are the jewels

Yew is the greenest tree in winter;It often singes when it burns