The long road to Novigrad (Part 4)

[If you want to talk to me other than here. You can on twitter @EazyR3ad.]

The fire has kept us warm all night long. I can feel the sunlight come through the tree branches. It wakes me and I feel weight and pressure covering my entire abdomen. Ciri has her upper body on top of mine. One leg is brought all the way up to my waist with her knee bent. Her other leg is parallel to mine. I am up before her again, she really did lose the habit of getting up before me. Did it come with age? I know that we will make it to the border today, it's only half a days ride there. I feel no movement from her yet.

I could just let her sleep in. It's not like we wont make it there. I think that she deserves the extra sleep too. I can feel the dry grass and chilly wind, when it warms up everything will be much easier. Rain will be a problem on this journey, it shouldn't bother us in Novigrad. If it does rain on our journey....Lets just say I don't have a magic for that. Gaunter would, he would keep us dry sometimes. That was if he had to tag along with me, sometimes the contract would demand something like that. He made some crazy deals, but he got what he wanted in the end it seems. I still never found out who he really was, never bothered asking him. Might have saved me since I didn't.

I feel movement on top of me and I can feel her rub her body against mine. I have a moment of ecstasy and clear my mind fast. "Mmmmm~~." I don't think she has the same thoughts as me. I feel her left hand move up and brush my face. She looks up at me with only one eye open. "You make a wonderful bed~~." I am strangely happy about that. A thing that love does to you I guess. I wonder what she was dreaming about. I didn't have nightmares this time which was nice.

I do want to get moving soon. I shouldn't rush this nice morning though. "You have a funny use for a bed. I didn't know they could make you sound like that." She reaches under my shirt and gives a gentle twist. It was a bad joke. I can't help it though, it was one of the things that kept my mind together in the worst parts of my journey with Gaunter.

She twists a little bit more and sighs. "Your an idiot Cera.....I love that about you though, reminds me of Kaer Morhen." I didn't know that. Makes sense since she puts up with it. I can see the horses are also awake now that we have made some noise. I don't want to think how long this journey would be without the Barons horses. I lean up with her still wrapped around me. "C'mon Cera~~ I don't want to leave just yet. I want to relax with you." I will have to deny that request. I should let her have what she wants soon. She will get tired of me saying no, you gotta listen to the one you love if you want it too work.

I pick her up and carry her to the horses. She wraps her arms around me and leans her head into my chest. "We gotta go Ciri, when we get to Novigrad we can take a day for a break." She hasn't let go at all. What am I supposed to do here. I hold for another 10 minutes, its easy because she is light. Soon she lifts her head up and unwraps her arms. She is getting off now. She rubs the gunk out of her eye's and I get a look at her beautiful face without makeup. "Wow...." She is more beautiful without the eye shadow. I keep staring and staring without hearing her.

~~~(POV Ciri)~~~

He is staring at my face. He looks like he is in a different place. He was rude in saying that after seeing me without makeup. "You got a problem Cera!!" He is still silent and just staring at my face. I am getting really mad at this behavior. I slug him hard in his shoulder, he looks at me with a red face. "I didn't know you hated my face without makeup..." I feel like I found a horrible quality about him.

He looks at me with eyes not of hate or disgust, but of shock. "Your really beautiful without your makeup on Ciri. I like you more this way...." I feel my chest get tight and heat travels to my face. I didn't know that. I applied makeup to ease the scar on my face. Cera likes my scar though.

I feel embarrassed. I don't think he even heard my question now that I think about it. "Oh..." That's all I can say in response to his thoughtful words, however some if not most, would see me differently than Cera does. I cant count the amount of times people stared at my scar. Made me change things about myself. "You need to be careful about what you say to woman when I am not around Cera....Promise me that you wont say something like that to another...." A very large part of me wants to make sure this part of him is hidden. I will not lose him to another woman who is captured by his sweet words.

He looks at me confused. "Yeah Ciri....I promise, I really think we should get going." A relief comes over me. I walk to my horse and apply makeup anyway, I still need it on for other people. I know most wont look at me the way Cera does. Men either want to have me, or try to force me. Much to them losing their lives. Woman ignore me, acting higher than me. Cera just sees people and me for who they are. A smart girl like me would see him and want him. Not happening while I can stop it. I seem like Yen in this moment, she always kept Cera and Geralt in check. More so Geralt, I wonder what she would think of Cera after how different he looks.

We hop on our horses and head to the border. After many hours we can see the line of people coming and going. Guess that means the border is open. We approach the entrance and are held up by a guard. "State your reason for crossing into the northern kingdom's." I look to Cera and he has a poker face on. I know he has a plan.

I then hear him give an answer. "We are monster hunters. Nilfgaard is making it hard for us to make a living. Figured the northern kingdoms would be easier." Always quick on his feet. He got that from Yen and Geralt, I took a lot more after Geralt. I hope I get to see him again soon. It has been many years since I last spoke to him. I hear the guard call over his commanding officer.

The short man walks over and I snicker a little. It goes unnoticed. "Monster hunters you say....You ever taken care of griffins?" Griffins, more than one. I like a challenge, but that could prove difficult. Cera looks to me. I get what he is getting at.

Cera gives them an answer. "For the right price, taking on more than one griffin is hard. We can do it, but it won't be cheap. 440 for each one." My, that is a lot of coin. The guard captain looks displeased. However he doesn't look like he will turn it down. How did he know that he wouldn't turn it down.

The guards look at each other. "Fine, but you will only get paid after. They are residing in the forest next to Ursten. If you bring other monsters back dead too, we will compensate you for those as well." I'm thoroughly surprised. I didn't think it would work so well, Geralt always had a hard time getting paid. Sometimes he never got anything for his work.

We pass the border and we are on our way to Ursten. I look to Cera. "How did you know that they would accept?" I have to know. I wouldn't have been able to pull that off. I want to know his secrets in finding weaknesses in peoples minds. He has used it on me in playful fun only. This could prove a useful skill if I learn it.

He looks to me with a smile. "The guards hands." Bollocks, that is bollocks. There is no way that he knew all that from looking at the guards hands.

I look to him and snort. "That's a load, if you didn't want to tell me you could have just said so." I am not going to believe that for a second.

He laughs at my response. Glad you find it funny you sneak. "They were covered in human blood. Likely their allies trying to take care of the beasts. Add that to them asking and you have everything you need." Well.....Damn I never picked up on that. Cera was always great with the things Vesemir taught him.

We make our way to Ursten and look around and find an inn to sleep in for the night. Cera pays for our room and we make our way there. He wanted to rest and make sure the horses got food. They are my only solution to my aching feet. As we enter I see the big bed, seems I get to cash in now. I turn to him and give him a look that says everything.

He looks at me with a smile. "I did promise didn't I. Lets bathe first shall we?" This inn has a bath too. We put our swords on the nearest chair and take off our shoes. I still can't get over how tall he has gotten.

I grab his hand and squeeze it, he squeezes back. "I hope that you aren't tired Cera~~~ I want to have you all night long~~." He blushes at that. Its cute how he can be that way with me. We make our way to the bath to clean up and have some fun.

[I added an Inn and a bath to Ursten, hope you guys don't mind. Never understood why it didn't have those since it was so close to the border and people would travel through often.]