TWENTY-FOUR | THE CURE

To my Lady Caira,

The content of this letter is quite sensitive, so I am urging you to respond as soon as you receive my letter. My dear Caira, I have wonderful news. News that could perhaps change the course of magical history. I have found a solution to your troubles. Though a temporary fix, an elixir I have created can reverse the effects of a witcher's alchemical mutation giving them a fertile window. You make be thinking, what possible negative effects may there be with a such potion? As far as my exploration of the elixir goes, there have been no harmful effects on my subjects (infertile men in the kingdom). Only one side effect has been observed, quite an increase in their libido. Their young wives have been more than thrilled to announce their sudden pregnancies.

By your mage,

Leianna

"I have found a solution--" Caira kept repeating one line in the entire letter over and over and over again. She couldn't believe it. Well, she believed in her loving mage, but could not believe that she managed to bless her with the greatest gift of all.

It had been months since Caira, Geralt and Ciri arrived at Kaer Morhen. Since winter arrived, they retreated back to the encampment full of large witchers. Geralt still towered over the lot of them. Caira did not spend much time with the others in Kaer Morhen as Ciri or Geralt did. She spent a lot of her time indoors, writing back home, and training alone outdoors nearby. She had become enthralled with the idea of Leianna working on a cure (as some would call it). She utilized the libraries within the compound to study any research done on witcher mutations or general infertility. Most of what she read was useless. Whatever she did find, though, she would copy it onto a letter and send the information back to her beloved mage.

Geralt overlooked this behavior as he was busy chasing Cirilla around all day in those past months. She was eager to train as a witcher, and she came with various troubles of her own. Along with her strange behavior, Ciri was also a rebellious child. Running off and forcing Geralt to train her as he would train himself. She certainly would push herself to limits she could not attain. It was quite frustrating to Geralt, after a while, how disinterested Caira seemed to become. Although this child surprise of his was not the responsibility of Caira, he felt a bond growing with Ciri. He felt Caira was not even attempting to form this same bond with the orphan he had adopted.

Caira's eyes scanned the letter over and over again, her brain ensuring she was not hallucinating when Geralt trudged into their bedroom. Quickly, she pressed the paper to her chest, greeting Geralt with a toothy smile. "She tried the obstacles again?" Caira chuckled softly, noticing Geralt's rugged appearance. He was obviously chasing the young girl around ensuring she did not harm herself with all the scuff and dirt on his clothes.

"She completed it today, actually," Geralt plopped himself on the edge of the bed, looking over at Caira.

"Oh how great--"

"Hoped you would have joined us today, out there." The witcher cut her off, his eyes deepening with disappointment.

"I trained earlier in the day--"

Again, he interrupted her speech. "Why do you not care to join us? I understand if this new situation I have brought you into is a bit much, but you asked for a family. This is our chance to have a family of our own."

Her eyes softened. "I must tell you something."

Glancing down at the letter, he realized it had something to do with Astoria. "I have been speaking with Leianna, Astoria's mage, you recall? When I visited home, I asked a favor of her. I knew little if she could or could not manage to do this, but, she did it. And it is unbelievable."

"Did what?" Geralt grumbled in his usual low manner.

"She found a way for you to get me pregnant."

Geralt was quiet. "Not possible."

"Uh, possible. That's why I have been sending so many letters back home." Caira excitedly told.

He reached over and snatched the letter out of her hands. "Is this even real? No one is jokingly sending these to you as a cruel joke?"

Caira leaned over and pointed to the curly signature at the bottom of the page. "No, that's her."

Geralt sucked in a sharp breath and shook his head. "We discussed this, before you traveled to Astoria. Why can you not just be content with me? Why must you go out of your way to change me?"

"Why wouldn't I want more? I want a part of you in me, I want to create a life with you. And most importantly, I want to leave a piece of me with you. While you can stay and live forever, I will eventually grow old and weak. When I leave at least you will have our child, or even our grandchildren here with you--"

"No." Geralt abruptly spoke.

"No?" Caira raised an eyebrow, startled by his answer.

"No." Geralt shrugged, handing the letter back to her.

She scoffed. "So you are going to live this lonely, sad life until... when exactly?"

"Until I end up dying to one of the fuckers that I get sent to kill," Geralt responded.

"Yeah," Caira smacked her lips, "no. I see you with that girl, I hear the way you talk about her. Like she is your own daughter. Though I haven't been very present, I have been here. I want that feeling, that you have with Ciri, too. I want my own child to raise and teach. And I want it with you. Deep down, somewhere, you want it too, you just can't admit it. What is it that is holding you back? What's wrong with having one little kid? Are you scared, Geralt? Is that what it is?"

His eyes darkened. "Scared? Of a child? Have you seen the things I have faced?"

"I think you are terrified." Caira sneered.

Geralt shook his head. "I'm only fearful if it ends up coming out with an ounce of your personality."

"Awe, the big scary witcher is scared of a little innocent baby." She teased.

"No, ugh," he groaned, "how would we even raise it? We don't even have a place to call home."

"Astoria. Next question?" Caira instantly shot back an answer, shooting down his doubts.

He huffed, "just one child?"

Caira smiled, devilishly. "Just one." She half-genuinely assured.

* * *

The road to Astoria was a long one. Yet, Caira was so focused on getting there, that she was silent the entire time and didn't speak to Cirilla nor Geralt. She was nearly always trotting ahead of the two light haired people, her horse kicking up dirt in their paths.

The trio traveled through the northern kingdoms to reach the easternmost Astoria. Upon arrival, both Ciri and Geralt couldn't help but gawk. The kingdom was so... vibrant. Geralt had never sought work in the kingdom, as other hunters had claimed there was no money to be made in a place that had a military so large they could kill any monster on their own. Though, they rarely had encounters with any entities on their lands.

"Welcome to my home," Caira announced as they rode through the gates of the palace.

Everything was so lively, unlike the other kingdoms where war had infested their lands and starvation had struck the commoners. "Why did you ever leave this place?" Ciri inquired.

Caira did not respond, focused on reaching Leianna as quickly as possible.

* * *

Upon arrival, the grand news Caira expected was not received. Only one struck with grief. Whilst on their travels, her mother had fallen sick. Whatever sickness had taken over her body, had apparently taken over quickly. She was quite thin and even yellowish in the face. Caira had seen some tavern men with this condition before, many attributed it to drinking so much ale that their skin began to turn the color of the ale. Curiously enough, Astris never was one to drink. She was too keen on her senses to allow herself to ever slip away into vulnerability.

Some deep eyes softened as they saw Caira enter the room. Astris was feeling quite warm inside seeing her eldest child, as she didn't think she would ever reunite before her demise. "My child," Astris raised her thin, weak arms to invite Caira in.

Caira rushed over to her mother and buried her face in her chest. "How did this even happen?"

Astris sighed. She, too, unsure of how such a disease struck her so quickly. "I've heard of Leianna's discoveries, I had hoped you'd return quickly enough to see me one last time."

Caira was embarrassed, sinking down lower in her mothers arms. "Are you angry?"

Astris smiled small at her daughter. "Not at all, the best thing that ever happened to me was you and Ranya. A child is always a welcomed blessing."

Caira was relieved. "I must go see Leianna soon, perhaps I may have the child before—" Caira stopped herself, getting sad again at the thought of her mother dying.

Astris' smile never wavered. "Go," she said sternly.

Caira nodded and walked toward the large double doors where two armed men opened it for her. As she left her mother's quarters, she noticed her sister's watery eyes staring her down from the hall. "Ranya," Caira greeted warmly. She had missed her kind sister.

"You've arrived just in time. The surgeons I've requested say she only has days to live."

"Days?" Caira gasped quietly.

"You know what comes next, right?" Ranya quietly asked.

Caira shook her head in response. "She will ask you again, to take the crown. And she will be quite convincing of it."

Caira sighed. "Of course she will." Knowing her mother will try to guilt her as a last resort.

* * *

Geralt couldn't help but notice a familiarity surrounding Leianna, the mage his lover had spoken so highly about. What distracted him from this curious feeling was the eeriness that surrounded the bright green vial of liquid sat before him. The cure. It was a symbol of hope. Of a future. But it was also a symbol of heartbreak. If it did not work, it would absolutely crush Caira. And a small part of himself would be saddened. He had already accepted the fact that he had been mutilated.

"It has worked before." Leianna mentioned.

"Not on a Witcher, though," Geralt grumbled.

The room fell silent. All that was left was for Geralt to consume the liquid. Quickly, he snatched the small glass vial and poured the pungent concoction into his mouth. He swallowed the repulsive cure, though he had some drinks far worse from local taverns on his adventures. Seconds passed of Geralt waiting for his stomach to turn or for his mind to cloud... yet those feelings did not come. Leianna could see it in his eyes that he seemed to be bracing himself for some kind of strange feeling. "There should be no after effects, besides, of course, the fertility." She mentioned to him.

He nodded curtly, taking one last glance at the red headed mage before leaving the room full of potions.

* * *

Caira was summoned to her mothers chambers the next day. So many emotions were felt by the golden skinned girl, she was anxious for both her lover and her mother. She felt remorseful for being so defiant in her younger years against her mothers wishes. She regretted so much, yet loved so many aspects of her life that could have never happened without a little rebellion. Upon entering the grand room her mother was slowly rotting in, Caira noticed the crown she usually wore atop her short crumpled hair was sitting at the small table beside her.

Caira creeped over to her mothers bed and crawled into it, snuggling up next to her mother. She could feel she was nearing her end as her breathing had grown more hoarse from the day before. Astris placed her frail hand on her eldest child's head, caressing it soothingly. "You must take care of Ranya," Astris spoke in a firm tone, "I worry for her."

Caira nodded and pressed herself closer to her mother, engulfing her deeper into a hug. "That includes Astoria."

Caira sunk in her spot. "I knew that was coming next..."

"Ranya isn't ready. If you ever listen to me, let it be this once. You must take the crown, I have written it and let the other officers know that you are my heir if you so claim it. I could care less if after a few years you decide to pass the crown to your sister, but you must teach her to be humble and honorable. She cares more about the pins in her hair than protecting our borders. She has no clue about the wars brewing in the south." Astris reached over to grab her crown and brought it over to her daughter.

"What about Geralt—"

"You know it does not matter who you marry. My only regret in life was never giving you and your sister a father. You seem to genuinely love him, and if you manage to produce a child with him... may that child be as fierce as you are and live a long, happy life."

Caira thought about it for a moment, imagining her future children running in the same halls she did as a child. They wouldn't be safer anywhere else. Her mother was right. The kingdoms were brewing a war against Nilfgaard. "Okay." Was all she could say. She wasn't sure about her decision nor how long she'd want to rule her country. She especially wasn't sure about how Geralt would take the news. But, that would be left for a later time.