"Geralt, have you gone insane?"

Victoria walked alongside of Geralt through the snowy weather as the soldiers on their horses followed.

"This doesn't even—"

Victoria was cut off by the sound of the men falling from their horses, landing on the ground. She turned her back to Geralt, who moved in front of her as he drew his sword. Victoria scanned their surroundings with her hand opened flatly at her side.

"Witcher."

Geralt turned around and pointed his sword at a woman who began to approach them. Victoria stayed still and watched the cloaked figure near them.

"You can put down your sword. I'm not here to hurt you or your friend."

"Says the witch hiding in the woods." Geralt barked.

"Sorceress."
"Witch."

Victoria watched as she came to a stop. The woman lifted the cloak and dropped it behind her, revealing a head full of thick curls.

"Triss Merigold. I serve King Foltest."

"So he makes a show of kicking me out, then sends his errand girl to slip me some coin so I kill his monster. Not a very original plan for a king."

Victoria looked up at Geralt before turning to Triss. "Your King has a very unordinary way of asking a favor."

Triss smiled as her eyes flickered to Victoria's. "It didn't affect you like it did them. . . What are you?"

Victoria didn't answer.

"Anyway," Triss said. "It's my plan. My coin. And I don't want you to kill the beast. I want you to help me save it."

A sudden chill ran down Victoria's spine, and a sharp shooting pain struck her entire body. Victoria yelped out loud as she sank to her knees, clutching her sides.

Geralt turned to her, his eyes widened slightly. Triss's brows knitted together, and as Geralt took a step towards Victoria, she stopped him by grabbing his arm.

"What the fuck are you doing?" Geralt growled through his gritted teeth.

"I've seen this before," she said.

Victoria hung her head forward for a long moment, and threw it back as her back arched. Her eyes were no longer her hazel color, but were replaced by the same, unusual illuminating blue orbs.

"Someone's trying to possess her mind." Triss said. "Who is this woman, Geralt?"

Victoria cried for help as she stared at the sky.

"Who would want so badly to possess her?"
Geralt began to put the pieces together.

"Someone who wants to know where she is,"

Geralt rushed towards her and grabbed ahold of her arms before taking her. Victoria gasped for air as tears trickled down her face, unaware of the witcher's presence.

Geralt growled beneath his breath. He shook her harder, trying to free her loose of the possession.

"YOU SHOULD HAVE STAYED DEAD!" Victoria screamed as she squeezed her eyes shut. She placed her hands over her ears, shaking her head side-to-side violently.

Geralt watched as she threw her head back again, with a wide smile spread across her face. The voice of a man left her lips.

"I will when you're dead with me."

Triss ran forward and lifted her hand before sending her hand directly into Victoria's cheek. Her cries for help died as she was sent against the ground unconsciously.

"There should have been another way!" Geralt seethed angrily as he paced towards the sorceress. Triss took a step back as she shook her head.

"With no access to her mind, he cannot possess her." Triss said. "I did her a favor, witcher. You'll come to realize that."

Geralt scooped Victoria's limp body from the snow and held her to his chest as he turned to Triss.

"Take me back and let her recover. And I will decide if I want to help you."

When Victoria woke, she was in a quiet, humid room somewhere unknown to her. She could feel the stickiness of the sweat against her skin.

Something cold pressed to her forehead, and she opened her eyes quickly. Two women stood before her, staring down at her with a smile on their faces

"Welcome back." The ginger said as she pulled a cold cloth away from Victoria's forehead.

The brunette sat up instantly and looked around the dull room. There was no sign of Geralt, and she looked back to the women.

"Where am I?" She asked them.
"You're in Temeria," the raven haired girl replied. "Inside of King Foltest's castle."

Victoria slid off of the bed and onto her bare feet. The two women tried to stop her.

"Careful, they said you're needed for rest."

"Geralt?" She asked, walking towards the door. She began to open the door, and as she yanked it open, she came face-to-face with Geralt.

He appeared calm, but his eyes told her otherwise. But once he saw her still alive and in the flesh, his eyes softened immediately.

"I don't understand," she said as Geralt took a step forward. "How did I end up here?"

Geralt stared at her confusedly. "Do you not remember anything from last night?"

Victoria shook her head as she tried to think of the night before. "I remember walking with you in the woods, then Triss Merigold greeted us."

Geralt inhaled. "Your father was trying to possess your mind, Victoria. He was going to see where you were, and he might have succeeded."

He reached out and placed his hand to her face, and she winced in pain. She stood there in shock before walking towards the mirror, and she rose a brow.

A large bruise was painted across her left cheek, turning different blues and purples. She lifted her hand and dabbed at the bruising beneath her eye with her fingertips very lightly.

Victoria swallowed. "Did you hit me?"

Geralt stared at her in disbelief. "I'm not that much of an asshole."

He walked towards her again, and he sighed.

"Things happened." He muttered. "I'm sending you away this evening, you'll be taken to Jaskier. He's an idiot, but he'll keep you under his care. Your father won't know that you've left Temeria."

Victoria couldn't fathom words after listening to Geralt. She stood there with an open mouth, trying to process his words.

"I— You're sending me away?" She asked him.

"The princess is cursed." He said. "And I told Triss that I'd try to lift it."

She scoffed as she began pacing around the room. "Is this your way of punishing me somehow? Do you understand the suffering I receive when I'm not with you? Like when you left me there the first time. I thought you weren't going to come back, and now you're doing it again."

"I'm doing this to protect you." He said to her sternly. "I cannot protect you and confront the Striga at the same time, and there is no way in god's name that you'll confront her with me."

Tears filled her eyes as she turned away from Geralt. She hugged herself as she walked across the room, trying to hold it in a while longer.

"And if I die?"

Geralt shook his head. "Victoria—"

"Just leave, Geralt." She said to him hoarsely. "You have business to do. . . I'll be on my way to the bard tonight."

She walked past him and avoided his eyes.

"Perhaps I'll learn something. Perhaps Jaskier will teach me how to play the lute. Or perhaps I'll find a man who doesn't send me away."

She exited the room, and slammed the door shut behind her.