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Ciri sat atop Roach, her hands clasped around her saddle. Geralt just behind and held the reigns guiding them through a wooded path.
The cool breezes sent a shiver down her spine, as she pulled her fur vest tighter around her body, she longed for the few rays of sun peaked through the trees to warm her skin.
“Alright, best food you ever had” Ciri asked, filling the time in their journey.
“Skellige” Geralt responded “I crashed a party, they had a roast, with potatoes, fine wine and a table full of desserts”
“We had meals like that in Cintra” she reminisces
“Not like this”
Ciri smiled, often times their journeys were silent or filled with the occasional instruction or plans, as Geralt was never much of a chatter. But over their time together she broke him down, and would answer her questions and tell her stories. She much preferred their long rides through conversation instead of silence.
“Lets rest here” he instructions as they reached a small opened area in the woods.
He hopped off Roach, and reached up to help Ciri to the ground. Geralt scanned the area, his hand on the hilt of his sword alert for danger.
Ciri paused to lean against Roach, her hand planed firmly on the horses side for support as she leaned over, her other hand clutched over her stomach. She looked down at the ground and took serval deep breaths waiting for it to pass.
Her mind whirled, as she had never felt this kind of pain before.
She reached into Roach’s saddle bag for a sip of water, gulping down a few sips.
Annoyed the water did little to help, she took a seat on a nearby log.
Geralt returned pulling out two apples they stored in one of the saddle bags, handing one to Ciri as he took a bite out of the other.
She took it, taking a small bite. She felt her stomach lurch as a wave of nausea washed over her. She held the apple in her hand refusing to take any further bites.
They both sat in silence enjoying the scenery for a while before Geralt spoke “I’ll fill up the water and then we’ll head out” as he stood up talking a few paces to a nearby river.
Ciri nodded, taking large breaths, hiding her pain.
He returned placing the filled water into Roach’s saddle bag, ‘“ready?” he asked turning back to Ciri.
“Mhhm” she nodded, bracing herself to stand up, noticing that the pain slightly subsided when she sat.
She grunted as she slowly stood, not able to fully stand, she waddled over to Roach.
“Are you alright?” he asked noticing her stature.
“Mhmm” she mumbled ignoring his concern.
Geralt’s eyebrow raised with skepticism, but followed her lead. As she approached Roach, he reached out a hand to help her up. She placed on foot in the stirrup, and a hand in Geralt’s. Usually from here she boosts herself up, but today she pushed up and missed, stumbling back onto her planted foot. Geralt placed a hand on her back catching her.
“Ciri” he spoke.
“I can do it” she gritted through her teeth, gripping his hand tighter, and placed another on Roach’s saddle. She pulled up and kicked off with her foot, missing again, stumbling back to the ground.
She grunted noticed her usual strength was very limited.
“Ciri, what’s going on” he asked, stepping between her and Roach.
“I’m fine” she mumbled pushing past him to try once more without his help. Missing again, this time fully falling onto her back. She sat up slowly letting her head to rest into her hands out of defeat.
“Ciri” he squatted down next to her “please let me help you”
She paused, slowly raising her head to look at him “I don’t know what’s wrong!” she said on the verge of tears.
He listened.
“I just feel off! My stomach hurts, I’m in pain, I’m tired, food makes me nauseous” she started rattling off her ailments, fighting back tears. “And now I can’t even get on Roach!”
“It’s alright” he spoke, placing a hand on her shoulder “We’ll look for a nearby town, stay at an inn tonight. I am sure a warm bath and a good nights rest will help, and if not they might have a healer”
Ciri nodded slowly, as Geralt scooped her up and lifted her onto Roach.
Luckily there was a quaint town not too far of a ride away, they made it just before nightfall. They checked into the first inn they found and settled into their room. Two beds, with thin white sheets, a wooden nightstand between them and a small ottoman by the fireplace.
Gerald followed Ciri in, carrying in their bags and dropping them onto the floor. Ciri sat down on the furthest bed and leaned over, placing her head in her hands, taking slow deep breaths.
Geralt leaned over the fireplace and worked on getting it started. Ciri stood up to walk over to the bags in search of more water. She turned back to the bed and saw a small red stain on the white sheets.
She gasped and quickly sat down, covering the stain.
Geralt turned around, the fire now roaring. “What happened?” he asked walking over to her
“Nothing” she didn’t look at him, the fire illuminated the side of face, as a tear rolled down her check.
“Should I look for a healer?” he asked, taking the seat next to her on the bed
“No” she spoke, almost a whisper.
“Will you tell me what is happening” he tried again
Ciri couldn’t look at him, she started at the wall straight ahead “I’m bleeding” she spoke.
“Were you injured?” he asked.
“No” she replied.
The crackling fire filled the long gap of silence in the room.
“That would explain your earlier aliments” he finally spoke.
Ciri continued to look ahead.
“Congratulations” he said
“It doesn’t feel like something to celebrate” Ciri sighed pulling her hands back through her hair.
“It’s alright Ciri, it’s normal” he added “is it the first?”
She nodded.
“Were you taught?” he asked.
“Not completely, my grandmother mentioned it before but didn’t teach me much” she sighed burying her face into her knees, which she clutched tightly to her chest. “I guess she thought we had more time together”
“I see” he nods “Although I know some, I’m afraid I am not the best one to each you”
Ciri kept silent, quietly sobbing into her knees.
He reached out patting the back of her head and stroked her hair “I’ll find some help, but in the meantime I can get you some tea” he paused, continued to glide his hand over her hair “I hear that helps with the pain”
“thank you” her voice muffles as he face lay firmly planed into her knees.
Geralt stood up, the floor board creaking under his weight. The bed shifted and Ciri flopped on her side, still curled into a ball as she took the open space on the bed.
Geralt closed the door behind him, his shoulders falling as he took a long slow breath. He made his way down the stairs, glancing quickly around the small tavern on the first floor, he saw no good options for help.
Stepping outside the inn, the dark of night casting over him, as his eyes scan the nearby buildings.
He wondered down the street, when his ears perked up from a lively whorehouse, filled with music and laughter.
Opening the door he was greeted with candlelight and music, a few patrons sat at interior tables. A woman quickly approached him, draping an arm across his chest. “A witcher!” she smiled “we don’t get many of your kind around here” her eyes widened “this should be fun” she giggled.
Geralt didn’t respond.
“What can I do for you?” she looked up at him.
“Will you do anything for pay?” he asked.
“depend on what” she grinned “but I am sure I can meet your needs” she shifted to his other side, gliding her hand down his arm.
“Great” he plopped a collection of coins into her hand, she pulled herself away from him out of shock. Most customers don’t pay upfront.
“Come with me, I’ll explain on the way” he says before walking out.
Geralt knocked on the door, a cup of tea in one hand. “Ciri” he called, pressing his ear to the door he heard her gentle sobs slow and the bed creak under her weight as she sat up.
He knocked again “Ciri, I am coming in, and I have a guest” he slowly opened the door and stepped into the room.
Ciri sat up in the bed, clutching the blankets close to her chest, her face warmed slightly seeing Geralt. Then her face fell again upon seeing their new visitor
“Ciri this is -“ he gestured to the women
“Fiona” she spoke noticing his pause. She took a seat at the small ottoman by the fire, giving Ciri her space.
The girls eye’s scanned over the woman, her long brown curls flowing down her back, with a few pieces pinned back, framing her beautiful face. Her long dress draping off her shoulder and a slit to expose her long legs.
“You brought a prostitute?!” Ciri blurted out of shock and confusion.
“Prostitutes posses a great many skills besides bedding duties” he paused taking a step closer to Ciri “plus she has more knowledge than I in this area, and you need to learn”
“But-“ Ciri’s face grew red and she lifted her hands to hide away.
Geralt leaned closer to her, placing a small kiss on her forehead “just listen to her, alright” he placed the tea on her nightstand “I’ll be downstairs”.
He turned to leave the room “Thank you” he nodded to Fiona before stepping out, closing the door behind him.
The women listened to his as his footsteps faded away down the stairs
“So I hear it’s your first blood” Fiona starts.
Ciri groaned, curling her knees back up to her chest “I’m sorry he asked you to come here” she mutters out.
“Do not apologize” Fiona smiles, “this is the best job I’ve ever had”
“Really?”
“Yes, and you are saving me from many old smelly men waiting to be served back at the house”
Ciri chuckled lightly and a faint smile crossed her face, despite her tears and embarrassment.
Fiona stood up from her stood and approach the bed “may I?” she asked
Ciri nodded.
She took a seat next to her “So how much do you know?”
“Not much” Ciri shook her head.
“Well first it is nothing to be embarrassed about, it’s very normal” she starts.
Ciri remained in her curled up position looking at the floor, but listened.
“It will happen every 28 days, but for your first few cycles it likely will be very inconsistent, so don’t be alarmed if that happens”
Ciri nodded.
“You’ll be a bit uncomfortable on those days, pain is normal unfortunately” she sighed “I wish I could tell you how to fix it, but there isn’t much you can do” she continues “tea will help, you can also soak some cloth in hot water and place that on your stomach, the heat will feel nice”
Ciri leaned over picking up her tea and taking a sip “it does help” she replies feeling the warmth in her hand “a little” she adds slowly took a few more sips.
“Let yourself rest a lot on those days, and it will pass soon until the next cycle”
Ciri nodded.
“Oh and here, after he told me about my job, I brought you these, we have a few extras at the house” she hands over a few trimmed cloths.
Ciri puts her tea down and takes them, unraveling them to examine.
“Do you know how to use these?” Fiona asks.
“I mean I know the basics, they absorb the blood, like if you cut your arm or something, you’d use these”
“Exactly, except you put them in a different place, just wash them before the next cycle”
Ciri nods.
“Any questions?”
“So basically, accept the pain, rest, drink tea, use warm rags on your stomach and these clean rags for blood, wash them after” she recites “ and suffer” she adds with a sigh.
Fiona chuckles “yes that is the gist of it”.
“Sounds awful”
“Well welcome to being a women” Fiona said sarcastically “but all women experience this, its the thing that connects us all” she lightly leans in bumping her shoulder against Ciri’s “whether we like it or not”
Ciri giggled lightly, wiping away a few tears from earlier “thank you” she muttered out.
Fiona smiled, and leaned in to give her a hug, Ciri nestled in her arms. “The first one is always the worse, but in time you’ll learn how to cope, I promise” she leaned away, lifting her hand up to tuck a strand of hair behind Ciri’s ear. “And if he ever makes you travel or train when you aren’t feeling well” Fiona leans in and says just above a whisper “you can go ahead and kick him right in the crotch”.
Ciri bursts out into laughter.
“That will shut him up” Fiona said with a grin
Ciri leaned her head on Fiona’s shoulders, closing her eyes. She hated to admit Geralt was right, but it was nice to have female company at this time. Even if she was a stranger.
Geralt sat at the small tavern just below the rooms, sipping ale, his eyes fixed on the stairs that lead to the upper floors.
Fiona made her way down the stairs, her hand gliding along the railing until she made the last step. Geralt stood to greet her, as she walked over to the small table he was at and took a seat opposite him.
“She’ll be alright” Fiona informed him.
Geralt took his seat “thank you” he nodded taking another sip of his ale he paused debating his next question “can you teach me too?” he asked.
Her eyes widened in disbelief.
“I don’t need all the details, just anything I should know moving forward” he added.
“Well nothing will change much, but the cycle will continue every 28 days, but for the first few its irregular” she started “just listen to what she needs, she might be a bit more irritable and fatigued, just allow more time for rest if you’re traveling and her rags will need to be washed between every cycle”
“Hmm” he nodded.
Fiona reached across the table pulling his hand away from his ale and placing the coins into his opened palm.
“You have earned your pay” he states confused, leaving his hand open for her to take.
“It is rare to meet a father who cares this much” she smiles “I am happy to help, keep your coin” she moved his fingers to clasp around the coins and pushes his closed fist away.
“Thank you” he nodded, placing the coin into his pocket “at least let me buy you a drink” he offered.
“No need” she smiled standing up to leave “feel free to stop by if you or Ciri have any more questions”
Geralt nodded.
“But if you ever come by looking for my usual services” she grins “I’ll charge you double”
Geralt chuckled lightly “seams fair”