37

                                    

                                          
The first blow was parried by Kyana, who tilted her body and swept the guard's ankles from underneath him. The next was Geralt's, who was fighting next to her, protecting her with his body. He aimed heavily down to the guard's chest, his strength ploughing him to the floor. Geralt parried another guard, swinging his sword above his head and bringing it down on his neck. Kyana protected his back, swinging her sword with fearsome strength into the guard's stomach, winding him. She moved onto the next, concentrating on finding the weak spots in the armor to gain an advantage, swiping at the neck of another guard.
                          
Geralt focused more on causing vibrations throughout the armour to wind the guards, getting them to the floor without much blood spilt, yet some tested his patience. In one swift movement, Geralt swung at a man who aimed for Kyana, splitting his head in two. He then twisted and slit the throat of a man behind him. Kyana turned around, sending Geralt a grateful smile, before shoving her foot into the chest plate of her opponent and driving her sword sideways through the temple of a guard to her left. 
                          
Calanthe watched in horror. Her guards, her specially trained protectors, so easily cut down by three people? Eist also surprised her, using his fists, a dagger and chairs to protect the creature, honoring the law of surprise. Before anyone could react to Eist joining, Geralt and Kyana faced each other, sweat gathering in their foreheads. It was as though time had stopped for half a second. Kyana's chest heaved from fighting, while Geralt gave her a small smile, twisting and cutting down a guard from behind. 
                          
Kyana turned and launched herself at a group of guards, who sought strength in numbers. She threw her leg upwards, kicking one man in the face. Once Kyana's foot hit the floor, she swung her sword and decapitated another. She slashed at the last man's knees, causing him to collapse. Kyana wasted no time driving her sword through his head. Noblemen watched her in horror, twirling and twisting with her dress flowing in circles around her. Her dress was surprisingly clean, bearing only a few drops of blood here and there that would wash out. 
                          
It was absolute chaos. Everyone killing everyone, yet no one got so much of an inch past Kyana and Geralt, who protected Lord Urcheon. Queen Calanthe, who was undoubtedly furious, kicked a guard in the face, taking his sword and strolling through the hall towards Eist, who looked like he was preparing for death. Instead, he ducked when the sword came flying towards his face. It landed on a man behind him, who would have killed him. He stared in marvel at his love, a small smile playing on his lips. Geralt swung the sword furiously, until it crossed with Queen Calanthe's sword herself. 
                          
"Stop!" She commanded him. He did as she asked, lowering his sword and raising from his crouched position. "Stop!" The queen cried out again, this time to everyone. Sword against sword ceased, only the sound of breathing remained. Kyana heaved in air, blood dripping from her blade and onto the expensive floor. Her bun was no longer tidy, having released almost all of her hair to tumble around her back. 
                          
In the middle of all the chaos, was Lord Urcheon, the most grateful he had ever been in his life. "Duny!" Pavetta called, running towards him. His arms immediately went around her, lifting her lightly and closing his cursed eyes. Pavetta pulled away, tears gliding down her face as her toes touched the ground. Kyana smirked, having called it before the fighting started. Calanthe looked between, hatred in her eyes. "I told you to stay away." Her hands glided up and down his face affectionately. Duny looked to Calanthe, kneeling down and placing his weapon on the floor.
                          
"Your Majesty, the Witcher speaks the truth. I was cursed as a young boy. My whole life a living misery until the day that I saved your husband, King Roegner, from a certain death. By tradition, I chose the Law of Surprise as payment. Whatever windfall he came home to find - would be mine." His gaze never left Calanthe, desperate for her agreement in his marriage to Pavetta. 
                          
"Oh the stupid bastard!" Calanthe cursed. "Better you had let him die! And you, carousing with the beast that swindled your stupid father!" Calanthe screamed at Pavetta, who's tears continued to flow.
                          
Kyana looked at Pavetta from Calanthe's side, seeing the love she bore for Duny. "You knew he'd come. That's why you pushed us to kill him." Kyana revealed, her mind racing with possibilities.  Geralt wasn't sure what curse had been inflicted on Duny, but from what he had gathered from Calanthe's expression as she refused to confirm or deny, Kyana was right. Pavetta looked devastated.
                          
"'Tis no swindle. Asking for payment with the Law of Surprise is as old as mankind itself." Eist spoke, his forehead glistening with sweat, but his eyes still a mesmerizing blue. Kyana found herself agreeing with Eist, remembering her friends' fathers heeding to the Law of Surprise when she was younger. 
                          
"Don't lecture me, Eist." Calanthe begged quietly, as though he were the last person she wanted to hear the truth from. 
                          
"It's an honest gamble. As likely to be rewarded with a bumper crop as a newborn pup. Or a Child of Surprise. He could not know. Destiny has determined the surprise be Pavetta." Eist spoke softly to her. Suddenly, in that very moment, Kyana had seen what true, undeniable love looked like. It was evident in Eist's eyes, and hidden in Calanthe's. No one else seemed to exist to them, only each other. 
                          
"When I heard that King Roegner had returned to find a child on the way, I abandoned all thought of claiming the Law of Surprise. I knew no woman would ever accept me like this." A tear slipped silently from his eye. Pavetta placed a comforting hand on his chest. "And so I waited. I waited until the twelfth bell when the curse breaks. I never intended to meet her. Just to watch from afar." His voice held small traces of guilt, for taking away Pavetta's marriage into power, but most of all, love swelled his tone. 
                          
"Until destiny intervened and our hearts collided." Pavetta faced him, her hands on his chest and her heart heavy. 
                          
"And at dawn, I awoke with her in my arms and me like this." He hated himself, Kyana could see that, and it broke her heart. Silence rung out through the ballroom. 
                          
"Who are we to challenge destiny? Life was saved, debt must be paid, or the whole order of the world falls apart." Eist whispered insistently to Calanthe, who looked as though she were being swayed to agree. 
                          
"Honor destiny's wish, or unleash its wrath upon us." Mouseack spoke. 
                          
"There is no us! I bow to no law made by men who never bore a child! Is there not a man amongst you who does not cower before destiny? You, Witcher who has known monsters of every fang and claw are you afraid too?" Calanthe looked towards Geralt, who, for a small moment, didn't know what to say.
                          
"No." A satisfied smirk pulled onto Calanthe's face. "I've seen mothers lash themselves raw over the death of a child, believing they crossed destiny, ignoring the stench of the 50 other children in the plague cart outside. Destiny helps people believe there's an order to this horseshit. There isn't. But a promise made must be honored. As true for a commoner, as it is for a queen."