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“So I, a poor witcher, am to face down a destiny which is stronger than the royal will. A witcher fighting destiny! What irony!”
Geralt’s outburst at Queen Calanthe after she describes the job she has for him in “A Question of Price” showcases Geralt’s belief in the futility of fighting against destiny. Elsewhere in the book, it’s explained that the children who become witchers are destined to do so, which is the source of the irony Geralt expresses here. Geralt sees himself as someone inextricably tied to his destiny, so the very idea of helping someone else subvert theirs is absurd. More than anything, this quotation shows just how strongly Geralt believes in destiny, which plays into the decisions he makes as a character. Geralt’s exclamation here also highlights just how difficult a task Calanthe asks of Geralt. Immediately after this quote, Calanthe and Geralt talk about how preventing someone’s destiny borders on the impossible, which is the only reason that she called on a witcher and not someone else.
“But why should anyone want such an oath? You know the answer, Urcheon of Erlenwald. It creates a powerful, indissoluble tie of destiny between the person demanding the oath and its object, the child-surprise. Such a child, marked by blind fate, can be destined for extraordinary things.”
In his conversation with Urcheon in “A Question of Price,” Geralt explains how the promise of an unavoidable destiny can inspire people to action. The oath Geralt describes is the one that Urcheon swore with King Roegner after saving his life. Geralt is referring to the idea that destiny can be created by magic or circumstance. While the surrounding conversation suggests that this is exceedingly rare, the important takeaway is that some destinies can be shaped. Pavetta’s fate changed entirely when Roegner and Urcheon made their deal, but once it had been set, there was no changing it. This implies that destiny requires incredibly specific circumstances. In this case, a cursed noble from a faraway land found a wounded king with a pregnant queen back home. Both men had no one else to help them, and by helping one another, they sealed their destiny.
“Give me the one who is my destiny!”
This quote comes from “A Question of Price” as Urcheon urges Calanthe to give him Pavetta’s hand in marriage. Some people questioned whether Urcheon was trying to extort King Roegner, while others wondered if he was aiming to be king. Urcheon says that the only thing he wants is to marry Pavetta. In many cases destiny is something a person runs away from, but in this chapter Urcheon is doing the exact opposite. He is pursuing his destiny, and he is prepared to fight for it. This highlights how the context of a person’s fate dramatically alters their opinion of its outcome. Geralt’s destiny is bloody and terrifying, but Urcheon’s represents breaking his curse and finding true love, so it’s little surprise that he’s willing to fight for it
“And I don’t want to know the future. How could I do what I’m doing if I knew it?"
This quotation comes from Geralt as he explains to Nenneke why he doesn’t want to participate in a trance in “Chapter Six: The Voice of Reason.” Nenneke is concerned about Geralt’s well-being, so she pressures him to sit for a trance with the clairvoyant priestess, Iola. Geralt doesn’t want Iola to reveal his future. He understands that his destiny is set, but knowing his future would haunt him. While he accepts that his path cannot be changed, he does not want to know what is coming. Geralt’s question in the second half of this quote addresses the impact of knowing how his life will unfold. Knowing his ultimate fate would influence how he interprets situations and how he responds. He believes his future actions are unavoidable, so he is rejecting the stress that would come with knowing where every action will lead.
