middaeg | ( open + closed starters ) Can't catch an emotion

← Yen's Old Cottage, after the shared nightmare. →

[ In life, there are often too many concessions that could be made in the name of passable complacency. Concessions she, albeit stubbornly, wasn't inclined to make anymore. Her time with Geralt wasn't laden with politics and social intrigue requiring delicate weavings of words -- sometimes no words at all depending on the mood.

And yet, somehow, he manages to get under her skin and strike right where she's the most vulnerable. The dangers of allowing someone in beyond carefully constructed walls.

She's spent her time at the cottage working on turning her shielding to something she can use to block emotions. Both incoming and outgoing. Easier said than done. But, she'd made a bit of progress, nothing too noticeable, however -- progress was progress.

She can feel the pull of the bond with Geralt before he's at her door, stepping out into the garden before he can reach the gate. No need to waste time if he was just here to pick up where they'd left off outside the Coven. While she was aware her choice to relocate for the time being was selfish and stubborn, it was necessary. One she wouldn't be taking criticism on today.

So she stands, arms crossed -- watching and waiting with as neutral of an expression as she can muster. ]

Edited 2021-05-05 00:01 (UTC)

[ The distance hasn't eased much on his mind. The bond between them feels taut. He can't tell if it's from their last exchange or her presence in his dream. But he does know he doesn't want her staying away any longer. And he sure as shit doesn't want to be the reason that she's doing so.

He's also not certain if she'll even want to see him. He's here, anyway, a stoppered jug of apple juice in his hand because why the fuck not? It'll either exasperate her or amuse her, but he's pretty certain it won't piss her off further. Pretty certain.

Turns out, she's already waiting for him on the step. So she's at least willing to see him. Geralt pushes open the gate, stopping just at the foot of the porch. Hasn't been here in awhile. Not since they've moved to that mansion down the street. (He really doesn't like not seeing her in what he's quietly started thinking of as their bedroom.) ]

I, um— [ A stuttering heartbeat interrupts him. He glances over, then back at Yennefer. Does she have company? No, she wouldn't have bothered to come out if she did. It's—

He sees the flash of movement and reaches into one of the hedges to haul out a man he's never seen before. What the fuck. The stranger squawks. He raises an eyebrow at Yen. (Wait. Has he seen that face before? Somewhere?) ]

Don't tell me you've been growing him in your lilacs.

[ It was foolish and stubborn, she knew that. Of all the times to crave distance, this wasn't the wisest. But, she didn't regret her choice to leave them to their own devices. They both needed the time to reach a point of being willing to move past a very difficult topic, old wounds that had never been addressed. While they were both skilled at burying emotions and avoiding the dangers lurking beneath the surface when talking, this had been cresting the horizon for some time.

It was just unfortunate it had manifested in such a public way.

A mistake she wasn't keen to repeat for a third time, keeping her lips drawn as she watches him. Practiced stoicism, however, is quickly replaced by concerned surprise as there's suddenly a third in this conversation. ]

I suppose anything can occur when left untended for this long.

[ She takes a step toward them, letting her brows knit for a moment as she looks at Geralt before shifting her gaze. She studies the other man -- almost tempted to thank him for the welcome distraction from the looming conversation as she searches for recognition. Delicate fingers reach out and catch the stranger's chin, bringing his gaze to hers. ]

Tell us why we shouldn't kill you.

[ Whether this is a welcome distraction or not is difficult to say. Geralt's still deciding. He's also deciding whether he wants to deal with this idiot now or stick him in a cupboard somewhere until he's finished talking to Yennefer. He only has to hear the man stammering something about a bard and an admirer before he places exactly where he's seen him before. That is, lurking outside Jaskier's house. And behind the taverns on occasion.

He interrupts without waiting for him to finish answering, annoyed. ] He's been following Jaskier.

[ Given that he's been trailing the bard like a lost puppy and hasn't done much else, Geralt doesn't think he's a danger that requires his head being removed, but, mm. Not exactly interested in letting him roam free, either. Nor putting an end to that pounding heart. Wouldn't mind letting him piss his pants for a little longer.

Geralt glances over at Yennefer. ] He's not very convincing.

[ Well, doesn't that complicate things. Because she knows Jaskier well enough to know any real damage to an admirer of his, no matter how unhealthy that admiration might be, would likely be frowned upon. Also if Geralt knows, Jaskier knew about this idiot.

Easy enough to put a few pieces of the puzzle together, her expression lacking any signs of amusement. Of everything she expected Geralt to pull out of her bushes, Jaskier's stalker wasn't anywhere on the list.

Well... ]

Perhaps he could benefit from a trip to the other end of town. Some time to re-evaluate his priorities and lurking in stranger's bushes. Though, teleporting someone at that great a distance has been known to have dire consequences.

[ Not to mention the energy drain on her, but it's not at the top of her list in terms of punishments. Though, teleportation isn't out of the running yet -- just not at that far. Either way, he'd be gone and she and Geralt could actually get to the point. ]

[ Perhaps. A tempting idea. Either way, he can only have his hands full of both apple juice and human for so long. Might be simpler to deal with the situation afterwards.

Geralt seems to make a decision before knocking the man's head on Yennefer's decorative brick walls and dropping the unconscious body on the lawn. Feels like a fair compromise for both interrupting his plans and following Jaskier about. Yen can send him across the continent at her leisure if she wants.

Once the problem is resolved (temporarily), he returns his attention to Yennefer as if nothing happened. Difficult to gauge, if Yennefer is willing to let him in or if she's going to insist on keeping this brief and on the porch. If you'd asked him ten minutes ago, he'd have said he didn't know what would be preferable. Now that he's actually here, though, he wants to see this conversation through.

Geralt gestures at her front door. ] We've had enough audiences lately.

[ Yen watches the body fall with a soft arch of her brow. That solves that then, at least for now. Easy enough to also then deal with when he wakes up. And much less clean up on her part.

He's right when he speaks, Yen having also having been deciding just how she wanted to handle this. It was wiser to take it inside, but she also wasn't interested in rehashing what had already exploded between them, not sure if they'd successfully ever get past it if it came down to that.

Part of her wonders if he knows how close she'd been to coming back the night of his shared nightmare, to push it all aside and be there for him -- painfully aware of her unique position to fully understand his history. Perhaps it's that lingering concern that makes her more willing to make up for some lost time today.

Stepping back through her doorway, she leaves it open for him to follow -- moving towards the kitchen to grab glasses just in case before making her way to the sitting room. The fire roars to life with a wave of her hand, Yen having tried to at least make the most of the quiet time away from the house. She'd need to properly cycle her excess power soon, but it wasn't dire.

Part of her thinks to just kiss him, soothe the aches and hurts with a physical act before delving into the more emotional side of things. But, that ran the risk of not solving a damn thing... Her eyes dart to his lips for a moment before settling on the couch. ]

For once, I am at a loss for words. [ Swallowing hard, she says the most difficult phrase in her vocabulary. ] I'm sorry.

[ Silence with Yen is sometimes comfortable, sometimes tense. Right now, it's the latter—though he doesn't break it as he follows her inside. Unusual, that Geralt is quiet out of uncertainty rather than a decision to simply not engage, but here he is, not knowing what to say.

For a second, he thinks they might end up not talking at all. He's watching her just as closely, reading the shift in her gaze and the way her weight settles; all signals he's learned well. Then she speaks up and he blinks.

An apology. They are rare words. Not that she hasn't before, in her own way, but out loud, so starkly, is the last thing he expected to hear.

He doesn't tell her he didn't mean the things he said. It feels hollow. It doesn't change that he said them either way.

But he is sorry, too. ] So am I.

[ He sits beside her on the couch, rubbing his temple. He knows he let his emotions get the better of him, that it isn't fair it's always the people he actually gives a shit about that seem to be in the path when that happens. He can't draw back what's been let out, but...

There are few he'd admit to needing. Yennefer is one of the only. He misses her. It's as simple as that. ] Come home.

[ This was a moment she wanted to just cut to the chase, not reopen old wounds or start new troubles. Not today. Not when she also missed him. Missed the house she'd barely had a chance to really settle into before disappearing. It was stupid, a realization she'd had on her own that she'd had to come to terms with -- the emotions extremely difficult to digest. She'd made a promise to herself about dependencies on someone else, but she'd focused so much on clinging to a sense of independence, she'd forgotten about her own enjoyment when it came to him. A fight for more of an old truth than being diplomatic about it. He just brought out the strongest reactions in her. For better or for worse.

Those two words speak volumes, turning to give him her full attention as she lifts a hand to brush a strand of hair out of his face on instinct. ]

I believe that can be arranged. Assuming I won't get too much grief from Jaskier.

[ It all comes easier than he expected. Is it because they're bonded? Or is it just time, the nature of this place pushing them together? Back home, even on amiable terms, they'd have parted for weeks at a time. Entire seasons. He likely wouldn't have seen her for much of the winter. Now even a brief while apart feels strange.

He realized some time ago he's begun to put down roots in the city whether he wanted to or not. But this is the first time he's starting to realize he's putting them down with her. ]

Ciri might beat him to it.

[ He lets his fingers rest over her hand. It's a careful broach of a topic that hadn't gone well before—half the reason why Yen is even at the cottage. They can't tiptoe around it. Not when the princess is literally under their roof. What Ciri is to him is both complicated and yet not: she's his Child Surprise. Despite his mixed feelings, he can understand how it came that she was raised at Kaer Morhen. What she is to Yennefer is much more uncertain. It'd have been different if Ciri was only passingly familiar. But the two of them obviously have a close history that only Ciri seems to know. ]

[ She's tired, truthfully. Of fighting, of keeping her distance when they're still connected. When she can't block everything, can't bury herself in mindless work a continent away to keep him off her mind. And as foolish as she may believe it, she cared for him. More than she'd perhaps realized. He'd become an integral piece of her daily routine and everything felt off without him. And, if she were in the mood to do some true introspection, without the Bard. Shit.

The name doesn't come as a surprise, after all... He was here to have a conversation. She hardly expected it to be done after asking her to come home. ]

Yes, I suppose so. [ Sighing, she shifts a bit as she thinks. ] I'm not even certain where to begin with her. It's strange to be known while she's still such a mystery.

[ He's studying Yennefer while she considers how to reply. Unlike before, he's not looking to provoke an answer or a reaction. Just wants to know where they all stand. Ciri's already asked him once if they'd been fighting about her; he's not ready for the girl to take it one further and ask him Yen feels about the whole thing.

Ciri's full of questions, constantly. None of which he knows how to fucking answer. ]

Neither am I. [ To him, he's only learned her name what feels like yesterday. Even calling her Ciri is strange on his tongue, implying a familiarity he doesn't truly have. ] I had thought her a firstborn son. I only discovered the child was a princess when I returned days before Cintra's fall.

[ It's the first time Geralt's admitted he came back for the girl. Only Jaskier knows, and that's entirely from him piecing events together—because the bard is not, unfortunately, as stupid as he likes to behave on the regular. ]

[ There's a certain amount of tact Yen can muster when she needs to, something that often falls off when she's around Geralt. Like some veil has dropped and she's nothing more than raw emotion and vulnerability. She just can't decide if she truly hates it or if she's just hit a point of becoming accustomed to it. To him. The bluntness she often can't employ because diplomacy requires a far more delicate touch than she has to use with him. Gentler than he often is with her. ]

Her grandmother was a strong woman. I'm... glad Ciri had a chance to hopefully have a bit of happiness before Cintra fell. At least a better life than she might've had in Aedirn.

[ Her mind wanders back to that fucking beach, the moment she'd walked away from it all. The real sting behind Geralt's disregard for her desire to be a mother. That he could be handed something so easily when her own chance, one she'd gone back and fought for, slipped through her fingers with all other prospects failing. If he pushes, she'll return the favor he's extending her of opening up, putting all their cards out on the table at this point because she can't fight with him like that again. They know just enough about each other to be dangerous, but still don't fully let the other in. This was her making an effort to begin changing that, slightly. A bit of trust because what the fuck else was she going to do at this point. It was either deal with it head-on or break it off. And she didn't want to say goodbye again.

Fuck... Is she going soft? Oh well. Too late now. ]

[ The sound he makes indicates he has some thoughts about Cirilla's grandmother he's not going to get into at the moment. Though he knows, whatever her faults, she did love the girl.

Not that it matters now.

He looks over instead, curiosity in his eyes. Yennefer doesn't often refer to her past. He count on one hand the number of times she has; in the same way, Geralt speaks little about his. It's not even a matter of trust. He trusts her. It's more a lifetime of habit and an unwillingness to travel roads he doesn't know.

Now he finds himself walking them. ]

Your assignment at court?

[ It's her turn to make a non-committal sound, not sure how much more she's ready to divulge. Things she's never told another soul, stories she assumed she'd carry with her to her grave whenever death decided to finally catch up with her.

And perhaps that was an underlying reason she was struggling so much with Ciri. The girl was a promise of a future she'd been so certain she'd never see. It was confusing. It was shaking the very foundation she'd built so many decisions upon. She'd needed time to come to terms with it.

Yen makes a new decision before she can allow herself to regret it. Also having come to terms with the reminder that this very well could appear in a dream. Geralt should at least have a warning. ]

Did you word travel regarding the fate of Queen Kalis and her infant daughter?

[ She wasn't sure what was said and what was known, having gone underground to recover and fully remove herself from her role at Court. And it was all shit she really didn't need to hear again, rumor mills often twisting the truths into something far more horrific than they were. ]

[ Geralt frowns. He takes a moment to go through the years; in truth, he pays little attention to what goes on in which kingdom unless it directly affects him. As a Witcher, it hardly matters to him who sits on the throne. They all see Witchers the same, all want the same things from him should he ever find himself invited to their grounds.

But he senses what Yennefer is getting at. She wouldn't ask otherwise. ]

Of Lyria? I know she died with no male heir.

[ Passing news. One he hadn't given much thought to. Another queen dead, one of many. Someone else would take her place soon enough. He can't even remember where he caught wind of the news in the first place. Jaskier, maybe, gossiping idly while they camped on the roads or drank in a village tavern. Always with his ear to the ground about the courts -- if only to decide where he should make his next appearance. ]

She died at the hands of an assassin with a krallach. One that could track us through portals.

[ Likely a rogue mage, not that she had the time to fully watch him. She'll let him fill in the blanks from the small bit she gave him, that us far more than she'd have allowed to work into that sentence a year ago. Fuck, even 6 months ago. This would have been a story brought about by literal fire before she'd willingly have shared. ]

For all her faults, at least Calanthe would've had the dignity to die with grace.

[ To not use her child as an offering to buy her freedom. She fills her glass with a bit of the juice, suddenly wishing it were something stronger before taking a sip. ]

[ For a long moment, he's quiet. There are a number of blanks to fill, but Geralt knows her well enough to fill them. They don't paint a pretty picture.

He's not certain what to say. He understands regret. He understands it more than anyone, and he knows exactly how easy it is to let it consume you. As much as he wants to say he hasn't been searching for something, in some ways, he has. ]

You're important to her. Cirilla, I mean.

[ He's hedging a little, an apology he's aware is overdue but not quite wanting to touch upon that conversation directly. Not after this long. Besides, what he thinks isn't important, when he hasn't much by way of mothers to really know. It's Ciri, he's come to realize, who knows them both in ways that...maybe they could be. In time.

Yennefer clearly means a lot to the girl. He thinks that suggests, at some point in their strange future, that Ciri meant a great deal to Yen in return. ]

[ If it ever comes up again, she might divulge more. But she's told him enough for today. More than enough, arguably unnecessarily so. He also understood what she wasn't saying. He'd been around enough politics to know exactly how ruthless the royals could be.

The shift in conversation, while welcome given the weight of the previous topic... Is not perhaps what she'd hoped. But, it needed to be discussed. ]

As are you. And yet she is more a stranger to me than anything else. I cannot pretend to be someone she longs to see. And I do not want to hurt her by being unable to fill that role for her right now with nothing more than an illusion.

[ Perhaps her keeping her distance from Geralt wasn't as much for him as it was for her. Through all of this. The looks Ciri had given her striking a chord somewhere. Leaving her unsure if she might do more harm than good working herself into the other woman's life. ]

[ There's some irony, he thinks, in hearing his own feelings come out of Yen's mouth. Carefully, his hand rests over hers if she'll allow. She's admitted more than she has to him in years. He's hesitant to press too hard and drive her away once more, aware that he's not the only one here now, who...has felt her absence. That she matters to Ciri, too.

Maybe even Jaskier these days. ]

She's grown, Yen. Like you said. [ A silence passes. He sighs. Were he to ask, he's certain Ciri would tell him, how this all came about. How Yennefer came into her life, how he had. But some part of him doesn't want to know. He'd been told before, by a stranger, and it'd done nothing to help. ]

At the very least, we're less strangers than everyone else in this world.

[ Gods, she's gone soft. That has to be it. Sleep deprivation or the sudden self-isolation after almost constant chaos.

She was most certainly going to need something harder than the apple juice.

Yen doesn't pull away, instead leaning into her discomfort in the level of vulnerability coming through in this conversation. There's no point in fighting it, not at this stage in whatever they were. Not with how much would likely come out through Ciri if they truly raised her together. ]

Time works differently here, the concept of the universe and the flow of time differs greatly from anything I've ever experienced or heard of.

[ The what-ifs hang on the tip of her tongue, Sodden ever-present at the back of her mind, the sureness she was destined to fall. This changes so much and it leaves more questions than she's ready to have answered. ]

[ He hums at that. It's lingered on his mind, whether or not he should mention he'd been told of Cirilla long before the thought that she would actually be here had ever arisen. That some...version of him had been here once. Older, apparently.

Probably not wiser, though.

In the end, he keeps it to himself. Doesn't seem worth bringing now. He'd made it clear then that they were not the same person, and he stands by it still. It's just...he remembers, distinctly, how much the man he'd spoken to had emphasized Ciri's place in his life. But Yen's name had never left his tongue.

He shakes it off. They do need something stronger than juice. There's something on the tip of his tongue, too: We can stay here. He's hesitant to say it out loud. He knows his attachment to what most call home is far more nebulous than others. And there are people he's left behind, too. But they are people, he knows, who can easily carry on without him. Some part of him is afraid of stepping back into a world without either Ciri or Yen. ]

It wouldn't be the first time we were wrong about the universe.

← The Main House after moving back in » 5/5, mid-afternoon →

[ There was quite a bit to do, truthfully, now that she was back. Bits of upkeep dealing with housing enchantments, making sure everything was stocked and the medical supplies were refilled. Something else she hadn't fully had time to do since Jaskier's kidnapping and subsequent recovery. For all its troubles, her time away had been lucrative with her training classes, encouraging a few more private lessons while she had the time.

She just had a single regret -- leaving Ciri to settle practically on her own. While Geralt and Jaskier were more than capable of being hospitable, it wasn't the same. Then again, how much could she really offer to a stranger that seemed to know her far better than she knew herself?

It's enough of a distraction as she slips back into the large house after another shopping trip that she doesn't check for the usual occupants -- making her way straight to the large island in the kitchen to deposit the clanking bag. Quickly, she fishes out a few of the more delicate vials, moving the vase of lilacs she'd brought back with her to the side to make more room.

Give herself a moment to think of something to say to break the tension she's not even sure Ciri is feeling. At least, that had been the plan before she realizes very quickly that she's not as alone in the house as she'd thought.

Well, no time like the present, then. ]

Edited 2021-05-05 04:45 (UTC)

[ The scent of lilacs draws her.

Ciri smells them before she even enters the kitchen, mixed with the scent that she's going to quickly learn is Yennefer's, a scent that's been around the house but escaped her distinction simply because Ciri isn't used to these new senses yet. Her nose is nowhere near as good as Geralt's, but she's been noticing how things smell a lot more than feels normal, recently. Just like how she's noticed lately that she can see much better in the dark than she used to. Her eyes, always an almost unnervingly-bright green, seem to glow in low light these days (or nights). It isn't clear yet how far these changes will go or what exactly she is, as unnerving it is for her, but it's undeniable that something is happening. If there was any doubt before, it's all gone now; she's definitely not a Witch.

But as strange as that all is, it's actually the least of Ciri's worries. She might be anxious about the changes she's experiencing, but there's nothing she can do about that; she'll handle it, whatever comes.

No, it's this uncomfortable tension between the people she's closest to that weighs on her even more, allowing her to consider even something like turning into a Monster a distraction more than anything else. Just like how exploring the city has been a distraction, and the festival a couple of days ago. She's been eager now to get to know the newcomers from the islands who arrived yesterday and was actually on her way out when she realized who had finally decided to come home.

Ciri stops in the doorway to the kitchen, boots on, sword slung across her back. It feels like all the muscles in her neck and back go tense at once. Her heart beats faster, but she tries to keep anything out of her voice. ]

Those are pretty.

They're from my old cottage. A... friend of Jaskier's decided to stop by and spend some time hiding in my lilac bushes. I didn't see the point in wasting the ones he broke off.

[ A peace offering of sorts to keep things calm between herself and Geralt. They were capable of communicating when it was absolutely necessary and sometimes managing to work their way through their issues without too much of a fuss. At least not too much of a fuss for them, Jaskier was another story. And another conversation, one that she also didn't want to have. But, such was her life when it came to the bard. The nightmare felt like two steps back, glimpses at their old selves shining through.

It was exhausting.

And not her focal point for the moment. Sighing, she stops what she's doing to give Ciri her full attention. ]

I owe you an apology, your arrival was far more tumultuous than you deserved. And while I don't know you yet, I'd like the opportunity to get to know you. If you'll allow me the chance.

Mm. I see.

[ ...not really. She doesn't bother asking, though. She doesn't give a damn about the bushes.

Yennefer looks the same as she always has. That's one of the upsides and shortcomings of being a sorceress. The cool distance in her violet eyes, though, looks different when it comes from a place of unfamiliarity. ]

You're right. It was a mess.

[ Some petty part of her wants to double down on that, force Yennefer to explain why she'd just left like that, deliberately avoiding her until that dream had pulled them in against their wills. She doesn't want to just accept the apology that isn't even really an apology.

But in the end, what good will that do? It won't get her any closer to the Yennefer she missed. ]

I... I'd like that too. I appreciate the apology. [ Whether or not it was phrased as one, hopefully Yennefer meant it. ]

Are you here for a while, or will you be going back to your own place soon?

[ Unfortunately for Ciri, Yennefer hasn't had to answer to anyone for some time, the sheer thought of being asked to explain herself simply not an expectation in this conversation. Something that would likely end it far faster than Ciri might want.

For as complex as this situation was, one thing was simple: Yen couldn't heal the hurt of her not knowing the other woman. All she could do was move forward, swallowing down whatever that might mean. She couldn't fault Ciri for being upset with her choice to stay away, or for simplifying a still very fresh hurt that had finally resurfaced into labeling it as avoidance. ]

I'll be staying. Returning to my previous cottage was only temporary. I have no intentions of making that permanent again. [ It had been difficult returning to the much smaller space, and far quieter than she'd grown accustomed to after months of almost always having at least one other person around. ]

If your plans aren't too set in stone, could I perhaps persuade you to stay for lunch?

[ Everything feels so... stilted. Awkward. She doesn't know how to act, what to say. She feels like a child again, but Yennefer isn't scolding or admonishing her. She's treating her like a stranger. She is a stranger.

It was easier with Geralt. For some reason, despite the hurt, it had been simpler to just fall into how things should be, and he'd seemed to just accept it for the most part. Silence in Geralt's company didn't bother her.

The silence she finds herself in now, with Yennefer watching her expectantly, waiting on her answer, feels like it lasts for weeks, dragging against the inside of her throat like she swallowed a mouthful of gravel. Ciri tries to wet her lips, to get the words to come out. Her shoulders are visibly tense, but she hasn't noticed yet. ]

No. No plans, really.

[ She forces a smile. Then reaches up and unbuckles the strap that holds her sword, setting it aside to lean on the doorframe. ]

What's for lunch?

[ The question was one she hadn't expected to be quite so complicated, now immediately wondering if it would have been wiser to let her carry on until there was a buffer for them. She just doesn't have the same level of emotional attachment Geralt had coming into this.

And watching the tensing of the shoulders and that forced smile... It just confirms Yen's own concerns that there might be more that needs to be discussed. Something that a single introductory conversation can help begin to fix. And while it might not be Ciri's intention, all Yen can see is resentment and hurt -- perhaps a bit of... fear? Keeping her own expressions schooled, she genuinely has no idea how best to proceed. So, she finishes up, clearing the counter to make room for a large pot and a cutting board before resting her hands on the cool surface. She offers a look of concern, wanting to make sure Ciri had an out if she needed it. ]

If this is uncomfortable for you, we can do this another time. Perhaps a dinner for the house. I would like to have the opportunity to get to know you, but I also understand that this is difficult. I am not the woman you know -- at least, not yet.

No.

[ Ciri answers quickly, almost interrupting. The wisps of pale hair combed down to obscure the left side of her face shift with the breeze of how firmly she shakes her head. ]

No, I'd like to stay. Really.

I missed you.

[ She doesn't deny it's difficult, or that it's uncomfortable for her. But it won't be any less uncomfortable if she runs away. She doesn't want to avoid Yennefer; she was only sad that Yennefer seemed to want to avoid her.

Ciri steps forward, pulls off her gloves and sets them on a nearby counter. She rolls up her sleeves. ]

So. What can I help with?

[ Good.

She could work with this. A... unique set of circumstances, but not beyond repair. However long that might take. She wanted to see this work in both their favors. Harmony in the house went a long way towards harmony within the bond. And as much as she may not admit it, laughter in the halls was a welcome sound.

Her face softens, a smile working its way onto her lips. Small, but genuine. ]

Alright -- [ She grabs a few of the vegetables she'd brought along, already washed and ready. Carrots, assorted greens, potatoes, and whatever else looked appealing for the stew. ] These could use some chopping. [ She adds a few more spices to a pot before adding broth and some cubed meat. While the stew might not be fully ready for lunch, she had a backup prepared. Or rather, a backup that she purchased. ]

I suppose 'tell me about your life' may be too broad a stroke to ask right away. So, let's start with something simpler -- have you been settling in alright?

[ There. She smiled. Ciri feels her shoulders loosen up, a slow relief spreading through her like warmth. Tentatively, Ciri smiles back. ]

Sure. Chopping's what I'm good at.

[ It's a bit of a joke, if a lame one. Sword, Witcher training, and all that... Ha.

Ciri separates the vegetables, starting with the potatoes. She grabs a small, sharp knife and sets about peeling one. ]

Mm. Yes, I think so. This place is quite different, but it's charming, and very interesting. I enjoy exploring the city. And the house is comfortable enough. Big.

Your choice, Geralt mentioned?

[ The comment does earn a bit of a laugh, the sound escaping more like a hum of amusement than an actual audible chuckle. But, it's warm and genuine, nothing about this feeling forced as they both begin to relax. As the work on the vegetables start, Yen wanders to the other side of the large kitchen, fetching a few items from a bag she'd set aside and pulling out a few loaves of bread -- one already wrapped and filled.

She fetches another knife and a few plates to begin cutting it up into smaller pieces, the question catching her a bit off guard. ]

Mostly. [ Geralt had technically been present, but hadn't offered much in the way of an opinion other than the stable out back. ] It was getting a bit cramped at my cottage with both of them coming and going as they pleased. And because I did not foresee that changing anytime soon, an upgrade was the next logical choice. Even if this seems a bit much for our needs.

I like it. If it was available as an option, why not?

[ Ciri was surprised by how generous the Coven has been to the Mirrorbound in general, but it seems they have the space to spare. And Yennefer's choice doesn't surprise her; it's practical to have more space, and if they can have the extra luxury easily enough, why settle?

She sets about chopping the vegetables next once the potatoes are peeled, apparently comfortable with the knife and the concept of cooking despite her status as a once-princess. It's clearly not something she learned at court. ]

I took the room with the south-facing window. Blue trim on the furniture. I like the bed. Have to admit, it feel overly luxurious, but I can't say I don't enjoy it.

[ Ciri pauses a moment, watching the carrot she's dicing with intense concentration. She doesn't look up when she speaks again. ]

I know it's too broad a question, but if there is something you'd like to ask me about or discuss, I'm willing.

There is the matter, however, of it being... well, your future. Perhaps it's for the best to tread carefully, though please know it's not because I enjoy hiding things from you, Yennefer.

Exactly. And with no concern for costs, making the choice to continue living a cramped existence seemed ridiculous.

[ Truthfully, the fact that it took her this long to make the move should be enough of a shock than anything else. But, she tried to be considerate on good days. And taking up this much space on her own was a bit of a stretch when she could face having to deal with the city possibly forcing her to share the space with strangers. Living in a house she didn't own was nothing new, but the owners often weren't in a position of power to pull a stunt like that. And she wasn't quite so powerless to do something about it.

Better to play safe and play nice.

The mention of the bedroom choice earns a smile from Yen, knowing exactly which room she's talking about. Good. ]

You should enjoy it. Never apologize for enjoying the finer things in life. More so when it's at the cost of your kidnappers. We can't all be Geralt, comfortable with sleeping in a pile of hay covered in blood and muck.

[ She jests... mostly. It's a good sign. Though, she knows if left to his own devices, Geralt would still be in his apartment with his two chairs and an assortment of weapons. Yen considers the offer for a moment, fetching a plate. There are a thousand questions she could ask, but only one stands out. Something that seems like an easy starting point given the other woman's reactions to her. ]

Were you happy? All things considered.

[ Ciri pauses in what she's doing, fingers still curled loosely around the knife's hilt, the blade resting on the edge of the cutting board with all the vegetables neatly sliced to its side. She stares at it a long moment, considering Yennefer's question.

The answer isn't as easy as perhaps Yennefer might have wanted to hear. Or maybe it's exactly what Yennefer expects. There's as much in the beat of silence as the words that follow, the way Ciri's fingers tighten around the knife again, the deep breath she takes. ]

Happier than I would have been anywhere else.

And even when I haven't been happy, I have known that it was through my own choosing, and not somebody else's.

[ She hadn't expected such a seemingly simple question to be answered rapidly and with the same ease. Not with what she knew of herself and Geralt. What she could infer about Ciri from their interactions.

She can rest in the silence easily, let it wrap around them as she sets out a few more items -- sliding one of the cuts of the sandwich she'd picked up over towards Ciri while she thinks. Hardly enough food for the non-Witches in the house she's learned over time, but something to take an edge of hunger off while heartier meals are being prepared.

She nods as she grabs another plate, setting out a few more cuts should Jaskier or Geralt pass by. ]

That's good, then. Good. Life away from Court can be... refreshing. Though, I can only imagine the stories you must have with a Witcher and a Sorceress raising you.

[ She can't quite say 'parenting', but she's one step closer to her own acceptance of her future. Of her time she'll be spending with Ciri. Baby steps. ]

( open + closed starters ) Can't catch an emotion

for Geralt; a mature and calm overdue conversation --

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For Ciri; catching up when she comes back

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