PHILIPPA'S HOUSE - Oxenfurt
Gabriel slowly opened his eyes.
"Welcome back."
He was trying to narrow his eyes. "Where.. where am I?" He was barely speaking.
"You're home Gabriel." Geralt smiled at him.
"What happened?"
"The infection in your arm almost killed you." Geralt told him calmly. "But we managed to save you."
Gabriel stared thinking. Everything was blurred for him but he slowly started remembering what happened. Then he gave desperate look to the witcher. "I need to return back to my work.. I.."
The witcher interrupted him. "No, you need to rest now. You're too weak."
"But you don't understand, he will.."
Geralt interrupted him again. "Your work will wait. Now you need to rest."
Before Gabriel managed to protest, the witcher injected him a strong dose of morphine.
The young witcher fell asleep immediately.
Yennefer knocked on the door and entered inside.
"Gabriel woke up."
Ciri's heart almost jumped in that moment, but she just answered without emotions. "Say hi to him from me."
Yennefer gave her confused look and came closee to her. "Before a week you were crying your eyes out because he was going to die and now you don't want to even see him?"
Ciri lowered her eyes. "I want to see him.."
"But?" Yennefer sat down on the sofa in front of bed where was Ciri sitting.
She raised her eyes on her mother. "I kissed him."
"You what?"
"It was a goodbye kiss.. I thought he was gonna die." Ciri was defending herself.
Yennefer raised her eyebrow. "We don't kiss people on lips because we feel sorry for them Ciri."
"I know." She frowned. "But I don't know why I did it, it just happened.. and I wasn't thinking clear. I thought I was losing him forever. I just panicked. That kiss meant nothing."
"Well, but I don't think it was just a goodbye kiss." Yennefer admitted.
"It was just a goodbye kiss." Ciri stated.
"That's why you don't want to talk to him now?" Yennefer made amusement smile.
Ciri was speechless.
"You don't know what to do?" The sorceress asked her kindly.
She sighed. "I don't know what to say to him."
"I can see." Yennefer smirked. "Did Gabriel tell you what he feels to you?"
She hesitated. "Why?"
"So, he did. Ciri, you may be blind now, but I'm still seeing things clear. That boy fell in love with you the moment he got to know the real you."
Ciri almost laughed. "Don't be ridiculous, he would never love someone.."
Yennefer interrupted her. "So extraordinary?" She was smiling at her.
Ciri frowned again. "That's not what I was saying.."
"You're stalling. You're stalling because you feel something for him and you know it's not right."
"I love Matt mum, not him." Ciri protested.
"I've noticed you started behaving differently around him and now I understand why."
"What are you talking about?" Ciri was confused.
"I'm talking about the fact that you're also in love with Gabriel."
"What?"
"Just look me in the eyes and tell me you don't feel something for him." Yennefer was honest.
"I.. I don't know what I feel." She sighed.
"Then you need to choose. You can't lie to them with your feelings. You're just hurting them even if not willingly."
Ciri looked at her sadly. "But I need them both in my life."
Yennefer stood up and came closer to her. "I know sweetheart, but it's not possible if they're both in love with you. It will only cause problems. You need to choose between them."
"But what if it's not possible? To choose.."
Yennefer softly caressed her face. "Then you must let your heart choose for you."
"Jahve, what are you doing to that meat?" Yennefer looked at him strictly. They were eating their lunch together.
"I'm trying to figure it out which muscle it is." Jahve smiled from ear to ear.
Yennefer raised her eyebrow. Geralt put the food into his mouth and tried to eat calmly.
She turned to him. "That's your work?"
Geralt answered with full mouth. "What exactly?"
"Dad shoved me the book with muscles." Jahve told her with excitement.
"It was just an old anatomy book." Geralt was trying to smile.
"Why I'm even surprised." She shakes her head, but her eyes were filled with warmth.
"Good day, my favourite family." Vesemir entered into dinning room with the smile on his face.
"Uncle Vesemir!" Jahve almost jumped from the table and ran to hugged him.
Vesemir raised his into his arms with laughing. "And you're definitely my favourite boy." He caressed his raven hair.
Jahve snuggled closer to him. "I'm so happy you're back."
"Me too." The old witcher smiled at him.
Yennefer and Geralt were just staring at them and smiling. Moments like these between them were filling their hearts with happiness.
"But tell me, when was the last time you've had your dreams?" Vesemir got more serious.
Jahve's excitement disappeared. "Yesterday.." He lowered his eyes.
Vesemir put him down on the floor and then knelt down on his knee. "And how were you feeling?"
Jahve hesitated.
"It's okay child, you can tell me. I just want to help you." Vesemir told him kindly.
Jahve raised his eyes on him. "First I start sweating, then I feel how my body starts to shaking and after that I always fall asleep and that dreams.. they're so.." The tear rolled down his cheek. "Am I broken uncle?" He started crying.
Vesemir hugged him. "No, you're not broken my boy. You are alright." He caressed his back with his hand. "We just need to find the trigger to your dreams, that's all. Then it will stop." He pulled away from him and caressed his hair. "I promise."
Jahve nodded and then swiped away his tears.
"What do you think it could be Vesemir?" Geralt appeared next to them holding Yennefer's hand. He knew that this thing with Jahve was painful for her, so he wanted to support her like that.
"Well, I've seen this symptoms before and there's only one thing which cause it exactly like this.." Vesemir admitted sadly.
Geralt looked at him confused. "What thing?"
"The Grasses."
"No way, it can't be that." Geralt stated.
"I'm not kidding Wolf." Vesemir told him honestly.
"What is Grasses?" Jahve asked them with tiny voice.
They all looked at him sadly.
Then Yennefer let Geralt's hand. "Come here my little angel." She offered him her arms. Jahve immediately came to her and Yennefer raised him into hers arms and kissed his hair.
Then she looked at him with love in her eyes. "It's a decoction of Grasses which is a potion combination used through Witcher's final exams." She explained to him kindly.
"But how on Earth he would get to something like that? Do you think someone could give it to him?" Geralt said with the worry.
"I don't know, but it is be possible that someone could give it to him purposely."
Geralt started to be frustrated. He looked at his son. "Jahve have you started eating or drinking something different than you usually do?"
Jahve lowered his eyes.
Geralt noticed it and he started to be even more frustrated, but he managed to used caring voice. "You can tell me, nobody will scold you for it. I promise."
Yennefer caressed his hair. "It's alright baby. You can say it." She cheered him up a little.
"I started drinking Gabriel's potions.." Jahve told them ashamed.
Geralt in that moment almost jumped of his skin from the anger. "You what?"
Jahve lowered his eyes. "I'm drinking his potions dad.."
"I swear I'm gonna kill that witcher!" Geralt almost lost his nerves.
Yennefer caught his hand to calm him down. "Nobody will kill anyone, especially not now when he literally raised from the dead this morning." She looked straight into his eyes.
Geralt nodded and calmed down. "You're right, I'm sorry, Yen."
She smiled at him. "It's alright, I know you're just being a protective father."
"I think we should let our little boy explain what is really going on before we will make a final conclusions." Vesemir smiled a them.
They were in the Gabriel's room and they let Jahve to show them those potions. He wasn't searching too long and for a while he brought them a box with potions.
Vesemir took a one of the potion and started to examining it.
"Well, this definitely decoction of Grasses, but it has fixed ingredients. And there's only one school which is doing it.."
Geralt finished for him. "School of Cat."
Vesemir nodded. "Exactly."
Geralt sighed. "So, we found the cause of his dreams then.."
Yennefer looked at his son sadly. "But why are you drinking it Jahve? Do you know it can hurt you?"
"I.." Jahve lowered his eyes. "I didn't know that.."
"Did Gabriel persuade you to drink it?" Geralt asked him seriously.
Jahve shake his head. "No, he didn't."
They all gave him a surprised look.
Now Geralt used softer voice. "Then why Jahve?"
"Before a month Gabriel was looking after me and he took me into his room because he forgot something there. Then he took this potion and drank it in front of me. I asked him what it is and he told me that it helps him to focus better and then make a quicker moves.." Jahve explained.
Geralt narrowed his eyes on him. "So, Gabriel didn't allow you to drink it then?"
"No, he doesn't know about it that I'm drinking it."
Yennefer raised her eyebrow. "And Gabriel didn't find out that his potions are missing?"
"No, because I was changing it with another potions." Jahve was trying to smile.
All adults sighed at the same time.
Vesemir caressed his hair. "Well, you little alchemist, now you have to promise us that you won't drink it ever again? Okay?"
"But then I won't be able to be more quicker on our trainings with dad. I won't be good enough then .." Jahve said with disappointment.
Now they all understood.
Geralt came closer to him and he was trying to hold his tears. His little son wanted to prove him that he was worthy to fight with the sword. He should have be mad at him, but how he could blame him for something like that? The witcher filled emotions and his heart wanted to explode. "My son, you don't have to ever prove me anything. You're enough for me just the way you are." Geralt caressed his face. "You can learn to fight like a real warrior one day even without potions and I promise you I'll help you to become the best swordsman." He kissed his forehead.
Jahve eyes flashed. "Really?"
Geralt smiled at him. "Really."
"Thank you dad!" he hugged him. "And I promise you I won't use that potions anymore."
Geralt pulled away from him. "Then we have a deal."
Jahve gave him a high five. "Deal."
In that moment Vesemir raised his grandchild into his arms. "Now I want to have a lecture with this little warrior." He started tickling him with his fingers.
Jahve started laughing loudly.
Geralt returned back to Yennefer with smile on his face and then he wrapped his arms around her back.
"I swear you both will one day kill me emotionally.." She laughed and swiped away a tears from her wet eyes.
Geralt looked at her. "But it isn't so bad death.." He told her teasingly.
She hit him into his arm. "You fool.." she told him with laughing.
The witcher laughed and then he pressed his lips on hers.
"I'm so happy we finally solve it." Yennefer said with relief when they pulled away from the kiss.
"I told you we will find the solution. I kept my promise." He smiled at her.
She kissed him on his cheek. "Thank you didn't stop believing when I stopped."
He caressed her hair with his hand. "Everything is possible for one who believes."
Her eyes filled warmth. "Indeed."
Then they both looked at Jahve and Vesemir who started playing together.
She put her head on his shoulder and he wrapped his arms around her waist.
"How's Ciri doing?"
"She will need some time to process everything, but she will be okay."
"I'm glad to hear it." He kissed her forehead.
"Our little girl isn't a little anymore.." She admitted a bit sadly.
"No, she's not." He looked at Yennefer who raised her eyes on him. "But we raised a beautiful woman from her. That's something what we should be both proud of." He smiled at her.
She caressed his face with hers hand. "I can't describe it with words how proud I am, especially on you."
"And I'm proud of you." He kissed her lips and then they hugged each other.
STREETS OF OXENFURT
It was almost a late evening and they were on the way to Zoltan's home. They were talking about this whole day. So many things had happen and they both needed to share their thoughts. They decided the best way to do it will be on the walk and Geralt thought it wouldn't be also bad to visit the dwarf and ask him if their new swords are ready.
"I wonder what miracles Zoltan has done to our swords." Lambert told him with excitement.
"I think we can look forward on his great work, because when I.."
"What a surprise to find you here witcher.." She interrupted him with amusement behind their backs.
They both turned around.
"Keira?" Geralt gave her surprised look. "What are doing here?"
"You know, I heard this town has the best wine. So, I wanted to try it by my own."
Geralt crossed his arms. "Alright, jokes to the side. Now tell me the real reason." His mouth shivered in smile.
"Hm, I see you haven't changed a bit from our last meeting Geralt." Keira said with laughing. "Still a principled."
"If I wasn't be principled back then I wouldn't be married right now." Geralt laughed.
"Well, too shame, because that night on that Ball in Skellige could be wild.. but never mind." She shrugged her shoulders.
Lambert raised his both eyebrows at the same time.
"I guess we will never find out how it would go if I spent some time with you both back then.." Geralt made a cheeky smile. "But now I'm married and I'm not planning to change anything till I will be gone from this world."
She sighed. "Well, me and Phill are still broken that Yenna let you just for herself.." She used teasing tone. "But speaking about a quite handsome witchers, who is your friend next to you?"
Geralt opened his mouth. "That's.." he paused because she offered her hand to Lambert. "I'm Keira Metz."
His face froze in that moment.
Geralt hit Lambert into his back with his hand.
He came back to the mind and shake with her hand. He cleared his throat "I'm Lambert, Geralt's friend." He was trying to smile.
Keira stiffened a laugh. "You don't say."
Lambert's face filled warmth in that moment.
"So, what are you doing here Keira? Because I think I overheard it somehow." Geralt changed to topic to save his friend who was clearly hit by Cupid's arrow.
Keira made amusement smile and then raised her eyes on Geralt. "Philippa asked me for help, I heard that things are not going well."
"Well, that's true, things are not very well right now." Geralt admitted.
"So, I decided to help you all." She said honestly. "You know, Triss is my friend and Yennefer, well we're not very friends, but I do care about her and then there's your lovely daughter. This concerns even the Lodge, that's why I'm here." She smiled.
"Thank you Keira, I really appreciate it." Geralt told her honestly.
"You're welcome." She winked at him. "But what are you doing right now? Because I could use some tour guide in this town." She made a cheeky smile.
"I need to go to look at the swords first and then I'm going after Yen and Jahve." Geralt smiled. "But I think my friend has a plenty of free time right now." He looked at him teasingly. "Don't you, Lambert?"
Lambert opened his mouth to protest, but Kiera overcame him. "Splendid. Then I think we shouldn't wait anymore." She grabbed Lambert's hand and started pulling him away. "Bye White Wolf!" She shouted over her shoulder.
Geralt started laughing.
PHILIPPA'S HOUSE - Oxenfurt
Ciri was sitting on the sofa in front of the fireplace and drinking lemonade. It passed almost one hour from the dinner. Everyone went upstairs to their rooms, but she wanted to be alone for some time. She needed to think and clear her thoughts. But she couldn't focus on anything because her emotions was totally confusing and she didn't know what to do about it. Almost three days left since Gabriel woke up and she still didn't take a courage to go to see him. She heard that he was asking on her which was breaking her heart, but she couldn't go to see him. Not now. She was not ready yet. She was not ready for..
"Can I join you?" The bard interrupted her from her thoughts. He smiled at her.
"Sure." She smiled back and tried to act normally.
"That's so cozy." He admitted while he was looking to the fire.
"It is. Lemonade?" She offered him a cup.
"Gladly. Thank you." He took the cup from her hand and then drank it. "So, difficult days huh?"
"Yeah.. a little bit."
Jaskier looked into her eyes. "How you're doing?"
"Trying to going on somehow." She was honest.
"But it's not very working out, isn't it?" He smiled.
"Well, not at all." She laughed a bit.
"I was watching you these couple of days you and I can see that something is messing with your mind." Jaskier told her honestly. "What's the problem?"
Ciri sighed. "The problem is Gabriel. Matthew thinks I have a feelings for him.. and now Yennefer thinks that too." She wasn't afraid to told him this because she knew the bard will understand it and he won't judge her.
"And do you have a feelings for him?"
"I don't know. When I'm with Gabriel, he just consumes me. He got under my skin and no matter what I do, I can't shake him. With Matt I feel safe and I know my direction.." she sighed again. "And I know I can't have them both.. but I also know when I'll choose one then I will lose the other."
"Life is gonna be good and beautiful, but not without heartbreak. But the pain is the cost of living, like love it's how we know we're alive."
"You're not helping."
"
I think you wanted to hear the truth, not a kind words little Swallow." He smiled at her.
"You're right, but sometimes I really hate your honesty." She laughed.
"Well, that's what bards do. We express what people are afraid to show or admit."
Ciri raised her eyebrow. "So, you're saying that I will find my answer in poetry?"
"Poetry is just a form of art Ciri, but speaking of that, why to stay in prison when the door are so wide open?" Jaskier said with challenge in his voice.
"I think you maybe persuaded me to start reading poetry." She admitted.
"You know Swallow, the best way out is always trough." The bard winked at her.
Ciri smiled at him.