#sad angry Jaskier

[ficsforfundota]

After the flames there is smoke (or) Is our love still burning or has it gone up in smoke

——

Jaskier couldn’t stop feeling the tears roll as the patrons left the bar.

Burn Butcher Burn had become one of his most requested and most popular tunes but it was one of the hardest for him to sing if he was being truly honest.

He put so much heart and soul into each word of his song, because it hurt the most. The betrayal he felt was something he knew he wouldn’t be able to forget even if his Witcher returned to him and he forgave the pain would stay in his heart for a long time.

He was sitting at a table writing down his earnings for the night when he heard footsteps coming from the bar. He looked up believing he was alone. “The tavern is clos-“ he yelped in surprise as a hand wrapped around his shoulder and pulled him upright.

“I told you the worst thing I have ever been called is a Butcher.”

“It was the only insult I could write, stupid hair was not a good line. Considering your hair is not really that stupid.” Jaskier managed out through tears. “If you let me or Yennefer braid it I think it would be more beautiful than any maiden.”

Geralt made attempts not to smile, Jaskier’s tear stained faced was breaking his heart. “I left you.”

“Yes you did.” Jaskier murmured. “You left me!” Jaskier yelled as he slammed his firsts on Geralt’s breastplate. “You fucking left me!” Geralt stood still as Jaskier slammed his fists weakly against his armor. “You… you left me all alone…”

Jaskier’s fist stopped slamming, each hit had grown soft as he sobbed harder. “Jaskier…”

“You left me.” He cried harder. “I thought we… I thought you and I were going to be something…”

“I did as well, that is why I left you Jaskier.”

Jaskier’s eyes narrowed. “Don’t you fucking dare!”

Geralt raised an eyebrow. “What?”

“I loved you!” Jaskier screamed. “I love you!” He fell to his knees before the Witcher. Geralt looked down at him with soft sad eyes. “I loved you and you left me on a mountain top, have you seen my damn shoes? Do you think it was easy for me to get down?”

Geralt went to respond when one of Jaskier’s heels sailed past his head. “How did I fucking miss your damn head?!” Jaskier cried harder becoming more frustrated. He took the other heel off and tossed it at Geralt for the man to only catch it. “Why are you so good at everything!” Jaskier whined miserably. “Why… why would you have left me…”

“I was doing it to protect you Jaskier. What I do is not easy… what I do is dangerous and I had made a decision that I didn’t know if you would agree with and it was easier to walk away than to force you into it or have you leave me.”

Jaskier looked up at him standing slowly barefoot in the tavern. “I would have followed you to the ends of the earth White Wolf.” His jaw locked. “I’ve loved you since I first laid eyes upon you, so don’t you dare tell me it was easier to face rejection and watch me walk from your life.”

Geralt looked him up and down offering his shoe back which Jaskier took but not kindly. He yanked the shoe free from his hand and stalked to the opposite end of the tavern to retrieve his other heeled boot. Geralt watched him walk, his heart beating quickly as he stormed forward.

“Jaskier…”

“What choice did you make that you didn’t believe I would stand for? Because if it’s stupid this heel is coming right at your damn face Witcher. I will sing songs about how a weak bard attacked you and won because I swear to you I will be furious.”

“My child surprise,” he replied without hesitation, “I was going to retrieve her. She is mine, and I am to protect her. I would be like her father and I did not want to make you become a parent if you didn’t want t-.” Jaskier’s face grew red, his nose scrunched and this time Geralt did not catch the shoe that sailed across the room, it may have been a kindness to allow Jaskier the single win or if he truly had been caught off guard.

“I would love her like my god damn own!” He stormed up to Geralt frustration high. “So you tell me when you thought I wouldn’t?”

“You never said anything that would have hinted you wouldn’t want a child with me, but I was nervous.”

“Nervous? You got nervous and ditched me!” He was angry, really angry now. “God damn it Geralt!”

“Jaskier I’m sorry.”

Jaskier grew silent, he had never heard I’m Sorry come out of his mouth before, so that was start. “Why did you come here?”

“I came to get you back, bring you home with me.” Geralt thought for a moment. “I messed up and I know I did, I’ve told my child much about you. She can’t wait to meet you,” he smiled softly taking a step forward. Jaskier didn’t move as Geralt took a few more steps forward until his hands cupped his cheeks. “Jaskier… I’m sorry. I need you more than I ever accepted, I shouldn’t have left you. I was scared.”

“I thought Witcher’s didn’t get scared.” Jaskier whispered. “You don’t have feelings.”

“I have them, and I do get scared. I feared you would hate me, that you would reject me. I fear now I will be leaving without you again… I fear for my daughter.”

Jaskier eyed him. “Our daughter.” He corrected.

Geralt’s pursed lips turned up into a smile. “Really?”

“She’s our daughter, if you ever leave me behind again I will kick your ass and never stop bugging you about it.”

“Do you still wish to burn me?”

“After the flames there is smoke.” Jaskier whispered. “Our flames are still going, one’s of love are still kindled. Mine were dwindling becoming nothing but ash, but you’ve set them a flame once more. Forgiving you is easy because I truly love you. Forgetting will be hard.”

“I don’t expect you to forgive me Jaskier what I did was wrong. It’s kept me up at night. It’s… it’s the worst thing I’ve ever done.”

Jaskier smirked looking up at Geralt, he was wishing he had left his shoes on so he was a bit taller but he still felt triumphant in hitting him with the shoe so he wouldn’t complain too much.

Geralt lifted Jaskier up into his arms and kissed him deeply. “I’ll never leave you behind again,” Geralt promised murmuring, “if I do I am possessed and you should kill me.”

“I’ll hold you to that.” Jaskier smirked placing his hand over Geralt’s heart. “This belongs to me.”

“Just as you belong to me.” He remarked softly kissing him once more. “It’s time for you to come home to me, with me.”

Jaskier smiled, his Witcher finally came back to him. He was back in his arms, and the smoke that clouded him was now flames burning in love. He had arms to keep him warm once again, lips to kiss him in the morning and before bed.

His songs no longer would be full of sorrow, and the Butcher that haunted him was his protecter once more.

—- you can read it/save it on A03 here

[moonlightpirate]

So it's been a bit of a day....i could use a mental distraction. So um I guess any good fics for the witcher? Obviously won't say no to Jaskier. Um geralt and yennifer I won't be opposed.

[bluedillylee]

He didn’t come back

Friends come back

Art inspiration and reference this artist has a really impressive skill with color and I love their painterly style. This was a challenge for me to see if I could mimic the way they paint and I’m really proud of how it turned out.

[ID: In his red doublet from the dragon hunt Jaskier wipes tears from his eyes as he looks at the viewer. The look on his face is torn between sadness and anger. end ID]

my thoughts on Jaskier below the cut

From what we know from season 2 Jaskier finished writing Her Sweet Kiss after the mountain and then The Golden One and Burn Butcher Burn after that. How I interpret that is Jaskier was hurt by what Geralt said but not heartbroken. He took the time to continue composing and neither Her Sweet Kiss or The Golden One are angry songs. It’s just Burn Butcher Burn thats full of anger.

I mean he’s in his forties by then and has known Geralt for many years. I think while its not fun to be yelled at by your friend he would understand that it was an outburst born from heartbreak. I think he expected Geralt to come back and then Jaskier would shout at him a bit for taking his feelings out on him and then they’d make up and continue on.

I think he was far more hurt that Geralt didn’t come back and try to say sorry for yelling at him. To him it would feel like his friendship wasn’t even worth trying to keep. I am confused a bit about the timeline of the mountain to Geralt looking for Cirilla but i am assuming there was gap of time big enough that Geralt could have sought out Jaskier but didn’t.

Anyways that’s where I think Burn Butcher Burn was born. When Jaskier realizes that Geralt isn’t coming back and Jaskier is wasting his time waiting for him. That’s when i think he got angry and felt heartbroken.

[queenunderthatmountain]

okay but book jaskier is so special to me

Him just being this childish, flirty, and self loving pretty man in his fourties who makes inappropriate jokes at the wrong time and always ends up in situations that he needs to be saved from

but him also being so much more than just this basic, seen before, comic relief.

him being an artist, above all else, a really good one, one that can make people passionate and sad and feel all the emotions he feels. wasnt he even a teacher at oxenfurt? like teacher jaskier pls give it all to me

him coming from a rich family, being educated but deciding that his art is all he needs and to live his life in the fullest

him always thinking he's not brave enough, but for the people he loves he goes through danger and discomfort, as long as he possibly could, longer than anyone, including himself would have thought

him also being just a really lovable person? him chosing Geralt, cold seeming, unsocial, sad Geralt as his best friend (in the books thats the kind of realtionship i see them as) and just making Geralt love him, even though he fucks things up on a regular basis, can be annoying as hell and lands them in the strangest ans messiest situation, Geralt loves his bestie so much, he would go through anything for him without making Jaskier feel bad for it

sure he might sometimes be annoyed but would never truly be angry and never ever abandon him do you hear me netflix

he could have all the company in the world, but he chose to stay with the outcast, the brewing, dangerous man who is unwanted and unwelcomed by society, and never regretted it

In conclusion Jaskier is a very special being and means the world to me

[shy-urban-hobbit]

"Whatcha doing, bard?"

Jaskier startled slightly when Aiden plopped down beside him next to the fire, eyes bright with the beginnings of drunkenness as he offered the wine he was holding. Jaskier took a swig straight from the bottle, choking a little in surprise. After the roughness of the various homebrews and the wines that had been aging in the cellar for possible decades it was sweeter than he expected. Definitely Southern.

"Just thinking. You?"

The Cat let out a dramatic sigh, leaning against Jaskier, "Lambert's ignoring me and it's making me sad."

"Oh, come on. I'm sure he's not."

"Oh?" Aiden cocked an eyebrow before taking a deep inhale, "Hey, Lambert!" He called over to where Lambert was deep in conversation with his brothers (and had been all night). "I'm not wearing any underthings and I fingered myself stupid while thinking of you earlier!"

"Yeah, that's fine Kitten." Lambert answered with a dismissive wave of his hand without even looking over as if Aiden had just told him that he was going to go grab more booze.

Aiden smirked at Jaskier as if to say 'see?', "And from the look on your face you know exactly what I'm talking about, no?"

Now it was Jaskier's turn to fill his lungs, "Oh Geralt!" He singsonged, "I just spilled sweet dessert wine all over my naked body. Want to help me get cleaned up? I'm so sticky and messy!"

Geralt gave one of his classic, non-committal grunts in response.

"Oh, sweet Gods." Jaskier took another angry mouthful before thrusting the bottle into Aiden's chest, ignoring the Witchers chuckle, "I understand he wants to spend time with his brothers but we haven't had any alone time for two weeks! He's either involved in some group activity or we're both too tired after training or chores."

"Hmm."'Aiden hummed in agreement, taking a deep swallow of the wine, "As much as I like Geralt and Eskel and how close they all are, there's certain activities I don't want them involved in." His expression turned devilish, "Want to do something about it?"

"...I'm listening."

Aiden crooked his finger in a beckoning gesture, prompting Jaskier to lean in closer so he could whisper in his ear as if the other Witchers in the room were actually paying attention to them.

"Fucking Hell!"

When he'd decided to call it a night and join Aiden in bed, the last thing Lambert had been expecting was to stumble on his Cat and Geralt's bard locked in a heated kiss at the top of the stairs, Jaskier's hands leisurely roaming over Aiden's back, whimpering when the Witcher moved his attentions from the bard's mouth to his throat. It was only when Geralt's telltale growl reached his ears he lifted his head, languidly turning to look at the two unsuspecting voyuers. Both Wolves looked an entertaining combination of aroused and annoyed. Mostly aroused.

Aiden purred internally. Perfect.

"Well, this is what happens when you forget about us." He said with an exaggerated pout, which Jaskier matched as he wrapped his arms around Aiden's neck, attempting to give Geralt his most pathetic look.

"I've never felt so neglected in my life." He whined, something Geralt knew definitely wasn't true but he decided to play along once he realised neither Jaskier or Aiden smelt even vaguely of arousal, despite their previous position.

"Oh, don't worry Lark." He growled as he stalked forwards, Aiden having the forethought to hurriedly disentangle himself, "I'm about to make sure you're very well taken care of."

Jaskier gave a yelp of surprise which turned into a laugh as Geralt threw him over his shoulder before stalking away towards his room. Jaskier grinned widely as he threw a salute to Aiden before they disappeared around the corner.

Before he realised what was happening, he found himself in Jaskier's previous position. Boxed in against the stone wall with Lambert's chest pressed against his, "That was your idea, wasn't it?"

It wasn't really a question and it was pointless to try and lie, "Yes." Aiden said, meeting Lambert's gaze, gasping in surprise when the Wolf ducked his head and started nuzzling at his neck.

"And you honestly feel the same?"

"...Yes."

Lambert let out a rumble, the meaning of which Aiden couldn't quite discern as he nipped at Aiden's pulse.

"So." Aiden prompted, squirming a little, "You going to make it up to me, or punish me?"

"Depends. How serious were you being about the no underthings?"

[geraskierfanficprompts]

Prompt 32

Geralt isn't exactly good at the whole "travelling with someone thing", but he wants to learn. He wants to learn how to be good to his friend, Jaskier. Thus he starts a journal. He writes what makes his friend happy, what makes him sad, what makes him angry, and what makes him annoyingly smell like lust. Best to avoid things that cause that. "Flowers - likes (Prefers buttercups, but likes anything yellow in particular) Weeds - N/A (talks himself into circles over which weeds are 'worth it') Weeds that vaguely look like flowers - likes (dandelions can 'hardly be classified as a weed', according to him"

"Wine - Likes Prefers red Clingy and lazy when given Est Est (the touching was nice) Sings a lot when given Erveluce (very nice) Falls asleep when given Fiorano (worried he overdrank) Talkative and gregarious when given most Toussanti Vintages (in moderation, and not when, 'Fucking living my life, Geralt')"

"Gets twitchy near nobleman who talk too loud (smells afraid. I hate that smell.)"

"Gets teary when not allowed to look at my wounds (worried i'm dying? Worried I don't trust him? Need more research.) - Update: Both" When the years pass and the idea of making Jaskier smell like lust gets less and less disgusting and more and more appealing, Geralt decides to study what Jaskier likes from other people who flirt with him, so that Geralt may try his best to replicate them.

[cornyonmains]

I'm still trying to figure out how I feel about season 3 of The Witcher, but one thing is for certain, I'm loving Jaskier's progression as a character.

I think it goes without saying that a huge turning point for Jaskier was his falling out with Geralt on the mountain in season 1. As I read his character at that point, he was quite in love with Geralt, and very much suffering from the belief that he wasn't enough for Geralt in any sense of the word, not as a lover, a friend, or a traveling partner. You see this insecurity ramp up throughout the entirety of the season 1 finale, and to think Geralt hadn't noticed that was lunacy. He did, which was part of the problem. Geralt needed to lash out, he needed someone to lash out at, and there Jaskier was, already wounded, the easiest of targets, and Geralt goes full savanna apex predator on his ass. Then he left him, on a mountain, that he knew Jaskier didn't know how to traverse safely. He said fuck off, and also die.

Jaskier could have crumbled, and for awhile, he probably did. But this led to a key moment of character development, because it caused Jaskier to take himself out of Geralt's shoes and get back into his own. To introspect. And Jaskier realized that he was enough, that he'd done a lot for Geralt, and that Geralt's refusal to embrace his own humanity while still wanting Jaskier as a friend resulted in him becoming an emotional punching bag. And Jaskier, rightfully pissed off after reaching these conclusions, channeled that anger into the post-break-up banger of the century, Burn Witcher Burn. But at the core of what ultimately makes Jaskier one of the most sympathetic and relatable characters in this show, is that he didn't do it so much as he was angry, but because he wanted Geralt to hear it. Because his songs are how he expresses what can't be spoken. The tragedy of Jaskier's character is that he was always going to forgive Geralt. That he was always going to drop what he was doing to trail this man with an affection even Yennefer doesn't easily mock, because it would be entirely too cruel. He wrote that song so Geralt would come and say he was sorry and Jaskier could go back to settling for scraps of his time.

So then we come to season 3, and enter Radovid. Enter the first person Jaskier's met in 30 long years that intrigues him as much as Geralt, and he's absolutely taken off his guard by that sentiment being returned after he's spent over half his life accepting something like that could never happen for him. He's 50 years old. Jaskier has accepted his fate of endless pining at this point. So when Radovid asks him to sing a song about his white-haired witcher, Jaskier slips up. He reveals too much, and it gives Radovid the chance to say exactly what Jaskier needed to hear.

"Does the witcher know how lucky he is to have you?"

I imagine it's rare for Jaskier, who spends his life finding the right words for others, that someone would find the right words for him. It's little wonder he was so immediately fascinated by Radovid, and so immediately heartbroken.

For 3 seasons and multiple decades, we see Jaskier's entire character formed by the hurt he endures being part of Geralt, Yennefer, and Cirri's life. And despite all that hurt, all the rejection, the betrayal, the torture, harassment, manipulations, and political intrigue we see Jaskier progressively becoming a better and better person. He helps Geralt, Yennefer, he helps the elves as the Sandpiper, and watches Cirri without a word of complaint. He throws himself into any dangerous situation asked of him, and helps Yarpen's men. He doesn't let the pain make him bitter. He still thinks love is beautiful, even when it hurts. He drinks, he fucks, he makes merry. He writes sad songs about Geralt.

Jaskier's development, his portrayal as a character, has been a true highlight of this series.

I sometimes think the djinn, in some cruel last jab at Jaskier and Yenn, used them both in Geralt's wish as a form of punishment. For Jaskier, his punishment for wanting so much, so quickly, was to spend his life wanting the one thing he couldn't have. That thing being Geralt, because to punish Yen, who so badly wanted control of her own destiny, he tied it to Geralt's. It's like a magical ouroboros of misery. And for Geralt, who tried to put a stop to the madness, the djinn rewarded him with the thing he wanted most. A family. A wife, a daughter, and a best friend who would never leave. It's some dark and complicated shit, and I think it rings true to the tone of the story itself.

Never has any character in this history of everything deserved to bone a hot Redanian prince more.

[thedemonofcat]

In contrast to Jaskier, who is completely unaware of the fact that he is a changeling, Geralt quickly realizes the truth after the two of them meet. In the midst of their travels, Geralt cannot tell that Jaskier is not a normal human bard but acutely fae.

Fae magic is linked to their emotions, but until they have experienced an extremely powerful emotion, a Changeling cannot access its power. In order to protect Jaskier, Geralt decided to wait until he was absolutely sure Jaskier's magic wouldn't cause any unexpected damage. He did this until he was absolutely certain that Jaskier would react well to the news.

Only after the mountain. Jaskier experienced such a strong heartbreak that it was strong enough to unlock the magical ability that he possesses

As a result of his desire not to think about Jaskier's sad expression in his eye, Geralt tries not to think about the mountain as much as he can. In light of everything that happened with Ciri and finding Yennefer to help Ciri train her magic. It has somewhat slipped Geralt's mind that the former companion he used to have is a Changeling.

Until reports start appearing of a fae bard causing havoc in towns.

As soon as Geralt realizes this, he is in a state of shock. Jaskier has full access to his magic now, but he is terrified and his fear is causing the magic to grow stronger and stronger. Geralt, Ciri, Yennefer, and his brothers will try to track down Jaskier.

For the purpose of bringing the bard back to Kear Morhen where he can safely train his magic. It is even more important to act before an angry mob can kill Jaskier before it is too late.

Because Geralt could not afford to have the last words he says to Jaskier be words of hate rather than love

[sourwolf-sterek32]

Broken Heart

Summary: You were the first and only female Witcher.

You and Geralt had been together since you were teenagers, training and fighting alongside each other for decades. However, when Yennefer of Vengerberg showed up, he chose her.

Now, years later, you go back to Kaer Morhen for the winter and come face to face with Geralt of Rivia, forcing old feelings to resurface once again.

Pairing: Geralt of Rivia x Reader

Word Count: 3.6k

Warnings: Language, violence

Previous Chapter

Chapter 19-

Over the next couple of days, you and Geralt trained.

It started off with simply walking around camp which then turned into slow and steady moves with your swords. Eithné had given Geralt a new sword since his had been shattered by Vilgefortz, and Triss, the wonderful sorceress, had grabbed your sword from the beach when she portalled you here.

Jaskier sat on the sidelines watching you and Geralt train while he wrote in his notebook, no doubt coming up with new songs.

Yennefer had shown up out of the blue one night. She didn't bring any good news with her though and she didn't have Ciri. She did however heal the worst of yours and Geralt’s injuries but left soon after saying that Aretuza and the other mages needed her now that Tissaia was dead.

Your knee was still playing up occasionally even after Yen had tried to heal it. Eithné gave you more of her healing waters to try and help, but nothing seemed to properly heal it. Whatever Vilgefortz’s staff was made out of, it had done some significant damage. It mostly healed though, and you only had a small limp, so it could be worse.

"I don't remember Vesemir's elixir recipe involving so many..." Jaskier trailed off holding up a wriggling worm in his hand. "...worm guts."

"It doesn't. But it's the closest thing to yghern venom I could find." Geralt answered holding the bowl of ingredients up towards the bard.

"Oh, come on, he's... look at him." Jaskier insisted, staring at the worm with sad eyes before he sighed and reluctantly put the animal in the bowl. "Sorry, buddy. Just be gentle with him-"

Geralt crunched the worm with the pestle causing a whine to escape Jaskiers lips as he watched the creature get turned to mush and you chuckled in amusement at his reaction.

You helped Geralt continue to add ingredients, some easier than others to do. Plant roots needed to be squeezed for their water, other liquids had to be boiled before being added to the bowl, plant pedals had to be picked and so much more. There was a lot that went into an elixir.

Next time you see Vesemir you should thank him for always making the elixirs for you all. It was hard enough making two, let alone supplying elixirs to you and your brothers.

Jaskier helped where he could, and by helped it was more like annoy.

"What do you think this tastes like?" Jaskier asked randomly, holding up the wooden stick that you had just been using to mix the fruit juice and... other questionable things together.

"Good. You should try it." You simply replied.

Jaskier shrugged before licking the end of the stick, but he quickly lowered it and poked his tongue out in pure disgust while he gagged.

"That is quite possibly the grossest thing ever." Jaskier exclaimed before pointing at you with the stick. "And you, my friend, are pure evil."

You snorted, "I didn't think you would actually taste it."

"You said I should try it!"

"Never listen to her when she says those words." Geralt suddenly said, looking between you and Jaskier in amusement. "She once convinced Lambert and Eskel to drink goats piss."

"Oh God, I forgot about that." You covered your mouth with your hands in effort not to laugh as you thought back to that day many years ago. "They were so angry."

"Why the bloody hell would they drink that?!" Jaskier questioned in shock.

"She told them it was a new kind of ale."

Jaskier’s head shot in your direction, and you couldn't stop yourself from laughing.

"Evil. Pure evil."

"I think the word you're looking for is genius. Pure genius." You corrected, but Jaskier shook his head.

"Absolutely not. You are a horrible person. Quite possibly the horrible-est."

"Horrible-est?" You repeated, raising your eyebrows at the new word he made up.

Jaskier rolled his eyes and bumped his shoulder into yours playfully, "don't be smart, you know what I mean."

"I do. I also know that you don't mean it because you love me." You replied with a shit eating grin.

Geralt snorted softly listening to you and Jaskier banter before he finally finished making the elixir and began to pour the liquid into two small bottles.

"Ready to try it?" He asked, handing you one of the bottles.

"It won't be as powerful as Vesemir's elixir, will it?" You asked, taking the bottle.

He shook his head, "no. But it should sharpen the senses."

"Good enough for me."

You lifted the bottle to your lips and downed the liquid quickly knowing it would not taste nice in the slightest, but you weren't going to give Jaskier the satisfaction of knowing that detail after what you just did to him.

"Did it work?" The bard asked, his eyes flickering between you and Geralt who had also drunk his bottle.

You glanced over at Geralt, his golden eyes meeting yours and you could feel your senses heightening instantly.

"Oh, yeah. It worked." You nodded, glancing around the forest before turning back to Geralt. "Want to spar?"

"Read my mind."

Jaskier followed the two of you out to the clearing in the woods and plonked himself down on his usual log with his notebook while you and Geralt raised your swords and started to spar.

"Go Geralt!" Jaskier cheered, watching on as you ducked out of the way of Geralt’s attack.

"Really? You're cheering for him?" You questioned, sparing a glance at the bard before swinging your sword at Geralt, who easily deflected it with his own.

"Yes. Yes, I am. Because Geralt is my friend, and you are a horrible person who made me lick that stick."

"You did that with your own free will, Jask. Don't blame me." You shouted over your shoulder.

Jaskier chuckled softly but didn't say anything else letting you and Geralt focus on training. Your swords clanged together loudly, hit after hit. Geralt jumped back a step as you swung your sword at him again, the blade missing him by an inch before he began to advance on you, returning the attack.

You quickly raised your sword and blocked the attack before spinning out of the way. The two of you continued to spar. It reminded you of your training at Kaer Morhen, he was always your sparring partner growing up.

Geralt was the greatest Witcher. He was stronger, faster and more skilled than the rest of you, you all knew that. But you always managed to keep up with him whenever you sparred. You always held your own pretty well against him, but Geralt always got the better of you eventually.

So, when he managed to knock your sword from your grasp after a few minutes of sparring, you weren't surprised. And not a second later, the blade of his sword was against your neck.

"Yes!" Jaskier whooped in the background.

You smirked, raising your hands in surrender and tilting your head towards Geralt, "just like old times, right?"

Before Geralt could answer an arrow suddenly whizzed through the air, narrowly missing both your faces and without looking, you knew who the arrow belonged to.

"You'd be dead now." Milva's voice called out.

"Hmm." Geralt grunted, lowering his blade from your neck before picking up your sword and holding it out to you. "We're leaving now."

"Good. Let's go get Ciri." You smiled, taking your sword and sheathing it over your back before glancing at Jaskier. "Ready to go?"

"You bet."

Jaskier pocketed his notebook and threw his lute over his shoulder before jogging after you and Geralt as you made your way through the woods, waving goodbye to Milva on the way.

The three of you didn't get very far before coming across what seemed to be a Nilfgaardian checkpoint. Nilfgaard soldiers were blocking the road from travellers, limiting who could cross and by the look of it the only way to cross was with the correct papers or by payment.

"We'll never get to Ciri if we don't get past." Jaskier whispered from between you and Geralt.

"How do we get past? Last I checked none of us have any coin." You whispered back.

"There's got to be another way round."

"Not for days." Geralt replied quietly.

Shit.

"I got this." Jaskier said confidently before he strode towards the soldier. “Hi. How are you?"

"Papers?" The soldier asked.

"We lost them." Geralt simply replied, stepping up beside Jaskier and you quickly followed.

"But we would be happy to compensate you for, uh, for your troubles with... umm, give me a second." Jaskier stuttered, checking all his pockets for anything valuable to trade.

"Wanna get through? Pay."

"Here. That's... two! Two orens." Jaskier announced, pulling out two coins from the inside of his jacket and handing them over, but the soldier shook his head.

"You're gonna have to do better than that, freak." He responded before his eyes flashed over to you and a sickening grin spread across his face. "Maybe I can take your beautiful girl round the corner, and she can convince me to let you through."

Geralt's body turned tense, his hand instantly forming a fist at his side, but you quickly stepped in front of him putting yourself between him and the soldier before he could do something stupid.

"That is not going to happen. But here. For your troubles." You said, reaching towards your neck and pulling Eskel's necklace off your head.

Well, technically, it was your necklace. After the Trials and all your training to become a Witcher, Vesemir gave you all necklaces with a school of the wolf medallion on it before you went your separate ways to walk the Path and kill monsters.

Although you and Eskel used to walk the Path together, eventually there came a time when the two of you had to go your separate ways...

"I don't want to do this." You complained, sitting on a haybale in the stables at Kaer Morhen.

Eskel finished saddling his horse before he walked over and sat down on the hay beside you with a deep sigh.

"I know. Me either." He admitted. "But we have to. Vesemir insists that we all need to walk the Path alone at least once. We have to experience it. We have to prove that we can do it."

"That's such bullshit." You mumbled, folding your arms across your chest in frustration.

You knew you were being a baby about it. You were an adult. You weren't a scared little kid anymore. But the thought of leaving your brother and knowing he was out there somewhere fighting monsters, but not knowing if he was okay or not... you hated it.

"Once we prove to the old man that we can do it then we can go back to walking the Path together like it's meant to be, yeah? Geralt and Lambchop can tag along too. We can meet up with Coen and the others along the way. We can do anything we want afterwards."

"That does sound good."

"Fuck yeah, it does!" Eskel agreed with a grin.

The two of you fell into comfortable silence as you sat on the haybale watching the horses, delaying the inevitable for as long as possible.

"I got an idea." Eskel suddenly said, pulling his medallion off from around his neck and holding it out for you. "Take it. You'll always have a part of me with you, no matter what."

"Only if you take mine." You responded, pulling your own medallion off causing Eskel to smile with a small nod before trading necklaces.

You looped Eskel's necklace over your head, lifting your hair to get it around your neck as you looked down at the silver wolf medallion resting against your chest. It seemed stupid swapping them. All the medallions were identical. But it was sentimental. You had your brothers and he had yours.

"Perfect. How does it look?" Eskel asked turning to face you properly with your medallion now around his neck.

"It looks the same." You teased.

Eskel rolled his eyes with a soft chuckle, "obviously."

"Thank you." You said sincerely, your tone turning serious which stopped Eskel's laughter instantly. "Thank you. I know the others won't get it, but... thank you. Having a piece of you with me..."

"It helps." Eskel said finishing your sentence.

You nodded, "yeah. It does."

He smiled before looping his arm around your shoulders and pulling you into his side.

"Enough of this sentimental crap, we're Witcher’s, aren't we? Before we know it, we'll be back here and shovelling horse shit in the snow."

You smiled softly resting your head against your brother's shoulder and grabbed the medallion on your chest before closing your eyes not wanting this moment to end.

"Don't be afraid. I'll always be with you." Eskel whispered, placing a gentle kiss to the top of your head. "Everything will be okay."

You held up Eskel's medallion towards the soldier, twirling it around so he could see the front and back. Technically, it was your medallion from all those years ago when you and Eskel swapped necklaces.

Vesemir had taken the medallion off your brother’s body the day he died and instead of putting it on the tree of fallen Witcher’s medallions, he gave it to you instead knowing you wanted it.

"Wait, isn't that-"

"Eskel's necklace, yes." You said, cutting Geralt off.

"No. Y/N, no, come on, not that." Jaskier argued quietly.

"Pure silver. Vintage. Priceless." You negotiated, ignoring both men beside you as you stared at the soldier who was quick to snatch the medallion with a nod.

"Very nice. On you go." The soldier instructed, stepping to the side allowing you all to pass.

You nodded your thanks and walked off, Geralt and Jaskier hurriedly following.

"It's a damn shame though. I would've loved to have some fun with you girly! It's been a while since I got my dick wet!" The soldier shouted after you.

Geralt came to a sudden halt at the man's words, and you quickly grabbed his arm stopping him from marching back over there.

"He's not worth it. Let it go." You hissed under your breath.

Geralt glanced down at you, his golden eyes ablaze with anger before he looked over your shoulder in the direction of the soldier.

"Just keep walking." Jaskier whispered, backing you up. "Geralt, we need to get to Ciri."

Geralt ignored you both and simply handed Jaskier his sword before he yanked his arm free from your grasp. You knew better than to try and stop him, not when he had that look in his eyes.

You sighed watching him walk back towards the soldier who was completely oblivious with his back turned to the Witcher marching at him.

"This isn't going to end well, is it?" Jaskier sighed from beside you.

"For the Nilfgaard soldiers? Nope. Not at all." You answered.

"Should we follow him?"

"Probably."

"The fuck did you just say to her?" Geralt questioned, grabbing the man’s shoulder and spinning him around forcefully.

"Whoa! Hey, piss off!" The man exclaimed. "Or maybe I'll take her home and see what use she can be put to."

"That was the wrong thing to say." You mumbled under your breath.

"What-" Jaskier started to ask but didn't get to finish his sentence.

Geralt slammed his fist into the side of the soldier's face, once, twice, three times until the man fell to the ground unconscious with a broken nose and definite concussion.

The other soldiers that had been standing off in the background suddenly charged at Geralt, but he grabbed the axe from the man's belt before unleashing all his pent-up anger and rage on the Nilfgaardians.

You watched Geralt slaughter soldier after soldier. You weren't going to stop him. He needed to let out his anger. He needed this.

"Should you, uh, should you help him?" Jaskier hesitantly asked.

You shook your head, "he needs this."

After everything that's happened, after feeling like he failed Ciri for not protecting her, you were going to give him this. This was his way of protecting you and despite the fact that you were a Witcher and didn't need him to fight your battles, you knew he needed to do this. Not for you, but for himself.

"He needs his sword." Was all Jaskier said before he rushed headfirst into the fight before you had a chance to stop him.

"Damn it, Jask." You muttered, unsheathing your own sword.

Not even five seconds later, one of the soldiers noticed the bard weaving his way through the fight and charged at him. Jaskier managed to hold Geralt's sword above his head, blocking the axe coming down at him before you pulled out your throwing knife and lined up the shot.

A moment later, the soldier fell to the ground with the blade impaled through the side of his neck, the only piece of visible skin amongst the metal armour that covered his body.

Jaskier sent you a grateful nod before he reached Geralt and handed him the sword, and once Geralt had that sword in his hand it was over.

You rushed over to Jaskier grabbing his arm and pulling him away from the fight while Geralt tore his way through the remaining soldiers wielding both an axe and sword.

"Get him!"

You pushed Jaskier to safety and spun around to find Geralt kneeling beside a dead soldier, but it was the three other very much alive soldiers sprinting towards him that caught your attention. You ran over them, jumping over the dead bodies that littered the area before kicking the closest one away and slicing your sword through the others neck, killing him instantly.

You turned your attention to the next, the other staggering to his feet, but before you could attack, arrows suddenly soared through the air and stabbed them both with precision accuracy, and they dropped to the ground, dead.

Those were Milva's arrows.

You glanced over your shoulder to find the archer emerging from the woods, a sly grin spreading across her face. You chuckled softly, shaking your head before walking over to Geralt who yanked his sword out the dead soldier before getting to his feet with a sigh.

"I know, I know. We'd be dead now." Geralt said, beating Milva to it.

The woman smirked glancing between the two of you before Jaskier walked over. The bard looked you and Geralt up and down for any signs of injuries, but sighed in relief when he couldn't see any.

"We good?" Jaskier asked wanting to make sure.

"Not yet. Missed one." Milva pointed out, nodding to someone behind you.

"No, I didn't." Geralt muttered, his eyes hardening before he marched over to the remaining soldier, and you didn't have to turn around to know which soldier that would be.

You wiped the blood off your sword with your pants ignoring the disgusted look Jaskier gave you at the action. You poked your tongue out at him causing him to do it back before you sheathed your sword.

"No, no, no, no. Please, don't. Please-" The soldiers pleads were cut off by his own pained screams.

You looked over just as Geralt lowered his sword and the soldier from earlier collapsed to the ground holding his groin with bright crimson blood staining his hands as he cried.

"Ouch. What did that guy do to piss him off?" Milva asked with a wince as she watched.

"He threatened Y/N... uh, sexually." Jaskier answered, unable to take his eyes away from the scene. "Geralt can get protective over her."

"Yeah, I kinda figured that part out." Milva responded.

Geralt reached down and grabbed the soldier, hauling him back to his feet before pinning him up against the side of a caravan.

"You won't be getting your 'dick wet' ever again." Geralt growled, pushing him harder against the caravan causing the man to whimper before Geralt leant closer. "If you don't bleed out and manage to get to Nilfgaard before we do... you tell that fuck Emhyr that no matter his armies, no matter his walls, we will free Ciri. Understand?"

The soldier made a small groaning noise that you assumed was his response before Geralt released him and he instantly fell back to the ground holding his bleeding groin.

Geralt stood above him, breathing heavily through his nose as the anger and adrenaline from the fight slowly dissipated. You walked over to him and grabbed Geralt’s arm gently turning him to face you.

"You okay?" Geralt instantly asked, his golden eyes locking with yours.

You smiled softly, "I'm good. Let's go get our daughter back."

Geralt nodded before reaching down and grabbing your hand, lacing his fingers with yours. You glanced over your shoulder to find Milva and Jaskier making their way towards you through the carnage of butchered Nilfgaardian soldiers that Geralt left behind.

"I want to help you." Milva spoke up, looking between you and Geralt. "And these soldiers have horses around the back."

Geralt nodded, "let's go then."

You, Geralt, Jaskier and Milva took the horses and continued on your way to Nilfgaard. You were going to rescue Ciri and kill Vilgefortz once and for all, and nothing was going to stop you.

-

MASTERLIST pinned to profile

Commissions open! Link in bio & DM for enquiries

A/N- For now, this is it. I do plan on continuing this story when the next season comes out, but I will be writing it based on Henry’s Geralt, not Liam Hemsworths.

Henry is and always will be my Witcher. You guys can imagine whoever you want while reading, but for me it is always Henry.

I wanted to rush this story and have y/n and Geralt randomly find Ciri in the woods just so I don't have to write any chapters based on the new season, but it felt too rushed when I tried to do it and after all the time I've spent on this and for all of you still reading, I couldn't rush the ending and butcher the story.

So, I plan on adding more chapters, but Season 4 is very far away and who knows what I'll be doing in real life when it finally gets released. So, I won't promise anything, but just know that I have really enjoyed writing this and seeing all your likes, kudos, reblogs and comments. I love you all so very much and thank you for your continuous support.

Until next time, stay safe guys and have a great night xx

[samstree]

Wedding Night Blues

A curse against sex on a wedding night. Jaskier copes, and Geralt helps. (Ace!Geralt, 1.3k ☆ AO3)

“Rude! So rude!” Jaskier pushes open the door to their bedroom, banging it against the wall. “On my wedding, no less. My wedding!”

Geralt follows right behind, steadying the door and closing it gently. He sighs, pausing as Jaskier paces across the room several times, his cheeks flushed with anger.

“It was our wedding, Jask.”

With that, Jaskier stops in his tracks, looking up at Geralt. Frantic energy simmers behind his eyes, mixed with frustration.

“Yes,” he answers, crossing the room to take Geralt’s hands. “It’s our wedding day. Ours. We are supposed to be utterly consumed by marital bliss, and nothing else. It’s our day.” At that, Jaskier softens ever so slightly, before letting out a disgusted noise. “Urgh, and now it’s all ruined by that old, joyless wizard. Who would crash someone’s wedding party and cast a curse against sex? Seriously, what kind of a rude bastard does that?”

Jaskier mumbles a few more curses, completely overcome with annoyance at the unexpected guest near the end of the ceremony. Geralt simply holds his hands, waiting patiently for the rant to finish.

The medallion hums faintly against Geralt’s chest, reminding him of the magic cast upon them. He nearly didn’t recognize it at first, being the opposite of another common curse—forced sex with the threat of death. That one would have been a much more heinous deal, a complete disregard of the subject’s will, and forbidden in nearly all of the courts.

This curse, however, only means they cannot have sex tonight.

And tonight just so happens to be their wedding night.

Perhaps, it is indeed a bit inconvenient, Gerealt reckons.

“Cockblocked on my wedding night! With that sick spell of his and those evil laughs. They were not even good laughs! We’ve met villains with much better laughs.” Jaskier goes on, and on. “That was so rude. At least, he should’ve had the courtesy to practice that laugh a little before coming here. And, Geralt, did I mention how rude it was?”

Jaskier’s cheeks are bloated red. Smoke could be coming out of his ears.

Geralt resists the urge to tease. “You did.”

A glare lands on him nonetheless. Jaskier lets go of Geralt’s hands, crossing his arms. “Why must you make enemies with the rude ones?”

Blinking, Geralt realizes he’s become the target of Jaskier’s ire too.

“It’s better than the deadly ones?” Not sure what to do, he sighs. “I didn’t do anything.”

It must be the gentle tone that relaxes Jaskier, because his shoulders drop a little. If anything, Geralt knows how to calm his bard when he’s spiraling—his husband, now.

So he closes the distance between them slowly, placing a hand behind Jaskier’s back, guiding him towards the bed. It’s a big, luxurious thing, mounted with blankets and soft pillows. They sink into the mattress at the edge.

“No, it wasn’t your fault. I’m angry with that sad, pathetic mage who has never known love and acts out on jealousy.” Jaskier takes a deep breath, and then another. “He just couldn’t stand how happy we are.”

“We are.” Geralt pulls Jaskier close, so his body is slumped against his. “I am. So incredibly happy.”

Jaskier runs a hand through his hair, crumpling the small daisies nestled in his braids. “I’m not mad at you, just frustrated,” he says. “It’s our wedding night. I was expecting to get lucky, is all.”

“Hmm, and what if I didn’t want to?” Geralt asks softly, picking out the crushed petals one after another. “What if it’s one of those days?”

He only asks half-heartedly as a comfort for Jaskier, but the hypothesis is not without truth underneath it.

On some days, all Geralt wants is to fall asleep holding Jaskier. On some days, sex seems like an insurmountable task. He’s different, from Jaskier at least, who always looks at him with desire burning behind those blue eyes.

On other days, the want grows within his ribcage. When there’s sunlight on Jaskier’s smile and patience in his voice, Geralt is consumed by all the love that whispers Jaskier’s name with every slow beat of his witcher heart. On those days, he shows all the love with touch, with the gentle press of lips, with the intimacy in the act of sex, and he knows Jaskier sees him.

Jaskier always sees him. Jaskier is always safe.

“Oh.” Upon hearing the question, Jaskier looks up. His expression changes completely, all annoyance gone in an instant. “That’s fine, then. It’s alright if you don’t want to, darling, you know this. It wasn’t meant as—well, I didn’t mean to pressure you. I just thought you did want to, tonight.” He watches Geralt closely. “Did you? Because it’s okay. I won’t mention it again if you don’t.”

Something in Geralt aches.

“I did,” he answers. “I wanted to. It’s our night. I want to make you happy.”

A small, understanding smile tugs at Jaskier’s lips. He waits for Geralt’s answer patiently, sitting on their wedding bed, dressed in a midnight blue doublet, embroidered with a subtle pattern of wolves at the hem.

“Yeah?”

Geralt takes Jaskier’s hand and presses a kiss to his palm. “Yeah.”

Jaskier’s lips purse into a small pout. “It’s all pointless now. We are trapped in this sexless hell.”

“Only for a day. We are still here tomorrow.”

The ribbon that bound their hands and the rings marking their fingers make sure of it.

“It’s still unfair. It seems so much harder for me than it is for you. Pun fully intended,” Jaskier whines. “I want you, darling. I had plans to take care of you tonight. Please tell me it’s just as hard for you.”

Geralt smiles at his ridiculous bard. “It’s just as hard for me.”

“Thank you,” Jaskier sighs, “for lying.”

“Not lying. Want you so much.” Geralt hums, resting his forehead against Jaskier’s, eyes closed. “Love you,” he whispers the secret.

“Oh,” Jaskier’s breath hitches. “I love you too.”

They exhale in unison, letting the weight of the day fade away.

We don’t need sex to be close, Jaskier once promised him. I just need you to be here, and be okay.

He’s always okay when it’s Jaskier’s hands touching him, Jaskier’s heart loving him.

Geralt breathes through all the love that wraps around him in safety, overwhelming him, drowning him in utter bliss. He cups Jaskier’s cheek and takes in the beautiful sight of his bard, his small smile. He can’t help leaning in for a kiss.

“What are you doing?” A finger stops him by the lips, but Jaskier’s smile grows. “Curse, remember?”

“Hmm, we can still kiss,” Geralt coaxes. “Just one kiss.”

Jaskier groans. “It’s never just one kiss if it’s you. You know your effect on me. I’ll get all hot and bothered and it’s going to be a danger to our lives.”

“We’ll risk it.”

Despite the playfulness, Geralt kisses Jaskier carefully. He catches Jaskier’s soft lips into a chaste kiss, and another, and another. He keeps it feather-light, never pushing for more, only to let Jaskier melt under his attention. The small, peppering kisses continue until they are both humming with quiet contentment.

Geralt pulls away, opening his eyes to find Jaskier with a dreamy look on his face.

“Hey, husband.”

“Hey,” Jaskier breathes. “I misspoke. Perhaps, I did get lucky today.”

“Did you?”

Jaskier’s grin stretches so wide it takes over his whole face. There’s so much joy when he looks at Geralt, growing as the seconds go by. It’s hard to imagine him being angry just a few minutes ago, troubled by something that seems distantly inconsequential now.

“Mm-hmm. I really lucked out with this one right here.” He pinches Geralt’s cheek gently. “I have a best friend and a husband in the same person, and I got to marry him today.”

That, Geralt can relate to.

“Hmm. Very lucky indeed. What will you do with him, now that you have him?”

Jaskier winks mischievously, bringing Geralt into his arms. The faint smell of daisies lingers in the air, and Geralt burrows right into it. He holds his best friend and husband, and never wants to leave their little pocket of happiness.

“I believe,” Jaskier answers, smiling as he kisses Geralt’s forehead, “more cuddling is in order. It’s our wedding night, after all.”

[oldandkinky]

Wrote a little something based on @spielzeugkaiser s heartwrenching Lovechild AU, because I like to hurt myself, apparently.

CW: A/B/O, vomiting, torture, sad Jaskier, non-linear narrative, unplanned pregnancy

Also on AO3

The first time Jaskier has to pull off the road to go vomit into some bushes, entirely unprovoked by too much to drink or food that has gone off, he brushes it aside. It's a fluke. These things happen.

He keeps telling himself that right up until the sixteenth time, after the mountain, when he wakes up and immediately has to roll to the side of the cheap inn bed he's in to vomit onto the floor instead of the mattress.

After, he lies there, staring at the wall, the sharp scent of his sick in his nose and tears welling up in his eyes. For weeks, Jaskier has tried to ignore the obvious even when it was staring him in the face, but now… Well.

He rolls onto his back and, after a moment's hesitation, reaches down. His hand slips under his shirt, rests on his belly, above the place where he now acknowledges his child is growing.

His, and Geralt's.

*

After the mountain, Jaskier is a mess. He keeps telling himself that, surely, Geralt didn't mean those things, that he was just- overwhelmed, angry, sad, whatever.

He tries to justify it to himself, the way he has so many times before when Geralt was nasty to him. The Witcher has a lot on his plate, he'd tell himself, he didn't mean it, it was nothing personal.

But this time… Well, this time Jaskier can't convince himself. The things Geralt said to him on that cliffside were too close to the insecurities Jaskier has been harbouring all throughout their acquaintance, too close to his own guilt about bringing Geralt to Cintra, about the djinn. That's the only reason why he turns away, why he collects his things and makes his way down the mountain alone.

It doesn't make his heart hurt any less.

*

For a few months, nothing much changes in Jaskier's life. He goes to Oxenfurt, he teaches, he performs. It's all he knows, the one thing that offers stability right now.

He's tired, all the time now, and as the nausea and morning sickness fades, his belly begins to grow. He finds himself sitting in his bed often, stroking the little bump and singing softly, voice cracking as he sings despite the tears.

Jaskier has been on his own in one way or another since he was fourteen, but he has never felt this utterly and completely alone.

*

"Do you have children? A few little wolflings somewhere on the continent?" 

They're curled up in their bedrolls, Geralt's arm slung over his waist. Sweat is still cooling on their skin, and Jaskier looks up at the clouds, dotted across the late afternoon sky like sheep.

Geralt grunts against his shoulder. His thumb is drawing circles onto Jaskier's ribs. "Can't have any," he rumbles. "Witchers are sterile."

Jaskier hums and twists to press a kiss to Geralt's forehead. "Pity," he muses, "we'd make some cute babies."

Geralt huffs, then bites the curve of his shoulder, and Jaskier stops thinking about children entirely.

*

The letter arrives a few weeks after Jaskier has stopped teaching. He spends most of his time in his flat now, writing or composing.

He's not hiding, he tells himself.

It's a summons, a letter from his mother. Word must have reached Lettenhove, rumours that the family disappointment has managed to get himself knocked up, just the way his parents feared all this time.

'Come home at once,' the letter says. Even in written form, his mother's instructions brook no argument.

*

Some nights, when all Jaskier has just enough coin to get enough to eat for Milek, when he remembers the look of despair on the boy's face as he watches yet another group of children at play, children that ignore him because he's a stranger and their parents told them not to play with his sort - meaning with a bastard -, when his own hunger drives him nearly mad…

Some nights, Jaskier hates Geralt. 

He wishes he could bring himself to hate him on most nights.

*

He has never known agony such as this. Giving birth was nothing, nothing, compared to this. His stomach roils at the scent of burning hair, of charred flesh, and he screams his throat raw as the mage grins at him.

He wishes he could think of Milek as his skin sizzles and pops, but all that runs through his head is this: Geralt, please, save me, Geralt, Geralt, Geralt-

It's not Geralt who saves him. Why would it be?

*

"You should have come earlier," Father says, disdain on his face and in his voice.

In Jaskier's arms, Milek fusses. Jaskier is so, so tired. "I know," he says quietly. Father's lip curls.

"We'll find a wet nurse as soon as possible, then you can-"

"No. No, I'm- I'm not doing that."

He walks away, Father's outraged scolding ringing behind him. Jaskier doesn't care. He just wants to sleep, wants to be alone.

That's a lie.

He wants… He wants Geralt. It hurts, the memory of the venom Geralt spit at his feet still so fresh, but Jaskier can't help it.

He wants Geralt. He wants to show him his son, this beautiful little boy they made together.

But he can't. He doesn't know where Geralt is, if he's even still alive. Cintra has fallen. The princess has vanished. Yennefer is presumed dead after Sodden.

There's only Jaskier, and Milek.

*

Yennefer is so much smaller than him, unusually small for an alpha, but right now she may as well have Witcher strength, Jaskier thinks. She's all that is holding him up, that is keeping him from collapsing, and he resents her for it, somewhat.

He guides her to his flat, a dingy little thing over a bakery. Living there had been excruciating in summer, the ovens heating the small space unbearably, but it's been getting colder and now it's a boon.

Roselyn, the baker's oldest daughter, opens the door for them when Jaskier calls for her. Her eyes widen almost comically when she sees his hands. Yennefer sends her running for hot water and bandages with a few curt words, and Jaskier whimpers as she lets him sink onto a chair.

"I'll need your help," he mutters. Now that he's back home, that the terror is wearing off, that he can smell Milek, his chest is starting to ache.

Yennefer scoffs. "Of course you do, just wait for-"

She's interrupted by a whimper, and Jaskier curses when the let-down comes, milk seeping into his shirt. Ah well, it's ruined anyway, with blood and panic sweat, what's a bit of milk added to the mix?

Yennefer stills. Her eyes are wide.

He gets to his feet, ignoring how his legs wobble. Milek begins to fuss, and Jaskier drops heavily onto the bed. "I'm here, sweetheart," he murmurs, then looks up at Yennefer. "Could you…?"

She swallows visibly. Behind her, Roselyn enters, carrying a bucket of steaming water. Yennefer seems to shake herself. Then she gets to work.

*

The first time Geralt kisses him, Jaskier kind of wants to punch him.

Geralt kisses him, in the doorway of their little inn room, and then he turns away and leaves for a contract.

It's so typical.

*

He's a day out of Lettenhove when the cramps start. Jaskier had rented a spot on a caravan, which means it's slow going. There's a woman riding in the back with him, her and her three children. She has been giving him and his big belly sceptical looks the whole journey, and when she catches him wincing through one of the cramps, she calls the caravan to a halt.

"Bloody foolish thing to do," she scolds him as she helps him off the cart. "You oughta be at home with your mate, not traipsing around the countryside-"

Jaskier doesn't know what his face is doing, but it must give everything away, because she falls silent, her expression softening.

"Don't worry, lad," she murmurs as she guides him into the shade by the side of the road. "We don't need no alpha to bring this babe into the world, do we?"

Jaskier grimaces, and nods, and pants through the next cramp. She's right. He doesn't need an alpha.

He doesn't need Geralt. 

He doesn't.

*

When Milek calls him papa for the first time, Jaskier cries.

*

"How is that possible, Jaskier?"

Yennefer is in a chair beside the bed, watching him with a look of shock on her face. She's not a healer, she told him earlier, but her magic was just enough to take off the worst of his injuries. Now, his hands are cleaned and salved and bandaged,  and he's holding Milek close as he nurses.

"I don't know," he murmurs. He has thought about this so often, has tried to figure out how it could have happened. No answer has presented itself.

"Witchers are sterile," Yennefer says, but he can hear the doubt in her voice.

"I don't know," he repeats. "I swear it's the truth. It… It would be easier if it wasn't."

*

Yennefer doesn't accept his offer. Jaskier is at once relieved and crushed by it.

Relieved, because Milek is his. He carried him, nourished him, brought him into the world.

Relieved, because Milek is all he has left of Geralt.

But the terrible weight of it all is pressing in from all sides, and he doesn't know how he is going to survive.

*

Jaskier has changed. He knows part of it is age catching up to him. There are lines around his eyes, his mouth now, his skin grown softer.

But the loose skin of his belly isn't down to age. 

Milek is watching him curiously as Jaskier pokes at himself after his bath, his little curly head tilted to the side.

"Papa?"

"Hm?"

"Was I really in there?"

"Yes, honey."

Milek looks up at him, eyes so wide and full of wonder. "Can you put another baby in there? We could throw stones."

There's a terrible ache behind Jaskier's breast, and later, when his beautiful little boy asks, "Where's daddy, papa?", it burns as hot as it ever did.

Time should have cured him of this yearning, but it hasn't. He doubts it ever will.

*

When Milek is seven, Jaskier looks up in the tavern he's playing in one day and his heart nearly stops. Across the room, there's an unmistakable head of white hair.

He meets yellow eyes, and it's like his stomach drops out beneath him. All he wants to do is run.

Somehow, through sheer force of will, he finishes his song. His hands are a good excuse to stop playing, the scars making it hard to play for as long as he used to, and he collects his meager coin and hopes that he can duck out of the backdoor before Geralt catches up to him.

A hand on his arm, oh so familiar, stops him dead in his tracks.

"I apologise," Geralt says quietly, in that tone Jaskier recognises as the one he usually uses for children and horses and spooked survivors. "I don't mean to intrude, but… I couldn't help but wonder if, maybe, we know each other?"

This is a cruel joke. It must be, except Geralt isn't the type. Maybe it's a doppler, that would make sense-

"If I'm mistaken, I'm sorry, it's just that I lost my memory and-"

Jaskier turns on his heel, gapes up at him. It's unmistakably Geralt, he realises. There's a new scar, cutting through his left eyebrow and over his cheek, but Jaskier would know his scent anywhere.

He wants to cry. He wants to slap Geralt, to yell at him, wants to fall into his arms and never let him go again. He wants to take him to the shitty little inn room where Milek is waiting, wants to finally, finally, introduce his son to his daddy-

Geralt looks at him without a trace of recognition, and Jaskier swallows thickly.

"No," he says, the lie tasting bitter on his tongue. "I'm sorry. I don't know you."

He turns away, and Geralt lets him go.

*

He doesn't know who took him. For someone who has tried to stay out of all of the bullshit happening on the continent for the last couple of years, Jaskier has amassed an astonishing amount of enemies.

He's not scared. Not really. Not for himself, anyway.

No, he's scared for Milek. He's only thirteen, all alone with no clue where Jaskier went.

He curls up on the filthy ground of the cell they tossed him into and tries to hold back his tears. They argued, just before Jaskier was grabbed. He doesn't even remember what about, just that he was so, so angry and so was Milek, and they yelled at each other, and what if that was the last things they said to each other?

What if he never sees his son again?

*

When he hears about the female Witcher that has started taking contract, when he hears about her ashen hair and green eyes, he's torn between relief and anger. It's a familiar feeling after all these years.

Cirilla must be sixteen now, almost a woman. Older than her mother was on that fateful night. The last time Jaskier saw Cirilla, she was barely out of swaddling clothes. It feels strange to think of the girl as a woman.

She's a Witcher now, or as close to one as she can be. That means that Geralt did find her, that he raised her, trained her. It's a weight off Jaskier's chest. Resisting one's destiny is never a good idea.

But it brings flashes of the old anger back. Why could Geralt raise her, and not his own son?

"You kept him a secret," Yen reminds him gently one night, and Jaskier deflates, all at once.

He did.

It was the right thing to do.

*

"Time for bed, baby," he urges when Milek rubs his eyes again. Predictably, the boy shakes his head.

"'M not tired!"

He never is, like all children. Jaskier bribes him with a story.

"Your daddy saved me," he murmurs, stroking the boy's soft hair as Milek cuddles into his side. "He made a deal with a witch, one that could have hurt him terribly, just to save me."

Milek hums and takes his thumb out of his mouth, just long enough to ask, "Because he's a hero, right, papa?"

Jaskier smiles, and ignores the burning in his eyes. "Yeah, baby. Because your daddy is a hero."

[my-jokes-are-my-armour]

The witcher review - part 2

So here we are… this is the hardest post for me to write. Because I have to fight my inner rage to think straight and keep as much of cool as I can while I write. This is rare.

As always since the announcement, the general consensus is to hate no matter what, and I won't lie, it's driving me crazy. I had even a breaking point not long ago, stumbling on an "article" mourning Hector the horse that won't come back for S4, and turning a not returning actress as she left the boat for implicite bad scripts whereas her character is simply not returning story wise (in the books also).

Do I have to mention the constant rain of bad comments on every video or official posts ? Or the vast majority of the articles and reviews are over focused on one thing only, erasing from the existence of every other good work done ?

Because yes ! Curiously there is good work in there too. Sheer stupefaction ! The series is not that bad. And do you believe it ? Quite book accurate in the global storyline also !

Am I a tad sarcastic there ? Yes. Not in my points though. But I am really REALLY pissed off. And this is my last stand. I understand that I am a drop in the ocean. A little shit screaming into the void. A stupid arse loving the series for the stories it offers.

So… if you are still here, that's because you surely are in the same state of mental exhaustion than I am. Maybe angry too, or sad. Maybe you liked the series also and want something else to read other than "burn it down !".

[Pretty accurate representation of myself]

So... Here is the short version for those who don't care about the development of my review :

I loved it. Yes !

A lot of emotions.

Geraskier. I rolled down the hill again so hard and so fast that you can see burning traces on the grass on my path lol.

Buckled some storylines from the first season for the main characters and secondary characters too.

Perfect ? Certainly not. There are problems and I will address them.

Book accurate ? Mostly yes but no at the same time. The story is there, not told the same way. There are twists and changes but the checkpoints are validated and cohesive (believe it or not), catching up books threads and the divergent series' too. Some almost straight out of the pages in this second part too.

Proper send off to Henry ? If you aim for fulfillment, then no. But his ending matches with the beginning of the Hansa, so I am personally happy with it. Also it had more depth than what it seems.

So now behind this break, I will spoil the series in great lengths, as much as the books. I will probably go further than Time of Contempt because they included pieces from Baptism of Fire. Again I will say what works and what doesn't in my opinion. I am not on a solo thread of thinking.

But you know I guess even some gray is giving light in this infamous soup darkness. So let's go !

Warning : it contains mature subjects.

[Important note : I have read the RI article about Tomek giving explanations about plot simplification. I will address this in the flow in my review. Well kinda].

My detailed general point of view :

Even with a lot of twists and turns, I did like the series part 2 (and the series overall !). The second volume had me having emotional roller-coasters. If you care for any characters, they have their moments of raw emotions. Secondary characters included. That moment between Fringilla and Francesca for example or Tissaia's farewell… 😢.

Everything emotional with Jaskier had just me on my knees… 😭

It goes pretty much by the books in terms of events and uses pieces of them as framing devices. For the twists. Some are good, some less. What we have the most is one character doing something another would normally do. But most of the time this is fluid and it doesn't bother me much. Mostly I liked, loved even, the stories that were told behind.

In the middle ground. I don't see it as bad but more as an irritating thing.

There is a big change of plot with Yennefer (again) but this is more a problem of how to tell the story afterwards more than a big wrong like in S2, and I am just curious how they will handle some storylines from there. The irritating part though is that they have a tendency to use her too much for everything, so she runs everywhere. This is quite frantic in episode 6 but then it slows down fortunately.

Also the series doesn't fully go on the darkest side of the books. The rating 16+ is a bit overlooked in my opinion. There is blood and some monsters but this is a soft 16+. There is real gore in the books and the subjects are far more disturbing. The flesh monster tries to compensate for what is not told about Vilgefortz's experiments for example. But the mage is a f.cking lunatic. And if you felt bad for Geralt after his fight with him, go get some brutal internal pov of Geralt while he is literally destroyed. Also a part of Geralt's arc with the parallel with Ciri is more disturbing in its core. But they didn't go as far as with the Rats (yet ?) so they crafted another motivation, which is not a bad one, by the way.

This is middle ground to me because, for sure it would have challenged the viewer more, but some subjects may not be easily validated to show on screen to fill the rating.

On the wrong side (yes because I am not in a tunnel - I see goods and bads), for me there are some strong editing problems that put an uneven rhythm that can bore or frustrate, depending on the part. I was not bored but a bit frustrated sometimes so I can understand why some were annoyed, let's put it that way.

They seem to rush for the plot, cutting some breathing moments or dragging on some other parts. With a recurrent issue to make us feel the passage of time

For me this is what severes the series the most, especially in the second volume.

Also, on the visual effects, there are some issues too. Something is sadly unfinished there. It feels like the deadline was an immovable obstacle and they tried to rush everything they could in it.

So, here we are. Now I will detail everything ! Compare with the books when I can etc. Because I can't bear anymore reading all this dry "they did not respect the source material" thing, to say it politely. Maybe I will be annoying as hell. But this is how I work. I have feelings, I have opinions, like everyone else I can be passionate, but I can justify my position and I will do it.

SO !

Book accuracy ?

First, because I have to play dumb, these are the large blocks of the Time of Contempt only, just to have a visual idea of the proportions of the stories.

So now please tell me there is too much of Ciri, too much mages, too much politics… ** cough cough **

OK let's go. As I said in the short version, accuracy is a yes and a no for me. Let's begin with the no.

Things happen pretty much in the same chronological order but like in an alternate version of the books. In some events, this is not always with the good character carrying the moment. But this is the case from the beginning of the show. And although I found this strange sometimes I never felt confused by it. Some of them are necessary compression of narratives, some are holding arcs to fulfill and become relevant at the end. And the arcs, the stories told, are what appealed to me the most.

A large part of those switches comes from the invented parts for secondary characters. Because they had written things in advance. Why did they choose to set up a lot of them from S1, you say ? Because otherwise we would have to deal with a massive drop names with everyone having their agenda, popping out of nowhere, and trying to have the big part of the cake this season (2 to 4 in my picture). What would happen then ? Confused audience for those who haven't read the books or play the games. And if you tell me, but we are the audience ! Then why I read so many : "Why the politics ? Why Ciri desert thing ? Why the sorceresses ? This is boring and long, why no monster hunts ?" Well… 👆.

At least, I can understand the last statement from the gamers because the story is rhythmed by the hunts, but for the rest, lads, this is the book for Time of Contempt and a part of Baptism of Fire.

And this where my "yes this is accurate" lands.

Time of Contempt particularly contains a f.cking loads of politics, of mages and a lot of Ciri. Sure Geralt is the main POV in a good amount but in the politics part for the most of it. This is basically him in rooms with people, discussing. He doesn't do much other than that. To be fair, there are always good fights, he has always good fights, and this books provides, but the monster fights are not that over present and overall, Geralt is reluctant to kill in general except when he has to protect. He fights people… The real monsters of the stories.

What did I find book accurate in this second volume ? The Thanedd coup setup (the battle is almost pure entertainment). Ciri in the desert, definitely. Some parts of Brokilon. Tissaia's death is delayed in time but accurate. Dijkstra and Philippa general plot in Redania even if simplified. The false Ciri at Nilfgaard. Geralt on the road with Jaskier and Milva at the end.

The issues

As I said, for me the problem is really the choice of pacing that makes some parts feeling dragged and others rushed. Particularly in episode 7. This is the most book accurate part with Ciri, but the pacing of what is before and after makes it odd. She is the only one we feel the passing of time for. The Brokilon part almost not. But technically days had passed too.

I understand what they did there, trying to make us feel her isolation, but putting two parts with different rhythms together that way was what makes it crumble. Making a parallel between Ciri's struggle and Geralt's would have maybe corrected the pacing, and just having scenes with places, travel from afar, something that links the time and space with the characters (they did that a bit with the first episode and that was great !). But distance and time is an ongoing problem on this show.

Speaking of time, note that in the books Geralt stays a long time in Brokilon healing. A month like. And he was in a very bad shape for a long time during this period. This is for those who are unhappy to have him stuck in a bed moaning for too long.

Then the last episode has the major shift from the book with Yennefer. The birth of the Lodge of the sorceresses has one of the best ending arcs and the most twisted storyline with dragged moments. I am not against Yennefer being in the heart of the Lodge with Philippa doing her things on the side, because I understand that having that part told without main character to connect with would be hard for a lot of people but the fact that Yennefer is used has a plot insert too many times irritates me.

The scene where she heals Geralt for example is one that I don't like. In terms of emotions, this is great. But for Geralt this is wrong. I hope the healing is not complete, for S4, like in the books. Because the fact that he is experiencing phantom pain is a part that makes his journey psychologically interesting.

Now, that said !

And this is where I'll develop the good parts for me. And I am sorry if I become (even) more sarcastic but you know… I do what I can with my bleeding heart in front of so much hatred.

The arcs

This is where a lot of people sadly give reason to Tomek about the need for simplification, in my opinion.

They did simplify the plots, true that, but as soon as there are some under layers to dig, this is the big farewell of the crowd. Because I read things like : volume 2 is empty. Geralt is barely in it or without depth. They did wrong to him.

Know that if they really had stopped where Time of Contempt ends, then you would have just Ciri in the desert and the Rats. Final dot (cf my picture).

And if this is empty to you, maybe this is because you've erased the plotlines from your memory, or defining a character the way it is done in the book is not for you.

The series plays with circular references and mirroring characterisation but I guess this is unimportant. Lazy. Irrespectful. Uncaring. Or whatever. Because this is not forefront.

Maybe you wanted more than a rampage at a post frontier and the walk into the mist. I can understand that this is not satisfying in terms of fulfillment for his presence, I really can, but there is closure for his arc too in there.

But maybe you missed the full circle in this part of the journey for him too. And if you didn't. Maybe you don't care. I don't know...

I am not above anybody else. I watch things with my own perspective. Maybe you think I am stupid or currently arrogant or overlooking things. So be it. I am the stupid one then. I don't mind. But I'll do it anyway. I'll do my shitty analysis. So many scream. I have the right to stand my ground for what I appreciate. Who would read this anyway…

So let's get into the thematics and dig everyone's plotlines, shall we. I will divide this into parts and develop many characters through those aspects.

Blood family vs found family

Vulnerabilities

Loyalty and betrayal

Clinging onto the past and repeating history

Blood family vs found family

In the last part of S3, several characters have a defining moment about family. And they are mirroring each other within their relationships. They have been setup early in the previous seasons.

The accent is put on the found families and how strong their links are. For some more than blood. And then how sometimes, blood heritage goes against that.

We have obviously THE found family. Ciri, Yennefer and Geralt, extended to Jaskier (thank god!). They have all left their blood family behind. Book Jaskier not totally but the series one seems to.

The trio of Destiny as I like to call them, are three orphans linked by destiny but fighting it in the first place. This is only when they accept it that the family emerges. And this is a strong one. Their issues with their blood family define a part of their actions and how they grow.

Geralt was abandoned. In response to that trauma he printed in himself the will of never to do that to Ciri ever ! (vol 1). Even in the letter he wrote to Yennefer, he tells her that this is the first time he experiences real fear. And this fear is to lose Ciri and her… Losing against Vilgefortz made this fear a reality. So now in Brokilon when he is trying to walk back to Ciri even when he can't is the display of his desperation. He has to accept that despair first so he can heal enough to actually have a chance to succeed. This desperation transforms into rage that can burst at any time. He is calm on the surface, but a boiling volcano inside.

White Knight complex and neutrality (side note). In S1, in Blaviken we established that Geralt has a white knight complex and he tells the story to Renfri of how he chose neutrality, telling her a story that illustrates that. He saved a young girl from a rapist. And while he thought he did the right thing he ended up being the one treated like a monster. That is why he chooses not to get involved again. Renfri's story showed him that not taking a side was impossible but he sticked with it anyway. Neutrality became his mojo and tried to live with that, even teaching it to Ciri. Renfri's broach was a reminder of that silent promise he made to himself. And the Thanedd coup is the pinnacle of that resolution and desire to protect. Till the end he won't pick a side. But when he failed against Vilgefortz everything crumbled.

The last scene we have with him, that rampage doesn't come from nowhere as a lot likes to think. The soldier suggests he would rape the girl. And that's what triggered his rage. Yeah the same story that made him who he was… I guess this stupid and empty…

The broach he leaves behind is the symbol of the neutrality he abandons. He is a man with a huge scar inside and the only thing that can soothe him is finding his daughter.

Jaskier says it out loud beforehand in case you would miss what to come : the war outside is nothing in front of what Geralt would unleash on this Continent to find his daughter.

The arc of neutrality is closed. Time for a new one. A hurt dad, a warrior, roaming the Continent to find the child he promised never to abandon. No depth at all in the writing of this arc… yep yep.

But this is not the only layer of Geralt. We will see that in another point.

Now Yennefer. She has the easiest arc to get. Her blood family sold her and in her struggle to get control over her own life she hurt the two found families she had. First Tissaia whose mother side became apparent when she had to take the same responsibilities with Ciri. Then Geralt and Ciri when she succumbs to Voleith Meir. But her redemption arc fulfills her need to be a mother. Even if she fails finding Ciri and leaves that task to Geralt (which is a plot hole in a way*), she comes full closure with her motherhood duties.

And she has a beautiful and powerful new goal and it is turned toward the found family. She will make sure to make the world a better place for her to return to. Isn't that some of the strongest push parents can experience ? The need to make the world better for their children ?

(*) In the books, Yennefer is incapacitated so it is logical that she is unable to find her. Here they will need to find a good explanation.

The arc of Yennefer circles and mirrors the one with Tissaia in a very emotional way. For a part, this is one the lesson she gave to Ciri and the one she took so long to understand. Without control, power is nothing. When you have control you can move mountains.

The first day in Aretusa, Yennefer tries to commit suicide because she feels that taking her own life is the only thing she can control. Tissaia tells her that doing so, she didn't have control, she was losing it. And the rectoress did the exact same thing at the end… (she lets go for other reasons though)

Ciri is at the core of the found family and she lost every one of her blood family. Emhyr is the last one and you can't say this is a nice perspective. Yet she doesn't know. Then she grew being afraid of her own heritage. Her bloodline is terrifying to her and makes her feel like a monster. And she is trying to make the best of it, expressing idealistic thoughts and wishes.

The found family is her last grip on feeling safe and having a life. She clings onto them with everything she has. She is so afraid to lose them too. And… it happens. Her mojo is to find them.

Hallucinating, in the desert she confronts her blood ancestors who push every button of her insecurities. When she relinquishes her powers, this is her last stand to protect her found family from herself. She doesn't want to be Falka and burn the world down and them with it.

But then when she kills for the first time, she loses herself. The importance of a life was one of the last of Geralt's lessons, but she succumbs to a penchant to like killing (see her face when she killed the echnea) buried deep inside, exactly like Falka. That's why she chooses to call herself after her.

For those who find this too easy, that she should be used to visions and not break. OK then, get in the same state of desperation, get lost in a desert for days, hallucinate and try to stay strong. Too long ? I thought she broke easily…

One of the things that was so touching, on the first part of that desert wandering, was how much she tapped into her found family teachings. Geralt and her witcher brothers for survival skills. Yennefer for magic. And Jaskier… for comfort.

So now Jaskier. He is a different kind of protector. We don't know much of his past in the series to know about his siblings and past traumas but the found family is everything to him. This season proves it even more blatantly. He chose Geralt as his family very early on but the real turn into a proper family member dynamic appears with Ciri. The fun uncle or even big brother.

From S2, we saw him develop a strong protector side to his personality. He is willing to help those in need. The elves. Yennefer… Also he kind of protects Geralt, even under torture. S3, within the found family he isn't the strongest member. The weakest we could say. But we see that protector side to him, in the fights for example. Helping the wounded to get to safety. Or pushing people out of the way (Valdo or the last fight with Geralt). Or even helping Radovid returning home after a heartbreak...

Ciri has the strongest protectors possible. Geralt and Yennefer. And they are teaching her their skills. She has enormous latent power. What can a simple bard do ?

Answer : he protects the last drop of childhood she has. He is the one she can be a normal child with. Playing games, even having fun of the parents (lessons of smiling, imitating them in the wood,...). He is a confort person that grounds her in her normality.

Being a comfort. This is what he does in the found family. For each member. But this is particularly moving to witness for that lost child. And hearing her sing the song he sings to her to help her sleep, trying to stay strong in the desert, tells how much he was important to her too.

The trio of Destiny isn't the only one that struggles between blood family and found family. We have other characters that are much defined by this dichotomy. Like Milva, Dara, Fringilla and Francesca.

For Milva, we just understand that her found family is the dryads, whatever happened to her and wants to forget. Dara has lost all his blood family because of one of Calanthe's army's raids. His found family is the elves led by Francesca, with whom he has a feeling of being with his kind again, until he understands the path she is taking will just send him in a very bad place. He is tired and tries to rebuild himself with the dryades.

Both of them highlight what is nursing inside of Geralt, for us to understand his last fight. Dara speaks about the hatred he carries and is going to destroy him if he doesn't stop. Milva makes him speak about Renfri and his neutrality paradox.

This is not a sign of erasing a character to make others speak in his presence and having some kind of defining moment. That character then reflects on the other, defining him by a mirroring effect. Sometimes in the same way, sometimes in the opposite direction. Heroes don't have to always say things out loud for that to exist in them. Maybe some thought that Dara and Milva were taking the spot. I did not.

Now for Fringilla and Francesca this is a bit more complex. And for them, they go down the other way around for a long time. Blood family first.

It begins with Fringilla whose uncle is a member of the Brotherhood. The magic school isn't much of a found family to her as she has an anchor there. After Yennefer switches kings with her, she ends up in Nilfgaard having a totally different life. She built strong links there and in a way she found guidance and purpose. While she tries to serve her emperor she meets the elves and makes a very strong friendship with Francesca. She begins to move forward and that alliance blossoms into something inspiring. Especially when she saves the elven bady.

But as soon as this baby is born, the loyalty of the elves shakes and what I believe was her kind of found family begins to drift away. Francesca says to her that she values their friendship but blood is more important. Fringilla will try to find the support of her uncle at some point but he refuses to help her.

This is when Fringilla becomes independent.

The rupture is particularly strongly displayed in S3 when she watches her uncle die without any feeling for him.

On the contrary, Francesca sticks by blood first at all coast, and she loses everyone brutally. Not that she is wrong or anything else to be that attached to her kind. This is just the way it turns out for her. And by the end of it, learning that Fringilla hid the real murderer of her baby, she ends up pushing her from her life, severing the last link of possible family outside her kind. She is alone with her vengeance burning inside of her. Pretty much like Dara described it. Pretty much like an old part elf woman who let the rage consume her… Mirrors again.

Vulnerabilities

Maybe the biggest character who shows vulnerabilities and is able to demonstrate love is Jaskier. This is the obvious one. And I will probably make a separate post analyzing him and Radovid this season, because the games of masks plays a big role in Jaskier defense mechanism. Let's just say for the sake of this f.cking review that this so empty relationship for the majority is there to help us understand how and when he hides his feelings, how he speaks of real love…

He is probably the most open character to emotions and shows us a lot, but, even he, tries to hide his wounds to the others. For others.

So emotional shock after another, we can assess the damages and how strong he is for those he loves.

His main weakness, if I can call it that way, is his biggest strength too. Empathy. Makes him feel too much. And his love for others (especially Geralt) plunges him in deep vulnerable emotional states. This season, this is still the case, and to a great extent too. Don't get fooled by his levity, jokes and smiles.

But let's take a look at our trio of Destiny.

Ciri is vulnerable and afraid at first but she learns to hide it more and more, until everything is unveiled during Thanedd and the desert. She is so damaged by her abandon issues and she is living her worst nightmare. When she hallucinates, all of her ancestors push her buttons, poking at this particular pain she holds.

Yennefer has many issues and she is a insecure person empowered with strong chaos. We saw her struggle to free herself from everyone wanting to control her in S1, and on top of that to have her powers back in S2. That internal urge to be the one deciding about her own destiny, to be able to have a choice.

She goes to great lengths for that. Too far. Yennefer gives Ciri two valuable lessons based on her experiences. One about control and power. The other about making choices and their consequences.

And one thing I appreciate and shows growth in her character is that she lets the one she loves see when she is vulnerable and talk about it. Ciri, Geralt, Tissaia. Even Jaskier in her own ways, since S2.

But one of the biggest growth in that field is Geralt. If I wished they included more of the book's vulnerabilities early on for him (about the fact that he believes that his mutant condition excludes him to be worth his own emotions), they didn't cut it all and he had other vulnerabilities and insecurities worth the growth.

He is emotionally constipated and has problems expressing his feelings. Not the hiding part, when he is like, I am a rock, I don't feel, but more when he has to communicate his feelings.

In S1, he tries and fails with Yennefer at the mountain. But he shows a great deal of emotions, at the expense of Jaskier though. In S2, to help Ciri he has to open up. And we find him having deep introspective moments with Vesemir. Likewise, he is a bit more open to Jaskier with whom he shares his fears.

But in S3, for the first time, he expresses his feelings and exposes his vulnerabilities to Yennefer and they connect deeply then. Also when he is wounded and healing, he is open raw for a moment.

After that he brings back his kind of neutral face, but the last fight is one of the moments he bleeds what's inside.

Also like in the books, they show that even a character that strong can be broken.

This failure brings a lot out of Geralt for the future. He wants to die because of it ! He refuses healing because he wanted to die ! The only thing that kept him alive was to have news of Ciri and Yennefer. When Jaskier finally arrives (days after) this is what he asks only. He just wants to go knowing that they are well. He clutches Jaskier's wrist because he is his last hope to have this news. He empathises with him as he struggles to deliver the informations (that subtle stroke) but he needs to know. This is a silent "please tell me Jaskier".

Then he chooses to accept the healing when he knows Ciri is still in danger. He won't rest until she is safe.

But I get that the consensus is right. Moaning in a bed. Boring as fuck. No depth in it either.

Loyalty and betrayal

Here again I could speak for days about Jaskier. His portrait should be in the dictionary next to the definition of loyalty. Even in his faux pas, he doesn't betray because his heart is in the right place. When Geralt confronts him trying to push him to Redania, they simply have an honest discussion about it.

I could speak about Yennefer's betrayal also, trying to sacrifice Ciri in S2. But I wanna highlight some secondary characters that have arcs around this.

The first one is Cahir. At the beginning of the series, he is the definition of loyalty to his leader. He has almost a religious faith (S2). But the mission given to him leads him on a path to lose that faith. In S3, he is trying to get back to a position where Emhyr valued him, and he goes to the point of killing a friend to get there. The broken mirror symbolizes that moment of shift.

(This part I could have put in vulnerabilities but I won't come back on the character sonI put it all there)

He is mirroring Ciri in his fears. She had nightmares about him. He has nightmares about her. When they face, they face their own fears. When Ciri cannot kill him he kind of pledged her allegiance, setting up his obsession to join de Hansa to save her (they may drop the weird attraction thankfully).

For him to work fully, we needed maybe one more scene between the Thanedd coup and fighting with Ciri. This is Emhyr's lie about Fringilla's death and her last little push, telling him to think by himself, that cut the last string attaching him to his emperor. But Cahir cannot live that way. What he has done is too much, he needs to be free from his guilt. Hence he asks Ciri to take his life as a price to pay for the sufferings he caused her.

But this is not how she thinks (yet) and vengeance is not her solution. Winning the fight was enough for her to overcome her fear about him. She won a silent battle.

Cahir needs redemption so he goes by the only way he knows. He devotes himself to her. This can seem blurry because he has very little screen time this season. But here we are.

Francesca is loyal to her blood kind, but trying to find a way for her species to survive she betrays some of them, losing progressively the faith people have in her. The last one to have an undefective trust in her is Filavendrel because they share the same pain, I guess.

The dramatic turn for her is that she has to sacrifice the squirrels in order to save the others. So she kind of betrays them all at that point.

Though one of her last biggest sad moments is when Fringilla tells her the truth about Emhyr. The last scene they have together is hard. All is not black and white though we can understand Francesca's deep emotion and feeling of betrayal. This is not fair for Fringilla and this settles the down path for the queen of elves.

In the secondary characters we could play all day with Dijkstra and Philippa in terms of loyalty and betrayal. The frontiers are so blurred between them two. Dijkstra is loyal to Redania to a sick extent. Philippa plays by her own rules to the point that it is unclear who she is loyal to.

But the last but not least big loyalty betrayal moment goes to Vilgefortz and Tissaia.

Technically Vilgefortz is loyal to no-one. But he played for so long with Tissaia… Their story is the evil side of what could have been Geralt and Yennefer's if Yennefer had been truly malevolent. Tissaia is echoing the deepest hurt in Geralt's heart and rewinding everything why Geralt took so long to forgive Yennefer.

(Tissaia was way more developed in the series than in the books to help building the emotions for what is lost and internal struggles for other characters)

Clinging onto the past and repeating history

That you liked it or not, despite being not lore accurate, BO has a lot of circleling and mirroring meta. Elves being the oppressors of dwarves, and humain becoming the oppressor of everyone less. Or the funny parallels between the couple Eile/Fall and Jaskier/Geralt.

The simple story of Merwyn is an example that repeats itself in history. Francesca being her mirror through the length of another elven legend.

The elven queen is one character that is very changed from the books and has a strange setup for later parts with the lodge. But she echoes some other characters, and stories. There was a symbol in S2 with the white rose that was a foreshadowing of what would happen to her as it echoed Sherraewedd of whom we learn the legend of in S3. The same way that elven warrior did, she is the one that may lead her kind of a new path of extinction, sacrificing the squirrels to Emhyr for a land for the rest of them… Cintra in place of Dol Blathanna.

And in the same way if Merwyn who had the well being of her people in mind she clings too long onto legends of the past. Willing to find a new home for them.

Btw, she is set up as a vengeresse willing to burn the world down as everything she loved was taken from her. Does she not remind you of someone who could now do the same for his found family ?

She is the circling history for a part of elven history.

For the human part, still connected to the elves though we have Falka whose story is set up in S2 and nourishes Stregobor hatred. That burning hatred is seen in many characters with the effect it has on them. Ciri relinquishing her powers in order to prevent falling in that pit too is a first step to break the cycle but what is waiting for her is a pit of darkness.

Also we have Istredd the historian that digs to unveil the mystery around the monolithes. Very quickly said in S3 but he knows about the book of Monoliths. Vilgefortz knows already about it and he is yet to unlock their power. That's why he made Istredd prisoner during the coup. That mystery is one of the key component to BO story and the Wild Hunt that is now leaking in our dimension.

And those monoliths were there before the elves came. Dwarves and gnomes venerated them.

I know people are mad about this but I think this is an easy visual anchor for the gates between realities. And if you read the books you know who can travel through dimensions… So yeah. We are circling again there with this.

And now the Thanedd coup is the shock that finally destroys the old system but nothing emerges except chaos and favors Emhyr's. The wipe of the Brotherhood is also a not too subtle nudge to women getting free from patriarchy. In this battle we see the oldest and the male fall one after another. And in this mayhem I have to admit I loved Stregobor last stand. Delightfully twisted and satisfying.

Now there is one final point because one member of the old system has survived a little bit longer…

Tissaia has a bunch of lost children under her care. Every one of them rejects the model she is trying to preserve. She believes in the fragile peace they have created and maintained with the Brotherhood.

Fringilla sees another way with Emhyr and believes in his goal for quite some time, until she has the chance to evolve by herself and she discovers the true face of the emperor.

Working with Dijkstra, Philippa sees the crack in the old system. And she sees the opportunity to take a new turn as it crumbles.

Yennefer doesn't care about the system. She wants to regain control over her life. And she opposes Tissaia on a personal level. But doing so she adds cracks into the walls. She reconnects with her mentor when she becomes a mother to Ciri, seeing finally the mother in her she always has been. Yennefer doesn't protect the old system, fighting by Tissaia's side, she is fighting for her.

The final push that lead Tissaia to commit suicide is Yennefer saying that she is their mother and that they need her. Her children don't need her anymore. She is just a relic of the past. Because they love her, they cling onto her. But they have to fly. We see her abandoning her severe mask and going soft, accepting to lose control. She cuts herself the last string that holds them to the old system. And the Lodge of the Sorceresses is that : a new power emerging from the ashes of the old one.

And there so many other little parallels that I wish I would speak about. Little pieces for us to dig and get the layers under those characters. I didn't even get into the political part. But I have to stop somewhere because I am too long...

OK but why pointing out that repeating history, the past parasitizing the present, all the time. We are going nowhere. Do you think ?

Nenneke said to Ciri that she could be the key to ending the circle of hatred and the young woman idealized it. She doesn't know how. But she wants to put an end to all this. Does she succeed ?

Well I guess that no-one cares now.

The circle of hatred had won on this side of the spheres so...

Empty, without soul, unnecessary, diversity garbage, unfaithful, no actor good enough except one… you are so many so it means you must be right. But still I love this show. I can't help it.

I hope someone would appreciate the effort of the underlying structure of my garbage. Circle and parallels...

[fandom-junk-drawer]

The Witcher Headcanon (Modern AU) - Upset - Part 1

(Whump fic disguised as a headcanon)

Jaskier was typically outgoing, charming, and had an amazing sense of humor. He was good-natured and wasn't one to get upset easily. Except when it came to Valdo Marx. That a**hole was a completely different story!

But Jaskier did get angry, or sad, or got his feelings hurt, like any normal person. And while he did get upset, he was also quick to forgive his friends. He may not forgive himself as quickly or easily, but would always forgive the people closest to his heart.

He had even forgiven Geralt for abandoning him on the mountain, but Geralt wasn't so sure Jaskier was going to forgive him for this...

Geralt and Jaskier had just pulled into the driveway when Jaskier had been called away for band business. He'd jumped out of Van Roach, broken the world's speed record for showering, thrown on clean clothes, and headed over to their little studio.

Geralt had been left to unpack everything from their recent roadtrip: two weeks on the Path, hunting monsters in Temeria. He was tired, but he had to get the van cleaned out and restocked for the next trip. He gave it a good vacuuming, took out all the empty food containers and packaging, and tossed all the empty cans and bottles.

He shampooed the carpet and seat where Jaskier had spilled his drink after Geralt hit the brakes quite suddenly, on purpose, after Jaskier kept forgetting to put his seatbelt on, and wouldn't stop putting his feet up on the dashboard. Jaskier had folded in half with a surprised shriek, and Geralt had to stop to pull his a** out of the footwell.

Geralt restocked the medical supply cabinet, then bundled all the bedding up and shoved it into the washing machine. Was it overloaded? Most likely. Was Yen going to be mad? Not if she didn't find out. Geralt left the machine to do its job and f**ked off to go do something else until it was time to dry everything.

After half an hour of sitting in front of the tv, he heard the washing machine stop, so he peeled himself off the couch and went to shove everything in the dryer. He was pulling the blankets and sheets out when he saw it...

Geralt experienced a mental pause while his brain devoted most of its function into verifying that what his eyes were seeing was really true.

Then came the wave of panic as he carefully pulled the blanket out of the washer. Ohsh*tohsh*t! It had gotten mixed in with the other bedding, and he hadn't noticed! Sh*t! Oh gods! Were the tattered spot worse, or had they always looked like that? Ohhhhhhhhhh.....

Yennefer was out in her herb garden when she heard Geralt swear loudly and emphatically, "FFFFAAAAAAAHHHHKKKKKHHHH!!!!". She ran inside immediately, and heard him swear again in the laundry room.

She flung door open, voice raised in righteous fury, "You better not have overloaded the washing manchine again, Geralt!", and froze on the spot when she saw Geralt standing there, holding a blanket.

Yennefer gasped, experiencing the same panic as Geralt when she recognized the familiar, but now much cleaner looking ratty blanket. That wasn't just any blanket. It was Jaskier's blankie. And Geralt had just washed it! Their eyes locked, and a single thought passed between them,

oH sH*T!

They both knew the significance of what had just happened. They were f**ked. There was no way to fix this. Geralt's brain made a valiant effort though, and coughed up an absurd, but simple solution.

"Yen, quick, magic it back to the way it was!"

"What?!"

"Just...I don't know, put the...the 'yuck' back on it!"

"You want me to just magic decades of drool, dirt, sweat, and gods know what else back on to it? What the f**k, Geralt?"

"Ok, ok, then at least put the stink back on it so it will smell like it did before I accidentally washed it!"

"I can't, you nimrod! I don't know what it smells like!"

Geralt gave the blanket an experimental sniff. That one corner still smelled funky to him. Maybe it was going to be okay.

Yennefer burst his bubble. "He's not a Witcher! He doesn't have your sense of smell!" She took a sniff herself. All she could smell was lavender and linen. "And I don't either!"

"D*mn, it's a little...uh...ragged too!" Yennefer groaned, looking at the bits where some of the old, slapped on patches had frayed and pulled away from the other bits of fabric. There were stringy bits, and small areas where the old batting was showing through.

Geralt felt his heart sink with dread. The blankie was mostly in one piece, just a little 'battle worn', but it was still obviously damaged and would need repair.

Oh, f**k, we're...f**ked!"

They were very much f**ked because that was when Jaskier walked in. He knew something was wrong. He could sense dread and urgency through Yennefer's mental link as soon as he walked into the house.

Jaskier opened the laundry room door and froze. He saw Geralt holding his blankie. Saw the open door of the washing machine. Saw the ragged look of his blankie. Smelled laundry soap. And put one and one together.

"You...you...washed it..." he said, his voice small and flat. Geralt and Yennefer both flinched. Jaskier slowly reached out and took the damp blanket from Geralt's hands. He started trembling then, and Geralt could smell the distress coming off him. It was making him sick to his stomach.

Jaskier ran his hand over one frayed patch where the stitching had given way, his thougths racing as he tried to both process what had happened, and simultaneously come up with a way to fix it.

"Jask, I-!" Geralt began to try to explain, reaching over to lay a comforting hand on Jaskier's shoulder.

Jaskier jerked away from him, "No!" he barked, his voice rough and tight. He was shaking now.

"No..." he whimpered, his voice sounding small and broken. Yennefer gasped when, out of pure distress, he started banging his fist on his head and repeating "No" over and over.

Geralt grabbed his wrist, "Hey! Stop it!"

Jaskier twisted and jerked, then tensed up as he felt a familiar pain flare in his chest. "F**k you!" he cried, suddenly angry. "F**k you, Geralt! F**k you!"

"Geralt, his chest-!" Yennefer said quickly, feeling the pain through their link.

Geralt immediately released his grip.

Jaskier stumbled as Geralt let go. He took a step back and bumped up against the counter, sliding down to sit on the floor. He felt light-headed.

"Breathe, Jaskier..." Yennefer said, her voice full of concern. She crouched beside him and lightly slapped at his cheek until he blinked and took a breath.

Yennefer tried to press her hand to his chest, to feel if those ribs had separated from his sternum again, but he turned away from her slightly.

"Let me see, Nightengale. Please?" She asked quietly.

Jaskier shook his head and hugged his damp blanket to his chest, sniffling and trying to get a hold of himself. "Get out." he said quietly after a minute.

"Jaskier," Yennefer said gently, pulling on his hand when he started fisting his hair. "Let's get your blankie in the dryer, okay?"

He didn't look at her, just stared at the floor numbly, holding his wet blanket, eyes glistening with tears.

"Jask?" Geralt rumbled softly.

"Just f**k off, both of you. Please."

Geralt looked at Yennefer, who nodded. They quietly left the room...

[ladyannemarie5]

Have you listened to Labyrinth by Taylor Swift?

Specifically where she sings

Uh oh, I'm falling in love (with surprise)

Oh no, I'm falling in love again (angry, sad)

Oh, I'm falling in love (resignation, hope)

My new headcanon is that Jaskier went through these same phases with Radovid.

Uh oh, I'm falling in love (surprised to think that his heart fell for the prince).

Oh no, I'm falling in love again (angry and sad because that just means a broken heart, again)

Oh, I'm falling in love (resigned and hopeful because that means his heart can be happy once again and because, as a bard, he knows that love is love).

[henrycavillobsessed]

Here are my thoughts on yesterday’s news…

  Now I’ve had time to process it, I am in no way angry at Henry. I care deeply for his physical and mental wellbeing. I know the filming of The Witcher took it’s toll on him physically, with the dehydration, the injuries, the long days full of stunts, and if that became too much for him then who am I to want him to continue, of course his health comes first. Also, I know it could also be creative differences that made him want to leave; that man has been described as a “Witcher bible”, he literally begged for the job, he played the games beforehand, read the books, he is Geralt of Rivia! But what has probably happened is the writers have taken the storyline too far away from the source material and if Henry wasn’t happy with that then of course he should walk. Or it could be because he’s going back to being Superman… but whatever, I’m just speculating. The man can do whatever he wants, it’s his life.

  Saying that though, for myself personally, I am sad and disappointed and that’s because it was Henry who made me a huge fan of The Witcher. After I saw the show for the first time I played The Witcher 3 on PS4 and have played it five times since, I even got an Xbox 360 just to play The Witcher 2. I’ve read the books and am currently rereading them. I’ve bought merch and have a whole shelf in my bedroom dedicated to The Witcher. Hell, I set up this blog and @yen-geralt-jaskier​ purely because watching Henry in that show awoke something in me that had been missing for a long time, it made me passionate about something again, it made me get back into writing, I made gifs, I well and truly fell in love with the whole Witcher universe and Henry himself. I’m worried now I’ll lose the way I feel about it when it’s not Henry playing The Witcher himself, because even though I was unhappy with how the storyline deviated from the books (Yennefer’s storyline especially) I still enjoyed season two as an addition to The Witcher universe because of Henry himself and how he plays Geralt, and his chemistry with the other characters, especially Ciri. This news hasn’t given me much confidence that season three will be true to the books at all but I will watch it and love it because of Henry. I will still watch season four because of Joey and Anya and Freya, and I will give Liam a chance, but I’m not holding out a lot of hope because how could it possibly still be the same to me the way it is now?

  So yeah, I’m sad. I feel like my comfort blanket has been ripped away from me and I’m scared, and I know that’s daft, but that’s how much this stupid show means to me and yesterday’s news did in fact break my heart a little a lot.

[shy-urban-hobbit]

For day 3 of Whumptober - journal.

(CW canon character death).

Lambert placed the empty box on the bed as he took in the room he hadn't entered in over a year. It used to be their room, but after Aiden....he just hadn't been able to stand sleeping alone in there and had enlisted his brothers help in moving his stuff into the guest room, requesting that they leave anything of Aiden's exactly where it was. This time though, he'd kept his plans for the day to himself and purposely silenced his phone as an extra precaution. One or more of his family would only insist on coming over, or drop by on some flimsy pretence (last time it has been Jaskier asking to borrow a cook book when everyone knew the man could burn water) and whilst it was something he usually loved them for, this was something he needed to do alone.

The sweater hanging off the back of the chair was just as soft as he remembered, although he couldn't decide whether he was relieved or sad that it's owners scent had long faded. The shirts in the wardrobe were still hanging in the very specific order that made no sense to Lambert but Aiden insisted on, as were the t-shirts and trousers. He should probably donate these to somebody at some points but right now it was a small victory getting them packed away in a box to be stored away. Baby steps, that's what the grief counselor had said.

Aiden's bedside table was next. An amalgamation of organised clutter. The second hand paperback he'd been reading, alongside his reading glasses. A strip of the painkillers for the frequent headaches he suffered from (ironically, usually caused by trying to read without his glasses. Something Lambert would tease him about endlessly). The wallet one of the siblings Aiden had still been in touch with had gifted him one Christmas, alongside a bunch of expired bank cards, store cards and receipts that he put to one side to go in the trash.

A familiar book bound in blue leather tucked to the back of the drawer caught his attention. Not a day had gone by where he hadn't seen Aiden scribbling in that. He'd never been precious about keeping it hidden, telling Lambert he was free to look although most of it was probably just lists and doodles. Half joking that if he had any earth shattering secrets, he wouldn't be writing them down considering that one of the first things that got drilled into him when he got involved with Dyn Marv as an angry, confused pre teen was "'Never write anything down that could be used as evidence". Lambert had never taken him up on it before, out of respect for Aiden's privacy even though he'd said it was fine. Now though...who knows? Maybe there was something in here that could provide answers to questions he wasn't even sure why he was still asking.

He flicked it open at a random page. Aiden's hand writing stated back at him in a sparkly green pen. The list made absolutely no sense without any context, a list of foods all beginning with the letter C. The following pages were much the same until he came across a note written in what appeared to be Sharpie of a time and place Lambert knew very well. The time and place of their first official date. Lambert flicked further, Aiden's random notes to himself becoming more frequently interspersed with actual entries. A couple of paragraphs of Aiden gushing like a lovesick teen the morning after he'd first spent the night, even though they'd done nothing more than sleep. A drawing of a coffee cup accompanied only by the words "He remembers my order!!!". An entire page devoted to how nervous Aiden was about meeting Lambert's family. Anecdotes were now accompanied by matching doodles. A roughly drawn penguin alongside a story about a zoo trip that has Lambert smiling at the memory. A sudden return to less frequent entries, back to the original lists and the writing borderline sloppy, reminding Lambert of a period he'd rather forget. The fight and consequent break up that had followed. The tentative influx of entries hinting at when they'd decided to give it another go. Pages full of furniture lists and budgets from when they'd decided to move in together. A childishly drawn sun from when Ciri had gotten hold of it that one time. Instead of getting mad, Aiden had laughed and asked her to sign it, hence the big "C" in crayon in one corner ("A Ciri original. Could be worth a bit someday.").

Lambert felt tears gathering in his eyes. For all Aiden's talk of leaving no evidence, what was this if not evidence of how happy he'd been with Lambert, of their lives together, the life they'd hoped to build written down plain as day?

"Lambert?" Eskel called out as he opened the door to Lambert's house using his spare key, Geralt following close behind flicking on the lights as he headed to the kitchen.

"Lambert, you in?" The larger of the two called out as he made his way upstairs, "Nobody's heard from you all day, we were getting worried. Geralt bought food if you're hungry!"

It was then he noticed the door to Lambert's old bedroom was slightly ajar, "Lambert?" He called softly, slowly swinging the door fully open and flicking the bedside lamp on.

His little brother was sat on the floor by what was once Aiden's side of the bed, tears falling freely as he quietly cried, an open book on the floor in front of him.

"Oh, Lam." Eskel cooed, dropping to his knees and gently pulling him into a hug. A hug which turned even tighter when he caught the words written on the page in Aiden's writing. Something about how he'd accidentally found the ring a week ago and couldn't wait for Lambert to pluck up enough courage to ask.