redainianbard:
“oh, y’know just… around.” Jaskier didn’t have a solid living arrangement right now, but he wouldn’t admit that. “I’ve been occupying my time in the only way I know how. Drinking, Singing and Whoring my way through the life I now lead..”
Jaskier was slightly drunk. but it didn’t make him feel better, the burning of the spirits down his throat, only dulled his senses momentarily.
Waving down the bartender for another drink, Yennefer shook her head with a little chuckle. Around, she didn’t need to read his mind to know that meant he didn’t have a place. Jaskier had rarely been tough for her to read. If she was a better person, maybe she would have invited him in. But she wasn’t better, and, besides, she already had Ciri to watch after.
“Earth’s treating you well then?” the question was slightly sarcastic, but mostly sincere. The arrival of a new brightly coloured drink made Yennefer grin and greedily take another sip the moment her fingers were secured around the glass. “Did Geralt make you want to leap spheres as well? Or was that solely a feeling of my own?”
wickedpotions:
HER EYES WERE RATHER PRETTY. in the sense that dean would probably end up drawing them, or drawing something inspired by them. It wasn’t every day that you met someone with purple eyes, though truth be told he was surprised it didn’t happen more often in the Wizarding World. Magic would make it so easy. ❝ I mean, you add on that the no-nose guy was also the worst kind of person and started two wars - yeah no ballads written about him. Stories to scare children and war songs, maybe. ❞
ART DID COME FROM FEAR AS MUCH BEAUTY, but the art that came from fear was so often kept locked away. Dean knew it too well, from personal experience. The nightmarish drawings in his sketchpad that he never flipped back to from the months on the run. From the months after getting back home.
❝ WANDS DON’T SEEM POPULAR IN THIS TOWN, ❞ dean said, taking his time to feel over each piece that was there. ❝ Which I get, but it’s kinda a shame. There’s a lot of beauty in wand work. I find beauty in all kinds of magic, though. Suppose that’s why I have this project. ❞
Yennefer shrugged, because in all honesty she knew very little about the composition of music. She had never paid it too much mind, though there were a few ballads written about her back home. Dean’s attention wasn't the first captured by her vibrant eyes and dark hair, and his wouldn’t be the last.
“Personally,” the woman said as she adjusted a few items on a nearby shelf, “I’ve never felt wands to be of much use for the form of magic I channel. They limit my capability. But, I have met a few who were aided by it. Many people, and I use that word loosely here, in this town, they don’t just use magic, but they are magic. A concept I, myself, find very interesting.”
She looked to him, then to the display he was combing through. She had never been fond of wand work, so it was intriguing to glimpse even a small part of the process. “It sounds a quite interesting concept to make a piece on. I applaud it-- or I would, if I was the applauding type.”
ofmvoonlight:
Writing down the number into his phone as a new contact, he smiled to himself. Yeah sure he did feel rather stupid asking for her number like that. But it was the only way he could remember her. Because her voice was the most sweetest of sounds and it always made him feel so at peace whenever he had his dreams. And now that he had heard her speak in real life.. yeah he was done for. No one had ever made him feel like this before. No other woman or man. And that was a sign, right?
Looking up just in time to see the sun lower into the horizon, he almost forgot how to breathe. Because the sight before him was more beautiful than any work of art. Her eyes, her hair, her face and her entire being was just so gorgeous. It would bring anyone to their knees, that’s for sure. Maybe she already knew that.
Taking the picture, he then cleared his throat. “Giving people your number or kissing them?” Geralt asked.
One of these days, Yennefer told herself, I’ll learn not to run from my problems. It was all she had ever known to do. The problems of others were easy; the mage had no problems taking a side for the purpose of money or promises. Her own were different.
Amused, she gave a little shake of her head, “Not the kissing. That's commonplace.” A part of her knew that comment would likely spark a bit of jealousy in him. Another part of her liked that. “But I don’t give my number. Or make a fool of myself by crying in the street. Or any of this. I just keep walking.”
Yennefer didn’t know if she actually wanted him to call or not, and even if he did, she didn’t know if she had it in her to answer.
shallowmagics:
It was stupid to believe Geralt. Back home, believing her father was a matter of her own life or death. Trusting Geralt meant Ciri had a much better chance of living. Even if it scared her in the process. She had spent longer than she thought with him that day, holding onto that same hope.
If she was with Geralt, she was safe.
Cirilla had never imagined one of her core tenants would shatter around her like broken glass.
“I know, I know I shouldn’t.” But she wanted to.
“I liked it better when I thought he was on a different sphere,” she muttered, dark and low. Selfish, she knew but Ciri would say anything, wish for anything, in order to contain the gaping wound in her chest.
If Yennefer could’ve stopped the pain herself, she would’ve. She wanted to find every one of the fragmented pieces around her daughter, to take them on as her own; for those she couldn't take, she would file them down until they couldn't do harm any longer. Ciri was the only person she could ever fathom doing such a thing for.
“I preferred it that way too. It was much easier like that.” Her fingers continued smoothing down her back, until she decided to make a little attempt at capturing Ciri’s attention. A wisp of concentrated pale smoke came up from one of the few burning candles in the room. Though the fire was not its source, Yennefer was. It grew in size until it was nearly the size of a basketball. It danced around the living room in the shape of little animals and birds and figures.
“I think the pair of us deserve a Skellige beach vacation after all of this. Don’t you?”
wickedpotions:
┊ ┊ ┊ ┊ ┊
ZSASZ COCKED HIS HEAD SLIGHTLY TO THE SIDE. he took the woman’s words as a compliment, even if he hadn’t been expecting them. ❝I don’t think everyone would agree with you there, but most of them are … stuck up in their ideas and morals. People who are willing to look past that tend to think I’m pretty smart though.❞
HE KNEW HIS STUFF. he knew weapons, he knew how to kill. You could put him in an empty room and he could still come up with three ways to murder someone else. At least. People like Jimbo wouldn’t appreciate that. Or Slim Jim would pretend he didn’t appreciate it because he’s ❛morally❜ ❛superior❜. Whatever that was supposed to mean. ❝ It certainly fits you well. Looks like it was something you were meant to have. And in this town, you can’t ever be too careful when it comes to protecting yourself. Most things take it as a - stay outta my way and I’ll stay outta yours. But sometimes things get weird. ❞
⊱ ──────────── {⋆⌘⋆} ──────────── ⊰
With a small laugh, Yennefer shook her head in amusement, “Yes, well, most people tend not to agree with me on many of my standpoints. No surprise there.”
While she absently examined the other weapons on the table, she thought on his words. How were people here managing to unknowingly spew things that boiled down to be about destiny? Even if it was a figure of speech, Yennefer was starting to hate the idea of ‘meant to be,’ even with something as minute as a blade. It didn’t crush her spirits too much, as she was much too pleased with her find.
His advice made well enough sense; it was similar to how certain cities were back on The Continent. People were still people, after all. Her hands retreated from the weaponry, and fingers tapped against the edge of the counter, “You sound like you speak from experience. What sort of weird?”
simcnsncwsalisbury:
@bombadills Yennefer & Simon
Simon’s never been one to let things be. If something big is happening then you can bet that he’ll find away to get involved, because it’s what he was raised to do. Magick or no magick, it’s still who he is. Even more so when it’s directly affecting him. Something’s been done to his memory and for some reason, The Bubbling Cauldron is the one place he keeps coming back to day after day. He hasn’t dared to go in until today.
He steps into the shop and there’s a woman he doesn’t recognize. It’s not like it was with that other lady, where something about her tugged at his heart. There’s no familiarity when he looks at her, but he still stops and stares if only for a moment. Her eyes are genuinely beautiful. Are they contacts, Simon wants to ask but that might come across as rude. And anyway he’s got more pressing things to ask. Focus, Simon.
He clears his throat and takes a step forward. He hits one of the shelves with his wings almost knocking a few items over and yup- he’s definitely done that before. Simon grimaces and works to fold up the wings as much as he’s able. ❝ Sorry. I just came here because. I guess I wanted. I need to ask you something. ❞ He takes a look around and there’s certain things he recognizes, like the spot in the back used for tarot readings. He’d been tempted to get reading once.
Simon carefully makes his way around the shop until he’s standing in front of whoever this is supposed to be.
❝ I used to come here a lot. I think. Do we know each other? ❞
Life hadn't gotten easier for Yennefer as more of her little family had showed up in town; quite the opposite in fact. Geralt didn’t know who she was, even after trying to surface his memories herself, which meant he was on her mind much more than a self respecting woman would ever like to admit. The stress was exacerbated as it was affecting her daughter as well as herself. It was hard enough parenting the stubborn little witcher on her own without the memory addled father added into the mix.
The only thing left in her life which remained even remotely simple was her job. Yennefer had hated it when she had first arrived to town, simply because she hated being told what to do and how to act. But she found those who worked there to be nice enough company, and a shop couldn’t lose its memory and stare at her blankly as if she was barely there, so it had grown on her greatly within the past month.
Yennefer had been in the back with her nose buried in one of the tomes from the employee bookcase when she heard the door. A moment of shuffling things around later, she made her way up to the front. She looked over the newcomer, curiosity lighting up her eyes. Brow furrowing at his words, she crossed her arms, “Go on.”
She briefly glanced at the little mess of things knocked over behind the boy before settling her violet eyes on him. “I’ve never seen you before. I’m sure I’d remember. But if its any consolation, I’m newer in town. Perhaps one of the other employees would know you.”
ofmvoonlight:
Normally he wasn’t this nervous around someone. But then again he didn’t really try and seek out conversation with other people, no he mostly tried to stay in the shadows. But not when it came to Yennefer. No when it came to her all he wanted to do was stand in the sunlight and be seen for the first time in forever. He didn’t want to just exist anymore. He wanted to actually live.
“Ah yes yes the memory thing” Geralt rolled his eyes at himself as he looked at his phone. “Tell me your number and I will write it down as a contact. I will take a picture of you and use it as my contact picture. In a way I will remember you the second I call you” he smiled.
Exhaling a laugh, Yennefer looked away for a moment. This felt so childish, so monumentally stupid. What were they doing? What did they hope to accomplish here? She hadn’t a clue where this could go, nor what she could do. Seeing Geralt like this was worse than if he was stuck on another sphere. At least he wouldn’t look at her like that, making her feel sick with every sweep of his gaze.
She gave him her number, and looked him over again. An unnatural wall was between them, and she wanted for naught more than to knock it down.
The sun was beginning to lower, casting golden rays on the back of her head, highlighting the dark curls of hair that tumbled down her shoulders. It lit his eyes too, which made her silently curse herself for not having the guts to look away for long. She could be a foolish woman. “I hope you know, I don’t do this sort of thing often.”
wickedpotions:
DEAN KNEW THE DANGEROUS OF THIS PROJECT. it’s why he had a million precautions set up already. He was working on it in the back garden, not the house. He was going to put some of the spells he’d learned while he was on the run around it, in order to protect people if things did go wrong with the ingredients. But he was also excited, because if went right it was going to be beautiful on multiple levels. Maybe he could seek out Professor Lupin. Harry had said he was here, though younger. He’d always been wicked smart about those kinds of things.
❝ YEAH, SALLOW HILLS IS WEIRD. in the best kind of way though. I feel excited about learning things again, about experiencing things. ❞ He glanced over at her. ❝ I wouldn’t have called you weird. I mean, they eyes aren’t exactly normal but I’ve seen stranger. Saw a dude without a nose who thought he was hot shit. ❞
HE MOVED OVER TO THE WOODS WITH EXCITEMENT. he wished there was a clientele for wands here, because he did miss working on them. He missed working with Ollivander in his stuffy back room, feeling the way the woods and cores felt. Spending hours carving and crafting. ❝ These are perfect. Some of these unfinished ones are exactly what I need. ❞
Excited was not the word Yennefer would use when describing the town they were in. Stifling? Yes. Dull? No question. Tiring? Constantly. But exciting was nowhere near that list of descriptors. To each their own she supposed. She stepped away from the display, giving him some room to look over everything without her hovering.
“I wouldn’t call them strange. Enchanting maybe,” Yennefer grinned at that. “No nose? That does sound unfortunate. Much uglier than a pair of purple eyes. Songs have been written about these eyes, you know? I doubt anyone's writing a ballad about some noseless person.” A hand unconsciously reached up and rubbed the opposite shoulder, a phantom ache of a malady that was no longer there.
His words brought her from memories of a childhood pig pen, back into the moment. His excitement was noticeable, and it made her smile a little. “Good, good, I’m glad we have what you’re after. You know, I think you're the first person I’ve had that's asked after this section.”
ofmvoonlight:
Did he want her to leave? No of course not. But she had a life to live and to be selfish and ask her to stay wasn’t really his thing. He didn’t want to ask for too much when all he had done was ruin things between them. Because that’s what he had done, right? Due to his oblivious state of mind, he must have ruined whatever the two of them had. There was no way someone could forgive him for forgetting who they were. Right? He didn’t want to assume but he couldn’t help but to worry that he had stepped over the line without even knowing.
“Oh right right. I am so sorry for keeping you” Geralt cleared his throat, trying to keep his composure. “Seems like time stopped the second my eyes met yours” and with that he looked down at his wrist watch and cringed. He was late, oh so late. How the hell would he explain to Louisa why he was late? Oh yeah I met a woman that makes me feel a hundred times better than you ever have.
No it would be best to bite his tongue and come up with a different explanation. “Can I have your number?” when he noticed how weird that sounded, he let out a groan and waved his hands. “Ah sorry I didn’t mean it in a creepy way. I just.. I want to actually keep in touch. I feel like you could help me remember”
Hair neatly tucked back into place, Yennefer sighed. “No matter. No need for apologies; it's far from the worst thing that's happened to me. Simply a little run in. Nobody’s fault.” Other than destiny’s. She nearly chuckled at the comment. He never had been good at flirting, or compliments, or many things of that nature.
“My numb- oh, yes.” The initial confused expression on her face melted into understanding. Despite having been there for months, mobile phones as a concept were still a little elusive to her. The earnest nature of the question made her laugh, not having expected such a schoolboy air to be about Geralt. “I want to keep in touch, though I’m no expert on memory. Do you want me to write it down for you or just let you put it in your mobile yourself?”
shallowmagics:
“If he ever gets here, you’re teaching him how to behave around technology . You brought it up, you get to handle him,” Ciri gave a laugh, but it was cut off too short. Being without her parents wasn’t what bothered her. Them having to bury her was what sat heavily in Ciri’s chest, having already come far too close to that fate in the past. She squeezed around Yenn’s hand once, more as a comfort to herself than her mother. “Neither of you will let that happen.”
The bed and breakfast came into view, Ciri leading her mother inside and to the door of her room. She was reluctant to separate contact from Yennefer, but practicality won out as she dug in her gym bag for her key to unlock the door.
The room was plain, pretty in an unoffending, universal sort of way. Thick curtains, light colors, light wood furniture. Ciri dropped her gym bag onto the small bed as she stepped inside, fishing out a slightly larger one to begin placing her meager belongings inside. “You can come in, I won’t be long. I didn’t see the need for much.”
Basic toiletries, a few changes of clothes, everything she had appeared with. Zireael, thankfully, was included with the latter. Leaving Cintra had taught her at least one thing, to pack light. Safety in one place was never a given.
Squeezing the hand in her own, Yennefer shook her head. “No, no we will not. So long as I have my way, and you know I always do, nothings happening to you.” Briefly, the phantom figures of The Hunt crossed her mind, but she dispelled it as fast as it came. They were spheres away, and the pair of them were stuck here. Ciri would be fine.
As she followed Ciri on the way to her room, Yennefer surveyed the people in the bed and breakfast. She liked to see who was where, who they were meeting, and to surmise the why behind it. In short: she was nosy.
When they got up to Ciri’s room, she slipped in when she was directed to. It was much the same as the one she had stayed in upon her own arrival. “When we get back to my flat, we’ll match up our schedules, and find a day where we can go out to the shops to get you some new things.”
wickedpotions:
ZSASZ DID UNDERSTAND THAT, VERY VERY WELL. ❝ i was trained to adapt in the moment to things going wrong. Things still are un-saveable at times, but I understand what you mean. You can’t plan for everything, and even if you do, the universe is chaotic and things will still go wrong. You just need to adjust and fix where you’re going. ❞
HE WATCHED HER CAREFULLY PICK OUT A BLADE AND BALANCE IT. yes, she did know exactly what she was doing. Which was good. The short swords didn’t get sold often, as they required a good bit of training. The people who did buy them, Zsasz suspected, just wanted to have a sword. But he liked having them in stock, if even just to have them here.
HE SQUINTED AT THE ONE SHE HELD IN HER HAND, going through the catalog in his head. ❝ That one is from one of the makers I contact in France. They specialize in swords, though I am only interested in the short ones. It’s a bit utilitarian, I know, but I’m sure you understand that they aren’t super popular here. ❞
Fingers roving the hilt of the blade, the mage looked to him, a little glimmer of intrigue still in her eye. “It's good.” She played with the grip of it for a moment before continuing, “It's good to know that somebody else around here has a decent head on their shoulders… or perhaps it's concerning. Either way, you’re one of a small few I’ve met here that could say they’ve got a brain and not come out of it looking idiotic.”
She hadn’t necessarily meant it as a compliment, more a statement of observation. Yennefer knew stupid. She had worked for her fair share of stupid for decades, and he simply wasn’t it.
“Well, I think this one suits me well. Hopefully, I shan’t need use of it, but you can never be too careful,” Yennefer set the blade down on the counter again.
ofmvoonlight:
Guilt, shame, longing and love. It was the emotions he felt when his eyes landed on her. The love part did confuse the man as once again; he had not met her before outside of his dreams. But maybe the dreams was enough to make him fall?
It was a good question, a great one even. But it was one he had no answer to which made things even more frustrating. Because all he wanted to do was hold her, kiss her and to tell her that everything would be alright. But how could he say such a thing when he didn’t know if that was the truth? Was it alright or was he in a weird state of denial? Yeah he only made things worse by asking himself all of these questions. And it didn’t make the conversation with Yennefer less awkward and strained.
“Not really. I have been alone for years. And around here especially so. But maybe that fits me. I have always been told I am rather grumpy”
“Because you are,” the comment came before she could think better of herself to bite her tongue. A half smile. “I don’t know if it fits you or not. I think one can only reap from life that of which they’ve sown.”
Yennefer tried to take all of him in: his stance, the shape of his shoulders beneath modern Earth clothing, the fall of his hair, the look in his eyes. She wondered what he was thinking, but found herself hesitant to take a peak in his head. She really only did it because the dry way he responded made her laugh, but she felt little like laughing now.
“I’ve interrupted your day.” A true enough statement. She didn’t want to end things, not really, but at the same time she wanted to run from him. Half to save her own heart, and half to see if he would come chasing after. Yennefer ran her fingers over the hard cover of the book she had originally come out for, not knowing the best move. She was snapped out of it when a little fumble caused one of the pages to cut her finger. She quickly retracted the hand and wiped it against her black coat to dull the feeling. Barely acknowledging it otherwise, she looked to him again. “The universe always seems to have plans for you, Geralt. You won’t be lonely forever.”
shallowmagics:
“He said he would visit me tomorrow,” Ciri murmured, eyes unseeing as she fixated on the wood grain of the floor.
Yes, she understood why. Her mother knew what she would do, Geralt’s memory loss be damned. The interaction might have gone even worse had Ciri known before. An ache still resided in her chest, but she knew that had been the best that conversation could have gone. How could she rationalize pouring her heart out when it would be meaningless the next morning?
Carefully, Ciri toed off her shoes, going to sit on the couch beside Yennefer. She fell into the embrace, wrapping her arms around her mother’s middle. Her face was buried in Yennefer’s side. “I want Father back.”
It was a rare occasion to see Ciri look so small. The weight of it seemed to be crushing down on both of them now, which was far from what Yennefer wanted. She had been sure there would have been shouting, yet this quiet resignation to it was somehow worse.
“Did he?” voice soft, not wanting to pry her open any more than she was willing. There was no comfort Yennefer could offer; she had none to give. “Don’t... hope is a fickle thing, Ciri. Be careful with it.”
The older woman watched her daughter carefully, feeling her heart ache inside her chest. Holding her was grounding. It kept her in the moment instead of allowing for her mind to wander a world away. Her arms tightened around the girl as she pressed her nose into white hair. Yennefer’s fingers danced up and down her back for a while before she had the courage to speak again, “I want him too, Cirilla. We’ll find a way out of this mess, I always do.”
wickedpotions:
NOT EXACTLY FROM AROUND HERE. that seemed like most people in this town. Hell, the Doctor was here. Sure, not one he’d ever watched but the Doctor nonetheless. This town was spiraling in its mysteries and magic, and the more Dean healed from his own pain and nightmares, the more he wanted to explore all of it. ❝ I’m not from here either. Where I’m from, crystals like this work more like a placebo than anything. Course, I’d never tell my sister that and if I can find spells to make them actually work, I would use them. But here - ❞
HERE HE WOULDN’T BE SURPRISED IF THE CRYSTALS REALLY DID HOLD SOME KIND OF LATENT POWER. one that he definitely didn’t want to mix with other conflicting powers. ❝ Thank you, really. I’ll probably pick out a black tourmaline and red jasper then and see which works the best. ❞ He took his time, seeing which of each he was drawn towards before picking them out. He placed them on the counter, then paused. ❝ This is going to be a strange request, but you don’t happen to have any woods here do you? I want to craft a coreless wand for the project, but there aren’t trees around that work for what I’m looking for. I was going to check the nursery, but if you have poplar, pear, or fir that would be wonderful. ❞
Magical items were, in Yennefer’s experience, temperamental. Conditions, stipulations, and specifications all had to be in conjunction, and that was made even harder for her to mentally calculate now she was on a different sphere. It was hard for her to say anything for sure here.
“I’ve no clear idea on the power of them in this place, either, but belief in something alone can be powerful in its own right.” Spells, so he could use Chaos as well. There were more magically adept people here than Yennefer had originally thought, though she didn’t know if it was comforting, or something to keep an eye on. “I’m glad to help,” she wasn't particularly, but that's what a good sales associate would say, so she made it sound convincing enough.
It took a moment to think on his question. Six months there, yet some of the store’s contents remained a little elusive. In fairness, it was brimming with a wide variety of things. “I don't know if you've noticed, but everything here is a little strange, myself included,” her voice was light. Taking a little walk around the center, Yennefer stopped in front of a shelf with a small selection of different, variously shaped, woods, and gestured loosely with her hand. “Do any of these meet your needs? They look like they could be wand shaped.”
redainianbard:
“MY STUP… you know what? I can’t really argue with you there, wish I could because you know I would take any excuse to argue with you but I can’t, but what my ‘Stupid show tunes’ give people? Hope, Adventure, a look at the world outside of their little bubble, one day when I am long gone people will hear my songs and think of how great those adventures must have been.”
The bard sighs, and took a swig again to focus himself, “I do agree with you, Ciri doesn’t deserve this. She’s been through enough. and she’s still just a kid.” Jaskier may appear like a self-agrandising, pompus, douchebag on the outside but he truly cared for other people, that why he became the Sandpiper and helped elves escape Cintra.
It made her chuckle to hear him agree. Those ballads could be gods awful sometimes, especially when they were stuck on an expedition and there was no escaping the strumming of his lute. As he went, Yennefer gave him an extremely exasperated look. She took a drink in hopes it would help her to get through it.
It didn’t.
“Yeah,” she replied softly. She had wanted to protect Ciri from the cruelty of the world as much as she possibly could. Yennefer hadn't wanted the girl to feel even a modicum of the same things she had when she was small. It would be up to the pair of them to ensure the whole Geralt situation didn’t end up too badly.
“So…” Clearing her throat, attempting to dispel some of the awkwardness between them, she continued, “Where are you staying? Have you been, erm, alright?”
wickedpotions:
ZSASZ COULDN’T HELP BUT SNORT. ❝ multitasking. A girl after my own heart, though Liz always got on me about enjoying a snack on the job. ❞ The woman certainly had an air about her that told him she knew what she was doing. There were some in Sallow Hills it would be stupid to sell more than a hunting or pocket knife too, lest they hurt themselves more than anything else. But he could tell she was pretty knowledgeable in the way she held herself. It wasn’t a fake sorta confidence in what she was looking for, but something fairly genuine.
❝ SOMETIMES, THOUGH, ZONING IN ON JUST ONE THING IS FUN. when you just let yourself focus on the hunt and nothing else. When it takes over your entire mind. ❞ He pushed away from the counter, eyes racking over the knives in front of him. He slid down to a different case, this one mainly filled with machetes. However, tucked away in the back away from just a skimming eye, were a few short swords. He pulled them out, laying them on the top of the case, then pulled out a few of his heftier daggers.
❝ HERE’S WHAT I GOT IN STOCK RIGHT NOW. if none of them suit your fancy, let me know what you like and don’t like about each of them and i can see what i can order the next time i get inventory. ❞
You could never be too careful in unfamiliar places. A lesson Yennefer had learned all too well when she was much younger than she was today. Physical weapons had never been her preferred method of fighting, but one made sacrifices of aesthetics for safety.
When it takes over your entire mind. She nearly appreciated the sentiment, but the thought made her sick. She had done once. Her Chaos took over her mind as she became a conduit for it. It was a powerful move, but deadly, and it nearly took her. No, she was better off multitasking. “I suppose you’re right, but nothing is ever sure to work out the way you plan initially. You seem to be the type to understand that.”
Studying the cases with a keen eye, Yennefer carefully considered her options. She was no fighter, but she knew enough to get by. They seemed well crafted as they could be for this place, or she thought so anyway. “I’m sure one of these will work nicely, no need for special orders.” She paused, well manicured fingers ghosting over the hilts of the weapons, before they settled over a short sword, which she picked up to feel the balance of. Not completely liking the feel, she tried the next one over, which suited her hand much better. “This one is nice. What is it?”
ofmvoonlight:
Geralt would have to soul search once he was alone. He would have to wander inside that head of his to see if maybe just maybe he would unlock a memory or two. He couldn’t just let this pass. He couldn’t let the kiss that just happened be the only one they shared. It had felt wrong to pull away and it had felt wrong to not kiss her back the moment her lips met his. He would have to soul search when he was alone because it shouldn’t feel so right to be with someone he had just met. To look at someone the way he looked at Yennefer. With admiration and want. And maybe just a tiny bit of sadness.
He was at a loss for words but then again he had never been a man of many words to begin with. Awkward when it came to small talk? Yep. That was Geralt indeed. But when it came to her he actually wanted to try even though it may come across as forced. He didn’t want to just stand there and look like a fool. It was horrible enough to feel like one.
“I like the idea of wildberries being the reason behind your eyes. I don’t know why but it sounds really sweet” Geralt nodded. Letting out a deep sigh, he clasped his hands behind his back. “I wonder what the explanation would be behind my eyes. I never really got the chance to ask any of my parents”
This was unbearable. There was a wild swirling wind of emotions trapped inside of her, and it was quite overwhelming to attempt to sort it all out. The chill of the air, previously unnoticed, was creeping in on her more and more.
It was painful to see him like this, to know he looked at her and didn’t see her was disquieting. He would look at her how they did when they first met in Rinde, but with a little less distaste than he had then. Their first meeting had left her with a pile of feelings, slightly similar to those she had now, and she hadn’t missed having to muddle her way through them. She looked at him as she had in Aedd Gynvael, defensive of herself and her feelings. Scared of the hurt he could do as she realized what he truly meant to her. For a moment she remembered what she had thought back then, and she was beginning to think it now. Truth was a shard of ice. It was cold, and it hurt, just as the feelings between them were in this place.
“She wasn't a sweet woman,” Yennefer stated simply. Yennefer wasn't sweet either. She amended after a moment, “but on its own it is a nice thought.” She didn’t know what to say to him; the whole witcher thing seemed like a topic for another day “Parents have never been a favorite of mine. But it sounds like you had them here?”
ofmvoonlight:
She didn’t need space. So that option was off the table. Good. The last thing he wanted to do was to just leave and for that to be the final time the two of them talk. Not when he had so many questions to ask and not when he wanted to actually get to know her. Hopefully it wouldn’t be too much of him to ask for.
Running a hand through his hair, he gently tugged on it. “It is a promise indeed. I truly do hope my memories will come back to me someday soon” not only for his own sake but for Yennefer’s. It would feel like he was stringing her along and like he was just playing with her emotions when that was not the truth. At the moment everything confused him and he knew that it would become a big part of his everyday life. But as long as he had her by his side? He felt like he could handle anything.
“Have anyone ever told you that you have the most beautiful eyes?”
It was only in moments like these wherein Yennefer wished she was a good person. Objectively, she knew she wasn’t. Years of self preservation turned into decades of selfish acts. On most occasions, it didn’t phase her, but this was different. She wished she were wiser, more selfless, more patient. Maybe then she would know what to do. Maybe.
It was pointless to dwell on such things, because she wasn’t that person, couldn’t be.
“Yes, I think it’s obvious where I stand on the matter.” He hadn’t laughed. She didn’t know why she had expected it. His compliments were expected, though. He had given them to her freely, often at the most inappropriate moments possible. Some things hadn't changed it seemed.
“They have. You have, many times.” Yennefer wasn't lying. Violet eyes didn’t occur in humans, only in elves, and even then it was a rarity; meaning her having them was exceedingly lucky. She didn't know how much or little to explain, but it was Geralt. There wasn't any of it he hadn't heard before, and it was a stupid bit of small talk, but it would be nice to talk about anything other than what had just happened. “My mother always said it was because she had too many wildberries while pregnant with me, but they’re from my father’s side.”
redainianbard:
“No, not long, about a week I think. time is sort of just blurred at the moment” Jaskier took another deep drink, so much that he could risk drowning himself instead of his sorrows. “I had thought i’d be better at dealing with rejection and emotional pain by now, apparently not. Another, please barkeep”
Jaskier leans forward on the bar and breaths a heavy sigh. “as i’m sure you’re aware. Geralt has forgotten everything about the Continent, about me, you…” he paused. “even Cirilla… gods… destiny thou art a cruel bitch” he chuckles
With a nod of understanding, Yennefer watched the bard closely. Not scouring or scathing, just to take him in. The concept of being happy to see him would’ve been foreign to her younger self, but she supposed people changed with time.
Yennefer followed suit in relaxing herself. She leaned the slightest bit, but remained mostly upright to face him. She was quite aware of what he had to say. Cruelly aware, in fact. Geralt’s… everything had been wildly upsetting for her to go through (she had cried for gods’ sake— how embarrassing). Selfishly, she was glad that somebody else could understand her pain. She had gone through years of suffering on her own, shouldering the burden helped to diminish some of it.
“I know. It has Ciri devastated. It's not been easy for any of us. I’d accept it if it were just you, or even if it were me. But Cirilla? She's done nothing to-“ she cut herself short, taking a drink. “I don’t think destiny has ever cared about us, bard. No matter what your stupid show tunes have to say otherwise.”
ofmvoonlight:
“I do not have any right to say how you feel or dictate the outcome of this situation. But I do have say in my part in this. The last thing I want to do is cause more hurt. I just don’t know what to do because I do not want to torment you with the fact that my memories are not intact. I do not want to look into those gorgeous eyes and see anger and resentment. I don’t want to stay away. I don’t want this to be our first and last encounter in this town. But if needed be, I will at least try to give you the space you need”
That’s all he could do at the moment. Geralt couldn’t give Yennefer empty promises of a better tomorrow when everything was still up in the air. He couldn’t pretend to know what was going on because that would only end up coming back to haunt him. He wished there was a book somewhere that could tell him how to cope with what was currently happening. How to cope with crushing someone’s heart without even trying.
“You have not disturbed me one bit. That kiss? It was glorious” he felt a small smile form on his lips as he nodded. “I just have too much respect for you to kiss you back right now. Once my memories are back I shall give you what you seek”
Yennefer’s gaze finally met his. He was not met with anger or resentment, or anything at all. She wouldn’t let him have the satisfaction of seeing his affect on her, if she could help it. Now that she was collecting herself, it was becoming a little easier. She sighed, dropping her head for a moment to fully collect herself, before picking it back up.
“I don’t need space, and I don’t want it to be our only encounter, either; at least we can agree on that.” Eyes roving his face, Yennefer’s mind was racing as she tried to find an answer for him. She couldn’t give him one. Taking a step back, antsy hands re-tied the belt on her coat, looking for anything else to occupy them beside reaching out to touch him again.
“I’ve been told such things before, but the person saying it is usually much more desperate than you seem to be,” it was a weak attempt at a joke. “Is that a promise, then, witcher?” Yennefer didn’t know what she was supposed to do or say. She didn’t define herself by men, never had, but it was unnerving to think for the first time in over half a century, she didn’t have the safety net of Geralt to fall back on any longer.
shallowmagics:
She didn’t understand this land, not at all. Monsters and elves were far easier to understand than things like cars and headphones. What she did understand was the way her mother’s hand felt in hers, how things would eventually be alright. Yennefer would die than let anything hurt Ciri. The blonde knew this like she knew her own heartbeat. A comforting, ever-there weight.
“You sound too much like Uncle Vesemir. You might just summon him with those words,” She smiled. Zireael had been a comfort she clung to her first few nights in this town, quite literally. It was proof that everything had happened, that she still had her family, somewhere out there. In a strange world with things she didn’t understand, the sword she knew as an extension of her own body was her solace. “Not a Witcher yet. Never, if Father gets his way.”
Ciri nodded, listening intently. Five months. Yennefer had been without her and Geralt for five whole months. “I’m surprised you haven’t burned the place down. I never thought you would ever work for anyone, the Council included.”
Everything about this town left Yennefer cold, the kind of chill that sank into her bones and stayed there despite any effort to chase it away. Holding onto Ciri was the first touch of warmth she had felt in months. She would do anything imaginable to keep that warmth from slipping from her grasp.
“Could you imagine? I think the sight of a lightbulb would be far too much for him to process,” the idea of the grumpy witcher trying to navigate technology was extraordinarily amusing. “You’ll get there in time, daughter. He just wants to make sure you’re safe, it's a dangerous job after all. Takes years of training. To be without you is a fate unimaginable to either of us. But your work will pay off, I know it will.”
She did know. The Ciri of her time was a bit farther down The Path, and was shaping up to be quite the formidable opponent. From what she could discern, there was no Path to be found here, but she wouldn't be the one to tell Ciri not to practice. They neared the bed and breakfast before long, having been close to it to begin with. “Ah, yes. I had given up on employment in my late thirties, but one must make sacrifices when trying to get the things they want, my dear.”
redainianbard:
Upon hearing this familiar voice, Jaskier tensed, he took a deep swig of his drink and composed himself. Turning to face her with wide arms “Witch, how can I be of service to you this fine day?” he smiled on the outside but his day was not fine, Jaskier was never comfortable with his emotions outside of his art and this was something very few knew.
His previous conversation with Geralt hurt him. Deeply. He was angry and defeated, just as he felt when he was left atop that mountain in Cairngorn, it was a feeling he wished would never return and yet here it is. he faltered for a moment and spoke plainly to the sorceress. “You know that your boyfriend is a bit of an arse sometimes. Don’t you?” he leant back against the bar and picked up his drink and swigged again, it may not be a lasting solution but the burning did dull his senses.
Yennefer had thought it was more likely for Skellige to fall into the sea before she saw the day where her and Jaskier were friendly. She wrapped her arms tightly around him, careful to keep the contents of her drink inside of the glass. He smelled the same as he always did. It reminded her of home.
“You can never be of any service, save cursing our ears and flattering random women,” the witch teased, letting go of him. “Yes, well, he seems to have made it *quite clear that he is no such thing to me, but yes. I am aware that he is a complete and utter arse of a human being.”
Copying his action, she took a drink of her own. Geralt was the exact thing she was trying to get off of her mind, but she supposed commiserating would work for the time being. “Should've known I’d find you here if you showed up. Been here long?”
shallowmagics:
— *•̩̩͙ c. & yennefer wilczynski •̩̩͙* —
━━━━━━━━━ *•̩̩͙ ♔ •̩̩͙* ━━━━━━━━━
“For how long?” Ciri whispered, body rigid.
She wasn’t a child anymore. Ciri didn’t need to be lied to. Protecting herself, emotionally or physically, was something she could handle! There were others more powerful than she, yes. Ciri was no Witcher nor Mage, could barely keep control of her Chaos, but she could be told upsetting things without inflicting too much damage.
She was much better at it now, having accepted that her childhood had been just a pretty lie.
Inhaling slowly, Yennefer scrubbed her face with unease. It didn't mess up her usually perfect makeup- her battle armor- as she wasn't wearing it; she didn’t need that cover in front of Ciri.
She hadn’t meant for this. Stupid, stupid, stupid, of course Ciri would find out. She was curious, often too curious for her own good. She was bound to find out sooner or later, but Yennefer was hoping it would’ve been later, giving her time to figure out what to say, how to say it. “Three days,” she paused, trying to figure out where to go next. “You spoke to him, then? You understand why I couldn’t just… say it?”
It hurt her. He had crawled under her skin and made an uncomfortable home there. As it seemed, Ciri was the only person who didn’t make her feel bad anymore. She was the only truly good thing Yennefer had. The last thing she wished was for her to turn on her too.
shallowmagics:
The lock of the door made a soft click as Ciri stepped inside, not daring to make a sound louder than that. It would break the fragile calm she had pieced together, causing her heart to shatter. Being transported to this town had already made her brittle, deep cracks spidering out from the center. Geralt had taken a hammer to that heart of glass, Ciri keeping it- and herself- together by sheer willpower.
The soft sounds of the television caught her attention, turning to find Yennefer on the couch. For the second time that day, Ciri wanted to scream. She caught her mother’s gaze, mouth opening in an attempt to speak. When words escaped her, she shut it again. Anger and despair tore through her body, ripping her psyche in two. Ciri squeezed her eyes shut, knowing she couldn’t be looking at her mother when she spoke.
“Did you know?”
Fuck. She knew. Yennefer didn’t have to ask what Ciri was talking about. It had only been three days since she had found Geralt, if found was the right word for it. She had wanted to tell Ciri, but the thought of it made her sick. How was one supposed to deliver that sort of news? She had spent all the time since trying to figure it out, but it seemed the universe had another idea. The TV shut off with a click, and she sat up to look at her daughter properly.
There was no want nor need for her to lie. Yennefer didn’t like lying to Ciri, there had been enough trouble stirred up by that in the past, and she found no good came from it. Her reply was quiet, “Yes.” She let the word hang in the air for a minute, before continuing, “You have every right to be angry with me, but would you let me explain?”
ofmvoonlight:
Destined to stay intertwined. Nothing made sense. Her words only made the confusion ten times worse and he was about to tell her that when she grabbed his collar and kissed him. So familiar. It felt like whatever or whoever it was that had taken his memories was now laughing at him for how foolish he was. The kiss felt right but he knew that it was wrong. So he fought against the urge to kiss her back, hold her close to his own frame. Reluctantly he pulled back and looked at her.
He knew that would only hurt her even more. And he hated him for it. But he was still with Louisa and he couldn’t hurt her either.
Cupping her face, he shook his head. “Kissing me won’t solve anything. And it will only bring you more pain. I am hurting you by simply talking to you so tell me how that is fair? Tell me why I have the right to crush you like this? No one should have that much power over another person. And I am sorry. I will tell you that over and over until you realize that I never wanted this to happen”
Leaning forward, Geralt pressed his lips against her forehead. “Yennefer” the man softly whispered and it felt so effortless. Her name carried no weight and no shame, no regret and no sorrow.
She knew it wasn't right before she did it. Nobody had ever taught Yennefer how to process emotions. Her parents never cared, and Tissaia had merely shown her how to bottle it up until she felt no longer. It's why containing herself when feelings got too big was such a challenge; a little anger and frustration caused her to boil over, joy caused her to get overconfident, fear and pain caused irrationality.
When he moved away, she did not meet his eyes. In her head, she was blindly searching for her bottle in the dark. She needed to shove everything back inside of it as quick as she could. In trickled the frustration and fear, and out came the anger and irrationality. Voice low, Yennefer was losing the battle with herself, “Do not think I don’t know what I’m doing. You mistake me. It is not by your actions that I feel the way I do, that's my own doing. You don’t get to lecture me. You’ve not the right, nor the understanding of to whom you speak. You asked who I was to you, and why you felt that way, and I showed you the answer. To accept it or not, that's your decision. I won’t force you to love me.”
This was her reward for giving her heart away. She accepted that much. “Do not pity me,” she whispered. “I don’t want your pity, Geralt.” I just want you. “But tell me what you wish of me, and I'll do what I can. I’ve obviously disturbed you enough already today.”
ofmvoonlight:
He wanted to kiss each and every tear away from that beautiful face of hers. To know that in a way he caused her that much pain made the decision almost final. But that should be her decision to make. Geralt didn’t want to just leave more heartbreak and he especially didn’t want that heart to be hers. The last thing he wanted to do is hurt the one person who made him come alive. The one person that made sense in this wretched world. Everyone else just melted away into a blur. Louisa, she was gone. The only focus at this very moment was her.
If he only knew just how much power the other possessed over him. Every movement he made, word he said and glance he threw was her’s and her’s alone. His last wish, the only wish that mattered. To be with her to the end of days. To lay next to her, kiss her shoulder and feel the warm embrace of someone who wasn’t afraid of him. The only woman who had ever caused the ground underneath his feet to crack open.
“You do not need to apologize” he assured her and then cleared his throat, nodding to himself. “If you want me to stay away then I will. I do not want to cause you more pain. I just can’t do that. Not when it’s you. I may not understand why there’s such a pull towards you. But truth be told, I don’t even care. The only thing that matters is you. Which is why I will put the offer on the table. I will stay away. All you need to do is say the word and I’ll be nothing more than a distant memory”
The words that he spoke dug right into her, and every alarm bell in her head was going off at once-- fear, panic, worry, and the one that only stirred into action when she was about to do something incredibly stupid. Making peace with that, she let it happen. She would feel just as bad if she didn’t make a move, than if she did. It was the look on his face that did her in; one Yennefer was familiar with quite well. though, she was familiar with all of Geralt’s faces, a side effect of having known him for decades.
“Shut up. Isn’t it obvious, you oaf?” It was not obvious to anyone except Yennefer. “I don’t want that at all. Not even a little. I want you to- fuck. If I told you all of the things I truly wanted, you would go red as an apple. You feel like this because you made a choice that destined us to stay intertwined, and I chose you back, because I-” There it was again, the words stubbornly lodged in her throat.
The way she looked at him, eyes piercing, pupils dilatated, said what she couldn’t. She reached out, and, grabbing him by the collar to pull him sharply down to her level, kissed him. Yennefer knew that she would likely loathe herself for it later; she didn’t know if she could bear the look on his face when they parted, but she would suffer it for one tiny moment of selfish joy.
ofmvoonlight:
He listened intently to each and every word, letting them hang in the small space between them. Time and space ceased to exist and for once he did not care. He was content in this little world of their. He was far away from all the hurt and from all his fears. He was safe here, happy here, warm and maybe even loved here. He could feel the words sink into his skin, burn like the summer rays.
This was not fair. It wasn’t right to finally find someone who gave him the sensations he had been yearning for. Every single face he looked at, every body he had touched during his years here in Sallow. None of them made him feel like she did. Just one glance and he felt whole again. It made it hard to breathe almost because every single gasp for air made his lungs heavier. And now that she touched him, his soul almost left his body all together.
Please remember. Please just remember, you fucker.
Geralt’s eyes closed at the kiss. It was like his body almost betrayed him because when she turned, he felt his hand reach out. Finding a home on her arm, he didn’t do anything to turn her back around. He did not have the right to dictate if she wanted to face him or not. That was her’s and only her’s. “I truly am sorry” the former Witcher whispered. “I want to remember. I want to look at you and not feel confusion”
Anything Yennefer could do or say would be unfair to him. He didn’t know better, and none of it was his fault, yet her chest ached and eyes stung. She tried and tried and tried to keep it together, but failed miserably the second she felt his hand settle on her arm. By the time she turned toward him once more, tears had silently slipped down her cheeks.
The only person who could ever break Yennefer of Vengerberg was Geralt of Rivia.
“And I want the same,” her voice remained level, if not a little strained. “Because you mean very much to me. Very much indeed. And the thought of you walking around here like some stranger is... I cant, Geralt. I cant do that. I look at you and all I want to do is-” She stopped, not for herself, but for him. He didn't need to hear this.
Wiping her face with the back of the wrist on her free arm, Yennefer steadied herself. Her mascara probably smudged, but she barely found it in herself to care for once. Appearance had already been spoiled, after all. Clearing her mind, tucking her heart back in its gilded cage, drying her eyes, and squaring her shoulders, she looked at him properly once more. Façade back up. “I’m sorry you had to see me like that.”
shallowmagics:
Ciri’s nose scrunched up as she smiled. There had been issues between them, beginning and ending with the witch, but Ciri knew Yennefer would rather die than actually hurt her. Yenn had seen the chaos within Ciri, how she was drowning under the weight of it, and had chosen to help her. For that, Ciri would always be grateful. Yennefer made her feel safe.
Lacing their fingers together, Ciri playfully knocked her smaller body into Yenn’s. “I would like that. I don’t have much, the people in town helped me. I don’t have a lot from home either.” The thought was sobering. The people were the most important to her, at least she had one with her now. “Zireael managed to come with me.”
“I don’t understand the technology but the bakery… they’re nice to me. Helpful. How long have you been here?”
A laugh bubbled out of Yennefer as Ciri bumped into her, the sound a true rarity, especially in the past few months of being here on her own. She mirrored the action, lightly knocking into Ciri. Elation couldn’t begin to describe her feelings in that moment. Even if it were only to last a little while, for now she had her daughter, which was the only thing that mattered.
“Its good to know the realms still respect the first rule of being a witcher. ‘A witcher can forget to eat, to drink, to breathe even, but a witcher never forgets to care for their blade,’“ It was a sentiment the pair had heard rattled off by Geralt and Vesemir countless times. She knew the importance the blade held, and was glad it had made it across. For a moment, she wondered if Ciri could escape this place, for she was the only person she knew of who could easily hop between realms. She dispelled the idea with a minute shake of her head.
Yennefer nodded as understood the bit about technology well, “I’m glad they’ve shown you kindness. I’ve been here, oh, five months now? Maybe more. Tracking time was a little hard at first. I was trying to find my way back to you, mostly, but there doesn’t seem to be a way to leave. I’ve got a job at the little metaphysical shop. Its nice enough, but its not as pleasing as what I used to do. You know how well I take being told what to do.”
ofmvoonlight:
Her voice was familiar not only because of his dreams but because of some nagging sensation in the back of mind. So many times before he had heard her speak his name and every single time it would bring him a raw sense of happiness. All he wanted to do was wrap his arms around her frame and shield her from the world. He wanted to protect her but what would he protect her from? This town may not be perfect but it wasn’t all that bad. It wasn’t dangerous unless you wandered in the woods at night. He wouldn’t let anything happen to her. He refused.
“I feel many things when I look into those eyes of yours. I have dreamt of you. Of your voice and the sound of your laugh. How could that be when I have not met you before? How could that be when I have searched high and low for you only to be met with blank stares. No one is like you and that is confusing”
Geralt was a normally grumpy, cold and brutal man who hid his heart and emotions from the rest of the world in order to keep himself safe. But around this woman all those walls just fell to the ground and his heart was exposed. In his hands was his beating heart and it was yearning for the other.
“Please just tell me”
The hand that was placed atop his between them gripped tighter, and the other moved to his face, a thumb smoothing over the crease in his brow. A silent urging to relax. She always thought him beautiful, scars, rough edges, and all.
Yennefer cupped his cheek, pad of her thumb sweeping over it for a moment before moving it to rest in the center of his sternum. Forcing a smile, “Fine, I will tell you. Believe me or not, know that I do not lie, especially not to you. This town, wretched place, is not all it seems. Some find their minds… distorted. Memories gone, emptiness or new ones in their place. You seem to be one of those few. You don’t know anyone like me, because there isn’t anyone who could ever match up. I am one of a kind, as you once told me,” her smile went a bit more genuine before falling again.
“You’ve met me before, of course. We are…” she never knew the word for their bond. Not friends (no matter how many times they had made that joke). Dating was too silly. They certainly weren’t married. “We are important to one another. Very important. Neither of us are very good at saying it, but I..”
Love you. She couldn’t finish it. Not now.
Yennefer leaned up, difference in height aided by the slight platform of her boots. She placed a gentle kiss to the corner of his mouth, swiping the light transfer of lipstick away with her knuckle. Not realizing how much it would affect her, she let go of him, turning away. Jaw clenched, looking up to the grey sky, eyes tightly shut in prayer that she wouldn't begin to cry.
wickedpotions:
✧・゚ ┊ ┊ ┊ ZSASZ && YENNEFER
┊ ┊ ┊ ┊ ┊
SHE DIDN’T SEEM TO BE THROWN OFF BY HIS KNIFE THROWING. which wasn’t a bad thing. If anything it made Zsasz more interested in the woman who’d walked into his shop. She hadn’t even flinched at his movement. It was impressive, and something that was a characteristic of his girls most of the time. It was a rare sight in most. One that he found in Michael Myers and at times Dean Winchester. ❝ Joke or not, it’s always good to prove oneself as excelling in their trade. My trade just happens to be weapons. ❞ And using those weapons, though there was little need for an assassin in Sallow Hills, so he didn’t need to get whispers around about that.
HE CROSSED THE ROOM, RETRIEVING THE KNIFE FROM WHERE IT HAD LODGED IN THE WALL. he brought it back to where it would find a home until someone bought it, tucked away in the knife display case. He leaned his elbows on the case after that, watching the woman carefully. ❝ My recommendation depends. What are you comfortable with? There’s lots of things here that are good for personal protection, but I wouldn’t recommend a rifle to someone who is more comfortable with blades. ❞
People’s modalities were always of interest to the mage. If you watched how someone conducted themselves, you could predict future actions if you had a sharp enough mind. It was particularly helpful when there was a threat present, but from what she could tell, there wasn’t one here. It was bad for business to threaten people in your shop, and the man seemed to have his wits about him. Still, she watched intently as he moved about the room.
Yennefer drummed her fingers against the top of her forearm as she thought. Threat or no, you don’t walk around flaunting a weak spot, so she didn’t mention that she hadn’t the slightest clue what a rifle was. “Blades– that's where my skills lie. Nothing too heavy, and I’d prefer to have a free hand if need be. I like to be able to multitask, you see.”
She had a vague idea of what she wanted, but there was no telling what similarities laid between her realm and this one. There was a strange sense of comfort as her eyes swept the racks and shelves of the shop, before they settled back on him. He was watching her the same way that she was watching him. She liked that; it meant she was dealing with someone who had a brain. There were a surprising amount of people in this town who seemed to be lacking in that area. Mirroring his actions, she leaned her elbows on the case nearest her with a grin. “Easy enough request, so I’m sure you can help me find something.”