A hooded figure stood before her. She was fresh from collecting her bounty from her latest witcher quest and was looking to spend the night at an inn with her hard earned coins.
"Ziraeal." He nodded in greeting.
"Avallac'h, what brings you here? More trouble?" She tensed.
"No, all is at peace with the Aen Elle," he replied.
"Then we have no further thing to discuss." She bristled in irritation.
"You are the reason why I'm here," Avallac'h spoke plainly.
"What more do you want from me? I already defeated the white frost! Do I still need to repay the blood debt and go sleep with the new Aen Elle king?" Ciri said sharply.
Avallac'h removed his hood. His face was without a mask. "Zireael, you've changed. You listen to me but only to advice or instructions, nothing more. There's a distance between us."
She laughed bitterly. "You just noticed? You're not so bright for an elven sage." She turned to leave.
He grabbed her arm, which she violently shrugged. "Zireael, please. I know now why. You've been this way ever since you came to my lab."
"So?" Ciri remained there unwillingly.
"Whatever hurtful things she said to you, those were lies. She was just trying to hurt you," he said.
"And why should you care if she hurts me?" Ciri spat.
"Come, there's one place I need to show you. I will explain everything," he said.
He conjured a portal. Ciri deliberately bumped her shoulder against his as she strode forward and stepped through it... into a dark cave.
As if anticipating her question, he said, "We are now at Tir ná Béa Arainne. It's an elven cemetery."
Ciri was drawn to a particular sculpture of a woman. It was so realistic but that wasn't what made it eerie. Aside from the pointed ears and unscarred face, she could've mistaken the woman for herself.
"Who is this?" she said.
"Remember the blood debt?" He asked.
"My elf ancestor who fell in love with a human guy. What of it?" She asked.
"Lara Dorren, your ancestor... she was supposed to marry me," he said. "I hated her human lover and the human race by extension. But I swore to keep Lara's descendant safe, I took you as my student and taught you everything I know. This is her sculpture."
"You've done your duty. Lara would be so proud," she said sarcastically. "Oh and is that why your lover is jealous? I look exactly like Lara! Of course, I'm just the inferior human copy."
"You are not just a copy, you are unique. And your human-ness doesn't make you inferior, it made your powers stronger even than Lara," he said.
She snorted in disbelief. "Oh, I almost forgot. Your she elf called me a degenerate half breed."
"The she elf has been dismissed from my lab. I have ended my relationship with her," he said coldly.
"It's a little too late to end things with her now. And to think you could've been fucking her behind my back. I was so stupid, I thought..." she caught herself before she finished the sentence. "You got bored with her, huh?"
"Zireael, it's not that. I... I feel..." Lost for words, he closed the distance and kissed her on the lips.
Outraged, Ciri slapped him. "How dare you." She spoke quietly, the threat in her voice still evident.
Avallac'h gave a short bark of pained laughter. "I deserved as much, suddenly kissing you like that. I didn't know how to feel about you, Zireael! Only since we started spending time together did I wish I was your lover. Only then did I wish that you were mine."
"Oh yeah? If you wanted me for yourself, you wouldn't have sent me to Auberon!" She said.
"That was before! Before I made you my charge. I viewed you as a child of Lara's bloodline, I didn't see you as a woman then! And even in the beginning as your mentor, I felt myself as your father figure, " he said.
"I don't need another father figure! I already have Geralt!" She said.
"I have not been fucking the she elf behind your back. Ever since my feelings for you, I have not touched her. I was going to dismiss her earlier, but I was busy with Eredin and the white frost," he said.
"You expect me to believe that?!" She said.
"I swear, on Lara Dorren and all the other fallen elves in this cemetery, that what I say is true," he said. "I know it's too late to say it but I love you, Zireael. I'll wait for you. I won't take any other lovers."
They stood still in front of Lara's statue, seemingly becoming statues themselves.
"Avallac'h, I have something to show you." Ciri coolly took off her belt and slipped off her pants. She showed the rose tattoo on her inner thigh.
"What is the significance of this tattoo?" He asked.
"It was a matching tattoo with my lover. She was killed and I avenged her death," she said.
"So you... prefer females." Avallac'h's tone was neutral but Ciri heard the slight tremble in his voice.
Ciri smirked. She was still hurting inside.
"Very well. I won't disturb you any more. You may leave if you like." Avallac'h waved his hand and a portal appeared. "It will take you back to where we met earlier."
Ciri left, and Avallac'h kept staring at where the portal was.
Ciri couldn't sleep that night. The meeting with Avallac'h, the kiss. She was also reminded of Mistle, of how Auberon treated her. The rage, shame and humiliation she endured at the hands of the Aen Elle.
How could she have forgotten all the pain Avallac'h had inflicted on her? But he had changed, she thought she had seen another side to him. The Avallac'h back on Tir ná Lia was not the same Avallac'h that patiently taught her everything he knew, who explored worlds with her, who trained her to use her powers and told her stories, the way he looked at her when he thought she wasn't looking.
Had it all been a ruse? Or was it possible that he was telling the truth, that he had fallen in love with her? Even when they were on the run from the wild hunt, Ciri was happy when she was with him.
Finally he told her that he loved her but it was a little too late and he shouldn't have kept such secrets from her. She had fallen in love with him, true, but she didn't want to forgive him that easily, not this time.