Chapter 32

Jaskier's POV

Tracking wasn't one of his skills. Lacking the ability to be able to find out where Eira and Geralt went, proved difficult for the bard. Much to his frustration. Jaskier thought to start with hearing out local people in the small villages he crossed. Wherever was a tale about a monster, there was a chance there was a witcher if there was coin involved. Where Geralt was, Eira should be.

He had been travelling for some time, from village to village, before Jaskier had his first luck. One evening, the bard went into a local tavern in the hopes to find some warm food and a bed. Which, he found much to his delight. He kept silent in one of the corners of the Inn, eating his bread with dry meat and drunk the red wine.

Jaskier was lost in thought, his fingers played with the bread while he thought what exactly he was going to do when he saw Eira. Until, the conversation that went on next to him, caught his attention.

"A Witcher, I tell ya," the patron of the Inn said to one of the women who sat at the bar. "The White wolf, they call 'im. With a woman, fair haired and beautiful."

Jaskier didn't hesitate when he dropped his food and walked towards them.

"How long ago was this?" He asked, not bothering to excuse himself to disturb the conversation.

The patron frowned and looked at the bard up and down. Jaskier sighed and put his hands on his waist.

"I'm looking for the witcher and the girl. I'm a friend," he said and hoped the man would finally tell him when they passed here.

"A fortnight ago," came the reply. "They kept to themselves. The gal was a bit drunk, aye. Sung songs the whole time. She can't carry a tune at all. White Wolf payed a room for her. They left early morning."

Jaskier nodded vaguely.

"Do you know which direction?"

The man shrugged and went on with his business. Jaskier turned on his heels, feeling a spark of hope since he left Oxenfurt and nearly bumped against someone.

"Sorry," he murmured, didn't even look up because he was so lost in thought.

"Julian Alfred Pankratz?"

Jaskier stopped in his tracks and glanced towards the cloaked person who just said his full name. He frowned and turned to face whoever he was. No one ever called him by that name since...well, a long time.

"Maybe?" He said doubtfully.

The cloaked figure elegantly pulled the hood away from her head. Revealing playful curls and a freckled face.

"I'm Triss Merigold," she said. "Geralt send me to take you to Kaer Morhen."

Jaskier blinked a few times before fully realizing what the woman before him just said.

"Kaer Mohren? The Keep? Where the witchers were trained?"

Triss arched a brow and cocked her head to the right. She looked at him amused.

"Is there another Kaer Mohren, Julian?"

"Jaskier," he interrupted her with a hand gesture. "Why?"

"Why what?"

He tapped impatiently with his foot.

"Why is Geralt in Kaer Mohren? Is Eira with him?"

The woman's smile disappeared which sent a shiver of worry through his body. Jaskier took a step closer, his face serious and lips pressed together.

"Is she okay?"

Triss slowly shook her head and pointed at the door.

"We should leave now. Geralt's expecting you."

"It's a month's travel," Jaskier started while he threw coin on the bar and turned to follow Triss outside.

"No, it isn't," she said and with one wave of her hand, a portal appeared out of nowhere.

"You're a sorceress," Jaskier stated the obvious. "And...that's a portal," he added doubtfully.

"Never went through a portal before?"

"No, but I know Geralt hates them," Jaskier murmured and played with his hands because he felt nervous.

"It's the portal or you travel by foot for a fortnight," Triss said matter-of-factly. "And the trail leading to Kaer Mohren is dangerous for those who don't know the way."

Jaskier shook his head.

"The portal is fine," he said and followed the sorceress without asking further.

Triss smirked.

"What love can make men do," she sighed and went through the portal.

The cold stones of Kaer Mohren were the first Jaskier felt. Once he stepped through the portal, his head started spinning and he lost his balance.

"That's why I hate portals," Geralt's raspy voice made Jaskier look up at him.

"Can't blame you," he managed to croak out, took another few seconds to let the dizziness pass before the bard got up on his feet.

He didn't even take the time to dust off his clothes and walked straight to the Witcher who stood next to a hearth that burned wildly.

"Why am I here?" He asked and Geralt glanced at him.

The way the witcher looked at Jaskier, made the bard feel a knot in his throat and he looked down at his feet.

"Where's Eira? Is she fine? I need to know. Triss didn't tell me shit."

"She's alive," Geralt muttered and Jaskier took a deep breath of relief.

It was only then Jaskier saw that the witcher's gaze always flickered between Jaskier and something behind him. The bard swallowed and turned around in one movement. There was a large bed against the farthest wall and as soon as Jaskier saw the sleeping body in it, everything around him seemed to disappear.

"Eira," he whispered and strode towards her.

He hardly recognised her. Her cheeks were fallen in, black lines decorated her skin underneath her closed eyes. The blond, long hair was a mess and Eira looked way too skinny to be healthy.

"What's going on? Eira, wake up."

The tune in his voice was stern while the bard's hands caressed the Elemental's face. There wasn't a single reaction from her when he touched her. His fingers fumbled in her hair, down to her cheeks and back up again. They were trembling, his hands not steady anymore.

"She isn't going to wake up, Jaskier," Geralt said to him. "She's been like this for...days."

"Why not?"

His voice lost all its calm by now when the bard looked at Geralt.

"We don't know," the Witcher admitted. "We only know that she heard voices and that … Eira seemed to be fighting something inside her. Someone called the Other. Or whatever."

The Witcher looked tired himself and Jaskier glanced from Eira to Geralt a few times.

"We should help her," Jaskier said helplessly.

"Obviously, bard," Geralt scoffed angrily. "It took Triss a while to find your ass. If you didn't leave in the first place, maybe all of this would have been avoided," the witcher snarled.

Jaskier stared at him.

"This isn't my fault, and you know this," the bard said dryly and sat down on the bed. "I'm here now. Let's find out how to get her better. I've been in Oxenfurt for research. I have the book of the Great War with me. Maybe I overlooked something."

The witcher stayed silent which Jaskier took as an agreement.

"What is Triss Merigold doing here?"

The sudden voice made both men jump up from their places and glance at the door. Dressed in all black and eyes blazing fire towards them right before they settled on the figure in the bed. The violet gaze softened in an instant and Jaskier noticed the room filled with the scent of Lilac and Gooseberry's.

"I know how to get the little one awake," Yennefer said and strode towards the bed. "I'll help her."