Adva was struggling. Despite Geralt obeying her pleas to give her space, things had got no better. The brief glimpses at him at dinner or in passing during the day made the storm inside her more violent. She was tetchy and irritable to the point of wanting to hurl people across the room for very little reason. Jaskier breathing too hard, Vesemir scratching to loudly, Triss asking if she was okay for the 50th time today or Ciri placing another plate of food in front of her. By nature, she very passive person, and the temperament change was concerning, the number of times she had found herself having to leave the room to stop herself from launching an attack on some innocent companion. The others were careful around her, constantly tiptoeing around her which in her opinion aggravated her more, there constant need to try and make things better or help her when all she wanted to do was curl up somewhere soft and think. Think about what she should do, go, or say to make any of this better. But she was never left alone for long enough to think without Jaskier, Triss or Ciri popping up and spoiling her solace.
'Come on, Adva, come play some Gwent.' Triss smiled tenderly across at her.
The foursome of Triss, Jaskier, Ciri and Vesemir were all huddled around the end of banquet table with there cards dished out in front of them. Geralt and Yennefer nowhere to be seen. Geralt normally lurked somewhere in the shadows with longing looks while Yennefer appeared and disappeared as often as she felt like it but for the past few days neither had been present. Bile burnt a pit in her stomach as she thought about them, Geralt had grown tired of the rejection had sunk back into the waiting arms of the Mage which is the way it had to be but it still hurt so much.
Shaking her head, she stood from her place by the fire, 'No, I am fine. I just want to relax for a bit.'
'If I didn't know better I would say your pinning for something.' The older Witcher sniped as he glared down at his hand.
'Who asked you.' Adva snapped, sending an icy glare across at the man.
'Adva…' Ciri frowned as she looked across the table at her companions, concern marring their faces all apart from Vesemir who retained his usual death glare.
'Forget it; I am going for a walk.' Adva bite out as she made her way through the double doors and onto the great stone steps and down towards the lake.
The sky was blanketed with thick white clouds that shielded her from the last of the autumn sun. The wind was bitter but only enough to cause the slightest shiver as she made her way down the incline. The leaves had started to turn some time ago, but now only the evergreens held their vibrant greens, the rest where a stunning arrange of yellows, browns and reds, but now the leaves were shedding and the bare bark of the gnarled branches was the signal for the imminent arrival of winter and the upcoming snow.
'Ahhhh if it isn't the little mermaid. Off for a swim?'
The voice tinkled through the wind as smooth as velvet for a moment she thought she had imagined it, blue eyes scanned the landscape in front of her for the purple-eyed mage, but nothing. The rocky path was empty, and the thick, dense wall of trees either side bared no presence either. Narrowing her eyes, she moved further down the path and around the little bend, only for the path to be blocked by the slender mage.
'Hello, little fish…' The mage smiled tightly as they stared across at each other.
'Yennefer… just don't, whatever you are going to do just don't. I cannot deal with you right now.' Adva snapped as she continued down the path towards the water.
Adva was telling the truth, she couldn't deal with Yennefer right now not without a decent amount of bloodshed. Even just looking at the mage caused an insane amount of irritation, with her perfect hair and immaculate makeup. At least on this occasion, she was wearing something remotely suitable for the changing weather, a thick cotton dress and furs.
'And why would I do something to you? Are you scared of me little one? No, I don't think you are. What are you truly scared off? You know a powerful mage can tell a personal creed by simply looking someone in the eye.'
Yennefer watched the woman staring straight at her. A lesser being might be arrogant and cocky or fearful at an approaching mage, especial if said mage had thrown yours through the flooring of a house. Yet, Adva eyes betrayed no fear or hatred just a stormy blue sea. Even when she took a step forward, the girl did not so much as flinch, just staring with those dark eyes. Eyes which where windows to the soul and in which she could see straight into.
'And what do you see.' Adva retorted, folding her arms around herself as she waited.
'I see your fear' Yennefer cooed softly as she inched closer, her eyes sinking into Adva's. 'A fear that you don't even know, something you hid deep down.'
'And what is that Yennefer?'
'What the fun in telling?' The violet eyes twinkled as she came toe to toe with the girl and stared down till only a few inches of air separated them. The scent of lilac and gooseberry mixed with apples and the scene.
'I also see…purpose and ohhh destiny. Not something that I would have to imagine or expected….. such an unwanted surprise… Tsk tsk tsk that is a pity.' Yennefer muddled out as here eye unblinkingly stared into her.
'Pity? What is a pity?' Adva croaked out slamming her eyes shut
'I hate changing plan midway through but needs must when the devils at your doorstep…quite literally in this case.' Yennefer smiled wide as she stepped back.
Adva scowled as she looked at Yennefer. The smile was not a satisfied or happy one, she, of course, knew the different, she had spent most of her adult life in a whore house and new the difference between a purely happy smile and that of displeasure. It was the sort of smile the girl splayed on when they had to play along with the punter for the hard-earned coin with an ugly old man.
'Whatever tactic this is Yennefer, I am not playing. Just leave me alone.' Adva retorted as she stormed off.
'We can't escape our nature or our destiny, soul mate or not. It's coming for you.' Yennefer whispered before disappearing in a flourish of wind and dust.
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The path wound around and came to stand in a little creek once you moved past the overground patches of bracken and nettles. Adva was too distracted with her thoughts to mind the thorns tugging at her clothes and the nettle stinging at her flesh as she followed the distant tinkle of water, the soft splashes of the jumping fish and busy otters. A swirl of rage billowed inside her, Yennefer set her on edge pushed her to purposely twist her mind and bring her to the brink of apprehension.
'Arghhhh' Adva pushed out a blast of water from the shallow and sent it shooting across the vast lake. Adva watched as the willow gave a creaking groan before it collapsed into the water, and the world went silent even the fish seemed to rush for the safety of the depth. A shuddering breath escaped her lips as she watched the leaves wave across the on the surface of the water, the light-catching them making them glisten in the sun.
A snap and a stumble broke through the silence. Whirling around her eyes darted around the dense wall of wood, even without the greenery, there was little room to see the past cover.
'Who is there? Yennefer?...Geralt? Jaskier? Who is there?' Adva called out but was only met by an eerily silence. 'I mean it who is there….this isn't funny.' Adva shouted into the bush arms raised palms outward as a swirl of water slashed around in front of her.
Directly in front of her, another footfall fell and with the branched began to rattle and shake. And slowly the figure emerged from the bush till a slightly dishevelled Earl Crispin stood in front of her and slightly out of breath.
'Ahhhh Adva….it a really a jungle out there. That purpled eyes woman told me where you were' the Earl smiled. 'I do hope you're not going to hit me with that thing, are you?' the man's dark eyes lingered over the water churning mid-air.
'No no of course not…' Adva breathless mumbled and let her arms fall to her side 'what are you doing here?'
'Triss came to see me…to help with your situation. I knew you were a beauty but a Witcher's Mate No wonder he cold-cocked me.' He smiled as he stepped into the clearing dragging a heavy-looking bag.
Adva groaning lightly as her memory burnt with that night, the memories she wanted to forget but longed to have again. 'Geralt…is a little overprotective. Sorry, he hit you.' She gave him a sad smile.
'Perfectly fine. Not your fault…. I understand thou …he isn't about is he.' Nervous eyes flickered around the glade.
'Don't worry, you are safe…he is back at the castle, I think. You didn't answer the question. What are you doing here?'
'This, I believe, is something that you have been looking for.' The man smiled and proffered a shimmering scroll of parchment. 'I brought it at an auction about ten years ago; it had been sitting at the bottom of some fishermen hunt. The seller thought it might be some sort of script of the whale, but to my trained eye, I think it more likely fertility or mating script. The whale image is often or not a mark of such a thing.' Crispin beamed as he moved behind her peaking at the scroll over the woman's shoulder.
Adva shakily grasped the scroll in her trembling hands and unravelled the scroll, a hush gasp fulling from her lips, and her eyes flowed over the scripted, greedily taking in every letter of every word. The images where graphic and detailed showing every step and every position of the bonding ceremony. Heat pooled in the pit of her stomach her eyes lingered over the mermaid figure pursed over the man's form in the throes of ecstasy.
'Oh my….It is…Crispin it is…. Do you know what this means I can…' A deep frown formed at the corners of her mouth as the froze in mid-speech. A tightness across her throat and the air stuck in her chest.
The scrolls dropped from her hand as the object around her tightened to the point her toe tips where the only just skimming the ground. The cord around her neck stung as it bite into the sensitive skin, causing her silent scream to erupt from her mouth.
'Do you really think you would get away from me that easy, you halfling monstrosity? The soft snarl of Crispin's mouth as his hot breath glanced over her ear.
'I…What….Crispin what are you doing?' the words barely formed in a series of gasped out chokes.
'I have been looking for you for the last twenty years. I thought you would be so much more. But its pathetic really all the hope for nothing. Your not even a proper mermaid. Can't even defend yourself.' Crispin scowled tightening his hold.
Adva growled lightly as her finger scratched at the wire-like cord around her neck while her other hand reached outward toward the water flexing and waining as the water struggled up from the surface of the lake.
'Your powers are weak. I can snuff them out like I would yearlings.' Crisping screamed, and he tightened his grip of the bind around her neck, and helplessly she watched as the water slammed back into the lake as it became impossible still, like a sheet of glass.
The hold was too much and too strong no matter how she moved; his hold remained unwavering. The material around her neck was slimy and hot burning. The black spot began to appear on her eyes as she was thrust towards unconsciousness.
'Look what we have here.' Yennefer purr pulled Adva from the edge of oblivion.
'Yenne… help.' the words were raw, and the taste of metallic copper bubbled up in her throat.
'Help? Her? Who do you think has been helping me. Once you are out of the way, she gets her witcher, and I get the bloodline clean from scum like you.' He spat, as hot tears run down her purple face.
'See that not how it is going to go down.' Yennefer purred as she moved to stand in front of the struggling couple.
'What? We have a deal.'
Adva felt the cord losen around her neck just ever so slight, and the small trickle of air escaped into her burning lungs, and the impending darkness seemed to fade in the distance.
'Do you think I am stupid? A man who makes a blood deal is never to be trusted.' Yennefer sneered.
'What are you talking about the mage. My deal is binding.'
'True you give me Geralt and a baby, but Geralt is no use without her. You think me fool? As soon as his pathetic mate dies, he will wither away before my eyes till he is nothing but a husk.'
Adva felt Crispin's hands stain against the rope and body tensed behind her.
'You must have known that soulmate cannot be parted. So what was it make me watch him die while handing me a baby? Humph. But it has been interesting to see how your mind works. You call her a weak yearling…yet you're the one strangling with the roots of Snarling Inferno. Which cause dehydration and paralysis, not the signs of a strong mermaid. But a very interesting method of subduing them.' Yennefer sneered. 'See…What was it, Crispin? You are the weak one, having to use a weed to subdue your prey, and I have not lived several lifetimes by aligning myself with the weak side. So let her go, or you will be very sorry.' Yennefer's eyes growled a metallic purple.
'Never'
'It's your choice. Don't say I didn't warn you.' The mages smiled as she rose her hands and send out a shock wave of air, forcing them violently back.
Adva clawed at her neck the weed continue to contract her air was. Despite Crispin no longer choking her the bind her, the air refused to refill her desperate lungs. She had landed inches away from the water's edge while mere meters away blasts of purple and white erupted from the hands of Crispin and Yennefer.
'Yennefer….'
'Hang on little dolphin.' The mage grunted as she pushed a swirl of fire towards the flaying man.
Adva nails gouged and ripped at the burnt skin as the weed began to cook her already stinging flesh, blood oozed from every wound and thread by a thread the woody rope, while in front of her the two men duelled in a bluster of light. Gasping tightly, the air slowly began to return as a thread by a thread of the woody root broke. Yet, burning remained, and sweat began to drip down her body, and a violent tremor racked over her body.
'For the Kingdom of Navacis and our true leader Zaire.' Crispin roared as he appeared from nowhere, dagger held aloft. But a roaring spark shot out from his chest, causing the man to look down as the sparks began to ignite in small little explosions. Adva air deprived brain could not follow the actions as the towering hate-filled man ignited in a roaring blaze as he shrieked in pain.
Cooly, Yennefer picked up the dropped dagger and gently began to cut through the tough weed that still clung to her neck.
'You tried….to kill…me' Adva wheezed out as the air fully returned to her lucks.
'Oh, grow up. If I truly wanted you dead, you would be dead. AS much as I despise you…I think you can help me. You give a little help; you get a little help. Me with my problem…you with Geralt…' Yennefer silky tones wafted through the air.
Adva was very vaguely aware of the mage's eyes staring down into hers. Before the familiar feel of the knife delicately cutting away at the last remains of the roots that encircled her neck. Adva felt…she felt wild Powerful. It was hard to breathe; she still felt like she was being choked, her lung burnt. And a desire for water consumed her.
'Hold still!... And breath….Breath Adva!'
A pained roared filled the air with one mightly tug the last of the Snapping Inferno's roots where pulled from her neck. And a taloned hand lashed out against the mage. Yennefer missed the blow by a hair's breadth, and she sprawled backwards in across the dirt as she watched wide-eyed as black sword-like claws extended from Adva figure tips. The girl whimpered and panted, her whole body withering in some unforeseen pain.
'I can….no brea….' Adva croaked.
'Adva the weed is gone. Stop... now your gonna hurt yourself.' Yennefer blicked worriedly trying and failing and holding the failing girl still.
Yennefer's body stifled a gasp for air as the girl lookup. No longer were the eyes of bright pool blue but a sea of black. A terrible piercing shriek vibrated against the shore as a wave of energy blasted out at Yennefer, sending her hurtling into the rocks that lined the shore.
Blood poor from her as she crawling forward, plunged her self into the lake. Water rolled over her as bubbles shot across her skin as she plunges into the water. A blue glow surrounds her, and the water shone brightly. In the depth of the water, the burn was consuming; a heat ripped across Adva's ribs and down her legs. Clawing at her body, the black claws ripped and pulled at the confining clothes as she sunk deeper in the depths.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Purple eyes blinked themselves awake as she pair of rough hands violently shook her, and for the first time in her entire existence, she was glad to come face to face with Vesemir.
'She is alive.' His gruff voice grated against her ringing head that pounded violently.
'Oh, goody we can all breath a sigh of relief.' Jaskier snarked as he inched closer to the younger Witcher who crouched eyes franticly danced around the area.
'Yennefer…what have you don?' Ciri snapped softly as she picked up the remains of the Snarling Inferno.
'Done? Done? I saved that little fish life. If It wasn't for me that assassin would have strangled the life out of her? You should be thankful I set a trap for that…Crispin.'Yennefer puffed out in pains as Vesemire yanked her up.
'You used her as bate?' Geralt roared appearing out from the clearing bearing down at her.
'Only to see what we were up against.' Yennefer pouted timidly at the raging Witcher all too aware of the glinting silver sword in his hand.
'Where is she' Geralt voice was low and dangerous.
'Who do you think did this damage….she was alive when I passed out. Snarling and whipping like some demented creature.' Yennefer spat as she half-collapsed herself on the remains of the bolder that once sat on the bank of the lake
'That is her blood soaking into the floor. YOU MURDEROUS…!' Geralt roared, raising his sword arm above his head to bring down his glinted weapon against the mage.
Jaskier flinched at sight before him. Despite his hatred for Yennefer, the wrath of Geralt was not something he would wish upon his worst enemy. He would kill her for this. Jaskier was sure of this. As soon as he hurried that unholy shriek, and glowing light, he knew it, he knew Yennefer had committed what they had all been waiting for all be it with the aid of another party. The bard just didn't see it being Crispin. Jaskier eyes settled on a large rusty coloured stain sunk into the brown dirt; it was such an amount that no man or women mermaid or not would survive that. The body carried off by Crispin if he had survived the attack or dragged away by downers. Tears began to build up in his eyes as he turned away from the blood-stained bank towards the rippling water. Adva was gone, destroyed, nothing left but scraps of clothing torn from her body and the fading blood. A flicker of red caught the minstrels attention.
Terror surged within the dark as the flicker of red disappeared below the water, and a shadow glided toward the shallows. ' Uh, Geralt….Geralt!'
Geralt let go of the mage's throat as he turned to the bard, his eyes danced across the waters lines and at the shadow drifting toward him. The only thing the keen witchers eyes could make out was the crimson red that shimmered underneath the water as it drew closer. Geralt breath hitched in his throat as gliding out of through the water, Adva bobbed against the surface serenely, hair sticking against her wet skin, the ends dancing in the water as she trod the murky water. The briefest glimmer of a brilliantly red tail that swished benefit, keeping her afloat.
'Adva? Oh my god….she had a tail, she has a tail.' Jaskier's shill cry carried across the lake.
'Well, I think we can safely say she is most defiantly a mermaid.' Vesemir sighed as he eyed his golden-eyed protégé wading thought the water before diving head further into the water as his powerful arms cut through the water, stopping just in front of her, so close he could feel the force of her tail moving back and forth.
'Adva…it me Geralt.' Geralt soothed softly as he reached out and ever so gentle traced the side of her face.
Her skin looked almost white, like glowing silver, her eyes a vivid metallic blue, she looked the same but different, her face was almost ethereal, features sharper, eyes larger, hair a meadow green. So different but so familiar. Tilting her head, she pressed her face into his warm hand, purring softly.
Geralt heart thudded violently in his chest as he watched raptured as his mate who bobbed against the surface of the water on a beautiful tail. It had been the first time she had allowed him to touch her since that night, that amazing night. The warmth from her skin was enough to send him into a heady frenzy; Geralt smiled as the tail wrapped around his body, pulling him closer. His whole body sung in relief, that itch that made him raw was gone, but that feverish need was bad, that need to bond and feel her skin against his to become one. Cooing down, he felt her tail swish out the water spraying him with a fine mist of water
'Geralt'
Adva's snapped open, the metallic blue eyes gone, replaced with pure black pupils.
'No one move!' Vesemir demanded.
'Seriously she has just got a lethal tale.' Yennefer cried, leaping into the shallow water.
'Don't…' Vesemir warned, but it was too late.
Immediately the tale shift from its magnificent ruby tale shifted to a deathly black, and thin barbs like teeth descend down from her mouth with a sickening slice through the air as she glowered across at the onlookers before, to the horror of the group, Adva lurched forward dropped down into the water, pulling the Witcher under with her.