Chapter Seven
"Why are we doing this?" Lambert grumbled.
"Because Jaskier wants it," Geralt said as though it were the most obvious thing in the world.
"Seriously?" Lambert said to Coen as he walked over to them, the Griffin looked at him as though he were a five-year-old that had just picked his nose and wiped it on his chest. Lotho glared at him as though he could set him on fire with his eyes.
"Oo we have a Bear coming with us as well," Aiden grinned wrapping his arms around his grouchy Wolf's waist.
"That is ok isn't it?" Aux asked nervously, glancing over them.
"Of course it is," Vesemir said as he joined them.
"Ignore Lambert, he doesn't like the morning if he doesn't have to be up," Eskel snickered.
"We are going trudging out in the snow, in the cold, at stupid o'clock in the morning, to bring in bloody trees!" Lambert grumbled.
"It is the babies first Yule," Geralt shrugged.
"That is cheating," Lambert huffed yanking his cloak closed.
"You're a softy at heart," Aiden smiled softly kissing him.
"Keep talking shit like that and I am going back to fucking bed," Lambert huffed. The others exchanged a smile as he immediately started heading out of the front doors instead of turning back though.
"Come on let's go and get these trees for the Little Lark," Lotho said.
"You have far too big of an interest in pleasing my mate," Geralt huffed as they made their way out of the keep.
"Don't know why you're grumbling at me, he follows the Lark around like an overgrown puppy," Lotho pointed at Aux who looked as though he had been caught with his hand in the cookie jar.
"Everyone is fond of Jaskier, his acceptance of us is quite something else, and he has gifted us with the twins who brighten everyone's lives," Coen said calmly.
"I had something to do with making them as well you know," Geralt grumbled.
"Yeah but Jask did all the hard work, you got your knot off and was done, Jask had to carry and birth them, two of them!" Lambert snorted.
"And you have a face like you're chewing on a wasp and glower at anyone that comes near you whereas Jaskier is soft and gentle and warm," Aiden laughed when Geralt swung for him, dancing nimbly out of the Wolf's way and wrapping himself around Vesemir.
"Don't think I am going to protect you," Vesemir chuckled shoving Aiden away.
"I'm still sulking," Lamber shook his head.
"Has to be you then!" Aiden beamed before pouncing on Eskel. The Witcher grunted before grabbing Aiden and heaving him up onto his shoulders so that he was sitting on them, the Cat Witcher laughing happily.
Geralt smiled a little to himself as he watched them, the banter and laughter filling the cool pre-dawn morning air. Kaer Morhen was full of life again, and in a way that it had never been, it was full of laughter and warmth. It had even managed to chase away the chill of their memories of the bad days at Kaer Morhen, their training, the Trials of the Grasses, the pain and the sorrow that they had gone through.
Jaskier filled the Keep with love and light and warmth, and Geralt knew that he was a little biased, but his mate managed to clean the shadows from the Keep with his personality, with his music and his warm personality. He helped them all manage to find a home that in truth none of them could really remember having for a long time.
Vesemir had tried so hard to make Kaer Morhen a home for Geralt, Eskel and Lambert after the massacre but it was so hard for the four of them who had been through so much in the Keep, they couldn't push past that shared pain and the blame that came with it. Jaskier was the part that had been missing from their lives and had managed to pull them together in a way he had been worried would never happen, he had been sure that they were drifting further apart, especially Lambert.
Instead, his family were closer than ever, they were bigger than ever, and they had something to look forward to instead of the same old, same old until death took them.
The Keep was full of Witchers, and they were managing to find a pattern with each other. Not everyone had heard about the option before Winter set in, in with Triss' help in trying to get the word out to everyone, and not everyone that they had gotten the word out to had taken the option. They had prefered to stick to the traditional ways and carry on as they had been, Geralt wasn't sure if they would change their minds, but they would make sure that they knew that the option was always there for them.
There had been 137 Witchers that had shown up though, starting with Lotho and Aux and carrying on until one of the youngest Cat Witchers had shown up to Aiden's delight, right before the pass was sealed off for the winter.
They were finding a grove together and the Keep was starting to work efficiently. They had divided up the chores and they had been keeping themselves busy, the Keep was well stocked for the Winter, the repairs were coming on well, especially with the different skills sets with the different Schools that were introduced to the mix.
And more than anything Geralt was happy about it because Jaskier loved it and because the Witchers were all delighted with the half Witcher babies in their midst, even the Witchers who weren't very good with babies and didn't really know what to do with them, and weren't particularly interested in being close enough to them to get various forms of body fluid or smell their nappies - Lotho was one of them - still loved seeing them, and loved that they existed. What more could a father want for his children?
"What about that one?" Lambert sighed pointing to a tree.
"Oh, that is perfect," Aiden beamed, jumping nimbly down from Eskel's shoulders and landing in the snow before hurrying over to the tree. "This one as well,"
"That looks like a good tree," Aux motioned to another.
"And this one," Vesemir frowned at a tree before nodding.
"Hang on how many trees are we planning on taking back with us?" Eskel laughed.
"With how many of the Witchers have been making decorations to make the Little Lark happy we will need about twenty," Lotho snorted already taking an axe to another tree.
In the end, they all chopped down a tree each, not quite twenty but close enough. Tugging the trees back into the keep they set them up around the main hall, which took much longer than any one of them was expecting.
"No no no it doesn't look right! It needs to go more to the right, about three inches otherwise it throws off the whole balance of the room and the other trees don't look right!" Lambert protested.
Aiden and Eskel were hiding behind the tree in question and looked as though they were going to burst something trying not to laugh out loud as they moved the tree three inches to the right having only just moved it five inches to the left.
"That is it!" Lambert nodded.
"Can I go and wake my mate now?" Geralt snorted.
"Fine! This was your idea anyway!" Lambert snapped, his prickles coming up with his embarrassment, but it definitely wasn't in the same way that it used to be.
"I am going to go start breakfast with the others," Vesemir said as he shot Lotho a dirty look who was sprawled out on one of the tables already snoring before he hurried off to the kitchen, still protective of it even though he had twenty skilled Witcher chefs to help him, something he knew many would find unexpected but considering that they had to make do with very little and try and make it taste good with enhanced senses, they got good at cooking fast…except for Cormac, he was banned from the kitchen and no one was entirely sure how he had survived as long as he had without accidentally poisoning himself.
Jaskier had stopped a good few of the Witchers from slipping things into Cormac's food and drink to work how cast iron his stomach was.
Geralt trekked up to their bedroom with Lambert and Aiden, the two planning on heading back to their room to 'sleep' as well. He was looking forward to seeing Jaskier's face when he saw the trees and the decorations that the other Witchers had been making to go on the trees and decorate the room. His mate had been talking about what Yule was like in Oxenfurt and even though he was obviously happy here, they had sensed that he was going to miss seeing that this year, and so they had quickly reached the choice that they were going to give him part of it. They had been working together to create decorations for Yule to surprise Jaskier.
Geralt wished that Jaskier's family could see this, could see that the son that they had dismissed and turned their back on, had told was a disappointment, had a whole keep of Witchers making Yule decorations just to please him after everything that he had done for them.
He opened the door to their rooms quietly, aware of Jaskier's half Witcher hearing now, and slipped out of his snow-covered outerwear at the doorway, hanging them up to dry out so they didn't drip over the floor and made Jaskier shout at him.
He paused and turned towards their bedroom, tilting his head slightly when he heard movement from their room, noise that indicated Jaskier and the twins were up. He padded quickly to the doorway of their bedroom and then paused, leaning against the doorframe he took in the view in front of him, his heart warming as he took it in, a small smile forming on his lips.
Jaskier was standing at the window of their bedroom, the large window that he loved because of how much light it allowed in, showing the view out over the back of Kaer Morhen over the mountain - and thankfully on the opposite side of the Keep to where they had returned with the trees. He had allowed his hair to grow out recently and had stubble forming on his face that Geralt loved.
He was dressed only in a long white nightgown and was holding the twins in his arms, humming softly to them and rocking them gently as he looked down lovingly at them, the expression of awe and adoration on his face for their children that Geralt would always treasure for the rest of his life, remembering every time that he had seen that expression on the face of the man that he loved.
His mate was gazing down with those stunning blue and gold eyes that represented the love he had for Geralt, and what he had given up to be with Geralt, even though he would never see it like that, looking between Cirilla and Emeryth in the early morning light as they lay contently in his arms, looking back up at him, soft rumbles coming from their chests as Jaskier hummed to them.
Standing in front of the window with the winter snow coming down, holding their beautiful children, Jaskier looked stunning to Geralt, something out of a fantasy that he had never allowed himself to have.
Walking over to them, keeping his socked footfalls soft enough not to disturb the peace in the room but loud enough not to startle Jaskier, he made his way over to join them at the window, to join his family.
He wrapped his arms around Jaskier's waist with a content sigh and rested his chin on his shoulder to peer down at their babies who were now seven months old. They were so big and healthy that without his Witcher strength, half though it was, Jaskier would not have been able to stand holding them both for the length of time that he had clearly been standing here with them.
Jaskier turned his head and pressed a sweet kiss to Geralt's waiting lips, smiling for his mate so lovingly that Geralt could never deny how much he loved him.
"You were up early," Jaskier commented softly as Geralt's arms slid up his waist to rest under his mate's arms to help support their babes in his arms.
"Hm," Geralt rumbled.
"Oo a surprise!" Jaskier grinned turning to rub his warm nose gently over Geralt's cool cheek. "Was Lambert with you?"
"Hmm," Geralt rumbled pressing a kiss to Jaskier's cheek.
"Was Eskel and Vesemir with you?" Jaskier asked slightly nervously.
"Hmmm," he kissed the back of Jaskier's neck.
"At least I know it isn't explosive," Jaskier snorted turning to press their lips together, lingering for a sweet kiss before placing Cirilla into Geralt's arms.
"That was once," Geralt grumbled.
"Once was enough, I don't think Szymon has forgiven you for that one, he had just finished repairing that wall," Jaskier chuckled.
"Hmm," Geralt hummed.
"What is it?" Jaskier asked confusedly tilting his head at the way Geralt was looking at him as he placed Emeryth into the fabric sling that Triss had bought for him to be able to carry the babies around and keep his hands full.
"I love you," Geralt simply said.
"I love you too," Jaskier beamed at him.
"Come on," Geralt strapped Cirilla to his chest with as much practised ease as Jaskier had done with their son, and then took Jaskier's hand to lead him down to the main hall.
"Why does it sound like every Witcher in this Keep is crammed into the hall?" Jaskier asked as they walked down the stairs.
"Probably because they are," Geralt snorted.
"I'm curious now!" Jaskier was bouncing on his toes as they walked towards the doors, Cirilla letting out an excited squeal clearly picking up on Jaskier's excitement, inside the hall, someone cooed.
"Surprise," Geralt smiled opening the doors. Jaskier paused in the doorway open-mouthed as he took in the trees standing majestically in the hall, already partially decorated with the homemade decorations, the rest were in Witchers hands ready to go on, but every yellow eye in the room turned to Jaskier to see what he thought about the surprise.
"Well, what do you think?" Triss grinned from the centre of the room where she was floating garlands up to hang between the pillars over their heads.
"It's amazing! You guys did all this?" Jaskier grinned looking around the room.
"Yes, we wanted to give you a nice Yule," Aux nodded and Geralt narrowed his eyes at the Bear as he practically wiggled in place before holding out a wooden carving of two baby wolves to Jaskier on a gold string. "I hope you like it!"
Honestly, he was like a puppy trailing around after his mate!
"I love this! Thank you! What do you think Emeryth?" Jaskier held the decoration up for the baby to see who squeaked excitedly and tried to bat at it.
"We all made something," Cormac added, glaring at Aux who glowered back.
"Thank you all, this is just amazing! We could make our own Yule traditions, something that we can look forward to every year for the winter months when we're together!" Jaskier said to them all, making his way to the middle of the room.
"That would be nice!" A Crane Witcher said eagerly.
"What type of traditions?" A Manticore Witcher asked shoving Lotho's arm out the way where the Snake was still snoring on the table.
"It can be anything that we want it to be, that is the delight of traditions, we can just make it up as we go along, if it something that we enjoy we do it again. It can be drinking coco of an evening…"
"I am not going to be going out to get enough coco to feed the sweet tooth of this lot," Triss huffed.
"...or telling stories, it could be Yule arm wrestles,"
"No!" Vesemir held his hands up.
"We can take the time to make our own traditions," Jaskier finished.
"Something that the twins can grow up with," Aiden said eagerly.
"Something that we can all have to look forward to, something to add to our Winter duties," Jaskier enthused.
"We have created a monster," Geralt sighed.
"Shut it you," Jaskier said with utter cheerfulness, passing Emeryth to Geralt who easily juggled the twins into his arms.
The hall was filled with ideas from all the Witchers as to what they could do for their Yule traditions, and they mentioned old ones from their Schools that they had almost forgotten about…or chosen to forget about until now, until they had a home.
They decorated the trees with the many decorations that the Witchers had made for them, the trees filling up with bright decorations, rough though they were, they were perfect for them.
For their family.
Jaskier hummed as Geralt rubbed his back gently, his skin was still cooling with sweat from their lovemaking, he was lying comfortably on Geralt's chest, his knot still locking him together with his mate.
He sighed contently.
"Does it bother you?" Geralt asked into the quiet of the room.
"I think I was quite clearly enthusiastic dear," Jaskier snorted.
"Don't be cheeky," Geralt grunted pinching Jaskier's bum, chuckling at the cute yelp he got in return.
"That is cheating I can't exactly run away," Jaskier grumbled.
"I meant, us, not knowing why," Geralt said softly.
"Honestly, I am curious, and I always will be if we do not find out. But it could be a case that we never do. And I am ok with this, as long as I have you, our babies, our family, our friends," Jaskier smiled kissing Geralt's chest tenderly.
"Us, family, friends…our children," Geralt hummed.
"Can you be content with that?" Jaskier asked.
"Definitely," Geralt smiled rubbing his fingers through Jaskier's dark hair.
"I am more interested in looking forward, to the future, and to what we can have, what we have to look forward to, Cirilla and Emeryth growing, adding to our family when the time is right if we can, making this place home, making it a place that the Witchers will be able to find peace in," Jaskier leant up and brushed his fingers down Geralt's temples, his eyes warm and full of love as he looked at the Witcher. "Our life together, our future,"
"That sounds good," Geralt rumbled.
"Our future," Jaskier kissed him.
"Our future," Geralt hummed wrapping his arms around Jaskier and rocking slightly up into him.
"You're insatiable," Jaskier groaned but rocked back down onto him.
"For you, always," Geralt sighed kissing Jaskier deeply, holding him even tighter.