Red Rowan

by Indiannahjones

With the Wild Hunt defeated and Empress Ciri on the throne, Geralt thought he and Yen would be free to retire to Toussaint and settle down... but it seems the ghosts of Geralt's past are intent on coming back to haunt him. Geralt/Yen, past Geralt/Shani. [Inspired by a letter found in Witcher 3 if Geralt took the alchemists' potion in Witcher 2.]

29. Gardenia

The unsettling sensation of travel lasted only a moment, but it was a moment longer than Geralt cared to experience, and he let out the breath he had been holding as he felt it finally end, depositing his feet on rocky ground. He had closed his eyes for the journey, clenching his teeth, wanting to experience as little of the portal as possible, and he blinked as he finally opened them again, looking around to see where he had been dropped.

The portal had left him in the middle of a mountain range, near a small road overgrown with thick green grass, with a winding footpath snaking up past a broken sign towards a stony fortress built into the shadow of the mountain. The fortress was dilapidated, broken and battered from years of prejudice and war, its once-proud towers now lopsided and crumbling, making it look nearly derelict in its neglect. It took Geralt barely a moment to recognize the structure, though he found it hard to believe, at first – the last time Yennefer had given him an update, the party had been traveling northwest, in the direction of Kovir. Glancing back towards the empty space where the portal had stood, he paused a moment, wondering if she could have made a mistake, before reminding himself that she knew what she was doing better than he did, and had never steered him wrong before.

Turning back to the fortress, Geralt looked up at its crumbling walls, feeling his hand clench anxiously at his side, before he finally let out a long, weary breath. "Kaer Morhen," he muttered, quietly. "Should've known."

He did not mind being back at Kaer Morhen – the fortress felt like a second home to him, after Corvo Bianco – but the fact that he kept finding himself back here after swearing to leave forever felt like more than a coincidence. It was as if the fortress knew the witchers could never stay away for long, as if something kept drawing them back, almost instinctively, like an animal returning to the place it was born to build its nest for the next generation. It was the only place some of them had ever known home or family, someone to care for them when they had no one else, and it made sense that it would be the first place Eskel would think to bring someone particularly vulnerable, in need of protection. These walls were made for that purpose—to protect fledgling witchers before they were released to the world, and to offer a bed and a warm fire to any who managed to return once the year was through.

The courtyard was empty as Geralt made his way through it, taking note of Scorpion in the makeshift stable, before the sound of soft bleating reached his ears, and he looked over to see that Li'l Bleater had made herself at home in the stable as well. She peered out at him from between Scorpion's legs, her velvety ears flicking as she watched him with wary eyes, until she finally seemed to decide he was no threat, returning her attention to instead stealing oats from the horse's trough. Geralt snorted at the sight of the goat, wondering if Eskel intended to take her with him wherever he went, before he realized that that was likely the only way she would not end up as the monster bait she had almost started out as.

Making his way to the top of the last set of steps, he paused at the double-doors, looking up at the weathered wood, before he finally let out a hard breath, reaching out to push them open and let himself inside.

The scent of burning firewood greeted him as soon as he opened the doors, and he took a deep breath of its welcoming aroma, letting the heavy doors swing shut behind him with a resonating thump as he let himself into the hall. Triss looked up quickly as she heard the doors close, abandoning her seat at the feasting-table to investigate, before she spotted the white-haired witcher in the hallway, her features lighting up like a child on Yule morning. "Geralt!" she exclaimed, hurrying to meet him, her heeled boots loud against the stone floor as she ran, before she leapt bodily into him, wrapping her arms around his neck and forcing him to catch her, unexpectedly. Geralt grunted, taken by surprise, but he managed to give the sorceress a warm hug back, regardless, burying his face in her chestnut hair and taking a deep breath of her distinctive glamour.

Triss smelled of strawberries and rosewater, with a hint of cinnamon, sharp and sweet, and he lowered her back to the floor with a grin, letting her get a good look at his haggard appearance. For someone who had been on the road for months, Triss looked much better than he had anticipated, though he could see that her hair had gotten longer in her time away, and was now pulled back in her usual two buns to keep it out of her face. She smiled as she looked him over, reaching up to touch a hand to his scruffy beard, before she brushed her fingers back through his white hair, seeming intent on memorizing every inch of his face. "Where's Yen?" she asked after a moment, glancing past him towards the doorway, before looking up at him again. "Did she decide not to come with you? I hope you two didn't have some kind of argument."

"Yen's fine," Geralt answered, a bit confused by her speculation. "Got something to take care of. Should only take a couple days." He paused, lifting his gaze to look around the old hall, taking in the familiar smell of grout and charcoal – there had been a conscious effort to tidy up the place, he saw, though there was only so much improvement to be made on the crumbling fortress. "Gotta admit… didn't expect to find you here, of all places," he said after a moment, looking down at Triss again.

"It was Eskel's idea," Triss answered quickly, seeming to have anticipated his question. "Nobody would think to look for us here, he said. The old fortress is falling apart, so I guess it's no surprise people think it's abandoned."

"Hm," Geralt answered, frowning a bit. "Guess I'm glad to hear it. Little surprised it was Eskel's idea."

Triss shrugged. "He told us you might say that," she admitted, her lips curling at his predictable answer. "I know there are some… unpleasant memories in these walls for him. But I think it was the right decision." Pausing again, she stared up at him for a while, before she wrinkled her nose, seeming to think of something funny. "And—who knows?" she added, wryly. "Maybe we can make some better memories while we're here. For Eskel."

Geralt steeled his brow at the suggestion, before deciding it best not to address it. "How'd you even get here?" he asked, changing the subject. "Last I heard, you were in Kovir. Kaedwen's a long way off."

Triss took a deep breath, her slender brows rising, as if preparing for a long answer. "We were," she admitted, nodding in agreement. "Until Eskel joined us, and told us we'd be better off heading in the opposite direction. The safe-houses are still very safe for mages – something I'm very proud of – but as Eskel pointed out, mages have the luxury of being mobile. Shani needed someplace she could rest for a while, and Kaer Morhen seemed like the right decision."

Geralt grunted, deciding there was logic in that. "You portal here?" he asked, raising a wary brow.

Triss nodded again. "We had to," she agreed. "We had no choice. It was too far to travel on horseback or in a cart." She paused, making a face, as if debating whether or not to share more of her story. "Shani had some false contractions after we portalled," she added after a moment, sounding hesitant to admit it. "But… it's okay now. Nothing happened. She says the baby is fine, and not to worry."

Geralt frowned, realizing that, even with no idea what false contractions were, they still sounded bad, even to him. "Where is she?" he asked, retrieving his hands from Triss' waist to let her stand on her own at last.

"Upstairs," Triss answered, pointing behind her towards a wooden door at the far end of the hall, and Geralt looked to see where she was pointing, noting that it was the door leading to the winding stairwell to Yennefer's room. "We gave her the guest bedroom," Triss added, retrieving her hand again with a small smile. "It's the only really nice bed in the place. We figured she could use the rest, after all she's been through." She paused, considering a moment, before she finally let out a soft, conspiratorial chuckle. "It's got nice downy sheets and pillows," she noted, wrinkling her freckled nose coyly at the thought. "Plenty good for… snuggling. In case anyone was interested."

Geralt hummed, looking down at her again. "Yen says Eskel doesn't do that," he told her, shortly.

Triss hesitated, before giving another chuckle, this one sounding almost uncomfortable. "I wouldn't know," she admitted, her cheeks flushing red, as if she had not expected to learn such information. "Eskel and Shani have shown a lot of affection towards each other, but… I guess Yen's right. They're probably just friends." She paused, making a strange face, her pink mouth twisting as she crossed her arms tightly over her chest. "At least… no one's told me any different," she added, sounding almost put-upon to admit it. "But then, that's nothing new. I'm always the last one to hear about these kinds of things."

Geralt furrowed his brow, hardening his lips into a thin line at the pointed aside, before he gave Triss' arm a genial brush, stepping past her to move towards the stairwell door. It had been a few months since he had last slept at Kaer Morhen, but he remembered how dusty the room at the top of the stairs had been, and he wondered if Triss had had a chance to clean it before allowing Shani to move in. The thought of her breathing in all that dust was worrisome, but a thought he figured held little merit – if nothing else, Eskel would likely have taken it on himself to give the room a good scrub before letting her sleep there.

Pushing open the door to the stairwell, he began up the winding steps to the sorceress' chambers, having to wonder, as he climbed ever higher, how an eight-months-pregnant woman could have made the same ascent. Though Triss had a point about it being a nice room, the trip up to actually reach it was a nightmare to most non-witchers, and a woman who could not even ride horseback for fear of being jostled was in no state to climb such heights. Geralt let out a hum at the thought, reaching out to brush the dusty wall, noting the total lack of a safety-rail – this stairwell had been so beautiful once, he thought, back when he had lived here with Yennefer at times during the year. The walls had been painted in robin's egg blue, the stairs boarded with intricate wood panelling to keep the secure, but now, it looked like the stairs of an old lighthouse, a place where none but the lonely and desolate might step.

His thoughts carried him up a few more rings of stairs, distracted by the last chips of blue still clinging to the derelict walls, until he found his path forward suddenly blocked, his attention drawn to the steps a few strides above him. Eskel sat on a step a few paces up, his elbows resting tiredly on his knees, unfazed by the interruption, and he looked up languidly as Geralt approached, seeming to have expected him from the sound of his footfalls on the stairs. Eskel sat up a bit straighter at the sight of him, still not seeming as surprised as Geralt might have guessed, before he jerked his chin cordially towards the other witcher.

"Wolf," Eskel said. "Figured you might come see us after Yennefer left."

Geralt grunted, not sure what to make of his greeting, or his presence out here in the stairwell – he had expected Eskel to be hard at work somewhere, or at the very least, spending this time with Shani. Eskel looked different than the last time Geralt had seen him, he noticed—his hair was longer, shaggier, his face patchy with the start of a dark beard, and he offered the white-haired witcher a tired smile, looking as if he knew exactly what Geralt was thinking. "Never seen me with a beard," Eskel guessed, reaching up to run his fingers across it, listening to it crackle; it was strange to see him with facial hair, Geralt realized, as it covered nearly half his scar, making it much less conspicuous. It reminded him strongly of Coën, who had used his own beard to cover scarring left over from childhood, and he let out a soft hum at the thought, climbing the last few stairs to close the distance between them.

"Just surprised to see you out here," Geralt admitted, grunting as he lowered himself onto the step below Eskel's; it was a task to get up and down these days, but he was not about to let his aching body get the best of him. "Figured you'd be upstairs with Shani. Guess she finally got sick of you. Got you sitting out here like a dog."

Eskel gave a soft chuckle, shaking his head. "She's taking a bath," he explained, jerking his head towards the winding steps behind him. "Wanted to give her some privacy. After all the travelling we've been doing, deserves as many baths as she wants."

Geralt hummed, folding his hands between his knees, glancing up towards the stairs behind Eskel as well, before his gaze returned to the man himself, inspecting him curiously, wondering if there was more to his story. "Heard you two've been getting along," he noted, causing Eskel to look down, seeming glad to hear it. "Good thing you came along to help. How many weeks is she, anyway? Hard to keep track."

"Thirty-three weeks," Eskel answered, not even having to pause to think about it. "Only seven more weeks 'til the baby's due. Gods… feels like no time at all." He hesitated, thinking a moment, before he looked down at Geralt again with a lopsided smirk. "Gotta be weird," he admitted. "The thought of being a father in that short a time. Kinda like children of surprise, but… this one's yours. Gotta be driving you mad with nerves."

Geralt shrugged, adjusting his swords to sit more comfortably. "Not really," he said, deciding it was the truth. "Been five months coming at this point. Probably worse for Shani. She's the one that's gotta have it."

Eskel chuckled again, turning his gaze towards the far wall of the stairwell, staring pensively at it for a while. "She's got a wonderful glow, you know," he said after a moment, causing Geralt to look up at the observation. "She's a stunning woman anyway, obviously, but she just… lights up, when she talks about the baby."

Geralt hesitated, staring up at his fellow witcher, half-tempted to ask if he was attracted to pregnant women, before he pushed the thought from his mind, realizing that was likely not what Eskel was talking about. "Got a thing for redheads?" he guessed instead, causing Eskel to blink, looking surprised, before he turned his attention to his boots instead, trying to hide a soft blush that had overtaken his face.

"…Yeah," Eskel admitted, softly, offering a flickering smile he could not quite hide. "Got me there. Even had a thing for Triss for a while, but… didn't wanna step on your or Lambert's toes."

Geralt frowned, taken aback. "Lambert's toes?" he asked. "Lambert hates Triss. Everyone knows that."

Eskel grunted, seeming amused, looking down at Geralt with a knowing expression. "Yeah," he agreed, trying to hide a cheeky grin. "'Least, that's what they want you to think." He paused, allowing a moment for his statement to sink in, watching Geralt's face for some expression, some reaction, before he finally sat up straighter, resting his elbows on his knees again as he took a breath to explain. "Triss and Lambert had a fling a few years back," he said, noting the growing look of doubt on Geralt's face. "Guess you could call it… opposites attracting? Dunno. Either way, was only ever just a physical thing. Lambert eventually called it off, 'cause he knew Triss had feelings for you, and he didn't wanna hurt you by continuing to see her. She always did like you best, and he had no interest in competing with his brother over a woman."

Geralt hummed, making a face, finding the story hard to believe; he knew full well that Triss had always had a soft spot for him, but he still found it far-fetched that she would ever sleep with Lambert, even when he was with Yennefer. He knew for a fact that Lambert and Triss had never gotten along, for as far back as he could remember, but he also knew the world had a habit of bringing people together in ways even he could never have imagined. "The hatred, the vitriol between them?" Eskel continued after a moment, causing Geralt to look up again, morbidly curious. "All an act. Or it was in the beginning, though I think even they've forgotten that by now. Just a long-running collusion between two friends, working overtime to make sure you never found out they had a history together."

"Hm," Geralt answered, narrowing his eyes. "Still don't believe it. Just too weird."

Eskel shrugged. "Don't have to believe me," he said. "Lambert told you himself. Probably just don't remember."

"When?" Geralt insisted, incredulous.

Eskel huffed again, jerking his chin towards the foot of the stairs. "Our drinking game, the night before we tried to break the curse on Uma," he said, still sounding unfazed. "We were all pretty drunk, but… you remember Lambert admitting to jumping out a lover's window to spare a friend's feelings?"

Geralt wrinkled his nose, still disbelieving. "Sure," he admitted. "Doesn't mean it was Triss. Could've been anyone. Can't say I've never left out a lover's window, myself. Sometimes it's the only way out." He paused, thinking it over, narrowing his lips again as he stared down the winding stairs, trying to think back to the last time he could remember Lambert and Triss even being in the same city together. "Saw prints leading out Triss' window in Vizima a few years back," he finally admitted, speaking slowly. "Never found out who they belonged to, though. Didn't think anything of it. Could just be a coincidence."

"Could be," Eskel agreed, shrugging again. "But you remember when you two played gwent, and he gave you his unique card for winning?"

Geralt nodded, still not following. "Sure," he agreed. "Still got it in my deck. Gave me his… Triss card." He paused, staring at the wall for a moment, feeling something drop to the pit of his stomach, before he finally looked up at Eskel again, only to find the other witcher grinning knowingly down at him. "…Fuck," he swore, letting out a breath. "That wily prick. How'd I miss something like that?"

Eskel chuckled, shaking his head, reaching up to scratch at his patchy beard. "We were all pretty drunk that night," he admitted, sounding glad to get the truth off his chest at last. "Rather put the whole thing behind us, really. Still pretty embarrassed about telling you my fisstech story."

Geralt hummed, looking up at him again. "Makes you feel better, told Ciri about it, too," he said.

Eskel hesitated, staring at the wall for a moment, seeming frozen, unsure how to react. Then, dropping his hand to his lap, he looked down at Geralt with an expression the witcher had never seen before, and hoped to never see again. It was easy enough to read, even for him—sadness, anger, betrayal at the thought of his secrets being told, and Geralt felt his heart wrench at the sight of it, wishing he had thought to keep his ignorant mouth shut.

"Wh—why would that make it better?" Eskel insisted, sounding mortified, his deep voice cracking slightly. "Now Ciri knows I took fisstech. She used to look up to me. What's she got to think now?"

"Doesn't think anything," Geralt answered, furrowing his brow at the question, unable to help feeling a bit insulted. "Took it herself, years back. Got real upset when I found out. Made her feel like there was something wrong with her. Like I'd be disappointed in her for it. As if I ever could." He paused, feeling his heart quickening, the sound of his pulse racing in his ears, and he took a deep breath to steady it, calming himself from the thought of having upset Ciri. She had been so embarrassed to tell him about her use of fisstech, something she had held onto for so many years, and had only finally admitted to it after Regis had loosened her tongue with his own tales of addiction. It was a vicious drug, easily addictive, one that had ruined more lives than Geralt cared to think about, but he could only feel pure relief that Ciri had managed to break her habit before it consumed her, too.

"Telling her you took it… made her feel better," he added, solemnly. "Less embarrassed. Less broken. Less alone." He paused again, staring up at Eskel, watching as the other witcher turned his face away, clenching his jaw as he tried his hardest to keep his expression impassive, though Geralt could tell he was hurting. "Said it didn't change who you were," he told him, hearing Eskel suck in a sharp breath at the assurance. "Gave me an earful for suggesting otherwise. But… your story helped her out. A lot. So… thanks."

Eskel said nothing, only staying silent at the end of his story, staring down at his hands clenched between his knees; his expression was rigid, unreadable, though Geralt could sense a slight tremble in his jaw as he watched him take a deep breath. He had no idea what else to say to him – Eskel was his brother, as much as they might have drifted apart over the years, and he could feel every emotion he could never express, himself, radiating off his fellow witcher like a fire.

"…Thanks," Eskel finally spoke after a while, looking down at Geralt again with a softened expression; his cheeks were still red from embarrassment, but he could see that his anger at least had started to subside. There was only sadness in his face now, remorse, as well as something Geralt could not quite quantify – a gratitude, albeit a melancholy one, in the knowledge he was not the failure he had thought.

Another long moment of heavy silence passed between them, until Eskel finally took another deep breath, lifting his head, before slapping a noisy hand to his knee, clearing his throat as he tried to regain some of his composure. "Anyway," he said, doing his best to pretend everything was fine, though they both knew otherwise. "Don't have any feelings towards Triss anymore. Those're long gone, and don't see 'em coming back. Even after she and Lambert ended their thing, and you got back with Yen, the whole situation was just… too messy. Triss was still hung up on you, then there was the thing with her and Lambert… it was just too much."

He hesitated, his scarred face twisting in a strange expression as he thought it over, before he glanced back towards the stairs behind him again, as if hoping to see Shani there, waiting for him to turn around. "With Shani… dunno," he admitted, his voice growing softer. "Feel like I've known something was different from the start. From the first time I saw her, back in Kaedwen, even though we only crossed paths for a moment. Felt like… I fell for her then. Immediately. Just too shy to tell her, and by the time I got my wits about me… she was already gone." He paused again, staring longingly at the stairs, seeming lost for a moment in his thoughts, and Geralt could swear he saw the pain and sadness of before starting to melt away, almost as if it had never been there.

"It was sheer good luck you came along when you did to help me with that hunt," Eskel added, looking back at Geralt again. "If you'd never come along… dunno. Don't think I ever would've seen her again, most likely. But this… this has been such a great opportunity to get to know her. Dunno how to thank you for this, Geralt."

"Hm," Geralt answered, furrowing his brow. "Not weird to you that she's… y'know… expecting?"

Eskel faltered, surprised for a moment, before a strange, sceptical grin began to split his scarred face. "It weird to you?" he asked, pointedly. "You're the one who got her pregnant. That make her a different person to you?"

Geralt flushed. "N… no," he answered quickly, realizing how insensitive his question had sounded. "Didn't mean she's not the same person. Just… gotta be weird. Dating a woman carrying another man's child."

Eskel shrugged, folding his hands between his knees again. "Only weird if you make it weird," he answered, giving a low chuckle. "But honestly… think I like it better this way. Means I've got an opportunity to help her when she needs it most." He paused, looking down the stairs again, his yellow eyes pensive as he chewed his scarred lip, before he finally took another deep breath, wrinkling his nose a bit as a small smile pinched his face. "Plus," he added, looking at Geralt again. "With any luck, she'll realize this means I'm in it for the long run—kid and all. Only works if she's willing to give me a chance, of course, but… I like dating a woman with a story."

Geralt faltered, tempted for a moment to ask Eskel if he and Shani were not actually together yet, but he did not have the chance before Eskel lifted his head, looking back towards the winding stairs again. "Don't hear water anymore," he noted, pushing himself up from the step with a tired grunt. "Means she's probably done with her bath by now. Gonna give her a second to get dressed, then see if she needs some help." Turning away from Geralt, he headed up the stairs, pausing as he reached the door at the top, giving a light, conscientious knock and waiting a moment for the soft response before cracking it open to let them both inside.

Even from behind Eskel's back, Geralt could feel the warmth overflowing from the bedroom, curling out in floral-scented tendrils to mist the air before evaporating into the chilly stairwell. "You decent?" Eskel joked, closing the door behind them. "Got a visitor. Just showed up out of nowhere."

Shani turned, wrapping Yennefer's bathrobe around her shoulders as she looked to see who he was talking about. "Oh!" she exclaimed at the sight of them, before a smile lit her features. "Geralt! I hadn't expected to see you." She took a few steps towards the bed, only to pause as Eskel hurried over, offering a helping hand, causing Shani to falter, surprised, before she finally gave him her hand, allowing his assistance. She seemed tickled by the gesture, Geralt noted, as if this was something he, not she, had decided she needed help with, but she allowed him to lead her patiently over, helping her sit down gently on the bed before backing off again.

Shani took a deep breath as she settled, resting a hand on her stomach as she looked up at Geralt again, before the same soft smile moved across her face, lighting her cheeks with a flowery glow. "I thought you'd be too busy with your tasks to visit," she admitted, giving him a quick glance over, now that she had the chance. "I was starting to get used to the idea that you might not come back until the baby was born. I told you I'd be bigger by the next time we saw each other."

"You did," Geralt agreed, not sure what else he could say that would not read as out of line – she was right, of course, but even he knew better than to say as much to her face. He had known before coming that she was eight months pregnant, but he supposed it had not really occurred to him until just now exactly what that meant; he had seen pregnant women before, but it was somehow different when it was a friend.

"You look well," he told her, forcing himself to look up again, fixing his attention on her face, away from her stomach. It was true, he realized, though he could see now that there were other things about her that had changed in his time away: her hair was longer now, nearly halfway down her neck, her bangs tucked neatly behind her ear to keep them out of her face, and he could see the glow Eskel had described, the brightness of her cheeks, the light in her eyes from a good night's rest. It had been a good idea to bring her here – a place with a real bed, where she could sleep without fear of harm – and he commended Eskel silently for the thought, reminding himself that he would have to say the same to him out loud later.

"Heard you were having trouble picking out a name," Geralt added, allowing himself a small, wary smile at last. "Yen was giving me an earful about it. Hope she wasn't too hard on you while she was here."

Shani laughed, only to stop with a soft gasp a moment later, pressing her knees together with a faint pink blush. "It's… fine," she said, moving her second hand to her stomach. "I'm sure we'll come up with something. I'm just… being picky, is all."

Geralt nodded again, understanding. "Yen get a chance to ask you about Coën?" he inquired.

Shani paused, thinking it over, her freckled nose wrinkling a bit as she considered. "She… did," she finally answered, sounding as if she were trying to find the nicest way to word her rejection. "And also Cahir, Vernon, Emiel, Regis, and Val. They're all nice names, and I appreciate the thought, but… they're just not what I'm looking for, I don't think."

Geralt frowned, not recognizing the last name. "Val?" he asked. "Never mentioned that one to me."

Shani shrugged, seeming less concerned. "She said it was the name of an old friend," she explained, offhandedly. "I think it might be short for Valentin. I'm not sure. She said you probably wouldn't like it much, either."

Eskel grunted, a small smirk tilting his lips. "Funny you should mention Coën," he put in. "I suggested Iola."

Geralt faltered, turning to look at him next. "Priestess who tried to save Coën at Brenna?" he asked, confused.

Eskel nodded, looking back to Shani, the faint smirk widening to a grin as he met her eyes. "Yeah," he said, chuckling at the thought. "Shani didn't like that name much either."

"I liked Iola as a person," Shani countered, sounding amused, though a bit embarrassed to be called out. "But the name… it just isn't right. No offense, Eskel. She was a good woman, just… a little squeamish. Not something I'd wish on the child of a medic."

Eskel shrugged, unfazed. "I never really knew her," he admitted, looking over at Geralt again. "Just hard to think of girl names that mean something to both of you. Shani's field is full of men, and so is ours."

"Hm," Geralt answered, furrowing his brow. "Probably better to know what it is before naming it, anyway."

Eskel flushed, put on the spot, but he quickly swallowed the expression down again, turning back to Shani. "D'you need anything else before I get you something to eat?" he asked, jerking his thumb towards the door. "Can help you change into dry clothes, if you need. Not… that I'm trying to see you naked."

Shani chuckled, wrinkling her nose at the addendum. "Thank you, Eskel," she told him, fondly. "But I think I can handle myself. I'd like a moment to talk to Geralt, if you wouldn't mind. It shouldn't take too long."

Eskel hesitated, glancing to Geralt, as if unsure about leaving the two of them alone. "Sure," he finally agreed, turning back to Shani with a nod. "I'll go get something started, then. Still got some fresh meat and produce from my last trip into town. Shouldn't take too long." He paused again, lingering for a moment, as if waiting for some indication from Shani that she might need something, before he finally turned for the door again, giving Geralt one last, knowing glance as he passed him on the way out. Geralt frowned, not sure what the look had meant, before he turned back to Shani, hearing the door close behind him, watching as she began to comb her fingers through her still-wet hair, letting out a soft hum.

"I haven't seen a pair of scissors in weeks," Shani noted, letting out a tired huff. "I don't think my hair has been this long since before Oxenfurt. I don't know how women who wear their hair long all the time manage it."

"Magic," Geralt guessed, glancing to Yennefer's vanity in the corner, where her own brush sat neatly abandoned. "Yen brushes her hair a hundred times to keep it soft. Think she mostly does it out of habit, though."

Shani gave another soft sigh, abandoning her hair at last to look up at Geralt instead, before she offered him a grateful smile, patting the bed beside her to indicate for him to come sit. "I'm glad you took the time to visit," she told him, watching as he crossed to the bed, lowering himself beside her. "I was starting to wonder if those tasks had finally stumped you. I didn't think so, but I couldn't help but worry."

Geralt grunted, unable to help noticing that she had now brought his tasks up twice, though he could not remember mentioning them to her. "Eskel tell you about my tasks?" he asked.

Shani rolled her lips, considering, her hazel eyes pensive. "He told me a little," she admitted after a while. "Something about a contract, and needing to get out of it. He said you had to perform three tasks—a little like a… djinni, or something, but reversed. I didn't really understand the gist of it, but I know you witchers are always getting into trouble like that." She paused again, thinking it over, before she finally offered him an intuitive smile, moving her hand to rest in her lap. "He's been such a big help ever since he got here," she added, causing Geralt to look up again, glad to hear it. "He's the one who recommended Kaer Morhen in the first place. Everyone thinks it's abandoned, so it's the perfect place to hide out."

"Hm," Geralt answered, furrowing his brow. "Glad he's helping. You doing okay otherwise?"

Shani paused, seeming hesitant for a moment, before she finally let out another long sigh. "Gods, Geralt," she said, sounding exhausted. "You wouldn't believe me, even if I told you."

"Try me," Geralt answered, turning to face her on the bed, careful not to jostle her.

Shani took a deep breath, leaning back on one hand as she passed the other thoughtfully over her bump. "I can barely breathe sometimes," she admitted, shifting slightly, as if trying to alleviate the ailment. "Even little things get me winded anymore, which is so embarrassing. I'm in good medical shape! But does this baby care? Not at all." She stopped, letting out another long breath, giving a soft grunt as she stretched her legs in front of her, her expression twisting in effort as she tried to shake a building cramp out of one of her thighs. "There's a constant… pressure, on my pelvic area," she added after a moment, giving another weary sigh. "And I have to pee… constantly. Sometimes I don't even realize it, and it just… comes out, when I laugh or sneeze."

She hesitated, sucking her lips for a moment, staring down at the floor as she tried to think of further symptoms, and Geralt had to keep his expression impassive as the thought of constant incontinence loomed over him in the silence. It was something Ciri had explained to him, giving him context for one of Shani's pregnancy jokes, but for some reason, the idea of it had gone completely over his head until now, being told so plainly about it. The thought of not being able to control his bladder for every laugh or sneeze was almost nightmarish to consider, and he folded his arms self-consciously as he tried to distract himself from now being incredibly aware of his own bladder's existence.

"I'm tired… all the time," Shani added after another moment, pulling him back with a less mortifying thought. "But that's nothing to be surprised about, really. Anyone would be tired carrying… this, around." She frowned, indicating her stomach, letting out a soft, overwhelmed snort as she accentuated its roundness, before she finally gave another tired laugh, letting her hands return to holding it in her lap. "The dizzy spells are absolutely terrible," she noted after a beat, letting out another long breath at the thought. "But I've been getting better about not getting up too quickly. Plus, with Eskel around, he's always there to help me if I start to get lightheaded."

Geralt hummed, not sure what to say. "Sounds like a lot," he finally decided.

Shani let out a lightless laugh, looking over at him again. "You don't even know the half of it," she told him, sounding exhausted. "The worst by far are the false contractions. I can't tell you how many times everyone started losing their minds, thinking the baby was coming. Every pain or cramp in my stomach along the road, they thought it was time to start prepping for delivery."

"Triss told me," Geralt noted, his expression hardening at the mention. "Said you had a scare after going through the portal here. Said it was nothing, but… doesn't sound like nothing."

Shani paused, taking a deep breath, leaning back again to give her lungs a bit more room, and Geralt frowned as he watched her struggle, wondering how she ever managed to get any sleep at night. "It wasn't nothing," she finally admitted, looking up at him again with a serious expression. "But it wasn't… unusual, considering the circumstances. I just didn't want to make anyone worry, unless there was something worth worrying about. False contractions aren't terribly unusual at this stage, and they didn't last long, just… long enough to cause concern." She paused again, moving her hand to her stomach as she thought it over, before she finally let out another soft breath, shaking her head and meeting his eyes again.

"Regardless, I told them it was natural for pregnant women to have scares in the third trimester," she added. "But I also told them not to get excited until I said it was time. I can tell when the baby's actually coming, don't worry."

"Can't blame them for worrying," Geralt answered, folding his hands between his knees, wishing there was something more he could do. "Pretty sure you're the only one of all of us who's ever seen a baby delivered."

Shani thought a moment, tilting her head, before she finally looked up at him again with a knowing smile. "Eskel's delivered goats," she said, sounding as if she were trying very hard not to laugh. "Between that and your knowledge of delivering foals, we could open a veterinary clinic. Not much good for a human baby, though."

Geralt grunted, finding it funny to think that Eskel had made the same thoughtless slip he had, before he finally looked up at Shani again, reminded of something by the mention of medicine. "Speaking of clinics," he said, getting her attention. "Dandelion, Regis, and I did some digging about the potion. Might've found a lead. Wondered if you knew anything about mages from Ban Ard transferring to the sciences at Oxenfurt."

Shani hesitated for a moment, thoughtful, running her hand across her bump as she considered. "I know of a few mages who transferred," she said after a while, looking up again with a nod. "I couldn't give you all their names, of course… that would be in Oxenfurt's records, and I don't see us gaining access to those." She paused again, making a face, chewing her lip as her freckled brow furrowed, before she finally took another deep breath, tapping her thumb against her stomach as she considered.

"I know there were certain projects at the school that were cooperative ventures between Ban Ard and Oxenfurt," she added, contemplative. "And there were a few magical courses and studies at Oxenfurt that profited from the knowledge of the mages at Ban Ard as well. I know they had mages present in the classrooms during studies on goëtia and other similarly dangerous practices… but I think they also had specialized mages present at other demonstrations—stargazing, archaeological digs, that kind of thing." Stopping again, she tilted her head, allowing her gaze to fall to a spot on the floor, before her pink lips pursed into a thoughtful line, her expression growing stern as she moved her hand to rest on the bed beside her.

"There was a lot of information shared between Oxenfurt and Ban Ard when it came to magical-leaning studies," she noted after a while, musingly. "And Oxenfurt had a great respect for the mages of Ban Ard. Cooperating with them allowed Oxenfurt to expand its repertoire of academia, while still being conscientious about the safety of its students."

"So a mage from Ban Ard could've proposed the study into reversing witcher sterility," Geralt concluded, furrowing his brow. "Makes sense. Oxenfurt probably has access to labs. Other resources Ban Ard wouldn't have."

Shani hesitated, before looking up with a strained expression. "I… guess," she admitted, sounding uncertain. "Though I'm not sure how you got to that conclusion, Geralt. What did you find out about the potion? There's something you're not telling me."

Geralt shrugged, letting out a huff. "Nothing concrete," he admitted, wishing he had more to tell. "Just more theories. Regis seems to think the potion might have some connection to the hybrids we've been finding."

"What hybrids?" Shani asked, confused, and Geralt faltered, realizing just how little he had told her.

"…Right," he acknowledged, uncomfortably. "Didn't tell you that. Ever tell you about the experiments at Rissberg?" Shani shook her head, looking lost, and Geralt hummed, his heart sinking like a stone at how uninformed she really was. "It's… a long story," he admitted, letting out a breath. "Happened a long time ago, near Cidaris. Bunch of mages came together to do illegal experiments – kind that weren't allowed anywhere else on the Continent. Long as they did it within the walls of Rissberg Castle, it went unchecked… goëtia, weapons of war, genetic trials. Eventually, tried to push the boundaries of genetics altogether. Create monsters that had no right existing."

He paused again, thinking for a moment, trying to decide what else would be relevant to share, unable to help noting, as he spoke, the way Shani stared at him, captivated, holding onto his every word. "Mage called Alzur made the first monsters," he said after a while, giving a pensive nod at the thought. "Later, developed the mutagens that'd eventually lead to the creation of witchers. All his experiments were sterile—on purpose, to prevent them from breeding outside his control."

"Smart," Shani agreed, nodding as well. "Good way to make sure he keeps track of his control group."

Geralt faltered, finding her note a bit morbid, though he supposed he could see how a doctor would find the topic interesting. "After him, experiments kept going," he said, taking another deep breath as he continued. "Worst were by a mage called Idarran of Ulivo. Created all kinds of monsters, then set them loose near unsuspecting villages. Mages at Rissberg idolized Idarran… got in real trouble when they found out I'd killed some of his creations. Tried to experiment on me in retaliation – wanted to cut my eyes out, try to regrow them."

He hesitated, making a face as the memory of his visit to Ortolan returned to him—the mage's face bright red at the sight of the witcher, the angry clamouring from the table of grandmasters as he spoke his piece, the ruckus growing to a deafening pitch as he had thrown down the metal plate ripped from Idarran's experiment. "Whole thing fell apart about thirty years ago," he added after another moment, feeling a bit sick at the memory. "One of their mages tried to fake demonic possession to cover up a string of murders. Nothing left of Rissberg's mages after that. Most either died or jumped ship… couldn't blame 'em. Then, suddenly, these hybrids started popping up again, out of nowhere… I killed two, and Eskel killed one. Got no idea how many are still left."

Pausing again, he glanced up at Shani, having not intended to implicate Eskel in his tale, but she only seemed to be listening intently, staring pensively at a stone in the floor. "All three new hybrids had earmarks like Idarran's," he went on after a moment, satisfied that Eskel would not be blamed. "But the tags didn't bear any names we recognized. Could be more of Idarran's work… or could just be a false lead. Trying to cover something up."

Shani nodded, seeming lost in thought for a moment, before she finally looked up again, her hazel eyes bright. "Well, that certainly explains a lot," she acknowledged. "And what kind of hybrids did you find, exactly?"

Geralt grunted. "That's the weird part," he admitted, thinning his lips to a razor's edge. "Idarran mostly followed Alzur's blueprints. Insectoids, mammals, reptiles. Things that could procreate within their species. But these new ones were different… one's insectoid, like Idarran's, but the other two were necrophages."

Shani frowned. "What's different about necrophages?" she asked, resting a thoughtful hand on her stomach.

"Necrophages don't reproduce," Geralt answered, looking up with a solemn expression. "They can't. Their organs are necrotized—dead. New necrophages are made through magic, not biology." He paused, letting the thought sink in, knowing how improbable it had to sound to someone versed in medicine like Shani, but she only looked incredibly interested, listening with rapt attention as he continued. "Breeding them together at all should be impossible, let alone with other living creatures," he added, gravely. "But whoever's making these hybrids managed to do it—not once, but twice. With viable results."

"Fascinating," Shani said, intrigued. "And are you sure this isn't all part of the same experiment?"

Geralt faltered, taken aback. "Part of which experiment?" he finally asked, confused.

Shani smiled, shifting on the bed, moving awkwardly in an effort to better face him. "Well—and now, hear me out, Geralt," she said, lifting a hand to stop him from interrupting her. "I don't know how logical this would be, in theory… but maybe we're looking at this all the wrong way. You said the original experimental monsters were created by Idarran of Ulivo—yes?"

"Yeah," Geralt answered, frowning. "Idarran made the idrs. Also credited with the research that led to the krallachs, vigilosaurs, parazeugls—"

"Right, exactly," Shani cut over him with a chuckle, holding up a hand to stop him. "And if that's true, then that means anyone looking to replicate those experiments would most likely follow the work of Idarran—right? Idarran, who was trained by Alzur, the mage responsible for creating the witcher mutation process."

Geralt thought for a minute, before making a face. "Not following your logic," he admitted.

Shani smiled, undeterred. "Any scholar of Idarran's would most likely be a scholar of Alzur's, too—right?" she asked, patiently. "And that means the creation of these hybrids could possibly be a byproduct of a whole different motivation at work. Think about it – the only person who would know what factors in witcher mutagens cause sterility would be its creator—right? So if someone wanted to know how to reverse said effects, they'd naturally want to start by studying them at their basest source." She paused again, watching him intently, waiting for some show of understanding, now that she had explained it so simply, but Geralt only stared back just as blankly, his brow furrowing deeper, still not following.

"Think of it like a puzzle," Shani went on after a moment, holding out both hands in front of her, as if weighing two stones. "The parts come from two different pictures, but when cobbled together, it still produces a workable result. By combining Alzur's work into induced sterility, and Idarran's work in creating feasible breedability where none should exist, a researcher can see the sterilization process at work, and maybe even use that same research to reverse it—to whatever end."

Geralt grunted, starting to come around. "Think it has something to do with my potion," he concluded. "Like Regis."

Shani nodded, seeming more excited now, letting her hands return to her lap. "Exactly," she agreed, her eyes bright. "We know Moreau tried to reverse his son's sterility through experiments, so there have definitely been others with the same motivation. Moreau used his own methods, and the original ingredients of the witcher mutagens, to no avail… but someone else could have tried it from a different angle." She paused, waiting for some reaction, but Geralt only furrowed his brow, finding her theory hard to swallow – even so, she did not look discouraged, only smiling wider as she folded her hands around her stomach again, thoughtful.

"Maybe someone else really wanted to reverse sterility in witchers, but their work was thwarted when the Oxenfurt researchers died at Loc Muinne," she added, undeterred. "Somebody who had access to academic resources, but maybe no longer the ones he needed to get the results he wanted."

Geralt hummed, his expression hardening. "Lot to assume from a few clues," he admitted, warily.

Shani shrugged, unfazed. "Which is why I said, I don't know how logical it would be," she answered, honestly. "But tell me this, then—with all the research that went into that project at Oxenfurt, clearly someone had an investment in its success. Don't you think? And have you heard of anyone else doing research into the reversal of witchers' sterility since that potion was lost?"

Geralt hesitated, thinking it over, before he finally shook his head. "Nobody since Moreau," he admitted, looking up at her again. "But his experiments were decades ago. And, doesn't make sense. Monsters they used wouldn't be affected by Alzur's process. Would have to be manually sterilized if they wanted to replicate the infertility found in witchers." He paused again, thinking back to all the hybrids he had encountered since battling the first alghoul all those months ago, before he finally let out another grunt, his expression twisting a bit as he considered. "Guess they could do that," he conceded after a moment, speaking slowly, still not entirely convinced. "Only makes sense for the insects and the panther, though. Zeugl's already hermaphroditic. And makes no sense at all for the necrophages."

"The zeugl, right," Shani mused, tilting her head as she rolled her lips in thought. "Do you remember, Geralt, that I told you the original studies at Oxenfurt used zeugls and parazeugls as part of their research? Zeugls were originally dioecious, but evolved to be hermaphroditic because of the hazards dioecious mating posed. But now, studies have shown that some parazeugls have begun re-evolving to be dioecious again."

Geralt hesitated, remembering back to Yennefer's book on adaptive ecology he had found in Kaer Morhen's library, wishing he had thought to bring it along with him here, though he knew there was no way he could have anticipated its importance. "Remember you mentioning that," he agreed, nodding along. "Remember reading about it somewhere else, too. One of Yen's books of Theses. Didn't make the connection at the time."

Shani raised her brows, her expression eager, seeming excited to be getting deeper into the mystery. "It makes sense," she said, her eyes bright. "Zeugls are able to adapt their biology to procreate where it should be impossible. Applying that research, the scientists at Oxenfurt probably figured out how to overwrite parts of Alzur's sterility failsafe that Moreau never could. Maybe that's the significance of the zeugl in the hybrids, too—a creature that can naturally adapt to reproduce where it shouldn't be possible." She paused, chewing her lip in thought, her hazel eyes straying to a bookcase against the far wall, her expression as alert and scholarly as Geralt could ever remember seeing her. It really was endearing to see her so involved, so absorbed with this mystery of science and magic, and he could barely help a small smirk from forming as he waited for her to continue her theorizing.

"Maybe using the zeugl was a stepping-stone towards more difficult hybridization," Shani added after a moment, thoughtfully. "Then, once they confirmed their subjects could be cross-bred, they could try breeding them with more challenging species. Ones less… biologically malleable."

"Mammals," Geralt concluded, solemnly.

"Among others," Shani agreed, nodding along to the slowly-unravelling puzzle. "Then, once they'd successfully achieved that, they could use that information to apply to more… complex subjects."

"Witchers," Geralt interpreted, the warm feeling of before leaving him instantly at the thought. "All other experiments used witchers. Moreau experimented on his son. Scientists at Oxenfurt experimented on me."

"Which is where the forced mutation would come in," Shani agreed, adjusting her bathrobe. "Using Alzur's studies, they could replicate the effect of experimenting on witchers using only their available test subjects. Then, once they perfected that method, they could try to move on to something that more closely resembled their endgame goal." She paused, giving it some thought, trying to find a comfortable place to rest her arms, before she finally let out a short huff, allowing her hands to settle beside her on the bed. "Witchers are hard to come by," she noted, looking up at Geralt again, her expression stern. "Counting you, I know of maybe four, and that's being generous. You're not a common breed anymore. If something were to happen to one of you, I'm sure someone would've heard about it."

"Hm," Geralt answered, grimacing. "Maybe not. Witchers go missing all the time. Most assumed dead. Sometimes people seek 'em out just to kill 'em. Don't think anyone would notice if a witcher went missing."

Shani hesitated, staring at him for a long moment, her expression a strange mix of concern and discomfort, and Geralt felt his heart drop as he realized how dark and insensitive his statement had to sound to someone carrying a witcher-born child. "Be that as it may," Shani said after a while, clearing her throat, trying to sound unfazed. "Witchers are not common, and seeking one out would likely only draw attention to anyone trying. As I said, if our scientists had the proper research at their disposal, they could use Alzur's process to replicate the infertility process… but even then, without being able to test it on actual witchers, they'd probably never get it figured out in its entirety."

She paused again, still seeming unsettled, passing a protective hand over her stomach, before she finally took a deep breath, looking up at Geralt again, her expression drawn. "Of course, it's all only speculation on my part," she said, giving an uncertain shrug. "In all honesty, it's possible all research into the topic – from anyone, not just Oxenfurt – was stalled indefinitely when you took that potion. I can't imagine how long it took those scientists to get to where they were in their research to begin with. There's really no other successful research on the topic to reference… without their notes, replicating it blind would be almost impossible."

Geralt narrowed his lips, his silver brow furrowing as he turned his gaze to the floor again, lost in thought. "Makes no sense," he admitted after a while. "And still doesn't explain the necrophages in the experiments. Even Alzur never did anything with them. Had no reason to. Nothing to gain." He paused, making a face, the edge of his nose wrinkling in an incredulous scowl. "Necrophages don't reproduce naturally," he added, his brow furrowing deeper, finding the topic unpleasant to think about. "No propensity for genetic mutation. Seems like a waste of time. Especially if their aim was to replicate the potion from Oxenfurt."

Shani hummed, her hazel eyes distant. "Maybe," she said after a while, sounding lost in thoughts of her own. "Or maybe not. The mages at Rissberg… didn't you say they once tried to cut out and regrow your eyes?"

Geralt looked up at this, raising an apprehensive brow. "Threatened to," he answered, warily. "Ortolan was trying to find a way to restore organic tissue. Never finished his research on the subject, though. Vilgefortz tried to use a modified version to fix his burned eye, but… didn't work great for him, either."

"Restoring organic tissue?" Shani repeated, raising her brows as well. "That is interesting."

Geralt grunted. "Maybe," he agreed, uncomfortably. "Would really prefer to keep my eyes, though."

Shani looked up quickly at the answer, seeming almost stumped by such a blunt response, before she finally let out a bright laugh, taking Geralt by surprise at her morbid reaction. "Not your eyes, Geralt," she told him, reaching a hand to rest it reassuringly on his knee. "I was just thinking… well. Internal organs are organic tissue, wouldn't you say?"

"Guess so," Geralt answered, still confused. "Most things're tissue, if you think about it."

"Exactly," Shani said, her pink lips curling in a clever expression. "So if Ortolan's experiments could restore organic tissue… maybe they could be used to restore organs as well. All kinds of organs."

Geralt hesitated, before making a face, finding her logic again hard to follow; he felt like an old hound chasing a spry rabbit, with how she kept moving so quickly from thought to thought. "Hm," he finally returned. "Guess so. Be a boon to the medical community, if true. Doesn't seem like something Rissberg would care about, though. Kept their longevity potion out of human hands already. Don't think they care about anyone but themselves."

Shani shrugged, still undeterred, giving his knee a soft squeeze before drawing her hand to her lap again. "Maybe," she agreed, resting her hand contentedly on her stomach. "Though maybe it's not meant to benefit humans, or the medical community at all. Think about the monsters they're using—necrophages, with necrotized reproductive organs. There's no way they could breed them with mammals or hermaphroditic monsters as they are, even if their genes were compatible. But if they used Ortolan's work to revive their reproductive organs, then used Idarran's work to carry out the cross-breeding…"

"Reversing sterility brought on by magic?" Geralt guessed, feeling his heart clench tightly at the thought. It had not even occurred to him, somehow, that that might be something someone could seek to reverse through science; though his own sterility had been reversed with science, magically-induced sterility was so much more complicated, so much more permanent, and he could not help thinking of how hard Yennefer had worked over the years to find a solution, only to continuously come up with nothing. He hesitated, before his mind suddenly went back to his conversation with Rosie from a few days earlier, remembering how the little girl had specifically mentioned necrophages' reproductive organs being necrotized. He had not given it any thought at the time, apart from noting how strange it was to bring it up, but now it seemed so much eerier, so much more relevant, and he wondered how she could have possibly known to come to that conclusion.

"It would certainly have a market in the magical community," Shani noted, pulling him swiftly back to the present again. "And think about it. If that is the case, then these hybrids seem like a natural progression, for anyone with that intent. First, the insectoids, which could easily be sterilized the way Alzur did in his experiments… and if that sterilization could be reverse-engineered, it would make the insectoids viable breeding partners again. Figuring out how to reverse the sterilization process that goes into the Trial of the Grasses would be a huge first step—then, once they figured out how to reverse man-made sterilization, magically-induced sterilization would naturally be next."

She paused, allowing a moment for her theory to sink in, rolling her petal lips as she watched Geralt's face for some reaction – her theory did make some sense, he realized, though he found it hard to put much confidence in it. The idea that anyone would go to such lengths to reverse sterility, especially in witchers, was just a bit too much for him to swallow, but he tried not to let his scepticism show, only offering a stony face as she took an eager breath to continue.

"Magic-induced sterilization only has a few places it can be found naturally," Shani said after a moment, seeming not to notice his doubt. "Either by experimenting on magic-users themselves, or by using a viable stand-in, if one can be found. You said yourself necrophages were created by magic, and their organs are naturally necrotized… so breeding a necrophage with a zeugl would've been the easiest of the two experiments—as zeugls would be able to adapt their reproductive morphology to assist in the process. The real challenge, then, would've been trying to breed the necrophage with the mammal, since that's probably the closest they could get to—"

"Mages and humans," Geralt concluded, solemnly.

Shani nodded, encouraged. "After that, all that would be needed a for a complete study would be to breed mages and witchers, and mages and mages," she determined. "That being said… I don't guess you've managed to find any hybrids apart from the ones you told me about?"

Geralt shook his head, furrowing his brow. "Only those," he answered, honestly. "Plus, dunno how viable any of that is, even in theory. Know people've tried to reverse witchers' and magic-users' sterility before. Always turned out badly." He paused, setting his jaw, thinking back to Vilgefortz's vile experiments that Djikstra had described to him, thankful he had not been forced to witness them with his own eyes, though the descriptions had been bad enough. "Vilgefortz ran experiments on lots of women – humans and sorceresses – testing the success of a hypothetical scenario where he'd impregnate Ciri," he said after a moment, gravely. "Never got anywhere with his work on the subject. Just left a lot of innocent women dead."

Shani pursed her lips, looking unsettled. "But Vilgefortz was found out for his sadism and punished," she pointed out after a moment, trying not to be deterred. "You killed him—you, and Yennefer, and Regis. Even if it wasn't direct causation, that's still all the more reason for others not to follow in his footsteps. Anyone who heard about what happened to him would think twice before using human subjects… at least, until they're absolutely sure it's safe for anyone they use it on."

Geralt hummed, his lips thinning at the perilous thought. "I guess," he finally agreed, uncertainly. "But if someone's that close to figuring it out… how come we haven't heard anything about it?"

Shani shrugged, seeming just as unsure. "Maybe they lost their results," she suggested. "If those hybrids really are the byproduct of their experiments, they probably weren't meant to get loose the way they did. Now they're all dead, thanks to you and Eskel, so whatever those researchers might've had is completely lost." She paused, thinking it over, before letting out a short, sharp breath through her nose, looking up again. "Or maybe… they never intended for their research to get out to the public at all," she added. "If they're really as cloistered as you say."

Geralt grunted, finding the topic more implausible the more he thought about it. "Still seems pretty far-fetched," he admitted. "But… makes more sense than anything I've come up with so far. Still doesn't explain a few things, though. Vampire and vendigo are still unaccounted for. Don't exist on this plane naturally. Had to be summoned."

Shani paused, before furrowing her brow, pursing her lips as her expression grew thoughtful. "That does pose an interesting question," she agreed, nodding slowly. "What is a vampire, after all?"

Geralt hesitated, his expression wavering. "What I said," he finally answered. "Vampire's a vampire."

Shani smiled softly, undeterred by his blunt response. "That… wasn't exactly what I meant," she explained, her tone patient. "What I meant was—vampires are humanoid, but not strictly human, right? Technically a monster, but with the bearings of a man. And what about the vendigo?"

"Cursed," Geralt answered, still not sure where she was going. "Used to be human. Not anymore. Still has human intelligence, though. Human cruelty."

"So both are human-adjacent," Shani noted, looking up at him again with knowing eyes. "Human enough to argue similarity – intelligence, complex biology – but not so human as to set off any radars."

Geralt hummed darkly at the thought. "Would've made sense if they'd actually used them," he countered, furrowing his brow. "But both were just… loose. Why summon them at all if you're just gonna let them go?" He paused, thinking back to his conversation with Fringilla, to her implication that Rissberg might be running hybridization experiments again, unable to help remembering her comment about their mages likely not wanting to involve witchers this time around. If that were true, then that meant any mages involved would likely have been taking the matters of summoning and capturing these monsters into their own hands – a risk which, as Regis had astutely noted, would have undoubtedly met them with a gruesome end.

Geralt thinned his lips at the memory, realizing Shani's argument made more sense the more he thought about it, before he finally let out a low grunt, not liking the implication of where this was going. "Unless they didn't mean to let them go," he concluded, his voice dark, realizing that was what she had been getting at. "Both too dangerous for normal men to handle. Too dangerous for witchers, almost. No chance of capturing them after being summoned."

"So it's possible," Shani agreed, sounding invested, clearly revelling in the mystery. "It's possible they were getting close to the human testing phase, but couldn't capture the creatures they needed to bridge the gap. Maybe that's what stalled their experiments—the fact that they were so close, but just couldn't get to the next stage. I guess it's lucky you caught on before it got worse."

Geralt grunted, not quite as optimistic. "Giving me more credit than I deserve," he admitted, making a face. "Still haven't found out who's doing it. Only lead left is Rissberg. Guess I'll see when I get there."

Shani lifted her head, considering, before her face began to slowly warm into a grateful smile, her pink lips turning up in a sincere expression Geralt had not seen in far too long. "Thanks, Geralt," she said after another moment, letting out a soft, almost embarrassed laugh at the words. "For giving me something to think about. I miss having challenges like this. I feel like I've been going stir-crazy lately." She paused at the thought, her pretty brow furrowing, looking a bit guilty for speaking so poorly of her situation, before she finally wrinkled her nose, letting out another breath of exasperated laughter. "Everyone treats me like I'm made of glass," she added, looking up at him again with a tired smile. "Do you know Eskel carried me up all those stairs? He insisted – said this was the nicest room in the keep."

Shani hesitated, shaking her head with a huff, reaching to tuck a lock of hair behind her ear. "He was right, of course," she added, frankly. "But still, it's ridiculous! I can't wait until this baby's delivered and things can go back to normal."

Geralt gave a soft grunt, unable to help a small smirk from tugging the corners of his mouth. "He likes you, you know," he told her. "Eskel. Just trying to help. Doesn't mean anything by it."

Shani let out a soft sigh, looking down to her hands curled thoughtfully around her stomach. "He's incredibly sweet," she agreed, sounding much less frustrated now, almost guilty. "I have no idea why he doesn't have someone already. I guess it's harder for someone who takes things slower, like he does. A lot of women can be very insistent—especially with someone as good-looking as Eskel."

Geralt huffed, amused by the compliment, unable to help thinking back to all the times Eskel had been called ugly over the years – his fellow Wolves had been partially guilty of perpetuating that label, but in truth, it was usually only Eskel's scars that put most people off. The man underneath was not so terribly unattractive—in fact, Eskel and Geralt had looked almost like brothers as children—but even so, Geralt could not help wondering how much of their teasing Eskel had absorbed as truth over the years.

"What about you?" he asked, deciding not to bring it up to Shani. "You mind taking things slow?"

Shani shrugged, seeming not to notice his conflict. "Not at all," she answered, honestly. "I'm easy to please, as you know. And I do think he's a wonderful person. I just… don't know if a relationship is a good idea, with the baby coming so soon." She paused, thinking about it, running a pensive hand over her stomach as she turned it over, before she finally gave a soft sigh, her pretty brow furrowing, looking almost troubled. "What kind of relationship would that even be, getting to know a woman for one month before suddenly being thrown into the role of a new father?" she insisted. "I wouldn't blame him if he wasn't really interested. It's a lot to take on for anyone, let alone a witcher."

Geralt grunted, thinning his lips, turning his gaze to the door where Eskel had disappeared. "Don't think he minds the idea of being a new father," he admitted. "Think he's pretty warm to it, actually. From what he's told me."

Shani sighed again, heavier this time, seeming to have worn herself out with their conversation. "That's… nice, Geralt," she admitted, sounding as if she did not quite believe him. "But I think I'd rather hear it from him, if that's the case. Either way, I'm in no rush to get into a relationship anytime soon. It might be better for everyone if it's just me and the baby for a while. At least until things settle again." Having said this, she paused, seeming to realize how harsh her tone had sounded compared to before, and she gave another soft exhale through her nose, reaching over to place a gentle hand over one of his.

"I appreciate you caring about me," she told him, causing him to look up, his heart growing warm at the gesture. "But… I really don't need anyone to match-make for me. I'm not some damsel in distress. If Eskel wants something more between us, I'm sure he'll say something about it, in his own time. And if he only wants to be a friend, I'm perfectly fine with that, too. Truly." She smiled, offering his hand a tender squeeze, though he found it difficult to return the smile – he had known Eskel for far longer than she had, and knew how hard it sometimes was for the man to speak his mind. He was mild-mannered, unobtrusive to a fault, often to the point of his own detriment, and Geralt sucked his lip as he thought of how many years it had taken him to finally speak up about Deidre. He was a man who took his time, and time was not something Shani could afford, especially now, and he let out a huff at the thought, unsure what he could say in response that would not discourage her.

He did not have time to think of anything, however, before Shani suddenly sucked in a breath, looking pleasantly startled. "Oh!" she said, her smile widening. "The baby kicked! Here, Geralt, feel!" Taking his hand from his knee, she moved it to her stomach, letting it rest against the curve, before she looked up again at him expectantly, waiting for a reaction to the sensation under his palm. Geralt hesitated, waiting for something to happen, before he felt a faint impact against his hand, sharp and swift, and he looked up to see Shani grinning widely, biting her lip as she waited for him to say something.

"I feel it," Geralt said, surprised.

Shani laughed, pressing her hand excitedly over his on her stomach. "I told you she's a fighter," she returned, the warmth clear in her voice. "She's going to be a handful when she's born. You'll see."

Geralt chuckled, unable to help a bit of apprehension from his expression as he retrieved his hand again. "Wouldn't expect any less," he agreed, reaching up to touch his medallion distractedly. It lay flush against his chest, unmoving, though he could not help feeling that was wrong, somehow – he had felt something more when the baby kicked, some sort of energy in the air, almost electric, and he could not help the hair on the back of his neck from prickling a bit at the disconnect. Pushing himself up from the bed with a grunt, he turned back to Shani, resting his hands on his hips. "Anything you need from downstairs?" he asked. "Gonna see what's taking Eskel so long."

"Nothing, thank you," Shani answered, offering him a fond smile as she leaned back, resting her hand on her stomach. "Not unless you can move this whole room downstairs. It's nice, but I'm starting to feel a little like a caged animal."

Geralt huffed, folding his arms. "Wish I could," he answered, feeling a bit guilty to admit it; it was no surprise she felt cloistered up here, but that still did not make it easier to hear. Shani had never been a woman to settle down for long, especially not without a challenge to keep her in one place, and he could only imagine how maddening it had to be for her, to be confined to these four walls for the next seven weeks. "Tower's the safest place in the keep," he added, hoping it might help the situation. "Eskel and Triss just wanna make sure you're safe. Don't want anything to happen to you. In case someone tries something."

"In case the mages come looking for me again, you mean," Shani corrected, her knowing expression catching Geralt by surprise. She smiled again, her expression strained, as if she had been waiting for him to slip up on that fact. "I'm observant, Geralt," she told him. "I notice things. On the road, Triss kept casting a cloaking spell to keep us from being detected using magic. And you sent a witcher to protect me. If it wasn't a real threat, there'd be no reason to treat it like one."

Geralt hummed, realizing there was no point in arguing. "Got me there," he admitted, letting out a long breath. "Mage at Corvo Bianco was just the first. Plenty others out there. Just trying to keep you safe."

"That's what I still don't understand," Shani answered, sitting up again, looking troubled. "Am I supposed to stay here forever? If they want to kill her so badly now, I imagine it'll only get worse after she's born."

Geralt shook his head. "Don't think so," he said, stiffly. "Think the danger'll stop once the baby's born."

"But how can you know that?" Shani insisted, looking up at him pleadingly, sounding almost desperate now. "If you know something, Geralt, please… please tell me. I can't stand being kept in the dark."

Geralt hesitated, holding his breath, not sure whether it would be best to tell her or keep her at arm's length, before he finally let it out again in a long, leery sigh, deciding it was not fair to keep her uninformed any longer. As much as he wanted to protect her, she had as much right to know what threats were looming on her doorstep as anyone, and he narrowed his lips as he stared down at her, not looking forward to what she was about to hear. "Hard to explain," he admitted. "That contract, that… djinn, Eskel told you about. Same contract I mentioned after the sorceress came to Corvo Bianco. She wasn't the only one who knew about it. Every magic user knows about it. Dunno how, but… they do."

Shani blinked, seeming surprised, but she kept her gaze rapt, leaning forward to listen more closely, and Geralt let out another huff, realizing there was nowhere to go from here but the truth. "Contract involves me doing certain tasks – like Eskel mentioned – so these magic users won't keep trying to hurt you," he explained, speaking slowly. "Only problem is, they think they'll get something if they fulfil their end. Gotta make sure my tasks get done before they get that chance."

Shani frowned, pulling her bathrobe tighter around her shoulders. "But, why would they want to hurt me in the first place?" she asked. "What did I do?"

"Not what you did," Geralt answered, solemnly, inclining his head. "What you're carrying."

Shani hesitated, glancing down to her lap, before she looked up at Geralt again, her expression grim. "So it is about the baby," she concluded, soberly.

Geralt nodded, his expression dark. "Magic users think it's keeping them from something they want," he explained. "Think getting rid of it will solve their problem."

"But, why?" Shani asked, making a face.

Geralt shook his head again, knowing there was no satisfactory answer. "'Cause the person who set up the contract told them so," he explained, knowing how harsh that sounded, though he had not meant it to. "'Cause he's evil. No other reason for it. Been looking for a reason, but… that's the only one I could find."

Shani hesitated, seeming lost for a moment, before she finally lowered her gaze to the floor, moving her arms around her stomach in an almost mechanical motion, cradling it in her lap. "Geralt," she said after a while, her voice so soft he almost missed it at first. "I don't know if you remember the night we went to that wedding… but you talked to someone there who… gave me the worst feeling. It's the same feeling I got with that sorceress at Corvo Bianco. I don't know how to explain it, but it just felt… wrong." She paused, staring at the floor, her soft eyes hooded and pensive as she thought it over, and Geralt felt his stomach fill with cold dread as he watched her, knowing exactly who she was talking about.

"Do you remember that man?" Shani finally asked, looking up at him again with a strange expression. "The man with the flower crown. Gaunter O'Dimm."

"Remember him," Geralt answered, nodding stiffly.

Shani nodded in return, still seeming distracted. "Do you think he might have something to do with this?" she asked, her voice quiet again.

Geralt hummed, before letting out a sigh, realizing how much of the contract was still a mystery to him – if Yennefer's theory about O'Dimm being summoned was right, then there was no telling who was responsible for all their turmoil. As it was, all he knew at the moment was that O'Dimm had brought the contract to him, and he had followed it blindly, hoping for Shani's safety, only to find himself always one step behind, always one task short of the curse being lifted. "Can't say for sure," he finally answered, deciding that was the only honest response he could give. "Lots of evil men out there. Just know I'm close to being done. Once I am, things'll go back to normal."

Shani narrowed her lips, before letting out a soft breath, running a distracted hand over her stomach. "I want to believe you," she told him, her voice quiet, sombre, but trying not to show it. "I want to believe there's a future for us… me and the baby. But… I can't even remember what normal feels like anymore." She paused again, her expression vague, her dark lashes quivering against her cheeks as she stared at the floor, before she finally looked up at Geralt again, resting her hand protectively on her stomach. "If something happens to us…" she said, her voice surprisingly firm through its softness. "If it can't be helped… I want you to save her. Not me. Promise me, Geralt."

Geralt blanched, hardening his lips in a grimace. "Can't… make that promise," he admitted, quietly.

Shani stared at him for a long moment, her expression unmoving, not reacting to his answer, before she finally let out another soft sigh, pushing herself up from the bed with a grunt of effort. "It's okay," she said, offering him a wan smile that did not quite reach her eyes. "I shouldn't have asked. It's not fair to put that on you. I know Yennefer will do it, if it comes down to it."

"She wouldn't," Geralt answered quickly, the words leaving his mouth before he could temper them; he stopped, realizing how aggressive he had sounded, but he only steeled his expression, determined not to let her morbid request stand. "Yen wouldn't do that," he repeated, less harshly this time. "Wouldn't take a mother from her child. Won't let it come down to that, anyway. Told you. Gonna get around this contract, make things right."

Shani watched him for another moment in silence, taking him in, resting her hand against the small of her back, before she finally gave a soft, sad chuckle, moving forward to place a reassuring hand on his chest. "I believe you," she told him, giving him a sympathetic smile. "I believe you'll do everything to try." Then, moving up on her toes, she pressed a soft kiss against his scruffy cheek, before she patted his chest supportively, making him wish he could melt through the floor and disappear.

---

The trip down the winding stairs was just as arduous as the way up had been, and Geralt paused as he reached the bottom, allowing himself a moment to catch his breath. The more he strayed from Corvo Bianco, the more he missed what he had left behind, and he hummed to himself as he pushed open the heavy gallery door, letting himself back out into the grand hall.

There was a pervasive chill in the fortress, one that permeated the walls, ignoring all attempts by the fireplace to warm it, and he grunted as he blew on his hands, making his way across the dilapidated hall towards the kitchen. Wherever Eskel had gone, whatever he was up to, he had taken his precious time in doing it, and Geralt pushed open the kitchen door, wondering if perhaps the other witcher had forgotten he was supposed to return to Shani with food. The kitchen had changed immensely since the last time he had visited the fortress, barely a few months ago – fresh herbs hung in bushels from the ceiling, with salted meat wrapped in paper sitting near the far wall, chilled by the stones. The preparatory table had been wiped down clean, cleared of flour and blood from meals long past, and the stove filled the galley with a warm orange glow, making it seem almost homey in comparison to the rest of the keep.

Eskel stood by the stove as Geralt entered, staring down into a large, black pot filled with bubbling liquid, and Geralt lifted his head to smell, recognizing the scent of vegetable and venison stew. Making his way over to the stew-pot, he looked down into it, watching it bubble, before he looked up at Eskel with a curious expression, resting his hands on his hips as he waited for an explanation. "Lotta stew for four people," he noted, causing Eskel to grunt, not looking up from the pot.

"Five," Eskel corrected, not missing a beat. "Baby's gotta eat, too. Needs her nutrients."

Geralt frowned, his interest piqued, watching his fellow witcher for another moment as he thought. "Been taking good care of Shani," he finally said, deciding to test the waters.

Eskel hummed, raising his scarred brows. "Any reason I wouldn't?" he asked, still not taking the bait.

Geralt shook his head. "Just noticing," he commented. "Care about her a lot. Just wondering why you won't tell her. Seems to think you just wanna be friends. Says you've never given any indication otherwise."

Eskel paused, staring down into the stew-pot, seeming to search for a moment for answers in the broth. "Just… didn't feel it was ever the right time," he finally said, his voice stiff, clearly hiding something. "Didn't wanna put pressure on her. Y'know. Doesn't need another witcher coming into her life, trying to get on her good side."

"Sounds like excuses to me," Geralt answered, not buying it. "Sounds like you're afraid of being rejected."

Eskel huffed, looking up at him at last. "Wouldn't you be?" he asked, his expression stern. "After so many years of it? Don't know what it's like, Wolf. Sometimes it's easier not to try." He frowned, staring at Geralt for a moment, as if challenging him to disagree, before he let out a soft, bitter snort, turning his attention to the counter beside the stew-pot again. "Always been easy for you," he said, brushing a handful of what looked like wild plants and flower heads into his hand. "You're handsome, charismatic. Lots of friends. Even if you hadn't bound yourself to Yen, wouldn't have any trouble finding someone."

He paused, tipping the handful of plants into the stew and picking up the ladle to stir it. "Not the same for everyone else," he added, gravely. "It gets… exhausting. Being treated like you're a different species."

Geralt hummed, his brow furrowing deeper. "Never known you to give up so easily," he observed, unconvinced.

Eskel shrugged. "Things change," he said, stirring the pot. "People change. Learned my lesson."

"Didn't sound that way on the stairs," Geralt answered, still not believing him. "Way you talked about Shani, could've sworn you two were already together." He paused, staring at Eskel, convinced not to let the other witcher escape his scrutiny, until Eskel finally turned to look at him again, feeling Geralt's eyes boring holes through the side of his face. "Don't think this has to do with me," Geralt observed, causing Eskel's face to twitch slightly, trying to hold a blank expression. "Never compared our successes before. Never cared. Think this has to do with something else."

Eskel hesitated, put on the spot, his lips drawing to a thin line as he tried to think of some excuse, before he finally let out a deep sigh, seeming to realize there was no way out. "It's… stupid," he mumbled, turning away from Geralt to look down into the pot again. "She just… looked so happy to see you. Felt like I was intruding—y'know. Felt kinda… left out."

Geralt frowned, having not expected that, though he supposed it was a bit obvious, in hindsight – Eskel had seemed so eager to help her in front of him, and so hesitant to leave them alone together, once he had been dismissed. The strange look he had given Geralt on his leaving had not been fear that they might do something sexual once he was gone, he realized now—but rather, fear that the time they spent together in his absence might be more enjoyable than the time spent while he was around.

"Shani's just a good friend," Geralt assured him after a moment, letting out a huff of his own at the explanation. "Been months since she's seen me. Not the same thing. Sees you every day, and still seems happy." He paused, thinking for an instant, trying to come up with something bracing to say to lift Eskel's spirits, but he found it hard to think of anything, with how little he still realized he knew about his fellow witcher. "Know I'd get tired of your ugly face if I had to see it every day," he finally decided, letting out a gruff chuckle. "But Shani clearly hasn't. Must mean something. Still seems happy to see you, even after you trapped her up in that room."

"Didn't trap her—" Eskel began to say, only to look up, noticing Geralt's genial expression. He paused, before letting out a soft grunt, a tiny smile pulling at the edge of his mouth. "…Thanks," he said quietly, before falling silent again, looking back to the pot with an odd expression, the flames licking the bottom of the basin throwing his troubled face into stony detail. His golden eyes were nearly invisible in the shadows that danced across his face, making it hard to tell what he was thinking, but after a while, he took another deep breath, fidgeting with the ladle at his side, as if trying to find the courage to speak again.

"Dunno what's wrong with me," he admitted, speaking lower, as if only half-aware he was talking aloud. "Never felt this way before. Feels like… things are just, better, when they're done with her. Don't mean to be invasive, but I can't… I can't help it. She's just… so wonderful to be around." He paused, staring into the fire, sucking his scarred lip as he tried to think of what to say next, before he finally let out a deep huff, sounding like a bear readying for a long sleep. "She's… brilliant," he said, sounding almost flustered now. "Brilliant, and beautiful, and so funny, Geralt. Makes me laugh like nobody's business. But… know she's not… really looking for a relationship right now. Not with the baby coming so soon, and… everything else going on."

He paused again, trailing off, before his expression began to twist, looking suddenly discouraged, and Geralt could not help wondering if there was some great secret coming, something that might better explain his hesitation. "Think… she's just trying to spare my feelings," Eskel admitted after a moment, sounding suddenly self-conscious. "What with… well. Y'know." He stopped again, lifting an awkward hand to indicate his damaged face, before he let his hand drop to his side again, giving a grunt of humourless laughter. "The scars," he explained, embarrassed. "Lotta women can't stand 'em. Think they're offputting. Not just women—know kids don't like 'em, either. Can't imagine how a baby would feel, seeing… that, leaning over its crib."

"Don't think a baby would mind," Geralt answered, plainly. "Don't think Shani'd mind, either."

Eskel grunted, seeming unconvinced, his expression twisting even further at the reassurance, before he turned his attention away again, staring down into the stew he had been preparing, watching it closely. "Either way," he said, moving on quickly. "Didn't come down to hear about my woeful dating life. Shani let you feel the baby kick, at least, before booting you out?"

Geralt nodded, folding his arms. "She did," he confirmed. "Got a strong kick. Takes after his dad."

"Or her dad," Eskel put in, pointedly. "Could always be a girl. That's what Shani wants."

Geralt hummed, saying nothing, unable to keep his eyes from falling to Eskel's medallion, and he furrowed his brow as he remembered the way Vesemir's medallion had gone off the last time the baby had kicked. It was entirely possible it had been a fluke, reacting to some outside magic his had not picked up on, but he could not help the unsettling feeling he had gotten when the baby kicked from lingering at the back of his mind. "She let you feel it before?" he finally asked, deciding it could not hurt to confirm his suspicions. "Got a weird feeling when she let me, just now. Wondered if you felt it, too. Might just be nerves."

Eskel paused, holding the ladle aloft, seeming to have forgotten mid-action what he was doing with it. "Yeah, actually, now you mention it," he said after a while, as if this were the first time he had thought about it. "Medallion kept going off every time I felt it kick. Didn't think anything of it. Hills around here are full of monsters… figured it was just a coincidence, picking up something from outside the walls. Didn't think it had anything to do with the baby, but…" He stopped, considering a moment, before he turned back to the stew-pot, poking absentmindedly at a dandelion bobbing on the surface.

"Guess it makes sense," he said, sounding unperturbed. "That it'd go off around her. Being half-witcher and all. Vesemir said they don't go off around us 'cause we attune to 'em. They're used to us. Not used to her yet."

Geralt frowned at his easy dismissal. "Doesn't bother you that the baby has a chaos aura?" he asked, concerned.

Eskel shook his head, looking up again with a curious expression. "Should it?" he asked. "Got one, myself. So do you. Shit one, but it's there."

Geralt snorted, having expected the insult, though it did not do much to alleviate his concerns. "Just… not sure, is all," he admitted, his voice lower now, not wanting their conversation to carry. "Know witchers've got chaos auras, but… so do monsters. So do curses."

Eskel hesitated, his expression going blank, all good humour draining from his face like blood. "That's what you're worried about?" he asked after a moment, his voice low as well. "That it's a monster? Or cursed?"

Geralt felt his expression twist, tucking his arms tighter to his chest as his stomach knotted. "What if it is?" he pressed, feeling the same sense of dread starting to creep over him again. "What if that's how it's always been, from the start? Wanted to keep it so badly for Yen, that… didn't even think about how it might hurt Shani." He paused, steeling his lips, staring down into the stew-pot as it bubbled softly in the silence, before he finally took another deep breath, looking up at Eskel with a grave expression. "Told me again she wanted me to save her kid, if it came down to it," he said, his voice solemn, hating to convey the message. "Told her I wouldn't do it, but… can't help wondering. Might not be a choice."

Eskel scowled, his golden eyes grim and steely in his face as he turned it over, the flickering fire under the stew-pot throwing his wan features into sharp detail. "Can't be the only way," he said at last, shaking his head again. "Gotta be something else you can do. If it is a monster, or cursed… gotta be some way to find out. Save it, maybe. Save Shani." He paused, his expression hardening again, his free hand moving to scratch absentmindedly at his beard, keeping his gaze fixed intently on the wall behind Geralt, as if hoping to find some solace engraved there. "Witchers break curses all the time," he added after a moment, still not willing to let it go. "That's what we do. Don't always have to kill monsters, either. Not if they can be reasoned with."

"Think this thing'll be able to be reasoned with?" Geralt insisted, starting to get annoyed with Eskel's stubbornness. "Don't like the idea of killing it, either. But if it is a monster, and it's a threat to Shani's life—"

"Don't you think you would've known that by now?" Eskel demanded, looking up at him again, his expression firm. "Been eight months, and no signs so far. No fangs, no claws. Think you're overreacting, Wolf."

Geralt bristled, his shoulders tensing. "Not overreacting if it might be a threat," he returned, growling through his teeth. "Just trying to prepare for the possibility. Not letting my dick do the thinking for me."

Eskel huffed, the sound harsh, barely a laugh. "That'd be a first," he returned, his voice starting to rise. He paused, realizing how heated he was getting, before he finally lifted his hands, offering a truce. "Not the point," he said, his voice low again, sounding as if he were trying very hard to keep his cool. "Only important thing is, Shani's still in trouble. Gonna be that way until you finish this last task. Whatever you have to do…" He stopped again, pursing his lips, seeming to fight himself to continue, before he finally let out another long breath, letting his hands drop back to his sides. "Whatever you have to do, just make sure it's for the best," he said, sounding drained, as if he did not have the heart to keep arguing. "Just… try to save it first. Whatever you do. Whatever… it ends up being."

Geralt was silent for a moment as Eskel finished, watching as his fellow Wolf turned away, seeming almost exhausted, and he could feel his own defences lowering, unable to stay upset at Eskel for very long. Despite their differences, Eskel was his brother, raised by his side since early childhood, and he could tell the other witcher was only trying to do what was best for the woman he loved. In his shoes, Geralt was sure he would do the same; if it were Yennefer's child, he would give his life to save it, go to the ends of the world and back again to ensure no harm befell either of them, not while he still drew breath.

Letting out a long, quiet sigh, Geralt let his shoulders drop, his arms still crossed warily over his chest, before he cleared his throat softly, watching Eskel for another moment longer as he stirred the stew-pot. "Can't say for sure she wouldn't be interested, y'know," he put in after a moment, causing Eskel to look up, unsure what he was talking about. "Shani. In a relationship. Been known to date some ugly guys. Could always have a chance, if you just ask her."

Eskel hesitated, before he finally snorted, seeming lost for words for a moment on how to respond. "Ugly guys like you?" he smirked after a while, tapping his ladle on the edge of the stew-pot.

Geralt grunted, returning the smirk. "Like me," he agreed. "Like Thaler. Got more hair than him, at least."

Eskel huffed, picking up a large bowl and bringing it over, starting to ladle stew into it. "Guess I've got that going for me at least," he said, careful not to spill any down the sides. "Got three times the hair of any of you. If nothing else, guess I can keep her warm at night." He chuckled, hanging the curved end of the ladle on the stew-pot and wiping a spot of soup from the side of the bowl, before he looked up at Geralt again with a grin, endearingly lopsided from the scars torn through his upper lip. "Wanna help me bring this up to her?" he asked, before pausing, glancing back at the bubbling stew-pot again. "Should probably bring another bowl while I'm at it. Know she's eating for two now. Not really sure what that means."

"About the same as you and your goat," Geralt answered, giving an amused grunt as he reached for a second bowl. Picking up the ladle, he poured the stew carefully in, careful not to spill too much, before he handed it off to Eskel as well, leaving the other witcher carrying a steaming vessel in each hand. "You go ahead," he said, giving a jerk of his head in the direction of the stairs. "Sure Shani'll be happy to see you. I need to catch up with Triss. Give her the updated report."

"Not even gonna help me carry them up the stairs?" Eskel huffed, sounding more sceptical than irritated.

Geralt shook his head. "Nope," he said. "You'll be fine. Trained on the pendulum, can carry soup up a flight of stairs." He smirked, his expression unabashedly cheeky, unable to stop a gruff chuckle from escaping him as Eskel shot him an incredulous look, before the dark-haired witcher finally sighed, stashing one of the bowls in the crook of his arm and pushing the door open with his shoulder. Geralt could hear him muttering under his breath, sliding out sideways through the doorway, careful not to move too quickly, and he grinned as he reached out to hold the door for his friend, helping him get on his way.

Eskel was a good man, Geralt thought – not just a good witcher, but a good friend, and a respectable human being – and he furrowed his brow as he watched him leave, wondering if that had always been the case, or if something had caused him to be that way. He had never known Eskel to be anything but decent – quiet, empathetic of his fellow man and beast, but he had a hard time believing that a hundred years of living like he and Eskel did could not have hardened him somehow, before softening him again. Any man in Eskel's shoes would have reason, time and again, to become bitter, cynical, disillusioned to the world, but his fellow Wolf had only ever acted in compassion, where compassion could be sensibly afforded.

Letting out another thoughtful hum, Geralt turned to look at the stew-pot, wondering if it would be fine to leave it bubbling, before deciding that it had been long enough since his last meal that he could stand to eat something small, himself. Picking up two more stew-bowls, he filled them up, careful not to spill, before he pushed his way out of the kitchen as well, making his way for the main feast hall.

He had no idea where Triss would be at this hour, though he supposed there were only a few places worth seeing in Kaer Morhen these days; with the fortress still dilapidated from the battle with the Hunt, it was more of a quarry than a castle anymore. With that in mind, it did not take long to find the sorceress exactly where he thought she might be – sitting by the crackling fire, reading an old book from Vesemir's library. Triss looked up with eager cornflower eyes as Geralt set down the bowl of steaming soup beside her elbow, before she watched him settle down beside her, letting out a low grunt as his leg twinged with complaints from a trip up and down the winding stairs.

"Is it dinnertime already?" Triss asked, picking up her bowl with a hum to smell the proffered stew. "Mm… smells like one of Eskel's. He likes using edible flowers in everything."

"Always was good at foraging," Geralt agreed, sniffing at his own bowl. "Shit at growing his own, though. Lambert'd always help him—covertly. Didn't want any of us knowing he was good with plants." He paused, staring into the fireplace, feeling the warmth of the flames flickering across his face, before he took in a solemn breath, thinning his lips to a hard line as he thought back to his days at Kaer Morhen before the Hunt. "Always tried to look out for one another," he added, his voice distant, deep, only vaguely aware he was still speaking. "Even if we'd be damned before we made that obvious. Think we kinda knew, even then… wouldn't last forever."

Triss frowned, having not expected the conversation to grow so deep so quickly, and she took a thoughtful sip of her stew as she stared into the fire, trying to think of what to say next. Triss had been there back then, Geralt thought, when Kaer Morhen was still full of warmth and laughter, and he could not help wondering if her memories of the place were as fond as his, even considering how things had turned out between them. It was where she had first met Ciri, regardless of what other events may have transpired within its walls; it was where she had taught the witchers about indisposition, about young women's needs, when they had been all but clueless. Geralt grinned at the memory, thinking back to how Eskel had humbled and flattered their way out of being scolded by the sorceress, before he quickly covered his smirk with a stealthy swig of stew, wetting his lips and wiping soup from his beard with the back of his wrist.

"You know…" Triss finally spoke, tilting her head curiously as she stared into the fire, seeming transfixed. "I didn't want to mention it in front of Shani, but… I've been detecting a faint chaos aura around her lately. It's been getting stronger as we've been travelling, which… might have something to do with Eskel. I'm not sure." She paused, her freckled brow furrowing, her button nose scrunching up slightly on one side as she thought, and Geralt watched her as she turned it over, wondering what conclusion she might draw from the facts she had. "It's hard to pinpoint where magic is coming from unless you use certain spells," she admitted after a moment, letting out a wary sigh. "And… well, I didn't want to be obvious about it."

"Eskel does give off a strong aura," Geralt agreed, grunting. He paused, sipping his stew, in no mood to bring up his conversation with Eskel from earlier, content to simply watch the fire as he listened to Triss muse, hoping she might have a different answer than the witchers had come up with.

Triss nodded, still seeming pensive, before her expression grew suddenly solemn. "He does," she said, her mouth twisting, lips thinning to a grim line as she considered. "Which makes it hard, sometimes, to figure out if it's him or her, but… I'm almost positive I detected some sort of aura even before he joined us. I just wish there was some way for me to know for sure, without being invasive or disruptive to Shani."

Geralt hummed, swirling his stew, staring meditatively into the fire as he thought. "Medallion doesn't go off around her," he admitted after a moment, taking another swig from his bowl. "Vesemir's did, though. When the baby kicked. Eskel says his did, too. Same thing."

"That's interesting," Triss answered, looking up at him again. "Why do you think that is?"

Geralt wiped his beard with his wrist again. "Which one?" he asked, only half paying attention.

Triss hesitated, seeming confused for a moment. "Theirs, I guess," she finally answered, sounding uncertain. "Why their medallions go off around it, but yours doesn't. I wonder what the difference is." She paused, looking down at her stew again, poking a soupy flower from one side of the bowl to the other. "Is it because the baby is half-witcher?" she asked after a moment, speaking more to herself than him this time. "I wonder what that means for the child, if his aura is already that strong… could it mean he'll have inherent magical abilities, coming from mutated genes? Or could it mean he's already got some of your mutations, and the medallion is picking up on that, somehow? What would those inherent mutations even mean for a child? Have you been able to figure that out yet?"

Geralt thought for a moment, before he finally shrugged. "No idea," he admitted, tiredly. "Think it's a boy?"

Triss faltered at the question, before letting out a soft titter. "Well, it is your child," she said, sounding much less confident now. "What else would you have? Yen thinks it'll be a boy, so I just… figured that was what you wanted."

Geralt hummed, taking another swig of stew. "Doesn't mean anything," he said, shaking his head. "Be plenty happy with a girl. Might even prefer one. Already know how to raise a girl, kinda."

Triss wrinkled her nose, seeming thoughtful. "Well, I hope it's a girl, personally," she agreed after a while. "I always have. If I were to have a child with you, I know I'd want it to be girl." Having said this, she faltered, seeming to realize how forward she had sounded, before she quickly clapped a hand to her mouth, looking up at him with wide, mortified eyes. "I'm so sorry!" she squeaked, sounding horrified. "I didn't mean that! You know I'm happy for you and Shani. And I'm happy being friends with both of you! I just… I think you'd be such a good father to a girl, after how you raised Ciri. That's all."

Geralt chuckled, staring into the fire. "Know what you meant," he assured her, swirling his stew again. "Either way, can't imagine the kid's magic'd be very strong. Even if he does have it. Mine is nothing special."

Triss hummed, staring down into her stew, seeming to have lost all interest in eating it. "I guess," she finally answered, still sounding embarrassed. "I can sense your magic, too, Geralt. It's not that weak. Just… weaker than Eskel's, which is no surprise. His is unusually strong." She paused, thinking a while, tilting her stew to one side and then the other, contemplatively, before she finally looked up into the fireplace again, watching the flames as she considered what to say next. "While we were travelling, I used a spell to mask our magic from people trying to detect us that way," she noted after a while, her tone thoughtful. "Is it possible that could be what's causing your medallion not to react to Shani and the baby?"

Geralt furrowed his brow, his mouth twisting. "Don't think so," he admitted after a bit. "Masking works sometimes, but don't think that's it. Didn't react before when the baby kicked, either. Think it's something to do with the medallion itself."

"Then I have no idea," Triss answered, just as stumped. "Could it possibly be because the baby's yours?"

Geralt paused, thinking it over, before he finally nodded. "Could be," he acknowledged, tapping his finger against the side of his bowl. "Guess it'd make sense. Medallions get used to things they spend time around. Could be 'cause the kid is mine, or could've just gotten used to its… aura, while Shani was at Corvo Bianco." He paused again, taking another moment to think, staring into the fire as it danced and popped, before he finally tilted his stew back, finishing it off to the last grassy drop. The idea that the medallion recognized blood was much more appealing than his earlier suspicion, and a theory he badly wanted to believe was true, for his own sake as well as Shani's. Still, he could not help the sinking feeling that O'Dimm knew more about the baby's fate than all of them, and he hummed as he stared into the fire, trying to keep the same creeping sense of dread from taking over again.

"How long will you be staying with us?" Triss asked after a moment, setting her bowl aside to fix her entire attention on Geralt.

Geralt grunted, glad to be distracted. "Three days," he answered. "How long Yen said it'll take for her to get back."

Triss furrowed her brow, looking troubled. "She didn't say where she was going for three days?" she asked, curiously.

Geralt shrugged, trying not to note the tone of obvious suspicion in the sorceress' voice – she had no reason to question Yennefer, except perhaps a curiosity of why she had split the party to go off on her own, but he found he had little patience for anyone putting his wife's motives under scrutiny. "Not important," he answered, bluntly. "I trust her. Knows what she's doing better than I do."

Triss paused again, before finally letting out a breath, looking back to the fire with a bewildered expression. "I think I'd go crazy if someone did that to me," she admitted. "Are you not even a little curious about what she's up to?"

"Nope," Geralt answered, shaking his head. "Got no reason to question her. If it's important, know she'll tell me when she gets back."

Triss frowned, falling silent again, staring for a long time into the dancing flames, before she finally took a deep breath, seeming to realize she would not be getting any more out of him about Yennefer. "Well," she said after a beat. "There's plenty enough to do around here in three days. Eskel's been trying to fix some of the structures around the place, make it a bit more secure… I've been helping where I can with my magic, but another set of hands couldn't hurt with some of the manual labour."

Geralt snorted, looking over at her again. "Here for three days, gonna put me to work?" he asked.

Triss chuckled, turning her gaze to his with an impish smile. "What else did you expect?" she asked, cheekily.