A/N: The morning after the night before...ahh, don't you just love it. Here you are my beautiful readers, another week another chapter. Thanks to all you returning, and hello to all the new ones. There are quite a few of you. Welcome to the Lambert appreciation club, please read, review and of course, enjoy! :)

Chapter 24

Ellie woke to the heady scent of cinnamon. It filled her senses, evoking pleasant memories of the night before. Then the realisation that she had in fact woken up hit her. She had slept. When was the last time she had done that? As she was puzzling out this rare phenomenon she felt something shift against her.

Slowly becoming aware of her surroundings, she noticed she was pressed against a warm body, her back encased in a fur blanket. One of her legs was hooked over another that didn't belong to her and her arms were pinned between herself and her sleeping partner. The tuft of hair on his chest tickled her nose and suddenly the strength of his spicy scent made sense.

Lambert had his arms wrapped around her, his chin resting on the top of her head. A low, rumbling groan vibrated against her ear and she found herself smiling at the memory of him making very similar noises last night. They had gone on for some time, neither one needing to slow or recuperate like a normal human. It had been unlike anything she had experienced before, although that wasn't saying much. She had only ever been with one other person, the man she had saved. The one she had chosen over her mentor. The first time had been nice, both of them unsure but passionate in the moment.

With Lambert she had felt her body losing control and finding it; she was burning and freezing, whole and empty, alive and dead all at the same time. Every place he'd touched her, kissed her felt like a brand. Searing into her skin. Claiming her. The memory of his hands gripping her, his mouth running over her breasts, her stomach, her thighs. The heat began to rise in her cheeks and pool in her gut at the thought. She had never been there, but she was sure it was as close to heaven as she was ever likely to come. Closing her eyes with a contented sigh, she snuggled against his bare chest, her fingers idly tracing a scar near his collar bone.

'That tickles.' A muffled voice said from somewhere above her. He sounded groggy and sleep addled, and Ellie couldn't help feeling a swell of satisfaction at his exhausted state.

'Well, you're squishing me, it's the least I can do.' She replied cheekily. Her whole body shook with the motion of him chuckling, then slowly he released her so she could look up at him. If she had found awake and normal looking Lambert attractive, it was nothing to the drowsy, dishevelled one now. Her stomach gave a tight squeeze as she looked into his sleep hazed amber eyes, his dark, usually carefully slicked back hair in disarray from a combination of the pillow and their activities the previous night. There was a small smile on his lips as he stared down at her. Not a hint of sarcasm or malice in it, only affection.

'S'at better?' He asked, his voice still sluggish.

'Yeah. Got a better view.' She said, reaching a now freed hand up to stroke his beard. Lambert's smile widened lazily and he looked at her with hooded eyes.

'Mine just improved too.' His eyes flicked down from her face to her exposed breasts, and she felt her cheeks glow further.

'Pervert.' Now she got a good look at the smile she jealously guarded for herself. It made his whole face look younger and more carefree. She liked to think it was the real Lambert that lurked below his bitter, snarky exterior.

'And you love it Blue eyes.' With that he leant down and planted a passionate kiss on her mouth. The clenching in her stomach released and suddenly there was a swarm of butterflies wreaking havoc inside of her. By the time he broke away she was feeling light headed and dizzy even lying down.

'Uhmm.' She managed, blinking up at him. He chuckled again and she found she rather liked the sound.

'You slept.' He said, raising one eyebrow. 'I thought you didn't do that.'

'It's rare.' Her scrambled brain managed to stutter out. Lambert was making it very hard to concentrate, as he rubbed his leg over hers. What was more annoying was that he was aware of the effect he was having on her, his grin turning wolfish as he ran a hand up her back.

'It wouldn't have anything to do with my amazing sexual prowess would it?' His eyes danced with mirth and she felt herself grinning back despite her better judgement.

'Seriously?' She said, her tone flat.

Lambert winked cheekily at her. 'On a scale of one to ten, how good was I compared to your previous dalliances?'

'Dalliances?'

'Your other lovers, Blue eyes. Was I the best? I bet I was.' She let an annoyed huff and tried to wriggle away from him. The witcher kept his arms clamped around her, his grin widening the more she struggled. 'You can't escape, might as well answer.'

Ellie tried to kick his legs off her, the need to get away more from pride than necessity, but he hooked his leg higher, over her hip, pulling her lower half flush against him. All her wriggling was now doing interesting things to both their bodies, and she felt the heat in her belly condense as Lambert's eyes turned hazy with lust.

'I'd really stop fighting. Otherwise I might have to play rough.' Ellie paused in her attempts to free herself for just a second, before the tempting threat he had just presented to her became too much to resist. With a broad grin she stopped trying to lean away, instead moving so close to him her cheek was pressed once more against his chest. She felt his muscles relax in surprise at her sudden surrender, then before he could adjust his grip she began to wiggle down into the blankets to duck out of his grasp. She made it to where her nose was somewhere in line with his navel before she felt strong hands move down and grip her by the waist. There was a flurry of limbs, blankets and brief flashes of light before she was slammed onto her back, the pillow beneath her head letting out a small puff of feathers.

Blinking up she stared into the feral grinning face of Lambert as he leered down at her. His thighs were caging her in, his hands planted on each side of her head, a wrist held in each of them. The weight of his body pressed her deeper down into the feather mattress, and no matter how much she struggled now, she couldn't move a single part of her body except her head.

'Get off you idiot!' She shouted. Thrashing her head from side to side.

'I warned you.' He growled from above her. He gave her a calculated look before moving his hips deliberately against her. Ellie swallowed as she felt the evidence of his still very naked state pressing against her stomach. Her eyes flicked down automatically and Lambert's leer grew.

'Now are you going to answer my question? Or am I going to have to make you?' He moved his hips again and Ellie heard herself groan. A chuckle shook through his body making the whole sensation even more tortuous.

'Why do you want to know?' She asked, in a high pitch wail.

'For my ego. Indulge me Ellie, please.' Purgatory, when he said her name like that…

'Fine. You were…very good. I enjoyed my time with you.' Her head was turned to the side, her eyes screwed shut in an attempt to keep some of her dignity. She felt him lean away from her slightly in response to her answer. Cracking open an eye, she looked up at the witcher currently straddling her. He was staring down at her with a bemused expression.

'You…enjoyed your time with me? Come on Blue eyes. You sounded like you more than 'enjoyed' it last night.' Her cheeks pulsed with heat, as she felt trapped in this awkward as arse situation.

'I-I well…I did. Sorry Lambert, it was amazing. I just don't have a very large frame of reference, I've only done…that once before…and it's been a while.'

'Only…once.' His eyes grew round with surprise. 'Seriously?'

Her embarrassment turned to annoyance in a nanosecond. 'Yes, seriously.' She snapped, trying to squirm out of his grip again. Lambert simply sat on her like a particularly handsome, stubborn boulder, his expression stunned.

'So last night…was your second time?'

'Well, technically it was my second, third, fourth and fifth time, but yeah. It was.' His look of surprise slowly morphed into one of gentle affection.

'You should have told me, I would've taken things slower.' Ellie shook her head.

'No. I was fine with the speed. You're a very good…teacher.' She said, feeling suddenly shy in this vulnerable position. Lambert loosened his grip slightly, not enough to release her, but enough so she could move a bit more under him. He leant down and brushed his nose gently against hers, his voice soft as he murmured, 'My little blue-eyed demon.'

Ellie managed to force one of her hands free and gave him a playful shove to the chest, pushing him upright. 'Enough of this nice, romantic Lambert. Where's my sarcastic jackass gone? What have you done with him?'

He threw his head back and let out a bark of laughter. 'Jackass is it? Okay, I'll give you jackass.' He grinned down at her, a dangerous glint in his eye. Then with impressive speed he grabbed her by the hips and flipped her over underneath him. She had just enough time to lift her face off the pillow and let out an indignant, 'Hey!' Before she felt a harsh, stinging slap to her backside. Ellie wasn't proud to admit she gave an undignified shriek at the sudden pain, but it hadn't been hard. It burnt pleasantly where he had hit her, the heat transferring to her belly as she lay face down on the bed. Gentle hands slid around her waist again, and she was pulled up onto her knees. A rough, calloused palm rubbed her stinging flesh carefully.

'Hmm, I quite like you in this position.' His voice was low and husky as he continued to rub her, and she felt her insides clench in anticipation. 'But I think if we stay up here much longer one of my brothers will be sent to fetch us, and I don't like the thought of them seeing you like this.' He gave her another, less forceful, tap on the behind, then she felt the bed shift as he disappeared from behind her.

She stayed like that for a moment. Her arse in the air, her face pressed against the soft furs on the bed. She smiled in private, her expression obscured by her arms, enjoying this instance of bliss for just a few more seconds. Then, with a reluctant sigh, she lifted her head and searched the room for her lover. He was already half dressed. His fingers doing up the lacing on his leather trousers. Tucking her knees up to her chin, she sat on the bed and watched him pad around the room, collecting his scattered clothes wearing only his trousers. She could have happily stared at him for eternity, but the witcher gave her a sideways look before grabbing her discarded dress and tossing it at her.

'Come on lazy. I'll fuck you again later, but right now I need you to put some clothes on.' Ellie snorted from under the dress that was now draped over her head. Pulling it off she made a face at Lambert before dumping it back on the floor, making a mental note to hold him to that promise.

'Think I'll put my normal clothes back on if you don't mind. One night in a dress is more than enough for me.' She began to root around in the trunk she had stored her only belongings in. The leather trousers she had been leant, Lambert's tattered white shirt he had given her, and her old shorts. She reached up to her neck at the sight of them, remembering the trinket she had worn to the party. It was still there, hanging from her throat. Carefully she unclasped the sapphire and put it back in its safe place. She glanced up to see Lambert watching her.

'I like it on you.' He murmured, almost regretfully as she folded her shorts over it again.

'I'd rather it stays somewhere I can't lose it.' She replied. He nodded and didn't say anything else, pulling his black shirt back on. Ellie yanked on her clothes, getting briefly tangled in her shirt and trying to put her head through the arm sleeve.

'Here.' Lambert said, chuckling. He freed her from her predicament, his brow furrowing as he looked at the ripped, dirty garment. 'Haven't you found a replacement for that old thing yet?'

She gripped the cotton fabric to her protectively. 'I like it. Besides, I think I've had enough hand me downs from Ciri, whomever she is.' His expression became briefly guarded, and she wondered again who this mysterious girl was.

'I can give you another one of mine if you'd prefer.' He insisted. Ellie rolled her eyes and batted him away.

'If it makes you feel better, but I thought you wanted us to hurry downstairs before they sent out a search party?' Lambert huffed, muttering something about 'stubborn demons' before grabbing her by the wrist and leading her out of the room.

Flashbacks from last night's frantic path through the keep came rushing back to her, as he pulled her behind him. She had been able to sense the tension in the air as he had hurried her to the room, the taste of him still strong on her lips. She touched her free hand to her mouth now, remembering the feel of him and her skin flushed pink in response. Lambert half turned his head as he directed them down the stairs to the main hall.

'I'd think about something else if I were you. The others will have a riot if you come down smelling like that.'

'Smelling like what?' Ellie asked defensively.

'Like someone who's begging me to take her back up to that room. Seriously, calm down.' She flushed even more, not sure if she should feel turned on or outraged right now.

'You can smell…when I'm…excited?' She said. Lambert grinned, slowing down so they could talk better.

'Yeah, and so can my brothers.' She held up her arm and took a tentative whiff of her armpit.

'I can't smell anything.' His grin widened.

'It's a witcher thing. Plenty of experience smelling when someone's hormones are up. Helps in a lot of situations.' He waggled his eyebrows at the last comment, and Ellie could see now his pupils were slightly blown out as his nostrils flared, taking in a large draw of air. She wanted to cover herself up even though she was fully clothed. This new revelation of one of the witcher's many hidden talents alarmed and excited her at the same time.

'Fine. I'll think of something else.' She mumbled. Lambert chuckled as they continued downstairs, and she did her best to fill her head with multiplication tables and fighting stances instead of his naked body.

The others were already downstairs when they entered, and she wondered what time of day it was. The daylight was coming in strong through the arched windows, but everyone was still sat around the large trestle table eating breakfast, so they clearly weren't the only late risers. The decorations were up from the night before, although all the candles had burnt out. Her tree looked a little less magical in the cold light of day, its haphazard baubles now more like junk without the glow from the candlelight. She noticed Eskel and Geralt were still in their clothes from last night. Both of them looked up as they approached, Ellie still being led by the wrist. Twin grins stretched across their faces, and Ellie was mortified to see Eskel's nostrils flare as he smelt them.

'Ho ho, here they come. The love birds.' He joked heartily. 'Didn't think we'd see you until spring.' Lambert gave him a boisterous shove, almost pushing the other witcher clean off the bench he was sitting on.

'Shut the fuck up.' He spat, but it only made Eskel's grin widen. Lambert took a seat opposite him and Geralt. Ellie dithered for a second, not sure what to do. She had never joined them for breakfast before; not needing to eat and never sleeping, she had always just kept working on whatever project she was engrossed in at the time. Lambert looked at up her, one eyebrow raised, then patted the space next to him invitingly.

'Sit.' He commanded, when she didn't respond. Slowly she sank down next to him, her hands clasped awkwardly in her lap. She was directly opposite Eskel, who's cheeky grin faded into a small smile as he looked at her. His confession from the previous night came flooding back and her mouth was abruptly very dry.

'I was just starting to like you demon, then you go and show how bad your judgement is by choosing this prick.' Geralt's dead pan tone belayed the mischievous twinkle in his eye. Lambert let out an honest to goodness growl and aimed a kick under the table. It didn't reach its target, instead he connected with the solid oak leg of the table. There was a muted thud, the cups and plates jumping with a rattle, and the young witcher hissed in pain, cursing under his breath. Eskel chuckled along with his brother at Lambert's dramatic reaction, but there was no mirth in it. Ellie felt her stomach sinking. Couldn't she just make everyone happy for once?

'If you children are quite finished?' Vesemir's gruff voice broke through the uncomfortable tension. The old witcher moved from the fireplace where he'd been standing to come to the head of the table. Unlike his students he'd changed out of his fancy doublet and back into his studded leather amour. He gave them all a hard stare as he surveyed them. 'I hope you all enjoyed your party yesterday, cos it's back to work today boys. I'll give you ten minutes to finish eating and get into your armour. We're running drills in fifteen.' Lambert groaned, gesturing to the full plate he had just gathered.

'I've only just sat down.' He grumbled. Vesemir gave him a narrowed eyed look.

'That's not my problem. Better eat quickly.' His eyes flicked to Ellie, but instead of looking at her sternly he gave her a sly wink provoking a smile from her. Lambert grumbled further into his plate of food, before preceding to shovel its contents into his mouth. She stared in disbelief at the display, and both Vesemir and Geralt laughed at her shocked expression.

The witchers lapsed into silence as they continued the important task of finishing breakfast. Even though she had nothing in front of her, Ellie felt contented just being a part of their group. Sure, there was a weird thing going on now between her and Eskel, Geralt still was a little distant and she had absolutely no idea what her and Lambert's relationship now meant, but for now there was peace and she would enjoy it.

'Morning boys.' Yennefer's voice carried from across the hall. She strode gracefully towards them. A completely different black and white dress on from the night before. She wondered if the sorceress owned any other colours in her extensive wardrobe.

'I see our couple of the night has decided to join us.' She finished, coming to a stop behind Geralt's shoulder.

'Careful Yen. Lambert's already attacked most of us for gossiping.' Geralt's voice was serious but there was that glint still in his eye.

'And I'm not above attacking a woman, so fair warning witch.' Lambert snarked. Yennefer shot Ellie a look which plainly said 'him…really?' and beckoned her with one manicured finger.

'I'm here for the lady in question anyway. If you're not busy dear, I'd like a chat.' Ellie had half risen before Lambert's hand gripped her thigh, holding her in place.

'What's this about?' He asked, all trace of sarcasm gone. Ellie looked down at him in alarm, his face was dark, his scent suddenly eye stingingly strong.

'Whoa, steady there lover boy.' Eskel said. Everyone around the table had stopped eating and were watching him cautiously. Yen's violet eyes narrowed, she was about to retort when Vesemir interjected.

'Let the girl go Lambert. She won't come to harm with Yennefer.' His tone brokered no argument but Ellie saw the tell-tale signs of an outburst on her witcher's face. When he didn't move his hand, Vesemir thumped his down on the table, hard. 'Enough of this. You're old enough now to not act like a territorial whelp. Nothing's going to happen to her while she's out of your sight.'

A tingling sensation tickled her skin as she reached down and encouraged him to let her get up. 'It's alright. I won't be long.' Her voice was gentler than Vesemir's but she also left him no room to negotiate with her. He gave her a sharp look but relented.

As soon as she was up and away from the table, the atmosphere lifted. Still, there was a lingering effect that signalled something significant had just happened. Vesemir sighed, and rose from the table.

'Everyone finished? Let's go before we lose the whole day.' There were a few groans of protest but to a man the witchers got up and began to gather their armour and weapons. Yen caught her attention as they busied themselves.

'I see you and Lambert are quite the couple now. I'll be in my room when you're ready. There's some news on our experiment.' She winked and swept away towards the tower stairs. Before Ellie could process what she'd said Eskel was suddenly next to her. He must have gotten ready in record time, as the others were still organising themselves and he was already changed.

'You look happy El.' Eskel said, his voice low so the others couldn't hear. Her mouth was dry again, and she flicked a worried glance towards Lambert who mercifully hadn't noticed his brother's close proximity to her.

'Eskel, I didn't mean…I don't want you to think...' He held up a hand to silence her.

'It's okay. You shouldn't feel guilty. It's always been him, I get it.' His smile touching his eyes. 'I just wanted you to know my feelings before it was too late to say it.' He glanced over his shoulder at the witcher in question. 'Lambert's made it perfectly clear how serious this is. I won't step on my brother's toes.'

Ellie had the suspicion he was referring to the odd encounter at the breakfast table. 'Yeah, what was that just now?' She asked tentatively.

Eskel shrugged, but she could tell he felt uncomfortable. 'Lambert's very protective of the things he cares about. You should see him when one of us tries to use his boat.' Her mouth opened and closed rapidly, unsure how to respond to the comment. He stared at her in confusion for a moment, then laughed and turned away. 'Good luck with him anyway.' He shot back, just as Geralt and Lambert caught up with him, heading for the main door.

'What was that, dickhead?' Lambert snapped, aiming a punch for Eskel's side. The scarred witcher easily dodged and laughed louder at his younger brother's rage. All the while Geralt kept stoic and silent next to the bickering pair. She watched the group as they walked away, laughing and bantering like brothers, and wondered how long it would take for this happiness and peace to come to an end.

It took until the end of winter. When the snows had begun to recede and the temperature had risen to a bearable level. She was only grateful she was allowed some time with Lambert, the two of them finding every opportunity to be together. Ever since she had decided to give in to her feelings, they had become almost inseparable. She went to morning drills with him, Vesemir eventually growing tired of her watching from the side-lines and insisting she join them. Sparring with the witchers improved her fighting style markedly, and once or twice she had been paired with Lambert, giving her the opportunity to pay him back for their first encounter. These sessions usually ended in a weird tension between them, followed by the two of them disappearing for a few hours in a hidden part of the keep. After a few times of this happening Vesemir kept them apart during training.

She also loved to watch him make bombs. There was something about the way his large, capable hands measured the dangerous ingredients, and carefully placed them in the containers that made her shiver. His fingers moved with a delicate grace and when she told him why she loved staring at them, he answered by showing her another use for his dexterous hands.

Time had no meaning anymore in Kaer Morhen. Ellie wasn't sure how long she had actually been in this world, but her old life and home seemed like a distant dream. Since Yennefer's experiment to see if she could lure the mysterious entity out of hiding, there had been no new developments in that area. She and Triss were still looking, but with no new leads the investigation into why Ellie was there had become less urgent. She felt herself settling into an easy rhythm, the keep becoming her new home, the witchers and two sorceresses more like family.

Dandelion had brought a new kind of life to the old witcher keep that Ellie enjoyed. He had stayed for a week after the Imbaelk/Christmas party, regaling her with tales of his and Geralt's adventures. He certainly had a flare for weaving a vivid picture, and there were many times that Geralt had stopped the bard mid flow in exasperation, clarifying that wasn't how it happened. Regardless of his embellishments, Ellie always enjoyed listening to him, especially when he sang.

She had been sad when he had finally had to leave the keep. His fans in Novigrad would miss him, he claimed, but she could tell he was reluctant too. Before he had gone off with Yen to be 'portalled' out of there he had pulled her aside, an unusually serious expression on his face.

'Look after Lambert.' He had said, his tone deadpan, none of the usual flamboyance in it. 'The guy's a prick and an idiot, but he cares a lot about you. I'd hate to see him heartbroken again.'

She had blinked, taken aback by this sudden concern for the witcher. Dandelion had rarely talked to him, but the look he was giving her now reminded her of Eskel's talk in the dungeons her first night there.

'S-sure. I care about him too you know.'

The bard smiled. 'I can see that. You two make quite the pair. Maybe I'll write a ballad about you. I could call it…The Witcher and the Demon.' He waved his hand dramatically in front of him, his eyes misty as he visualised his new masterpiece. Ellie felt the blood drain from her face at the thought, but Dandelion had already walked away, his sunny smile back in place.

'See you round, fair Eleanor.' He had called back over his shoulder. She had thought about asking Lambert about what Dandelion had said, but something in her was frightened to know who had broken his heart before her.

Things settled back into a routine after that, even her friendship with Eskel had returned to some kind of normality. There had been a wary tension between him and Lambert for a few days after the party, but that soon petered out when he made no more advances on her. He even teased them along with Geralt, especially when she was training with them.

Lambert had discussed her joining him on the Path again, once the pass was clear. Although she didn't like the thought of her time in Kaer Morhen with the others coming to an end, it was better than talk of her returning to her own world. Late at night, once they had exhausted themselves, she and Lambert would talk about it, and Ellie almost started to forget that she was a stranger in this strange land. That was, until she was suddenly reminded in a very unpleasant turn of events.

The day was warmer than usual, the smell of spring strong in the air. The real festival of Imbaelk was just around the corner, and there was a constant air of activity permeating the keep. The witchers were growing restless, the Path was calling them to it once more. Eskel was down in the lower yard, busy cleaning his swords for what felt like the seventh time that day. Ellie was with him, swinging her practice staff at the dummies half-heartedly, keeping her friend company whilst she waited for Lambert to join her. They were about to go out to the newly thawed lake and she was impatient, scenting the air for him every few seconds. It was because of this she smelt them before she saw them. Unfamiliar scents on the breeze, coming from the main gate to the keep. Eskel sensed them a second after she did, he was on his feet, sword freshly polished in hand and next to her in a heartbeat.

'Stay here El.' He said, moving towards the open gate. She stood in place, her limbs twitching with nervous energy. Glancing back up towards the keep she couldn't see Lambert, or any of the others. Her nostrils flared as she tried to decipher who or what was approaching. They smelt human, but not completely. There were roughly five or six of them, and they all had spicy or herby scents mixed in. Witchers. Unable to let Eskel face them alone, Ellie followed. He was already at the gate, a dark scowl making his already scarred face more sinister.

None of them were familiar to her, except one, the scent grew in strength as she approached. The high citrus note of lemongrass hit her senses and made her freeze. Memories of an abandoned farm house, the sharp pain of a crossbow bolt, and the weight of him pressing her into the hard ground, made the bile rise in her throat. She forced her feet to continue on as Eskel began to speak.

'You better have a good reason for turning up here unannounced.' In a daze she stepped up behind him, being careful to keep as much to the shadows as possible. A group of armed men stood in the doorway, Eskel's lone figure their only obstruction. They were all dressed in similar armour save one, a hulking witcher, almost double the size of Eskel. He had two sharply curved daggers strapped to his front and a bald head with a vicious scar across it, but he wasn't the one she was looking for. He was stood next to the giant, his crossbow slung across his back, his face set in a sneer of hatred as he looked at the witcher blocking his way. She was hugging the wall of the entrance way, but witcher eyes are superior to most. Gaetan's gaze snapped to her instantly as she moved into view, a wicked smile twisting his face as he spoke past Eskel directly to her.

'I promised we'd meet again demon, and I always keep my promises.'