Eyes narrowed in sweet seduction had turned wide in an instant. The hand she had reached out to the man was left to hang and then slowly, weakly dropped onto the bed. Her chest flattened against his own as she was pulled close, delicate frame wrapped by strong arms. Her chin met his shoulder, but had it not her jaw would have surely dropped.
Eskel had embraced her.
''Wh-what? What are you doing?'' She managed to meekly stammer out. Her features were scrunched in confusion. Was she meant to reciprocate? it was quite the unconventional way of initiating what she had hoped was to be an evening of lust, especially since the witcher just... held her, and made no further attempt to steer into anything beyond that. For a moment she could not help but feel self-conscious. Vulnerable:
''If you really don't want me, at least don't pity me.''
Although not much remained of her dignity at that point, the sorceress did not want it further trampled upon. She was no fragile maiden; she could handle rejection.
''I do. But I'm not the one you want.''
The statement caused her greens to avert in what looked to be guilt, head tilting away from the scratch of his stubble. As he pulled away, his breath tickled her earlobe - a bitter sigh upon having his suspicions confirmed. The woman was left to flop onto the furs without his support. She dared not look at him still. For all the shame she felt, there was no reason to coax him further.
''I don't think I can help with the hole you are really trying to fill.'' Eskel said with a resigned smile, coarse palm stroking the woman's exposed shoulder while the other propped him as he sat by her side. The comfort was appreciated, yet Triss still kept her stare fixed on the nearest wall. Tears bubbled to the surface. Streams of liquid crystal flowed from the corners of clouded eyes.
''Just... why her? After everything we've been through, why did he choose her?''
''You know why, Triss.''
Indeed she did; she had always known. Even at the peak of their love, back when they could not stand to be apart for even a moment, in her heart she knew that The White Wolf was not hers to tame. She had merely borrowed what belonged to another. A man's true family was near impossible to replace and, perhaps, the emptiness she felt was her just punishment for even trying it.
''Did you hear they settled in Toussaint?. '' She added in-between sniffles. ''They invited me to visit a few times - sent me letters, written by Yen no doubt, but I just... can't. Its selfish. If I see Geralt living the life I've always wanted for us with someone else...''
''It'll hurt too much. Yeah, I get it.'' The scar-faced witcher finished the sentence for her.
A nod was all she could offer in return. Bitter-sweet memories played out behind her blank visage. Still lips neither scrunched nor quivered; her tears the sole expression of the dull ache in her chest. Soon, they too began to dry out, leaving only damp, glistening streaks. All the while, the soothing hand on her shoulder never lifted.
''It's funny.'' Eskel's joyless smile was replicated upon the enchantress's pursed lips. She shook her head, shifting the hides she laid upon. ''I've always wanted Geralt to myself. I even blamed him for not staying with me. Though, in his place, I'd have chosen her too. It makes more sense, doesn't it? They are like an old, married couple, while we dance about our words and feelings and... ''
''Ugh.'' She grunted in frustration and buried her head further against the folds.
They just stood as they were for a few minutes, surrounded by silence and dust-coated mementos. Neither Eskel nor Triss made any sound for the longest of time. The muffled howling of the northern gales contrasted the cozy crackling of the fire. It made the bedroom feel even more like a retreat; a warm sanctuary from the cold, uncaring and fickle nature of the world beyond those ancient walls. It awaited them, beckoned them to dive right back into the center of the storm, but was it so wrong to postpone the inevitable for a moment of respite?
Instead of disturbing it, Eskel's gritty but steady voice somehow seamlessly blended with the stillness. As if it were the natural continuation of it.
''Well, that's the difference between romance and love for you - with love, you just know its there. It's a given. You don't need to prove it with flowers or long walks on the beach or whatever other shite you read about in novels. That's what I think, anyway.''
A gentle touch was felt upon the witcher's wrist. Triss's slender digits wrapped around it. Her thumb drew little patterns over his skin. Finally, she had looked up at the man looming over her. Her eyes were clearer, sober even:
''I'm really sorry. You're a good friend, Eskel, and a good man.''
''I wouldn't go that far.'' Said the witcher with a quirk to his brow and a wink.
As he retracted the hand she held onto, he simultaneously pulled her up to a sitting position. They did not remain on the same eye level for long. The sorceress yawned and pressed her freckle-spotted cheek against his shoulder. Loose hair spilled down his back and front like a ginger scarf.
''You know.'' Eskel started, his tone immediately betraying him.'' Now that we have put all our cards on the table, if you do want to continue what you started...''
''Lost your chance, buddy.'' Giggled Triss and gave him a light jab, only to then snuggle even closer. This, this is what she really needed all along.
Drowsiness soon overcame the emotionally exhausted woman. Before allowing her lids to drop and consciousness to be whisked away into slumber, two words escaped her lips, quietly whispered against the man she leaned over in a single, relieved breath.
''Thank you.''
...
''So, he's still at it?''
''Oh yes.'' Yennefer clicked her tongue against her teeth. '' But I have given up on trying to civilize him long ago. You should know better than most - take a witcher's swords and he will just find a pointy enough stick to go poke ogres with instead.''
''I'll drink to that.''
Two wine chalices met in the middle with a clang. Merigold took only a meager sip, while her hostess downed a hefty portion of her own drink. As if to retain some semblance of classy conduct, the raven-haired sorceress cleared her palate and threw one leg over the other upon placing her cup over the table separating them.
The smell of bloom was in the air. Melodic birds chirped above their heads, perched onto the cherry tree in which shade they sat. A bee buzzed pass Triss's ear and landed on one of the fruits, aesthetically arranged in a ceramic bowl close to the bottle they drew from. She looked to the fields of green that stretched out from the vineyard. The home was just far enough from the nearest village to not feel completely isolated. One could even hear the local bustle if they strained their hearing far enough.
''With Eskel around to encourage him, I doubt we will see either oaf for a few days. More time to catch up, I suppose. Ciri should be paying us a visit soon. She'll be delighted to see you. I'm sure.''
''Yeah.'' Triss aloofly replied, but then immediately followed-up in fear of appearing disinterested. ''Yes, I've missed her too.''
Of course, nothing eluded those violet eyes looking back at her. Every awkward gesture, every tense twitch - Yennefer read the younger woman like one of her books.
''So what compelled you to accept our invitation, finally?''
Merigold dipped her head down, observing the maroon liquid that swirled in her cup. She hummed, tapped the gilded rim a few times with her index, and turned back to the idyllic view. Somewhere beyond that horizon, away from his scenic home and quiet life, the man she could not stop loving was doing what he had always done ever since she first met him. He had been given everything he could ever want, and yet he was out there, slaying monsters for crowns he no longer needed. Rummaging through forgotten crypts and tracking murderous beasts. Perhaps landing smack dab in some political feud that didn't concern him? A relic of the past; a constant, an old wolf foremost loyal to his first and dearest mistress. The hunt.
And in hindsight, she wouldn't have had it any other way.
Soft lips formed a calm smile once more.
''I suppose, I needed to confirm something for myself…''