Warnings:

Contains spoilers for the Witcher 3 Wild Hunt and The Sword of Destiny

The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde - Robert Louis Stevenson (1886)

"the lower side of me, so long indulged, so recently chained down, began to growl for licence… I sat in the sun on a bench; the animal within me licking the chops of memory; the spiritual side a little drowsed… the hand that lay on my knee was corded and hairy. I was once more Edward Hyde."

It was eerily calm, the Enchantress felt a shiver tingling down her back as she stood face to face with Istredd, the abnormal peace was making her nervous. But it didn't last long. It took all her self-control not to jump with a start as the magician darted to the side, silently grabbing a nearby chair and throwing it against the wall with such strength than it shattered against the stone sending splinters flying. When he looked back at her his handsome face was grotesquely deformed by a sadistic smile, his eyes searing with uncontrollable madness, wild and dangerous. Chaotic. Yennefer let out a gasp.

"You would choose that freak!" He bellowed, hurling another chair across the room which soared past the enchantress still riveted to the spot, absolutely overcome with shock. She felt she was watching a stranger. "I should never have let you get away from me, to let this become of you! To leave you so long at the mercy of that monster! I wasn't fast enough to stop him!"

"Monster?" She contorted incredulously, her eyes like piercing daggers in Istredd's back as he vagariously knocked a pile of books off the dresser, their content spilling over the floor. "How dare you utter that word! You, who forced yourself upon me, who catastrophically failed to understand by decision, who has been be overcome by primitive rage simply because your desire has been denied!" Several of the draws flew out from the dresser splintering on the opposite side of the room, narrowly missing her as the mage swung his arms around recklessly, fingers pulsating with magic.

"How can I accept what he has done to you?!" Water splattered against the stone as the basin clattered against the floor. "You are innocent to his corruption, his abuse, to the suffering he inflicts. But I will set you free now I have found you again, at last. It is I who needs to set things right!" He swung his arms again, the trunk lying at the foot of the bed right by the sorceress' feet violently burst open scattering bundles of clothing and parchment across the room. Istredd began to kick several piles of cloth until there was a faint clattering, the sound of steel scraping against stone. The sword flashed in the light from the torches as he pulled it loose from its scabbard, his own grey eyes gleaming coldly as he turned towards the door.

"Val, No!" She grabbed him by the arm, holding him back and was caught completely off-guard.

Roche felt Geralt tense up beside him as Philippa's words cut through the silence now encompassing the common room as the lady and lord magicians listened in curiously.

"Triss." Said the Witcher turning to the auburn-haired Sorceress, she nodded at this unspoken question, confirming Eilhart's words.

"But, but it's only a rumour Geralt. I'm sure Yennas fine." He sincerely doubted her optimism, she looked like she was trying to convince herself, but fear still tugged at the corner of her lips. The headmistress laughed.

"Don't be daft Triss, you're no doubt hoping Istredd will take care of your problem, but let's not be cruel to the Witcher. We should warn him about Istredd, how the man was raving indistinctly about his love, eyes bulging with wild lust. You better be quick Witcher, I imagine he's dragged Yennefer half way across Gors Velen by now, with or without her consent."

Geralt was on his feet in a flash, he didn't care if he was giving into Philippa's provocation because he was fearful that there was truth in what she said as several of the mages began to talk in hushed, frightful whispers. His sensitive hearing seemed to pick up the worst of the rumours. It was at that precise moment that Ciri walked in the door startling several of the occupancies of the room as a draft of cold air followed behind her ominously. The first thing he noticed, was that she was alone.

"Ciri, where's Yen?" He asked, pushing his way towards her, Triss following close behind.

"Geralt we need to talk, but not here." She replied, so wound up in her own thoughts she failed to notice the panic lining his words.

"Where's Yen?" He said again, jerking her out of her trance as she peered up into his narrowed, alert eyes. It signalled danger.

"Loxia. She's talking to someone, to Istredd. Geralt wait!" She said, tugging the Witcher's arm as he tried to move around her. "I don't like it either, but Yennefer doesn't want to draw us into this, we need to trust her."

"He's gone mad." He replied curtly turning to her, Ciri released his arm as she cursed her fists balling up in anger.

"What happened?" Asked Triss with concern, approaching her and placing what she hoped was a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"Shit! I should never have left her, the way he was looking at Yennefer." She began to run for the door and the mages parted for her as the three figures cut their way through the crowd.

Istredd whirled around to look at her his face contorted with delusion and frenzy, it was as though he didn't recognise her, senses drowned in corybantic fury the back of his hand hit Yennefer across the side of her face so hard it sent her to the ground and she almost smashed her head against the tiles catching herself only at the last possible moment. She let out an involuntary cry of pain.

"No! Yenna!" He shouted, the sword clattering to the ground as he ran to her side but he never reached her.

There was the sound of shattering glass as an invisible force picked Istredd off his feet and flung him against the wall over the dresser into the mirror before he rolled to the floor with a thud. Magic crackled on Yennefer's fingertips as she got to her feet dropping the hand which has been covering the side of the face which was red and sore and glaring at the mage with ineffable ferocity, violet eyes digging into his very soul with their look of pure and utter contempt. She was right, he could never have imagined such rage.

"Yenna, I'm sorr-" Istredd felt a crushing weight forcing him down as he tried to rise, his body went limp and rigid under her spell as blue energy surged around him holding him against the floor mercilessly as he stared up at the ceiling.

"How does it feel, Istredd," she said in a voice so cold and unnatural Istredd felt himself chilled to the bone, his burning passion filled with drenching regret, and fear, "to be held back against your will?" she took a step closer. "To be forced up against the stones by someone?" then another. "To feel their strength overwhelming you as you hopelessly struggle?" She was looming over him, hands burning with power. "How does it feel to suffer under someone else's touch?" He let out a scream as she twisted her hand and blinding pain pulsated in his hands and lips, but only for a split second. "Never again, Istredd. Next time you won't be so fortunate." She slammed the door behind her, leaving the mage still trapped under the spell alone with his own misery.

The cold air did nothing to calm Yennefer's anger as she stormed out of Istredd's room, uncaring of the direction her feet were taking her as long as it was as far away from him as possible. Her cheek stung in the breeze. She never expected it to go well, but she wasn't prepared for that, even now it was hard for her to believe how much she'd misjudged him, his lust. It could well have been her undoing. She was still burning with barely contained fury, but as always, she had to compose herself.

She quickly entered her room, lighting a single candle on the dresser by the mirror and examined her face, she let out a small gasp. Shit, she thought. Her right cheek just beside her eye was still throbbing painfully and was a light crimson, she touched it tentatively but recoiled hissing in pain, evidently, it was going to bruise. She cursed. Yennefer didn't have time to conceal it, the longer she took the greater the risk that someone would walk into the scene she left behind. Hastily she rearranged her hair so that it covered the mark on her face, her curly locks were so wild that her hair was often styled differently and was unlikely to draw attention.

After the meeting, I'll speak to Rita, the school must have something for hiding bruises Yennefer thought as she extinguished the light and left for the common room, careful not to disturb her hair. She tried to quell the apprehension bubbling inside of her as she reached for the handle, they can't know. The enchantress comported herself confidently as she entered, adopting a mask of indifference to hide the distress which was still suffocating her.

The door swung open several feet ahead of them as a figure strode gracefully into the room, clad in black and white, raven locks tumbling down her shoulders and face.

"Yen!" Cried Geralt, as he reached her in three powerful strides briefly holding her out at arm's length inspecting her with his observant amber eyes, before embracing her. Yennefer let out a silent sigh of relief which quickly turned into a cry as she bit her tongue to stop the sound of pain escaping her delicate lips as the Witcher's chest pressed against the side of the face.

"Geralt, what are you fussing about now? You know I've only been out of your sight for less than an hour?" She said mockingly, crossing her arms over her chest as she looked at him and Ciri smiling.

"What happened?" Demanded Ciri anxiously, watching her as closely as Geralt, as was the rest of the room, their curiosity overcoming the fear induced by those piercing violet eyes.

"We talked, now why are you looking at me like that?"

"Yenna we were worried," said Triss who was standing slightly back, she felt it was still better to keep her distance from him, "we didn't know what he'd do." Yennefer turned to her, measuring her up, but not unkindly.

"Well, he's certainly not the man I knew, but your fear is misplaced, I can look after myself, as I have to keep reminding Geralt. The matters dealt with, if he troubles us again I will be sure to keep my promises and he'll regret ever laying eyes on me again. Now, let's sit down."

They began to walk back through the parted crowd still watching them with unbashful intrigue, gossiping between themselves. But as Yennefer tried to follow Triss and Ciri she was stopped by a warm hand wrapped around hers as Geralt gently held her back, walking to her right, his eyes lingering on her face fearfully.

"Yen, look at me." Shit.

"Geralt I-"

"Yen." His voice was low and soft, pleading, Yennefer lowered her gaze to the floor unable to bare the concern flooding his features.

His coarse hand tenderly cupped the other cheek guiding her face to his, their eyes met as Geralt's free hand brushed away the hair covering her face, her bruised cheek practically seemed to glow in the light. Triss gasped, Ciri bristled like a cat but the Witcher seemed unnaturally calm as he lightly brushed his fingers over the red mark, but Yennefer saw his eyes narrow dangerously becoming sharp and alert, his muscles flexed and his jaw tightened as he tried to suppress his escalating rage.

"Where is he?" Said Geralt without taking his eyes off her cheek, still holding her head in his hands.

"Geralt, it doesn't matter, I made Istredd pay for what he did, just as I have paid for my mistake, forget about it, please Geralt." The touch of her smooth skin against the back of his hand momentarily calmed his anger as she held it, lowering them slowly from her face. But that quickly changed.

Yet again the door burst open as Istredd staggered into the room, wheezing from the effort, clutching his sides in pain he looked at the enchantress and opened his mouth. Searing hatred coursed through Geralt's veins like fire, its smoke clouding his mind and his senses as though the devil possessed his soul. He instinctively pushed Yennefer behind him and away from the mage before she could realise what was happening and in a flurry of movement he grabbed the man by the collar and smashed him against the stone wall just beside the entrance before he'd uttered a word. The heat from the Witcher's face burnt Istredd's skin as he tried to pull out of his steel grip, his feet barely touching the ground as Geralt had him pinned against the wall. How the tables had turned.

"Come near her again," he growled, his sharp eyes penetrating the man's very essence as though searching for any signs of humanity, "and you're a dead man." He snarled at him for a few seconds more before releasing him as Istredd collapsed into a heap on the floor, sputtering. Geralt took a step back, standing right in front of Yennefer who was trying to place herself between the two and preventing her from walking around him. The Magician took advantage of this distraction.

"Mutant!" He shouted as green tendrils of fire shot from his hands wrapping themselves around the Witcher's body like snakes pinning his arms and legs as he toppled over grunting in pain, there was a distinct smell of burnt flesh. "It is you who needs to pay for her suffering."

"Geralt!" Cried two voices together as Yennefer ran over to him, kneeling beside him frantically muttering and gesturing erratically with her fingers as she tried to undo the spell while Ciri pounced on Istredd making use of her fists in the absence of her swallow, striking him across the face sending him staggering into the door, a hand to his bloody nose, but he already had another spell on his fingertips.

"Move aside." He yelled as a gust of wind pushed the young woman sideways. Purple lightning hit Istredd right in the chest before Ciri had even hit the ground and his body slammed into the door which came right off its hinges along with part of the wall sending a shower of dust over him.

"You've gone too far Istredd!" Her violet eyes were as turbulent as the storm crackling on her fingertips as she stood between him and the others, an immovable guardian angel of destruction and chaos. "If I ever see you again or even hear from you, and if you ever go near my daughter or Geralt again I will kill you, without hesitation or regret." Her voice was calm and controlled as she descended from rage into something even further beyond that, something uncanny, Istredd felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand on edge under her icy tone.

"Yenna, I, I wanted, to apologise." He wheezed, as he sat on the ground blood dripping down his face. "I never meant-"

"Don't waste your breathe. Forgiveness is impossible because I'm not capable of forgetting how I've been wronged." Her hair and skirt rustled in the wind blowing through the hole in the wall as though her whole body was alive with power.

"Yet, yet here you are, with that, that thing." He gestured to the Witcher still lying on the floor behind her, his eyes still narrowed at him threateningly, daring him to try something again. "How many times, has he hurt you, but, but still you return, falling into his, embraces, to be hurt again. I came only, to apologise but he, he attacked me, and you defend him. Yet I am punished, and threatened because, because I dared to, to fight back for you."

"No! Geralt has never hurt me on purpose while you did in your blind anger. Geralt fought because he was defending me while you did so for your own selfish gain. And Geralt can earn my forgiveness because he deserves it and because I love him." Istredd was still. "You should count yourself lucky that we met in Thanedd Istredd because it is that fact alone which is keeping you alive. Anywhere else, and you'd be a festering corpse left for the birds to pick at. Leave, now, and don't ever look back. There's nothing there for you anymore."

Nothing but the sounds of the sea and the sparks dancing from Yennefer's eyes broke the silence as she glowered at the mage kneeling on the floor before her, his eyes full of pity, disgust, pain and fire. After a few seconds, Istredd cursed.

"I should never have let you get away from me." He got to his feet and began to stagger away, two mages coming over to him supporting him under the arms and practically carrying him away from the scene as though dreading that the Sorceress would make true to her word. As soon as his back was to her, Yennefer ran to Geralt who was sitting on the floor probed up against the back of a sofa with Ciri and Triss kneeling beside him, the latter using her magic to soothe the rope burns marking his skin.

"Yen…"

"Shhhh, Geralt." Said Yennefer softly as he tried to turn to her, but she gently placed a hand on his chest to keep him still. "How is he?" She asked the other Sorceress as the Witcher placed his hand over hers.

"The burns are only small. I've helped with the pain, the skin just needs to heal now." She nodded in thanks, turning her eyes back to him.

"Yen, I'm fine." He said smiling at her but she was avoiding his gaze.

"Good. Then let's go, I'd like this day to end." He nodded and got to his feet grimacing slightly, his muscles still stiff. Ciri walked them back to their room, and the sounds of Philippa's furious screams followed them all the way. Due to recent events, the meeting would have to be postponed. Again. The wall also needed to be fixed.

They changed in silence as Yennefer continued to avoid his gaze and he waited patiently. He sat on the bed and pulled off his shirt as she checked his burns, after a while, he noticed that she was shaking.

"Yen." She crumbled under his voice, finally turning her eyes to him, they were shining with sadness.

"Geralt, I'm… I'm sorry." She said in barely a whisper, her lips quivering.

He pulled her onto the bed beside him, wrapping his strong arms around her lovingly, rocking her back and forth slowly as she buried herself in his chest trying to calm herself with the sound of his presence. He kissed the top of her head and gently stroked her arms and hair, he tried to comfort her as the energy and anger fled from her body leaving her drained and weary as she faced the pain so long held at bay. She drowned her sorrow in his touch. They sat like that for a long time until Yennefer was ready to speak.

"I made a mistake," she said, pulling back slightly so she could look at him, but without leaving his reassuring embrace, "I'm sorry you and Ciri were dragged into it. It should have been my burden alone."

"No, Yen. Whatever hardship you face we share together, always." Her cold despair seemed to melt under his warm gaze and affectionate words and he placed a tender kiss on her bruised cheek indulging in her rich scent.

"Geralt, I love you. Thank you."

They fell asleep under each other's touch, but the Sorceress did not sleep peacefully as she awoke screaming in the middle of the night and flinched under his touch as he gently tried to hold her down as she thrashed around dangerously in a blind panic. It took her several moments before she realised that it was Geralt and not another who held her and her fear slowly began to ebb away as he softly kissed and caressed the marks left behind on her face, arms and lips as though trying to wash the memories of his touch away. Eventually, sleep was able to claim her again and he watched her for a while, the light from the candles and oil lamp dancing on her smooth skin, she hated sleeping in the dark. He'd never asked why. Tonight, the room was warmer and brighter than usual, he could still see the bruise on her cheek. His fists twisted the bedsheets. If he ever saw Istredd again he doubted there'd be anything left for the birds.

As Geralt drifted off into another restless night, he summoned his minions to the streets of Gors Velen, as he readied himself to take out two birds with one shot.

The Mother's Sacrifice - Seba Smith (1792–1868) : Chapter 9 – Assassins

She stripped her mantle from her breast,

And bared her bosom to the storm,

And round the child she wrapped the vest,

And smiled to think her babe was warm.

With one cold kiss, one tear she shed,

And sunk upon her snowy bed.

Notes:

Hey guys. Hope you enjoyed the latest instalment, the conclusion of Istredd and Yennefer's confrontation and the little bit of fluff at the end to make up for, well, everything else…? It seems that the mysterious figure is drawing closer, who could be next?

As always feel free to PM me your thoughts or leave a comment, I love hearing from you. My thanks to vic-of-thor (Tumblr) for all the kind words and support and to korbel05 ( ) for all the feedback and suggestions.

Until next time guys, have a great week – Eileniessa