Throughout their ride back to Corvo Bianco, Ciri noticed Geralt breaking into episodes of silent shivers, but he didn't seem sick anymore. In fact, he seemed to be confident – giddy, even, now that he had both a ring and a plan: They were going to wait until the next morning. Ciri would announce that she was leaving to go back on the Path, and would sling a bag over her shoulder – the bag would really be filled with coats for them to ward off the Skellige cold. Then she would move to give them both hugs, insisting on embracing them together. Once she had a hold of both of them, Blink: Off to Skellige. Ciri would then make herself scarce, Geralt would give his speech ("Knee or no knee, Ciri? Damn it!"), and Yennefer would be the happiest woman alive. Ciri felt an exhilarated tingle run up her spine.
When they rode into Geralt and Yennefer's estate, it was already dusk. Ciri saw that the workers must have been having a party of some sort, as there were tables set along the courtyard, bowls of food and pitchers of drink upon them, and there was a veritable crowd mingling and milling about the estate. Ciri noticed Geralt tense on his mare next to her, and she followed his gaze: There was Yennefer, sitting across from Barnabas-Basil, surrounded by a small gathering, her face both fierce and playful at the same time.
She was playing Gwent.