"Mommy! Daddy!" Rayanna exclaimed with joy. She let go of Yennefer's hand and ran into her mother's arms.
"Rayanna, your father and I have been worried sick about you! Don't ever do that again!" Triss shouted, but her voice quickly softened. "I'm so glad you're alright."
"Thank you Yen." Geralt said gratefully.
"Yes, thank you." Triss added.
"No thanks needed. She is my godchild after all. She had a bit of a rough landing from her first teleportation, but wasn't harmed." Yen said.
"You teleported?" Triss asked her daughter.
"Is that what that bright light was? I don't know... one moment I was running and the next BAM! I was falling out of the sky." The child finished.
"And there's one more thing, but we needn't discuss it now. I'll see you all at dinner." Yennefer said, turning to leave.
"Yenny wait." Rayanna said. She ran back down the stairs and hugged Yennefer's leg. "I love you." Ray whispered.
And quick as a flash turned and ran back to her parents.
Before leaving the room Yen gave a small quiet laugh before whispering, "love you too."
"And then I leaped up!" Ciri said with animation. She jumped on the bed that Rayanna sat cross-legged on. "And I jammed my steel sword into the Griffin's mouth right before he could chomp my head off!" Ciri slapped both of her hands together on the word chomped for effect.
Rayanna giggled as she rocked back and forth, hands on her knees, fully engaged.
"And then what?" She said with anticipation.
"And then.. I jumped on to its neck and plunged my silver sword into its skull!" Ciri finished, acting out the final bit of the story.
Rayanna clapped, as they both laughed. Ciri flopping down on the bed.
A knock came at the door.
"Come in." Ciri said, out of breath from laughing so hard.
Geralt and Triss entered the room. "Well since you've got her all wound up, think we could talk with Ray for a minute?" Geralt said.
Ciri nodded. "I'll be right back little sister." She said with a smile before kissing Rayanna on the forehead and leaving the room.
Triss sprinted to the bed, jumping up in the air and landing on it as she came down, causing Rayanna to bounce slightly in the air.
Rayanna squealed with laughed, climbing into her mother's lap as Triss snuggled her close.
Geralt came to sit on the bed next to them. He smiled before becoming a bit serious. "Ray, your mother and I had a talk with Yen, and she told us about what happened today. About the kids and the garden."
Rayanna stopped smiling. She leaned back against her mothers chest.
"Ray, I know your confused.. your father and I don't alway have the answers, because you are the first of your kind. But one thing we do know is that you are NOT a monster, you are our special, incredible, miraculous little girl." Triss told her young daughter.
"But if I'm not neither but both... what does that make me? If I'm the first, what do you call both?" Rayanna asked with desperation and confusion.
"There isn't a name for what you are baby... maybe- one day there will be or we'll come up with a good one, but for now.. we'll call you a hybrid. Because that is essentially what you are... a hybrid between a Witcher and a Sorceress." Geralt said. Hoping he was making sense to a five year old.
Rayanna thought for a moment before nodding, "Okay." She seemed much more relaxed.
"Now," Triss said, rocking her daughter in her arms and snuggling her a bit closer. "Lets talk about the garden of Fraya."
Rayanna looked at her father, "Yennefer told me she killed it to make Skjall talk so that you could find Ciri."
"That's right." Geralt said. Giving her encouragement to continue.
"I had this dream... I don't really remember it much but I saw the garden, and heard a voice." Rayanna said.
"Who's voice?" Triss asked.
"I don't know... but then I saw the garden for real and I felt its pain-"
"What do you mean by that wolf pup?" Geralt interrupted.
"I don't know." Rayanna said again, a bit frustrated. She was still quite young after all and like her parents, couldn't always explain what was happening. "I just knew... I knew there was power, and life, and soul, in my blood. And I just... breathed life into it. I gave it back the life that was stolen from it I.. righted a wrong. Like the voice said I would. I don't know how, honest, I just knew and did it. It felt good. It made me happy. And it made the garden and Fraya happy too!" The child finished.
Triss and Geralt were at a loss for words. Both finding themselves again, not knowing what to think.
Many things were going through their minds: in being both would Ray not be accepted by Sorceress or Witchers? Who was this voice, this dream, and what did it mean? And how did Rayanna do something that one, should have been impossible, and two, in doing what she did didn't kill her? This child, their child was certainly a mystery.
"I'm glad it made you happy." Triss said, breaking the silence. "It should. And I know, even though we might not understand, your dad and I are happy and proud of you."
"Really?" Rayanna said, looking up at Triss and then at Geralt.
"You bet." Geralt said sincerely.
The three smiled at each other.
A knock came at the door as Ciri peeked in. "Permission to enter?"
Geralt nodded and gestured for her to come in.
"Get some sleep my beloved, we leave tomorrow morning." Triss said, tucking her in.
Rayanna nodded, "Night mommy. Night daddy, I love you."
"Love you too wolf pup." Geralt said.
Triss spoke the same before each placed a kiss on her forehead and left.
"You excited to go home?" Ciri asked, putting out the light and climbing into bed beside her little sibling.
"Yes, but I wish you were coming with us." Rayanna told her. Ray loved Ciri very much and would miss her.
"I know," Ciri said, wrapping her arms around the young girl and pulling her close. "But my place is on the path."
Rayanna nodded under Cirilla's chin.
"But you know we'll see each other again real soon, just like always. For my place my be on the path but it could neither keep me away from you too long." Ciri told her.
Rayanna smiled, snuggled happily into Ciri, and fell asleep.
"Thank you so much your majesty for you hospitality." Triss said as Cerys accompanied them to the docks to meet their awaiting ship.
"No thanks needed, you all are more then welcome here at any time." Cerys said.
"You've become a good ruler." Geralt said. Which earned him a smile.
Then Cerys turned her attention to Rayanna, who was dangling her toes in the water and splashing Ciri who sat beside her
"I can't explain what I feel when I look at her." Cery told Geralt. Her eyes not leaving the young girl with ashen and red locks. "When I first saw her... your miracle baby... it was as if the geirf in my heart just vanished for a few moments, because some how I knew my brother was safe in the next life."
"She has that effect on people." Geralt replied, turning to watch his vibrant young daughter play.
"Take care of her and your selves." Cerys said. "By order of the queen." She finished humorously.
"Of course your grace." Triss replied, equally as playful before calling out to her daughter and becking her to come to her.
"Rayanna what do you say to her highness?" Triss said.
"Thank you for everything your majesty." She said with a proper bow.
Cerys smiled, "It was a pleasure to meet you Rayanna of Kovir. Travel safe."
When they were done, Ciri quickly came to bid farewell to the queen as well. As that was taking place Rayanna saw Yennefer heading to the docks. She was leaving the isles today as well.
Rayanna gently tugged at her mother's sleeve. "Mom, can I go say goodbye to Yenny?"
"You may. Tell her to hold up too, your father and I want to say goodbye as well." Triss answered.
Rayanna skipped up and stopped a few paces away from Yen.
"Hello my Ray." Yennefer said, turning to face her. "Come to bid an old Sorceress farewell?"
Rayanna gave a little giggle. "You're not old Yen, you're only 94 years old."
"Mmm and almost 95, but who's keeping track." Yennefer said with a sarcasm, Rayanna didn't quite understand.
Rayanna gave her a yearning look. Yennefer placed her hands on her hips and rolled her eyes. "Oh alright." Yennefer conceded. Before quickly kneeling to the ground and opening her arms, to which Rayanna ran into.
"I ditest sappy goodbyes." Yen said sarcastically, as she hugged Ray back.
Rayanna nuzzled her face into Yennefer's black and white clock. "Don't stay away too long anymore." She said, her little voice slightly muffled by Yennefer's chest.
"I won't." Yen told her. Placing a light and grateful kiss on Rayanna head. She didn't say it, but Yennefer was grateful to the child. Because of her miracle with the garden the people of the island didn't dispise her anymore and she was finally welcomed again.
"Good, cause I know Ray's not the only one that'd like to see more of you. Triss said, coming up to them with Geralt not too far behind.
Yennefer stood up, reached out her arm, and placed it on the redheaded sorceress's shoulder. Triss did likewise to Yen.
"My dear Triss." Yen said simply, but warmly. The two embrace for a brief moment. "Farewell Triss."
"See you soon, you mean." Geralt said coming up to briefly hug Yen too.
"Of course." Yen said.
With Rayanna saying one last goodbye to Ciri, it was time for Geralt and his family to return home.
Time for a little audience interaction :) What do you guys think/or come up with a good label for what Rayanna is? What would you call a half Witcher, half Sorceress hybrid? Maybe I'll put it in the story, who knows lol. Hope you liked the Update! Thank you to everyone that's R&Red! Keep it up! and I'll keep up the writing :) Peace.