This story is going AU-ish from this chapter on, as I enjoy Gealt-Ciri-Yennefer dynamics too much to simply let Rivia happen. For the same reason I toyed with Ciri's meeting with the Lodge.

Chapter IV

It was good to see friends.

After the last few days of travelling with Dandelion through war-ridden lands, passing by the convoys chasing the Nilfgaardian settlers away, after riding through fields covered not with growing crops, but with barrows and broken equipment, after passing rotting corpses hanging on the trees – after all of that, the cosiness of the inn was a welcome change despite the insulting inscriptions they passed on their way through the town. Geralt sank in, tried to blend in the bustle, to breathe in the small pleasures life could bring.

But no amount of Dandelion's chattering or Zoltan's poking, none of the tales Yarpen shared nor the dry jokes the dwarves traded could chase away the lingering dread. No matter what, cold gripped his heart in claws like the monsters he slayed grasped their victims, clenching and tearing apart the tender flesh. There was a story to be told.

The story had been shared. A toast had been brought and heavy silence followed. The grip tightened. They feasted on the first serving of snails, then drank some more.

And then, with deep inhale, the knot was gone. The witcher smiled.

"Don't sneak, Ciri."

"How- Dandelion didn't even blink!"

"You're wearing Yen's perfumes." Cold dread melted in the faint scent, too faint to indicate Yennefer's presence, but warming all the same.

"I'm not!"

Geralt turned around and looked closer. "Then you are wearing her shirt. Or you two kept your clothes together." The heavy weight that had settled in his stomach the moment Ciri had left for Vengerberg was finally gone. There she was, hair tussled by the wind, boots and trousers covered in road dust. She was back.

"We did," Ciri nodded. "Is there no way to take you by surprise?" She tried to pout, but broke into a grin almost immediately.

Geralt smiled. Dandelion was still perplexed to see his friend going so gentle so openly.

"I am surprised. You're early."

"Now I guess you are the young lady our friend here was looking for?"

"That's Zoltan, the friend I mentioned," Geralt offered at Ciri's questioning glance. "And I hope you remember-"

"Yarpen!"

"Oh, you've grown, girl!" Yarpen laughed and closed Ciri in a crushing hug. She giggled and returned the embrace, though she had indeed grown since they had travelled together and she had to lean to do so.

"And where is the lovely sorceress?" Dandelion craned his neck to look at the door. "Not shying away from us, I dearly hope?"

"Yennefer had some things to finish in Vengerberg. She asked me to go ahead and- well, she said to bring your surprise there." Ciri glanced at Geralt, then at the dwarves. "If that's possible?"

Dandelion just snorted into his beer. "And you're asking that question now? Of course he will go," he waved his hand at the witcher. "What do you say to a trip to Vengerberg, Zoltan?"

"Sure she'll be thrilled to see you," Geralt muttered under his breath. "Zoltan? I know it's a change that- Ciri. What's wrong?"

The girl had gone pale, staring over Geralt's shoulder at something none but her could see.

"We- we need to go. Geralt. We need to leave. Now."

The witcher was already on his feet, fastening the hilt with his sword. Dandelion and the dwarves stared at them both, perplexed.

"Move!"

Seeing that Geralt wasn't about to question a word from what Ciri said, and acted like he treated her warning deadly serious, Dandelion rose and grabbed his lute.

"Let's go then." Zoltan shrugged. "I won't have her say your friends are old bores," he smiled at Ciri, but it did little to ease her tension. She looked ready to drag the witcher by his sleeve if they stayed any longer.

"Go to the horses. We will pay and meet you there in a minute," Geralt told her. Once she was gone, he turned to Zoltan. "Just... Trust her. Please."

"Oh well, why not. If only to calm your girl. Pity a good dinner will go to waste, but-"

"Let's go!"

xxx

Ciri only slowed down once the city gates were well behind them. She slumped in the saddle and out of the sudden looked ready to cry from relief. She stared at Geralt, her hands clutched on the reins so hard her knuckles had gone white.

"We will ride ahead and see if we can find a nice camping spot," Zoltan offered and sent Dandelion a pointed look. "We can still have a decent meal today. You know, catch more snails or something."

"Thanks," Ciri muttered. She dismounted and led Kelpie to a bunch of trees growing nearby.

Geralt followed.

"What happened there?" he asked once their companions disappeared. He watched Ciri fidget with the reins and the knot around his heart was back.

"I- I don't- I saw you die there," she blurted finally. "It was, no, it wasn't like Stygga. I saw you dead. Three wounds and a pool of blood," her voice hitched. "I feel like I've seen it before."

"Hey." Geralt's hands on her shoulders stopped the shaking. "I'm here. I'm fine."

Ciri leaned to his touch. "Three wounds, three fangs," she whispered into his shoulder, clinging desperately to his jacket. "How-"

"You did," the witcher confirmed. The urge to shield her from everything was almost overwhelming. "Back in Kaer Morhen, before Triss came. You didn't remember that afterwards, so we never spoke of it."

"I- I what? I prophesised you death?" Ciri's head shot back and she stared at Geralt.

"It no longer matters," Geralt stated firmly, his grip on her shoulders firm like he was never going to let her go. "We are both fine."

Ciri sniffled and wiped her nose with her sleeve, in a manner that continued to drive Yennefer crazy. She smiled, her eyes still a bit too watery to match her cocky grin, and Geralt released her. They sat by a bunch of willows, their looming branches tickling their shoulders.
"So. Why do we have a change of plan? How did the meeting go?"

xxx

The girl before the sorceresses wore black trousers and grey tunic, the only colourful and expensive part of her clothing being a dark green vest with silver pattern running along the front opening. A head of a sword poked over her shoulder. She held her chin up as her green eyes easily met those of the leader.

Yennefer beside her was in her usual black and white, elegant and spotless. She showed little emotion, but Ciri knew she was displeased. They had had a row about the clothes, but the girl had not relented. She was going to wear the clothes she picked after she left Toussaint with Geralt and Dandelion, the clothes Geralt bought her like he promised. Yennefer told her this demonstration was childish and pointless, but ceased fighting.

But Yennefer was right about one thing. Ciri stood out among the sorceresses in their fancy dresses and jewellery. But she knew exactly where she stood.

xxx

"Yen let you take the sword?" Geralt asked in astonishment.

"She didn't," Ciri snorted. "Told me to leave it as we were not going to face another monster,"
she made a face while trying to mimic the sorceress's cold voice, "but I refused to go without it. It felt wrong."

Geralt hummed in agreement. The feeling of safety the familiar weight of the sword on his back brought was as reassuring as it could be, at times, misleading. While a good deal of threats could be dealt with an accurate swing of the witcher blade, Geralt had learned the hard way that not all problems could be solved like that.

Ciri seemed lost in her own thoughts too. "If you have a sword, you must be prepared to take lives," she muttered. "That's what you told me."

"That still stands true," Geralt nodded, trying to hide his surprise at Ciri throwing his own words back at him.

"But if you don't, you will just get killed," she added sourly, then attempted a crooked smile. "Yet sometimes the sight of the sword is enough to send the right message."

xxx

Ciri stood there before the Lodge as Miss Owl explained the fate that awaited her. She kept her chin up, her weight shifted on one leg, arms crossed on her chest – a witcheress ready to strike. She wouldn't have, there was no direct threat coming at her, at least not for the time being. Besides, Ciri wasn't stupid enough to think she would have stood a chance against the sorceresses. But it didn't mean she was going to listen and nod meekly to every word she heard and hated.

"Oh, I do like that glare," Sheala said. "I'd love to cut your claws and smoothen the edges."

Ciri scoffed.

"You may not realise that now, but in time you will see we want what is best for you. You will sit among us and laugh at the memory of your defiance."

"You cannot know that!"

"And who does? That witcher?"

"Geralt is the only one I trust not to have any hidden motivations!" Ciri shot back, her hands clenched in fists.

Yennefer didn't as much as blink, though the words stung.

"There are things far too great for your witcher to comprehend," Philippa tried to reason.

At that, Yennefer snorted. "Do give him a little bit more credit. Underestimating him did no good to some."

"I'm still here, you know. No one seems to care what I want."

"Well then? What do you want?" Philippa turned her gaze back at her, her eyes cold and piercing.

Ciri looked baffled, as if she never expected to be actually asked. Her shoulders slumped slightly. "I want to go home."

"Cintra is the one place you cannot go to."

"No." She calmed a bit, raised her chin and looked Philippa straight in the eyes. "You don't understand. I want to go home."

Yennefer came to stand beside her and placed her hand on Ciri's shoulder. "Believe me, I do."

Ciri composed herself and looked around. "I- I think you want me to be honoured that you waste your time on me. I'm sorry. I came here only because I promised lady Yennefer I would. Now I want to leave."

"We are not here to satisfy whims of one petulant child," Sheala hissed. "Make no mistake, girl. We've tamed dozens like you. In that aspect you are not as special as you probably think you are."

"Give her time." Yennefer stepped in. She never let go of Ciri's arm, her touch firm but gentle, reassuring. "You'll gain nothing from yelling and forcing her into cooperation. Believe me, I know who she gets that from. Let us leave. Let her heal. I will talk to them both. We will come back next spring."

"And you think you can gain more?"

"Yes." Yennefer couldn't help herself, she held Triss's gaze until the younger sorceress looked away. "I dare say I can, with both Ciri and Geralt."

"We don't need his permission."

"No," Yennefer nodded slightly. "But you need hers."

xxx

"I wonder if they are ever going to learn that," muttered Geralt. "Since you are here, I take it Yen managed to convince them?"

"Barely." Ciri flinched. "I will have to see them again next spring. Geralt, I don't want to. And I don't want Yennefer to reason with me or you. Why would she even do that?"

"Maybe she was stalling for time?"

"She told them she would work on us. Why?! Geralt, I thought she was on my side in that!" The girl jumped to her feet, her anger boiling.

"What did Yen say afterwards?"

"She was pissed with me," Ciri winced. "She stood up for me against the Lodge, but then…"

xxx

"This is precisely what I asked you not to do!" Yennefer exploded the moment they were alone in her tower in Vengerberg. "The one demonstration I wanted to avoid at all costs."

"What did you want me to do? Go with them, no questions asked?!"

"No, of course not!"

"No? You took me there so they could just proclaim what they've got prepared for me!" Ciri yelled back, not caring one bit if she sounded as much like a spoiled child throwing a tantrum as the sorceresses had claimed.

"You just managed to turn every single member of the Lodge against Geralt, maybe aside from Triss," Yennefer seethed. "They will see him as their enemy, as the main obstacle in getting to you. Don't you see that?"

"He's not! How can you say that?!"

"I don't." Yennefer corrected her, her voice cold as her eyes. "But they will. And I don't really fancy having to watch Geralt's back because the Lodge might decide it would be easier without his influence on you."

"That's not- Where are you going?"

"I have places to be," the sorceress scoffed.

"But I have a meeting with Geralt. We have a meeting. You promised him too!" Ciri pouted, her anger still boiling.

"Plans change," Yennefer shrugged. "If we are to leave like you want and like you demanded, you have to give me some time. I can't leave now."

"Well, I'm going back to Geralt. I won't be late!" The girl stormed defiantly towards the door, half expecting Yennefer to lock them with a flick of her hand.

The sorceress did point there, but the doors swung ajar, perhaps too forcefully. "Off you go. Tell Geralt to bring his surprise here. I'll be waiting for both of you."

xxx

"Ah. So you left," Geralt smiled a little. "Wise choice."

Ciri winced. Her anger must have evaporated on her way, or perhaps the fright she had got made her earlier row seem insignificant. "Will she still be so pissed with me when we get there?"

"Quite probably, though she's probably a bit more forgiving with you than she usually is with me," the smile the witcher offered was a bit rueful, but his gaze was fond. "Well, we'll see that together."