Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters of the witcher. Those are property of Mr Sapkowski and I using Netflix series canon mixed with the books and my twisted version of the lore.

Warnings : Blood. Sex scene (but nothing graphic). Angst. Self-loathing and depression. Mention of alcoholism.

Thx ixacaxi for the favorite :).

The child surprise - Part 2

Tradition

###

They spent the month together in Cintra. They paid for a temporary flat and lived together. This was very strange for both of them to settle that long but they managed well. Jaskier had to go to rehearsals almost every day and Geralt found some small jobs around. He made the promise to not search for big monsters to kill - at least until the ceremony at the court - which was quite easy to keep. His silver sword and shotgun lost, he had to take some time to replace them.

Cintra was the best city to find a good armorer and a blacksmith. The shotgun was easy to replace. He had the license and just needed one day to find a good weapon. On the other hand, the sword was very long to produce. Geralt was very meticulous for what he needed because the balance needed to be perfect. The blacksmith was outside of the city in a little town lost in the countryside, a few miles from Cintra. The man was a professional and passionate about his craft. Even if it was the first time he worked for a witcher he understood perfectly his needs. They spend several consecutive days discussing every detail about the weapon and after a few adjustments he got a very good silver sword.

###

It was made official that Jaskier had invited him about a week before the event and Geralt didn't like the exposition from the media much. The famous bard and his White Wolf witcher attending to the betrothal of the princess was something largely covered... He received many messages from his brothers, mainly to mock him but in a gentle way. Vesemir was much more annoyed though.

- "Have you any idea of what you are doing, son ?"

- "I am helping a friend." He replied.

- "You are a witcher. We are neutral to the world's politics. You cannot go to these kinds of events and believe no one will not see you as an ally to the Cintrian crown."

- "You can't understand… You are part of the problem."

- "What are you talking about ?"

- "Jaskier has a chance to become human again, a chance that none of us can have because of the mutation. I know you've been through it also but I don't think you understand the pain he and I experience not being what we wanna be."

- "You don't want to be a witcher anymore ?"

- "Be serious for a second, Vesemir. Who wants that ?"

- "Fair enough… but I believed I gave you all the attention and affection…"

- "Of course you did. But this ceremony would give Jaskier a better chance to proverbially skip the herbs trial and choose his life. At least he can try…"

- "I see. But be careful, son. Those events are treacherous and the more you are associating your public image to your human, the more you will be untangled into things you don't want. I think you don't see how much he changed you already…"

- "He has kept me alive more than any of my brothers for the past seven years. He is accepting more than you think a human could accept to follow my witcher ways." Geralt was angry now. "I have a friend, what is the problem with that ?"

- "Witchers can't have friends, son…"

- "Fine ! He is my brother then !"

- "Geralt…" The old man's voice was softer. "A couple of years ago, I told you not to be emotionally involved with a human. That you would be hurt losing him or whatever. Now you are screaming at me because I don't accept that you are putting yourself in a thing that has nothing to do with us and could lead to problems. Those are the changes I don't like. You are blinding yourself."

- "The only way the witchers know to deal with things is to shut down everything. But we are balls of unsaid pilled traumas and pains. Sure repressing emotions helps us survive but there are so many unresolved things inside. I am not saying that it should be out all the time, but when we have the chance to heal a little bit, it shouldn't be avoided. Jaskier's chance feels like mine somehow. And I am happy he may escape his condition." He was calmer too now.

- "You always had the white knight complexe, didn't you ?" Vesemir laughed dryly, but this was more from fatigue. "You have a noble heart, son… I do understand you. But I have lived for a long time. If I am telling you all this, it is for you not to make the same mistake as me… But maybe this is the Destiny playing again and this cannot be avoided… Just keep in mind what I am saying."

###

And oh that, Geralt kept in mind… Destiny could go fuck itself…

His phone was vibrating and he knew that it was Jaskier trying to call him or was texting him. Since that night at Cintra, he put the phone in charge in the car but never looked at it. He drove for about a week and a half and reached the far and lost region of Kovir. The phone vibrated like that for a few more days and just stopped at some point. Until recently - two months after his departure. Something like that. It lasted a few more days and stopped again. A week or two had past since. He didn't really paid attention.

He was currently resting somewhere near Pont Vanis. Well, resting was a hyperbole. He could barely sleep at night, he was exhausted. The northern climate was a bit cold but Geralt liked to stay outside and sleep on Roach platform when it wasn't raining.

This was a nice spot with a beautiful view.

He had stayed there a long time trying to sort things out in his brain.

The consequences of what happened in Cintra were too much for him to bear. Linking himself to the child of Calanthe's daughter was the worst thing he could have ever done. The law of surprise… What a shitty tradition. He wouldn't get back at Kaer Morhen until he figured out how to deal with all that, mentally at least. It was not even thinkable that he would honor this stupid vow.

Sitting in the back, smoking his last cigarette, looking at the sea and the sun blazing colors all over the cloudy night sky, he flashed back to the last person he talked to. Mousesack, the druid counselor of the throne and an old friend of his.

Walking in the devastated halls of the palace, the druid caught him on his way out. He was deadly serious when he told him that trying to avoid his destiny would provoc catastrophes. Exactly what Vesemir would say too.

He never believed in Destiny. But a lot of people did. And in front of at least a hundred people he had invoked the Law of Surprise. And this was a thing that would spread like a wildfire. He had to disappear for a while, let people forget and give himself time to digest the fact that, by the law, he would be a father even if wouldn't get the child.

Geralt finally picked up the phone. He knew he wouldn't like to read the messages from Jaskier so he ended up by that. He was surprised to find that his friend didn't try to reach him as much as he would have thought. Of course half of it was coming from him but the other half was coming from his brothers and Vesemir.

The wolves' messages were not that harsh but full of worries and questioning for the future. They sent him some news extracts speaking about witchers after the event. He had been portrayed as a heros and the traitor, depending of the proximity to the crown, and he had feed some crazy theories about what a witcher would do to a royal baby. The classical "fear the monster freak" things to the twisted minds based on what the mutation was. This made him sick. Vesemir was astonishingly reserved but he was poking at the wound with some of his comments. Geralt knew he had greatly disappointed his mentor…

Then he faced what he didn't want to : a probably very sad Jaskier. He removed all the notifications of missed calls, which was most of it. Surprisingly he didn't leave any vocal messages on the phone. But in Nomee dms, there were several text messages and vocals.

The first messages were as simple as "where are you ?". Then the worry. Then the realisation. Geralt could read the descent… and he felt bad.

There was a long block of text, at some point, saying in great lengths that he was sorry that the night happened that way but he couldn't have known the extreme turn the events would take.

He was right, but Geralt didn't accept those events.

The first vocals were full of worry but the last one was heartbreaking. Jaskier was crying, as he feared, and clearly drunk.

- "I just need to know, Geralt. Tell me you don't want to see me again rather than let me hope there is a tomorrow. I know you don't understand what a muse means but this is killing me… If things are over, I need to mourn or at least try. I need to make it clear in my head so I can have a chance to get over it. If you still consider me as a friend, then give me hope and I could wait. But right now every breath I take is just a new stab in my heart. Please tell me… help me..."

It ended in a full sob cut by the end of the message. This was two weeks old and done after a pause of a whole month. The last connection was from four days ago. Geralt was anxious now. For a guy as connected to his social medias as Jaskier was in general, four days were an eternity.

He had seen Jaskier heartbroken sometimes, he was not his only muse and he had some complicated relationships with some of them. He only drank to that point when he was heartbroken. And for the first time he did that to him. Suddenly Geralt was fearing a bad ending for his human friend.

Currently he was still not sure of what he wanted. He still needed to stay away from the world. But he didn't want to hurt Jaskier that bad. He had nothing against him per se.

It took him almost one hour to compose this simple message.

- "This is not your fault. I need space. I will come back to you but don't wait for me. Take care."

He looked at the screen anxiously. Waiting for the message status to change. And he surprised himself to go through various emotions and keep staring. He suddenly had a vague glimpse of how nervous Jaskier should have been waiting for him to answer. And this torture lasted more than two month on his side…

Suddenly. Jaskier was connected. Geralt's heart was beating a bit faster. The message was read and a vocal came back as a response. The young man's voice sounded very tired and raw but there was a glimpse of light in it.

- "Thanks, buddy. I'll wait…"

He put a like on this and closed the phone, letting a shuddering breathe out.

The sky was insanely red now. Chaos tempests were probably raging further in the ocean. He closed his eyes and tried to let the exhaustion push him into oblivion.

###

He was at Cintra palace.

He had stopped fighting this dream. He already knew he would wake up soon or later in the crazy re-enactment of the events. He was conscient every time it played in his mind and that was what exhausted him. He couldn't shut it down, he couldn't stop thinking about this. He had no solution except what he was currently doing - running away - and almost every night this was pushed in his face.

Jaskier had entered a few hours ago with the other musicians. Geralt was wearing a costume for the first time of his life, and he knew for sure that was the last. It was well tailored and he didn't feel physically bad in it, but mentally this was like wearing a skafander. Of course he didn't wear any weapons but he was surprised by the security.

He knew Cintra was a very conservative kingdom with a penchant of war. If they were known for their massive arsenal and abusive use of fire weapons in the population itself, here at the palace, there was none of that. The security was assured by men on horses with swords and crossbows. The modern ones were sometimes even more deadly than a bullet but this was still strange to him that they would assure the protection of the monarchs the ancien way.

Geralt wasn't a castle man. He felt quite out of place, walking in those huge halls with tapestries and paintings. Yet, funnily he was not out of time. Witchers were coming from another age when chivalry and sword fights were still common. The society had just moved forward too quick.

He let peoples without face guide him through this maze to the throne room. But he noticed a peculiar detail he never noticed before in this dream. The paintings on the walls. Yennefer was on all of them. This could be a simple projection of another desire as she was often wearing little clothing to none. Geralt always found it strange that he was developing some feelings and attraction towards a total fantasy. The woman had taken the face of Yennefer because he saw her picture reading a stupid article.

The painting moved and the woman with purple eyes looked at him. But the words came from a faceless guard with a strange voice.

- "You know that this is not true, Geralt. This is not strange. You can love in many ways. You just have to accept it."

He passed the guard, trying to ignore what they just sayed.

The throne room was immense. Two very long sets of tables were arranged like army battalions on a field, providing a very large alley in the middle and a huge space in front of the royal table. On the right, the official delegations that would propose their fiancé to the princess. On the left, every other guest. And taking the place of several tables, in a corner, was the orchestra. Or at least the chairs and the instruments. There was a black grand piano and Jaskier's lute. Geralt didn't ask his friend what he would play that night but he remembered being amazed by his virtuosity.

People were already there, waiting in the alley and on the sides, speaking in an indistinct and relentless noise. Things were moving strangely, as if the time was accelerating and slowing randomly around him. The faceless people were moving past him and just one man was approaching him normally. Mousesack.

The druid was happy to see him. That made years since they didn't see each other. This was from way before Calanthe chose him as a counselor after she parted ways with Aretuza's witches. They talked a little bit and they separated when the royal family entered the room.

Calanthe was a severe woman with strange manly manners and an incredible charisma. Her companion, not yet her husband, was the king of the Skellige island. He had the strong figure of his people and an intimidating presence, but had a gentleness in the eyes when he was looking at her. The princess Pavetta was something like sixteen or seventeen and she was trying the best she could to hide the fact that she terrified. She clearly didn't want this night to happen.

They all sat at their places after an introduction to the ceremony to come by the queen.

Geralt was sitting at the very first table, with a good view on the orchestra, and the royal table. He knew what was coming next but, this was the part of the dream that was nice at least.

The orchestra was entering and Jaskier saluted the audience. He was in a very well tailored suit but with an unconventional cleavage, showing way too much chest for this kind of event. But that was making Geralt smile. Even with the glimpse of the terrible past he shared and the high stakes of this representation for him, Jaskier was a free man. Way more than Geralt could never feel. Even him had tried to fit in the conventions more than that. The singer's provocative appearance was making people talk and laugh at his expense. The fact that he was a popular artist, playing mostly folk was a subject of mockery in this very coded place. But when he sat at the piano and he began to play, everyone shut up. This was pure virtuosity displayed in their face.

He remembered how this moment suspended in time was the best thing. Jaskier was searching for his look from time to time and they smiled at each other, sharing strength. His presence was fuelling his friend's performance and his friend's smile was making this whole experience bearable.

Geralt wished that the dream would linger a bit more on that phase but as his memories were fragmented all speed up again, till the harps song and the tears of the princess. She was crying in silence at the love song. And he understood why later. Then someone came to him and asked him to follow them to the royal table.

He tried to say no and to move away but he couldn't. His body was not responding to his will. The next blink he was eating at Calanthe's side and Jaskier was looking at him quizzically from the table was supposed to be. The conversation was unpleasant as he could hear that she was trying to get something from him. He could say she was cunning.

She pushed the Selkiemore death up front, as the king of Skellige knew about his impressive hunt. But then she began to search where his loyalty was. He had to navigate carefully into each answer. His mouth repeated what he already said that day.

And then the ceremony began. Each delegation from every corner of the Continent came, one after the other, kneeling in front of them, presenting the young man Pavetta should marry, in their opinion. This was both deranging and insulting most of the time. Calanthe was roasting those who lacked distinction or were insulting the dignity of her daughter but this was like a vain attempt. She was clearly against that old fashioned tradition she couldn't abrogate because she was a woman, but the whole thing seemed like picking up the least bad fruit of the basket.

Pavetta was livid and Jaskier seemed lost in very bad memories. Geralt remembered for an instant the reason for his presence. He wanted to reach for his friend and to run away with him. They were both birds in a cage right now.

The scene flickered for a moment, as if two realities were colliding. People around were even more faceless, which was very disturbing. The lights were dimmer and the colors darker. He turned toward Calanthe but this was Yennefer, sitting next to him. She was in an outrageous black clothing, revealing more skin than hiding. A crow was sitting on the throne. His cry was sinister and frightening.

The sorceress lasciviously turned toward him and began to undress him. Her eyes were reflecting desire and love, no will to ridicule him.

If dreams were merging maybe he could escape the one he dreaded, falling into the other. So he let Yennefer do what she wanted.

The faceless people removed their clothes too, and they joined in a chaotic melee of pleasure. And the whole assembly turned rapidly into an orgy. From time to time things of the original event were popping in this alternate reality but Geralt was trying to ignore them, hoping he could simply fully jump into his recurrent erotic dream instead of the ceremony that was haunting his nights for two months already.

Yennefer had pushed him out of his chair and they were now both half naked, kissing passionately against a pillar. The general aroused state of the faceless crowd ignited the desire in him. He was losing control as much as he was at the Passiflora but he was with his oniric lady so he didn't try to resist.

But the crow on the throne screeched and Geralt heard : kill this beast witcher. He turned his head and two disjoint events pushed him out of his wave of pleasure that was hitting him. He was there twice. At the royale table, near Calanthe who was pointed at an unknown man with a mask and a hood. At Jaskier's side who was lying on the floor with a lot of blood on his clothes and was struggling to breathe. That was new and terrifying.

The crow screeched again. The fight had begun between the masked men and the guards. Jaskier was vomiting blood in his arms. When he turned his head again toward Yennefer, he saw himself making love with her against the pillar from afar. He was a wolf. The big white wolf. He ran toward himself and the wounded Jaskier first but they disappeared in a ball of inky fog. Around him there were just all those faceless bodies joined in a flesh amalgamation, moaning and moving with pleasure. But they dissolved as well in the most disturbing way.

In the inky volutes dissipating, the main event of the night of Cintra was taking place. The masked man was revealed as cursed, with the face of a hedgehog. He invoked his rights by the Law of Surprise to get the hand of princess Pavetta, as she was his prize from a long time promise from the deceased king. Pavetta herself was already having an affair with him for quite some time and he was his loved one. Calanthe refused both to accept that Destiny had reunited those lovers and to let that old tradition take her daughter away from her. So she faked to give her benediction to their union and tried to assassinate the cursed man.

This was the key event that revealed the power lying inside the poor girl. Her scream shattered all the glasses of the room. Then she liberated a power like he hadn't seen before. The burst of chaos blasted everyone and everything. A hurricane formed around her and her lover and they ascended. The tempest in the room was destroying everything. He saw himself trying to get through the wall of wind while Mousesack was also plunging into the storm trying to weaken it. The druid used so much power to help him go through.

In the corner though, the other him was standing next to a naked Yennefer who was now arching in pain. Her screams were engulfed in the wind that was affecting them as well. She had dark paintings on her belly and something was deforming the flesh, as if something was trying to get out. Her body twisted unnaturally.

He growled. The crow screeched again. Everything exploded in an ink blast.

The last scene drew itself out of the dark. Acceptance. Benediction of the lovers. Pure love lifting the curse.

- "I am forever in debt to you, witcher. What do you want and I would grant ?"

- "I don't know… I need nothing."

- "You saved my life and everyone's here. There must be something."

And then the words he should never have said :

- "Give me the first thing you ignored having. By the law of surprise."

Pavetta suddenly puked, revealing to everyone that she was pregnant from her past hidden liaison with the cursed man. By the law of surprise Geralt was now the legitimate father of the child to come. And he just ran away, howling in fear and despair.

###

Geralt woke up in the middle of the night. The ocean breeze was freezing.

He was a monster. He couldn't be a parent. The child would live a better life with her royal family anyway. The life of a witcher wasn't a good one for any human. That child would never choose him, even if he came to ask, and Calanthe would never let him. She would kill him herself rather than give it to him. It… He had nothing to worry about.

Memories suddenly flashed back in his mind. Memories of being trapped and hurt with Jaskier. Memories of cold and pain sometimes. But memories of him smiling and laughing even when hunts would turn bad and put him in danger. Memories of his friend taking care of him. Never afraid. Even when he was the ugliest beast under the potions. Even when he saw him brutally killing the most terrifying creatures.

He shook his head. Jaskier couldn't be an example of a human successfully sharing the life of a witcher. Why ? Because this was just an anomaly. This was the third dream he saw Jaskier hurt. The statistics were playing for them so far, giving them a false sense of security and normality. But when the dice would roll badly, the young man would suffer the consequences. It had already begun in a way… He couldn't possibly force a child to follow this path too. This was cruel.

Geralt let a shuddering breath out. A single tear escaped his eyelids. He was battling internally.

- "You are just trying to convince yourself of that. You are a monster as much as your mother. You are abandoning that child."

- "It is not even born."

- "It… This is not the first time you think of it… You are a monster as much as Jaskier's father because you are already reducing that child to a thing at best. Just because you don't want it."

"I…"

He sat up and took a deep breath. He was feeling nauseous.

- "I am a monster…" He muttered out loud this time.

The wind stole his words. Noone was here to listen, to help. He didn't deserve it anyway. He took his cowboy hat, resting next to him, and put it on his disheveled head. He jumped off the platform, got in his car and drove his way out of the anxiety on the dark roads of the Continent.