Fanfictions

Out of the Ice - Lambert/Jaskier

Lambert was trudging through the thick snow, it came up to his hips. The man wasn't surprised by the winter storm but he was surprised by how deep the snow had gotten. He just hoped no poor bastard had gotten themselves caught out in the winter storm. He continued hiking through the raging storm, his own beard covered in snow. As he made his way along the trial he heard a yell for help coming from the river not too far from where he was. Tightening his jacket around himself he made his way towards the cries of help.

"Please someone help!"

Lambert turned a corner and spotted a young man bobbing in the river. It was clear the ice had broken out from under him, large cracks shot out from the hole he was trapped within. His jacket seemed trapped between something and he was bobbing in the water like an apple in a bucket. Lambert quickly raced down the hillside and tied some thick woven rope around the nearest birch, he knotted it a few times before he tossed the rope to the boy struggling to stay above the surface of the water.

"Come on boy grab it!" Lambert yelled. Wide blue eyes starred back at him, relief washing over the man like the water in the river. He clamped his hands around the rope and Lambert began to haul him up back towards the snow covered bank. Lambert wrapped his arms around the boy picking him up. "You okay boy?"

"Th..thank you.." He whispered softly before he lost consciousness his eyelids fluttering before his head crashing against Lambert's shoulder.

"Alright, come on then." Lambert muttered as he readjusted him onto his back tying him to his back to ensure he didn't fall off him as he made his way through the snow. He made his way back up the mountain side carrying the unconscious stranger towards his home. Kicking the doors open to Kaer Morhen he raced the boy towards the infirmary while snow poured into the main room. The boys lips were blue and his skin was pale. He did his best to warm him up while tending to the leg wound he had only noticed after laying him on the bed. Lambert cut his pants back revealing the wound better. It was clear to him that the ice had penetrated his leg when he fell through the thin ice over the river.

He tended to the horrid wound, sewing up the cut and cleaning the wound. It was a large jagged wound, and his clothes while soaked were also covered in dried blood from the cut. Day in and day out Lambert came to check on the stranger he saved hoping he would wake. Finally after three days he was wide awake looking around with concern and question. "Where am I?"

"You're in Kaer Morhen the home of the witchers. My name is Lambert, you were injured, trapped in the ice of the river. Do you remember?"

"No.. not really. Ah.." He whined a bit as he moved his legs over the side of the bed. "Oww fuck."

"I told you, you were injured. Lay back down now, what's your name?"

"J..Jaskier." He retorted as he laid back narrowing his eyes thinking back to where he would have been when this all happened. He remembered he was trying to get to a far off town, that the storm had began to rage while he was only half way there. He remembered the ice covered river but he didn't really remember falling through the ice. Lambert looked him over softly, he was fine enough thankfully.

"I'm going to get you some water, and soup."

"Really?"

"Really, you stay here. Your leg hasn't fully healed and I think after nearly freezing to death and drowning in a river under the ice I think you deserve to rest a bit more. Do they call you anything other then Jaskier?"

"Dandelion."

"Well Dandelion, I'll take care of you till the sun returns and the snow melts away." Lambert whispered as he left the room and got him something to eat and drink. Jaskier looked up at the ceiling, he knew he wasn't trapped but it felt so strange that here he was in some random man's home.

Lambert soon returned with his meal. "Here you go Dandelion."

"Thank you..." He whispered softly. Lambert smiled, he couldn't help but remember that little thank you he had whispered when he had saved him. "What were you doing out in the storm?"

"Just traveling for my job, was unfortunate enough to get stuck out in snow."

"What do you do for work?" Lambert asked softly checking his temperature by placing the back of his hand over his forehead

Lambert jumped in surprise as Jaskier nearly threw himself out of the bed "My lute!"

"I didn't see anything down at the river Dandelion. Were you wearing it when you fell in?"

"I had to have been.. yes.. oh no not my lute... I can't work now. Pay you for your help I-."

"I never asked you to pay me." Lambert grunted as he sat back looked him over. "I don't need you to pay for me to save you. I'm a Witcher, I save people, kill monsters."

"Witcher's get paid for their heroic work."

"Not all the time, not this time." Lambert remarked. "I brought you back here not knowing if you would wake. Dead people never pay, but I still kill the monster if someone dies payment or not."

Jaskier looked down at himself, he wanted to make it up to Lambert for saving him, for brining him to his home when he didn't have to. He could have left him trapped in the ice and let him die. He didn't have to save him and be a hero. He was lucky he had been saved by someone good. Someone kind.

A few months had passed now, Jaskier was out of bed rest but the storm seemed to never end. They had gotten close the longer that Jaskier stayed in Kaer Morhen the more he wanted to stay when the snow finally melted away. Jaskier was baking him an apple pie to say thank you when he entered the kitchen.

"Smells good in here Dandelion." Lambert muttered as he came up behind him. Jaskier looked up with a soft smile on his face.

"I wanted to repay you, for letting me stay here for so long, for nursing me back to health."

Lambert only smiled softly as the two didn't break eye contact. Lambert decided he didn't want Jaskier to leave when the snow finally melted, he leaned in and kissed him. Jaskier's blue eyes were wide until he finally fell into the kiss. "You'll stay won't you, or at least come with me on the path?"

"I'd love to, I can write songs about you.. about your heroics"

Lambert smiled. "I'll be right back."

Jaskier narrowed his eyes in confusion when Lambert returned something behind his back. "You can write song's but unless you have something you can't play to your own tunes." Lambert smiled as he handed Jaskier a hand carved lute that he had been working on for a while now.

"Lambert."

"It's yours Dandelion, I'm yours."

"Lambert... this is too much."

"No, it's not. You were so upset over the one you lost, and I wanted to bring that smile back to your face. You and me?"

"You and me."