Bard's Song

CH 1 : How To Be Me

Mature Content : Canon Compliant Violence : M/M : Canon Divergent

"Every story begins with a good song."

And maybe she had been right. Ciri. All those years ago when she'd still been young and asking for stories. Before she'd become the belligerent woman sitting across the table, gulping down a goblet of wine, listening to Yennefer's shouting with a blank look on her face.

Those green eyes gazing with bored disinterest over the rim of her cup at Geralt.

Here we go again.

Her own mind, her body, her spirit too troubled - too young - to be bothered by the heaviness that warred within the Witcher. Fist clenched around his medallion. What had even made him think of music anyway?

Gaze drifted to look out the window of their home. If it could be called home.

Just another place Yennefer had magicked into opulence. Another gilded cage, another golden prison. Like a kept pet. And it chafed. It always did. She'd always been one for finer things; Yen. His Yen.

But still they found one another, still they merged together. As tumultuous as their relationship was, as ill-suited, there was a comfort in the familiarity of it all.

But still he found himself missing...

"It used to be easier than this." He interrupted.

Purple eyes widened in first shock, then hurt as both gazes swiveled to him. He could feel the argument mounting like a storm; like lightning building on the horizon. Hot and cold tangling together, static making the hair on his arms and back of his neck rise. Danger the air whispered as it slid in and out of his lungs. He knew this pattern. God he couldn't avoid it if he wanted.

And, oh, how did he want.

"Come now, Yen." Ciri pushed her chair back, boots hitting the table as she slurped loudly. "Don't you wish less for this-" she waved her cup around, motioning to the two of them, their house, "-and more of what we used to have? More of the fighting and killing? Isn't it simpler-?"

"No!" Yennefer moaned, defeated. "No! Don't you... " She sighed, falling into a chair opposite them both. "Don't you want...?" Inhaling, composing. "You still aren't fully recovered. We need more time."

Ciri snorted, pulling down her shirt to reveal a faded scar that was almost invisible to the naked eye. "No we don't need any more time." She fell back in her seat. "I'm healed, I'm fine." She took a deep drink. "Geralt is fine, you are fine. We are fine. We need-"

"But-" Yen looked up at Geralt, "What if your muscles need more time? I just worry that-"

Ciri tensed, empty cup balancing between table and fingers as eyes moved between the two. "You can't protect me forever, Yennefer. I'm not a child anymore needing your protective embrace." She shook her head, "I need to get back out there. Even Geralt can't stand this... this. It itches to sit in here and heal and the longer you try to coop me up and force me to play family like this-"

"That's not what I... I meant to do!" Yen's face contracted into a frown. "I just want-" Dark hair tangled between fingers as she pushed the mess back off her head.

Fuck but did Geralt think she was beautiful.

Yen sighed hard, defeated, tired. "You're all a difficult bunch."

"A wolf and a lion, Yennefer. Maybe you shouldn't try so hard to tame wild things." Ciri stood, cup falling to its side, rolling. "I'm-I'm..." She sighed, running a hand through her paling blonde hair, breathing deep. "I'm taking on a job tomorrow." Tone apologetic.