ᴡʜɪᴄʜ ᴡɪᴛᴄʜ (Geralt of Rivia)

ɪɪ.

ᴡʜɪᴄʜ ᴡɪᴛᴄʜ

ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ: ɪɪ.

"Look into her eyes. Look until a door becomes a window. Seek to understand your partner's greatest fears."

Tissaia's words echoed in Thazina's mind as she listened, staring intently into the gaze of the girl sat across from her, Sabrina.

"With our eyes?" asked the purple-eyed girl, whom Thazina had learned was named Yennefer, and who was actually quite kind.

"No, piglet. With chaos," Tissaia stated. "Thought transference should flow through you, like learning to dance or swim or kiss."

Thazina fought back a blush. She was a terrible dancer, and she'd never kissed anyone. That wouldn't bode very well for her.

Her fingers curled into fists, nails digging into her palms as she focused. 

When hours passed and still no one had been able to get it, Thazina found herself trying not to fall asleep. Darkness had settled over them.

She was just so tired, muttering the incantation until her tongue felt heavy and numb. Sabrina offered a sad sort of look as she leaned forward slightly, growing tired as well.

"Anica's worst fear is snakes," Yennefer spoke up.

Tissaia glanced up from the book she was reading. "Come here," she said.

Yennefer rose slowly to her feet, stepping up to the settee that Tissaia had settled down on. "You take weeks to lift your stone," Tissaia said. "You can't bend water. You struggle to perform the simplest physical tasks. And now you lie to me? Your worst fear makes such sense. Even if you were a beauty, still, no one would love you."

Yennefer had no reply, lowering her head.

Sabrina met Thazina's gaze fully as she said. "Thaz's worst fear is being abandoned."

Thazina shot back as if she had been burned. She was shaking. 

Tissaia nodded stiffly. "Good, Sabrina," she said. "Very good." Her eyes found Thazina, narrowing just slightly. "Keep trying, child."

And so Thazina did. 

Finally, she could see, an image appearing in her mind.

"Spiders," she said softly. "Sabrina's worst fear is spiders."

Sabrina took her hand and squeezed encouragingly.

It was some days later that Tissaia called them to a new lesson.

Thazina looked around the rock walls that surrounded her as entered, hearing Tissaia speak to every girl that passed her. "Welcome, Fringilla. Welcome, Lark. Welcome, Doralis. Welcome, Sabrina. Welcome, Thazina." Thazina offered a weak smile as she took a bottle from a woman's outstretched hand.