Embers

Cintra

12. Cintra

The Bard left two days after they shared their first kiss. Many followed after, together with stealing gentle touches and laughter. Eira talked again, a lot. Asked him questions that Jaskier loved to answer and both of them finally felt free.

Geralt was irritated, that much was sure. He grumbled and cursed everytime Eira or Jaskier sat close together or stared at each other as if there was no one else in the world. And the Witcher was relieved when the bard finally took his belongings and left.

Not without promising Eira to come back to her and kiss her one last time. The Elemental still felt something in her stomach, but this time, the sick feeling was replaced by euphoria. Everytime Jaskier looked at her or touched her, Eira felt her heart flutter in her chest like a wild butterfly.

A feeling she never wanted to lose again.

The months that passed, Eira came to know what it was like to miss someone so badly it hurt. Even though, both Geralt and her hunted monsters together, collected a lot of coins and he even taught her to play Gwent, Eira felt like something was missing because the bard wasn't around.

"Stop your moping," Geralt spoke up one evening. "He'll be back."

"I know," she said and glanced at him.

Eira sat beside him, poking the fire with one hand and playing with ice in the other. Something that kept her mind busy and away from Jaskier.

"But what if he meets a girl. You know, a human one, and..."

"As far as he's concerned, you're human," Geralt countered, took the stick from her and poked the fire a bit harder. "Don't think about it too much. He's an idiot, but not that much that he wouldn't come back to you."

Eira arched her brow and grinned.

"You threatened him, didn't you?"

"Be more specific, I threatened him more than once."

She smiled widely before leaning back against a tree.

"Where are we going next?"

"Cintra," he said and looked away from her. "I got...business there. Got a letter from Jaskier to meet him there."

She shot up straight.

"You got a letter?!"

"Yes, he says I owe him a favour blablabla, wants me to join him at a banquet held by Queen Calanthe."

She heard nothing that he just told her.

"You got a  letter? From Jaskier?"

Geralt turned his head to face her with a serious look on his face.

"Are you deaf?"

"I...," she looked away from him, "I never got a letter from him."

"Well, maybe you don't owe him a favour."

"Or maybe, he didn't want..."

"Eira, stop it. It's fucking annoying. You won't come to Cintra, you have no invitation. I will help Jaskier out with whatever it is and then pick you up along the way."

She was speechless. And heartbroken. And a slight hint of anger went through her.

"You can't just dump me along the road like an unwanted pup," she said, eyes blazing into the Witcher's direction.

Geralt grumbled something she couldn't understand.

"I'm not dumping you," he spoke and poked the fire a bit harder. "You're going to be bored. You're not human, Eira. Do I have to keep reminding you every other day?"

She didn't want to have this conversation. Not now, not ever. Instead of starting a fight with Geralt, that Eira knew would end up in weeks of silence again, the elemental got up, brushed her dress off and walked into the woods to calm down.

She stayed there all night. The witcher didn't come to look for her. They both knew when one was still close enough and they would both sense if the other was in danger. When the sun broke through the trees, shedding its warm light onto Eira's sleepy face, she made her way back to their camp.

Eira half expected Geralt to be gone. That he already left for Cintra, but he wasn't.

"Good morning," she mumbled, taking her bags and saddling Bramble. "I'll just ... ride in the woods until I see you again."

The witcher sighed, touched her shoulder to get her attention and shook his head slowly when looking at Eira.

"Eira, you can come," he said and Eira locked eyes with him. He rolled his eyes and let her go again. "You're my friend," he almost looked pained when telling her this. "Maybe we can be bored together. Besides, you get to see Jaskier."

Eira conjured up a sincere smile and did something the Witcher didn't expect, nor was he sure he liked it. Her arms flew around his neck and Eira hugged him tightly.

"Thank you," she murmured and felt how the witcher hesitantly hugged her back.

"You'll need an evening dress," was all he said when letting her go. "Let's go."

She never wore an evening dress before and Eira had no idea what one should look like, except that it's supposed to be long. Geralt left her with some tailors as soon as they reached Cintra, told her to meet him tonight at the castle while he went to find Jaskier.

He had grinned and patted her shoulder when Eira shyly admitted she had no idea what to choose.

"Tell the tailor that it's for the royal court. He'll know what to do," he had said before he left her to her own devices.

Eira told the tailor exactly what Geralt had said and stepped out of the shop right on time to meet the Witcher for the banquet. A smile played across her lips when the tailor had said that Geralt of Rivia made sure a carriage would await her. So, she didn't need to walk all the way to the castle in a new dress and shoes.

The dress was beautiful. When the tailor had altered it to her size, Eira couldn't stop looking at the fine, light blue silk that draped beautifully around her. It reached the floor, but with the small heels she wouldn't trip over it. The white lace around her hips and shoulders accented her curves.

When she arrived at court, the sound of light piano music reached her ears and Eira looked around as soon as she stepped out in the open. She wasn't the only one arriving at court. There were many stepping out of carriages, all dressed up and having someone accompanying them.

Eira looked around the crowd, a bit lost of what to do when someone suddenly circled his arm around hers.

"I'm here," Geralt mumbled and looked at her with a smile. "Perfect," he said while looking at the dress.

Eira clamped herself against him as if he was her only support in the world right now. They were miles away from hunting and killing monsters. This was a world she didn't know. The world of monarchy.

It was only when Geralt let her go for a few seconds to tell the guard who he was, that Eira noticed that he himself was wearing something different than his armor.

"You look great," she exclaimed, looking at the witcher's hair being tied up in a neat leather bound.

He growled slowly in his chest when Geralt took her by the arm again.

"I hate it," he said while he guided her into the castle. "But we can hate it together."

The laugh that escaped her was loud and drew the attention of the others around her. They looked at Eira as if she did something unholy and her mouth quickly closed.

Geralt chuckled next to her and shook his head. "Don't mind them. Try to have fun tonight, Eira. But just, don't start a war or something by using your powers."