Embers

The farm

Chapter 20
Eira's POV

She walked out of the room after Jaskier had given her his jacket to cover herself up. He told her it was for the chill, and Eira had taken it though she had no need to shield herself from the morning cold. The Elemental did feel relieved after she had covered herself up a bit.

Eira met Geralt in the stables where he was tying up the horses and fed them. The elemental waited patiently until Geralt was done and eventually turned to face her.

"You look better," he said and threw one of her bags towards her. "You need clothes."

She grabbed the leather sack and smiled gratefully.

"Thank you," she murmured and turned to leave again.

Yet, Eira changed her mind and swiveled around on her bare feet. Geralt had his arms already crossed and shook his head as soon as she wanted to say something.

"It's not your fault," he murmured. "The beast was playing tricks with your mind."

"I thought it killed Jaskier and you," Eira said, her tone almost a whisper.

She knew Geralt could hear her and he waved a hand in the air.

"Still alive. So is the bard," he grumbled and leaned back against the stable.

"I couldn't kill it. Without your help, I mean. I was distracted," Eira spoke and took some steps closer to him.

She saw a ball of hay that was tied together and jumped to sit on it.

"You were distracted," Geralt glanced at the field before them. "You need to learn to focus. Not let those emotions control you. The fear."

"How do you do it?"

He laughed. A dry, humourless laugh and turned his head towards her. Their gazes met and Eira noticed the tired lines across the witcher's features.

"Training," he spoke and stood up straight. "Years and years of training."

He offered his hand towards her and Eira took it. Geralt helped her jump of the hay before letting her go again. Her magic hummed inside, calm and peaceful.

"Could you teach me?"

Geralt snapped his head into her direction, eyes a bit wider than normal which betrayed his surprise that she asked. It was such a small change in his demeanor that someone else wouldn't have noticed it.

"You should learn to control them," Geralt spoke hesitantly. "You're an elemental, you can do it yourself. You don't me to teach you the way Witchers do it."

Eira arched a brow.

"It seems to help you," she countered back, her voice friendly and Geralt huffed.

"Yes," he replied, but shook his head. "I'm not going to teach you, Eira. You're emotions is what makes you you."

His voice had lost some of its normal grumpiness and Geralt found her gaze again.

"Did the bard behave himself?" He asked and Eira knew the subject was closed.

They both started walking towards the house and Eira chuckled.

"He did," she replied and deserved a grunt from the Witcher. "No, truly, he was a real gentleman."

Geralt nodded as a reply and gave Jaskier a roll of the eye when the bard made his way to them.

"Get dressed," the witcher spoke. "We'll leave around midday."

Eira glanced up at him and frowned.