Embers

Silence

Chapter 37

Eira's POV

When she stuck her toe in the damping bath water, Eira hissed first before she felt the heat engulf her feet. The redness on her skin told her the water was way too warm but she didn't care. In just a few seconds, she lowered herself totally in the tub and sighed happily. The tingling of the warmth on her skin made her feel alive once more.

The soap that Jaskier had left smelled like the forest and Eira scrubbed herself clean. From head to toe and back again. Her long hair took some time to completely soak in and for a moment, she wondered how the hell she would be able to get the whole thing unknotted when she stood before the mirror in a long white robe.

Her fingers went through her locks and she cursed silently.

"I can help with that," Yennefer spoke from behind her.

Eira's eyes caught the Sorceress' by looking in the mirror.

"I can do it," she murmured and saw Yennefer smile.

"It's quite long. Let me help, it'll go faster," the woman countered back and pointed at the chair. "Sit."

Eira turned and tightened the cord around her robe. She nodded in agreement and made her way to the chair. With one hand movement, Yennefer had a brush and pushed the Elemental down on the chair. The Sorceress' hands were cold to Eira's skin, which sent a shiver through her.

Yet, Yen's fingers moved gentle and fast, unknotting, combing and repeating the movement over and over again until Eira's hair shone and could be braided. All the procedure happened in silence, something the Elemental was grateful for because her mind was chaotic. Her features were like stone, but inside her thoughts raced through her head about what happened. Still unsure if this was all real, or that the Other played tricks.

"How was the other Elemental? Do you know where she is?" Yennefer finally asked when she tied the thick braid together.

"Evil," Eira answered and glanced at the dark eyes that stared back at her from the mirror. "And no. Nilfgaard is big."

Yennefer snickered to break the tense silence between them while Eira looked down at her fingers.

"You should have seen the panic in the bard's eyes, dear," the Sorceress said. "No matter how dumb I think he is, Jaskier truly was worried about you."

Eira kept quiet, just nodded and stood up again.

"So was Geralt," Yen added with a smile and caressed Eira's hair. "So was I."

"Thank you," Eira said and could muster up a smile. "I'm really hungry and Jaskier will be waiting for me."

"Of course," Yennefer said and took a step aside.

The movement made her dress ruffle on the ground and Eira swiftly walked past the sorceress. She wasn't scared of Yenner, she just didn't trust her enough to tell Yen all about the Other. There was always a glint in the sorceress' eyes when it came to subjects about power. The last thing that Eira wished for, was Yennefer to ever come into contact with such a powerful being as the Other.

"You look worried," the gentle voice of Jaskier brought her out of her thoughts.

The smile that crept around her lips when she heard his voice, was sincere and still plastered on her face when Eira turned to face him. He leant against the wall with his shoulder and answered her smile with one of his own. Eira, still exhausted, felt better when the bard looked at her like that. As if nothing had changed in all those months separated.

Something tugged at her heart strings and her smile faded slowly. She changed when he had left her that time and Eira wasn't sure she could completely forgive him.