You stood outside the back of your tent, watching as the sun set down over the mountains, your hands crossed behind your back.
The wind whipped in your hair, and you looked up at the sky that was painted orange and yellow, with a hint of pink.
"Y/n, what are you doing out?" Geralt asked. "It's...cold out."
You looked at him with a raised eyebrow.
"Really?" You said, walking towards him and wrapping your arms around his neck. "You have no other excuse to make me come inside?"
"Not in my mind," Geralt said, his arms wrapping around your waist as he leaned down and pecked your lips. "You should go to bed, get some sleep. Some good sleep."
"You'll be there with me?" You asked.
"Always, love," Geralt said, with a smile.
You both went inside the tent, goosebumps forming on your skin as the coldness of your skin met the warm inside.
You used your magic to hold up some other clothing to block Geralt from seeing you change.
"That's cheating," Geralt said.
You shrugged, throwing your sleep gown over your head and then dropping the other clothes, quickly putting them away, before turning off the oil lamp and getting under the blanket with the Witcher.
You laid your head on his chest, as he cradled you, kissing your head repeatedly.
"Why did you volunteer to lead Yennefer back to her tent?" Geralt asked. "After all those...mean things she said to you."
You shrugged, even though he couldn't see it.
"I...don't know," You said. "I don't want to be enemies with her. I don't want her to hate me."
"How could anyone hate you?" Geralt asked, stroking your hair.
"Don't say that," You said.
"What?" Geralt said.
"Just...let me sleep," You said, closing your eyes and burying yourself into the crook of his neck, taking in the sweet, comforting scent of chamomile. "Geralt?"
"Love?" Geralt replied, still stroking your hair, but it was slower.
"Do you have a comforting scent?" You asked.
"Mhm," Geralt hummed. "You."
"What's that smell like?" You asked.
"Green apples," Geralt said, with no hesitation.
"I'm glad that comforts you," You said.
"You have the weirdest questions," Geralt said, and you laughed.
"But you love me for it," You said.
"I sure do," Geralt said, quietly, kissing your shoulder, before both of you fell asleep.
•🏹•
"Has anyone seen my escort?" Yennefer said, causing you to turn around from the standing position you were in.
"AH! Bloody ball sacks!" You heard Yarpen yell, and you and Geralt exchanged glances, before rushing off to the dwarf.
He was down the mountain just a bit, and you and Geralt looked over, to see Eyck laying on his side, pants down his ankles, with blood coming out of his throat.
"Who slits a man's throat while he's relieving his bowels?" Jaskier asked. "Is nothing sacred anymore?"
"Fuck," You heard Yennefer said, before she spun on her heels and hurried away.
About 45 minutes later, everyone was back on the path, making their way up the mountain.
"We're halfway to the Dragon's lair, but it's getting dangerous," Véa said. "We cannot continue like this."
"The warrior woman is right," Yarpen said. "Someone killed that self-righteous fud, and it wasn't any of us. Somebody's not playin' fair. Our people use to mine these mountains. We know a shortcut that will cut half a day off our journey. Let the Reavers take the long way around. We'll kill the Dragon before they even set foot in the cave. We'll watch each other's backs until we reach the next peak, then every man for himself. What say ye?"
"Let's go," Borch said, with a shrug.
"Go on," You muttered, to Geralt. "I'll catch up."
"Please don't tell me you're gonna go talk to Yennefer," Geralt said, placing his hands on your shoulders.
"I need too," You said, exhaling a sigh.
Geralt hesitated, before pressing you against his chest and catching your lips in a kiss, before turning around and walking next to Jaskier, looking over his shoulder every now and then.
You looked down at your hands, eyes widening to see the blackness spreaded the middle of your fingers.
"Fuck," You said, before hurrying after Yennefer, who was walking in the wrong direction.
She was speed-walking, so you almost had to run to keep up with her.
"Did you kill Eyck?" You asked, and she stopped in her tracks, almost causing you to run into her.
"Kill him?" Yennefer said, turning around and crossing her arms. "That's rather pedestrian. It was the Reavers. That bastard Boholt killed my escort before he could accomplish the one damn task I actually needed him for."
"And what was that?" You asked.
Yennefer turned on her heels and continued to walk, causing you to groan with frustration.
"Yen!" You hissed. "What are you really doing here?"
"I'm here for the Dragon," Yennefer said, stopping her walk and turning back around
You raised an eyebrow, unconvinced.
"There are certain healing properties it's rumored to possess," Yennefer said.
"I thought your transformation healed all parts of you?" You asked.
"At the cost of losing others, yes," Yennefer said.
"Yennefer..." You said, your lips curling into a smile. "Do not tell me you've traveled all this way for made-up fertility cures using fresh Dragon hearts?"
"Y/n, you should be on my side," Yennefer hissed. "You're from the Dragon Mountains. Shouldn't you know that the rumors are true?"
"Who told you that, a tradesman?" You asked. "Those rumors aren't true. They're told so you can kill the Dragons so Nilfgaard can take over. And seriously? You, a mother?"
"Do you think I'd make a bad one?" Yennefer asked.
"Yes," You said, a little too quickly. Yennefer turned around, her back facing you. "Yen...a child? What could you possibly want with a child?"
"They took my choice," Yennefer snapped, turning back around to face you. "I want it back. Not that I'd expect you to understand, because you grew up with a perfect life!"
You stayed silent, thinking about your response.
"I didn't choose to become this way," You whispered. "To become a Queen. A Sorcerer. The people who made you, they made you sterile for a lot of reasons. One of the kinder ones is because this lifestyle isn't suited to a child."
Yennefer huffed a breath, avoiding eye-contact.
"What?" You said. "You were going to summon chaos on King's orders in between feeding and naps?"
"Do not patronize me!" Yennefer hissed.
"I'm not," You said, calmly. "Yennefer, I don't want to fight you. I don't want to be your enemy. Fuck, you don't even have to be my friend. Just listen to me."
"Get back to Geralt," Yennefer hissed. "I can feel him waiting for you."
"Yen-"
"GO!" Yennefer shouted.
You sighed, before turning on your heels, and leaving Yennefer alone.
•🏹•
"Mind the scree fallin', hear me?" Yarpen shouted, as you clung onto Geralt, his arms around your waist. "Can get a bit rocky round here if it's windy. Which...it is."
Yarpen led you out of the narrow mountain way, leading everyone to a cliff.
It had a wooden board placed on the side of the mountain, leading everyone that seemed for forever.
"Yeah, you're right," Jaskier said. "This is a shortcut."
"To death," You muttered.
"That's what I was gonna say, Y/n!" Jaskier said.
"You wanna beat those Reavers or not?" Yarpen asked.
"We should turn back," Geralt said.
"No," Borch said. "We're very close."
"How can you possibly know that?" Jaskier asked.
"'Tis a perfectly fine route," Yarpen said.
"For a dwarf," Yennefer said.
"Aah!" Yarpen hissed. "Stifle your mewlin'. You'll manage. As long as you don't look down."
"Y/n, we're taking the longer way," Geralt said.
"No, she's not!" Borch said. "You're both taking this way. It's faster. You'll be fine."
"I will not risk Y/n's life-"
"Aw, how sweet," Yennefer said. "Y/n, if I was you, I'd be glad to still have your escort."
"Shut it, Yennefer," You hissed.
She shrugged her shoulders, before moving herself onto the planks behind Jaskier.
"I take it your talk went well?" Geralt asked.
"Not now, Geralt," You said.
Geralt got on the planks first, keeping a hand on your arm as you both moved onto the planks, Borch and the two Warriors behind you.
The planks soon enough slanted upwards, causing Geralt to hesitantly let go of your arm so he could haul himself up with two arms, using the chains attached to the mountains to help him.
The planks underneath Borch creaked, and soon enough, they broke.
You threw yourself forwards, landing on the planks and grabbing the chain Borch, Téa, and Véa clung to.
"Y/N!" Geralt shouted.
"GET BACK!" You shouted.
You looked down at Borch, who was clinging onto the chains, for his life.
"Young Y/n," Borch said. "You will save us yet. But first, you must let go."
"No," You said, sternly.
The planks below you cracked, and you fell an inch, causing Geralt to shout.
"Y/n! The planks won't hold!" Geralt shouted.
"Thank you," Borch said, quietly, before letting go.
"NO!" You screamed, watching as Borch fell through the clouds and disappeared, Véa and Téa letting go not long after.