My world is cruel

❝ They’re fools, too, then. The world’s full of them. ❞ While she knew he wasn’t her soulmate, more magic making that decision for her, she thought she could enjoy spending some time with him. He’d been one of the least frustrating people she’d seen around. ❝ It’s accurate. ❞ At his next statement, she chuckled and gave a slight shrug. ❝ I can’t argue with you there. But I don’t have to be happy about magic making another decision for me. ❞ There’d been enough of that already after all. 

❝ You sound promising. Less infuriating than the sad sacks of absolute shit I’ve been dealing with around here. ❞ His words made her chuckle, glad that someone else actually had a brain. ❝ Obscene? I was thinking more of fallacy, idiotic, delusional. Obscene is far more entertaining. ❞ A brow arched as she nodded in agreement.  ❝ You would be taken correctly. Soulmates aren’t real. It’s just magic. Nothing real comes from magic. ❞

That they did, and she had been incredibly frustrated with it. Especially since so many hadn’t seemed interested in interacting outside of their soulmates. As if that mark meant that their soulmates were the only ones that could entertain them. Was she the only one not frantically searching for some marking or a stranger bearing it? Well, apparently not, if the man before her was any indication.  ❝ I can’t tell if you’re wanting to hear people say it more to feed your ego, or if you truly do believe that you’re not special. ❞ The latter would astound her. How many had Death personally chosen not to take? And for him to have the experiences that he apparently had. . . There was something there. Whatever he was, he was proving ample entertainment for Yen in that moment, which was all she asked of her company.  ❝ Have you? And here I was hoping that you weren’t one of the ones that was frantically searching for one. ❞ His following question had laughing again. It wasn’t a common thing in the least, especially for a human that she wasn’t just laughing with to appease. ❝ I can think of a few things. Not sure if this a suitable environment for them though. ❞

It amused her when he reiterated her statement, at least she’d been correct. As if she could be wrong about such things. While she’d not been through nearly as many as apocalyptic events as he had, she wasn’t bothered by the world ending. All she could do was her part to make sure that didn’t happen. Yennefer just didn’t have to be happy about it.  ❝ Special, aren’t you? ❞ Yen murmured, leaning forward to rest her elbow on the table between them, chin perched on her fingers.  ❝ Well, you could check yourself over later. Entertain me, and I may just help you, ❞ she replied with a wink. Another laugh was drawn from between her lips at his reply to her statement of how he didn’t bore her. ❝ I don’t think that I’m surprised to hear that. You don’t seem the boring type. Perhaps you can entertain me until I’m needed. ❞ Which, if rumors were true, she wouldn’t be without a task for long. They’d need to put up barriers to keep the nightmares out, something that she was more than capable enough, though she’d prefer the help of more of her kind. 

❝ I suppose so. Especially now. ❞ With the worlds ending and even more dangerous entities loose and able to interact, death was definitely a given. Just exploring she’d had to tread carefully, not to trip over the dead creatures strewn about and left by some careless hunter. If they weren’t careful, the Council would definitely make them part of their executions. While they hadn’t actually performed any, she was just waiting for the day, to watch the body fall and a life taken away for insubordination. Seemed wasteful. ❝ She hasn’t killed you or forced you with a soulmate yet, has she? ❞ His expression of respect for Death had her laughing before she could stop herself, surprised that he was able to pull such mirth from her. ❝ Here I thought you’d bore me, ❞ she admitted, honest more than meaning to be hurtful. 

❝ Your lives seem fleeting, yes. ❞ Yennefer was surprised at how blasé he was about the whole situation. A brow arched as he talked about the previous Death, how he’d plied Death with food. It was an interesting dynamic. ❝ So there was a Death before the woman. Are you as familiar with her? ❞ It wasn’t often she found humans as anything more than frustrating or easy pawns. But Dean was interesting, especially with the very casual interactions he seemed to have with such great powers. And there was no denying that he was attractive, humans did make fun play things from time to time as well. 

❝ Trust me, you’re a child compared to the years I have seen. ❞ It was an amusing thought, that he could be considered old. Perhaps by human standards, and he did look older in appearance than her, but she knew the truth.  ❝ Such as? ❞ Now, he had her interest. What strange things had he seen? After all, she knew there were curiosities in the other worlds she’d never had the opportunity to glimpse, even in all her years. 

❝ Will they? Or would you have been better off figuring that sort of thing out for yourself? You realized you made a mistake before, why wouldn’t you realize it again? ❞ A snort of derision escaped before Yennefer could stop it. The other woman really was deluded. If only youth could be to blame for how naïve she was, but in Yennefer’s eyes, there was no excuse. ❝ You think I’m scared? That’s rich. Scared was when a stranger showed up to buy me from my father for less than a pig was worth, taking me away to completely change me from what I was. It made me stronger, wiser. There’s no fear left in me. Live long enough, you won’t have any either. If you make it that long. ❞

❝ You seem young to be so jaded. Or would that be wise? ❞

❝ And even worse yet to come. I take it you’re not falling over yourself, bowing down, searching for some pathetic soul that bears a mark like you. If you are, you hide it well. ❞ High praise from one like her, seeing only the worst in others it seemed .

❝ Do you fear it? The end coming? ❞