#stuffedunicorns

I drew their Netflix version since it’s almost here, but also because even though there’s a considerable height difference between Henry and Anya, it’s not as big as how I imagine Geralt/Yen in the books, and ice dancers tend to have a smaller height difference than pair teams. In the end it doesn’t really matter (I could also ref Wang/Liu) but yeah lol

I mentioned it here before but obviously Geralt starts coaching Ciri and eventually asks Yen to help train her. I don’t think he’d want to skate without Yen ever (and they started skating together as kids), so he just retires

people 100% thought they were dating lmao and they technically weren’t but they were definitely involved at times. that’s partly why they went their separate ways

Yen skates like Yuna Kim! I ref’d her 2010 Olympic performances in the sketchbook page. 

The ref for Geralt/Yen is also a photo taken during the same Olympics. It’s obv not the most iconic performance, but I remember watching it on tv and thinking it was the most beautiful thing in the world. It’s my favourite.

Ciri isn’t here but I’m leaning towards her skating like Aliona Kostornaia, simply because I like her and she likes horses and unicorns lol

Ciri’s outburst pulled the sorceress from her thoughts, violet gaze trailing to where Ciri sat at the edge of a pond. The water in front of the girl rolled unnaturally, but so far, she had failed to part the pond.

“You’ve spent far too much time at Kaer Morhen using language like that.”

The child gave a snort, “As if you haven’t said worse.”

Though her tone was amused, Yennefer didn’t miss the lines of frustration that remained etched into her pupil’s forehead or the exhaustion that sat plainly in her green eyes. Ciri was running on fumes and she would do herself no favors by pushing herself over the edge.

“Give it a rest, Ciri. You’ve pushed yourself far enough.”

“I can do it.”

There was no doubt in Yennefer’s mind that Ciri could do what was asked of her, but she would have to tap into power that would send off alarm bells through the continent and put their current location at risk, if it wasn’t already. It was a chance that Yennefer wasn’t willing to take.

“I know that you can, but pushing right now would-”

“Best to listen to her, Ciri” Geralt said as he cleared the tree line that had provided some semblance of protection from prying eyes.

Yennefer’s skin prickled and the pressure in her chest tightened, the snake that lived in her wrapped around her heart and took it hostage, as the witcher came closer.

“But I can do it. I need to do it,” the teen insisted.

“At what cost?” Yennefer asked, rising to her feet.

She could feel Geralt’s eyes on her, hear the racing of his heart in her ears as she moved closer to Ciri. He made a move towards his sword and fear squeezed hard enough to make Yennefer gasp, and she hesitated.

The ground she constantly worried about falling from under her shifted. Would he carry through this time? End her there in front of Ciri out of his own fear and distrust of her? The odds were not in her favor but she pressed on.

The child’s eyes darted from Yennefer to Geralt and back again, confusion and curiosity replacing the fatigue that had been there.

“What do you mean?”

Yennefer reached out to move a loose strand of hair from Ciri’s face. “Magic always has a price.”

To make her point she plucked a wildflower from the bank of the pond with one hand and held a smooth stone in the other. Like she had done a thousand times before, Yennefer levitated the stone at the sacrifice of the flower.

Ciri stared, her green eyes jumping from one object to the other, before meeting Yennefer’s solemn gaze.

“Pushing yourself too far, too quickly will have consequences. Take the rest time you are given. There will be a time where you won’t have the luxury of it.”

“She is right, Ciri.” Geralt moved to stand beside Yennefer, “Grab something to eat at camp and give yourself a rest. The lesson will still be here tomorrow.”

The three of them stood in silence for a moment before Ciri gave a reluctant nod. “Tomorrow then. You promise?”

Yennefer smiled. “Of course.”

With one last fleeting look at the pair, Ciri turned towards the tree line and soon disappeared through the thick cover.

“She is persistent.”

It was Geralt who spoke first, his gruff voice breaking through the tension that hovered between them. Yennefer shifted away from him, toying with the dead flower as she moved closer to the water’s edge. She could feel the pressure in her chest release as the distance between them grew. The snake had taken it’s fill for now.

With her back to him, Yennefer allowed a ghost of a smile to pass her lips. “We’ll want to move on soon. She is powerful enough that it will not take long for her location to be found if we linger.”

Geralt gave a grunt of acknowledgement.

Yennefer could feel his gaze on her, just about hear his mind turning over to try to figure out what to say.

“Something else I can help you with?” She asked as she picked at the withered petals of her sacrifice.

The man shifted, the sound of creaking leather giving away his unease. “Yennefer, we need to deal with what is between us.”

Her heart broke when he used her full name. It was so formal. Sounded so foreign coming from him. The way he spoke told her all she needed to know about where they stood.

“And what would be between us?”

Yennefer knew she was being difficult, but she couldn’t stop herself. He had made it obvious that she was apart from him and Ciri, that she was a necessary piece of the puzzle that he didn’t want there and he confirmed, just moments ago, that the trust that they needed to move forward was not forthcoming.

Geralt gave a low growl, unamused with her flippancy. “Ciri needs you. I need-”

The hesitation had Yennefer turning to face him. “You need what?”

“I need whatever is between us not to affect your work with Ciri.”

The blood in her veins ran cold and her hand engulfed what remained of the wildflower, its dead leaves and petals crumbling in her grasp.

“And I need you to stop acting like every move I make towards her is an act of violence,” she spat back.

Geralt sucked in a breath, his gaze focusing just above Yennefer’s head.

“I had no intention of-”

“No intention of running your sword through my back?” She finished for him.

Yennefer could hear the quivering of her voice as the words lingered between them and when Geralt’s gaze softened she knew he had heard it too.

As Geralt made a move to approach, Yennefer raised her hand to stop him. If she let him close, she was sure she would break and neither of them had the time nor patience to deal with that. The wounds were still seeping and it would only be a disservice to them all to not give them time to heal.

“Teaching Ciri and protecting her are my priority, Geralt. I am here for her, here for you to help handle what will come at her from a magical standpoint. The three of us are in this together, but I cannot deal with the rest of it.”

“We can’t leave it forever, Yennefer.”

Crestfallen, she nodded. “Maybe not forever, but I can leave it for now.”

Without another word, she pushed past Geralt and headed towards camp.