#witcher fluff

Enjoy!

Geralt was going to tear whoever did this to you to pieces. He would gouge their eyes out and make them eat them. 

That was just one of the thoughts that rang through his mind as he cradled you in his arms, your nose bleeding onto his now naked torso, the shirt you had torn off of him a mere moment ago nearly in the fire. 

This was not supposed to be how this happened, this wasn’t supposed to happen at all. He had made himself stay away for this exact reason, everything he loved was destroyed. 

The witcher had always been against you joining the group. 

You had been a brothel worker when you came upon Jaskier six months ago, walking the streets with achy legs from a long shift, smelling of the salt water you had bathed in when you saw a group of men holding him up and beating on him. 

A yell had crossed your lips and without thinking you picked up a log near your feet, launching at the men and swinging anywhere you could to scare them off, hitting a couple of them harshly before they finally scampered away leaving you standing in the mud with a log and the poor fool laying bloody and beaten on the ground. 

You had brought him to your tiny rooms at the brothel, helped him clean up and soon enough he was asking you to join them. You hesitated for a moment, watching him use one of your rags to dot at the cuts along his face before shrugging. 

Anything is better than the life of a brothel worker, right?

Wrong. 

Brothels didn’t have the annoying attitude of Geralt the fucking Witcher. Okay well some did since Jaskier admitted to Geralt being a frequent guest of them, but you had never seen him and you wished you never met him either. 

He spent every waking moment snapping at you, or blatantly ignoring you when you were trying to ask questions. It was either you didn’t exist or everything you did was wrong, and you could never figure out why the way he treated you bothered you so fucking much. 

Men had done far worse to you in that brothel, but Geralt giving you the cold shoulder nearly brought you to tears? What?

Then again none of the men that came to the brothel were like Geralt at all. None of them had those melting golden eyes or the firm touch of a protector, none of them could turn a sword in their hands the way he does or make anyone feel at ease in his presence. 

Well……anyone but you. 

Maybe he knew you had feelings for him, maybe he hated your guts. Many reasons why he never wanted to talk to you filled your head and none of them were good. 

You spent your days obsessing over a man that barely glanced back at you, your horse in the back of the group with Jaskier always a force between you both. 

Geralt takes a moment to tie the corset of your dress so you weren’t exposed before pulling you into his arms and laying you on his bed, moving to grab a cloth from the basin in the corner of the inn room. 

When he returns to your side he takes a chance to slide the hair from your face, swiping the damp cloth along the blood trail your nose left in soft strokes as he watches you sleep. He would make sure you were breathing and comfortable before he went out and broke some limbs. 

It had been six months of that behavior, and it was truly beginning to wear you down. 

The days were spent either passive aggressively ignoring him back for scoffing at any mistake of yours he pointed out. Today was a passive aggressive silent game. 

He had woken you up by snapping in your face and the months of travel and anger were beginning to catch up so you had slapped his hand out of your face, watching a small amount of shock fill his face before his eyes narrowed in anger. 

“You overslept….again.” In the beginning you would have a snarky retort, something mocking his breath or face, but now you merely rolled your eyes and turned your back to him as you packed up your bedroll. He doesn’t seem to understand your silent game since he tries to piss you off once more. “We are going to be behind if you keep sleeping like this.”

It would be so easy to turn around and tell him to shove off, but then he would know he had that effect so you simply picked you belongings up, fixed your boots and walked to the horses where Jaskier sat atop his own. 

The bard gives you a knowing look as you mount your own horse after fixing everything onto it, legs swinging with a natural ease and a slight warmth on your thigh. When you look down you see Geralt's hand placed on it, and you realize he had helped you up. “Are you angry with me? Or have you lost your voice?”

“Just matching the treatment given to me.” You snark, a feeling of pride in your chest when you see him all but snarl. You kick the horse into gear after that, this time taking the lead as his hand slips from your thigh and he rushes to Roach. 

By the time he catches up he makes Roach walk alongside your horse, his face furious. “The treatment I gave you?”

You hum out, moving to speed up your horse but Geralt is too quick, within moments he has the reins of your horse in his hand, pulling on them until you are close enough for your thighs to touch. 

“Answer me.”

You hum again, your heartbeat rising and you wonder if he can hear it when his eyes cast down to your chest before looking back at you. 

“Humming is not an answer.”

You hum once more, moving to snatch the reins but his hand reaches out to grab your jaw. “I need to hear your voice.”

You slap his hand away once more and snatch the reins, giving him a glare before moving forward. 

“I don’t understand.” He grunted to Jaskier later that day, fixing his travel pack on roach as the bard leans against the same post the horses were tied to. You had gone to the market to grab some necessities and when Geralt demanded to go with you he had been met with another empty hum and Jaskier had told him to back down. 

“She’ll avoid attention if she isn’t traveling with a witcher, not to mention she knows how to bargain for cheaper prices when she isn’t flanked by your glare.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” He growls, watching the bard smirk.

“The market workers like the attention she can give them-”

“We agreed she didn’t have to do any of that stuff if she traveled with us.”

“She does this willingly, and even so it’s not the same as in the brothel. She doesn’t have to offer up her-” A heavy growl slips from Geralt and Jaskier chooses not to finish his sentence, instead rolling his eyes and moving to his own horse. “I think you would be better off if you just told her you love her.”

“I do not-”

“Oh hush. I see you watch her sleep every morn, then I see you yell at her for waking up late because you forgot to wake her up.” He laughs. “And I see you hover whenever she mounts and dismounts Lugo. Not to mention the way you give her the bigger rations of whatever we eat and-”

“Fuck off.” 

Jaskier takes the win and turns away from the witcher, fiddling with the lute while Geralt tries to make himself look busy. 

After a moment of silence the witcher stands quickly. “Why won’t she speak to me?”

A laugh escapes the bard once more. “Because you ignore her any chance you get?”

“I do not.” 

“Well I know that. But she doesn’t, because you never even bother talking to her. You’d rather silently pine like a lost-” He trails off when he sees you emerge from the hills, sacks of produce in your arms with a small smile on your face. “Fresh hells.”

“The men were ready to lose their money today boys!”

“Did they bother you?” Geralt growls and you give him a glare back before shoving the sack of apples into his chest. 

Once he is sure you are breathing properly he covers you with the blanket, before moving to grab his sword, careful not to wake you up. 

You spend the rest of the day simply ignoring them both, too busy being proud of the way you scammed the merchants and all you had to do was lift your skirt to your knee. 

Geralt kept Roach near your own horse, and Jaskier took the back for once, all of you traveling in silence until Jaskier begins to whine. 

“It has been forever since we slept indoors.”

Silence follows for a moment before Geralt turns to glare at him. “And Y/n just saved us so much coin we can each get a room in the next town.”

“This is true! I did!” You laugh, turning to look at Jaskiers mopey face. 

“Fuck.” Geralt grunts, turning back to the road so he doesn’t have to look at either of you again. 

Jaskier is still sitting in the hall with his lute, strumming softly in the drunken daze as the crowd they had gathered earlier has finally died down. 

“Bard.” Geralt grunts, trying to get his attention. But Jaskier doesn’t move, simply keeps his eyes closed as he plays a chord. So Geralt kicks his chin. 

The bard before him jumps up with a shout before his eyes land on the white haired witcher before him. 

“I got us all rooms and I found you in a hallway.” 

“I was merely resting for a moment.” He sighs, reaching down to grab the ale mug filled with coins he earned from his performance. “It’s hard to be a -”

The silver amulet is shoved in his face before he can finish the sentence, eyes widening as Geralt grunts. “Who gave this to Y/n?”

“The charming blonde who had been dancing with her all night while you sat in the back and glared.”

“Where did he disappear to?”

“You mean after you snatched her?”

By the time the three of you made it to the next town your ass was worn from the saddle and you were a bit wobbly when you got down, Geralt standing behind you and you scoffed as you looked at him. “Waiting for me to fall so you can lecture me?”

He opens his mouth to respond and you find yourself excited that he is actually about to answer back before he huffs and glares before disappearing. And once more you are left feeling like nothing. 

You watch as he disappears into the tavern before turning to Jaskier. “I asked around at the market…”

“About?”

“About work.”

“Ah!” He smiles, moving to lean on you. “And what did you find for our dear witcher to do?”

“Not for him actually.” Your throat tightens as you struggle to find the words. Jaskier doesn’t seem to catch on to your solemn mood. 

“Oh? A performance for me? I’m sure I can prepare a lullaby or two-”

“For me.” You interrupt, pulling yourself away from him and crossing your arms uncomfortably as he stares at you. 

“For…..you?” You nod at his question, trying to gain some power here. “What do you-”

“Madame Horchels brothel is in this town, she is famous within word and if I met with her then I am sure I would be set up with a room and a hot meal a day-”

“Why in fucks sake would you ever want to go back to that?”

Tears were welling in your eyes as he stared at you and you struggled to find words. “I am just……tired of feeling useless and pathetic……”

“So you would go back to whoring?”

“You don’t have to act so disgusted!” You snap, shame filling you at his reaction. “I never saw you complaining about my past when I was flirting with guards or-”

“I am sorry, I never meant to judge. I just think…..” He sighs out and rubs his face aggressively before moving to pull you into a hug. “It’s been a cold couple days. How about we go in and get a drink, a good night's rest in actual beds before we make decisions? Yeah?”

A hooded figure passes you both to get into the tavern and you simply shrug. “I think my mind is made up Jask.”

“I think it would be a mistake and we would miss you terribly……..okay I would miss you terribly.”

“Why would you miss her?” Geralt snaps out from a couple steps away, eyes squinted in an angry manner. He had originally come to snap at you both to watch your surroundings but had caught the tail end of the conversation instead. 

“Y/n here was just rushing a decision. But we aren’t gonna talk about that, right now a round of ale on me.”

“You spent all your coin two towns ago on new strings for your lute.” Geralt reminds, eyes never leaving your figure. 

“Then I shall make more coin!” He cheers, pulling you into the tavern and snatching the room keys from Geralt. 

Things escalated from there, and any time Geralt asked about their conversation they changed the subject and he was beginning to lose his mind. Were you okay? Why would Jaskier miss you? Why was he so worried about this? He watched you drink all night, ignoring him, and he watched as many of the men in the tavern asked you for a dance. He knew none of the men were a threat, and you knew how to handle them, even if it got out of control he could have his sword to their throat with a mere minute. So he didn’t really pay attention to your dance partners. 

 But one in particular caught his attention, the hooded figure that had walked too close to you both earlier had emerged from his corner and asked for a dance, and something in Geralt screamed for him to go and get you away. But he didn’t, instead he sat back and drank, allowing you room to have fun. 

The blonde stranger whirled you around and spun you and bought you drink after drink. Your eyes glazed over and your smile was wide enough to split your face, a jealous feeling crept into Geralts chest and the urge to punch the stranger grew and grew as Jaskier played song after song. 

“Can I get you another drink?” 

“Hmm?” Geralts attention snaps from your figure to the tavern wench beside him, giving him a small smile. 

“Another ale?”

“I think I am fine. Thank you-” She doesn’t wait, walking away since she didn’t get more coin and when Geralt sneaks his attention back to you he can’t help but slam his empty mug down. 

The stranger had you turn around with you lifting your hair as he placed an amulet on your neck, kissing your shoulder and before Geralt could stop himself he lunged to grab you. 

One moment you are giggling about the gorgeous, the next you are thrown over Geralts shoulder as he shoves the gorgeous fae away from you, hauling you up the stairs of the inn with no care. 

“Put me down!” You shout, slamming your hand into his back as he walks through the first hall then up the next flight of stairs. 

“You’ve had too much to drink.” 

“And you care why?”

“Because that man would take advantage.’ He growls. 

“Well he gave me a necklace, that’s how the business works.” You giggle, reaching up to touch the necklace but the world whirls once more as Geralt places your feet on the ground and pushes you into the wall. His hand stopped your head from hitting the wood but the rest of you was pressed between him and the wall. 

“Don’t do that.” 

“Do what?” You ask breathlessly, watching his face with adoration. Had he always been so…..

“Joke about that. You need something then I will get it for you.” 

“What if I want the prettiest jewels in the kingdom?”

“Then I kill more beasts.” He was dead serious and the hazy feeling was taking over so before you know it you find yourself leaning in to whisper “What is I want an orgasm?”

A red tint crosses his neck but his face remains serious as he leans his head against yours to whisper. “Then you ask me.”

And for a moment you can’t breathe, you find yourself aching, every part of you wanting to touch him suddenly. But before you can he whispers once more. “But not tonight. My first time with you will be sober.” 

Then the wood behind you disappears and you realize he had pressed you against the door to your room. Landing in a ball on the floor he sends a small smile before slamming the door and the heat that had filled you dims for a moment. 

But just for a moment. 

You pull yourself up from the floor, moving to the bed before the aching returns and your body heats up twice as bad. Everything begins going hazy as a sweat covers you and then you lose it. 

“I need to go.” Geralt snaps, shoving Jaksier to the direction of the stairs. “You go watch her. Don’t let her make any more mistakes.”

“Where are you- Geralt? What happened?! Hello?!” Jaskier calls after the witcher, watching him storm through the tavern before slamming the doors on his way out. With a deep sigh the bard grabs his jacket and mug of coins before making his way to find the rooms. 

It had been an hour since he left you in your room and Geralt could not relax himself. Jaskier had just stopped singing and Geralt was still pacing the inn room, back and forth back and forth. 

The aching hard on he had refused to go away, the image of your dazed eyes all he could think about, and the way you whispered to him had him so close to snapping all together. But he didn’t, and you were safe in your room with him just two doors down. But the floorboards creaking by his door caught his attention, and he reached for the sword as the doorknob jiggled. 

Stepping towards it slowly as it creaks open only to reveal you, standing in the hall in nothing but your dress slip and a flushed face. “Geralt-” You moan out and his knees nearly buckle when you rush in and slam the door. 

The sword falls from his hands so he can catch you when you come hurdling to him, pulling him in for a harsh kiss. Your lips melt into his and you moan in victory when he kisses back, pressing yourself against him as your hands fly into his hair. 

His own hands find purchase on you hips, and before he can tell himself not to he moves them to start a grinding motion the both of your would like. It stays like this for a moment until you bite his lip on a particularly aggressive moan, pulling back to catch a breath as you press your hips into his harder than before. 

For a second he admires you, the way your face scrunches up in pleasure and the moans that he is pulling from your lips, letting out a heavy ‘FUCK’ when you circle your hips. 

“Pleasepleasepleaseplease.” You gasp out, hands dragging from his hair to his chest before you start tearing the clasps on his shirt, scratching it a bit in your struggle to get it off. “Ineedyou, it hurtssobad-” 

This makes him hesitate, pulling back a little just as you fling his shirt, your hands flying to undo the slip and he finally catches your eyes. Only they weren’t the eyes he had fallen in love with, instead they were a deep red. 

“Y/n?” He asks, heartbeat racing as he snatches your wrists in one hand, the other coming to grab you chin. “Look at me.”

“Geralt, please. It hurts.” You whine and the gem in the amulet glows the same red as your eyes. 

Dread fills him as he reaches down to tear it off you, the silver cutting you a bit before he chucks it across the room. 

He couldn’t breathe properly as he watched you come down from the spell, anger filling him. You hadn’t meant any of this, this had been a spell. 

He was a fucking fool. 

“Geralt?” You breathe out, taking in the room before looking at his shirtless torso and the small scratches you had made to get the shirt off. “What-”

And just like that you were gone. Your eyes rolled to the back of your head and your nose started bleeding as you passed out, he barely caught you before you hit the floor. “Fuck.”

You awake mid day- the sun blaring in through the blinds and you do your best to cover your eyes.  “Oh make it stop-”

“There are no covers for the window.” Jaskier sighs from where he is laying on the floor. “I tried stealing the blanket from you and you hissed at me.”

“Serves you right….” You mumble, taking in the room as you realize that last night hadn’t been a dream after all and a deep embarrassment fills you. 

“H-have…..have you seen Geralt?” You ask, leaning over the bed to look at him.

“He left around sunrise in a pissy mood.”

“Did he… did he say anything?” You felt like an utter fool, and you were doing your best not to be sick. 

“Said to watch you so you didn’t make any more mistakes.”  Jaskier shrugs before yawning. 

“He said that? He said mistake?” Your voice cracks as you wrap the blanket tighter around yourself. 

“He did. I assumed he caught you with the blonde gu- Y/n? What’s the matter?”

“I…… I have to go.” You rush out, jumping over him to leave the room. 

- - - - -

Geralt finds Jaskier waiting at the horses when he rides up, tired and cranky, and he gets even crankier when he sees that your horse is empty of all your travel bags. 

“Is she not awake? Do we need to get a healer?” He rushes out, launching from roach to get to the tavern only for Jaskier to hold the lute in front of him. 

“She woke up several hours ago, it’s nearly dusk.” 

“Then where is she?”

“Gone.”

“Gone?” His heart is racing too fast and he’s hoping that Jaskier starts laughing soon and this is all a joke. 

“I told her you said to make sure she didn’t make any more mistakes and she got really sad and started crying as she packed up.” He explains. “She went to this brothel and they wouldn’t let me in but they let her in and she came out to say bye soon after that.”

“She went to a brothel?!” He snaps, grabbing the collar of Jaskiers dress coat. 

“Don’t blame me! This is your doing!”

“How. So.”

“You were the one that made her feel worthless! Never looking at her and always in her business about her mistakes-”

“Her mistakes get her hurt, or worse, killed!”

“Then tell her that! Rather than yell at her all the time with no explanation-”

“Where is the brothel?”

“It’s no use.”

“Where. Is. The. Brot-”

“She made a deal! The madame owns her!”

“Not on my fucking watch.” Geralt snaps, mounting the roach in one fluent move before nodding to Jaskier. “Hurry.”

He had to get you. 

✨Starlit Archive ✨ Stardust Inbox ✨Cosmic Events ✨

Your feet were up on the wooden counters. Your hands were gripped tightly onto the shelves; nails digging into the grains there.Yet, you could still not reach the jar of cinnamon on the top shelf. The Keep was built for giants. That was simply the only explanation there was. 

“I can do it myself, thank you very much.” You could not keep the pout from your lips if you tried. You would make yourself a cup of hot cocoa with a nice garnish if it was the last thing you did. 

“Please don’t hurt yourself.” 

Ignoring the witcher, you turned away from Eskel and continued your climb. It was just barely out of your reach. If only you had a little more to your height or something to step onto. There was the bottom shelf of course, but it was a little high off the ground for your liking. 

“No,” Eskel began before you even lifted your foot. “My sweet sparrow.” He reached up to the top shelf with only the slightly leaning on the tips of his toes. There was barely a struggle for him. He didn’t even have to scale any of the countertops. “Here. Is this what you desired?” 

You snatched the jar of cinnamon from his hands and crossed your arms. From here, you could look down on him. It was amusing to see the top of his nose for once. Or the part in his hair. He looked different from here. Smaller. Cuter even. You saw the appeal. 

“Can I get you down now?” 

“I quite like it here actually. I might just stay up here.” 

“Enjoying the views from up there?” Eskel hugged your legs and laid his cheek against your chest. He peered up to you through his lashes. You had never noticed how long they were or the way they curled up like a swish of a paint brush. 

It was difficult to hide your smile, especially from Eskel. “It’s very nice. Have I ever told you how handsome you look from up here? I should hang around here more often.” 

“Please get off the counter before you hurt yourself,” he pleaded. “I’m afraid I’ll forget about an open window and the breeze will blow you away.” 

It was instinctual the way you smacked him over the head. The wince that he gave you was playful, the offended look on his face dimmed by the smirk tugging the corner of his lips. “Oh, please,” you remarked. “I’m a fully grown human, you know. A breeze will not take me away. Really, I belong here.” 

Eskel kept grinning up at you. “Really?” 

You nodded. 

“Well, what about a storm?” With that, he picked you up off the countertop and began spilling you around in circles in the kitchen. His legs worked quickly, his footwork that of a dancer’s. Around and around and around you went until you were dizzy with it. 

“Put me down this instant!” You giggled, smacking him in the shoulder. 

Eskel settled and gently placed you back on the floor. He peered down at you with the softest of expressions. A fire with slowly burning embers nestled by ash was the only accurate comparison you could make to the look on his face. 

“I think you belong here much better.” 

“On the ground?” You raised a brow at that. 

“In my arms.”

*****

There was a lot that was stored in the Keep: old tomes in long forgotten languages, trinkets from far off regions, and coins from long past civilizations to name a few. You adored looking through the old storage rooms after training in the courtyard. Who knows what treasures you might find in the dust? 

The other witchers may moan and groan at having to clean out the rooms once a season, but you enjoyed the process. There was so much to see and look through. Like, for example, this amulet that you had come across in an old chest with a picked out lock. It was such a brilliant blue like the color of the sea near the shore. It shone with an internal light that just made you want to hold it close to your chest. 

“May I have this?” You asked Eskel and by extension Vesemir who was dusting shelves nearby. 

“Let me have a look at that.” 

You handed over the necklace to the old witcher, watching the way his eyes looked it over. Vesemir was cautious in his observations. He held the amulet close to his chest and when his medallion didn’t hum, he returned the necklace to your hand. 

“If it’s cursed, it’s a fairly harmless one,” Vesemir summarized. “Won’t kill you.” He shrugged and returned to his shelf. 

“Oh, that’s lovely.”

“So, I’ll be taking that.” Eskel snatched the necklace from your hand before you could clasped it around your neck. 

“What the hell, Eskel?! I found it first.”

“Mild curse, remember?” He held up the amulet to prove his point. The moment he did so, a ray of light from the stone like summer sunshine over a running river. Where one moment ago stood a scarred witcher, the next he was gone. 

“Eskel!” you screamed, rushing over to where he once stood. 

“My boy!” 

There, on the stone floor stood a very disgruntled witcher with his arms crossed over his chest. Only, now he was the size of a forefinger. 

“Mild curse?” came Eskel’s voice from the ground. “Mild? Is it going to wear out on its own or will I need to travel to find an anecdote?" To make his point, Eskel walked towards you on very little legs. By the time he climbed up onto your shoes, you could tell he was even more angry than before seeing as it took him a solid two minutes to do so. 

“Oh, Eskel. You’re adorable.” You bent down and picked him up by the collar of his shirt so as to not hurt his little form. “You’re like a doll, darling.” 

There didn’t seem to be any damage to his physical form. It seemed that all the amulet had managed to do was reduce his size. Eskel was still able to use his magics and his strength was relative to his size. He could lift silverware and trinkets, and even an empty tankard if he really, really tried. The biggest damage was that to his pride. 

Personally, you thought he was adorable. Eskel had always been good looking. The board shoulders. The brown hair. The smile that had your heart beating like a desperate pounding and your face flushed like a summer’s noon. But like this, he was just darling. He was so little he could fit into the palm of your hand and have room to spread out his arms and legs. Much to his dismay. 

“It’s really not harmful,” Vesemir repeated for the umpth time that day. “The amulet could have done a lot worse. There’s one laying around somewhere that would’ve given you a monkey’s tail and bat wings. We would have to cut those off of you.”

“I think you’re perfect like this.” You placed Eskel down on the dining hall table and brought over a sweet bun from the kitchen. “I mean, just look. Who wouldn’t love a bun twice the size of them?” 

Eskel tore off a crumb. The sugar crystals were the size of his palm now. He did have to admit that was nice. “Is this what you have to manage everyday?” 

“I could crush you under my thumb and we’d be none the wiser, my love.” 

The threat did nothing to deter the shit-eating grin on his face. He ate his crumbs of sweet bun and crossed over the span of the table to where Vezemir was telling to the hearth. “How long do you think this will last?” 

Vesemir sighed. “Another hour? The night? Daybreak? Who knows?” 

You giggled. “Oh won’t that be lovely, darling?” 

Eskel rolled his eyes. “You are enjoying this far too much for my liking.” 

“Taste of your own medicine is what I think it is. You deserve this, my love.” 

Eskel went back to you. He placed his small palm on your forefinger and peered up into your eyes.  “I was not this eager, my sweet sparrow.” 

“Horseshit.” 

Vesemir chuckled, audible and swine-like. “I’ll leave you two to it.

*****

Evening arrived with the brisk wind of the season and Eskel was still no taller than an inkpot. He had not grown in the time that had transpired and there was no signs that he would begin to do so in the coming hours. With that in mind and really nothing to do but wait, you decided that it was simply time to get ready for bed. 

“Oh, may I please, please carry you in my pocket,” you begged the small witcher with stars in your eyes and a quiver to your lips. Had you not already been sitting down, you would’ve gotten on your knees and pleaded. 

“What’s wrong with me being on your palm?” 

“What if I dropped you?” you replied, making the gesture with your hands. “You’d surely be hurt by such a fall. It is much safer if I had you in my pocket.” 

Eskel was skeptical to say the least but when you opened up your hand for him to step on, he did so without complaint. He climbed into the top pocket of your tunic and used your collar for support lest he falls. 

“Come morning, if you’re still this size I’ll make you a teaspoon of porridge." You began scaling the staircase to your quarters, making sure to even out your steps so Eskel was not shaken too much in your pocket. “Or would that be too much for you?” you teased. “A proper feast for my darling witcher.” 

“Well, are you able to finish a spoonful or do you get full with only a taste? Otherwise, I’ll have to fill a thimble for your breakfast.” 

You rolled your eyes and shook your head. “You’re one to talk when you’re this size. You make it out to be as if I were a mouse or some small fae. I’ll have you know, Eskel, that I am of a perfectly average s—!” 

There was a shift in the air as if an oncoming storm had overtaken the skies. One moment you were turning the corner towards your room, the next you were stumbling downwards face first towards the floor. Yet instead of landing on the unforgiving stone of the Keep, you were met with a much more forgiving chest.

“But you fit right into the palm of my hand.”

“Oh bugger off. I was having a grand time and you had to go and ruin it.” You pouted up at Eskel. His arm was a comfortable weight around your waist as you raised yourself up to look at him. “I preferred it when you were small.” 

“When I was your size?” He smiled, touching the tip of your nose with his forefinger. 

You swatted his hand away not unkindly. It was hard to hide the grin tugging on the corner of your lips like strings to a marionette. “You were more fun when I could fit you into my pocket. “

“I prefer being like this much more.” He held you tightly and you couldn’t help but hold him back. 

“You’re lucky so very lucky I love you.” 

"Which of our spies was caught? Was it Sir Elliot?" She asked with fear clear in her voice.

Josiah moved his eyes away from the map, watching the young woman approach. He stiffened up when he saw the determined look in her eyes.

"No, my brother is perfectly fine." He had hesitation in his voice that Y/N caught onto in an instant.

"Then who was it?" She needed to know.

"It was Kaia." He gave in, a scared look in his eyes as her jaw slacked open.

"You sent one of the Fae to be a servant to Evelyn? Have you gone mad in your old age?" She snapped, beginning to pace back and forth.

"She volunteered, Y/N! It's not like we had much of a choice! There are few here that present as human." He defended his actions and she turned to him.

"She has wings, Josiah, wings that resemble an Emperor Butterfly. They don't just disappear." She tilted her head back.

"Sir Elliot will find a way to help her. You have to stay focused on the plans." He told her, pointing at the map in front of him.

"Well, you are doing things behind my back won't help me stay focused. We're supposed to be a team. Everyone here depends on us to bring the Revolution to life. We have to work together to make it a reality; there's too much at stake for us to be doing things behind each other's backs." She watched as Josiah dropped his head in shame.

"I know and I'm sorry. I thought it was the right call at the time, she did get some good information to Sir Elliot before she was caught, we had received an update letter from him." He placed a finger on the letter that sat on the table next to the map.

The change of subject was quick, and Y/N walked over to where the letter sat, "One thing I remember about living in the castle, secrets were never secret when shared with a servant. Did she find anything of help?"

"Some, like when a large shipment is coming into the castle." He said and she perked up.

"How large? Large enough to sneak in an army?" She asked and he nodded.

"In two weeks. We need to begin preparations and planning." He said and straightened out his back, "I heard Mack caught himself a Witcher."

She sighed, "The man doesn't listen to me when I tell him to keep his traps away from the trail. Ashton brought him and his Bard friend to the village, I left them at the Tavern."

"I've heard stories, he is very powerful. What if the Queen sent him to kill us all?"

Y/N sighed, of course the thought had slipped into her mind, but she wanted to hold some hope, "He seemed to not know of the Revolution to begin with, plus his Bard friend seems like the kind of man to make things slip. I doubt they are going to bring us harm."

"Then have you asked him to join us?" Josiah gripped the table.

"What would a Witcher gain from helping us? There isn't enough money in the kingdom to pay him to join us. He is just staying for a night to rest up and he will be gone in the morning." She said standing up straight.

"There's no harm in asking, Y/N/N, plus we need all the help we can get to fight off the knights."

"No, Josiah, we won't be asking the Witcher for help and that is final." She stood up straight, "I just hope Kaia finds her way back to us safely."

"Kaia is smart and can shrink down to look as if she were a Butterfly herself," Josiah reminded her as he sits down in his chair.

"I still worry about her." She said quietly, "I'm going to find Mack and yell at him about his traps, again."

"I'll send Percy after you again if I need you." He said gesturing to his son, who was the boy that grabbed her from the Tavern.

She nodded, turning around and walking away from the table and back outside where the children were running around, playing games with wooden swords.

"Oh, children! You aren't holding your swords correctly!" Y/N called to them, gesturing for them to crowd around her, one of the girls handed her the wooden sword.

"You need to have a firm grip, your hand wrapping around it completely," She started to explain, holding out the faux weapon for them to see, "Then you must make sure your feet are spread at two feet apart for balance and security; you try."

The children held up their weapons, slowly tapping their swords together, standing as she once did.

The smile that stretched across her face was wide in triumph, "Perfect! Remember what I showed you earlier, kids." She left the children to play, spotting Mack sneaking his way into the tavern, most likely to attempt to avoid Y/N’s wrath.

"Got you," She mumbled as she started back down the path toward the Tavern, speeding through the village and entering the Tavern once again.

She scanned the building, her eyes landing on Mack, who had found a table with his hunting buddies. She stood up straight and started walking over there, one of his friends noticed her approaching and stiffened up.

"Mack," She said earning a yelp from the man himself, "Why did two men come into the village with a story explaining that they got caught in a hunting trap when I have said to each of you, time and time again, to keep your traps away from the path?"

The man turned around nervously, looking up at the woman innocently, "Well, Y/N, I have a perfectly good explanation for that," He started playing with his chubby fingers awkwardly, "You see, the trees by the path are cut at the branches and those branches hold the traps better than the other ones in the forest -" He's cut off by Y/N whipping her dagger out and stabbing it into the table right in between his fingers.

"There is a reason that I told you, men, to not put the traps by the path. Not only does it potentially cause harm to unsuspecting civilians, but it also puts the Insurrection at risk of exposure!" She snapped, too much had happened in the last hour, and she needed to get her point across, "Evelyn has her Knights going through the woods searching for us and any magical being they could get their hands on and when they notice that you are an Elf, they will not hesitate to take you away!"

She paused, taking a deep breath to compose herself, "You are a skilled hunter, Mack, and I do trust your word with the trees, but I cannot risk losing anyone else. That goes for everyone. Do we understand each other?" 

Mack nodded, "I know, Y/N, you're just looking out for us." He says watching her pull the dagger out from the table. 

"Good, I will be in my room if I am needed." She paused, looking around, "Please don't need me for anything."

With a few swift motions, she was out of the Tavern once more, unaware of one man's lingering gaze.

♡♡♡

Her room is on the second floor of the Town Hall, originally built for Sir Elliot before he went off on his own accord to be a spy in the castle after the declaration of the Princess' unfortunate death.

Josiah's room is direct across from hers. He merely uses the room as a private space to do work since he built a small home for his wife and son on the outskirts of the Village. His dedication to the cause only grew stronger when his second child was born not long after Y/N joined the Insurrection.

Y/N put all of her time and energy into the revolution, making it stronger and hopeful, even though her hope had been fading.

The news about the shipment was promising and she just couldn't keep her mind off of it so late into the evening she sat at a table in her room and drafted out the plot to infiltrate the castle.

A few knocks on the door could be heard throughout the room, though Y/N's gaze didn't leave her plan in front of her, "You may enter."

The door opened with a creak and Y/N looked up to meet Ashton's eyes, "You look like you could use some company, friend." The woman said, stepping into her room with a small smile.

"I wouldn't mind it." She chuckled, putting her quill down on the desk in front of her.

"Today has been a day." Ashton inquired, sitting on the edge of her bed.

"You've got that right. There's a Witcher in our village. Have you gotten him, and the Bard settled in the Inn?"

The brunette nodded slowly, "I have, they send their thanks for your hospitality. They spoke with Josiah as well; I wish I had eavesdropped."

Y/N let out a deep chuckle, "Ashton, your wandering ears will get you in trouble one day; you're worse than a castle servant."

The girl scoffed, shaking her head, "How dare you?" She teased, a light smile on her face. "I'm more thinking about Kaia. I do hope she's alright."

She gave her friend a reassuring smile, "The Fae has face worse and overcame it, this is no different."

Ashton tensed up, "But this time she is faced with a wicked Queen."

"Who is merely a human, Ashton," The girl turned back to her planning as an idea popped into her head, "Evelyn may have power in the kingdom, but she is weak compared to the Fae." She knew how powerful Kaia could be, she had witnessed it when she first joined.

Ashton was now silent, which was quite rare for the woman, which caught her attention again.

"What is wrong, Ashton? You can tell me anything." Y/N stood from her chair and stepped towards the bed, looking down at the older girl.

"I fear that I have fallen in love with the Fae..." she paused, looking away from her friend in fear of how she would react.

Y/N just gave her a soft look, wrapping her arms around her friend, staying silent as Ashton continued to speak.

"She'll never know how I truly feel. Before she left the Village to go to the Castle, she told me that she had her heart set on coming back to me...and I never told her the same." The confession left her lips and she leaned into Y/N’s embrace.

"I have faith that she will return. If her heart is set on it; then it will happen." She whispered into the other girl's ear as sobs left Aston’s mouth.

     There was a distant bang that seemed to echo throughout the cottage, making you grumble half-asleep. You didn’t know how long you were passed out for, judging on the fireplace still roaring with flames. You turned around in the bed, thinking that it was just the heavy winds making the windows creak open and closed. Then you heard the front door open, which made you weary after someone locked it a second after.

     This was it, you thought… this is how it all ends. You put the covers over your head hoping that the intruder wouldn’t see you, even though your silhouette stuck out like a bump on a log to the man’s keen eyesight. Quiet footsteps seemed to boom from the squeaky tiled floor as they got louder. You held your breath as you could feel someone’s presence creeping up closer to you.  

     A familiar grunt rang through the room, his amber eyes screening the bedroom, ears picking up an increased heart rate under the covers. becoming aware of your alertness. You threw off the covers and couldn’t believe your eyes, rubbing them with your hands to make sure you weren’t dreaming. The broad man turned around, silver strands of hair framed his face illuminated by the fire.

     “Geralt?” You questioned, getting up from the bed.

      “Yes, Y/N?” He answered, coming closer to her, looking at a face so sweet and pure. He had wanted to hear that soft voice of yours from the moment he last saw you. Without saying anything you wrapped your arms around his shoulders covered by a black tunic and instinctively he placed his hands around your back pulling you in as close to him as he could. Geralt closed the gap by gingerly kissing you, softly and slowly, wanting to savor every second of the moment.  

     “You came back,” Y/N barely whispered so only he could hear. You took ahold of his large hand and led him to the bed motioning for him to lay down. Body heat was radiating off him like he was the sun giving warmth to you, his own universe. Your soft and gentle hands slowly unbuttoned his worn tunic, peppering his chest with small kisses, as you undid the buttons one by one. He held you in his safe arms, watching you in content and utter bliss. You pressed your chest against his, as Geralt stroked your back with his hand, placing soft kisses on you, knowing how much you loved to feel the warmth of his body. Wanting to be even closer to him, you intertwined your legs in-between his large calfs, earning a small smile from the white haired man.

     “I’ll always come back Y/N. No matter what.” So much was to be said, but Y/N left it all to be unspoken. All that mattered was that Geralt was here now, with her.

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