Not trying to start something, because I think everyone is entitled to their own interpretations of things, but I saw a post about how Geralt calling Ciri “Mine” was overly possessive, territorial, and means he sees her more like an object than a person.
In different circumstances, I would agree. But in this case, I do not.
Because for him and Yennefer--who he’s really speaking to, despite it being Yarpin who asked the question--there is a lot of meaning wrapped up in that one word.
On the mountain, she told him he could lecture her about children once he took responsibility for the child he bound to him and then abandoned. She accused him of not caring about his child.
He feels extra betrayed in the “mine” scene, because when they met again at the temple, he was able to show Yennefer that he’d changed, that he’d taken responsibility. He is with his child surprise now. He is protecting and teaching his child surprise. Yennefer accused him of being a hypocrite, of not caring, and he's shown her that's not the case.
But then the woman he loves--who lectured him on how to treat children (after he lectured her, he is not innocent here, of course)--goes and takes *his kid* away. The kid she told him he needed to care for is the kid she decides she can throw to a demon.
His "mine" is not simply possessive. It is filled with all the history between him and Yennefer.
His lip trembles when he says it, and Yennefer--who averts her eyes for *no one*--looks away in shame.
Because *she* told him he had to care for this child--that he should be ashamed for not caring for her--and then as soon as he *does* care for her, Yennefer tries to toss her away like she means nothing. Like everything she said on that mountain meant nothing.
It is a poignant moment between two flawed characters that highlights both of their failures with *one word.*
