If life could give me one blessing...

Geralt is alive - part 3

"Eskel?" Lambert called his name and the scarred witcher lifted his head up while brushing his goat's fur.

"Yeah Lambert? I'm at Lil' Bleater's," he answered and continued in the calming motions of his hand. The goat watched him with knowing eyes, enjoying the process, while the younger witcher walked through the stables all the way to them.

"How's the goat?" asked the younger one then and Eskel could see the tension in his body.

"Bleat's good, but you seem more under the weather than usual. What's wrong?" Eskel stood up from his brushing, cleaned the brush and leaned on the wall of the stall.

"I talked with Jaskier today," he gulped.

"Oh. He's awake?" asked Eskel, eyebrows lifting in genuine surprise.

"Yeah, but... It's not like him. He... he doesn't want to live anymore. He said, that he had two years to make his peace with it. That he tried for twenty years, and this was the result. He sounded so empty, surrendered. It wasn't like him at all... And he cried. I have never seen the bard shed a tear, but now there is silver flowing from his eyes. I have never seen anything like that," Lambert shuddered and Eskel felt goosebumps on his arms.

"I don't think we can do anything, except show that we care. From what I understood, the only one that has the slightest chance to fix it would be Geralt, wouldn't he? In the end, it's him who broke his heart. Who says he cannot fix it? He obviously regrets the stuff he did. And if I'm not totally stupid, I think he always felt something for Jaskier," Eskel thought aloud.

"Yeah, Geralt obviously loves him. That's why this shit is so fucking bad. If the bard dies, Geralt will never forgive himself. And what's worse? Ciri also loves the bard, and Vesemir? You see how he looks at Geralt. The favorite wolf is now the family disappointment," mumbled Lambert, poking into a pile of hay with his boot. Eskel sighed again and rubbed the scar on his face.

"I just hope that Geralt will get his shit together soon and go to Jaskier. The bard looked so away it makes me wonder how much longer will he be able to see and hear. How much longer before he leaves," continued the redhead.

"Optimistic as ever, Lamb," sighed Eskel, but Lambert kept the seriousness on his face.

"You haven't seen him, Esk. You haven't seen him, heard him nor smelled him. He smelled like a dead forest. The bard is supposed to smell like flowers, like life, song, and summer. But now? If his heart weren't beating, I would have thought him dead," Lambert bit into his lip and the iron smell of blood filled the stables.

"I will try to talk to Geralt. And if he doesn't go, I'll go visit the bard with you. It is better if he sees how many people care. Maybe, maybe it will help at least a little," Eskel frowned at the brush still in his hand. He really hoped they could help the bard. He didn't know him that well, but it wasn't in his nature to not care about people dying in front of his eyes.