Kyana Of Cintra

65

Yennefer looked uncomfortable, her eyes darting anywhere and everywhere except for Kyana's eyes. Kyana looked truly empathetic, her carefree smile slowly drifting from her face. "I'm sorry, Yennefer. Those fertility spells with fresh dragon hearts are fake. Dragons posses no healing properties." Yennefer furrowed her eyebrows, shaking her head in denial to convince both Kyana and herself. 

"They aren't made up. They have to be real." Kyana shook her head, very much aware of Yennefer's pain. She tried to ensure her voice was soft and gentle, keeping an even pitch to stop distressing her any further. 

Geralt decided to butt in before she even had the chance to try. 

"They aren't." He stated bluntly, earning a glare from Kyana. He shrugged, understanding her disapproval at his lack of compassion. Last night he tossed and turned, unsure of how to cope without being on good terms with Kyana. He longed for them to be friends again, to rekindle the spark he clung onto between them. "And seriously? You, a mother?" He questioned unintentionally cruelly. 

"Geralt!" Kyana gasped, in disbelief that he chose that moment to degrade Yennefer. He glanced at her, immediately feeling guilty and awful for what he had said just by the look on her face. 

"Do you think I'd make a bad one?" Yennefer dared him to insult her. As though preparing for a challenge, Geralt removed his bag from over his shoulder, setting it down like a cane for him to lean on. 

"Definitely." He answered truthfully. Yennefer turned so that her back was towards him, blocking his view of her no doubt upset face. Kyana's glare was so hateful it made Geralt flinch. "A child? What could you possibly want with a child-" 

"They took my choice." Yennefer sneered, whipping around to face him and Kyana. Although Yennefer had hated Kyana first off because of her beauty and her ability to carry children, now that she stood before Yennefer, as though an actual friend who cared, Yennefer's reservations quietly melted away, and she found herself needing Kyana's consolation and advice. "I want it back." She paused, a sorrowful mask painted on her face. "Not that I expect you to understand."

"I didn't chose to become a Witcher, and neither did Kyana." Geralt snarled, his eyebrows furrowed, concentrating very, very hard on being nice to win back his place at Kyana's side, holding her hand and dancing with her. "Listen, the people who made us, they made us sterile for a lot of reasons. One of the kinder ones is because this lifestyle isn't suited to a child." Yennefer turned again, refusing to believe him. Kyana encouraged Geralt to keep speaking as he was, to be soothing and not harsh. However, he couldn't resist an insensitive joke. "What? You were going to summon chaos on kings' orders in between feeding and naps?"

"Do not patronize me!" Yennefer pleaded, her voice cracking and tears forming in her eyes. She walked away, followed by Kyana, who was beyond angry at Geralt. Kyana put her hand on Yennefer's shoulder to stop her, willing her gaze to meet Kyana's. 

"Yennefer, I'm so sorry, that was such a horrible thing to say." Kyana said, defending Yennefer and chastising Geralt in the process. 

"I'm not patronizing you." Geralt defended himself. "I've thought about this. Often. And I'd rather use my Child Surprise as bruxa bait  than subject it to this life!" Geralt spat. Yennefer removed her gaze from Kyana's warm, reassuring glow to meet Geralt's stoic and cold stare. 

"What did you just say?" She asked, having caught onto the fact he had a Child of Surprise. Noticing his mistake, he cursed, attempting to grasp at anything to pull him out of the situation. "You have a Child of Surprise?" She laughed in disbelief. "Isn't that rich? You lecture me on made up cures for having a child, meanwhile you cheat with destiny to steal one." 

Geralt was still trying to catch up with the fact that he had just revealed very dangerous information. "Every time I'm near you, I say more in five minutes than I've said in weeks. And I always regret it." He meant it in a negative way, although Kyana still felt Yennefer's emotions like a punch to the gut. He turned away, walking to a ledge and leaving Kyana alone with Yennefer, completely out of his earshot. 

Kyana moved to comfort her, but Yennefer drew back, almost hugging herself for her own comfort. "I can take care of myself." She said defensively. Kyana nodded in agreement. 

"Yes, you can. But you don't always have to." She replied, keeping Yennefer at arms distance. Kyana sighed, taking Yennefer's hand in hers. "Yennefer, I can't offer you an answer if that potion or spell will work. What I can offer you, is my help." Yennefer looked surprised, however she motioned for Kyana to go on. "I have... connections in Cintra.  Being as old as I am, and coming from the position I came from, I know a few dozen people that would be willing to help you. I can put you in touch with adoption services. You'd be surprised how many important people need contacts like that." Yennefer smiled so widely Kyana thought she was a completely different person. 

"Really? You'd do that?" Kyana smiled back at her wholeheartedly. 

"Absolutely. I know how hard it can be being barren. I thought I was for over 50 years, and it tore me apart. And I know it's not the same because it isn't genetically yours-" Yennefer launched herself at Kyana, her arms wrapping around her neck and gripping tightly. 

"Thank you." She whispered, holding onto Kyana like she was the lifeline Yennefer had longed for. Kyana smiled, easing her arms around her to hug her back. Kyana knew how it felt. She was a woman, her literal existence was to have children and make the next generation, and to believe you couldn't even do that made your life a living misery. 

"You're welcome." She said gently, pulling away as Yennefer dabbed at her eyes. "The dwarves, they're leading us to a shorter path. Let's go."