Chapter 76 - Children -

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Yennefer walked out of her tent looking around, finding Sir Eyck's armour and bag still laying where he had put them down. She looked around to find a sign where he could've gone. "Has anyone seen my escort?" she asked loud so everyone could hear it. "Ah! Bloody ball sacks!" Yarpen exclaimed from afar what caught Yennefers attention. She rushed over to the cliff where Yarpen was yelling. He stood next to the dead body of Sir Eyck laying next to a tree with his pants pulled down. Must've died after the incident with the Hirikka. "Who slits a man's throat while he's relieving his bowels? Is nothing sacred anymore?" Jaskier asked as everyone looked down at the dead knight.

The group had to move on otherwise they won't make it to the dragon in time without anyone being in front of anyone. "We're halfway to the dragon's lair, but it's getting dangerous. We cannot continue like this." Véa said from the end of the row they've made for the travelling. "That warrior woman is right." Yarpen agreed with her. "Someone killed that self-righteous fud, and it wasn't any of us. Somebody's not playing fair. Our people used to mine these mountains. We know a shortcut that will cut half a day off our journey. Let the Reavers take the long way around. We'll nab the treasure before they even set foot in the cave. We'll watch each other's backs until we reach the next peak, then every man for himself. What say ye?" Yarpen said and asked the last question to Borch who stood in place along with the rest of his group. "Let's go." Borch agreed.

"Go on, I'll catch up." Evelyn told to Geralt put a hand on his broad back. Geralt gave her a confused look but didn't ask any questions, he trusted her. "Let's get going, Jaskier." Geralt told the bard and both men walked behind the older one. Evelyn walked a little faster in order to catch up with Yennefer. "Did you kill Eyck?" she asked the other woman even before Yennefer was able to see her. "Kill him? That's rather pedestrian. It was the Reavers. That bastard Boholt killed my escort before he could accomplish the one damn task I actually needed him for." She explained but Evelyn frowned at that. "And what was that?" she asked but got ignored by the mage. "Yennefer!" she said sternly and stood in her tracks as Yennefer did so. "What are you really doing here?" she asked the mage yet again. 

"I'm here for the dragon." she answered looking her straight into the eyes but Evelyn tilted her head. "There are certain healing properties it's rumoured to possess." she said but Evelyn sighed. "I thought your transformation healed all parts of you?" she asked another question. Evelyn didn't know much about mages and their schooling but what she knew from her mother was that mages receive a transformation that makes them sterile just like Witchers. "At the cost of losing others, yes." she agreed with Evelyn whose lips turned into a little grin. "Yennefer... do not tell me you've travelled all this way for made-up fertility cures using fresh dragon hearts?" Evelyn said, she had read about them, in books in Kaer Morhen, and even thought about it a little, but when she told Geralt he explained to her that it wouldn't work. "They're not made up!" Yennefer said defending her theory. 

"They are. And seriously? You, a mother?" Evelyn asked looking concerned at the taller woman. "Do you think I'd make a bad one?" Yennefer asked this time at what Evelyn sighed. "Definitely." she answered without hesitation. Yennefer turned around and stared at the mountains at the horizon. "A child? What could you possibly want with a child?" she asked and Yennefer turned back at her. "They took my choice. I want it back." She yelled into Evelyns face. "Not that I'd expect you to understand. You who still has her fertility, not being in this situation of not choosing." 

Evelyn sighed again. "Listen, I went through the trial. Just like you, I lost my choice through my own stupidity. I have no right to complain about it. I understand you but the people who made Witchers and mages, you and me, make us sterile for a lot of reasons. One of the kinder ones is because this lifestyle isn't suited to a child." Evelyn explained to the mage in front of her who seemed to understand but didn't want to. "What? You were going to summon chaos on kings orders in between feeding and naps?" Evelyn asked about how the situation would be like if Yennefer had a child. "Do not patronize me!" she said frustrated. "I'm not! I've thought about this. Often. And I'd rather use my Child Surprise as Bruxa bait than subject it to this life!" Evelyn exclaimed angrily as she followed Yennefer who was starting to go away. 

"What did you just say?" the mage stuttered not sure if she heard it right. "Fuck." Evelyn cursed under her breath. "You have a Child Surprise?" she started laughing dryly. "Isn't that rich? You lecture me on made-up cures for having a child, meanwhile you cheat with destiny to steal one." Yennefer gasped at her. Evelyn bit her lip and frowned at the mage. 

"The dwarfs, they're leading us to a shorter path." Evelyn explained to change the subject and to focus on the current thing - the dragon hunt. "Come along." the female Witcher offered. "I can take care of myself." she said avoiding the gaze of the other woman. "You don't always have to. I am sorry that it makes you feel like that by not being able to have children. I understand that you want your choice back. Maybe there's a way but not this one, okay?" she asked and reached her hand out which Yennefer took. "Don't worry, we're not claiming the Child Surprise, as I said; this lifestyle is not suited for a child." 

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