The White Werewolf || Season One: Ties That Bind

Chapter Fifty-Five

Mount Carbon, 1252

Since striking out with the bestiary, Robin had begun relying on other methods to find the information they needed. Now that she was properly trained, she could go ranging in Chaos for long periods of time and spy on what other mages were doing while searching for Yennefer.

Though it still made Geralt and Jaskier nervous, they couldn't raise the same objections they had before, so their hands were tied.

But she was starting to do it so often that she was essentially ignoring both of them, and they were starting to get worried.

Jaskier was the first to talk to her about it.

"You're avoiding your feelings by doing this," he claimed, leaning against a tree as she prepared to go in again one evening.

"I'm looking for a woman who is going to do something incredibly dangerous so I can stop her, Jas," she countered. "This is necessary. It's not an avoidance technique."

"Okay, it's necessary. Sure. Fine. But that doesn't mean it can't also be an avoidance technique. You need to tell him. Tell him that you love him. Make him confront it."

"And what good would that do, Jas?" she demanded to know. "Geralt doesn't want love. He made that very clear when we began sleeping together. It was the agreement we made with each other. I can't break it."

"An agreement you made over ten years ago. I'm sure he wasn't thinking you'd be together that long back then."

"Then it's up to him to say something, not me," Robin snapped.

Jaskier straightened up and took a step back. "I'm just trying to help, Robin," he pointed out softly. "I just want you to be happy. I don't know why you can't see it, but I know he loves you. So I'll talk to him about it."

Her head whirled in his direction and he held up his hands in a defensive gesture. "Don't worry. I won't tell him your secret."

She took a deep breath. "I'm sorry I snapped, Jas," she apologized sincerely. "You should just leave it alone. I don't want you to carry this burden for me. It's mine, not yours."

"Well, I'm nosy," he teased, grinning at her. "So tough luck for you."

She laughed. There was a bitter edge to it, but it was something.

"If you ever need to talk, I'm here," Jaskier offered.

"I know, Jas. Thank you."

"Good luck doing your thing. I'll leave you alone now."

He headed back down the mountain to talk to Geralt. As soon as he sat beside the witcher at the fire, Geralt asked, "Is she in Chaos again?"

"Yes," Jaskier responded shortly.

He sighed. "I wish she wouldn't do it so often," he admitted. "I'm worried that it's affecting her. Does she seem... distant to you?"

"She does. Perhaps if you'd be honest with her, she wouldn't feel the need for so much distance."

Geralt groaned. "Not this again, Jaskier," he growled.

"I know you love her, Geralt," the bard insisted. "I know. It's as plain as day to me, and to everyone else who meets the two of you. Why do you keep denying it?"

Geralt bit his tongue. Strangely enough, part of him wanted to tell Jaskier everything. The bard might have been wrong about love, but it wasn't as if there was nothing between him and Robin. And if anyone had answers, it would be Jaskier. Besides Geralt, no one knew Robin better.