Her Sweet Kiss | Geralt of Rivia X OC | The Witcher FF

Chapter 38 - The temple of Melitele -

The temple was as bright and warm inside as I remembered it to be. Potted flowers and herbs that were brought here from Nazair. At the end of the entrance hall was a statue that Ciri seemed to recognize. "Melitele. Goddess of fertility and harvest." she said as she looked up at the statue, bending two arms behind her head and holding grapes and a candle in two more hands. "I'm impressed." I said and nodded a little.

"I do, in fact, read." she said and looked at me then back at the statue. I grinned a little at that. "The graduates of the temple school are known to become midwives, historians, healers..." she enumerated and kept thinking. "And Witchers." I said and she looked at me in disbelieve, raising her brow.  "Vesemir sent me here when I was about your age. It's where Witchers learn to do signs." she still held a surprised expression. "Yes. I, too, was once a child." she smiled a little. 

"Did Evelyn come here too?" she asked then. Why does she bring her up this often? "No. I... and Vesemir taught her. She was a natural as it seemed." I smirked a little, remembering her surprised face when she ignited the candle after she had gotten the mutagens. It was so surreal for her and for the rest of us to see someone do that on the first attempt. I believe it was because she knew all of it in theory already and that her body just hadn't got the ability to do so until she had that accident.

"Blessings. Good morrow." a woman of the temple in a yellow robe greeted us. I handed her my swords with a smile and kept walking with Ciri afterwards. "Where is she taking those?" she asked after she looked over her shoulder at the woman. "Don't worry. We're safe. There's no fighting here. No politics. The temple is known for its neutrality." I told her.

"The temple is what you make of it." Ciri turned to the older woman that was approaching us. her hands folded behind her back. "But, yes, some find it more... giving than others." she said and then reached her hands out to me. I smiled at her. "I have missed you." she said and took my hands into hers. "I have missed you too, Nenneke." she nodded smiling and then turned to Ciri. "Now, who are you?" she asked and stepped towards the young girl who was about as tall as Nenneke. She looked between her and me and then let the suspicious mask fall. 

Nenneke took her to her office and as I was about to follow, the older woman put a hand on my chest. "I think she can handle this alone. No need to worry." she flashed me a smile and walked off. I shook my head in amusement and watched the two walk away. Ciri looked over her shoulder at me with an insecure look but then stick her tongue out at me. I rolled my eyes playfully.

I took off my gloves and leaned against one of the pillars near the office where the door then opened and a boy in a yellow robe was brought inside and quickly went out again, Ciri following him. "Help me." she whispered as she walked past me. Nenneke walked out as well and raised her brows at me. "Now that you've had the chance to speak with her, what do you think?" I asked her and we walked away from her office through the corridor again. "I don't see any side upon which you are not entirely fucked." she said in a whisper.

"She's a princess. Kingdoms will want her for her status. Nilfgaard already does. You know how many have been killed in pursuit of her?" she started scolding me in a quiet yet urgent tone. "Thousands, yes, I know." I said and looked only briefly at her. "And if she has Elder blood, she's a fucking tinderbox." she said. "By all means, go on." I said sarcastically. "You said she recited Ithlinne's Prophecy during one of her episodes." she said as we arrived at the statue of Melitele.

"Yes, but I won't let what may or may not be folklore dictate my path." I said and as it seems Nenneke wasn't really listening. "What does she know of the Wild Hunt?" she asked and raised her brows. "She believes what most people believe. What are you driving at, Nenneke?" I asked and she stopped and put a hand on my upper arm. "She's a Child of Destiny. There are forces at play larger than we know. You are a part of her, she a part of you. But it's not enough." she kept on scolding and I looked away. "I know." I paused. "What can I do?" I asked for advice. "I taught you in all things... balance. Find was is missing in the girl. then, maybe, you stand a chance of helping her. Hm?" I nodded at her advice and her hard gaze turned soft then and she left.

After that, I walked into the room that had been shown to me where I could stay. I cleaned the wounds on my face from the chernobog and removed my armour.

The door opened and I closed the last few buttons of my shirt. "Be with you in a minute, Ciri." I said without turning around. That smell... This wasn't Ciri entering the room. I stood up and turned around to see Yennefer walking through the door. She huffed a laugh. "You even ran away from your wife." she said and I frowned. "What?" I mumbled and approached her. "First me, then Jaskier and now even your wife." she sighed but then smiled. "It's good to see you." she said and went to hug me, which I return confused. "Next time you'll leave her, I can't promise I won't take that chance with her." she smirked.

"Geralt, do you know what to do with this?" Ciri burst into the room. Ciri walked backwards out again. "Ciri." I called her and Yennefer and I broke the hug. "This is my dear friend." I explained and Ciri tilted her head. I knew the question in her head. "This is Yennefer." I said and she nodded. "You must be his Child Surprise." Yennefer said and then looked back at me. She cleared her throat. "Let's get something to eat, shall we?" she asked and left the room.

Around the temple there were hundreds of candles there being lit at the moment as we sat around a table with plates of cheese, meat and fruits were placed. "You really expect me to believe that unicorns exist?" Ciri asked sceptically as Yennefer filled her cup. "Of course they do. I used to own a stuffed one. Until it broke. Under mysterious circumstances." she said with a grin. "Well, I'd love to see one some day." Ciri said with wide eyes and a grin. "You'd be in rare company. They only approach those who are pure of heart. Which reminds me, how did you get your hands on one?" I asked and looked teasingly at Yennefer.

"Good sir! I'm a beacon of purity." she said and chuckled afterwards. "Anyway, how's your wife and the kids?" Yennefer joked and I rolled my eyes playfully at her. "I've heard from a dear friend of yours that she returned to the Queen mother." Yennefer said and my eyes widened. "Who told you that?" I asked and leaned further onto the table from my seat. Ciri chuckled. "Finally. Tell me about it, he rarely speaks about her. Actually, he does never." Ciri said and looked briefly over at me. Yennefer frowned. "Oh, you don't? Did you get cold feet and run away? Now too scared to face her?" Yennefer kept on teasing. "I didn't. We separated in Cintra and... I lost track of her, hoping she'd find her way back to Kaer Morhen."