Never Let Go - Geralt of Rivia x Female Reader

~xiii~

"Lord Peregrine of Nilfgaard," One Lord said, causing your nose to wrinkle.

A second man came forwards, and as he opened his mouth, bagpipes would blare. Men would laugh, and the bagpipes would continue everytime the poor Lord tried to talk.

"Make another sound, Draig Bon-Dhu, and I'll have your guts sewn into pipes and sent to your mother," The Queen threatened, and you shuddered.

"Queen's are vicious...I hope I don't sound like that-"

"Y/n?" Geralt said, pulling you from your thoughts. "Did you hear me?"

"What?" You said, turning to look at him.

"Are you alright, love?" He asked. "You look a little pale, do we need to leave?"

"No, no, I'm just...thinking," You said, which wasn't truly a lie.

"Queen Calanthe," The Lord said. "My marriage to your daughter will unite the jewels of the North and the South, forging an unbreakable alliance that none would dare cross."

"Except us," Geralt muttered, to you, and you smiled at him, as he tried to make you feel better.

"And..." The Lord continued, with a proud smile. "I am one of the five brothers with no sisters. My potent seed inside Pavetta will produce the strongest male heirs."

"Yikes," You whispered, sipping your wine, as Geralt chuckled beside you.

"Good thing you're not royalty," Geralt said.

"Yeah, good thing," You thought.

"Cintra is indeed the jewel of the North," Calanthe said. "Yet Nilfgaard remains the shit rag of the South, and that's saying something."

There was a roar of laughter from the men, and you shifted in your seat, shifting your corset.

"Tell me, is it true you drink piss water and feast on your own young?" Calanthe asked, and there were more laughs. "Nilfgaardian Kings don't remain Kings for long. Who will take the Usurper's crown? You? How long will you last? A year? A month? A day?"

More cheers and laughs, and the Lord spun on his heels and stormed out of the palace, causing you to release a laugh you were holding back.

"This royalty thing is a lot, hm?" You said.

"But it's fun," Calanthe said, to you, with a smile, which you returned.

"Lord Steergart of Kaedwen," Another Lord said, and there were more cheers.

"This is gonna be a long night," You muttered, and Geralt gave you a soft smile, his thumb continuing the comforting motion.

•🏹•

Jaskier continued singing, entertaining everyone, looking at you and tossing a wink, causing Geralt's jaw to clench and his grip on your hand to tighten.

"How much more of this peacocking must I endure?" Calanthe mumbled, her arm holding her head up. "This...All this because male tradition demands it. If I were a man, I could simply tell the whole lot of them to fuck off, declare outright who Pavetta should marry and have done with it. Or, better yet, let the poor girl decide her own fate."