With a Witcher

t h r e e

More importantly, however, it was another thing that she had to keep herself preoccupied. She tended to the fire and kept it fed as she watched the water boil and bubble before she'd take it off careful not to hurt herself or waste any water. She knew that it was one of the least necessary things to do but she hated sewing now. It gave her time to think and her thoughts tormented her.

It was hard to really stay preoccupied as there was no wood that needed chopping. Geralt had more than taken care of it. He never left without chopping enough to pile to the top of her ceiling. It meant that she had to preoccupy herself with whatever else was left. Winter meant that nothing would grow so she occupied herself tending to her animals.

*

Cirilla joined her. She had taken a liking to her goat. It was mean and grumpy but it completely doted on the princess. Y/N had accidently heard Cirilla tell the goat how she felt. It would usually be the thing Cirilla would tell her in the evening before she held the princess and rocked her till she fell asleep.

Y/N would be insulted that the princess trusted her goat over her but she understood it. Sometimes it's easier to speak to something that cannot speak back and she would be a liar is she did not speak to her cat in the evenings when she missed Geralt the most. Her cat would curl up beside her. The warmth and companionship of the moggy kept her sane. Realistically, though, if it ever found a way to speak, she would be ruined. The cat loved Geralt more than she did and would undoubtedly tell him if she could.

*

She was in bed. It was cold but she did not sleep alone anymore. Her cat climbed into bed with her. It pushed against her hand, begging to be pet. It purred against her, the cat's soft fur now a comfort to her. It kept her alive through the loneliness and heartache.

She did not want it at first when it ran into her home. She tried her hardest to get it out but it stayed curled up in front of her fire. It begged for food and water. She felt bad for it and gave it a little piece of meat and a dish of water. From then on it came and went as it pleased.

She did not name it in fear that she would get attached to it. In the end, it lived with her. The beautiful longhair then slept in her bed. It became her companion. On her loneliest nights, she'd speak to it. 'You would love him, you know.' The cat meowed in response. 'He's tall and muscular, you would probably climb him the way you like to climb up all those trees.' She let out a sombre chuckle.

She'd explain Geralt to the feline and spoke about how much she loved him and then cry about how she messed up with him. His mannerisms were ingrained in her head, his voice too and she was certain the cat knew them all too. 'His voice was so deep and smooth yet gravelly.' She closed her eyes and willed herself to remember it. 'I don't know how to explain it. You'd have to hear it to understand.'

The cat never left her side. Instead, it used to nuzzle closer to her, as if it knew that she needed the comfort. At one point, she thought that she was losing her mind. She had so little contact with other people that she spoke to her cat like a human. Her still unnamed cat, at that.

*

It was a fortnight before Geralt and Jaskier returned. She greeted both men with a warm hug before she got some water for Roach. The beautiful horse needed a wash and so she had some warm water prepared for that.

She spent some time with Roach. She fed the horse hay and brushed through her tangled mane. She would have some stern words with Geralt to ensure that he looked after her properly. Y/N washed the horse from top to bottom and gave it some hay to snack on as she worked. 'You're such a good girl, Roach.'

The horse missed her. She kept nudging Y/N for more attention and did not run away from the washing. It was good for the horse to not be on her feet constantly. Once she was finished washing the horse, she pulled on the reins to guide her to the barn.