"Are you out of your fucking mind?!" he yelled before he had even reached me.
I flinched. He never yelled at me. Never.
He noticed, and lowered his voice, but only a little, stomping towards me, letting Roach roam free. "You can't just run around doing reckless shit. Not anymore! So much could happen! It took us so long, we couldn't forgive ourselves if something happened!"
He was close now. I could feel the heat – the anger, the worry – radiate off his body, even through the thick, hot summer air.
I didn't look at him, I didn't dare. But I could understand why he was worried. That he felt like he needed to protect me now. Only that he didn't need to; I was still pretty capable of magic, and even if he liked it or not, knew my way around my sword.
"I'm not stupid!" I shouted at him, finally meeting his eyes – big mistake.
His eyes were on fire, his face was stern. He was so fucking angry and he was trying to hold back – for the sake of our child. But I was angry at him too, for thinking that just because I was pregnant meant that suddenly I was a damsel in constant distress. I was still me! The child of an elf and a witcher, trained and experienced in fighting – thanks to my husband, the very man who was now trying to stare me down.
"I know how to ride! I've never fallen off! And I know the way, so does Shadow! It was not reckless! Reckless is what you're doing, running off, staying away for months, going after monsters that kill everything that gets too close to them, and that all alone! And all the time you're gone, I don't even know if you're still alive!" I continued, then stopped, breathing heavily, tearing my eyes off his.
He didn't say anything. He knew I was right. But he knew that I knew that it was his job, that he had to do it. It didn't make things easier, though.
"I just wanted to surprise you," I whispered after a while of silence between us. And all of the sudden, the tension that was between us started to fade – just as my husband's anger. "I thought you always liked our races. I wanted to surprise you."
Slowly, I lifted my gaze back to Geralt. The fire in his eyes had faded. They were just like liquid honey: sweet and soft. But his lips remained in a stern line, his shoulders tense. I gulped, unable to read him, his thoughts, his face, nothing. Tears sprung to my eyes.
"I just wanted to surprise you," I said one last time, barely audible, "I'm sorry."
When the first tear slipped from my eye, the stone of his face came to life again. Frowning, he stepped forwards and pulled me into his arms, and I let myself fall against his chest.
"I know, my love, I know. But I can't help but worry about you; both of you," he mumbled against the top of my head, "I'm just so scared I could lose you two."
I wrapped my arms around his waist, silent tears of both anger and relief spilling from my eyes, soaking his already soaked tunic.
We stood there for a while, letting the last bits of our anger fade in each other's embrace. Geralt pulled back, lifting his fingers to my chin, making me look up at him.
"You said you wanted to surprise me?" he offered with a sweet smile that had me melting.
"Hm-hmm," I nodded, "But... our little outburst kind of ruined it," I sighed, slightly disappointed. "I can still try it though. Close your eyes."
And he obeyed. I led him to stand at the edge of the clearing, the whole scene in front of us. It was truly breath-taking. Soft, green grass, littered with colourful flowers, the water sparkling silver in the sunlight, and the soft golden light that broke through the trees. And my stunning husband in the middle of it. Do I need to say more? The view was simply gorgeous.
"Okay, open."
And he did. But didn't say anything. While I was eyeing every single detail, he remained quiet. When I looked up at him, I realized that he had been looking at me the whole time, taking in my excitement with as soft smile rather than looking at what I was excited about.
"You don't like it?" I frowned.
"Fuck, no!" Ouch. "It... it's beautiful."
"You know... the water is cool and we're both soaked in sweat again..." I trailed off, biting my lip.
He caught on my drift, raising a brow. "And you think it's good for the child if we do it?"
I shook my head at him and laughed. "It doesn't affect the child at all! At least not in the state I'm in. Do you know nothing about pregnancy? What do they teach you in Kaer Morhen except fighting?"
"Well... nothing about pregnancy. You know, since witchers are usually -"
"Sterile, yeah, yeah, I know... living proof that it doesn't apply to every species," I pointed to my belly, "Right here. Two of them, actually."
"Mhh, my two miracles," Geralt hummed, turning, and kissed me.
"Elven blood," I sing-songed, pulling back quickly, so that the kiss was nothing more than a quick peck. "Now, won't you show your wife how much you missed her?" I teased, smirking.
"Right here?"
"What, as if this is the most public place we've done it. Remember the werewolf five days after we met? Right against the tree... the road wasn't that far," I reminded him.
Geralt nodded, eyeing the horsed. "We should get them home first. Poor girls, don't have to see that."
"But when I said that years ago, you only shrugged," I laughed.
"Well, Roach couldn't go anywhere else back then, could she?"
"Yeah, no she couldn't. But don't think that just because we're home, that you can let this drop!"
"I wouldn't dare," he chuckled as he pulled me in for one last kiss before walking off to get Roach.
"You better," I laughed after him, walking over to where Shadow was standing.