wiedzminka | ❧ IC INBOX: Abraxas

Yes, and you missed whatever I was doing while gathering trees or doing caravan things. They didn't mention anything to me about you teleporting so I think they missed that. But in case they didn't, I would have a lie ready for how you got there. Or you can tell the truth, they seemed fairly indifferent to us having our own magics to a point.

I see. Noted.

I don't think the ability to portal is so unusual in this world, so if it comes to it, I will share it. I mostly didn't want them getting ideas -- much like your concerns.

She did say at the end that they would be interested in my skills if I want to come back to her, but there was no pressure for now. I'm fairly good at reading people, she seemed genuine.

I would assume since they have the answer about the bridge it might go pretty quickly for you.

I hope so. It seems annoying already.

You'd think the fact that we succeeded with the supplies would be all that matters, honestly.

[He takes only a moment longer to enjoy the sensation of her nails, wondering vaguely what it might feel like to have her grip his hair a little tighter--

But, well. Maybe he'll know sooner rather than later. For now, he dips his head up, gazes at her from this angle, and shifts forward just enough to graze his lips more against her inside thigh, perilously close to that heated spot between her legs.

Yet he's already slowed them down, and that impatience is burgeoning again, telling him that he doesn't want to make either of them wait for much longer. He brings his mouth against her folds, at first kissing as though he was kissing her thigh just a moment ago. His tongue laves, though, a half-moment later, seeking to taste her.]

Mmh--

[ Ciri makes a muffled noise, biting her lip. Her head falls back again, eyes closed; her knees and thighs open wider.

The feeling of him between her legs makes her heart race, that warmth of his breath when he nears raising goosebumps along her inner thighs. She shivers, and gasps again when his tongue follows, soft and slick and hot. He'll find her already wet for him, flushed a dark pink.

The heat travels up, fills her belly, floods her face. That vulnerable, exposed feeling is almost too much, embarrassing and a little scary, but exciting too. ]

Edited 2023-01-25 21:45 (UTC)

[She’s already so wet, and that excites him, too. Sephiroth hums a sound of approval, one she would feel as much as hear, and he can only assume the fact she’s splaying herself wider for him is an urging for more.

He slides his arms beneath the arch of her legs, whatever leeway she gives him, so he can touch, too. Fingers moving up her sides, caressing in-time with the movement of his mouth — another long, lingering kiss, then the trail of his tongue moving up just a bit higher.

One more, pressing plush against the bud of her clit. It’s light, wanting to tease and gauge her reaction more than anything else for now.]

[ When she realizes what he wants, Ciri lifts her hips slightly, just enough to allow him to get his arms under her legs. The additional touch is welcomed eagerly, makes her feel more secure somehow-- not just her lying on the bed allowing him to put his mouth on her, but something more entangled, more intimate. He'll be able to feel her body twitch in response to his ministrations, waist arching beneath his hands. There are scars on her sides, the most prominent a slash as from a sword just above her right hip, and another on the left side along her ribs, both long-healed, pale and raised.

She lets out another noise when he tongues her clit, a startled little inhale, sharp enough it's almost a squeak. ]

Th-there--

[ As if he doesn't know. It spills out of her involuntarily, as if afraid he'll move away. ]

[ When Ciri takes him up on his invitation, Geralt goes to meet her at the small cabin she's built on the mountain. Part of him is a little uncertain about showing her. The reason why he made it, what sat there before, he's never told her.

He's not yet decided if he wants to, either. They're old wounds more than anything. Nothing that needs to be laid out.

Still. At the very least, he wants her to know the temple's there, that she's as welcome in it as she is anywhere else in their shared domain. A bit of warmth where they haven't got much of it.

He knocks on her door, waits for her to open it. Lately, he's seemed a bit better, a little lighter, and perhaps Ciri might've noticed. ] Ciri.

Ciri,

My hope is that this letter will be irrelevant the moment you receive it. However, in the event the worst transpires, please know that I have deeply valued your friendship. Your kindness and bravery will be difficult to repay, but I intend to try. Thank you for trusting me to do what I needed to.

We’ll be in touch with better news soon, I hope. Whatever happens during the procedure, I’m glad to have met you.

Yours,
Viktor

[His fingertips glide against the lines of marred skin where old scars lay, tracing their path where he can. Were he more focused on them, he might be able to tell from the shape of it alone what kind of wound it once was, the bite of steel piercing skin.

But he isn’t. Sephiroth is far more attentive to her reactions, the way she angles her hips just so, pressed up harder against his tongue. There, she says, and as always, he is quick to comply — he laves against her clit for a moment more, before his lips then seal over her in a sucking kiss.

His heart thumps so hard in his chest he practically wonders if she can hear it, too.]

Fffuck-- [ she swears under her breath, hips jumping.

Her fingers tighten in his hair, holding on hard to a fistful close to his scalp as her breathing escalates, faster and louder. ]

I got your letter. I intend to keep it for blackmail purposes.

[ Alongside the small strip of unsigned parchment is a large box wrapped in plain butcher paper and wrapped with twine, tied off in a bow. Inside, Viktor will find an elaborately crafted puzzle box. Beneath the wrapping, placed atop the box, is an envelope. Viktor's name is written with obvious care in a neat calligraphy script in front, complete with added flourishes Ciri wouldn't usually bother with. It's sealed with wax, imprinted with the tiny image of a swallow. There is an actual letter inside. ]

Dearest Viktor,

I am overjoyed to hear your surgery was successful, and that you are on your way to recovery. I hope you're lucky enough to sleep through most of it, so that the days spent in bed pass more quickly.

In all sincerity: Thank you for writing me, even when you were so burdened and surely overwhelmed by your own anxieties. I was deeply moved you took the time to think of me, and put such value in our friendship. I disagree with the word 'irrelevant' but I am very glad indeed that it wasn't a goodbye.

You have been a kind and true friend in turn.

You owe me nothing, yet still if you insist, what matters is that you've years ahead of you to repay me yet. Start with resting and healing. (And try not to solve the puzzle too quickly, as I wouldn't want to wound the artist's pride if I have to tell her that someone cracked the box within five minutes.) I will be by in a few days to see you.

Your friend,
Ciri

Postscript: If you show this to anyone, I'll pretend I have no idea what you're talking about. And please try not to almost-die again.

[It's always a chance that one of the two hunters he lives with will be busy, but Ciri, at least, is far more likely to give into his whims than Geralt (and is far more appreciative, by the by.) And after it all, Jaskier is still quite annoyed with the Witcher for his whole... jail debacle.

Jaskier's purse is still far too light.

But it is his trust in Ciri that has him at the foot of the stairs leading up to their home, with Mog already tucked into the bag at his hip, a bird-ish head peeking out but with relaxed ears; after all the time of traveling and training and performing, Mog is possibly the most relaxed and carefree occupant of their home.

What this means is both Mog and his master are ready for more travel.]

Dearest Ciri, I want to show you something. Something very important to me, that is, perhaps, the reason you have seen so little of me. [It's not a secret that he's been working on what he has only called "the memorial in Libertas," but he did keep the details to himself. (Mostly because he decided them as he went along.)]

Are you busy? Are you home? Come outside! We're taking a trip!

Edited 2023-02-03 08:00 (UTC)

[ Considering they can usually see one another in person, and for most things, a short message will do even if one of them is out of the city for a while, Ciri rarely spends time with Geralt in the Horizon, even if they technically share much of the space. Him asking her to meet there intrigues her.

Naturally, she expects the knock, and has only been waiting a short while since agreeing to meet at his chosen time.

She steps out immediately, with a curious glint in her eye when she catches his. ]

Geralt. [ Expectant. ]

Are you going to tell me now why you wanted to meet here?

[ He smiles at her, a typical edge of fondness. His head tips for her to follow. ]

Come on. [ His boots crunch over the crisp powdered snow. ] Wanted to show you something. A small change.

[ It's a quick walk to Kaer Morhen. Though the halls are the same as they ever were, for the first time, he leads her towards the stairs that go beneath the keep. Ciri may have noticed them; they've been there from the start, though Geralt's gone out of his way to never acknowledge them.

But where they once cast long shadows, the corridors are warm. Familiar, maybe, to Ciri—and once the wood doors open, it's clear where he's brought her. The stained glass throws glittering light over the statue of Melitele. He glances over his shoulder. ]

I, ah. Jaskier lent a hand. There was a different place here before.

[ While Jaskier's been going off and about every day, Ciri's remained unusually close to home. Since their impromptu, non-negotiable vacation, she's only been taking jobs that don't take her far out of the city, or accessible by portal, generally things that can be done within a day or taking only one or two nights out at most. At first, it was because she'd decided to take it easy for a little bit after the trip to Luna, in part because she was wary over the negotiations, and kept expecting something to come up after the surprising lack of problems in Nocwich. After that, it was mostly because of Viktor -- worrying over his upcoming procedure, then sticking around to make sure she could visit.

In any case, it means that when Jaskier calls on her unexpectedly, Ciri is actually around. At least he may have been able to surmise she hasn't gone far if he'd happened to peek in on the nearby stable space they rent.

She answers right away. ~~Another point in her favor over Geralt?~~ ]

Now you've got me curious!

How should I dress?

[ A question she'd probably only ever ask Jaskier. Or Julie. ]

[ Ciri does look a bit surprised when he leads her toward the stairs. Of course, her curiosity had pushed her to examine them before, and she'd even gone down to find the large, locked doors -- but upon realizing she couldn't open them, when every single other place in Kaer Morhen was accessible to her, Ciri had decided that Geralt must have need for at least one private room. Whatever reason he had for locking it, she hadn't asked. She knew it took an actual desire to keep something locked in the Horizon, so out of respect for Geralt's need, whatever it was, to keep this from her, she hadn't pried further. Sometimes, her cabin is locked too (though not often to Geralt); if he wanted her there, he'd let her in.

Like now. Though--

What different place had been here before? Ciri isn't sure if she should ask. Normally, she might just blurt the question anyway, but Geralt seems intentionally vague this time, not merely disinterested in providing details when they aren't needed.

In any case, Ciri's quickly distracted from her wondering.

The familiarity of this place hits her with a nostalgia so sudden and overwhelming, it steals her breath away.

Ciri enters the temple wide-eyed, mouth hanging open. She knows, of course, that it's only an echo, made from Geralt's memories. But still, it stuns her into silence for a long few moments as she wanders in, walking slowly around the statue. The effect isn't nearly as strong as when she'd first laid eyes on Kaer Morhen in the Horizon, but it's still something... from home. It feels real. Empty, but real. More than she would have imagined, for a room she knows is under the Horizon rendition of Kaer Morhen she's grown so familiar with. ]

...it's perfect.

[ Does she like it? He brought her a few places through their journey; he'd meant the temple to be a longer reprieve than it truly was. Just as he intended the same of Kaer Morhen. But Ciri took a liking to Nenneke in their short time here—who would not?—and though the priestess's absence is felt, her warmth fills the corridors.

He would not have minded answering Ciri's questions. She chooses not to ask, though, so Geralt doesn't expand. There are enough painful reminders around them. He wants to focus on better things.

Slight alterations are visible: golden suns that glimmer on the stone pillars (Jaskier's doing), a much smaller library of books and scrolls, filled only roughly with the tomes he remembers reading. Far fewer rooms than what the full temple held.

He pushes open a door to one such room. It's sparsely decorated—with space to fill. A pouch of knucklebones sits on a desk. ] In case you grow bored of the snow.

[ She built her cabin for a reason; he knows she likes her privacy. And he understands, after all that happened, why she remains hesitant to stay inside Kaer Morhen much. He's hoping, perhaps, the temple will be a space she can have again, to call her own here without revisiting those memories. If she wants. ]

Thanks, Geralt. It's lovely.

[ A little sad, in some ways. The nostalgia bittersweet. But she appreciates it still.

Ciri spends some time wandering around, looking at the details they've managed. She does take note of the books, and will probably read some later out of curiosity. Seeing Jaskier's touches is also rather nice. It's not like she can remember everything in distinct detail, but this place is not the Temple anyway -- just a memory, and all the good parts of it. ]

What made you decide to make this, in particular? I suspect it wasn't just for me.

Edited 2023-02-09 08:47 (UTC)

[ He wanders alongside her, letting her look. Silent, as he often is. There are times when he's reminded of the gap between them, and now is yet one more as he wonders if she remembers more of the temple beyond what he does. Is Nenneke alive all those years later? Is the temple even standing?

How far has Nilfgaard marched? (What exactly does Ciri remember of him that she will not say?)

They are questions he remains hesitant to ask. Even now.

He pauses by the endless flickering candles. The ones that light each night. He did hope she would find some value in it. But it is for a different reason that he created the place. ]

After I returned from Thorne, Jaskier told me he found something. In the cellar beneath Kaer Morhen. [ He starts to walk again. He's spoken little of that time, for a reason, but Ciri knows what happened more than most. ] Old living memories. I locked the door. Then Dean stumbled on it, convinced me to tear it down. I thought perhaps a better memory should take its place.

Edited 2023-02-12 05:26 (UTC)

[Absolutely at least two points for her. Even more because she shares her enthusiasm, even in written word.

He claps his hands (though no one else is around but Mog, who startles with the sound) in delight. And to ask how to dress! The princess really has captured his entire heart. Geralt does not truly understand, he thinks, the glory of having a daughter who understands the important things in life.

Because Geralt does not consider them important. Because he is a brute.]

Oh, whatever is comfortable. It's nothing so fancy. For once. I'm at the base of the stairs when you've dressed!

[ It doesn't take long, since she doesn't have to change much; Ciri grabs a light fabric wrap to throw around her shoulders, which is slightly nicer than the simple black blouse she's wearing underneath, tugs on her booots and makes it downstairs within a few minutes.

Jaskier looks so pleased with himself, she's immediately amused and... suspicious isn't the word. Intrigued. ]

All right. What is it you wanted to show me?

[Jaskier gives her one of his best ecstatic grins. Geralt amounted to the equivalent of the joy of finding one has stepped in horse dung as a surprise; he imagines Ciri will be much more fun to show.

They need something good. They always do, but --

Well, maybe a huntress will not be interested, either. But perhaps she'll lie far better to his face about it.]

We'll need to hop through a portal to Libertas, but it isn't a far journey, I promise. I'm sure you don't mind a spot of traveling, and I've already taken care of any potential costs.

[He offers his arm to lead the way towards the portal -- a much better form of travel than horseback, if you ask him, especially with the ease he experiences going through them now after hopping back and forth between Cadens and Libertas for over a month.] Alucard and I have finally finished what we've been working on for months, and I think you'll like it. And if you don't, you can simply pretend you do and we'll return home.

❧ IC INBOX: Abraxas

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late january/early february.

A physical letter, for procedure time (end of Jan)

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a note and a package sent through Jayce, after the procedure

very beginning of feb!

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