"It's been two weeks that Aiden has been in bed!" Ciri exploded, her voice furious.
Geralt lowered his gaze, trying to keep his calm. "Calm down, Ciri. He's..."
"CALM DOWN?! Don't mock me, Geralt!" Ciri raised her hands, almost ready to shout. "All of this because of you! Aiden is lying there in bed, not waking up!"
Geralt stayed silent, his eyes fixed on her. Vesemir, on the other hand, watched the scene, arms crossed, but he knew that Ciri's words, harsh as they were, came from a place of deep worry.
"Don't talk to Geralt like that," Vesemir said in a calm voice, trying to ease the tension.
Ciri turned on her heels, fists clenched, ready to explode. "I'll talk how I want!" she snapped back bitterly. "Because of you, the only person I care about is lying there, unmoving, not knowing if he'll ever wake up!"
She slammed the door to Aiden's room, the echo of the door reverberating throughout the house.
Geralt then turned to Vesemir, a look of guilt in his eyes. "She's right. It's my fault he's like this. I should have understood his life before making that decision."
Vesemir, still calm, placed a hand on Geralt's shoulder. "Don't be so hard on yourself. We all make mistakes."
Geralt sighed deeply and sank down onto a bench near the fire. "I should have never done it, Vesemir. I should have checked... made sure it would affect him."
"How's it going with the herbs?" Vesemir asked, breaking the weight of guilt hanging in the air.
"Nothing's working," Geralt replied, frustrated. "I don't understand why. Eskel is still looking through the books in the library, but with so few volumes left... there's little hope."
Vesemir fell silent for a moment, thinking about the situation. "We need to find a solution, and quickly."
Geralt suddenly stood up, determination in his eyes. "I might have another idea." He walked over to a chest in the corner of the room, opened it, and pulled out a shining crystal.
Vesemir furrowed his brow. "What is that?"
"A communication crystal," Geralt said, looking at it.
"To communicate with who?" Vesemir asked, curious.
Geralt turned the crystal in his hands, then looked at Vesemir. "Triss Merigold."
----------------------------
(Quick note, from now on it won't be at all like in the book and games, because I'm putting in places and things that aren't in the Witcher story at all after all, it's fan fiction, so it's normal, so let's move on)
"What's going on, Triss?" Yennefer asked, her curious gaze hiding a slight doubt.
"Mmh?" She leaned against the doorframe, an intrigued look in her eyes.
"No, it's nothing," I replied, looking away, hoping she wouldn't notice the rising anxiety within me.
"Don't tell me it's nothing," she said with a mischievous smile. "I saw your sigh, it didn't escape me."
I rolled my eyes, annoyed but also a bit embarrassed. "It's just... a small setback."
"And it's Geralt, I bet?" Yennefer raised an eyebrow, her half-smile betraying her curiosity, her eyes sparkling with mischief.
"How do you know?!" I exclaimed, almost ready to snap.
"Triss, I know you better than that." She relaxed and comfortably settled against the doorframe, crossing her arms. "Even if I don't get what you see in him, I know when something's wrong."
I sighed, feeling caught. "So, tell me, what has you all worked up?"
She raised an eyebrow, an impish smile playing on her lips. "Oh, I see. You're worried about him, huh? You're not exactly the type to admit it, but it's obvious."
"I gave him a communication crystal, but he hasn't even called me." My tone betrayed all the frustration I'd been trying to hide.
Yennefer rolled her eyes, but her expression grew more serious. "Triss, you know better than I do how Geralt is. Witcher first, and relationships... well, they come second."
I stared at her, helpless. "I know, but he could at least show a little concern, right? I'm not just a mission to him."
She stood up and walked over to me, her voice softer but still firm. "Triss, you know it's not that simple. He's made of duty and responsibility. That's his nature."
I looked at her for a moment, expecting her to keep teasing me, but something in her gaze encouraged me to share what had been bothering me. "But... tell me, are you really sure there's nothing more between you two?"
I glanced at her briefly, but she wasn't smiling anymore, and her intense gaze made me listen. "Of course, I didn't tell you how it happened?"
"No," I replied, with Yennefer sitting next to me.
Yennefer took a deep breath, and the weight of her words seemed to ground her. "It all started when I wanted to break the spell that kept me from having children."
"Yen, you know that's impossible, right? It's a forbidden, ancient spell, woven into elven magic. Any sorceress who tries to break it loses her magic." My voice revealed the concern I had for her.
"I know." Yennefer lowered her eyes, a bit embarrassed. "That's why I sought another solution, indirectly, with the help of a djinn."
"Djinn?!" I exclaimed, nearly falling off my seat. "You know it's madness to rely on him, especially for that kind of spell."
"I know," Yennefer sighed, visibly exhausted. "But the djinn could break the spell... but the price, Triss... I wouldn't have survived. The spell is tied to the life force."
I stayed silent for a moment, finally understanding the magnitude of what she had attempted. "And then Geralt intervened..." I said, now calmer, but still worried. "He made a wish to bind us together so you wouldn't die."
"Yes." Yennefer fell silent for a moment, reflecting on the wish that had bound them. "And I told you that after several encounters with him, I rushed to annul the wish. Because I was scared, Triss. Scared that my feelings were just... magic."
"Is it magic?" I asked, my eyes searching hers, genuinely curious.
Yennefer remained silent for a moment before murmuring, "I think it's magic, yes. He's handsome, sure, but... that's all. I don't see myself spending my life with him. And I can't be like you, thinking about him all the time. I've got other things to deal with."
"So, he's all yours?" Yennefer finished her sentence with a playful smile.
"Mmh," I replied, a hesitant smile forming on my lips.
"Ah, Triss... I see you're happy now," Yennefer said, a mischievous smile on her face.
"Stop, Yen, it's..." But I didn't have time to finish my sentence.
The alarm from the crystal sounded, vibrating on my desk. I quickly got up and rushed to grab it.
"Oh, your charming prince is calling you," Yennefer said, an amused smile in her eyes.
"Yen, stop!" I replied, trying to hold back a laugh.
Sighing at Yennefer's laughter, I took a deep breath and activated the crystal. The voice I had been wanting to hear for a long time immediately filled the air.
"Triss?"
"Yes, how's it going?" I replied, a hint of nervousness in my voice.
A silence settled. I shivered.
"Geralt?"
"Sorry, you're the only one I thought of to solve my problem."
The atmosphere suddenly grew heavier. Yennefer stopped smiling, and we both listened in silence.
"What's going on?" I asked, more seriously.
"I have..." Geralt paused before continuing. "I have a very special child, one who's been trained for the trial..."
"Geralt, are you insane?! You should know how this trial goes!" I shouted, worried.
"You can scold me later, please, I really need help."
"Geralt asking for help, that's rare," Yennefer murmured, a hint of sarcasm in her voice.
"That voice? Yennefer?" I heard from the other side of the crystal, a touch of concern in his voice.
"In person. Now, tell me, Witcher, what foolishness have you done to make Triss so anxious?"
"Yen, it's..."
But Yennefer interrupted me with a gesture.
"Well, I'm waiting for your answer."
"You'll get all your answers if you can come."
"Fine, we'll come, but you better explain everything."
"Yes."
Then Yennefer hung up.
"Let's go help your lover," she said, a playful smile on her face.
She activated her magic, and together, we stepped through the portal she had just created.
--------------
Upon seeing the portal appear, I stood ready. Then, seeing two women I knew step out, a sigh of relief escaped me, but it was brief. Even though Yennefer and Triss were here to help, the worry lingered. This kind of magic, especially with a child like Aiden, wasn't something simple.
I approached, but Yennefer's cold voice stopped me in my tracks.
"Geralt, what's with this thick magic hanging around your castle?"
I rolled my eyes slightly, a mix of irritation and fatigue. "It's for this problem. Come, follow me."
I led them to Aiden's room. Upon arriving at the door, the two sorceresses stopped abruptly, their attention fixed on the situation.
"What happened with this door?" Yennefer asked, her eyebrows furrowed, her gaze sharp.
"It's because of Aiden inside."
"Aiden?" Triss, softer but concerned, fixed her gaze on the door, a look of understanding crossing her face.
"Yes, the one who wants to become a witcher."
I pushed the door open, and upon seeing the state of the room, their faces froze. The entire room was frozen, with crystals of ice stretching across the floor and furniture. At the center, Aiden was writhing in his bed, icy auras emanating from his body, filling the air with pure destructive magic.
"It's him?" Triss asked, her eyes wide with a mix of surprise and concern.
"Yes." I was having trouble breathing, the weight of the situation pressing down on me with each passing moment.
Triss raised her hands, focusing her fire magic to warm the room. But instead of easing, the cold seemed to intensify its hold on the space. The icy wind blew stronger, as if the magic itself was responding to her incantation. Ciri, who had yet to speak, suddenly stepped forward, drawing her sword with a quickness and determination that made me flinch.
"STOP!" she shouted, her voice betraying both anxiety and resolve.
She placed herself in front of Aiden, as though ready to protect the child at any cost. Her gaze, filled with fear, darted between Yennefer and Triss, but she didn't budge an inch.
"You're hurting him! Stop your magic!" she yelled.
I quickly moved toward her. "Ciri, sheathe your sword!"
She looked at me for a moment, her face marked with concern, then, with a slow motion, she sheathed her weapon. Then, in a faint, almost pleading voice, she added:
"Please, stop."
Triss, seeing the situation worsen, immediately stopped her magic. The cold then subsided, but it remained enough to make the atmosphere heavy and almost unbearable.
Yennefer, not wasting any time, rolled up her sleeves and approached Aiden. She took his hand, closed her eyes, and let her magic flow into his body. Triss's murmurs could be heard behind her, but Yennefer was focused, almost in a trance-like state.
"TRISS, I NEED YOUR HELP!" Yennefer's voice, usually calm and authoritative, carried a hint of fatigue and frustration.
Triss, sensing the urgency of the situation, rushed toward her, but her face was still marked by worry. "What exactly is happening?"
"You need to do what I'm doing," Yennefer said, her voice weak but determined. "We have to inject magic into his body, or he'll die."
"Wait... if we put too much in, he could die!" Triss replied, panic evident in her voice.
"I know," Yennefer answered, her gaze dark. "But he's swallowing my magic like a starving man. We have to hold on."
The two sorceresses worked together, channeling their magic into Aiden's body. I watched them nervously, trying to maintain my calm. Ciri stayed by Aiden's side, anxious and restless, unable to stop herself from rushing at every movement from the boy.
I moved closer to Yennefer and Triss, stress gnawing at me from the inside. "Yen, explain to us what's going on."
"This child is a bottomless pit, an endless hole," Yennefer said in a grave voice, her expression hard. "The cold spreads because he has so little magic in him that he has to replace the void with this freezing cold. But he's too weak to handle it. For a human… it's a miracle he's still alive."
Time passed, one minute after the other, the atmosphere growing increasingly oppressive. The sorceresses continued to pour their magic into Aiden, exhausted. Ciri, on the other hand, kept glancing anxiously at Aiden, her hands clenched around her sword, ready to act at any moment, but her eyes remained fixed on the boy she considered her last family after the tragedy of Cintra.
Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the ice storm slowly calmed, retreating into Aiden's body. Triss and Yennefer took a deep breath, exhausted. The cold remained, but it was now manageable. A heavy silence followed.
"Geralt, you'd better have a good explanation," Yennefer said, her tone both tired and annoyed, but also slightly sarcastic. "Because if the world knew that two senior sorceresses nearly exhausted all their magic to save a child who's not even an adult… he'd be in great danger."
I nodded, knowing this was going to be hard to explain. "Don't worry, come to the dining room. I'll explain everything."
Yennefer, Triss, and I headed for the door. But seeing that Ciri wasn't following, I turned to her.
"Ciri, are you coming?"
"No, I'd rather stay here, if that's okay."
"I see."
I threw one last glance at Ciri, who had sat next to Aiden's bed, her hands resting on her knees. She was looking at him with an intensity that betrayed her fear. Gently closing the door behind me, I took a final deep breath before leaving, worried about what would happen to the boy in the future.