To Heal A Lonely Heart

Aard The Bard

Once the initial shock passed, I burst out laughing.

"Jaskier," Geralt sighed. The glare he earned from the man in the grass made me laugh even harder.

"You just used Aard on the bard," I managed to press out between laughs, Jaskier's glare now pointed at me, while Geralt looked at me, slightly shaking his head. I didn't know why the fact that Geralt did use Aard on our bard was so funny; all that I knew was that. It. Was. Fucking. Hilarious.

"What are you doing here?" Geralt directed at Jaskier, who was currently scrambling to his feet. Before he could answer, however, I jumped in, chiding my husband, still wheezing with laughter.

"No, you can't welcome a noble like that."

Quickly, I curtsied, giggling uncontrollably. "Lord Pankratz, could we offer you some ale, wine, a place to stay for the night?"

"I know you're mocking me, but that actually sounds tempting," the bard mumbled, before turning his attention to Geralt with a raised eyebrow. "What is it with her?"

Geralt sighed. "Don't mind her, she's currently going through some... changes." He pulled the arm I was clinging on from my grip, wrapping it around my waist, his other hand coming up to lay protectively on my belly.

Jaskier's eyes grew wide as they spotted the bump under my husband's hand.

"No way!" he exclaimed.

I sobered up in an instant, smiling widely at our friend and nodded. "Uh-huh!"

"Wow, gods, that is amazing! Congratula-" he cheered, stepping closer to us, but he was cut off by Geralt growling at him. Fucking growling! The hands on my body holing me tighter, pushing me to step back a little.

Wide-eyed and taken aback, Jaskier takes a few steps backwards, staring at me, a silent question if I was okay with this. I simply shrugged. It's not like I could do anything to change Geralt's behaviour and even when it could be a little over the top in, for example, a situation like this, I loved how protective he was – I can't say it enough.

Still, a little annoyed, I turned to my husband, who was still staring down the bard, the cold fire in his eyes menacing. But somehow, it still made me laugh and shake my head.

"Gods, Geralt! He's not a threat! Calm down."

But he didn't. For another long moment, he kept staring at the bard, eyeing him suspiciously. And Jaskier... he was nervously fidgeting with his hands, his eyes shifting from the witcher to me and back ever so often.

Then, finally, Geralt relaxed and loosened his grip on me, both Jaskier and I letting out a sigh of relief.

"Right..." Jaskier dragged out the word.

"What are you doing here?" Geralt repeated in a low growl.

"I, uh, I wanted to visit my friends?" the bard stammered, "I promised Nienna I'd drop by soon. So... here I am. And you are... you're ... pregnant."

I beamed at him, nodding, and – before Geralt could say anything – invited Jaskier inside. Geralt wasn't so happy about that, but I only patted his still bare chest and sent him to collect his clothes that were still lying at the forest seam, where he had dropped them.

I used the short moment I had alone with the bard to tell him how Geralt had reacted when I told him that the bard had visited shortly after my husband left and that – even though I didn't really like it how possessive Geralt was now, at least I didn't like it around close friends – Jaskier should keep a little distance towards me, as I didn't want him to get hurt. I had no idea how far Geralt would go to protect me, and part of me didn't want to find out. I knew what he was capable of, and I had no desire at all to see him use his abilities against our friend. It was for the best if Jaskier kept a little distance. Not that he couldn't visit – far from it! – but he would have to stand at least three feet away from me, at least when Geralt was around.