To Heal A Lonely Heart

Nightly Visit

Over the next months, I watched Geralt train our son. We had put together a straw puppet – like I promised – for Crevan, so he could practice attacking. I still had to interfere from time to time when I saw Geralt was pushing our son too far, but over the time, he adjusted to our Crevan's limits – this was new to both of them.

Summer was coming to an end and we started stocking up for the winter. I had sent Geralt to the village to stock up on flour, blankets and basically everything we'd need to get through the winter. He took Crevan with him, so I had my peace while I cooked jam and pickled what we had harvested from our garden. I know, I could just conjure food when needed, but it felt wrong to do so, especially when the people in the village need the coin.

They came back in the late afternoon, the cart and the bags on both Roach and Cod loaded until nothing fit in anymore. We quickly unloaded the horses, Crevan feeding them and the other animals, while Geralt and I continued with the cart. It took us a while until everything was stored away. Once we were done, the sun already started to descent. With no real time to cook dinner, we had bread and homemade goat cheese before we tucked Crevan in.

While Geralt told our son another story, I locked up. A cold breeze invaded our home just as I pushed the door shut, carrying a faint smell that made my stomach turn, its sweetness almost making me gag, even though it was just the slightest hint. I rushed over to the window, but didn't see anyone. Geralt finished with Crevan's bedtime story, exited his room and shut the door almost silently. Upon spotting me standing at the window, staring outside with a piercing glare, he came over, wrapping his arms around me from behind and pulling me against his chest.

"What are you still doing down here, my love?" he asked in a rumbling whisper, his chest vibrating against my back.

"I thought... Do you smell this?"

"Smell what?" he was confused. Did I just imagen it? No, I definitely had smelled that cursed sweet scent.

"Never mind," I sighed, letting my tense shoulders drop, but I still felt uneasy. Still, I let my husband lead me upstairs to our bedroom, helping him undress just as he helped me, exchanging sweet kisses while doing so. Neither of us really needed the other's help but this was as intimate as we could be with our son sleeping downstairs. We lied in bed, entangled and naked, like we always slept and soon enough Geralt's soft snoring filled the room. I tried to let the sound lull me into sleep, his warm embrace usually helping, but I just couldn't. That smell... it left me on edge. With nerves tense enough I could swear they would tear, I slipped out of Geralt's arms and the bed altogether

Wrapping myself in my sheets, I stepped close to the window glaring outside. There was nothing. The remaining sunlight started to fade and I was just about to return when my eyes caught a slight movement just at the edge of the thicket of trees that lined the road from the village. I kept staring on the black dot as it came closer.

Behind my back, Geralt stirred from his sleep. I heard him frantically searching the sheets for my warmth. He wouldn't find it; I've been standing here for too long for even the tiniest remainder of warmth to waft from my usual spot on the bed.

"Nienna?" I heard him slur, voice drunken from sleep. I couldn't answer, though, too entranced by the figure coming closer and closer, approaching through the night. The wooden floor creaked as Geralt walked over to me, wrapping his arms around me like he had done earlier.

"What are you doing out of bed?" His warm breath fanned over my ear and exposed neck and shoulder.

Usually this would make me shiver and succumb into his embrace, but not this time. I was filled with dread. Someone was coming here, and either they came in peace or they could see straight through the illusion that hid our home from visits born from ill intentions. I feared it was the latter.

"Someone's coming," I finally brought out, my voice a shaky whisper.

Geralt followed my stare, spotting the figure. "Get dressed," he commanded, "Let's see what they want."

He stepped away from me, to do what he had told me to do, slipping into his trousers and boots. I watched him for a moment, perplexed. Blinking a few times, I came to my senses, quickly putting my dress back on. Grabbing his sword, Geralt led the way downstairs, moving as quietly as possible. I followed, my dagger clutched in my fist.

Never had I been this tense within the walls of our home. This was supposed to be our safe place, a hideout from the world outside.

As the figure approached, I could sense magic on them and that sweet smell seeped through the gap beneath the front door. It made me sick, the scent just as much as the knowledge of who it was outside. I let out a strangled gasp, feeling my stomach flip in fear.

"Don't succumb to it," I warned Geralt.

"To what?" he asked, eyeing me with confusion. How could he not smell it?

"That smell."

I watched anxious as he took a deep breath. I saw it in his eyes. Something shifted within him.

"Fuck. It's her."

"Please, don't let it get to you," I begged. But Geralt grabbed my shoulders, staring down at me with a small, soothing smile.

"I made a promise, remember?" He leaned down and pressed a kiss to my forehead, "And I have an idea how I can keep it."

With long strides, he left me standing in the main room, taking off to my healer's kitchen. Within a minute, he returned, a vial in his hand, already uncorked. I recognized the smell of the potion immediately. It would make him have complete control over his body. I watched him drink, the effect kicking in almost immediately. When his eyes found my face again that glint that had shot a dagger through my heart was gone.

"Does it still affect you?" I whispered timidly.

A smile stretched on my husband's face, making my heart jump with relief before he could answer. "No, not in the slightest."

I wanted to squeal, to jump into his arms and cry tears of relief into the collar of his shirt, but the footsteps that were still coming closer kept me from that. That and the fact that Crevan was sleeping in the room just down the hall.

The room was dark. I didn't dare to peer out the window to see how close she was. Instead, I listened to her steps. And she was close the pebbles of the short path to our door crunching under her feet. Still I flinched when two sharp knocks rattled our door.

I nodded at Geralt's questioning glance as he took a step towards the door, his hand on the latch. I took a few steps back, though, wanting to have as much distance between myself and the woman who had caused us so much pain.

The door swung open upon Geralt's doing and we were faced with the raven haired sorceress, her silhouette illuminated by the faint moonlight while violet irises pierced through the darkness.

"What do you want here, Yennefer?"