Chapter 14 The Hedgehog

Eira saw that the Queen had changed her armour for a beautiful gown. And for some reason, Calanthe looked quite uncomfortable in it. Eira suddenly wondered if the Queen liked to smile because she looked too serious for a feast. The young, blonde woman who sat next to Calanthe just looked majorly unhappy and for a moment, Eira felt for sorry for her.

The Elemental sat down at the far right in a corner. She could see most of the Hall here and was quite happy that no one seemed to bother her or come to talk to her. Sometimes, the druid Mousesack came to ask her if she was okay or needed anything.

Eira just smiled widely at him and shook her head. Told him she was just happy to be present here and to observe everyone. Mousesack had laughed and nodded.

"I understand, it can be quite amusing to watch them interact," he had said, before giving her a pat on the shoulder and left.

Geralt had left her side to stand on the other side, one eye always on the Bard to protect him. Because that's why the Witcher was here : to see Jaskier wouldn't get a ball cut off by one of the Lords present.

Eira's own gaze sometimes flickered to Jaskier, especially when he started playing his lute and his voice echoed through the hall. He played and sang happy tunes, together with a small band of bards.

Jaskier sometimes looked into her direction, a smile on his face that faltered as soon as he noticed the Elemental looked away. Yet, her gaze always followed the bard, and noticed the few women present laughing and waving their hands at him.

The sting of jealousy was gone by now. Eira noticed the bard hardly payed attention to them. Instead, Jaskier seemed to focus on the fact to give everyone a great night. And he was succeeding too.

Some started to dance on his songs, others swayed on their seats and when Eira smiled brightly and sincere, Jaskier locked eyes with her. She laughed when he started a song about a Fishmonger's Daughter and clapped her hands when the Bard made his way towards her, lute in hand and singing all the way.

Eira felt her cheeks heat up when Jaskier was close, the rhythmic tunes of his lute and the sound of his voice made her realise how much she truly missed him. And his stories. Jaskier seemed happier when Eira slowly started to clap her hands and winked at her playfully before turning around again.

Much to her, and everyone's surprise, Geralt was invited to take a seat next to Calanthe. After he had been brutally honest that his life wasn't like in the songs they heard. And the Witcher took another pint of ale in his hand before he rolled his eyes. He took the seat next to the Queen anyway, knowing better than to upset Calanthe in her own home.

A few men came to ask her to dance, all that she politely declined with a gentle smile and a bow of her head. Eira had no idea how to dance and stared at the dancing couples for some time. A few times, she felt the Witcher's eyes on her and looked into his direction. He offered her a distant smile while talking to the Queen and Eira saw he wasn't amused by the conversation.

The evening seemed to go by peacefully, until the suitors started to come in and present themselves. The Queen's daughter her face dropped even more. Something that Eira didn't think was possible. Where the atmosphere was relaxed at first, the Elemental felt the tension rise around her.

Young men were boasting about fights they got into at one point in their lives, others were nervous and hoped that Princess Pavetta would choose one of them, and the rest were just getting drunk on ale and red wine.

Her gaze found Jaskier in the crowd, who had the same worried look on his face when he turned to lock eyes with her. He had stopped playing when the suitors started to present themselves and slowly made his way towards her. He kept himself nearby the wall, trying to go unnoticed that he had left his spot.

He didn't make it to Eira and the Elemental herself felt restless while she stood up. A stranger, cloaked and hidden face, made his way towards the Queen and Pavetta. There was something off with the knight who hid his face and in the corner of her eyes, she felt Geralt's eyes on her. The witcher shifted in his seat and Eira felt their bond shiver slightly. Telling her to be on guard.

The face of Pavetta suddenly changed ; the sad look disappeared and made way for a faint smile when the stranger started talking. He asked for her hand, but Queen Calanthe wouldn't give it unless he showed his face.

In Eira's opinion ; the Queen was quite rude about it.

The whole hall was silent when the stranger slowly took his helmet off, revealing his true face. It was the face of a hedgehog and Eira heard the gasps of horror all around her. She glanced at Jaskier who stood unfaced by the reveal against the wall, a bit closer towards Eira which told her he was still trying to find his way through the crowd.

The Queen jumped up, Geralt mimicked her movement and Eira felt the presence of the Druid behind her.

"Don't do anything," he whispered, "don't use your powers. There's magic in the air, you can feel it too."

She merely nodded, hands into fists already and Eira swallowed to hold down her powers. It took restraint to not leash out and Geralt must have felt it. The witcher's ember eyes turned into her direction and he shook his head. An unspoken command and Eira bit her tongue until it hurt.

Everything moved fast ; young men drew their swords, not wanting to lose their chance on marriage with the beautiful Pavetta to a Hedgehog. Eira took a quick step back until she felt the wall against her back when one of the soldiers next to her drew his spear.

It was then that she felt the warm hand of Jaskier on hers. Her eyes wide when she met his gaze and the next thing Eira knew was that the loudest noise, no scream, she ever heard, made her buckle down and cover her ears.

It hurt. So bad that Eira thought her ears would bleed if Pavetta didn't stop screaming soon. Glass shattered, candles went out and the large chandelier started moving dangerously.

Jaskier had dropped his lute, bended down over her to shield her from the flying glass pieces. Eira cried out when her magic started twirling inside her ; restless, ready to lash out and prevent her vessel from danger.

She had no idea how Jaskier did it, but he lifted up her chin so Eira faced him with tears in her eyes. The amount of power that she needed to held herself back, made her body hurt and when he saw her tears, the bard pulled her close against him. Forgetting to shield of his ears, forgetting that he too might get hurt by the flying debris around them.

Eira held onto him, her arms circled around his torso and she buried her face into the crook of his neck. He was the only one who was able to hold her back from unleashing one of the Elements that were raging inside of her.

He held her. Tight and steady. He warm breath on her cheek and Eira trembled in his arms.

The scream stopped eventually, but Eira still clung onto the bard as if the chaos was still going on around them.

She only let go when she heard that it was because of Geralt and the Druid that Pavetta finally stopped causing the mayhem. That the witcher deserved a gift and when Eira finally turned her head towards the Hedgehog, she saw the face had changed into one of a handsome man instead.

Calanthe gave her approval and Geralt sighed annoyed, asking the gift of surprise just like Pavetta's father had given the Hedgehog for saving his life.

It was just a second after that the Princess started puking and everyone stared at each other.

"Fuck," Geralt muttered before he turned to leave the destroyed room.

"What," Eira was confused and Jaskier helped her up.

"The Princess is pregnant," he mumbled, wiped some glass pieces from his suit and her dress. "Geralt is now bound to the child in her belly."

Eira her face was expressionless and her gaze caught the lute on the ground. She swiftly picked it up and gave it to the bard before they both made their way out of the room, following the Witcher like they always did.