1 The Two Woman of Kaer Trolde

Ciri was sitting in front of her desk, trying to figure out what was written in an old elven book. She couldn't concentrate, her thoughts dwelled to Cerys the entire time. The woman had been acting strange lately and she couldn't figure out why. Had she done something wrong? With a frustrated sigh she closed the book and got out of the chair. She walked towards the window and looked outside.

The view she had over Ard Skellige was breathtaking. Because Kaer Trolde was placed so high on a mountain, she could see so far it seemed like the world ended in the sea. The nature covering the Skellige isles was breathtaking, she was still overwhelmed every time she saw it.

She got snapped out of her thoughts when she heard a knock on the door. "Come in." Cerys entered their room. "Hi there darling." The ginger haired woman said and walked towards Ciri. "Hi sweetheart." They embraced each other, enjoying the other woman's company. "What have you been doing?" Cerys asked. "I am trying to figure out this elven book I found with Geralt." Cerys took a look at the said book. "Ah, I see. How is it going?"

Ciri got a grim look on her face. "Like trying to take on a royal wyvern unprepared." Cerys her laughter filled the room. "I guess that means it's not going well." "Not at all." The queen of Skellige walked towards the young woman and took her hand in her own. "Come with me, my sweet sparrow." "What are you planning?" A mysterious smile came to Cerys's lips. "I can't tell you, it's a surprise."

Ciri laugher her sweet laugh. "Are you sure you have time for that, with all of your duties?" Cerys pulled Ciri into a deep kiss. It lasted a couple of seconds, and when they broke apart she whispered "I will always have time for you my love."

So they left their chambers. First Ciri knew the corridors they were walking and the rooms they were passing, but after a couple of minutes she lost track. "Where are you taking me?" "You will see darling." Ciri followed Cerys, she loved it when she took the lead. That meant that for a minute she didn't have to think. All that was going on in her head could be put on pause. She could just follow her darling and be content.

Cerys stopped at a beautiful painting of her father, Crach an Craite. She looked around mysteriously and Ciri started laughing. "What are you doing Cerys?" Cerys just responded with a smile. The woman revealed a secret door behind the painting, which she opened. "After you my lady." Ciri raised her eyebrow. "Wow, secret doorways huh? How many more secrets does this castle have?" Cerys shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know, but I am planning on finding that out together. But not today, I have different plans."

Ciri just rolled with it, she was happy that she was spending some time with her girlfriend. It didn't really matter what they would be doing. "Fine, I'm going already." Ciri climbed the stairs that had been hidden behind the painting. It fell as if it was an eternity before she reached the top, she even had to admit she was a little bit out of breath. I really need to keep my witcher training up to date, all this sitting around in a palace has cost me my condition.

When she opened the door, Ciri got hit in the face by a gust of ice cold Skellige wind. "Whoa!" she yelled, because she did not expect the door to lead outside. "Cerys! I'm not dressed properly to be standing around in this freezing wind!" Cerys held out a furry coat for her: "Here you go Ciri." Ciri smiled and put on the coat. "Now you are." "Thanks darling."

Ciri now took the time to look around. They were standing on a small terrace on the very top of Kaer Trolde. The view was extraordinary. "Come." Cerys spoke, climbing a little ladder that was placed against the roof. Ciri followed without asking any extra questions. So when Cerys decided to sit down on the roof, Ciri followed her example.

Cerys put her arm around Ciri, and Ciri rested her head on Cerys's shoulder. They stayed like that for a couple of minutes. Simply enjoying each other's company, the heat vibrating from the other person's body, hearing the sound of their heartbeat. They admired the view, the sunset disappearing in the blue Skellige sea. They just were. Nothing was expected from them and they were happy.

After a while it was Cerys who broke the peaceful silence between them. "So, Ciri…" Ciri looked her girlfriend in the eyes. "What is it Cerys?" "I know that lately I have not been giving you the attention you deserve. I know I have left you alone too often, and I am genuinely sorry about that." Looking into Cerys her eyes, Ciri could see that the woman meant every word she had said. "It's okay Cerys, I understand."

Cerys shook her head. "No, it's not okay. There is a reason why I have been so absent lately and I feel so stupid for it." Ciri felt as if there was a stone in her throat and her heart clenched. "What are you saying Cerys?" Cerys looked nervous, as if she didn't know what to do next. Ciri decided to go for the direct approach, she remembered Yennefer teaching her that that was the best way. "Are you breaking up with me?" she asked.

Cerys her head snapped up and she looked shocked. "Breaking up with you? Oh dear Goddess no!! No Ciri no, I would never break up with you! I love you with all that I am!" Ciri eased a little bit hearing those words. "Then what is this about Cerys? I don't understand. You've been acting so strange lately and I can't help but feel like I'm the reason you have been."

Cerys smiled a soft smile, and looked Ciri in the eyes. "Well, actually you are right. You are the reason why I've been acting strange lately." Ciri looked confused. "But it's not for the reason you fear my love." Ciri replied "Then what is going on Cerys? You are acting like a witcher pupil going for his first kill."

Cerys took a deep breath and decided to say what had been on her mind for the last few weeks. She took something out of her pocket and presented it to Ciri. It was a small bracelet, made from the purest silver that the ashen haired woman had ever seen. Swallows were curved in the bracelet and green stones were also present, which were exactly the color of Ciri her eyes.

Ciri her mouth fell open, that bracelet must have cost a small fortune. "Cerys…" Cerys raised her hand, making it clear that she wanted to speak first. "Ciri… You have always brightened my days. Even when we were little girls you knew how to make me smile. Every day I wake up feeling like the luckiest woman in Skellige. I would give up everything just to stay with you, even the crown that I fought so hard for. You are all that I want, when I wake up and when I go to bed." She took a breath before she spoke the next words. "Will you marry me Ciri?"

Crach was standing on the courtyard of the castle, looking up to the rooftop of Kaer Trolde. He could see his daughter of blood and his daughter of heart sitting there together, embracing each other. A smiled covered his face. This is what he had always wanted. Since the very first day that Ciri had appeared on Kaer Trolde, he had seen the glances the two women had exchanged. Of course he knew that Hjalmar was madly in love with the ashen haired woman, but she had never showed any interest in him. There was only one wish his old heart held, and that was that the two young woman would settle down together and that they would follow each other into the grave.