Monastery (End)

"Come in. No, Ciri, you are going to have your lessons now. I need to have a talk with Alan. Just the two of us. Go to mother Neneke and stop giving me that reluctant face. Go. Now." - Yen was sitting by the table while putting on makeup.

Ciri sighed and went out while glancing threateningly at Alan. If only the latter could guess what she meant by that. But he obviously wasn't that smart.

Yen snapped her fingers and created a barrier around the room. That was her usual habit. She cherished privacy.

"What is it?" - he sat on the chair in a carefree manner.

"Just don't put your legs on my bedside table. It is there for other purposes." - Yen said with her back facing him.

"I never intended to."

"Good. Seems like I get used to Geralt behavior. It seems not all witchers are uncouth boors without manners who like to friend-zone others through letters." - she said with a cold tone that reeked of sarcasm. She was still holding to her grudge.

'Man, they need to meet and have a good fuck at last.' - thought Alan and felt like he needs to write Geralt a letter of advice.

They obviously can't live without each other but keep going with that mind wrecking play.

"Now, do you know why I asked to have a private talk?" - she finally turned around and Alan again saw her perfect face.

"Enlighten me Yen. But I guess it is about Ciri."

"Smart man." - Yen nodded and seeing Alan uncomfortable look laughed. - "Oh, come on. I don't care about that. I know what you thought just now. Alan, I told you, if you need contraception spell, just come and go fuck with her already. Just find a clean bed. It is your business. Or do you think I'm bored enough to give you sexual lessons?"

She smirked and placed one leg over another, comfortably leaning at the soft back of the chair.

"Don't tell me you, Uidewen, the Sky Flame, the Butcher of Buki and a swordsman with mastery of the sword that rivals Geralt, won't be able to aim with your dick properly and miss the hole."

That's Yen for you. She really is not the one to mince words. Alan sat there flabbergasted. Now that speech was awkward like hell.

"Okay, let's be serious here. I want to show you something and explain a couple of things so you will know what trouble the stupid crown bearing idiots caused for all of us." - with that, she gave Alan an envelope. It was a letter with the seal of the Council of Mages. - "Don't stare at me, read it."

He unfolded a letter. There were several simple lines of accurate words.

"Okay. Now I will explain why those crown bearing idiots issued an order to capture or kill you in case of resistance. The Four crown-bearing idiots of our Northern Lands originally wanted to find Ciri. Well, not find but kill. You know her status, right?"

"Yes, she is a granddaughter of Calanthe. The sole survivor of the ruling family of Cintra. What about it?"

"Okay, that would be easier to talk than I thought. Currently, there are two leads to her. One is Geralt. Second is you, Alan. Ciri can't inherit the throne, but she can wed a man and birth a son who will be a legitimate ruler. Right now Cintra is but a province of Nilfgaard and Four Kings are afraid, yes, they are afraid that Emhyr will find Ciri and control her to seize Cintra for good." - Yen waved her hand and glasses flew over to her and Alan.

The latter with no word took out a flask of wine and opened it. Yen snapped her fingers again and two whips of red liquid escaped to fill glasses to the brim.

"I'm thirsty. I bet you too. So, about Rience that died in Novigrad. Do you know why Philippa killed him? Simple, because I was near, and she didn't want to share information. She planned to let him go, that I can tell. Because she needs him to find Ciri, while being on her leash. That way she can use her. But there is one more thing about Rience that is troubling. He was so noticeable with his squandering and gambling, that he couldn't escape watchful eyes of Dijkstra and the like. They knew he was looking for Ciri and thought he is Nilfgaard lapdog. He was like a red cloth for the bull, provoking them to take action to get her first."

The more Alan listened, the more he understood the depth of the problem they encountered. It was a dark, gloomy shithole.

"Your face tells volumes. Good, that you understand. So, Ciri will be in constant danger. You are already in one too, but it will go on another level if they know that you might be involved with her romantically. Do you understand my meaning?"

"Pretty much. If we got married, I will be the king regent of Cintra, our son – the next king. No one will tolerate some unknown man of common birth in such a prominent position. Especially, someone, they can't control and a witcher to boot."

"You got my meaning. If your relationship grew to something serious and they find out, then it won't be capture or kill. It will be an order to kill on sight. And forgive my rudeness, but finding a witcher like you is easier than Ciri. That I can tell you as a third party. You differ greatly from people around here. Your speech, your mannerism, and the way you behave. It all shows. In short, Alan, you are more unique than you can tell yourself. Let alone your outer appearance. Don't be shy about it. I will say it straight. Throughout all my life, you are the most memorable person. Your looks are just that. Once seen, they don't fade."

"I got it, Yen." - said Alan.

She looked at him. Looked even more. Looked for several minutes and finally couldn't help it.

"That's it?"

"Yes, that's it."

"You are so alike." - she sighed finally. - "So in short, you don't care."

"In short, I will do as I see fit. Sorry, but I really don't give a fuck. If they want to issue a kill order, I dare them. They will need an army to give me a good time."

Yen looked at Alan and suddenly smiled. He never saw her smile like that. It was surprisingly warm and full of praise.

"Ah, perhaps I understand now why Geralt is so attached to you. Speaking of it... I never had a chance to thank you." - she said, stood up, and hugged Alan. - "Thank you for saving him back then."

Alan smiled and nodded.

"Okay, now you can come in." - Yen said to the door and Alan turned around, seeing how it opened and Ciri entered inside. Alan gave Yen a reproachful look. - "Don't glare at me, it's not a healthy undertaking. Now, Ciri, do you understand your own position?"

"I do." - Alan felt his heart twitch a bit. She rarely was so down. An entire mountain weighed on her fragile shoulders. Right now she looked more like a freezing kitten under the night rain, than a little lioness.

"It is good that you are aware of your position. That is why for yourself, for Geralt, for Alan... for me, I want you to listen to my arrangements. It is imperative for you to learn to protect yourself. So you will enroll in Aretuza to properly learn magic. As for you Alan, it is ultimately your choice, but I would have recommended studying in Ban Ard." - with that, she clapped and broke the silent atmosphere. - "I need to speak with Neneke."

Yennefer left, closing the door, while a slight smile was on her face.

'Perhaps it is straightforward nature and braveness to do that attracted me to Geralt in the first place. All of them wanted something from me, but only he wants me. Ha-ha, how ironic to understand it only after seeing Ciri and Alan from the side. Aren't they similar to us, Geralt?'

She went away, giving the young one's time to talk. Yen was confident that Geralt will never leave Ciri. She was even more confident in herself. But Alan was a wild goose until recently. She cared about him and wanted to break that last wall of mistrust with a simple test he passed with flying colors.

'Tch, but with that, I now have two kids to take care of instead of one. Geralt, when we meet again, I will surely ride you to death. One day for sure, I will ride you a hell of a lot.'

She harrumphed and went to find Neneke.

They need to leave this place soon.