[ Geralt gives a vague tilt of his head in answer. Has she? The Cities mine deep in the mountains often. Their territory is jagged mountains, deep hills, treacherous desert. He spends his life in the wilderness, and even he finds certain parts of the land taxing. Perhaps what would protect Thorne is its winter. The climate in Cadens may be harsh, but the one thing it is not is snowy. ]
As are we. [ Healing and medicine. He imagines it isn't exactly coming from the heart.
A silence falls. The real reason he's discussing the potential invasion is not about the war itself. Strategy and tactics—what does he give a fuck? Armies will always do what they do best, and that is march and conquer and leave destruction in their wake. There are no winners when the smoke clears. But. ]
Your proximity to the Queen is well-known. [ His fingers curl tightly around the bottle's neck. He'd never liked Yennefer's plan, and by the time he realized what she was doing, he was already in the throne room with his fucking back flayed open. And he isn't upset with her for it, not like that. Not anymore. It's more complicated. Yennefer sees it as strategic, not reckless; he wants to agree—objectively, they do need someone close to the Queen's secrets—but there's a part of him that can't solely because it places her in—
—In danger. She's been tested once. With war coming, how long before that happens again? What if he isn't there this time to pay the price Ellya would demand? More than that, what does Yennefer's position by the Queen's side mean should Thorne fall to the Free Cities?
After a moment, he drops his gaze. ] I don't know if...
[ If I can protect you. It's on the tip of his tongue. Has been this entire time. He looks at Yennefer and he sees it, her wrists dripping with blood, a blackened field of corpses where he cannot find her. If only the anger he felt in those moments, when he understood what she'd done with Ciri, meant he could cease to care what happened to her. But that isn't so. Deep down, he knows it will never be so. Maybe that's why it leaves such a hollow in his heart. Because she matters still. ]
no subject
As are we. [ Healing and medicine. He imagines it isn't exactly coming from the heart.
A silence falls. The real reason he's discussing the potential invasion is not about the war itself. Strategy and tactics—what does he give a fuck? Armies will always do what they do best, and that is march and conquer and leave destruction in their wake. There are no winners when the smoke clears. But. ]
Your proximity to the Queen is well-known. [ His fingers curl tightly around the bottle's neck. He'd never liked Yennefer's plan, and by the time he realized what she was doing, he was already in the throne room with his fucking back flayed open. And he isn't upset with her for it, not like that. Not anymore. It's more complicated. Yennefer sees it as strategic, not reckless; he wants to agree—objectively, they do need someone close to the Queen's secrets—but there's a part of him that can't solely because it places her in—
—In danger. She's been tested once. With war coming, how long before that happens again? What if he isn't there this time to pay the price Ellya would demand? More than that, what does Yennefer's position by the Queen's side mean should Thorne fall to the Free Cities?
After a moment, he drops his gaze. ] I don't know if...
[ If I can protect you. It's on the tip of his tongue. Has been this entire time. He looks at Yennefer and he sees it, her wrists dripping with blood, a blackened field of corpses where he cannot find her. If only the anger he felt in those moments, when he understood what she'd done with Ciri, meant he could cease to care what happened to her. But that isn't so. Deep down, he knows it will never be so. Maybe that's why it leaves such a hollow in his heart. Because she matters still. ]