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dapandapod · 1 year

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Lollipop

Smol fluffy Jaskel because why not

On Ao3 here

"Can I have a lollipop?"

"No. You just brushed your teeth."

"But I get a lollipops after the doctor!"

"Yes, but this was the dentist, and teeth don't like lollipops."

"Mine does!"

"No, that is your tongue."

"And my tummy!"

"Exactly. Uncle Lambert likes lollipops, doesn't he?"

Jaskier watches the exchange while leaning against the doorframe to the hall, where a huge, muscular man is helping a five year old Ciri get out of her overalls.

Ciri frowns hard when Lambert is mentioned, steadying herself with a hand on the man's shoulder as he struggles to get her boot off of her very adult-safe overall leg.

"He does," she agrees after a moment.

"Do you remember when we went trick or treating, and how all your lollipops were gone?"

This makes Ciri pout. Jaskier can recall this happening; in fact, it had been the topic of the week when she had returned and exclaimed how a wicked fairy had poofed them away.

A dangerous topic to breach, but Jaskier has a feeling he knows where this is going, and he can't stop a slow smirk from spreading.

"They were poofed away," Ciri confirms again, wobbling as she switches to her other foot to balance on. Her hands are so small against that muscular shoulder.

"Do you remember how Uncle Lambert had a tummy ache that night?"

"He said he had to fart!" Ciri giggles in the way that delighted way all five year olds do whenever a fart is mentioned.

"Well, uncle Lambert's tongue also liked lollipops. But his tummy did not."

Ciri ponders this revelation for a moment, and then she makes a betrayed gasp.

"Uncle Lamby was dressed as a fairy!! He took my lollipops!!"

Oh, the beast has awakened. She leans forward with all the seriousness of a queen, and grabs the man's face to angle it towards her.

"Uncle Lamby must pay."

The man nods solemnly, and pokes her nose.

"Yes, but what did we learn from uncle Lamby eating too many lollipops?"

"That it makes you fart, and your tummy hurt!"

"Exactly!" The man helps Ciri step out of the overalls and hands them to her to put away.

He stands up, and even if Jaskier saw them come in, he was not prepared for what that meant.

Yes, there is an old, kind of scary scar across the man's face, but his eyes are warm and kind, and his build, well. Other words come to mind too, but they are not words Jaskier will use while around kids, let’s just keep it at that.

Their eyes meet, and Jaskier feels his cheeks heat up when the man smiles and stretches out a hand.

"Sorry, hello. I'm Eskel, Ciri's uncle. I took Ciri to the dentist today."

"Jaskier, her classroom teacher." Eskel's hand is warm and callused, shaking Jaskier's hands firmly before they let go.

It is hard to look away, hard to instead look down at Ciri, who has now stepped in front of her uncle expectantly.

"I put it away."

"The boots too?" Eskel asks, and she nods a little too fast. A quick look tells them that no, she did not put away the boots.

"Try again, cub. It seems they are trying to flee."

Ciri harrumphs and stomps her foot, her bangs falling into her eyes, but she does indeed return to pick up her escaping boots.

"Boots are a tricky kind." Jaskier remarks as they watch her shove her boots in irritably before returning. "Will you be picking her up too?"

Be cool, Jaskier, don't look to eager.

"I will. We got a lollipop revenge to plan, after all." The glint of mischief in Eskel's eyes makes something flutter in Jaskier's chest.

"What did uncle Lamby do to deserve such ire?"

For a moment, Eskel studies him, as if weighing him up. Ciri zooms past them both and into the next room, and she can hear her excitedly tell Dara about the dentist and lollipop thieves.

"I could tell you over a cup of coffee, maybe this Friday?." Eskel says, and oh, oh oh oh help, Jaskier is in trouble.

"That would be nice."

"BYE UNCLE ESKY!" Ciri yells from inside the room, and Eskel waves back.

"I'll see you both this afternoon, then." Eskel smirks, and oh no, his poor heart. Without another word, Eskel turns and leaves.

Jaskier decides yes, he needs a breather right fucking now, because did he just get asked out by the hottest fucking man this side of Cintra?

Hiding among the jackets and overalls gives him about two minutes to collect himself, and also spying out the window after uncle Esky.

Only to see that said man is stood a few paces away, probably what he thought was out of sight, face buried in his hands, and looking adorably embarrassed.

Jaskier needs to marry this man.

#jaskel #jaskier x eskel #the witcher #modern au #kindergartenteacher!jaskier #teacher!jaskier #cirilla of cintra #ciri is a feral child #lambert is in trouble #short #fluff #silly #idk go brush your teeth #dapanda writes #one of these days i will post before midninght #today is not this day

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gardenstateofmind · 11 months

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i'm committing to actually reading the witcher novels so i'm rereading blood of elves from the start and it's still just as good as the first time

i liked the second season of the show, but i really wish we could have had more triss and ciri interactions bc they're just such genuine fun

#personal #also in the show the other witchers make fun of ciri for dressing up and putting make up on #vs in the book they compliment her and apologize for not treating her well enough #and also she's presented as a proper feral child #meanwhile in the show she's literally wearing 10 pounds of make up at all times like i genuinely don't get it

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laurikarauchscat · 7 months

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emhyr for character ask! 🥰☀

Yessss!!! My favourite child ❤️

Sexuality Headcanon: Very Gay. This man's type is strong, tough, and rugged. Half feral men he can look at and imagine his 13 year old self seeking shelter with. I blame HobbitDragon's fic on Ao3 for this characterisation, I read "White Flame Burning" once and decided - yep, sounds about right!

Gender Headcanon: Cis man, very comfortable with it.

You know the type of cis man that always projects this perfectly, societally acceptable, overbearingliy masculine aura - then one day they randomly start talking about their favourite nail salons, or about how much they love feeling pretty when they go on dates - and it makes all the dudebro's and pick-me's around them mad cause they feel deceived somehow?

That's Emhyr.

A ship I have with said character: Geralt/Emhyr, and honourable mention to Emhyr/Leto.

A BROTP I have with said character: Emhyr & Pavetta: partners in crime and co-conspirators. I headcannon they worked together to keep Pavetta from marrying someone her mother picked out for her, and to break the curse. The plan was that, afterwards, Duny was going to help Pavetta become the greatest queen Cintra had ever known, but he started chafing at the knowledge that he'd have to live forever under her command, and also at the knowledge that his homeland was still a massive cluster fuck. So he betrayed her.

Nonetheless, it was great while it lasted.

A NOTP I have with said character: Im going to say : none, with a caveat.

We have very talented and very deranged (affectionate) writers in this corner of the fandom. I'm pretty sure they can make anything work, given how much I love this character. I do have a strong preference for subby!Emhyr, though.

Random headcanons:

His mother was a witch.

He and Yennefer are becoming fast friends after Emhyr realised her council on Ciri is a lot more helpful than Geralt's, because Geralt legitimately thinks Ciri can do no wrong.

Will never retire. Once Ciri takes the throne he will dedicate his life to making sure her rule becomes legendary.

General Opinion over said character: My son! Absolutely fucked up, but in a delightful way. I'm constantly on the fence between wanting to give him all the nice things or wanting to put him in a jar and shake it. I think that's called "cute aggression".

Thank You so much for the ask!!

#nilfgaard #the witcher 3 #emhyr var emreis #the witcher #cirilla fiona elen riannon #empress ciri #emhyr #duny #Geralt #letho of gulet #emhyr x geralt #Emhyr x letho

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fablewoven · 11 months

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For anyone actually wondering, my portrayal of Yennefer includes the following from her sources to make her who I write her as.

The Books:

Her mother was the half elf and her father was so upset about the elven blood making their child deformed that he took it out on her verbally and physically, and then after he finally left, Yennefer's mother started abusing her until Tissaia took her off her hands.

Tried to kill herself in Aretuza.

Tissaia ordered her transformation and was the one that took away her ability to have kids and didn't tell her about it--Yennefer did not ask for that stuff on her own, but she was more than okay being beautiful and feared after the life she had with her parents. Also, honestly, she wanted to be better than the bullies she had, like Sabrina.

Hates politics, but deals with it when she has to.

Quit Aretuza over failing to save a child, and she will protect all children at all costs, especially female ones. Kids are her weak spot.

Lets Ciri crawl into bed with her when she has nightmares.

Will go feral over Ciri and Geralt on any ocassion.

Is a bit possessive of Geralt, but prolly not entirely to the extent of the books where he leaves over it a couple times, but I attribute some of that to the fact that I do believe Andre doesn't always know how to write women and keep them in character when he just wants drama for drama in the novels.

Has no issues doing necromancy, even though it's a dark art, but she mostly only does it to try and find Ciri.

Ciri is her child and she refers to her as such.

Has a pet Kestrel.

Witcher 3 Game:

Portals people and things off waterfalls when she's mad.

Has a unique bond with ravens.

I feel like this list is short, but the Games were so good at incorporating more of her Book attitude already, so Witcher 3 is just part of her because I liked it. Not a perfect adaptation, of course, but I enjoyed Yennefer, so...

Netflix:

Anya is her face claim.

She's older than 13 when she becomes a sorceress (that's how old she was in the books when Tissaia sterilizied her), but prolly admittedly not as old as Netflix has her doing everything.

Yen and Jaskier bonding/friendship.

Netflix has its own verse and it is only in the Netflix version of stuff that I will accept the Deathless Mother as she is Netflix only created. I will also only RP that fallout with the modifications I made over it, which is in a different post.

My Own Flushed Out Headcanons For Her:

Will hold Triss accountable for r*ping Geralt, and does not forgive her just because they're 'sisters' and 'good friends'.

Because of this, Yennefer tries really hard not to manipulate Geralt in any way. She already did after they started a relationship try to only read his mind occasionally, but after the Triss stuff she has a much harder time doing stuff. She's self aware, okay?

Does on some level blame Tissaia for what she has lost, but sees her as a mother and does feel indebted to her for everything she gained from becoming a sorceress.

Is still the 'horseman of war', and I feel like I'll flush that out more later because she's not the actual horseman, but it's a book thing.

She's a bitch sometimes, but she's a soft Mom to the people that she loves, even if sometimes she's loving in a tough love approach.

If you ever have any other questions, feel free to ask, and not be a dick about it, like the anon in my inbox right now. I have said multiple times that my Yennefer in her main state is a MIX of all of her sources. She is mine, and I am feral about her, and I get to portray her however the fuck I want to. I'm sorry I'm one of maybe 5 active Yen's, but you don't get to tell me how to write my muses.

I'm also sure I'll update this occasionally, but yeah.

#•~⍣ᴏꜰ ʟɪʟᴀᴄꜱ ᴀɴᴅ ɢᴏᴏꜱᴇʙᴇʀʀɪᴇꜱ [yen things]#getting that anon before i work all day made me side eye #but i am proud of my yen #and you can take it or leave

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initial-lime · 1 year

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I love Joey batey, he makes absolutely incredible music I listen to the amazing devil almost constantly

But his performance as Jaskier in the witcher is just so either absolutely mid or completely jarring and it entirely lacks the charisma that dandilion naturally has.

I honestly don’t even think it has anything to do with his acting skills it’s entirely plausible that the writers just had no clue how to write jaskier

I’m just so tired of pretending that Netflix jaskier is good, he just isn’t he’s annoying at best.

Honestly this is just an overarching thing with the series characterizations they’re so???? Needlessly one dimensional it’s almost funny

Yennefer is absolutely bursting with rage every single moment, which I guess she’s somewhat angry in the books but show yennefer is a whole new level

Geralt is just??? So fucking unlikeable LMFAO all he does is sit around and be moody he barely even talks when in the books Id’t be a miracle if you ever got him to shut the hell up, I swear book Geralt is spitting poetry and life lessons every chance he gets, you could breathe in his direction and he’s be like “THIS REMIND ME OF-“

Ciri is so woeful the entire series, she just screams and is sad which i really hate because if you’ve been reading my word regurgitations about the witcher you’d know how much I love the “dumbass feral child” character trope

And jaskier/dandilion he’s just so, ugh

#the witcher #dandilion the witcher #jaskier #the witcher rant #the witcher netflix #the witcher show

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blackberrywars · 2 years

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🧠 for your fem!Lambert and Aiden ofc :))))

Alright, I saved this one for last because these ladies are my babies and I will love them until Ao3 gives in and makes fem!aiden a proper tag. The headcanons will be many, and vary from tragic to silly to smutty.

Headcanons for my fem!Lambert and fem!Aiden

Lambert: If there ever was a poster child for bodily autonomy issues and resentment for how your body determines your life/status in society, she is it, baby! It’s part of why I felt compelled to write fem!Laiden in the first place because I wanted to explore how being female would affect her self-perception, feelings, and motivations

I think she resents the mutations less than male Lambert. She’d have been a feral, vicious creature even if she had stayed human, but witcher strength means she’ll never be treated the way her mother was, and it helped her go kill her father. It was one of the deciding factors in her Choice

Has complicated feelings about the forced sterilization. On the one hand, she’d never really considered having kids, but on the other, she sees it as yet another violation the witchers committed against her autonomy (and she does like kids --Lambert and Ciri are the bestest of bros)

She still learned how to make contraceptive and abortifacient potions though, and (I have no idea who started the “Lambert is amazing at alchemy” hc but bless them) has improved the recipes to make them incredibly effective. She sells them in towns/temples to make extra money

Will eat fucking anything. But her favorite food is quail eggs, and she can fit approximately 27 of them in her mouth at a time

Loves spankings almost as much as she hates asking for them

Annoyingly sensitive nipples. She tried to pierce them in hopes to reduce them, which backfired spectacularly because they got even more sensitive. Aiden is delighted, but still buys her soft, silky tunics so she doesn’t chafe

Gnaws on whatever part of Aiden is closest to show her affection. Just find a spot and chomps until Aiden kisses her forehead

Refused to teach Aiden to brew her improved potions for a reaaaaally long time because 1) she wants to show affection 2) she likes caring for Aiden and 3) she still feels she needs to be useful to be loved

Aiden: disaster bisexual who is persistent above all. Most of what we know about Aiden comes from the fact that she somehow managed to befriend Lambert on a deep enough level to be violently avenged, so we’re sticking with that theme

Has some issues with privacy and boundaries. For all that I think the Cat Caravan under Guxart would have been a healthier place to grow up, emotionally, they’re probably more than a little enmeshed. Aiden doesn’t always understand when Lambert needs to be left alone

This is partly inspired by @round--robin‘s lovely fic, Brothers First, but I definitely think Aiden was parentified by the older Cats --having to take care of younger kits, even when she was still a child. I imagine this to be partly just Caravan communal-raising culture, amplified by how busy the older Cats would have been re-establishing Dyn Marv. Very eldest-daughter situation.

This made her incredibly self-sufficient and vicious (will defend her little siblings to the death), but she’s also very secretly nurturing in a way that Lambert is baffled by. This woman will sing babies to sleep and say it’s no big deal while Lambert stands there in total shock

Also very into acts of service as a love language, giving and receiving. The first time Lambert hands her a bowl of cut fruit, she cries.

Presents herself as laid-back, but Is Not. She very much needs to be in control of the situation and will not stop until she has whatever it is she wants. It’s part of why I usually make her such a dom in my smut fics

Has incredibly ticklish inner thighs. Lambert abuses this whenever she feels like being a brat (read: getting a spanking)

Was overjoyed at having Lambert meet her family but also obsessively scented her and left visible hickeys wherever possible. She’s possessive

Thank you so much for this ask!!! I will talk about these characters until I die

#the witcher #the witcher fanfiction #fanfic writing #fanfiction writer #lambert #witcher aiden #fem!lambert #fem!aiden #the witcher headcanon

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violaceum-vitellina-viridis · 4 months

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Ask game: Ciri

First impression

feral child. that's a kid that was raised by the woods. like she was born like that and then everything else happened and made it worse.

Impression now

not only is she feral, she was raised by animals no matter how you look at it - everyone in cintra, the wolves, the rats, whatever the fuck was happening with the elves. she is feral and she will give you rabies. i'd let her bite me.

Favorite moment

honestly it's hard to pick between "walked into brokilon to avoid a boy" and just the everything with the rats. i love both of them so much.

Idea for a story

so many. many are redacted. but the one that will eventually be written and posted, someday: major AU where ciri ends up the first witcher mutated in decades because one of her screams caused another conjunction of the spheres and a whole lot of brand new monsters to get dumped onto the continent. she uses her new powers to hunt emhyr down and kill him.

Unpopular opinion

i think ciri is completely capable of balancing being an empress. i just also think she'd go down in history as a bloody queen. also also i don't think that's a bad thing, whoops

Favorite relationship

i love ciri/mistle for obvious reasons, but honestly, TWN owns me and ciri/dara is just. gdkjgadkljak.

Favorite headcanon

ciri as an adult is a hypercompetent jack of all trades. despite this, she never stops being a whole fucking disaster of a person.

#ask game #the witcher

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clown-of-rivia · 3 years

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#the witcher #another from my twt #ciri #cirilla fiona elen riannon #Netflix really chose a *direction* huh #will always be a massive missed opportunity to have had small feral child Ciri growing up and training at Kaer Morhen like in canon

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willowfae82 · 4 years

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so we all agree that Ciri is the originator of the ‘feral goblin child’ trope. and Geralt couldn’t be more proud. his little girl is carrying on the family tradition.

she also has a lot of Yennefer in her.

Yenna: screams, raining fire and destruction around her.

Ciri: screams, bringing grown men to their knees and spearing them on tree branches.

Geralt: F U C K, *proudly* that’s my girls; but also, F U C K.

Jaskier: *composing songs about his new found, emotionally stunted, family* they’re all a little crazy, but it works.

#the witcher #feral goblin child!Ciri #proud dad!Geralt #if y'all haven't guessed #this show is my new #hyperfixation

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denerims-archive · 4 years

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im debating giving anya a kiddo who she loves and protects (but complains about it the whole time) and becomes her apprentice eventually because i want to show her soft spot for kids

#personal: text #feral baby adopts a baby #it's about....the parent/child dynamic #also the parallels to geralt/ciri cause i clown #character: anya

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jewishsuperfam · 4 years

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anyway book!ciri would eat show!ciri alive

#book!ciri is a feral unhinged gremlin child who only wants to fight and hang out with her parents and kiss girls and cause chaos #tv!ciri is.........uh. much more passive. it seems like #witcher netflix spoilers #lb: the witcher netflix

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dapandapod · 3 years

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41 with Dadralt and tiny!smol!ciri? 🥺 Just imagine her running up to geralt full force and latching onto his legs like a tiny monkey yes I have many feels

41. Hugging someone’s legs

Uh, YES please!! Dadralt and baby Ciri, ugh, I just love them I have SO many feelings, aahh! (and have a handsome babysitter is not a bad idea either, no?) And also littol Ciri telling Geralt off because she is very wise and Geralt really should know better. Yes.

Please enjoy <3

Send me a hug prompt? On Ao3 Hug collection here

Geralt likes to call Ciri his little cub, but if he spends one night a little too late at work, she turns into a monkey.

The cutest, fluffiest, most feral little monkey he has ever seen.

This is one of those nights, when work dragged on a little too long. He has made an arrangement with his kind (and unfairly hot) neighbour Jaskier to pick her up from kindergarten the two days a week when he knows he will have more to do.

He knocks on the door and Jaskier soon answers, looking soft and slightly rumpled.

From inside, he can hear a Disney movie play, and ah, they probably cozied up on the couch.

Geralt feels a pang of longing to have been there, to see his child feel safe and happy with a man he doesn’t even dare ask out for a coffee.

He is such a coward.

“Hi there,” Jaskier greets with a smile, his shirt riding up when he scratches his stomach. Geralt is looking respectfully. “Good timing. She was just complaining about you.”

“Oh no,” is all Geralt manages, before a high pitched screech is heard from inside, and then rapid beat of small bare feet racing over the floor.

“DAAAAAA!” Ciri yells, and then her little monkey self appears.

Her pale blond hair is wild, sticking up in every direction, and her small round eyes glare up at him in great offence. That hair will be a pain to brush out tomorrow.

“Whewe have you been!! I have been wowwied sick! Did you even look as you cwossed the street!!” she rants as she collides with his legs, clinginging to them.

Jaskier looks on amused, leaning against the doorframe.

“I had to ask Jasier to put on Fwozen twice, Da! That’s how long you were gone today!”

“I am so sorry,” Geralt apologizes sincerely. “I bear gifts for my little princess, if she would let me go?”

Ciri glares up at him suspiciously.

Gifts is apparently a good word, but letting go, not as much.

Jaskier finally decides to take pity on him and kneels by Ciri’s side. He pets her wild hair and she glares at him too.

“Hey, why don’t we ask Da if he will stay with us for a little while? We still have to finish Frozen, and you could show him what you drew at school today?”

Geralt and Ciri both melt at this, and Ciri finally relents.

“Fine. But Da, you cawwy me to the couch.”

Geralt sets down his work bag and the little box from the bakery down the street. Ciri stretches her arms towards him, pouting, until he lifts her up. She wraps her arms around his neck and holds him as tightly as her little child arms can manage.

He closes his eyes and wraps his arms around her properly.

“You smell old,” she whispers, nuzzling in closer and scratching at his beard. Jaskier snorts a laugh and stands up, knees creaking.

“I think he smells nice,” Jaskier says, and before Geralt has time to properly register it and have an internal breakdown over this, Jaskier turns and walks deeper into the apartment. “Come on. We have macaroni to cook and a snowman to sing with.”

Geralt didn’t have to ask Jaskier out for a coffee.

Ciri shows him all her drawings, and explains that there are so many hearts above Geralt's head because he is in love with Mr. Jaskier.

A child's brutal honesty.

Geralt sits there panicking, thinking of how he needs to apologize and maybe ask old Mrs Vegelbud to look after Ciri instead, when Jaskier reaches over and borrows Ciri’s pen.

He leans into Geralt’s space and draws little hearts over the stick figure that Ciri pointed out to be him.

“Then there should be hearts over mine too,” Jaskier confesses to Ciri, before looking up at Geralt. “Because I am in love too.”

#geraskier #dadralt #geralt and ciri #papa geralt #baby ciri #i adore them #geralt x jaskier #modern au #babysitter jaskier #hug prompts 2021 #dapanda writes #the witcher #geralt of rivia #jaskier the bard #julian alfred pankratz #cirilla of cintra #ciri #my favorite little baby girl

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ahh-fxck · 2 years

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This Day is for Me, This Day is for You

I was inspired by Yennefer and Ciri's birthday yesterday to write a new ficlet, I hope that you all enjoy it. Thank you especially to @dapandapod for the lovely prompt!

Rating: G (Fluff)

Today is a day for new beginnings.

This is what she thinks as she watches her new daughter sleep, admiring the petal-pink softness of her lips and the sweet wisps of hair that drift out of her braid across her cheeks. Her hands are smaller than Yennefer’s but not by much. They still retain the softness of childhood even though they are large on her, as are her feet and ears, like a puppy that hasn’t quite hit its full growth. Yennefer finds herself smiling at the way Ciri has furled them under her chin, holding the hairy horse blanket close for warmth.

They’d traveled far under the stars the night before, hurrying across scrubby hills and dales to reach their destination in time. By the time they had arrived at the gathering, Ciri had been tired to the point of being unreasonable. Yennefer smirks, remembering the growl she’d gotten at the mere suggestion that the child help her put up the tent for the night. By the time Yennefer had finished settling the horses, the girl had curled up in the hollow of some tree roots and fallen fast asleep.

Yennefer leans back against the tree and contemplates letting the girl sleep a while longer, but the noise from the nearby camps is already causing her to stir. She looks over her one last time with a fond eye, allowing herself a last moment of sentimentality before rising to start the day.

By the time Ciri has fully woken (having completed the glare-from-beneath-the-blanket stage to her satisfaction), Yennefer has their tea and sweet porridge made. She offers them without comment to her scowling ward, hiding a smile as the feral little thing snatches them without comment and retreats around the side of a tree to watch the camp, situating herself where she can see Yennefer from the corner of her eye.

Yennefer takes the peace and quiet while she has it, eating her breakfast and sipping her tea serenely while she observes Ciri. The child is bright-eyed now, eyes darting to and fro as she watches the camp come alive. Drab traveling clothes are slowly being exchanged for bright festival colors, and there is the occasional tinkle of bells and shells as dancewear is donned.

May Day is coming.

May Day is here.

As Ciri drinks in the surroundings, Yennefer quietly cleans the camp. Normally she’d chivvy the girl into action- Yennefer certainly isn’t there to be her servant- but today is special. It is their first birthday together. The girl had endured hell, and Yennefer has rarely enjoyed a kind birthday herself. So, she has decided to let the child in on a secret.

By the time she is done, Ciri has climbed up to the lower branches of the tree and is laid out on her belly with her little chin tucked comfortably into a forked branch so that she can get a better view. Yennefer glances up and her eyes twinkle. In the distance there is a series of concerted shouts, and then the maypole, rising with the dawning sun.

While Ciri is distracted Yennefer begins to lay out the gifts of the day. She’d seen the girl looking hungrily at her rich clothing, her jewelry, and the fine adornments in her hair. Now the child had a set of her own, just in time for the May Day dance. They were in the bright, joyous colors of the countryside, white and red, with lovely blue and yellow flowers. The jewelry was simple and difficult to break, well suited for a child, and the ribbons were edged in stiff thread-of-gold that she was sure would set the child’s eyes alight with joy.

It was joy she’d never been afforded in all her long years, a new set of finery gifted by a loved one, a blessing for the first day of summer. She’d always sworn to herself that her child would have it. It never occurred to her that the little wretch in the tree would have burrowed into her heart so, but she had, and she was proud to think of her as daughter.

Yennefer lays out her own finery as well, then turns her pointed chin up towards the tree to see what Ciri is up to. She is still wrapped around the tree branch like a little scruffy cat, body relaxed but deceptively alert. She is beginning to get restive though, stroking at the pliant stems of the tree’s leaves and absentmindedly twiddling them. Before long she stretches and drops down out of the tree, and, curious to see what the day has in store for her, makes to bound off into the campground.

She whirls when Yennefer clears her throat, an almost comically imperious expression on her face. Yennefer laughs, a clear peal that brings a rare light to her face. The look drops off of Ciri’s face as she beholds the two outfits together side-by-side, the jewelry, the fine, fine ribbons. She freezes for a moment, all agog, then crows with delight.

“Come here, ugly one!” Yennefer beckons, the affectionate twist of her lips belying the teasing moniker. “Let’s get you cleaned up and remove the twigs from your hair child. Today is an important day.” She plucks a dried leaf out from behind Ciri’s ear with cool, soft fingers, flicks it aside, then tips her chin up. “Are you ready to be beautiful?”

The girl scowls on reflex. The time she’d spent with Geralt had been bad for the girl’s hygiene, in Yennefer’s wry estimation, but no real harm had been done. She eyes Yennefer balefully from under her brow, then slowly nods. Yennefer’s fond smile widens.

“Then let’s get started,” she says, turning Ciri to sit on the ground in front of her facing the dresses. She pulls out a fine silver-handled brush and begins working the bristles through the girl’s tangled mane. She doesn’t realize she’s begun softly humming until Ciri’s voice breaks her train of thought.

“What is that?” she asks. “It’s pretty.”

“Something I heard when I was young,” Yennefer says, her brow furrowing.

“Don’t stop,” Ciri says, and perhaps they’re both surprised by the note of pleading in her tone.

Yennefer falls silent for a moment, embarrassed, and Ciri hunches her shoulders. But slowly the magic of the silvery strands of the girl’s radiant (if snarled) hair descends on her again, and when the humming arises she allows it consciously this time. Ciri relaxes under her hands, and they fall together into the sacred rhythm that’s passed between mothers and daughters for time immemorial. When she is done, Ciri’s hair shines like corn silk in the warming light of the early day.

Yennefer squeezes the girl’s shoulders, smiling against her cheek. “Let’s go get clean.” As if released from a shotput, Ciri springs into motion, rabbiting off down to the creek bed to play with the other children. Yennefer retreats to a more discreet spot further up the riverbank for her ablutions, cursing the chill of the water but unable to arse herself to magic a more elegant solution. She does indulge in a swirl of warm air afterward though, whisking the water away and warming herself with a whisper of Chaos.

When they return to camp together, Ciri stands before her new clothing and eyes it uncertainly. Yennefer comes up beside her and gives her shoulder a warm squeeze.

“Happy birthday, Ciri. This is for you.” The girl looks over her shoulder at Yennefer, green eyes wide. Yennefer nods in answer to her unspoken question- she needed no Chaos to see what was going through the girl’s mind. “Yes, I know it’s your birthday.” She bends and begins to dress herself, smiling as the girl tentatively follows suit.

“How?”

“I have my ways,” Yennefer replies archly. Ciri scoffs, and Yennefer chuckles. “Can I tell you a secret?”

“What?” she asks, giving her a skeptical eye.

Yennefer leans close, inviting Ciri into her confidence. “It’s my birthday, too,” she murmurs, then pulls back with a smile as Ciri gasps in delight.

Then the child’s face falls. “Oh! But I didn’t get you anything!” She hesitates mid-scramble into her clothing, but Yennefer gives another one of her rare laughs and helps her pull her dress the rest of the way down over her head.

“You don’t need to worry about that,” she states matter-of-factly, sweeping Ciri’s hair back from her shoulders. “And I will tell you why. Now, hold still and none of your fidgeting. I’m going to do your hair now.” Ciri obeys, as much out of surprise as any actual desire to be tractable. Yennefer begins to comb her hair again, beginning the complicated process of the fine braids she’d always envisioned her daughter having.

“Do you understand what Chaos is, Ciri?” Yennefer asks, her cool hands holding Ciri’s hair firm as she weaves it. The girl groans, kicking her heels.

“But today is a holiday! Can’t we skip lessons for one day?”

“No,” Yennefer replies matter of factly, biting back a small chuckle. “Now tell me what you know.”

“I don’t know,” the girl replies mulishly, digging in.

Yennefer smiles, giving her head a light tug for the cheek. Ciri grizzles and Yennefer hums, waiting until she settles back down. Then she explains, “Chaos is an expression of the life-force which binds us all. It is in the surge that drives the sap back into the trees in spring, and the motion of the sun through the sky. It’s in you, just like it’s within me.”

“But no it isn’t,” Ciri rebuts, frowning. “You’re a sorceress, I’m just-”

“Learning,” Yennefer breaks in firmly, her voice unexpectedly kind. “And you don’t need to be a sorceress to be a child of the life-force. All you have to do is be born, just like I was.” She strokes some hair off of Ciri’s cheek, gathering it into a ribbon tenderly. “And do you know what today is?”

“May Day?” Ciri hazards, giving Yennefer a guarded look.

“Yes. May Day is a celebration of the life force in all its forms. Now. Do you want to know a secret? I have never told anyone.”

Ciri’s eyes light up again, and she nods.

Humming, Yennefer smiles and continues to braid Ciri’s hair, gathering herself. Then she says, “When I was a girl, someone explained that very same thing to me. I didn’t understand it then, but what I took away from it was something very special indeed.” She gestures out to the campground, to the gathering slowly growing in the clearing beyond. “May Day is a celebration of the life force, of Chaos, and all the gifts that the sweetness of summer brings. Including me.” She smiles, taking in the pennants fluttering in the wind. “And secretly, deep down, I decided that the sweets and the flowers were my gifts, and the finery, and the music. Every year… no matter where I go, there are voices raised in celebration of my existence, at least in some small way. And now you know the secret. They sing for you too.”

Ciri falls silent, contemplating that as Yennefer finishes her hair. Then she turns, allowing Yennefer to fuss the last of her finery into place. As Yennefer tucks fabric and plucks at her jewelry, Ciri says, “But I still haven’t gotten you a gift.”

Yennefer stops, stepping back and looking at Ciri resplendent in her finery. Then she smiles and steps forward, cupping Ciri’s chin in her cool hands. “I already have one, Cirilla. Because this year, Destiny gifted me with the thing that I’ve wanted since I was old enough to dream.”

“And what’s that?”

“You. My daughter.”

Ciri’s eyes widen, and for a moment they look as if they are about to run over with tears. Yennefer straightens, pulling her close and tucking Ciri’s head against her collarbone. She squeezes her tight. After a moment, the girl’s stiff arms relax, and then to Yennefer’s delight, creep up to wind around her.

“I couldn’t have asked for anything more,” Yennefer murmurs into Ciri’s hair, oddly overcome. The girl tightens her arms. Eventually, a muffled murmur arises from the region of Yennefer’s chest.

“Then you’re my mother?”

“Always. To me, you will always be Cirilla, daughter of Yennefer of Vengerberg.”

“I like that…” Ciri says shyly, squeezing her until her ribs creak and Yennefer releases a small wheeze of protest.

Embarrassed, Yennefer peels Ciri off of herself and straightens her dress. “Yes. Well. Shall we go dance, daughter?”

“We shall… mother.” Ciri gives her a rare shy smile, fitting her little hand into Yennefer’s as they turn to the distant clearing. And together, they walk towards the sound of music. Their music.

Tags: @thepassifloradiscord, @your-lordsherlockholmes-posts, @something-more

#ciri #yennefer #witcher fanfic #the witcher fanfic #the witcher fanfiction #cirilla of vengerberg #yennefer of venegerberg #cirilla fiona elen riannon

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