"You know where to find me," Geralt's voice echoed in her head. Ciri absently played with the silver amulet around her neck, eyeing the beady-eyed noble she had the displeasure of dealing with now.

"Your majesty?" The noble awaited a response, giving a polite cough into a fist. He shifted in the wooden chair, its seat a little too small for the man's girth. Intentionally of course. It always made her visitors uncomfortable and less likely to extend meetings.

"Yes, I see your point, however…" The amulet's chain rattled against her neck. A tingle ran through her body as she caught the faint vision. The barest whisper of an image. Nothing but dust and exhaustion assaulted her senses when she tried to focus on it. It filled her with dread.

"Your Majesty?" The noble inquired again, adjusting the billowing beige scarf tucked into the front of his crisp white shirt.

Ciri cleared her throat, erasing the signs of concern from her face. A knock on the door drew the attentions of both the young empress and the noble she was seeing. One of the palace runners peeked inside. "I don't mean to intrude, your Imperial Majesty, but the Lady Yennefer has asked to see you. She says it is quite urgent." The young empress nodded her acknowledgement and the messenger retreated from the room to resume his other duties.

A practiced smile spread slowly on Ciri's face as she stood. "It's unfortunate, but it looks like I am needed elsewhere. We will need to continue this another time, Lord…" She paused as she tried desperately to recall the man's name.

"… Cedrick, your Majesty," offered the noble. "I'm sure the Lady could wait a few more…"

"I'm afraid not, Lord Cedrick. We will convene some other time. For now, it appears I have urgent matters to attend." She stepped past the gaping noble and out through the door, just barely managing to contain her urgency, the shaking chain a persistent reminder. Ciri stilled it in her hand and ran down the hall towards Yennefer's tower.

XxxxX

"Ciri, slow down! What's wrong?" Yennefer asked as Ciri nearly flew past her.

Ciri's lip trembled as she released her tight grip on the amulet, letting it swing free.

The sorceress watched it with wide violet eyes as it lay quivering upon Ciri's chest. Without a word, Yennefer grabbed Ciri's slender wrist and pulled her with quick steps through the door to her tower.

"When did it start?"

XxxxX

Ciri didn't know what to expect when she appeared on the desolate plain.

The bitter wind tugged at her clothes and hair and she had to squint to see anything past the dust that blew across the landscape. Monstrous warped shapes lumbered across the horizon line, but never seemed to get any closer. She hugged herself, trying to rub some warmth into her arms. She wouldn't say it was cold, more that the landscape seemed to suck to the very heat from her marrow.

What was Geralt doing in this place? Everywhere she looked it was the same. An endless grey sky and more dried earth. It felt eerie. Wrong.

Where are you Geralt? She picked a direction, hoping that it was the right one.

XxxxX

Shadowed fingers dogged her heels, slowing each step... trying to convince her to stop.

"You'll never find him. Never." The shadows whispered as they pried into her doubts. "Give up... give up... leave him…"

For now, it was fine. She could still tune out the voices, but she feared what would happen if she started to forget that they were there, that they weren't her own thoughts.

XxxxX

Perhaps she was wrong? Perhaps he wasn't even here? Maybe she should stop searching? She scanned the area again, hoping to catch a glimpse of him. Hoping.

"Geralt!" Ciri shouted again, desperate for anything to give her a reason to keep looking. "Geralt!?"

A mound shifted in the dust, the fine grains sifting off the revealed wind-burned torso.

At first Ciri approached the form slowly, but as she recognized his white hair and the familiar scar marking the left side of his face, she found herself running.

Kneeling beside him, she repeated. "Geralt?" Carefully, Ciri turned him onto his back so that his face was no longer resting against the earth. "What happened?"

His eyes opened a crack, the golden cat-like eyes peering up at her in confusion. "Ciri?" Geralt weakly raised his hand, trying to reach the side of her face.

She offered him a small smile, though its sincerity was tinged with concern over the state she had found the witcher in. "Yes, Geralt."

"I'm sorry I let you down. I…" He winced as each word caused his throat noticeable pain.

"No. No." She insisted, confused by his words. "You've always been there."

His expression was unreadable, but there was hurt in his eyes. Geralt's hand fell away and she quickly checked for breath when his eyes closed shortly afterward.

Ciri let out a relieved sigh as she watched his chest rise and fall, but the feeling was short-lived. She had to get him help. Who knew how long he had been out here?

She held him close and teleported the both of them back to the Nilfgaardian palace.

"He's dehydrated and has suffered from mild exposure, but nothing some rest shan't cure."

Geralt didn't recognize the male's voice, but he did recognize the second.

"Thank-you. I'll send for you if something else comes up."

"As you wish, Lady Yennefer."

So he wasn't dead, but Ciri? Had she been real?

The shuffling of tight formal clothes indicated a curt bow, followed closely by the soft sound of a door opening and closing. The man's aroma of chemicals and herbs lingered for a moment until a gentle breeze pulled it from the room.

The mattress dipped and he opened bleary eyes to the expanse of a large white canopy stretched above him. A sudden splayed hand on his chest kept him from sitting up.

"The doctor said you need rest."

Despite the increasing pressure from Yennefer's hand against his chest, Geralt rose. "I'll rest when I'm dead."

A sigh. "I'd prefer it if you didn't end up that way."

He rubbed a tired hand down his face, his thoughts scrambling to figure out what happened. "Where's Ciri?" was the most he could make out, his hand covering where Yennefer's was against his chest.

Yennefer's face turned sullen, and Geralt's heart clenched in response. Whether it was his expression or his hand closing around hers, the raven-haired sorceress offered him a weak smile. "It... it might be best for you not to see her right now. Wait until you've recovered your strength."

His hand tightened, and he only realized by how much when Yennefer winced. Releasing his grip, the witcher let his hand fall to his side. "Sorry."

Her demeanor softened. "If nothing else, give Ciri some time to calm down." She grabbed his hand and gave it a small squeeze. "You can see her later; it's not as if she's going anywhere soon."

The implied news shocked him. "Then she's...?"

"Ciri's fine. A little rattled after bringing you back, but fine. It's you we're worried about…" This time her smile was much more genuine. "So much for you not wanting her to worry about some old witcher."

Relief hit him like a wave, knocking Geralt back into the downy pillow. He couldn't help cracking a smile. "You're going to use that against me?"

"Of course." Yennefer rose, the bed rebounding with the loss of her weight on its edge. "There's water on the nightstand should you feel thirsty."

Geralt watched her leave. Watched how her hips swayed from side-to-side with her steps, no doubt exaggerated as the sorceress knew he was watching.

"Get some rest," she chuckled, before disappearing behind the wooden door.

He lay quietly for a moment then reached out for the silver pitcher and goblet set out for him.

XxxxX

The witcher was antsy. More frequently, he found himself pacing outside Yennefer's tower door, much to the chagrin of the Chamberlin at Geralt's continued presence.

Three days later, he found himself once more outside of the door separating the sorceress' tower from the rest of the palace. The golden ball he carried around burning a proverbial hole in his pocket.

Hesitantly, the witcher knocked on the door, fiddling for the umpteenth time with the tight collar of the black velvet shirt he had been provided.

Would Yen even hear him knocking?

He tried again, not quite wanting to gain the sorceress' ire from potentially disrupting whatever she was working on.

The door creaked open. "It was unlocked you know." Yennefer stood, posed against the door frame a hand resting against her hip.

"Didn't want to interrupt anything."

"Well aren't you the gentleman," she said coyly. "But had there been anything to interrupt, the door would have been locked."

"I'll keep that in mind." He let out a puff of air. "Hrm," started the witcher unsure of how to broach the subject of the golden orb.

The sorceress straightened, adopting a more serious air. "You've been dying to ask me about that thing in your pocket, let me see it." She held out her hand, no doubt waiting for Geralt to give her the metal device.

"Was it that obvious?" asked Geralt as he placed the orb into her palm.

"Hmm. Not at first..." Her main attention flicked to the golden ball she ushered the witcher to follow her into the upper levels of the tower.

XxxxX

Sconces secured firmly to the walls, burned brightly, illuminating the areas that the light from the single window did not reach. Pages rustled as Yennefer flipped through old tomes. Periodically, she would snap the book closed with a frown and pull another from the many bookshelves that lined her space.

He could tell her what it was, but she'd only want to confirm the information herself. So Geralt was content to wait, leaned up against the tower's stone wall, arms crossed over his chest.

Her expression grew from partially to fully baffled. Eventually, the page turning stopped. The raven-haired sorceress placed the golden ball on a rounded table. "I still don't know where you would have found this. It's a-"

"Saov Llestr. I know. Does it still..." The witcher wiggled his fingers.

The corner of the raven-haired sorceress' lip pulled, but that was all she showed of her opinion on Geralt's interruption. "No. It's quite broken." She sighed, a sign of clear disappointment towards the artifact's present condition. "I thought your medallion would have indicated as much?"

"Just wanted a second opinion." Geralt frowned, lost in thought. He didn't know what to feel. Relief mainly, but he couldn't help feeling guilty. He was free, but Cregennan had paid the price.

"Was that all you wanted to see me about?" There was a hopeful lit to her voice, though her face remained nonchalant.

His shirt's collar seemed to tighten around his trachea, and he swallowed. "I..." Geralt knew what she was asking. It was the same question she asked before. Was he going to stay? He had seemed so sure of his answer before, but now, after all that had happened?

He peeled himself away from the wall. "I still need to think about it."

"She misses you."

"Yen…"

"Would it be too much to ask you to stay? For Ciri?" For me? The words remained unspoken, but Geralt's mind supplied them for Yennefer all the same.

"I'm a witcher Yen. Nothing can change that." Not even turning human. "My place is on the Path."

Geralt could sense her disappointment. "I know," she sighed.

The witcher rubbed the back of his head. "Nothing's stopping me from wintering here, though your Chamberlin might have a fit."

Yennefer was puzzled at first, but she smiled at the implications. "Oh, I'm sure something could be worked out," she purred, closing the space between them.

"Yeah?" a similar smirk already forming on his lips.

"Of course, though you will need a more extensive wardrobe while you're here."

"Mmm. I bet you would have some ideas about that." He murmured against her neck, kissing her throat gently.

The sorceress arched into the kisses, her hands entwining in his white locks. "You always did look better in black velvet."

"Personally, I think I could look better without." Geralt said, his meaning not going unnoticed as the sorceresses eyes lit up.

"I'll be the judge of that..."

Author Notes:

Alrighty, so I got a question about the time travel, and I do answer questions left for me (posted as Author Notes for guests and as PM for users).

So to recap the question left:

So...the amulet detects Geralt at death's door between time and space, and after travelling back in time (i think that is what happened?) Ciri detected it and brought him back with the broken sphere. Buuuut he was only there cause he was dying in the present time with that sphere thingy and cregennan. So if that never happened then he would never end up there. So…he is gonna run into himself?

First I'd like to mention that in an earlier chapter, Cregennan pointed out that his soul puts the time traveler outside of the time continuum, meaning that even if Geralt undoes something that caused him to go back in time, there'd still be an instance of himself that went back in time (if that makes any sense)...

K'ay there are two possibilities for this conundrum, pick the one you like best:

1. The amulet prioritizes the "distress signal" to the earliest time. That means that the Geralt that traveled back in time would be the earliest instance that Geralt was in trouble. This then means that the Geralt in the current age would be slowly bleeding out to death due to his injuries caused by Cregennan, killing him and setting Cregennan free. The result would still stop Skj'eara from trying to complete his plan.

2. The less grim possibility is that the "isolation" from the time continuum makes it so that when Geralt travels to the same time period where he exists only one instance appears. Thus the "past" Geralt combines with the "present" Geralt once he returned to the current age. As for Cregennan, remember that O'Dimm exists outside time, thus Cregennan is permanently taken by O'Dimm such that he would no longer exist in the current period.

So I guess that was a long way of saying that no... no Geralt is not going to run into himself.