Archive of Our Own

"The Messenger-Spirit in human flesh, is assigned a dependable, self-reliant, versatile, thoroughly poet existence upon its sojourn in life" 

— G. CORSO, 'DESTINY'

Before the beginning of man, before the start of civilisation, destiny was ever present; and still was present time.

When the sun rose for the first time, destiny was there. 

When the creatures of the continent took their first steps, destiny was there.

In the beginning, destiny wasn't physical, more spiritual than anything. And then, through some miracle, perhaps it was destined to be, destiny took form. 

Destiny went by different names through different eras, thousands on top of thousands of names, new identities, but yet, destiny stayed the same.

Even through seeing the rise of humanity, to the fall of the elves, destiny stayed the same.

All but his name, which was forever changing. 

The name destiny seemed to take now?

Jaskier.

Jaskier played a part in everything, weaving his fingers flawlessly through the paths humans and creatures alike must take with time, making sure there were no flaws, and there never were. 

He was there for the plague, and the great cleansing. Humanity always had their fits and wars since their dawn, killing was always present, such as he was.

Death was an old friend. 

When Jaskier was young and naive, when Humanity had just began their lifetime, he itched to change their paths. A newborn baby didn't deserve to die so soon, it hadn't even seen the sun.

He learnt soon enough changing one destiny, can cause a ripple effect and change multiple.

He was there for the first creation of witchers, and wondered if they ever knew about him, would they try to destroy him?

He drank and laughed at his own thoughts.

He bled, but he shall not die. He will outlive all, till the vast universe takes him, as it will everyone on the continent. 

When he finds himself staring at a witcher, brooding and dark in a corner, all alone, in the tavern he happens to be playing and singing at, he finds himself deciding this mutant's destiny involves him.

It was already written. 

Yet, it felt so sudden. He knew sometimes he would make friends, some people's paths fell in love with him, he would change people's lives with his presence, but it always falls into life times ago, he expects the same for Geralt of Rivia.

He does not expect to fall in love with the witcher, already knowing how their story will turn out.

Perhaps he shoves it deep in his mind, and decides, he will not look at Geralt's path, he will follow this man blindly like he's never done before. 

He travels with the witcher, often they separate, before returning to each other, and he knows Geralt's medallion hums when he gets too close, he knows that the witcher dismisses it when he looks Jaskier straight in the eyes. 

Jaskier bleeds, chokes, makes his mistakes, but what he never expected was that he would actually fall in love with Geralt of Rivia.

They're tied up, back to back, and Filavandrel the elven king let's them go, sparing them, and Jaskier doesn't panic. 

"respect doesn't make history" he tells Geralt, before resuming his singing, and it was true.

There were the off chances he would meet sorcerers who he met hundreds of years ago, and yet, they never remember him. He wonders if he leaves Geralt, and returns some years later, would the witcher remember him?

Of course, if he pleased, Jaskier could make him remember, if he did disappear. 

The timeline decides him and Geralt would stay together for while, he ends up bringing the witcher to the betrothal feast of Pavetta of Cintra, as a bodyguard, because despite his immortality, he would rather avoid getting another sword impaling his throat just for him to pull it out later.

He recalls the time he bed a daughter of a noble man, and he found Jaskier immediately, striking his sword through his throat, and it was the first time Jaskier would have 'died' if he was human. He receives more than a sword through the throat through his life time from then on forward, and it's an inconvenience.

Not to mention it hurts, despite his heart still beating at the end of the day. 

At the betrothal feast, he witnesses Pavetta's great strength of power, and they talk of destiny. He finds out Geralt doesn't believe in him. 

And yet, as planned, Geralt claims the law of surprise as payment. 

That night he makes two couples live their lives together till their deaths, the lioness of Cintra, and her daughter, happy, and continues to leave with the witcher.

When he and Geralt return back to their Inn room, the white haired man sharpens his sword, not mentioning the child of surprise he has called for and the events of the feast.

"that was eventful, was it not?" Jaskier speaks, removing his clothes from his upper body, and pulling on his silk nightwear, and removing his bottoms to put on matching silk night bottoms.

Faint scars from years ago litter his body, from when he was attacked multiple times,

He knows the witcher sees them, but he doesn't ask, just as Jaskier doesn't ask about his scars. 

"hm" Geralt murmurs, "too much drama"

"I guess so" He nods, smiling "but this could give me some inspiration for a well ballad to be made."

He sits on the bed, staring at Geralt. "so, you don't think destiny is real? Just a reason for people to say that there's some sort of order in the world?"

Geralt makes a noise, and stops sharpening his sword, and Jaskier knows what that means. He rolls his eyes,

"well, then, let's say hypothetically, Destiny is real?" He tilts his head, "what would you do?"

"i would ask destiny.." the witcher pauses, "why did she curse humanity and creatures alike? Forcing us to go upon a path that we believe we have a say in but its all already written" He huffs, setting his sword down.

Jaskier was unsure why, but people like to think he's a woman.

But that's not the point now. 

People do get a say in the paths he writes for them. There isn't just one single line they're forced to walk by, there are thousands of opportunities in a person's life time that could resort in a change in their destiny.

He doesn't say anything else, and Geralt raises an eyebrow at him before heading to bed. Jaskier blinks, and does the same. 

They separate some time later, and the next time they meet, Jaskier had just broken up with the gracious countess de stael, and goes to the river. He finds Geralt there, and acts in faux surprise for a moment or two, before concern builds up for his friend.

He finds that Geralt is trying to get a Djinn to allow him to sleep, and Jaskier thinks perhaps the witcher didn't think this through. 

The white wolf ends up pulling the djinn bottle out of the water, and Jaskier wrestles him for it, not that he needed it, but djinns had a way of bending destiny without repercussions, in a way Jaskier couldn't even do. 

The seal breaks, and Jaskier hopes he's the one with the wishes, but he knows his isn't, but he tries anyways, yelling out commands, almost jokingly, before Geralt pulls him back and—

He smashes the bottle, Geralt yells at him, and he finds himself choking. For the first time in a long, long time, he's terrified, because he knows Djinns are powerful, and he's too terrified to remember that he, as Jaskier, doesn't die here. 

Then they meet Yennefer, and he falls into a healing slumber, already knowing what was going to happen when he awoke, and what was happening when he slept.

He tries to ignore the heartache he feels as he recalls Geralt's timeline, and how he falls for the sorceress, knowing he's the one who's done this, but when he wrote geralt's path, he didn't expect to fall in love.

At the end of the day, everything is okay, he's alive, Geralt's alive, yennefer is alive. And Geralt finally gets his sleep. The lady of Vengerberg approaches him later.

"you, Jaskier." She speaks, catching his attention.

"Witch" He scowls slightly at her, "is there anything you need? Perhaps a good song to warm your dead cold heart?"

"what I really want to know is.." She tilts her head, "what are you? The regular healing sleep spell I use for humans didn't work, I had to find another way"

Jaskier purses his lips, she was smart, he'd give her that.

"are you a doppler? No, the magic I felt inside you was stronger than anything I've ever seen" she rounds him, and smirks when she finds he's quiet.

"you're no regular bard." She hums, "tell me, what are you?"

"your magic doesn't work on me" He snaps when he senses she's trying to coax him into revealing his secrets to her with a familiar spell.

"fine, no magic" She puts her hands up, "you can talk to me"

Jaskier breathes in heavily, "tell Geralt to come to the Inn when he awakens." he turns, ready to leave.

"does he know?" she asks, "does he know you're not human?"

"no. Let's keep it that way, alright?" it's not much of a question as it is an order, he begins to walk away.

He spends another decade traveling with the witcher after the djinn, and finds they get closer and closer,

Somewhere along the line, he stops looking at Geralt's path. 

He doesn't know what could happen now, he's blind, for once.

He hears of war, that may happen soon enough with nilfgaard and Cintra, which was unexpected. He didn't expect humanity to be so foolish to go down this timeline. 

Thousands will be slaughtered. 

Just like all the previous wars.

He finds himself on a mountain with the witcher, his sorceress, and many other parties. Yennefer does not mention his mortality again, but he finds her staring at him sometimes. 

It isn't long before they're at the top of the mountain, and Jaskier missed the big stuff, pouting internally because it was a great chance for a song missed. 

But that was shoved into the back of his mind when—

"Damn it, Jaskier!" Geralt yells, "why is it whenever I find myself in a pile of shit these days, it's you shoveling it?" 

Jaskier frowns, trying to ignore the hurt building up under his skin, this felt worse than any sword through the throat, or any scar he's ever bled. Being blamed for something he couldn't have caused, well, not directly.

".. Well, that's not fair" he tries, he swears to himself internally because he fucking tries so hard just to—

"The child surprise, the djinn, all of it!" Geralt growls at him, "if life could give me one blessing, it would be to take you off my hands"

He watches as Geralt turns and walks away slightly, staring off the cliff, there's a moment of silence as Jaskier is quiet and thinks. He clenches his jaw, and his index finger rubs against his thumb, he never felt so small, so hurt, so betrayed ever..

"right.. Uh.. Right then.." he mutters, "I'll..I'll go get the rest of the story from the others.. See you around, Geralt."

As he turns and leaves, Jaskier finds himself cursing not only Geralt, not only yennefer, not only this entire fucking perdiciment, but himself as well. He let himself get hurt. He opened up his walls for a witcher, for a person who he knew was going to break his heart one way or another. 

On the walk down the mountain, he finds Yennefer back at camp, and she stops him.

"tell that brute—" she starts.

"Geralt and I are no longer travelling together" he pushes past her, going to collect his belongings.

"why is that?" She asks, almost softly, as if she can feel his pain as he feels hers- and geralts- and everyones, at the same intensity. "what did he say?"

"it turns out that when Geralt is heart broken, he lashes out, what a surprise." He says sarcastically, and as he packs his bag, he finds his hands shaking.

"you love him." She states, "I knew from the moment I saw you and him together."

"well, it turns out he doesn't love me." He speaks, trying to sound confident, but it comes out hurt. "No matter.. I.. Uh.. I'll still live at the end of the day"

He needed to keep his anger under wraps. Let his sadness out. But not his anger. Never his anger. He would never let his anger out ever again. Not since—

"what are you?" She asks again, genuine curiosity lingering in her voice.

Jaskier closes his eyes, and sighs. "I am what you call destiny." He says, he'd already lost so much, he'd already been hurt, what else could happen?

"impossible" She steps towards him, "what are you?"

"I can tell you things about yourself, if you want proof, but then again, why would I try to prove myself to you?" He finishes packing his bag, standing up again.

"well then?"

"your father sold you for four marks. You spent three weeks unable to do a single thing Tissaia de vries asked you to do. You have elven blood running through your veins" He lists, "im sure that's more than enough."

There's silence for a while, before she speaks up again, he knows she is angry, and he knows she's going to yell.

"Why then? Why put us through all of this? For fun? Do you like to see us in pain?" She doesn't yell, and Jaskier turns to her, in surprise. How had her timeline changed? She really was extraordinary.

"i— I don't.. I don't put you guys through anything. I write your stories, and give you multiple choices to change your own destiny. I just do the broad strokes." he sighs.

She crosses her arms, "so.. Will I ever actually get my fertility back?"

Jaskier scoffs, people really do stay the same, they find out who he is, and they ask him questions he cannot answer for their own gain.

Jaskier keeps walking, unanswering, he hears her yell for him, but he keeps going.

It's time for him to disappear.

Three years have passed since the mountain, and he finds himself not crossing paths with Geralt nor Yennefer again. He plays at court, teaches at oxenfurt for a while, and hears of Cintra's fall, and how Temeria is going to fight back.

He stays as Jaskier, for a while, he doesn't plan to change his name. He finds himself in a town outside of novigrad, and he feels it in his bones, he knows who has arrived in the same town, as destiny for told.

A little girl, and a certain witcher. They happen to walk into the same tavern as he. 

He sighs, leaving coin on the table, and ready to leave. He still hadn't read Geralt's path, but he didn't expect to cross it again.

"Jaskier" a familiar voice calls out to him, and he freezes.

He gulps, gripping his lute tightly. 

"Jaskier—"

"Geralt?" he turns around, "wow, this must be destiny, crossing paths again. I'll get out of your hair, I was leaving this town anyways"

"Mr Jaskier?" The girl next to Geralt says, and Jaskier recognises her as Cirilla, the lion cub of Cintra.

"your highness" He smiles at her. He always sang for her birthday feasts.

"Jaskier, we need to talk" Geralt tries, and Jaskier slowly nods, only because he was curious to what he had to say.

They sit at the table Jaskier had just left, and Jaskier sees that Geralt looks exhausted, as does Ciri, the war was hard for all, but it looked as if it was particularly heavy for these two.

"last time we spoke" Geralt starts, "I.. I lashed out."

"that you did" Jaskier rubs his wrists nervously, "what of it?"

"I'm.. Sorry, Jaskier'' Geralt mutters, "i was pissed that Yennefer left, I was heartbroken and.."

"I know." He says softly at the witcher, "but in your heart ache, you hurt me"

"which was wrong to do" Geralt insists, "and I regretted it the moment you walked away"

Jaskier bites his bottom lip gently, and stares back at Geralt. 

"Why didn't you come find me?"

"it seemed you were swept away, i— I tried, I asked around for you, yet you were untraceable"

Right. He remembers he spent a year off the charts. It was isolating.

Jaskier nods knowingly, "you found your child surprise, the great Princess Ciri," he smiles at her, "i'm glad you survived the war"

"personally, I'm shocked you survived, with your lack of preservation." Geralt jokes, and Jaskier stares in surprise as a low chuckle escapes the witcher. Ciri really did lighten Geralt up.

Jaskier lets out a chuckle, "I guess so, I did get mugged countless times though"

They get some ale, Jaskier pretends not to see Ciri sip some out of Geralt's tankard, and he's sure the witcher notices, but doesn't scold her.

It gets late, and Geralt takes Ciri to their room at the Inn, and Jaskier is unsure whether Geralt wants him to come or not because—

If life could give me one blessing, it would be to take you off my hands.

But then Geralt turns to him before they leave the tavern and makes a gesture as if asking if he was coming along. An invitation.

Which he accepts with open arms. 

Before he knows it, he's on the road with Geralt and Ciri. They stop more often and they used to, because of Ciri getting tired, and Geralt's need to train her in combat.

They come across a creature, one time, while they're training. It comes from the ground, suddenly, and Jaskier immediately grabs Ciri as Geralt tells him too, before the witcher draws his silver sword. 

Ciri struggles against Jaskier when he tries to pull her back, because this fight was getting messy, and he would curse himself if he let her get hurt.

She slips out of his hold, and runs towards them, drawing the dagger Geralt had given her, wanting to help the witcher—

Jaskier grabs Ciri, again, and twists around, using his body to guard her when the creature attacks towards her direction. He hears his doublet tare, and he screams in pain; but pushes the girl forward, away from the creature. He hears Geralt yell out, and the thump in the ground as the creature falls limp and dies.

He collapses on the ground, fuck, it felt like his back was on fire. He could feel warm blood flowing down his back, and clenches his fists in the grass to stop himself from screaming out. 

Well, at least Ciri was okay. 

He feels Geralt kneel next to him, putting pressure on the wound on his back. 

"Jaskier, I need you to stay awake" Geralt says firmly.

"tell me a story" he says tiredly, "that'll keep me awake" he leans against the witcher as Geralt picks him up. "and don't be stingy with the details''

"Okay, okay.." Geralt mutters, "let me tell you the story of when I fought a leviathan, nasty fella it was. Trapped me right between its rows and rows of teeth,"

Somewhere along the line of Geralt's story, he begins to doze off, trying to fight the black edging at his vision. 

When Jaskier awakes, he's on a bed, his doublet is tattered and on the floor, and a bandage is wrapped around his chest.

As he tries to sit up, a hand pushes him back down.

"your wound healed quite fast, perhaps that's the perks of being destiny?" Yennefer says, staring down at him. "Geralt summoned me, panicked and begged me to help you."

Jaskier nods, and groans.

"so you feel pain, but your wounds are never fatal. If you were human, that wound would have taken a week to heal"

"where is he? Is Ciri okay?" He asks, ignoring her words.

"Ciri and Geralt are having dinner near the fireplace." Yennefer brings a bowl to his face, and Jaskier tilts his head up to sip from it slowly.

Jaskier nods after she removes the bowl from his lips. 

"when are you going to tell him?" She asks, raising an eyebrow.

"Never. I don't plan to" He sighs,

"does he find out anyways?"

"I refuse to look at his path, or anyone's path who is close to me, Yennefer," He tells her, "I just let them take their course. Choose what they want. If he finds out, then that's what timeline he chose."

"interesting" She hums, taking a seat. "How old are you?"

"How old is the continent?" He remarks, "hasn't anyone told you how rude it is to ask someone that?"

"destiny is always described as a woman. Did you decide to change your gender or..?" she questions.

Jaskier rolls his eyes and answers all of her questions, a couple he finds himself unable to answer, and suddenly, Geralt walks in.

"Jaskier, you're awake" He speaks, and Jaskier could swear he saw a smile on the witchers face.

"I am, haven't gotten rid of me that easily" He jokes, smiling.

Geralt sits next to him, and despite Yennefer pushing him down earlier, he felt fine, and sat up. 

"You saved Ciris life, I don't know how to thank you" Geralt mutters, meeting his eyes.

"perhaps a better camping spot next time?" Jaskier smirks, "it's fine. I would risk everything for her, she's a sweetheart. A bit foolish though. I tried to get her away, and she fought me"

"I know, she received a good scolding" Geralt sighs, "Yennefer told me you healed rather quickly. You're lucky"

Yennefer let's out a snort as Jaskier gives her a slight glare, and Geralt raises an eyebrow. 

"when did you two get so close?"

"we aren't" Jaskier sighs, just for Yennefer to grin and laugh.

The rest of the day went by similarly, until Yennefer decided to give Geralt and him a bit of privacy. The witcher looks at Jaskier sheepishly, almost awkward, and Jaskier feels his heart bang against his ribcage.

"I was.. Worried." Geralt admits. "when you passed out on me. I panicked, and immediately called for Yenn. She's amazing"

Jaskier sourly nods. Of course he thought that.. Yennefer was the apple of his eye. 

It was better off that way. 

"I guess you could say the witch works wonders" Jaskier shrugs, fingers fidgeting with each other.

"if it wasn't for her...i wasn't sure you were going to survive" Geralt says sombrely.

"well, if I didn't, I'm sure it wouldn't have made a difference" Jaskier finds his voice quiet, looking away from the witcher.

"what do you mean?" Geralt tilts his head slightly, confusion written all over his face.

"if I died or disappeared, you would just go on with life. It's not like you need me—"

"you're my bard, Jaskier." Geralt squints, "don't put yourself down"

Jaskier feels his face heat up slightly, and he feels something well in his throat at that. His. Geralt called Jaskier his bard.

"okay" Jaskier clenches his jaw in an attempt to hide his smile, but it comes out uncontrollably anyways, and Geralt rolls his eyes.

"is Ciri alright?" He asks, and Geralt nods.

"her hands are sore from peeling potatoes. Punishment for not listening to me when I told you two to run" He shrugs, and Jaskier snorts.

"i hope she doesn't feel this is her fault" Jaskier hums, "she just wanted to help you"

"I had everything handled"

"I know that, but she's a kid, she saw you in danger, and ran on instinct to help you. Isn't that.. Heroic?" He raises an eyebrow, shaking his head slightly to move his hair out of his face.

"it's foolish and got you hurt" He huffs, and Jaskier sees as he eyes his scars.

"you can ask. Only under the condition I get to ask about yours" Jaskier grins, leaning forward, and the white wolf lets out a breath from his nose.

"okay." Geralt nods slowly. He guides his hand up Jaskiers arm, landing on a scar that rings around his upper arm.

His arm was amputated, but healed back (rather painfully, he might add. A whole month of wearing a heavy cloak to hide his gross growing arm) quickly. Of course, he couldn't tell Geralt that.

"reached down a rabbit hole, there was a ring of razor sharp steel that had my arm stuck for a while before a friend came and found me." he lies.

"hmm.. Fool" Geralt remarks, and Jaskier immediately points to a scar around the witcher's neck.

"angry villager tried to slit my throat" he murmurs "didn't do it right."

Geralt points at a small scar on Jaskiers ring finger, and the bard snorts, that was a funny one. He got it stuck in a ring, and ended up raring skin when he tried to take it off. 

"finger got stuck in a diamond ring. Some skin tore when I finally managed to get it off" He grins, "that's when I started laying off the pastries. My fingers were getting too fat to play, even"

"You could do with some meat on your bones right now, though" Geralt tells him, voice surprisingly soft.

"I guess" He wraps his index finger and thumb around his wrist, and finds they almost touch, and shrugs. He slowly takes his hand to Geralt's chest.

"there's a scar here. Jagged, and I could tell it was deep. I saw it when I last bathed you. What's it from?" He asks, pressing his brows together.

"hm, drowner, got me real good while I was picking up some loot" He explains, "it wasn't as deep as you thought"

Jaskier nods, and they continue to exchange stories and explanations over their scars, Jaskier avoids answering a couple, and Geralt doesn't press; and vise versa.

Eventually, the bard watches as the witcher blinks tiredly, and chuckles. "You should head to bed" he tells him.

Geralt stands and nods, and Jaskier fights the urge to pull him back and share the bed he was currently in.

Geralt leaves silently, and Jaskier rubs his fingers against each other. His power was beginning to loosen and he was getting reckless. Timelines were changing, when he last looked through Yennefers time timeline, he hadn't appeared in it for another two years. But here he was. And Ciris? She wasn't supposed to fight him like that.

He closes his eyes tightly. 

His emotions were getting the best of him. Just like last time. 

Last time. Gods. fuck. last time. 

He really fucked up. 

Caused the deaths of millions with one single mistake, because he let himself get mad, get angry, let his powers loose and he—

But he wasn't mad. He was heart broken. 

Despite their recent closeness, and bonding, Jaskier didn't think he and Geralt were going to end up together in the end. And he despised that. 

He had to push away these feelings and keep everything in check. If he wasn't stable, humanity, non humans, and creatures alike will have unstable and unsure paths. 

Some part of him wanted to indulge in a little chaos some times, let himself feel, and be normal. What he would give to be human, he's lived so long he's gotten sick of walking the continent.

He falls asleep. 

Geralt questions why he hasn't aged. 

At first he stutters over his answer, which wasn't really an answer—

"Yeah well.. What are you accusing me of?" He blurted, and the witcher went 'hmm' like usual, and kept walking.

They're going to the coast, just for a visit. A little vacation, that with much begging (from him and ciri) Geralt has agreed to.

The town right by the coast is small, and quint, and everyone knows everyone, and Jaskier recognises it. He recognised the area. It was the area he first opened his eyes in. Where he took his first steps, and wrote his first path. He awoke in the sand, the water touching his feet and cool air hitting his face.

Maybe that's why he loved the coast so much.

"Jaskier.. Is that you?" Ciri speaks up, as they enter the tavern. A painting of one of Jaskiers old personas lay on the wall behind the bar, and Jaskier was surprised they stl had it.

"no" He shrugs, "must be someone that looks a lot like me. Must have been terribly narcissistic to get a entire painting of himself"

To his defense, he was going through a phase. 

"watch your tongue, boy" a old man snaps at him, "that man is the founder of our village. If it wasn't for him, we wouldn't be one of the oldest villages in the entire continent."

Jaskier holds back a snort, and nods, "sorry, sir" he tries, and Geralt grabs his arm and shoves him to sit down next to Ciri.

"the resemblance is uncanny" Geralt shrugs, "his hair is a bit too long though"

Jaskier rolls his eyes and calls down a barmaid, asking for two tankards of ale, and three hot meals.

They're eating, and Jaskier finishes his food quickly, and blinks in surprise as Geralt shovels some of his rice and meat onto Jaskiers plate.

"oh, uh, thanks," Jaskier says, slowly eating.

"so you said there's a cottage near here we could rent out?" Geralt askes.

"well, I kind of own it." He mutters, "haven't been there in a while though. It was my families before my mother and father passed"

Mother and father was a broad term to use. The old couple took him in and started telling everyone he was their son around 25 years ago. They left the cottage in his old name. Julian Alfred Pankratz.

"oh, I'm sorry" Ciri speaks up, patting his arm. "I'm sure you miss them"

He did. They were undeniably nice, and cared for him as if he was their actual son. Closest thing he had to his parents.

"yeah" He clears his throat. "we need to drop by the market before we head there, I'm sure there's no food for the next week." 

Geralr nods, and they finished eating, they left the tavern, and headed towards the market, buying meats and rice grains, some vegetables and fruits, Ciri carrying a bag close to her chest as Geralt carried as many as he could, as did Jaskier.

They're ready to leave the market when..

"Julian!" A man yells, and Jaskier turns to face him, unprepared for the hug that was sent his way.

"it's been forever, I thought you were never coming back" The man cups his cheek, and Jaskier smiles at him softly.

His ex. They'd left on good terms, that Jaskier couldn't stay in this little town, it wasn't his, ironically, destiny.

"it's been twenty years" Jaskier sighs, and sees the ring on his exs finger. "you have a wife, or husband" he pulls away from the man's touch.

"Are you back to stay, good friend?" his ex persists.

"no, uh, just a vacation" he tells him awkwardly.

"ah, well.." he looks over Jaskiers shoulder and sees Geralt and Ciri. "we can catch up later, you seem busy"

Jaskier nods, and is given another hug before the man leaves. He sighs, and turns back to Geralt and Ciri, guiding them out of the market.

"I didn't know you courted men" Ciri pipes up, curious.

"Neither did I" Geralt says lowly.

"gender isn't something I find of utmost importance" Jaskier shrugs, "my handsomeness can't just be contained for women"

Geralt snorts and bumps his shoulder against the bards, and Jaskier smiles at him. Ciri giggles, and they find their way to the cottage, entering quickly and setting down the paper bags.

"there's only two bedrooms, Ciri can have the one to the right, and Geralt and I can share" Jaskier tells them, grins at the witcher, "hope you don't mind getting all close and personal, witcher"

Geralt smirks and rolls his eyes, and Jaskier chuckles. Both adults blink when Ciri groans and crosses her arms at the two.

"just kiss already," She huffs, "you're doing more ogling at each other than my grandmother did to her husband"

Jaskier flushes red, and Geralt stares at her unblinking.

"uh.." Jaskier clears his dry throat. "I think you may have misunderstood my teasing, dear Child."

Ciri raises an eyebrow expectantly, and Jaskier glances at Geralt, who seemingly took his eyes off Ciri and looked at the bard a minute ago.

"personally, I don't think Geralt even likes men" Jaskier looks away, "and it's not like I like him or.."

Jaskier didn't see the disappointment etched on Geralt's face when Jaskier had said that, but Ciri did, and she pats her witchers arm gently, giving him a nod. 

Geralt let's a sigh erupt from his throat. "well, if you think I only like women, then you really haven't been paying attention"

Jaskier stares at him with wide eyes for a moment. "oh"

"I'm going to go get some water for a bath. I saw a well down the road" Geralt pushes past the child and bard, grabbing the bucket next to the door, and leaving.

"and you are a moron, you absolute fool" Ciri pinches the bridge of her nose.

"what?"

"he likes you!" She exclaims, throwing her hands in the air. "I am sick of seeing you two hopelessly flirting."

Jaskier puts a hand over his face. "he does not like me. He loves yennefer"

"Yennefer and him are of the past, Jaskier." She crosses her arms, "Geralt told me things were never going to be real between them. Because of his wish. And she doesn't want him. But he wants you"

"he wants Yennefer!" Jaskier huffs, he had seen it so clearly when he first looked at Geralt's path. He falls in love with Yennefer of Vengerberg. They raise Ciri. They get their happy ending.

"no, he doesn't," Ciri insists. "Trust me. Talk about your feelings before it's too late and Geralt gives up. Go. Help him at the well, and use it as a chance to talk"

Jaskier rubs the back of his neck and sighs.

"fine. But if I get heart broken, you owe me" he tells her.

She pushes him lightly, and he leaves the cottage, making his way down the road where he saw the well, and he finds Geralt pulling the rope to bring up the bucket.

He has an idea. 

Perhaps it's stupid.

Oh well. 

He twists his lute around his body, to his front, and starts strumming, and is surprised to see the witcher jump; shocked, and turn around to stare at Jaskier.

"with golden laced hands, the lover took her heart" He sings, "her heart.. Oh, how her heart was warm."

He leans against the well when Geralt grunts and begins to pull the rope again, but let's Jaskier keep singing. 

"and the lover sang, his voice clear as day, he sang... I love you..how I love you.." He stops strumming, but keeps singing, suddenly, he takes Geralt's hands from the rope, and let's the bucket drop once more.

"never will she doubt his love again.." He finishes, blue eyes staring right into golden ones, wide, and hopeful.

"Jaskier" Geralt's voice is surprisingly weak, pleading at the bard.

"I love you, Geralt '' He admits, he hadn't said the three words, genuinely, in a long time. But here he was, in front of the only person that can make his knees go weak. "damn me, I love you, and it hurts because I..I know you don't love me back. Your heart is encapsulated by the lady of vengerberg"

"you fool" Geralt takes his hands away from Jaskier, pinching his nose similarly to how Ciri had done moments ago. "you and your stupid fuckin' singing, I fell in love with you and your damn persistent annoying stories"

"But.." Jaskier chokes on nothing, how? Why? This isn't how it was supposed to go. He was happy, but he was confused, and concerned for the timeline.

Geralt puts a hand on the back of Jaskiers neck and leans his forehead against the bards. "but nothing." he sighs out, "I love you. Said it twice."

Jaskier closes his eyes, and lets out a breath of relief, perhaps, he unconsciously changed the timeline. 

Perhaps. 

The next day, they're on the coast, Jaskier is sitting with his toes in the sand and the water reaches up and touches them sometimes. Ciri is playing in the sand, and Geralt is taking a swim in the water.

He closes his eyes, and his fingers dig into the sand, he decides to take a random look at a lifeforms destiny. 

He ends up picking a baby deer. 

It's huddling with its mother for warmth. 

It dies next hunting season. 

"Jaskier...?" Ciris voice is next to his ear, and his eyes snap open. And he realises she was staring at his hands.

When he decides to look Into paths and timelines, the tips of his fingers will turn the colour gold. 

"it's not—"

He stops speaking when she puts her silver dagger against his skin, on the dull side, not threatening him, just wanting to see if it would burn him. 

It doesn't. 

"what are you?" She asks, dropping the dagger, and taking his hand in hers, the gold colour slipping away.

He cups her cheek, smiling. "none of your concern, Cirilla. When you're older, perhaps I may tell you"

"I'm old enough" she pouts, "if you don't tell me, I'll ask Geralt"

"he doesn't know. That I'm not.. Human" Jaskier admits awkwardly, glancing at the witcher who was swimming laps.

"then I'll tell him if you don't tell me" She blackmails, smirking, and smug.

"I'm.. Destiny" He bites his lip, "you humans call me destiny."

"okay.." She looks confused. "how is that possible?"

"one day I just.. Woke up, and I was weaving my fingers through timelines and paths, creating roads for humans and creatures alike to go down" He puts a hand through her hair, touch gentle and reassuring.

"why do you torture us?"

A common question he's asked when he's revealed. It's always the first time he's asked. Perhaps, he did torture the people who walk the contenint.

"I.. I don't. Think of it like this. I write the broad outline of the story, but it is you that interprets it" Jaskier tries, "you change the story, with how you approach it and with your actions"

"you killed my family" She looks distraught, and Jaskier closes his eyes.

"no. I didn't." He digs his hands in the sand. "the choices of some very misled people did"

Ciri stares at him for a good minute, and Jaskier hears Geralt get out of the water.

"I..."

"think it over little one, but please, don't tell Geralt" He pleads.

"don't tell me what?" said the man sitting next to Jaskier, putting a hand on the bards shoulder and leans close.

Ciri clenches her fists. 

"I.." She meets Jaskiers eyes. "nothing. Don't tell you nothing." She looks at Geralt, smiling.

Jaskier sighs, and leans close to the witcher, who puts a small kiss on his neck.

"you should have joined me in the water" Geralt noses his neck, breathing him in.

"it's too early, do you want me to freeze my arse off?" He laughs, "I can't believe you actually went for a swim. You're going to catch a cold"

"hm" Geralt shrugs, "it was nice."

"uh-huh, I'd like to hear you say that when you have a fever in an hour" He rolls his eyes, "we should get inside. I want to get some sleep"

"oh, why is that? Didn't you sleep last night?" Geralt speaks smugly, knowing. 

"har-har, Geralt of Rivia" He pushes Geralt gently.

"you go ahead of us. Ciri looks like she's having fun" Geralt looks over his shoulder at the girl, "she needs this"

"alright, but when you find me taking up the entire bed, you cannot move me" he grins, "I'll see you back at the cottage" he gets off the sand, brushing it off his bottom and trousers.

As Jaskier gets off the coast, he finally puts his shoes back on, and starts walking to the cottage.

Halfway there, a little past the well from the day before, he hears a rustle in the bushes on the edge of the woods, and tenses slightly. 

"hello?" He speaks out, "is anyone there?"

He's suddenly aware of the presence behind him, approaching quickly, and then unexpectedly, everything goes black; pain rushing through his head.

It feels like a split second has passed when he opens his eyes again, but he knows for a fact at least a couple of hours have passed. Geralt would have noticed his absence by now. 

Jaskier tries to move, but his arms are tied to the chair he's been sitting down on, and so are his legs. The room is dark, until its not, a man with a torch entering, before said man puts the torch in the holder on the wall.

"Julian, you're awake" the kidnapper says, and Jaskier doesn't like the way his name rolls off his tongue.

"uh, hello, do I happen to know you?" He asks, "if it's about a time I supposedly bed with your wife, sister or daughter, you can send me complaints by letter—"

He's backhanded before he can finish his sentence, 

"hush" the man says, "you're travelling with the witcher, no?"

Jaskier gulps, and squints. "who does it concern?"

"the mayor. Now speak" The man orders.

"I.. Im travelling with my boyfriend and our daughter" He says, it isn't much of a lie, but it isn't telling much of truth either.

"your boyfriend? The witcher. Geralt of Rivia. I've heard the songs you've sung about him. Guess the only reason he kept you around was because you were a good lay"

"you plan on trapping him, don't you?" it dawns upon Jaskier like a ton of bricks. Geralt could be in danger because of him. "what does the mayor want with him?"

"I'm asking the questions here, bard."

"you must know I won't talk no matter what you say—"

"oh it's not a matter of what I say but more of a matter of what I do" the man steps forward, "and by the end of the day, or week, or month, or year, you will talk."

"ha!" Jaskier laughs out, "you think Geralt will let me stay here for even an hour? He's.. Probably on his way now"

"You sound uncertain, I'm sure what I said earlier was right. Just kept you around for a good lay" He rounds Jaskier in the chair, "how did you meet him?"

"well, it's a funny story actually— you won't believe this — in your mother's bed"

Jaskier gets his laugh for a split second before his head is pulled back by his hair, and the man stares down at him. 

"I wonder if you'd keep laughing if I burnt half your face off."

Jaskier chokes on his laughter, gulping. "uh..i met him in a tavern. I approached him"

The man let's go of Jaskiers hair, and steps in front of the bard. "good. Now, why come back? You left, for good, that's what you said. Why come back and with a witcher no less?"

"oh, just a little holiday, y'know. Got a little homesick, so I begged Geralt to come with me" he shrugs as best as he could with his hands tied up.

"Where is Geralt of Rivia now?"

They don't know about the cottage, or must have assumed that they'd stay in an Inn.  Jaskier stays quiet.

"where is Geralt of Rivia?" he asks again, and when Jaskier doesn't answer, he rolls up his sleeves, before cracking a punch into Jaskiers face.

Jaskier winces as he feels his nose bleed. 

"personally, I'm not sure. Did you check your sisters pussy—"

Another punch. 

Jaskier laughs out, the laugh a bit wheezy from the punch, and as a reward, receives a third pounding to the face, and Jaskier swears he can feel a tooth get loose.

"so, we know he's in town. You said daughter? What does this girl look like?" the man adjusts his gloves on his hands.

"like hell I'd tell you" Jaskier rolls his eyes, "the day you touch that girl is the day I die"

"so, perhaps, very soon?" the man grabs something from a table next to the wall, and approaches Jaskier again. Tweezers. He begins to pull out the bards thumb-nail, and Jaskier screams out, before closing his eyes and clenching his jaw.

"for every minute you don't tell me about the girl, or Geralt of Rivia, I will pull out a fingernail. You have 9 left. So that's nine minutes. If you don't answer then, I'll resort to breaking your fingers one by one" he moves the tweezers to Jaskiers index nail, ready to pull.

Jaskier closes his eyes, and keeps his mouth shut, as he feels another nail get pulled out. 

"you want to know about Geralt?" He pants, and the man pauses, "he has a bigger dick than you, and your father combined"

His middle finger nail is gone, and he screams out again.

Eventually, all of his nails are gone, dismissed on the floor in a small pile, and his hands are bloody and shaking. Jaskier takes a wet, shaky breath in, before smirking at the man in front of him. 

"still confident I see." He puts the tweezers back onto the table and grabs a hammer. "such a shame you won't ever be able to play the lute again"

"the biggest shame will be that I won't be able to finger fuck your mother—"

Jaskier howls out a scream as the hammer smashes down on his finger.

"Where is Geralt of Rivia from? What type of monsters does he fight?"

"monsters like you, you whore-son" Jaskier closes his eyes, and the hammer comes down again; missing his fingers and hitting his arm at full speed. Definitely not a mistake.

"How old is he?"

He refuses to speak, and it feels like pain filled hours pass when the hammer drops back on the table and he finds himself unable to move his arm and hands.

Hesbeenthroughworsehesbeenthroughworsehes—

He tries to remind himself of this, but this still hurts, he still let's out pitiful tears and cries. 

"this could have been avoided. But I think it's time to resort to chopping these poor bastards off" He twists Jaskiers' broken index finger, drawing a yell from him. "but it's late. So I'm going to let you suffer, and tomorrow, I'll be back."

It didn't take long for Geralt to notice his bard was missing, at first, he supposed Jaskier went into town and was going to be back soon, but as the sun began to set, the more worried he became. He adjusts his sword on his back, and tucks Ciri In, before leaving the cottage quietly. 

He asks around for Jaskier, and people say they definitely haven't seen him.

He searches and searches, using his witcher senses whenever he thinks he has a lead, but it's a dead end. 

He stays up the entire night till the sun is rising, and curses himself. 

Jaskier was nowhere to be found. 

The bard couldn't have disappeared into thin air, but this town gave him a bad vibe and he wasn't going to stop looking for him. When he goes back to the cottage, he makes sure to refill Roaches bucket of oats and water before entering the small building again.

He walks in and finds Ciri eating an apple, waiting for him. 

"You were out all night," she starts. "you haven't found him. Did you look everywhere?"

"I'm sure I did" He blinks tiredly, sitting down next to her and taking an apple from the basket of fruit that was settled on the table in front of them.

"he'll be fine" She frowns. "he's Jaskier...he.."

Geralt stares at her, watches as she holds something back from him. A secret. But he doesn't press. She'll tell him when she's ready.

"get some sleep, Geralt" she murmurs, "i'm gonna stay inside all day, I haven't read a book in a while"

Geralt begrudgingly nods, and stalks his way to the bedroom not a day ago he was sharing with the bard, and undresses from his armour, falling asleep. 

Jaskier is awoken by cold water thrown to his face, and the man from last night standing in front of him.

"ugh..what a pleasant way of waking someone up. Your wife must love you" he murmurs, "do you have any breakfast for me? I'm quite peckish"

The man holds out a handful of oats. "eat from my hand like a pig, bard"

Degrading. That's what this was. The hand got closer to his face, and he slowly ate the dirty oats, obviously taken from a horse's meal. 

The hand draws away before he can finish all the oats, getting barely a mouthful of it before the man them aside.

"so, last night we discussed your latest punishment. I'm going to sever your fingers if you don't talk, bard— well, with these hands, I'm sure you can't play, and what's a bard that can't play?"

Jaskier winces when the man gives his hand a tight squeeze, and he bites his tongue. 

He would never betray Geralt or Ciri. 

The torture starts, and Jaskier closes his eyes when he feels the bone before his knuckle snap, and his flesh is cut into.. He tries to hold back his cries and screams, he really does, but it hurt so fucking much—

"tell me and the pain will end"

Jaskier sobs, nono- he would not reveal Ciri and geralt's location. His fingers would grow back, perks of being immortal with supernatural healing, but It doesn't really help with the pain.

"y'know, I might make a necklace collection out of your fingers—"

Jaskier pants heavily. His ears started ringing, and the man's words started fading out. He only focuses again when the man slaps his face to catch his attention.

"what does the mayor want with him?" he asks the man, quiet, clenching his jaw every now and then.

"you see, a mutant, a witcher to be precise, murdered his wife. He swore revenge by murdering every witcher he's come across." the man pauses, "but to be fair, the wife was a monster. But the mayor doesn't see that. What he says goes."

Jaskier blinks slowly, his eyes looking at his hand suddenly. He's had an entire arm amputated one time, why isn't this any easier?

Because of how fucking slow this was being done, he finds himself answering his own question. 

He loses two fingers, before someone comes in, and stops the man. They tell him the mayor was coming to see Jaskier. 

Jaskier gulps. 

Before he knew it, where his fingers were, were being gauzed and disinfected before the mayor arrived and Jaskier's head lolls to the side, exhausted and aching.

He just wanted to go home. 

The mayor speaks, but Jaskier doesn't listen, his ears are just ringing, and he doesn't have the energy to focus. 

A week passes, and Geralt still hasn't come. His fingers were beginning to grow back and he was terrified of the idea that his torturer would find out. 

"he isn't coming" Jaskier says as the man steps in, his eyes are closed, and his head is bowed. Blood is dripping from his mouth, from a beating he had received earlier because he sang too much. "and you know I'm not going to answer you."

The man steps towards him, and brushes a hand on the gauze, and undoes it, to find tiny numbs growing back.

"you aren't human" a hand brushes to his cheek, it's so fucking gentle that Jaskier almost leans into it, he just wants something nice for once.

This week was supposed to be a vacation. 

"Julian Alfred pankratz, now goes by Jaskier, mother and father deceased, but someone told me that, that old couple? Really wasn't your parents. So what are you?" he asks, "a mutant perhaps? Wanting to be human?"

Jaskier almost laughs,

"personally, I don't care. But I'm quite excited about the discovery that you grow back your fingers.. I can chop them off as many times as I want" the man drags the familiar butchers knife over the stubs, and Jaskier sobs out, and cries.

"no— please," he tries to struggle against the restraints. "I'll tell you where he is. Just dont—"

The man smirks, and Jaskier feels pathetic. He's never felt so low in his entire life time. 

"where is he?" He asks, putting pressure on the butcher knife.

Jaskiers breath hitches, "the cottage—"

He screams when the knife presses down hard, and slices through his skin. 

"don't lie. We checked there. It's empty."

Did they leave?

Jaskier closes his eyes, tears coming out silently. They left.

The knife leaves his finger, and Jaskier feels like he can breath again. He's been tortured before, but.. He always had an easy way out. Always saved last minute or— he fights his way out. But right now, he was weak, and there was no one to save him.

Another week passes, the man waits for his fingers to grow back before—

One day, the man doesn't come.

Jaskier considers it a blessing. He passes the time by looking through timelines, where this wouldn't be happening, where he would be at the coast..

Footsteps approach in front of him, and Jaskier tenses, still not opening his eyes. 

"Jaskier."

The bards eyes snap open, and his blue ones meet golden eyes. 

"Geralt '' he almost cries in relief.

The witcher rushes to his side, undoing the straps holding down his hands and legs. 

"can you walk?" He asks softly.

Jaskier slowly shakes his head, and just as Geralt was getting ready to pick him up, the man who had been torturing him ran in, raising his sword; about to strike—

"That's enough!" Jaskier yells out, hands turning golden and eyes shining. The ground rumbles and his voice echoes with power.

The man stumbles and yells out. 

Geralt stares at him in shock for a moment before twisting around and drawing his sword, and slicing it through Jaskiers torturer.

Jaskiers eyes don't leave Geralt as the witcher slowly sheaths his sword, and turns to look at him.

"I'll explain when we've gotten somewhere safe" he tells the witcher quietly. "just get me out of here"

Geralt nods, and picks Jaskier up gently, cradling him to his chest. As they leave the dungeon, Jaskier sees the bodies on the floor of the guards.

"i'm sorry I took so long" Geralt speaks up, "there were no leads to where you were"

"I know" Jaskiers voice cracks, and he sighs out.

Before he knows it, he's back in the cottage, on his bed. Geralt looks over his injuries, most of his fingers had healed since they were broken, but they looked bruised. His index and middle finger on his left hand were stumps, but he knew they would grow back. A broken rib, or two.

Geralt may as well wrap him up in a blanket and call it a day. 

But his witcher slowly bandages his chest, his arm, and fingers, making sure every single roll was firm and in place.

Jaskier leans against the soft sheets and pillows like they were heaven, and he gives a smile to Geralt.

Tiredly, he speaks up, "ask."

"when you're better" Geralt leans over and kisses his forehead, "I need to go make some stew. Get some rest."

Jaskier closes his eyes, he was home.

He was safe.

He has a nightmare that night, as expected, he wouldn't be magically fine after being tortured and interrogated. 

But he has to remember he's fine, he's okay, he's safe. 

When he wakes up from his nightmare, Geralt is asleep in a chair next to his bed. 

Geralt was protecting him. He was okay. 

Two weeks pass, the nightmares happen less often, and his hands are fine, back to normal, scars ringing his fingers, but fine. Even despite the shaking. 

He's on the coast again, breathing in the air, and Ciri has her head in his lap, and Geralt is next to him. 

"What are you?" Geralt finally askes, the question that has been on the witcher tongue for weeks.

Jaskier finally tells Geralt what he is. 

He sees the witchers disbelief, before putting the pieces together. He doesn't expect a good reaction. 

"and here I thought I was older than you" Geralt murmurs.

Jaskier didn't expect a joke. 

"you aren't mad? Not going to ask why I.. Put you through everything?" Jaskier asks him.

"we decide our own fates. You're just a.. Not so hidden force giving us a little push." He shrugs.. "of course I'm mad, but right now, let's keep the peace level" he gestures to a relaxful Ciri in his lap. "who else knows?"

"Yenn, Ciri.. A handful of sorcerers I'm sure are dead now" He shrugs.

"I'm the last to find out"

"I was scared of how you were going to react. You don't hide your distaste for the idea of destiny." Jaskier hums, "I love you, and I didn't know if I told you, you could be gone, you would leave"

Geralt is quiet. "do you know how everything works out? With me?"

"I stopped looking at your path a long, long time ago." Jaskier meets his eyes. "even if I did know, I couldn't tell you"

"what if I leave?"

"then if that's what you want, fine, I won't try to find you. I get it" He looks away from Geralt, and looks out to the sunset.

It gets dark, and Geralt picks up the sleepy Ciri, and they walk back to the cottage together. Once Ciri is tucked in, Geralt walks out. Now he looks angry.

"fuck you" he says, it comes out as a whisper, but it has the weight of a yell.

"that's.. Fair" Jaskier fidgets his fingers.

"you cursed my entire life. You're the reason I'm a witcher." Geralt huffs, "i'm not buying your bullshit, that you didn't look at my path."

Jaskier stares at him for a moment, and sighs. "believe what you want" he tries,

"everything — the war — yennefer leaving me, that was all you" Geralt clenches his fists.

"I thought you loved me" Jaskier looks confused.

"I loved Jaskier. Not destiny. You played the helpless act, got yourself tortured and hurt, and I feel right into your puppet strings"

"destiny and Jaskier, Julian, all my other names, are the same person" He tells the witcher, "and I didn't want to get tortured. You think I wanted that?"

"you could have stopped it!" Geralt yells.

 "No I couldn't have! My powers are more spiritual than anything" He attempts, fingers twitching at his sides. "and don't talk to me about lying, you still love Yennefer"

"do not turn this on me" Geralt snarls. "yes, I will forever love Yennefer, because at least she isn't responsible for every shitty thing that has ever cursed my life"

Jaskier clenches his fists, "y'know what? Fine." he grabs his lute, by the door. "I'm going for a walk"

He leaves the cottage, slamming the door behind him, and finds his way to a cliff hanging over the coast, he sits and strums the lute (despite the pain in his bruised fingers) humming the song he had sang to Geralt when he confessed his love.

Love that was returned out of pity, most likely. 

He returns back to the cottage in an hour, and sleeps on the floor when he sees Geralt on the bed. He lays out fur and uses his cloak as a blanket. 

When he awakens, he looks around the cottage, and it's empty. 

They left, for real, this time. 

Jaskier finds a note in the fruit basket. 

"Jaskier,

Geralt wants to leave, but I feel bad leaving you like this. If you want us, we'll be in novigrad for a while, Geralt is looking for an old friend. I'm going to miss you. Geralt will come to his senses. 

— Cirilla" 

He reads it aloud, and clutches the letter tightly. So, Geralt left. 

Of course he did.

They all did, in the end.

He leaves the coast, and his village, travelling and singing, playing at court, and trying to avoid novigrad as best as he could.

"yennefer!" He greets the sorceress when he sees her in a court, cradling a glass of wine.

"Jaskier. I'll be damned. It's been a while. I'm assuming a witcher follows in your steps? I have not seen Geralt in a while"

He makes a sour face, and she smirks. "I see."

"he found out and left the next day" he sighs, "I don't blame him"

Yenn hums, "well, no use moping around about the loss of a man. You are destiny" she tries, pushing him lightly.

"Are you drunk? You aren't usually this positive" he tilts his head, taking the wine glass out of her hand easily.

"Perhaps I may have had one too many glasses of wine," She chuckles. "Where is the big oaf now?"

"novigrad last I heard." He places his hands on his hips, "let's get your arse on a seat" he helps the drunkard women on a seat, and sits with her. 

"He still loves you, Yenn" He tells her, "and you still love him, I can tell. You two would be perfect together, it's made to be." he hums lightly. 

"unfortunately, my eye is on another" she crosses her arms, "that emotionally constipated mess missed his chance" 

Jaskier barks out a laugh, "emotionally constipated, that's a new one!" 

"Have you ever fallen in love, besides Geralt, Jaskier?" she leans over, grinning. 

"once." he stretches out a smile, almost forced. "we can say it didn't work out" 

"love never does!" she yells, hiccuping, and Jaskier shushes her as nobles look over. 

"I can promise you this, Yennefer, you will find your happiness and your love that you want" he assures, "don't be so negative!" 

She stares at him for a moment and then blinks. 

"none of that even registered into your head right now, huh?" He tilts his head. 

Yennefer blinks again, seemingly dazed out of it. He's sure he saw her at the Inn down the road earlier, so her room probably isn't too far. He helps her out if her seat, and out of the court, walking down the road till they arrive at said Inn, getting her room key and helping her into her room. She lays down, and stares at him. 

"you love him" she murmurs, tired. "more than I used to— still do" 

"I do" he whispers, "but it's okay. He loves you"

She closes her eyes, and Jaskier covers her with the blanket. 

Perhaps he and yennefer didn't have to be enemies. 

The bard takes his leave. 

It's some time later that he needs to go to novigrad, no matter the risk of seeing Geralt. Apparently, an old sorcerer friend of his wanted to see him. 

So, he makes his way to novigrad, eventually making It, and finds his way to his friends house in the city. He knocks on the door it opens moments later,

"destiny"

"Sorcerer Weilad. You called for me? Quite the interference, I was to play for a royal family across the continent if you didn't sound so urgent in your letter" he smirks, "come here, old friend"

He pulls the old man into a hug, before pulling away, "I just happen to miss your sixth hundred birthday right? I remember when you were a teenager!" he laughs, and the man rolls his eyes.

"straight to business then" Jaskier pouts when Weilad brings him into his office, walls filled to the brim with bookshelves.

"you are close to being discovered, my friend" the sorcerer crosses his arms, "this is no joke."

"well, to be honest, recently I haven't been too worried about my identity being leaked. Good gods, I may as well just go to the centre of novigrad and announce it" Jaskier watches as Weilad raises a bushy eyebrow. "okay, okay, tell me what you know."

"a group of sorcerers had come together to hunt down destiny around—"

"100 years ago, I'm aware." Jaskier hums, still smiling. "and they're close? If not, you wouldn't have brought me out here for nothing"

"they are. They found a old passage of parchment describing the vessel of Destiny, or Dandelion at the time"

"technically, Jaskier means—"

"irrelevant. The parchment had a drawing of you on the back after the worded description. They're putting up posters all over the continent. There's going to be a man hunt for you. The being that controls fate. What remains of nilfgaard is going to look for you, the elves, humans, all kind"

Jaskiers chest feels heavy.

"What should we do about it?"

"fake your death. Announce yourself as destiny, and I can put up an illusion that an arrow goes through your heart. I'll have a friend on the inside put a parchment paper that says you may be reincarnated"

"I've had a horrible couple of years, Weilad. I would rather avoid adding faking my death to the list. I'll just go in hiding till this blows" Jaskier twists the lute around his body, fingers picking at the strings.

"you've taken a liking to music and poetry" Weilad analyses.

"music, poetry and all tales alike life forever just as I, it's comforting" the bard shrugs, grinning.

The sorcerer frowns. "I fear for your life, destiny. I know you cannot die but these people who want you for their interests alone will hurt you"

Jaskier closes his eyes, and they open again, shining.

"maybe I should return to my astral form. Be spiritual for a century or two. I haven't done that since finding out I could" He chuckles, before his eyes return to normal.

"you may not have a choice"

Jaskier shrugs, turning on his heel, strumming the lute to the tune of 'her sweet kiss'

"I'll see you around, Weilad" he leaves the sorcerer's house, and keeps strumming as he walks, singing aloud and some people join him after recognising the song.

He steps on a piece of paper on the cobble road. A wanted poster with his dandelion form drawn on it. His hair and facial features were a bit different back then, but if you looked close enough, you could see the resemblance. 

He shrugged, and kept walking, and singing. 

He's halfway on his way out of novigrad when someone grabs his arm and pulls him into an alleyway. He yelps, ready to scream when he sees a familiar pair of yellow eyes, and a girl standing next to the figure. 

"Geralt, Ciri '' he smiles, avoiding meeting Geralt's eyes.

"What are you doing here? There are posters looking for you everywhere?!" Geralt hisses,

"what do you care?" Jaskier huffs, rightfully angry.

"you.." Geralt sighs, "i'm sorry for leaving you. You being the literal embodiment of destiny was little hard to swallow."

Ciri steps forward and grabs his hand, "you aren't safe here"

"I'm not safe anywhere, sorcerers put a reward to bring me to them. I'm surprised you aren't trying to attack me Geralt, isn't that what witchers do? Attack monsters for coin?" He spits harshly. "Yennefer is a town over, if that's the information you want."

"I didn't grab you with Yenn in mind. I'm looking out for you!" he growls at the smaller man. "fool, you're going to get yourself kidnapped again"

Jaskiers fingers twitch, and he bites his bottom lip.

"Perhaps I should be a bit more careful." Jaskier looks around, "what are you doing hiding in an alley?"

"it was my idea" Ciri boasts smugly, "I knew you won't have heard us out willingly"

"creepy, but..okay" he chuckles, and finally meets Geralt's eyes.

His heart skips a beat. 

Concern was written all over them.

"I uh.. You needn't be worried, my friends. I'm going to disappear for a while, till this blows over" He slowly nods. "find a small village in the middle of nowhere, settle for a while"

"oooorr... You can come with us to kaer morhen" Ciri proposes, "no one can find you there"

"we're going there for the winter, she's going to train with a fellow witcher, Vesemir" Geralt glances down at Ciri fondly.

"is that offer proposed by the both of you?" Jaskier murmurs.

Geralt nods almost immediately, and Jaskier smiles. "okay then. It's settled."

They make their way to Kaer Morhen, and Jaskier finds himself avoiding Geralt, despite the witcher trying to talk to him, to apologise. 

It takes a while, but they arrive, things almost as stiff between them as they started their journey. Jaskiers first thing he does when he arrives? Say hello to Vesemir, and then immediately finds his way to draw a bath.

Jaskier steps into the large room Geralt had said was his, and jumps when the door closes behind him. 

"finally. We can talk" Geralt crosses his arms. "I drew you a bath. We can talk while I scrub your back"

"no thank you" Jaskier declines, but removes his doublet. He walks to the bath, and Geralt follows not too far away.

"Jaskier"

The bard sighs, and strips himself of his trousers and shoes as well, before dropping into the warm water, and is surprised to find petals and—

"vioras rocks, they apparently mean good luck" Geralt mutters, "I know you like to pepper up your baths"

Jaskier quietly hums, he would admit that Geralt knew him better than anyone as he did the witcher.

"perhaps..you can stay, just for a moment. Two minutes at most to say what you need"

Geralt breaths out in relief, grabbing the cloth on the side and scrubbing Jaskiers back as the bard did for him manyatimes after his contracts,

"I just.. You.." Geralt closes his eyes, "what I said was out of line. One moment I thought I understood but the more I thought about it the more angry I got. And I broke your heart in the process of me trying to figure out how to deal with this"

The witcher makes a gesture to him, as a whole.

"you just gestured to all of me" Jaskier raises an eyebrow.

"what I mean is.. Im sorry, Jaskier, and I pray that you find it somewhere inside of you that you forgive me"

"did Ciri help you out with that?" Jaskier smirks.

"more or less. She helped me open up.. About my feelings."

"oh! The mighty Geralt of Rivia finally admits it! He has feelings!" Jaskier punches Geralts arm lightly.

"shut up before I push your head under water, bard" Geralt rolls his eyes, and Jaskier chuckles.

"you're forgiven, Geralt. Just because it seems like you've grown, kind of" he shrugs. "but uh.. This doesnt mean we're back together, if that's what we even were. You still have to earn that back"

"I expected as much" Geralt finishes scrubbing Jaskier, grabbing the small bucket filled with water and dunking it over Jaskiers head.

"you know.. Yenn said she moved on"

Geralt doesn't have much of a reaction, just a 'hmm'

"that doesn't bother you?"

"it doesn't." he confirms. "what bothers me is that you're wanted. Why do these sorcerers want you?" he changes the subject.

"imagine you have a celestial being in your grasp, you can break its will and force it to do what you want. That's what these people think they're going to do, but my magic is much more complex than that; they don't know how I work, how I make the world function.. They just want to take me, break me, and hope that works. They want to rule the world." Jaskier explains. " who's going to stop you when you can control fate?"

Geralt clenches his jaw,  "they don't think of you as a person"

"no, they don't." Jaskier shrugs.

"I understand" Geralt admits, "people think of witcher as monsters. I get stoned more than I get smiled at in a year"

Jaskier would have to smile at Geralt so much that his positivity outweigh the bad.

"people think of witchers as monsters who slay other monsters, the lesser evil, per say." Geralt closes his eyes. "I'm sure you know that. I know what it's like for people to look at you for what you provide instead of who you are"

Jaskier had never wanted to kiss Geralt and assure him that he will forever assure the witcher he loves him for him, more than ever.

"I'm sorry" Jaskier apologises, but he's not sure what for.

The words 'it's not your fault' hang on the tip of Geralts tongue, Jaskier is sure, he doesn't say it. Because it is his fault, one way or another. 

"don't be." Geralt says instead, washing the bards hair. 

"how did you and the young Cirilla finally talk about your feelings? Did she happen upon you hopelessly pining over me— or - or, were you crying over the loss of your faithful bard, Jaskier the great!" Jaskier grins, chuckling. 

Geralt rolls his eyes, "she forced me to sit down and talk. That little girl holds so much power over me it's almost impossible"

"damn, really? Next time I want something from you, I know who to go to" Jaskier claps his hands together, and Geralt dunks more water over his head. 

Jaskier finishes bathing, and puts on new clothes he had bought not too long ago, a silk white blouse, loose on the arms, but tight on the chest. New breeches and trousers, and a blue over jacket.

"you may want to dress warmer. It gets freezing around here" Geralt pushes Jaskier gently, and the bard rolls his eyes.

"this is the warmest thing I have" Jaskier shrugs, and Geralt squints.

"you can borrow one of my tunics then"

"those things are a hundred seasons out of fashion" Jaskier crosses his arms, a face of mock disgust.

"yeah well.. They'll keep you warm." Geralt crosses his arms.

"I'd rather freeze" Jaskier laughs, and Geralt rolls his eyes.

A day passes, and Jaskier composes a new song or two. 

Freeze he did, but he would rather die than admit that to Geralt, so he just sat and pouted; arms wrapping around his body.

A tunic is thrown at his face when someone enters the room, and Jaskier yelps, before looking at Geralt once the tunic is in his arms.

"I saw you shivering. Just put it on, fool" He crosses his arms at the bard, and Jaskier groans, and pouts again, before slipping the tunic on.

It was warm, and it smelt like Geralt, and his last hunt before arriving at Kaer Morhen. Surprisingly, it wasn't too large on him, but it was still big. 

"it's ugly!" He yells, putting hands on his hips.

"but you're not shivering anymore" Geralt raises an eyebrow. "so I don't think it matters, who are you trying to impress anyway?"

Jaskier grumbles, and Geralt approaches him. 

"speak up, songbird" Geralt smirks, and crosses his arms. 

"I will smack you, Geralt, and you aren't allowed to smack me back" Jaskier pushes the man, grinning.

"you smack me, I'll smack you, it's only fair" Geralt chuckles, "Ciri wants a song tonight" 

"a song?" Jaskier taps his chin. "I do have a new song I could sing for her, and you" 

Geralt groans, And Jaskier bumps his hip with the witchers. 

"if I'm gonna sing a song for Ciri, especially when it's new, you have to be there" He grabs Geralt, and drags him to find Ciri, in her room.

"young Cirilla! I have heard from Geralt that thy wishes for a song tonight! And who am I to refuse my princess?" 

The young girl grins and jumps up when she sees Jaskier readying his lute. Geralt notices how Jaskiers fingers twitch and hesistate for a minute before he strums, but he doesn't mention it. 

"my love, my love, my fearless love.. I will not say goodbye" Jaskier sings, walking slowly to sit by the girl while he sings. "sea may rise, sky may fall, my love will never die.." 

Jaskier finishes the song soon enough, and Geralt is leaning by the doorframe when he does, Ciri claps, and yawns. The bard knows Geralt is watching him as he tucks Cirilla in, making sure she's comfy. 

"goodnight, my sweet princess" He murmers, before blowing out the candle next to her bedside, he leaves with the witcher by his side. 

They walk the halls of Kaer Morhen, and Jaskier hums a tune while they do, before Geralt speaks up. 

"what will you do in spring? We're going to leave Kaer Morhen then, and I suspect the manhunt happening for you won't simply stop because its another season" 

"well, I'm not completely helpless, as much as this persona likes to act it.. I know how to wield a sword, and look after myself. Or.. Well, I'll have a witcher watching my back" Jaskier smirks, elbowing Geralts side gently. 

Geralt grunts, and nods. Jaskier beams, and starts rambling about how the halls of Kaer Morhen remind him of the old elven architecture of the tower er life, and Geralt isn't sure if Jaskier is messing with him or not, which is what Jaskier adores about not having his secret hidden anymore. He can talk as much horses shit as he likes and Geralt wouldn't know whether he's telling the truth or not. 

Jaskier smirks as he watches Geralt squint at him when he says something that is blatantly a lie, and then sigh through his nose. He laughs out loud, slapping a hand on Geralts shoulder, and the witcher rolls his eyes for what seems the umpteenth time that day. 

Spring comes too soon, and Jaskier leaves with Geralt and Ciri, saying goodbye to Vesemir and the other few witchers. They find their way to a village not too far and buy supplies for their trip across the continent. Jaskier finds himself snatching Geralts cloak, and pulling the hood over his face when he sees the streets are littered with wanted posters of his face. 

They buy what they need, and Geralt is approached with a contract, which he declines, it wasn't urgent and he was sure Lambert was going to pass through this town soon enough too, and wouldn't pass the chance of an easy contract. 

Jaskier meets eyes with a women being carried in a wheelbarrow, and raises an eyebrow, straying away from Geralt and Ciri while they look through the fruits and he slowly approaches the women and the man who was pulling the tiny carriage. 

"what's wrong with her?" He askes, tilting his head. 

"nonya' fuckin business unless ye a healer" the man spits at Jaskier, and Jaskier cringes, and gasps at the attitude. 

"dear" The women croaks, "be kind" 

The man sighs, he looks at Jaskier with a tired expression, "my wife is in a bad way, fallen ill with the new disease spreading around small villages. The' people are callin' it the plague" 

Jaskiers blood chills, he had more of a hand in the plague than he would like to admit, it was the time he had let his fingers slip, his emotions take control of his soul, and people died because of him. What if this was because of him? 

He feels Geralt step behind him, raising an eyebrow, and Ciri follows lead. Jaskier shakes his head as the man leaves with his wife.

"we—" he looks at Ciri. She was human for the most part. "Ciri needs to be careful. There's a disease going round. The plague they're calling it" he informs Geralt. 

Ciri nervously nods, and Geralt pats her back, ensuring her she's going to be fine. 

Geralt and Ciri ride roach, while Jaskier keeps at a steady pace beside them, unusually quiet. 

When Geralt calls his name numerous times, Jaskier doesn't say anything, seemingly lost in thought till he yells at the bard, who's head snaps to his direction. Geralt's eyes widen when he sees the bards eyes are shining brightly and his hands are gold. 

"one winter and everything goes to shit" Jaskier murmers, before looking away from Geralt, clenching his golden hands. "Im looking through the timeline and I can't find a single thing that points to this plague leading up."

"perhaps it just slipped past you" Ciri tilts her head, "humans have survived a plague before, we'll survive this one" 

"I'm just trying to figure out what.." Jaskier trials off, closing his eyes. When he opens them next, his eyes are back to normal, and his golden hands are fading back to their original skin tone. 

"there wasn't supposed to be another plague, was there?" Geralt raises an eyebrow, hands clenching around Roachs reins. 

"the first plague wasnt meant to happen either, it was my fault. I just—" 

"you're trying to figure out whether this one is your fault too?" Geralt shakes his head, "what makes this happen?" 

"when I don't keep myself in line, focus on my task, my purpose, sometimes I unconsciously change the timeline" Jaskier explains softly, "which isn't my role. I weave the paths and timelines, it is you who change it with your decisions. There's a completely different life where there is no war, where Cintra doesn't fall"

"but that means the Ciri in that time line wouldn't have met me, right?" Geralt presses his heels into Roachs side, urging her to keep trotting forward. 

"exactly." Jaskier sighs. "there were millions of timelines where the original plague didn't happen, and it was millisecond of a mistake that resulted in it. You can see why I'm so vexxed on figuring out what caused it, especially when I firmly made sure there wouldn't be another one till the far future"

"are there other celestial beings that could have changed it?" Ciri hums, fidgeting with her fingers. 

"I don't think so. Death definitely refuses to have a mortal form, don't you, pal?" Jaskier speaks into the air, and a fond smile places upon his lips; and Geralt wonders if Death speaks to him. "and fate is basically...me, I guess? Those are the main three, death, destiny, and fate. There's life, but, they already have a form, and it's not very mortal. We step on them every day" 

"life is the continent?" Ciri squints, "are you allowed to tell us this? This isn't gonna cause some weird affect, is it?" 

"no, it won't." Jaskier hums, "unless you talk about what I've told you with others, that's why you have to keep those lips sealed tight when it comes to this stuff."

There's silence for a moment as they move, before Jaskier makes a 'ah ha' and snaps his fingers. 

"we must find the lady of vengerberg! She's changed her path before, unexpectedly. She can probably provide a lead!" 

"we are not going to Yenn" Geralt stares at Jaskier.

"come now, Geralt! This is the matter of the world!" He exclaims, grinning, almost giddy and excited. "this will make a great song. Uh.. The three, the witcher, the girl and the humbled bard, travelled far. They fought through the creatures from the depths of.. Ugh, that doesn't work" he hums, "I'll figure out the fine details after the adventure!" 

Geralt groans and sighs, "fine, we'll go"

Jaskier jumps with joy, and clasps his hands together, a wide grin on his face. 

They travel for weeks, avoiding Jaskier getting recognised, and Ciri getting the plague as well as they could, taking less populated routes, only interacting with others when they need food and supplies. 

They make it to a village where Yennefer was rumoured to be, only to find she was at Aretuza, apparently she had been summoned by Tissaia de Vries.

Along the way, they see Triss, who insists she portals them there, and Jaskier jumps on that chance, yet Geralt refuses; having always hated portals. 

"come on, Geralt" Jaskier whines, "I really don't have the patience for another two weeks of travel when we could just portal there at the hand of the gracious lady Triss" 

Triss snickers, and Ciri giggles at Jaskiers tone. Geralt grits his teeth before rubbing his face and grunting, which Jaskier cheers at. 

"he said yes!" Jaskier grins, "okay, uh, so do your portal thingy and let us go!" 

Triss rolls her eyes, a smile placed on her lips, making the portal. Geralt hesitatantly goes through, taking Roach along with him by the reins. Jaskier and Ciri thank Triss before walking through. Geralt ties Roach at a post by the gate. Jaskier smells the coast below the building, and smiles to himself. 

"a witcher, bard and a girl walk to my doorstep, and how am I supposed to react?" A woman speaks up, and Jaskier recognises her as Tissaia, "you're here for Yennefer" 

"that we are—" 

"unfortunately she's unable to see anyone as we speak, she's very busy going through a scroll I gave her to decipher in some ancient language. I would do it myself but I am also very busy. You're dismissed" The woman makes a gesture as if asking them to leave, and gets ready to walk back Into Aretuza. 

"not so fast!" Jaskier yells, "we just need a moment with her, please. It's a matter of the lives of millions" 

"the plague will sort itself out, boy, leave" She huffs, turning. 

"we didn't make our way here for no reason" Geralt growls, "we will see Yennefer" 

"unless you can free her of the duty of deciphering an ancient scroll, you won't get to." Tissaia snarls, 

"i'll burn that fuckin' scroll, and then we'll all be free of it" Geralt huffs. 

"nono! Geralt, no need to threaten our.. Polite host" Jaskier sweats, "I can decipher it. Faster than she can" 

Tissaia laughs, "a bard? What do you know of—" 

"just give me a chance, woman" Jaskier rubs his face. 

"fine, but if you waste my time in the end, I'll turn a certain blonde little girl into a cockroach" Tissaia smirks, and Ciri glares back at her. 

Tissaia leads them through Aretuza, and sooner than later, they've arrived in a study of sorts, where Yennefer sat, bending over a scroll and murmering to herself. 

"Yennefer" Tissaia starts, face softening, "these fools insisted on seeing you, and this horses arse insisted he could do this scroll faster than you" the sorceress pushes Jaskier forward, and he meets Yennefers eyes. 

"oh," Yennefer laughs, standing off her chair and letting Jaskier sit. She claps a hand on his shoulder. "he is a fool, but he most likely can do this" 

Tissaia raises an eyebrow, and Jaskier takes the quill Yennefer was using, looking at the scroll and humming, smiling. 

"oh this is very familiar. Haven't seen this type of speech in a while" he murmers, aware how Yennefer peered over his shoulder and watched him write. 

It takes 25 minutes at most before Jaskier puts down the quill finally, "it's done. It's a scroll regarding chaos and magic, perhaps written by a mage who was first learning it before you- we were all born" 

"what..?" Tissaia reads through it, "how? What?" 

"we'll be borrowing Yennefer now" Geralt grunts, and pushes Tissaia out of the room. "Yenn." 

"I surely hope this isn't a personal matter regarding our bond, Geralt. I would much rather go through the scroll than talk about it" 

"no, it's of how you changed the timeline" 

"I did what now?" 

"you changed the timeline," Jaskier speaks up, "created a new one, all by yourself. You don't know how you did it?" 

"no, i wasn't even aware I could" Yennefer tts her head. 

"it was most likely a one time thing" Jaskier chuckles, "seriously? You haven't felt a surge of power for a while?" 

"no, no I haven't. Why? What's going on?" 

"the plague that's currently spreading? It wasn't supposed to happen" Ciri informs her, "we just want to figure out how or why" 

"unusual." Yennefer taps her chin, "I did hear of the plague before it happened though, a passing sorcerer was speaking something of it. I paid him no mind, didn't expect it to actually happen" 

"what did this sorcerer look like?" Jaskier squints, "black hair, grey eyes? Scar on neck?" 

"yes, actually" Yennefer crosses her arms, "found him quite ugly. But he did have a aura of chaos radiating off of him, you know him?" 

"I believe Veriog of Redania has been hunting me since he was a boy" Jaskier smiles, "but he shouldn't be able to cause a plague without it being written in my timelines" 

"do you think he found a way to make his own timelines? That would be..catastrophic" Geralt grunts, "he could destroy the entire Continent if he so wishes"

Jaskier pales, "if he can create and destroy timelines.. He can destroy me."

"Fuck" said Geralt.

Yennefer had began travelling with them from then on, to find Veriog of Redania, to stop him, every lead they have to find him, always ends in a dead end, and Jaskier could see the fleeting hope of the three he travelled with.

"I have an idea, guys" He says when everyone sits down at a table in a tavern.

"ugh, enough, I just need drinks" Yennefer groans, "we've been looking for weeks. Nothing"

"well, this idea means we won't do the looking. We turn me in to Veriog and his sorcerers," he takes the crumpled up wanted poster out of his pocket. "and then Yenn puts a tracker on me when they come to take me back to wherever they are, and da da! Veriog on a silver platter!"

"not a bad idea."Geralt hums, before shaking his head, " but you could get hurt, and we know they plan to break your will and force you too create timelines for them. It's risky"

"but you'll be right behind me at all times, we can't just keep being sitting ducks" Jaskier raises an eyebrow. "please. Let's do it"

Theres silence, Geralt and Yenn exchange looks, before Geralt nods. "fine. In the morning though, eat, drink, and then rest."

Jaskier does just that, he eats, drinks, and gets ready to sleep with Geralt as always. As he was getting ready to fall asleep, the witcher puts a hand on his arm, softly. 

"I'm worried about the morning" Geralt admits, almost sheepishly.

"it's going to be okay" he tries, smiling. "tomorrow is going to be a big day, and I think if things go wrong, I'm going to regret never saying this. I forgive you, Geralt. For the day you left me at the coast. I truly forgive you, and I love you. I want us to be.. Us, again"

Geralt pauses, unsure what to say, so he doesn't speak, he leans over, and kisses the man, his lips rough against Jaskiers. Jaskier pulls away, and tilts his head at the witcher neck, leaving a hickey on the man's neck before kissing the mark.

"I love you too, Jaskier." Geralt murmers, "I always will. I promise you"

Jaskier smiles softly and nods, tiredly blinking, and Geralt gives him a last peck on the cheek before the bard sleeps. Geralt chuckles quietly, before cuddling the man comfortably.

Morning came soon, and Jaskier grins, clapping his hands together. 

"okay, let's get me kidnapped" He exclaims, and Yenn and Ciri laugh.

"Geralt, before we do this, I need you to punch me. Rough me up a bit so it doesn't look like I'm just giving myself up"

"I'm not going to punch you" Geralt deadpans.

Jaskier pouts, "you always say you'll punch me if I keep talking, nows your chance to really do it. Right here, preferably" he taps his cheek, grinning.

Geralt connects his fist with Jaskiers cheek, gently, and the bard gives him a look.

"what was that? A love tap? Come on!"

"oh for fucks sakes.." Ciri shakes her head before decking Jaskier in the jaw.

"Ciri!" Geralt yells as Jaskier stumbles, his lip split and jaw bruised; a smile on his lips after wincing for a moment.

"what?! He wanted to be punched! " Ciri shrugs, as Yennefer burts out laughing.

"for such a little girl, you really pack a punch" Jaskier chuckles, rubbing his jaw.

"you really want another one don't you?" Ciri raises an eyebrow and Jaskier shakes his head, laughing nervously.

"okay, so, we need to go to the local mage and say we found Destiny" Yenn snaps her fingers and everyone focuses once more.

And that's exactly what they proceed to do, not before tying Jaskier up and 'forcing' him to walk infront of them as they made their way to the mage.

"we found destiny." Yennefer speaks as she pushes Jaskier infront of the mage.

"the sorcerers will be very pleased. Your reward.. " the man looks at Jaskier, lifting his head with a grip on the bards chin. "is on my workbench."

Geralt takes the heavy coin bag, clenching his fists as he saw how the mage spat at Jaskiers shoes. 

"that's for my wife." the man mutters, before making a portal, "come now, Destiny" he shoves Jaskier through the portal, taking a last glance at Geralt, Yenn and Ciri.

Jaskier hadn't seen this place before, he looks around when he makes it through the portal, and licks his lips when he sees an ominous line of robbed men. 

"Dandelion" one of them speaks, "or, Destiny, shall I say?"

"I actually go by Jaskier now. Dandelion was my—"

"show some respect!" the mage who had brought him over slaps him up the head.

"show them some respect? You do know I am the destiny?" Jaskier scoffs, "that is very rude"

One of the men, Black hair, Grey eyes and a scar on his neck; Veriog starts taking and steps forward towards Jaskier.

"now now, destiny, behave" He looks Jaskier up and down, "you lost all respect after you destroyed millions of lives"

Oh, now he was pissed. 

His eyes glowed in the dark room, and his fingers clenches as the gold started showing.

"I destroyed millions of lives? How dare you?"  the building rumbled and shook with his voice, "how dare you blame me for the choices you humans took? How do you blame me when you have endless options in timelines and yet, you decided to create one for yourself and kill people with your wannabe plague!"

The sorcerers gasp and stumble as the ground shook, and suddenly a tight chain is around Jaskiers neck, his eyes lose their glow, and his fingers lose their gold, he feels... Human.

"what the fuck is this?" Jaskier tries to pull at it, just to get burned once he touches it.

"the spell I've used to change the timeline and create the plague has been enchanted into that chain, as it has our weapons. The spell I've created is your only vulnerability."

"you don't.. Want to use me. You want to replace me" Jaskier connects the pieces, eyes widening. "ohh-ho-ho, what a grave mistake, you see, I don't fear death, but before you go out with your plan, I just want you to know that being destiny isn't all that great" he smirks.

To which, he receives a punch to the face, and cries out when it hurts more than normal, must be because he's practically human now.

"you don't fear death because you've never danced with it." Veriog chuckles, "today, maybe we can change that"

Jaskier feels panic well in his gut, dark, deep and in his blood. He knew death was kind to him, always will be, but these sorcerers? Not so much.

He could feel Yennefer, Ciri and Geralt not too far behind, he just hoped they'd speed up.

"tell me, Destiny, is it fun dictating our lives?"

 "you and I both know I don't do that." Jaskier sighs, "if you do kill me, you'll regret it. You don't know how draining it is to be destiny"

Veriog barks out a laugh, and the other sorcerers murmers to themselves. 

"the only thing that will be draining, is your blood" Veriog chuckles, "the anciet scrolls that depicted you never mentioned how.. Immature you are. You'd think a being as old as you would be a lot more serious"

"where's the fun in that?" Jaskier pouts, "also, it is so rude to bring up someone's age in such a manner!"

Jaskier just needed to stall for a bit. Just for a little while.

"you're a monster, just as bad as any creature that walks the continent" Veriog huffs, "torturing us with what you have done."

"wow,as if I haven't heard that before. Maybe you want to come up with something more original?—" Jaskier winces when a sting of pain rushes through his body from the chain.

"put him in the cell. I may have use for him" Veriog makes a hand gesture and the mage that had taken Jaskier here grabs the bard again, guiding him to a cell, and connecting the neck chain to a loop in the wall.

Jaskier slowly brings his hand up to the chain again, and yelps when it sizzles at his hand again. He closes his eyes and pushes through the burn and tugs on the chain. 

Too strong for him to take off, but he wouldn't have to bare it any longer. He could feel Geralt and the others approaching soon.

He hears a piercing scream, and a bang.

Veriog rushes in, casts a spell on the cell door, and Jaskier closes his eyes again as he hears the sorcerers scream and the familiar sound of a sword being unsheathed. A dagger is pressed to Jaskiers ribs, and Veriog stares outside of the cell, just as Geralt comes into view, Yennefer and Ciri presumably fighting the sorcerers and so.

"sinners like you, siding with a creature like destiny" Veriog pulls Jaskiers hair, causing said bard to yelp. "will be punished when I replace him"

"let him go." Geralt grips his sword tightly, stepping towards the cells door and attempting to open it, before the spell pushes him against the pillar across the room.

Jaskier cringes when he sees Geralt grunt and get off the pillar. The witcher walks back over, unphased, apparently, making the hand gesture for Aard and aiming his hand at the door. It does not budge. 

"it's a spell" Veriog smirks, "a strong one at that" 

"oh?" Yenn walks over, "well, let's see if it can stand in the way of the strongest sorcereress on the continent" 

Geralt steps out of the way for her begrudgingly, keeping his eyes on Jaskier through the bars; obviously calculating what to do next after Yennefer takes down the spell. 

"I need him alive" Jaskier mouths to him, and Geralt nods slowly, hands clenching.

Yennefer doesn't take long to take down the spell and the door slams open, Veriog still stands confidently, holding the dagger to Jaskiers side still. 

"come any closer and your destiny will die" 

"you aren't in the position to be giving up orders" Geralt snarls, and makes the casting sign of Quen at Jaskier. 

"what did you just do?" Veriogs eyes widen as he stares at Geralt. 

Geralt stalks forwards, and Veriog drives the dagger forward on Jaskier, the Queen breaks, leaving Jaskier practically unscathed, and pushes Veriog back against the wall roughly; giving Geralt enough time to get between the sorcerer and his bard. 

"smart" Jaskier smirks, "risky, but smart" 

Geralt grunts, as Yennefer rushes to Jaskiers side, touching the chain. 

"no- no-wait it's going to burn yo—" 

Her hand is perfectly fine while she tries to dug it off. Huh. She mutters a curse under her breath, and looks at Veriog, and notices the keys hanging off his belt. 

Geralt takes ropes out and ties Veriogs wrists struggingly, the sorcerer yelling curses and swears at the witcher while he does so. Yennefer approaches Veriog, and takes the keys off his belt, and goes through them one by one till she finds the one to undo Jaskiers chain. 

The bard rubs his raw neck when it comes off, and gulps, Ciri walks in, holding a bloodied sword. 

"is everything okay?" she askes, tilting her head. 

"yep" Jaskier hums, smiling, "just peachy. Who's ready for an interrogation!" 

"still cheerful as ever" Geralt comments, "you need to relax, me and Yenn got this" 

"I am perfectly fine" 

"you are not." Geralt glares at Jaskier, but his eyes hold concern in them. "your hands are burned. That chain did something to you besides burn your hands didn't it?" 

Jaskier pauses for a minute, "well, I couldn't use my magic when it was on." He mumbles. 

"can you use it now?" 

"of course I can!" he throws his hands in the air. "Geralt, stop worrying" 

"use your magic then, now" Geralt crosses his arms. 

Jaskier sighs, and nods, he takes a breath in, and clenches his fists. 

Nothing happened. 

Jaskier flushes red. "what's going on?" 

Veriog laughs again, to which Geralt just kicked him in the jaw. 

"what did you do?" Jaskier pushes past Geralt, hand lingering on the witcher arm for a moment, he looks down at the sorcerer. 

"oh, nothing." Veriog smirks, "just a temporary pause on your magic."

Jaskiers hair stands on the end of his neck, "you cant do that"

"oh,i can, and I have" 

"he must have written down the spell somewhere." Yennefer speaks up, "we'll find the scroll and get your magic back"

Jaskier slowly nods, as Ciri and Yenn leave to go find said scroll. 

Geralt puts a hand on Jaskiers shoulder. "its going to be okay" 

Jaskier smiles ar Geralt, nodding again. "of course it is." he leans close and kisses the witcher gently. 

Geralt kisses back for a moment before pulling away. He looks back at Veriog, and searches the sorcerers body. 

He holds a vial in his hand. "what is this?" 

"like I'd ever tell you" the man hisses. 

Geralt growls and leans close to the man intimidatingly, "what is this? Before I rip your throat out?" 

"it uh, it was to kill him incase the chain didn't work" Veriog answers slowly.

"give it to him." Jaskier speaks up suddenly.

"what?" Geralts head snaps to look at Jaskiers, eyes wide slightly at the man's words.

"give it to him or I will." Jaskier mutters.

"nono— please" Veriog pleads, "that will kill me"

Jaskier snatches the vial out of Geralts hand, "that's the point"

"Jaskier you aren't thinking this through. I get you're mad and..scared, but we need him alive" Geralt puts a hand on Jaskiers chest.

Jaskier stares into Gerald's eyes for a moment before slowly handing back the vial, Geralt nods, and gives Jaskier a reassuring smile, which was oddly out of character for the witcher, but you wouldn't find Jaskier complaining. Geralt looked nice when he smiled.

Yennefer returns holding a scroll, and Ciri holding a book. 

"we found a book he wrote, the studies of destiny, apparently" Ciri holds it up, and Jaskier doesn't hesistate to take it, and look through it.

Half of this information was wrong,aand this is only the first page. He sniggered, and handed the book back, facing Yenn. 

"this is the spell he used on the chain. I can probably turn it into an undoing spell if you gave me a moment" She nods her head to the scroll, and Geralt grunts behind Jaskier.

"so, what are we going to do with him?" Jaskier points to the sorcerer.

"i think the plague timeline is connected to him" Ciri clears her throat nervously. "we could kill him, and the plague would be gone"

"what gave you that idea?" Geralt squints, and Ciri opens the book again, going to the last page.

"when he wrote about the plague here, he used odd wording, like instead of spell or curse, he used bond" She raises her eyebrow, "it could be bonded to him". 

"if not him, some other item" Geralt shrugs, drawing his sword again, and Veriog backed away. 

Jaskier watches as the sorcerers blood is spilt.

"give it a week and we could be seeing results." Yennefer nods.

They leave the building, and Jaskier avoids looking at the bodies on the floor, Geralt and Ciri ride on roach, while Yenn and him walk next to them as they make it to the nearest town. It doesn't take long for them to find an Inn, still cautious around the people.

They get two rooms, per usual, one for yenn and Ciri, one for Jaskier and Geralt. 

That night, Jaskier is sitting on their bed, legs crossed over each other, he groans in frustration when he still can't use his powers. Geralt watches him from the fireplace, before sitting on the bed with the bard and wrapping his arms around Jaskiers waist gently.

Jaskier closes his eyes when he feels Geralt press a kiss to his neck, "this predicament has me turning as red as a beetroot. I can't do anything"

"it's okay" Geralt insists, kissing below Jaskiers ear, before whispering into it. "yennefer is going to fix up a reverse spell for you."

"I can't just sit here, useless, unable to keep an eye on the timeline" Jaskier bites his lip, sighing.

"when was the last time you had a break?"

"I could ask you the same thing, big bad witcher." Jaskier chuckles, "I miss when things weren't so complicated. We just went town to town, doing contracts, getting coin"

"hm" Geralt grunts, "I know"

"after all of this, can we go back to normal? No more travelling with an objective? Just do what we want?" Jaskier askes tentively.

"of course we can" Geralt mutters softly. "let me see your hands"

Jaskier gives Geralt his burnt and scarring palms, the witcher reaches for his pack and takes out a salve, slowly rubbing it on his lovers hands. 

Jaskier meets geralts eyes, before leaning over and kissing the witcher.

"I love you"

Theres silence from the witcher for a moment, and Jaskier gasps dramatically as Geralt chuckles.

"I love you too, fool. I don't really need to say it for you to know"

A week or so passes, and Jaskiers magic had returned thanks to the all powerful lady of vengerberg and her reverse spell. They began travelling where ever pleased them, Yennefer taking her own path eventually.

"duties call," She had said, smirking and waving off into the air before portaling out.

Ciri begins training harder than ever, with Geralt her teacher. Rumours of nilfgaards return makes them push harder and stronger, yet keeping them on eggshells wherever they went.

Jaskier talks often to his fellow celestial beings, they whisper of his love for a witcher, and he tells them it's better to live in the moment than worry about the future. Death makes no promises for Geralt nor Ciri, but Jaskier makes sure to have their backs, protecting them as they do to him.

They're family, and Jaskier wouldn't ever forget them in the future.

"Here I stand in the darkness of the night, where only the stars see me, for I am in the blackest shadows. Flat up against a wall, and the only thing you can see, is the glint of my blue eyes."

— A. Lockheart, DESTINY.