[ CLOSED ] through open passageways

[gynvael]

Who: Geralt + Various
When: March
Where: Cadens; Horizon
What: Catch-all for things
Warnings: Adding as we go



(( placing starters in the comments below. find me at discontinued or at Noa#1979 to plot stuff! ))

Comments

[gynvael]

[ Purpose. Yeah. It's all he knows how to do. He told Ciri they can only move forward. That's what he's doing. Moving forward. And if Yennefer allows herself to swept behind because she can't see past what she's lost, past her pain, so be it. He's tired of waiting for her, dragging her by the hand, of looking for what isn't there. He's given her more than enough chances to fucking do something different and she's chosen not to.

He is here, with a damn pet and Jaskier's flower stall and people who need him. It's enough. (It hurts.)

He lays the flowers down. ] Now I'm feeding him, too?

[ He's only teasing. Mm-hmm. Fine. He will save it some rabbit hearts. He will find it a space by the window. ]

I imagine Rinwell could use a friend for Hootle. [ She's become his responsibility, as well. Not exactly his intention, but here they are. She feels safe with them. That's all that matters. ]

[cointosser]

Yes, you're helping feed him! Unless you're saving a few hearts for yourself, what do you need them for?

[It's only an argument made for fun, really. He knows exactly well how Geralt will help him. The man's planning on bedding. For his gryphon. A creature Jaskier is very sure Geralt has killed before. (Though he doesn't blame him going after the vicious wild ones. Eating horses and -- and people.)

Jaskier gives Geralt a pat on the arm in thanks. Mog looks between them, then puts his head face-down onto the table to curl up for a nap, legs politely folded underneath.]

Oh, you're right! Though... I wonder if Hootle will recognize him as a bird, or a cat. Er. I'll make sure Mog knows that no one in our household is for eating.

[gynvael]

[ He does, in fact, eat them, too. They make for a nice filling or stew. He will also put them aside for the gryphon because he's. Because Jaskier is asking.

He sighs. He has killed gryphons before. The big ones, that are eating cattle and villagers. This one is sleepy and small and looks liable to be bullied by crows. Is it even capable of trying to eat anyone in the household? He isn't even sure he believes Jaskier when he says it's been killing lizards. Look at it. Not an ounce of viciousness.

When he thinks Jaskier is not looking, Geralt slips a finger between the gryphon's paws and lets it hold onto it. It's got soft dark brown pads. Oh. ]

He'll recognize him as a nuisance, I'm sure. [ Hootle is too damn smart for his own good. Geralt is fairly certain that owl has a form of sentience. ]

[cointosser]

[He knows that sigh. It's fond. It's definitely fond! (It's fond, isn't it? No matter his crisis, he doesn't want to bring trouble to their household. Really. But he was reassured the gryphon was quite domesticated, and came from a respectable enough line even if he was a bit of a mutt, and had no tendency to chew or bite, which was important.)

Jaskier ducks behind the table to push back a few pots of extra soil -- incase there are any plant accidents, especially with Mog around -- and pops back up just in time to see.

There is not a chance he would miss it. A gryphon paw curled around a Witcher's finger.

Geralt would not let anything happen to this creature. He already knows.]

As much as he recognizes you as one. [He flicks the Witcher's arm.] That was the last of the crates, wasn't it? I think... gods. I might be close to really opening.

[His first shop. He's worked on his own since he was quite young, but this -- hah. What would his parents think of him becoming a merchant?]

[gynvael]

[ (It's fond.)

He withdraws his hand before Jaskier can see. He's too late, but Geralt does not know this and need not know. He rests his arm atop the empty crate once all the flowers are trimmed and put aside for Jaskier to do as he will with them. Geralt hasn't any idea. He knows fuck all about making flower crowns or. Bundles. ]

Mmh. [ Yeah. The last of them. For now. He imagines there will be more to carry to and fro as Jaskier continues to sell his wares, but he's already informed Jaskier that there's a batch of orphans who may be willing to lend a hand for a bit of coin or a free meal. ] I'll send Gideon your way. Last time I gave her a flower, she looked like I showed her a unicorn.

[ An extraordinarily fragile unicorn. It's something, speaking to someone who finds flowers the strangest thing in the world. He isn't even sure what to think about it; the concept of having never seen one in your entire life feels...hard to imagine. ]

[cointosser]

[Oh, it's very likely they're not even near done. Jaskier is the sort who can easily find a thousand more things to do. He wants it to be perfect, knowing it won't be. He may be a master of his craft, but he's still new to... this.

Of course, he's a natural.]

Gideon! You know, I think she mentioned that to me. Did she tell you they didn't even have horses? They just have... skeletal monstrosities.

[No offense, Gideon, Harrow, but he prefers his beasts have skin. Or at least most of their skin. Dating a necromancer has altered his thoughts on this somewhat.] I should love to see her. In fact, I feel if you're doing your utmost duty to your best friend, you would tell everyone you know to come here. Specifically. At the very least to see Mog. He deserves love and admiration.

[Like someone else they all know.]

[gynvael]

[ She had, in fact. She'd told him most of her life story, strangely detached, and Geralt had granted what was probably too detached of a response in return.

He looks up at the flowers and Jaskier's little awning and the fluffy gryphon yawning in the sun. It is a strange serenity. It feels incongruous given all that's happened, and yet. With Jaskier, he can't imagine it any other way.

His expression softens for a second. Then he huffs. ] Jaskier. There isn't a damn soul left to tell. Even the people across the continent know you opened a flower stall.

[ He saw Jaskier advertise his wares throughout the summit. In truth, he thinks if anyone could flit from territory to territory unhindered, perhaps Jaskier has a chance. Who would stop a bard with an armful of daisies? ]

[cointosser]

[Jaskier laughs, throwing him a grin.]

Ah, so you acknowledge all the work I've done across this continent. Why, thank you, Geralt. And yet I better see your hands dragging our friends here, or I shall be very upset. I've even been told that gryphons will sometimes reflect the emotions of their owners. Now, do you really want a gryphon to be angry with you?

[Said gryphon has stretched out alone the entire length of the table so his head lays in the sun, ears flicking against tiny flies in the air, and his tail has landed on top of a potted cactus, unconcerned about the spines.

Clearly a beast capable of great anger.]

The more business I get, the sooner we can settle into a larger place. I do mean to do so, if we're to stay. And Rinwell deserves a bit better than a couch shoved in the corner.

[gynvael]

[ Mm-hm. He looks down at the gryphon, ears twitching lazily. Plenty of strange shit in this world, but a domesticated miniature predator is the strangest. Then again. There've always been cats.

At least the gryphon doesn't hiss at him and flee. ]

I'm trembling.

[ He watches Jaskier for a moment. The buzz of the market square hums in the background. He isn't sure how he feels. Something...weighted, in his chest, when Jaskier says settle in. He knows what he decided. He knows what they all agreed. But even when he'd never realized his place could be anywhere except on the Continent, he hadn't settled. Settling was for those who were not Witchers. Now he has. All this. More to lose, but more that he's gained, too.

He lifts the crate off the table and pushes it underneath to join the rest of the empty ones. ] I'm working on it. [ Comfort means little to him, but he doesn't want Rinwell and Ciri and Jaskier crammed into a narrow box of a room, either. Their lodgings were the best they could do when they first came to Cadens—pockets empty except for the rings and some coin Jaskier had stolen off a few frozen guards. It's past that now. Besides, Sam's space isn't exactly empty anymore for him to linger at when it's too crowded.

He straightens up. Speaking of, he does need to look in on Sam. And that...board. ] Try not to feed all your newly earned coin into spoiling your new friend.