[ there is a half of a second where sam, too, is worried they’ll be denied. it’s impossible to ignore the tension that has been rising among the people down here, impossible to ignore the violence bubbling under the surface of the guards. sam hates how familiar it feels, how he knows what those eyes look like. he needs to get these people out of here before something happens that he can’t stop…
but for now - he’s down to see geralt. or, perhaps, he might have been down for mal. for peter. but at that look from geralt, any other plans are gone, and sam is relieved when the guard finally steps forward and unlocks the door. the reason this time around is something about a job, some kind of physical labor - he’s found that tends to get the guards to agree faster, more often. labor makes sense, no matter if they know geralt or not.
sam chats, because that’s what they generally do. they walk, sometimes sit, sam will give geralt any update he’s heard around the castle or any gossip he’s had come his way. geralt generally listens, makes noises in agreement or dissent, and then they go on. the only difference now, and it only takes sam a few moments to realize geralt is listening at all.
part of him gets it, whatever happened down there must have been disruptive, and he wants to ask but…he will wait. see if it’s something geralt wants to talk about. so sam just keeps going without any real meaning. ]
And then Jaskier and I just went wild across town. Did you know he can make flying pigs now? We named one after you, handsome guy-
[ sam is just being ridiculous, of course, but he’s curious the limit to what geralt can actually hear.
and then the other interrupts, and any of sam’s earlier joking settles. a girl. ]
Cirilla, right? Yeah. I remember. [ sam remembers her playing in his home. laughing with his nephews. skipping across the field at geralt’s mountaintop. sam feels himself frown, because he remembers the warmth around that shadow of a memory, the fondness from geralt at every moment with her. none of that is here, now, with him, and that worries sam.
and then there’s that, and sam feels himself slow to a stop. eyes on geralt, brow furrowed in confusion. ] She is? [ that should be good, right? why does geralt look like he does? ] Welcomed, or…?
no subject
but for now - he’s down to see geralt. or, perhaps, he might have been down for mal. for peter. but at that look from geralt, any other plans are gone, and sam is relieved when the guard finally steps forward and unlocks the door. the reason this time around is something about a job, some kind of physical labor - he’s found that tends to get the guards to agree faster, more often. labor makes sense, no matter if they know geralt or not.
sam chats, because that’s what they generally do. they walk, sometimes sit, sam will give geralt any update he’s heard around the castle or any gossip he’s had come his way. geralt generally listens, makes noises in agreement or dissent, and then they go on. the only difference now, and it only takes sam a few moments to realize geralt is listening at all.
part of him gets it, whatever happened down there must have been disruptive, and he wants to ask but…he will wait. see if it’s something geralt wants to talk about. so sam just keeps going without any real meaning. ]
And then Jaskier and I just went wild across town. Did you know he can make flying pigs now? We named one after you, handsome guy-
[ sam is just being ridiculous, of course, but he’s curious the limit to what geralt can actually hear.
and then the other interrupts, and any of sam’s earlier joking settles. a girl. ]
Cirilla, right? Yeah. I remember. [ sam remembers her playing in his home. laughing with his nephews. skipping across the field at geralt’s mountaintop. sam feels himself frown, because he remembers the warmth around that shadow of a memory, the fondness from geralt at every moment with her. none of that is here, now, with him, and that worries sam.
and then there’s that, and sam feels himself slow to a stop. eyes on geralt, brow furrowed in confusion. ] She is? [ that should be good, right? why does geralt look like he does? ] Welcomed, or…?