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To say Yennefer was angry would be an understatement. She was filled with a rage that consumed her entire being. This may have also caused her to slam one or two heads into a wall on her way to unleash her rage on the Rectoress of Aretuza, a place she had sworn to never return to again after the battle of Sodden. She had shared something with Tissaia in that battle. Something that frightened her more than unleashing her Chaos onto an army ever would. She had left, she had found Geralt and Ciri, she had broken the curse of Djinn and she had rebuilt herself. On occasion a letter from Triss would find its way to her. She had begged her to return to Aretuza, stating they weren’t safe from Stregobor’s wrath and that Tissaia was more in danger than anyone. She’d ignored the warnings and just let Triss know she was fine. Tissaia could handle herself. She was sure of it.
Then the letter came.
The letter that detailed how Stregobor had fled Aretuza after a failed attempt on Tissaia’s life, his men following him in haste. She supposes that they knew she would come. She would come with her entire being full of Chaos and reign it down on all of them. She was furious, she was aflame and she was frightened. Ever since she got the letter she would close her eyes and see Tissaia in the dirt fields of sodden, poisoned, hurt and afraid. She would burn them all to erase that image from her mind.
She approached the large wooden door and leant her head against it. She could hear the soft sounds of Tissaia’s fingers gliding over the keys of the Harpsichord she kept in the corner of her room. It had been untouched for years. The Rectoress had refused to talk to her about it. It simply was not the place of piglet to know such things about the woman who would be teaching her to harness her chaos. She took a breath and knocked on the door hearing the Harpsichord quieten and the stern enter from the woman she had travelled to see.
Entering she was greeted by the regal as ever Rectoress sat on a stool. A green robe thrown around her, it was obvious to Yennefer that there was nothing but a flimsy nightgown underneath. The Rectoress’s usual neat hair was down from its bun and free to flow down her back. To Tissaia she must of looked awe struck.
“You don’t need to gawk at me piglet, I know what a mess I look right now.” Tissaia huffed. “Come to finish the job?”
“What?” Yennefer stepped forward and slammed the door behind her. “No Tissaia, I haven’t come to kill you but I’m tempted aleady.”
“Well Stregobor already tried and here I am.” Tissaia arched an eyebrow. “Why are you here Yennefer?”
“I’ve come to tell you..” The beautiful Sorceress began.
“Yes?” Tissaia began to ghost her fingers over the keys of the Harpsichord.
“You know it would be a lot easier if you didn’t interrupt me.” Yennefer huffed.
“You didn’t have time to come here, piglet.” She softly pressed down on the ivory keys. She closed her eyes as her fingers began to move across the keys.
Yennefer watched as Tissaia began to play in front of her. She had never seen the Rectoress like this. It was almost like she was lost. Lost in her own thoughts and pain. She felt the anger seep back into her bones. The anger at the situation, at Stregobor.
“How could you let this happen?” Yennefer raged. “How could you let some halfwit assassin get the upper hand against you?”
“You’re blaming me for this?” Tissaia stopped playing and got up from the stool. “Leave piglet, I wont have you come into my room blaming me for something that was beyond my control.”
“Beyond your control?” Chaos blazed behind Yennefer’s eyes. “There is nothing you don’t control, everything in this school would fall apart without you!”
“I could never control you, Yennefer.” Tissaia turned back to her. “I could never get you to follow the rules.”
“I was always much better when I was breaking them.” She smirked before continuing. “Tissaia, what happened, what did they do, what weakness could they possibly exploit to get to you?”
The Rectoress’s shoulders dropped and the stone mask fell from Tissaia’s face. Yennefer could see the hurt in her eyes. She could see the weakness.
She could see herself in Tissaia’s eyes.
“They..they used me?” Yennefer said quietly.
“Yes Yennefer, they used you.” Tissaia pinchhed the bridge of her nose and let out a sigh. “He managed to finally convince me that I truly am a delusional old woman.”
“What..how?” Yennefer moved to walk towards Tissaia and watched her flinch.
“He..he paid someone who could shift their skin.” The smaller woman looked away from the intensity of violet eyes. “He..she.. came to my door and I let her in, she said all the things I’ve every wanted you to say and I let my guard down and then...”
Tissaia pushed down the green robe and there Yennefer could see the wound, just hidden slightly by the white nightgown that trailed just below the woman’s knees. She moved her hands up to move the material out the way. The mark was sore and darkened by what Yennefer could assume was poison. She moved slowly, not to cause another flinch. When she was finally stood in front of Tissaia she moved her hand to the wound and touched it softly.
“Does it hurt?” The younger woman asked.
“Not much, Triss was here healing still and was able to come up with something to cure the poison and treat the wound.” Yennefer could hear her heart beating faster the longer her hand stayed. “I’m sure she would love it if you visited her too.”
“I’ll go see her tomorrow, I’m here for you right now.” Yennefer said softly.
“To shout at me and tell me it was my fault I almost died?” Tissaia chuckled darkly. “Think I’ll pass.”
“No Tissaia.” Yennefer moved the hand from Tissaia’s scarred chest to her mentors chin and moved her face until she was looking up at her. “I’m sorry, I just..I couldn’t..I kept thinking about you looking at me in Sodden when Fringilla poisoned you and then I just..” She took another breath. “Aretuza couldn’t live without you and neither could I.”
The room was silent as they both looked at each other. Tissaia let Yennefer’s words sink in before she closed her eyes and pushed her away slightly.
“You should leave Yennefer, its late and I need to rest.” She motioned for her to go.
“No.” She stood her ground. “I’m not letting this go on any longer and I’m not going to run away tomorrow, I’m here for you, I’m not leaving, not again, I should have been here before.”
“Yennefer.” Tissaia tightened her closed eyes and Yennefer surged forward as she watched tears begin to make their way down the Rectroress’s face.
“I’m not leaving, I’m sorry, I shouldn’t of shut you out.” She threw her around around her and pulled her close, holding her tightly. “I’m not letting you go.”
“What about the Witcher and the child?” Tissaia sniffled. “You’re telling me you won’t join them?”
“Tissaia even if I do leave to join them, I will always be coming home to you, it has always been you.” Yennefer moved away to pull Tissaia’s face from her shoulder and up towards hers.
“Yenn..” Tissaia began.
“No more talking.” She moved her head down until she was finally able to press her lips to Tissaia’s.
In the morning they would talk about how this would work. They would talk about Tissaia’s insecurities and Yennefer’s habit of leaving broken hearts wherever she would go. She would finaly get to see Tissaia play the Harpsichord properly and get the story behind it. They would see Triss together and they would come up with a plan of defending Aretuza and Tissaia from Stregobor.
But right now?
Yennefer would let her lips roam and her hands conquer.