Chapter Text
It does not matter what anyone says or thinks about it. Jaskier will never regret helping the elves in any way. In spite of being locked in a cell awaiting his execution, he never regretted his decision.
For Jaskier, even though he was dead, at least his work as the Sandpiper would live on.
In the beginning, Jaskier did not give much thought to the treatment of the elves. In his youth, he was naive and had no reason to worry about the elves' mistreatment since his ways never affected theirs.
That was until Bleobheris came along. Several years had passed since Geralt abandoned him on the top of a mountain.
There at been a festival at the Seat of Friendship in which Jaskier was in attendance. Everything seems to have gone well. There were food, music, and drinks to be enjoyed with Jaskier, even remembering dancing with many elves.
Then and Jaskier never did find out who they were, but someone attacked them. Using arrows set ablaze, they fired arrows that hit more than twenty of the guests and caused all the others to scatter.
As Jaskier could still recall, he ran, getting lost in the chaos. He witnessed their attacker run their swords through many who were running as they attacked them on horseback.
In the end, Jaskier fled deep into the woods, hiding in a hollowed-out tree, listening to what felt like hours of screaming.
The Bard knew he wasn't like Geralt in any way. He couldn't simply pick up a sword and fight the oppressor. But, at Jaskier's word, the elves could get aboard boats and be transported to safety.
As a result, the Sandpiper was born.
The whole thing worked for a while with the help of his benefactor. However, he eventually got himself arrested and wasn't able to escape. So it would be appropriate to let Jaskier return to where he is right now, sitting up in a cell in Oxenfurt. As a bard, Jaskier had quite a reputation in Oxenfurt, so he figured that Redania would choose here for public exhibition. At this time, Jaskier's execution was being held.
"Alright up, you get," one of the guards said as they stepped into Jaskier's cell. After two weeks of only eating a single piece of bread and one cup of water a day, Jaskier was in no shape to fight back. Instead of doing so, he let the guards put his chain on and lead him to his death.
"You know it's a shame," the guard on the left said as he walked Jaskier to his death. "Man, I really did enjoy listening to your music."
In a normal situation, Jaskier would have been very happy to chat with a fan of his music; however, now, all Jaskier could concentrate on was the stage in front of him with the large crowd all around him. No one wanted to tell the bard how they intended to end his life.
Would Jaskier have been forced to kneel to the gallows as they chopped off his head? Instead, with his head being placed on a pole, his blood would be placed as a warning for others.
Or would they decide to hang him, leaving his body to dangle there until one of his friends took pity on him and brought him down?
He is now facing a five-pace distance from his death. It was evident that Jaskier saw the stake and torch.
Jaskier knew what was going to happen to him at that point in time.
The bard was going to be burned alive at the stake.
To be honest, it almost seemed fitting after writing about Geralt in that song.
Geralt, now Jaskier, wonders how the witcher would react to his death.
Was Geralt going to mourn Jaskier's death, or would he be glad that he was getting his one blessing from life?
In conclusion, Jaskier was escorted to the stage, tied to a skate.
"Julian Alfred Pankratz, Viscount de Lettenhove, you have committed treason against the crown for your crimes of smuggling as the Sandpiper, "The Executioner said when speaking about Jaskier.
Jaskier could see many familiar faces among the crowd as he looked out at it. In the crowd, however, Jaskier noticed a figure dressed in a black cloak at the front of the crowd. Whatever the person was, it was evident that they were trying to remain anonymous.
This shape could only be recognized by Jaskier anywhere in the world.
Geralt was here. Geralt was here, and he was prepared to watch Jaskier be burned.
“Please look away,” Jaskier whispered, knowing Geralt could hear him. He did not want his death to be the last thing the witcher saw of him.
Suddenly in one swift move, that fire was lit.
Only Jaskier wasn’t burning. It was true, he felt the flames, but it wasn’t unbearable. Quite the contrary, he felt a comforting warmth from the flames.
Jaskier was going to be executed.
When Triss came to Kaer Morhen to show Geralt the flyer a few weeks ago, Geralt was struck with those words.
Posters of the execution of Jaskier the Bard were being plastered to everyone they could be.
Geralt has been with Ciri and Yennefer at the witchers and keeps hiding out from Niflfgaard. It was not a secret that the three of them were linked by fate.
Yennefer reminds them that they need to figure out the link that made destiny connect them in the first place.
In the days leading up to Jaskier's death, Triss arrived with word of his impending death. Yennefer revealed at that moment that Jaskier was the Sandpiper, the mysterious person who helped the elves in need.
Geralt got his brothers, or more importantly, Vesemir, to take care of Ciri. Yennefer Portaled the two of them and Roach as close to Oxenfurt as she could.
There was a plan where Geralt was to go in and get Jaskier, and then he would call Yennefer so that they could use Xenovox to make the portal ready.
At that moment, Geralt found himself Riding as fast as he could. Wishing with all the could that Destiny would have mercy on him for once.
Geralt just could not bear to lose Jaskier to the whims of life. As a result, he had to get him back to apologize to him.
It was important for Geralt to leave Roach just before entering Oxenfurt to have an easier time getting around on his feet rather than riding a horse as he made his way into Oxenfurt.
It was important for Geralt to leave Roach just before entering Oxenfurt to have an easier time getting around on his feet rather than riding a horse as he made his way into Oxenfurt.
Geralt could see people gathered around a large stage in the center of town.
When Geralt pulled up his Cloak, he saw Jaskier tied to the stake on top of the stage.
It was too late for him. Jaskier was going to die.
“Please look away,” Geralt heard Jaskier whisper as a fire was lit from underneath him.
Initially, Geralt could only watch in horror as flames consumed Jaskier. Only Jaskier did not burn, his close friend had gone up in flames, but the Bard remained untouched by the flames.
Jaskier was still in Geralt's reach, and he could still save him. Then with one swift movement, Geralt made his way up to the stage, and as he took his sword, he cut Jaskier from the skate.
Then he took his cloak and wrapped it around Jaskier, who was very naked.
Jaskier is picked up by Geralt quickly while the Bard wraps his hands around the witcher's neck.
"Geralt, you're here," Jaskier said, shocked at seeing the witcher here.
"Don't worry, Jask, don't worry, just hold on!" Geralt pleaded as he ran past guards, ensuring not to shed his grip on Jaskier's emancipated body.
When Geralt saw Roach ahead of him, he had no idea he would be thrilled to see the horse.
Without letting Jaskier's feet touch the ground, he hauled the two of them up onto the horse as they bounded away from where death was meant to happen.
As they rode to where Yennefer was waiting for them at the portal, the three of them went back to Kaer Morhen.
Far enough from Oxenfurt not to be a danger. The pace of Roach slowed down, and Geralt started to think.
What links people by destiny.
Geralt invoked the law of surprise when he was in Cintra because Jaskier at ask him to come with him as a bodyguard.
There is only one reason he met Yennefer, which was to save Jaskier from a djinn.
It was Jaskier.
As Geralt looked down at the bard, he realized it.
Jaskier was the Destiny Link.