[ Yennefer's more accustomed to these sorts of mental knocks, and knows not to guard against it, even while keeping the rest of her mind well-shielded. Vex's inquiry, when it comes, is a welcome one, since it keeps her from dwelling overlong on things that are much less enjoyable. ]
That's rather specific. [ She sounds a bit worn, but it doesn't diminish her amusement at Vex's way of broaching conversation. ]
It seems this someone already knows the best way to call on me.
[ She doesn’t mind bringing it up again now, as awkward as broaching the subject had been initially. Now, it feels like something much closer to a shared memory, and one she’s not all that bothered to reflect on. ]
[There's a hum. That is an excellent question. A pitfall of remembering Yennefer in her own world—Vex didn't fully consider the implication, because the place she remembers fits so naturally in her own memory. Unlike her other experiences with Void memories, the edge between these and her own lived memories is even blurrier.
It's bad enough when then inconsistency is clear.]
That is one option.
[Hedging a little. It was a pleasant—well, maybe not a pleasant place, but a nice memory.]
But a cottage in the woods could be almost anywhere, couldn't it?
[ But Yennefer doesn't want to rely on false memories to establish their connection now — whatever lies between them should be strengthened on its own merits, rather than the manipulated foundation of something that was never real to begin with.
Then again, she thinks — there are some qualities she's witnessed that the Void couldn't have possibly crafted on its own. Vex's playfulness, her confidence, all things that spark Yennefer's desire to know her on their own terms. ]
[Vex's chuckle at that question is audible through the curse's mental connection. low and right and quiet.]
I wouldn't presume to know your thoughts. But... I did figure that privacy was part of it.
[For one thing, Yennefer doesn't strike Vex as the kind of person who makes herself too available. Not to everyone, not all of the time. For another, it's why Vex would want something out of town. Even if she eventually rationalized and opts for something closer, the temptation to get away is strong.]
[ Her overall feelings on it lie closer to what Vex likely already suspects — that Yennefer doesn't want to make herself that available to anyone at any given moment, although she also has the sense that her preceding reputation, which most here are already familiar with, leads to people already treading carefully around her.
By contrast, Vex doesn't reach out tentatively, and she'd much rather have that quiet confidence in approach — nothing ventured, nothing gained — than for someone to be too timid to even make the attempt. ]
Though there's a difference between mysterious and unobtainable. [ The latter of which she doesn't want to be, at least where Vex is concerned. ]
Not at all unobtainable. You just ask for a bit of effort.
[The tone is still light and humorous, though there's an air of truth to it too as Vex adds:]
Anyone who isn't willing to put in a little effort isn't worth your time anyway.
[And obviously, the ranger is willing to make the trip. More than that, to show the curiosity. To do the work to see what's behind the pretty face and ageless eyes.]
[ It had been curiosity that had led Yennefer to follow up on becoming better acquainted with the half-elf who had featured in a lie — a very vivid one, but a lie nevertheless. Yet it had been her own interest that had compelled her to want to know more beyond first impressions.
She likes to think, by now, that she’s already signaled how impressed she is by the effort Vex is willing to put in, but perhaps it bears emphasizing. ]
I'd like to think I know how to be a civilized guest, especially if I'm inviting myself over.
[Because she's aware that's what she's doing, but considering the way this month is going, she suspects everyone could use a little break. Ignore the rest of the world at least for a short while.
Vex makes quick time finding Yennefer's cottage from the air, setting down nearby and slinging her broom across her back. Maybe she should have tried to get something more functional from the Minstrel, but all things considered she can't complain. The price was ideal and it does everything she asked.
Right now, it gets her to the sorceresses door bottle in hand.
She does knock, polite, before opening the door. Warning, since permission has already been given.]
[ The cottage is a little more inviting this time, now that Yennefer has had ample time to make preparations in anticipation of Vex's arrival. There are a few candles lit, bathing the space in a warm glow. For the moment, the sorceress herself is nowhere to be seen, but the fact that she's left the door open is already proof of trust — and, obviously, the advance knowledge she's been given.
When Yennefer finally does emerge from the adjacent kitchen, it's with food in hand, a small spread to accompany their wine — mostly bread and cheese, although she's been hoarding some jam, too, since procuring a jar of it in the village, doing her best to make it last. All of it is set down on the low table in the sitting room before she straightens, turns to greet Vex properly.
It'll become apparent, immediately, that she hasn't made any attempt to dress up for this — not from a lack of caring, but the exact opposite. At home, she prefers to be relaxed, less buttoned, her hair worn down, her attire closer to a dressing gown or robe rather than something more elegant. Her smile, when it comes, is small but still sincere, before her gaze shifts to the broom strapped across Vex's back. ]
Ironically, I think more people here expect me to make use of something like that.
You're welcome to borrow it sometime, if you like. Though I'm not sure there's much of a point when you can bamf around with portals and it does come with a warning or two.
[A gift from the minstrel normally would come with warnings. That doesn't stop Vex from smiling, and adding an offer:]
Though I could take you up sometime too. It's a beautiful view.
[And an excellent opportunity to do something with Yennefer. Maybe even an excuse to have the sorceress lean close. Not that Vex is considering it too closely, but the idea does have a certain appeal.
For the time being, she sets the broom down beside the door, along with her bow and some other gear. She might not be able to make herself as comfortable as Yennefer, but she can try to match the mood.
Once divested, she meets Yennefer at the table, setting the bottle down.]
I'll admit, the seating is less comfortable though.
Portals do make crossing long distances more convenient, although traveling that way isn't for the faint of heart.
[ Even with her own expertise in them, Yennefer's never fully understood what makes stepping through a portal so unpleasant, but it's also a sensation that she's become more accustomed to over time. Despite the number of portals Geralt has traveled by, he often staunchly refuses to use one unless it's absolutely necessary.
On the other hand, Vex had made it through the last portal with little difficulty, so perhaps she's made of stronger stuff than most. ]
More comfortable here. [ She picks up the bottle to inspect it, then moves to locate her opener, since they'll definitely be partaking. ]
And I do appreciate the willingness to leave weapons at the door, since you won't be needing them.
[To be entirely fair, Vex's memory of that particular portaling is mostly dominated by being hypothermic. She has a hard time telling what discomfort might be from the spell and what from being so cold.
And being welcomed into Yennefer's cottage had been an incredible relief... and after that, rather flattering.]
I can hardly think of somewhere safer, at least at the moment.
[She says it lightly, but with a core of truth. It's part of what brings Vex here, though she's not worried about physical threats.]
[ Yennefer doesn't often disclose their existence, at least not to those who aren't planning on already calling on her, but anyone who has more of a sensitivity to magic can likely sense them even if they can't discern their precise origins.
They mostly stand as a means to prevent the cottage itself from being destroyed in some way, but anyone with the slightest harmful intention against her will also be physically prevented from entering, as if encountering an invisible barrier. ]
Of course. Help yourself to anything you'd like. [ It may not be obvious by looking, but this is more effort than Yennefer would go to for most here. In the meantime, she busies herself with opening the wine and filling two cups in lieu of glasses, handing one off to Vex with a corresponding brush of fingers. ]
[For a brief moment more, Vex hesitates, situating herself in her seat and in her head. All of the stress, the conversations she doesn't want to have, the trappings of Rubilykskoye that she doesn't want to deal with, are mentally shoved back outside the door to wait until some later undefined time.
Now, Vex is a woman. Visiting a friend(?)—another woman at any rate.
A woman who somehow manages to be formidable and put her at ease in the same instant, and who's eyes stir curiosity that goes beyond the attraction she'd felt in the Void. Though admittedly the attraction is still there.
Vex helps herself to some bread and jam, and feels herself relax.]
Do you find you get many unwanted visitors after all? Setting off the wards.
[She shoves a delicate bite in her mouth.]
Things like that make me miss having a bear sleeping by the bed. Does wonders for people who get where they shouldn't be.
[ Yennefer's fairly certain she doesn't need to emphasize why a cottage like this had held appeal, at least in terms of the level of privacy offered.
She's made her home in larger capitals, or sitting at the right hand of the king himself, but the novelty of such places had worn off quickly, and after so many years, she's found the value in removing herself to such a degree that she becomes more difficult to track down — and not just because she's accumulated some enemies here and there.
She takes a sip of wine, her eyebrows immediately rising over the rim of the cup when Vex makes that offhand mention. ]
Well, you can't drop a tidbit like that into conversation and expect me not to inquire further. The bear was a friend of yours, I take it?
Friend is one way to put it. I rescued him from poachers when he was a cub.
[That is a highly sanitized version of that story, which is the best version for a light, friendly conversation over wine and bread, but after all of the years, Vex doesn't have to struggle to compartmentalize the worse bits of that night.
Trinket came out of it, and he is one of the closest comforts in her life. Only a few other companions come close.
And honestly, all of those are still more drama.]
He rather imprinted on me. Vax thought I had lost my mind, but I won that argument.
It's amazing how many arguments you win when the bear agrees with you.
[ From where Yennefer's sitting, the likelihood of the bear being a sentient animal with the ability to talk is also high, given her own world, but Vex's explanation seems much more expected. ]
Even I know better than to go against a bear when they've made up their mind.
[ Though, given what she knows of Vax, she's also not surprised that he had voiced objections to the entire sequence of events.
In making themselves more comfortable — Yennefer's arranged on the sofa, wine in hand, legs tucked underneath herself — she's put in even more of a position to study Vex, in a way she hadn't since their unexpected time together in the Void. ]
There's something... quite singular about you, you know.
[Vex pauses, cup part way to her mouth, lips wearing an incredulous half smile as she considers the compliment. Her lashes lower in a way that may have seem coy if it were more contrived.]
You know... [The cup moves again and she sips takes a modest sip.] I don't think anyone has ever told me that before.
[And she's not sure it's true, but she rather likes the sound. It warms something in her chest that praise for her eyes or her face or her tits wouldn't.
Vex suspects Yennefer of all people knows what that's like.
It makes her lean a little closer. She finds a bit of humor, a mock bravado that she uses to guard her real feelings]
Beautiful, of course. Smart. Charming...
[She shrugs, letting the exaggeration fall. Maybe she needs that armor here, but it doesn't feel as necessary.]
[ It would require a lengthier story than Yennefer is in the mood to tell, at least in such pleasant company, but she does feel somewhat inclined to divulge a portion of the truth. ]
There was a time when I did not look... quite like this. The portion of my blood that came from the elves caused me to be born with a twisted spine, among other imperfections.
[ She's removed enough from it now that she can speak of it without hesitating, without lingering on the more painful memories of her childhood. She adjusts her hold on her wine glass, briefly glancing toward the fireplace. ]
An enchanter's skill gave me these changes to my form. It will likely be a very long time before I even bear even the slightest signs of aging, but... our appearance, as sorceresses, is meant as a weapon to be wielded. It is also the first overwhelming detail most notice about us, without bothering to look deeper.
[ Her gaze drifts back to Vex's face, as she in turn inclines herself nearer. ] So I would say I have noticed your beauty long before now, but that would feel shallow, especially since it is far from the most intriguing thing about you.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
voice;
That's rather specific. [ She sounds a bit worn, but it doesn't diminish her amusement at Vex's way of broaching conversation. ]
It seems this someone already knows the best way to call on me.
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[The admission is light, warmed with humor. She already considers her choice to reach out to Yennefer for company has been validated.
This is exactly what she's looking for.]
And possibly a particular kind of leisure.
[Vex could use a break, from the hunt, from certain people involved in it. From town.]
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[ But the notion of abandoning the hunt, at least for the evening, and all the expectations therein, sounds increasingly appealing. ]
... this wouldn't be your elaborate way of getting close enough to satisfy the traditions of the present festival, would it?
[ It's a fair question to raise, considering the circumstances. ]
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[There are things she'll do to go along to get along, and things she won't.]
But I'm more than happy to show you the name I did get, if it would put your mind at ease.
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[ she isn't going to say why, but there's a reason sweeney bears a particular knife wound on his person now. ]
You can show me, or not, if you'd prefer not to think about it at all.
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She doesn't let herself become too curious about overlap. It's not really her business... and either way it's proof this festival is better ignored.]
Not thinking about it sounds ideal, darling. We can pretend it's another month. Or another place.
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[ She doesn’t mind bringing it up again now, as awkward as broaching the subject had been initially. Now, it feels like something much closer to a shared memory, and one she’s not all that bothered to reflect on. ]
Would it be pretending along those lines?
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It's bad enough when then inconsistency is clear.]
That is one option.
[Hedging a little. It was a pleasant—well, maybe not a pleasant place, but a nice memory.]
But a cottage in the woods could be almost anywhere, couldn't it?
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[ But Yennefer doesn't want to rely on false memories to establish their connection now — whatever lies between them should be strengthened on its own merits, rather than the manipulated foundation of something that was never real to begin with.
Then again, she thinks — there are some qualities she's witnessed that the Void couldn't have possibly crafted on its own. Vex's playfulness, her confidence, all things that spark Yennefer's desire to know her on their own terms. ]
Why do you think I chose it?
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I wouldn't presume to know your thoughts. But... I did figure that privacy was part of it.
[For one thing, Yennefer doesn't strike Vex as the kind of person who makes herself too available. Not to everyone, not all of the time. For another, it's why Vex would want something out of town. Even if she eventually rationalized and opts for something closer, the temptation to get away is strong.]
And it does give you a certain air of mystery.
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[ Her overall feelings on it lie closer to what Vex likely already suspects — that Yennefer doesn't want to make herself that available to anyone at any given moment, although she also has the sense that her preceding reputation, which most here are already familiar with, leads to people already treading carefully around her.
By contrast, Vex doesn't reach out tentatively, and she'd much rather have that quiet confidence in approach — nothing ventured, nothing gained — than for someone to be too timid to even make the attempt. ]
Though there's a difference between mysterious and unobtainable. [ The latter of which she doesn't want to be, at least where Vex is concerned. ]
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[The tone is still light and humorous, though there's an air of truth to it too as Vex adds:]
Anyone who isn't willing to put in a little effort isn't worth your time anyway.
[And obviously, the ranger is willing to make the trip. More than that, to show the curiosity. To do the work to see what's behind the pretty face and ageless eyes.]
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[ It had been curiosity that had led Yennefer to follow up on becoming better acquainted with the half-elf who had featured in a lie — a very vivid one, but a lie nevertheless. Yet it had been her own interest that had compelled her to want to know more beyond first impressions.
She likes to think, by now, that she’s already signaled how impressed she is by the effort Vex is willing to put in, but perhaps it bears emphasizing. ]
The door will be unlocked, when you come.
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[Because she's aware that's what she's doing, but considering the way this month is going, she suspects everyone could use a little break. Ignore the rest of the world at least for a short while.
Vex makes quick time finding Yennefer's cottage from the air, setting down nearby and slinging her broom across her back. Maybe she should have tried to get something more functional from the Minstrel, but all things considered she can't complain. The price was ideal and it does everything she asked.
Right now, it gets her to the sorceresses door bottle in hand.
She does knock, polite, before opening the door. Warning, since permission has already been given.]
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When Yennefer finally does emerge from the adjacent kitchen, it's with food in hand, a small spread to accompany their wine — mostly bread and cheese, although she's been hoarding some jam, too, since procuring a jar of it in the village, doing her best to make it last. All of it is set down on the low table in the sitting room before she straightens, turns to greet Vex properly.
It'll become apparent, immediately, that she hasn't made any attempt to dress up for this — not from a lack of caring, but the exact opposite. At home, she prefers to be relaxed, less buttoned, her hair worn down, her attire closer to a dressing gown or robe rather than something more elegant. Her smile, when it comes, is small but still sincere, before her gaze shifts to the broom strapped across Vex's back. ]
Ironically, I think more people here expect me to make use of something like that.
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[A gift from the minstrel normally would come with warnings. That doesn't stop Vex from smiling, and adding an offer:]
Though I could take you up sometime too. It's a beautiful view.
[And an excellent opportunity to do something with Yennefer. Maybe even an excuse to have the sorceress lean close. Not that Vex is considering it too closely, but the idea does have a certain appeal.
For the time being, she sets the broom down beside the door, along with her bow and some other gear. She might not be able to make herself as comfortable as Yennefer, but she can try to match the mood.
Once divested, she meets Yennefer at the table, setting the bottle down.]
I'll admit, the seating is less comfortable though.
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[ Even with her own expertise in them, Yennefer's never fully understood what makes stepping through a portal so unpleasant, but it's also a sensation that she's become more accustomed to over time. Despite the number of portals Geralt has traveled by, he often staunchly refuses to use one unless it's absolutely necessary.
On the other hand, Vex had made it through the last portal with little difficulty, so perhaps she's made of stronger stuff than most. ]
More comfortable here. [ She picks up the bottle to inspect it, then moves to locate her opener, since they'll definitely be partaking. ]
And I do appreciate the willingness to leave weapons at the door, since you won't be needing them.
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And being welcomed into Yennefer's cottage had been an incredible relief... and after that, rather flattering.]
I can hardly think of somewhere safer, at least at the moment.
[She says it lightly, but with a core of truth. It's part of what brings Vex here, though she's not worried about physical threats.]
I hope red is all right? I made a guess.
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[ Yennefer doesn't often disclose their existence, at least not to those who aren't planning on already calling on her, but anyone who has more of a sensitivity to magic can likely sense them even if they can't discern their precise origins.
They mostly stand as a means to prevent the cottage itself from being destroyed in some way, but anyone with the slightest harmful intention against her will also be physically prevented from entering, as if encountering an invisible barrier. ]
Of course. Help yourself to anything you'd like. [ It may not be obvious by looking, but this is more effort than Yennefer would go to for most here. In the meantime, she busies herself with opening the wine and filling two cups in lieu of glasses, handing one off to Vex with a corresponding brush of fingers. ]
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Now, Vex is a woman. Visiting a friend(?)—another woman at any rate.
A woman who somehow manages to be formidable and put her at ease in the same instant, and who's eyes stir curiosity that goes beyond the attraction she'd felt in the Void. Though admittedly the attraction is still there.
Vex helps herself to some bread and jam, and feels herself relax.]
Do you find you get many unwanted visitors after all? Setting off the wards.
[She shoves a delicate bite in her mouth.]
Things like that make me miss having a bear sleeping by the bed. Does wonders for people who get where they shouldn't be.
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[ Yennefer's fairly certain she doesn't need to emphasize why a cottage like this had held appeal, at least in terms of the level of privacy offered.
She's made her home in larger capitals, or sitting at the right hand of the king himself, but the novelty of such places had worn off quickly, and after so many years, she's found the value in removing herself to such a degree that she becomes more difficult to track down — and not just because she's accumulated some enemies here and there.
She takes a sip of wine, her eyebrows immediately rising over the rim of the cup when Vex makes that offhand mention. ]
Well, you can't drop a tidbit like that into conversation and expect me not to inquire further. The bear was a friend of yours, I take it?
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[That is a highly sanitized version of that story, which is the best version for a light, friendly conversation over wine and bread, but after all of the years, Vex doesn't have to struggle to compartmentalize the worse bits of that night.
Trinket came out of it, and he is one of the closest comforts in her life. Only a few other companions come close.
And honestly, all of those are still more drama.]
He rather imprinted on me. Vax thought I had lost my mind, but I won that argument.
It's amazing how many arguments you win when the bear agrees with you.
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Even I know better than to go against a bear when they've made up their mind.
[ Though, given what she knows of Vax, she's also not surprised that he had voiced objections to the entire sequence of events.
In making themselves more comfortable — Yennefer's arranged on the sofa, wine in hand, legs tucked underneath herself — she's put in even more of a position to study Vex, in a way she hadn't since their unexpected time together in the Void. ]
There's something... quite singular about you, you know.
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You know... [The cup moves again and she sips takes a modest sip.] I don't think anyone has ever told me that before.
[And she's not sure it's true, but she rather likes the sound. It warms something in her chest that praise for her eyes or her face or her tits wouldn't.
Vex suspects Yennefer of all people knows what that's like.
It makes her lean a little closer. She finds a bit of humor, a mock bravado that she uses to guard her real feelings]
Beautiful, of course. Smart. Charming...
[She shrugs, letting the exaggeration fall. Maybe she needs that armor here, but it doesn't feel as necessary.]
That really is something coming from you though.
cw: reference to physical disability
[ It would require a lengthier story than Yennefer is in the mood to tell, at least in such pleasant company, but she does feel somewhat inclined to divulge a portion of the truth. ]
There was a time when I did not look... quite like this. The portion of my blood that came from the elves caused me to be born with a twisted spine, among other imperfections.
[ She's removed enough from it now that she can speak of it without hesitating, without lingering on the more painful memories of her childhood. She adjusts her hold on her wine glass, briefly glancing toward the fireplace. ]
An enchanter's skill gave me these changes to my form. It will likely be a very long time before I even bear even the slightest signs of aging, but... our appearance, as sorceresses, is meant as a weapon to be wielded. It is also the first overwhelming detail most notice about us, without bothering to look deeper.
[ Her gaze drifts back to Vex's face, as she in turn inclines herself nearer. ] So I would say I have noticed your beauty long before now, but that would feel shallow, especially since it is far from the most intriguing thing about you.
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cw: reference to past suicidal ideation
cw: scars, allusions to suicide
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