[Kallistar, Akasha.]
I looked up at the cottage-style house that stood in contrast to the towering mansions of the capital.
Small but charming, it was surrounded by lush greenery that made it feel warm and inviting.
It felt... peaceful.
Too peaceful for a place like this.
Yet there was no warmth in my heart.
I drew in a deep breath as I walked towards the door.
Zenith was probably still back on Lumina, so right now it should only be Yennefer inside the house.
Walking closer, I knocked on the door twice before taking a step back.
In the anti, I covered the entire place in a soundproof void do.
There was silence before a voice echoed.
"Who is there?"
I felt a lump in my throat as I heard her voice.
"It’s ," I said softly. "Himl."
The sound of soone rushing towards the door echoed.
The door opened the next second.
Yenna’s face ca into my view as she looked the sa as before.
Her eyes, a shade of amber, looked into mine, while her white hair, tinged with a pink undertone, was tied in a bun.
She smiled softly. "Co in."
Yenna walked inside the house and I quietly followed behind.
The house was as I rembered—peaceful and simple.
There was nothing that stood out and nothing that made it look bad.
Yenna brought to the main hall as she looked back at . "Do you want sothing to eat?"
I shook my head. "No."
"I made so cookies," she replied nonetheless. "Let bring you so."
"...."
I could only stare at her in silence as she moved towards the kitchen.
Even though there was a distance between us, I could still see her over the counter.
"Did you hear about what happened with the elves?" I asked, staring at her.
Yenna’s hand slowed down, but she didn’t let it change her tone.
"I did," she whispered. "It was unfortunate."
"A lot of lives were lost," I said, keeping my eyes on her. "A lot of them lost their family mbers."
Yennefer didn’t answer right away.
She placed the tray of cookies on the counter and adjusted the edge of the cloth beneath it carefully—like avoiding my words would make them go away.
Then finally, she said, "War is cruel."
I walked closer. "I agree," I said. "It’s a cruel thing."
Finally, I stood in front of her, only the counter between us.
Yennefer, as if sensing sothing was amiss, tried to walk away. "Have a seat—."
"Why did you do that, Yenna?" I asked, my voice soft. "Why did you kill them?"
The tray in her hands trembled just slightly, but she quickly set it down before turning away from again.
"Are you drunk?" she asked, chuckling softly. "Why are you saying—."
"I know you were there, Yenna," I cut in her words. "I know you killed Pasithea’s family."
Yenna drew in an audible breath. "You know nothing."
"Then tell ," I asked, shifting my eyes towards her. "Where were you that night?"
"Himl—."
"What were you doing?" I pressed, walking towards her. "Who were you with?"
"That’s none of your c—."
"IT IS MY CONCERN!"
"Stop shouting like a child," she snapped back, walking even closer. "It won’t change anythin—."
"Just tell why," I asked, looking at her.
"Even if I do," she replied. "You won’t understand."
I stared at her.
She was right in front of now, arms folded tightly across her chest, as if that could shield her from my questions.
"I don’t understand?" I asked, my voice barely audible. "Is there sothing bothering you?"
"I didn’t do it because I hated them," she said at last. "I didn’t even want to."
"Then why?"
"Because they gave a choice." Her voice grew colder. "Zenith... or the elves."
"Who are they?" I asked, looking at her.
"House Atretic of Kandam," she replied softly. "The house I was ’supposed’ to marry in...the house whose heir I killed."
My breath caught.
"You... killed their heir?" I asked, stunned.
Yennefer didn’t answer right away.
She stepped back from the counter and leaned against the far wall, her gaze drifting to the floor like she couldn’t bear to et my eyes anymore.
"I was young back then," she said quietly. "He tried to claim before the marriage contract was even finalized. Said he had every right. Said I was his."
A silence fell between us, heavy and bitter.
"So I killed him."
She said it like it was just another fact in a long list of facts.
But her hands trembled as she held herself together.
"I panicked, of course," she continued. "I ran away from my ho and hid sowhere, alone with nothing but my experints."
She finally looked at .
"That’s when I decided to create a life," she said, her voice low. "To create sothing out of nothingness."
My eyes widened slightly. "A life...?"
She nodded slowly, her eyes still distant. "A child."
I didn’t speak and I didn’t know how to.
"I had no one. No family. No friends. And nowhere to go." She touched the edge of the counter with her fingertips, as if grounding herself. "So I tried sothing impossible."
I took a cautious step closer. "Zenith?"
Yennefer nodded again. "She isn’t just my child... she is my clone as well."
"...."
I had no way to speak anything after that.
Things were a lot different than what I rember from the ga.
No, there was nothing like this in the ga.
This... never happened.
I drew in deep breaths to get a hold of myself.
"Why are you helping them?" I asked, looking back at her. "Why?"
"...."
Yennefer remained silent for a while.
"I... I trusted Edel once with her safety," she whispered softly. "My own father sold her to them... Even though I got her back, it wasn’t the sa."
My voice grew even colder now. "What did they... do?"
Yennefer didn’t speak at first.
Her lips parted like she wanted to say sothing, but the words got stuck in her throat.
She closed her eyes for a mont, and when she opened them again, they were wet with unshed tears.
"They marked her soul," she whispered grimly. "Her life is in their hands."
"...."
I could only stare at her as I tried to get a hold of myself.
Everything was too much for and I couldn’t help but feel overwheld.
Yenna slowly walked towards .
"Himl," she whispered softly. "I know what I did was wrong but I didn’t have a choice."
She stood in front of now.
I don’t know when I grew taller but now her head only ca to my chest.
"I will keep Zenith safe." She slowly rested her head on . "No matter what it takes."
I stood still.
Yenna’s head rested against my chest, her arms staying by her sides, like she didn’t expect to hug her back.
Maybe she thought she didn’t deserve it.
I didn’t move right away.
My heart felt too full, like it didn’t belong to .
"I will make things right," she whispered, looking up at . "But I want you to promise sothing."
Her hand moved up and gently touched my face.
She caressed my face softly.
"Promise you won’t join this war," she whispered. "I don’t want to choose between you and Zenith."
I looked down at her, stunned.
Her fingers trembled against my cheek, but her eyes... they didn’t waver.
"Please, Himl," she said again, her voice like a thread about to snap. "Just promise ."
I didn’t know what to say.
How could I promise sothing like that?
How could I walk away from the war, from the people suffering, just to keep myself safe?
But then again... how could I ignore the pain in her eyes?
I gently reached up and took her hand away from my face, holding it between mine.
"Yenna," I said quietly. "I can help you with—."
"No," she refused imdiately. "You will not get involved with this matter."
"Yenna—."
"I said no!" she snapped. "I don’t want to lose you as well, Himl. Just... please."
"I can’t stay out of this matter—?"
"Why?" she asked. "Just why?"
A tug felt inside like sothing broke in the void but I ignored it.
"Because I love you," I replied, stopping her in place. "And I care for you more than you think."
Yennefer froze.
Her breath hitched, and for a mont, she didn’t say anything.
She just stared at .
Like she couldn’t believe what she’d heard.
Like she didn’t want to believe it.
The silence stretched between us, filled only by the soft hum of the wind outside the window.
"I..." she finally whispered, but the words died before they could leave her lips.
The silence was only broken by the sound of a footstep.
We both panicked imdiately as we looked towards the door simultaneously.
I could see Yennefer’s face turn pale as she looked at her daughter.
Zenith quietly walked inside the hall with a shocked expression on her face.
She stood still, her small fra frozen in place, her wide eyes shifting between and Yennefer.
Her voice ca out in a whisper. "You... love mom?"
Yennefer turned away, almost like she wanted to disappear.
"How much did you heard—."
"Nothing else," I whispered softly. "Just that—."
Zenith looked back at her mother. "You love him back?"
"Y-yes," Yennefer replied, panicking. "Not in that way but as a mother—."
"Zenith," I said gently, "it’s complicated."
"Is it?" she asked, her gaze jumping between the two of us. "Because from here... it looked like you were about to kiss."
Yennefer flinched. I could see it clearly, even though she tried to hide it.
"No," she said quickly. "It wasn’t like that."
"Himl," Zenith said, glaring at . "Get out of my house."
"Hey—."
She snapped. "Now!"
I didn’t move right away.
Yennefer looked at , eyes wide with fear.
Her hand was still in mine, which she tremblingly removed.
Zenith stood at the doorway, her fists clenched at her sides. Her voice shook. "I said get out."
"Zenith," I said softly, "I never ant to hurt—"
"We just ca back from soone’s funeral, Himl," she said, glaring at . "Don’t make say things that I don’t like."
I let out a sigh as I began to walk out of her house.
When I walked past her, she slapped my back, but the way she winced after that... it seed it hurt her more than .
[]
’...Yeah.’
I let out a sigh as I looked around the place.
There was so much that I got to know that I wasn’t even in the mood to do anything.
But I know I need to do sothing.
’I need to destroy the House Atretic.’
That’s my priority for now.
But....
Before that.
’I need sothing to calm myself down.’
And I know the exact person that can help.
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