Chapter Text
Yennefer strides into Ban Ard like she owns the place. The guards at the gate had done a double-take when they saw here, but they made no move to intervene or prevent her from entering. It's lucky, since if they had searched her she would have had a difficult time explaining the vials she's got stashed under her skirts. Tissaia dosed her with the antidote when they left the inn, so she'll be safe regardless, but it won't end well for their plan if the remaining vials of antidote are confiscated before she can get them to the other mages.
She's never been here before, but she can feel the traces of chaos that linger in the halls. She lets her mind reach out, searching for any sign of a friendly presence, and she almost smiles when she feels Triss in a different wing.
It doesn't take her long to navigate the maze of hallways and knock on the door she can feel Triss behind. It swings open and Triss's mouth drops open.
"Yennefer!" She shoots a quick glance up and down the hall as if checking for any sign of Tissaia. "What...what are you doing here?"
"Can I come in?" Yennefer asks. She's sure Stregobor has ears in every centimetre of the place, but at least inside the room she'll feel a little less exposed. Triss steps aside and lets her enter, shutting the door behind them.
"Yennefer, what's going on?" When Yennefer hesitates, Triss waves a hand. "I've got counter charms in place. No matter what we discuss anyone who tries to listen will only hear trivial conversation about the weather and our outfits."
Yennefer lets out a breath. That makes things easier. She wasn't sure how she would get everything across to Triss if she had to speak in code the whole time.
"Tissaia sends her regards," she says, and Triss breaks into a relieved smile.
"So you found her, then? She's all right?"
Yennefer nods. "Yes. But she needs our help now."
She lays out the basics as quickly as possible: the dimeritium, the antidote, and the need to distribute it to any mages who they think may resist Stregobor. Triss looks thoughtful for a moment.
"That shouldn't be difficult. I can recruit Sabrina to help. It will be easier for her and I to move freely about the area to get the antidote to everyone else. I imagine Stregobor has at least two mages tailing you to make sure you don't start any trouble."
"Oh, because you're so innocent no one would ever suspect you had it in you," Yennefer says, rolling her eyes. Triss just grins and shrugs.
"There are perks to being underestimated."
"So what, you want me to stay here while you do all the work?"
Yennefer isn't thrilled with the idea and she can see Triss doesn't like it either, but the other mage nods. "For now. I felt you when you entered the castle--I can use that mind link to keep you apprised of our progress. Stregobor is convening the combined Chapter and Council this afternoon, so we'll need to move quickly if you truly think there's potential for violence."
"Tissaia seemed to believe there is, and that's sufficient for me."
Triss eyes her curiously. "Since when do you trust Tissaia’s opinion about things?" Yennefer starts to protest but Triss cuts her off. "It doesn’t matter right now. But sometime when we're not facing possible death you'll have to tell me what exactly happened on your trip, because I don’t think I’ve ever seen you so willing to go along with someone else’s plan."
"Other people just tend to have stupid plans," Yennefer says, and Triss chuckles.
"Always difficult, aren't you?" She takes the vials that Yennefer hands her and tucks them in a pocket hidden in the lining of her dress. "I'll dose as many as can be found."
"How many do you think there will be?" Yennefer asks, trying to get a sense of what their odds will be if it comes to a fight. Triss frowns.
"Not as many as I would like. With Tissaia supposedly dead, many are reluctant to risk going against Stregobor. She's been the main one keeping him in check for so long that people are afraid of what will come next."
Yennefer hums. It makes sense. It's not what she wants to hear, but she can only hope that their numbers will be enough should it come to that.
"And does Stregobor suspect?"
"He's a paranoid fool," Triss scoffs. "He always suspects everyone is planning his demise. But whether he suspects that Tissaia is alive...that I don't know."
"And have there been rumours of any resistance? When he calls the meeting today?"
"No. I've done what I could to nip any rumours in the bud before they reached his ears. He likely anticipates something happening, but there hasn't been any concrete evidence to prove his suspicions founded."
It's the best she can hope for. Not for the first time since parting ways, Yennefer curses Tissaia for leaving so much to chance. There are so many ways that this can go wrong--if Stregobor has planned for them, if he has something other than the dimeritium up his sleeve, if there aren't enough mages willing to fight alongside of them. The list goes on and on, and it leaves her grasping for any semblance of control she can muster.
"All right. Let me know if you hear of anything new. I'll do my best to stay out of trouble," Yennefer says with a tone that makes it clear exactly how unimpressed she is with her lack of role.
"You do that." Triss leaves the room, the door closing behind her with a finality that sets Yennefer's nerves on edge.
The sudden silence feels like a weight pressing down on her, and Yennefer starts to pace the room. It's torture to be stuck here and not know what's going on. Will Triss find success with the other mages? Is Stregobor still blissfully unaware that Tissaia is closing in on him? Does he really have powdered dimeritium with him that he's willing to use on other mages? Has Tissaia managed to successfully sneak in, or has she already been captured--or killed?
The questions ricochet around in her mind until she's nearly driving herself crazy from trying to predict the answers. Throwing herself onto the bed, Yennefer reaches out with her mind.
Tissaia?
The reply is almost instantaneous.
Yennefer? What's wrong?
Even having this faint connection to the other woman helps soothe her nerves, and Yennefer groans at how pathetic that makes her feel.
Yennefer?
Now Tissaia sounds concerned. Yennefer closes her eyes and grounds herself in the knowledge that the other woman is okay, at least for the moment.
Everything is fine, Tissaia. I just...
She hesitates. Saying it makes it more real, somehow, but she soldiers on.
I was just worried. And overthinking.
I’m okay, Yennefer.
Tissaia replies immediately, and Yennefer can feel the pulse of fondness and gratitude that sweeps through their connection as she speaks.
Would it be better if we keep the connection? Even just a thread?
The offer instantly eases some of the tightness in Yennefer's chest and she already feels like she can breathe again.
Yes. Please.
You'd better be careful, or I'm going to start expecting manners all the time Tissaia teases. Yennefer doesn't even care. She would say please and thank you a thousand times a day for Tissaia, though she has no intention of ever admitting as much to the other woman.
The connection fades, the immediacy no longer there. But the remaining sliver is enough that Yennefer can feel Tissaia still alive and unharmed. She fixates on the faint but steady beating of the other woman's heart and tries to relax. Waiting has never really been in her skillset; she's more of a "rush in and sort of the consequences later" type of person, and she wishes she could throw caution to the wind and just do that now. But she knows that Tissaia is counting on her to hold back, at least for now, and it will cause more harm than good to go charging headlong into a battle that may yet be avoided.
The minutes tick by, each one feeling like a lifetime. At one point Yennefer reaches out to make sure that Triss is still okay. She can feel the healer's energy bright and moving around in close proximity to other mages, and she retreats. No sense in distracting her unnecessarily.
She tries to center herself and pull her chaos into sharp focus within herself. If things don't go smoothly, she won't be of much use if her chaos explodes across everyone around her. It only takes a few moments before she gives up. Every time she tries to create order out of the chaos whirling inside of her, Tissaia's face flashes behind her eyelids. It's impossible to think of anything else, and she exhales noisily through her nose.
Yennefer goes back to pacing the perimeter of the room, letting her fingers trail against the stone walls. This damned waiting is going to be the death of her. She's just about to check in with Triss again when she feels Tissaia reaching out.
Yennefer.
The tone is sharp and worried, almost breathless. Yennefer halts and tries to deepen their connection to understand what's going on.
I'm here, Tissaia.
Stregobor knows. He's got the dimeritium and a small army of human soldiers, you need to warn the others--
The thought cuts off and Yennefer panics.
Tissaia! Where are you? I can come--
Tissaia speaks over her, her tone bordering on frantic now.
Reserve your chaos, Yennefer. You'll need to help lead--
An explosion shatters the connection, and Yennefer stumbles backwards, tripping over her own feet and falling to the floor. For a second she isn't sure if it was only in her head, something that happened to Tissaia, but then she notices the ringing in her ears and the way that a fine cloud of dust is shimmering in the air around her, knocked loose from the walls and ceiling. She pushes herself to her feet and staggers out into the hallway.
Shouts echo from somewhere to her right, and she heads towards the sound. Remnants of someone else's chaos choke the air. Whatever the blast was, it was at least partially magical in origin, and Yennefer starts to run. She can't feel Tissaia any more, and the thought gives her an extra burst of speed.
She reaches out to Triss, checking that the other mage is okay.
I'm here, Yennefer. The response is rapid, although Triss sounds a bit dazed. What's going on?
I don't know. But Tissaia was caught in it. I'm heading for the council chambers now, bring whoever you can. Tissaia said Stregobor has got human soldiers with him, but I don't know any more than that.
Yennefer cuts the connection as she feels Triss start to rally nearby mages. She trusts her to do what's needed to get them to the chambers.
It's difficult to see in front of her as she gets closer to the chambers. Dust swirls in thick clouds, and she can barely make out dark shadows and vague silhouettes of other people up ahead. She nearly trips over a few bodies on the floor and glances down just long enough to check that they're human. There are no marks on the bodies, and she wonders if they're Tissaia's handiwork.
She's still trying desperately to re-establish a connection with the other woman, but there's no response. In normal circumstances Yennefer finds the idea of praying almost insulting, the blind faith and hope of the act in direct opposition to her nature, but as she skids around a corner and is greeted with a wall of flames she finds herself muttering a few words to any being that will listen.
She raises a hand and wills the fire into herself. It fights her, trying to escape her control and light everything around her ablaze, but she grits her teeth and forces it to calm until the red glow of her palms is the only indication of what she's taken on.
With the fire gone, she can see the massive double doors that lead into the chambers are hanging askew, one of them blown clean off its hinges. She runs inside, eyes scanning frantically for Tissaia, and she almost doubles over with relief when she sees the smaller woman in the center of the room.
Tissaia is surrounded by soldiers, and she's alternating between repelling them and killing the ones she's able to. Stregobor is nowhere in sight, but the dusting of metallic powder on Tissaia's clothes speaks to the fact that he's been involved one way or another.
"Tissaia!"
The woman turns at the sound of Yennefer's voice, sending another few soldiers flying backward. Yennefer runs for her, darting around the few who dare try to stop her, and her momentum sends her into Tissaia's arms.
Tissaia catches her and Yennefer's eyes flash when she sees more soldiers running towards them. She raises a hand and a jet of flame engulfs the room, creating a whirlwind of fire that scorches everything but the ground they're standing on.
A clench of her fist douses the inferno, and when she looks down at Tissaia her breath catches at the absolutely wanton look on the smaller woman's face. Yennefer can't resist ducking her head and kissing Tissaia fiercely, the relief of seeing her alive and the adrenaline of the battle combining in a heady rush. When they break apart, Tissaia glances around the room.
"There are more coming. This was just the first wave," she says, and Yennefer can already hear the sound of boots pounding down the halls in their direction.
"I can hold them off. You go after Stregobor."
Tissaia nods once. "Be safe."
She darts forward to press another quick kiss on Yennefer's lips before heading towards a small door set at the far end of the chambers. Yennefer tries to refocus on the task at hand. The flames she absorbed are nearly spent, but she should be able to take out at least a few more soldiers to buy Tissaia a little time.
The first soldiers crash into the room, swords drawn, and Yennefer directs a stream of fire at them. They duck for cover and retreat just far enough to be out of range. Yennefer bares her teeth, daring them to try to enter the chambers again. She can't hold them forever, but they don't know that.
Screams erupt from the hall, and Yennefer braces herself for whatever comes next. She says a silent thank you when Sabrina bursts through the group of soldiers, sending several of them flying through the air to land in broken heaps. Triss is close behind, along with a handful of other mages that Yennefer doesn't know.
"Couldn't let you have all the fun," Triss says with a grin. The mages all face the entry to the chambers as more soldiers congregate, and Yennefer waits. They're not going to just go away, they must be waiting for something.
Sure enough, a second later one of the soldiers throws a circular object into the chambers. It hits the ground, bounces once, and then explodes in a cloud of powdered dimeritium. Yennefer coughs, but it doesn't feel any different than if she'd walked into a cloud of normal dust. The other mages seem to be faring the same, and they all return their attention to the doors.
Soldiers stream through, clearly expecting their adversaries to be painfully incapacitated, and the first line is promptly obliterated. Yennefer can't help but grin when she hears the soldiers shouting about how it didn't work.
Several of them try to retreat, but she advances towards the doors and raises a fist, reaching for the stones that line the ceiling in the hallway and bringing them down with a resounding crash. It effectively blocks the hall, leaving the soldiers trapped with the mages, and she can taste the fear in the air as they realize things are not going to go how they thought.
It doesn't take long after that to finish them off--one of the mages she doesn't know sustains a minor injury on their arm, but it's not severe enough to even merit healing. As the dust begins to settle, Yennefer catches her breath and looks over to where Triss is standing.
"Go." Triss knows what she's going to ask before she even opens her mouth, and she tips her head at the door Tissaia disappeared through. Yennefer doesn't need to be told twice, and she blows through the door at a run.
It opens into a narrow hall, at the end of which she sees a spiral stone staircase rising into a tower. Her boots click on the paving stones as she makes her way up the stairs, not pausing once to catch her breath. It feels like the staircase is neverending, but she finally reaches the top.
She can hear voices as she steps out onto a platform. It offers a magnificent view of the surrounding countryside, but that's not what she's focused on. Tissaia is facing off against Stregobor, and she looks like power personified. There’s a smudge of dimeritium across one cheek and a few tendrils of hair have come loose and float about her face in the breeze as she advances on Strgobor, who’s got his back almost pressed up against the low brick wall that serves as a railing.
He launches a spell at Tissaia and she bats it away as if it's nothing. Yennefer shivers at the raw power on display, unable to help the want that courses through her veins at the sight of Tissaia in her element.
"How?" Stregobor sputters, his face apoplectic with rage. "The dimeritium should have killed you by now."
"My dear man," Tissaia says drolly, "Did you really think I would come here without a plan to counteract the dimeritium? After all our years trying to unseat each other you should know better."
Stregobor is about to say something when he notices Yennefer standing on the balcony with them. His eyes glint with malice and he sneers.
"I never needed the dimeritium. Your greatest weakness has always been that cursed half-elf girl. All these years spent trying to protect her and shield her from the Brotherhood's influence...and for what? The hopes of a quick fuck?"
Yennefer can feel the rage radiating from Tissaia. She doesn't need to see the woman's face to know that her lips are pulled back in a snarl as she flicks a wrist and sends Stregobor flying back. He lands heavily against the balcony wall and slumps to the ground, unable to do anything but look up at Tissaia as she strides toward him.
"They won't let you get away with this. Centuries of your work gone, undone by a passing fancy," he gasps, fingers scrabbling for purchase against the stone. "Is she really worth losing everything?"
"Yes." The answer comes without hesitation, and Yennefer's heart leaps in her chest as Tissaia keeps talking. "The Brotherhood aren't going to say anything to me; not after you threatened us all with your foolish attempt at using dimeritium as a weapon. But even if they stripped me of everything...I would do it again in a heartbeat. For her."
She knew Tissaia cared for her, but hearing it spoken aloud in such unquestionable terms floors Yennefer. She's always dreamt of being important to someone, and here's Tissaia, saying everything she could ever have hoped for and then some.
Stregobor raises a hand, but this time it's directed at Yennefer and not Tissaia. Before he can do anything there's a resounding crack and suddenly his hand is hanging limply, the wrist snapped and clean white bone visible to the air. A strangled scream escapes Strogobor’s lips as he clutches his now-useless arm to his chest.
"You may threaten me all you like," Tissaia says, her voice low and dangerous. "But if you so much as think to harm her, you will not live to see another day."
Yennefer starts. She hadn't realized Tissaia even knew she was on the observation deck with them.
Stregobor's face is white and beads of sweat are visible on his forehead as he lets out a shriek and flings his good arm out.
Quicker than Yennefer can comprehend, Tissaia has him dangling in mid-air, her hand clenching at her side and slowly cutting off his air. His eyes are wild as Tissaia moves him until he's suspended in the air over the side of the tower, nothing between him and death but the grip that Tissaia's chaos has on him.
"I'm giving you one last chance." Tissaia's voice is icy in a way that Yennefer has never heard before. The woman's fingers are twitching with the desire to release their hold on Stregobor, but she's holding back. "If you'll agree to be bound with dimeritium in penance for your crimes, I'll gladly bring you to the rest of the Brotherhood to carry out your sentence."
Stregobor's face twists with spite, and Yennefer knows the words are coming before he says them.
"You and that little bitch deserve each other."
Tissaia tilts her head, seemingly pondering the statement, and then glances over her shoulder and meets Yennefer's eyes. The older woman's gaze is filled with so much affection and hope that Yennefer can't breathe from the force of it.
"Maybe we do."
And as Tissaia continues to hold Yennefer's eyes, she raises her clenched hand in the air and then releases it. Stregobor makes a little choking sound and then he's dropped from sight. Yennefer hears the screams from the base of the tower when he hits the ground, but she doesn't care. She only has eyes for the woman in front of her.
With three long strides she's close enough to take Tissaia in her arms and kiss the woman as if her life depends on it. In some ways she supposes it does. There will forever be a "before" and "after" in her life now, with regards to Tissaia. But as she dips her tongue into the wet heat of Tissaia's mouth and feels the way the smaller woman melts into her, she thinks that maybe she likes it that way.
She pulls back just enough to be able to look down at Tissaia, and a fond smile crosses her lips. It never ceases to surprise her that she's the taller of the two of them. Tissaia has always been larger than life, and Yennefer had never fully comprehended just how tiny she was until she suddenly had occasion to be this close to her.
"Everything below is taken care of?"
Tissaia's voice is a little scratchy and breathless, and it makes Yennefer want to do unspeakable things to her. She idly wonders if the other woman would object to the idea of being taken up against the stone wall of the tower. It's a gorgeous thought. She can only imagine how perfect Tissaia would look with her head tipped back and those delicious wanton gasps falling from her lips as Yennefer's mouth worked between her legs.
"Yes. Triss is finishing up with any remaining loose ends." Her tone is low and gravelly, and Yennefer delights in the way that Tissaia's eyes drop back to her lips at the sound. It's a kind of power that makes her heady and dizzy with the joy of it. She sighs when Tissaia steps back and puts a little more space between them.
"Later, love," Tissaia says softly, giving Yennefer a knowing look. "For now, let's make sure there aren't any remaining fires to put out or injuries to heal. And then perhaps a bath and a fresh bed are in order."
The last bit is said so slyly that Yennefer takes a second to process what Tissaia is insinuating. When her brain catches up, she nods so enthusiastically that it's probably embarrassing. Tissaia reaches out and brushes her thumb across Yennefer's cheek, wiping away a bit of ash.
"Come on then," she says roughly. "If we don't go now I'm going to have you right here where anyone could see."
She turns and starts down the stairs, but she pauses and reaches a hand back, offering it to Yennefer. The younger sorceress takes it and laces their fingers, squeezing lightly. She silently hopes that Triss has everything well under control. While food and a bath sound lovely, what she really wants is to get Tissaia into a bed when they don't have a life-or-death crisis looming over them.
Yennefer's thoughts begin to wander into ideas of what, specifically, she wants to do to Tissaia when they're alone, and she nearly trips as she follows Tissaia down the stairs.
"Distracted?" Tissaia asks with a smirk.
Yennefer just smiles and shakes her head, already planning how to make her imaginings into reality. Tissaia had said she wasn't a blushing virgin, and she looks forward to testing exactly how true that statement is.
###
Yennefer paces impatiently in the room that she's sharing with Tissaia. It's been three days since Stregobor died, and they haven't had more than a few moments to themselves. The fallout of his actions has been impressive, to say the least, and Tissaia has been in meetings with the Chapter and Council from before sunrise until well after sundown each day.
There are arguments revolving around what the do with the dimeritium Stregobor has amassed, how to handle the antidote that Tissaia created, and how to move forward. On the first day, Vilgefortz even had the nerve to question whether Tissaia should be held accountable for killing Stregobor without consulting with the rest of the Chapter beforehand. Yennefer had wanted to track him down and incinerate him on the spot when Tissaia related that particular conversation.
"The conniving little snake," she muttered, already looking for her boots so that she could go find him. "I would put more stock in his opinion if he hadn't been cowering in his quarters once he got wind of the dimeritium."
A hand on her shoulder had made her pause, and she'd seen Tissaia watching her with some amusement. The Chapter was taking a short break and she'd come to find the younger woman to update her, clearly not expecting her to take the happenings so personally.
"There's no need to murder the man on my account. He'll bluster, but the Chapter will defer to me, at least in this."
The absolute confidence with which Tissaia spoke had been incredibly sexy, and Yennefer had stepped closed with the intent of coming up with a different way to occupy their time if she wasn't allowed to kill Vilgefortz, but then Tissaia had frowned.
"I'm sorry," she murmured, "They're reconvening."
Yennefer had pouted but waved a hand. "Go. They can't do anything without you there. I'll just be here alone...perhaps I'll have to find some way to keep myself occupied until your return."
Tissaia had licked her lips and looked like she wanted nothing more than to stay, but she'd winced and even Yennefer could feel the insistence behind the magical call the other woman was receiving.
"I'll be back later, if they don't take all night," Tissaia said. "And then perhaps you can show me some of the ways you've found to entertain yourself."
Yennefer had smirked, her mind already conjuring plans for the evening, and had watched until the door shut behind Tissaia, leaving her alone once more. She'd been hopeful that they might finally get their time together, but by the time the moon was high above Ban Ard she could sense that the Brotherhood were still debating with no intention of stopping any time soon.
She'd fallen asleep by herself that night, and for the two succeeding nights as well. It was infuriating, to be so close to Tissaia and not even be able to have the small moments of intimacy they'd shared on the road. She hated that the Brotherhood was inept to the point of self-destruction without Tissaia's leadership, and she fantasized about swooping into their fancy meetings and stealing Tissaia away so that she could ravage the woman the way she'd been dreaming of.
But she knew Tissaia felt an obligation to ensure that the Brotherhood wouldn't actively harm any of the mages under their purview, and so she'd contained her impulses. Now, though, it's looking like it might turn into a fourth night spent without Tissaia, and her self control is wearing thin.
Yennefer flops onto the bed, wishing more than anything that Tissaia could appear next to her and sate the burning need that's been eating her alive the past few days. She reaches out with her mind and finds Tissaia. The other woman is listening to arguments related to the storage of the remaining dimeritium, and Yennefer feels a sharp jolt of arousal as she hears the command in Tissaia's voice as she dictates the flow of the conversation.
A brilliant idea occurs to her, and a devilish smile crosses her lips as she lets one of her hands trail down her own body. If she can't have Tissaia in person, then she can at least let the other woman know what she's missing.
She keeps her thoughts trained on Tissaia, projecting the sensations coursing through her out to the other mage as she slips her hand under her dress. She's not wearing undergarments, and she finds herself already wet at just the thought of Tissaia. She drags a finger around her opening, collecting some of the slick before tracing a light circle around her clit. The pleasure in instantaneous, and she whimpers at the neediness that's taking over. It’s ridiculous how close she is after only a few seconds, and she knows it’s not going to take much.
Yennefer.
Her name flashes through her mind, but she doesn't pause in her ministrations. She doesn't bother to hide the breathiness in her voice when she replies.
Yes, Tissaia?
You need to stop.
The tone makes her press a little harder, and her hips jump into her hand in search of more.
I told you I would find a way to entertain myself she says, bringing her free hand up to play with a breast. She pinches the nipple and savors the swirl of want that's curling in her stomach. I just thought you might want some entertainment as well, in the midst of your boring meetings.
Yennefer, stop.
Tissaia's voice sounds strained, and Yennefer grins. She can feel the conflict in the other woman, the way that she's desperately trying to follow the thread of conversation with the other mages while simultaneously talking to Yennefer. But Tissaia could cut their connection and wall her mind off if she truly wanted this to stop, so Yennefer keeps going, trusting the other woman to put a halt to her antics if that's really what she wants.
She shifts the hand on her clit down to her entrance and dips inside with just the pads of her fingers.
Gods, Tissaia, I'm so wet just from the thought of you.
The answering moan she hears in her head makes her clit pulse, and she slips two fingers inside.
I wish you were here with me, touching me. I haven't been able to think of anything else.
Yennefer.
This time there's no warning; her name sounds like a prayer coming out of Tissaia's mouth in that breathy tone, and she can sense the bottomless want in the other woman. It makes her preen a little, enjoying the knowledge of just how desirable Tissaia finds her.
You're the most gorgeous thing I've ever laid eyes on Tissaia murmurs, and it makes Yennefer moan as she begins to move her fingers. It took everything in me not to take you against that tower balcony, audience be damned.
The fact that Tissaia had thought about it too makes Yennefer smile.
You should have she pants, fingers moving more quickly. Seeing you like that...gods. Her body trembles at the memory of Tissaia with her chaos wrapped around Stregobor's throat, the sheer power on display as she turned to look at the younger woman. It wouldn't have taken much.
Her body is careening towards the edge already, and she tries to slow down, not wanting this to be over so soon, but Tissaia stops her.
No. Don't hold back. I want you to fall apart imagining all of the things I'm going to do to you when I see you next.
A series of rapid images are projected into her mind: Tissaia on her back with Yennefer straddling her face and holding onto the headboard; Tissaia fucking her from behind while she's bent over the small desk in the corner of their room; Tissaia ever so slowly pushing into her with her whole hand, Yennefer's inner walls clenching and convulsing around her.
It's the last image that tips her over the edge. She lets her thumb brush against her clit and all it takes is a few strokes for her to cry out, head tipping back into the pillows as her whole body tightens and then releases in a rush of pleasure.
Good girl.
The words draw a few trembling aftershocks from her body, and heat suffuses Yennefer's cheeks at the reaction she has to Tissaia praising her. That is definitely something to investigate further, but she sets it aside for the moment so that she can bask in the way her whole body feels loose and languid now.
You continue to surprise, she says with a smirk. Here I thought I would be the one running the show.
She relishes the laugh she receives from Tissaia in response and lets her eyes close. She's missed this easy connection, the affection in their banter.
I'm afraid I really do have to focus on this meeting now, Tissaia replies, and it's clear that she really does regret it. Yennefer is feeling far more magnanimous about Tissaia's participation in these meetings now that she's been able to knock her arousal down a few notches, and she doesn't protest.
Just don't forget about me here...all alone in this great big bed. All night long.
She feels the hunger that wells in Tissaia as she says the words, and she smiles to herself. Maybe this will finally be enough to get the woman back to their bedchambers for a night.
I'll see you tonight.
Tissaia severs their connection, but Yennefer can still feel the lingering emotions that had been so powerfully present in their bond. She rolls over onto her side, intending to take a nap, but she quickly finds that her cursed brain has other ideas.
The images that Tissaia showed her keep filtering through her brain on repeat, along with several others that Yennefer has come up with on her own. Within minutes she finds herself just as worked up as she was at the start of the day, and she throws an arm over her eyes and groans. If Tissaia doesn't manage to come to bed with her tonight, she thinks she might combust.
She sits up and scrubs a hand across her face. There are still hours to go before Tissaia can even think of calling for an end to the day's meetings. The time will go faster if she has something to occupy herself, and she decides to make a mental checklist. A slow smile begins to spread across her face as a plan starts to form.
She pushes herself off the bed, suddenly feeling very invigorated. If she hurries, there should be time to arrange everything. She smirks. Tissaia has no idea what's coming.
###
Yennefer is just finishing lighting the candles when she feels Tissaia approaching their room. The door opens, and Yennefer straightens and turns to look at her. The flickering candlelight casts stunning shadows across Tissaia's face, reflecting in her eyes and making her cheekbones look even sharper than usual.
"What's all this?"
Yennefer smiles at the smaller woman's confusion.
"I thought you might appreciate a bit of respite from the chaos that's consumed your waking hours these last few days."
And it's true. She wants to make sure that Tissaia is well cared for; the woman is more than capable of a great many things, but Yennefer has a reasonable suspicion that taking care of herself doesn't rank very high on Tissaia's list of priorities.
To that end, she's amassed a small collection of amenities in their room. She managed to harangue one of the servants until they agreed to bring a bath to the room, and she'd scented the water with sage and citrus oils. There's a platter of food resting on the desk in case Tissaia hasn't eaten (and Yennefer's willing to bet that she hasn't), and the bed is freshly made. The candles were the final touch, lighting the room with a soothing glow that makes the whole scene feel almost dreamlike.
"Who knew there was such sweetness hiding under that gruff exterior," Tissaia murmurs with a smile, closing the distance between them so that she can give Yennefer a soft kiss. "A bath sounds absolutely divine." She turns and offers her back to Yennefer, looking over her shoulder with just the barest hint of a smirk. "Care to help me out of this dress?"
It takes a few more tries than usual for Yennefer to get the fastenings undone. Her fingers feel over-large and fumbling, and the contented sigh that Tissaia gives as the tight bindings loosen makes the younger sorceress go weak in the knees.
When the dress is finally undone, Yennefer slides it from Tissaia's shoulders. It pools around the woman's feet, and she steps out of it and makes her way to the bath. Yennefer's mouth is dry as she takes in the expanse of silky skin now available for her eyes to feast on.
"I wouldn't have imagined you to forgo underclothes." She's proud that her voice only shakes a little. "It appears you really are a woman of many mysteries."
Tissaia pauses as she steps into the tub. "Oh, I usually do prefer underclothes. But mine became rather... uncomfortable as the day wore on, courtesy of a particularly interesting conversation I had."
She settles into the tub with a pleased hiss, sinking down in the water until it comes up to her neck. Yennefer tries to pick her jaw off the ground. The thought of Tissaia being so turned on by their brief earlier connection that she ruined her underclothes and had to remove them makes her fingers itch to touch the other woman. She makes her way over to the tub and starts to kneel on the ground next to it.
"The tub is plenty large enough if you'd like to join me."
She freezes as Tissaia speaks. Then she's scrambling to get out of her clothes as her mind catches up to the offer, and she practically falls into the tub in her eagerness.
Everything about how she's behaving now is so different from how she's ever been with another lover; normally she refuses to let the other party gain even the illusion of the upper hand. If this was anyone else, she would have made them wait, maybe disrobed and then circled the tub a time or two to give them ample time to admire her body before sliding into the water with them like a succubus.
But because this is Tissaia, for some reason she doesn't mind that all of her intentions for the night can be disrupted with a single sentence. How could she ever be upset about that when it ends with her in a tub with Tissaia, not a scrap of clothing to be found between them?
She scoots so that her back is against the side of the tub and then urges Tissaia to turn in the water so that the smaller woman's back is pressed to her front. Tissaia sighs at the contact, leaning back into Yennefer with a smile.
Yennefer's arms encircle Tissaia, holding her gently, and they rest that way for a few minutes, not saying a word. But eventually, the feeling of having Tissaia in her arms becomes more than she can handle, and Yennefer finds her hands wandering across the other woman's body.
One hand skates across the flat plane of her stomach. The smaller woman moans as Yennefer slides her hand up to cup one of Tissaia's breasts. She loves the weight of it in her hand, loves even more how she can feel the nipple tighten under her palm as Tissaia arches up into her. Her fingers roll the nub, pinching lightly until Tissaia's breath comes in hot pants against the curve of Yennefer's neck.
This wasn't the plan at all, but she can't resist when Tissaia is making these tiny little mewling sounds and trying desperately to get closer. It's mind-numbingly hot.
She switches to Tissaia's other breast and lets her free hand drag down the smaller woman's side until it's resting on her hipbone. Her fingers stroke there for a second, but Tissaia twists her hips in a bid to get them to move where she wants them and Yennefer smiles.
And you said I was the needy one.
Tissaia doesn't reply, and Yennefer chuckles against the side of her head as she slowly lets her fingers drift down to skim over the delicate skin of her inner thighs before coming up to brush against her cunt. She can feel that Tissaia is absolutely drenched for her. Without any preamble, she slides a finger in, and she moans at how Tissaia immediately clenches around her, trying to keep her inside.
She pulls out and re-enters her with two fingers, relishing how Tissaia is already writhing against her and trying to drive her hips down onto her fingers. She works her up gradually, trying to memorize each and every sound that the other woman makes. It's not long before she can feel Tissaia tightening around her fingers, and she takes the hand that's not inside the smaller woman and splays it against her lower stomach, applying just a hint of pressure. Muscles jump underneath her fingers and she adjusts the angle of her other hand so that she can bring her thumb up to press against Tissaia's clit.
Gods, Yennefer--
It's all Tissaia manages to say before she comes apart in Yennefer's arms, trembling and shaking. Yennefer keeps moving her fingers at a slower pace, drawing out the orgasm as long as possible.
She gently pulls out when she feels Tissaia turn and bury her face in her collarbone. When Tissaia's breathing evens out, Yennefer straightens and dislodges the smaller woman from her chest.
Tissaia makes a noise of protest that's so adorably endearing that Yennefer almost relents. Instead, she nudges Tissaia until she stands up. She admires the view for a moment, watching the way that droplets of water run down the other woman's body and imagining tracing their path with her tongue.
Shaking herself out of her thoughts, Yennefer exits the tub, not bothering to dry her own body as she walks to the bed. She looks over her shoulder and beckons for Tissaia to join her.
"Come here. I want you on the bed."
Tissaia comes toward her, not a hint of shyness at her bare body, and Yennefer reaches for her as soon as she's close enough, pulling her in for a searing kiss. It's a mess of tongues and teeth, wet and heated in a way that makes Yennefer's toes curl. Tissaia's hands start to wander and Yennefer takes a small step back.
"I'm not done with you yet."
"Oh?" The look on Tissaia's face is open and wanting. "What did you have in mind?"
"You. On your knees. While I take you from behind." The words leave Yennefer as a growl, and she delights in the way she can see Tissaia swallow hard. "Is that amenable to you?"
She says the last bit in a playful, mocking tone, but she meets Tissaia's eyes. If the other woman doesn't want this particular thing, there are an infinite number of other fantasies Yennefer would love to bring to life.
But Tissaia doesn't seem at all opposed--far from it. Her breathing is coming quicker than it was a second ago, and she slides onto the bed, propping herself on her elbows and knees and turning her head to give Yennefer a coy smile.
"Like this?"
" Exactly like that," Yennefer sighs, climbing onto the bed and maneuvering herself until her knees are on either side of Tissaia's. She feels more than hears the groan that rumbles through the smaller woman as she begins to move her hands.
She keeps them in relatively safe locations for several long minutes, kneading at the small of Tissaia's back and then up to her shoulders before sliding back down until her palms are resting just at the top of her ass. Tissaia pushes back into the touch ever so slightly, and Yennefer squeezes.
You're stunning. She smiles at the shiver that runs through Tissaia as she speaks. Gods, I can't stop thinking about earlier.
You'll have to be more specific, darling comes the panted response, and Yennefer loves how wrecked Tissaia sounds.
She sends back a brief flash of the final scene Tissaia had teased her with, and she revels in the feeling of the other woman's body going pliant beneath her, a low moan escaping her lips.
I keep wondering what you would look like coming around my hand. She keeps her tone intentionally casual, as if she and Tissaia are discussing the weather and not how she wants to fuck her.
Tissaia shudders and arches her back, searching for more contact. Why don't you find out?
The way she purrs the words makes Yennefer bite her lip. Still, she wants to see how far she can push this, so she takes her time. She starts with her mouth, making sure she's acquainted with every inch of Tissaia's back. Tissaia keeps making tiny needy whimpers, her whole body trembling with the effort of keeping herself up on her elbows. When Yennefer nips at a particularly sensitive spot in the small of her back, her arms give out and she lets her face fall to the bed.
Pleased with the way Tissaia melts under her touch, Yennefer slides one hand up Tissaia's back, holding the woman in place while she finally lets her other hand dip between Tissaia's legs. This whole thing is obviously working for Tissaia, as the wetness that greets Yennefer's fingers draws a gasp from the younger sorceress. She lets her fingers wander, exploring the sensitive flesh and skating around Tissaia's clit once, twice, before plunging inside.
Tissaia cries out, her hips jerking back and the blankets on the bed fisted in her hands. Yennefer keeps her pace slow, letting her fingers press and search against Tissaia's walls until the woman is begging for more.
Please, Yen, I need-- Tissaia's voice breaks as Yennefer lets her thumb press against her clit. Part of her wants to tease Tissaia for being so impatient after lecturing the younger woman about that very thing so many times over the years, but it's not worth the energy. Not when she has Tissaia in her arms, ready and waiting for whatever she can give her.
She adds a third finger, slowing her pace when she feels Tissaia tighten.
Not yet.
She infuses the words with just a hint of command, and Tissaia nods. The smaller woman's face is pressed into the mattress, and the expression on her face is somewhere between ecstasy and agony at trying to stave off her orgasm.
When she's sure that Tissaia isn't going to come, Yennefer begins to move again. It's easy enough to add her pinky finger to the mix--Tissaia is absolutely dripping with slick arousal, and she's moaning with every thrust.
More.
Yennefer glances down at her hand and frowns a little, uncertain for the first time since they started.
Are you sure? I don't want to hurt--
I'm so fucking sure. Don't you dare stop.
Tissaia moves her hips back against Yennefer's hand to prove her point, and the younger sorceress nods, her concern evaporating into pure want. She tucks her thumb in and carefully presses forward. Her fingers slip in more easily than she would have imagined, but her knuckles catch at Tissaia's opening. The smaller woman is panting, and she grinds her hips back as Yennefer maintains a steady, even pressure.
Gods, you look so incredible. Yennefer is watching Tissaia with awe, and the words draw a whine from the smaller woman. She presses back against Yennefer's hand a bit harder, and that's all it takes--Yennefer almost tips over the edge herself as she feels her whole hand slide inside Tissaia up to the wrist. Tight, clinging heat surrounds her, and she experimentally wiggles her fingers just the tiniest bit. It draws a sob from Tissaia, whose whole body is strung tight in a way that Yennefer has never seen before.
Please please please--
She's not sure if Tissaia even realizes she's begging, but she can't imagine denying her anything right now.
Let go, Tissaia. I've got you.
The words unleash something inside Tissaia and she lets out a wordless scream as the tension finally snaps. Her body convulses and a flood of warmth coats Yennefer's hand and wrist, running down over her thighs. White-hot pleasure suffuses every inch of Yennefer's brain and she realizes Tissaia is projecting what she's feeling. It's too much, and an unexpected orgasm rips through the younger woman and draws a strangled cry from her throat.
She's panting hard, and she trembles with the effort it takes to stay upright. But Tissaia is still shaking, and Yennefer is determined to hold her through it, tiny movements drawing the waves out for as long as possible. Eventually, Tissaia's body calms, and the only sound in the room is their mingled breathing.
Yennefer carefully pulls her hand free, shivering at the whimper that leaves Tissaia. She wipes her hand on the edge of the blanket before shifting and crawling up the bed, pulling Tissaia with her and arranging their limbs until the smaller woman in nestled into her.
Was that alright? Now that the heat of the moment is gone, Yennefer needs to hear that she did well, that this was what Tissaia wanted and needed from her.
More than alright. Tissaia sounds dreamy and like she hasn't quite recovered, but her eyes are clear when she sits up a little so that she can see Yennefer's face. She presses a kiss to her lips, and Yennefer sighs into the contact. It's remarkably chaste considering what they've just been doing, but it's also perfect.
Thank you.
Yennefer blinks at Tissaia. "For what? I feel like I should be the one thanking you after that."
"For coming to find me." Tissaia's voice is soft, and she reaches up a hand to cup Yennefer's cheek. "For staying. For being here with me now."
Yennefer closes her eyes and hums, just enjoying the tenderness in Tissaia's voice and touch for a moment before speaking. "I don't think I could ever have done anything different. You've always had me, Tissaia. I'm just a bit daft and didn't realize it."
Tissaia chuckles and her eyes crinkle at the corners as she gives Yennefer a fond look. "All the more reason to be thankful that you finally figured it out, then."
She settles back down, her head resting on Yennefer's bare chest. Her fingers draw shapes across the skin, making the younger woman twitch when they hit a ticklish spot. She grumbles and swats the hand away, but she can't hide the way her lips tick up at the edges when Tissaia shifts and wraps her arm firmly around Yennefer's middle.
"Now that I have, I don't think I'll ever want to let you out of my sight again."
Tissaia angles her face up and cracks one eye open.
"You say that like it's a bad thing."
"I just..." she hasn't really let herself think this far into the future yet. Ever since she found Tissaia there's been the threat of imminent death looming over them, and now that it's not there she finds she's worried. What if Tissaia doesn't want the same things that she does?
"What will this look like? Once you're done here, I mean." She forces herself to say the words, bracing herself for possible rejection. But it doesn't come. Instead, Tissaia just shrugs.
"I imagine it can look like whatever we want it to look like. I'm still needed at Aretuza, but I would never dream of forcing you to stay there against your will. But we have portals at our disposal, and once I finalize negotiations with the Brotherhood there won't be anyone who will question my movements--or yours."
It warms Yennefer's heart and eases her worry to hear that Tissaia has already been thinking about this. She can handle figuring it out as they go along, she just needs to know that they'll be able to do it together.
"Well then," she murmurs, brushing her lips against Tissaia's temple, "I suppose we can sort out those decisions as we come across them."
Tissaia hums and nods, already half asleep. Yennefer stays awake a little while longer, just listening to the sound of the smaller woman's breathing. She can't quite comprehend everything that's changed in the last fortnight. If anyone had tried to tell her when Triss first portalled into Rinde that she would not only find Tissaia alive, but would end up curled up in bed with her, she would have laughed them out of the town.
But she can't envision anything better now that she's here, and she sinks a little deeper into the pillows and smiles. She'll deny it if anyone ever asks her publicly, but she thinks she's found a soulmate of sorts in Tissaia. They're a match in every possible way.
She's never understood when people talk about their excitement for what the future might bring. She'd been convinced that life had no more to offer her--that she'd explored everything there was to explore, seen everything there was to see. But now it's like a whole new world has opened up before her, and it's filled with options that she'd never dreamed could be possible. Not for her.
She lets her eyes drift closed and inhales the soothing scent of Tissaia's hair. She's spent all these years desperately trying to prove that she didn't need anyone else in order to be happy. But now, with Tissaia lying against her and their breathing falling into sync, it's finally clicked that she doesn't have to do this on her own.
Content in the knowledge that they'll find a way to make it work, she lets the easy rhythm of Tissaia's breath lull her to sleep.