Reunion
Syanna felt bad about bothering the sorceresses so much, especially when she knew they were just as worried about Ciri as she was. After spending the past year trying to track her using various magical methods and sending Geralt and Orianna out to look for her, hope was dwindling that Ciri was still alive. It had not taken them this long to find Ciri, even when she was on the run from the Wild Hunt.
‘Um Yennefer, any new leads today?’ she asked, having almost no hope left.
Usually, Yennefer would respond with something comforting, that they were trying, that if she was out there they would find her, things like that. But today, Yennefer could not make eye contact with Syanna, and instead pulled her into a soft embrace.
‘It has been over a year now, Syanna. Of course we will continue to look, but I don’t want to give you any false expectations,’ Yennefer said as gently as she could.
‘I— I know. I guess after seeing Anna and Cecilia get married last month I have been feeling extra sensitive. But I know that by now it seems like a long shot.’
‘Syanna, you are welcome to stay here as long as you like and ask me about Ciri everyday if you like. She is my daughter and I want her to come home just as much as you do.’
‘Thank you, Yen. I should probably rejoin my sister in the palace though. I know she wants me to be close to her, though probably after her and Cecilia have some time for themselves…’
‘Yes there is no better time in a marriage than that sweet newlywed period, I must admit,’ Yennefer chuckled.
‘Yeah… I can imagine,’ Syanna replied distantly.
‘I mean— I’m sorry, Syanna, and you can stay close to us as we keep looking for Ciri if you like,’ Yennefer stammered.
‘Thank you, Yen. I appreciate that. So much. Even though I don’t have Ciri anymore I am still so blessed that I can at least have family,’ Syanna began to tear up.
‘Oh Syanna… dear girl… even though you might not officially be my daughter in law, I know that Ciri would have wanted that. And I think of you like a daughter now too,’ Yennefer said into the top of Syanna’s head.
They both cried and held each other for the next half hour, both of them realizing that having so much time pass meant that the chances of finding her would at an all time low. And life would have to move on somehow.
‘I don’t want to think that she is dead, but at the same time I don’t want to just leave and not acknowledge that she is gone…’ Syanna mumbled, wiping her tears away.
‘Hmm I agree. How about instead of a funeral or something too tragic we can just hold a ceremony and light some candles for her? I can prepare a magical altar that will serve as a sort of signal beacon, should Ciri be lost in another dimension and be seeking out a direction that points her home. I know we already have an altar set up in the house, but perhaps we can make a new one? Two might be better than one in this case,’ Yennefer offered.
‘Yes I think that would be lovely. Thank you, Yen,’ Syanna struggled to get out.
Later that evening, they held a ceremony for all of their friends and family to attend inside the barn, which Syanna picked out since that used to be Ciri’s room. Anna and Cecilia returned to the estate for the first time since moving out and going on a honeymoon to Nazair, Orianna was now a permanent member of the Corvo Bianco estate, and more people Syanna did not know were also in attendance. Syanna sat in between Yennefer and Anna and sobbed the entire time.
Long after everyone had a chance to say some kind words of hope and reconnect with old friends, eventually people moved to the courtyard for drinks, and left in the early hours of the morning after a long night of drinking. Syanna did not leave the barn, and knelt at the altar all night, crying, hoping and praying.
Eventually, she got up and ambled back to the house. Completely exhausted, and realizing she would have to start moving on, she reluctantly found her sister in the kitchen.
‘Syanna… how have you been?’ Anna said as she pulled her sister into a tight embrace.
‘It… has been tough. But I don’t want to give up hoping,’ Syanna replied into her sister’s shoulder.
‘She will return, Syanna,’ Cecilia purred into Syanna’s hair, hugging her from behind.
Syanna could feel how happy her sister was now that Cecilia had recovered and they were married. They were a beautiful couple, and likely had a wonderful honeymoon that Syanna wanted to hear all about, but wasn’t sure if she could handle how happy they both were to be together.
‘Okay I don’t want to gross you out with all of the details… but… Cecilia is pregnant!’ Anna exclaimed.
‘Wha? How?’ Syanna was confused.
‘Triss and Yen helped us… conceive, and now we are expecting,’ Anna was beaming, ‘You are going to be an aunt! I know you have had a rough time, but maybe you can move back in and we can all take our minds off of things to be together as a family?’
‘I— I am happy for you, Anna, and Cecilia of course, but… I am not sure I am ready to move on just yet. I… I still feel…’
‘Of course, of course, Syanna. No pressure and please don’t do anything you don’t want to do. I just want you to always feel like you can come home to us,’ Anna reassured her.
‘No rush, Syanna, take your time,’ Cecilia cooed and tucked Syanna’s hair behind her ear, which made Syanna blush slightly at feeling her tuck her hair back the same way Ciri used to. Not that she had a crush on her sister’s new wife, by any means, but the sensuality of the singer (and now queen) was overpowering and Syanna had not been touched in so long. Syanna missed feeling Ciri’s by her side, and being around her sister, so happily in love, was still not ideal to Syanna.
Syanna couldn’t be inside or around so many couples anymore, so she wandered outside alone to eat her breakfast. She walked by the river Ciri used to take her down, planting herself on the banks, under the trees, listening to the birds chirping and squirrels and fat chipmunks jump from branch to branch as she nibbled on some bread and cheese.
Her mind was completely empty as she reclined back to lie against the grass and dip her feet in the water. At the very least, she was in Toussaint. And she finally had a family that loved her and cared for her so much. There was plenty to be happy about, and at least she was able to have Ciri while she did. For a time. And having her for even that amount of time was such a gift, one that Syanna would never ever forget or take for granted.
Eventually, Syanna’s tired mind drifted off to a deep sleep.
Syanna eventually woke up, in a bed, and naked. Confused, and very alarmed, she looked around her and found that she was in fact in her room.
The door suddenly opened, and Syanna was convinced somehow she died on that riverbank and had woken up in the afterlife.
‘Hi… Um don’t be alarmed I just know that you like to sleep naked…’
Syanna was frozen. She couldn’t believe what she was seeing. She couldn’t respond. She just froze in the bed and stared.
Ciri walked over to her and sat down on the bed.
‘I— I missed you. I’m so sorry it took me so long to come back.’
Syanna was still frozen.
Ciri leaned over and kissed Syanna on the forehead. ‘Can you please say something?’
Syanna’s mind was racing. This couldn’t be possible. How had Ciri come back? What day was it? Was this real?
‘I guess I should explain…
I went to the Unseen to bargain with him: I knew he wanted to go back to his world and I took him there in exchange for ridding us of our vampire problem. But before we were able to discuss terms, he injured me and forced me to teleport him with the last of my energy. And I could not return. So I have effectively spent the last 10 years of my time to try to come back to you in this world in this timeline, and I apologize for taking so long, my love. My Syanna.
I got back yesterday morning, thanks to the altar that Yennefer had set up, and when I couldn’t find you at the estate, I figured you would be here. And when I found you sleeping, I decided to bring you back here. And I guess that brings you up to speed…’
Syanna couldn’t speak, and just tackled Ciri in the bed. The two rolled around and laughed and giggled for the next week, and then a month, then a year. Finally, when the two were able to do more than just eat and fuck, they decided to get marry and join Anna at the palace for a few months out of the year, going back and forth between Beauclair and Corvo Bianco, and the rest of the year on The Path, together always.