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“It’s now.” Vesemir says, tone somber. He hates that part of witcher making, not that the training part is good but it’s less awful. He filled notebooks with names and deaths along the Trials and the newly made witcher on their first years on the Path. Not many survived and then the sacking didn't help… Vesemir cannot regret all that happened because now Triss came up with a testing potion. Geralt and Eskel decided to stop making the witchers walk the Path or at least walk it alone. They changed how things were done and it was possible because Geralt may not like or believe it but he is a born leader. There is nobody else, all the witchers from each School would listen and respect enough to obey.
Vesemir is not blind nor is he stupid. He knows that the bond between Geralt and Eskel is stronger than anything. They wouldn't betray or cheat each other. Nothing could break their trust, not even Jaskier who doesn't realize that those two Wolves adore him more than life. He has been more or less alone to raise Geralt, Eskel and Lambert after the sacking and it seems that he failed in the emotional growth of those three. Bless Jaskier and Aiden to be able to talk or go for what they want or the pinning would kill the entire Keep.
But he is getting off track. The Trial for the new trainees is going to happen soon. The first one since decades… What to do with the non-witchers, the children, Ciri, Jaskier. The screams can be heard all over the fortress and courtyard, there is no way they are subjecting any of their friends and allies to that. Even he doesn't want to relive that.
The part they cannot change about the Trials is the pain. The mutagens need to be that strong to make them witchers. Any weaker and it fails and could result in death so better keep them strong to make strong warriors. The new trainees, orphans from Kaedwen, are aware of this. They have been trained since they were three to five until they reach their teenage years. So now, Trials. And God, does Vesemir hope that Triss's potion was truly an indicator of mutagens acceptance. It will be a revelation if it is working and they are all stressed. What if that potion is just false hope.
Vesemir knows that hope is the strongest motivator and when failure comes it can destroy people. Sometimes, hope is like running after the wind and never being able to catch it.
"Quite morose thoughts." Yennefer says.
"Don't read my mind, witch." He answers.
"I don't need to with that face."
"Hm."
"And after we wonder why Geralt is so verbose…" she chuckles. "Triss and I will make sure the Trial of the Grasses goes as smoothly as it can." She promises. "I don't want to see those boys die either."
"We need to make the non-witchers and more importantly the children leave…"
"We could make them take a vacation." Yennefer agrees. "Or I could mute the sounds coming out of the Trials' room so only witchers can hear."
"Huh?"
"The screams don't need to resonate in the whole Keep." Yennefer says kindly. "Your hearing is much better than ours. I could make it so you could still hear sounds in case you need to monitor and not be in the room all the time and spare the others. Ciri, Jaskier, Julita, Jan, Zofia…"
"Bring the idea to Eskel and Geralt."
"I will."
*
Vesemir stays in the room with the poor boys getting through the Trail. He doesn’t want to leave them alone even if the screams are deafening and the room smells of piss and vomit, of sweat or any bodily fluid possible. Some boys are bleeding from their trashings.
“You can’t stay here the whole time.” Guxart says kindly. “C’mon wash the smell at least.”
“We will stay with them.” Rennes says as Barmin, Treyse and Ivar are sitting in a corner already.
Guxart coaxes Vesemir to follow him to the hot springs with little difficulty. Vesemir is tired and even if he doesn’t want to leave for trainees, he needs to rest.
“It’s been two days. They will make it through.”
The Cat helps the Wolf out of his clothes and they enter the water. Jaskeir, Eskel and Geralt are already soaking in the pool. Hm. They planned this.
“You can’t do anything more for them.” Eskel says kindly. “Yennefer and Triss are monitoring as best as they can. All the Schools’ Heads are watching over our younglings. They will become witchers or neither Geralt nor I would have allowed it to happen.”
“I always hated it…” Vesemir whispers. “The wait, and the screams… Can still hear yours when it was your turn…”
“Oh… Vesemir.” Jaskier gasps and sniffs.
“Hmm.”
“May I ask for the newly witchers to be added to the hall and witchers’ activities instead of waiting for them to be full witchers ready.”
“How so?” Geralt asks.
“Well, you will never walk the Path alone ever again so why not change everything about witcher training. You don’t want them dead, you want them strong and loyal. Raise them as you always did but with more care? How do I explain it…”
“Like we are trying to raise Ciri?” Guxart asks.
“Yes! Like that but since they are going to be witchers with all the mutagens, you can be more witcher like between you?”
“I think I get it.” Eskel chuckles.
They soak in silence for a moment. The hot springs are weirdly empty at this hour and it was very obviously done on purpose to let Vesemir rest more peacefully after having his ears ringing for two days.
“Lambert still out of the Keep?”
“Yes, he never saw any Trials and he hated his so Aiden took him out.”
“Smart Cat.”
“He is. Or it is just you Wolves.” Guxart says.
“Wolves can be dumb.” Jaskier giggles.
“Watch it.” Geralt growles.
“Or what?” Jaskier dares and he is pushed under water for a few seconds. He takes a breath when he emerges. “How could you! My hair is all wet now!”
“The horror.”
“You’re mean, Wolf.”
“Hm.” Geralt hums making Jaskier sit on his laps to cuddle him.
*
The Trial of the Grasses ended on a sunny winter day. And to the joy of every witcher, all the trainees survived. They have been resting in the healing ward with Triss and some instructors. Geralt has requested that the trainees be treated more kindly out of the training grounds and classroom. Since they won’t be left alone on the Path, there is no need to be harsh. And they don't need to fear getting attached since they won't lose them to the Path.
The witchers are not stupid, they all know that it is Jaskier’s idea. He is kind to them. He cares about all of them, of course he has his favorite like any person does but they are his and he is theirs. So, that Jaskier wants to show kindness to the newly made witchers, those children that have a lot to learn to earn their witcher title, is no surprise. They will stay trainees until they are ready to take the Path even if they never will walk it like any of them did. Lambert will stay the last witcher that did survive the Trial and walk it alone forever. His little brothers (and sisters if they find girls that fit their criterias) will be made under the Warlord and his Consort’s protection.
“Welcome to the witchers’ dinner hall.” Stephan says. “From now on, you will be staying with us, at your respective table like we do.”
“Trainees.” Geralt greets in his low growl.
“White Wolf.” They chorus dutifully. They are not used to being in their leader's presence and are fidgeting a little. That man's gaze is unwavering and making them uneasy. They try to control their body to stay relaxed and prevent their smell to shift to scared because it would mean being prey and they are witchers, they are monsters' hunters not the other way around.
“Don’t scare them.” Jaskier chides and slap Geralt lightly on his hair to the dismay of the recruits.
“What?” They gap.
“Welcome back.” Jaskier smiles kindly. “Go to your table and then we can start dinner.”
The trainees have been kept out of the dinner hall and they live in a different part of the Keep to prevent them from integrating too much in the witchers' lives. They train and they see their instructors but not much. They don’t bother the White Wolf, his family or Council. They are often requested by Vesemir for a lot of things but it’s Vesemir, the Grandmaster who oversees their education so they just obey. They have never seen the Consort interact with the White Wolf.
They just know that witcher saved them from their respective orphanage and didn’t take children who refused to come with them. They were all volunteers and they have a better life now, even if they had to suffer until that last Trial to become witchers like their saviors. They were warned in advance and they also were warned that they wouldn’t be welcome as family until they were fully fledged witchers. What changed?
“Consort Jaskier.” The trainees greet before sitting at their School table.
To be honest it’s a little awkward.
“You’re all hopeless, I swear… They are not going to bite, they are witcher trainees, yes, but children;” Jaskier scolded the witchers. “And don’t be scared of those adults , they may be witchers but they are good people.” Jaskier smiles.
“Blue Jay.” The adults say in unison, teasing and respectful.
“Blue Jay?” One braver trainee asks the person sitting next to him.
“Jaskier doesn’t like to be called Consort too much, Court Bard is not representative of his rightful place among us, Lark is our White Wolf’s nickname so Blue Jay.” Cedric answers.
“And it suits him.” Aiden adds. “Welcome to the Cat. We are all a little mad around here.” He grins nastily and the trainee gulps.
“Don’t be scared of Aiden.” Lambert shouts. “He is just a kitten.”
“Shut up puppy!” He hisses.
“Make me!”
“Gladly.” Aiden purrs and is already standing up before anyone can react.
“Run Lambert.” Eskel whispers and for once Lambert heeds the warning and takes off.
“Those two.”
“You can talk, Jaskier.” Aubry says.
“What? I am nothing like that!?” He bristles. “I am?” He whispers to Eskel.
“Must I answer, Catmint ?” Eskel rumbles, soft smile and voice soft, sharing a look above his head with Geralt who looks so besotted, it’s sickeningly sweet. Eskel would gag if he wasn’t so fond of Jaskier himself and not understanding Geralt’s adoration.
“Does that mean I can train with them now?” Ciri asks a little more loudly than she usually does when speaking with them.
“Yes.” Geralt answers. “We decided that there was no reason to keep them separated from us anymore since we weren’t sending them alone on the Path, like we did for us so… We are changing the rules as we go.”
“Oh, great!” She smiles. “Can I go talk to some of them now?”
“Go ahead.” Yennefer answers proudly. “She grew up fast.”
“Hmm.”
“She likes the idea.”
“Of course, she does, she is a child, she needs friends and they need to be loyal to her too.” Jaskier says softly. “And you don’t have to fear getting attached now that we won’t lose them to the Trial or the Path.” He smiles. “Let’s build a better Path.”
And with that sentence, Jaskier stands up and a hush falls in the hall and God, if that is not a pleasurable experience: witchers falling silent for his performance.
“Tonight, I will sing something a little different.” He says. “For our new witchers. Welcome to the White Wolf and his Pack’s Path.”
Jaskier sings about his witchers centering on the trainees and they are wide eyed by his praise and welcoming words. It’s quite the feeling to be warm all over and feeling tingles down their spine that is not due to extensive training. If that is how the Consort sees them, sees witchers, it’s no wonder why all the Keep has decided to kill for that man. They would to and if that kind person loves the White Wolf and he loves him as much, if they add that to the loyalty displayed by all the adult witchers, then their leader is worthy and they made the right choice to become witchers. They will be proud and serve as well.
“Blue Jay!” The trainees chorus at the end of the song as Jaskier bows.
“White Wolf.” They add and lower their head in submission to their pack’s leader.
“Welcome to the Pack.” Geralt answers.