The Minstrel (Part 1)

[Hope you enjoy the Chapter. Thanks for reading everyone!!! Happy Veterans day!!!]

I can't help enjoying the warmth that is enveloping me. It is a very cold morning despite the sun shining into our room nice and bright. I lean myself up and Ciri rises with me as she sleeps, I look around and notice that our clothes have been thrown everywhere. We didn't waste any time indulging in the pleasure's of our bodies. I smell the cooking of food, delicious food at that. The last time Ciri and I had good food was back at Crow's Perch with Philip. I look to Ciri and see she is still dead asleep right now. We really exhausted each other last night. Waking in the middle of a cold night is one of my favorite things now.

I unwrap Ciri from me and place my pillow in her grasp so she can hold onto something. She really likes to snuggle when we sleep, I love that about her so much. The more we spend time together, the closer and better our relationship gets. I now know what loving a woman with all my heart is like. The best part of it all, she feels the same way for me. I get out of the blankets and cover her up again. I see my clothes here and there, it takes about a minute to collect everything. I dress myself and head for the door. I quietly close it as I see one last time Ciri not even close to waking up.

I walk down the hall and approach the stairs. The smell of the food is wonderful, I was told that Jaskier was a person of the finer things in life. I didn't know he could cook though. I walk down the stairs and look towards the kitchen to see the man cooking. "Good morning Jaskier, what'cha making?" It smells like chicken and some sort of of tea. I can also smell the faint smell of sweet bread.

He looks to me with a funny face. "Glad you think it's a good morning, I couldn't sleep very well with you guy's making loud noises in the middle of the night. I honestly didn't believe her when she said that you guy's had 'a few nights of passion'. With what happened last night, I think that is an understatement." I sit down at the table as he finishes talking. I laugh a little at his comment about us.

I look to him again and smile. "Sorry if we woke you, it's just when we are alone together it's hard to keep our hands to ourselves. It normally escalates, last night was a little different because of what Priscilla did." He laughs at that and looks down solemnly. I guess he does fancy her more than he lets on. "How long are you planning to make her wait Jaskier, I'm a taken man. She will eventually find one that isn't though. Don't you want to be the one she finds?" He checks the temperature of the chicken and looks to me as he brings the food to the table.

He sets it down and we hear movement upstairs, I think Ciri is waking up now. "I have a problem with being tied down. There is so much to enjoy in the world, I am not ready to settle down just yet." I can see his point, but he will miss out on what Ciri and I have. That is something countless people miss out on. It is worth more than anything Jaskier will find just sleeping around.

I reach for some of the food and place it on my plate. "I know that you are a different type of man Jaskier, but you aren't getting any younger." After I said that he chokes on his tea, and he gives me a funny flabbergasted look.

He sets his tea down a little hard to vent his frustration. "I'll have you know that I am only a few year's over forty, even though I barely look over 30." I guess he is sensitive in his old age now. I don't think anyone has ever talked to him about this. A reality check is always good to have, I had plenty in the past and I came out better for it.

I take a bite of food and quickly consume it. "Jaskier, you aren't like Geralt or Yen. They will live forever, they don't have to worry about there place in the world and how they spend it because time doesn't matter to them. Every moment you live your life like this, the more you will miss out on something real." He looks to me with a sad face. I am no sage with wisdom boundless, but I plan to spend as much time with the one I love and that is one of the wisest things you could every do. You don't know when that could all disappear.

He finishes his tea and I think he is thinking about what I said. I start to chow down on my food when I hear Ciri. "Cera!!! I need your help for a minute!!!" My angel is calling me, I did leave without waking her up. I wasn't going anywhere though, I wouldn't leave her here when we have so many important things to do today. I get up from the table and I look over to Jaskier.

I give him a genuine smile. "My fiancé is calling for me. I will be back shortly." I start to walk over to the stairs and climb them up to our room. After I make it to our room I hear her groaning a little when I approach the door. I hope she is alright, nobody should wake up groaning. I push open the door and I look over to Ciri as she lays sprawled on the bed dressed with her hair down. I focus on her hands and she is holding her crotch, I don't think she is doing what a girl normally does. I make my way over to her and see her pained face. "Are you alright? You seem to be in distress." She looks at me with a cute frustrated face.

I sit down next to her so she doesn't have to get up. "I'm really sore Cera....I can barely walk.....We were to intense last night....." I look at her with a gentle smile as I chuckle a little bit. She also gives a good chuckle, soon we start to laugh out loud and tears from laughing to hard fall from both of our faces. "Ohh don't make me laugh Cera....It makes it hurt more...." I bring my hand down and start to rub her head. I guess it's my responsibility since I am the one that caused this.

I give her a loving smile as I massage her scalp gently with my fingers. "Want me to carry you?" I will carry her regardless, but I want to hear her ask me. It's nice to hear her ask me something that will make her life easier. She leans up and holds her arms out.

So she wants a piggyback ride, I can do that easy. "I would love for you to carry me. I smelt food downstairs, is Jaskier cooking?" I pick her up and let her lean all her weight on my back. She is so light, light like the clouds. I make our way towards the door with her relaxing on me.

I open it up and regrip her butt, I am much more comfortable touching her in public now. Well, not that kind of touch, holding by her butt gives me great control and allows her to relax completely. Which she needs right now. "Jaskier made us breakfast, we have a lot of things to do today so he made it big for us." She just hums in my ear to confirm that she heard me. I start walking us downstairs and I feel her hug me tighter.

I think she has something to say, I rub her thigh a few times to let her know that she can talk. She catches on and takes a light sigh. "Will you carry me around today? I don't think I am in the condition to walk." I can do that, if she needs me to carry a mountain for her I will.

We reach the bottom of the stairs and I give her an answer. "Of course I will Ciri, I will do anything for you. You know that right?" I say that in a smooth and soft voice so I can convey what I feel. It's the truth, I would do anything for her. She leans her face into the side of mine since she is completely relaxed.

She kisses my cheek with rose colored cheeks. "Yes....Thank you Cera....I love you...." My heart swells when I hear her utter those words. Having someone I love so much love me back is a feeling I can not describe. We approach the table and I let Ciri down, she sits while groaning in pain. Jaskier looks at her with a knowing smile.

He chuckles and asks a question. "Little sore there Ciri?" He laughs loudly after he said that. Ciri on the other hand is not amused. She reaches for some food and puts it on her plate, she takes a few bites and then a cocky smile rises on her face.

I didn't anticipate her response however. "Jealous Jaskier? I bet all the coin in our possession that you never made a woman sound the way I did." Damn....That was cold-fucking-blooded. I look over to Jaskier and see him making the same face a fish would make. I didn't think Ciri had it in her to say something like that. I can't hold in my laughter and Ciri follows suit. We laugh and laugh as Jaskier tries to find an answer. He just can't from how brutal Ciri's comeback was.

I soon wipe the tears from my eye's a second time today from laughter and realize how good of a morning today has. Jaskier gives up trying to say something and soon starts to chuckle as well. We all settle down and finish our food talking about mundane things and important things. After we clean and put away the dishes I look at Jaskier as we stand in the kitchen while Ciri rests on the couch. "So when are we supposed to meet your contact?" We have to take care of the mission in finding someone who can repair Ciri's magic item. Then after we are done with the Minstrel, we can go see if Ciri is pregnant.

Jaskier looks at the clock in the room and looks back to me. "We leave in a couple hours. So lets just relax for a bit. My good friend Zoltan has been teaching me to play Gwent. Want to play a few rounds?" As soon as he said Gwent, Ciri's head popped up and she looked to us.

I heard of Gwent in my travels, but I never got an opportunity to play it. You need a deck if you want to challenge someone, I never had a deck so I never played. "Cera!! Come over here and pick me up!!! I have some Gwent to win!!!" I smile and come over to the couch and pick her up. I can watch the first few games and learn the ropes. I think I now know what I can get Ciri as a gift for all those missed birthday's now.