𝐋𝐎𝐘𝐀𝐋 ╱ 𝑹͟𝑶͟𝑻͟𝑻͟𝑬͟𝑹͟ .

⠀⠀⠀ ⠀now ⠀you ⠀ hang ⠀ from ⠀𝒎𝒚 ⠀𝒍𝒊𝒑𝒔 , ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ like ⠀ the ⠀𝙂𝘼𝙍𝘿𝙀𝙉𝙎 ⠀ OF ⠀𝐁͟𝐀͟𝐁͟𝐘͟𝐋͟𝐎͟𝐍͟ , ⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀@fangedmelodics .

[𝐋𝐎𝐘𝐀𝐋 ╱ 𝑹͟𝑶͟𝑻͟𝑻͟𝑬͟𝑹͟ . @CARTOGRAPHlES]

https://t.co/OlyCtJNDnz

[𝐃͟𝐎͟𝐂͟𝐓͟𝐎͟𝐑͟, 𝘿𝙀 𝙑𝘼𝙇𝙆 … @PHYSIClAN]

https://t.co/733sMZvS30

[𝐋𝐎𝐘𝐀𝐋 ╱ 𝑹͟𝑶͟𝑻͟𝑻͟𝑬͟𝑹͟ . @CARTOGRAPHlES]

——

cass set off on some damned hunt and never came back . “

his jaw clenches , hands shaking against the table, and he fiercely closes his eyes as if to block some tears from shedding.

“ that’s all i know.”

[𝐋𝐎𝐘𝐀𝐋 ╱ 𝑹͟𝑶͟𝑻͟𝑻͟𝑬͟𝑹͟ . @CARTOGRAPHlES]

malavai’s avoiding his gaze , practically crumbling beneath it .

his head is full of thoughts of cassair, of eskel leaving to get him, on whether if he was too late or not.

“ i—— “

he exhaled another unsteady breath, shaking his head.

“ i dunno, he didn’t …
he didn’t say. ——

[𝐋𝐎𝐘𝐀𝐋 ╱ 𝑹͟𝑶͟𝑻͟𝑻͟𝑬͟𝑹͟ . @CARTOGRAPHlES]

there’s something in malavai’s eyes at that question. a swirl of regret and frustration.

“ he’s —— “

he swallows thickly , the words die in his throat but come back shaky and desperate.

“ he’s gone to get cass’ .
somethin’ ….
somethin’s went wrong . “

[𝐋𝐎𝐘𝐀𝐋 ╱ 𝑹͟𝑶͟𝑻͟𝑻͟𝑬͟𝑹͟ . @CARTOGRAPHlES]

malavai has been hunched over one of his maps for hours, desperate for some sort of distraction. he’s only pulled out of that intense thought once he hears damian’s voice, and fixes his attention on the viper.

“ yeah——
yeah , of course.
what’s on your mind ? “

[𝐋𝐎𝐘𝐀𝐋 ╱ 𝑹͟𝑶͟𝑻͟𝑻͟𝑬͟𝑹͟ . @CARTOGRAPHlES]

——

𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘥 ? “

[𝐋𝐎𝐘𝐀𝐋 ╱ 𝑹͟𝑶͟𝑻͟𝑻͟𝑬͟𝑹͟ . @CARTOGRAPHlES]

it’s like mal doesn’t even feel the grip to his shoulder , despite the fact it’s strong and supposed to be steadying.

he just shakes his head, gaze brimming with panic

“ i shoulda’ … “

he sounds breathless, choked up.

he clears his throat in a last stitch effort, ——

[ESKEL .ᐟ @lupuscicatrix]

eskel truly values his friendship with malavai , which is why he cannot even consider lying to him .

“ mal . . .”

he grips his shoulder just a little too tight , but he at least has the decency to meet his eye .

“ mal , it’s gonna be okay .”

[𝐋𝐎𝐘𝐀𝐋 ╱ 𝑹͟𝑶͟𝑻͟𝑻͟𝑬͟𝑹͟ . @CARTOGRAPHlES]

——

but it hardly does any good.

“ i shoulda’ gone with him !
said damn it all and followed him anyway. now he’s gods knows where n’ i can’t —— “

he pauses , taking a ragged breath before he finally meets eskel’s eyes with a somewhat steely look, jaw tightening.

“ what ——

[𝐋𝐎𝐘𝐀𝐋 ╱ 𝑹͟𝑶͟𝑻͟𝑻͟𝑬͟𝑹͟ . @CARTOGRAPHlES]

it’s a good thing he’s at least considering it . .

because the silver-haired cartographer is pacing up to him with a horribly uneasy look ——
like he just knows something’s wrong.

( he just has no clue 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 )

[ESKEL .ᐟ @lupuscicatrix]

he needs to speak to lambert . . .

or to malavai ?

   or to 𝗯𝗼𝘁𝗵 , maybe ?

𝙜𝙤𝙙𝙨 , he can’t face them ——

[𝐋𝐎𝐘𝐀𝐋 ╱ 𝑹͟𝑶͟𝑻͟𝑻͟𝑬͟𝑹͟ . @CARTOGRAPHlES]

|| HELPSJSJSN

mal, before cass left: just remember, every time you look up at the moon, i too will be looking at a moon. not the same moon, obviously. that’s impossible.

[* 𝐂𝐀𝐒𝐒𝐀𝐈𝐑. @fangedmelodics]

// they’re on other sides of the continent singing that dramatic duet from camp rock

[𝐋𝐎𝐘𝐀𝐋 ╱ 𝑹͟𝑶͟𝑻͟𝑻͟𝑬͟𝑹͟ . @CARTOGRAPHlES]

nervously fidgeting with the sleeve on his wrist , biting back a sour expression.

stupid, stupid, 𝙨𝙩𝙪𝙥𝙞𝙙 .

he should have insisted on going . this is taking 𝘵𝘰𝘰 𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨 .

[𝐋𝐎𝐘𝐀𝐋 ╱ 𝑹͟𝑶͟𝑻͟𝑻͟𝑬͟𝑹͟ . @CARTOGRAPHlES]

|| if anyone wants to know what he’s up to he’s longingly touching the window and sighing out the words “when will my husband return from war.”

[* 𝐂𝐀𝐒𝐒𝐀𝐈𝐑. @fangedmelodics]

// this shouldn’t have made me laugh so hard

[𝐋𝐎𝐘𝐀𝐋 ╱ 𝑹͟𝑶͟𝑻͟𝑻͟𝑬͟𝑹͟ . @CARTOGRAPHlES]

|| welcome to malavai becomes a war widow event apparently

[* 𝐂𝐀𝐒𝐒𝐀𝐈𝐑. @fangedmelodics]

// welcome to the cassair-gets-kidnapped event

[𝐋𝐎𝐘𝐀𝐋 ╱ 𝑹͟𝑶͟𝑻͟𝑻͟𝑬͟𝑹͟ . @CARTOGRAPHlES]

——

taking the quill he was biting down on and using it to label some of the vials .

“ yeah ?

just how ‘ long running’ are we talkin’ about here ?

that could mean anythin’ . you sorts… 𝘴𝘰𝘳𝘤𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘴 , live pretty long don’t ya’ ? “

[𝐋𝐎𝐘𝐀𝐋 ╱ 𝑹͟𝑶͟𝑻͟𝑻͟𝑬͟𝑹͟ . @CARTOGRAPHlES]

needless to say , malavai’s mind was pretty much useless at storing information about the ins and outs of magic, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t interested in the topic .

reaching one of the other tables, he sat down all the supplies, storing the parchment away before ——

[‍ ‍𝐘𝐄𝐍𝐍𝐄𝐅𝐄𝐑 . ࣪˖𖤐 @chaosornery]

( & ) much magical energy a stone can hold before collapsing in on itself. . .it’s a long running project.”

[𝐋𝐎𝐘𝐀𝐋 ╱ 𝑹͟𝑶͟𝑻͟𝑻͟𝑬͟𝑹͟ . @CARTOGRAPHlES]

he just happened to be passing behind her , arms full of empty vials and parchment that he was supposed to be putting away, and with no spare hands he had resorted to holding a quill between his teeth.

“ what’cha readin’ ? “

he may have caught a glimpse of it over her shoulder.

[‍ ‍𝐘𝐄𝐍𝐍𝐄𝐅𝐄𝐑 . ࣪˖𖤐 @chaosornery]

fastening her hair up with a flourish of her hand, yennefer leans over her book, a curse perched on the tip of her tongue.

⠀⠀ she hates when things don’t go her way

[‍ ‍𝐘𝐄𝐍𝐍𝐄𝐅𝐄𝐑 . ࣪˖𖤐 @chaosornery]

⠀ 

𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒃𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒂𝒅 𝒐𝒇
𝐚 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐞𝐨𝐮𝐬
𝐒̵𝐈̵𝐍̵𝐍̵𝐄̵𝐑̵

https://t.co/2Fhg3wBTEZ

[𝐋𝐎𝐘𝐀𝐋 ╱ 𝑹͟𝑶͟𝑻͟𝑻͟𝑬͟𝑹͟ . @CARTOGRAPHlES]

——

“ you just be safe, alright ?
i’ll take care of everythin’ else here while you’re out.”

at least he could do 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 .

[𝐋𝐎𝐘𝐀𝐋 ╱ 𝑹͟𝑶͟𝑻͟𝑻͟𝑬͟𝑹͟ . @CARTOGRAPHlES]

malavai couldn’t help the initial, hopeful glint that sparkled in his eyes , the way his silver brows were arched up in expectancy .

. . . nor could he help the way that looked died on his face with cassair’s answer .

it felt like an old sore being prodded at. he had ——

[* 𝐂𝐀𝐒𝐒𝐀𝐈𝐑. @fangedmelodics]

~ saying yes.
“next time, okay?”

[𝐋𝐎𝐘𝐀𝐋 ╱ 𝑹͟𝑶͟𝑻͟𝑻͟𝑬͟𝑹͟ . @CARTOGRAPHlES]

——

he forced a smile to hide the sharp pang in his chest, but as expressive as malavai was —— the guilt in his eyes made even the brightest of grins look sorrowful.

“ okay . . “

his arms gently tightened around cassair, kissing his cheek as if to prove he was alright.

——