(the first time yennefer did magic it had been to save herself from two teenagers who were going to beat her. she had portaled herself to aretuza, to istredd, who helped her get home and warned her that someone would be coming for her. and tissaia did come. tissaia came and purchased her and that was that. she has clawed her way to freedom, to power, every step of the way. what she didn't tell tech is that when istredd betrayed her elven heritage and cost her the spot she wanted, she missed her original appointment for the procedure. she had it done anyways, with no pain relief, no sedatives, nothing. she was reborn in fire and blood not realizing what she was giving up in the process. she stole back the place that was hers, and then abandoned it a few decades later as she grew tired of courtly life and the limitation it offered. when asked what she wanted her answer was usually simple.

everything.

tissaia had once told her that sometimes the best thing a flower could do is die, and she had almost felt that ways, releasing all of her chaos on the battlefield of sodden. but she survived -- jaskier has told her that and only that. she survives. and if she can survive that then she can survive whatever this place throws at her.

and maybe she doesn't have to do it alone. as difficult as trust is for her. because most people she's trusted have broken it in one way or another -- even geralt who bound their destinies together before he even knew who she was.

this time, when tech reaches out she does not violently push him away. she can practically feel the energy rippling under his skin. it is not like the magic, the chaos she knows so well, but she could use it she thinks. she could harness it. she's not above it. he said it himself, it's what he's made to do. )

You do realize if we fail, we might end up suffering more. Which means if we try this, failure is not an option.