By Luis Navarro
Introduction
In a previous article, I discussed Geralt’s complicated relationship with love and how Yennefer is drawn to him as someone who understands deep suffering. I also touched on how Yennefer’s need for control likely stems from deep-rooted fears of abandonment. While “A Little Sacrifice” offers insight into Geralt’s perspective, to fully grasp Yennefer’s attitude towards love, we must explore another story from Sword of Destiny – “A Shard of Ice.”
The Crossroads of Love
Yennefer’s journey in “A Shard of Ice” begins with her intent to end her relationship with Istredd. Despite being in a relationship with Geralt, Yennefer had not officially ended things with Istredd. Armed with a kestrel to deliver the message, she arrives at Aedd Gynvael with Geralt (who is clueless about their relationship), prepared to sever ties with her former lover. However, she finds herself at the crossroads of love when Istredd’s unexpected marriage proposal throws her plans into disarray, forcing her to confront her own feelings and desires.
To complicate matters further, Geralt becomes entangled in the web of emotions when he visits Istredd to assert his own stake for Yennefer’s affection. Istredd accuses Geralt of being delusional and points out that witchers are incapable of human emotions, calling the witcher merely a toy for the sorceress. He further points out that he can give Yennefer something Geralt can’t – support and stability. Geralt, feeling the sting of Istredd’s words, retaliates with a revelation intended to dispel any notion of Istredd marrying Yennefer:
“Stop stubbornly denying me rights. I’ve had enough of it, do you hear? I told you our rights are equal. No, dammit, mine are greater.”
“Really?” the sorcerer said, paling somewhat, which caused Geralt unspeakable pleasure. “For what reason?”
“For the reason,” he shot back, “that last night she made love with me, and not with you.”
- Pages 108-109, Sword of Destiny
However, Istredd’s calm response leaves Geralt reeling and uncertain of his standing in Yennefer’s affections.
“Does that, in your opinion, give you any rights?”
“Only one. The right to draw a few conclusions.”
“Ah,” the sorcerer said slowly. “Very well. As you wish. She made love with me this morning. Draw your own conclusions, you have the right. I already have.”
- Page 109, Sword of Destiny
Later that evening, Yennefer, sensing Geralt’s awareness of the events that transpired between her and Istredd, candidly admits to her deliberate decision to sleep with Istredd, acknowledging her lack of remorse for her actions. However, Geralt doesn’t dwell on the fact she slept with Istredd – the only thing he cares about is that she may have feelings for Istredd and that he may lose her because of this.
“Are you considering accepting his proposal?”
“For your information, I am. I told you, we’ve known each other for years. For … many years. We share common interests, goals, and ambitions. We understand each other wordlessly. He can give me support, and – who knows – perhaps there’ll come a day when I’ll need it. And above all … he … he loves me. I think.”
- Page 111, Sword of Destiny
His question about her consideration of Istredd’s proposal reflects his insecurities and fears of abandonment, rooted in his tumultuous experiences with love and rejection. Her response only validates his worries, and as a result, Geralt becomes reluctant to express his emotions towards her – not because he doesn’t love Yennefer, but because he is afraid of getting hurt if she leaves him. Yennefer, keenly aware of Geralt’s inner turmoil and the depth of his emotions, wants him to break down the walls he has built and express his love for her openly and willingly. She knows he loves her, but she also needs the affirmation that only words can provide. Unfortunately, Geralt is unable to make a little sacrifice, and thus, she creates a second kestrel.
“Two kestrels,” Geralt said softly. “Two black kestrels, created by magic. I presume you need them both.”
“You presume right,” she said with effort. “I need them both. I was wrong to believe that one would suffice.”
- Page 114, Sword of Destiny
The Ice Queen
In this story, Andrzej Sapkowski pays homage to Hans Christian Andersen’s “Die Eiskönigin” through the character of Yennefer, who embodies the metaphorical Ice Queen. The Ice Queen symbolizes a figure of coldness and distance, whose mere presence can pierce the hearts of those who come too close, leaving them forever yearning for unattainable love. Central to this metaphor is the concept of truth as a shard of ice. Throughout the story, Yennefer grapples with the idea that truth, like ice, is cold and indifferent, capable of causing pain and suffering.
“As she rides, she casts hard, sharp, tiny shards of ice around her, and woe betide anyone whose eye or heart is pierced by one of them. That person is then lost. No longer will anything gladden them; they find anything that doesn’t have the whiteness of snow ugly, obnoxious, and repugnant. They will not find peace, will abandon everything, and will set off after the Queen in pursuit of their dream and love. Naturally, they will never find it and will die of longing.”
- Page 91, A Sword of Destiny
The Ice Queen’s sleigh ride through the blizzard is a metaphor for Yennefer’s journey through life. Just as the Ice Queen leaves a trail of broken hearts in her wake, Yennefer grapples with the consequences of her actions and the impact they have on those around her. She might not be everyone’s taste, but there are some who fall hard for her charms even though she may not reciprocate their feelings – Remember Chireadan?
Yennefer longs to be loved for who she truly is beyond the facade of power and beauty she presents to the world. So, she seeks the warmth that would melt her ice and the icy shards. But when that happens, she’s afraid that the person will no longer feel the same way as she’s just a regular person without the icy exterior.
“Warmth would melt the shard of ice in you, the shard I stabbed you with,” she whispered. “Then the spell would be broken and you would see me as I really am.”
- Page 112, A Sword of Destiny.
The Fear of Vulnerability and Insecurity
Her conversation with Geralt about the Ice Queen gives insight into how she views herself. She was a hunchback abused by her father and, all her life, deemed unworthy of love until she became a sorceress and was able to wield her beauty as a weapon. Despite her transformation into a powerful sorceress, Yennefer struggles with her insecurities, manifesting in her guarded demeanor and reluctance to open herself up to others fully. Despite her outward confidence and assertiveness, she harbors a fear of rejection and abandonment, driving her to maintain emotional distance from those around her – much like Geralt with his insistence on being a social outcast due to his mutations. Yennefer’s insecurities are further exacerbated when Geralt discovers her affair with Istredd. Yennefer’s worst fears begin to creep up on her as she grapples with the possibility of losing the one person she has allowed herself to love. That is why she needed him to say, “I love you.” Her uncertainty about Geralt’s feelings towards her left her vulnerable and exposed, prompting her to retreat further into her emotional fortress, but not before creating that 2nd kestrel. Yennefer’s rejection of Istredd’s proposal illuminates why she ultimately leaves Geralt too:
“There are gifts which may not be accepted, if one is unable to … reciprocate them .. with something equally precious. Otherwise such a gift will slip through the fingers, like a shard of ice gripped in the hand. Then only regret, the sense of loss and hurt will remain.”
- Page 115, A Sword of Destiny
Istredd loves her deeply, but she cannot return that gift. And while she loves Geralt, he does not express that love openly. Her shard of ice is that love must flow both ways for it to endure, and the reason why she walks away from both men.
Conclusion
“A Shard of Ice” is one of the more difficult stories to read in The Witcher Saga. So much goes unspoken (pun intended), leaving us trying to understand why these characters, whom we have become emotionally invested in, behave the way they do. This is why I appreciate Sapkowski as a writer – he leans into the messy complexities of life rather than easy, fairy tale endings. The Witcher may be fantasy, but the characters’ struggles resonate on a real, human level. Yennefer and Geralt’s relationship is complicated, to say the least. Outwardly, they present themselves as strong and self-assured – which they most certainly are. You wouldn’t be a powerful sorceress or monster slayer if you weren’t. But beneath the surface, both grapple with insecurities and fears of vulnerability. Yennefer dons an impenetrable mask to the world yet craves true emotional connection. Geralt’s stoicism shields deep wounds from a lifetime of prejudice and rejection. Their facades conceal a mutual yearning for unconditional love. Together, they find in the other someone who understands their pain and sees past their defenses. Yet opening up remains a challenging task. Admitting weakness, even to one another, clashes with their fiercely independent personas.
But what do you make of Yennefer’s actions – condemnable or understandable? Should Geralt have laid his heart bare? Was Istredd simping hard?
Let us know your thoughts!
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