Did Cahir Truly Love Ciri?
In short, yes Cahir grew to love Ciri in his own obsessive way – but this love was rooted in a desire to possess and control her destiny rather than genuine care for Ciri as a person. Ciri understandably never loved him back and continued fearing his influence even as their adventure led to some bonding.
As a loyal Nilfgardian, Cahir helped destroy her home at Cintra and hunt her relentlessly afterwards. Though moments later in their journey humanized him in her eyes, the trauma and power imbalance of their past could never be fully overcome.
Cahir‘s Initial Obsession (Pre-Thanedd Coup)
As one of the chief agents in Emperor Emhyr‘s hunt for his daughter Cirilla, Cahir‘s motivation was initially duty bound. Emhyr wished to exploit Ciri‘s "Elder Blood" lineage to strengthen his conquests.
"All he‘d ever wanted was to fulfill her destiny. The White Flame had brought them together. She was the key to everything."
Capturing Ciri became an obsession for Cahir. When a doppler took his form and probed his mind, it discovered Cahir had grown a personal fixation beyond just orders:
"He saw her in my dreams…I saw her very clearly, and she was not a child anymore."
So from early on, Cahir lusted after his vision of the woman Ciri would become – seeing her in a very selfish way as a means to power and destiny rather than a person in trauma.
Mixed Signals Betray Ciri‘s Lingering Fears
During their eventful escape from Nilfgaardian forces, Ciri and Cahir had moments of real connection. They saved each others‘ lives multiple times.
Ciri even mourned when she thought Cahir died in a skirmish. When reunited, she embraced him warmly, betraying her relief.
However, Ciri remained wary whenever she was reminded of Cahir‘s loyalty to Emhyr and Nilfgaard. She never fully trusted he wouldn‘t betray her again someday:
"There were times when he displayed no emotion at all, simply staring at her fixedly with those unsettling, glittering eyes of his."
Vulnerable moments that resonated like Stockholm Syndrome never fully erased Ciri‘s inner doubts and fears. Past trauma ran too deep.
A Love That Could Not Save Him
By the Thanedd Coup, Cahir had clearly become emotionally invested beyond duty. He tried convincing Ciri to support Nilfgaard‘s cause willingly.
And during the chaos that ensued, he made the fateful choice to save Ciri at his own peril – permanently turning his back on Emhyr.
When captured by Vilgefortz later, Cahir‘s dying regrets were of destiny and Ciri rather than himself.
In those final months of their journey, his desire to "possess" Ciri‘s future fate had perhaps shifted closer to genuine love. But the damage was already done.
Her Trauma Robs Ciri of Agency
For her part, Ciri had warmed up to Cahir as a conflicted companion. His sacrifice even filled her with survivor‘s guilt for not sharing his faith in their destiny:
"If he says we ought to have died, it must be true…Because he knows things. He knows so much about me, he knows so much more than I do…"
This remark shows while bonded by adventure, Ciri still put too much stock in Cahir‘s vision for her future versus her own – robbing her of personal agency. His "love" had became a psychological prison for them both.
In the end, Ciri grieved Cahir‘s death and likely had some real affection for him. But never enough to erase years of manipulation and trauma to love him back in a free and equal way.
