Kaer Morhen is significantly quieter, emptier, and colder without Ciri in it.

For such a small human, when Ciri is here, she fills the keep with enough unrestrained, uncontrollable life to drive Geralt a little out of his mind at times.

But this winter, Ciri is elsewhere on the Continent, making her own choices and forging her own Destiny; this winter, Geralt sleeps with an extra skin that's really too small for him.