Her Sweet Kiss | Geralt of Rivia X OC | The Witcher FF

Chapter 31 - Triss Merigold -

3rd person pov

"The Trail will test you. Force you to move beyond the pain, the fear, the failure. Until you become one with the killer itself. Remember, hesitation will draw danger to you like fire. But trust the path you choose... and it will protect you. Even in darkness. As long as you listen. Always listen."

Geralt let her train. Let her face the horror and fear that would come with it. Training was hard. Very hard. He wanted to see how dedicated she was. 

Now, she was running through the woods. Her actions might not show the hesitation she had in her head but they were noticeable when she got scratched by branches or fell, like now. Headfirst onto the ground, where she left a few drops of blood which came from her cheek. She panted and jumped back to her feet when she saw a woman approach her. "Don't be scared. I'm not going to hurt you." the woman in a green cloak said. She took off her hood and revealed her freckled face that was framed by red locks. "You're a girl." she smiled. 

Ciri wiped off the dirt from her chin. She played tough. "So are you." she said, not seemingly interested. "I'm going to Kaer Morhen. Is that where you're headed?" she asked and walked down the path again, further in Ciri's direction. Ciri was suspicious and walked a few steps away from her. "I appreciate the suspicion, but be reasonable. Would I have gotten this far if I didn't know the way?" she asked. Ciri still didn't buy it.

"Let me look." the red-haired woman said more like a question and reached a hand out for Ciri. She took another few steps away from her. Ciri squinted her eyes and frowned when the woman touched her cheek and started to speak Elder. The wound was suddenly gone and Ciri touched her cheek surprised by it. The woman smiled. "Your heart beat faster. I heard it." she kept smiling. Eventually, she bend down and picked a frozen flower from the ground and handed it to Ciri. "It's nice to meet you." Ciri took the flower and gave her a quick smile. 

"You- You're a sorceress. Are you-?" before she could finish her sentence, Geralt, with a dead boar, over his shoulders approached them. "Triss." he smiled. Ciri's suspicion on who she was faded. "-a friend of Geralt's." she finished her sentence. "You must be quite charitable." she said and walked past the Witcher and the sorceress. Triss sighed in amusement. "It's good to see you again." he smiled at her as a greeting. "And you." Triss returned.

Triss was the first one to push open the doors, followed by Ciri and then Geralt. "I brought dinner." said the Witcher. Vesemir looked over to them and seemed quite delighted by it. "More than that." he chuckled. "My child, what a surprise." the old Witcher said as he approached Triss. He was very fond of her. "Hello, Vesemir." she greeted back and they shared a hug. "Oh, hell, haven't had me fill of grog yet, and already, the women are doubling." Lambert complained and crossed his arms. "Merigold." Lambert then added as a greeting. 

"Lambert. I see your wounds have improved but your manners have not." Triss joked what all of them chuckle. "I wish you'd come sooner. We all could have used you." Vesemir said with a slightly depressed voice. "Hopefully, we still can." Geralt said, who was leaning against a table with crossed arms. "I'll go and dress for dinner. I assume you'll all want to wash up as well?" Triss asked and started to step through the room. The men just scoffed and chuckled. "Of course not." Triss answered herself. "So how do you two know each other?" Ciri asked with a grin. 

---

"I'm starving. Can I start?" Ciri asked impatiently as she sat down with us at the table. "It's quieter in here than I remember." Triss commented. "More food for the rest of us." Coen said and poured himself another mug. "Aren't there any herbs or mushrooms for me today?" Ciri asked. Geralt just chewed on his bread, not answering the question. "In December?" Triss asked confused. Lambert cleared his throat. "That windmill knock your head about, Princess?" he asked and leaned over to her. "Right." she mumbled.

"So, Geralt said you saved his life." Ciri said as she took a bite out of a potato. "He found himself in my kingdom a time ago." Triss started to give more details about what had happened between Geralt and her. "Helped me with a... a princess in trouble." she said. "Nastier than you, even." Geralt said to tease Ciri a bit. Ciri hummed while rolling her eyes playfully. "He's not joking. She took a big chunk out of him. But he saved her anyway." she said and smiled over at Geralt.

"Well, you healed my cheek. Seems pretty impressive too." she smiled at her and took a sip from her cup. Then Ciri looked Triss up and down best as she could while sitting. "I like your dress." Ciri complimented her. Triss smiled, while taking a small bite. "Thank you." she said. "Would you like me to show you around the keep?" Ciri asked and placed her cup back on the table. "I actually know this place pretty well." Triss admitted. 

"When Geralt told me what Triss had done for him, I invited her here." Vesemir said and looked over at Triss. "I brought her here for you. To help guide you." he said and looked at Ciri. "What about Evelyn?" Ciri asked with a frown. Triss smirked. "Who's Evelyn?" Triss asked and looked over at Geralt. "She's his-" Ciri started but Geralt stopped her. "It's time for bed." he instructed.

"I'm not tired." she said and kept sitting at the table with her elbows leaning on it. "Alright, come on, you little rat." Coen said and stood up from the table. "I'll play a few rounds of snaps with you before bed. Maybe I might even let you win." he said and took his mug with him. "Yeah, you wish!" Ciri scoffed and then pushed herself out of the seat and followed Coen. "Night, everyone." she said and smiled. "Good night." 

"Good night, Ciri." 

"Night." 

"Night, all." 

"Good night."

---

"So who is that Evelyn?"