Prologue

"Ah! Geralt – look at the time. I'm going to be late," said a panicked Triss as she jumped out of their bed. Once again, Geralt had persuaded Triss to spend a few extra minutes with him in bed this morning. Although the sorceress didn't protest, she was now behind schedule. Geralt sat on the edge of the bed and watched her while she hurriedly went about her morning routine.

He grinned as she hastily tied her hair back into her iconic twin buns. The witcher loved to tease Triss about her hair style, and would often vociferously express his profound love for her tight buns, knowing that she would always blush at the double entendre.

"You didn't seem that concerned a few minutes ago," he chided.

"That's because you're too damn irresistible! I've been late every day this week – the court has definitely noticed."

The red-haired sorceress was now fitting in her favorite earrings. Years ago, she had lost one of them at Kaer Morhen, but Geralt was able to find the missing earring within the ruins of the bed they shared at the keep. They had shared many wonderful memories in that bed, but it had been destroyed in a jealous rage of Geralt's ex-lover, the sorceress Yennefer, when she had thrown it out of the tower's window. Whilst mourning the tragic loss of the 'best bed at Kaer Morhen', Geralt had noticed a glimmer in the sunlight. It was then that he realized he could make good come from evil. Needless to say, Triss was delighted to have her missing earring returned.

"But aren't you the leader of the new conclave?" asked Geralt. "Why not just show up when you feel like it?"

Triss rolled her eyes and then proceeded to murmur an incantation under her breath. Immediately, an emerald-green dress began forming around her body. It was form-fitting, perfectly accentuating her slim waist and ample bust. Embroidered with sapphires and rubies, she looked every bit the King's advisor. She briefly examined her now-clothed body in the mirror, nodded once, and then turned to her lover.

"You look stunning Triss. Shame we can't just spend the day here," he said, a grin forming on his face.

"Me too, trust me," she said, returning his smile. Then Triss walked up to the witcher and gave him a peck on the lips. "I'll see you tonight."

"Mhm, looking forward to it."

With that, Triss began a new incantation and a loud crack was heard as a portal formed. She gave a quick sigh, straightened her posture, and strode through with confidence.

"Give 'em hell," encouraged Geralt.

The portal closed and the witcher was left sitting alone. It had been a couple years since the Wild Hunt had been defeated, and Geralt was thoroughly enjoying his semi-retirement. On occasion, he would take on a monster contract here or there – just to keep his skills sharp, but he mostly spent the days relaxing. He would smoke a pipe on the porch, or go into town and play a few rounds of dice poker or Gwent. Sometimes he'd take on a project renovating or adding onto the house.

The days were short, however, and it wasn't long before his beloved sorceress would return home. They typically spent their evenings together, whether it was taking long walks through the palace gardens, enjoying local Koviri cuisine, entertaining their friends (Dandelion would often visit), or relaxing by themselves in the comfort of their home. Sometimes Triss would brew potions while Geralt read a book by the fire. Or they would both read in the parlor. Every now and then, Triss chatted away on her megascope for a few hours. But most often, they just rested in each other's arms and talked about their respective days. Although their evenings were calm, even idyllic, the night would be filled with passion. The two would make fiery love deep into the night. Then, once thoroughly exhausted and breathless, they would find sleep curled up in their mutual embrace.

Geralt once remarked to Dandelion that it all seemed too good to be true. The bard assured the witcher that he and Triss had well earned their tranquil life together. Further, they should enjoy the love they share, for True Love was a rare thing. He said that he has written a hundred ballads on the subject, yet seen it only a handful of times. It is something that should be relished, cherished, nurtured, and not second guessed.

Shaking his head, Geralt awoke from his daydream. He got up from the bed, slipped on his knickers and a pair of trousers. He then stretched dramatically, took in a deep breath, and exhaled slowly. The Koviri sun was peeking through the window, lighting up the room with its rays. As he scanned the room, he noticed a book was open on the nightstand next to Triss' side of the bed. He walked up to it and picked it up.

"Hm, what do we have here?" said Geralt as he turned the book in his hand and looked at the cover. "'The Personal Diary of Triss Merigold of Maribor'. I doubt Triss meant to leave this unattended."

Geralt well knew that mages, sorceresses in particular, zealously guarded all of their books, scrolls, letters, and notes. Information was a powerful commodity in the magic world and so keeping their secrets safe was a high priority. Triss was no exception. It was likely that in her panicked rush that morning, she forgot to secure her journal.

Curiosity got the better of the witcher, and so he flipped open the journal to a random page and began reading.

A/N: Hope you all enjoy this new story!

Just a few quick notes: All of the characters, settings, etc. are owned by CD Projekt Red. I claim ownership of absolutely nothing; this story is for entertainment purposes only.

Also, I'm basing everything in this story on The Witcher series developed by CDPR. I have not read the books, so I apologize in advance to those with strict fidelity to the books. Having said that, I aim to be true to the characters and story developed by CDPR.

The goal is to span the entire series, from the legendary first Witcher all the way to The Witcher 3: Blood and Wine and perhaps beyond.

If something doesn't agree with your "personal canon" (i.e. the particular decisions that you've made within the games), that's not my problem. Player choice has a heavy impact on the series, leaving much of the "canon" open-ended. As such, some of the decisions referenced may not align with what you would do or prefer. C'est la vie.

Note well that this story will exclusively feature the Triss and Geralt pairing. If you don't like this pairing, then you may wish to invest your time elsewhere.

Lastly, I do greatly appreciate any constructive criticism, thoughts, feedback, reviews, follows, and favorites! Thank you all in advance and I sincerely hope you all enjoy reading!