As the sun went down, Triss and Geralt walked side by side along the costal line that led to one of their favorite spots; the lighthouse. After a long walk to the top, the two gazed out towards the ocean as ships came and went, and stars appeared in the sky.
"Do you remember the lighthouse in Novigrad?" Triss questioned, her eyes not leaving the sea.
Geralt nodded, "how could I forget."
Triss smiled at him as she gave him a look from the corner of her eye.
"Do you remember what you said to me about where you saw us in 5 years?" Triss asked, there was something in her voice.
Her looked at her a moment before answering. "Living in a small town, where everybody knows everybody."
Triss nodded, changing positions so that her back was to the sea, facing him and leaning against one of the support pillars."Do you remember what else you said?"
"Triss, what are you getting at?" Geralt said, turning to her.
"Just.. answer me. Do you remember what else you said?" Triss questioned, a glimpse of need in her eyes.
Geralt thought for a moment, letting his mind wonder back to that time. Finally he gazed up and looked at her.
"That I imagined a horde of kids around us." Geralt spoke.
Triss seemed to smile in relief, but the look of need never left her eyes.
"Yes," she whispered.
Geralt was generally confused, but before he could speak again Triss chimed in.
"I what you're going say... that its impossible with us being what we are." She said.
Geralt nodded.
"But what if it wasn't.. what if we could?" Triss asked, almost begged in a way.
"You mean like adoption? Like taking on a ward like I did with Ciri?" Geralt said.
Triss Merigold shook her head. "No, I mean by having children.. or actually, a child of our own, our own blood."
"But thats imposs-" Geralt started, but Triss cut him off.
"But what if it wasn't?" Triss said again, "would you want a child with me?"
It seemed such a simple answer, of course he would want a child with her. Geralt would never admit it but he loved being a mentor, friend, and father figure to Ciri. He loved her as his own, treated her as such too. But even though she wasn't his daughter, he always wished she was. Geralt had always wanted a child, but it was not a wish he ever let himself verbalize or take seriously; for it was not the witcher way, and a thought he a believed would weaken him. Let alone the obvious, that witchers and sorceress were both infertile.
Yet, here was Triss Merigold, his first love and the love of his life, telling him that it wasn't.
It seemed like hours had pass by before Geralt pulled himself from his deep internal thoughts.
"I would." He answered.
Triss smiled, and if he wasn't mistaken.. her eyes seemed to water slightly.
"Good cause, I want that too. I want to be a mother Geralt, I want to have a child." Triss breathed. "These past few months I've thought of little else.. I don't know whats come over me, this desire, I don't know where it came from.. or maybe its always been there I don't know, but its taken hold of me. I want to have a child Geralt... and I want it with you."
"Well that last parts a relief." Geralt chuckled.
Triss narrowed her eyes a bit. "I'm being serious Geralt.."
Geralt just gave her a look, for he didn't know how to respond or think.
Triss took a big breath. "You need time to process I know, this is a lot. Come, lets walk back and I'll explain more when we get home.
The two lovers' walk back was in silence. There were times that each wanted to speak up, break the silence, but neither knew exactly what to say.
As they neared the house Triss spoke up.
"I've found a way... my research, this is what I've been working on." Triss said entering the house, Geralt following.
"I didn't want to tell you incase it was truly impossible or didn't work. In my work advising our King I came across some ancient writing in scrolls written by some of the world's first mages. It took a great deal of time learning the language and deciphering the scrolls but when I did I found something. Research to reverse infertility in mages should there be a need if a war arised that threatened to wipe them all out and leave our Kings with no advisors."
"And?" Geralt pried.
"And the research was never successful and therefor remained incomplete." Triss said, but Geralt could tell she wasn't finished.
"But I've been over the research. Ive done experiments on infertile animals and other species similar to us. And I think I've found success. The final test.. would be to try it on us, mainly myself as I am the carrier. If it works I shall conceive.. If it doesn't well.. you know the rest, but I'm afraid we will only be able to use the spell and potion once." Triss finished.
Geralt was about to express that they go for it when Triss spoke again. "There's something else... I debated wether or not to tell you but I can not bring myself to deceive you. You have a right to know what you- we're getting ourselves into.."
Geralt nodded for her to go on.
"The herbs I give you will do no harm.. They will simply, I hope temporary somewhat revive your little swimmers. But my part will take much more... not only will I take the herbs as well but I will also cast a spell that will convert all of my life forces to my uterus, trying to get it to accept and conceive. It will be somewhat painful for me but you needn't worry.. I can handle it. We will only have about an hour to try before your potion wears off and ..." Her voice cut off, as she shifted her eyes to look at the floor.
"Anddd?" Geralt pressed.
"And mine kills me.." Triss's voice faded off.
"What!?" Geralt explained
"At which point we will need to cast a reversal spell that will cease draining my life forcse away!" Triss broke in. "An hour from what I can tell will be our limit to try! I can't be 100% sure of that because I've never tried it for sure.. but from my research and tests on other species-"
"And If you're wrong you could die Triss! I thought I had lost you at the Battle of Sodden Hill and again at Loc Muinne!" Geralt interrupted forcefully.
"But you didn't, I survived just as I will survive this." Triss pleaded, coming forward to comfort and reassure him.
Geralt shock his head and stepped back, turning his face away from her. "Triss what have I told you about risking your neck for others.."
"I remember.. but do you also remember what I said in reply? That its who I am, and that I wouldn't stop." Triss said firmly, her arms crossed.
"Yes damn it, Its one of the many qualities that made me fall in love with you. But its also one of your most annoying. And it might not even work, you could still end up childless after all that." Geralt said.
Triss came forward and gently kissed him on the lips, looking into his eyes. "But if it does work. The baby... your's and mine, would be worth risking my life for. "
"Triss.." Geralt breathed, "I couldn't bare it if I lost you."
"And you won't if I can help it." A voice chimed, the couple turing to the direction of its sound.
If it weren't for the mutations his eyes would have widened. "Yen? What are you-"
"I invited her." Triss said, stepping away from him to stand at Yennifer's side.
Before he could speak Yennifer spoke up. "Triss will be too weak to cast the spell that will stop the effects and save her life so, when you two are through you will kindly step out of the way and I will rush in and prevent her from deteriorating to death."
"We'll set hourglasses, one for you and I in the bedroom, and one for Yen in the kitchen. We'll only have one shot at this.. so I want to make every second count.. but I promise not to go over even by a second." Triss finished desperately.
"Wow, a timed Tyst Tirss.. how romantic." Geralt mumbled.
Triss stepped forward her eyes gleaming and her voice soft. "It could be." She purred, "I could-"
Yennifer cleared her throat.
Triss blushed lightly, nodded to Yen, before taking a step back.
"Just.. just promise me you'll take some time to think about it?" Triss asked.
Geralt looked at her long and hard; finally he nodded. "Okay."
Should they? Shouldn't they? What would you do if you were in their place? Stay tuned to find out! Hope you liked the update! :) Thanks for reading! R&R! :)