The Witcher Tales Ep. 01

* * * * *DISCLAIMER* * * * *

This fanfiction series is based on The Witcher. I have only used some characters from the tv series, video games, and novels. Not all of the characters I portray in this game are all known, some are made up by me as well. This is also advisement, that this series will be very graphic for violence and gore, lots of blood and guts in this series. There also will be lots of sexual content and strong foul language. This series is not intended for an audience under the age of 18. This series also takes place after the events of the Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. It follows the Triss romance storyline. Just so you know that in advance. If you have a problem with any of this kind of subject matter, then please do not read any further. This series is meant for your enjoyment. So I hope you do enjoy reading it as well.

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THE FIRST JOURNEY!

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You have heard the tales of Geralt of Rivia, but did you know that he was also training an apprentice in secret. It happened during his retirement in Kovir where he now lives peacefully with his wife Triss Merigold. During his time in Kovir, he met a young lad named Parrish. Geralt knew when he first met him, that he had witcher blood in him. His parents were both killed in a bandit raid while his family lived in Novigrad. Triss was the one who found the young lad, who was living in an old abandoned house, with an Oneiromancer, named Corinne Tilly.

Triss told Corinne that it wasn't safe for Parrish to live in Novigrad. Especially since she sensed the witcher blood in him as well. Triss knew the only safe place for Parrish would be for her to bring him to the one Witcher whom she loves with all her heart. Triss brought him to Geralt's vineyard in Toussaint.

It is a beautiful sunny day as Parrish lays out in the sun and is enjoying the warm weather. Geralt has been training heavily for the past while. However, even when he rests, Geralt is always testing him.

Amid his nap, Parrish senses something as his instincts tell him, something is approaching. Leaping up as he draws his steel sword from his harness. Holding the hilt of his sword in one hand, his olive-green cat-like eyes, flash as he turns around, and there is a ferocious Berzerker. That is what it appears to be at first, as Parrish uses his senses and can tell that it is nothing more than an illusion. Easily he performs an Axii spell on the Berzerker, and it shows him the true form of what the illusion is. It is only one of their goats that someone had transformed on him.

Looking up as he smirks and says, "Nice try Triss!"

Triss comes out from behind of him, as she smirks and says, "Well I am very impressed at how you handled my illusion."

"Thank you," Parrish says, as he says, but I sense something.

Turning around as Geralt comes out of the haystacks behind him as Parrish blocks and deflects his attack. The two both stand with their feet planted on the ground. Parrish not taking his eyes off Geralt for one moment. Using the Axii spell to see if this is yet another illusion, that Triss is using to trick him. Geralt smirks and says, "You are picking up on your instincts very well."

They both put their blades back into their harnesses as Parrish smirks at Geralt and says, "So am I ready to take on my first contract yet?"

"Not quite yet, you're almost there, but be patient," Geralt says as he places his hand on his shoulder.

Just as he says that a portal opens up from out of nowhere and Cirilla appears before them both, and she is holding and clutching someone in her arms. The person is bleeding from the neck as she looks up at Geralt and says, "I-I need your help!"

Parrish sees the young woman he is holding in his arms and says, "Ciri do you know who that is?"

"Yes, I know who it is," Ciri says, please you have to help her."

Geralt nods his head and picks her up off her lap and carries her inside of his house. Triss stays with Ciri as Parrish follows Geralt as they toss everything on the table onto the floor. They place her onto the table, as Parrish looks at the young woman, who is probably not even a few years younger than he is. Leaning his head to hear if she is breathing, she is but it is very faint. Looking up at Geralt as he says, "I want you to examine her."

Geralt stands back and just observes. Parrish nods his head as he places his hands on her neck and looks at the bite and says, "She is lucky, no arteries were punctured, she'd be dead by now if that were the case."

"What attacked her," Geralt asked?

"By the teeth and scratch marks I'd say she was attacked by Lycan," Parrish answered.

"Is the Lycan's venom spreading into her bloodstream," Geralt asked.

Parrish uses his senses and thermal vision to look into the young women's bloodstream and can see that some Lycan venom did get into it. But if they act quickly they can stop the spread of it.

"Yes there is but if we act quickly and use an anti-Lycan potion. It will stop the spread of the venom quickly," Parrish said.

Triss is standing at the doorway and says, "I'll get working on one right away."

"Thank you Triss," Parrish said.

Cirilla comes into the house and sees her friend, is now bandaged up and Parrish keeps petting her forehead with a damp cloth. Looking up at her as Ciri says, "My gosh you've grown so much since I last saw you."

Parrish just smirks, as his wavy dark brown hair flows over his face. Ciri has also noticed the armor that he is wearing and it suits him well. Parrish's armor is made out of leather, it is navy blue and has silver methryl plating.

"Where did you get that armor from," Ciri asked?"

"Oh Geralt pulled some strings and got a blacksmith in Skeillge to make it for me," Parrish answered.

Geralt looks at Cirilla and says, "We need to talk, in private."

Cirilla just nods her head and says, "Keep an eye on her for me."

"Of course," Parrish said as he watches Gerald and Cirilla leave the room.

Triss comes up to him, as she has the potion ready. Parrish raises her head and opens her mouth, as Triss pours the antidote into her mouth. Parrish looks at Triss, who has been like a mother to him, and asks, "Do you think I'm ready Triss?"

Since the moment that Triss allowed Parrish into her home. She had accepted him and treated him like her own son. Never having her own child with Geralt since he is steril. Triss knew being with a witcher that they could never conceive a child of their own. But to her this felt just as though Geralt and Triss, had a child together.

Triss had felt like it was their son that they both had been teaching and raising together. Looking at Parrish's face as she lays a hand along his cheek as she kindly says, "As someone who has helped teach you and helped you learn of your abilities. I think you are ready."

"Why do I sense that you feel the opposite of what you just said," Parrish says to Triss while looking into her eyes.

"You do understand why that is Parrish, you know I don't think of you as just some witcher's apprentice. I think of you as my son. For that reason alone I shall always worry about your well-being," Triss said.

The young woman begins to move and it looks like the potion is working as she is beginning to sweat and moan in her sleep. Triss looks at Parrish and says, "Guest bedroom, prepare some restraints, this will be painful for her, but we have to detox the venom out of her."

Parrish nods his head and does as she asks, as Geralt and Ciri come out of the bedroom. They see the young woman thrashing about in her sleep on the table. Triss looks at Geralt and says, "Hurry, to the guest bedroom."

Geralt picks her up and carries her into the guest bedroom. Parrish has the bed ready with restraints just as Triss had asked of him to do. Geralt places the young woman onto the bed as Parrish harness's the restraint straps around her wrists and ankles.

For some strange reason, Parrish feels a connection with this young woman. He feels the need to watch over her, as he pulls up a chair and says to Triss and Geralt. I'll watch over her.

Geralt crosses his arms and says, "You sure, it isn't going to be pretty."

"Trust me, I got this," Parrish said.

Geralt nods his head as he and Triss leave the room and close the door. Parrish sits and watches over the young woman, she has long strawberry blonde hair. She has a honey skin tone to her velvet-like skin. He has yet to see her open her eyes to know what color they are. She is wearing a teal gown with silver stitchings throughout the dress. Just sitting and observing, as her eyes open and the Lycan venom is now being detoxed out of her body.

Sitting up in a sweat as the young woman began to scream and shout out loudly. She began to thrash about in the bed.

Luckily for this young woman, Parrish happens to know a few spells thanks to Triss. He uses Axii to calm her down. Not only has Geralt been teaching him how to use his abilities. Triss also has been teaching him how to use spells, and combine them with his abilities. This spell calms the young woman, as the thrashing and shouting are calmed. Now she is just moving about and moaning quietly. Her entire body is covered in sweat. Parrish leans forward and begins patting down her forehead and body with a cold cloth.

A few days and nights pass as Parrish had only left the young woman's side for a few hours to help out Geralt. Ciri stayed at her side during that time. He didn't understand the reason why he felt he had to be at this mysterious young woman's side. He felt that he had to, no matter how hard he tried to focus his mind elsewhere. The feeling of wanting to help her was a constant thought on Parrish's mind.

Cirilla comes into the room and sits beside Parrish. The two of them do not say anything to the other. They just sit and watch as the young woman rests in the bed. She has stopped moving around in her sleep, as the moans have also seemed to have ceased. Parrish looks at Ciri and says, "You do know who this is right?"

"Yes, I do," Ciri answered.

"She is from the land of Cameranda, that crest around her wrist on her bracelet. That is how I know where she is from," Parrish said.

"I was on a contract to hunt a Lycan, it took ten days by sea to travel to Cameranda," Ciri answered.

Looking at the young woman as he asks Ciri, "How did you find her?"

"I was at a banquet with her, and she invited me as her guest of honor. Her name is Meranda Novack," Ciri answered, as Parrish's eyes opened wider as he responded, "This is the Duke's daughter?"

"Yes, and I had no choice but to teleport the both of us here," Ciri answered.

"I knew she was of some kind of royalty. The minute I saw that crest on her bracelet, and the dress she was wearing," Parrish said.

Meranda in the bed slowly opens her eyes. Everything is in a daze for her at this moment. Looking around the room, Parrish comes to her bedside. Meranda's vision becomes less blurry as she looks at him and fully sees his face. Looking at him as she sits up in the bed and notices the restraints on her ankles and wrists.

"W-where am I, and why am I harnessed to this bed," Meranda asked?"

"Oh sorry about that, it was just for a precaution," Parrish answered, as he releases her restraints around her ankles and wrists.

Ciri comes to her bedside and sits on the edge of the bed as Meranda sees her as she says, "Oh Ciri, w-what happened?"

"What is the last thing you remember," Ciri responded.

"I-I remember we were at the banquet together. We were drinking mead and eating our dinner and having a good time. Then I heard you say for me to hide under a table. I then remember something grabbing hold of my ankle and dragging me along the floor. That is it, I don't remember anything else," Meranda said.

Looking at Parrish as she asks, "Who, who is this?"

"I am Parrish, I'm a witcher's apprentice," he answered.

"A witcher's apprentice, w-where are we Ciri," Meranda asked?

"We are at my former mentor's house in Toussaint," Ciri answered.

Sitting up as she says, "In Toussaint, how did we get here?"

"I teleported us here, it was the fastest way I knew to get you help," Ciri said.

"Help, why did you need to bring me here," Meranda asked?

"You were attacked by a Lycan," Ciri answered, had I not acted quickly the Lycan's venom would have made you into its new mate," Ciri answered.

Geralt comes into the room as well with Triss, as she looks at them both as she asks, "Who are they?"

"I am Geralt of Rivia," he answered.

"I'm Triss," she answered.

"The Geralt of Rivia, from the tales I've heard," Meranda asked?

"Oh so you've heard of me," Geralt responded.

"Well yes, I happen to know a fellow who goes by the name of Dandelion," Meranda asked?

"Of course, why wouldn't you know him," Geralt answered.

"I do think he is a bit boisterous after all most of his tales make it sound like he is the hero. As much as I believe Dandelion he makes his stories to be quite, how do you say it, unbelievable," Meranda says as she feels a bit of pain in her ribs as she laughs.

"Dandelion happens to be a close friend of my mentors," Parrish said.

"Oh Geralt is your mentor," Meranda asked?

"Well he is quite more than that, Triss and Geralt are like my parents," Parrish answered.

"Oh, I see," Meranda says, as she looks at Triss and says, "My father has spoken of you many times."

"All good things I hope," Triss said.

"Well I know you are the King of Kovir's royal consort," Meranda said.

"I am not any longer, I quit that position, but in the King's gratitude of my service. He gave us this land here in Toussaint and the home I have in Kovir is still mine as well," Triss said.

"I truly must be getting back to Cameranda my father must be worried sick," Meranda said.

Ciri looks at Meranda and places a hand on hers and says, "Meri, we can't go back."

"W-why not," Meranda asked?

"You were the only one I was able to get out alive, everyone including your father, was killed," Ciri answered.

"M-my father is dead," Meranda responded, in shock as she clutches her face with her hands and says, "But how, why who did this?"

"Someone let the Lycans into the banquet, I have no proof of this yet, but I am going to investigate it with Geralt," Ciri said.

"Y-your going back," Meranda asked?

"Yes, Geralt and I are going to investigate the scene of the attack and the castle and find out who did this," Ciri answered.

"I want to help you both, I want to know who did this," Meranda said.

Geralt intervenes and says, "No it isn't safe for you to go back there, Meranda."

Triss adds, "Yes, whoever sent those Lycans after your family. Is probably not aware you made it out alive. We should keep it that way."

Parrish agrees and says, "Yeah, if they wanted your whole family assassinated, it was for a reason."

"Mafysto, it had to have been him," Meranda said.

"Who is Mafysto," Geralt asked?

"A man who was my father's right hand, he knew everything about my father's castle. They were like brothers, but I know it, I just know he has something to do with this," Meranda answered.

"I've heard of this man, " Triss says, "Mafysto Catastroff correct?

"Yes, he is a duke as well like my father," Meranda said.

Geralt looks at Meranda and asks, "Is there something else we should know about this Mafysto?

"You can't trust him, I hired a spy to send me information about him, she was acting as a handmaiden of his," Meranda answered.

"Is there a way for us to get in touch with this handmaiden," Ciri asked?

"Yes, you can, but she isn't in Cameranda, I sent her into hiding. She is in Velen," Meranda answered.

"Then that is where Ciri and I will head to first," Geralt said.

"Yes, please do find her. She is the only one with the information I have on Mafysto," Meranda said.

"What is her name," Ciri asked?

"She and I use codenames, she goes under the name whitefox, her real name is Marie. She has light brown hair, some days it even has highlights of orange and red in it. She has freckles on her cheeks, ocean blue eyes, but not dark blue, a light early morning ocean kind of blue.

"Could this information Marie has be why Mafysto would have your family killed," Geralt asked?

"It could be, but there are lots of other reasons, he'd want my father dead," Meranda answered.

"Ciri and I will leave for Velen in the morning," Geralt said.

"I do caution you when you do get to Cameranda. It is not a safe land for your kind there," Meranda tells both Geralt and Cirella.

"Don't worry, this isn't our first rodeo, Geralt and I have done this lots of times," Ciri says trying to reassure her.

Geralt looks at Parrish as he crosses his arms and says, "Parrish, I am assigning you your first mission."

"W-what," Parrish responded.

"With both me and Ciri leaving, I leave you to protect and watch over Meranda," Geralt said.

"It won't be safe if we leave her here," Parrish said.

Parrish looks at Triss and says, "It won't be safe for you here either."

"I will go to the lodge and remain there until I hear back from Geralt and Ciri," Triss said.

Parrish nods, as he looks at Meranda and says, "We will need to leave here as well."

"Go to my house in Kovir, it is hidden," Triss said, as she hands Parrish something, "You will need this to locate it."

"What is that," Meranda asked?

"You'll see when we get there," Parrish answered.

"We should all set out in the morning, " Geralt said.

They all agree and retire for the night. Morning comes as Geralt comes to the room, to see that both Meranda and Parrish are already gone. Knowing that when Geralt said the words set out in the morning, really was a coded message to Parrish, that really meant, they should both leave that night.

Geralt was pleased to see that his apprentice understood his teachings. Triss comes into the room to see that Parrish and Meranda are gone.

"Ahh, they left last night did they," Triss asked?

Putting her arms around Geralt's back as they both hold each other, as she looks into his eyes and says, "Our young man has grown up."

"Yeah, he has," Geralt said.

"I'm worried about this Geralt," Triss responded.

Tilting her chin up as he smiles at her and says, "He will be fine, we both taught him well."

"I know that, but it's not only him I am worried about," Triss said.

"Just how dangerous is this Mafysto," Geralt asked?"

"Very, I've heard he has a very black heart and doesn't care who he has to step over to get what he wants," Triss answered.

"I'll keep that in mind," Geralt said.

"I'm going to the lodge, you and Ciri be careful," Triss said.

A portal opens up as Triss is about to enter it, Geralt and Triss embrace each other as Triss looks into his eyes she brushes his cheek as they kiss as she says, "I'll see you soon my love."

Triss vanishes within the portal as Geralt goes to find Ciri so that they can head off to Cameranda as well.

(to be continued.....)

I hope you enjoyed this first episode of the Witcher Tales, more adventures await, Parrish, Meranda, Geralt, Ciri, and Triss.