Chapter Eight - The Return
Freomund didn't know what to think, so sudden and unexpected had her request been, but that didn't change the fact that his heart was beating quite fast. Much faster than it ever had before, even on the day the retrieval party first departed. The title of consort wasn't something one handed out nor asked for lightly after all, and yet here Malenia was doing just that. Add onto that the sheer gravitas with which she made her oath, and you had the perfect recipe for a completely flustered, absolutely flabbergasted Elden Lord. And yet… this was exactly what he wanted, wasn't it? This blessed culmination of every emotion and hope he'd held since the day they first met. This joyful affirmation of feelings he'd hoped she had, but wrote off as simple gratitude in light of everything that'd transpired between them.
Yes, yes this was exactly what he'd been hoping for these last three weeks. And, judging by the look in Malenia's eyes, it was exactly what she'd hoped for too. Or was still hoping for rather - as Freomund suddenly remembered that he had yet to give an answer.
"Well…" he began, clearing his throat in an attempt to steady his runaway nerves. "I-"
Taking a deep breath, Freomund closed his eyes for a moment to regain his composure, before continuing in a more formal tone.
"I accept thy oath."
His smile grew slowly, bit by bit, until it matched Malenia's in size and intensity.
"Rise Malenia. Rise, my dear consort eternal."
She did so, rubbing soft circles into the back of her Lord's hand as she went, until she stood at her full - towering - height once again. Not that Freomund minded. He simply took a step closer as Malenia pressed a hand to his cheek, her eyes practically boring into his.
"I love you Freomund," the Empyrean said, her voice barely a whisper.
The two of them drew ever closer, and Freomund snuck an arm around her waist while Malenia draped her prosthetic over his shoulder. After lingering there for a moment longer, however, the Empyrean brushed her thumb across his lips before leaning in for a light peck - which Freomund gladly reciprocated. Their first kiss was hardly the stuff of which legends were made, being more clumsy and awkward than anything especially sensual, but it was enough. More than enough, really, for the both of them. Enough to make their hearts soar and pulses race. Enough to make their senses dance and cheeks flush.
When at last they broke apart, their fleeting kiss having grown far more intense than either of them had intended near the end, their breathing was labored and heavy. Yet both were happy. Happier than they'd been in their entire lives as a matter of fact. Pulling her close once more, Freomund went in for another - much deeper - kiss as their eyes met. One that saw them nearly topple over a nearby table, so distracting was the heat of their newfound passion.
"W-wait," Malenia panted as her back met a wall. "While I am not opposed to it, i-if we do continue, then I ask that you be patient with me. I have never lain with another before, and things are already moving a bit too fast as it is."
She glanced off to the side and bit her lip, as though embarrassed, but Freomund simply took hold of her chin and - with a gentle application of pressure - directed her gaze back to his.
"We don't have to go any further if you don't want to," he said softly. "And we might be better off stopping now in any case."
He jerked his head in the direction of the door.
"It sounds like there's some kind of commotion brewing outside. We should probably go check it out."
A wise choice this turned out to be, for no more than a second after they had finished getting their appearances in order, a knight skidded into the doorway with a metallic thud.
"Lady Malenia!" the knight said breathlessly. "T-the rescue party… they've returned!"
Malenia practically leapt across the room upon hearing that.
"Is Miquella with them?" she asked, gripping the knight by his shoulder. "Is he safe?"
The knight gave a wince and a nod in response, and Malenia released the man from her grasp upon realizing it was causing him pain.
"Aye, he is with them, and as safe as can be at that."
"Oh thank the Erdtree…"
She smiled, and Freomund could see the tension leave her body, before quickly straightening once more and taking on what could only be described as a military bearing. All business and very little frill.
"See to it that the rest of Elphael is informed of my brother's arrival," she said briskly. "Then make arrangements to have his cocoon moved into the glade."
The knight made a fist in salute and then left to carry out his duty. Malenia, meanwhile, turned her attention back to her new husband.
"It will be a while yet before we are needed again," she sighed. "In the meantime… would you like to accompany me on a little stroll perhaps? I'd like to show you around my home - well, the safer parts of it anyway."
Freomund's expression brightened.
"I'd love to!"
With that the two of them set off through the courtyard, passing the procession carrying Miquella's cocoon on their way out. Once they were beyond the walls of Elphael however, Malenia took Freomund by the hand and led him along a branch he'd not traveled or even noted as being particularly interesting during his time here. One that looked to be a little less infected with Rot than all the others and seemed to wind onwards for miles, though he knew this to be naught but a simple trick of the mind, before ultimately terminating in a secluded grove. A grove that appeared to have been carved into the very trunk of the tree itself strangely enough, and one that was - surprisingly enough - completely untouched by the Rot.
"Miquella made this place for me," Malenia remarked as they stepped inside. "He always wished I could come here but I never did…"
Turning, she flashed Freomund a grateful smile.
"...until today. Until you."
Moving to the center of the grove, Malenia settled amongst the flowers that grew there and motioned for Freomund to join her as her gaze drifted to the amber canopy above. He did so, plopping down off to her left, the robes he wore billowing outward before settling.
"I didn't want the Rot to corrupt this place like the rest of the tree," she explained, wrapping her arm around Freomund to pull him close. "So I stayed away and eventually forgot it even existed. It was only after we returned that I finally recalled."
"It's beautiful," Freomund said as he scooted closer to Malenia. "Not quite as beautiful as you are, granted, but beautiful still."
The Empyrean giggled - a sound Freomund hadn't ever expected to hear her to make - and buried her face in his hair to take in his scent. Closing her eyes, Malenia allowed her mind to wander even as her body relaxed, and so did Freomund. As the minutes wore on, however, the two of them gradually began to focus their attention squarely on each other at the expense of the outside world. Soon enough they were trading kisses and exchanging caresses as they gradually succumbed to the fickle whims of passion once more.
"Are you sure you're ready for this?" Freomund asked between lungfuls of air. Malenia loomed over him, her hair undone and cascading over her shoulders like a waterfall.
Her only response was a simple, and somewhat tentative, nod.
"Alright. If you want to stop at any time though, just let me know, okay?"
Cupping her face in his hands Freomund gently pulled the Empyrean down into yet another kiss while her hands moved to explore his body, dipping beneath the folds of his robe to graze the flesh beneath. They carried on like this for a while, before eventually availing themselves of their clothing. The lovemaking that followed, much like the kiss they first shared, was not a legendary nor songworthy thing. At least not from the start, anyway. Rather, it was awkward and stilted. A hesitant probing of the likes, dislikes, and limits each individual held - though this wasn't to say, again, that it was bad.
Quite the opposite actually.
Her friend… her lover… her Lord moved with such a patient tenderness that it made Malenia feel as though she was going to melt, so attentive was he to her needs and concerns, and so pleasurable was the experience he gave. Malenia herself had not been lax in her portion of the engagement either, and as things had slowly begun to ramp up, the scarlet Empyrean found herself taking as much charge as her partner did. To the point where the two of them ended up competing with one another for dominance in the encounter more often than not, and in a fashion they found all too enjoyable at that.
In the end, though, Freomund and Malenia's throes of passion finally came to an end - leaving the two of them sprawled there in the center of the grove; their bodies slick with sweat and muscles sore from exertion, but heart's totally and utterly content.
"I love you, Malenia," Freomund said, holding her close.
Malenia smiled and buried her face in his chest.
"And I you… my sweet, sweet Tarnished."
Author's Note: Alright, here's the somewhat short but sappy payoff I wrote while on five (or six I'm not too sure) hours of sleep. Frankly I'm still not sure how I feel about the direction I took this chapter and the previous one, but eh, if you guys like it and how the story's going so far than who am I to argue? Anyway, the next chapter will finally get into at least a bit of the restoration efforts. On the small scale anyway, and will likely include a pretty significant timeskip so I can have a restored and aware Miquella running around, as he's stupidly integral to rest of the plot.
Also if you haven't already noticed by now, Malenia and Freomund are going to have a dom on dom relationship.
Consensual bedroom powerplays for the win!