Marika
It was hard to believe for the gilded queen. She felt swollen, now. Her belly, after the last month's travel back to the landa of Leyndell, had given her rest and air to finally stop moving. Their child had responded, blossoming inside her rather quickly along the final leg of their journey. Her hand rested overtop of her lover's, who's hand held her lower back as well for support. "I am not inepr, Lunaria."
"Mmm, but you are pregnant." She answered with a warm smile. She planted a kiss on her cheek as they rose. Ranni had sensed Rennala and her group rather recently, and had moved along in a hurry to reunite them. Fia was making preparations for their coming journey home, which Luna had assured them all was an open gateway once the tree was gone. It was aad to leave this place behind. Yet, there were many within the castle now who were eager to explore this new world.
The red wolf from Caria lay sleeping near the bed in the main bedroom, while Iji talked at length with the kind Alexander. They spoke of jovial ideas, laughing as Iji planned to make Alexander all his fine weapons for his new tales of heroism. Just beneath the bed chambers, Fia giggled with a few of of the animals, having gained a talent for animal husbandry from studying with the great friend that was Blaidd.
Melina was already on the plateau, as pivotal to their planned decision as the two themselves. How far they had truly come.
Still not happy with this arrangement.
We will work on it. You are still in probation.
For what?!
The tree, for starters.
She smiled as she felt the forehead throbbing pout he wore inside, happy that she was back to her golden haired self entirely. That form was... invigorating, yet sustaining it was both straining and rather painful atter a time.
"This is the moment." Her knight kissed her cheek lovingly as they stepped into the plateau. Her eyes danced across the craters, the fractures, the still scorched in mark of Luna's seal upon her angrier half. She knelt down, gently brushing her fingers along the markings. "It feels like its been ages since we fought here..."
"Doesn't it?" She chuckled.
"Well, hardly good for you to answer. You barely can even keep track of your age."
"Hey!" She laughed heartily as her knight habe an adorable pout.
"Jusr yesterday feels like you were dragging me into every mine across Limgrave."
"What was that muck you fell in again?"
"AHEM." She cleared her throat. "Nothing half as gross as whatever Caelid was drenched in."
"Ugh the smell was in our scarves for weeks!"
"Gods, what would we have done without the carian scholars and the wonders of real soap."
"Hey, my travel soap cleans just fine."
"Maybe stains, but it smells like last night's kill."
"Hehe, my bad."
The two giggled, smiling as they turned to Melina, who stood at the top of the stairwell. She smiled at them, a warm, comforting smile as home was mere hours away, perhaps even closer now. "I need only sear away the thorns guarding the exterior. Once inside..."
Marika laid a gentle hand on her daughter's shoulder. "It is hollow. All that is inside is the shattered remains of the original Elden Ring."
"So..." Melina began to question.
"Once we break that, this world..."
"Will come undone." Whispered the knight remorsefully. "These lands need time to heal. To be allowed to slip into the long winter before it can blossom again, but that dawn will come. It may be centuries, millenia away even, but it will." She kissed her queen's hand. "On that dawn, I shall bring you and our child here to plant a garden."
"Awwwwww...." Melina exclaimed rather cutely while Marika was trying to decide whether to swat at Melina or let her heart just pop then and there.
"How things have changed... How you have changed me."
"Nah. I just saw the you under all the scars." A gentle hand upon her chin as blue met gold. Hers flickered for a moment, a hint of guilt deep in the recesses of those storming sapphires, before it hardened to resolve. She smiled, her thumb lightly tracing the line she often soothed the golden goddess with along the edge of her chin.
"I saw the real you, Marika."
"Luna..."
"Ahem." Melina cleared her throat. "This is rather cute, but we do have more pressing matters. You two can make more bedroom eyes to one another when we are back in this home of yours, Luna." She poked the knight's chest.
"Oh, do forgiiiiiive meeeeeee." She responded, taking extra care to add a few more spins to her twirling wrist as she bowed. "I am sshhhho shorry to make you late for your make out appointmenttttt, maadaaaaameeee." Melina's face turned nearly as red as her very said 'appointment's' hair, while Marika was having a lovely giggle fit as she nearly fell over if not for her knight's catch her with an accompanying laugh of her own.
"So dramatic." Melina snorted, pouting as she marched to the front of the tree.
"Hmmm. No. I like to think of her more as... theatrical." Marika flourished with her hands as Luna shook her head with a smile.
"You are too sweet." She nuzzled her neck ss Melina unsheathed her dagger.
"Oh, hush you." She pushed her face away playfully as black flames began to envelope Melina's hand and blade.
"Alright. Let's go home." As she stabbed onto the thorns.