Melina

A/N: Melina out here trying to social engineer like a mofo.

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Melina was not exactly surprised when her chosen champion tarried more than once even after their last time together. The way he had taken her, forceful and most… energetic, had left there no doubt of the dynamic between them. Not that the kindling maiden truly minded, not one bit. Her purpose was to burn bright but also quick. Her only goal was to fulfill the reason for her existence.

In that regard, she only had a limited amount of time left. But it wasn't like she or her Tarnished were actually on any sort of time LIMIT, per say. No, it was more that… their journey could go on for as long as it needed to, but it would eventually come to an end. For her at least, if not for him. In truth, she hoped it would not come to an end for him. She wanted him to live on, to continue after she was gone. It was… one of her greater hopes, these days.

Even still, even without any sort of time limit to their pact, Melina would not deny… it felt right, to finally reach Leyndell. The Royal Capital, lying beneath the Erdtree. Once, long ago, it had been the seat of government and administrative center for not just Altus Plateau, but the entirety of the Lands Between… save for the forbidden lands, of course.

Long ago, when Queen Marika the Eternal had still reigned, all had been united beneath her and her Golden Order. From Caria to Caelid, all had ultimately submitted to Queen Marika's rule. There had been peace, glorious lasting peace. And then it had all begun to fall apart. Godfrey, First Elden Lord was exiled. Radagon betrayed Rennala. Godwyn the Golden died. And the Shattering commenced.

The Lands Between had suffered, and Leyndell and Altus Plateau were no different. Sure, the land might still seem golden, but the decay and rot were still there, resting just beneath the surface. An Omen called himself King of the Capital, and the Erdtree… the path to the Erdtree was barred.

Melina knew this. Of course she did. Was she not OF the Erdtree? Was she not born there for her purpose, so very long ago? Perhaps she should have been honest with her Tarnished. But no. This was the way forward. This was the path they must take. Her champion needed to see what there was to see for himself. And he surely would, once Morgott was defeated. First though, Melina would be forced to play up the farce a little while more, to properly… motivate her Tarnished into enacting her will and reaching the Erdtree.

As he settles down at the Site of Lost Grace located just within Leyndell's Eastern Ramparts, Melina allows herself to appear before him, descending gracefully to her knees at his side.

"My utmost thanks, my Tarnished. You have done well for bringing me this far… to the base of the Erdtree."

He looks at her, solemn. Almost as if he knows what she is to say next. But then to be fair, he probably does know, doesn't he? Their accord was… quite clear. And while she could not turn runes into strength for one such as him, she had given her chosen champion what she could of this fleeting existence she laid claim to.

"Here, I can govern my own movement. And thus, the accord is fulfilled."

Ducking her head, Melina glances up at her Tarnished with her one open eye, pursing her lips together.

"This is farewell, I suppose. I shall depart now to ascertain the purpose I was given. I would like it if you kept Torrent. And… I wish you luck in realizing your ambition. You have fought long and hard to get here. I have no doubt you will become Elden Lord. May your strength see you to the throne."

Even as her words leave her lips, they feel false to her. And not just because she's being deceptive and two-faced. Indeed, Melina knew already that the Tarnished would not be able to get through the brambles. She knew, because she had been made to destroy those very brambles and she could not do so here, in this place.

The journey was not yet over. So then, why did she lie to him? And why did it feel like even the words that should have been the truth felt like lies? Was… was it even her Tarnished's ambition, to become Elden Lord? Had he truly fought long and hard to get here?

Melina had been with him every step of the way. When he'd first defeated Margit the Fell Omen wearing nothing but a loincloth. When he'd destroyed Godrick the Grafted with Nepheli Loux at his side. His… unorthodox method of taming Rennala, Queen of the Full Moon. The long and arduous journey he'd taken to help Ranni the Witch, and in doing so, the festival he'd taken part in that had resulted, at long last, in the death of the suffering General Radahn.

She had watched him as he'd made his way through the Lands Between, rescuing maidens and slaughtering monsters. She'd watched him as he'd worked with the Volcano Manor to weaken his fellow Tarnished as a Recusant, only to then turn around and destroy the God-Devouring Serpent and Rykard, Lord of Blasphemy.

Her Tarnished had an odd sense of morality, but one that had slowly but surely become quite clear to her, in the time that they'd been together. He was not what one might call an entirely righteous man. But he had his purpose, and he saw it through. However… however, did he ever REALLY have to fight long or hard to accomplish his goals?

Time and time again, Melina had watched him make something of a mockery of most of the combats he took part in. When he was not directly mocking his foes, as he'd done with Margit, he was swapping armor and weapons and entire skill sets, just because it seemed to please him to do so. Melina knew better than most that he was more than capable in every way he'd fought, to be fair. Be it with sword or spear, whip or dagger, sorcery or incantation… he was a master in all forms of combat.

It boggled the mind. It made her wonder about the truth of the Tarnished she had chosen. Had she chosen him, or had he chosen her? No… that was ridiculous. Where would such a silly thought even come from? In the end, it didn't really matter anyways. It was time for Melina to depart. She needed to continue to play her role, after all. She would leave the Tarnished here, and allow him to ascend through the Royal Capital, to the Erdtree. Once Morgott was defeated and he knew the truth, then she would come to him with a new accord.

Yes, that was the way things had to be. Melina… didn't quite know the why of it all. But she knew the what and the how. And in the end, that was all that mattered.

With the words spoken, the kindling maiden lets out a low and steady breath before going to rise to her feet and step away. However, before she can fully depart… the Tarnished reaches out and wordlessly takes her hand. Blinking her one open eye, Melina looks back to see him twining his fingers in hers and staring at her quietly. When he gently but firmly tugs her back down… she doesn't resist.

A moment later, and she's in his arms. They're kissing, and Melina can't help but reciprocate. His lips on hers and her lips on his… it feels right, even if she knows it cannot last. But then, what is one more time before they depart? When they next see each other, she will not let it get this far again. It wouldn't be fair to him, after all. It wouldn't be fair to engage him again.

But that was future Melina's problem. With their first accord completed, they are… two unattached individuals, completely adrift on the path of life. So isn't it fine, if they engage in one last bit of tomfoolery? Y-Yes… when she comes to him to make her new accord, when she has something of actual value to give him, then… then she will make sure nothing like this happens again.

For now though, Melina melts into her Tarnished's chest, recognizing and appreciating that he's not currently wearing armor, but instead the robes of a sorcerer. It makes it much easier to get into his trousers then if she had to remove no trifling amount of metal from his person first. His cock comes out in mere moments, and Melina licks her lips, knowing what she needs to do.

Ranni… that woman had Melina's Tarnished wrapped around her little finger. Indeed, watching the Empyrean use all four of those hands of hers on her chosen champion's member had been… vexing, to say the least. Even if Melina had said she would no longer begrudge her Tarnished his vices, it was still hard, especially when Ranni insisted upon calling him her Consort. Pah! This one would be Elden Lord… then they would see just who was who's Consort.

Well, Melina wouldn't. She wouldn't be around at that point. But no matter. She knew at least one way in which she had even Lunar Princess Ranni beat.

Pulling open her shirt, exposing her breasts, Melina doesn't hesitate to wrap her prodigious pale chest around her chosen champion's mast once more. Sliding her soft pillows of flesh up and down his length, she bites her lower lip, looking up into his eyes and gauging his reaction via his face. He smiles down at her, and even goes so far as to groan his enjoyment. It is only with her, that he makes these sounds. She's come to cherish them. His groans. His grunts…

Suddenly, she's on her back. Melina blushes, realizing that the Tarnished has taken control again. She does not begrudge him that though. She's a mess… and in need of some good, hard discipline. Besides, he'd initiated all of this, had he not? The first time he'd ever truly initiated an encounter with her. She would gladly let him take the lead.

Lying on her back, her hands held above her head by the wrists, Melina can only moan as the Tarnished slides his mast between her breasts. Her garments, only opened up rather than pulled off completely, act as a good solid barrier to keep her chest pushed up together, making the space between the sizable mammaries nice and tight. Meanwhile, her Tarnished's sizable member pushes up out of the top of her chest, getting quite close to her chin.

Leaning forward, Melina experiments with opening her mouth and letting her tongue trace out to lap at the head of her Tarnished's phallus, whenever it manages to escape the top of her chest. She licks and is gratified to receive a grunt from him in response. Wiggling her lower half happily, Melina keeps it up, blushing all the while, staring up at him with her one open eye.

She knows what is going to happen, of course. She knows long before it comes to pass. She does not mind. In fact, she's a little excited for it, if she's being honest. When her Tarnished finally lets his essence spill forth, Melina's mouth is open, and her tongue is lolled out. She catches as much of his seed as she possibly can upon that tongue, but the vast majority of his essence ends up on her face and chest instead.

Still, Melina does not mind. Especially when she knows she's lying to him, even now. About how much further their journey together will be. About how much further they have to go. About what awaits them at the end of this… this rabbit hole. Indeed, the kindling maiden has known her purpose all along, from the very beginning. Tis better to accept that what she and her chosen champion had was always fleeting. Besides… he shall have his other women to keep him company when she is gone.

Of course, he's also a generous lover. Which is why she is not at all surprised, when her Tarnished pulls back from her chest and repositions himself betwixt her legs instead. Pulling her clothes off, exposing her, he pushes her legs up into the air, causing Melina to gasp in anticipation, even as his seed cools upon her face and chest.

His mast is inside of her a moment later, for what she intends to be the last time. Tis not that she doesn't enjoy it, for she most certainly does. But it's not fair to him. No, this MUST be the last time. And so… why not let herself bask in the sensations brought forth by his length? She is not bound, this time, though she would not have minded it. Nor is she turned away.

She can look up into his eyes, even as he looks down at her. Melina knows this means he's watching her face as it grows flushed, as it contorts in pleasure, but she does not care. Let him see her true feelings, just this once. Let him know she cares, that she has always cared. Though her and her Tarnished cannot be together for much longer… let them have this moment, before they step onto the final stage of their path together.

Back arching, Melina cries out beneath him, as her body responds to his thrusting phallus in a most positive manner. Her inner walls tighten up around his pistoning mast, and her insides gush as he reaches her core with every single motion he makes. It is almost beyond her ability to handle, almost enough to make her whiteout from the pleasure.

But in the end, she endures… and it comes to a close with his essence spilling into her once more. Wasted on her, perhaps… but from all Melina has seen, given all she knows, her chosen champion has PLENTY to spare, plenty to go around. Wasted it may be, but somehow she knows, he would never think so, even if he knew the truth.

As they bask in the shared afterglow of their mutual release, that poignant reminder in the back of her head is like ice cold water down her back. The kindling maiden can not stay here any longer. It is time for them to part ways, so that she may be ready to come to him when he realizes the path is blocked. Only then, is she certain, that he will be ready to accept what must be done in order to clear the way for him to become Elden Lord.

As he pulls out of her, Melina dematerializes, reappearing only a moment later with her clothing fixed and her face cleaned off. Her Tarnished looks up at her, as she appears untouched, standing a few feet away from him.

"… When the time comes for your final battle before the Erdtree, you may call upon me, Brave Tarnished. I would be honored, to fight by your side."

It is the most she can offer him. She just wishes he wouldn't smile quite so broadly as he nods to her in acknowledgment. Flushing in embarrassment, Melina hastily departs. Her Tarnished has a Royal Capital to conquer.

She, meanwhile, must go now to gather the items needed for the final stage of their journey together… to the forbidden lands.

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A/N: Sure Melina, a clean break is exactly what you and your Tarnished need. Wonder how that'll work out for you.

Heh, of the next four chapters, three of them are Melina POV. Things get a little angsty. So get ready for that.

As always, feedback is greatly appreciated/encouraged! Let me know what you think!

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