Maidenless No Longer (Elden Ring)

Chapter 41: Malenia, Blade of Miquella

A/N: Had to do it. Some of you will know what I mean. For those who don't, I'll leave context at the bottom to avoid spoilers.

-x-X-x-

Millicent had been understandably upset, when her Lord had bid her to stay back and leave Malenia to him. Was this not why she had sworn herself to him, as his Blade? Was this not her purpose, to fight by his side... and if need be, die for him? Certainly, the red head had a new lease on life, and a deep and brutally honest part of her wanted nothing to do with the fight ahead. Especially when she finally laid eyes upon Malenia and saw... the state of her.

Whatever they were to each other, Malenia was everything Millicent had been on the verge of becoming... and never ever wanted to go back to. The other woman wasn't just missing her arm, but also varying degrees of both her legs. More than that, her eyes... her eyes were calcified, scarred over by the progression of the rot.

It was obvious that the Scarlet Rot hadn't merely consumed Malenia... it had always been with her, a virulent and unchecked part of her that she could unleash on her surroundings at any time.

That said, just because Millicent was afraid of battling with a creature such as the one before her, and possibly contracting the Rot again as a result, did not mean she would not fight. Courage was not the absence of fear, it was doing what was necessary even when you were absolutely terrified. And so, Millicent had marshalled herself and prepared for battle... only for her Lord to gesture her back as Malenia rose and started speaking.

Yes, Millicent had been upset... but in the end, at his insistence, she had kept back and out of the fight. And though Malenia had definitely noted her, with a glance and the downward tug of a frown on her lips, the demigod had otherwise ignored her, in favor of moving to engage the Tarnished instead.

That was when things got a little bit silly, in Millicent's humble opinion. She had never seen her Lord use that unassuming buckler before. Nor the katana, at that. And yet, he used them both as if he was born to them. The first time Malenia had struck at him, Millicent herself had flinched back at the speed of the blow. When he parried it... well, her jaw had dropped open a little in shock.

Then he KEPT parrying the demigod, and, well, it was obvious Malenia was off-balance. Yet still she was grace made manifest. Unfortunately, her poise was... lacking. When Millicent's Lord brought the Blade of Miquella to her knees and sunk that katana between her ribs for the first time, it took all of Millicent's self-control to not cry out in joy.

Of course, the battle did not end with just one exchange. If anything... it got more and more intense, more and more fast-paced. And Millicent, who had been a little upset at being sidelined at first (and more upset at herself than anything for being slightly relieved at being sidelined) found that she had no cause to be upset at all. This... this was a battle between giants. She had no role to play here, save to bear witness to yet another step in her Lord's rise to the throne.

For why else would he come here, all this way? To save her? Heh, perhaps. But not if there was nothing else in it, Millicent was sure of that. No, she was but a passing fancy to her Lord, almost certainly. This though... this battle against Malenia was everything. It had to be, right?

But then... why was he so obviously not taking it seriously? Oh, he was winning, and Millicent couldn't find fault in any of his actions per say... but the tiny buckler strapped to his arm, the nonstop parrying... it certainly felt like he was toying with one of the most powerful women Millicent was aware of.

And then Malenia had reared back, and leapt into the air, and Millicent, who knew the Waterfowl Dance herself, had felt her heart leap into her throat as Malenia had flowed forward. Those sword swipes moved faster than Millicent's eyes could track. This was a true swordswoman, and it became obvious in that moment that by comparison, Millicent was a child simply playing games.