34 Roundtable Respite #3 (Nepheli, Irina, Roderika, & Rya)

A/N: Here we are with Roundtable Respite #3! Which means we've reached the end of Act 3. Next chapter will be the beginning of Act 4!

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They drag him into the Deathbed Companion's old room the moment he returns to Roundtable Hold. All four of them, even the newest of their number, the Scout Rya. He doesn't seem all that surprised either, just smiles at them knowingly, as they work together to push him towards the bed and strip him of his armor and clothing.

Nepheli Loux had not been idle in her fellow Tarnished's absence. As her lover had gone around the Lands Between, continuing to collect Great Runes and putting every other would-be claimant to shame, Nepheli had in turn been paying attention to what was going on at Roundtable Hold. She was his eyes and ears, after all. He had not said as much, he had not needed to, but she knew that she held great value to him.

Of course, the realization that the blind girl Irina and Roderika their new Spirit Tuner also had feelings and relations with her lover… that was startling. But digging deep, Nepheli had discovered that neither Irina nor Roderika had actually gone all the way with him. They'd done things for him, to help him satisfy his urges and to show their affection for him, but neither had taken the final step just yet.

She could have stepped in and intervened right then and there. She could have staked her claim and made it clear to the two girls in no uncertain terms that he was HERS, and they were merely obstacles in the way of her and her lover's happiness. She had not done that, however. For multiple reasons.

Most importantly of all, Roundtable Hold was becoming less and less friendly by the day. Despite the success of one Tarnished, the others were faring no better. It was not as if her lover had suddenly reinvigorated them all… rather, it was the exact opposite in some cases. Oh, there were a scant few who suddenly pushed themselves all the harder in the wake of his silent, nameless success. They only died for it, rushing headlong into battles they were not ready for.

But there were even more who just gave up altogether. This silent Tarnished had come along and put all their efforts to shame. He'd gone and collected more Great Runes then many of them had even known the location of in a span of time that frankly baffled the lot of them.

They were pathetic for giving up, but Nepheli could not truly blame them. She herself had realized she would never be Elden Lord. Perhaps it helped that she'd never wanted to be Elden Lord. No, she'd wanted that for her father, Sir Gideon. Hmph, though obviously, that relationship was still in utter tatters. Sir Gideon had not had a kind word for her since their last altercation. That he didn't try to remove her from Roundtable Hold only spoke to how little power the All-Knowing truly had, however.

Especially after they'd nearly come to blows when Rya arrived on their doorstep. That had been another reason Nepheli had found herself allied with Roderika and Irina. The girl was known to the inhabitants of Roundtable Hold. She was a scout for Volcano Manor, that most accursed of places that sent out Recusants to hunt down and end the ambitions and dreams of Tarnished all across the Lands Between.

Nepheli herself might have agreed with her father's disgust and hatred towards the girl, if it weren't for the news Rya had brought. The Tarnished she spoke so fondly of, who had slain Praetor Rykard and dissolved Volcano Manor… could only be Nepheli's Tarnished. Could only be Irina and Roderika's Tarnished.

Yes, perhaps Nepheli Loux, Warrior, could have stepped up and shot down Irina and Roderika's claims to her lover. But instead, she had joined with them, and together they had sheltered and shielded Rya from Sir Gideon's wrath upon her arrival at Roundtable Hold. With Ensha dead and their little alliance ostensibly backed by the Tarnished who had slain not just Gideon's enforcer, but also a number of demigods… the good Lord Ofnir dared not interfere.

To say she feels triumphant and accomplished in this moment would be an understatement. But that triumph fades away, when they finally strip their Tarnished down enough to reveal his body. To reveal his scars. Nepheli's eyes widen along with those of Roderika and Rya, who both gasp and cover their mouths with their hands in shock.

The Tarnished just smiles and shakes his head, waving off their concern. But Rya still has to ask.

"M-my Lord Father did not do that to you, d-did he?"

But the Tarnished just shakes his head again, before running his hands down his scarred torso, revealing that as bad as the burns look, they've apparently already healed over. Its just scarring. There is no pain. Still… Irina has to have it explained to her, what they're seeing. And when she runs her hands over the Tarnished warrior's chest, she lets out a whimpering cry of her own that matches Roderika and Irina.

Only Nepheli remains strong, but even still… even she is mortified, horrified even, by what she sees. He was blemish free until now. Not a single scar, not a single injury. He seemed untouchable. Whatever had done this to him… she's sure it's already dead, but she wishes it were not, so that she could kill it herself.

Sensing their distress, for it is palpable, their Tarnished doesn't hesitate to try and take their minds off of it. And so, things turn to a certain… frivolity as the four of them all bear themselves to their Tarnished for the first time. Nepheli, of course, graciously lets Irina go first.

-x-X-x-

She wishes, not for the first time, that she could see. But alas, she is blind and all she has is her hands and the words of her sisters to go off of. Yes… she considered the other three women she'd come to know in recent times to be sisters. Would it be perhaps too far to go to call them sister-wives? Ah, but none of them are married just yet, so perhaps it would be…

All the same, as Irina lays back on the bed and her Tarnished slowly but surely pushes in and out of her, Roderika is there by her side, holding onto one of her hands. Irina's other hand is intertwined with one of the Tarnished's own, their fingers locked together as she grips down tightly. Virginal until now, the blind young woman can only cry out, as she's penetrated for the first time.

Still, it does not hurt. Not truly. She's prepared herself for this, both physically and mentally. In truth, the moment she heard that the Tarnished was back at Roundtable Hold and Nepheli was gathering them all up, she'd become aroused. Shameful? Perhaps, but for her Tarnished, she would partake in plenty more shameful actions, if it meant his happiness.

Only… her Tarnished had taken injury. Irina didn't know how to feel about that. She couldn't see it, only feel it… but his flesh had been burnt and baked all across his torso, and even wound up over his shoulder and around his side to the back of his body. It was horrifying, what she'd been able to feel. It did not feel like flesh, but rather the char of overcooked meat.

And yet, he claimed to be fine, and according to her sisters, he was. Certainly, he did not grunt or flinch or twitch in pain when she'd laid her hands on his scarring. So… so it was probably alright then, to lay back and enjoy herself, right? It was probably alright, to take pleasure from this, her first time. As the blind young woman lays back and moans, she squeezes both Roderika and the Tarnished's hands all the harder. Her insides clench down around his mast, as it ravishes her. Tis everything she ever wanted.

She was glad that things had not come to conflict, between her, Nepheli, and Roderika. From what she'd come to understand, Sir Gideon Ofnir the All-Knowing was not as deserving of the respect and honor he was shown as many might initially think. Indeed, she was happy to have bent the ear of her father, to send Edgar to back up Nepheli in her bid to make sure Rya had a place here in the Hold.

While Irina might not have had the same hatred for this Volcano Manor that the Tarnished of Roundtable Hold did, she knew enough from speaking to Rya just one time to know that the other woman was a kind hearted soul, who had no part to play in the crimes that others would lay at her feet. She was a good girl, who deserved to be protected. And so, they'd made sure to protect her.

Irina might have been blind, but that did not mean she couldn't SEE. The world was turning. Everything was changing. Sometimes… sometimes it felt like she was almost out of place, like she didn't belong. When she thought back to it, part of her wondered how she'd even survived long enough for the Tarnished to save her. If he'd listened to her initial instructions and carried her letter to her father without carrying her as well… she doubted she'd be alive today.

But that was all the more reason to make the most of it. And so, the blind young woman cries out as she wraps her legs around her lover's waist, welcoming him deep inside of her core again and again and again.

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Roderika had been laid out beside Irina, as the blind girl had her first time. She had watched with a fond smile on her face, as Irina had moaned beneath their Tarnished lover. She'd held Irina's hand, and only winced a little bit when the other woman's grip got a teensy bit too tight. In the end though, twas fine. The Spirit Tuner was all too happy to share this moment with her friend.

And now, as he finishes inside of Irina and pulls out, Roderika's turn has come. The blonde can only blush profusely and bite her lower lip, as her Tarnished takes her on her side, lifting one of her long, slender legs up onto his shoulder and slowly sliding into her depths. In fairness, Roderika had been using her free hand to touch herself, while giving Irina her support. So… she's more than ready for this to finally happen.

She's beyond grateful, that things have worked out the way they did between all of them. While she's gotten plenty of confidence as a Spirit Tuner in recent times, she knows she's no warrior, no fighter. And as much as she loves the man who saved her from herself and avenged her men for her, Roderika had known the instant she found out he had other lovers, that she would probably never measure up.

Thankfully… thankfully, they had taken pity on her. Both Nepheli and Irina had seen some value in her, had seem some point to her, because they had allowed her to join them. She was just the Roundtable Hold's Spirit Tuner, a role that hadn't even been filled until she'd come around. And yet… when the scout Rya had shown up, Roderika had thrown what little weight she had around, all the same.

Master Hewg might not have had the ability or desire to refuse to help the Tarnished Knights of Roundtable Hold with their smithing requests, but Roderika was the only Spirit Tuner around. She had some pull because of that, though she suspected she would have been tossed out on her ass or killed right alongside Rya if it weren't for Nepheli and Irina's father, Edgar.

Together though… together, they had held the line. Together, they had stood up to the bullies. And now, together… together they lay with their Tarnished, showing their love for him, their devotion, their adoration, their- Roderika cries out, her thoughts growing a bit fuzzy as the pleasure overtakes her for a moment. It doesn't help that Irina, sweet, innocent, blind Irina, is whispering the crassest things in her ear.

"Doesn't he feel so good, Roderika? His size, his speed. He knows how to treat a woman right."

She can't do much more than whimper, whine, and nod her head in agreement. Truly, she is the weakest of them… and yet, they welcome her as one of them anyways. She's so very lucky to have not just Master Hewg, but also Nepheli, Irina, and Rya as well. And on top of all of that, she has her Tarnished, who she loves with all her heart.

What more could a useless girl like her ever ask for? What more could she possibly want? With her Spirit Tuning, she'd found purpose. And with these women and her Tarnished, she'd found love. As Irina whispers sweet nothings into her ear, Roderika responds with a cry of pleasure, her body tensing up around the Tarnished's pistoning mast. Her core clenches along his shaft, and the blonde shivers in abject delight.

-x-X-x-

"A-Are you sure about this?"

"I am, Rya. I'll go last."

Rya can only blush, as Nepheli slowly but surely helps her impale herself upon the Tarnished's member. Roderika and Irina have already had their own turns, something that Rya was all too willing to let happen when she found out they had yet to lay with her savior. It was surprising, both to arrive at Roundtable Hold and find allies willing to step up and defend her from the All-Knowing, as well as to find out she'd actually made further progress with the Tarnished warrior then all of them had save for Nepheli Loux.

And now… now here she was, slowly beginning to ride him as he laid back and smiled up at her warmly, his eyes making it clear that he wants nothing more than her happiness. Shuddering, Rya pushes herself up and down his sizable mast, groaning and moaning from the feeling of him digging deep into her core. Nepheli pulls her back against her chest as she does this, hugging her from behind and straightening out Rya's hunch for a moment.

… She still hasn't told them the truth about herself. And as she stares down at her Tarnished's scars, she doesn't know if she ever will. How can she? Even if he'd said that it wasn't her father who did this to him, Rya isn't sure if she believes him. What else could have hurt him so? What else could have done so much d-damage?

She's not sure she wants to believe that there are other monsters out there so capable of harming her Tarnished. But… he's not truly hurt. Not anymore, at least. Reaching out, Rya runs her hands along his chest and the burns again, but he doesn't so much as wince. He's healed, for all that he looks quite grotesque below the neck now. But… that's alright.

They're all a little monstrous, aren't they? She, with her true form. Irina with her blindness. Roderika with her connection to the Spirits. Nepheli, with her anger. They all have something abnormal inside of them, lying in wait. Seeing Nepheli get truly enraged on Rya's behalf had been… certainly something to witness.

If things had come to blows, Rya wasn't sure what she would have done. She wasn't much of a fighter. And to have others willing to fight for her that were not her savior and champion… well, that had been a strange feeling indeed.

Luckily, in the end, he'd backed down. The man in the helmet, who stayed in his study at all times, poring over his books. He'd wanted to question her more than once abut Lord Rykard, but Nepheli had stood between the two of them, acting as Rya's shield, almost like Lady Tanith and her Knight. It was quite noble. It was also most appreciated.

Now though, their Tarnished has returned. At long last, all four of them have laid with him. She no longer has to feel guilty, for having done something Irina and Roderika had not. It was better this way, for Rya knew she would always be least among them. She was a former enemy, after all. But that was okay. So long as her Tarnished loved her, she did not mind where she stood. So long as she had a place by his side, she was happy.

Tears fall from her eyes, but they are happy tears as she smiles joyously and lets herself exult in their joining. Riding him like this… it's a bit l-lewd, compared to what they did her first time with him… but it's also rather fun. She could get used to this…

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When her lover has made his way through all three of the others, it's finally Nepheli's turn. He takes her up against the wall, with her back to the surface and her limbs wrapped around his body. As she clings to him for dear life, his powerful thrusts sending minor quakes throughout Roundtable Hold, Nepheli grins at the look of gratitude on the other Tarnished's face. She speaks quietly, so that the others don't hear.

"Not to w-worry. I took care of things here, while you were o-off being the big damn hero. These girls of yours… h-heh, they're all a little broken inside, aren't they? A-Ah, but I brought them together, all the same. Did I… do good?"

He doesn't answer her with words, but with a single solid nod and then a deep, tongue-filled kiss. In the end, it's all Nepheli needs. His company, his love, his attention. She needs nothing more. Letting her eyes drift shut, she smashes her lips against his for a little while, the two of them kissing heatedly. Only when they have to pull apart for air does Nepheli inhale a lungful… and then exhale and begin to shout, crying out in ecstasy and pleasure for ALL of Roundtable Hold, but most importantly, for Lord Ofnir to hear.

Let the All-Knowing know this. He is redundant and obsolete. She doesn't need him. She has everything she needs right here.

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A/N: The forbidden lands await. But first, one minor detour. Nothing too major. Just gotta make sure a certain gal gets her throne.

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

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