Maidenless No Longer (Elden Ring)

Chapter 54: Lunar Princess Ranni, Queen Rennala

Rennala of the Full Moon, Last Queen of Caria, looks absolutely stunned to see Ranni in the flesh. Even if it is not her original flesh, even if she wears a form that might remind her mother more of her mentor, Renna, Ranni knows it is impossible for Rennala to mistake her. No, the Queen of the Full Moon knows exactly who has come before her.

Sellen on the other hand, while she clearly recognizes Ranni's Consort, does not recognize her. Eyes narrowing, the Sorcerer moves as if to step between them, her loyalty to her 'mother' unquestionable. But before she can speak, Rennala reaches out and catches her by the wrist, whispering something into her ear that sees Sellen's eyes widening, and the reborn Graven Witch scurrying back, leaving them to it, out of sight but not completely gone.

It is only her Consort's hand, still holding tightly to hers, that keeps Ranni moving forward, especially when Rennala straightens up after Sellen's departure, her face suddenly one of icy calm and serene regality. For a moment, Ranni wants to flee from that look on her mother's face. But then, the barest hint of a smile appears on her lips, the upturn of the curve to her mouth small, but visible to one such as the Lunar Princess.

Ranni's breath hitches, as she and her Consort stop maybe a dozen feet away from the Last Queen of Caria.

"M-Mother... I am returned. And with mine Consort, the new Elden Lord, at my side."

Rennala's eyes travel from Ranni, to the Tarnished she's holding hands with, and back again. The smile grows, ever so slightly.

"My daughter. I thought thee dead."

Ranni flushes at that, squirming a little bit under her mother's imperial gaze. Rennala's enemies had long thought her broken. But they underestimated her. She was no less than she'd ever been, she'd simply reached a point where she'd stopped caring about what went on outside these walls. Because she thought there was nothing left worth caring about, outside of these walls. Because her sons were mad or blasphemous, and her daughter was thought dead.

"... R-Rumors of my death were greatly exaggerated."

In the end, Ranni tries for humor. It seems to be the right call, because Rennala's smile grows ever so slightly, her eyes softening with a fondness. The Queen of the Full Moon, for the first time in who could say how long, sets aside the golden egg that Radagon gave her. She discards it in order to open her arms wide, a clear invitation for Ranni to enter her embrace.

Ranni takes a step forward, only to hesitate, half-expecting her Consort's grip on her hand to remain and stop her. But no, he lets go of her in the same moment she moves, as if expecting it. And so, she has to take another step forward, and then another. The distance between him and her mother is only a dozen paces at most but feels like an eternity. She is a God, a Goddess Ascended, and yet, walking into her mother's arms is the hardest thing she has ever had to do.

Eventually though, she reaches Rennala, and she hugs her mother, as her mother hugs her in turn. And for a moment, Ranni relaxes into Rennala's warm embrace as she did the Tarnished's mere moments before and sighs, letting her one eye begin to drift shut and-

Smack!

"Eek!"

Suddenly, the Lunar Princess finds herself bent over her mother's lap, and her mother's palm coming down on her backside with a vengeance.

"Mine daughter! Gone all these years! Dead, or so I was led to believe!"

Smack! Smack! Smack!

"M-Mama, p-please!"

"And thy first instinct, upon standing before me again, is to jest?!"

Smack! Smack! Smack!

Goddess of the Stars and Moon she might be, Ranni is helpless in the face of her mother's perfectly reasonable, wholly righteous fury. As Rennala paddles her backside, Ranni can only whine and squirm until finally, it's done.