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One day the traveler happened upon the great city of Anor Londo. He had heard the stories but none of them could have prepared him for its grandiose appearance. Each building was like a grand cathedral onto itself, one larger than the other, and all of them with lines upon lines of white spires reaching high into the sky as if the city meant to skewer the very sun itself. Just from its appearance alone it was clear why this city was rumored to be the home of the Lords, a lineage of powerful gods who at the height of their power had vanquished the ancient dragons.
The traveler had been excited by the prospect of meeting an actual deity at first, or at least someone sane enough to hold a conversation, but much to his disappointment he had met only mindless hollows that had attacked him in their eternal hunger for souls, even after having walked through the city for what felt like days. As he was about to give up and make preparations to leave the seemingly deserted city, he spotted a grand archway obscured by an odd wall of shifting but seemingly impenetrable fog. Moving to investigate this strange sight, it was then that a forceful feminine voice had emanated from the other side of the barrier.
"Halt! This is the tomb of the great Lord Gwyn. Tarnished, it shall not be, by the feet of men. If thou art a true disciple of the Dark Sun, cast aside thine ire. Hear the voice of mineself, Gwyndolin, and kneel before me."
So shocked by the sudden outburst was he that the traveler instinctually took a knee in front of the wall. Kneeling seemed the proper thing to do when meeting a deity for the first time, especially one that had just caught you almost trespassing. The booming voice continued.
"O Disciple of the Dark Sun. Thou hast journeyed far. Hear mine voice. If thou shalt swear by the covenant to become a shadow of Father Gwyn and Sister Gwynevere, a blade that shall hunt the foes of our Lords, then I shall protect thee, safeguarding thy person with the power of the Darkmoon."
The voice of Gwyndolin fell silent again, obviously awaiting an answer from him. Regaining his composure once more, the traveler quietly cleared his throat and began to speak with a slightly shaky voice.
"Great Gwyndolin, I am but a humble traveler who stumbled upon this tomb through sheer happenstance. I meant no disrespect to you nor to any of the other Lords."
His greeting was met only by silence and after several moments of silence he decided to simply continue.
"It has been a long time since last I saw anyone sane enough to offer me conversation. Even in this grand city I have encountered only hollows who attacked me on sight. Great Gwyndolin, I realise this request is perhaps a foolish one, but…"
The traveler hesitated, wondering if something like this was really proper to ask from a deity that he had only just met, but in the end his loneliness won out over propriety. He figured that anything that happened as a result of him asking would be a lesser evil than him having never asked at all.
"I was wondering if… if we could talk? Just talk. I have many questions about this city, and as a deity I am sure you would be able to answer them."
After another uncomfortably long period of silence the voice rang out again, this time markedly lower in volume.
"Tis… acceptable. Asketh the Dark Sun thine questions."
The traveler let out a breath that he had not realised he had been holding.
"Why are you here when the city seems all but abandoned?"
The answer came swiftly, the tone of her voice filled with pride.
"Duty. I lead the Blades of the Darkmoon who hunt the enemies of the Lords, by the power of the Dark Sun."
"I see. How many Blades do you command?"
"Tis been m-many years since… since last any of mine Blades reported in. I…"
The voice began to falter, the prideful tone slowly being replaced by something that the traveler could not quite place. Embarrassment? In an attempt to quickly change the topic to a hopefully more pleasant one, the traveler asked another question.
"Where… where are the other Lords?"
"T-they…"
In spite of how poorly the conversation was going and against his better judgement, the traveler’s curiosity mixed with the increasing need to change the subject somehow convinced him that another question might be a far better idea than simply staying silent. In hindsight it proved to be anything but.
"Lady Gwyndolin, are you here all alone?"
"I-I… Y… Y-yes."
Although he could not see her, it was clear from the defeated tone of her voice and the silence that followed that Gwyndolin was having a less than pleasant time with their conversation and his current line of questioning. Fearing that he had overstepped his bounds and perhaps angered the deity he prostrated himself before the wall of fog, bowing his head in submission as he spoke.
"Oh great Gwyndolin, this ignorant traveler humbly begs your forgiveness for speaking out of turn. It was not my place to ask such questions."
There was no answer. After a few moments of silence with his head still bowed, the traveler suddenly began to notice wisps of fog pooling beneath him. Looking up, he was surprised to see that the barrier in front of him had disappeared and that the fog was slowly dissipating. He noticed the deity standing on the other side. While he had seen many things in his travels, to say that he did a double-take upon finally seeing her would have been an understatement.
Wearing a long ornate robe of purest white, Gwyndolin had a tall yet delicate and feminine build with narrow shoulders, modest breasts and womanly hips. She had flowing white hair and the upper half of her face was obscured by a large seven-pointed mask of gold, obviously meant to represent a radiant sun. What truly gave the traveler pause, however, were the multiple white snakes emerging from out under the deity's robe in place of human feet. Looking at the ground and appearing to be still lost in thought from their conversation, Gwyndolin did not notice immediately that the wall had disappeared and that her guest was now staring at her. After a moment or so she suddenly turned her head to look at him with a start, raising her arms as if attempting to cover herself up. She began to back away, the snakes undulating as they carried her across the floor.
"No! Gaze not upon mine wretched form!"
Seeing his best chance at a conversation starting to make its escape, the traveler was quick to react.
"Wait! Please don't go. I…"
In truth, he had not expected the deity to actually stop, so he was at a loss for words when Gwyndolin actually did and simply stood there staring at him. He took a deep breath to collect his thoughts, hoping that it would not scare her off. She seemed to be frozen in place, however, now suddenly more like a statue than a living being.
"Lady Gwyndolin, your appearance is… unusual, but believe me when I say that you are by no means wretched. Please, stay and talk to me, at least a little while longer. I am desperate for conversation. I was not lying when I said it has been a very long time."
She looked at the traveler's pleading expression with what he thought might be skepticism, but it was hard to tell with half of her faced still hidden behind the mask.
"But m-mine serpents… Art… Art thou not… repulsed?"
He allowed himself a small chuckle, hoping that it might at least lighten the mood a little. He had seen a lot worse in his travels and in spite of the snakes he found her to be quite comely.
"No, Lady Gwyndolin. Not especially."
The deity stared at him in obvious confusion, perhaps attempting to gauge his truthfulness, before she seemed to finally relax and even allowed herself a small cautious smile. This was clearly not the reaction she had been expecting. She seemed at a loss for words so the traveler, gambling that she merely needed a little push to accept the situation, stepped forward and gently took her hand before leading her over to a nearby bench where they would be able to sit and talk. She seemed grateful for the gesture but unsure how to proceed so he decided to take the lead and began to introduce himself.
In truth there was not much to tell about himself. He was, as had been previously stated, just a humble traveler and no great legend and certainly not a Lord like her. While he had some skill with pyromancy and a blade, his own story paled in comparison to those of the legendary pyromancer Salaman or the renowned swordsman Artorias of The Abyss. Fortunately though, through his many travels he had met many people and seen many wondrous places, all of them entirely unknown to someone like Gwyndolin who seemed to have been confined to this one city her entire life. With her mask still in place he was unable to see her face but he could clearly sense that the simple act of listening was helping to put her at ease. Truthfully, he did not mind carrying the conversation. Simply having a conversation at all was a blessing. Eventually the subject of their conversation turned to her and the traveler's curiosity once more got the better of him.
"Lady Gwyndolin, may I ask a personal question? I… I noticed that there are no statues of you in the city. If you don’t mind me asking, is there a reason for that?“
The deity nodded, looking down at her hands folded in her lap. She hesitated.
"I… Tis not known by many, especially those of mortal blood, but to mine father Gwyn, the Lord of Sunlight, I was naught but a disappointment. Neither a great warrior like mine older brother nor a true woman like mine sister. I instead was birthed malformed with serpentine legs. Serpents art oft called imperfect dragons and twas a grand jest by fate to curse the great dragon slayer Lord Gwyn with a child part dragon like mineself. A jest that he e'er resented me for."
Gwyndolin smiled bitterly before letting out a shuddering sigh and continuing, her voice now a little shakier than before.
"Yet when he left for the Kiln of the First Flame to sacrifice himself and prolong the Age of Fire, it was I who was left in charge of the city. In hindsight, I wished it had been different, for in mine eagerness to prove mine worth I made many mistakes and alienated many, even dearest sister Gwynevere. I no longer bear her any ill will for leaving, but I miss her terribly, as I miss Mother. I… I tried, truly I did, but in t-the end… e-everyone left. Left me to s-struggle on in doubt a-and solitude. I… I have… been so a-alone… for s-s-so long. I... I-"
Gwyndolin's voice broke as her composure began to falter, her lip trembling slightly. She grit her teeth, trying to will herself to remain calm, but a single tear nonetheless peeked out from behind her mask as it rolled down her cheek. Filled with pity for her, the traveler reacted instinctively. Forgetting what was proper and that he was conversing with a deity to whom he was supposed to show the proper reverence, he moved closer and enveloped the trembling figure in a gentle embrace. As she noticed, her body froze, as did his when it occurred to him what he had just done. Fearing that he might have inadvertently offered her insult, he held his breath but was relieved when after a few moments Gwyndolin began to return the hug in kind, placing her chin on his shoulder with a shuddering sigh. A few moments later still she began to weep, clutching his shoulder in the same manner a drowning man clutches a plank. Somewhere along the way she had taken off her mask and it clattered to the floor as she dropped it in favor of simply clinging to him. He began to rub her back assuringly and rocking her gently, like a mother would her child, while she merely cried harder. After a long while the sobs of the deity began to finally subside and he pulled back to gently wipe away the tears from her eyes. Gwyndolin had already closed them and had on her face a little smile that spoke of both gratitude and sadness.
"My Lady, if you do not mind me asking, how long have you been here without anyone to talk to?"
She sniffled.
"Centuries have I lingered in this city alone, bound by mine duty. I…"
She hesitated as if about to say something more but then decided against it, perhaps unwilling to revisit the subject of her melancholy. Instead she simply leaned her head on the traveler's shoulder, finally allowing herself to relax once more as she gave a contented sigh at the feeling of his gentle touch.
"Prithee, cease not thine ministrations. Thine hands feel so comforting against mine cheek. It hath been so very long since anyone… Not since Mother…"
He continued to gently caress the deity's cheek, trying to offer her some of the tenderness that she seemed to have been forced to forego during the centuries of struggling to uphold her family's legacy. Finally able to get a proper view of her face, he was struck by just how breathtakingly beautiful she was. Her finely-chiseled features seemed to have been carved from the purest alabaster and topped off by plump kissable lips and large expressive eyes of the most exquisite golden hue. His heart ached with longing at seeing such a perfect creature and before he knew it, he was cupping her face in his hands and closing his eyes as he gently pressed his lips to hers. In her surprise Gwyndolin froze before pulled back after moment later. The traveler began to apologise profusely, albeit with a smile on his face as the feeling of the goddess' soft lips still lingered in his mind.
"I beg your forgiveness, My Lady, but I could not help myself. Even under the circumstances you are very beautiful."
The deity held a hand to her cheek as she blushed, obviously unsure how to respond to something as unfamiliar as a kiss and a compliment. She, however, did not seem to find them unpleasant in the slightest. After a few moments of confusion she cast her eyes down as a shy smile began to play across her lips.
"Dost thou truly find mine visage pleasing?"
He could only nod, the same smile from before still stuck on his face.
"Very much so. You are without a doubt the fairest creature I have met in all my travels."
Upon hearing the compliment repeated again Gwyndolin giggled softly, her delicate hand moving in front of her mouth as she blushed and her own smile grew a little wider but remained no less shy. She seemed as if about to speak but hesitated, her smile instead fading as she seemed to become lost in thought. She slowly ran a single finger across her lips.
"Twas mine first true kiss. I…"
She looked up at him for a second or two, taking in his appearance anew after the events of the last few minutes seemed to have changed her perception of him. Blushing again, she opened her mouth to speak only to close it once more and letting her gaze drop. After a few more moments of silence she finally spoke again in a hushed whisper, her blushing only intensifying.
"Prithee, again.”
"My Lady?"
He had been unable to clearly hear her whispered plea and so the traveler leaned in and waited for her to repeat it. Instead, after a few moments of indecisiveness, Gwyndolin surprised him by slowly sliding a soft hand onto his neck and gently pulling his face towards hers. The goddess spoke again, her voice barely above a whisper.
“Again.”
She planted a kiss of her own on his lips, this time moaning softly with enjoyment, and in that kiss lay all the desire and longing that she had bottled up inside of herself over the centuries, all of it now finally finding its release through this one kiss. The traveler responded to its warmth by hugging Gwyndolin to him, their bodies pressed so tightly against each other that he could easily feel the contours of her feminine form. As he gently cupped the firm mounds of her breasts, her moans turned wanton and she thrust her chest into his palm, welcoming the feel of his hands upon her divine flesh. After nearly a minute of exploring each other's lips, the two finally separated and gazed at one another with wonder in their eyes. The traveler felt himself transfixed by those beautiful golden eyes, unable to turn away. Still panting slightly from the kiss that she had initiated, Gwyndolin began to softly speak as a guilty expression crept onto her face.
"Thou must think terribly of me, mine actions so unbecoming of a Lord."
The traveler smiled and once again gently took her hand in his and gave it a reassuring squeeze. He shook his head.
"On the contrary, My Lady. I cannot imagine the strength it must have taken to endure such loneliness during all those years. There is no shame in seeking the comfort denied to you for so long. It is most certainly deserved."
The deity blushed and relaxed again, his comforting words seeming to soothe her fears as her gaze dropped to linger on their hands clasped together. She smiled to herself.
"Thou art… very kind. Twilight is soon upon us, but I wish not yet to part from thee. Prithee, come to mine chambers so thou might postpone mine solitude a while longer."
With the traveler's hand held fast in her own, Gwyndolin rose from the bench only to suddenly stop as she looked down at her serpentine legs, her spirits seemingly deflating at the mere sight of them. It did not take a scholar to realise what was going on; while they had been sitting, she could forget that they were there but now that they were once more supporting her weight, all of her self-doubt began to return in full force. Sensing her inner turmoil, the traveler hesitated before again squeezing the goddess’ hand reassuringly and posing a question that he was sure had never been put before her.
“Do they bite?”
Unsure of the traveler’s meaning, Gwyndolin hesitated as she began to speak before her voice ultimately faltered.
“W-what dost thou...”
The traveler smiled as his other hand raised to indicate the slightly writhing snakes beneath her.
“Your snakes. Do they bite?”
Unsure how to respond, the deity slowly shook her head with an expression of confusion on her face. Excusing himself, the traveler gently released her hand and began to kneel before the goddess as he slowly extended a hand towards the snakes that made up her serpentine legs. They seemed cautious at first, clearly unused to receiving any form of kindness from strangers, but curiosity eventually won out as one of them timidly approached the traveler’s hand and allowed him to pet it gently. After a few moments it hissed happily and closed its eyes, enjoying the attention as the traveler proceeding to carefully stroke its soft scales. Gwyndolin gave a little gasp of surprise, her hand held in front of her mouth as she watched the interaction almost spellbound.
Ever so slowly the other snakes seemed to grow envious of their braver comrade and gradually started to approach the traveler’s hand, no doubt hoping themselves to receive some of the petting that they had just witnessed. One by one, the traveler patiently gave each of the snakes a gentle petting session and before long all of them were cuddled up against the his face, resting on his shoulders as they took turns nuzzling him and planting small snake kisses on his cheeks. The traveler heard Gwyndolin giggle from above and looked up to see her smile beaming down at him, the look of doubt from before now nowhere to be found.
The deity eagerly pulled the traveler to his feet, giddiness preventing her from properly expressing the depth of her gratitude at having been shown this other side to her serpentine legs, legs that had for so long been nothing but a constant source of contempt and embarrassment for her. She made a stammering attempt, however.
“M-mine serpents... I-I never... I...”
After a few moments she finally gave up and simply laughed as she leaned in to plant a tender kiss on the traveler’s cheek. The two of them stood like that for a brief moment. Then the snakes were back, pushing them against each other as the affectionate limbs wrapped around them with the clumsiness of an excited pet. Gwyndolin let out a surprised squeal at the antics of her serpentine legs before giggling and waving her hands in a shooing motion as if she was admonishing unruly children caught playing where they should not.
“Away, mine little ones, away.”
The snakes finally settled down and the goddess shared another short laugh with the traveler who had been equally as surprised as her. With a smile she extended a hand towards him, inviting him to resume their trip to her chambers. He gladly accepted and as they walked, he could not help but notice that there seemed to be a spring in Gwyndolin’s step, or whatever the equivalent was for someone who had snakes instead of feet. The doubt that her limbs had previously caused her was all but forgotten, the deity even going so far as to stop a few times just to give her serpents the chance to give the traveler more of their little kisses, all while she watched with a happy expression and giggled to herself.
———— ♦︎ ————
While Gwyndolin’s private chambers were by no means plain, they were not nearly as lavish as the traveler had expected them to be. In fact, compared to his expectations of what a Lord’s chambers would look it like, they were very sparsely furnished. What was there, however, was ornately carved and more than worthy of someone of her stature. This especially applied to the goddess’ bed, its large frame resting on cabriole legs as it carried a thick mattress with a multitude of pillows on top of it. With their hands still linked, Gwyndolin gently led him to her bed and bid him sit next to her. As he did, the goddess hesitated a few moments before she gently laid her head on his shoulder. He turned to look at her.
“My Lady...”
She merely shushed him with a single finger upon his mouth as she smiled shyly.
“Wouldst thou admit me into thine arms again?”
What man could refuse such an ernest request from a lady, especially when alone with her in her private chambers? The traveler could only smile as he put both arms around Gwyndolin protectively and allowed her to place her head against his chest. The goddess in turn nuzzled her cheek against him and let out a long sigh of contentment. The two of them sat like that for a few minutes before the deity suddenly stirred again, seemingly remember something. She slowly sat back up and reached into her robes to produce a small golden ring. For a few moments she just held it in her hand, looking at it as if in deep thought. Then she seemed to come to an agreement with herself and with a determined look on her face she gently took the traveler's hand.
"Though ordinarily gifted only to the best of mine Darkmoon Blades, I wish for thee to have this."
She smiled at him before she slowly and almost reverently slid the ring onto his finger. Gwyndolin then placed her other hand on the traveler’s hand.
"Tis no mere trinket but a ring allowing thee to attune more magics to thine person. Consider it a token of mine gratitude for thine company and... of mine affection.”
With the start of a blush forming on her fair cheeks and her hands still clasping his, the deity leaned in towards the traveler. Their lips met in a soft tender kiss before they pulled apart to stare into each other’s eyes. Gwyndolin hesitated for a few moments, something else obviously on her mind. As the traveler attempted not to lose himself in the golden pools of her eyes, she fidgeted a little before somehow finding the courage to ask.
“Wouldst thou not share mine bed with me this night?”
The traveler cupped the goddess’ cheek affectionately, enthralled by her beauty to the point of being nearly dumbstruck and unable to keep from smiling like a fool. He nodded, willing his brain to find the words required for him to respond.
“O-of course, My Lady. It would be my pleasure.”
Gwyndolin gave him a shy smile before planting a soft kiss on the traveler’s cheek and rising from the bed, humming as she slowly slithered behind a set of ornately lacquered folder screens. Initially unsure of what was going on, the traveler quickly understood when he heard the flutter of Gwyndolin’s gown and saw it placed over one of the screens. The thought of the now disrobed deity made the traveler blush as he stared at her serpentine legs below the screen, completely forgetting to remove his own clothes. After a few moments she emerged.
Gwyndolin was blushing and had another shy smile on her face as she stood before the traveler without her gown, her flawless alabaster skin tightly encased in an elegant set of creamy lingerie complete with matching stockings that perfectly showcased her curves. She was the epitome of feminine beauty, but it was clear to the traveler from the small bulge between her shapely thighs that she was not a woman. The deity noticed his surprise and spoke, the look on her face almost apologetic.
“Indeed. As I spoke before, I am...”
Gwyndolin hesitated, looking for the right words, and the traveler quickly finished her sentence with that same foolish smile on his face.
“...beautiful. You’re so very beautiful.”
Gwyndolin was surprised but she did not object to the compliment nor to the hug that quickly followed. After a few moments she simply closed her eyes, sighing happily as she let herself melt into the traveler’s embrace. They stood like that for a minute or so before the deity began to gently undress him. She quickly noticed the spell that her body had cast on his manhood but said nothing, merely smiling to herself as she quietly lead him over to her bed. Gwyndolin then pulled him under the covers with her and snuggled into his embrace before kissing him goodnight. Try as she might, she could not stop her snakes from doing the same, much to their shared amusement.
———— ♦︎ ————
When the traveler woke the next morning, he found himself alone in the bed. Gwyndolin was not far, however, her feminine figure standing at the window with her back turned as she watched the sun rise over the many white spires of Anor Londo. He could tell that a serious matter was weighing on her mind so he said nothing so as to not disturb her thoughts. After a while the goddess turned and noticed that he was awake. She smiled tenderly.
“Ah, thou art awake. Didst thou sleep well?”
Returning her smile, the traveler merely nodded. After a moment of hesitation Gwyndolin’s expression turned serious again.
“Something wrong, My Lady?”
Approaching the bed, the goddess sat down to gentle take the traveler’s hand. She quietly cleared her throat.
“Forgive mine selfish nature, but I have another request for thee, if thou wouldst hear it?”
“Of course.”
The goddess smiled.
“Kind traveler, thou hast already given in abundance but prithee, taketh this failed Lord as thine traveling companion and as thine…”
Gwyndolin began to blush, her eyes dropping as she kept talking.
”...as thine c-concubine. I can deny no longer the shameful need that thine kindness and gentle caresses hath in mine bosom awakened. I ask that thou take mine feminine form into thine service that thou may use it to sate thine masculine desires. This is mine earnest request.”
The traveler sat a few moments in stunned silence before the increasingly embarrassed expression on Gwyndolin's blushing face prompted him into action.
"My Lady, I… I don't know what to say. As I have said, I am but a humble traveler. I am no great warrior nor learned sorcerer. Is this truly what you want?"
“Truly. I careth no longer about the legacy of mine family. Thou hast shown me there is so much more and if thou wouldst have me, I shall be thine.”
The traveler did not need long to consider the deity’s proposal. He had long wished for a traveling companion and to be presented with one as beautiful and sweet as Gwyndolin was a dream come true. Truth be told, had she preferred to stay in the city with him, he would have done so gladly. The freedom to travel where he pleased paled in comparison to the joy that her companionship had already brought him and the thought of leaving the goddess all alone again was simply too much for him to bear.
“My Lady, I would be most honored.”
The traveler smiled as he pulled Gwyndolin back into bed. A radiant smile replaced her anxious expression as she gladly accepted the invitation. It was a smile so grossly incandescent in its splendor that it reminded the traveler of the sun itself. The two of them embraced and Gwyndolin let out a soft gasp when she felt the traveler’s erection brush against her thigh. With no armor between them it was much harder to conceal now, but before the traveler could so much as utter a single word of apology, he found that Gwyndolin's small feminine hand had already encircled the bulge in his undergarments and squeezed it softly. He trembled. It had been such a long time since anyone had touched him there. Once more the deity looked at him with such tenderness in her beautiful golden eyes, blushing fiercely as she began to gently and lovingly caress the engorged manhood in her hand.
“Dearest traveler, thou beareth a heavy burden. Prithee, let now thine concubine attend to thee and receiveth the comfort that thou so richly deserveth.”
The traveler had meant to object, to let Gwyndolin know that there was no need for her to go this far, but all of his objections and worries about impropriety slipped from his mind like grains of sand the moment he felt those delicate hands of hers tighten around his shaft. He trembled again, this time failing to suppress a drawn-out moan. Gwyndolin bit her lower lip, grateful beyond words that she could give the sweet man in her bed such pleasure with a simple caress. His length felt so big in her little hand, throbbing and clearly aching for her gentle touch. He deserved this and so much more for what he had done for her. She planted a tender kiss on his flushed cheek as she began very slowly, almost teasingly, to pump her fist up and down. Those moans of his were music to her ears and if Gwyndolin had her way, this would only be the first of many times where she would lovingly tease such heavenly sounds from her dear new companion.