Hello my good people and dearest readers! Well, we've done it. We have passed 1,000 reviews! Thank you all so much for your contributions and kind words, I can't express my gratitude enough.
In honor of this momentous occasion, I'd actually like to make a request. For a while now, I've wanted Achilles to be brought to life in art form. However, I am not an exquisite artist myself, so I have dared to try and bring him to life by my own power. As such, I was hoping that one or more of you fine people would be willing to help me out. To make a specific request, I was hoping to have a picture of Achilles and Bell together in order to make it the cover for this story. If you're interested, please send me a Private Message (PM) and I will get back to you as soon as possible. Thank you very much.
Now, turning back to our story. We now find our heroes travelling through hostile territory after their battle with the Kraken. Old and new questions have arisen and the Athenian-Rakian war still looms in the distance, so let us delve back into the story and see where it takes us.
I do not own Danmachi
The Orario entourage made their way through the High Elven forest in relative silence. A few conversations were being shared, but all were done quietly and with an occasional glance towards the trees and brush, for all knew that they were in unfriendly territory.
Riveria marched at the front of the expedition, her eyes scanning the trees.
They're not doing a very good job hiding their presence, she thought, looking directly towards where she knew yet another High Elven warrior lay. Not a moment later the presence scurried off, perhaps afraid that they had been seen.
I suppose though that having level six senses does give me an advantage in this situation, she added with a smile. I do wish they would simply come down and speak with us. It would end this silly little game of Hide and Go Seek.
"Something bothering you, your Highness?"
She turned to Thranduil, finding him much too close for her liking.
"No, Thranduil-sama, I am alright, I simply wish that our elven compatriots would simply come and speak with us so that any misunderstanding could be addressed."
"I could try speaking with them myself, if it pleases your Highness."
"While I appreciate the sentiment, my lord, I will not ask that of you. Both of us know that we High Elves guard our borders jealously, to the point I fear that those watching us will believe you and I are traitors leading enemies to our villages."
"You may be right there, your Highness," he answered with a smile. "But one can hardly fault a people for wishes to protect their homes."
"And I would never do such. However the extent to which they are willing to go does make diplomacy quite difficult," Riveria pointed out.
He laughed.
"I must concede to you on that, your Highness."
The two continued on and, for a moment, Riveria dared hope that their conversation would end on that relatively positive note.
"If I may, your Highness," Thranduil continued.
She barely held in her sigh.
"Yes, my lord?"
"I know it is not my place, but I'd like to give you some friendly advice, if I may."
"That advice being?" she asked, every part of her screaming that she wasn't going to like whatever it was.
"You should not be so casual with the other races. You are a princess of the High Elves, the most beautiful and wisest of all the races. Generosity and sympathy should not compel you to lower yourselves to their level."
Her previously annoyed frown turned into one of barely restrained contempt.
"I wholeheartedly disagree," she replied with a notable sting in her voice. "While we High Elves have our good qualities, the same can be said of the other races. Take humans for example. Their strength and adaptability is profound and I doubt our people would be able to match them in these fields."
"You cannot mean that, your Highness," Thranduil responded, his eyes wide in disbelif.
"Why not? You remember Achilles Caesar?"
"The human you were quite familiar with?" the elven lord asked with a hint of suspicion.
"Yes," she quickly responded, hoping to speedily move away from any questions he may have held. "He is the former captain of the Zeus familia, the same Zeus familia that, alongside the Hera familia, destroyed the Behemoth and the Leviathan, a feat that we High Elves never accomplished."
"I seem to recall that both familias were destroyed by the third Great Beast," Thranduil countered harshly.
Riveria's frown deepened and her grip on her staff became bone-breaking.
"Yes, the two familias fell to the One-Eyed Black Dragon, however Achilles survived the battle and is the only person to have ever done so. I will also remind you that the only person to ever truly wound the beast was Albert Waldstein, a human. Not even my illustrious ancestor managed that."
Now it was Thranduil whose frown deepened. He was silent for a moment, contemplating how best to respond.
"Well, personally, I have always wondered about the story of the Sword Hero; it was written by a god after all, and they are not well-known for their honesty. But, let us say that it was Albert Waldstein who took the eye of that beast, that does not mean that this Achilles Caesar managed to survive his battle with the Dragon because of his 'strength' or 'adaptability'. More likely, he simply turned tail and ran once he realized he was in over his head."
"HOW DARE YOU!"
Thranduil jumped away and the entire entourage stopped as Riveria turned all her fury on the elven lord.
"How dare you say such vile! What gives you the right to say anything so putrid and unjust as that?!" she roared.
Thranduil could find no words and simply backed away from the terrifying elven princess.
"He has suffered more than you and I could possibly imagine! The idea that you dare degrade him in such a way is so abhorrent I would call it a sin! A sin against decency, compassion, and basic common sense! You wretched, ungrateful, conceited-!"
"Riveria."
She stopped and turned, finding Achilles now beside her, looking down at her with worried eyes.
"It's okay. Deep breaths," he said gently.
Though shocked by her lover's sudden appearance, she could not so easily let go of her rage.
"I cannot calm down. Do you know what disgusting things he-."
"I don't need to," Achilles cut in. "I'm far more worried about you than I am about whatever he has to say. So please," he took her hands in his and smiled at her. "For me. Take a few deep breaths. You being angry or in any way upset for my sake is the last thing I want."
The tender way he spoke to her and his warm, but silently pleading eyes, were too much for even her wrath to resist. Soon enough, her anger capitulated and her shoulders sagged as she began to take deep, soothing breaths.
"Thank you," he said, his smile growing. He then turned to Thranduil. "Please keep from upsetting her."
Thranduil, snapping back to reality, turned an accusatory gaze to Achilles.
"You are far too close to her Highness."
"I believe she is the one to determine that," the former captain responded coolly.
This only served to anger Thranduil more and make his burning eyes grow more accusatory.
"What do you feel towards our princess?" he demanded.
Achilles response was immediate.
"I love her."
Riveria froze at how quickly and honestly he answered that and she felt a blush growing on her cheeks.
Thranduil, naturally, was nowhere near as pleased as his suspicions, at least with regards to Achilles, were confirmed.
"You think you are worthy of our princess," he growled. "You think that you, a lowly human, deserve to be with a princess of the most beautiful and splendid race in the world."
"Firstly, conceited much," Achilles responded, earning even more rage from the elven lord. "And secondly, no." Riveria blinked and swung her head and disbelieving eyes towards her lover. "I don't think I'll ever be worthy of her," Achilles continued unabated. "She's so wonderful in so many ways. Beautiful, kind, intelligent, and great conversation, none of which has anything to do with her being a High Elven princess, except maybe her beauty," he added.
The Father On High then became deadly serious and strode up to the High Elf and glared down at him with such intensity that it instantly quashed any indignation the elven lord had felt a moment before.
"All that said, my relationship with Riveria is absolutely none of your concern. Our relationship is determined by us, and I have not survived forty years of adventurers, armies of opponents and monster, the Behemoth, the Leviathan, and that accursed flying lizard so that some pompous, racist, weak little shit like you could tell me who I can and cannot love. So," he picked up the elf by the neck. "You. Will. Keep your mouth. Shut."
He then dropped Thranduil and turned back to the entourage with a smile.
"Well, now that our break is over, let's keep moving. It's a long way to Athens," he said as though he had not just made half the group nearly soil themselves.
Riveria watched Achilles head back to his spot at the back of the entourage with an intensity so great that it was a wonder his back didn't catch fire.
We need to find some alone time together, she thought, biting her lip and doing her best not to rub her legs together.
Up in the trees the High Elven warriors glared at the form of Achilles.
"How dare he speak about our princess like that," one growled, hand tightening around his bow.
"I know. We should attack immediately and silence that creature."
"But you heard our princess. It sounds like they're friends," another pointed out.
"She is just being generous towards the human or, more likely, she felt the need to say that because she was being held hostage."
"Then we really should attack immediately!"
Many of the warriors looked eager to do just that.
"No, not yet. They appear to be heading for Evergreen village. There is a large garrison there. We can join with them to surround and destroy these invaders then rescue Thranduil-sama and her Highness."
Though impatient for punishment, the others saw wisdom in this. They did not want to hurt their princess after all. However, one warrior did not respond as her eyes pointed towards another section of the entourage.
"What is it, Islanzadi?" the leader of the group asked.
"That redhead human," she said, malice in her voice. They all turned towards where she was looking. "He looks familiar."
The elves stared at the human for a time and soon all of them were nodding.
"He does," the leader agreed.
"And are those magic swords on his back?" Islanzadi asked, her eyes narrowing further.
The elven focused on his back and one by one, they all realized what she had.
"That's a Crozzo," one growled with bloodthirsty rage.
"Yes it is," Islanzadi said with the same malice.
The leader stared down at Welf with utter contempt for a few more moments before speaking again.
"Change of plans. We join with the Evergreen garrison to kill the invaders, save Thranduil-sama and our princess, and capture him so that he may be punished for his crimes."
The group had settled for the night and were currently doing their best to set up a camp with the supplies they had on hand.
Things had been tense since the confrontation between Riveria, Thranduil, and Achilles, though naturally no one said anything.
I can tell they really want to spend some time together, Bell thought as he glanced between Riveria and Achilles. The two had actively worked not to share any looks the rest of the day except times they were absolutely sure Thranduil wasn't looking.
"Bell-san."
Turning around, the young captain found Galadriel standing over him, smiling.
"Galadriel-san," he said, standing up. "How can I help you?"
"I was hoping you and I could have a quick chat. If you're not too busy of course."
Curious, but not suspicious, Bell shook his head.
"No, I was just set up a spot to sleep tonight, but that can wait."
"Wonderful, then if you'll follow me."
Even more curious now, Bell followed after the dark elf, garnering the looks and interests of a few of the surrounding adventurers, the most intense of which came from Dido and Imilce.
What are you doing, Galadriel? Dido growled to herself as she watched the two depart.
After the two were far enough away to ensure privacy, but not far enough that the High Elven warriors in the trees felt comfortable attacking, Bell spoke.
"So what did you want to talk about, Galadriel-san?"
"Well, firstly, I wanted to make sure that you were alright. I'm sure being captured by a Herald is quite alarming," she began.
"Herald?" Bell questioned.
"Oh that's right, most don't know about them. The Heralds are the greatest monsters after the Great Beasts. You could consider them the Beasts lieutenants. There's the Kraken, also known as 'the Tyrant of the Seas'. Next is Polyphemus, 'the Great Cyclops'. Finally is Tiamat, 'the Queen of Dragons'. They are called 'the Heralds' because they tend to appear before the Great Beasts.
"Why haven't I heard of them? I've read many stories about the Great Beasts and never come across them. Not only that, but surely someone would want them destroyed."
"Most stories tend to focus on the Great Beasts and in most of the tales that do discuss the Heralds, they are mistranslated so instead of 'the Heralds', it's translated as 'heralding' as in 'heralding the end' and things like that," the elf explained. "As for people wanting them destroyed, my familia and the Zeus familia did try to destroy them, but they are far more elusive than the Great Beasts and only tend to come out when their master calls."
"I see," Bell responded, a bit uneasy by this news. "But why would the Kraken appear then? The Leviathan is dead."
"That is the very question I was hoping you could shed some light on," Galadriel said.
"Me? How can I help?" he asked, sincerely very confused.
That's comforting, she thought.
"Well, did anything happen when you were captured? Anything that seemed out of the ordinary."
The way that he tensed told her that something had, indeed, happened.
"I...I don't know. It all happened so fast that I'm not sure I can make sense of it," he said, his voice unsure and distant.
I shall be blunt then, Galadriel thought.
"Did the Kraken speak to you?"
Bell froze before his eyes slowly turned to her.
"Why would you ask me that?"
That is not the question I expected, she stared into the alarmed eyes of the young man before her. And that reaction is telling me that there is something important that he knows. Some secret.
That made her terribly uneasy, but she also understood that there were times to push for more information and times not to. This was a time for the latter.
"I have heard tales of talking monsters for years. Legends of beasts as smart or even smarter than mortals. The idea has been floating around since at least the days of the Argonaut, but more and more I hear of recent examples. In the corners of the world people whisper and many think that there is some connection between the talking monsters and the Great Beasts. Given the connection the Heralds have to the Great Beasts, I wondered if perhaps the Kraken was an example of these supposed, talking monsters."
Perhaps it was because of all the time he had spent with deities or perhaps he had just grown enough to tell falsity, but Bell could tell there was something she wasn't revealing. He could tell, even with the falsity, that she had good intentions, but he also knew that wasn't enough.
"Why should I trust you?" he asked
She smiled softly at him, hoping to reassure him.
"I've been friends with your father for years, there's no way I would betray him or you, and if I dared to do so, he'd tear about my heart."
"That's not enough," Bell replied instantly. "I can tell that there's something you're hiding." That startled her. "I can also tell you're not malevolent," he added. "And I want to trust you, I really do, but I need a reason. Something to hold on to."
Galadriel's smile fell. She understood fully what was going through Bell's mind. She also knew she was in a tight spot as there was nothing she could say to convince him that she was worthy of his trust.
Well, except one thing.
She knew she shouldn't. She knew the risks connected with it, yet when she looked at the scared, yet hopeful eyes of the young man before her, she could not find enough resistance within her.
He needs this. And perhaps more importantly, he deserves this.
"You can trust me because I promised your mother I protect you."
Time stopped.
Slowly, Bell's jaw lowered and his eyes widened as they were simultaneously filled with absolute shock and such beautiful joy that Galadriel felt like she would drown in it.
"Y-You...know...my mother?" he asked.
She nodded.
"I do. Meteria and I have known each other for years and I'd like think we're even friends."
"Meteria?"
Galadriel froze and her fists tightened.
"Yes…" she said apprehensively. "That's your mother's name."
"Oh," Bell said, suddenly smiling and snapping Galadriel out of her fear. "I actually didn't know that. I always just called her 'Mom', just like I always called Zeus 'Grandpa'. I guess it's a bit silly I never knew their names," he chuckled and scratched the back of his head in mild embarrassment.
Galadriel sighed in relief and the tension drained from her body.
Thank Heaven.
"Wait, does that mean you know where she is?!"
The snow-haired young man appeared before her so quickly that she honestly wondered if Achilles could match the speed.
"I...I do...yes," she said, her apprehension returning.
"Where is she?! Can I see her?!" Bell asked desperately.
Galadriel's anxiousness grew while at the same time she cursed herself.
Of course he would want to know. He hasn't seen her in years.
"I'm sorry Bell, but you cannot."
A heartbroken look so terrible instantly replaced the look of joy on his face and punched Galadriel right in the stomach.
"W-W-Why?" he asked, his voice an absolute mess of emotion.
"B-Because…" Galadriel could barely control her own voice. "Because she is currently doing something very important and no," she quickly held up her hand. "You cannot know what it is. It is something of utmost importance. Please believe me, Bell, if this was not the case I would take you to see her myself, and that's assuming that she wouldn't already be running to you."
"B-But," Bell tried, his voice still shaking.
"Oh Bell," she took a knee in front of him. "I know you miss her terribly. She misses you too. Even after all this time, I know she wants nothing more than to be with you. However this mission, should it succeed, will make the world a much safer place and allow you to live in peace and happiness, which is perhaps the one thing she wants more than to see you. So please, please Bell, know that I do not keep you from her because I take some enjoyment in being cruel or denying a son his mother. It is simply because I must."
The clearing became quiet again and Galadriel worried that she had both hurt the young man in a way she could not fix and utterly shattered his trust in her.
"Can...can I send her a letter?"
Again...not what I was expecting, though I suppose it's far better than anticipated.
"I...I'm not sure that's-."
"Please," Bell begged, his voice like a knife to Galadriel's heart.
Damn it, she cursed as she looked into his glassy eyes. Hera's going to be furious. Oh...shit. Fuck it. Let her be furious, nothing's worse than those eyes.
"Very well." His eyes lit up. "When we get to Athens you can write a letter to her and I promise to send it the very same day. But no trying to figure out where she is, am I clear?"
Her answer came in the form of the tightest hug she'd ever received, and she'd gotten bear hugs from Achilles and Briseis at the same time. Those two had broken ribs.
And yet, she hugged back, smiling brightly. I wouldn't trade this for a jewel worth a hundred million valis.
The two hugged for a good long while, Bell pouring his overwhelming joy into her with all his might, before they finally pulled back.
"Thank you," he said, happy tears now streaming down his face. "Thank you so much."
"Of course," she replied, reaching up to wipe away his tears. "Now however, since I am fulfilling this request for you, may I kindly request you give me the truth now, Bell?" she asked as gently as she could while still trying to force the issue.
Bell's joy burned away as he remembered their conversation, though after a moment, he nodded.
"It did speak to me," he answered honestly. "In my head at least."
"What did it say?" Galadriel questioned.
"'Peace, young one. You are strong, but not yet capable of beating me. But in time, you will be. Be patient.'"
"That's...very ominous," Galadriel said, concern pouring from her voice.
"Yeah, but I don't know what it means. In all honesty, I wondered if I had imagined it. I haven't even told Dad or my familia."
Galadriel nodded.
"Well you should, and I'm sorry for forcing the issue, I just wanted to understand the situation."
"Does that mean you know why it said that?" Bell asked.
"Unfortunately no. It sounds like it had some sort of plan for you, but I can't imagine what kind of plan a Herald would have for a young adventurer," she responded.
"Well, I'm glad whatever it was didn't happen," he said.
"Indeed, though with it dead we may never know its intentions. Then again, if it means not losing you, I think we can all live with that," the dark elf said, smiling at him.
He smiled back, the tension and concern ebbing away.
"Well, thank you for your honesty, Bell."
"I don't know if I was of any real help," he replied.
"Of course you were. You've given me some important information. Information that you should now inform the others about."
"Right!" Bell said, preparing to run off. He stopped though, and suddenly turned before taking Galadriel into another hug. "Thank you," he repeated.
She laughed.
"Of course. I'm not sure anyone can resist those bunny eyes of yours."
"Oh that reminds me! I need to feed him!" Bell exclaimed.
"Have you still not thought of a name?" she asked.
"No. It's hard to think of real name when everyone keeps teasing me about him," Bell pouted.
Galadriel laughed.
"Well, you need to come up with one soon. Can't just go around calling me 'rabbit' or 'him' forever."
"You're right. I'll come up with one soon, I promise," Bell swore.
"Good. Now off with you," Galadriel replied, giving him a 'shooing' motion.
He nodded, before finally running off to complete his tasks.
"You really do have a wonderful son," Galadriel said out loud as she thought of her faraway friend.
Bell finished and waited for everyone to respond.
"That's...concerning," Hestia began, getting a series of nods and worried looks.
"Are you sure it didn't say anything else, Bell-sama?" Lili asked.
"Yes. As quick and surprising as it was, that was all it said," he answered.
"And yet it raises so many questions," Achilles said, his arms crossed as he thought on what Bell had told them.
"Do you have any clue what it could have wanted with Bell, Achilles-kun?" Hestia asked.
"No. It obviously singled Bell out, as it had the chance to run off with many of us, myself included, but it only fled when it captured Bell, suggesting that Bell is the reason it appeared in the first place." That did not sit well with any of them. "But that doesn't make the question of why any easier to put together. The Kraken and the other Heralds have not been seen since before he was born, so why would they be interested in him? I'm sorry to say that I have no idea why it would want Bell, though I desperately wish I did."
The others understood completely for they wanted answers just as badly. Even so, just like Galadriel, they were fine with not having the answers if it meant Bell was, and would remain, safe. This final point was vocalized by a certainly lovely fox girl.
"Well, as long as Bell-sama is safe, I'm fine with not knowing," Haruhime said, smiling.
Bell turned to her and she smiled at him. His previously forgotten revelation about the renard came back to the forefront in that moment and he blushed, his heart thundering in his chest, and yet he could not help but return her smile.
"I don't think any of us will disagree with that," Welf said.
"Not at all," Mikoto added.
"His safety far outweighs any mystery or secret," Ryuu threw in.
"Lili agrees, obviously, though it would still be nice to know what was going on," the young prum stated.
"True, but maybe if we solve the other mystery Bell brought us, involving Galadriel-kun, we'll feel better," Hestia suggested.
That refocused their attention.
"Do you think she knows about the Xenos?" Haruhime asked no one in particular.
"It's entirely possible, at least to an extent," Achilles said. "Given what you told us about Dix and the Ikelos familia, Bell, there are likely many Xenos out in the world. If even one escaped whatever terrible fate was forced upon it or if even one person was a blabber mouth, that would create enough rumors to reach the ears of those who are paying attention, which certainly includes Galadriel."
A solemn, uneasy air fell upon the familia as they thought about the Xenos who had been sold to the underbelly of the world. It was impossible to know how many had met this fate or how many still lived, but the mere knowledge of their suffering hurt them all deeply.
"I wish there was some way we could help them," Bell said, his mind filled with images of Wiene and the others.
"There very well might be," Achilles said.
Everyone turned to the ex-captain, hope glimmering in their eyes, with none holding a greater shine than Bell's burning rubies.
"Really?"
Achilles nodded.
"Athens is one of, if not the greatest center of information and knowledge in the world. Everything from herbology to urban legends are housed in their libraries. It's very likely that the rumors of the Xenos have ended up there in one form or another. Hell, it's also very likely, given that Athens is a major metropolis, that many of the Xenos ended up there for one reason or another. If we look, we may very well find them."
Bell's eyes were now well and truly shining and there was not a single member of his familia who was not perfectly aware of what he wanted; not that they were about to stop him.
"We'll find them, Bell-kun," Hestia said, smiling at her captain.
"You betcha we will," Welf stated.
"Wherever they are," Ryuu said.
Haruhime smiled brightly and nodded, her joy being nearly as great as her beloved captain's.
"Actually, given that you weren't requested, I see no reason why you can't focus on searching for them," Achilles said.
"But what about Rakia?" Bell asked.
"You'll need to help out on occasion, of course, to keep up appearances, but given that Athens requested so many high level adventurers, I don't think they'll be in a position to complain. Also, I wanted to use this as an opportunity for the others to grow," Achilles said, looking at the other members of his familia. "Given that the worst we will be facing, according to the reports, is the equivalent of level three adventurers, I thought this would be a good time to let Lili, Welf, Mikoto, and Haruhime shine, which will give you plenty of time to search."
Bell's shining eyes returned and the others had to stifle laughter at seeing how eager he was.
"You'll have to be careful, of course. This is still a mission and knowing Athena, she's not going to be happy that a man is snooping around the city," Hestia said.
"She sounds like a real sweetheart," Welf joked.
"To be fair, if you'd been peeked on by Hermes as many times as she has, you might have a negative view of men as well," the goddess replied.
As the others laughed, Bell's smile dropped.
"What's wrong, Bell-sama?" Haruhime asked, catching everyone's attention.
"Should we include Hermes in the search as well? He and his familia are very good at gathering information and finding out secrets," the young captain said.
His familia understood his caution. After the Xenos incident, the god had been on thin ice and though they all understood he could be helpful, none were exactly eager to enlist his help.
"That's up to you, Bell-kun. He might be of help, but there's no doubt he'll use it to push some agenda," his goddess replied.
Bell nodded.
"Then, for now at least, let's keep him out of it. I can certainly ask him later, if the need arises."
Everyone was completely content to agree to that.
"Alright, then we have a plan," Achilles said.
"Seems like we do," Hestia said, smiling.
"We'll be arriving at Evergreen village soon. There will undoubtedly be warriors there, likely more than normal, and all of them will be very much on-edge when we arrive, so be prepared," Riveria informed everyone.
A few nods and other signs of acknowledgment were shared before they continued.
As the entourage moved closer and closer to the village, the eyes of the most experienced adventurers moved towards where the High Elven warriors were quickly moving about.
There's at least a few dozen of them, possibly one hundred. Either this village is really important or they really want us dead, Achilles noted.
Finally, the village came into view along with twenty or so elven warriors, all of whom looked ready and eager to attack.
"I'll proceed," Riveria said, signally to the others to stay.
The Nine Hells of Orario walked slowly towards the entrance to the village, making sure to not make any sudden movements and keep her hands visible.
"Greetings," she said upon arriving before the warriors.
"So it's true. Another High Elf is leading invaders into our forest," one of the elves, a male who appeared to be some sort of chief or leader, growled.
"We are not invaders, but adventurers that are heading to Athens to aid them in their war against Rakia."
That gave them some pause, but not enough to ease their weapons.
"Why should we trust you?" the leader demanded.
"Because I am Riveria Ljos Alf. Daughter of Larfal Ljos Alf, your king."
Eyes widened and many bowed before her.
"Your Highness!" many called.
A bit of tension eased from Riveria's shoulders at the reaction.
It seems we're getting somewhere.
That relief was short lived as several more warriors appeared from the trees.
"So you are our princess," one of the warriors said before they all bowed. "We are glad you are safe, your Highness. We were worried when we saw you with those outsiders."
"You concern is appreciated," Riveria said, smiling as concern continued to dissipate.
"Now that we know you are safe, would you like us to begin the attack?"
All relief vaporized and replaced by confusion and anxiety.
"Attack?"
"Yes. To deal with your captors. That is why you brought them into our forest, is it not? They forced you?" the same elf questioned.
"What? Absolutely not! You should know that. You've been watching us since we were first forced to make land."
Shocked eyes filled her gaze and she had to stop herself from rolling her eyes.
"We have been aware of your presence the entire time. There are many high level adventurers within our group, including the two most powerful men in the world, a fact you would do well to remember since they would easily tear through you all like cheap paper," she informed them.
Now the shock turned to fear a the elves began to look at each other, wondering if she was telling the truth.
"But that can't be the truth! You would never willingly bring invaders into our scared forest, there's no way! Especially not a Crozzo!"
At the name, all bodies tensed and all eyes darkened before those murderous eyes turned to the entourage.
"There is a Crozzo in their midst?" the chief asked, his voice low like a predator.
"His name is Welf, and he holds none of the sins of his ancestors. In fact, he left Rakia in disgust of what they were doing," Riveria stated, her voice harsh in an attempt to end things before they progressed further down this warring path.
"All Crozzos are guilty. All must pay for their sins," another, female elf said.
"We should be judged for the sins we ourselves commit, not those of our forefathers. If such were the case, there would not be a person in the world who was not guilty."
The elven girl did not seem to want to agree, but she could not face down her princess and so turned her gaze away. With her dealt with, Riveria turned back to the chief.
"We ask only to stay for the night and then we shall continue on towards Athens. We do not even need supplies, for we have enough for our journey," she informed him.
The chief seemed extremely reluctant to let them in with the revelation about Welf. Yet, he did not think he was in a position to deny his princess. So, begrudgingly, he nodded.
"You will need to stay towards the edges of the village. Under normal circumstances you would not have a warm welcome, but our numbers have swelled with refugees fleeing the war, so it is very likely that you will be met with hostility, especially given the presence of a Crozzo."
"Understood," Riveria replied.
Their conversation done, she turned and headed back towards her group, leaving the chief to send warriors off to inform the village and the eleven girl to stew in her rage.
As she walked back, the other High Elven warriors appeared from their hiding spots. Whether this was because they now knew they were discovered or as an attempt to intimidate, she did not know.
"We have been permitted in, but we will need to keep to the edges of the village. Also, it will be best to keep Welf out of view," she informed them.
Most of the group nodded and the Hestia familia grouped up around their smith, prepared to defend him.
The entourage began to slowly make their way towards the village, the dozens of eleven warriors glaring down upon them the entire time, but doing nothing more.
"Welcome to Evergreen, your Highness," the chief greeted. "And Mirkwood-sama, is that you?"
"It is indeed, Elren. It is good to see you, though I wish it was under better circumstances," the elven lord replied.
"I quite agree. This is," he eyed the group. "An unusual situation. That said, I would be delighted if you and her Highness would join me for dinner tonight."
"I think I speak for both of us when I say we would be equally delighted."
Riveria frowned.
You do not nor am I, but things are tense enough.
"Of course. Thank you, Elren-san," she said.
"Wonderful! Having such grand company will surely lift everyone's spirits."
Not a single person in the entourage was unaware that he did not include the non-High Elves within the confines of "grand company".
The entourage walked on, slowly entering the village. As they did so, the elven girl gnashed her teeth from a distance until her eyes fell upon an all-too familiar shade of red.
This cannot be allowed! I won't let it!
She jumped into a tree and before anyone could try to stop her, not that they would, she pulled out her bow, nocked an arrow, aimed, and loosed it towards the smith. Yet, it never reached him.
That's...that's impossible, she thought.
Her wide-eyes stared down at the entourage where Welf was utterly unharmed and was now looking up to where Achilles had caught the arrow. The ex-captain however, was focused entirely on the female elf who had just tried to assassinate a member of his familia.
However, Achilles was the least of her worries as not a second later, she found herself crashing against the trunk of the tree she was standing upon, knocking the wind out of her as a knife pressed to her throat.
"You will not try that again," Bell told her, his voice harsh and foreboding.
The elf could do nothing but look into his angry eyes until he released her, letting her drop and grab her throat.
Perhaps out of anger or perhaps to ensure she couldn't try again, Bell grabbed her bow and snapped it upon his knee. He gave her one final look before jumping back down to rejoin his group.
"Are you alright, Welf?" Bell asked.
"Yeah. Achilles caught the arrow before it even got close," the smith replied with a smile.
It was painfully obvious to his familia that he was faking it and it enraged them that he was put into a situation where he felt the need to do so, but they knew he wouldn't want them to fuss over him and so, reluctantly, they all simply nodded.
"As long as you're alright," Bell said.
"Yeah, I promise I'm good."
"You'd better be, or else Lili will show these High Elves how she keeps all of you in line," the prum stated.
The Hestia familia laughed lightly, and the tension was allowed to pass if only for a few moments.
They are quite the familia, Riveria thought as she watched them, a small smile playing on her lips. This lasted but a second or two as her eyes refocused on the glaring High Elves. But that's not going to make today any easier.
The group entered the village and immediately found themselves the center of attention in the worst kind of way.
With each step they took, more and more High Elves turned their way. In each case, they were, at first, shocked to see non-High Elves within the village, but that shock lasted but a moment and it was soon replaced by rage and a deep-seated bitterness. That bitterness led to more and more of those glaring High Elves to stop what they were doing and follow the group.
Just keep walking. Pay them no mind, Riveria thought.
They continued walking, but it became more clear with each step that they would not be able to simply ignore them as the number of High Elves around them swelled into the hundreds.
Just keep walking. Just keep… Riveria's thoughts were cut off as she caught sight of what was in front of them.
Hundreds more High Elves, many of them looking worse for wear and some carrying weapons, makeshift or otherwise, were now before them, each looking ready to tear the adventurers apart.
"What is the meaning of this Elren?!" a voice shouted.
"Peace good people, peace. This is Riveria Ljos Alf, daughter of our king Larfal Ljos Alf," the chief began, dissipating some of the anger and replacing it with surprise. "She and her companions are on their way to Athens to fight against Rakia."
A little bit more of the anger ceased, but it was far from gone.
"I apologize for the intrusion," Riveria said. "I know many of you distrust outsiders, especially in these harsh times, but I assure you we hold no ill intent and will only be here for the night before we continue on our way."
The tension eased just a little bit more and, for a moment.
"If we hold no ill-will, then why is there a Crozzo with you?!"
Eyes turned to the voice, finding the eleven warrior Bell had so recently dealt with, glaring at the entourage.
Just like that, all anger returned and grew exponentially.
"There's a Crozzo with them?"
"One of those accursed magic weapons smiths?"
"A Crozzo dares enter our forest?!"
Roars and shouts of rage filled the air and many of the elves tightened their grips on their weapons and pointed them at the entourage, prepared to attack at any moment.
"Peace! Please! As I said, we have no intention of doing anyone here any harm!" Riveria shouted.
"How can we trust you, Riveria-sama?" the elven girl asked, taking a step towards her. "You bring invaders here and lead them to our village? Why would you do that?" the girl asked, confusion and a bit of desperation in her voice. "No High Elf would do that. Not unless they were forced."
"No, that's not the-," Riveria tried.
"She's right!" someone in the crowd shouted.
"There's no way our princess would willingly bring in outsiders!"
"They must be forcing her!"
"Yes, they must be!" the girl agreed. "I've heard there's all sorts of magic and items that can bend others to their will or even control their mind!"
"That's ridiculous!" Riveria shouted, yet it was still to no avail.
"That must be it! They're controlling her!"
"We'll save you, your Highness!"
For the love of all that is good, I don't need your saving, I need you to listen! Riveria roared in her head.
A sudden and deafening clap of thunder stopped everything.
All eyes turned to the towering figure of Achilles who looked simultaneously taller somehow, as well as severely annoyed.
He walked forward and moved next to Riveria. He gave his favorite elf a quick look before focusing on the group.
"You're all being ludicrous. We are not here to do anything but rest. We are not controlling Riveria, and unless the little girl over there has some proof she has yet to show all of us, she should keep her mouth shut."
Said girl growled.
"Why else would Riveria-sama bring you here?"
"Besides the logical reason already provided?" he asked, getting another growl. "Our ship was attacked and we needed to land. We happened to land near your forest. We are now trying to make our way through the forest to Athens so we can help fight Rakia, your enemy. Now, logic would dictate that you would be fine with letting us through without issue, if not be happy to have us given we are going to fight your enemies. That said, since it is obvious that logic is sorely lacking here, I will be painfully blunt," his eyes darkened as he looked at the gathered High Elves. "You can do the wise thing and bite back whatever anger you hold for the next half day or so until we leave, or you can do the unwise thing like the little girl over there did," he gestured towards the ever more enraged elven warrior. "And pick a fight with us, in which case you will lose and do so very, very badly."
A moment of silence met his words as anger and fear mixed amongst the High Elves. Many thought he was bluffing. That being so outnumbered, there was no way the invaders could win. However, others noted his absolute confidence in his voice and the power that seemed to hum off him. The thunder clap did not help ease their minds either and many realized that victory would be not easy, if it was even attainable.
The quiet ended when a High Elf male stepped forward. He was taller than most of the others and more fit, though he paled in comparison to the former captain of the Zeus familia.
"Such arrogance, human. You truly think you can best the High Elven people," he pulled out a wooden sword, similar to Ryuu's and pointed it at Achilles. "I will destroy that arrogance by striking you down here and now!"
The High Elf charged, a few cheers from the crowd going up as he did so. He was before Achilles within moments, but the human did not react. The elf smiled, thinking he was too fast for the mere human to see and swung down with all his might.
"Die!"
The sound of splintering and shattered wood met everyone's ears as the sword turned to wood chips.
The High Elf male stared in shock at his destroyed weapon and the utter calm of the man before him.
"Are you starting to understand the difference between us now?" Achilles asked. He yanked the broken sword from the elf's hand then held it up. The sound of electricity filled the air as Achilles's empty hand came up and proceeded to sap the sword, turning it into ash that then fell to the ground without a sound. "I could beat you, everyone here, and the entire High Elven army and not even need an afternoon nap," he stated. "Now, with that being true, and believe me, it is, how well do you think you all will do against me and all of them?" he finished by pointing a thumb at the entourage.
No reply came from the High Elves, they were far too stunned and afraid.
"That's what I thought. Now, if you don't mind, we'd all like to rest. We'll be out of your hair soon enough, so just suck it up until then," he turned to the others. "Come on, let's go put our stuff down."
Everyone was more than happy to agree and a moment later the entire entourage was following after him, the High Elves parting to allow them through.
Riveria, who was still beside him as they walked, could not restrain her smile.
My champion, she thought as she stared up at him warmly. Gods I can't wait to get to Athens.
Things had, for the most part, been quiet since Achilles confrontation, though the Hestia familia had set up guard around their smith to ensure no one tried any more attacks. Riveria, meanwhile, had been looking for an opportunity to get some alone time with Achilles, but couldn't find a way to slip away without attracting attention.
At this point I'm wondering if I should even care, she thought.
"Your Highness."
Oh joy.
She turned and found Thranduil bowing to her.
"Shall we head Elren's residence?" he inquired.
"To what end?" she asked.
"Did you forget, your Highness? We said we would have dinner with him."
I actually did forget and I wish you hadn't reminded me.
"I would have figured after the incident earlier that he would not be so eager to see me again."
"Nonsense. I'm sure he holds no ill-will from such a simple misunderstanding," the elven lord replied with a wave of his hand.
I wouldn't be so sure of that, she thought.
Even so, she did not want to risk the situation becoming even more untenable and so resigned herself to an unpleasant evening.
"Very well. Let us depart."
Thranduil smiled and offered his arm, but she pretended not to see it and began heading towards the center of the village.
Riveria noticed she was still receiving glances from the other High Elves, though they were more mixed than before. It was clear to her that they weren't sure how to react to her now.
But that's fine with me, as long as they behave and don't try anything.
The two elves arrived at a hall that appeared to serve as both the residence of the leader and as a place for banquets.
Another High Elf ushered them in and they were met with the sight of well over a hundred elves eating, talking, drinking, and getting warm.
"Your Highness. My lord," Elrend called.
"Good evening, Elren," Thranduil greeted.
"Good evening," Riveria added.
"I'm glad you could join us. I apologize for the lack of space and more mediocre fare, but the war has pushed our resources," he said.
"That's quite alright. If anything, I am glad to see you have such compassion, Elren-san," Riveria replied.
For High Elves at least.
"Of course, how could I turn them away? And besides, it has given me the chance to meet many interesting people," Elren responded with a smile.
"I can imagine," she responded.
The two guests sat down and joined the conversations already going at the table.
"I do hope you and your...companions will be able to bring the war with Rakia to a swift close so that these good people will be able to go home and rebuild," Elren said.
"We will do our utmost best, I promise," Riveria stated.
"Your best must be quite impressive, if that man's display was any indication."
Things got a bit quieter at that, and Riveria felt far more eyes upon them then before.
"He is quite something," she said, trying her best to sound neutral.
"Who was that man, Riveria-sama?" Elren's daughter, Arwa, asked.
"His name is Achilles Caesar. He is the former captain of the Zeus familia and was one of those who killed the Behemoth and Leviathan nearly sixteen years ago," she answered.
This shocked many around them for even within their forests, they were well aware of the power of the Great Beasts.
"Quite the impressive feats," Elren said. "Though, they failed to kill the Black Dragon, did they not?"
Riveria recognized that this was more than a simple question. Just like with Thranduil his tone and air of superiority well informed her that this was a jab at the man that had so recently dominated them.
I'd like to see you do better, she growled within her mind.
"Yes. Unfortunately the strength of the Dragon was much greater than the other two beasts and most of the Zeus and Hera familia were killed. Achilles was the only survivor, which by itself, is quite the feat. Not even Albert Waldstein survived battling the Dragon."
Her firm reply let Elren know she was well-aware of his intent and that she was not inclined to take it well, which promptly shut down any smugness he might have felt.
"You and he seemed rather close," Arwa said, pulling her back to reality.
"We are. We have been friends for many years," she replied as casually as possible.
"Yet he wishess you two to be more."
All eyes turned to Thranduil who was sipping at a cup of wine.
"He is in love with her Highness. He confessed it not long ago."
Elren and many other elves frowned as disgust filled their eyes.
"He wishes to be with our princess. Him? A mere human?"
Riveria's knuckles turned white as her nails bit into her palms.
"He admitted he was not worthy of her, but it was clear he wished to taint her Highness," Thranduil continued.
"Disgusting," Elren cursed, getting agreement from many of the elves around, before turning to Riveria. "Don't worry, your Highness, we shall keep that monkey away-."
Riveria slammed her hand on the table.
"Silence!" she bellowed. "What is with all of you?! Why must you all hold such vile, arrogant, and unfounded views? Achilles is not only one of the greatest beings to ever walk the earth, but he is my friend! How dare you degrade him so," she glared at all present. "I would sooner be with him, marry him, and take him into my bed than any of you!"
As the High Elves reeled in shock, Riveria departed, her rage forcing open a path as none of her brethren, even in the stupors, dared to get in her way.
Riveria stormed through the village until she made it back to the others. She paused for but a moment as she searched for her man. Finding him, luckily sitting alone reading a book, she strode right up to him.
"Can we talk?" she asked.
Noting her serious look and tone, he nodded and put his book down.
With that, the two departed, neither giving much, if any attention to the looks the others were giving them as they departed.
The two made their way out of the village and into the forest. They walked until the noises of the village were but a distant murmur in the background.
She suddenly stopped and turned to him.
"Is anyone around?"
Though a bit confused by the question, Achilles closed his eyes and took some time to listen. After a few moments he lifted his nose and sniffed a few times before opening his eyes and shaking his head.
"No."
"Good."
Not a moment later, she had her arms wrapped around his head and pulling him down into a kiss.
Surprised as he was, Achilles wasn't about to question such a lovely gift and so closed his eyes and pulled her up against him.
It took almost no time for things to get more heated and soon their tongues battled for dominance with the High Elf gaining the upper hand. Things changed when she wrapped a leg around him, which he took as an invitation to lift her up and pin her to a tree.
After a very audible groan for the elven princess, the two finally parted and Achilles, smiling, placed his forehead against hers.
"So, may I inquire what inspired this?"
She sighed and leaned against the tree.
"Our oh so welcoming host and beloved elven lord," she answered.
"Ah. They were frustrating then?"
"Assholes would be the world I'd use, but frustrating is more polite."
He laughed before leaning down to kiss and suckle her neck. She moaned at the affection and tangled her fingers in his hair.
"Well, I'm glad that I can help relieve you of the stress those fools caused," he said before continuing to kiss her neck.
"Mm," she hummed, delighting in his affectionate actions. "You have been doing wonders for my stress. Speaking of which, thank you for your help earlier."
"What help?" he asked, though he did not part from her skin.
"With the crowd," she said before a content sigh parted her lips as her fingers tangled further into his hair.
"I'm sure you could have handled it, but you seemed annoyed, and I want you to be as content and stress-free as possible."
"Mm," she hummed again, her smile growing. "And you think you're unworthy of me."
He chuckled and finally pulled away to look her in the eyes.
"You do know that you're incredibly beautiful and indescribably sexy, right?"
She laughed, before wrapping her arms around his neck and giving him a sultry smile.
"You say that like you're not delightfully handsome and so sexy it's downright unfair."
Now it was his turn to laugh again and he snuggled up into her neck.
"I'm so lucky to have you," he said.
"And I you," she replied, contently wrapping herself around him even more.
Things were quiet for a time, both just happy to be together and enjoy the warmth their partner provided for them. However, Achilles eventually pulled away and turned.
"Someone's coming."
Riveria, knowing the situation, parted from him, though with great reluctance and put herself a respectable distance from him as they waited for whoever was coming to show themselves.
"Dad? Riveria?"
Both immediately lost their tension and smiled.
"Over here, Bell," Achilles called.
A moment later, Bell appeared.
"Are you guys okay? We were a bit worried when you suddenly walked off," the young man said.
"We're fine. We just wanted some much needed alone time," Achilles replied.
"Oh. Yeah, I get that. With everything that's happened, Aiz and I haven't had much time together either."
"Then why don't we switch places? Riveria and I will had back and you and Aiz can have some quiet time alone?"
"Dad," Bell whined.
"What? Couples need some time to be affectionate with each other."
Bell blushed, but it was clear that he was seriously considering it.
Riveria laughed.
"Come on, we shouldn't keep the others in suspense," she said.
"Alright," Achilles agreed, with Bell following after, still contemplating the suggestion.
The moment the sun rose the next day, the entourage was packing up to leave.
"Can't wait to get out of here," Tiona groaned. "Some freaking elves threw rotten fruit and vegetables at me when I tried to say hi."
"They really haven't been that welcoming," Lefiya agreed. "I get why, but it's still hard to deal with."
"Yeah, it's not we're the ones invading," Tiona added.
"They don't care. In their eyes we're all invaders," Asfi said.
"Well then let's get out of here, pronto!" the amazon said.
All were more than happy to agree and soon, everyone was packed and ready to head out.
"Anyone want to say goodbye?" Achilles asked once they had gathered up. Silence was his reply. "Didn't think so."
"Right, let's get moving," Rei said.
They were about to do just that, when the sound of wings caught their ears.
Looking up they found a host of small dragons appear above their heads. They all grabbed their weapons and prepared for battle, but soon found there would be no need as the dragons softly landed in front of them, revealing that each carried a saddle, some of which were already occupied by several High Elves, most notable, a female dressed in a beautiful white gown.
"Irime?" Riveria said, her eyes wide with surprise.
Riveria and the entourage approached cautiously as the High Elves, most of whom appeared to be guards, given their armor and weapons. One of these guards helped Irime down, and a moment later, the High Elf turned and smiled at Riveria.
"Riveria, it is good to see you," she greeted.
The overly sweet tone she used was caught by many within the entourage and their eyes narrowed towards the elf.
"What are you doing here, Irime-sama?" Riveria asked.
"Your father received a message from Elren through one of our magic mirrors that you and your fellow adventurers were here. We were at first surprised, of course, having expected you to come by sea, but we were then informed that you were attacked and forced to land."
And Elren couldn't have mentioned this to us? Riveria wondered.
"We were indeed," she said, pushing passed her annoyance. "The Kraken appeared and attacked our ship. We managed to kill it, but the ship would not have made it to Athens," Riveria informed her.
"Truly? My, that must have been very harrowing. You will have to tell us about it once we reach Athens. On that note," Irime gestured towards the dragons. "We have brought these to carry you the rest of the way. It will still take a few hours, but we should arrive by midday."
Still a bit weary of the other elf, Riveria nonetheless nodded.
"Thank you, Irime-sama. Your aid is greatly appreciated."
"Of course, Riveria," Irime replied, her voice even sweeter than before. "How could I not help my dear husband's daughter when she had need of me?"
I think I'm going to be sick with all this fake sweetness, Achilles thought as his worried eyes turned to Riveria.
"You are too kind," Riveria replied, though clearly not buying the pseudo-sweetness either.
Everyone began to mount the dragons, glad that the rest of their journey would be over soon. Each dragon could carry two passengers and so everyone began pairing up.
Achilles was about to do the same with Riveria, when Irime called out.
"And you will be riding with me, Riveria. It'll allow us time to catch up. I have so many questions on what you've been up to."
Both Riveria and Achilles frowned.
"If that is your wish, Irime-sama," she said.
"It is. You've been gone for so long doing your little adventure that I can only imagine what exciting stories you have to tell."
Both the lovers' frowns deepened and they shared a quick look.
It'll be fine. We'll have more than enough time together once we get to Athens, Achilles silently told her.
That helped her to smile again and she nodded before getting on the dragon with Irime.
Achilles then turned and discovered a very annoyed looking Asfi arguing with Hermes, which gave him an idea.
"I swear I shall be a complete gentleman, Asfi!" Hermes said holding up his arms.
"You said that the last time. And the time before that. And the two times before that," Asfi replied, her eyes cold and her lips curved into a frown.
Before Hermes could reply, Achilles appeared next to them.
"Achilles-san? Is there something you need?" Asfi asked.
"You're sitting with lord tight-ass," Achilles said pointing at Hermes. "I'll ride with Asfi. Both of us deserve a pleasant, annoyance free journey."
The captain and her god were both stunned at his demand, but Hermes managed to regain enough barring to try arguing.
"But...but she's my captain."
"Don't care. Even if I did, I would point out you clearly haven't been doing a good job being her god, now get," Achilles replied, jabbing a thumb towards Thranduil.
Hermes turned to Asfi, giving her pleading eyes. Her only response was to lift her chin.
Hermes looked ready to cry, but soon hug his head and made his way over to Thranduil, leaving the two mortals behind.
"Thank you," Asfi said with a smile.
"Hey, just because I'm annoyed that I didn't get my preferred partner, doesn't mean you need to suffer too. Now," he jumped onto the dragon and held out his hand. "Let's have a pleasant ride. I'm sure you and I have plenty of stories about your shitty god we can share."
"More than this journey will allow me to tell," she replied as she took his hand.
"Then the time will be sure to fly by, no pun intended."
Asfi's smile grew.
"Well then, I suppose I should start with the obvious stories about him trying to peak on me in the bath."
"My my, you certainly have had quite a few adventures," Irime said, laughing lightly.
Riveria did not reply as she did not feel the need to.
I'm just glad she seems content with the stories.
"Still, you really should take better care of yourself, dear. It would be a shame if we lost you."
And I'm sure you'd play the grieving wife very well, Riveria thought, her irritation growing.
"Danger is a part of adventuring. You cannot grow without putting yourself in danger."
"True, but there's no need to put yourself in so much danger, surely."
"I wouldn't be as strong as I am if I didn't."
"And who said you needed to be so strong? You could have stayed in the forest, safe and well looked after."
"That's not the life I wanted," Riveria replied. "I wanted to experience the world."
"And now you have."
"To an extent, yes, but there is much more to explore."
"Perhaps, but shouldn't your thoughts be turning to another kind of adventure?"
Riveria turned to look at her father's wife.
"You mean marriage?"
"Yes. Your father has already gathered quite the collection of bachelors," Irime told her.
"Which he was foolish to do. I have no intention of marrying anyone but whom I choose," Riveria replied harshly.
Things were quiet for a few seconds between them, with nothing but the wind filling their ears.
"Do you have someone in mind?"
Riveria tensed.
"Why would you ask that?"
"That's the obvious question, isn't it?" Irime countered, her voice far more serious than before. "The only reason for being so adamantly opposed to your father's plans would be if you wished to marry another, no?"
"Or I just don't want my father dictating my life," Riveria through back.
"No, you have someone in mind, I can tell. So who is it? Who is it you want to wed?"
Riveria did not reply. This was the question she had been avoiding.
Then again, I did say that once we reached Athens I wouldn't care if everyone knew about Achilles and I. We're almost there now, so does it really matter if I tell her now?
She turned to inform her fellow rider, only for said passenger to speak up again.
"Is it that Light Elf that was eying you?" Irime said, smiling.
Riveria's eyes widened as disgust rocked her to her core.
"No! Absolutely not! Hedin is the last person in the world I would marry!"
"Oh?" Irime replied.
Hm, that was quite the reaction. Very intense, no, passionate. Irime smiled to herself. How interesting.
"I'm done with this conversation," Riveria said, turning back around.
"Very well," Irime said, her interest growing. "That's fine since it appears our journey is almost over."
Riveria looked into the distance and to her relief, she could see Athens in the distance.
The city was massive, but not as titanic as Orario. However, unlike the city of adventurers, it was directly connected to the sea, its scrawling port overflowing with ships, people, and goods. It also lacked a tower like Babel, but in its place was a grand palace at its center. The closer they drew the more details became clear and the grander its architecture and art appeared.
However, off in the distance, towards the horizon, a far less pleasant slight caught her eyes.
Black smoke rose into the sky and a bit of burned earth could be seen.
"Rakia has been raiding heavily into Athens's territory. Monsters have been rampaging through many villages while Ares's new assassination corps has been at work thinning the ranks of the officers. That accursed god has even hired mercenary adventurers to aid him and they have been keeping the Athenians busy," Irime informed her.
"Then it is good that we are here to help."
They drew closer and closer to the palace, their dragonic mounts gliding to their final destination before finally landing on the great structure.
"I can't believe it, we're actually here," Bell said with excitement.
"Yep, but don't get too excited, Bell-kun, we still have business to attend to," his goddess said.
"Right!"
"They'll be plenty of time to explore, I promise," Rei said with a smile. "Especially now since we got here early, thanks to the dragons."
"Makes you wonder why they didn't just send those to begin with," Achilles noted.
"Oh Mania-sama wanted to, but Athena didn't want to 'waste such valuable resources' or something like that. I think she just wanted to punish Mania-sama for making demands to bring you here as soon as possible," Rei replied.
"That does sound like Athena," Hestia said.
"Well, no point waiting around here, let's go present ourselves," Achilles said.
"Follow me!" Rei said excitedly.
The group followed after the rabbit captain as they made their way through the palace. Like in Evergreen they were receiving a lot of attention from those they passed, though it was distinctly less hostile.
Though some of the glares from the women are pretty fiery. Guess we really are in Athens, Achilles thought.
Finally they arrived at a pair of great silver doors that were covered in elaborate artwork.
"I shall leave you here, Riveria," Irime said. "Your father and the others will be overjoyed to know you've arrived safely."
"I look forward to seeing them. And thank you again for taking the time to pick us up, Irime-sama," Riveria replied courteously.
"Of course, dear child."
With that, Irime left, allowing Riveria to breathe a sigh of relief.
"Alright, remember, it'll be best if the women speak to Athena. Even I tend to get the cold shoulder from her, and that's on good days," Rei said.
Everyone nodded and Rei knocked on the doors.
A moment later, they opened wide, revealing a splendid throne room of silver and white marble.
The group walked inside, marveling at the room, which luckily distracted them from the pointed glares of the many females guards.
Geez, Athena, I get that Hermes and the others were jerks, but did you have to make all your familia man-haters? Hestia thought.
They drew closer and closer to the end of the throne room where, upon a great silver throne, sat the goddess of the city.
She was quite the sight to behold. Covered in hoplite armor, her piercing ice-blue eyes stared down at the group with a coldness befitting the icy orbs. She had raven black-hair, not dissimilar to Hestia's, but she had tied hers up in a braid that extended down from her helmet and over her left shoulder. In her hand was a great spear that looked able to skewer a wild boar.
Beside the goddess was an elven woman, a Light Elf, by her appearance, who looked down upon the entourage with the same scorn as her goddess and wore a nearly identical outfit, only without the helmet.
"Welcome to Athens," the elf said, her voice harsh and unwelcoming. "And welcome back, Agrippina," she said with more warmth.
The vice-captain stepped forward and bowed.
"Thank you, Metis-san, Athena-sama. It's good to be back."
Agrippina then marched up to join her captain and goddess, immediately glaring down at the entourage like them, but with specific focus on Bell.
"It is good you have arrived. There is much that needs to be done with regards to Rakia," Athena finally spoke. "But I see that my request has not been properly fulfilled," she continued, her voice harsh and ungenerous.
"Geez, Athena. Calm down. You made a request and we came to help. We didn't need to come at all, so there's no reason for you to be so angry. Beggars can't be choosers after all," Hestia said stepping forward.
Athena's eyes turned to her fellow virgin goddess.
"Hestia. I was not expecting to see you here."
"Well, when you asked Achilles to be here, the rest of us decided to come along with him."
"Why?" the goddess of wisdom asked.
"Because he's a member of my familia, of course!"
For the first time since they'd arrived, Athena showed something other than scorn and annoyance in her eyes.
"You are no longer a member of the Zeus familia?" Athena asked him.
"I am not, Athena-sama," he replied.
"I see. Well, as long as you are here to be of service to us, it does not matter."
That's a hell of a way to say, fight our enemies for us while we spy on you, Achilles thought.
"That's why I'm here," he replied.
"Good, then we should-."
The doors suddenly burst in, causing everyone's head to shoot around.
Achilles's breath caught in his throat.
Mom.
Mania strode down the hall with a purpose, giving everyone time to observe her.
She was different from the other deities most of them had seen. Whereas the others took human-like appearances, Mania appeared like a chienthrope. On her head were two, orange cat ears with black stripes. Her hair was the same stripes and all, and flowed gently down the middle of her back. Right after it ended, a long, striped tail appeared, which was currently swishing back and forth in anger. Another clear sign of her anger were the claws that were currently extended, looking ready to rip and tear.
Her non-animal features were quite lovely. She was petite, only about 160 celch tall, but what she lacked in height, she made up for in other features. She had an hour glass figure and a generously sized bust, not the size of Hestia's own famous bust, but definitely not something any man would complain about. All in all, she was as beautiful as she was exotic, not that anyone was going to say as much anywhere near Achilles.
Mania, her eyes burning with rage, finally made it to the throne and strode right up to Athena. The goddess of wisdom looked her in the eyes and was prepared to reprimand her for interrupting, when, to the shock and horror of all, Mania slapped her with a terrible crack, the force of which sent Athena's helmet flying.
"Athena you bitch, you tried to hide that they finally arrived!"
No response was given as Athena focused on making sure her jaw wasn't disconnected. Luckily for her, the person that Mania had been waiting for, stepped forward.
"Mom."
Mania's heart stopped, then began to thunder in her chest as she turned to the voice.
"A-Achilles," she called, her voice shaking with emotion.
He smiled at her, though it was a sad and scared smile, and took a step towards her, ready to apologize and beg her forgiveness, only to suddenly have her rush towards him and jump into his arms.
"My boy! My baby boy!" she cried.
A plethora of emotions hit Achilles all at once and he could not for the life of him sort them out, so instead, he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her as tightly against him as he could.
"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry," he whispered.
"Why are you apologizing?" she asked, pulling away from him. "If anyone should be apologizing, it's me for not giving you the support you needed after what happened."
Achilles couldn't believe his ears and shook his head.
"What are you talking about? You've always given me support, I was the one who ran away because I was such an idiotic coward."
"No you weren't, you were in pain. I should have followed you, but I thought it was best to give you space. If I could go back, I would have followed you and made sure you knew you weren't alone."
He was dumbfounded. He had expected scorn and disappointment, but the only one his mother seemed disappointed in was herself.
Unable to find the worlds, he pulled her back into a hug and squeezed her tightly.
"You…" he tried. "You didn't do anything wrong," he finally managed.
"Then neither did you," she replied gently.
"Then...then can we both just be happy to be together again?" he asked, his voice unsure, but hopeful.
She squeezed him a bit tighter.
"Yes. Yes, let's do that."
Both felt a great weight lift off their shoulders when those words passed her lips and both let out laughs of relief as tears streamed down their faces.
Nearby, the Hestia familia and company smiled at the scene, a few even dabbed their eyes as their own happy tears appeared. Ajax even went so far as to elbow Dido when he noticed she was still frowning. That didn't remove the frown, but it did get his point across and a whispered 'good for them' was muttered.
Finally, after a great deal more tears and a few more relieved chuckles, the two parted and smiled at each other.
"Mom, there's actually someone I really want you to meet," Achilles said.
"Oh? Who's that?" she asked, cocking her head to the side.
His smile growing, Achilles turned and waved at Bell who began walking towards them.
"Mom, this is Bell. My son."
Mania's jaw dropped.
"Y-Your...son?" she asked.
He nodded.
"Admittedly I can't claim blood ownership of him. In fact, he adopted me just like you did. However, he is mine and I dare anyone to say otherwise," Achilles proudly said.
"It's wonderful to meet you, Mania-sama, or...can I call you, grandma?" Bell asked, giving her his ten million valis smile.
"Grandma...I'm a grandma. My boy has his own boy. I have a grandson," she said as if in a dream. Then it hit her. "I have a grandson!"
Before the two knew it, Mania had wrapped them both in a hug and lifted them both into the air, much to the shock of the Hestia familia and co..
Ajax laughed.
"Yeah, Mama Mania's got some serious muscles."
"I have a grandson! I have a grandson! I'm a grandma!" Mania cried, her joyful tears flowing like a river.
She finally put the two down and looked back and forth between them.
"This is the best day I've ever had! I didn't even know it was possible to be this happy!"
The father-son duo laughed.
"I can't tell you how happy that makes me," Achilles said.
"I'm glad you're happy. I was worried you wouldn't like me," Bell said.
"How could I not like you?! You're adorable! And handsome! Just look at that face!" she squished his cheeks. "Just as handsome as your father! You even have his eyes!"
The two gave her a confused look.
"Oh I don't mean the color, though that red is lovely," she quickly added. "I'm talking about the strength behind them. That good heart that burns within you. I can tell you have it just like your father," she said, placing her hands over their hearts.
Bell and Achilles turned to each other and smiled.
"Mania. We still have business to attend to," Athena suddenly called. "You will have time with them la-."
She stopped the moment not one, not two, but three pairs of angry eyes turned her way, each one saying the same thing.
Shut up. You will not ruin this moment.
Unable to resist the might of the three pairs of glaring eyes, the goddess of wisdom fell silent, allowing the three to continue where they left off.
"You really are the cutest young man I've ever seen. Like the world's cutest bunny rabbit," Mania continued, positively gushing over her grandson.
As if hearing a call, Bell's rabbit suddenly popped out of his backpack and peered over his shoulder.
"Oh my goodness! Who is this?!" Mania asked as she somehow found a way to gush more.
"He's my pet rabbit that I got for my birthday. I still haven't been able to come up with a name for him though. Everyone wants me to call him Bell," the Hestia captain said, pouting. He was soon joined by the bunny rabbit who was equally annoyed.
Mania laughed.
"I can imagine why. Hm, a name," she contemplated for a moment. "How about Nix?" she finally suggested.
"Nix?" Bell asked.
"It means snow. Given his fur, and your hair," stroke the rabbit's fur and Bell head. "It seemed a good match. It's also nice and simple so it shouldn't be hard to remember or pronounce."
Bell thought about it and found that he liked it, however he wasn't the only one who needed to agree so he reached behind him and grabbed his furry friend.
"What do you think? Do you like it?" he asked.
The rabbit contemplated for a moment before looking back at his owner and nodding.
Bell smiled.
"Looks like he likes it."
"Wonderful. Well, welcome to the family, Nix," Mania said, petting the bunny who in turn seemed very happy to receive the affection.
"Alright well, we shall talk more later, as we do have some business we need to discuss, but I'll make sure Athena gets through it quickly," the goddess continued.
Both her boys nodded and the three parted, Mania putting herself besides Athena and giving her a glare that warned her not to drag things out.
"Seeing as we can now continue," Athena growled. "As you are all aware, Rakia has gone on the offense once more, only with new strategies. They are using monster herding, assassinations, and mercenary adventurer groups to keep us spread thin. We have been winning battle after battle, but the pressure is mounting as we not only have to deal with all their attacks, but manage the many refugees the conflict is creating and set up garrisons to guard against subterfuge. Your jobs will be to hit prominent and important targets to shatter the Rakian offensive and ease the burden off us."
"I think we got it," Hestia said.
"Good. We do have other allies, including the High Elves," Athena turned her eyes to Riveria. "As well as a few allied familias, Mania being one of them. Tomorrow we shall have a full briefing and begin our counter-offensive. With that," the goddess of wisdom stood. "This meeting is concluded. You will have access to most of the palace as well as be allowed to move about the city. However you will conduct yourself in a befitting manner. Should any of you step out of line or do anything uncouth," her eyes zeroed in on Hermes, who began to chuckle and sweat nervously. "You will be punished. Severely."
With her warning hanging in the air, Athena departed, her captain and vice-captain following after her. Mania, meanwhile, rolled her eyes before running over to the group and rejoining her boys, both of whom began to beam again.
"Yeesh, she's become even more uptight than she was up in Heaven," Hestia said.
"Then we'd best be on our best behavior," Ryuu said.
Many eyes turned to Hermes.
"What?" he asked.
Everyone rolled their eyes.
"Let's go get settled in. After that we can all talk and catch up," Riveria said, smiling as she watched Mania and the two captains practical bounce in place.
"That is a wonderful idea, Riveria. You always were such a smart young lady," Mania said, getting a few laughs. "You all will be staying in the eastern wing with me. They're not as big as Athena's rooms, but I think they're far cozier."
"Lead the way, Mom," Achilles said, smiling like an idiot alongside his equally beaming son.
Mania reached out and placed a hand on both their cheeks, her tears of joy returning, though she managed to restrain them.
"I truly didn't know it was possible to be this happy," she said.
Everyone allowed them their moment together, even Dido and the Freya familia didn't dare to intervene. After a few more seconds, Mania finally pulled away and smiled at the others.
"Come on, let's get you all snuggled in."
End.
I'm so sorry this took so long to get out guys, my motivation has been utterly shot the last couple of weeks and trying to just sit down and write has been painful. However, I do hate to disappoint, and how could I keep all you lovely people waiting, especially when we finally reached 1,000 reviews! Thank you again for that and for all your support, it truly is a bright spot in my life that I cannot truly tell you all how much I appreciate. So truly, thank you.
Now it's time for you guys to tell me what you thought. Quite a lot happened in this chapter. Bell found out that Galadriel knows his mom, some elves tried to kill Welf, Riveria and Achilles got closer, a family was reunited, and perhaps most importantly of all...Bell's rabbit finally has a name! So, please share your thoughts, criticisms, ideas and so on.
Oh, and as a reminder, if any of you would be willing to bring Achilles to life, please PM me as I would love to finally have brought to life and it would also be nice to give this story a cover that wasn't just my profile picture.
Alright, with that, thank you all for reading and I'll see you all next time. Bye for now. :)