Authors Note1: So this is the first chapter of Riveria´s ark, as I wrote, she will have the longest one...just because she deserves love and is one of the best girls...sorry, women.
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Every story needs a start, the question is the moment where it starts.
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Riveria looked up to the bright sky while she walked through the grasslands, wallowing in memories.
When did it start? Back then? Or further back? Back then, probably.
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Years earlier.
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It happened at this very moment...or maybe even before, she didn´t knew it herself.
Ever since Bell and Ais had become a couple, they spend more time together. Riveria was just happy that "her little girl" finally experienced love on her own. Since Bell had become really strong, he was offered a place in the next Expedition of the Loki Familia, he would fight alongside Ais in the vanguard, he couldn´t look more happy.
To prepare him for the expedition, Bell trained a lot with members of the Loki Familia, mostly together with Ais. Each member fought differently and he was often down to the ground, but a smile from Ais always brought him back to his feet.
And one day...the moment came.
They had even fought with Riveria...and that was a very unique experience. Bell and Ais were too reserved to attack her for real, Riveria had scolded them and attacked them with serious intention.
For Ais, Riveria was like a mother, and Bell had an enormous respect for her. The fight had ended in a lucky...or unlucky way, depending on the point of view.
Ais attacked Riveria from the front with a quick succession of sword thrusts, Riveria stepped backwards and deflected with her staff. Bell wanted to circle around her when it happened, Riveria tripped over a small stone in the gras and lost her balance.
"Ms. Riveria!"
"Riveria!"
Bell was faster than Ais, before Riveria could fall, he jumped behind her and catched her in his arms, in a reflex closing them around her. The time stopped for Riveria in this moment, the only man that had ever touched her body like this, was her father when she was still young.
Her heart skipped a beat when she felt herself pressed against Bell´s hard, muscular chest. Since she had tripped, Riveria did not stand upright, she glanced up to Bell and felt so weak in his arms, her hands on his chest. His rubelite eyes looked down to her, worried.
Riveria never felt like this before, she could push Bell away if she wanted, but she felt too weak right now. Since he was still sweating, Riveria´s nose catched his scent...her legs trembled a bit. Bell´s smell was that of a hard trained warrior...normally Riveria found that disgusting...but Bell´s smell...was nice. The tiniest squeak escaped her lips when she felt herself pressed against Bell.
"Ms. Riveria, are you okay?"
"Y-Yes...th-thank you...Bell.."
The moment felt like an eternity...what was this feeling inside her? Riveria was never interested in love...no man was ever appealing to her...but Bell...was different?
"Riveria, are you okay?!"
When Ais arrived next to her, Riveria suddenly got aware of the situation and straightened up, separated herself from Bell.
"*Cough* You have my thanks, Bell."
The tips of her ears felt hot when he smiled so innocently. "I´m just glad you aren´t hurt."
The whole incident only took maybe ten seconds...but it was in Riveria´s head all day.
Hah...what a day...
It had become evening and Riveria was finally able to go to bed, there was always much to do before an expedition. And what happened today didn´t made it easier for her, Riveria didn´t understood why the moment was still in her mind.
She had the back of her left hand placed on her forehead and looked out of the window.
What is with me...
It wasn´t that Bell had touched her body, but how he had touched her body. Like most other elves, Riveria didn´t liked it when someone touched her bare skin or saw it. Well Bell didn´t touched her bare skin...but he hugged her, sort of.
Getting hugged by a man was too lewd for her, but it wasn´t as disturbing as she thought it would be, maybe because it was Bell. And that her heart had skipped a beat.
I can´t believe myself...I´m over a hundred years old...and Bell is...
Well Bell was not a child by human standards, he was a young adult. It someone wouldn´t count the years directly but compare the age of the races, Riveria would probably be around thirty years old if she was a human. Well maybe more twenty-seven...
If she would count like that...she wouldn´t even be ten years older than Bell...
Why am I thinking that?!
Riveria got irritated and let her thoughts wander around...to a past memory...she didn´t knew why it came to her now.
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Two years earlier.
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Riveria had her arms slightly crossed in front of her stomach and waited. She wore a long white robe with golden ornaments around the hip, wrists and between chest and throat. The robe was a gift from her father, not that she had asked him for it.
Riveria and her father had more than just an argument when she left the city, but in the end he let her go. Only sometimes she went to the forest to pay him a visit, only every few years. But whatever their argument was in the past, Riveria´s father was the king of the elves...but even more...he was an old man who loved to dote on his daughter. Every few years he send her something, just because he wanted to. His gifts were indeed useful and Riveria kept them all, but it was sometimes embarrassing for her, she was ninty-nine years old and her father still send her gifts as if she was a child.
"She´s late..."
Riveria was not amused, she waited for someone and she didn´t liked it when people were late. She stood next to one of the fountains near the entrance of Babel, a popular meeting place for parties. She watched the other adventurers and sighed lightly, when she heard someone walking nearby.
"Oh?"
She turned her head, it was a young, male human with white hair and red eyes.
"Bell Cranel?"
He was alone today, without his small party. "Oh, Ms. Riveria! Thank you again for helping me in the middle floors!"
Bell smiled happily, he looked so honest and innocent, Riveria was one of the people who had thought at the beginning that Bell was not fitted to be an adventurer, but she was wrong about that.
Her expression brightened with a very fine smile, she liked honest people who worked hard.
"I didn´t do anything you need to thank me for. It was the result of your bravery and determination."
"Ah eh, no... I´m still unexperienced and have a long way before me."
He doesn´t let his achievements go to his head, that´s good.
"By the way, Bell Cranel."
"Y-Yes?!"
Bell looked a bit startled...which happened often to him.
To be near to Riveria and talking to her made him a bit nervous, since she was such a beautiful elf. That was why he averted his eyes, it was hard to look at her directly, he got easily flustered by someone of her beauty.
"Didn´t you learn from your family or Goddess to look others in the eyes while talking to them?"
A part of Riveria was always "The Mommy" and she couldn´t resist to lecture young people so that they would become good adults.
He looked contrite. "I-I´m sorry...! But...Well..."
"I mean...it´s...your outfit..I...don´t know...where to...look..."
Riveria´s robe only enhanced her beauty further in Bell´s eyes, and unlike to her normal robe, he could see the outline of her chest, which was too much for the innocent boy.
She looked slightly surprised. "I see. I can see why Ais and tiona have taken interest in you."
Riveria got more and more silent. "You are really not suited to be an adventurer."
"Did you say something?"
She smiled lightly again. "Never Mind. Anyway, since you´re here... How about exploring the Dungeon with me?"
Bell looked really perplexed. "Huuuuh?! G-Going with a first-rank adventurer is too much for me!"
"Is that so? But I sure believe you stand out more in Orario than I do at the moment."
"O-Oh?..."
"Don´t think about it too much. To tell the truth, I was waiting for someone, but she stood me up. So I was thinking about going alone into the dungeon to punish her a bit and make her learn a lesson about not letting people wait."
"I see..."
"Oh but I don´t plan to head to a deep floor, so you can relax."
"A-All right, if it´s okay with you..."
"Come then, let us go."
"Y-Yes!"
Bell never thought that such a moment would come, but more than surprised, he was happy. He had a big interest in elves and he couldn´t take his eyes from Riveria.
It was not the "lust" of a growing boy...Riveria´s feminine beauty was just...wonderful, she wasn´t even like a piece of art...she was somehow...like the beauty of nature.
He squeaked a bit when Riveria came a step closer, taking down her arms and made sure that Bell looked at her, he gulped.
"Wa-eh...I..."
"You need to get used to my look, if you can´t keep calm about it, you won´t be able to fight."
"I´m s-sorry...but looking straight at you...is still hard...I mean...you are so beautiful..."
"Flattering me won´t bring you anything, and I would prefer if you don´t try to flirt."
"I-I-I´m not trying to flirt with you!"
"Good, then let us go now."
Bell was still not sure how exactly this situation came to be, but he went with Riveria. Lily had a job on her own today and Welf was busy in his forge. For the first time, Bell experienced the sheer strength of a first-rank adventurer in the dungeon.
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They made good progress, Bell did his best to show Riveria what he could, he had to prove that Ais´ training helped him. Soon they made their way down to the 15th Floor, Bell was amazed how easy it went, even though Riveria only rarely interfered.
"Bell Cranel, not so fast, act more calm."
"Bell Cranel, pay more attention to your surroundings."
"Bell Cranel, you can rely more on me."
Ais´ teachings were good in general, transferring them to combat was sometimes not so easy, but Riveria´s teachings directly in the dungeon helped a lot. But Bell couldn´t help but keep an eye on Riveria, his urge to protect her was very strong.
She was like a spot of purity and light in the darkness of the dungeon, with her white dress and her magic. Riveria was so beautiful in Bell´s eyes...and she was an elf! Ever since his grandfather told him stories about them, Bell loved elves.
And her green hair made her really exotic, like a forest fairy, Bell was in heaven, in secret...Riveria was almost like an adult version of Ryu. Her simple elegance and dignity fascinated him.
While he glanced back to her, a monster started to crawl out of the ground behind her. Riveria reacted before he could even say something, she hit the spawning monster on the head with her staff, without even looking behind her.
So marvelous...
"Bell Cranel, eyes to the front!"
"Y-Yes!"
Riveria didn´t showed it on her face, but she actually had fun, she always liked to give younger people advices to help them become stronger. She observed Bell´s movements, he didn´t made much mistakes, but he seemed to glance back to her again and again.
But something in his behaviour was strange...or rather it made Riveria happy deep inside her. Bell treated her with respect and was friendly, but it didn´t looked like he did it because she was who she was. Of course Bell couldn´t know that Riveria was the princess of the elves, he seemed to do it just because she was a woman.
What a polite boy.
But in one point Riveria was very wrong. Bell fought with full commitment, his shy behaviour when he talked with her was gone, he moved like a real warrior. He faced every monster with full concentration...well except when he glanced back to her...it was as if he wanted to prove something...or living his dream.
And there was another thing that both didn´t knew. Riveria couldn´t know that Bell actually lived his dream, he protected a beautiful elven maiden in the dark dungeon from dangerous monsters...at least in his point of view. And Bell couldn´t know that he really actually lived his dream...since the elven maiden behind him was a princess.
And Bell got his first experience on fighting alongside a mage, he was really surprised. Riveria didn´t stood behind Bell and waited for him to defeat monster, only using her magic rarely...that´s what he had thought it would be like.
Riveria used her staff in an elegant manner and defeated monsters with ease, he had to remind himself that she was a level six adventurer.
But when a certain sound echoed through the hallways, Bell lost his calm temper. A minotaur charged at full speed from behind them towards her, the white robe let her stood out more than Bell.
"Ms. Riveria!"
Bell forgot the formation they used and charged head on against the minotaur, he would absolutely defend her!
"Bell C-"
Riveria stopped her words when she saw with how much vigor Bell rammed into the Minotaur. This monster was just a normal Minotaur and nothing like the black bull that he had fought alone against, and Bell was level two already.
"You will not harm her!"
Huh?
"You will not lay your hands on her beauty!"
Eh?
Bell yelled out as he fought against the Minotaur, Riveria was...surprised.
Does he wants to protect me that badly?
Bell managed to do what no man before accomplished...Riveria felt flattered. But she would still scold him afterwards for charging in without thinking...still...his movements were...perfect.
"Groooo..."
The Minotaur turned to ash and the dungeon got quiet again.
"Phew.."
Bell wiped his forehead and smiled.
"Bell Cranel."
"Yes?" His eyes shone when he turned to her.
Please don´t look at me with those innocent, pure eyes...it makes it harder to scold you...
"Your action right now was very reckless, the rear guard is my job."
"But Ms. Riveria...it was a Minotaur...you were in danger."
She saw that Bell didn´t wanted to belittle her, he just wanted to protect her.
"I have to praise your quick response to the dungeon, but next time please rely on me more, okay?"
A soft smile on her lips took the sharpness from her words away.
"Yes!"
Bell went immediately to pick up the magic stones from the ground, he refused to let Riveria help him.
"I can´t allow that your hands are getting dirty from that...also it is more efficient when you look out for monsters."
"While I agree to the last part, why are you treating me like that?"
"Because...you are a woman...you shouldn´t need to sully your hands..."
Hah...that pure, innocent look again...he is really a born charmer...
Unlike other people who wanted to take work away from Riveria, Bell didn´t did it because of her status, just because he wanted to be polite.
"You really are a unique man, Bell Cranel."
The trip into the dungeon ended around evening without anything too dangerous happening. Only when a large wave of monsters charged towards them, Riveria unleashed the full strength of her magic for once.
She wanted to give Bell the experience of a real incantation, how it was to protect a mage until the spell was ready...and what magic could do.
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"Harbringer of the end, the white snow."
Bell got goosebumps when Riveria started to chant.
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"Blow with the wind before the twilight."
He was focused on the monsters in the front, he only fired fireballs rarely, noticing light coming from behind him, from her magic circle.
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"Closing light, the freezing land. Blizzard, the three severe winters - my name is Alf!"
She had explained him before they went into the dungeon what he had to do when he heard her yell these last four words, Bell jumped away from the monsters as fast as he could and stopped behind Riveria.
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"Wynn Fimbulvetr!"
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A massive wave of ice washed forward, every single monster that charged to them were frozen solid, a few seconds later all of them exploded to dust. Ice covered the walls of the dungeon, even preventing monsters from appearing as long as it was there.
"That...was...AMAZING!"
Riveria turned her head lightly away when Bell yelled next to her ear without thinking.
"This was the first time I saw such wonderful magic! I couldn´t believe my eyes! Your beauty, your grace! Just magnigicent! Never before have I seen such a beautiful thing, how you were surrounded by your magic cirle, the flow of your robe, the expression on your face, your ears...just beautiful!"
"My...ears?..."
"Eek!" Bell clapped his hands in front of his mouth.
Riveria would much later first have the guess and then the confirmation...Bell had a thing for elves so much...it was nearly an elven fetish...but in a innocent way. She was used that people praised her...but the way Bell did it...felt different...Riveria was actually a bit flustered.
And so on this day, Bell Cranel managed to do two things to Riveria that no man ever could.
She had to admit, going into the dungeon with Bell was funny and...relaxing. Bell treated her in a simple manner, something she really enjoyed. It wouldn´t be the last time that they went into the dungeon together with just the two of them. Riveria always told herself it was just to teach Bell important things, and she did so...but deep, deep inside her heart...there may be another reason...which she didn´t noticed herself for now. Back in the Loki Mansion, Lefiya would cry a river at Riveria´s feet, apologizing for making her wait, she even cried out in horror when she heard with whom Riveria was inside the dungeon.
That damn Raaaaaabbiiiiiiit!
Her shock and antipathy for Bell would actually be funny at some point...for a special reason.
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Back to present.
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While her thoughts wandered to past memories, Riveria slowly fell asleep...but it surely wasn´t because thinking about Bell calmed her down! Absolutely not! It was late at night, but Riveria managed to get a good rest, there would be much to do at the next day.
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I should have everything I need.
Riveria checked her bag a last time before walking to the door of the Mansion. Every member of the party had a different job for the expedition and they changed the jobs every time, so that everyone would get acustomed to each one. This time it was Riveria´s job to check about various orders that the Familia had made by different Familia´s, like the Hephaistos and Dian Checht Familia´s.
She opened the door and saw a raised fist before her, someone who wanted to knock on the door this very moment...a familiar young man.
"Bell, good morning."
"Good morning, Ms. Riveria."
She had changed to use his first name only after they got to know each other better, it still took over a year. Bell for his part still called her "Ms. Riveria", which was only appropriate, Riveria was still the older one and a high ranked adventurer. Well Bell also had a rank for his own now...in fact...he had the same level as Riveria.
I still wonder how he managed to do that...
In only a bit over two years, Bell managed to level up to six, that was one of the reasons why they asked him to accompany them on the Expedition...well that and that he and Ais were deeply in love. Also...the Loki Familia owed Bell something.
"Do you go shopping?"
"Not directly, I have to check on a few orders and take the ones that are ready with me."
"Could I come with you?"
"I don't know what should speak against it, but do you have a special reason?"
"I want to get used to Expedition preparations, one job will be the first I do, so why not this one? And so I can help you to carry the orders...I...*mumble mumble mumble*"
"Bell?"
"I ahm...I...can´t let...a woman...carry all...those heavy things..."
Ehe...he really is a gentleman.
"Do you say these things to all women?"
"Only to the ones important to me!"
Her eyes widened a bit when Bell got red after his outburst and blushed, over the time that Riveria knew him, he managed to surprise her again and again.
Important...to...him?
"Hm, if you want to so badly, I won´t say no."
The bright smile on Bell´s face let her secretly chuckle, somehow he had this effect on her. While they walked to the entrance gate of the Mansion, Riveria felt eyes on her. She turned around and looked up, in a window on the second floor, she saw a shocked Lefiya and Alicia, shocked that she walked side by side with Bell.
"Get to work you two! Stop staring at other peoples back! That´s rude!"
The two young elves fled from the window in panic, Riveria was really good at scolding people who were leaving their work behind.
"I´m always impressed by you, your strength and dignity."
From every other person, Riveria would think it was just a phrase, but she had learned that Bell was always honest, something she really liked about him. And one thing she valued more than anything else about him, around Bell...she could just be herself.
One thing didn´t changed after she left her village, even in her new home, Riveria was treated like someone important and that she was a princess. Respect was one thing, but what the other elves from the Familia did was too much, Finn, Gareth and Loki treated her in a more casual way...but sometimes too casual for Riveria´s taste.
Ais was special on her own, while she treated Riveria mostly normal...Riveria was basically Ais´ Mom, not her mother...but something else...like Ais had two mothers. Up to this day, whenever Ais got sick, Riveria sat at her bed and watched over "her little girl".
When he was there, Bell watched over Ais until he had to go home.
But when Riveria was around Bell, she could just be herself...even shouting or cursing...in a dignified way of course...but it felt so liberating. The only other person she could be that open around was Aina, Eina´s mother and Riveria´s friend since childhood, her "big sister".
They left the Mansion at went on their way into the city, Bell was too happy to accompany Riveria...and that not because of the Expedition.
And Riveria was happy that Bell was at her side...in her mind she thought because that way, she could teach him more things and got help...but in her heart...unnoticed by herself...she was happy...that it was Bell who was with her.
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