Authors Note1: Sorry it took so long, the first days of my vacation I could do nothing but laze around and sleep mouch...now I´m in fresh energy again!^^

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There were good days for Bell and there were bad days for him. Thankfully, the good days outweighed the bad. One of the worst days for him for a long time, was a special one every year. The day that he had "killed" Artemis to free her from Antares. Bell had hated himself for that and was often sad...as was Hestia. They had mourned together, Hestia because her best friend seemed to be gone...but she noticed that Bell mourned for another reason...Bell had fallen in love with Artemis.
Hestia was there for Bell and he was there for her...ultimately, this was the reason Bell fell in love with Hestia as well. Each year they sat together and mourned that Artemis was gone.

Then...

Bell discovered that Artemis was still alive, inside the Hestia Knife...or Vesta how he called it now. He was incredible happy and one thing led to the other...now he and Artemis were married. But...Bell couldn´t tell Hestia about it...since he couldn´t prove it to her, she would probably feel hurt. The only other person who knew about Artemis was Anya...Bell still didn´t got why Anya could heart Artemis when she held the knife.

They had a theory. Since Vesta got stronger when Bell got stronger, maybe Artemis got stronger too in a way, since the knife was her body. There were changes, Bell´s status moved up due to his intense fights in the dungeon...and the attacks of the two black beasts on the surface.
He was now called the young hero in Orario, the gods couldn´t decide which alias they should give him, so Bell actually had two official...and a few inofficial ones...

Bell was known as "The White Flame" and "Young Argonaut"...he liked both of these alias. But also as "Solomon", "King Rabbit" or "True Rabbit King".

There was a reason to his two official alias...Bell was one of three adventurers in Orario that had reached level seven. It had happened a while after he returned with Riveria from the journey. His status went beyond one thousand again in each category...he just had to do a great deed, worthy to be noted by the gods.
Maybe it was his win against the black Snake...even when he did it together with Ryu. Or against the black Hydra...even when that was together with Ais...she had reached level seven from that. He hoped it would be that...the only other "great deed" that was close to this time...was his first night with Riveria. But surely no god would count it as a great deed that a human man was the lover of the high elven princess...right?

Whatever it was...Bell had started to feel strange, and when Hestia had updated his status...he was able to go up.

But strangely...his weird feelings didn´t stopped at that point...he felt really weird. Especially when he used Vesta.

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Orion...it feels so hot in here...

Bell was sweating...he didn´t knew why. It was night outside and he had opened his window, it was quite cool in his room but he also had to take off his shirt...he still felt hot. And Artemis...seemed to be the same inside the Knife.

Artemis...are you alright?

Kuah...it is so hot in here, Orion! Are you doing something with the Knife? Like holding it over a flame?! I sweat like crazy...

Why would I do that?

Your´re right...my children are sweating too. And you better don´t imagine a sweaty me...

I would never do that...probably.

Orion...

Sometimes changes happened in the world inside the Knife, the stronger Artemis got through the knife, the more places she was able to form. When his status went past five-houndred, Artemis was able to form another sub-realm, it was a greek styled village with various houses, surprisingly her temple was also there too, sitting on a hill.
Maybe it was more correct to say, that she "unlocked" more and more of her world, since the big forest was behind the village in a distance. Her children were all too happy about the village, each of them had their own house and they just lived normal village life. Went fishing, gathered firewood, cooked food, hunted in the forest, tilled the fields... and so on. Their forms looked more and more like actual bodies of mortals. Of course they were just souls and this basically their heaven...but for them it was heaven to live like this, together with their goddess.

Bell got an idea and dripped some cool water on the blade of his knife.

Hiiii! Orion, what are you doing?!

I thought that would cool you down.

You startled me...but yes it is a bit cooler now.

So Bell continued to drip water on the blade, soon it was wet.

Hah...Orion...

Artemis?

It starts to rain in here...

Huh?! I thought that isn´t possible...

Apparently it is...my children are dancing in the rain...they are happy that the heat goes d-...Hey! Keep your clothes on! I´m talking to Orion right now!...No Rethusa! I am aware it is hot and the rain feels nice...and we are only women here, but Orion is listening to me! Yes he heard that you got naked! Oh now you are embarrassed?

Bell just had to chuckle for a moment.

Hah...my girls are so lively latel-ACHOO!.

Before Bell could answer Artemis, the Knife flashed in bright blue in the moment that she sneezed...it flashed so bright that Bell got blinded.

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"Eh?"

"Mmh...my eyes.."

Bell blinked a few times, dots danced before his eyes. He thought...he saw a figure before him.

"Eh...O-Orion?!"

He blinked again...he heard Artemis´ voice...but not in his mind.

"Arte...mis?"

There she was...his beloved...his wife. Artemis stood in front of Bell, wearing a white robe that was drenched from rain and clung to her body, as did her beautiful, blue hair. A sight that many men would kill for...but he was the only one that would ever see her like this.

"Artemis?! Why are you outside?!"

"That is my question, Ori-Kchuu!"

Never before had Bell heard such a cute sneeze...even when it was pretty loud.

"Artemis, you are wet from head to toe...here take this."

He reached her a towel.

"Thank you, Orion...wait...this smell...this is your towel...right?"

"Is there a problem with it? And you know my smell?"

Artemis smiled and her cheeks got slightly pink...even visible in the darkness.

"No problem...and...I like your smell...Orion..."

While Artemis dried her hair and her arms, Bell couldn´t resist to come a bit closer. She was so busy drying herself that she didn't notice him until he was right in front of her.

"Eh, Orio-Mmmnh!"

She sighed happily...it had been four months since she was able to come out of the knife the last time...and kissing out here felt somehow way better than inside her own world.

"Mouh Orion...so suddenly...now your shirt is wet too..."

"I don´t mind it...are you mad?"

"Of course not."

This time she leaned forward to kiss him. After separating from the kiss, Bell went to a special drawer of his closet, there were a few outfits in there...all belonged to Artemis. She could only rarely come out of the knife, but everytime she did it, Bell and her had a night date, dancing in the moonlight and other things. What he pulled out was the outfit he had seen her wearing first, the white and blue tinic, long leather boots and the white cape she wore halfway around her hip. The outfit was custom made on Bell´s order in a shop, for that he had to measure Artemis´ body...which was a bit embarassing at first. But she had told him it was okay...despite her red cheeks...since he was the only man allowed to look at her body.
And since she was a goddess, there were no flaws on her body, except for the small scar on her chest, right above her heart. But for Artemis, the scar was actually a sign of Bell´s love for her, if he hadn´t done it, Antares would have devoured her and her children.

Of course Bell waited with his back turned to her, he was a gentleman after all.

"Orion, I´m finished."

When he turned around, Bell just had to smile. Artemis wore her hair open for now.

"You are so gorgeous...I can't decide if you're prettier with your normal hairstyle or with your hair down."

"Ehe, always the charmer, Orion."

"Hah..."

"Orion?"

"I´m still confused why you are outside suddenly."

"Me too, trust me."

"But I guess...we shouldn´t waste this chance."

"Hm?"

Bell smiled and raised his hand to her, it wasn´t full moon but it there was still moonlight in his room.

"May I ask for this dance, Mylady?"

"Gladly, my love."

The evening was a surprise to sure, but a welcome one.

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"Nnnh...morning...already?"

Nothing felt better for Bell than to wake up next to a woman he loved, to feel her warm body next...to...him...

Wait! Why is-

He opened his eyes as he suddenly noticed something, there was someone sleeping next to him where no one should be! Bell blinked away his sleepiness...and noticed blue hair...Artemis was sleeping next to him.
His sudden movements in the bed caused her to wake up from that.

"Ori-*Yawn*-on...don´t move so much...*Mumble Mumble*"

She turned her bare back to him and tried to go back to sleep.

"Artemis..."

"Orion...let me sleep...Mnnnh!"

Her body twitched in surprise when he touched her bare back.

"Mh! Don´t startle me like this..."

"You are really here."

"Of course I a-...Wait..."

Now she got awake too and sat up, the blanket slipped down from her bare upper body, revealing her wonderful body to Bell´s view in the early morning.

"Orion...why am I here?"

"That is my question..."

Artemis looked down on her body, touched herself in disbelief, then she looked to Bell and touched him too.

"I should be back to my world by now."

"Exactly."

She looked around to their clothes that were scattered over the floor, Bell gently pulled up her blanket again, since both were naked.

"That is strange..."

"Mhm."

To confirm for herself that she was there, Artemis leaned to Bell and kissed him after closing her eyes.

"Hm...the kiss is real..so I am really here."

"True..."

She leaned to the side and took the Hestia Knife from the table next to the bed.

Girls?

Lady Artemis, you should have said something that you would stay over at Sir Orion´s place...we were worried when you suddenly left.

So everyone is okay?

Yes, we enjoyed the new hot springs yesterday!

Hot...springs?

Yes, after you left, a foggy area with big baths appeared close to the village...a wonderful addition.

Hah...

Don´t be worried about us, spend as much time with Sir Orion as you want!

Thank you, Rethusa...until then.

Say Sir Orion thank you for the hot springs and the rain!

Artemis put the Knife back on the table again.

"My girls are okay...it looks like...I will stay here for the moment."

"And...now?"

"I think we should go and shower first...then there is someone I would like to talk to."

"Then I will get you a towel and..."

"Won´t you join me, Orion?" Artemis smiled innocent.

"Eh...I mean..."

"Mouh Orion...you are getting flustered about showering with me after the last night?"

"I...I was just so happy to see you..."

"Ehe, and you showed that to me."

"Well..."

"Ehehe, I´m your wife...there is no problem here."

"If you say so, then I will join you gladly."

Even when she said this, Artemis got a bit red when she saw slight trails of her finger nails on Bell´s back...

"Also...I like it when you scrub my back for me."

It was their first time being able to shower together in the morning...a truly nice experience. .

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Breakfast was already over and most people of the Familia went to their work, but not Hestia, today was her day off. She always took a day off on this special day...it was the anniversary...of them defeating Antares...the anniversary of losing her dear friend.
She sat in her personal room and looked out of the window, not thinking about anything in particular. Unlike the other gods...those who had been on Earth much longer than she...Hestia had not yet learned to deal with the pain of loss. Of course, it pained every god when a friendly god had to go back to heaven...but those like Zeus who had been on earth for hundreds of years had learned to deal with loss over time. So, as usual, she was saddened when this day came.

Artemis...I wish I could talk to you again...

There was a soft knock from the door.

"Hestia?"

"Bell, come in..."

The door got opened but Hestia still looked out of the window, for a moment she thought that two people came inside.

"Hestia, do you have a bit of time?"

"Bell...you know that today isn´t a good day...as it is every year..."

"But, there i-..."

"Bell...please not today...just let me be."

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"Hestia."

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"Eh?..."

Another voice had sspoken her name. Blinking in disbelief, Hestia slowly turned away from the window...there were indeed two people standing in her room. Bell had stepped to the side, the first thing that Hestia saw was...blue hair.

"Arte...mis...?"

Artemis smiled lovely. "Hello Hestia..it was a long time."

Hestia said nothing, just stared at her.

"Hestia?"

"Artemis...are you...really here?"

"Of course I am."

No words again.

Hestia sat up a bit more and her eyes widened, her mouth a was bit opened.

"Mmmh.."

She closed her mouth, the edges of her lips pointed downward...and the first tears appeared at the bottom of her eyes. More tears followed, not flowing down for now, but her eyes were shining from wetness. She pursed her lips more and they saw ther her lower lip started to tremble.
The trembling intensified, more and more tears filled her eyes, the noises she made were half squealing, half squeaking...her shoulders soon followed with the trembling. Eventually she shook her head from one side to the other as if she wanted to deny something.

"Mmmmh!"

Now her tears started to run down her cheeks, like an endless flood. The trembling of her lips and the contortion of her face got so strong that she couldn´t hold her lips closed...they saw that she had clenched her teeth.
Her shoulders trembled more and more, with convulsive movements she slowly bowed her head, even if she kept lifting it briefly. With a loud sniffle, she jerked her head up, lips pressed together again but mouth twisted. Real torrents of tears welled up from her eyes. Her lips parted again, teeth clenched and Hestia whimpered louder and louder. She sniffed when the dam finally broke.

"Artemiiiiiish!"

The small goddess catapulted herself over her table, jumping into the arms of her best friend.

"Hestia *Hic*, it´s okay! I´m here!"

Artemis caught Hestia in her arms and went down to her knees while Hestia nearly fell to the ground. Bell didn´t moved, Artemis had asked him beforehand to leave it to her. Hestia cried openly and repeated the name again and again.

"Artemis!...*Hic* Artemis! Wuääääh!"

The small goddess burried her face at Artemis´ chest, who cried with her friend, happy to be reunited again. She didn´t minded the tears and the snot at her tunic. Bell was glad that Hestia cried just from disbelief and happiness...it hurt him to see her cry.
Hestia and Artemis cried ten minutes together before the small goddess was able to calm down again, her eyes were red from crying, Artemis´ tunic was drenched.

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After Hestia washed her face, Artemis and Bell started to explain to her why she could be here in the first place, that she lived with her children inside the knife.

"But Artemis..Bell...what I don´t understand, why didn´t you told me earlier?"

"I´m sorry Hestia, but I asked Orion to not say anything. I was only able to come out of the knife for a few hours once a year, I thought it might be cruel to show myself to you only so rarely. And with one exception that we discovered recently, no one except for Orion could hear me inside the Knife.
If he just told you without proof that I live here...well Orion doesn´t lie...but..."

Hestia sighed. "I probably wouldn´t have believed him."

Bell still looked down. "I´m sorry, Hestia. For hiding it from you."

"No...it´s okay, I understand your reason. So tell me, what changed? You said you only could come out for a few hours."

"Yes, but yesterday night, I suddenly came out without intending to do it and as you see I am still here."

"So..that means...you stayed in Bell´s room all night."

"Yes."

"Hah..."

"Hestia?"

"I wanted to ask that for a while now, Artemis. What...is that ring on your finger there?"

Artemis raised her hand and looked at the ring there with a loving smile.

"Oh..this ring...Ehehe..."

Hestia´s jaw dropped and her eyes went wide when she noticed the smile that Artemis showed to Bell...a smile that he returned.

"Wait...wait, wait, wait! You said the time flows differently in your world...how long was it for you now?"

"Since I met Orion for the first time again...three years."

Artemis´ expression spoke of...pure love.

"Beeeeeell...did you charm my pure, adorable Artemiiiiiiis?!"

"Charm? Ehehe, no Orion didn´t charmed me...I simply love him. And the ring...well...we are...Ehehehe."

Hestia had never before seen Artemis giggle so much.

"Hah...it´s...too much to take in...right now..."

Bell looked worried. "Hestia?"

"Give me a moment...Artemis is still alive...living in my cute Bell´s knife...and you two are...married...haaaah..." She sighed again.

"I´m sorry we couldn´t invite you, Hestia. But I wanted my children to be present and only Orion can enter the knife when he is asleep."

"No, it´s okay...but this is big news!"

Hestia got as energetic as usual again.

"Hestia?" Artemis looked confused.

"Bell! Do you know what that means? Artemis, do you understand the consequences of this?!"

Now both looked confused at Hestia.

"Bell! You are married to two of the three heavenly virgins! This...this is something big!"

"Ahm...o...kay?"

"Don´t you understand?! We rejected all men in heaven and on earth so far, Artemis couldn´t even think about love before meeting you! And now look at her, she is totally a maiden in love now!"

It sure was big news, but Bell and Artemis didn´t cared very much about it.

"It could probably destroy the natural order, can you imagine how shocked the others up in heaven would be if these news would go around?!"

"I don´t think it is their business, Hestia."

"Artemis...my sweet, pure, adorable, innocent Artemis...you know that mortals change depending on their deeds and other things?"

"Yes?"

"And you know about Bell´s skill "Blood of Zeus"?"

"I do."

"So can you imagine what could happen to that skill now that Bell is together with two holy virgins?!"

"Oh...Oooooh!"

Bell was more than confused. "I don´t get it..."

"Bell, you have seen how men and women react to Freya, correct?"

"Yes."

"And now imagine how mortal women and goddesses react to you like this...you could become like...catnip!"

"Ack!"

"No way!"

"Now you understand...well I don´t think it will become like this since you are still a true virgin, Artemis."

Hestia´s expression slipped when she noticed how deep red Artemis got. "Well...ahm..."

"No...no way..."

"I-I-I can´t help it! W-We are married!"

"Hah..."

Hestia suddenly looked determined.

"Bell! Artemis!"

""Y-Yes?!""

"We absolutely can never let you meet Athena!"

"Huh?!"

Artemis nodded. "I agree."

"She would probably fall immediately for you! You have seen how Artemis can fight...but do you know what a crazy battle maniac Athena is?! Once she would meet you, you would probably awaken her worldly desires too! She would never let you out of the bedroom again!"

Maybe...the whole situation was a bit too much for Hestia...so she was spouting nonsense...

It still would probably be better for Bell to never meet Athena. Because it would be really, really hard for Artemis and Hestia to explain to her that both were now married...and to the same guy.

Bell understood that gods didn´t had it easy either.

And while they were talking, Artemis suddenly went stiff as she heard a voice inside her head.

Lady Artemis, can you hear me?

Rethusa?

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"A clock inside your temple?"

"Yes, Lante told Rethusa that she noticed a clock when she went into the temple shortly. It showed numbers that were moving backwards, they should reach zero in about six days."

"Do you think that is your time here?"

"Probably...six days..hm."

"So like a small vacation then."

Artemis and Bell could read the question in Hestia´s overjoyed, bright expression...she wanted to spend time with her dear friend.

"Then let us use these six days."

Hestia´s child-like smile was so pure and innocent.

Bell left these two alone until afternoon, they had so much to talk about and as he promised to Hestia before he left, Bell called all the residents of the Mansion together. The explanation took a while and they all promised to keep Artemis´ presence a secret.

While she greeted everyone friendly, Artemis´ eyes were mostly on two particular people...very, very small people.

"Auuu.."

"Haaaaah...she is so cute...I could melt on the spot..."

Artemis reacted to Ardi in the same way as everyone else did...maybe a bit stronger since she was also a goddess that protected mothers and children. Ryu even allowed the goddess to carefully hold her baby, only a few people were allowed to do that.
Ardi was only a few weeks old now, Bell was so proud of his daughter...his first born.

"Ehe...she looks much like you, Ms. Ryu."

"Just Ryu is okay, goddess Artemis."

"Okay then."

Instead of moving Ardi back to Ryu, Artemis carefully leaned forward and let Bell hold her. Her smile widened when she saw how Ardi smiled as she noticed that her father held her.

The other person that Artemis was interested in was Naza´s child, her son was three months older than Ardi. His haircolor was a bit brighter than Naza´s, like his mother he had a tail and small dog-like ears.

He looks a bit like Bell.

She knew the story about Naza´s son, what Bell had done in his endless kindness. And since Bell was a human, that was the reason why Naza´s child was a chienthrope, whenever a human had a child with a demi-human, the genes of the demi-human side were stronger. Which meant...if Bell would have children with all of his mortal partners, the half siblings would be of various races.

"Hehe...I wonder how many children will run around here one day."

Astrea, who stood next to Artemis, smiled too. "I hope there will be many."

The two were also friends from back in heaven, Artemis´ upright nature and Astrea´s strong sense of justice made them sometimes a bit alike. Also, the pain of losing their Familias was something that connected the two goddesses. On this evening...the goddess of justice started to feel strange things in her heart when she looked at Bell.
Or was it more correct to say that Astrea allowed these feelings to finally come out of her heart? After witnessing that Bell was in love with Artemis...maybe she could allow herself to...love?

It became a wonderful evening, a wonderful week. Artemis got to know everyone that lived in the giant Mansion, talked a lot with her fellow gods, played games with Hestia like back in heaven and even enjoyed to walk through Orario again, but she did that with a cloak and covered her hair.

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Eventually the night came when Artemis had to return to her world, like in the first night when she came out, Bell held her in his arms .

"I hope you can return soon."

"Me too..."

"But I also want to see my children again."

"I will visit you soon."

"I will wait for you...Orion."

Both kissed and cuddled until they fell asleep.

Bell woke up alone in the morning, Artemis was back to her world.

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He would later learn that the clock inside her temple started again at four weeks. Which meant, after passing four weeks, Artemis could come out of the knife for one week. Her children were happy with that, they had much time with their beloved goddess but were also happy that she could spend time with her Orion.

Over time, the stronger Bell got, the longer Artemis could come out of the knife.

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Two days after Artemis was back in her world, together with her children, Bell decided to go alone into the dungeon. He did that sometimes to test himself and to fight to his full potential, an advice that he and Ais got from Ottar. After reaching level seven, they had become Ottar´s "fighting buddies"...which meant they trained a few times with each other.

But this solo dungeon dive would become different for Bell. He had a big backpack with him, filled with all kinds of snacks and sweets...meant of a certain group of "people".

Without knowing it, he was about to save a maiden in distress...a maiden with a beautiful singing voice...and two gorgeous wings...

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Authors Note2: I was asked to do a bit about a certain Xenos woman who fell for Bell, so now comes her small ark.