This work is purely fan fiction and not oficial in any way.
Inside an empty restaurant two figures were sat on a table, One cloaked in a black hood and the other with it's vermilion hair in a ponytail. The red haired woman dismissed the anxious waitress that took then to their seats, and afterwards finally spoke.
"So, you sure that now is the best time? cuz i ain't kidding when i say that one small slip up and we and our familias are reduced to nothing." The godess Loki spoke.
"Oh dear, you have not heard the news, i don't think that many of their members survived... nor will be in any fighting condition, the only question now is which familia's assets do we ourselves shall take."
"Well then i sure as hell ain't messing with Zeus stuff, who knows what kind of perverted shit he keeps in his home."
"Already deciding who you are picking... well i gues i can content myself to getting everything that bastard owns... now all you need to do then is kick Hera out and we will be set."
"Suppose that's ok, then we should go our separate ways. we need to prepare for the big event, don't ya think?"
"Yes, that would be most pleasing..." Freya said.
That was the morning of an important day in Orario's history, the day where Zeus and Hera were banished from the city they so diligently protected and so dearly loved. Instead of morning the loss of their protectors the city was quick to expell their last guardians and spitt at the graves of thsoe who fallen Zeus and Hera couldn't even say goodbye or prepare for their mandatory journey out of Orario leaving lots of properties to be seized by the city's new top dogs.
"Finn! where did you say you want me to go?" A green haired high elf spoke, clearly annoyed at the prum's orders.
"It's simple yer pointy eared leaf-lover. He want yer to check on these three adresses yer trees for brains!" Gareth the dwarf responded.
"They are on opposite sides of the city, it will take the entire day just to see three places, you rock head!"
"Hey you guys, enough complaining, i'm afraid we haven't got any closer properties, besides it's just an old house and two warehouses." The prum answered.
"Alright then, i will get going." Riveria said before opening the door to get out of the captain's quarters.
.
.
.
By now only one last property remain, it's quite near the education district. Well i'll just pay a horse cab and get it over with.
The high elf raised her hand and soon a carriage passing by opened it's doors, the driver, a male elf was quick to greet her.
"Good afternoon lady Riveria, Do you need a ride somewhere, free of charge of course."
"That is no problem, i will be more than happy to pay, could you take me to this last adress here?" She said while handing him a small note where the adress was located.
"Very well." The man began to change the cab's course and began to make it's way towards a very peculiar house, It was marked as "M's house" in Hera's notes, but few people were seen going there, beside Hera herself only one her followers would consistently go there... The maiden of silence, or Alfia as that was her true name.
When they arrived at the location, Riveria could see the small humble house on the street, she thanked the driver and asked him to wait there as she should be back soon after inspecting the place. She turned the door handle and saw what she assumed was the living room, overall a very dusty enviroment and could use some remodeling before her familia sells the house, but over all not much to be seen, the kitchen was only separated from the living room by a counter and it was kept much cleaner than the rest of the house.
"Now all that is left is checking the bathroom and the two bedrooms at the corridor and-" But she did not finished her own thoughts.
*Cough* She heard the noise coming from one bedroom, The mage quickly entered it and revealled a terrible picture, on single bed was a pale and frail white haired woman, holding a small bundle wrapped in cloth.
"Excuse me, are you alright? this property was transfered to Loki familia as per the agreement that was set with Hera, you need to leave."
But the woman did not answer, nor move, or opened her eyes. Riveria touched her shoulder and felt the cold in her skin, her frail features still did not move an inch, she checked her pulse and instanly came to regret it, there on the bed lay not a living human, but the corpse of a very sick individual, she could deduct that much from the medicine bottles and her thin frame, looking almost like a skeleton.
She moved her hand closer to what she held in her cold hands and froze once she realised what or rather who she held.
A baby, who had pure white hair and could barely breathe, Fearing the worst Riveria instanly took the child and ran to the cab, quickly climbing inside and shouting to tbe driver.
"Quickly, i need to go to Dian cecht familia."
The man didn't hesitate and quickly began urge his horses to go faster, but curiosity did build up once he noticed the child in her arms.
"By the way, who is the child?"
"I don't know it's name, it was only left in the house, and might be in danger."
The baby's coughs could be faintly heard, even when the sound of the carriage's horses and wheels sounded in the air. This only made her worry more. Once they could see the hospital, Riveria gave the elven driver one last order, to carry a small emblem to the familia's home and ask the other executives and Loki herself to come there urgently.
Once there she quickly made the emergency known as the baby could be seen spitting a small quantity of blood and coughing violently, and just as fast as they came to take the child to the operating room, There they worked to help the poor boy as it was discovered to breathe.
After about twenty minutes Finn, Loki and Gareth had arrived and began questioning Riveria on what happened. Once their initial panic had stopped they listened to her story and the encounter with the dying boy.
"So that's what took you so long... does the child have any living parents?" The prum asked.
"Not that i could leanr about on such short notice... But the possibility that the kid is an orphan is quite clear, all the other Hera or Zeus familia members are gone..." Riveria responded with a remorseful smile.
"Gareth, you should notify the guild, meanwhile you Finn should see the register we seized and look up any possible family the child might have, if not i suppose we will have to take care of it for the time being." Loki ordered and her executives quickly followed.
"So... Loki... do you think we will have to take care of the child?" Riveria asked.
"Not only that, i hope not, but most probably we will and not only temporarely."
"What?" The green haired elf was surprised, her Goddess was never one to take responsibility for her actions much less when it involves other people or Gods.
"The child as you said might have some sort of disease that killed a member of one of the world most powerfull familias, we need assume that, in order to even have a chance to fight that same disease, the child will need a falna at least." Loki said in a serious and respectful tone.
"That is new..." Riveria couldn't help but point out how ridiculous it wa that Loki of all Gods was being serious about something for once.
"Ha, say that again..."
"Anyways, look there, it's no time for jokes, the healers are leaving the room."
As soon as she said that, the two healers that took care of the child.
"Lady Loki, Riveria, we wish to speak with you." The senior healer asked, his uniform had a considerable amount of blood, but he seemed at least satisfied with the outcome.
"The child is going to be ok, but we still haven't pinned down what is affecting him, furthermore all our efforts to treat him using magic not only were useless, any spells tried or potions actively harmed the boy, we have some records of similar cases but only cursed individuals..." The man trailed off when explaining the proper medical terms to the different possible types curses tha could be affecting him.
"Anyways, considering we have yet to receive any proper identification or documentation i will have to ask, where did you get that child?"
"We found it in one of the Hera familia's homes, his mother is deceased and we sent one of our own to search the archives."
"Well, i could call a colleague that worked with them, she might be able to tell you if she heard anything about it."
"Well then can yer call her real quick, Finn is gonna take a while to get back here!" An annoyed Loki shouted.
The Healer left the waiting room and made it's way to break room since his coworker was most likely there. After a good few minutes the man came back with another healer, A Cat woman who had short orange hair and a pristine white uniform, her green eyes stared at the duo.
"Hello, i've heard you wanted to talke to me nyah?"
"Yes, pardon the intrusion but your colleague told us you worked with Hera before..."
"Before what?" The catwoman's eyes betrayed no agression as it showed her disapproval of Loki familia and it's actions against her previous patients.
"It doesn't matter ya'll, just get this done with Riveria." Loki spoke up.
"Well, we found a baby resting on the lap of it's dead mother, white hair and was very frail, with blue eyes."
The catwoman's eyes jumped, there was only one person on the familia that fit that description and also happened to be expecting...
"Meteria... her name is Meteria, but you might know her sister..."
"Who is that?"
"The incarnation of talent..."
Riveria's brain connected the dots between the new information and her experiences with the Hera familia, and she did not like the revelation.
Why it had to be her... Riveria already had some problems with her in the past but that could be put aside for the moment.
"But atleast i can say the name of the child, she wanted to name him Bell."
The child was still on the hospital when Riveria went home to send a letter to a friend, if she was lucky it would reach her friend Aina before the end of tomorrow. She was trained and already had a daughter, she might know something about it, besides even their conditions were sort of similar, although she better not have any ideas i was just want to help... she could only dread her "sister's" future teasing.
After finishing and sending another elven familia member to deliver the letter, she wondered if she even had any right to face that poor kid, sure his mother would have been dead soon enough but maybe her falna could have helped... more importantly, he would have been left with his real family instead of the ones who took their place.
Either way, Dian cecht's healers put the baby on observation and there would be at least a while untill they are done with any checks and tests.
Riveria was still unsure about the whole thing, so she figured that if there ever was a time for her deity to act like one it was now. She wandered through the halls of their home but could not find her, she would eventually meet the godess on the rooftop of her familia's home, the smell of alchool on the cold air of the night, and the city lights shining down on the starry sky.
"*hic* heeyyy... Riv... what you doing... *hic*"
"You damn! you were drinking this whole time you!" The absolutely livid elf screamed.
"Sheeesh..."
"Don't give me that bullshit, even Gareth knows when is not the time to drink! You just order us to overthrow the protectors of this city for centuries on a whim and go hide when it's done!"
"No..." the drunk Loki said while keeping her head low.
"It's just... that kid... i did lotts of shit in tenkai... but damnit, i never felt this bad."
"Ha... just what we need now..."
"I know, i am sorry, look i'm not a good deity... or a sober one... Riveria could ya atleast do me a favor... don't tell Finn or Gareth..."
"That's unbelievable... you... of all the times... you know what, forget it." The angry elf said before going down the hatch and back to her room, she quickly changed her clothes and went to bed, she did not want to deal with her godess any more than necessary. Oh Aina, please answer quickly...
The high elf's sleep was interrupted by the rays of light shining down on her face through her curtains, the birds sang through the morning and she dreaded the moment she had to leave her bed for the first time in decades, mainly because of the problems that the white haired orphan was bound to give her, she felt so sire about taking care of the child, even if just for some selfish reason of redeeming her pride...
After her morning routine she made her way to the lower floor of her familia's home, the small corridor she entered was quickly occupied by Gareth, who quickly spoke up.
"Riveria, the healers sent a list of things they found wrong with the kid, and another even longer bill."
"So, they found out about his sickness?"
"Yeah and no..."
"Pardon?"
"They had some info, though they can say that kid ain't gonna see a cure for the rest of his life."
Riveria felt even worse, maybe her pride was still wounded or she just felt more remorse, she was already skepitical of her familia's morals when Loki ordered the takeover but now...
"Either way you leaf head, let's go have something to eat!" The dwarf spoke.
"Go on you fat mineral lover." The high elf replied in the same friendly mocking tone.
Breakfast was quieter than usual, most of the familia was still half-asleep since it was morning but the realisation of what they had just done still lingered on their mind, and there is nothing the executives could do but keep the facade.
"Riveria, will you go to see the child today?" The small captain asked.
"Yes, why?"
"If you could see them about our request for healing items, we still have an upcoming expedition even with all this logistic nightmare."
"Of course..."
"Thank you Riveria."
Later just before her departure Alicia, the elf who she entrusted the letter to returned. Alot earlier than expected but not an unpleasant surprise.
"Alicia? has she responded?"
"Oh yes lady Riveria, alltgough she was quite excited, i refused to hear her comments though it seemed to be quite a private matter."
"Not entirely however, i'm sorry to send you in such a last minute task, but you will know soon enough so if you do wish to hear it..."
"Only if you wish lady Riveria."
"Well, the familia will be taking care of an orphan from Hera familia, he still a baby and is very ill actually, so i asked my friend for some advice."
"What! why would you do that lady Riveria?"
"Well a child shouldn't suffer from our choices."
"Besides, the elven pr-"
"Alicia, please i know you are new to the familia but do not call me that ever again."
"But still-"
"Alicia, go rest or do anything else, this chat is over."
"V-very well lady Riveria."
After the headache with the new member who was brought into the familia very recently and at a much younger age than others thanks to Loki's idea.
She started reading the letter on her way to the hospital and instantly realised why Aina had taken so little time to respond to her advice... The damn woman had already written letters in case this would ever happen: 'If you are reading this dear sister i'm so excited to hear about you finally deciding to have a family, Hopefully i have already met the lucky guy but if it comes to the worst i can atleast say i am happy for you. But let's not dwell on details any further here is a list of what you are going to need...' The first paragraph was followed by an extensive list of what she would need for the child, she could do without the endless teasing on her friend's part but that was something she had come to expect after a lifetime of being friends with her.
She was about halfway to her destination when she noticed another smaller piece of paper inside the envelope, in it there was another text from her dear friend. 'Riveria, i know you are probably not going to like hearing about this letter's original purpose, if the child is truly sick then do not be afraid of showing him the world, even if his health gets worse do not lock him up in a tower, it might seen weird but you will understand someday.'
The high elf did not understand what she meant, she could figure out the reason she wrote the letter in advance, and that did not make her happy, but she still seemed a bit too misterious for the high level adventurer to comprehend.
She had finally reached her destination, but her head was still occupied with the cryptic letter...
"Hello?... excuse me, Lady Riveria?" The front desk clerk finally got her attention after a while of trying.
"Oh, i'm sorry i must have been distracted."
"Not a problem, i assume you are here for the child?"
"Yes, mainly that."
"Oh is there anything else you wish for?"
"Yes, just a report on the potions we ordered."
"Okay then, i can fetch the paperwork in the office, all i need is your signature and i can also bring the examination's results."
"Very well then."
"Ok just wait here a moment."
The employee left, leaving the high elf there to wonder could be affecting the child. She heard and even briefly met his aunt at least according to the registers of the Hera familia.
Such a hassle, and know Aina is not going to let this slide... She was left to think, doubt about her decision and to realise that maybe she should just bring the kid to an orphanage...
"Oh there you are Lady Riveria, i've been looking for you." A new voice greeted the pensative high elf.
"L-lord Hermes!"
In front of her was a blonde man wearing traveller's clothes, a feathered hat and a smug smile that showed his divine presence.
"What? caught you by surprise? then let's go straight to the point..."
"That being..." The high elf asked, raising an eyebrow.
"The reason you are here." The god said.
"What reason?"
"Don't play dumb... the boy, what is it that loki wishes to do with him?"
Knowing that hiding the truth would be worthless, he probably already knew about the boy considering his familia was close to Hera and Zeus.
"She has nothing to do with him, i am helping him on my own. If you that's what you are asking." Her serious tone of voice made the answer abundantly clear, not that the god had any problem discerning truth from dare.
"That is good to hear. My good friends have asked me to look after the child or atleast to make sure it was safe..."
"I trust nothing shall happen to him, is that understood?"
"You have my word."
"Great, now if you excuse me i have more pressing matters to attend to, i will remember this promise High elf, make sure to know that!"
The god left as quickly as he entered the reception room, leaving Riveria once again to wonder why couldn't Zeus or Hera take the boy... Oh yeah... They had a pretty good reason, one that she was personally involved and it displeased her tremendously to look back and realise that she had just followed the whims of a careless goddess.
"Here Lady Riveria, your paperwork is done and the exam results are also here as well."
"Thank you where do i sign?"
"Here in the first and third page."
Thank you, any knews on the child?"
"Yes actually, it's nothing bad, just that we identified the disease, the same as his late family members."
"Oh... so it's the worst case scenario?" She had heard of the disease that plagued one of Hera familia's strongest members.
"Indeed..."
Whatever Riveria could think of now involved the many hardships she herself caused and would have to endure for the boy to have at least a somewhat normal life, despite that her determination to right her wrongs was as strong as ever, even if it was a "matter of pride" as she told herself.
"Is he still on observation... i'd wish to see him if possible."
"Of course, things are a little slow today, i see no problem, come with me."
Riveria followed the employee untill the section of the hospital where the child laid soundly asleep. His peacefull if uneasy face did it's best to calm the high elf's worries, even if he is not anywhere near old enough to understand them. What did not help to soothher fears were the darker spots around the sleeping child's eyes and his distinctive sickly thin frame.
"It's sad to see isn't it? we have had many young children with incurable or harsh diseases which ravaged their bodies and took away their childhood or life... unlike injuries and lesser illnesses it never gets less worse to see..." The veteran healer said.
"I can only imagine..." The high elf responded, her breath almost caught in her throat when the child's brief moment of respite from the pain was almost interrupted by a few stray coughs that came from his little mouth.
She walked untill she closed the distance between the child and herself, curved herself a little and slightely brushed a small amount of hair from the child's face, the barely noticeable giggle that was picked up by her level 6 ears serving to soften her expression into a diminute smile.
The healer had to phsically look away from the scene in order to stop the thought of the "Mama elf" that Loki had mentioned when the Goddess was keeping Riveria company. Only when the high elf turned around did the healer switch back to his professional facade.
The stiffled laugh still hanging forever stuck to the unamed healer's throat...
Meanwhile the elf's mood is sad and somber, depressed to think of the possible what ifs where her familia did not forcibly disband Hera's... Maybe that child would still have a real family... These thoughts plagued her mind like no others had, but still the peacefully sleeping baby next to her seemed to stop them in some way... perhaps maternal instinct...
.
.
.
That is it, the first chapter of my new fic. it was alot harder to write it because of Riveria, she is a very complicated character that i am already planning on how to develop, mainly because of her complexity. Hope you enjoy and if you liked my writing style why not try my other Bloodborne crossover? Anyway i'm out.
