20 Blue Moon

[Twighlight Manor]

[3rd POV]

Bell sat in the seiza position while Hestia stood in front of him with a contemplative look on her face. It had been around thirty minutes since Bell and Haruhime had made it to the Manor, and Hestia had been informed of what happened by a Loki Familia runner. Loki could be seen in the background with her eyes just barely open in slits, positively leeching off of the drama.

"Al....You're going to be busy...." Hestia mumbled to herself, quiet enough that no one could hear her. "Loki?" Hestia called out to the Goddess without turning to look at her. "Oya? What is it lolibaba(Oldwoman+little girl)?" A red tick mark magically manifested on Hestia's forehead before she took a deep breath to calm down.

"What would be more legally binding? A Familia Crest or a slave contract?" Hestia questioned the Goddess of lies and trickery while looking over the blond-haired Renard, she was sitting in a prim and proper seiza with her back straight and hands clasped over her lap. She looked like the perfect example of a well mannered young lady. This ticked her off for some reason.

"Hmmm, well, seeing as Orario was founded by us Familia's before Slavery became a big thing when the Iron hills and Rakia started their slave labor and slave armies.... I would have to say that in court at least, the Familia would hold more sway. But if I'm catching on to what you plan to do, a wargame would be more likely than a court case."

Hestia let out a sigh before saying, "All we can do is hope Al will be able to take on the whole Ishitar Familia, I know he will do it, but honestly, Bell, didn't you stop to think that you wouldn't be the one to deal with the fallout from this, but me and Al? You did the right thing, but you could have waited until Al got back." Bell didn't waiver from this however and defended himself, "Yeah, and leaving a 14-year-old to be a PROSTITUTE in a BROTHEL for a month is somehow better? I would fight them all myself if I had to, I won't be able to rely on Al forever! I'll have to stand on my two feet eventually..."

Loki cocked up a brow at his outburst, she would have laughed at his words had he not been truthful. As a Goddess of Lies, deceit, and trickery, she knew for a fact he was 100% serious. It almost made her sad seeing as her Familia was one of the ones that rejected him.

"Bell.....What if you had been spotted leaving with her? They could have cut you down where you stood and I wouldn't be able to do anything legally to avenge you. They may even send people after you before Al returns. I'm not saying that you shouldn't try to help others, but if you die trying to do it right away, not only will they not be saved, but those around you will be hurt, and all the people you could have saved in the future, would never be saved. I don't want to lose any of my children....please don't make me lose you, Bell."

Bell, for all his earlier bravado, was still a child in his own right, and if there is one thing that kids are week to, it's being guilt-tripped. He put his head down, if you looked closely you could see a few tears impact the hardwood floor. "Goddess.....I'm sorry, it won't happen again..." Hestia gave a rueful smile and kneeled down while pulling him into an embrace while running her hand through his white hair.

"Sssshhh, it's alright, as long as you understand, that's all I can ask for." This went on for a few moments, even Loki had a small eye-smile at the scene, though she would never admit it. Once his emotions calmed down, they got on to the important part.

"Alright, well, all that's left is to give Haruhime a Falna and use some healing magic to get rid of that nasty branding scar....Step outside, for now, Bell." Bell gave a nod and went to stand outside while Hestia prepared to do the ritual. "Okay, can you undo your kimono for a moment so I can get to your back?" Haruhime quickly undid her sash and let the kimono drop around her waist, revealing many long healed scars, most likely from some type of whip.

"Oya? Did those fools from the Ishtar Familia do that to you?" Loki commented when she saw the many mars on her otherwise unblemished pale skin. "Hai, Kami-sama...They would beat me when I didn't satisfy the customers..." Loki snorted, "What a fuckin waste, When Riviria returns the first thing she's doing is healing those scars." "Thank you, Kami-sama!" Haruhime thanked Loki with a shallow bow. Hestia waited for her movements to stop before pricking her finger and drawing the symbol on her back. Soon, a flash of white filled the room before subsiding, and just to get it over with, Hestia transcribed her Status onto paper.

Name: Sanjouno Haruhime

LV. 1

POW: I0

END: I0

DEX: I0

AGI: I 0

MAG: G 25

Skill: [S&(HFG(A]

Magic: [&(&*((*^], [*(ASD&*(]

Development Skill:

'Huh, how does she have skills and magic at lvl. 1? And why can't I read it?' Hestia thought before erasing the jumbled letters and handing the sheet to Haruhime. "Here you are, your first status sheet. I've got to say, it's luck that Ishtar didn't put her Falna on you, otherwise, we wouldn't be able to do anything to help you."

Loki nodded as well in the background, "Indeed, do you know why, Haru-chan?" Haruhime just shook her head while she fixed her kimono, "I heard Ishtar-Sama say I wouldn't need it once the full moon was gone, but that's all I know." Hestia tilted her head but drew only blanks.

Loki leaned forward with her hand cupping her chin, deep in thought on her words, before abruptly standing. Hestia questioned her, "What, do you know what the slut meant by that?" Loki looked Hestia in the eyes and smirked, "Yep, and I'm going to take it from them, don't worry about the Ishtar Familia, they don't exist anymore." Before leaving the room, and pushing Bell back inside on her way out.

"W-What did she mean by that?" Hestia mumbled slightly off-put by Loki doing anything that would aid her. Haruhime just shook her head in confusion as well, while Bell had no idea what just happened.