Mean Mothers

"When I looked into my mother's eyes, I saw a paradise for the just and glorious. It is for that world I fight."~ Kayle, The Righteous

I couldn't write yesterday because the website did not even open. I think I better start thinking of other places to upload before losing everything.

Also, if you noticed the previous chapter at different instances Mallat is described as Lord and Warrion. He is Warrion to his grandson but Lord to his son, who he looks down on. That changes as the chapter goes on. Just a fun little tidbit.

Oh the new cinematic! Oh wow! Darius vs Trundle is so fire! Mel is the new champ? Also new Noxus lore!

And was what LeBlanc and Vlad looking at what I think it is? Another Darkin? Vlad seems genuinely afraid... which is accurate since his blood magic originates from the Darkin. Well if the new lore is good then I can probably have the story have a bit longer.

But regardless, I expect the story to end in around 6-7 months irl.

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It had been a week since the Mallat massacre. Not a single one survived there and with the manor being burned down, there was no evidence to collect either. 

She was swamped with reports now... but her mind was still occupied by the attack. It did not make sense for a family as powerful and politically strong as the Mallat to just be wiped out. Her own contacts in the organization refused to speak on the topic and were hunkering down for safety.

"Headmistress! There is a man and his daughter here to see you." 

Telsi looked up from the stack of papers in front of her. "Is it for a tour of the premises?" She asked the man at the door.

"Yes, headmistress." He replied.

Telsi looked confused for a second, "Why didn't you take them?"

The man stepped inside and shut the door behind him, "Headmistress, the girl he brought with him displays extreme amounts of magical capabilities. The runes instantly started glowing after they walked in." He said, a little excited at the prospect of having brought in a child with strong magic.

Telsi raised her eyebrows and then stood up. Her look turned authoritative. "Take me to them then Morgan."

"Yes, My lady." Morgan nodded and opened the door for her.

She briskly walked past him and stood outside the door.

"Right this way my lady." Morgan said as he led her to the visitors. 

"I am very sorry for the wait, my sir and young miss." Morgan said to the two visitors, "Let me introduce you to the headmistress for Ravenbloom Conservatory.." He moved to the side and gestured to Telsi, "This is Lady Telsi. She will guide you around the premises for today." He stated.

Telsi looked at the man and the child. The child, a girl was quite peculiar. Her eyes were covered by cloth but she still looked around. The man, large. Like a plethora of Noxians. He also seemed battle hardened. Someone who had served. Just like a lot of Noxians. But he carried himself with confidence. A little different from most Noxians. His facial features were not anything to write home about.

Ordinary.

That is how he looked. And what he probably was.

But the child?

She had worth. Her pointed ears displayed an Ionian heritage.

Putting on a warm smile, Telsi looked at the two and said, "Welcome to Ravenbloom Conservatory. We are a premier institute for education. Ranking among the best in the land. I am the headmistress of this institution Telsi."

Ordinary people needed ordinary introduction, the noble standards did not need to appear here. It would only put them off from joining. And once the child was sent here, they could pull some strings and make the man disappear.

That would make guardianship fall to them.

Easy.

The man moved his hand forward, "Nice to meet you headmistress. My name is Gregori. And this-" He placed a hand on the girl's back pushing her forward slightly, "This is Briar."

"Hello." The girl said in a shy voice.

"Hello Briar. Gregori." Telsi said with a warm smile. "Lets head on shall we?" She turned around and led them through the halls.

"Our things?" Gregori asked as he pointed to his bag, shield and a wrapped stick.

"Ah don't worry Morgan can keep watch over them." She stated and gave Morgan a look. She then smiled and led them inside.

Both Gregori and Briar followed her without a word.

She led them through the hall and into a wide open area. "Our idea is that, children cannot always be kept inside a class. Certain classes are held outside. To motivate our students, we also introduce them to magical researchers as mentors. They can view magical research and learn concepts faster than simple teaching." Telsi advertised.

Briar looked around excited at visiting a new place while Gregori kept his eyes affixed on the woman leading them.

His eyes searching for similarities between this woman and his late wife. There were none. Not in her manner of speech. Not in her gait. 

Nothing about this woman reminded him of Amoline.

Nothing.

"These are our classrooms." She said, as she led them into a large open room with tables and chairs. "This is where most of our teaching takes place. Our teachers are all researchers quite famous in their individual fields and are quite invested in the growth of the next generation."

She waited expectantly.

"You can go in an check if you want." Telsi spoke to the two encouragingly.

Gregori shook his head, "Well I find there to be no need for that headmistress. We are here for a look that is all."

Telsi looked a little disappointed, asking, "Is there a problem mister Gregori?"

Looking sheepish, Gregori asked, "Its just that Briar here has a condition that might put her in a hospital bed for different periods of time. We wanted to find a place that can accommodate that."

Telsi brightened up, "Oh! We do accommodate that. We have quite a few students with Ionian heritage as well as congenital diseases, please follow me to our school's hospital so I can show you our medical facilities."

She promptly turned around and led them to the medical room, that she had called a hospital. The room was fitted with quite a few bed and a nurse's office. On the opposite side of the room was another door.

Telsi showed them the beds and some of the medical equipment one by one when she was interrupted. 

"Telsi?"

She stopped and turned to look at Gregori.

Gregori looked at her with a small smile, "I have one question regarding all this?"

Telsi brought both her arms to her abdomen, "What is it?"

"Why would you anger a Hastur?" Gregori asked, with the smile growing wider.

Eyes widening, Telsi moved instantly, trying to reach for the runes that signaled an alarm.

"Tut.. Tut... Can't be having you bring in support now can we?" Gregori said, as he stopped her with his magic.

She remained still.

He pulled her hands to her sides and her legs together. Waving his hand, she lifted off the ground.

"Now, lets enter that little door in the back now shall we?" Gregori asked, almost mockingly. "What about you Briar?"

"I'm excited!" She answered as she bobbed up and down.

"Good girl." Gregori then moved toward the door in the back and tried opening it. 

CHK

"Hmm... Locked." He turned toward Telsi and walked up to her. As he did, he saw the unfiltered fear in eyes. "Oh you thought I would ask you to give me the keys to the door? No no. I was going to tell you to watch what I am currently about to do." Gregori spoke while chuckling to himself.

Looking back to the door, he waved his hand once more.

BANG

The door flew open and he walked through with Briar following closely behind. Telsi flew in behind them.

The room behind was massive. A few benches on the side, fully metal. Windows built into the walls that saw into the classrooms but looked like normal walls from outside. And finally two large rooms with caged doors. Like cells.

Gregori walked up to the first door and waved, the door flew open.

He stepped inside and looked at its inhabitants. Two of them. The first instantly shot up to his feet and looked at Gregori, scared.

The boy was dark skinned, red tattoos ran across his right eye. On his shoulder was a spider. "Who are you?" The boy asked. 

Gregori did not answer but looked to the other occupant, who had also stood up now.

He had a human features but the Ionian features stood out. Bright blue-green hair with four plant like leaves sticking out. His green tail waving out behind him.

"Would you like to leave this place?" He asked the two children.

"Yes!" The first child said.

The second child just nodded.

"Come with me then." 

Gregori turned around and exited the room and walked to the other room, waving similarly the door flew open.

He walked in and his eyes instantly fell upon the red haired girl in the back. His eyes started to tear up as he walked toward the girl. The girl who still hadn't turned to face him.

He walked past the room's other inhabitant as he made his way to her.

"Firefly?" Gregori's voice shook as he asked.

Annie turned around at such a speed that Gregori almost expected her head to fall right off. "Daddy?" She asked as she saw his face.

Gregori opened his arms wide and nodded.

Annie stumbled to her feet and leapt into him. "DADDY!" She screamed into his chest as he caught her and brought her close.

He peppered her head with kisses.

Her excited screaming changed as she cried into his chest, "I waited... hic.... for so long.... Why were you so late?" She continued to cry, "I.... hic... missed you so much..... hic... I missed..... hic... Daisy.... and .... and.. mummy Leanna..." She shook as she said her mother's name. Gregori picked up on the fact that she had called her mummy.... And that brought on the regret that Leanna wasn't there to hear it.

Gregori ran his hand up and down her back, "Its fine baby.... I am here now.... We will leave here and go traveling okay?" He raised her up to eye level and said seriously, "We can't stay here for long okay?"

She nodded through the tears.

He then looked toward the other inhabitant of the room. A girl. Long braided hair. She looked at him in shock.

"Would you like to leave this place?" He asked her, "The boys have already agreed." Gregori stated, landing the final blow, as she nodded in reply.

"Follow me." He said as he placed Annie down. Annie ran to her bed and picked up Tibbers and placed him in a little black bag and put it on her back.

Leading them all outside, he sat on the metal bench and looked at each of them. Their eyes however, remained glued to Telsi's floating body. Annie sat on the bench next to him, trying to push her body as close as possible to him as if he would disappear. Briar sat next to him on the other side.

"Ignore her. She cannot do anything to you anymore. No one can." Gregori reassured them. They all looked to him. "My name is Gregori Hastur. I am Annie's father." 

The boys looked surprised at the claim.

"Today, I came here to take my daughter away. I will take you away as well, if you would like." He added. "Away from Noxus. Where no one can touch you and you can be happy."

Every single child nodded.

"Nice. Now I need to make sure. Can you all run for a little while?" He asked.

Every single child nodded. Annie and Briar included.

"Fine. There is another school like this. I plan on going there as well." Gregori stated, "But the moment we leave this place, they will send guards after us. That is why you need to run. If you have magic that helps you run... use it."

He then smiled kindly and asked, "What are your names?"

The girl replied first, "My name is Faye."

"Nice to meet you Faye." Gregori replied.

"My name is Daani." The Ionian child stated.

"Nice to meet you Daani."

"My name is Sydell Kythera." The dark skinned boy said.

"A child of House Kythera? They sent you here?" Gregori asked, surprised at the idea.

"My parents died and my uncle did not want to take care of me, Headmistress Telsi brought me here." The boy answered.

"You are willing to leave Noxus?" Gregori asked the boy.

The boy nodded with his fists clenched.

"Okay then. Now... There is only one thing left to take care of." Gregori waved as Telsi flew in front of him. "When I asked you, why would you piss off a Hastur.... I was talking about taking my daughter away." He said.

He got up and continued, "Telsi Kiosar." He walked around her, "You know.... when I came across your painting in the Kiosar manor, I expected you to put up more of a fight."

She remained silent but her eyes showed recognition.

"Ah. I forgot. You cannot speak." Gregori said with a chuckle, "Now, lets have a little chat."

"You don't know what you are messing with." She sputtered, "Even if you are a Hastur, you will not get away with this."

Gregori placed a hand at Annie's back and pushed her in front, "Annie?"

She looked back in confusion, "Daddy?"

"Do you like the headmistress?" Gregori asked.

Annie shook her head with force.

"See Telsi." Gregori said, "You failed my child... Now it wouldn't matter if Annie was just any child or I was just any person but the issue arises when you bring Annie's heritage into consideration."

Telsi spat, "Dirty scum that is what you are. You and your spawn."

"Again. You seem to jumping to conclusions Telsi," Gregori sighed, "A decade ago I came across a woman. Red hair. Headstrong. Beautiful. She never spoke to me about her family and I didn't speak to her about my profession. I married her. And Annie was born." Gregori lifted Annie up, "You see... the problem in your words arise when you realize that the woman I am talking about is Amoline Hastur. Previously Kiosar."

"No. Impossible." Telsi's expression morphed into one of shock.

"So, let me reintroduce myself, mother-in-law." Gregori started, giving her a curt bow, "I will be walking out of here with your granddaughter in tow and you will do nothing. Because you can do nothing. You have failed your daughter and granddaughter many times. I could kill you but I rather you live with the guilt."

As he finished, Telsi dropped to the ground, her hands clutching at herself.

"You were the one..." She whimpered.

"The one?" He raised his brow.

She looked up at him, "Mallat."

He gave her a sadistic smile. "I can neither confirm nor deny that statement.... but I do know that you were the one who had Mallat send the warband to my home." Shrugging he turned around. "Your dreams of nobility end here Telsi. I think it is time for you to sit down and wonder where you went wrong."

"Annie. Say goodbye to your grandmother." Gregori said.

"Goodbye grandmother." Annie said, still confused by the conversation the adults just had.

Telsi shook as she heard Annie refer to her as grandmother.

Gregori turned around not sparing the woman another look. "Lets go children." He made to run to the door and stopped. He turned around and pointed at Briar. "This is Briar by the way. I found her in a place similar to you guys. She will come with us."

Briar waved at them. "HI!" They looked at her, confused as to what was going on.

"Lets go." He turned around and began running.

The kids followed him without a word.