-Horsebow Moon, 1162

Rhea held the baby in her arms, a frown gracing her ethereal features. The process had been a success, and the Crest of Flames had been transferred to this silent babe. However, in the process…

Rhea's eyes drifted to the now still body of Sitri. Sitri had been so excited to be a mother. The young woman had spoken so fondly of starting a family with Jeralt. Rhea had warned her that having a child with such weak health would likely cost Sitri her life, and still… Sitri wanted nothing more than to be a mother. Rhea could understand the feeling. Sitri was the closest thing she'd ever had to a daughter, and Rhea often reminisced on how her own mother doted on her. There was nothing more precious than the bond between mother and child. Rhea gave Sitri's body one more look over, her eyes misting over slightly before turning back to the silent child.

It made no sound, had no heart beat, and yet it stirred. No doubt the Crest of Flames now stirred in this young babe, but that was not all- her own blood flowed through this child. While Sitri had failed to manifest the consciousness of her mother, this child could possibly bring back all that she had lost at Zanado.

"Hello, sweet child," Rhea hummed as a hand brushed a few locks of dark hair from the baby's eyes. She watched as the babe slowly opened its eyes and met hers. Once again, Rhea found her eyes misting over. Soon her long journey would be over- soon her mother would return to her, "I've been waiting to meet you for a such long time," Her voice was quiet. The baby stirred for a few moments, but made no sound. It didn't cry or whine for its mother, but such was to be expected.

Sitri also was a quiet child when she had been made. There was something that was lost in the process of making vessels. Rhea postulated that the Crest of Flames also played a part in why the child was not fussing or crying. Perhaps something was simply hindered by having the crest of a god placed in human vessel- whether it be in health or in emotion. These vessels were mere copies of her... They couldn't be considered fully human or Nabatean. Ah, but the same could not be said about this child, could it? This child was not born from the ancient and forbidden magicks of old, but of Sitri's own flesh and blood. Yes, this child was... mostly human. However, the blood that ran through her veins was not.

A sigh escaped Rhea. How had this all gotten so... complicated?

The Archbishop knew she should tell Jeralt the news- that Sitri had passed and that he was now the father of a baby girl. However, a part of her did not wish to let this child go. Afterall, she was staking all her hopes on this babe, and Rhea was well aware Jeralt would not understand. He was a courageous and upstanding man- a bit rough around the edges, but a man of morals nonetheless- if he knew the lengths she had gone to save this child, and what this child could possibly be...

Her brow furrowed.

Rhea had known him long enough to guess what Jeralt would likely do, and Rhea wasn't going to let that happen. No one would be allowed to interfere in the revival of the progenitor god- her own mother- from returning to the world. Rhea valued Jeralt and his time in the Knights of Seiros, but this was something she could not budge on. However, the thought of Jeralt keeping this child from her made her insides twist.

It would be so easy to… to lie… and…

"No, Rhea, that isn't right. It's not what Sitri would have wanted. You have to consider what she would want. Sitri would want Jeralt to meet his child," Rhea thought, but she held the tight closer to her chest. However, the more Rhea thought about it the more resolute she became in not handing this child over to Jeralt. Rhea had cared deeply for Sitri, but if it meant that she could return to how things were… The Archbishop was willing to do anything to achieve that. It didn't matter who she had to lie to or if she had to stain her hands in forbidden magic, or even if it meant... commiting an unforgivable sin such as this

When the time came it would be her mother's duty to judge her, and no one else's.

After another few long moments Rhea had made a decision. She would keep the child and raise it as her own. It was a selfish decision- she knew this, but everything she had done up until now… Hadn't that been selfish too? What was one more selfish decision in the grand scheme of things? Rhea couldn't expect Jeralt to see the bigger picture in all of this, nor could Jeralt be expected to understand just how important this child was.

"Forgive me, Sitri. I know this isn't what you wanted, but my mother—our mother- must return to this world, and I must… I must make that happen. No matter the cost."

Rhea hugged the child tight. There would be plenty of time to lament such matters later, but for now plans had to be made. Seteth was due to arrive at the monastery soon. If she was to truly keep the child then she had to have a plan ready before he made it to Garreg Mach.

As much as she loved and treasured Seteth, Rhea wasn't keen on answering any questions on the unsavory details of her plan. Not yet anyway.

Rhea gave Sitri one last look. Preparations for Sitri's funeral had to be made and there were other issues to attend to. Rhea stepped out of Sitri's chambers with the babe in hand. Jeralt would be waiting down the hall. The archbishop intended to present the babe to Jeralt, but she had already decided he would not keep the babe.

No one else had the right to raise this baby- and as she tried to justify this unforgivable sin to herself- Rhea reasoned that no one else COULD raise this child but her.