SkunkyArt | HailsStorm — Althea [Full Reference]

Orphanage (Three to Thirteen Years): Although she was too young to remember it, Althea's parents were killed in a demon attack. Since she had no other relatives to take her in, the Order of the Sword shuttled her off to the orphanage, the matron of which was very strict and no-nonsense. As soon as she learned to read, she took an immediate interest in the Holy Knights and the occult. However, since such subjects were forbidden in the orphanage by the matron, Althea learned to keep secrets early on.

When she was six, the matron had her enroll in ballet lessons in order to separate Althea from demonology and try to instill Fortuna's "traditionally feminine" characteristics in her. Since the instructor was incredibly stern and frequently pushed Althea past her limits, she has powerful legs and incredible balance but cannot gauge when her body is about to give out.

Library (Thirteen to Seventeen Years): As soon as she was allowed to escape, Althea seized a job in Fortuna's main archivist library and subsumed herself in knowledge, artifacts, magic, and seals. The head archivist, impressed with Althea's ability to consume and retain knowledge so aptly, passed the title and job down to her and even let her move into the alcove above the library--all while being forced to keep up ballet lessons as the matron was listed as her guardian until adulthood. While there, she gained an interest in whodunnit mysteries and horror/suspense.

When she was fifteen, she made several trips to the infirmary as requested by a superior, and she spent time learning how to identify and heal wounds/illnesses. This training sparked the desire to help people and though the Order denied her request to become a doctor, Althea kept her sights on healing and decided to become an apothecary.

Vergil and Nero (Seventeen to Nineteen): At some point during her work in the library, Althea became acquainted with Arkham, who she detested for evident reasons. Through Arkham, she came to meet Vergil who sought information on Sparda's old escapades and his sealing of Temen-ni-gru. Though suspicious, Althea agreed to help him find information and translate the majority of puzzles, rituals, and seals within the tower--she kept up the work even when she discovered that Vergil wanted to raise literal hell. Over time, she and Vergil grew very close, enough so that Vergil would openly refer to her as a friend, even if their relationship remained completely professional.

While Vergil was in Fortuna, he became acquainted with a woman named Catarina, who basically worshipped him for being the son of her deity. Althea found nothing to like about Catarina but chose to remain friendly and patient, even when Vergil fell in love with her. After the final puzzle and configuration of the tower had been completed, Althea sent Vergil off with the promise to always be somewhere he could come back to.

Two months later, Catarina came to Althea's apothecary, incredibly sick and begging for her help. After some tests and medicines, Althea concluded that Catarina was pregnant and with Vergil's child to boot. Knowing what Fortuna would do to her if they ever found out she was with child, particularly one with demon blood, before marriage, Althea did her best to hide Catarina away until her son was born. However, all the efforts were for naught as the Order still found out, forcing Althea to rescue Catarina and help her escape Fortuna. Before she left, Catarina gifted Althea a silver wedding band, an old gift Vergil had given to her. Despite the success, Althea lived under the assumption that Catarina and Vergil's child had been killed.

Blue Rose Co. (Nineteen to Present): The name of Althea's apothecary. She spent years locating a place of her own and when she finally found it, she took up residence and even invited Vergil to stay there instead of in the library alcove she moved out of. Through the process, she made friends with Philip Capetta who she later lost a bet to, which resulted in her having to get a tattoo. Soon Althea became known through Fortuna for her kindness and willingness to help, one such event involved her rescuing a little boy from being hit by a car which is how she befriended Gabriel and Sienna and their children Kyrie and Credo.

As time went on, Althea continued to write to Catarina to check for updates on her status and slowly, the former's faith that Vergil would return to Fortuna began to waver. At twenty-one, her original assumption about the death of his son was shattered when she visited the orphanage after her old matron died to dole out some gifts and discovered Nero. Diligent beyond measure, Althea sought to adopt Nero at every opportunity and was turned down due to her unmarried status. She visited the orphanage every weekend, dedicated to looking after her friend's son.

Cleo (Thirty-five to Forty-one/Present): Althea's reputation proceeded her well into her thirties and there wasn't a soul on Fortuna who didn't adore her for her hard-work and generosity (save for some of the Order's higher ups, alas they were unable to take her down as they could not prove she had done something against their doctrine.) On her way back to visit an out-patient, Althea stumbled on the Holy Knights trying to capture a teenage deviant who had stolen food: Cleo.

After some arguing with the knights and the Order, she convinced them to let her take Cleo on as an apprentice. Despite the resistance, Althea won Cleo over and began to teach her alchemy and magic, the latter of which Cleo surpassed Althea in almost immediately (Althea has a very light affinity for simple magic, such as creating light and/or levitating objects but that is the extent of her abilities.)

When Althea was forty-one, Nero called in a favor to check on one of the children he'd adopted who had fallen sick. On that visit to his and Kyrie's house, Althea was reunited with Vergil, though she had a lot of sass for him.