Work Text:
She had been so aloof for as long as you’d known her. Always wearing a small smile that seemed to show that she knew more than she let on. You had been introduced to her when you applied for the job in the palace as a maid. the other legendary harbingers all clamored for you for their own reasons be it your beauty or how well you’d fit into being their little spy. The ever-royal Tsaritsa deemed that you would go to the Damselette and your heart stopped and your breath hitched
She was dangerous. Her aura was offputting and you heard stories that she was a demon in angelic clothing. She was so sweet and kind but held a knife behind her back ready to cut your throat. She was manipulating and her voice could sway even the strongest of men.
She accepted you with a sigh and a nod and didn’t say a single word to you, more concerned with doing whatever she wanted versus giving someone like you the time of day. You tended to clean her room and making sure her bed was made and her room kept warm. She never asked anything of you and so you never spoke to her. So terrified you were of speaking to her for fear of her obliterating you on the spot.
She was petite and so gentle looking but after hearing from the red-headed harbinger that she once slaughtered a maid for getting the temperature wrong in her room, you knew she was anything but. She was silent as she walked, her angelic singing giving her away long before her footsteps ever did. It was calming yey eerie as she sang. It echoed throughout the halls and even the harbingers tensed up as she approached.
The others were terrifying in their own right. The man known as Capitano was the most powerful man in Teyvat. Stronger than all the other harbingers and yet you could see him hold his breath when she entered a room. She seemed to thrive off the fear she put into others. You came to learn a lot about her as her maid. She was calm and uncaring in public but you swore that when she was alone, you could hear singing that wasn’t happy and calm. It was sad and as if she was lost. It shattered your heart despite the fact you knew she was evil.
One such night you heard her sad songs while outside your door. You meant to leave her alone and simply listen for a minute before you shivered due to the cold and the cup on her tray rattled in your hands causing her to stop immediately. Your breath caught and your eyes went wide as you heard nothing but silence. The door slowly creaked open and there she stood. Her dark hair with hints of red in them was unkempt and her laced veil was slightly off as if she just put it on.
You apologized profusely and said you didn’t mean to eavesdrop but she said nothing. Her smile was gone and you swore in the barely visible light of the doorway you could see a tear rolling down her cheek. She moved to the side and you knew it was a sign to enter her room. You shook as you entered and set the tray of her food down. You waited for the final blow to come, you started sweating despite the freezing bite of the palace and your gaze was on the floor. It never came though, instead, you felt soft delicate fingers lift your chin so that you were looking at her veiled eyes. Despite the fact that they were closed, you could feel her staring into your deep blue eyes.
She showed the softest, most genuine smile you had ever seen and had the softest voice that almost lulled you to sleep. She asked what you thought of the song and you replied truthfully that it was sad and it made your heart break. She laughed gently and it was like music to your ears, even better than her songs. She told you that it was indeed a sad song about a woman who loved from afar knowing that the forces of the world would keep them apart. You listened intently and realized this was about her. You asked her as much and she said nothing, opting to smile again and take a drink from the wine you had brought with her dinner.
She thanked you for the food and for your ear and even used your name which you didn't think she knew. You went to bed that night thinking perhaps she wasn't so bad.
The following weeks she favored you more. You noticed that when you went in to change her sheets, she would follow you with her eyes and have a small smile on her face when she asked something of you. She asked for more and more favors but what really tipped you off was the singing. She would sing different songs for you at night when you brought dinner. You listened attentively and told her the truth of what you thought. You found she always knew when you lied so you decided to be truthful to avoid any anger.
After some time she told you her name, Columbina. It was beautiful and when you said it to commit it to memory, she smiled and you swore you could see a blush creep on her cheeks. She asked you about your childhood and where you came from and as you talked, she listened as intently as you did to her songs. She asked questions and you found that she seemed to actually care which was a new experience since you arrived here.
One night she laid on her stomach in her large bed with her feet in the air and a silky nightgown on that left little to the imagination. She asked if you liked it but judging by the fact that your face was incredibly red and you struggled to look away. She asked that you join her and you hesitated. What if this was one of her tricks? A manipulation that you heard she loved to use. You joined her anyway as her angelic look and the alluring voice sank into your mind and pulled you into bed. She thanked you for your interest in her music and for keeping her company and said you could ask anything of her and she would grant it.
The suggestiveness in her voice made you blush and you shook your head instead asking that she show you her eyes. She immediately stopped her usual smile and questioned you about why you wanted to see them. She asked if one of the others put you up to it or if you wanted to see if she was really a monster. You shook your head and apologized profusely. You told her that it was a genuine interest and that you wanted to know why she covered them in the first place.
She studied your face looking for any sign of dishonesty and found none but refused your request saying that for her to show her eyes would cause ripples in the Fatui and the harbingers. When you asked why she regained her smile and raised her hand to cup your cheek. It was so soft and warm and inviting. She said that her song would become a reality if she did so and you were suddenly speechless. Her smile turned to one sadder than her song and suddenly it made sense. Her constant ignoring and pretending you weren't there was for your benefit and for hers. It was a cruel world in the palace and the harbingers were loyal to the Tsaritsa of course, but that did not extend to each other and if they could have something on each other then they would in a heartbeat.
That was how you found yourself in your current situation. Three harbingers stood in one of their offices looking at you intently and maliciously. One was The Rooster. He was old and gave you a look that made you squirm in your chair. The other was The Doctor. His mask covered the top half of his face and left his smirk on full display. He eyed you as if you were a toy, an experiment. He looked at you as if he wanted to cut you open and see what was inside just for fun. The last was the leader of the harbingers, Pierro or the Jester to some. His face was pure rage and anger as he stared down at you. It was widely known that he had taken a liking to Columbina but she refused him always and as the rooster had pointed out, the Damselette had shown you favor and so Pierro was not pleased.
They asked what you knew about her as she did not share much with anyone. You said nothing, instead looking to the ground just as you did with Columbina a few months ago. The old man asked you repeatedly and told you that he would care for you should the Damselette try anything but you knew that's how he operated. In your talks with Columbina, she told you about each harbinger and the methods they sued to get what they want. When you asked her why she was telling you this, she replied that it was for your safety should they ever find you.
You stayed silent until The Doctor forcefully grabbed your chin and made you look at him. He smirked and threatened to use you for an experiment he was concocting for “annoying common girls” such as you and would make sure it was the most painful experience she ever endured unless she gave them the secret to defeating columbina. Truthfully you didn't know how to beat her. She was the third-highest-ranked harbinger but you knew in your heart that she could defeat anyone in Teyvat or Celestia itself.
You stayed silent and saw them grow frustrated with you. They reminded you that while you were her maid, they were still harbingers and you must listen to what they say. You were excused and as you returned to Columbinas room that night, you tried not to think about their threats. She seemed to notice your anxiety and asked what ailed you. You lied to her and felt terrible as you said nothing bothers you. It was a long day and you were simply tired. It was clear she didn't buy it and her lips twisted for half a second in anger before calming. She sat on the edge of her bed and ordered you to sit. After what felt like hours of agonizing silence she sighed and excused you for the night. As you lay in bed that night, you cried over the situation you were in.
You couldn't go to her. If you did, the harbingers would kill you as quickly as you told her. If you did what they asked, she would be hurt and in turn, make your death incredibly painful so you decided to do neither.
After a few days, you found yourself sleeping peacefully in your bed and forcefully awoken by hands grabbing you. You tried to scream but a piece of cloth was shoved into your mouth. You felt tears streaming down your face as you were dragged to the gardens outside the palace. It was colder than normal and the ground was frozen causing your knees to bleed as you were dragged across it. You were forcibly shoved forward and found yourself staring at three pairs of boots. The Jester, Doctor, and the Rooster all stared down at you. You turned and saw a handful of Fatui guards that had presumably dragged you out of bed.
The harbingers were speaking to you but no words registered. You knew this was it. They were going to kill you here and now for now abiding by their wishes and as you sat there shivering, you saw one of the guards walk up to you with a blade drawn. You closed your eyes and bowed your head accepting the fate that was coming when you heard a soft voice on the chilling winds.
Everyone turned to see a figure emerge from the darkness. The soldier wielding the sword received a spear made of ice through his chest as did the other guards nearby. Your eyes went wide as she approached and you could hardly believe what you were seeing. She was focused on the harbingers that were frozen in place from fear and didn't stop you as you crawled to her for safety. You hid behind her skirt like a child behind a mother's dress and watched as she said nothing. The three men advised her to leave and that they were dealing with a traitor but columbina stayed still and hummed to herself.
Pierro reminded her that he was giving a direct order and to defy him would mean punishment for her and at that, she finally laughed. It was maniacal and clearly uncaring of what he said. You watched on as she warned them that you were off limits. They refused her warning and so she sighed and lifted her dainty hands to her veil and slowly lowered it. You couldn't see because you were still behind her but judging by the horrified look on the harbinger's faces, her eyes were terrifying.
A cracking sound drew your eyes to her back where four white wings erupted from her back and were coated with blood. You were speechless as she took a step forward and the three men took two steps back. She spoke again but this time her voice seemed to have an angelic echo as she warned them what would happen should they touch you. They were going to speak but another step forward from her caused them to relent and leave the two of you alone in the cold gardens. The last thing you remember before losing consciousness from the cold was two arms lifting you up and being wrapped in warm feathers.
When you awoke you were in her bed. The fire was large and your clothes had been changed. Your knees were tended to and you felt as though nothing had happened. She was sitting on the edge of the bed facing away from you. You sat up despite your body aching and moved to stand but she told you to stay where you were. You thanked her and noticed her wings were still out and were idle. You wanted to touch them but refrained and instead asked if she was alright. She laughed at that and turned her head slightingly but she had put her veil back on.
She asked if you thought her a monster to which you said no and slowly put your hand on her shoulder. She let you and put her own hand on top of yours. She turned to face you and you smiled at her and wiped the tear that slowly rolled down her cheek. she leaned into your touch and sighed, apologizing for getting you into this predicament. You smiled and said that she was worth it which made her look away.
You told her that now that she had shown her eyes to the harbingers, she could show them to you which made her laugh. You slowly moved to her veil and when she didn't stop you, you slowly lifted it from her face and set it to the side. She shook visibly and you reassured her by saying that you would not think her a monster.
That got her to slowly open her eyes and when she did you gasped in awe. They were a gorgeous pink that seemed to swallow you up. You felt as though you were staring into the heavens itself and felt yourself getting lost in the deep sea of Columbinas eyes. You were so stunned that you didn't register her speaking to you and visibly shook your head. You tried to get out how beautiful they were but struggled to do so. She took that as a sign that she had nothing to fear and instead of letting you continue to struggle, she pressed her lips to yours.
They were so soft and inviting. You felt yourself melt around her as she put her hand on your cheek, pulling you closer. The warmth and comfort coming from her lips were better than the first day of summer. You felt her tongue slowly slip into your mouth and gave up control almost immediately. So lost were you that you didn't register the wings enveloping you you bringing the two of you closer and closer. You both explored the love you had for each other with such reverence that by morning, you had hardly slept and found that you didn't care. You would treasure this time with your angel for the rest of your life and know that she would too.