Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“How long have you known?”

From on her lofty throne, her sharp, cold eyes narrowed, her ruby red lips pulling into a tight line. “A while,” She said, softly at first. Then, “Since the first day we met.”

“Archons.”

“It was necessary that I did not tell you. This is something you had to learn on your own– without your queen or your master.” Outside the grand palace, a violent snowstorm swirled and churned, a direct reflection of her tumultuous mood. “Had we interfered…”

“Had you interfered, I may not have satisfied my fate?” The boy spat, curling his hands into tight fists. “Is that what you want to say?”

A frown. “I expected you to be upset, but not to this degree.”

“Really? You didn’t expect me to be pissed to learn that the person I placed my utmost loyalty in all those years ago has been raising me like a lamb for slaughter?”  

Her sharp eyes narrowed. “Watch your tone.”

The young wolf bit back whatever retort stuck on the tip of his tongue, his shoulders heaving as he sucked in deep breaths. Unlike his usual calm and collected demeanor in these great halls, her 11th soldier wore every emotion on his handsome features; his wrath, his confusion, his pain.

She kept her face a mask of ice, though her thudding heart against her ribcage did not ease. She did not like seeing any of her soldiers hurt- a personal weakness, the Jester had said, for many of them would die on the final battlefield loyal to her dutiful cause- but something about this boy hurt even more. Perhaps it was everything she knew about his life of chaos and the past he still didn’t understand. That, and she’d always had a soft spot for the man who stood out from the rest of his comrades, a bundle of honest and wild energy compared to the usual scheming and sneaking around in her court. To see him this upset…

The queen swallowed down the knot in her throat, forcing herself to raise her chin. Now was not the time to think of the boy. Now was the time to focus on the fight. “There’s more that I cannot tell you yet. Not until you are both here.”

A frustrated huff slipped out of him, but she ignored it. He had a right to be angry, she reminded herself. After all, it took drastic measures to actually change one’s path in this world whenever the gods scrawled someone’s fate into the stars. Just another reason to add to the long list of issues she had with the Divine. Just another reason to push forward on this tumultuous path they’d started down since the fall of Khanrei’ah.

“Why?” He suddenly asked, raising his head to meet her gaze once more. “Why us? Why me?”

“That’s a great question. Why you?”

“Answering a question with a question solves nothing,” He growled, once again curling his hands around the hilt of an invisible blade. “I was just a boy. I never asked for any of this.”

“And yet, you yearned for greatness. That’s why the Abyss called to you, just as it has done time and time again.” Her poor vanguard, not knowing what he was reborn to be. The room grew colder and colder, ice particles clinging to the banisters hanging from the high rafters, the wind whirring outside of the tall windows, but she did not feel the chill. “It was not my fault that you fell the first time, nor was it my doing that gave you the strength and drive to crawl out of that shadowy hell. That was all you.”

He recoiled as though she’d hit him with a blast of Cryo energy to the heart, his multicolored eyes flickering back and forth as endless thoughts slammed into him like a storm surge in the heart of the storm he had created. Once again, a deeply entrenched grief for the man he could have been chipped away at her resolve. She did not flinch when he bared his teeth; nothing he did would be a threat to her. At least, not in his current state, though she had expected his second fall into the Abyss would have unlocked more of his potential looming like a storm under his pale, freckled skin. By the end of this great war, he would be the most powerful being to exist without achieving godhood, able to rewrite whatever he wanted into the new night sky as he took a scepter to the stars. From the way his eye only oozed some purple ichor, he still had quite a bit to accomplish before he reached that point.

Then, suddenly, his shoulders dropped, hanging his head as his mess of copper colored hair obscured his face.

“I did this?” He finally asked, his voice hoarse like he’d been screaming for years. So small, like the boy he should have been allowed to be.

If the queen had not hardened her heart all those years ago, she may have given in and done whatever it took to help him. He was her youngest Harbinger and had played his part in the carefully orchestrated commedia dell'arte perfectly despite never having received the full script. Instead, she bit her tongue and focused on her final goal, on a world freed from the shrouds of the false sky and cruel Divine retributions. His prophecy, and that of the golden star he had intrinsically tied himself to when he had crawled out of that crack in the earth as a fourteen year old boy, must be fulfilled in order to save the world.

Their fates were the only two she could not fight to change.

“That drive continues to fuel you, even now,” She continued, her voice strong and stoic. “It was you who told me of your goal to conquer the world when I gave you your name. It was you who jumped at the opportunity to grow stronger, no matter what it takes. It was you who chose to continue with your search for the truth of the prophecy, despite knowing the translation.”

“Stop,” He begged, hanging his head.

“You can blame me for scheming behind your back, but you must understand those plans have been swirling around since well before you were born. But it’s been you pushing forward like a churning hurricane ever since you were reborn.”

“Stop,” He pleaded, his hollow voice bouncing off the high, empty walls of the throne room.

She did not, towering over him from her place on the raised throne. “So, what’s suddenly changed?” She snapped, though her anger did not target him. “Why now, when we are so close to accomplishing our goals with you at the helm– to conquering the world and tearing down the throne of the gods– are you holding back?”

Silence.

“Answer me.”

He refused, his thin, chapped lips pressed in a tight line. A last ditch effort to protect his little star.

He didn’t need to say it out loud, though. She’d known why he was not reaching his full potential the entire time. Stars were pure and perfect, even when they descended from the heavens and crashed into the earth to walk among normal people. Against something as dark and shadowy as the teachings of the Abyss…

“Answer me!”

“Because–!” He shouted, then winced and clutched his injured eye, the purple ichor oozing from the wound freezing to his cheek. “Because of… because of what it would cost.”

“I thought the cost didn’t matter.”

“I will not let her die.”

Panic coursed through her veins, and for the first time in forever, she felt the sting of ice creep in as every hair on the back of her neck stood at attention. “You must!” She croaked, unable to hide the raw emotion clinging to her voice. “She is the final piece of this elaborate chess game—the sacrifice we had to wait all these years for to free us from these dreadful loops—”

“Please.” Her Harbinger sucked in a sharp breath as though she’d stabbed him in the chest with a frozen knife and twisted with each frantic gasp he inhaled. Ice clung to his long eyelashes, horror etched into his handsome features. “You cannot make me do this."

“If you don’t, I will have one of your coworkers do it.” He flinched as though she slapped him across the face, a low growl tearing through his chest. His queen narrowed her sharp gaze. “Remember who you are loyal to before you make the wrong choice.”

Loyalty. She knew how much it meant to him.

He had unquestionably dedicated himself to her when he was first made a Harbinger, thrilled to be the perfect weapon for her to wield in her final war against the Divine. He’d also carved a part of himself to give to his family, his one weakness in this world, his one tether to humanity that he unknowingly allowed. But in the last few years, things had changed, and his world had brightened when she had walked into his life, showing him the things he could have if he was just a boy instead of the monster he was made to be.

The queen had known this dilemma would arise at the end of all things. He must have, too, because the horror on his face seemed to suggest that he should have never allowed himself the hope that he could be wholeheartedly loyal to both her and to the fiery-tempered, flawless star he had fallen in love with. She would never chide him for letting his feelings seep into the cracks of his weary exterior, even as he struggled to figure out which side to choose, even if he wanted to do anything but be the reason his lover had to die. It wasn’t something either of them could have avoided, drifting closer like two galaxies gravitationally bound until they slammed into each other at full force, a kaleidoscope of brilliant color and twinkling lights and glittering stardust.

Because prophecies do not lie about loss and love and power. Because their love for one another was woven into the fabric of this world, whether they knew it or not.

She knew he would eventually come around, though. That he would do his duty for their cause. For Snezhnaya. For his own goals and his dreams. He had to. They would not get another chance.

Just as she suspected, the boy hung his head and squeezed his eyes shut.

She sighed. “I am sorry,” She said, coming to stand in front of him. “I wish it didn’t have to be this way.”

He swallowed hard, voice raw as though he’d been screaming for the last month as he growled, “The prophecy said it had to be one of us. It didn’t specify.”

Her eyes narrowed. “It must be her. Surely you understand why that is necessary.”

Silence, again.

“Tartaglia.”

The boy’s multicolored gaze sliced to hers. That same icy shiver ran up her spine at what she saw; an ocean refusing to freeze no matter how frigid the temperatures were and a black hole swirling out of control.

“Affirm to me that you will not get in the way of your fate,” She demanded when he had not acknowledged her for far too long. He could not let himself slip. He had to tear down the thrones of the gods and conquer the world, to burn away all that was left of the old one until it was nothing but ash, then stand tall when the time came to build it back up better and stronger than before.

Thousands of unspoken thoughts once again crossed his features. Once, she may have been able to read him better, but ever since their confrontation in the garden nearly two years ago now, he’d shut part of himself off and locked it behind a mask of cold stone. Still, she could feel the love for his little star radiating off of him with every beat of his heart. She knew what he was doing; she knew he was trying to find a way to protect her from their fates, even now.

But finally, he dipped his head in submission. “I am loyal to you and your goals, Your Majesty.”

A grim smile stretched across her pretty face. “Good. Prove it. As my 11th lieutenant. As my vanguard. As my twilight to the old world.”

“...Ma’am?”

“I have a new mission for you. One that will only enhance your abilities ahead of the final duel.” She turned with ease, her heels clacking against the frigid marble floor back towards her looming throne. She sank into her seat as the storm escalated outside, the roaring winds echoing throughout the dimly lit room. “So? Do you accept your role in this grand performance as my loyal Harbinger?”

Without hesitation, the boy bent the knee. “Always.”

Chapter Text

Bright ideas only go so far when there’s no chance of freezing to death.

“Paimon really doesn’t think this is a good plan!”

And yet, here they were, so they might as well continue while they were ahead. “It should be around here somewhere…”

“Traveler! You’re doing that thing where you don’t listen again!” The tiny fairy companion screeched at the top of her lungs, pulling her fluffy jacket tighter around her small frame.

“No, I heard you.” Lumine barely lifted her gaze from the map, not wanting to lose her train of thought. She’d already come this far without her companion pestering her too much on the dangers of being exposed to the freezing elements– dangers she was far more aware of now, as her fur-lined gloves clung to the piece of hastily marked parchmen. “I’m just choosing to ignore you.”

“Wh- Hey! That’s so rude! Paimon is supposed to be your travel guide!”

“And yet you’ve been no help since we got here.”

“Because Paimon doesn’t think we should be in Snezhnaya of all places!” 

Probably fair. Why Lumine thought this was a smart thing to do, she’d never understand. Maybe it was because she’d been cozy and warm in the Mondstadt plains when she’d finally chosen to make her next move after months of stagnation, unaffected by the sheer cold seeping through her clothes with every step. Maybe she thought her core of starlight would be able to handle a little chill– though why her pride hadn’t let her see the clear truth of that ridiculous thought, she couldn’t tell, since she’d nearly frozen solid when she’d tried climbing Dragonspine without the help of the Adventurer’s Guild for the first time all those years ago.

The frequent blasts of icy wind whipping at Lumine’s hooded cloak also seemed to agree, the chill cutting all the way down to her bones. Her boots crunched in the thick snow with each stubborn step forward, her eyes watering from the cold as she tried to focus on the map. “You’re the one who wanted to travel again.”

“Paimon assumed you would pick somewhere warm and tropical! Not the coldest nation in the middle of winter!”

“It’s November.”

“It’s so cold, it’s a wonder Paimon doesn’t freeze in the middle of her floating!”

Lumine quirked a grim smile. “Paimon-popsicle.”

“Let alone the fact that we’re surrounded by Fatui scum all of the time!”

Her companion’s bitter screaming likely wouldn’t help keep them hidden if she continued her rants whenever the wind died down, especially if her voice carried through the rolling valleys of this sprawling nation. “Which is exactly why I’m wearing this uniform.” Lumine tucked the map into one of her pockets and let out a shattered breath, tugging the dark cloak tighter around her trembling frame. “Although it definitely wasn’t made for this weather.”

Paimon let out a low moan, dragging her tiny hands over her face. “This is such a bad idea.”

Maybe. Probably. But she couldn’t help herself, having done far too much sitting around and waiting for her liking. She had always eagerly searched for the next adventure. And, to everyone’s dismay but her own, there was only one place she could go that she hadn’t explored, one nation she’d been avidly avoiding as long as she could. But as the summer dragged on in the peaceful Mondstadtian countryside, Snezhnaya called to her like a siren on the sea, beckoning her closer to its frigid borders. For months, she resisted that desire to give in, to scratch the itch on the back of her mind that yearned to travel and explore and witness. It wasn’t until she and Paimon were cleaning out her rucksack that she finally caved in her desperate desires to move onwards, after finding a very old, crinkled Fatui uniform acquired back in the early days of her partnership. 

In truth, though, she probably should have put even more thought into it. Arriving at the Snezhnayan border at the end of October instead of waiting until the spring was the stupidest decision of all time. And she’d made a lot of stupid moves in her long life.

…Gods above, he was going to kill her.

“Stop griping,” She muttered, another blast of wind sending shivers up and down her spine, her chattering teeth enough to rattle her skull. “Snezhnaya is the last of the seven nations and the final place we may be able to get some actual answers.”

Paimon tilted her head. “About your brother?”

“...Amongst other things.” Like answers into understanding the next steps of the prophecy hanging over her head like a guillotine. Her nose crinkled in annoyance. “Where is this statue?”

“Well, Paimon still doesn’t like it,” Her companion mumbled, her bottom lip jutting out into that familiar pout until another gust of cold air caught them both off guard. It took another minute for them to brave the next move forward, but if they stopped now, they really would freeze solid like a certain partner had teased once long ago as they climbed Dragonspine. At least the sky was blue with no hint of another approaching storm– she didn’t want to get caught in the middle of a blizzard any time soon. “This could go so badly at any moment.”

“The same way it did across all other seven nations? It’s nothing we can’t handle.”

“Are you sure you don’t just want to see Childe again?”

Paimon may as well have developed elemental abilities in that moment and used them to send Lumine flying into the sky with such an accusation.

Childe.

She hadn’t heard from him in months. Again. 

At first, she’d wanted to believe it was something as simple as he was focused on journeying back to Snezhnaya as fast as possible and was too busy to write. She tried not to let fear creep in, still remembering the eerie glow from his damaged eye when he’d left her under that tree in Windrise at the start of spring. Had something happened to him upon his return to Zapolyarny? Were his injuries more severe than he let on? Or was it something more sinister, something to do with his role in the Fatui? While she trusted him with her life, she did not trust the people he worked with in the slightest. 

It didn’t help that the last letter she’d received from him had been decidedly cryptic and straightforward all in the same way. Bennett had run straight up to her during the middle of a late spring Mondstadt festival honoring wind and time; the young adventurer still felt extremely bad for his lack of assistance that afternoon in the cave of the Fourth Domain and continued doing everything he could to make it up to her no matter how much she promised he was fine. Diluc and Jean had given her odd looks over the bar as she sipped her fruity drink, lazily opening the message as if it were any other letter.

She hadn’t expected it to be anything of note, and had almost thrown it out in favor of the first fun night with her friends she’d had since the blockade had started earlier that spring. But some odd sense in the back of her mind, the same warning bell that chimed whenever danger lurked around the corner, persuaded her to open it. The letter, written on on pink stationary, the return address transcribed in frilly handwriting, surely hadn’t come from Childe. And yet, she immediately recognized their code enough to translate it without looking at their decoding sheet in the middle of Angel’s Share. 

-.. --- / -. --- - / -.-. --- -- . .-.-.-

DO. NOT. COME.

The message had hung over her head for hours, days, even weeks as she tried to forget it. Only Childe would know to transcribe that text using their secret code, right? Besides, he had told her to wait for him to figure out the truth from his queen, so ordering her to stay away wasn’t exactly unlikely. But after months of sitting back and listening to stories of oddities happening across Teyvat (old dragons stirring from their slumber in Natlan, odd sightings of bleeding trees at the base of Dragonspine, catastrophic flooding events in both Liyue and Fontaine), her patience had snapped like a dry twig.

“I don’t want to see him again,” She muttered, a faux bitterness coating every word. She had to remember they were enemies on opposite sides of a looming conflict, not lovers who fiercely clung to each other when things had gotten hard, entangled in the safety of their bedsheets. And, this time, she had to make her so-called bitterness and hatred for Tartaglia, the 11th Harbinger, that much more believable.

She would not get them in trouble once more.

“What happened between the two of you?” Paimon asked, ducking behind Lumine’s shivering frame as they crested a hill, a grove of trees in the distance. “You’ve been acting weird every time Paimon mentions him ever since you fell into that crack in the earth.”

“It’s nothing–”

“You ended up a whole nation away only a day later! That kind of fast travel isn’t possible unless you have wings!”

Lumine winced, biting back the pained retort that she did have wings, but that they were currently trapped behind some weird blood magic inexplicably tying her and her lover together in ways they couldn’t even begin to process. Besides, thoughts of her and Childe’s great fall filled her mind far too full, her heart thudding against her frozen ribcage as the terror of the whole incident replayed over and over like a bad Fontainian film. Sometimes, when she was just on the verge of sleep, she swore she could still feel the rift wolves biting at her ankles, or the twist in her gut as she clung to the side of the cliff face over a looming maw threatening to swallow her whole, or the panic on her lover’s face as he realized they would both be going to the Abyss together…

“I told you the same thing I told Jean and the others,” She said through clenched teeth, her boots catching on a slick patch of snow and sliding forward. “I fell into some sort of… I dunno, abyssal portal. I woke up at Windrise with no clue how I got there.”

“And Childe? What happened to him?”

“I don’t know, nor do I care.”

A blatant lie. It hadn’t been the first. It wouldn’t be the last.

She shook her head hard once more as she reached the bottom of the small hill and entered the semi-circle of towering pine trees, trying to focus on what she had come here to do in the first place. She would resonate to the Statue of the Seven and collect all of the elemental abilities across Teyvat. Afterwards, she would head to the nearest town and get directions to a tiny seaside village Ajax liked to talk about in his letters, when they had been filled with warmth and family stories instead of bad omens. There, she would find his family and, hopefully, him, and they could finally work out how in the name of the gods they were going to work out this cursed prophecy looming over their heads warning of their impending doom–

Lumine suddenly stopped in place as they stumbled upon an open clearing. The wind ceased through the tall pines, the empty and hollow space eerily quiet. The ground had been cleared of most snow, with little white flowers poking up through the frost despite the chill. But her eyes were drawn straight to the towering Statue of the Seven she’d been looking for, the white stone monument tucked into the curve of the hillside. Its usual cloaked frame held a weariness none of the others had, its palms splayed flat and facing the heavens. The stone in her stomach dropped further into her gut as she settled on its face– or lack thereof–, the sight chilling her to her core far faster than any blast of icy wind.

The statue of the Cryo Archon Bronya had been beheaded.

“Archons,” She breathed, fingers grazing her parted lips. Horrified twinges raced up and down her spine, her heart thudding so loudly against her chest that it drowned out any other sound. An unusual but familiar spark of fear crept into the back of her mind, taking a moment to try and recall where she’d felt these shivers of panic before. Finally it clicked; this reminded her far too much of the Abyss Order’s upside down statues, hanging up by fragile chains that could drop at any moment. But whereas those had felt heretical in turning their eyes away from the heavens– heavens she, too, despised– this simply felt… 

Heartbreaking.

“Wh-what happened to it?” Paimon squeaked, clinging to Lumine’s hood despite the nonexistent wind, as if even it did not want to see this act of destruction. 

“I couldn’t even begin to give a good answer,” She gulped, forcing herself to move forward despite the hairs standing up on the back of her neck in warning.

Her traveling companion whimpered. “Could this be the Abyss Order’s doing?”

“I don’t think so.” Again, while it was in their wheelhouse of so-called expertise with the desecration of statues, it didn’t feel like something they would do. Besides, during her encounter with Aether in that extinct Natlan volcano, her twin had seemed pissed that she and Childe were destroying the statues in every Domain they came across, as if it were part of his grand schemes. “Still, this was definitely deliberate. The cut is too clean to be destroyed by nature.”

“Paimon doesn’t like it.”

“Neither do I.”

Paimon huffed, refusing to move. “The Snezhnayans are so awful for doing this to a statue of their Archon.”

One brow rose. “How do you know the Snezhnayans are behind it?” She reached the base of the statue, unable to take her eyes off the lack of its shrouded face. “It could have been a rogue group trying to intimidate the Tsaritsa out of their grand plans.”

“You sound like you’re defending the Fatui!”

Lumine bit her tongue to keep from saying stupid and accusatory back to her companion, blaming both of their frayed nerves on the cold. She may have been acting odd since she’d crawled out of the Abyss, but Paimon had been behaving strangely, too, trying to convince her to go anywhere but Snezhnaya and the occasional odd comment about what was going on in the heavens above. Part of her wondered if somehow, the fairy knew more about her and Childe’s relationship than she ever let on. She so very rarely brought it up, though, that Lumine thought she’d gotten away with hiding the obvious love she had for the Harbinger away from her childlike companion.

“Why don’t I just resonate with it and we’ll be on our way?” She said through clenched teeth.

Paimon gave a half-shrug, as much acknowledgement as she needed. She sank to her knees in the soft grass and pale white snowdrop flowers at the base of the statue. Another shiver ran up her spine, the half-formulated thought warning her against this move, but Lumine ignored it. With one swift move, she peeled off her gloves, closed her eyes, and pressed her hands against the stone statue. 

Immediately, the resonation slammed into her like an open hand, striking her like a nail to the heart. She gasped in shattered surprise, but could not pull away no matter how much she tried, as if the tendrils of ice had crept their way up through the frozen grass like tiny vines to wrap around her small frame and pin her in place. The cold seeped through her raw skin and sore muscles, settling deep in her bones. Unlike with the other statues, it did not welcome her in with open arms, offering her a glimpse at their Archon’s fabulous powers. And in the back of her mind, she swore she could feel piercing blue eyes watching her every movement, invading every thought like a virus searching for healthy cells to infect, desperate to overwhelm and intimidate her.

She wasn’t supposed to be here. She was not supposed to be here.

A cry of pain bubbled out of her as she somehow mustered enough of her remaining energy to yank her hands back in one fell swoop. She landed flat against the crunchy snow with an inelegant oof, the chill seeping through her entire body. Her head throbbed, her mouth dry as a bone, and her heart frozen in its frantic beating as she cradled her raw, red hands to her chest. No matter how much she blinked, though, she could still feel those cold eyes watching her every movement.

“What happened?!” Paimon shrieked, hurriedly floating to her side, concern etched into her childlike features.

Her eyes darted to the faceless statue, sucking in ragged breaths. “It… rejected me?”

“You didn’t get the Cryo abilities?”

“No.” In fact, all of her other elemental powers felt dulled as well, as if frozen by the chill. She cycled through them slowly, barely able to summon a crackle of purple lightning at her fingertips, absolutely unable to recall the thorny vines of her Dendro powers. At least Pyro energy still easily coursed through her veins, the heat filling her core and melting away ice in her shivering body enough to push her into action. She pushed up from the ground, desperately sliding her gloves back onto her trembling hands.

Why had that happened? No other statue had rejected her before. Was it the Cyro Archon’s way of warning her she was not welcome in Snezhnaya and that she should get out while she was ahead? Or was it because the statue was damaged, rebounding its broken energy onto her while oscillating idly through her abilities. Even now, she could feel the other elements stored deep in her body spiraling out of control, fluctuating on their own accord as they tried and failed to stabilize themselves. Perhaps this was destined to happen the same way her destiny was allegedly written in marble in the very threads of this world, this very moment fated to be the start of her downfall. Was that why Childe had penned only three words in his letter begging her to stay away? Was the letter even from him? And why did she swear she could still feel piercing eyes watching her every movement like some bad Fontainian paparazzi lingering just beyond the treeline?

The wind suddenly picked up through the towering pine trees, strong enough to nearly bowl her back into the snow. Fat snowflakes fell from the sudden grey sky; so much for hoping there wouldn’t be a storm. Paimon twisted uneasily in her spot, tapping her fingers together. “Why don’t we go back to Mondstadt for the rest of the winter and figure this out–”

“We are not going back to Mondstadt.”

“Why not?!” 

“Because–” Because she wanted more answers and only kept gaining new questions. Because she worried for her partner and where he’d disappeared to. Because, admittedly, going back now would feel like a failure. “Because we sat around all summer. We need to keep moving, if we’re ever going to figure out what’s going on.”

“Paimon thinks this is such a bad idea…”

So she had said over and over again. Lumine let out a careful breath, gritting her teeth as the elemental reactions inside her body continued drag through her. They needed to find somewhere safe and dry to hunker down for the evening before she passed out from too much elemental use in one day like she had during Natlan’s Grand Tournament, even without expelling any of her abilities. “Listen–”

A sudden, distant shout rang out above the roaring wind. Her heart sank into her stomach; so much for all of her plans to find a place to sleep off whatever affects there were for touching the statue. “Hide, Pai!” She quickly hissed, reaching into the jacket’s heavy linen pocket and slipping free the usual Fatui mask. Without hesitating, Paimon disappeared into her pocket dimension with a squeak. 

The twinkle of stars had barely faded in the heavy snowfall by the time a group of three people crested the hill, just in time for her to set the mask firmly on her face. Immediately, she recognized them by their categorical outfits; a pyroslinger, his deep red and orange jacket blowing in the howling wind, face covered by a thick mask, as well as one of the massive vanguards carrying a heavy hammer on his shoulders, eyes gleaming with purple energy. A smaller framer led the pack wearing a normal dark suit, unlike that of which she’d ever seen on a traditional skirmisher. All of them watched her with their weapons drawn, outlined on the top of the hill in the afternoon’s blue tinge as the snow clouds blocked out any remaining sunlight.

Fatui. 

Great. Perfect. Just what she needed. Could her day get any better? 

“Who goes there?” A feminine voice called down, the sound just barely audible over the violent, cutting gusts of wind.

Lumine swallowed hard; time to pray that her acting skills had gotten better throughout her time in Teyvat. “H-hello comrade!” She said with a wave, trying her best to channel the same lingo she’d learned from the soldiers she’d encountered across her journeys that hadn’t immediately wanted her dead, including that of her favorite Harbinger. If Childe was here, though, he’d likely burst into laughter over her pitiful impression of him and his soldiers.

No, actually, he’d probably kill her for being here when he explicitly told her to stay away. And then he’d laugh at her pitiful impression.

To her relief, the rigidity in the smallest Fatuu’s shoulders dropped, tilting her head like a curious dog as she easily slid down the snowy hill, unaffected by the storm. “A fellow soldier? You’re far off the beaten path, aren’t you?”

“Could say that.” 

Unlike his comrade, the pyroslinger following close behind aggressively raised his weapon against her. “What unit are you with?”

Lumine quickly raised her hands in surrender, praying Pyro swirls didn’t start swirling from her fingertips. “Please,” She said, desperate to avoid a fight. Without full control of her elemental abilities, there was no way she could battle her way out of this one. Plus, that would be the fastest way to alert the Tsaritsa that she was in Snezhnaya, a fact she wanted to avoid the Cryo Archon learning as long as possible.

The first soldier slammed her hand down on the gun, lowering the muzzle away from Lumine’s face. “Knock it off, Petro! Can’t you see she’s freezing?”

“Where were you stationed?” The man snarled, vicious orange eyes never leaving her frame.

“Mondstadt,” Lumine answered confidently, ignoring her racing heart and the knot in her throat. A jolt of Electro energy shocked up her spine, her elemental abilities still spiraling out of control internally, but she grit her teeth and ignored it. “Near Dragonspine.”

“And why have you returned?”

“Petro!”

“Answer the question!” The soldier ignored his comrade, pressing the rifle close to Lumine’s face. The stench of gunpowder and fire hung in the narrow space, but she refused to let her fear seep in.

She swallowed hard, ignoring the tiny, invisible thorns of sporadic Dendro energy clawing at her skin. “Because my unit received the recall order.”

A lie. A carefully crafted one, but a lie nonetheless.

Unlike what Paimon may have assumed, Lumine hadn’t come to Snezhnaya with nothing but blissful hope and sheer stubbornness. The moment she’d started down the possible path of heading to the most hostile of the seven nations with Childe’s concerning letter, she’d started taking every precaution necessary to secure her journey; stealing maps from Lisa’s library on the massive tundra nation, researching as much of their culture as she possibly could and burning it into her brain until it was second nature, even going so far as to only practice her skill with just a blade in sparring sessions with Kaeya and Rosaria and Bennett so that she did not need to use her elemental abilities if at all necessary.

Then around September, Varka and some of the Knights of Favonius had scrambled into action and left the city of freedom before the sunrise of Weinlesefest, leaving many families to wonder where their loved ones had gone without so much as a word. Acting Grandmaster Jean had soothed them by simply labeling it another expedition, but Lumine saw right through her uneasy voice and lack of a brilliant smile. The months-long embargo, too, had disappeared overnight from their massive base camp near Dawn Winery, but there was no sign of bloodshed to suggest a battle and no sign of a struggle to suggest they’d been chased out.

The Fatui had simply vanished.

Her anxieties reaching their peak as she remained stuck in place researching instead of exploring, Lumine had done the drastic thing of quietly breaking into Jean’s office while the acting Grand Master was distracted by Lisa–or was it Diluc?- and scouring for any details of the Snezhnayan military’s recent suspicious activities. What she had found had stunned her, though she shouldn’t have been too surprised by the fact that her friends were once again keeping secrets from her; they always had and likely always will, especially after last spring’s… disappointing revelation surrounding her partner.

The dozens of letters covering the acting Grand Master’s desk came from leaders across Teyvat, all saying the same thing. The Fatui who had carved out portions of their lives in each of the six other nations had packed up and shipped out  without so much as a single word. The Northland Bank in Liyue Harbor sat empty and unused, the research facilities in Sumeru spotless but abandoned. Projects in Fontaine and Inazuma came to a grinding halt without Snezhnaya’s incredible funding to help support them. Diplomatic attempts to establish more connections in Natlan evaporated overnight, leaving many to wonder if they’d been a farce in the first place.

And then, in the middle of all of those concerning letters, Lumine had found a direct order written in bright red and blue ink addressing all of the regiments scattered across the globe– a recall notice, summoning the troops back to Snezhnaya by the start of the new year. Anyone who did not return would be deemed a traitor to the Tsaritsa and Teyvat as a whole. The influx of returning soldiers would be the perfect cover to help her slip into Snezhnaya unnoticed. If anyone asked where she was from, she could simply lie and pretend she was part of the recall.

She couldn’t let the opportunity slip through her fingers like sands in an hourglass, and in less than a week later, Lumine had vanished, too.

The soldier’s eyes narrowed as another gale of whipping wind cut through them, the icy droplets stinging her exposed cheeks.. “And where are the rest of your comrades?”

She swallowed hard, praying to whatever god listening that she would be able to accomplish this carefully crafted lie. “They fled.”

“Gods above,” The first soldier whispered, her shoulders slouching.

“Why didn’t you take them out?” The tallest of the three asked, hands on his broad hips. “You know her Majesty’s rules for abandoning the post, especially during this recall. Why didn’t you take them out?”

“Because…” Because technically, they didn’t exist? No, she needed to focus. “Because they were like my brothers. Surely you must understand what difficulty it would be to kill your fellow soldiers–”

The pyroslinger snarled like a feral cat, once again raising the muzzle of the gun into her face. “And yet I would do it in a heartbeat.”

“Will you quit it?” The female soldier snapped, pushing him hard enough to send him skidding through the slick snow. “She is the only one loyal enough to make the journey back. She listened to the Tsaritsa’s most direct order; that counts in my book. And since I’m in charge, I say she lives.”

The annoyed, chastised rifleman huffed and turned on his heel, grabbing the vanguard’s arm and dragging the burly soldier back up the slick hill without another word. Before they’d even reached the peak, the storm swallowed them whole, the wind blowing the sheets of snow sideways in the thick, white sheets. For the first time since the encounter began, Lumine let out a slow breath of relief and lowered her hands. 

The leader watched her fellow men go, then turned and offered her a tentative smile, warm and gentle. She peeled off her hood despite the freezing temperatures, revealing her short, icy blonde bob of hair whipping in the violent wind. “You must be freezing to come from that tepid Dragonspine weather.”

Tepid. Archons. “Admittedly, yes.”

“My name is Yelena,” She said, sticking out her hand for her to shake. Lumine quickly scanned her mind, trying to recall if this was a traditional greeting Snezhnayans used or a test by one commander to trick her into revealing herself. She must have taken too long, as the woman awkwardly laughed and rubbed the back of her head. “Ahh… and you are?”

“Olena. Olena Alekseev.” Childe would likely kill her for taking his last name, too, but it was the easiest one for her to remember. “I can’t tell you how happy I am to see fellow soldiers again.”

A bright smile stretched across the soldier’s pretty features. “Come on, let’s get you back to camp and into some warmer clothes. I’m sure that will help you feel better.”

“Camp?” Lumine asked awkwardly as Yelena started towards the hill, scrambling to keep up with.

“Where all the other soldiers are gathering. Don’t worry– you can share my tent.” When Lumine still hesitated, the commander offered her another reassuring smile, her Cryo delusion clinking on her belt as she walked. “Ignore the boys being mean, too. They’re just nervous about the recall, that’s all. I promise you, you’re safe now.”

A promise made by a Snezhnayan, sacred and official. Lumine only hoped it still mattered if somehow they ever found out her true identity. Still, with her elemental abilities so out of sorts and the snowstorm intensifying with every passing minute, she had no choice but to go along with it.That odd, piercing gaze that had infiltrated every thought as she tried to resonate seemed to follow her as they crested the hill and caught up with the others, heading onwards to the base camp. Anxiety flooded her senses as she cast a glance over her shoulder towards the headless Statue of the Seven one final time.

Just what had she gotten herself into this time?

Chapter Text

Why Childe constantly revered the cold of his homeland with such nostalgia and glee, she would never understand. 

Lumine tugged the fur-lined cloak tighter around her face as icy gales cut through her like a thousand tiny knives. These temperatures likely wouldn’t be that bad if she had only worn the right clothes. The uniform itself was insulated, thank the Archons, but that didn’t mean each cold blast of frigid wind didn’t run her through like a sword to the belly, stealing the air from her lungs. She grit her chattering teeth, her tall boots crunched against the powdery snow. Around her, dark blue and purple tents whipped in the winds, threatening to blow over with one strong blast. A few people quickly moved along the compact path in between shelters, blissfully ignoring her as they continued their hushed conversations. She didn’t mind; the less attention she drew to herself, the better. 

To her relief, she spotted a quiet tent on the outskirts of the camp, a sigh bubbling past her lips. At least she could slip inside and crawl into her cot until the next morning. After days of trying to adjust to her new life and the lies she continued to tell, exhaustion and the chill clung to every muscle and bone.  With an ounce of remaining energy, she pushed forward into the empty tent and out of the wind. Heat instantly slammed into her, the heavy iron wood stove pumping out such a ferocious warmth that it nearly stung worse than the pins and needles prickling her exposed skin from the chilly outdoors. Still, she refused to complain for the modicum of relief, frantically rubbing her frozen hands together to try and bring some feeling back to her fingers. 

When warmth still took too long to flood her digits, a shattered breath slipped out of her blue lips. The recurring thought of what did I get myself into plagued her mind over and over again, her body trembling like a leaf in the wind as she headed towards her cot. “It’s too fucking cold to move around in this forsaken country.”

“Still getting used to the Snezhnayan temperatures?”

Lumine nearly jumped out of her skin, whirling around to glare at the high-pitched voice behind her. “Archons, Yelena!” She squeaked, clutching her chest. “You scared me!”

Her tentative friend paid no mind to her fright, a vibrant grin spreading from where she sat curled up on her own cot. “Sorry. I thought you knew I’d be back by now.” No, because Lumine was still trying to make sure she didn’t get lost around the sprawling base camp despite days of wandering in the compact alleyways. She hadn’t even begun to consider the Fatui’s detailed day-to-day schedules, working like any other grunt in whatever job the higher-ups needed her to fill in for. Shoveling trenches in the frozen earth, cleaning filthy, well-designed rifles, or getting an up close and personal look at other Pyro agents with their flashy movements… The list went on and on, exposing her and her secret identity to more soldiers and officers than she had ever planned to interact with in the first place.

She needed to get out of here and back on the road north.

When she didn’t answer right away– a habit she’d picked up since arriving at the base camp days ago, mostly to protect herself from revealing too much information– Yelena continued, her blue eyes twinkled with excitement. “Don’t you look all fancy in your new uniform!”

Lumine let out a slow breath to calm her nerves, swallowing hard as she slicked off her hood. Heavy faux fur lined the dark uniform jackets’ shoulders and sleeves, while the actual uniform was made of thick, warm wool. It matched the one Childe had worn years ago when she’d run into him on the border between Snezhnaya, Fontaine, and Mondstadt while he was training his soldiers. It did fit her well despite her feminine and small frame, as if designed just for her. “I couldn’t be luckier. Though admittedly, I think anything would be better than that old ratty uniform I had. I don’t think I would have lasted another few days wearing that in this weather.”

“Wait until winter actually gets here. They’ll make Dragonspine look like a walk in the park,” Yelena hummed, lazily braiding her ice blonde hair. Lumine scrunched her nose. This wasn’t winter? Gods, she wasn’t sure she could handle it when the truly dangerous weather hit. Already, the massive blizzard that currently swirled around the base camp ever since she had arrived, threatening to crush them between its icy claws as the days grew shorter and shorter. What would these storms look like in the heart of the season? 

Maybe she really would freeze solid by December. That would be quite ironic way to die– the Traveler, needed as a so-called sacrifice in the Tsaritsa’s grand schemes, couldn't even make it to Zapolyarny Palace without freezing stiff in her boots! 

Ha, ha.

“It looks really good, Ollie. I like how it hugs your curves in all the right places,” Yelena praised, bouncing up and brushing fat snowflakes from the jacket before they could seep in and soak the fabric. The sweet, rich scent of amber and oranges flooded Lumine’s senses, her nose wrinkling from the intensity of the perfume. “All you need now is a Delusion to make the outfit complete.”

A frown. “Oh, I don’t need that.” 

“Why? Do you have a Vision?”

Lumine froze as though she’d been cast out into the snowstorm once more. The false identity she carefully crafted had not included any backstory about a Vision, and it wasn’t like she’d had the bright idea to copy an Archon by crafting a fake one to carry around. Her heart thudded against her chest, trying to calm her racing thoughts before she said something stupid or suspicious. What would the repercussions be if she said yes? From what she knew, the Fatui did not care if soldiers had a Vision or not. Archons, Childe had even explained the truth about why Celestia gave out the gemstones when they were in the heart of the Abyss, safe from the Divine’s prying eyes. 

But what if she said no and accidentally used one of her elemental abilities while she was trapped in this camp by the raging storm outside? Not that she could to her full power right now; ever since touching that beheaded Statue of the Seven, her elemental abilities had been all out of sorts. Some nights she woke to the smell of burning fur, the underside of her the thick pelts on her cot scorched from her Pyro powers. Other times, her lungs squeezed as if she’d been knocked in the chest by a gust of nonexistent wind, or her muscles froze still like a puddle of water in the too-cold temperatures. She needed to get to another of the Cryo Archon’s statues and resonate properly to sort herself out. That would also help stave off the chill permeating her bones for her journey even further north– she hoped.

Ugh. Why had she thought coming to Snezhnaya was a good idea?

To her surprise and relief, Yelena continued without too many questions, humming, “I guess that makes sense; I’ve seen the muscles you’ve got hiding under your clothes.” Archons above; they may share a tent, but when the woman stated it like that… “You’re a fighter, and a powerful one, too, aren’t you?”

“Oh, I don’t know.” She took a step away from the soldier as her tentative friend reached up to brush a damp piece of hair behind Lumine’s ear. 

The woman did not comment on her moving away, but her hand awkwardly fell to her side. “You should be proud of your strength! You’ve accomplished so much!” Her ice blue eyes twinkled in silent awe, her brilliant smile never fading. “I’ve never met anyone like you, Olena.”

Yeah, well, the minute her friend figured out her real identity and just how strong she could really be, Yelena probably wouldn’t be saying the same thing with as much glee. Lumine grit her teeth, turning to the woodstove to try and warm up her frozen hands. “I just did my duty. Had to, to survive on that mountain.”

“But you and your comrades were simply your duty for the good of Snezhnaya! Without your sacrifice, our final mission may not have been successful.”

The word sacrifice stung like a blade to the stomach, a sudden shiver coursing down her spine. Such a final word, especially now that she knew the truth behind the foreboding prophecy hanging over her head. Much to her dismay– and the usual torment she underwent– her thoughts quickly drifted to Childe and his random disappearance, her anxiety compounding in on itself the same way it had when he had nearly died in Inazuma or when he stopped breathing after their fight in the Abyss. 

Had his meeting with the Tsaritsa gone awry? Had he even made it to Zapolyarny? 

Was he in more trouble now than ever before, doomed because they had finally learned the truth of their intertwined fates?

She shook her head hard, urging her rapidly beating heart to slow through slow, long breathes. She needed to change the topic– both for her own sanity and to make sure she didn’t reveal anything too personal. “They put me on mess hall duty again today,” She said, peeling off her gloves and hanging them up to dry.

“Do you want a different role?” Yelena asked with a tilted head, fiddling with her braid. “Just tell me what you want and I’ll get it for you.”

One brow rose. “What is your job again, exactly?”

A shadow flickered across her friend’s pretty, slender face. Her good natured companionship only went so far. “Ooooh, no, you’re not going to try and trade–”

“It’s simply curiosity, you goof,” Lumine teased, sliding down into the floor beside her friend, pressing herself closer to the warmth radiating through the wood stove. “Geez, and you tease me to lighten up.”

“You’re right,” The woman sighed, pulling her braid free of its restraint and restarting from the beginning. “This role is just precious to me. I’m proud of what I’ve done to earn it, and it checks all my boxes so nicely…”

One brow rose. “How so?”

“Making sure our unit leader has everything he needs, especially now.” Her icy blue eyes widened, nudging Lumine with her knee. “You do not want to get on Pavel’s bad side, by the way.”

“Noted.”

“Otherwise, I’ve had to prepare for some very important people coming to camp.”

Her heart skipped a beat, then another. “Oh?” She asked, keeping her voice as level as possible, no matter how much excitement bubbled in her chest at the mere possibility of seeing Ajax again. Even if he was mad at her, he’d forgive her quickly enough. “Who’s coming? The Tsaritsa?”

Yelena bristled like a startled cat. “Archons, I hope not! I don’t think I could prepare for something of that magnitude, not to the level of perfection she deserves.”

“You’re such a fangirl.”

“Can you blame me?” The Fatui soldier who had somehow wormed her way into her life with relatively no issue at all bounced to her feet with more energy than Lumine could ever muster, especially when she felt as though her bones had been speared by shards of ice. “The Tsaritsa is the epitome of power– a golden standard for all of Teyvat! She takes charge and guides us forward, putting us on the path to greatness, unlike the rest of Teyvat’s lazy leaders.” A flicker of curiosity glimmered in her ice blue eyes, her thin lips twitching upwards. “Surely you feel the same way?”

No. “Yep!”

“Liar.”

Lumine flinched as though the soldier had slapped her across the cheek. “W-what?”

That same quirky smile stretched wider across her friend’s face. “She disappoints you.”

“She does not,” She hissed, turning to unpack her rucksack, eager to hide anything written on her face from giving away her disguise. Yelena may have been an extraordinary help during the time she’d been in this camp, but that didn’t mean her grace was endless, especially when it came to her dedication to the Fatui’s cause. “I’ve never even met her!”

“Neither have I, but I know how incredible she is.”

“I’m not disagreeing here.”

“Were you born in Mondstadt, too?” Yelena asked, crossing her arms behind her back. Lumine didn’t know enough about the Fatui to decide on an answer. Sure, the Harbingers were plucked from all across Teyvat, but were regular foot soldiers conscripted from other nations as well? “That might explain your apathy towards her. Or are you bitter about this spring’s blockade at the city of freedom?”

Lumine froze in her hurried shuffling. 

The soldier hummed in thought. “It was for the good of Snezhnaya.”

“I know!” She managed through clenched teeth as jolts of rage and out of control Electro energy sparked up her spine. She still didn’t understand why the Tsaritsa had decided to enact the embargo on her favorite nation. She wondered if there had been a good reason for it in the first place, or if it was just a power move. Still, she couldn’t let her anger swallow her whole, especially in front of a dutiful soldier. So with a careful breath, she sighed and let the tension seep out of her shoulders. “I know.”

“If you’re looking for someone to blame for that–”

“Which I’m not–”

“-then blame the Traveler.”

Lumine turned to face her friend, one brow raised. “What?”

Yelena had already started gathering her heavy winter coat and supplies to leave the tent, probably headed to dinner or to make another runthrough of her beloved checklists. “I’m sure you’ve heard the stories.”

“Not all of them.” And certainly not ones that would blame the Traveler for her alleged role in the blockade in Mondstadt. Sure, she was the Fatui’s number one enemy, but how had that led to a complete embargo of another nation? Childe had said it was a way to try and trick the gods of Celestia, but something about the entire event still didn’t sit right. When Yelena didn’t give any more detailed answers, she swallowed down her string of questions, not wanting to appear too interested in the stories about her real self in the eyes of the Snezhnayans. “Nevermind. You never told me who is coming to camp.”

“Hm? Oh, uhm…” Her tentative friend perked like a flower receiving the first rays of sunlight for the day. “I believe Lord Pulcinella will be arriving first.”

“Pulcinella,” Lumine whispered, breathless. Fuck.

“Have you met him?”

“No. I’ve only heard the stories about him.” A lie, a lie, a lie. They had met– once, at the Fatui base camp in the Dandelion Sea, when she had been trying to visit Ajax before their adventures in Natlan. A knot constricted in her throat, her heart beating like the hooves of an out of control race horse against her ribs. If he somehow caught her without the mask on, he would recognize her immediately. 

To her relief, Yelena did not seem to notice how tense she’d gotten, finishing off her perfect braid and tying it back with a band. “He’s not that bad, really! I mean, sure, he’s not the most exciting harbinger, but his role is just as important as, say, Capitano or Columbina.”

Oh Archons, Capitano would definitely recognize her if he spotted her in a crowd, especially with how freely they had interacted with each other during Murata’s Grand Tournament. But surely he, too, wouldn’t be coming to this tiny base camp in the middle of nowhere, right? “What do you mean he’ll arrive first?”

“You haven’t heard?” The soldier asked, innocently tilting her head like a curious dog. “All of the Harbingers will be amassing here with their units. For what, I don’t know, but I do know it’s been quite the headache to organize.”

Panic hit her still-trembling frame like a jolt of pure Electro energy from the Musou no Hitotachi, striking her all the way to her core. Fuck! How had she somehow ended up choosing the one Fatui camp that would soon turn into a meeting place of all the Harbingers?! Oh, Archons, this couldn’t get much worse. 

She turned back to her rucksack, her thoughts racing a mile a minute. She needed to get back on track with her mission, a goal that she had come up with the minute she’d discovered the old Fatui uniform in her rucksack. Staying long with this unit had only meant to be a frozen stepping stone, especially since she still didn’t know where Childe was. She planned to head north through Snezhnaya and completely bypass Zapolyarny–she didn’t need to encounter the Tsaritsa any earlier than she planned to. If she didn’t find him on her journey throughout the frigid nation, she would find his family and wait for him to come to her. 

All it was was hiding in plain sight, while still doing enough to satisfy her desires to keep moving forward. Her only fear when she had left Mondstadt had been making sure she didn’t freeze stiff before she made it to where she wanted to go. 

This was a bad idea. This was such a bad idea. Perhaps she should cut her losses now and head back to Mondstadt at the first opportunity before she did something as stupid as getting caught by one of the Fatui Harbingers. No one would judge her– except, maybe Paimon, who’d probably brag that Paimon told her so until the end of her days.

Speaking of her traveling companion, a twinkle of stars suddenly erupted above the cot as her sleepy friend appeared from her pocket domain. Lumine’s eyes widened in horror, lunging forward just into time to smack her hand across Paimon’s mouth before the pixie could say a word. It didn’t do enough to hide the high-pitched squeal that escaped the fairy as she shoved her underneath the blankets and promptly sat down on top of the cot, ignoring how it squirmed and writhed.

“What has gotten into you today?” Yelena asked from her spot by the wood stove, one pale brow raised. “You’re acting like a frightened rabbit!”

“Just cold!” What was one more lie?

“And red in the face…” Her friend gasped, clasping her gloved hands together, her eyes twinkling with delight. “Have you not met any of the Harbingers?!”

Lumine blinked, deadpanned. “What?”

“You haven’t!”

“I have!”

“Oh yeah? Which ones?”

“Ah–” That was a very, very loaded question. It would probably give away less details to explain the ones she hadn’t met. “The, uh…”

“You haven’t!” Yelena squealed, bouncing on the balls of her feet, a genuine wide smile stretched across her pretty features. “Oh, this will be so much fun! With my close proximity to all the action, I’m sure I can introduce you–”

“No!” Lumine shouted, her panic rising with each loud heartbeat rattling against her chest. “No, that’s– I will just make a fool of myself.”

“Why? Got a crush on one of them?”

“Yelena.”

Her thinly-veiled warning did nothing to deter the attendant, the woman brimming with an uncontrollable excitement at the mere idea of introducing her newfound friend to the most important lieutenants to Snezhnaya’s military. “Are you an Arlecchino fan?” She asked, tapping a finger to her lips in thought. “I wouldn’t blame you at all; that voice and her smile and those hands… But she might be a little too intimidating for you in person.”

A low groan slipped out of her as she buried her hands in her face, ignoring Paimon’s frantic attempts to escape the covers. “We are not having this conversation.”

“Not the Knave then? Hmm…” That wicked smile flashed across her pretty features. “Il Dottore?”

“Absolutely not!” Lumine would have rather sucked on the rind of a lemon for the rest of her life than consider herself a fan of the Doctor, especially after that encounter in a tiny Fontainian dungeon too many years ago. 

Thankfully, Yelena threw her head back and laughed, the sound like little bells chiming in the breeze. “Relax, I’m teasing! I don’t blame you for that one, he even creeps me out.” Still, her ice blue eyes danced with an unshed mischief, so similar to another Snezhnayan she knew too well. “Actually, I bet you’re a Cap girlie.”

“If I agree, will you drop the topic?”

That evil grin only grew. “No.”

“Didn’t think so,” She admitted with a slow breath out of her nose, brushing her silky blonde hair out of her face in a desperate attempt to soothe her nerves. She needed to get her act together and think of a plan forward, but she couldn’t do that in the middle of dealing with her disguise, her fairy companion nearly blowing her cover, and her tentative soldier friend teasing her about Harbingers she’d become far too familiar with in recent years. 

To her relief, Yelena grabbed another chunk of wood and started loading the stove with more tinder to keep the fire blazing, the warmth radiating throughout the tent. Distracted by her own ramblings through the nine different options for potential first introductions, Lumine took the moment to pry the furs off of Paimon. The fairy’s scowl deepened, opening her mouth to start a tangent she would probably deserve, but the Traveler didn’t take any chances and roughly pressed a finger to her friend’s mouth.

One glance towards Yelena revealed her back turned, still idly chatting to herself as she stoked the flames. Lumine frowned at her companion. “What are you doing?” She hissed under her breath, making sure her voice stayed low enough not to get caught. “I told you to stay hidden!”

Paimon squirmed uneasily. “Paimon got lonely!” She whimpered, though she thankfully kept her voice at a nearly inaudible level as well. “You’ve been so busy these days!”

“I’m in the middle of something!”

“Which Paimon still thinks is a bad idea!” Yes, yes, the fairy had said so countless times. The unfortunate thing was, as things were currently going, Lumine was inclined to agree. “We should just find the next Statue of the Seven and move on!”

“It’s not that easy– I will freeze to death.”

“Not if you resonate properly!”

“Olena?”

Lumine jolted, throwing the furs back over Paimon and poking her head around the small privacy curtain. “Hm?” She asked, forcing the cheeriest smile she could manage. 

Yelena stared at her like she had three heads. “I asked you about Tartaglia.”

“...What about him?”

“Your thoughts, obviously! He’s our age, I think– maybe a little younger.” The attendant smiled as though she were the cat who caught the canary, pushing herself to stand. “I bet he would be a good one for you to meet~”

No, because he would literally kill her for disobeying a direct order the minute he caught a glimpse of her silky blonde hair or heard her voice or noticed a mannerism only she had, one that he’d memorized like a battle plan in their two years as lovers and as partners. 

And yet, she couldn’t help but let her mind wander again to her favorite Harbinger, her best friend, her equal in all things. The man she would willingly die for should it come down to it. Her chest tightened at the mere thought of him, her yearning threatening to swallow her whole like a whirlpool in the sea. They had been apart for a longer amount of time before, but something about this distance hit harder than it had in the past.

Perhaps she simply missed him and the companionship he had to offer, especially since he knew her better than he knew herself and treated her like a normal person rather than some revered icon. Perhaps it had been their teary confessions when they had last parted, the heartbreaking calamity of I love yous whispered between needy kisses and desperate touches as they tried and failed not to let go of one another. Perhaps it was the constant reminder that when the final battle came, one of them would have to die to save the entire world.

Her stomach twisted into knots, forcing herself to speak so she didn’t linger on the cutting absence of him. “Isn’t he really chaotic?”

Yelena rolled her eyes. “You’re so uptight.”

“You’re one to talk!”

“So what? I like checklists, sue me.”

There was one good thing that came with this tentative friendship with Yelena; the woman had practically adopted her, deciding she needed as much help as she could get. The attendant had been the final nail to solidify her made-up backstory, so extroverted and bubbly that Lumine rarely had to tell her own fake sob story. When she didn’t know the answer to a question from one of the higher ups, she played it off as being a Fatuu from a different country where the unit’s military structure had been much more lax. Other times, Yelena easily filled in, eager to explain anything Lumine had a question about. 

Honestly, the woman reminded her so much of Yoimiya and how they had first become fast friends, a ball of energy full of good nature and extreme dedication to whatever she put her mind to. Some days, Lumine wondered if they would have been a lot closer– had they met in different circumstances. Had everything she said while uneasily stationed in this camp not been a lie. 

Something pinched her thigh, dragging her from her thoughts. She whipped around to glare at Paimon, only to find the fairy glaring back. “The statue,” Her companion hissed, her ice-white brow furrowed.

Right, right. Even if she still didn’t know her next steps, knowing where the statue was would put her on the right path. Maybe resonating with it would also help her avoid the cold the same way resonating with the statue in Natlan had temporarily soothed her from the blistering heat. “Yelena?” She asked, rubbing her hands together as the wind whipped past the tent’s exterior. “Are there any Statues of the Seven nearby?”

One brow rose. “Maybe? I think I remember seeing one at the base of the mountain. Why?”

“I’d like to pay my respects.”

Yelena scrunched her nose, undoing her braid for a third time and starting once more. “You Mondstadtians and your weird obsession with prayer,” She muttered, shaking her head as her fingers rapidly twisted her long blonde strands of hair. “Once you stop seeing the Archons as gods, you’ll see they’re not all that great.”

Her words were like ice sliding down Lumine’s spine. Did… did Snezhnayans not worship the Tsaritsa like other nations did with their Archons? Sure, Barbatos had a lot of very loyal and spiritual supporters, especially with the literal church and statue erected in his honor, but…

“The statue?” She asked, forcing herself to focus.

Yelena made a face, but held her hand out for Lumine’s map, which she easily handed over. It only took a moment for her to hand it back, the little X marked in purple ink. She was right; it didn’t seem too far from the base camp, much to her relief. If she did her duties quickly enough the next day, she and Paimon could sneak out after lunch and head to the mountain. Then after she’d resonated with the statue, they could start their journey further north and hopefully ask around to see how to get to Morepesok– to Childe’s home.

“I should come with you.”

Lumine barely managed to hold back from flinching, though she probably couldn’t hide the shock etched into her features. “What? Why?”

“Don’t want you freezing solid in the snow, now do we?” Yelena teased, placing her mask on her high cheekbones and pulling her hood above “Besides, it’ll be nice for the two of us to get out of camp for a bit. Alone, you know?”

Then how exactly was she supposed to start heading north? How was she going to get out of here without someone– namely, her tentative friend– watching her every movement? Still, if she didn’t go to the statue and try to regulate the surge of elemental abilities swirling around in her body she’d go mad, another pointed Electro shock twinging up her spine as she weighed her options. “... Fine.”

“Great. As soon as the weather breaks, we’ll go together.” Her friend hummed, oblivious to the dismay dripping from Lumine’s words. “Are you coming to dinner?”

“Ah…” She should be focused on making a plan for her next steps forward, especially with the threat of the Harbingers arriving at the camp hanging over her head. “I… am gonna stay back. I’m not really that hungry.”

Her loud, growling stomach betrayed her. Traitor.

Thankfully, Yelena only smiled sympathetically, shaking her head like an exasperated older sister. “I’ll bring you some leftover borscht if they have it.”

Lumine softened, unable to help herself. She really wished the two of them had met in completely different circumstances; they really would have been fast friends, were the situation different. “You’re a lifesaver.” 

“I know!” Her friend said in a sing-song voice. “Do try to warm up, okay? I don’t think the higher-ups would take too kindly to you losing your toes to frostbite.”

Chapter Text

The first blizzard of the season finally dissipated two and a half weeks after Lumine had been sucked into an unwilling, accidental conscription. The mid-November sun crept higher in the noon sky, bouncing off the pure white of the freshly fallen snow. The sharp rays threatened to blind her as she made her way across the main courtyard in the middle of the base camp, ducking and weaving in between soldiers hurriedly carting equipment down the main path. She tucked her face tighter into her fluffy hood, both to deflect some of the sunlight and also eager to hide from any of the passing lieutenants who may somehow be able to recognize her features as identical to that of the Traveler. All it would take was an ounce of suspicion for the entire camp to erupt in sheer chaos. 

To her relief, she spotted Yelena loitering by one of the dark blue and purple tents whipping in the chilly winter air, chatting with the men that had joined her on the expedition they had discovered Lumine– including two elite agents, still carting their massive, intricate weapons around. Today, however, they looked far more casual in their stances, as if the sun had melted away any of their bitterness. Yelena threw her head back and laughed, the sound sweet and ethereal unlike the harshness of the Snezhnayan countryside around them. Like her fellow comrades, she’d removed her hood to soak in the sun’s rays, her platinum blonde braid glowing in the sharp light. 

The humor left her face as Lumine approached, her ice blue eyes widening to the size of Mora coins. “Olena!” She said, straightening her soldiers. “H-hey!”

“Oh, hi Olena,” One of the soldiers said with a growing grin, his dark hair brushing over his long forehead. “We were just talking about you!”

Panic coursed through Lumine’s veins, her mind bouncing from thought to thought over what they could possibly be talking about. Were they suspicious about her activity in camp? Had they somehow caught her arguing with Paimon even though she explicitly told the fairy to stay hidden in her pocket domain while they were stuck in this situation? Or had they known her real identity all along and were only playing with her like a cat pawing at a helpless bird, wings broken as it remained caught right where its predator wanted it?

She forced on a small smile, refusing to let her horrified features give her away. “Oh?”

“Shut up!” Yelena hissed, swatting the chuckling soldier hard in the stomach. Her pale, sculpted cheekbones brightened in the sun’s warmth, an awkward smile stretching across her pretty face. “Don’t listen to them, they’re being stupid.”

“Says the one who’s so smitten she can’t focus–”

“Shut up!” Her friend shrieked, pushing a second soldier hard in the chest, her cheeks reddening as the men continued to chuckle to themselves. They raised their hands in defeat and took a step back as Yelena straightened her shoulders and brushed a hair behind her ear, the red in her cheeks not fading. “So, uh… what brings you here?”

“The weather,” Lumine said plainly.

Yelena’s face fell. “The… weather?”

The two comrades behind her friend burst out in hysterical laughter like a pack of hyenas prowling through the high plateaus in Natlan’s mesas. 

What was so funny? She didn’t think she had said something wrong. After all, in her brief time secretly shadowing the soldiers, she’d learned that most of the Fatui passed their time by talking about the weather. They all spent too long moaning about how they didn’t want to leave the comfort of the warm tents to do their duties, or bitching about how cold it was and how it affected old soldier injuries, or muttering about the pointlessness of doing all of the trench digging in the snow when it would disappear with another good storm. While she may not be an official soldier, she certainly understood their dismay whenever the clouds started pooling above head once more, threatening more sour weather on the horizon. 

A confused smile stretched across Lumine’s face, fiddling with the brass buttons on her uniform jacket. “You said when the storm broke, we could… uhm…”

“Oh! Yes, absolutely!” Yelena immediately slammed her trusty notebook closed and scrambled to stand. “My afternoon is pretty free, so it works perfectly.”

“A hot date!” One of the soldiers teased, crossing his arms.

Her friend swatted the man hard with the book, earning another low oof. “I swear to the stars, I will kill you.”

Lumine chewed on her cheek as all three of the legitimate Fatui soldiers suddenly switched to Snezhnayan, loudly bickering in the middle of the courtyard. In times like these, she wished she knew some of the complicated language, especially when she still didn’t understand what was so funny between them. Dozens of passing soldiers glanced their way, too, subtle smirks stretching across their masked faces. She tucked herself a little tighter into her hood to avoid the lingering stares for too long as Yelena’s face turned more and more red.

When they continued to argue despite the first hints of another storm beginning to dot the glacier blue skies, she realized how quickly time was running out. If she wasn’t careful, they would be caught in the tail end of heavy snow and vicious wind, trapping her here for Archons knows how long until the weather broke again and she could finally slip away to the statue. A jolt of uncontrollable Electro energy jolted up her spine as she lunged forward and tangled her arm with her bunkmate, tugging her away from the other bickering comrades.

“I hate to interrupt, but we really wanted to do this before the snow starts again,” She said smoothly, her nails digging into Yelena’s side in a silent plea to play along. Her tentative friend audibly gulped. “Considering how fast the weather changes around here…”

“Fine, fine, we won’t interrupt you any longer,” The pyroslinger muttered, waving them off with the flick of his wrist. That sly smile returned to his narrow features as he teased, “Have fun, you two~”

Right, because trudging through the icy wilderness with the threat of another snow storm was exactly what Lumine would consider fun. Relief swept through her as her friend tugged her by the arm away from the other soldiers as fast as she possibly could. Both girls ignored the mens’ barking laughter as they hurriedly weaved through the crowd away from camp.

“What were they on about?” She asked when they were out of earshot.

Yelena swallowed hard again. “Uhm… they’re just– it’s really nothing! Boys being boys and all…”

Odd. “Okay…”

“So, what do you need at the statue again?” 

Cryo abilities, she almost muttered, barely managing to shut herself up by biting her lip. That would certainly put her under a high level of suspicion, especially since most people who visited the Statues of the Seven didn’t earn any special powers whenever they touched the sacred marble. And with her friend so entangled with the unit leaders around the base camp… “Just wanted to get out of the camp for a bit, you know?” She lied, a subtle quiver to her words. Yelena opened her mouth to say something, but she slid in first. “Any sign of the Harbingers?”

A frown. “No, not yet. No word on when they’ll arrive, either.”

“What are we supposed to expect when they get here?”

“You know, I’m not sure.” One foot sank far into the deep snow. If Lumine tried to make her secretive getaway when the powder was this high, she would have a much longer journey north than she liked. A sharp gust of wind sliced through both girls, burying into each others’ sides to find any hint of warmth. “They usually don’t congregate together unless it’s important, like for a funeral. But no one died recently, so…”

Lumine exhaled slowly. “Are we sure they won’t go for each other’s throats?”

“Not this time. Tensions will definitely be high, especially with everything going on.” Although with the tiniest smirk gracing her friend’s thin lips, avoiding a skirmish wasn’t a promise. One golden brow rose, earning her an exasperated scoff from the soldier. “Oh, come on! Just how much intel did you miss when you were stationed on that mountain?”

“A lot, I guess.” Mostly because she’d never been stationed on Dragonspine to begin with. Its isolated location and proximity to Mondstadt had been the main reason she had picked it for her cover story. Plus, she knew Fatui crawled through those mountains, either through intel reports from the Knights of Favonius, her own adventures in the frigid environment, or Albedo’s odd comments about their proximity to the heart in Wyrmrest Valley. She still never learned what it was they were doing on the mountain in the first place.

One look at Yelena’s face seemed to suggest that she might have known, her lips twisting in thought. “I shouldn’t tell you.”

“Why not?”

“Because I’m not even supposed to know.” She huffed and awkwardly fiddled with her braid, a tic Lumine had noticed she tended to do whenever she got too nervous. “I kind of… took a peek at some of the documents coming from Zapolyarny.”

“Naughty girl!” Lumine dramatically gasped, clutching her chest as they struggled to make their way forward in the deep snow.

Yelena’s cheeks turned the color of Childe’s scarf once more, but she wore a deep frown instead of her usual upbeat and lighthearted grin. “That’s why I really shouldn't mention anything. I don’t want to get in trouble and lose the best role I’ve ever had.”

“You really love your job, don’t you?”

A sharp nod. “For years, it was all I had. When you don’t have a good childhood and you join the Fatui with next to no skills, you’re fed to the wolves as a grunt.” Something glimmered in her ice blue eyes, a coldness she rarely let slip through. The frown had not softened, either. “I somehow managed to impress my boss enough to give me a chance to be his attendant because of how organized I am and… well, here we are.”

Uneasiness settled in Lumine’s stomach. If somehow the Fatui encampment discovered the Traveler was staying in their midst and had been for nearly three weeks now, they would turn on the one person who had shown her genuine kindness ever since she had arrived in Snezhnaya. It wouldn’t be Yelena’s fault, but she doubted anyone would listen to the girl, especially with the fate of trade secrets on the line because of the soldier’s role in the base camp. Still, as much as she didn’t want her friend to lose her job, Lumine also selfishly needed any information she could get her hands on to move forward and find Childe. Reconnecting with her partner was the only way she would feel comfortable again, especially with all the strange and unfortunate things that had been happening throughout Teyvat since the two had crawled their way out of the Abyss.

“That’s really impressive. And you should be proud,” Lumine said carefully, keeping her face a mask of stone. Biting down her good nature, she channeled as much of her partner as she could; after all, he’d lied and schemed too, when it was absolutely necessary. “Still, it’s not like I’m going to tell anyone. You can trust me. As a friend.”

A shadow flashed across Yelena’s face, and for a moment she wondered if she’d pushed too hard. The darkness disappeared as soon as it came, replaced by a gentle smile and soft pink cheeks. “A friend. Ha…”

Silence fell between them, except for the satisfying crunch of synchronized footsteps in the deep snow.

Then, the soldier sighed. “The world is changing. It has been for the last few years, but more now than ever before. We have to be ready for what’s coming because it will likely be much more intense than the Cataclysm.”

“In Khanrie’ah?”

“Yes. Since then, the Tsaritsa has supposedly been putting the chess pieces into place, but they’ve really picked up in their momentum since the Traveler popped up out of nowhere.”

A sudden chill coursed through her veins like ice water dumped down the back of her shirt, followed by the prickle of the invisible Dendro thorns scrambling across her skin from her out of control elemental abilities. “The Traveler…?”

Yelena gave a sharp nod, stepping over a fallen log as they entered another thicket of trees, the chilly wind easing in the dark woods. “Surely you ran into her, especially since your unit was stationed so close to Mondstadt. It’s pretty well known she favors the city of freedom as her base of operations.”

“But what does she have to do with anything?”

“She’s been disrupting our plans across Teyvat! If she would just stay out of Fatui business, things might not be this stressful!” The soldier huffed, her bottom lip jutting out in a prominent pout. “They say she has a temper of pure flame and doesn’t worry about the destruction she brings.”

Lumine rolled her eyes. “I doubt that’s true.”

“She also isn’t afraid to get deadly.”

“Neither are the Fatui.”

“Yeah, but think about it!” Yelena shouted, her voice bouncing off the tall pines. “She’s ended dozens of good and loyal comrades’ careers all for her own agenda. She even took down La Signora in Inazuma!”

“That is not what happened at all!” Lumine shouted back, the memory of Tenshukaku fluttering through her mind in rapid fire, her fingertips crackling with uncontainable Electro energy.

Her friend untangled their arms, one brow raised. 

“...or so I heard.”

Silence. 

Then, Yelena shrugged, raising her chin as they weaved through the woods. “Well, I don’t know what stories got to the units in Mondstadt, but it’s definitely the truth. I saw the reports myself.” Because those certainly weren’t exaggerated for any agenda. “And soon enough, the Traveler will make her way to the nation of ice. Maybe she intends to challenge the Tsaritsa, considering her track record with the other Archons. At least our queen is much better than those insolent fools.”

Lumine bit her tongue hard enough to bleed to avoid saying something in defense of herself. She really didn’t need to let any more suspicion slip in. Not before she resonated with the statue, reset her abilities, and packed a supply bag to head north. Thank the gods she would be able to consider her next steps to find her partner after finally earning the Cryo abilities today, as she did not want to risk waiting around for the Harbingers to show up. 

“Olena?” Her friend asked, cutting through her rattled mind jumping from thought to thought. “Is something wrong?”

She must have been too quiet for too long. “It’s just… is that why we were all recalled? Because the Traveler will be in Snezhnaya soon enough?”

“Mmm, I doubt it.” Yelena pushed through a clump of trees, opening the space for them to both step through. Sunlight bounced off the undisturbed snow, the high clouds of another storm holding off for a little longer in the crystal blue sky. Her eyes burned against the harsh light. “It’s probably more likely that the Tsaritsa wants to prepare for the final battle. Because, again–”

“War is coming. Right.” A war that had likely been brewing since long before Lumine had ever awoken on the Mondstadt beach. A war she still didn’t know the final players for. 

A sigh bubbled out of her, hands on her hips as the telltale signs of a Statue of the Seven appeared. The snow melted away from some unknown warmth, though a chill still clung to the air and her exposed skin, her hot breath visible in the streams of harsh light. Her heart dropped into the pit of her stomach like a cannonball as she spotted the towering marble statue with its hands flat and exposed upwards towards the heavens, the white stone spotless and void of any markings or damage except for one glaring issue.

Just like before, the statue of the Cryo Archon had been beheaded, the marble jagged from a less than clean cut.

“Dammit,” She whispered, running a hand through her mess of short blonde hair. She stepped into the semi stone circle in front of the statue, the dead grass and tiny snowdrop flowers barely poking out through the shallow snow. Her uneasiness grew with each move closer, that haunting memory of eyes constantly witnessing her every movement plaguing her mind despite the lack of the statue’s face. 

“What’s wrong?” Her friend asked from her spot at the edge of the clearing, refusing to step into the light.

“The statue. It’s partially destroyed.”

“Yeah? All of them are.”

“What?” Lumine turned towards her friend, her frown deepening. “Why?”

“Because the Tsaritsa ordered it so,” Yelena said simply, fiddling with her ice blonde braid, her thin lips scrunched in thought.

So this really was intentionally done by the Fatui– but on strange orders from their queen. What was the reasoning? “Did she say why?” 

“No, but no one questions the Tsaritsa. That’s one way to earn a quick death.” Her friend hadn’t taken her eyes off the statue. “Besides, I don’t mind; these things always creeped me out.”

Lumine turned back to face the towering, headless statue, anxiety swirling in her stomach. How was she supposed to resonate with it now? Were her elemental abilities bound to stay out of alignment forever– would she have to learn them all over again? She didn’t have time to travel back to all six other nations to readjust herself to the different elements, especially not with Yelena’s warning of a war looming on the horizon. Even worse than that, she had no clue how to even continue her journey north without earning even a little bit of Cryo resistance under the Tsaritsa’s blessing. Her mind kept fluttering back to one glaring question above all others, eating away at her sanity with each passing heartbeat. 

How was she supposed to find Childe in this mess? 

“Do you still want to pray to it?” The soldier asked as Lumine peeled away from the useless statue, ignoring the invisible eyes on the back of her head.

“No point.”

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s not your fault,” She said with a sigh, clenching her fists to avoid letting her temper get out of control– especially when she couldn’t exactly handle the elements constantly swirling inside her small frame. “We can head back.”

Yelena’s pretty features fell for the second time in the day. “Oh… okay.”

Together, they left the beheaded Statue of the Seven in the forest and started for the base camp, stepping in the same foot path they had carved into the snow on the walk there. Lumine’s thoughts aimlessly wandered no matter how many times she tried to focus on what she needed to do next. She could try and head north to Morepesok at the first chance that arose, packed with enough clothes and blankets and food to keep her safe through the journey, but realistically would that be smart? After all, as the vibrant blue sky vanished behind the familiar grey storm clouds blocking out the afternoon sun, she had the tumultuous winter weather to contend with. One bad night caught in the wrong spot in a place she didn’t know and she’d freeze solid no matter how much starlight simmered in her veins.

What about staying in camp in disguise like she had been doing for the last two weeks? No, that was definitely a bad idea, especially with the Harbingers arriving. They were nothing like the grumbly Fatui soldiers she’d encountered throughout her travels, accepting things as they were plainly presented to them. The top lieutenants would likely be able to spot her from a mile away, incognito or not. And gods forbid she ran into Childe here, as much as her heart yearned to be by his side again. It wasn’t like he’d be able to slip away from his duties and try to help her figure out what was going on with her elemental abilities, nor would they be able to fall deeply into the same affections they’d had when they had seen each other months ago. They had made a promise then that they would keep up the act of enemies rather than lovers whenever they were in public– and were he to arrive tonight, she would have to accept that despite the aggravation that came with it. 

That left going back to Mondstadt as her only logical option, a fact she utterly despised. Paimon would laugh and rub it in her face with a high-pitched told you so! while she’d have to come up with an excuse as to where she’d wandered off to when the Knights of Favonius interrogated her on her month-long disappearance. They honestly acted like overbearing parents who demanded that they knew best, especially since the embargo had begun. If they put two and two together that she’d tried and failed to go to Snezhnaya, would they lock her up and say she was too much of a risk to herself? No, they were her friends, not her jailors, no matter how deeply her frustration towards their recent actions may have suggested otherwise. Besides, if they thought a war truly was coming between the Fatui and the other six nations, they would likely turn to her for assistance.

…Would she even be able to fight the Fatui when the war came? Would everyone demand she fight Childe? She’d done it before and had no doubt she would do it again, but she also knew the truth behind the Tsaritsa’s goals and how she planned to shatter the false sky–

“Oh,” Yelena whispered as she crested the hill above camp, dragging Lumine from her thoughts. “Archons above.”

A frown stretched across her face. “What is– oh.”

There, overlooking the sea of purple and blue tents, she noticed the influx of new soldiers arriving, spilling over the snowy valley like an avalanche. The size of the crowd had quadrupled in the hour or so she and her friend had vanished out of camp, the shouts in Snezhnayan echoing into the afternoon air just above the whipping wind. A tendril of ice ran up her spine, followed by jolt after jolt of Electro energy as her heart sank into the pit of her belly. Immediately, she recognized the surge in people for what it was. She’d been too late.

The Harbingers had come to camp.

Why couldn’t she catch a break for once in her life? She made Bennett look lucky compared to the trouble she somehow always found herself in! If she had just been able to resonate with the Statue of the Seven properly the first time, she likely could have been in Morepesok by now. 

Yelena didn’t notice her racing thoughts as she grabbed her hand and yanked her down the hill overlooking the camp, quickling joining the swell of soldiers swaying like a turbulent sea ahead of the storm. Lumine’s heart slammed against her chest, the thud of her heartbeat drowning out most of the roaring shouts in Teyvat’s different languages. Dozens of troops crowded the muddy path, making every move in the opposite direction nearly impossible. All wore different insignias on their uniforms based on the Harbinger they were assigned to, but to her relief, she couldn’t spot any familiar faces of the top lieutenants who had pestered her across every nation. Still, she ducked her head and pulled her hood higher on her face, praying to whatever god was listening that she didn’t run into someone who might be able to recognize her. 

This was bad. This was really bad. 

“I hoped we would have a few more days before they arrived,” Yelena grumbled, tangling her gloved fingers with Lumine’s and gently tugging to keep her close. A tic formed in her friend’s sharp jaw, her frown deepening. “They must have been really making up time to get here.”

“Is that bad?” Lumine asked, her voice dripping with anxiety she couldn’t control. 

“No, they probably just wanted to beat the bad weather. Traveling in a snowstorm isn’t exactly fun.”

“Right…” And with the swirling clouds overhead, plus the chilly bite clinging to the wind, she wouldn’t be surprised if another blizzard spun up at any second. Dammit.

Yelena squeezed their conjoined hands and flashed her a tight smile over her shoulder, one that didn’t meet her icy blue eyes. “Relax, Ollie. I know you haven’t met them, but they’re not that bad– well, most of them aren’t.” Sometimes Lumine wondered if her friend understood the pointed honesty wasn’t comforting in the slightest. “Just don’t get in the way or frustrate them and you may end up being invited to drink firewater by their side!”

A wave of nausea threatened to swallow her whole. “Wouldn’t that be something,” She grumbled, deadpanned.

The attendant rolled her eyes and opened her pretty mouth to say something– probably another snide remark about her multitude of worries– when a shout rose above the swimming crowd. “Yelena!” One of the pyroslingers said, adjusting his elemental musket over his shoulder as he weaved through the crowd. “Where have you been?!”

The color drained from her friend’s rosy features. “Oh, just–”

“Doesn’t matter. Pavel needs you at the war tent right away. Said something about you being the only one who can organize the camp’s layout so there isn’t any infighting amongst the Harbingers and their units now that they’re here.”

“Tell him I’ll be there right away!” Yelena called back, earning her a dutiful nod. The minute the soldier slipped back into the crowd, her friend let the mask fall, her shoulders drooping as though she carried the weight of the world. Perhaps she did, and Lumine simply hadn’t realized the depth of her importance in this situation. “I should go. I’ll see you at dinner?”

Panic jolted through her like an Electro burst to the chest– or maybe that was simply her out of control elemental abilities. “Ah… I’m not hungry.”

A frown. “You have to eat.”

“And with all of the people here, it’ll be packed.”

“You have to get used to it.”

Sure, but that meant exposing herself to a much bigger crowd in the mess hall. While the common Fatui mask would obscure most of her features, there could always be the random soldier who remembered her from a brief encounter across one of the seven nations. The risks of getting caught far outweighed the benefits of a hot meal, no matter how much her stomach growled.

 She must have been quiet for far too long as Yelena pulled them to a stop in the sea of people, forcing the others to weave around them. “The Harbingers joining us is a good sign of progress,” She said carefully, a deep V cutting into the spot between her ice blonde brows. “It means our grand march will soon begin.”

A chill raced down Lumine’s spine as though someone had dumped ice water down the back of her shirt. She knew the basics of their so-called schemes after Childe had finally revealed it all to her in the darkness of the Abyss. She knew most of it was all a lie to deceive the Divine so that the Fatui could build their army up under the guise of conquering Teyvat. She knew that the Tsaritsa had somehow foreseen her and Ajax’s involvement in the stupid prophecy looming over their heads and planned to use them both to accomplish her missions. She knew and accepted all of this– and yet it didn’t make the panic building inside of her like a steam engine with nowhere for the hot air to escape.

Gods, she was so stupid for getting swept up in this mess

“I know,” She finally managed, her voice hollow like an empty drum. “It’s just a lot.”

Yelena sighed, untangling their fingers to rub her temples. “Look, if it makes you that nervous, why don’t you head back to our tent for the evening? It’ll be fine once the groups get settled– I promise.”

“You sure make a lot of promises,” Lumine whispered, awkwardly rubbing her arm to brush away the invisible Dendro thorns digging into her skin. 

“And I intend to keep every one of them.” A flash of determination sparked in her friend’s blue eyes, a vibrant smile stretching over her pretty face. “Go back to the tent; I’ll bring you dinner once I’m finished with work.”

Before she could say anything else, Yelena slipped into the sea of people and disappeared in the blink of an eye, identical to the swell of soldiers searching for a spot to set up their own tents. The roar of Snezhnayan chatter escalated as her heart slammed against her chest. Lumine sucked in a sharp breath, curling her fingers as the reality of her situation sank into her bones and muscle, her anxiety cresting as fat snowflakes started to fall. 

Whether she chose to go back to Mondstadt or brave the severe weather to get to Morepesok, she had to get out of here as fast as possible.

Chapter Text

The terrible storm did not let up for several more days, whirling and whipping up powdery snow and cutting through the frozen camp like a sharpened blade. To Lumine’s relief, the severe weather forced many of the troops to stay in their tents, including her; after all, the Fatui may be nonchalant about the amount of soldiers who had been killed in the line of duty, but they needed all hands available for the rapidly approaching war. The ability to stay tucked away in her tent also protected her from the risk of being spotted by any of the Harbingers that loomed over the camp like a bad omen, their presence notable in every one of her tentmate’s movements.

Yelena had, admittedly, been so stressed she hadn’t managed to eat and barely slept. Anxiety hugged her weary frame, the same way it did with Lumine as the impending knowledge that her time was running out hung over her head. She did manage to pry some tidbits of information from Pavel’s attendant, but none of it was about the Harbingers. 

No matter. The weather gave her plenty of time to focus on her next move forward. While she didn’t like to backtrack, she could at least admit she was in way over her head in this situation and needed to get back to Mondstadt to reevaluate her future. Maybe waiting until the spring thaw would be the better move in the first place, instead of facing both a horde of Fatui soldiers and the terrible weather at the same time. She could even use her months back in the nation of freedom to reorient herself by resonating with a Barbatos statue, eager to stop the random spurts of elemental energy charging through her at all hours of the day.

These plans to escape were the reason she lunged for the first job available in inventory management the minute Yelena mentioned it, practically begging her tentmate to give her the position. Her enthusiasm may have been a little suspicious, as her friend had stared in stunned awe as Lumine asked for such a simple role. Without much hesitation, the woman had assigned her the job the very next day, giving her access to everything she would need to make the journey back to Mondstadt. 

Part of her wondered if Yelena would give her anything she wanted if she simply asked nicely enough. 

When the storm finally broke, Lumine jumped into action to procure the items she needed as quickly as possible. Too many days had passed since she’d made the decision to return to the nation of freedom, and as the sky blinked blue between the cluster of grey storm clouds, she needed to make the most of this lull in the weather.

“Here you are!” She said as sweetly as possible, sliding a pack of tobacco and rolling papers to an older soldier, his hair greying at the roots.

The man narrowed his small brown eyes. “You’re not from around here, are you?”

“What?”

“Your accent,” He said, handing her a bag of Mora and shoving the supplies he requested into his pocket. “It’s strange.”

Lumine pulled on a tight smile. “No, I’m not from Snezhnaya,” She said carefully, lazily counting the coins in the purse. “But I support her Majesty’s cause just as proudly as you do.”

“Well said!” The man cheered, his own words dripping with a heavily accented lilt, dipping his head in a simple salute. “Thank you for the supplies.”

Lumine gave a patient wave as he turned on his heel and slipped out of the tent, then let out the breath she’d been holding for far too long. The tension coiled in her belly briefly eased as she clutched the counter for support, her shoulders taut with stress. It didn’t matter how smooth she’d gotten at giving the answers the Fatui grunts wanted to hear; she was pretty sure the pressure from these few encounters was taking days off of her immortal life. Gods forbid any of the others ask more complicated questions about the backstory she had come up with. She’d never do well under any sort of interrogation.

Breathe, she reminded herself, instinctively filling her lungs through her nose and letting it out through pursed lips. It would be fine. She only needed to finish gathering the supplies and hope the weather held for that evening. Then, under the light of the full moon, she would slip away from camp and towards the Mondstadt border. No one would know she was missing in the crowd of soldiers until the next night when Yelena returned to the tent to find her gone.

She slipped out the piece of paper she’d snagged from her tentmates' frantic checklists and focused on everything she’d written down rather than the anxiety eating away at the back of her mind, ranging from extra food and warm clothes to matches in case the Pyro energy grumbling like an inconsistent volcano in her core failed her at her time of need. As much as Paimon whined and groaned that they should have left the night the Harbingers arrived, Lumine knew better than to endanger her own health without taking the proper steps. If she wandered out into the wilderness during a storm like this without the right supplies, she could die from exposure within minutes. Added to the fact that she still couldn’t control her elemental abilities to their full strength, and she couldn’t justify racing ahead without taking some precautions. 

Through careful prying conversations and always open ears, she had come to understand that the Fatui had chosen this spot to conglomerate ahead of the next act of this grand play. She already knew some of the details through Childe’s explanation, but there was something so different about hearing it discussed so casually throughout the camp. Most of the soldiers still seemed to believe that they would be attacking another nation, too, rather than putting on the performance of their lives. 

She’d managed to avoid almost all of the top lieutenants by keeping her head down and taking the long way between her tent and the center of camp. Running into Pulcinella or Capitano would likely have her caught with one simple look. Dottore and Arlecchino, too, would likely be her death. The one Harbinger she had accidentally run into had been Sandrone, and while the Marionette had been pleasant enough, Lumine had barely made it through the encounter without vomiting. Her anxiety swelled like a storm surge ahead of a hurricane, threatening to drown her with each frantic beat of her racing heart.

She still hadn’t seen any sign of her Harbinger. That only added to her anxiety.

Would it be better or worse to have him here? If he did show up, at least they could work on her escape plan together. At least then she would know he was alive and safe, not the victim of the Tsaritsa’s icy cruelty or imprisoned for the crime of being associated with her. Oh, but he’d be so livid at her direct disobedience of his letter. She could clearly imagine the wrath on his face, despite the fact that he’d never been really all that angry with her before. This wasn’t like when they’d been traveling on the road collecting the supplies for their cursed prophecy. Then, they’d been a team at their core, relying on each other for every detail and supporting each other no matter the cost. They were clearly on opposite sides here. If she was in danger, would he choose his queen? Or would he forgo all sense of decorum to help her? Would that get him into heaps of trouble, stripped of his Harbinger status and cast out into the snowstorm– or worse?

“Don’t be ridiculous!” A loud, familiar voice said outside the tent. “Would you rather spend a few Mora or lose your toes to frostbite?”

Ice ran through Lumine’s veins as she tried to place where she’d heard that voice before. There were far too many Fatui soldiers she had encountered across the Teyvat, but she couldn’t really remember the last time she’d had a decent conversation with them. Why did she recognize this voice so quickly?

Before she could place the names in her mind, the tent flaps flipped open and in stepped two of the soldiers wearing the typical uniforms and masks despite the frigid temperatures. Both had honey blond hair but they wore it in different styles, one short and slicked back, the other loose and wavy. Her heart sank into her stomach as they chatted amongst themselves, bickering over the cost of supplies despite the recall alert bringing them away from their home. If she hadn’t been able to place the voices in her memory, their appearances gave them away instantly as Vlad and Felix– two of Childe’s subordinates stationed in Liyue, two men whom she had spent plenty of time amongst in between her frequent visits to the city.

Had they just arrived at camp? That would make sense as to why Childe had not been amongst the other Fatui soldiers; Liyue was a far trip, especially with the recent flooding they had had in the nation of Geo. Would they recognize her? It had been months since she had spoken to them. It had been years since she had worn the traditional Fatui uniform and mask to obscure her face– before she and Childe had even considered a relationship. Plus, from what she remembered, they weren’t the brightest in the bunch of soldiers that worked at Northland Bank, regularly having to be wrangled by Nadia and Ekaterina to enact whatever schemes her partner needed them to focus on.

“Greetings, comrade!” Vlad cheered, slicking back his lengthy blond hair, damp with fat snowflakes. “We need to get an extra pair of woolen socks and blankets please. Oh, and gloves.” 

“And some firewater, if you have any!” Felix added, a goofy smile stretching across his face as the taller soldier swatted his chest.

“S-sure. Right away,” Lumine managed despite the knot tightening in her throat, clenching her fists to keep them from shaking too severely. She hurried through the items, grabbing the thin glass bottle of firewater first from one of the top shelves, then scanning the baskets of spare clothing for the socks and gloves they requested. 

Breathe, she reminded herself again. They were just two soldiers. She was just doing her job to give them the supplies they needed. They would not recognize her, or call her out on her, or give her any trouble in the slightest. She would be fine. It would all be fine.

She prayed her manifestation could bring her back to the Mondstadt border without difficulty the same way her golden wings of light had carried her throughout the heavens.

The wind whipped at the thin purple tent walls, the chill slicing through the fabric. Archons, she prayed there wouldn’t be another snow storm brewing; she didn’t need to get caught by the weather for a third time in a row. Vlad let out a breathy shudder, rubbing his arms through his thick jacket. “I forgot how cold it gets here,” He muttered.

Lumine swallowed down her anxiety, eager to play the part of a dutiful inventory manager as best as possible. She didn’t want to draw any suspicion to herself more than she may have already. “Been a long time since you were in Snezhnaya?” 

“I’ll say. We’ve been stationed in Liyue for close to five years now.”

“No matter how cold the winters got there, nothing compared to this chill,” Felix affirmed, adjusting the dark mask on his face.

“That’s because of the Tsaritsa, though.” 

“Oh?” She asked before she could process her words. She couldn’t help it; an inexplicable curiosity overwhelmed her as she grabbed the extra large socks and two grey, woolen blankets.

Vlad gave a lazy shrug. “Well, so the stories say. Whenever her mood sours, the storms around her allegedly get more severe. My mother always used to say that was the reason the blizzards lasted for months.”

“She must be in a pretty bad way then,” Felix muttered as Lumine slid the firewater across the wooden countertop. “This many snow storms back to back? I can’t imagine what riled her up so badly this time.”

Uneasiness throbbed in her belly, the hair on the back of her neck standing at attention the same way it had done in front of the beheaded Statue of the Seven. Why would the Tsaritsa be in such a foul mood? Was it something to do with the Harbingers all joining up ahead of their grand march? Or was it something darker, something older, carved into crisp white marble and visible only with a drop of purified blood?

Gods above, she wished she could talk to Childe. She would be willing to take his wrath right now if it meant she could bounce her ideas and questions off of him. Even when they were confused on the next steps they needed to take, they always handled the riddle and the prophecy better together. 

“It’s winter,” She said, her voice flat as she scribbled down the items taken from the stores onto one of Yelena’s inventory sheets. She exaggerated the amount taken so that any socks she may sneak from the pile may not be noticed as missing until she was well out of camp. “Surely the actual weather has some part to play in all of this.”

Vlad shrugged again. “Maybe. But our queen really is the most powerful of all the Archons.” Lumine didn’t doubt the Cryo Archon as strong, but she didn’t quite believe the entirety of the claim. She’d always thought the strongest Archon to be Venti, no matter how much he liked to hide behind the playfulness of an innocent bard. “I wouldn’t be surprised if the tales of her snowy abilities are rooted in the truth.”

“Whatever the case, they make for good drinking tales,” His fellow soldier chuckled, sliding the bottle of firewater into his coat pocket. 

“What about you, comrade?” Vlad asked, giving a pointed side glare to his companion. “Are you used to the cold?”

“Admittedly, not.”

“Stationed in the south, too?”

Lumine nodded curtly. “In Mondstadt.”

“Oh, I see,” Felix hummed, tapping a finger to his thin, chapped lips. “Part of the embargo there?”

“Yes.”

She barely managed to stop herself from recoiling at her sudden answer. Fuck. That hadn’t been part of her cover story– in fact, she’d told Yelena the opposite! Was it the fact that she knew these men personally from her time spent at Northland Bank that she forgot the persona she had created for herself? She had to be more careful for the next few hours. She did not need to be getting caught on the last few moments of her time in this camp because of a slip of the tongue.

“Uh, comrade?” Felix asked, dragging her from her thoughts. “The gloves?”

“Right, sorry.” She scrambled to another one of the tall shelves, grabbing two extra sets of gloves. “Forgive me, it’s been a hectic few days.”

“Oh, I don’t blame you at all. Even I’m overwhelmed by the amount of soldiers here,” Vlad muttered, pulling his purse from one of his jacket pockets, the Mora jingling as he poured a few of the shiny gold coins onto his palm. “Can’t be surprised though, when every single unit got the recall notice.”

“Still, I wish it was easier for us to fit in,” Felix agreed, hands on his square hips. “I keep comparing our unit to the other squadrons and getting antsy about the sheer size of some of their numbers.”

“Well, we’re all one army now.”

“Still have a ways to go before that.”

“Why is your unit so small?” Lumine asked, taking the exact coinage from Vlad’s hand and carefully counting it in a desperate ploy to look busy.

Vlad let out a deep sigh. “Our Harbinger tends to do most of his own dirty work. Doesn’t need a large group of attendants to do that when he does the fighting himself.”

Her heart skipped a traitorous beat, then another. “And your boss is…?”

“Tartaglia,” Both soldiers said at the same time.

That confirmed it, then. Any last remaining questions that Childe may have traded his soldiers away when he went missing vanished like steam rising up from a bubbling hot spring. If his unit was here, then he must be here as well. She couldn’t help the butterflies fluttering in her stomach at the mere thought of him being so, so close. If he spotted her, he would lose his mind and do whatever it took to get her out. She knew this fact to be true deep down in her heart, the same heart that yearned for him after so long apart. He wouldn’t care if it put him in mortal danger; he’d faced death countless times before and always came out on top of his enemy even stronger than before. He would do it again to keep her safe, the same way she would willingly lay her life on the line to protect him.

A jolt of frenetic Electro energy shot up her spine, the out of control elements still sparking through her like a live wire. Lumine gasped out loud as the pain radiated through her veins, the same way it had when she and Childe had fought against time racing against the exploding reactor on Tatarasuna. She clutched the countertop, sucking in another sharp breath of air as another wave of invisible electricity danced across her skin. 

“Comrade?” Vlad managed, one hand raised to offer any assistance she may need– not that she would take it. “Are you alright?”

She grit her teeth as the pain ebbed and flowed through her veins. “J-just an old injury acting up,” She seethed through clenched teeth, the pain settling in her belly and tensing as though someone had thrust their hand into her stomach and squeezed. “The cold does that sometimes.”

Another lie she’d have to add to her backstory. Or perhaps she could still use her sore knee as an excuse, despite the fact that Skirk’s dark magical abilities had repaired most of the damage done in that tiny Natlan cave.

Felix frowned, his brow stitched in concern. “If you’re hurt, you could always visit the medical tent. That’s what they’re there for.”

“I promise, I’m okay.” Besides, she really, really, really didn’t want to have a chance encounter with Dottore if she could help it.

Before either of the men could try to convince her to at least be looked at, the tent flap fluttered open once more. “What is taking you two so long?” A woman’s high-pitched voice asked, incredulous. The stone in Lumine’s stomach somehow sank even further as she instantly recognized the speaker, far better than she had with Felix and Vlad. “Honestly, boys, it should not be that hard–”

The annoyance etched into Ekaterina’s pretty round face vanished in a heartbeat the minute she and Lumine locked eyes. A string of curses flooded her mind as Childe’s attendant absolutely recognized her; she’d seen Lumine in the Fatui mask early on in her and the 11th Harbinger’s partnership, even going so far as to protect her from Arlecchino’s wrath by offering her the mask when the Knave had come to the bank. Lumine swallowed hard, but the knot in her throat didn’t fade. Her racing heart thudding against its bony cage drowned out most other sound, nausea rolling in her belly from the uneasy pain from her out-of-control elemental abilities and the unfortunate reality that she’d been caught.

This was it, then. Ekaterina wouldn’t hesitate to take her to Childe. 

“Katya?” Vlad asked, looking between the two awestruck women, his mouth curling down into a deep frown.

A pause. Then, the attendant blinked out of her stupor. “Like I was saying, You two are taking far too long here. If you want to eat tonight, you’ll hurry off to do your duties,” She said sternly, not tearing her eyes of Lumine. Both men groaned like whiny children, Felix rolling his head back to stare at the tent roof while Vlad’s frown turned into a prominent pout. Nevertheless, Ekaterina lazily waved her hand. “I don’t want to hear it. Now, go. I’ll catch up in a bit.”

The men grumbled again, slipping out of the tent once more and leaving the two women alone. The silence hanging between them weighed heavy, the air thick with tension. Lumine swallowed, unsure of what to say or do despite knowing she’d been caught. What if the attendant only suspected her of it and by speaking first, she accidentally gave herself away entirely? She would be better off waiting for Katya to make a decision on what to say first, despite the way the woman’s dark eyes bore into her like a mother who’d caught their child in the middle of a lie.

Finally, Ekaterina raised her chin, hands sliding to her curvy waist. “You’re a long way from home.”

“You could say that,” Lumine whispered, the knot in her throat making it considerably harder to swallow or talk or breathe. 

The woman’s eyes narrowed behind the grey mask. “Does he know you’re here?” 

“No,” She answered truthfully; there was no reason to hide behind a lie if Ekaterina saw right through it. Her heart thudded against her chest as she asked, “Is he here?”

Another pause. Then, “No.”

No? “Where is he?”

“I don’t know.”

Lumine frowned. “What do you mean you don’t know?”

Before Ekaterina could explain where the man she loved was, the tent flaps whipped open for a third time. If her heart could sink any lower in her body, it would drop to her feet to be stomped on under the newcomer’s sharp heels. Tall and lanky, but brimming with power, she towered above Childe’s dutiful attendant. Snow dusted her thick white cloak, her pale cheeks unbothered by the cold, her silver hair slicked back into a long ponytail. And her eyes… 

 She’d only run into this woman one time before but the simple interaction, pressed closely against Childe’s back upon their return to the Northland Bank, had left her scarred from the woman’s dark, eerie eyes. Out of all of the Harbingers she could have encountered, she was one of the ones Lumine had most wanted to avoid.

The Knave.

Why, gods? What had she done in a past life to deserve this kind of torment? Had she used all of her good luck in the first few years on Teyvat to be this rife with misfortune? Archons save her, she might not even make it to fulfill the Starfall Prophecy as trouble seemed to compound on her with every step forward, no matter the direction she took! 

Both lesser women dipped their heads in respect to Arlecchino– and in Lumine’s case, a desperate attempt to obscure her face as much as possible, for fear of being caught by the Harbinger’s perceptive gaze– as she entered, the latches on her boots and the chains on her belt chiming with every step. Without a word of greeting, the lieutenant pressed a crinkled sheet of paper onto the sturdy countertop, a frown etched into her marble features. “I need this list,” She said, slow and drawn out with the slightest rasp to her accented voice. When Lumine didn't immediately jump into action, the Knave's eyes narrowed further. “Now.”

“Y-yes, Lord Harbinger,” She squeaked, grabbing the list and hurriedly turning back to the shelves, unable to ignore how her fingers quivered. 

The frayed nerves in her mind twisted and tightened with each frantic heartbeat, her heart's rapid beating reverberating through her tense frame. If she didn't manage to keep her composure, the Knave would see through her disguise immediately. She'd heard Childe tell a few stories of the interrogations she put her victims through, like a spider tangling its prey tighter and tighter in a sturdy web. That, plus their first encounter and how easily Arlecchino had pinpointed her that day in the Northland Bank, only accounted for some of the reasons she'd wanted to avoid the Harbinger at all costs. Add in the eerie narrowed eyes and... 

“Did you have an exhaustive journey back to Snezhnaya, Lord Harbinger?” Thank the gods for Ekaterina. She’d have to demand Childe give his attendant a substantial raise, both for keeping her mouth shut and for taking the attention off of Lumine at the risk of opening herself up for interrogation.

“Unfortunately. Fontaine is still dealing with excessive flooding,” Arlecchino sighed softly, so much more casual than Lumine had expected. “We are not immune to the whims of the weather.”

“That, I can understand. Seems Teyvat is holding its breath.”

“Aren’t we all?” What did that mean? Yes, the weird happenings across the world were notable and concerning, but she didn’t understand what they meant in the grand scheme of things. Neither had any of the Knights of Favonius. If the Fatui knew but weren’t sharing, then surely the chaos barely simmering under the surface of Teyvat was a precursor to their plans. Was that why they had all gathered back in Snezhnaya? She flinched like she’d been slapped with an open hand as the Knave suddenly sneered, hissing, “How long does it take to put together the items on this list?”

Gods, she’d been paying too much attention to the conversation to actually begin. “I-”

“Don’t bother with an excuse. Just get it done.” Arlecchino crossed her arms, her frustrated frown deepening. Lumine cleared her throat in a desperate attempt to restart her frozen heart, going down the checklist. A bottle of firewater, four packets of raw meat rations and a jar of plum preserves, ten rolls of gauze and other bandages, a new pair of extra large gloves, a stropping leather... Lumine had seen dozens of odd lists similar to this before from the soldiers looking to have a few extra resources in their tents, but it seemed quite common for a Harbinger. What was she expecting to do with this when the camp had everything she needed? “You’re Tartaglia’s attendant, aren’t you?”

“Yes sir,” Ekaterina answered with ease.

“And you arrived without him?”

“Correct, sir. He has not been present with our unit for several months now.”

All of Lumine’s thoughts left her brain in an instant like a flashover in a house fire. That matched the timeline since she had stopped hearing from him as well– since she received that concerning letter written in a code only she could interpret. Where had he gone during that time? Surely he would have known how much fear it would strike into her heart when she didn’t hear from him in months; after all, the last time they had been separated for this long, they’d exhausted Javert to the point of a heat stroke in Natlan’s high plains because of how much they’d been writing to each other. 

To her relief, Ekaterina seemed to notice her silent distress. The attendant lazily tilted her head and crossed her arms, asking what Lumine could not. “You wouldn’t happen to know where he is, would you?”

“Surprisingly not.” Arlecchino waved one manicured hand in lazy dismissal. “I know he’s alive. Or was, about a month ago.”

One of the glass jars of preserves slipped out of Lumine’s hands, shattering against the wooden countertop. 

“What is your issue?” The Knave hissed, words dripping with a spider’s venom. “Are you purposefully taking up my time or are you simply that incompetent?”

“Forgive me, I–”

“Forgiveness is earned, girl. What kind of fool would assign someone like you to this role when it's obvious you can’t handle it?!”

For a second time, Ekaterina swept into the rescue, clicking her tongue like a disappointed mother. “If you’re in a rush, sir, I can bring the items to your tent. I have nothing better to do right now than wait on this insolent fool to get her act together.” 

Arlecchino straightened to her full height, a deep scowl plastered on her face. “Fine,” She snapped, turning on her heel towards the tent’s entrance. Before she slipped through, though, one of her silver brows rose, and she froze in place staring at one of the wooden chairs. 

Fuck. The Knave had spotted the pile of needed items she’d been collecting for her own journey. She should have done a better of job hiding it–

Lumine yelped like an injured animal as Arlecchino suddenly slammed into her, the woman’s rose and vanilla Fontainian perfume unable to outweigh the iron stench of blood clinging to her frame. A low growl settled in the Harbinger's throat as her dark hands slammed on either side of Lumine's curvy hips, trapping her in her grasp against the countertop. Her heart throbbed against her chest, louder than a stampede of horses racing throughout the snowy Snezhnayan plains. All Lumine could see through her narrowed eyes were the woman's sharpened teeth, similar to a spider's fangs, ready to sink in if she dared to move or lie.

"You wouldn't happen to be considering hoarding supplies, would you, you little bug?” The Knave cooed in that soft, raspy voice, so different and genuinely soft compared to her harsh actions and boiling temperatures. “You understand that stealing from the Fatui is just as bad as abandoning your post, correct?"

Lumine flinched as though the Knave had slapped her across the face with an open hand. Her mouth flopped open and closed as she tried to find the right thing to say without giving away any hints that she could be the Traveler. Arlecchino’s dark, piercing eyes swept over her, looking for any cracks to exploit to her whim. If she looked too closely, she may be able to pry back any faults in the disguise without any real effort.

"Y-yes sir." Lumine managed with a hard swallow, tilting her head to avoid the pressure of the Harbinger's dark gaze.

"Then you'll be a good girl and put everything back where it belongs, correct?"

She hesitated for only a split second– be it from the nickname or the fear that she’d truly been caught. In that moment, Arlecchino's dark eyes flashed with the fire of a challenge.

"Actually, sir," Ekaterina stammered, voice trembling, "Those were on my list of items."

The fourth Harbinger frowned. "Yours?"

“She was finishing up with my order before you arrived, but you obviously take precedence.”

That gave the Harbinger pause, but she did not move from her spot pressed against Lumine's trembling frame. She wondered to herself if the woman could smell the fear oozing off of her and savored it, the heat radiating off the Knave’s muscular body seeping through her own frozen body. It was so different compared to the warmth Childe had to offer when she found herself tucked into his safe grasp; Arlecchino’s warmth overpowered everything it touched, whereas his soothed her tired and fragmented soul.

If he were here right now, she had no doubt he would tear into the Knave like a rabid dog, a clashing of teeth and extended claws and blood.

The Harbinger let out a hiss through clenched teeth, her hot breath tickling Lumine’s cheeks. She squeezed her eyes shut, waiting for the woman’s decision on what exactly to do with her. Just when she half expected the Knave to lunge for her throat in a brutal, final blow, the trap of her arms eased and the pressure lifted from her frame as Arlecchino stood back to her full height. 

Her attention turned fully to Ekaterina, that annoyed scowl returning to her face. “I want that list of necessities delivered to my tent before sundown. Surely you are competent enough to handle that.”

“Yes sir.”

Arlecchino gave Lumine one last pointed stare and a foul grumble, then shook her head and stormed away. The minute the Knave stepped out of the tent, the swelling anxiety surging in her chest spilled over, slamming into her like a cresting wave. She buried her face in her hands, a great shuddering sigh bubbling out of her chest. This was too much trouble for not nearly enough of a reward. 

As much as she had wanted Childe to stay far away from the camp, she desperately wished he was here right now. Whenever they were together, he helped her carry the weight of her responsibilities on her shoulders, a true partner in all things. Yes, he would have been mad, but they would have figured out what to do together. Now, she had no idea where to go to try and meet up with him so that they could tackle their scripted futures together. And for the spymaster to not know about the 11th Harbinger's whereabouts either...

“You should not be here,” Ekaterina hissed, grabbing a spare blanket to clean up the shattered glass and plum preserves.

A panicked sigh slipped out of her full lips. “I know.”

“You need to go. Tonight.”

“I promise you, that’s the plan.” She didn’t want to stay a moment longer than she had to, not when the weather could get worse at the drop of a hat, or Arlecchino could put two and two together about the inexperienced inventory manager with silky blonde hair and an odd accent. 

Thankfully, Ekaterina didn’t press any further, only staying behind as long as she could to clean up the mess of glass and collect the supplies on the Knave’s list. By the time they had finished gathering everything necessary and shut down the shop, working in tandem similarly to how Lumine and Childe worked, the sun had already dropped low in the hazy sky, the sharp winds racing down the muddy paths throughout the busy camp. Katya adjusted the box of supplies on her hip and gave her another firm glare that once again suggested that she leave as soon as possible, not even bothering with a goodbye as she headed towards Arlecchino’s unit of soldiers.

Lumine hurried back to her tent alone, relieved to find that this part of the camp was mostly empty. Any soldiers she did pass headed in the opposite direction in a hurry, rapidly talking in Snezhnayan that she couldn’t understand. She tightened her grip around her own bundle of supplies, running through the logistics of her long journey ahead. The Mondstadt border would be at least a three day walk if everything went right. Any encounters with wildlife lurking in the dark pine woods or another round of severe weather– or, gods forbid, another run-in with the Fatui– would leave her delayed even further. 

She brushed away the fear looming in the back of her mind. Instead she savored the subtle burn of her uncontrollable Pyro abilities quickening in her belly, using the remaining fire in her core to find the confidence she needed to get out of here as fast as possible.

“Olena!”

She nearly jumped out of her skin, throwing the supplies onto the bed and covering them with her thick fur-lined blanket. “Archons, Yelena,” She breathed, clutching her chest. “Stop scaring me!”

“What are you doing here?” Her friend hissed, sliding into the tent, fat snowflakes melting in her pretty blonde hair. “We were all summoned!” 

That had never happened in the few weeks she’d been here. Perhaps that’s why this portion of the camp had been abandoned, and why so many of the soldiers seemed to be in a hurry to get to where they were going. “I was just dropping off my backpack,” Lumine lied easily, fiddling with her gloves to keep her hands busy. “What were we summoned for?”

Yelena made a face, tangling their arms together and pulling her from the tent. Lumine yelped, struggling to keep up with the woman’s speedy pace. In the brief time she’d known the soldier, she had never lost her composure like this; the attendant seemed jittery and lost in her own thoughts, her pretty features wrought with worry. “Remember when I said I wouldn’t be prepared for the Tsaritsa’s arrival no matter how long I had to plan?” 

Ice water raced through Lumine’s veins. The air around her suddenly tightened and squeezed– until she realized she hadn’t taken a breath for a long minute. “You’re joking,” She squeaked, her voice an octave higher than normal.

“I’m not. She arrived thirty minutes ago and demanded we all meet for an urgent announcement.”

“What does she want?” 

“I have no idea.” Yelena’s lips pursed with an unreadable emotion, tightening her grip around Lumine’s arm. “I never expected her to leave Zapolyarny.”

Admittedly, neither had she. The arrival of the Harbingers had made sense; they were the top lieutenants and if the Fatui were preparing for a rapidly approaching war, then most of them needed significant training to actually be decent in a fight. After all, even during her earliest encounters with the troops when she’d first woken up on the Mondstadt beach, they had been weaker than she expected. They were trainable though, as she’d discovered when she’d been stumbling back from her first journey to Fontaine and ran into the troops her partner had been diligently educating.

But that didn’t bring her any closer to learning why the Tsaritsa had randomly showed up at the base camp. Was it an inspirational message? If so, why hadn’t she alerted anyone of her arrival until she had entered camp? Was that merely a safety precaution to keep her enemies on their toes or was she trying to surprise the troops with a quality check? 

For some reason, the only thing she kept coming back to was Childe’s confusing absence. If all other eight Harbingers were here on top of the Tsaritsa’s presence, why wouldn’t he be? Especially as her vanguard when this was supposed to be a war camp?

Archons, there were too many questions rolling through her head, and if this anxiety continued to eat away at the back of her mind, she had a feeling she’d keel over sooner rather than later from a stress-induced heart attack. When they arrived at the open space usually used to announce daily job openings for those that didn’t have a full-time position, the sheer amount of people slammed into her like a tidal wave. She hadn’t been paying close enough attention since the day the top lieutenants arrived at camp to really understand the sheer scale of the Snezhnayan army. Thousands lined the open space, filling every crack and crevice available, crowding closer and closer to the grand stage. Dozens of soldiers had crawled onto surrounding tables, craning for the first look at the Tsaritsa. 

“I’ll meet you afterwards at dinner, okay?” Yelena whispered as they joined the crowd of soldiers, too tall for Lumine to see over.

“You’re not staying here with me?”

Something flashed in her friend’s piercing blue eyes, an emotion she couldn’t quite read. Perhaps it was pity– or a real desire to be by her side. “I’m Pavel’s direct attendant. I have to make sure this all goes smoothly,” She explained over the hum of the crowd, like bees buzzing in their hives after the sun had set. “I’ll find you afterwards, okay?”

Lumine gave a sharp nod, just enough to give Yelena whatever reassurance she needed to move on. While she hated being alone in this horde of people, especially soldiers who might finally recognize her for her true form as the Traveler, this would be her best chance to slip away from the camp. Everyone else would be so focused on their queen that they wouldn’t notice one missing blonde girl who had been just slightly out of place the entire time they’d gathered here.

The minute Yelena disappeared through the sea of people, weaving through them like a needle pulling thread, she made her move–

-Right into the massive belly of a cryogunner. 

“Where do you think you’re going?” The elite soldier grumbled, his deep brow narrowing. 

Lumine swallowed hard. “Oh, I–”

“Whatever has you in such a hurry can wait.” He nodded towards the stage, his brown eyes twinkling with a reverence she didn’t understand. “Her Majesty is about to speak.”

Yeah, that’s why she was trying to go– even though she probably would benefit from hearing what the queen had to say. But she couldn’t pass up the opportunity to escape that came with the troops all gathered in one location. That, plus the wind swirling up thick grey clouds and the powdery snow did not ease her anxieties of a possible storm brewing. Perhaps the weather really was related to the Tsaritsa’s mood; whatever was making her so angry must really be a big deal.

She had no chance to fight back, though, as the cryogunner and a few other soldiers ushered her in tighter in the crowd. Instead she focused on the scaffolding ahead, spotting Yelena hurriedly scramble into her place beside Pavel and a few other attendants, quickly brushing her blonde hair into order. The lead soldier of the operation muttered something to his attendant, and even from this far back in the crowd, Lumine could clearly see horror wash over her friend’s face. What had he said? What did he know about the Tsaritsa’s arrival?

The hair on the back of her neck stood at attention once more as the Harbingers filed onto the stage, the nine troops moving with easy synchronization. She recognized a few of them; Arlecchino, who still looked as annoyed as she had earlier, Capitano, his eldritch features hidden behind his dark helmet, Pulcinella and Sandrone, who kept chatting amongst themselves. Her stomach flipped at the sight of Dottore in his unusual mask, the memories of that damp Fontainian laboratory flashing like lightning in her frozen mind. She didn’t really recognize the other two standing off to the side, a young girl with an intricate headpiece made of pristine white feathers and a lanky man with tiny glasses.

Despite their general masks of stone, most of them kept looking around as though waiting for the other shoe to drop. Were they still just as in the dark as everyone else? 

And where was her Harbinger?

Across the way, she spotted Ekaterina in the crowd already watching her, her thin lips parted in silent horror. She knew what the woman was thinking. Lumine chewed on her lip and gave a hesitant shrug and a brief nod, hoping to convey that she would take the moment to slip away the minute there was an opportunity to do so.

Another man stepped on from the right side of the stage, his heavy boots thundering against the wood. Like the others, he wore a complicated, fur-lined white cloak with Fatui insignias stitched into the fabric. Dozens of trinkets hung from his collar, symbolizing his importance even though Lumine had no clue what any of the medals could mean. His long white hair hung limply over his shoulders, his sharp features as angular as a cragged cliffside. One side of his face was covered in an intricate mask, and though she was deep in the crowd, she couldn't help but feel as though his analytical stare had spotted her and refused to move on despite how he scanned the many faces of the thousands of soldiers before him. She couldn’t tell where she may have seen him before, hurriedly running through her memory to place his bearded face in her mind.

“Order!” The man demanded, and all at once every man and woman in the crowd did as they were told. He must be very important, she realized, to have this much control over the entire army. “Your queen has an important announcement for all of her good and loyal soldiers to hear!”

Behind her, one of the soldiers muttered, “I’ve never heard Pierro sound so flustered.”

Pierro. Yes, Childe had mentioned him, but it clicked in Lumine’s mind like a bolt of lightning had struck down from the heavens and singled her out. She had seen the Jester before, a long time ago in a place that no longer existed. The grand mage had been in Khanrei’ah all the way until the cataclysm, working alongside a foolish prince and an alchemist with a thirst for knowledge. She hadn’t expected him to live through the chaos. He’d been so intertwined with their plans there that even Aether hadn’t been able to figure out the depth of the man’s goals.

A sudden hush fell over the crowd save for the whipping wind flapping against the tent walls and the distant pine trees, fat snowflakes beginning to fall. The sound of heels clacking against the stage’s hollow wooden surface cut through the quiet. Then, emerging from the shadows, appeared a glorious and tall woman, her face a mask of ice. Her heart skipped a beat at the sight of Snezhnaya’s brilliant queen. Unlike what Lumine had been expecting from the stories of the Tsaritsa's extravagance, she wore a well-fitting military uniform, different from the slender outfits that her Harbingers wore. She had pulled her stark white hair back in a tight braid, with not a single strand out of place. The only sign of her status as queen of Snezhnaya was the dazzling kokoshnik she wore as a crown, the rubies and sapphires glittering in the last rays of the sunset's golden hour.

Archons above– she was beautiful. As radiant as the moon casting its crystal white haze glittering on freshly fallen snow, as cold and sharp as the ice over the Snezhnayan  countryside.

And yet, Lumine could not let go of the fact that this was the woman who had sent her and Ajax on their mad dash around Teyvat to name them as sacrifices in her grand schemes. To burn away the old world before the sky could fall..

“Greetings, my loyal soldiers,” She began, her tone strong and sturdy and demanding– and also soft and reaffirming. Gods, even her voice sounded pretty, her accent a smooth lilt compared to some of the harsher Snezhnayan accents she’d heard while working in the base camp. “I know this must be quite the shock to see me in person ahead of our grand march, but I’m afraid I had no choice. Recently, I was made aware of an infiltrator in our midst.”

That same hum like an agitated wasp’s nest stirred up once more. Lumine swallowed hard as Ekaterina’s piercing gaze found her across the crowd again. “A spy?” One Fatui grunt beside her muttered, his golden brow dipping deep behind the grey mask on his face.

“Do you think she means Tartaglia?” Another soldier whispered in front of her, fists curling in frustration. “After all, he’s the only Harbinger not here.”

Fuck. Fuck, had they figured out the truth behind her and Childe’s relationship? That would be one way to get him in a significant amount of trouble, especially after they’d spent so long trying to keep the depth of their feelings hidden. What if he’d abandoned the Fatui and that was why he’d warned her to stay away? No, that would go against almost all of his morals, his loyalty to his queen amongst his driving force. Unless, that is, he learned something so egregious that he couldn’t continue forward in supporting her cause. Then Lumine really would be the idiot who’d disobeyed the man she loved to come find him only to stumble into the trap he was trying to have her avoid in the first place.

She had to get out of here.

Her feet moved before her mind processed her next steps, using the Tsaritsa’s distraction to her advantage. Her height helped, too, and for once she really didn’t mind being so small. Most of the soldiers hardly noticed as she squeezed past them, desperate to escape.

The Tsaritsa held up her hand to silence the audience once more. “While I understand that it may be difficult to come to terms with the idea that one of your comrades is not who they say they are, I can assure you, it’s true. And I must affirm that your loyalty to me comes before your loyalty to your fellow soldiers. That is why I’ve gathered all of you here with a pointed demand.” Her sharp, piercing gaze swept across the still-simmering crowd. “Bring this infiltrator to or to your Harbinger and you will have a handsome reward– and my praise.”

Really? She was going to spend that many resources on someone to hunt down Childe, her vanguard, of all people, and expect the soldiers to do so without a blink of an eye? For what, some praise? Archons, Lumine could never work in the Fatui full time; she would have questioned the Tsaritsa’s authority far too often to be considered a valuable asset to the army.

“And just who is this spy, your Majesty?” A deep, hauntingly familiar voice asked– Dottore, she clearly remembered, her heart slamming against her ribcage as those cursed memories in Fontaine plagued her mind again.

“Oh, how could I nearly forget? Your target is a blonde woman with golden eyes and elemental abilities beyond your wildest imagination.” A twinkle of twisted delight glimmered in the queen’s gaze, visible even from here. Lumine froze midstep, her pulse racing through her veins, as a wicked smile stretched across the woman’s pretty face. “You may know her better as the Traveler.”

Chapter Text

Lumine sucked in a sharp breath as a cacophony of horrified gasps echoed rang up among the hundreds of other Fatui soldiers. W-what?! How? How had the Tsaritsa known she was here?! Even the Harbingers looked stunned at their queen’s revelation– so if they hadn’t figured out Lumine was nearby, certainly she couldn’t know either? She thought she’d been doing so well in keeping her head low and focusing on escaping under the radar, but even her best laid schemes could not be hidden from the watchful eye of the Cryo Archon.

“The Traveler?” One soldier spat above the roar in whispers, a tall pyroslinger close to the main stage, his masked face covering his visible agitation. “By the gods– what is she doing here?!”

“An excellent question,” The Tsaritsa said, her icy voice ringing across the packed courtyard. She folded her arms behind her back, her chin raised as she shot a frigid glare towards her top lieutenants and the staff who had set up the recall location, including a stunned Yelena. “One nobody has been able to clearly answer.”

“How did she get here?!” Another shout asked, the voice coming from one of the far left quadrants.

“Presumably the same way everyone else did– she walked. She must have used the recall as an opportunity to sneak into our great army.”

“Archons, she’s either braver or stupider than I thought,” The cryogunner beside her grumbled under his breath.

Probably a little of both. Definitely a little of both. Oh, Lumine was going to be sick. She shrunk in on herself as snow fell in fat, fluffy flakes, eager to appear as small as possible amongst the crowd of agitated men and women. 

Once more, the Tsaritsa held her hand up to silence the buzz around the camp, a queen amongst her hive of worker bees. “For someone like her to infiltrate our army and last this long underneath our noses without notice is a devastating security risk– one that needs significant examination.” Even from this far back, Lumine could feel the ice oozing off her, and she swore the evening air dropped several degrees around them. “Should anyone be found to be harboring her, they will be cast out into the blizzards with nothing but the clothes on their backs.”

If that was the punishment for sheltering the loathed Traveler, what would they do with her if they caught her? She didn’t want to find out. “I have to get out of here,” She hissed low under her breath, yanking her hood up higher on her face and crouching low to slip through any cracks and crevices she could see in the crowds around them.

She hadn’t made it eleven steps when she heard the Tsaritsa snarl, “You have one hour to find her in this camp. Bring her to me alive– she’s no good to me dead. You are dismissed.”

Right away, the crowd launched into action, moving efficiently as one unit instead of eleven smaller groups. Lumine bit back a yelp in surprise as the wave of people moved with her like a tsunami barrelling towards shore, caught in the masses as they dispersed throughout the camp. Some shouted orders to each other in a mixture of Snezhnayan and the common tongue, cries to search every tent for evidence of her presence. Oh, great, now they wanted to work together like a well-oiled machine and not when she was somewhere far away from the base camp. Sure, it was probably because they all had a joint mission to find the infiltrator instead of their own orders from separate Harbingers, but still–

Suddenly, an arm locked with hers, stifling her movement in a flurry like chains around her ankles. Panic coursed through her veins like ice as she tried to tug herself free like a rabbit caught in a snare. Surely she couldn’t have been plucked out of the crowd that easily! “Please–”

“Easy, it’s just me,” Ekaterina hissed, tightening her grip around her arm. Lumine let out a shattered breath, clutching her chest as her thunderous heart beat against its bony cage. “We have to get you out of here. Give me thirty minutes and I will find a way to let the rest of my unit know. Then we will help you–”

“What?” Lumine hissed, pulling her to a stop in the middle of the crowd. It probably didn’t help them blend in as soldiers searching for the Traveler, but her head was spinning too fast with Ekaterina’s frantic plans to keep moving forward. “No.”

The soldier frowned. “You have got to go.”

“Trust me, I’m trying.” Snowflakes fell faster from the grey afternoon sky, warning of another blizzard rapidly approaching; perhaps the stories of the bad weather being tied to the Tsaritsa’s power were more truthful than tall tales. Just her luck. “But you heard the punishment for helping the Traveler. I will not let you get in trouble like that for me.” 

Someone shouted something behind them in Snezhnayan, the deep, baritone voice vicious and cold as the wind cutting through the streets. One glance over her shoulder revealed Pierro moving through the crowd of people, his sharp blue eyes scanning every face he passed with the same analytical glare she knew she’d seen before. It hit her quickly the closer he got that she did know the head Harbinger– he had been the royal mage she and Aether had met in Khanrei’ah all those years ago. Then, he’d been nothing but a thorn in her side, especially with how he seemed to steal Aether away from her for meetings every time she tried to discuss leaving. Now, the dread seeping through her veins threatened to send her over the edge of a tumultuous waterfall, her panic rising the closer he got.

Ekaterina cursed, yanking Lumine forward. The attendant’s frown deepened, but she never took her eyes off the path ahead. “Master Childe will hate me if I don’t help you.”

“And the Tsaritsa will kill you if you do.” She wouldn’t be the reason her partner lost a crucial element of his support staff, especially not one like Ekaterina. The soldier had protected their relationship before she knew the depth of it and was still trying to keep her Harbinger safe despite his absence. Even if Lumine hadn’t befriended the woman during her time spent lounging around Northland Bank all those years ago, the fact that she wanted to keep Childe safe– and his partner safe, by extension– meant she deserved her own level of protection. “It’s okay. I can slip back to Mondstadt as soon as I grab my pack of supplies from my tent. I’ll be gone in a heartbeat.”

The soldier opened and closed her mouth like a flopping fish, trying and failing to find her words. They continued in silence, despite the shouts echoing around them and the frantic pace of soldiers searching for the woman right in front of them in full Fatui garb.

It took a long moment for Lumine to see the concern stitched into Ekaterina’s deeply furrowed brow, her frown infectious. “What is it?” She asked, the anxiety creeping into the back of her mind as they approached her tent.

A pause. Then, “Go to Morepesok.”

“Is that where he is?” The words slipped out of her faster than she could process what she was saying.

Ekaterina’s frown somehow deepened further. “No– I don’t know. But if you are waiting for him, that’s where you need to go. It’s out of the way and will be safe from any wandering eyes.” A spark flickered in her dark eyes, burning with a focused determination. “Meanwhile, I’ll personally find a way to let him know that’s where you are.”

She bristled like a wet cat. “You’ll get in trouble–”

“You’re a friend, Lumine. It’s worth it,” Ekaterina interrupted, untangling their arms from one another. “And he needs you just as much as you need him.”

Her mind kicked into overdrive like cogs in an overheated machine, the loud whirring in her head enough to drown out the soldiers’ agitated calls. She didn’t understand what she’d done to deserve this level of assistance, especially when Childe wasn’t even here. Was he just that good of a boss that her goodwill towards the Harbinger extended to Lumine? Or did Katya know something that Lumine couldn’t possibly begin to understand? 

She had no time to ask further when someone– Vlad?-- shouted above the crowd for Ekaterina to join in on the search for the Traveler. The attendant scrunched her nose in annoyance, the same way a mother might if she were dealing with her pestering children. Her cold eyes sliced to Lumine’s. “Morepesok,” She demanded with a hiss.

Lumine swallowed hard, unable to confirm or deny her decision before the soldier turned on her heel and jogged off in the direction of her own unit. How could she pick? After all, the safest option would be to go to Mondstadt. She was still relatively close to the border and would be able to disappear into the sea of dandelion plants and the warmth of winter without too much issue. But would the Fatui hunt her down there now that they knew she had invaded their forces, albeit by genuine accident? Would her friends in the Knights of Favonius be willing to protect her if the Tsaritsa retaliated against the city of freedom for her so-called infiltration? She used to be able to trust them in full, but now…

And then there was the option of Morepesok, a place she had never been to before, with people she had only heard about in letters. Childe’s family would keep her safe until he somehow discovered she was there, right? But what if she put them at risk by arriving unannounced with the Fatui on her tail? What if one of his siblings were to get hurt by her decision? Archons, Ajax would never forgive her– she’d never forgive herself. 

She needed to make a choice already instead of standing in the middle of the path, the same way she needed to make a move to leave no matter the vicious weather. Both would be dangerous options no matter what she decided, but she couldn’t actually figure out what path to go on by doing nothing. Lumine finally worked up the courage to slip inside her tent, scrambling towards the bundle of items she had left tucked under the fur pelts, her racing heart deafening any external sound as she frantically packed her rucksack.

A twinkle of stars appeared by her head, the chime jolting her from her thoughts. “What’s happening?!” Paimon suddenly squeaked, frantically looking around the empty tent. “Paimon can feel your stress!”

“Oh, you know. Just a normal day in my unfortunate, chaotic life.” The fairy didn’t laugh at Lumine’s attempt at self-deprecating humor. She couldn’t tell if that made it even funnier or just plain sad. “The Tsaritsa is here and knows that I’m here. She’s having all of the soldiers look for me.” 

Her companion’s eyes widened, her small arms curling in on her body. “We need to leave then!”

“Gee, Pai, it hadn’t crossed my mind!” Lumine clenched her jaw, turning back to her backpack and hurriedly stuffing the extra pair of woolen socks and gloves in its main pocket. “And here I was, packing a to-go back for shits and giggles.”

“We don’t have time!”

“Trust me, I’m much more aware than you are.” Shit, she thought as she finished shifting through the pile of necessities, stuffing a thick blanket as the last item into her pack. She never managed to grab any food. She would have to stop at another town between here and her final destination if she didn’t want to starve– and she really didn’t want to starve. That would probably be worse than freezing to death, if only be a thin margin–

A high-pitched yelp suddenly filled the tent, followed by the very distinctive wet thud of a body hitting the ground. The hair on the back of her neck stood at attention as Lumine whirled around in a flash. Her heart sank like a stone in her belly as she spotted Yelena reaching down to pick her unconscious fairy companion up by the ankle, Cryo energy swirling around her like the ice storms constantly surrounding the Fatui base camp. Unlike before, her sharp and beautiful features had turned to ice, cold and focused as all of her usually-bubbly and infectious joy disappeared.

Oh gods. Oh gods. “Yelena–”

“I should have known,” Her friend croaked, her slender, gloved fingers wrapping around Paimon’s ankle, a sheet of ice connecting their skin.

Lumine immediately dropped what she was packing, holding her hands up the same way one might soothe a frantic, cornered cat. “Please, just listen to me–”

“I should have known,” The soldier spat again, the venom dripping from her voice as her icy blue eyes found Lumine in a heartbeat, colder than the temperatures outdoors. Archons above, had she always been this frigid? Had it been hidden behind her warm and friendly exterior, a mask to those who hadn’t wronged her? Her lip curled upwards in a snarl. “The weird coincidences in your past and all of its convenient ties to Mondstadt, showing up in Snezhnaya alone with only the vaguest knowledge of what is going on, taking the last name of a Harbinger– Archons, I’m smarter than this! I should have known!”

“You have to understand–”

“Understand what?! That you’re the Traveler we’ve all heard stories about? That you’re the number one enemy to the Tsaritsa’s goals?” It probably wasn’t the best time to bring up the other side of the Tsaritsa’s plans that involved Lumine as a sacrifice, not that Yelena would believe her. Her fury too great, the soldier sucked in a hot, slow breath like a predator before it made its killing lunge. “I’ll tell you what I understand– that you’re a manipulative snake that’s been using me for weeks!”

Lumine recoiled like she’d been punched in the stomach. “I didn’t mean to! This whole thing was an accident!”

“I let you stay in my tent because you were too scared to be alone! I took care of you when you didn’t want to go to dinner! I let you choose whatever role you wanted in camp through my connections–” Her face suddenly dropped, eyes widening in horror as her voice jumped an octave. “Archons, I could lose my job! I could lose everything I built from the ground up, all for someone like you.”

“I know!” Lumine whisper-shouted, panic sweeping in like a flood. If she didn’t get this under control and fast, Yelena’s shrieks of raw anger and hurt would draw a crowd to their tent better than any alarm ever could. Her eyes darted between the soldier and Paimon, but the fairy never stirred from her unconsciousness. “I know, and I’m sorry.”

“Sorry isn’t good enough!” Yelena snarled, bristling with unshed anger. “Sorry won’t bring back dead soldiers!”

“They tried to kill me!”

“They were just doing their jobs!”

“Was I supposed to jug roll over like a kicked dog–”

“I trusted you!” Her friend– or enemy, Lumine supposed– shrieked. “I ignored all the warning signs all because of my stupid feelings–”

A broken wail slipped out of the woman, her shoulders quivering with unshed sobs. The pain etched into her pretty features cut Lumine like a knife the the chest. And yet, she couldn’t find her words. After all, nothing she tried would make it better.

Yelena did find some semblance of strength, swallowing her sobs and raising her chin in an act of defiance. “Well, I won’t make the same mistake again,” She hissed, the Cryo energy swirling around them so cold it smothered the fire in the woodstove, pinpricks of ice creeping up Lumine’s exposed cheeks. A dark, pained grin stretched across the soldier’s pretty features as she snarled, “You’re lucky the Tsaritsa is adamant you be left alive. Otherwise I would kill you myself.”

Before Lumine could defend herself with any semblance of apology or confession, Yelena lunged like a big cat leaping for its prey. She extended her free hand out as a shout of rage tore through her nimble frame, her long, slender fingers smothered with ice-like claws. Lumine yelped in terror; one touch and she might freeze solid from the surge in elemental energy, and then she’d really be out of luck!

And yet, she did not try to fight Yelena. Instead she raised her hands in surrender. “You promised to protect me!” She squealed, squeezing her eyes shut as the soldier pulled back for a vicious blow. “And Snezhnayans don’t break their promises!”

The shout of rage died like a whimper on the soldier’s tongue. A dozen emotions crossed her pretty face– anger, confusion, hurt, wrath, heartbreak, pain, pain, so much pain– before finally settling on sheer disbelief. Yelena shook her head slowly, tonguing her cheek and craning her neck to stare up at the heavens above. Her chest heaved with great, ragged unshed sobs, the veins in her neck straining the more she tried to hold back. 

After all, there were no tears in Snezhnaya.

Finally, Yelena let out a haggard sigh, her voice cracking as she cried, “Gods. Stupid, insolent fool.” Admittedly, Lumine couldn’t tell if she was talking to her or about herself. The tic in the soldier’s jaw tightened again, her fingers curling into fists. “Fine. You have ten seconds to get out of my sight. After that, I’m raising the alarm.” 

“Ten seconds?” Lumine asked, breathless, the panic rising in her like boiling water. “That’s no time–”

Yelena’s eyes narrowed. “Nine.”

“Yelena, please-”

“Eight! Seven!”

“What about Paimon?!”

The fairy remained unconscious in the soldier’s grasp, slowly freezing solid the longer Yelena held her for. The soldier gave the slowest shake of the head, her scowl deepening. “Six. Five.”

Lumine had no choice; either stay here and deal with the consequences or take drastic action and try and escape with what good will she still maintained from Yelena’s broken heart. The logical thing would be to knock the attendant out, to buy herself some more time, but she couldn’t find it in her to do something that drastic. After all, she didn’t want to be more of a monster, in both Yelena’s and the Fatui’s eyes. It may literally kill her to leave Paimon, but she had no choice.

So instead, Lumine grabbed the rucksack off the cot and slung it over her shoulder, racing towards the tent exit. Before she slipped out into the snowstorm, she gave one last look back towards her friend, swallowing down the tight knot in her throat. “I’m so sorry,” She whispered, hoping it conveyed her true pity that they could not have met in different circumstances. 

Yelena said nothing, but the frozen tears sticking to her high cheekbones spoke volumes. 

Four. Time was running out, even if the soldier was no longer counting down because of her quivering bottom lip. Lumine didn’t waste a second, slipping out of the tent and into the crowd of soldiers filling the path, all moving like salmon swimming upstream to spawn. She pulled her hood tighter around her face and ducked her head, desperate to keep herself as invisible as possible. If she could just make it to the outskirts of the tents, she would already have a head start for whenever Yelena broke free of her own emotional torment and summoned the guards.

Three. Her heart beat loudly as she scanned her surroundings, looking for a way out of the mainstream and the camp. Another jolt of electricity sparked up her spine, and she barely managed to grit her teeth to keep quiet. Why was this rebound still affecting her so badly? Did it have something to do with her turbulent emotions? Or were the lingering effects of the rebounded resonation still tearing through her body? What if she had to use her elemental abilities to try and escape this camp the minute the alarm sounded? Would they come as naturally as they had before or was she out of luck again for the umpteenth time she’d been stuck in this frozen hellscape?

Two. Archons, she’d left Paimon behind. Paimon, who hadn’t abandoned her side during times of crisis no matter what, no matter the threat from Ei’s electric blade or the attack from the Shouki no Kami in Sumeru. Paimon had been her constant companion since Lumine had fished her out of the Mondstadt seas, eager to learn more about what had happened in the 500 years she’d been stuck asleep.

One. The brutal wind picked up, the howl cutting through her like a sawblade through bone. The crowd of soldiers parted just enough to give her a clear look at the edge of camp, the heavy snowfall picking up the closer she got. Terror rose in her chest like water being brought to a boil. With every thunderous thud of her heartbeat against her chest, she wondered just how long this calm before the real storm would last, especially as time continued to slip away. Had Yelena offered some sort of mercy? Despite the ten seconds she had given Lumine as a chance to escape?

As if to answer her question, a loud, high-pitched alarm sounded across the camp, the whine squealing above the roaring storm.

“There!” Someone shouted behind her, their raspy tone coated with venom. “The soldier with the backpack! That’s the Traveler!”

“Grab her!”

A string of curses bubbled out of her lips. Great. Of course she wouldn’t be that fortunate. After all, Yelena had been so hurt by her deception and betrayal that she couldn’t even stand to look at her, and there was no way the woman would sacrifice her job over a brief friendship. Whatever, she had to get out of here! Just as the soldiers around her began to process what their fellow comrades had said, Lumine took off in a dead sprint, her boots crunching in the compact snow. 

Shouts of surprise and anger bounced off the purple and blue tent walls, but she didn’t let their wrath bother her. Her eyes focused only on the exterior line of the camp, roughly bumping into a few men and women and pushing others completely out of her way with abrasive shoves. A few understood what the alarm meant, sloppily lunging for her to drag her in front of the Tsaritsa themselves, but every time they tried to grab her by the arm, she squeezed through their fingers like  a slippery eel. Determination flooded her senses, fueling the strength in her core in a way panic could not.

She would not let them stop her from escaping. 

She would get out of the camp and away from the Fatui. 

She would find Childe and take solace in being by his side again. 

She would defy the prophecy calling for him to die.

“Out of my way!”

Aaaand, there went all her confidence.

Lumine barely glanced over her shoulder to spot the Knave moving through the crowd with much more ease than she had ever been able to muster, using her raw height and lithe frame to her advantage. Oh fuck– oh fuck!  The spymaster was faster than she could have ever anticipated, closing in like a firestorm lapping at dry tinder. Admittedly, she’d probably already had her suspicions from their encounter earlier in the day, especially with how pathetic of a Fatui soldier Lumine made. She turned back around and somehow found more speed, the strain of her muscles burning despite the odd, infrequent surges of Pyro energy in her core. Thank the gods Skirk had healed her damaged leg when she and Ajax had fallen into the Abyss, or else she wouldn’t be able to keep up this long. Though, admittedly, she probably wouldn’t have done something as stupid as infiltrate Snezhnaya if she was still hurt!

Arlecchino let out a feral, animalistic growl behind her, breathing down her neck as Lumine barely managed to outpace her. The edge of the camp was so, so close, the tents passing like a blur at her speed. But how would she get out of this situation? It wasn’t like the blizzard was a glass shield preventing anyone from getting out, right? No, no, she had to focus if she wanted to escape. And despite her nerves of actually trying to use her elemental abilities, she had a feeling she would have no choice if she wanted to escape the fourth Fatui Harbinger.

She had to get out of here, no matter the cost.

Icy fingers suddenly grazed against the back of her neck, Arlecchino hissing like a snake as she snarled, “I’ve got you now–” 

“Nice try,” Lumine snarled back, and then slammed her foot hard into the frozen earth.

The ground shuddered with a loud and mighty groan, quickening underneath them the same way the earth had trembled during the violent volcanic eruptions in Natlan. Lumine’s eyes widened, slamming into the ground feet away from Arlecchino as the frozen tundra started crumbling underneath them. It split in jagged lines, fracturing away like a sandcastle as the tide rapidly approached, the ground melting as though it were made of water.

Wh-What?! Had she caused this–? She considered herself strong, but nothing of this magnitude! Within seconds, the small cracks cutting into the ground widened, carving a scar into the snowy ground that only seemed to grow even further with each thudding heartbeat. Move– she needed to move, or else she would lose all momentum or fall into the rapidly-widening hole in the ground. And if she fell and hurt her leg once more… gods, she wasn’t sure she’d ever manage to recover, let alone escape the Tsaritsa’s wrath.

 Arlecchino let out a low grunt behind her as she scrambled to stand again, feral and predatory like the huntress she was, but Lumine paid her no attention. She focused all her energy into staying upright, legs shaking as she tried to pick up the pace into a run towards the edge of the rapidly degrading-cliff. The ravine deepened with each passing moment, and the Knave’s extended claws threatened to dig into her back like that of a big cat. She grit her teeth and ignored the panic threatening to rise at the back of her mind, focusing all her energy into a dead sprint. Faster and faster and faster, the same way she had raced away from the surging pyroclastic flow of the volcanoes erupting around them in Natlan, the roar of the wind and snow identical to the screams of lava bombs and Childe’s terror, until the last bit of earth crumbled under her feet and then–

Weightlessness. 

One day, when she had her wings returned to her, she would feel this again all of the time.

Lumine hit the side of the far cliff with a hard thud and a mighty groan, the ground still shaking like an earthquake underneath her. The brutal blizzard’s crazed winds did not cease, cutting at her exposed face and cheeks, icy enough to bleed them dry. Her fingers strained against the wall of earth the same way it had in the Fourth Domain, but she would not let a similar incident happen here. After all, there would be no one to help as she fell into the ravine with her this time, no hand to hold as fear raced through her. She was on her own.

Gathering whatever strength she had left, she groaned, clawing her way up the side of the cliff as the wind continued to roar and whip at her round cheeks, the ice cutting into her skin. The ground had stopped its violent shaking, but the surges of energy pulsating from her hands did not vanish, waves of golden light that cut through the hazy snowstorm like a lighthouse on the coast. She sucked in sharp, ragged breaths, eager to fill her lungs to prepare for any other sprints, especially if Arlecchino was right behind her. Shit, was she? She glanced over her shoulder, her stomach dropping as her eyes sank deeper into the sinkhole she’d accidentally created. 

There, at the bottom of the pit, lay the Knave in a crumpled heap, splayed flat in the frozen mud. 

Lumine stared in a mix of horror and relief. For one, she couldn’t help but be thankful the Knave had failed at catching her. Arlecchino, out of all of them, was the one Childe trusted the least, and from their brief encounters over the years, she understood why. On the other hand, she really didn’t want to kill any Harbingers for fear of really invoking the Tsaritsa’s wrath. But unlike her incident in the Third Domain, Arlecchino didn’t appear seriously hurt; no rocks crushed her legs, no blood pooled from her mouth or around her unconscious frame. Her fall was likely the only reason that Lumine would be able to escape, and she wouldn’t wait around for another top lieutenant to pick up where the fourth Harbinger had left off. 

Shouts rang up from the base camp just across the ravine, dozens of Fatui grunts scrambling down the side of the cliffs to reach the Harbinger rather than focusing their attention on the Traveler standing at the edge of the far cliff. A jolt up her weary spine snapped Lumine out of her awed trance, still unsure how she had caused such a dramatic turn of events. There was no time to consider the strain such an earthquake had had on her body nor how she’d used so much uncontrollable powers or the weird, random flashes of golden light around her body; she needed to go. It didn’t matter what she ended up deciding when it came to the destination, but she needed to move or risk being trapped here forever.

So with one quick last look at the camp, Lumine swallowed hard and vanished into the surge of white.

Chapter Text

The good news was, she wasn’t dead.

The bad news was, this violent swirling storm had tried many times to kill her, she was alone in a place she didn’t know, and Teyvat’s biggest military was hunting her down with the intention of dragging her in front of their queen to face justice.

All in all… a pretty normal week for her at this point.

Lumine had spent the first few days on her own focused on making it through the foul weather, the icy blizzard refusing to give up in its wrath. Her gloved fingers ached every time she tried to squeeze them into fists, her exposed cheeks raw and scratched from the whipping wind, her core frozen stiff no matter the weight of her fur-lined cloak wrapped around her coat. The only thing she could do was chatter her teeth and focus on the stiff white ground underfoot, pushing herself to move forward every time she thought of laying down and succumbing to the bad weather.  

She needed to get warm. She needed to get out of this frigid hell and actually rest and recuperate for a few moments. What little sleep she had managed, tucked in between twisted tree roots under the thin shielding of a makeshift tent, vanished the minute she started forward again. If she didn’t actually give herself the moment to sleep and calm her frayed nerves, she would never make it north.

Yes. North. Because apparently, she loved to torture herself.

She’d made the desperate decision to try her hand at heading towards where Ekaterina had suggested about ten seconds after she’d slipped into the snow for one of two reasons. On one hand, she expected all of the Fatui Harbingers to expect her to run south for the Mondstadt border. That was the smarter option. Her second reason was more selfish; she couldn’t keep wasting time by not making a choice. That would get her killed, be it from the Fatui or the cold. Archons, she’d never had such a hard time making a decision like this before. It didn’t help that she didn’t have anyone to rationalize this out with, especially since her usual traveling companion was currently trapped in the base camp two days south.

Her heart sank into her stomach, twisting in dismay. Paimon had probably woken up by now. What were they doing to her? How would they stop her from slipping away into her pocket dimension? Would it be whatever technique the Tsaritsa had used to rebound Lumine’s powers and send them scattered all over the place, trapping Paimon from fleeing in her twist of stars? Did she hate Lumine for leaving her behind? Could she blame the fairy if she did?

Dim amber lights suddenly cut through the swathe of white, her dour thoughts vanishing in a heartbeat. A city? A town! Whatever it was, she welcomed the sight. Even though she knew better than to stay in one place for very long with the Fatui troops hot on her tail, she desperately needed a break from the cold and the tired and the loneliness. 

Brick and river stone buildings towered on either side of the quiet city street, the transition from the Snezhnayan wilds to the heart of town sudden and abrupt. Smokestacks climbed into the deep blue evening sky, billowing thick black smoke from their rusty chimneys. The silhouettes of coaling towers rose in the distance, the steady thrum of conveyor belts and steam-powered cogs turning like music to her ears, the machinery somehow still active in the frigid weather. Despite the buildings rising on either side of her and blocking the wind, she couldn’t help but feel a little cold from the architecture; there was nothing cozy about this industrial town. At least the slick cobblestone underfoot felt so much better than cutting ice and snow digging through her fur-lined boots. 

Lumine immediately honed in on the first villager she saw in the quiet street. “Excuse me, comrade!” She tried, hiding her wince at how ridiculous she sounded. 

The woman turned at the call of her voice, tugging her hood higher on her face with another gust of chilly wind. Her deep red hair reminded her so much of another Snezhnayan she knew, but this woman’s sharp, aging features held none of the warmth that her lover maintained. She wasted no time giving Lumine a slow once over, her thin lips pulled into a sharp frown the more she stared. Archons, what must she look like to a native Snezhnayan? Probably something of a drenched and frozen Fatui rat, soaked to the bone and weary with exhaustion. 

She forced her bravest smile. “Do you know where I might be able to find a place to stay tonight?”

The woman’s slender nose crinkled with the question. “You Fatui?”

“...Technically yes, but–”

“Shouldn’t you be headed to the main camp?”

Oh, good. Did every Snezhnayan know about that? That would make traveling in Fatui garb that much harder, especially the further she got away from the base camp. “Yes!” Lumine lied through her chattering teeth. “But I’m not looking to freeze in the storm, so I’ll head there tomorrow–”

“Storm’ll likely last tomorrow too,” The woman grumbled, turning on her heel and starting towards the heart of the city.

Lumine cursed under her breath, hurrying to catch up. The Snezhnayan’s sour mood would not deter her from finding the peace of warmth. “So about that place to stay?” She asked, trying not to sound as desperate as she felt. “Anything nearby?”

“You can ask the commanding officer down at the Northland Bank.” The villager’s nose scrunched again, focused on her path through the empty street rather than bothering to give Lumine the time of day, save for her sharp words. “He’ll be able to tell you what you need to know.”

She tried not to let her shoulders droop too much, swallowing hard. “Yeah, that’s….” Her words trailed off, stopping in her tracks. The villager didn’t stop moving though– what was it that Childe always said? Something about freezing to death if he stayed still? “That’s a good plan. Thank you.”

The woman never even bothered to give her a second glance, waving her hand behind her as she turned around the corner. Lumine sighed, tightening her jacket around her trembling frame. So much for expecting every Snezhnayan to be similar to Childe or Ekaterina or Yelena. Then again, this deep into the Nation of Ice, she supposed many of these people had never left their home. She pushed forward despite the way her sore legs and hips protested, determined to find an inn. Snow splattered against her cheeks and melted as she stared at the metal signs above the door frames, understanding the bare bones of symbols as she passed; bakeries and blacksmiths and tobacco shops and–

“Attention loyal Snezhnayan citizens!” A deep, demanding voice startled her out of her train of thought before she could fully round the corner where the woman had gone. 

Had she not already been trembling, perhaps a shiver would have run down her back from the terror currently plaguing her belly. She barely peaked around the corner, careful not to fully expose herself as she took a look into the city square. There, just as it had in the Fatui camp days ago, dozens had gathered in front of a stage. A squadron of soldiers with emblazoned blue patches etched into their usual uniforms stood on the wooden frame, ducking out of the winter wind. The squad’s leader stood alone in front of them, holding a tattered piece of parchment paper. “It has come to the Tsaritsa’s attention that the Traveler has been spotted in Snezhnaya,” He called out over the roaring wind.

Lumine cursed under her breath as the crowd gasped in horror. Well, shit. She should have expected that some of the Harbingers or their support staff would scatter north despite the likelihood that she would head south to the Mondstadt border. She just hadn’t expected to run into them this soon. 

“We have reason to believe she’s headed this way after launching a direct attack on the Fatui base camp to our south. If you see her, you are to report her to your local Fatui branch immediately, so that she may be arrested and brought in front of the Tsaritsa. Anyone who gives credible information as to her whereabouts will be given a hefty compensation. Anyone found collaborating with her to help her escape will be put on trial for crimes against the crown.”

The offer of money or death would be too easy to resist for anyone, not just a Snezhnayan citizen. Even friends who she’d made across Teyvat might have been willing to take the Fatui’s enticing offer was it handed over to them. She needed to get out of this town and fast, rather than giving the villagers a chance to collect on their reward. That night of warm and restful sleep she’d been dreaming about with every painful footstep would have to wait. 

“What does she look like?” Someone near the front of the gathered crowd asked as Lumine turned to go the opposite direction. 

“Short of stature, with blonde hair, amber eyes, and abilities beyond your wildest imagination,” She heard the soldier shout. “Oh, and she was last seen wearing the uniform of a Fatui Skirmisher.”

“I saw her!”

Fuck. Fuck.

One brief glance over her shoulder revealed the same woman she’d briefly spoken too earlier ready to spill the information without a hesitation, her auburn brow creasing deeply into her aging features. How? How had she taken in that much information about Lumine when she’d almost entirely refused to look at her?

“Where?” One of the other soldiers asked as the crowd nervously hummed at the revelation.

“She passed through here not even ten minutes ago!”

“Scatter throughout the city!” The head soldier shouted to his comrades over the roaring wind. “And alert the Lord Harbinger of her presence; we will not let her escape the same way she slipped through our fingers at the base camp.

Unlike the streamlined soldiers who’d heard the same direct order from the Tsaritsa’s lips themselves days ago, the gathered crowd erupted into chaos. People scattered like rats on a sinking ship, heading in every safe direction to reach safety– away from the scary, propagandized reputation of the Traveler. She’d have to have a chat with Childe on how so many of these radical stories had gotten so wildly out of control amongst the Snezhnayan people. If she even survived long enough to reach him.

She tucked her head and moved with the flowing crowd, ignoring the soldiers scouring the people as though they were looking for precious stones in gritty sand. Her heart slammed frantically against her chest, focusing on putting one foot in front of the other. She could still get out of here without getting caught if she just played her cards right. Lumine focused on a side street just ahead, the amber street lights flickering in the frigid wind. If she could just stick to the shadows, she could wait for the chaos to die down. One step. Two steps. Three steps–

“Hey, grunt!”

Nope. She really had to stop being so optimistic.

Lumine took off in a dead sprint, her lungs aching from the chill as she sucked in sharp, short gasps of air. She reached the dimly-lit street with ease, though her boots skidded along the cobblestone road as she took the curve. Behind her, the other soldiers called out in desperation. Hide, she needed to hide; she was too tired to try and outrun them, but if she could simply find a space to tuck in and relax until the hubbub died down, she would be able to slip away unnoticed. She caught a glance of dancing shadows out of the corner of her eye– a dark alley, perfectly obscured between two weak streetlights.

Perfect. Without waiting, she jumped into the darkness and let it engulf her completely. She pressed herself flat against the brick wall, thankful to be out of the wind if even for a heartbeat. Even better, she realized, were the Fatui soldiers running past shouting orders in Snezhnayan, never even bothering to give her hiding spot a second look. Their desperate attempts to find and capture her dissipated as they ran down the opposite path, the only sound her shattered, pained breaths and her heart’s desperate thudding in her ear.

Her mind whirred at a mile a minute. That had been too close. She couldn’t keep letting herself nearly get caught like this; it would wear her out until she had to surrender for fear of actually dying from exhaustion. She sucked in a slow, sharp breath, ready to head in the opposite direction of the agitated soldiers—

–when a cool iron grip slammed over her mouth and waist, tugging her deeper into the shadows.

“Mmm–!” She tried, kicking and struggling as her assailant tightened their grip around her tight, frozen frame. 

“Easy, little one. You could hurt yourself.” Lumine didn’t care; if she didn’t try to escape, they would drag her back to the Tsaritsa and make her stand trial for all of her so-called crimes that she’d committed. She slammed her elbow backwards towards where her kidnapper’s ribs should be, but only found more frozen metal, her arm tingling as she struck a sensitive nerve. A groan of pain bubbled out of her, the noise muffled from the hand on her mouth. “Like that. I mean it, stop moving before you hurt yourself!”

That voice– she knew it better than she had expected. She’d heard it at the dinner table for two months, engaged in rigorous conversation over strategies and swordplay, discussing the importance of honor on the battlefield. One glance up and her heart stopped as she confirmed her suspicions, awestruck by who had entangled her in their grasp; a giant hunking suit of metal armor, a faceless void, and one piercing blue eye. 

Capitano.

“Come on now,” The First Harbinger growled, his baritone voice sending another wave of shivers down her spine, “We both know what I am and what I can do. You saw that in the arena. Now relax.”

Lumine didn’t have a choice; he towered over her and could toss her over his shoulder as though she were a sack of potatoes. But instead of pushing her towards the exit of the alley, he tucked her tight in the dead end, the shadows swirling around him as he pinned her back against the brick wall. The shreds of orange light from the oil street lamps flickering in the wind dimmed even further, her line of sight completely swallowed whole by his shadowy facade.

How was she supposed to get out of here now? She could try and use the same technique that she had to escape Arlecchino, but if something abnormal happened like that earthquake she had accidentally caused, it would be a lot more destructive in town than in the base camp. Besides, her elemental abilities seemed even more out of control since then; she’d just gotten used to ignoring the invisible tendrils of thorny Dendro digging into her skin or the jolts of Electro energy tingling up her spine. And even if she did somehow manage to defeat Capitano– a feat not even Murata could proudly say she’d done– she would likely be trapped back in the chaos of running from the Fatui grunts still scouring the city for the loathed Traveler.

Her mind jumped from thought to thought as Capitano let out a deep sigh. “There. That wasn’t so hard, was it?”

“I won’t go with you,” She spat, pressing herself flat against the brick wall.

A pause. Then, “It’s your best option.”

“Not when you plan to drag me back to her.”

“Who said I planned on doing that?” Without a face, the first Harbinger was so hard to read. From the tone of his question, though, she could tell he was surprised by her thoughts of what he planned to do with her. “Besides, I still owe you.”

Curiosity burned through the tension clinging to her shoulders, her brow furrowed in thought. “...Owe me?” She asked, her brow creasing into a deep V. “For what?”

Before Capitano could answer, agitated shouts came from the entrance of the alleyway, the Fatui grunts doubling back when they’d lost her trail. Lumine squirmed against his grasp, but his grip was as iron as his suit of armor. No matter what she tried, he stayed solid as stone. “Listen,” He chided like a father annoyed with a toddler for acting out in the middle of a market square, “Your best choice here is to come with me.”

Lumine scoffed. “Absolutely not–”

“I promise I will not turn you over to the Fatui or let you get captured by those insolent recruits. And while I may not be from Snezhnaya, I can assure you, I will not break my word.” That piercing pale blue eye found her once more, and if he had a face, she expected he would be frowning at her the longer she let this drag out. “So?”

The shouts from the grunts escalated, approaching faster like hounds closing in on their injured prey. Any minute now and one soldier would turn down the alleyway to discover the two of them and she’d be completely out of luck. Her hesitation would likely get her in more trouble, especially if Capitano got sick of waiting and determined he really didn’t want to put up with her indecisiveness. So despite every instinct screaming at her to search for a way out until the very end, Lumine swallowed her fear and dipped her head in acknowledgement.

The first Harbinger hummed deep in his chest. “Keep your hood up and your head down. And stay close.” Lumine gave another nod, hustling to keep pace with him as he turned to leave the alley. Her heart loudly thudded against her ribcage like an out of control stampede, dulling out the shouts as Fatui grunts went door to door looking for her. 

“Capitano, sir!” A feminine voice shouted as they came to the head of the alleyway, the whipping wind picking up in its frenzied pace, the shadows still dancing under the streetlamp. Three pairs of boots came into her line of sight, but she refused to look up. She focused on counting the cobblestones underfoot in her head to avoid looking up and giving away her identity; the last thing she needed was for her supposed salvation in Capitano to get in trouble. “We have ample evidence  that the Traveler has been in this town. In fact, we think she just ran this way–”

“We just checked the alley and it’s a dead end,” The Captain said with ease, hands on his narrow hips. Lumine couldn’t muster the same casual attitude no matter how much she tried to keep her breathing under control. “Keep searching. She may be using her impressive abilities to get around.”

“Yes sir!”

As quickly as they had come, the soldiers sprinted in the opposite direction, chatting in Snezhnayan as they vanished around the corner. The tension bubbling in her stomach eased once more like a pressure valve releasing steam, an exhausted sigh escaping her. Capitano waited a few moments, then nodded and started forward, the chains on his chest chiming as he moved. It didn’t matter that he’d promised that he wouldn’t turn her over; she really had expected him to crack at the first opportunity. Admittedly, she was so used to betrayal by this point in her extensive journey throughout Teyvat and the universe that its icy sting was stitched into her very soul.

But for him to keep her safe in the face of his own troops despite the fact that they were on opposite sides…? Bizarre.

They kept walking towards the streets leading to the more industrial part of the city, the metal coaling towers groaning with each gust of wind. Anxiety crept in the back of her mind, on edge as though their whole dynamic might suddenly shift if she so much as breathed wrong. If Capitano noticed her nerves, he said nothing. Instead, he opened the door for her as they reached a tattered foreman’s shack tucked under one of the abandoned mine entrances, gesturing for her to step inside. And so, despite her instincts still screaming at her to get out, she did as he wanted.  

The tiny shack was just as abandoned inside as the mine it centered around. A few cracks in the glass windows were stuffed with greasy rags. The wooden frame rattled with each hard gust of wind from the storm outside. A small couch sat tucked against the corner, chewed to pieces from rats and other small rodents. A few blankets sat on the old foreman’s desk covered in coal dust– untouched for years, it seemed, so this couldn’t have been Capitano’s first choice of escape route. 

Speaking of the first Harbinger, he crossed the room in two large steps, his boots thudding against the hollow wooden floor. He grabbed old firewood from the log basket and tossed it into the ash-lined brick hearth. Then, with a snap of his fingers, a flash of vibrant orange fire erupted in the hob. Oh, right–he was a Pyro user even without a Delusion. She hadn’t realized how cold she really was until the fire’s warmth started to heat the entire cabin, her skin prickling with a thousand tiny needles. A shattered breath slipped out of her, her teeth chattering uncontrollably as she tried and failed to warm herself up at the same speed as the rest of the room. 

The intensity of her chill– or warmth, she couldn’t tell– distracted her from whatever the good captain was doing at the hearth. Thank the gods he seemed busy; if he really wanted to attack her or kidnap her and drag her back to the Tsaritsa, she wouldn’t be able to stop him right now. The shift in her own bodily temperature made her so dizzy that she had to clutch the side of the wall to keep from falling over, trying and failing to get her erratic breathing under control. She had to be more careful, she realized the more she shook and trembled. If she continued to push herself in this cold weather without actually accounting for her health, she really would turn into a Lumine-popsicle. 

As soon as she was sure she wasn’t going to pass out, she let out a slow sigh through pursed lips, then sucked in a deep breath, filling her lungs with warm air. Something rich and creamy scented flooded her senses, her mouth watering at the delicious smells coming from the hearth. One glance towards the first Harbinger revealed him crouched over a pot of stew, stirring it carefully. Had he been cooking this whole time? Archons, when was the last time she’d had a significant meal, let alone one that might fill her up and get her warm? 

Her stomach growled so loud that it drowned out the wind outside. Her brow furrowed as she came to stand behind him, craning over his massive shoulder. Oh, gods, potato and leek soup. This was so dangerous; first, he protected her from the soldiers hunting her down in the city square, then he made food that smelled better than anything she’d ever tasted? If he was simply trying to make her more compliant so she’d come along wherever he asked, she hated to admit it might be working.

Capitano turned to look over his shoulder, his face that eerie, shadowy void. “Are you hungry?”

She had to focus, to be on her guard. This man was a dangerous Fatui Harbinger. “What are you doing?” 

“Offering you food,” He said matter-of-factly.

“No, I gathered that.” She tried to stop from literally drooling over the meal he was making. She failed miserably, wiping the corner of her mouth and forcing herself to focus again. “Why though? Your orders were to take me to your queen.”

“Yes, I’m aware.” He went back to stirring the stew. “I was at the announcement, same as you.”

Then why wasn’t he trying to drag her back to the camp like the others? “You would be a hero if you brought me in.”

“But it wouldn’t be right.”

“Right?” Lumine questioned, the word feeling so foreign on her tongue. “In whose eyes?”

“My own.”

Besides, I still owe you. He’d said as much when he’d cornered her against the brick wall earlier that evening. “Why?” She asked, rubbing her hands together to try and bring some feeling back to her gloved fingers. “What debt do you owe me?”

“A life debt. For what happened in Natlan.”

“...I don’t understand,” She said, slowly taking a seat beside him in front of the fire. 

To her surprise, Capitano sighed. “I live by a very strict moral code. It guides my path above all else. So, while my queen’s demands are crucial, I cannot ignore the sacrifices you made for me in that arena.” Sacrifices…? Was he talking about how she sided with Childe? Frankly, she hadn’t done that for the first Harbinger, but to protect Necalli from hurting the man she loved. “You prevented me from making the situation worse and allowed me time to safely escape, all at the cost of appearing to side with the Fatui. I know that must have had some personal ramifications on you.” 

No more than Necalli revealing she and Childe were a couple, but even that hadn’t gone as badly as it could have.

She didn’t take her eyes off the soup, hoping her voice was level as she muttered, “Childe did too.”

“He’ll get his own payment for saving my life eventually,” Capitano mused, pulling out one large tin bowl from his tattered rucksack. “After all, you two were a team when you fended off the Natlan squad and protected Murata’s body, while I, regrettably, fled.”

She awkwardly shifted in place in front of the fire; she hadn’t realized that part of the day was so… well-known. She couldn’t remember the details of the immediate aftermath of the volcanic eruptions, too busy trying to get herself back to walking so that she didn’t have to rely on Childe for support all the time. But she supposed she shouldn’t be so surprised. While Otli may have kept the secret of her relationship with the 11th Harbinger safe, the Leopardess couldn’t exactly lie about what had happened in the arena after she’d taken Itzli to safety.

Perhaps that’s why the Fatui had been allowed to stay and help in Natlan. Perhaps Childe had redeemed himself for his actions in Liyue by helping keep another Archon from dying. Or perhaps they hadn’t given him too much credit at all, instead claiming it was all Lumine who had saved the day. Her nose scrunched in annoyance at the thought of that being a possibility. 

He had saved her countless times that day and countless times since. One day, the world would see just how good her bad guy was.

“I know how he feels about you, by the way.”

Lumine’s head shot up. “What?”

“Childe,” Capitano said simply, as though it were obvious. Perhaps it was. “His feelings for you are intense and very real.  I think you know about them as well.”

I love you, he had whispered that day under Windrise, both of them exhausted and injured from their time in the Abyss, Until my last breath. 

She looked away, hoping her face remained a mask of stone. “...He’s not exactly subtle.”

The first Harbinger chuckled. “No, he’s not. But I can’t blame him; you do have an enticing draw. Just not for someone of my tastes.”

Interesting. She couldn’t dwell on it long, eager to change the topic so she didn’t reveal any of her affections towards her stupid redheaded Harbinger to the good captain. After all, they were supposed to be enemies, and they had to play the game better than they had those few months they’d spent in Natlan. “So because I saved your life, you’re saving me now.”

“Correct. Though, should we meet again after today, this truce will be void. Understood?”

“Sounds fair to me.”

“I’m glad you think so, and I’m glad you finally see a reason not to run.” He dipped a curved ladle into the soup and scooped a spoonful into the bowl. While she couldn’t see anything but the void in the mask, she liked to imagine him smiling as he held the bowl out to her. “Now, eat.”

She didn’t have to be told twice. She took the bowl in her hands and dove in, sipping the warm broth, biting back a groan at how delicious it was. The creamy potatoes were perfectly cooked, the mild and sweet flavor of the leeks adding a subtle kick to the salty tang. Before long, any of the lingering chill coating her bones vanished, the satisfied warmth settling in her belly as she savored the rich flavor. Capitano didn’t hesitate to pour her another bowl, which she downed just as fast, unafraid to let the soup burn her tongue if it meant she continued to stay this warm.

Halfway through her fourth bowl, Lumine slowed down, licking her lips. Curiosity got the better of her, and her mind seemed to finally be working again now that it had dethawed and wasn’t focused on food or fear. “How did you know where to find me?” 

Capitano tilted his head, the metal of his armor clinking as he moved. “I’m sorry?”

“Did you track me through the snow?”

A pause. Then, “If you’re allowed to ask questions, I expect to ask my own. It’s only fair.”

He was incredibly focused on justice, it seemed. Of balancing things so that the world did not favor one side of the scales compared to the other. She supposed that made sense in his moral code. “As long as it doesn’t turn into an interrogation,” She agreed. “I reserve my right to protect my answers.”

Capitano hummed, poking the fire with an iron rod. “You’re cautious. That’s good.” He weighed his options to himself, his masked face staring straight into the flames. She almost expected him to say no, to say that there was no way he could give away any answers without revealing more of the Fatui’s grand schemes. Then, straightened his broad shoulders, the chains twinkling as he moved. “Admittedly, I got lucky. Most of the Harbingers thought you would head south to the Mondstadt border.”

“Probably the smarter option,” She muttered, taking another sip of her soup.

“Why did you head north then? Instead of heading back to the land of spring and sunshine?”

Lumine carefully pondered her response, not wanting to reveal too much about her own goals– and not wanting to reveal that she was worried about her idiot partner. “I’m looking for answers,” She finally said.

“For your brother?”

“Amongst other things.” Like what she needed to do in the prophecy to protect Ajax from losing his life. Like what the Tsaritsa had to do with sending them on the wild goose chase throughout Teyvat. Like where the man she loved had disappeared to and why some of the soldiers at the base camp thought him a traitor. “Besides, I hate sitting still. Snezhnaya was the last nation I had to visit.”

Capitano snorted. “So you came during winter?”

“Again, not my brightest move.”

“No, it wasn’t.”

“Are the others still actively hunting me?” She asked, pushing forward with her questions so there wasn’t a chance to lull the conversation. She worried if she stopped, his good will towards maintaining this questions game would end.

“They will be until you are turned over to the Tsaritsa. Though the reward for the Harbingers isn’t as enticing as it would be for most of the grunts. Most of us have more money than we know what to do with,” The first Harbinger explained, tossing another log onto the fire. Shadows danced on the walls behind him like octopus tentacles, moving in ways that no normal light did. “Why did you infiltrate the Fatui if you were looking for answers about your brother?”

Lumine scoffed. “It wasn’t entirely my choice. I was trying to stay as far away from your army as possible.”

“Oh?”

“Unfortunately I got swept up in the recall and couldn’t find a chance to slip away. Why start that now, by the way? The middle of winter seems… dangerous.”

Capitano hummed again, that low rumble in his chest sounding like thunder stretching across Windrise’s open fields. “The game is set and the pieces are moving,” He said simply, as if that would answer all of her questions. 

Unfortunately for Lumine, she wasn’t bright enough to catch on to what he might have been saying– she hadn’t even been able to figure out the true writer of their prophetic letter before Skirk revealed she was the one who translated it for the Tsaritsa. “And those pieces are…?” 

One piercing blue eye found her again, as cold as the ice outside. “You know I can’t tell you that.”

It was worth a shot. “Thought I’d push my luck a little bit.”

“I will say that it wasn’t supposed to happen this fast,” He continued, turning back to the fire. “The Tsaritsa planned to wait until the spring, but the chess board we’re all playing on started to shake.”

“The world is changing,” She whispered under her breath, remembering what Yelena had said that day in the woods. 

Capitano dipped his head in acknowledgement. “Waiting on bated breath for the final hour, just as it has before.” What did that mean? Was this some sort of pattern etched into the very fabric of Teyvat? Would it happen again and again until something broke the cycle? Before she could clarify, he asked, “Where do you plan to go from here?”

“As far away from the Tsaritsa as possible.”

The first Harbinger chuckled. “You don’t want to meet her?”

“Absolutely not.” She had a feeling the Cryo Archon would not be as friendly towards her as the other Archons had been– more like Raiden Shogun before Lumine had encountered Ei in the Plane of Euthymia. From how poorly the rest of the soldiers around the base camp talked about the evil Traveler, she could only imagine the opinions the Tsaritsa had of her.

Capitano continued to chortle to himself, shaking his head. “She’s not that bad.”

“She sent her hounds after me,” Lumine grumbled, finishing her fourth bowl of soup and pouring herself enough for a fifth. “No offense.”

The first Harbinger stretched out his long, muscular legs, leaning his back against the wooden wall. “None taken. Though, you’re not much better in that case. You caused quite the stir when you escaped the war camp and maimed one of her most feral attack dogs.” His featureless face settled on her once more. “Arlecchino should make a full recovery, by the way.”

She winced, staring at the leeks floating in her soup. “I didn’t mean to hurt her.”

“Then why cause that massive earthquake?”

Silence.

“...You didn’t do that on purpose?”

Lumine’s mouth twisted in thought. “And if I say no…?”

Capitano grew quiet, but the shadows seemed to pick up their frenzied dancing on the ceiling, threatening to choke all of the light. Fear crept in the back of her mind, but she refused to let herself fall victim to it right away. She really didn’t know why this was happening to her. She’d always been the more in control of the twins, with Aether acting more on his emotion while she focused on her logic. Even in her relationship with Childe, she tended to act on caution while he acted on impulse, moving before anyone else had. So when she’d lost control of her abilities at the headless Statue of the Seven and completely misjudged how much power she was putting into her Geo abilities that day as she tried to escape the base camp, she hadn’t known what to think.

It seemed Capitano didn’t, either, but at least the shadows around him stopped their frenetic fluttering. “Perhaps Teyvat isn’t the only thing waking up.”

“What does that mean?”

“Ask another question.”

Huh. She thought she would be the first to put a stop to an answer to one of his questions. One of these days, perhaps she would learn the truth behind all of these cryptic statements made throughout her journey across the world. That’s how it had happened when Childe had finally had the chance to explain the Tsaritsa’s plans in the heart of Orbis Terrarum, without Celestia’s wandering eyes constantly on them. 

Childe.

Her mind flickered to her partner as it had every night before she’d fallen asleep, dreaming of his muscular arms wrapped around her tiny frame and warming her up in the Snezhnayan cold. Selfish desperation filled her mind, her mouth moving before she could stop herself from asking, “Where is Childe?”

Capitano crossed his arms. “Did you come here looking for him?”

Lumine recoiled as though she’d been stung by a wasp. “Wh- no, I told you–”

“Then why ask?”

Because I miss him. “...Because he was missing at the announcement.”

The first Harbinger’s void of a face had no expressions, but she imagined a smirk twitching at the corner of his lips as he cooed, “Oh, Traveler. And here I hoped we were being honest.”

Fuck. “Because… because….” An annoyed huff slipped out of her, bringing the bowl of soup up to her lips and grumbling, “I don’t know. I was concerned or something.”

“Or something.”

“And then I heard whispers that he might be a traitor–”

“Childe?” Capitano barked a laugh, shaking his head. “Please, he’s one of the most loyal ones among us. That’s part of his dilemma.”

“Is he at least alive?” She asked, the warm and full feeling of soup in her belly suddenly less satisfying and more overbearing. She supposed some of that had to do with her worries surrounding her lover, wishing it was him sitting across from her in this tiny shack instead of Capitano. 

The first Harbinger hummed softly. “Yes. I saw him a few days before I arrived at the base camp. Gave him the order to stay away.”

“Why?”

He shook his head slowly. “For that answer, you’ll have to offer me a significant piece of information. Like where you are headed next.”

The hairs on the back of her neck stood at full attention, different from the way her instincts had told her to run earlier. Some part of her mind realized how dangerous this question was– after all, while they may be allies enjoying a meal and good conversation together tonight, she remembered what he had said about this life debt only being good for one evening. Come morning, they would be enemies once more, and if she told him where she was going, he would certainly track her down and drag her back to the Tsaritsa. She didn’t want to lie, either. That would ruin whatever good intentions both of them still had in this discussion.

So, despite the ache of knowing why Childe wasn’t allowed to come and where he could possibly be in this great, wide continent of ice and terror, she shook her head. “... I can’t,” She said, setting the rest of her soup aside, too anxious to continue eating. 

“Then we are at an impasse,” Capitano affirmed, the tension in his shoulders vanishing once more.

Silence followed, save for the roaring wind outside and the crackling fire in the hearth.

“Thank you,” Lumine whispered, chewing on her chapped bottom lip.

“For?”

“Rescuing me. And feeding me. I didn’t expect to find someone I could rely on when I woke up this morning. Someone like a….”

“A friend?” The good captain asked, the shadows that usually danced around him shrinking close to him rather than loose and out of control.

Her lips twitched upwards in a small smile. “Not in a Fatui Harbinger.” Not in someone other than Ajax.

“It’s no matter. I’m just happy to wipe the slate of my debt free,” Capitano said with a lazy wave of his hand, but his expressionless face stared anywhere but at her. She wondered if he had had features, if they would have revealed a surprised and sheepish military commander. “Why don’t you go to sleep? I’ll be gone by the time you wake up. And remember–”

“The next time we meet, we’ll be enemies once more,” She finished for him, still smiling softly. “I won’t forget.”

Capitano dipped his head in acknowledgement as Lumine pushed herself up, the idea of sleeping in somewhere warm and cozy too irresistible. She didn’t even bother to brush the coal dust off of the couch before she plopped down, grabbing one of the wool blankets from the top of the desk and tucking herself in. She had no time to even imagine Childe there holding her to help her fall asleep, slipping out of consciousness the minute she got comfortable.

Lumine yawned as she rubbed her eyes awake, her belly still plenty full from the meal last night. The fire had died at some point in the middle of the night, the slightest glow of red hot embers barely visible. Sunlight streamed through the cracked windows, coal dust swirling in the air in small flecks. She stretched slowly, pushing herself up onto her sore legs and preparing for another day of walking. Thank the gods she had actually been allowed to rest somewhere warm  and safe; she would not have made it another day, she realized, no matter how much starlight simmered in her veins. True to his word, the first Harbinger had slipped away by the time she awoke. While she hadn’t expected him to sit around and wait for the hours to shift until the life debt was cleared, she wouldn’t have put it past any of the other Harbingers. 

One glance out the door, too, revealed crystal blue skies and an empty industrial lot. The snow had covered the black and rust-colored yard, icicles hanging from every roof’s edge. Only one set of tracks had left the tiny shack, the shoe size far bigger than anything Lumine could have made. If any of the soldiers came running this way, they would see Capitano’s footsteps instead of her own and keep moving. Still, she knew better than to waste the opportunity for a clear travel day by sitting around and enjoying the coziness of the rundown shack. 

So, as the last dredges of warmth still clung to her small frame, she pushed herself out of the tiny cabin and back into the northern wilderness.

Chapter Text

Pyro-fueled bullets whizzed through the cold air, ricocheting off the towering pines in the thicket around her. Lumine ducked as one struck a nearby tree trunk and splintered the wood into a thousand shards, her heart slamming against her chest. Fuck– fuck! She threw herself under a low-hanging branch, sprinting as fast as she could in the mad dash to escape yet another hun. Her legs burned from overexertion, her muscles agonizingly sore after running through deep snow. If she wasn’t careful, she’d exhaust herself to the brink of collapse, but if she slowed down, she wouldn’t be able to escape. The lose-lose situation hung over her head like a guillotine, accentuated with every pointed gunshot striking the trees around her. 

She didn’t even know where this unit of Fatui soldiers had come from. Her journey north had been relatively peaceful after her encounter with Capitano. She’d managed to avoid any more violent snowstorms despite the way that fat cumulonimbus clouds continued to swirl around the cragged mountains. She’d even been able to find shelter every night, in hidden caves and villages that hadn’t gotten the news of the Fatui recall or heard of the Traveler’s appearance in Snezhnaya. So to encounter a random group of soldiers who knew she was wanted by the Tsaritsa this far north….

Well, it was either severely bad luck (something she couldn’t completely rule out) or they had actually been looking for her since the hunt began nearly two weeks ago.

Her only saving grace was these soldiers couldn’t hit the broad side of a barn with their gunfire. She couldn’t tell if that was intentional, or if this cat and mouse game was something they were unused to. From their howls of laughter rising up into the afternoon sky, she almost believed the former to be true, the noise like hyena cackles that filled the otherwise silent plateaus in Natlan. Their hoops and hollers likely startled every creature in the pine thicket, a true sign that they were no skilled hunters.

No, this was a game to them.

“Oh, girlie!” One of the pyroslingers shouted, earning another cacophony of cackles from his two fellow soldiers.

Eugh. If this was any other time, she would have cringed at the horrific nickname. It always sounded so much worse when someone else used it. She used her annoyance to rush forward through the snow, trying not to tap into the Electro energy continuously jolting up and down her spine. She didn’t need to exhaust herself with any hurried decisions. She just needed to lose them and go back to her quiet journey north to Morepesok– however far away that was.

Another gunshot rang through the air, whizzing past her head and slamming into another pine tree right as she sprinted past. The wood split open from the force of the impact, sending splinters flying out in every direction. A shocked cry escaped her as the shrapnel stung her round cheek, small droplets of blood rolling down her face as the sharp edges embedded into her skin. Dammit, that was too close! Their orders may have been not to kill her, but she shouldn’t trust their aim well enough to rely on that as her only method of safety. She needed to get somewhere safe and fast if she was going to escape them.

Swallowing down her panic as the soldiers continued their horrendous cackles, she scanned the horizon looking for any sort of safety. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted a dense pocket of spruce trees, their evergreen branches hanging low to the ground, heavy with the weight of the snow. Surely that would be a start! 

Without giving the men another chance to guess her movements, she lunged forwards towards the cluster of trees. Her heart slammed against her chest like an out of control stampede as she moved through the undergrowth, both from her deadsprint to safety and from the fear threatening to drown her whole. Come on, Lumine, think, she urged herself, honing her focus on finding a spot to hide until they got bored with this hunt. The soldiers’ shouts grew behind her, loud and playful, like predators toying with prey they had trapped in a corner. Perhaps they had caught her, if she couldn’t come up with a way to hide. She could climb the trees, she supposed. She doubted their first instinct would be to look up, but if they did, she’d be an easy target to hit. Besides, climbing had never been her strong suit; after all, why would it have been for a creature born with wings of pure light? 

Just when she thought she had run out of time, she spotted a divet in the snow, a small root overhang deep enough to fit her, bathed in shadows as the sun hung high in the early winter sky. 

“Where did she go?!” One of the soldiers shouted as she dove for the darkness, pressing tight against the exposed, frozen earth.

“She can’t have gone far,” Another one said, his voice a raspy growl as the snow crunched under his boots. Lumine swallowed hard, trying to get her breathing under control as her muscles screamed from overuse. If she didn’t get a chance to rest soon, she seriously wouldn’t last in the long haul of her journey. Gods, why didn’t she just go back to Mondstadt?! “Oh, Traveler~ Come out and play!”

“Yeah, we don’t bite!” 

“Speak for yourself,” The third soldier cooed, and the three men erupted into maniacal laughter all over again. It chilled her to the bone, far worse than any gust of frigid wind coming off the tall blue mountains in the distance. 

Her rapid heartbeat throbbed in her ears, dulling out the sound of their Snezhnayan conversations as she tried to focus on staying as quiet as possible. This was bad. This was so, so bad. It had been bad from the moment she stepped into Snezhnaya, but she legitimately didn’t know how she was going to get out of this one. There wasn’t a town to slip into, there wasn’t a friend to help guide her escape. If they did capture her and manage to knock her unconscious, she wouldn’t be able to stop them from carting her all the way back south to their Tsaritsa–

“There you are!”

A massive hand lunged out and grabbed her ankle, yanking her out of the shadows. Lumine yelped in shock and fear. What?! How?! How did he find her? Had they seen her footprints abruptly end, or had it been something completely else, some enhancement she knew nothing about? She had no time to ponder it as one of the pyroslinger towered above her, his mask removed just enough to see his sharp, shark-like teeth gleaming in the mid-afternoon light. “Easy now, girlie,” He growled, but his smile never faded even as she struggled against his grasp. “Come along and I won’t have to hurt you!”

No, no, no! She had not come this far only to be caught by a group of soldiers who happened to be in the right place at the right time. She would not let herself be captured! Without thinking about the long-term consequences, Lumine moved like a machine, gritting her teeth and summoning whatever erratic elemental ability she could find deep in her gut to stop his attack. Electro came to her finger tips first, and on instinct she grabbed the soldier’s snow-covered cloak with one hand and shoved her other hand directly against his chest. His masked eyes widened but he had no time to speak or stop her before she loosed the bolt of lightning like an arrow on a bowstring, channeling as much energy into him as she could.

The scream he let out curdled and tore as though she’d shocked his vocal cords directly, the high-pitched shriek so loud it threatened to burst her ear drums. His grip on her ankle loosened as he fell to the side and slammed face first into the snow. A different sort of panic filled her as she stared at his twitching, groaning body– had she somehow overdone it again? A move that simple shouldn’t have seriously injured him, even with this much snow around to form a super-conductive  reaction. But with her abilities so out of sorts, and considering the last time she had tried to use Geo to throw off Arlecchino’s balance…

What was happening to her?

She had no time to process it further as his shrill scream alerted his fellow soldiers. Both looked between her and the still-sizzling body of their comrade, before they, too, lunged. Lumine yelped, scrambling to her feet and free of the root overhang as their laughter turned to angry snarls. One of the two soldiers swung his staff towards her, his masked features drenched with wrath. Lumine dodged just in time and barely managed to summon her blade to prevent the other pyroslinger from using his elemental rifle, the sharp sword cutting through the gun’s barrel. Both men stumbled backwards in the snow, but fear never crossed their faces. Instead their brows dipped in determination, their lips curling in a snarl. She supposed their fury made sense; if she had just killed their friend, even by accident, she would have fed every propagandized belief they had of the evil Traveler invading their homeland.

She may not have trusted her elemental abilities, especially with how uncontrollable they had gotten ever since she’d touched that stupid beheaded statue, but she needed to use them. Her freedom depended on it. Her life depended on it! So, before they could lunge in another uncoordinated attack, she dug deep inside of herself to find the hints of Anemo energy swirling in her chest. She silently prayed to Venti as the two soldiers moved, hoping he would grace her with a much more measured response compared to the two bursts of chaos she had previously caused. She swung her sword wide and sent a blast of wind in their direction–

—only for a gust of wind as strong as a hurricane’s gales to slam into them, sending them flying through the air. Both slammed into two separate pine trees, the impact shaking the snow from their branches. They slammed into the ground in synchronization, groaning low in their chests. 

Okay, well. All things considered, that was a more measured response, she supposed. Elemental abilities needed to be off the table until she figured out what was going on. Otherwise she could hurt someone she actually cared about– or herself. 

Lumine winced, but didn’t take the time to check on them. She let her sword fade back into its pocket dimension and took off in a dead sprint once more, no matter how tired or concerned she may have been. After all, they were still the enemy and she was still on the run.

That simple burst of elemental energy would have been common any other time in her journey across the continent. Today, it drained her more than she could have expected, the same way it had when she’d accidentally caused the earthquake in the Fatui base camp. She dragged her exhausted body through the deep snow, trying to move as fast as she could without completely wearing herself out just in case they somehow recovered from their injuries and hunted her down once more. The invisible weight clinging to her shoulders reminded her so much of how it had been in the first few weeks of arriving in Teyvat.

Even more terrifying– she couldn’t feel the three elements she’d used in her attacks swirling in her core as strongly as before. Only Hydro, Dendro, and Pyro remained prevalent in her body, the other three elements seeping out of her the same way sticky red blood trickled down her cheeks. It was as though some sort of mental block had closed around the other three elements and sealed themselves away until she could figure out what was going on. Perhaps it was another reminder that she needed to stop using her powers until she got herself under control.

When Lumine finally burst through the tree line, her heart sank into her stomach. A large swath of unforested land loomed before her, cutting a deep groove in the landscape. It could have been like other portions of Snezhnaya’s rolling moors, but the rocky cliffs on either side of the wide ravine suggested otherwise. This had to be the monstrous river she’d seen over and over again while studying the rudimentary map of Snezhnaya, frozen over by the recent frigid temperatures. If that was the case, then Morepesok couldn’t be too far now.

A twinge of hope tugged at her heartstrings. Was she really almost there? Had she somehow nearly made it to her lover’s home, to the safety Ekaterina had mentioned? Would he be there to help her, to hold her, to love her when she arrived?

She shook her head hard. Hope was a dangerous thing and she didn’t need her excitement letting her get carried away. Besides, crossing wouldn’t be easy. She didn’t know if she could trust something this wide to be so frozen enough to hold her weight. Were she to fall in, she wouldn’t last minutes in the freezing cold water, and if she got sucked under the ice, she wouldn’t be able to break free. It would be a very lonely and cold death, without Paimon, without Aether, without Childe.

She had no choice.

Suddenly, a deep, grating laugh filled her ears, far different from the hyena cackles of the other three Fatui soldiers she’d left behind in the woods. “Well, well! A little bunny, far from home!”

Dread filled her veins as though she’d already fallen through into the freezing cold water without stepping foot on the ice. Flashes of a very damp and dark laboratory in Fontaine’s underbelly flooded her thoughts. To her complete and utter terror, she intimately recognized that haunting laugh from her dreams and from the agonizing pain he’d inflicted while she was trapped in his control. One glance over her shoulder confirmed her worst nightmares; a masked man tearing through the woods like a predator on the hunt, his movements erratic and unpredictable. A wicked smile stretched across the uncovered portion of his face, and despite the sharp mask covering his eyes, she swore she could feel his gaze widening with twisted delight.

Dottore.

Overwhelming terror sank into core, replacing any remaining coherency she’d previously been able to maintain even in the chaos of this mad dash. Her feet moved before her mind could, throwing herself from the top of the rocky cliff and onto the frozen river with a low groan. The ice creaked under her weight, but she didn’t give it too much thought, hustling forward with a steady pace despite the risks. She would absolutely rather drown or freeze solid than let him capture her again. Why did it have to be Dottore? She could have faced any of the Harbingers other than Dottore! 

“What are you doing so far from Mondstadt, little one?!” He shouted, his voice bouncing off the high cliff walls.

Lumine tried to block his deep voice out, to bury away the trauma that she’d sustained in that tiny laboratory out of her head. Instead, a grueling, ghostly pain seared in her side, the memory of needles and syringes jabbing her skin as he pushed her healing abilities to the brink of destruction plaguing her thoughts. Once, she may have found the confidence– and annoyance– in the chance to take on the monster for the damage he'd inflicted on her tiny body. Now, a year and a half later, only fear remained. If he got a hold of her again, she had a feeling he would keep her trapped like a bird in a cage instead of taking her back to the Tsaritsa, letting the rest of the world to wonder what had happened to Teyvat's so-called savior.

Her panic grew, higher and higher as he reached the tree line, looming above her like a bird of prey. She had to move. She had to keep moving. She couldn’t stop, no matter what, now that she knew he was on her trail. Maybe if she made it to the other end of the riverbank, she could use her Hydro abilities and cause a catastrophic flood, dragging him under the freezing cold water.

One too-quick step forward and her foot slipped, her legs splaying out like a newborn deer as she slammed face first into the ice. Pain radiated throughout her face, her head spinning as she struggled to regain her composure. The iron tang of blood stained her teeth and lips as the sticky ichor spilled from her nose onto the deep blue ice. Under her palms, the river groaned and shuddered with her weight. As her eyes refocused, she could see the crystal water churning just below the surface, and her terror of drowning grew with each passing heartbeat. 

Archons, that would be a terrible way to die. If she didn’t stay focused instead of letting her fear eat her alive, she wouldn’t be able to stop herself from falling in– or getting captured.

Just as she managed to find her legs again, Dottore leapt from the rocky cliffs onto the frozen river. Unlike her, he didn’t seem at all concerned by the thin film of ice they stood on top of. “Where do you think you’re going?!” He shouted, voice dripping with malicious venom despite the evil grin stretching across his slender cheeks. “Face me!”

Absolutely not. The last time she tried to fight him, she’d gotten captured.

She turned her back, sliding across the ice in careful shuffling movements, wishing she had spent more time on a frozen planet so she could have become a master of skating across the river without worrying about her weight. The Doctor must not have liked that, as he moved in a flash towards her, unbothered by how much his sudden movements caused the ice to splinter and crack.

“You’re going to get us both killed!” She shouted, whirling around to glare at him as it groaned under her feet.

Dottore didn’t stop, summoning a massive claymore from his pocket dimension and wrapping his fingers around the coal black hilt. The blade dragged along the ice as he loomed, the grating noise making her teeth hurt as though she’d eaten something overly sweet. “I bet you thought escaping to the north would be quite the scheme, didn’t you?” He growled, that eerie smile never wiping from his face. “But you forget, I’ve hunted you down before.”

“Oh really?” Lumine asked, somehow finding an ounce of sass in her exhausted mind. “Then why did it take so long for you to find me?”

The second Harbinger frowned. “You think you’re so clever.”

“Only when my life is on the line.”

“If you think you’re in danger now, just wait until I’m finished with you.” 

Without giving her another second to breathe, he lunged forward with that massive claymore swinging at her head. Lumine hissed, barely ducking the slow swing and summoning her own blade from its pocket dimension. Her legs slid in opposite directions, shaky on the slippery surface, uncertain of what move to take. If she tried to use all of her strength and it worked, she could accidentally puncture the ice and shatter it under her feet, causing it to splinter and crack until the flowing water under the surface burst through. If she used all of her strength and it didn’t work, her already fatigued body wouldn’t have the power to continue  and he could capture her to drag her back to the Tsaritsa. If she didn’t use her strength, though, he could do that anyways, and she really, really didn’t want to go back to his lab.

She had to fight and win, no matter the cost.

When he swung his heavy claymore again, she blocked it with her own blade, her muscles straining as she fought to hold him off. That evil grin grew across his shrewish features, and he cackled like a mad man as he pressed against her sword. She struggled to keep from sliding backwards across the slippery ice, her brow dipped in focus. He gave in first, pulling away to try a different strike, moving as light as a feather compared to her chaotic and unsteady movements. 

Each blow he threw with his blade grew more powerful than the last. Lumine groaned, struggling to block the attack and shove him backwards. With every separation, she tried to put some space between them in an effort to move forward. If she didn’t, she likely would have been caught in a cat and mouse game between his brutal swings and her tired deflections. She had half a mind to think that was his grand plan; lead her here to a river where the situation was just precarious enough to make her second-guess using any of her elemental abilities and wear her out until she couldn’t lift her own weapon. After all, he couldn’t be as tired as she was. He hadn’t been traversing the Snezhnayan tundra living off cold bread and nearly frozen cheese. He hadn’t had to sleep on a cold cave floor or tucked in a tiny twin sized bed at a random Snezhnayan’s house, wondering if tonight would be the night she was turned over to the Fatui. He didn’t even have an issue swinging his claymore at her head! 

Thankfully, though, he wasn’t as adept of a fighter as she was, and the last time he’d claimed victory and captured her had been through a trap she couldn’t avoid. When her blade slammed down close to the hilt of his claymore, she lunged for the opportunity and mustered as much energy as she could to overpower him. In a flash, she managed to disarm him with enough pressure, sending the claymore skittering across the ice with a massive clang. Lumine steeled herself on one shaky leg, raising her other leg up to kick the second Harbinger hard in the chest and send him sliding backwards across the icy surface of the frozen river. 

This was her chance! She needed to cross the river as fast as possible, the idea of using her Hydro abilities to destroy the ice and pull him under sounding more and more plausible the longer she thought about it. Who cared if he died? As heartless as it sounded, he had tormented her enough in her time here on Teyvat and she didn’t want to deal with him again. That, plus it would be the sweet revenge that she’d been hoping for all those months ago. If she had to sacrifice her Hydro ability the same way it seemed her other elemental powers had slipped away, so be it.

She didn’t make it ten feet.

Dottore slammed into her from behind like a massive gust of wind, pummeling her with the sheer force of the impact. Lumine hit the cold ice with another hard oof, her face pressed down on the river’s slick surface. She hissed, kicking back against him and managing to flip onto her back, but he was fast and strong– stronger than he had been at their last encounter. Had he used some sort of enhancement to boost his abilities? She couldn’t remember what Childe had said his research was into, not while she was too busy struggling to free herself from the Doctor’s grasp. His bony knees dug into her thighs, one hand barely managing to hold her hands above her head as he spouted some string of curses in a language she didn’t care to understand. 

No, no, this was not happening! She would not be trapped by him, she was stronger than him, than this! She managed to free one hand from his grasp, wriggling towards where her sword had slid just a few feet away. Her fingers strained, brushing against the smooth metal hilt, her brow furrowed in focus as she tried to grab her weapon. She heard another twinkle of stars by her head, and for a split second she thought Paimon had somehow found herself freed of the prison that Lumine had left her behind in. That dangerous, intoxicating whisper of hope filled her veins, and she turned back just in time to see the cool glint of a knife– right before it slammed into her shoulder.

A blood curdling scream ripped out of her throat as blinding pain tore through her. It radiated through her body, starting from where the knife continued to dig into the meaty part of her inner shoulder, down through her fingertips, down through her chest and spine, down to her frozen toes in her boots. Her screams of agony echoed across the icy landscape, dozens of white-breasted birds taking flight at the noise. 

“Gods, I love hearing your screams,” He snarled close to her face, pressing his massive hand against her skull to keep her pinned flat against the icy river. Tears pinpricked the corner of her eyes, clenching her teeth as she tried to struggle out of his grasp. “Careful! One wrong move and I nick your axillary artery, and then you’ll bleed out right here on this stupid wasteland.”

She tried to fight through the pain, to fight against him, but the pain and exhaustion from the last few weeks was finally catching up to her. This had to hurt worse than when she’d torn her leg to shreds in that Natlan cave. Then again, she’d been so distracted by her twin brother’s surprise appearance that she’d felt nothing but longing to have him returned to her. A low grunt bubbled out of her chest as she forced herself to blink the tears out of her eyes. “Your orders were not to hurt me–”

“No, my orders were to bring you back alive.She never specified any other condition.” Dottore’s evil grin grew once more as he twisted the knife again. Another shattered cry tore through her chest, a single tear sliding down her blood-stained face. He pressed his face close to hers, his foul breath barely blocking the stench of iron coating her skin as he hissed, “Now, I seem to recall you and I never finished our research back in Fontaine.”

Panic barely outweighed the pain in her body, the trauma of what happened in that tiny laboratory overwhelming her senses. “Let me go!” She screeched, but it came out as pathetic as a beg, her strength dying as the warm blood seeped out of her arm.

"Why?! So you can run off into the wastes again and freeze in the cold?" He snarled like some feral animal, his teeth bared as he threatened to finish the kill. He leaned in closer, his weight heavy on top of her body. The longer it stretched on, the harder it became to breathe– or was that from the agonizing pain tearing through her arm? "Listen close, girlie. There is nothing up here. No towns, no safety, just me and the wolves. Without medical attention, you'll bleed out in no time."

Despite her pain, defiance burned through her like a pyro tornado. "So be it," She growled, spitting in his face. 

Dottore recoiled, but his grip on her did not loosen as the thin line of saliva trailed down his sharp cheek. His eyes narrowed. "Don't be stupid," He growled, tangling his slender fingers in her hair and gripping hard. She cried out again as pain radiated through her scalp, kicking against him to try and free herself. "The sooner you lie still and let me do my job, the easier this will be on you."

A pitiful whimper escaped her. Somehow he had completely immobilized her with just a blade to the arm and the hand in her hair. She didn't understand how he could so effectively pin her like this. She'd faced stronger enemies before– after all, Childe had more raw power in one hand than Dottore had in his entire body. Had the Doctor somehow physically enhanced himself to be able to keep her restrained like this? Was it fear that plagued her and prevented her from taking drastic measures to escape? Or was it the pain flooding her mind and senses that simply prevented her from flipping him beneath her?

No, no, she had to get out of here. She had to get to Morepesok, to Childe, to safety, even if he claimed there was nothing left this far north. She fought against his grasp like a caged animal desperate to be free, but no matter the adrenaline coursing through her veins, she could not wriggle loose. She curled her fingers, desperately trying to summon any of her elemental abilities, but nothing would not respond to the call. She had worn herself out from going too hard and from the pain tearing through her body.

Her eye caught a glint of metal as he pulled something else out of one of his suit's many pockets. Panic rose like lava in a magma chamber, threatening to explode out of her chest the second she recognized it as a syringe, exactly like the one he had used back in that damp Fontainian lab. She desperately thrashed against his grasp, finding an ounce of strength somewhere deep inside as she tried to figure out a way to free herself. 

"Please–" She croaked, her voice raw from screaming.

Dottore didn’t pay attention. “Easy, little bunny. I don’t want to miss.” 

“Please–”

Violent red eyes behind his complex mask sliced to hers, and he loosened the hand in her hair to slap her across the face with a loud, brutal smack. The spots that had been lingering in the corner of her eyes flooded her vision as sticky red blood oozed out of her arm, her face stinging from the cold and the impact. Before she could even find any semblance of focus, he slammed the syringe down in a sickening jab, directly into the pulsating wound from where his serrated knife had dug into her skin.

She wondered if her visceral scream could be heard around the world.

“I said easy,” He whisper-shouted in her face, his palm pressing her head against the frozen river once more as he focused on his torture. “Gods, some test subjects are just so pathetic! Surely it doesn’t hurt that badly.”

Lumine might have begged to differ any other time, but her voice, her brain, her body felt so far away as he continued to work on her. The cool chill of the ice against her cheek kept her grounded to reality instead of completely swallowed whole by the waves of agony coursing through her body. Her head spun, dizzy with exhaustion– or was that pain?-- as any attempts to struggle against his hold slipped away from her like sands in an hourglass.

Tears spilled down her cheeks as she stared off into space. What had she done to deserve this…? What had she done to face this kind of torture? All she had wanted was to find her brother and protect her lover. Was that enough justification for the wheel of fortune to choose to make her a willing sacrifice, to put her through trials and tribulations and trauma until she was a shell of her former self? She thought the prophecy had said stars were supposed to die in a massive rampage– not a pathetic whimper on a frozen river in the middle of the Snezhnayan wastes at the hand of some madman.

“Interesting. The last time I tested you, you were so much more full of life…” The Doctor cooed in that haunting voice, purposefully oblivious to her distress. He tilted his head like a curious dog, a tempered frown stretching across his cheeks. “What happened to the stars under your skin?”

Who knew what this psychopath was talking about? Not Lumine. She didn’t even realize she had stars under her skin. Perhaps she’d used it all and that’s why her elemental abilities were fading from her fingertips. Perhaps the Abyss had taken it.

Her silence did not satisfy the Harbinger. He grabbed her jaw and squeezed tight, forcing him to look at her. “Answer me!” He snarled, his grip on her face enough to bruise. “Or I make it worse.”

Another swell of tears filled her vision, the knot in her throat tightening as blood pulsated out of her arm with every small movement she made. “I don’t–” She started, stunned by how weak and fragmented her voice sounded, “I don’t know–”

“Don’t lie!”

“I–”

“What happened to the stars in your veins!?” A broken sob tore through her as he shouted in her face, but any attempt to struggle against him had long ceased. She couldn’t find it in her to fight back, too weary and weak to try. Dottore’s lip curled, his sneer dripping with disgust. “Ridiculous. The Tsaritsa doesn’t know what a pathetic creature you are, but I do. So, if you won’t tell me, I’ll just have to hypothesize” 

He pressed himself close to her again, jolting her arm with his sudden movements. She cried out with the jostling movements, the knife digging deeper into her skin and sinewy muscle, the blood spurting out of her veins with each thudding heartbeat. His hot breath and uncontrollable spittle stained her cheek as he spat, “Perhaps you’ve been burning through your true power while trapped here on Teyvat,” He mused, his eerie whisper sending shivers through her body. “Or perhaps it's hidden away, waiting to be unlocked by something.”

A wave of horror slammed through her, strong enough to wipe out her pain for a split second. It clicked then and there that whatever starlight he was trying to extract from her had to be related to the prophecy– after all, the tablet under the great tree had told them both to release pure blood onto the loom and let the tool extend their powers through the battlefield. Was he trying to siphon her blood just in case she decided not to comply with any plan the Tsaritsa or the others had in play? Then again, if the only way to unlock her abilities was through Childe’s blood… how did Dottore spot the stars in her veins in Fontaine?

She didn’t realize she was doing a poor job at hiding the horror in her revelation until Dottore barked a laugh. “Ah, I must be close! So? What unlocks it?”

She couldn’t give him that answer. He would go directly after her Harbinger and potentially hurt him, too. “Please-”

“Stop begging and answer me! What unlocks your abilities?!”

Somehow, deep down, Lumine managed to find an ounce of resolve. She would not give him the answers he searched for. She would not let him use her blood without her consent. She would not put Childe in danger. 

She’d already made a vow to herself to find a way to let him be the one to live in this cursed prophecy. If it was the last thing she did, she would save him.

Dottore must have seen the defiance in her honey gold eyes, as his lips curled back in another vicious sneer. “Fine then. Have it your way,” He spat, spittle splattering across her cheek. Her head spun as he barely stood, and if she could process what was happening fast enough in between the pain, the cold, and the horrifying revelations of how much danger she and Childe were in, she may have used the chance to escape. Instead, she couldn’t find an ounce of strength inside her to move; if she stayed still for much longer, she may end up frozen to the ice. “I won’t kill you,” He continued, towering over her like a monster in the woods, “But a light maiming won’t hurt.”

Her brain couldn’t put two and two together when he stomped his boot down hard on her already-injured wrist, a sickening crunch echoing in her ears. A violent scream tore through her, the vicious sound bouncing off the shallow cliff walls surrounding the frozen river. She refused to give in, desperately clinging to that shred of defiance, but her body unfortunately had other plans. To both of their surprises, a shred of golden light started pulsating around her crippled frame; small at first, rippling out of her like waves lapping at the shore. The longer her agony stretched on, the stronger it grew, blinking slowly like a star in the night sky on the verge of a supernova.

What was happening to her?

Whatever it was, Dottore’s whole demeanor changed at the drop of a hat, his canines gleaming with a wild grin as flashes of golden light seeped out of her. “Is it pain? Fear?” He asked, and for a moment she couldn’t understand his question until she realized he didn’t care about her, just the science experiment currently tearing through her trembling frame. “Still no answer? I’ll just have to push harder.”

“No, wait–” He moved like a flash of lightning, grabbing the knife still embedded into her shoulder and twisting it once more. Her agonized scream didn’t even sound human. “Please!”

Another choked sob tore through her as he tugged the knife through muscle and nerve, the pain searing through her entire body. It was hotter than the electric sizzle in Tatarasuna’s core, hotter than the lava bombs that had whizzed past her head as Natlan’s volcanoes collapsed. The skin around her bloody, oozing wound burned in the chilly wind, raw and agitated as the sticky ichor pulsated out of her body. She’d lost most of the feeling in her fingertips, but it wasn’t from the cold. Her head spun, those few black dots flooding her vision with each rapid heartbeat.

If she died right here, right now, she would finally be able to rest. But there was still so much she had to live for, beyond being a sacrifice for this world. If she died now, she would never get to indulge in her favorite foods from each nation once more. She would never get to laugh with her friends over something silly they had said or done. She would never get to apologize to Paimon for leaving her behind in the Fatui camp.She would never get to feel the breeze tickling her wings of light as they stretched wide in the open sky.

She would never get to rescue her brother from the Abyssal corruption. 

She would never get to tell Ajax she loved him again.

She would never get to say goodbye.

Just when she thought she couldn’t take any more, just when the swirling black dots invading every inch of her vision threatened to swallow her whole, a wall of water slammed into the Harbinger, sending Dottore skidding across the icy river surface. Frigid water droplets peppered her skin, the chill enough to drag her from back from the brink of collapse. She desperately blinked to stay conscious, wishing for nothing more than to give into the shadows tickling the corner of her vision. A shadow crossed in between the cloud-covered sun, a tall, muscular form of a man stepping in front of her as the wind whipped as his long cloak.She barely managed to focus on the intruder between her pathetic groans and whimpers. Despite the haze clouding her vision, she managed to focus on a snow-covered leather boot, a perfectly crafted Hydro polearm, and a familiar flash of red.

Childe!

“You really shouldn’t have done that,” Her partner, her best friend, the man that she loved, growled low in his chest, and then lunged forward into the fight.

Chapter Text

Something was wrong.

What started out as another normal day in his mission had quickly unraveled, churning into chaos like the sea before a hurricane made landfall. He’d been alone for weeks now, savoring the chill and the silence to keep his mind off of the fate that seemed to be weaving its path in front of him as he walked. It had actually been one of his better mornings, the golden light trickling through the barren branches bouncing off the crystal white terrain, the cool breeze ruddying his freckled cheeks, his mess of red hair sticking in every direction. Even his eye hadn’t ached that badly, though he’d taken to covering it when he didn’t need to use it to aim, since it was still so sensitive to the bright landscapes. What little peace he had collapsed like sand at the edge of the approaching tide when he heard the first violent, ear-piercing scream.

At first, he thought it an injured animal, a doe taken down by a pack of wolves and bleeding out on the freshly fallen snow. After all, he’d heard plenty of howls and yips as he wandered the pine woods at night under the pale light of the moon. But then the shrieking had continued, high-pitched and desperate, until it sounded more and more human– and much more familiar. 

What weight he’d somehow managed to clear from his head as he tried to focus on his mission had returned with the thudding heart against his chest. Surely it couldn’t be…? His mind had to be playing tricks on him– she was safe, tucked away somewhere warm and happy and free– but what if she wasn’t? What if that was the reason he had been sent so far north by the good captain? The reason his soldiers had been allowed to head to the recall but he had been left to the wilderness on his own? The reason he had been cut off from regular reports, the same way he had been when he’d first received orders to stick by her side all those years ago?

Another petrified scream may as well have been ice down his spine. He recognized that pain, that agony. He’d heard it several times before. He still heard it in his nightmares whenever he did manage to sleep.

His feet had started moving before his mind could catch up, the snow heavy underfoot as he raced his way to the heart of the screams. Deep down, he prayed he was wrong– prayed that this was nothing more than his lonely brain playing tricks on him. He pushed through the treeline, the piny branches cutting at his face. He blinked away the panic of reaching the edge of the cliff, of spotting the predator and prey entangled on the frozen river. He couldn’t help but waver in his confused state when he recognized Dottore’s complicated mask and blue-grey hair, the man pinning his victim to the ground. But he did not hesitate to sink into the rage that swelled in his chest like a tidal wave approaching the shore when he noticed who it was trapped in the Doctor’s grasp.

No.

No.

No–

A surge of water, a clash of swords and a grunt of surprised pain, and suddenly Tartaglia had returned to the battle after far too long.

Childe slammed his Hydro blades against Dottore’s claymore in a flurry of swipes, his muscles burning as he relentlessly attacked his superior. He moved like lightning crackling across the inky black sky at the heart of a storm, sharp and quick and devastating with each blow. Oh, he would kill the Harbinger– he’d been meaning to do so ever since the first time the bastard had injured his partner in Fontaine, and now he had even more of a bloodthirsty desire to destroy every molecule in the man’s body. He would wipe the memory of this mad scientist from the branches of the great tree for what he’d done to the girl still barely conscious on the ground behind him.

With another clash, the Doctor barely managed to push him back, both men skidding on the ice. Childe used the moment to glance back at Lumine, giving a calculated once-over of her injured frame. She was coated in her own blood (as she had been for a frightening amount of times in their relationship…), a serrated hunting knife and syringe still sticking out of her wounded shoulder. Some of her locks of golden hair had been ripped from her scalp and lay splayed around her face, her usual long strands of hair torn and lopsided. Her face swelled at the center, likely from a broken nose. She struggled to meet his gaze as the pain wavered in her amber eyes, her pouty lips blue from the cold and blood loss. 

Any other time, he may have found it in him to playfully tease her that she was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen despite how much of a mess she appeared– and she absolutely was!-- but his vicious anger found no enjoyment in silly banter today.

“Tartaglia?” Dottore finally rasped, dragging his attention away from his injured partner and back to him. Blood trickled down the Harbinger’s busted lip, his sharp teeth coated in the scarlet ichor. His shoulders trembled as he sucked in desperate gasps of air, his brow twisting in confused realization as he finally seemed to understand who he was facing. “What are you doing here?”

“I heard the screams.” Odd. He hadn’t heard his own voice in days. Weeks. 

How different he sounded.

“Then you’ve come to help me capture the stars in the Traveler’s veins?” His superior asked, tilting his head.

A flash of white-hot anger tore through him like a solar flare. “No.”

Dottore still didn’t seem to grasp the situation, his hands flexing around the hilt of his claymore. “Why are you here then?”

“Like I said, I heard the screams,” Childe hissed, putting himself between this horrific monster of a man and the love of his life without an ounce of hesitation. Behind him, he could hear Lumine’s pitiful groans; at least she was still making noise, unlike her haunting silence when she’d nearly lost her life after the third Domain. He curled his fists tighter around the hilt of his Hydro blades, the water threatening to lose its shape the angrier he grew. He needed to find some way to calm down– at least enough to stay focused in the fight. “And while the Traveler is the Fatui’s enemy, the Tsaritsa would not want her hurt.”

“Oh?” Dottore asked in that irking tone, the same one half of his superiors liked to use to put him down when he didn’t know something they did. “So you speak for our queen now?”

Dammit. He had to be more careful with his words; it had been so long since he’d talked to people that he’d forgotten the way to master his own without revealing all his secrets. On one hand, he did not want to let Dottore know about the prophecy; while the Tsaritsa hadn’t said anything about the other Harbingers not being allowed to know Teyvat’s so-called fate, he didn’t want to be the one to tell the second Harbinger any more than he needed to know. He also didn’t want to reveal anything about Lumine’s role in the prophecy. He had a feeling that would only subject her to more of the man’s morbid curiosities.

On the other hand, he couldn’t be so obvious in her desperation to protect his partner. They had made a promise at the base of Windrise months ago that they would not reveal their love for each other after their very public fight in Mondstadt and he would not– could not– be the one to let that mask slip. Besides, if it came down to it, he needed the Tsaritsa to believe she meant nothing to him so that his queen wouldn’t hold him back from doing whatever it took to keep his starlight alive.

When he didn’t answer, the second Harbinger straightened his shoulders and tightened his grip on his claymore’s hilt. “Step aside, boy.”

“No.”

“The Tsaritsa gave me the mission to hunt down the Traveler and bring her back to her as soon as possible–

“So you’re torturing her?” Childe growled, focusing his rage into as sharp as the cold ice underfoot.

Silence. Then, with an evil grin, Dottore sneered, “She ran.”

Red, the color of blood, the color of rage, the color of power filled his vision, and he lunged for the Doctor in a fit of fury. The mad scientist cursed, barely able to raise his blade before the spinning Hydro blades collided with his exposed neck. A shame– he would have so liked to have put Dottore through the same tortuous pain that the bastard had put Lumine through. There was still plenty of time to make it happen as he relentlessly swung his swords down against the cool metal claymore, the song of their strikes against one another filling the afternoon sky. 

To his dismay, Dottore was a decent defensive fighter, blocking each attack with an impressive speed. No matter what aggressive blows he threw against the man’s blade, the second Harbinger managed to hold out, his sharp teeth clenched in trembling focus. But he was still inexperienced as a fighter compared to the years Childe had spent on the battlefield and the months he’d had to strengthen himself in the Snezhnayan wilderness and he would easily prove himself in this fight. Every time the mad scientist blocked, he swung too far and wide, the weight of the claymore carrying him instead of him having complete mastery over the weapon. The next time he did, Childe lunged for the opening, his Hydro sword ready to slice at the man’s head–

–only for a burst of wind to send him skidding back across the slick ice, the frozen river groaning under his stumbling footsteps. 

Childe’s head shot up in surprise, cursing under his breath. One glance up revealed just how far Dottore’s Anemo delusion had sent him flying; it was a miracle he’d managed to stay on his feet. Even from across the ice, he could see another trickle of blood spilling down the man’s cut brow, a chunk of his wild grey blue hair sliced from the razor sharp blade. He’d been so close to taking off the man’s head– a fact that seemed to startle the second Harbinger as he snarled, “What are you doing?!”

“This is not what her Majesty wants!” Childe shouted, slamming his blades together to form his familiar polearm. 

“And you know that for a fact?”

“I know more about her grand schemes than you ever will.”

Dottore scoffed. “Is that why she sent you away from the recall?”

The alarm in the back of his mind blared, a warning that he should probably listen to. Admittedly, the question of why the Tsaritsa hadn’t allowed him to be with the other Harbingers and the rest of the Fatui despite the fact that his progress was rapidly improving had crossed his mind one too many times. “I am on a mission that she gave me!”

“As am I! Now, drop your weapon and let me do my job–”

“No,” He snarled, shaking off the weeds of anxiety and focusing on the verbal battle ahead. He didn’t like how much space was between him and Lumine– and how little space was between the Doctor and his best friend. “I will not let you inflict your torture on an innocent girl!”

“Innocent?!” Dottore threw his head back and cackled. “She’s the Traveler, you insolent fool! You don’t know the havoc she’s been awakening in the south while you were too busy pursuing your own power. Our world is changing because of her.”

A cold grin spread across Childe’s face, flexing his fingers around his polearm. “Funny. You actually seem like you care.”

The icy teasing in his words must have frustrated the second Harbinger past his breaking point, as Dottore’s jaw clenched. Before the mad scientist could move towards the still out-of-sorts girl lying flat on the ice surrounded by a pool of her own blood, Childe leapt into the fray. Something inside of him unlocked when he launched this attack, a part of him he hadn’t been able to find in months. Beyond the wrath simmering in his veins, he couldn’t help but delight in the good fight. His love of battle had greatly diminished ever since he had taken the Tsaritsa’s mission, both because of the exhaustion clinging to his weary frame and because of what it would mean if he succeeded.

He slammed his polearm down against the man’s claymore, relentless and brutal in his attacks, spinning with an ease that few other people in Teyvat had likely ever been able to master. Even the last time he had sparred against Capitano, he’d been able to take the first Harbinger down four out of five times. But Dottore never gave up, gritting his teeth and forcing the Tsartisa’s vanguard to try new techniques to break him. Odd– this really should be an easy fight, considering how the Harbinger ranking system did not equal their respective strengths. Perhaps the Doctor had injected himself with one of his special stimulants that he spent years researching.

With each desperate slash of his blades, he could feel his anger rising like an overflowing river after days of heavy rainfall. It pooled and pulsated through every vein, moving underneath his skin like snake venom searching for his heart. He knew what this was; in the past few months, the constant presence had fueled his drive moving forward, the monster inside his body itching to grow stronger. He grit his teeth and focused on his movements and his own natural power. He didn't need that beast desperately trying to get out of his skin to take over in a fight he knew he could win.

With a furious might, he slung his polearm wide, ready to put an end to this whole affair. Dottore let out another sharp hiss as he just barely managed to escape the too-close swipe of his weapon, another trickle of blood spilling down the second Harbinger’s face. Both men slid backwards on the slippery surface, the frozen river creaking underfoot like the stairs at his parents’ little house. It threatened to cave in on itself the longer this dramatic fight continued; if he wasn’t careful, the whole thing would collapse while they were still in the middle of their battle and swallow them whole.

A pitiful groan cut through all the noise of the fight and his thoughts, dragging his attention away from the battle towards his partner. Was she losing blood too fast– was she dying? Oh, he would lose his mind if she was seriously injured, he would tear down the sky if he lost her, he would destroy himself to bring her back. Before he could move to check on her, Dottore caught him on his blindside with the broad side of his claymore in a massive swing. Childe barely managed to block the attack, the cool metal colliding with his Hydro polearm at the last second. Another burst of Anemo energy swirled around the two Harbingers, this time the force of wind strong enough to knock his legs out from underneath him as he flew backwards. He slammed into the ground with a loud oof, every ligament in his spine cracking as he skid across the groaning ice.

Gods above, he shouldn’t have done that. He was still getting used to the fact that his left eye was covered, even though that wasn’t really his blindspot. 

No, his weakness had always been Lumine. 

He grunted as he pushed himself up onto his palms, hissing as the iron tang of blood stained his tongue. Busted lip from slamming into the ice. Ribs hurt, but they didn’t seem broken. His gloved hands were probably a little more than cut up, but he could fix that with ease later. Otherwise he was mostly put together, if not a little scuffed. Thankfully, Dottore stalked towards him like a lazy predator playing with his meal instead of heading towards Lumine, his heavy claymore dragging along the ice. 

“Ahh… I see,” The second Harbinger growled, unbothered by the way the ice shuddered and splintered under his footsteps. “Perhaps your need to protect her doesn’t come from some princely persona. Perhaps… perhaps Arlecchino was right.”

Childe spat the blood filling his mouth. “About?”

“Your affections. For the Traveler.”

“Hardly,” He snarled, ignoring the way the hairs on the back of his neck stood straight at attention. Just how much had Arlie told him? How much had Arlie told all of them?

Dottore curiously tilted his head. “No?  Then help me drag the starlight from the Traveler’s veins.”

“No!”

“And why not?!”

“Because it isn’t right!”

The mad scientist lost his shred of looming patience and attacked again, but Childe wouldn’t be defeated by some puny menace. He quickly countered each blow, matching Dottore’s wide swings with his own rapid and wild fury. He could only imagine the vicious and confused wrath hidden behind the man’s complex mask as he shouted, “This may be the only way to secure our victory!” 

Another electric jolt of panic raced up his spine as he pushed Dottore back with a hard kick. Did he know? About the details of the prophecy, about the words they had discovered in the roots of the great tree? After all, if Dottore knew something about how to use the starlight in Lumine’s veins, the golden light that purified Childe from the darkness shrouding his every movement, then shouldn’t they be working together to figure out how to change the prophecy?

No, because Dottore wouldn’t care about Lumine’s health and safety if it meant getting the strength and power he needed to win. He refused to let the madman use Lumine like that. Whatever happened, they would figure their way out of this fate together– no matter the cost. 

When Childe didn’t stop his barrage of attacks in a desperate effort to protect his partner, the wrath simmering just below the surface in Dottore’s mind bubbled over. “Stop being such an idiotic brat and do as I say! Move or I make you!”

Childe barked a laugh. “I would love to see you try.”

Like lightning jumping from cloud to cloud in the night sky, both Harbingers collided in a surge of wind and water, their movements ferocious and calculated and violent. Metal clanged against Hydro as Childe grit his teeth, slamming his dual blades against the claymore with all his might no matter how much energy it took. The Doctor dodged and tried to put some space between them; the vanguard snarled and refused to give him an inch as the rage seeped out of his pores. Every step was  a brutal dance, so different from the usual jovial delight he fought with– he wasn’t sure he remembered how to fight for fun anymore. Nowadays, he only fought for the mission.

He needed to take down Dottore. He would be victorious. He had to be. Otherwise, what was the point of all of these months of training and isolation?

He slammed his boot into his superior’s chest with a hard kick, sending the Doctor skidding across the ice. Before he could slam his blades together back into the Hydro polearm, Dottore had grabbed something from his pocket, the little metal glinting in the harsh sunlight. Childe quickly recognized it as a syringe, the vial filled with a blue-black liquid. He had no time to react as the second Harbinger slammed the needle directly into his thigh. 

“What are you–”

“You think you’re really the only one among the Harbingers trying to gain enough strength to solve our divine problem?” Dottore snarled, the inky blue concoction visibly moving under his skin as it weaved its way through the rivers of veins. He heaved great desperate gasps, his shoulders trembling with each deep swallow of air. “Let’s see if my latest research can help me take down the Tsaritsa’s pride and joy.”

This time when Dottore attacked, there was an unrecognizable precision that the Harbinger had not possessed before. Childe cursed as the man suddenly jumped on the offensive, completely switching in his battle tactics. Every slam of his blade hit harder than the last, his hands rattling as their weapons collided with each other.  Shit–Dottore was strong like this. Whatever he had injected had enhanced every molecule in the man’s body. While he wasn’t as powerful as Capitano was in terms of raw strength or as skilled as Childe was with his weapon, he did seem to have an innate ability to keep going when most would begin to slow down from too much exertion. Even he could feel himself starting to wane despite months of stamina and endurance training, his body running on too-little sleep and not enough decent food to hold out in the same untempered manner. 

He needed to make a tactical move if he wanted to get Lumine out of here. He needed to take down Dottore before he could do that; elsewise, the bastard would hunt them both down no matter where Childe took them, or he’d return to the Fatui base camp and reveal that Tartaglia had come in and swept the Traveler away to safety and their whole illusion of being enemies would once again fall through. But killing a fellow Harbinger? He supposed he could make it look like an accident, but…

No, no! He had to prioritize here. Win the battle, then figure out the rest of the war against the two sides of himself– the loyal soldier and the desperate boy. His body moved on its own, purple lightning crackling around him in spurts of vibrant Electro energy, sparking as the bolts connected with the icy river surface. His uniform surged, shifting from its normal greys to stark, black colors, the unfocused haze of his mind sharpening like the blade he had made himself out to be. 

He launched into a flurry of strikes, the Hydro energy spinning around him, as graceful as one of the Tsaritsa’s ballerinas. The Electro user had no chance to even register another shattering attack as Childe slammed his dual swords together, masterfully crafting his polearm and slamming the weapon directly into Dottore’s claymore. Explosions rang up around him as the super-conducted charges erupted like the Natlan volcanoes, his previous concern for cracking the ice underfoot nonexistent. All that mattered now was winning.

The recent lessons hammered into his mind played like a broken record. Had he learned nothing at all during these few months? Why did he care about the possibility of hurting or killing Dottore? After all, he should flex his abilities more especially in the face of such a powerful enemy.

Why was he still holding back?

A thin whip of water suddenly slammed into Dottore’s face, slicing the complex mask in half. Childe lunged for the opportunity, raising his boot to the man’s chest and kicking him as hard as he could across the groaning sheet of ice. He turned to spot Lumine pushing herself to stand on shaky legs, the Fatui insignias on her dark uniform stained with her blood. “Oh, but that ability worked,” She grumbled, tossing the golden syringe onto the ground with a hard hiss. The golden ichor seeped into the ice in a flash.

Relief tore through his chest, the weight on his shoulders lifting, the pain in his ribs and muscles nonexistent. He sprinted over to his partner as quick as a lightning strike. “Are you alright?” He asked, his polearm fading to mist the moment he reached her, sweeping her up in a desperate hug– one he had been longing for months now. 

“Nnnn,” Lumine whined, but from the way she melted into his chest, he doubted she minded his hug too much. Good, because he never wanted to let go over her again. His heart squeezed just as tightly as his hug, one hand tangling in her silky blonde locks of hair while he buried his face in the crook of her neck, drinking in the scent of wildflowers and the wind and the presence of her after far, far too long away from her side. 

In the coldest nights alone in his shelter, drunk on sleep deprivation, coated in new wounds and scars from the brutal enemies he faced on his quest for strength, he had dreamed of her. He yearned for her warmth and her joy and her playful snark and her love of trying new foods and her and her . He dreamed of what it would be like to hold her, to kiss her, to laugh with her all over again. On warmer days prowling through the moors, he felt his chest ache with longing, craving the companionship that came with exploring new places with her by his side. When he stepped through the fields of glorious wildflowers not yet stained with blood, he imagined her doing the same far from here, her pale skirts flowing in the warm eastern winds, her hair a halo of gold in the setting sun. 

These fleeting thoughts of her had been the only way he could cope with the agonizing pressure looming over his head, a fate he still didn’t know how to defeat, a mission he wasn’t sure how to accomplish without destroying himself what remnants of himself remained in the process.

When he squeezed her tighter, though, another pitiful groan filled his ears. “Probably not, admittedly–”

A string of Snezhanyan curses slipped past his lips, untangling himself in a blur. “Here,” He breathed, summoning a smooth ball of Hydro energy with ease, the water moving just enough to keep from freezing. She sucked in a sharp breath through clenched teeth as he pressed it to her injured arm, her golden brows twitching. The orb filled with blood as the skin and muscle and nerves slowly stitched itself back together, his own talents for healing having grown. Dull blue eyes clashed against amber gold, the smallest of smiles toying at the corner of his lips. “How does that feel?”

“Better,” She admitted, though from the way she pressed her pouty lips tight in a line, he doubted he’d relieved all her pain. He’d need to double-check the injury when they had a moment of peace. The ease on her pretty features suddenly vanished, her words laced with frustrated disbelief as she hissed, “What are you doing here?”

He frowned– so much for a happy reunion, he supposed! “Me?! What are you doing here? I told you to stay in Mondstadt!”

“That was months ago, Childe!” She shouted, pushing his arm hard. His jaw fell slack, struggling to find the words. Sure, he hadn’t had time to write, but he figured his very pointed letter warning her to stay away would be enough for her to understand the gravity of the situation! “Ever since then, there’s been nothing! I was worried you were dead!”

Childe scoffed, rolling his eye. “Don’t be ridiculous, you know how hard I am to kill.”

“Tartaglia!”

Both partners snapped out of their usual bickering, whirling around as Dottore managed to recover from his dazed stupor. The more the concoction worked through his body, the more intimidating he grew. He looked as though he’d gained fifty pounds of pure muscle in the last few minutes, developing into some massive beast at a speed that shouldn’t be possible. One eye bulged out of his skull while the veins on his exposed forearms pulsated and twitched, his skin turning an odd shade of purple. Two wine-colored horns grew out of his skull, his sharp teeth bared like a shark in open water. 

Archons above. What had the second Harbinger done to himself?

“Can you walk?” He asked Lumine, refusing to tear his gaze off the Doctor– or perhaps it was one of his eerie clones– as the man continued to bubble and transform in front of them.

“Yes,” She whispered, pressing closer to him as the beast let out an unnatural roar, the ice cracking under its weight. “But I don’t know how much help I’ll be in a fight with my arm.”

She must really still be in pain if she was willingly admitting her injury was bothering her. Or perhaps she was genuinely exhausted; after all, he didn’t know how long she’d been fighting Dottore before he arrived, and she couldn’t have had an easy journey this far north in Snezhnaya in the middle of a tumultuous winter. Meanwhile he still had a few tricks up his sleeve to try and take down this creature once and for all, and no matter how sore or tired he was, he would be able to push himself past the brink the same way he’d been doing for months now.

“Get to the other side of the river,” He finally determined, easily crafting another Hydro polearm, the Electro energy still crackling off his Delusion. His partner opened her mouth to say something, but he cracked a tight smile. “I’ll be right behind you.”

“Wait–Childe!--” She screeched, but he had already leapt back into the fray, needing to give her ample opportunity to escape while he focused on what was left of Dottore.

He wasted no time, throwing himself at Dottore– or what was left of him– with all his might, like a hunter encountering a rabid bear in his path. Swords slashed against the beast’s tough skin, the creature’s shrill shriek groaning with each injury. Childe barely managed to dodge its massive hand, still baffled by what he was facing. Whatever he had injected had possessed the Harbinger physically and mentally, like some sort of weird Abyssal amalgamation but one he had never encountered before. He shook off any concern and swung his polearm at the creature’s scaled torso, grinning as the blow connected again, thick purple blood spilling onto the quivering ice. He couldn’t help but be a little thrilled and relieved; whereas the beast had brute strength and a thirst for blood, he had skill and experience. He’d fought countless creatures like it and would overcome this fight as well.

He threw one last glance over his shoulder, finding his partner scrambling up the side of the cliff. That was enough for him in the long run. If she was smart, she’d keep running instead of waiting for him to catch up. But he knew his girlie well enough to know she absolutely would not abandon him now that they had reunited. He probably should have been more frustrated by that, but for the first time in months, he actually found it in him to be giddy.

That is, until the monster that had once been the second Harbinger tackled him at full strength. They slammed onto the frozen river’s surface with a massive thud, the air leaving his lungs in a rapid whoosh. This time, the ice actually cracked, and frigid water seeped through his clothes. He had no time to worry about it though, barely grabbing Dottore’s outstretched claw as it grazed his exposed throat.

“You are being a nuisance,” The beast snarled, those razor sharp teeth close to his throat. “Just wait until the Tsaritsa hears about your betrayal.”

Rage flooded his system, a rabid snarl tearing through him like an injured wolf. Electro energy sparked and crackled around them, but if the jolts of electricity striking Dottore hurt, the creature showed no signs. “I am not a traitor–”

“You are! Throwing away the chance for pure power for your little girlfriend’s worthless life?” Childe struggled under the brutish man’s raw force, kicking his legs as he tried to escape. The iron stench of blood and sulfur clung to the beast’s half-transformed body, his claws digging into Childe’s collarbone as he sneered, “You’re weak.”

“Oh really?” A bark of a laugh slipped past his thin lips, narrowing his eyes. “I’ll show you real power.”

With one final grunt of force, Childe raised his foot and kicked Dottore in the stomach as hard as he could muster. The monster groaned– glad to see it still had some nerve endings to feel pain– and loosened its grip just enough for the 11th Harbinger to take his chance. He focused all of his Electro energy into his palms and shoved his hands into the beast’s chest. It exploded out of him in cracks of purple lightning, and the creature that had once been his superior flew backwards through the air, slamming into the ice several feet away. Another cacophony of jagged cracks splintered across the surface in his direction.

They were running out of time. 

Childe scrambled to his feet, his shoulders heaving from exertion, his muscles sore from overuse. He shook off the weight of the pain and sucked in a sharp, stabilizing breath through his nose. He hadn’t wanted to do this. He hadn’t wanted to use it as a crutch. He hadn’t wanted to give in to the monster’s desperate call despite the way the beast felt more comfortable in his skin than ever before. But as this fight stretched on and his frustration spilled over to sheer anger, he wanted to put an end to this immediately. 

Let it out, a voice whispered– no, screamed– in the back of his mind. Stop holding back. 

Yes. Yes. With Lumine out of the way, he could finally let loose.

He sucked in a deep breath, and let the lock he had on the ancient Abyss art constantly swirling in his tumultuous core loose. Like water gushing through a crack in a dam, it started slowly, then all at once. His bones stretched, his muscles burned as though they’d been set on fire, and the cry of pain and anger he let out didn't sound like his own. Purple energy swirled around him, his wrath growing as the Electro energy exploded out of his body. The ice beneath his feet cracked and groaned as the power surged through his veins, his bones, his blood. The familiar haunting inky black stain deepened across any inch of his exposed skin, claws forming around his finger tips.

 No matter how many times he had done this in the past few weeks, he would never get used to the ache, nor would he get over the weight on his body. He didn't care; not when victory was in his grasp.

Deep in his head, the monster cackled in his skull, delighted that he’d given in once more. The boy, however, found the tiniest shelter from the raging chaos that was Foul Legacy, growing and growing and growing until–

Until a massive wall of water exploded up, up, up from beneath the frozen river’s surface, turbulent and violently churning. He cursed, somehow finding enough energy deep in his body to stop in the middle of his transformation to lunge to safety. He whirled around as the beast just in time to catch the beast that was Dottore getting swallowed by the icy water. It dragged him into the frozen river without allowing him so much as a chance to scream, as though a hand had simply plucked the body of the beast and dragged it under the ice.

Childe stared in both horror and confusion at the place where Dottore had disappeared under the water, the black water still churning with chunks of ice. He half expected the man to pop back up in that terrible beast form again and relaunch them into a violent fight, but after several long heartbeats, he understood the Doctor was gone. What had happened? Was this a natural thing? No, even if the water broke through the ice, it likely wouldn’t have caused this much of a torrent. This was from a Vision– or something else, some innate elemental ability. He turned just in time to spot Lumine lowering her extended hand, sucking in desperate gasps of air at the edge of the riverbank.

He let the Abyssal energy swirling around his agitated form loose, ignoring the scream of annoyance from the monster looming in his head. Without waiting another moment, he scrambled up the side of the cliff, desperate to be by her side again. “Lumine–”

“He was going to hurt you,” She interrupted, panting like she’d run a mile in only a matter of seconds.

“I thought we were a team, remember?” She asked, a shaky smile twitching at the corner of her mouth. Ajax smiled, too; he’d forgotten what it was like to have someone irrevocably in his corner, a best friend and partner and lover all in one. Then the soft grin on her face faded, her eyes fluttering shut. “Nghh–”

He caught her right as her knees gave out, a pulse of golden energy erupting from her like a star in the night sky. “Hey, hey–” He hissed, lowering her to the ground as she groaned and whimpered. What was happening? Was it her arm? Dottore had done his damage, but Childe thought he had healed most of it. Perhaps she’d lost a more significant amount of blood than he had first perceived. 

Only then did he notice the faint, golden glow around her faltering in the sunlight. Oh. Oh, this wasn’t just blood loss. She was legitimately losing her light, just like he’d been so worried about when they’d fallen in the Abyss together. Was it overexertion or something else– was she nearly dying again? No, he refused to let her; after all, they had a prophecy to change.

“Okay, it’s okay,” He said, smoothly cradling her in his arms, careful not to let his still-formed claws pierce her soft skin. Her eyes fluttered as she let out another pathetic noise, and for a moment he was dragged back to that lagoon outside the Third Domain, giving everything to keep her alive. He grit his teeth and focused on the moment now, not letting fear creep in. “Hold on, starlight. I know a place we can go.”

Chapter Text

Dawn had not yet broken when she awoke to the sound of desperate and eager knocking on the front door of the little house. Natasha rubbed her eyes, yawning as she shuffled into the living room, her curly hair splayed in every direction. Who would be at the door at this hour? Was it her husband, returned from his journey a few weeks early? Someone in need of her assistance in town? A Fatui grunt, come to give her a headache she’d likely maintain for the rest of the day? Whoever it was, they were certainly impatient. The closer she got, the more desperate the knocking became. The door rattled on its hinges as though they were caught in a massive blizzard, but the weather had been so mild for the past few days tucked away in the seaside village. If this visitor wasn’t careful, they’d wake her younger children and then she’d never forgive them. 

Just as she reached the front door, it suddenly swung open with a massive kick, slamming into the wall and shattering the deadbolt. She shrieked in surprise, pressing herself into the small stairwell as a snow-covered surge of red and white stepped into the house without another word. It took a moment to recognize the figure, too; his ginger curls damp with snow and ice, his face partially covered by a dark eyepatch, his arms full of bloodied rags and a trembling girl. 

“Wh–Ajax!” She squealed, gaping like a fish out of water as he swept past her, heading into the small dining room. “What are you–”

“Help me clear the table,” Childe demanded, his boots thudding against the hardwood floor, unbothered by the mud he was tracking in. 

“What are you– where have you– what happened to you–”

“It’s a long story.” 

His mother softly gasped, covering her open mouth. “Is that–”

“Mama,” He interrupted before she could start spiraling, shifting his weight to balance the mass in his arms. Lumine groaned with every slight jostle of his body, shaking like a leaf in the wind– from the cold or blood loss, he couldn’t tell. “It’s a long story. Help me clear the table so I can lay her down.”

That snapped his mother out of her stupor. She jumped into action, scrambling from her spot in the open stairwell to his side in a flurry, sweeping the leftovers from the night before off the dining table and onto the floor with a loud clang. Childe wasted no time laying his partner down on the table, his brow furrowing as she let out another pitiful whine, her injured arm limply lying awkwardly by her side.

With several quick, precise movements, he carefully peeled the layers of her Fatui-issued uniform off of her shoulders, softly shushing her as she moaned. At least she was still making noise; he preferred it to the haunting silence that he’d experienced after the accident in that dormant Natlan volcano. He hissed when he finally freed her of her stiff, blood-soaked jacket, trying and failing to hide his wince. His mother didn’t, though, whispering a string of Snezhnayan curses as they saw the damage done to his partner’s tiny frame. Her injured wrist bent and twisted awkwardly, the skin purple and swollen with a violent bruise. Further up on that same arm, her shoulder continued to bleed, the wound jagged and broken at the edges from where the serrated knife had dug into her pale flesh. While the exposed artery didn’t seem as badly damaged as it had been when he’d first stumbled upon her, the muscle and tissue continued to ooze scarlet ichor.

He hadn’t done a good enough job at patching up her injuries in the middle of that fight. He needed to be better in every way. His eyes sliced to his mother’s, his frown deepening. “Can you help?”

His mother’s horror vanished in a heartbeat, her sharp blue eyes focusing on what she was needed for. “What do you need?”

“A fillet knife. Some bandages or a first aid kit if you have it– and blankets, she’s freezing.” She dipped her head and rushed into the kitchen, “Oh, and make sure none of the children come downstairs. They don’t need to see this.”

“They’re still asleep–”

“Mama,” He hissed, his patience on an already-short leash. 

She blinked in surprise, stuttering out a hushed, “Right!” before heading down the hallway to the linen closet.

Childe let out a weary sigh, his brow twisting in disappointment with himself. He could ask for forgiveness for his harsh tone later– he would need to, if he expected to live longer than ten minutes after snapping at her. The Tsaritsa and the Fatui and his fate may be a weight on his shoulders that he could not ignore, but it was his mother who actually struck fear deep into his soul whenever he made a terrible decision. 

He turned his attention from her gathering supplies in the familiar kitchen to his injured partner, smoothing her matted blonde hair out of her pretty face. “Hey, Lu,” He whispered, holding her cheeks in her hands and wiping away the droplets of frozen blood speckling her cold cheek. Her honey gold eyes fluttered open and shut, her brow stitched in pain. “Stay awake for me, okay?”

“It hurts–”

“I know, I know, I’m going to fix it.” He tried to offer her as much warmth and comfort as he could manage, the corner of his lips twitching upwards in a crooked smile. It must not have worked like he expected, as she actually whimpered louder. Oops. “Hey, look at me. This isn’t even half as bad as your leg was, I promise.”

“What happened to her leg?” Natasha asked from the hallway, poking her head out of the linen closet.

Childe didn’t even look up. “Not the time, Mama.” He muttered, summoning another ball of Hydro energy to rinse the wound out of any dirt and grime from their fight. Lumine hissed in response, her blue lips shaking from the pain, her exposed skin and muscle surrounding the injury raw. The color drained from her face, her amber gaze struggling to focus on him. “Come on, kochana. Keep those eyes open.”

“Kochana?”

“Mama. The bandages.”

“Here,” His mother said, handing him the first aid kit and fillet knife. She unfurled one of the wool blankets and wrapped it around Lumine’s shivering frame. Her own usually-rosy cheeks paled as she looked over his partner, biting her bottom lip. “Archons… what happened to her to have her so… 

“The Fatui are hunting her down,” He explained, letting the blood-filled Hydro mimic fade into red mist. Lumine whimpered again as he unraveled the bandages, her brow twisting in immense pain while her injured hand twitched and contorted like a pulsating heartbeat. From the way it bent and twisted, he wondered if it had been damaged before or after her fight with the Doctor. At least he could heal broken bones easier than he could open wounds. “Dottore was torturing her when I found them.” 

“Gods above,” His mother whispered, running a hand through her mess of dark curls. “Why?”

“Another long story.” He pulled his glove off his right hand in one easy move, tossing it to the side and picking up the fillet knife. “Don’t watch.”

Before she could protest, Childe pressed the blade into the meat of his palm, wincing as it cut deeper than he expected. His mother sucked in a horrified gasp, but he wasn’t paying attention, his brow furrowed in focus as rivers of purple blood spilled from the gash. Perfect, just what he needed to accomplish his task. Without a word, he carefully pressed his palm against his partner’s open wound. She, too, gasped in pain, stiffening straighter than a board as he pushed hard against the sensitive injury. 

Soon, though, everything went exactly as he had expected. Lumine sucked in another sharp breath the more their blood mingled, then let out a slow, steady sigh and relaxed, her eyelids fluttering shut for good this time. He didn’t worry, though; even without his eyepatch off, he could sense the golden strength building inside her, released by whatever dark restraints the gods had put on her starry abilities. Months of training had not gone to waste, thank the Archons. 

“What did you just do?!” Natasha whisper-shouted, frantically looking between him and his partner.

“I thought I told you not to watch.”

“Is she going to die?”

“What?” Childe asked, staring at his mother with an incredulous glare, then shaking his head. “No, I healed her.”

“With your own blood?!”

“It’s a long story.”

Natasha scoffed, throwing up her hands in disbelief. “You seem to be saying that a lot without ever actually giving an answer!”

That’s because there wasn’t anything he could tell her that wouldn’t make her pass out here in the kitchen, and then he’d be dealing with two injured women. So instead, he shrugged, focusing on his starlight. To his relief, Lumine’s natural healing abilities began to return, her skin glowing gold as the key to his blood briefly unlocked her full potential and allowed her powers to flourish. Some color returned to her round cheeks, her breathing a lot easier than it had been when he first found her on that frozen river. He could tell something still weighed on her, but he couldn’t figure out what it was. But as long as she was alive and healing, it didn’t matter; they could fix everything else later.

He summoned another Hydro mimic and pressed it to his palm, keeping a close eye on his partner as she slowly started to recover. His hand fixed, he pressed the mimic to her wrist and focused on the fractures there, letting his abilities do most of the work. It didn’t matter if the only injuries he had healed in the last few months had been his own; he knew Lumine’s body nearly as well as every inch of his skin and muscle and bone. She would likely still be sore when she awoke, but that was the price of having a brutal soldier put her back together again.

At some point, his mother peeled away from the pair, soaking the bloody towels and rags in a bin of water while she cleaned the rest of the kitchen. Every once in a while, she would cast looks in their direction, open her mouth to ask something, and then hush herself and go back to staying busy. He knew she had so many questions that he would need to answer before he left again, but he didn’t want to drag her into this mess if he could help it.

Then again, he may have already done that when he’d arrived to the tiny house in the evergreen woods with an injured girl tucked into his grasp.

Admittedly, Childe didn’t regret it. He needed to get to safety and fast so that Lumine didn’t die on him and with Snezhnaya’s foul weather that shifted at the drop of a hat, he’d chosen the best option. Besides, his parents already knew the dangers that came with their middle son being a Fatui Harbinger, even if the Rooster liked to pretend to keep smiles on the younger children’s faces. He just hoped they didn’t immediately cast his partner out if someone tracked her down to his family home.

 When the starlight simmering in Lumine’s veins lightened back to their normal levels– well, normal to the time he had known her, he supposed, since it was no longer pulsating the way it had on that frozen river– Childe grabbed sutures from the first aid kit and got to work on carefully stitching her up. She whined as he pulled the needle through her raw, irritated skin, then settled once more, fast asleep after such a hard journey north. He wondered how long she had been on the run, and if she had done the whole trip by herself. What had happened to Paimon? And where had she acquired the Fatui uniform? She wouldn’t have been stupid enough to go to the recall– no, actually, he wouldn’t be surprised if that’s exactly what happened.

The sky outside the kitchen windows had turned the most vivid shade of blue by the time he had finished patching her up. Without a word, he carefully scooped his partner up into his arms and cradled her against his chest, carrying her half-naked body upstairs to his bedroom at the end of the long hall. His mother followed closely behind, helping stoke the fire in his wood stove to warm up the chilly quarters. She thankfully didn’t mention anything as Childe undressed Lumine out of the rest of her filthy uniform and tucked her in, letting out a sigh of relief as she comfortably snoozed.

Admittedly… there was something so nice about seeing her safe in his childhood bed.

“Is she going to be alright?” His mother whispered, dragging his attention back to the moment.

“I hope so.”

“Good. Then you have some explaining to do.”

Childe sighed, running a hand through his mess of red hair. “Mama….”

“I have been patient for far longer than I would normally allow, but there are some things I must know,” She chided, hands on her curvy hips. At least she wasn’t screaming at him– for fear of waking up the other children or disturbing Lumine, he couldn’t tell. Her scowl only deepened as she hissed, “That includes where you’ve been for the last few months. The last letter I received was asking me to warn her to stay away.” That’s because he hadn’t sent any, but he didn’t think telling her such would be his smartest decision. “It took Pulcinella visiting to learn you were, in fact, alive–”

“I know,” He interrupted, standing from his spot on the bed, holding his hands up in surrender. “I’m sorry. Truly.”

His mother’s frown did not ease. “Are you involved in the recall? Is that why you couldn’t visit or write?”

“No, I…” How could he tell her this without revealing the truth to his fate or the secrets he was keeping close to his chest from everyone, including Lumine? How to avoid bringing up the countless missions to the edges of shadow, taking on creatures that only pushed his power and strength to their brink and then demanded he push harder? She’d likely faint if she realized how much danger he faced on a regular basis. So, with a slow breath out through pursed lips, he gave her a vague truth. “I’ve been on a mission for the Tsaritsa.”

“What kind of mission?”

“A secret one,” He answered smoothly, lowering his hands. “And no, I can’t tell you just because you’re my mother. Don’t even bother asking.”

His mother pressed her thin lips in a tight line, her dark brows furrowed in thought. Part of him expected her to stomp her foot and demand to know more. While it wasn’t like he didn’t trust her, he didn’t want to reveal anything related to his and his partner’s fates for this world’s final story. Because he didn’t want to put any of them at risk for a possibility of the secret getting out or because saying it out loud to someone other than Lumine would make it real, he couldn’t tell.

Finally, she sighed and crossed her arms. “Why were they hunting Lumine down?”

“They need her for one of their big plans. Plus, she keeps getting in their way, which is why I wanted her to stay in Mondstadt.” Though deep down, he was surprised it had taken her this long to show up. 

“So she’s in danger?”

“...There’s a very good chance of it.”

She sucked in a sharp breath, smoothing her dark curls flat to her head. “Okay,” She whispered, even though her voice trembled and shook. “Okay. I can handle it.”

He knew she could. She’d handled countless children in her time, keeping six out of the seven in line so that they didn’t stray down the wrong path. She was strong and sturdy and stable. Everyone listened to her because they didn’t want to disappoint her, no matter what order she gave. It was another reason he had brought Lumine here, even though there was always that innate risk that the Fatui would check the little house. He needed her to stay somewhere safe and warm so that she could heal and rest until he was ready to return. 

His mother suddenly reached up towards his face, dragging him from his thoughts. “And… this?” She croaked, voice tight with an emotion he couldn’t understand. Perhaps grief. 

Ah. The eye.

Childe nodded towards where Lumine slept. “Courtesy of her, actually. But I deserved it.” Natasha frowned again, her fingers skittering around the hem of the eyepatch to remove it. He hissed, grabbing her wrist before she could tear it away. “You won’t like what you find.”

Her sharp blue eyes briefly sliced to his good eye, then back to her. With a slow sigh, he let go of her wrist to let her learn her lesson. A surprised and horrified gasp tore out of her chest, her jaw slack as she drank in the sight of his injured eye. He knew what she must be seeing; sometimes it still took him aback whenever he caught sight of it in a mirror or a thin sheet of ice. The scar had healed nicely and his eye rarely oozed purple and black blood any longer. But the iris itself swirled like a violent black hole in the night sky, void of the dull blue color it had once been. A purple and blue stain continued to coat his pale, freckled skin, too. He doubted it would ever heal in full.

“See?” He said when she struggled to find her words, opening and closing her mouth like a fish out of water. “Told you you wouldn’t like it.”

“And she did this to you?” His mother stammered.

A shrug. “Like I said, I deserved it. Besides, it doesn’t hurt that much anymore. And it was necessary.”

“On whose terms?”

“Teyvat’s.” It was the only way they had been able to reach Orbis Terrarum and learn the truth of the prophecy. It was the only way he would be strong enough to recognize his full potential to conquer the heavens. At least, that’s what he’d been told. He pulled the patch back on, letting out an uneasy sigh. “I’m fine, Mama, really. I only wear the eyepatch so people don’t see.”

That, and the world with this new eye peering through delusion still overwhelmed him with its truth.

“I’m not sure I can handle your eyes changing anymore, Ajax,”His mother said, wrapping her arms tightly around herself and shaking her head slowly. 

A sad smile tugged at the corner of his lips. The last time his eyes had distorted in any sort of way, the Abyss had drained his light and left them a dull shell compared to his new vivacious personality. He could only wonder now what this new eye had changed him into; perhaps a stoic, solemn figure too focused on what he must do to succeed instead of thriving in the optimism that came with raw strength? 

After all, what was strength if he couldn’t save the one person he truly loved?

He aggressively shook his head, letting the thought dissipate like fog on a hot summer’s day. “I need you to do me a favor.”

“Anything.”

“Watch after her. Keep her here– keep her safe.”

It clicked in his mother’s head right away, her shoulders deflating. “You’re leaving again,” She whispered softly.

“I have to,” Childe whispered, leaning in to kiss her hairline. Without hesitation, his mother wrapped her arms around his narrow waist and gave him a squeeze, her head pressed against his chest. The sweet scent of cinnamon and fresh apples flooded his senses, dragging him back to memories of when he was just a boy and following her every step around the kitchen as they baked. He swallowed that down; those memories were of a different time and a different person, and he had a mission to accomplish before he could consider being that person once more. So, with a sigh, he pried himself from her loving embrace and stepped away, trying to ignore the way her brow twisted and contorted in confused pain. “Besides, if they figure out that I was the one to help her escape Dottore, there will be consequences. I need to make myself scarce.”

For a long moment, Natasha said nothing, the cogs turning behind her sharp blue eyes. Was she second guessing her words of anything? After all, keeping Lumine here would be a risk for everyone involved. He didn’t want them to get in trouble, but… frankly, he had nowhere else to turn. 

“Mama?” He heard Tonia’s sweet voice call out from downstairs, dragging them from their staring contest. The knot in his chest squeezed and tugged at his heartstrings. Archons, he needed to get out of here before his emotions became too much and he gave into the monster to keep the noise of his attachments out of his head. “Why are there so many bloody rags in the kitchen?”

“Just a second, dear,” His mother called down to her, never taking her eyes off of her middle son. “Will you go ahead and get breakfast started for your brothers?”

He heard Tonia groan, but from the clatter of pots and pans, she did as she was told. Childe cleared his throat, flexing his hands around the hilt of an invisible weapon. “Please, Mama,” He tried, desperate.“I know I’m asking for a lot when it comes to her. I know that having the Fatui’s number one enemy under your roof is not what you want– it’s not what I want either, but I don’t know where else to go. I know I’ve caused you a lot of headaches before, and I’ll probably cause you a few more in my life, but… I can’t let anything happen to her, and–”

“Oh, son,” She interrupted, standing on her tiptoes to cup his face. The warmth from her calloused hands seeped into his cold cheeks, the same way she used to do before he had fallen down, down, down into the bowels of the earth. A half-smile tugged at her thin lips, her sharp blue eyes brimming with unshed tears. “You don’t have to worry about that at all. She matters to you, so she matters to us. We’ll keep her safe here, and if those damn soldiers try to take her, they’ll have to deal with me.”

He didn’t realize how much he needed to hear that until his legs nearly gave out. Ajax leaned into her touch, letting himself rely on another person for the first time in months. “Thank you,” He croaked, savoring the wash of relief that came from temporarily solving one of the big problems in his life. 

Even if he’d just created a new one, he could at least rest for a few minutes knowing his partner was safe in the hands of his family.

“When will you be back?” She asked, stepping towards the bedroom door.

Childe shook his head. “I don’t know. It won’t be as long as last time, I promise.”

“Good. I’ll hold you to that.” She nodded towards where Lumine slept soundly in his bed, her dark brow furrowed in the same determination stirring deep in his soul. “I think she will, too.”

At that, she slipped out of the bedroom and headed downstairs, the wood creaking under her footsteps. His heartbeat flooded his ears, dulling out any conversation he may have been able to make out between his mother and favorite sister. The knot in his throat squeezed when he turned towards Lumine, his chest raw like he had taken the knife to the shoulder. He couldn’t help himself; he’d expected their reunion to be different, full of overjoyed shouts and happy tears as they found one another all over again. He expected to swing her in his arms and bury his face in her neck and cradle her in his grasp and kiss her until they were both completely breathless.

Instead, he leaned in to kiss her forehead with the softest brush of his lips. She stirred and sighed, but never awoke; she must need the sleep more than she needed him at this moment, and he didn’t blame her. He brushed her bangs out of her face, unable to stop the soft smile from spreading across his weary cheeks. “Rest up, starlight. We still have the whole world to save together.” With another kiss to the forehead, he let out a shaky sigh and stood up. “I’ll be back soon.”

In that moment, he was neither Childe nor Tartaglia, the loyal Harbinger eagerly trying to accomplish his goal of tearing down the foundation of the gods and ridding the world. In that moment, he was Ajax, desperately longing for another few moments with his sleeping partner who he’d been separated from for far too long. 

Then, without wasting another moment, he shoved any remnants of the boy away and focused on the mission ahead. 

Chapter Text

Lumine awoke to the vicious sound of wind rattling the walls and dull voices rapidly speaking in a language she didn’t know.

A low groan tore through her chest as she blinked the fog of sleep out of her eyes, her head throbbing with long, deep pangs. The smell of pine and the sea enveloping her like one of the multi-patterned quilts weighing on her to fight against the chill.. She almost buried her face back into the soft pillows to breathe in the familiar scent, and would have, were her mind not groggily jumping from thought to thought like a stone skipping across flat water. Another strong gust of wind slammed into the building, the chilly air seeping through any crack it could manage, but the red-hot furnace in the corner cut through any of the cold. 

Only then did it click that she did not remember how she got here.

She pushed herself to sit, hissing from the aches and pangs in her sore body; it was as if she'd sprinted back and forth across Mondstadt's open fields for hours on end, only to then jump into scaling Dragonspine without any climbing ropes. Her left arm ached, too, her wrist stiff from disuse, her shoulder raw and swollen. Her fingers skittered over the injury there, tracing the careful stitches etched into her skin. Someone had fixed her wound with meticulous precision in a way most would likely rush through. Her mouth and throat were dry with dehydration, though someone had thoughtfully left a cup and pitcher by her bedside table, and she took a big sip to quench her desperate thirst.

It took another heartbeat for panic to set in, spreading through her body like a wildfire lunging through the undergrowth for more fuel. Where was she? How did she get here? One glance around the room gave her no further indication-- the small bedroom only had the bed pressed against the wall, a dresser, a desk, and the iron furnace in the corner. She found no sign of it having seen much use in the past few years, and yet there was something hauntingly familiar that she couldn't quite put her finger on. She didn't linger on the thought long, struggling to her shaky legs.

Flashes of the fight with Dottore– or the monster wearing his face, she still couldn’t tell- played in her mind like a Fontainian horror film, his eerie grin plastered across her memories. Fuck. Fuck, had she been captured? How long had she been unconscious? A few hours? Days?  

She scrambled to her feet, summoning her blade from her pocket dimension and ignoring the wince of pain radiating up and down her spine. Someone had dressed her in warm, though oversized clothing, the wool sweater practically falling off her trembling frame. She could hear the voices chatting downstairs once more over the whipping wind past the wooden walls and the crackling wood in the furnace. She didn't want to wait around long enough to figure out what they had planned for her, eager to escape as quickly as possible. Without really processing it all, she opened the door with a low creak and stepped into the hall–

–Immediately bumping into a short, red-headed girl.

"Oh– hey!" Her assailant squeaked, dropping the towels in her hands. Her sharp blue eyes widened in recognition. "You're awake!"

The panic building deep inside her chest like pressure in a geyser finally erupted. Lumine flinched away from her before the girl could try and stop her, tugging her sword close to her body and scrambling down the stairs in the opposite direction. Her bare feet thudded against the wooden floors, the stairs creaking under her weight as she barrelled down them. One glance over her shoulder revealed the young woman chasing after her, still agape with surprise. She didn't even have time to turn to see where she was going next when she bumped into another child, both of them groaning from the impact.

"Ow, T! Watch where you're..." His words trailed off as he adjusted his glasses on his narrow face, as if trying to verify what he was seeing. Horror replaced his confusion in a flash, his shoulders drooping as he shouted, "Uhhhh, Mama?!"

No, no! He didn't need to call for assistance from any mother– Lumine didn't even want to know what a mother figure in the Fatui would be like! She raced away from the boy towards what she prayed was the front door, ripping it open without a moment's hesitation. A blast of frigid wind slammed into her the second she did, sapping the heat from her body like water vaporizing in extreme heat. Lumine hissed, her eyes watering from the cold. 

Oh great, another blizzard! Because that's exactly what she needed today! Sheets of snow blew sideways, cutting visibility down to a few feet in front of her, the black shadows of the treeline barely visible. Perhaps she could make it there, but then what would she do? She didn't have her bag of supplies, let alone socks or boots to keep her from losing her toes and fingers in this freezing weather. Any chance at escape started and ended with this horrific storm.

"Easy!" Someone shouted, the words heavily laced with a Snezhnayan accent. She quickly whirled around with her sword raised to find an older woman standing by the steps, hands raised in surrender. "Please, put the blade down. No one here is going to hurt you."

Lumine sucked in ragged breath after breath, tightening her grip on the hilt of her sword. She didn't believe this woman for a second– it didn't matter if she had two young children peering behind her, blue eyes wide with curiosity and confusion. It didn't matter that she looked relatively innocent, either; her dark curls were pulled back in a loose bun, her apron and fingertips stained with bright red juices. No, there was something else about her, a fiercely protective instinct like a mother wolf protecting her cubs. Her sharp blue eyes did not leave Lumine's features, oozing focus instead of fear. 

Her out-of-control heart against her ribcage, a bead of sweat trailing down the side of her face. How was she supposed to get out of this one?

Then, just when her fear reached a new level, a familiar voice called out, "Lumine?" It cut through the fog of her panic, her mind instead racing to try and place that squeaky voice among the hundreds of people she had met across her journeys. 

Any of the focus on the older woman's face vanished, replaced by her own wide eyes and tense shoulders. "Teucer, wait–"

Too late. An even younger boy raced around his mother's round frame with no fear at all. "Lumine!" He shouted, throwing his arms around Lumine's waist. "It really is you! Oh, wow, I've missed you so much!"

"Teucer...?" Lumine croaked, hesitantly petting his head. He'd grown since she'd last seen him, up to her shoulders now. His auburn hair was longer than it had been, too, curling at the ends just like his big brother's did when it grew too long. But what was he doing here, of all places...?

It clicked almost as soon as she thought of the question. Red hair, blue eyes, a small house in the middle of the pine woods–

This was Childe's family home. 

"I know big brother said the next time we got to meet, you'd be in Snezhnaya, but I really can't believe you're finally here!" He squealed, tightening his grip around her waist.

"Y-you're so big!" She stammered, smoothing the boy's red hair out of his face. Her head shot up to the woman still standing protectively in front of her other children, her dark brow dipped in focus– Childe's mother. A different sort of panic bubbled up in her belly. "Archons, I'm so sorry–"

"No, no! You are absolutely fine, dear. You've had quite the journey to get here," The older woman quickly said, slowly lowering her upright hands. "Now if you would please put the sword down..."

Instantly, Lumine let it fade into its pocket dimension. Everyone let out a sigh of relief and relaxed, save for Teucer, who squeezed her waist again. 

"Now, go ahead and shut the door," His mother said, standing up a little straighter. A crooked smile teased at the corner of her lips, identical to that of her middle son. "You're letting all the warm air out into the snowstorm."

"I'm sorry–"

"You're absolutely fine, myla. " Myla. Just like what Ajax called her. Oh, gods, she was going to sob. “Like I said, you’ve had quite the journey to make it this far north.”

She swallowed the knot forming in her throat down as hard as she could, struggling to piece through her scrambled thoughts and memory. Childe had brought her here. That's right, he had found her in the middle of that damn river during her fight with Dottore and came to help as best he could. He had taken over for most of that vicious fight, a realization she couldn’t even begin to be mad at since the Doctor had nearly wiped her clean of her starry abilities. Her partner must have brought her to his home to recuperate from her injuries after she’d passed out.

Had she been that close to Morepesok all along? Was he nearby? Could they finally have the reunion she’d been longing for for months now? 

“Are you hungry? We were just getting ready to eat dinner,” His mother asked as if Lumine was simply a guest and not a wild-eyed maniac intruder who had disrupted their peace. 

As if on cue, her stomach growled, the pangs of hunger wiping every frantic thought clear of her mind. “...Yes. Yes, please.”

“Good, I made plenty.” Without so much as another word, she turned on her heel and headed back into another portion of the small house, leaving behind all three of her children . Archons, Lumine didn’t understand how the older woman was acting so… calm, considering the frantic, bewildered Traveler who had been running around waving a sword around and nearly sprinting into a snowstorm still standing awestruck in her living room. “Teucer, let go of her already and help your brother clear the table.”

Teucer huffed and grumbled something under his breath, but he cast a smile up at Lumine and untangled himself from her waist. He and the other redheaded boy– Anton, she remembered from her partner’s stories– sprinted over to the dining table, scrambling to clear the placemats and notepads. That only left the teenage girl standing in front of her, whom Lumine quickly assumed to be Tonia. She looked the most like her mother, her auburn hair darker than her brothers (and especially darker than Childe’s copper color), with round, freckled cheeks and less curves than her chubby mother. She held an air of softness to her, kind of sweet, unlike her mother’s intense and firm protective demeanor.

“It’s so good to finally meet you,” She said sweetly, offering Lumine a soft smile and offering her a hand. Lumine nervously took it, letting the young girl lead her away from the front door and further into the house. “We’ve heard so much about you from Ajax that it feels like I already know you.”

“And from me!” Teucer called from the dining room. “I told them all about our adventures in Liyue!”

“He wouldn’t stop talking about it,” Anton muttered, casting a glare over his shoulder.

In the kitchen, Natasha frowned. “Be nice, Anton.”

“I am!” 

“It was just so cool seeing you and big brother work together as a team!” Teucer continued, completely unbothered. “And it was so cool seeing the Mister Cyclops factory– and then watching you use two different elements instead of just the one!”

It had been so long since Liyue that she had nearly forgotten Teucer had come all the way from Snezhnaya to the Nation of Contracts on his own. She could still clearly picture his pleading face to keep up the ruse that he was a toy seller in front of his youngest brother in an effort to protect him from the Fatui's darker side. That, and the incredible display of power he had put on taking down the dozens of Ruin Guards in the factory. Childhood dreams are too easily shattered, he had whispered softly, clutching his injured torso. Someone had to protect them, right?

Perhaps that was the first time she realized she didn’t exactly hate Childe– just what he and his army stood for. Perhaps that’s when she had truly understood and seen him as a man juggling too many roles and too many faces, each different from the other. Now, though, she couldn’t deny the overflowing love she felt for each of his personas, a yearning that ate away at her even now. She cast one glance towards the front door again, praying that any moment he would come in.

She missed him. Those brief moments in the middle of the battle with Dottore hadn’t been nearly enough. 

Tonia offered her a seat at the wide, wooden table and sat beside her as the boys finished cleaning up. “Is it true that you’ve been to all of the other nations, then?” She asked, her blue eyes dancing with excitement.“Is that why you finally came to Snezhnaya?”

Lumine opened her mouth to say something, but the youngest Alekseev jumped in before she could squeak out a word. "Oh yeah! Big brother wrote that you worked together in Inazuma and Sumeru and Natlan, too!"

And Fontaine, but that was such a brief trip for the Fourth Domain, and they'd been fighting the whole time they were in that dark, damp cave. She supposed it didn't really count.

"He doesn't talk about you in his letters that much anymore," Anton said bluntly.

Because Arlecchino was reading their correspondence to each other. It was a miracle that he'd been able to write her a letter warning her to stay away at all-- but then again, her name and address in Mondstadt had been written in bubbly cursive. She intimately knew Ajax's handwriting wasn't that good, and he likely didn't have much pink stationary. Had he gotten Tonia to send her that warning? 

She must have subconsciously flinched, as Tonia quickly cleared her throat. "I'm sure he's just busy," She said, shooting a glare towards her curious younger brothers. 

That didn't stop them, though, and she couldn't blame their interest. Teucer plopped in the chair by her left while Anton took one of the seats across from her, grinning ear to ear. "Is what Teucer said true, then?" He asked, adjusting his glasses on his sharp, straight nose. "Can you use different elements?"

Lumine waited for one of them to interrupt her. When they didn't, she blinked in surprise, awkwardly rubbing the back of her head. "Ah... technically."

"That's fascinating! But how, when you don't even have a Vision?"

Great question. "I'm not sure..."

"I wish I had a Vision!" Teucer cheered. 

"I don't," Tonia muttered, picking at her cuticles. "Seems like having one would be scary."

She didn't know half of it. Even if she never used the Vision, it could easily become a crutch to her ambition. That, and if what Childe had said was true, then the Divine gods in Celestia were using the heavenly gifts as a form of spying on those particularly powerful souls across the world. 

"Wait, Lumine!" Teucer cheered, dragging the attention back to him with ease instead of focusing on his sister's discomfort. "Show Anton and Tonia how you can use the different elements!"

"It's not nice to demand things, son," Their mother lectured from the kitchen.

"Please show them?" Teucer tried again, pointedly looking at his mother for approval.

While the woman may have deemed it a better question, Lumine hesitated. She wanted to show the younger kids her unique gifts, especially if it would settle this whirlwind of a conversation down. She wouldn't mind putting on a show, either, loving the way childrens' eyes lit up whenever they saw something as magical as her multiple elemental abilities. Most of all, she wanted to feel the thrum of power in her veins the same way she'd enjoyed for the last few years, growing stronger with each Statue of the Seven she had encountered across her journey.  

Instead, she felt very little.

There was no familiar swirl of Anemo skittering across her skin like an afternoon breeze rolling through golden wheat fields. There was no crackle of Electro jolting up her spine– a welcome relief, after weeks of random twitches in her body, but a disappointment for the intoxicating spark of power. Geo had been long gone since she caused that earthquake, the steadiness that came with it absent as well. Hydro was gone now, too; likely when she'd summoned the colossal surge of water to swallow the monster that had once been Dottore whole like a giant, open maw. 

All that remained were the invisible tendrils of Dendro that liked to wrap around her body like vines on a tree and the delicious warmth of Pyro fueling her ferocious drive.

While she didn’t know where these abilities had gone or if she would ever be able to recover them, she did know how unstable they were. She didn’t want to risk causing a bigger headache for Ajax’s mother than she already must be, dealing with having the very jumpy Traveler at her dinner table. 

Tonia thankfully picked up on her discomfort first. “She may still need rest, Teucer,” She deflected with ease. To her relief, the youngest boy didn’t even hesitate to accept the answer, and he didn’t push any further for her show of power. “She was pretty hurt when she arrived.”

“Oh yeah!” Teucer squeaked, and the topic quickly shifted away onto the next random thought. Sometimes, the boy reminded her so much of his elder brother with how quickly he moved on, her head spinning as she tried to keep up. “What attacked you? Was it a bear? I bet it was a bear.”

Lumine blinked. “Oh, no-”

“Mama said you bled through her nice towels,” Anton plainly stated.

Their mother actually yelped from the kitchen, her round cheeks turning a rosy pink. “I did not!”

“Yes you did!”

“But you don’t look too badly hurt anymore,” Teucer said, tilting his head as their mother finally started bringing plates and bowls to the dinner table. “Did big brother heal you?”

She opened her mouth to answer but was once again interrupted when the older woman said, “Yes, he did,” as quickly as she could. For a moment, she was back to her old ways of letting Paimon speak and do everything for her whenever she didn’t really want to talk, letting the others speak around her while she drank everything else in. “And she wasn’t that badly hurt.”

Oh, oof. Teucer might not have seen it, but Lumine definitely noticed. A nearly imperceptible wince, so small it could have been something completely involuntary. But she had spent plenty of time studying body language and subtle shifts in demeanor, to ignore the facts when they were laid out right in front of her. 

Childe’s mother was lying.

Unsurprising. That knife had dug deep into her skin and nearly severed crucial arteries to her arm; the Doctor himself had said she would bleed out if she wasn’t careful. She could only imagine how bad it must have been when they arrived– bad enough that Childe had to stitch up the wound instead of solely using his Hydro healing abilities on the tender skin. 

Anton may not have caught the way his mother flinched, but instead dipped into that well of intellect Childe had spent so long bragging about as he questioned, “Then why did you throw out the towels?”

A pause. Then, “Who wants borscht!”

“Me!” All three of the children cried out, their concerns about Lumine’s injury and the towels quickly forgotten.

Their mother set individual bowls down in front of them, then hustled back to the kitchen to grab her own. Lumine quickly recognized the dish by smell if not by name; steaming hot red soup with a dollop of cream on top, full of hearty vegetables in the dark liquid. It was the same dish Ajax had made for them on their first official day, her heart squeezing at the memory of a much simpler time in the afternoon Mondstadt sun. She made a mental note to prepare for a surge in pepper, in case his mother had the same heavy hand. After the first bite, though, she may as well have melted into the seat, the tangy, rich flavor quickly overwhelming her senses. One hurried bite turned into another, and another, and another, having not realized how genuinely hungry she was until she’d started eating. It may have scalded her tongue, but she didn’t care; it was the best damn thing she’d eaten in weeks and she couldn’t get enough even if she brought the bowl to her lips and started drinking from the side. 

She didn’t even notice the others staring in surprised awe until her first bowl was finished. Oh, Archons– they hadn’t even willed her to eat. She should have waited until they asked. She opened her mouth to apologize but Tonia cleared her throat and jumped into her meal just as quickly, the others following behind without another word.

“Is it true that you and big brother ran towards the volcanoes in Natlan when they were erupting?!” Teucer asked after a few moments of silence, too eager to be contained by his dinner.

Anton rolled his eyes, blowing steam from his spoon. “You’re not supposed to run towards eruptions, silly. You run away.”

“You can run towards the volcanoes if someone needs your help,” Tonia corrected, dipping her rye bread into the thick soup.

Lumine bit her bottom lip as their mother let out a defeated sigh, shaking her head– in disappointment towards her childrens’ antics or in dismay for her middle son to admit to her and Childe’s chaos in the Nation of Fire. That wasn’t even the worst thing they had done in their partnership together. Part of her quietly wondered how much he had told them about Tatarasuna, or perhaps even the fall in the Fourth Domain that had nearly taken them both out for the long game. 

Then again, his mother must have seen his eye.

A sour taste filled her mouth. It wasn’t from the borscht.

“I want to go to Natlan really badly,” Teucer said, oblivious to her angst. “And Sumeru, too. And Inazuma!”

“You want to go everywhere,” Anton mumbled as he took another bite.

“Just like big brother!”

“And leave your poor mother?” The older woman at the head of the table asked, her bottom lip jutting out in a pout. “I don’t think so, young man.”

Teucer’s shoulders drooped and he rolled his head back in an exaggerated groan. “Mama…”

“You had your adventure, young man. You don’t need any more.”

Was that because their big brother had taken up the entire source of stress in his mother’s life? After all, this woman seemed fiercely protective of her little wolf pups, and she suspected that included Ajax. How did she handle him being a top lieutenant in the complex and chaotic organization like the Fatui? How did he end up in the military in the first place? Archons, how had she dealt with him falling into the Abyss the first time?

“Don’t worry, Mama,” Tonia said in that sweet, gentle tone of hers, just like a princess in one of the fairytales. “I’m not going anywhere.”

That sparked a twinkle in the woman’s sharp blue eyes, crinkling around the edges with her wide smile. “And that’s why you’re my favorite.”

“Can I ask a question?” 

The whole table froze at the sound of a hoarse, quiet voice. She didn’t blame them, either. For a second, Lumine forgot she had been the one to speak up, but it was the only way she was going to get a word in otherwise. Besides, she had sat patiently for a while now, and even though she let Paimon do most of her talking across the dozens of journeys they had been on in Teyvat, she always interjected when needed. And she needed to know what was going on, if only to stop the little pang in her chest that may have been her aching, yearning heart. 

Childe’s mother quickly linked away her stupor. “Oh, Archons, dear, I’m sorry! We didn’t mean to overwhelm you with our conversation. We’re just so used to talking over each other…” Her words trailed off as she realized she was rambling. Ajax must have gotten that little habit from her, too. She cleared her throat and tried again, saying, “Yes, of course, myla. Go ahead.”

“Where is Ajax?”

Silence. His mother’s easygoing smile faded slowly, a darkness killing the twinkle Tonia had put in her eyes only a few moments earlier. “He’s… working,” She answered, firm but gentle. It didn’t ease the tension in Lumine’s shoulders– a tension she didn’t notice until now. “And before you ask, no. I don’t know when he’s coming back.”

“Oh,” She whispered softly.

“But he did say he didn’t expect it to be as long as the last time. He just didn’t want to make a promise he couldn’t keep.” 

“Sure,” Lumine said, turning back to stare at her meal. Her ravenous appetite disappeared, too, replaced by a knot tightening in her stomach like a sailor tying down the moorings on a schooner ahead of a storm. The once-delicious meal turned to ash in her mouth, her unease growing the longer the silence at the table stretched on. 

Where had he gone? She understood why he hadn’t been at the recall after what Capitano had told her, but Childe had rescued her in her moment of crisis, only to what? Vanish again? What was he doing that was so important that he couldn’t stay long enough to guarantee she was awake? No, no, this was for the best, and her brain was just playing cruel games with her after an exhaustive and chaotic hour of waking up after her injury. She wouldn’t whine over him not being here like some petulant school girl pouting that her lover hadn’t gotten her a gift on a meaningless anniversary. 

Deep down, she knew he would have stayed at her bedside the same way he had when she had lost all the use of her leg after the Third Domain. But he was a Harbinger in his homeland doing whatever it was that his queen had demanded. He’d already risked blowing their cover by attacking the monster that had once been Dottore instead of assisting the second Harbinger in dragging the Traveler back to the Tsaritsa. He’d put his family in danger to protect her from the Fatui– a move that could not have come easily, despite the fact that there was nowhere else he could safely leave her. And she had been the one to cause this whole mess by deciding to come to Snezhnaya in the first place, only complicating matters in the first place! 

Childe was doing his job and playing his role as perfectly as he could manage. She had to do the same. 

His mother abruptly cleared her throat, dragging Lumine from her spiraling thoughts. “In the meantime, he asked us to look after you.”

A jolt of panic shot up her spine. “Oh, no, I couldn’t possibly ask you to do that–”

“Nonsense, it’s no trouble at all.” Lumine doubted that very much, especially knowing that the Fatui would likely tear the family apart if it meant getting their way. Nevertheless, the older woman never dropped her tight smile. “You will be well cared for here until he gets back.”

“Are you sure? I probably shouldn’t–”

“Ajax asked. And Ajax hasn’t asked for anything in a very long time.” A flicker of determination flashed in the woman’s sharp blue eyes. Lumine had seen that look countless times before, on a different face. “Besides, you have been good for him. He’s changed because of you– in more ways than one.”

She couldn’t help the heat that blossomed across her cheeks in the form of a rosy blush, nor could she hide the smile twitching at the corner of her lips. Beside her, Tonia giggled.

“That being said,” His mother continued, thankfully ignoring Lumine’s sheepishness, “There will be a few rules to abide by while you’re here, if we’re going to take this seriously. All of us. Am I understood?”

“Yes, Mama,” The children said in perfect synchronization.

The older woman’s gaze sliced to her, waiting patiently. It took a moment for Lumine to scramble out a sheepish, “Yes ma’am.”

“Good,” Childe’s mother said simply, letting out a careful breath through pursed lips. “Rule number one, we do not tell your older siblings who Lumine is if they come by the cabin.”

“Why?” Anton asked, pushing his empty bowl away from him.

“It’s not something they need to know. To them, she is simply a guest who has been traveling through Snezhnaya.” Her sharp blue eyes narrowed in on her youngest son, one dark brow raising. “Teucer, who is Lumine?”

The boy tilted his head. “The Traveler–” He started, but was quickly swatted by Tonia behind Lumine’s back. He yelped like a spooked pup, quickly changing his answer to, “A guest who’s been traveling! But isn’t lying bad?

Fair point, for a ten year old who had happened to sneak out of his seaside village, hop aboard a ship to Liyue, and find his Harbinger brother before his parents likely knew he was missing.

His mother sighed, slicking back her dark curls. “It’s not lying, it’s… bending the truth.” 

While that didn’t seem to satisfy the curiosity or confusion on Teucer’s face, he didn’t speak up again. Tonia and Anton let out a careful breath of relief, one Lumine subconsciously mimicked. The last thing this family needed was the youngest son’s over-eagerness to explain everything racing through his mind all of the time to a Fatui soldier passing by who might know about the recall. 

“Rule number two,” Childe’s mother continued, fidgeting with the sleeve of her dark wool dress. “While Lumine is here, we do not leave the house for any reason unless it is an emergency. That shouldn’t be too hard, considering the blizzard, but I still want to make it a rule.”

“So no playing outside?” Teucer tested, twiddling his thumbs.

“If you do, none of you are allowed to leave the yard. Okay?”

“Yes, Mama,” The children said, parroting each other like wolf pups testing their barks for the first time.

“And finally, rule number three.” She sucked in a sharp breath, clasping her fingers together. Her shoulders tightened, her brows stitching together in an unreadable emotion. Lumine swallowed hard; whatever this rule was must have been the most important one, for her to look this nervous. Then, with a slow exhale, she said, “If the Fatui stop by for one of their random checks, you let me do all of the talking. We cannot tell them anything about Lumine, or else we could all be in trouble.”

“Not even to Pulcinella?” Tonia quietly asked.

“Especially not to Pulcinella.”

“But why?” Teucer, again.

The older woman scrunched her nose, trying and failing to hide her annoyance at the influx of her son’s questions. “Because I said so. And rules are rules; they’re just as important as pinkie promises. Breaking them better have a good reason, or else..?”

“Pinkie, ice,” The youngest child half-heartedly muttered the old Snezhnayan nursery rhyme, waving his hand in dismissal. “I understand.”

“Good,” His mother affirmed softly, carefully sitting back in her chair. “Now, I believe you boys still have chores to finish, yes? The sooner you go, the sooner you can come back for dessert.” Teucer and Anton both opened their mouths to protest, but she shot them a fiery glare. “Go.”

The boys jumped out of their seats in a flash, sprinting towards the stairs. Tonia, too, dipped her head obediently and began cleaning the dinner table of the dishes without having to be prompted. For the first time since the older woman had started her spiel, Lumine let out a breath she didn’t know she’d been holding. That was all? She half-expected something much more strict. Then again, the no-leaving-house-grounds wasn’t the greatest, but where would she go? She had no interest in trekking through another snowstorm without supplies, and she did not want to take from the Alekseevs anymore than she already was. That, and Ekaterina had suggested she come here, to Morepesok, and Childe had literally left her here with the intention of coming back. 

So she would stay right where she was until it was absolutely impossible, resting and recovering and waiting.

When the boys were deep in their chores, arguing like yapping pups fighting over a bone, Childe’s mother let out another sigh. That crooked smile made another appearance as she said, “Now that the young ones are gone, we can speak freely. I’m sure you have questions.”

The weight on Lumine’s shoulders eased like someone had literally pried a boulder from her spine. “Yes,” She breathed, her mind whirring like an out of control machine, bouncing from thought to thought. Where to start? She only had so much time before the boys finished and returned for their treats. “So Ajax brought me here?”

“He did,” His mother said smoothly. “To hide in plain sight, away from the Fatui’s wandering eyes.”

“Are you sure? You must know how dangerous this could be for your family–”

“He is my family and you are his girlfriend,” She interrupted, leaning forward against the table. Something about hearing his mother affirm their relationship status sent shivers up and down Lumine’s spine like a thousand tiny spiders, her stomach flipping over and over. Sure, they were lying to the rest of the world, but the people that mattered knew the truth. “I am sorry for all the rules, though. I would have for you to feel like I’m smothering you.”

“Not at all,” Lumine quickly answered. “It’s your house. I’m just a guest.”

A pause. Then, “You are are guest. But you’re also family.” That was certainly not helping the heat in her face calm down any time soon. She’d never had any family other than Aether. Did Ajax consider her part of his family, too? She must have been blushing something fierce, as the older woman’s warm smile brightened. “I know the way he feels about you, and I think I know how you feel about him. Am I right?”

“...Yes.”

From the kitchen, Tonia giggled again. Ahh, an eavesdropper.

“A mother always knows,” The older woman said, still beaming ear to ear. “And for that, I will do whatever it takes to keep you safe.”

“Thank you–” It hit her like a wall of water, the color leaving her face in a flash. “I’m so sorry. I just realized, I don’t actually know her name.”

That made his mother throw back her head and laugh, as vivid as the son Lumine had fallen in love with. “It’s Natasha, but you can call me Mama Nat,” She explained when she’d finally gotten her giggles under control. “It’s nice to finally meet you, Lumine. What a way to make a first introduction, hm?”

Chapter Text

By the time the storm of swirling wind and snow outside the cabin’s sturdy walls showed any sign of easing, two weeks had passed. 

The first week had been easy; she had spent most of the time cozily curled up in Childe’s bed, resting and recovering from the injuries she’d sustained since arriving in Snezhnaya. Any time she wasn’t tucked underneath the heavy quilts and furs, she spent downstairs with the rest of her partner’s family, eating as much as she could to return her strength to her weary muscles. But as the foul weather stretched into another week, the hours began crawling by. The children filled their mornings and afternoons with chores and schoolwork while Natasha made the same checklist for future holiday celebrations. More often than not, she found herself staring at the clock on the wall, the infernal tick, tick, tick ringing in her ears with each passing second.

Lumine was going to go mad. 

How did people live like this for months out of the year? She had already been losing her mind sitting around in Mondstadt during the spring and summer, eager to continue her journey, but at least she had been able to complete commissions and run back and forth to Windrise every day just to stretch her legs. And at least it had been warm! Here, she couldn’t make the first step out into the wilderness without the fear of freezing to death, especially as the storm continued to weaken and strengthen in a daily cycle. 

It was as though she were a caged animal holding the key to her escape, and yet she couldn’t make the first step out into the wilderness without the fear of freezing to death. That, plus the itch to do something threatened to eat her alive. Every time she tried to offer her assistance, Natasha had only scoffed and shooed her off, insisting she was a guest and should relax while she was here. Frankly, she might scream if she heard the word guest one more time. 

She’d spent all morning pacing up and down the narrow hallway until she nearly carved a path into the wooden floors, flexing her hands and cracking her knuckles just to feel something. At breakfast, she’d stared silently into the distance, trying to join in on the conversation with the children and Natasha and finding she had not much to say other than to ask if they’d heard any news about Ajax. Of course, there had been none– not that she really expected to learn anything about her partner, when none of them had left the house since Lumine had arrived. 

Thankfully, everyone seemed to notice her beginning to unravel the longer time stretched on, not that she was doing a very good job at hiding it. 

“Maybe we can walk to the edge of town and back?” Tonia tried when the howling wind eased for longer than ten minutes. 

“Absolutely not, it’s too dangerous,” Mama Nat said, scrubbing the bowls from breakfast clean in tepid water. “We do not want to risk anyone seeing her, or else the Fatui will be here in a heartbeat.”

“Why is that a bad thing again?” Teucer asked, peering over the back of the plush couch in the living room. “Maybe that would get big brother to come back!”

A frown. “Remember our rules?”

“...Oh, right.”

“What about the pond? We could take her ice skating,” Anton offered, not looking up from his book. “It would be good exercise, plus it’s hidden in the woods. No one else knows about it.”

“Some people know about it,” Natasha grumbled, blowing one of her dark locks of curly hair out of her face. 

Lumine deflated at the dismissal, gritting her teeth to keep from saying or doing something childish.. She understood why it was so important to keep close to the cabin and didn’t want to put them at risk anymore than she already had. She couldn’t help it, though; she was never meant to sit still and relax like this, stagnant and useless while the day of reckoning inched closer and closer. Even just a walk out to this pond would be enough to satiate her innate desire to explore for a little while. Perhaps by that point, Ajax would be back and they could go about their business of solving the prophecy looming over their heads like a guillotine. 

She must not have hid her disappointment well, because Natasha sighed, wiping her sweaty brow. “But…”

All of the children stopped what they were doing, whipping around to look at their mother. “But?”

“...If you promise to take every precaution–”

“Yeah!” They shouted in perfect synchronization, tossing their projects aside and bouncing to their feet. Lumine, too, grinned like the older woman had given her the sun itself, the agitated energy vibrating in her chest threatening to explode with glee. 

“I mean it!” Natasha shouted after the boys as they scrambled up the staircase, racing to get whatever they needed for this adventure. “No cheering, no clapping, no nothing! If your friends are already there, you leave. If they show up, you leave.”

“I doubt anyone will, since the weather is still so unpredictable,” Tonia said sweetly, grabbing a thick fluffy coat from the hanger and handing it to Lumine.

“Speaking of the weather,” Childe’s mother continued, gripping the edge of the counter, “You know the rules for these snow squalls. If the wind so much as shifts–”

“We make like wolf pups and hurry back to our den.”

“And if the Fatui show up–”

“We lie!” Anton shouted as he hustled down the stairs, the wood groaning under his hurried steps. In that brief time, he’d managed to tug on wool-lined snow pants and a thick sweater, his sharpened ice skates slung over one shoulder. “Which is apparently acceptable now.”

“Watch your tone, son,” Natasha lectured, hands on her wide hips. To Tonia, she added, “You’re in charge. Make them listen to you. That includes Lumine.”

Lumine’s bottom lip jutted out in a playful pout as Tonia giggled, “Yes, Mama.”

With that, she hurried upstairs too, not wanting to be left behind as the rest of them grabbed their necessary items. Lumine shrugged on the jacket the teenager had handed her, the heavy and warm fabric smelling subtly like woodsmoke and cinnamon. While she may not be as prepared to handle the chilly weather as the children were, she at least had more protection than she’d worn on her frantic hike to get here. Beside her, Natasha sighed, rubbing her temples. 

An awkward smile twitched at the corner of Lumine’s lips. “I really am sorry about all the fuss.”

Mama Nat scoffed, shaking her head. “It’s not your fault, kochanieńka.” A shiver ran down her spine as she recognized the term of endearment, just slightly different from what Childe regularly called her. “They’re obviously going a little mad from being cooped up in here, too. I can’t blame them for pushing so hard. If anything, you remind me of Ajax more and more.”

“Because I want to go for a walk?”

“Because neither of you can sit still.” Sharp blue eyes sliced to Lumine, the subtlest of smirks dancing across the older woman’s warm features. “I’m starting to  think you two are made for each other.”

Her heart skipped a beat, then another. Oh, if only his mother knew how accurate that statement was. They were two sides of the same coin, mirrors of each other as they moved with ease in battles, always filling in each other’s weak spots.  Unfortunately, the sentiment wasn’t entirely romantic; they seemed to be made for each other to fit that old prophecy, the light and the shadow mentioned in that place where the sun didn’t shine. The only way to fulfill their fates would be for one of them to make the ultimate sacrifice so the other may unleash their full potential. If it was real– and she had no reason to believe it wasn’t nowadays– then one of them would have to die to save Teyvat. 

She would not be the one to tell that to Natasha, though. 

“Lumine!” Teucer shouted from the front door, dragging her from her thoughts. One glance over her shoulder revealed he’d thrown on his familiar brown and white bomber hat and a thick overcoat, arms full of his skates. “Are you coming?”

“Yep!” She stammered, swallowing down the bile swelling in her stomach the more she thought about their looming fates.

If Natasha noticed her fear, she said nothing. “Take my skates. They may be a little big, but they’ll get the job done. And stay warm!” 

Lumine wasted no time grabbing the skates from the hanger and sprinting out the door. Immediately, the cold air cut into her like a blade, so different compared to the overwhelming warmth from the multiple furnaces burning inside. And yet, when the wind wasn't whipping violently and bending the snow-laden trees towards the ground, this little house tucked away in the woods was actually quite peaceful. The world looked so glorious in the snow, the path to the pond pure white like the light of the full moon in the night sky. She wouldn't get a chance to see that any time soon, she assumed, as the grey clouds heavy with another round of snow swirled overhead. It was only a matter of time before the fat flakes started falling again.

The air had a pure freshness to it, sharp in her lungs with each deep inhale, and if she paid close enough attention, she could smell the sharp, tangy scent of pines swirling around her like a familiar blanket. No wonder he smelled like this all of the time; he'd been born to it and made it his own. She didn't realize how much she missed being outside until she had been trapped indoors for so long, stretching her underworked muscles, wincing from the slight remaining pain lingering in her shoulder and wrist. Whatever Childe had done to heal her had almost completely worked, if only leaving her a little stiff. 

She carefully followed the footprints in the snow, scurrying after the children to catch up. "Question," She asked Tonia, pulling the jacket tighter around her small waist, "What did your mother call me?"

"Kochanieńka? It's a term of endearment for..." Her words trailed off, a wry smile growing on her face. "Have you heard that somewhere before?"

“Something similar to it. Your brother calls me kochana.”

That caught Anton and Teucer’s attention immediately, both boys whirling around to stare at her with wide-open mouths. “Ajax calls you kochana?” Anton stuttered 

"Yes...?"

All three children burst out in raucous laughter, hooping and howling like the wolves deep in the darkness, their voices bouncing off the densely packed pine trunks. Lumine’s cheeks grew hot, turning the color of apples, but it was not from the icy chill in the air. "Why?" She asked as they took off running down the snow-packed path. "What does it mean?!”

“How long has he been calling you that?” Tonia laughed, calling back over her shoulder.

Gods, that was a great question. Since before the Tatarasuna incident, at least. Perhaps in Sumeru, when she'd first started developing feelings for him. "Ah... at least two years or so."

It was Teucer's turn to giggle. "Big brother is in looove~"

“And Lumine loves him baaack~” Anton teased in a sing-song voice.

It was a miracle she didn’t melt into a puddle right away. She would not deny how much she loved him-- not when they had been through so much and still had hell to get through. But something about his younger siblings innocently teasing her about it hit her like an arrow to the heart, the dam she had around her feelings barely holding back her swelling emotions. Her eyes sliced to Tonia's, nervously chewing on her bottom lip as she asked, "Help me out here?"

Tonia's grin exploded. “Oh no, our mother taught us not to lie.”

That sparked another round of giddy laughter amongst the children. Lumine squealed and buried her face in her hands, the hummingbird that was her heart fluttering in her chest. Why was this affecting her so much?! She'd known her feelings for months now, ever since Ajax had helped her find her footing again after she'd destroyed her leg in the Natlan volcano, doing whatever it took to get her to thrive like she once had. She had even told him about how she felt after they'd climbed out of the Abyss together, and she'd meant every word! Why, of all times, was she blushing over this revelation?

Oh. Perhaps this was the first time her affections for him were explicitly stated out loud. Yes, Capitano and Natasha had implied that she had feelings for Childe, but she had never heard Ajax and Lumine and in love in the same sentence before.

The giggles continued as they came out of the dense woods and into a small clearing, a frozen-over pond in the heart of the open air. "Can we please change the topic?!" She squeaked when she couldn't take it any longer. 

"To what?" Anton asked, plopping down on the shore to start unlacing his boots.

"Anything else!" She begged, five seconds away from burying her face in the cold snow to cool herself off. "Like what you want to be when you grow up?"

That sparked Teucer out of his fit of giggles, his blue eyes widening with glee. "I want to be a toy seller just like big brother!" Over their youngest brother's head, Anton and Tonia exchanged a look; so they knew about Childe's role, too. "Think about how cool it would be to go around selling your toys!"

"It would be a lot of fun," She encouraged, needing to change the conversation away from her love life as efficiently as possible. "Maybe you can even design some toys of your own, too?"

Somehow, his wide eyes grew even bigger. "Oh! That's a good idea!"

Lumine smiled, sitting down beside Tonia as they all started tying up their skates, though she wasn't completely sure she knew how to properly lace them. "What about you, Anton?" She asked, eager to keep them talking about their futures and not about her obvious love for their older brother.

Anton straightened his shoulders and adjusted his glasses on his straight nose. "I'm going to the Akademiya. I don't know what school I would like to be a part of yet– maybe Vahumana, or Haravatat! The only concern I have would be the heat."

"Sumeru's temperature is very different compared to Snezhnaya." And so muggy. Still, she wouldn't mind being there right now, trading snowstorms and cold for brilliant sunshine. 

"So I've heard," He hummed, tapping a long finger to his thin lips. His eyes sliced to where the youngest Alekseev jumped up and wobbled to the pond. “Hey– Teucer! Wait for me!”

Without waiting for them to catch up, Teucer took to the ice with ease, finding no need to test the strength of the frozen surface. Lumine let out a breath she didn't know she'd been holding; she supposed he knew about the dangers of falling through too-thin ice best as a native Snezhnayan, but his recklessness made her stomach flip several times, the same way it had when she'd first realized her wings were gone five seconds after leaping off one of Mondstadt's jagged cliffs. Yes, he may have been fine in the end, full of confidence and glee, but did he have to be so much like his elder brother? No wonder Natasha worried so much.

Anton joined quickly afterwards, leaving behind the bookish boy for a talented skater, the blades against the frozen surface singing in a way only ice could. Tonia cast a look in her direction, offering Lumine a hand to help her stand. "Ready to take the ice?" She asked, her blue eyes twinkling with tempered excitement.

Lumine smirked. "I guess we'll see."

"Have you ever skated before?"

"Nope." Only in her dreams, and even then, she usually embarrassed herself with a nasty fall in the middle of her so-called routine. Ice skating had been popular in some of the worlds she and Aether had been to when they traveled the stars together, but neither of the twins had been particularly good at it, even when Aether had a partner to guide him through the steps. "Surely it can't be that hard, right?"

One of Tonia's auburn brows rose, but she didn't stop Lumine from joining the boys on the frozen pond. Right away, she wobbled in her stance, yelping as she nearly face-planted into the frozen reeds. A shattered yelp bubbled out of her throat, and she shot her arms out as she struggled to stay upright, afraid to make the same languid strokes as the boys for fear of completely wiping out.

Across the way, Teucer threw back his head and laughed, skating backwards with ease. "You look like a newborn deer!"

"Aren't you supposed to be really strong and powerful?" Anton added, a mischievous glint in his gaze. 

Lumine's bottom lip jutted out in a playful pout, but she couldn't actually blame them for her teasing. She could only imagine how pitiful she looked; arms splayed outright, legs spread in different directions as she somehow managed to stay standing. Every time she tried to adjust, she wobbled again, threatening to fall flat on her back. With as much faux confidence as she could muster despite feeling like a toddler learning to walk for the first time, she shouted, "Give me about ten minutes to learn how to do this and I'll be skating over there to take you down!"

"Oh, we'd love to see you try!" Tonia teased, joining the others on the ice. They all laughed and went back to getting in some decent exercise after so long being cooped up during the storm. 

She watched the three of them with brimming curiosity while trying not to fall flat on her butt. Teucer skated carefully, always looking between his feet and the direction he was heading, as though he was still learning how to do it himself. Anton skated methodically, but smoothly, arms behind his back as he made long paces around the pond's surface. But it was Tonia who captivated her the most, moving around the ice with the grace of a princess, moving with the flow of her skates like the breeze waving through the trees. She even made it through a few jumps, lifting off one skate to turn and land on the other foot, all without so much as a wobble. All the while, she wore the brightest smile on her face, positively beaming with the joy of being able to skate.

A surge in confidence swelled in Lumine's chest at seeing all three of them enjoying this so much. Surely it couldn't be that hard. She could be beautiful like they were. Magical, even, seeing as she was a literal star who had gracefully flown through the vastness of space like a meteor swirling in the heavens. She just needed to recenter her balance in her core and not in her legs. She sucked in a slow, deep breath, pushing forward with a powerful stride–

–and flopped flat onto her back, hitting her head against the ice with a loud wallop.

Stars danced across her vision, the sound muffled as a high pitched noise rang in her ears. The dull throb in her skull and back followed quickly, spreading down her spine and nerves with each heartbeat. Her lungs burned as though she'd swallowed the sun; she didn't even realize the fall had knocked the wind out of her until her diaphragm suddenly released its hold over her body and let her suck in a pained gasp. A pitiful groan of pain escaped her as sound returned to her, hearing Tonia's frantic shout of her name.

The girl reached her side in seconds. "Are you alright?" Was she? A quick assessment revealed Lumine  could still wiggle her fingers and toes no matter the pain in her butt and head– no concussion, it seemed, despite the hard knock. Good, because if she'd gotten hurt, she didn't think Mama Nat would ever let her leave the house again. Tonia must have realized she wasn't too badly injured, as she helped Lumine sit up with another low groan. "It's a wonder you didn't crack the ice!"

"Nnn... yeah, that would have been my luck," She groaned, rubbing her sore head. "Ugh."

"Stay here, I'll get you some ice for your head," Tonia said, taking off before Lumine could protest that she didn't need a cold compress when they were literally surrounded by snow in the frigid temperatures. She had a feeling that Tonia wouldn't have listened to her anyways, knowing how concerned Ajax got whenever she got hurt. 

Across the ice, Teucer and Anton carefully watched their elder sister hurriedly gather a chunk of snow and wrap it into her scarf. When they determined she wasn't going to keel over, they quickly went back to their fun, laughing amongst each other. The teenager returned to her side without another word, carefully tightening the scarf into an ice compress and putting it against the back of Lumine's head. She let out a slow sigh, relaxing as it actually did take away some of the pain, despite matching the chill outdoors.

In the two weeks she'd been safely tucked away at Ajax's childhood home, Lumine had realized that Tonia was as easy to get along with as her older brother was. Sure, she found Teucer adorable, but he had a tendency to get overwhelming fairly quickly. Anton was sweet, too, and so brilliant, but Lumine regularly felt like she was playing catch-up with his smarts. And Natasha was fantastic, motherly in a way Lumine had never experienced before, kind and caring and fiercely protective, but she was still Ajax's mother and therefore, disconnected in a way she couldn't quite explain. 

But Tonia was a pleasant mixture of all of these traits. Perhaps it was a relief that she'd found another girl who she could easily talk to, even if they weren't at the same exact stages in their life. Perhaps Lumine simply savored the quiet that Tonia brought with her after dealing with her overwhelming brothers. Or perhaps there was something else, something she couldn't quite pin down, something that reminded Lumine of her older brother. In any case, she was happy they had become fast friends, and liked to think they would have been even if they weren't attached to a certain redhead they both loved a great amount. 

"You know," Lumine said, snapping out of her thoughts, "You never gave me your answer on what you want to do with your life."

Tonia blinked. "Hm? Oh, ah... admittedly, I don't know yet."

"No? Surely you have some idea."

The girl let out a slow sigh, sitting beside Lumine as they watched the boys continue to skate around the pond. "My plans are more like daydreams," She said plainly, pulling her knees up to her chest. "Far off delusions that won't come to pass."

"Why's that?"

"...Because I'm scared of what might happen if I try." Lumine frowned, her brows creasing into a sharp V. What could she possibly be afraid of? Was she feeling some sort of inadequacy? After all, her brothers were impressive– a top lieutenant in Snezhnaya's massive army, an already-budding scholar with the goal of attending the top school in the world, and an ambitious boy with dreams of making children across Teyvat smile with the toys he gifted them. But Lumine could make countless arguments as to why the youngest Alekseev daughter was impressive in her own right, despite only knowing her for two weeks. Tonia must have seen her confusion, as she unraveled her braid and began to weave the hair again. "I want to travel."

That was all? "Like your brothers."

"Yes. But they're... more sure of themselves than I am." She stared towards where Teucer tried to copy Anton by skating with his arms behind his back and chin raised. The youngest Alekseev made it about three strides before he wobbled again, his arms shooting out to balance himself. "Whenever I think about leaving Snezhnaya, I get this deep sense of dread. So instead, I'll just stay here where it's safe."

Ah, she understood now. It wasn't that Tonia didn’t feel like she was good enough; she was scared. "But you are interested in traveling," Lumine stated, pulling her knees up to her chest.

"Of course. I've lived here all my life. I've never really known anything else, except for what Ajax tells me in his letters," She whispered, still fiddling with her auburn hair as she pulled it tighter in its braid. A wistful smile tugged at the corner of her mouth. "He describes the outside world so wonderfully that I get excited with the possibility of seeing it for myself one day, but the minute there's a chance..."

"You freeze," Lumine finished for her. Tonia gave a curt nod, so similar to her elder brother that it nearly stole her breath from her. "You know that's normal, right? Sometimes even I get nervous about taking the next step forward, and my nickname is literally the Traveler. I was even scared to come to Snezhnaya, so I stayed in Mondstadt far longer than I should have until I couldn't take it anymore."

"Really?" Tonia asked, sitting up a little straighter.

A nod. "It has to deal with change. And change is scary." A pensive look flickered across the teenager's face, her auburn brow furrowing in thought. Lumine smirked, nudging her in the ribs again. "What would you do while traveling?"

"I'm not sure. Helping people the same way you do, probably." Good! The Adventurer's Guild could fund her adventures as long as she did her commissions. That would get her a good reputation throughout all of the other nations and give her enough Mora to continue her adventures. Tonia giggled to herself, tying the braid off with a small band and tossing it over her shoulder. "I think I would focus on healing rather than fighting."

That was different, compared to her older brother. "You like healing?"

"I like feeling needed. Helping those who can't help themselves."

…Oh. Maybe she didn't see as much Ajax in the young girl as she thought. Maybe what drew Lumine into Tonia's company were the parts of herself she didn't get to explore as much. 

"Maybe that's another reason I get nervous whenever I think about leaving," Tonia continued, oblivious to the way Lumine couldn't stop blinking through her quiet revelation. "Mama needs me here."

That... didn't surprise Lumine, either. From what she'd seen, Natasha was nervous to lose any more of her children, be it of their own volition or some external force. While it had been years since Childe had told her what happened in the immediate aftermath of his first fall into the Abyss, she remembered enough to recall his mention of how terrified and frantic his mother had been when they'd found him in the woods. That, plus the way his father had forced him to join the Fatui after the chaos he'd caused in his seaside village must have devastated the family. Childe never really mentioned what that time had been like, even though he claimed he was excited to join the military as a chance to further his skills. From the ache in her partner's eyes whenever he recalled that time, she knew it couldn't have been easy on the rest of the family, either.

"Come on, we'll freeze sitting here if we stay much longer," The girl said, breaking her train of thought. "Do you want me to help you off the ice?"

"No!" Her bottom lip jutted out in a pout, no better than a petulant child who didn't get her way. "I can try again."

Tonia giggled and helped her stand, though Lumine did not look as graceful as the teenager did when her blades reconnected with the ice. Her head still throbbed from the hard impact, but it was no worse than any other time she'd rattled her skull during the middle of the fight. When Tonia trusted her enough not to fall flat on her butt again, the girl left her side and went back to solo skating, humming a tune she couldn't recognize. While Lumine may not have been the most graceful, she hoped she showed some sign of improvement, managing to make small steps without wobbling every other stride.

"Well, you're not the prettiest skater, but it'll do," Anton said as the wind began to pick back up, his cheeks ruddied from the cold.

Lumine shot him a droll stare. "Gee, thanks."

"You should get big brother to teach you when he comes back!" Teucer cheered, catching her arm as he skated past and nearly dragging them both to the ground. The boy shot her a goofy smile when they didn't fall, a mixture of pride and apology. "He's a natural."

Of course he was. Childe thrived at everything he did, except archery for some reason. Another blast of cold wind swept through the clearing, slamming into Lumine like a bolt of Cryo from an Abyss Mage. Shivers ran down her spine and no matter how tightly she tugged her jacket around her small frame, she couldn't fight the chill. "I hate to stop our fun, but can we head back to the house?" She asked, her teeth chattering. "I'm not as used to this cold as you are."

Tonia offered her a sympathetic smile. "Sure. The storm is picking up again anyways." She turned to where her brothers continued to skate around the pond, oblivious to the cold. "Come on boys!"

They both groaned in synchronization, but neither felt like pushing back against Tonia's demand. After all, that would have been one way to get them grounded the minute they got back to the cabin. The four hurried off the ice and unlaced their skates, starting up the trek to the house. All the while, the trees swayed and groaned in the wind, the powdery snow blowing around them and cutting the visibility in half. Anxiety swirled in Lumine's stomach, but from how easily the three children continued to converse, this may as well have been a casual walk. They had more experience here and if they weren't beginning to show signs of their panic, then she wouldn't either. 

To her relief, the warm golden glow of lantern light came into view , the smell of woodsmoke permeating her senses. Soon enough she could make out the cabin's exterior in the blowing snow, while the sled dogs the family kept as pets loudly barked with their return. Teucer ran ahead to open the gate, only for the burly pups to barrel through him, sprinting around the woods with the chance to stretch their legs.

"Teucer!" Tonia groaned, running a hand over her face.

"Sorry!" The boy said, a sheepish grin on his young features. "I'll get them!"

He took off running after all seven dogs, laughing as they tried to play back with him, oblivious to the impending weather. Tonia muttered a string of words in Snezhnayan; while Lumine may not have known much about the language, she could garner from Anton's reaction that whatever his elder sister had said was not meant for young ears. 

She fought to hide her laugh. "Do you need help getting them back inside?"

One of Anton's brows rose. "From you? You're about to shiver to death."

"Be nice," Tonia hissed, nudging the middle child with her elbow and shaking her head as he stumbled forward, identical to her disappointed mother. She cast another sympathetic look in Lumine's direction, sighing softly. "He is right, though. Go ahead and warm up inside."

As much as she wanted to brush off her concerns and mumble about her ability to help, Lumine could not deny how cold she was. She dipped her head towards the kids as they went back to trying to figure out how to wrangle the excited sled dogs from enjoying a winter storm, hurrying up the steps of the house and kicking the snow off of her boots. Heat enveloped her in a soft cocoon as soon as she opened the door, pinpricking her frozen cheeks as her body hurriedly tried to readjust to the surge in temperatures. That, plus the smell of freshly baked bread and delicious stew invaded her thoughts, pushing any of her concerns away. 

The smile on her face dropped with one step further inside when she heard a gruff, masculine voice coming from the kitchen. "The town is crawling with them! I've never seen so many of them when he isn't home!"

Her stomach flipped– who was this and why was he here? 

"I know," She heard Natasha easily say, oozing calm. Okay, so at least she knew he was here and didn't seem too concerned by his presence from the tone in his voice. Lumine carefully peeked around the corner by the staircase, sucking in a silent breath at the sight of a burly man. He was taller than she expected, and massive, his arms the size of her head with a wide, muscular chest. His full beard matched the color of copper bars with streaks of white peppering the neatly trimmed hairs. And his eyes, the prettiest shade of blue like the sea at high noon, the smallest twinkle remaining in his vibrant gaze.

Oh. Archons above, he was Childe's father.

"It makes me uncomfortable, knowing they're going through every house looking for Archons-knows what! I heard someone say they're trying to find the Traveler, which is ridiculous. Why would that girl be this far north? What do we have here that she could want?" 

Natasha's eyes suddenly sliced to Lumine's over her husband's shoulder, the color rapidly draining from her cheeks. She opened her mouth to say something– anything– but the words would not come. He must have noticed her subtle shift, following her gaze behind him to where Lumine stood frozen by the staircase, eyes wide, unsure of what to do or say. What could she say? Childe already didn't talk a lot about his father and from the first meeting, he didn't seem too keen on the idea of her being nearby. The man's brow creased as he glanced between the two girls, slowly putting the pieces together. He turned slowly back to his wife, softly asking, "Who is this?"

Mama Nat gave a hard swallow. "Our guest."

"Natasha."

"H-hello," Lumine suddenly said, her feet and mouth moving before her mind could catch up. She offered her hand and forced a smile. "My name is Lumine."

"Lumine," He repeated, his heavy accent dragging over the syllables in her name. "As in... As in the Traveler."

"...Yes."

The man whirled around to face his wife, leaving Lumine's extended hand vacant. "You cannot be serious. Do you know how much danger we're in with her here?!"

"She is our guest, Arkady," Natasha hissed, her eyes narrowing at the insinuation that she hadn't weighed the dangers herself. A growl tore out of the man's chest, so similar to his son that for a split second, Lumine thought he'd shown up, too. She swallowed hard as the tension between the married couple grew, her racing heart loudly thudding against her ribs. She didn't want to be the cause of any strife anymore than she already had. For some reason, though, she had a feeling whatever silent argument the two were having ran deeper than her arrival. Then Natasha huffed, her hands on her wide hips. "She is also the woman your Harbinger son entrusted us to look after while he deals with the current situation."

That gave him pause, glancing between the women once more, the cogs visibly working in his mind as he adjusted to the new information. Lumine raised her chin, trying to stay strong under his furrowed gaze. Man, perhaps this was another reason she hadn't been in a long-term romantic relationship with someone before; she really didn't have the best luck meeting parents, between nearly attacking Natasha and the children and immediately making a bad first impression with Arkady. 

Then, with a slow exhale, Childe's father shook his head. "A guest, you say?"

Natasha let out a breath, too. "Yes."

"And he knows she's here?"

"He's the one who brought her."

He sighed, reaching up to slick back his mess of ginger curls. "I swear, that boy only brings trouble everywhere he goes."

Lumine bristled like a cat sprayed by water. "This isn't his fault–" 

"Did he say when he'd be back?"

"Soon," Natasha said simply.

Arkady squeezed his eyes shut and shook his head again. Archons, they really looked so similar the more she stared at him, down to the little mannerisms; the way he brushed off too-big feelings, or how he flexed his hands when he needed to expel some energy, to even the way his lip curled whenever he reached a decision he wasn't happy with. He let out another slow sigh through clenched teeth. "Fine."

"Fine?" Mama Nat asked, leaning against the kitchen counter, her sharp eyes widening. "So you're not going to turn her over?"

"As stupid as I think it is to harbor a criminal against the crown, no." His attention turned to Lumine, still frowning as he gave her a slow once-over. "But if he asked us to keep an eye on her, there must be a good reason. Perhaps there's still some hope for him, after all."

What did that mean? She had no time to ask more questions when the front door clanged open once more and the children rushed in, cold and wet from rolling around in the snow with the dogs. Whatever frustration in Arkady's eyes vanished in a heartbeat as the chorus of Papa's! filled the room, replaced by a vicious love as he dropped down to hug all of them. Lumine’s heart squeezed as they swarmed him; she knew that face far better than she had expected, having seen it countless times when her partner let the mask of stone drop to reveal the happy-go-lucky boy she knew him to be deep down. 

A hand touched her shoulder, jolting her from her pained thoughts. One look up revealed Natasha giving her a grim, tired smile, one she also recognized far too well. 

Just how many more of these rough conversations would she need to have before her partner returned?

Chapter Text

"I will only be gone for a few hours at most," Natasha said, hurriedly pulling on thick, fuzzy boots and a fluffy fur-lined jacket. "If you need anything–"

"Mama, it'll be fine," Tonia pushed, a patient but determined smile on her pretty face. "We can handle the house on our own. We've done it countless times before."

"I know, but it's different now. With Lumine here..."

Lumine glanced up from her late breakfast as the older woman grabbed a small satchel and slung it over her shoulder, her dark brow creased in thought. This was usually as far as Natasha got before she crumbled and decided she couldn't handle the idea of leaving them to handle themselves with the risk hanging over their heads. Still, with the weather having calmed significantly compared to the mess of snowstorms when she first arrived, the older woman couldn't take the chances of missing out on a fresh grocery run. That, plus Lumine knew how low the fresh supplies were getting in the storeroom. It's why Arkady had risked the cold weather to go hunting– and why Natasha seemed to finally be taking this trip seriously. 

Tonia knew it too, from how hard she was pushing her mother to go. She patted her mother's arm with another soft, but firm nudge. "Lumine isn't going to do anything she wouldn't do while you're here. And it's not like you're leaving us with a newborn. We'll be fine." Natasha's nose wrinkled in thought, the crease between her brow furrowing deeper. Was it annoyance at having her concerns dismissed? Or was she simply perplexed as to how her skittish daughter was handling the situation as a whole? Whatever the case, Tonia didn't let her dwell on it for long. "Besides, if you don't go, Anya will certainly get suspicious as to why you're skipping another trip to town and might start asking questions."

"And we really do need the groceries," Anton chimed in from the couch, not bothering to look up from his book. "I'm sick of eating venison jerky."

Natasha shot him a cold glance. "Your father could get them when he's in town."

“You're going to trust Papa to do the grocery shopping?” Teucer asked with a giggle. "How did that go last time, again?"

To Lumine's surprise, something softened on the older woman's features, and she actually smiled in a way she hadn't for days. "Fair enough," She finally sighed, holding her hands up in defeat. "If anything happens, you'll do what we talked about?"

All of the children gave a nod– but to what, Lumine had no clue. "We can handle it, Mama," Tonia affirmed, determination glistening in her ice blue eyes.

For the first time in days, Natasha relented, holding up her hands in surrender. "Fine. I'll give my love to your sister." She leaned in and kissed her youngest daughter's forehead, then shot a look towards her two sons in front of the fireplace. "Tonia is in charge. Listen to her and behave, or we'll have issues."

"Yes Mama," The boys said together, glancing towards each other with the smallest smiles on their faces.

Natasha gave another sigh, looking between Lumine and Tonia one final time. Something flickered in her sharp gaze, an emotion she could only guess to understand. Anxiety, sure– after all, leaving them here without her was already a stressor, no matter how many times they seemed to have done it before. But the older woman also seemed... trusting of her children to handle the situation if something arose, no matter how much it made her worry.

"Be safe," She whispered to the girls. Then, before she could change her mind the way she had for the last week, Natasha turned on her heel, opened up the front door, and headed out into the chilly afternoon.

Silence permeated the living room as the gravity of the situation sank in. Lumine swallowed hard, trying not to let her own worries eat away at the back of her mind. She didn't have to wait long for a distraction though, as Tonia turned towards the rest of the room, hands on her slender hips while a smile stretched across her pretty face. "So? What should we do to kill time while she's gone?"

That shattered any of the lingering dread spinning its webs in her stomach like a spider preparing to catch its meal. 

It didn't take long for them to settle into the comfortable lull of a cozy Saturday afternoon, enjoying the relative peace and quiet amongst one another. Even excitable Teucer enjoyed his alone time, carefully fixing one of the busted arms of a toy Childe had probably gifted him at some point in his life. Snow fell outside the thick glass windows, but it was nothing like the blizzards that had first trapped Lumine in the nation of ice, almost picturesque compared to the brutality of the violent weather that had nearly chilled her to her soul. Every once in a while, she would zone out in the middle of her card game with Tonia, her mind wandering thousands of miles away. 

She couldn't help but wonder what might be happening in the rest of the world while she stayed tucked inside the tiny cabin in the woods. Was anyone other than the Fatui wondering where she could be? Did they think she was dead? What must her friends in Mondstadt believe, to hear that she had snuck out in the middle of the night and headed off to her final nation with the intent of learning what she could to regain her abilities? Would they be as mad at her as they had been when they realized how close she was with Childe? Would they welcome her in, should she somehow make it back to them safely? Or would she be alone again, the same way she had been while sprinting across the frozen wasteland, forced to leave them behind the same way she had left Paimon in the clutches of the Fatui? 

"So Fontaine is really big on the arts?" Tonia asked as Teucer ran out of the front door to feed the dogs, the conversation and the chill from the open door snapping her back into the moment.

Lumine blinked, clearing the knot in her throat with a hard swallow. "Incredibly so," She said, placing one of the cards in her hand down in the pile, then grabbing a new one from the stack. "Not only the classics like music and dance, but also fashion and food. It's completely different from anything else I've experienced in Teyvat– when it's not being too hostile, of course."

"Sounds like Zapolyarny."

One golden brow rose. "Have you been?"

Tonia gave a little nod, placing her own card down and grabbing another from the pile. "I went with the rest of the family last summer. Got to see Ajax while we were there, which is always a treat. He also had to jump up on stage at a Fatui rally, saying something about boosting troop morale."

"I remember that!" Lumine squeaked, heat blossoming across her cheeks at her sudden intrusion. She clearly remembered Javert's exhausted features as he handed over the letter from Childe, sweat dripping down the poor soldier's brow. What his younger sister didn't know was that his decision to jump on stage had been a distraction, a way to hide the true deeds of the Fatui's role from his family– especially his youngest brother. One day, though, Teucer would be exposed to the truth behind the army's dark deeds. She hoped it didn't shatter the boy's childhood dreams too soon. "The soldiers I ran into wouldn't stop talking about it for weeks."

"So you had some conversations with other Fatui soldiers?" The girl asked, nodding to her hand on cards.

Lumine hurriedly placed down the one she'd been holding without really paying attention to which one it was. "Not all of them are bad, but I don't agree with their methods," She explained, frowning as she realized she shouldn't have placed the card she just did. She needed to be careful not to reveal her whole hand, or else she'd lose the game. "The most obvious example of this is your brother. He's my best friend and my partner, but the minute he has to don that Harbinger persona..."

"I understand," Tonia whispered, placing her own card down.

"It's unfortunate," She muttered, scanning over the numbers on the cards still left in her hands. If she was following the rules as Tonia had taught her, the game should be over; she couldn't physically play her card unless she sacrificed the rest of her hand. She let out a sigh, shaking her head. "But I know why he's doing what he's doing, even if I don't agree with the methods he's taking to accomplish the Tsaritsa's goals."

Tonia's head shot up, her thin lips pursed in thought. "What are the Fatui doing–"

"Tonia!" Teucer burst through the front door, his thick fur-lined hat and jacket coated in fat snowflakes, his cheeks ruddied from the cold and from exertion. "There are soldiers coming!"

An icy shot of panic raced up Lumine's spine, her stomach flipping like a boat stuck in a maelstrom. In a split second, all of them leapt to their feet, setting aside their games and books, leaving behind the casualness of the day to face the crisis in front of them. "What?" Tonia squeaked, the color draining from her usually-rosy cheeks. "Now?"

"How can you tell?" Anton asked.

"I saw them–"

"How did you see them?"

"I was trying to get the dogs back in–" He winced when Tonia let out another pitiful squeak, "--I know, I know, but they're in safely now! Before I got the last dog inside, I spotted them moving through the woods and whispering about our house. They're headed here right now!"

"Did you see any of the Harbingers with them?" Lumine asked, clenching her fingers around the hilt of an invisible sword. To her dismay, Teucer shook his head. Dammit! And here she'd been hoping it would be Childe and the rest of his unit, released from the recall to find her. But if he wasn't with the group, then the soldiers were definitely on the hostile side, unable to be bargained with. 

"Anton, take Lumine upstairs," Tonia suddenly ordered, sounding so much like Natasha in the moment that for a split second, Lumine had forgotten the woman was not there. "Hide her away until the Fatui are gone."

Lumine flinched. "What? No, I'll face them–"

"No," All of the children said at once, whipping around to stare at her.

"But you could be in serious danger!" She said, ready to summon her sword and head out into the woods before they could associate the children with her. Sure, she may not have any supplies ready to go, nor was she fully dressed, and she definitely didn't have a plan on where to run– but she would not let them be dragged into her own battles with the Fatui. Her eyes sliced to Tonia's, pleading as she hissed, "They aren't like your brother. They will do anything to get their hands on me."

They’d already proven they would go the distance to follow their Tsaritsa’s orders. 

"Maybe so, but we made a promise to keep you safe, and Snezhnayans do not break their promises." For someone who seemed so terrified to leave her home and experience the outside world, Tonia didn't flinch as she spoke, her chin raised in defiance. Whether it was directed towards Lumine or to the soldiers threatening to ransack the little house, she couldn't tell. "Let us help you." 

"But you're just children..."

"Children who know what's truly important," Anton agreed, glancing out the window by the front porch. "Children who aren't afraid to stand up for what we believe in."

"Yeah!" Teucer cheered, oblivious to the true danger they were all in. "We're not going to let anyone take you!"

…Oh.

She'd seen that same determined glint shimmering in their sharp gazes before, in a different set of blue eyes. She shouldn't have been surprised at their bravery as they stared down the perilous situation; they were cut from the same cloth as their elder brother and didn't seem eager to back down from the same challenges that would delight him. So, no matter how much her body and mind screamed at her to get out now while there was still a fraction of time, she hung her head and let out a sigh in defeat.

Tonia took that as acceptance. "There's no time to waste," She said, scrambling the cards they had been playing, giving them no way to come back to the game if they wanted to. "I'll handle them. You two hide her."

Before Lumine could find it in her to argue, Anton grabbed her hand and tugged her up the stairs with Teucer tightly on their heels. He pulled her into his and Teucer's bedroom, revealing an even more stark example of their divide than she had expected; Anton's side was nice and orderly, though covered with stacks of books and other papers, while Teucer's looked as though a bomb had gone off, the floor and bed covered in trinkets and cogs and toys he had taken apart and fiddled with to put back together in a new configuration. She had no time to drink the sight in before the older boy shoved a stack of thick textbooks aside, revealing a small storage cubby in the wood paneling.

"In here," He ordered, sliding open the rickety door. Lumine didn't waste a second, slipping inside the tight, dark space. One glance over her shoulder revealed the two young boys didn't plan on joining her, though, determined smiles plastered on their youthful features. "Stay quiet, no matter what happens."

"But–"

"Please, Lumine. Let us help."

She opened her mouth to protest again when a loud knock sounded from downstairs. Anton wasted no time shutting her in the small cubby from the outside, the light fading as he closed her off from the rest of the world. Lumine's heart thudded loudly against her chest, unable to ignore the shivers running up and down her spine as she sat in near complete darkness. Memories of the Fourth Domain in that damp Fontainian cave came flooding back all too quickly, the snapping of sharp canine teeth, the throbbing in her busted leg, the overwhelming stench of sulfur as the Abyss waited for her to make one wrong move so it could swallow her whole...

She'd never been claustrophobic before, but the more she thought about all the chaos that had happened there, the more her pulse began to rise– or perhaps the anxiety came from what she had to deal with now, leaving a bunch of children to fight her battles. Archons, if something happened to them, Natasha would never forgive her, Childe would never forgive her–

Another knock against the front door reverberated through the floorboards, this time far less patient than before.

She glanced down towards the only remaining light in the cubby, a tiny vent peering into the living room through slatted metal. There, she saw Tonia open the front door, allowing several soldiers inside. Her heart sank in her chest once more. This couldn't be a normal scouting party. No, this was obviously a raid.

"Hello sirs," Tonia greeted, her voice never once trembling. "How can I help you?"

"Afternoon, little miss," The lead sergeant said, his voice heavy with a Fontainian accent. He pulled off his thick woolen hat, revealing a mop of curly brown hair, and dipped into a respectful bow. “I've been asked to stop by and visit your family on Lord Harbinger Pulcinella's request.”

From the slats in the vent, Lumine could see Tonia's brow narrow. "He's never sent a squadron to check up on us before. He always preferred to make the visit himself. Has something happened to him?"

"No ma'am, he's simply occupied. I'm sure you've heard of the recall?"

"I heard rumblings." How was Tonia playing so cool in the face of these soldiers? Perhaps there was more to these visits than even Childe knew about. Perhaps she'd been staring down danger for years. "My parents don't really talk about the Fatui all that much."

"No?" The man asked, arms crossed behind his back as he sauntered around the living room. "A shame, seeing as it's such an integral part of Snezhnayan society. Speaking of, where are your parents?"

"My mother is shopping ahead of the holiday festivities. My father..."

"Your father?"

"I believe he's fishing. Or hunting, I'm not sure. He left before dawn, so..." 

"So you're in charge." From her spot in the rafters, Lumine watched the corner of the soldier's lip twitch upwards in a small smirk. He came to stand in front of Tonia, towering over her with that crooked grin as he purred, "Must be a lot of responsibility for a young woman like yourself."

Oh, it was a good thing she was trapped up here and not down there. Otherwise, she would have slammed her heel into the man’s ankle the minute he started acting all high and mighty.

Tonia, however, pulled on a surprisingly sweet smile that did not reach her eyes. “Why are you here?”

“We’re looking for someone,” The man explained, going back to his slow pacing. “Blonde, short, has powers beyond this world.”

“That sounds like the Traveler!” Oh gods, Teucer. She hadn’t even heard him leave the room, her heart thudding too loudly in her ears to pay attention to anything other than the conversation in the living room. Tonia’s eyes widened, too, as her younger brother barrelled down the stairs, a wide smile on his face.

The Fatui soldier raised a brow, crossing his arms. “You know her?”

“Yep! We met in Liyue a few years ago when I visited my big brother! She took me to see one of the Mister Cyclops factories while I was there. She’s really cool!” 

Lumine barely managed to swallow the panicked breath she had been holding, running a hand over her face to wipe the sweat from her brow. At least Teucer was bringing up memories from a while back, before she and Childe would even consider themselves allies, instead of hinting that Lumine had been here, safely tucked in at the cabin in the woods while the Fatui hunted her down. 

Still, the dark haired soldier narrowed his eyes. “You hold her in high regard.”

“You’ll have to forgive him,” Tonia quickly interrupted, wrapping an arm around her baby brother and yanking him against her side. “His trip to the nation of contracts is his favorite story to tell.”

“Hmm.” He went pacing around the living room, his boots heavy against the wooden floors. “So then you haven’t seen the Traveler nearby recently?” 

“Nope!” Teucer cheered, lying with ease.

“Then you’ll allow me to check.” His head shot up to the other troops still standing in the doorway at attention. “Search the house.”

In a flash, the men and women jumped into action, scattering like rats on a sinking ship throughout the living room. Out of the edge of her view, she heard glass shatter and gruff shouts in Snezhnayan as they barked orders to one another. Lumine’s stomach sank to a new low, covering her mouth to keep from gasping out loud. Surely they couldn’t– after all, that was such an invasion of privacy–! And while she’d understood why the Alekseevs had hidden her away, she half-expected it to be no issue at all, especially since they were raiding the house of a Harbinger’s family.

Tonia seemed just as horrified, whirling around to stare at the squadron leader. “What are you doing?! Why are you raiding our home?!”

"The Fatui cannot take any precautions at this time."

"Precautions for what?"

"We have reason to believe you are harboring an enemy of the state in this house."

Tonia and Teucer exchanged the smallest of glances before the older girl squeaked. "You think she's here?!"

"I do. And I'll tear this house apart until I can prove otherwise." Another loud crash out of sight rattled the house, followed by Teucer's pitiful whine. Lumine pressed herself closer to the vent but could not see anything further. Surely they wouldn't hurt the children. If they did, Childe would go ballistic and decimate them until they were nothing but ash, and she would willingly help him destroy those that had laid hands on his siblings. Archons, if she did catch sight of them hurting the kids, she would burst out of this little cubby as fast as she possibly could, damn the consequences. 

"Stop!" Tonia shrieked, a different kind of sharp pain lacing her words. "Please, you're disrupting my mother's hard work! When she finds out what you're doing–"

"She will do nothing if she knows her place, the same as you. Now be a good girl and stand aside."

"Why do you want Lumine so badly?" Teucer cried, just out of the edge of the vent's vision. "She's so nice!"

"Oh, is she?" The soldier hissed, venom dripping from his words like a snake creeping through Sumeru's jungle. "She took down two of her Majesty's Harbingers and now another is missing, likely thanks to her influence."

A pause. Then, Tonia asked, "Who?"

"You and I both know."

Before Tonia could respond, the heavy footfall shifted to the stairs instead of what she expected was the kitchen, the wood creaking and groaning under the soldiers' weight. Outside the little cubby door, she heard Anton slip the tiniest Snezhnayan curse, something she resonated with all too well. The sudden shift of relying only on her ears to understand what was happening threatened to eat her alive, her mind whirring at a thousand miles a minute. She closed her eyes as if that would help her imagine where the soldiers were, their steps reverberating through the boards she sat on. At least they seemed to have stopped smashing things the way they had downstairs. What could they have possibly destroyed as a way to try and intimidate the children into revealing where Lumine might be?

"Who's room is this?" A deep, raspy voice asked, so different from the smooth, accented commander. 

"My big brother’s!" Teucer answered with ease. If she listened closely enough, Lumine swore she could hear the slightest tinge of defiance lacing his words.

"And who's been sleeping in his bed?"

"...Huh?"

"The bed is unmade. Has the Lord Harbinger been here recently?"

"No," Tonia quickly said. 

Perhaps far too quickly, as the squadron leader hissed,"You're not lying are you? Lying to a Fatui soldier is punishable by–" 

"I'm not lying."

"Then who was in his bed?"

In her mind, Lumine could practically see this man pressing the young girl flat against the wall, towering over her just as he had before. She bit her lip to stay as quiet as she could; Tonia may have been able to stare down danger earlier, but the longer this dragged on, the more likely the girl would be to crack. After all, she'd faced countless interrogations before across all times and planets and even she struggled to hide the truth deep inside herself, especially when it came to emotionally charged moments– like one's home being raided and destroyed by soldiers who thought intimidation was the only way to acquire the answers they desired.

It was too late to try and help the children now; if she jumped out of her hiding spot, they would immediately know the Alekseevs had lied to them from the beginning. They may even be able to tie it back to Childe, to connect the pieces of their relationship beyond just tentative allies. And if she took the soldiers down with what limited abilities she had, Pulcinella would know and then every Harbinger would be bearing down on the little house like a monstrous hurricane before Lumine could escape. She needed to make a decision before they stole Tonia away as some sort of trade for information– she had no clue if that was even a measure the soldiers would take, but she did not want to risk it! 

“It was me!” Teucer suddenly said before she could decide, the panic in his voice flipping Lumine’s stomach once more. “I was sick and I couldn’t stay in my bedroom with Anton. Don’t worry, I’m feeling a lot better now!”

Archons above, was this how Teucer had managed to get all the way to Liyue by himself all those years ago? A talent for lying from the hip, giving believable answers when the truth was too revealing? She’d have to mention it to Childe, should he ever grace them with his presence again before the world decided to end.

“That’s right, you have another brother.” The soldier’s agitation as he mentioned Anton dragged Lumine out of her turbulent thoughts. “Where is he?”

“Studying,” Tonia spat.

“So there’s no way he’s not helping someone escape right now?”

“No.”

The bedroom door slammed open despite Tonia’s insistence. Lumine slapped a hand over her mouth, her heart leaping into her throat and thudding so loudly she could barely hear anything else. Too late, too late– there was nothing she could do now but pray, pray they wouldn’t hurt any of the siblings, pray they wouldn’t learn the truth of her hiding spot, pray they wouldn’t discover the Traveler had been right under their noses the entire time. 

“Hey!” Anton snarled, as vicious as a wolf pup annoyed by one of his siblings. “What are you doing, barging in like this?”

“See?” Tonia’s voice. “He was studying.”

“Forgive me, I…” For the first time since the soldiers had arrived, the commander sounded flabbergasted. “I could have sworn–”

“Sworn what?! That a boy my age wouldn’t be studying on a Saturday?” Anton snapped again, putting on quite the act. Lumine knew how much his schooling meant to him, sure, but he had never sounded this passionate about it. They really were all like their older brother in their ability to be dramatic. “Unlike you brutish soldiers, I have a different path for what I want in my life!”

“Brutish soldiers?” Any other time and she may have laughed at the second soldier’s quiet remark.

Anton continued like a mudslide tearing across open land. “None of you will ever know the dedication it takes to get into the Akademiya. Your puny minds cannot understand it!”

“Alright, alright!” The squadron leader cursed, muttering something in Fontainian under his breath. “We’re sorry for interrupting.”

“Why are you even here, anyways? Pulcinella would never burst in unannounced like this, and he certainly wouldn’t come without bringing us treats.”

“Hey, yeah!” Teucer again. “Where are our goodies?!”

Lumine may not have been able to physically see the squadron leader’s exhaustion, but she could hear it hanging off of his voice. “This is not a normal house call, but I understand your point. I’ll leave you to study– what is that?”

Silence. Despite not being able to know what the soldiers could possibly be looking at, every hair on the back of her arms and neck stood at attention, every instinct warning her to get ready like an alarm blaring in the back of her mind. Her heart rattled her ribcage, the swirling Pyro energy in her chest that had been mostly absent during her stay here suddenly surging back to life. 

“The doorway,” The soldier hissed. “Where does it go?”

No.

No, no, no! They had been so close– they had almost been out–

“It stores firewood so we can stock the stoves at night,” Anton answered, but Lumine could hear the previous bite to his words fading. “You’re obviously not Snezhnayan if you don't recognize it–”

“I may be from Fontaine, but I am just as loyal to her Majesty’s cause as you should be.” Even though she couldn’t see the room, she could feel the tension weighing on the man’s accented words and the silence that followed. “Open it.”

“What? Why?”

“Because I said so! Open it, or I will.”

No one moved. Lumine mentally cursed, raising her hand towards the little slat in the wall and reaching deep inside herself to find what few elemental abilities she had left. The sound of boots slamming against the wooden floorboards echoed in her mind, reverberating through her body. This was it. This was the moment they’d been dreading since she had arrived, the possibility of being discovered by a Fatui agent looming ahead of her like a comet barrelling towards the planet at maximum speed. The Pyro energy roasting in her core grew stronger with each frantic heartbeat, the vines of Dendro constricting around her arms. If she had an explosive reaction as she did with her other abilities while fighting the Fatui, she would absolutely burn down the little house or cause a bloom slicing everything the cores touched. She didn’t have time to worry about it, the crack of light suddenly spilling in as the soldier began to open the door and–

“What is the meaning of this?!”

Natasha. Oh, thank the Archons for continuing to look after her!

The hand opening the cubby door froze, the squadron leader hissing, “Shit, the mother.”

Footsteps immediately walked away from where she hid, the weight of the presence vanishing as they hurried back downstairs. Another small hand closed the cubby door, shrouding her in shadows once more. Lumine let out a breath she didn’t know she’d been holding, sweat pouring down her brow. Her stomach churned like a rolling sea, thick with anxiety. Gods above, that had been too close. 

“Who is in charge here?!” Natasha screeched downstairs, dragging her attention back to the tiny vent overlooking the living room.

“Hello, ma’am,” The dark-haired squadron leader said as he reached the bottom step flanked by three of his other soldiers, adjusting his thick cloak. “My name is–”

“Do I look like I care? What kind of search is permitted without a warrant? And who gave you the right to destroy my home?”

Any of the remorse the young soldier may have felt earlier vanished, a mask of ice on his features. “We’re searching for a fugitive.”

“Not this same nonsense that those gossips in town were discussing. The Traveler is not here.” Lumine quickly understood where the children got their stubborn bravery from, to easily lie in the faces of elite soldiers. Ironic, seeing as Childe couldn’t be subtle to save his life. Natasha put her hand on her hips, glaring down the squadron leader despite being at least a foot shorter than her. “I doubt she would be stupid enough to venture this far north in the middle of winter without any allies.”

Mmmm, no, she was that stupid. “Without any allies?” The soldier hissed, his frown deepening. “You’re aware your son is a known associate of hers?”

“My son is also the 11th of her Majesty’s Harbingers and would never abandon his cause for some girl.” At least that was true. And as much as it ate away at Lumine, she couldn’t fault him for his loyalty, no matter how much it made her want to pull her hair out. “When he hears about this–”

“If.”

Natasha actually recoiled, and even from her spot looking through the tiny vent, Lumine could see her brow crease. “What?”

“No one has heard from the Lord Harbinger in weeks,” He explained, folding his arms behind his back. That stupid, small smirk made another appearance on his full lips. “Perhaps you’re right in that he and the Traveler are not friends. Perhaps she took him down the same way she did the Knave and one of the Doctor’s… associates.”

“Then why would I be harboring her? Your logic makes no sense, sir, and you’ve exhausted my patience. If my son isn’t an option to turn to, then perhaps your Harbinger in Pulcinella would be a better person to hear my complaint. He will strip you of your rank so fast you’ll be left wondering where it all went wrong!”

“Ma’am–”

“Get out of my house,” The mother wolf snarled, shoulders trembling with barely concealed anger. “And do not come back.”

The soldiers all let out a huff of annoyance, filing out of the living room one by one and slamming the door behind them. Silence filled the little house for a long heartbeat, as if all of them were waiting with bated breath to see if the Fatui would try and catch them in the act. Then, Tonia squeaked a quiet apology and the tears came faster than a flood, with Natasha leaving Lumine’s view from her spot trapped in the cubby to soothe her emotional daughter.

A swirl of emotions gnawed at her as though she were bait on a fishing line, the knot in her throat tightening the longer she sat in the silent darkness. She hated feeling so helpless. Perhaps she should have just revealed herself the moment they had approached. Perhaps letting them take her to the Tsaritsa– as much as she didn’t want to actually face the ice queen– would be the smarter decision to prevent them all from dealing with this anxiety and danger that came with her presence. If they continued down this path of keeping her a secret no matter how much the Fatui suspected she was here, then something horrible was bound to happen, and Teucer’s childhood dreams really would shatter on their own. 

But then again, Childe had been adamant that she stay out of Snezhnaya. He had been desperate to protect her and she had already destroyed the one chance of complete safety by stepping foot in the nation of ice. He must have known something deeper, some sort of plan he did not agree with, for him to willingly risk his family’s safety to keep her safe. She had to trust he knew what he was doing, no matter how pathetic she felt or how desperate she wanted to help.

Anton opened the door an hour after the soldiers had left, a tired smile etched into his young gestures. Together, they headed downstairs, the awkward tension clinging to them as they moved. Her heart sank even deeper in her chest as she saw the damage the soldiers had caused, much more visible now that she wasn’t looking through the slats in the vent. Mud caked every inch of the wooden floors the children had spent so long scrubbing clean for the holiday celebrations. Firewood had been tossed haphazardly around the living room, the curtains shredded like an animal trying to claw its way out of the house. The dinner Natasha had left slow roasting on the stove had been spilled, the thick soup coating every inch of the countertops. They’d shattered hand painted dishes and torn her handwritten invitations to the holidays into tatters, intermingling the ripped paper with the broken porcelain Teucer was trying to sweep up. 

Natasha’s shoulders dropped as Lumine approached, relief washing over her like a wildfire through dry tinder. “Thank the gods you’re alright,” She breathed, slicking back her damp curls. “They’re gone, and I doubt they’ll return.”

“I disagree. They’ll just wait for you to leave again, and the next time they will not go easy on the children, no matter who their older brother is.” The words spilled out of her before she could even begin to stop herself, especially with so many little ears listening. The older woman gave her a sharp look, a plea to keep her voice low before the kids could hear. “I should leave before they come back–”

“Nonsense.”

A frown. “I put you in danger the longer I stay here.”

“I don’t care,” Natasha hissed, shooting a glare towards Tonia. Despite the mess still coating the living room, her youngest daughter immediately grabbed her brothers and started shuffling them out. Only when they had left did Natasha face her once more. “Ajax gave us a job.”

“And it’s honorable that you’re insisting on doing it well,” Lumine whispered, crossing her arms. “But I refuse to be the reason that anyone is taken into custody by the Tsaritsa.”

“That won’t happen.”

“You’re being naive if you think the Fatui won’t take drastic measures to get their hands on me.”

“And you’re being stubborn because you think you’d be better off alone.”

“I don’t want your family getting hurt–”

“Did you forget you are part of that family now?! I will not cast you out simply because I am afraid!” Natasha snapped, her quick retort bouncing off the walls. Tears brimmed in the corner of the older woman’s sharp blue eyes, but they did not fall. “I made that mistake once; I will not do so again.”

 Lumine flinched, opening and closing her mouth like a flopping fish, but her response remained stuck in her throat. What could she even say to that? She knew exactly what she was inferring to, though she admittedly never expected Natasha to bring it up. Her mind swirled like a tornado tearing across the Mondstadt plains, scanning back through the countless things he had mentioned about his parents. Family may have meant everything to the Tsaritsa’s weapon of war, but whenever he brought up his parents, the smile never quite reached his dull blue eyes the same way it did when he mentioned his younger siblings.

“Natasha!” A deep voice called, but it was not enough to rattle Lumine from her swirling thoughts.

“Arkady?” Mama Nat muttered, the tension in her shoulders unraveling like a spool of twine down a staircase. “Why is he back so early?”

She headed away from the kitchen towards the front porch where the children had headed, little laughs rising up in the icy evening air. Lumine stayed rooted in place, desperately clutching the countertop to keep standing as her pained curiosity overwhelmed her.

What had happened to her partner, to leave him with such a quiet resignation towards his parents that he could not voice out loud and had left Natasha so traumatized by the fear of abandoning a child? Again, as she had mentioned. Him falling into the Abyss had not been his mother’s fault. It had to be something else, something closer to when he joined the military at such a devastatingly young age. But Ajax barely mentioned that time in his life. If anything, he always said he joined the Fatui to get more experience in combat. 

Was that a lie? Or was it some attempt to shield the boy buried deep in his chest from the reality of what had happened?

“Lumine, dear! Will you come here?”

Somehow Natasha shattered through the swirling thoughts, breaking Lumine out of the downward spiral. She pushed away from the counter, ignoring how heavy her legs felt as she shuffled out of the kitchen and onto the front porch. The cold wood against her bare feet and the sharp wind against her cheeks killed any of the remaining spiral, jolting her system to focus. The sound of the children’s laughter cut through the otherwise silent afternoon, all three talking in rapid Snezhnayan as though they couldn’t get out their stories fast enough. Natasha’s grin glimmered brighter than the sun despite the tense conversation only a minute ago, clinging to her burly husband.

“Look who I found wandering in the woods,” Arkady hummed, stroking his bearded face, more relaxed than he’d been in days.

Her brow twitched, glancing over his shoulder towards the sound of giddy laughter. There, standing at the edge of the shadowy woods, surrounded by the children all desperate for attention, stood her favorite person in this world. Unlike the last time she’d seen him, so stoic and cold, warmth oozed off his tall, muscular frame, his laughter reigniting the fire in her chest and soul. And when he looked up towards where she stood frozen on the front porch, his single uncovered blue eye brimming with a soft joy she hadn’t seen in months, every stubborn wall she had around herself crumbled like sand at the edge of the tide.

“Childe,” She breathed as though she’d taken a punch to the chest. Then, louder, “Ajax!”

Her feet started moving before she could stop herself, feeling none of the icy chill cutting into her bare feet as she sprinted through the snow. Childe’s brilliant grin tore across his handsome face, moving Teucer and Tonia aside just in time for her to throw herself into his broad arms. Her partner, her lover, her best friend, caught her with such ease, scooping her up out of the snow and into his welcoming grasp. His large gloved hands slid up her back, the intoxicating scent of pine and the sea enveloping her in a way she’d missed for months now.

“Hey starlight,” He laughed, his voice a rumble like thunder in his chest. “Did you miss me?”

Hot tears pin pricked the corner of her eyes as she buried her face into his neck, fingers digging into his mane of red hair. “More than you'll ever know, idiot.”

“Good,” He hummed, squeezing her tighter, “Because I missed you, too.”

Chapter Text

Returning home from long journeys had always been one of Childe’s favorite parts of his job– the mixture of joy and relief etched onto his family’s faces, the delightful taste of a home cooked meal with all the proper ingredients, the comfort of familiarity that came with being in a space he’d known intimately since his birth, and so much more. 

This time, though, he couldn’t help but believe the reunion that much more special.

“Easy there, Lu, or I’ll fall,” He chuckled, tightening his grip around his partner’s waist as she tried to scramble up his tall frame like he was a tree in rising water. With every squirming movement, he struggled to stay standing upright, trying not to stumble backwards into the calf-deep snow.

“You actually came back,” She breathed against his neck, her nails digging into his scalp.

“You didn’t think I would?”

“I don’t know. I’m just so happy you’re here.”

His own overwhelming surge of relief swept through him like a raging flood after a months-long drought. “Me too,” He whispered, kissing her cheek and tightening her legs around his waist. 

Gods, it had been such a long few months without her. His lone wolf nature had never bothered him before– he truly liked working on his own for the most part– but ever since they had crawled out of the Abyss the second time, he couldn't help but feel like he was missing a significant part of himself, the thrall of her comfort like a tug on his soul. During the cold, dark nights alone in the unforgiving Snezhnayan woods, he'd recalled the warmth that came from knowing her in every way that mattered. In the middle of vicious battles and hound and hooligan, his hands stained crimson with those he’d torn down, he found himself looking for a partner that was not there. She had always been the only force of reckoning that could actually keep up with him in a fight– and more often than not, genuinely push him to be better. 

The last few months without her had been a cruel punishment for intertangling himself so tightly with her, until neither knew where the other began or ended. Now, to be back with her in his arms, to feel she was tangible and not just a figment of his memory... 

“Come on,” He grunted, swallowing down the relieved tears pinpricking the corner of his vision and lifting her higher on his narrow hips, “Let’s get you inside before you get frostbite. What kind of girl runs around barefoot in the snow?”

“Not a Snezhnayan,” Anton muttered, adjusting his scarf around his neck. Tonia quickly chided him with a swat across the chest.

“I’m so happy you’re back, big brother!” His youngest brother cheered, bouncing up and down in place, the same bundle of energy Childe had been at his age. “Lumine is pretty good all by herself, but you are so much better together.”

Lumine let out a choked laugh, barely looking up from her spot buried against his throat. “Gee, thanks Teucer.”

“He’s nothing if not honest,” He hummed, hurrying up the front porch stairs.

The second he set his partner back down on two feet, Teucer tilted his head like a curious dog. “What happened to your eye?”

All of the adults froze at the mostly innocent question. Eesh, he’d completely forgotten about the eye patch covering a significant portion of the left side of his face. He’d gotten so used to wearing it that he regularly forgot not everyone knew about the injury he’d sustained. One glance at Lumine revealed she hadn’t, though, her lips twisted in thought as she refused to meet his gaze.

Thankfully, his mother recovered faster than he could. “Oh, you know your brother,” She said simply, ruffling Teucer’s mess of copper colored hair. Her sharp blue eyes sliced to his, a tight smile on her aging face as she added, “It was probably an injury from something silly, right Ajax?”

Well, if she considered falling into the Abyss, corrupting due to the constant pulsating thrall, and nearly choking the life out of his partner in his stupor silly, then yes. Then again, she didn’t know the truth behind the wound– only that Lumine had been the one to give it to him. 

Still, he shot his youngest brother a too-wide grin. “Mama is right when she says don’t run with scissors.”

The rosy color in Teucer’s round cheeks drained in a heartbeat, as pale as the snow surrounding the house. “You didn’t really poke your eye out, did you?”

“Wanna see?”

“No!”

“Are you blind now?” Tonia asked quietly, fiddling with the hem of her thick sweater.

“Nah,” He said with a smile. If anything, he’d argue he’d never seen clearer. Perks of having part of his vision that could see through delusion , he supposed. “I just wear it so people don’t stare at me all funny like Teucer is doing.”

His youngest brother recoiled as though he’d been stung by a fat bumblebee. “I-I’m not staring!”

To his relief, the others on the porch burst into a fit of lighthearted laughter at the poor boy’s reaction. Childe let out a breath he didn’t know he’d been holding, trying to readjust to interacting with his family once more. Out of all of the things that could have been brought up, like where he’d been for the past few months or why he hadn’t been writing letters home the way he’d done throughout every other deployment, he hadn’t expected to get so caught up in a conversation about his eye. As concerned as Teucer may be now, staring at him with a mixture of awe and horror, he had a feeling the boy would find it more fascinating than creepy in a few days. His younger brother was no stranger to bizarre injuries and a new wound like this wouldn’t destroy his childhood dreams.

“Why don’t you kids head back inside?” His mother said, nudging the two younger boys towards the door. “We still have a lot of cleaning up to do, and I have to figure out something new for dinner.” 

“Why?” His father asked as the boys groaned but hurried inside, his auburn brow creasing into a deep V. “What happened to the soup you were making?”

Silence. Tonia, Lumine, and his mother quickly shared a look. While he liked the idea of them all getting along, his excitement of returning home waned, the anxiety swirling in his belly churning like a riptide in shallow water. The moment the front door shut, the lighthearted homecoming persona he’d been struggling to maintain after his time in the wilderness burned away, a mask of stone slamming over his features. 

“What happened?” He asked, looking between all of them for immediate answers.

His mother rolled her eyes. “Archons, the minute the children slip away, the Harbinger comes out–”

“A unit working under Pulcinella’s command came to visit today,” Lumine interrupted, hands on her curvy hips. “Well, visit is a loose term. They tore up the house looking for me.”

“What?” Childe and his father said in perfect synchronization, identical in their rage. He glanced at his mother, jaw slack. “How did you manage to distract them?”

“Don’t look at me,” She said, crossing her arms. “Your sister is the real hero today.”

Tonia’s cheeks reddened under the sudden attention, opening and closing her mouth with an unspoken story. He always knew she had a bit of ice in her veins– he’d have to remember to thank her later for supporting his partner. 

“You let the children alone at home?” His father roared, no better than a wild animal. His bearded lip curled up in disgust, his attention firmly planted on Lumine. “With her?”

A flash of rage flickered to life in his chest, no better than the teenage boy with a vicious temper that had been conscripted into the Fatui at 14 years old. He opened his mouth to tear into the old man, but his mother stepped in before he could, likely remembering the last time the two of them had gotten into a vicious argument. “Lumine is not a threat,” She said simply through clenched teeth. 

“But me being here is,” Lumine hissed. “I should leave–”

“No,” Childe and Natasha snapped at the same time.

One golden brow rose. “Archons above, you’re a carbon copy.”

“Tell me about it,” His father muttered under his breath.

Beside him, Tonia bit her bottom lip to smother her own giggles– what was so funny? This was a serious issue, especially with the day of reckoning inching closer with each passing sunrise and sunset. Should the Tsaritsa get her hands on his partner, then there would be nothing he could do to stop his queen from getting what she wanted. Then again, only a handful of people knew the truth behind the fate of Teyvat and the future looming before them. 

“The point is, they suspected Lumine was here,” His mother said, interrupting his spiraling thoughts. “I wouldn’t put it past those Fatui soldiers to try again. We have to come up with a better plan to keep her safe, because next time we might not be so lucky.”

“Next time, they’ll have to deal with me,” Childe grumbled, trying not to let the simmering wrath seep out of his tone.

“What if you’re not here?”

“Where else would I be?”

“Wait,” Lumine managed, a shattered breath suddenly slipping out of her, “You’re actually back?”

Despite the tension surrounding their discussions of the future and fate, Ajax couldn’t help but grin. “For the most part, I’m back.”

Liquid gold suddenly clashed against a hurricane of blue, and though they’d been apart for months now, he could read the thoughts filling her eyes the way he’d been able to since they solidified their partnership after Lantern Rite more than two years ago. From the way her face crumbled in relief, he couldn't help but wonder how long she'd been holding herself together. He knew her intimately enough to know she shoved all of her issues down until it all exploded. It was a problem they shared, a need to keep everyone around them safe despite the mental and physical damage that weighed on them until they shattered like glass in a damaged mirror. It also brought him great comfort being able to be her outlet when things got too difficult or when she needed to work through an issue rolling around in her big, beautiful brain. 

She was the only person he felt that he could tell everything to, and he hoped she could rely on him the same way as his lover, his partner, his best friend.

He didn’t realize how long they’d been watching one another before his father let out a deep sigh. “Well, that at least partially solves our problems,” The old man mumbled, brushing past them to head inside with the other boys. 

A tic formed in his jaw as  he disappeared behind the closed door without so much as another word. He shouldn’t care about his father’s bluntness whenever chaos surrounding the Fatui got brought up; they were identical in their desire to protect the little ones from the military’s darker side. But did that mean he had to be left out in the cold whenever something he couldn’t control happened with a military unit he didn’t command? After all, it had been the old man who had conscripted him into the Fatui, and no matter how much Childe thrived in the role he’d earned, he didn’t think that it was fair for his father to turn a blind eye to his struggles. Perhaps it was some sort of spite towards Ajax for succeeding amongst the rank and file– or was it regret that left the two men with a wall of ice stuck between them? 

Whatever it was, he had never known how to address it and he doubted he would get the chance any time soon. Deep down, all he wanted to be was the same boy that had braved the cold to go ice fishing with his old man whenever his father’s blue eyes found him amongst the others. Deep down, all he wanted was his father’s approval.

“Ignore him,” His mother said, thin lips pulled into a tight smile. “The cold makes his mood all sour. I, for one, am thrilled to have you home, and in much better condition than the last time you showed up.”

Childe swallowed back the quiet frustration building inside him like a rising wave, forcing a grin that didn’t reach his eye. “I’m happy to be home too.” 

That earned him a smile as she headed inside after her husband with Tonia trailing at her feet. Silence permeated the space between them until the door firmly latched closed, and then he moved faster than a bolt of lightning, desperate to touch and hold and love her once more. He swept her off her feet once more and spun in a circle, nuzzling his face against the curve of her neck. Lumine squealed against his ear, a giddy noise he'd never heard from her no matter how many reunions they'd had. Then again, this time was different; it had been an agonizing wait of not being able to see or speak to each other. He wasn't sure he could ever go that long without being by her side again, no matter how satisfying the return could be. 

Hee dug his gloved fingers into her waist, burying his face into her neck and letting out a shaky, relieved breath until his racing heart finally settled into its normal rhythm once more. "You don't know how long I've been waiting for this," He whispered against the curve of her throat, rubbing circles on the small of her back. 

A bitter laugh slipped out of her. "You didn't like our reunion at the river?"

"Admittedly, this is much better."

He set her back down on the cold porch, tilting her chin up to look him in the eye, eager to burn her pretty features into his memory once more. The most lovely shade of pink fluttered across her round cheeks, both from the cold and the closeness of being wrapped up in his arms once more. Her honey gold eyes latched with his, a million unspoken thoughts weighing between them– relief that neither was seriously injured, how desperately they had longed to be together again, their hopes and fears for the nearing future. And those perfect pouty lips, identical to those that he had dreamed about whenever it got especially difficult to hold back from writing to her… all it would take was a heartbeat to lean in and press his mouth to hers– 

“Big brother!” Teucer’s shrill voice interrupted from the other side of the door seconds before he tore it open. Childe and Lumine jumped apart as though their secret relationship had been discovered by another Fatui Harbinger, heat flooding their cheeks in an identical surge. The boy’s beaming smile didn’t falter though, so he likely hadn’t seen anything– not that they would get in trouble for a kiss here, of all places. “Come on, Mama’s gonna make varenyky for dinner!”

Before either of them could say anything, he slammed the front door closed once more.

Childe hung his head in defeat while Lumine smothered another small giggle. “Shouldn’t keep them waiting,” He muttered.

“Okay,” She breathed, her fingers entangled in his jacket. “But we need to talk about everything that’s happened.”

She was right. He still wanted to know about her journey to get here, including her encounter with Dottore. And he wasn’t stupid enough to think she would let him get away with his random disappearances and overall lack of communication. “We will,” He said, pressing a small kiss to her forehead. “But later. I promise.”

That seemed to satisfy his partner enough to drop the much-needed conversation for now, delaying it for a longer moment alone. Hand-in-hand, they headed inside, the nostalgia of home . He could clearly see the damage the soldiers had done when they arrived earlier; broken plates, wasted soup, trash coating the floor, torn curtains. Frustration boiled in his belly– if he had the chance, he would tear into Pulcinella and the rest of his men the next time he saw them. After all, the Rooster was supposed to protect his family, not intimidate them! 

Another squeeze of his hand dragged him out of his racing thoughts before Lumine untangled their fingers and jumped into action helping his siblings clean up. He watched in silence as she and Tonia worked to repair what they could, picking the chairs off the floor. He had long known that she and his family would get along, but admittedly, there was something so different and relieving about seeing it in person. Even his father cracked a few jokes with his partner as they cleaned, as though none of the earlier tension surrounding her presence existed. 

All throughout dinner, he couldn’t take his eyes off of her, simply thrilled to be basking in her presence. Every once in a while, their eyes would meet across the table and then she would hurriedly glance away like some skittish child, as if they hadn’t been together for two years now. Then again, he supposed it might be different for her, to be immersed with his family with him here for the first time. He already knew she had no experience when it came to meeting a partner's loved ones, but then neither did he? Would this be what it was like when he met Aether again, hopefully with the Abyss Prince in his right mind? 

…Would Aether be angry about everything that had happened on their journey, including the meeting in the Third Domain?

Huh.

By the time the plates had been cleared, washed, and scrubbed dry, the clock over the fireplace chimed ten times. Childe had spent far longer awake, but a full belly and the comfort and safety of home weighed on his body, too. “Time for the boys to head to bed,” Their mother said with a click of her tongue, shooing Anton and Teucer towards the stairs. “All of us should get some rest after such a long day.”

“Wait a second!” Teucer squeaked as Anton tried to push him up the stairs. “Where is Ajax going to sleep?”

One auburn brow rose. “What?”

“Lumine is already sleeping in your room and it’s rude to make a guest move,” His youngest brother said, obviously reciting the manners their mother had instilled in all of her children. “And then there’s the other rule! No sharing a bed until you’re married.”

His partner tensed beside him, struggling to find the proper words to respond. Childe simply rolled his eyes; he’d made his family’s lives infinitely easier thanks to the job he did, effectively paying down all of the debts their family owed with his first Harbinger paycheck. He cast a droll look his mother’s way, knowing she wouldn’t deny him. “Mama? ”

“Rules are rules, son,” She said, a smug smile stretching across her aging face.

His heart sank like a stone. “Mama!”

“I can sleep on the couch,” His partner quickly interrupted before he could launch into a tangent.

“No, it’s fine.” Childe remembered his manners too, even if he shouldn’t need them to snuggle the partner he had desperately longed for so long apart. His bottom lip jutted out in a pout like a boy denied a new toy. “Guests come first.”

“You’ve been in the wilderness for weeks.”

“And the couch will be far more comfortable compared to the cold ground. I’ll be fine.”

“Plus, he’s a gentleman,” Tonia cooed in a sing-song, nudging Teucer and Anton up the creaky wooden stairs to the upstairs loft. 

“I’ll get your spot made up then, Ajax,” His mother hummed, just as satisfied with herself as the others seemed. 

Lumine offered him an awkward smile, starting up afterwards without so much as a kiss goodnight. He stared at her in silent disbelief, jaw slack as he struggled to find his words. This was ridiculous! How were they supposed to have important conversations now if he had to follow all of his mother’s rules? Archons, he didn’t even officially live under his parent’s roof anymore, had a stable career that made enough money to support his parents, and could fulfill whatever desires his siblings might come up with! 

No, this wouldn’t do. He had never been the best at following the rules anyways.

He cast a look over his shoulder towards his mother by the linens closet, her arms full of quilts and extra pillows. “I’m just… gonna walk Lumine to bed,” He said quietly, skipping a few stairs to catch up to his partner.

“Use protection,” His father called out. A shrill shriek quickly followed, his mother launching into a frantic tangent in his mother tongue about his old man’s so-called encouragement.

Childe bit back a groan and scooped Lumine up as they reached the top step, delighting in her barely-suppressed laughter. Thank the gods she didn’t seem too disgusted by his parents’ antics. He could only imagine the countless tales his parents had told her while he’d been away. 

The minute the door closed, he let out a breath he didn’t know he’d been holding. At least his room hadn’t been too badly ransacked; he still had countless letters in the drawers from Lumine that would only add evidence to their suspicions of their relationship. He’d have to figure out a way to dissuade the soldiers from making another random appearance to search his home for his partner. The family was lucky they’d come during the day; had he been actively searching for a fugitive, he would have sprung in on them during the night to both confuse  and prevent them from successfully hiding his partner. He suspected that most of the foot soldiers who’d come looking hadn’t been the brightest, no matter how much Pulcinella had tried to train them.

He turned back to Lumine right as she grabbed ahold of the lapels of his dark jacket and pressed him tightly against the wall. A surprised yelp slipped out of him, but she quickly shut him up. “Kiss me,” She whispered, breathless as though she’d just sprinted through the fields surrounding Windrise.

He didn’t have to be told twice.

He cupped her face with both hands and dove in, their lips clashing against each other in a needy, desperate reunion. Lumine moaned against his mouth, but he swallowed it with ease, so used to hiding her little noises throughout their secret relationship. His dangerous tongue skated across the edge of her full lips, tasting the salt and savory flavor from the remnants of their dinner and the usual sweetness of her. Her usual wildflower and wind perfume was not as strong after weeks of sleeping in his bed, and yet there was something so perfect about it, intoxicating him in a way he’d never expected. Faster and faster, more and more and more, he would do whatever it took to drag this out until the end of their days–

A muffled voice calling out from down the hall broke their desperate frenzy for one another, the realities of their situation coming crashing down once more. He forced himself to pull away, gasping for air as though he’d just come up from a dive into deep, warm waters. His heart slammed against his chest like thunderous horse hooves, nearly drowning out the little footsteps thudding against the hallway floor as his brother hustled to his bedroom from the upstairs bathroom. 

After a moment, the upper floor of the house grew silent again, and Childe let himself truly relax for the first time in what felt like forever.

One glance at Lumine revealed her watching his every move, those honey golden eyes lidded with an emotion he couldn’t quite pinpoint. “You’re trembling,” He whispered, brushing her hair behind her ear. 

“I missed you,” She explained softly, melting into him. “So, so much.”

“I’m sorry I was away for so long.”

“You scared me.”

“Which time?” 

His partner shot him a dull stare. “Does it matter?”

Guess not. Childe grinned and tilted her chin up, their lips hovering with only centimeters between them. “Let me make it up to you then,” He whispered softly, before diving into another desperate kiss.

***

The wood in the small iron furnace in the corner of Ajax’s bedroom crackled and popped as fire lapped at the dry tinder, the warmth filling the otherwise silent bedroom. Lumine snuggled closer to her partner, craving the intimacy of his aftercare. Her heartbeat settled into a steady, calm rhythm, finding more peace than she’d been able to muster in the last few months. Out of everything, she had missed his gentle touch the most, savoring the small circles he drew against her skin. Yes, the lighthearted banter and the relief of having someone competent watching her back at all times was much needed for someone who had been on her own for so long, but she’d yearned for this simple affection on nights when the loneliness hit her hardest. 

She craned her neck to watch him, needing to burn his features back into her memory. Her partner stared unblinking at the ceiling, his injured eye swirling with a mixture of dark colors. At least it didn’t seem to bother him any; no wince of pain, no oozing of those Abyssal colors dripping down his face like it had  when they’d last parted. But for the most part, he was still the same person she had fallen for, with the same straight nose and sharp jaw, his copper curls sticking up in every direction from where she’d run her fingers through it, his smattering of freckles gracing his high cheekbones. 

Her hand trailed down his broad chest, her fingers snaking under his tight turtleneck. A hiss slipped past his thin lips, and before she even realized what was happening, he had pushed himself out of the bed. “Ajax?” She whispered, propping herself up on an elbow.

“I should go,” He muttered, adjusting his pants.

The hair on the back of her neck stood at attention, but she forced herself to swallow down any anxiety. He was here to stay, she reminded herself. “Why?”

His odd eyes sliced to hers, a crooked smile toying at the corner of his mouth. “Any minute now, my mother will burst in through that door and ask what we’ve been up to, and I don’t think we’re as subtle as we’d like to be. I really don’t feel like explaining something to her right now.”

Fair enough. “But you promised.”

“To stay?”

“To answer my questions.”

Childe hesitated, then sighed, running a hand through his mane of hair. “I did,” He whispered, plopping back down on the edge of the bed. She swallowed her smile, trying not to show her hand of cards like some excited gambler. “What do you want to know?”

“Where you’ve been,” She said, taking his ungloved palm in her own and tracing the scars on the back of his hand. “What you’ve been doing. Why you’ve been so absent while the rest of the Fatui acts like it’s preparing for war.”

“They are preparing for war.”

One golden brow rose. “Then why isn’t their vanguard helping them?”

Her partner’s swirling eye twitched, his nose crinkling at her pointed question. “Because I’ve been on another mission.”

All of these tight, cagey questions were driving her insane. She bit her tongue to keep from sounding too annoyed as she pressed harder, asking, “And that mission is..?”

“Honing my skills ahead of the final battle.”

Archons above. That’s where he’d been for the past few months?

“It’s true!” He yelped when she couldn’t control her annoyance, her bottom lip jutting out in its usual pout.

“It’s vague.”

“I mean, it’s nothing terribly special. I’ve just been fighting monsters from the Abyss.”

Oh, was that all? Could it be something as simple as rift wolves that had burst through the cracks in the fabric of time and space or was it something more serious than that– perhaps the shadows that had nearly killed them both after they’d fallen into the inky void? Whatever the case, she could feel her blood pressure rising, burying her face in her hands. “Ajax…”

“Don’t act like that,” He hissed, the remnants of their loving afterglow burning away like the fire in the hearth as they once again found themselves dealing with the reality of their complicated situation. “I have to do this if I want to succeed.”

“Why though?”

“Because I’m not strong enough!” He snapped, as sharp as a venomous viper. Lumine flinched at the vitriol clinging to his words, staring at him in. She’d never heard that tone from him before, despite the dozens of arguments they’d had in their years-long partnership. Frankly, the voice she loved so much hardly sounded like him, but she couldn’t tell what was so different. Then, just as she was about to lecture him on daring to raise his voice against her, he crumbled. The anger radiating across his face washed away like a flood, and he sank back onto the bed, rubbing his eyes. “I’m sorry. It’s just… I couldn’t stop us from falling into the Abyss and I could barely climb out. If we are going to win this war, then I need to be at my most powerful.”

His honest words tugged at her heart, and while she didn’t appreciate his tone, she definitely understood snapping out of anger. Lumine let it go for another time, instead resting her chin on his shoulder. “And your Tsaritsa knows about this?”

“She’s the one who gave me this mission,” He explained, taking her hand in his and tracing the lifelines on her palm.

“Did she also explain why she wrote the letters?”

“...She did.”

“And?”

“And it’s really not for me to say,” He whispered softly, not meeting her gaze. 

Lumine groaned, yanking her hand away. This was ridiculous– had they not learned any of the lessons they’d had to work through the last time they had teamed up? They’d gone through too much to resort to this lack of communication again and while she yearned for that ideal romantic reunion with him, she had to put her foot down this time. He should be willing to tell her everything he learned from his queen, especially if it had to deal with the letters and the prophecy. She had just as much right to know about her fate as he did. 

“You can’t keep this from me,” She hissed, crossing her arms like a child who didn’t get her way despite the seriousness of the topic. “You and I both know how well your secret keeping went last time.”

Childe winced. “I’m not trying to keep it from you. I just think it would be more beneficial for you to hear it from her.”

“Then why tell me to stay away?”

“Because I didn’t want to put you in danger,” He explained, that mask of stone slamming over his handsome, scarred features.  

She barked a bitter laugh. “Too late for that.” 

A tense, uncomfortable silence permeated the room as they faced yet another stalemate. They locked eyes, engaged in a silent conversation; her, desperate for answers surrounding their intertwined fates, him desperate to protect her from the truth. She refused to drop the topic just to satisfy the awkwardness in the air. Unfortunately, her idiot of a partner was just as stubborn as she could be, his thin lips pressed in a tight line.

“You can’t hide me forever,” She finally hissed after several long minutes of silence.

Once again, that mask of stone crumbled like sandcastles on the edge of the approaching tide. “I know.”

“And as much as I do not want to face her, especially with her apparent vendetta against me, eventually we have to move forward.”

That stupid, heart fluttering crooked smile twitched at the corner of his mouth. “That’s so bizarre, coming from you.”

Lumine rolled her eyes and nudged him with her elbow. All it had taken was one meltdown over the possibility of losing him more than a year ago for him to decide her stagnation was a character trait and not some sort of brief mental block. After all, hadn’t it been her that had been determined to move forward after they’d learned the truth of their fates at Orbis Terrarum? “You and I both know that the only way to defy fate is by facing it head on, especially if we do this together.”

“You’re right,” Childe whispered, breathless. “We’re a team above all else.”

“Glad to see we’re still on the same page.” The tension between them evaporated like a puddle on a hot summer’s day, and while he still hadn’t explained what his Tsaritsa had said about the letters, she didn’t push it anymore. She refused to let it slip away through the cracks in favor of keeping the peace like she’d done in Natlan, but she also knew when to pick her battles, especially when it came to her partner. “Now, do you really have to go downstairs, or will you stay?”

“I am absolutely going downstairs,” He chuckled, pushing himself off of the bed.

Wh– she hadn’t expected that reaction at all! “Ajax!”

“I love you kochana, but there is no way I’m letting my mother hold this over my head,” He laughed, grabbing his eyepatch and sliding it over his damaged eye. Her bottom lip jutted out in another prominent pout, awestruck by his decision. Then again, it wasn’t like she’d ever had parents to listen to, and Aether had been far worse than her when it came to sharing a bed. 

A finger on her jaw dragged her out of her thoughts right as he leaned in to kiss her once more. Lumine melted against his touch, shivering as that dangerous tongue of his traced the outlines of her lips, savoring the taste of him as though they would never get to kiss again.

To her dismay, though, he pulled away. “Get some sleep,” He soothed when they parted, his hot breath tickling her cheeks. “I’ll see you in the morning.”

Something about hearing that, about knowing he’d be there when she awoke, was enough to get her to let go of his arm and settle in for the night. Childe was back.  The world felt whole again. And together, they would figure out what it would take to withstand this stupid prophecy.

Or die trying.

Chapter Text

“What do you mean you can’t use your elemental abilities anymore?” Childe asked, hands on his hips.

“I mean exactly that. It’s like I can’t even feel them,” Lumine muttered, tightening her scarf around her throat. The cool afternoon breeze cut through them like a knife, and despite the layers of wool and cashmere that his mother had dressed her in, she still trembled like a leaf and pressed herself into his side. None of his younger siblings seemed to notice the cold, skating on the frozen pond as snow flurries painted their hair and ruddied their skin. Their giggles rose up into the air, so carefree compared to the chaos of the world beyond their seaside village. His partner scrunched her nose, letting out a tired sigh. “You know how natural it feels when you use your Vision?”

“Yes.” Conjuring up a blade or a Hydro mimic, the water dancing around his fingertips, the strength swelling in his chest, was as easy as breathing. One might even consider it an attachment– as long as he had his Vision, he could keep moving forward with his goals to tear down the thrones of the gods. He couldn’t even begin to imagine what she must be going through to be without her powers. 

His partner gave him a curious look, then shook her head and sighed again. “Part of me wonders if I overused them.”

“I doubt that’s the case,” Childe hummed, leaning over to kiss the crown of her head. She didn’t need to beat herself up over this. Whatever was causing the mental block– or physical, depending on what had happened– was something they would work through together, the same way they did in all things.“What were you doing when they vanished?”

“I was trying to escape the Fatui base camp using Geo. I don’t know if it was because I was stressed or if there was something else, but I accidentally overdid it and caused an earthquake or a rift valley… or something.” Lumine winced, rubbing the back of her head like a kid who’d been caught with her hand in the cookie jar. “Sorry, by the way. You might get shit for that.”

It was his turn to sigh. “Great.”

“Then while I was on the run, I had to use Anemo and Electro to protect myself from some Fatui grunts, and then Hydro to stop Dottore in the middle of your fight. That leaves me with Dendro and Pyro; Dendro because there’s nothing growing here and Pyro so I didn’t freeze to death.” 

A frown. “No Cryo?”

His partner shook her head, her blonde tresses bouncing with the movement. “That’s actually how this all started. I touched the Cryo Archon’s statue and she stole my power away.”

“I don’t think the Tsaritsa has that ability.”

“Yeah, well, you didn’t think she sent the letters, either.” 

Childe frowned at the bite in her words, but didn’t let it sting too harshly. He had to remember he, too, would be this frustrated if he couldn’t use his abilities without worrying they would disappear forever. And besides– he’d dealt with a lot worse of Lumine’s agitation in their partnership and would likely deal with it a lot more by the time they had finished their intertwined mission. 

After the initial thrill of being back home, the ease of a Snezhnayan winter settled in, though there wasn’t much easy about being back under his parents’ roof. He loved being home, but in his time away, he'd forgotten what it was like to have to do countless chores that his younger siblings could not do yet. Between climbing onto the roof to check for possible leaks even though the shingles were coated in snow to helping his mother prepare for her holiday festivities, he couldn't help but feel like he'd been drafted back into the Fatui at such a young age. 

Having Lumine here, though, was something he never knew he needed. Yes, he’d wanted her to meet the rest of his family after she’d helped look after Teucer in Liyue, and yes, he’d often wondered how she would be able to handle his parents’ inquisitive remarks, especially if they knew she was the Traveler. To his surprise– and relief– they treated her like she was just another one of their childrens’ dates, leaving the weight of her multitude of titles at the door and allowing her to be just Lumine for them. 

Perhaps leaving her with his mother while he finished up his duties had gone better than he could have ever expected. 

She fit in so well with the others, bouncing off them with ease whenever they started to tease one another. She never flinched whenever difficult questions came up and adjusted the answers for little ears. She bonded with Tonia as snowstorms raged outside, listened to Anton rant about the histories of Teyvat that only a future Akademiya scholar would pay attention to, and helped Teucer trinket with his toys to make sure they would work.  He could even sit through the constant embarrassing stories of him as a baby when his lover was sitting across the table. Thankfully his lover didn't seem bothered at all, listening to each of his mother's tales with wide golden eyes and a big smile and laughing at all the antics he and his siblings had gotten into before his great fall. Even his father seemed to relax, sipping firewater in his big chair as his mother told each animated story.

Meanwhile, they had settled into a comfortable rhythm, the same way they always had whenever they reunited. Secret makeout sessions pressed against his bedroom door while Teucer tried to get his attention, sneaking up after the others had gone to bed to simply hold each other while they slept, fingers intertwined under the dinner table… Archons, they may as well have been back to pretending they weren’t a couple, even though it was obvious to his family that they were. Childe didn’t have a reason for keeping it so secretive other than the fact that it had been such a part of their relationship for so long now that anything else felt…

Different.

Perhaps one day, they would be blessed with the chance to be as open about their love for one another. Perhaps one day, they would find no reason to keep it safely confined to the two of them. Perhaps they would even be able to shout it to the world that he was hers and she was his. But for now, they had a prophecy to deal with and questions to answer and elemental abilities to reawaken.

“It’s just odd,” His partner continued, blowing hot air into her gloved hands. “It’s nothing like I’ve ever experienced before, except…”

“Except?”

Honey gold eyes burned against a hurricane of blue. “Except for when the Sustainer took my wings.”

Well, that didn’t help his limited knowledge any. “And you’re sure you haven’t had this happen to you any other time?”

“I mean, I couldn’t use my powers in the Abyss, but I always thought that was a fluke,” Lumine muttered, tapping a finger to her lips. She supposed it could have been something deeper, but time already worked differently there and so it wouldn’t be too far of a stretch to believe the lack of her powers was not tied to the shadowy hell. No, it probably had something to do with the fact that she had been trapped where no stars shined, cut off from the heavens that had created her. Surely touching the Cryo Archon’s beheaded statue wasn’t the same. “It was only when your blood unlocked my abilities on the climb out that I could feel them again, and even then I was too excited about having my wings back to really pay attention.”

At that, Childe shifted awkwardly in his stance, tearing his gaze away to focus on his siblings. “Huh.”

Oh gods, she’d heard that several times before. “Childe,” She pushed, nudging him in the ribs, “What do you know?”

“Enough to be concerned but not enough to know what to do about it.”

Obviously, but she didn't want to say that part out loud. Frankly, all of this would be concerning if she didn’t have the prophecy looming above her head. She just hoped when the final battle came, she’d have some of her starry powers at her fingertips. “Is that it then? Is it finally time to visit the Tsaritsa and ask her what’s going on?”

“No.”

Her nose scrunched in a familiar annoyance. “And why not?”

“Because the holidays are right around the corner,” Her partner quickly said, rubbing the back of his head, his mess of auburn curls sticking up in every different direction. His face burned viciously red, the constellations of freckles glowing on his high cheekbones the more she pressed him to answer– or was that the cold? He must have noticed her ferociously staring him down as his adam’s apple bobbed with a hard swallow, adding, “My mother has gone to such great efforts to plan this event and I really don’t want to disappoint her–”

“You’re a terrible liar,” Lumine muttered, turning back towards the snowy field.

“I am not!” Childe whined, no better than a toddler who’d had his toy taken away. He must have realized how pitiful he sounded, as he hung his head in quiet defeat and dramatically sighed. “I’m just… not great at hiding things.”

“Wouldn’t be a problem if you didn’t hide anything in the first place.”

“I know, but I won’t be able to explain it right.”

“You could try.”

Awkward silence settled between them, save the excited cheers from the siblings enjoying a game of tag on ice skates and the wind swirling through the dense pine woods surrounding the pond. 

Lumine stared him down, her arms crossed as he kept his lips tightly shut. She knew how he worked. She knew this retreating in on himself was a way to protect himself, so similar to the mask of stone that he wore whenever he had to play the part of the bad guy.  She even understood why he might be anxious to tell. Neither of them wanted to consider death despite the crystal clear words of a sacrifice mentioned in their cursed fates, and she understood that he didn’t want to let her die just as much as she would fight to save him. But she needed to know the truth behind the prophecy if she wanted a chance at finding a loophole to keep him alive.

“Are we going to do this every time?” She asked, a bitter edge to her tone. She hadn’t meant to sound so short, but it was the only way to get him to listen. “Are you going to shut down our communication when it comes to talking about your queen?”

Childe flinched. “No–”

“Then you can’t keep doing this, Ajax. We’ve already had this argument before, I don’t want to have it again.” She let out a slow breath and unfurled her arms, taking his hands in hers. Right away, he squeezed her fingers, as though she had offered him a port in a vicious storm. That was a good sign; he still trusted her no matter what. “You and I are partners before anything else. Let me work through this with you.”

Her lover stared at her for a long moment, his dull blue eye scanning her face as though looking for the answers to something. What questions possibly remained? They knew each other inside and out, had spent so much time going over the little details to strengthen their bond beyond the love they shared for one another. She knew he trusted her implicitly– with his life, with the lives of his family, with the lives of their friends. So why did they keep hitting this same snag?

Then suddenly, his eye sliced towards where his brother skated, his auburn brow creasing. “Teucer!”

Lumine frowned. “What does–”

“What is it, big brother?” The youngest Alekseev boy asked, coming to a sloppy stop at the edge of the pond. 

“You love it when you get to hold my Vision, right?” Childe asked, unbuckling the silver casing from his dark belt buckle and holding it out to his brother. “Do you want to try using it?”

Teucer’s eyes widened to the size of dinner plates. “Really?”

“Just don’t lose it in the snow or I’ll be very disappointed.”

“Okay!” The boy squealed, his voice carrying in the cold wind as he yanked the sapphire gemstone out of her partner’s hand and skated off, eager to show Tonia and Anton what Ajax had given him. She watched for a long moment, trying to make sense of the timing of his interruption. There was no way Teucer would actually be able to get the Vision to work, nor did he have the control over whatever elemental abilities he may have to do anything substantial. She didn’t understand why Childe would interrupt their conversation– or argument, depending on who was listening– to give his brother something so important as a–

It clicked the minute Childe’s dull blue eye found her again. “Ah,” She managed, chewing on her chapped bottom lip, “Because of them.”

He nodded slowly, then tangled their hands together and pulled them away from the pond’s shoreline, the warmth of his grasp enough to thaw her frozen fingers. Only when they reached the trees did he lose some of the tension in his broad shoulders, running a hand over his face. “Before I tell you this, I need to once again point out that it would be much better coming from the Tsaritsa herself, and while I know a lot, I didn’t ask too many questions. For fear of… I don’t know, sounding suspicious, perhaps.”

“Okay,” Lumine whispered, giving his hand a reassuring squeeze.

Childe flexed his free hand around the hilt of an invisible sword, but with his Vision so far away, he likely wouldn’t be able to conjure up his beautiful Hydro blades. “The prophecy is something that Rhinedottir was pursuing before things went wrong in Khanrei’ah. It was the primary reason that the alchemists summoned you and your brother from the Heavens.” That confirmed what Skirk had mentioned in the Abyss, then, and what little Lumine could remember of her time knowing the head alchemist. If only Aether were here– the old Aether, the brother loved to spend time amongst the people in each world they visited and who had spent most of his time with the head alchemist before the Cataclysm– then she could rack his mind. “It's something Teyvatians have tried to do at least twice before, but it failed.”

“Why?”

“The Tsaritsa believes there are several reasons,” He said, pacing a small path in the snow. “Perhaps pieces of the prophecy only became discoverable after each failure. Perhaps the people they picked to be their sacrifices were incorrect and it’s always been us. Or perhaps it’s deeper than that and she simply wasn’t ready to share.” 

A shiver raced down her spine like a thousand little icy fingers, but it was not from the cold. “And now everything is in the perfect position for this complex chess game?” 

Childe nodded again, running a hand through his auburn curls. “All that is left is for everyone to play their parts.” His strong, straight nose scrunched, the eyepatch riding up the left side of his scarred face. “There is more, but… admittedly I was reeling from the truth, and–”

“And it would be better to hear it from her,” His partner finished with another sigh. 

He tried to ignore the mixture of annoyance and weariness in her tone, especially when it came to this topic. He knew why she was upset. Frankly, he was upset with himself too. They had fought through the Abyss to crawl out on the other side stronger as a pair. They both knew what consequences lay at the end of this long road, and they had accepted it for themselves. But after what his queen had said months ago when he’d confronted her, about how his starlight had to be the one who sacrificed herself to save them all… 

He would not let Lumine die. He couldn’t let her be the sacrifice. And that meant he still needed to figure out what to do when the day of reckoning came. 

“Okay,” His partner continued, rocking back and forth on the balls of her feet, “So when do we go to Zapolyarny?”

She may as well have splashed him with cold water in the middle of a snowstorm. “Lumine.”

“I’m serious,” She tsked, her honey gold eyes never leaving his frame. “I want my powers back, and if she’s taken them from me–”

“-She hasn’t–”

“-Then I deserve to know everything, the same as you. It no longer matters how frightened I am of facing her and the reality ahead of us.”

 That same glint of determination, that drive that he loved so much, never faded in her golden gaze. For once, he wished it did, and that they could stay at this little house for the rest of their days as just Ajax and Lumine. But that would be ignoring fate, wouldn’t it? It would mean destroying the dreams they had deep inside of themselves, and then these past few years would be for naught. 

So, he swallowed down the knot in his throat and left the frightened boy in his chest behind, donning the mask of the determined, happy-go-lucky persona of Childe. “You’re right,” He said, forcing a smile. “But can we seriously wait until after the holidays? It’ll be the first time I’ve been able to spend it with my family in years, and I know Mama is really looking forward to it.” And because he did know if there would even be holidays to celebrate this time next year.

To his relief, Lumine smiled and stepped towards him, resting her head on his chest. “Fine,” She hummed, her voice rumbling through his torso, “But only because I’m fairly certain Natasha wouldn’t let us leave anyways.”

He barked a laugh, kissing the crown of her pretty blonde head. “You’re probably right there.”

Chapter Text

The marketplace hummed with activity, alight as dozens of shoppers rushed to grab the last items on their lists. Childe inhaled softly, twining his arm tighter with his mother’s as they weaved through the crowd. Despite having meticulously planned what she’d wanted for the big holiday meal she put on every year, they’d simply had to make one last trip to the market just in case something interesting caught her eye. Some things never changed, it seemed, remembering how many times as a boy they would have to make last minute trips for one last ingredient or gift even though she’d scoured the stalls like a vulture picking the bones clean. He supposed he couldn’t blame her or everyone else for their last-minute shopping; after all, he’d been so busy in the past few months that he hadn’t grabbed his siblings any presents at all, and the last thing he would do would be going home empty-handed. 

In only a few hours, this place would be dead, the shops and stalls all closed for the big holiday celebrations, but for now, Childe had to deal with the sheer amount of people hurrying along. It had been a long time since he’d had to deal with this situation, uneasiness prickling at the hair on the back of his neck rather than the usual comfort he felt whenever he was immersed in the surge of people. Whereas usually a few would cast him a curious look whenever he appeared in Morepesok, the Vision on his belt a glaring reminder of his position as one of the Tsaritsa’s Harbingers, today no one bothered. Despite the guard he kept up, no one seemed terribly suspicious; a good sign, he hoped.

 “What about having these with our holiday dinner?” His mother asked, holding up a cluster of oyster mushrooms. “Do you think shukhy will go over well?”

A decent appetizer, but she didn’t need it. “I think you’re overcomplicating it again,” He chuckled, taking the mushrooms and setting them back onto the table, smiling at the eager vendor. “How many side dishes do you have planned now?”

“Only eleven.”

“No one will eat that much, Mama.”

“You never know!” She squeaked, swatting his chest. Childe rolled his eyes as she picked up the mushrooms once more. So predictable. He didn’t know what else he should have expected. “I just don’t want our guests thinking the dishes are repetitive. I’ve made some of them every year since you were born.”

“Well, if it’s any consolation, I haven’t had them in a while,” He said simply.

“And who’s fault is that?”

“...Are you suggesting it’s mine?”

“Other Harbingers have been allowed to return home for the holidays,” His mother muttered, her face a mask of neutrality. “And yet, you’ve been conveniently absent for them ever since you were made a top lieutenant.”

His jaw dropped. “I’ve been stationed out of the country!” 

“Excuses, excuses,” She bemoaned with a wave of her hand, the smallest smile toying at the corner of her lips. Archons, he’d forgotten how good she was at guilt tripping him. And while he could have come back to a few of the holidays, he found himself itching for an escape, deciding it would be better to stay far away from his family rather than bother them as they celebrated. He’d rather die than tell his mother that and ruin her excitement, though. “So, is that a yes to this dish?”

“Sure, Ma, whatever you want,” He dramatically scoffed, rolling his eye as she squealed and immediately began weighing a bushel of mushrooms. He was just as much of a pushover with her as he was with Lumine and his younger siblings. 

Being back home had brought a comfort he hadn’t felt since the trip he’d taken nearly two years ago to celebrate Tonia’s birthday. For as much as he liked to tease his mother and complain that the seaside village had nothing to entertain a wandering soul like him, there was something so nice about having a home to come back to. He wondered if that was one of the biggest reasons Lumine had found such solace in their apartment in Liyue when he’d gifted her the key on her birthday the year prior; he could still clearly remember the way her features lit up at receiving the gift and actually getting her first chance to see the home they made together during the Lantern Rite. 

Suddenly, someone bumped into him hard, nudging him forward into the table. The hair on the back of his neck stood at attention again, whipping around expecting to confront an enemy. Instead, all he found was the swaying crowd like foam on the surface of the sea, no threats in sight. Archons, what was wrong with him? He needed to get himself under control. The last time he’d been this jumpy in a crowded place, he’d nearly set the entire shopping district on fire for the chance of a decent fight. Then out of the corner of his good eye, he spotted them; six Fatui grunts standing at the mouth of an alley, arms crossed and brows furrowed. All of them wore Pulcinella’s complicated sigil and stared at him with a mixture of awe and resignation. 

Were they the ones who had treated his family home like a garbage heap, storming in and tearing the place apart in search for his partner? His mother had said they were from Puclinella’s regiment, plus the majority of the soldiers were supposed to be at the base camp in the south training despite the holidays. There was only one way to find out what they wanted without causing a disturbance, and he’d be damned if he was going to lead them back to Lumine just for a chance to talk.

“Stay here,” He ordered softly to his oblivious mother still preening over the mushrooms, untangling his arm from hers and lazily strolling over to the soldiers. Realizing they’d drawn in the Harbinger’s attention, whether that had been their goal or not, they shifted uneasily as he approached, shrinking despite their height under his cold mask of stone. 

“What is it?” Tartaglia asked, his tone icy.

The leader of the regiment’s eyes widened, slicking back his mess of dark curls. He couldn’t be any older than 20– just how young was Pulcinella recruiting them these days? “Greetings, Lord Harbinger, sir,” The soldier said, fiddling with his gloves. “My name is–”

“Skip the pleasantries. You look like you’re about to burst at the seams with whatever it is you want to tell me.”

“...It’s a message from Lord Pulcinella, sir,” He said, averting his gaze like a scolded child. “He wanted a status update on your training.”

He’d worked with Pulcinella long enough now to know the man had ulterior motives for every question he put forth, picking apart the answers the same way one may peel a pomegranate, eager to get every last seed. Tartaglia sucked in a slow breath through his nose, trying to convey as much boredom as possible. “It's going better than planned. I even had enough time to take an extended leave for the holidays,” He said, though his voice lacked any mirth. “You can tell the old man that the Tsaritsa’s plan is moving along expeditiously.”

“That’s wonderful, sir! I’ll be sure to mention it right away.”

“What else?”

Any relief the boy may have felt at Harbinger’s quick response vanished again, and he cleared his throat several times before managing to spit out, “He… wanted to know if you have had any contact with the Traveler.”

“The Traveler?” Tartaglia asked, tilting his head like a curious dog. “She’s in Snezhnaya?”

“You didn’t know?”

“I’ve been alone in the wilderness for months now. How would I know?”

The rest of the soldiers flinched, muttering amongst themselves. To his credit, their squadron leader found an ounce of strength, straightening his shoulders and raising his chin. “She’s been causing quite the ruckus throughout the Snezhnayan countryside. Surely you must have heard whispers here in the village.”

“Obviously not.”

The boy looked him over, his brow subtly twitching with a quizzical expression. Tartaglia kept his face a mask of stone, knowing every little reaction  he had would be nitpicked when this soldier reported back to Pulcinella. He wouldn’t dare give the Rooster anything to feast on, especially in case these soldiers really were the ones who had invaded his family home like it was nothing more than a tavern on the side of the road. They were like dogs drawn towards the smell of a meal, but he was the wolf who had made the kill. 

Then, finally, the squadron leader shrugged, brushing back his mess of dark brown curls. “Well, if you see her, Lord Pulcinella reminds you to remember the Tsaritsa’s orders?”

“Which are?”

“To bring the Traveler to her. Alive.”

He couldn’t help the nearly imperceptible flinch, hearing the Tsaritsa’s words ring in his head. “Right, of course. I’ll keep that in mind. Now leave me alone, I still have to finish my holiday shopping.”

The squadron leader opened his mouth to say something else, but Tartaglia had already grown bored of the conversation and turned on his heel with a wave of his hand. He waited until he had weaved back in with the crowd to let out the breath he’d been holding, his lungs burning as though he’d been trapped underwater for several minutes. Gods, that had been too close. He wondered if he had been a good enough actor to fool them. 

Pulcinella always said he could play his part well until he got too emotionally attached. Knowing the role he was expected to play in the future fight, it seemed the Rooster could see right through him from their first meeting.

That same wedge of uneasiness chipped away at his resolve. The closer he inched to his fate, the more the walls closed in around him. Soon enough, he would be squeezed so tightly in a box of his own making that he wouldn't be able to move or lash out or protect himself and the ones he loved. That could end up being catastrophic, and he would never forgive himself if he was the reason his family got hurt. 

And then there was Lumine.

He squeezed his good eye shut and sucked in a stabilizing breath, his chest burning the more he pondered what to do about her. The soldiers weren’t wrong; he had explicit orders to bring her to his queen the minute he found her, had had said orders well before any of the other Harbingers. His queen had rightly assumed the basis of his affection for her, but he doubted she knew the depths of his love. It wouldn’t be difficult to get Lumine to Zapolyarny; she insisted on learning more about the truth behind the prophecy and what came next for their intertwined futures. And yet, he couldn’t make himself do the so-called right thing, because the minute he did, the minute there would be no turning back in the fight for the rest of their lives. 

He’d always been willing to die for his cause, to do whatever it took to tear down the thrones of the gods. But after what the Tsaritsa had told him about what would be required to accomplish his goals, he wasn’t sure he was ready to follow through with it. 

He spotted his mother’s grey-streaked hair still at the stall where he had left her, handing over more of his Mora to the vendor. She didn’t even blink when he slotted in beside her once more, rigid as a wooden board. “Everything alright?” She hummed, handing him the bag of mushrooms she’d purchased.

A sigh. “Probably not.”

“Not very reassuring. Should we be worried?”

“I highly doubt it,” He muttered, ruffling his mess of red hair. He could feel the soldiers still watching him from the shadows, but he doubted they had the guts to start something without Pulcinella’s approval. “They won’t make a move before the holiday.”

“Oh good. Because they would be in a lot of trouble if they ruined my plans.”

He should have laughed at his mother’s attempt at defusing the situation, but all he could manage was another sigh. His mind whirred like an out-of-control cog in a machine, racing with questions he didn’t want to know the answers to. How long would it take for them to discover Lumine really was at his family home, and had been under his protection for a while? How would his queen react to knowing that he had gone against her direct order, especially since he had been perhaps the most loyal of her Harbingers? He had always bashed those who focused on their own agendas before the Tsartisa’s goals, only to fall hard and fast for a cursed star and find himself trapped in a situation that he couldn’t escape from. 

He must not have controlled his expressions very well, as his mother clicked her tongue and slowly started to rub his back the way she had done when he was just a boy. “What is it?”

“Have you ever had to do something you didn’t want to?” He stammered, the words suddenly spilling out of him like water through a burst dam. “Like… really didn’t want to.”

“Yes.”

“How did you do it?” He asked, letting her guide him around the corner of the marketplace towards the expensive handcrafted vendors, far less busy compared to the food stalls. A relief, since he could feel beads of sweat dripping down his neck despite the chill.

“It was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do,” She explained, her face a mask of neutrality. “But it was also the most important decision I’ve ever made in my life.”

“Did you regret the choice you made?”

Something flashed in his mother’s sharp blue eyes. “Every day,” She whispered, breathless. “At the same time… I know there was no other option. There was nothing I could do under the circumstances.”

Childe frowned, wondering how he could have missed such an important decision in his mother’s life. Perhaps it was before he had even been born? “What was the choice?”

“Sending you to the Fatui.”

She may as well have slapped him with an open hand. “Ma–”

“It has haunted me every day since I agreed with your father to send you away,” She interrupted, skimming over the items on the vendor’s table with no real interest. 

He opened and closed his mouth several times, unable to formulate the right words, to deny, deny, deny. Out of everything, his mother had always been the more blasé one about his military conscription; insisting he write, bemoaning that he was gone all of the time, delighting the chances he got to come home. From what other soldiers told him, that was completely normal, and so he never expected it to have affected her as much as it obviously did. Then again, he could clearly remember the way his mother had tried to calm the situation, putting herself between him and his father. But when his father had finalized his decision to turn you over, she had dipped her head in acceptance, leaving an angry, confused, and hurt little boy all on his own.

“Part of me has always wondered what would have happened if I had tried harder to talk to your father,” His mother continued, as though she were able to hear his thoughts directly. “But you were wild, Ajax. You were so uncontrollable and unhinged that you were practically feral. It got to a point that…”

A cold shiver ran down his spine. “That you didn’t recognize me.” 

“That I worried you would end up dead,” She corrected, finally meeting his gaze. “And we had babies to look after. It was for the best.”

He didn’t feel like mentioning he was one of her babies, too. Lost and confused and wild, sure, but still her son. 

“Would you take it back?” He asked, a knot tightening in his throat, jaw clenched.

His mother sighed again. “I don’t know. As much as I hate that you are part of the Fatui, I think they’ve helped control you. You’re much different now compared to when you first went in. But was that simply you maturing? Or was it being raised by an iron hand?”

Probably a little bit of both. Being humiliated in Liyue also curbed his ego a bit. And then his partnership with Lumine– she wouldn’t let him get away with any of his usual antics. Childe awkwardly rubbed the back of his head again, feigning interest in the handcrafted goods lining the stalls. “What about him? Does he regret it?”

“We don’t talk about it.”

“Really?” He asked, a flicker of surprise washing away the swirling emotions in his addled mind. 

“There are some things that are too difficult for a married couple to address, my sweet boy. Some fights you just have to accept as losses,” His mother explained, picking up a fresh bar of soap from one of the tables and giving it a genuine once-over. He supposed that made some sense, but at the same time, if he even tried that with Lumine, she would lecture him about not communicating again– and he would agree with her, because it was always so much easier to talk about their issues than when they bottled it up. That was something he needed to remind himself about when it came to their looming fate. 

His mother’s brow furrowed, putting down the soap and moving on, leaving him behind. “Sometimes though, I catch him staring into your room after he puts the little ones to bed. It’s always like he’s waiting for that boy to come back from his adventure in the woods.”

“I’m still that boy,” He whispered, so small and fragile, just like the child who’d clung to his mother’s skirts as she cooked or eagerly jumped at the opportunity to go ice fishing with his father just to hear more of the old man’s stories. 

“Sometimes.” She patted his arm, a subtle grin twitching at the corner of her thin lips. “You’re definitely that boy around Lumine. She brings out a part of you I thought was long gone.”

The previous shroud of dread lifted from his shoulders at the mention of his lover, his lips twitching upwards in a crooked smile. He couldn’t help himself; he always found an ounce of joy when it came to the light of his life. “She’s pretty wonderful, isn’t she?”

“She’s fantastic. You picked well, Ajax.” She pulled him along towards one of the jewelry vendors, looking over the expensive necklaces she never would have been able to purchase when he was growing up. He beamed at her praise; he knew he loved Lumine more than anything, but he had been a tad worried of how she would be accepted by his overprotective, wolfish family. He should have known better, seeing how much Teucer had loved her when they’d met in Liyue years ago. Then again, perhaps his mother had skipped over the usual stiff persona because of how they’d met, with Lumine seriously injured and being hunted by the Fatui. No, he couldn’t discredit his partner like that; she had charmed his family all on her own, no sob story required. “And if you were to– I don’t know– ask us for our blessing to marry, your father and I would easily give it.”

Childe blinked in surprise. How did they get here? “C’mon Ma, blessings for marriage? That’s so old school.”

“What?! No it’s not!” She swatted his chest, tightening her grip around his arm so he couldn’t run away even if he really wanted to. “It’s sweet– and obviously the answer is yes. I’d even give you my old engagement ring if you asked.”

“What if I’m not ready for that?”

“Oh please, as if. You literally light up whenever she’s mentioned. It’s like for the first time in years, you’ve finally been able to breathe in the presence of another person without worrying that they’ll balk away at all the different parts of you. It’s even more obvious that you two are meant to be in the way you revolve around one another. She moves, you move. You flinch, she reaches out to support you. It’s genuinely fascinating to watch.” That same unfamiliar glint shimmered in his mother’s sharp blue eyes; was that pride? “You two were made for each other.” 

She didn’t know how true that statement was. A shiver ran down his spine at the same time his heart skipped a beat, his body tugged in two different directions the same way his mind had been for the last few months.

“All I’m saying is that she’s everything I wanted for you, even if I never expected you to fall for someone. Frankly, I’m just waiting for you two to show up having eloped or something,” His mother continued, oblivious to how much her words had hit him. She whipped around the more her idea sank in, her dark brow furrowing. “Don’t you dare do that to me, do you hear? I’ll make you regret it every day for the rest of your life if you do.”

A bark of a laugh bubbled out of him, and he held up his hands in surrender. “I’ll keep that in mind, but I can’t make any promises.”

His poor mother squealed in dismay, launching into another tangent about the importance of his family being there for such a major life event. He tuned her out, letting his gaze wander over the pretty jewelry on the table, the gemstones glinting in the late sunlight. Marriage had never been something he’d legitimately considered ever since he’d become a Harbinger, knowing that his primary goal would be helping the Tsaritsa accomplish her mission. None of the others had legitimate families either– lovers, sure, but marriage? Children? Out of the question. He shouldn’t even be entertaining the thought, for fear of planting a seed in his heart and mind and having it grow until it overwhelmed every part of him.

Except… it already had. 

His mother was right. He did want to marry Lumine, and had wanted to ever since he saw her use that water whip of hers two years ago on her way back from Fontaine. He hadn’t even known he loved her then and yet he’d stared up at her in complete awe– blade pressed to his chin, boot on his chest pinning him to the cool ground, the sheen of sweat making her pale skin glow in the afternoon sunlight– and knew she was the one he wanted to take as a bride. She was the one he wanted to spend the rest of his life with, the one he wanted to support and cherish and hold for the rest of his days. How had he not known he was deeply in love with her until Natlan’s grand ball when he’d had thoughts like that for months?

Would Lumine even want to marry a fool like him? She loved him, he knew, but love and marriage were too different things, and commitment was hard when death breathed down their necks every chance it had. What kind of gemstone would she like if he were to get her a ring? Something small, he expected, so that it wouldn’t get in the way of her fighting, and perhaps gold like the color of her eyes. Or perhaps she wanted something massive to show off that she was his and that nothing else mattered but them in this world– no, no, he was getting ahead of himself. He had to stop now.

Marrying her, no matter how much he wanted to show his dedication and genuine love for her, would only complicate things. Marrying her would mean protecting her until the end of their days, would mean devoting his every breath to make sure her heart kept beating. 

Marrying her and then losing her to the prophecy that foretold her death would shatter him completely, and then he would once again be the reason the prophecy failed.

Chapter Text

“Are you sure this is a good idea?” Lumine asked, pulling her knees closer to her chest from her spot sitting on his bed. “It just sounds like an unnecessary risk.”

Childe hummed, flopping onto his bed in front of her. “It sounds like you don’t know how to have a good time.”

A frown. "I'm serious. I don't have to attend if it puts us in danger. You can just sneak me some of your mother's incredible cooking and maybe some of that firewater your father talks so much about and I'll have my own little celebration up here. Go, have fun--"

"The only way I will have fun tonight is with you by my side," He pushed, taking her hand in his and bringing it to his lips, pressing a dozen little kisses along her fingers.

"Romantic," She said, completely deadpanned, "And idiotic."

"Maybe." Then again, he had never been the brightest when it came to the right decisions, no matter how much he had tried to be good. 

Downstairs, guests were already beginning to fill the small house, the sound of laughter and joy overpowering the swirling snow storm rattling the shutters outside. The rich and savory scents from his mother's days of cooking permeated every nook and cranny in the house, even through the closed bedroom door. Soon, the party would explode with fervor and happiness, alight with the end of year celebrations. He simply couldn't imagine resigning her to an evening alone upstairs while everyone else enjoyed themselves. 

"So many people will be here," Lumine continued, resting her cheek on her knees.

"I am aware."

"And they're all going to see a girl with blonde hair and gold eyes and start talking."

"Plenty of people have blonde hair and gold eyes."

"None of them are cozying up next to the 11th Harbinger." 

"They don't know that, though."

"Stop being so blasé about this, Childe," She pushed, reaching down to flick his forehead as though that would knock some sense into him. "People will talk."

He knew she was right, that this was too much of a risk that they couldn't control. He knew that there would be so many eyes on them at all times, curiously looking them over no matter how much they stuck to their stories of Lumine being his subordinate.

But if they were going to go to Zapolyarny anyways, as much as he would kick and scream the entire way there, then shouldn't they enjoy the last few evenings of freedom? That, and it wasn't like anyone here was associated with any of the Fatui. Most of Morepesok treated the Snezhnayan military with contempt or skepticism, including him. Archons, they may be so distracted that Natasha's son the 11th Harbinger had returned home to pay any attention to the cute little blonde at his side. 

"I'm not being blasé," He said carefully, sitting up on his elbows. "I know the risks. I've just decided the benefits outweigh them."

His partner's golden brow creased, her nose scrunching in thought. "Your optimism is dangerous."

"Most of the people here tonight are family and friends," Childe explained, taking her fingers in his own again and giving a good squeeze. His partner melted at the subtle affection, the obvious worry stitched into her taut frame easing with each gentle touch. "If they start asking questions, I'll pull the Harbinger card just to change the subject. Besides, you have your identity and it's a good one. I think it'll be fine."

For a moment, he thought perhaps she'd finally give in and agree. Then that same familiar look of perplexation splashed across her pretty features, tilting her head like a confused sled dog. "Why are you so insistent we risk this?"

"Because you love festivals and holiday celebrations."

"I also love not being chased through blizzards, which will most certainly happen if we people talk."

"What if no one does though?" He pushed, kissing her knuckles. His partner shot him a droll stare, her expression screaming all the thoughts raging through her mind. He knew her well enough to know what she was thinking; how, in his right mind, would he believe that the people of Morepesok wouldn't chatter about his appearance and the girl by his side? "Yeah, okay, that was a stretch."

"You said yourself we needed to be more subtle. This is far from that." She ran her fingers through his mane of copper colored curls, gentle despite her furrowed brow. "What is it really?"

Childe sighed, letting his face flop into the pillows. She could read him just as well as he could read her, it seemed. He should have known he wouldn't be able to hide it. "I just want to celebrate with you. I want to enjoy tonight with all of the festivities and family and fun. I haven't gotten to do it in a while."

"And?"

"... And we don't know if this is the last Koliada we'll get to attend."

Lumine exhaled softly as though she'd taken a punch to the chest. "Oh."

There it was, the truth he had hoped he wouldn't have to say out loud. The weight hanging over them both, the thought of impending doom constantly trying to crush him with each passing heartbeat. Even in the moments of peace, he couldn't escape the future hanging over their heads. But every once in a while, he remembered that no matter what fates loomed ahead of them as the final day approached, they still had to live through the present to get there. What was a life of hiding away in a bedroom while the rest of the nation let go of their worries and enjoyed the peaceful moment for one night? What was life without a little fun? 

"Please, Lu," He whispered, running his calloused thumb over her knuckles. "Don't think I haven't thought this over. I know the risks. I just don't want to hide if it means we can't live."

Her honey gold eyes searched his face, searching for any of the answers he may have been still hiding. He let her do whatever she needed to do to process it, even as the fun began to pick up downstairs. Then, finally, she let out a slow sigh. “It’s risky.”

That wasn’t a no! A grin exploded across his cheeks, pushing himself to stand. "It's important," He said, positively brimming with excitable energy. She shook her head, but the smile never faded from her full lips– another sign that she was actually agreeing to this. Oh, gods, if he wasn’t careful, he may actually burst with glee. “And if anyone starts to get too curious, I’ll handle it.”

“We’ll handle it,” She corrected, pushing herself up off the bed and wrapping her arms around his narrow waist, “Together.”

“Together,” He repeated, tilting her chin up to kiss her gently. Lumine hummed in approval, her tongue grazing his bottom lip, her fingers tangling in his shirt. If he wasn’t careful, she’d suck him right back into her grasp and they’d both end up missing the festivities to make their own fun. As much as he couldn’t deny he’d love that, he loved the idea of her getting to experience a true Snezhnayan holiday for herself. He forced himself to take a step back, kissing her nose and delighting in her purr of approval. “Now,” He whispered, brushing a strand of blonde hair behind her ear, “Will you please put on the pretty dress I spent so long picking out for you?”

She rolled her eyes, elbowing him in the belly. “You’re lucky I like being spoiled.”

“I know.” He did.

He didn’t wait for her to finish getting ready, instead slipping out of his bedroom and hurrying downstairs where the growing crowd gathered. His family and Lumine had spent the hours leading up to the celebration hurriedly hanging the final decorations. Golden light bathed the living room from hundreds of beeswax candles, glittering off the multi-colored paper stars hanging from the ceiling. Sheaves of wheat and straw stalks sat on the nearby tables, alongside small bowls of kutia no one dared to eat. Thick green garlands hung above every window, the full spruce scent battling against the strong scent of pepper and beets from the kitchen. 

One glance around the room revealed just how hard the rest of his family was working to make sure this fit his mother’s vision of a perfect holiday. His father jovially greeted the guests at the door, taking their heavy winter coats and welcoming them into the festivities. Some of them had brought musical instruments, tucked under their arms as they greeted their arriving friends. Teucer and Anton sprinted across the living room, evading their responsibilities of the festivities for just a little longer, while Tonia worked to pour drinks for anyone who might have wanted them. 

All eyes turned to him as he reached the bottom step. He shouldn't have been surprised; he'd already told Lumine everyone would be paying more attention to him than they would her. Most of them still cowered whenever he entered a room, whether it was from the months of chaos he'd wrought upon the seaside village as a boy, the fact that he was one of the Tsaritsa's top lieutenants, or the eyepatch covering his damaged eye. Perhaps it was even a mixture of all three causing their concern. An uneasy knot twisted in his belly the more he glanced around the room, concerned by the sheer amount of people. He knew his mother had invited dozens of townsfolk, but he hadn't expected all of them to come. Still, he refused to let this hold him back from showing Lumine the fun of the holidays, even if it meant lying and intimidating those who asked too many questions.

In the kitchen, his mother set down her final dish on the countertop and wiped her brow with an embroidered dish towel. She perked the moment she saw him, a tentative smile gracing her thin lips. “Is she coming?”

“Yes.”

“Oh good! I was worried she wouldn’t want to celebrate.”

His mother didn't know how important festivals were to his partner, then. He was surprised Lumine hadn't mentioned it. "She's just nervous," He explained, helping her unwrap the still-warm dishes. "But just a reminder, if anyone starts asking questions, let me handle it."

"I understand," She said simply, tapping her finger to her lips as she looked over the eleven different trays. "By the way, your brothers and sister are here."

"Yeah, I saw them running around–"

"Not the little ones." Her sharp blue eyes sliced to his, her lips tugging downwards in a tight frown. He'd seen that look multiple times in his life, but it didn't make it any easier, a shiver racing up his spine. "Your elder siblings."

"Ah." 

He'd hoped to slip by without seeing them like the last three times he'd been home. It wasn't that he didn't love them; family meant everything to him, even if that family didn't exactly treat him the same way. His elder brothers had put as much distance from him as possible after he'd climbed out of the Abyss and had gone a little mad with his newfound confidence. His elder sister was hit or miss, since more often than not he found her using his position as a Harbinger to try to learn new information about where her Fatui husband had been stationed. Overall, the three of them had treated him like the Harbinger he'd become and not the brother they'd been raised with, which was one of the biggest reasons he didn't want Teucer knowing the truth and gore behind what his job really was.

"I've given them the same warning I'm giving you," His mother continued, finishing up the preparations for the meal. "Behave. You're all adults now and this is a happy occasion. I want this to be special."

Childe rolled his eye. "You don't have to worry about me."

"I absolutely do." She put her hands on her hips, and despite her short stature, he dipped his head and slouched his shoulders, the same way he'd done as a boy whenever he needed to be scolded. "Promise me, son."

Why did he always get blamed for stuff like this? Sure, he had a bit of a reputation for breaking the rules, and he’d caused scenes in both public and private several times before, and the last time he’d seen his elder brothers they’d gotten into a shouting match about his new role as a Harbinger and what it meant for the family, and– ugh, okay, yeah, maybe his mother did have the right to worry. “I’ll be on my best behavior,” He muttered, his bottom lip jutting out in a prominent pout. 

"That's my good boy," His mother preened, standing on her tiptoes to ruffle his hair. He leaned into her touch, savoring the little affection. After a moment though, she stopped and squealed, clapping her hands together. “Ah, Lumi– I mean, Olena! You look wonderful!”

Childe glanced over his shoulder just in time to see his partner descending the staircase, his heart skipping a traitorous beat as he drank in the sight. The cream linen dress he’d bought for her earlier that week fit her nearly perfectly, save for the sleeves that were just slightly too long. At least he’d gotten the measurements right so that it did not swallow her whole, instead hugging her curvy frame. Dozens of red poppies had been carefully embroidered in the flowing skirts, matching the scarlet velvet overcoat she’d draped over her shoulders. Even her fingernails matched, after Tonia had taken what little spare time they had that morning to paint them, the sound of his two favorite girls sitting around the dining room table chatting in hushed voices music to his ears. She’d also removed her usual inteyvats and instead pinned her hair up out of her face with a pretty red ribbon, the subtle decision changing her appearance just enough to have him do a double take, revealing more of her round cheeks and honey gold eyes. 

Gods, she was so beautiful. How did he get so lucky to love a woman like her?

“Thank you, Natasha,” She smiled, brushing a stray strand behind her ear. “The Lord Harbinger knows how to pick the perfect gift, don’t you think?”

“If only you’d seen how much he fretted,” His mother giggled, cupping Lumine’s shoulders and giving a small nod of approval. “I had to convince him not to buy out the whole store.”

A surprising flicker of heat suddenly rushed to his cheeks, reaching out to step in between his mother and his partner. “Alright, Ma, that’s enough. Don’t you have to go play hostess?” He asked, awkwardly nudging the little blonde away before he could be embarrassed any further. Not that it wasn’t anything Lumine didn’t already know, but still.

His mother laughed again, shaking her head at his sheepishness. “Right, right,” She tsked, waving him off with a brush of her hand. “Go, enjoy yourselves. You two deserve it.”

Childe feigned a salute, still nudging his partner far away from his mother. They weaved in through the crowd of people until they were a good distance away from his mother and all her truths, and he exhaled in relief. Lumine giggled once more, looking up at him with those soft golden eyes glimmering in mischief. "Well, sir?" She asked, dragging out the syllable of his title. "Is this to your liking?"

"More than you know." To the point where if he wasn't careful, he'd forget they were surrounded by curious gazes and do something stupid. Like touch her. Or kiss her. Or sweep her back upstairs so they could enjoy the holiday by themselves.

If she had any inkling of his traitorous thoughts, she didn't point it out. "Do you like it better than the dress I wore in Natlan?"

Memories of the grand ball right before semi-finals in Natlan filled his mind like a flood, a shiver racing down his spine. He still thought about her in that dress more often than he'd like to admit, the tight midnight blue fabric hugging every curve on her perfect frame, the tiny gemstones twinkling in the roaring firelight and glittering on her pale skin like the star she was, the high slit nearly up to her hip bone. A shattered breath slipped out of him, and he bit his bottom lip hard enough to taste the iron tang of blood. Oh, he was treading dangerous waters. "That's not fair. They're two completely different situations," He whimpered, no better than a dog craving a bone.

"Whatever you say," Lumine purred, the smallest hint of a blush blooming across her cheeks. "So, how does this celebration work?"

Childe's crooked grin tugged at the corner of his mouth. "Let me show you."

Without an ounce of hesitation, her partner guided her into the crowd to show her the holiday he obviously cherished so much. Together they weaved through the surge of people, with Childe whispering a few words about each custom whenever he spotted something integral to the festival. In one corner, a gaggle of children watched a puppet show two of the older kids were putting on, their laughter rising up into the loft's rafters. In another, the musicians had started, and some of the crowd had parted to make space for a dance floor, a few couples already spinning to the hurried tune. At some point, he guided her to the kitchen to try every dish his mother had made, explaining what was in each meal as she savored the rich, earthy flavors. 

A few people approached them to talk about how much Childe had changed since they had last seen him, with several unable to tear their eyes off his eyepatch. Lumine wondered if it bothered him-- both the eye and the constant stares-- but he never once faltered, playing off their questions and stories with ease. He adapted to fit a role she hadn't seen him play before, a mixture of who he had been as a child and the soldier he was now, leaving the Harbinger's mask on just long enough to subtly intimidate those around them. 

Whenever their attention would turn to her, positively brimming with curiosity, the pair would play their story off well. To them, she was his primary attendant keeping all of the Harbinger's affairs in order, which is how she had gotten permission to attend despite the recall. It wasn't that unbelievable, she supposed. She'd managed to fool several Fatui with less of a story only two months ago, taking advantage of the chaos surrounding the recall to slip into the base camp. If anyone here suspected anything less, they said nothing. 

Unlike other festivals she'd experienced across Teyvat, this event had a much cozier feel, heavily relying on the community to put on such a lively event. That made sense, considering how small the seaside village was. That, plus there not being much else to do in the frigid winters, meant this would be the highlight of the season, full of family and friends and good fun.

After an hour of enjoying the party, Childe stiffened. "What is it?" She asked, carefully glancing around. Had a Fatui patrol come to invade the house?

"My brothers," He breathed softly, his hand flexing on the small of her back. "They're coming this way."

Teucer and Anton? Why did that make him so nervous-- oh, no, she remembered now, he was the middle child of seven. For someone who loved his family so much, he rarely talked about his elder siblings. She understood his tense relationship with his father, but the older Alekseev children..? She didn't even know their names. When she glanced towards the crowd, she spotted two older men moving their way, synchronized in their movements and whispering something to each other that she couldn’t hear over the crowd’s chatter. One was a near identical copy to his father, with deep auburn hair and a thick beard, burly from years of work on the rough northern seas. The other had the same build in body, but sharper features and long dark hair like Natasha, pulled back in a loose ponytail, tied with an identical red ribbon to her own. Both had their mother's vibrant blue eyes, their father's muscle mass, and Ajax's crooked, mischievous smile. 

She took a miniscule step closer to him, not wanting to cause any commotion to anyone who may be watching. "I'm right here, okay?" She asked, rubbing her hands on the velvet of her dress. "It will be fine."

"Yeah." Childe clenched his fingers into tight fists. "Don't let me get out of control. I promised my mother I'd be nice."

Lumine gulped; just how bad was his relationship to his brothers that his mother had demanded he keep his temper under control. She didn't have time to ask more when the two finally reached them, giving them both identical, curious onceovers. "Well, well," The redhead cooed, his Snezhnayan accent thicker than Ajax's had ever been, "If it isn't our baby brother, the big, bad eleventh Harbinger! Seems like you've grown into the role."

"That's what happens when you're part of the Snezhnayan military for nine years," Her partner said far too casually for the tension radiating off his broad shoulders.

A flicker of something glinted in the older man's sharp blue eyes– humor? Or something darker? "Anything for the good of our great country, right?"

"For the Tsaritsa's goals, yes."

"You always were the fanatic."

"I was always loyal," Childe corrected, his auburn brow furrowing the deeper he frowned, "Which is something that couldn't be said for all of us."

Lumine elbowed him hard in the ribs, a reminder to hone in his sharp tongue. The second brother laughed, the noise identical to Natasha's whenever one of her younger children made her giggle. "You look good, Jaxie. Save for the eye. Get that on one of your adventures?"

Her partner cast her a lazy glance, a subtle twitch tugging at the corner of his thin lips. "Something like that," He hummed. It took every part of her to resist rolling her eyes; he'd practically embraced the injury he'd sustained in the Abyss whereas guilt still crept into the back of her mind every time he peeled it off his face to clean the scar after a long day. "The last few years have been more challenging that I could have expected."

"I'll say," She snorted, shaking her head.

"Mama told us about your injury in Inazuma," The first brother said, and for the first time since the two had come over to speak to them, he actually seemed genuinely concerned. "You really scared her with that one."

Scared Lumine, too. Childe, however, shrugged, as unbothered as ever. "It wasn't the first. It won't be the last."

A shiver ran down her spine, the hairs on the back of her neck standing at attention in silent warning. She forced the random spike of anxiety down, forcing herself to be in the moment. It was fine. Everything was fine. Any injuries they would face in the future, they would deal with together.

"Well?" The second brother asked, shoving his hands in his pockets. "Aren't you going to introduce us? It's not every day you, of all people, come home with a lady on your arm, let alone one this pretty."

"Ah, right." Childe stiffened again, shifting awkwardly in his stance. Archons, she couldn't recall if she'd ever seen him this bothered around anyone else, save for Necalli during the middle of their battle in Natlan's arena. Even then he'd managed to maintain his mask, a mixture of his Harbinger self and the cunning and playful version that the majority of people saw. Right now, though, he didn't seem to know how to find any of those masks under his brothers' watchful gazes. "This is Jason, my eldest brother, and Sasha, the second eldest Alekseev."

She forced a smile, dipping in a polite bow. "It's nice to meet you. I'm Olena."

Sasha grinned but it didn't reach his eyes. "And you're... Ajax's girlfriend?"

"His subordinate," She corrected, trying her hardest to maintain her own mask of neutrality.

"Interesting. How did you get stuck working for a man like him?"

"I was one of the only people talented enough to organize his day-to-day life, since he has a tendency to run a little wild."

"You don't know the half of it," He bemoaned with a long groan-- that was identical to her partner's own flair for dramatics. "Did he ever tell you about the time he nearly burned down Morepesok's marketplace just because he wanted to start a fight with some treasure hoarders?"

Lumine blinked, one blond brow raising as she glanced at her partner. "Uh... no?"

Childe sighed, shaking his head. "Do you really have to bring that up every time we see each other?"

"I tend to hold grudges," Sasha cooed, his accent as smooth as honey.

"No one doubted that."

"Are you from Snezhnaya, Miss Olena?" Jason interrupted, dragging her attention back to him instead of her partner. "With a name like that, you'd have to be, yes?"

"I'm from Mondstadt, actually," She explained, sticking to the story she and Childe had worked on for days before the celebrations, even if she hadn't actually expected to come. "Though I have Snezhnayan roots on my father's side." 

"Is that where you two met and fell in love then?" 

"Jason," Her partner hissed, a not-so subtle warning that his elder brother was treading dangerous waters.

To his credit, the redhead did not flinch. "Oh, right, subordinate. Sorry, it's just the two of you seem so close, closer than most Fatui soldiers are to their Harbingers."

Childe opened his mouth to snap back a retort, but she beat him to it. "Have you been around any other Harbingers, sir?" She asked carefully. Jason hummed and shook his head, far too casual for his own good. "You'd know just how loyal us attendants can be to our superiors. It is the same loyalty we possess for our country, since they are enacting our Tsaritsa's will."

The practiced words slipped out of her with almost too much ease, but she maintained as much strength and confidence as she could muster to make it sound as real as possible. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted Ajax watching her through a lidded gaze, his features that cold mask of stone. If she hadn't been able to read his expressions so well, she might have thought him disappointed, but from the way his dull blue eye danced, she knew he approved. 

"Loyalty, huh?" The eldest Alekseev shook his head. "I suppose I can understand that. Maybe I've just started seeing things since I got married. I've become something of a big softie."

"That's the truth," Sasha muttered, elbowing his elder brother in the ribs. "Speaking of, where are your children?"

"Jason!" Another voice cut through the loud crowd, and for the first time since the conversation had started, all three of the Alekseev boys flinched like they'd been slapped. Before she could ask what was going on, a short, plump woman abruptly inserted herself in the conversation, staring up at the eldest Alekseev with a vicious scowl. She could only be Ajax's older sister; she looked like Natasha made over, but with dark auburn hair instead of curly brown and soft blue-grey eyes compared to the intense ocean color their mother possessed. "Your girls are tormenting their uncles again and Stef says it's your turn to be the bad guy."

Jason visibly winced. "Duty calls," He muttered, peeling away from them to go find his rambunctious children.

The minute he had vanished into the crowd, the woman squealed with excitement, standing on her tiptoes to pat his head. "Jaxie! I forgot Mama said you'd be here for Koliada!" 

Childe smiled softly, letting her ruffle his hair the same way their mother did. His relationship with his elder brothers may not be the strongest after everything that had happened in the aftermath of the Abyss, but she had always tried to support him instead of pushing him away like the other two did. She and Tonia had been there when his mother had found him in the snowy woods, frantically wrapping him in blankets to keep him warm as he adjusted to the surface temperatures once more. At least she still treated him like her little brother instead of some monster.

It took a moment to notice Lumine watching the two of them, her golden eyes gleaming with an emotion he couldn't read. He knew her well enough to pinpoint the gentle glee and the usual caution she wore around those she didn't know, but... there was almost a hint of sadness in them, too. He'd have to ask her about it later. "Olena, this is my elder sister Anya. Anya, this is–"

"Jax's subordinate that he's totally not in love with," Sasha interrupted, crossing his arms. That same smug smirk that had annoyed him when they were growing up plastered across his narrow features, a subtle challenge 

Childe's eye sliced to him, his fingers flexing around the hilt of an invisible blade. "Will you knock it off?"

"Does it bother you?"

"Like most things you do.”

“Would you like me to step away, sir?” Lumine asked, giving him another pointed glare– one that urged him to stop now for the sake of his mother. He had a feeling she’d only asked to give him an option to leave the conversation too, lest he spark another fight and break Sasha’s arm a second time. 

“No, sorry, ignore those two,” Anya said, refusing to let it devolve into another fight. “Ajax lives to take on any challenge while Sasha loves to torment his baby brother because it’s the only time he can feel superior compared to a Harbinger.”

Sasha’s smug smile vanished in a second, his jaw falling slack. "Anya!"

"Are you enjoying the festivities?" His sister continued, blatantly ignoring her brother for the more interesting guest.

Lumine immediately perked. "I am! I've never experienced a real Koliada, so I'm thrilled to have the opportunity."

"No real Koliada?" Sasha asked, still pouting at his sister's smackdown. "They don't have those in Mondstadt?"

"They don't have a lot of our customs across the world," Childe explained as gently as he could. Out of everything he and his brother could argue about, he didn't want to put the older man down for never having the opportunity to travel out of Snezhnayan's northern sector. Getting the chance to travel had been something Childe had cherished ever since he'd become a Harbinger, but that was the only reason he'd been afforded the opportunity and freedom to explore. Were he still living in Morepesok as a fisherman or a sailor, he might have missed all of the other fantastic experiences that he'd savored over the last several years. 

That included meeting Lumine. He couldn't imagine what his life might have been like if he never had the chance to meet her. 

To his relief, Sasha didn't seem that bothered by the comment, too focused on his partner to pay attention to him. "Have you danced in the circle yet?"

"Oh, ah, no. Not yet."

"You simply must!" His elder brother cheered, that same flair of dramatics that ran through their blood peaking as he tangled his arm with Lumine's and tugged her away from Ajax's side with a gentle pull. "Let me do the honor!"

 "Oh, I couldn't possibly–”

"Nonsense, it'll be fun." His girlie frantically looked to him for assistance, eyes the size of dinner plates. Childe, however, shoved his hands into his pockets, unable to hide his grin. Oh boy– if she thought he was a decent dancer, she had no clue what to expect from Sasha. He couldn't wait to see how she handled it. "Plus it'll get you out from underneath your boss's annoying eye."

A frown. "Sasha."

"Leave him be. He won't do any real harm," Anya teased as his brother dragged Lumine through the circle of people to dance. His sister tangled her arm with his, smiling up at him. "How are you, baby brother?"

"I'm fine," He muttered, watching as Sasha gently clasped Lumine's fingers with his, unable to determine what his older brother was telling her over the crowd's roar. At least from here, his partner's smile seemed genuine and eager, so perhaps his brother actually wanted to help her learn. Anya cleared her throat, nudging him gently. "What? I mean it."

"Hmm," She mused to herself, turning back to watch Lumine's basic dance lessons at the center of the circle. Childe frowned; what did that noise mean? He really was doing fine, all things considered. He had no clue how else he could convince her when he wasn't lying in the first place. "I'm a little surprised to see you and your attendant here, if I'm honest. I thought you would be swept up in the recall, too."

"Nah, I've been working on something for the Tsaritsa instead." He crossed his arms, making a show of looking around the room. "Where's my niece?"

At that, Anya groaned, rolling her neck. "With Papa. I swear, every time I bring her around, he's the only one she wants. Only person she likes better is her father."

Ah, shit, he'd walked himself into that trap. Childe swallowed hard, forcing himself to focus on Lumine as the musicians spun up a new, fast-paced tune. "How is Dimitri?"

"He was fine until his summons," She bemoaned softly, fiddling with the sleeves of her dress. "It's always hard when he's away from home, especially this time of year when I want to start family traditions with our daughter."

He'd thought the timing of the recall unfortunate, too, but whereas he knew the reasons for rushing it ahead of the winter season, the everyday citizens of Snezhnaya likely did not. "I'm sorry."

"I knew what I signed up for when I married a Fatui soldier." In the center of the circle, Sasha swung Lumine around in dramatic fashion, helping her keep pace with the other dancers. His partner threw back her head and laughed, and Childe let out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding. How long had it been since she looked this carefree, unburdened by the weight of the future? Perhaps Weinlesefest two years ago, when he'd swept her off her feet in the middle of a similar dancing frenzy, eager to show her how Snezhnayans liked to party. Beside him, Anya cleared her throat again. "You know, if you really wanted to apologize, you'd help me find a way to bring him home.

There it was. While he loved Anya without a doubt, he knew exactly what she wanted to discuss whenever she started a conversation with him. Where was Dimitri, how was Dimitri, had he heard from Dimitri, what was Dimitri doing? He'd told her countless times that he didn't know, especially since Dimitri was part of Pantalone's unit and therefore wasn't his responsibility, or couldn't know, especially as the final day approached. 

"I can't do that," He said firmly, knowing she would try to exploit any sign of weakness. 

Anya's bottom lip jutted out in a prominent pout. "Can you at least tell me what he's doing?"

"He's part of the recall–"

"That's not the answer I want and you know it."

"And you know I can't give you any more details," He hissed, putting his foot down. His sister opened her mouth to try and pry more from him, but he gave a firm shake of the head. "I'm sorry, Anya, but no. The mission is too important to risk any intel getting out."

Any hope in her sharp blue-grey eyes vanished, her shoulders drooping at his efficient dismissal. “Ugh,” She muttered, untangling arm from his. “You’re absolutely no help.”

She stormed off in a huff, leaving him alone on the outskirts of the crowd as the rest of the festivities continued, the quick pace of the music picking up with the swell of another song. Childe let out a slow breath through his nose, refusing to unfurl his arms. He wished he could give his elder sister the peace of mind she obviously needed, but it wouldn’t be smart to risk something this important just to soothe her worries. Surely she understood that and had simply pushed his boundaries because she had an inkling of hope that he may slip. She would get over it in time, when someone distracted her with her squealing daughter or with one of Mama’s homemade desserts. Right?

He forced himself to let go of his concern for his sister, trying to focus on the here and now like he’d promised himself he would when he’d decided to attend the celebration. His attention, as per usual, found his partner in the middle of the dance floor, laughing as she tried to keep up with Sasha’s demanding choreography, her velvety skirts whooshing around her knees with each spin. A smile twitched at the corner of his lips; it’d been a while since she looked this genuinely relaxed and free, throwing her head back and embracing the entertainment for the evening. He wished he could give this moment to her for the rest of their lives, if only to boost his own morale whenever he reached his lowest moments.

That whisper of anxiety flickered to life in his flame, like a candle at the end of its wick. All he wanted in this moment was the guarantee that they would have this next year too; the joy that came with sharing good tidings, the relief of one night without having to worry about the rest of the world’s fate, the webs of community that came with gathering all their friends and family under one roof and sharing their love in a physical manifestation. Maybe by this time next year, they would have completed their goals successfully and will be looking for the next big adventure.

Maybe that adventure would be marriage.

Gods above, what? He should have never let his mother put these wicked thoughts in his mind. Ever since that day in the marketplace, he hadn’t been able to stop thinking about what it would be like to take Lumine as his bride. Unlike the realization of his complete and utter love for her at a party similar to this one in a nation far from here, understanding the desire to marry her did not scare him. He knew how he felt deep down, knew he would never love another the way he loved her. He had a feeling she felt the same exact way. All it would take was him working up the courage to pop the question, to explain that he didn’t want anything else in this world other than to be her partner for the rest of their lives. 

He just… didn’t know if he was allowed to ask for it.

“Childe.”

Ajax blinked out of his tumultuous thoughts, spotting his starlight standing in front of him, a bead of sweat trailing down her forehead. How long had he been staring? “Oh, hey,” He said, clearing his throat and rubbing the back of his head, trying to ignore the heat blossoming across his cheeks. “Are you done dancing?”

“For now,” Lumine hummed, wiping her brow. “Didn’t realize how out of shape I’d gotten after a month of lounging around.”

Delight simmered in his veins like embers in a hearth. “We could always spar as exercise.” 

“Even then, I’d still kick your ass.” 

“Ha! I’d love to see you try!” He cheered, not bothering to temper his volume. He couldn’t remember the tally of who had beaten who after so many of their sessions together, but after months of training in the wilderness, surely she wouldn’t defeat him. His partner purred like a satisfied cat, standing on her tiptoes to get in his face, the scent of her invading his senses, that intoxicating and familiar smell of wildflowers and the wind threatening to drag him into her alluring grasp. Something snapped in place in his mind, a puzzle piece that had been absent since he’d returned to the little house. Perhaps he had another idea of sparring that they could engage in–

Suddenly, Tonia appeared, grabbing his arm and yanking him out of his wicked thoughts. “Big brother!” She cheered, overly showy and loud. “Won’t you come dance with me?”

Childe blinked, stunned. “Oh. Right now?”

“Yep! Is my loyal knight going to deny his princess?” She pushed, her sharp blue eyes wide and pleading. 

What had gotten into her? Tonia loved to dance, sure, but he hadn’t expected her to act this possessive of him. Why did she look so desperate for him to agree? Oh. One quick glance towards his partner revealed her cheeks blazing bright red, staring at the floor with her arms folded behind her back. Had he and Lumine been flirting in the middle of the crowd? Archons, and here they’d been doing so well maintaining the lie. Thank goodness Tonia had seen them struggling to keep their composure and had taken it upon herself to step in before they got out of control like they were so wont to do. 

In an instant, he forced a big smile, too wide to anyone who may have been watching closely. “Of course not!” He said, his cheery voice booming across the crowd. A few turned to give him curious glares, then turned back to their conversation. He tangled his arm with Tonia’s and let her pull him through the crowd towards the center of the circle, only giving himself one last look towards his partner. “Wait for me?”

“I’m not going anywhere,” Lumine laughed, giving a subtle wave as he disappeared into the mass of people.  

The minute he had befell the same fate as she had, sucked into the crowd by his eager sister, she let herself sit down for the first time since coming downstairs. It had been too long since she’d gotten the chance to enjoy a fun festival like this, and to explore a new part of the world’s amalgamations of cultures brought her a joy she couldn’t find anywhere else. She may not get to experience Snezhnaya the way she had the other six nations, but she got to see it through the eyes of the man she loved. Honestly, she may like it better this way.

The crowd parted around the circle enough to show off the two of them dancing, with Childe easily sweeping his younger sister off her feet. The songbird in her chest started its usual song up once again, fluttering its wings against her ribcage and stealing her breath away. She couldn’t have expected how much she’d love watching him interact with his younger siblings; he had always been good with the children whenever they returned to Mondstadt, but he really took it up a notch with his own family, doing whatever he could to entertain them and bring them as much joy as he brought her. Perhaps that’s why his rocky relationship with his elder siblings stung, cutting deep into her chest like a knife to her heart. Sure, she understood families didn’t always have to see eye to eye, especially a family with so many children of varying personalities, but she expected them to at least love him unconditionally. Then again, the more time she spent with his family at the little house, the more she learned about the turmoil he had caused when he’d climbed out of the Abyss the first time, forever changed.

Or, perhaps more realistically, she saw too much of her own familial relationship between the elder Alekseev children and her partner.

A knot tightened in her throat, squeezing the fabric of her dress. Where was Aether right now? What was he doing on this cold winter’s night? Was he safe? Was he warm? It had been a while since she’d genuinely wondered what he might be up to, too distracted by her current situation to think of her twin. She hadn’t even had a chance to celebrate their birthday this year, too swept up in the mad dash to get to the safety of her lover’s family home. If only he were here right now, perhaps they could dance together and they could share stories about all the festivals they had participated in during their travels, reminding him of the ones he had once adored. Maybe they would even talk and come up with a plan together alongside Ajax, to take down the Heavenly Principles and beat this prophecy hand in hand without risking any of them dying to fate.

Was that too naive? Probably. Didn’t mean she didn’t yearn for her twin to be here to make everything perfect.

She didn’t realize how long she’d been fighting back tears until someone cleared their throat behind her. One glance over her shoulder revealed Ajax’s father, bouncing a redheaded toddler on her hip, the little girl playing with a small doll and babbling in Snezhnayan baby talk. “You alright?” He asked softly without ever looking away from the swirling crowd of dancers filling his living room.

“Ah, yes,” Lumine whispered, carefully wiping the corner of eyes free of tears. “Just a little overwhelmed by it all.”

“I understand that, especially if you’re not as extroverted as Ajax is.” The older man chuckled, bouncing his granddaughter with ease. Funny; whereas originally he had given her such a cold once over upon their first introduction, he seemed to really have warmed to her presence. She could say the same. While she loved Natasha, she found herself drawn to his father’s calming demeanor, delighting in the same storytelling Ajax must have loved as a boy. “Still, I hope you’re having fun.”

“I absolutely am. Your wife is an excellent host.”

At that, the old man’s soft blue eyes lit up like the multitude of candles surrounding them. “She is, isn’t she?” He beamed, glancing over the heads of the crowd towards where his wife socialized with a few of her friends, engaged in an animated conversation. She recognized that look in an instant, the same gentle expression she’d seen on a familiar face, positively brimming with love. No wonder Ajax absolutely worshipped the ground she walked on, when his father did the same to Natasha. “And she’s so excited to have all of her children home. I suppose that includes you now, too.”

Home? Yes, she supposed it was home in a way, though her real home would always be Ajax. “I– I’m honored.”

“I hope we can have you here next year, too,” Arkady said simply, never tearing his gaze off his wife. “As an official part of the family.”

An official part of the family? Ha, and here she thought she already was–

Oh.

Oh, gods. What had she done?

“Ah, seems it’s time for this little one to enjoy her dessert. If you’ll excuse me,” Ajax’s father said, completely oblivious to the meltdown he’d sparked in her mind. 

A thousand thoughts raced through her head all at once, slamming into her like the ferocious white wings swirling outside. Oh, gods, oh gods, how could she have been so stupid? She couldn’t believe how quickly she had forgotten her goal! She’d been so distracted by her partner and the fun of traveling and the chaos of the Starfall Prophecy that she’d forgotten the basics of her mission. She was supposed to be finding a way to save Aether from the corruption in his mind. They were supposed to defeat the Heavenly Principles and recover their stolen wings, so that they could leave and travel the heavens once more, just like they had done before they crash landed on Teyvat more than 500 years ago.

But that… that would mean leaving Ajax. It would mean leaving the one person she had finally felt free enough to give her entire heart to across her centuries of life. It would mean abandoning the home she’d carefully curated in the person who had protected her through all of the chaos of the past two years. It would mean choosing between her brother and her partner, the one person she had been able to completely trust when she’d been stripped down to her bare essentials. And if she left him…

If she left him…

In a heartbeat, she pushed herself out of the chair, slipping through the crowd and stumbling out onto the front porch where a few of the husbands shared cigars despite the freezing cold snowy weather. Lumine desperately sucked in cold gasps of air, trying to stop her spiral of thoughts. Tears welled in the corner of her eyes, threatening to freeze to her cheeks the moment they spilled down her face. How could she be so stupid? How could she let herself fall this deeply in love with a mortal when her one true mission had been to get her brother back so they could return to the heavens? Was that what she still wanted? What did she want? 

Before she could decide, a warm set of arms wrapped around her and pulled her against a firm, familiar chest. Lumine instantly melted into his grasp, clinging to his soft cashmere sweater. “Shh, easy,” Ajax whispered against the crown of her head, rubbing slow, reassuring circles between her shoulder blades. “It’s okay, I’ve got you.”

“Sorry,” She croaked, but there were too many things for her to apologize for. Causing a scene. Crying despite there being no tears in Snezhnaya. Loving him even though she was supposed to leave him one day. “I’m so sorry.”

“Don’t be, kochana.” He kissed her hairline again, pulling away to wipe her face free of tears so they didn’t freeze. His dark brow creased, his dull blue eyes flickering with concern as she sniffled and whimpered. “Did someone say something? Was it my father?”

“No, no.” How was she supposed to explain it? She’d already told him one before that she would take to the heavens when she and Aether had reunited, but that had been years ago, before they even knew the truth behind the riddle, before she’d realized how truly in love she was. “I’m just…”

“Just…?”

How would he react when he realized that she didn’t know what she wanted to do yet? That she didn’t know if she would stay or go the moment her brother returned to her and the prophecy had been fulfilled and the Heavenly Principles defeated? Having this conversation right now would only ruin the holiday, and he’d made it clear he wanted to enjoy the night as it was rather than thinking about what came with the future. She couldn’t ruin this for him, not when they didn’t know what to expect for the holiday a year from now.

So instead, she buried her face against his chest and exhaled a shaky breath. “Seeing you and your family is so special, but… it’s making me miss my brother, too.”

Not a lie. Not exactly the truth. She’d explain the truth to him when it wasn’t threatening to tear her to shreds. 

Thankfully, Ajax didn’t push her further, instead wrapping his muscular arms back around her trembling frame. “Ah,” He said softly, barely audible above the wind.

“I’m sorry. I know it’s silly, considering what happened the last time we saw him,” She sniffled, her bottom lip quivering like a toddler on the verge of a meltdown. “But he’s still my brother.”

“I know. The same way I know how complicated families can be.”

Something about that cracked her heart in two again, threatening to send over  the edge. “I want to find a way to save him. I want to bring him back from the brink so he can be my brother again. I just– I miss my only family.”

“Hey,” Ajax soothed, brushing her hair out of her face. That soft smile tugged at the corner of his thin lips again, the firelight dancing across his high, freckled cheekbones. “Listen to me. We’ll find a way to bring him back and we’ll do it together. And if for some reason he still decides that’s not good enough… well, then I can be your family.”

Lumine whimpered, resting her head against his chest, hearing the steady thrum of his heart thudding against her ear. The worst part, she realized, was that he already was her family, and that the path she’d found herself on threatened to make her choose between him and her twin brother.

She just hoped making a decision didn’t kill her.

Chapter Text

The post-holiday haze swept in with another massive and violent blizzard, trapping Childe and Lumine from making their journey away from the far northwestern corner of Snezhnaya to Zapolyarny Palace. The wind and snow raged for nearly a week, the temperature dropping into dangerous chills that seeped through any cracks in the little house’s foundation. Only a roaring fire could fight against the cold, one that Arkady kept burning at all hours of the day in all of the iron wood stoves around the house.

Her partner didn’t seem to mind, spending the time he had left entertaining his siblings with the new gifts he’d given them for the holidays and helping his parents with any chores they may have. Lumine couldn’t say she minded either, thrilled to have the comfort of a home-cooked meal and a warm bed rather than having to scramble to stay warm in the raging elements outside. She also didn’t plan to meet the Tsaritsa as a frozen popsicle. 

They would get to Zapolyarny soon. There was no need to rush.

On the night before the storm had eased, though, Childe had muttered something about needing to do something in the woods. She’d been on the verge of sleep, her legs intertwined with his, her head against his chest lulled by the steady thrum of his beating heart. His words sounded so distant and sharp, filled with an emotion she could not fully identify in her tired state, but she let herself slip away into the confines of sleep instead of pressing him to answer questions on where he was going and what he was doing. 

By morning, she’d woken in an empty bed the same way she had the entire time they’d been reunited, the sheets neatly tucked in on Ajax’s side. She thought nothing of it until she’d wandered downstairs, finding the couch devoid of her snoring partner, too. Her confusion evident, Natasha had explained her partner had slipped out of the house before anyone else had awoken, with a promise to return by sunset.

Odd. She’d have to ask more about where he’d gone and why later. 

With the foul weather mostly cleared and an itch to get out of the house invading every nerve in her body, she eagerly accepted the responsibility of taking care of the spirited Alekseev children desperate to expel some of the energy they’d built up after days trapped indoors. They spent the mid-morning and early afternoon down at the frozen pond, enjoying the crisp winter air and fresh ice ripe for peak skating. By the time they’d finished, Lumine’s muscles burned, her calves sore from practicing maneuvers that she would not have otherwise tried, especially with her limited experience on skates. The other children– Tonia, especially– had no issue skating for nearly an hour after her, only pulling themselves from the ice when the sky began to darken with the threat of another storm.

The conversation on the way back to the house had turned to travel as it usually had, with Tonia eagerly asking questions about her adventures across Teyvat. Lumine didn’t hesitate to give them, filling the slow walk back to the house through the thick snow with fighting dragons in Mondstadt and facing the Raiden Shogun at her peak power– and the chaos she’d caused when she’d entered Fontaine.

“They put you on trial for that ?” Tonia asked, freezing in place.

“Releasing a flying object in Fontaine during the first three days of the month is quite the serious offense,” Lumine laughed, tugging her cloak tighter around her frame.

“But you didn’t know it was a rule!”

“That’s my own fault.” Fontaine had not been kind to her, sure, but she shouldn’t have treated it so lackadaisical. Perhaps some of her own ego had slipped through then, built up on the back of being celebrated across four other nations. “I should always know the laws before I arrive somewhere so I don’t end up in prison. Between that and someone shouting that I deserved judgement for my supposed crimes against Teyvat, I was already in way too deep.”

Tonia stared in horrified awe, her jaw still slack as she processed what Lumine said. Humor thrummed in the back of her mind; at least she didn’t feel as insane as she had when she’d first been placed under arrest, wondering what she could have done wrong. By now, Fontaine was so far in the past that she couldn’t help but find a little hilarity in the chaos that had happened there.

Ice glittered through the pine trees, coating each needle and weighing it down until the branches brushed against the snowy ground. Every once in a while, the swirling clouds in the afternoon sky would part for a brief moment and alight the path with glittering white light, hitting the fine glaze like a dreamcatcher in the window and exploding into a surge of sparkles. Behind them, Anton and Teucer threw snowballs at each other and cackled like a pack of wild wolves, still bursting with an excitable energy that hours of ice skating could not dispel. 

“How did you get out of it?” The younger girl asked once she’d broken out of her shock, hurrying to catch up with her. 

A shrug. “It took some convincing during my trial and a little help from a friend in Liyue. Still, they weren’t too happy about letting me go, even if they made me a spectacle for their papers.”

Tonia shuddered, her auburn brow creasing into the same deep V her brother regularly wore. “That all sounds so frightening.”

“I can see where you’re coming from,” Lumine said, nudging her gently in the side. Getting in trouble was one thing, but getting in trouble while exploring another nation would be enough to startle anyone without a significant amount of experience. The only people she doubted it truly bothered were herself– and Childe, with his tendency to get roped in with any chaos even if he wasn’t directly involved. “I won’t deny my time in Fontaine wasn’t my favorite, but I’m glad I learned that on my own rather than assuming something about somewhere I have never been. Doing so would feel like a disservice.”

“Traveling really does sound wonderful.”

“It’s my favorite thing in the world. Imagine waking up somewhere and not knowing where you’re going to go, or who you’re going to meet, or what you’re going to see.” She sucked in a satisfied breath, letting the cold air fill her lungs while dreams of places far away flooded her memory again. She couldn’t think of anything greater than the freedom to explore , to experience the world as it was meant to be seen, to indulge in everything it had to offer. “Doesn’t that sound incredible?”

“You sound like Ajax,” Tonia tsked dramatically, a wry smile twitching at the corner of her thin lips. 

She couldn’t help her own smile. “We share a similar adoration for it.”

“I can tell.” Behind them, Teucer let out a shrill shriek, followed by explosive giggles. One glance over her shoulder revealed Anton had nailed him directly in the face with one of the snowballs, but from his fit of laughter, she doubted he was hurt. Tonia didn’t even blink at her brother’s scream, tugging her skates higher on her shoulder. “What’s been your favorite place to visit out of all the seven nations?”

Lumine dramatically gasped, clutching her chest. “That’s like asking your mother to pick a favorite child!”

“She’d probably say Teucer.”

“...She’d have an answer?” The younger girl simply nodded, completely unbothered. How odd. She thought all mothers loved their children equally. Was this simply how it worked for bigger families, or did some mothers show obvious favor to particular children? She didn’t exactly have parents of her own to base it off of. “Well… in that case, I’d probably say Mondstadt.”

“Really?” Tonia asked, tilting her head like a curious dog. “Why?”

“There’s a sense of nostalgia there that I can’t quite put my finger on.” She could still remember the relief coursing through her veins like the wind rolling across the grassy plains when she’d reached the first Statue of the Seven and felt a small thrum of power return to her. The chatter on the market street as Flora tried to sell her homegrown flowers filled her mind, too, while the fruity stench of alcohol clung to the patrons squeezing out of Angel’s Share. And when she’d met the Knights of Favonius and introduced herself as an outlander, they’d treated her like a fast friend, offering their assistance in any way she needed to help find her missing brother. “Plus, the people there have always helped me when I needed it most.”

Except for how they treated her after the barricade she had no part in. While she couldn’t blame them for their reaction, it still stung.

She shook her head and tightened Childe’s crimson scarf tighter around her throat. “Liyue was wonderful too, especially the food and the culture. I think it would have been my favorite if I hadn’t had to deal with your brother– oh, I mean–”

“It’s okay,” Tonia giggled. “I know about Liyue.”

One brow rose. “You do?”

“I’m not supposed to, but my parents like to talk,” She explained, focusing on her footsteps through the calf-deep snow. “Just don’t let Teucer hear you.”

Right, she should have remembered. Of the three children still living at home, it seemed only Teucer remained in the dark of his brother’s real career. How much longer did Childe plan to hide from the boy? After all, he was already on the verge of leaving childhood behind, and surely he would understand– no, she knew her partner’s fear came directly from how his youngest brother might see him once he realized the kind-of bad guy Ajax really was. Still, surely if Tonia and Anton had some sort of understanding of the role the eleventh Harbinger played, Teucer did too?

Whatever the case, it wasn’t her story to tell. 

With the boys distracted by their snowball fight, Lumine lowered her voice and smiled. “You should ask him about the sigils of permission, then. If only to get a look at his face when he knows you know,” She said simply, her own smile growing. Something mischievous danced in Tonia’s blue eyes, a glint of devilish intent as she eagerly listened to whatever Lumine could tell her about her brother’s chaotic activities in the nation of contracts. “Inazuma was intense– that was during the whole war thing, so I ended up getting sucked into the fight as well. I loved Sumeru! If you ever have a chance to go, I highly recommend you take it, if only to see how different it is compared to Snezhnaya.”

“Oh, with the desert?” Tonia asked, bracing against a cold gust of wind tearing through the icy trees.

Lumine shuddered, wishing she was in the nation of wisdom now, if only to find relief from the constant chill of the far north. “The desert, the rainforests, the food and people and culture…. It's just an incredible place. I still believe Fontaine would have been just as wonderful, had it started differently.”

“What about Natlan?”

A shiver ran up her spine, but it was not from the cold. “Natlan had so much potential,” She breathed, glancing back to make sure the boys were still following. They’d slowed in their steps in the midst of their snowball fight, so she paced herself to give them time to catch up. “I had such a good time during the tournament and loved getting to taunt your brother into a fun battle, but… after the volcanoes erupted, it wasn’t the same.”

“Oh,” The younger girl said softly, fiddling with the hem of her jacket, “That’s unfortunate.”

It hurt to say, but it was true. In between nearly destroying her leg in the midst of that volcanic cavern and coming back after her explosive break-up with Ajax, she’d been relatively sour about returning to the nation of war. Combined with the destruction the volcanoes had caused, and overall it wasn’t exactly a tourist destination.

“It’s not their fault,” Lumine said, slicking her damp hair out of her face, “Maybe one day I’ll go back with a renewed perspective and fall in love in a brand new way.” 

Tonia smiled as they reached the top of the hill, both glancing back towards the still-fighting boys. Knowing their elder brother, Lumine doubted the two of them would admit defeat until one of them was bleeding or the exhaustion had overwhelmed them. “What about Snezhnaya?” The young girl asked, dragging her attention back to the conversation on travel.

A shrug. “I haven’t seen all that much of it yet. There’s a lot of snow. Good, rich food.” Ajax, Ajax, Ajax.

“And the people?” Tonia pressed, her voice a sing-song.

Lumine turned towards, spotting that same wry smile twitching at the corner of the girl’s thin lips as she rocked back and forth on the balls of her feet. “That’s a leading question.”

“Humor me.”

Gods, she wasn’t much different than her annoying older brother. “The people are genuinely wonderful,” She said simply, turning up the path again, afraid to freeze solid if she stayed standing still. Tonia’s adorable grin only grew as she continued, saying, “There’s this one family who has taken good care of me after a few rough weeks and made me feel like one of their own, although that middle son sure does drive me insane –”

“I’ll make sure to tell Ajax that.”

“Trust me, he already knows,” She giggled, shaking her head. 

In truth, being here with Childe had only made her stay all the better. She loved traveling by herself, but she loved having someone to share in her adventures with her. She couldn’t quite remember when it had started or how she had gotten here, but at some point, Ajax had replaced Paimon as her preferred companion. Archons, he’d even replaced Aether , slotting into her side. Something about that made her heart twinge with conflicting emotions. Yes, her twin may have been better suited for her fighting style when he took a much more defensive stance, and yes, she cherished him by her side as they explored the heavens, but he wasn’t her true partner anymore. 

She’d stopped thinking of him as such when he turned his back on her in that cold cave for a third time, leaving her to bleed out trapped under the stones.

But Childe had been there through thick and thin, even when things got hard, even when she pushed him away. He had never shied away from her mood swings or when she let fear invade every part of her mind instead of trusting herself to trust him . He’d stayed close by despite their fight and had come back to save her. He’d fallen into the Abyss for her and trusted her enough to do whatever it took to crawl out of that hellish place with her. He’d proven time and time again that he would go to any length to stay by her side and she’d only just come to realize she would do the same, no matter the cost.

Maybe that’s why she had frozen so badly when she remembered her original mission of exploring Teyvat with the intention of one day leaving it. Of leaving the people she loved and the places she cherished behind so that she and Aether could take to the stars where they belonged. Of leaving Ajax .

Tonia’s smile faded as they reached the thicket of pine trees, growing dark as any of the glittering sunlight failed to reach the snow-covered forest floor. “I wish I could travel like you.”

Lumine blinked away her thoughts, ignoring the way her chest tightened and squeezed the more she pondered her plans after they tore down the false sky. “Why can’t you?”

“I need to be here.”

“Forever?”

“At least until I’m of age,” She whispered, glancing behind at the boys finally cresting the hill, the same protective glint in her eye that Ajax regularly possessed. “But it’s not like I could just up and leave. I mean, where would I go? How would I start? I’ve never been further south than Zapolyarny City!”

“But do you want to travel?” She asked, cutting off the girl’s spiraling thoughts before Tonia could somehow decide she should never travel ever again for fear of… well, fear .

“ Yes .” The girl’s shoulders drooped, her brows knitting together. “Ajax always writes about so many cool things around the world and it inspires me to want to try! But the minute I start to consider what I would do or where I would go… I freeze.”

Poor thing. Crippled by the decision to move forward– a feeling Lumine herself wasn’t too familiar with but could understand in many of the people she’d met across her journeys. Dozens of people waiting for just the right condition to begin, only to realize there would never be the perfect time to start. Unlike them, though, she had always believed to take the first step and consider the consequences later. Yes, that had caused some moments of trouble in her journey before, but the good easily outweighed the bad.

“If there’s anything I’ve learned while traveling, it’s that fear can smother your greatness before you even begin,” Lumine said, cupping the younger girl’s shoulder sympathetically. “Don’t let your worries hold you back.”

“I know,” She whispered, staring at the path ahead of them, covered in freshly fallen snow. “I wish I was braver.”

“That first step will always be the hardest for more than just traveling. But I promise it’s worth taking the risk– and if it’s not, and you hate it, you can always come home.”

A flicker of surprise flashed across Tonia’s pretty features, her eyes wide with understanding. “That’s true! It’s not like I would be leaving forever.”

“Exactly! Even Ajax comes home to visit.” Lumine tightened her scarf around her throat as she stepped into a broad, snow-covered clearing, a thrum of pride surging in her chest. Perhaps that opening was all the younger Alekseev girl needed to take the first step– a push from someone who wasn’t necessarily family, from someone who inspired her to do good in the world. She doubted Natasha would be thrilled by her encouragement, but Tonia deserved the chance to see the world and decide what she wanted out of her life the same way her elder brother had. “You have so much potential, T. The world is eager to meet you. I’d hate for you to hide behind your fear like it’s some kind of shield, rather than taking advantage of your drive and ambition to explore your dreams.”

It took a moment to realize Tonia had not stepped into the clearing beside her, the sound of only her footsteps reaching her ears. Lumine frowned, turning back to stare at the girl where she stood at the edge of the clearing. Was it something she had said? Had she pushed too hard to encourage the girl to leave home? She hadn’t meant now , if that’s what she was so worried about. One look at her face revealed something different etched in her features, though, mimicked by her brothers when they reached the edge of the clearing too, their excitement fading in a heartbeat into something akin to horror . 

She followed their gazes across the clearing, squinting to focus on whatever it was they had seen. The haze of ice and blowing snow cleared for a brief moment, revealing a small figure standing in the very middle of the ring of trees. Feathers decorated her dark hair, the few strands of pink hanging down her flat chest fluttering in the wind. A complex mask obscured her closed eyes, an eerie hum echoing across the field. Her thick white cloak shrouded her pretty, girlish features. Anyone else may have thought her a damsel in distress, but Lumine knew better. She recognized the dark hair and masked face as well as the unsettling aura and glittering Cryo delusion pinned to her silver waistband. 

Columbina had come to accomplish the Tsaritsa’s goal.

Fuck. Fuck . 

No, no! She had to stay calm for both the children– and for herself. Perhaps it really wasn’t the same Harbinger that Lumine had seen standing on that stage at the base camp when the Tsaritsa announced the hunt to bring her to justice. She swallowed down the lump in her throat, taking a subtle step closer in front of Childe’s frozen siblings and forcing a too-wide smile. “Greetings comrade!” She called out, her voice echoing across the wide clearing. “You’re a far way from town.”

The figure tilted her head, but did not open her eyes. “Hello Lumine. It’s wonderful to finally make your acquaintance.”

Well, there went her attempt to lie and pretend she was a simple Snezhnayan woman walking home from the woods. Her heart thudded loudly against her chest, dulling out most of the sound around them as her mind whirred like a racing cog in a machine trying to figure out what steps she should take. She didn’t know anything about Columbina’s fighting style– they’d never even encountered each other during her travels throughout Teyvat! Even Childe’s incessant grumbling about his coworkers left her wondering what to do, since the only warning he had given her about the third Harbinger was to stay away from her. Some good that advice would do, seeing as the woman had actively sought her out.

“What do we do?” Tonia whispered behind her.

“Get yourself and the boys out of here,” Lumine hissed through clenched teeth, forcing herself to focus on the immediate issue at hand. Thankfully, the girl did not put up any fight, quickly wrapping her arms around her brothers’ shoulders. She didn’t give them another look, focusing on the threat in front of her. “I take it you’re a Harbinger?”

“You don’t know me by name?” Unfortunately she did, but she wanted the Damselette to say it herself. When she didn’t respond, the girl let out a melodic sigh. “I am Columbina, the third Harbinger. I’ve been waiting for you.”

Of course she had. “Why are you here?”

“To peacefully escort you to Zapolyarny Palace.” The girl still didn’t open her eyes, but Lumine swore she could feel her gaze piercing right to her soul. At least she didn’t seem to lie, blunt in her sing-song answers. “Our Tsaritsa is expecting you.”

“Is that so?”

“We’ve been waiting months, you see. Capitano let you slip through his fingers. Dottore’s experiments could not stop you. And Arlecchino could not spin a web fast enough to capture you. I will not join in their failure, so I kindly ask you to come with me?”

Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted Tonia and the boys reach the tree line, their white cloaks blending in with the snow. The unease festering in her belly like an open wound relaxed, but only just– there was still a long way to go before they were back in the safety of the little house, and Lumine did not trust this Harbinger one bit to let them go that easily. Besides, she was not going to Zapolyarny with anyone other than Ajax. “And if I say no?” 

Columbina’s grin grew unnaturally wide across her pretty features. “Then I will force you to come along.”

“I would love to see you try,” She hissed, summoning her sword and flexing her cold fingers around the hilt of the blade.

“Oh, Traveler,” The girl hummed in that same eerie sing-song tune, “There will be no trying.”

Columbina suddenly lunged in her direction, her moves as quick as a bird on the wind. Lumine barely had time to dodge a blast of Cryo at the base of her feet, taking off into a dead sprint as fast as she could in the calf-deep snow. The ice swirled around her, so close she could feel the condensation on her brow freezing, the moisture sticking to her skin in tiny droplets. Every dodge she made, every step she took, put her further and further away from the children, desperate to get as much distance between them so they did not get hit by one of Columbina’s violent blasts. Ajax would never forgive her if they got a single scratch– Archons, she would never forgive herself .

Another pillar of Cryo slammed down into the dense snow in front of her, and she had to roll to avoid running into it. The few seconds struggling to stand in the snow gave Columbina enough time to summon another swell of energy, the ice blue light filling the clearing when the sun could not. Shit , she was fast. If Lumine wasn’t careful, this fight would be over in a few short seconds thanks to her sluggish and exhausted movements! She hadn’t even come up with a strategy yet, knowing next to nothing about how the Damselette operated! If only she had her full elemental powers, she would have the confidence to protect herself as she avoided the direct hits. She would just have to come up with a battle plan with only her sword instead of relying on the final two powers simmering in her core. 

She threw herself behind a large pine tree to avoid a blast of ice, the trunk groaning under the strain from the attack. Even as Lumine struggled to catch her breath, the girl didn’t get any closer. “You know, it’s obvious how close you and Tartaglia have gotten!” Columbina called out, her high-pitched voice echoing across the empty field.

Ragged breaths tore through her, the cold air prickling her lungs like thousands of little needles. “Oh?”

“Your fighting styles are perfect matches. You mirror each other flawlessly!” She could have told the Damselette that, but it didn’t bode well that the others were finally starting to notice just how in sync she and Childe were. It wasn’t like there was much she could do about it either; the two of them had become two sides of the same coin, a double-edged blade ready to pierce through anyone who stood in their way. “Unfortunately for you, this means I know exactly where to attack.”

Not necessarily. Even Childe didn’t know all of her secrets. “You’ll find I have a few tricks up my sleeve.”

When she was certain she could make her legs move without getting hit again, Lumine jumped back into the fray, formulating a plan in her mind. Everything Columbina did, whether it was summoning a blast of Cryo with her lyre-shaped catalyst or sliding along bare feet on the icy tundra surface, seemed to be an attempt to keep Lumine at a distance. Was she better at ranged attacks? Or was she incredibly weak, able to be taken down by a single blow? Whatever the case, she had to try using this to her advantage. Perhaps she could get close enough to rattle her, to disrupt her attacks just enough to get a blow of her own in.

When the crackling air settled after her latest icy attack, Lumine took the chance to run towards danger instead of avoiding it at every turn. She burst through a cloud of snow dust right in the third Harbinger’s face, swinging her sword up with as much strength as she could muster despite the ache in her muscles. Columbina yelped and swung out her arm in a graceful but abrupt push, a burst of frozen feathers erupting from her fingertips. The frigid blast slammed into Lumine square in the chest, flinging her backwards into the air from the sheer force of the elemental impact. 

A shattered groan escaped her as she flew backwards across the clearing, and she hit the ground with a hard tumble, the thick snow saving her from any broken bones. Her head spun, the cold seeping through her clothing the only thing keeping her from passing out. What kind of hit was that ? No wonder she was the third Harbinger; with elemental abilities that strong, she would be devastatingly useful against any Celestial foes were she to fight against the gods above in the final battle. For now, though, the attack only served to make her suffer.

“Lumine!” A small voice yelped, dragging her attention away from her frozen body and the Damselette’s eerie song as she toyed with her prey like a cat hunting a mouse.

She whipped around, finding Teucer’s mess of red hair stark against the snow bank. Behind him in the tree line, Tonia and Anton stared with wide eyes, their jaws slack. “What are you– I told you to get out of here!”

Tonia flinched. “I tried–”

“We want to help!” Teucer interrupted, his auburn brow creasing in a familiar V, so identical to his elder brother that it hurt almost as much as the frigid tingles of ice throbbing through her body.

“If you want to help, go find your brother,” She groaned, pushing herself to stand, heavily leaning against her sword. “I don’t know if I can take her down myself.”

“Are you sure?” Tonia asked, pulling Teucer away from the snowbank. 

Lumine gave a curt nod, turning her attention back towards where Columbina stayed in the center of the field. Why wasn’t she taking the opportunity to finish her attack, despite the fact that her enemy had been immobile for several long moments? Any real battle maiden would do whatever it took to finish their opponent off– unless this really was just a game to her, in which case, she didn’t want to know how long this fight would last. One glance back over her shoulder revealed the kids standing still, frozen in place. “Go!” She shouted, startling them from their stupor.

Without further hesitation, all three took off in a sprint towards the house, finally listening to her desperate demands to get out of here. Before they could get very far, though, the ground beneath the clearing trembled and groaned, the snow underfoot thinning. A surge of ice suddenly exploded up around the clearing, so blue and dense that they may as well have been glaciers floating on the northern sea. The walls locked into place like pieces of one of Teucer’s puzzles, higher and higher around them until they towered above the giant pines. 

Lumine whipped around just in time to spot Columbina’s gilded lyre glowing with that same frigid Cryo energy, the small girl hovering above the snowy ground. That same eerie tune she’d hummed since they’d started their so-called fight echoed across the clearing. Columbina never once opened her eyes, but she swore she could feel the Harbinger’s gaze watching every movement, as if daring her to try and flee.

She cursed, shoving the children behind her as she processed the new, worsening situation they’d found themselves in. They were like rats in a cage, unable to escape no matter what they tried. Climbing over the wall would do them no good; for how dense it was, she doubted they could scramble over it. She could try to use her Pyro abilities, but they would likely disappear too, and she’d rather use them in the midst of this battle with Columbina instead of wasting them on melting the ice. If only she had her wings, she could find a way to carry them over the wall one by one. Then again, that would likely only make them a bigger target for the third Harbinger. 

“Aren’t you curious as to how I tracked you down?” The girl called out, the snow dust spinning up around her, ruffling the feathers in her hair.

“Not particularly.”

“You’re not as beloved by this family as you think.”

Unease filled her belly, that annoying voice at the back of her mind screaming at her to ignore the Harbinger. And yet, her mouth moved before her brain could stop her, the question spilling out of her as she asked, “What do you mean?”

That same too-wide grin stretched across Columbina’s otherwise demure features. “People love to talk when they’ve been wronged– and there are so many little birds eager to sing their tunes my way after the holiday celebrations.”

Lumine tensed as though she’d taken another blast of Cryo directly to the chest. Dammit– she knew joining Ajax and his family for the holidays and showing her face was a terrible idea! She should have listened to her gut instinct the first time rather than letting him talk her into enjoying all of the fun and food! Well, it was too late to do anything about it now, now with the Damselette here and threatening her and the rest of the Alekseev siblings as proxies for their absent older brother.

She needed to put a stop to this and fast.

Without warning the children what she was about to do, she pushed herself away from them, fighting against her own temper and fear at the same time she battled the girl. She tried once more to get close, letting the burn in her muscles fuel her drive forward. Columbina’s song reached an eerie crescendo, launching another swell of icy, frozen feathers. A few scratched Lumine’s face like tiny blades, the warm ooze of blood trickling down her cheeks, but she forced herself to be as fast and as focused as she would have been with the rest of her powers. 

Close combat had always been her speciality; it’s what made fighting Childe so interesting, especially when he had those beautiful dual blades out, clashing against her own sword in an explosion of light and shadow. She’d never needed her elemental abilities for those battles, so why did she feel she needed them now? With another pillar of Cryo slamming into the ground at her feet, the snow dust scattering in the air around them, Lumine invaded the third Harbinger’s personal space once more with a flurry of attacks. Each slash of her sword was wild and animalistic, a mixture of rage and desperation. Columbina’s eerie tune faltered as she blocked the blows, every hit after hard hit cracking her resolve like thin ice on a pond’s surface.

She swiped her sword with another hard swing and a vicious groan, breaking through one of the shields of ice that the girl had thrown up around herself. The hit somehow managed to land, though just barely. Nevertheless, it did its job, the very edge of the blade slashing through Columbina’s complex crossed mask. A swell of relief that she’d managed to at least hit her once filled Lumine’s belly, but it vanished in a heartbeat as Columbina let out a shrill, high-pitched shriek, the sound so piercing that her eardrums vibrated like glass about to shatter. 

Another blast of frozen energy exploded out of the girl, sending Lumine skidding back through the slush. Her muscles ached, her body sore from the ferocious battle of attrition. Gods, this was going to take forever; she had been fighting with all her heart and soul and all she had to prove her attempts was the thin trickle of blood spilling down Columbina’s round cheek. And yet, from the way she screamed, Lumine might have thought she’d severely injured the girl with nothing more than a scratch.

“No, no, no, no!” Columbina wailed, clutching her head, the feathers in her hair vibrating like a hummingbird mid flight. “I am not going to fail like the others did! You will be coming with me!”

Lumine sucked in ragged breaths, trying to quell her racing heart. “Not a chance.”

Something across her features cracked, the facade of an easygoing and innocent damsel pierced. “If you won’t come along… then I’ll have to take drastic measures to force you?”

Oh yeah? Like what? She already made a point that she would not go without a fight, and she knew the Harbinger was under strict orders to bring Lumine back to Zapolyarny Palace alive. 

To her horror, it seemed Columbina didn’t plan to take drastic measures against her . 

Terror flooded every inch of her body as the third Harbinger turned to the tree line, summoning another tightly compacted bath of frozen feathers without ever opening her eyes. Her body started moving before her mind could catch up as Columbina let the ball of pure crystallized Cryo energy fly. No, no, no – something like that would seriously injure the unprotected children! She needed to be the one to take the hit, to defend the innocent caught in her troublesome quarrels, no matter if she ended up dead from the impact. But her usual speedy pace could not match the rapid pace of the attack, her body worn down from weeks of lounging around instead of constant training. Her eyes widened as the beam of light slammed into the treeline, her heart slamming against her chest as she prepared herself for their screams of pain–

Another burst of frigid energy suddenly erupted from the pines, splintering some of the heavy branches and thick tree trunks. The swirl of wind and ice sent both Columbina and Lumine skidding back through the clearing, the force of the 

“What–?!” Columbina shouted, her usual sing-song demeanor cracking even further.

Lumine squinted as the ice and snow struggled to clear, her heart skipping beat after beat as she searched for Ajax’s younger siblings. There were no screams of pain, nor was there utter silence. Instead, a vibrant circular shield of ice bubbled up around where she’d left the children, protecting them from the attack. The wind continued to whip around them, the trees swaying in the icy breeze as another pale glow descended from the sky, the light so piercing she could barely focus on it. Then a small hand shot out into the dust and captured the light in her palm, the snowy shield listening to each command it was given and clearing to reveal the chaos at the center of it all.

There Tonia stood, completely unharmed, with a shiny new Cryo Vision in her palm.

A shattered breath tore through her as Teucer and Anton poked their heads out from behind her, just as untouched by Columbina’s vicious blast. “Archons above, thank you ,” She prayed to whatever god was listening.

The young girl’s eyes widened as Lumine sprinted over to them, staring between the gemstone in her hand and the damage around them. “What did I just do?!” She squeaked, trembling like a leaf in the wind.

“You did everything right!” Lumine praised, throwing her arms around her in a relieved hug. A shield– that’s what Tonia was. Fitting, considering how guarded and cautious and reliable the young could be. Whereas her brother focused more on his offensive strategies to take his enemies down, Tonia’s first instinct had been to protect . 

Her ease that they were alive and safe did not last for very long. “ Traveler! ” Columbina shouted behind them, the air crackling as though the little moisture in the air was freezing around them.

“She’s coming!” Anton squeaked, tightening his grip on Tonia’s waist.

Lumine didn’t hesitate, cupping Tonia’s shoulders to force her to focus. While this would have been an otherwise exciting moment, the battle was nowhere near down. “You have to get out of here,” She pushed, hearing Columbina’s song start once more, though much more demented this time. “She is not like the other Fatui soldiers who searched the house. She will kill you if you stand in her way. Now go, find a way out of here while I handle this.”

“No.”

She may as well have been slapped across the face. “Tonia–”

“You said all it takes is one step forward to start my journey, right?” The girl’s brow dipped in a familiar determination as Lumine sputtered, wanting to shout about how this was so not the time to start whatever journey she wanted to go down. “I’ve made my decision.”

Gods above, she was just as bad as her older brother. A defeated sigh tore through her, but she had little time to argue any further as a few icy feathers slammed into the tree trunks around them. Lumine hissed as the children squealed, pressing closely together. “Fine,” She growled, deciding to feed the girl’s intent rather than squashing it, even though it would be extremely dangerous no matter what happened. “But the second she starts going after you and your siblings again, you’re done, okay? You protect them first with that shield of yours.”

“Got it!” 

“And try not to freeze me, okay? I’m cold enough as it is.”

One final time, she threw all of herself into the battle, desperate to drag Columbina’s attention away from the children. The third Harbinger seemed far different than she had when she’d first arrived; being rattled by Lumine’s attack and failure to complete her drastic measures seemed to have started to unravel her, her demure exterior and sweet song slipping with each attack. She needed to finish this before she completely exhausted herself, her energy reserves already so low. She knew her best method of attack had to be to get close to her and do more to get her to break.

Thankfully, with Tonia’s shields, she could do just that. The minute the girl managed to summon another wall of ice around Lumine, displaying a surprising level of control. Yes, the shields may be shaky and inconsistent, but she’d had her Vision for less than ten minutes and was already attempting to use it with the same level of intent as some experienced fighters. She would not waste this opportunity, skidding in the slippery snow as she reached Columbina, swiping her sword in quick, dramatic measures, pushing her back for the first time in this fight. Every time the Damselette tried to summon another ball of crystallized Cryo feathers, Lumine would interrupt her attack and force her to retreat once more. Any attacks she did muster bounced off of Tonia’s careful shielding, unable to puncture the icy walls.

Lumine swung her blade hard again, the smooth metal colliding with the Harbinger’s lyre with a loud clang and sending the gilded instrument flying across the field. Columbina let out another shrill, ear-piercing shriek, and though Lumine braced for another explosive pushback, it never came. Instead, the third Harbinger leapt backwards into the air, giant white wings erupting from her small spine. The set of three spread out wide and far, so massive they dulled the light from the grey sky.

Genuine envy swelled in her belly, a longing for wings she hadn’t had in years. “That’s so not fair,” She hissed under her breath, readjusting her grip on her sword.

How was she supposed to get the Harbinger out of the sky now? Her best ranged attacks had always been in her Hydro and Electro abilities– maybe Geo, too, but she still could not feel them simmering in her veins as she had when she resonated with their respective statues. She could try using her Dendro powers to summon the dormant roots from underneath the frozen earth to yank the woman down to the ground once more, but she didn’t trust herself not to go overboard with the attack! 

From her spot in the sky, Columbina could easily build her attacks once more without even bothering to summon her lyre again. Dozens of icy feathers the size of claymores filled the sky around her, looming like a guillotine above her head, itching to fall. That eerie song filled her mind again though the girl had stopped audibly singing it, louder and louder until she dropped all of the massive feathers down, spearing the ground like a porcupine’s quills. A well-timed shield went up around her just as the ones directly above her collided with her, bouncing off the icy protection and piercing the frozen earth.

This sucked . She always expected the top three Harbingers to be the most powerful of the group, rivaling the strength of the Archons themselves. She shouldn’t have underestimated the Damselette any, since she had been looked down upon before. She doubted the dove had even broken a sweat in this fight, the single scratch on her unmasked face the only sign that Lumine had done anything during the battle. Yes, she may have startled her into revealing more of her true self, but what good was fear in the place of victory? It would do very little to help her win.

With each attack, she could feel her energy waning, her strength nonexistent after pointless swipes that did not reach the Harbinger. Blood trickled down her cheeks as razor sharp, icy feathers scraped her skin– it seemed Tonia was struggling to keep up with the frequent attacks, too, not that it was her fault in the slightest. If they dragged this out any longer, Lumine would have no stamina left in this battle of attrition. Was that all this was? A waiting game until she collapsed in the snow and was easy to cart back to her queen in Zapolyarny Palace? 

As the fight dragged out, Columbina let out another wail, summoning another massive blast of Cryo and flinging it into her direction. The strength of the attack shattered Tonia’s shaky shield, slamming Lumine square in the chest. A broken cry tore out of her as she collapsed into the slushy snow, clutching her chest and sucking in ragged breaths. Pinpricks of ice spread out from where she’d taken the direct impact, invading every part of her body. It was as though she were freezing from the inside out; her muscles stiffened, her blood moved through her veins like sludge, her heart struggled to keep beating. Shit , she didn’t think she could move– not with how frozen she felt, crippled by the Cryo energy tearing through her from the inside out.

Columbina landed in front of her, her bare feet ankle deep in the snow. Those massive, beautiful wings, as incandescent as a porcelain dove, fluttered around her, trembling in the cold. For the first time since their fight began, the woman opened her eyes, a haunting scarlet that cut deep into Lumine’s frigid core. “See?” She cooed in that same sing-song tone. “I told you–” 

Suddenly, a spray of blood splattered across the snow, staining the ground around them. Lumine’s eyes widened as Columbina frantically clutched her throat, choking and gagging, the sound wet and guttural. It took another heartbeat for her foggy mind to notice an electrified Hydro arrow piercing the girl’s throat, the thin purple electricity jolting her with each movement she made. 

What?! How had– who had–

The ground shuddered as something slammed into the center of the clearing. Her terror and exhaustion instantly vaporized as she spotted familiar copper curls, a red scarf waving in the wind, and a swirl of Hydro spinning in the heart of the field. Childe stalked closer, his face a mask of boredom, his slender fingers lazily nocking another arrow on Polar Star’s taut bow string. It didn’t matter how many times she’d seen him don the mask of the eleventh Harbinger; his slow movements always sent shivers down her spine, the hair on the back of her neck standing at full attention in a warning to run . 

She would not run– not from him. 

She fought against the ice trying to free her from the inside out, using a smidgen of her Pyro abilities to melt the frozen casing from around her heart. “About time you showed up!” She hissed, fleeing Columbina’s vision as the girl continued to claw at her throat, desperate for oxygen as blood filled her lungs.

“I was a little preoccupied.” Childe didn’t take his eyes off the third Harbinger, as if she were prey he needed to finish hunting. She didn’t understand– didn’t he land a killing blow? “Where are the kids?”

“Behind one of the snow drifts. She threw up the wall before they could escape.”

Her partner’s furrowed brow deepened, raising his bow in a defensive position. Lumine turned just in time to see Columbina stand to her full height, her wings shuddering like the ground might during a violent earthquake. The girl aggressively ripped the arrow from her throat, crimson blood staining her white cloak and dress and skin. She tossed it aside, that too-wide, unnatural grin stretching across her otherwise pretty features.

“ Tartaglia ,” The Damselette whispered like a curse, her eerie eyes wide with an unreadable emotion. “The Tsaritsa is very disappointed in you!”

Childe didn’t flinch. “Can’t say I’m surprised.”

“What will you tell her when you face her in the throne room?” Despite the obvious hole in her throat that should have been choking her with each pulse of her heart, Columbina sounded perfect . As she spoke, she unraveled even further. Her eyes remained open, but they were completely devoid of any life, glassy and glazed. “Will you say you crave a domestic life? That you wanted to play for both sides at the same time? That you’re turning your back on the Fatui?”

“Childe,” Lumine breathed, pressing closer to him as the third Harbinger began to tremble and shudder, her fingers tightening around the hilt of her sword.

His brow creased in confusion as Columbina’s body continued to vibrate and crack like porcelain, his thin lips slightly parted as he, too, tried to understand what was happening. Then the third Harbinger’s head rolled back in one slow motion, unfurling into a plume of brilliant white feathers stained with droplets of blood. Her body unraveled like ribbons on a beautiful present, like someone peeling off their clothes at the end of a long, arduous day. Her brain could not process what exactly she was seeing no matter how much she tried to focus. The sack of flesh fell to the snowy ground in a heap while the actual form of the third Harbinger floated above the clearing, a mass of feathers and blood and eyes , always watching, always seeing .

Archons save them– Columbina’s innocent, damsel-like frame had been nothing more than a container for something far bigger than they could have ever expected. 

“ Childe ,” She repeated in a hiss, her stomach rolling like a ship on the surface of a stormy sea. 

Her partner blinked out of his stupor, letting his bow fade away into oblivion and replacing it with those beautiful Hydro swords of his. “Can you fight?” He asked, never once tearing his gaze off the creature now hovering above them, that eerie song filling the whole sky.

“Yes,”

“Good.  Then let’s shut her up once and for all.”

This time when they began their brutal and elegant dance facing this eldritch horror, they did so as a team. It required both of their experience to take down the beast that threatened to drag her back to Zapolyarny before she was ready, that had nearly killed Ajax’s siblings as a bargaining chip, that had transformed into this angel-esque monster when it had been seriously injured. While she may not have been up to her preferred level of strength, she certainly felt better with Childe fighting at her side, relieved to have someone she trusted looking out for her and knowing where she was going to swing her blade before she even knew what movements her body would make.

They danced in tandem, blocking Columbina’s icy attacks with ease– or, rather, the creature that had once been the third Harbinger. Step by step, they inched closer to taking her down, eager to succeed as partners rather than fighting on their own. Lumine would slash upwards and dodge to roll out of the way, only for Childe to leap over her back and unleash an onslaught of his elemental abilities. Further and further backwards, forcing her to use just as much of her powers as they spent their own. Whereas Lumine may have been able to keep pace with him, though, she found herself waning in this battle of endurance. Was it just because she’d been fighting for so long that afternoon? Or was it something else, something deep inside her that she could not unlock?

Or… was Childe just that much stronger after months apart?

Yes, she’d seen him fight that day on the frozen river, but she’d been delirious with pain after Dottore had injected her with some poison for whatever experiment he’d been trying to accomplish. Now, she could clearly see how powerful her partner had grown. He moved like a well-organized hurricane, his movements unrelenting and devastating with each blow. Soon he was pushing the odd winged being backwards on his own, every slash of his dual swords splattering the snow with sticky red blood. Every movement, every calculated swipe, every breath only revealed how much of a killing machine her partner had turned into, moving through this elegant dance without even breaking a sweat.

A tormented thought tore through her mind– if they were to fight, to genuinely battle to the death, Lumine could not be sure that she would be the one to come out alive on the other end.

Then suddenly, Childe reared back like a tidal wave reaching the shower, opening his arms wide as though embracing an attack. Instead, a massive surge of blue-black energy formed in between his extended arms, the large ball of light building until it spilled over and darkened the air around them. Before her mind could process what she was even staring at, he unleashed it with a haggard groan, the violent surge expelling out of him in a brutal blast. It slammed into what was once the third Harbinger, colliding with such an impact that she swore the beast would be nothing more than a pile of blood and ash.

What had he just done? It wasn’t Hydro or Electro– at least, she didn’t think so. Whatever it was had been so, so much more powerful than any attack he’d ever unleashed. Gods, if she went to fight him now, she wasn’t sure she would be able to pull out any sort of a victory– and that wasn’t only because she didn’t have all of her elemental abilities. Childe had obviously spent a significant amount of time fighting and training for him to be as powerful as this with whatever new ability he’d discovered in himself.

Alarm bells rang in the back of her mind, similar to all of the other warnings that rang in her mind before the start of the volcanic eruptions, the same as it had been when Aether ignored her days before the Cataclysm unleashed its hellfire on Khaenri’ah. 

Why? Why now? One glance around the clearing didn’t reveal any other sign of danger, especially not with the massive walls pinning them in place. Ajax had defeated Columbina with one swift and powerful blast, his incredible strength a show of genuine and impressive force. Surely if there was another monster in this makeshift arena, she would have been able to sense it–

Wait. 

Were her instincts warning her about… him?

“ No, no, no !” The creature that had once been Columbina shrieked, its voice haggard and strained, injured by whatever blast Childe had inflicted. Her partner towered over the quivering angel, his polearm raised to its center eye. “This wasn’t supposed to happen!” 

“Yield,” He growled, his voice steady and demanding.

“No!” It shrieked, flinching away from his staff. “That star will come to Zapolyarny, whether you like it or not!” 

Before Childe could finish it off, the winged beast transformed again, transitioning into a small, delicate little dove and flapping its wings with all its might to get into the sky. The minute it disappeared from view into the swirling grey clouds, Lumine let out a breath she didn’t know she’d been holding, the adrenaline dying down with each thud of her heart. A throbbing ache sank in to replace the surge in excitement, her muscles sore from both the impact of each crystal ice pillar and from how hard she’d pushed herself. That, plus the jolt of sharp pain radiating through her chest with each shallow inhale, and she figured she must have broken a rib with Columbina’s furious attack.

Nevertheless, she whipped around towards where Childe stood frozen in the snow, his shoulders heaving as though he’d sprinted across the open Snezhnayan moors. “What was that?” She pressed, desperate for an explanation– on the creepy third Harbinger’s odd body, on where he had been to leave them so exposed, on that incredible and horrifying attack he’d unleashed to end the fight.

He didn’t answer. Archons, he was practically steaming in the chilly air, his grip on the polearm tightening so ferociously she swore he might shatter it– could you even shatter pure Hydro energy? 

That same concern flickered in the back of her mind, opening her mouth to ask him if he was alright again. Teucer’s innocent shout cut her off before she could though, emerging from the tree line. “Big brother!” The young boy screeched, sprinting through the snow and throwing his arms around Childe’s waist.

“Lumine!” Tonia called out too, launching herself into a hug the minute she and Anton reached the pair.

“Thank the Archons, you're safe.” Lumine let out a relieved breath, wrapping her arms around the young girl’s trembling frame. 

“The gods have blessed me with a Vision!”

“They did! And Cryo, too!” She couldn’t blame the girl for her excitement, even though she knew what Celestia really used the Visions for. This time, it had saved her skin, and she would not chide Tonia for wanting to use it for help. “I wonder why the Tsaritsa blessed you during a fight with one of her Harbingers.”

“Big brother?”

“Maybe she saw injustice in a Harbinger attacking a child for no reason,” Tonia said, pulling away to look at the shiny gemstone in its pretty Snezhnayan casing, the ice blue Vision so big in her small palm.

She doubted the Tsaritsa cared too much about injustice, all things considered. Still, she smiled, ruffling Tonia’s red hair. “Or maybe whatever was happening in your heart at that moment was enough to sway her. Whatever the case, you did it! Fighting a Harbinger is a major first step. How many people can say they’ve done that ?”

“Lumine!” Teucer squealed, dragging her attention away from Tonia’s joy. “What’s the matter with my big brother?!”

Chapter Text

Something was wrong. 

Lumine glanced over her shoulder towards where her partner stood, watching as Teucer took a notable step backwards, his hands falling flat to his side. The young boy’s sharp blue eyes crinkled with confusion, his auburn brow dipped in a subtle V. “What’s going on?” She asked, unwrapping her arms from around Tonia. 

“I don’t know!” The youngest Alekseev wailed, vaguely gesturing to his brother. “He won’t talk to me, he won’t look at me– did I do something wrong?”

“No, no, I doubt that’s it.” She should have noticed it earlier; her partner hadn’t said a word since their fight against the third Harbinger had begun, other than to tell Columbina to yield in that otherworldly tone. How peculiar, since he usually couldn’t stop gushing and gloating about a fight whenever he won. She waved a hand in front of his face, tilting her head like a confused dog. “Childe? Can you hear me?”

Nothing. Only the sound of the wind whistling through the pine trees around them. 

That same unease she’d shoved away during the middle of that battle with Columbina returned in full force, blaring like an alarm ahead of a devastating attack. Lumine frantically searched his face for some sort of answer. None of the joy that usually radiated off of him after a fight made an appearance. In fact, there was no emotion plastered across his handsome features at all, replaced by that eerie mask of stone that he usually put on when he was surrounded by his fellow soldiers and trying to play the part of the big, bad Harbinger. Except there was no one else here for him to fight, no more need for this mask he donned, not when his siblings were obviously concerned for his well being after seeing him in the middle of battle for the first time.

She expected him to break out of whatever trance he was in rather quickly, but with each thudding heartbeat against her ribcage, she realized that might be easier said than done. Her partner stared straight ahead, barely moving or breathing as though he were frozen in place. Columbina didn’t manage to land a single blow on him, whereas her own scratches had barely begun to clot and congeal, so she doubted an injury to be the cause of this… drastic of a reaction. 

Then her eyes met his own and her heart sank into her stomach like a stone, her mouth drier than the Hypostyle Desert as she recognized that wild, desperate gaze. Everything clicked into place as though she’d found a key piece to the overall puzzle. This was the same feral nature that tore through him right before he transformed uncontrollably into Foul Legacy, the same unresponsiveness he displayed in the Abyss and in the First Domain when he’d been hit by that inky blue and purple Abyssal magic. But Columbina hadn’t hit him with anything, especially not that raw energy! And yet one look at his hands confirmed her suspicions, his fingers trembling as claws started to shred through his thick wool gloves. 

It was nothing short of a miracle that he hadn’t unleashed that beastly art form already, not that he’d had any control over it the last time. Perhaps that’s what this unresponsiveness was– his way of barely holding it back as he battled with the monster deeply intertwined with his soul.

Panic began to rise deep inside her like flood waters at the start of spring. This was bad. This was so, so bad. She was already exhausted from her morning of exercise and a fight against the third Harbinger that she would not have been able to win on her own. She didn’t want to have to face him at his full strength.

“What’s wrong with him?” Tonia asked, dragging her from her racing thoughts.

…Shit.

She turned slowly to find three pairs of identical blue eyes staring up at her, eagerly waiting for answers. Shit, the children. Oh Archons, this could not be happening right now. It didn’t matter if the older two may know about their elder brother’s darker duties as the eleventh Harbinger even if they didn’t know the details. They most certainly did not know about Foul Legacy, as the beastly art he’d obtained while fighting in the depths of the Abyss wasn’t likely something he had even considered sharing with his family. If he did transform, possessed by this maddening creature, they’d see everything their brother had spent years trying to hide. 

“Lumine?”

“N-nothing!” She squeaked, a rather pathetic attempt at controlling her composure. She had to try harder than that if she was going to protect Ajax’s secret from his curious siblings. “I think he just pushed himself a little too far during our skirmish with that Harbinger, that’s all. He’s… uhm…”

“Hurt?” Anton offered, pushing his glasses higher on his nose.

“Not exactly.” Lie better, the little voice in the back of her head screamed. “He’s just… not himself.”

“What does that mean?” 

Lumine hesitated, struggling to find the words. What could she tell them, realistically? That their brother, the sibling they looked up to the most, had been swallowed by the black hole that was the Abyss when he was Anton’s age? That he’d accepted the ancient Abyssal art form into his body with the intent of using it to tear down the thrones of the gods? That every time he got hit with a blast of blue-black energy, the monster infecting every inch of his mind and body took control once more, bursting free like an animal tearing through its cage? No, she had to get Childe under control before he revealed himself in a way he couldn’t take back, in a way that would shatter the carefully-crafted illusion he had built around himself and soil any remaining childhood dreams his siblings possessed.

She must have taken too long to answer for the youngest Alekseev’s liking, though. He reached up to take Ajax’s hand as a comforting smile stretched across face, completely devoid of the same fear boiling in her belly. “Big brother! It’s me, Teucer! Whatever is wrong, we can help–” 

“Don’t touch him!” She shouted, her voice echoing throughout the clearing and the frigid ice walls. Everyone except Childe flinched at her tone, herself included “Sorry, I didn’t mean to yell. I just don’t know how he’s feeling right now, okay?” Or how he would react if he couldn’t break out of the abyssal fog clogging his mind. She forced a too-wide smile, making no sudden movements as though she were trying to free an animal with its paw pinned in a claw trap. She didn’t know if the spooked animal was her partner or his siblings, though. “You three should leave so that I can handle it.”

“Can’t we help?” Tonia asked, wrapping her arms around Ajax’s shoulders and holding him close.

“Not really.”

“Perhaps with my Vision–”

“That Vision is not an end-all-be-all. Besides, you’re still learning how to use it,” She chided, taking another step closer to her partner. Tonia’s shoulders deflated at the comment, and while a sliver of regret ate away in the back of Lumine’s mind, she didn’t regret what she’d said. The girl may have a wonderful tool to use at her disposal now, but Lumine had seen far too many people come to rely on their powers like a crutch– herself included. “Listen to me. Your big brother is very powerful– sometimes a little too powerful for his own good. The sooner you get out of here, the sooner I can help him.”

“I don’t want to leave!” Teucer shrieked, stomping his foot in the snow.

Eesh, there was the spoiled nature Ajax had warned her about. “Teucer–”

“He’s my big brother and I can help!”

Before she could say anything else, the young boy threw his arms around Childe’s waist and squeezed tightly. Any other time, she expected her partner would immediately wrap his brother into the biggest hug imaginable, or even throw him over his shoulder and cart him around the clearing like a sack of potatoes. Instead, Lumine barely caught Childe’s nearly imperceptible twitch, his clawed hands curling into tight fists.

“Teucer!” She hissed, raising her hands so as not to startle the boy or his agitated elder brother. “Please, you have to listen to me and step away from him.”

“No!”

“Why can’t we help?” Anton asked, frowning. “It’s just Ajax.”

“Because–!” Panic bubbled up inside her body like water boiling to the surface of a geyser, her heart slamming against her ribcage in loud thuds. She swallowed hard, trying to get herself under control. “Trust me when I say this is for the best. Let me handle him.” 

Still, no one moved at her lack of an answer, staring up at her with that same creased brow their brother regularly wore whenever he was trying to solve their complicated riddle. She really shouldn’t have been that surprised that they were just as stubborn as Ajax. She shot a desperate glance towards Tonia, biting her bottom lip so hard she could taste the iron tang of blood staining her tongue. “Tonia, please.”

Tonia hesitated, torn between her desire to stay and figure out what was going on with her elder brother’s odd personality shift, and her innate need to listen to the adult in the clearing when she could not make a logical choice. Perhaps it was because of the tight-knit friendship that she and Lumine had created in the time since she’d arrived that caused the girl to make a decision opposite of her siblings. “Okay,” She said, her voice barely above a whisper. “Come on boys, it’s time to go.”

“Noooo!” Teucer shouted again, burying his face tighter in Ajax’s shirt.

“We have to trust that Lumine knows what she’s doing.” Tonia’s eyes refused to leave Lumine’s, a thousand thoughts filling the ocean of blue. “She and Ajax are partners– she can break him out of whatever trance he’s in.”

“It shouldn’t take too long,” She said, forcing another too-wide smile. “I just need to be able to focus, that’s all. Now, carefully step away from your brother.”

Teucer’s bottom lip jutted out into a pout, but he finally untangled himself from around Ajax’s waist. She sucked in a sharp breath as the young boy stepped away from his elder brother, still grumbling about how he could help if they would just let him. Thankfully, Childe still did not react, save for his clawed fingers digging further and further into his palms the longer he forced himself to hold out. What must be going through his head right now, to fight back a monster in his head who had easily overpowered the boy in his soul several times? How much restraint must he be wielding to prevent it from going berserk and tearing through this field of snow and ice until the creature burned itself out like it always did?

When the children had reached the tree line, with Tonia giving her one last concerned glance over her shoulder, Lumine turned her focus back to her partner. “Childe?” She asked, that uneasiness festering in her belly. “Can you hear me?”

Her partner did not respond. 

“It’s okay,” She tried, taking a step towards him, her fingers brushing against his sleeve. “The kids are safe and gone. It’s just me.”

Still, nothing. That really wasn’t good. She’d expected him to be able to break out of his trance when the children had stepped away, to loosen the restraints around his addled mind when he didn’t have to worry about hurting anyone. She chewed on the inside of her cheek, trying to remind herself what had worked before. Had anything worked? No, from what she remembered, the minute he got like this, he was already in a downward spiral to transforming into that monstrous Abyssal creature against his will. 

Only then did her eye catch on a stain of sticky purple painting the snow underneath him, the eggplant-colored blood dripping from his clenched fists. She frowned, careful not to make any sudden movements as she summoned her blade again. “Or is this Foul Legacy I’m talking to?”

Suddenly, Childe’s single blue eye found her, piercing through her like a nail. Lumine swallowed hard. Dammit– she really didn’t want to be right.

“Childe, please,” She whispered, tentatively taking a step closer to her partner, desperate to reach into his brain and shoo away the possessive monster trying to control him. “I know you’re in there. I know the whole reason you’re restraining yourself is so the children don’t see. Just listen to me and the sound of my voice. Columbina is gone. The battle is over. There is no one else here that is a threat–”

“That’s where you’re wrong.”

Childe suddenly lashed out, his large, clawed hand striking her hard across the chest. The sheer force of the impact sent her flying backwards through the field, barely managing to find her footing in the slick slow. Lumine grit her teeth as throbbing pain radiated throughout her chest, whipping her head up to glare at him. What in the–?! She hadn’t been expecting him to attack at all! Dammit, and here she was so certain she could get him under control with a few sweet words!

She had no time to process it further before he was on her, his movements cold and precise compared to his usual flood of frenzied attacks. He still hadn’t transformed into Foul Legacy yet– a genuine blessing– but that didn’t mean his attacks didn’t hit any less hard. He lunged forward, the tip of his blade slicing her round cheek, a trickle of red blood oozing down her face. She barely managed to dodge another swing of his sword, her blade deflecting his and slamming it into the snow. Every time their swords collided, the song of Hydro and metal sang, the music of their battle filling the snow-filled afternoon sky. A tight tic formed in her partner’s jaw, an annoyed growl tearing through his chest. Lumine yelped as he infiltrated her space, raising her hands to stop him from slashing her face again, only for him to bring his boot up to slam into her belly and send her careening backwards once more.

“Childe!” She shrieked, stumbling over her own two feet as she fought to stay standing. “Stop, it’s me!”

He did not, invading her space once more with those hard and fast attacks she should have been able to predict. Even in her exhaustion and pain, Lumine did not back down, clinging to an ounce of adrenaline to hold out in this battle. They moved like dancers engaged in an improvisational routine, pushing and pulling against one another like the moon and the tides. She would duck under his arm and try to slash from behind, he would move at the last second to be just out of her reach. Every clang over their swords reverberated through her tired frame, her instinct warning her to be careful with every step she took. One wrong move and she’d likely be on her back, sword at her throat, the battle decided. Her fears from earlier screamed warning alarms in the back of her mind– Childe had gotten so much stronger since the last time they fought in the Abyss, and Foul Legacy intended to take her out whether her partner wanted to or not.

“I told you to stay out of our way!” Her partner snarled, his dull blue eye wild with a frenzied rage as slammed the dual Hydro blades down on her sword over and over again.

“I’m not in your way!” She shouted, struggling against the pressure. “I’m on your side!”  

“You’re not! You’re the only thing that remains in my path before I can tear down the thrones of the gods!”

Memories of that horrific battle deep in the belly of the Abyss flooded her mind. Even the beast inside her partner had accused her of holding Childe back from his full potential then, leaving him half the being he was supposed to be. That, plus the knowledge that one of them was destined to be the sacrifice to save Teyvat, planted a dangerous, dark seed in her mind. She swore under the odd Abyssal sky, entangled in the roots of Orbis Terrarum, that she would do whatever it took to keep the man she loved alive and she had meant it. She would never forgive herself if he died and she lived, especially so young, especially if there was something she could do about it to stop his untimely demise. After that, she had already accepted that she would likely be the one to die if they could not figure out a way to prevent a necessary sacrifice.

And yet, from the way this beast spoke, and from Childe’s utter unwillingness to take her to his queen, she’d begun to wonder if this was always how it was fated to be. If she was destined to die from the minute she and Aether entangled themselves in the woven fabric of Teyvat’s history.

Of course, they would never make it to this point if this beast decided to kill her before the proper time. 

Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted the children watching from the treeline, their jaws slack as they watched the chaotic battle play out in front of them. That same jolt of panic possessed her, ice filling her veins as Childe stalked closer to her, a wolf on the hunt. She wished she’d been more specific when she told them to step aside, wished she had thought far enough ahead to warn Tonia not to let the boys be a witness to this… discussion between the two partners. Knowing her luck, they would have countless questions when the fight ended, all about what had happened to their brother and why they thought sparring would be the proper decision after fighting Columbina and why Ajax seemed so determined for violence. She just prayed she would have enough strength to actually stop him from doing something as stupid as transforming.

Her racing mind distracted her from another one of Childe’s devastating blows with his polearm, sending her skidding back through the slushy snow. Lumine grit her teeth, struggling to stay standing as the dull throbbing pain radiated through her sore ribs. “Listen to me!” She snapped, heavily leaning on her sword. “This isn’t you, Ajax! This is the monster talking!”

That eerie, distorted voice that had haunted her dreams since their time in the Abyss laughed. “We are one in the same.”

“You’re not! You’re my lover and my best friend and my partner in all things!” She dodged another swing at her head, nearly stumbling over a tree root. “Isn’t that enough?”

“I need to be more,” Childe snarled, and for the first time since they’d started this battle, he actually sounded like himself. “I need to win!”

Without another moment of hesitation, he let out a loud roar and slammed the ground with a mighty stomp. The frozen earth trembled with the force of the impact, the clearing darkening as foul blue and black and purple energy erupted from his palms. Crackling lightning danced around him as the unnerving black armor slammed around his muscles, Electro and Hydro spinning around him in a hauntingly familiar dance. The vibrancy of his transformation blinded her against the snowy background, the chaotic energy spilling out of him in violent tsunami waves. The hum of power sang through her tired body, her blonde hair standing straight up as the static electricity prickled her skin. But when that complicated mask locked into place over his features, his single purple eye that she’d come to know far too well staring her down, her fear and worry turned to annoyance.

Oh, this was getting ridiculous. Talking it out was a hopeless goal, especially with a beast that only answered to violence. If she wanted to win, she had to make a different sort of sacrifice and pray that it would be enough to stop him.

She reached deep inside herself, desperately searching for the two remaining elemental abilities she had left. Dendro came first, the thorny tendrils that had once dug into her skin uncontrollably, wrapped around her fingers and returned to her without any hesitation. Oh, how good it felt to allow herself this shred of power, even if she knew it would vanish the moment she used it. As Childe continued to adjust to his rapid transformation, his powerful frame steaming in the frigid Snezhnayan air, she let the petals of Dendro bloom in her chest and slammed her foot down against the frozen earth. At first, nothing happened, and for a heartbeat she worried she had lost her touch. 

Then all at once, gigantic tree roots burst forth from the ground, twisting and tangling in complicated motions. Eesh, so much for trying to control the strength of her abilities. Then again, anything less and she may not have been able to win in her fight against Ajax, especially in this state. So she forced herself to focus, the surge in bark and dirt and tree roots lunging out from her touch towards her partner brimming with energy. With the last dredges of her Dendro powers, she managed to catch Foul Legacy before he could even take his first step, the branches wrapping around his large body like a massive snake and squeezing, trapping him in place. The beast groaned, struggling against the branches constricting him even further, its beefy arms pinned to its side, its claws not strong enough to tear through the dense bark. 

Lumine didn’t wait another breath to find the only element remaining in her veins. No matter how tired or hurt she was, she always felt a surprising amount of comfort and warmth in her body as she focused on the Pyro energy. It came easier than any of the others, returning to her as a friend. One by one, she summoned large compact balls of flame, like tiny stars in the palm of her hand, and flung them towards where Foul Legacy remained pinned. Unlike the other elements she’d used and felt drain from her body, this did not explode out of her all at once, allowing her to launch an actual attack towards her trapped partner. One by one, she hit him with the balls of Pyro, his pained shrieks threatening to invade her mind with each impact. The beast still struggled like a caged animal, violent and angry that it could not shred her root cocoon. She didn’t let his anguish bother her, though, forcing herself to use the last hints of her elemental abilities to put a stop to this right now.

One of his Pyro blasts slammed into his complicated mask, and like a stained glass window, it shattered the same way it had done during their Abyssal battle. Only then did her heart sink into her throat, getting her first real look at how this beast had possessed him. Streaks of odd glowing purple energy painting his pale, freckled skin in  vibrant lines. His veins pulsated underneath his skin as he struggled against the constricting branches. Wild, desperate eyes met her own, his one scarred eye glowing just as vibrantly as it had during their time in the Abyss, tracking her every movement. Her partner, the man she loved, the man she knew just as well as she knew herself, snarled and gnashed his teeth, whimpering and straining as that odd purple ichor oozed down his cheeks.

Oh. That exhaustion and weakness that had clung to her lover’s frame since they reunited made sense now. This wasn’t his attempt of showing off his power– this was uncontrollable possession, corruption, as the monster devoured him and his body and his mind for its own sick games. 

Just a man.

Something deep inside of her snapped, compelling her to move, to reach him and reach through the haze of violence and corruption, to protect the exhausted soul tormented by this monster’s goals of tearing down the thrones of the gods. She moved on instinct, throwing her arms around the man she loved and holding him as closely as possible. An unfamiliar pain swept through her, burning like pure flame, like the surface of the sun, hotter and hotter until she didn’t think she could take the heat, and yet she never pulled away. A shattered cry peeled out of her lungs but she couldn’t hear it over the roar of flame around them, louder than wind sweeping across the plains of Mondstadt. Childe, too, screamed in that distorted, broken voice of his, struggling to free himself of her grasp and from whatever painful mixture they were making as the burning tore through their intertwined frames.

Then all of a sudden, a beam of light ejected out of her like a solar flare, painting the whole clearing in the warm golden color. It overwhelmed all of the darkness, blinding the world around them until all that remained in her senses was the vicious burning pain in her soul and the gentle warmth that always came with being in Ajax’s arms. Brighter, brighter, brighter until–

Nothing.

After a while, the golden light faded and the pain radiating through her body ceased, and Lumine stumbled backwards in the snow. Her mind whirred as though she’d taken a hit to the head, dizzy as she struggled to stay standing on her trembling legs. She sucked in slow, steadying breaths, trying to make the spinning stop. Some sort of odd sandy texture coated her cheeks, but everytime she tried to wipe it away, her face burned and her fingertips stained an odd color of gold. One glance at her partner revealed him still trapped in the deeply intertwined tree roots, relieved to find him relatively unharmed despite his unconscious state. Sure, some of his features were singed from the multiple fireballs she’d shot at his head, and his eyepatch had been ripped away during their fight, his Abyssal eye oozing some of that odd purple ichor the same way it had during their time under the earth. But those creepy tendrils of blue-black energy creeping up his pale freckled skin had vanished, and the blood oozing from scrapes on his cheek and neck glittered scarlet in the sunlight.

What had just happened? Why had she just done that? Yes, she wouldn’t have had it under control otherwise, but she had never known herself to display that sort of outburst before. Perhaps when she and Childe had faced each other in Natlan’s arena during their turn in the tournament– but even then, she’d blacked out from one of Foul Legacy’s hard hits and didn’t remember how they’d ended up tying. 

The sound of snow crunching underfoot dragged her from her thoughts as the children left the safety of the treeline once more to survey the damage. Tonia kept the boys between her and Ajax’s unconscious form while Teucer refused to tear his gaze off his big brother. But it was Anton who worked up enough courage to ask, “What was that?” when he finally reached her. 

“Nnnn,” She muttered, leaning on her sword, “It’s a very long story.”

“Is he okay?” Tonia asked, rubbing Teucer’s back.

“He should be.” Even with their vicious attacks, they had still managed to hold back from completely destroying one another. That had to count for something, right? “I want to get him back to the house to check.”

The girl gave a determined nod. “I think I’ve figured out a way through the ice wall.”

“Okay, good.” Thank the Archons, because with her use of her Pyro abilities to break the mask on his face, she’d burned through the last of her elemental powers. At least she had a good enough reason to do so, despite the dull emptiness that thrummed inside her now. “Anton, Teucer, will you help me cut him loose?” Anton gave a quick dip of his head, but his younger brother didn’t respond, still staring up at his bruised and battered brother, his auburn brow creased in that same concern. “Teucer?” She asked again. 

Silence. That unease eating away at the back of her mind once more the longer Teucer continued to stare.

“I’ll help, Lumine,” Anton whispered quietly, grabbing a sharp rock from the edge of the clearing to try and chop away some of the roots.

“So will I,” Tonia said, peeling away from Teucer to summon her own small, rudimentary axe of ice. One day, she’d be a master of those powers, from how much skill she already showed with it. The girl shot her a tentative smile, getting to work on chopping through some of the tree roots. “Don’t push yourself too hard– you look dead on your feet.”

“I’m fine.” She really wasn’t, but it was a problem for later-her to worry about. “Come on. Let’s free him and head home.”

Chapter Text

Childe had thought about the way he would die several times.

In a battle, with a beast or several that were ready to challenge him. 

They would sprint at him, roaring with rage and desperation, slashing and hacking as he dodged as many attacks at the same time he could manage. 

And he would manage. 

He would crush them all. 

But now, he stood alone over a blood-soaked battlefield, rooted to the ground like a great tree. Now, he couldn’t find the energy or willpower to summon a blade to cut through any enemies that may come his way. He couldn’t join in with the fighters still desperately pushing for their agenda to come true, including that of his fellow brothers and sisters who had died for their cause, their empty eyes staring up at the in-tact scarlet heavens. Fire touched every inch of green, the towering oak trees burning brighter as violent gusts of wind fueled their rage. In the distance, massive grey thunderheads grew overhead, the lightning jumping from cloud to cloud warning of an approaching storm. And the sky… had it always been that eerie color?

Why couldn’t he move forward? Why couldn’t he take that final step to join in on the final battle, to accomplish the goals he had claimed as his mission the moment he had accepted the Delusion pinned to his chest? Fear paralyzed him in a way he hadn’t felt for years, in a way that hadn’t since he fell down, down, down into that cold hell that had forever changed him. Perhaps he was not the man everyone expected him to be. Perhaps he was not meant to break the cycle of pain and suffering, and perhaps he would be the one to doom them to begin again the way his counterparts had throughout the last loops, all to save the ones they loved.

His fingers tightened around the neck of the loom instead of the hilt of a blade. 

Had he been trying to play both sides again like a boy who selfishly wanted every toy in the toy chest? Had he been hoping there would be an acceptable answer that would never come? Too many choices filled his exhausted mind, his eye sore as he managed to focus on the beam of golden light darting around a crystalline pillar piercing the earth. Her, with that iron grit and determination, with the drive to complete the mission no matter the cost, with hair like spun gold and eyes the color of honey on a warm spring’s day, so full of a love for him that he would never be able to understand. She hadn’t flinched once, having accepted her role in this damned prophecy even if it meant her untimely fate. But the more she sacrificed herself, the more she gave in to the dreams of freedom the same way the Tsaritsa had when she’d started this stupid never-ending performance, the more he realized how painful it would be to lose her. 

That was all he needed to move forward with his choice. He’d made it years ago, when he first felt the flicker of adoration in his rapidly-beating heart that he’d never felt at any other point in his life, when he’d stubbornly affirmed they would find a way to avoid this. That was the true reason why he could not move forward with their grand schemes, not with her life on the line.

He would not let her die. He could not let her die. 

And so, he let the monster that was constantly trying to claw its way out of his chest free, the pain of its rage and bloodlust ripping through him like a roaring flood, faster and faster and faster until the boy in his mind could barely hold onto control. The only thing stopping him from fully giving into the corruption that plagued every inch of his mind and heart and soul was–

“Help me get him to the bed.”

Her. 

A sudden agonizing surge of pain jolted him from his repetitive dream, the burning agony tearing through his injured body. His eye shot open, his anguished yowl bouncing off the wooden walls as invisible fiery claws dug into his skin, threatening to tear him apart from the inside out. He desperately coughed to ease that incandescent flame tearing through his torso and shoulders and hips, but it did little to quell the pain. No matter how much he tried to breathe through the throbbing ache, he couldn’t fill his lungs fast enough, as though something was sitting on his chest and refusing to let him take a deep enough breath. 

“What happened?!” 

That was his mother’s voice. He barely managed to lift his head through the agony, blearily blinking through the jolts of pain lurching up his spine. Had they managed to make it back to the house while he was unconscious?

“One of the Harbingers showed up on our walk home. She decided it was the perfect time to attack. He showed up just in time to stop her, but--"

“Archons.”

“Careful, watch his hand.” 

Another delirious tear of pain coursed through his veins as they laid him down on something soft, his muscles seizing like he’d touched a live wire. Gods, and he thought the Electro crystal situation was bad. At least this time, he wasn’t at the risk of dying, though if this agony continued for much longer he may wish that was an option. He forced himself to focus on anything else, blinking away the sticky purple ichor oozing from his bad eye. It took a moment to recognize the yellow-painted wooden walls of his mother’s room, the family pictures hanging on every available inch of surface. Something glowed as vibrant as a star in the night sky, filling the whole bedroom with a thrum of gold. It pulsated in bright flashes around his beloved partner, radiant and resplendent as she focused on whatever injuries he had other than the invisible burning pain tearing through his body. 

Childe squeezed his damaged eye shut and the starlight ceased, though Lumine still continued to work on him. At least he knew she still had a significant amount of it; the last time he’d checked, she had been dim in her ethereal glow.

“I swear on the Seven,” His mother again, hurriedly undoing his tight-laced boots so he didn’t get mud and snow all over her quilts, “Between the two of you, I’m going to run out of usable towels.”

“I’m sure Ajax can buy you more on his significant salary,” Lumine snorted, smoothing back his mess of curls. 

His partner’s gentle, soothing touch eased the ripples of pain still radiating through his chest and hips. For the first time since he’d regained consciousness, he sucked in a slow gasp of air, filling his lungs to stave off the firebrand digging into his chest. A small groan slipped out of him as he exhaled carefully. “Lu.”

Liquid gold clashed against a hurricane of blue, the concerned sass scrawled into his lover’s face vanishing in a heartbeat. “Oh, good, you’re awake.” She ran her fingers through his hair again, her voice dropping into that tender register she usually only reserved for when they snuggled close in the afterglow of a night together. “Don’t move, you’re still hurt.”

“‘M fine–” He tried to sit up, the muscles in his abdomen screaming with each movement. As if to remind him of his own mortality, a twinge of pain caught him off guard with his next inhale. He gasped, grabbing her wrist as his heart thudded against his chest like a wild stampede of horses racing across the Snezhnayan moors in the muddy spring, “Nnn…” 

“What did I just say?” She lectured, shaking her head like an annoyed parent. To his mother, she asked, “Can you get some water and fresh bandages? And something to soothe these burns, if you have anything.”

Burns? Had he actually been burned? He thought the vicious pain pulsating throughout his body came from the usual torture Foul Legacy put him through whenever the monster deep inside his chest took over. “It’s a good thing I didn’t put the first aid kit away after your injury, Lumi-dear,” His mother tsked, leaning down to kiss his forehead. No matter how gentle she tried to be, he could still feel the slight sting of pain radiating through his sensitive skin. “You’re in good hands.”

She peeled away to go get the supplies Lumine had asked for, leaving the two of them alone in her bedroom. The minute his mother was gone, his lover whipped around to glare at him, her golden brow creased in deep focus. He knew her well enough to know she’d given his mother a meaningless task to keep her busy so she would likely stop hovering, and so that they could talk without fear of her reacting to the truth only they knew. 

“What happened?” He asked, carefully propping himself up in the nest of pillows.

“Columbina showed up, trapped us in an ice wall–”

“That I remember.” He’d been on his way home for the afternoon when he heard the low rumble of ice clashing against ice, like a glacier groaning before chunks of its face fell off into the water. He’d almost ignored the noise, too. Thank the Archons he hadn’t. “Why am I battered and burned?”

Lumine’s nose scrunched, her lips twisting in a scowl. “Because you transformed into Foul Legacy and forced me to use the last two of my elemental abilities to stop you.”

Childe cursed under his breath. That had been the exact opposite of what he wanted– not that he had any control over it. “The kids?” 

“They’re safe, but… Teucer saw a lot of it.” 

Dammit! He groaned and flopped back into the pillows, pressing his palms to his tired eyes. Why did this have to happen now?! He’d tried so hard to prevent it. He hoped Teucer would have a few more years of that childlike wonder, of not knowing the darker side of his older brother’s life and how it provided for their family. If he knew about Foul Legacy, then it was only a matter of time before he learned about his brother being a Harbinger and the vanguard of the Fatui. Knowing his baby brother, he absolutely would have questions about why so many secrets would have been held from him in the first place.

“I tried to get you under control,” Lumine continued, her brow dipped in that same annoyance she always wore after he relied on the Abyssal art, “But there’s really no reasoning with you in that state.”

“How’d you get me to stop, then?”

“I don’t know.” She unbuttoned his military jacket and slid it off his shoulders, focusing on her hands rather than the conversation. Childe grunted, sucking in a few slow breaths to try and calm his aching body. The whole deal with her missing elemental abilities bothered him in a way he couldn’t explain. She’d questioned once if his Tsaritsa had anything to do with her missing powers, but as far as he knew, that wasn’t something she could do. Then again, she was known for keeping secrets for him. “I have to undress you, okay? This might hurt.”

A flash of panic struck him like a slap across the face. “Wait, Lu-”

Too late. She pulled off his shirt and audibly gasped, her eyes widening to the size of dinner plates, her jaw falling slack. He winced, knowing exactly what she was seeing. The stain that regularly painted his chest after his transformation into Foul Legacy had probably spread even further, the eerie black and blue stain swirling like choppy seas in the middle of a violent storm. Tendrils of purple moved just under the surface of his skin, stretching from his hips up his torso, all the way down his forearms to his fingertips, barely able to be hidden on his throat by a tight turtleneck.

He hoped he would never have to show her, hoped that eventually it would just go away even though it grew every time he used the ancient Abyssal art. It had been more prominent on his skin for months now, constantly moving and swirling like storm clouds overhead. He'd barely been able to hide it when she had tried to undress him during their quiet moments of intimacy and had forced himself to leave the room to change clothes whenever she was awake, knowing she would likely have an explosive reaction the moment she saw it. 

Instead, Lumine struggled to catch her breath, her eyes darting across his black and blue torso searching for answers. “What… what…?”

“It’s okay,” He hissed, trying to reach out to touch her, to ground her to the moment, to feel his heartbeat before she spiraled out of control. “I’m okay–”

“You don’t look okay!” She shrieked, high-pitched and frantic. Ah, yeah, there was the reaction he’d expected. He knew why she was concerned, but that didn't make it any easier to be on the receiving end of her worried wrath. “What happened?! Did I–”

“No, you didn’t.”

“Then what’s causing this?!” She begged, running her fingers along the tight muscles in his chest. Childe grunted, expecting the lingering weight on his body to tighten as she touched him, but that tension never came. In fact, he let out an easy breath, relaxing against the pillows as the burning sensation eased. “Wait a minute– this is the same odd stain you had all those years ago in that stupid cave! That was the first time you accidentally transformed into Foul Legacy!”

Yeah, but the stain wasn’t anything new to him. It had only grown and spread every time he transformed into the monster that was Foul Legacy. Perhaps it had been growing inside him ever since he first adopted the Abyssal art as his own, listening to Skirk’s tutelage as she explained how it worked. 

He sighed, once again trying to offer an ounce of comfort for her spiral. “Lu—”

“You don’t seem to be freaking out!” Lumine hissed, her panic reaching a fever pitch. “Did you know this would happen?!”

“The uncontrollable transformation?”

“The corruption, if that’s what you could even call it!”

“It’s more like a moving bruise–”

“Ajax,” His partner snarled, grabbing his jaw and forcing him to look at her. Childe winced; between her using his real name and the simmering rage boiling in her honey gold eyes, he felt as though he were six years old again and had been caught with his hand deep in the cookie jar. She’d been spending far too much time with his mother.

Another sigh bubbled out of him, hanging his head like a scolded dog. “Yes, I knew.”

“How long?” Lumine asked, letting go of his face. “How long has it been like this?”

“...A while.” If he was completely honest with himself, he couldn’t remember. The last time he had felt normal, without the crushing weight of the corruption sludging through his veins, had been in the few minutes after they had climbed out of the Abyss. He hadn’t been paying that much attention to the way it continued to grow, too focused on his mission. “Since the summer at least.”

“Ajax!” 

“Shhh! Keep your voice down!” He hissed, glancing towards the bedroom door. Thankfully, his mother didn’t come through with the first aid kit. He couldn’t tell what would be worse; her interrupting their argument or her seeing the odd coloring of his skin. Honestly, it would probably be their bickering that frustrated her more.

His partner crossed her arms, her golden brow furrowed into a dangerous, deep V. “I told you! I told you relying on that stupid Abyssal power was dangerous! I told you to stop using it–”

“I know, but-”

“But nothing!” He probably deserved that. “Why is it so prominent now? It was never this bad before.”

Childe bit his tongue to keep from blurting out the truth. It wasn’t Lumine’s fault that she didn’t know how the Abyssal art had affected him throughout their times as partners, not when he kept the pain close to his chest. The first time he’d realized it was a side effect of the transformation and not just some bizarre bruise from a hard hit, he’d just barely managed to rescue his partner from the overheating core on Tatarasuna. Then again in Natlan after their face-off in the arena, and again when he frantically tried to heal his dying lover in the cold lagoon waters as she bled out in his arms, and again in the Abyss… 

Frankly, he was surprised he’d been able to hide it for so long. And as much as he didn’t like keeping information from her, he didn’t feel like opening that can of worms when he was this physically and mentally exhausted. 

Lumine, however, refused to take no for an answer, frustrated tears welling up in the corners of her eyes. He grabbed his turtleneck and tried to tug it back over his head so she didn’t have to keep staring at it. Before he could shrug it on, though, she grabbed it from his hands and threw it into the corner of the room. “What do you want me to say?!” He snapped, his fists curling into the bedsheets. 

“What you’ve been doing when you sneak off for all hours of the day, why you still refuse to go to Zapolyarny, why you look more like that creature than you do yourself these days. Anything, Ajax, I just want you to talk to me!’ 

A tic formed in his jaw, but the anger beginning to simmer in his chest wasn’t towards her. If anything, he was more mad at himself– for hiding this from her, for feeling so powerless when it came to his own future, for not being as strong as he wanted– needed– to be. “Fine,” He whispered, sucking in slow, deep breaths, “You want to know the truth?”

His partner threw her hands up, dripping with annoyance. “Obviously!”

“I’ve been practicing my technique with Foul Legacy to prepare for the final battle. I’ve been fighting Abyssal creatures both in and out of the transformation so that I can do what I need to do to tear down the thrones of the gods.”

Lumine frowned, straightening her shoulders. At least for a heartbeat, she didn’t seem like she planned on ripping his head off. “And you have to use Foul Legacy to do that?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

A sigh. “Utilizing the transformation is the only way we will succeed.”

“You don’t know that,” She whispered, breathless, and for the first time since she’d seen the odd stain, she actually seemed to have lost all the fight in her eyes. 

“I do,” He pressed, reaching up to brush a single blonde strand of hair behind her ear. He lowered his voice, praying his mother wasn’t listening on the other side of the door as he whispered, “Don’t you see? That’s the only thing strong enough to go against the Sustainer. I was chosen for this the moment I fell into the Abyss all those years ago.”

His partner shook her head. “No.”

“I have to do this. I have to learn to work with it instead of letting it completely control me.”

“No.” Those stark gold eyes that always brought him comfort and peace even across a crowded room met his, her frown deepening. “Are you blind to the damage it’s doing? Don’t you see it’s killing you?”

Childe rolled his eyes. “It is not.”

“It is! You may be ignoring it, but I know you well enough to see how much pain you’re in all of the time. You have been for a while, because that thing is putting a strain on your body that you can’t handle.” A single fat tear spilled down her cheek, but he couldn’t tell if it was from her anger or concern. “Archons, Ajax, you’re just a man. What will you do when that beast completely corrupts you?”

 She could have just slapped him across the face, that may have been easier. To her credit, he couldn’t deny that he’d been far more worn down dealing with the violent swirl of dark energy constantly trying to break out of its container. He couldn’t even ignore that he’d physically changed in the last few months, either. He’d built a significant amount of muscle to try and cope with the pain and body strain that came with transforming into the Abyssal creature, and yet he’d lost a good chunk of weight because he didn’t have an appetite. He had to force himself to eat and drink, both to keep up the illusion that he was fine surrounded by those who cared about him and to make sure he didn’t pass out from thirst or hunger. Dark bags had formed under his eyes while the weariness clung to every move he made. He wasn’t sleeping well because he had the same damn dream every time he closed his eyes for longer than twenty minutes. 

Still, he shook his head, flexing his sore hands around the hilt of an invisible sword. “I’m fine.”

“You’re stupid, that’s what you are.” Also probably valid. His partner frantically rubbed her eyes, trying to stop the angry tears from spilling down her face any further, but it was no use. Dammit, he hadn’t meant to make her cry– he hated when he was the reason for her frustration and pain. He opened his mouth to try and soothe her worries, but the flames in her core had already exploded into a wildfire. “You don’t even know what you sound like when that beast takes over. You don’t know the threats it makes or the anger it displays, but I do. Archons, your siblings do too! Why is this the hill you want to die on? Why rely on Foul Legacy when you could be building more of the raw strength you possess?”

“Because that’s not good enough!” He hissed, wishing it was that easy. “Who am I without the monster?”

“You’re mine!”

Silence.

Childe faltered, struggling to find the words.

Him and his damn selfish tendencies to play both sides, to try to have everything he wanted all at once. He’d known since the very beginning of his feelings for her that this wasn’t something he could successfully maintain in the long run, and with each passing day, he realized just how quickly time was running out before he would have to make a decision. His queen, the woman who had given him purpose and focus and drive after everyone else had left him to figure out the incredible new strength he’d been granted during his three times in the Abyss? Or his starlight, the woman who had saved him more times than he could count, both physically and emotionally, the one person who saw him for him and not the weapon everyone else wanted him to be?

In truth, he was hers, no matter how much loyalty and love for his queen and country he had. Lumine had made him more of a man than he had ever expected in his young life. She had treated him like a mortal man who had very real issues and very real struggles, but she didn’t coddle him or try to protect him like he was some infant who needed her complete guidance and protection. She never shamed him, but instead told it to him straight like it was, even if it hurt to hear. She gave him chance after chance after chance, even when he disappointed her, even when he let her down, because she loved him. Because she was his best friend. Because they were partners.

“We’re a team,” She whispered, throwing the words he’d used so many times over the course of their partnership in his face. “We rely on each other in times of need. When we’re scared or lost or tired or broken. And right now, it feels like you’re fighting alone– like you’ve already accepted the prophecy’s fate that we both swore we were going to find a way to change.”

“Lu…”

“Is this your way of giving up on solving the prophecy? Does accepting the Tsaritsa’s mission, her goals of tearing down the heavens, mean completely giving yourself over to whatever she desires? To corrupt yourself until you’re more of that creature than you are yourself?”

Yes. “No, it’s… it’s not like that.”

“Then what?” She begged, taking one of his calloused hands into his own. “What is it?”

Childe swallowed down the knot tightening in his throat. “She should really be the one to tell you.”

“Then we have to go to Zapolyarny.”

“I know.”

Silence.

He knew he’d promised her they would go to the capital city and confront the Tsaritsa together after the holiday celebrations, but he had partially hoped it wouldn’t get there. After his queen revealed all of the devastating truth to the prophecy and his role in the final battle to come, he had wanted nothing more than to stay as far away from her and the others as possible. Perhaps after his second fall into the Abyss, the same fall that had drastically changed him the first time, he had lost that frenetic energy that had once possessed him to do dangerous things just to chase the thrill. Perhaps he had reverted back to that boy who ran off into the woods eager for adventure and instead found a nightmare that still haunted him to this day. 

Perhaps that boy had never left.

But Lumine was right. He needed to take her to Zapolyarny, to protect her from the other Harbingers who would stop at nothing to complete their queen’s mission, to save his family who didn’t deserve to be caught in the middle of this danger, to finally get the answers both of them had been desperately seeking since they received those odd letters all those years ago. The end of the world was coming whether Ajax liked it or not. From what Dottore had said during their scrum on the river, it had already begun to unravel. It would only speed up by spring, and by summer…

“Can I at least try to ease the corruption?” His partner suddenly asked, the tension in her shoulders loosening with each slow breath she let out. 

One brow rose. “How?”

“You said it yourself– my blood purifies yours.” She summoned her blade from it’s pocket dimension, the sword glittering in the dim lantern light on the bedside table. “If all it takes is a little sacrifice to stop you from hurting, I’ll do it every time.”

A shattered breath spilled out of him. How romantic of her– and how horrifying for him. Still, he gave a tiny nod, too tongue-tied to try and speak now. Lumine lunged for the opportunity and pressed the sharpened edge of her sword to the meaty section of her palm. She did not wince no matter how sharp of a sting it must have been, tilting her head as ruby red droplets of her blood spilled onto the metal. She let the sword fade once more and curled up into the curve of his chest, pressing her smooth hand against his scuffed cheek.

He didn’t know what he was expecting, but it wasn’t a flash of cerulean blue the minute her blood mingled with his. Almost instantly, the pressure in his chest eased, the relief washing through him like a spring flood. Childe sucked in a sharp breath, but no pain came. In fact, for the first time in Archons-knows how long, his stomach rumbled, his mouth as dry as the desert and longing for a sip of fresh water. The exhaustion he thought he could ignore threatened to pull him into its sweet grasp; at least if he did fall asleep here, he knew his partner would look after him, and he wouldn’t mind being cradled in her embrace. 

“Fascinating,” Lumine whispered into his ear as the cerulean light faded, sending a wave of goosebumps skittering across his exposed skin. He could only groan weakly in response, leaning into her touch as her thumb brushed over his high cheekbone. “Does that help?”

“Immensely,” He slurred, his muscles aching as though he’d spent an entire afternoon fighting the tides in Morepesok’s icy seas. “Thank you.”

Lumine smiled, her lips brushing against his forehead. “So… Zapolyarny.”

“Soon,” He said, and meant it. It was high time he accepted that their fate would reach them whether they were ready for it or not. He couldn’t keep trying to hide his lover away to try and keep her safe. He would not cage her like a golden bird. “I need to talk to Teucer first. If what you said is true about his reaction… then it’s time he knew the truth.”

“I can accept that,” His partner whispered, snuggling down closer against him.

That same solemn quiet followed in the aftermath of their argument, if she could even call it that. Truthfully, it hadn’t even been that much of a fight between them– just her partner doing his usual thing of shutting down whenever a topic became too hard to handle on his own, even if it would have been easier for him to simply talk about the issues they faced. Maybe one day he would get over that fear of revealing the truth to her, but she had a feeling it was so ingrained in him that it wouldn’t be an easy accomplishment. Not that she was much better with her whole fear of abandonment and temper that flared whenever she got scared. Nevertheless, Lumine continued to slowly stroke his cheek, curiously studying the way the tension unraveled from his shoulders. If she had known how easy it was to help him, she would have done it sooner.

“Listen,” Childe suddenly said, his voice raspy and raw. She craned her head to look up at him, watching him struggle to find the words. It took a few heartbeats for him to work up the courage, saying, “When we meet the Tsaritsa, she’s going to demand you join the Fatui.”

A frown. “What?”

“It’s a loyalty thing. She needs to know you won’t betray her in the lead up to the final battle.”

“Tch, loyalty,” She sat up, grabbing one of the few towels his mother had left on the bedside table to wipe her hand down. What did his queen know about loyalty? Sure, she had the entirety of the Fatui ready to bend to her will and do whatever she commanded, but from what Lumine had heard in the form of whispers at the base camp and snide comments from those she crossed paths with on her journey north, the Cryo Archon had no love left for her people.

She didn’t dare voice that to Childe, though. She knew how much his queen meant to him, even if the Tsaritsa was the reason for most of their conflicts.

If her partner noticed her disdain towards the queen she’d never met, he said nothing. “When she offers you the position, I need you to take it.”

“Funny.”

“Lumine,” He breathed, grabbing her wrist and forcing her to look at him, “I’m serious.”

“No, what?” She recoiled as though she’d been stung by a wasp, hissing through her clenched teeth and ripping her hand away from his grasp. “I’m not joining the fucking Fatui.”

“She won’t accept anything else!”

“Well I won’t accept those demands!” Lumine shouted, unbothered by how loud she was getting. “Frankly it’s ridiculous that she would even dare pitch it to me after everything she’s done in Teyvat over the years.”

“All for the greater good,” Ajax not-so quietly reminded her, his auburn brow creasing into a deep V. “To maintain the illusion–”

“I don’t care, Ajax. The Fatui have hurt people I care about. To join her cause would be a slap in their faces.”

That gave her partner significant pause, that tell-tale tic tightening in his strong, sturdy jaw. She knew why he was so adamant about her joining, even after her complicated history with the organization. For one thing, he had been a part of this mission since he was barely an adult, so he obviously believed in the cause even though it painted him in a bad light. For another thing, it would likely be easier to convince his queen not to harm Lumine if she joined in on the fight and made herself loyal to the cause. But her loyalty could not be bought. Her respect could not be manufactured. Archons, it had taken her years to come to trust Ajax again after he betrayed her the first time in the Golden House. 

So, if rejecting the request to join the Fatui because she didn’t trust or respect them meant she and the Tsaritsa would be forever at odds despite their goals to defeat Celestia once and for all, she would do it. She wasn’t scared of what would happen. She knew the risks.

…Okay, maybe she was a little nervous, but still.

“Just consider it once you’ve listened to her plea,” He huffed, sitting up higher in the pillows. She opened her mouth to say there was nothing to consider, that there was no way she would ever join such a harmful cause, when he begged, “Please, Lu.”

Something inside her cracked, a wall she hadn’t realized was still up. While she may not have trusted the Tsaritsa, she trusted Ajax with her life. Even in the face of danger and death, he had always chosen her. 

“Fine,” She breathed after a long moment, crawling back into the bed beside him. “I’ll listen to her. But I make no promises of joining her fight as one of her Fatui grunts.”

Ajax sighed, pressing his singed forehead to hers. “I suppose that’ll have to do.”

Chapter Text

“Ajax, please! You have to listen to me!”

“I don’t have to do anything,” Childe snapped, pushing the cabin’s front door open and stepping into the chilly temperatures. Fury invaded every nerve of his body, the tic in his jaw so tight he thought he might shatter his teeth. The more he thought on it, the more rage fueled his footsteps forward, the more vitriol seeped into his movements.

His elder sister frantically chased after him, nearly slipping in the freshly fallen snow. “It was an accident!”

“An accident,” He barked a cold laugh, adjusting the bowl of raw meat for the sled dogs’ dinner on his hip. “Is that what you’re calling it?”

“Because it was!”

“No, it wasn’t!” He whirled around in a heartbeat, stopping so fast that his jittery sister nearly ran right into him. Her sharp blue eyes widened to the size of shiny Mora coins, her lips parted in a stunned O. “You ran your mouth that the Traveler was here at our family home!”

Anya winced. “I know, but–”

“Not only did you put Lumine in danger, but you put our siblings in danger as well!”

“I didn’t expect anything like this to happen!”

“All for what?!” He continued, the dam burst as his raw anger spilled out of him. He didn’t care to reign himself in, especially for such a grave crime she had committed. 

It had been an accident that he’d found out about Anya’s quiet betrayal. Sound had always carried in the small cabin, the thin walls never the best at keeping noise out no matter how many times they tried to fix it over the short summers. Eavesdropping had been rampant throughout the Alekseev household, no matter how many times their parents had tried to explain it wasn’t polite to listen in on other people’s conversations. He supposed he hadn’t learned his lesson then, having heard his elder sister reveal the truth to his mother that morning; that she knew the girl they had living under their roof was the Traveler the Tsaritsa was looking for, that she had figured it out at the holiday celebrations and couldn’t believe they would hide a fugitive like such, that she had let it spill to some of her girlies in town that she knew where Snezhnaya’s most wanted renegade was. 

Lumine had told him what Columbina had said that day on the battlefield after their argument surrounding his corruption, helping work through the events he hadn’t been present for. She had explained the odd statement by the third Harbinger, exclaiming she wasn’t as beloved by this family as she thought. Only after hearing Anya hurriedly whispering about what she’d done had it clicked in his head– that she had had some hand in revealing the truth of his partner’s location to the little birds Columbina had all across Teyvat, that she had been the reason for the unprecedented attack on their slice of safety in the Snezhnayan wilderness.

His mother had been stunned into silence, whereas Childe had nearly erupted like a dormant geyser, launching into a tangent. The fact that Natasha wasn’t currently meddling in their argument and trying to get them to make peace spoke volumes. His mother knew her eldest daughter was in the wrong. While Anya had done everything right in the terms of what a loyal Snezhnayan should, she had directly turned her back on the family by spilling the beans about Lumine, whether she’d known it at the time or not. 

“Was it spite?” He continued, barely able to contain his volume. His elder sister shied back away from him the angrier he grew, her eyes growing in size. “Was it because I couldn’t tell you where your husband is or what he’s doing? Surprise, Anya, I may be a Harbinger, but even I don’t know the locations of all of our soldiers! And I certainly can’t bring him home just because he’s my brother-in-law!”

“I didn’t do it to hurt you or anyone else!” She wailed, desperately trying to cling to his sleeve. He let out a vicious groan, turning on his heel and stomping into the dog pen. She followed tightly on his heel. “I wasn’t thinking about who I was talking to–”

“-Obviously-”

“-But it was all just speculation, I swear! I wasn’t the one who actually told the soldiers in town!”

His upper lip curled into a snarl, no better than a wolf baring its teeth as a predator got too close. “No, it was just your nosy best friend who wouldn’t be able to put two-and-two together without your suggestions!”

“Stop it, Ajax, you don’t know that for sure!” Anya shrieked, swatting his chest.  He shook his head, dropping the bowl of raw meat into the pen and letting the working dogs scrounge for it, too frustrated to give them even portions. “If you really didn’t want me to say anything, then you wouldn’t have shown off your shiny new toy at the celebrations, let alone bring her to our family home!”

“Don’t you dare turn this on me.”

“Half of Morepesok was there and you really didn’t think someone attending Mama’s holiday party would put together that the short woman with blonde hair and golden eyes whose face is plastered across every wall in town was in fact the woman our queen is looking for?!”

“No!” He snapped, “The reason I’m so angry is because it wasn’t a stranger who snitched, but my own sister!” 

Anya flinched at that, recoiling as though he’d slapped her across the face. He had a feeling that one would hurt harder than the others, especially if she realized how much damage she could have caused. For the first time since, she finally seemed to realize she was alone in this matter, especially with how firmly his parents and their younger siblings were standing behind the Traveler and supporting her– be it for their love of their middle son, or because they had come to care for his partner in their own way.  And, were something to happen to Lumine, that it would be her own fault for causing another rift in the family, the same way Ajax had all those years ago when he’d run off into the night with nothing more than a short sword and a bag of bread.

Then her remorse vanished, shaking her head as she once again tried to double down. “Ajax, please–”

 Childe rolled his eyes, brusquely pushing past her on the front porch stairs. She seriously didn’t get it, did she? What would it take to make her understand how seriously she had messed up? Before he could head back inside, he turned around to glare at her. “You remember what you told me that time I came home for Tonia’s birthday all those years ago? About how you hoped one day I would love something so much that I would understand how much it hurt to be apart from them? That is how I feel about Lumine. And now you’ve ripped that away and put her in mortal danger all to satisfy your own hurt and I’m just supposed to, what? Forgive you?”

Tears pinpricked the corner of her eyes. “We’re family–”

“You sold out my girlfriend, Anya! That’s not what family does!”

Silence.

Then his elder sister’s bottom lip quivered, the fat tears she had been trying so hard to hold back spilling down her high cheekbones. He had no time to say anything before she hurried down the steps and away from the cabin, walking down the path towards town. He let out a low groan, banging his head against the . Why did sibling relationships have to be so difficult? First he’d been so tense around his older brothers, admittedly having expected Jason or Sasha to be the ones who went and snitched about Lumine being at their family home. Perhaps they understood the dangers that would come upon those protecting the Traveler, or perhaps they really were too dense to put the pieces together. Then came Teucer, who still hadn’t spoken to him despite days having passed since the incident in the snow. He needed to sit the boy down alone and go over what exactly had happened… but something about that frightened him more than facing the Tsaritsa.

He flopped down onto the couch with another sigh, running his hands over his tired face. Even in the few days since the incident, the weariness clinging to his bones had not gone away. Maybe Lumine was right when she claimed the corruption was running him ragged. Maybe that’s why his temper had been so heated today.

No, that wasn’t right. He had a right to be angry. From what he’d overheard that morning, she had been frustrated that he couldn’t tell her anything about where Dimitri was at the holiday celebrations and had rambled about everything that had happened to one of her friends that wasn’t there. She had been the one to throw the Traveler’s name into the gossip mill, even if she didn’t entirely believe it. He understood that she was upset that her own Fatui soldier of a husband was not by her side for the holidays– more so now than ever before–but that shouldn’t have allowed her the right to spill sensitive information.

Ugh… except it really wasn’t Anya’s fault. They’d handled the situation poorly, only trusting the family that still lived in the little house in the woods rather than working as a unit the way they had before Childe had fallen into the Abyss. She hadn’t known better, nor could she have realized that it was her words helping put two-and-two together for the people of Morepesok. 

“I take it you found the little bird Columbina spoke about.”

Childe craned his neck over the back of the couch, spotting Lumine carefully walking down the steps wearing a sheepish smile. He wouldn’t be surprised if she heard all the yelling. “Mhm.”

“Are you okay?”

“I’m frustrated.”

His partner hummed, running her fingers through his mess of copper curls. Immediately, it soothed the annoyance in his chest, the calm motions grounding him to the moment rather than to all of the what ifs. “I understand,” She whispered after a few moments, still playing with his hair. “Siblings don’t come as easily as they used to, huh?”

That was a great point. He may have been furious that his elder sister would do something like this, but at least she had never turned her back on him at his weakest moment the way the Abyss Prince had done to his twin in the heart of that dormant volcano. Even after the fire in town, even before he had joined the Fatui or her marriage to Dimitri, Anya had gone out of her way to make sure he didn’t feel like a complete outcast when Jason and Sasha had. Sure, there had been awkward moments between them trying to figure out their new dynamic, but at least she’d never ignored him. 

He needed to apologize. He didn’t want his fury to be the last thing he’d ever said to his sister. 

“Speaking of siblings,” Lumine interrupted his tumultuous thoughts, coiling one of his curls around her slender finger, “Did you speak with Teucer?”

“Not yet,” Childe groaned again. 

His partner gave a sharp tug of his hair, forcing him to meet her eyes. “Don’t put that off. That will only hurt more.”

“Right.”

“As in, go talk to him right now. He’s outside moping the same way you do.”

“I do not mope!” He whined, sticking his tongue out at her. His shoulders deflated the more he thought about it, his gut twisting and tying its own complicated knots the longer he waited. “I don’t know what to say.”

“Honestly? I would tell him the truth,” She whispered, leaning down to kiss his forehead.

Another sigh bubbled out of him. She was right, and she was likely speaking from a bit of personal experience. One day when they finally got to speak to her twin brother on level terms– if that ever happened– he expected her to want a full explanation. Teucer deserved the same. So, despite the nerves making his heart race out of control, he pushed himself off the couch and kissed her forehead. He steeled himself for the necessary discussion, the truth behind who he was and why he had been hiding his identity to his youngest brother for so long. 

He found Teucer by the wood pile, chucking small bits of gravel at one of the snowmen his siblings and Lumine had built after the last storm. Of course, he couldn’t ignore the fact that the creation he currently seemed disgruntled with bore Childe’s usual red scarf, stolen from his closet. “Hey buddy,” He said, trying to keep his voice level despite his shaking hands. Teucer didn’t stop throwing the stones at the snowman; in fact, he didn’t even bother looking his way as he approached. “Still not talking to me, huh?”

The only response he got was a cold glare, identical to that of their father that day the old man had announced his intention to enlist him in the Fatui.

Ouch. He tried not to let it cut as deep as it felt. Teucer was not their father, no more than Ajax was. “That’s fair, I guess.” He nodded towards the old stump they used to chop the firewood into quarters. “I’m just gonna sit right here if that’s okay.”

Still, nothing.

What was he supposed to do? He still hadn’t figured out what to say, and while he understood the silent treatment, he wasn’t used to it from the little brother who had revered him all growing up. The truth, Lumine had suggested the truth. But would the truth of the situation hurt more than it helped clear his brother’s mind? No, he had to do this; Teucer’s childhood dreams had already been shattered simply because his hero couldn’t control the monster swirling in his chest.

“You know, you were too little to remember why I had to leave home when I did.” The words spilled out of him before he knew what he was doing, but he couldn’t find it in him to stop. Perhaps this was for the best. “I doubt you would have known what was going on.”

Teucer paused for a long moment, then went back to chucking the tiny stones at the snowman.

Childe sighed, running a hand through his messy hair. “If I’m honest… I was not a very good son back then. I was callous and selfish and wild, and I really, really wanted to get stronger.” A fact that hadn’t changed. A fact that might one day be the death of him. “So, Papa decided it would be a good idea to enroll me into the Fatui.”

He couldn’t help but water it down a bit. Teucer was still so young and he was still malleable to his older siblings’ opinions. He didn’t need to know that what had really happened was his father had rejected the responsibility it might take to get his middle son under control, deciding him too far gone to even try. Telling him the complete truth, no matter how unbiased, might influence his opinion of their old man– something he didn’t want to do. 

This time when Teucer processed his words, the young boy turned around with his mouth open to speak. However, he quickly shut it and turned back around, as if remembering he wasn’t supposed to be talking. That had to be a good sign! Childe was breaking through that wall of silence, something the boy was hardly known to do. If he could just get a little further… “It was all an attempt to get me to learn discipline, but he couldn’t have known how it would turn out. I was really good at fighting. So much so that the Tsaritsa eventually named me her eleventh Harbinger.”

“A Harbinger?” Teucer asked, facing him again.

There he is.

Childe fought back a smile, not wanting his brother to realize he’d given in to his curiosity over his anger. “You know that girl who attacked you guys the other day? She’s one of my coworkers.”

“She wasn’t very nice,” His brother muttered, his nose scrunching up in discontent. “And when she got mad at Lumine, she tried to attack us.”

“I know. She was wrong for doing that.” He would have a detailed conversation with his queen about that at a later date. That is, as long as she wasn’t extremely pissed that he was taking his sweet time bringing Lumine to her palace. “But she was under strict orders from our queen. She probably felt it was the only way to fulfill her mission.”

Teucer made another face, sitting down on the stump beside him. “So… if you were given orders from our queen to hurt us… you would have to do the same?”

“No. Absolutely not.”

That was his hard line. Even Lumine didn’t have that kind of guarantee, as evident by his current predicament. Everyone in Zapolyarny knew it, thanks to Pulcinella’s manipulation. Arlecchino had tried to exploit it by appearing in the field all those years ago, taunting him by manipulating Teucer. Columbina had known they would be his weakness and had gone for it, no matter the cost. 

“I think I’ve known you weren’t a normal toy salesman for a while now.”

Childe blinked out of his thoughts, turning back to his brother. “What?”

“You’re just like Dimitri! He gets summoned for the Tsaritsa’s goals too, and he has to follow all of her orders, just like you do. He’s a Fatui soldier, so it makes sense you are, too!”

“That’s– true,” He whispered, the air fleeing his lungs as though he’d taken a punch to the chest. “But how did you–”

Teucer shot him a droll stare. “I’m almost ten, Ajax. I’m not dumb. I just didn’t think you were a Harbinger.”

Childe blinked again, a noise bubbling out of him. He didn’t recognize it was laughter until his sides ached, until his voice bounced off the towering pine trees surrounding them, until the wolf dogs in the kennel started singing their own tune alongside him. Even Teucer couldn’t contain his humor, snorting as his laughter grew, too. Seriously? The whole time? His baby brother, the one he had tried to protect from knowing the truth of his past and his connection with the darker side of the Fatui and the way he was kind of a bad guy… had known his lies weren’t true? Archons, these kids were so much smarter than he ever gave them credit for. Oh, gods, all that work and worry just for his brother to throw the evidence in his face!

By the time he stopped laughing, his ribs ached and the tears in the corners of eyes had nearly frozen to his cool, freckled cheeks. Still, one glance at his baby brother revealed a boy still rife with worry and confusion. “What is it?” He asked, clearing his throat.

A pause. Then, “That… thing you turned into. Was that because you’re a Harbinger?”

“Ah, no.” He’d honestly forgotten that his brother had seen that side of him as well. “That’s something different.”

“Oh.”

“Did it scare you?”

Teucer shrugged. “A little. I was worried… nevermind.”

“C’mon now,” He pushed, ruffling his brother’s identical mane of red hair, “You know you can tell me anything.”

He sighed, his bottom lip jutting out in a soft pout as he picked and prodded at the threads fraying on his scarf. “I… was worried you might hurt us.”

“...Oh.” 

Death would have been kinder than that revelation. 

“Your armor was strange– and your voice was really weird! It didn’t sound like you anymore.”

“...Yeah.”

He wanted to curl up in a hole. He wanted to hide from everyone who had seen the other side of him, the monster that he’d kept a secret for so long. For as hard as he’d worked to protect the entirety of his family from the truth of the power he’d acquired at fourteen, he’d destroyed it in mere seconds. All for what? All for nothing in that moment, except a slip of control that had allowed Foul Legacy to possess him completely when he should have been at his strongest.

“Thankfully Lumine wasn’t scared,”  Teucer continued as if he hadn’t just dropped a massive elemental bomb on Childe’s heart and soul. Any fragment of his moping vanished, grinning in that crooked smile all of the Alekseev children had. “She jumped right in to save you without hesitating!”

Childe didn’t have to force a smile at the mention of his partner, glancing towards the kitchen window. He caught a glimpse of blonde in the glass, a sure sign that she had to be watching. Not that he was surprised in the slightest. “She’s pretty great, huh?”

“I’ll say. I’ve known how cool she is longer than Anton or Tonia, though.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

“Plus it was so cool to see that star burst thing she did! It was like staring at the snow in the sunlight, to the point where my eyes hurt!”

“Wait, what?” He frowned, tearing his gaze away from the little house to stare at his brother. 

Teucer tilted his head like a curious wolf pup. “You don’t remember? All this light came exploding out of her all at once and turned everything gold! I didn’t think it would help you, but when all the gold light cleared, you weren’t that weird monster anymore!”

Once again, his brother might as well have taken an ice dagger and shoved it directly into his chest. Lumine hadn’t mentioned that when he’d regained consciousness. She’d said she didn’t know anything about how she got him to stop. That either meant she was hiding the ability from him or she didn’t remember it. Seeing as she was constantly the one pushing him for communication, he doubted it was her trying to keep a secret. 

Concern rippled through him, a general uneasiness growing as the world started to unfold around them. If she really did eject some of her light, then the Tsaritsa’s plan was starting to become clearer. The truth would be revealed soon; he just didn’t know if he would be able to handle it when the time came.

“When are you two going to get married?”

Childe ripped himself out of his worry in a split second. “W-what?”

“You love her, right?” Yes, yes, a thousand times yes. “That’s at least what you told Mama, and what she told Papa-”

“Were you eavesdropping on them?” He sputtered, his heart threatening to rip out of his chest from how quickly it beat, his face as red as the snowman’s scarf. 

“No!” Teucer squeaked, though his own freckled cheeks turned pink with the lie. “Well, maybe. In any case, I think it’s time.” 

Gods above. Between Mama casually giving her permission and Teucer easily deciding the proper time for him to propose, it seemed everyone had already decided for him. He was fairly certain if he asked Anton and Tonia what they thought, they’d instantly agree. And admittedly, ever since the holiday celebrations when he’d given himself an ounce of time to think about it, the thoughts hadn’t stopped.  

“She already fits in so well with our family!” Teucer continued, back to his chatty self. “She helps Mama no matter the task, and she knows how to make Papa laugh. Plus, she and Tonia are already so close, and Anton loves all the stories she tells from her adventures! And she even shows interest in all of my creations! So you should ask her to marry you!”

Because if he married her, he would want so much more; a pet, a house, a family.

Because marrying her would be so small compared to the state of the world they were facing.

Because marriage felt… final. 

Except that had never stopped him before. He had always stared death and demise in the face and laughed, ready to tear down anyone who stood in his way. Even with the future the Tsaritsa expected, there was always a way they could figure out something with the prophecy, always a quirk that they could manipulate together so that they survived in the long run, right? They’d done it countless times before in their lives. Surely they could do it again when it came to defeating the fates that had been laid out in front of them like scripts in a stage play. Surely if they worked as a team, they would tear down the thrones of the gods and survive the rest of the chaos to see the new dawn on the other side.

And why did it have to feel final? They were already partners in every sense that mattered, and marriage would just be a title, a level of claiming that neither of them were likely used to. His wife. Her husband. Just the thought sent chills racing up his spine, his heart skipping traitorous beat after beat. Marriage didn’t have to be the end of what they were; it could be the start to a grand new adventure for the both of them, a what’s next that they could explore together. 

And he’d always loved to explore. She did, too.

He couldn’t tell Teucer all of that, though. That was an honest truth that he hadn’t fully allowed himself to admit, no matter how much the yearning to wed her grew. “...We’ve got some stuff going on that we need to figure out first.”

Teucer nodded enthusiastically. “Like going to Zapolyarny.”

A dramatic gasp tore out of his chest. “You were eavesdropping!”

His little brother cackled, his laugh identical to a wolf pup chirping in the wilderness. “Okay, okay, so maybe I was! But I mean it. Lumine is great and you love her, so it’s time to marry her!”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” Childe chuckled, ruffling his brother’s hair. Teucer laughed, letting him do so without any fight for a few minutes before that smile dropped from his face again. Ahh, he supposed that there was still more. “Anything else you want to tell me?”

Teucer sighed again. “I just… I wanted to be like you when I grew up. Or… what I thought you were.”

“What was that?”

“A traveling toy salesman.”

Man, that lie had gone a lot further than he had ever expected. He couldn’t remember why he’d decided to spit that out the first time his younger brother asked him about his job and why he was never home, but it had come out easy since he was always bringing trinkets back to the little house. Eventually the idea had just stuck. “Why can’t you be that?”

Teucer’s bottom lip jutted out in a pout. “Because you aren’t.”

Ajax’s shoulders dropped at the quiet, honest revelation. “Teucer,” He breathed, pulling his brother into a close side hug. “Listen to me. Just because you don’t have my exact job doesn’t mean you can’t be like me, if that’s what you really want. You’re smarter than I am, and you’re incredibly talented! In fact, you’re probably better at what you do with creating your toys than I ever could be.” 

A shimmering pair of bright blue eyes widened with praise, his younger brother jumping up off. “You really think so?”

“Absolutely! With your creativity? Most children aren’t making toys at ten.” He ruffled his brother’s hair once more, relieved he had the chance to have this conversation. Thank the Archons Lumine had pushed him. If something were to happen to him, at least Teucer would be set up for success down the road, encouraged by his brother’s praise.

“Can we go see my other ideas?” Teucer pleaded, trying to pull him up from the stump. “I still have so much I want to show you!”

“Ah– I’ll be right up,” He promised, offering his brother a smile. “I… have something I need to ask Mama first.”

Something he should have asked for a while ago.

Chapter Text

Hydro clashed against a thin shield of ice, the crackling sound reverberating in his head as he pushed down hard against the frozen surface. She pushed back with as much force as she could manage, just strong enough to falter his step. His boots skid in the snow as he quickly recovered, swinging his well-crafted sword down on her arm. Every movement was an attempt to catch her off guard, a single bead of sweat dripping down his brow despite the chill. He didn’t give her an ounce of reprieve as she struggled to catch her breath, though he never went as hard as he would have in a normal fight since he had no intentions of actually harming her. Faster and faster, looking for any signs of a weakness, until he finally found what he was looking for. When she went to stop his wide swing, he dodged expertly and pointed the tip of his blade against her exposed ribcage, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips. 

Tonia sighed again, holding up her hands in defeat.

“You did better that time,” He praised, straightening his shoulders. “Just don’t forget to protect your weak side. If you don’t support it enough, you’ll put yourself into a position to fail.”

His younger sister brushed her hair out of her face, sucking in a few deep breaths to steady herself. “How many fights do you expect me to get into?”

“Who knows. Vision users tend to find themselves in more trouble than the average citizen.”

“I think that’s just you,” Lumine teased from the staircase, tightening his jacket and scarf around her body, her nose rosy from the cold.

“Ehh, it’s a little bit of both.” Seeing as she wasn’t much better, what with her own tendency to get wrapped into trouble. Then again, Teucer was already going down the path of chaos like his elder brother, and he didn’t even need a Vision to create a little good trouble. Childe adjusted the patch on his damaged eye, then nudged Tonia in the ribs to refocus her and himself. “Regardless, it’s always better to learn the basics ahead of any sort of potential conflict rather than try to figure everything out in the heat of the moment. Let’s go again.”

Tonia nodded, hunkering herself down in the ankle-deep snow. Without giving her too much time to prepare, Childe attacked again, quick as a jolt of Electro from his Delusion. She grit her teeth and handled it with a sloppy grasp, the light reflecting off of the new catalyst weapon he’d gotten her the day before. Once more, she managed to deflect his attack, sending him stumbling forward as his feet slipped in the snow.

It was truly fascinating, watching her start on a similar journey to the one he embarked on all those years ago. And she was dutiful in her interest, as this time she took his previous lesson to heart and focused all of her efforts into protecting her weaker side with her shields of ice. But whereas Skirk had taught him to use his speed to attack first above all else, Tonia much preferred the defensive stance, bracing for each hit of his blade against her small shield of ice. Maybe one day, she’d be able to defend against him at full speed rather than handling these relatively slow attacks. He had a feeling she would embrace her interest in traveling one day soon, her Vision gifting her a new level of confidence that he never expected her to reach. 

He must have been too distracted in his thoughts, or perhaps too unaccustomed to moving this slowly, as he swung wide to slam his blade down from above. He didn’t even see Tonia lunging for the opportunity of such a callous move; she ducked under his arm, ridding herself of her shields to touch his inner chest with her hand coated in ice. Shivers instantaneously shot up his spine, the warmth sapped out of his body with just a graze of her fingers. 

Wow, okay. Seemed he needed to take his own advice about blind spots.

“Very nice, T!” He shouted, readjusting his stance. “Again!”

Their rounds grew faster and faster, not unlike how his sparring sessions with Lumine went whenever they reunited. Though talented, most of Tonia’s steps and moves were raw instinct– that’s what had gotten her through the fight with Columbina and what helped her get through this miniature battle now. She needed to build up her skills until her protective steps were second nature, until she could predict her opponent’s next moves before they had even considered what they might be. But, seeing as she just started practicing with her catalyst yesterday, he’d cut her some slack. Skirk might have never allowed him the same breather, but then again, this wasn’t the Abyss and they were not fighting for their lives. 

When they reached a small stalemate– mostly because Childe didn’t want to escalate if Tonia wasn’t ready for it– they separated to catch their breath. He let his Hydro sword fade to mist, petting her head with as much praise as he could muster through actions alone. Out of every one of his siblings, he couldn’t be more delighted that she had been the one to receive a Vision. Yes , Anton likely would have made an excellent Dendro user, especially in the heart of Sumeru if he really did get into the Akademiya. Yes , Teucer probably would master Electro if he received the gemstone, just so he could follow in the footsteps of his older brother– if he even wanted to do that anymore. But Tonia… well, despite the fact that he had always had a close relationship to his baby sister, he knew just how empowering receiving a Vision would be, and just how far she would go to help those in trouble using her newfound abilities.

Perhaps that’s why he wanted to prepare her for anything.

“That was so cool!” Teucer shouted, startling him out of his thoughts. He didn’t even realize his brothers had joined them outside to watch this practice session.

“Be careful with how much energy you’re expelling,” Lumine reminded her, ruffling Teucer’s hair as she approached. “You don’t want to use all of your strength too quickly.”

Tonia shifted uneasily in her stance. “I’m trying not to.”

“You’re doing great. But as a defensive fighter, you might have to learn what it takes to settle in for the long battle rather than relying on quick bursts of action the way your brother does.”

An excellent point, one his sister seemed to take to heart as she nodded thoughtfully. Even though he preferred to attack, Skirk had taught him the value of preserving his energy as well, though it had taken him another two years to learn how to accurately develop a defensive method that worked for his style. He rarely had to use said ability until the volcanoes in Natlan erupted, and even then he’d nearly exhausted himself from doing something he didn’t normally attempt. 

“How do you two manage to last as long as you do?” Tonia asked, fiddling with the catalyst in her hand. “It’s barely been an hour and I’m so sorry I can barely lift my arms.”

Childe smirked, clapping her on the back. “It takes a lot of practice.”

“And it does get easier the more you do it,” Lumine affirmed, crossing her arms. “You just need to learn your limits so you can better pace yourself for the long run.”

“Is that how you handle more than one element at a time? Through consistent practice?” Anton asked from the front porch, scribbling something in one of his leather bound notebooks. 

“Nah,” Childe hummed, throwing a sweaty arm around his partner’s neck and pulling her into the curve of his chest. She squealed and struggled against him, but whatever she did to try to free herself failed. He pressed a single kiss to the top of her head, chuckling as he added, “Lumine is special.”

“Gross.”

Why was that gross? Lumine really was special, in more ways than one. She had abilities that everyone else could only dream of– though right now, they were dormant, ripped away from her like water spiraling down a bathtub drain. He didn’t want to think too much about what that would mean when they eventually met the Tsaritsa. As far as he knew, her plans required Lumine to have all of her abilities on top of the raw power she possessed. Suddenly, his partner slammed her elbow into his ribs, and his momentary grunt of pain and shock was enough to free her from his clutches. She stuck her tongue out at him, cozying up beside the new best friend she’d made in Tonia, the girls as thick as thieves. He supposed he couldn’t be more grateful the two of them got along as well as they did.

“All you have to do is keep up your practices and one day you’ll be able to handle these little skirmishes as well as your brother does,” His partner said, adjusting his big jacket tighter around her shivering frame. “Maybe even more so, seeing as he’s starting to stagnate.”

Childe’s smile dropped instantly. “What did you say?”

“I mean, you did manage to get stopped by a handful of roots.”

“Rude!”

He gasped dramatically, feigning genuine hurt as he clutched his chest. Lumine only stuck her tongue out at him, that dangerous twinkle glinting in her honey golden eyes, the same one that she usually wore before they ended up tangled in each other’s grasp once more. He moved like a rogue wave, swift and strong, ready to take her down and wipe that adorable, smug smile off her face. Before he could tackle her to the snow, though, he slammed into another small ice shield, stopping him in his tracks.

Both of his favorite girls giggled as he struggled to make sense of what had just happened. The sound hit him square in the chest like a knife to the heart, an odd sense of nostalgia prickling at the back of his mind. He needed to savor what little time he had left to enjoy this calm. The minute they had to go to Zapolyarny, he would have to pull on the mask of the deadly 11th Harbinger and focus on the mission at hand. Who knew when he would be able to drop it again? Who knew if he’d be able to drop it at all?

“My own sister dares betray me?” He bemoaned, forcing the fears of the future aside once more to live in the moment. 

Tonia rolled her eyes. “Lumine doesn’t deserve to be struck down for simply speaking the truth.”

“I would have helped you, big brother!” Teucer shouted, scrambling down from the top step and throwing his arms around Childe’s waist. A flutter of relief tickled the back of his mind, patting the boy’s back; ever since their discussion the other afternoon, he’d been worried they wouldn’t reconnect, too scarred by what was to return to what had been. Thankfully it seemed Teucer was more resilient than he could have ever expected.

“How?” Anton muttered, not looking up from his notebook. “You didn’t get a Vision.”

A frown. “It’s not fair. I was helpful that day! Why didn’t I get one?”

“Because you’re only ten.”

“Mmm, I know someone who got her Vision at five,” Lumine interjected, hands on her hips.

“See!” Teucer whined, his bottom lip jutting out into that prominent pout. “So tell me again, why didn’t I get one?”

“How are Visions even chosen, anyways?” Tonia asked, pulling her messy braid out of its restraints to start again.

Anton perked up. “Oh, I know! Because you received Cryo, it was likely the Tsaritsa who made the move to assist you in your time of need. If it wasn’t her who gifted some of her power, then the other gods stepped in because they saw your future potential and wanted to aid your development. Either way, you impressed someone.”

“You mean Celestia?” Teucer asked. “If that’s the case, then all I need to do is make a really big splash to get their attention and then I’ll earn a Vision?”

Childe stiffened, uneasiness swirling in his belly. He really didn’t like talking about this, especially not with the kids around. After all, the fairytale of a god issuing the greatest gift of all to those who displayed their powerful desire and ambition, even earning the potential to ascend to the heavens themselves. But speaking up would seem more suspicious if anyone was actually listening. 

The conversation also brought him back to one of the countless questions he'd had in the Tsaritsa's throne room, his eye still oozing purple and blue blood despite his desperate attempts to quell the injury on his return to Snezhnaya. Who had given him his Vision, when the gods' reach did not touch the shadowy underworld of the Abyss? Why had he been chosen amongst the others who fell to receive such powers? How was he supposed to break the loop when the shiny blue gemstone on his hip symbolized his fate, the path before him already woven into the night skies above?

Her answer had not been one he could have ever expected. He still wished he'd never asked the question.

Across from him, Lumine studied him like an insect under one of Dottore’s fancy microscopes. She had always been able to see past all of the walls and layers he threw up around himself to protect his secrets, knowing him better some days than he knew himself. He wondered if she could feel the anxiety eating away at his sanity the closer they inched to the day of reckoning.

Thankfully, she didn’t press him on it, ruffling Teucer’s hair and saying, “Why don’t you focus on learning how to protect your loved ones first and then we’ll see what the gods think, okay? Tonia, try again.”

Tonia nodded, summoning her shields of ice glittering in the grey sunlight. Instead of Childe taking up his swords again, Teucer took his turn of trying to tag with his sister, their laughter rising up into the afternoon atmosphere the harder they played. It didn’t take long for Anton to set his notebook aside to join in, all three cackling like a bunch of wolf pups with each swipe.

Lumine stepped closer, rubbing his arm slowly. “You alright?”

“Mhm.”

“Are you in pain?”

“No.” Made sense she was still worried about the odd stain swirling under his skin. He didn’t blame her, no matter how much he wanted to ignore it. “I’m just… thinking.”

“Dangerous,” His partner teased, that adorable smirk dancing across her round features.

When he didn’t smile at her little joke, she hummed and wrapped her arms around his waist, resting her head on his chest. Childe let out a slow breath, hugging her close and relaxing into her touch; no matter how nervous he got, he always found a wealth of peace whenever she held him or touched him or smiled at him. It further reminded him that they were in this together, a relief that he did not have to do this alone no matter how exhausting it might seem. 

“You know what Tonia’s Vision means, right?” She whispered, so quiet he thought her may have imagined it, her attention still on his siblings. “If it wasn’t the Tsaritsa who gave it out–”

“-Then they did,” He muttered, kissing the crown of her head.

“And if they did, that means–”

“I know.”

She craned her neck to stare up at him, her golden brow furrowing into a deep crease.“And if they’re keeping an eye on your little sister, then they’re definitely watching our movements– “

“I know.”

“We need to get our answers before our delay messes up the whole performance–”

“Lumine,” He interrupted, brushing her silky blonde bangs out of her eyes, “I know.”

“You don’t seem to be in a hurry.” Lumine’s bottom lip jutted out in a pout. She wasn’t used to this blasé attitude from him. “Are you worried about me rejecting her offer?”

“Amongst other things.”

What other things? She hated when he got like this, when he didn’t communicate despite the obvious conversation he desperately wanted to have. It would make it so much easier on everyone involved if he would just tell her why he was so afraid to go to Zapolyarny! She wouldn’t judge him any less for his fear! At least this time, it wasn’t like he was keeping secrets to protect his organization the way he had with the blockade. She understood the depth of why he didn’t want to say the wrong thing without being able to answer all of her questions, especially if it might influence her opinion on the path forward. Especially when it came to the Tsaritsa’s plan when Lumine didn’t exactly have a favorable view of her. 

Maybe if she decided to pack her bag and head to Zapolyarny on her own, Ajax would follow along– no matter how much he grumbled and whined on the walk there. 

The front door opened and out stepped Natasha, her greying chestnut hair frazzled around her aging features. Ajax unfurled from her in a heartbeat, as if they were two teenagers who’d been caught getting too close in one of Mondstadt’s back alleys. She would never not laugh at his reaction, his freckled cheeks turning bright red, his adam’s apple bobbing with a hard swallow. It had only grown more severe in the last few days, with him even refusing to stay curled up in bed with her, mumbling something about it being improper. She wondered if his mother had given him a lecture about him sneaking downstairs before everyone had woken up to feign sleeping on the couch.

Natasha’s eyes settled on her, thin lips pulled into a tight line. “Lumine dearie. Can I get your help with something inside?”

“Oh, sure.” While she loved helping Tonia train, she really wasn’t built for this consistent cold, no matter how many afternoons she’d spent with the others down on the frozen pond. At least inside she’d be warm. To Childe, she asked, “Will you be alright?”

“As long as Tonia doesn’t suddenly try to be an offensive fighter, then I think I’m safe.”

“I heard that!” His sister shouted.

Lumine laughed, leaving behind the others to see what it was his mother needed help with. She exhaled slowly as she stepped inside, the warmth seeping through her thick clothes and chasing away the remnant chill clinging to her trembling frame. The entire downstairs smelled strongly of garlic, fried dough and cooked venison. Natasha hadn’t waited around to see if she was coming along, already standing in the kitchen. Unlike her usual busy movements and never sitting still for longer than a few minutes– a trait her middle son had inherited– she clutched the countertop and stared straight ahead, physically present but mentally far away. Even as Lumine approached, Ajax’s mother didn’t glance up.

She cleared her throat, hoping not to startle the woman from whatever thoughts had entranced her so deeply. “Something you needed?”

“Hm? Ah…” Natasha shook herself out of her haze, handing her a ball of softened pierogi dough. “Help me fold this, will you?”

“Sure.” 

Together they worked in silence, focusing on cooking the creamy potato and onion stuffing and sealing the pierogi dough with messy, though careful edges. An uneasy weight settled on her chest even though she could hear Ajax’s laughter filling the front yard outside, followed by the childrens’ excitable squeals as they continued their play. How odd. Surely Natasha could have gotten one of the other children to help her, especially since Lumine had been working with Tonia to develop her newfound Cryo abilities. Perhaps Teucer and Anton simply couldn’t be bothered to help. 

No, from the way Mama Nat couldn’t look at her and the way she seemed so lost in her thoughts, she must need to say something important– something Ajax and the others couldn’t hear. 

“Ajax seems to be enjoying training Tonia,” The older woman finally said, her voice hoarse.

Another chill ran down Lumine’s spine. What was she so anxious about? She and Natasha had had plenty of quiet conversations like this before. Whatever she had to get off her chest, Lumine could handle it. “Can’t say I’m surprised. He’s a great teacher.”

“Is he?”

She nodded, a smile toying at her lips. “When we were in Mondstadt, he constantly took care of the younger kids, mostly distracting them with mundane side quests. But they loved it, and he did, too.”

“He’s always been wonderful working with the littles,” Natasha mumbled, stuffing another pierogi and handing it over to Lumine to crimp the edges. “Maybe one day he’ll do that instead of working for the Fatui.”

A flicker of surprise lit up in her chest, and though she did try, she couldn’t hide her reaction. “You want him to leave the Fatui?” 

“Absolutely. I never wanted him to join in the first place, but Arkady decided–” The older woman cut herself off with a sharp frown, her dark brows dipping in thought. It took a few seconds for her to swallow down whatever she had been wanting to say, hanging her head as she mumbled, “ We decided it was for the best.”

Ah. Lumine supposed that was also what it meant to be a team, to handle things together even when the choice had been one that marked them for the rest of their lives. She had not made many of those decisions yet in her partnership with Childe; in fact, the one time they should have stood together in the face of adversity when the Fatui had barricaded Mondstadt, she had been the one to panic and reject their bond. All other times, though, he had been the one to reinforce that they were a duo, inseparable no matter the cost to either of their personal reputations. Even still, it was obvious how much Natasha didn’t agree with her husband’s decision in the way she doted on her middle son, cherishing every moment he had been home with a little extra attention and affection compared to the children she saw every day. 

Ajax didn’t talk a lot about how he had become a soldier or why. She knew the basics– that he had been a feral beast when he’d crawled out of the Abyss, so different from the boy who fell, that he had constantly been searching for the same excitement he’d experienced in that dark, haunted place, the opposite of a tiny fishing village in the farthest northwestern corner of Snezhnaya’s borders, that his father had conscripted him because he had no choice. Unlike most of the things they talked about, though, he kept the stories of the days shoved deep down. Maybe he had blocked them out because of how unpleasant they were, or maybe it didn’t affect him as much as she thought it might. 

“Why?” She asked, unable to suppress her curiosity. “Why did you two decide to conscript him?”

Natasha sighed, wiping her flour-covered hands on her apron. “He was wild . Caused chaos wherever he went. To you, that may seem normal, but to us it was such a sudden shift…” She shook her head, squeezing her eyes shut as though she might wake up from a bad dream when she opened her eyes once more. “Everything we did was for the best.”

“For who?” The words slipped out of her before she could stop herself. “For him? Or yourselves?”

“You know, I’ve never been able to clearly answer that.” The older woman opened her eyes and the nightmare remained. “Had he not been named a Harbinger, who knows where he would be right now. Still, I can’t thank the Tsaritsa for that title.”

“Do you not like the Tsaritsa?”

“She is my queen.”

Lumine shot her a droll stare. “That’s not what I asked.”

Mama Nat’s mouth twisted in a scowl, and she went back to what she was working on, as if stuffing the pierogies and smoothly folding the edges would make the question go away. For a moment, Lumine wondered if she wouldn’t actually receive her answer anyways, no matter how much she pressed for details on the woman she would soon have to face. Then, finally, Ajax’s mother sighed, setting her work aside. “Snezhnayans have a complicated relationship with her and the Fatui. On one hand, she is a god with no love left for her people, and her relentless taxes and rapid military expansion when there are other issues that go untouched for far too long leaves a bad taste in people’s mouths. On the other hand, the Fatui employs thousands of men and women across the country and instills a sense of national pride. So… the reaction is mixed.”

“Sure.” 

This was more than she’d learned about Snezhnaya’s queen since she arrived months ago. She knew how a majority of Teyvat saw her as cold and calculating, playing a long game no one knew the rules to. But… Ajax had always seemed so determined to defend her from Lumine’s other opinions, her partner loyal to a fault to the woman who had given him a role when everyone else had looked down on him for his troublesome demeanor. Was that because he had a longstanding knowledge of her plans and goals? Or was it simply because he knew the truth of the Tsaritsa’s actions, the side she reserved for only the important people in her life. Honestly, Lumine couldn’t even blame her if she put on the icy front to protect her gentler persona.

Perhaps they weren’t so different after all.

“Plus, I don’t like whatever plan she has that puts my boy in such dangerous situations all the time,” Natasha continued, her bottom lip jutting out in a prominent pout. “I don’t care if he’s her vanguard, he doesn’t need all these injuries.”

“Some of that is his own doing, but I can understand the sentiment all too well.”

Silence befell them once more. Mama Nat pressed her lips together once more, whatever she wanted to ask stuck on the tip of her tongue. That was okay. 

The sound of laughter outside struck a chord she didn’t know existed, so innocent and honest and free . One peek out the kitchen window revealed them sprinting around in the snow, with Ajax chasing all three of the children with his Hydro blades extended while they did whatever they could to slow it down. Tonia summoned an icy shield under his feet, and in the heartbeat that he had to slow down to avoid face planting into the snow, Teucer and Anton threw a plethora of snowballs his way. One struck him right on his blind side, dusting his scarlet eyepatch with chunks of white. She sucked in a nervous breath as he couldn’t stay standing, flopping flat on his back with a thud so loud she could hear it from inside the house. Any concern vanished right away as the children tackled him, tickling him until he threw his head back and laughed .

It had been so long since her partner had let loose like this. She honestly couldn’t remember when he’d last laughed for fun; not just for the joy of being alive, but because he couldn’t help himself. Perhaps Lantern Rite? And the week after it where they stayed as tangled in bed as they possibly could? Back when things still seemed salvageable?

“Can I ask you something?” Natasha asked, finally working up the courage to voice whatever thought she’d obviously been trying to get out since she’d asked Lumine to join her in the kitchen. She refused to meet her gaze as she cleared her throat and clutched the counter for support, whispering, “I need your honesty.”

Uh oh. This couldn’t be good. “I’ll try my best.”

“I saw his body.”

Flashes of panic jolted through her like a direct attack from the Electro Archon herself, the jitters like a thousand individual bolts of lightning shooting up her spine. How? When? Had it been in the aftermath of their battle in the clearing, when she, too, had learned of the swirling shadows churning under his skin like violent tides crashing into the shore? Or was she simply thinking about the scars he’d received throughout their journeys through Teyvat, whether it was the still-pink raised skin on his lower belly from the Tatarasuna incident or the deep laceration on his left eye, altering his vision in a way he would likely never be able to recover from?

Lumine forced herself to swallow down the fear, quelling her racing heartbeat to keep from revealing too many of Ajax’s secrets. “That’s not a question.”

“I didn’t mean to,” Mama Nat whispered, breathless. “He’s been so good at keeping the extent of his wounds hidden from me and I just happened to glance up at the right time to see all the bruises– except they’re not bruises, it’s like… ink moving under his skin and–”

“Natasha,” She interrupted, cupping the older woman’s shoulders to recenter her to the moment so she didn’t drown in her own spiraling thoughts. “ Breathe . I can’t have you passing out on me.”

Mama Nat immediately did as she was told, her shoulders trembling with unshed sobs as she sucked in large, deep gulps of air to try and settle herself. Lumine rubbed small circles onto her shoulders, not caring if any of the flour got on their clothes. It took a bit, but finally Natasha came down from her tangent, burying her face into her hands and letting out a pitiful noise– a sound so similar to a wounded animal trapped in the woods. “I need to know,” She mumbled into her hands, unable to look up. “Is it… killing him?”

She may as well have taken a dagger to the chest with that question. “We don’t exactly know,” She admitted, a knot tightening in her throat. “Maybe. Probably.”

“But you stopped it,” Natasha whispered, her sharp blue eyes misty with unshed tears finding Lumine in a heartbeat, “The same way he brought back your glow after your injury.”

Ajax had brought back her glow? When had that been– oh, probably when she’d been extremely weak following Dottore’s disgusting torture. So Natasha had been witness to both incidents then, if she’d seen Lumine’s attempts to relieve the corruption tearing through her partner’s body. “Temporarily.”

“Could you find a more permanent solution?”

“I… don’t know.” 

“But you have something in mind to fix him.”

“Yes.” Lumine let her hands fall from the older woman’s shoulders to wrap them around herself, her fingers digging into the thick wool sweater. “But he’d never agree.”

She’d been thinking about it since that day they dragged themselves out of the Abyss, tangled around each other as they whispered their apologies and pleas for forgiveness. Between what they had learned about the depth of their roles in the prophecy at Orbis Terrarum, plus knowing how they affected one another’s full potential by their mere presence, the likelihood of death grew with each passing afternoon. While she had tried to remain hopeful that they would defy fate and accomplish their goals without losing one another, the realistic part of her couldn’t fully accept that level of optimism. Ajax would likely fight tooth and nail to make sure it was him who fell victim to the prophecy, but…

“I know, I know,” Natasha whispered, wiping her runny nose on her sleeve and standing up straighter, as if steeling herself for the reality of it all. “But I don’t care.”

Lumine blinked. “Sorry?”

“Please don’t take this the wrong way, Lumi-dear,” His mother said, fussing with her hands like a nervous bird fluttering from branch to branch above a predator’s head. She looked so unlike the mother wolf she usually portrayed herself as, save for the intense fire burning in her blue eyes. “You have brought this family a glimpse at what could have been had he not disappeared into the woods all those years ago, but… but he’s my boy . He used to be this shy thing that hid behind me whenever strangers waved at us. He clung to my skirts and helped me in the kitchen while the others played, he– he was mine .” 

Those same tears Natasha had fought to hold back spilled down her rosy cheeks, her voice thick with grief. “So while I know this love is not something you can understand, and while I know how terrible and selfish and wrong I am for asking you this, I am begging you to save him . Before that thing can swallow him whole. Before it’s too late, no matter the cost. Because even under all of that scourge and wild nature, he is still my son.”

Lumine stared with her jaw slack, unable to find the right thing to say or do. The only thing she could manage was a quiet, “Oh . ” 

“I’m sorry,” Mama Nat whimpered, struggling to wipe her face off. “I know this has to be so awkward– having your future mother-in-law ask you to do the impossible, but… I had to try.”

Something flickered to life inside of her, something she didn’t know she’d been desperate for. It was hope , hope that his family had not fully abandoned him when they’d handed him over to the Fatui like a feral dog, praying that would solve all of their issues. Deep down, they loved him, even if they didn’t understand what had happened to him. Yes, Ajax and Arkady had a tense relationship, but in all of their little interactions she could see both of them longing for what had once been. Yes, Natasha had moments of obviously wishing the boy he’d been before he’d fallen, stuck recalling a child who was no longer there. But for his mother to go so far as to beg Lumine to sacrifice herself, to go the distance and give up everything, including her life if it came to it, just to save the son they handed over all those years ago… 

Well, if she had to be the sacrifice, then at least she wouldn’t know the pain of deliberately choosing to leave Ajax’s side with her brother to travel the heavens once more. She couldn’t tell if that made the weight of the situation better or worse. 

Despite the gravity of the request, despite what it meant when it came down to a final decision, Lumine offered her a smile. “I promise you, I’m doing everything I can to make sure he lives.” Even if it meant giving herself over to whatever twisted plan the Tsaritsa had. “And you’re wrong, by the way. I may not know what it’s like to love a child with a mother’s love, but I do know how much I love him. He’s my best friend and my partner and the person I yearn for in a crowded room. I know how you feel because I know how far I will go to keep his heart beating.”

Natasha sniffled, fanning herself to soothe her flaming red cheeks. “So you don’t have me for asking?”

“No,” Lumine said, letting out a slow, steadying breath. “I’m not afraid to die if it means he lives.”

She meant it. No matter the cost. 

“You’re too good for this world, Lumine,” Mama Nat blubbered, her bottom lip quivering once more. She had a feeling his mother wouldn’t be able to stop the tears from falling any time soon, despite the way Snezhnayans usually tried to hide their emotions. “Don’t let anyone steal your shine.”

Before she knew it, his mother swept her up into a deep hug, tightening her arms around Lumine’s curvy waist and giving a good squeeze. She may have not had a mother, born from gas and dust in the depths of space, but she could appreciate this gentle affection. She melted into Natasha’s grasp, burying her face in the older woman’s neck and letting out a breath she didn’t know she’d been holding. Maybe one day, they would meet under different circumstances, one where she didn’t have to consider prophecies or neverending performances or the false sky. Or maybe this would be one of the last conversations they would ever have, knowing they had laid the realities on the table in front of them until the very end.

“Lumine.” Both women jumped, startled by the intruder into such a personal conversation. She turned to see Ajax standing by the bottom of the stairs, his thin lips pressed into a straight line, his auburn brow dipped into a deep V. Immediately she could tell something was wrong from the way he carried himself, as though he were holding the entire weight of the world on his shoulders. He waved a small piece of paper towards her, his adam’s apple bobbing with a hard swallow. “It’s time.”

Chapter Text

The doors to the immaculate frozen throne room burst open with a heavy slam, rattling the crystalline vases of stiff white flowers lining the pillars supporting the glass ceiling. She glanced up from the papers she had been meticulously studying, half-expecting to find another one of her top lieutenants annoyed by the constant cycle of waiting around for something to happen. The more the rest of the world began to destabilize, rocked by fires and floods and constellations dying out in the night sky, the more antsy everyone became. She supposed that was a good sign, that they were ready to do whatever it took to succeed so they did not become another notch in the history books.

Instead, she found her eleventh Harbinger storming in, his boots thudding hard against the cool tile ground. Power radiated off him, a thrall she had always felt in all of their encounters, a thrum of strength that grew with each passing day as the beast inside him awoke. One hand clutched his perfectly crafted Hydro polearm, while the other tightened around a clump of silky blonde hair. It took her a heartbeat to recognize that he was dragging a stunning star behind him, the girl struggling to free herself from this trap and ease the pain in her scalp .

“Let me go!” The Traveler shrieked, scrambling against his ferocious grip. No matter what she tried, though, Tartaglia didn’t budge, his face a mask of stone as he forced her forward. “Bastard–”

“About time that boy did his duty,” Pierro sneered under his breath beside her, quickly scooping the documents into his grasp.

Bronya waved him off with the flick of her bejeweled wrist. “Leave us.”

Pierro never asked too many questions, something she appreciated in his years of loyalty. She knew he wouldn’t go far, though, likely too curious to know what punishment she might enact after her youngest Harbinger had left her waiting for far too long now. Tartaglia reached the end of the grand hall as soon as the door to her office closed, throwing the girl to her knees and pointing the sharp head of his polearm into her back. Her upper lip curled over her sharp teeth, her hands flat on the frozen ground in an act of submission, but Bronya knew better than to think her out of the fight; she swore if she looked closely enough, a vibrant fire grew in the girl’s pretty golden eyes, burning brighter than the sun itself.

“As requested,” Her Harbinger growled, his voice raw with something she couldn’t identify. 

Her heart sank at the sight of him, but she kept her face as rigid as the face of a glacier. How long had it been since she’d seen him? Five, six months? More? Whatever the case, he had definitely changed since then– his dull blue eyes seemed to grow more grey by the day while scratches marred his handsome jawline and the uncovered portion of his face, his copper curls losing some of their vibrancy as the beast devoured his light. Perhaps he’d actually gotten in some sort of rough disagreement in the lead-up to his arrival, seeing as any injury he may have sustained during the few weeks it had been since Columbina had tried to capture the Traveler would have healed by now.

When she didn’t respond, Tartaglia snorted in disgust. “What, none of the others could get the job done properly? Is that why I had to leave my training behind, to bring you your prize?”

That caught her attention, straightening her shoulders. “Prize?”

“Isn’t she what you wanted?” He asked, that thick tension clinging to his voice. Perhaps this foul attitude came from the beast, too. Or perhaps he was barely able to contain his resentment towards her, for choosing him to be her perfect weapon at the end of days. She couldn’t tell which one would be the better explanation, or if they both held some truth. “It’s not like I got the same memo the others did. Again.”

Ah. That would also explain his bitterness. “But you did receive my letter.”

“To stop playing around and bring her to you. I’ve done my job to a tee.”

“Even though it was you who caused this delay in the first place?”

Tartaglia’s frown deepened. “I don’t–”

“One spider told me of the assistance this one had while escaping the base camp, only to learn that it all came from your central unit,” She hummed, voice like ice as she rested her cheek on her left hand. The Traveler at the base of her throne stiffened slightly, but to her surprise, Tartaglia didn’t flinch. If anything, he looked bored. So, she continued, unrelenting like one of the frigid ice storms swirling past Zapolyarny’s white stone walls. “An old bear warned me of your tight knit relationship and the mad dash she was making north after he satisfied his life debt by allowing her to escape. Meanwhile, the raven alerted me that something extremely powerful had destroyed his strongest clone yet, while the dove sang a beautiful song about the two of you fighting side-by-side in an effort to defeat her. So, tell me, are you done playing games?”

“I never did.”

“Tartaglia.” She’d never known him to be a liar.

“She put my family at risk multiple times from her mere presence,” He snapped, his words again dripping with that foul demeanor. The girl hissed sharply as he pressed his polearm’s sharp edge tighter against her spine, her features contorting with the slightest twinge of pain. “You know very well I will not tolerate them being in danger, no matter what.”

Yes, she had heard that Columbina had been a little too reckless with her actions, the same way Pulcinella’s unit had nearly destroyed his family home. Of course, that wouldn’t have happened if he had just done his duty the first time. Her icy gaze slid to the Traveler, tilting her head like a curious bird high on its perch. “And how did the little star even know to reach them?”

“Fuck you,” She snapped, baring her teeth like a wild animal. Ah, that was real vitriol. Fascinating. 

“Mind your tongue!” Tartaglia snapped, tugging on her hair tighter until a sharp cry tore out of her chest. “This is the Tsaritsa you’re speaking with!”

Gods, he really was changing. There had been moments when he had gotten this cold and brusque, but never anything this bitter. That single dull blue eye found her on her throne once more, striking her like an arrow to the chest. Any other time, she would have crumbled at the sight of it swirling with a cacophony of different emotions– fear, anger, pain, sadness, determination, desperation, grief. It reminded her so much of the afternoon when he’d finally returned from the terrors of his journey, completely exhausted and still oozing purple ichor from his injured eye. Despite how much she insisted they discuss this once he had rested and healed, he had pushed for answers, desperate to know the truth behind everything he had learned in the past few months. That same haunted look possessed him now, tormented by what he knew after everything he had done.

Once more, she wished it didn’t have to be this way. And yet, she would not stop her mission all for the feelings of one boy.

“You got what you asked for,” He growled, bringing her out of her tumultuous thoughts. “Am I free to leave now?”

“And where would you go?”

“I still need to finish my training.”

“Something I expected you to complete before the holidays, which is why I allowed you the break with your family. Imagine my surprise to learn you still had not!” Her lips tightened into a thin line, her eyes narrowing into cat-like slits. “Perhaps if you two weren’t spending so much time together, you wouldn’t be having so much trouble.”

It was his turn to stiffen. “What?”

“I’m no fool, Tartaglia. You know that, you just chose to ignore it. So once again, I ask you: are you done playing games?”

Before her Harbinger could answer, the Traveler tore out of his grasp and summoned her gilded blade in a flash of light. She lunged with her weapon outstretched in a surge of speed, as quick as a bolt of lightning even though no purple Electro energy swirled around her. Bronya did not flinch, her features a mask of ice despite the obvious attack, as she knew her vanguard would not let her get hurt. Her intuition proved correct, as Tartaglia threw himself in the line of fire, his beautiful Hydro blades preventing the girl from making another move.

“Don’t,” He snarled, but her moves were too fast, her rage too white-hot to be controlled by a single plea.

The two threw themselves into an explosive fight, erupting like a superheated geyser breaking through the earth’s surface. The high-pitched clangs of steel clashing against Hydro rang throughout the empty throne room, as did their grunts and roars with each slash and parry. The Traveler swung, nearly clipping Tartaglia’s shoulder with the sharpened edge of her blade, but he dodged at the last second and stabbed forward, trying to catch her off guard the same way. Every attempt to attack, the other perfectly deflected. With each failure to make any advancement, their frustration grew, the spar growing gritty and brutal as though they were simply two predators trying to claim the same piece of territory.

What an interesting fight, watching these highly skilled warriors at the top of their game do everything they could to win. Sure, there may have been stronger beings than them, flashier in their movements as they pushed for victory, but this was far more intriguing. After all, what must it be like to face your perfect mirror, to take on someone who knew your every move inside and out before you even had the chance to make it? What must it be like to struggle to gain any ground in war, simply because you knew the other side too well– their strengths, weaknesses, limits, expectations, hopes, fears, and so much more? She couldn’t imagine how hard it was, to intimately know someone and their patterns so well that neither could make any leeway.

The longer this battle stretched on, though, the more the pit in her stomach grew, gnawing like teeth trying to tear through tough meat. For a moment, she wondered if she’d gotten it all wrong, if this wasn’t some sort of performance they were putting on to make it look like they hated each other. The reason? They genuinely seemed to be actively trying to kill one another, violent and furious and brutal in a way she had never expected. Tartaglia swung his polearm around in a wide swing towards her, unleashing a surge of Hydro power like a tsunami cresting the stony shores. The Traveler didn’t hesitate to avoid it, using all of her speed and agility to instead dart much closer to him. Bronya couldn’t help but sharply inhale as the girl threw herself into the Harbinger’s personal space, a shaky breath of relief slipping out of her when he barely managed to counter her attack with the hilt of his weapon.

What had happened between them? From what Columbina had said, they had worked in perfect tandem to try and take her down, though she had been fuming when she said it. Even now, they moved in perfect synchronicity, knowing each other’s steps before they had begun to make them. Had Tartaglia betrayed his partner once again to get her to Zapolyarny? Did it cause a deeper rift than it had the last time, when he’d been forced to separate with her before their fall? Or was this still all an elaborate ruse put on by a boy who desperately yearned to have both slices of rhubarb pie– the loyalty to his position as a Harbinger, his country, his queen, as well as the love for the resplendent woman he had faced time and time again?

One thing she couldn’t help but note was how reserved the Traveler seemed in her fighting style, especially when it came to using the elemental abilities she had spent years hunting down throughout Teyvat. While Tartaglia routinely summoned large shark-like waves to cut through the icy tile floor in her direction and even went so far as to launch a massive whale-shaped mimic towards his partner, she never once tried to counter it with her powers. That was something Bronya hadn’t expected, closely watching how the girl favored physical damage rather than a burst of Pyro, or how she relied on her natural speed rather than summoning a surge of Electro. How interesting. If they were really trying to end each other, surely the Traveler would unleash her full potential here and now, wouldn’t she? Why risk getting so close and personal with a soldier who had made it his mission to learn every fighting technique?

Why hide her elemental abilities?

Before she could process what that meant, Tartaglia overpowered the girl with a few short steps, his movements as quick as lightning and as strong as a roaring flood. By the time the Tsaritsa had taken a breath, he had recaptured the Traveler’s arms behind her back once more, the tip of his deadly Hydro sword pressed against the sensitive artery in her long neck. Icy panic flooded her veins– if he spilled her blood too soon, they would lose the best opportunity they’d ever had to success– but it vanished as quickly as it came when she noticed the quiet movements shared between them, movements she expected they thought she wouldn’t notice.

Even as the two struggled against each other, there was a tenderness in Tartaglia’s touch, a weakness he could not avoid. It was there in the little actions he took, like the slow rub of his thumb along her gloved wrist, there in how close he stood behind the Traveler even with his sharp blade pressed to her throat, there in the way he kept subtly looking her over to make sure she hadn’t been hurt in their battle. And while she might have thought it the one-sided affections of a boy, she couldn’t help but notice how even when she was supposed to be caught in this complicated web, the Traveler looked far too comfortable in his grasp.

As the Archon of love, she should have known better than to question her judgement. She would have to make an example of them, then.

“How would you like me to handle her, your Majesty?” Her Harbinger sucked in ragged breaths, his dull blue eye slicing to her when he was satisfied his partner was unharmed.

“Handle her? No, no, I don’t want you to handle her.” She sank back into her throne, a tight-lipped smile spreading across her features as she decided to take the chance. “I want you to kill her.”

Silence.

And then, in perfect synchronization, they both croaked, “What?”

“You heard me,” She hummed, leaning her cheek on her hand once more. “Kill her and be done with it.”

She should not have delighted in how they stared slack-jawed and wide-eyed, their previous masks wiped clean with her shocking demand. She knew this would hit her eleventh Harbinger hardest first, especially when she’d realized the depth of his affections for the girl years ago now after the Knave’s rather detailed update on their activities. But the Traveler seemed just as flabbergasted, her cheeks drained of color despite the vicious fight, her horror sculpted into her ethereal features as she processed the demand. Bronya may not have known her very well– she was far better acquainted with her pest of a twin– but even she could tell the girl had not expected this in the slightest. 

Tartaglia somehow recovered first, though just barely. “But the prophecy–”

“You know, frankly, I could be wrong about that old thing,” She bemoaned, brushing off his genuine concerns with a wave of the hand. “After all, we don’t know how long that ritual has been inscribed in those roots. Besides, maybe it would be a better idea to simply find a way to preserve her blood and use it for our schemes in the long run. Dottore already experimented with it enough.” 

“You would risk it all for another one of his faulty experiments?”

“Surely it would be easier than dealing with a danger like her.” The more she pushed, the more her Harbinger began to unravel, his single eye frantically searching for an answer that wasn’t there. Yes, good– she needed to know exactly how far he would go, and how deep his loyalties lie if they were ever going to make it to the final battle. “After all, she’s already tried to attack me once. Who’s to say she won’t do it again?”

“This was not the plan!” He shouted, his strained voice echoing across the empty room.

“As my vanguard, you of all people know things change in the heat of battle. Do this so that we can move on from the annoyances she’s caused and save ourselves from any future struggles.”

The throne room fell silent again as he processed her request, as rigid as stone as he stared at the floor. The longer this dragged on, the more the Traveler actually struggled against his grip, her horror replaced with panic. Surely this wasn’t something she thought he would actually go through with, right? Weren’t they supposed to be partners in all things? Then again, this was likely her fault. Bronya knew that sending the barricade to block the star’s favorite city would likely cause a deep scar between them, as did the memories of what he had done in Liyue all those years ago. She’d had no other choice, frustrated by their constant refusal to join in the performance and Venti’s annoying habit of wiggling out of any responsibilities he had the same way he’d been doing since the fall of Khaenri’ah. 

She shook her head, clearing her mind to focus on the test at hand. “Tartaglia,” She hissed, voice as sharp as the icicles clinging to the edges of the roof surrounding her silvery palace. He barely lifted his head to look at her, his mouth still parted like a fish out of water. “As your queen, I demand this of you. Kill her and let’s be done with it.”

A pause. Then, Ajax dropped the sword from Lumine’s throat and stepped away. “No. I refuse.”

A different sort of panic swept across the Traveler’s pretty features. “Childe–”

“I can’t,” He croaked, his attention only on his starlight. “I… I’m sorry, I…”

There it was. The answer she’d expected. The answer she had selfishly hoped for.

 Bronya smiled and stood, towering above them on her frozen throne. “Very well.”

“I am ready to accept any punishment you deem necessary, but… I can’t.” He hung his head, staring at his hands– the hands marred with blood across years of clawing his way to the top, the hands they must all put themselves in if the world was to come out intact once the performance was all said and done. “I cannot kill her. Not… not like this.”

Good, she almost said aloud. It was not time yet.

Because even in the depths of wanting his loyalty, even in pushing him to follow only her lead, the prophecy still called for one of them to fulfill the strongest act of love when sacrifice became the only option. She needed to make sure he still embodied that, even with the risk that came with him trying to do everything on his own when the moment came down to it. Otherwise, revealing the full truth to them both without them being fully committed to the final goal would all be for naught.  And in the end, with the fate of Teyvat on his shoulders, she knew the two of them would make the right choice.

“I understand.” She stepped down the small staircase, finally on the same level as them for the first time since their arrival. In truth, they had all been on the same level since Tartaglia’s ascension and the Traveler’s fall. With a frigid hand, she clasped her Harbinger’s shoulder gently. “And I appreciate your honesty.” 

One dull blue eye found her in a heartbeat, the horror and confusion etched into his handsome features. “What?”

“You really think I would throw away my life’s work like that, without a longer, in depth conversation? It’s as if you don’t know me at all.” The poor boy reeled backwards, struggling to process what had just happened. In due time, she would apologize for startling him like this, but she had other things to worry about first. She turned to the little star in her presence, that same soft smile twitching at the corner of her lips. “Welcome to Zapolyarny, Traveler. Are you finally ready to know the truth?”

Lumine let out a slow, steadying breath, her honey gold eyes the only warmth in this frozen palace. “I am.”

Chapter Text

Before they could begin their conversation, the throne room door opened once more and a tall woman strolled in, heels clacking against the tile floor damp from her performance with Childe. Unlike the rest of the soldiers, she did not wear the usual uniform, dressed in a fur-lined knee-length dress and thick boots. She did wear a shimmering white mask, identical to the others, and a large brooch of sapphires and rubies pinned to the left side of her chest. It took Lumine a moment to recognize the jewelry as the same complicated symbol that had marked the letters she and Childe had received at the very start of this whole adventure. 

Gods, it didn't matter that she’d come here looking for answers; something about seeing it in person with her own eyes and knowing it was finally time to learn the truth made it that much more real.

Ajax’s plan to fight in front of her, to prove his loyalty to his Tsaritsa in a desperate attempt to protect his family, had been a good one. No matter the fact that they’d known about each other’s intentions, they had done their part and fought as hard as they had that day in the Golden House when her frustration had boiled over like a pot on a burning stove. Without her powers, he’d easily bested her, though she still had a feeling he would overpower her if they ever truly fought to the death with the level of corruption strengthening him now. She hadn’t expected the Tsaritsa’s brash orders to kill her, nor could she have. In all of Childe’s responses, the woman needed her for this final mission, and so to be completely ripped out from their expectations had left Lumine dazed and flabbergasted. Finding out the Tsaritsa had been bluffing, too… well…  

Honestly, they should have expected her to know more than she let on, especially with how much power and knowledge she had access to at her fingertips. And as the Goddess of Love, they should have known better than to try and trick her on matters of the heart. 

The woman reached the throne and held her hand towards Childe in a silent request. Without hesitation, he peeled his Vision from his belt and set it in her palm, his lips turned downwards in a deep frown. Ah, right– whatever conversation they may have needed to be completely out of the eyes of the gods, and that meant he could not wear the gift literally given to him by Celestia. Despite Lumine’s hopes that he would stay by her side, Childe took his place at the base of the Tsaritsa’s throne like the good soldier he was, standing at ease with his dull blue eye staring above her head. Another ploy? No, he’d already revealed the depth of his feelings for her and couldn’t take it back. This was simply Tartaglia doing his duty to support his queen, no matter how much she really would have liked his comfort as her partner. 

She shook it off, too eager to learn the truth. If that meant he couldn’t stand by her side, she would stand alone like she always had. “Start from the beginning.”

The Tsaritsa clutched the arms of her throne, her perfectly manicured nails digging into the carved ice. She didn’t seem bothered by the demand– something Lumine probably should have been more relieved about– sucking in a deep breath to brace herself for the conversation. 

“My name is Bronya, and I am the Cryo Archon, as well as the Tsaritsa of the greatest country in Teyvat,” She began, brushing one of her icy blonde strands of hair out of her face. However, I was not the original Archon after the great war, nor was I born into the role of queen like other monarchies. Instead, the title was thrust upon me when I ascended into my new role as the goddess of ice. You see, long ago I was just like you, a powerful traveler with a love for Teyvat’s great nations. I wanted to learn all I could about the world and the people in it. Everything I did, everywhere I went, I absorbed valuable lessons about ruling and respect, joy and grief, love and loss. So, when I finally ascended to the frozen throne, I had more knowledge in my repertoire than any other Tsaritsa before me, and I was determined to make my home the best it could be.”

Interesting. In all her time exploring Teyvat, Lumine hadn’t realized the Tsaritsa was not among the younger generation of Archons. Any stories about her only referenced the age of militaristic expansion and Fatui activities, with all of the other nations sneering whenever the ice queen was mentioned. As for her six companions, Venti and Zhongli had never said anything about their cohort despite their ages, and she’d never had the chance to ask Murata or Ei. Furina hated her and would give her next to nothing after the islands flooded, while Nahida hadn’t been around long enough to know the Tsaritsa personally. 

“With becoming Archon, I suddenly had to work closely with the Sustainer of the Heavenly Principles. Back then, she was… cold .” The Tsaritsa’s nose wrinkled in thought, a scowl tugging at her ruby red lips. “I don’t know what I expected from her but it certainly wasn’t that. And while I had dealt with plenty of people that did not care for my gentleness or my grace, I couldn’t explain why she bothered me so much. It was as if my body understood the sheer power she possessed while my mind  couldn’t comprehend it. I suppose I still shouldn’t have been too surprised by her strength, considering she is the highest being in all of Teyvat, but there was something deeper, older, something hidden behind the wall of stone she wore for a face. Of course, that was before I knew about the history between her and the Primordial One, or how she became the all-seeing, all-powerful goddess she is now, or even the truth about the false sky.”

“When did you finally learn about that?” Lumine asked, hands furled into fists by her side.

The ice queen sighed. “It took me far too long. The other Archons who had been in power before me– Harborym and Morax and the original Focalors and Barbatos– all knew but did not voice it. At least, not directly. It wasn’t until I met Rhinedottir that things began to click into place.”

“You knew Rhinedottir?” For some reason, she expected the Tsaritsa to focus on her own people and not those in the nation of alchemy after she had become Archon. Then again, from her own words, the woman had loved to travel all of her life beforehand, making friends wherever she went.

“Oh yes,” She confirmed, her smile returning in a flash freeze. “The two of us were close– very close. If I’m honest, I expected us to not get along the first time I met her; after all, she was the head alchemist in a nation without a god. However, she pleasantly surprised me on one of her journeys to Snezhnaya, boldly inviting me to a tea party outside of the palace. That eventually led to subsequent meetings between us, official envoys from Khaenri’ah or otherwise.” Her smile softened, her icy blue gaze distant as she folded her hands in her lap. “She was brilliant and talented and creative and dauntless, always looking for the answer to her question of why . She… left a very deep mark on me that I never expected.”

The revelation hit Lumine like a mitachurl axe to the chest, blinking softly. The gentle tone, the softened expression, the simple smile suggesting memories she could not share with anyone else… “You loved her.”

The Tsaritsa’s cool gaze found her in a heartbeat, but she did not back down. “I did. And it caught me so off-guard, too. Becoming an Archon had been a surprisingly difficult adjustment. I never could have expected the pain and suffering that came with outliving the ones I loved. I felt as though I could no longer have friends, lovers, or partners, as I would eventually be doomed to witness those I willingly gave my heart to pass on. And yet, with Rhinedottir, it was as if I didn’t have a choice.”

A familiar thrum pounded in her chest, her stomach squeezing into knots. She hadn’t expected to resonate so much with the Tsaritsa’s history, had expected to ice her out no matter how demanding or rigid the Cryo Archon could be. However, Bronya was being increasingly vulnerable, revealing parts of herself that she’d only heard of through Childe’s desperate pleas to listen to everything she had to say, his insistence that his queen was more gentle than she could let on to the rest of the world. That, combined with the same complicated relationship with immortality that Lumine had experienced all her life as she refused to fall in love so that she would not have to leave them behind or vice versa, left them on surprisingly even ground.  

After all, both had still fallen in love. 

Lumine’s heart squeezed with the familiar dread as she found Ajax in an instant, only to catch her partner already watching her with that same tense look he’d worn all the way to Zapolyarny. How many times had she been surprised by how easily she’d accepted the weight of her feelings despite never having felt something like this in her long, listless life? How many times had she wondered why him , other than his genuine good heart, his vicious determination, his drive to be at her side? Even now, she could feel a pull on their souls tugging them towards each other like threads on a loom and had been ever since they had joined forces in Liyue to solve this complicated riddle as a team. 

“Trust me,” She whispered, breathless, “I know the feeling.”

If the Tsaritsa caught the longing gazes between them, she said nothing. “Rhinedottir taught me things I should have learned when I became an Archon, to the point where I didn’t believe her at first– the history of Teyvat, the Abyss and all its quirks, and of course, the false sky that keeps us in and others out. I never asked how she came to learn about all of these things, at first chalking it up to some bizarre Khaenri’ahn theory of how the world worked. Eventually, though, she trusted me enough to tell me the truth of the prophecy, as well as what she planned to do to see it come to fruition.”

“How did she learn of the prophecy?” 

“Again, I don’t know. There are writings of something similar across all cultures and history, stories of chaos ravaging Teyvat in the leadup to a detrimental judgement day where the Heavens are shattered with a flash of Gold. Those tales usually include two main characters engaged in a dance that will determine the outcome of humanity’s fate, both fighting to make the ultimate sacrifice, both eager to be the one to free us from this cage. I believe these all come from the chiseled stone at the heart of Orbis Terrarum, but as for how it was first discovered or how Rhinedottir found the original translation, I don’t know. Perhaps it had to do with that organization of witches she was a part of, or perhaps her personal research had led her to the pits of that shadowy hell herself. It’s likely we will never know now that she's gone, especially since I never had the chance to ask her for more information.”

“Why not?” Childe asked, his deep, serious voice sending shivers up Lumine’s spine.”

The Tsaritsa swallowed hard, staring at her hands. “The two of us got into a very bitter argument the more she detailed her plan, especially when I learned that she wanted to seek outside assistance to make sure the prophecy came true.”

Again, this explanation may as well have been a punch to the throat. “Aether and me.”

A nod. “She told me they needed literal starlight to see it come true. I told her there was no reason to summon something just for writings on a wall that might not even be relevant anymore; after all, Teyvat has already been through several world-altering events.” Her nose crinkled once more, her ruby red lips pressing tighter in their deep line. “You two only know what this world is like in the aftermath of Khaenri’ah’s fall, but it wasn’t always like this. When she told me of her plan, things were in a good place. All eight nations were thriving, focused on beauty and growth and love. I couldn’t imagine her causing trouble for no good reason for something that she couldn’t prove existed. That argument was the last time we spoke, and to this day, I regret what I said.”

A flicker of something flashed in the Tsaritsa’s pretty blue eyes, her tense shoulders drooping with another heavy sigh. Lumine understood, even though the Archon hadn’t said anything. Fighting with her lover must have been excruciating, and leaving it without a final resolution would have scarred even the strongest souls. Was that what it would have been like if she had never forgiven Childe after the embargo in Mondstadt? Would she have been full of regret and despair for the rest of her days, her heart frozen towards the advancements of any others? 

She shook her head, trying to focus on the here and now instead of the what ifs that would never come to be. “What happened next?”

“You and your brother entered the stage.”

Oh . She could still clearly remember the day of their arrival, slamming into the earth like meteorites from the stars above. She could still smell the fresh scent of wild cecilias and windwheel asters on the easy afternoon breeze, could still see the fields of rolling green underfoot and feel the warm sun beating down on her rosy cheeks as she took the form of the Traveler all over again. At the same time, she clearly remembered the weight on her bodies and the way it became difficult to use their wings of light, heavy like a shroud of inky darkness ready to swallow the twins whole.

“The seven Archons could feel Teyvat change at your arrival; after all, there hadn’t been a Descender since before the Archon War, let alone two,” The Tsaritsa continued, folding her hands in her lap. “The winds of change had arrived to break the natural order of the world. Admittedly, I was still too angry to deal with the truth about what you two coming to our world meant, and it didn’t get easier when rumors eventually circled back to me about Rhinedottir’s relationship with your brother.”

Lumine blinked out of her thoughts once more. “Wait, what?”

“You didn’t know?” 

Know that her brother had some sort of relationship with the head alchemist? No! No, that had decisively not been on their list of conversations to discuss! After all, he regularly vanished whenever they went to worlds together, especially when he was made out to be the hero while she had her chance to hang back and explore on her own. And while her brother did have a tendency to enjoy the company of others no matter where they went, be it gentle affections or something deeper, she couldn’t imagine him having fallen that hard and fast in the few months they had been in Teyvat before everything fell apart. “He was helping her with her research–”

“If that’s what you want to call it,” The Tsaritsa sneered, leaning her cheek on her hand once more. A pitiful noise bubbled out of Lumine’s chest. Gods above, Ae– if she ever had the chance to speak to her brother again as twins instead of enemies, she would smack him upside the head so hard and fast he wouldn’t stop seeing stars until the next week. “I can only assume neither had genuine feelings for one another, though. If I’m honest, I believe she wanted to take up the mantle of the shadow in the Starfall Prophecy. That would make sense for her ego, despite the fact that she had never been a warrior nor could she ever be the strongest in her role as the prophecy demands. Nevertheless, she pushed forward, but all her interest in the Abyss, all the time she spent researching and taking steps to make her plan a reality began to…” 

“Corrupt her,” Childe finished, his thin lips pressed into a tight line, features devoid of emotion.

Lumine’s heart sank.

“Corrupt her, yes,” Bronya continued, oblivious to the knife digging into Lumine’s soul. “I don’t know when that began, nor why it affected her so greatly. All I know is that it eventually began to change the way she saw the world, and how she would accomplish her goals. At some point, she changed her plan to drag the Abyss onto the surface, to create a new order and correct the imbalance perceived in the prophecy. If it didn’t work, she planned to use the prophecy as a failsafe, to purify the destruction she may or may not cause. A ridiculous idea, but she didn’t want to listen to anyone who opposed her.” Lumine could clearly remember council meetings where the head alchemist had lost her mind on the royal mage, shouting that only she could accomplish her goals. “At the same time, her experiments continued to fall apart, even with your brother there to help balance her with his starry energy. I know one of those experiments led to her scribe falling into the shadowy depths herself. Another led to the creation of her failed subjects, Alfisol and Humus and eventually, Cretaceaus. In an act of desperation to prove her theories right, her last experiment led to the fall.”

“Oh.” Flashes of that hellish day repeated in Lumine’s mind like a bad dream– the red skies, the vicious riftwolves, the massive artificial sun threatening to collapse on top of them the longer they stayed on the ground. That horrific day had plagued her with too many nightmares, so much so that she’d regularly shoved the trauma she faced from the incident into a box in her mind and did whatever it took to ignore it. She turned back to the Tsaritsa, hands on her hips. “So Rhinedottir summoned us to Teyvat and then took Aether as her own personal siphon of starry abilities. If she had all of the pieces and knew what needed to be done, why did it fail?”

The Tsaritsa stared at the spot above Lumine’s head. “Rhinedottir did not realize just how much the Abyss had corrupted her, nor did she realize that her failsafe would not work. After all, the prophecy is more than just a casual spell; it has crucial steps, key relationships, and important actions that need to be taken before it can be fulfilled.” She swallowed hard again, wiping an invisible tear from her high cheekbone with the flick of her thumb. “That’s what I had to send you two on such a complicated quest to discover the truth yourself. Had I informed you of everything right away instead of letting you research and grow and learn, you would not have become the partners you are today. It was a necessary step.”

That… made sense, for as much as she hated to admit it. Had they not been through hell and back, they would not have developed into the tight-knit unit they were now. But surely their partnership and the forced proximity that came with figuring out what they were doing had not influenced their romantic relationship. That had come on its own in time. No words scribbled on a chunk of marble and intertwined in the base of some roots at the heart of the world could have accurately predicted their feelings for one another. 

They may have been doomed to fall for one another, but fate could not predict true love. That came with hard work, suffering, communication, and a little bit of luck.

Once again, her gaze found Childe, a thousand unspoken thoughts hanging in the space between them. At least they both seemed to agree that no matter how much pain and suffering they had been through, no matter how much they would go through before this was all over, they would do it again just for the comfort of home in each other’s grasp. 

“Part of me thinks this is why your twin continues down the same path she set in place,” Bronya continued, bottom lip jutting out in a prominent pout. “While they may not have loved each other, they definitely formed some sort of bond – enough for him to decide he did not want to be part of the prophecy no matter those he met on his journey. Even after his journey through Teyvat, he decided he would rather go through Rhinedottir’s original plan to drag the Abyss up to the surface rather than enact the Starfall Prophecy. I doubt he knows that he could not be the sacrifice, though; he’s already been tainted by the Abyss thanks to Rhinedottir’s experiments, and by this point has fallen into the same thrall that completely corrupted her. My biggest fear is that he does try to go through with her plan, and in doing so sparks another Cataclysm out of some bizarre loyalty to her. I will not let that happen twice in my lifetime.”

So Aether had rejected his role as the sacrifice and instead had given himself over to the Abyss. That made sense; she’d seen signs of it that day when he hesitated to leave Khaenri’ah to deal with its own mess or when he turned his back on her when they’d first encountered one another after nearly 500 years apart, seen the hints with one look at his identical golden eyes dulled by his time in the heart of the earth. He’d even screamed that she had been ruining his plans that day in that extinct volcano, her mind foggy with blood loss, her leg screaming in pain. Surely those plans had to deal with the upside down statues of the Archons they had discovered. 

The more she learned about what her brother had been up to in their time apart, the more concerned she grew with his impact on the past and future. “You were there that day,” Lumine said softly, fiddling with the hem of her scarf. “I saw you reach Khaenri’ah as we tried to escape.”

The Tsaritsa’s annoyance towards her twin faded into raw pain. “Yes.”

“Why didn’t you stop it? Why didn’t the Archons do enough to prevent Celestia from stepping in?”

“Trust me, we tried . Unfortunately, once the hounds and dragons broke through to the surface, spreading their Abyssal corruption like an infection, there was nothing we could do to prevent the Divine from taking action. However, none of us expected that level of destruction, nor did we believe the Sustainer would punish everyone instead of the few that had come to allow it to pass.” Her features were painted in evident horror as she relieved that awful day, her eyes misty with unshed tears. “What I saw there… I knew I couldn’t allow it to repeat. Knew I had to break this stupid cycle.”

For the first time since this conversation had begun, Childe perked like a dog hearing one of his favorite words. “Skirk mentioned the loops, too,” He said softly, dropping his stance and turning to face his queen. “What are they, exactly?”

The Tsaritsa paused, tapping her manicured fingers against the icy arm of her throne. Her partner’s single blue eye shot in her direction the longer it took for the Archon to find the words, his frown prominent. So this was one of the things his queen had never told him, she realized, her own brow furrowing in thought. This was one of the things he said they needed to hear together.

“Imagine you are performers on a stage,” Bronya finally said, her words chosen carefully, level and calm. “Every night, you do the same movements to put on an identical show in case. Once in a while, though, something will happen out of your control that changes the narrative of the story, subtle differences that casual fans may not catch but repeat viewers would notice in a heartbeat. For the most part, the performance stays the same. That is what Teyvat is currently trapped in; a cycle of death and rebirth that has been spinning like a ballerina en pointe since the Second Who Came defeated the Primordial One.”

Lumine tilted her head. “Like a samsara?”

“Precisely. The performers are always the same, even if those actors change appearance and age and name. It’s a romantic dance of light and shadow, an elaborate pas de deux only they know the full movements to. In the current narrative of Teyvat’s story, the light always smothers the shadow at the last second, because the shadow can never make the hard decision. Usually, it is because the cost of the sacrifice is too late.” Beside her, Childe winced; was it his eye or what the Tsaritsa said? “Rhinedottir thought herself that shadow in her twisted narcissism and believed your brother to be the light. Frankly, I would not be surprised if he originally was supposed to satisfy that role, but again, his light is too far gone now.”

An uneasy knot twisted in her stomach, as though someone had shoved their fingers into her belly and begun to fold her insides like too-floury dough. “And you believe Childe and I fit the roles better.”

“Yes,” The Cryo Archon whispered, breathless. She cast a glance towards where her Harbinger stood, swallowed hard, then continued. “Rhinedottir was trying to force something unnatural. She was never meant to be the real shadow. Instead, the Abyss itself called to Tartaglia and he responded in kind. He was the only one amongst countless other children to sink into that shadowy realm, obtain Foul Legacy, and climb out unscathed. And he has the overwhelming desire to conquer the gods. As for the light, well, you already fit that role perfectly since you are a golden star descended from the Heavens beyond.”

“Right. So in your perfect performance, what is necessary for this to succeed?” 

A pause. Then, “We will put on a final act for Celestia by pretending to fight the other six militaries in a showy production. Once the Abyss Prince arrives… and if we truly aim to succeed…” 

The Tsaritsa hesitated, looking at Childe as if asking him for the answers to the questions they were asking her . Lumine’s stomach sank even further as her partner hung his head like a dejected hound, chided for failing to follow his master’s orders. That seemed to be enough of a response for his queen, as she hardened her features and her heart, her sharp blue eyes narrowing as she found Lumine once more. 

“Once the Abyss Prince arrives, you will spill your blood on the loom in a final act of sacrifice. That tool will extend your starry purification abilities across the battlefield, and will hopefully be enough to free those trapped in the Abyssal thrall while also allowing Tartaglia the full use of his powers.”

The air spilled out of her lungs in a subtle woosh, the hairs on the back of her neck standing at full attention in a screaming warning. “So I really am the sacrifice,” She whispered, breathless.

The Tsaritsa offered a sad smile. “I’m sorry. You really were summoned here just to die for our freedom. It’s unfair of us to ask this of you, I know, but…”

All at once, a thousand pieces of the puzzle began to fit into place, though they did not have the satisfying click of a normal children’s game. The more she thought about it, the more she understood the gravity of the conversations she’d experienced in her journeys. This was why Aether didn’t want any part of this performance, why he was determined to find another way out on his own. It was why some of her friends looked at her with pity, somehow learning her fate before she could even know the truth behind it all. It was the reason Childe had been so hesitant to bring her to Zapolyarny, why he had wanted to keep her and the Tsaritsa as far apart as possible.

Gods . She may have told Natasha she would do anything to protect her son, and she may have known the reality that she would die at the end of this grand performance was more likely than she hoped, but hearing it from the mouth of the director made it that much more real .

Lumine had to die to save Teyvat. To wash away the stain on her brother. To free Ajax’s cursed powers so that he could defeat the Sustainer once and for all.

She swore her legs might give out, swore she might sink to her knees in the most undignified manner in front of such a resilient queen. Surely no one could blame her if she did, right? Surely they would understand the way she was reeling from the truth that the life she had spent so long living, the mission she had spent so long focusing on to witness the universe alongside her brother, would end in just a few weeks. She sucked in another shattered gasp, but it didn’t fill her lungs no matter how much she tried. Her panic threatened to reach a fever pitch, hotter and hotter than a thousand suns until–

–A strong, sturdy palm touched the small of her back, flooding her with the same familiar warmth she’d known intimately for the last few years. Despite her spiral, she managed to cling to that shred of stability Ajax had always provided, as though he were her life raft in the middle of this chaotic storm they called life. She took her first real breath in gods-knows how long, a sharp pain filling her chest as she managed to smother the threat of hyperventilation with his guidance.

“Why?” Her partner asked, his dull blue eye focused on his queen as he rubbed small circles against her spine. “Why does it have to be Lumine?”

“The light has reigned for too long now, as the prophecy says. Celestia’s overpowering control has left an imbalance in the world. You know it has to be her, too– she is purifying you faster than you can keep up, preventing you from being able to use Foul Legacy at its fullest potential.” The Tsaritsa’s eyes narrowed once more, lips twitching downwards into a frown. From the way both of their bodies tensed at the question, Lumine had a feeling this wasn’t the first time they’d argued over her fate. “As I said before, this cycle has repeated because the shadow fails to do what is necessary. It’s happened three times already, where the shadows failed their missions because they could not stand the idea of losing their lovers to a prophecy. That includes a legendary warrior who brought forth a sliver of warmth and light everywhere he touched, a phantom thief in the nation of freedom targeting his fellow aristocrats, and an expert samurai cutting through demons and mist eager to return to his lover's side.”

Childe grit his teeth, his fingers digging into her dress’s soft fabric. “But–”

“All three were simply different versions of you . This has been your fate from the moment your father named you Ajax, boy.” 

Archons, what ? Lumine swore her head might explode. This was all too much information to swallow at once, as though someone had laid out a grand feast and expected them to finish every single course no matter how full they were. Had his fate really been set the name Arkady had given him the same name as the hero of Teyvat’s legends? Had he truly been meant to be on this path since the day he was born?

The Tsaritsa didn’t falter again, any hesitation she’d once had frozen behind her icy features. “Unlike your predecessors, you will actually give in to the Abyss, to let it fully corrupt you until you are powerful enough to wield it and all seven Gnoses at once. That will allow you to shatter the Celestial Dome and destroy the Sustainer once and for all.”

Lumine snapped out of her stupor in a heartbeat. “Wait– but fully giving in to Foul Legacy will kill him, too!”

“I have been prepared to die since the day I became a Harbinger,” Childe whispered beside her, his voice so void of emotion she thought it surely had come from another.

She took a step away from him, goosebumps skittering across her exposed skin from the lack of his warmth. “You knew this whole time?” She asked, the knife in her chest digging tighter and tighter, as if getting a little closer to her heart with each frantic beat.

Her partner shook his head. “Just since I returned to Snezhnaya.” 

That didn’t make it better! It was one thing to lose herself to the prophecy; she’d been ready to die since they crawled out of that hole in the ground if it meant he could live and be happy with the world they left behind. But for both of them to die, her as the prophesied beam of light and him, the perfect weapon for his Tsaritsa’s cause… 

Childe must have noticed her dismay, as he closed the distance between them, his fingers grazing her arm. “Why do you think I hesitated to return here for so long? I didn’t want to rush into our fates… and admittedly, I wanted to spend one last holiday at home with my family.”

Tears welled up in the corner of her eyes at his innocent explanation. “Ajax…”

“I’m okay, starlight. It’s okay.” That usual crooked smile twinged at the corner of his lips, but it did not meet his gaze. “I promise.”

The invisible knife that had been threatening to carve her up from the inside out plunged all the way into her heart, shattering into a thousand different pieces. No, no, this was not supposed to be how it happened. The prophecy had mentioned only one, and the rest of the world would live, right? Ugh, no , from what she recalled, the stupid scripture had only been the beginning of the end, the way to burn away the old world in the purest form of light and join everyone together for the final push. That meant there was still plenty of time to lose her partner after she had already relinquished control as the prophecy foretold. That meant he could still fully corrupt himself and give in to the monster simmering under his skin, eagerly waiting for the chance to claw his way out.

Save him , Natasha had begged, the words ringing around in Lumine’s head like bells at the top of a hollow church tower. How was she supposed to save him if he had already prepared himself for death? Archons, how was she supposed to be okay with dying if it meant he would follow that same path shortly afterwards? 

The only thing that kept her from completely falling down the maelstrom in her own mind was his simple touch against her arm and that crooked smile that held the weight of a thousand lifetimes. She swallowed hard, forcing the pain of the truth away. After all, she still had countless questions she needed answered, no matter how heavy her shoulders felt with the weight of the world piling down on her. Her attention turned to Bronya once more, chin raised in her only act of strength. “So I’m your sacrifice,” She repeated again, hoarse like she’d been screaming underwater. “I’m the one to purify this world even though it is not my own.”

“I hope so,” Bronya whispered, fiddling with the brooch pinned to her chest. “I believe it is the only way. Besides, it will help free your brother and stop him from making a mistake that could lead to his death. You don’t want that for him, do you?”

A frown. “I was already prepared to do your bidding. You don’t have to rub salt in the wound.”

“ Lumine ,” Childe hissed under his breath. 

“Either way, with or without the prophecy, you two are ticking time bombs,” The Tsaritsa continued, taking no offense to the bitterness oozing out of Lumine’s biting response. “Especially, you, Traveler.”

The hairs on the back of her neck stood at attention once more. “Sorry, what?”

“You didn’t know?” Know what ? When she shook her head, Bronya’s gaze narrowed into cat-like slits. “Have you experienced anything odd in the last few years, something you’ve never experienced in your long life? Say, uncontrollable outbursts of energy, tears of gold instead of normal weeping, flashes of golden light filling the entire room?” 

That same unease filled her belly, her anxiety spiking. She had experienced all of those things, yes. The outbursts had usually come with her nightmares, unable to control her elemental abilities as the dreams tormented her mind. It was how she’d destroyed the hotels in Sumeru and Mondstadt, unable to wake herself up even when she was causing damage. And when she’d lost control of her temper at that tea party with her friends in Mondstadt, she expected her uncontrollable surge of her emotions to result in her nearly destroying all of the good fun, only to have created a beam of light so bright it had even left her a little blinded for a few moments. That had happened during the fight with Columbina, too, but she didn’t know how she had accessed those parts of her abilities when she’d never felt that surge of energy in her veins before. And Childe had mentioned the tears of gold twice before– after their fight in Natlan’s arena and their climb out of the Abyss. 

But how did the Tsaritsa know? It wasn’t as if they were inscribed in the marble tablet predicting the path of the prophecy. She supposed her partner could have mentioned it to her, but was it really that important? 

As if reading her mind, the Tsaritsa hummed. “You’re a star. And when stars run out of what it takes to keep themselves burning, they die. The longer your full regenerative abilities remain trapped behind Sustainer’s red and black walls, the more likely you are to supernova. Even if you free yourself, there’s no guarantee you will be able to recover after how much energy you’ve already lost. However, if you sacrifice yourself by spilling your pure blood on the loom, you will free the Abyss Order’s army and allow Tartaglia to do his duty.” That same sad smile stretched across the Tsaritsa’s face. “You’re already dying, Traveler. This just means your death matters.” 

Lumine sucked in a sharp breath, once more feeling the world underneath her feet seem to quiver and rattle with the weight of the truth. Once, when she had barely been created, when she and Aether were fresh binary stars birthed from a collapsing cloud of gas and dust, they had given her a duty to witness all the universe had to offer. They had promised her power and strength and speed, given her and her twin everything they would ever need to continue forward with her mission. They had warned her one day, she may come to face her demise, her soul burnt out from decades of overuse that she could not control. Had it really come to fruition? Had it been there the whole time, hidden behind her pride and starry abilities, strength she thought could never be kept down for long? If she left this cursed planet without sacrificing her soul of glittering stardust, would she be able to return to the mission she was originally supposed to be focusing on– with or without her twin at her side? 

Gods, this was too much for one day. She needed to lay down. She needed to scream, to shout, to run around in the freezing cold temperatures and frigid snow storm until the world made sense again. She needed to figure out the complicated emotions in her chest before agreeing to anything that she might one day regret. With how the Tsaritsa spoke it seemed like there was no time to waste, no desperation 

She needed her brother. 

She needed Ajax.

Slender, gloved fingers suddenly tangled with hers, as if her partner had realized she was once again spiraling and wouldn’t let her go into her dark thoughts alone. She let out a shattered breath, the knot in her throat tightening, tears pinpricking in the corner of her vision. No, she would not cry. It would be stupid to allow herself to be emotional over the reality that lay in front of her. It wasn’t like she had planned on a future, other than to return to her place amongst the heavens whenever she had finally reunited with her twin. She was a star, right? A star meant to shine in the night sky and do nothing more than witness the way the universe grew and flourished as it expanded outwards with each passing millisecond… right?

Perhaps, in her time on Teyvat, in her time with her lover and partner and best friend, she had become more human than they could have ever expected. 

“And you truly believe this is the only course of action?” She asked, forcing herself forward no matter how much it threatened to rip her in two. “There’s nothing else? The Gnoses, the Archons–”

“If I believed there was another way, I wouldn’t put us all at risk like this,” Bronya said simply. “There won’t be another chance for Teyvat afterwards, not once Celestia knows we’ve been scheming to destroy them behind their backs. They won’t hesitate to enact their collective punishment against humanity, the same way they did in Khaenri’ah. So if we fail…”

“Everyone will die,” Lumine finished, the weight of that reality slamming into her like a tidal wave.

Silence filled the desolate throne room, save for the roaring storm outside the castle walls. She tried to keep her racing heart under control, desperate to handle the knowledge bouncing around in her brain like balls of electricity that couldn’t find an outlet.

She thought of her friends throughout Teyvat, all of the people she’d come to know and care for in her journeys. The Qixing in Liyue and all of the adepti who had helped her solve the mystery of Rex Lapis. Beidou and Kazuha easing her seasickness on the crossing to Inazuma. Ayaka and Thoma and Yoimiya doing whatever they could to make her feel like she was part of their tight-knit group whenever she had the chance to visit. Everyone in Sumeru who had helped with their plot to overthrow the corrupt sages. The House of Hearth kids in Fontaine who didn’t hold a grudge against her despite the floods that had ruined their homeland. Otli. Itzli. Murata. 

She thought of her brother somewhere in the coldest portion of the earth, devoid of the sunlight he loved to embody. Thought of what he must have experienced, what he must have seen, to turn his back on the people he’d met during his own journey. She wondered what stories he would have to tell when he was finally free of this corruption, and wondered if she would ever get to hear it with the fate that lay at her feet.

She thought of her newfound family in her partner’s parents and siblings, thought of the way they opened the doors to their house when she had nowhere else to go and did everything they could to keep her safe. She thought of Anton and his love of knowledge, of Teucer with his desire to craft toys for children throughout the world, for Tonia and her hopes and dreams to see Teyvat the way her brother had described it. She thought of the siblings he didn’t get along with, about the decisions they’d made to protect themselves and their peace, about what might have been had her partner never fallen. She thought of his father’s desperate decision to turn him over to the Fatui when he could not control his rapidly-changing , and of his mother’s plea to keep him alive, to save him  

She thought of Ajax. 

Her gaze lifted to his, once again finding him watching her and only her. She thought of the way he threw back his head and laughed, whether it was over one of her snarky comments or in the face of danger. Thought of the glint in his dull blue eye whenever he saw something he could challenge and the drive he consistently possessed until the enemy was defeated. Thought of his compassion and his gentleness and his act-first-think-later methodology and his ruthlessness. She thought of their nights chatting around the campfire or tangled up in the sheets, thought of the longing when they were forced to be apart and the eager collision that always came when they found each other once more. Thought of the times where it had just been the two of them, Ajax and Lumine , no titles, no responsibilities, no prophecy. 

Just two people who had never expected to fall in love, completely and helplessly intertwined mind and body and soul.

“No matter what happens, the world will forever be different when the sun rises on the next day. We must be victorious, for our brothers and sisters, friends and lovers. We must defeat the Divine. Which leads me to my only question,” The Tsaritsa said, the softness vanishing from her commanding voice. 

Lumine caught it right away, remembering what Ajax had warned her about that day after their battle. She watched as Bronya stood, towering over them from her lofty throne. She extended her hand, revealing a shimmering Delusion casing void of a gemstone. Her smile stretched wider across her pretty features, a shiver scrambling down Lumine’s spine as it grew.

“Traveler,” She said, voice booming off the throne room’s empty walls as though she were speaking to an invisible crowd, “Will you join the Fatui?”

A pause. Then, “No.”

Beside her, she could feel Childe deflate at her response.

The Tsaritsa, too, flinched at the reaction. “...No?” She asked, her ice white brought creasing into a deep V.

“Please do not interpret my response as rejection of your plan.” Lumine stepped away from her partner, making sure to keep her arms at her side so that neither of them perceived her as a threat. She had thought long and hard about her response in the days after he had told her of what the Tsaritsa would ask and how she could explain her complicated feelings. “I have every intention of assisting you to take down the Sustainer and rescue my brother and the world of this curse, even… if it means my demise. However, I will not do it as part of your army.”

“I don’t understand.”

“Ever since I awoke, I have seen the damage and chaos that comes with the Fatui’s influence,” Lumine explained, making sure to carefully enunciate her words. “I’ve experienced it myself, whether it was through Osial in Liyue, the Delusion factory in Inazuma, or the blockade in Mondstadt. You and your military have hurt people, and while you may view it to be for the overall greater good, you have to understand that the Fatui have left their mark on history. I will not tie myself to your name, nor will I support the damage you’ve caused.”

The Tsaritsa still hadn’t figured out the proper words to respond, so she continued, saying, “ However , I do believe what you’ve told me here today to be the truth. I’ve seen how the world is changing because of Celestia’s choking influence and I know the prophecy is looming overhead. And while I’m not thrilled to work alongside you and your army, I think we can both agree you are not the enemy. So, no. I will not wear your uniform, nor will I always take direct orders from you, but you can trust that I am on your side.”

That same eerie silence fell over them, the tension in the air palpable as the Tsaritsa weighed her response. Lumine swallowed hard, praying to all the stars in the night sky that her act of defiance would not end with the Cryo Archon truly going through with her threat to slit her throat and drain the blood to allow Dottore to experiment on it instead of having to deal with such a troublesome partner. Outside the tall windows, the storm continued to whir, the frigid wind and blowing snow threatening to burst through the glass as the quiet stretched on.

Then, Bronya tilted her head like a curious dog. “Interesting,” She whispered, taking her seat once more. “Fine. I concede to this agreement. Instead of my subordinate, we will work together as… partners .”

“Partners, then,” She repeated, unable to help the smile twitching at the corner of her lips. 

Beside her, Childe let out a massive breath in relief, the knots of tension in his body rolling off him like the tides pulling out to the sea. 

“I still don’t understand, though,” Lumine continued, knowing there would likely be dozens of more questions that popped up in the next several weeks as they came to understand this partnership better. Perhaps they could play Childe’s question game to learn more. “If you need us to be at our strongest for this final battle, why take my powers?”

“I’m sorry?”

“My elemental abilities. At the moment, I can’t use them. Haven’t been able to since I tried to resonate with your statue.”

The Tsaritsa’s furrowed brow deepened. “That’s… concerning. Could it be related to your waning starlight?”

“I highly doubt it,” Childe answered, voice scratchy and raw. Perhaps he’d been holding in more tension than she had expected. “They didn’t return to her after our blood intermingled. If it was related to that, surely they would have come back afterwards.”

“And you didn’t receive Cryo?”

“No,” Lumine whispered softly.

Bronya rubbed her chin in thought, then waved her hand in dismissal. “Well, the least I can do is offer you the Cryo element myself,” She explained, summoning a perfect ball of icy blue matter. It held the same shape as a Vision, but in its rawest form, almost like water around the edges of a frozen pond. Despite the lack of sunlight, it glittered and shimmered like the jewels in her kokoshnik, carefully floating towards Lumine’s carefully extended hands. “We will figure the rest out later. After all, we still have plenty of time.”

The minute her fingers grazed the odd malleable gemstone, the room flashed ice white, the roaring storm outside silencing in a heartbeat. Lumine gasped as frigid goosebumps spread throughout her exposed skin. Instead of reeling from the chill, though, it felt more like the shivers she always got when Childe would whisper sweet words of love and desire in her ear. That same comforting chill spread throughout her veins, cooling the temper that swirled in her core. The minute it reached her heart, a blast of golden light erupted throughout the room, burning away any of the old light still shimmering from the gemstone oozing in her palms. 

It took a heartbeat to realize the light was coming from her , too focused on the way the rest of her body seemed to be unlocking like a dozen latches on a bird cage. First came the return of Pyro burning in her core, brash and cheerful like flames lapping at dry tender. Then, Hydro, its love of justice swirling in her forehead, then Dendro at the top of her head and spreading down her body like vines climbing up a wall. Electro, with its jagged bolts of frenetic energy dancing in her stomach, while Geo kept her grounded with its sturdy grasp at the base of her spine. Then finally, with a gasp of fresh air, she felt the spinning Anemo energy return to her body, the first gust of a spring wind tickling her face the same way it had when she’d first arrived on this planet. 

All her powers, all the abilities she had come to know and master, had finally returned to her.

The next time she opened her eyes, her world had changed once more, her skin glowing that same glorious gold that it did whenever she had lost control of her powers. The vitality she had not known since the fall of Khaenri’ah simmered in her body, a surge in life she hadn’t expected. Even the weight on her shoulders that had constantly pressed down on her since the days she had her glorious wings seemed to ease for just a moment, letting her inhale the first real breath in years. 

The Tsaritsa stared at her with wide eyes and a slack jaw, her shock plastered across her pretty features. But it was Childe who’s grin exploded across his handsome features, brimming with that same energy that possessed him whenever they faced a bigger enemy. 

“Well, well,” He purred like a fat cat, hands sliding to his narrow hips, “There you are, starlight.”

Chapter Text

“You received all of your elemental abilities back?” The Tsaritsa asked as the light swirling around Lumine faded back into a subtle glow. “But… how? Why?” 

“Trust me, I’m as in the dark about them as you are. I guess resonating with that beheaded statue left a bigger mark on me than I knew.” For the first time in Archons-knows how long, his partner summoned a small burst of Pyro into her palm. The flames danced at her fingertips, her relieved smile growing with each passing heartbeat. “Getting Cryo seems to have forced everything back into alignment.”

“Seems so…”

Childe let out a steadying breath, trying to hide his relieved smile and failing. When she’d mentioned losing them the first time, he’d seriously wondered if they would have to traverse Teyvat again to regain her full strength. She truly looked like herself again, too; her round cheeks rosy with life in a way he hadn’t seen since before the volcanic eruptions in Natlan, a weight lifted from her tired frame as though the sludge of the Abyss had finally been scrubbed from her body, her golden eyes twinkling like the stars in the night sky. 

He hadn’t expected her to take the news of everything so… well? After all, when he discovered the Tsaritsa’s plan to use her starry abilities as a sacrifice and his strength during Foul Legacy as a perfect weapon to pierce the Heavens, he’d nearly lost his mind. It didn’t matter that he’d known this was likely a possibility since the day Dainsleif had revealed the truth of the riddle. The idea that one of them could die just because a few words on a piece of paper had said so drove his disappointment and annoyance, festering like an open wound. Anger had possessed him for months, churning like waves caught in a riptide at the edge of shore. Perhaps that’s why he had spent so long by himself in the woods, taking out his disappointment on the Abyssal beasts that threatened Snezhnayan villages in the name of “training”.

 Every time he thought he could move on from his anger and fear and grief, something would suck him right back in and he would begin the cycle anew. And yet, deep down, that foolish optimism refused to let him accept their deaths as reality. Surely there was another way. Surely he and Lumine could come up with something together that allowed her to live– even if he didn’t. He would be happy with that outcome if it meant the world was saved and she was alive.

“And you’re sure you weren’t the cause behind them disappearing?” Lumine asked, quenching the flame and letting her hand fall, that same determined crease in her brow returning. 

His queen sighed. “While that would be the easiest answer, no. I’ve never known that to be one of my abilities.”

“Doesn’t mean it’s impossible–”

“Whatever the case, this is a good thing, right?” Childe interrupted, shooting his partner a quick look. Immediately, Lumine’s mouth twisted in a scowl, but she stopped talking. He had a feeling he’d get a well-deserved earful later. “Now you don’t have to go back to every nation and resonate with the statues in hopes that it would fix things.”

“I suppose. This whole situation is just… bizarre.” 

He could agree to that, too. He’d never heard of someone losing their elemental abilities before, unless their Vision had been taken from them. But Lumine didn’t have a Vision– if anything, she was a conduit for power herself, able to shift through the abilities with a mere thought. How would that work, though, when the Tsaritsa hadn’t placed any sort of lock on that power? Perhaps when the beheaded statue Lumine had touched knocked her rhythm out of alignment, she’d simply been unable to recall them the way she normally had. Perhaps they hadn’t been gone at all and were simply dormant, waiting to be rediscovered.

Then again, if it wasn’t his queen’s fault that Lumine’s abilities had been knocked out of sorts, it could be the opposite. The Statues of the Seven had always been lifelines to Celestia, places of prayer for those eager to have their voices heard by the Archon and the gods themselves. If the Heavenly Principles had suspected Lumine was on her way to Snezhnaya, could she have been the one to curse all of the statues with the same lock that possessed his lover’s brilliant wings? If so, why had she gotten them back now, now that she accessed Cryo? Was the lock on her powers simply not that strong? Was Sustainer weaker than she had been when she had first taken his partner’s abilities? 

One look at Lumine revealed her deep in thought as well, as though she were trying to solve the same questions he had. They could discuss it later when they relaxed in his chambers.

The Tsaritsa, however, didn’t seem bothered. A small smile twitched at the corner of her pretty red lips, brimming with an excitable energy he could not match as the pieces of her plot fell into place. “I concur with Tartaglia. No matter why they were originally gone, they’ve returned now. That puts our plans back on track and is a great sign for our future.”

“Right, our future,” Lumine grumbled, her words dripping with venom. Childe almost snorted– what future, he almost asked aloud, then shrugged off the pessimism on his chest. Surely there was still time left to figure this all out. “Speaking of, what comes next in this grand scheme of yours?”

“I’ll need to recall the other Harbingers right away so that I can fill them in with all of our plans. Luckily, they are stationed just outside the city center.”

One auburn brow rose. “You summoned them?”

“I had a feeling you two would be on the way relatively soon. It’s not like you to ignore my orders,” His queen hummed, her icy gaze settling on him for the first time since she’d seen right through their fake battle and attempt to prove his loyalty. “Until they arrive, I implore both of you to rest. Especially you, Tartaglia.”

“I’m fine,” He mumbled, shaking his head. Why did everyone insist he take a break? Did he really look that worn down or was it just the fact that he didn’t have his usual lively persona consistently feeding that battle-hungry nature of his? It wasn’t his fault that his love of battle had been taken, too, by the beast possessing him. Another heartbeat passed before he noticed the subtle crease in her silver brow, his stomach sinking in revelation. Unlike his mother— or even his partner— he couldn’t get away with defying her. Not without a great deal of mental and physical difficulty. “...Yes, your Majesty.”

“Trust me, you’ll thank me when things are finally on the move.”

“I still have questions,” Lumine said, crossing her arms. 

The Tsaritsa raised her chin, that same sad smile gracing her features. “If you didn’t, I would be disappointed. During these next few weeks, I hope to be able to give you all the answers you desire.” 

That would have to do for now. As overwhelmed and wiped as she was, even with the rejuvenation flowing through her body from all of the elements returning to her, she didn’t want to end this conversation forever. She wanted to know more– more about how they’d been chosen, more about her brother and what he was up to, more about the Tsaritsa’s long term plans. She doubted she’d ever be fully satisfied with the truth, but she wanted to try.

“Oh! I nearly forgot– I have your companion.”

Lumine jumped with a start. “Paimon?”

Bronya nodded, twinkling a small bell beside her intricate ice throne. “From what I recall, she was captured in the base camp, correct?” Yes, yes, oh gods, yes! Thank the Archons she was okay– “She has quite the mouth on her. She doesn’t shut up and she does not stop eating.”

“Sounds about right,” Her partner snorted.

She shot him a cold glare, knowing he’d found Paimon annoying at best. “Where is she?” 

The throne room doors opened again, revealing that same attendant from before. This time, she looked less than pleased, heels hurriedly clacking across the cool marble floor. She struggled to maintain a loaf in her slender arms, her scowl deepening the more the creature struggled. Lumine’s heart skipped a beat when she spotted ice white hair and an oddly-shaped crown, as well as a starry cape fluttering with each movement. At one point, the woman yelped and recoiled, yanking her hand away from Paimon’s mouth as the pixie bared her sharp teeth.

That was all it took to unleash the torrent. “Paimon swears you’ll pay for this!” Her friend furiously squealed, her high-pitched voice bouncing off the high ceilings. “Paimon has friends– powerful friends! They’ll make sure you never see the light of the sun again!” Even this far away, Lumine could see that same glint in her mischievous eyes that had gotten them in trouble countless times before. “Unless you still have some of that moloko cake, and then Paimon might find it in her to forgive you…”

Beside her, Childe groaned and ran a hand over his face. “Glad to see some things never change.” 

“Paimon!” Lumine squeaked, ignoring her partner in favor for the companion who had been through it all. She pushed past him with a grunt, hustling over to the annoyed attendant who eagerly handed her over. 

The minute her arms wrapped around her fairy friend, Paimon realized what was happening. “Traveler! Oh, Archons, you’re okay! Paimon was so worried!”