Chapter Text
The Traveler and Her Seven Knights: The Wind Knight
Character Introduction-
“If you find yourself in the pinch in the streets of Mondstadt, you need but look up into the sky! Odds are you’ll see the Wind Knight! Aldrich Hayes-Gunnhildr, the Vice Commander of the Knights of Favonius! Seriously, he’s so strong, he can fly with the power of anemo, and smash boulders with his wind, he can take out Ruin Hunters with one swing of his sword! He’s Master Jean’s younger brother, so long as the two of them are around, Mondstadt will never have to worry!” -Noelle, maid and prospective Knight of Favonius.
-Name: Aldrich Hayes-Gunnhildr
-Titles: The Wind Knight, Master Jean’s little brother.
-Vice Commander of the Knights of Favonius
-Vision: Anemo
-Constellation: Ventus Eques
- Voice Actor: Bryce Papenbrook
DESCRIPTION (Under Friendship Bar):
The younger brother of the Acting Grand Master of the Knights of Favonius, he was adopted by his sisters family the Gunnhildr’s after the death of his parents. Known as ‘The Wind Knight’, this young man’s winds have power not seen in Mondstadt in generations.
Author’s Note: Please note, ANY changes you see to cannon lore/events are made INTENTIONALLY for the purpose of the story I’m writing.
The Traveler and her 7 Knights: The Wind Knight
Aldrich
“Your parents… they were very good friends of ours,” Seamus Pegg said, a warm smile on his face. “I know it’s soon but, what would you say to coming to stay with us?”
He had asked, but Aldrich wasn’t sure he heard him right at first.
“Wh…what?” He said, blinking again, and suddenly he saw them all.
He always thought the soft blonde hair of the Gunnhildr clan was so much prettier than his own plain brown hair. It was unknown to him how merchants like his parents were friends with people like Seamus Pegg and Frederica Gunnhildr. He’d grown up around them, knights, heroes, Mondstat’s most respected clan.
“He asked how you felt about coming to live with us,” Frederika asked, her face as pretty as a meadow. She knelt in front of him. “Your father did so much for Mondstadt, and your mother she… she was beyond special to me, plus, you already come over so much anyway. We’d love to have you, right?”
The windmills of Mondstat rolled on and on as they always did. The winds seemed to change, a cool breeze shooting down Aldrich’s back under the shadow of it, not far from where his parents funeral was just held. He always loved watching it move, he could remember all the times he would simply sit on the walls and watch them from near the church or go outside the city and watch them from a distance.
And there’d always be someone with him.
“They’re right, it’ll be fun!” Jean said, sitting next to him, as beautiful as her mother and the view of the city from Starfell Lake. She grabbed his hands, excited. “You can finally learn to be a knight, I’ll teach you!”
“Ha… you’re learning yourself, Jean,” Frederica said. “But if that’s what he wants, we can have him learn too.”
The numbness consuming Aldrich’s body faded when Jean grabbed his hands. She was 13 now, three years older than him. Of course, he’d never told her about the warm feeling inside his chest whenever she was this close to him. It didn’t matter that she was older, she spent time with him anyway, and he loved it.
“I… well…” He said, his tongue still feeling swollen as he looked at her, so excited and so blue. “Are… are you sure?”
“Of course we are, Jean and Barbara are the ones who suggested it,” Seamus said, smiling as well. “We’d love to have you as part of our family too Aldrich, you already were… we know we won’t replace your parents, but we’d be honored to have you.”
Aldrich looked back to Jean, that warm feeling tingling again. “Jean…?”
She nodded and laughed. “Haha, of course it was my idea!”
Barbara was still with the other deaconesses and deacons who organized the funeral, as she was training to be one herself, but he knew she would say the same thing.
He looked at Jean, and her smile never wavered. That of her parents never did, and Aldrich finally stopped feeling numb. It felt like so long as he saw them smiling, he would never feel numb again.
“I… I think I’d like that,” He told them, the shaking finally gone.
And they all smiled again.
Frederica, however, had tears in her eyes. Aldrich had noticed the entire funeral how distraught she was. He knew that his mother and Mrs. Frederica were extremely close, since before his mother had even had him. She reached out and grabbed Aldrich, pulling him into a tight hug as her tears fell on his head of messy brown hair.
“We’ll take care of you… I… I promise, Aldrich,” She said, holding him and wiping her tears. “Ana… I’ll take care of him, I promise I will… I always will.”
That was when Aldrich came to be part of the Gunnhildr clan.
XxxxxxxxxxxxxxX
“HYAAAAH!”
“Footwork!” Frederica yelled; arms crossed. “Don’t go easy on him Jean. Aldrich keep your feet moving!”
“HRAAAAGH!”
Jean lunged out, and her wooden sword moved so fast that Aldrich could barely see it. She had grown, just like he did, the difference? It she was even more beautiful, graceful, and had grown into the prodigy everyone knew she would be. Aldrich had grown himself; he was thirteen now, been the adopted son of the Gunnhildr family for three years. Jean was sixteen.
And it was easy to tell why she had already been named Dandelion and Lionfang Knight.
“GAHH!” Aldrich yelled, spinning, and knocking Jean’s sword down, but she saw his counter coming.
It was if the wind itself moved with her, and it did, thanks to the glowing anemo vision bouncing off her waist. Aldrich had none of his own, and he didn’t expect to get one. What archon would bestow power to him when Jean was there? When Barbara was already one of the best healers in the church?
“GAAAYA!” Jean’s next attack came at such a blistering speed Aldrich didn’t have time to react.
They’d been fighting for almost an hour, they’d had four fights so far and this was the fifth. Aldrich lasted longer and longer each time, but Jean had beat him in all of them. She just moved with so much grace, so much precision that Aldrich could train for a decade and still not move like she did.
It was embarrassing really, especially when it was in front of the Knights of Favonius, even the grandmaster had come to see the training.
“HAAAAAH!”
“GAHH!” Jean’s sword swung towards his legs and Aldrich jumped back before lunging forward when he saw she was exposed, but with a graceful leap she jumped back and spun thrusting out her wooden sword and it poked hard into his chest.
He heaved, and was thrown off balance, and that was all the time Jean needed as he stumbled and smashed her sword into his hand, and he finally fell.
Looking up at the sky, he felt the winds begin to shift, the blades of the windmills above, the clouds of the clear blue sky, and as he lay there on the cold ground, listening to the applause all the knights gave, he felt the numbness return.
“That was fantastic Jean!”
“She really is a prodigy!”
“Ha… oh, thank you, everyone,” Jean said sheepishly, bowing to them as they clapped.
They all complimented her, clapped, walked up to congratulate her, some even asked for advice, and Frederica, their mother sat with a proud smile, accepting all the compliments. She had never been bad to Aldrich, it was the opposite in fact, she’d done more for Aldrich then someone like him deserved, even after her and Jean’s father had split. She didn’t have to take him with her as well as Jean when they separated. Aldrich knew now that she’d made a promise to his mother Ana, her best-friend to look after him, but he knew now she had come to love him like a real son.
But now? In that moment, he knew that his adopted mothers smile wasn’t because of him.
“Oh, I’m sorry Aldrich, you’re not hurt right?!”
He blinked away the shame he felt and suddenly felt warm again. A shadow came over him, as Jean knelt. Aldrich’s chest had that warm feeling again, she looked worried, he hated it when she was worried.
“I… I’m fine don’t worry about me,” He said, sitting up as her face was next to him. “I’m… sorry, that probably didn’t do anything for you at all.”
She laughed, her smile returning. “Oh stop, you almost had me every time. If I didn’t have a vision, you would have beat me. Once you awaken to one, I’ll be the one in the dirt!”
“As if,” Aldrich said, looking at the swirling vision on her belt. “No archon would awaken one for me, I… I just….”
His eyes trailed to their mother, surrounded by knights as he laughed and accepted their compliments. She was in a very intimate discussion with Grandmaster Varka, and he could see them looking over at him and Jean multiple times.
Aldrich knew they weren’t looking at him.
Jean tracked his glance, her smile faded for a moment. “Hey, don’t worry. You don’t need a vision Aldrich; you train even harder than I do! It-.”
“No, I… I don’t even want one really,” Aldrich said, he felt the pure winds of Mondstat gently breeze against his skin. He always felt as if he could almost understand the wind and the rhythm of its wind. “I just wanted to help everyone, everyone in Mondstat, and… and well…”
Jean’s smile slowly returned as they looked at their mother. “She is proud of you Aldrich, she may not show it at times, but she is.”
“I know… but…I just…” He shakily sighed and looked up to meet her eyes. “I don’t want her, or… or you to regret bringing me into this family. I want to make a difference for this city, and I… well…”
His face got red, his chest got warm, because Jean smiled at him again.
“Haha, we’ll never regret that decision,” She said, messing up his hair, her eyes locked with his and her smile was as beautiful as it ever was, “And don’t worry, if you ever feel like mother isn’t just know, that I’ll always be proud of you Aldrich… Aldrich… Aldrich…Al-.”
XxxxxxxxxxxxxxX
“ALDRICH! WAKE UP!”
“GYAHHH!”
CRASH.
“Oh! I’m so sorry Aldrich, are you okay?! You’re not hurt are you?!”
He blinked as his head pounded like a drum. His vision was blurry at first, he had to use the bathroom so badly he felt like he was going to explode, but he recognized the voice. After seeing his floor first he sat up against his bed and saw her.
“Huh…? Barbara…?” He said, blinking again as he leaned back with such a large yawn it felt like his soul was leaving his body. “How did you get in here? Did you get the extra key from Jean?”
She smiled as his younger sister often did. She was only younger then him by two years, and considering he was adopted he felt odd referring to her as his ‘little sister’, but she loved it when he did. Barbara being in his apartment wasn’t exactly a surprise. Aldrich seriously owed her, his place would be an absolute mess if she didn’t come over as much as she did.
“Oh, no, I knocked, and your bard friend let me in,” She said as she helped him to his feet.
Aldrich yawned again and rubbed his eyes, the pounding in his head getting ever so slightly less painful. He stretched as she let him go, his bare chest drenched in sweat, his brown hair a mess. He blinked his vision clear finally and saw Barbara looking a bit worried. He may have been adopted, but he had the same blue eyes that she and Jean had.
“Bard friend…? Venti?” Aldrich asked her as she moved and opened his curtains. He winced as the bright morning sunlight. “Why was he… oh yeah, yeah, I remember now, he did spend the night on the couch. Is he still here?”
Venti had finally come back to Mondstadt for the first time in what felt like. Aldrich wondered where he went off too when he left to travel for months sometimes years on end. This last trip had been his longest, and his friend had been back for a little over a week. The previous night had been the first time since he’d turned twenty a few months ago that Venti was here, and they could finally drink together.
He asked Venti before why he always left to travel, and he hadn’t told Aldrich why. Venti was good at being cagey. However, he did tell Aldrich why he kept coming back to Mondstadt. Apparently according to Venti, he used to leave Mondstadt for years on end for his trips.
But now? Venti told him he came back so frequently the last six years… because Aldrich was there. Apparently the bard was too ‘excited’ to see his progress with his new vision over the last six years to stay away for years on end again. He loved Venti, but Aldrich realized his friend was exceptionally good at dodging questions.
“No, he left when he let me in,” Barbara said, rushing to the corner of his room and picking up some of his clothes, and he saw her getting his outfit and armor ready. “He told me to tell you he’d find you later, he said he had to ‘visit and help out an old friend’, he seemed like he was in a hurry.”
“An old friend? Venti?” Aldrich scoffed at the idea, going to his bathroom, and throwing water on his face.
He couldn’t think of any ‘old friend’ Venti had that he didn’t know about. He was a bit odd; Aldrich knew that better than anyone. Aldrich was twenty now, he’d met Venti all the way back when he was fourteen, he remembered it so well, because Venti had been there when he received his vision.
That celebration had been alcohol free of course, Venti had insisted they celebrate properly now that he was of age. Aldrich certainly didn’t complain, they’d always been really close. He’d never admit it to the bards face, but Aldrich considered him his best friend, someone he cherished. Aldrich hated that since they’d met he would be gone for months at a time.
However, Venti always came right to see him when he came back to Mondstadt.
“Yeah, but that’s not important right now, hurry up!” Barbara said, rushing up behind him.
“Huh? Hurry for what?” Aldrich came back into his room. He accepted coffee from her, and sipped it, but looked at her inquisitively. “Wait, shouldn’t you be at the church? Victoria doesn’t let you off easy.”
“I asked her to come and find you! I got a… little caught up on the way, or else I would have been here sooner,” She said, rushing back into his living room and kitchen, returning with a fresh valdberry.
Aldrich narrowed his eyes as he took it. “Caught up? Was it Albert again?”
She chuckled nervously but was wide eyed. “Ha… what? No! No, not at all!”
“Barbara…” Aldrich said as she froze, and he knew she was a terrible liar. He sighed and bit into the fruit and sipped the coffee. “Don’t worry, I’ll have another chat with him. And I’m done being nice now-.”
“Aldrich! That’s not important!” She said, pulling him to the corner of his room. “Get dressed hurry!”
“GYAH! Geez Barbara what’s got you in such a rush?” He complained, as he looked down at the outfit he wore every day.
If there was a ‘male’ version of what Jean wore every day, Alrich’s armor and clothes would be that. White pants with bits of studded leather, sturdy white and gold boots, a dark greenish-blue and white corset, gold belt, and a dark greenish-blue mantle that clipped over his shoulder and down his back. His mother had got it tailored for him years ago when he was sixteen after getting his vision. It was one of the things he cherished most from her, and so every year he grew he made sure to get it remade and adjusted with his new measurements.
It normally was on its stand while he kept his sword in Jean’s office, but Barbara for some reason was in an incredible rush. A rush that Aldrich was way to hungover for.
“Come on!” She said with more urgency, taking his coffee from him and shoving his pants in his arms. “Aldrich, you’re late! And Jean’s really angry about it!”
Aldrich’s stomach dropped for a moment, he choked and shook his head.
“What are you talking about,” He asked. “I’m off today it’s Saturday, that’s why Venti and me-.”
“IT’S NOT SATURDAY IT’S FRIDAY!”
His stomach curled into knots, as he remembered something very vividly from the day before.
“Oh yeah! Aldrich, do you want to go gliding together tomorrow? It’s Friday so we’re scheduled to outride together!”
Amber had said that to him. He remembered everything Amber told him.
His blue eyes went wide, and he looked at his sister. “Barbara... what time is-.”
He was cut off by the church bell ringing, each time it rang Aldrich’s pounding headache got even worse. It kept ringing and ringing, and when it rang for the tenth time, Aldrich’s chest exploded.
“IT’S ALREADY TEN O’CLOCK?!”
“YES!” Barbara yelled at him, as Aldrich scrambled and almost fell starting to put his clothes on. “Jean came by the church looking for you! I tried to cover for you like you asked, but you know what a horrible liar I am, she saw right through me! She sounded really mad when she figured out…”
“Of course she’s mad! I just told her at the beginning of the week I wouldn’t be late again,” Aldrich muttered as he hopped on one leg to get into his pants, before realizing he forgot his socks, but thankfully Babara had them. “Oh man she’s gonna kill me… and worse I was supposed to outride with Amber today, I missed my patrol….”
If he was anyone else he assumed he’d have been relieved of duty by now, which didn’t help his hangover and stomachache.
“Aldrich!” She yelled, rushing over to him with his shirt as he fell and hit the ground again.
Aldrich felt his stomach lurch as he fell, he put his hands over his mouth and rushed to the bathroom. Barbara being his absolute favorite person in the world like usual, already was looking for a potion in her bag as Aldrich hacked up his lungs and everything he ate and drank the night before.
“Here, drink this!” Barbara said as he slowly walked out of the bathroom.
“Thanks…” He said, groggily taking it and downing it.
He shook as it went down, thinking of the disappointed eyes Jean was going to give him again.
“Here!” Barbara said, helping pull the corset over his head. “I’ll help you-.”
“No, it’s fine, you get back to the church…” He said still tasting his dinner from last night. “I don’t want you to get into trouble for staying too long, I’ll be out of here in a few minutes.”
His younger sisters eyes fell slightly. “Are… you sure?”
“I am, don’t worry, go on,” He said, offering her a smile as he rubbed her head. “Just do me a favor, if you see Jean on your way back, tell her I’ll be there soon.”
She sighed but nodded, her hydro vision glistening on her waste. “Okay… I will, be careful getting to headquarters!”
“I will, thanks Barbara, I’d be lost without you,” He told her. “I’ll come see you later at the church.”
She smiled and went to leave, but not before turning back. “Oh yeah, I forgot! You bard friend told me to tell you, ‘not to forget your tab is due at the Angel’s Share, you shouldn’t put it off again my dear knight!’. He said to say those exact words!”
Aldrich stammered as he sighed, remembering that Venti was right, he hadn’t paid the tab he owed at Angel’s Share since Venti had been back. He heard Barbara leave, and he rushed to pull on the rest of his clothes, and thankfully they weren’t wrinkled and fit snugly-thanks to Barbara of course-making him look somewhat presentable except for his mess of a head of hair and baggy eyes, in addition to the headache that wasn’t going away.
He may have been twenty now, but he felt like he was still just a boy.
I really am in way over my head…but I still know what I have to do, he thought as he looked into the mirror and pulled on his gloves to match his mantle. The glowing anemo vision swung from his belt in the same place Jean wore hers… he really was just a lesser version of her.
“She’s gonna be so mad…” He muttered, before making for the door. “Okay, first I’ll stop at Diluc’s, pay off my tab and… wait…”
He got out onto the streets of Mondstat, the sun piercing his eyelids and he remembered something very, very important.
“’Don’t forget your tab is due at Angel’s Share’…” He muttered to himself as he imagined his mischievous bard friend saying it in front of him, and that was when he remembered the truth, and he exploded. “Hold on… HALF OF THAT TAB IS HIS THE LITTLE GREEN BASTARD!”
XxxxxxxxxxxxxxX
“Hey Aldrich! A little late today huh?”
“Rough night Aldrich?! Ha, you’re lucky you’re Master Jean’s brother!”
“Haha, hi Aldrich! Better get going before Master Jean gets angry!”
“You know, you shouldn’t cause the Acting Grand Master so much trouble Aldrich!”
Aldrich ignored some people and said a quick hello to others as he moved through the streets of Mondstat. Of course, the streets weren’t as bustling as they normally were with the recent attacks from the dragon. Stormterror had been coming sporadically, and they didn’t have any way to predict it, but thankfully from the clear skies it didn’t seem like they were in any danger now. Still, the few people around the streets knew who he was.
“Oh thank Barbatos…” He sighed as his stomach was flipped upside down and his headache was still pounding as he raced down the steps. “DILUC!”
The red-haired owner of the Dawn Winery and owner of his favorite bar was outside said bar. He turned from Charles the bartender as they stood outside the Angel’s share. Charles retreated back inside, and when Aldrich got there, hands on his knees, he tried not to get sick all over his shoes.
He chuckled; arms crossed as he looked down at Aldrich. “Ah, I was just about to come find you Aldrich, Charles says you and Venti had quite the crowd last night.”
Aldrich breathed heavily, hand on his chest. “Well you… you know Venti, always the center of attention even when he’s not singing.”
“Even more so when he’s with the Acting Grand Master’s brother,” He said, his voice turning a bit sterner. “Speaking of… why do you look like you just rolled out of bed? Don’t tell me you’re late again.”
Aldrich sheepishly rubbed his head. “Aha… no! Of course not, I’m just… um… doing rounds?”
“Your rounds are earlier, your Outrider ‘friend’ was here on them for you,” He said with a disappointed sigh as he shook his head. “You have far too much talent to be wasting it away like this Aldrich, you aren’t helping the inefficient nature of-.”
“Please, don’t lecture me now, I’m already going to get one from Jean…” Aldrich sighed, pulling out all the mora he owed. “Here, this is for me and that annoying bard, he’s paying for me next time.”
Diluc looked at the mora and sighed as he took it. “Alright then but be ready to listen to it later.”
“You’re not living up to your potential Aldrich,” He said, doing his best impression of Jean. “You need to set a better example Aldrich. The people of Mondstat look up to you Aldrich. You shouldn’t be out so late Aldrich. Aldrich you need to be on time. Aldrich you need to clean up your house. Stop spending money dining out and learn to cook for yourself Aldrich. Is it going to be some variation of one of those?”
His red-haired senior simply shook his head again. “I don’t agree with your sister on many things… but those are the few that I do agree with her on.”
“Yeah, and it’s easy for you both to say things like that…” Aldrich muttered, turning away as he remembered he was late. “I gotta go.”
He took off running without waiting for Diluc’s response, his heart racing as he sprinted up towards headquarters.
Sometimes I think it would be easier if I just left… I could finish hunting them without risking anyone else getting hurt, plus I’d finally stop giving Jean headaches.
XxxxxxxxxxxxxxX
“ARGH! WHO PUT THOSE STUPID BARRELS THERE?!”
He winced as he staggered up to his feet. A few knights had been moving barrels from around the entryway of the headquarters, and when he had turned towards Jean’s office he hadn’t exactly been paying attention. The square box of chocolate he’d gotten to try and smooth over the interaction with his sister was crushed, but he scooped them up off the ground and tried to pull his boot back on as he hoped on one foot towards her office.
Everyone stared at him as some tried to pick up the barrels he’d crashed into. He didn’t see Keaya, Lisa or Amber, and he knew it’d be a few days before Eula got back. That was what he was most upset about. Going on outrides with Amber was always the highlight of his week, but a part of him was glad she wasn’t around, with how pathetically embarrassing he probably looked. She’d saved him by going on his rounds this morning around town, she always did so much for him and he could barely do anything in return.
“GAHHH!” He yelled as when he finally got back into his boot he stumbled forward, and when he blinked he was looking at the rug in Jean’s office. His stomach exploding, he scrambled to his feet. “I… I’m here! Aldrich Hayes-Gunnhildr re… reporting in!”
He was lucky he didn’t get sick all over her office his stomach was twisting so much. He blinked away the pain from his headache and hastily tried to fix his hair, but when he looked up he froze.
Oh man she… really, really isn’t happy, he thought, gulping, Jean glared at her from in front of her desk.
He wiped off his uniform and picked up the chocolate he’d gotten and nervously chuckled as he looked up at her. A stack of papers on her desk, her arms crossed, vision dangling from her belt, blonde hair tied back. She was as beautiful as she always was, but in that moment there was no warmth in her eyes as she glared at him.
“Hehe… um, want one?” Aldrich said as he walked up to her desk, holding out the slightly smushed open box with wrapped pieces of chocolate.
He ate one himself as she just kept her arms folded and glared at him, meanwhile he gulped and rapidly adjusted his uniform, waiting for her to lay into him.
She sighed, reached into the box and grabbed a piece of chocolate. “What am I going to do with you Aldrich…”
For once there wasn’t any anger in her voice. She never outwardly yelled at him, but in the years he’d been a knight, there had been plenty of times-especially since she became Acting Grand Master- that she’d had to really lay into him. She was justified most times of course, but as the years had gone on, Aldrich got used to hearing his normally soft-spoken sisters angry voice and her multiple lectures.
But now? She didn’t sound angry, she only sounded disappointed. He looked at her face as she chewed her chocolate, and it was written all over it, how upset she truly was.
Aldrich was suddenly ready to throw up again.
“I… I thought it was Saturday,” Aldrich said, looking down at her desk, anywhere except her disappointed eyes. “I was… out late last night and-.”
“Oh I know you were I went to the Angel’s Share; Master Diluc ratted you out.”
Aldrich winced at her tone getting harder. “That little red haired…. I, well yeah, I was there, but not for long, you see, I thought I was off today so-.”
“And here you go again, all you seem to be able to do is make up excuses for yourself,” She said, her tone falling again, her deep sigh cracked Aldrich in two. “I wouldn’t care if it was once a month or so, everyone has some days that they trip up, or that they need to sleep in. But it’s constant with you Aldrich! And do you know how many times-.”
“How many times you’ve vouched for me? How anyone else would have been kicked out by now?” Aldrich said, crossing his arms, still not looking at her. “Yeah, I know how lucky I am. Look I’m here now, if you’re going to-.”
“What I was going to say,” She snapped, her voice turning stern. Now she looked angry. “Is do you know how many times Amber has vouched for you? Covered your rounds or picked up your work? Or even how many times Lisa-and we both know how much she hates extra work-has written your reports? Do you truly believe that I’d hold all I’ve done over your head to lecture you?! I do those things because you’re my brother and I love you, not so I can brag about them to you.”
Aldrich stammered as the weight of her statement smushed him into the ground. The truth was he didn’t know how many times Amber had covered his rounds, but he knew it was a lot. Lisa even more so, he loathed paperwork, and he knew she loathed having to do extra work when she was having tea or lunch, so for her to cover for him as well meant something.
He knew he had messed up, but when he looked up and saw his sister’s narrowed eyes, he found himself unable to say what he really wanted to say.
And that’s that she has no idea how hard it is being the Dandelion Knight’s little brother.
She’d done so much for him, over and over again, he knew that, and he knew what he could do. And he knew that if she and the rest of the knights tried to do what he could? Face the danger he’d faced? They’d be hurt, regular people would be hurt. He knew how strong he was.
But still, did that mean anything when he knew she should have the strength he did? Why was Aldrich the one who could fly, who Grandmaster Varka had mentored personally? It should have all belong to Jean, she would have made better use of it then him.
It would have been better in her hands…. I just let people down.
It was a truth he’d known for years. And it was why he was better off hunting down and fighting the ones he knew he needed to alone. So that way? If he inevitably messed up, only he would get hurt, and not Jean or others.
“Look… it’s not a big deal,” He told her, looking at her rug. “It won’t happen again, I just got the days mixed up, you can really blame Venti for-.”
“No, I don’t want to hear you blaming others,” She said, her voice growing stern again. “You do this each time Aldrich, you say you’re sorry, you say it won’t happen again, I let you slide, and then a week later we’re in the same position!”
Aldrich scoffed. “So punish me then, relieve me of duty if I’m that much of a nuisance.”
It would have almost made things easier. He could move against his enemies freely, Diluc may be a stubborn, pretentious asshole, but Aldrich knew he was right, it was easier to act alone. But he could never do that… because deep down, Aldrich wanted this. It was his dream.
To be a Knight that made everyone feel safe, that everyone could rely on. It was a foolish notion he knew it, especially for someone like him. But still, the words came out before he could stop himself, and he regretted them immediately.
As was normally the case, however, he found himself unable to say anything, to communicate what he was feeling. How was he supposed to when his sister was… well who she was? Nothing he said or did was ever going to be good enough, not compared to what she did for Mondstat and its people.
It was something he learned long ago.
He met her eyes, and stammered, trying to say something else, but he fell silent again. I’ve really gone and done it this time…
The hurt that flashed in her eyes was something that cut Aldrich like a knife.
“Do you… truly believe that’s what I want? That that’s what I think of you as?” She asked him, doing her best to keep her voice steady. She hesitated and spoke again, her voice shaky now. “I won’t lie, I do expect more from you then the others. But that’s because I more than anyone else, know how exceptional you are, but Aldrich, you don’t-.”
“Don’t live up to it, yes, I know you’ve told me this a dozen times Jean,” He said, turning from her as she stepped towards him. His next words were a whisper. “Maybe… I’m just not nearly as exceptional as you think.”
He’d whispered it, but he could tell that Jean had heard him. Her mouth fell open slightly, and for a moment Aldrich thought she was going to go on again to tell him how skilled he really was, along with the blatant lie that he was actually more skilled than her. Aldrich may have been better at controlling anemo, he may have been better with a sword, but just because he had strength? He knew that didn’t make him truly strong.
No, he had never, and would never be as strong as Jean, it was something made very clear from their time growing up. He waited for Jean to start lecturing him again.
But she didn’t, she only sighed, and the sadness in her eyes almost made Aldrich melt into the floor. For all these years, he wanted to hate her, to resent her for the fact he was always compared to her, and maybe it would have been easier if he could have.
However, he never could, how could anyone hate Jean? It was the opposite; he didn’t love anyone like he loved his big sister.
She cleared her throat and sat back down on her desk, fighting to keep her lips from turning down. “We’ll talk about this more later, you’re lucky Amber covered your rounds this morning around town for you, she didn’t hesitate, she never does for you.”
Aldrich stammered, his heart racing. “Yeah, I… heard she did. I was supposed to outride with her today, I should probably go find her she can’t be far.”
“Amber’s fine, she’s an Outrider for a reason. No, you’re going to stay here now,” She said, folding her hands on her desk. “Go report to Lisa in the library, help her out for the day, not that there’s much of it left.”
Aldrich went wide eyed, his chest exploding. “What?! Oh come on Jean! Lisa always gets everything done, and the hilichurls have been getting closer and closer to the city, Amber will need help!”
The last thing Aldrich wanted after the morning he had was to not be able to go and see Amber. The few hours they spent outside the city accounted for the little bit of serenity he felt those days.
Jean’s eyes narrowed. “In case you forgot, Stormterror has also been terrorizing the city. Other knights are out on patrol now, Amber will have help if she needs it, I had to assign more this morning, I had thought I would have two vision bearers and it would have been fine, but you were late.”
“Oh so this is a punishment then?!” He said, his head ready to split in half. “Come on Jean, please! You…” he bit his lip for a moment and then sighed, “you of all people know how much being with Amber puts me at ease, you can’t-.”
“I can because last I checked, I am the Acting Grand Master of the Knights of Favonius,” She snapped back at him, and for the first time in a while, he heard genuine anger. She stood up and glared at him from across the desk. “As a knight your duty to Mondstat comes first, even before your own personal life, you serve the people Aldrich.”
Aldrich scoffed at her. “Yes, and me running around the library for Lisa is really helping out the people of Mondstat, just say it’s a punishment and be done with it.”
“Well do you expect praise?!” She said, crossing her arms. “I walked all across town looking for you! I stopped everywhere and nobody had said they had seen you until Master Diluc said you had gone home with Venti last night, if not for Barbara you’d still be asleep!”
Aldrich winced, if not for Barbara he’d also still be puking his guts up.
Jean went on. “Then you stumble in here, you’re outfit is crooked, your hair is a mess, bags are under your eyes, you smell like a tavern, you’re hungover Aldrich! What do you expect me to do, just let you go and do whatever it is you want?!”
Aldrich balled his hand into fists, being hit with the truth to the face didn’t help his headache, and just because it was the truth didn’t mean he didn’t get angry.
He rolled his eyes at her, his fist shaking, as all his anger was coming up in that moment. “Of course I don’t expect to do anything I want. But I’d at least expect you to understand, it’s like I told you, it’s really not my-.”
“No I don’t want to hear excuses from you anymore. No blaming Venit, no blaming it on forgetting the day,” She said, as while she was angry Aldrich saw her blinking rapidly. “All I want you to do, is just take responsibility for your actions and serve your city! Do you not realize how much-.”
“How much skill I have, how much talent I have, yes you’ve informed me plenty of times,” Aldrich snapped back at her. “Here you go lecturing me again, I get it you’re the responsible prodigy, and me? I’m the adopted runt who-.”
“I WOULDN’T HAVE TO LECTURE YOU IF YOU WOULD JUST LISTEN TO ME!” She said, yelling now as her voice carried through her closed door, and he imagined all the knights coming to stop.
Aldrich blinked, his ears ringing and his chest ready to explode as he saw Jean’s eyes go wide as she quickly wiped her wet eyes and shakily breathed.
She blinked quickly but looked up at him. Her voice was stern but he heard it shake. “You will report to Lisa in the library, do you understand?”
She’s crying… or trying not too… great, there I go again, Aldrich thought, his gaze on the ground as he saluted. I really… really am in over my head.
“Yes… I understand,” He said, his voice quiet. “Am I dismissed… Acting Grand Master?”
Jean quickly nodded and shakily sighed turning her back to him. “Yes… go, I’ll probably need you later in the day, so don’t leave the city.”
Aldrich nodded, and for a second as her back was to him, he took a step forward. He saw her reach up and wiped her face repeatedly, and it broke him. There were so many things he wanted to say as his hand slowly reached out.
But as was normally the case… he pulled it back.
XxxxxxxxxxxxxxX
“Here’s the last of the overdue books you sent me out for Lisa,” Aldrich said, grunting as he placed the stack of books on Lisa’s spare desk. He groaned as he rubbed his temples. “I didn’t have any problems.”
Lisa chuckled, as she stirred a spoon in two teacups at her desk. “Ahaha, and I’m sure you dusted them off for me right?”
“Of course, I know how you like your books back,” Aldrich said with a sigh, sitting down in the spare chair she had behind her desk.
She smiled and slid a cup of tea over to him. “My knight in shining armor. Thank you Aldrich, here, drink this.”
“Thanks…I need it,” He said with a sigh, the smell wafting to his nose as his mouth watered. “This smells great, what is it?”
“Oh just a special herbal blend I’ve experimented with,” She said, sipping her own and winking over at him. “It should do exceptionally well with hangovers.”
Aldrich stammered, red-faced before sighing and drinking the tea. Lisa had a laugh at his reaction, but thankfully there weren’t many people in the library that day. Jean had been right in saying there wasn’t much left of the day, it was a little past noon, and only a few people had come to study and take notes. Aldrich had rearranged some shelves, organized some of Lisa’s extra files, and helped Noelle with some of her knight exam prep. Not that he was much help of course, considering the girl probably knew the handbook better than he did.
He’d gone and fetched some overdue books for Lisa and did his best to avoid eye-contact with Jean when he’d gone through the main hall. She had continued on with her work like Aldrich expected, but he could see how perturbed she still was, he’d wanted to say something, but his legs had frozen when he tried to move. So, now he’d finally get a minute to sit down and relax, considering he’d been basically on the run since Barbara had woke him up.
He let out a deep breath as his headache soothed, Lisa’s tea working wonders. She smiled at him and he felt at ease, which wasn’t a strange feeling around her. Lisa had been the reason he and Jean hadn’t clawed each other’s eyes out yet. His sister always said, ‘when Lisa is around I have peace of mind’, and that was one of the things Aldrich agreed with her on.
Aldrich sighed, managing to smile as he set the tea down. “Thanks Lisa, that really helped.”
His mind was clearer now, as the librarian smiled at him.
“Of course cutie, someone has gotta look after your hangovers,” She teased with a wink as she set down her empty cup as well. “So, I’ve been wondering, Windblume is coming up in two months do you plan on doing anything special for Amber?”
Aldrich choked on his spit. “H…Huh?! Why are you asking me that?!”
She smiled and laughed into her hand. “Ahaha, your reaction tells me everything I need to know. You’re just a big softy under all that bravado aren’t you? Come on, you can tell me! What’s going to be your ‘Windblume’ for her have you decided?
He stammered and looked to make sure nobody else was around, the last thing he needed was for any of the other knights to see him like that. His reputation had already sunk since Grandmaster Varka left on the expedition, and being Jean’s brother only could get him so far.
“I… I don’t know what you’re talking about!” He said, clearing his throat as he went to drink more tea but sipped an empty cup, which only made Lisa laugh.
“Ahaha, oh come on now, you don’t have to hide it from me,” Lisa said, smirking as she poured more tea into both their cups. “I already know, especially considering how much she talks about you.”
Aldrich’s chest thumped nearly out of his chest. He knew that Amber was pretty fond of coming and listening to Lisa’s stories, so they talked often.
“I… well…” He stumbled as he looked at her, biting his lip. “Does she really? Did she… mention anything about Windblume at all?”
The minute he finished Lisa started laughing again.
“Ahahaha, no she hasn’t, but again your face betrays you Aldrich,” she leaned forward with a smile. “The way you two dance around it, how cute you are when you’re together, oh it’s just precious! If you want, I could help you pick out your Windblume for her.”
Aldrich’s face only got redder; he’d really walked right into the oldest trick in the book. Of course, Jean was the only one he’d actually talked with about how he really felt about Amber, but it was stupid of him to think Lisa of all people wouldn’t be able to pick up on what they had.
That’s if we actually do have anything at all… Aldrich thought, his anxiety rising.
“I… I don’t need help! Not… that I have anything that needs helping with anyway!” He told her, standing and looking away from her out the window. “Besides we’ll probably both be working for most of the days anyway, it’s not like I’d have time.”
“Oh don’t be like that,” Lisa teased, standing next to him at the window. “I’m sure if you asked big sister she’d give you both a few days off for the giving part of the festival. Why don’t the two of us go and ask her? I’m sure she’ll have a minute to spare.”
Aldrich hesitated but sighed when he saw her knowing look.
He sighed and leaned on the window. “You heard us…”
“It was hard not too, I don’t think any of us have heard Jean raise her voice like that,” She said, her warm smile making him feel a bit better. “What was this one about?”
Aldrich sighed and recounted his chaotic morning to her. Lisa had been around for as long as he and Jean had, he never dared ask her how old she was, but he knew she was much more experienced then both of them. If she really wanted too, Aldrich thought she could have been qualified to be Grandmaster herself, if you asked him, she was already the most integral part of the Knights of Favonius.
And it wasn’t just for her mind. She may have appeared a bit aloof and lazy at times with how she always delegated work when she could, but Mondstat may have fallen apart without her. Aldrich knew that he would have a much harder time as well. He never wanted to bother Barbara with his problems, Kaeya rubbed him the wrong way at times, Eula was normally away from the city, Diluc was too serious, and Jean and he had grown much more distant since she became acting Grand Master.
That left Venti, who was so cryptic at times it hurt his head and was gone for months at a time, Amber who he may cherish more then all of them, and Lisa, who never failed to calm his anxiety.
“I see… this one sounds like it was bad,” She told him, her voice a bit worried.
“You can say that again…” Aldrich muttered rubbing his face. “I almost made my sister cry… some brother I am, I bet she’s regretting the choice to ask her parents to take me in even more now.”
“Oh hush now, you really don’t believe that,” She said, sounding stern yet comforting at the same time. “You know how much she cares for you Aldrich, she just has a hard time really expressing it, with all the responsibility she has now.”
“I know, I know, believe me if anyone knows it’s me,” He said, his hand over his chest. “I… didn’t mean what I said to her, I… I wanted to apologize but I just…”
And just like with his sister, he couldn’t finish the thought. He shakily sighed and looked out the window at the large windmills, the blades turning in the wind as he closed his eyes and tried to imagine himself and Jean sitting on the ledges of the walls watching them when they were kids.
He was horrified to realize; he had a hard time bringing the memories back to his mind. His anxiety washed back over him at that… was he really that far gone?
“You both need to work on communicating with each other better, and I know that’s hard with both of the responsibilities you have,” Lisa said, sighing contentedly as she leaned her head over on his shoulder and smiled out the window. “When was the last time you both sat down and chatted outside of Headquarters, nobody else, just the two of you? Have you even had lunch together lately?”
Aldrich blushed, as he thought about it. “I… no…not lately no. We did one time with Barbara but well, a lot of other people were around and-.”
“Well how can you both expect to tell each other what you’re really feeling without having the chance too?” She said, ruffling his hair affectionately. “Jean’s not faultless in this either, she seems to think this whole spat between you both is just going to go away. And you Aldrich, don’t seem to be able to really tell her what’s on your mind.”
He was quiet as his face got redder, his eyes on the ground. Jeez… how the hell does she do that? She just knows everything…
She chuckled at his embarrassed look. “But you need to understand, you’re not making her life any easier either, you do know that right?”
He stammered as his chest thumped. “I… I do…. Look, I don’t mean to make her upset, I know I need to work on being late, taking this more seriously but I… I just…”
If I really told her more about what I was doing… if she got involved? No… I can’t risk that, I’m better off alone.
His words trailed off and when he looked up Lisa smiled still. “Well, why don’t we work on you just apologizing to her first mhm?”
“I… I was going to!” He stuttered out, his head suddenly pounding with anxiety.
She chuckled again and walked back to her desk. “A real apology, and for more than just this morning. You’re both stubborn, but don’t worry, I’ll even help you out.”
The embarrassment he felt suddenly rose up through his throat.
“I don’t need help apologizing!” He lied. “I just well… I…”
“Here, why don’t you go and get us lunch, and pick up something for Jean on your way,” She said handing him mora. She even winked at him as he took it. “And when you come back the three of us will all eat together. And while we’re at it, we can discuss what your Windblume for Amber is going to be!”
Aldrich froze as he tried to get words out, but Lisa’s tone left no room for arguments. He tried to come up with an excuse as to why he couldn’t eat with both of them, but he found his brain unable to keep up with his mouth.
“I… well… ugh… fine,” He muttered, before his heartrate went up again. “I’ll head out now…”
“Haha, I’ll be in Jean’s office when you’re done, be quick about it,” She teased with another wink as Aldrich groaned and turned to leave the library.
And to think… I could be out on an outride with Amber right now… I hope she’s doing better than I am at least, he thought as he left the library. As for lunch well… I think Jean likes mushrooms on her pizza?
A sense of shame washed over him… did he really not even know what his sisters favorite food was anymore?
XxxxxxxxxxxxxxX
Lumine
The wind swirled out of Lumine’s hand like a violent hurricane, the power of anemo she felt as it carried the fire from the girls arrows through the hilichurl camp was both exhilarating and terrifying. The rest of the fight didn’t take very long, as between the wind power she was able to control, her sword and the girl’s arrows, they were able to dismantle the camp and all the monsters within with little to no trouble. As her sword exited the last of them, she let out the breath she’d been holding and wiped sweat from her brow, looking at her hand with awe and reverence.
“So much power…” She said quietly, a chilling feeling running through her. “If I can master it then… then maybe I really can…”
Her voice trailed off as she seemed to feel the wind even more intensely now. It’s gentle caress, as if it was urging her on towards the city she saw in the distance, where she and Paimon would have gone either way. It was the closest large city to where she had landed… could he really be there?
Either way… I need to master this, I know I haven’t seen the last of that god, She thought, tightening her fist as the wind blew back her hair.
“Wow, that was awesome!” Paimon said, floating up next to her. “Paimon’s no expert, but it looked like you used that anemo power really well!”
“You think so?” She asked, looking at her hand. “It feels… natural.”
“It looks natural too! Great work, and thanks again for your help,” Amber said, leaping down off the rock, her red bow blew in the wind as she smiled. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone use anemo power that easily before after just awakening to it!”
Lumine blushed and looked at her hand. “I just… did what felt right. It was as if I knew what to do before I even moved.”
“That must just make you a genius Paimon thinks!” Paimon said.
Amber laughed. “Ahaha, or just someone with natural affinity. Still… it’s odd that you don’t have a vision. Aldrich and Jean are the only ones I know who use anemo power so well.”
Lumine nodded. “I see… well, I’ll need to master it if… I’m going to find my brother.”
“Paimon thinks that maybe you need a teacher! You’re a really good fighter with your sword, but maybe someone can teach you to better control anemo!” Paimon suggested, sounding quite proud of the idea.
Lumine looked to her, then Amber. “That… may not be a bad idea. I do need to focus on searching for my brother, but, if it would help-.”
“Oh, I bet Aldrich would help you out! He’s so good at controlling anemo he can even fly!” Amber said her eyes were even more hyper and excited then she’d shown so far. “He’s seriously strong, he can destroy a ruin hunter with one swing of his sword! He’s super helpful and reliable, seriously, there’s nobody-.”
“Woah Amber!” Paimon said, sounding surprised. “You really seem to think highly of this Aldrich guy!”
Lumine noticed it as well, the widening of Amber’s eyes, the smile that grew on her face. A smile tingled on her lips too.
Amber chuckled and nervously laughed. “Ahaha… you could say that. Aldrich was actually supposed to be the one out here with me today. He… well… was a little late, it’s partly why I asked for your help, not that I couldn’t have handled it myself, but it’s nice to have backup.”
“Huh?! He was late for work and that’s why you were all alone?!” Paimon said, crossing her arms indignantly. “Why was he late?”
“He… well… had a late night you could say,” Amber said, rubbing the back of her head, a slightly disappointed look on her face. “He does that sometimes, I cover his rounds for him, but I really don’t mind. I just wish he’d have made it today…”
Lumine’s stomach tingled as she saw the look on Amber’s face. A part of her thought Amber hadn’t really meant for that last part to slip out. She looked genuinely disappointed. She was about to offer some kind of encouragement or say something else, but Paimon as usual said what they were probably both really thinking.
“Late night…? So he was late because he was stayed up too late?!” Paimon said, rolling her eyes as she floated. “Paimon doesn’t think he sounds all that reliable to train Lumine if he’s leaving you out here all alone.”
“Oh, no! It’s not a big deal at all, I do go out myself most days, I am the only Outrider after all!” Amber said, a hint of red in her face as she looked between Paimon and Lumine. “Aldrich may… appear a bit lazy, but when you really know him, there’s nobody better to have by your side! He’s easily the strongest of the Knights of Favonius! But I guess that’s easy when you train with Jean your whole life!”
“Jean?” Lumine asked curiously.
Amber smiled again and nodded. “The Acting Grand Master of the Knights of Favonius! She’s Aldrich’s older sister, so long as the two of them are around Mondstat will never have to worry.”
Paimon looked like she was going to say something again, but Lumine guessed it probably wouldn’t have helped out too much, so she stepped in.
“We can discuss it more when we get back to the city,” Lumine said, offering a smile over to Amber. “But I really do appreciate your help so far, and any more the knights give, I’d greatly appreciate… I need to find my brother and be ready to fight whatever it was that attacked us.”
Amber hesitated for a moment but smiled. Lumine was beginning to think the girl never ran out of energy. Her smile was infectious, and as the wind blew, the sun shone, she felt some hope for the first time since she had been separated from Aether.
“Of course, I’m sure Jean, Aldrich and the rest of the knights will help you out however we can. You’re looking for family after all,” She said with a smile as she walked past her and Paimon. “Come on! I’ll even treat you both to a welcome to Mondstat present!”
And like that she took off down the hill.
Paimon floated up next to her. “Boy, she sure does move fast! Paimon thinks it’d be smart to meet this Grandmaster lady, and her brother, even if he sounds a bit lazy.”
“Don’t judge a book by its cover or a person until you’ve met them Paimon,” Lumine said, managing to smile as she started walking. “Come on let’s go.”
She started running after Amber with Paimon floating behind her.
XxxxxxxxxxxxxxX
Aldrich
Aldrich sighed as he looked at the to go boxes from Good Hunter.
“What do I even say…?” He mumbled to himself as he walked back from the church.
He’d gotten food but also ran into Barbara getting lunch for herself as well. Worried she’d be swarmed by her fan club if she was alone, Aldrich had walked back to the church with her. He’d dropped her off and with food for him, Lisa, and Jean, he had started back to headquarters, but the idea of being face to face with Jean again so soon after he’d made her so upset made his stomach churn.
“It used to be so easy…” He said, stopping in front of the statue of the anemo god. He looked up at the large, outstretched hands of Lord Barbatos and shook his head.
He’d received his vision six years ago in this exact spot, so he liked to come here when he was anxious.
“What do I do…” He quietly asked the anemo god, looking up at the statue. “Lord Barbatos… why can’t I do it? Why…. Why do I-.”
“Ahhhhh there he is! My knight and friend!” A familiar voice said, and Aldrich spun around, he felt his eyes and vision glow as it went on. “I’ve finally found you! I was wondering-GAH! Now that was just rude, is that any way to greet your dear companion!”
“You’re lucky I didn’t knock you off the ledge!” Aldrich yelled, as the gust of wind blasted over Venti’s head. His face was red as he tried not to drop his lunch. “You left the tab to me again!”
“Oh, did I?” Venti said innocently, chuckling as he nervously rubbed the back of his head. “I could have sworn I left money on your couch to pay for my half!”
“Yeah okay and I’m the anemo archon in disguise,” Aldrich spat back at him. He sighed and shook his head. “You’re paying for me next time.”
His bard friend chuckled nervously as he quickly nodded. “Ah yes! Of course I will! I have a performance later tonight, I expect to make enough to pay for us both twofold.”
“You’d better…” Aldrich sighed looking back up at the statue. “Oh yeah, Barbara told me you needed to visit an old friend today, you have friends other than me?”
“Aldrich my knight you wound me, of course I do!” He said dramatically, chuckling as he came up next to him. His face fell a bit as he looked up at Aldrich. “I came to find you to… apologize, what day it was last night slipped my mind, and I was the one who made you stay out-.”
“No, don’t apologize, it’s my fault,” Aldrich said, looking at the food in his hands. “If I wasn’t perpetually late all the time, Jean wouldn’t have cared… and it’s my fault for not remembering.”
Venti hesitated but smiled. “I see… well, still let me apologize. From the look on your face, you it seems that your sister didn’t take it very well.”
“You can say that again…” Aldrich sighed, his eyes still on Barbatos outstretched hands. “We… got into a pretty big fight this morning,” he bit his lip and found himself like normal telling Venti everything. “I… I wanted to apologize but… well…”
He let his words trail off, he’d talked with Venti about this plenty of times. Venti to his credit like always, didn’t comment until Aldrich was done, and even when he was done he let Aldrich have his thoughts. Finally, his bard friend sighed and reached up to squeeze his shoulder.
“Mondstat will be much better off when you and your sister see eye to eye again my friend,” He said, smiling as he looked up at the statue too. “You remember the significance of this place I assume?”
Aldrich chuckled, looking to the base of the statue. “Of course I do, this is where we met god… five years ago now right? And you still look the same, you must have one hell of a skin care routine.”
Venti laughed at that. Aldrich had given up on asking him questions about that years ago. He’d met Venti when he was 15, he was 20 now, and while Aldrich had grown, Venti had stayed the exact same. He had no idea how old the bard was, and he never asked for fear of a cryptic answer.
In the end it didn’t matter anyway, he’d grown to rely on the bard like he relied on Lisa, like he relied on Amber, to try and keep him sane in the chaos of his life.
“Ahaha, what can I say, I must age gracefully!” He said, before sighing, an invigorating smile on his face. “I remember you looked a lot like you do now then. Lost… conflicted. But I also remember you adored your older sister, what was it you told me again about why you trained? To take the….”
“Burden off Jean… so they’d stop throwing so much her way when she was so young, despite being a prodigy, I wanted to take the pressure off her, she was only 17,” Aldrich said, squeezing the food boxes as he remembered the conversation. “To protect Mondstat, help her, and protect our homeland like we always dreamed…”
It all seems like so long ago… Aldrich thought as Venti went on.
“Mhm, I remember it very well. I saw a young warrior who’d lost his spirit… but after some encouragement, and your vision awakening…” Venti said, dramatically throwing his arms up like he was performing. “You blossomed! Like the wind itself you blew away everyone who saw you! The Wind Knight, you were on your way to greatness, and you still are, despite what’s happened since then. Aldrich, my friend… do you still have that same dream?”
Aldrich bit his lip, seeing his sisters teary eyes. “Of course I do but, I don’t know what to do anymore. We’ve drifted so far apart and I just miss when we were younger. Venti… why? Why was it so much easier back then?”
He did this often, he simply asked the bard questions and he’d always have an answer, no matter what the question was.
Venti chuckled and leaned his forearm up on Aldrich’s shoulder. “That’s simply part of life my dear friend. Like the winds people always change, they grow and their emotions develop… but their hearts stay the same. I think your sister knows how much you care for her, but still, I think it would be nice for you to tell her that now and then.”
Aldrich bit his lip and shakily sighed, looking at the food delivery he was supposed to bring back to Lisa and his sister. He’d wanted to do that so many times but just couldn’t, he and his sisters disagreements and fights went way past simply him being late or slacking off on his patrols and other duties… but he knew Venti was right.
At least he hoped Jean knew, just like he knew she really loved him still.
“Argh…. I hate it when you’re right,” He sighed looking at the bard, but managing to smile as he saw his bright eyes. “But… thanks Venti.”
“For you my dear Wind Knight, anything! What are friends for after all?” He said, before nervously rubbing the back of his head. “So! How about since you do have off tomorrow, tonight you treat me to a….”
Venti’s words trailed off, and he slowly turned. Aldrich had already moved before him, as he saw the clouds coming in right away.
As usual, when the wind changed, Aldrich felt like he could hear it. Ever since he was a young boy, even before getting an anemo vision, he could feel the changes in the wind, he almost felt it communicated with him. The wind hummed and blew with distinct rhythms and speeds that Aldrich could interpret, after so many years he almost felt as if the wind was his friend.
And now? It was afraid, the wind churned and wept as the sky darkened.
The distant yelling of people in the streets also amplified Aldrich’s worried as he rushed towards the edge and looked down into the main fountain square first. It was far away, but when he did his heart fell to his feet.
“Amber…? She shouldn’t be…” He started looking up at the darkening sky, panic started welling up inside him as he felt the winds starting to churn, and the shadow appearing from the clouds. “Oh no…”
“No… Dvalin,” Venti said as he rushed up next to him. “I… I thought-.”
“VENTI!”
Aldrich yelled and took his friend down to the ground as he dropped his food and the cold winds started whirling with a violent swirl. Stormterror came crashing down out of the clouds almost scraping buildings, his shadow passed right over Aldrich and would have knocked him and Venti away had he not taken them to the ground. He looked at the brightly colored dragon pass overhead roaring as it flew over the church building, his hair blew up as he knelt in front of Venti who stirred below him. Spinning around he saw the violent winds rushing towards them, swirling tornados the dragon created ripping up parts of buildings, and Aldrich acted on instinct.
Shooting to his feet he felt his blue eyes start to glow as the vision on his waist blew and sprang to life with anemo energy.
He shot out both his hands as the tornado looked to pick up near the large statue of the anemo god behind him. Anemo energy, wind, erupted from his hands, it blasted forward and grew up into the air as the wind from his hands smashed into the tornado and made the wind shake even more violently. His legs buckled, he heard members of the church and others screaming and yelling as his anemo power whirled and stopped the tornado in its tracks before it could smash into the statue of Barbatos.
After it dissipated, Aldrich sighed as he reached down and grabbed Venti up from the ground. “Are you okay?”
“I… I’m fine,” Venti said, his hair and hat blown off as Aldrich helped him his feet, but when he got up he grabbed Aldrich and panic filled his eyes. “Aldrich, please! We need to stop Dv-.”
The dragon’s roar cut him off, Aldrich spun around as his eyes radiated with anemo energy. He’d left his sword back in Jean’s office, he’d stormed out without grabbing it, but he knew if he needed too he could get into the air if need be. Stormterror flew over the buildings again and began circling the city, a mass of clouds swirled and churned overhead in its wake, and Aldrich’s panic only shot up more when he ran to the ledge and saw tornados forming in the square, people were running away as they were horribly growing used to these attacks.
Aldrich chewed at his lip and shot to his feet, his eyes still glowing. “I need to find my sister, Venti get out of-.”
“SOMEONE GOT BLOWN UP!”
“GET THE KNIGHTS SOMEBODY HELP HER!”
“HER GLIDERS NOT WORKING!”
Aldrich went wide eyed and spun around, he narrowed his eyes and sure enough he saw what everyone else on the terrace was yelling about. He saw the girl get sucked up by one of the tornados, and while she was blowing, only one of the wings of her wind glider deployed.
The panic exploded inside of Aldrich, they hadn’t had anyone die in a Stormterror attack yet, and he didn’t want that to start now. Venti was oddly silent as he looked up at the scene, but Aldrich had already started moving. He looked at the edge of the terrace and rushed towards it when he saw someone holding a glider.
“I’ll bring this back I promise!” He said to the girl, grabbing it from her hands and putting his arms through the straps as he got up onto the ledge. He could fly himself of course, but in his current condition? A glider would help him.
The vision at his waist exploded with anemo power, he held his hand down below him and with a leap he unleashed a barrage of anemo energy, and that combined with the already churning winds launched him into the air. He pulled the string on the glider and its wings sprouted out, and it carried him up into the air, the whole time he expelled anemo energy around him to help keep himself floating.
I may be a crappy knight… but that doesn’t mean I don’t have a job to do!
People’s thoughts on Aldrich:
Jean-
As family: Aldrich is my younger brother, we adopted him after his parents died. We had already been friends, so I never had any doubts he’d fit in perfectly. We’ve grown up together… he’s very dear to me. The amount of dedication and strength he has is unparalleled, his kindness and compassion, all of them are things I admire about him. He says I inspire him, but the reality of the situation? He inspires me. He’s easily more skilled then even I am, if he begins to truly apply himself, he could be the next real Grandmaster instead of me.
Confidence: Aldrich may appear to be a bit irresponsible and… there may be some truth to that. He has trouble being on time and may not read through all the reports he needs to at times it’s true, as his sister I would know. But despite that, I know he cares deeply about Mondstat and its people, and he’d do anything for them. I trust him more than anyone.
Amber-
As a knight: Aldrich? He’s super strong, my grandfather, used to say he’s the strongest person Mondstadt’s seen since Vanessa herself! We met when we were younger, but I’d already heard of him, he introduced me to Eula and gave me the confidence I needed to continue as a knight! He’s everything a knight should strive to be like!
As more then friends: H…huh?! M…me and Aldrich, m…more than friends?! I suppose we are close, it… may have crossed my mind, but… well I… don’t think he’d be interested in me like… hey wait! Have you been reading my journal?!
Lisa- Oh, Aldrich is just such a little cutie, you should see how embarrassed he gets when I tease him. He tends to act like he doesn’t have a care in the world, but I’ve seen a much different side of him. Yes, he’s a tremendously hard worker. So long as he and Jean can stay on the same page, Mondstat won’t ever have to worry again.
Barbara- If not for Aldrich… I would have grown up away from Jean. After our parents split, Aldrich never forgot about me, he’s the reason the three of us even have a relationship. He’s always coming to visit and check on me, I really appreciate it. People will say he’s a slacker, but I see how hard he works personally, he’s the best!
Aldrich’s thoughts on others:
Jean-
As Acting Grand Master: So long as my sister’s around, Mondstat won’t have anything to worry about. She’s every bit as great as people make her out to be… probably even better, it’s been that way since we were kids. Diligent, kind, hardworking to a fault, she’s the best thing to happen to Mondstadt in over a hundred years… she’s the next Vanessa. If you ask me, she should’ve taken over for that old man Varka long ago, she was already basically doing his job anyway.
Amber-
As a knight: Amber may honestly be the best of us. Punctual, responsible, eager, and ready to do whatever she has too. I owe her, she’s never given up on me. Outgoing, kind, beautiful, dedicated, I really… oh, um, s…sorry what as the question again?
As more then friends: Wh…what?! Me and Amber, our relationship?! I… well, I mean she’s really pretty, kind, funny, I… I suppose that I… well… wait, did she… say anything to you about me? You gotta let me know!
Lisa- Jean always says, ‘so long as Lisa’s around I have peace of mind’, and it’s the same thing for me. She’s always so calm and knows exactly what to say, I know I can go to her with anything that troubles me. That’s one of the best things someone like me can hope for.
Barbara- I don’t think I’d be able to function without Barabra… no, literally, I barely have any idea how to wash clothes, I’m a horrible cleaner, and if not for her I seriously would starve to death. She’s my little sister, and does all that for me, the least I can do is make sure she’s safe. By the way, if you ever see Albert glaring at her… let me know, I’ll have to have another chat with him.
Character Details: Known throughout Mondstadt and dubbed by Venti the bard as ‘The Wind Knight’, Aldrich was adopted by the Gunnhildr Clan-one of Mondstadt’s 3 oldest and most prominent clans- after the death of his mother and father, two merchants who revolutionized many trading industries in Mondstadt. His father Arthur was Mondstadt born and bred, but his mother Anastasia was an outsider who struggled for years to win the trust of the people of the City of Freedom.
She eventually did, thanks to an unlikely friendship with the young head of the Gunnhildr Clan Frederica Gunnhildr. Growing as close as true sisters to Frederica, Anastasia eventually became beloved in Mondstadt, and her son Aldrich grew up with the love and admiration of the people for his hardworking and kind attitude, despite the fact he possessed a temper on par with his mothers.
It was during this time that Aldrich became ingrained in the society of Mondstadt. He met and bonded with the daughter of the Lawrence Clan Eula, and the people knew Aldrich was always willing to lend a hand. However, paralleling his mother, the most important connection he made was to the young daughter of Frederica, someone who he looked up too, tried to emulate, and cherished with all his heart. Jean. Aldrich and Jean became known as just that ‘Aldrich and Jean’ because the two of them rarely spent time apart in those younger years… and that would continue even after tragedy struck.
In a mysterious and sudden journey to the Nation of Cryo, Aldrich’s parents were both ambushed and killed. Arthur’s body was returned to Mondstadt, along with the other merchants and hired guards, but Anastasia was never found, her body seemingly disappeared. Nothing of hers was returned, except for a now masterless vision that Aldrich keeps to this day.
But it was in this moment of tragedy, Aldrich swore that he’d never let anyone feel the sadness or hopelessness he felt that day, he’d become a knight so strong that everyone would feel safe so long as he was around.
And to help that dream go along, it took only minutes, before Frederica and Jean made him the offer he remembers to this day. Aldrich Hayes became Aldrich Hayes-Gunnhildr, the adopted son of Frederica Gunnhildr, the brother of Jean. The new son of the Gunnhildr Clan, who would one day become Mondstadt’s Wind Knight.