Chapter Text
The last few weeks had been boring for Tartaglia, the 11th Fatui Harbinger. Incredibly tedious, to be honest. He had returned from Liyue to his cold, snowy homeland in Snezhnaya after his duties there finished about two months ago.
After an exhilarating and much appreciated short vacation at home with his siblings, he returned to his residence in the Zapolyarny Palace to resume his duties beside the Tsaritsa.
Much to his disappointment, not much seemed to be going on. His days consisted of extremely repetitive paperwork, training some new recruits and a little bit of debt collecting here and there in the capital. In his free time, he would train by himself until he was too numb to think. Then he would eat his meals without any company, because that was much better than the company of the other Harbingers, and then sleep in his way too large quarters, where he would freeze despite the roaring fire in the fireplace. He was growing restless and desperate to be sent elsewhere.
With Barbatos’s and Rex Lapis’s Gnosis in her hands, the Tsaritsa concentrated her efforts on the archons of other nations, more precisely Inazuma and Fontaine, where other Harbingers were stationed. And Childe apparently wasn’t needed in the frontlines for now.
He felt a dull ache in his chest, as he found himself missing his time in Liyue. The country was lively and colourful, the exact opposite of Snezhnaya. There was always a lot of work at the Northland Bank, many debts to collect and monsters to fight, and in the evening, he had luxurious and delicious meals and pleasant company. The harbour had somehow grown into his heart and felt like home. He missed the smell of the sea and the warmth.
Missing a city you will never be allowed inside again. Yeah, you deserve that, he told himself.
He was still mad at how things turned out, having the whole city thinking he was the only villain in the drama he didn’t know he was playing. Of course, he couldn’t be mad at the Tsaritsa, but his hate for La Signora intensified by a tenfold after her stunt in Liyue. Much to his surprise, he could not be mad at Zhongli, even when he tried. More so, he found himself feeling rather sad than anything else.
He didn’t have the opportunity to talk things out with him before leaving Liyue. But rather, he spent the last few days there desperately trying to avoid him and to be angry. Now, having had some time to think, he wanted to write him a letter, but his pride wouldn’t let him. He convinced himself that if he was ever anything else for Zhongli other than a pawn in his plans, the ex-archon would be the one to reach out to him somehow, so he waited.
He was also disappointed because he couldn’t spar with Lumine anymore. It had been an almost weekly experience during his stay in Liyue, and one of the highlights of his time there. He also enjoyed helping her with her commissions from the Adventurer’s Guild and smashing some hilichurls together, even though he didn’t need the money at all.
She was a mystery of a woman welding two elements without any Vision in sight. She was a challenge, and he was very much intrigued.
Yes, he had used her for his plan, and he would do it again if the Tsaritsa so needed. But still, he found himself enjoying her company and even reaching out for her, and was surprised when her presence and trusting attitude made him shed some of his masks. She hadn’t pushed him away and indulged him, which was more than he could say about most people.
Ah, their battle in the Golden House. The fierce look in her amber eyes. She was so strong, and so beautiful, like a rightful angel coming down to strike him. He hadn’t had such a gratifying battle in years. And then she beat him. For Childe, his interest for the girl only grew after that.
We wanted that thrill again, for them to go all out in another battle. Next time he wanted to have the satisfaction of pinning her down, having her surrender under him.
Of course, he knew very well that whatever delicate relationship they had shattered after that battle, because of course, for someone like her, relationships were based on trust, and not on whatever fucked up criteria Childe had. He wanted things to stay the same, but wasn’t naïve enough to hope nothing would change between them. So, no more weekly sparing sessions or adventuring together after that. No more of anything after that, since she wanted nothing to do with him.
She had been cordial enough not to kill him when he was weakened after the incident with Teucer in Dottore’s research facility, and he couldn’t ask for much more of her. Still, he didn’t want that to be the last time he ever saw her, and before he knew, he was asking her to visit him and his family in Snezhnaya.
Like hell she would. She hates your guts, his mind whispered darkly.
Where was she now?
He tried keeping informed about her whereabouts since he left Liyue. He knew she stayed in the city for a bit, and was often seen with Zhongli helping rebuild what was broken in the harbour after the battle against Osial, because of course she would.
He hoped the anonymous one million Mora donation he made helped somehow with the repairs. He did not regret setting the old god free, though, because in the end, his Tsaritsa got her will. He just didn’t like the idea that the poor fishermen in the harbour had their fishing boats destroyed or whatever.
Lumine headed back to Mondstadt afterwards for some time, and apparently enjoyed some harmless fun like shooting balloons and gliding during the Windblume festival with her friends. She even received some kind of honour from the acting Grandmaster. Nothing unexpected, for her to be the star everywhere she went. She shined that brightly.
Last he heard of Lumine from his informants, she was in Guyun Stone Forest, boarding a pirate ship headed to Inazuma in the dead of night along with two male companions from Mondstadt. This happened a few weeks ago. Information from inside Inazuma was practically impossible to get, and he didn’t hear anything else about her.
She would like Inazuma. This time of the year, the cherry trees would be at full bloom and the temperature pleasing. Hopefully she would find some leads on her brother, or better, just find him.
He hoped against hope she would stay out of harm’s way this time, and that the Sixth Harbinger would get Raiden’s Gnosis without much fuss and that they never, ever crossed paths. Lumine had the tendency to cause trouble wherever she went. Or was it that trouble inevitably came find her? Either way, she always wormed herself into things that were none of her business by trying to do the right thing or help people.
He hoped she was safe.
He pictured her exploring the lands and battling some unique electro monsters. She might have learned some new tricks. Did she learn to use another element already?
He imagined her walking around a local spring festival wearing a cute flowery kimono, playing games, having fun with her friends and eating beautiful, colourful sweets. Maybe she could get her hands on some rice wine or plume liquor and get tipsy.
Then he involuntarily blushed as he thought about her relaxing in an outdoor hot spring bath after a long day.
Nope, let’s not go there.
Maybe she was sleeping, curled in a futon, in a safe, cosy and warm inn, at this very moment.
Was she sharing the room with her companions like she once shared shelter with him when they got caught by surprise in the middle of a thunderstorm while adventuring? Maybe one of her companions was more than a friend. Could she be sharing her bed? Was one of them keeping her warm at night?
He groaned at that thought.
I wish I could accompany her in her travels instead of being here.
“Enough rest, back to training,” he sighted, shoving strands of damp ginger hair tickling his checks back behind his ear.
He was standing in one of the many modern training facilities in the underground of the palace, working on his bow skills.
His technique was as bad as always. Adapting to the bow was no easy task for him. He was used to the fluid flexibility and speed of using daggers and swords, and using a bow required stiffness, concentration and precision. It felt like going against his very nature and element.
His arrow blows lacked power because of his wrong posture, and he was trying to fix that without losing his speed, and, after many days, he felt he wasn’t making any progress at all. “This is pointless,” he muttered.
He was tired and sweaty and his hands hurt while shooting arrow after arrow at the stupid training dummy he couldn’t break. His fingers were raw and his underarms full of hematomas and cuts from where the bow string always hit him.
The sound of hasty steps coming from down the hall made him stop the abuse of the training dummy.
“Lord Harbinger Tartaglia, Sir! I am sorry to interrupt,” one of his subordinates opened the doors of the training facility and marched in, bowing deeply.
He raised an eyebrow, as it was uncommon for someone to interrupt him during his training, and this late at night non the last. “What is it?”
“Excuse me, Sir. La Signora requires the immediate attendance of all present Harbingers for an emergency meeting. She is waiting in the large boardroom.”
Not today, he thought desperately, I don’t have any patience left for this.
“Hm? That is unusual. Tell Signora she can fuck herself.”
“L-Lord Harbinger! P-please, she insisted. She said it is of upmost importance that you attend,” the poor recruit was so flustered, he almost took pity on him.
There was no way he could avoid Signora anyway, if she really wanted something from him.
“Fine. Please take care of my mess here and I will be on my way.”
Upon arriving in the room, he glanced at Signora, and then at the other present. Dottore was of course there, since he rarely left the palace, and Pedrelino as well. Surprisingly, Scaramouche was in the middle of the room, along with some of his subordinates.
That was most unusual indeed, since he was supposed to be in Inazuma. He walked across the room and realized Scaramouche’s agents were holding other people tightly on the ground at Signora’s feet.
No.
It took him all of his self-control and all of his years of training to not let an undignified noise out of his mouth. He settled to lightly raising one eyebrow at the sight of the prisoners.
The red-haired man was Diluc Ragnvindr, ex-knight and well known noble and rich wine producer from Mondstadt. Also well known for his hate of the Fatui and for always interfering with their plans. He was pressed down on his knees, arms held behind his back, looking absolutely furious. His clothes were scorched in different places.
The other handsome man with one eyepatch was obviously Kaeya Alberich, cavalry captain of the Knights of Favonius, known for his vast information network, sharp tongue, and of course stunning appearance. His visible eye showed nothing less than murderous intent, but his demeanour was calm and calculating. He was bloody, and his left arm bended in an odd angle.
What a group. Ragnvindr was the brawl, Alberich the brain.
He didn’t want to look further because he knew who the girl next to the captain was. Her amber eyes looked defiant and frightened at the same time. She was dirty, battered and bruised, her blond hair tainted with red dried blood.
Lumine would obviously be the heart.
While she was struggling against the agent’s grip, her dress rode up, exposing most of her pale legs. His hands held her tightly by her hair. The agent was not even trying to hide his lustful looks toward her. He battled the urge to draw his blades and cut his fingers one by one. Unfortunately, that was not an option.
No. No, no, no, no.
Not even hours ago, he was hoping she was somewhere safe. And there she was, on the ground of Zapolyarny Palace. She was not supposed to be here. She was supposed to be in Inazuma.
She was supposed to be safe.
And those men were her companions. They were supposed to protect her.
Hoping for anything is truly meaningless, he chastised himself.
Her eyes looked straight into his and widened. He knew that look. He saw different emotions pass through her face. Surprise, fear, hope. He didn’t let his own emotions reach his face. He couldn’t give Lumine the comfort she wanted. He wasn’t an ally. He was not going to help her. He couldn’t keep looking at her and averted his eyes.
“It seems we are complete.” Signora declared, when she saw Tartaglia march inside. “Please, Scaramouche, do tell us what happened.”
“What is there to tell? You wanted me to get you the girl, so here she is. Had to take her guard dogs too, though.”
Signora had wanted Lumine? And he knew nothing about this! How much did he not know? Why was he kept in the dark again?
“Hm. I do know this one. The cavalry captain. Such a pretty face,” Signora went down on one knee to take Kaeya’s face in one of her hands, holding him up. The captain’s lips turned upwards into a dangerous smirk. Diluc grunted and waggled next to him, and was pushed face first on the floor.
“He almost crossed my plans in Mondstadt, watching my every move. But since the Tsaritsas orders didn’t mention what to do with him, I let him be. What is your name again, dear?”
He didn’t answer and looked at her with defiant eyes.
“Hm. It does not matter.” She glanced at the other man on the floor. “Another prominent Mondstadt figure. Do you share the girls desire to cause trouble?” A rhetorical question. She stood back up and glanced to Scaramouche. “How did you catch them?”
He smirked. “Ambushed.”
“Do elaborate.”
“This… rats were snooping everywhere in Inazuma. So, I had the idea I could use them in my plans instead. As you know, I planned to steal the country’s confiscated Visions to rile Raiden up and draw her out of her hiding, and give them to the Tsaritsa,” he explained.
“They made the mistake of trusting Kamisato Ayaka. She told them pretty stories about freedom, and how she wanted to steal the Visions to give them back to their rightful owners, and free Inazuma of Raiden’s restrictions. They walked right into my arms, then. And the Visions are in my possession.”
Oh, no.
Kamisato was one of Scaramouches most faithful generals.
Why, Lumine?
She should know better! She should have learned her lesson after the incident with him. After he betrayed her trust. Don’t trust anyone.
Never trust anyone.
“Well, this is very fortunate. The Tsaritsa will be pleased to have them out of her way.”
“And where is her royal highness now?”
“She is away, but will be back soon. In the meantime, I would like to ask our prisoners some questions. Take the men somewhere else. Give me the girl,” She snarled to the agents.
“No!” Ragnvindr was struggling against the many men dragging him. “Leave her alone! Take me, instead.”
Weak flames were forming in his hands. Scaramouche grabbed him by the neck in lightning speed and shocked him with purple sparks; the redhead groaned in pain. “Don’t worry, if she dies, you can be next,” he said.
“They still have their Visions?” she asked.
“Don’t worry, they can’t do much, they are drugged. Injected them with Dottore’s new elemental blocker,” said Scaramouche flatly, shocking Diluc once more with his sparks.
“How interesting! Do pyro allogenes metabolize the blocker faster? I have to test this further; this is very intriguing indeed…” Dottore muttered from the other side of the room.
Signora rolled her eyes and looked at Childe. “Tartaglia, confiscate their Visions.”
He wanted to snarl back that she didn’t get to order him around, they were the same rank, but he did as he was told, and snapped the cryo and the pyro vision of both men’s belts, before they were escorted out of the room, still struggling and screaming.
His mind was racing. How could he get Lumine out of here?
The agent holding Lumine lifted her up from the floor by her hair and she gasped, his other hand stroked the naked skin in the back window of her dress. She wiggled against him trying to escape the touch. The agent licked his lips.
Don’t touch her. Get your dirty paws off her or you will lose them.
His hands twitched involuntarily and he balled them in a fist.
Lumine was roughly pushed and fell on the floor near Signora.
“Alright dear. Be good and no one will have to get hurt,” Signora approached Lumine again, kneeling in front of her. “Where is Raiden hiding?”
Dread grew in Ajax’s stomach. This won’t be good.
No answer.
“Where is Raiden?”
Again, no answer.
She slapped Lumine across the face backhanded. It split her lip. Childe kept his impassive face.
“Did you meet her? What is she scheming with the confiscated Visions?”
“I won’t tell you anything.”
She summoned a sharp ice dagger, and took Lumines arm.
Shit! Think, Ajax, think! Come up with something.
Because, of course, it was Ajax who felt helpless. Not his Childe, not his Tartaglia. Childe was curious and annoyed about being kept in the dark again. Tartaglia couldn’t be bothered.
He needed a reason to stop this. Any reason. The was thinking hard, but couldn’t come up with any excuse the other Harbingers would consider valid.
“Let’s try something else.” And she stabbed right through her underarm. Lumine let a shrill scream out.
Goosebumps broke out all over his body. He momentarily forgot how to breathe.
No! No, no, no!
Signora twisted the ice dagger in Lumine’s arm and a second howl followed.
Childe felt all the colour involuntarily leave his face. He shuddered. No, he had to keep it together. He knew better than to show any kind of emotion right now.
She is not going to stop torturing her until she gets what she wants. Just cooperate, Lumine, dammit!
“So?” Signora insisted.
“I didn’t meet Raiden! I swear!”
“Hm. We will see about that. Change of subject, then. Where is Barbato’s Gnosis?”
Huh?
Lumine was panting, a puddle of blood forming under her arm, where the icicle was still lodged.
“With… The Tsaritsa.”
Signora snarled. “Don’t play dumb, girl! You were with him there! Where did he hide it?”
Tartaglia was obviously missing some information here. Signora stole it months ago from Barbatos, she had been very smug about that, and the Tsaritsa had it in her possession. Or didn’t she? Was this the reason the eighth Harbinger wanted Lumine captured?
“You took it from him! If the Tsaritsa doesn’t have it then I don’t know where it is!”
“It was a fake! An illusion! And you know it! Tell me, where is the real one?” Signora summoned another icicle and jammed it in the girl’s exposed tight.
Another strangled cry. The sound was barely reaching Childe’s ears. Cold sweat broke out of his skin. He had to think of a way to stop this, or she would get killed. He was trying desperately to keep his heart rate in check, the way it was jamming at his ribcage was much too loud. He couldn’t show the other Harbingers what he was feeling.
But what was he feeling? Why was he affected by this?
It is because of the screaming. You just don’t like the screams, any normal person would react this way, he reasoned with himself.
But he was hardly a normal person. He was a Harbinger. He enjoyed stuff like this. The bloodier, the better.
It is because she doesn’t deserve this. She is a good person.
To show any emotion now would be very dangerous. For him. For her! If the other Harbingers knew he was affected, they would kill her right in front of his eyes just to make a show.
You are a bloody hypocrite. You have tortured many good people before and didn’t even bat an eye.
His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of Ragnvindr yelling Lumines name from the other room. He sounded like a wounded beast.
Ah.
So, he is the one she is sleeping with.
Personally, if he was a girl, he would have preferred the captain. At least he could fake a nice smile.
Does it make her feel more vulnerable, knowing her boyfriend could be the next to be tortured? Or does it soothe her to know he is nearby?
“Did he give it to someone else before I attacked? Who did he give his Gnosis to?” Tears were now flowing across Lumines cheeks. She whimpered, and Signora slapped her across the face once more.
Ajax didn’t know how long this had been going on. Minutes, hours? How long before she finally gave out Barbato’s secrets? How long before they broke Lumine for good?
She doesn’t deserve to die like this.
“I don’t know, please… PLEASE!”
Childe had a lingering feeling that Lumine actually knew.
Signora grabbed the icicle in Lumine’s leg, pulled it out and stabbed her leg once more. There was a large pool of blood forming under the girl. Signora must have hit a large vessel. She was bleeding out on the white marble floor.
Lumine screamed.
… and screamed. And screamed.
Archons, please, make this stop.
Lumine’s head lolled in his direction, and amber eyes met his once more. They were red from crying, and more tears were still escaping trough her lashes and spilling down her checks. He didn’t look away this time.
Does looking at a familiar face do you any good? Does it give you any comfort, knowing you are not alone?
He couldn’t breathe. His chest was unbelievably tight and ached with every heartbeat.
For the first time in many years, he felt a single tear escape his eye, quickly roll down his face and fall to the floor. He didn’t feel it coming. He couldn’t stop it. But he couldn’t pull his hand up to wipe the wetness away, he couldn’t risk drawing any attention to himself. If any Harbinger saw his face now, it could pass through as a glint of sweat. So, he just stood there, as motionless as possible, wondering if she had noticed his tear.
If she was conscious enough to notice anything, at this point.
There was a loud noise outside, and his eyes averted from Lumine’s towards the door.
“Hey, you! Go check if everything is alright,” Scaramouche snarled the orders to one of his agents.
Awoken from his brief trance, Ajax started assessing his chances. He could kill the few lower ranked Fatui easily. There were four Harbingers beside himself in the room. He could take, one, maybe two of them out? He had to be fast, before all of them realized what was happening and reacted. He was not sure he would be able to kill Signora or Scaramouche in a fight. Could Ragnvindr and Alberich end the ones left? Not likely, since they were drugged. Lumine probably could, in a normal situation, but she was in no condition to fight.
What the hell are you even thinking? This is treason…
The door slammed open and Ragnvidr and Alberich raced inside. Without being watched by a Harbinger, they apparently managed to subdue the agents and escape, even without their Visions. And they stole some weapons. Scaramouche was the first to move, sending sparks in their direction, and they expertly dodged being hit.
Childe’s feet were still planted on the ground, and he realized he was still holding on to their Visions tightly in his hands.
How can I help without raising attention from the other Harbingers? He blinked across the room.
“Don’t move!” Signora raised to her feet, holding Lumine tightly against herself, another ice dagger pressed under her jaw, superficially breaking the skin and drawing a droplet of blood. Lumine whimpered and struggled softly against her grip. “Come any closer and you will watch her die.”
The men stoped.
“Let. Her. Go.” Ragnvidr snarled at her and motioned forward. He was held back by the captain’s arm.
“Alright. Alright. Just don’t hurt her.” Alberich reasoned and dropped the stolen sword.
And that’s when hell broke loose.
Childe was slammed back by a powerful gust of wind, hitting his head hard against the wall and his vision blackened, briefly disorientated. He wasn’t sure if the crack he heard was the wall or his skull. He felt hot blood running from his head to his nape.
He saw the small fairy that usually accompanied Lumine floating towards the fallen girl, and a boy in green clothes slamming Signora on the floor like she was a straw dummy. Oh right. The fairy had been missing.
He was brought back to his senses by Alberich roughly jacking the visions out of his grasp. In the middle of the chaos, he made no effort pretending to fight back, and let himself get slammed against the wall again.
The boy he recognized as Barbatos scooped Lumine lightly on his arms. Somewhere across the room, Scaramouche screamed, and the air filled with static and heat. Tell-tale sign he was charging his Vision and Delusion at once. He saw him point his hand in the boy’s direction. In Lumine’s direction.
Fuck!
He couldn’t get to her quick enough. Next thing he saw was the explosion caused by overload. Pieces of furniture and broken marble floor flew all over, and he barely managed to protect his face, some pieces hitting his arms and torso making small cuts.
Dust filled the room. He coughed. His body protested and he couldn’t see, but he walked through debris in the rough direction where Lumine should be.
He saw the boy, wide eyed and dirty, holding his abdomen, where a blood pool was forming. Alberich was helping Ragnvindr up near him with the small fairy apparently unconscious in his other arm. The boy glanced across the room and jumped towards both men, enveloping them with his arms. And just like that, with another gust of wind, they disappeared.
Lumine!
Did she get away?
The other Harbingers were battered, but none life threateningly hurt. He blinked trough pain and moved forward.
As the durst settled, he found the girl. He desperately wished he didn’t have. She was laying completely unmoving in a hole in the floor, covered with pieces of marble and wood. Her eyes were closed and she looked finally peaceful.
He saw the very discrete rise and fall of her chest. He almost wished she wouldn’t be breathing. Being dead would have been better. Being dead would be a blessing.
Her companions had left her. That stupid god saved them, and fucking left her here. How dare he only save his own people? She was now alone in the snake’s den.
Come back!
For the first time, he prayed to another god.
Please, come back and take her with you!
Chapter Text
Barbatos did not come back. Because of course, Childe should know better by now than to hope for anything.
Ajax stomach hurled and he bit his lip hard to fight back the urge to vomit. He had just stood there. He had just stood there and fucking watched they do that to her.
What else could you have done, mocked Childe.
Something. Anything, Ajax answered.
You would have gotten yourself killed.
Childe briefly closed his eyes, satisfied that the girl was at least unconscious and didn’t have to see what comes next.
“They are gone!” Signora stumbled back on her feet, absolutely furious, “Barbatos himself was here and escaped!”
“That power, he easily knocked the four of us out. Nothing like you described when you attacked him in Mondstadt,” Pedrelino spoke for the first time, also slowly rising to his feet and shaking the dust of his clothes, “he can’t possibly be this powerful without his Gnosis.”
“As if I don’t know, he must have gotten it back before coming here,” she snarled. “And now we have nothing. The Tsaritsa will be furious with this failure.”
“That’s not true, we still have the girl.”
She was still lying on the floor under the crumbles, breathing shallowly.
“Well, she is no longer useful. We can dispose of her and send her head to Mondstadt with a bouquet of Celilias.”
“NO!” The yell came out of Ajax’s mouth before his brain could stop it.
Fuuuck.
He breathed slowly in and out, now he had to explain himself, and better be really convincing, or his head would be going along with Lumine’s.
Signora eyed him suspiciously, “Why not? She doesn’t have any information we could use anymore. She outlived her value.”
“She is worth more alive than dead to us. Trust me.”
Signora scoffed, “Don’t be soft, Tartaglia. If the previous relationship you had with this girl has anything to do with this…”
Slowly, he let his Tartaglia take control. Ruthless, calculating, cunning. His head hurt so much.
“I am not soft. She doesn’t mean anything to me,” he hissed, “If anything, I despise her for crossing my plans at the Golden House, I want nothing more than to see her suffer.” He continued, dripping his words with as much venom as he could muster. “But she is valuable to her companions. She holds an important position in Mondstadt. Surely, Barbatos cares enough about her if he risked coming here for the rescue in the first place. She is still useful, as a prisoner. She is the perfect bait.”
“I agree.”
The eery voice suddenly sounded across the room. That was the kind of voice that didn’t go through your ears, it pierced you right through the bones. And that voice could only belong to one person.
All the Harbingers instantly fell to their knees.
“Your royal highness!” all of them muttered in awe.
Her presence in the room made the temperature drop by several degrees, and Childe’s breaths came out as little white puffs.
“You may rise.”
With her permission, the Harbingers could get up on their feet. The Tsaritsa was a beautiful being. She had the kind of dangerous beauty from a raging blizzard. Her pale skin was covered with a light blue dress made out of the finest silks and frost itself, and it sprawled delicately across the floor. Her white hair was pulled up in a tight bun, with some strands perfectly falling over her shoulders and framing her face. On the top of her head laid a crown of diamonds and ice. Hey grey eyes were the same colour as the skies in Snezhnaya.
“Isn’t this a rare sight? My eighth on a murderous rage, and my eleventh trying to be the voice of reason?” Her eyes glimmered dangerously, passing through Signora, then Childe, then trough the other Harbingers. “All of my Harbingers battered. The boardroom destroyed. Explain yourselves.”
“My queen,” Signora started, “Scaramouche was the one who blew up the meeting room, using his Vision and Delusion at the same time, and almost hurt all of us…”
She was interrupted by the angry sixth Harbinger, “Excuse me? I believe I was the only one here who tried to attack Barbatos, while you were all knocked out like idiots!”
“I did not just stand there!” Signora objected, “I freezed him-”
“Silence. Both of you. Barbatos was here?” The Tsaritsa sounded absolutely furious, even without raising her voice.
Oh no, we are all dead.
And then she turned to Pedrelino. “Come here.”
He quickly walked towards her, and fell to her feet.
“Explain this in an ordinate way.”
“My queen. Scaramouche captured the outlander and her companions from Mondstadt in Inazuma during his mission to steal the Visions. He brought them here today, on Signora’s request. While Signora was questioning the girl about Barbatos’s Gnosis, the Archon himself came to rescue them. He was powerful, your majesty, and almost subdued all of us. Scaramouche managed to fight and land a hit on him, which also destroyed the room, but he escaped with two of the prisoners. The girl was left behind. Please, look into my mind if it pleases your royal highness.”
She lifted one hand to touch his temple, where her fingers lingered for some seconds. Apparently satisfied with what she saw in Pedrelino’s memories, she raised her hand to her chin, pensive.
“I see.”
The Tsaritsa walked towards where Lumine was laying, looking down at her.
“So, this is the outlander who keeps intervening in our plans.”
“Yes, my queen,” said Signora “I believed she knew about the location of Barbatos’s Gnosis and ordered her capture. It seemed that Barbatos’s had his powers back today.”
“Yes, I believe this is true… Barbatos was always a slippery, tricky one. He might be moving the Gnosis around to fool us, and got it back just to come here. He could be hiding it again somewhere else at this moment. Still, I cannot explain how he got in the palace. Gnosis or not, it should not be possible.”
“If what Tartaglia assumes is true, he might try to come back again to save her.”
The cryo Archon turned toward Childe.
“Tartaglia, my sweet child. Come here.”
Fuck, why did you speak up for her?
He walked towards her, immediately dropping to his knees at her feet, like etiquette called for. He felt her icy fingers crawling over his neck, then lifting his chin up, so that their eyes could meet. Her touch burned.
“You truly believe Barbatos would come back for her?”
“Yes, your majesty. I believe them to be quite close.”
To be honest, he wasn’t sure at all. Lumine didn’t talk much about the god at all in their adventures, she had always been secretive about her relationships in Mondstadt. He was lying through his teeth. But he would try whatever he could to buy her some more time alive, whether it was for her to be rescued by her friends, or to escape herself.
You are lying to your Tsaritsa for her.
When did you start caring about her? Ajax asked.
I don’t, Childe answered, I just don’t want her dead.
She hummed, now running her nails trough Childe’s nape and the back of his head, where he involuntarily hissed when she met the wound.
“My poor boy, that terrible Archon hurt you,” she purred.
Please don’t go into my mind, he thought, desperately. The Tsaritsa had done it once before, when he was much younger, but stopped upon feeling the Abyss inside him. He didn’t like the feeling or having his mind intruded. And the Archon apparently didn’t enjoy lingering in the hell she saw.
He felt sheer cold on his scalp, followed by throbbing pain. Then he realized the pain was gone. The Tsaritsa had healed him.
“Thank you, your majesty. I am undeserving of your kindness.”
“Now, my child, go fetch me the girl.”
His heart did a painful leap on his chest.
What does the Tsaritsa want with Lumine? Is she not going to spare her after all? Ajax worried.
It doesn’t matter, his darker side answered.
Childe moved towards her, who was still blissfully unconscious, on the ground. He swayed the pieces of debris from her body, pleased upon realizing she didn’t seem to have any major injuries caused by the explosion, only small cuts and scrapes here and there. She was completely bloody, and dust glued into the liquid, but fortunately, the stab wounds from her previous torture seemed to have stopped bleeding actively.
Somehow, even when dirty, bloody and hurt, she still looked like one of those maidens in his sister’s story books, who awaited a kiss from a prince to wake up from a curse. Too bad that was not at all what was going to happen now.
He dragged her up as gently as possible by her uninjured arm and her waist, while trying to make it appear that he didn’t care about her wounds. The motion made her slowly open her eyes and blink.
“…V-Venti?”
When her eyes managed to focus on the man holding her, she realized the situation she was in.
“Childe! Let me go!” She started struggling against his grip, so he tightened his hands. She flung her free arm toward him, trying to hit him, but she had no strength at all. He just swatted the hand away.
It annoyed him, that she was comfortable when she thought about another man holding her, but tried to get away from him.
She doesn’t know you just tried to save her life, he reasoned.
She wouldn’t enjoy being in your arms even if she did, laughed Childe.
“Cut it out,” he muttered to her, “it’s either me or Signora.”
He twisted her arms behind her back and she yelped when he touched her wound, but the threat served its purpose and she stopped struggling. Standing behind her, he pushed her towards the Tsaritsa.
“Outlander,” she spoke, barely louder than a whisper, “Childe believes Barbatos will come rescue you. And then I will get his Gnosis.”
“He won’t. I am not worth a Gnosis,” answered Lumine, defiant.
“Hm, of course not. Perhaps you really are worthless, like Signora thinks.”
You brave, stupid girl. Willing to get yourself killed just to protect him?
“Barbatos doesn’t think she is worthless. She is lying, to protect him and her friends,” he said coldly.
She wiggled against his grip again, twisting her neck to look at him, and he was acutely aware of the way her small body was deliciously pressed against his. Of how good she felt when subdued by him. He could easily wrap his arms around her waist and burry his teeth on her neck.
You sick, sick fuck, he chastised himself.
“I believe you are right, my Tartaglia. We will keep her, for now,” said the Tsaritsa. “I want you to put your mark on her.”
“To... what?
“You heard me, Tartaglia, and I don’t like repeating myself. Your mark. The neat little trick you learned in the Abyss.”
Of course, he knew. He liked to call it Riptide, because of… Hydro, obviously. In the Abyss, he learned of a way to mark his enemies, so he could always hunt them down. It bonded them to him, so he was always aware of their movements. It also made Childe receptive of their… scent? Their emotions? He wasn’t sure, but he enjoyed feeling the horror, the panic from his enemies inside him while killing them. He did not know if this transfer of emotions went both ways.
He had used it on many kinds of creatures. Animals were the easiest to mark, hilichurls as well. He also marked many different Abyss creatures, and they felt somehow different, but Childe could still feel primal emotions like fear from them. Ruin Guards and Hunters were not fun at all, since they had no emotions, but the mark still helped Childe track them down and easily spot their weak points.
But he had never, ever dared to…
“I have never tried it on humans,” he admitted to the Tsarista.
He could have, he did hunt humans down like animals often enough, but Childe had dreaded it. He had no desire to taint another human with Abyssal magic.
His Tartaglia also disliked the idea of being connected to another human in such way. He didn’t want to get mixed up in complicate human emotions while doing his job executing them.
Ajax feared the other human could somehow feel the hell inside of him, instead.
So, he never tried.
“I know you didn’t, but isn’t this the perfect opportunity to try? It allows you to locate your enemies, so even if she were to escape, you could easily locate her. And I am curious what it will do…”
He had no idea how it would be. The mark would only faint upon death.
But it was not like he had a choice.
“No…” Lumine said, faintly. She shook furiously in his arms, and he realized he had loosened his grip when she jerked herself away from him.
She managed to stubble a few steps, but was wrestled to the ground by Scaramouche. She tried kicking and punching him, and he just laughed while dragging her back by her hair while she screamed.
He held her facing Childe, forcing her head up so that their eyes met again.
She had that pleading look again, begging him to help her. Her eyes were filled to the brim with tears, yet none escaped.
“Please, Childe, don’t do this to me,” desperation hung on her every word.
Do you hate me so much, to react like this at the idea of being connected to me?
The Tsaritsa watched the exchange, with a slightly amused expression on her face.
She is fucking with me.
Yes, he realized, she is punishing you. But also testing your loyalty.
He took a step forward and walked way into Lumine’s personal space, and slowly slipped off the glove of his right hand. Now, as to where to put his mark…
He could just take her arm, but that didn’t feel right. Extremities could be cut off, and perhaps the effect would fade away.
And this was way to personal.
He raised his hand, so that his fingertips touched the soft skin just over her left breast, and she took a sharp breath. So close to her heart. He could feel it beating fast, so fast.
“Childe, please…” Lumine tried again.
At least now you can have her, sneered his dark side, she is yours.
She doesn’t want it, he lamented.
Claim her, the darkness demanded.
“Just shut up,” he snarled, both to Lumine and to the voices in his head.
He concentrated his hydro energy on his fingertips and felt the familiar tingling as he closed his eyes.
He focused on drawing the shape of his mark on her skin while transferring his power to the symbol.
When he was done, both he and Lumine inhaled sharply, as he felt the familiar pull towards the marked being. He felt a sudden, acute awareness of her chaotic emotions rushing through him, and his breath hitched. He was overwhelmed.
Humans feel too much, he realized.
He withdrew his fingers from her skin like he was burned. Not like that would help him, now.
The girl raised her eyes from the mark on her skin to meet his. The look in her wide eyes told him that she had felt him as well.
“Lovely,” the Tsaritsa broke the silence. “It seems we are done here.”
“My queen, any orders for the us?” asked Signora.
“Yes. Signora, you are to return to Mondstadt, and try to track Barbatos down. Scaramouche, I trust your generals have Inazuma in control?”
“Of course, your highness,” the sixth answered.
“You won’t return to Inazuma for now. I might have a more urgent new task for you. And Pedrelino? See that our boardroom gets repaired. And reinforce the security of the palace, especially the elemental seals. I expect a full report of any possible weakness in security in our next meeting.”
She proceeded to leave the room, probably heading for her private chambers.
“Oh, and Tartaglia? The outlander is your responsibility. Keep her alive, otherwise, I don’t care.”
“My queen, if I may…” said Dottore, “I would like to experiment with the new elemental blockers on the outlander.”
Over my dead body, Childe thought, desperate.
“Like I said, I don’t care,” she answered.
Childe didn’t feel relieved when the Archon left the room. Lumine was alive. She would remain alive. But she was not safe.
Notes:
The angst intensifies...
I apologise if I butcher any snezhnayan names! I can't, for the love of god, remember how to spell this shit and have to look them up every single time.
I don't actually think the Tsaritsa is the big bad villain in Genshin Impact, but I will make her bad here >:D
Chapter 3
Notes:
Triggers: torture and graphic description of wounds.
And their first real interaction! Yay?
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
The room fell into complete silence after the Tsaritsa left. Childe could feel his heart beat once, twice, three times, before he realized he should probably do something. Everything about this situation was a huge mess, and he had gotten himself right in the middle of it.
What the hell am I going to do now?
He watched as Lumine glanced wide eyed across the room, and he could almost see her gears turning as she tried to find a way to escape, preparing to make a run for it.
Like a trapped rabbit, he thought, in a room full of wolves.
And she thinks you are one of them. She doesn’t know you are trying to help, that you are on her side.
I’m not! I’m not on her side, what the fuck? Now even his own thoughts were surprising Childe.
He quickly decided to stop arguing with himself and take things step by step. First, he needed to get her the hell out of this room. She was unarmed, drugged with Dottore’s elemental blocker, that had Archons know what kind of side effects, hurt after the torture she endured, absolutely in no condition to fight, and surrounded by foes. He needed to take her somewhere else… Somewhere, well, not safe, but anywhere else in the Palace would be safer than this room right now. Second, she needed her wounds cleaned and treated, maybe even stitched, or she would die of an infection and he would be screwed. He just hoped the other Harbingers wouldn’t make this difficult.
He reached for her, and placed a hand on her shoulder, determined to just guide her away without another word.
She flinched at his touch, and took a step back. He retreated his hand, and it hung awkwardly in the air as he assessed her emotions.
Scared, he realized, of course she is scared.
Yeah, she is afraid of you, because of what you just did to her, complained Ajax.
“Well, I suppose we can’t kill her, after all. Take her to the high security cell,” said Signora, who was straightening her clothes and fixing her hair, looking more put together.
“Wait,” said Dottore, “She is my test object. I will take her to my lab to begin my experiments-”
His voice quickly cut Dottore’s out.
“No, no you won’t,” he tried making his words sound as authoritative as possible, giving no room for discussion, “she needs her wounds treated first.”
What Childe actually wanted to say was that he would never, ever be laying a single finger on her as long as he was breathing, but was well aware he couldn’t deny Dottore that, since the Tsaritsa made no objections. If anyone in that room got the impression that he was trying to protect her, they would slowly and painfully take her apart and make him watch.
“I don’t see the problem, Tartaglia. It’s not like she is going to die of her wounds now. Or didn’t you hear what her royal highness just said? She practically allowed me to do anything I want to her, as long as she doesn’t die,” retorted Dottore.
“We all heard that, Dottore, and I don’t think this only applies to you. I was the one who caught her in Inazuma in the first place. I did all the work, so I have earned my reward. I want to have my fun first, you can do your experiments later, when I am done playing with her. You probably don’t mind her being unconscious?” replied Scaramouche.
Oh, no way, Childe thought, exasperated. Scaramouche’s idea of fun would make the poor word ‘fun’ have a gigantic existential crisis and want to erase itself from the dictionary.
The smaller Harbinger took a step toward Lumine and grabbed her by her hurt arm. She screeched and tried to pull away, but his grip was iron-tight, “Aren’t you a pretty one? I’m glad it was you that stayed behind. You know, I really enjoyed your screams earlier,” he declared with a toothy smile.
“No, stop!” cried the girl, and the sixth Harbinger grinned even wider.
“Don’t touch her!” Childe barked, losing his composure for the second time that night.
What was wrong with him tonight? He silently cursed his stupid self for his lack of control over his mouth.
All Harbingers turned to him at his outburst.
“Oh?” said Scaramouche, amused.
Think, and thick quick. Say the right things to get her away from him.
If he sixth was interested in Lumine, then this made his job of protecting her suddenly a whole lot more complicated. As usual, when manipulating was necessary, he let Tartaglia take control.
“The Tsaritsa made me bind myself to her. She bears my mark, and I believe this makes her my property. Dottore might be allowed to experiment on her, but I won’t share her with you.” Tartaglia answered, placing his hand over Scaramouche’s arm and squeezing hard.
He saw Lumine’s glance wander between him and the sixth Harbinger, brows furred, and Childe felt her obvious confusion. She was unsure of what Childe was doing, if he was actually trying to help or if he was just another threat.
You’d better not trust me again; it won’t do you any good and you’ll just be disappointed.
Scaramouche laughed loudly, now letting the girl’s arm free. “Come now, Tartaglia, there is plenty of her for all of us. Let me have her first, I swear I won’t break her little cunt too much. She will still be able to warm you cock later,” he said, grinning.
Childe saw red. He didn’t think that was what the sixth had meant by ‘have his fun with her’, and now he was really, really raging. He believed Scaramouche had just wanted to torture her like he usually does. He wanted to jump at that dirty bastard’s throat and squeeze until his eyes pop out of the sockets.
And Scaramouche really thought Childe wanted to use her like that as well? Like hell he was that kind of man!
Breathe, Childe, breathe. You can’t kill him, he told himself, calm down or you won’t be able to help her, or help yourself.
But that gave him an idea… if the other Harbinger was convinced Childe wanted Lumine like that, he found just the excuse he needed, one that made sense. He would play the part of the spoiled child who didn’t want to share his shiny new toy with anyone else because it would get dirty.
“I don’t want you filthy seconds,” Childe snarled, “and I definitely don’t want your nasty body fluids all over my property. She will be with me and no one else.”
“You can’t stop me, Tartaglia,” the smaller Harbinger answered, and his eyes glistened dangerously.
“Oh, but I can. She. Is. Mine. And I don’t share my toys.” he barked back, punctuating each word and reached for his hydro element on his free hand. He would gladly fight the sixth Harbinger to prove his point.
He would never allow the sixth to do that to her, not even over his dead body. His cold, lifeless body would rise again as a zombie to fight him before Scaramouche could touch Lumine like that.
Before he could do anything, Signora stopped him. “Stop being idiots, both of you. You know the Tsaritsa doesn’t want her Harbingers fighting each other,” she snarled, and reached over to the two men, separating them.
“Men are really disgusting when controlled by testosterone. It’s like you have never seen a woman before! Tartaglia, why won’t you just share the girl and be done with it? It’s not like she is a virgin maiden you want to ask for marriage, for Archon’s sake,” she continued, rolling her eyes.
A part of him wanted to argue that Lumine was indeed a noble, strong, pure, selfless and fierce maiden who was totally marriable, but that was not the point here. He needed to get all other Harbingers off Lumine’s back as quick as possible. Why did everyone have to be interested in her?
He glanced at them. Fortunately, Dottore seemed to have dropped the matter of doing his research tonight entirely, and watched the exchange between the other Harbingers, very amused. He was a problem for another time. Scaramouche was still angry, and Signora was obviously suspicious of him.
“Because I don’t want to. The Tsaritsa said she is my responsibility, and I marked her. If this doesn’t give me a claim over her, then I don’t know what does. Or are you challenging the Tsaritsa’s orders?” he continued, playing the last card in his hand. They wouldn’t dare challenging her authority.
“Don’t be ridiculous, Tartaglia, this isn’t about the Tsaritsa’s orders and you know it,” she said and scoffed, “I am just curious of your reasons to be so possessive of the girl. Could it be that you are fond of her?”
Shit, you have to lie better! Lie for Lumine, lie for yourself, and swallow your damn feelings.
What feelings, anyway? Childe asked himself. No feelings. She is just a worthy opponent who doesn’t deserve to go through something like that.
“You are the one being ridiculous, Signora. Like I told you before, I had to put up with her Liyue, and detested every second of it, all because of a stupid plan that was completely unnecessary to begin with, thanks to you. This girl was a thorn on my side, and now she is here, all alone, and I have the chance to have my revenge. I won’t let Scaramouche take this away from me,” he answered, doing his very best to sound as cold and heartless as possible.
“Then prove it, Tartaglia,” sneered the sixth Harbinger. “Show us just how much you hate her, and you can have her.”
Ah, dammit.
That was the worst possible outcome. His words were not enough to convince the others. He knew what he had to do, and his breath hitched. He needed to hurt her. Childe dreaded it, but he would do what he must to save her from Scaramouche. It would be worst, wouldn’t it?
She’s already so hurt…
You don’t have a choice, he tried convincing himself.
“Fine. Watch me, then,” he commanded, looking down at Scaramouche.
He looked at Lumine, who had used the distraction of the discussion between the Harbingers to crawl away and was now on the floor on the other side of the room. When his eyes met hers, he felt her fear, and his chest clenched. She had obviously heard everything he said, and probably dismissed the idea that he had been trying to help her.
Yes, that’s the right emotion. You can’t trust me. I am not your friend, Childe thought, also reassuring himself of it.
If she believes you are her enemy, so will the others.
Showtime, Tartaglia. Do what you do best.
Tartaglia laughed, and the cruelty of the sound that came out of his mouth brought a shiver to his own spine. “You think I have feelings for her? You think I like her? I’ll show you just what I feel,” he spat.
“Childe, don’t…” she pleaded, her amber doe-like eyes fixed on his dull blue ones.
Stop trying to look for the good in me. You won’t find anything.
He walked towards her and kneeled before her small frame. He then took her hurt underarm in one hand and pressed his thumb roughly into the stab wound, staining his gloves with her blood, and twisted it in her flesh. She screamed.
I don’t want to do this, whined Childe.
“Do you think I care?” Tartaglia continued, an animalistic grin wide on his face.
Care for my own feelings? Care for her? For anything at all?
He pressed his other hand into the wound on her tight, and it started bleeding again. Lumine started sobbing again, fat tears rolling across her face. Childe hated that he was the reason behind that, now.
She raised her hands and pushed against his chest, trying to get him off her, but couldn’t muster enough strength to move Childe even one inch.
You have to do this, or they won’t believe you.
She balled her hands to fists, holding Childe’s shirt. “Please stop, please!” she pleaded between her sobs.
He twisted his fingers in her wounds again, forcing himself to continue hurting the person he was trying to protect.
It’s either me or Scaramouche.
You are no better! Screamed Ajax in his mind.
“You are all mistaken if you think I can feel anything,” he laughed coldly, and concentrated on the power of his Delusion.
He let the purple sparks of electricity run down his arms and towards his fingers, sending shockwaves right into the tender, open flesh of her stab wounds. She convulsed in his grip and screamed in pain, and Childe felt like it was his own soul that was being slit open and bleeding.
Please forgive me, he pleaded, knowing very well that what he was doing was unforgivable.
His insides were burning. His whole body was begging him to stop. He felt like screaming in agony himself.
He bit the inside of his cheeks so hard that it bled, and the cooper taste filled his mouth. Unable to continue this torture any longer, he increased the strength of the electricity, applying enough to make the girl black out for a moment. He stopped the shocks when her body went limp, and he let her fall to the floor with a low thump.
It’s okay now. It’s over.
When he stood up, he felt like he had just run ten miles. He looked back to the other Harbingers. Scaramouche was scrunched over and laughing, and Signora looked pleased.
“Alright, alright,” said Scaramouche between his laughing fits, “This was enough fun for me tonight, I’m satisfied.”
“Good. Now, don’t you all have anything better to do? Leave us.” Childe finally said, his voice somehow rough in his ears.
Scaramouche finally managed to stop cackling and brushed the laughing tears off his face. “Alright, I get it. Eager, are we? See you real soon, Tar-Tar. I’ll be staying in the Palace, after all. Have fun.”
If I never see you again it will still be too soon, he snarled in his head.
Everyone but Childe and Lumine left the room. Lumine had regained consciousness and was crying quietly where she lay on the floor. Never in his life had Childe loathed himself as much as in this moment. When she finally looked at him, her eyes almost burned his skin. He wanted to hide.
At the same time, he admired her for her endurance. She did so well under torture, one could think this was not the first time she had gone through something like that. Childe would like to hope this was the last, but he was not stupid.
“Hey,” he finally said.
Hey? Really? You fucking tortured her and ‘hey’ is the first thing you say? Are you going make a comment about the weather next? Ask her how her day is going? Pathetic.
He rasped his voice and tried again, “I have to take you to the cell. Can you walk or should I carry you?” At least Childe could give her a change to regain some dignity if she wanted to.
Shakely, she propped herself over her good arm and got to her feet. When she tried taking the first step, her hurt leg gave in and she stumbled. Before she could fall, he caught her by her arm. She clawed at him, scratching his arm, and he hissed, letting her go. She tried taking another step, just to fail again. Childe caught her again, and she was pressed to his chest, both his arms steadying her.
“You obviously can’t walk now. Let me carry you,” he muttered quietly to her.
“Don’t touch me!” She snapped back, and Childe recoiled at her words, but did not let go of her.
You deserve that treatment, because of what you did to her.
He lifted her up by the back of her knees in a princess carry and she squeaked, madly clawing at whatever part of him she could reach. He let her. He deserved much, much more.
“Put me down! Put me down right now!”
“Calm down, you are just going to hurt yourself,” he hissed.
He carried the raging girl trough the empty corridor and down the stairs towards the cells. He nodded at the guard on the door, who opened the doors for him. Finally, he put her down on the mattress in the floor of the cell.
The cell was a simple thing, there was a mattress on the floor, chains fixed to the walls and a toilet on the corner. It was the walls that were special, since they were fortified enough to hold even the strongest elemental attacks. Even Zhongli’s meteor would find them difficult to break. There was no way out for Lumine. First part of his plan, complete. She was safer now, on the cells, away from all the other Harbingers.
Now, second: her wounds needed treatment.
“Stay,” Childe ordered, “I’ll be right back.”
He left her to grab a first aid kit and medicine from the infirmary, as well as some clean towels.
“Let me go,” she said, once he came back, her amber eyes filled with anger.
Ah, she is angry with me. Better angry than scared, he reasoned with himself, means she still has fighting spirit left; she is going to need it.
“I can’t.”
“Let. Me. Go.”
“No. I can’t, Lumine, don’t you get it?” he said, now softly, “I just can’t…”
I wish I could.
He whished he could just grab her and flee with her somewhere far, far away from all of this.
What a stupid wish.
She turned her head to face the wall, “then get out. Leave me alone.”
He tried arguing, “listen. Your wounds are not looking so good and need treatment, or you’ll get an infection.”
“Oh, now you care about my wounds? I was under the impression that you were trying fry them earlier.” She spat, looking back at him with a glance that would make him squirm if he were a lesser man. He still felt like she had just punched him in the face.
Don’t give away too much. She mustn’t know.
“Would you rather be with Scaramouche right now?” he answered, flatly.
She said nothing, and that hurt him more than if she had, that little voice in his head still telling him that he was just as bad as the sixth Harbinger. He summoned some hydro to wet one of the towels and handed it to Lumine.
“Can you clean your wounds yourself?”
She roughly took the towel from him and proceeded to clean her arms and legs of all the blood and grime that glued to her with very shaky hands, and Childe just observed her.
When she was done, he dared to speak again, “They need stitches.”
Lumine kept silent, a frown on her face.
“I don’t think you can stich yourself. Let me?”
She looked down at her hands, still shaking, and seemed to realize that she really couldn’t. Childe felt that she was still somehow doubting his intentions, and felt the need to reassure her that he wouldn’t hurt her again.
“I’ll just treat the wounds, okay? Nothing else.”
She looked deep into his eyes, and took a deep steadying breath. Childe wondered if she could feel trough the bond they shared with the mark that he meant no harm, at least not right now.
“Fine,” she finally said, “Would be a shame if I died on your watch and you got in trouble with the Tsaritsa, right?” The venom in her voice showed him that if she could drop dead now just to anger him, she would.
He sighted, took off his bloody gloves and cleaned his hands with another wet towel. He then prepared needle, thread and some compresses to do the stitches.
“Do you even know what you are doing?” she asked.
“Yeah. I have stitched myself often enough,” he answered, “It’ll sting, just try to hold still.”
He started with her arm, and Lumine hissed while he quickly pierced the edges of the wound with the needle to bring them together. When he was done, he wrapped her arm with some medicinal compresses and bandages.
“Good, now your leg,” he said.
When he touched the soft skin of her tight, he suddenly wished he had kept his gloves on. Touching her bare skin so intimately made him feel things that were very, very inappropriate in the current situation, and he hoped she didn’t notice how his blood was simultaneously rushing downwards and to the tips of his ears.
What is wrong with you? He scolded himself. Focus.
He concentrated back at stitching her wound the best he could, he didn’t want her to keep a heinous scar to remind her of this whole ordeal.
“All done,” he announced as he finished wrapping her leg in the bandages. He took the medicine vial from his pocket and handed it to her, “drink this.”
She glanced suspiciously at the vial, “no, I’ll pass.”
Childe sighted, “It’s nothing weird, just some pain medicine. Nothing from Dottore.”
“Don’t want it.”
Stubborn girl.
He opened the vial and took one gulp of the medicine, “See? No poison, no shady drug. Now drink, I know you are in pain. Don’t drink it all at once, it’s pretty strong. Keep the rest for later.”
He was finally satisfied when she drank of the vial, and stood up to leave, “You should rest now, instead of planning your escape. You can’t get out of this cell.”
“We’ll see about that,” she answered.
There was really nothing he could say that would stop her trying to escape, and he didn’t blame her. He would, as well.
“Just try not reopening your wounds in the process,” he added, and left the cell, locking the door behind him.
He headed back to him room and pulled the curtains close. It was already early morning and the first rays of light were rising in the horizon. He entered his over-luxurious bathroom and stripped, jumping under the warm water of his shower.
Her dried blood was still on his hands. He washed and washed until there were no traces of what he had done left, but he didn’t feel any better. He let his body slide against the marble wall and sat on the floor, running both hands over his wet hair.
Fucking dammit.
The last few hours were hell. Who was he kidding? His whole life was hell lately, and everything just got a thousand times worse.
“Why did you have to help her?” he grumbled to himself.
Why help someone who hates you?
She hated him since the battle in the Golden House, and after tonight, she probably hated his constellation and all his ancestors.
I couldn’t let them kill her, he argued.
What would have happened if he had just kept his mouth shut? The Tsaritsa might have spared her anyway. But even if she did, Lumine would probably be with Scaramouche in this very moment. He would hurt her even more, and do more unspeakable things to her. He would break her.
But you tortured her, pressured Ajax.
I had no choice! He yelled inside his head, like repeating this sentence again and again would magically make his guilt fade away.
He got out of the shower and crawled into bed under the covers after barely drying himself and putting loose pyjama pants on.
“Stupid Anemo Archon, stupid Alberich and Ragnvindr. You dare call yourselves her friends and just left her here, all by herself” he complained to his pillow.
And that damn redhead, wasn’t he her lover? How could he leave her and save himself? How could he abandon the girl he loved?
Even if the Abyss crawled out of its hole, even if Celestia itself crumbled, and the stars and the moon were falling from the sky, Childe would have never left someone he cared about behind.
Notes:
I swear Childe is not schizophrenic! All this voices in his head are thoughts of his own, he is just a very, very troubled boy and needs a hug D:
Chapter Text
Childe woke up in the afternoon after a few hours of restless sleep feeling even more tired than before. He decided to ignore the little pressure in his chest and go practice shooting with his bow, instead of dwelling in his thoughts too much. Train until his mind goes numb, until he was too physically exhausted to even think, that was his plan.
And he did just that for several hours, imagining Scaramouche’s and Signora’s faces on the training dummies, and felt slightly better. He finally decided to take a break and have some water, when realisation hit him.
Lumine had no water. Or food. He didn’t order any of his subordinates to provide for her, so nobody would do anything. Who knows when was the last time she had a decent meal before she got captured? It hadn’t been his intention to starve her! Just because he had no appetite the whole day didn’t mean she wasn’t hungry.
Childe hurried to the kitchens and asked the staff for a meal. They prepared a high-quality steak with backed potatoes and fresh, warm dinner rolls, because he didn’t tell them it was in fact for his prisoner and not for himself. He didn’t care. He placed everything in a tray along with a pouch of water and made his way to the cells.
He was greeted as soon as he stepped into Lumine’s cell. “Go away,” she said, and he could tell by her tone that she was upset.
He couldn’t deny that this him hurt a little, “is that how you greet someone who is bringing you food?”
She scoffed, “did you expect me to thank you for your generosity? I won’t.”
You put an abyssal mark on her body and tortured her not even a whole day ago, do you think a nice dinner makes up for that?
“Haha, I guess you are right,” he laughed bitterly, reminding himself that things would never be the same between them, “you should still eat, who knows when your next meal is going to be?”
Why are you being such an asshole? There is no need to threaten her.
He crouched down in front of her, placing the food tray next to them. Suddenly, Lumine reached forward and he felt a sharp pain on his left tight. The girl had a cut on her right hand, and looking down at his tight, he saw that a broken piece of glass pierced his skin. She got to her feet and bolted towards the open door of the cell.
Even though the glass pierced deep into his flesh, it didn’t slow Childe down by one bit, since he was used to wounds much worse than this. Without even bothering with the hot, slick blood blooming on his leg, he wrestled the girl down harshly, Lumine clashing into the ground face first with Childe above her. He pinned her in the floor with her hands behind her back and caged her with his legs and other arm. Lumine tried kicking and struggling, but it was pointless. That fight was over even before it begun.
“Really? What the fuck, Lumine!” he hissed through his teeth.
He pulled the glass shard from his leg like it was nothing and tossed it outside the cell. It was a piece from the medicine vial he had given her yesterday. That made him start laughing at himself. He was the one that gave her a possible weapon, and was careless enough to not even consider she would turn against him like that and let his guard down. And she didn’t even properly use it.
“What was that half-ass try, Lumine? Did you really think you could escape by stabbing me with a little piece of glass on the leg? This barely even hurts!” His grip on her wrists tightened, and she let out a small sob.
But it did hurt my feelings, he realized.
“I wasn’t trying to kill you!” she whined back, her cheek pressed to the floor.
Of course, she wasn’t. She didn’t have it in her to kill another human, not even when her own life was on the line, like in the Golden House. And even when trying to escape imprisonment, she still couldn’t kill the person who brutally tortured her. She got pushed that far, and still couldn’t. She was way too good, way too trusting, and this was going to get her killed in a world like this. In Childe’s world.
“And that is exactly where you went wrong! When you get a chance like this, you have to do it right! You go for the neck!” He shouted back at her, although he knew that even if she had killed him, she wouldn’t be able to go far.
What a weird person you are, getting mad because you weren’t stabbed properly? He asked himself.
No, that’s not it. You are mad because it’s her, of all people. Because she is the one who wanted to hurt you, answered Ajax.
Because she betrayed you. What an irony.
“Never mind. You won’t get another chance, anyway.”
She shuffled under him, “…You can’t blame me for trying. Let go… please, you are hurting me.”
He realized he was still pinning her down with much more strength than needed and rose to his feet, leaving the girl on the floor to rub her wrists.
“I suppose I can’t. But that doesn’t mean I am not angry.”
He left the cell without looking back.
Lumine didn’t know how many hours passed, but she was almost regretting stabbing Childe by now, so she dismissed the idea of using the cutlery he brought with the food to attack again. She had rationed the little water she had, but it was all gone now. She was getting thirsty again, and her stomach was growling for some time already. She wished she had some more pain medicine, too.
She managed to get some sleep, but it was too cold, her body ached all over, and the hard mattress on the ground was not especially inviting.
Lumine didn’t have anything to do. She had already searched the whole cell for any creak or weak spot on the walls, but there were none. The walls were perfectly smooth and massive, and the cell door didn’t bulge at all, not even when she threw her body against it. It hurt her, and she stopped trying.
She tried summoning her elements, but something was still wrong. The girl tried creating a breeze or a small pebble, in vain, and let a small sight escape her lips. She could feel her powers inside her, but the connection to them was off, like they were locked behind a door and her usual key didn’t fit. The connection was growing stronger with the passing hours, so the weird drug from Dottore must be wearing off. Slowly, but still.
Her stomach growled again painfully, and she groaned.
Childe won’t let me starve. Right? Does he want me to beg? To be grateful for him bringing me food? I won’t.
He helped you with your wounds, she reasoned, he brought you food and you thanked him by stabbing him.
Wounds he helped inflict! I will not feel guilty for that.
Somehow, she still wanted him to come back to see her, even if she hated him right now. She was thirsty, hungry, tired, scared, lonely, in pain and very cold.
That’s when she heard soft footsteps outside and the clicking of the lock from the cell door.
She instantly straightened herself, “Childe?”
A cold, playful voice answered, “Ah-ah. Guess again.”
Her eyes widened and she pressed herself against the wall in the far end of the cell when she saw Scaramouche coming in. Lumine would never admit it out loud, but Scaramouche still scared her much more than any other Harbingers. There was something very messed up with the look in his eyes, and the implications he made after she was caught terrified her.
“W-why are you here?” She asked, trying to keep her voice from shaking. “Does Childe know?”
“Oh? Did he beat you into obedience already? Didn’t think he had it in him.” He answered, his face dark. “Of course he doesn’t know, I don’t need his fucking permission to do what I want.”
Lumine felt panic rising inside her, “you- you are not supposed to touch me! He will know, and he’ll be mad!”
The sixth Harbinger chuckled, “doesn’t this make it even more interesting?”
Lumine didn’t want to give him the satisfaction of knowing she was scared and tried looking defiant, but realized she was failing miserably.
He reached languidly for her, and Lumine bolted across the room, “oh, don’t be like that! Be a good pet and come here,” he continued, “we’ll have a good time! I even brought you a gift from Dottore, just look at how popular you are.”
He took a syringe with a pearly white liquid out of his robes, and Lumine felt the blood draining from her face. “No!”
She didn’t want to feel helpless like that. Her elemental abilities were recovering slowly, but she was going to be drugged again! And… and…
Her reflexes were still too slow after everything that happened, and she couldn’t keep up when Scaramouche moved towards her, now with inhuman speed, and threw her to the ground, the back of her head hitting the ground painfully.
She clawed madly at him, and managed to scratch his check, while he grabbed her jaw and turned her face, exposing most of her neck.
“No! Stop!” she cried.
“Forget what I said, it’s a lot more fun when you struggle. Say, did you struggle that much with Tartaglia?” He asked, his tongue darting out to catch a droplet of blood that came from the cut on his cheek.
She felt the sharp pain of the needle being jammed in her neck and the creeping cold of the injected liquid, followed by the familiar feeling that her whole body was burning. “Nnnm...” she whimpered, while tears formed on the corner of eyes.
“Haha, you didn’t, didn’t you? Is he more your type? Or could it be…That Tartaglia never touched you, did he?” Scaramouche’s lips touched that same spot on her neck, then he sucked her skin, his tongue lapping lazy circles over her, and Lumine shivered. “You’re mine now,” he growled, and his voice vibrated against her skin.
She felt his hand groping the front side of her dress. The dress, that was barely holding on, ripped, exposing her bra, “STOP!” she yelled.
Not this, please, anything, just not this!
He laughed coldly while he touched her, his hand traveling under her skirt. She trashed around, kicking and punching, panic now taking control of her.
“Please!”
“Yes, beg for me!”
The hand on her neck tightened and she gasped for air, now seeing dark spots dancing on her vision.
She saw a blur of grey before everything went dark.
It was already dark and Childe was outside, enjoying the ice-cold wind on his skin. He didn’t have to personally overlook the training of his new recruits, but welcomed the distraction wholeheartedly.
He was grateful for every second his mind was distracted from thinking about her, lately. If he felt betrayed and angry by her stabbing him a little, he didn’t even want to imagine how she felt. If he kept thinking about it, he would eventually go crazy.
He landed another very weak blow with his blunt training sword against one of the recruits and send him flying two meters across the snow. “That’s much better, comrade, but you still have to cover that weak spot on you left! You were totally open again. You can take five,” he said, looking at him. “Alright, who’s next?”
Suddenly, completely out of nowhere, he felt like the air was forcefully punched out of his lungs. He scrunched over himself, breath hitching.
Instantly, his assistant Vasili rushed to him, unsure of what to do. “Lord Harbinger?”
Childe was having trouble breathing, his heart hammering against his ribcage painfully and cold sweat formed on his nape. He panicked.
Am I having a heart attack? I’m having a fucking heart attack!
“Lord Harbinger, what’s wrong?”
He heard several people gathering around him. He blinked twice and concentrated. No, he was physically alright, it was not him. It was his mark! He never felt anything like that! It was never this intense and all-consuming. That meant something was wrong with Lumine and he could feel her panic like it was his own. She was in danger!
“It’s my mark,” he chocked, “I have to go!”
He broke into a run towards the palace, ignoring the cries from Vasili, and he probably never ran so fast in his life since the Abyss. He bolted through the front door, not slowing down when people stared at him, and rushed to the cellars and into Lumine’s open cell.
Please don’t be let it be too late.
He took on the scene in front of him for the fraction of a second. Lumine was on the ground under Scaramouche, dress ripped, exposing her bra, and her eyes were unfocused. The sixth Harbinger had a hand on her neck, his other hand under her skirt.
Childe’s muscles moved on their own. He lashed forward and kicked Scaramouche’s middle with all his strength, sending him flying and hitting the wall hard.
The sixth Harbinger coughed and spat a mouthful of blood out, “you always appear in the most unfortunate moments, Tartaglia.”
“What the fuck do you think you are doing? I told you not to touch her!” he spat.
“What do you think? Oh, wait, maybe you really don’t know, since you didn’t touch her yet. Do I have to teach you how this works? Where to put it?” sneered Scaramouche.
Unconsciously, his Delusion activated, sending sparks flying toward the smaller man, who responded with sparks of his own, and the air sizzled with electricity.
“You know you can’t kill me, Tar-Tar,” he mocked, so infuriatingly sure of himself.
Oh, he wanted to, but of course, he knew. He shouldn’t even be fighting him, because the Tsaritsa didn’t allow it. And he honestly didn’t know if he would win if they were to fight for real.
“I know,” he answered, now regaining control and stopping his Delusion from lashing out. Even if he managed to kill the sixth, he would have to answer for it, and no one would be there for Lumine, so he had to calm down.
He settled for grabbing the other by his vests and punching his face as hard as he could, the crack from the impact mildly satisfying his murderous intent.
Scaramouche laughed loudly, holding his bloody nose, “you better watch out, little ‘brother’. If the Tsaritsa realizes that you are not playing with your toy, she might just give it to her other child who wants it more.”
Childe barked back, “shut up!”
Childe crouched beside Lumine and swiftly lifted her in his arms.
“Where do you think you are going?” asked the sixth Harbinger.
“I’m taking her to my room. Away from you.”
Scaramouche just cackled as an answer, and made no motion to hinder him in any way. Childe ignored him, picked Lumine up in his arms and carried the girl out of the cell. She stirred a little as he climbed up the stairs.
He watched her face as she struggled to regain consciousness and open her unfocused eyes. “Childe…” her voice came out raspy and low.
“I’m here,” he whispered softly, “it’s alright, I’ve got you.”
He unlocked the hydro seal on the door of his room and went in. Ne never allowed anyone inside his chambers, not even the servants of the Palace. He always cleaned and took care of everything himself; he only got whatever he needed delivered to him. Needless to say, he never brought any girl into his room before. Other Harbingers would bring their acquaintances or lovers to the Palace from time to time, but Childe’s sexual encounters all happened somewhere else. Ne never knew anyone well enough to invite into his chambers here, or into his family home. Until he invited Lumine, months ago…
He would need to make some accommodations to make room for her, but keeping Lumine here would be much safer than the cells, away from other Harbingers who fortunately couldn’t break his hydro seal. He gently laid her on his soft four poster bed, sitting down beside her.
Lumine startled at the sudden change in position, “what happened? Where are we?” Childe felt her panic rising again, his own chest throbbing, “did he… Scaramouche?”
She was hyperventilating, glancing wildly at Childe and to her sides.
“We’re in my room, he is not here. It’s okay now, Lumine, nothing happened. Breathe. Just breathe,” he answered, placing both hands over her shoulders in an attempt to calm her.
It actually had the opposite effect. She placed her hands over Childe’s chest and pushed hard, but he just kept holding her. Feeling her fear was almost physically hurting him. “Just try to calm down.”
“No, don’t! I won’t just sit back and watch while you do whatever you want to me like Scaramouche!” she screamed.
Oh.
I’m an idiot, Childe realized, completely horrified.
After everything he said the other night, of course Lumine would think he also wanted to force himself on her. She was in his room, on his bed, he was holding her, what else would she think he was doing? He never got the change to clarify the situation for her. She actually believed he was that kind of monster.
Look at how far you’ve fallen in her eyes, Ajax.
He felt his cheeks flaming, clenched his teeth and tightened his grip on her shoulders, “Listen to me, I won’t force myself on you, I swear! I would never do that to anyone! I-I have sisters, for Archon’s sake!”
Please believe me.
“Lumine, look at me. Look into my eyes. Look deep into my eyes and tell me, do you really believe that? Do you really think I am that kind of man?” He pleaded, his voice cracking, “I am not- I am not like him.”
Amber met blue, and whatever she saw in his eyes helped, since she calmed down a little after a few heartbeats, “but- but you said…”
“I lied, okay? To try to spare you from exactly that,” he explained.
Her eyes never left his, and several more moments passed. Her breath was now slow and steady, and she finally relaxed in his grip, letting her arms fall to her sides. She seemed to deflate, and felt so, so small under him.
“This is hell,” she finally said, her voice barely a whisper.
“… I know,” he answered softly.
He wanted to hold her in his arms and shield her from everything that was wrong and wicked in this world. He wanted to comfort her and to tell her it would be alright. He wanted her to hold him and make him forget about everything. But he couldn’t.
So, he just lifted the blanket, covering her. “Sleep,” he whispered, “you are safe tonight.”
At least I can promise you this. I don’t know what will come in the future. But for tonight, I promise you, you are safe.
Notes:
Damn, I am addicted to angst. Can I stop writting it? Probably not.
Well, at least I gave you like, 100 words comfort? LEL
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