Chapter Text
The person who shoved her to the ground stood up and apologized. There was a veil over their face, and their voice was androgynous enough for Noelle not to recognize them at all. “I’m sorry, I thought you were a different person. Please accept my sincere apologies. I will get you some medicine if you like?”
She shook her head. “No, thank you. But please make sure to verify who you want to beat up before rushing in.” The last part was punctuated with a grim laugh.
“I will. Again, I’m sorry.” “It’s alright.” They went their separate ways, Noelle deciding to make a detour to the Adventurers’ Guild. Her head was foggy and she was barely able to think straight.“I’m so tired...it should be okay if I rest here...I’ll be gone by sunrise.” She slumped into a corner next to the kiosk and dozed off, letting the exhaustion take over.
Unfortunately, she did not wake up by sunrise.
When her eyes opened once more, she awoke to the frantic yelling of a little girl. “Somebody get Big Bro! Or Miss Jean!” Noelle reached her hand out, finally realizing who it was. “K-Klee? Why are you here?” The little Knight was bouncing on the balls of her feet. “I was gonna go get some more fish...then I saw you sleeping right here and you looked hurt!”
The girl peered into her face. “Are you okay?” Noelle pushed herself up straight. “I’m just fine. Now don’t start any forest fires, okay?” “Okay, bye-bye!” Klee skipped off towards the gate. “Noelle? What’re you doing here?” She looked up past the bright sunlight once more to see Bennett standing above. “Was just talking to Klee.” She replied smoothly. “And you?”
“Heh,” he rubbed his neck sheepishly. “I was just wondering if there were any new applicants for Benny’s Adventure Team.” She softened at that. “I do hope there are.” “On another note, are you okay? Your shirt’s all dirty, and I think I see blood.”
“As I mentioned to Klee, I’m fine. Thank you for your concern, though.” He shook his head roughly. “You don’t look fine. I’m taking you to Barbara.”
A jolt went through her as she realized just how much trouble she’d be in if Barbara saw her in this state. “No, I swear, it-it’s fine!” “Please, Noelle. Let yourself be taken care of for once!” She relented at Bennett’s pleading eyes. “...Okay. Off to the Cathedral, then.” Having her friend as support, Noelle hobbled up to Barbara’s residence. As soon as she made it past those huge brown doors, she basically collapsed on a pew.
“Miss Noelle?” One of the sisters saw her and rushed over. “Ah...hi?” The sister examined her stomach, where the wound had torn back open in some spots. Her face went pale when she saw all the bruises over Noelle.
“Let me go get the deaconess,” she whispered. The maid nodded and laid her head back. A few minutes had passed and she drifted into a much needed sleep.
Until she awoke to the sound of Barbara’s shrill gasp.
“What did I tell you about staying in bed and resting? Now you’re even more injured!” Noelle shook her head to try and de-escalate the situation. “It’s only a few bruises. I’ll be fine by tomorrow.” “It can’t keep being like this, or else you will die for real.” She rested her hands on top of Noelle’s, softly gripping her fingers. “I can’t let that happen to you.” The deaconess looked up at Bennett.
“Thank you for bringing her, I really appreciate it.” He grinned and gave her a thumbs up. “No problem! Hope you feel better, Noelle!” She made a soft noise of gratitude before resting her head back on the pew.
Barbara applied a thin salve to the tearing wound and the bruises on her arms. It was cooling to the touch, like a mint leaf. Combined with the swift yet delicate motions of her fingers rubbing it around, all her agitation began to dissipate. "I worry for you, I truly do." In a much lower tone, the nurse murmured softly. "How can you be my knight in shining armor if you can't keep even yourself safe, my love?"
Judging by how low Barbara's voice was, Noelle suspected she wasn't supposed to hear the last part. Regardless, she flushed a deep red and squeaked. The deaconess peered at her with concern. "Is everything okay?" "Oh-! Ah, yes, that's just a sensitive bruise. My apologies."
"It's alright. As long as you're feeling fine, there's nothing to worry about." She handed her another dosage of the medicine from earlier. "This one is more potent, because I know you're impatient." There was a small smile on her face as she handed the bottle over. "It's only about 2 sips, so just drink it now. And as for the other one, keep it as a painkiller."
"Thank you, I can't even begin to express how grateful I am, Barbara." "Don't worry about it, Noelle. If you're feeling good, that's payment enough for me." She said that with a fond grin, making Noelle blush from head to toe again.
Out of impulse and knowing she was going to regret this later, she pulled Barbara into a tight hug. They lingered there for a bit and Noelle basked in the other girl's presence. To her surprise, the hug was returned tenfold with arms wrapped tightly around her bruised back.
"I really appreciate it. I must get back to work though." The sparkle in Barbara's eyes dimmed as she fixed a strap on the maid's armor. "I understand, Noelle. Mondstadt needs you. But sometimes the best way to take care of your people is to also take care of yourself."
After that encounter, Noelle made a point of taking less strenuous work for the day. The headquarters was quiet that afternoon, likely because everyone was busy. Her heels clinked along the ceramic tiles and the armor she wore kept chafing with each step.
She sighed and moved on knowing it was her fault for rushing. It was a miracle she made it out of the dorms before Amber saw. Noelle had ditched her the other night, and although there was a deep pool of guilt in her mind, she couldn’t find the strength to apologize yet.
When she glanced at a shard of glass on the cobblestone, all she saw was a piece of worthless scum staring back.
Noelle perked up at a pungent smell coming from nearby and she could’ve sworn she saw green fumes leaking out. “Room 117?” When she looked up for confirmation, a wave of concern washed over her.
“I hope they’re okay. Maybe I should’ve called a healer beforehand..” Rapping on the door, a few minutes passed before she was greeted by a dear friend who looked as worn as she felt. “Hi, Sucrose.” “Hey, Noelle...I’m really, really sorry to call you on short notice but something went wrong with the whopperflower nectar and…”
The maid waved her hands vehemently. “No, no, it’s okay! Do you two need healers? I’m not the best but if it’s severe, I’ll call one of the sisters right away!” Sucrose shook her head softly, and it occurred to Noelle that she might be making matters worse for the alchemists.
“Ah, well, I’m sorry for causing such a fuss.” “No worries. Come on inside.” The two walked in to see Albedo massaging his temples with shaky, raggedy breaths. Noelle reconsidered her offer about the healers seeing the state he was in. “Good afternoon, Sir Albedo. Is everything okay?”
“I’m fine, thanks.” His hair was messy and tousled, which struck her as odd. Albedo was one of the more refined people she knew. She looked to Sucrose, who discreetly beckoned her over.
“Mr. Albedo hasn’t been well recently. He still insists on continuing his experiments though, so Master Jean let him do so.” After a flickering look of concern toward him, the assistant turned back. “Aether and some of the Knights are going on a trip to Dragonspine later, and I think it may be related.”
Noelle picked up a wooden crate filled with test tubes and carefully carried it to the other side of the room, still tuned in to Sucrose’s theories about what could be affecting Albedo. “We did use an extremely potent stimulant in the last experiment, though I doubt that could be it…”
As she listened to Sucrose quietly ramble on, she spared a closer peek at the head alchemist. He was resting his head on his arms, which were crossed flat on the desk. In any other situation, it would’ve looked like he was taking a nap. The unnerving part was that his eyes were wide open, bloodshot. Noelle felt bad for thinking it, but he looked like a zombie.
His fingers were tapping aimlessly on the wood, but got more frantic with each passing second. Eventually she was forced to pull her eyes away as Sucrose placed a clipboard next to him. “Mr. Albedo, Sir Kaeya still needs you to fill this out so he can submit it.” The maid watched with slight incredulity as she talked to him like it was an everyday occurrence.
“Are you sure he’s okay?” Noelle whispered once they were out of earshot. “His nervous mannerisms seem to have heightened extensively, but through the study of a few days I’ve concluded that he’s generally okay. Although his eyes are quite fascinating, it seems that the irises are turning red…”
The assistant continued for another moment as Noelle tried to decipher what she just said. “Ah! I’m sorry, I always drone on like this.” “It’s okay. I do the same thing a lot.” Sucrose beamed at the reassurance and Noelle felt her heart clench at the timid smile.
“So yes, he seems to be fine. I asked Aether for help too, but aside from Dragonspine we haven’t come up with any useful leads.” “The traveler? I didn’t know he and Albedo knew each other.” The alchemist flushed a bit at the last part, which piqued her curiousity.
“Well, I wasn’t exactly supposed to reveal it-but they’re dating!” Noelle blinked for a few moments at Sucrose’s fond smile before it actually hit her. “Wow. That’s great for them!” “Yes, but please don’t let it spread. I doubt people will be as kind if they find out…”
The maid frowned before nodding sagely.
What’s the point of living in a city of freedom if you don’t have the freedom to love?
“I understand. I’m in their situation after all.” Noelle saw her ears perk up in surprise. “Who? Well, please don’t tell me if you don’t want to, I’m sorry if that made you uncomfortable or anything-” “It’s okay. I-it’s Barbara.” She could already feel the splotches of red dancing across her cheeks when there was a subtle touch on her hands.
“Don’t worry. I’m sure you have a chance! You’ve got this.” She nodded gratefully, and the two got back to work reorganizing the room.
Within a few hours, the room was spick and span. “It seems that you’ll be back in no time, cleaning up the mess we made immediately after cleaning,” Sucrose giggled. Noelle hadn’t seen the girl so open before, and she treasured the sight. “Knowing you and Sir Albedo, I wouldn’t be surprised.”
“On another note, please wash the bag with the hilichurl bones. You’re going to attract all sorts of muck no matter if it’s leather or cloth.”
The alchemist gaped for a second in pure shock. “You knew about that?” Noelle nodded slowly, trying to gauge the next response. What she didn’t expect was Sucrose to burst into a fit of giggles, and to see Albedo watching with a smile.
“Oh my. It’s well past the end of my shift and I must take my leave.” She was honestly disappointed to leave but there were a few missed jobs she had to account for.
Sucrose gave a short nod. “Thank you so much for the help. Honestly, I’m not sure what we would’ve done without you.” Albedo smiled, exhaustion seeping into his posture. “I appreciate it, Noelle.” “No worries! Have a good afternoon, you two.” Turning the brass knob on the door, she walked out into the hallway.
She went to the courtyard and down the winding stone staircases, weaving her way through inner Mondstadt. She made it to the city’s marketplace lining the main entrance and took a minute to appreciate the sights and smells. Sara was cooking up a storm at Good Hunter with the aroma of sweet flowers and thyme piercing the air. And if Noelle honed her nose just a bit more, she could sniff the mellow perfume of Cecilia flowers from the alchemy table and the small flower shop by the gate.
The scenery was wondrous but she unfortunately didn’t have enough time to admire it fully. As she was about to turn the corner at the foot of the stairs, she spotted something peculiar just outside the gates of Mondstadt. A multitude of Knights were gathered, along with carriages filled with supplies. Noelle approached the Adventurers’ Guild, trying to listen in on murmurs of their plans.
“The Grand Master is sending us out for Sir Albedo, right?” “Yes, Warren. I need that crate loaded now so please get it.” The captain of the departing platoons shrugged on her parka and Noelle was able to figure out their destination.
I want to come along to help…but what if they need me here?
The maid wrestled with her indecision as the soldiers packed up to leave. After a few minutes, the first horses started to gallop down the path and she was out of time. “This may be a chance to finally prove my worth to Master Jean, but if they’d only let me go.” Noelle let herself lament for a moment before she noticed something out of the corner of her eye.
There was a nearly empty cart about to be taken and only filled with various fruits. In a burst of impulse, she jumped into the cart and pulled the tarp over herself. If there was ever a god of luck, they were definitely on her side. None of the knights even bothered to check that cart before everyone set off to Dragonspine.
In hindsight, Noelle realized that wasn’t good security on their part. Not that it mattered anymore. But she’d mention it on the wayside when she got back. The ride was uneventful. Quite boring, really. The dirt path was inlaid with huge stones, which made everything painfully bumpy.
When she lifted the tarp a bit, the glow of crystalflies flooded her view. The Dawn Winery mansion was in the distance and she found it odd they’d decided to take a different route. Noelle opened the slit more and wondered if Diluc was working at the Winery today. Suddenly, she went rigid with shock when golden eyes met hers.
“Aether…?”
"Holy archons, Noelle. Why the fuck are you in here?" "Look, I promise I can explain! I-" He cut her off abruptly. "It's fine, I'm not gonna report you. I'm worried because this is a hell of an unsafe ride." The girl nodded in agreement. "I know. But they mentioned something about Sir Albedo and Dragonspine and something sounded off and I really wanted to help..."
"Yeah, I'm worried about Bedo too." Noelle wondered why his face was so sad before she remembered what Sucrose had told her. "Honestly, I'm not going to stop you from coming along if you're that insistent about it. Just remember to rethink your actions before you do something you regret."
With a grim certainty in his voice that obviously came from personal experience, he closed the tarp again to let her mull it over. Commotion and noise flooded the background as the Knights came back to regroup and keep going.
::
The ride was strangely silent in her little cart. As Noelle munched on a sunsettia, she decided to take Aether’s advice and reconsider why she came to begin with.
‘I’ve never acted on an impulse this strong before…so why now?”
There was just something so daunting about Dragonspine that it made her blood boil. She’d only been there about 3 times, but it was a cruel place. Sharp sleet and hail slicing up her face, the chill seeping down into her very core.
Thus, Noelle never understood as to why Albedo loved it there. It didn’t matter because she respected him to no end. It was just…a little odd.
As she felt the path transition from smooth dirt to cobblestone, a sudden cold rushed over her skin. The blizzard was near. Footsteps trailed away and she could feel her heart beating rapidly with anxiety.
She snuck another peek from underneath the tarp, wanting to affirm that everyone was gone. As she awkwardly crawled out of the cart, Noelle came to the realization that she probably should’ve brought warmer clothing.
The cold wind blew past her and brought the slightest shivers along with it. She stared up at the daunting shadow of the mountain and let out a single breath, which was misty in the freezing air.
There was a dilapidated bridge in the distance and Noelle figured that it would be the only way to enter without being caught. Making her way towards the jagged edge, she unhooked her wing glider and got ready to jump.
With the chilling gale blowing her bangs into her face, she took a leap of faith.
Sure, it was a short distance. Although the fear that stretched through her body told a different story. Noelle almost missed the other side, her gauntlets scraping against the ledge she was holding on to.
Once again, she was grateful for the upper body strength training gave her as she hauled herself over the edge and onto the rough cobblestone. The girl stood up, gingerly brushed off her armor and stared at the hellish cold looming in front of her.
“Don’t back down now, Noelle.” She murmured in wispy breaths. “You made the choice to come here and now you live with the consequences.”
Toying with a sunsettia she took from the cart, Noelle started her trek up Dragonspine towards Albedo’s camp.
The first hour was relatively peaceful. There was the occasional slime or hilichurl and she took them out with ease. But as nightfall came, there was a growing anxiety on her shoulders. Fatui lurked behind snow-topped stones, with gleaming eyes and strange stones on their persons that looked suspiciously like Visions.
Noelle kept her body low, hoping to not catch the attention of those soldiers. Having been so focused on tiptoeing around, she didn’t notice where exactly she’d been going. Nearby, there was gruff banter and the sharp smell of a Cryo potion filled her nostrils.
“Well, well. Just who do we have here?” Noelle perked up in surprise, not expecting a woman’s voice.
The woman in question was tall. Very tall. Choppy blue hair was tied back into a ponytail, and it was nearly hidden under the fur of her parka. There was a glass bottle at her belt filled with the obvious sheen of Cryo.
She had a knowing smirk, and the shiver of familiarity ran down Noelle’s spine much deeper than the cold ever would.
“What a shame. I’m sure you would’ve remembered me after our little...experience.” There was a tight grip on the neck of the bottle and Noelle had the slightest urge to summon her sword.
She stared at the woman once more...then it all came rushing back.