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Klee kept running as fast as she could, trying to arrive at Lisa's house in time. She had spent the entire day playing with Bennet and Razor in the woods, trying to find some hidden treasures around Mondstadt. After all, she had to practice if she wanted to go on adventures with Beidou during their trip to Liyue.
“Almost late, huh?” Jean opened the door before Klee even knocked. Her arms were crossed but she had a gentle smile on her lips.
Klee apologized with an irresistibly cute smile and walked in. Making her way to the bedroom she met Lisa, who was packing her clothes along with Jean’s.
“Hello, Miss Lisa” she joyfully greeted the woman “When you are done with this can you help me with my suitcase? Please?”
“Of course sweetheart” Lisa smiled warmly to the little girl and finished preparing the suitcase “Alright, what do you think you will need?”
“I want to take nice clothes for the festival, but I also want to take my exploration ones, just in case Beidou decides to go somewhere…” Klee scratched the back of her head with a happy chuckle.
“Yes, of course” Lisa giggled and started folding the clothes the child was selecting “Don’t forget your pajamas, Klee”
“Thank you, Lisa” the little girl thanked and nodded.
“Dinner is ready” Jean announced, entering the room and chuckling happily at the scene of Lisa and Klee excitedly preparing for their trip.
The witch smiled at her and nodded at the little girl, both of them following Jean to the first floor of the house. The knight started serving the meal she had prepared for them, ruffling Klee’s hair and placing a gentle kiss on Lisa’s lips.
The three of them were going to Liyue for the annual Lantern Rite, an invitation of the Qixing’s Tianquan, Ningguang, herself. She and Jean had corresponded for a couple months about the Fatui situation and other diplomatic questions that mattered to both cities, when Ningguang suggested that they should meet in person, since letters could be easily intercepted by malicious people. Knowing that the Knights of Favonius could hardly afford even an hour without their Acting Grand Master, Ningguang decided to pay Mondstadt a visit.
*A few weeks before*
“Why so nervous, darling?” Lisa asked, resting her chin on her hand and looking at Jean, who had been walking in circles for the last twenty minutes.
“I want to be sure that I didn’t forget anything” the knight sighed “The Qixing members are very influential, not only in Liyue, but all around Teyvat. Such an important woman wouldn’t travel without a good amount of guards and secretaries, so I need to guarantee that we have food and accommodation for everyone”
“We surely do, my Jean. Don’t worry so much” Lisa made her way to her girlfriend, brushing their lips together in an attempt of calming her down. It seemed to work, cause the witch managed to talk with her about everything other than the Tianquan’s visit, until the said woman arrived.
“Good night” Ningguang greeted them, a discreet smile on her lips.
The first thing Lisa thought was that the Tianquan’s reputation preceded her. The woman was impeccable, from the way she looked to the way she talked and moved. She showed a perfect etiquette when greeting her, Jean and Kaeya and also a flawless politeness when thanking them for receiving her.
The second thing she noticed was the absence of guards and maids. Along with Ningguang there was just one notably strong woman, who didn’t seem to be part of the Millelith, carrying a claymore, instead of Liyue’s traditional spear, and an electro vision exactly like Lisa’s.
“We commented that it would be better to involve only trusted people” Ningguang broke the silence, noticing the looks on her companion “So I asked Beidou to join us. After all, she will be the one dealing with any situation that arises in Liyue”
Beidou, leader of the Crux Fleet. The Uncrowned Lord of The Ocean, captain of the Alcor. Not many people around Teyvat didn’t know her name, as tales of how she defeated Haishan and earned her vision were very well known worldwide. And now such a powerful woman was working with the equally impressive Tianquan of the Qixing. Lisa had to admit, even though Mondstadt had Jean and many others on their back, including herself, she felt kind of relieved that Ningguang was their ally.
After putting their bags in the spare room of the headquarters, Ningguang and Beidou went to Jean’s office, where the knight waited for them with Kaeya and Lisa. It was close to 21h when they finished the discussions for the day and Jean offered to pay them dinner, Kaeya excusing himself, saying he had to deal with some extra-oficial matters.
Beidou and Ningguang accepted her kind offer, but remarked that she didn’t have to pay. Jean opened her office’s door just to see Klee quietly sitting there, waiting.
“Good night, Master Jean” the girl yawned, probably sleepy from waiting for the archons know how long.
“Klee, we are busy. What do you need?” Jean crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow at the girl.
“Did you and Miss Lisa eat already?” Klee innocently asked, a smile on her face to disguise her guilt.
“No, sweetie. But we already have plans. Didn’t Noelle buy you dinner like Jean requested?” Lisa asked, her gentle tone contrasting with Jean’s serious one. Behind them, Beidou and Ningguang watched the scene with discreet smiles on their lips.
“We went to the Good Hunter and she bought me a toast and brought me home, yes. But when I arrived at my bedroom I noticed I had forgotten my juice so I went back to pick it and then…” Klee looked away, avoiding the knight’s gaze “Then a dog stole my toast”
Klee whispered the last part, looking anywhere but Jean’s face. The knight asked why she had taken the meal with her in the first place, but Lisa just waved her lecture away, telling the Acting Grand Master to take their guests to have dinner while she got Klee something to eat.
“Jean” Ningguang called “We love kids”
The Tianquan’s simple comment and Beidou’s wide smile, along with Klee’s apologize and adorable slightly guilty face, were enough for Jean to calm down and show them the way to the restaurant.
Apparently, Ningguang didn’t lie. The Tianquan was herself great at dealing with Klee, but Beidou was on a completely different level.
“Why do you wear an eyepatch?” Klee had asked, and Beidou answered before Jean could tell her the question was quite impolite.
“Because I’m a pirate of course” the captain chuckled.
“Kaeya wears one too, but he’s not a pirate. His grandfather was one though” Klee kept telling as they walked to the Good Hunter “If you are a pirate, does it mean you find treasures?”
“Of course” Beidou answered, rather proudly, making Ningguang playfully roll her eyes at her " All the time”
And that was all it took. Klee spent the next half hour asking Beidou about her adventures, and the pirate was happy to share it with her.
“Don’t worry, Jean” Ningguang reassured the knight “Beidou is having just as much fun as her, if not more. Now, any recommendations?”
They had an entertaining meal, sharing tales, curious facts about Liyue and Mondstadt and work experiences, while drinking dandelion wine and enjoying Mondstadt finest dishes. Beidou did spend most of the time talking to Klee, but when the girl finally stopped to eat, the captain enjoyed the wine and the food, chatting with the other women.
They were indeed an interesting group of people. A pirate who defeated a powerful leviathan at a young age and without a vision, the most talented mage Sumeru Academia had seen in centuries, a woman who had become Dandelion Knight at the age of fifteen and Acting Grand Master of the Knights of Favonius at her early twenties and a business woman who ascended from poverty to a member of the Qixing of Liyue, building a floating palace like nothing ever seen and owning an incomparable fortune. Oh, and a cute chaotic kid with a pyro vision.
“You tried to sell it?” Lisa asked, laughing and taking another sip of her wine.
“It would make a great deal, but Rex Lapis got in the way” Ningguang complained, telling Jean and Lisa about how she got her vision.
When it was close to midnight, they headed back to the knight’s headquarters. Beidou gave Klee a piggyback ride back to her room, since the kid looked exhausted. While she and Lisa put the girl to bed, Jean talked to Ningguang.
“You should come to Liyue for the Lantern Rite. Beidou’s birthday will be in the same week, we’ll love to have you” Ningguang smiled, talking to the knight while she removed her sleeping clothes from her suitcase.
“We would love to” Jean politely thanked the Tianquan.
“Take Klee with you, she can visit the Alcor” Ningguang chuckled “Your daughter is adorable”
“Oh, she’s not…” Jean started, and Ningguang cut her, quickly apologizing.
“I apologize. I thought she was yours and Lisa’s”
“No, she’s the daughter of one of our adventurers. The knights are just taking care of her while her parents travel” the knight tried to explain the situation, a blush spreading from her cheeks to her ears.
“Ayo, the kid is asleep” Beidou announced her arrival, followed by a yawning Lisa.
“Is there anything else you need?” Jean asked Ningguang, regaining her composure. When the Tianquan said everything was perfect, the knight turned to Beidou “There’s another spare room if you want, Beidou”
Beidou looked at Jean, then at the single queen sized bed of the room where Ningguang was undoing her bag, then at Ningguang herself, who just smiled at her before saying “Don’t worry, we are fine”
The knight seemed to struggle to process the new information, but thankfully Lisa had understood Beidou and Ningguang’s dynamic the moment they stepped in Mondstadt. The witch wished both women a good night and Jean followed her, saying again that if they needed anything they should call her.
*now*
“Klee is asleep” Lisa sighed, looking tired “It was hard, she is too excited to get to know Liyue, the Alcor and the Jade Chamber”
The mage laid in bed and Jean immediately wrapped an arm around her, gently stroking her brown hair. They had already prepared everything for their departure on the next day and now all that was left to do was rest.
“I never attended the Lantern Rite” Lisa commented “I must confess that I might be just as excited as Klee”
“I went to Liyue during the festival week when I was young, but didn’t stay for the last day. I’m excited too” Jean chuckled “Especially cause I’ll be attending it with you, Lisa”
“Oh, Jean” the witch turned to face her lover, placing a gentle kiss on her lips “You are the cutest little thing. I’m also happy we’ll be spending another festival together. But I feel kind of guilty for turning Beidou into a babysitter”
“You mean doubling Ningguang’s job” Jean corrected, both of them chuckling.
“She will be fine. We should try to sleep now” the witch giggled and yawned, nuzzling into Jean’s embrace “Good night, sweetie. I love you”
“Love you too, good night” Jean answered and kissed her girlfriend’s forehead, a smile crossing her lips as she thought of herself, Lisa and Klee, and also of Ningguang and Beidou, before finally falling asleep.
“Everything is perfect now”