Chapter Text
CHAPTER 3
Mondstadt. You couldn’t believe that you were finally setting your eyes on the City of Freedom. The gigantic windmills slowly waved at you and you smiled, excitement filling you up and making you forget about Liyue and it’s Archon. The waypoint in front of the city held the perfect view and you stood there for sometime, taking in the city and its walls. Then you made your way down the little hill and started walking on the stone bridge towards the entrance. A little boy was on the bridge and you smiled at him as you saw him feeding birds. But you accidentally scared a few away and he glared at you.
“Hey! What are you doing? You’re scaring the pigeons away!” You were taken aback and quickly said you were sorry and scurried off. When you reached the other side of the bridge, you looked back at the boy but he was too busy luring the birds back. You sighed in relief. The first thing you did not want was trouble with the townspeople. You turned back to face the gates, almost bumping into a man in the process. He was a tan man, not someone you’d expect coming from a northern city. He had navy blue hair and an eyepatch. A white half fur cloak covered his shoulders and his blue eyes matched his cool attire. A single small blue earring dangled from his ear and he had a devilish smirk on him. You knew a pirate when you saw one and this one was literally a tall, dark, handsome one.
“Don’t mind Timmie, he has issues.” The man commented and you couldn’t help but laugh. A little at his joke and a little out of nervousness. He picked that up and bowed slightly and introduced himself. “Kaeya Alberich, at your service madam.” He said smoothly. You placed a hand on your chest in unexpected awe.
“Oh wow, hello there.” You bowed your head back at him. “Are all newcomers greeted by you this way?” You ask.
He chuckled, “Definitely not. But I just happened to see you from the top of the walls as I was making a patrol and by the looks of it, you’ve travelled quite far. Liyue perhaps?” He said as he eyed you up and down. You looked down at your clothes and realized that you were wearing a traditional Liyuean dress called a qipao. A short lacey, bright red, skin tight dress. You were used to this clothing, especially around Beidou since it was always warm out on the seas. But you look around and realize that everyone else around you was wearing muted natural colors and layers. A cool breeze sent shivers down your spine and you also realized that it was a bit chilly. The excitement and adrenaline of the city got the best of you. You nod at him, blushing a deep red and looking away.
“I do admit, I wasn’t prepared for the weather. Should I change to clothes more suitable to the fashion of Mondstadt?” You ask a little innocently. Something flashed across his indigo eyes and the devilish smirk returned to his lips.
“I think you should wear a coat first, or a cloak. Here take mine for the time being.” He said and before you could protest, Kaeya already slipped his fur cloak over your shoulders. It smelled of mint and fresh cologne.
“Oh my, thank you.” You said wrapping it tightly around your shoulders.
“Fancy joining me at the tavern for a bit?” He asked and you nod shyly. He stepped aside and extended his arm out, signaling for you to walk ahead. You smiled and you took your first steps into the City of Freedom.
He led you through the guarded gates and started walking to the right. But you slowed down in front of the main stairs to stare up at the city. Flags and banners hung from the rooftops and people were beginning to light candles and lanterns. You didn't realize how late it was until now. The warmth from the lights made you smile, reminding you a little of Liyue at night. That smile quickly faded and Kaeya noticed it.
“Homesick?” He said in a low voice and you nod.
“Something like that...” you said trailing off. He looked at you quizzically but you shook your head and slapped a smile on your face. “Drinks?” You said and he perked up.
“This way. It’s the most popular tavern in town. Though sometimes a grumpy redhead mans the bar, it’s overall the best place to get a drink.” He offered you his elbow and you took it. It was a short walk from the gates to the tavern. On your way there, you saw a small flower shop and decided you’d check it out tomorrow and see if they were hiring. The closer you got to the bar, the more lively and warm it felt. People were gathered outside socializing at large round tables and a man was by the door, calling out to people walking by to try out the new wine they had. A big sign above the door said “Angles Share”.
“Patton,” Kaeya nodded a hello to the caller.
“Ah, Master Kaeya. We haven’t seen you here in a bit.” the man said and eyed you on his elbow. You blush and look away but pondered over his title of Master. Who was this man? While Kaeya talked to the caller you accidentally caught someone else’s eye. A man was to the back right of the building behind the tavern. He was leaning against the fort walls in the shadows. He had a very standoffish demeanor, especially with his dark clothes helping him blend into the shadows and arms crossed as if he were up to no good. His big crimson eyes burned brightly into yours, almost as if they were glowing in the night but you couldn’t make out his face too clearly. You blush even more and curse yourself for not studying more about the culture here and the much different fashion. You were practically a walking sign that called out to the people that you were an outsider.
“Well then, I hope you and your lady friend here have a good time tonight. We have a new wine, fresh from Dawn Winery. Master Diluc brought it in himself earlier.” Patton said, Kaeya grunted in frustration.
“Don’t tell me HE’s here.” Patton chuckled and nodded. “That’ll be a pleasant talk.” He said sarcastically. “We’ll we’re here already. Might as well.” He mumbled as he pulled you inside.
The tavern was bustling with people and music. A young bard was near the entrance, flicking some strings on his musical instrument. He was dressed in the color emerald that matched his eyes perfectly. He smiled and winked at you and you politely smiled back.
“Charles! Where is this wine Patton kept shouting about outside? My friend here and I MUST have a bottle!” Kaeya had a surprisingly loud voice. You did not expect that from the way he looked. Charles laughed and held up a bottle.
“I’ll bring it to your table shortly Kaeya!” The bartender smiled and Kaeya nodded. He walked you to a table in the corner by the only window. He pulled out the chair for you and you sat down. You vaguely felt him take off his cloak but you thought nothing of it. You were too busy letting your eyes wander the decorated walls of the tavern. Kaeya let you look a little more, studying your face, before interrupting your thoughts.
“So, what brings you to Mondstadt? I know traveling from Liyue is not an easy trip. And it seems like you came all on your own? How’d how manage that? Tell me your story.” He said, leaning back in his chair and crossing his legs, not taking his eyes off of you. It took you a moment to decide if it was safe telling this stranger your life story. So you settle on telling him half the truth. “I just needed a change of scenery. My parents are in the adventurers guild and Mondastat was their favorite place to travel to. So I wanted to see the city for myself.” Before you could say more, a deep voice talked behind you. “Leave the poor girl alone Kaeya, you’ll scare her out of the city if you keep interrogating her. Huh. Is that what the Knights of Favonius are doing now? Interrogating travelers?” His voice was laced with venom and you looked to see the same red haired man you saw out back walking towards you with a bottle of wine. Kaeya grimaced and crossed his arms. “Diluc, nice of you to ruin our conversation.” Kaeya spat. You picked up the clues that this was the grumpy redhead he was talking about earlier. You couldn’t help but stare up at him. He was gorgeous, more gorgeous than the already gorgeous man sitting across from you. He gave off a warmth like you’ve never felt when he stood beside you, as if he was a walking campfire. He smelled of warm cider, cinnamon and... maybe a hint of burnt wood. He was tall, muscular and stunning. Kaeya noticed you gawking at him and he became a little irritated. But before he could dismiss him, Diluc turned to you and gave a small bow. “Diluc Ragnvindr. Owner and occasional grumpy bartender of this tavern and Dawn Winery.” He sneered the “grumpy bartender” part at Kaeya but he just shrugged it off.
“Nosy.” Kaeya muttered. You were still speechless at this whole interaction and shifted uncomfortably in your seat. It felt like you just walked in on a family fight, though you were unsure if these men were related for they seemed like complete opposites.
“H-hello, I’m YN from Liyue.” You said timidly. Diluc saw your uneasiness and cleared his throat standing up straighter.
“A pleasure to meet you. If you need anything, don’t hesitate to ask.” he said bluntly And with that, he placed the bottle on the table and walked away.
“How did he know it was my first-“ you started but Kaeya cut you off.
“Word travels at lightning speed around this city. It may be big but the people know each other well.” Kaeya said nonchalantly as he poured you a glass. You sipped it and surprisingly enjoyed it. After finishing your first glass, you reach for your bag and dug around for your mora purse.
“Oh, no need. It’s on me. A welcome gift to our beautiful city.”
“Are you sure? You’ve been awfully kind to me and I just want to repay you back.” You protest but he smiled.
“No need for such things. It’s my duty.” But before he could elaborate more, two guards burst into the tavern. The loud noise made you jump and whip around to see what was going on.
“Captain Kaeya! We need your help at once!” They ran towards you two and you leaned back in shock. Kaeya quickly stood up on alert, hand on the hilt of his sword. You notice beside his sword...was a vision. A cryo vision! Your mouth briefly drops before you compose yourself again. He nodded, brows furrowing and his demeanor changed from casual, to fight mode. He looked down at you and gave a smile that said I’m sorry.
“Until next time my southern snowflake.” He winked at you before sprinting out of the tavern with the guards. After a moment, the chatter in the establishment started up again and you could hear whispers about you and could see hungry looks thrown your way by the other male patrons of the bar. You look around and realize you were the only female and you were suddenly extremely uncomfortable. You quickly get up and leave the tavern, but not before going to the bar and sliding a few coins of mora to Diluc.
“I-I dont know if this is enough.” You say nervously as you glance over your shoulder. “Yes, this is enough but-“ Diluc started to say but you thanked him and rushed out of the tavern. You were already missing the warmth and security of Beidou’s ship and you wondered if her ship was still off the coast. Maybe you could flag it down. Doubts and fear filled you up and the cold night air chilled your bones. You turn right when you left the tavern and run down a flight of stairs. You’d decide to take another right and kept running. Before you knew it, you were standing on the edge of a dock. All the emotions of the past month and today took over and you slumped down, crying. You missed Zhongli, you missed Beidou, you missed Liyue. You missed the warm air and the familiar city streets you grew up in. You looked at yourself in the water's reflection. But due to the constant stream of tears falling, they kept disrupting the calm surface of the water.
“YN” a voice called from behind you. You whipped around to find a red blur at the other end of the dock. You tried to wipe the tears away but they kept coming. He was giving you space and was being cautious on how to approach you. “Diluc?” You hiccuped and could vaguely see him nodding.
“Are you alright?” He asked but that question just sent you into another wave of sobs. You stood up but lost your balance, falling backwards into the water. You screamed as you were being pulled down by your bag and then a hard object hit the back of your head, knocking you unconscious. All you remember was a second splash of water and a flash of red coming at you...