Chapter Text
It was Fatui who found her first, alone and lost in the snow, but it was the Tsaritsa who took Lumine under her cold, but gentle wing. She could sense the power underneath this one, it would suit her plans to keep her here.
Lumine wishes to find her brother. And the Tsaritsa gives her the power of the Fatui to search all throughout Teyvat for information on her lost kin.
Under the condition that she will help her.
"Do we have a deal, little star?" The Cryo Archon tenderly brushed her bangs. Like a mother gently caressing her child even though both are fully aware of the deception and motifs behind each other’s words. Lumine has become aware of the dark side of this organization, but she doesn't care.
All she cares about is finding Aether.
Whispers and tellings spread through to the recruits and Harbingers. The Tsaritsa cherishes their newly found outlander. Do not harm her, a reminder and it is best not to upset her. Lumine is their ace card in the grand scheme of things. Another tool for a bigger plan.
But as long as they do their part of the deal on finding her brother, she'll play along.
She'll be a weapon if it means she'll be able to reunite with Aether.
The Harbingers are annoying to all varying degrees. They do not respect her, not understanding how special she is and the powers she is capable of. First impressions are everything, and Lumine did not impress a majority of them. So in return, Lumine does not respect them, not like she was going to in the first place. Well, all except for the 11th Harbinger, pesky like a fly, more eccentric than some of the other Harbingers but the most genuine one of the bunch.
Tartaglia or 'Childe'. Young, reckless, and loud. Always hovering over her for a spar after one round where she kicked his ass for underestimating her. It irritates her how much he's able to get under her skin, making her fond of him now in an annoying way.
Slowly but surely... they get closer... friends even. Childe was the warmest person right now in the Snezhnayan cold and Lumine can't help but chase after that warmth.
It feels like it's been forever since she's felt comfort in a world that has ripped away her only home and kin from her. An anchor to weigh her down, to keep her going before she lost herself. Childe was her only confidant, her anchor sinking deeper and deeper down his ocean blue depths.
"Hey girlie, want to come to Liyue with me?" He once asked. From what Lumine heard, he was being stationed over at Liyue for 'business and pleasure' as he quotes.
So far there has been no progress on finding any leads on Aether. So when Childe offered, Lumine didn’t hesitate to accept. After all, there’s no point in her staying in Snezhnaya and... she wants to travel again... The Tsaritsa had once allowed her to visit Mondstadt with Signora, but after getting herself involved with their dragon issue and stealing the Anemo Archon's Gnosis Lumine wasn't given any opportunities to leave after that ordeal.
"It's to keep you under the radar little star," The Tsaritsa's soft voice chimed. "Words of your involvement are starting to spread throughout Tevyat." She petted her head delicately like a fragile doll. "To harbor that much attention will surely put some loops in our investigation."
It's only been a couple of months since their trip to Mondstadt. And she's sick of the cold. She was going to Liyue whether the Tsaritsa liked it or not.
"Fine, let's go." Childe's face lit up, adorably so. Lumine fights off the smile that threatens to creep up on her lips. Luckily, the Tsaritsa allows her to go under the condition that Childe accompanies her.
"I'm not some kid who needs babysitting," she argued.
"I'm aware." The Tsaritsa's lips curved. "You are anything but one. But our youngest needs to be kept an eye on."
Oh, she can do that.
Liyue was so bright and colorful with warm undertones, the complete opposite of Mondstadt. Lumine had also resonated with Geo when approaching one of the statues, surprising Childe when her light turned yellow.
Three elements... Cryo, Anemo, and now Geo. No wonder the Tsaritsa wants to keep her. The thought of their ace with all the elements of Teyvat excites him. Just how powerful is she going to get? Even more powerful than to challenge Celestia itself?
With Lumine in their hands, they can carry out the Tsaritsa's plan.
As long as they keep up the facade that they haven't found any lead on her brother, it'll work.
"There's a young man spotted, similar to our star," The Tsaritsa once held a private concession with her Harbingers. "He is leading the Abyss. She is driven by her love for her brother. And we must make use of her utility before that time comes." Her voice was cold, lacking all the love.
"Do not let her know. Do not let her find out."
"But if she does?" Someone spoke up, Childe couldn't remember who exactly, his own mind too preoccupied with the sudden reveal behind their ace's lost sibling.
"... then dispose of her before her brother can find her."
"Do not tell her this information."
Childe remembers freezing on the spot, body going rigid when that order slips past the Tsaritsa's lips, a confluence of emotions wash over him clashing his feelings and duty against each other. Does Childe feel bad for keeping a secret, a massive fucking secret from Lumine? A bit, yes. But he must follow the Tsaritsa's orders through and through. No matter the cost.
Not even when he's grown so fond of their little star.
What she doesn't know won't hurt her. Childe tries to tell himself that it's better this way, to keep her in the dark about the true role her beloved brother has. The one leading the Abyss Order and if her brother was anything like her, slowly regaining his powers?
He won't allow their star to fall into those hands.
Everything was going well. They were even having a bit of fun actually! Lumine got to see Childe struggle with chopsticks, and she got to taste a bunch of new dishes! Childe notes how she stuffs her face like a chipmunk... it's funny and cute. He got to see her smile more. Carefree and happy.
And he’d gladly provide all the mora in the Northland Bank to see her in such a state; smiling in his space around him.
Then the Rite of Descension happens, and then Rex Lapis falls from the sky, declared dead, sending the whole nation by storm.
It was the perfect opportunity.
Time to get to work sadly.
Lumine sneaks into the crowd, gaining the Qixing's interest and trust while Childe goes to duplicate those sigils. Watching the way she was able to win over the Qixing made things easier for Childe to continue with their scheme. Not to mention the proud feeling swelling in his chest seeing his girl work so diligently.
"Don't do anything stupid," Lumine warns, tucking the given sigil copy away.
"Who me? Don't worry girlie, this will just be a Plan B in case things don't go the way they go." He winks at her, gaining a raised eyebrow look before she goes off.
She eventually comes back at a later time because: "I'm shopping for the most expensive things for a ritual and I need your money." At this point, Lumine also met with Zhongli and is familiar with his... tendency to not... bring any money.
It’s to be expected if they have to be honest. But Childe knows how much Lumine doesn’t like to rely on his mora and it especially was shown on her face when she comes crawling to him, a frown and flush embedded on her face.
Childe still laughs at her. She hisses and kicks him in return.
"Yeah, yeah! Got you a set amount in my office back at the bank. Just pick it up whenever," Unfortunately for Childe (but luckily for Lumine), he still had some extra work to do now that the Qixing were catching wind of the Fatui’s plans with his copied sigils.
When Lumine arrives at the bank, Ekaterina knows the deal already and lets her through. Lumine hates his office because it's such a mess. Luckily she does find the bag of mora and was about to leave when she spots something.
Letters from the Tsaritsa herself.
She just did one skim, one peek.
And she feels the world around her just stops.
Waking up in the cold of Snezhnaya pales in comparison to the way her blood freezes to the first words she just skimmed over:
'Please allow me to convince her if word slips out and she finds out about her brother.'
Childe’s name was signed at the very bottom, addressed to the Tsaritsa herself. Childe's letter to the Tsaritsa. And they knew about Aether.
... they know where Aether is. They had information on Aether.
Childe knew and he never told her. The only person she actually trusted, the one person who she once thought was her friend. The person she has openly cried to about missing her twin.
He knew and he's been keeping this information from her.
The heavy weight of the bag can’t even compare to the weight she feels in her chest. White noise fills her mind and sight as she walks out of the bank with the pouch of mora in her hand. She returns to the shops, almost with a blank look in her eyes. No one else notices, not with the fact she had so much mora in her hands now.
But Zhongli has always been more attentive to detail. One look, a clear message between their eyes that she did not want to talk about it, and respectfully he did not ask or mention it.
Seeing Childe again at Bubu’s pharmacy was a slap to the face. Hearing him laugh so loudly, bowling over himself, clutching onto his stomach was so like him, was a punch in the gut. She tries to keep a passive face, but she can feel her heart twist over the constant reminder that he kept information about Aether from her. She wants nothing more than to stomp up to the man, grab him by the collar and shake him violently, demanding answers.
She can’t. Not here. A bitterness lingers in Lumine when they briefly discuss in private, trying hard to hide her tone when talking to the Harbinger. And if he notices, he doesn’t say anything, even if his eyes spoke more towards her than his words that he wanted to.
When they agree to meet up again at the Golden House where the Exuvia is, Childe expects a lot of things to happen. He expects the guards to be an easy fight, he expects to wait for Lumine to arrive, he expects to leave with the Gnosis in hand and Lumine by his side.
What he didn't expect was the sheer coldness and pure anger radiating off of the young woman.
"You kept secrets from me," she states.
It's vague and Childe's confused by her demeanor, but that doesn't stop the chill running up his spine. "We all are, Girlie. You're going to have to be more specific than that."
She brings out envelopes, familiar letters in fancy penmanship and ink. A sealing wax meant it was to be delivered to her Majesty.
The smile on his face drops and his throat runs dry.
"You knew about Aether," she states so calmly, too calm, but her eyes are blazing gold, anger hidden behind that stoic face of hers. "You knew and never told me."
Childe swallows the lump in his throat, a nervousness slowly rising that he didn’t think he’d ever feel again. "They were direct orders from your Majesty girlie. I can't go against that."
If anything, that just made Lumine more blank-face than before. "Orders..." she mutters, her eyes void of emotion and any brightness she used to hold. "Of course... of FUCKING course!" She laughs, it comes out as a loud bark, bitter and hurt. "I should have known! I should have known that no one was going to actually help me! That no one actually would give a DAMN about helping a poor traveler!" She breaks down in hysteria, holding herself like she was in pain.
He watches her in shock and horror, seeing the star they found in the snow crack and break. And Childe wants to do nothing more than to comfort her. "Lumine—"
"I bet you never cared about me too," Lumine says more softly, but her words cut through him so harshly causing him to pull back the hand he was using to reach out to her. "Whatever this was," she gestures between the two. "Was all a lie wasn't it?"
"That's not true!" Childe snaps, almost in a desperate tone. If there's one thing that's true is that he was genuine to her. And for her to disregard their friendship like it was nothing?
That hurts him.
The flat expression on her face doesn't change, forever piercing him with her golden eyes. It’s jarring. It’s haunting.
And he’s starting to believe it’s what he deserves.
"I don't believe you, and I won't believe you ever again." She says so coldly. She materializes her sword, gets into a fighting stance and Childe instantly gets out a water spear, just a millisecond in time before Lumine dashes at him.
"We don't have to do this," He grunts as her blade clashes with his at a lightning-fast speed.
"Then were you ever going to tell me about Aether?" She asks, cold-cut and Childe is silent. A small scowl on his face when he hears Lumine laugh at him at his lack of a response. "See? I should have known," Lumine wistfully smiles, already knowing the answer. "That compared to your loyalty to Her. I mean nothing to you."
"That's not—" he chokes, a swift kick to the stomach. Her once melancholy gaze hardens on him again.
"I don't want to hear any more lies, not from you." She spits out. "If you want to get to the Exuvia, you're going to have to fight me."
Childe coughs. "W-What? Switching sides now Girlie?"
"No," There's a glint in her eyes. "I just don't care anymore."
He knows that usually, Lumine can only resonate with one element at a time, but right now? He can feel bursts of all Cryo, Anemo, and Geo coming at her fingertips, to her beck and call.
Even using the Delusion that the Tsaritsa has given to him, Childe was still no match to her strength. She's so powerful that not even the power of Foul Legacy, a power he obtained from the Abyss , can defeat.
Someone like Lumine can shake a whole nation, make cities crumble under her heel if she wanted to and people fear for not only their lives but for their world.
Their star was someone not to be reckoned with.
And he just became her enemy.
Their fighting feels like a waste, the Gnosis wasn't even in the Exuvia. So... it leads Childe left with no choice but to do his plan B. He imagined only resorting to this with Lumine still by his side, but now… the change of plans leaves him no choice. Even if he doesn’t like it anymore, not when Lumine was going to be directly involved in the chaos he’s about to unleash.
"Sorry girlie, I'm about to do the stupid thing you told me not to do." He says, using all the sigils to awaken Osial. "If you really don't care, I suggest you run to save your own life." His last words, his final attempt to apologize when this might even be the last time he’ll ever see her again.
After all, fighting a sealed God is on a different level from fighting him.
Childe just wishes it didn’t have to end up like this. Leaving Lumine behind in a crumbling building in a trail of water.
He remembers the Tsaritsa's orders: if she finds out, kill her before her brother can find her, to potentially recruit her to the Order's side.
But... Childe can't do that. He can't kill her. Even if she hates his guts now. He won't allow her to die.
Give her the option to escape the city, to save her own life from a nation that doesn’t deserve her, or drown with it. It's the least he could do for destroying her trust like that.
Childe had hoped she’d escape, but she didn’t. Maybe it was always the little heroic part of her that caused her to stay behind and save Liyue, or maybe it was pure spite as she rips through their troops on that platform to make sure their plans fail. And he can’t even be mad at her for that.
Childe knows he can continue breathing when the sky becomes clear once more and the city isn’t drowning in seawater because he knows Lumine is still alive. His plan to draw out Rex Lapis fails, but all he could focus on was the immense relief he feels wash over his whole being knowing that Lumine is still alive.
Oh, the irony of being betrayed when Zhongli reveals his Gnosis, handing it over to Signora and revealing that The Tsaritsa made a contract, information that was hidden from him. Childe almost wants to laugh out of frustration and the irony of it all considering how he's been kept out of a secret.
Karma was a bitch in the form of betrayal.
Signora doesn't know that Lumine's aware of the letters, just passes by them with an expecting look to return back to Snezhnaya and be on their way.
"You have to come back," Childe insists, gripping onto her elbow when she tries to leave in the opposite direction from the port. "Or else you'll be hunted down."
"Then let them," Lumine hisses, ripping her arm out his hold. Not like that was hard to do in the first place, Childe just didn’t want her to leave. "I'm sick of not doing anything. I'm sick of sitting in that palace like one of her pet birds, waiting to fly out of her cage." She glares at him. "I just want to know where my brother is but you won't let me."
"Don't act like I haven't been kept in the dark too!" He snaps. Her judgment and resentment towards him, while reasonable, also felt unfair to him. Why must he be subjected to her harshness as if he wasn’t also in the same shoes as her?
You know why. You can’t possibly be that ignorant on why she’s giving you the cold shoulder, a tiny voice at the back of his head sneers, mocking him. He ignores it, focuses on what’s currently present at hand even if the truth burns him from the inside out.
"Oh, how the tables have turned." Lumine mocks him before sneering. "At least it wasn't information about your lost family member." A sullen expression slowly morphs itself onto her face. "Why..." she grows somber, the fight in her fading. "Why can't I just reunite with my brother...?" She whispers, eyes screwed shut.
She doesn't know that he's part of the Abyss Order. She doesn't know he's leading them either. But even if she did, would she even blink an eye?
Childe knows her well enough to know she wouldn't hesitate to join her twin's side.
Teyvat would be doomed and he would lose Lumine. Even if she were to be against them and Her Majesty, Childe doesn't want to see her on the other side with the Abyss. The Abyss was too dark for her, someone so bright and luminous... too corrupt for their little star.
He can't see the light in her eyes fade away like his. He won't allow it.
"We'll—" he starts, hesitates, but pushes through. He has to. "Let's search for him together. Under heavy discretion of course. But you have to come back to the palace, pretend you're still with us." I don't want you to die to our hands, Childe silently pleas. "From what I know there have only been sightings, but that's all. I know I have lost all of your trust, but please believe me on this." He looks at her, hand over his chest.
Lumine stares at him passively. "Why should I? When I've been fed nothing but empty promises?"
"Because being aligned with the Fatui means more easy access to other countries, like Inazuma." He points out. Lumine's face pulls into a grimace, remembering the restricted entry. "And also, we're the only ones who have a better chance of getting the leads you need."
"Leads that you never disclosed to me. Unless you're going to tell me everything?" She crosses her arms. "What? Switching sides now?" She's mocking him, but that's fine, he understands.
"My loyalty lies with her Majesty," he grits out, though those words come out more forced and sounding like a broken record to his ears the more he tries to remind her. (Or is he reminding himself?)
"Exactly, I have no place in there." Lumine stresses. "Not with someone who ordered everyone to withhold the information we agreed on."
Childe has to bite back the words he wants to say, to tell her that she does have a place in the Fatui with them. With him. But that’s not what she wants to hear, he knows this. "But you know you're a valuable asset to her," Childe hastily speaks out. "Ask her to allow you to traverse more."
"She would never," Lumine argues.
"She would if you bring me with you," Because if it's going to be any other Harbinger, it's going to be him. It has to be him.
Lumine is silent for a while before whispering, "...and if she doesn't let you...?" It’s a soft tone, faint, laced with the tiniest bit of hope that Childe can hear behind her uncertainty.
Childe gives her a reassuring smile. "I can be very convincing. Just give me an hour or so and I can get her Majesty to permit me outside of Liyue." He softly gazes at her, eyes pleading. "Trust me. Just this one more time..."
Childe watches her intensely with bated breath as Lumine pulls her lips into a thin line.
"Pinkie promise me." She juts her pinkie out towards him, her eyebrows furrowed. "Pinkie promise me that you'll help me find my brother. No more secrets, no more empty promises." Her voice waivers slightly but all Childe could do is smile.
He curls his pinkie around hers, hooking in place with a slight shake. "I promise,"
"You make a pinkie promise, you keep it all your life," Lumine mutters and Childe chuckles.
"I break a pinkie promise, I get thrown on the ice. The cold will kill the pinkie that once betrayed your friend, the frost will freeze your tongue off so you never lie again." He ends the rhyme, releasing her finger. He holds out a hand, "Shall we? Unless you want to hear Signora yapping."
Lumine huffs and rolls her eyes, but takes Childe's hand regardless. "You yap more than her." He squawks, offended before going on a tangent about how he doesn't talk that much but Lumine tunes him out.
The corner of her lips lifts up slightly.
"Tartaglia," The Tsaritsa softly greets in her icy voice. "From what I've heard, you have something to report on our little star?"
"Yes your Majesty," he bows and kneels. "She now knows that we've been keeping information from her about her brother."
The Tsaritsa hums in thought. "Does this involve her earlier demand to traverse the other nations?"
"Yes, the traveler will now be restless knowing her brother has been spotted by our troops. Best to let her fly a little wouldn't you think?"
"Be careful Tartaglia. I fear you'll allow our little songbird a bit too much freedom. She might fly away one day and you won't get to hear her lovely songs anymore."
"Then allow me to be the one to clip her wings," Childe says, a wide smile on his face. "Allow her to traverse the other nations with me by her side and I'll watch over her, making sure she doesn't get close to finding her brother while also fulfilling your plan."
"Oh?" The Tsaritsa leans in on her hand. "And how will you keep her entertained with no leads?"
Childe simply smiles. "A young man with blonde hair and exotic clothing? Surely it's not hard to make false claims about someone with a similar appearance, wouldn't you say, your Majesty?"
"You'll continue to lie to our little star?" Her eyes glowed in amusement under the pale moonlight.
"Are they considered lies if the description matches and the reporter doesn't know better?"
The Tsaritsa hums, leaning back on her throne. "Very well... you may keep our star company. Be prepared for the consequences of when your plan backfires Tartaglia." A small warning, but one Childe wouldn’t underestimate or take lightly.
"Excited for Inazuma?" Childe strolls up to Lumine, throwing an arm over her shoulder. She throws him a glare and pushes his arm off of her.
"Well of course I am! The reports say Aether may have been there!"
Ah yes, the falsified reports.
Poor girl.
"You do know it's no guarantee that we'll find him there right?"
"I still have to try, don't I?" Lumine looks off into the distance. "This is the closest I'll ever be to finding Aether in months... and I will reunite with him. I know I will."
Childe won't allow it.
"I'm sure you will!" Childe smiles through his teeth. "Say, is he as strong as you? You think he can handle me in a spar?" Because he'll do whatever it'll take for Lumine to stay here with them. With him.
Even if it means if he does have to clip her wings. Shame, she always looks so beautiful and carefree in the air.
"That's all you think about." Lumine huffs, but her eyes twinkle in amusement. "Come on, we gotta board. I want to see you struggle with chopsticks again."
"That's so mean!" He cries out and Lumine laughs. Childe, charmed by her laughter, watches as she runs off, boarding the ship to Inazuma.
His loyalty lies with the Tsaritsa. And Lumine is essential to her plan. Lumine has to stay here with them, with him. And he'll make sure she stays grounded. No matter the cost.
He hasn't broken their pinkie promise. After all, he is helping her find her brother. It isn't a lie nor an empty promise.
They're following others' reports, not his.
He whistles a merry tune, boarding the ship with her, wondering how she'll resonate with Electro.