Chapter Text
Jean Gunnhildr loves wishing. She always has. There is something whimsical in watching dandelion seeds carry whispered thoughts into the air, wind winding dreams and desires alike on a perilous journey to places unknown. Even now as she settled into her newfound maturity at seventeen years and two months, Jean would follow her wishes anywhere, keeping a vigilant hope aloft on the silent breeze. However, all her heavy hopes couldn’t carry on wishes alone, seeing as breezes barely manage to keep the feather-light whispers of dandelion seeds aloft. While wishes were good, realising her dreams required endless effort, and Jean quickly learned to be a master of executing her desires. She only wished she was better at helping others find and realise theirs.
When she was just seven, Jean ran crying to the lakeside near Dawn Winery, her knees reddened and raw: the result of a fall taken - a casualty of a particularly competitive game of tag played with the winery staff and her best friends: Kaeya and Diluc. She sat down, a splash echoing up through the water. She let the gentle ripples of the lake wash over her knees carrying the dirt and grime away. Her tears reduced to sniffles as she felt the cool water soothe her pain, and a ladybug landed on her finger. Letting out a giggle and wiping away the last of her tears, Jean suddenly recalled her mother’s words about a ladybug’s secret. Ladybugs had a magical ability, making any wish come true if you were deigned an adequate resting spot. Jean gasped softly, mind whirling with possibilities. Finding her greatest wish, she closed her eyes tight before letting it seep into the ladybug with a whisper. Her name was being called, and she turned around to see Kaeya and Diluc running toward her. Kaeya’s brows were furrowed and Diluc’s mouth twisted into a line to match. Jean waved before meeting them, tears dried with the hope of wishing. Before she knew it, she was all patched up, and soon after her knees were as good as ever. From that day forward, Jean knew that wishes could come true, and she began her silent practice of searching for all the ways she could wish.
~***~
Jean Gunnhildr is a name that carries many burdens, and at this moment, they had never felt more clear to her. In the waning sunlight, under the soft green leaves of the Great Tree, her eyes welled with tears as she once again thought of her world, and how it came all crashing down not two weeks prior. It didn’t seem possible for a life to change so much in a single night. It didn’t seem possible that her whole life could break apart as she slept, only to find the scattered pieces in the morning. It didn’t seem possible, but here she sat. Jean cast her eyes towards the leafy ceiling, hoping to find her answers in the canopy as she once again considered anything, everything that could have happened to make her entire life turn upside down in a matter of days, but nothing came. Her dearest friends had broken apart, and Jean Gunnhildr had no idea why.
In tumultuous times, Jean often found herself sitting in this exact place, seeking guidance from the one north star in life she never lost sight of. Vennessa was the longest-lasting constant in Jean’s life. When the waves of trouble stirred for her, Vennessa was always there to listen, even if she couldn’t exactly provide guidance or advice to her. However, this didn’t stop Jean from asking. Jean knew this place as one where she could let herself be Jean and not the revered Dandelion Knight. Tonight, even in a spot where Jean thought she was most secure, she had never felt more alone and unsure.
In all her previous troubled times, Jean had sought guidance from Vennessa with the support of her two best friends, Kaeya and Diluc. They had been there throughout all her highs and lows. When her father left and took Jean’s only sister with him, Jean had found herself resting against the tree at windrise with Kaeya and Diluc. When the lot of them tried out for the knights of Favonius, they all came to their tree, wishing each other the best, and hoping that their meeting spot would provide a lucky charm. When Jean earned the title of dandelion knight, plagued with the weight and worthy of her role, there Kaeya and Diluc were to reassure her under their spot. This time, Jean sat alone. The troubles that wormed their way into her heart were none other than those who normally cast away her worries, and so Jean only had Vennessa, her silent supporter and listener.
Two weeks ago, the morning after Diluc’s eighteenth birthday, Jean lost two of her final remaining constants in her life. It shouldn’t have come as a surprise. Jean knew from the day she was born that her life was to be dedicated to others. Drilled into her from a young age, her family motto could not make her role more clear. So, Jean lived her life For Mondstadt, as Always , and she learned to pack away any unpleasant feelings that could hinder her in this role. Even when she lost things dear to her, Jean knew that she had to continue on, she had to give her all to do the right thing, always. Even when her father and sister left her, she continued, even as she cracked under the limitless pressure of her family name, she continued, even when she lost herself in the wants of others, she continued. So Jean knew, even tonight, even when she had lost her two best friends, even when it felt like the only glue that was keeping Jean’s fragile heart together suddenly vanished, Jean had to continue.
Still, Jean had decided to allow herself one night to consider, to grieve. And so, she found herself at the base of a trunk, gaze cast downwards, hoping for condolences she knew couldn’t be there anymore. This was just one more loss Jean would have to move on from. She knew she could do it. She had to. But, if she couldn’t keep her best friends safe, how was she supposed to protect the whole of Mondstadt? Maybe Vennessa had an answer.
Wiping away the salty tracks on her face, Jean looked back towards the now night sky, a respite from the storm brewing inside her. A star streaked across the sky, and Jean remembered all her years of wishing. Maybe just this once, Jean could get help, maybe she could receive the blessing of a wish. And so, Jean decided to try her luck with the stars.
“Vennessa,” she whispered softly into the cold night air, “please help me fix this, please help me unwind this tangled mess.”
She let out a soft laugh and wiped her eyes once more. Placing her hope on stars was something quite unfitting of the Gunnhildr clan. She should have sooner worked to toil away and scrape down this problem until there was nothing left. When she looked up, a surprise ghosted the horizon.
The star was landing. It was coming towards Jean and it was landing here, in Teyvat.
The impact was loud. It unsettled the quiet night with a sturdy thump. Luckily, it was still quiet enough to escape the notice of a now peacefully slumbering Mondstadt. Jean rushed towards the landing site. The fallen star was only a small distance away from her tree, covered by a small hill. As Jean approached in a gentle jog, her eyes were alight with curiosity. She had never seen a star fall before, and maybe, just maybe this was a sign of some sort. A message from Vennessa.
However, when she crested the hill, her eyes did not meet the expected ball of shimmering light. Instead, there lay a pile of purple and white cloth. The dust began to settle, and the cloth began to move. Jean’s eyes quirked in confusion. However, as the dust disappeared and her visage was clear, a form became visible. Jean’s eyes widened. There sat a sitting form, covered in a violet-coloured dress, with honey-brown hair still coated with dust cascading down. Then, the figure looked up, and bright green eyes met Jean’s own.
Oh. Jean thought. The star is a girl.