Chapter Text
♫⋆｡♪ ₊˚♬ ﾟ.
Venti loved the mornings in Mondstadt. But that morning in Windrise was even more worth admiring than usual.
A gentle breeze carried the sweet scent of blooming wildflowers that were still in the middle of opening after the night. The leaves of the massive oak tree swayed like they were dancing in the wind. The ground was still wet from the morning dew, and the many water drops on the grass sparkled in the rising sun.
A group of Hydro Slimes were splashing and bouncing around in the nearby river that flowed briskly through the vibrant meadows of Windrise.
It was a beautiful spring morning, straight from a fairytale or a classical painting, and a typical Mondstadtian morning. It was moments like these that reminded Venti why he loved Mondstadt so dearly. He closed his eyes, taking in all the sounds around him, and leaned against the tree trunk. Its bark was also damp but Venti wasn’t bothered – he could always dry himself with the help of the wind.
The bard held his lyre close to his chest, caressing its smooth surface lovingly. He played the opening notes of a song, the wind carrying them with it.
A flock of birds gathered around him and started singing along to the melody. Their chirping becaming more lively as Venti began to mimic their tempo.
A family of Anemo Slimes, that was leisurely flying around the tree top, also slowed down to match the rhythm.
Everyone joined in as a grand orchestra, playing a melody that could not be heard anywhere else but on that spring morning in Windrise.
The direction of the wind changed.
It picked up the pace, strengthening from a gentle breeze into an almost furious gale. A huge shadow appeared above them, so big that it covered the entire tree and most of the field.
The shadow scared away the slimes, they hid into the winds or in the waves of the water. The birds scattered away. Even the tree seemed intimidated in the presence of the massive shadow, its leaves staying eerily still even in the heavy wind.
”Ohoh?” Venti stopped playing and glanced into the sky. ”Ooh!”
Stormterror’s breathtaking, enormous form covered the sky. The dragon blended into the blue sky and the shining sun cast outlines around him, making him stand out from afar. The scales of his wings emitted an aqua glow, sparkling like diamonds in the sunlight.
Since Dvalin’s presence had the power to impact the weather, the winds warped around him. Venti resumed playing the lyre, though the melody couldn’t quite find a form and instead consisted of random, lazy notes.
The bard watched the dragon circling in the sky, trying to find a good place to land. He noticed how something about the elemental dragon’s movement seemed odd.
Maybe he was just imagining the whole thing, but to him, it looked like the dragon was taking his landing more carefully than usual.
Finally, Dvalin landed on the meadow.
Venti got up. He straightened his back, yawning, and made small stretches. Nowadays his body was getting sore too quickly! It had been so much easier to lie around in the ground a few centuries ago. He used the help of the winds to reach the dragon with a couple of hops.
”It has been a long time, old friend!” Venti greeted him with a wide grin. ”It’s good to see you again!”
”...Lord Barbatos”, Dvalin answered, way too meekly for such an imposing dragon.
”What have you been up to on your adventures? Seen anything fun?” Venti asked. After Traveler and the others had saved Dvalin from the corruption, the dragon had spent time leisurely flying around the continent of Teyvat. The bard smiled at the dragon and tried to get closer to pet its nose, but stopped when Dvalin shifted uncomfortably.
”What is it?” Venti stayed still, worrying the dragon might have gotten hurt again.
”My lord”, Dvalin’s voice was deep and serious, ”I have come to you with a request. Once again I am asking for your help. But, I cannot see any other options.”
”Hey, hey, hey, shh… It’s okay, it’s all okay”, the bard said, attempting to soothe the dragon. Venti stepped in closer and lowered his hand gently on the dragon’s nose. The dragon sounded distressed, which worried Venti.
”We are friends, right? I’d do anything for you”, he whispered and gave the dragon’s face a gentle rub. Venti felt Dvalin leaning against his touch, and heard him letting out a low rumble that resembled a purring of a cat.
”You can tell me”, Venti reassured him in a soft voice, ”did you hurt something on your last flight?”
Dvalin shifted and raised his left wing. Under the wing rolled out a cerulean orb.
”Huh, is that...? An egg?”
Dvalin answered with an agreeing grunt.
”Where were you keeping that?” Venti wondered and the dragon proceeded to ignore his question.
”The lair is not a suitable place for the egg right now”, Dvalin rumbled, ”I need time to build a safe nest. But someone needs to look after it until the nest is done… Lord Barbatos, I humbly ask you to…”
”Take care of the baby while you’re out there doing your dragon duties?” Venti’s hand hovered over the orb. ”Shouldn’t it stay somewhere warm?”
”Your elemental energy will keep it warm and well. It needs a lot of power to grow up strong, but I’m sure your presence will be more than enough to keep it safe while I’m gone.”
”Oh, Dvalin, you old dog.”
He brushed the scales on Dvalin’s chin. It took some time to calm the dragon down. It was nowhere near as severe as back then, but leaving his child behind made him anxious. Dvalin did trust the Anemo Archon with every scale of his being, but his dragon instincts didn’t know that.
Venti petted the egg in his lap. Its smooth shell reflected light in a beautiful mix of blues. It was perfectly oval and felt heavy in his lap. He hummed a soothing melody as Dvalin ascended to the skies and disappeared into the clouds.
The egg stayed still, but Venti felt its essence getting distressed when it sensed its mother leaving. So Venti did what he knew best. He sang:
“ Dandelions in the breeze,
Whisper tales among the trees.
Close your eyes, my little one,
Rest until the night is done.”
The song calmed the egg down. Perhaps the creature inside had fallen asleep? Now, thinking back, Dvalin also loved that song. It had been ages when Venti had last played him that melody.
Venti remembered those moments fondly. Those moments with just the two of them, leisurely enjoying the sunset on Starsnatch Cliff. When they had all the time in the world.
A moment with no worries, no battles, only a peaceful melody of the bard and the silent companionship of the dragon.
When the air was full the sweet scent of blooming Cecilias, and the gentle winds carried his notes all the way to the city.
With a warm smile on his lips, Venti returned to the present and directed his gaze at the Egg.
”Now”, Venti said silently, giving the egg a final pat, ”how am I going to get you to the city?”
♫⋆｡♪ ₊˚♬ ﾟ.
Venti stepped off the stone bridge and arrived at the city entrance. The guards at the gate greeted him with a wave, a nod, or a smile. Some of them were lazing on the duty, deciding to busy their day by playing TCG instead. After the Stormterror incident had calmed down, so had the guards. Occasionally the Abyss or the nearby Hilichurl tribes caused some trouble, but mostly the guards had a lot of time to loaf around. However, sometimes they got too relaxed and earned themselves a lecture from their higher-ups. Venti enjoyed this lazy atmosphere, where people had the luxury of doing nothing. Soon everyone would be busy preparing for the Ludi Harpastum anyway.
The egg shook slightly against his chest and Venti gave it a soothing pat. All the strange noises of the city seemed to make the little one anxious.
Venti’s mystical Archon powers let him conjure a wooden lyre, so creating a carrying bag out of thin air was a breeze. With a few adjustments, he had been able to attach the bag to his back. Tugging the straps to make sure it could hold the egg’s weight. It seemed sturdy enough. Venti had thought about holding the egg in front of him, but he had felt like it would get in the way of playing the lyre.
He walked into the city, enjoying the lively mood in the streets. The chattering of people, the meowing of (a-atchoo!) street cats, the smell of freshly baked bread in the air…
A high-pitched shriek rose over all the other sounds.
It sounded like it came from the alchemist’s table…?
When he got closer, he saw a little girl zooming all around the alchemy table like a bolt of red lightning He sat at the fountain’s edge to observe them. The Chief Alchemist on the other hand was focused on a potion cooking on the stove and didn’t appreciate the restlessness around him. She wanted to see everything all at once.
“Klee. Don’t sway around like that. I don’t want you to get hurt”, the alchemistwarned with a stern voice.
“Buuuuuuut~! I want to seeeeee~!”
“Yeah, he is right little Klee”, Timaeus, who had insisted on helping out with the experiment, ruffled her hair and led her further from the table, “let’s give Albedo some space. Nobody wants you to get hurt!”
“Okay…”, she pouted but obeyed.
Albedo nodded his head thankfully and returned to the potion. He added a pinch of dried Small Lamp Grass and a drop of vinegar-soaked Wolfhooks. The brew swirled ominously in multiple hues of purple before it settled into a clear, lavender-hinted color. The alchemist took a thermometer and measured the temperature. He hummed in approval and took the mixture off the stove.
“Let’s let it cool down for a moment”, he said, “then it’s done.”
Klee giggled, dancing in place as if it would help the potion cool down faster.
“Thank you, thank you, thank you soooo much, big bro!” She jumped up and down. Timaeus stepped out of the way of her hops, laughing at how excited Klee was.
After a moment passed, the cooling potion had spread a sweet scent into the air. Venti watched how Albedo scooped the mixture into a small jar, inserted a small wand in it, and handed it to Klee, who just then noticed the bard.
“Ohh it’s Master Tone Deaf Bard!” Klee yelled in excitement, waving Venti to get closer.
“Master…? Oh, it’s him. Klee, be careful not to drop that”, Albedo said sternly, “or I’ll have to take it away.”
This made her calm down but just a little. She was barely able to contain all the excitement and kept swaying slightly in place.
“Look look look!” Her face sparkled like her signature title when she dipped the stick in the jar.
Klee blew on the stick, and many colorful, shimmering soap bubbles floated into the air. Sunlight reflected off them and cast tiny luminous rainbows in the air.
A bubble landed on Venti’s beret and stuck there until it popped. The bard chuckled as more bubbles continued to float around him and secretly gave the bubbles some boosting wind so they would fly even higher. The bubbles danced and twirled all over the fountain square, the bravest of them even flew out of the city, their glistening forms disappearing into the clear blue sky.
“So pretty!” Venti admired, clapping his hands. Klee laughed and blew more bubbles at him.
Then she spotted the blue orb on Venti’s backpack and hurried closer.
“What is that? A candy? A big candy!”
Albedo, who had been in the middle of cleaning up, raised his head curiously.
“Noo, it’s not candy!” Venti laughed, waving his hands in refusal. “It’s an egg!”
“Egg?” Albedo looked suspicious.
“Egg!?”
“My friend asked me to look after it and how could I say no!”
“Is your friend a chicken? Is there a baby chicken inside?” Klee was full of questions and tried to get a closer look at the egg, so Venti unclasped the straps and placed it in between them.
“Careful, Klee”, Albedo warned when he noticed Klee starting to get too jumpy. She took the warning very seriously and approached the egg slowly. She touched the top of the egg so carefully that Venti couldn’t help but find her actions endearing.
“It’s warm!” she shrieked, making the others laugh.
“Well, that’s because there is a baby inside”, Venti smiled.
“The embryo inside needs to stay warm so it will develop and grow properly”, Albedo explained, his words bouncing off Klee like his science facts usually did. “Heat increases growth in most organisms.”
“A baby…”, Klee cooed, eyes full of wonder, and continued to pet the egg carefully. “Ooh, little baby, I wish I could play with you already!”
♫⋆｡♪ ₊˚♬ ﾟ.
The days continued to stay beautiful. Whenever he was in the city, Venti had a habit of spending his days laying under the sun on some roof until it was time for the taverns to open.
The tavern wasn’t open yet, so he had been strolling around in Mondstadt. But he didn’t want to take risks with the egg, since its oval shape was the perfect shape for rolling off the roof. Luckily Mondstadt was full of charming hiding spots to spend the day in. So eventually Venti made his way on the small square behind the cathedral.
The garden square got a perfect amount of sunlight at that time of the day. The egg rested in the basket right beside him, and Venti rested against a stone wall. The sun had been warming up the wall all morning. He had intentionally chosen a place away from the direct sunlight. Overheating would damage the egg.
He had noticed a change in the egg’s color. Small different colored spots had appeared on the egg shell, and its shade had become darker. But since Venti could sense the elemental being inside, he figured everything was fine. During their days together, he had become better at sensing the dragon baby’s movements inside the egg. Somehow the baby had learned how to express different emotions, and thankfully it didn’t seem nearly as distressed as on the first days. Perhaps it found Venti’s presence soothing. Perhaps it had just been sleeping more. Or perhaps it had understood that Venti meant no harm. It seemed to really like the nursery rhymes the bard kept singing.
Venti strummed the lyre absentmindedly until speeding the rhythm into an intro of a song. And then he began to sing.
“Sweet child, close your eyes,
Feel the wind and hear the sighs.”
Suddenly another voice joined in from further away.
“ In the meadow, stars will gleam,
Sending down a peaceful dream.”
“Dandelion flowers pure and bright,
Bloom beneath the gentle wind.”
They finished the song together.
Barbara, the deaconess of the Church of Favonius and the local idol herself, appeared from behind the corner.
“Sorry”, she gave Venti a sheepish smile, “I couldn’t help but join in.”
“I don’t mind it at all! Your voice is so pretty it blessed the song in a whole new way”, Venti praised, making her blush, “I was a bit surprised that the deaconess knows this song, it’s very old.”
“Ah…!” Barbara wavered, her fingers nervously playing with a loose strand of her hair as she seemed a bit embarrassed. “It’s just my mom used to sing that song when I was small. I haven’t heard it in a long time but I recognized it immediately.”
“I see. What a nice memory. Songs truly are a bridge to memories believed to have been forgotten forever”, he tilted his head slightly, “I could write down the lyrics for you so you can keep singing!”
“Really? Oh no, you shouldn’t go through all that trouble for me… but if you insist, that would make me really happy!” Barbara responded evasively, not knowing how to react.
“Oh, right! Was I making too much noise here? Did I interrupt something?” Venti asked.
“No, not at all!” Barbara was in a hurry to reassure him. “I just heard some voices coming from here so I came to check. You are free to stay as long as you wish!”
“I promise to behave”, Venti said with a mischievous smile, raising his hand to his chest.
“Barbara, there you are.”
They turned to watch the newcomers and saw Lisa and Jean standing at the entrance.
“G-good afternoon! What brings you here?” Barbara hurried to greet them, as they got closer.
“We were about to return these“, Jean explained, holding a lot of papers and files in her hand. “The church records proved to be very useful to us, thank you. I wanted to return them myself.”
“Good afternoon”, Venti greeted them from the grass and they exchanged greetings.
“I didn’t expect to find you here alone with the bard”, Lisa laughed.
Barbara blushed, looking down at her feet. “Oh, umm, I was just… um, reminiscing. “
“Oh my, oh my”, Lisa looked delighted after seeing what lay beside Venti, “I believe congratulations are in order?”
“Ahaha, thank you. I think you must’ve misunderstood something but I’ll accept it anyway!” the bard laughed and patted the dragon egg.
“Is that real…?” Jean looked confused. “Wow...”
“Huh?” The deaconess’s eyes widened in shock when she noticed. “Huuuuh!?”
Lisa leaned in closer to examine the egg, “It certainly looks impressive. Where did you find it?”
“Well, you see, it's a long story... Let's just say it came into my possession unexpectedly.” Venti said, laughing at the drama he had managed to cause.
“B-b-but…!” As Barbara struggled to find the right words, Jean placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder.
"Don't worry, Barbara", she said gently. "We'll discuss this later. How about we return these papers first, you can show me the way. Lisa, let’s go.” She added when she saw the librarian standing in place next to the egg.
“Aww, I would’ve loved to inspect this egg more”, she pouted, but followed, “I guess responsibilities comes first.”
With a nod of agreement, Barbara started leading them into the church, but she couldn’t help but steal a glance back at Venti and the dragon egg.
♫⋆｡♪ ₊˚♬ ﾟ.
“No outside drinks in the bar”, greeted the red-haired bartender when he saw Venti stepping inside. Diluc, standing behind the bar, had been prepared to serve a customer, but upon seeing it was just the bard, he sat back down to continue polishing the wine glasses. The lanterns hanging from the ceiling cast a soft light over the room. The tavern was just as warm and cozy as always – except for the lack of people. It was still early, Venti must’ve been the first customer of the day.
“Huh? But I don’t have any?” Venti’s eyes widened in surprise. “I swear! I mean- if I had any, I would’ve drunk it already…”
“The bag on your back”, Diluc said sternly, “you’re hiding something in there.”
“Ooh, you mean this!” Venti laughed and took off the string bag. “No, no, this isn’t a drink – it’s an egg!”
“...Oh”, Diluc replied slowly, looking at him before nodding in understanding. “No outside food in the bar.”
“Noo!” Venti cried out dramatically, hugging the egg protectively.
“What?” Diluc gave him a concerned stare.
The bard’s demeanor changed in an instant. “I’m just looking after it for a while.”
“...Sure”, the young master was at a loss for words. “I’m not sure if minors should be here this late.”
“But it’s not hatched yet, so it’s fine!”
The bartender stayed silent, relieved that it was a quiet night and there were no customers around.
“Pleaseee, just one small, tiny, drink and we will be on our way… I promise to behave and stay quiet in the corner. And the egg promises too. Right egg?”
“What kind of bard would you be if you just stayed quiet in the corner?” Diluc sighed. “Fine, but just one drink. But once the night livens up, you’ll sing for your drinks.”
The bard's eyes lit up with gratitude as they clasped their hands together.
“Thank you for thy kindness, o mighty Master Diluc!”
Venti grinned as he walked up to the bar and sat down, carefully placing the egg next to him.
“But make sure you won’t break that egg here or you’re the one cleaning it”, Diluc warned and served Venti a glass of apple-grape cider. He took a big sip of the drink and sighed.
“Soo… you’re not going to ask me why I got one?” Venti’s eyes sparkled with curiosity that implied he was more than eager to tell.
“It sounds like a long story, so no.”
“Not really”, Venti answered after a sip, “it’s pretty simple. It’s Dvalin’s egg and he asked if I could watch it for a while, so I said yes.”
“Just like that? No questions asked?”
“Well, that’s what friends are for”, Venti explained with a carefree shrug, “if you ever needed help with your eggs, I would be happy to help!”
“Uh…”, Diluc looked disturbed at the thought.
“Huh, what’s this about Master Diluc’s eggs?” Quinn, a regular at the Angel’s Share, entered the tavern. “Are you going to add new stuff to the menu?”
Venti laughed, Diluc sighed. Quinn looked puzzled at first but was caught by the moment and joined in the laughter as well.
♫⋆｡♪ ₊˚♬ ﾟ.
There were nights when Diluc’s patience reached its limits and today had been one of those nights. Venti’s babbling had managed to hit a nerve, so he got thrown out of the tavern. It was probably for the best. He had tried to cut down on the drinking after he was given the egg, but old habits die hard. Being at Angel’s Share made it harder to resist temptations. It was the middle of the night. The streets in Mondstadt were never empty. He turned to an alley and arrived at a resident street near the Favonius Headquarters. The lights in the office windows were a familiar sight, there was always someone working overtime. Venti often spent his nights sitting on the roof, watching the lights turn off one at a time. For some reason, it warmed his heart to know that someone else was awake too. Secretly he sat there, sending positive thoughts along with the night winds.
“Oh, goodness!” Someone gasped, making Venti turn his eyes off the office windows.
It was Noelle, the maid of all maids, as they said in the Knight’s headquarters. Venti knew how hard she worked for her goals and had often sent words of encouragement to her as well. She was holding a broom in front of one of the guesthouses of Favonius.
“You surprised me, mister Bard!” She looked embarrassed for the noise she caused, hoping nobody woke up because of her.
Venti smiled sheepishly. “My apologies! I didn’t mean to scare you.”
“You should be in bed at this time of the night!” Noelle continued, gently scolding him. She looked genuinely concerned for Venti’s well-being. “Getting a good night's sleep is essential for both our physical and mental health!“
“Hehehe, but aren’t you up as well, Miss Noelle?”
A cute blush appeared on Noelle’s face. “O-oh, I suppose that is true! It would be presumptuous of me to judge you while I’m doing the same myself.”
“I got thrown out of a bar”, Venti said, without a hint of shame. “Why are you up so late?”
Noelle blinked but quickly regained her composure. “Oh, I have a friend coming to help me to study for the Knight Exam, but unfortunately this was the only time neither of us was busy with other duties so…”
“So admirable!” Venti praised, clapping his hands, which flustered Noelle even further. “Taking time to train even when you’re already so capable!”
“Oh, nonono, I’m not ready to be a Knight yet! But maybe someday… I really hope to”, she protested, fiddling with her hands.
“I’m sure of it. You’ll make a great knight!” Venti forgot to adjust the volume of his voice, his loud voice making a nearby citizen peek out of the window to see who was making all this noise in the middle of the night.
Noelle tried to hush him. “M- maybe we should calm down with a cup of juice!”
She gestured for Venti to sit at the table placed in front of the guesthouse. There was no one inside but Noelle quickly turned on the lights and fetched two mugs and a jug of juice from the kitchen on a tray. She was already setting the table when Venti finally sat down.
It was a warm night.
They were so deep in the city that the wind barely got in. The big houses and the city wall loomed around them, covered in vines and Philanemo mushrooms. Nobody else was around, but Venti heard some lively chattering coming from a nearby bar. He kept admiring the city view, while Noelle set a mug in front of him, and saw the light in one of the offices go out.
“May I ask something?” Noelle’s question returned him to the present and he nodded. While she tried to form her words into a proper question, Venti took a sip of juice. It tasted a bit sour but left a sweet aftertaste.
“That orb…”, Noelle pointed to the egg, resting in its bag on a chair next to Venti’s, “is it really a dragon egg?”
“Oh, you know already? The word sure runs fast in this city.”
“Ah, I heard Mister Kaeya discussing it with Miss Lisa, but I wasn’t sure if I heard them correctly. So it is true?”
Venti patted the egg and it twitched as if to confirm Noelle’s suspicions.
“That is so wonderful!” She smiled brightly.
“You need to become a great knight soon so you’ll be a good example to it”, Venti praised, “so it will also grow into a kind and formidable dragon.”
“Oh, you’re much too kind…”, she laughed off Venti’s words.
“...Noelle!” someone called out.
“Mika!” Noelle got up to greet him.
Venti saw Mika running towards them, looking surprised when he realized Venti’s presence. The boy was carrying a large number of reports and a few folders. His satchel looked heavy as well, the way its weight was distributed to one side only.
“G-good evening, Venti!” Mika stuttered out, flustered at the sudden meeting.
“Good night~”, the bard sang, “so you’re the mysterious helper after all. It makes sense since you’re always ready to help!”
Mika blushed at the compliment and mumbled something resembling a ‘thank you’.
A gust of wind found its way into the city, blessing them with a refreshing breeze.
“Ahah, I really like the night wind”, Noelle smiled bashfully, her hair twirling in the wind, “hearing the Anemo Archon’s voice in the breeze always calms me down whenever I get flustered. Eheh, I guess it sounds a little silly.”
“That’s not silly at all!” Mika agreed enthusiastically. “I think so too!”
“I guess I should be on my way”, Venti smiled innocently, “thank you for the juice. And good luck with your… studying.”
“Oh, good night mister bard”, Noelle turned to him. “Please go get some rest soon.”
“I will!” Venti waved at them. “Good night to you two~”
The pair stood silently next to each other, watching the bard making his departure.
“S-should we get started?” Mika smiled meekly. Noelle agreed enthusiastically and they disappeared into the house.
Venti wandered aimlessly through the night streets. The city lights covered the night sky so that only a few stars were bright enough to break it through the lights.
He yawned and stretched his arms. The egg seemed to still be awake.
“I guess we should find a place to sleep… Luckily I know this really comfy tree near Springvale!”
♫⋆｡♪ ₊˚♬ ﾟ.
“I still think you shouldn’t bring that here.”
Diluc gestured towards the egg. Venti was once again spending the night at Angel’s Share.
“A bar isn’t a good place for a baby – not even a dragon baby”, he continued and gave the bard a mean look.
“Aww, now you’re making ME stressed”, Venti sighed, leaning further against the table, “stress isn’t good for the baby, you know…”
Diluc rolled his eyes, but then the door opened so he turned to greet the customer.
“Good evening”, he greeted, ignoring Venti’s mocking giggle at the 180-degree turn of his behavior, “welcome to Angel’s Share.”
“Good evening”, answered a deep, familiar voice. The newcomer approached the counter and ordered a glass of dry, white wine made from local grapes.
Venti lifted his head from the table at the sound of the order, his eyes brightening at the sight of the well-dressed gentleman.
“Yahhoo, old friend! I haven’t seen you since last Lantern Rite! It was about time you visited me!” Venti gestured eagerly for Zhongli to join his table. The Geo Archon received his drink and started heading to the table.
“I’m not here to visit you exclusively, but rather to enjoy the ambiance of Mondstadt. I quite enjoyed this tavern the last time I visited so I returned and…”, he rambled while he made his way to the table, but stopped mid sentence. His expression shifted and his eyes narrowed in confusion.
Oblivious to this, Venti chuckled, waving a hand in a playful dismissal. "Semantics, my dear friend, semantics. Regardless, you’re here now and it’s time to- what’s wrong?”
Zhongli remained silent, his gaze fixed on the object resting on the table. Carefully, he reached out to it, his fingers almost grazing the surface. The Geo Archon’s brows furrowed.
“Is this...?” he hesitated to finish the question.
“Pretty cool, right!” He grinned. “I’m looking after it for Dvalin!”
“...Oh, the Stormterror, huh? Of course.” Zhongli appeared relieved and sat opposite the bard. “I assume he has been well since the incident was cleared.”
“Yes! He’s been superb! Oh that’s right...”, Venti nodded in understanding. “I guess it has been a looooong time since you last saw one… I guess it’s…”
“Hmm”, Zhongli hummed, deep in thought, while Venti kept rambling.
“...Anyway, I’d be happy to show you around! I know all the best drinking spots!”
“…I’m good. But I suppose I’d like to see the Favonius Cathedral. It’s always a beauty to see, despite its use. And I heard a local merchant mentioning something about a cat cafe?”
“A-a-atchoo!” Venti sneezed, spilling his drink on the table. “Aww… bartender, another drink, please! And a towel!”
Diluc frowned but he didn’t want to cause a scene in front of a real customer. Even though he appeared to be acquainted with Venti, Zhongli seemed like a refined gentleman.
Zhongli calmly handed Venti a handkerchief. “Perhaps you should slow down on the drinks. You do have an important responsibility.”
Venti grinned sheepishly, a bit embarrassed. “Ah, you might be right. But it’s hard to resist in a place like this.”
With a sigh, Diluc approached the table, towel in hand. “Here. Try not to make more of a mess.”
“Thanks, Master Diluc!” Venti chirped, taking the towel and wiping the table.
Diluc refused to serve Venti anymore drinks, after being given a good enough reason to do so, and he was forced to switch to water for the rest of the evening.
“Soo…”, the bard gave Zhongli’s drink a longing stare, “you got any tips?”
“What do you mean exactly?”
“Some dragon egg tips. You know… Can you tell if there’s anything wrong with it?”
Zhongli took a sip. “It has a healthy color and I can sense the essence inside. You have kept it warm, have you?”
“Yeah, that’s what Dvalin said”, Venti sighed, “to keep it warm and close. I’ve never done this before so I have no idea if I’m doing okay.”
“I think this egg isn’t ready to hatch in a while. But I believe you’re doing a good job.”
“That’s… a relief, actually. Thank you!”
“As a thank you, you may pay for my drink. I never carry any Mora on me in Liyue, so I must have forgotten to take some on my travels here.”
“Uh…”, Venti blinked, “I don’t have any money.”
“Ah.”
♫⋆｡♪ ₊˚♬ ﾟ.
The meadow was dense and alive. The nearby forest was starting to spread to the field, so little willow saplings were growing everywhere. Birds were hopping on the branches, chirping merrily. The evening sun during the summer was bright and warm.
Venti rested eyes closed and took in all the sensations of the summery forest. The sounds, the scents, the warmth. The egg rested next to him. During the last week, it had turned gradually into a darker shade of cyan.
A massive shadow appeared in front of the sun, making the bard open his eyes and look up.
“Oh look, it’s your mom!” Venti exclaimed, giving the egg a happy pat. The egg swayed slightly under his touch, but the wiggling increased – as if it had understood Venti’s words. Dvalin landed next to them, the grass and bushes under him making room for the landing. His scales shone like a fire where the sun hit them and the dragon’s eyes glowed with their signature light as he gazed at the egg – and Venti. The glow had a gentle feel to it and. Dvalin stepped closer. He nuzzled the egg, and it wiggled even more energetically in response.
“Great to see you again!” Venti greeted, his eyes almost watering at the precious sight. “Your baby has been an angel! Did you finish what you needed to?”
The dragon rumbled. “Yes. The nest is now completely built, hidden in a safe place far in the mountains. The strong winds around them contain a lot of energy.”
“I guess this is goodbye then… For now”, Venti added, caressing the egg soothingly. He bent down close enough to touch the egg with his nose and gave it a quick kiss.
“Now, now, it’s time to go and grow up into a fierce, gorgeous dragon like your mommy~” He whispered in a loving voice. Even without his powers, the voice was sweet enough to cast a protecting charm on the egg.
He handed the egg to Dvalin who slipped it safely in a secure pouch under his wing. With his powerful wings Dvalin and his child up in one swift motion.
Venti watched how Dvalin returned to the skies, disappearing into the clouds. The summer was almost over. He had been carrying the egg around since spring. He felt so light now. Somehow he felt...empty? Lonely? Sad? The same feelings he had already lived with for a small eternity, but they never felt any weaker. Sometimes they faded into the background, but they never disappeared.
A small tear rolled down his cheek and he chuckled when he noticed it. He wiped it away, and took a deep breath, feeling the warm summer breeze ruffling his hair.
Venti made sure the winds would carry his words far.
“You better come visit!”