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Chapter Text

The Lightkeeper

His lantern swung from side to side as he trudged through the frosty coloured landscape of Hiisi Island. The air was cold and the night was quiet, nothing to be heard except for the faint gust of wind and the clink of his uniform. 

Flins liked nights like these best. He would be left alone with his thoughts and his lantern, walking calmly and without fear.

It felt particularly special as he thought Hiisi Island was very beautiful. When he and Zvoni arrived yesterday, he couldn’t stop admiring the scenery and architecture; it was simple and elegant and ancient all in one, and he felt honoured to be able to roam through it freely. 

He had been walking for about three hours or so, which meant that it was sometime past midnight. He had fought some of the Wild Hunt earlier but since then there hadn’t been a monster in sight, so Flins made the decision to call it a night and made his way back to the place he was staying. 

Zvoni, who was patrolling a different area, had likely done the same thing. 

Once he arrived at the humble shelter, he set down his spear and took off his boots and heavy coat. Then he delicately tied his long hair into a braid and got under the bedcovers. Sleep took him easily. 

The Moonchanter

Lauma looked up at the moon as she did every night, then closed her eyes and said her prayers. Due to a recent surge in Wild Hunt attacks on the village she had been praying for the safety of her people. However, these routine prayers were mostly for show, as there was something deep within her that felt that no God would answer. As though there was something… off with the moon. 

That is why two days ago she had sent out a commission to the Lightkeepers of Paha Isle to come and protect Hiisi Island until the Wild Hunt had been taken care of. There had been two that had answered: A Miss Zvoni and a Mr Flins. In an apologetic letter she received, she learnt that the Lightkeepers were a relatively small group and so most had stayed at Final Night Cemetery. 

Thankfully, it seemed as though the pair that came were competent enough on their own as there had been a total of zero ambushes since their arrival. 

She opened her eyes and looked down at her hands. A myriad of thin white scars covered them, from where she had sliced her skin open to heal the wounded. Belonging to a sacred ancestry meant that her blood had magical properties, which she was perfectly willing to use, but she had to admit it was relieving to let the Ratniki prevent such wounds from ever happening. Healing others was a precious gift, but terribly exhausting when one alone must take the burden of self-inflicted harm.

Feeling grateful for the Ratniki as she retired to her abode, Lauma made a mental note to invite them to a formal dinner, where she could properly thank them both. 

The Lightkeeper

The pale light of the early morning roused Flins awake gently and he allowed himself to lay there for a moment. When he felt ready, he began to gear up for the day ahead. As he walked out, he saw Zvoni also exiting her shelter nearby and he walked over to discuss today’s patrol plans. She looked up and caught his eye, giving him a small nod and smile, her mauve hair swaying slightly. 

“Good morning Mr Flins. Did you have a restful night?”

He nodded. “Good morning. I had a very peaceful sleep, free of nightmares and dreams alike. I trust you also slept well.”

“Yes, thank you. I find that the air here seems lighter than that of Nasha Town. Perhaps it has something to do with the lack of machinery and noise.” She said that last part quietly as she looked away, as though she was contemplating something. Then she looked back up at him and asked, “What does the schedule bring today?”

Just as he was about to answer, a voice called out from behind him.

“Lightkeeper Zvoni, Lightkeeper Flins, may I speak to you both for a moment?” 

Flins turned around to come face to face with the Moonchanter. She had her hands clasped together and was smiling warmly at them. 

Flins felt himself smile back at her. 

“I hope you both slept well last night, I know the weather and terrain must be quite different from what you are used to. I was thinking about organising a dinner to truly welcome you into our community, since your arrival and reception was so hasty yesterday. However, I have been having trouble deciding on an appropriate time, given your long patrol duties and all. I was wondering perhaps if there was an hour that you’d prefer to make such arrangements.”

Flins looked at Zvoni who seemed to be thinking, her brown eyes narrowed and her gloved hand resting lightly on her chin. 

“Hmm. We usually patrol from the early morning until late at night, with two breaks no longer than ten minutes if we can help it. But so far the numbers of the Wild Hunt have been easy enough to contain, and there’s been no signs of any serious ambush,” she looked up at Lauma with a softer expression, “So we’d be delighted to join you for dinner tonight– I think six o’clock would be most preferable, if that works.”  

“Yes, six o’clock sounds good.” Flins stated resolutely. He couldn’t deny that he felt apprehensive about being away from his duties, especially since most of the people of Hiisi Island were not fighters and therefore unable to defend themselves, but at the same time a part of him felt intrigued at the idea of conversing with Lauma over food. He figured it would be an efficient way to learn about the cultural customs surrounding meals and try new food, as well as learn more about the ever elegant Moonchanter. 

“Well then. Six o’clock it is. I look forward to seeing you both then. Take care,” Lauma responded sweetly with a hand on her chest. Then she turned and walked away, her long hair rippling with each step. 

Flins watched her silently, wondering to himself how a person as ethereal as Lauma could come from the same world he did.

Chapter Text

The Moonchanter

Heart pounding in her chest, Lauma was careful not to walk away too quickly from the two Ratniki. She had tried her best to smile at them genuinely and hoped they didn’t notice anything amiss. Mr Flins had smiled back at her and Miss Zvoni seemed more concerned with her own thoughts than Lauma’s, so she concluded that they had successfully been convinced. 

When she had first posted the commission requesting the service of the Lightkeepers, she was concerned that her people would be resentful of the arrival of outsiders. She had tried numerous times to persuade them that most outsiders were amiable and considerate, that creating friendly relations with other groups would be beneficial for both parties, but the Frostmoon Scions had encountered enough of the Fatui to think otherwise. She did not blame them.

There were others that weren’t as vehement in their dislike towards outsiders and were more cautious than anything. They took up a good portion of the Frostmoon Scions. The few who wholeheartedly shared her view were some of the unsuspecting children, Lyylikki and Vilemina. 

It was this group that would accompany her to Nasha Town to give out the fresh produce from their harvests, and it was during these visits when Lauma could secretly observe the workings of the outside world and occasionally pick up goods like medicine. Simply put, she was utterly fascinated by the stark difference between Nasha Town and her home island. There was an abundance of machinery and buildings, and faces that came from all over Teyvat, smells of hot food and the laughter of children running around– it felt alive. It felt real. 

Before she could be consumed by her thoughts, an acolyte called out and told her breakfast was ready. Right, yes— breakfast. It was only morning and already she had become distracted. Pulling herself together, she told herself to focus and followed the acolyte with a friendly smile.

✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦

Lauma’s day fell into a rhythm she was accustomed to: presiding over school classes, giving advice to those who requested it, helping the animals settle arguments, lunch, organising the library’s historical texts, assisting with the crops and attending to the wounded. Fortunately, the wounded, of which there were two, had received only light grazes from tripping over. She felt increasingly sure that inviting the Ratniki was the right decision. 

In a pocket of downtime, she walked over to the library and glanced at a nearby sundial. She gasped lightly as she realised that it was time to start preparing for the dinner. When she reached the dining area, there were already a couple of people putting together the food. Lauma had specifically requested that a select group of people join her for the dinner with the Ratniki, since she didn’t want any conflict to arise. Thankfully, with the way she explained this, the Frostmoon Scions obliged respectfully. 

As such, those that joined her that evening included Vilemina, Sarakka and Krodo. 

“Ah, good evening my lady!” Sarakka greeted her warmly, “We have prepared tonight's meal and were just about to connect all the tables together. Is there anything else my lady requires to be set up?”

“Good evening Sarakka, thank you for your help. All that is left, I believe, is some flowers for decoration, which I’ll gladly pick myself. I won’t be long,” Lauma replied. As she walked across the dining area, she nodded her thanks to Vilemina and Krodo before heading over to the nearby field. 

The Lightkeeper

Flins covered his mouth with a gloved hand as he yawned, even though nobody was watching. He hadn’t fought any monsters since the mid afternoon and he was becoming suspicious. Currently he was patrolling the south-west island and had spent most of his time gazing at the water that lapped against the shore. He had spotted a couple of fish that were unfamiliar to him and had to resist the urge to capture any or become too distracted.

This proved to be easier thought than done however, because a glimmer of silver flashed in the corner of his eye and he turned to see a fish that seemed to be playfully jumping out of the water. He walked over to the edge of the water and crouched down to get a better look. 

The fish had a slender form and scales that refracted hues of silver, pink and lilac, with two fins on either side and a long, elegant tail. As it leapt into the air and hit the surface of the water repeatedly, it sent droplets flying into Flins’s direction, which made him chuckle as he wiped them off placidly. He pulled out a little sketchbook and pencil from an inner pocket and began to draw a rough outline of the fish so that he could ask The Moonchanter about it later. 

Just as he was nearly finished, he saw the fish suddenly dive into the water and swim away hurriedly at the same time his lantern flashed red. 

In one rapid movement he stored his sketch materials away and swiveled to take an offensive stance, spear in hand. He barely had time to look around before a ball of dark energy was hurled at him, hit his torso and knocked him to the ground. Breathless, he clumsily got back on his feet and locked eyes with his opponent– a huge, snarling Wilderness Hunter that glowed a violent fuchsia and wore tattered black garments. And although Flins was no stranger to these monsters, this one was the largest he had seen in a while and already he had been caught off guard. He felt a pang of fear in his stomach. 

The hour of hunt has come, bellowed the creature before him. It roared viciously and then charged at him with a clawed fist, thankfully which Flins managed to dodge as he thrusted his spear into the creature’s middle. Howling with pain and anger, it threw itself at the Ratnik in a flurry of powerful limbs, most of them parried with quick precision. Flins waited for a window and risked a jab at his opponent's neck. Success. An awful, croaky growl filled his ears as he twisted and pulled back his spear, now dripping with black liquid. The Hunter stumbled and dropped to the ground, its movements becoming sluggish with the rapid decline of vitality. 

Assuming the fight was over, Flins shifted back to the water and started to rinse off his spear. Only a few seconds could have passed until five thick claws dug into his right shoulder. A terrible mixture of agony and coldness coursed through him, as the force of the blow had pushed him into the shallow water, drenching his back. Even though his dominant arm was weakened, he willed himself to finish the job. With one swipe of his spear, he sliced the Hunter’s head off and watched it fall on its front, black liquid trickling into the sea. 

Although that was now taken care of, he could not ignore the sharp pain pulsating in his left side, as a deep red bled through his clothes. He was beginning to feel somewhat lightheaded, so he decided to head towards the Frostmoon Enclave and find a physician. 

He had only just made it to the western beach of the southern island when he heard Zvoni call out to him in greeting. She was a short distance away, but as she came closer she realised the state Flins was in and quickly became alarmed. 

“Archons Mr Flins, what happened to you?” she exclaimed, her eyes wide with concern. 

“I had a bad encounter with a Wilderness Hunter,” he grunted, his left arm clutching at his bloody shoulder. He was hunched over slightly and breathing labouredly, much to the visible distress of Zvoni. She positioned herself by his side, put his right arm over her shoulders and immediately continued walking to their joint destination. 

“There’s not a moment to lose, we need to get you to Lauma right away.”

All he could do was nod, scrunching his face from the pain. 

✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦

They had reached the outskirts of the village when a figure came into view. It was Lady Lauma, who seemed to be crouching down and collecting flowers. Something within Flins softened at the sight. 

“Lady Moonchanter! Please, we need medical assistance– Flins has been injured!” Zvoni cried out.

Lauma stood up sharply and dropped the flowers in her grasp. Her face tightened into a serious expression.

She strode over to them and took up Flins’s other arm. Flins suddenly became very aware of their proximity as he felt Lauma’s arm gently, but firmly hold his upper back, her hand cupping his underarm. She had a lovely scent of sweet blossom. Flins pushed the thought away.

“Let us make haste. I will lead us to the infirmary, but I warn you, we Frostmoon Scions are not well versed in the art of modern medicine. If the wounds are grave, a trip to Nasha Town may be imminent.”

“Understood Lady Moonchanter,” Zvoni replied. 

They went onwards and quickly arrived at the infirmary. It was a modest building that had a thick curtain in the place of a door, which was pulled aside by Lauma as they entered. Inside contained some shelves, a chair, and one bed in the far corner with a small table beside it. As they carefully lay him down on the bed, Lauma sat next to Flins while Zvoni slipped from under him and went to the doorway. 

“I will call for the physician.”

“There’s no need, Miss Zvoni. I’m afraid I take on that role in this community, despite my lack of medical knowledge,” Lauma said. 

Zvoni stilled. “Oh… I see. Well then, is there anything I can do to help?”

“Yes. I will look over the injury and assess whether we must go to Nasha Town promptly or not. I expect we shall go at some point, inevitably, but for urgent care or just recovery supplies is what I must figure out. Please, if you could help me remove his upper attire and then inform my people of the situation, that would be most helpful.”

“Of course Lady Lauma.”

Abruptly realising what was about to happen, Flins sat up and grasped his bad shoulder. 

“Ahem– I appreciate the gesture but really, I can undress myself.” 

“Naturally. We can turn away while you do, if you like, but you do understand that I will have to look at the wound one way or another, yes?” Lauma looked at him calmly, her gaze unwavering. Flins deduced that since she was the village ‘physician’ she had likely seen numerous wounds and bare bodies, of varying shapes and sizes, and so this was normal for her. 

“I understand. Alright, you may turn around.” 

Lauma stood up and faced away, Zvoni following suit. Then the sound of clothes rustling and buckled clinking filled the room. Once he had finished, Flins glanced at his shoulder and frowned. He could not get a good angle to properly look at his own wound, so all he saw was a lot of blood and what looked like ripped flesh. 

“I am done,” he said and the two women turned back around. Lauma’s face was riddled with concern, while Zvoni seemed to go all queasy. 

“I can hardly tell the severity of the cut myself. What do you make of it?” 

Lauma trod over and picked up a bucket of water and cloth from beside the bed, soaking the cloth before twisting it so it wouldn’t drip. 

“May I?” She asked softly, once again making direct eye contact with him. He nodded slowly. 

As the cold wet cloth made first contact with his skin, he flinched, causing Lauma to stop in her tracks. Once he seemed settled, she continued washing away the blood, resoaking the cloth when needed. Her eyebrows knit together as she silently assessed the wound.

After a minute, she withdrew and looked at Zvoni.

“The cuts are relatively deep but nothing vital has been hit. I can’t even see any bone, which is good. However, he has lost a lot of blood and will need rest. I will make plans to head into Nasha Town tomorrow for supplies. Please pass all this on to Vilemina, she should be in the dining area.”

“Right away Lady Lauma, thank you.” And with that, Zvoni left the infirmary. 

Lauma went over to one of the shelves and took a glass bottle of water. She pulled out the cork, sat back down on the bed and passed it to Flins. 

“Please drink. It’s just water, but you must be dehydrated after so much blood loss.” 

“Thank you.” When he finished the bottle, he placed it on the bedside table and then watched in alarm as Lauma took out a knife from her dress. 

“What are you-“

“Do not be afraid, I will not hurt you. But please, try to keep your composure.” 

And then she sliced into her palm.

Chapter Text

The Moonchanter

Silver liquid instantly flowed from Lauma’s hand and trickled down her wrist. Trying to ignore the shock on Flins’s face, she closed her hand into a loose fist and held it above his shoulder, letting her blood drip onto it. The silver seeped into his torn flesh, creating small tendrils under the surface that curled outwards and glowed faintly, before they faded entirely. 

Although she could still feel Flins staring at her, she focused on his wound, watching as the claw cuts slowly formed fresh skin at the edges. The bleeding had thankfully become more gradual and the blood was drying up in the shallower parts of the wound, but as expected… it was not enough. She closed her eyes and felt her eyebrows knit together. 

“Miss Moonchanter! What was that for? I don’t understand why you would do such a thing to yourself,” the Ratnik rambled helplessly. 

Perhaps Lauma should’ve waited until he was asleep to perform her healing, causing him such confusion and distress would definitely be adverse for his recovery. She opened her eyes and looked at him. Wide yellow eyes filled with concern looked back at her. 

“Does it feel any better, Mr Flins?”

He faltered for a moment, seeming as though he was genuinely thinking about it and then nodded hesitantly. He turned and looked at his shoulder.

“I do… Thank you. I didn’t realise your blood had healing properties... or that it was silver,” he murmured and then turned back to face her, “but you said only moments ago that you would go into Nasha Town tomorrow. If I may ask, what made you feel the need… to do that so suddenly?”

Lauma took a deep breath. “Mostly to stop the bleeding and partly to keep it from getting infected. I figured if we had to wait until tomorrow to get medical supplies that this was the best I could do for now. It was I who invited you to Hiisi Island a mere few days ago, and now that you’ve been seriously harmed here the least I can do is offer my services- why should I not help others if I have the power to do so? Speaking of, please allow me to bandage your shoulder,” she got up and pulled out some bandages from a drawer, returned to the bed and gently began to wrap Flin’s wound as he spoke.

“That was not a service, Miss Moonchanter, that was self-inflicted injury." His tone was sincere, upset almost. “Please, I beg that you do not use such methods for healing me again. Besides, it was my fault and my fault alone that I received this. The truth is I was caught off-guard.”

Lauma tilted her head slightly, curious as to what he meant. 

“How so?”

Even in the low light she could see Flins’s cheeks turn pink. “I was… distracted by a fish.” He hung his head and Lauma found herself tickled by the sight. He was a Ratnik who fought ruthless monsters for a living, had no doubt killed dozens of them, yet here he was blushing while in an infirmary bed. She continued to bandage his shoulder while he avoided eye contact. 

Lauma took this moment to truly look at him, for he was not at all what she imagined the Lightkeepers to be like; since he was bare chested, she could see he had a lithe form with some muscular definition, and that his complexion was an extraordinary pale blueish-grey colour. His hair was indigo, except for where it wasn’t- at the tips it became lighter. His face had soft features, an aquiline nose, straight eyebrows, dark lashes, and shadow beneath his eyes.

It occurred to her that he was unlike anyone she had ever seen. 

“It must have been a pretty fish,” Lauma said with a smile. She had finished bandaging him.

Flins nodded in agreement, “that it was, Miss Moonchanter. In fact, I drew a little sketch so that I may inquire about it.” He fiddled with his cloak that had been laying on top of the blankets, presumably looking for a pocket of some sort. After locating it, he pulled out a small sketchpad and flipped to a page, handing it to Lauma.

She looked at it with a small smile. It was clear that the artist had been in a rush, as the work was mostly scribbles and smudges, but behind each stroke of pencil there was a sense of enthusiasm, an eagerness to capture the beauty and spirit of the little creature. 

“I had no coloured pencils on me, but it was a brilliant mix of silver, pink and lilac. I know my sketch is rather messy, but I remember it also had a long tail. Do you have any idea what breed it might be?”

“It is a Rose Angel Fish then. The young ones are most delightful and dearly enjoy playing.”

“Rose Angel…” Flins whispered, “what a lovely name.”

“Do you enjoy learning about wildlife, Mr Flins? Or is it just fish that pique your interest?” 

He hummed to himself, thinking about his answer.

“If I’m honest I enjoy learning about all sorts of things. Fishing is just a hobby of mine, though I believe it is valuable to learn about the wildlife of the places one visits. The same goes for people, as I like watching them go about their day and discovering different customs. In my spare time I also collect gems, coins and bones, as I find them to be charming and because history fascinates me. With all the complexities of the world one can easily become engrossed, can they not?” Flins seemed to have gotten lost in his own little world as he spoke, his eyes slightly glazed.

Lauma stared at him in amazement before she came to her senses, “goodness, I didn’t realise you had such a thoughtful mind at work! Please, let me bring us some food to keep us energised- that way we can dine and talk. You’ll need to be well nourished to properly heal as well.” 

While she went to collect the already prepped dinner, she reflected on how she felt towards Flins. Within the few days from meeting him she had gone from feeling apprehensive and guarded, to feeling curious and charmed, as his manner of speaking was so different from his physical appearance. There was something in his demeanour that deeply intrigued her.

The Lightkeeper

Sitting there alone, under white blankets with no shirt on, Flins realised the rather vulnerable state he was in. Realised that perhaps he should be more mortified than he was. Sure, he definitely felt his ears warm when he had admitted to being distracted by a fish, but it was merely a soft blow to his pride. Lady Lauma’s calming presence assured him that she held no judgement against him or anyone really, as though he could say his deepest secrets and she would hardly bat an eye. 

Watching her slice herself with practiced motion solidified his presumption that she too had secrets of her own. He wondered how many people in the Frostmoon Scions were even aware of the Moonchanter’s healing method. Flins knew that being in a position of leadership and constantly being under scrutiny meant that there were many things going on behind the scenes that she likely couldn’t share with anyone. It must be very lonely. His chest twinged with sympathy for her. 

Now that she had gone to bring them food, he thought about what he could do to make Lauma feel more at ease around him. He figured it was probably too early and therefore too informal to tell her about his true identity about being a Snowland Fae, and he had already told her about his hobbies of collecting things, so the next best thing he came up with was to offer his friendship. The timing felt right and he also felt genuine about this decision. He wanted to get to know Lady Lauma and show her that he was willing to lend an ear if ever she should need one. 

The Moonchanter came back shortly with an array of colourful food on plates in her hands and a badger trailing behind her with the neck of a bottle of wine in its mouth. She set down the plates and took the wine, thanking the badger as it left. There were steamed potatoes with melted cheese and herbs, freshly cooked rye bread with fried eggs, a salad that contained cabbage, peas and beetroot and for dessert there seemed to be a small apple pie with berries and plums on the side. Flins felt his stomach growl at the sight. 

“My my, this looks simply delicious. I’m not sure if ‘thank you’ quite cuts it for how grateful I feel.”

With a smile Lauma said, “thank you will do just fine, it’s the Frostmoon Scions pleasure to provide visitors with our traditional food. Shall I pour you a glass of white wine?” She took out a pair of glasses from the shelf and put them on the table.

“Only if you pour one for yourself as well,” Flins said in a friendly tone. 

“Ah, I would, but I do not drink. As the Moonchanter, I am practically working around the clock and cannot partake in potentially risky behaviours. Water will suffice.” 

“Oh, um- well yes, of course. My apologies, I should’ve known,” Flins mumbled. As he watched her gracefully pour the wine and then retrieve a bottle of water from the shelf and pour her own glass, he came up with another plan; he would invite her for a night out in Nasha Town where he could treat her to liquor for the first time. They could wander the night markets and look at trinkets, listen to the music, then go to a nice restaurant and dine blissfully. He liked this idea very much and decided that he would ask her tomorrow, so as not to overwhelm her. 

“Alright Mr Flins, let us dig in. I do hope you like it. I confess the flavours are simple, but everything is grown locally and very nutritious.”

Lauma sat down on the chair and handed him cutlery. They ate at a comfortable pace and talked back and forth about their respective lives. Swallowing a mouthful of potato, Flins told her about the lighthouse in the graveyard in which he dwelled, and how he would often come into contact with ghosts. While piercing her fork with leafy greens, Lauma told him about her conversations with the animals and how sometimes it felt like being a mother to dozens of mischievous children. Though the topics were generally kept lighthearted, they learnt that they both enjoyed solitude and tranquility, especially in the night. Despite having rather different lines of work and leading very different kinds of lives, they found that they could relate to each other in more ways than one. 

When they had more or less finished eating and the conversation winded down, Flins saw the window and took his chance.

“I know it’s getting late Miss Moonchanter, and that perhaps both of us should be getting to sleep, but there is one more question I’d like to ask you.”

“Pray tell.”

“Would you… like to establish a friendship? With me?”

Lauma’s eyes softened sweetly, her face illuminated warmly with the soft glow of candlelight as she gazed at him.

“Yes. I’d like that very much.”