Chapter Text
"Lord Harbinger! We have arrived, sir!"
A sigh. The fatui recruit saluted stiffly and kept his eyes forward, waiting for the aknowledgment of his superior. Said Harbinger downed the rest of his glass of Snezhnayan firewater, perhaps the last one he'll have the pleasure of having for who knows how long, and stood up. Cerulean eyes stared at the recruit for a few empty seconds before they turned away, waving a gloved hand in dismissal.
"At ease, recruit. I trust we've already been approached."
The recruit nodded, head tilting subtly towards the muffled greetings of what could only be Millelith guards that awaited them on deck. The Harbinger smoothed down his uniform jacket, tucked auburn strands behind his ear and promptly walked past the stiff recruit, up the small set of stairs that led to the boat's deck.
A gentle breeze touched his face, the sun was setting and painting the sky in shades of gold and pink as white clouds passed by. He breathed in quietly, flowery and spicy scents reaching his nostrils and could hear the faint buzzing of a still very active harbor, men and women chattering and hollering now and then in a foreign language, a language that he couldn't help but find strangely enticing already. The way their words flowed smoothly and their voices changed in pitch so frequently to formulate sentences beckoned him to want to understand what was being said and join them. He could only describe it as beautifully ancient.
"It almost sounds like a song." He mused and stopped in front of the Millelith that were staring his men down and vice versa. He hoped that at least one of them spoke the common tongue or he feared that his mission would prove itself to be quite difficult. But then again, he was never known to shy away from any challenge.
As soon as his presence made itself known and the men noticed his uniform and vision, as well as the mask adorning his head, the fatui saluted and stepped back so that he could properly face their hosts. One of the Millelith stepped forward and bowed his head in greeting but their grip on their spears never loosened and the Harbinger took note of that, how they showed contempt for him despite having just arrived.
It seems the reputation of the Fatui would always follow them wherever they did their business. He couldn't say he was surprised.
"We've been expecting you, Tartaglia, 11th Harbinger of the Fatui."
Said Harbinger chuckled, a light airy sound that surprised his hosts. The voice was almost boyish and certainly easygoing.
"Please, call me Childe."
The Millelith that spoke to him seemed to be lost for words for a second before he cleared his throat and regained his composure, eyes shifting to one of his compatriots as if wordlessly questioning if they were talking to the right person.
Childe felt deeply amused, watching them display such discomfort at his informality.
"We'll be escorting you and your men to your headquarters so that you can begin proper rest. It must have been a tiring journey."
The accent when he spoke in the common tongue was deep but pleasant to listen to. Looking at the expanse of the town that awaited him, behind the three Millelith greeting him, Childe felt the begginings of excitement bubbling up inside him.
Childe smiled his easy smile and heard the guard's breath hitch as he seemed to surprise them once more. He bowed his head to them curtly and motioned forward.
"By all means, we're in your care."
He was aware that his first impression was nothing like what people perceived of him when they heard stories about him, about his ruthlessness. Perhaps not even his appearance, so young and charming.
The guard that spoke to him loosened his grip on his spear, stance relaxing for a fraction of a second before he seemed to remember who he was speaking to and stiffly bowed his head once again, motioning wordlessly for him and his men to follow.
Childe did so without hesitation and soon he was exiting the harbor and being the target of curious but judging stares from the people of Liyue, well aware of who he was as word of his arrival should have been circulating way before he had left Snezhnaya.
He walked confidently and relaxed, appreciating the beauty of the architeture that surrounded him, filled with art and symbols that he was dying to delve into the history of. Everything around him seemed so ancient and full of secrets. The very ground that he was stepping onto seemed alive.
"What a fascinating place..."
To think that the Fatui already had their widely famous Northland Bank estabilished here for so long and this was the first time Childe, a Fatui Harbinger, stepped foot in this land was quite amusing to say the least. His mission was of high importance but he would make the best of it nonetheless and milk this land of all its potential if only he could see his power grow even more. He shuddered, couldn't control the way his smile shifted yet only the most well trained eyes could notice how it changed from its easygoing nature to Childe's true powerhungry character. The Millelith in front of him were silent and solemn, perfectly conveying the part of wanting to be anywhere else with anybody else.
"...Fatui..."
Childe strained to listen to their hushed gossip, only being able to understand the word Fatui as it seemed to be pronounced universally the same in any language and that was the only way he knew they were talking about him and his men. The way they hissed the name, he could only guess what they were saying though.
It seems that he has quite the job in his hands, already formulating plans in all the ways he could win these people over. Powerhungry he may be but he quite enjoyed worming his way into people's hearts. Something about how easily they could spill their darkest secrets with honeyed words and charming smiles gave him more pleasure than forcefully ripping them from their mouths with pain and terror. He enjoyed the feeling of them being none the wiser, always available to him and his goals, always so willing.
The sunset was almost over, the sky was darkening and the various street lamps that surrounded them were starting to be lit, one by one, giving a cozy atmosphere and the town slowly welcomed the nighttime. The unmistakable smell of food wafting past his nostrils made his stomach rumble, no matter that he couldn't quite pinpoint what kind of spices were being used or which recipe was being followed. The scent was the strongest once they passed a place that could only be a restaurant, already looking busy with several customers seated in tables outside the booth and an energetic young lady with short dark blue hair serving them enthusiastically. Her words flowed rapidly out of her mouth and even the patrons seemed to be having a hard time following her rambling. Childe took note of it and its location, vowing to return once he had the time.
They passed several more stores, their wares spiking Childe's interest and his curious glance was not lost on the merchants either as they seemed to be more willing to overlook him being Fatui if they could gain any Mora out of it. They beckoned to him in rusty common, flashing what looked to be some of their priciest looking items. He also took note to visit this part of town later but wondered if it would not be best to procure a guide as it seemed by their greedy gazes that he could be an easy target for their cons, already rubbing their hands at the prospect of cheating a wealthy Fatui Harbinger out of his endless supply of Mora.
Yes, a guide would only be logical.
He was aware that not everybody would speak perfect common and it would be much easier for the sake of his mission to have a local showing him the ropes.
They seemed to be almost reaching the bank when he heard a commotion on one side of the street, a man and a woman in Fatui uniforms, their faces covered by their signature masks leaving a discreet looking place but their mouths were contorted in an uncomfortable grimace. Childe quirked an eyebrow in amusement wondering what could have gotten his comrades riled up like that.
"Ai-yah, are you sure you don't want to take this amazing chance? I have a special discount for Fatui you know? You guys are some of my top customers!" A cheery female voice called from inside the place the Fatui had exited and soon Childe saw the owner of it, a short young girl with dark clothing and long dark brown hair tied in two pigtails.
The Fatui only seem to get even more uncomfortable at her proposal and that mistified Childe. What was so bad about a discount? Childe even found it quite nice that this Liyuen had the good heart to give the Fatui a special discount.
"Director Hu."
Childe's steps faltered and he came to a stop unconsciously, the sound of that deep, harmonious voice catching his attention like none other had before. His men and the Millileth stopped as well, turning to him inquisitively.
Childe ignored them and could only stare at the man that revealed himself the owner of such a voice. He was tall, poised and dressed more formally than any other Liyuen that he had seen yet. Everything about him seemed noble and collected. He couldn't quite see him well enough, his broad back was turned towards him. His dark hair was tied with an amber colored hairpin and his impeccable coat had a intricate design to it, resembling the symbol of Geo.
Actually, his whole ensemble had several references to the Geo symbol, hairpin included.
Childe's eyes wandered lower and ah, there it was, a Geo vision dangling from a small chain that draped over the small of his back. Childe felt his cheeks heating up, gaze lowering further but caught himself before his eyes could linger any longer on the man's behind, revealed by the fluttering tails of his coat.
"By the Tsaritsa, those pants are so form fitting-" He catches himself before he could finish that thought, tearing his gaze away almost painfully from the sight.
He was just ogling this stranger by now and a male one at that.
"Perhaps the journey was longer than it felt..."
He justified his ogling for simple curiosity over such perfectly tailored clothes and he was adult enough to recognize an attractive person when there was one in front of him. Even if the only thing he had seen yet of the man was his back.
"These esteemed Fatui agents already explained they had no knowledge of the nature of our business as they are freshly arrived to Liyue. They already made it clear they're not looking to purchase any of our funeral services."
"Funeral...services..."
Ah well, that explained the Fatui's uncomfortable stances, already speedwalking away from them. The so called Director Hu made a dejected sound before huffing at the man beside her, as if he was the cause of all her misfortune. She crossed her arms and seemed ready to spew some kind of lecture but before she could, the man breathed deeply and started returning back inside the parlor.
"I'll be resuming my duties now, Director." His tone left nothing open to discussion despite speaking to his supposed superior. Yet the Director accepted it and also went back inside.
Childe heard someone clear his throat and realized with a start that his men and the Millileth were still waiting for him expectantly and looking at him with confused gazes. Childe cleared his throat as well and gave another smile, this one a bit more strained and embarassed.
"Sorry, gentlemen, I got distracted. Let's carry on."
His men wouldn't dare question him but Childe noted with some aggravation that one of the Millileth was looking at him with something akin to amusement before his expression returned to stoic. They resumed their walk, nonetheless.
It wasn't long before they reached the Northland Bank and the accomodations beneath it, where the Millileth explained they would stay. Childe inspected the place once the doors were opened, finding it adequate when they reached his ward and turned towards the Millileth, bowing his head once again.
"I thank you for your warm welcome, gentlemen. It seems this is the final stop for me."
The Millileth bowed back, stiffly once again, and promptly left. Childe's men left with them to be shown to their own quarters.
Now alone, Childe made himself comfortable, seating himself at the desk in the living room and looking out the window where the warm glow of the lighting from the street lamps outside seeped through. Night had fully descended by now but the town was still very much awake. Not quite like in Snezhnaya, where at this time everybody would be at home, safe and warm from the relentless winter that covered the nation all year long.
Snezhnaya... Childe wondered about his family. What were his siblings doing right now?
Something akin to homesickness throbbed in his heart and he allowed his eyes to close, picturing his siblings playing happily amidst the snow, inviting him for a snowball fight. The corners of his lips tugged upwards unconsciously at that thought.
When Childe opened his eyes once again, his gaze was dull and empty and he promptly opened a drawer on the desk, taking a sealed envelope that he already knew would be there. In his hand a blob of water started to form and it shaped into a sharp looking letter opener that he used to slash it open. He dismissed the weapon just as quickly as he had summoned it and read through the contents of the letter quickly, absorbing the information that was mostly a short briefing of his mission, some details that he had already went through before. At the end, he was informed that a guide had already been arranged and would be awaiting him at the bank tomorrow morning for introductions.
Childe quirked an eyebrow at the foreign name written on the letter. His guide's name was Zhongli. He wondered if there was any right way to pronounce that.
Well, that was what a guide was for...he would be sure to ask all the questions that already plagued him.
With a sigh, he crumpled the letter in his hand and with a simple summon of his vision powers, shred it to nothingness so that no trace of it could be found.
His eyes were starting to droop and the bed was starting to look pretty inviting. He stood up only to let himself fall on it, not bothering to change any of his clothes.
He would deal with it tomorrow
Childe woke up to the sounds of knocking on his door and his military training had him awake in a split second. He jumped out of bed and imediately strode towards the door, not having the time to even feel dizzy from any of it. It's certainly not the most abrupt way he was woken up.
When he opened the door, Ekaterina was on the other side, her mask hiding her face and showing no emotion as she saluted.
"My Lord Harbinger. I've been sent to collect you should you not wake up in time for this morning's meeting."
Childe had the sense to feel slightly sheepish. Ekaterina's monotone voice didn't display any emotion but he knew she had to be unimpressed.
"Ah, it seems I misjudged just how tired I was yesterday. Thank you for you service, as always, Ekaterina."
Ekaterina bowed her head in respect and extended a hand towards the set of stairs that led to the bank.
"This way, my lord. Your guide already awaits you."
Childe winced inwardly. He hated making someone wait.
"How rude of me." He huffed lightheartedly.
Ekaterina hummed in agreement, albeit seemingly to herself, and Childe chuckled at that.
At least the walk was fairly short and before he knew it, the doors of the bank opened and he was met by a rather familiar looking broad set of shoulders.
Childe blinked, wondering what he was doing in the bank when it had been specified that nobody besides Fatui agents and the guide would be here at this particular time.
Ekaterina cleared her throat. "Your guide, sir. Mr. Zhongli, Consultant of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor."
The aforementioned man turned and Childe felt himself choke on his own saliva.
He was wearing the same clothes as yesterday, a perfectly pressed shirt tucked into black pants and belt, vest and tie with another shimmering amber pin in it. His hands were gloved in dark leather and his dark hair with ochre tips framed an impossibly handsome face but what really had Childe's cheeks coloring yet again was the man's gaze, now focused on him.
His eyes were an intense shade of amber, striking and warm. Childe was completely taken off guard as the gaze seemed to stare him up and down and he couldn't help but feel exposed, as if the man watching him could know the secrets of the universe.
What an outlandish and foolish thought. Childe was embarassed by how disheveled he was. His musings were nothing short of ridiculous, almost starstruck.
He needed to get his act together. It was just a Liyuen gentleman.
His guide. Seeming to remember his manners, Childe scrambled to compose himself, saving himself smoothly from choking and replacing it with a charming smile, extending his hand for a handshake towards the other man.
"A pleasure to meet you, Mr. Zhongli."
"Oh Tsaritsa, I hope I didn't botch his name, I tried to copy how Ekaterina said it."
"Call me Childe."
Zhongli's gaze shifted down to his hand and there was a second of silence. Childe felt rather awkward by it and wondered if his friendly gesture was perceived as offensive in these parts.
A glint of realization seemed to sparkle in Zhongli's eyes and the man smiled, a small, polite thing but it was enough to make Childe's heart skip a beat.
He made a confused little stutter as Zhongli grabbed his hand and brought it to his lips, planting a delicate, reverent kiss upon his gloved knuckles. His posture was impeccable; his other hand crossed behind his back that slightly bent to Childe's height, who was a few inches shorter. Childe's face became impossibly hotter, finding himself looking directly into those intense but gentle amber eyes.
Ekaterina seemed stunned as well, not being able to utter a single word at seeing her oh so terrible Lord Harbinger having his hand kissed by his Liyuen guide, in what could only be a cultural misunderstanding. Her cheeks were suspiciously red as well in the small bit that could be seen beyond her mask, facing Zhongli like she was seeing him for the first time.
Childe let Zhongli release his hand and decided to not mention anything to the man to avoid further embarassment but he made sure to take note that handshakes were definitely not a thing around here.
"The pleasure is mine. We usually partake in a palm and fist bow at the waist to greet but I have no objection to your choice as well." Zhongli's deep voice rumbled inside his ears and Childe, for the first time in a very long time, wanted to run away.
"R-Right." Childe chuckled, shaking his hand as if he could wipe away the incessant tingling he was feeling in his knuckles, as if he could still feel the other's lips on them.
He was Tartaglia, the Eleventh Harbinger of the Fatui, he was on a mission and he could handle something as simple as having his hand kissed. With that in mind, his easy smile reappeared as he motioned for the exit.
"How about some breakfast first?"
He was starving.