Chapter Text
The cold winds whipped across (y/n)’s face as they stood at the top of a cliff in Snezhnaya, their outfit barely protecting them from the snow that fell around them. Their eyes were closed as they took in a sharp breath, the cold stinging ever so slightly. The top of this Snezhnayan mountain had always been their favourite. The winds could change from fierce to calm in seconds, reflecting the Fifth Harbinger themself and their anemo powers. There was movement behind them and they summoned their polearm to their hand, the cold metal of the blade barely touching the snow.
“We leave in 45 minutes.” A voice spoke and (y/n) turned around to see Scaramouche, the Sixth Harbinger glaring up at them through purple eyes, obviously not happy to have to climb up the mountain to find (y/n). They regarded the Harbinger for a moment before turning from their spot on the mountain and brushing past him to walk down the mountain to where a ship was waiting to take them to Liyue.
“Why must you climb to the top of a freezing mountain?” Scaramouche grumbled as the two of them strolled past Fatui guards into the Snezhnaya harbour.
“It’s peaceful. You should give it a try, maybe you’ll calm down.” (y/n) replied smoothly and Scaramouche shot them a glare but didn’t say anything as the pair of Fatui Harbingers walked to the boat that was docked at the harbour. Signora was waiting for the two of them, a piece of paper in her hands as she greeted the two of them before handing the folded paper to (y/n), their name hastily scribbled on the top in familiar handwriting. Scaramouche scoffed when he saw it and the two other Harbingers gave him a dry look before he rolled his eyes.
“When was the last time you saw him?” Signora asked and (y/n) looked up at her before glancing towards the mountain they had been standing on before Scaramouche had come to find them. The memory flashed before their eyes before they could say anything.
———
“Tartaglia!” (y/n) shrieked, falling face first into the fluffy snow, the Eleventh Harbinger cackling behind her as he darted past their snow covered figure. (y/n) pushed themselves up and stumbled after the ginger, his hair standing out in the snowy weather. Both of their cheeks were pink from the cold, their laughter echoing in the crisp winter air. (y/n)’s Snezhnayan winter coat covered their body, snowflakes clinging to it as they chased after Tartaglia. While the other Harbingers were doing trivial tasks such as training and finishing up paperwork, (y/n) had dragged Tartaglia out to a cold mountain to take a walk and have some time to themselves. While this would have seemed as something childish for two Harbingers to do, the majority of them neverminded, especially when it came to the Fifth Harbinger. Despite being the youngest Harbinger, they had rightfully earned their spot in the Fatui hierarchy from their immense fierce determination, strength, and strategic thinking.
(y/n) put their glove covered hands into the snow, grabbing some before patting it into a ball and looking up to see the ginger still trekking ahead. With a smirk on their face, (y/n) lightly tossed the snowball into the air and used their anemo power to send it towards Tartaglia back. He yelped in surprise at the impact and turned around with a grin but didn’t retaliate, only waiting for them to catch up to him. (y/n) let out a huff as they finally reached Tartaglia, his arm reaching to fall around their shoulders as the two gave up on their antics and walked the steep path up the mountain to the peak.
They stood together in silence, taking in the quiet beauty of Snezhnaya. The Zapolyarny Palace glittered upon the mountain next to the one they had climbed and the cities and villages surrounding it lay peacefully, the people enjoying their day. Tartaglia smiled gently as he watched his significant other take in the sight, the slight breeze feeling refreshing as they stood together in silence.
“You leave tomorrow.” (y/n) stated, their voice small as they leaned closer to Tartaglia.
“Just for two months in Liyue, and then I’m coming back home.” He replied, pressing a kiss to their forehead.
“Write to me?” (y/n) asked, slipping their hand down to intertwine it with Tartaglia’s.
“You’ll get a letter every two weeks.” Tartaglia grinned down at them, “It’s just a couple months, it’ll go by quickly.” Though it was normal for both Harbingers to be assigned to different assignments at the same time, that didn’t stop them from missing one another and doing their best to stay in contact. This time, Tartaglia would be going to Liyue for a couple months after the Tsaritsa had learned there was some trouble with the Liyue branch of the Northland Bank. The Tsaritsa’s task for Tartaglia was to work things out with the government to ensure things would be going smoothly.
The next morning, (y/n) stood on the harbour with Tartaglia, Scaramouche, and Signora. Tartaglia would be heading to Liyue and Scaramouche to Inazuma, both of them having their respective tasks from the Tsaritsa.
“Come back in one piece please.” (y/n) muttered as they embraced Tartaglia, ignoring the comment Scaramouche made under his breath. Tartaglia hummed in agreement and pulled away first, nodding to Signora before looking to Scaramouche. The two of them would be travelling on the same boat, but dropping off Scaramouche in Inazuma first.
“Lord Childe, Lord Balladeer, your quarters are ready.” A Fatui agent approached us. Signora and I watched as the two Harbingers walked up the ramp, Tartaglia only turning back slightly to shoot me a smirk before the boat was prepared to leave the harbour.
———
“(y/n)?” Signora’s voice shook her out of her thoughts and the Harbinger looked back to their colleague.
“Sorry, got lost in thought.” (y/n) admitted.
“You seem to do that more often.” Scaramouche grumbled and (y/n) glared at him but didn’t say anything, not wanting to start a fight in the middle of the harbour.
“It’s been seven months.” (y/n) replied to Signora’s original question.
“Seven months and what, four letters?” The taller Harbinger shook her head. Signora and (y/n) had always been close with one another, the older Harbinger seeing the younger one as a younger sibling, despite their rank being higher. (y/n) didn’t reply to Signora’s comment, but they knew she was correct. Instead, they tucked the folded paper into their pocket and cleared their throat.
“Tartaglia has always been like this.” Scaramouche scoffed, “He gets distracted too easily. He plays with his food and drags things out. Hence why we are going.”
“You have your task, we have ours.” (y/n) fixed him with a look before turning to walk up the ramp to the ship, Fatui agents bowing their heads as they passed.
“Your quarters are this way.” One of the agents led them through the ships halls, the sound of (y/n)’s boots clicking on the wooden planks, their coat swishing behind them. Unlike the Fatui agents onboard, none of the Harbingers had their masks on. (y/n)’s was secured on one side of their waist, the other side holding the anemo vision they treasured. The polearm that they wielded was always kept in perfect condition, the cold, sharp Snezhnayan metal that made the blade shone brightly everytime they wielded it. An intricate gold design weaved along the arm of the weapon, making it beautiful as it was deadly. It was a weapon that they had prided themself in using for so long, and along with their anemo powers, the Fifth Harbinger was a near unstoppable force.
Upon finally being left alone in their room, (y/n) took a seat at the elegant mahogany desk in the corner and pulled out the letter from their pocket, gently brushing their fingertips over their hastily written name before flipping it open to read.
My Dear,
I hope you are doing well, I wish I were spending the winter in Snezhnaya with you and my family rather than Liyue. Yet, Liyue has its own beauty, and I’m sure you would love it as well. I apologize for my lack of communication, the situation in Liyue has been difficult but after months of work, things are finally starting to fall into place. I trust you understand the situation I am in, especially with how stubborn the government is being.
But rest assured, the situation in Liyue is going according to plan. I just have a couple tricks up my sleeve to finally put an end to this and secure a footing in Liyue for the Tsaritsa.
Have I told you about the Qixing official that the Tsaritsa asked me to go after? I can’t remember if I did in my last letter. It’s like a game of cat and mouse chasing her and trying to slip through the cracks to persuade her to believe the Tsaritsa’s “well intentions.” I’m sure Signora has informed you of her talents as well, our fellow Harbinger having encountered her once or twice. But I must admit, she can put up a fight, quite powerful for a Qixing member. In a way, she reminds me of you, and I wish that you were here with me in Liyue, or I was with you in Snezhnaya.
I wish I could write to you more but the next ship to Snezhnaya leaves in half an hour and I promised to have dinner with a friend. I was informed Signora would be coming to visit in Liyue. I wish it were you, but I hope to return home as soon as possible!
All my love,
Tartaglia
(y/n) folded the letter with a sigh and leaned back against their chair, taking in the brief letter they had just read. The Tsaritsa had warned (y/n) before sending them off, that Tartaglia seemed to have taken a great interest in the Qixing member, who went by the name of Měilíng. The Tsaritsa and the other Harbingers knew of (y/n) and Tartaglia’s relationship, and while some Harbingers, like Scaramouche, disapproved of it, most of them paid no mind to their antics. Perhaps this was why the Tsaritsa chose to send Signora and (y/n) to Liyue, but only inform Tartaglia of Signora’s arrival.
Rereading the letter, a small flame of jealousy sparked in (y/n)’s chest but they quickly extinguished it, reminding themselves that Tartaglia was a Harbinger. He was Lord Childe, the Eleventh of the Eleven Harbingers and he knew what he was doing. Still, that didn’t take away the fact that he was supposed to be in Liyue for two months, and already it had been seven. From the reports that (y/n) was allowed to read, he had been fooling around with the woman and this was why it was taking so long for the mission to be finished.
Three knocks on the door pulled (y/n) out of their thoughts and they folded up the letter before slipping it into their pocket. They stood up and fixed their outfit in front of the mirror and swung the door open to see Signora and Scaramouche looking at them. (y/n) glanced between the pair, her eyes narrowing, knowing something was up.
“Let’s spar.” Scaramouche crossed his arms over his chest.
“On this boat? We’ll destroy it as collateral damage.” (y/n) replied sarcastically.
“Then don’t use your visions, it’s simple.” Signora raised one hand, “You need to let out whatever you’re feeling before you reach Liyue.”
“And why is that?” The Harbinger narrowed their eyes as their subordinates shifted uncomfortably under their gaze.
“You might not like what you see in Liyue.” Scaramouche said blandly and (y/n)’s gaze shifted to his with a look mixed between accusatory and questioning, as if she knew what he was insinuating.
“What he means to say is,” Signora glared down at him, “We know you are upset with Tartaglia and I don’t think the Tsaritsa would appreciate it if the first thing you did when you saw him was attack him with your polearm.” It was silent for a moment between the three Harbingers before (y/n) relented, stepping out of their cabin and walked to the deck, which had been cleared of agents so the two could spar.
The spar ended with (y/n) sending a powerful roundhouse kick to Scaramouche’s chest, his smaller body flying off the ship and into the water. (y/n)’s eyes widened, not meaning to hit that hard and ran over to the railing to see the Sixth Harbinger coming to the surface of the water with a deadly glare aimed at them. With the help of hydro vision users, they were able to get the large hat wearing Harbinger out of the water and back onto the ship. Well, his hat was soaking wet and dripping in his hands as he gave (y/n) another glare and barked orders to start a bath and get him a fresh pair of clothes. With their anemo vision, (y/n) sent a gust of wind at Scaramouche, drying him off slightly. He barked their name and (y/n) snickered next to Signora who was covering her mouth as body shook in laughter. None of the Fatui agents dared to comment on the antics between the three Harbingers, knowing their joking was only allowed between one another. But the spar had helped (y/n) take their mind off of everything else and for the rest of the day, Tartaglia’s letter never came back into their mind.
———
The golden port of Liyue Harbour came into view, the three Harbingers standing at the front of the ship, watching the land of the former Geo Archon come into view. In the distance, (y/n) immediately spotted Tartaglia, his tousled ginger hair and familiar outfit standing out amongst the crowd. Next to him, stood a woman in regal looking clothes, a traditional Liyue dress that swept the floor. Her jet black hair was pinned up in a neat bun with jewels that sparkled from a distance. Tartaglia’s arm was held out and she held it, almost as if he were escorting her. He looked down at her with a warm smile and (y/n) felt something in their chest twist at the sight. Though fierce and generally able to keep their emotions in check, (y/n) couldn’t help but reflect upon the past seven months of limited contact and only hearing what others had told them and what they read. Their eyes narrowed and then turned around to order some Fatui agents to finish up some tasks, not wanting Tartaglia to see them just yet. It wasn’t until Scaramouche came to retrieve them from their room that they finally stepped out, ensuring everything about them was poised and perfect to face Tartaglia. They followed Scaramouche out onto the deck, immediately finding where Tartaglia was standing next to the woman, both of their backs to them. Signora’s eyes flickered up to (y/n) and Scaramouche as they walked down the ramp. Signora’s glance caused Tartaglia and the woman to turn around to see the other two Harbingers walking down, (y/n) not even sparing their lover a glance as they moved to stand next to Signora. Scaramouche stood on their other side, as if they were flanking them and (y/n) looked to Tartaglia to see his eyes slightly wide in shock, but the rest of his face schooled into a calm expression, no doubt as to not give away anything to the woman next to him.
(y/n) turned to Tartaglia and instead of greeting him by the name he always went by in front of them and the other Harbingers, they used his alias.
“Childe.” They simply said before shifting their eyes back to the Liyue official in front of them. Something flickered in Tartaglia’s eyes at the way (y/n) said his name but he brushed it off.
“Centurion, Balladeer, Fair Lady, this is Lady Měilíng of the Qixing.” Tartaglia introduced us formally in the order of our rankings.
“It’s an honour to meet you.” (y/n) put a smile onto their face, dipping their head in greeting. The other two Harbingers at their side did the same as did the Qixing official.
“We were not aware we would be receiving three Harbingers. “Lady Měilíng gave them a small smile, “Will (Lord/Lady) Centurion and Lord Balladeer need lodgings within my household?”
“He’s leaving for Inazuma.” (y/s)’s eyes flickered to Scaramouche and then they looked over to Tartaglia, “As for the Fair Lady and I, we will be staying at the Northland Bank. We have lodgings arranged already, but thank you for your kind gesture.” The five of them stayed on the harbour to discuss the small details of our stay before (y/n) nodded to Scaramouche, a silent order to return to the ship. Tartaglia spoke up once Scaramouche was out of earshot, saying that he had arranged for a meeting between the Harbingers and Lady Měilíng that night at a restaurant.
“Lady Měilíng, may I walk with you? I would like to ask some things about Liyue.” Signora spoke up and (y/n)’s eyes snapped to hers, silently pleading for her not to leave them. Her lips twitched up but didn’t say anything as she and the Qixing official walked away from the harbour, leaving Tartaglia and (y/n) standing across from each other.
“(y/n)… I didn’t know you were coming.” Tartaglia broke the silence, taking a step closer to them, but (y/n) refused to meet his eyes, instead looking at the bustling city.
“Would that have made a difference in what you’re doing?” (y/n) asked dryly.
“It’s not what it looks like.” Tartaglia rushed out and gently put his hand on their forearm. (y/n) looked at it then looked up at him.
“From what I hear, you’ve been enjoying your overextended stay here in Liyue. And from reports, I’ve read you’re had quite a time.” The Fifth Harbinger shot back. “What are you really doing here, Childe?” He barely flinched at the name (y/n) snapped out.
“My mission was to get close to the lady and manipulate her.” He replied.
“Does that mean sleep with her?” (y/n) could feel the jealousy rise up within them and they knew Tartaglia could sense it.
“I have never once touched her like that.” Tartaglia said, moving to stand in front of (y/n), “Not when I have you.” (y/n) was silent for a couple of seconds before speaking up again.
“We are here for business, Childe. Stop playing with your prey.” They stepped out of his hold on them and took a deep breath before looking back at him.
“I don’t want to believe in whatever rumours the Fatui agents here have spread. But when two months becomes seven, my letters go unanswered save for four letters, one can only think so much about what’s going on.” (y/n) bit the inside of their lip, not wanting to show how much he had hurt them.
“Just because you were an ocean away doesn’t mean I forgot about you.” Tartaglia shot back and (y/n) met his hard look, their eyes softening in defeat, not wanting to argue with them.
“Then why does it really feel like it?”