Chapter Text
The sound of the church bells echoed throughout the empty streets of Fontaine, the jarring sound signaling the ending of the public execution that had just taken hold. Rather than its usual solemn timbre, they were being pulled at a maddening pace, poorly concealing the excitement of the bell-ringer.
Even though the streets were empty, the only other person being Diluc, it was only a matter of time for those who had been attending the execution to go back to their usual business, as if they hadn't just watched another person being hung. Although, all things considered, pirates weren’t seen as very human anyways. Regardless of whether they had committed a crime or not, they were hung publicly. For those in Tevyat believed that being a pirate in itself was a crime.
Diluc slowed his steps until he came to a halt in the middle of the deserted street, looking up at the darkening sky. The clouds had begun to close in on Fontaine, a telltale sign that a storm was fast approaching. As he stood there, he felt an errant breeze flit past, briefly playing with his fiery hair. There was a heaviness in the air, one that warned about the incoming rain. As the sound of the church bells slowly came to a stop, Diluc glanced around and found himself to be in the shopping district. Clothing shops had their displays behind windowed panes, their doors sporting a “Closed” sign. The fruit sellers had taken their products into their shops, as to keep others from shoplifting while they weren’t around.
It seemed everyone had done their preparations early in order to see the execution, Diluc mused, a slight feeling of contempt finding its way into his chest as the corner of his mouth curved downwards. He never did understand what the excitement behind ending another's life was, as it was neither something worth being excited over nor being proud of. While lost in his musings, he felt the hairs on his neck stand on end; he was being watched. He knew the feeling all too well, as Mondstat’s Navy Captain and the Master of Dawn Winery, his steps were constantly being followed, everyone waiting for him to slip up.
Diluc settled his hands behind his back, his left grabbing his right wrist loosely, as if he was merely taking a stroll and inspecting which shops to visit once their respective owners returned. He steadily walked towards the clothing shop he had glazed his eyes over earlier, pretending to be quite interested in the flowery dresses when he felt the presence of the other waning, as if unsure whether to follow or not. Diluc felt his heart start to beat faster, expecting a surprise attack, as it wouldn't have been the first time. Ever since his father had died and he became the head of the winery business in Mondstat, everyone seemed to come for his throat, whether it be other merchants or those of noble descent. They all had their eyes settled on his fathers winery and couldn't wait for Diluc to either screw up or kick the bucket while captaining Mondstat's Royal Navy fleet.
Diluc felt his shoulders tense, ready to reach for the sword at his hip whenever necessary when he felt the presence of the other withdraw. He whipped his head to where he knew they had been observing him and dashed over, ready to apprehend the other when their guard had been lowered. Yet, when he got to the small alley between the fruit shop and the hat parlor, there was no one to be seen. Diluc was taken aback, as his skills were way above an average soldier, and capturing what could have been a simple stalker shouldn’t have resulted with, well, nothing.
He huffed, a conflicted feeling rising within. The stalker had to either be at his level or higher in terms of skill, Diluc concluded as his eyes narrowed. Ever since he had gotten back to Mondstat a year ago, there was no one who could possibly be his match, so this new feeling left him rather unsettled. As he had already lost track of the other, it made no sense to loiter, so he spun on his heel and made way towards the docking port. He’d have to make sure to discuss it with his crew once he got back to his ship.
…
Diluc stepped out onto the pier, the bustling noise of several crewmen reaching his ears. Everyone seemed to be working with vigor, likely due to the storm that was about to hit, he figured. Some were unloading precious metals, others furniture, and further down what he imagined was the latest fashion. As there were several ladies surrounding one of the crewmen, asking when their product would be available in stores. As his eyes continued to roam, he thought how he had managed to get there without being tailed a second time, which made him wonder if he had imagined the whole ordeal.
As he strode towards his ship, Searing Onslaught, many of those who were busy disembarking their trading goods stopped and saluted him. Diluc was anything if not polite, so he would return the salutes, offering them a small smile and a wave of his hand when passing by. The smell of the ocean filled his nostrils once he stepped foot on the porting dock, relieving some of the tension in his shoulders from the meeting he had attended that morning. His red hair was wild in the ocean breeze as he walked up the wooden plank and onto the deck. It was currently empty, as they had distributed his wine barrels at sunrise. So he had given his crew the rest of the day off, only letting them know that they were to leave tomorrow morning.
Although if the storm hit and didn't pass by overnight, then they would have to stay for a couple of days. Diluc scowled at the thought, this was not within his expectations, and he was not very happy at the idea of having to reschedule his whole week due to a storm. With that in mind, Diluc made his way towards his cabin, situated at the very back of the ship, in order to write his report for the meeting and finish up some paperwork.
The floorboards creaked under his heeled boots as he entered his quarters, slowly closing the double doors behind him. His desk stood at the center of the room, covered with maps, books, and pens that he tended to use, a couple of filing cabinets close behind. To his right was his own private library, which included a plush sofa with a coffee table at the center, surrounded by packed shelves that sported his collection. To his left was a mini wine bar, albeit rarely used, and another door that led to his bed chambers.
He sauntered over to his desk, pulled out some of the documents he would need from his shelves and sat in his chair, pen in hand ready to write the report he would present to Commodore Jean. Time flew past as he wrote about the new policies that Fontaine had proposed to protect citizens from pirates in Tevyat. They had presented the idea of adding watch-towers at every port, in order to keep an eye out for pirate ships at all times. As a second proposition that followed the first, to assign soldiers and have them apprehend anyone that was deemed a pirate. They showcased it all with the pretense of protecting its citizens, but Diluc knew that their real intentions lied elsewhere; with the complete annihilation of pirates.
While Diluc could agree with that, he was well aware that the real reason behind it was so they could get their greedy hands on the stolen goods. Not to mention, the second proposal would give the soldiers free reign over common people. In any case, they were to arrest anyone they thought was a pirate, to ask questions later. Considering the way pirates were treated, there would be no questions to ask, as they would be sent straight to the gallows.
Diluc sighed as he ran a hand through his hair, combing back the loose strands that had escaped his low ponytail. There may have been a time in his life where he, too, wanted nothing more than to end the lives of every pirate, but after his three years traveling the seas he no longer held that generalized hatred. He frowned, if only they could come up with a way to reform said pirates, but deep down he knew people would still hold disdain towards them, reformed or not.
He knew, from seeing it personally, that there were people who turned to piracy out of desperation. They could no longer sustain themselves, or would accumulate a debt they could only ever dream to repay, and would instead choose a life of easy riches. Even so, it was not so simple, if they were caught that was it. No trial, no nothing.
With that in mind, Diluc expressed his displeasure at the policies Fontaine had given, as they were generalized and held no place for those who could have been forced into piracy for reasons unknown. As in his eyes, only those who had committed crimes should be punished. The real monsters deserving of retribution were those that made up the Abyss Order. They would steal from merchant ships and murder indiscriminately. They would dock in random port cities and attack, often kidnapping women and children. Diluc gripped his pen tighter, remembering the night his father had died. The day his sworn brother betrayed him. The wound was fresh, despite it having been four years ago, as he had never fully forgiven himself for the failure of protecting his father. Had never forgiven himself for trusting too much.
Regardless of how he felt about the past, he was sure that the Abyss Order was behind it, he knew, which was why he had returned to Mondstat. The reason he accepted the title that he had left behind. To rid the seas of the Abyss Order and it’s lackeys. It had been hard to track them, no doubt because corrupt merchants and officials aided them. Even so, Diluc had pressed on and had managed to catch several of their underlings within the year he had returned. Gathering useful intel that only brought him closer to taking the Abyss Order down in one fell swoop.
Diluc dipped his pen into the ink, and signed the bottom of the document, finished. He reached down and opened the top drawer to slip it inside when he heard footsteps approaching and a few knocks at his door.
“Come in.” He called out as he put his quill back into its holder, sitting back into the armchair. A small head of black hair with turquoise in its braided tips popped in through the crack of the door, a mischievous smile on the boy's face.
As soon as Diluc saw who it was, he groaned internally, bringing a hand to his temple to massage the phantom headache he was feeling.
“Venti...I thought I told you to return tomorrow at sunrise.” Diluc said after waiting for him to step inside and sit down opposite him. He was wearing his bard outfit, clearly having been out to entertain for drinks.
“Good ol’ Master Diluc,” Venti said with a lilt in his voice, “Of course I remember! But I thought ‘Why should I leave my good captain in an empty ship when I can take him out for some entertainment’.” Venti side eyed him as he paused, “Fontaine is, after all, known far and wide for its unique culture and arts.” He wiggled his brows, waiting for Diluc to answer.
“They refused to sell you any alcohol, didn’t they?” Diluc deadpanned. He knew Venti would not have been back until it was time to depart, unless he had run into trouble. In this case, the trouble of not being able to purchase alcoholic beverages.
“Ehe,” Venti gave a little laugh with some awkwardness laced through as he scratched his head, “Was I that obvious?” Diluc hummed in agreement as he went back to the documents on his desk, right hand reaching for his quill once more. At this, Venti reached forward and stopped his arm from moving any further as he looked at Diluc with puppy eyes.
“You’ll help me then, right Captain?” he inquired, making his expression look even more woeful than before. As if Diluc not helping him would be the same as committing a grave sin. Diluc put his arm down as he looked at Venti. He knew he was of age to drink, that the only reason he was denied was due to how young he looked in the eyes of others. With that cheery voice and overly relaxed demeanor, no one would have thought him to be an adult. He cast another glance at the papers on his desk, knowing he had to finish them by the time they arrived back to Mondstat.
He debated between the pros and cons of having to accompany Venti to a tavern. On one hand, it would be overly crowded and would reek of alcohol, full of inebriated fools with terrible tempers. On the other, he would be able to gather some intel, as drunks tended to have very loose tongues. After contemplating a bit more, he decided that his paperwork could wait, as it was never a bad time to gather new intel.
The longer Diluc weighed his options, the more wary the expression on Venti’s face got. Right when he was about to admit defeat Diluc suddenly shifted, placing his hands on his desk as he got up from his chair. Venti watched him as he walked over to his library and grabbed the black coat he had on the sofa, put it on, and adjusted the buttons.
He waved his arm towards the door, “After you, Bard.” Venti’s face exploded with delight at that, as he jumped from where he was seated and practically danced towards the door. Diluc followed after him, closing behind him and bringing out his key to lock the doors while he was out. As the lock clicked, he felt that same presence he had on the street, and turned around with the speed of light. He instantly went into high alert, his breathing turning rapid, his heartbeat roaring in his ears as he strained his senses to identify who else was on board.
Only to realize that there was no one to be seen, only the dead of night and the harsh ocean wind whistling past. The boat rocked in the sea, its hull creaking. No breathing nor creaking of floorboards to indicate there was anyone aside from himself. Even Venti, who had been standing next to him a couple of seconds ago, was already out on the docks heading towards the street.
Diluc narrowed his eyes as the hairs on his arms stood on end and cold chills began to run down his spine, indicating that the other was getting closer. His eyes desperately scrutinized every part of his ship, completely unsure from where exactly the presence was emanating from. He wasn’t able to pinpoint any area in particular, his internal warning bells going haywire when the realization dawned on him: his cabin.
As he hurried to unlock it he heard Venti’s voice sing-song from the side of the ship, “You’re not getting cold feet now are you, Master Diluc?” His mind shifted for a second, trying to process what Venti had said, and the presence he felt vanished as fast as it had come. Despite that, his senses were still pulled taut, his shoulders tense and his expression guarded. He tentatively opened the door to his cabin, just to find it as he had left it. The only possible entrance was the doors Diluc had been locking, and the windows that stood behind his desk. He strode over and tested them, they were locked, as he had expected. Not to mention, the other would have had to climb out of the ocean in order to enter his cabin through the window, so he quickly discarded that idea.
His nerves were probably still stretched taut from the stalker he had encountered during the day. Not to mention the three hour long meeting he had attended. Despite him associating it all with being mentally exhausted, Diluc still inspected his cabin, making sure everything was as he had left it, and sure enough everything was untouched.
“Captain Diluuuc,” Venti whined as he walked back into the cabin, “Can we head out now? There’s a special at the tavern and I wouldn't want to miss it!” He looked over his shoulder to where Venti stood by the doorway, whose head was cocked to the side, as in questioning what he was still doing inside.
Diluc’s shoulders dropped, the tension leaving his body all at once, leaving a tiredness within his bones that he couldn't quite place. Perhaps he also needed a drink, he thought as he walked out after Venti and locked up once more.
He turned towards the Bard, “Let’s go.” He followed Venti out into the night, feeling the chill of the air settle into his bones. The wind howled as rain began to pepper kisses onto his face, the dark clouds pregnant with rain. Diluc closed his eyes, wishing that the rain could wash away the foreboding feeling that had begun to develop in his chest.