"it's a crystal embedded with some kind of power..." jean scrutinised the red object closely. "lisa, are you able to analyse it?"
veritas' blood was thumping in her ears. how in teyvat had this... stranger managed to obtain dvalin's tear? she had been right. looks could deceive. what was this boy up to? and even worse, he didn't seem to have a clue what it was. how had he been this intimate with dvalin, and still be naive to almost everything about this world?
"let me take a look," lisa said, inspecting the tear. "hmm... i can see impurities in the crystal, but upon further inspection... no, i'm sorry. i can't make a proper analysis at the moment. give me some time, i'll take a look through the library's restricted section."
"right." jean said, "i'll leave the research to you, then."
veritas stayed silent. how could she give the three any intelligence without having to explain why she was wiping away dvalin's tears, and give herself away completely?
"understood. i'll notify you all if i make any progress." lisa nodded, looking around the room. "though, i wouldn't go getting your hopes up. they are incredibly ancient texts, not to mentio-"
"lisa!" veritas grabbed lisa's wrist as she held out a hand to touch the crystal. "don't touch things you don't know everything about! haven't you learned?" she looked earnestly into lisa's green eyes, which flashed with guilt.
"you're right. i-"
"look," veritas held out her hand, letting her hand get close to the tear, and retracting her hand away quickly with a hiss, pretending to have been hurt. "it must react to visions. the impurities in the crystal and the elemental energy that we as vision wielders embody repel each other."
lisa hummed. "you are more learned than you appear, veritas. you should visit me in the library more often."
"it's odd, though," veritas continued, looking accusatorially at the traveller. "aether has elemental abilities as well, but doesn't seem to be affected in the same way."
aether silently shrugged, and veritas opened her mouth again, before lisa interrupted her.
"anyway, the crystal would be better left in the hands of my cutie. it will just be a pain if left with us, both literally and metaphorically."
veritas' eye twitched at the nickname lisa had donned him. stay calm.
"cutie?" aether questioned, his cheeks flushing.
"...fascinating," jean spoke over the traveller, seemingly oblivious to the room around her, lost in her own thought. "do you know anything about what makes you special?"
i wouldn't call it special, veritas thought to herself.
"i wouldn't call it special," aether said bashfully, "but, uh, no. i don't."
"i do not know what to make of it either." jean shook her head slowly. "well then, aether. the knights of favonius have another favour to ask of you. please accept the title of honorary knight... and the gratitude of the acting grand master."
"honorary knight... of favonius?!" veritas and paimon spoke at the same time, veritas' tone indignant and paimon's astonished.
jean and lisa both looked at veritas.
"ahem," she composed herself. "apologies. con- congratulations... aether."
"we ask for your continued assistance in finding some answers," jean sighed, "stormterror's rage, and strange crystals... i know mondstadt's peace hangs in the balance. may the wind open your eyes to the truth. we'll meet back here if you find anything."
-
"hey, uh, captain?" veritas stopped in her tracks and turned to see a meek looking traveller behind her.
"yes?" she replied stoically.
"i just... i feel like we may have gotten off on the wrong foot, and i just wanted to a-"
"you're forgiven." veritas waved him away, turning back to the door.
"... ask if there was anything i've done to offend you."
veritas sighed heavily. "not at all." she said, her back still turned to the boy.
"are you sure? i don't want any hard fee-"
"i'm a knight, aether. i have a job, a duty, and pressing matters to attend to. i don't do hard feelings. if you'll excuse me," she said coldly, exiting the double doors, and leaving paimon and aether standing in the middle of the hall.
-
"hey charles, is 'luc around?" veritas stood in the doorway of the tavern, looking around for the familiar head of red.
"master diluc has gone home for the day, captain," the bartender informed her. "i can pass on a message, if you'd like..."
"no need," veritas shook her head, a little irritated that he had not waited for her, "when will he return?"
"he'll be here all day tomorrow, captain," charles replied, and veritas nodded.
"fine by me," she said. "okay. i'll drop by tomorrow. i don't feel like drinking tonight. thanks, charles!" the bell above the door jingled as charles waved after her, and she turned the corner to reach her house.
it was a humble abode, tucked away in a corner just in front of the tavern, not much to differentiate it from the other houses apart from a hanging basket of cecilia hanging by the door. it didn't have any windows on the first floor, so as she stepped in through the door, the only source of light was an oil lamp that was kept burning at all times. it looked rather bleak, but once the candles were all lit, the first floor was the cosiest area of the house, with throws and pillows all over the sofas, and a roaring fireplace, with a quaint, wooden kitchen attached.
upstairs was a loft room, with just a bed smothered in yet more pillows and blankets, with a large bay window with airy, sheer green curtains at the front, that let moon and sunlight alike stream through onto the wooden plank floors.
veritas padded up the stairs in just her socks, taking off her shawl and throwing it over the banister, and removed her corset that she wore as a part of her uniform, unbuckling the belt that had a sheath for a sword and a quiver of arrows, and also held her anemo 'vision' that was tightened over it before doing so.
she removed the first two layers of skirt, one being a light green swallowtail skirt, and the other a darker green colour that reached just past her knees.
she let the white blouse that was trapped under her corset breathe, hanging loose on her frame, and removed the singular petticoat she had under the rest of her uniform.
now in only long, white stockings and blouse, veritas rolled lazily into bed, burying herself in her sheets. her uniform really was more hassle than it was worth.
she listened to the ambience of the city in the evening, the footsteps scuffling past her window every now and then, the low chatter of the citizens turning in for the day, and the occasional outburst of raucous laughter.
she closed her eyes and focused on these things so as to prevent one of the million thoughts racing through her head from the day's events from breaking through to the forefront of her mind and keeping her awake the whole night.
and thus, she was at peace for the first time throughout the entire day, beginning to drift asleep as the city itself dozed off.
YOU ARE READING
fidelity || gi
Fanfiction"until next time, friends." baal nodded, smiling widely. beelzebul bowed her head politely at the three individuals remaining in the room, and with a flash of lightning, they were gone. "until next time, morax!" zepar was the next to rise, pulling b...
