Chapter 27 - A Ship Back Home

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A bit of a short chapter this time around, because academic validation, I mean, duty calls! As always, I hope you enjoy this little post-angst chapter! We might be seeing the return of a mysterious character from the early chapters pretty soon <3

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When I opened my eyes, I was lying in a simply furnished room, a thin wisp of smoke drifting from a pair of incense sticks.

It smells like . . . home.

Rising, I quickly noted the sorry state of my appearance in a mirror by my bedside: I had been put to bed in the cotton chemise I had been wearing beneath my dress the night before, a pair of bloomers, and tabi socks that were now stained, as I had been running in them without my slippers yesterday.

Then, the memories began to register in my mind, and everything suddenly clicked.

I remembered crying, I remembered panicking, I remembered running and sobbing and screaming and--

I remembered Scaramouche.

Something in me wanted to fall into the Abyss and end everything right there.

Forcing myself up, I trudged to the washbasin in the corner, dunking my face into the frigid water.

I draped my arms over the porcelain edges, feeling more ordinary and incompetent by the day.

Or perhaps that was who I had always been? Ordinary?

But I had been blessed with a Vision, I thought as I cleansed my skin. I was a lady of Inazuma, born and bred.

How could I possibly be ordinary?

A need for fresh air overcame me, and I unlatched the windows, the crisp morning air washing over me like a splash of sweetwater.

Spotting a change of clothes dangling by a line, I reached out to grab them, nearly tumbling down as I comprehended the sheer distance between myself and the 'ground'.

I looked down to the sight of the cerulean sea, majestic in appearance, as it jostled the ship from side to side. We were completely surrounded by water, and Liyue Harbor was nowhere to be seen.

Drawing the curtains, I quickly changed into the dress that had been set out for me, darting downstairs in a hurry.

As I stepped as gracefully as I could manage down the winding staircase, I was met with the last image I could've possibly expected.

It was Signora, dressed in a little black gown, leaning against the chambranle.

She looked . . . youthful.

"Good to see you're awake, Princess," Signora spoke monotonously, seating herself at her desk.

She pushed a cup of tea towards me, her misty eyes following my gauche movements.

"I found you on the docks last night, fast asleep," she spoke calmly, taking a sip from her own cup. "in Scaramouche's arms."

I had to fight against the urge to spit out my tea.

Instead, I let the taste of chamomile burn my tongue. "My apologies, Lady Signora. I'm sure I was a bother to you."

"Not at all. You are no longer my subordinate. We're comrades, aren't we, Kamisato Rin?" Signora smiled.

Startled by her words, I nodded.

"R-right."

Gesturing for the guard to exit, she placed a hand on my own, her fingers gently brushing over mine.

𝙗𝙮 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙡𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜'𝙨 𝙜𝙡𝙤𝙬 // scaramouche x ocWhere stories live. Discover now