Princess // c.tartaglia [discontinued]

Chapter 2 : Childe

Walking through the halls of Zapolyarny palace was always a sight, the blue marbled walls, the navy coloured curtains, the snow-like glass windows, the icy crystallized chandeliers and candelabra, everything screamed winter wonderland.

Except for its inhabitants.

The high ranked maids were secret assassins, the guards of the palace highly trained and the lower class servants were nobodys. Just cogs in this monstrous machine of this castle.

The palace may seem wondrous on the outside but the castle was full of dread and melancholy.

"Announcing the Princess of Zapolyarny palace!" One of the announcers spoke as you entered the throne room.

You curtsied in front of your mother. "Good day mother."

"Ah my little angel.... did you sleep well last night?" Mother came down from her throne and patted your h/c hair, your e/c shone as she caressed your cheek. You liked the attention and the warmth, it reminded you of how close you were to your brother.

"Slept like a baby last night." You answered softly, dazed in the warmth of your mother. You didn't want to lie because she's been treating you so well but burdening her with your nightmares wasn't that great either. So you didn't say anything about your nightmares.

"Announcing Pulcinella! The rooster!" The guards announced.

Mother slowly took her hands away from my cheek and looked at her guest with unrivaled venom and spite.

"I greet the Tsarita." The guest bowed and lowered herself, in a glimpse you saw a small smirk was forming on her face. Mother sighed. "Didn't I say. I did not. Want to be disturbed!?" Mother snapped her hands. Everyone in the room got quiet, no one dared to say anything against the Tsaritsa. Silenced roamed the room. As the tension grew and grew a small chuckle was heard, which bursts into a loud hysterical laugh.

"Oh my dear Tsarita always so tense~" Wiping away a tear from her face Punicinella came closer to you.

"My my my! So this is your little daughter now! Well ain't she a beauty!~" Punicinella came in closer to you inspecting your every move. "Well ain't she fine! Call me auntie Nella if you would! Me and your mother have been very very very close associates for a very, very very very long time!" The way she talked and the way she walked was extremely cartoonish. You chuckled a bit and responded softly "Okay auntie Nella...."
Auntie Nella froze in place...... Out of nowhere she jumped for joy. "Well aren't I glad to have you! You've melted my heart dear!~"

"Stop it Cinella, I'm sure you didn't come here just to admire my daughter?" Mother was growing tired of her antics and wanted a straight answer. "My my still as impatient as you were! Very well! I bring forth the 11th Fatui harbinger! Tartagalia!" As she said those words the door suddenly opened and a young man with ginger coloured hair, dark blue eyes and a playful smile entered the room. He was slender with the colour scheme of the Fatui.

"A new recruit?" Mother asked. She was curious to see who Punicinella brought in. "Come closer child" The ginger haired boy walked in, a flair of playfulness lingered around him but you had no idea what he was thinking, he was enigmatic. To you this guy screamed trouble, maybe that's why he's perfect for the Fatui.

But without thinking he headed straight to you first. Extending his hand to you, lowering his head. You were confused, looking at your mother who was observing the situation, she didn't say anything but observed. Then it finally clicked, this was a test for this young man. If you accepted him he'd be joining the Fatui as a harbinger but if not he'd be shunned. Well possibly, you honestly had no idea but you didn't want him to get embarrassed. So, you took his hand. A wave of relief washed over him, just for a second and only that second he immediately went back to that enigmatic man. Pulling your hand towards him he gently placed a kiss on it.

.
.
.

Processing the situation for a few minutes, you tried snatching your hand away but his grip was too strong and tight, you couldn't get loose. Smoke was coming out of your ears and your hands burned a crimson sun. Thankfully your face flushed a light pink and wasn't as severe as other parts. No one had ever done this to you before. Travelling with your brother always made the weirdos disappear and since you always hoped from world to world having a romantic partner wasn't ideal.

"Ahem!" Mother coughed trying to get our attention. He loosened his grip which made you immediately take away your hand. Sneaking a glance he smirked. You were offended and wanted to slap that smirk off his face, this person was mocking you but since mother was here you payed no mind and tried to forget about it. Suddenly the room started getting colder.

A staff made out of cryo appeared out of thin air and laid in mother's hand. Tartaglia kneeled down immediately and you watched from the sidelines with your aunt.

"Congratulations on becoming the 11th Fatui Harbinger the last of us, throw away your old name as I give you one of power and dominance! I dub thee Childe!" Ice started swirling around the room becoming more and more intense.

"Take a good look girlie, you don't see this everyday! This is the final test, if he can handle this he'd be a fully fledged harbinger!" Auntie Nella exclaimed before covering me with a wall off ice.

The ice swirls were getting more and more intense and you could see Childe was struggling trying to keep up with the ice, but he kept his stance and tried his best to block it with his hands. The last swirl erupted, causing the room to become blinding and your vision blurry. After the frost particles was cleared out you could see Childe in the middle of the room, holding a red intricate mask.

"That is proof of your affiliation with the Fatui and one of its heads, your power now dwells in that mask." Mother was still standing tall at the bottom of her throne. Not a single blemish nor an ounce of blisters appeared on her face. She didn't even look fatigued. "You may excuse yourself Childe"

With that, Childe bowed and left the room a red mask in his head, a sinister smirk behind that playful smile.

A/N

Thank you so much for over a 100 reads almost at 200! I'm eternally grateful for the support o(｀ω' )o
I just want to clear some things up. Y/n is not the first Fatui Harbinger, she's a trump card and a reserve like the joker in a deck of cards. Extremely powerful and at the same lvl of Punicinella she prefers working behind the scenes and being infamous with her name Princess den actually being called a harbinger. I wanted to change this cuz I liked the original lineup of the 11 Fatui Harbingers.