Chapter Text
The girl, exposing her face to the warm rays of the sun, blissfully closing her eyes. A satisfied smile stretched on her lips when the musician's sensitive ear caught the chirping of cicadas and the sound of sea waves crashing on the rocks of shallow water. The cool water pleasantly chilled bare feet, and the heated boulder made you want to fall apart on it and take a nap, throwing a beret over your face. The warm wind carried the salty smell of the sea and gently, like a mother stroking a child, ruffled her black braids. Such an idyll caused inspiration in the soul, but at the same time insane laziness.
— Venti, how long are you going to chill? The sun is already high in the sky, and we still need to get to the city.
— Wait a little longer, Carmen, I'll join you soon. — the girl did not pay attention to the young man, who pursed his lips in displeasure, but decided to give in.
— I'll give you 5 more minutes, or I'll leave without you. And before you have time to open your mouth, I will say that this time I am serious.
The girl just giggled, listening to someone else's grumbling. She sighed, shifting her gaze to the stone walls of the city and the towers of the cathedral visible in the distance. A feeling of longing filled heart, which was torn to my native places, but also demanded to return to my parents.
Mondstadt is a city of songs and freedom, wine and dandelions. People from all regions of Teyvat come here to drink the famous wine on the whole continent and listen to the singing of bards. No one left the land of the winds dissatisfied or sober. Music was playing everywhere, people were dancing in the square, laughter and the noise of conversations could be heard from everywhere. The city flourished together with its inhabitants for many centuries under the parental supervision of Barbatos, who was loved by children and respected by adults. Or rather, it was 7 years ago.
When she and her brother were 8 years old, the nobles, who had been stripped of their titles many years ago, suddenly staged a riot, destroying everything they could reach on their way. They burned the houses of ordinary citizens, robbed, beat people, mocked the elderly and children, raped women and killed for disobedience. Knights and common people tried to fight back while the nuns treated the wounded and prayed to the archon for victory over tyranny. Several battles were won, but the superiority was on the side of the nobles, who were preparing for revenge too much. The final point and defeat of ordinary people was the complete destruction of the Ordo Favonius. Following this, the cathedral was destroyed along with the statues of Barbatos.
Dei family was living a happy life, like many other families when it all started. Fortunately, they were more fortunate than the others. They were robbed to the last crumb of bread and burned down the house when mother spat in disgust in the direction of the nobles. For some time they wandered the streets of the city, hiding from the guards, escaping from the cold and just trying to survive. Many people were then left without housing and food, which simply had nothing to buy. The elderly and children died first, the rest were finished off by hunger or cold.
Venti and Carmen watched their friends die, with whom they had recently played catch-up, breathed the smoke of fires and snuggled closer to their parents in search of warmth.
The nobles found a way to cash in on the desperation of people who were willing to do anything for food and warm clothes. Father and mother were too proud for such humiliations and preferred theft. Their children could not sit on the sidelines while their parents risked their lives, so they often joined them. One day, Venti came across people playing cards in a smelly alley, which the guards usually did not stick their noses into because of disgust. Many did not like the "work" they had to go through for food, so everyone came up with their own way to survive. Playing cards for food is one of them. Then the girl met an old man who was winning all the time and even shared her favorite apple with her. He took pity on the little girl, who resembled his deceased granddaughter, and taught her to play cards and a few tricks that always helped him. Then Venti enty became a frequent guest in that alley, bringing her parents and brother more food.
However, even this was not enough, and the parents watched in despair as the twins lost weight before their eyes and became less active. Therefore, it was decided to escape from their once beloved city together with those who could no longer stand such a life. Unfortunately, that night someone reported their escape to the nobles, who did not want to let people go so easily. That night was one of the bloodiest in the entire riot. The guards did not spare anyone, cutting up residents fleeing in panic without pity. Their family and those in front were more fortunate, they managed to escape while the nobles were busy staying behind. Venti still remembers the screams and sounds of falling bodies, echoing throughout the catacombs as they ran forward.
They managed to escape from persecution in the neighboring region of Liyue. Their life got better again, they had a house, food and money again. However, on that terrible night, Venti realized that freedom was too heavy a burden.
These 7 years have passed too quickly, but at the same time for a long time. Of course, Liyue welcomed them warmly, they had new friends and hobbies. Odanako something was different. In the land of contracts, everything was too serious, without dancing and songs at every turn, without noisy taverns and shops. Even the wind was different there.
Their family preferred not to remember what had happened, but the longing for their native places was stronger and greater than the mountains of Liyue. After the nobles won and seized control of the city, Mondstadt continued to conduct business relations with other regions and receive guests. However, everyone in Teyvat began to look back at the land of the winds with apprehension, not wanting to cross paths with it more than necessary.
Venti often climbed to the top of the mountain to see the outlines of the Mondstadt from a height. Sometimes the wind blew from those edges in her face, bringing with it the smell of her favorite pastries and the laughter of people. Maybe she was trying to convince herself that everyone was happy again, but hope overwhelmed her. The girl spent a long time persuading her family to return to Mondstadt and see what the situation was there. Over the past 7 years, no one would have recognized them anyway. Her parents gave a hard refusal to her words, and her brother, with whom she then had a serious quarrel for the first time, began to follow her everywhere and make sure that her "bad head" did not do anything.
But the girl could convince people, and soon the spouses gave their consent to what their son was dissatisfied with. Everyone understood the risk and that in case of anything, no one could help the twins, but Isaur and Zephyra did not want to deprive their daughter of her dreams. This decision was very difficult for them, the night before they left, Venti heard her mother crying softly into her husband's shoulder. Carmen was tougher and tried to dissuade her sister, but she continued to stand her ground, although seeds of doubt were sown in her soul and watered with maternal tears. Venti offered her brother to stay with his parents, but he stopped arguing and seriously said that they would take risks together.
Now they are on the Falcon Coast, where in the past they had picnics with the whole family on hot days.
— Venti, let's go!
— Wait for me! — the girl grabbed her shoes and jumped off the rock, running through the shallow water to her waiting brother, putting on shoes on the move, clumsily bouncing on the spot. She straightened up and playfully grinned at the young man, who looked at her with displeasure — And here I am! We can go.
Looking at the back of Carmen walking in front, Venti frowned and suppressed a sad sigh. Maybe the brother was right and they shouldn't have come back here while the nobles are in power. Maybe following her selfish desires, she drove the two of them into a trap, where a dangerous beast with burning eyes is waiting. Maybe she really should have behaved like all the girls in Liyue and looked for a groom, and not run around the harbor with the children.
The wind tore a leaf from the tree and lifted it high into the sky.