Chapter Text
Chapter One
Cut Through The Heart
A massive carriage rode through the old pathway of self-called ‘City of Freedom’; metal elements jingling on gentle breeze. It was around noon, Saturday, where most of citizens minded their business getting ready for work or doing their usual tasks. Cedar trees stood proudly on each side of the rode, swaying their twigs and leafs, watching over the rushing vehicle along with the birds that peeked upon it from their newly made nests.
Big, wooden signed welcomed them at the end of the ravine, with neatly engraved “Dawn Winery”, allowing to see the building in all its glory standing not far from it. Blooming grapevines stretched all the way from bottom hill up till small bricked walls just in front of the building.
But the carriage paid no mind to the building, simply rushing down to the lake, where cryo mist flowers bloomed, welcoming cryo slime's with their faint scent, and just then the carriage slowed down and stopped as a deep voice echoed through it.
- Ah, pardon my bluntness Sir Harbinger, but why did we stopped? As far as I know we already collected all the kids from the city – He looked at the man that stepped out the vehicle, holding the reins a bit tighter as he was (not really) met with cold stone gaze.
- I am going to simply collect my bounty from one family; if any of the kids wake up give them another shot, none of hair on their heads should remain touched, or else you’ll end up worse than them, do you understand?
- Yes Sir Harbinger – he bowed his head, looking around and watching as the other walked away without saying nothing more after.
As he crept behind cedar woods, his gaze remained on certain red-head playing peacefully near the grape wines. He couldn’t allow himself to act recklessly now, he spent too much time on planing everything out and stealing a kid from where he was perfectly visible would be a bad move, so he remained there, staying still waiting for perfect moment, watching his pray.
Small boy not having any idea about potential danger ran around, laughing and jumping to catch glistening anemo crystal flies that flew around the grapevines in circles flying away in hurry after noticing small footsteps. He giggled after catching one watching as it turned into shimmering gold petals and clear crystal core in his palm. His red hair were tied into medium ponytail, pyro vision hanging low on his belt. Crimson eyes flicked with happiness, proud that he was able to catch something that he’d give to his brother as a gift.
He wanted to go back inside the mansion but he was told to wait outside to apparently “get some fresh air so it would be easier to learn”; but being honest he was quickly growing boring, wanting to go in and show of what he managed to catch.
Just then he spotted crystal fly that he’d never seen before; it was darker than deeper parts of rivers and lakes he’d seen, almost as majestic as night sky. Not thinking much he followed it, pocketing previous crystal core in shallow pocket of his pants. The insect surprisingly didn’t dissapear after a while and instead flew towards darks of cedar trees at the bottom of the hill. He stepped between the bushes, pushing them aside with the wooden sword he carried attached opposite to his vision, just when he was reaching out to catch the insect he’d been following for so long, his hand met something hard and said insect was nowhere to be found. He looked up, swallowing as his eyes met a tall, slender figure of a man. Pale blue hair were longer at one of the sides and sprawled over back of his neck up to shoulders, a dark mask with something resembling a little beak was hiding majority of his face. His smile was unsettling, maniacal even, showing sharp teeth.
Diluc felt dizzy, as he took half of step back, holding tightly onto his toy sword. He felt as air was punched out of him when unknown figure leaned down, now towering over him like a predator. He wanted to run but his legs were glued to long grass, his mouth ran dry words squeezing his throat as he tried to form a sentence and shout to alert someone; anyone. He wanted to cry, being at the mercy of a stranger he was terrified of what was about to come; the man was over thrice his own size, his gaze sensible even from behind his mask.
- My my, Crepus did made himself such nice heir – gloved hand suddenly grabbed kids shoulder – it’s a shame he wont see you anymore.
He almost forgot about his father; he and rest probably were worried about him, and he desperately wanted to go back but his brain stopped responding, fear completely taken over it. The hand threatened to crush his bones as man heard distant voices – he was ruining out of time. He could hear the boys rapid heartbeat almost like his heart was about to jump out his chest, but just then he pulled out a syringe. It was full of dark liquid glistening as much as the crystal-fly the boy followed into the woods. It was milliseconds when he injected the substance into his arm, and caught him, before he fell to the ground.
Not looking back he stepped out of the woods, going back to his carriage, covering the bow with his cape. He left few little things behind, not caring about them since as long he got away with the young Raginvindr he would be successful. The vehicle squeaked as he hurriedly got inside it, throwing the kid on small, cushioned bench.
- For the love of Tsaritsa, go. We don’t have much time left! - he hurried the rider, covering all small windows with curtains and settling himself back down when he heard horses neighing and leaving the place in a hurry.
- Where are we going now Sir Harbinger? - he asked whipping horses to hurry them along, peeking at small window behind him.
- Snezhnaya, now shut up and focus on the road.
- Yes Sir Harbinger.
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The red-head man hurried his maids, looking around the plot in hurry. He sent Adelinde to get Diluc from outside but when the maid came she told him that the boy was not responding to her calls and she couldn’t spot him near the winery. The reason he sent the boy outside was because it was his birthday and he planed on throwing him a party and he looked like he’d seen a ghost when he heard the boy isn’t anywhere.
- Hurry up! - he shouted, the situation making him feel uneasy – we need to find him today!
- Daddy, daddy! - the other small boy hurried to him, jumping up to catch his attention.
- Hm? - he looked down at him, crimson eyes meeting small, sapphire ones – Yes Kaeya, I’m listening, go on.
- I found something that’s Dilucs.
Man felt as if air was punched out of his lungs, Adelinde with Elzer stopping near them after hearing it. His hair was tied into high ponytail, falling onto his right arm as he looked down at his other (adopted) son.
- Please show me where you found it, okay?
The boy quickly nodded and lead the way into dark Cedar woods, his father, head-maid and butler following along behind him. And just then he stopped, small finger pointing on how he called it ‘a crime scene’. On the grass there layed single crystal core and wooden sword that for sure belonged to Diluc. Crepus was somehow glad he haven't noticed any blood in the area but whet he didn’t liked was emptied syringe laying two steps next to it with piece of dark fabric.
The maid gaped, hugging butlers forearm and hiding her face away from the sight, and man grabbed back of her head gently brushing through her hair protectively. His eyes met the crimson ones that stared with so many emotions on the ground, tears threatening to fall from them.
- Master – he started softening his gaze a little to ease the other – Does that mean that someone took young master away?
- It seems like it Elzer – he answered, straightening himself and looking at smaller boy who just realized what everything meant, sobbing quietly along with the maid – Lets head back, later I’ll go to the city to inform Grand-master Varka what happened.
With that he picked blunette up, hugging him and gently patting his back to help him calm down. Along with Elzer who kept his hand on Adelindes waist, trying to ease her sorrows a little, they walked out the woods, heading back. The winery was neatly decorated with balloons, wooden carvings and paintings that Master Crepus made himself simply cause his son found them admirable. He settled Kaeya down, whipping down remaining of his tears, and smiled at him.
Although he smiled right now he couldn’t help but feel anguish and blame settle down deep inside him, because if he told someone else to go with him; hell even he himself could go and play with his son, then perhaps he’d been here, blowing all the candles from the cake, and playing with new toys along with Kaeya. But instead someone dared to kidnap him, taking to Archons-know-where, his thoughts roaming like crazy. Diluc was still a kid and he himself didn’t had any enemies so what monster would want to take an innocent kid just because.
He truly felt like he failed as a father.