[RUNNING OUT FOR WHAT? Well, for him to be alpha, yes.]
...We are.
[He is so hesitant to say very much because of this reason. But, so far, Childe has become more of a safe place to tell certain secrets. He frowns gently and glances away.]
He is the only person to never have criticized me for my beliefs against the Luxon.
[Yeah he's gonna go back to his natural state of blushy bottom once the clock strikes midnight... just like Cinderella
If nothing else, he doesn't seem inclined to be too pushy; he just waits curiously for whatever Essek is willing to share, though he smiles softly at the answer he gets.]
I'm glad. [Sincerely--maybe with the tiniest hint of melancholy in his voice, but. This ain't about him.] Having someone you can be your truest self around... there's no one better for that than family.
Yes, I... never had to be perfect for Verin, but I wanted to anyway. He made me regret it almost every day of my life.
[A huff of an exhale which puts fog into the air.]
I think you would prefer him better. He's nothing like me, of course. Enjoys swinging a glaive around, practicing fighting. He hates menial book work and would never do it, but he loves literature. Maybe that was because of me.
He's the Bright Queen's Taskhand, a commander in the Aurora Watch in Bazzoxan under the Bright Queen's partner, Captain Quana.
A commander, huh? You're right, you two should swap places. [He's clearly joking, but he winks anyway just to make it clear.] You both served your Queen together, then? Or did he join after you?
But he'll at least trade him a truth for a truth.]
I don't know what I'd do if my younger siblings decided to join the Fatui. Sometimes I think it's bad enough that all of them except Teucer already know the truth, even if they don't know all the details.
It's not like they'd be forced if I hadn't joined or anything. It's a privilege to serve the Tsaritsa in the motherland. It's just... [Well. While he's figuring out what he wants to say, memshare kicks in. Yippee!!]
[HELP ME. Blinking his eyes slowly a few times. Why do these memories subsist on every waking moment it feels like? Damn.]
A toy seller, hm?
[Your fucking toy cover, Childe. One day, the brother will know that Santa isn't real, and his big bro is a Fatui Harbinger. One day.]
They aren't forced, no, but you are Fatui so they don't have to be. It's why I encouraged Verin to follow a warrior's path. I don't like the idea of him caught up in violence, in war, in what lies around Bazzoxan, but... it is... considerably better than the work I did.
[THE EXPRESSION ON HIS FACE WHEN THE MEMORY ENDS IS A VERY SOLID "MYEK."]
Does this place have to keep bringing that up... [GOD!!!! At least Essek didn't have to see him make a fool of himself in even worse ways. Childe has very little shame and would do it all again for his sweet baby bro, but it's not impossible to embarrass him.
He'd rather focus on what Essek says, anyway.]
As a Shadowhand, right? [Spies and investigations, he remembers.] I don't know all that much about magic in your world, but I can imagine what sort of things that entails. I don't blame you for wanting him away from that.
[Honestly he teases Essek enough that he would take being laughed at with a decent amount of grace, but he appreciates the courtesy all the same.]
Yes. [At least if his siblings did desperately want to join the Fatui, he could direct them into becoming like. Bank staff or something. Benefits of being such a vast organization.
Idly, as he picks up hair ribbon--] I wonder if you would've caught me.
"Run into" is an interesting way to put it. [HELP. He sounds a little amused as he says it... bad.]
Hmmm... in simple terms, we represent Her Majesty the Tsaritsa across all of Teyvat, carrying out her will as her honored servants. We do anything she requires of us--diplomacy, trading, negotiations, research... or military action.
[Three guesses which division he usually works in]
Kate deserves something sparkly even if he isn't sure Kate would wear it. Hmmmmm. He shakes his head again.
They need to find something more Victorian and Dark Academia here.]
I feel as if the Dynasty and the Fatui would have an understanding alliance actually. The Bright Queen had a similar sort of court. We did as she requested, though she always looks out for the Dynasty first and foremost.
[Puts it back down... on to the next stall they go. Briefly, he considers letting go of Essek's hand now that he's (temporarily) decided to stop being a brat, but he alpha-ly decides he doesn't want to, so instead he just tugs him along.]
Mm, it's possible. Her Majesty's true adversary isn't the other archons, after all--she's made agreements with them before. [He grins a little.] I only wondered because I've acted as a spy now and then. It's not my preference, though.
[More than anything he really does think Essek would get along with Zhongli, but. He hasn't spoken to Zhongli in ages, so he doesn't bring that up again.
Instead--]
Is there a reason you call her the Bright Queen? [what that means]
[Wow... Childe continues to hold his hand, and he continues to allow himself to be pulled along after, the other arm holding the kit.]
I would have made you suffer in ways beyond merely physical torture until you broke. And if you never did, you would rot in the Dungeon, or die.
[He doesn't say this like a threat, but more like an explanation to what kind of man he was for spies or (hilarious) traitors when he was Shadowhand.]
As the empress of the Kryn Dynasty, she is one of the most important guides for leading worshippers to the Luxon - Lord of Light, First Radiance. The dynasty's deity. They are a symbol of light and rebirth. They emerged as a single Light within the darkness at the creation of the universe.
Anyway, Childe may not be a scholar himself, but he does unfortunately enjoy listening to some nerdy yapping, so he takes all this in with interest and curiosity, slotting it in with what he learned from Essek in that first week, before the Cubeing.]
I see. [Woah... she's Dahlia (no)]
...But you weren't a true worshipper. [He remembers, even though he didn't pry back then about what Essek meant by "fugitive."]
Please enjoy nerdy yapping less. His smirk is small and wry.]
No. I don't believe in the Luxon. I don't know if I believe they even exist. Perhaps they might. But I'm sure the beacons are pieces of the old world of the arcane left behind. I simply want to understand what they were for, what they can do besides the consecution we utilize them for.
[UNFORTUNATELY HE IS JUST LIKE THIS... HE MAY NOT BE A NERD BUT SMART AND POWERFUL PEOPLE ARE ATTRACTIVE OKAY!!! SUE HIM.]
The old world... [Thinks of Khaenri'ah. Damn. Why does this happen every time they talk. But he nods.] And that's why you made that--[What was the term he used? Oh yeah] "transfer," to those companions from your memory?
[He's just guessing at this, but it seems logical.]
[STOP LETTING THIS HAPPEN EVERY TIME!!!! He glances at Childe and then glances away.]
The transfer happened with a collective of powerful mages called the Cerberus Assembly. [Why does this sound so evil? I wonder.] Unfortunately, the Assembly has ties with the Empire, an opposing nation.
I did not trust them entirely, per say, but they were my only option. The only ones with the skills and the resources to study this artifact. Me handing them the beacon in exchange for them giving me everything they learned. Supposedly.
Naturally, when the beacons went missing, the Dynasty blamed the Empire and sent in people to take them back. There was an explosion, and the Empire waged war against the Dynasty in retaliation. In the rubble, the Mighty Nein found one of the beacons I had delivered and, unknowingly, brought it to the queen to return it.
Worse, almost. [His wry laugh is short and quiet.] They coerced me into feeling guilty about my actions and being friends.
Somehow, they found out I was a traitor. They confronted me while I was in disguise at a party following my attempts to negotiate a return trade for the second beacon, and then they interrogated me after paralyzing me and pulling me out.
But they let me go... to try to make things better than I had found it.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
...We are.
[He is so hesitant to say very much because of this reason. But, so far, Childe has become more of a safe place to tell certain secrets. He frowns gently and glances away.]
He is the only person to never have criticized me for my beliefs against the Luxon.
no subject
If nothing else, he doesn't seem inclined to be too pushy; he just waits curiously for whatever Essek is willing to share, though he smiles softly at the answer he gets.]
I'm glad. [Sincerely--maybe with the tiniest hint of melancholy in his voice, but. This ain't about him.] Having someone you can be your truest self around... there's no one better for that than family.
no subject
Yes, I... never had to be perfect for Verin, but I wanted to anyway. He made me regret it almost every day of my life.
[A huff of an exhale which puts fog into the air.]
I think you would prefer him better. He's nothing like me, of course. Enjoys swinging a glaive around, practicing fighting. He hates menial book work and would never do it, but he loves literature. Maybe that was because of me.
He's the Bright Queen's Taskhand, a commander in the Aurora Watch in Bazzoxan under the Bright Queen's partner, Captain Quana.
no subject
A commander, huh? You're right, you two should swap places. [He's clearly joking, but he winks anyway just to make it clear.] You both served your Queen together, then? Or did he join after you?
no subject
He gives the words AND the wink a LOOK. OKAY!!!!! A huff. Yes, his brother is the better offer, thank you. HE KNOWS.]
He is a little younger than me, so he joined some time after I became Shadowhand, but we did serve at similar times until I left.
no subject
But he'll at least trade him a truth for a truth.]
I don't know what I'd do if my younger siblings decided to join the Fatui. Sometimes I think it's bad enough that all of them except Teucer already know the truth, even if they don't know all the details.
no subject
It is a terrible thing when they know the truth.
[This is said with something pensively knowing.]
But you're Fatui so they don't have to be.
no subject
He shakes his head a little, though.]
It's not like they'd be forced if I hadn't joined or anything. It's a privilege to serve the Tsaritsa in the motherland. It's just... [Well. While he's figuring out what he wants to say, memshare kicks in. Yippee!!]
no subject
A toy seller, hm?
[Your fucking toy cover, Childe. One day, the brother will know that Santa isn't real, and his big bro is a Fatui Harbinger. One day.]
They aren't forced, no, but you are Fatui so they don't have to be. It's why I encouraged Verin to follow a warrior's path. I don't like the idea of him caught up in violence, in war, in what lies around Bazzoxan, but... it is... considerably better than the work I did.
no subject
Does this place have to keep bringing that up... [GOD!!!! At least Essek didn't have to see him make a fool of himself in even worse ways. Childe has very little shame and would do it all again for his sweet baby bro, but it's not impossible to embarrass him.
He'd rather focus on what Essek says, anyway.]
As a Shadowhand, right? [Spies and investigations, he remembers.] I don't know all that much about magic in your world, but I can imagine what sort of things that entails. I don't blame you for wanting him away from that.
[Just assumes magical torture was involved tbh]
no subject
A Shadowhand, yes. [Haha............. You're right.] I was someone who dealt a lot with Dynasty spies.
So, as you could imagine.
no subject
Yes. [At least if his siblings did desperately want to join the Fatui, he could direct them into becoming like. Bank staff or something. Benefits of being such a vast organization.
Idly, as he picks up hair ribbon--] I wonder if you would've caught me.
no subject
It depends. Typically, the Watch did the capturing, and spies would be taken to the Dungeon of Penance.
Then that is where they would run into me.
What do the Fatui do exactly...?
no subject
"Run into" is an interesting way to put it. [HELP. He sounds a little amused as he says it... bad.]
Hmmm... in simple terms, we represent Her Majesty the Tsaritsa across all of Teyvat, carrying out her will as her honored servants. We do anything she requires of us--diplomacy, trading, negotiations, research... or military action.
[Three guesses which division he usually works in]
no subject
Kate deserves something sparkly even if he isn't sure Kate would wear it. Hmmmmm. He shakes his head again.
They need to find something more Victorian and Dark Academia here.]
I feel as if the Dynasty and the Fatui would have an understanding alliance actually. The Bright Queen had a similar sort of court. We did as she requested, though she always looks out for the Dynasty first and foremost.
no subject
Mm, it's possible. Her Majesty's true adversary isn't the other archons, after all--she's made agreements with them before. [He grins a little.] I only wondered because I've acted as a spy now and then. It's not my preference, though.
[More than anything he really does think Essek would get along with Zhongli, but. He hasn't spoken to Zhongli in ages, so he doesn't bring that up again.
Instead--]
Is there a reason you call her the Bright Queen? [what that means]
no subject
I would have made you suffer in ways beyond merely physical torture until you broke. And if you never did, you would rot in the Dungeon, or die.
[He doesn't say this like a threat, but more like an explanation to what kind of man he was for spies or (hilarious) traitors when he was Shadowhand.]
As the empress of the Kryn Dynasty, she is one of the most important guides for leading worshippers to the Luxon - Lord of Light, First Radiance. The dynasty's deity. They are a symbol of light and rebirth. They emerged as a single Light within the darkness at the creation of the universe.
no subject
Anyway, Childe may not be a scholar himself, but he does unfortunately enjoy listening to some nerdy yapping, so he takes all this in with interest and curiosity, slotting it in with what he learned from Essek in that first week, before the Cubeing.]
I see. [Woah... she's Dahlia (no)]
...But you weren't a true worshipper. [He remembers, even though he didn't pry back then about what Essek meant by "fugitive."]
no subject
Please enjoy nerdy yapping less. His smirk is small and wry.]
No. I don't believe in the Luxon. I don't know if I believe they even exist. Perhaps they might. But I'm sure the beacons are pieces of the old world of the arcane left behind. I simply want to understand what they were for, what they can do besides the consecution we utilize them for.
no subject
The old world... [Thinks of Khaenri'ah. Damn. Why does this happen every time they talk. But he nods.] And that's why you made that--[What was the term he used? Oh yeah] "transfer," to those companions from your memory?
[He's just guessing at this, but it seems logical.]
no subject
The transfer happened with a collective of powerful mages called the Cerberus Assembly. [Why does this sound so evil? I wonder.] Unfortunately, the Assembly has ties with the Empire, an opposing nation.
I did not trust them entirely, per say, but they were my only option. The only ones with the skills and the resources to study this artifact. Me handing them the beacon in exchange for them giving me everything they learned. Supposedly.
Naturally, when the beacons went missing, the Dynasty blamed the Empire and sent in people to take them back. There was an explosion, and the Empire waged war against the Dynasty in retaliation. In the rubble, the Mighty Nein found one of the beacons I had delivered and, unknowingly, brought it to the queen to return it.
no subject
But, hmm. He frowns a little.]
They didn't get you caught, did they?
no subject
Worse, almost. [His wry laugh is short and quiet.] They coerced me into feeling guilty about my actions and being friends.
Somehow, they found out I was a traitor. They confronted me while I was in disguise at a party following my attempts to negotiate a return trade for the second beacon, and then they interrogated me after paralyzing me and pulling me out.
But they let me go... to try to make things better than I had found it.
no subject
can't help laughing at the way Essek describes this
NOT THE POWER OF FRIENDSHIP!!!!]
no subject
What's so funny?
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)