Childe x Zhongli "A Servant to the King"

Chapter 6 || acquainted once again ||

Soft footsteps could be heard approaching the group. A member of the Millelith stood in front of the trio. His expression was rather stern, furrowed dark brown eyebrows wrinkled his forehead. Holding a halberd, the millelith saluted them and opened his mouth.

"Greetings Lord Barbatos, Conqueror of Demons, and 11th of the Eleven Fatui Harbingers. I have been ordered to notify you to enter Mondstadt's Chief alchemist's temporary laboratory."

"Understood, we'll be heading there immediately" Alatus responded with a harsh tone. Grabbing Childe's arm, the yaksha began to drag the ginger, advancing to the laboratory. The anemo archon morphed back into his bard form as he happily skipped over to the two. Walking further in the garden, Childe studied his surroundings. Luscious emerald grass seemed to endlessly go on, sand bearer trees accompanied the many shrubs and dewy meadow. Lost in a trance, Childe did not hear the yaksha yapping at him.

"Childe. Childe. Childe. Tartaglia, Tartaglia. TAR-"

Feeling the floor beneath him drop, Childe snapped back to reality. Looking down, a pond of lily pads lay underneath the harbinger. Swiftly Xiao yanked the airhead's collar, chucking the twit back onto the pavement.

"ARE YOU BLIND?" Xiao roared

Out of the corner of Xiao's eyes, he saw a worried expression of Venti, inhaling and exhaling, xiao opened his mouth again

"I apologize for my sudden outburst, however, you could have destroyed those lilies"

" What is the importance of these flowers?" Childe blinked

"They're an important figure here, so do not disturb them." The yaksha's tone was harsh and brief. Continuing their short journey to Chief Alchemist's lab, Childe had many questions about liyue. The main notion on his mind was, how come the other nations had not known of this supposed marriage? As these questions swirled through Childe's head the bard behind him noticed his perplexed expression.

"What's going on there Mr. Harbinger?" Venti popped out from the side

"Got a lot on your mind right now? Ask away and you shall receive"

"This supposed marriage of Rex Lapis, how come the other nations know nothing of it?"

"Why do you want to know so badly?" Xiao side-eyed the ginger

"A marriage of any emperor or empress is a major occurrence and all of the other nations should be adresse-"

"Shut it, why are you so passionate about this topic. We answered your question multiple times, Emperor Morax chooses not to disclose this information out of fear of safety. There, are you please?" Swishing back around the yaksha continued down this path disappearing behind the doors of the palace.

"Wow you have a talent of putting xiao-xiao in a bad mood" Following the upbeat bard into the palace hallways supposedly heading to Albedo's laboratory, this sparked another question.

"May I ask you Barbatos, why are there so many citizens of Mondstat stationed here in Liyue?

"If I'm to be completely honest with you, we're all coming together to plot against Snezhnaya"

"Wh-why would you tell me something so confidential?"

The figure in front of them suddenly stopped. Turning back around and facing Childe once more, the yaksha shocked Childe to the ground. Bolts of electro surrounded his body, lifting his finger off of the button, Xiao lifted Childe's head by his hair.

"This will be your last reminder, you are now a citizen of Liyue, you will never escape, and you are now a servant to Rex lapis."

Letting go of Childe, Xiao opened the large doors to the Alchemist's temporary laboratory. Stumbling from where he sat, Childe looks up to see a familiar face. Long locks of blue hair fell onto his shoulder along with cold icy blue eyes. It was Sir Kaeya, seeing his face was infuriating to Childe. Hearing his heartbeat in his ears and his adrenaline running high, with the last ounce of strength left in him he lept towards Kaeya drawing his bow.