stranger [C. TARTAGLIA]

02

you hailed from snezhnaya, the largest nation in all of teyvat. you were exiled from your homeland when you were 16, which made you flee to liyue where you attempted to live a normal life and forget about the past.

that, of course, wasn't an easy task. every night you were still haunted by the memories you had when you resided at the zapolyarny palace, you lived there ever since you could remember.

"lady [Y/N], we have arrived." a masked fatui member bowed by your door.

you were sent to a ship that docked at the harbor. without given any other information aside from the fact that you were called out by the cryo archon, the tsaritsa herself, you didn't know what else you came to snezhnaya for.

you didn't want to go, but the masked men were ordered to use force if they had to if you resisted. it was her majesty's order, they said.

you could take them down in a heartbeat, that was an easy task, but you also grew curious as to what the cryo archon had in store for you. after all, it's been years since you last had any form of contact with her. years from when she banished you from the said nation.

you followed the fatui out of the boat and took a step out the freezing weather. if the morning you had earlier was chilly, the weather in snezhnaya could never compare to that. you knew people could die just from standing in the cold weather here.

you hugged the fur coat you wore closer to your body to provide more heat. your fingertips felt like they could fall off any moment, even with the thick gloves covering it. you had nearly forgotten the harsh weather in your own nation.

"this way." the man said.

in front of you stood the infamous zapolyarny palace, a place you were too familiar of. it didn't change one bit, it had the same aura from when you left. you saw several fatui members guarding the area, and you knew there were more inside the large palace.

you didn't even need to follow the man to know where you were going. you knew this place by heart since you lived here when you were young.

while walking down the large hallway, it grew emptier and emptier as the sound of your footsteps echoed all throughout. "inside, please." he pointed at the large door standing in front of you.

you let out a small breath before opening it, the sounds of its creeking hurting your ears a bit. you were then blinded by the lights inside the room, realizing it was too quiet when you entered.

as you stepped in, your eyes scanned the area. it was too familiar to you, it felt like you were back here trapped again. it felt suffocating, sickening even.

"[Y/N], you've finally come." at the center of the room was a throne, sitting at the center was the cryo archon herself. "i've missed you dearly."

you spot eleven figures facing her direction, kneeling down before her. you could see their silhouettes, but not what they looked like.

"what do you want?" you asked in a harsh tone. you wanted it to be over quickly.

"don't act so cold to your own mother." she frowned, but you knew it was all an act.

"you're not my mother."

"hush now, don't be so rude." she chuckled. "come."

you obeyed her orders and started to walk again. you eyed the eleven people inside with you, they remained unfazed and didn't move an inch.

"answer me." you demanded. "why did you choose to summon me now, out of all times?"

"well, i think it's finally time to repay your debt [Y/N]." her smile, it was coated with maliciousness, with a dark intention you had yet to find out.

"debt?"

"i took care of you ever since you were born in this world my dear." she rested her head on her palm. "i gave you life, and it's about time you do something for me in return, is it not?"

you balled your fist in anger. "you-"

"oh, but you'll love this!" she giggled, one that you found very sinister. "isn't that right, printsessa smerti?"

you felt your blood boiling at the title she called you. "shut up."

"but you've yet to hear it though." the woman starts to walk towards you, leaving her large throne. "from now on, you will serve under me as one of my harbingers."

a harbinger. you felt sick when hearing that word, heck you felt sick when you hear anything regarding the tsaritsa and her antics.

"i refuse."

"it's not a proposal, my dear." she smirks. "it's an order."

she lifted your chin with her fingers, making you stare directly into her eyes. you were shaking, but you didn't want her to know this. you didn't want her to know how much you feared her.

"you love chaos, don't you?"

"i don't."

"oh? but what about those innocent lives you took out all those years ago?"

it was like something inside of you snapped. in an instance, shards of sharp ice was headed towards the tsaritsa's neck. you knew she saw it coming, but she didn't bother dodging.

she didn't avoid your attack, but someone deflected it with a similar element. "how dare you!" a blonde woman with a mask covering her one eye came raging at you, her stance preparing to attack.

"signora, that's enough." the tsaritsa ordered.

"but she-"

"enough." without another word, she went to her old position and kneeled down once more.

"i am so sorry about that [Y/N]." she held your shoulders. her touch felt cold, it wasn't a reassuring touch either, not one you'd find comfort in. you couldn't dare speak, what you did could've had you executed if it weren't for your past title.

"now now, i'll have you be with someone while you train to be a fine harbinger." she turns her back at you and proceeded to walk back towards her throne. she sat down and crossed her legs, "let's see..."

you saw her eyeing the people who were kneeling down. "tartaglia?"

"yes, your majesty."

"you shall assist [Y/N] for the time being while you're in liyue. you're up for the task, aren't you?"

"why of course." a tall man stood up from his position and started to walk towards your direction.

you stared at his features, and saw one detail that made your eyes widen. "you..."

"we'll get along quite well, don't you think?" the ginger haired man smirks at you.

it was the same man you had previously slept with the night before.