Unfinished Puzzle

Piece 13

Genshin spoiler warning for A New Star Approaches//

Jealousy was not a strong suit of Aster's: she was neither good at being jealous for very long nor was very good at handling it. But right now, she couldn't do much about it- she was angry and jealous, and what made matters worse was that it was the most important thing on her mind for most of the day, and therefore took priority.

When Osial was raised to attack Liyue, it was Aster and Cy there to help. While Cy went on to help with the important task of securing the citizens, Aster placed herself on the front lines to keep the city safe.

At first when she saw the Fatui were part of it, she tried to push away the idea, but it slowly dawned on her that they were part of it nevertheless. Vor had betrayed her, her trust, and the lives of countless innocents, and for what?

But just earlier while she was taking a walk in Liyue before she'd have to go back up to her cottage on Dragonspine, she'd found Childe and Vor together, speaking, and listened in. They were talking and Vor said she was here for Cy, that she was worried because Cy was in the city, and she was thinking about Cy. Cy this and Cy that.

She didn't blame Cy, but the thought of it made her sick and she angrily pushed away from where she was to go back home as soon as possible. 

Her travel up was usually calming but as harsh as the storm would be later that day, the one inside Aster's heart was cruel and cold, the deep cold knawing at her. And in this, she had to keep it to herself again. She wasn't able to tell others about her troubles, so why should she care? It didn't work like that, sadly, and she found herself angrier at herself for it.

But if Vor cared at all, if they were ever friends, why would she do that? Why attack Liyue, the place Aster's mom lived, and possibly prevent them from ever meeting again? Vor surely knew about Aster's turmoil in life and hardships of stealing just to be able to pay for any information that may be related to her mother, so why!?

She rammed her foot into the side of a rock only to cry out in pain and she had to rest for a moment, taking a few breaths to keep her cool. She looked out from where she was, onto the ocean and scanned it for incoming ships. The sea would calm her down, she hoped. Sure enough, it did.

For the remainder of the tiring journey home, she tried to focus on the snow and its size and shape. She listened to the snow to hear what she might've missed when she wasn't calm, and she quieted her heart. As much as it hurt, she still had her mother somewhere out there and Vor's efforts had been for naught. Her reason to keep going was still there, however shaky the path was.

She reached her home and slipped her coat off and hung it up, and took off her shoes, and wearily slumped into the basement to light the furnace. The lighter didn't work, but at least she was home alone, so the lack of warmth in the house didn't bother anyone else.

Aster slid upstairs and quickly readied herself for bed. The moment her head laid itself to rest on her pillow and her eyes closed, she'd slipped into sleep, and the troubles of life seemed far away.