The night we said goodbye || Kaeluc/Rewritten

13-The new king

The sun in the sky was long gone as the stars took its place. The moonlight cast dark shadows on the ground, which looked like untamed beasts lurking everywhere. Three men were traveling in Mondstadt’s direction with their eyes shining in the darkness.

Their horses were already tired by the long journey, so they walked slowly on the dirt road leading to the city. The only words exchanged the whole time were questions and answers about directions and everyone seemed to avoid starting a conversation as if to not anger Kaeya, who was in a very bad mood.

“Do you think Diluc would be okay with this?” Albedo asked suddenly and so quietly that the words almost sounded like a whisper.

Kaeya, who was in front of him and Dainsleif, didn’t turn to look in his eyes when he answered:

“I’m doing it for him.” he said with an even voice.

Albedo was surprised by the man’s statement, but he needed to stop Kaeya from harming Mondstadt, Klee, Jean, and all the other Knights of Favonius.

“What do you mean? Destroying the thing he treasured so much? The thing he defended so fiercely?” Albedo asked, keeping his horse behind Kaeya’s.

When seconds passed, and Kaeya’s answer didn’t come, Dainsleif was the one who responded to Albedo’s questions:

“Why don’t you shut up? Prince Kaeya is the one who should ask the questions, and you should be the one answering them. If this is his decision, you just need to follow orders.”

His voice was different from usual, and his behavior too. Before Albedo could say anything else, Kaeya responded:
          
“It’s true that Diluc would never agree with what I’m about to do, but it has to be done for his sake.” Kaeya said with a hint of bitterness to his words.
          
It was the same answer as before.
          
"Why do you keep saying that it’s for his sake? You are the one who wants to join the Fatui.” Albedo said, almost losing his temper.
          
Kaeya suddenly stopped his horse in front of the bridge leading to Mondstadt. They were already here. They were back. It felt like years passed, even if Albedo knew he was gone only for about a week.
          
“I indeed want to join the Fatui, but I never told you why haven’t I?” Kaeya suddenly started while he gazed at the city.
          
They sat in silence for a few seconds, before Kaeya spurred his horse and said in an almost joyful manner:
          
“Let’s kill some knights.”

  ***       

Their horses were left behind at the city gate, together with the, now dead, guards. They were heading for the Knights of Favonius headquarters. The sun was already starting to rise above the horizon, but the people were still asleep.
          
Albedo wished he was at least a little less tired. The last 24 hours were spent riding back here, with not a single chance to get some rest because of Kaeya. He could feel his eyelids getting heavy, and he needed to focus hard to see anything besides blurred shadows of the surroundings.
          
At least to him, Kaeya and Dainsleif seemed just fine. Even if they were tired, Albedo couldn’t tell. Kaeya had a determined expression on his face, but he looked like he enjoyed this. The moment he painted his blade red with the blood of the knights standing guard at the front gate was the moment Albedo realized that Kaeya was enjoying this.
          
But he didn’t seem hurried. He walked slowly as if he was enjoying the scenery of a beautiful place. Albedo would think he was on vacation if he didn’t have a sword dripping with blood in his right hand. He and Dainsleif were walking behind Kaeya, even when he never told them anything about that.
          
But they could feel Kaeya’s anger and they didn’t want to direct that anger towards them.
          
While Albedo was lost in thought, another knight appeared from a narrow side alley. He didn’t even have time to look around before Kaeya dashed to him and held him by his throat against the wall of a building.
          
As the man struggled to breathe, on Kaeya’s face appeared a wicked smile, which Albedo thought was worn only by the Devil himself, until now. As if he read the blonde’s thoughts, Kaeya turned to look at him and said, letting go of the person, who fell to the ground gasping:
          
“Why don’t you kill this one?”
          
Albedo couldn’t believe Kaeya’s words, so he unconsciously took a step backward. The blue-haired man pouted, like he was disappointed, and turned back at his victim, who didn’t dare get up.
          
“Too bad.” he said adressing Albedo.
          
Then, he raised the tip of his weapon and traced it along the cheek of the person trembling in fear at his feet. That scene looked familiar to Albedo. The way Kaeya moved his blade.
         
It was the same as that night.
          
“Sorry, but I can’t spare much time looking after you. You see...” Kaeya said casually, then slashed the man’s throat, leaving the blood to form a puddle that drenched his boots. “I’ve got a city to rule.” he finished and turned to Dainsleif and Albedo.
          
He looked at Dainsleif for a split second, then looked with a frown at Albedo, like he was a parent scolding a child. But he didn’t say anything. Instead, he turned his head in the direction of The Knights of Favonius headquarters and sighed.
          
“My Lord, should I go take care of the knights outside?” Dainsleif suddenly asked.
          
Kaeya looked at him, then, contrary to Albedo’s expectations, he only nodded before Dainsleif took his leave in the opposite direction.
          
“Do you really trust him that much?!” Albedo asked after Dainsleif was out of sight.
          
Kaeya’s eye gleamed when he turned his head to look at him.
         
“I just want to know something, Albedo.” the blue-haired man said with a surprisingly calm voice. “Who gave you the right to talk like that to me and doubt my decisions?” he continued speaking in the same manner, even when his eye looked like it reflected all the evil there was in this world.
          
Kaeya took a step forward towards Albedo. Then another, and another. The blonde tried to remain calm, but his exhausted mind couldn’t quite make up an answer to Kaeya’s question.
          
The man stopped only when he was right in front of the short male, then looked at him the same way cats look at a new toy.
         
“Do you think that you can address a king like that?” he said starting to circle around Albedo with his hand on his shoulder, inspecting him.
         
While Kaeya was standing behind the blonde, his sword made its way to his neck crawling across his clothes like a snake in search of prey.
          
“If you don’t show some manners when speaking to me, your king, I should teach you some... With this sword.” he said while moving Albedo’s head so he was facing the dead person lying on the pavement in front of them.
          
Albedo could feel the fear rushing through his body again. Fear of death, but more importantly, fear of losing everything he achieved until now.