stranger [C. TARTAGLIA]

20

art by annepratamav on twt

it was the day of the ball. you hadn't come out of your room yet, you simply stared out the window watching people come in and out of the palace to prepare for the occasion.

it was lively, one you wouldn't feel so often when you see the zapolyarny palace. it was bright, the exterior of the building decorated with luminated objects that you couldn't quite make out.

it was near night time when you saw carriages being parked outside the palace. people wearing expensive and elegant clothes stepped out, and you had just realized you were in a daze for almost a day.

"lady [Y/N]? are you in there?" someone knocks on your door which snapped you out of your thoughts. "my name's nadia, i've been assigned to help you prepare for the ball."

"you can come in." you replied.

over the past three days, what the tsaritsa told on your last meeting has been stuck in your mind. implying that childe had been sending her reports about you behind your back, you couldn't help but to feel betrayed.

but then again, he worked for her. he was loyal to the tsaritsa, his very mission was to fulfill her majesty's goal, he wouldn't dare defy her. with this in mind, you should've known right from the start to not get close.

to not get attached.

"please sit down and i shall get you ready." she pats the chair in front of your vanity.

you nod, giving her a small smile then sitting down where she asked you to. you didn't say anything else other than answering her questions such as "how are you" and "is this alright?", the lady could even tell that you were distracted by something as she got you ready.

after applying costemics to your face and arranging your hair, she helped you get the dress that the tsaritsa gave you. "my, this looks wonderful!" she said, staring at it.

"her majesty picked it out herself, it's no wonder." you stared at it, you couldn't help but to admire it as well. [a/n: i'm not gonna describe what the dress looks like so that you can leave it up to your imagination :D ]

as you got ready, childe had just arrived at the palace. he went straight to the ballroom where he met the other harbingers.

"hey." a smaller man greeted him. childe didn't notice this since his eyes were too busy scanning the crowd.

"tch." scaramouche clicked his tongue. "i'm calling out to you." he stepped on childe's shoes, making him yelp in surprise.

"what the– what was that for?!"

"looking for someone?" he crossed his arms on his chest.

"i am. have you seen her?" childe asked.

"you have to be more specific smartass." scaramouche furrowed his brows.

"lady [Y/N]."

"oh i see." he smirks. "is she your partner for the ball?"

"what's with the smirk?" childe raised his brows. "and yes, she is."

"nothing, nothing at all." his eyes scanned the crowd with his fellow harbinger. "i haven't seen her. she must've not come out yet."

"how about you, where's your partner?"

"do i seem to be the type that would have one?" he scowled.

"hm? is that why you're so bitter, because no one wanted to go with you?" childe teased, to which scaramouche ignored and turns to leave him alone.