Purrsonal Catastrophe

19

"Your Majesty," Kaeya adjusted the robe he'd been given as he stood in the center of the circle. Each of the council members sitting around it with their masks on. Dottore visibly smiling even with his. 

"What do you have to say to defend yourself?" 

"The images that are the so-called evidence against me are fabricated. But, I know that you will not believe me in saying this, Your Majesty," Kaeya sighed. "I have been away for too long and now you all believe me to be some sort of traitor. If I were going to collect humans and destroy the world, do you not think that I would have done so?" Kaeya's visible eye lit up with rage as a cold aura surrounded him, cooling the room by several degrees. 

"Are you threatening me, prince?" the Queen raised an eyebrow. 

"Dainsleif saved your life and this is how you choose to repay him? By mistrusting him and threatening his own life?" Kaeya seethed. "Should I have allowed him to watch you die instead, foolish queen?" he pointed at her. 

"I can understand your agitation," the Queen nodded. "However you are not helping your case." 

"Then perhaps," a portal opened across from the Queen as Fischl stepped through with Zhongli following behind her, Childe draped around his neck, resting on his shoulders in the form of a cat. "I may be of assistance," Zhongli stated. 

"What are-?" Kaeya stared, confused, not understanding a single thing about who Zhongli really was.

"Morax..." a mutter spread through the council. 

"The archon?" the Queen stood up and leaned on her staff. She bowed her head. 

"Hm," Zhongli, instead of moving the table, completely obliterated one, in order to enter the center of the circle with Kaeya. He walked around him once and nodded. Zhongli placed his hand on Kaeya's shoulder and stood facing the Queen. His face stoic as usual. "I am certain it is no secret that I have left this world for some time but I have been summoned back for a simple reason." 

"He is the god of contracts," another murmur in the crowd. "Does that mean he has a contract with the prince?" 

Zhongli placed his hand on his chest and outstretched it to the Queen. "I have been informed of a multitude of happenings that have taken place here. Many of which I am not pleased." Zhongli glanced over to Dottore's seat, who had already made his escape. "I make the humble request that you step down from the throne and provide Kaeya with your position." 

"What?" she scoffed. 

"Need I ask again?" Zhongli stepped forward and folded his hands behind his back. "You have shown yourself to be inept. Although archons do not typically interfere in such matters," Zhongli's eyes glowed. "We will." 

"No need, no need," the Queen took off her crown and threw it to the ground. She left the room. 

"Zhongli," Kaeya muttered, "what are you doing here? You're an archon?" 

"Indeed," Fischl nodded. "I knew things would go downhill so I went searching for him immediately. I had sensed an archon's presence in the house of Dainsleif upon first arriving." 

"I'm not ready to be king..." Kaeya felt his palms get sweaty. 

"No one is ready to be anything," Zhongli smiled slightly. "But, given time, we will become what we are required to be." 

"Why have you come? I have no contract with you," Kaeya stated. 

"I am simply repaying a favor," Zhongli lifted his hand to the cat on his shoulders and petted him. 

"Wasn't he..." 

"I can overwrite a simple ban or two," Zhongli chuckled. "But that of course is not the only reason I have come to aid you. I am the god of contracts. Even if you have not formed one with me, this orange one has." 

"Childe...what have you done?" Kaeya sighed, rubbing his temple with his fingers. 

"You're lucky I love you," Childe refrained from hissing. 

"Aw, thank you, but I'm spoken for," Kaeya laughed. 

"You know what I meant," Childe did hiss this time. 

"Do you not have somewhere to be?" Zhongli tilted his head slightly. 

"Oh!" Kaeya ran out of the room to find the place where Dainsleif was being held. Fischl followed. 

"Are you not going to tell him?" Zhongli asked Childe. 

"Why would I tell him anything?" Chide shifted into his humanoid form and crossed his arms, ears flat against his head and face bright red. In the center of his chest was the symbol of geo. 

"You pleaded with me so greatly to come and help him and yet you don't wish to explain a thing?" Zhongli stepped forward and placed his hand on Childe's face. "Are you that shamed by our contract?" 

"I'm not-!" Childe jerked his head up and took a step back, realizing how close Zhongli was. 

"Hm? Then what is it?" 

"I said I wouldn't be a housecat," Childe his his face in his palms. "It's embarrassing, okay?" 

Zhongli turned around and opened a portal. "Shall we return?" he asked, without turning around. Childe hugged Zhongli from behind and rested his forehead in the center of his back. 

"We should stay. He might still need us. Whoever tried to frame him is still here." 

"No," Zhongli stated simply. "That person has gone. Likely not to return for a while." 

"How do you-?" 

"Because," Zhongli looked over his shoulder and down at Childe. "I am well acquainted with their ways." 

"What does-" 

Zhongli closed the portal and followed the direction Kaeya had gone. 

"Zhongli!" Childe ran behind him and jumped up onto his back after shifting back into a cat. "Why won't you tell me? Zhongli!"