Whale and Dragonfly // OC x Childe Genshin Impact fanfiction

Chapter 4: The explanation

The next time girl woke up, she felt slightly better. Her whole body felt numb from pain, but not as much as before. Ajax was right – sleeping should heal her wounds faster.

Her sleepy eyes adjusted to her surroundings slower than her nose. Charlotte smelled a delicious, savory smell coming from somewhere, making her mouth water. She couldn't remember when was the last time she ate a proper meal. Cooked meat leftovers and a carrot already counted as an entire feast when she was with treasure hoarders. Her usual meal per day would consist a single fruit or vegetable, sometimes even neither as she was forced to starve.

Once she heard steps approaching, she lifted her head and was met with ocean-blue eyes. Young man was surprised, yet smiled with charming smile.

"Oh, you're awake? Very well! I made you something to eat." he said, making girl even hungrier than she already was.

Girl nodded to him, sparkling with impatience to finally have something in her mouth again. She tried her best not to let her hunger show, wanting to look well-mannered and not act like an ever-hungry savage.

Ajax was eyeing her laying figure.

"Will you be able to sit up?" he asked, visible concern in his empty eyes. Charlotte have already noticed that his eyes no longer held light in them, but emotions would still flash here and there in those emotionless-looking blue orbs.

"I will try..." she said with confidence, not even realizing what challenge she actually accepted. Gathering all strength she had left, Charlotte lifted her body on her arms, gritting her teeth as pain struck her entire body.

"May I lend you a hand?" asked boy, but it was already too late. Girl managed to sit down, even if not fully, leaning her back to the head-end of the bed. It felt like she had tight ropes around her waist in this position, but she got used to discomfort in a minute.

Harbinger only nodded without saying a word and walked out of room. Charlotte's stomach growled as the smell of delicious meal intensified.

Her friend soon came back with a tray in his hands.

"Here you go. Enjoy and regain your energy." He said, lowering the tray on her lap. Girl was almost drooling as she saw the delicacy in front of herself: boar meat, cured in rich tomato sauce with rice on the side. Tray also had a cup on it. Judging from the smell, girl decided it should be tea, made from wolfhooks: berries, found in Mondstad area Wolvendom, able to stop bleeding and take all pain away.

"T-Thank you... It looks so delicious..." she still couldn't believe what she was seeing. It looked too good to be true for her.

"Well, what are you waiting for then? C'mon, dig in!" encouraged her friend, sitting back at his desk covered in piles of papers. Girl nodded, picking up the spoon and starting eating. Not only the dish smelt good, but it tasted divine.

Harbinger, who was working on a few papers now, took a glance at his friend, chuckling after seeing how much she enjoyed every single bite she took in her mouth. He couldn't imagine what she went through if she was this hungry.

Suddenly, dark smoke started gathering on the floor, making Charlotte freeze to place. She only heard Ajax groan before the smoke even more intensified, soon enough, revealing a dark figure. Girl was too shocked to even scream as the smoke disappeared, revealing (as she guessed) a man in black uniform with red details, a giant, curved knife hanging on his belt.

"Master Childe, I got what you asked for." Said the stranger, facing away from her. Girl only now noticed that he was holding something in his hands that looked like a big paper package.