By the time I woke up, the room was already empty. The afternoon sun rays were beginning to charr the surface of my wings, so I rolled over hastily, digging into the covers where it was cooler.
I closed my eyes to drift back to sleep, but against the sheets, I heard muffled murmurs. One voice belonged to Alice, but the other...
It was familiar, yet I'm sure I've never heard this new voice before. Curiosity pulled my drowsy limbs up, and drifting in drunken stupor, I floated downstairs to meet this new stranger.
By the dining table, Alice was pouring hot brewed tea for her visitor, smiling but also not quite. I dropped down on Alice's big pointy hat, peering over at the new woman. Her glimpse caught me in a moment, eyes sharp and analytical.
Hastily, I ducked behind Alice's hat, peeking out once again to see her attention already elsewhere. The stranger was very beautiful, except, she looked exactly like the woman in Albedo's recurring nightmares.
"How's the tea Rhine? I bought it exclusively from Sumeru," Alice took her seat, smiling to her ears.
The woman proceeded to take a sip, letting not as much as a twitch of emotion escape from her face.
"Bitter," she commented, inciting a laugh from Alice.
"You're the same as ever, I'm glad you're doing good." Alice rested her face on a palm, eyes glued onto her friend as her smile seemed to turn...malicious?
"So," Alice began, smile unwavering, "why have you come here? I thought our rendezvous was at the chasm."
Rhine gently placed her teacup down, face as unreadable - no, perhaps even more unreadable than Albedo's. Yet, despite her placid performance, her silence hinted at her hesitance to reply.
"How's Albedo?" she asked after a minute of contemplation. Something flickered in Alice's eyes though she stubbornly kept her smile up.
"Better."
Rhine raised a curious brow, but decided not to press for an elaboration. Seemingly deep in thought, Rhine brought the cup to her lips again and stared out of the window.
"I'm thinking of bringing him along for our travels."
prang!
Rhine turned, eyes wide in surprise at the spilled tea over the table, black liquid marking the wood.
"What did you say?"
Alice's voice was doused in animosity, her question daring Rhine to repeat.
"Why are you angry?" Rhine asked, voice monotonous like she was asking for more tea.
"You ditched him in Mondstadt and now you just want to retrieve him?! What do you take him for?!"
Rhine brought the tea to her lips again, almost bored, like she was already used to Alice's temper.
"It's not like I'm forcing him with a knife to his throat," she said coolly, "He can stay if he chooses to."
Alice gritted her teeth, narrowing her eyes at her friend, "He will always choose you, Rhine. You know that!"
Clack. Rhine placed her teacup down with a little more force to signal the beginning of her own tantrum, "Then that'll mean that he never changed at all."
Alice slammed her fists over the table, making the spilled tea ripple, tearing both their reflections to spirals.
"It's not fair! You should've seen him when he first came here!" she exclaimed, now leaping to her feet, "Do you know how upset he was? The way you left him without as much as a goodbye? He even tried to...to...AHHH SOMETIMES YOU DRIVE ME INSANE RHINE!!"
YOU ARE READING
Diary of a crystalfly
RandomAlbedo's adjustment to his new life in Mondstadt was not as smooth-sailing as one might expect. When it came to human interactions, his master had always handled it for them, and therefore, he never had to concern himself with it. Now that he was al...
