Stolen Treasure - beigguang

Chapter Two

Ningguang's sharp gaze was focussed on that pirate. Beidou. The one her little confidants seemed to adore, and trust with their lives. The one that had captured the hearts of what now seemed to be everyone in Liyue Harbour, with how all the people at the dock began to swarm her with hugs and compliments. The one that had, apparently, been avoiding Ningguang as if she were the plague, and gotten all of her beloved citizens to play along with her. Ningguang must say, she is impressed with the captain's dedication to avoiding a person that she hadn't met.

That led to questioning: what reason would Beidou have to avoid Ningguang, whom she had never once met before? Maybe she was involved in violence and other petty, pirate-y crimes, and wasn't the 'good' pirate the children at the dock touted her as. No, Ningguang trusted the kids' judgement. Perhaps she was a spy of her own independent group, which was somehow an enemy to the state...but Keqing would never recommend someone if they went against the government's rules and regulations. Beidou could also be cowering due to Ningguang's formidable and invincible reputation of a genius with a cool head that always knew what to do. This seemed the most likely, for Beidou to be unable to face Ningguang due to her reputation and status, but still did not explain the extremes the captain had gone to to avoid meeting her.

Peering down at the docks, Beidou was graciously receiving welcome-home gifts, hugs, and the like, with a massive, carefree grin on her face. One of the elders said what must have been a joke, as Beidou let out a hearty laugh that could be heard all the way from where Ningguang stood. She had a nice laugh; it made her eyes twinkle a dazzling amethyst, as if the galaxy had been trapped within. Beidou was, really, quite pretty, especially in the light of the harbour's lanterns.

Ningguang abruptly shook her head. She had to focus and stay on task. The task to observe this beautiful woman, in order to figure out why the Yuheng had recommended her and why she hid from Ningguang so diligently.

Her eyes returned to Beidou, intent to find out the reasoning behind the Yuheng's suggestion. She focussed on the way Beidou occasionally fiddled with her red, almost vermillion, eyepatch. Must've lost that eye in a fight...most pirate-like. She could be a dangerous influence around the children of the dock. Ningguang was waiting, watching, silently expecting Beidou to get angry and injure one of the kids. But all Beidou did was cuddle and smile and play with them, feeding them delicious food and telling them stories along with the other adults on the docks. She was a perfect role-model, every inch the 'good pirate' her little confidants had pegged the captain as.

They all looked so comfortable and happy around Beidou, which stirred an unwanted, unfamiliar feeling within her chest. Ningguang wished she was able to talk to the people of Liyue like that, to be seen first as a person, and then as her profession. Sadly, all people ever saw about her was the fact that she could put them in jail if she liked, and only ever spoke to her out of fear. Even her little confidants didn't appear as trusting and happy with her as they now did with Beidou.

No... this is why Beidou's much better suited for the job. She could convince the Treasure Hoarders to be friendly enough to lower their guards. There was no reason to be jealous over something that couldn't be helped.

Ningguang continued her observations of Beidou. If anyone noticed her staring, no one dared to comment. Everything was going smoothly.

Until...

Amber met amethyst. Beidou had spotted Ningguang, staring openly, mouth agape in shock. Ningguang had never anticipated this, so she just continued staring for a good five minutes.

Little Yue began to tug on Beidou's clothing, demanding attention, and successfully breaking their intense eye contact. Ningguang shook her head a few times, massaging her temples. What would be the best course of action here? She had already decided that the captain would be perfect for the job. She couldn't scare Beidou off now, not before she had even explained anything. With that, Ningguang briskly strode towards Beidou, manoeuvring Little Yue into a granny's open arms, and once again looked up at Beidou's amethyst eyes...wait, eye.