Music to my Ears [(Y/n) x Venti]

Chapter 35

Her yellow eyes watched me, sly as a cat's. The spark of blue hair I so vividly remembered was wound around in a tight bun on top of her head. Her painted lips lifted in a mischievous smirk.

"Glad to meet my stalker again." Her deep voice cooed teasingly. "Seeing you try so hard to trick me was adorable!"

I gritted me teeth, trying not to say anything. I wouldn't let the words of a liar get to me.

"Vera, you're making her uncomfortable." The man still behind me scolded in a mild tone.

She gave little more than a blink in response before dropping the smirk to take on a more serious look.

"Is she the one?"

"All in due time, Vera. Now, why don't you go rile up some of your subordinates." It wasn't a question.

With a reluctant goodbye and the click of her heels, she was out of sight just as quickly as she appeared. But not before bowing to the blond. It seemed he had more authority than I'd initially guessed. I wondered how high up he was on the Order's hierarchy.

  "(Y/n), you don't have a vision, do you?" The man asked, turning to me with searching eyes.

  I narrowed my eyes before reluctantly shaking my head. I was probably the last person a god wanted to bestow a blessing upon.

  He nodded with a smile before walking towards the massive sun dial in the middle of the room. Solar light scintillated on its golden hands. When he touched the gold-rimmed, it seemed to come alive. Dark blue seeped through its crevices and glowed softly. A surge of power filled the room, like the rhythmic hum of a distant lullaby.

  "Do you know how to use one of these?"

  I didn't understand all these incessant questions, but I shook my head again. Why did he expect me to know?

  He opened his mouth to reply, but was interrupted by a clatter behind one of the bookshelves. There seemed to be a fight going on, and more of the silver-tinged guards sprung up to help. The blond quirked a brow up in confusion.

  After several seconds, the source of the noise was brought out before us. I stifled a gasp. Kaeya squirmed in the guards' holds as he glared daggers at the man.

  "Where'd you put it?!" He shouted, not noticing me looking at him with shock.

  "There are no visions allowed here. You won't be needing it any time soon."

  An angry blue eye suddenly landed on me. It widened and then narrowed and burned with fury.

  "She's here too?! What did she ever do to you, you piece of-"

  "Aether...is the name, if you wish to address me, although from the likes of you, I'd prefer Your Highness." The man- Aether, glared. "You really haven't put two and two together inside that thick skull of yours, have you?"

I clenched my fists as he took two steps toward Kaeya. I was so scared he would hurt him. But to my surprise, he raised gentle fingers to his face and wordlessly unclasped his eyepatch. Kaeya stiffened. As the black cloth fell away, an eye flinched open. An eye alive and glowing with gold and sapphire. An eye radiating power.

For the first time since I had gotten there, I wondered if we had truly been brought here simply because of the power we witnessed at the statue, or if there was an underlying tie between all of us. As two eyes stared at me, one glimmering unnaturally, I doubted all that I had known.

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"Idiot!" I hissed under my breath, clenching ink-stained paper in my fists.

"Venti?" Jean called, exchanging a glance with Sam.

"I thought he was supposed to be the wise one!" I slammed the letter back onto the desk and let out an irritated sigh.

Morax is the wise one. He knows what he's doing, I tried convincing myself. He must have known the consequences of his actions if he went through with it.

"It's about Liyue, isn't it?" Jean murmured, frowning. "I heard the adepti are taking a step away from ruling the people. The traveler has already made a name for herself there by helping defend the nation from an aquatic terror. I think the Quixing is qualified enough to take on this new role."

Her eyes told me she knew that Morax wasn't dead, but she was struggling to understand why I was upset. Clearly, Liyue wasn't let in on the contract their archon struck. A deal with the worst person imaginable...

"We know where the Abyss Order is hiding..." I mumbled, pushing aside my worries. My head cleared as I realized what this meant. I would take back (Y/n). And that other guy that kept trying to get close to (Y/n). Or maybe I would leave him there.

  Jean's eyes brightened. A smiled etched itself onto her face. "Great! Where do we start?"

  I paused, looking at the crumpled letter on the desk. The letter telling me of the deal Morax struck with the Tsaritsa, all for the sake of
Mondstadt and her dear archon's heart. 

  "Our very own nation."

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  "He came into town in such a fuss. 'Said he was looking for the Acting Grandmaster." Dahlia sighed as she lazily leaned on the cobbled wall.

  "I heard some of the knights talking about it. What do you think he's on about?" A second young lady, Aster, murmured in worry.

The two fell into contemplative silence as they hung the laundry basket's contents onto the clothes line. Somewhere not to far off, a young boy squealed in delight as he ran up and down the alley, chasing another child. His oldest sister scolded him for the ruckus he was creating.

"How do you think (Y/n) is?"

Dahlia chuckled uneasily. "You worry too much. She's alright. After all, Venti said she stayed behind with the traveler."

"But..." Aster began, biting her lip, "what if he's lying? What if something happened and that's why he's so on edge? Have you seen him? He looks like he hasn't slept in days!"

"Venti and (Y/n) aren't that close. He wouldn't worry so much if that were the case."

The two sister continued with their chore, the sounds of the outside world blurring until they could no longer be heard. Until the boy's cheerful voice went quiet. And still.

"Dahlia?" Aster asked, holding a pin in one hand and the right side of a blanket in the other.

"Hm?" She murmured, but then she too stopped. She couldn't hear it either.

"Where's Johanne?"