Bow, Your Highness

Chapter 2: Vision

Sumeru was practically the second home of the heirs. A nation full of nature that took its values from the roots of wisdom. The Great Queen Rukkhadevata was the symbol of all she sought to represent. She was also like a grandmother to many of the little ones.

She was the maternal grandmother of one of them, in fact. Alhaitham. The boy who, in those moments, had decided to remain seated under a tree reading his book rather than having fun with the rest. According to him, he saw no point in playing princes and princesses when they were already ones.

Xiao, the heir to the Liyue throne, joined him silently, watching them from the branches. In his arms, he held little Hu Tao tightly. She snooped smilingly at what the others were doing.

While waiting for their parents, they divided into groups. Mona and Albedo were the heroes. Shogun, Sara and Ajax were the villains. And Kunikuzushi was... The prince who had to be rescued.

Sara guarded the surroundings of their imaginary "prison". Shogun sat at her side like a sovereign queen. Ajax was nothing but a buffoon. Well, "murderous buffoon," according to him. Most only agreed with the latter word.

On the other side were Mona, the impeccable queen, and Albedo, her servant. Both were whispering plans, intermittently glancing at them. If he had agreed to such a humiliating role, it was only because she was going to rescue him.

His indigo eyes were locked on the princess of Fontaine, and they shone with such intensity that they could be mistaken for a starry sky. One in which he saw her reflection. As he grew bored by waiting, it was his greatest entertainment.

"Kuni likes Mona." Ajax interrupted him, giggling.

For entertainment, the buffoon who had gotten in the way of his vision. Kunikuzushi's cheeks betrayed him before he could speak, which made the redhead laugh even harder. He jumped when Sara pointed a stick at him, putting it between them.

"Prisoners are not allowed to have visitors. Let alone have entertainment." Sara stressed solemnly. Kunikuzushi had no choice but to take her side.

"That! And, besides, you're wrong. I was just watching to see if they were coming..."

"Silence!" Shogun ordered, silencing the three. "Not you, Sara. I was saying it to those two fools."

"Shogun likes Sara!" Ajax exclaimed, taking a smack courtesy of Sara. Of the two, she was the one who looked the most embarrassed about it by the pronounced blush on her cheeks.

"I will not tolerate a single disrespect to your Highness - permission to arrest him?"

While they were clearing the verdict of the prince of Sznehaya... Well. With the imaginary court jester, Kunikuzushi watched as the other two began with their plan.

Albedo was advancing stealthily, like bait. Mona had disappeared. There was no trace of her. Kuni had stopped looking for two seconds, and she was gone as if she had evaporated. Perhaps she had hidden.

The reality was very different from the little Kunikuzushi's assumptions. Bubbles were not the only magic Mona had learned. She was perfecting being one with the water. To be able to move like it, so free and adaptable. In those moments, she was succeeding. She moved across the lawn, practically invisible. When Albedo caught both of their attention, the second phase began.

Mona became human again. She then grabbed Kuni by the waist and covered his mouth, causing him to startle. He calmed down when he found out it was her. Even though he was looking at her in bewilderment. Ajax belonged to phase three. Mona signalled the jester and he nodded. Then, she quietly pulled Kunikuzushi away.