Death of Me [Tartaglia]

chapter 15

"Thank you again for the tea, Sir," I say, smiling, at the chef. 

After tossing and turning for the past several hours in bed I'd made my way down to the kitchen. I was surprised when the chef was still up, but he'd greeted me with a smile. Offering me a cup of tea he promised would help with sleep. 

He lets out a chuckle, "Of course my dear. Has the Tsaritsa been keeping you up late?" 

"No," I say letting out an airy laugh. "She put me on the task of finding the traitor." 

He lets out a hum, stroking the small whisps of hair on his chin, "That traitor... Quite the brave fellow, wouldn't you say?" 

"Brave?" I question, I hope my surprise at the praise comes off more as surprise from the question. 

He chuckles again, "Going up against an archon isn't a light hearted task. Let alone one as feared as ours. Ah, the bravery of the youth." 

"Youth? What makes you think they are young?" I say, taking a long sip of the lavender tea. "Wouldn't an older person have more knowledge about the Fatui's systems?" 

"Hm, a reasonable assumption, but the Tsaritsa's closest companions, the ones who see her daily, are all young, they're the ones spilling secrets." 

The chef mildly surprises me. Despite his old age and unassuming position as a cook, he seems quite informed as to what's going on. I look down at the brown liquid, if he's able to gather a demographic like that what does everyone else think? 

"Anyway, I think the timing of this crack down is also quite peculiar," the chef continues. 

"Huh? What do you mean?" I say, looking up from my drink. 

"I mean, they've clearly noticed that their plans have been getting leaked before now, so why now start caring? I think they are planning something big, something that has to work, and that's why they are eliminating the traitor. Makes you wonder what it could be..." 

I tense, is he right? I hadn't thought about it like that before. Has she known for all these years? If that's true, she'd probably be able to pin point that secrets started slipping when I got my promotion! I put me tea cup down harder than I mean to, sloshing some of the liquid onto the counter. I'm fucked, I'm screwed, I'm going to die! I don't want to die, not like this! I dig my nails into my palms, thinking back to the nightmare I'd had in Childe's room. It's going to be real, I'm going to die. 

"Yn? Are you alright?" the chef asks. "You look pale." 

"Oh! It's just your tea kicking in!" I force out a yawn. "I'll head off to bed and get out of your hair now." 

"Mm, if you're sure. Good night, Yn." 

"Night, Sir," I say over my shoulder, speeding out of the warm kitchen. 

I walk up two flights of stairs before pausing, thinking about the latter half of his statement. A bigger plan? I hadn't heard anything about a bigger plan, but then again I also haven't been in her office for a week. But a week isn't enough time to come up with a full scale plan to that caliper. Shit, that's just even more proof that's she suspects me. All those times she made me do random ernes around the palace might have been her time to meet and scheme. Fuck. 

I walk to her room for the second time tonight. This time, I actually open the door. I step in fully before glancing around. No sign of the Tsaritsa, so she's probably asleep in her connected bed room. I creep closer to her desk, walking with the stealth Diluc taught me while once playing hide-n-go seek. 

I hesitate my hand hovering over one of her filing drawers. I allow myself three seconds before pulling it open as quietly as possible. I thumb through the tabs, squinting in the moonlight, until I find a file named International Affairs X. I gently pull it out, skimming over the contents. 

She wants to steal other nations gnosis? That's unheard of! It goes against the natural order of everything! I look through the papers faster, Signora: dispatched to Mondstadt in two months, Childe: dispatched to Liyue in 3. 

I shut the file, horrified. I hurriedly slip the thing back into its place. The drawer slides back into place with a click. Why the hell did it click, I mentally curse. I glance around in a panic before sprinting out of her office and to the library. 

When after an hour of sitting there in petrified panic, waiting for a guard to grab me a take me to my death, nothing happens I allow myself a calming breathe. I stand up and straighten, calling the parrot into existence. 

"Diluc, I'm still ok, although I'm starting to think I won't be for long," I hesitate before continuing to whisper to the bird. "That's not important, she's planning something huge. In two months, Number 8, La Signora, is going to come to Mondstadt and try to steal your gnosis. I don't have much else yet, I'm sorry, I just had to let you know before- incase anything happens to me." 

The bird give me a hesitant glance before flying into the night sky. I'm half asleep when it comes pack, speaking in Diluc's mellow voice: 

I'm not risking having a whole conversation with you if you think you're in danger, Yn. I don't know what to say about the gnosis, I mean, the idea is unfounded, but I will report it and try to find some intel about this Signora. Yn, I'm begging you to stay safe, you have no idea how much your situation is getting to me. I know you won't come, but the winery is always welcoming you. Please, for the love of the archons, stay safe.