The 12th Fatui Harbinger

Mission

Days had passed since she woke up to find Childe taking care of her after she had fainted from her first delusion transformation. Yuria hadn't been able to see Childe around as much since they both began to get extremely busy with their duties.

Yuria was glad she didn't have to see him. She spent a few nights kicking blankets about that night.

"Can't we just be... friends?"

Her mind was all over the place. Did he even like her that way? Of course they were friends. Why did she feel the need to question that? Why did she draw the line? Did she really want to be just friends with him?

Yuria was sure she would be sent away on her first mission soon. She had been spending time with the Tsaritsa and the other military on a plan. Hopefully she would get the breather she needed away from Childe, and come back with a calm rational and logical mind.

They were colleagues. There was no way they could be anything more than friends. It was good that she clarified that.

But a part of her missed him. She missed the way he gently patted her head whenever she did a good job. She missed the way he always teased her with his classic lop-sided smirk on his face. Heck, she even missed the way he called her those annoying pet names.

Even if he was infuriating, she had gotten used to having him in her life.

Yuria entered the main hall in the Zapolyarny palace for updates. She and Childe were the only Harbingers stationed in the homeland at the moment, so they each took a seat at the side of her Majesty's throne.

Childe looked dashing as ever.

He seemed vastly unaffected by her absence and that bothered her a bit. Of course she didn't really mean anything to him. They should absolutely stay friends. That was a good choice.

But then why did her heart keep throbbing?

Before Yuria could say anything, the fanfare that accompanied her majesty's entrance rang through the halls.

The Tsaritsa nodded at the two of them in acknowledgment, and the updates from each harbinger around Teyvat, carried in by the emissaries, began.

Yuria listened keenly on the situation. Everything was normal.

The emissary representing Scaramouche, the 6th harbinger, cleared his throat and glanced nervously around the room. "Your royal highness, Lord Scaramouche is on his way returning to Snezhnaya... with La Signora's remains."

Whispers broke out in the room.

The Tsaritsa clutched the corners of her throne. "Silence." She commanded. The room went silent. It was so quiet you could hear the howling winds outside Zapolyarny palace echo through the room.

"What do you mean by La Signora's remains?" the Tsaritsa hissed. Everyone began to feel the temperature in the room suddenly drop as the snowstorm outside raged louder.

The emissary stumbled. "It seems she perished in battle after challenging the Raiden Shogun..." He paused before he read the rest of his report. "Her body is too deformed to conduct an autopsy or refute otherwise. Though Lord Scaramouche suspects the Bakufu are involved, he is returning shortly to give Lady Signora the funeral she deserves..."

The Tsaritsa scoffed. And she started laughing. Nobody in the room knew how to react.

It was preposterous-- harbingers were the ultimate diplomatic envoys to Snezhnaya, second to only her majesty. To murder a harbinger was an act of war.

Yuria saw one tear escape from the side of the Tsaritsa's cheek. She guessed she was the only one that could see the tear as she was the only one to her flank. The tear dropped to the floor, and crystallized into ice immediately, shattering into tiny pieces.

No one noticed the frozen tear as the Tsaritsa continued to laugh into her face, her shoulders wheezing as she momentarily lost composure.

Then suddenly cryo energy encircled around her, causing everyone to shiver as the whole hall began turning into snow, ice and flurry.

"Baal..." The Tsaritsa said vengefully as she set her eyes to the direction Inazuma lies. "I will make your worst nightmare come true. I will personally end the ideal that you stand for, and freeze over your eternity. You will know pain just as I suffered hundreds of years ago. " She paused as she clenched her fist.

"Prepare for Signora's funeral. Do not spare any resources. Make it grand." The Tsaritsa ordered coldly. The Tsaritsa finally sat down on her throne as she whispered quietly. "to preserve her memory so that she may live on..."

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A few days passed, and Scaramouche arrived to the palace with Signora's remains. Most of the other Harbingers as well returned if they were able.

The funeral was held shortly.

Yuria adjusted the veil over her face as she silently followed the other Harbingers to the mourning hall. Every elite fatui member had already arrived and was seated. And in the middle, there lay the casket, studded with brilliant jewels.

A few words about Signora's deeds were shared. Towards the end the Tsaritsa signaled for her to step forward. 

Yuria knelt automatically to the ground in reverence. "Falena, the Courtesan, my 12th harbinger." The Tsaritsa declared. "You shall assume Signora's duties as the overseer of our espionage units and I will now dispatch you on your first mission overseas."

Yuria felt the ceremonial sword tap her shoulder on both sides.

"Go forth and destroy Inazuma.
Go forth and destory Baal's ideal of eternity.
Go forth and play your chapter in our fight against the divinity.
Go forth for our fallen comrade, and bring forth the chaos, disorder and rebellion that we planned...
with the 11th harbinger, Tartaglia."

Yuria's eyes almost popped out of her sockets, but she quickly controlled her expression. She couldn't question her majesty's order in public. But this was different than what the two of them had discussed.

Why was Childe suddenly involved in the equation? She needed this overseas mission to get away from him. Yuria gulped as Childe suddenly knelt next to her aside the Tsaritsa.

Together, they pledged their loyalty yet once again and swore to carry out their mission.

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A/N: noting that this is probably where this story starts to diverge from hoyo's version of reality!