Mondstadt Tales• Kaeya X

Chapter I

It's raining. A lot.

Father and I have been riding for hours... I'm so tired...

Kaeya... we are almost there. I... you are going to an adventure, remember?

His words swirled through my head, the uncertainty in his voice always troubling me since the day we departed...
We left home. I don't know why. Father has been... acting weird. I don't know this land. I don't know why we are here. I'm cold...

Father finally stops the horse... it's a tall building, made entirely out of stone. Finally....
I climb down and rush under one of the balconies, temporarily protecting myself from the rain. Father smiles. He is tired too, I can see it. He won't tell me what's happening...

Kaeya... my sweet boy...
You are... our last hope.

...what? Father...

He smiled at me. He rarely does anymore. I watched him as he climbed back on the horse and set off, leaving me alone...

Father? Father!

He... left me? No no... that can't be. No. He.. he is going to come back. There. That's it. He will come back and take me with him.
But as he drew more and more afar, my heart was telling me otherwise...
I don't know how... but something, his smile, his words maybe...

I knew he wasn't coming back.

But I didn't want to believe it. So I waited. Hours.
And hours.

And hours...

I could hear the skies roaming, the clouds emptying their wrath below...
My hiding spot offers little shelter against the violent winds anymore...

My hair is soaking... I'm drenched till my very bone. Where is my dad...

As hours ticked by, I lost more and more hope that he would return... and I was so cold...

Why did he leave me here... what about or homeland..? What about... me...

Tears burnt my eyes, but I could hardly distinguish them from the heavy rain running down my face...

I was scared. And cold. And tired. And hungry.
Where is my dad...

I hugged my knees in an attempt to warm myself... but I had reached a breaking point. Father isn't going to come back... anytime soon, at least...

I summoned all my courage and walked up to the door. I must be looking like a mess...
As I lift my hand to knock, the door opens.

The smell of alcohol and the loud music flowed out of the open door, a total contrast to the merciless weather outside. The man who opened the door, was tall, like Father. His hair was funny, a bright red colour, like his beard. His eyes widened with surprise when he saw a kid on his doorstep...

I cowarded... my mind had gone blank. I could hear the people in the back talking and yelling, and realised with horror that I couldn't understand what they were saying...

The man kneeled. He looked concerned.

-Hallo kleines Kind... bist du verloren?

A wave of anxiety washed over me. I... I couldn't understand him. Father had left me alone in a foreign nation where I can't speak the language...

-I... hello..?

A kid's head popped up behind the man, curiously peaking out the door. He had the same bright red hair and his eyes shined with curiosity... The man said something to me again.

I was feeling weird. Like I was mute. I couldn't explain what had happened. I couldn't communicate. I mumbled some words that I knew he couldn't understand...

He frowned, just like the little kid. He shook his head, grabbing me from my shoulders. The touch made me shiver. He told me something and motioned me to come in, pointing at my soaked clothes. I nodded gratefully, stepping into the warmth of the place, shame burning me alive for my inability to speak

The child with the funny hair observed me closely. The man patted his head, before leaving and talking with some people in the back in a language I didn't understand.
The kid approached me, intrigue and excitement on his face. He waved.

-Hi! Ich bin Diluc. wer bist du?

I once again felt mute.

-I... I don't understand...

And neither did he. His brows furrowed in contemplation. He shook his head and tried again. He pointed to himself, stating at my eyes to make me understand him

- ...Diluc.

I hesitated for a moment, but Diluc didn't seem to mind. He looked... genuinely intrigued and interested. His stare was lively and full of enthusiasm. I wonder if my eyes look like that too. Probably not, I reminded myself as I kept dripping water down the wooden floors. I realized I was trembling a bit.

-I... Kaeya.

He smiled.