A Forbidden And Cruel Love (Genshin)

Part 3 - Reunion

The days turned into weeks, and the weeks into months. With each passing day, the worry and guilt in Jean's heart seemed to grow in intensity. She had tried to stay focused on her work as the Acting Grand Master, but the missing group was always at the back of her mind.

She had hoped for some news... anything. But the silence was deafening, and the lack of any information only served to fuel the whispers and assumptions that the group had indeed perished on the mission.

She felt a gnawing sense of guilt and responsibility for having sent them on the mission that may have cost them their lives. The thought plagued her, haunting her in her dreams and waking thoughts alike.

That was until, on one of Jean's late working nights, she heard hurried footsteps and grunts and whispers coming from the hallway.

Her ears perked up, and her tired mind suddenly jolted awake. She looked up from her work, her eyebrows furrowing as she listened to the sounds coming from the hallway. Who could it be at this late hour?

She heard the mumbles and sighs and many footsteps right outside her door.

The late hour and the large group of people... something was up. She could feel her heart thudding in her chest as she stood up from her chair and slowly approached the door.

She reached for the door handle, and turned it. The door creaked open, and she stepped out of her office, looking into the hallway. She was met with a scene of chaos and urgency, with a group of people gathered outside her office, whispering and murmuring amongst themselves.

"What's going on?"

She asks, her voice cutting through the whispers and murmurs. Everyone in the hallway falls silent and turns to look at her, their expressions a mix of surprise, relief, and exhaustion. The group seemed to be a mix of knights and what looked... like civilians.

In the middle of the group, was a familiar young woman, covered in blood and dirt. She was kneeling on the floor, trying to catch her breath as a few people tried to help and calm her down.

"?!"

Jean's eyes widened as she saw the familiar figure in the middle of the group. The blood and dirt on her face... her ragged breaths... It couldn't be... could it?

Jean's heart nearly stopped at the sight of her. Slowly, she took a step closer, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Is that...?"

A weak shell of who she once was, Karoline Leopold looked up, clearing her throat before she answered in a raspy and hoarse voice.

"...Master Jean?"

Hearing Karoline's voice, hoarse and raspy though it may be, sent a wave of relief and hope through Jean. She was... alive. She was actually here, in front of her. Jean felt her heart skip a beat as she took another step closer, her eyes searching Karoline's face for any sign of further injury.

"Yes... Yes, it's me. Are you... are you alright?"

She sighed, looking down at herself before she whispered, the halls going quiet yet again.

"N-No, I don't think so."

"Please... don't try to get up just yet. You look... you don't look well."

Jean crouched down next to Karoline, her eyes scanning over the young knight's body looking for any serious injuries.

Karoline's hands seemed horribly burnt and her body seemed skinny and weak, the knight armor barely even shining as it used to on the once cheerful, toned woman. She had blood and dirt all over her, and not to mention the smell...

Jean's heart sank as she saw the state that Karoline was in. Her hands were burnt and raw, her body weak and frail, and the stench of dirt and blood was overwhelming. She couldn't believe that Karoline had survived in that state for so long.

"Oh gods..." She whispered, her eyes widened in horror as she took in the extent of Karoline's injuries. She reached out a hand, gently touching one of Karoline's hands.

Karoline winced, pulling them away.

"Please, no..."

She gently whispered, holding her hands close to her chest as she looked up at Jean.

Jean quickly withdrew her hand, a pang of guilt in her heart as she saw Karoline flinch and pull away. She had forgotten how sensitive her injuries must be, and she mentally chastised herself for being so careless.

"I'm... I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you..."

She replied, her expression soft and apologetic as she looked down at Karoline, her heart aching to see her once joyful friend in so much pain.

"It's alright..."

One of the knights murmured something about the Church of Favonius, and the others helped her up carefully, pulling her off the floor and guiding her out the exit door of the headquarters.

Jean watched as the group gently led Karoline out the exit door of the headquarters, her heart still heavy with concern. She followed closely behind, her mind racing with worry and questions. She had so many questions to ask, but she knew she needed to wait. The most important thing right now was to get Karoline some help.

As they exited the headquarters, Jean looked out into the moonlit night, the cool air a sharp contrast to the warmth of her office. She shivered slightly, her mind still racing.

The group of citizens and knights alike rushed her to the church, where all the nurses were alerted of her presence.

The Church quickly rushed to Karoline's side, guiding her to a bed and immediately beginning to tend to her injuries. Jean followed closely behind, feeling both relieved and worried at the same time.

She stood by the door of the room, watching as the nurses cleaned and bandaged Karoline's cuts and scrapes, and began tending to any other injuries she may have sustained during her ordeal.

As the nurses worked on Karoline, Jean couldn't help but feel a sense of guilt and responsibility for the young knight's state. She leaned against the wall next to the door, her heart heavy with worry and her mind racing with questions

Karoline laid in bed, breathing hard and shaking, mumbling something to herself continuously about a 'friend'.

She seemed so out of it, even some of the more composed knights and citizens seemed worried.

Jean watched the scene before her with a mixture of concern and confusion. She could hear Karoline mumbling about a friend, but she couldn't quite make out what she was saying exactly.

She took a step closer to the bed, her voice gentle as she spoke up. "Karoline? Can you hear me?"