A funeral was held at the Cathedral.
All of Mondstadt filled the pews.
Every knight.
Every civilian.
Every child.
It was every bit a treasured send off.
The burial was smaller.
Closer.
It took hours for the small crowd to thin.
Holding a vigil until the setting sun.
Jean stayed close.
Stayed as long as she could before her mother called her.
She never left without sending one last wish to the empty grave.
And one last wish to Kaeya.
Kaeya stared at the fresh dirt.
It was empty.
Just full of mockery.
Master Crepus stood stock still.
Because as the father of the Calvary Captain he had to be strong.
Probably.
The lamp grass in his hand felt heavy.
It didn't match with any of the cecilias adorning the gravestone.
The sun was almost gone.
Master Crepus patted Kaeya's shoulder.
And turned away.
Kaeya stayed longer.
The wind gently ruffled anything.
He had nothing to say.
Nothing to admit.
It was heavy in his heart.
And he regretted not saying a word before.
At age seventeen, Kaeya Alberich laid a lamp grass to rest.
And steeled his resolve.
Someone needed to care for Mondstadt in the absence of his beloved brother.
._._._._._.
Kaeya dreamed.
He dreamed of a time when he used to lay on his back.
Watching the stars.
Calling them by name.
Diluc was there.
At his side.
Always at his side.
(Because really, that's just how Diluc is.)
Until he wasn't.
The soft whisper of Diluc's voice.
Repeating all of the constellations stopped.
It didn't fade.
It just stopped.
When Kaeya looked.
Turned his head.
Rolled to his side.
Diluc wasn't there.
Kaeya's heart leapt.
How high, he didn't know.
But it threw him to his feet.
Racing across the cliff for that speck of red.
Kaeya had to make it.
He had to—
Diluc stood at the edge.
Young and still.
Kaeya could almost reach him.
Just a few more yards.
A couple more seconds.
Then Diluc turned around.
He wasn't a child anymore.
The Calvary Captain's eyes were wide.
Almost desperate as his mouth opened.
And his bloodied hand reached for him.
"Kae—"
Kaeya was only few feet away.
Hand outstretched to grab his brother.
A stranger he began to love so dearly.
The brother he would never dare to abandon—
Diluc was snatched away.
Away from his outstretched hand.
Away from safety.
And Kaeya only felt his heart grow colder and colder.
._._._._._.
Kaeya woke up.
His chest was heaving.
His breaths were gasps for air.
His clothes clung to his sweaty body.
And his arm was frozen, trembling in air.
Grasping something unfamiliar in his hand.
It felt cold.
But felt right.
He slowly sat up, uncurling his hand.
The cold glow of the Cryo Vision tore at his heart.
Kaeya swore under his breath.
An ugly word that Diluc would've thrown a bar of soap.
And laughed.
Rubbing his eyes with his free hand.
Because really, how cruel did the Archon of Love had to be?
To give him a Vision of love for a person gone.
._._._._._.
Childe only took two steps.
Just two.
And Dottore and Signora were there.
Childe smiled brightly.
Especially when the look of utter disdain crossed Dottore's face.
"You."
"Me!"
"Well," Signora greeted, "look who finally came back."
The air was nasty.
The cold bit into Childe's skin.
But he took it all in stride, his smile never faltering.
"Good to be back."
Dottore turned on his heel, "Good. I'm leaving."
"Good luck," Signora waved, sarcasm lacing her every action.
Childe watched.
The look on his face prompted Signora to speak.
"The darling prince of Mondstadt's gone."
Childe's eyebrow lifted, "They had a monarchy?"
"Uncrowned apparently," she shrugged, "Poor thing died from Ursa the Drake."
Childe placed a hand on his hip, "Probably wasn't strong enough."
The odd gleam in Signora's eye looked far too amused.
"Only if the reports are accurate, that is."
For some reason, Childe blinked.
And felt his stomach drop.
._._._._._.
A letter from Ajax arrived.
Gifts came with it.
Anthon marveled at the new book in his hands.
(It had an interesting cover of some dragon on the front.)
Tonia tested the new set of knives she received on a fish.
("For Cooking Only", the tag had emphasized with three extra dark underlines.)
Mother shifted through the layers of fabric that piled a tad too high.
(Diluc pretended not to notice how she eyed him every five seconds.)
Teucer was so happy about the stuffed toy of the head of "Mr. Cyclops".
(Diluc quietly wondered what the hell was Ajax thinking of sending his littlest brother a Ruin Guard of all things.)
Father seemed to almost frown at the newest bottle of imported medicine.
(Although, Diluc was relieved about that. Father coughing in the early mornings made him worried.)
Diluc, himself, fiddled with the various ribbons in his hand.
Seven dark colors shimmered softly in the light.
His other hand held a simple note.
Attached with his name.
"Found these ribbons! Figured you could use these to tie up your lovely hair."
He definitely frowned at that.
Diluc picked one.
The ebony silk ribbon was soft.
"Oh! Here, I can put it up for you," Tonia said, abandoning her knives on the counter.
Diluc could do nothing when she snatched it from his hands.
It felt strange for someone not Kaeya to touch his hair.
It was even stranger to feel a subtle jolt of fear.
The Abyss was never kind to him.
Especially with his back turned.
Tonia was gentle, combing her fingers through the red strands.
Diluc help but hear Kaeya in the back of his mind.
"Well, someone has to tame your unruly locks."
Tonia started a braid at the nape of his neck.
It almost lulled him in a sense of comfort.
Drowning the lingering fear into mere awareness.
Someone was behind him.
And he was safe.
._._._._._.
There was something in the trees.
The pines rustled under the wind.
The air stabbed at his exposed skin.
Clearly another snowstorm was headed their way.
But Diluc couldn't help but notice the odd gleam in the trees.
Somewhere, faintly, it felt familiar.
It made him uneasy.
Dangerous.
Which is exactly why he hulled himself over the first branch.
Then the next.
And the next.
The odd gleam in the fading sunlight grew closer.
He was a good several feet from the ground.
He couldn't help but think it was strange.
Maybe too strange.
Diluc reached up, ready to dust off the snow.
But found himself staring into the eye of a metal bird.
He choked on frozen air, recalling exactly where he'd seen it.
But he couldn't dwell on it just yet.
Not when the branch cracked.
When his boot slipped.
Branches snagged at his coat.
Snagged at his hair.
Snatching the ebony ribbon.
As he plummeted into the snow.
He almost didn't hear Tonia's scream.
Or Father's harsh shout.
Or Teucer's panic.
As he laid on the snow.
Red splayed in the white.
Diluc watched the metal bird fly off.
His body landed.
But his heart kept falling.
._._._._._.
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