Interlude 1 - My Freedom is my Song
Life continues on.
Every new day brings the same things, Jean thought as she stamped her approval on another request. Paperwork.
A requisition form sent in by Hertha for more materials, stamped.
A permission form from Albedo to start production of Anemo imbued weaponry, stamped.
A joint request by the Civil Affairs Ministry and the Church to start stockpiling materials for the upcoming Windblume Festival, stamped.
The regular report from Kaeya on the locations and identities of suspected traitors, spies, and sleeper agents within Mondtstadt. She signed her acknowledgement.
A request for an expedition to Dragonspine, denied. They had too much on their plate for such an out of the way adventure.
A permission form from Eula to use lethal force on Fatui brigands outside the city. Stamped… what? She lost the rhythm she found herself in.
She flipped the paper around, did she miss a page? She did.
There was a report from the Reconnaissance Company. The Fatui evicted from Mondstadt had formed warbands and had begun intercepting and harassing caravans coming from Liyue. There were even reports of outright banditry from them.
Madness, this was an act tantamount to war against not only Mondstadt, but Liyue as well, what could the Fatui hope to achieve from this? What is Zapolyarny Palace thinking… no, the timings don't match.
It hasn't been too long since the Fatui were sent packing, Zapolyarny Palace shouldn't even be aware of their situation in Mondstadt yet. So who was ordering the Fatui to resort to banditry? No one had that kind of authority except… Harbingers. This was the work of a Harbinger.
But what do they want?
Think, Jean, think! Varka didn't make you his successor for no reason, what is their endgame, what do they hope to achieve!? What does a Harbinger want with Mondstadt so badly that they would resort to such tactics like a petty child?
Jean looked back over at Kaeya's report.
Her eyes hardened, her fists clenched. Despite this, her lips twisted into a smile.
Got you. I'm calling your bluff, Harbinger.
She drafted four letters.
One for Amber, one for Kaeya, one for the Church, and the last one for Eula.
She rang the bell, and a squire rushed in. Noelle, Jean recognised her, she has been a squire for an abnormally long time.
Noelle curtsied, "Your orders, Grand Master?"
Jean passed her the four letters, "I want you to deliver these directly into the hands of the recipients, don't put them on their desk, don't give them to their assistants. Strictly need-to-know basis only, understood?"
"Yes, ma'am!"
"Good girl, dismissed."
Noelle dashed off.
The die was cast, Jean thought.
She returned to her paperwork, next was a roster awaiting her approval. It was a list of squires to be knighted this coming Fall.
She glanced over it, and gave an unladylike snort. She dipped her quill in the inkwell, and pressed it against the parchment.
She wrote, '106) Noelle, of no clan.'
Approved.
For the first time since the fall of the Aristocracy, martial law was imposed within the walls of Mondstadt. The Lion and Northern Gate were closed, and all caravans outside the city walls were diverted to Springvale and Dawnton. The number of knights patrolling the streets tripled, and knights patrolling the walls faced the city instead of outside.
The Knights issued a warning to report any suspicious behaviour, activity, or person directly to a nearby Knight Sergeant. The Church remained quiet.
Curfew was enforced as well, the knights had forced everyone into their homes come Evening Bell. As the sun fell and shadows grew long, the Church Executioners came out to play.
Dark figures danced across the rooftops beneath the waxing moon. Houses were broken into, sleeping traitors and spies alike stolen from their beds. Those still awake were luckier, they had their throats cut immediately, unaware of who killed them.
Those captured were sent to the dungeons under the Knights' Headquarters, where 'interrogators' sharpened their knives for the first time in a long while.
Next morning, it was found that the Adventurer's Guild was forced to halt all of its future operations for an unseen amount of time. The Quartermaster's knights raided the Guild, sacking it of paperwork and documents, looking for any trace of incriminating evidence.
Up in the higher echelons of the city, a joint taskforce of Church Executioners and Knights stormed the Lawrence Manor, arresting many members of the family for no apparent reason. Documents were taken.
In a camp outside the city, the Reconnaissance Company had an unexpected visitor. Noelle had ridden the entire day to reach their campsite, she doubted she would be allowed back in the city now, considering the lockdown.
Still panting, she found Captain Lawrence and passed her the Grand Master's missive, then asked for Outrider Amber.
Eula pointed towards a tent nearby, then opened Jean's letter with anticipation.
Her eyes dashed back and forth across the parchment, face turning grim. As she turned around, she saw Amber riding off northbound as if seven hells were on her heels. Eula could guess where she was going.
She gathered her knights.
"We ride at dawn!"
So they did, and Fatui did not expect them. Eula's knights tore through the Fatui camp, trampling tents and men under their hooves, she swung her greatsword and bisected a Cicin Mage. Such was the situation in other Fatui camps as well, armoured knights running down Fatui like sheep.
As the sun rose however, survivors spread word, and soon enough entire Fatui warbands were making a break for it. Their destination could be easily guessed; the Snezhnayan Embassy in Dornman Port was the only safe place left for them.
Eula's knights rode them down as well. Mondstadt had always boasted the best heavy cavalry in all of Teyvat, at least since the fall of Khaenri'ah. The Wind God's blessing allowed their horses to run much faster, as well as have much more stamina. Couple this with unfamiliar geography and the wide, open plains of Mondstadt, the Fatui stood no match.
The green pastures surrounding Mondstadt were awash red with northern blood for the following days.
Some Fatui made it to Dornman Port, stars in their eyes. Only to find out the Snezhnayan Embassy had been sacked by local authorities. They had run straight into a trap.
They couldn't run, however, they were already inside the city, and there was nowhere else to go besides. The local authorities arrested them along with other Snezhnayan merchants in the city. A certain Outrider watched it all happen.
As days passed under martial law, the number of people arrested continued to rise. Denizens of Mondstadt began to fear their neighbours and friends, paranoia became the new fad as people reported any 'suspicious' activities.
Soon the city prison was overloaded with convicts, whether they were actually guilty or not was another story.
The Sun rose on another day, but the atmosphere was different. People were gathering in front of the Statue of Barbatos as more and more wanted to see the commotion. It was a shocking sight to say the least, never seen before in the city since the days of the Old Aristocracy.
Gallows stood in the shade of Barbatos. Hundreds of convicts were frogmarched up and the knights positioned the nooses around their necks.
A hush went over the crowd as Grand Master Gunnhildr strode up onto the gallows and spoke.
"Today, these men and women will be executed for high treason against the state. They have undermined the authority of the Knights and Church, and have conspired with the Fatui to bring back the tyranny of the Old Aristocracy!"
Then she addressed the soon to be executed, "for these crimes, the Favonian Orders sentences you to death."
As she stepped down, she gestured for the herald to speak.
He cleared his throat.
"For the crime of high treason against the state, the following men and women are sentenced to hang. Theodor of the Kruger Clan, Anton of no clan, Roland of the Hanning Clan, Melissa of the Holtmann Clan, Gunner of the Ehrmann Clan, Viola of no clan…"
Twenty-five names. The herald nodded to the executioner. Levers were pulled, the ground opened beneath the prisoners and twenty-five Mondstadters died of a broken neck.
The crowd was silent as the bodies were removed and the next group of prisoners were marched up.
The herald spoke, "For the crime of high treason against the state, the following men and women are sentenced to hang. Viktor of the Lawrence Clan, Matthias of the Lawrence Clan, Amelie of the Lawrence Clan, Hugo of the Gunnhildr Clan, Eleonora of the Ragvindr Clan…"
Twenty-five names, another twenty-five deaths. The bodies began to pile.
By the end, 574 men and women were executed for treason against the state. Among them were 26 of the Lawrence Clan, 5 of the Gunnhildr Clan, and 2 of the Ragvindr Clan.
It was a dark day in Mondstadt's history.
Outside the city, a messenger passed a missive to a very bloody Eula Lawrence.
Congratulations, Dame Lawrence. As of today, you are the new Lady of the Lawrence Clan with all the accompanied rights and privileges of the title. The Order of Favonius will give you a fortnight of paid leave to enable you to consolidate your power. We urge you to return with all haste to Mondstadt to take your seat.
Regards,
Jean of the Gunnhildr Clan, Acting Grand Master of the Order of Favonius.