It was quiet in the Cathedral as Noelle took her afternoon tea with Barbara the next day. After her self-indulgent tears had stopped, Barbara had insisted she take another day to recover. And while Noelle chased the approval of Acting Grand Master Jean with every sweep of her broom, she would not dare refuse Barbara's kindness.
"Have you been to the bathhouse in a while?" Noelle asked from her seat overlooking the Cathedral's courtyard. From above, they could peek undisturbed below, away from prying eyes and ears.
Barbara's mouth twisted.
"Every day," she said with a hint of reproach.
"No, no. I mean, the fresco above…?"
"What about it?"
"It appears there has been some… Vandalism."
Barbara spun from the tea cart to face Noelle.
"Vandalism?"
"Well, I cannot say for sure—"
"What kind of vandalism?"
Now it was Noelle's mouth that twisted into a funny smile.
"Well… It appears to be a green-clothed person, sitting in the hands of Barbatos."
Barbara scoffed, whipping back around to her cart.
"I think you may have hit your head on the way down, Noelle," she said, uncharacteristically sharp.
"Maybe," Noelle agreed. Barbara's shoulders remained tense while handing Noelle her cup—three sugars and a splash of cream, as always. Noelle's heart swelled as she studied the pattern on the cup, inhaling the sweet scent of the tea.
"Rose hips," she breathed.
Barbara's shoulders relaxed.
"Your favorite. I thought you might be due for a treat."
The women took their first sips in silence. The sun coming through the stained glass kept the room so warm that Noelle felt her head begin to bod.
"Lumine stopped by again last night," Barbara finally said as Noelle lowered her cup from her lips. Noelle snapped up at Lumine's name.
"Oh?"
"You were asleep."
"I could have seen her."
Barbara shook her head.
"You needed to rest. And besides, I wouldn't have you upsetting yourself again."
Noelle reached over and selected a cookie from the tray, tapping it lightly against her saucer to remove errant crumbs.
Play it cool, Noelle, she thought.
Damn. Hot tears were already pricking her eyes.
"What are you insinuating?"
"I'm insinuating that you spent half the night sobbing into your pillow. Really, Noelle, don't play coy with me. We're friends, aren't we?"
"Yes," Noelle conceded.
"Best friends?"
Noelle nodded, despite herself.
"Then what happened on the road?"
"I told you—"
"You didn't tell me anything."
"Lumine asked me not to speak about it."
"Lumine asking you to keep secrets—"
Noelle slammed her cup down on the table between them.
"Should be expected, as she is an Honorary Knight. The Acting Grand Master keeps things from us all the time. It is part of keeping us safe. Sometimes things are best kept to ourselves."
Barbara withdrew into her chair. Noelle shifted in her seat, suddenly uncomfortable.
"I've never seen you angry before, Noelle."
Noelle deflated with a sigh.
"I apologize, Barbara. Things have been… Strange, lately."
Barbara reached forward and squeezed the maid-knight's hand.
"We are living in strange times."
Noelle brought her legs up next to her on the chair, folded to her side.
"When I was younger," she said, "I craved to be as beautifully chaotic as the sea. I know that may seem silly now, especially as a Geo holder. But when Lumine arrived in Mondstadt, I felt… Different. Even though we barely spoke, it was like my sense of purpose was renewed." Noelle shifted again, smoothing her skirts. "But I was only fifteen then. What did I know? And now that Lumine and I have spent more time together, I see that in her. She is chaos. Beautiful chaos—like a battle that has just turned the tide in your favor. She makes me feel… Confused. She has put such questions in me. Questions I have never dared ask before."
"Like what?"
"Like, why am I always looked over in the trials? Lumine has put her trust in me. I know she sees my potential, the potential Jean is always telling me I have. The potential Jean sees in her! But then…" The words were getting harder now, the tears threatening to spill again. "I failed her. I was injured. I was not strong enough to help her."
"Lumine would be hurt to hear you speak in such a way," Barbara said, almost to herself.
"Lumine has more important things to do than to worry about than a maid who plays dress up as a knight."
"Lumine choose you for whatever your task was," Barbara pointed out. "She could have chosen anyone! People fall over themselves trying to get to the front of the line when she asks for help. Even Kaeya! And when have you ever known him to go out of his way for anyone besides himself?"
"You sound like Venti," Noelle teased. Barbara's eyes narrowed.
"Why do you keep bringing up Venti?" she asked.
"'Keep'?"
"You brought him up earlier!"
"I never said Venti was the subject of the vandalism."
Barbara's mouth snapped shut.
"Should I turn him away if he seeks my attention?"
"Your attention, specifically?"
"I meant the royal 'my'. The church's!" Barbara sighed. "I suppose it's no use, is it?"
"I will not say a word."
"And I can trust that, seeing as you're so fond of secrets."
"I have a duty to myself and the Knights. All the knights, regardless of their position."
Barbara looked out the window in the direction of the Statues. Though they could not see the hands of Barbatos, Noelle knew what—or rather, whom—the deaconess was hoping to spot.
"But I do love the way he plays his lyre," Barbara mused, head falling into her hand. "Not that it matters. As a deaconess, my responsibility is to my people, my community. We can't have relationships or marry. And I doubt he admires me as much as I admire him."
"He would not have sat with me if you had not asked him," Noelle said, draining the rest of her tea. "He must care for you."
"He wouldn't have drawn himself on the walls of the bath if he cared for me is more like it!" Barbara snapped, taking Noelle's cup as she stood. "How embarrassing."
"How did he gain entry to the bathhouse?" Noelle asked. "There are so many guards."
"I have no idea!" The edge in Barbara's voice was just a little telling, Noelle thought, but she followed Barbara to the tea cart in silence. "But please don't tell Sister Rosaria, or she'll have me in the rafters cleaning it off."
Noelle smiled.
"Leave it to me," she said. But after a moment, Barbara shook her head, pigtails swinging.
"I'm afraid you'll damage the fresco. Not that I don't have complete and utter faith that you would take the utmost care, but it's very old."
"I understand." Noelle pulled her friend into a hug. "Thank you for listening to me today," she whispered. Barbara's arms enveloped her.
"You're welcome, my friend," the deaconess replied. "And thank you for your discretion."
The warm sunlight brightened Noelle's mood as she walked back to the Knight's headquarters. Barbara had insisted on an escort, but upon their exit, one of Barbara's fan club members had run up the stairs, frantically waving a pencil and parchment. One of the guards had stepped forward to intercept the onslaught, and Noelle had taken the opportunity to slip away.
Kaeya opened the doors to the headquarters just as Noelle reached for the handle, tripping forward as it gave way.
"Well, well, returning to work and already can't keep her hands off of me?" the Cavalry Captain teased. He clucked his tongue at the maid-knight.
"Hello, Captain Kaeya," Noelle said with a curtsey.
"At ease, Noelle. We were beginning to worry about you."
"I am feeling much better now. Thank you for your concern."
"Who's there?" came another voice. From behind Kaeya, Acting Grand Master Jean appeared. Her face broke into a grin. "There's our favorite knight-to-be!"
"What happened to you out there?" Kaeya asked, crossing his arms. His one exposed eye twinkled as he stared Noelle down.
"I was on a commission with the Honorary Knight," Noelle said. She had practiced these words a hundred times before leaving the Cathedral. She could not lie to the Acting Grand Master, but truth need only go so far. And besides, that was not necessarily a lie—Lumine had said there was something else she had planned after grabbing the anemoculus, and it may have been a reward, for all Noelle knew. "I had a nasty fall, is all."
Jean and Kaeya shared a look.
"Lumine said it was Treasure Hoarders?"
"Yes! Ah, I fell, and Lumine rescued me from them." Noelle's hands clasped in front of her. "Truly, I do not have much memory of the event. But I would like to return to my duties now, Acting Grand Master."
"You have my permission," Jean said. "It's good to have you back, Noelle."
"Yes. The stairs just aren't as clean when you're not around!" Kaeya said. Noelle was sure he had not meant to be unkind, but she flinched nonetheless. She bowed her head to the two Knights as Kaeya held the door for her, and set to work.
By the evening, it was as if Noelle had not been laid up for three days in hospital; the floors shone, and every window was polished to a gleam. Kaeya had been right about one thing—without Noelle, the other maids just couldn't keep up.
As Noelle turned down her bed for the night, there was a knock at the door.
"Who is it?"
"It's Paimon and Lumine!" came the voice from the other side of the door. Noelle froze. She was already in her nightgown, and she was tired. But no, it was too late to feign that she was already asleep. And besides, Noelle had already compromised her modesty in the bathhouse. She flushed to think of it.
The door creaked as it opened. On the other side, Lumine stood, hands behind her back. At eye level floated Paimon, the pixie's outfit shimmering despite dimness of the hallway.
"Good evening, Paimon. Lumine."
"Can we come in?" Paimon asked. Noelle stepped back, opening the door. Paimon wasted no time, flying right in.
"To what do I owe the pleasure?" Noelle asked Lumine. But Paimon zipped over, a package bigger than her in her hands.
"Paimon heard you weren't feeling well, and wanted to make sure you were feeling better!"
"Thank you. That is very kind." Noelle took the package. It was hefty, but by its weight, she knew its contents already. She pulled at the string holding the wrapping together, and as it fell off, a copy of the Knights of Favonius Handbook stared back at her.
"Lumine said you lost your copy in the lake," Paimon explained.
"Yes, I did," Noelle agreed, although 'lost' was a bit of a stretch.
"We know how important becoming a knight is to you," Paimon continued. "And also, we were wondering if you'd like to have dinner at our place tomorrow night?"
Noelle blinked.
"Your… Place?"
"Our teapot," Lumine corrected. "It's too much to explain right now. But we can come pick you up. It's the least we—I—can do."
Noelle studied Lumine's face for a moment. Her honey eyes held nothing but honesty behind them.
"I would love to see your home."
"Yes!" Paimon said, doing a somersault in the air. "Paimon loves having guests!"
"Paimon loves any excuse to prepare a feast," Lumine teased.
"Well, maybe if you made tasty food when guests weren't coming, Paimon would have less to complain about. So, what will the menu be? Fisherman's toast, bird egg soup, almond tofu—"
"We can discuss tomorrow. Come, Paimon, we should let Noelle rest. She's had a long week."
Noelle bowed her head.
"Thank you for stopping by, Honorary Knight. And thank you for the invitation." As the two visitors neared the door, Lumine stopped.
"Paimon, could you give us a minute?"
"Oh?" said the pixie, tilting her head.
"I'll meet you outside."
"But—"
"Go on, nosy!" Lumine said, pushing Paimon's floating figure out the door. Paimon protested, but made no sound as Lumine shut the door. Noelle's hands began to tingle with adrenaline. When the traveler turned back to Noelle, the maid froze.
"Bring ear plugs tomorrow," Lumine finally said. "Paimon will talk for hours if you let her."
"Indeed."
"Look—"
"No need for apologizes. If anything, I should be apologizing. I acted very foolishly yesterday. You were only trying to make me feel better."
Lumine worried her bottom lip as she reached forward, her hand coming across the front of her body. Noelle's new handbook floated gently, landing soundlessly on the bed. Then Lumine stepped forward, taking Noelle's freezing hands into her own. The traveler was warm to the touch.
"Thank you for not telling Barbara," Lumine breathed, barely a whisper. Noelle swallowed. She was so close to Lumine that she could smell the windwheel aster tucked behind her ear, the warmth of the sun on her skin. She cursed herself as goosebumps ran up her arms.
"As wine bottles are corked, so too are my lips sealed," Noelle said, her eyes burning as she stared back at Lumine. The room was filling with electricity as Noelle leaned forward—
Into Lumine's arms. Startled by her own audacity, she numbly lifted her own arms into the embrace.
"Tomorrow, then," Lumine whispered into Noelle's ear.
And like the wind, the traveler left her, shivering in the moonlight once more.
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