The Queen's Little Flower

by Naughty Tome

The Ice Queen's heart has fallen for the fading starlight. But can the said Star possibly loved her back? (A Sequel of The Queen's Little Puppet)

2. To Keep The Star Ablaze

Welp, this is the fourth time I wrote a smut. And believe me, I spent three goddamn weeks just to write that part. I hope it will turn out good. Because if it's not...

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A week or two have passed ever since that night when she and the Tsaritsa spends some quality time inside the frozen forest. Since then, Lumine's workload has visibly been reduced for quite a lot.

Tsaritsa had stayed true to her words. The next day after the two returned to the palace, she had announced the retrieval of all Delusions she had previously given to all Fatui lieutenants within the army, including the one that Pierro is holding. And as the result of this, Lumine's operations of curing those who are suffering from the corruption has been stopped, at the moment anyway, knowing that someday the Delusions would be in use again in a matter of time.

However, as part of the prevention measures to make sure that Lumine would've never overworked and hurt herself again from curing those who are sick. Tsaritsa have created two new divisions within the organization, the weapon research and development team which are dedicated in furthering their technological advancements in creating more advanced weapons for combat and testing, with Pierro being the current head of it. And then the Delusion research and analysis, which are dedicated in continuing the Fatui's research in regards of the Delusions, with their goal being finding a way to reduce or completely terminate the harmful side effects that Delusions would normally inflict upon their users, and it was Lumine who got appointed by the Tsaritsa to become the head of this division, and thanks to her help she provides, the research team brings pleasant results so far.

And speaking of the Tsaritsa...

As for the matter of their relationship, Tsaritsa is more... Active to say the least. There is never been a day where she and Lumine didn't met. Almost every day, if it wasn't for Lumine who reminded her of the importance of their work to further their plans of overthrowing the divine, Tsaritsa would've likely made every day to be a day off, just so she could spend even more time with Lumine. And as for their more... intimate activity, it stayed the same as ever.

Everyday after work, Tsaritsa would surprise Lumine to death by appearing in her bedroom whenever Lumine tried to blink herself to sleep, saying things like "Why don't you just sleep in my bedroom tonight?" Before urging Lumine to use her teleportation magic to bring themselves to the queen's personal quarter so they could do those things without someone ever suspecting or interrupting them. Sometimes, Tsaritsa would also purposely leave the door unlocked, pretending to forget about it when in truth she was clearly trying to get into her nerves at the possibility that someone would catch them while in the middle of the act.

The queen is equally as annoying as she was lovely. And admittedly, Lumine too find this side of Tsaritsa kind of interesting and a little bit of hot too.

The woman is still taking the lead during their times together. Although Lumine has done a lot of learning through reading and practicing, she is not yet ready yet to do the Tsaritsa, with the woman in question accepting it, saying that seeing Lumine squirms and hearing her moans as she came on her fingers is already enough to make Tsaritsa satisfied. But still, it's pretty unfair though! How can the queen freely enjoy observing and tasting her body, when Lumine were never even had the opportunity to even see a single speck of skin under that elegant royal midnight blue gown the taller woman always wear? The more she thinks about it, the more desire starts to plague Lumine's mind that she is craving to rip open those stupid gown so then she could see what's under them. Maybe she would see the hidden beauty that the Tsaritsa is hiding from rest of the world, one that she has concealed after the events that made her reforming herself.

But, all of those things aside, Lumine thinks that their relationship is pretty much one that is a very good one. And quite the rare one too by her standards.

Back in the past, when she and Aether are traversing the multiverse together, both twins were never had any kinds of relationship with other people aside from a simple friendship. For both star-born children were self aware of their nature, a twin star who couldn't just stay in one place expecting that their stay would be permanent.

Although it was their ultimate goal to find a new home for both siblings to live in, seeing that the place that they once called home is no longer exist, all kinds of circumstances should be expected by them to happen one day that would drive them out from every other world that the twins had set their foot before. A lesson for them to never let themselves getting too attached by those who consider them as their friends.

Not forget to mention that revealing their true identies as children of the stars must be taken into a considerations too.

"Show your cards too early and they will fear you."

That's what Aether said to her. And she had seen it firsthand before too. In one world, people are trying to stake her for being accused as a witch, while on the other, She was forced to fight a bunch of powerful beings who came to kill her after they had initially thought her as an evil deity who came to destroy their world. And then there was also this one time when a group of humans successfully kidnapped her, and taken her to their labs for research in hoping to harness her power and use it to dominate the other nations during a worldwide war, and ultimately rule the entire world. Thankfully though, Aether came to her rescue that day, and the twins decided to leave that world to its miserable fate.

But, putting those horrible memories aside, just like how bad the things that are happening to some of those worlds. There are also some worlds that Lumine and Aether had visited before, worlds that treated them kindly, generously, without animosity whatsoever. Such big contrast to the other worlds mentioned above, it was while in this world, where both twins spend their in less fighting and more of thinking and trying to blend in the society for as long as they could. Learning more of the countless variety of different kinds of people, and trying to understand them as best as they could. They're practically a walking encyclopedia, a recorder of Worlds' histories, for they are one of the only few species of people who could travel between worlds.

This duty of theirs have already started at the very moment that their powers awakened. Like anybody else, the twins are also started as small babies at life. They would grew up just like normal humans, learning and mastering all kinds of stuff at the behest of their parents, without any thoughts of any meanings behind them. But that is until they finally come to age, when they awakened the hidden power within them, granting them all of the abilities that they used to possess before arriving in this world.

Once this power is finally unlocked, they soon would learn about the tragic truth about their homeworld. That it was dying, and they are probably will be the last one who is able to leave it behind before it's ever nearing permanent destruction. And though both twins are very tempted to stay there till the very end, they still leaving it anyway. And so they bid very well to the world the once called home and everyone that was inside of it, leaving behind all of those childhood happiness that is now only exist as a memory among the other mountain sized piles of memories that they would continue to make more as their journey searching for a new world to live in continues.

Lumine doesn't even remember how long has it been. After getting their powers awakened, she and Aether are stuck at the age of their awakenings, so it certainly is hard to keep track of things. The memories they had of other worlds are merely what happened in there, not when it happened. And since the flow of times between worlds are different, they don't see any reason why they must noted it down.

And so, with their near infinite lifespan is laid upon them, the twins set off to learn more of what mortals do during their ordinary lives, something that they couldn't do during their childhood since it was more focused on their training instead. And that was when they come across the concept of love. Not the kind of love like that of their parents showed to them when they were little, but a romantic love, an act of affection showed between two people who are unrelated to each other through familial ties. They call it, a romance between a loving couple. Something that Lumine admittedly do take an interest in, at least for a while.

Lumine still remembers those days, back when she took a great interest in the concept that is still alien to her, such a fascinating thing, the thing that could brought two people together, to unite and become one. She and her brother would spend a good time in a library, reading through various kinds of books that tells about them. From encyclopedia, to well written article, and then novels and other fictional books about them. It is very tempting for her to try it for herself, but the more time has passed, the more she come to learn about the more deeper meaning behind the concept of love, especially it's darker side.

Just as much as how love can brought happiness to someone, love can also be a source of pain, suffering. And so, if you love someone so much, then you also have to prepare for the heartbreaking pain that will comes with it. Lumine have seen many examples of it, be it on the sad romance novels that she and Aether read, or the real people that she saw suffering from the consequences of their love for someone. There was once a woman she met in one world, who's love for her dear friend made her willing to sacrifice anything, even if it means going through countless of repeated time loops as a means to alter reality and made it possible for the love of her life to survive from her seemingly destined death. And then there was also this one man from another world, who met a woman that had stolen his heart ever since they were a child, yet the said woman favors to be together with another person instead. Leaving behind the man who wholeheartedly loved her to suffer for the next five hundred years from the pain of loneliness and despair over his inability to prevent her death, causing him to become a ruthless and cruel leader.

From that point on, Lumine would begin to lose interest in it. And becomes unwilling to ever feel or try it anymore. What worth does it have for her to feel momentarily happiness, only to get repayed with an eternity of pain? She doesn't need it, she doesn't have to feel it. And besides, she is an immortal being, her life span surpasses that of anyone, so there's no way she would have an affair with a mortal whose life are limited by age. Aether was already there by her side, he will be the one to love her, the only person she could love. She doesn't need anyone, as long as he's by her side, she'll never need the love of everyone else.

Except, now that he was no longer here... She is all alone...

There were some nights that Lumine would ponder about what she had said before. That she didn't need the love and support from anyone else as long as Aether was there, and now that he wasn't here, no longer standing by her side, comforting her, talking with her, smiling at her. Lumine could finally feel what's it like to be heartbroken, finding that someone that you love had been forcefully taken away from her. She always thought... That those were only happens if it was between her and other people, that since she and Aether are both immortal, that they were twin siblings from birth, they will never get separated, that they will never feel that kind of pain because of close they were, but she was wrong. This kind of pain, it did not stem from romantic love alone, even you can feel the pain of your heart shattering into pieces when you lost your own family.

The pain is similar, if not, then even more painful, than the one she experienced when they were forced to leave their home world and family behind to die. But at that time, at least she still have Aether to comfort her, but now, she have no one. No one but this organization called the Fatui, who accept her in spite of her outlander status, and even made her into a high authority figure within the system, second in command only below the Tsaritsa, and a shared position with a certain senior of her.

Her heart feels empty, her mind is devoid of any other thing aside from her sole determination to go and find her brother, that was the state of herself after waking up to this world once the Cataclysm is over. She didn't have anything, her powers are gone, her brother is gone, and even her trusty sword are gone. She truly are alone on this world. That's enough reason to why she joined the Fatui, hoping that at least with more hands under her command, her search for Aether will be a lot easier. That's the only reason she forged that contract with the Tsaritsa. She'll help the queen achieve her goal, and return, the Archon will help her find her brother. It was so simple. She didn't ask for anything else, she didn't ask to be given the title of the second Harbinger, the left hand of the Tsaritsa. She didn't demand for respect and admiration from her peers, and yet they treated her that way anyway. And then of course, she didn't expect for the Tsaritsa of all people, the Goddess of Snezhnaya herself of all people, to fell for her. Everything here is just not what she ever wanted.

But alas, things happened, and here she is defeated, with nothing to do but accept the reality that happens.

Through an unexpected confession made by the queen directed towards her. She has now become the queen's bride, her little flower. Though this information is still a secret within the organization, the first Harbinger, Pierro is completely aware of this, even knowing it by figuring it out by himself to everyone surprise. The old man also made a note about how their relationship should be announced sooner or later, so that they could stop acting all out in secret, which may hinder some of their loving activities. Heck, they hadn't even gone out for a date! Yet they already did some intimacy together, or at least the Tsaritsa had done it to her, Lumine is still inexperienced to reciprocate. Oh well, at least she already did some learnings and practice like the Tsaritsa had told her to. It's only a matter of time before she will be the one on the lead for a change... Oh boy, just how impatient she became to wait for that day to come.

Ah, and speaking of Pierro... Lumine is currently standing before his private chamber at the moment.

A dark stone door laid before her, standing still guarding the secret contents hidden within. She gulped the lump that accumulated inside her throat and took a deep breath. Normally, she shouldn't be this nervous when she visits her senior Harbinger's room. Given how rarely she ever does it, or that whenever she does come here, it will always be about business between the two hands of the Tsaritsa, and their affairs within the organization. A quick greeting between the two, reading and reciting the reports she brought to him, listening to his orders and advices, and then leaves and never return again unless if similar cases made her to, that's what she usually does. But this time, it is different.

It is even so embarrassing for her to think about it, she hasn't even knocked on the door yet and she is already this nervous, how will he react? Will he even be surprised that she will ask him of all People? Will he decline to help her? Will he be confused? Does he even have a free time right now? Today is not a holiday, so everyone is off to work except her who has done her parts in the lab today when she experimented on the delusions. But what about him? Has he done his part of the job assigned by the Tsaritsa yet? Just the thought of disturbing him while he's at work makes her uncomfortable, it is a very disrespectful thing for her to do, and currently, she doesn't have the energy to ask for the old man to spar on the training grounds. Come to think of it, they haven't been doing it for a while now, she should've asked out when they get the chance, to test her skills and see if she's still on the top.

"You outside! Why don't you come in instead of standing around there like an idiot?"

The sudden appearance of the old man's voice made her flinch a little. Seems like he had sensed her presence behind the door for some time now. She have no idea how he did it, since he never did it before, but she guesses that it may have something to do with her divine aura that came leaking out and entered the chamber, alerting him of her presence.

Sighing a little, she slowly raise a single hand before gently knocks on the door. Three seconds later, and the huge stone door that is taller than her size opens automatically, granting her access.

The moment she steps inside the private chamber of the Jester, the stone door behind her came to a close, sealing the inside from outside influences once more. The structures and the decoratives inside the room heavily differs from the outside. It feels like she's no longer inside the Zapolyarny palace, but inside an old ancient chamber of secrets of a once great, thriving civilization, that is now lay buried flat with the ground, longs to be forgotten eventually. Except for a few people who care enough to remember them of course. Pierro's room are always like this, it looks less than what you call a room, but more of a workshop, his own secret little laboratory to conduct his personal experiments. She herself didn't know the full details about it, and nor does she care to know. But she knew that it may have something to do the current state of the leftovers Khaenri'ahns. Such as the curse of immortality that he had to endure.

"Harbinger Isabella? Well this is surprising... After the last time you visited me, I would expect for another year or two for you to come." The Jester's voice rings through the air, referring to Lumine using her harbinger title. Did he expect her to come to give him another important report? She couldn't blame him for thinking that way, after all, that is the only reason she ever came here every time before. "So... What of today? Something important and interesting that you need to tell me about?"

Though his voice could be heard as clear as day. The person itself is nowhere to be found, she wonders where he is hiding right now.

"Actually, no. I don't have nothing to report today, my lord." Lumine answered, her golden eyes glancing around scanning the room of her surroundings, trying to find the one eyed old man but still couldn't find him. "Though if you are interested, I can give you some of the recent discoveries of my work as of late. But that's not the main reason why I'm here."

"Oh? Is that so? Then what is your true purpose then?" The gruff voice with slight curiosity, causing Lumine to sigh.

"Could you please... Come and meet me in person first? I don't think I'm comfortable enough to stand around and talking with a bodiless voice like this." She said with a closed eyes, hearing the voice letting out an amused hum from her response.

"Up here." His voice appears, a lot clearer than before. And as per his words, she tilts her head up to find the bearded man that she was looking for is casually standing on top of a floating platform capable of flights. If she remembers correct, he once said that he made it himself using whatever remains from Khaenri'ah's superior technology. And now he uses it to easily wanders around his workshop, reaching for books located on the top shelves of the overly high bookshelves lining against the walls. "Come up here if you really wanted to talk to me that badly."

Lumine lightly scoffed at his words. Using a simple magic, she created a gust of violent wind circling around her body, which launches her up into the air and gently lands on the floating saucer ther senior Harbinger is standing on. Landing perfectly just a meter away from him, and quickly bows down her head slightly in a greeting manner.

Pierro isn't wearing the grey Fatui cloak she notes, unlike her. A reasonable choice, since the room is relatively warm. He's wearing a white tailcoat over a grey and white shirts. As well as matching white boots and gloves and a black pants. A dark transparent cape with blue linings trails behind his back. This is his usual outfit when visiting the other nations.

"Raise you head. I've told you before to drop the formalities between us, Isabella." Pierro said, looking down at the small girl before him, while having his arms crossed over his chest.

"And I thought I had told you before to stop using my codename, Jester." She retorted while slowly raising her head as per his order, using a challenging tone and also a tad bit mischievous. "The name given by the Tsaritsa is not useful when it is outside of missions. And besides, almost everyone in the Fatui already knows my name anyway, I thought you of all people were already used to calling my name, my lord." Lumine said, putting both of her hands on her sides.

The other Harbinger released an audible scoff at that. The flying saucer that they stand on gently floats towards a small platform, with a small wooden table and a pair of soft single sofa chairs prepared.

"Go take a seat, it's better that way." He gestured to her towards the seats, and she followed him as the two Fatuus took their respective chairs which seated across the two ends of the table, with their face facing each other. "So then, what can I do for you?"

And now she's starting to get nervous all over again. Her breath hitched in her throat and she finds no word is unable to escape her lips. Why was it so easy for her to strike a conversation with the man before with no trouble at all, but when she thought about this topic again, all words suddenly died in her mouth. What exactly makes her this nervous? Was it from embarrassment? She's too embarrassed to talk about this kind of thing with an old man like him of all people? Perhaps she is. She needs to calm herself down, take a deep breath, gather all the courage to start this conversation before things get awkward.

"What's the matter? Cat got your tongue? No more words to say?" Pierro across her asked with a raised eyebrow. His azure eye scanning her form carefully. "You're kinda steaming hot there. Do you have a fever or something? Is the room too hot for you?"

Pierro's questions brought her back to reality, realizing that her head is hot from overthinking, and so does her face that is bright red. To think that she would show this side of herself to her senior... If there was a hole between them then Lumine would've jumped straight in and never come out again.

Releasing another sigh, the blonde haired Harbinger slumped down to her chair, eyes closed defeatedly. After taking another deep breath, she open her eyes to stare at other person in the room's only eye, finding the old man looking serious and ready, as if expecting that what she's about to say will be something that isn't stupid. Yet another strike to the chord in her brain, making her feeling a bit guilty for even coming here and potentially wasting his time. Should she just... Teleport away and pretend that this meeting never happen? She's very tempted, but she couldn't imagine the kind of reaction Pierro will have if she just rudely left this room so suddenly after barging in and wasting away his precious time. They've both been busy with their separate assignment from the Tsaritsa lately, and they haven't met each other as frequently as before, thanks to their business in managing their respective divisions.

"Look, before I started. I just wanted to tell you that... This may sound silly and a potential big waste of your time. But, if... if you don't feel like answering my question and explain to me, j-just tell me right away, alright? A-And I promise that will immediately leave you alone." Lumine spoke up after a while, a calm before the storm.

"You know, instead of wasting your energy worrying about it like this, I think you should be focusing more on telling me the matter in the first place." The bearded man across the table said, resting his arm on the surface of the table and intertwining his gloved fingers against each other. "As for the matter of whether this question of yours will entertain me or not to give you the answer, then you can deal with it just fine, no?"

"Yeah... Maybe you're right..." It's not her nature to be this doubtful, especially when it comes to dealing with her two superiors.

Calm herself, there's no need to fear anything. Whether she will get her answer or not from this conversation, she is sure that she can deal with whatever comes next. Just like how she is able to pass any obstacles that are always gets in her work as the second Harbinger of the Tsaritsa. She wouldn't get the position if it wasn't for that after all. The girl who completes all task with the utmost perfection.

"T-Then..." Lumine began, gulping nervously at the intense stare from Pierro's eye. "My question is..."

"Yes...?" The grey haired man asked with a raised eyebrow.

"C-Can you... Can you give me some love advice please?!" The blonde haired girl spurted out loudly, lowering her head and tightly closing her eyes to avoid looking at the older looking person in front of her.

There was silence hanging in the air between them, with neither of them saying anything to fill the empty air aside from their silent breathing sounds. Lumine still kept her head down and eyes closed, patiently waiting for the man to response to her question that she yelled out so suddenly. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she is even a little ashamed for childishly yelling like that, no doubt that must be what the old man before her is thinking right now.

There was a light tap on the wooden table, and then the sound of the Jester clearing his throat. Reluctantly, Lumine opens her eyes and peeked up just a little, finding the old man is blinking his eye several times.

"Apologies... But, what did you say?" Pierro asked, as if a little confused and surprised from Lumine's question. Causing the smaller Harbinger to mentally face palmed herself.

"I-I said... Can you give me some love advice? Please? Pretty please?" She asked again, even with a little stutter in her words, she made them clear and audible this time to make sure the Jester would hear it this time and don't embarrass her further.

"Love advice?" Pierro repeated, looking kinda surprised by the question, as expected. "You came all the way here just to ask me that?"

Oof, another strike to her chord that sent her plunging down again into the hole she's digging to bury herself into. She's only inches away from getting out of this room at this rate.

"I was expecting some other things, but not this kind of question. And for you to ask this could only means..." The azure eye of the Jester look upon the form of the blonde haired girl sitting across him. Carefully observing her and arrived at one conclusion. "...This is about her majesty, isn't it?"

With another nervous gulp, she nods her head silently as confirmation, and the grey haired man humnned in thought.

"I see. Well then, care to indulge me to what makes you want to ask this? And to me of all people in the organization?" Pierro asked again, crossing one leg over the other, and leaned forward to rest his chest against the table, taking in a relaxed position, ready to hear his junior's explanation.

Sighing heavily, Lumine's eyes were casts downwards for a while. But after collecting herself and taking a deep breath, she begin her explanation.

"Yes... It is about me and her majesty's relationship." Lumine began, resting her arms over the table surface. "As you already know it by now, my lord, her majesty had confessed her feelings for me, something that I was... Never expected coming from her. For I only pledge my loyalty to her out of the deal between us. My assistance to the cause, in exchange for her help in finding my brother. That was supposedly all that is to it. Never I imagine that the Tsaritsa would care about me that much, especially knowing that... She's no longer that goddess of love whom everyone praises for her kindness and benevolence." She explained, playing her fingers with each other as she kept her gaze down, continuing her speech.

"But, the proofs are there, right in front of me. Her royal Highness took me to her personal quarter, she stared me right to my eyes as she spilled everything to me, the feelings she had for me, the admiration she had for my hard work, and her anticipation for me to love her back in return." Lumine fiddled her fingers as she recalls the memory of that day. "I had tried to reject it, you know? I thought that it was weird enough for her majesty, the very god of this land, to fell in love with a nobody like me, but, the fact that she is attracted to an... Quiet, emotionless, and... Broken person like me, is beyond imagination."

"I feel like you left one last detail about the "bringing you into her personal quarter" part." Pierro muttered, an amused smile appeared on his face when Lumine jerked a little and her cheeks starts heating up.

"A-Anyway, just like I said before. Her majesty demands for me to reciprocate her love back." Lumine said after clearing her throat a little. "And that is exactly the problem I'm having. I... Never been an expert when comes to this matter known as love. All I know about them is that it happen between two people with desire to be each other, enough that it unites the two under a wedding. For me who never experience this before... It's really hard to fulfill what the Tsaritsa requested to me. I did do some research by reading some books, but I don't think it was enough... I need someone to talk with, who can advices me the best I can do. Because no kind of books like that exist at the moment."

Their eyes are connected, Lumine's golden one's staring at his azure one. Full of hidden determination and anticipation for his answer of whether he's going to help her or not.

"So... That's it? That's what you wanted my help with?" Pierro asked with a raised eyebrow. "What makes you think that I, the right hand man of her majesty the Tsaritsa, the first ever fatui and its harbinger, the former royal mage of Khaenri'ah, to know this kind of thing?" He asked again, making Lumine flinch on her seat after feeling the intensity of his voice in the question.

"I-I don't know! Okay? You're just the first person that came to my mind when I think about it." The blonde haired girl replied with a violent shake of her head. "If there is someone that I can depend on in this organization aside from her majesty, then it will be you, my lord. You are the one who guides me throughout my first year in the Fatui, you're the one who conditioned me into my new life as the enemy of this accursed world until I was comfortable with it. And then, you're also the one who constantly approaches me during boring days and made it slightly better. Though admittedly I still find that habit of yours is slightly annoying, I appreciates the company, you know? Especially during our monthly spars, it's hard to find a tough opponent like you. You are a remarkable person in my eyes, I could even call you my master for everything you have done up until now. And then lastly, you are the only person I know to be aware of our relationship. Is that not good enough for a reason?"

At the blonde girl's lengthy explanation. The Jester's eye look deeply into the pair of golden orbs in front of him. Finding that many emotions are swirling inside them. This is very different from the usual Lumine, her eyes that used to always be devoid of life and any kinds of emotions, her face that is always blank and serious no matter the given circumstances, her personality that is usually so stoic and sometimes detached. She had changed so much in a span of two weeks, and all it needs is the genuine love of the Tsaritsa for her. He guesses that it was true, that love can change someone, even someone so lifeless like Lumine to become like this. or, as the matter of fact, the Tsaritsa herself, the reformed queen of Snezhnaya, the former goddess of love who had to harden herself and become the ruthless dreaded ruler she is known now, and yet this strange mysterious girl has somehow brought back the former side of the goddess back to light, turning the killer queen into the maiden falling in love that she currently is now.

For these two deseased souls, twisted and corrupted by tragedy, only capable to find relief by each other's company. 'Tis such a twisted tale of a bittersweet love between lovers eroded by the world's cruel destiny.

"Hmm, that is a good enough reason. Alright, I'll help." The Jester nod his head, watching as Lumine gasped a little in surprise.

"Wait, really? Are you really going to help me?"

"Sure. Just ask away what you want to know, and I'll answer it."

There was a pause after that, Lumine stared at her senior Harbinger, somewhat still surprised that he actually agreed to help her. Not wanting to waste this chance, she immediately ask him the question she's itching to know the answer to.

"Then, please give me some advice. What should I do, my lord? Tsaritsa has been telling me that I should return her love, but how? How can I reciprocate her feelings towards me? What can I do to show it? I've read many romance book before, and I saw how one character keep doing many things in other to impress the other and win their love. Should I... Should I just take an example from those?" Lumine asked, eyes glimmering full of curiosities and eargerness to know.

"Well, if that's really what you think might be the right thing to do, then why don't you just try it?" Pierro asked, leaning his body back to rest against the chairs back. "When it comes to love, sometimes, not everything logical is required to win over someone's heart."

"What does that mean?" Lumine asked with a tilt of her head.

"What I mean is, you don't really need to know what you're supposed to act, or what you must do to show your love for her. A few references from reading materials or someone else advice are fine. But most of the times, all you need to do is to trust your own heart, let your feelings, your hidden desire for her lead you, and I'm sure that in no time, her majesty will eventually sees it. That is what I think you must do now" the grey haired man answered, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Trust my own heart... Let my feelings lead me..." Lumine muttered, putting her hand on her chest where she could feel her own heart beating. "Can I really do that? Someone like me who has never been in love before?" She asked again.

"Well, it's just like I said before. You have to search your own feelings for that to happen. Do you love the Tsaritsa? Do you wish to be together with her? Just like she did to you? Find those question, and eventually, your own heart will speaks the answer. I'm sure of it."

"Do I love Tsaritsa? Did I want to be with her?"

Lumine mentally asked herself, doing exactly what the Jester had told her to. She closed her eyes for a moment, as if looking inside of herself in search for the answer, searching through the dark and endless corridors of her own heart, finding the bright light waiting for her at the end of it.

"I... I really like the Tsaritsa..."

She answered herself, her hands gripping at the hem of her skirt tightly.

"Tsaritsa... She is so beautiful... So kind and compassionate... Even though she's rough and ruthless on the outside, she is still the same on the inside, the goddess of love that everyone praises for her kindness and benevolence..."

"I am but an outlander to this world... I don't belong here... And yet, she accepts me, she's willing to help me in my time of needs. I know that she asked me for something big in return... But, I don't mind, I don't mind it at all. Tsaritsa is already willing to help me, and in return, I wanted to help her too."

"Aether... Aether is not here by my side anymore... I can't feel his love and kindness anymore... But, Tsaritsa... She's so bright, so warm... Like a warm blanket for me in the middle of a stormy night. Was it right for me to not give her anything in return for all of these things she had given me? No, no, I can't let that happen!"

"I want to be loved, I want to love her. I want to be with Tsaritsa. I want to feel her warmth again... Bask in her love again... Tsaritsa, Tsaritsa... I want to meet her!"

"I think I understand now." Lumine eventually said with a nod, opening her eyes, she look back at the eye of the Jester in front of her. "All I need, is to trust whatever my heart told me to do. And, if I played things right, Tsaritsa should notice, and that's when she'll be able to feel my love for her. Your advice is very helpful, my lord, I can't thank you enough. But if it's right with you, may I ask something?"

"Ask away, what is it?" Pierro asked back.

"For you to know so well about this... How did you know? Have you ever... Been in love before?" The blonde haired girl asked, a bit hesitantly and timidly in fear that her question might be considered prying for his personal information.

"I did. It was a long time ago though." Surprisingly, the old man didn't seem to be bothered by it in the slightest, which slightly taken Lumine aback. "It was during my time as the royal mage to the last king of Khaenri'ah, during the Eclipse Dynasty. Though I fell for her, and wished there would be a better future for us, I never got the chance to convey my true feelings for her. And at the end, it didn't matter anyway, because she along with other million souls would perish during the Cataclysm. Admittedly, her death is also one of the many factors why I choose to join with her majesty and become what I was now." The grey haired man explained, eyes closed and his breath turning slow and light.

"Oh... I see... I am very sorry to hear that." Damn it, she knew she shouldn't have let her curiosity get the better of her.

"It's fine. The past, is the past. What's important now however, is that you shouldn't be like that. Convey your feelings to the Tsaritsa, because if you don't, then there may come a day where you will regret to never do it." Pierro replied, his eye half lidded as he saw Lumine on the other side looking down as if deep in thought.

The two sit there for a while in comfortable silence. And after a minute or two have passed, Lumine eventually stands and stretches her arms upwards with popping sounds.

"I think... It's about time I go out and do what you advised me to. Once again, thank you for your help, my lord. I owe you one."

"Go ahead, I'm sure that the Tsaritsa will be glad that you are finally ready to take her." He said teasingly, chuckling as it successfully made Lumine blush a little. With a simple snap of his finger, the stone door below opens up to the corridor outside. "Good luck, I know you can do it. I'll be wishing you both for the best, Lumine."

The blonde haired Harbinger nods her head in respect before bidding farewell. Casualty going down to the ground level below by stepping down a set of invisible stairs made out of Anemo energy she created. Before exiting the Jester's chamber as the stone door closed shut behind her.

~o~0~o~

"Now then... To show my love for the Tsaritsa... What should I do first?"

Inside the long empty hallways of the Zapolyarny palace, a lone girl with short blonde hair could be seen pondering in thought as she aimlessly traverse the giant hall mostly made out of chiseled marble.

Isabella, the second of the Fatui Harbinger, otherwise known mostly by her real name, Lumine, is currently thinking of what her senior Harbinger have told her. She is now understand what she must do, what she have expect, but it's only the matter of "how" will she be able to execute it correctly so that it will come out successful.

To act according to her heart, and let her feelings and love for the queen to guide her movements. It is easier said than done. Though she doesn't know how she could even do it, since the target of her love isn't even here with her, just by thinking about it already makes Lumine's head spiral into a vortex filled with millions of different thoughts. Varying from what she should do with the Tsaritsa, what she should say to her, how to keep her emotions from going all out which may or may not be a bad thing for their time together, and then most importantly, will she be successful in convincing the queen that she is ready?

That last thought, made her cheeks heated up a little. Just the thought of it made her feel hot all over. Ugh, she really need to learn how to suppress this feeling even more, lest she'll make her comrades getting the wrong idea.

Right, time to get back on track. What should she do as the first step of following her heart's desire? Does she have to think over it again and again for the next several hours until she reaches the right conclusion? Or should she just jump straight to the battlefield and let her instinct and feelings do the rest? The latter thought sounds risky and a little bit stupid, but it also sounds the most logical one. Tch, yet another conflicting thoughts crashing into each other inside her mind. Just what is she supposed to do now? She asked herself.

"Come to think of it... Where is the Tsaritsa anyway? I haven't seen her this entire day..."

Usually, throughout the weeks after that night in the frozen forest, the ice queen would be around, greeting and approaching Lumine at any time of the day, and then appeared later in her room during the night, asking for her company in bed. Which Lumine would mostly tried to decline because she don't think that she is capable of taking the Tsaritsa's assault with her tired mind and body after a full day doing her research in the laboratory. But of course, just as how much she tried hard to decline the offer, the queen will also put all of her effort in swaying her to do what she wants, and so as the result, there were more nights than it was not that the blonde haired girl would wake up on a disheveled bed, fully naked, and her body is even more sore all over than it was before she fell asleep. Ouch.

But as of today however, she hasn't seen the queen everywhere around the palace. The grey haired woman didn't even pay a visit to her lab during the day during the testing process of her prototype of the upgraded Delusions. Or that she bumped into her while traversing between hallways. How strange... Lumine wonders where the Tsaritsa now, she's kinda starting to miss her, even just a little, maybe it's the effect of having to meet her so very often in the past few days that it's starting to feel normal to her to see her around. That even a day without seeing her, will become so meaningful that she missed her.

Should she go find her? It shouldn't be a great trouble for her to go around and check every important site inside the palace, after all, she could just easily use her teleportation magic to get around so that she doesn't have to run around and waste her energy.

But on second thought though, was it even worth it? What if Tsaritsa is busy? What if she ends up barging into her while she was having a very important thing to do? And shouldn't Lumine have something to do as well? What was it by the way... And on that note, what time is it?

Lumine's foot came to stop before a bright rays of white light on the floor. And upon seeing it, she realized that her surroundings became much brighter than the rest of the hallways that she just walked down. Her head turned to the side, finding that in this particular part of the corridor, there was a giant window made of stained glass to her right side. The soft rays of the moonlight are entering the corridor through the window, and by looking outside, Lumine got her answer, it was already night time, the skies are black, glittered by the countless flickering stars above and the beauty of the full moon shining brightly. Snowflakes are slowly falling from the skies, indicating the cold air outside, the reason why she wears the grey winter coat aside from another reason that is as important as this one.

So it was nighttime, and that means...

Wordlessly she guesses the answer, giving herself a small nod of reassurance, she quickens her pace and sprint through the hallways in search for a room that she's hoping that the person she's looking for will be waiting for her.

Eventually, after minutes of sprinting across the palace. She finally came to a stop before the door she was looking for. A door made from white marble, soft to the touch and cold to feel with a hand. Behind this door, is none other than Lumine's room inside the palace. The one place that she slept during the night, or stay to meditate and ponders over anything that comes over her mind or any thoughts she have regarding her life when she has some free time. Especially in the last few weeks when her workload is reduced thanks to Tsaritsa's decree to confiscate all the Delusions that the Fatui use for battle, which in turns taking away Lumine's work as a healer for those who are heavily corrupted by the negative energy of the cursed weapon.

This place... It is also where that woman would frequently appear during the night, surprising her half to death when she suddenly floats over her head when the blonde girl tries to blink herself to sleep. Never she imagined that such a beautiful face would also become one that she dreaded the most and became her sleep paralysis demon.

Will she be there? Lumine wonders. She doesn't know, and it makes her extremely nervous. She could activate her gaze and see if someone is inside, but she has the urge to not use it and instead go in and check it for herself. She clenched her fist tightly and swallowed the lump in her throat. On the bright side of things, if there is no one there, at the very least Lumine will only end up embarrassing herself. But if there is Tsaritsa waiting for her instead then... And then what? Will she just... Greet her normally? As if she was not thinking about anything at all? Or should she just instantly put her plan into action? Hear what her heart told her, and let her love for the queen lead her movements.

Lumine shook her head to wash all of those thoughts away. She hasn't even opened the door yet, and she is already sweating buckets. If this is how she will be acting every time she has to open the door, then she will have to take a bath five times a day. And she can't let that happen!

Taking a deep breath, she placed her palm on the surface of the white marble door. Sending miniscule waves of Geo energy and letting the door resonate with it, opening up for her automatically the instant it recognizes her aura. A little trick as a safety measure to prevent anyone else from entering her room without permission. The only exceptions for this are for Pierro and the Tsaritsa, whom she makes sure that the door would recognize their aura and would open and close by their command. The reason why the Cryo Archon is capable of freely entering the room even while she was asleep. And speaking of that, she wonders if the Tsaritsa ever do... that to her when Lumine is unconscious. Just the thought of it made her shiver from unpleasant thoughts.

The door opens up, revealing its contents to Lumine outside. The soft white cotton bed at the end of the room, the dark wooden floor and ceiling above. The rows of bookshelves on the walls, that is not as dramatic in sizes as the one in Pierro's workshop. The white and golden carpet in the center of the room, as well as the round glass table surrounded by four seats for people to gather, an odd choice of design considering that almost no one is ever step foot inside this room aside from her, Pierro, and Tsaritsa. But at least it made the room looks a little welcoming. And then there's also a small kitchen in one corner for her to cook and eat, and another door that leads to the bathroom. A perfect space for all of her needs.

She stepped inside, with the marble door closed shut behind her. Her golden eyes scanned the room carefully. No Tsaritsa in sight. She's not sitting on the chairs or on the bed. She's not leaning against the walls while reading some books. And the bathroom door is opened too, which is exactly the same state Lumine left it in the morning. So, she wasn't here huh? Don't know if she should feel glad or bad about that. But at least now that she isn't here, Lumine could proceed to continue to think about what she should do for the Tsarit-

"Hiya there, my dear little starlight! How've you been?"

Well damn, looks like she just jinx it so hard now.

Not even five seconds after she steps in, and Lumine already feel like her heart jumped to her head from shock when the voice of someone that she already half-expecting to hear suddenly appears right in her ears. And then there's also the sensation of a pair of slender arms suddenly took hold of her waist before pulling her back, into that eembrace of the woman who is bigger than her. Her dainty white hands circling around her mid section, she could feel a pair of soft puddings squished against her shoulders, and the feeling of someone resting her chin on to of her own head.

"Tsaritsa..." Lumine called out the goddess' name. Feeling the warmness of her embrace in this cold evening and basking in it, even more so than the winter coat she's currently wearing over her usual attire.

"Good evening, my dear. I see that you've been working hard. Is that why you are this tense all over?" The grey haired woman asked, pulling Lumine closer to the embrace, one her hand reaches up to give the smaller girl a pat on her head.

"Hmm, I've been working pretty hard." The blonde haired girl repeated, eyes closed and her mouth parted to release some comfortable noises as she leans closer into the heavenly touch of the queen's hand on her hair. So soft and gentle, like petting a cat. "Tsaritsa... Where have you been? It's... Pretty unusual that we haven't seen each other for the whole day." She asked, starting from a small beginning before the big one.

"Same as you I suppose, working hard. Why? Did you miss me?" Tsaritsa asked teasingly. It

"N-No, I didn't. I was just curious, that's all." Lumine replied, looking away hurriedly, trying to hide her blushing face.

She's feeling the need to get out from her embrace now, but Lumine didn't bother trying as long as her lover's hand is still holding her. Knowing full well about Tsaritsa's strength and her grip that is capable of rendering her powerless.

"Hey, Lumine... We haven't seen each other for the entire day now, and it's been a while since we did it. So, just before the night ends, can we do that?"

Lumine widens her eyes slightly at Tsaritsa's request. She's asking for that isn't she? Tch, though Lumine didn't hate it, she is still immersed in her thoughts of what Pierro had told her a while ago. And she thinks that it wouldn't be good if she goes on with it while having her head full like this. She must reject it, like any other times before.

"Tsaritsa, you've been asking the same thing three days ago, and the day before that, and before that, and many before that as well. Don't you get... You know, tired of it?" Lumine asked, looking up towards the woman's deep blue eyes.

"Nonsense, I will never be bored with it. And I certainly never get tired watching you squirm. Moaning so hotly, calling my name so cutely with that lustful gaze. Fufufu, just by remembering it makes me wanna see it again and again."

"Oh, stop it you!" The blonde girl protested in embarrassment, puffing her cheeks in annoyance. Especially when knowing that she did admittedly acts like a dissatisfied slut on her bed for once.

Sensing the grip on her mid section has been loosened up a little, Lumine wiggles in place before eventually managing to get out from Tsaritsa's embrace. Sighing in relief as she does so. Turning around, she look at the form of the queen in front of her and gives her an apologetic look.

"I'm so sorry, Tsaritsa. But I can't do it now again, okay? I'm just... Really tired right now, and I wanna go to bed as quickly as possible. How about another time, okay?" Lumine said with a heavy sigh, gently shaking her head.

"Hmm, is that so? Then how about sleeping in my bedroom then? My bed is much bigger and more comfortable, you know." The queen replied. She just doesn't quit is she?

"Also no. Don't think that I don't know what you're up to." The blonde girl replied, giving the older looking woman a slightly annoyed stare, receiving a small chuckle from the latter. "I'm sorry, I just can't, alright?" She sighed.

"Hmm, but it will get so lonely without you... How could I sleep well tonight if you weren't there by my side." The queen whined, seriously though why is she acting so childlish right now?

"I thought Archons does not require sleep." Lumine stated, causing the queen to pause a little.

So it turns out it wasn't just her, even the Tsaritsa also missed her. It sounds a little dramatic, for the two to miss each other like this when they were just separated for a day. But still though, the fact that the Tsaritsa also missed her presence could only mean that she too had include Lumine as part of her normal daily life. For an Archon who had witnessed the death of many... One can only imagine the pain she went through for not only grieving for her people's deaths, but also to constantly mourn their passing for a long time after.

Just to think of it makes her feel bad for the queen. As an immortal creature traveling from world to world, Lumine too had witnessed countless deaths to so many people. War, pestilence, genocide, or a complete destruction of a world into oblivion, she have seen them all. But, as a traveler, she and Aether have learned to never let themselves get too attached to the people they met and saw dying. The concept of death, they have simply seen it too much to the point that it becomes pretty much normal to them now. But still, as long as they possess this thing known as emotions, their empathy certainly wouldn't allow them to always ignore the suffering of others, particularly her, whose heart is a soft pure white silk adorned with the most intricate linings and motifs. She whose heart is so gentle and soft that her brother even warned her to protect it as much as she can in fear that it would get tainted to the point that it loses all of its pure white color.

"Forgive me brother..." She mentally sighed heavily.

"I can't ignore the suffering of this world. I shall tear down the chains of destiny that controls Tevyat, even if it means tainting my own heart beyond repair."

Ah, and speaking of that, what day is it today?

"Um, what day is it now?" Lumine asked, looking at Tsaritsa for answer.

"Today? It's Friday night currently. Only a day away from the new year's eve." The queen answered, making the blonde haired Harbinger to widen her eyes a little.

The new year's eve? So it was already that time of the year already? Then that means, the day after tomorrow, will be the mark for Lumine's service to the Fatui for three years. And not only that, the Fatui will undoubtedly have another day off to celebrate as well. Tomorrow's day off will be the first time after the last time when Lumine and the Tsaritsa spend some time together inside the frozen forest. A day off, where most personnel will leave the palace... That would be the perfect chance to spend some time together with her majesty! It's time to put her plan into action!

"Ah, that would be perfect!" Lumine exclaimed loudly, unconsciously doing that but didn't mind it once she realized it.

"What would?" The Tsaritsa behind her asked in confusion.

Lumine then quickly turns around and reaches for the Tsaritsa's hands and takes them into hers. Taking those dainty white palms that are bigger than hers, rubbing circles on top of it, while her pair of shining golden eyes stared deeply into Tsaritsa's deep dark blue ones. Feeling herself drowning inside them.

"Tsaritsa... It's been so long since the last time we spent so much time together. Ever since that night in the forest, I have been busy with all of these research and experiments that you tasked me with. And though I didn't mind in the slightest about it, we haven't been together again ever since, unless during night time. So... If I may..."

Lumine gulped the lump in her throat. She reassures herself mentally, gathering all her courage. And with eyes full of determination, she said a bit confidentiality.

"Just for tomorrow... May I accompany you, for the entire day? Just the two of us."

Silence filled the room. Lumine keep her gaze locked with the Tsaritsa, trying to look confident and serious, not knowing that in doing so only made her look so much cuter. Tsaritsa on the other hand are having a blank space, with only the slightest amount of surprise visible on her face.

"Tsaritsa... Will you allow me, to stand by your side?" Lumine asked again, a little bit worried about what Tsaritsa's decision would be.

"You..." Tsaritsa began, slow at first, but then a gentle smile spreads across her face, a genuine one, a beautiful one. "You've gotten bolder. I'm impressed."

"Well, I have Tsaritsa to thank." Lumine replied with a small giggle, a faint shade of red spread across her face.

Releasing their connected hands, Tsaritsa nods her head before turning around, ready to leave.

"Well, since you insist. I shall let you rest for today. I hope that tomorrow, you can meet or even exceed my expectations." With a simple wave of her hand, the door slides open and the Cryo Archon approaches it slowly. "Have a good rest. I hope tomorrow will be a good day. Good night, my darling."

And with that, she left the room, with the door closing as soon as she exited. Once the Tsaritsa is out of sight, Lumine can release a relieved sigh that she has been holding back. This room is warm compared to the hallways outside, and wearing this winter coat is starting to get a little stuffy and it made her sweat a little. She could've taken it off at any moment during her conversation with the Tsaritsa, but there is a good reason why she chose not to.

After unbuttoning the fronts, the grey winter coat fell to the floor with a soft thud, and the blonde haired Harbinger looks down upon her own body: marred with plenty of scars and covered with blood. The drawbacks for the latest experiments she conducted for the Delusions Laboratory. She could only imagine how the Tsaritsa react if she ever saw this.

"I'd better be taking a bath before falling asleep."

The bathroom is just behind her, she could go back to that river inside the forest if she wants to. But she knew better that she shouldn't, especially knowing that a certain woman with grey hair may be there to peek at her while she bathe.

~o~0~o~

For an Archon, who lives a long life before and after, Tsaritsa is aware of concept of changes. The world of Tevyat as she knows it, is a rotating planet drifting towards the future with a constant pace.

The things in this world, they also follows along with the flows of time. All things who are born are destined perish eventually. And things who are made, shall be eroded by time until it becomes nothing. All things will eventually come to an end. But it was only the matter of how long it will takes for one to reach its end. Just like the queen of Snezhnaya herself.

Born to be destined to inherit the throne of the Seven from her late predecessor, the former goddess of love is akin to a large boulder blocking the passage of water to continue flowing. Whilst the people around her come and go, a fleeting scenery of a lovely humans who are gradually getting replaced as time went on, she was the opposite of it. Though it is inevitable that they may come a day when she too would be gone to join her predecessor on the better land far far away, and someone would replace her position as the ruler of the land of always winter, she doubted that that time may come anytime soon. Especially after knowing that the gods above are also being in a dormant like state in recent years. Tsaritsa is like an anomaly amongs the people, a beautiful woman whose face and features did not change in the slightest even after all the years that have passed.

After knowing this, that changes are inevitable to those who did not born on the same plane as her or above, the once gentle maiden had naively believed that just like how her appearance had never changed, then the love of her for her people and the humans of this world shall never change as well. She'll be the bright light who shines upon this world, the infinite source of warmth for her people to contrast the bitter cold that this land have been putting them under. That is her one and only goal at the time, to become a symbol, a love and peace incarnate. But who would've thought of just how wrong she was to ever thought that.

One day, it all only take a single day for her to change so much. A span of time that is nothing compared to how long she has been lived for or after. And yet, in that day, when the skies bleeds red, and the ground is burning into crisp, all the events that happened would mark a new genesis to the world of Tevyat, a revelation to a truth that is so brutal, so messed up, so unforgiving, that it turned the once pure maiden with such a bright lovely aura, into the merciless bitter cold queen she is now. A constant reminder to her, that changes, applies to anyone, not just the mortals, but the gods as well. Even though their body constitution are made to withstand the passages of time, their mind and their heart is certainly not, a small or big things are capable of changing them, whether it's a long process, or a short or instant one.

Just like the changes she sees inside Lumine.

Throughout these two years of her service for the queen, her great contribution to the cause, the second of the two Harbinger has underwent a number of different changes throughout her times of service. And the Tsaritsa could remember them all, for the queen had always had her eyes on the indistinguishable girl from start to finish.

She vividly remembers, of the first time the two had talked with each other directly. At that time, the Lumine that she met was but a weak little child, who naively caused troubles and willingly getting captured by the Fatui in hopes of just meeting Cryo Archon, a girl who foolishly thinking that she could enter her domain to seek for her audience and leave in one piece. Such girl is no longer exist anymore, and Tsaritsa finds herself wondering that if there is an existence of an alternate universe out there, where she and Lumine could met in a different way, how will that Lumine would handle the situation of being her little lover? No doubt it's going to be very different from the one she's experiencing right now.

And then, under that same day, after getting crushed under the pressure of her hopeless situation and the impossibility of her to reach her goal at her current situation. She forged a contract with the Tsaritsa, sealing her fate by willingly giving her soul into the Cryo Archon's hands. And thus the once weak, helpless girl was turned into the dried, crippling husk of her former self. Those beautiful golden eyes loses its glow, her expressive and cute face turned into blank and emotionless one, completely detached from life. Yet she still possess that deep determination and devotion to the cause. Willing to sacrifice anything for the sake it, becoming an inspiring figure, that the underlings has begun to look up to. A soulless angel, that's what they call her.

And afterwards, she continues to change again, this time, it was thanks to the attention given to her by her two superiors, who admittedly, couldn't help but to come to care for her company, and made things easier for her to work around with.

First, there was the Jester, whose task as her partner and mentor during the first year, and later her senior and equal on the second, has become some sort of a needed company for her. Thanks to his companionship, she became less emotionless, at least when he was around, became talkative, and spoke more than two sentences in every conversation unlike before. His advices and his agreement to keep the big secret she's been keeping has also made him to become a trustworthy person, and before long, the second Harbinger is seen frequently approaching the first when she was in dire need of a helpful advice.

And then, last but not least, the last change was made to her during that moment, when the truth were revealed, and the Cryo Archon confessed her true feelings that she has long been buried inside the queen's heart. Everything about Lumine changes after that, no longer did she act so stiff and formal around her lover, she has become an easily flustered and shy girl who blushes red at any moment she received an act of affection from the Tsaritsa. A girl who not only looks cute, but also acts like that in bed, who sings so beautifully, that it melts the frozen heart of the heavily embittered goddess. She is everything for the Tsaritsa, everything. And she wishes to cherish her presence for all eternity.

Those changes she sees in Lumine, it all happen only in a mere span of two years, with the last one being the quickest changes of them all. And after knowing this fact, the queen couldn't help but to anticipate the kind of changes that will appear after this, not minding if it will be a quick one or a long process.

But she certainly didn't expect that it would be this quick.

"Lumine, I know that you said that you wanted to spend time with me for the entire day, but is there any reason to why are you wearing that?"

The next morning after that night when the Tsaritsa visited the second Harbinger's room, where they have promised to spend this entire day together, since it was the day of the new year's eve, and everyone in the Fatui are having a day off to celebrate it. The Cryo Archon of Snezhnaya has been waiting inside the throne room, sitting atop of her ice throne as she waits for her left hand woman, her lover, to come. And though the blonde haired girl does indeed come, a little sooner than she expected, she had been preparing a little surprise it seems.

"Greetings my master, your humble servant has returned."

Though she didn't mind the sudden change of attire, it still raises some curious questions within Tsaritsa's mind.

Lumine is not her usual white traveling outfit, or the black variation of it that has the Fatui insignias and motifs sewn into it. Or the grey winter coat that everyone in the palace is wearing for that matter. Instead, it was completely different. She is wearing a maid dress, a black and white colored one, while that alone would've been fine and a little bit of cute. It wouldn't peaked Tsaritsa's mind if it wasn't for the fact that this particular style of the maid uniform that Lumine had chosen, is one that is far from the common ones seen in Tevyat.

Starting from the top, the white apron part of the dress is tied to her neck and around her mid section, covering her belly nicely. But just on top of that however, there was a huge open window for the black dress that largely exposed the area around her chest up to her collar bone, with only white frails being the only features to cover up the most enticing bits, enough to make Tsaritsa lightly shaking from excitement of her desire to rip down those things out of her sight. The black dress itself is a mini skirt one, barely even reaching to her thighs, quite a contrast to her normal dress which has a long skirt. On her legs, she wears a pair of long white stockings and black shoes, while on her hands, she wears a pair of fingerless white gloves.

As she greets the queen, she bows her head and body down a little, reaching down to her skirt and lift them up, a gesture that should've have been done with a long skirt instead of a mini one. But Tsaritsa didn't bother to voice her opinions, not when in doing so, Lumine had shown off her cute little white panties to the queen, who is barely, but still able to see bits of it, unknowingly making the Cryo Archon's heart skipped a beat. So she didn't wear those boring bloomers anymore...

With the ice throne is a few steps above the ground, Tsaritsa had also saw the back of Lumine's new outfit, or, her back, for that matter. Turns out, the maid dress also features a backless parts as well, exposing the girls back including the nice curve of her spine, ending at only a mere centimeters away from that rear that she have seen a couple times in the pass.

Goodness gracious... Just where did this girl found this kind of outfit? It is nothing but a great tool of seduction. Even the Tsaritsa herself is greatly affected by this, and the queen finds herself getting surrounded by temptations to take the girl's hands and leads her to her bedroom. Unfortunately however, the day are just getting started, and it will be too early for her to be consumed by her desire. At least not this time again.

"Why am I wearing this you ask? Well, it's for this occasion, of course." Lumine answered, standing still, hands intertwined and placed in front of her. "Tsaritsa, I wanted to spend more time with you, on a personal level in this one. We... We have never been into that outside of our working relationship, o-or... Our night time skinship. I've heard and read from books of what lovers do, how they spend time together doing what they like, and how it made their relationship progress. So please, just for today, let me serve you, or rather... Let me accompany you, doing what you like the most, I want to know more about Tsaritsa... What she likes... What's her hobbies, and what is her favorite food and so much more..."

Well, this is a pretty huge request. The queen found herself a little stunned. Those things that Lumine have listed, they all fell into the category of what her former self is made of. Things such as hobbies, favorite food, and what she likes to do in free time, it all should've stayed in the past. Ever since that horrible day... Tsaritsa have abandoned herself, her loving and caring personality, her identity as the kind and benevolent queen who is adored and loved by her people, what made her into a person. She have abandoned them all, she is now supposed to be anything but benevolent. She must to, for the cause, for her goal to tore down the heavens and build it anew atop of the deep buried old world. That's what she is supposed to be now.

And yet, this girl, the otherworldly descender who came here in search of her brother, only to get reluctantly recruited for the grand cause, the girl who manages to win over the frozen heart of the Tsaritsa. She is responsible for all the changes that happen to the supposedly reformed queen. The Tsaritsa's heart is supposedly a thick chunk of ice blocks right now, devoid of warmth, love, or anything really. But when Lumine's cones in, it was as if the heavy clouds in the sky, that blocked the gentle rays of the sun that rarely ever shines in the lad, to suddenly disperses, allowing the warm light of the burning sun, to be cast onto the block of ice, melting it, warming it, until the once cold ice, is turned into water, a pool gathered below, warm and cozy, that is what Tsaritsa is feeling right now. She claimed to have been reformed, but now, while she is there, before the blonde haired girl, her loyal servant, her second Harbinger, her left hand, her lover. Tsaritsa is back, back into her old self, the lovely maiden of unmatched beauty, whose kindness is like campfire amidst the land of always winter.

A smile appeared on Tsaritsa's face, it starts as a small one, and then it got bigger, and bigger, until it became a grin. With a hand raised up to clutch her face, Tsaritsa's body shook. A snorts escapes her throat, and then she starts chuckling before it turns into a full blown laughter.

"T-Tsaritsa?! What's wrong? Why are you laughing?" Lumine asked, surprised and confused. Tsaritsa had never before laughed so much like this, and it was a joyful one too it seems. She does make a chuckle a couple times before, mainly when she was being teaseful of Lumine, but to her laugh is the first one for Lumine.

"It's nothing, it's nothing really. I was just surprised, that's all." Tsaritsa replied, taking her hand off from her face, rubbing her eyes using the other. "When I heard you asking for a private time for just the two of us this day, I never thought that you would be asking this, it just caught off guard. You know, because they were the things that I do as my past self, before things gone spiral."

"Oh." Lumine quietly exclaimed, tilting her head to the side for a bit. "Is it no good?"

"Not at all." Tsaritsa shook her head, before finally for the first time ever since Lumine entered the room, standing up from her throne. "They were considered to be one with my former self, and that side of me is long dead by now, or at least it is supposed to, but Lumine, you've already brought out the deceased side of me for so much by now, so I absolutely didn't mind that."

After saying that, the grey haired woman stepped down the small stairs leading up to her throne, bringing herself down to the same level of her favorite Harbinger, her little lover.

"If you really wish to know about me, and want to see it for yourself, then I'll allow it. I'll show it all to you, my love. Just like how you showed me everything about you." Reaching down, the taller woman gently took the smaller girl's hand, bringing it up as she rubs circles around her palm gent, smiling brightly at her as she does so.

Lumine blushes the color of red on her cheeks, the color that Tsaritsa is addicted to seeing so much. She nods her head as a response, and she herself also made a smile appear on her face, a genuine happy one. Just by seeing it is enough to make the queen's heart bloom.

"But you know, even with those requests that asked of me, it's still unnecessary for you to dress up like this. I know that it was supposed to be cute, but a maid is still by Principles, a servant to master. You are more than that, my dear, you are my lover." Tsaritsa said after a while of silence, looking down at Lumine's attire now that she is up close.

"Oh, um... Should I take them off?" Lumine asked a bit nervously, blushing a little from Tsaritsa's gaze.

"Hmph, you don't have to. It will not be a hindrance for our private time. And also, I kinda like this design choice of yours. Were you trying to seduce me? Hmm? You little sneaky cat~" The Cryo Archon questioned, her free hand reached behind Lumine's bag, her index traces her back, dragging it from up of her neck down to waist teasingly.

"H-Hmph... i-I've heard that... That men really likes it when a girl wears an exposed outfits like this... T-Tsaritsa is a woman, but um... I-I wanted to try so... Does it work?" The blonde haired girl asked, shakily and timid.

"Hmm, it does." Tsaritsa nodded leading down to Lumine's level, before putting her lips on the smaller girl's ears. "It really makes me want to eat you out~" She whispers while licking the soft earlobe.

"Uhh..."

~o~0~o~

"This is one of my private chambers within the Zapolyarny palace. A small garden of ice, that I alone have built, and I alone is allowed to enter."

Starting for the first part of their activity, which is delving into Tsaritsa's hobbies. The Cryo Archon had led Lumine into a room that the Harbinger didn't even know existed within the royal palace. It was located near the hallways that also leads to the Tsaritsa's bedroom that Lumine frequently visited due to her daily night activities. However, due Lumine's unwillingness to ever get near to the said bedroom, or the surrounding area around it, she didn't get much chances to explore further, and thus the reason why she didn't know the existence of this room.

This room is big, unlike any other room before. It almost as big as the throne room, but still a little bit smaller in comparison. The walls and the ceiling is still the same, made out of marbles, both black and white, as well as some stone structures with carvings beautifully making it nice to be seen.

But as for the floor however, it's different. The floor isn't made out of marble, ceramic, or stone. It was instead made completely out of ice. Shiny clear blue ice that Lumine could even see her own reflection clearly. Crazy to think that this thing is used to be water, because, if it stays in its liquid form, then room will be flooded and it will not be as pretty as it is now. There are also big chunks of ice spurting from the floor, making them seems like an ice mountains and cliffs. While that alone seems not that impressive, what catches Lumine's attention is how some of the chunks of ice above the ground are made to mimic a different kinds of structures, one that is normally are not made out completely of ice. It pique her interest so much that she asked Tsaritsa about it.

"Tsaritsa, what are these ice structures? Are they made up naturally? Or... Did you make them yourself?" Lumine approached one of the many visible chunks of ice, crouching down to see what it looks like to be a replica of a horse spring, one that is commonly found in a playground for kids to ride. It was buried under layers of ice and snow that made up the mountain.

"Those ice replicas are man-made, obviously, it was I who made them." Tsaritsa answered, walking just behind Lumine, her deep blue eyes looking around at the messy state of her surroundings.

"You made them? Why? To test out your powers or something?" Lumine asked again with a tilt of her eyes.

"No, it is not." Tsaritsa gently shook her head. "You see, this room, it used to be my... Meditation room, where I could be alone as I contiplate things running in my mind."

"Meditation? So you're saying that every time you meditate and thinking about something, snow and ice just randomly spawns around you?" Lumine asked, sounding genuinely surprised at Tsaritsa's words.

At this question, Tsaritsa chuckled, covering her lips with her fingers as she gently shook her head in amusement. "No, it wasn't like that, my dear. You see, like I've said before, this room, is where I can be all alone without anyone interrupting me, thought my bedroom is nice, it was a little too small for me to do anything else. Meanwhile on this room however, I can do pretty much anything I want to it, including turning the entire floor into ice, made snow fall within a closed up room, and errect blocks of ice that I can carve into whatever replica of a structures that I like."

As she explains this, Tsaritsa cast a simple spell to her shoes, that made it capable of her to move freely while standing on top of the ice floor, using it to skate around the room rather easily and smooth, with Lumine watching as the queen elegantly skates around the ice, despite of the dress she's wearing, it didn't hinder her movements, she flexible slips and turns around the crumbled ice structures and snow mountains, making sure to skate pass each of them, until she stopped perfectly in the middle of the room, just several meters away from Lumine.

"It was while in this room, I am free to make everything I want. Everything that my heart desires, everything that is happening in my mind." Tsaritsa said as she crouched down, her hands dug up the pile of snow before her feet, and from under it, she retrieved an item, a sceptre, made of ice. Bring it up to reveal its full form and put the bottom end of it into the ground below.

Lumine never thought of it before, perhaps because she was distracted by other matters. But it was indeed very odd that as a queen, Tsaritsa was never seen with a sceptre before, like any other queens that Lumine has seen in the past, but now that she has seen the thing in Tsaritsa's hand, her curious thought is finally answered.

"Back in the past, as I spent my time meditating here, I thought of... Of many things." The grey haired woman continues, releasing a little sigh. "From the state of Snezhnaya of that time and how to improve it, my dreams of turning this nation into an utopia, free of violence and cruelty. Other times, I thought of simpler things, such as nature's beauty, the landscape of Snezhnaya of that time, and the beautiful things I have seen around the world or from dreams I'm having while I was asleep and fortunate enough to remember it."

"And so, as I thought all of this inside my mind, my body reacts accordingly to it. Snow and large ice chunks appear around me. And as I let my imagination lead me, I carved the ice, turning it into structures that my mind thought of, my imaginations, my desires."

Lumine looks at the back of Tsaritsa for a while as she speaks, thinking about the Cryo Archon and her relation to the room. Although she didn't see it, hearing the melancholic tone of her voice, it is clear that the woman isn't feeling happy anymore, and in fact are saddened by her memories, memories of simpler days and simpler times that is long gone now, and memories of that day.

"I see... So that's why you carved them, you wanted to realize your dreams, and you made it possible by demonstrating it with these ice sculptures. Before planning to do it with the real thing." Lumine muttered with a nod of her head, putting both hands on her side as she looked at her surroundings.

"Yes... I did that mostly when I think of making plans to build important places and buildings. These ice served as 3D recreations of the structure that I have in mind, before I handed over my idea to the people. Though, as you can see right now around you, I haven't been in her for years now, and everything I've built up until now has all but crumbled back to ice and snow. No longer having the beauty of what they used to when I first carve it."

After Tsaritsa's explanation, the room went silent. It seems like the queen has nothing to say anymore, nor does Lumine who only stood there to listen. With None of them willing to talk and continue the conversation, Lumine decided to take matters into her own hands. She approached one of the downed ice sculptures nearby, this one looks like a typical park bench. Reaching her hands out, she uses her Pyro element to heat up the ice and melts them down into water, then uses her Hydro elements to take control of the water and shape it into the perfect shape of the bench before lastly, using her Cryo elements to freeze it. Turning the once broken ice structures into a new one that is better in shape than the last.

"Lumine, what are you doing?" Confused at what the blonde girl just did, Tsaritsa questions her, eyes widening a little as she looks at the Harbinger who approached another broken down ice sculpture, and repeats the process.

"I've said it before, I wanted to know more about Tsaritsa. I wanted to know her hobbies, and I wanted to indulge in them. I wanted to make some ice sculptures too." Lumine answered, after finishing up fixing a broken down ice pillar, she turned her head towards the queen and gave her a narrowed stare. "Just for once... I really wanted to see the beautiful world of Tsaritsa... Is that okay?",

The queen was admittedly surprised by what Lumine had said. She started at the girl with wide eyes, confused at what she has to say. However, she didn't hate it, she liked this side of Lumine, who really wants to know more about the other side of the Cryo Archon, her forgotten self that has long been buried deep inside her heart. And so, she nods her head for approval, and Lumine smiles in return as she got back to her job. She really likes that smiles of her, a genuine one that radiates so much warmth and joy.

~o~0~o~

"Shaved ice? Is that your favorite food?"

After hours have passed since the two have been in that room, Lumine and Tsaritsa have rebuild the destroyed garden of ice from bit by bits. The world of snow and ice that the Tsaritsa have imagined, it was nothing but magnificent. Together, the queen and her Harbinger have made broken down ice temples stood tall again, a garden filled by ice roses and cecilias that used to be covered by layers of snow has been cleared out, revealing it's simple yet elegant beauty. A playground have also been repaired, with things such as swings, merry go round, and horse springs inside, several ice mannequins have also been made to represent children playing around inside the park, those are Tsaritsa's product alone.

In short, from all the ice sculptures that they've made together, Lumine have concluded one thing, that before things have gone down spiral after the events of the Cataclysm, the Tsaritsa is truly is the goddess of love, who only desired for peace in her neation. Where children could play and laugh on the streets, where parents could watch as their children grow up to be big and happy, and where couples could spend time together freely loving each other.

Those are her thoughts, but after the Cataclysm however, she became heavily embittered, and before long, she found herself stop thinking about them anymore. The once lovely and kind maiden, was turned into a dreadful queen who devoid of anything but her hatred against the divine, the sole reason why the Fatui was made in the first place. But to think that someone like Lumine is fully capable of melting away the frozen heart of the Tsaritsa... It is beyond imaginable, borderline impossible, and yet here she is, standing beside the queen in her personal kitchen, watching as the grey haired woman made a cup of shaved ice.

"It is. They're one of my favourites. Easy to make, not requiring too much things to make it, and it was sweet to the mouth. Not to mention that being the Cryo Archon myself, I could technically produce countless of them if I need to." Tsaritsa answered, finishing the first cup of the shaved ice, sliding it across the table until it stops right in front of Lumine.

"Whoa, the shavings are really clean, and it's all just pure white! It almost looks like snow, but it's actually ice." Lumine stared at the cup in front of her in amazement, her eyes glitter in wonder, she stick one finger into the pure white ice, feeling it's coldness at her fingertips, before bringing some tiny bits of it up and into her mouth, marveling at the sensation. "And they quickly melt once inserted into your mouth too. This is amazing! Never knew that eating snow will be this delicious."

"Heh, everyone said the same thing when they first tried it." Tsaritsa softly muttered, her lips quirk up into a smirk. "I used to serve these during the gathering of the Seven, particularly, during our very first meeting."

"You've gathered with them before?" Lumine asked, raising her eyebrow as she stared at Tsaritsa.

"I... Did." The grey haired woman muttered with a little nod. "Back before I became the current Cryo Archon, the seven gods used to occasionally gathered up together, particularly in Liyue, where the eldest among us ruled the nations. My predecessor is also one of the frequent visitors, she was quite popular among them actually, and her disappearance have left... quite a big dent to all of them."

Tsaritsa sighed a little, looking down at the second cup in her hand, only halfway filled with the shaved ice. She needs to work on it a little more, before the ice melts into water. Though she can easily use her power to slow down the melting process, her powers are not one to be used for a petty purpose like that.

"After I took up the mantle as the new queen of Snezhnaya, and the last of the seven. It was... Quite hard for me to get accepted by society. Both by the people of Snezhnaya, who were already enamored by the previous queen, and saw me as nothing but a cheap replacement, and by my fellow Archons as well, who are still mourning over my predecessor, and thus too focused to even notice me and try to accept me as one of them." The woman explained with another sigh, looking particularly somber at the memory.

"That's... Rough." Lumine muttered out loud, feeling a little sympathetic. "So then, how is it? How did Tsaritsa become known as the goddess of love?" The blonde girl asked, a little curious.

"It was a... Long story, maybe for another time. But basically, it involves a lot of struggle from me to get accepted by this world." While Tsaritsa is explaining, Lumine kept her eyes on her, watching as the queen's face gradually changes between different emotions, some of them even a mixed up thing. Making her wonder at how much the struggle she went through during her early days of godhood. "After a lot of training, a lot of learning, and a lot of doing even the smallest of things possible that could help the people. The people of Snezhnaya eventually accept me. I hold back the winter storm that approaches every now and then, I calmed down the weather so that no blizzard will destroy parts of the city every night. I went to the city, all but walking on my bare feet, as I went around and helped the people in need. It takes a lot of effort, and quite a long time too. But eventually, they started to accept me, children would approach me, smiling brightly as they gathered around my feet and hugged me, their eyes are sparkling, full of passion and admiration. One boy would show me his test result from school, asking me for praise, while on the other hand, there was also this one girl who gave me a bouquet of flowers, to thank me for helping her grandma she says. Those were just the start, and by the end of the year, everyone in Snezhnaya from children to adults would throw countless praises at me, for my kindness and benevolence. And I would be known as the goddess of love and peace after that."

Releasing a sigh, a tiny smile appeared on Tsaritsa's face, it seems like remembering the pleasant memories have made her happy, even just for a little.

"That was quite the story... But then, what of the other Seven?" Lumine asked, tilting her head a little.

"Ah, about that. Well, it too takes a little bit of time as well. But it was relatively easier than the last." The grey haired woman said with a shake of her head. "After being finally accepted by the people and Snezhnaya, and becoming the goddess of love. I too started to devise a plan to somehow make myself known among the other Archons."

"It started out a bit rough. I started with disguising myself to look like an average Snezhnayan'z citizen, and use this form to visit the other nations, in hopes of not only learning some new things that I might add to my own, but also to see if I can meet the other Archons should I have the chance. And fortunately enough, I did. Some of them are cautious of me at first, but later accept me anyway after I told them that I have no ill will. Others however, such as the god of freedom in Mondstadt, or the twin sisters of lighting in Inazuma, they pretty much accept me rather easily, claiming that they always accept changes, even if it means one of their friends is replaced by a complete stranger. The interaction between us is nice, and I found myself getting comfortable around them too, enough to make me pay a frequent visit to their nations. And before long, as I wanted for us to gather, I started to invite them all into this palace, where we could gather around the round table, telling interesting stories and tales, and also sharing tips with each other, I particularly liked the beauty tips that Greater Lord Rukhadevata have given me, or the tips of how to rule a nation in peace from the older sister of the Raiden twins. Those were the good times."

With her explanation done, the second cup of the shaved ice is also done as well, looking beautiful just like the last one. A smile of satisfaction spreads on Tsaritsa's face.

"One time, they've asked me whether or not I am capable of cooking, unlike a certain woman who hides behind her sister's shadow. And I told them that I do, though I am not that good of a chef compared to others. I can at least brag about my specialties in making shaved ice. A small dessert for all the seven people gathered at the table. And just by seeing their faces brighten up when they took a spoon of it into their mouth... It is the most satisfying thing ever for me to see." Tsaritsa finishes, sliding the new cup of shaved ice and makes it stop right beside Lumine's cup.

"I see. What an interesting story. Such a shame that those things were only in the past." Lumine muttered quietly, nodding her head a little and putting her hand atop her chest. Looking down at the two cups in front of her, she ask another question. "So then, what do we do with them next?"

"We put toppings on top of it of course. Anything is allowed, but sweet things like berries and syrups are preferable." Saying this, Tsaritsa took out a basket of mixed up berries from a cupboard, as well as a bottle of syrups. She took her cup of the shaved ice, and put the toppings on top of it.

"Ah, is that so? Well then, I happened to have some too." Lumine said, materializing various things into existence, and putting it on top of the table.

After a while, both cups of the shaved ice are ready to be eaten now. All it needs now is just for them to find a perfect spot to eat it.

"Let's not eat here, it's not much of a view for our eating session. Follow me, I'll show something nice." Tsaritsa took her cup into her hand, before gesturing for Lumine to follow her, to which the blonde haired girl did, trailing behind the queen as she led their way back into the hallways.

~o~0~o~

"What is this place? It looks... Mystical..."

After a while of traversing the giant hallways of the Zapolyarny palace, the Tsaritsa has taken Lumine into another secret part of the royal palace that she doesn't know existed before.

This time, for this chamber, it was located on the highest floor of the palace, the same level as the queen's personal quarter. Meaning that it is expected for her to see the view of the outside world, particularly to the seas below.

Unlike the chamber from before, this one is an open one. There are no walls, only fences made out of stone. There are no windows, allowing the wind of afternoon to freely enter and sway their hair as it brushes against them. The contents of the room almost looks like a shrine, or a special guest room perhaps, or maybe something else. There's a single pathway in the middle, leading from one end to the other end of the room. Meanwhile, on each side of the pathway, there are ponds of unfreezing water, filled with all kinds of fish that usually swims around the seas of Snezhnaya, leading Lumine to believe that it was filled with sea water, hence why it was not frozen. And then, floating across the surface of the water, several ice lillies are scattered, adding more beauty to the already mystical atmosphere. Lumine wonders if this room is also built by Tsaritsa herself too.

"This, this is another of my private chamber. The place where I did my second hobby. Staring into the sunset, with the city of Snezhnaya in the background." Tsaritsa answered, walking in front of Lumine, stepping on the single pathway in the middle of the two ponds.

"Staring into the sunset? Does that even considers a hobby?" Lumine asked curiously, her eyes didn't stop to wander around the room, especially to the two separated fish ponds on both of her sides. Looking in wonder at the ice Lilly flowers that didn't melt even when it touches water.

"Well, they say that a hobby is something you like to do in your free time, right? Well, this is what I like to do in my free time. What I used to do anyway. Nowadays, I find the sunset is actually not that beautiful anymore to look at. Especially after knowing that the skies we've seen all this time, is nothing but a lie, a gigantic hoax." Tsaritsa explained, unflinching, she continues on forward, until she arrives at the end of the room, where Lumine soon followed.

There was a small flight of stairs that leads to a higher platform, where the view is even more impressive. A glass round table and a pair of chairs await the two, and Tsaritsa wastes no time telling Lumine to sit down and eat the cold desserts together, before it starts melting.

They sit there in silence comfortably, silently taking spoonful upon spoonful of their respective desserts into their mouth, marveling at it's sweet taste. Tsaritsa looks like she eats something ordinary that is served every day, with her face didn't show much of any kinds of expression aside from a calm and somber one. Lumine on the other hand, she found herself fully enjoying the dessert as if it was the best dish she have tasted in a while, especially considering that she didn't even ate much. If it wasn't for Tsaritsa who advised her to eat normally and never skip lunch or breakfast, she might've look skinnier than she already have.

After taking another bite, Lumine took a moment to turn her head to the side, looking at the open view beside her. What Tsaritsa said is right, the sunset here really is beautiful, the way the orange glow of the sun rays hit the blue ocean, it reflects back at the observers' eyes as a glimmering white light, swayed by the gentle ocean waves. The snowy landscape of Snezhnaya is also looks twice the time as beautiful as it was during the day, with the white snow is now having a tint of orange in them, which makes them looks unique. The birds soaring through the skies above, the cool gentle wind brushing against her face, and then the view of the magnificent capital city in the distance, the pride of the Tsaritsa. She has no doubt to why the queen loves to watch the sunset here, it is simply a very beautiful sight.

"Lumine? What's wrong? You're spacing out again." She heard the voice of the Tsaritsa calling her, returning Lumine back to reality.

"Oh, um... It's nothing. I was just... Wondering about something, that's all." Lumine quickly replied with a nervous chuckle.

"Well then, how about you tell me about it?" Tsaritsa asked, receiving an owlish blink from the blonde haired girl. "It's better than having silence between us. Come on, ask away anything you want to know. I won't be bothered."

Should she? There is a question that Lumine want to ask her after hearing of her story about how the woman got herself into what she is today. But has been holding back the question because she was waiting for the right time to say it. But now, now that the Tsaritsa have asked her herself to spill it out. Lumine guess that it shouldn't be a problem to say it now.

"I've been wondering, after listening to your stories before. But, Tsaritsa, you really love Snezhnaya that much, huh?" Lumine asked, causing Tsaritsa to pause a little, looking at the smaller girl in front of her in slight confusion. "I mean, during the early days of your goddesshood, when you just become the new Cryo Archon, when the people of this nation didn't acknowledge you at the start. You said that you keep trying and trying until you become dearly beloved. I know that you are a really nice person before, the people would never called you the goddess of love if you're not. But, still, how can you have the determination to keep going? I mean, you said that the people hated you, they hate you because you are merely a replacement for the former Cryo Archon, but then, how come you still have the will to gain their trust? To gain their admiration and love? When they hated you from the start?"

Tsaritsa didn't say, anything merely staring at Lumine in silence, as if knowing that the blonde girl is still not finished yet with her question, and so she let her.

"I've... I've been in the same position too, you know? I've had more than two worlds full of people who detested me. One world think of me as a monster, while the other blame me for everything bad that happens. I've tried to gain their trust, saying that I'm innocent, but it's not working! They just become more and more violent until it forces me to leave the world behind. How can you be successful? How did you do it?" Limine finishes, her golden eyes looking directly into Tsaritsa's blue ones, full of questions and confusion.

Tsaritsa was silent at first, but after a while, she sighed and set the metal spoon down on the table. Her eyes narrowed while her expression becomes unreadable. Her midnight blue eyes drifted to the side as she glanced towards the city of Snezhnaya in the distance, covered with the orange glow of the evening sun.

"Hmm, now that is a question that is difficult for me to answer." The queen said with a hum, putting her elbow against the stone railings by her side and resting her chin upon her palm. "When you think about it with an adult mind, fully functional and having deep understanding of everything, it may have been hard to think of. But that is not how I was back then."

"What do you mean?" Lumine asked with a tilt of her head.

"Well, you see Lumine... Though I was born a god, meaning that I have superiority over mortals in many aspects. But still, I was a being that is born into this world, and every being who is born has different stages in their life. Stages that lead from the beginning to the end, a gradual development of a person." Tsaritsa answered, picking back the metal spoon she continues eating her dessert. "Back then, during the early ages of my godhood, though I was born to take the form of a pure white maiden, I was but a child on the inside. Curious, stubborn, and desperate to seek attention too." The queen lightly giggled at that thought, remembering the old times. "Just like that of a small child who seeks attention to their mother, I too was like that at the time. I was confused, I was curious, why didn't the people like me? Was it because of my looks? Was it because of my personality? I keep searching and searching for the reason. The maids in the palace have told me that I already possess the most beautiful looks in Snezhnaya, that my beauty is unmatched with any other maidens. But I just couldn't understand. I saw on the streets how beautiful ladies are surrounded by people, men or women alike, children or elderly. They are respected, they are praised. But why not me? If I was indeed the most beautiful person in the nation, then why did the people hate me instead?"

"And so, after figuring out that my looks wouldn't probably help much in solving the problem. I turn my attention to my personality instead. Once again, I did a lot of studies for this, trying to find how I should properly act in the public to gain their attention. That is, until I saw a certain woman surrounded by many people on the streets that is. This woman is a caretaker of a local orphanage, every sunday morning, she could be seen standing in front of her orphanage, bringing the children out as she gives them foods and other trinkets. She was a truly generous person, that's for sure. When I saw her that day, I saw her giving away books for the orphans to read, new set of clothes for them to wear, toys that they used to play, and even gave them free tickets to a theme park. She was surrounded by other adults, who smiled at her, praising her for her generosity. And it was at that moment, something sparked inside me, that maybe if I act generous and kind like her, people will start to like me. And so I tried, and it worked! It took a lot of time, yes, but at least it has a result. I tried from something small, helping elderly people crossing over the road covered by a thick layer of snow, helping a delivery guy in carrying his heavy things and even delivering it from home to home, and even helped a mother calm down her crying child."

"And after that, as those whom I helped started to believe in me, I leveled up my game too. I clear up the roads from the snow that hinders people from walking, I defeated threatening monsters that have potential risk in attacking the city, and I even did the same thing that that woman did as well. Giving the orphan children things to make it easier for them in their life. I even built them a new much bigger orphanage too, called House of The Hearth, where all of our child soldiers are coming from at present time. So yeah, that is how I did it, my determination to gain the people's trust is mostly coming from my child like curiosity. The thing that pushed me to keep trying, trying until I reached my goal, which in turn then shaped me into the person that the people knew me before. A kind and benevolent goddess, whom the people praises every time she walks in the city. Now, does that answer your question?"

Tsaritsa turns her head back to look at the girl in front of her, her azure blue eyes stared directly into Lumine's golden ones. And upon seeing the queen is staring at her, asking her if her answer satisfied her, Lumine nodded.

"I guess... It's still vague to me to be honest... But at least I understand it a little. Sometimes, you just need another set of reasons for you to push yourself to the limit. Just like how you can keep pushing yourself until you reached your goal of getting the people of Snezhnaya to acknowledge you as an equal to your predecessor, perhaps I too should've find another as to why I was searching for Aether... Maybe that way... I can actually keep walking down this path."

"Ah! I knew it was going to have something to do with your brother." Tsaritsa exclaimed, causing Lumine to look at her in confusion, making the older looking woman chuckled. "It's all in your face, my dear. Every time you think of your older brother, there is always this pained expression on your face. It's not like I liked it to you having a downed expression like that, but I've just seen it so many times that I started to know it."

Lumine sighed heavily at this, lightly shaking her head. "Tsaritsa... I was getting tired of this. It's been two years, and tomorrow, it will be three. And I haven't even got a single clue of the whereabouts of my brother. I know that you promised to help me in my search, but we haven't made any significant progress yet! I even tried to search for him myself during my free time, but it's still no use! I was like searching for a needle in a haystack. I tried to keep telling myself to be patient, to keep waiting and waiting until fate finally decided to brought us back together, but I can't. Days upon days have passed, and I found myself losing faith as time passed on. Can I ever find him? Was he even in this world? Are all of my doings all this time are for nothing?! These questions keep swirling inside my head and I can't help it!"

Leaning forward, Lumine bumped her head against the glass table. Head facing down and arms circled around her downed head. She is looking miserable, Tsaritsa has to admit, and she's feeling a little sympathetic for this pained girl.

"Tsaritsa..." Lumine called out the goddess name, swallowing the lump in her throat. "I... I never regretted my decision in accepting the contract we made that day. But please... Tell me..." The blonde girl raises her head a little, her sparkling eyes look at the queen's blue ones. "Is what I am doing... Is wrong? Is it wrong for me... To be this impatient... To be so distrustful of the promise you gave me?"

Gold meets with dark blue, their eyes are connected, the wind blows gently upon them, swaying their hair and cools down the atmosphere around them. Tsaritsa sighed, and gently, she took one of Lumine's hand into hers, as she gently rubs circles on her palm.

"No... I don't think what you do is wrong, Lumine." Tsaritsa answered, a gentle smile appeared on her face as she answers. "It is only right for you to be a little impatient. After all, my promise is that I will lend you my help, after you lend me yours. We didn't know how long it would take for us to finally succeed in rebelling against the heavenly thrones in the sky, or how much preparation we need to take them down. It is but a borderline impossible task to fulfill, and rather a long term one too. You are free to search for your brother all on your own, you can even resign from the Fatui now if that's going to happen. But the question is, do you want to?"

"I... I don't." Lumine shook her head. "Tsaritsa and others, they all have become an important person to me. I didn't want to just leave you for my own selfish reason."

"Hmm, that's what I was thinking too." Tsaritsa said with a nod. "Even at the very start, I was nothing but a person who offered you help, whether you accept my contract or not that day during our meeting, it was all up to you, you are the one who decided your own faith. And yet, you still accepted it anyway, because you have no other choices. Just the same as me." The queen explained, putting her other hand on her chest.

"Just like you? What do you mean?"

"Well, did you remember the story I just told you? Remember the part when I said that I saw a woman taking care of the children in the orphanage? Yes, that woman had helped me too, during my times of need. I was running out of ideas of how I can make the people loved me, and then, like an angel, that woman came into my view, and what she did inspired me to do the same thing until I became what I desired. The same thing happened to you as well, my dear. You have no other choice, no one to ask for help, no one to lend you a hand. Until you heard of me, you approached me, you begged me for help, and I offered it to you. It is the same kind of situation, don't you think?"

Lumine stayed silent after that, only sitting there with her eyes still connected with Tsaritsa, mentally exclaiming of how beautiful she was when she was bathed in the afternoon sun.

"The point is... I can't confirm of how long it will take for this contract between us will last until one of the two terms has been fulfilled. But just like me who had to keep trying until I reached my goal, you too have to keep trying until you finally find your brother. You can be impatient, you can be mad, and you can be sad. But I believed that if you put your all into it, if you didn't only put your effort into just one goal, you will eventually get reunited with your older brother. I can guarantee it."

"Tsaritsa... Do you really believe that I can?"

"Of course I do, when did I ever lie to you?"

The two continue to sit there again in silence. The orange light of the afternoon sun is starting to get darker, signalling the near coming of the evening. They then glanced down towards their respective cups of shaved ice, finding them empty after both have finished eating them.

"Well... It looks like the night is coming. And the new year's celebration will be starting soon." Tsaritsa muttered out loud. Standing up from her chair and releasing a satisfied sigh.

"Yeah..." Lumine silently agrees, nodding her head, as she looks at the city in the distance, wondering if the other Fatuus, including Pierro, are already in there.

"Well then, now that the sun is only seconds away from disappearing. Now it's time for us to do the final activity."

Tsaritsa reached out her hand, and took Lumine's palm into hers, pulling the smaller girl up from her seat, before dragging her back into the exit.

"E-Eh?! Tsaritsa, what are you doing?! Where are you taking me?" Lumine was in shock when the Tsaritsa suddenly grabbed her arm and pulled her up. She's confused about where the woman is taking her.

"Where do you think? To our special room, of course." Tsaritsa answered, without even looking at Lumine.

"Eh? You wanted to do it already? But, um... Don't you think it's a little too early for that?"

"Oh, don't you worry about that. We'll be saving that for the last. As for now however... Let's go on a date! Shall we?"

"What...?"

~o~0~o~

Tsaritsa pushed Lumine into the queen's bedroom first, and then locked the door behind her to prevent the girl from leaving. Though Lumine can just easily teleport out of the room using her magic, the queen knows that her lover is too loyal to ever disobey her orders to never use any powers while she was in the presence of the queen.

And now all that Lumine could do is to stand there and wait as Tsaritsa rummaged through her giant closet full of various kinds of dress and outfit, some of them appears to be royal gowns, while some other looks like traveling outfit, winter coats, and even sleeping garment like baby dolls too.

"During our date, it's only right for us to wear elegant and fancy outfits, especially knowing that we may come across some members of the Fatui too. Though that maid dress really looks cute on you Lumine, I think I have something else better in store for you." Tsaritsa explained as she continued to search through her closet, even though her face is away from Lumine who stood behind her, somehow, the blonde haired Harbinger knew that the queen was having a smile plastered on her face.

"Uh... About this date... Do we really have to?" Lumine asked timidly, a little nervous from just thinking about it.

"Well of course it does. We already spent the entire day together doing quality time. So why not the night as well? After all, this midnight will be the mark of your three years of service to the Fatui, we have to celebrate it somehow." The grey haired woman answered, a little bit cheerfully.

Lumine sighed at this, looking down into the ground. "Tsaritsa... I know that today is a day worth celebrating, but do you think I can really do it? I mean, I have spent the last few weeks learning about what it takes to be a couple, such as how to date someone. But... I don't think I'm ready to put it into action yet."

"Oh, you are worrying too much about it again, my dear." Tsaritsa paused at what she was doing, turning her head back to look at Lumine behind her. "We won't be doing much actually, just going to have a stroll around the plains near the city, that's all. I'm calling it a date because we haven't done it before, and yet we already do much beyond kissing. Hehe."

"Huh? A stroll outside of the city? Why do you even want to do that?" Lumine asked with a tilt of her head.

"Didn't you say earlier this morning that you wanted to know more about me? Including what my hobbies are? Well, surprise to you, because I actually have a third hobby, and it can only be done during a day off and when it was night."

Wait, seriously? She has three hobbies? What kind of hobby involves strolling around the snowy plains in the middle of the night? Though she didn't know for sure, Lumine had already made a promise to accompany the Tsaritsa in her personal times, if this is considered to be one, then Lumine guesses that she should try to see it, at least for once.

"Aha! Found it! Look, my dear, this one, is for you."

Finally finding what she's looking for, Tsaritsa took out a dress from the closet, holding it with both of her hands and presented it towards Lumine who looks upon it with a calculative expression.

What Tsaritsa had presented her is a frilly white dress, one that usually can be seen worn by a Princess. It has a long white skirt with a bit of tint of blue, detached sleeves connected to the main cloth of the abdomen by the rubber around the chest area, where a white ribbon is attached. The dress is also a backless one, which made it supported only by the wearer's neck, made to wear the dress's neckpiece connected by two strings adorned with small shiny white pearls, which also visible on the other parts of the dress as well, such as the ones who hangs around the mid sections. The dress does look majestic, Lumine have to admit it, but...

"Um... why is this dress so... Revealing?" Lumine asked, confused and nervous, Tsaritsa is definitely going to make her put this on isn't she? "Also... Does this dress feature some stockings? Or at least some high boots? I don't think I'm comfortable with the idea of exposing my legs to the people."

"Nope, it doesn't have one. This dress only features a pair of high heels sandals. I'm sure it's going to be perfect for you. Come on! Wear this."

"Umm... I'm sorry Tsaritsa, but can you please pick another one for me please? I don't think this dress would fit me at all. It's just too... Revealing."

"What?! But I've been preparing this for you for a while now. I even have it perfectly match your measurements."

"Wait, what? How did you know my-"

"Just wear this dress for this occasion, okay?" Without heeding Lumine's words, Tsaritsa shoved the dress into the blonde girl's hand, who reluctantly accepted it. "Now then, be a good girl, and wear it. If you don't, then I will be leaving bite marks all over your body, and everyone will see it unless you cover yourself entirely~"

Now that, is a way to make Lumine obliged to her words. The blonde girl gulped hard upon thinking about it, and then, pressured by that threat. She quickly does what the queen ordered her to do, turning around to face away from Tsaritsa as she takes off the current dress she's wearing, and changes into the one she has been given.

But halfway through the changing however, Lumine remembered something...

"Hey, Tsaritsa. You said the whole purpose for me to change into this is so that people won't see me in that maid dress, right? But then, how about you? Don't you think it would be very weird and kind of terrifying that the Cryo Archon is actually dating one of her Harbinger?" Lumine asked without looking back, already knowing that the queen's eyes are glued to her back anyway. "I know that our affairs are a secret within the Fatui, with only lord Pierro being the only possible person to be aware of. But wouldn't it be a bit too early to reveal it now?"

"Oh, about that? You don't need to worry about it much. I can guarantee that nobody will know about our affairs even when we walked in front of them with hands holding each other." Tsaritsa replied, sounding kinda amused.

"Not with that form." Lumine retorted back, sighing a little from Tsaritsa's antics.

"Then how about now?"

Lumine widened her eyes. It was definitely the Tsaritsa who just asked her that question. But her voice, her voice sounded completely different!

Slowly, Lumine turned her body around her head looks back towards Tsaritsa, to rather, what used to be her. The one who is standing behind right now is a girl, looking about the same physical age as Lumine. Her hair is grey, and tied into twin ponytails. Her eyes are midnight dark blue, the exact same as Tsaritsa. She wore midnight blue dress that looks almost identical to the one that the queen wore, minus all of the Fatui insignias, and this one is also have a more revealing model too.

"Tsaritsa... You are..."

"Hmph, all Archons by nature are anything but human. In our true form, our bodies can vary between many forms, including a wind sprite or a pure thunder bolts. That's why we require vessels that look like humans, to make it easier for us to blend with society. And we can freely choose what our human form looks like. Be it an adult woman, or a young girl like this." Tsaritsa explained, speaking through her new form, her voice is no longer sounds mature and sexy, but now it was young and... Cute...

"Now then, once the preparations are ready, let's head out, shall we?"

~o~0~o~

The streets of Snezhnaya are crowded with people, just like what the Tsaritsa said. Even the small roads that leads from the palace to the capital city are occupied by people passing by every now and then. From common folk to Fatui alike.

The sun already sets, and the darkness of the night have plagued the land of Snezhnaya, the warm bright rays of the sunshine is now replaced by the soft glow of the moonlight. The landscape becomes dark, and the white snow that covers the ground is not as white as it was in the day anymore. But this is fine, because even though the beauty of the pure white landscape is not longer visible now, another beautiful sight had replaced it. In the distance, the capital city of Snezhnaya is bustling with people, all gathered there to celebrate the coming of the new year, which is due to only an hour from now.

"Oh wow, the city sure does glows a little brighter than usual this night." Lumine muttered, her golden eyes narrowed as she look at the Snezhnaya city in the distance.

"It is. It was always been like this every time the new year is coming." Tsaritsa answered with a nod of her head. "Everyone is just so eager to greet the changing of time. Not all of them realize that, the more time passes, the more we get nearer to the inevitable." The woman, now girl, said with a small sigh.

"You mean... The war against the divine?" Lumine asked in confusion.

"Yes, that." The grey haired girl replied, closing her eyes as she thought. "Ever since the Cataclysm, the heavenly principles have been oddly quiet for a while now. I know this from the fact that they didn't even bother to smite me down even when I'm openly against them by declaring war against the whole Tevyat. It is a good thing for us, because it means we could prepare ourselves for as much time as possible. But still, there's no telling of how long and when will they be active once more. But when they do, however, I just hope that the Fatui will be ready to take them on."

"Is that so? Um... Tsaritsa, do you think it has to do with..."

"No, Lumine. I don't think it has to do with you and your brother's arrival." Tsaritsa shook her head gently. "It may be due to something else entirely, but as of now, I'm still not sure what it was."

"Ah, I see..."

With their arms interlocking with each other, Lumine and Tsaritsa who took a form a younger woman, leave the Zapolyarny palace together for their "date." It's not an easy task for them to even leave through the front door. Many Fatuus have seen them along the way, and through they didn't mind Lumine's presence at all, with some of them even praises her for her beautiful looks while wearing the special white dress, (particularly a Fatuus named Nathalia, who is Lumine's assistant back when she's still curing the soldiers who are corrupted due to the side effects of the Delusions, the female Fatuus did a full body blush when she sees her, with even her mask didn't help to cover her red face.) Some of them question the presence of the stranger that clings into Lumine's arm, oblivious that it was actually the very queen that they have served.

Thankfully though, thanks to some advice from the Tsaritsa to handle the situation, and also her position as a Harbinger that allows her to have some authority to everyone below her, she managed to convince everyone that the girl beside her means no harm, nor does she pose any threats to the organization. Although, the Harbinger would like it more if the grey haired girl would stop bragging about them being a couple to everyone they came across. Which almost makes her die from embarrassment.

And that was just everyone inside the palace, not the ones outside.

After exiting the palace, they continued on walking down the main road that would lead them towards the city, and just like Tsaritsa said, quite a few people filled the road, both members of the Fatui, or the common people. And just like what happened in the palace, the people they came across to also gives Lumine one or two praises for her looks, before asking the obvious question of who the girl she walked with, to which the Tsaritsa quickly answers them while Lumine let's her and stayed silent instead. The more people they came across to during the walk, Lumine gradually found herself no longer have any complaints to how the girl beside her acts, she might as well starting to get comfortable with it, and didn't mind her attitude at all. If... one day... One day when the entire Fatui knows about this relationship she have with Tsaritsa, Lumine wonders... How will it affects her personal and working life? Will everyone accepts it? Or will they be against it? Will they give them their blessings? Or will they stare at her weirdly? Her senior, Pierro, does approve of their relationship. He said that he didn't mind it as long as it doesn't hinder their progress to the cause. But will everyone thinks the same?

"Ah, look! We are close by now. Let's head this way, the roads won't be able to take us to the location." After moments have passed where they walked on the pathway leading to the city, Tsaritsa suddenly made them stop walking, gesturing her fingers into the direction where they're heading, where ever that is.

"Huh? Isn't that direction headed towards the cliffs? Why would you want to go there, Tsaritsa? The city are this way." Lumine asked in confusion, staring at the grey haired girl beside her.

"I thought I have told you earlier that we won't be entering the city at all this night, only to take a stroll around it. Have you forgotten?" Tsaritsa asked, eyes narrowed and chest puffed.

"Well, I do remember that, but my question remains, what kind of hobby that you do in a place like this?" Lumine asked back, shaking her head a little.

"You'll see it soon enough. Now, come." Tsaritsa tugged her arm that is still intertwined with Lumine, dragging her into following her. Despite having taken a younger appearance to her normal one, her strength is still the same. Making Lumine surprised, and thought of how ridiculous it is for other people to see when the strongest member of the Fatui is helpless for being dragged by a girl who looks about her age.

They walked towards the direction for several minutes, until eventually, they arrived at the said hills overlooking the snowy plains below, where the city of Snezhnaya stood tall, glowing brightly from all the lights inside and outside the buildings, like a lone lit campfire in the middle of the darkness. It was little too far away back when they are still in the Zapolyarny palace. But now however, as the couple stood there and city closer to them yet still a distance away, Lumine finally sees the absolute beauty of it. No wonder why Tsaritsa had taken them here, this place is the perfect spot for one to overlook the city, all in its glory on full sight.

"What do you think? Beautiful, isn't it? This is my third hobby, looking over the wonderous city I've been protecting for a long time. I usually spent minutes or even hours just doing this. I'll never get tired of it." Tsaritsa muttered with a tiny smile visible on her face. She sat down at the edge of the cliff, and then gesturing Lumine to sit down besides her, to which the blonde girl does.

"It is, it's very beautiful, Tsaritsa." Lumine said with a small nod, her golden eyes are still focused on the sight of the bustling city alone. Completely charmed by it.

"Heh, I guess you can thank me for that." The blue eyed girl said a huff. "The new year's celebration is one of the most important festivities in Snezhnaya, the people believed that as the passage of time progresses, so too their lives will goes towards a better future. However, this wasn't always the case however." Tsaritsa said with a shook of her head, sighing lightly. "Snezhnaya as a whole, it was built by the previous Cryo Archon, my predecessor. And just like I once before, she too is a benevolent god whom the people praise and look highly upon. To the people, she was everything, she would walk around the streets of the city, greeting people and visits families just to give them blessings. She is a believer of a bright future for the people of this nation, her most beloved treasure. It is her ideology to say the least, to keep walking, keep walking towards the future and never lets the past weights you down. But sadly however, things are easier said than done, and once her demise came, people began to stop believing in that."

"And then you came and reignite that beliefs, am I right?" Lumine asked, a bit curiously.

"Yes." Tsaritsa said with a nod of her head. "During my earlier times as the new Archon, the year Eve are not as bright and crowded like this. The people are mourning, grieving over the loss of their beloved goddess. I can feel it, as I walk across the streets of the city, and felt their intense stares at me, they're all filled with... Mixed up emotions, sadness, anger, grief, and other more. Perhaps their anger towards me is caused by my status, they realized that with me appearing as the new Cryo Archon, I served as a confirmation that the previous goddess had indeed been gone. And so, without their source of happiness and kindness is gone, many people had stopped believing that the future they headed will be a bright one. That is, until I had proven myself of course, I made them realize that in the end, Archons is just like humans in some way, that we too experience grief and death. And that while the previous goddess was indeed a bright shining light that warms up the people's hearts, such sources of warmth cannot be found in just one person. It can be anybody, such as me."

Lumine nods her head, listening closely to Tsaritsa's stories.

"And so, I revived the dwindling spirits of the new year's eve, and made them into one of the biggest festivals that Snezhnaya should've have. And thanks to my visits to the other nations before, the added knowledge I get from them has successfully made this into one of the well known events in all of Tevyat. Many people from the other nations would come, even if it's just for a single night during the last of the year, and into the first one of the new."

"Hmm, no wonder why we come across many foreigners on our way here." Lumine muttered in response. During their stroll to this place, she have seen many unfamiliar faces on the road, such as scholars from Sumeru, merchants from Mondstadt, and even some from Fontaine as well.

"But of course... With how things are going on now... I have no doubt that the same thing would repeat again, unfortunately." Tsaritsa said with a heavy sigh, eyes downcast and she looks very troubled from Lumine's point of view. "Now that I am no longer the goddess of love that gives people hope and warmth like the previous one. I bet that the people will eventually starting to lose hope again just like before, and the celebration will no longer be the same as before."

"True." Lumine replied silently, eyes narrowed and mouth pouting.

As of now, the organization known as the Fatui is still nothing but small. They do have plenty of plans to expand and plant some of their roots in other nations, to spread their influence until they are capable of taking out all the seven nations while staying behind the shadows. But with how the situation is now, Lumine doubts that they can do that anytime soon. Even the nation they stood on right now, Snezhnaya itself, there are still many people who aren't aware of their existence. And it's up to her and her senior Harbinger Pierro to manage things up and bring progress to their work for the cause.

But when they do succeed however... How will the people of Snezhnaya react? That is the question.

As of now, many people still believe that the Tsaritsa is still the same as before, many of them are oblivious to the depth of grief she had suffered through after the events of the Cataclysm, how it makes her deeply traumatized, how it changes her from the once loving, caring maiden into the ruthless queen she is now. If what the Tsaritsa said is true, that the people had looked upon her and the previous goddess before her as their source of happiness and harmony, then after realizing that she is now being turned out like this, then they will drop everything again. No more, where people will be cheery and happy like this before, no more will they be at peace, knowing that their queen is a ruthless one who cares not for the lives of others.

"Tsaritsa... Is that why you are here? You wanted to see the people happy, before that happiness is taken away from them?" Lumine asked after a long thought, looking at her side towards Tsaritsa, who nods her head in response.

"Yeah... I guess it was just... Whatever remains of my old self, who still cares a lot about this people." Tsaritsa replied, releasing a heavy sigh. "The nation of Snezhnaya and it's people are the greatest treasure of my predecessor. And they were also the most valuable thing in my life, I love them, all of them. And I just wanted things to stay that way, forever and ever. And yet... It didn't." Shaking her head, the queen continued. "Celestia has taken everything from me that day. And my heart is simply not made to accept what just happened. I couldn't just let it go, I can't let the same thing happen, and that's why I need to harden myself, to freeze my heart and throw my old self away. No love and peace is useful in the war against the divine after all."

Lumine only stayed silent after that, her golden eyes stared at the woman she loves before her. A gentle soul whose heart has been twistsed and screwed up by this cruel world to the point that it drives her into doing the unthinkable, to become no longer herself, someone who has their moral compass completely broken. Lumine has seen a couple of examples before she arrives in Tevyat. But each time however, she always faces those kinds of people as enemies, one that she and Aether must defeat. This is the first time that she has gotten so close and personal with one, one who influenced Lumine herself to become one as well. And now with a much more deep understanding of it, Lumine felt the heat on her chest bloom even more. She and Tsaritsa... They are two couples united by tragedy. Maybe that's why they've been perfect up to this point. Only Tsaritsa, is the one that she can relate to at this point in time, only she, who is capable of feeling Lumine's pain of loss.

"Tsaritsa..." Lumine softly called out the goddess name. Leaning her body forward towards the grey haired girl. "I-"

"Shh, I think it's about to start now." But before Lumine could finish up her sentence, it was cut down by Tsaritsa shushing her.

The clock is pointing at twelve o'clock, signaling the end of the day, and thus the end of the old year. And now, the world has entered a new day, and a whole new year.

From the distance, loud whistles rang in the air, and it can be heard from many miles away. As a firework take off into the night sky, high into the air, until it bursts out into a big bloom of bright colored flames, followed by other multiple fireworks after that. As fireworks upon fireworks launched into the air, one by one or simultaneously, lighting up the dark sky into a sea of multi colored lights, Lumine and Tsaritsa sit at the edge of the cliff, getting a full view of the wonderous event before them. Lumine's eyes sparkled a little from amazement and awe as she watched, while Tsaritsa's face remains unchanged, staring blankly at the sight, but still enjoyed it nonetheless.

The festivities would continue on after that, with the fireworks show lasting for about ten minutes until no more of it takes off into the sky. And while the people of Snezhnaya still have some leftovers energy left to spend some more time crowding in the streets, maybe for about a few hours more. Lumine and Tsaritsa have seen enough, and by the time the fireworks show is over, they already left their sitting spot.

While hand in hand, the pair quietly leaves for the night. Now that they have seen what they're looking for, they should return back to the palace. The Fatui have got enough day off for a day to celebrate the coming of the new year, and by the time morning arrives, they will return to their usual work time again, including Lumine, who as a Harbinger, her work is significant to the progress they made, and she is required to be available for tomorrow.

But for now however... It's still twelve in the morning, and she still have seven or eight more hours before she returns to her duty. And so, she will make sure to use this remaining time to spend more time with her beloved Tsaritsa.

As they left for the palace, Lumine had gestured to them to take an alternative path that is less crowded than the normal one, not wanting to see or be seen by anyone around this time. And this leads them to go back to that one special place inside the frozen forest. With the shallow river flowing in the middle, snow covered grass grows around the clearing, and the stony banks of the river which is the place where they did that last time.

"You know, Tsaritsa. I too have a special place here in Snezhnaya. And this clearing is my special place." Lumine muttered softly, standing before the flowing river below, watching her and Tsaritsa's reflection on the water.

"Hmm, I always wondered why you like this place so much. I mean, you do looks good every time you came to bathe here. But that is something that you can do pretty much everywhere else, so why here?" With the queen is now having returned back into her woman form, she asked Lumine beside her in curiosity.

"It's actually pretty simple, really. This is the place where I landed, after escaping from the clutches of that God who took my brother." Lumine said with a little sigh before continuing. "This is the place where I spent most of time after waking up, as I tried to regain my strength, I came back here to reminisce about Aether, and how we ended up getting separated. And that's what I'm doing here too after I joined the Fatui."

The night wind brushes against them, making their hair sway, the two stood there for a moment in silence, waiting for Lumine to continue what she's going to say.

"I've told you before, Tsaritsa. That during this period of three years in my service to you, I had only hoped so that I could eventually find Aether after I continue to work hard for the sake of the cause. However, as time passed, and no single clue about his whereabouts are found anywhere, I am beginning to lost hope in ever finding him. I'm beginning to doubt that all my hard work all this time is a complete waste, that I was just torturing myself for something that is seemingly impossible to achieve. However..."

Looking up, Lumine look directly into the moon positioned right above her, finding herself smiling slightly at the sight.

"However... This place is special... Every time I came here, every time I remembered that day when I woke up here with determination burning in my heart with my desire to find my brother, I will always regained some semblance of my hope... Somehow, this place will always motivate me, reminding myself to keep pushing towards this path that I have chosen. That I will be reunited with him eventually, that all I need is some patience and motivation. And that, is why this place is special to me."

"I see, I guess that does make sense. Sometimes, a certain place is capable of giving you a pleasant feeling when it reminds you of something." Tsaritsa said with a nod, her lips then quirk up into a smirk. "Just like me, this place is also special to me, just being here reminds me of all of that time I watched your astounding performance, not to mention of that special time we shared here too. Just by remembering it makes me so happy."

"Oh, stop it, you!" Lumine protested, light bumping Tsaritsa's arm with her fist. Her face is red from embarrassment, causing Tsaritsa to chuckle.

"Oh, come on, I knew that you liked it. You even asked me to make you come several times after that. Hehe, your pleading face that night as you beg me for more, it's just so cute~"

"W-Well, that's because Tsaritsa is just so good at it, that's why I want more."

Suddenly, that sentence made Tsaritsa stopped at her teasings, her eyes widened a little, as she started at Lumine with a little surprised expression.

"Oh? You actually admit it?" Tsaritsa asked, sounding flabbergasted.

Lumine stayed silent for a while after that, with her face still red from blushing, but she nodded her head as confirmation.

"Yes." She answered, her golden eyes look directly into Tsaritsa's blue ones. "Tsaritsa... Ever since that day when you confessed to me, and the night when you told me how much you cared about me... I... I never felt so much loved before."

The winds stopped blowing for a moment, as if time has come to a complete still to let this two converse.

"I may have my brother, who loved me dearly, but he is gone now, and I cannot feel his love anymore as long as he hasn't found. I feel empty... I feel cold and lonely... But Tsaritsa... When you say those words, that you love and care about me... I feel as if the void in my heart suddenly being filled again. It feels warm and comfortable... And I want more... I want more, Tsaritsa... I want to love you, I want to be loved... I want us to be together."

Taking a deep breath, Lumine swallows the lump in her throat before she parted her lips to say:

"Tsaritsa... I love you."

Once again, time felt like it comes to a complete still after that. The sounds of the flowing water on the river, nor the sounds of the leaves of the trees brushing against each other due to the wind is able to interrupt this moment between. They didn't say anything for a while, and just when the silence became unbearable, Tsaritsa's lips turned into a smile, a happy one, as she tenderly stared into the eyes of Lumine before her.

"You finally confess... took you long enough." The queen said with a small giggle, with their bodies facing each other, she reached out and grabbed Lumine's hand to take it into hers. "I love you too. I love you so much, my little flower." The grey haired woman confessed back, her smiles getting bigger.

"Tsaritsa..." The blonde haired girl calls out the goddess' name, with that sweet and alluring voice of hers. Her cheeks are colored in the faint shades of red, her eyes are narrowed as she tenderly looks up into the other pair of eyes before her. Her lips parted, as she sweetly asked. "...May I kiss you?"

"Gladly."

The taller woman leaned down while the smaller girl leaned up. Both of their eyes closed as they connected their lips with each other. Hot wet tongues met and intertwined within the two connected caves. Teasing each other by tickling each other's weak spots, making them groaned and moaning into the kiss. With their hands still connected, now with their fingers intertwined, they held their bodies still to stand on the ground as they continued their passionate kiss.

Eventually, after a few moments passed, they finally separated their lips, panting heavily as they did so, a string of saliva are still connecting the two lips, becoming the bridge that keeps them from getting away.

"You're a lot better now at kissing... I'm impressed." Tsaritsa muttered between pants, her lips smiling as she does so.

"I... I can show you more if you want." Lumine replied, also smiling in satisfaction from the praise. "Tsaritsa... I've been learning a lot for the last few weeks... Just like you asked me to."

"Then let us return back to the palace then. Show me what you've got, my little flower."

~o~0~o~

They returned back to the Zapolyarny palace immediately after. But, rather than walking back into the royal palace however, Lumine brought them to it by using her teleportation magic instead, where she sent them into that one special place where everything started, where their contract is forged, and where this love story sparked into existence. The queen's bedroom.

Immediately after arriving, Lumine quickly went to check on the door and make sure that it's locked, a preventment measure so that nobody would disturb them.

A pair of arms then slipped itself around her waist, turning her around so that her focus is switched from the door into the beautiful woman before her, and she didn't mind it at all. Not when those soft lips of the queen once again came down to meet her own. Lumine hates to admit it, but she thinks that she has become addicted to kissing now, she couldn't help but to become a little needy, a little impatient, the taste of Tsaritsa's lips against hers has become something that she deeply missed throughout the entire day. Oh how much she longs for it, how much she wants to do it more, Lumine wants more, kissing isn't enough...

"Puhaa..." After moments passed, their lips separates once more, giving them time to breathe air. Both women are panting heavily, especially Lumine, whose face is flushed red, mouth agape open as she breathe, saliva oozes out from her tongue. "Tsaritsa's lips... So comfortable..."

"Fufu, getting a little excited there, are you?" The grey haired woman asked with a smirk on her face.

"Tsaritsa... Once again please..." The smaller girl leaned forward, lips parted with a silent sigh, eyes half-lidded and looking dreamy, as if asking for permission to kiss the queen.

"Do you even have to ask? Sure, go ahea- Mmmmm."

She haven't finished her sentence yet, and Lumine already lunged forward to engage her into another kiss.

Tsaritsa had expected this to happen sooner or later, but she definitely didn't expect Lumine to get this hungry. The girl's ever-soft lips being pressed to her, her slender hands wrapped around her neck, pulling her down to meet her much shorter heights, Lumine groaned and sighs into the kiss, her cute little voice echoing throughout the two connected damp caves, slipping her little tongue into Tsaritsa's mouth, she kissed her long, even longer than before, slowly, taking her sweet time in exploring the other woman's mouth. It seems like she has been training to hold her breath more, given of how long she could last now when they are kissing, a big contrast to the Lumine of that day, who got dazed by a simple act of kissing alone. The girl has been working pretty hard, and she should reward her for that.

While their mouths still connected by the kiss, Tsaritsa slowly lef them to the bed at the end of the room. Separating their lips only the moment they stood by the bed side, panting and gasping for air, with string of saliva hangs between the two mouths.

"Hehe, you're so cute when you're all excited like this." The taller woman muttered with a chuckle, licking her lips to savor any remnants of Lumine's taste on them.

"That's because Tsaritsa is so pretty... So irresistible... I can't... I can't stop thinking about you, Tsaritsa..." Lumine breathed out, looking at Tsaritsa with steamy eyes and her mouth formed into one happy smile.

"Is that so? Well then..." Tsaritsa leaned forward, Lumine expected her to kiss her again, but the queen choose to attack her neck instead. "Make sure to keep your eyes solely on me."

"Mmmm..."

The woman trails her mouth down to that one spot on her neck, the weak points that Tsaritsa is getting familiar with. Lumine arches her neck to give her a better access, her mouth releases a series of sweet moans when she feels the rows of teeth gently sinking down to her skin, how Tsaritsa chews on it and gently sucks until a mark blooms under her lips. And act that made Lumine felt weak on the knees and her body trembles and is about to fall if it wasn't for the woman who holds her waist with both of her dainty white hands.

Tsaritsa takes off her lips from Lumine's neck after a while, smiling in satisfaction upon seeing the mark her kiss has left behind. But one mark just isn't enough. She went for the other side as well, and did the same thing. Sinking her teeth into that soft white skin of her little lover, wetting the area of her neck with her saliva, as she take a good taste of the blonde haired girl, savoring it in her lips, making sure to carve it into her mind, so that she could always remembers it every time they weren't together.

And now, two marks have been to her neck, she would like to put some more, but Tsaritsa knows how much Lumine hates it when she leaves hickeys around her body, with her neck being the only exception because her scarf could easily cover it up, white the other doesn't. But still, Tsaritsa couldn't get enough of Lumine's taste even after doing that, so she continues on by licking the blonde girl's neck clean from left to right, covering her skin with her saliva, making the smaller girl groaned a little from displeasure.

With how much trembling Lumine did because of her weakening knees, Tsaritsa sat them down into the bed, placing herself near the edge of the bed while Lumine was kneeling between thighs. And as Tsaritsa continues to tease her little neck, the woman's arms slide up from Lumine's waist into her back, where the lace that tightens up her dress is located. Tugging at the strings gently, before slowly untying it. Lumine seems to already know what she's up to, and she lets her. Once the strings on the back come undone, only the string on Lumine's neck is the one who still held the dress in place, and Tsaritsa wasted no time to work on it.

With a simple tug on the string, nothing is left to hold the beautiful dress in place. The white and blue fabric smoothly slides down, down along the curves of Lumine's waist and legs, and then slips and falls into the floor below. All that is left now is a beautiful girl who crouched in front of the Tsaritsa, dressed in nothing but her white lace panties. The girl's smooth white milky skin reflects the shines of the moonlight that pours into the bedroom through the open window. Though the room is slightly dark with the lights off and only brilliant glows of the moon serves as a light source, Tsaritsa still could make out the redness on her lovers skin, as the blonde girl did a full body blush while under the intense stair of Tsaritsa's eyes that raked all over her body. Even though the queen had did it several times before, she'll never not get embarrassed by her stares.

"So beautiful..." Tsaritsa gently slides a single finger along Lumine's spine, the blonde girl trembles at the touch.

By the gods, Lumine's body is such a perfect art in Tsaritsa's eyes. She knows she has said it numerous times before, but she couldn't help it. It just always taken her aback every time she sees it. Her skin that is white as milk and smooth as silk, her plump breasts that aren't small, but aren't too big either, just the perfect size to fit in on Tsaritsa's palm. The perky little red cherry on top of the mounds, already hard and erect, begging for attention to be touched. Her slender white thighs, the only parts of her lower body that she shows around in public. Though Tsaritsa loves every inch of Lumine's body, the exposed thighs of her legs always drove Tsaritsa crazy with fantasies, thinking about how great it would be if the Harbinger shows more parts of her body than she already is. And then, last but not least of course, her cute little flower, the source of Tsaritsa's happiness, how it brings joy to her as she plays with it, how it makes her happy to know that Lumine also feels happy, it's still lay hidden underneath that layer of white fabric for now, but sooner or later, Tsaritsa would've taken it off anyway.

"Tsaritsa... Don't leave me alone..." Under the gaze of Tsaritsa, Lumine muttered softly. She twisted her body as her eyes looks away from the queen's gaze, she is still embarrassed from being staring at, evidenced from the rosy blush she has on her cheeks. But she's no longer trying to cover her dignity like before, and letting the bigger woman to enjoy the sight of her body, even when she feels ashamed.

But Lumine didn't want her to be the one who only exposed like this to the other. She is happy to know that the sight of her mere body alone could please Tsaritsa like this, but... She wanted to have the same feeling too. She wants to see Tsaritsa's true form, she wants to see the woman she loves standing on an equal ground with her even for a moment, she wants to make Tsaritsa happy, she wants to vents out all of this accumulated desire within her. Lumine is impatient, Lumine wants mofe, more.

"Tsaritsa... Please... Take off your clothes too..." Lumine pleaded to the queen, using her sweet voice to alure Tsaritsa into doing it. She couldn't hold on much longer, all of these excitements are burning in her systems, she felt hot all over, her breathing become frantic, and her heartbeat becomes erratic. Her head is hot, her brain is melting, she couldn't think straight.

Hearing such a request, with that God awful cute voice no less, how can she deny her? Tsaritsa smirked at the girl before her, thinking that this is about time, where they can finally be mutuals in this complicated love story between the queen, and her favorite Harbinger.

"Request accepted." Tsaritsa said with a nod, she leaned forward towards Lumine, hands slipped behind her back as she pulled the smaller girl close. Their chest brushing against one another, Lumine's bare ones against Tsaritsa's clothed ones, the big, against the small. "The laces is on the back. Do what you need to do, undress me now, my darling." The woman whispers directly into her ears, wetting it with the tip of her tongue before blows on it.

Lumine gasped a little after that, her eyes widened slightly, and her face makes a surprised expression. She reaches out her hands instinctively, before putting them down Nd lands it gently on the surface of Tsaritsa's back. And sure enough, there is the laces of the dress that Tsaritsa is currently wearing, and now, she has them in her hands, the one thing that she wanted the most, the one that bothers her mind all of this time.

"I'm going to undress Tsaritsa... I'm going to undress Tsaritsa...! I'm going to-"

After all those weeks being in the bottom, after all those nights she spents being played by Tsaritsa without any chance to reciprocate. All of the joy and pleasure that Tsaritsa have given her... At this moment, Lumine finally got her chance to pay it back! Finally, she is able to repay all of those times that Tsaritsa had did for ger. Finally, she able to tore these stupid fabric away. Finally she is able to see what's behind them. Finally she is able to see what Tsaritsa look like behind them.

Her hands are shaking from the excitement alone, it moves slowly, reaching behind the back of the woman before her, rubbing around to feel the ties that hold the royal gown in place. Lumine's breath hitched in her throat, her fingers fiddled and toys around with it. Everything feels like a blur at that moment, her bodies moved as if it was moving by itself, driven by her instinct and desires.

"Trust in what your heart desires, and let your feelings guide you."

Pierro's word of advice rings inside her mind. So this is how it feels like, it feels dreamy. She didn't even need to think, nor did she have to care about anything else. She need not to worry about anything, everything she needs as of now is all in here, just her, and Tsaritsa.

Ribbons, laces, and knots, everything came undone before long. And then, by a single tug at the white fabric, and wiggle made by Tsaritsa, the woman finally sheds her outer shell, revealing what she truly is without a single thread getting in the way.

Lumine didn't even realize that she was holding her breath, her chest starting to hurt and her head feels light as if she was flying, the sight before her truly is one to behold. Her mouth is agape in awe, enough to let drool coming out from between her lips, her once blurry visions that is caused by the overheat in her head becomes clear just for this one moment, every line, every inch, every bits of color entered her eyes, and her brain give a start to quickly carve this image forever into her sea of memories. If one is going to compare Lumine's mind into that of a kamera, then this image of the Tsaritsa sitting down bare as the day she was born before her, then Lumine would've posses an album full of copies of the photo.

"Hehe, do you like what you see?" Tsaritsa smirks at her, there is not a hint of shame in either her expression, or the sounds her voice. Teasingly, she puts her hands under her breasts, one that is much bigger than Lumine's, hefted them up before letting go, watching in amusement as the blonde haired girl's eyes followed them bouncing.

"Tsaritsa... You're so... You're so... Beautiful..." Lumine managed to breathe out, in spite of the lack of air in her systems, causing her to start breathing rapidly to regain the oxygen she needed.

"Hmmm, everyone have said that to me before in the past. But you, my dear, you are the only one to have ever seen me in this state. I am all yours to enjoy~"

"Mine..."

This magnificent sight, this beautiful scenery, Tsaritsa's sweet kiss, her soft and gentle lips, her beautiful body, her love, her affection, they're all hers and hers only. No one in this world will ever be able to witness this, no one will be able to get close to Tsaritsa like this, no one can touch her body, no one can kiss her on the lips, no one can get naked together with her. Lumine is the only one, she's the chosen one... She is... She is... She is special. Special in the eyes of Tsaritsa.

"Tsaritsa... I want to... I want..." Lumine managed to croaked out even with her foggy mind. Her body heat transcends that of normal, and anything left from her logical brain has been washed over by desires, lust. Rendering her unable to finish even a single sentence.

"Hmm? You want what?" Tsaritsa asked playfully, scooting forward to closing in the distance between them, taking pleasure in the way Lumine's little mouth releases a gasp when their naked bodies touching each other intimately. "I couldn't understand you if you don't speak properly." The queen spits out her tongue, she reaches down to take Lumine's hand into hers, and brings it up for her tongue to lick at the fingertips, eliciting a weird combination of sweet voice coming out from Lumine's mouth.

"I-I... I want... Tsaritsa... I want to... Touch you..." After a while, Lumine managed to reform her jumbled thoughts enough to speak properly as the queen requested, feeling the blissful sensation of having her hand locked clean and covered by her lover's saliva must have some effects in bringing back her coherent thoughts. "...May I?" She asked, looking at grey haired woman still with her cute little face formed into a pleading expression.

"Of course you can. But where do you wish to touch me, hmm? Would you like to touch my face?" Saying this, Tsaritsa brought the smaller hand in her palm into her face, pressing the surface of its palm on one of her cheek. It's extremely soft, and warm, Lumine felt like she wanted to hold Tsaritsa's cheek forever. "Or... Would you like to touch me... Here?"

She brought the girl's hand down from her cheek into one of her breast. A gasp leaves Lumine's mouth after that, her eyes widened upon seeing her own hand, cheeks flushed more than it already is, her face is one that of a surprised one. Seemingly in a state of disbelief of that fact that now she is currently touching the boobs of the feared Cryo Archon of Snezhnaya. Her mind in shambles and she feels like her sanity is about to shatter.

"From the look on your face, you wanted to touch it more here." Tsaritsa said, sounding very pleased from the reaction she's getting out from Lumine. "Go on then, no need to hold yourself back, my dear. Let your desire run free."

Let your desire run free... That was Tsaritsa's permission for her. The last straw that broke the camel's back. It was as if all restrictions in Lumine's mind shattered into pieces. No longer being hold back by her fear or her formalities. And so she did exactly just that.

Maybe it's because she had been too lost in Tsaritsa's eyes as she stared deeply at it, or maybe it's just her body moving on its own fueled by this unleashed lust within herself. Without even thinking or having any prior thought of it, Lumine unconsciously moved her hand, she didn't know it but she is massaging Tsaritsa's left breast, only snapping back to her senses and realizing what she was doing when the woman before her gave out a small moan.

"Did... Did she just... moan?"

She never heard the woman make such a sound like that before. She sometimes gasps when they are kissing, but Lumine thought that that's just her trying to get her breath back. Normally, only Lumine the one who moans. Being subjected to the queen's constant teasing and all of that.

Lumine looked at where her hand was, thinking about removing it, but she couldn't. It was like there was an invisible force that stopped her from taking her hand away. And more surprisingly, it came from within her no less. Her mind may have some second thoughts about doing this, but her body has a different feeling, a mind of its own, and it absolutely refuses to comply, there's no going back now, no time to shy away and be embarrassed. This is exactly what she wanted, and she will not let any moments passed without her savoring it to its fullest.

She move her hand more and caressed Tsaritsa's with each finger, while running her fingertips over the hardened nub, gaining another slight moan out of the woman.

"Her nipple is really hard... And her breasts... So big..."

Lumine herself is probably the same right now, thanks to what Tsaritsa had done before. Her breasts may be smaller in size than the other woman, but they are a lot sensitive, especially to touches from other people.

"Nhmm..." She tried to give the red cherry a little pinch just for experiment, but she didn't forsee that the act made Tsaritsa moaned a little louder than before. The noise she made entered through her ears, and it spreads out to her entire body, specifically, down to her core that is starts to get wet a little.

"Tsaritsa's moans... Her voice sounds... Hot... So alluring... I want... I want to hear more..."

"Tsaritsa... may I kiss your breast?" The blonde haired girl asked, looking at the queen pleadingly, like that of a child who asked for her parents to buy candies for her.

"Hehe, you're just gonna keep asking every time you want to do something, huh?" Tsaritsa asked, raising her hand to put it above Lumine's head, ruffling her hair and giving her a little pat. Lumine purrs in delight at the contact, leaning in to feel more of the heavenly touch, acting like a cat who loves being petted. "So humble and so polite... Good girl. But seriously though, literally anything you want is allowed. My body is at your service. So please, use it."

"Ah..." Lumine made a little gasping sound. Tsaritsa just called her a good girl,,, happy... how happy she is feeling right now. To be blessed by her praise like this. Lumine wanted more, she wants Tsarita to praise her more. Maybe if she do a good enough job, the queen will bless her once more. "Then..."

Their major difference in heights helps her, Lumine leans forward, aiming towards Tsaritsa's right breast that is still free to use. She opens her little mouth which already full of saliva, she hugged the woman's breasts tightly, as she puts her mouth over the red crystallized gemstone on the white snow peak, feeling how it fills her mouth, almost like when she chews on Ajilenakh Nuts during her missions in Sumeru.

"Tsaritsa's breasts...so fragrant...so sweet..."

She started off gentle first, putting the hard little cherry between her soft lips, running it between the two sides, then she adds her tongue in, moving the flexible hot meat around the perky nipple, circling around the areola for once or twice. And then, she starts getting a little rough, wanting to hear more of Tsaritsa's sexy moans. Lumine bit the hard cherry, chewing it lightly with her teeth, submerging the area around the nipple all into her mouth, she sucked hard, the soft breast were sucked into her mouth, while still having her teeth biting at the red Bean.

Tsaritsa have done this to her several times before, she doesn't really know why the queen are so in love with them at first, given of how small it was compared to her own. But now, perhaps Lumine came to know why the woman loves her breasts so much. Maybe she loves them because of how much it easily makes Lumine moans and aroused. Or maybe it's because of how little and cute looking they are. Nevertheless, now the love are mutual it seems, oh, just how much Lumine loves to play with Tsaritsa's breasts, to hear her moans that went straight to her ears.

The two are immersed in this loving moment, and the way Lumine bites Tsaritsa is so cute... Her fingers are pawing and pulling the other breast... Her tongue nibbles and licks around the nipple... Bursts of happiness and pleasure washed over both of them. This is a tale of the queen, who lost everything, and the distant Traveler, who lost the only thing she has left. Two lost souls, intertwined together by tragedy. From a queen and a traveler, to a master and a servant, and now, two lovers of mutual affection. They pour out each other's thoughts...to each other's love.

The appearance of Lumine sucking hard is really cute, like a gluttonous child enjoying food, or a baby being breastfeeded by their mother. Tsaritsa chuckled lightly, dragged her breasts, and kept feeding them into Lumine's mouth, feeling the teeth touching the skin, a wonderful pleasure of enjoying the happiness of drool-wetted nipples.

"Are you still not satisfied yet, little baby? When are you going to continue?" Tsaritsa asked teasingly, enough to make Lumine paused and finally stopped at what she's doing. Taking off her mouth from the nipple with a wet pop.

"I'm not a baby." Lumine pouted, looking displeased from being called that.

"You sure do act like one though." The way Lumine scrunches up her face and groans after that makes Tsaritsa chuckled, even when her lust is taking over, Lumine is still not immune to teasing. "So then, are you? I mean, if you still want to keep going, I don't mind at all."

"The next step..."

Lumine has played with Tsaritsa's breasts already, though she still haven't gotten enough of it, she couldn't let Tsaritsa keep enduring the same thing any longer. It's time for her to do the next thing which is...

Lumine's golden eyes drifts down, down into the space between Tsaritsa's thighs. The woman still wears her black panties, the sacred royal garden is still buried underneath the layer of black cloth, preventing anyone from ever reaching it. But for Lumine, that sacred place is only within a hand's reach. She is so close, so close! It tempted her enough to wanting to rip open the black underwear right this instant. But fortunately however, she still has enough sanity to hold back her urges to get wild. All she needs now is permission.

"Tsaritsa... May I take it off?" Lumine asked lightheadedly, receiving a nod from the queen.

"Whenever you are ready, I'm waiting for it."

With that, Tsaritsa backs away from Lumine a little bit, creating a small distance between them, she leans back and places her arms on a straight line besides her shoulder, supporting her as she spreads her legs wide, until her nether regions is fully visible. Lumine could only look at the sight dreamily, while Tsaritsa watches in amusement as the blonde girl's eyes immediately went her still covered up privacy, looking impatient but still retains some degree of decency to not rush up things.

"T-Then... Allow me to."

Lumine leans forward, making a prostrating pose on the bed, her head leans down approaching her object of desire. Her butt is displayed high in the air, giving Tsaritsa a full view of it. She used to get pretty embarrassed when she showed them, but now, she seems to no longer care to hide it anymore, a good development.

With her mouth breathing a bit roughly, and her hands trembling a little, Lumine put her hands on the sides of the black fabric. Gulping down the lump of her throat and tried to calm her breathing down when she starts to feel a little nauseous. And then, with her courage burning in her heart. She slowly slid down the black panties away, taking off the last remnant of clothing on Tsaritsa's body.

"Ah..." Her mouth immediately went agape, her cheeks which already red heated up, her eyes widened slightly, and the golden pupils went dark and trembling. "T-Tsaritsa..."

"Fufu, please, if you keep making that kind of face, I fear that I won't be able to hold back anymore, my dear."

So this is the what the Sacred Garden of Avalon looks like. Now Lumine can die in peace after witnessing it. Tsaritsa's hair down here is the grey same color of the one on her head, a turf of grey bushes that spreads nicely around the crevice in the middle. The said crevice is the one that truly stood out from the rest, the one place that is not only private, but sacred as well. Just by seeing it is enough to make Lumine want to just stay there and look at it for hours. The plump labia were tightly closed, sometimes contracted and sometimes relaxed, and the gurgling honey liquid flowed out slowly, but much of it is already out, judging from the wetness of Tsaritsa's panties, and the water stains on her thighs. Just thinking about it makes Lumine... Happy. Incredibly happy.

"Tsaritsa's sacred water... So much..."

Her face is hot, and so does her entire body, especially at her own privacy. Breathing uncomfortably between her two desires to take this sight before her for granted, or her own needs.

"Oh my, if you're going to keep staring at it, I might actually start getting embarrassed too." Tsaritsa muttered gently, a little amused at how transfixed Lumine is after only lying her eyes on her pussy for the first time.

"Tsaritsa... It's... It's beautiful..."

Deciding to put her own needs aside, Lumine quickly went to claim her reward. Her reward for joining the Fatui, her reward for doing a great job as a Harbinger, and her reward for her patience and for being a good girl for Tsaritsa. She slowly leans forward, and bury her face straight into Tsaritsa's pussy.

"Nhmm..." She saw the small ball on the top and prodded it with her finger, it was already hard and erect, just one of the few signs of arousal. Lumine knows this part, Tsaritsa had told her that this is called a clitoris, one of the most sensitive parts of a woman's body, because it contains thousands of nerves that focus on pleasuring one's body upon being stimulated.

In the past, Tsaritsa always liked to play with this part of Lumine's body, always teasing her of how easily the queen is able to make it erect and hard, as she touched and massaged it with her dainty fingers, sending Lumine into a powerful peak of orgasm.

And now, Lumine finally has the chance to pay her back. She opens her mouth a little bit, and then puts the red bean between her lips, gaining quite a loud moan out of Tsaritsa's mouth. Wanting to hear it more, she adds her tongue into the game, massaging the little red bean by using the movements of her lips, but also rolls her wet tongue around the erect clit, wetting it with her saliva, tickling it a little, and even trying to gently suck on it too, which provoke quite a big reaction form the Tsaritsa.

"Ahn... Y-Yes, just like that... You know well how to use your tongue, my dear... E-Even if this is your first time." Tsaritsa said between sighs, her breathing becomes a little erratic as her chests rises and falls, her body is trembling from the pleasure.

"Mhmm... Nmmm... Anything for Tsaritsa... I'm willing to study hard for this..." Lumine said whilst still playing with the clit, her speaking voice also sends vibration to her lips that is chewing on the clitoris, making the woman feel a new kind of sensation.

"I can see that. Good girl, hehe." Tsaritsa reaches down to pat her on the head again, making Lumine paused just to feel the sensation on her head.

She let go of the clit a moment later, now choosing to focus on the main part instead. Lumine's chin is wet, having been drenched by the honey that Tsaritsa's flower is leaking from. And even now, the hole is still leaking out the sacred honey for her to enjoy. Even though it came out from a place that just side by side from the one you use to pee, it was apparently drinkable, according to Tsaritsa at least, who seems to enjoy it the most when she makes Lumine cums all over her mouth, eagerly waiting for her to spray it all out and the woman not letting a single drip to not go into her mouth. Going as far as to lick lick Lumine's pussy clean for any splashed leftovers. Which only ended up makes Lumine to reach another peak of orgasm, and thus make the queen do the same thing over and over again until the blonde girl passes out from exhaustion and over stimulation.

Using her fingers Lumine lightly and slightly separated the tightly closed petals with her fingers, and saw a small pink mouth opening and closing to spit out honey, gently scratched the outside of the labia minora with her fingers, stroking lightly along the hole from time to time, a quite powerful stimulus that it was enough to make Tsaritsa twitch her waist and limbs, and for her voice to tremble. Adding that, even more honey is being secreted by the small act alone, pushing Lumine to do even more in hopes of seeing different reaction from the woman. She opens the honey hole in front of her more deeply. After parting the labia minora, there is a honey path composed of fresh, tender, and moist as if peeled pulp, smooth and warm, with gurgling water, and layers of tender flesh wriggling, tightening, obscene and seductive. And there's also the womanly smell it emits, giving Lumine a pause.

Lumine couldn't help but being obsessed with it, she watched it fixedly, as if it was about to be engraved in her mind with enthusiasm and carefulness, and also as if she was admiring some kind of beautiful existence, intoxicated with tenderness.

"Ngh... You like to keep staring at it that much, huh?" Tsaritsa muttered with a slightly quivering voice. Her honey pussy was stared at eagerly by the girl she love, as if her body was burned, it was hot, and she was a little ashamed. But she feel excited and looking forward to it, looking forward to being loved by Lumine. There, the blonde is watching her place closely, Just realizing this made Tsaritsa's stomach twitch and her pussy starting to itch.

"Tsaritsa's place here... Is so cute..." Lumine whispered, her darkened eyes looked at the wet cave entrance before her, and then finally diving in.

"Ahn...!" She stretch out her tongue, and inserted it into the opened hole, pressing her face against Tsaritsa's inner thigh. The flower juice that had been secreted before had make a mess around this area, and naturally, it stains the sides of Lumine's face, but she didn't mind, she didn't mind it at all, not when in doing so she could take a good taste at it.

"Tsaritsa's taste... So tasty..." It taste bitter or slightly salty, but it's still good enough for her anyway. She didn't know why Tsaritsa like this thing very much, but the queen had always said that she taste heavenly sweet. So does that mean every person has a different taste? She doesn't know.

The opened petals gives her an easier access, gradually, Gently, and deftly stretching her tongue in, going up against the current of the love juice that keeps gushing out. The tip of the tongue is buried between the lips, searching for the honey juice from the top and bottom of the flesh wall, or to be more precise, exploring the secret path, the tip of the tongue is almost unwilling to let go of any wrinkle and circles inside the hole, trying it's best on mapping out the natural structures inside the fleshy walls. Not thinking that this was enough, she pushed it in even deeper, burying half of the tongue inside, bumping her face against the opening in doing so.

"O-oh! So deep... I-I think... I'm about to cum, my dear..." Tsaritsa moaned, she could feel her face starts to heating up as well, and then there's the feeling of something is about to come out from the depths of her core.

"Tsaritsa... Does it feel good?" Lumine asked while still doing her licking session, and Tsaritsa replies with a nod and hum of confirmation. "I want... I want to make Tsaritsa feel even more comfortable."

She's still have her index fingers free to use. And after she used both of the middle and ring fingers to still keep the cave entrance open wide. She lined the index fingers with the drenched crevice and then slowly pushed it against the folds, Tsaritsa could be heard groaned for a moment when two new object is being inserted inside her body, but her groans quickly turns into sweet moans.

The woman's waist squirmed and her legs are shaking, never to felt this kind of sensation before. Someone has never use both of their tongue and fingers to pleasuring her like this. Lumine kept pushing her fingers inside her while her tongue tried to make her crazy with pleasure. The flexible meat stirred and churned around inside the honey hole, going in and out in a rapid pace, causing more of the juice to come out. Lumine also increase the pace of her finger movements, it reaches to the deepest parts that they could and are now repeating the same trip over and over, drawing out all love juice from inside the flooded cave, and give Tsaritsa the feeling that her body is melting.

Tsaritsa's moans become louder and louder, and her calmness seems to have gone completely at this moment in time. And Lumine take it for granted to hear her being the one to sing in this bedroom for once. Tsaritsa's body arched as Lumine mercilessly pushed her closer to her climax. She's close, she is close! Just a bit more, just a little, and she will-

It happen a little earlier than Lumine had anticipated, but nevertheless, she enjoys it. With a small shout, Tsaritsa climaxed greatly, a large stream of love liquid sprayed out from the honey hole, and it drenched Lumine's face entirely, some of it even got into her hair as well, but most of it however is all inserted into her mouth, given that she still have her tounge inside the hole. The girl was stunned for a moment, feeling the inside of her mouth is being filled by the salty liquid. After slowly taking out her fingers and her tongue, she contiplates it for a moment before deciding that it would be a waste to spit it out, and so she swallows them all instead. Gasping for air after doing so, realizing that she had forgotten to breathe the entire time when she was eating Tsaritsa's out.

"Ah... Tsaritsa's juice... Tsaritsa's taste... Ahh... So good..." Lumine sighed dreamily, licking her lips and her fingers that is still covered by the love juice, not even realizing that she just spoke that out loud in front of the queen herself.

"Hehehe, you like my syrup that much? You look like someone who hasn't seen a drop of water in a century, achingly dry with thirst for water, did you know that?" Tsaritsa asked with a soft giggle, causing Lumine to paused a little and then blushes.

But putting that embarrassing comments aside, she climbs into the Tsaritsa while still maintaining her position, resting her chin on top of the woman's belly with her golden eyes, half lidded and trembling slightly, filled with lust and needs that it made her looks hot and attractive, she looks at Tsaritsa's own eyes, eargerly waiting for praise like that of a puppy who had done a good job.

"Tsaritsa... How is it? Did I do good?"

"Good... You're doing well... I see you have indeed been studying hard for this, good job."

She leans forward and engages the smaller girl into a kiss again. More passionate than ever before, the leftover juice is still there in Lumine's mouth, and Tsaritsa is more than happy to know what her own cum tastes like, especially when it's all mixed up with the saliva of Lumine and herself. Even for the goddess of love, what happens so far during this night has certainly taught some new things to her, and she can't wait to find out what sort of other new things she'll discover later.

Releasing their connected mouths after a while, they both panted heavily, Tsaritsa who haven't regained her breath yet after her climax, and Lumine who forgot to breathe the entire time. Looking at the girl's face before her, the queen saw messy state Lumine's face looking. All covered in her cum from those flushed cheeks of hers and even in her hair, her eyes are dazed and unfocused, looking deeply into them, she could see all the pent up lust the girl is holding, poor girl, she must've waited for a long time for this day to come, huh?

"Tsaritsa... I-I can do more if you want to... I've studied long and hard, A-And I wanted to try it out... May I?" After a moment of regaining her breath, Lumine asked her again, her half lidded eyes looked at the woman expectingly, while her soft-looking lips turned into a smile. A clear sign that she is up to do more if the queen wants her too.

"Hmm... I do love to see more what you're capable of, my dear. But..."

"Hyaah!"

Something just poked Lumine at her entrance. Maybe it's because she has been too focused on Tsaritsa's face just now, but the woman's hand right now is placed on Lumine's bottom, which is still high in the air by the way, because she still retains her prostrating position. Tsaritsa's finger poked at her panties, and then slipped inside to rub against her very wet core.

"Looks like I need to care of this first." Tsaritsa muttered with an amused giggle. Taking a hold of the soft white fabric around Lumine's waist and pulls it down.

"W-Wait! A-At least, let me change my position first!" She tries to move her body from this embarrassing pose where she's still have both of her bottom entrance high in the air and exposed to the chilly atmosphere of the room. But Tsaritsa wouldn't let her, the queen quickly maneuvers herself to sit behind her, and holds her down in place by pressing one hand on one of her butt cheek.

"Hmm? But you look so cute like this. Presenting yourself and baring this little cunt to me like this. Fufufu, you sure does an expert in the way to seduce somebody, huh?" Tsaritsa smirked amusingly, lightly squeezing Lumine's cupped rear, making the blonde girl trembles a little.

"But this position... It's embarrassing!" The blonde girl protested, but she already knows that Tsaritsa is not the kind of person who listen to her protest. So all she could do is to endure this shameful position for a moment as her lover is working on her.

"My, my, would you look at that, it's completely wet." Tsaritsa muttered with a soft giggle, rubbing her fingers along the closed off petals, all soaked in Lumine's love juice. A product of her needy intimacy. "You're leaking out so much... Was all this for me, hmm? You're little cunt is so greedy to be touched and played with huh?"

"T-That's because Tsaritsa is so hot... nhmm! S-So... Pretty... W-When I did that to you, I-I- Hmmm...! I couldn't hold it back." She couldn't exactly see the Tsaritsa with how she is being positioned right now, but she could still her tender touch, the softness of her white dainty fingers, poking and prodding with her clit.

"Hehe, I see. I'm sorry for making you wait then. Allow me to reward you for your hard work, otherwise, it wouldn't be fair now, is it?"

Tsaritsa begins by separating the two side petals first, opening up the entrance into the flooded tunnels, the insides are pink, overflowing by love juice that slowly coming out to the entrance and drips into the bed below, and there's a storm scent of arousal secreted out. Smiling at the sight of this, Tsaritsa inserted her index and middle finger inside.

"A-Ah!" Lumine immediately felt it the moment Tsaritsa had her fingers sinks into her wet entrance. And already, she gasped in delight by the sensation.

In the last few weeks of having to spend many nights being dragged here into this room to be played with by Tsaritsa, the woman has almost completely mapped out the entire structurea of Lumine's body. And in doing so, not only has the blonde girl grown accustomed to all sorts of sensation that Tsaritsa gave her, from touching, fingering, licking, and sometimes grinding, the woman has also mastered her weaknesses as well. Which spot on her neck that can be teased to make her weak on the knees, which parts of her waist that can be tickled to send her into a laughing fit, and even which parts of her inside that can be scratched to make moans and cums easily. But even so, after getting accustomed to all her teasings, there's not a day where Lumine wouldn't find some new things about her own body, with Tsaritsa being the skillful one between the two, the queen is certainly in expert when it comes to pleasuring others. Wonder how did she become this masterful.

"Uhh... ah! Ah... Tsaritsa... there, ah! No, no..."

"Hmm, how is it? Does it feel good?" The queen asked with a smirk.

Tsaritsa used her index finger to gently scrape at the fleshly walls of the tunnwl, and from time to time pressed, slid, and vibrated the flesh with her fingertips. The walls surrounding the fingers also tightened, squeezed, and trembled, and the sticky honey wetted her fingers.

Tsaritsa however, still has one more hand that is free. And she uses it to tease Lumine from the outside. She saw the swollen clit below the hole stuffed with fingers, and by using her other sets of fingers, she pulls back the foreskin that hides the sensitive bud, seeing how it immediately erected into a small bean or a peanut into view. And so using two fingers, she plays with the little bean, pressing it with her thumb first, giving it a few gentle scratch, and then use two fingers to circle around it pressing it side to side, and then giving it a gentle massage, squeezing, pulling lightly, and grind her fingernails on it. And for each act of teasings she did for the poor clit, it sends waves of electricity coursing through Lumine's entire body, making her moanings even louder and uncontrollable, and her breathings to go haywire.

"Uhh... Ahh! I-Its... Nmmm! It's good! It feels so good... T-Tsaritsa...!"

"Fufu, good to hear. Because I will make you feel even more better."

Tsaritsa suddenly pushed the index finger deeper, and the warm and soft layers of flesh immediately wrapped and tightly held the finger that penetrated, wriggling as if to send the finger deeper. The fingers were tightly wrapped by Lumine's warm and moist flesh, the squirming inner wall slid over the fingers, and one could feel the layers of wrinkles and sticky slippery, Tsaritsa couldn't help but to smile, satisfied by Lumine's reaction, be it the mouth that keeps moaning out her name, or this mouth below her that recognize Tsaritsa's fingers so well, like a close friend that invited it come inside, more and more deeper into the flower cave. Lumine's pussy is swallowing her fingers tightly, not wanting to let go, just what Tsaritsa have wanted.

"Ahn! Ahh! T-Tsaritsa... I'm close- nhmm! I-Its coming... It's coming... Something is about to come out!" Between her pants and moans pleasure, Lumine managed to croak out. Her hands clutching the bed sheets tightly as her body writhing relentlessly.

"It's okay. Just cum and I'll take care of you. Cum for me, my dear Lumine."

Just for the final touch, Tsaritsa's fingers are already inside as deep as they could. And now, all she needs to do, is to curl up her finger, and scratch the bottom floor of the tunnel.

When she rubbed up against the rough spot, Lumine immediately gasped, her eyes blown wide open, and her mouth parted to make an "o," her inside squeezed Tsaritsa's fingers even tighter. Tsaritsa smiled at the pretty good reaction, and continues to finger that part of Lumine's pussy.

"Ah, there… it's fluffy… ah, ah…!"

Tap and stroke it incessantly. Each time, the walls around Tsaritsa's fingers tighten, tensing up as a major signs for one who is about to each orgasm.

"Tsaritsa, more, I like it, I like it! Oh, oh, that feels so good! I'm… going… crazy…!"

Her body shook uncontrollably, her breathings becomes erratic and in disordered manner, her eyes becomes blurry until she's unable to see anything anymore. All she felt now is pure delight, being pleasured by Tsaritsa's fingers to the big climax.

That one fluffy sensitive spot in her inside is being rubbed and scratched mercilessly to no end. Meanwhile her sensitive bud on the outside is being massaged by two fingers, kneading, squeezing, and pressing it, sending course over course of electricity across her body, spreading out her pleasure to not only the bottom part, but all over her body, and she could feel them all. In the arms, in her chest, in her legs, but most importantly, in her head. All she knows now is pleasure.

"It's coming! It's coming! No! It's scary! I'm going crazy…! Oh, Tsaritsa, Tsaritsa, Tsaritsa…! I love…aaaaaah!"

The intense pleasure instantly washed over Lumine's trembling whole body, becoming the last straw that crushed the camel's back. The accumulated pleasure turned into an erupting volcano in an instant, and her brain was completely engulfed by the hot lava of pleasure, as if a thunderbolt exploded. Lumine's moist eyes widened in an instant, and then became tired and dazed as it rolls back, her mind is completely blank, and all she could see is white. A large amount of crystal liquid that wet the bed sheets left her body together, flowing out like a waterfall, and made a pool of water underneath her body.

After the great climax has finally been reached. Tsaritsa finally let go of her holds on Lumine, letting go of her grip on the girl, who immediately falls down to lay flat on her belly on the floor, panting heavily, her small tongue comes out of her mouth as she breathe heavily, her golden eyes are unfocused and rolled back, drools coming out from her lips, and tears also fell dowm from her eyes. Truly a beautiful sight to see, Tsaritsa wishes to see Lumine make this kind of face again in the future.

Grabbing her shoulder, Tsaritsa turns Lumine around after a moment of letting her catching up her breath. Smiling down at the blonde haired girl and looking at her affectionately. Leaning down, she kissed her on her cheek, on those rosy red cheeks all flushed from the experience. Not to forget she also kissed her tears away, though they may have made her look cute, she couldn't stand to see her beloved girl crying.

"Well done, my dear. You came a lot, a pretty beautiful sight to see today's amazing routine." Tsaritsa muttered, staring straight into Lumine's eyes in which the blonde girl did the same.

"Tsaritsa..." Lumine softly whispered, her golden eyes tenderly look at the queen's blue ones. Full of longing and tenderness. "I love you... Tsaritsa..."

Tsaritsa smiles at this, and leans down to kiss her little lover on her lips. Sealing their lips together, like they always have.

"I love you too, Lumine."

~o~0~o~

Though they have started it while it was in the middle of the night, even at this moment, there are still many hours left until morning arrives.

The two lovers have continued their making out session for a little while longer, until both of them feel like they're at their limit and finally decided end it. And right now, as the soft glow of the moonlight penetrates it's way into the queen's bedroom, the two lovers are just lying there on the queen sized bed, cuddling each other without wearing anything on, except for the blankets that covered their bodies to give them some warmth from the freezing temperatures of the land outside. Quite a beautiful scenery if one sees it from a certain point of view.

As the two cuddle there under the mattress, Tsaritsa lightly strokes her hands along Lumine's hair. Running her fingers across the sea of golden strands, giving this girl a sense of peace, which might have worked judging from the purring noises coming out from Lumine as so does this, making her feel like she's stroking a cat instead of a person. Though there was indeed a race of cat people out there, Lumine is no cat, she is her treasure, her most prized possession.

Tsaritsa smiled tenderly at the thought. It's amazing of how much and how fast she came to care about this girl so much. From only seeing her as a usable pawn in her war against the divine, during that moment when they ahve just met each other. And then viewing her as a very important asset to the Fatui that she made her into her second Harbinger. And then finally as someone that had successfully stolen her heart, or whatever that is left of it for that matter.

She is strong, she is dedicated, she is beautiful. Definitely qualified as someone that is perfect for Tsaritsa to get together with. Just like when she saw her eyes for the first time. When she saw that golden eyes of hers.. she knew that everything is about to change, but she never thought that that change would be centered around her instead of anything else.

The ruthless ice queen who has her heart frozen by the cruelty of this world, is now having her hands around the shining starlight that thanks its warmth, it melts away the frozen heart of the queen, allowing her to see once again what love is, what warmth is. Making her realize that even though this world is a cruel and unforgiving one, like a blizzard that mercilessly tore apart it's surroundings into bits. There will always be a place where no blizzard can appear, where everything is warm and love will continue to exist. Even if that place is from another world, just like Lumine.

"Hey, Tsaritsa... Can I ask you something?" Lumine stirred in Tsaritsa's arms, she looked up to see the queen directly in her eyes and then asked.

"Yes? What is it my dear?" Tsaritsa asked back, still smiling, looking back into Lumine's golden eyes with a loving gentle stare.

"If... If we... No. When we finally collect all that we need to overthrow Celestia, to successfully thrive and bring peace to Tevyat..." Lumine began, gulping down, she turned her expression into one that asked for something, like a permission of sorts. "...And when I finally find my brother's whereabouts to reunite with him... May I... Can I stay here with you?"

Tsaritsa didn't say anything for a moment, only lying there thinking about what Lumine just said. So basically, Lumine asked her whether or not she can stay here in Tevyat to live with her, once Celestia has successfully been taken down and for Lumine to reunite with her brother. And who is Tsaritsa to forbid her from staying. Only a fool would do such a thing.

"Do you even have to ask? Of course you can! You shall have a special seat for you, my dear. Once I finally tore down the heavenly principles out of this world, and brought about a new era of peace in the new world, you shall sit by side. Together... For as long as you wanted." Tsaritsa answered, receiving a happy gasp coming out from Lumine, who smiled upon hearing the answer and even teared up a little as well.

"Thank you..." Lumine muttered, reaching up to wipe her tears away. "I love you, Tsaritsa. Love you so much."

The two lovers then connected their lips for a kiss again, one that ended their activity for the entire day. As both of them closed their eyes and fell into a deep and peaceful slumber, hugging each others' bodies for warmth, and for their love to ascend even into the spiritual realm of their dreams.

...

...

...

~o~0~o~

...

...

...

The sounds of the birds chirping could be heard from outside. The giant bedroom that belongs to the queen of the royal palace lightens up from the morning sun rays that spilled into the room by passing through the window. And even though Snezhnaya is snowy like it always do, in this particular morning, the temperature was warm enough for people to get comfortable and not shivering from cold.

The queen sized bed in the room rustled, and with some movements, a woman with grey hair woke up, her hair is disheveled and messy from sleeping, but it is not a pretty uncommon sight because she has little to no care about it, and usually only having enough care to tied it into a braid so that no one will have any bad thoughts about her appearance that is normally unsuitable for someone who rules an entire nation.

Her midnight blue eyes opened, allowing the lights of day to enter. Her sight was all blurry at first, thanks to having to close them for the entire night, but after some moments passed, they become clearer, and the queen is now able to see her surroundings.

She blinks her eyes once or twice, as memories of a certain night spent with a girl that she loves resurface into her mind. And her eyes immediately wanders to her side, where that girl is supposed to be sleeping right beside her...

But she found nothing. There was no one there, in fact, there are no signs of anyone ever being in there. Aside from the spot where the queen has slept through the night, the mattress of the queen sized bed is tidy as ever, given that she even rarely sleeps as Archons does not require it either. And so, where did that girl go? So early in the morning no less.

"Lumine... Where did she go?" The queen asked to no one in particular. She knows that the blonde haired girl is a busy person, having her hands full with all of the research she's conducting on Delusions and all. But does she have to get up this early?

She has to find her, they've spent the entire night loving each other, and she just couldn't let it end there. Quickly pulling away the blanket that covered her body, she approached the bedside, and then she-

Thump

Something just fell into the floor with a soft thud, it sounds like something hard, maybe made out of glass or something, but it's still piqued the queen's attention enough to look down. And what she saw was a quite surprising find. It was a single flower, one that is she so familiar with, a flower consist of five petals, four white and one light blue. The carpels and stamens of the flower are yellow, while stems are a slightly darker purplish-blue.

She knows well of this flower, the Intevyat, that was its name. The national flower of Khaenri'ah, one that used to bloom all over the nation before it was set ablaze by the gods. However, what's the most important thing about this flower, is that this one flower is worn by Lumine in her hair, a decorative choice that she chose due to what the flower symbolises: A wanderer far from home, signifying the tenderness of the homeland.

Why would Lumine dropped this flower here? This is one of her precious possession, she is almost never seen without wearing this flower in her head. And the only time that she ever taking it off is when she sleeps or bathe, and then when she's... When she's...

Tsaritsa's eyes widened, as more memories enters her mind. Memories of a certain day when something happens, memories of everything that happens after that. Slightly in denial, she looks around the room frantically, to confirm whether her thoughts are true or not, but all the evidence points out towards the answer:

The lack of Lumine in her bed, even during the early morning; the clean and tidy bedroom, looking like someone hasn't been here for a very long time; the night dress that Tsaritsa is currently wearing, despite the fact she should've been not wearing anything at the moment because of what happened during the night; and then lastly, the presence of the Intevyat flower in here, which is not placed here by Lumine, or anyone else, it was by the Tsaritsa herself.

"Oh..." Tsaritsa softly exclaimed, after finally realizing the truth of the situation. "It was that dream again..."

With a vague feeling, she reaches up to her eyes, and finds it wet with tears. She is crying, the memories of those times are coming back to her, and it resurface as her dreams. Appearing to either haunting her for her deep longing in her heart, or maybe to give her some pleasant feelings amidst this cruel and unforgiving world known as Tevyat, who had once again robbed her from all of her precious possession.

She leans down and grabbed the hardened flower, it's stems and it's petals are hard, like it was made out of glass instead of a natural fibre. She remembers how she came into possession of this one particular flower. Lumine have two in her head, but she managed to secure one and give it to Tsaritsa as a gift, a parting gift to be exact...

One last present for the beloved queen that she served. Before the little starlight is gone and disappeared... Forever...

~o~0~o~

The sounds of heels cackling against the marble floor rings throughout the empty hallways of the Zapolyarny palace. There, one could see the appearance of the queen of Snezhnaya, walking down the empty hallways all by herself.

Her grey hair has been tied into a braid, she had combed it first hand before tying it, into a similar style of braid that a certain girl used to do it. Luckily, the queen still remembers it to this day of how exactly that girl used to do it, allowing her to do it on her own without anyone's help. Meanwhile, for her outfit choice of the day, she wore her usual royal indigo colored gown, one with the Fatui insignias as it's motifs, a dress that she wore only during special occasions, such as this day for example.

The queen's face is downturned, her eyes only focuses on the floor, for she already remembers enough the map of her own palace to knows exactly where she is going without even looking forward.

With a blank look on her face, with only a small hints of emotions visible in her eyes, one may think the queen wasn't thinking about anything at all. But the truth is however, the Cryo Archon's head is overflowing with thoughts, all swirling inside her head like crazy as her brain traversed through the maze of deep contiplations and moral dilemmas.

"The Zapolyarny palace... It stays the same as ever... The same goes for me as well... But... Everything else have changed..."

Five hundred years have passed since the Cataclysm and the destruction of Khaenri'ah. The events that have changed the Tsaritsa's heart forever, twisting her thoughts and feelings until the once used to be benevolent goddess of love from Snezhnaya becomes the malicious deadly queen who cares little to none about the lives of others, including those who serves her for the cause of overthrowing the divine.

But despite that however... This wasn't always the case.

There was a short period of time during her reign as the queen of the Fatui she is now that some parts of her previous self managed to crawl out from darkness of her own heart, the frozen landscape of her soul. At that time, the Tsaritsa was met with a circumstances that she have never imagined before, something that even during her previous lifetime as the goddess of love she wasn't able to have the opportunity to get.

Tsaritsa had fallen in love with someone... Someone... Who is not here anymore..

It happen so suddenly, so unexpectedly. It starts out as a simple report from her men, backed up by her first and her most loyal servant. A simple case of an assault to her men, done not by a tough and strong looking man, or an experienced adventurer looking for a fight, but by a small girl with short blonde hair and pristine pretty white dress, along with a pair of beautiful shiny golden eyes that is enchanting to look at.

Ever since the day she saw those golden eyes of hers, the queen already know that things are about to change.

The girl possess an extraordinary abilities, one that is so unnatural and so unfamiliar to this world. For the girl herself in question is the children of the stars, born as twins along with her older brother, who went missing after the twins encountered with a foe that is of this world. The same foe that the ice queen is also trying to rebel upon.

After having her last and only kin taken away, the girl fell from the heavens and lands on this world. Where she is left stranded, without any of her former powers present, or someone to come to their aid. She is left all alone to wander this world aimlessly, without a guide or a clue to where she is supposed to go, where is her brother is being held, or if he even still alive at all.

But that was when she stumbles upon the nation of always winter, known as Snezhnaya, the home of the Cryo Archon known as the Tsaritsa, the queen of the Fatui, and the self declared enemies of the world. After hearing all of the Tsaritsa's achievements and feats, the helpless girl fought her way into the royal throne, in hopes of seeking audience with the queen. And her audience she gets. The indigo eyed queen listens patiently as the girl recited her tale, a tragic tale of the twins, born from a twin stars, made to traverse around the universe in search for a new home to leave, for the world they once called their home is nothing but dust now. And just when they found a world that they wanted to visit next, they were stopped by an unknown god, who took one of the twin, while stranding the other after sealing their powers away.

The girl came a ask for the queen to help her, she begged for anyone to lend her poor soul a lending hand. And the queen is more than glad to provide it, in exchange for her service to her of course.

Even from the start, the Tsaritsa had already desired the girl, for her incredible abilities, for her willingness to do anything in exchange for someone to give her help in return, and for her devotion and seriousness in fulfilling the requirements needed for the contract that forged between the two to be fulfilled: Helping the Tsaritsa overthrowing the Heavenly Principles, in exchange for the queen to help her finding her lost brother.

It was pretty simple, and it should've stayed that way if it weren't for the complications along the way.

The queen is expecting to find copper by recruiting the blonde girl into her organization, but instead she found gold. She was expecting for her to be serious and devoted to the cause that the Fatui is fighting for, but not that much. The girl turns out to be a hard working individual, she did not know what rest is, relentlessly improving and developing the Fatui in the ways that Tsaritsa can't imagine before. In a span of only two years, the organization rapidly grows, batch of new members appearing every day, missions are done with an utmost successful rate than ever before, loads and loads of information were gathered, making the Fatui grown even and even stronger. The queen had promoted the girl into a special place only after six months of her services. Tsaritsa turned her into her left hand woman, a position equal to the Jester, who was her right hand man. She named her, Isabella, the female lover. Quite a correct choice of codename to be given to her, especially after what happens next.

Seeing her hardworking nature, her utmost devotion to the queen, and her unshakable will to continue the cause only for one goal of finding her brother. That blonde haired girl, Lumine was her name, she had successfully captured the Tsaritsa's heart. Breathing in a breath of warmness and love into her frozen heart, and melts it away so that the queen is capable of feeling an emotion that she had thought to be discarded a long time ago. The Tsaritsa had fallen in love... With that blonde haired girl, Lumine.

She would confessed her feelings for her, and though the girl have some difficulties in accepting it at first, as the time passed, she eventually accepts her, and the two became lovers. One who holds each others' hearts so dearly, one who unites for their shared dreams of piece. Two lost souls who have lost parts of themselves because of the cruelty of this world, only to became whole again once they were interviewed by the tragedy that made them met each other.

Yes... It was a sweet story, a story about a cruel queen, who fell in love with a Traveler with a pure heart.

That was where the end is supposed to be, where it should have ended. But it's not.

The time passed, and tragedy happens, people live and people die, and eventually, the brutal truth is revealed. The same truth of this world, that once changed the benevolent maiden that is once the Tsaritsa into what she is now, has also came into the knowledge of that star-born maiden that the queen had fallen in love with. And before long, before Tsaritsa realized it, that starlight who had given her warmth, who had given her love, have also fallen into the darkness of the abyss of hatred and resentment, one that made the lovable kind hearted girl, into straying away from the path, and disappear forever...

The footsteps of the queen stopped, she stood before the big stone door, one that leads into the royal throne room, where today's event shall be held. She raise her head, feeling a familiar presence standing right before her, and her indigo eyes came face to face with a single azure eye in front of her.

It was Pierro, the Jester. The very first member of the Fatui, and thus making him the first ever Harbinger, and now he is the leader of the other ten. He is one of Tsaritsa's close associate, a servant that she treasured, not as much as how Lumine used to be, but still invaluable to her nonetheless.

"Good morning, my queen. Did you sleep well?" The bearded old man greeted, his appearance is just the same as ever like before, partly because of the curse of immortality bestowed upon him by the gods, a punishment for the pure blooded Khaenri'ahns to endure for all eternity, as it eroded their minds and body from within.

"Morning. Are the other Harbingers already present inside?" Tsaritsa asked, still with that cold and stern voice of hers, never changing even after five centuries have passed.

"They are. They were waiting for you to come and start meeting. They've been waiting for quite a while." Pierro answered with a nod, crossing his arms across his chest.

"I see."

Today is supposed to be the day, the day when they finally start their bigger operations. The start for the hunt for the Gnoses, the divine artifacts that the seven Archons all possess, a key for them to channel their connections to Celestia, granting them ultimate power. She already has one that is her own, but with all seven of them fall into her possession alone... Then maybe she will-

"My queen, may I ask what's been troubling you?"

Pierro's voice brought her back to reality, she looked up into him and found the old man was staring at her in concern, was it the expression on her face? Or was it because of the well hidden emotions in her eyes that made him to correctly believe that the Tsaritsa's mind is in shambles from having multiple trains of thoughts passing through her brain.

"You're spacing out a little, is there a problem?" The Jester once again asked in concern, she didn't outwardly show it, but she does appreciate these little gestures he gives her.

"I'm fine, Pierro. It's just... Some memories of the past have returned, and... My mind just couldn't stop thinking about it." Tsaritsa said with a sigh, closing her eyes and shaking her head a little.

Pierro didn't say anything in response at first, but after a few seconds, the old man released a sigh, also closing his eye and then nodded his head.

"I understand. I guess it's just how remarkable and radiant she is the first time we see her, it is also impossible for one to forget her that easily." The first Harbinger remarked, as memories of that same girl entered his mind. His memories may have started to fade away due to this curse that he was forced to bear, but he will always remember that figure, remember that person, that girl who shines so bright, like a star placed amidst the darkness for her radiant glow to shine upon this Organization. "Shall I go there and tell them to wait a little longer? If you need some time alone, I can tell them to wait more."

"No, there's no need for that, Pierro." Tsaritsa quickly replied, shaking her head in disagreement. "The past, is the past, it shall not hinder our quest to fulfill the cause. Let's go."

Pierro nodded, and opened the stone door before them, entering the throne room with Tsaritsa tailing behind him. Once they entered, Tsaritsa immediately saw her audience for the day, all of the Eleven Fatui Harbingers, including Pierro, were here, ready to answer the queen's call. All of them are positioned before the throne, kneeling down on their knees, and heads bowing without a dare to look up at her form. Once they are near the throne, Pierro soon joins among his comrades, kneeling down and bowing his head, taking the position on the very front, just before the ice throne where the Cryo Archon takes a seat on top of it, making herself comfortable, before the gathering officially starts.

"Her majesty, the Tsaritsa has arrived." Pierro bellowed, announcing for the other ten behind him to hear. And immediately after that, each of them raises their heads, all their eyes looking towards the Tsaritsa alone.

"Good morning everyone." Tsaritsa greeted, but her voice contains no warmth nor does it have any love, only cold and emotionless. "What a good day we're having."

And with that, the queen starts delivering a short speech for them all. Starting from the start of their goal, a quick history of the tragedy that befallen Tevyat 500 years ago, the backstory of what makes the Fatui eventually formed into existence, the success of their works up until now, and then lastly the details of the great hunt that they're about to do now, a one big step for them towards their ultimate goal in overthrowing the divine.

Throughout the entire time of her speech, the Harbingers have listened to her closely and carefully, their eyes are glued solely on her. Like she was a teacher teaching them a lesson in school. And in return, Tsaritsa have also given them some glances every now and then, carefully inspecting each member, and confirm that all of them really are here, present in this room, listening to her.

From Tartaglia, the Childe. Arlecchino, the Knave. Pantalone, the Regrator. La Signora, the Fair Lady. Sandrone, the Marionette. Scaramouche, the Balladeer. Pulcinella, the Rooster. Il Capitano, the Captain. Columbina, the Damselette. Il Dottore, the Doctor. And of course, her most loyal servant, Pierro, the Jester.

"But where is Lumine..." Tsaritsa's heart mentally asked herself.

The second Harbinger seat that used to be occupied by Isabella, the Female Lover, is left to rot after her departure, and was only later replaced by the now the Doctor, a man, or that is what he used to be in the past, that Pierro picked to join the Fatui after hearing the news of him performing unethical human experiment in Sumeru. And thus the history of Lumine, who used to be well known as the queen's bride, has faded into nothing within the organization, except for a few who lived long enough to remember, such as Pietro, and the Tsaritsa herself who are haunted by the memories in some nights.

"Now then..." Tsaritsa stood up from her throne, after finally finished her speech, opening her indigo eyes, she exclaimed. "Go forth, my loyal Harbingers! Let us the begin our first step towards the end. And mark my words. Failure, is not an option."

And with that, the eleven Harbingers all stood up, nodding their heads in respect, and leave the throne room one by one to start out their quest and put the Tsaritsa's plan into action. Before Pierro followed them after, he took a last glance towards the Tsaritsa, their eyes made contact with each other, and then the old man nods his head towards her as sign of respect, before leaving as well, leaving Tsaritsa alone again.

The grey haired queen then fell back to her throne, closing her eyes and placed her palm upon her head, as once again her mind is plagued by the thoughts of her. When will she be able to move on from this?

~o~0~o~

The wind here is nice, gently brushing against her hair, swaying it and the loose parts of her royal gown back, as she stepped deeper into the open chamber.

Many hours have passed since the Harbinger meeting this morning, and right now, it was night time already. Most people are already asleep at this point in time, but for the Tsaritsa, the Cryo Archon, who rarely ever sleep nor does she even requires it, the queen had take the time to instead come and visit a place from her memory. A pleasant memory of her time in the past as the goddess of love, and also her time with her.

The room looks exactly the same as ever, even after 500 years have passed, the coldness of the Zapolyarny palace, along with the good care she provided to this one room, it allows it to maintain its shape over the centuries, serving the Tsaritsa as a constant reminder of the times in the past. Back in the simpler times when Tevyat wasn't ravaged by the cruelty of the gods, back when Snezhnaya knows what peace is, back when Tsaritsa is known as the goddess of love.

But now, everything changes, old things fades away and disappear completely, while new things appeared and stays for as much time as it get. The yearly festivals that held in the city, the new year's eve that was celebrated every year with happiness and joy, even those things disappear with the passage of time. Even she disappears as well leaving the Tsaritsa behind to be alone all over again.

Walking along the single pathway in the middle, Tsaritsa glanced at her side to the two ponds of water surrounding the path. Even the fishes of that day have long been gone, replaced by new generations of fishes that they breed and repeat the cycle until the same amount of fish lives there to this day. But even so, there is one thing that consistently exists within these ponds, and that is the existence of the ice water lilies floating on the surface of the clear water.

Tsaritsa reached out her hand, and took one of the ice lilies into her palm. It was cold to the touch, freezing even, to normal mortal hands. But still, none shall say otherwise that this decoration for the pond is a beautiful one. It may not be a real lifeform, a pure imitation of a life that already exists, made by elemental energy, not even perfect like the genuine article, but it was beautiful nonetheless, and that is all that matters to the Tsaritsa.

Even though this ice Lilly flower is only an imitation of the real thing, made by her power that is not even comparable to those above, all that matters is that this ice flower is beautiful to look at, and it can withstand the passages of time better than a real flower, just like the Tsaritsa. As long as the queen lives, then this flower will continue to exist for all eternity.

Eternity... If only she could do the same to Lumine as well. If only Tsaritsa is able to keep Lumine to herself for all eternity...

If only the truth of this world... Is not as cruel as one can imagine.

"Why?! Why? Why do you have to do this to me? Why only telling me now?"

"I hate you... I hate you! Tsaritsa, I hate you!"

Tsaritsa approached the railings at the end of the chamber, climbing up a few steps of stairs that took her to a higher platform. With the Ice Lilly held in her hand, she stood before the railings, the scenery overlooking her beloved nation Snezhnaya, the glimmering lights from the buildings in the capital city in the distance, the dark snowy landscape of land, and the seas of Tevyat exactly below this chamber. The scenery here looks very beautiful, it's a shame that no one is here to enjoy it with her.

"Where have you gone, my little flower?" Tsaritsa asked softly, but only the distance sounds of the ocean waves and the howling of the evening winds came to answer her question. Clutching the Ice Lily in her hand a little tighter, her fingers start to shake due to the emotions she's feeling right now. Sadness, regret, and some degree of anger, all mixed up inside her head."I'm Sorry... to also have you shoulder the grievances of the world. If only there was a way for me to turn back time, only for once, then I swear..." The rest of her words goes unsaid, but still, she has it in her mind of what she's about to say.

She reaches out her hand holding the Ice Lily, and let go, letting the imitation of a flower made of ice fall down to the sea below. Allowing the ocean currents to take it into the distance unknown.

"I missed you... My little flower... And I love you... Always."

Something trails down the side of her cheek, and she reaches up to wipe it with her hands. She was crying... Something that rarely ever does, but still, every time it does happened, it will always be when her mind is thinking about, her.

The queen had enough of her time for this night. And so, after wiping away the rest of her remaining tears, she turns around and walks back into her palace, back into her duty as the queen of the Fatui. Back to her work in succeeding the cause and overthrowing the divine.

~o~0~o~

The wind here is nice, gently brushing against her hair, swaying it and the loose parts of her white dress and her scarf back, as she stood there all alone at the edge of the cliff.

Before her, the scenery of the landscape of Snezhnaya was nicely laid out in front of her. The seas of tevyat that reflect the beautiful glow of the moonlight, the soft distant sounds of the ocean waves that filled her ear, or the howling of the evening wind around her. But stood tall in the midst of all these already beautiful scenery, the royal palace where the Cryo Archon resided, the place where the Tsaritsa lives, and the base of operations of her loyal men, the Fatui.

As the girl with short blonde hair and a pristine white dress stood on the edge of the cliff all alone, with her eyes glued only to the sight of the Zapolyarny palace in the distance. Her ears soon caught the sound of something behind her opening and closing, a sound that she is familiar with, and soon, it was not only the blonde girl who stood there on the cliff.

"Your highness. I have returned."

The distorted voice that belongs to a certain creature enters her ears, and the girl need not to turn around to see and know who she is accompanied with.

"Our preparations have been completed. And soon, the Dragon of the East shall be under our control. A small step, but a meaningful one for us to overthrow the divine."

The girl didn't even say anything, her head is still facing away from the speaker, and so is her body. But she is still listening to the creature anyway, she is simply not the type of person who speaks much.

"Your highness... Were you thinking about the Cryo Archon again?"

The abyssal creature asked, it's body that two times bigger than the girl is kneeling on the ground behind her, one hand is clenched into fist and pressed into the ground as it kneels, while the others are placed on its chest. And through its helmet covered head, the creature looks upon the form of the girl that it serves, the princess that will bring about salvation to the cursed souls of this land. The Abyss Princess, she will be the one to rise to overthrow the divine.

"We can always launch a full assault to the royal palace. And we have enough army to take on the Cryo Archon's army, if it's for you, we can-"

"No."

The princess bellowed, silencing the Abyss Herald from speaking much further.

"We have... Other more important matters to take care of. The Cryo Archon and her pathetic suicidal army can wait for later. But right now, we should focus on the other more weaker nations first. Starting from Mondstadt."

The blonde haired girl explained, still with her position unchanged, but her voice alone is enough to make the creature understand what it was told to.

"Understood. Anything you wished for your highness."

The princess release a huff. And nods her head.

"Good. And let me tell you about one thing..." The princess breathed and then slowly turning her body around as she speaks. "If there is someone in this world that is allowed to take revenge in that whore of a queen..."

She fully turned her body around now, her golden eyes, cold and lifeless glared daggers at the Abyssal creature before her, her mouth is frowning and her eyebrows are furrowed. And then placed within one of her hands is an lily flower made of ice, one that she picked up from the shores.

"...Then that person will be me."

Lumine stated before crushing the Ice Lily in her hand, turning it into bits of ice that fell into the ground, melting into water, and absorbed by the soil...

Gone... forever.

The End.

---

Well, I guess you could say that Tsaritsa just "wake up to reality," huh?

Anyway, I think this story will mark the end of the series for now, because we need more canon information about the Tsaritsa and the Fatui for this story to continue. But until the, this will be the end for the series chronologically. Maybe I will make one or two spin-off stories for this, but it won't be progressing the plot.

Thank you so much for reading this, and patienly waiting for this second part to be finished. I'm a bad author so every time I upload something it will always be longer than the last lol.