Signora's Saviour- Chapter 10.

[2 Days Later...]

Today is the day I meet with Signora again. To that end, I am heading to the Guili Ruins at my own pace, taking in the refreshing air and elegant scenery.

Yesterday, I took the time to relax and clear my mind before whatever escapades I'll get dragged into from today. Not that I mind that much.

...Well, I'm where we said we'd meet.

"Rosalyne?" I call to no avail.

Strange, she's usually punctual about timings.

"Behind you..." I hear her voice.

I turn to her.

"Hey..." She doesn't look happy.

"First of all, thank you for being on time." She walks up to me. "But there's been a change of plans..."

"What do you mean?" I ask, naturally.

"The midget, known as Scaramouche, has betrayed the entire Fatui." Signora's eyes reflect the anger in her voice. "He took the Electro Gnosis and fled towards Sumeru. We must retrieve it."

She turns and gestures for me to follow her.

"Keep in mind, this is my own plan." She continues. "It is not an order from her majesty, but it's what she would want."

I catch up so I can walk beside her.

"Just us two?" I say. "Shouldn't we get additional support?"

Signora looks at me.

"Where's your confidence gone, Liu? We are more than enough to handle that arrogant brat."

"I guess you're right..."

Is now the time to ask about her as Rosalyne? I'll go for it. What's the worst that could happen?

"Hey, Rosalyne, about that promise to tell me about yourself..." She frowns and sighs.

"...You do deserve to know, I suppose." She pauses, seemingly to compose herself. "You were forthcoming with me on the boat after all."

I give her the time she needs to collect her thoughts.

"First things first...I am not Snezhnayan, I am Mondstadtian." Signora discloses. "I used to be a singer there."

I always thought her voice was that of a singer's...but for her to be from Mondstadt, well it's news to me.

"In the capital, I would practice my singing at the fountain in the market square." Her breathing becomes shakey. "...And that's where I met...R-Rostam."

I have to stop myself from audibly blurting out 'Who?'

"H-he was a valiant and courageous knight." She looks distant as she recounts this story. "Like I said, we met at the f-fountain. He said he was drawn to my voice."

Signora smiles as she finishes that sentence, but it's a smile that emanates a strong bitterness.

"Since then, we got to know each other very well and eventually...we were married."

"M-married..." I unintentionally murmur.

"Something wrong, Liu?" She's focused on me again.

"N-no, nothing..." I lie.

She's...married? Like an actual husband?! It feels like my heart's being prodded by a thousand needles.

"...I loved him." Her voice squeaks a little.

Wait, loved? Past tense?!

"But I was naive back then." Even though she's more upset, her stuttering is gone. " Rostam fought for the safety of the people in the midst of the Stormterror Crisis. Every time he went to battle, I had faith that the Anemo Archon would protect him."

I feel a pressure on my hand. Looking down, I see that mine and Signora's hands have intertwined, and it's not even a one-sided action, that pressure I felt was her squeezing my hand. Does this mean that I'm supporting her?

Her expression turns grim.

"Then that dark day came." Signora looks up at the sky. "He was k-killed by that cursed dragon."

She pauses to wipe a tear from her eye.

"I couldn't stay in that nation anymore, so I left for Snezhnaya." Her gaze returns to me. "That's what made me the way I am today. It was also because of that event that I fully harnessed my power as the Crimson Witch of Embers."

I'm unable to reply. She's a widow? That's...she must be emotionally unavailable now, right?

"You have something you want to say, don't you?" Signora stops, pulls her hand away and turns to me, seemingly calmed herself.

She's sharp. Would telling the truth be the best move in this scenario? Well, she did just tell me something that must be very painful for her to remember. So, I'll do something similar, even if it is profoundly stupid.

"W-well, first I'm extra sorry for...deceiving you." I begin.

She looks confused, but quickly realizes what I'm apologizing for.

"I'll admit when you came back after your 'death' it did make me think of him..." Signora locks eyes with me. "I thought 'why could you come back to life when he couldn't.' I was torn, but in the end I chose to forgive you."

"Rosalyne..." Suddenly, my own eyes tear up. Whether from relief or heartbreak I don't know.

"Liu, what's wrong?" She grabs my shoulders.

"I-it's...it's just..." I relent and let myself cry. "I-I...lo..."

[3rd POV]

The emotional overload prevents Liu from speaking properly. Signora instinctively pulls him into a hug.

"Please tell me, Liu. Whatever you're trying to say, I'll listen." She says. "You listened to me, after all. As my equal, we will support each other just as I said before."

At these words, Liu pushed his face into Signora's hair, still sobbing.

"That...that cemented it..." Liu says between his muffled cries.

"What do you mean, Liu?" Signora's voice is gentle.

"Rosalyne..." Liu hesitates, beginning to settle down a bit. "I...I truly...love you..."

Signora briefly freezes at that declaration, then softly laughs.

"I see. We'll talk about this once you have calmed down." Her hand moves up and she starts gently brushing Liu's hair.

After a few more minutes of weeping, Liu managed to relax and separate from Signora.

"Let's keep going." Signora says. "We'll continue this while we walk."

Liu simply nods in agreement, and the pair begin wandering again.

"...So, Liu, did you really mean what you said?" The Fair Lady speaks up. "If so, why?"

Liu looks hesitant but then sighs contently.

"I'll be honest, it's a multitude of things that captivated me." He begins. "The way you're able to verbally take charge of any situation, the way you generally carry yourself and your speech patterns, whether intentionally or not, are beautiful."

Signora's expression changes to one of surprise but she remains silent.

"But the thing that clinched it was you saying you see me as an equal." Liu declares.

"That's...an odd thing." Signora says.

"I know." Liu responds. "It's easier to understand when you look at my upbringing and the vast majority of my adult life so far."

"How so?"

"Well, despite being raised under extreme wealth, my mother always taught me to do things for myself. That in itself is not a bad thing, but as I grew up I noticed that I always seemed to be in service of someone else, but I never had the resolve to do something about it."

Signora kept listening intently to Liu's monologue.

"As gentle as my mother is with me, she was always quite intimidating as well..." Liu paused, thinking to himeself. "I thought things would change once I set out on my journey around Teyvat, but it didn't. In Mondstadt, I trained under the instructors and Grandmaster Jean of the Knights of Favonius, in Sumeru, I was a mercenary for a short while and in Snezhnaya, I was again under the Tsaritsa. So, I had sub-consciously accepted the fact that I would always serve others."

Liu took a deep breath.

"I believed that was my only purpose in life...So when you said that you see me as an equal, it meant a lot."

Signora was quiet, stunned by the level of earnest in Liu's confession.

"I'll say it again, properly." Liu looked over to Signora. "Rosalyne, I truly love you."

"Ah...I..." Signora trailed off.

"Oh, but I fully understand if you don't accept or reciprocate such feelings, given your circumstances." Liu visibly depressed upon adding that last part, despite the persistent, yet shallow, smile he displayed.

Signora stops and puts a hand on Liu's shoulder to stop him.

"What's up?" Liu says. "I...have told you everything."

"Yes, and here's my answer..." Signora looks at Liu with a soft gaze. "...I accept your feelings and...am willing to enter a relationship with you."

Liu's shock became apparent.

"R-really?"

Signora nods slowly, before speaking again. "You are not the only one who has been helped by our interaction. It was a mutual benefit. You healed part of the heartbreak that had been eating away at me for so long. I still haven't fully recovered, but perhaps furthening our bond would help."

"I see." Liu looks down at the floor. "Thank you, Rosalyne."

"And Liu, don't think I'm just getting with you for my selfish indulgence. Your confession made me realize that I..." Signora paused, and hid her face. "...Love you too, on your own merit."

"We're really a thing now, huh..." Liu muttered, revelling in the joy he currently felt.

"Though, saying that..." Signora resumed. "I do have a request."

"Go ahead."

"Liu, I wish for us to take this slowly. Could you oblige?" Signora asks. "I don't think I could take a quickly developing relation, right now."

"Yeah, you got it, Rosalyne." Liu agreed. "I will not make any progression without you confirmation."

Both Liu and Signora smile at each other, before proceeding with their journey towards Sumeru.