Ch. 21 – A Knight's Oath
Diluc quietly follows Master Varka closely through the pouring rain, vividly aware of the two knights that follow them. He doesn't know what's going on and when he tried to ask why he was pulled out of his morning lecture, the grand master simply said that he would tell him as soon as they reached Angel's Share.
He shuffles his feet nervously as he walks beside the man and looks back at the two knights. Wryatt and Belinda's faces are neutral and even though they look as uncomfortable as he feels in the rain, they don't complain. He turns his head back around. Is he in trouble? Did he do something wrong? He can't think of anything he's done to incur his wrath; he's also never seen Master Varka look so serious before. What if he's being dismissed from the ordo?
He shakes his head. That is silly. No one gets kicked out without reason.
He pulls his cloak tighter around himself and tries to ignore the way the cool rain is starting to soak through it already. He really wishes the rain would stop. It's not making him feel any better about the situation he's in. If anything, it's making him feel worse and he mumbles a curse under his breath when he feels water getting into his shoes. Fantastic, he thinks with a sigh. Can this day get any better?
Once the tavern is in view, he feels a strangely heavy aura hanging about the area that only grows heavier the closer they get. He looks around and notices the lack of people that are usually around the tavern. Even at this time, Angel's Share is usually pretty busy and people tend to hang outside near the tables mingling with each other. Is it because of the rain? He doesn't like walking around outside when it's raining this heavily, either.
They finally stop walking once they're in front of the door and Master Varka raps his knuckles against the hard wood. "It's me," he calls out.
A few seconds later, the door is unlocked and opened quickly. Charles steps aside to let them in. "It's good to see you safe, Master Diluc," he says.
Diluc looks at him curiously and answers, "It's really wet outside. I think I don't like the rain anymore. Plus I got water in my shoes." He looks around the tavern. No one else inside other than Father, who is getting up to his feet as soon as he's inside. He turns his attention to his father but before he can get a word out, he is engulfed in a tight hug that nearly squeezes all the breath out of his lungs. "Agh—you're choking me!" he cries out dramatically.
The hug gets tighter. "I'm glad you're all right, Diluc," Father says softly.
Diluc looks up at him questionably but returns the hug anyway. Whatever happened, Father is clearly upset. "Of course I am. What's going on?" He lets go and while he is reluctant, Father also releases him. He takes a step back to look at the knights. "Am I in trouble?"
"No, you aren't in trouble," Master Varka replies.
"How come we're here then?"
His lips thin and he glances at Father before he flicks his blue eyes back to him. "It has been an eventful morning for everyone. To start off, your father and Kaeya were here in the early hours of the morning before Charles got here."
"Yeah, Father is going to teach him how to do stuff around here!" He nods and proudly puffs his chest out. "I already know some of it 'cause Father taught me…" His voice trails off and deflates, seeing that the heavy air hasn't gone away. He looks around the tavern, finally noticing that Kaeya isn't here. He should have come over by now. His brother seems to know whenever he is nearby. Diluc turns to his father. "Is Kaeya upstairs?"
"No, he…" Father starts to reply but his face fades before he finishes speaking. He averts his eyes, trying to hide his barely hidden guilt.
His worry grows when he doesn't continue. What is he feeling so guilty about? "Where is he?"
Master Varka steps beside Father, causing him to turn his attention back to the grand master. "This morning, your father was arrested." If that wasn't enough to make Diluc freeze and begin to question why in the world he was arrested, the large man doesn't give him a chance to process the news. "During that time, he directed Kaeya to stay inside the tavern and have Charles take him home. Some time after your father was escorted away and Charles arrived, someone broke into Angel's Share. Nothing was stolen; however, Kaeya is not here."
Diluc blinks a few times. While it was shocking someone broke into the tavern and his father was arrested, it is strange nothing is missing and Kaeya is gone. "He's coming back, isn't he?"
Father's eyes are full of grief and the guilt still hasn't left. He's hesitant to meet his gaze but he does and answers quietly, "I don't know."
He swallows a lump that tries to build in his throat. Kaeya wouldn't run away from home, would he? He seems so much happier with them now than when they first met him. He doesn't see him ever trying to run away no matter what. If someone broke into the tavern and he was alone like they are suggesting, then he probably ran away to hide. "Is it my fault? Is that why I was pulled out of the class today? I'm sorry. I know I'm supposed to keep an eye on him, and I had a super bad feeling this morning before I left so I should have stayed home."
Father is quick to shake his head and pulls him into another hug. "No! Gods no, this isn't your fault, Diluc."
Diluc doesn't miss Master Varka's tiny smile but it fades as quickly as it had come. "Then why is he gone?"
"Come sit down." Father lets him go again and sits at one of the tables. Diluc follows him and takes a seat right next to him while Master Varka sits across them.
The grand master crosses his hands on the table. "Diluc, I am very proud of your progress during your training," he says. "You are extremely talented and while you have proven yourself in battle, I need you to stay with your father. I do not want to see you at headquarters until I give the word."
He stares at him, mouth agape in disbelief. "But I want to help find Kaeya!" he objects loudly. "I bet Kaeya's just hiding somewhere. I know all of his super-secret hiding spots!"
Master Varka's lips turn upward, a genuine smile that makes Diluc hopeful he will be allowed to go with him. "I'm sure you know all of them, but I'm afraid I can't let you come with me this time. You are to stay home and listen to whatever your father tells you."
"But he won't come out if you just call his name! If he hears me or Father, surely he'll hear us and come back!" He knows exactly where his brother can hide around the tavern and if he isn't around here, he's more than likely hiding near the cathedral. He can help Master Varka look for him, so why can't he go out and look alongside them?
"I have given you orders, Diluc. As a knight, you are expected to obey them," he says in that scary trainer's voice of his.
He bites the inside of his cheek. "But I want to help," he mumbles.
"You will, by staying with your father. He needs you more than you think."
Father doesn't say anything to that, but he nods in agreement.
Master Varka continues to speak, but this time he's paying more attention to Father. "I am going to join the search parties. I cannot rule out the possibility of foul play, given your tavern was broken into and worse, Kaeya is missing."
Diluc stares at Master Varka, feeling something clenching around his heart, making it pound harder than it normally does. "Foul play? You mean…" He doesn't want to finish the rest of his thoughts. The words foul play can mean anything, but as he starts putting the information together, he doesn't want to admit his own fear. Those three words echo in his head.
Kaeya is missing.
Father's eyebrows furrow together and his jaw clenches, twitching as his teeth grind against each other. Diluc goes quiet, his eyes wide. Never in his life has he seen Father this angry.
No, angry isn't the right word. He's furious.
"I had suspected it. Now will you do something about him?" he demands Master Varka.
"We still need that evidence. If he had anything in his office, he's gotten rid of it. We cannot arrest him based on our word only—"
"My son is missing!" Father slams a fist against the tabletop. Diluc jumps in his seat at the loud bang it makes. "From what you are saying, he was kidnapped by that snake and you expect me to just sit here and watch you do nothing?"
"I want you to stay safe!" he shouts back.
The table goes quiet. Father backs off and clenches his jaw one more time. Diluc is growing more frightened by the minute. He's never seen either of them shout, much less at each other.
Thankfully, Master Varka lowers his voice as he says, "You can do that by staying out of this investigation."
"The Fatui involved are with a harbinger that is known to conduct inhuman experimentation. One of them is a high-ranked officer within the ordo." He narrows his eyes, glaring at the grand master. "So help me, if you don't do anything about him today, then I will."
"I know you are angry and worried about Kaeya, but you need to stay out of this," he snaps. "I cannot protect you if you get involved!"
Diluc nervously looks between both of them, not understanding what the Fatui have to do with all of this. He has no idea what a harbinger is, but from the way Master Varka and Father are glaring at each other, they're nothing good.
Father scoffs at him but he lowers his voice. "Are you aware of what the doctor can do?"
"I am."
He leans forward. "I have seen what he can do. Those other missing kids you claim you're desperately trying to find haven't been seen in months. They are most likely dead by now. I will not let Kaeya end up like them."
Diluc's heart stutters. There are other missing kids? Most likely dead? He slowly looks back up at his father. Kaeya could be dead. "Kaeya isn't dead… right?" he whispers, staring up at the two men.
His voice cuts through their frustration and anger like they forgot he is here. Father pulls him into another hug but this time, Diluc is hesitant to return the embrace. He doesn't deserve it. He didn't protect Kaeya like he promised he would.
"No, he isn't," Father says to him. "He's alive and well, we just need to find him and bring him home."
He frowns and pushes back, looking straight into his eyes. He doesn't want his comfort, he wants answers. "I'm not a little kid anymore. I am going to be a knight soon."
"You are still a boy, Diluc," Father says with a sigh. "I do not want to scare you."
"You two screaming at each other scare me more than whatever you're hiding from me."
Both men look guilty, and silently meet each other's gaze before Father turns his attention back to Diluc. "I'm sorry, Diluc. I lost my temper. It won't happen again."
Diluc sighs. At least now he knows where his own temper comes from. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he's cursing Jean for being right about his temper as usual. He then looks back up at him, his eyes serious. If he wants to be treated like a real knight, he needs to behave like one. "Is Kaeya still alive?"
He hesitates and looks at Master Varka. The grandmaster nods and stands, giving them a little time alone. Once he's away with the two knights and Charles at the bar, Father turns his attention back to him. "As far as we know, he is still alive." He sounds defeated, all of his anger having vanished.
He feels a little relieved to hear that. "And there are other missing kids?"
"Yes, but like I said, it's been months since anyone has heard anything of them. I do not have any hope for them to come back alive and I refuse to have Kaeya be a part of that list."
Whatever relief that came disappears instantly and he pales. Maybe this does scare him more than Master Varka and Father yelling at each other. "He can still die?"
He nods and stands up. "Which is exactly why we must hurry home so Varka can start working on getting Kaeya back." He walks around the table, heading for the bar to join the others.
Diluc hesitantly gets up and keeps his eyes glued to the floor, worry still churning inside him. The very real possibility that his brother can die scares him more than anything. The only good thing he can take from all of this is that Master Varka and Father seem to have a suspect. He slowly approaches the adults, watching as Wyratt salutes, and then walks outside.
"Once Wyratt comes back and gets the carriage ready, you two will be heading home," Master Varka instructs. "He and Belinda are to keep you both safe until all of this is over. Diluc, do not come to training until I give the word. This is for your own safety. Do I make myself clear?"
He doesn't like it, but he nods anyway. "Yes, sir," he murmurs.
Master Varka nods and turns to Father. "Stay safe. Don't do anything rash, Crepus."
Father sighs for what seems like the hundredth time this morning. "I'm sorry I yelled at you," he tells him. "Please, bring him home."
"It's quite all right." He grabs the door handle and opens it as he adds, "I'll come to the manor once it's safe enough for both of you." With that, he turns around and throws the hood of his cloak over his head as he steps out into the rain.
-x-
Three days.
Diluc scowls as he stares out at the night sky and at the stars that twinkle high in the sky. It's been three days since they got home, three days since anyone has given them any news about Kaeya. He stares out at the vineyard, his eyes following a crystal fly that's perched on one of the vines. Father back near the edge of the vineyard, Wyratt walks as he patrols the area, keeping a watchful eye out for anything or anyone that should come near the manor.
During these three days, Father has barely left his office, drowning himself in work. Whenever Diluc does see him, he looks like he hasn't slept nor eaten much of anything. Elzer visits him the most, taking what food Adeline made up to him. He still comes by Diluc's room when it's time for bed, but it's not like either of them will sleep well during the night.
He sighs, finally starting to feel tired enough to get ready for bed. He wants to help look for Kaeya, but he has no idea where to even begin. Master Varka hasn't found any of the other kids that have gone missing, and he bites the inside of his cheek. His father's anger that day makes a lot more sense now. How can they be so sure the Knights of Favonius will be able to find Kaeya when they haven't found any of the others? He grows more frightened for his brother's safety the longer they go without any news.
The guilt hasn't left him after all this time. He knows he shouldn't blame himself for Kaeya's disappearance, but maybe it wouldn't have happened had he been with him. Just maybe, he could have kept him safe.
A flash of movement appears in the corner of his eye. He sits up and looks past the vines and to the trees by the river. Something large is moving away from the manor and toward the river. Diluc looks around some more. Wyratt isn't on this side of the manor anymore, he won't be able to see whatever this is.
He doesn't move, waiting to see if it will come back. His vision feels like it burns against his hip. If he can't go out and look for Kaeya, then he can at least help protect his home. Master Varka and Father can't get angry at him for that. He's only protecting his home and as the only person within the manor with a vision on top of being a trainee knight, he has a duty to help Wyratt and Belinda protect Dawn Winery from whoever it is.
He stands up and grabs his shoes, hopping through the hall as he pulls them on. He runs through the dark manor as quietly as he can to not wake anyone else up. If he can prove to them that he can fight off any monster or person that is around here, surely Father will let him join Master Varka's search parties.
Diluc throws the door open and is outside in seconds, running around the side of the house and down the path leading to the river. Luckily, no one has seen him leave the manor, and he doubts he'll be able to stay out for long before Wyratt comes back around this side of the house. He slides to a stop just as he reaches the trees. Whoever is here isn't that giant monster again, right? He summons his claymore, scanning the area just as Master Varka taught him. Even if it isn't that monster, it wouldn't do him any good if he runs through without looking to see if enemies are lurking nearby.
He hears someone sigh and he turns his head in that direction. Someone is here and thankfully, it doesn't seem like they know he's here. He slowly stalks forward, being careful to keep the tip of his heavy blade off the ground and not to step on anything that would alert this trespasser.
He stops behind a tree and peeks around the side of the bark, staring at the strange man that's kneeling on the ground and has a hand against the trunk of another tree. From here, he can see he has blond hair and is dressed in dark clothes. It almost looks like his cape has stars inside of it. If it wasn't for Diluc's nervousness and the fact it's the middle of the night, perhaps he would approach him and ask how he got stars inside of his clothes.
But then he frowns as he thinks about why someone would be traveling in the middle of the night. People only travel at night to hide from other people. By now, most travelers would be camping for the night. That means this man is not good news.
He tightens his grip on his blade as the man stands up. He's tall, probably just as tall as Father is. Is he here to attack them? Is he the one that took his brother? The man turns around and he immediately pulls his head back to hide. "I know you're there," he hears the man say.
Diluc freezes. He didn't make a sound plus he's hiding behind a tree! How does he know he's here? He stops breathing, hoping that will make him seem like he really isn't there.
"Come out before I make you."
He takes a deep breath and steps out from behind the tree, raising his claymore in an offensive stance. "Who are you?" he demands, trying to keep any shakiness out of his voice.
The man's face is expressionless and he doesn't seem at all threatened with a blade that's almost twice as large as Diluc. "You must be a Ragnvindr," he answers instead. "What are you doing out so late? It is dangerous for someone such as yourself to be out here. Quite idiotic, actually."
Diluc glares. "You're the one who's trespassing! Who are you?"
He turns back around, paying more attention to the tree again. "My name is Dainsleif. You have nothing to fear from me."
He relaxes only a little and then glances at the tree. "What are you doing?"
"I am looking for someone."
He glances at the tree. "You're looking for someone in a tree?"
Dainsleif looks back at him as if he said something wrong. "No."
When he doesn't elaborate, Diluc huffs and lets his claymore disappear. "Then what are you doing?"
Unlike the other adults around him, he doesn't try to talk around it and answers him directly with, "Six months ago, a monster appeared here and attacked you and your brother. I am looking for that monster's trail. It's weak, but now that I have it, I will take my leave."
Diluc freezes. Six months ago? He seems to know what that monster is, then. If he's tracking it, then maybe he knows Kaeya. "Do you know my brother?"
He stands back up, brushing dirt off of his knee. "I do."
Hope begins to flutter within him. "Father says he was kidnapped by the Fatui, but we haven't heard anything from the Knights of Favonius since then."
The man nods. If he is also worried about him, he doesn't show it. "He is correct. Thankfully, Kaeya escaped before he could be taken outside of Mondstadt, and I held off the harbinger that was with him. I told him to run, hoping he would be able to make it back to the city. By the time our fight was done, the storm had already washed away any trail he would have made. I came here hoping he is here… but it looks like he hasn't come back."
Diluc tries not to let his disappointment show. He doesn't look like he's with the ordo, but this man seems to genuinely know him. Despite that, it's obvious to him that he wants to help his brother. He looks up to ask him something else but he blinks when he notices that Dainsleif isn't looking at him anymore.
He staring toward the river at something that isn't there, and his eyes widen ever so slightly. "I apologize, but I must go." He turns away from him and raises an arm, completely black with traces of blue trailing up his arm.
Diluc stares at it with wonder and then looks up at him again. "Wait! Do you know where Kaeya is?"
Dainsleif glances down at him. "I do now. I came here to search for a trail, but it seems like I no longer need it." The blue around his arm begins to glow. "I will bring him back as soon as I can—"
He huffs in frustration and jumps in front of him, stopping him from running away. "I'm coming too!"
The man shakes his head. "No. You stay here. Keep yourself and your father protected."
"Kaeya is my brother!" he shouts. Dainsleif pauses, although he doesn't lower his arm. Diluc's arms shake beside him, struggling to contain his pent-up frustration from exploding out on this stranger. "I didn't protect him and it's my fault he's gone! Please, take me with you!"
Dainsleif lets out a long, tired sigh. It's similar to the sighs Father makes whenever he and Kaeya would pester him and it makes him hopeful he would agree. He knows he's won him over when he sees the man lowers his arm.
His face is blank as Diluc folds his arms across his chest defiantly. He doesn't say anything for a few moments. The only sounds around them are the quiet slimes bouncing around on the river a fair distance away, and a couple of birds that have yet to go to sleep. The silence ends when he finally tells him, "It is clear that I cannot stop you. You may come along."
Diluc internally cheers.
"However, if you come with me, I cannot promise that I can protect you."
"I'm good at fighting. I can protect myself." He pats his vision.
He turns away quickly and in that monotone voice of his he says, "We must hurry. I fear what the Abyss Order has planned for your brother."
That makes Diluc freeze. The Abyss Order strikes fear into anyone. He's seen the way adults pale at the mere name of it. He knows the look Master Varka gets when a mission involves them. He won't admit to Dainsleif that they scare him too, but he'll do anything to save Kaeya. "I thought the Fatui had taken him?"
"Initially, yes. He escaped and when we were separated, he was taken again by the Abyss Order."
Diluc pales. This is much worse than some Snezhnayan organization. He doubts Master Varka even knows about this.
Dainsleif raises his arm and dark energy sprouts from his arm. It shoots forward, rising high above them and creates a portal wide enough for them to step through. If Diluc wasn't so nervous, he would be staring up at it in awe. He's never seen something like this.
Dainsleif then looks at Diluc one last time. "This is your final chance, Diluc. You can stay here, where it is safe or you can come with me. It will be risky to come with me."
He glances behind him toward the winery. He knows he shouldn't be running off with a strange man that appeared out of nowhere, especially without telling anyone, but he's the only one that knows where Kaeya is. Father doesn't know where to start looking, and Master Varka has banned him from stepping foot inside headquarters until he deems it safe enough for him to return.
He straightens his back as he makes his decision. "I'm coming with you and I'm going to bring Kaeya home," he tells Dainsleif. He knows he'll have to apologize to Father a thousand times when he returns. "I can't stay here while he's out there, alone and scared and with a group of monsters."
"Very well." Dainsleif steps toward the portal and pauses just in front of it. "Portals are tricky things. Take my hand and whatever happens, you must not let go. Am I clear?"
He nods and doesn't hesitate to take the hand that is offered to him. He walks beside Dainsleif and together, they step through the portal. It closes behind them as quickly as it appeared, leaving no trace they had been there at all.