"No."
"Lumine just listen to me…"
"No way!"
Lumine and Vestra had been arguing for what felt like hours though in actuality it had only been around five minutes.
"No way you are taking them to Snezhnaya! That is the most dangerous place for them at the moment!" Lumine argued to Vestra.
Vestra soon sighed as both Vikram and Yumi soon looked at them wondering if they should interrupt them with their own thoughts.
"With all due respect, Traveler, you don't understand what's at stake. The Tsaritsa has waited years to see her only granddaughter again. Yumi's presence will strengthen our position in the future. She needs to see her homeland, and the Tsaritsa needs to see her family united." Vestra said clearly frustrated as he tried to make his point across to Lumine.
Lumine shook her head. "This isn't about family. Don't pretend this is some heartfelt reunion. The Fatui never do anything without an agenda. Taking Alina to the Tsaritsa puts her in danger, even if you don't realize it. She's safe away from Snezhnaya."
Suddenly Yumi soon got up and went to face Lumine.
Yumi's lips quivered as she met Lumine's gaze, pleading. "Lumine… I want to see her. I've never met my grandmother. All my life, I've been told stories about the Tsaritsa – how she's the reason our nation stands strong. I… I just want to understand."
Lumine's gaze softened as she turned to Yumu, speaking gently, as if to an old friend. "Yumi, I understand what it's like to be curious about family. But Snezhnaya isn't the homecoming you might imagine. It's a kingdom where loyalty comes at a high price, and warmth is hard to find. The Tsaritsa's ideals – they'll pull you into a world you might not be ready for."
Vikram soon got up, clearly ready to intervene on Yumi's behalf.
"Look Lumine we understand the risks but I think this is something that Yumi needs to see through." Vikram said to her.
Lumine soon sighed and looked at the two of them. She couldn't imagine why, but since her meeting with them a few days ago, she felt a great need to look out for them as much as possible. Perhaps in her heart, she thought that this was her way of making up for not being their for Aether when he needed her before he joined up with the Abyss Order.
"Traveler," Vestra interjected firmly, "our Tsaritsa is the strongest Archon. She'll protect Yumi, guide her. This is her birthright."
Lumine soon whirled around, almost like she was offended by that remark.
"Birthright?" Lumine's voice was sharper than she intended. "You mean she's a pawn. She's family to the Tsaritsa, yes, but that also makes her valuable to her cause. You'd risk that for her, wouldn't you, Vestra?"
Vestra's mouth tightened as he took a step closer to Lumine, lowering his voice. "I'm not a stranger to harsh truths, Lumine. Neither is the Tsaritsa. She knows what it means to make sacrifices for her people, to ensure their survival in this unforgiving world. Yumi is a part of that vision."
Lumine's fists clenched, the golden aura around her briefly flickering as she struggled to hold back her emotions. "Sacrifices? How many people will you sacrifice before you're satisfied? Yumi has a life of her own, far from this war. She deserves to choose her path."
"Lumine…"
Lumine soon turned around and saw Vikram approach her ready to talk to her again.
"Please, Traveler, we've heard the warnings, but Yumi and I… we have to see this through. This is a journey for both of us, something we've dreamed of since we met. If there's even a chance for Yumi to reconnect with her heritage, I want to be by her side." Vikram said to her.
"Then you don't understand what you're walking into," Lumine replied, her gaze steady. "Once you step foot in Snezhnaya, you might not get the chance to leave. The Fatui won't let go of someone with your status, Yumi. And if you're with her, Vikram, you'll become just as entangled."
Finally, Vestra's patience with Lumine had reached it's breaking point. His voice was laced with the cold edge of authority. "Enough, Lumine. You're letting your own experiences cloud your judgment. Not every member of the Fatui is as heartless as you seem to think. We're people with families, too. This is more than just politics. Yumi has a role to play, whether you like it or not."
Lumine soon went up to Yumi and held her hands.
"Yumi listen to me, I have seen what the Fatui have done. Families torn apart, nations thrown into chaos – all in the name of your grandmother's vision. Trust me when I say you and Vikram deserve to the chance to live in peace away from all this." Lumine said to her.
Alina's voice cracked as she interrupted, desperation clear in her eyes. "Lumine, please… This isn't easy for me. I know you're trying to protect us, but I need to see her. Just once. I need to make sense of everything I've heard, everything I've been told."
Lumine's resolve faltered as she looked into Yumi's earnest expression, her heart aching at the familiar longing for family, for answers. She sighed, her voice softer now. "Yumi… I understand that. I really do. But once you cross into Snezhnaya, you might lose any control you have. This isn't like visiting a distant relative – this is stepping into the world of an Archon who sees people as tools."
A faint smile tugged at Vestra's lips, though there was no humor in his eyes. "And who are you to decide that? The Traveler, wandering through the lives of others, telling them what's best for them? Maybe you're the one with an agenda, Lumine. Maybe you're too scared to let go, to trust that people can make their own choices."
Lumine's eyes flashed, her tone icy. "I trust people to make their own choices, Vestra. I don't trust the Fatui to honor those choices."
Vestra raised a hand, calming the air between them with a tense sigh. "Fine. I see that neither of us will convince the other. But Yumi and Vikram have made their choice. We're going to Snezhnaya, with or without your support."
Lumine clenched her jaw, the golden glow around her momentarily intensifying as her vision pulsed with energy. She glanced once more at Yumi, the young woman's face filled with determination, fear, and hope all at once.
"I can't stop you," Lumine finally said, her voice barely more than a whisper. "But remember my warning. If you find yourself in a place where trust is hard to come by, don't forget who stood beside you today."
Yumi stepped forward, reaching out to touch Lumine's hand, her gaze soft and grateful. "Thank you, Lumine. For everything. I promise I'll be careful."
Vikram gave Lumine a firm nod, silent gratitude in his eyes. Vestra however, merely inclined his head, his expression unreadable.
As they walked away into the warm embrace of the nearby forest, Lumine watched them, her heart heavy. She could only hope that Yumi and Vikram wouldn't become the latest casualties in the Tsaritsa's icy grip.