Genshin Impact: Frostburn

"So, what happened after we arrived in Fontaine?" Leo asked as he munched on some fruit.

"I'm not sure what happened. When I woke up, I was already in the ward of a hospital and a Melusine was checking up on me," Clervie said in an unsure tone. She contemplated for a while before mumbling to herself "Now that I remember it, that Melusine looked different, she was more... humanlike than the rest."

Leo gave a wry smile, knowing that Melusine was probably who he thought it was, and scratched the back of his head. "She's probably a hybrid of some sort,"

Clervie smiled knowingly and continued to peel some fruits then continued. "After that, some Fatui barged in the room with the ludex's sigil of permission and took us in a carriage back to Sneznaya,"

Upon hearing that, Leo stopped eating as if he remembered something and asked worriedly. "What about Polochko? Is he alright?" 

"You mean the man with us?" Peruere asked in confirmation beside the window.

"Yes, him, what happened to him?"

Peruere and Clervie looked at each other as if asking each other what to say. "I saw him being taken with us, but I don't know what happened to him after that," Clervie said.

Leo sighed in relief, knowing he was probably safe and being cared for by his father's subordinates.

He is probably safe and is being questioned. Sorry Polochko, I'll treat you later.

Clervie gave him a peeled fruit as she reached for another. As Leo accepted the fruit, he couldn't help but look at where Clervie was stabbed. The blade that struck her was of considerable size, and the wound would have taken ages to heal.

"What about your wound Clervie? Are you alright walking and all?"

A dejected smile appeared on her face as she put the fruit down, pulled her clothes up, and laid her abdomen bare.

"Wait! What are you..."

There, a reddish scar stretched across her delicate skin, with hardened blood clinging to its edges. As Leo looked at it, Clervie turned around to show the exit of the wound with a more prominent scar still in its healing phase.

"Are you sure it's alright for you to be moving with those?"

"The doctor said that it's okay as long as I don't overexert myself," her smile vanished and a depressing look appeared on her face. "and I don't feel anything on this part of my body, they said that the nerves around are dead, and it would be permanent."

On the window where Peruere was sitting beside it, her hushed, guilty voice said, barely audible. "I'm sorry,"

Clervie looked in her direction. A small smile emerged from her face. "I told you already, didn't I, Perrie? It's not your fault, and neither is Leo's."

"No, it's my fault. If I had been faster, stronger, and decisive, it wouldn't have come to this," Leo pleaded, his head hung low.

She sighed as her gaze drifted from the two of them. Her gaze hung low, but then she slapped her face with both hands, making a pout appear. She then pulled Leo's head to face hers.

"Seriously, the two of you are just insufferable. It's not your fault that this happened, nor should you blame each other for this, it all happened because of Mo-" she stopped midway, her voice faltered. She shook her head and then continued with a deprecating smile. "No... because of Crucabena."

"But still," Leo retorted, "if I got to Fontaine faster it wouldn't have come to this,"

She frowned and leaned in, pressing her face close to Leo's, her eyes locked onto him as if daring him to argue. A slight blush emerged from his face as he flinched slightly back. "If you keep on blaming yourself I won't talk to you anymore, " her gaze shifted towards Peruere. "same to you, Perrie."

Leo and Peruere's eyes met, and some sort of mutual understanding struck them as they nodded.

"Good," Clervie said with a smug smile on her face.

Leo's fingers tightened around the fruit, the skin of the fruit creaking slightly under his grip as his mind processed the events. His gaze once more shifted to Clervie's abdomen where the scar is, lingered on the painful mark. He had been too late, and though Clervie reassured him, the nagging guilt didn't leave him.

"So, what happened next? Why did we get taken to Sneznaya?" As he asked, a thought came to his mind. "Wait, how long has it been since we were taken back?"

"Ah- that..."

"It's been two and a half months already," Peruere flatly said.

His eyes widened as the state of his body now made sense to him.

That explains why my body is like this.

"What happened during this two months then?"

"It was chaotic," Clervie started as she once more peeled another fruit. "Fatuus were being called back and security was tighter than we were used to. Perrie and I were taken to prison for a week before Lord Pantalone bailed us out, He stands as our guarantoor, then we were taken to the Tsaritsa the day after."

That much is expected.

"Then?"

"It was-"

"I'll continue." Peruere said as she stood up and sat on the edge of the matress. "The Tsaritsa merely asked us questions about what happened and the reason on why did we rebel."

"And what did you say?" Leo asked, his face beaming in anticipation.

"The truth." she flatly said. "There is no point on lying to her, as you already know. The Tsaritsa is no stranger to people like us, and I felt like lying would not benefit us, unless you would want to earn her ire."

A slight uncomfortable feeling emerged on leo's heart and he asked in hesitation. "You told her everything? About me helping you and... that I used it?"

"Yes, I believe I didn't leave a single thing."

Leo slumped on his bed as he looked at the ceiling, his gaze far and empty as he felt like a mischievious child being caught. "I'm dead."

"You alright Leo?" Clervie asked in concern as she offered another fruit. Leo looked at the fruit before tapping his stomach and accepting it but not eating the fruit given to him.

A few moments of contemplation and a bit of resignation later, Leo continued to ask. "What happened next?"

Peruere continued. "She offered me the position of the Knave."

All according to plan... or so I would like to say.

"You accepted it?"

"Yes, and I inherited the title of the Knave."

He observed her actions as he asked for the reason why she accepted it. In his mind, there's close to no reason for Peruere to accept it since Clervie was still alive, and the children are safe. Knowing the Tsaritsa, she would most likely allow them to leave if they asked.

"I will answer your question with a question if you don't mind." Peruere asked. Leo nodded in confirmation and she continued. "What did you think about the children living in the orphanage?"

"What do you mean?"

Peruere heaved a breathe before continuing. "There are many things in this world that most will not have and some of them are simple things, easy to have as you are born with them."

She stood beside the window and opened it, letting the cold wind enter the room. "But this things, there are some who does not have them." She turned around and faced Leo. "I realized, freedom is not something I yearn for. All I wanted, was the strenght to survive in this world, the power to survive any peril and to emerge victorious against odds despite the things that I would normally have to be absent. And those children... they need that strength. They need someone to guide them, to keep them safe until they can fight for themselves."

"I shall be the fire that would keep them warm througout the night, until they are able to fight for themselves." She looked at Clervie and Leo, her eyes emanated a cold yet deeply warm feel. "I will train them, like a cold, unfeeling, Father."

Leo remained silent, his heart raised in anticipation as the corners of his lips raised slightly.

"Perrrie..." Clervie held her hand. "Is that what you want to do?"

Peruere nodded, her eyes meeting Clervie's with a quiet understanding. "Then I'll join you," she said, her voice steady.

A concerned look appeared on Pereure's face as she asked. "But, I thought you wanted freedom, I could ask the Tsaritsa to grant you what you wanted there's no point on you staying in the House when-"

Clervie silenced Peruere as she shook her head. "Yes, I wanted freedom, and now that I have it, I am free to chose what I want to do, and I chose this." I'll join you," her hands warmly held hers. "if you want to be the cold, unfeeling father, then I'll be the warm and caring mother, without lies or broken promises."

***

A moments passed with heartily conversations, the bell rang, signaling the time for lunch.

"We'll be back later, Leo." Clervie said as she waved him goodbye.

"Ah, Wait!" Leo shouted.

"Hmm? What's wrong?" Clervie poked her head from the door.

"I-I just want to say thank you, Clervie. Without you here things would have been more complicated."

A smile crept up her face as she said. "Your welcome, I knew Peruere and you wouldn't be able to fix this if I just let you two be by yourselves."

Leo scrathed the back of his head. "Ahaha, yeah you're right."

"See you later,"

"Yeah, see you later." Leo said as he waved her goodbye.

On the corridor where Clervie sped up to catch up to Peruere, her faced flushed in red as her fingers moved restlessly on her back. "I'm also doing this for myself, Leo."

***

A/N: FUCKING GAME GAVE ME QIQI!!! GIVE ME MY CITLALI!!!