Arlecchino stared at the new face without blinking. Seeing the man look her over, the eyes with an unkown symbol inside them, the two toned, colored hair, and the small body that barely moved under his gaze.
He sat in front of her with his legs crossed, smiling unsettling as his hand moved closer to her. His index finger tabbed her small, clenched fist, before he tabbed them with a gentle, but firm touch.
He noticed something odd, and moved her fist to the side, letting him see her small, black nails.
“Curse they say, a curse to you, yes.”
He spotted the blood on her cheek, and wiped it off. His eyes opened a bit wider, like something had surprised him. Out of nowhere, he pushed his thumb into Arlecchino’s cheek, her frown wasn’t enough to make him stop.
“Interesting…”
He pulled her eyelid down, just observing her eyes as he spoke.
“You have a name. Well, one from another world, yes?”
This man, how much does he know? How did he even guess this? Arlecchino frowned when his hand moved to her hair, she kicked her feet and managed to hit his elbow.
With a hum, the man grinned and finally took his hand back.
“Curious? Sadly, I think I’ll keep the answers to myself.”
For some reason, this man reminded her of other fatui harbingers. Whether it was Dottore’s smart attitude that said he knew more than you, Pantalone’s gaze, as he analyzed you, he was everything Arlecchino hated in people.
“… How about, I take care of you?”
What? The man nodded to himself, seemingly proud of his idea.
“Think about it. Everyone thinks you’re cursed, they don’t even want to touch you in case they get your curse. Who would take proper care of you right now?”
He smiled and grabbed her by the armpits, raising her high as she stared at him with wide eyes.
“The answer, is no one. Other than me. I know you, Arlecchino. I know who you are, who you were, and what you’ll be.”
She frowned and kicked her feet again. He stared at her reaction before holding her against his chest instead.
“Better?”
No, let go of me! Even with her reluctance, she stopped moving. She hated to admit it, but he’s right. She’s far too weak right now, and needs to depend on someone to survive.
But did it really have to be him…? Arlecchino looked him over, seeing his ruby eyes narrowed as he looked down and observed her as well. His straight, black hair moved with his slightly tilted head, his bangs didn’t cover a part of his forehead.
His overall face was mature. He didn’t have the plumb cheeks Lyney or Freminet had, he was older than them and quite handsome.
But that only made him more suspicious. Who was he? A knight, butler? Or something else…?
Arlecchino felt a cold breeze suddenly surround them, the man’s hair moved along with the wind. Was a window open? He suddenly smirked, and Arlecchino’s senses told her he knew why the breeze suddenly started.
“You seem to have a lot of questions. I’ll answer the most important.”
He rose his hand, and a bundle of wind formed inside his palm. Arlecchino stared at it before looking at him. An Anemo vision? His smirk seemed to indicate she wasn’t quite right.
“It’s similar to what you know, but this is pure magic. Arle.”
… Arle…?
He chuckled out of nowhere, the sphere vanishing, making the wind, and his moving hair die down.
“You’re expressive over the weirdest things.”
She immediately controlled her expression, all these new surpises were starting to become overwhelming. Also, she’s hungry…
‘Grumble…!’
Arlecchino saw how the man’s eyes opened wide at hearing her stomach.
“Right, food. They didn’t even feed you.”
He snapped his fingers, and a huge feast with multiple dishes appeared in a tablecloth on the ground before them.
Is this, also magic?
“Eat your fill. This is only one of the many things I’m capable of doing.”
His tone sounded proud. Arlecchino turned to him, and stared at him. He doesn’t, actually think she can eat this as a newborn baby. Right…?
At her stare, he looked back at her with a raised brow.
“What’s wrong?”
He actually doesn’t know… Arlecchino wanted to sigh, but held it in as she opened her mouth instead. He leaned a bit closer, seeing nothing but gums inside her mouth.
“……”
Without another world, the feast disappeared, and a book appeared instead. Arlecchino watched him read it at a fast speed, before it too left. Then a bottle with a white susbtance arrived.
With a straight face, he surrounded the bottle in his magic and brought it to her. Arlecchino quickly started eating from the squishy feeder. The man started speaking while she ate.
“My name is Lucas, I’m a magician. And now, I’m also your father.”
Arlecchino barely stopped herself from choking on the milk. Father? This man?
Lucas tapped her forehead with a grin.
“Your magic is unique, it’s directly connected to your curse and so interesting. I’ve never seen anything like it.”
He nodded to himself with a proud smile.
“As expected of my adopted daughter.”
Arlecchino simply ate while watching him think of several different things at once. He placed a hand on his chin, and started murmuring things about magic and her curse.
Well, so far, he’s her best bet at surviving. Just until she’s five, by then, she can leave this palace and work in the kingdom. Maybe, there’s a way for her to go back? Or communicate with her children?
Only time will tell…
–
It’s been a week, and during that time… Lucas has proven to have no knowledge about babies. The food was just the beginning, he also didn’t know about diapers.
She couldn’t speak yet, so she moved around and huffed out enough to gain his attention.
He has given her a nice crib, with a comfy bedding and an air toy with three sheeps running from a wolf. She was given a comfy, and warm, red onesie, and he even decorated her hair with clips he made with his magic.
Oh, she rambled about the good things…
Anyway, when he finally got up from the couch he had placed in the room, he leaned in the crib and frowned. He jumped back and pinched his nose with a frown.
“Ugh, what the…”
Lucas went to his book with a scowl. Arle couldn’t read its title, but the baby on the cover told her everything she needed to know.
Archon’s… She wasn’t a good person by any means… But surely this was a cruel punishment? Even for her? Her pride as a Fatui Harbinger started fading more and more.
But thankfully, she slowly gained independence.
When she was finally able to sit up, Lucas grinned widely while flipping to a page in his book. Arlecchino gazed down at the puffy, red skirt he made her wear and sighed.
Her clothes were still left at his disposal… And Lucas has an odd sense of fashion.
“A month earlier than expected, good.”
With a hum, his smile dimmed. He raised his hand, and gently placed it on her head. Arlecchino blinked as he lifted the hand and placed it on her head again.
What on Teyvat…? He turned his gaze away and yanked his hand back, like he’d been burned by the contact. He cleared his throat and kept his eyes on a page.
“Praise should be given when earned…”
He narrowed his eyes at the page. Suspiciously looking at the lines written in it.
“At least that’s what it says…”
Arlecchino watched him, she repeated every word Lucas said inside her head, trying to learn the language without ever talking to him.
Thanks to that, she was fluent in this worlds language, but to read it, she would need Lucas to read a book while she followed along. How should she even signal she wants that…?
Arlecchino sighed and decided to forget about it. Simply focusing on getting her body to move. It was certainly odd, to be so small yet still imagine herself as that tall, ‘father’ figure she had been for years.
Sometimes, she wanted to get up, and grab a cup of tea, but she couldn’t. And that reminded her she was dead.
I wonder, how are those children? Are they still crying? Or have they moved on…? She has no way to know, so she shouldn’t ask herself these questions.
She sighed while looking up at the toy above her. The small sheep’s were getting chased by a big, bad wolf on a never-ending run every day. Ironic, how fitting it really was for her.
She realized her hunger, and decided to sit up. Slowly moving to the edge of her crib, and stood up while holding onto it.
She saw Lucas sitting down on the black couch he brought over, legs crossed as he read a new book she hadn’t seen before. The baby on the cover was gone, it had flowers instead. A hand on his chin with a finger covering his lips. He seemed quite focused.
Too bad. Arlecchino silently stared at him, until he noticed her gaze and looked up. He smiled and looked back at his book, brows slowly furrowing at whatever he read.
What’s with him now? Arlecchino waited for the bottle of milk to float towards her like it had it’s been doing, but instead of the bottle being delivered to her, she was lifted?
Arlecchino frowned and tried to grab onto the crib and touch solid ground. But Lucas just moved her closer, making her lay face up before gently lowering her to his arms.
She blinked and looked up at him. Seeing the bottle was in his other hand, he hummed and slowly adjusted her. Making sure her head rested on his bicep, while the rest of her body lay across his arm. Arlecchino looked at the bottle, then at him with a frown.
He kept staring at her, then he went back to the book floating beside him. He frowned again, and looked at her once more. Just to read whatever line in the book troubled him again.
Just when Arlecchino reached to grab her food, he sighed and pushed the bottle forward. She hurried to open her mouth before it hit her, the squishy feeder greatly helped in soothing her aching gums.
She focused on drinking the milk, while looking at Lucas. His frown was still on his face while he read through the book.
He finally leaned back on the couch, but quickly rose after remembering Arlecchino was on his arm. For the fifth time, he sighed and glared at her.
“You’re troublesome.”
Arlecchino had never been expressive in her life, but she sincerely wanted to roll her eyes at him. He suddenly scoffed with a smile.
“Who are you rolling your eyes at? Don’t forget I’m still your father.”
Adopted father. Arlecchino suddenly blinked, oh Archons… She’s forgetting her age inside this body. No, I’m the fourth Fatui Harbinger… Not a child…
She focused on eating, closing her eyes to stop Lucas from seeing her expressions. But she could feel his gaze on her. He was so patient and seemed so focused as he watched her.
Whatever he’s reading, Arlecchino needs to hide it from him. It’s changing him, either making him change her clothes with magic, or petting her head like she’s a dog… It’s annoying.
Arlecchino pushed the bottle away when she was finished. Waiting patiently for Lucas to place her back on the crib and ignore her until the next day or if she needs a diaper change.
But Lucas suddenly made her lean on his chest after placing her on his lap.
Huh?? Arlecchino raised her head to look at him, her stoic gaze made him huff as he nudged her cheek.
“I’m going to read you a story. Nothing else.”
Really now? Thankfully, she wouldn’t be asking him this. But still, all these changes are making her uncomfortable. Why the sudden interest?
A book ‘poofed’ into existence once Luca snapped his fingers. He leaned back on the couch and rapidly turned the pages, Arlecchino found herself moving with him. It was, strangely comfortable. She could feel her burning pain ease a little thanks to his cold temperature.
He suddenly scoffed, making Arlecchino snap awake. Archons, she was about to fall asleep…
“Hah, why would you need to read this? The great magician is right in front of you.”
The book left, and another arrived in its place. He suddenly leaned forward, pushing Arlecchino along with him and making her huff out a pout.
A black lock of hair appeared before Arlecchino’s eyes. She blinked at it before Lucas took it away by gathering his hair up into a bun.
He leaned back once more, ignoring how Arlecchino got comfy while one hand held his chin, his elbow on the couches arm, which supported him. His other hand grabbed the book as he held it in front of her.
It seemed to be a children’s book, the first page had a drawing of many sheep’s, their shepherd, and a big wolf hiding behind a mountain of wool.
Arlecchino stared at it with a stoic gaze.
Lucas, seemed to like comparing her with wolfs and sheep. Maybe because of her hair? She hasn’t seen her appearance yet, but something told her she hasn’t changed one bit.
Lucas sighed, before clearing his throat.
“Ahem, the Sheppard that Cried Wolf.”
That’s the title? Arlecchino looked at the letters, and used Teyvat’s language to understand it. A combination of Fontainian, and Sheznayan alphabet was what those words Lucas read, reminded her of. Thankfully, the Fatuis needed to be fluent in each of Teyvat’s languages. This was easy for her.
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