Chapter Text
Fate.
The sequence of events that tends to unfold in a person’s livelihood. It is typically posed as an unavoidable destiny and therefore bound to happen to that person eventually in their lifetime, no matter the outcome.
It is an inevitable event that cannot be easily determined by people and it cannot also be swayed easily by that of mortal hands.
Although, fate has slowly become a word that people have begun to toss around when they are left without a choice in a particular situation, and feel that it is no longer up to them to decide.
…But whether a person decides to blindly choose and to follow such a pathetic fate is up to them.
The silence that seemed to have been running rampant throughout the corridors of Zapolyarny Palace was much louder than anyone would have liked to admit at this time of day, considering there weren’t many people around. It was early in the morning and most of the Fatui foot soldiers were just slowly pouring in to attend to their duties. Snow could be seen once again falling from the skies through the windows of the palace and another sight to be seen was Damsel, who would be walking alongside her lover, Lynette. They continued onwards through the near empty hallways, and it was quite awkward as they both didn’t say a single word to each other.
Though despite the awkward silence that fell over the two lovers or the hesitant glances every now and again, the exchanges seemed to also be accompanied by the sounds of soft heels clacking in almost perfect synchronisation from both the ladies as they continued to walk towards their destination. The noises of clacking heels along the floors of the palace from thankfully helped drown out some of that god awful silence that resided over the both of them. It was a struggle to even bare with the silence as they hadn’t spoken to one another for a while, besides when they first ran into each other, giving a simple good morning greeting that was also spoken with a few intimate words such as “I love yous” and “I missed yous” as they both assumed they wouldn’t be walking together for quite a long time, yet here they were. Still walking side by side even after around five minutes of absolute silence along with the obnoxious clacking of both their heels.
Clack, Clack, Clack…
Though as much as the silence seemed to hang over the both of them like the beginning of a cloudy night, there was also a subtle hint of tension amongst them. Neither of them daring to say another word to the other, seeming to not be sure just what to even say. Until further moments of uncomfortable quietness passed by them without either uttering that of a single word to the other. Damsel had been notified that her master wanted to see her in her office, so she was making her way towards the third harbringer’s office. But she seemed to be confused as to the possibility of why Lynette was also at the Zapolyarny palace just as she was this early in the morning.
The two girls had been walking side by side with each other for quite some time now, and Damsel just couldn’t find it in herself to bear with this god awful silence that stayed between them as the seconds ticked by. So she finally gathered the courage to actually speak out, ruining the silence that remained with them for the majority of their walk together. Although the sounds of her echoing voice throughout the corridors even when Damsel didn’t raise her voice seemed to make the atmosphere even more uncomfortable than it had already been previously since they both ran into each other, but nonetheless she persisted.
"Amor," She called out quietly to her partner, hoping to catch her attention. The sounds of Lynette’s heels ceased almost entirely and you could hear a pin needle drop as Damsel ruined the silent spell that seemed to be cast upon the two lovers with just that one whisper. The half-feline upon hearing her lover's voice turned her head to look at Damsel, and her ears twitched slightly. When their eyes met, Damsel saw the spark of curiosity in Lynette's eyes and she waited for Damsel to continue speaking yet again.
"Did..." Damsel trailed off with a more softer tone as she didn’t know if she should be asking the question in the first place, but she decided to ask it despite her worries. “The Knave by any means summon you to her office as well?" She continued to speak in more of a whisper tone now and stood next to her lover as that could have been one of the very few explanations as to why Lynette was at the palace at this time of the day when barely anyone would be roaming the halls of the castle.
"Ah, well yes..?" Lynette answered tilting her head slightly, “What brought along this question?” She questioned while her cat ears once again twitched but this time in anticipation for Damsel’s answer. Lynette’s expression looked much more curious as the half-feline didn't know where exactly this topic of the conversation stemmed from. Only after a few seconds of Lynette asking her question did the realisation dawn on her. “Did the Damselette perhaps beckon you to her office to have a, well, conversation as well?.." she softly interrogated, making the connection between the two’s situations that were seemingly coinciding at the exact same time.
Damsel merely nodded back to Lynette’s inquiry as the silence began to slowly come back as it was speaking many more volumes than any words Damsel could ever hope to express to Lynette in this moment as they stared at one another in complete and utter quietness. No one dared to speak, no one dared to move for quite a while as the silent spell from early seemed to be cast upon the two lovers once more. Well that was until Lynette once again broke the peace and tranquillity of the situation, thus repeating the same actions that her partner took just a few minutes ago.
"This couldn't be just a mere coincidence considering how differently both Father and the Damselette operate with their subordinates." Lynette said to Damsel, her feline ears twitching in what seemed to be agreement with herself. She looked around and crossed her arms as the two still stood in the middle of the empty hallway. The only other sounds that could be heard amongst the ringing of silence was that of the soft wind which was howling from outside the palace walls, or the soft sounds of the others breathing.
"But, what would they gain from summoning us both to their offices at the exact same time? I cannot think of one instance where they may have done a similar summon to this one.” Damsel sighed out clearly confused by the two harbingers’ orders, as she seemed to not exactly disagree with what Lynette was suggesting but also simultaneously finding it nonsensical that this was a situation regarding the both of them.
It made completely no sense to Damsel, and furthermore she was sure that it was probably just a coincidence as Lynette’s and hers assignments regarding their work with the Fatui hardly ever overlap. So to her it seemed much more plausible for the two harbingers to think that it would be much more efficient to speak with their wards in the morning about an assignment or to talk about a report that didn’t involve the other party. She also thought that both of the harbingers would rather talk to them first thing in the morning than wait until the afternoon or even late into the evening.
Lynette stayed silent to Damsel’s words, making an attempt to digest her comment fully, so she just stared at her lover before after a few seconds simply sighed out and nodded her head in reluctant agreement as she also realised just how insane that possibility of the Knave and the Damselette summoning both of them when they haven’t even been on a single mission together before. Just like earlier the two once again both began to walk down the near empty halls of the Zapolyarny Palace, occasionally passing by a few Fatui Skirmishers or Mirror Maidens along the way.
It was bound to happen to the two lovers soon enough as Damsel and Lynette eventually had to split up as they made their way to their harbinger’s respected office. Though it wasn’t without whispering a quiet yet intimate goodbye to the other. It was more or less going to be the last time they would see each other that day since it just wouldn’t make any sense if both the Knave and Damselette had summoned them together especially when they were meeting in the harbingers separate office and not just in one of their offices, right?...
So Damsel continued to walk alone towards her master’s office, making a few left turns and a few right turns to get to Columbina’s office. But as Damsel quietly walked to the Damselette’s office. When she got there, the pink haired woman was met with a particularly odd surprise that seemed to be awaiting her in the front of her master’s office. Damsel saw standing against the doorway, it was Columbina, and it had been quite transparent to her that her master probably had been waiting for her pupil to arrive for some time now.
“Master Columbina, what might you—“ Although Damsel’s question was shortly cut off by her master who interrupted Damsel, putting her ring finger against her pupil’s lips as a way of telling Damsel that she should be quiet as Columbina had her usual soft smile plastered upon her face, taking a moment to appreciate the silence between the both of them. Damsel being the obedient pupil she quickly obeyed her master’s will as she remained silent as Columbina began speaking to her softly.
“Damsel, come now.” Columbina spoke with that accursed smile that has always remained on her face throughout all of Damsel’s time she has been with her master. However, the Damselette began to slowly lower her hand from Damsel’s face as she began walking towards the exact same direction that Damsel had just come from. Even as confusion filled Damsel’s form she couldn’t dare imagine speaking up against her master when she was just told to be quiet. So with a quiet yet reluctant sigh she obliged and followed after the Damselette, unsure just where they may have been heading now.
The seconds seemed to stretch on for what to Damsel felt as if it were hours at a single time as she watched her master continue to trail in front of her keeping a hold on that absolute silence between the both of them. But Columbina continued to look forward as she didn’t spare a glance at her pupil once. Damsel wasn’t very attune with her surroundings right now as she her mind was preoccupied to why her master had summoned Damsel to her office when they weren’t even going to have a chat there. Though she stayed positive and just thought that perhaps she was taking Damsel out on a walk like they used too before they both got more and more busy. It wasn’t until Damsel was pulled out or her naive thoughts when she was able to recognize that the corridors and certain path they were taking seemed to be leading to the Knave’s office. Now that couldn’t have a coincidence, no matter how much Damsel wished and dreamed for it to be.
“Master—” She attempted to communicate and talk to her master yet again, speeding up her walk ever so slightly so now she was standing closely behind Columbina. This action momentarily reminded her of when she was first found by the Damselette, and was trailing behind her like a lost little duckling wherever her master seemed to have tread. Though Damsel quickly forced herself to snap out of that moment of sudden nostalgia she was having right then and there as she was once again shushed by the harbinger that continued to walk ahead of her and was clearly heading to the Knave’s office in the Zapolyarny Palace.
“Shh, it is alright my little Angel, there is no need.” Columbina said softly with a familiar chuckle accompanying it, and Damsel could only assume that her master was now smiling once again. With each moment that passed as the two individuals got closer and closer towards the Knave’s office, Damsel felt herself get slightly panicked, not knowing what even warranted for such a meeting to occur between the two harbingers. Not to mention Damsel was reminded of the brief discussion she had with her lover before they parted ways for their respected harbinger’s offices. Could it be that her lover had actually been right? Were they both in trouble? But there’s no possible reason for her and Lynette to be having a conversation regarding both of their harbingers.
It was even more nerve wracking, and Damsel could only hope that her master and the Knave were going to be pairing Lynette and her on some sort of mission that required both of them to not know that either one would be accompanying the other… right? Damsel could practically feel her stomach drop down as her endless trail of thought soon crashed and practically exploded as Columbina stopped in front of what seemed to be Damsel’s worst nightmare at this time, the door to the Knave’s office.
“Go on,” The Damselette whispered with a smile and opened the door, slowly nudging and gesturing for her pupil to head inside of the dimly lit office of the Knave’s. Begrudgingly, Damsel continued to listen to her master and stepped one foot into the room of her ongoing nightmare. With the mere sight of Lynette sitting on the couch with her hands resting on her lap as she seemed equally surprised to see Damsel enter the room was the instant she realised she couldn’t escape this hellhole as it swallowed her entirety along with Lynette. “You may freely sit down, Damsel.” the Damselette said with that constant and never faltering smile while she made an obvious gesture for her pupil to enter the room. Damsel silently nodded and walked further inside the Knave’s office.
The Knave was standing in front of her desk and was also leaning against it, her arms crossed against her chest as she glanced towards her arriving guests. Damsel clearly sat next to her lover for she had no reason not to. Although the minute she took the opportunity to walk towards Lynette and sit beside her, Damsel felt Arlecchino’s gaze follow her as she sat down. Even feeling the Knave’s normally harsh expression get even colder and particularly more sharp as she sat next to her lover, which made Damsel get further chills as her heart raced a bit more.
“Damselette, would you like to begin or shall I?” The Knave suddenly spoke as the silence in the room was just about to become much heavier than needed, and Arlecchino looked towards the third ranked harbinger who seemed to have silently entered the room after Damsel, making sure the door behind her was fully clicked shut after her. As she met eyes with the Knave and answered her awfully vague question.
“It may only be fitting if you begin, no?” Columbina answered as the corners of her mouth remained curved upwards, and the third harbinger decided to take a seat onto the other couch opposite of the two girls. Which made Damsel and Lynette even more anxious as the two harbingers conversed as if they weren’t even in the room. That also couldn’t have been a good sign of what was to come regarding the fact it seemed more like an after event of a private evaluation.
“Well then,” Arlecchino started and her gaze fell back onto the two lovers who sat very still and seemed to be equally nervous from the immense tension that was building up with every passing moment the second Damsel set one foot into the Knave’s office. The silence as they waited for the Knave to continue was almost more unbearable than their shared walk towards the harbingers’ offices.
“We are aware of your union, and to say that I am utterly disappointed..” She trailed off and stared at Lynette for a few moments before sighing “..would be referred to as an understatement.” The Knave finished and the immense tension in the room bursted as Arlecchino addressed that they both were aware of Damsel and Lynette’s affair. Lynette felt herself stiffen and her ears twitch nervously as she saw how the Knave couldn’t even be bothered to look the half-feline in the eye anymore as her relationship with Damsel was suddenly revealed.
“Furthermore it seems you both have strayed from your initial paths, and we have both acknowledged it was our misguidance that would have led to such a.. situation.” Arlecchino continued to not look at Lynette which further deepened the hurt Lynette was feeling at the moment.
“So, we shall own up to our mistakes as your harbinger’s and fix what is needed.” The Damselette chimed in ever so nicely and politely, it was as if her statement was good news. The curvatures of Columbina’s face continued to remain upwards as they always have since the beginning of this conversation. Damsel could only assume after years being next to her master that it was certainly not at all genuine or sincere. The Damselette tilted her head over towards the Knave and she gestured for the fourth harbinger to continue talking to the two girls.
“You won’t be seeing each other anymore.” Arlecchino said simply as if it were law and that there was no such need for things like objections, her tone serious and not a hint of amusement in sight, the Knave’s office went almost deathly silent as she finished her sentence. The silence that soon enveloped the room afterwards was an intense and ear piercing silence that rang through both of the lover’s ears. Neither of them could believe the situation that they were suddenly thrusted in by both of the harbingers.
This situation was unprecedented and came seemingly out of absolutely nowhere. It had taken them several months of communication to get to where they were finally experiencing moments of happiness with each other after ages of hurt and misunderstandings. Not even mentioning the constant reassurement of the other party as they waited patiently for both to explain just how they felt about one another, and what? They were just supposed to give up on their relationship that they worked hard for?
Just how were either of them supposed to react with such an unexpected topic of their relationship that was so utterly unbelievable and yet here they were, being told they wouldn’t be allowed to see each other anymore? This situation was such bullshit to Damsel. The two were supposed to end their relationship just like that? Just because it wasn’t their “initial path”? What a load of horse shit.
Damsel just couldn’t accept such a miserable fate.
“Our relationship isn’t something that either of you can dictate whenever you prefer, and even end on a whim simply for the reason that it wasn’t an outcome neither of you had expected!!” Damsel raised her voice slightly, trying to keep herself calm (which was failing terribly). She was close to standing up out of anger, but tried to calm down for the sake of her lover sitting next to her as this horrific situation went down.
‘It hasn’t affected our duties in any manner that may resort to this sort of unlawful punishment.” She continued, trying to reason with her master and with the Knave as best as she could without being too disrespectful. “I suspect that you both didn’t even know about our relationship until recently so who are you to dictate it!!” Damsel raised her voice more, trying to prove her point but quickly quieted down.
“I understand that you both may be worried about things such as our work ethic but, we both were aware as to what we were getting into at the start of this relationship and we know that it would be unprofessional to bring our relationship into work related affairs, but we haven’t!..” She tried reasoning with them she really did. “Not once had we been acting romantic with one another whilst on duty!” Damsel continued.
The Knave’s expression slowly morphed into that of one with a hint of annoyance from Damsel's brazen display about the two harbinger’s deciding that the two break the two girls' relationship should be broken apart. Arlecchino slowly stood up from the desk she was leaning on as that annoyance in her eyes never vanished but now it was accompanied to that of a more distasteful gleam in her eyes as she glanced momentarily at Damsel before she walking towards the door and without looking back she began to call out for Lynette.
“Lynette it has certainly been quite some time since we have had the opportunity to be alone, shall we have a walk like back then?” The Knave had asked the half-feline, as she stood in front of the door of her office not yet opening the doors. But deep down Lynette knew far too well after years of being raised by Arlecchino and receiving missions alongside her brother from her, that she could understand just that what her Father requested of her at this moment, and it was certainly not a request at all, but instead it was that of an order Lynette had to obey. Especially with how the Knave was speaking and how harsh her tone was compared to usual. Whenever it came to requests such as these it always made Lynette rather tense despite having been through a few talks already with the Knave, and the half-feline sighed out softly before replying to her Father.
“Ah, yes Father, understood...” She quietly whispered and slowly pulled herself up from the couch that her and Damsel were sitting on. The half-feline then began to make her way over to the door where the Knave had been standing, and she stood behind Arlecchino as she awaited further orders. But before Father had spoken any more commands to her, Lynette made sure to at least share one last loving glance with her lover, as Damsel remained seated on the couch still, by herself. The situation at hand had Damsel completely and utterly appalled by the absurdity of it all. Somehow she felt almost powerless as she watched her partner break eye contact with her to look at the fourth ranked harbinger that stood before her. Which only further angered Damsel as she truly tried her hardest to conceal the emotions she felt towards the situation entirely.
“I hope your master may enlighten you on how this ‘relationship’ as you pathetically may refer to it as such, will trample and mark a stain on my family.” Arlecchino said with a harsh, unfeeling, warning tone, as the doors to her office clicked open. Along with the Knave pushing the doors apart, looking back to make sure that Lynette was trailing behind her. Confirming that the half-feline did in fact follow her “request” she began walking out of the office. Damsel was forced to watch her lover’s slight hesitation before she did end up following after the fourth ranked harbinger, which as a result left Damsel alone inside the office still with her master, who was residing on the opposite side of her and still wasn’t making a fuss over the situation. It was like in the end it was inevitable and Damsel just had to accept it, but would she? She wasn’t as predictable as her master thought that was for sure.
Damsel remained seated on the couch as her gaze fell onto where Lynette was just sitting not even a moment ago as these events simply unfolded right in front of her very eyes. Was Damsel supposed to sit back and watch as the person who held her heart ever so dearly in her hands walked out of this nightmare of an office? It wasn’t fair at all and Damsel knew that for a fact, and she refused to acknowledge it as anything other than unjust towards the two girls. She felt her heart pounding, getting quicker with each passing second that she stayed seated on that unbearably stiff couch. Damsel wasn’t sure if it was from anger or the horrifying thought that Lynette would be ripped away from her after months and months of trying to be together.
Before Damsel could register what she was doing, she quickly got out of her seat as she ran after the one person who she loved and who loved her back just as much.