Chapter Text
It was peculiar for a small town settled in the middle of the woods, surrounded by mountains to get visitors that are neither relatives of the townsfolk nor tax collectors. So it came as a surprise to see carriages come into town, especially one bearing an emblem. Far from the bustle of modern society, the small village had no knowledge or interest in ranks and social positions.
What they are interested in are the mysteries brought by the newly arrived carriage. Is it an exiled noble? A bastard child of an elite? No one knows yet, but everyone is curious to know. Amber was busy loading her cart when a carriage makes its way towards her house, behind it is a small crowd of people trying to stretch their necks, hoping to see whoever is inside the carriage as it passes through the side of her lawn and into the forest behind her house.
Amber pulls one of her frequent customers from the following crowd. “What’s everyone doing Antonio?”
“Oh Amber, it’s you. Out for daily deliveries?” Antonio was somewhat like a child despite being older than Amber by a couple of years, merely because the man had the attention span of a goldfish. He had a hard time focusing on one topic before getting distracted and/or getting the urge to discuss something random that has nothing to do with the initial object of discussion. Amber felt like she had made a mistake in pulling him from the crowd.
Clearing her throat to refocus the man in front of her Amber answered, “Yes, please stick to the question, who is that?” Still staring at the retreating figure of the carriage, Antonio merely shrugs.
“No idea must be some big shot from the city” Amber glances at the fading carriage, it has to be some rich person. No one poor could afford that kind of carriage or pay enough mora to travel this far without knowing anyone from the town itself. But what would some rich city folk want to do with their small village?
Because their town was surrounded by hills it was quite hard for merchants to come by, one would have to come here on purpose just to get to the place. It would be hard to imagine that someone would just be passing by. So the list of reasons why someone would come into town was short and limited, though it only contained one thing; they know someone in town. It could either be a distant relative coming to announce an inheritance, an old neighbour that used to live in town but moved into the big city and just came to visit, or tax collectors. The last one usually brings a few side-eyes and some other few into hiding. All in all, it was peculiar to find someone with some mora to come and settle into a town that doesn’t have much to offer. They couldn’t start a business here, the population is too small. A tourist? What are they planning to sightsee? Trees, trees, and more trees?
Amber shrugs as she turns her back on the retreating carriage. That’s none of her business and quite frankly she’s not that interested. Her life is at an impasse, nothing is ever too good or too bad, and she likes to keep things the way they are.
Flowers bloom at every step she makes, Amber takes one last glance at the dispersing crowd. She wishes her grandfather would come home soon, and she hops on her cart and urges her horses towards town.
It’s time to start her day.
~*~
Kaeya sighed for the nth time upon arriving at the house they were supposed to be staying at. It was a medium-sized cabin located in a forest, definitely not a place to house the sons of a noble. But who cares about social classes when blood has been spilt and names are tarnished? That was what he and his brother were reduced to.
Mere orphans, after their Father was accused and killed. A great man like Crepus Ragnvindr had a name that would not only make heads turn but also make the ground beneath his feet quake. His greatness was rooted in his astonishing corporate skills and his humbleness that shames even the royal family of Teyvat. Throughout his long yet bitter ended life, Crepus’ name was almost synonymous with prosperity and compassion itself. With how many people he helped or how he never hesitates to brush arms with the common folk. He was the common man’s hero.
The light that Crepus brought for himself and his family has also made it possible for the shadows to lurk even darker behind him, bidding for the perfect opportunity to appease their jealousy and greed. They must have been waiting for a long time because when their chance came they spared no expense, took every chance, blown every shot that rolled between the chambers with no hesitation.
In Kaeya’s opinion, it was pathetic. To be reduced to mere fugitives, forced to escape for their lives to a land that is less civilized than the poorest man in the city. It was truly like falling from grace. He could accept the loss of the finer things in life, what he could never forgive is the injustice of his father’s death. Truly, the world was against them.
Kaeya’s train of thought was brought to a halt when a plate of triple layer consume was placed in front of him, “I know it’s not much but-”
“It’s fine Adelinde, thank you” Kaeya raised his head to look at his brother who dismissed their head housemaid. Diluc had dark circles under his eyes like a grey cloud before a storm. He sliced the triple layer consume apart before stabbing a portion with his fork, bringing the food to his mouth but before he could put the food in his mouth his eyes found Kaeya’s icy ones.
A frown made its way on his face as he slowly put his food down, too concerned with the look his brother was giving him. “What?”
“We don’t deserve this” was all that came out of Kaeya. Crossing his arms as he leaned back on the chair without breaking eye contact with his brother. Diluc merely sighed, as the older one between the two of them it was now his responsibility to take care of his little brother and now, he could feel the headaches that it was about to bring him.
“We don’t” Diluc repeats his brother's words like a record, “But Father is gone, and if he were still here he would still choose for us to be safe”
Diluc could still feel the fire caressing his skin like it was calling him, pulling him into its hot and fiery hands. Threatening to nip and bite at his skin peeling at his flesh from layer to layer. He feels the hair at the back of his neck stand as a shiver rises in him. He hopes never to be in that scenario ever again.
Never again.
“We could take them, Diluc. Father was innocent!” swallowing the growing lump in his throat Diluc stabbed a piece of his food before stuffing it into his mouth, chewing at the delicious meat as he fixed his eyes on his plate. They could take them, Father was innocent but what then? They could lose each other!
“Kaeya we already lost father, please. I don’t want to lose you too” Diluc manages to say before his shaking hands give in and the knife and fork slip through his fingers, clamouring onto his plate. “I-i’m sorry”
Diluc hastily stands up from his seat, turning to leave. Kaeya does not follow him.
~*~
“Do you think we’ll just one day find out that those people out there are dead?” Donna mutters as she opens the gate to Amber’s garden, eyes fixed on the trail towards the forest where the carriage disappeared a few days ago. It has been quiet since as if the arrival of the strange and mysterious carriage didn’t happen. Amber would believe it was a dream if not for the fact that a handful of people still couldn’t let go of their curiosity for the peculiar new neighbour.
“Here for a list of orders?” Amber asks without sparing the brunette a glance as she glides a hand through a few of her plants, the flowers bloom along the touch of her fingertips leaning onto her retreating hand as if begging for her to keep on touching them, for her to stay. While she does this Donna stares blankly at how the flowers seem to follow Amber like her garden was made of sunflowers and she was the sun, her dirty calloused fingers reaching and picking at the note on Donna’s outstretched hand, honey-golden eyes flickering at her orders.
Donna comes over to Amber’s house on a daily basis to deliver an order list, the list contains the golden-eyed girl’s deliveries for the day and often times they contain the arrangements she must prepare for the next day. So if there was anyone who knew how Amber worked, it was Donna. Everyone in the town knew of Amber’s powers but a very few, mostly elderly, have seen her use it. Since her little accident years ago it has become a taboo for the townsfolk to discuss her blessing and curse. Some even made stories to warn the children never to stray too far or wander off and disturb Amber’s garden.
“-nna” If not for her blessing, perhaps Amber could be treasured by the town, she was kind despite her hardships. They would have loved her. “Donna!”
“Huh?” Donna was forcefully pulled out of her thoughts by the hands that were holding at her shoulders, shaking her back to the present. “Oh, um you were saying something?”
Amber sighs, “I was asking if Flora and Chloris asked for a specific colour for their Mother’s Day bouquet?” Donna doesn’t know anything about flowers and the little girls never mentioned anything to her, so she merely shrugged her shoulders. Amber’s hands on Donna’s shoulders fall. “Okay, thank you”
Donna nodded as she turned to leave, why is it that whenever she comes Amber’s hands are always dirty? Normally it was fine since gardeners and florists would be gardening, digging holes in the ground, watering flowers, or fertilizing plants but Amber wasn’t normal. All she needed was to pat the soil and plants would grow, she would only need to tap a finger on wilting plants to bring them back to life, restoring the organism to its healthier self. It was magic, she has magic. So why are her hands always dirty?
Amber feels the cool water wash through the grime on her palm and fingers, she keeps on forgetting to tell Donna not to randomly enter the garden.
“Wow” Amber stiffened in place, the water continuously flowed and washed the dirt on her hands when she heard an unfamiliar voice not too far from her. Slowly turning her head to the side, there stood a man with soft blue hair tied loosely and cascading down on his left shoulder, his eyes were icy and they were boring holes into her character. As if he caught her red-handed doing something illegal.
“Where did you get those?” he pressed his elbows against her low fence and leaned towards her, eyes fixed on the burn marks on her hands. Amber swallowed a lump in her throat, who is he? What is he doing here? Amber’s eyes flicker to the direction of the forest, is he-
“I’m your new neighbour”, he smiled sweetly but not enough to reach his eyes stretching out his hand to her in a handshake. She does not take it. Amber rubs her wet hands against her apron and turned off the faucet, standing upright. He does the same and she looks up at him. “the name is Kaeya, nice to finally meet you” he hesitates, eyes trailing from hands to meet her honey-coloured orbs. "neighbour"
“Amber,” she says, turning to leave him, she walks away and Kaeya doesn’t miss the flowers blooming behind her every step. He stares even when she was long gone, secured within her own home, he was mesmerized rather than overcome by fear from the peculiarity—a girl who can make flowers bloom. Very interesting, he thinks as he pushed himself away from her fence, and walked towards the busy part of town.