The birth of a hero

Wealth, glamour and a touch of risk

Saturday, the big day had come - the top Fatui had their gala evening with the Tsaritsa. Childe would have been so happy to be able to come too, but he knew they would never let him. So he felt compelled to resort to special means, hoping... that the tide would turn for him.

And so he bribed one of the drivers, exchanged uniforms with him, and drove one of the carriages directly in front of Zapolyarny palace. He remained motionless when he saw Pulcinella and Signora get out of the carriage. He reached his hand to grab hers and they stepped away. Fortunately, they had not noticed him. Childe looked at the huge snow-covered square in front of the palace, its golden towers rising high into the sky. He had seen the palace many times before, but he had never been this close to it. He could even catch a glimpse inside. Inside there were so many rich and beautiful people... wearing fancy clothes, drinking expensive alcohol and dancing... he would have loved to be a part of this scenery. But it was probably not granted to him, to the village boy. Although he tried so hard until he collapsed.... he clenched his hand into a fist. It was not fair. But that was life in Snezhnaya. The rich could probably all be accommodated in a single ballroom. The rest of the population was bitterly poor. If he could, he would change something about it. But to do that, he had to become influential himself. The driver behind him suddenly rang the bell frantically. He had not moved on. And so he rejoined the column to look for a place to park the carriage while he took one last look at the palace.

After parking the carriage, he left it in the care of the other drivers, who now recognized him too, but it didn't matter. He simply told them that he was here with Pulcinella, whether it was true or not. Then he hurried back to the palace. There he looked for a way to get past the guards. This was not easy to manage, of course, but if he really was the best soldier in the whole regiment, it would be an easy one for him, wouldn't it?

And so he really made his way into the palace. He could have left it at having a good time there as an anonymous guest, but that wasn't what he wanted. No... after all, he had promised Pulcinella to surprise him. And so he timed the moment when the Ten of Fatui stepped forward to introduce themselves to the Tsaritsa and ran towards the group. He did not get far, now he was held back by the palace guards.

"Wait! My name is Childe and I am the driver of the worthy gentlemen here...", he said and tried to free himself.

Pulcinella raised his hand without turning around.

"That's right. Let him go," he said curtly. Childe breathed a sigh of relief. Only now did he realize that it could have turned out differently. But Pulcinella couldn't afford that. Who else would do his job? Childe patted his clothes as the guards finally let him go. Then he looked up. He could see her...the Tsaritsa.... only from some distance, because he hadn't be able to come closer.... But she was as he had expected. So majestically beautiful... and if he could see it correctly, she was also looking at him at that moment....

"What are you doing here?" asked Pulcinella finally, as they continued forward. He didn't seem too happy about it.

"There's nothing wrong with the carriage, if that's what you mean," Childe said cheekily.

"You know exactly what I mean. We have an audience with the Tsaritsa. You stay here. Enjoy yourself for all I care, but don't you dare do anything stupid," Pulcinella threatened him and went back to the others. Childe sighed. He had hoped that he could get a closer view of the Tsaritsa. But at least he had made it farther than he had ever thought possible ... and if he kept it up, he might be the eleventh of Fatui harbingers tomorrow, who knew?

#

When they were back at the barracks, Pulcinella was extremely distant with him. Actually, he could have dismissed him directly for that, too, after what he had done. Childe didn't know what would happen now. Was this what he had warned him about? He sighed and tried not to show any feelings and acted like he always did. Maybe then they would forget over the matter. He would just do as he was told to. But he noticed he was being punished. The good jobs were now being taken over by other people who didn't command the recruits half as well. Pulcinella made him crawl on the floor and he, as his apprentice? He had no other choice.

Now he even had to put the luggage away when a group consisting of the first five harbingers, Signora and some recruits left for Liyue. Cursing, he threw the luggage into the cart.

"I don't know what's wrong, you wanted to be our driver so badly. So this kind of thing is part of your duties," Pulcinella said smugly before getting into the carriage with the others.

"Tch. If I were your driver, though, I'd also would travel to Liyue now," Childe replied defiantly.

"Nah... you really blew that chance. Otherwise, I would have thought about to take you with us possibly," Pulcinella said coolly. Then he got in and slammed the door. He left behind a sad Childe, who tried to smile through upcoming tears.

"Just you wait..." he said softly as the carriage drove off, "one day I will travel to Liyue by your side..."