As Fragile As Spider - Silk | Jeanlisa [DISCONTINUED]

Chapter 2 - Poetry

"I never told you, did I. I met Miss Lisa Minci today. She's a student who's going to attend Sumeru Academia and asked for my help this morning in finding the Favonius Headquarters and she's... mesmerizing," explains Jean, wistfully. Diluc notes how his best friend's eyes have gone glassy and her posture becomes more relaxed from the mere mention of this Lisa. "She gave me this... and this," adds Jean, pulling out the purple rose from her breast pocket, before pointing to her cheek and blushing even more. "She gave you a cheek?" asks Diluc, in mock ignorance, although he already knew what it was. "A kiss, Diluc, a kiss!" retorts Jean, before showing him the rose. "It truly is gorgeous. Strange it hasn't crumpled up in your jacket," remarks Diluc, to which the Knight responds with, "Apparently it's an enchanted rose of sorts, doesn't require any special care."

"Impressive," states Diluc, peering at the flower in intrigue. He glances over at Jean, who's clasping her hands and blushing. He feels a wave of sadness wash over him. How he wishes it was him who made Jean Gunnhildr act like that, not some random girl who she'd definitely not see for at least 5 years, minimum and that's if she's smarter than the regular student attending the Academia. However, he knows he has to be supportive, and not let his feelings come into play. Jean said she was bisexual, so he still had a chance, right?

"Okay, I've calmed down now... but she was so cute and pretty and just, god, yes," murmurs Jean, rambling about the girl yet again, giggling all the while. She exhales deeply, getting to her feet as she does so and she grasps her sword by the hilt, walking back towards the training grounds. "I'm ready to continue," says Jean to her instructor, and she's instructed to show the 'new knights' how to quickly cut through three training dummies, if she felt ready enough to do so. Jean nods, and walks towards the dummies, as she brandishes her sword and strikes. A wave of Anemo emerges from her sword in a curved shape, neatly slicing through each dummy at an exact 45 degree angle as they fall off with ease. The knights watching gasp in awe, before clapping. The blonde bows, embarrassed as she thanks them.

"It does seem like you're alright now, Jean," chuckles her instructor. She claps her hands together, before announcing that training for the day was over.

Jean slips her sword back into its case as she walked over to her friend and made idle chatter as they returned to their own homes. Once the Knight has returned to her home, the maids greet her, bowing and Jean does the same, always respectful. She starts to quickly undo the laces on her knee - high boots, before placing it perfectly in the shoe rack.

She retreats to her room hastily, racing up the staircase and twisting the doorknob as she barges in, before shutting and locking her door. She takes a deep breath and sits down at her desk, feeling under her desk for the secret compartment as she lightly hits a square - shaped wedge and it falls open, revealing a secret compartment wherein she kept her written poems. Jean enjoyed being a knight and helping the people, but deep down... the thought of having the easy, reclusive life of a poet was certainly an attractive offer. Either way, there was no option for her to be one, due to hailing from the family of Gunnhildr, and their motto was, 'For Mondstadt, as always.'

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Whilst being a poet wasn't a scorned profession in the slightest, Jean was the first child.

The first daughter.

And therefore, she had to be the one to carry the mantle of Gunnhildr and spread the legacy of the Clan.

Being part of this long and proud lineage was certainly a badge of honor, but also a heavy, heavy burden. From birth, Jean's mother - Frederica - she was raised to be the successor to the Gunnhildr Clan. Trained in everything and always exhibiting perfection, she was the absolute peak of what any parent would hope from their own children.

Even from a young age, as a child she saw children her age playing with pinwheels outside the window, and in that moment, she knew what her family motto meant to her.

Barbara might've been envious of how perfect Jean seemed to be at everything, but in reality Jean was the one envious of her younger sister, allowed to live her life as she deemed fit... albeit she'd choose a more interesting job than working at the Church as a nun.

She supposed it was because of her sister growing up with their father, who already worked at the Church, so Barbara joining him seemed like the next best option.

In actuality, the Lionfang Knight had little to no choice in the fact that she'd have to be working for the Knights of Favonius, like it or not. She had no qualms about helping and working for the people in mind, but she wished her future job would allow for a little more leeway.

So writing poems and writing the occasional diary entry to remember her days became common practice for the blonde to do, locking her door and hiding every remnant of writing in her room. It was a good vent for her emotions, and just for fun too. She had become so secretive about her writing that little to no one knew about it, not even her own mother, in fear that she'd remove it from her schedule as it probably 'reduced the attention given to her knightly duties.'

Save for Diluc and Barbara, of course.

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