Our Thorned Fate

Plan

5 months later after the incident

Zhongli drank three big bottles of blood in a minute and glared at Venti who was pale and sweating.

"You can't help me to enter Snezhnaya?" he growled.

"Morax, what you asked is something out of my power. How come you dare to sneak in her territory when she's watching on you?" Venti squeaked.

"She blocked all of any communications so I can't contact Childe," he slammed the table.

"It's your fault for...ah, please don't kill me," he begged after Zhongli pointed out a knife.

"You. Will. Help. Me."

"You're abusing your domain! I don't want to fight that mermaid lord!"

"I didn't ask you to fight her, idiot."

"But what you asked is the same, senile old man! Man, you need to cool down your head!" Venti yelled. Zhongli put down the knife and banged his head. Venti held his head and put a pillow under his head.

"I don't need it."

"Morax, if your IQ suddenly drop because of what you did, perhaps Childe will rethink to marry you," he mocked. Zhongli pouted and stared at his phone.

"He won't call you."

"...stop being sarcastic, will you?" he sighed. He searched for a contact and tried to call it. "Give up, idiot."

"What do you want?" a woman replied. Venti shocked and looked at his phone.

"You called that woman?! Are you crazy?!" he yelled. Zhongli pushed him away and answered her.

"I need your help."

"...what is it?"

"How can I infiltrate into Snezhnaya without being noticed?" he asked. He could hear she sighed a bit hard.

"That's your problem...hey, give it..."

"Xiansheng?!"

"Ajax? Ajax, is that you?" he excited, but suddenly turned sour as he heard her voice again.

"Stay back, Tartaglia! Guards! Take him out!"

Zhongli could hear he's trying hard to struggle, as slowly his voice faded away. Venti turned his attention to the dandelion and blew them.

"You know once you step into Snezhnaya, Tsaritsa won't take it easy."

"Do you perhaps forgot that I'm still the strongest one in the Archon?" he threatened. A silent filled the gap.

"I believe you don't want to destroy Snezhnaya and the innocent civilians, right?"

He admitted that in his mind, but he couldn't tell her or else he won't be able to win the game.

"Let's make a contract."

"I won't fall into your trap, Morax. You..."

"I'll put my gnosis as the token," he cut her. Venti dropped the glass and pulled his collar.

"Oi, Morax. Are you fucking dumb or maybe you really an idiot? How come you trade your gnosis easily like that?" he scolded.

"I have no choices here," he replied.

"You...argh! I hate people like you!"

"...I guess only gnosis is too much just for infiltrate Snezhnaya. You may ask another things before I change my mind."

"I'll tell you later. At least we're in deal?"

"Yeah. It's a rare chance for Fatui. You better prepare for a war, Morax. My Queen is not a nice one when she's in bad mood."

"I always ready to fall into the war," he said calmly. After he ended the call, he saw Venti was making a ring from the flowers.

"What are you doing?"

"Playing around," he replied halfheartedly. He poured all of his energy and turned it into a real ring with dandelion crystal on it. "I don't want to get into your problem but...how you persuade Tsaritsa to give Childe to you?"

"...I don't know," Zhongli replied. Venti slapped his head hardly with a book.

"If you really serious with him, make commitment, idiot!"

"What kind of..." he stopped his word as Venti pointed a knife on his head.

"You old dense lizard, are you serious with your question?" he asked in deep tone. Zhongli sweated a little and scared.

"I...uh...you're talking about... marriage, right?" he stuttered. Venti smiled and pulled back the knife, but in Zhongli's eyes he's still angry.

"Smart lizard. Don't tell me you're not preparing for that?" he guessed. Zhongli looked away and it proved his guess. He grabbed his hair with dead eyes.

"Oi, old man. You're really really idiot, huh? No wonder Tsaritsa disapproves your relationship," Venti growled. Zhongli shrunk a little. "Poor Childe."

"Hey, I'm serious about my relationship."

"Oh, really? You always hurt him back then, is that what you called love?"

"...that's really hurt me, Barbatos."

"So you can feel pain, huh?" he mocked. Zhongli sighed loud and pointed his spear.

"Listen, Barbatos. I know I made a grave mistake back then, but can you stop it? Right now I'm focusing on my future with him," he spoke softly yet dangerous tone. Venti didn't waver.

"Then what will you do?" he asked. Zhongli put down his weapon and sat back.

"I need to prepare everything carefully for him. I still have a month for the party."

"Well I guess you gonna have two weeks now," he showed an invitation. "Tsaritsa rescheduled the party."

"...damn it!" he yelled and ran, let the ex ghost lord stayed alone.

"...eh?"

###

"Signora! I want to talk with him!" he yelled as he almost threw his phone away. "I can't bear this pain!"

"That's not what I decided, Tartaglia. It's Tsaritsa's," she replied while checking the party preparation. "Try to get over him and find a suitable lady for your good sake."

"He's the only one for me. No one can replace him."

"Are you sure? How about him?" she asked. He suddenly shut his lips and turned pale. Signora covered her mouth and looked away.

"Anyway, you better dress up nicely. Maybe someone will ask you for a dance."

Without saying anything, he walked away. Signora hit gently her head.

"Ah, damn. I shouldn't said it like that."