#[ we'd already decided that wriothesley had to be the first. he just had to be. ]

[orchideae]

Where they might grate the nerves of those more ordinary; these distant, creaking sounds that resonated at every foot that this metal elevator further descended into Fontaine's depths, were ones she welcomed. They differed from the gossip of Liyue's hustle and bustle, and veered far from the howling ghosts of the Chasm that would never quite cease to echo in her ears. No, these sounds were man-made and authentic, the result of strenuous labor if fables were to be believed— and who was she now, if not a believer of almost unfathomable tales, at least in part? The Fortress of Meropide, a structure symbolical of humankind, and its perseverance and strength, and yet those were not the words she'd heard spoken in whispers above ground. Praise seemed rare enough, while fear of the unknown seemed ever more dominant among the nation's natives. Autonomous, and untouched by Fontainian jurisdiction entirely, its rarity tickled her curiosity to say the least; but a walking enigma to mystery is akin to a moth to flame after all, and so, albeit rather subtly so, satisfaction creeped and sat at the edges of her lips. Ningguang or other, a challenge would beckon her time and time again, especially if one of two Harbingers dangled as the victor's reward at the finishing line. That however, seemed to have proven a challenge for Liyue so far: Childe had been kept out of its reach. So perhaps she'd have her work cut out for her here— but she'd welcome that, too. She was owed a holiday after all, and Fontaine might not be the worst of destinations.

Her mantle was drawn closer when the descent had finally come to an end; ah, if only her welcome were anything different than this chill that caressed the bare of her back without much mercy. And yet, it matched the icy sting of heels to steel as she paced forward, a tilt of her chin leading her to certain memories of a not-so-distant past. She'd caught a glimpse of him above ground, this adversary of hers as designated by the Qixing's frustrations: the Duke of the Meropide himself. That alone had garnered some respect that pulled at her smile almost still too obviously now, all while only feet away from him. It mattered only little if he noticed, or perhaps she sought him to notice. All in all, anyone to rile both the Tianquan and Yuheng in tandem, deserved free rounds of tea on her. And if she couldn't bring the entirety of Yansheng Teahouse with her, she'd take at least part of it on her travels. And as her luck would have it, it seemed that this self-made man (to say the least) enjoyed his teas. Ah, a self-made man, it seemed almost too fitting for him to lead such a place, and rather ill-fitting for him to be here upon her arrival. Strange? Though, perhaps he would prove warmer than his surroundings. Though that would surely depend on just how thick the stack of Liyuen diplomatic requests got before her assistance had ever been requested in the first place. Tsk. "Your Grace." Borne in courtesy much like the slow, and graceful bow that accompanied it; her tone was warm and bore quite the authenticity.

If you know, you know. ;) // @delusionaid