✩‧˚ 𝒱ℯ𝒹𝓇𝒻ℴ𝓁𝓃𝒾𝓇 ✧˚ · .

// I promise, I kissed the brick, before throwing it. 😌💜

Loosely inspired by bsky.app/profile/pear...

#Vedrfolnir #Dainsleif

“Ved?”
“Hm?”
“I love you.”
“Love you too, Dain.”
“You’re the best brother in the whole Teyvat!”
“…I’m happy you think so.”
“I’ll always think so!”
“That… is…”

[𝘉𝘦𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘺 𝘯𝘰𝘳 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘵, 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘵𝘩 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘥]

They stargazed in the dead of the night and talked until the morning would arrive, the artificial lights of the city growing stronger in the distance.
“Right… we have to go back, dear. I have to work soon. You know the king does not like anyone being late.” +

shining side by side in the night sky in the depths of the lake.
“They are just like us. Together forever – right, Ved?”
“Right.” The first of “for the greater good” lies, one out of many to come. Even though, for this one, he wished more than anything to be true instead. +

Store it in the depths of his memory meant for him and him alone to cling onto in the moments of despair.
“Look.”
He pointed out the constellations he knew, showing and explaining to Dainsleif which were which, not forgetting to draw his attention to their, +

“They are better seen here than closer to the city. And, as you can understand, there is no-one here but us.”
“How do you know of this place?”
“I know everything.”
“Veeed!”
His laughter – carefree and merry, ringing like a bell above the water, echoing in the stars within. He will remember it. +

right next to the water’s clear and calm surface, side by side, back to back , Dainsleif’s little hand lingering in his palm.
The awed gasp from his brother was all Vedrfolnir needed to hear to know Dainsleif saw it and loved it too.
“This…” +

carefully and meticulously avoiding trampling the flowers beneath.
“Ved…”
“Do you like it, Dain?”
“I love it!”
“You will love it more. Look,” he pointed towards the water, turning his lantern off once they settled on the blanket he pulled from the backpack, +

You’ll see.”
And he did see, when they got there – to the big – huge, in the eyes of the child, like an entire world! – clearing filled with the blooming inteyvats. And, at the further end of it, there was the lake, surrounded by the rocky shore, to which Vedrfolnir led Dainsleif, +

but Vedrfolnir still pulled out the lantern he brought along to illuminate the way ahead.
“Is it far yet?” Dainsleif asked impatiently, his eyes sparkling with curiosity and anticipation.
“No, it’s not. There are closer spots – closer to the city, yes, - but this is more… authentic, should I say? +

The place Vedrfolnir had in mind was about twenty more minutes of walk from the station. The houses and city lights remained behind, and the surroundings grew darker. There were several natural glowing crystals amidst the rocky walls and far away ceiling of the cave path, +

He’s here and he’s smiling and this moment is to be cherished for the next hundreds of lonely and agonizing years.
“You wish!”
“Good. Come, take my hand, it’s very dark outside on this station.”

[𝘋𝘰𝘯'𝘵 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘮𝘦 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦, 𝘐'𝘷𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘮𝘺 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘦] +

Whose voice was that – did he dream of something?.. Gently, he ruffled Dainsleif’s hair, earning the playful fight-off and giggles from him. “Are 𝘺𝘰𝘶 sleepy yet?” To focus on reality. On here and now. Forget about the future. Forget about everything. +

{"𝘞𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵."}
“Ved?” He jolted up, blinking back to reality, catching Dainsleif’s worried gaze on him. “Are you sleeping? Are you too tired?”
{"𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘪𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘭𝘦𝘯 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘶𝘴."}
“No, dear one. Out station is soon.” Did he doze off for a moment? +

the people from suburbs to the center of the city and vice versa. Not to mention the villages around and further away. Khaenri’ah was truly magnificent land, vast and unique in its layout as an underground kingdom. And it was thriving, so well-developed and focused on the future.
The future… +

As they were traveling through the streets and closer to the outskirts of the town, Vedrfolnir thought how fascinating the alchemy – that is, the art of khemia – was, if combined with the advanced technology of Khaenri’ah. For instance, these trains that could easily and fast enough transport +

The train was almost empty – even though still with quite a few people. Khaenri’ah didn’t have sunlight nor moonlight, and thus, many organizations worked around the clock in shifts, and the city never slept, hustling and bustling with life even at such an hour. +

from time to time, but he would also be closely involved in diplomacy and advising, being forced thus to learn more at such a young age, than he would usually need to, in order to be able to navigate himself through that slippery area of life.
+

the next day to sleep in a little bit. Vedrfolnir would still have to go to work… hopefully, maybe, he’ll be able to catch a break in between the meetings and the paperwork. He had to learn the hard way that court Prophet doesn’t mean slacking off and throwing the visions to the king +

with soon-to-be-shattered youthful idealism of “what if I’m wrong and things won’t become that bad?”

[𝘞𝘪𝘴𝘥𝘰𝘮 𝘯𝘰𝘳 𝘱𝘳𝘪𝘥𝘦, 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘪𝘯𝘯𝘰𝘤𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘥]

It was the middle of the night – they have specifically made this arrangement prior, so that Dainsleif wouldn’t have to go to school +

He loved Dainsleif dearly since his birth, and taking care of him was one of those simple joys of life rather than duty – those joys he learned to cherish despite his visions. Or in spite of them, clinging still desperately to those few good things in life, +

appropriately for the chilly night out of town. Vedrfolnir was barely fourteen, and yet already had to juggle in between his work for the king, his education, and caring for his six-year-old brother.
“Ready? Good. Lets go, Dain.”
Not that he complained. +

Dain asked for this for so long – how could he refuse?..
“I’m coming, I’m here!”
Dainsleif rushed downstairs, and Vedrfolnir gave him a nod, lifting the backpack and helping his little brother put on the boots and the coat, making sure Dainsleif is dressed +

Vedrfolnir patiently waited, making sure he packed everything they would need, until his brother crawled out of his beds and got ready to go. He was ready for a while already – unlike Dainsleif, he didn’t even go to sleep at all, working until late and then making preparations for the night. +

“Wake up, sweetheart.”
“Mmm… is it time?”
“Would I be waking you up otherwise? It was your idea. Regretting it already?”
“No! I’m up! Ready in five! Promise!”
“Hahaha… alright, I’m waiting for you.”

[𝘋𝘰𝘯'𝘵 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘮𝘦 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦, 𝘥𝘰𝘯'𝘵 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘮𝘦 𝘧𝘢𝘪𝘵𝘩] +

#rerir #vedrfolnir

Happy Lantern Rite festival, and may you not (unless you want to) spend it alone, having someone to share the wishing upon the lantern instead. 🏮

I don't plan on anything but watching. I have always had the others acting in my stead. My own opinion and my own desire of who should win - they matter not before the wheel of fate. And yet the good Doctor outsmarts you all again and again... An intellect worthy of admiration, truly.

People - and fae too, apparently, - have such a common habit of being hostile for what is revealed to them...

Doesn't that depend on the point of view of an individual? Perhaps one, perhaps the other, perhaps both, perhaps none at all. For all you know, I'm but an observer. Ah, but you are biased towards me. Is it because of what I said? +