#tartaglia childe | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

kiryoutann · 1 year

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Before reading, please check series masterlist to read the warning(s), disclaimer, and to make sure you’re on the right chapter. Minors do NOT interact.

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In every step he takes to follow the healers who lead you to the healer's room, Childe feels a part of himself slipping away bit by bit. With your current situation, he no longer hopes for the future—instead finds himself desperately longing for the past where you were still safe and sound, without arrows piercing your skin.

“Save her. Save her or I’ll behead you all!!”

His voice echoed throughout the room. Dmitri next to him didn't dare to advise him saying it would only make the healers depressed, because he knew Childe's eyes were foggy, full of red; either from rage or your blood, which had also stained his clothes.

It is everyone's fault. It was the knights' fault.

But, more precisely, it was his fault.

If only he protected you better. If only he had listened to you yesterday, then you would have remained safe and sound, without any danger putting you on the edge of your life.

The second the door to the healing room closed, his knees buckled sending him crashing to the floor. Meaningless limp bones. Childe was in utter fear because right now, his mind could do no better than to frighten him about what might happen. Your death.

A cold breath came in through his lips, brushing sharply down the back of his throat. He tries to take a breath but, it never seems like enough—as if you've taken all the air with you and left nothing for him. He would never be able to breathe again.

Dmitri crouched beside him, showing a mixture of pity and worry in his gaze. "Your Highness, you shouldn't be on the floor like this."

The confidant put his arms around him trying to help him up. However, Childe did little more than droop his head low, strands of hair falling down over his face. Gloved fingers clawed at the wooden surface of the door. He was silent in his stifling solitude as he felt his heart grip itself, clogging many arteries in his body.

Is he fated to live longer to see the people he loves one by one die in front of him?

It seems there is a fate worse than death after all.

It was as though earth had become the new home of hell. Taking the form of the news delivered by the healer who came to him to tell him how you were.

“Her Highness' condition isn't very good.”

Childe held his breath, a pulse racing against his neck.

“Even though we managed to pull out the arrow, it contained enough poison to put her into a coma.” He continued, blind to the tension of Childe's body. “I believe I must state that this poison is exactly what harmed the late king.”

Despair had never been this strong before. He took a deep breath before emptying his lungs again and looking at the healer.

"Tell me, how to save her?" he asked, barely audible.

“Although Her Highness' body seems to be handling the poison better than I had predicted, we still need to create an antidote right away. As long as it is inside her body, the only thing it will do is slowly consume her."

“Then what are you waiting for?! LOOK FOR IT!”

Behind him, the sound of Dmitri running in a hurry was heard. The healer who stood in front of him bowed in apology. Once again, the hallway was full of silence.

The doorknob looks cold. That, however, wasn't what caused him to hesitate before turning it; rather, it was his reaction to seeing you behind it. Childe clenched his fists so tightly his knuckles turned white. He carefully extended his hand toward it as if it were an ember that may burn him.

The door opened with a click. He pushed it gently before landing his gaze on the figure lying motionless on the bed.

You.

Childe was so fixated on you that he paid no heed to the healers who excused themselves to leave. He started walking toward you, piece by piece his heart broke with every step he took. Once he reaches right beside you, a part of him drifts away on the edge of the waves.

You are his light. And now that you're not there with him, the growing darkness seeks to engulf him.

Even though it seemed wrong to feel your skin on his after failing to protect you, Childe couldn't stop himself from cupping your hands and bringing them close to his cheeks. He had an urge to stay like this until his body heat passed over you and by some miracle it would wake you up.

“Don't worry,” He thinks he's telling you when in reality, he needs it more for himself. “I'm not going to give up on you. You know that, don't you?"

The air he took in felt like needles piercing his lungs.

"I can't give up on you. I'm not done loving you yet—though, I don't think I'll ever see the day I don't love you anymore. So, don't go. I’ll do everything to bring you back to me, you know that, right?"

Can you hear me? he thought. If not, it's alright. Childe would say this over and over again until his vocal cords gave out. Until his lips can say nothing but your name. Anything for you, he is willing to give everything for you as long as you do one thing: stay with him.

Maxim made his way down the hallway to the conference room. His left hand swung freely, while the right remained stiff beside his body. After hearing that his plan had not worked out as he had hoped, he banged the table with such force that his knuckles burned.

After the guards opened the large door for him, his gaze fell on the ginger-haired man sitting at the center of the large mahogany table. Prince Childe, healthy and safe—all because because you were the one who received the arrow from his men who were ordered to aim at him. A major flaw in his grand plan.

Maxim tried not to heed the bewildered looks of the nobles who conspired with him and took his seat.

"The conference starts." Dmitri signaled the nobles to start speaking.

One of the nobles sitting across from him raised his hand.

“Before I inquire regarding the topic related to the succession, I have a question regarding the rumors I heard.” He took a breath before continuing, “Is it true that something horrible has happened to Her Highness?”

Great, Maxim refrained from sighing. He glanced at Childe who was sitting silently like the previous days. Maxim wasn't sure whether he liked this incident or not; the last time they spoke, Childe talked about how he wanted to destroy you and Liyue. If he came to him and said he was the mastermind behind the arrow that pierced you (even if by accident), would that make him happy?

Dmitri took one last look at Childe before responding doubtfully, "Unfortunately, that's true." His words left the entire room in disbelief.

"How could this happen?"

“Is this Liyue's doing too? If so, then why did they go as far as to harm Her Highness, who is also their daughter?

Behind his tightly closed lips, his molars were grinding together from anger. These people.. can't they just shut up? Maxim felt his body start to shake. He didn't expect his carefully laid out plan to be so easily destroyed just because you sacrificed yourself for Childe's sake.

The poison at the tip of the arrow should have pierced and entered the Prince's body, not yours. Apart from convincing everyone that Liyue was indeed the mastermind behind the attempted assassination on him after the previous king's death, Maxim intends to become his hero by administering the antidote to save Childe—making him owe him his life.

His plan to reconstruct his deal with Childe ends up being put at risk, only because of you. Maybe he should have killed you first when he had the chance.

“Is this the same poison that the late king consumed? If such is the case, Her Highness is unlikely to survive! Your Highness, you'd better find a noblewoman to wed as soon as possible to maintain the royal line—"

"What did you say?"

The noble stopped talking when Childe interrupted. No one spoke or moved as a deadly silence filled the space.

"How dare you." He muttered before directing that sharp gaze at the man who now realized how much he regretted his words. “To speak lightly like that about the royal family… are you tired of living already? Or is it your death wish?”

The jaw of the man who looked like he was about to wet his pants hung like a fish out of the water. “N-no, Your Highness. I just—"

"Boiling water or wolves?"

The question was too short for him to understand. “P-pardon?” he asked.

"I said, do you want to be boiled alive or torn to pieces by wolves?" Childe repeated, horror rising in the nobleman's body.

Now, it was hard for him to hide how his body was trembling and sweating in fear. He immediately slouched from his seat and fell to his knees, pleading in the hope that Childe would forgive him even for the last time in his life.

“Y-Your Highness, please forgive me! I was presumptuous to say such a thing!”

"Tell me, how can you be so sure?" Childe paused. "Or... are you the mastermind behind all this?"

Dangerous brilliance in his blue eyes. He was ready to go to any lengths to drag him into a large cauldron full of hot water, boiled alive like the meat he regularly ate. A torturous and slow way of dying. To feel the organs being cooked while he was still fully aware of his surroundings. Childe was certain he wasn't a sadist but, this was an exception because that man had to know how it burned him when he so lightly said such things about his wife.

A sharp breath was inhaled by the man. "No!! It wasn't me! Your Highness, you must believe me! I couldn't possibly do something like that to Her Highness!” He screamed at the corner of his throat.

However, his efforts only ended in vain. His words were no better than the gibberish his hearing received. The urge to bring him to his death right here and now grew stronger as well. Childe no longer cares about anything but you—making him more dangerous than a ticking time bomb that counts down before it explodes.

On the other hand, Maxim was watching the situation in front of him while breaking out in a cold sweat similar to the noble's earlier. He's relieved that he decided not to inform him that he hired the assassin who shot you.

Why is Childe now behaving in such a manner toward you? He's like an impulsive madman.

Maxim made the decision to take every precaution to conceal the details of the attack.

"You have not answered my question. Boiling water or wolves, hm?”

Childe echoed his 'offer' again, reminding or—more precisely—demanding that he give answer, neither of which could be better.

A click in his lips. “Wasn't I so generous to give you a choice? Why are you acting as if I've just chopped off your tongue?” At the next second, Childe became even more impatient, rising from his seat and making a move that was halted by Dmitri.

"Your Highness, you are not in a good state of mind."

"Move, Dmitri."

Dmitri clenched his jaw. "I will not." He says. "As your confidant, I will do everything in my power to prevent you from making choices you'll come to regret."

Childe's lips pulled out a harsh scoff. “You think I’ll regret killing him?” Maybe his confidant never knew him after all. "You think I'm going to lose sleep after ending the life of a man who spoke ill of my wife?"

"Certainly not. But, would Her Highness want that?”

"I'll ask her after she wakes up." His voice dripped with bitter sarcasm flowing down his own throat.

Dmitri felt his brain about to explode. “Your Highness—”

“Your Highness!”

The new voice was heard after the large wooden door slammed open. Ekaterina's figure hurriedly ran over to the Prince, bowing in a hurry before telling him the meaning of her sudden arrival.

“Forgive me for the interruption. However, yesterday you told me to report everything regarding Her Highness.” Ekaterina said.

Blue eyes shot open. His body tensed up as soon as she finished that one sentence. Childe raced out of the room, abandoning the conference gathering, which was once again empty of consensus.

In times of need, where is God?

Kneeling beside the bed is the most helpless man in the universe. The unconscious woman's hands were clasped by his, but his warmth couldn't reach her icy flesh. It's cruel that time and seasons continue to pass without a care when you live in a clock that keeps ticking towards the end.

“The antidote for the poison 'Silence' produced by the Klirinsk village burned down. I've been trying to find if there's anything left, however, to no avail."

The news was delivered in Ekaterina's voice mixed with disappointment and shame. She lowered her head, not daring to meet any expression Childe would show for her failure. Her ears were ready perhaps he was going to raise the intonation to snap at her.

Surprisingly, he hasn't picked up any furniture and thrown it across the room. Childe was unusually silent, still kneeling beside your bed.

Ekaterina glanced at Dmitri who shared a confused face before continuing even more softly, “I've told them to re-implant it. However, it will take at least three months until it can be harvested.”

Three months..

Childe doesn't want to be pessimistic about you but, he remembered what the healer said yesterday. As long as the poison is still in your body, it will continue to eat you up. Until he miraculously finds an antidote, you can only live for four days at most.

Without him noticing, his shoulders shook from his efforts to keep the sobs at the end of his throat. He links his hands even tighter around yours. Dmitri and Ekaterina didn't expect that but, they thought it was the best decision to excuse themselves from his presence to give him some alone time.

The teak wood door was closed, the dam of his eyes opened to let out every drop of tears that he had been holding for the past few days. Childe brought his lips closer to your hand, landing a chaste kiss on each part.

"Please.." His voice full of hope you will respond.

His lower lashes clumped as big heavy tears streamed down his cheeks. Your eyes are still closed so serenely, oblivious to his heart swelling full of pain. What did he have to give up for you to return to his arms with a laugh that touched every part of his soul? If he cries enough to be valued as a river, will you consider it fitting for him to feel your warmth once more?

A stuttering breath entered his lungs. Oh, how it hurts.

Meanwhile, you're still in the same position, unfazed. It's so unfair because right now, he's trying to pretend as if the agony in his chest isn't getting deeper after his eyes sweep over every part of your pale face. Like a bird that hurt its wings, he can no longer fly. Like a human who has lost air, he can no longer breathe. Yet, a small part of him still holds out hope that you would kiss his sorrow away or at the very least lessen it.

"Please! I'd bend for you! I'd give everything for you! I'd do anything to make you come back to me! So tell me! Tell me what I have to do to make you come back to me! I'm so fucking lost!! Everyone is driving me crazy! I just need you! I just need you safe by my side! I swear I won't ask for more. Just.. Just come back to me!”

A vain love confession. Childe pressed his lips together. For heaven's sake, he'd trade places with you. Forget moving heaven and earth—Childe was willing to dive into the deepest depths of hell just for you.

He once more lands kisses on your skin.

“I'm not going to give up on you, you know that, right? Even if I have to make a deal with the devil, as long as it brings you back to me, I'm willing to do it.”

A crazy man. He began to have delusions that such power existed.

Another kiss. "Don't worry, My Love." He said either to you or himself.

Childe had an urge to keep repeating the same sentences over and over, just in case you could hear one of them. He gently pushed a strand of hair from your forehead. His lips touched the skin of your palm once more before he smiled, a smile that was bittersweet and hopeful at the same moment.

"Therefore, I must go. Will you wait for me? Of course, you will always wait for me, right?” Childe promised this was the last kiss before he stood up and walked towards the door. "I'll come back to you, always.”

Cold had never felt so real until your hand slipped out of his. He stood up, took one glance at you before turning his foot reluctantly. If not for the realization that time was still ticking, he would have taken even more time to stride towards the door.

Seconds after exiting, Childe ordered the knights not to loosen their guard around your room—they lined up in such large numbers that it was quite intimidating for any healer who came in and out to check on you.

Shortly later that same day, Childe disappeared mysteriously.

AbbyBianx, ness

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