Chapter 2: Dawn and Dusk
Do you think Crepus and Emiya Kiritsugu are kinda similar to each other from their different dreams and actions as they die with regrets in their life?
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The child starred with her dulled blue eyes above the tree leaves on the branches that covered most of the moonlight and she heard the wild animals from affar. She let breath in and out as she tasted the fresh air that was more delicate than the corrupted flames of Fuyuki as it taste awful to her.
She can feel Galahad was also tired and fell back to sleep for healing her body mostly though the child wanted to thank him for saving her life later once he was woken up, then she heard from affar that something or someone coming to her as she was still laid in the ground since her body was still numb to move then closed her eyes as she was still tired and sniffed the air once more.
'Huh... that someone smells... comforting... I wonder what kind of person they are...'
The well said blurred person who was apparently an adult man with deep red hair and looked at her with widen red eyes.
"Hey! Don't close your eyes just yet!" Crepus yelled at this gray haired child who just closed her dulled eyes in his concern that he lowered his head to see If this child was still breathing.
Crepus sighed in relief as he heard the small breath that she was just still sleeping in the middle of the road. If it wasn't his coachman' keen eyes, they would crush her as they are riding in the carriage.
The thought alone was very frighten for him that as he was a father of two sons who were might be the same age as her, without a second thought he holds this unconscious child on his arms gently like a porcelain doll that his late wife owned once when she was a young.
Crepus ordered his coachman, "Drive fast as you could and call the house doctor immediately I need to help this innocent child in the instance!"
The Coachman obeyed his master's order and whipped his horses to move faster as they could while Crepus observed this child's clothes that no one in teyvat wearing that what she wears.
Which he didn't care where the grey haired child was not from their world or not since Crepus was a single father himself, he wondered what kind of hell she suffered from as he catched a glimpse of her dulled eyes which Crepus flinched at this sight before him if it would had been his own son, Diluc.
This was the reason why he wasn't going let her go as Crepus was a decent human with common sense. He warped his coat around her to keep her warm since Mondstadt's climate was slighty chill for a child like her that he knew rain was coming in this season.
Crepus eyed at in affection like as she was his daughter to him then he paused at this thought as he was thinking about his family.
'A Daughter? I wonder what Diluc and Kaeya would think having a little sister for theirselves?'
He chuckled himself at these thought while the Anemo Archon himself watched from affar as he was merely curious of that otherworldly Child who just arrived right now.
Barbatos smiled as he wishes the small mortal great fortune in the future as he blowed the gentle winds at her to make her lungs feeling little better than before and the rest will do the mortals and the knight inside her consciousness was sleeping.
"I wonder what you will become here... O little Hero-san. Let your tale be told by the wind itself."
The God of Freedom bowed his slighty with a smile on his face as he vanished on thin air and the child fluttered her eyes a bit as she heard this gentle voice that Crepus was delight to see her awake as they coming closer to his estate.
She made a short eye contact on him and opened her mouth to say the first word of this world, "...Who?"
Her voice was a bit cracked but Crepus knew what she wanted to ask, though in reality she heard this voice that referred to her... well it doesn't matter to her anyway.
"My name is Crepus Ragnvindr. I'm going to take you home with me because you were heavily injured at the middle of the road, I hope you aren't uncomfortable that I simple took you out since I am just a mere stranger to you." He introduced himself to this child that he rescue her from the road and Crepus was worried how she react to him because he might be a creepy man in her eyes though.
Her dead eyes were half lidded and the noble man didn't expect what she going to say to him.
"That's... Okay for me... I put my trust in you... and I am thankful... that someone willing save me... like that..."
She gave him a grateful smile which Crepus didn't know how to handle this as he looking at in disbelief. All from his life he didn't have a second thoughts what he is going when they are in his- no their home but before that, he ask her.
"Why are you injured like that? Those fresh burns on your skin are looking like an Abyss Mage attacked you but they aren't shown in the area and the forest is still clean, so... who did this to you?" Crepus knew this a senstive subject from their first day, but he is a worry parent.
"I was... running away from the sea of flames that was surrounded me," The nameless child told Crepus the most horrified tale he ever heard of even it was scrapped words and his stomach lurched, but she never mention about the weird old man and the knight who was still rest in her soul since it would be better to keep it for herself for now.
"I see... Thank you sharing your tale to me even it was hard for you..."
That is all he could say to her as Crepus was thinking how to make her childhood up while his coachman who heard the whole conversation cried silent.
"I don't know... what my name was... my memories aren't here... the flames took it from me... I don't even know who my parents was..." The child said with a empty voice that red haired man hugged her closer to his chest that she hear his heartbeat beated to gently which her eyes were widen at the sound of his beat.
One thing Crepus going to do with her is showering his love to her like a fantastic dad material he always is and he was certainly make the adoption paper for her ready with a new name of her own choice, then make her eyes full of life even though it was strange to him that it gleamed with hope on it though and waiting what her choice might be once she grown in a fine lady that every men swoon over her.
Yeah, right...
As if he let that happen until over his dead body!
-
"Welcome home, Master Crepus."
Adelinde opened the door and eyed at the small girl on his arms in widen eyes which she gladly took her in her arms when Crepus gave her a serious expression.
"I know what you are going to say, but can you take her to a nice bedroom and treat her injuries aswell and you can talk to me later."
The head maid nodded at his request, she and the other maids that she called over to draw first a warm bath for the child to clean her up, while Crepus heads over his office to do the paperworks.
Two children eyed at each other as they listened the whole situation.
"What do you think, Kaeya?" The redhaired boy with shining red eyes who can tell he was curious about that girl, his father brought to their home and wondered what she looked it like while a dark blue haired quiet boy with periwinkle eye, his pupils are oddly diamond shaped whose name was Kaeya who also thought about the girl who was in terrible state than him in 6 month ago.
"I think that she will be going to stay here with us, Diluc..." Kaeya said.
Diluc nodded in eagerness then took his hand and dragged with him to their father's office which Kaeya yelped of the sudden action.
"Come on! Let us ask Father who she is and who knows what he is going to planning with her!"
"W-wait, Diluc! Not so fast."
Diluc opened his father's office with a bright smile on his face while Kaeya was little bit overwhelmed.
Crepus didn't noticed his sons bursted his office just now as he was very busy writing the adoptions paper for the girl that he saved which Diluc pouted since their father didn't moved a inch and muttered something about girl's name?
"Which name does her fit better? Aminta? No. Polaris? also nope... Argh! Those names that I thinking are not suited none for her! What should I do?"
"Father?"
The redhaired boy looking at him in question aswell Kaeya and Crepus looking over his boys in surprised look and gave them a gentle smile as they looking at him with big rounded eyes.
"Diluc! Kaeya! Just give me a moment, please!"
Their father organized the papers on his and desk that he will do it later as he ruffled down his boys heads with affection.
Diluc, his biological son was ignorant of the rotten world they lived in as a father, he kept his son's innocent intact while Kaeya, his adopted son that he picked him up from heavy rain season as he was abandoned by his own family which Crepus was very pissed off since he despise parents who doing like that.
Diluc was just happy of his father's affection while Kaeya kept his blush down which Crepus wishes he can hold it forever like a painting.
"Sorry that I didn't greet boys at the entrance because I was very in hurry of doing something."
His redhaired son just giggled. "That's fine, Father. Kaeya and I were reading stories about Arundolyn and his rival Rostam about their days in Favonius." Diluc told his father with a bright smile which Crepus felt blessed of his sweet son and hugged him along with Kaeya.
Kaeya however didn't stop thinking about this unknown guest that his adopted father brought to their house and he decided to ask.
"Crepus? Who was that girl?"
Crepus stiffened his body as the dark blue haired boy asking him and Diluc also looking curious about to know her too.
He sighed and told them about her, "Well that child will be staying forever with us due... something happen to her whole family and please treat her well."
The children were quiet as they received information and Kaeya glanced at the other direction as his emotion were blank then Diluc suddenly decided to do something nice for her as he raised his fist in the air.
"Let's go Kaeya! We are going to see her!"
He grabbed Kaeya's hand with his other hand as Diluc dragged him again to the room she was resting at which Crepus chuckled at the sight as they are gone to see her.
"It's must nice to be young again..." He muttered and hoped that the future is going to bright for them then he puts his fingertips on his chin as he was thinking.
"Mmm... That name would be certainly fit her because not only its beautiful, it has a wonderful meaning behind it too. Alright! Let's go with that!" Crepus nodded himself with his own decisions and decided to visit his soon-to-be daughter aswell then suddenly Adelinde knocked at the door and stepped in without his premission.
The head maid bowed at him for stepped in without his premission though it usual for her to do that because she has a lot questions on her mind which Crepus clearly understood her actions.
"I apologieze for the sudden outcome here, but the house docter arrived just now and came to checks this young girl." She said which Crepus was excited for the news and he puts his faith to the doctor that the child will get better soon.
"Really? That good news for her." He said in relief that Adelinde nodded in agreed.
"That's surely is a good news for her."
The head maid hummed herself and felt sorry for that child who been through alot in her live as she saw her lifeless eyes that haunted her in her life.
"Say Adelinde... How does Elaine sounds for her?" Her master asked her that she blinked her eyes.
"Pardon?"
He nervously chuckled himself and his eyes drifted away from her.
"I going to tell you sooner or later, she..."
Crepus told Adelinde what exactly happened to this grey haired girl that the maid covered her mouth in shock while Diluc and Kaeya managed to find her where she was resting at which they looking at the room that she was staying with the house doctor who examined her condition, sadly they can't see her what she looked like since Dr. Thomas blocked their way to see her fully.
Diluc silently cursed and Kaeya didn't know what to do about this situation then decided to eavesdropping them.
-
'Sir Galahad? Are you still sleeping?'
The blue eyed child tries to communicated with her savior who dwells inside of her which she silently sighed that he didn't rebonded since they are here while Dr. Thomas, an elder man who is properly on early his fifties asked her which of her body parts still hurt her.
"My throats is still little dry because I breathed the smoke of the flames as I running away from that place... My entire body feels so numb that I can't move my own limbs anymore but I can move my head fine though and talk a little bit hard to me..." She coughed a little bit which the nice doctor who smell like he seen worst like her before gave her a cup of fresh spring water which she drank it carefully enough not to spill it on her blanket and he took a note from what she said with a neutral face.
"I see... I suggest you must stay in your bed for how long your body needs to recover." Dr. Thomas leaned his back on the chair he sat and he was also self-aware of Crepus children are peeking at the room that the young girl stayed in curiousity, he could tell that the red haired child was drilling his red eyes behind his back and Dr. Thomas sighed as he starting to think.
'All I do, is doing my job to check her up though it seems that her injuries are healing quickly than I expected to be...' The house doctor thought at the moment then he dismissed it as he eyed at her when her mouth open up a bit.
"...Is that so? Then I do your instruction even it can be little lonely here, I want to go outside and do something for my life." The gray haired girl spoked in such maturity which the doctor understood her intention then patted her head.
"Make sure you don't rush it, little lady. All you had to do is playing children from your age and become strong to protect yourself for now."
She nodded. "Okay."
Dr. Thomas nodded in satisfied and packed his thing as he wanted to headover to the next patient then the doctor bend his head over her with a small smile on his face while Diluc and Kaeya were frozen like statue as they saw her.
"Well then I take my leave now. Make sure you eat healthy, kiddo."
Dr. Thomas then eyed the children as he open up the door wide enough to them and huffed amusement as he passed by to them. 'It's nice to be young again...'
Now the two boys are staring the grey haired girl with blue eyes that reminded them a night sky without the stars on them and how long they are staring, they don't know since none of them are making their first start.
'Ugh... How long did those boys staring at you like that?'
The girl blinked when Galahad said out of curiousity.
'Dunno, how long... anyways how are you Sir Galahad?' She asked him in concern which she felt he blinked at.
'I'm fine, human child. Thank you for asking though I still need to resting which I suggest you will doing the same even I have questions how you ended up in that estate, but rest comes first and tomorrow is another day for us to start.'
Galahad responded her which she hummed quietly in argree she also needs some sleep aswell, but before that...
"Do you need something of me?" The young girl asked them which their shoulder jolted a bit and felt a little embarrasing that made oddly amused her.
"O-oh, w-well we wondering what you looked like because father who took here would like to add you here as a family member which basically makes you as our sister." The redhaired boy scratched his head while Kaeya quietly obversed her with his eye and the gray haired girl tittled her head a bit.
'She looks so fragile.' They both thought.
"I... see. That kind man has a family here and he wants me also the part of your family, correct?"
The brother in arms looked at each other then nodded at her with friendly smile and Diluc hold his hand at her that Kaeya copied the same as the three hands are connected together.
"Our family! You can call me Diluc or better Diluc-niisan to me!" Diluc's smile bursted like a sunbeam that Galahad said to her mind it reminded him of Gawain, one of his fellow knights which the young girl got curious about his life before he merged her with her.
Kaeya's smile was a bit shyer than his brother and she could tell that he can't trust her fully yet which was quite understanding for her because she was just a stranger to him who just got adopted by this nice man who was going to be her father soon.
"Kaeya." The bluehaired boy introduced her with his name and it was her turn which she was going to tell them that she doesn't know her name then suddenly Crepus came smiling to her room as he said that the blue eyed girl and Galahad widen their eyes a bit.
"Today. Her name would be Elaine. Elaine Ragnvindr, kids. Make sure you are getting along each other."
The adult man grabbed his sons shoulders who were very surprised of his sudden coming and Crepus just smiled with closed eyes on her that Elaine looking at him gobsmacking while Galahad was oddly quite right now.
"Elaine..." The gray haired girl whispered her new name in foreign but she honestly didn't care about it because her chest feels very warm.
"That's right. Your name is Elaine."
Crepus nodded at her in fatherly affection and her eyes were shown the lights full of innocent that he seeking at which he hoped it will never dissapear or destroyed from her.
As a father of Elaine, Crepus wonders what the future she forged.
It's the parents joy to watch them grow what they wanted to be.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone