Chapter 3: Chapter 2: Crucabena

(Chapter 2 Crucabena)

The Fatui... The Cryo Archon's delegation of diplomats or at least that's what they want you to believe, I've heard of their underhanded tactics to establish power and influence in other nations to obtain what they want, I've heard from Constantine, that the Cryo Archon, Tsaritsa, is expanding her forces clearly, she is planning something big in the coming years, the one sitting on the opposite side of me now, one of the eleven Fatui Harbingers.... Crucabena the Knave.

"Join the Fatui? What's in it for me?"

Tempest put down the small box that contained the Pyro Delusion back on the table as he spoke.

"What's in it for you? Hm..."

Crucabena put her finger on her cheek as she thought of an answer, before shortly replying.

"An opportunity of course!"

She said with an enthusiastic voice and a smile on her face.

"An opportunity?"

Tempest replied to her, still not convinced to join the Fatui.

"I've heard of your talents and prowess in the art of the sword, Young Lord, a prodigy born in a time when his family is rapidly declining and is hated by the whole nation, perhaps if you had been born during when Egeria was still the Archon of Fontaine, you might have been the strongest Proudmoore in history, that wielded the God of the sun's power, but a-last that blessing has been long gone for 500 years, since Egeria's unfortunate demise."

Tempest listened to her words. They flowed like honey, sweet and captivating, yet underneath lay a venomous intent.

"What I offer you is a redemption, my gift to you today is but a small fraction that the Fatui can offer, don't you see? You're trapped here in Stormwind, wasting your talents and you can't even do anything without your father's approval."

Crucabena tells you with a smile on her face.

"Are you certain it's wise to discuss such matters behind your contractor's back?"

Tempest replied to her with no emotion present on his face.

"Your Father? oh no, Young Lord, I have no interest in your father, I merely asked his permission to see you."

She replied to him before continuing.

"I'm more interested in you."

She points her finger at Tempest.

"Young Lord, I've even heard about your notable achievement in beating the Blademaster, Constantine, who has beaten countless Vision holders during his travel around Teyvat, without a Vision of his own.

Crucabena clapped her hand thrice at you.

"If you count a one-win over thirty-four defeats as an achievement, then, thank you, My Lady."

Tempest replied to her stoically, to which she replied by laughing sarcastically.

"Hahaha, but still, you managed to beat him at a young age compared to you now, it is still a notable achievement in my eyes, and the fact that you bear no Vision, is no understatement, Young Lord."

Crucabena readjusted her position on the couch crossing her legs one another, before continuing.

"Freminet, my dear, would you kindly fetch the wine bottle over there from Mengsk's table and pour us some wine?"

She tells her 'Child' Freminet, in a tone of a Mother.

"Mm."

He nodded timidly... As Tempest watched him closely, he noticed, he seemed very young, somewhere around the age of five or six maybe.

"I don't drink, My Lady, I'm still sixteen years old."

Tempest, said to her, as he watched the child Freminet, take the wine bottle from his father's table, holding it with both of his hands.

"Everyone has their first time, Young Lord, besides, don't you wish to have a drink with a beautiful woman like me?"

She smiled at Tempest mischievously, inviting him to have a drink with her.

Tempest simply sighed in response as he watched the young boy, Freminet, pour the wine into her cup. Then, he moved closer to your side of the table to pour the wine into your cup as well. Tempest noticed the shaking in his hands, it was clear he was nervous about the situation he was in. As he poured the wine into Tempest's cup, he accidentally poured an excessive amount, causing the cup to topple over onto Tempest's trousers.

"Mm!"

Tempest grumbled in surprise, as the wine stained his trousers.

"Freminet!"

Crucabena stood from her seat as he shouted the boy's name... slowly showing her true colors.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry... I'm sorry... I'm sorry..."

The poor boy repeated the words over and over again as he knelt down with his head pointing to the floor hugging the wine bottle as if it was a comfort tool, his eyes slowly tearing up...

"You had one job! Apologize imedi-"

As Crucabena snapped at the poor young boy, Tempest stood up from his seat and raised his hand in a stop gesture at Crucabena and spoke.

"It's fine, My Lady, please don't be mad at him."

As Tempest gestured to Crucabena the anger in her eyes slowly dissipated.

"Ehem, my apologies, Young Lord, for my child's mistake, Freminet, my dear, please apologize to the Young Lord."

Crucabena replied, the anger in her eyes earlier disappearing as if it was never there in the first place.

"I'm sorry... Forgive me..."

Tempest looked down at Freminet, the sight of him knelt down on the floor made his stomach churn... He looked like a kicked puppy, he knelt down on the floor in front of him.

"It's alright Freminet... I'm not angry at you, stand up and return that wine bottle to Father's table for me please, I'll clean the mess."

Freminet looked up at Tempest for a moment with tears present in his eyes, it was difficult for him to hide, Tempest's emotionless face was difficult to read, and he wasn't sure if he truly wasn't mad at him, his head drooped down on the floor again after shortly looking at him, he was overwhelmed by the situation.

"Mm."

Freminet replied timidly, Tempest put his hand on the top of his head and nodded at him, before shortly taking his hand back, Freminet got up from the floor."

"I'm sorry..."

He once again apologized to Tempest, bowing his head.

"Nothing to apologize for Freminet, everyone makes mistakes."

Tempest replied to him he then returned the wine bottle to Tempest's father's table and returned to Crucabena's side with his head still drooping down on the floor, Tempest took a handkerchief out of his pocket and wiped the table clean from the wine.

"Please, forgive him... He's been through so much, His mother abandoned him because of his family's massive debt, so she sold him to the House of Hearth, When I heard this, my heart broke, how could a mother sell her own son? But now, Freminet has nothing to fear, in the House of Hearth, everyone is given a second chance and is loved, right Freminet?"

Crucabena looked at Freminet, he jolted as he was still thinking about the spilled wine earlier.

"Y-yes Mother..."

Tempest observed the two... It was quite clear that Freminet was quite scared of her... But he has no right to question how she treats him.

"Mm! We'll stop by Poisson later and grab your favorite seafood soup to cheer you up, now then, back to the question, well? Young Lord, would you like to join the Fatui?"

Crucabena turned to Tempest after speaking with Freminet.

"I thank you for the offer Lady Crucabena, but, unfortunately, I must decline, my homeland is here in Fontaine, not in Snezhnaya, I'm going to be honest with you, My Lady, I hate the cold..."

Tempest replied to her question, he was not convinced about becoming a Fatuus.

"Oh no! I never told you to leave Fontaine, Young Lord, in fact, you are more needed here than in Snezhnaya, don't you want to see the look on the so-called Hydro Archon Focalors her face as she sees the Proudmoores rise again? Don't you want to dethrone her for replacing the true Hydr-"

"I never said I hated the current Hyrdo Archon, Lady Crucabena."

Tempest stopped her before she could finish her sentence.

Crucabena's eyes widened with surprise as she heard that from Tempest, she knew the Proudmoores hated Focalors ever since she replaced Egeria, she did not expect that at all.

"Ah! Forgive me, Young Lord, I never thought I would hear that from a Proudmoore, especially you, dethroning Focalors is not needed when you become a Fatuus, you becoming a Fatuus though has many benefits, Young Lord, don't you ever wish to bend the elements at your will? Don't you ever wish that House Proudmoore would be recognized again by the people as its legitimate guardians? With you joining the Fatui, you will have all our support... Perhaps you might even claim the vacant 11th seat of the Harbingers."

Tempest listened to Crucabena's words intently... Bend the elements? Restore the House's glory? It felt like he was a bee attracted to a flower.

"If you also wish to replace your father, you only need to say yes, Young Lord."

Tempest's eyes widened with surprise as he heard the final part of Crucabena's words... He was stuck in a dilemma the offer sounded too good to be true... He can finally get rid of the man he hated the most... He can have revenge on him for hurting his mother... He can stop the deal that would sell his sister and especially he can be the Duke of House Proudmoore...

"I...I..."

Crucabena smiled mischievously she finally had her in her palm...

"Yes? Young Lord?

Crucabena replied to him while he was in a dilemma...

"My answer is still the same, I refuse."

Tempest looked at her in the eye as he said his answer.

"Heh? But, don't you wish to restore your family's glory? Don't you wish to be recognized by Fontaine? Don't you wan-"

"I believe I have made my answer already, My Lady, in case you want to hear it again... I refuse."

Tempest stopped her before she could finish her sentence,

Crucabena sighed in disappointment.

"Very well, Young Lord, if that is your wish."

Crucabena got up from her seat on the couch.

"But, if you ever changed your mind... Here."

Crucabena gave Tempest a card with a theatre mask on it, it had an upside-down smile and a tear falling out.

"Give this to any Fatui member and they will lead you straight to me."

Tempest accepted the card and replied.

"Thank you, my Lady."

"It was nice meeting you Tempest Proudmoore, though I would have preferred you had said yes, regardless it was nice talking to you, Young Lord."

As she spoke, she raised her hand for a handshake expecting him to do the same.

"The pleasures all mine, my Lady."

Tempest also raised his and shook her hand.

"Well then, we best get going now, Freminet, my dear, let's go home."

She let go of the handshake and gestured to Freminet, it was time to go home.

"Mhm."

Freminet bowed to Tempest and followed Crucabena.

"You forgot this. My Lady."

Tempest handed her the box containing the Pyro Delusion.

"Keep it, Young Lord, it's a sign of my good gesture, perhaps it might save your life one day, Farewell Tempest Proudmoore, I dearly hope to see you at my doorstep when we meet again."

Crucabena and Freminet exited Mengsk Proudmoore's office and now he was all alone...

"I hope I did not make the wrong decision..."