Chapter Text
There's a special order from Lord Pierro; a mass reassignment of captains from across the Fatui. More than thirty men are summoned to Zapolyarny Palace from across Snezhnaya - only those stationed beyond the border are spared the trip.
As they wait in formation, Valeriy overhears a few muttered protests and complaints from the back. Shoulder to shoulder, it's hard to block them out. It's not often that they are called from their positions, and even rarer that Lord Pierro would be the one to do it. Coming from the Director himself… whatever reason he has must be important. This is not going to be a congratulatory service or a pat on the back. Whatever Lord Pierro plans for them, it will probably be much more strenuous than the typical domestic duties assigned to the home Fatui operatives.
Valeriy isn't worried. If anything, he stands up even straighter in place. Back when he was first promoted to Lieutenant, he served under Lord Capitano. Within his ranks, he worked hard to become a Captain himself over the course of several years. There were many brutal battles in that time, and very few moments of respite. Valeriy wouldn't have minded staying there until retirement.
Unfortunately, after his Lord’s fall in the line of duty a month ago, his entire regiment were recalled to Snezhnaya in order to work toward Her Majesty’s next goal. Valeriy knows his place and he is willing to do whatever the Fatui needs of him, but being in limbo these last few weeks has been frustrating. Many of his comrades saw returning home as a much needed break. Several even called it the cushy shift. Valeriy doesn't believe in that kind of thing.
He glances from side to side without turning his head. It really is every captain currently stationed in Snezhnaya who have been gathered, not just those left displaced after Lord Capitano’s passing. He sees why that might cause unrest.
From the hall, footsteps can be heard against the frosted marble. As they steadily draw closer, the murmurings die down. Valeriy clenches his fists and readies himself.
Lord Pierro enters the hall alone through the double doors, marching into the centre of the room. Zapolyarny Palace doesn't have barracks or a HQ, so they've been called into the ballroom. Even as Captains, Valeriy doubts Fatui service has brought most of them into such glamorous locations. Lord Pierro fits in perfectly among the crystal fixings and velvet drapings, though. By the time he has come to a stop, there's not even the hum of breath among the soldiers. Everyone is at perfect attention beneath his steely gaze.
“At ease,” Lord Pierro allows, waving one hand. No one's shoulders relax by more than a half inch. “I am sure you can all appreciate how busy we are, so I shall get straight to the point.”
Without further preamble, Lord Pierro announces the reasoning behind summoning them all. Partly, he declares, it is necessary to re-assign those from Lord Capitano’s faction; more than half the men gathered. He explains that Lord Tartaglia will be their new Harbinger. That's good, Valeriy thinks. Though ranked Eleventh, Lord Tartaglia is no less accomplished than his colleagues. As Her Majesty's vanguard, his duties take him and his men all across Teyvat. It should be very familiar to working beneath Lord Capitano.
Then, Lord Pierro continues, “This is with an exception. Captain Valeriy, step forwards.”
The order hits him more like an instinct. Valeriy breaks from the ranks and salutes his superior. He feels the other Captains staring at his back, weighing heavier upon him than the armour over his shoulders.
“Lord Pierro.” He keeps his own eyes trained in front of him, not meeting with his.
In his peripheral, his next order is given out. “It has been decided that you will remain in Snezhnaya to head our new Special Assignments Battalion.”
“It would be my honour.”
Lord Pierro then addresses the other Captains, “Those of you remaining will make up the rest of the Special Assignments Battalion under Major Valeriy -”
Major? A promotion?
“- as part of an initiative around Project Stuzha,” he explains. “There are a number of key individuals, including Harbingers, whose safety must be prioritised.”
Valeriy pushes the fact of his reassignment from his mind to focus on the reasoning given. Lord Pierro's inflection betrayed nothing, but there's no Fatuus among them who hasn't already heard the rumours around the current state of their leadership. It's disloyal and unprofessional - Valeriy might even call for a court martial over some of what's been said - but it all stems from anxiety. Starting with Lady Signora’s death and continuing recently with Lady Dameslette’s impromptu retirement, their highest ranks have become unstable. At this point, the first, third, sixth, eighth, and tenth seats are all empty. Harbingers used to be seen as untouchable; not any more.
In some ways, Lord Pierro's orders come as a kind of confirmation. Retrieving the Gnoses has stretched them thin. Project Stuzha puts pressure on those that are left. Civil unrest is at an all time high and most of the remaining Harbingers have been called back to Snezhnaya indefinitely.
Valeriy doesn't doubt the strength of the Fatui. When Lord Pierro says the Special Assignments Battalion is intended as a protection detail, inclusive of the Harbingers, Valeriy understands the meaning behind that. No matter how powerful their leaders are, things are different when operating inside the border. Lord Tartaglia, for example, cannot battle the same way he does overseas - the risk to civilians would be too high. Equally, the Harbingers are much more vulnerable here. Naturally, their guards will be down in home territory. Lady Arlecchino is separate from the House of the Hearth. If a would-be assassin planned it well enough, could they infiltrate her chambers and end her life with one bullet and no fight?
Despite himself, something inside of Valeriy settles. Lord Pierro has recognised his effort and promoted him. There's real, valuable work to be done in Snezhnaya. Even with Lord Capitano gone, Valeriy will still be able to serve Her Majesty in a tangible way.
“Aside from the Major,” Lord Pierro says, “you are all dismissed. He will be the one to debrief you on your specific missions moving forwards. Those of you who have been assigned to Lord Tartaglia, his orders will be communicated shortly.”
The Captains file out of the ballroom quickly. From this meeting, there will be a lot of gossip. Valeriy will have his work cut out for him as their Special Assignments Battalion leader. Nonetheless, he feels ready.
He waits for Lord Pierro to speak first once they are gone. “You are a dedicated man,” he starts with.
“Yes,” Valeriy replies. It's not a compliment so he does not thank his lord; dedication is an expectation of the Fatui.
“The Captain felt very strongly about your character. As part of his final orders, he was the one to recommend you for Major.”
That makes sense, yet Valeriy's guts twist painfully at the thought. Of all the things Lord Capitano planned for in the case of his demise, he spared a thought to Valeriy? His Brigadiers or Generals Valeriy would understand, but for Lord Capitano to even consider where one of his Captains would end up…
“Thank you for telling me that.” Valeriy bows his head. “It - I appreciate knowing.”
Lord Pierro nods. He's a daunting presence but not a suffocating one. Unlike Lord Dottore, he does not command a wariness in those before him. It makes Valeriy respect him even more.
“There is a lot for us to discuss,” Lord Pierro tells him, “and a crucial role for you to play as we progress with Project Stuzha. Naturally, any information given must stay inside of this room.”
“Of course.”
He continues, “The Special Assignments Battalion will be based in the Armory Palace. Most of your communication will pass through The Marionette when she is here. That said, the majority of your men will be allocated to other Harbingers - think of the Armory Palace as more of a convenient headquarters for your operations with available soldiers for you to command."
Valeriy considers, “Will all of our members be assigned to Harbingers?”
By his count - including himself - the Special Assignments Battalion will be made up of nineteen members, eighteen being captains, and their companies. As Lord Pierro just said, they will maintain their rank and have access to extra forces at lower ranks - that's over one hundred men. Assuming Lord Dottore returns from his mission soon, there will be seven Harbingers in Snezhnaya to protect.
“Most of your forces will be focused on coordinating with the Harbingers, yes - arranging security, taking risk assessments, and organising operations,” Lord Pierro clarifies. “Outside of extenuating circumstances, like Childe’s condition after his mission in Fontaine, there's no reason for any of our Harbingers to require a full-time guard.”
As expected. From how Lord Pierro is speaking, it's likely that Valeriy’s role will not be included in that ‘most’.
“And I will be administrating this?” He asks, his voice lilting towards disappointment.
“The Captain did not paint you as the kind of man who fits behind a desk, Major.” Lord Pierro looks him up and down. “I do not get that sense either. No, your personal assignment is a practical one. Round the clock active duty. High risk. Foundational to the success of the Tsaritsa’s plans. To be blunt, it will be a gruelling endeavour.”
Valeriy swallows dryly. This is what he's been waiting for. A real challenge and a real impact to be made. His true calling.
Trying to keep his voice flat and deferential, Valeriy asks, “How will I be serving the Fatui? Am I with Lady Marionette -”
Lord Pierro quickly shakes his head. “Your charge is not Harbinger. It's our lead researcher for the new project.”
“So they will need to be guarded,” he realises, “since they do not have the training to protect themself?”
“Yes, though he's also…”
Lord Pierro trails off, lost in thought. Valeriy is almost too excited to listen. Almost.
“He will be safe under my care,” he promises, “do not doubt that, Lord Pierro.”
“As I expect, Major. Just do be wary that part of your mission goes beyond defense.”
“Oh?” Valeriy clears his throat. “May I ask what you mean by that.”
For the first time, Lord Pierro almost seems nervous to speak - Valeriy must be imagining it. His lord looks lost in thought, one hand rubbing over his beard. It becomes obvious by the silence that the two of them do not fill up this large room on their own.
Finally, he finds his words. “You will be Mr Mitya's security. He is indispensable to our research and his safety is of the utmost importance.”
“But..?” Valeriy has to ask.
“He's a bit of a… flight risk.”
Valeriy goes through Mitya's records as soon as they're available to him. The moment there are chambers ready for him in the Armory Palace, he has the documents pulled and brought to his room. After a long day of setting up his subordinates, it's nearly midnight by the time he gets the chance. Valeriy sits at his new desk with his stack of papers and lights the lamp to help him see.
Under the yellow glow, Valeriy commences his research. The first page is to be expected; Mitya is an energy expert with an impressive list of achievements and accolades. Aside from the words ‘Project Mistiltienn’, Lord Pierro did not fill Valeriy in on the specifics of Her Majesty's plans. He does not need to know them to fulfill his duties. That said, Mitya's expertise makes some of that information obvious. Even if Valeriy didn't have a list of his qualifications printed in front of him, he could still draw some conclusions from the fact that Lady Marionette (specialising in mechanics) and Lord Dottore (specialising in theology and biology) are not the lead scientists in Mitya's place.
Valeriy continues reading. Mitya is not a Fatui operative. Though technically classified a military personnel, Valeriy immediately chooses to treat him as a civilian. Anything else would be irresponsible.
The next part provides key details about Mitya's personal life. His home address is listed but he has already been allocated lodgings inside the Armory Palace at Valeriy's request. It's a much more secure location and will certainly decrease Mitya's commute. Valeriy moves along to read about his hobbies, his friends, and his family. He will need to interview everyone that Mitya regularly sees. As far as Valeriy is concerned, this information is not nearly thorough enough. Yes, it may say that Mitya enjoys going to Podvorye Restaurant, but at what time? What does he order? Which waitress serves him? How does he pay?
Valeriy hasn't even met Mitya yet but he can already construct a scenario in his mind: Mitya requests leave to go out for dinner and charges the meal to his tab. A traitor working against Her Majesty could easily connect a repeated name on the receipts with a common signature on research at the Armory Palace. They interview for a job at the restaurant, request to serve Mitya whenever he eats out, build trust, and poison him with a slow-acting concoction before fleeing the country. By the time anyone's noticed, Mitya's died in his sleep and his assassin is already in Nod Krai. In that situation, what good is simply knowing that he likes to eat at Podvorye Restaurant?!
“Damnit,” Valeriy whispers to himself. He has managed to crumple the edge of the document.
He groans and drops his face into his hands, elbows leant on the desk. There's a difference between caution and paranoia. He'll be no good to Mitya if he can't think though these possibilities without losing control.
Trying to clear his mind, Valeriy pushes those pages to one side of the desk to be dealt with in the morning. His next unread one is mostly redacted. There's probably only two people in the country who have the clearance to read this part. Valeriy skips it.
From that point on, the documents provide a history of Mitya's less recent work for the Fatui. There's no criminal history and there's lots of good results from his previous research. Nothing that would label him as a ‘flight risk’. Nothing that should make a Harbinger grimace at the thought of him.
Perhaps Lord Pierro was mistaken? No, that can't be it.
It's getting close to two now and Valeriy has arranged to meet with Mitya in the morning. They will be spending a lot of time together so it's important that he makes a good first impression. His questions will surely be answered in just a few short hours.
The next day, Valeriy heads to Mitya's residence before dawn with two Ryadovoy soldiers by his side. There have been hired mercenaries standing guard since he joined Project Mistiltienn, but Valeriy's sure transferring Mitya's protection directly to the Fatui will help them all relax. To be honest, he's a little shocked that Lord Pierro let Mitya live alone for so long when he's so important to Her Majesty's cause.
One of the Ryadovoy, Pyotr, slows his gait as they turn onto the correct street. “Major, are you sure Mr Mitya lives here?” He asks.
Valeriy is busy scanning the houses for the correct one. As far as neighbourhoods in Snezhnograd go, this one is affluent enough. The buildings are small but well insulated. It's not where a family man would live and Valeriy already knows that's not the type of person Mitya is.
“This is the address he's been corresponding with us from,” he replies.
“Yeah, it's just -” Pyotr makes an embarrassed noise in the back of his throat, “- I've definitely been here before.”
“Does that concern you?”
Pyotr shakes his head quickly but he hangs even further back as they walk. The other soldier stifles a chuckle.
Valeriy huffs. “Natalya, what do you find so amusing?”
“Uh, nothing! My apologies, Major Valeriy.”
The conversation isn't over but it does need to pause; they've reached the entryway to Mitya's address. There's a carriage already parked outside, horses absent. It's an inconspicuous place to keep watch from and Valeriy can hear the mercenaries snoring on the job, even from a few yards away.
He thanks the Tsaritsa that he will be taking charge of the protection detail from now on.
Valeriy moves to step towards the door. Under his boot, the frozen snow crumbles into large chunks. It's not fresh snow - it's too cold to melt, but the weather's been clear for the past few days. If people had been regularly entering and exiting this house, it should be more worn down by now.
Holding one arm out to keep Pyotr and Natalya from approaching, he orders, “Wait. Something is wrong here. Wake the mercenaries.”
They both duck away with haste and Valeriy assesses the scene properly. The snow on the pavement is nearly undisturbed and ice is caked so thickly on the front steps that each edge appears razor sharp. Even though the temperature is below zero, there's none of the signature orange glow of Kresnik Kristall coming from within. The windows are entirely dark but the curtains aren't closed.
It's his first official day on this assignment. Has he already let Lord Pierro down?
The mercenaries stumble out from their carriage, both yawning. Valeriy sets his jaw and speaks carefully:
“What’s your report on Mr Mitya?”
They look at one another, each nodding for their colleague to speak up first. Valeriy's patience dwindles.
“Let me rephrase,” he says sharply, “give me Mr Mitya's current location now, before you're both dragged to the Glupov to answer for your carelessness.”
“Hey, hey!” One of them starts to tremble. “We didn't - that Mitya guy is fine, okay? He's in his house.”
If the situation weren't so serious, Valeriy would scoff. “Be serious. No one's entered or exited this house in days and there's no Kristall inside to keep it warm. What kind of person could live like that?”
“We're telling the truth,” the other mercenary insists, "we've been watching this place - uh, mostly watching, I mean - for almost two weeks now. Last week, Mitya barely stayed home. This week, he's been holed up doing research or whatever.”
Natalya hums curiously. “So he's not even been hosting any parties?”
Parties? Is that what she and Pyotr were discussing earlier? That didn't come up in the documents.
Valeriy interrupts, “Surely, if Mr Mitya were inside, he would have overheard this commotion and come out here by now.”
“He sleeps like the dead, I'm telling you!”
“You've been giving us a hard time and you haven't even checked yet? Seriously?!”
The small house seems to loom in front of him. They're right - all that's left to do is confirm his worries and move forward with a recovery operation. It's important to do that as soon as possible. Valeriy's reluctance right now is a kind of selfishness.
He walks up to the front door, leaving the first footsteps in the smooth snow. He thinks back to his meeting with Lord Pierro and curses himself for wishing for action and danger and ‘making a difference’. It was juvenile. When Snezhnaya is finally safe, Valeriy's job will be very boring but it will be for the best. Hoping for anything else means praying for the suffering of the innocent.
He hits the door hard, gauntlets clanging against the thick wood. He lands three knocks and takes half a step back. Maybe Mitya is dead inside from that assassin he was so worried about earlier, and that's why the mercenaries haven't seen him enter or exit. Possibly, he's been kidnapped and forced into revealing his research. So many horrid conclusions to come to.
It must only take a minute or so but it seems to stretch much longer. Valeriy is ready to break the door down. Failing that, he's prepared to turn around and mobilise the entire domestic Fatui force in search of Mitya. He has Lord Pierro's tacit permission, after all.
But then there's a shuffling sound from within. The soft, quiet sound of feet padding over a carpet. Valeriy's senses are fine tuned for picking up on such subtle shifts. The door handle creaks as it's turned, not even locked after this much hassle over Mitya's safety.
The lecture is already on Valeriy's lips when he sees him for the first time -
Mitya is not what he expected, simple as that. Sure, you can read the words on a piece of paper - age twenty-four, fair skinned, five feet and seven inches, slim build - but it's different when that person is suddenly materialised before your eyes, shrouded in a thick blanket, bedhead on full display, and still holding a half-empty coffee mug with fluffahogs patterned up side.
Mostly, Valeriy's relieved. He'd already imagined Mitya's untimely death, the Fatui’s ultimate failure, and his own demotion in the last forty-five seconds. Having all of that salved naturally builds good will.
Mitya tilts his head, blinking slowly up at him. “Uh, are you the delivery guy?”
In his well-pressed suit, freshly-shined medals pinned on his chest, Valeriy can't help but look down to check if he accidentally wore the wrong thing today. He'd wanted his appearance to reflect how reliable he would be as head of Mitya's security detail.
“Do I look like a delivery guy?” He asks, genuinely bewildered.
Mitya considers. “No…”
“I'm with the Fatui.”
“Oh.” He scratches the back of his neck, with one hand, coffee dangerously sloshing up to the rim of his mug as he waves the other. “That’s - ha, I'm not usually into military types, that's all.”
“What could that possibly have to do with anything?”
Mitya rakes his eyes up and down Valeriy's body. He's shorter than him but he's still standing on the front step so he doesn't need to crane his neck. The way he's smiling at Valeriy… it's hard to say if he wants to cover himself up or stand up straighter.
Pyotr, Natalya, and the mercenaries are still lined up behind him, watching. Valeriy remembers the reason they're here and clears his throat.
“I've been impolite,” he admits, holding his hand out. “I am Major Valeriy, head of the Special Assignments Battalion, lead of your protection detail. I am glad to make your acquaintance.”
Mitya lets out a low whistle, shaking the offered hand. “A major, huh? What's a big shot like you doing looking after a guy like me?”
‘I’ve been told you're a flight risk,” Valeriy's mind supplies.
“We shouldn't discuss this in public,” he says instead, looking once again around the deserted street. “We need to get you to the Armory Palace before rush hour.”
“Oh - I'm actually kinda busy right now.”
“It seems to me like you've been asleep,” Valeriy points out.
Mitya lets out a brief, soft laugh. “Are you flattering me now, Sarge? I've not slept in like -” he starts to count on his fingers and completely loses grip on the coffee mug. Valeriy snatches it out of the air before it can shatter. Mitya barely blinks at him, continuing to count “- uh, two or three days. I finally started making some real progress with this new project.”
No matter how important Mitya is, Valeriy can't let him get away with all of this. In fact, Mitya's position is even more reason to hold him accountable. Plus, Valeriy has a new rank now; he can feel the Pyotr and Natalya’s eyes boring into his back, waiting for his authority to slip.
“Firstly,” he starts, “your orders to relocate were given with ample notice. You should be more prepared for our presence here this morning. Secondly -” Valeriy glares at Mitya when he opens his mouth to interrupt, “- while I am happy to hear about your productivity, sleeplessness will only negatively affect your wellbeing in the long-term. Thirdly, I am not a Sergeant, I am a Major. You should address me as such.”
“I dunno, Sarge.” Mitya smirks. “Like I said, I don't really get you military types. It's all the same to me.”
Pyotr definitely lets out a giggle at that. Both mercenaries laugh out loud.
Valeriy will not rise to this immature teasing. “Pack your things so we can move on.”
“I've got a lot of stuff.”
“If it will speed this along,” he says, “I will help you.”
“Really?” Mitya’s whole face brightens.
Valeriy can already tell he's too expressive to be a liar. That's good. Lord Pierro probably would have mentioned the adverse, anyway.
“Yes,” he agrees. “Me and my colleagues will collect your things and you can rest in the carriage with those two.” Valeriy gestures behind himself, toward the mercenaries.
“How chivalrous,” Mitya says.
He passes by Valeriy, taking hold of his bicep as he descends the icy stairs. He gently squeezes the flesh there and Valeriy thinks about how he should have offered to help first. He'll be more proactive in future.
“By the way,” Mitya calls over his shoulder to him, standing beside the mercenaries now. “You can keep that mug, if you want. For such a big guy, you really pull off the cute luck ~”
Valeriy's grip on the cup tightens. Mitya sounds genuine but the others are amused. Regardless, they're all acting terribly unprofessionally.
“Get in the carriage,” he orders, voice flat. “And you two - if you're not in this house in the next twenty seconds, you'll both be doing double morning drills for the rest of the week.”
Pyotr and Natalya scurry by him, quick to nod and salute under almost no pressure at all. Mitya salutes him too, but that's a lot cheekier. Then, Valeriy watches him enter the carriage and close the door behind himself.
Packing takes just over an hour. Most of Mitya's belongings are fragile little knick knacks that he instructs Pyotr and Natalya to secure. Then he tells them to fetch horses for the carriage.
Alone in the house, Valeriy takes some time to investigate a few worries that have been brewing. It's very cold so it makes sense that Mitya was wearing a blanket around his shoulders. However, Valeriy finds a small stock of Kristall beneath the stairs, as though Mitya just forgot to use it despite the temperature. In contrast, there's very little food in his cupboards and the wrappers in his bin are all from unhealthy snack foods. No evidence of a proper meal having been eaten recently.
That's something for Valeriy to keep an eye on. If Mitya struggles to care for himself when wrapped up in his research, that will be Valeriy's responsibility. Chronic overwork can be just as dangerous as an outside attack.
In either case, Valeriy won't be letting his guard down anytime soon.