The sun slowly pierced through the clouds, reaching the windows of Columbina's bedroom and casting a gentle yet strong light inside.
For Columbina, this was a near-impossible occurrence; she usually kept her curtains tightly drawn, and Snezhnaya was rarely a region where the sun won the battle against the heavy clouds and snow.
This rare light made her eyes flutter softly, forcing her to wake even though she had slept far longer than usual. Her light-pink, pearl-like eyes opened gently, gazing at the sun from beneath her pink-and-white blanket. Her long black hair, tipped with pink, lay messy and sprawled like a waterfall across her pillow. She stayed like that for a long time, her thoughts invisible to anyone—perhaps even to herself.
Eventually, Columbina rose slowly, the blanket rustling with her movement. But as she shed the covers, the classic, biting chill of Snezhnaya didn't hit her.
She paused, tilting her head in confusion. Her sleepy mind couldn't quite grasp the reason for the change, entirely overlooking the radiator that had been newly placed in her room only a few hours ago.
After getting up from the bed, she slowly walked towards her bathroom that was located right corner of her room only separated by a wooden door with a lock.
The bathroom was extremely simple not something you would expect someone like her, adorned with gray marbles on the floor and walls decorated with white colored bathtub, toilet and other things that could be found in any other bathroom.
When she entered the bathroom, a sense of something she couldn't put her finger on enveloped her. Bathroom and taking a bath was one of the things Columbina truly enjoyed in Snezhnaya. The feeling of water enveloping her gently and welcomingly.
After holding those thoughts for a while, Columbina shook her head and slowly started to undress. She first removed her blindfold and the rope at back of her head that was holding her 6 small wings on her head. After placing those to side gently, she removed rest of her clothes revealing her entire body to no one looking like the first time she ever opened her eyes into this twisted world.
The clothes went to the dirty clothes box at the side of the bathroom door while Her blindfold and other things she used daily was placed on the other corner to be reused later.
Walking bare footed on bathroom, Columbina arrived front of her bathtub. It wasn't luxurious looking like rest of the things but it was something that ninety percent of the Teyvat not just Snezhnaya didn't have in their home.
The Bathtub was made with Alchemy, automatic water temperature adjustment and many other things was included in it purely for luxury and comfort in mind.
But for Columbina this was completely normal as she lifted her finger making a circle movement in the air and the wheel-handle with her Elemental Energy as the water poured inside the large bathtub instantly.
The faucet completed its purpose closed automatically without Columbina twisting the wheel-handle again. This was one of the many perks having such advanced bathtub.
With the same gesture as before, Columbina adjusted the temperature of the water, slightly warm. not too cold but hot enough to shift the delicate balance of hot and cold.
Afterwards she lifted her left foot and slowly started to submerge it as half her left leg was submerged. Following the same gesture with her right leg, her entire lower body was submerged into the water before she sat down in it Fully submerging more than seventy percent of her body.
After settling down in the tub an involuntary sigh left her lips, It wasn't a sigh of exhaustion but rather sigh of contentment.
For a while Columbina just sat down inside the water, her gaze on her curled up thights despite having enough space to spread them inside the bathtub.
Then her thoughts started to wander as the warm water slowly woke up her sleepy mind. She wasn't someone that talks a lot but when it came to her own thoughts and mind it was a warzone of its own.
Aleph.
He was... someone entered her life weeks ago with most random and unexpected way possible. Yet, despite knowing him only for couple of weeks she felt something that none of her other 'friends' did bring to her centuries old life which was filled with unknown purposes.
His presence was powerful, every time she looked at him she felt like as if she is looking at the personification of the sun itself. Radiating a warm that nothing in this world can replicate in her eyes and sense.
She was even worried that it might be too addicting. She out of everyone was worried for something.
Realizing her thoughts Columbina only submerged herself even deeper in the water, her hair completely soaked falling like waterfall into the water.
Her mind had bunch of complicated thoughts, She after all wasn't someone that can or could feel emotions like any other being. Since her birth she didn't know how to explain or feel, the people she had around when she was born only looked at her with reverence and worship.
Asking many things as their Moon Goddess. Thinking she can grant everything.
At the time she didn't know things called Emotions and feeling as a result she granted them everything. Till the moment came she couldn't.
This was why she joined into the Fatui and was the reason why she pursued such things. But now none of those experiences could help her with the thoughts she had in her mind.
*sighhh*
A soft sigh left from her delicate lips as she shook her head rapidly making the few droplets of water from her hair to scatter around.
Thoughts were complicated things. And she, did not want to think such things so soon. Her future was already set in stone in her mind.
To Return The Moon that belongs to her.
And for that goal maybe... just maybe having a companion and 'friend' like him was for the better future.
...
..
.
- Half An Hour Later -
After staying in the water too long, Columbina quickly washed her hair and body stepping out of the bathtub water dripping endlessly from her body as the water inside the bathtub started to disappear into the drainage Automatically after she stepped out of it.
Settled down her own thoughts she walked towards a specific direction in the bathroom, opening the closet there she pulled out a bathroom gown, covering herself with it while the previous towel was used to cover her hair separately.
She could see her own reflection through the mirror in the room, her delicate hands gently rubbing the towel onto her hair taking majority of the water from them.
Her pink eyes held many thoughts and unspoken words but she knew. The answer for such words were inevitable.
...
After she dried her hair mostly with the towel she threw it into dirty clothes box and then with small gesture of her hand all the water remained from her previous drying separated from her hair. As if the water itself has strong revulsion to the hairs itself.
With another small gesture the removed water droplets got dropped back into bathtub which drained entirely once more.
Although she could have done such thing even before drying her own hair with towel that much, Columbina loved to do simple things, For her such things gave a purpose. Purpose to exist longer for her goal.
Once she was done drying her hair Columbina walked out of the bathroom. Directly walking to her closet room. But while walking she finally saw the radiator that was placed below the window, it wasn't there before but Columbina didn't say anything. Only a small glint passing through her closed eyes before she continued to walk her closet room arriving it quickly.
When she arrived at her closet room, she didn't select any clothes for a while. Not that she had many choices to begin with. Every clothes she had was made with similar style just different colors.
'...' For the first time she felt too conscious about her dress choices even to point that felt the urge to go shopping to buy different styles.
...
Some time later Columbina came out of her closet room adorned with similar clothes as before.
She had a flowing white indigo-blue gown accompanied by a Fatui cloak of her own. The dress includes large hanging panels from her shoulders and a ribbon bow at the neck. She also had white feather-like ribbon at the back of her head holding her six smaller wings beautifully.
But today her hair style was different compared to free fall one. Today she had her hair tied at the base [1]giving her different kind of elegance and beauty compared to before.
For one last time she glanced at mirror before opening the door with a soft crack as she stepped outside her bedroom closing the door behind her.
The house was... Silent. An rather rare thing considering how 'noisy' it was since Aleph arrived at her house all of a sudden almost a month ago.
But strangely, she didn't hate the silence, which wasn't weird considering she always liked the silence but since Aleph arrived it felt like her tastes are... changing? But that wasn't her concern for now, currently she was a little bit hungry so she wanted to go kitchen, to see if there is anything to eat at worst she could always go to Rosalyne or Sandrone for a quick breakfast like how she always did before.
Her steps were light as she slowly descended from upstairs to downstairs, quickly reaching to kitchen at the end of the hallway.
Upon reaching the kitchen she was instantly hit by strong aroma of the food, her nose twitching slightly as she felt the taste of the food from aroma alone.
Following the scent of aroma she quickly arrived front of the table, and there it was. The food was neatly packed into a plastic container still carrying its lingering warm from the burners and pan.
Her hands lightly brushed against the container as she found a note placed at the side of it, picking it up she instantly read its context in matter of milliseconds.
It had been a long time since Columbina truly smiled but this small almost non existent note made that same rare yet more real than anything smile appear on her delicate face as she started to read the note for a second time. But this time she didn't use her inherited mind or anything, instead took her time to read every bit.
'Hey. Today I was planning to bring you to blacksmith with me, but when I knocked your room I realized you're sleeping more soundly than a polar bear while holding your blanket like it is your life, so I thought I should let you sleep a little longer. (I installed a radiator to your room so I hope that stopped your trembling.) But anyway! I had to go early so I prepared this dish for you, I saw how you liked the meat pieces from yesterday so I made extra in this one I hope you enjoy it. If you don't see me at house while reading this message I am probably training in some snowy mountain, I will be back before night so don't worry. By yours truly- Aleph.'
..
After finishing the letter for a second time, a warm feeling bloomed inside her chest but she didn't deny it this time. Instead she accepted it as she neatly folded the letter and placed in a safe place at one of her many hidden pockets.
Her wings slightly moving uncontrollably as she sat down on the chair and started to savor the meal slowly. Her thoughts unknown to everyone except herself.
----
Small Fun Fact: Columbina's wings can move according to her emotions. It must be a strong emotional reaction although. (Non Canon)
[1] It is a ponytail, I thought this gives more visual to explain