Missteps in Mondstadt

• Trapped within four walls

Eula Lawrence sat toying with her drink, sullen and scowling while the hustle and bustle of the city of Mondstadt around her made aristocratic knight's head throb. She wasn't used to this. The seemingly constant droning noise of city life had grown tiresome to her almost immediately. Usually, she would be able to stomach the hectic reality of being within Mondstadt's walls while on leave from her Knight patrol duties - a few days downtime in the capital was even, on occasion, pleasant. However, it had been two full weeks since she'd stepped outside of Mondstadt's gates. Eula tutted and corrected herself: two full weeks since she'd been permitted to even set foot beyond the gates. She took another silent sip of the scarlet liquid in her glass and scanned her surroundings. Merchants loudly encouraging passers-by to stop and take notice of their wares before shutting up shop for the day; groups of miners, fresh off duty, slamming mugs together and guffawing like strategically shaved mitachurls; children, now released from their daily studies, racing round the fountains giggling at nothing in particular while their parents swapped gossip. Eula sat alone in the Angel's Share tavern balcony seating area, nursing her now half emptied glass of tri-berry punch and trying not to dwell on her situation and what was shortly to come.

"Just get through this." she said under her breath. Using her elevated view from the balcony, the warrior-aristocrat turned her head and allowed her yellow-purple eyes to scan the scene below, hoping to find a suitable source of distraction. While generally not a fan of the city itself, this seat at the Angel's Share was easily her favourite. It gave a good tactical view of the surrounding streets as well as allowing some welcome distance from the hubbub below. There were also usually only a few drunken, lingering leers over her toned figure to contend with from the pub's other patrons, owing to the small size of the balcony area itself.

Eula drew the glass to her lips again but paused before taking a mouthful as the cathedral bells tolled out five long, repetitious notes. No one else in eye shot seemed especially to notice, all going about their business just as they had been. The now slowly lowering sun had been beating down on the cobbles of Mondstadt's main street all day without a cloud to shield the stone from the summer heat. Eula took in a slow breath and purposefully stretched her long stocking-covered legs under the table as a subtle wisp of wind rustled her cornflower blue hair. "Five beyond midday. Well...that about does it then." she murmured to herself. Her tight, pied battledress heaved against its fastenings as she sighed dejectedly and inwardly thought how perfect a day it would have been for a long ranging patrol and recon of hilichurl camps in the area. Her proud countenance faltered briefly and her face subconsciously fell when it occurred to her that those days may in fact be over. This latest blunder in the Lawrence's family affairs would not be simple to overcome. The House's political standing, once vast fortune and influence over the other factions in Mondstadt had dwindled and withered and this now left her in a very precarious position. Indeed, her very freedom was at stake.

After keeping her glass hovering next to her lips for a long second with a trembling hand, Eula took a final gulp of liquid and sighed again deeply. She would have to use a good deal of diplomacy and all of her patience today, though she knew that was easier said than done with certain people. As if on cue, a minor flurry of bodies in Eula's peripheral vision moved excitedly towards the woman strode down the steps leading from the city's upper levels and entered the market square, flanked by two guards. The children who had descended into loudly playing hunt-the-hilichurl stopped in their tracks for a moment before swarming over to the newly arrived, blonde haired woman.

Jean, acting grandmaster of the Knights of Favonius. The Dandelion Knight had been instantly mobbed by fans and well wishers, whom she greeted as if she was a Queen gracing the peasants with her divine presence. Eula felt the blood in her veins surge with cold hatred. Her. That woman. Lowborn and common blooded, yet standing amongst the citizens of Mondstadt regally, enjoying the adoration of her citizens as though she thought herself a goddess come to ground in human form. Furthermore, it was this commoner-knight who would now decide Eula's own fate.

Eula scowled again and looked away. Jean's current standing had never sat properly with her. It was Eula who was the descendant of a true aristocratic bloodline, even though the Lawrence name had been tarnished some generations back. Her temper flared at seeing Jean flaunt her ill-gotten control of the city while the House of Lawrence lay ostracized by the collective nobility with political allies and influence in the court all but crumbled to ruin. With the recent and most dire turn of events for House Lawrence now, today, reaching a climax, such aid and stability in the political sphere of Mondstadt would have most definitely been welcomed. Even if by some blessing of good fortune Eula negotiated her way through this quagmire, after the dust had settled it would be even more difficult to come by. "Reputations are like glass." her father's words echoed in her head.

A sense of eyes on her caused Eula to glance at the table at the other end of the balcony area. The table was populated with burly, unsophisticated commoners now several drinks into their session. One bald, overly muscled brute was eyeing her intently. Eula needed no extra guesses to work out what that look was. She slowly reached her hand down past her waist to caress the garter strap the was pressing tight to her thigh. Never breaking eye contact with the man, who was now almost foaming at the mouth with excitement, Eula removed a small, concealed throwing dagger that had been stashed in the strap. Bringing it up to her eye level slowly, she winked in mock seduction the man flicking the dagger over once in her hand and moving her eyes to linger at a spot between the man's legs. She chuckled inwardly to see the full gambit of emotions quickly flicker across the man's face before he slunk down in his seat, now only managing nervous glances in Eula's direction.E

Placing the dagger down onto the table in front of her, Eula calmly returned to looking over the balcony. Jean was now swapping sycophantic pleasantries with other nobles who had rushed over to be counted among the throng of hangers on. Eula knew she had never been skillful at playing these political games as the other nobles did. It was true the Lawrence name had been sullied by treachery and duplicity in the past and it no longer held sway as it once had. With that fall from grace, the more sly and the self serving nobles amongst Mondstadt's court soon descended on the weakened House of Lawrence like vultures, tearing chunks off for themselves and relishing in the downfall of a family seen as overly proud and decedent. Both an icy rage and sense of hopelessness coursed through Eula. No allies, few options and little hope. She laid trembling hands out on the table in front of her and took a steadying breath this latest blunder could cost her everything unless she could do something, or unless someone could help her.

A hand on her shoulder roused her from her troubled thoughts and she turned startled to see a tall man standing behind her. Eula inwardly cursed herself for allowing this man to get so close to her without her even realising that he was there. Peering over her shoulder at the man, dressed almost exclusively in black, easily a good foot above her height and with flame-coloured hair bound in a unkempt tail, she pursed her lips in annoyance as he stood grinning down at her. His mouth parted in a broad smile and he let out one derisory chuckle at her expression, his hand still on her soft, exposed shoulder.

"Enforced leave has already dulled those warrior's reflexes eh, Captain?" He smirked. "Ah forgive me," he added in mock apology, "it'll be just plain old 'Eula' won't it?". She turned her head away so as not to satisfy the man with her immediate scowl and her cheeks flushed angrily. The man's spare hand came down to rest upon Eula's other shoulder which he gently squeezed, whilst chuckling to himself some more. This display again brought Eula the attention of the other patrons on the balcony who all watched their exchange and waited open-mouthed to see her response. Eula's fame for her fighting skills was enough to make most men think twice about being too forward with her. The muscleman from Eula's earlier encounter watched with particular interest.

"Kindly remove your hands from my shoulders, Diluc." she said coolly, though still unable to mask the irritation in her voice. "Else I will remove them." The red haired former Knight of Favonius snorted with derision and began to slowly slide his hands down her arms, moving his mouth close to her ear. The patrons on the balcony all watched mesmerized like a crowd waiting to see a wild beast emerge.

Eula looked forward catching the eye of muscleman who was practically drooling with excitement at the scene in front of him. He nudged a fellow patron and the two whispered defamatory comments behind cupped hands and chortled in amusement. She distinctly heard "Told you, pal. She's _all_ talk." Eula, already wound up by her situation and the tension of the imminent events ahead, felt her temper being tested to breaking point.

"I will not ask you again, Diluc." she said and while the red haired man could not see her face, by her tone he knew to quit while he was ahead. He hugged out a small laugh raising his hands in mock surrender. He regained his full height and strode slowly around to face her at the opposite side of the table, arms still raised. As Diluc walked, Eula heard muscleman's disappointed tutting and grumbling.

"Well, I can see that the day finds you well, Lady Lawrence." Diluc said with polite sarcasm. The beautiful aristocrat side eyed him for half a second before returning to scan the street below. "I was almost worried I would find you in poor spirits." he continued, picking up her now empty glass, smelling it's contents briefly and gesturing to waiting staff who snapped to attention and disappeared hurriedly downstairs. Diluc replaced the glass on the table and studied his table companion. "I hope there is no inconvenience to you by having the owner of the establishment taking a moment out of his busy day to mingle with his loveliest patron?" She ignored him. Diluc cast his eyes over the woman across the table from him. Of medium height and athletic, feminine build, with a highborn beauty in her face, it was plain to see why so many heads turned when Lady Lawrence was in Mondstadt. Her battle garb was obviously a factor too, accentuating her stunning curves and exposing her well toned back for all to see. Careful not to be caught staring, Diluc continued "Hm. What a wonderful conversationalist you are today, milady."