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The thick thud of the iron door swinging open caused the prisoner to look up. Messy red hair over red eyes brimming with hatred. "What do you want Fatui scum? Come to finish me off like a coward?"
Capitano did not dane such words with an answer. The man before him would not win against him, the still healing wounds across his body proved it, and they both knew it.
"Diluc Ragnvindr," he said instead, letting the foreign name roll off his tongue. "You are being released."
The shock on the redhead's face was the first emotion Capitano had seen on it besides rage. But Capitano couldn't blame him, if he were in his shoes, he'd be shocked too. The Fatui did not do releases. Especially not to Persons-non-grata like the man before him.
Strange to think how much could change with one conversation.
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When the morning had begun, Capitano had not expected it would end with the release of one of his hardest foes. The redhead, barely more than a boy, had been surprisingly hard to beat, even for the first harbringer. It was no surprise the man had felled so many of the fatui's troops.
But that was over now. The man was behind bars, waiting judgement. Capitano could breath easier knowing there was no unhinged fury in a man's skin running amok in the Snezhnayan countryside.
The sudden commotion outside of his office caught his attention, rapid footsteps and protesting voices. So he wasn't completely surprised when the door to his office was thrown open and a strange man walked in, followed by his still protesting secretary.
"I tried to stop him," his secretary cried, wringing his hands. "But he's not listening sir! He claims to be kin."
But Capitano was not listening, for before him stood a miracle. A Khaenri'ahn lord, dressed in the symbols of his status, star eyes blazing. There was no rot on his skin, no mask hiding his face, and even Capitano could see that the rise and fall of his chest was not the habitual type of him and Danesleif, but rather a vital function.
A living, breathing Khaenri'ahn, free from the curse.
"Leave us," he commanded his secretary, barely taking his eyes off the smiling youth. As his secretary scuttled out, closing the door, the lord in front of him sank into a shallow but flawless bow. The kind one would give to an elder.
"Greetings Esteemed Elder," the stranger spoke. "I am Kaeya Alberich, son of Regin Alberich, it is an honor to meet one as legendary as yourself."
Regin did not sound familiar, but Alberich did. A noble clan of warriors, who had seized the throne in those final dark days. Or perhaps opportunists looking for their shot at power. It had never been clear. What had happened to them, that one of their number would stand so unaffected by the curse?
"Why are you here?" He asked instead, unwilling to let his curiosity become this stranger's weapon.
"I have come to seeking a chance to right a wrong to my honor and yours." Kaeya's words were polite, but the emptiness of his smile frustrated Capitano. This was not the Khaenri'ahn court. He was not here to play games.
"Speak clearly." he ordered. "And do not waste my time with empty words. I ask you again. Why are you here?"
The smile fell off Kaeya Alberich's face. "I am here to negotiate the release of Diluc Ragnvindr."
"Diluc Ragnvindr." Capitano repeated, his mind going back to the wild redhead now kept behind bars. What did the Alberichs want with him? There was something larger a foot here, and Capitano was not going to sit by and let it play out.
"Surely you know I cannot release him," Capitano began. "The man is a criminal and a mass murderer. It is for the safety of all of Snezhnaya."
Kaeya Alberich did not appear fazed by his refusal. "If that were all he was, you would not have left him alive." He leaned across the desk, arms folded. "The very fact you have not killed him proves you acknowledge him as somewhat justified in his blood feud."
Perhaps he expected Capitano to deny it, to claim the innocence of the Fatui. But Capitano was no stranger to his co-workers sins. "He has been wronged," he agreed. "But he goes to far, few were involved in that plot, yet he takes his rage to all of Snezhnaya, regardless of their guilt. He has gone too far."
"When the Fatui released a dragon on Mondstat they should have been prepared for one to be released on them in kind." Kaeya Alberich gave a dismissive wave of his hand. "They brought this on themselves."
"Actions outweigh intent." Capitano countered. "The fact remains that only a handful died that day, whereas Ragnvindr has killed hundreds. The lives he has taken far outweigh the lives lost."
"You are right of course," Kaeya leaned back. "Actions do matter more than intent. And the action your Fatui took that day were as follows: you placed a dangerous, unstable weapon into the hands of a civilian and put him up against a dragon, knowing he would in all likely-hood die."
Kaeya Alberich's voice was rising, but Capitano stayed silent. The mask was cracking, and soon he would know what this young Khaenri'ahn really wanted.
"You killed Crepus Ragnvindr," Kaeya's knuckles were white. "You killed an innocent civilian who had done you no wrong..." He broke off, turning away from Capitano to hide, but Capitano caught sight of the raw anguish in his eyes. In that moment, Capitano knew, that the redhead inside his jail cell was not the only one grieving the loss of this man.
He kept silent as the boy caught his breath, pretending to be preoccupied in his desk. He could not offer comfort, not as one who stood with those responsible for the boy's pain. But he could at least offer him the deniability of silence.
When Kaeya spoke again, he voice was controlled, almost light, and so eerily falls it made what was left of Capitano's skin crawl.
"Did you know Crepus Ragnvindr raised me? Not as a foster, but adopted as a full son. He took me into his own clan, and I took him into mine." Kaeya raised his eyes to meet Capitano's, blue stars blazing. "By killing him, you have wronged me, and with me all the Alberich clan."
So this was what he was after, Capitano straightened up. To claim a clan wronged was to declare a blood feud. Kaeya Alberich was declaring war on the Fatui, one that every Alberich would be honor bound to continue until the debt was deemed paid.
But something wasn't lining up. If he wished to start a war, why greet Capitano as an elder, why say he was here to discuss Diluc Ragnvindr? No. There was still another trick up this kid's sleeve. And Capitano had a feeling he knew what it was.
"What are you really after," Capitano said voice calm.
"Weregild," Kaeya snapped. "My father's death was unjust. You owe me compensation."
"You wish me to give you Diluc Ragnvindr as this compensation." Capitano finished for Kaeya. "That is what you've been after all along."
"He's my brother." Kaeya crossed his arms. "You are not taking another family member from me. Not if you wish to leave with your honor intact."
There were actually many ways Capitano could handle this and still maintain his honor. He could offer Kaeya an honorable duel, go over the boy's head to another member of the Alberich clan and pay them the compensation in coin, and many others. But for the first time, the mask was completely off Kaeya Alberich. He no longer looked like the noble Khaenri'ahn lord he intended, but the instead the grief-stricken boy who was determined not to lose another loved one.
Could he really say he was a man of honor if he dismissed such an earnest request?
"Very well," Capitano grunted.
Kaeya nearly fell off his seat. "You-you're actually going to do it? Just like that?"
"You have claimed Weregild," Capitano said, as if Weregild explained everything and had not been clearly a desperate shot in the dark. "So I will release your brother. But take care," he raised a finger. "Your Weregild does not hold if he returns to our lands. Should he continue his crusade, I will strike him down and nothing you say will prevent it."
"Okay, okay," Kaeya rapidly nodded his head. "I'll make sure of it. He won't come back. I promise."
"I will get your brother," Capitano rose to his feet. "And return him to you. My men will escort you both out of Snezhnaya."
"Oh," Kaeya looked down at his feet. "About that..."
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"Stand on your feet," Capitano said to the Redhead as he placed the key in his chains and twisted. "I will escort you to the border myself. But take heed, this is a one-time event. If you set one foot across it again I will not hesitate to kill you."
"And why should I believe you aren't taking me out to kill me now?" Diluc Ragnvindr said, rubbing his bruised wrists. "That's more likely than a sudden release."
Capitano held back a frustrated sigh. He couldn't blame Diluc for his paranoia. But at the same time he could not explain.
"You can't tell him I helped. You have to swear it."
Stars below, why were these brothers so complicated?
But he needed to say something. Diluc would not follow if he didn't.
"Your release has been paid fo." He finally settled on. "Mondstat wants you back, so do not waste their sacrifice."
"I never asked for nor needed any sacrifice." Diluc scowled. "My people don't owe yours a single mora."
"And yet someone loved you enough to do so anyways." Capitano snapped, fed up with this brat's posing. "If I were you, I'd go home and reunite with the family that loves you. Put an end to this feud."
"I don't have any family..." Diluc started, but then his eyes grew wide.
Wordlessly, he stood up, and walked to Capitano. Capitano hesitated, but there was no violence in his body language. Diluc was even refusing to meet his eyes.
"Let's go." Was all he said.
Capitano shook his head, leading the boy forward from the dungeon. What a strange pair these brothers made. But it mattered not. Weregild must be paid after all.
Yet in the depth of his heart, he found himself wishing them both luck.