🗲 Xiāo 🗲

  the waning moon hangs alone...

Born in a family of nobles, Xiao was a boy raised to bring honor to his family and their legacy of the Golden Snake, his slitted eyes being the most prominent feature in his family bloodline. His parents were incredibly strict, but it was the only love he knew, and he respected them despite their cold demeanors, for they gave him a home, food that few others were able to afford in the lands of Altalune, all the garments he ever could want, and a purpose - Even if it was not one of his own choosing.
He was a well-mannered child, but curious to a fault, causing his parents to immediately ban him from ever going out on his own - A punishment worse than any beating he could have taken, at least in his eyes. One that he could not accept, and for that reason alone, it was the only times he would disobey them, escaping his home at any chance he'd gotten, just to see how the Sun and Moon shined anywhere else. Even at the cost of going through numerous sessions of being whipped for it.

  ...lightening my memories.

Though he was taught combat, Xiao felt like his training sessions were far too slow, almost as if they were trying to prioritize grace over practicality, and per his own custom, he would sneak out in search for more curious and difficult training on his own volition - But that almost costed him his life, had it not been for a nameless stranger that would later become his most trusted friend. In a blink of an eye, he saw the people in front about to take his head, only for them to be the ones to fall on the other boy's feet. Xiao was taught that he must never stay indebted to anyone, and so before anything else he asked the boy what it was that he wished for, and upon hearing the answer, it changed both of their lives forever from that point on.

The boy had no home to return to, and so Xiao brought him to his instead. While his family was, as usual, outraged that their son would disobey them yet again, they were relieved to hear of the other boy's sudden appearance. Seeing how Xiao spoke about him on the first day, they thought - Their son could very well use a servant, especially one who was skilled enough to take care of any dangers that Xiao has found himself in. Because of this, his ban was partially lifted - He was to go almost anywhere he pleased, provided that he does not stray too far from his home, and with the other boy always by his side. Then, the boy was given his very own name - Haneul.

The two quickly grew entirely inseparable from each other - Xiao never saw Haneul as a servant, but as an equal, a brother, someone he could be close with, share his secrets, tell him his dreams, and comfortably appear 'weaker' than the persona he tries to keep up for the sake of his parents, yet Haneul saw Xiao's 'weakness' as anything but. The freedom to express oneself, to strive for freedom and to want naught else but to feel the wind from lands yet to be uncovered - Within each other they found family, a connection and understanding that others simply were not able to have with either of them, and so they promised to always go together, not for the reasons Xiao's parents want, but for entirely their own.

  an endless array of thoughts overwhelm me...

A few years later, Xiao was found wanted by another young boy he and Haneul found lost in their forests. It was not unusual for children to wander off in Altalune's lands, but the same lands gave birth to the most ravenous of beasts as well as people who would do anything to fight off their territories. While Xiao was learning to become stricter, deep inside his heart was still soft and unable to simply leave an innocent person behind, and so they eventually brought him to his home, saying that he was a child of Wind, that surely could be of some use. His parents had little reason to refuse another servant provided that he follows the same rules as Haneul - Mistakes that endanger Xiao or put his family to shame would not be tolerated.

  ...so I ask the moon on the window sill...

Even though the three of them had many fond adventures together, all of it felt like a simple play of pretend, Xiao knowing that their lives were entirely dependent on his own choices, and while that in and of itself didn't scare him, the thought of losing that control because of whatever reason his parents chose frightened him beyond comprehension. Many of their fun days of laying in the tall grass and exploring the unknown was joy that turned sour the moment Haneul made a mistake - And Xiao, gentle-hearted as he was, refused to let him be punished for it, and instead took the blame, followed by his parents immediately placing him down so that he could be whipped and punished for yet another disobedience. There was never any sort of inner peace for Xiao, for he knew that the days would inevitably come, and he had long since prepared himself for many more sessions just like this, just so that the one he cherished the most wouldn't be stripped of their name, their home and, most of all, banned from ever seeing him again.

He did what he could, but even Xiao himself knew that this would only last for so long before they would be inevitably found making a mistake that Xiao wasn't able to catch and prevent or take the blame for, and they would be on the streets yet again, forced to fend for themselves in a land unforgiving - An unspeakable future that he wanted to prevent, and so when Haneul suggested for all of them to flee, he did not hesitate even a moment before asking about the plan. These two were not his servants, disposable flesh with no meaning - They were the people he held closest to his heart, and he tried to differentiate himself very clearly from the rest of his family who cared not for the consequences of throwing the other two out.

  "...is that person still there?"

In due time, they'd learn to become terribly good liars, as a way to make themselves appear as if they were far more docile, that they have indeed learned their lesson, and have slowly started listening more to what Xiao's parents had to say. It bought them more time to plan their escape, but Xiao was becoming more and more quiet. All three of them had a mask they began putting on, but Xiao's felt the most obviously suffocating one. He had many things to say, and he spoke in earnest - But his tongue was the most dangerous, and so he had to become just like the Snake - He would not speak, instead he would be silent as the grave, becoming the listener instead of the speaker, hiding his true intentions and emotions from the plain eye to see.

But his friend of the Wind, his lies were the most angering ones. Xiao didn't want to admit to himself that the boy was weak, weaker than both Xiao and Haneul, and that he would not be able to survive with them. No, he instead chose to believe that he could find a place with them, everyone else be damned, but the boy knew this better than anyone, and so when the time came for them to run, he sent them off even faster with the power of wind - With the most innocent and warm smile Xiao had ever seen, it was right then when he realized that his mask was nothing in comparison to his friend, who so easily threw their life away as mere 'distraction' just to ensure that he and Haneul could escape together. It was the last time they ever spoke or saw each other, but even though Xiao wanted to run back with all of his might, Haneul refused to let him go, running even faster with him on his back, having to listen to him scream and cry like he had never before.

  it answers, the sorrow that held me then dissipates, and i can feel the gentle embrace of the crescent night once more.

Years have passed since that fateful day, yet it still brings sorrow to Xiao's mind any time he's bitterly reminded of it. Yet no matter how much it hurts him, he refuses to let his friend's sacrifice go to waste, promising him that he will always be on the move, always seeking out new places, new experiences, never staying in one place for too long, never to cage himself again, for he was not a pretty bird to be kept in one place, but a beast of unqueanchable thirst for freedom and power, so that he and the ones he cares for may never be hurt again.

When Haneul wanted to change his name to Faris, it was then that Xiao offered a gift - Lotus flowers, a symbol of beauty and rebirth, as well as his last name - 'Mei', meaning beautiful . He mentions that having the same last name could benefit him with finding connections faster in their future work, but besides the practicality of it, he murmurs softly his true reasoning - "You're family."
Such an offer was undismissable by Faris, who for the first time in a long while, Xiao managed to bring out a genuine smile from, the two of them gently putting their foreheads against the other's, and when Xiao asked whether he accepts it or not, Faris then responded with warmth -
"Why of course, my dearest meimei. Together we will be the most beautiful."