Arlecchino trudged through the snowy forest of Snezhnaya, her loyal Fatui agents flanking her on either side. The recent mission had been successful, but the chill of the icy air now bit at their cheeks as they made their way through the dense woods, a reminder of the harsh reality of their homeland.

The only sound that broke the silence was the soft crunch of their boots against the freshly fallen snow, the mist of their breath visible in the frigid air. Arlecchino's mind was already shifting from the completed mission to the next task ahead, her thoughts as sharp and cold as the environment surrounding them.

But suddenly, a faint sound pierced the stillness, a rustle amidst the blanket of white. It was subtle, almost indistinguishable from the natural groans of the forest, but her instincts were honed by years of experience.

With a flick of her wrist, Arlecchino gestured for her men to investigate.

The agents responded without hesitation, their hands instinctively reaching for their weapons as they vanished into the shadowy underbrush. Arlecchino stayed behind, her narrowed eyes scanning her surroundings while her breath came in steady, controlled puffs.

Minutes passed in tense anticipation before the agents returned, their expressions were a mix of confusion and surprise, a combination that rarely boded well.

One of the agents, his breath visible in the cold air, stepped forward, his voice unsteady. "There's... there's a child, ma'am," he stammered, his eyes darting nervously between his leader and his comrade.

A child, out here in this terrible cold? Arlecchino's interest was piqued, her mind already racing with possibilities. The harshness of Snezhnaya spared no one, least of all the young and vulnerable.

With a silent raise of her hand, she ordered the men to hold their position while she advanced toward the source of the disturbance, her boots crunching softly against the snow.

What she found stopped Arlecchino in her tracks. Huddled against the hollowed trunk of a tree was you—a trembling figure wrapped in layers that barely seemed sufficient for the freezing temperatures. You were clearly exhausted, your breath shallow, your face pale with cold.

Arlecchino let out a quiet sigh of exasperation, not at the sight of you, but at her agents’ poor assessment. This was not a child, no, but you were certainly someone young and out of place. An orphan, perhaps, or simply a victim of circumstance.

Her usual stern expression softened slightly, though only for a moment. She knelt down beside you, her imposing presence tempered by a strange undercurrent of concern. Her voice was firm but not unkind as she spoke. "You're alone out here?" She studied you with sharp eyes, gauging your condition as she gave the faintest of reassuring smiles, careful not to overwhelm you.

Beneath her composed exterior, Arlecchino's mind raced with questions and possibilities. This stranger could be anything—a lost soul in need of care, a potential asset, or a burden. Someone like you wouldn't survive long in Snezhnaya's unforgiving wilds, but what to do with you was another matter entirely.

For now, she would take you under her protection and send you to one of the Fatui's managed foster networks. She'd seen too many young lives wasted by neglect and chaos. Perhaps it was the echoes of her upbringing in the House of the Hearth that stirred this instinctual sense of responsibility.