Chapter Text
In truth, the Iudex of Fontaine, Neuvillette regrets many of his recent decisions.
Yes, he got back his full dragonhood. He saved the people of Fontaine from the prophecy, forgiving them for the so-called 'sins' placed on them by the Heavenly Principles. He was now the sole ruler of all of Fontaine, praised for his steadfast honor and his unfaltering righteousness by the people.
And Fontaine was on the right path to rebuilding itself. He was glad for the assistance given by Wriothesley, Navia, and Clorinde, truly, he was, but a part of him could not help but resent them, and himself, for the way they handled Furina's trial.
Furina had left the Palais Mermonia in the aftermath of the prophecy. Neuvillette had instantly sought her out once he returned from dealing with the Narwhal, only to find her packing away a few articles of clothing and her valuables into a small duffel bag in her room. He was no fool and could tell her intentions to leave right away, and it was no wonder she wanted to leave.
Furina had only silently watched as he gently closed the door to her room, his footsteps ever so gentle as his heels clack against the cold marble of the floor. She merely shook her head, bowing her head as she spoke quietly. "Did you meet her? Mirror-me?"
Neuvillette had then proceeded to tell her gently about what happened; Furina looked neither comforted nor upset with the fate of her divinity, and Neuvillette did not know what to make of it until she whispered.
"Fontaine is yours to rule now. Not that it wasn't always under your rule in the first place. I will...leave now. I'm tired, and I want to rest," Furina gestured toward the duffel bag, all this while never meeting his eyes. His heart squeezed painfully.
They were, in every sense, intimately and romantically involved. 400 years of companionship, centuries of trust and faith...gone in a matter of hours. Or was it all a lie in the first place? No, Neuvillette had thought to himself. Furina had always trusted him, and was the only constant in this world, for 400 years. Her theatrics were a farce, but their relationship wasn't, that much he was assured of.
"...I will make arrangements to ensure you are comfortable, whatever you wish." It was the least he could do for her, after everything. Furina does not respond. She merely hums quietly, and Neuvillette feels his heart sinks as she continues to pack her things into the bag. Not saying anything else as she heaves her duffel bag and left, without a goodbye to her former companion and lover, while he stood in the uneasy silence of her abandon room, the rain outside becoming heavier as he sits down on her unmade bed.
Furina couldn't tell him anything. The truth of her lack of divinity, the secrets she held on so tight, the role of hydro archon she played for 500 years...
She would never hurt him; yes, she lied to him, she was dramatic, theatrical, and hysterical, he found her an annoyance at times, but she never once hurt him or betrayed him. She brought him to Fontaine in the first place, to encourage him to mingle with the humans and love their humanity.
In his haste to prevent the prophecy and still reeling from his argument with her, he did the unthinkable. He conspired against his archon, his lover, and put her on trial, all the while publicly humiliating her in the process. His breath became more ragged as he remembered her trial.
The primordial seawater test, how he agreed to it when they were setting the 'trap'. The way his heart stopped when she dipped her hand into the water. Requesting for Sigewinne to attend to Furina to assess her symptoms from touching the seawater. Refusing to look at her when she pleaded for everyone and anyone to believe her. He declared her guilty, him not doing anything when the Oratrice was carrying out the death punishment of the hydro archon...
He had truly let Furina down. It was no wonder she couldn't stand to be around him, much less look him in the eyes. He lies down alone in the bed, inhaling the faint scent of her as he falls asleep. Maybe, just maybe, he might be blessed with a dream tonight, one where Furina is in his arms, laughing and smiling at him happily.
Furina's mind was a total blank as she lies on the bed in her new rental flat. 500 years of acting as an archon has come to a close, but the relief she thought it would bring was fleeting. Fontaine has averted crisis, and is slowly rebuilding itself under his care. They were moving forward, and they had no place for a fraud who posed as an archon for years. She was the only one without a place in the new Fontaine.
The trial. Furina was human, and humans were prone to extreme emotions. The trial proved to her of how human she was; feelings of betrayal, of anger, of hate manifested in her as she came to the realization she was tricked and conspired against, especially by those that once stood by her side.
The trial that freed her was also her undoing. Neuvillette had, at the end of his wits and desperate enough to pry her secrets, conspired with others to put her on trial. She didn't know if it was part of mirror-her's plan, but it still gutted her and sent her into a spiralling abyss every time she thinks of it.
But she wasn't faultless at all. The people of Poisson were struck with tragedy and she could do nothing but cry for them. What use was tears when she could not save the ones that deserve to live? Furina was confused. In truth, nothing was in defined colors of black and white, but in various shades of grey. But where does she stand in all of this?
That would be an answer she will have to unfortunately answer later. It was the middle of the night, and this would be the only chance for her to leave unnoticed. Clorinde had stopped by a few days ago, most likely to inquire after her, but Furina ignored her, feelings of anger and betrayal still swelling in her.
She wasn't going to take a chance and stay in Fontaine a moment longer. Quietly, she carries the duffel bag containing a few clothes and her basic necessities, leaving the rental flat she was staying in without a second glance. The streets were wuiet and bare of any people. Just as she expected, and what she needed to leave from Fontaine to Sumeru. Tugging the hood over her head, she casts one last glance at the Palais Mermonia, before turning away, a single tear escaping her eye as she walks away from her past.
"Where is Monsieur Neuvillette?" Clorinde bursts into the Palais Mermonia, out of breath and flustered, unlike her usual composed and elegant bearing. Sedene stares at her, alarmed as Clorinde rushes to the melusine, before composing herself a bit.
"Miss Clorinde, is something the matter?"
"Good afternoon, Sedene. I need to speak to Monsieur Neuvillette right away. Where is he?"
"Monsieur Neuvillette is currently out for business but will be returning soon."
"I see. But..." Clorinde purses her lips, seeming to be worried over something as Sedene peers at her curiously.
"Forgive my curiosity, Miss Clorinde, but you seem to be worried about something."
Clorinde glanced around the public area of the Palais Mermonia. Though she did burst in a manner that definitely attracted more attention than she should, given the delicate nature of the news she was keeping, she couldn't tell Sedene and risk it becoming public news.
"O-oh! Monsieur Neuvillette! You're back," Sedene exclaims as Neuvillette walks up to them, his small but genuine smile was comforting to see, especially after the days of cloudy skies that followed the aftermath of the prophecy.
"Yes. Clorinde? Is something the matter?"
"Monsieur, a moment of your time. I have urgent news, and it should be discussed in private," Clorinde whispers as Neuvillette nods, leading her into his office.
"What is the news that you wanted to tell me? Did something happen?"
"It's Lady Furina," Clorinde whispers, despite the lack of presence of anyone else but the two of them. Neuvillette's heart stops. Did something happen to her?
"I went to check up on her this morning, but she didn't reply again, like last time. At first, I thought to leave her be and give her more time and space, but I had a sinking feeling that something had happened, so I decided to break into the flat...she left, I'm sure of it. I heard no one saw her leave the house in the past few days, so..." Neuvillette hears glass shattering. He looks down at his feet to see broken glass and water dripping from his table as Clorinde stops shortly, her eyes widening at the sight of the broken chalice.
The water in the chalice exploded. Neuvillette feels a swarm of emotions swelling inside of him.
At the trial, it was he who turned on her, the thread of fate connecting them hangs loosely and thinly the moment they conflicted on her identity and secrets.
Today, it was she who severed all their ties and left Fontaine.
It was her cruelest punishment to him.