Chapter Text
The rain beat upon the glass window of the Chief Iudex’s office. How he longed to walk out into the deluge and let the pure water wash away the heavy and uncertain feelings. Even after five hundred years, he had yet to fully understand the multitude of emotions that welled up from within the heart.
“My, this rain sure won’t give up,” Sedene said as she entered Neuvillette’s office, a fresh stack of files for him to peruse in her small, paddlelike hands. “It’s been pouring almost non stop for a week now.”
“I hope it hasn’t made things too inconvenient for you,” Neuvillette said as he turned from the window to receive them. Whether or not he meant to express sympathy or remorse was difficult to determine.
“Oh, I don’t mind, though the number of humans who appear to be in need of delicious food seems higher lately.”
“It is to be expected, I suppose,” Neuvillette remarked as his eyes passed over an open file. “The great flood was barely a month ago. Even if the people no longer need to live in fear of the prophecy, I imagine that such heavy rains bring rather unpleasant memories to bear.”
As much as he regretted the undo anxiety which such a deluge undoubtedly caused the denizens of Fontaine, Neuvillette could not understand why the clouds refused to part. The reason behind his melancholic mood evaded him, and the uncertainty and awareness of the inconvenience only added to the storm in his mind.
At first he thought that he was still processing through his sympathy for the late Focalors and the trials which she and her counterpart had suffered to save the nation. As the days went on and the rains fell heavier rather than diminishing, however, it became increasingly apparent that this was not, at the very least, the core of the issue. Whatever it was, it had begun just over a week after the conclusion of that long masquerade. It started as simply nothing more than a drizzle, a small, nagging sensation of something amiss, yet the longer it went unresolved the heavier the clouds became. He could not put his finger on it. The most he had been able to narrow it down, however, was that he felt it most prominently at work, especially during trials. He could not make any further sense of it. Despite his recent ascendency, both in the political and elemental spheres, by and large his day to day duties had not greatly changed. The added responsibilities of Furina’s duties did not weigh heavily on him either. He was already quite familiar with most of them, if not practiced. Perhaps it was not the presence of something new, but the absence of something old… he mused to himself.
“-Neuvillette? Monsieur Neuvillette?” Sedene repeated his name, attempting to call him out of his reflections.
“Ah, my apologies,” Neuvillettte finally replied, rubbing the bridge of his nose. “Was there anything else?”
“Yes, a letter, for you. I believe you’ll want to look at it right away” she informed him as she placed the envelope onto his desk, “If I may be so bold, you seem to be rather distracted as of late. More memories from your past?”
“I am afraid I am not entirely sure,” Neuvillette said, as set aside the file in his hands and looked over the envelope. It immediately caught his attention that this envelope had originated from his own office, sent over three weeks ago, and was now being used to carry the reply.
“This is from Lady Furina. When did it arrive?”
“Just this morning,” Sedene answered.
“You have my thanks for bringing it to my attention.”
“My pleasure,” Sedene replied as she turned to leave the office.
Neuvillette did not waste a moment in opening the envelope and reading her reply.
My Dear Monsieur Neuvillette, Chief Justice and Reigning Sovereign,
While your offer is most magnanimous, as befits one of your station, I must decline your generous offer of stipend and housing. Though I no longer sit in that august seat, I am not without means that I should depend upon the welfare of the state for my living. Furthermore, as a citizen of this fair nation, it would be most unbecoming to rely on such boons rather than one’s own ingenuity. As such, I shall humbly forgo your offer. You need not trouble yourself any further on account of my livelihood, as I shall be quite capable of tending to it myself.
Your faithful subject,
Furina
de Fontaine
Neuvillette sighed as he set down the letter. It did not sit well with him. The last time he had seen Furina, she had been distant and dispirited, with her statement of needing rest being no understatement. Now, Neuvillette held a letter sent shortly after that parting. It had taken more than three weeks for her reply to travel a distance that, with Fontaine’s public transportation, amounted to a moderate stroll. Furthermore, Neuvillette was quite aware of the abode Furina had found for herself, and that it fell far below the standards of what she was undoubtedly used to. The overly formal tone of the letter also reminded him of Furina’s old habit of bravado and showmanship, which he now knew to be a cover to hide her true state.
Leaning back in his chair, Neuvillette looked at the stack of files on his desk, then his schedule, before looking back at the letter.
“Hmm…”
Having only just resituated herself behind her own desk in the main hall of the Palais Mermonia, Sedene suddenly saw Neuvillette, cane in hand, stride out of his office.
“Sedene, I have a personal matter to attend to. I should be back within the next hour,” he informed her.
“Oh, a personal matter? Well… do take care,” she said, waving energetically as the justice left the Palais.
…
Furina sat on the sofa in her small living room, one of the few pieces of furniture that decorated the room, the other being a small coffee table and a single chair. The rain beat heavy on her window, accented by the periodic hammer of the mechanical forge across the street. The proximity to the forge was part of how she managed to acquire the place for so little, but right now the metallic clang did no favors for Furina’s state of mind.
With the clouds outside blocking out the early morning sun, the only substantial source of light was a single standing lamp, placed beside the sofa, which bathed the room in a dim glow, giving the scene a heavy atmosphere while she sat there, silent and still. Despite the gloom resultant from the dim light, it was still far more palatable to her than the oppressive, overly bright, ceiling light, which made her feel as if she were back on the stage.
Dressed in her new, darkened attire, though missing some of the usual jeweled adornments, and with her head hung low, she almost cast the figure of one in morning. Her eyes were wide, yet her gaze distant and unfocused, while the cup of now cold tea she held rattled softly against the saucer on her lap.
The constant downpour of the last week had done Furina no favors either. For the past few days, she kept catching herself fretting over the waterline. To make matters worse, today was a Wednesday, the day of the week her trial had occurred on. Now, having fallen back into that all too familiar headspace, her breathing could scarcely even be heard as she sat seemingly hypnotized by the patter of the rain. A tingling feeling gradually rose up her body, as if she was slowly being immersed in the rising tide of condemnation.
With each loud clang of the forge, she flinched slightly, the sounds reminding her of that familiar and newly mortifying sound of judgment being declared. With each strike she saw the cane of that venerable judge slamming into the floor of the Opera Epiclese and heard his somber voice declare, “Guilty.” In between the strikes, the raindrops seemed to sigh with exasperation and mutter against her window.
“...Is this some kind of joke by the Maison…?”
“...What’s the difference between her and an ordinary person…?”
“...a Maison backed puppet…”
Clang! “...Guilty”
“...You, the God Focalors, have failed to act…”
“...utterly failed…”
“All the children of Fontaine… harboring the same thoughts…”
“Furina is…” Clang! “...Guilty”
“...the odds are just too stacked against her now…”
“How utterly humiliating…”
“...Lady Furina is… human...?”
“...deceived her fellow citizens, Furina is…”
Knock knock knock.
Furina was pulled out of her stupor by a sudden yet gentle knocking on her door. For a moment she stared at the door in surprise, trying to regain control of her breathing. Why is someone knocking at my door? I was assured my residence would be kept confidential. Did someone find me? What are they…
Her line of thought was interrupted by a second round of knocks on her door, followed by the muffled sound of a voice on the other side, “Lady Furina?”
“Is that… Neuvillette?” Furina blinked a few times in shock, before hurriedly setting the tea cup on the table, hopping to her feet, quickly adjusting the collar of her outfit, and briefly running her thumb underneath her eyes. For the briefest of moments, she felt relieved by the thought of his presence, though it was quickly submerged by anxiety over the purpose of his visit.
Furina cracked the door open just in time to see Neuvillette preparing to knock for a third time. She met his eyes briefly before glancing to the sides to see if anyone else was there.
“Monsieur Neuvillette,” she said as she opened the door fully. She tried to sound formal, but despite herself her tone was rather low. “What an unexpected surprise,” she added, forcing a smile while trying to conceal her anxiety over his sudden visit.
“Yes, well I,” Neuvillette began, but stopped to clear his throat. “I received your letter.”
He couldn’t help but notice her darkened attire, and newly cut hair, to say nothing of her sheepish manner.
Furina noticed him scrutinizing her appearance as he stood there, as well as the concerned crease forming in his brow as he remained seemingly unaware that the pouring rain was thoroughly soaking him.
“Would you… like to come inside?” she asked softly.
“Ah, if it wouldn’t impose,” he answered, realizing how he must look at the moment.
“Of course,” she replied as she stepped to the side and gestured to the interior of her abode, “It wouldn’t do to leave the Chief Justice of Fontaine out in the rain like that.”
Neuvillette stepped across the threshold and Furina closed the door behind him. She was just about to invite him to sit, but then her eyes fell to Neuvillette’s feet.
Following her glance, Neuvillette noticed that a small puddle from the rainwater dripping off him was starting to form.
“Why don’t I go grab you a towel,” Furina offered.
“Oh, sorry about that. There’ll be no need,” Neuvillette said before raising his hand up in front of his chest. The moisture gathered itself off his clothes and body, forming into a small tightly condensed ball of water floating in his palm. With a motion of his wrist it glided through the air and slithered out under the doorframe, taking the puddle along with it.
Furina watched with a somewhat melancholic expression, imagining what she could have done if she had had such power in the past. Not wanting him to see such glances, however, she looked away as he finished. As she did, she suddenly felt abashed as she considered the rather simple and sparse state of her home. Even after Clorinde got her to unpack, it was still sparsely decorated, and in the last week Furina had let it grow disordered.
“I must apologize. I am afraid I am currently ill equipped to entertain visitors,” she stated, trying to hide how disheartened she was by its current state. She’d gotten off to such a good start after that visit and yet it seemed she was slipping back.
“That is quite alright,” Neuvillette said, “I know that my presence was probably the last thing you were expecting. I will try not to take up too much of your time.”
Furina forced a sympathetic smile, “It’s no trouble,” she said, before muttering under her breath, “it’s not like I have anything better to do with my time.”
“I’m afraid I didn’t catch that,” Neuvillette said with an eyebrow raised.
“Oh, I was just wondering if you wanted any tea or anything? Just this morning I steeped a pot of tea Wriothesly gave me back when I was still… Anyway, there should be more than enough left for two.”
“Mr. Wriothesly does indeed have an excellent taste in tea,” Neuvillette remarked, “If it isn’t any trouble…”
“It’s fine,” Furina assured him, “I’ll go serve you a cup.”
“That is very kind of you.”
“Why of course,” Furina said, rising from the sofa and heading towards the adjacent kitchen, “Oh, and please feel free to take a seat and make yourself at home.”
Neuvillette, evidently realizing he had just been standing awkwardly by the door and probably would have continued to, nodded and rigidly took a seat on the chair.
Furina sighed to herself when she realized the pot had grown tepid. Evidently more time had passed since she heated it up than she had realized. “Come on Furina,” she muttered to herself, “get it together.”
Evidently noticing her mutterings this time, Neuvillette spoke, “If you wish I could-”
“It’s quite alright. I can handle it just fine,” Furina replied with a little more bite than she had intended, her back kept to Neuvillette to hide her blush. The last thing she needed was a reminder of his overpowering command over hydro, or her own utter lack of ability.
An awkward silence set in as Furina set the tea to boil again. Fortunately for her, there was still some warmth left in the pot, so that it did not take too unbearably long to boil. Had it taken a few moments longer, she was certain the silence would have driven her mad. Once it was finally ready, she set it in a tray and turned to bring it into the living room. A strange sense of nostalgia welled up as she saw Neuvillette sitting there silently, hands resting atop his cane as he stared at the tea cup on the table. He probably hadn’t even realized how awkward the silence was. He had always been like that after all, Furina thought to herself as the corner of her mouth lifted ever so slightly.
“Here is your tea, Monsieur Neuvillette,” she said, setting the tray on the table and taking her own seat.
“Why thank you, Lady Furina,” Neuvillette replied as he took his cup.
Furina frowned in response, “There’s no need to be so formal. It’s just Miss Furina now.”
“My apologies,” Neuvillette said looking down.
Furina looked off to the side before taking a sip of her tea. Upon being reminded that it too had grown cold she sighed and set it down on the table. Not willing to allow another silence to ensue, Furina ventured to break the stillness. “So, Monsieur Neuvillette. I imagine you must be rather busy, now that you have taken over the duties of overseeing the nation. May I ask what brings you here?”
“Yes, of course,” Neuvillette replied, recalling to mind the purpose of his visit, “I wanted to see how you were adjusting to your new life, and if there was any way I might be able to ease the transition.”
“Ah, I see,” Furina said with a sigh of relief. “I thought you were here on… legal business. ”
“Oh, sorry about that,” Neuvillette replied.
Furina frowned. How many times had he apologized to her now? “He’s trying too hard,” a voice whispered in her mind, He’s clearly just acting, trying to appear civil. This must be nothing more than a professional duty to him. Just settle his doubts so he can be on his way.
“Well, as you can see I’m doing just fine for myself,” she said, inadvertently slipping into her old twin defenses, “It may be no Palais Mermonia, but it’s quant, comfortable, and affordable . Despite the sound of the forge across the street, it is otherwise in a nice, peaceful part of the city, and though it may look barren now, I only need some time to adequately decorate it. You needn’t worry about my finances either. During my time as a celebrity, I managed to save a not insignificant fund from my various performances, which I have since invested. The dividends are more than sufficient to support me, so you may rest assured that I shall be just fine.”
“I see,” Neuvillette said, concern and doubt still present on his face. Furina had many talents, but business sense was not something Neuvillette would have counted among them. After a moment of consideration he spoke once more, “And how are you feeling, Miss Furina?”
“I.. uh, why would you ask that?” she stammered out her inquiry, taken aback by his unexpected and forward question.
“Well I just,” Neuvillette paused momentarily, trying to consider his words carefully, “I understand that this must be quite the change for you,” he couldn’t help himself from briefly scanning the room once more, “I just wanted to make sure you were alright.”
Furina cleared her throat and tried not to blush as another wave of embarrassment washed over her. Why is he still here? What more could he possibly want from me? she thought, embarrassment turning to frustration.
“Well I assure you I am doing, just fine. Setting aside the role of archon has been nothing but a relief for me. Why wouldn’t I be doing fine?” That last question almost sounded as if it was meant for herself.
Unfortunately for Furina, Neuvillette had worked with her far too long, verbally sparred with her far too many times, to miss the signs that she was trying to divert suspicion. It felt as though his attempts to extend courtesy broke like waves upon the rocky shore, and It only increased his concern.
“Miss Furina, it is only natural to need time to recover from something as long and arduous as what you experienced. There is no need to feel shame, nor to feel defensive.”
Though Neuvillette was by no means known for his social grace, even he regretted that choice of words as soon as it left his mouth.
“Defensive!” Furina exclaimed as she stood up from her seat, “And there is no need for you, Monsieur Neuvillette , to maintain this veneer of amiability. I don’t know why you decided to come here or what you want from me, but I know what people think of me. So why don’t you just stop pretending and get on with your business!” Her arms crossed as she glared at him expectantly.
“Lady Furina-” Neuvillette gasped, exasperation causing him to slip into his old habits of address.
“It’s Miss Furina,” she interjected, continuing her staring contest. Yet as she peered at his lavender, slit like eyes, she did not see the anger she had expected and braced for, but rather a deep sense of remorse. She couldn’t bear to look at it and averted her gaze. Suddenly abashed by her outburst, she fully expected a rebuke for speaking so impudently towards the ruler of Fontaine.
No rebuke ever came. Instead, Neuvillette simply sighed and rose to his feet, shifting a little more of his weight onto his cane than usual. “I am sorry. It was inconsiderate of me to come here. You have been more than hospitable and I have been a poor guest. Please excuse me.”
With that, he turned and walked towards the door.
Furina fell back into her seat. A sudden fear swirled around her at the thought of being left alone again, even though she was no stranger to loneliness. No, what was worse was the thought of letting the conversation end like this, having rebuffed an act of kindness with insincerity and discourtesy. She realized that she had failed to keep her promise to herself, and allowed herself to put on a show.
“Wait… please,” she implored meekly just as Neuvillette’s hand reached the door handle. He turned and saw Furina with her head bowed, the light of the lamp shining on her like a spotlight, contrasting her against the shadows of the walls around her. Neuvillette’s hand slid off the handle and fell to his side.
“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said that,” she said.
“You don’t have to apologize-” Neuvillette began,
“But I do,” she paused to take a breath. Even though it went against five hundred years of habit, she had already decided she didn’t want to be the kind of person that keeps everything to herself anymore. This was another chance to keep that promise. “You were just trying to be kind. I had no right to accuse you of insincerity, when I myself was being insincere. You were right, I was being defensive, because… I’m not doing fine.” She stopped to look at Neuvillette, trying to gauge his response.
Neuvillette nodded understandingly and gestured to the chair. Furina nodded and he resumed his seat.
“This last week has been… difficult. The constant rain has stirred up memories and… old ways of thinking.”
Neuvillette’s gaze briefly wavered with a twinge of guilt as he tried to restrain himself from apologizing again.
“Today in particular was especially hard,” she explained, glancing down out her cold cup of tea, “So I wasn’t doing great when you showed up, and when you did, I was afraid that maybe you’d come because you intended to prosecute me for deceiving the people after all. I know, I know, it was an irrational fear, but I wasn’t in the best frame of mind. None of that justifies what I just said to you though.”
“I completely understand,” Neuvillette said sympathetically, “and I can assure you, that I do not, nor ever will, have any intention of prosecuting you for what you did to save this nation. The people may never know what you have done for them, but I will never forget it, and I want nothing more for you than what Focalors wished at the end. If there is anything I can do to make it possible to live happily as she wished, do not hesitate to ask.”
“Thank you, Neuvillette, but I think I need to stand on my own two feet. I need space to figure things out for myself. If I just let others take care of me, how can I build a life of my own? And I also would like to avoid drawing any attention to myself for the time being.”
“Of course, you are quite right, " Neuvillette told her, “I will give you however much space you desire, but if you should ever require aid, I will always be willing to support you in any and every capacity I can.”
“Of course,” Furina nodded. He truly is an honorable man, she thought to herself. Perhaps if our duties hadn’t got in the way, we could have been good friends. Maybe now… no. The Chief Justice must remain impartial. It’s why he always keeps his distance. I shouldn’t rely on him regardless.
“May I ask what you intend to do then?” Neuvillette asked, wanting to be sure she wouldn’t simply languish in her apartment, “You certainly have no shortage of talents you could employ for your living.”
“If you mean my acting skills, I promised myself I’d never pretend to be someone else again, which is proving easier said than done. The people probably also have… mixed feelings about me, so it’s best if I stay out of the limelight. As far as money is concerned, I really should be set for a while, and Clorinde stops by every now and again, so you needn’t worry about me being too lonely either. For now, I just need time alone to sort myself out, figure out where Focalors ends and Furina begins and what it is I actually want to do.” Being alone was the last thing she really wanted at the moment, but she didn’t want to be the one to jeopardize Neuvillette’s impartiality. Without the Oratrice, Fontaine’s justice system now depended on it. “Either way, I will be avoiding the Opera Epiclese for the time being.”
“I take it you mean to distance yourself from things that remind you of your old life, then?” Neuvillette asked to clarify.
“Yes. That sounds right,” Furina nodded.
Furina had nothing more to add, and Neuvillette evidently had nothing more to ask.
He rose to his feet once more, “Then I shall take my leave. It was an honor to see you again, Miss Furina,” he said, extending his right hand.
“And you as well, Monsieur Neuvillette,” she replied as she shook his hand.
He turned to leave once more, but stopped again as he grasped the door handle.
“One more thing, Miss Furina.”
“Yes?” she asked expectantly.
“Even though our time working together was fraught with disagreements, I always admired your strength of will. Now, knowing a little more of what you have endured, my admiration for you has only increased. It truly was an honor to serve with you.”
Furina looked down, wiping a solitary tear from her cheek before looking up to try and smile at Neuvillette. Gratitude and doubt swirled together in her mind. Unable to accept nor deny his statement, she was at a loss for words and simply nodded.
Neuvillette nodded back understandingly, “Adieu, Miss Furina.”
“Adieu, Monsieur Neuvillette.”
Thus they gave their partings, the implicit understanding between them that it may be quite some time before they had occasion to speak again.
As Neuvillette stepped out and closed the door behind him, he stopped and lifted his hand before looking to the sky. “Ah, so that’s what was missing. To think I once took for granted one so remarkable.” He mused as began his walk back to the Palais.
As Furina rose to clear the tea from the table, a small ray of light pierced between the curtains of her window. Moving up, she threw the curtains aside, causing rays of gentle light to bath her face as the clouds in the sky dissipated. As they did and the serene blue began to overtake the dreary gray, the light pouring into her room washed over the walls, cleansing the dim gloom from her abode.
She let out a sigh of relief as she leaned on the windowsill to admire the blue sky.
“The rain has stopped.”