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Furina was aware of the battle that had unfolded in the body of Elynas, many mourned that tragic day a whole order of Marechaussee Hunters was slain. However, she was not aware of what had been born from the tragedy—Life. They had made a home within the beast, a village full of the tiny forms.
She smiled, Melusines they call themselves. Short little ones with mitten like hands, and ears budding at the top of their heads, bodies coming in all sorts of colours and patterns. Furina glanced to her companion and gaped a little at his expression; bright eyes transfixed on the group of melusines. She had hardly seen that on him.
“Why don’t you introduce yourselves to them?” She whispered, nudging his arm with her shoulder.
“What shall I say?” He furrowed his brows.
“Well, first your name—“
“No.”
“No? But—“
“It’s only for you.”
She halted, tuning her head to look up. “Me?”
No emotions flickered in those sharp eyes of his, he was completely serious. She did wonder why he didn’t allow her to introduce him to her people. He simply shook his head when they had arrived at her palace, stopping her from revealing it. First, she thought it was his shyness, but his stony unmoving face had told her it was nothing of the sort. It was something she couldn’t quite grasp.
Now, he is here in the body of a fell dragon, gazing at her diligently.
“Only you.” He confirmed.
It would be wrong if Furina said that her heart did not jump, or that it didn’t race and bounce against her chest. She quickly calmed her emotions and swallowed the lump in her throat.
“Th-Then, how about a surname? If…your name is only for me, surely the world may have your last?” Only for her, goodness what was she saying? Such embarrassing things, she prided herself in her boldness but this—she needed to bury her face in pillows and kick her legs.
“That is fine, what will it be?”
“Do you not want to choose your own name?”
He seemed to give it little thought before he blurted out “Then ‘de Fontaine’ will do.”
At the suggestion, Furina shook her head rapidly. “No no, you cannot take the same one as mine! It will sound as if—!”
“As if?” Through his unmoved face lied a curiosity, waiting. Eager eyes locked on to hers, bated for answer. Furina turned her head away.
“Nothing…nothing at all.” She sighed, how does this man make her flustered every minute with him? Did dragons naturally have such an air around them that makes one unable to breathe—including gods? She hoped her cheeks that are surely flushed by now escaped his eyes, but such wishes were futile. Furina pouted in mild annoyance and shot him a look, receiving only confused innocence. “Fine, I will choose it.”
Furina crossed her arms, index finger tapped and tapped in thought. She looked around, searching for inspiration to spark through, a ripple in the water. “No, too simple. Not fitting enough…” with each idea bubbling up in the mind storm, it was consequently swept away with Furina’s pickiness. She squinted at the surrounding, eyes flickering on the new village made by this new small race and eventually to her new future Iudex.
“New—Neu, Neu…village, Neuvillette!”
“Yes?” He said.
“Is that alright? Do you like it?”
This time he considered it, holding his chin in thorough thought. She liked watching him like this, still as a puddle, ethereal. His clothes, which were bought only recently from a boutique shop fit nice on his body. And soon, she would demand that a tailor measure him and grant him an outfit fit for the co-ruler of Fontaine. She imagined them, standing side by side. Declaring order in the court and guiding the people.
“I do.” And with that, Neuvillette smiled softly and Furina’s heart flooded with warmth. She felt like a dam, unable to contain the emotions overflowing in her chest. She turned, noticing the small crowd of melusines had been patiently watching their exchange. They seemed almost as transfixed as Neuvillette had been on them, and almost as much as Furina had been on Neuvillette. Now, with everything cleared, she nudged Neuvillette forward again.
“Go on, your name!”
A light blue melusine boldly stepped forward from the group, looking up at him.
He cleared his throat “Ahem. I am Neuvillette, it is a pleasure to meet you.”
The melusine smiled, offering a hand in greeting.
“I’m Carole! Nice to meet you!”