Chapter Text
Chapter 1
Neuvillette, on some note, wonders if he should've expected this. The rain hadn't let up for days now. The others had expressed their concerns and the search parties had turned up empty. From the gardes, to the normal citizens who still revered her, to the Melusines and his own searches. Nothing could be seen, nothing of the girl could be found.
How could he have been so blind? Couldn't have they handled this more discreetly? The more they all thought about it, why did they decide to get others involved? In the end, it caused the narwal to appear, and afterwards, the rumors became unbearable. But even then, they didn't think they…
They had no choice, a trial was the only way they thought they could make her see the severity of the situation, but now…
It still pains him when he hears disgruntled fontainians call the searches a “waste of time” and that the “fraud finally left”. He contains his anger, but it's overflowing with guilt every time. The rumors only get more and more warped as time goes on. He didn't have any idea where she went and the growing hatred and distaste the citizens had for her became worse each passing day.
He hated it.
Even the traveler snapped at someone before. Declaring that Furina wasn't a ‘fraud’. Only to be silenced when the fontainian snapped back with “didn't you put her up there because of that? Why are you going back on your word?”
It was a harsh reality everyone involved had to face.
Navia said that the praise she gets from the surviving members of Poisson about “sending the selfish god to trial” only grew more sour as time went on.
Clorinde appeared in the public even less because of people asking her how they figured out Furina was a ‘fake’.
Even the members of the House of the Hearth pretend that the trial simply didn't happen. They tried to stay neutral, outright ignoring or deflecting any questions regarding it.
Some people even said it was a ‘shame’ the Oratrice didn't carry out the death sentence.
She'd been acting as their archon for 500 years and so many had just discarded her once the act was revealed. This wasn't his intention, none of those responsible for this turn of events wanted the region to hate her.
But recently, the statues of the seven, which once stood proud and powerful with Focalors’ appearance, were being defiled with paint splattered ‘Fraud’ and ‘Liar’. He had been handling more and more cases of all kinds of vandalism regarding anything related to Furina. The majority of the citizens were calling her a fake, a liar, a fraud, a good for nothing. How could they forget that she served them for 500 years?!
All the audience saw was a twist to the narrative Focalors made and yet, they so easily labeled her the villain. No thanks for her five centuries of service, nothing but rage at being 'tricked' by a false god.
It makes Neuvillette feel sick even now. When Furina left the opera house with nary a word or acknowledgement in his wake… he felt like she just needed space. After hearing all that happened, what truly happened… he didn't know what to say beyond just reassuring her that she needn't worry about food or board. He told her of Focalors' words, but she didn't react to any of it. She was like a ghost as she left the opera house.
He hasn't seen her since she left. The home he had acquired for her hadn't even been used for more than a day. Most of her stuff remained untouched, but her old outfit, or anything related to her former identity was torn to shreds. The blue gemstone she usually wore on her waist left discarded in front of a broken mirror.
She had left quickly, and silently. She didn't want to be found. Neuvillette had feared the worst, but now he doesn't know since no sign of her has appeared. Alive or dead.
It's like she vanished into thin air. As if she dissolved into the sea like the others.
What Neuvillette wants is to apologize, but he couldn't. She wasn't here and he couldn't make up anything to her without seeing her.
“Monsieur Neuvillette?”
Neuvillette snapped back to his thoughts as Sedene’s familiar voice. The only constant voice besides Furina's that existed in his circle for the past five centuries.
“What is it?” Neuvillette asked.
“You have a meeting with the Harbinger Sandrone today. Do you remember?”
“Yes, I do. I'll make my way to the Opera Epiclese in a timely manner.” Neuvillette said in a hollow tone.
“...very well, monsieur.” Sedene said after a moment.
Neuvillette recalled, while he had already given the gnosis to Arlecchino, it's been over a year since the incident. According to Lyney, Arlecchino had other issues to attend to in Snezhnaya, thus Sandrone was coming here in her stead.
He did not know much about the other harbingers, merely that she was formally affiliated with the institute and was a revered engineer across Teyvat. Still, something about this meeting made him feel uneasy.
Personal and relational affairs were Furina’s domain that she handled mostly on her own. Even though he assumed her duties ever since she left, he was caught off guard by the series of files and folders for various things that he wasn’t quite sure how to begin sorting. He was at a lost, and while he’s been able to keep pace on his own with his other duties, it took longer than he initially thought it would.
Her absence was all the more palpable with each attempt he made to fix things. Implementing new laws to handle the current disorder, restraining his growing fury at Furina's name being tarnished, being amicable with two-faced humans who called themselves 'nobles', and so many more problems that were arising. He alone had to manage Fontaine.
It felt like he, the Hydro sovereign, was drowning in the madness that had taken hold of the nation. Furina would have taken care of this with ease, a mask of confidence on to appease the nobility and the other factions now scrambling to take control.
Neuvillette missed her deeply. But he had no one to blame beyond himself as the judge who declared Furina guilty .
It was an unusually long trip to the opera house, but it didn't deter him. This was but a quick meeting, so it should not take too much time. He tried to ignore the whispers and whatnot on the way here. His stomach is still sick from everything he's been seeing from the people of Fontaine.
He swiftly walked through the main entryway and past the main stage. One he cannot help but recall from the trial every time he's here. He quickly made his way to the parlor to the corner and waited.
Furina has been missing for so long now. He doesn't know where she is anymore. Or how she's doing. If she's living well and happy like Focalors wished. He didn't…
“Pardon our tardiness, but the rain caused an unexpected delay.” A smooth yet ominous voice said.
Neuvillette looked up to see Sandrone enter the room. Her long white dress draping the ground, her hair decorated with an elegant headpiece and her gaze analytical and bemused.
“Lady Sandrone, correct?” Neuvillette asked, as another figure entered the room. His eyes widened briefly at the familiar head of white and blue hair now uncovered by her hood.
“Indeed, this is our first formal meeting. I hope you don't mind me coming in Lady Arlecchino's stead.” Sandrone said simply. Only for her gaze to become slightly… amused as Neuvillette focused on her ‘attendant’.
“You know her, yes?” Sandrone asked, relishing in the look of shock in the normally stoic face of Fontaine's Chief Justice.
“What do you…?”
“Dear, you can remove your mask, and do show off what you earned.” Sandrone directed in a sugary sweet tone that Neuvillette couldn't help but feel disturbed by.
Nonetheless, the girl removed the fatui mask she had been wearing.
Those heterochromic blue eyes appeared almost as Neuvillette had seen them last. They were dull and empty now though. Her expression empty.
“Furina?” Neuvillette breathed.
“...Ann, my name is Ann.” Furina said blankly, pulling the front of her cloak back just enough to show something resting on her chest.
A cryo vision. A Snezhnayan cryo vision.
Neuvillette felt his heart stop. Ever since he learned of Furina's sacrifice. Ever since he gained full authority over the power of Hydro. He wanted to give Furina a vision as a thanks for her work. He didn't know how to thank her at the time, but when he found out she was missing, the opportunity to give her a vision had vanished into the sea. Even though he had the abilities to, when he tried… he couldn't, he couldn't give a vision to the one he believed deserving of it the most.
Seeing this now…
“Furina…”
“ Ann. My name is Ann.” Furina said firmly, still not looking at him in the eyes.
“So you are well acquainted. I'm not surprised I guess.” Sandrone mused as she stood up and walked close to Furina. She gently looped an arm around Furina's waist and moved a hand to wipe away a fresh tear. “Honestly, what did you do to her to cause such a reaction, Iudex?”
“...Furina has been missing for over a year now. When did… how did she…?” Neuvillette could barely speak, he didn't know what to do now with Furina standing before him, alive, but… like this.
“Arlecchino apparently found her near the borders of Fontaine, exhausted and hurt, she looked like she had given up.” Sandrone said, “Lady Arlecchino had always been good with children. Especially hurt children. She knew how to calm her down and since her mission was complete, decided to take Ann back to Snezhnaya to recover. As a “reward” for Furina's services to Fontaine, our almighty Tsaritsa gifted her a vision of ice, and under her instructions, allowed her to join the Fatui and give her a new home.”
Sandrone looked at him with a disturbingly gleeful smile. “After all, she had nowhere to go. Fontaine hates her despite all she has sacrificed. A 'hero' viewed as a 'villain'. It only seemed right that she be given a new home.”
“And now, after her training, she's my assistant.” Sandrone said gleefully, placing a light kiss on Furina's cheek.
“You don't have to act so excited, my lady.” Furina sighed, though it seemed like she almost bore a small smile.
“But I must, you are a lovely gem and this vision is the real deal. Her Majesty didn't make you a delusion, you didn't need one anyway.” Sandrone said sweetly, “I'm protective of my belongings, you know that. You're no exception my dear Ann.”
Sandrone moved her hand from Furina's face and slid it down her body, she held her closer as her hand moved from her vision to her hip. Holding her tight. She planted another kiss on Furina's neck this time.
Neuvillette felt something flare in him. “Lady Sandrone, what is the meaning of this? Why bring her here?”
“Oh, to be honest, she wanted to see you 'one more time' as she put it. I thought this kind of reunion would be painful for her, but I allowed her to attend so she can see you before heading back.” Sandrone said, “With that out of the way, let us discuss our matters.”
The meeting went on like any other one would. But Neuvillette kept his gaze on Furina. She remained silent the whole time and obeyed Sandrone’s every command. Sandrone had her sit next to her on the couch, and fed her sweets as they continued to go back and forth. Sandrone would sometimes take a bite of a pastry before feeding the other half to Furina. Other times as they talked, she’d gently pet Furina's head without protest.
They got through all the matters relatively quickly. If Neuvillette wasn't preoccupied with Furina, he would've commented on Sandrone's extremely detailed organization and minute deductions.
“Well then, I guess that's everything. We should get going now.” Sandrone said as she and Furina sat up. Sandrone eagerly planting yet another kiss on Furina's neck as she pulled her to the door.
“Just a moment,” Neuvillette said before clearing his throat. “Furina… Ann, she's been missing from Fontaine for a good deal of time. I would like to speak with her, privately.”
“Ann dear, do you wish to speak with him?” Sandrone asked.
Furina hesitated, but nodded.
“Very well, I'll be outside then.” Sandrone said, not surprised by the answer. She simply exited the room and closed the door behind her.
“Furina…”
“ Ann. ” Furina repeated, even more solidly.
“...Ann,” the wrong name felt foreign in his mouth. “I'm sorry.”
“Sorry?” Furina said, “ Sorry?! I already told you before that I knew nothing else. And yet… yet you, and everyone put me on trial, not even for the secrets, but to call me a fake in front of everyone! You all abandoned me and decided I was worthless then and there! You had me executed. ”
The ache in Neuvillette's heart grew heavier at her words. “I am sorry, Fur-Ann. I'm so, so sorry. You didn't deserve any of that, but I never wanted you to have to… to leave like this.”
“I had nothing left.” Furina said, “people threw things at me you know. It wasn't just jeers or insults, but hatred. I couldn't take it. Fontaine doesn't need an archon anymore with you being their savior. I am no longer needed nor wanted here.”
“Furina-”
“I said my name is Ann!” Furina snapped back with a thunderous boom. “Don't you dare call me 'Furina' again. She's dead. ”
Furina had tears running down her face now. She looked at him with a pained expression and a forced smile. She laughed.
“You know, The Knave found me before I died trying to leave this place. Who would've thought the person that tried to kill me, would end up saving me.” Furina said with something that was between a laugh and a sob.
Neuvillette's heart aches more and more. He froze. Furina was nearly killed? She never told anyone that?
“I am lucky, that after being forsaken by my land, I've been blessed by another.” Furina gestured to the cold cryo vision adorning her chest. “My place in this world is no longer in Fontaine. The only reason I came back with Lady Sandrone was to tell you that.”
Neuvillette couldn't say anything. He just stared at her as emotions poured out of her face.
“I am Ann, attendant to the seventh harbinger, Sandrone. Furina is dead!” Furina declared with as much weight as a trial’s final judgement. “That's all I have to say. Goodbye, Neuvillette.”
Neuvillette couldn't respond as Furina left the room, putting her mask back on as she rejoined the harbinger in the opera room.
Neuvillette found himself alone again. The silence was deafening.
So that's where Furina had gone. That's what happened to her. He should be happy, she found a place for herself. He couldn't bring himself to admit it though. He drove her away. He severed all the strings to Fontaine and its people. Now Furina's heart was as cold as the cryo vision now in her possession. He destroyed her warmth. He destroyed what Furina allowed him to see for good now. Now she will never be with him again. The companionship they had for the past 500 years was now gone. Completely and utterly… gone.