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That evening, the Opera Epiclese rang in a chorus of thunderous applause. Indeed, they had just witnessed their Archon, or what they had believed to be their Archon for centuries, take to the stage once again after an extended period of absence. An unfortunate event, where the main actress fell ill, pushed Furina to take her place after a deep reluctance to ever perform a role other than herself, and with good reason.
Wondrous yet, was the vision that appeared at the end of the last song. Very few understood that it was, in fact, the real thing.
Neuvillette kept clapping, his mouth curling into a light smile.
It would’ve been an outrageous injustice not to reward her with it. Celestia wouldn’t do it of course, but now that he had regained full authority over the Hydro element, the choice wasn’t theirs to make anymore.
Out of all humans, her ambition and wish to save all of Fontaine outshone anyone elses in the eyes of Neuvillette. Five centuries of suffering. Five centuries of loneliness. Five centuries of silence.
Now that silence has finally been broken. I won’t let her suffer anymore.
✶
Furina closed the door behind her and leant against it. She took a deep breath, then groaned out all the air she had in her.
Things didn’t go as planned. They weren’t supposed to give credit to her! Now she would be hounded by different troupes begging her to take to the stage as this and that role. I made myself that boundary for a reason… is this how easily I falter?
It didn’t feel as bad as she thought. Even back during her facade, theater was an outlet for her where she could put aside the soul crushing role of the Hydro Archon for a tiny moment of respite. Yet she was still the Hydro Archon back then, and felt her people’s adulation and expectations. Even on stage, she couldn’t run away.
But this time it was different. The anxiety she had felt in her heart dissipated, washed away with pure water. The crowd’s watchful gaze was no longer like blinding floodlights, scouring to find faults in her character.
I have finally started to act as myself…
A sudden knock on the door made Furina jump up almost a meter, sending her hat tumbling. Oh no, they’ve already found out where I live?! I’ll never find peace again!
“Miss Furina? Is everything alright?”
That voice… “N-Neuvillette?” She put her hat back on, making sure it’s at the perfect angle, before slowly opening the door. Indeed, it was the Monsieur himself standing behind the door. “I-I mean, Monsieur Neuvilette! What a coincidence, haha… Whatever brings you here to my humble abode?”
Their relationship had changed dramatically since the day of the prophecy. What happened was a miracle — the people of Fontaine did not dissolve, the people were saved. Her people. And Neuvillette… he changed. On the surface things were hardly different, but now there was something between them. And Furina didn’t know how to be in front of him anymore.
She had known about Neuvillette being the Hydro Dragon for many years, no normal human could live alongside her for so long. He was the only constant in her turbulent life, the only one she could truly rely on, even when she couldn’t tell him about the truth.
But now he knew she was a fraud. She was exposed as nothing more than a cursed human, a pretender who took the role of the Hydro Archon for five whole centuries. As much as he assured her that he understood that what she had done was necessary, it didn’t change the fact that she had to lie to him, never showing her true side.
They only spoke briefly and on practical matters since, such as moving out of the Palais Mermonia, about procuring this house of hers.
But beneath the surface, surely he had became disillusion-
“Miss Furina, are you alright?”
“Huh?” She blinked.
Neuvillette stared at her. “You must be still tired after your performance. I apologize, I did not mean to startle you. If it’s a bad moment, I can come back later?”
“No, no, no, it’s quite alright! I just-”
“Monsieur Neuvillette?” a voice called out.
“Sedene?” Furina said in surprise. The melusine simply waved while holding onto a very fancy box quite large for her own size.
“It’s so good to see you, Miss Furina. Monsieur Neuvillette, here is the package you requested.”
“Thank you, Sedene.” Neuvillette picked it up from her and the melusine waved them both goodbye and left.
“...A box?” Furina asked.
“I had asked Sedene to buy the limited-edition, 16-slices-a-day cake. I was just wondering, whether perhaps you’d like some over te-”
Nevuillette hadn’t managed to finish his sentence as the door was wide open, with Furina theatrically welcoming him in with a bow.
The two of them sat by the table, tea cups in front of them, along with plates with a slice of the delicious, limited-edition cake that Paimon once voraciously devoured. Something Neuvillette used to justify their sentence to send them to the Fortress of Meropede. But that wasn’t important right now.
Furina and Neuvillette drank their tea, taking small spoonfuls of their cake. The hesitation could be cut just like their dessert.
“I hope you’ve settled in well here?” Neuvillette finally broke the silence.
“Ah, yes, this is a most superb dwelling I must say! I’ve fully gotten accustomed to my new life.”
Neuvillette glanced around. Many items were still due to finding their rightful place, and the sink had dishes waiting to be cleaned. “Truly?”
Meanwhile, Furina was screaming internally at herself for not taking a moment to clean up today. She resorted to deflection. “And what about you, my dear Chief of Justice? I hope everything is still well at the Palais Mermonia?”
Neuvillette lifted his eyebrow ever so slightly. She still slipped into that kind of rhetoric when they talked. He had always noted it during all of the five centuries they spent together.
“It’s been very peaceful, thankfully. Though perhaps a little too quiet.”
Furina let out a hearty laugh. “Wow, that’s a first. I remember back then you always complained about every little-”
She noticed his direct gaze and the seriousness they conveyed. Her cheerful expression faltered for a second, though she quickly put another spoonful of cake into her mouth to avoid being caught off guard like this. “Mmm, thiw cake iw dewicious! You sure “know how to spoil me, Neuvillette.”
Neuvillette sighed. Of course she knew how to deflect and avoid topics and situations she didn’t want to face. It was the only way she could survive these past five centuries. He simply hoped she could one day let go of it and learn to trust that things would be alright.
“I have seen many of your performances, Miss Furina, but today takes the crown. Most spectacular.”
“E-Eh? But.. I only showed up at the last moment because the lead actress got sick..”
“Still, it was.. sublime,” Neuvillette stressed, a minuscule quiver present in his voice. “It moved me. This was the first time I’ve seen you so… free.”
Furina felt like disappearing under the table. Neuvillette has always been one to always look into one’s eyes, always giving his undivided attention. She knew of course that he didn’t do it for any other reason than to respect his company, but it could still feel overwhelming. Especially to somebody who is trying to hide. Like Furina.
“I… thank you, Neuvillette,” she finally said, averting her eyes. “I won’t lie, I was anxious all the way until I actually stepped in front of the audience. The thought of returning to the stage frightened me to no end. That’s why I set that boundary for myself. I no longer wanted to perform as anybody else.”
Furina sipped on her tea, her eyebrows furrowed. “I’m still a little angry about breaking that boundary. But.. I would lie if I said I didn’t like it.”
She set down the cup. “That story… it was as if somebody had truly seen my life and put my experiences and emotions into a play.”
Neuvillette nodded. It was true, such a coincidence was quite suspicious. However, truth can be stranger than fiction. The traveler had told him that the late director of the play, Aurelie, had idolized Furina, studying her and her craft. Perhaps it wasn’t far-fetched at all to say the musical embodied Furina’s experiences. Perhaps it was based on her all along, even if Aurelie never realized it herself. Neuvilette had pointed this out when Furina had come to book the Opera Epiclese.
The most serendipitous coincidence of them all was you ending up consulting the troupe and helping them finish the play.
“But I still need… time,” Furina said, lifting her eyes back to meet Neuvilette’s. “When.. if I do return, I want to do so truly out of my own wish.”
Neuvillette smiled. “You and only you yourself know the best in regards to that, Miss Furina.” He stole a glance at the vision adorning her waist. “I only know that your wish shone brightly like a star.”
A small pause, lingering gazes.
“You granted it to me, didn’t you?” Furina lowered her head, beholding her peculiar-looking vision.
“Whatever do you mean, Miss Furina?”
“Don’t be so coy, Monsieur Neuvillette.” She lifted her head and smiled. “I know what Fontanian visions should look like. You told me yourself, right? The Divine Throne of Hydro is no more. Even if Celestia could, why would they reward me after what Mirror-Me had done?”
Neuvillette smiled. Even if she was kept in the dark all these five hundred years, she’s extremely perceptive.
“So… thank you, Neuvillette. Ironic that I gain the ability to wield hydro only after I leave the role of the Hydro Archon.” Furina snapped back to the present moment as she realized Neuvillette had stood up, facing the window. “N-Neuvillette?”
“It’s… not just a vision, Furina, not one like that from the Usurpers.” He turned to face her. “You are truly free from their gaze now. No matter where you are, you will now be under my protection. I will not let them, or anyone else, ever hurt you. This I promise you as the Hydro Sovereign.”
“N-Neuvillette? What’s with the sudden-” Furina also rose up, stopping mid-sentence as the sudden downpour of rain against stone outside rang like a chorus.
“I’ve always known that you were shouldering a burden, Furina. Water truly holds humanity’s strongest feelings, emotions.” Neuvillette lowered his gaze, clenching his fists, a rare gesture that despite being subtle, contrasted like night and day with his regular, expressionless demeanor.
“I’ve heard your cries, Furina. All these centuries, through the Fountain of Lucine. It's my deepest regret that I couldn’t understand why nor didn’t know what to do to alleviate your burden and pain. Only after Focalors explained it all did I finally understand. Please, Furina, accept my deepest apology.”
Furina watched, with her mouth open as she saw the Chief Justice, Hydro Sovereign and now leader of Fontaine, bow to her. H-How did we end up in this kind of a situation..?
She sighed, then smiled. “My, you’ve grown quite the sense of drama it seems. Very well, I, Furina de Fontaine, accept your apology.” Furina walked closer until she was right in front of Neuvillette.
“Hydro dragon, hydro dragon, don’t cry.” She took hold of his left hand, while lifting him up from his bow by his chin with the other. “You really are silly, you know. You said you didn’t know what to do, yet you’re blind to the mere impact of your presence.”
The two regarded each other’s faces from up close. “If you hadn’t been with me all of these years, I would’ve faltered and disappeared long ago. So please… there’s no need for rain anymore.”
Neuvillette simply stared, his expression unmoving, but Furina knew that this was simply him freezing like many times before. Sighing, she put her hands around Neuvillette, tugging gently. Finally, as if an anchor finally set down, Neuvillette brought his own hands around Furina, holding her in a gentle embrace.
The rain outside faltered and the cloudy veil lifted to reveal the gentle warmth of the sun.