Chapter Text
“Monsieur, don't sit there!” Neuvillette smiled once, refusing to move from the chair which, though too small, could still hold his weight. “You should sit in the center, you are our guest of honor!”
“My apologies, but Sedene should sit in the center, she's our real guest of honor today, after all, we’re celebrating her birthday. ” The little Melusine opened her eyes, before smiling shyly. It was difficult to make a space in his tight schedule, but he knew Sedene wanted to celebrate her birthday with the other melusines, even if she never said it out loud.
That's why he had emptied his schedule for the afternoon to travel along Sedene to visit the other Melusines.
Neuvillette expected to enjoy a well-deserved day off, in which he wanted to share a pleasant afternoon with his beloved melusines, who as expected were more than happy to talk to him about their daily lives.
“Right, there was a strong earthquake recently, Monsieur!” One of the youngest said, the Iudex grimaced, why was he only knowing about it now?
“...Earthquake? Was anyone hurt? No one informed me about it.”
“Luckily the traveler was here and helped us!" One of the melusines answered excitedly, but he noticed how one of the melusines lowered her head, with a sad expression.
He waited for a prudent time, without letting it prevent him from spending a beautiful evening with his eternal companions, who of course did not miss the opportunity to ask him to visit them again soon.
“Monsieur is a very busy man.” Sedene scolded them, with her hands on her hips, which made him smile even more as he placed a hand on her head.
“No, you're right, I should come more often.” He said goodbye to them all, addressing each one by their names, his expression changing as he noticed one was missing. “Did something happen to Mamere...? She was here a minute ago.”
“Ah, she must be finishing one of her paintings, she said she wanted to finish her gif-" Melusine fell silent, before shaking her head. “S-She must be fine, Monsieur, you don't have to worry about her!”
“I'll go say goodbye personally, you don't need to wait for me or escort me, Sedene. You have the rest of the day off.” Sedene wanted to intervene, but he didn’t let her, as he advanced through the Merusea village, with a destination in mind.
He knew very well how the village was organized, so getting to Mamere's house was not a masterful feat and, as the other Melusine had mentioned, she was finishing a very abstract painting.
“Mamere?” He called out to her in a soft voice, to not frighten her.
“Monsieur?" She turned, surprised to see him there. “Did something happen?”
“Is it a painting for Sedene?" He questioned instead, Mamere nodded once, stepping aside so she could see the work. “I'm sure she'll like it.”
“Hm.” She nodded, happily, before sighing. “I was supposed to finish it sooner, but then the earthquake happened and I was busy…”
“Mamere... I couldn't help but notice that your expression changed as we talked with the others, did the earthquake cause damage you didn't want to mention? If you need help with the rep-”
“No, Monsieur, nothing like that!” Her expression fell once more, as she lowered her head. “It's just that since all that happened, I stopped hearing Father's voice.”
“Father?" Mamere nodded once, her gaze still on the floor. “You were able to hear Elynas' voice? Forgive my surprise, but I thought none of you were able to communicate with him.”
“Yes, but I've tried everything since that happened, does that mean Father died, Monsieur? I even go to where I used to collect ingredients for my paintings, but I can't feel it anymore.” She told him with a sad tone.
“Can you take me to that place, Mamere?” Neuvillette could still feel that abysmal energy, he didn't know much of the details, after all, he hadn't been mature enough to grasp what was happening during Elynas’ death centuries ago, but he was aware of its existence and its ending, his blood had changed part of Fontainians waters, after all.
Such a great and powerful dragon would not have been able to leave such a small footprint.
So why did he feel so uneasy?
“Monsieur? Are you all right?” Mamere’s voice snapped him out of his thoughts.
“Yes, don't worry. You can go back to the village if you finish in time, maybe you can give the painting to Sedene before she returns to Palais Mermonia.” Neuvillette smiled at her, summoning his cane to stare at what was left of the abyssal dragon.
“Of course!”
And so, he was finally left alone in front of that hardened heart of stone.
That strange feeling of apprehension was still present in his body.
Since he had regained his power, and even before that, few were the things that made him extremely watchful or even made him uneasy.
That stone in front of him, however, was doing it.
Did Elynas ever feel that Carole's death had been his fault?
Even though the Melusines themselves said that he represented their figurative ideal of 'Father', his real father was that abyssal dragon. He, who many said had done a great job of introducing them to Fontaine society, had failed Carole.
And even after so many years, he hadn’t forgiven himself for that.
“I have never thought such a thing.” Neuvillette simply turned around, coming face to face with a Melusine he had never seen before. “It's nice to meet you, Leviathan, or should I just call you Neuvillette?" She asked as she tilted her face slightly. “Although it's a shame, I wish we could have had a long conversation, I would have thanked you for all you've done for my daughters. You've given them a home and a place in society, humans aren't so hostile to them now, are they? I came to hear that you were willing to protect them, that soothes my heart. It's a bit unfortunate that I can't do more for them from here.”
“No...” He kept is voice in a soft tone, as he watched the form Elyna’s haven chose. “I don’t think they consider you an absentee father, after all, most of them still live here, close to you.”
“Oh, but they all keep talking about you.” Elynas laughed sweetly, as she tilted her head. “They all want to work hard to work with Monsieur Neuvillette and the Marechaussee Phantom. So no, I'm afraid the loss of Carole was a regrettable event for everyone, but I would be unable to blame you for it.”
“There is no need to be so respectful to me, I am only trying to do my duty as the Iudex of Fontaine.”
“Hm, you shouldn't be so humble, for someone who can be considered the savior of all Fontaine, you should raise your chin and wear your title with more pride. But that wouldn't make you the Neuvillette everyone loves.” The Melusine, no, Elynas approached him, taking little hops to stop in front of him. “So, I want to give you a gift, Neuvillette. Take it as... ah, sure, as a token of my gratitude for all you've done for them. It's something you've always wanted to share with someone special and have always refused yourself to do, despite how much you know it would make you both happy.”
Neuvillette wanted to ask what she meant, but a great inexplicable tiredness ran through his body, first his legs failed and then his consciousness began to fade, wrapped in a strange softness that was also warm, very warm.
And after that, nothing.
He just fell into emptiness, everything around him long forgotten.