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Teyvat had its laws.
The Heavenly Principles made that crystal clear the moment they stepped foot on this world. The line between life and death has always been a particularly sensitive matter– no one needed to tell Neuvillette that twice. In the eyes of the heavens, Egeria herself had sinned by creating life, resulting in a foreboding prophecy that plagued Fontaine for centuries.
It was only with Focalors’ sacrifices–from both of her halves–that the people of Fontaine were still on Teyvat. But even with the crisis averted, one individual lingered on Neuvillette’s mind: Furina, the half that he had fallen for. Despite her shrewdness and affection for her human counterpart, Focalors had been decidedly cruel towards her. Furina had been condemned to centuries of suffering, with only the short life span of a human after the divine flood as consolation.
No, it was beyond consolation. It was torture.
It was out of defiance that Neuvillette searched for a way to defy the laws of nature and even of the gods. No matter what, he needed to find a way to give Furina the long life she had so rightfully earned. Otherwise, could he truly call himself the arbiter of justice?
Hand-in-hand, Neuvillette and Furina found themselves standing in front of the Sanctuary of Surasthana. He looked down at his partner, who buried her face in his robe.
“D-do you really think this is okay?” Furina whispered. “This has to be breaking some kind of rule. I don’t know which one, but surely this can’t be allowed.”
Neuvillette stroked her hair and pecked her forehead. Even though they had been in a relationship for some time, his heart still felt just a little lighter when he was close to her. When she looked up at him, her pleading, mismatched eyes placed him in a brief trance. While he only half understood how they ended up together, he knew the truth: he had found the most beautiful pearl in all of the ocean.
Furina frowned. Her lips quivered as her arms quickly covered her torso. “Y-you’re staring again.”
“Oh? My apologies. It was not my intention to stare,” he said quickly.
“No, it’s fine! Just– there’s something on my face, isn’t there? You don’t have to be polite around me, you know…” she mumbled. “I’ve been trying to maintain my skincare routine, honestly! I’ve just been so tired these days, honestly, that I’m sure I just look–”
In an instant, his lips landed on hers. She looked beautiful, and he wouldn’t let her believe otherwise.
Granted, his gesture was new. They had kissed before this many times, albeit never outside of his office. But according to the L’amour magazine Clorinde lent him, the best partners had surprises for their lovers. Surely, this was what the author intended for him to do.
Much to his surprise, however, she pulled away. She stifled her smile and pressed her mouth against her sleeve, all while her face grew as red as a tomato. “M-Monsieur Neuvillette! This is scandalous! Need I remind you that we are in public?” she hissed. “I can only imagine what the reporters would think, wouldn’t you? I can only imagine the headlines of the tabloids.”
“Is that so? We were rather clandestine enough in leaving Fontaine–I find it rather unlikely that anyone would have tracked us all the way here,” Neuvillette said. “If the public were to catch wind of this, I am not sure what they would think.”
Furina sighed. “It’s okay. We’ll figure it out as we go. What’s important is that we take this one step at a time,” she said, resigned to her fate. Her voice trembled. “To think that just yesterday, I was eating macaroni. And today, I’m meeting the God of Wisdom. I… hope everything goes well.”
Neuvillette placed his hand on her shoulder. “It will. Difficult as it may be, we will hardly be the first ones to defy the divine."
He felt Furina tremble again at the thought. He wrapped her in an embrace once more. But their hug would only be short-lived, as it was suddenly interrupted by the echoes of nearby footsteps. By the time the Sumerian guard had arrived in front of the door, the two were a respectful distance from each other, for good measure.
“Lesser Lord Kusanali will see you now.”
Furina gulped. “I– of course she would!” she responded with her voice raised. “Anyone would agree to see the magnificent Furina de Fontaine. I am their greatest star, after all!”
The Sumerian guard stared at her blankly, prompting Furina to sheepishly approach the front doors with Neuvillette closely behind.
The couple was met with a gentle breeze of frigid air inside. The warm, eerie green lights harshly glared into Neuvillette’s eyes. But it was peaceful and quiet, as he could only hear the clacks of his own footsteps across the patterned, metallic floor. In a way that befitted the dendro archon, the magnificent, metallic architecture curved and similarly spread across the room to a tree’s roots. At the center of the roots, the pillars curved and formed a protective ball around a little girl, who had been blessed with wisdom from the heavens.
Her emerald eyes twinkled with curiosity the moment they locked onto Furina. She clambered to her feet in an instant, her lips curving into a nervous smile. Knowing full and well the difficult history between dragons and Celestia, Nahida could hardly look at the hydro dragon’s reincarnation. But in truth, as much as he saw fit to judge the god of wisdom, he had nothing but compassion for her plights and earnest nature.
Furina pulled the ends of her tailcoat and curtsied. “I-it is an honor, God of Wisdom…”
“You have our utmost thanks, Dendro Archon,” Neuvillette said. “Although I intend to put you on trial as one of the Usurpers of Teyvat, you have my gratitude for agreeing to meet with us today.”
“Neuvillette!” Furina hissed, visibly startled.
Nahida, on the other hand, appeared unfazed. Perhaps she was accustomed to this sort of treatment from the dendro sovereign. “I understand. When the time comes, I will be sure to address any of my mistakes,” she said solemnly. “I was a little surprised when you called upon me. However, positive relations with Fontaine would be very beneficial for both of our nations moving forward, so I’m happy to help you however I can with my wisdom.”
“You are very kind,” Furina said with a soft voice. “Thanks a lot, it’s an honor.”
“I have heard of your deeds, Furina. I am also honored to speak with you. While you are no longer the hydro archon, it is clear that your sacrifices were instrumental in saving Fontaine,” Nahida glanced between the two of them. “But now that your duties are over, I take it you two are…”
Furina’s face reddened. She threw her arms into the air emphatically. “Oh! U-uh… w–well, you know… we sorta maybe–”
Neuvillette cleared his throat. “We are partners. Romantic partners.”
Nahida blinked a few times. “I see! A relationship between the Chief Justice and the former hydro archon… how unexpected,” she mused curiously. “I never expected the Iudex to grow close enough to another in Fontaine, let alone the very god he put on trial.”
“There were feelings before. A lot changed after that trial,” Furina said with a faint voice. “But I think it was ultimately for the better.”
“Save one matter for which we require your wisdom– Furina’s humanity.”
Nahida frowned. Perhaps as the god who knew everything, she already had an inkling as to where this conversation was headed.
“Furina and I have decided to privately enter a relationship. But it will never leave my mind how she now has the short lifespan of a human.” Neuvillette pleaded.
“I see. Much like an annual flower, her life will be beautiful, but brief.” Nahida explained. “You two will undoubtedly live a happy life together, but it will also feel short compared to your lives so far.”
“And that’s when we decided to come to you,” Furina said, exchanging glances with Neuvillette. “As the God of Wisdom, you of all people would surely have a way to circumvent this… do you not?”
Nahida was silent. She pressed her hand against her face. Her eyes flickered, her gaze traveling across the walls as she visually pondered a solution. “Unfortunately… I do not think that I have any helpful information.”
“Wait–what?!”
“There are many species in Teyvat who have been blessed with immortality, but none of them are human,” Nahida explained. “Although there have been a few exceptions, it would be considered against the laws of nature and Teyvat for you to attempt circumventing death.”
Furina quivered. As tough as the actress occasionally attempted to be after the prophecy, her crestfallen expression overrode any attempts she may have had to hide her broken heart. Perhaps in the privacy of their corridors, she had foreseen this outcome, but Neuvillette wouldn’t accept it.
“Buer, God of Wisdom. Surely this is not the end. I will not accept it. Think about the Khaenri’ans who have lived for centuries.”
“Their lives are filled with suffering at the hands of the Heavenly Principles. I understand that this fate is troubling for you, Chief Justice Neuvillette, but I do not think that is a fate you would want for Furina.”
“But surely, consider the curse Focalors placed on Furina to make her immortal.”
“A temporary one, and one that was to deceive the Heavenly Principles. They are not even able to retaliate for her misdemeanors since she has passed on. You and Furina would still be here.” Nahida said. Her eyes suddenly widened. “But a curse . Hm…”
Neuvillette and Furina leaned in eagerly. “What is it?” Furina asked quickly.
“Lord Buer…” He pleaded. “If you have a solution, you must inform us.”
“There is nothing I can do,” Nahida spoke plainly.
“Seriously?!” the actress huffed. “Did our plight not move you sufficiently? I can not think of a tale more compelling than one of true love.”
“But… I know of someone who might be able to help you.”
What? Really? Thank you, thank you, thank you!” Furina cried out. She dove to her feet and wrapped the startled god in a warm embrace.
Nahida patted her awkwardly in return. “Listen closely now.”
“Although I am grateful for the God of Wisdom’s guidance, I cannot help but feel that this is an assassination attempt.”
Neuvillette had always been accustomed to the humidity in the Fontainian air or the raindrops that would trickle down his face amid any rainstorm. By comparison, the blinding desert sun was an unwelcome change. With Nahida’s guidance, the couple found themselves in front of a dim cave: the domain of the dendro sovereign, Apep.
Scorching sand particles flew in his face with every gust of the winds, often accompanied by the complaints of his lover. “Can the wind just stop blowing in my face?!” she wailed above the howling winds. “I have sand in my hat. Are we supposed to be here?”
Neuvillette protectively wrapped his arm around her and carefully eyed the desert landscape. No potential assassins were in sight. “You must be thirsty. Here, please have some water.” He said quietly, shoving a water pouch into her hands.
“Thanks,” she groaned. “Allow me to grant you the power of water.” Her hydro vision glowed. With a flick of her wrist, his face was met with a familiar and welcome splash of water. “So, we’re supposed to go in this cave?”
The man heaved a sigh. “Apparently so. Nahida admitted that Apep is still quite bitter towards her, but that she may also cooperate with us by me being the hydro sovereign.”
“Are you sure you want to ask her?” Furina asked, tugging on his sleeve. “W-what if she asks you to do something… r-risky? What if she eats us? Maybe I can stay out here! Yes, yes I’ll do that. You go inside and talk to her, and I’ll be here! At least you’ll be able to fight her. C’est la vie indeed!”
Neuvillette raised an eyebrow. “Are you sure you’d be fine out here on your own?”
Furina laughed. “Do you know who you’re talking to? I am Furina de Fontaine, of course! And armed with a hydro vision from my beloved, I will be more than capable of defending myself from any desert heathens that dare to traipse these lands.” she declared with a cackle.
He watched her skeptically as she meandered toward the edge of the canyon. She plopped down on a warm rock and stretched by a pile of sand. With one gust of wind, the shrinking pile of sand revealed a scorpion underneath. She shrieked and dove behind him. “W-WHAT IS THAT?! Don’t just stand there! Do something about it!”
“That is a scorpion, Furina. It should not attack unprovoked.”
“Huh…”
“That said, it has venom that could paralyze any human with two stings.”
“Huh?!”
“Perhaps it would be wise for you to come inside with me. I am happy to provide you protection if necessary.” Neuvillette said.
Furina huffed and took his hand. “Well, if you are the one protecting me, I suppose that’s as good as what I’ll ever get,” she said. “Thanks for being here.”
He squeezed her hand in return. “I wouldn’t miss the opportunity for an eternity with you,” he said. “No matter what, we will find the answers we seek. Of this, I am certain.”
In truth, a part of the Iudex longed for this moment for centuries. He had never left Fontaine in centuries, and as the sole dragon in all of Fontaine, he couldn’t help but long for a chance to meet his brethren. Still, given that he had chosen to ally himself with one of Celestia’s servants, he could only wonder whether he would be met with hostility instead.
Surprisingly, the cave was not dry, but more akin to a gooey swamp. Neuvillette and Furina trudged in the muddled waters, both watching as their polished boots grew dull with every step. The walls were covered in webs of fern-colored slime. Furina dove for the patch of grass amid the swamp and rubbed her shoes against the surface like a carpet. As the couple reached the middle, a thunderous thud bellowed in the background upon their arrival.
“Well, that is… a sign. You know, I wonder what she’s like. Any ideas?” she said with a giggle.
“Elaborate?” said Neuvillette.
“Well, considering how you look, I can only imagine if the dendro sovereign is like… like a beautiful woman, right?” Furina fawned, a light blush spreading to her cheeks. “I can see it now– a dashing heroine, studded with muscles and shiny bronze skin, and shining armor…”
Before Neuvillette could respond, a large slithering object slammed against the slimy walls. Furina shrieked and dove behind him. “Wh-what is that?!”
“Guardian, cease.” a woman’s voice roared. The serpent disappeared. In its place, a dragon’s silhouette faintly appeared from outside the slime’s walls. “Puny fools. Who dares to disturb my slumber?!”
Neuvillette gripped Furina and stood tall, determined for answers.
The dragon paused. “You are… the young hydro sovereign,” she said. Her tone was stern, but the hostility from her tone quickly disappeared in his presence. “And just who is this supposed to be?!”
“Um… h-hi,” Furina mumbled under her breath.
“Hmph. She is timid. What is she to you, your servant?” Apep asked.
Furina scoffed. “How rude!”
“She is… a human.” Neuvillette explained. If she was oblivious as is, perhaps they could get away with avoiding her origins. “A human who I’ve chosen to be my partner.”
“Fool,” she suddenly declared. The judge jumped. “I may be old, but I am not as gullible as I appear to be. I see her eyes– she is a special one, one who came from divine waters. Do not dare tell me that you have chosen a puppet of the Heavenly Principles as your mate.”
“Not a puppet,” Neuvillette said, frantically searching for the excuses he should’ve prepared ahead of time. “She is…”
“Do not lie to me, Hydro Sovereign,” the dendro dragon snapped. “If you have turned your back on your kind with lies, see yourselves out. I will have nothing to do with you.”
Much to his surprise, Furina threw herself in front of him. “You’re right. I do have ties to the Heavenly Principles!” she cried out.
“Furina!” Neuvillette scolded.
“I am a part of the god Focalors. The human part. I know you may not want to talk to me because of how the Heavenly Principles robbed dragons of all their power when they came here. It was unjust, and I don’t expect you to accept me,” Furina said. “But by the will of my divine counterpart, the hydro throne has been destroyed. She– I– restored power to the hydro sovereign before sacrificing my divinity. I know that I can’t control the past, but I hope you can find it in your heart to at least honor the sacrifices. I believe in my honorable dragon, just as much as I respect your presence here today.”
The dendro dragon paused. “You. The foolish young man. Is this true? You have fully regained your power?”
“... Y-yes, honorable Dendro Dragon,” Neuvillette said, utterly baffled. Even now, she still managed to surprise him in the most interesting ways. “She is no longer a god. She is a mortal now, one whom I cannot live without. Buer informed us that you would have a way to grant her a longer lifespan.”
“Hmph. Of course, you would trudge back to the God of Wisdom before you would have anything to do with me. You dishonor me, hydro dragon,” Apep said.
“Didn’t she just not want us here two seconds ago?” Furina whispered in Neuvillette’s ear.
“I heard that!” the dragon bellowed.
“Eep!” Furina squeaked.
Apep sighed. “Nonetheless, unwise as she may be, I shall acknowledge that Buer can at least understand when a matter is not her expertise. It is not the first time that dragons have chosen mortal partners. However, let it be known that the answer to your woes lies in sacrifice for you both. You should only proceed if this is what you want.”
Furina and Neuvillette exchanged glances. Furina’s breath grew shallow. Her eyes were wide with fear, visibly shaken at the thought of another sacrifice. Neuvillette squeezed her hand and stroked her hair, hoping that it would offer a brief respite from the potential gravity of the situation. She looked up at him, her faint smile quivering.
Seeing her expression, he couldn’t help but think back to the first time he fell for her. While the masses in Fontaine fell in love with her false bravado, it was the sincerity of her faint smile when they were alone that finally won his heart.
“This is what you want, isn’t it?” Neuvillette asked.
“I mean, it depends, right? A-as long as it doesn’t hurt you, right? Or me, preferably…” Tears welled up in her eyes. “I don’t want to suffer, but if it’s for you… I guess that’s why Nahida called it a curse….”
“Ah, so you know of the curse? Yes, perhaps it is apt to call it such,” Apep remarked. “We call it the Curse of Devotion– a ritual that binds your lives together for as long as you both shall live. With this spell, Hydro Dragon, your partner will stay immortal. However, the moment either of you pass on, the other will as well.”
“What? Y-you’re saying that Neuvillette could die if I die?” An air of apprehension filled the woman’s voice. “Th-that’s crazy. No, no I can’t do that to him.”
“Furina…” Neuvillette said. He reached for her.
She slapped him away. “No! No, I can’t do it.”
“It is the ritual. You will take it or leave it.” she said. “During the ritual, we will also need a witness… as well as for you to drink the hydro dragon’s blood. Given that he has hydro abilities, this should not be a problem for you.”
“No no, this is a problem!” Furina declared.
“And for the witness?” the man asked expectantly.
“Neuvillette. Stop.”
“There are not many of our kind left who can cast the spell. Loathe as I am to involve myself in others’ affairs, I will honor Focalors’ sacrifice. I will oversee the ritual.”
“No you won’t.”
“Understood,” Neuvillette said without hesitation. He pulled up his sleeve and snatched Furina’s sword from the sheath on her hip. Perhaps the process would be painful, but compared to the pain, the thought of having centuries with her was just too tempting…
“How can you be okay with any of this?!” she yelled while attempting to wrestle the sword from his hands.
“All I need is an offering, Furina. It may hurt at first, but if it means we will be together… would it not be worth the trouble?” he said calmly.
“And then what?!” Furina yelled. “You will throw your life away for me?! Is that what you plan to do? What if I get into an accident?!”
“I will protect you.”
“It’s not enough! You know how compared to you, I’m just…!” she blurted out. “You’re too important for me!”
Her words were met with a pained silence. But more importantly, the hydro dragon failed to understand her yet again. How could she declare him too important for her, when she mattered more than anyone to him?
Furina didn’t need an answer, however. Without a word from Neuvillette, the woman marched away, now evidently paying no mind to the gunk that glued itself to her shoes.
It wasn’t long before Neuvillette reunited with Furina, who stood amidst the dreadful desert sands. Once he was able to whisk her away from this place, he would vow to never return.
“I believe that I’ve made a terrible impression in front of the dendro sovereign,” Furina mumbled. “Sorry about that.”
“Furina. Let’s go back inside.”
“How can you want this?!” she yelled. “Just answer that. I was never the hydro archon, you know that! You put me on trial for that fact. You are the dragon sovereign and the Iudex who oversees all of Fontaine, and I’m… I’m me. I’m nothing compared to you.”
Neuvillette frowned. “Is that truly how you feel?” he asked. “Do you truly see yourself as nothing?”
“Compared to you, yes,” Furina insisted. “I’m just a regular human, Neuvillette. You were the one who saved everyone. You are the one at the Palais Mermonia, delivering justice as it should be. I’ve been nothing more than an actress playing a role. You don’t deserve to have your life cut off by me if something happens to me. Fontaine needs you.”
“You may not have had your divinity, but you were always their god, their idol. The masses continue to adore you, even now. They need you,” Neuvillette pushed. “ I need you. I can spend several centuries looking after Fontaine’s future, but none of it would matter merely as much without you.”
“But think about what would happen… you are strong, but if I die–”
“You will grow stronger, still.”
“If I die–”
“If you live,” he pressed. “We will live happily together for many years. We will enjoy centuries together. We will be happy.”
“You’ll have to sacrifice–”
“Nothing, if we are to be safe. And I am quite confident in my abilities to keep ourselves safe. Do not forget who you’re talking to,” Neuvillette said. “There will be risk no matter the journey. But don’t you see some sacrifices are worth making?”
Furina wailed and buried her eyes in her sleeves. Neuvillette slowly removed her cuffs, now soaked with her tears from her face. He stared into her mesmerizing, raindrop eyes, internally pleading to see the light in them again.
“You are a selfless woman, Furina. Surely you must know that all of our love was sincere,” Neuvillette kissed her wet cheeks. “The worst would only come to pass if either of us dies. Do you think I’m incapable of protecting you?”
Furina released a weak chuckle. “Nonsense. Only a fool would say that about you.”
“I… know that I’m not always accustomed to expressing my feelings to you, but surely you must know how many times I’ve dreamed of a future with you,” Neuvillette said. “I’m afraid, Furina. When the inevitable would come for you, how could I go on, knowing you were no longer in this world?”
Furina remained quiet. She wanted to believe him, more than anyone. But for so long, she had burdened him with lies and the responsibilities that came with becoming a judge. In spite of all that, there was a part of her that was rather selfish. She longed for him, she longed to be loved by him. For that part of herself, the curse was tantalizing, taunting her from afar.
Could she really think of herself? No, she couldn’t ask him that question.
So she asked another one.
“Do you really think we can be happy?”
“I do. And I know with certainty that I won’t be happy without you,” Neuvillette said. “So please, let your worries come to rest. Please think of the happy life we will share.”
If only she could afford to be…
“You have spent your life fretting over others. But please, for once, can you not think of yourself?”
Furina’s eyes widened. “What, are you reading my mind now? Again? I guess you really do know me too well by this point.”
They smiled at each other, forgetting all about the desert scorpions or the sun’s unwavering heat. Perhaps it couldn’t be helped–they were two fools in love.
Although Furina would never not be baffled at how much she meant to him, perhaps it was only right that she would honor the love they shared. As much as their tale mirrored The Little Oceanid– for she had seen the parallels–perhaps their tale was destined to not end so tragically. And so she took his hand and ventured with him back to the cave, promising herself to the sovereign for eternity.
For just as Focalors altered the fate of all of Fontaine, perhaps Furina too could shape their destiny.
Special thanks to VarhomRuhmukia for beta reading this piece! Hope you all enjoyed it as well.