Chapter Text
Becoming the Hydro Archon was no easy task. For as long as she could remember, Egeria had to come up with a plan to prevent the prophecy, and as her soon-to-be successor, Focalors was expected to do the same.
It wasn't the most ideal responsibility one has to bear the moment they've experienced a taste of their dreams. After all, Focalors was once an Oceanid turned into a humanlike being. If only she could experience being human without having to worry about the prophecy.
"Something on your mind, dear Focalors?"
Egeria's kind voice snapped her out of her reverie. They've been walking for what seemed like hours, deep into the forest named after Erinnyes. She quite enjoyed walking, the peaceful breeze often helped in gathering her thoughts.
"Would it hurt you to call me 'Furina' for once, Lady Egeria?" Focalors asked her superior with a pout, only to receive a bemused chuckle from the archon.
"Was the divine name I've given you not to your liking?"
"Not at all!" It was slightly a lie. From her years as an oceanid, she had made quite a detailed plan of what she wished to do if she ever became human. And that name was a part of it.
Now that she transformed into a human by Egeria's hand, she realized she didn't have as much freedom as she wished. A little more than her freedom from when she was still the archon's oceanid familiar, but now that she was being trained to be Egeria's successor, her choices were very limited when it came to her life.
She wanted to sing to her heart's content and perform on the grandest of stages. She wanted to hear praises from the largest audience and be part of the greatest opera life has ever known. She wanted to fall in love like the humans she observed and experience the pure bliss that came with it.
Alas, Focalors could only keep those dreams to herself. Maybe she should just be thankful that someone as kind as Egeria even turned her into a human, at the high price of being punished by the Heavenly Principles. She had already been imprisoned at the primeval prison for years before she became an archon, and following her release, she had been more careful not to provoke the Heavenly Principles.
Which was possibly why she decided to bring Focalors to Erinnyes, to hopefully lecture her on how not to provoke Celestia as she did.
"We're here," Egeria announced. When Focalors looked up, she was met with the vibrant blue willow tree surrounded by the clear waters of the lake.
Lakelight lilies sprouted from everywhere she looked, decorating the dewy grass like toppings on a cake. Focalors fought the urge to pick and collect them, there were so many!
From the corner of her eye, she saw Egeria cast a spell—or a barrier of some sort—before it disappeared into view. If she recalled correctly, it was a presence barrier. Any entity behind it, no matter how strong, will not be sensed nor detected by the beings beyond it.
If that was the case, then was there another being Egeria was trying to hide the both of them from?
"Over here, Focalors." She beckoned her to an area by the rim of the lake.
They made their way to a conveniently placed row of boulders that had a shorter willow tree and a few cypress trees. As tempted as Focalors was to pluck one of the lakelight lilies in their hiding spot, her attention had been caught by something—or rather, someone—else entirely. "Oh Archons..."
Leaning against a slope of rocks covered in moss was a young man with long silky white hair that reached his thighs, which looked quite similar to the snowy fur of the otters in Fontaine. He wasn't dressed in anything fancy, only being clad in a loose white robe that fell an inch above his bare ankles.
He looked so peaceful with his eyes closed, his toes barely brushing the lip of the lake. At a glance, anyone would've thought of him as a human, but upon inspecting closer, Focalors' gaze fell upon his head.
Two bright blue antennas stemmed from his hair, drooping just a few inches below his shoulders. Could he possibly be..?
"That's the current Hydro Dragon Sovereign," Egeria explained. "A successor of the seven sovereigns whose power we hold in our hands now."
"A dragon?" Focalors peered closer, her torso now perched on the rock. "He looks fairly human to me."
"That's because he was prophesied to be born in a human body. But he's very much immortal, just as you soon will be once you ascend to divinity as I have." Egeria folded her arms with a sigh. "I advise that you don't wake him up. To an elemental sovereign, we are nothing more than usurpers of their power."
But Focalors was far too captivated by the being in front of her. With one hand gripping the stone for balance and another holding up her cheek, she couldn't help but watch the sleeping dragon. "He's beautiful."
Egeria was torn between wanting to gently pry her successor away from her spot and letting her continue her...sightseeing. "My dearest familiar, do you even know why I brought you here in the first place?"
"Was it not to gaze upon this lovely creature?"
"Unless you want your ascension to be sped up with my demise, no." Egeria pulled Focalors' white hood over her head to hide her before pulling her own as well. "Don't let yourself be seen."
"He doesn't look like the type to harm anyone though." Focalors gestured to the dragon, who shifted his position and was now curled up like an infant. How adorable!
Curious about what he looks like up close, Focalors climbed down from the rock and made her way to the waters.
"What are you doing—"
"I just want to get a closer look..!" Before Egeria could stop her, Focalors quietly slid into the lake until her entire body was submerged under the water, leaving only her eyes and the top of her hood above its surface.
Oh Celestia, they were going to be in so much trouble if the dragon woke up.
"Focalors, if you get caught, I cannot turn you back into an oceanid to save you from his clutches," the Hydro Archon warned her, but the softness of poor Egeria's tone was barely enough to sway Focalors from swimming towards the sleeping sovereign.
The closer she got to him, the faster her heart beat in her chest. She was able to see him more clearly now. His eyes were sharply lined, which gave off an intimidating presence even as he slept. But the lack of tension on his handsome face made him look like an angel fallen from Celestia.
His soft lips were slightly parted from exhaustion. Focalors wondered what it would be like to touch those lips, but as soon as she caught herself thinking of such thoughts, her face flushed in embarrassment. Why was she so drawn to this man she had never even met before?
"There's no way you could actually be the enemy of Celestia, right?" she murmured, tempted to touch his silky white hair. "You seem like a kindhearted fellow. An attractive one at that too."
Suddenly, he stirred in his sleep, startling her. Before she could swim back to Egeria, the dragon opened his eyes and caught her.
Instinctively trying to save herself, Focalors dove under the waters a little too loudly for safety, but the moment she did, her bare ankle was caught by a long blade of kelp. She could feel Egeria's panicked and disappointed stare from above the water. Ah, what a mess she got herself into indeed.
Her situation worsened when another figure joined her underneath the lake, the strong splash sending her backwards. She saw hints of white among the flurry of bubbles before they slowly dissipated to reveal the man whose slumber she disturbed.
Pale violet eyes bore into her own with suspicion. A part of her wanted to turn away and hide her two different colored eyes. It wasn't that she was ashamed of them, but many humans around her found it quite strange. Instead, she pulled her hood down even further, hoping it could still hide most of her face.
The dragon swam closer towards her, as if he was trying to inspect her. She thought he was going to question her or maybe even attack her for intruding on him, but to her surprise, he reached for the kelp restraining her ankle. "Hold still."
She did as she was told as the dragon summoned his claws and cut the vine with his talons, letting its remains fall to the sand below them.
He...freed her?
Focalors peeked at him through her hood and noticed that he didn't look angry at all. His face held almost no emotion in it, but the weight of his actions spoke volumes.
"Please leave at once. This area is overrun by vishaps." His voice was coldly deep but enticingly sweet at the same time. When Focalors remained unmoving, he added, "You could get yourself killed if you do not leave this place."
"Ah. You're right." Focalors snapped out of her reverie and shook off the remaining kelp attached to her foot. "Thank you for saving me." She decided to bite the bullet while she was at it. "May I know your name?"
The dragon stared at her as if she just asked him to give up his greatest possessions. "You're asking me to reveal myself to a person who won't even show their face?" he said incredulously.
"Ah...well..."
With a flick of his hand, the hood covering Focalors' head flew off, settling at the back of her neck. She gasped as he towered over her, looking deep into her mismatched eyes with curiosity.
"Who are you?" he asked her.
"I'm Fo..." She stopped herself before she could get her real name out. If this was Egeria's enemy, she needed to be careful. "Furina. My name is Furina."
"'Furina.'" He repeated in a low whisper. It almost made her shiver. "You're not human, are you?"
She chuckled nervously. "Something of the sort." She hoped that he didn't see her oceanid fins from underneath her robe.
"Then what are you? And why did you come here?" The hydro dragon's eyes narrowed in suspicion.
"I'm no powerful being." Yet, she mentally noted. "I just happened to see numerous Lakelight Lilies around this area and couldn't help myself. Only then did I find you asleep on that rock, so naturally, I was curious to check on you."
"And yet you know of my connection to the usurpers?" he questioned.
Ah so he heard her earlier. Focalors blushed as she recalled the things she said previously. She hoped he didn't hear her last sentence. There was no point in denying it now either way too. "Yes. I've heard of your existence, O Great Hydro Dragon Sovereign."
His face only soured at the mention of his title. "There's nothing great about my existence," he spat bitterly, averting her gaze. "I have no plans of getting involved with the gods who slayed my predecessors. I simply wish to live my life in peace."
Focalors' heart swelled for him. So he carried the same thoughts she did. They were both successors of beings with great responsibilities, but neither of them were free to live their life as they wished.
"I...can understand that feeling," she admitted, making him look back at her inquisitively. "Having your very existence born from injustice, and constantly facing the world with a blade at your neck." She chuckled halfheartedly. "I know that feeling all too well."
He was silent as he listened to her. She didn't know if she overstepped by dumping her hidden thoughts to this stranger, but for some reason, she didn't feel unwelcome. She felt safe with him, hidden underwater, away from Celestia's prying eyes.
When the silence was becoming a little too awkward, she opened her mouth to speak some more, but was interrupted when the dragon spoke. "Neuvillette."
"What?"
"You may refer to me as Neuvillette." He plucked something shiny from the ground below them and handed it to her. "Here, I believe it's called a lumitoile."
Focalors traced her fingers delicately over the scaly blue starfish in her hands. It was beautiful. No one has ever gifted her anything before, and the thought of it made her smile giddily.
"Thank you, I'll treasure it greatly, Neuvillette," she told him, her words tainting his cheeks with an adorable shade of pink.
Suddenly, a familiar blue sprite whizzed past them. Focalors noticed the ocean blue wings tugging at her white hair, as if trying to pull her away from the dragon.
Egeria?
"Oh! I think I've stayed here for too long. My little friend is begging me to return." She giggled, looking up at Neuvillette for one last time. "I hope you don't mind me leaving so soon."
For a split-second he looked a bit disappointed. "Will you return here anytime soon?"
"Aww, missing me already? Aren't you the one who told me to leave this place?" she teased him with a laugh. "If you welcome me here, I don't see why I shouldn't visit."
Egeria's sprite let out a horrified squeak, pulling at Focalors' hair with all her might repeatedly. If she weren't her superior, Focalors would've swatted the little pixie away.
Neuvillette's expression softened upon hearing that she was willing to visit him again and sent her off with a formal nod. "In that case, I'll be looking forward to your visit then, Furina."
In an instant, the waters around her glowed cyan as she felt herself being pulled away from the lake. A second later, she was back at her hiding spot with Egeria once again in her humanlike form, both of them drenched from head to toe.
"You are going to get us into serious trouble, Focalors," the archon scolded her. "How else will I leave the oceanids to you once you become the archon—Focalors, are you even listening? I was worried sick wondering what happened to you down there!"
"Oh Lady Egeria, he's nothing like what you described!" Focalors glanced behind her to find Neuvillette rising from the waters and gathering the Lakelight Lilies around him. "He's the sweetest man I've ever met! You have to let me see him again!"
She sighed exasperatedly, watching as Focalors adorably rambled about her encounter with the Hydro Dragon. Egeria partially regretted showing him to her in hopes of making her realize that the Dragon Sovereigns were Celestia's enemies. It was too early to tell, but even Egeria knew deep inside that there would come a time that the dragons, or anyone else, might attempt to take their place as the rulers of Fontaine. The recent fall of King Remus was enough proof of that.
But a part of her felt relieved to know that the dragon didn't dare to harm her dear Focalors. At least, in her eventual absence, she would be well-protected and far from loneliness. If she could manage to soften the heart of the Hydro Dragon, perhaps she could gain an ally instead of an enemy.
She tilted her head towards the direction the dragon swam off to and smiled to herself. After all, a dragon's bond to their mate was stronger than any power Celestia held.