Chapter Text
Neuvillette paused, pen in hand, and looked out the window. The weather was good today — some might even say it was the perfect day for a picnic. He admired the cloudless sky a while longer, then turned his gaze back to the documents before him.
On clear, sunny days, Neuvillette couldn’t help but think about the day six years ago. The day he had said goodbye to Furina at Lumidouce Harbor — and never saw her again. Her letters were stored in his bottom drawer, and once every so often, he would take them out for a read. The last letter she sent was also the one Neuvillette took out to read the most. She had sent it almost immediately after she left Fontaine, presumably once reaching Mondstadt. He would smile softly when reading it.
‘To the most respectable Iudex of Fontaine,
You need not worry about my whereabouts! I am off to tell my stories to those who wish to hear it. I will have the grandest of tea parties, and share tales like cakes.
I have not just travelled three years for nothing. Perhaps I will become a great storyteller.
I hope you don’t feel sorry for me. I assure you, when you read this letter, I will already be sharing stories with joy.
I’m sorry.
Thank you.
Yours truly
Furina
The letter was ambiguous, a bit too vague for his liking, but her penmanship was one of joy. A storyteller, she had said. He could imagine Furina surrounded by children and adults alike, huddled around her like she was a warm bonfire. They would listen to the stories she collected from around Teyvat, their expressions changing at Furina’s dramatic storytelling.
He didn’t like how she never wrote to him about her future plans, or whether she intended to stay in Mondstadt for the unforeseeable future. She never wrote another letter to him again — and he had felt anxious for a long time, until Wriothesley shrugged his shoulders at his laments and said: “I consider no news, good news.”
Perhaps that was true for Furina as well. There was no need to fret over her — she was off to a new start, the journey of a lifetime. She must be out and about, seeking out what she couldn’t in her 500 years as an Archon.
He wondered what she’d look like now, six years having passed. He was curious if time would finally change Furina’s forever youthful looks. Stuck in time, Furina had never grown a single inch or gained a single wrinkle on her face. The next time they meet, she may have grown much taller than he last remembered.
"Monsieur Neuvillette!"
Sedene walked into his office after a polite knock on the door. She had her trusty clipboard and documents in hand. "A letter from Mondstadt's Knights of Favonius! Addressed to you, by the Acting Grand Master."
She slid the letter across his table. Neuvillette dragged it towards himself. "Thank you Sedene. May I ask if you know how Sigewinne’s been faring these days, if you've heard? I just haven't had the time to write to her."
"She's doing great! No bullying, Monsiuer Neuvillette." Sedene laughed. "Anything comes up and you'll be the first to know."
She smiled at him and took her leave. Neuvillette picked up the letter and cut it open. These letters usually contained news of certain concerning Fontainians in their lands, or invitations to important festivals out of courtesy.
Sure enough, it was an invitation to a yearly local festival, a celebration of the Anemo Archon's return during the harvest season. Neuvillette had never accepted these sorts of requests, and there was no issue in that — these were only complimentary processes after all. He pulled out a piece of paper to pen the Knights of Favonius a polite rejection letter — but a sudden thought flashed across his mind.
Mondstat, the nation of freedom. Furina never said it outright during their small reunion, but he could tell that the land of the Anemo Archon had earned a special place in her heart. He sensed a sort of longing when she spoke about viewing the cliffs beyond walls and cathedrals, and her eyes seemed to wander when she whispered dreamily about them.
The nation that captured Furina's heart. His curiosity started as a small droplet, and by the time he started to write a letter of acceptance, it had become a widening river.
Maybe he could even see her there. Maybe she would be surrounded by children and telling warm stories, just like her letter told him.
He slid the finished letter into an envelope and sealed it with a blue wax stamp. The scales representing Fontaine's justice shone on it.
In two weeks, Neuvillette would set out for the first time in many years. There was a slight excitement bubbling in his chest, and his head was filled with imaginations of Furina sitting by a fire with children listening to her tales. Sure, she might not even be in Mondstadt for all he knew, but he had a feeling she was there — and there was no denying he couldn't wait to see her again.
Two weeks later, Neuvillette and a small group of officials crossed the sea to Yilong Wharf and took a carriage through the Stone Gate, all the way to Mondstadt City. The sun and wind seemed to welcome their arrival, the weather perfectly breezy as the day entered into afternoon. Neuvillette stepped out of the carriage right outside the gates.
"M-Monsieur Neuvillette!" A nervous knight saluted to him. "Welcome to Mondstadt City!" We hope you enjoy your stay here. Please follow us - we will take you to the Knights of Favonius Headquarters."
Neuvillette nodded, his eyes wandering. The greenery was different to that of Fontaine — it seemed fresher, brighter. The lands were flat, but the jagged cliffs beyond them that sculpted the landscape almost seemed to reach for the skies.
'They must be the ones Furina talked about,' he thought.
They were escorted beyond the gate and the stone walls, where the city revealed itself. Locals peered out from their windows and stalls, whispering amongst themselves.
Neuvillette was beginning to understand what Furina liked about this nation. The city was... quaint, multiple sizes smaller than the Court of Fontaine, yet the community seemed tightly knit and the atmosphere was cozy.
He looked at the crowd, searching for pristine white in the midst of blonde and brown heads. He saw none.
The Knights of Favonius Headquarters was bigger than most other buildings, bustling with people in the festive atmosphere. When Neuvillette entered, a young woman greeted him inside.
"Welcome Iudex Neuvillette. I am Jean, the Acting Grand Master of the Knights of Favonius. We are honored to have you on this good day."
"It's good to see you," Neuvillette said, "the honor is mine."
After a short chat over a table of fresh cider and snacks, Neuvillette was given a room in a hotel close to the Favonius building. Before leaving, he cleared his throat to catch Jean's attention.
"I have a question to ask, if you don't mind — have you seen a white haired young Fontainian lady traveling around these parts?"
"A white haired Fontainian lady...? Well, I'm sorry, but I can't seem to remember anyone with that description. But given the unique depiction, I'm sure someone will."
"... I see. Thank you."
When the night came and the moon hung high in the sky, Neuvillette slid out of the hotel for a walk. He let the guard by the door know, and slowly began to let his eyes appreciate the scenery.
He approached the Favonius Cathedral and awed at the colored windows reflecting the moonlight. There was a small graveyard behind it. Neuvillette stood there, looking at the cliffs that stretched beyond Cider Lake.
Then he leaped over the steep wall — an action that would've broken a good few bones for the average human, but luckily Neuvillette was anything but that. There was a goal to be reached on this night walk of his.
He floated up to the sky, reaching the tip of the cathedral’s highest tower. The night was silent, the people all dreaming — they remained oblivious to the Hydro Dragon's presence hovering above their nation.
Neuvillette stretched his hand outwards, his palm over Mondstadt City. A seal made of water emerged and hung parallel of the walled nation. From it drizzled a light layer of rain. Neuvillette felt every drop of water, and resonated with every vibration left on the surface. He searched every inch of the town, hoping to catch a familiar existence.
"... She truly isn't here," Neuvillette muttered. Not a single bead of hydro found Furina, confirming her departure from the land of freedom. The rain stopped, and Neuvillette landed softly on the grass. A shadow was cast over his face.
"... Furina. Just where have you gone?"
