Chapter Text
The grand Opera Epiclese shimmered under the golden glow of a thousand crystalline lights.
Fontaine’s elites filled every seat in the house. Aristocrats dressed in silks. Merchants watching with their entourages. Artists who lived for nights like this.
And in the most private box, elevated like a throne about it all, was Furina herself.
She lounged with effortless charisma. A gloved hand cradling her chin and the other twirling a bejeweled fan. Her heterochromatic eyes sparkled with genuine delight as the performance hit its peak.
Then it all shattered.
The double doors at the back of the theater exploded with a deafening boom. Splintered wood and twisted metal flew like a shrapnel. A bunch of Fatui agents burst in, a dozen strong. Cryo and Electro crackled throughout the room.
“Lady Furina!” The lead agent shouted, “You are under direct orders from the Cryo Archon, The Tsarista, to come with us. This is not a negotiation. If you don’t, we will not hesitate to use force.”
Furina scoffed, “Your audacity knows no bounds! If you were at least a bit civilized, you would’ve seized me in a private matter. Have you no shame!”
The lead agent pointed, the signal, and two Fatui launched up forwards to her box, the grappling hooks catching the edge. One grabbed the railing and pulled himself up, grabbed the collar of her dress and pushed her down, where she was halfway hanging off the side.
Her eyes widened in genuine horror. Her breath caught in her throat. She wasn’t the archon anymore, she didn’t have any divine power rushing to her aid. Just a very human heart slamming against the ribs of a very human girl. The crushing realization of how fragile she was weighing down on her.
“Let–Let go of me!” She gasped, her voice cracking despite trying to sound commanding.
The second one who had hopped up into her box warned, “It is in your best interest to comply.”
“Unhand her. Immediately.” A stern voice rang throughout the theater, even though he hadn’t even spoken that loud.
Furina cried, “Neuvillette! Help!”
Neuvillette stepped forward, storms gathering outside, “I do not want to resort to violence, unhand the lady.”
The Fatui said, “I can’t do that. We are under orders of our goddess, The Tsarista. If you interfere, we will have to stop you. Please don’t take it to heart, Iudex.”
“Your flattery will not save you.”
The Fatui loosened his grip on her, she fell towards the ground, only to be caught before she fully teetered over the edge.
Furina screamed.
Neuvillette said calmly, “You will cease this at once. This is a house of the law, a place of justice absolute, you shall conduct yourselves as much.”
The lead Fatuus sneered, “You speak of justice while your ‘Archon’ is hanging on by a thread.” He pointed to a sobbing Furina, “The Tsarista’s will is absolute. Even the tides will freeze over to ice.”
“The tides bring the ebbs and flows of life.” Neuvillette stated, “You are merely foam upon the crest.” He raised his cane, a seal formed at his fingertips. At his command, a pillar of water so concentrated waterboarded the Fatuus closest to Furina.
The one who was holding her wrist gasped, almost letting her fall.
“Let her go,” Neuvillette commanded, “Or the weight of your sins will be the least of your worries tonight.”
The Fatuus panicked as his partner gasped for air in the jet stream of water. He quickly tried to jerk Furina up to regain leverage, but his hand slipped on the coat of condensation.
She let out a pained cry and the world seemed to slow down the fall.
Neuvillette quickly flicked his wrist, a gentle stream of water wrapped around Furina’s waist, lifting her up and placing her safely behind Neuvillette’s body.
She grabbed Neuvillette’s shoulder, “They–they tried to–they were going to…”
“ I am here. I won’t let them hurt you.” He consoled her, his voice softening only for her. He turned back to the Fatui agents, “What do you have to say for yourselves?”
The lead one shouted, “The Tsarista…she won’t forget this!”
Neuvillette stated, “She wanted my gnosis, and I gave it to her with the intention that no Fatui would ever commit such serious acts of cruelty again. Now, she has gone back on her word and has tried to take something precious of mine. I will not stand by and let this go without punishment. You will leave this court and leave Fontaine forever. Go back to the land of the Tsarista since you love her so much.”
He slammed his cane in the ground and the pipes above started to creak with pressure. Then they broke. Water rained down against the velvet seats. A great tidal wave flushed them out of the theater entirely.
Furina smoothed out the creases in her outfit, “Well…that was something truly riveting.”
He shook his head, “We cannot stay here, there may be backup. We must evacuate immediately. Please, stay close, my lady.”
Her fingers shook, despite the confidence in her voice, “Very well. This play was getting quite dull.”
…
Furina sat in the large plush chair behind Neuvillette’s desk, wrapped in his coat and drinking a warm cup of tea.
From the other side of the door, someone knocked, “Iudex.”
Neuvillette calmly said, “Enter.”
The door swung open, the Duke of the Fortress of Meropide, Wriothesley, walked in. His handcuffs clinked against his pants, “You never call me up to the surface, you usually come to me when you need something. What’s so important?”
Neuvillette glared at him, “Please sit down, relax. I cannot start this conversation with someone else missing.”
Wriothesley raised his brow, “Missing?”
A blur of golden yellow dashed through the door. The President of the Spina di Rosula, Navia, skidded to a stop. A box tied up in perfect ribbons in her left hand, her gunbrella in the right, “I hope I wasn’t too late. As soon as I heard about the news, I rushed over to the nearest bakery. I know it won’t do much but maybe it can lift up morale, especially yours, Lady Furina.” She rushed over to the desk and set the box down, “I heard you liked tea party cakes.”
The corner of Neuvillette’s mouth twitched up to something that looked like a little smile, “Thank you, Miss Navia. I can speak for Furina when I say that she will greatly appreciate your thoughtfulness. Now that all parties are in attendance, let me be frank with why I really called you here.”
Neuvillette leaned against his cane, “After long and careful consideration, I believe the Fatui are coming after Furina as a bargaining chip to get to me. Though that may not be true and this may just be a crude act of evildoing, I believe the Fatui want exemption from the law, and the only way to get me to accept is to put Furina in danger.”
Wriothesley shrugged, “So what do you want us to do? Be her bodyguards? Don’t you have the Maison for that?”
Neuvillette paused, forming his next words carefully, “I believe that the Maison may be too…predictable. I fear she will become a sitting duck that the Fatui can easily capture. That's why I need you two.” He took a slow step forward, “The Maison Gardiennage operates in the light of law. They follow routes and plans, they stick to schedules. The Fatui have ample experience working around these systems to get what they want. To them the Gardes aren’t an obstacle, they are a map.”
Wriothesley nodded, “And you need people who don’t play by the rules.”
Navia smiled, “I see! Well, I would love to report that that is the Spina does best! Okay, Monsieur Neuvillette, I’m in!”
Wriothesley pinched the bridge of his nose, “So let me clarify, you want us to smuggle her across the country in illegal channels because you’re scared that she isn’t safe here with you?”
Neuvillette nodded, “Precisely.”
“So when do we start?”
“You start now.” Neuvillette said, voice dropping low, “I will summon a storm to cover your tracks. The Fatui’s sight will be greatly hindered, that's when you will move. It will wash away any elemental tracks left by your visions.”
Wriothesley pushed himself off the wall, “Ten minutes. Let me code a message to the fortress saying I’m ‘on vacation.’ Navia, I assume you have some mode of transportation that doesn’t have Spina di Rosula embossed in bright golden letters on the side.”
Navia puffed out her chest, “Of course, Duke! The Spina is a respectable organization, I’ll have you know. We know when to cut the flamboyance.”
They both turned and left to coordinate their departure, the faint sound of arguing broke through the thick double doors.
Furina sighed and stood slowly, her focus on the box sitting on the table.
Neuvillette said, remorse in his voice, “Furina, my coat please.”
She slipped it off her shoulders, “Ah, yes. You must still look every bit of the Iudex, even in my absence.”
“I asked for it because as long as you are wearing it, I will be tempted to follow you.”
Furina glanced up at him, “It will only be a couple of days, right? Neuvillette?”
He said, “Yes, yes. I will be waiting here for you whenever you return.”
“Farewell, Neuvillette.”
“Farewell, Furina.”
Navia peeked her head through the door, “Happy to report that we are ready to depart, Monsieur!”
Wriothesley added, “Who’s we? I would be much happier back in my office with a good cup of tea.”
Neuvillette looked at them, face serious, “From this point forward, Lady Furina’s safety is entrusted to you. If anything happens–”
Navia interrupted him, “I will protect her with everything I have.”
Wriothesley nodded, “I’ll bring her back alive.”
“We have no time to waste, we have to go now!” Navia exclaimed, offering her arm to Furina who took it, “The storm won’t cover us forever. I sincerely hope you can keep up, Duke.”
He opened the door for the two ladies, “Keeping up with each other will be the least of our concerns, President.”
She paused at the door, looking up at him with big blue eyes, “Perfect. That makes things easier for me.” She walked out, chattering to Furina about the latest gossip and news in hopes of making her laugh.
Wriothesley followed behind them, “So, Miss Navia, where are we going first?”
She looked back over her shoulder and smiled at him, “Follow me and you’ll see. You are about to have the adventure of your life, Mr. Wriothesley!”