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Sedene placed the letter atop Neuvillette’s desk with both hands. The melusine’s brows were furrowed, and her eyes gave a faint look of what he thought may have been pity. He thought nothing of it until he read his name in an elegant and perhaps too flowery script he once had 500 years to become accustomed to. It was also with maybe too much eagerness that he placed his contract off to the side. Carefully, the dragon shed his gloves and ran his nail beneath the seal. It opened with a gentle rustle; his fingers brushed the vellum, and the sweet scent of roses stained.
Sedene’s look of pity suddenly made a lot of sense.
Encased in cream and scribbled in gold was a single invitation. One the dragon never thought he would receive. He read the sentence once, twice, and thrice as if the content would change with each pass.
It did not.
The wedding invitation in his hand felt as if it weighed as much as steel—like it was a cold lead, heavy and lodged in his chest. The golden ink sparkled, an embodiment of supposed joy, yet it was nothing more than a gilded verdict to the dragon. An inescapable truth he had no warning of.
Furina was getting married. Furina was getting married.
The fact continued to glare up at him, and it was not until a soft cough brought his attention back to the present and towards the melusine who was eying him with a heavy dose of concern. Words were lost on his lips, and for a second, he could only stare as he tried to process the rapid spiral of his thoughts. Furina was getting married. That could not be possible. Last he heard, no one was courting her, much less was she seeing anyone with the capacity to marry. Neuvillette would know, she would have told him…or at the very least, one of their friends would...yes? If not them, then at least the network of hers he had obtained; he had given them one job.
“Sir…will you be attending?”
The part of him that stung, that blistered with disdain and hurt, hissed a resounding ‘no.’ The more decisive part, the one that had promised her everything and anything, was the one that spoke out loud.
“Of…course.” If… this was what Furina wanted, then who was he to deny her? What right did he have to even feel upset in the first place? Her private affairs were not his privy, and she was…she allowed, should marry whoever she cared for. She should…marry whoever made her happy and safe. But why was the fact that he was neither that to her blistering? Like a wound made irritated by constant picking. Neuvillette shoved the feelings to the depths of his mind, buried them alongside the graves of words and feelings he could never bring himself to voice. Words he had no longer any right to utter.
“Let me sign…” His pen was barely lifted from the response before the invitation had been swept away from him in a flurry. Neuvillette blinked down at the melusine, who regarded him steadily as if she had not been so impatient in the first place. The oddity was brushed off as Sedene nodded her head. “I’ll make sure Lady…I mean, Miss Furina receives your response.” The reminder was all it took for his curiosity to waver just long enough for him to catch the sight of a disappearing fluffy tail as the door to his office slammed closed. The echoing click and stretching quiet was all that remained.
The grandfather clock ticked away, the chime rang fourteen times, and the envelope mocked him from where it rested against the oak. The cloying scent of sweet roses never tasted so bitter on his tongue with every inhale. His name, written with evident care, ridiculed him. Beneath his fingertips, the cardstock crumpled. Crinkled and tore with the force beneath the flaring ire. Outside the mosaic windows, dark clouds pulled through. Regret bloomed only minutes later, heavy like viscous tar as Neuvillette smoothed over his damage and flattened the sheet until it was more recognizable. Still, the damage would remain as uneven marks and unsightly shadows across the surface once light. The sovereign tucked the envelope away anyway. Placing it carefully on top of all the messages, letters, and exchanges on his notepad he had received from her over the centuries.
Raindrops splattered against the windowpanes.
The resulting dull and empty thud sounded how he felt.
As Neuvillette eyed the envelope one last time, he came to a late but unimportant realization.
He never caught the name of Furina’s supposed intended.
He supposed he should learn, but ultimately, why did it matter? It was not like he could stop the wedding. Neuvillette’s chair creaked as he stood. On another day, he would have winced at the unsightly sound. Instead, he strode to the door. How remiss of him. How utterly unbecoming and distracted had he become with just a single sentence? His shadow was extended as he towered over Sedene. The melusine barely blinked as she looked up at him to her credit.
“Yes Monsieur Neuvillette?”
“Sedene, I must apologize for overlooking it earlier. Could you please remind me of the date of the wedding?”
“Of course, Monsieur. I believe,” he watched as her paws fiddled with a filled calendar. “Ah, here it is. It is in two days.”
Two – His mind halted.
Just two days? When had they even met? When did they date? How long had this been going on? Had he somehow been so taken with work that he had missed a change that resulted in this? A wedding pushed so early it was happening in two days? Was she… preg– he yanked himself away from that line of thought before it could be finished. The sheer notion of it made his stomach turn.
The storm outside turned torrential.
“I made sure to clear your schedule. There should be no conflicts!” The dragon wished there was.
Thunder ripped across the sky. Sedene patted the hand he had unwittingly clenched on the countertop. “Let us hope the weather also clears up by then.” He tried not to think of how piercing her gaze was, of how knowing she was of his…struggles. Very little escaped her in the centuries they have worked together.
Neuvillette sucked in a quiet breath. He could try, but that did not mean the sovereign wanted to.
A voice that was a vicious reflection of his own hissed at him.
Pathetic.
As he slunk back into his office, he was inclined to agree. He was utterly pathetic.
By the time the clock struck midnight and there was no work left to distract him from his aimless thought, Neuvillette was sure he was going to ruin Fontaine with the cacophony of feelings that was stirring the weather.
Upset was just a scratch on the surface of the mess that writhed inside him. It was a tight ball within his chest that only coiled tighter and tighter as time continued to tick away like a threat. Like an inescapable guillotine that hung over his head, but the guillotine was blunt. He was one swing away from being crushed by feelings he had long since pushed aside. For how can he burden her with his feelings? How can he ask her for everything when he is duty-bound to put Fontaine first? How would that have been fair to her?
Yet now, he was the one stuck, rooted to the very work that was his executioner as she moved forward. As she should, as Furina deserved after all her sacrifice . But try as he might, the dragon could not find joy for her.
Not a single ounce.
Not a single drop.
It was almost foreign, this inability to muster joy for her achievements when it had once been so easy.
Neuvillette's head throbbed at the back. Sleep evaded him. As the first light of dawn seeped into his office, the dragon discovered no improvement; the internal clamor had only intensified. Twisted, churned, and swirled into a mass he could not mask. The rain may have tapered off into a drizzle, but the office's air remained weighted. Sedene had shaken and ducked her head as she slipped him his morning work.
No one pointed out that the Iudex was in a less-than-pristine state.
The sun could only break through around noon to the familiar hum of a woman whose visit had only become sporadic over time. The workers only breathed a sigh of relief as Furina flitted through the doors to Neuvillette’s office.
Neuvillette was willing to admit that he was utterly pathetic as his world had righted itself when Furina graced his office. The frustration within had dulled; the day seemed a tad more manageable, and as she smiled at him plopping a raindrop cake on his desk, he could push the rest of the dissatisfaction aside. He felt a stab of guilt as he watched her brows furrow. “Are you overworking, Neuvillette? It has been quite turbulent lately.” The dragon’s heart ached. Tomorrow was Furina’s happy day, and she was fretting over him instead of attending to whatever task she needed to do. In that second, Neuvillette realized he could feel guilty for not feeling guilty enough. He liked that he was important enough for her to visit and was now on her mind. Not that other one.
The corner of his lips rose a fraction. “There have been more cases lately, but it is nothing I can not handle.” He gestured towards his desk, where the paperwork was steadily growing. “I..ah, apologize for the inconveniences I may have caused?” There was a snort. He watched with fondness as the white-haired woman rolled her eyes.
“Oh shush, you’ve done nothing of the sort,” Furina huffed. Her eyes traced his face, and he kept his gaze steady even as he wanted to shift beneath her attention.
He wished she had not dropped her hand when she approached his face.
“Have you slept at all?”
“I was…preoccupied.” By you, his mind whispered.
The dragon could only bear the brunt of her observation as her eyes narrowed. There was another sigh, and he only felt delighted at her consideration. “At least get some rest tonight. I can not have you looking like you are the embodiment of the dead tomorrow.” Delight soured as the proverbial blade twisted.
The sovereign froze as warm fingers brushed his cheeks and a thumb pressed against the bags beneath his eyes.
“Are you sure you are alright?” Furina’s concern was palpable, and it took considerable restraint not to lean into her touch. At this moment, he finally understood a human’s vices clearly. The things he could do to keep her here. To keep her with him .
“I will be.” He would try his best to be, if only so she would smile. “Perhaps I shall do as you suggest and retire early today.” If only to give him ample time to prepare for the torture tomorrow would bring.
The etching of worry lifted from Furina’s face just enough for the taller man to feel he was doing the right thing. His hand dug into his thigh when he forced himself not to follow her touch. He was glad she was distracted by Sedene’s arrival. Drawn, like a moth to a flame, he had leaned forward.
“Lady Furina, there’s someone here to fetch you.”
Neuvillette's jaw ached from the force in which he snapped them shut. The click was so audible it drew both the other’s attention. He cleared his throat, the smile on his lips crooked and wry. “I shall not keep you any longer than Furina.” His gaze dropped toward the box she had placed on his desk. “Thank you for the snack.” He wanted to brush his thumb against her mouth as she worried her lips.
“Oh, alright then. Promise me you will at least attempt to rest?” He could promise her almost anything.
There was a soft harumph as he nodded his head. Fondness dulled the pang as he watched her leave. The soft-blue carton of his dessert crinkled as it was pulled open. From the window, he watched as she disappeared with a bard dressed in green.
Neuvillette learned that the dessert she had always given him could taste bitter.
In hindsight, perhaps Neuvillette should have looked into who Furina’s perspective…partner was. In hindsight, he should have never allowed it to cross into Fontaine in the first place. Perhaps then, this wedding sham would never have happened in the first place. Had he been so busy that he missed the entry of not one but two usurpers into his lands? The Anemo and Geo archon were dressed neatly, sporting their best for today’s event. But for today, he would let the Anemo archon pass…
The other one, on the other hand…
Neuvillette could feel his fangs dig into his cheek. Feel the way his nails lengthened behind the sheathe of his gloves. He could feel the shade of dragon emanate from the fake, which irritated his nerves. What irritated him even more was the man’s position by the altar. Not even Sedene and Sigewinne’s excited chatter about acting and plays could distract him from…it.
His cane creaked beneath his grip. The noise was lost to the excited chatter that only grew around them.
Somewhere behind him, he could pick out Clorinde and Navia’s voice. Both sounded quite excited about Furina’s dress.
The dress she would wear to wed this…fake dragon.
The dress she would wear to kiss this…thing.
The dress she would wear to their wedding night–
He slammed shut the door to that thought before he could break the cane in his hand. Neuvillette exhaled sharply as the Melusine around him regarded him with mixed emotions he did not want to pick out. Not when his nerves were fraying by the second as the sun rose in the sky. It was already a struggle to keep the influx of everyone’s emotion at bay lest the weather turned…murderous.
The beast he kept beneath lock and key wished it would.
Across the sea of party-goers, amber clashed with amethyst. A smile with too many teeth was bared alongside amusement.
The sovereign felt his blood boil.
The dragon was unsure if the intense desire for violence stemmed from the craving of a beast or the human inclination for retribution. Neuvillette also decided it did not matter as knowing flitted across the usurper’s expression.
He wanted to…
The rage and irritation was flummoxing.
The hurt slipped between the vicious thoughts.
Furina was to marry a false dragon simply because her dragon was slow at staking his– no at showing her his affection.
If he could, if he perhaps had been human, Neuvillette was aware that he would have cried.
The violent symphony within him grew like a match taken to dry leaves.
It only festered, compounded, and leaked into what had once been the calm sea of his psyche.
Furina’s arrival exacerbated the already infected wound across his heart.
She was beautiful stunning, and Neuvillette’s breath was lodged in his throat for a second. She had always looked resplendent in white. The moment shattered the moment the scent of lilies passed by.
The string of pearl that created the clasp down her back was an insufficient distraction for his growing insanity. What else could he call the chaotic symphony scratching at him from the inside out? What was the name of the creature clawing itself free with each step Furina took away from him?
Ah.
The wretched creature was Neuvillette.
A grotesque and ultimately selfish being.
He barely registered anything, but the scene unfolding before him missed the knowing look Sedene and Sigewinne shared as they ushered their sisters to the side. He did not notice as Clorinde, Navia, and Chiori moved away from the aisle. Nor did he see the magician siblings and Wriothelesly duck behind chairs.
Neuvillete's eyes glazed over, his mind consumed by thoughts of Furina and her radiant smile. But then, like a swift strike of lightning, a sharp pang of jealousy tore through him. His heart clenched as he watched the scene unfold before him, the once beautiful canvas now marred with sickly shades of green. The officiant's words became a blur as Neuvillete struggled to keep his feelings in check, his fists clenching tighter and tighter. The parts of the vows he did hear only painted a future he did not want to see. One where Furina stood next to another, one where she shared with another, one where he was not there. One where loved, cherished, and grew old…
He was a kettle left on a stove that had finally boiled over.
Neuvillete's vision blurred as that man's face dipped just a fraction.
No.
Fontaine creaked.
No.
The aquabus lines churned.
Neuvillette relinquished the reigns on his taught selflessness.
The dragon had already lost Furina once. Why did he have to do so a second time?
Yellow cracked against blue as a growl ripped from the sovereign’s throat. The sound was low, and feral. Dust scattered as the floor broke. The three-circle sigil glowed, rippled, and pulsed as it sprawled across the stone barrier that groaned beneath water pressure. A kick forced Neuvillette to skid backward.
“Nevullette, stop!”
The sovereign’s arm wrapped out his archon’s waist. This distance was enough.
In a flash of azure, he yanked them through space.
Back at the destroyed venue, Venti eyed Zhongli, amusement, and giggles on his lips. He clapped his hands together before turning towards the ‘guests.’
“Finally! I thought that Iudex of yours would not crack. I must say, my plan was brilliant.”
A snort echoed to the left as the previous geo archon dusted off his jacket. An exasperated look was sent Venti’s way. Easy for him to say. He did not need to take the brunt of an angry sovereign’s attack.
From the crowd, Sedene finally exhaled. “Um…are you sure Lady Furina will be alright?”
Their Liyuen guest finally spoke. “If anyone has a chance of…mollifying your Iudex, it would be the fair lady.”
That everyone could agree on.
Furina squeaked as she stumbled. The world righted itself into its proper colors as her head spun. It felt as if her body had been pulled apart at the seams and put together in rapid succession. With a whine, she buried her face into Neuvillette’s chest even as ire flooded hers.
What in Teyvat was her Iudex thinking, attacking their guests like that? In the middle of practice, to boot!
“Y-you, you brute, you owe me an explanation. What was that? You can not go around attacking visiting delegations.” Her huff was met with narrowed eyes.
The draconic gaze regarded her closely. “I assure you, Lady Furina, it was necessary," Neuvillette replied in a low, steady voice.
Furina pulled away slightly, her eyes wide with suspicion. "And why would that be? They came here as guests, seeking our diplomatic assistance...yours."
His brow rose. "My...assitance? Pray tell me, if they needed my help, why were you marrying one of them?"
"MARRIED?!" Furina spluttered. Her fingers rose to pinch the bridge of her nose. What was her Iudex going on about? "Neuvillette, have you even slept since I last saw you? How can you forget? I told you that this would be a rehearsal for a production. They wanted to experience the arts. I even sent a letter with Sedene."
Nothing made sense, and what had started as an enjoyable morning was devolving into chaos in an hour. Furina felt her patience waning. Neuvillette's inhale was sharp.
"Letter? Did you not send me an invitation to your wedding?"
"Neuvillette, I--" she was utterly confused.
"Why am I getting married when I am not even dating anyone? You...know that? Right?" She prodded his chest. "Even then, why would I getting married bother you enough to attack someone?"
She watched as understanding and a dash of what she could only suppose was annoyance flit across his face.
"It seems that we were involved in quite a setup."
"Set..."
Realization settled.
Nevuillette watched as understanding grew across his brilliant archon’s face. Her cheeks rounded with indignation as the pieces slotted into place.
“But why,” Furina questioned.
The answer the dragon knew. Their friends, those delegates, had all come together to orchestrate this moment. They came together to force his realization. To also give him this chance. One, he would not squander anymore.
“Because of this.” Neuvillette dipped his head. “The reason why your marriage to anyone but I is loathsome.”
His lips met hers.
As they broke apart, Furina's heart fluttered like a captured bird desperately trying to escape its cage. Her breath came in ragged gasps. Her cheeks felt like they were on fire. The dragon took her hand in his, their fingers interlocked. The shorter woman’s gaze traced the flick of Neuvillette’s tongue across his mouth.
"Was that a sufficient answer to your inquiry, or do you need another example?"