Work Text:
It doesn’t snow often in Fontaine.
With the nation of Hydro constantly being in the state of endless downpour throughout most of the year, seeing snowflakes instead of raindrops feels like a once in a lifetime opportunity to most Fontainians. Instead of playing with puddles or running to the nearest shelter, people get to go out and have snowball fights and make sculptures out of the snow on the ground.
It’s such a lovely sight to see. So lovely, in fact, that it has encouraged the nation’s Archon and her Iudex to go out together in a rather uncommon public sighting outside the courtroom.
Furina and Neuvillette walked side-by-side, admiring the falling snow surrounding them. Children were having snowball fights hiding behind their makeshift forts, while some people went to make little sculptures of anything they desired. Some even made snow sculptures in the likeness of their God and Chief Justice, much to both of their amusement. It truly felt like there was a celebration going on in Fontaine right at that very moment.
“My, my, it seems like the people have really come to adore our very own Iudex!” Furina joked as they passed by the festivities.
“It appears so, Lady Furina, though I don’t necessarily see the point of including me in such a display of worship. I am but a mere judge, whose duty is to give the most impartial of verdicts,” Neuvillette replied back.
Furina stopped mid-walk and turned towards Neuvillette, who stopped as well. “What nonsense! I’ve already told you, isn’t it good that your interactions toward your people have had a positive impact in the long run?” She raised an eyebrow, waiting for his response.
“That may be so, but I still can’t help but feel out of place among the people.”
No matter how many years have passed, he still ends up feeling like he’s nothing but an observer amongst the sea of Fontainians. Each day was a new form of human emotion that he had yet to learn and understand to the best of his ability.
That doesn’t stop him from trying, however. Yet, there was one aspect of living in Fontaine that he still has yet to understand even as the passage of time has come and gone.
“Progress is progress, is it not? It may have taken years, but look where we are now! You’re an integral part of Fontaine, my dear Iudex, and our people wouldn’t trade it for anything.”
“If that is how you see it, Lady Furina, then I shall complain no longer.”
In all of his years serving as the nation’s Chief Justice alongside the Hydro Archon, he has never been able to understand what was going on behind his superior’s head, no matter how much he tried. They have learned to work together–quite well in fact, and yet, the matter still stands on what was behind Furina’s very own innermost thoughts.
Sometimes she would act spontaneously and go into hysterics, baffling everyone in the vicinity, himself included. Other times she’d go on tangents about the next big opera that’s about to show or whichever novel was trending at the time. And yet, behind the closed doors of the Palais Mermonia and their private transportation, was a whole other different side of Furina that most people have yet to witness.
A much more gentle, and caring side that only people such as the Iudex are privy to.
As they resumed their walk, the snow began to pick itself back up not long afterward, causing everyone in the area to stop and observe the impending snowfall.
“It seems winter has truly fallen upon Fontaine at this time of year,” Neuvillette remarked.
“Indeed it has, my dear Iudex,” Furina agreed.
They continued observing the snowfall when one snowflake in particular seemed to be en route towards Furina herself.
She looked and pointed at the snowflake in wonder. “Look, Neuvillette! It seems that this little snowflake is about to land on my nose!”
He looks at the falling snowflake, before shifting his gaze towards Furina, observing her reaction. Suddenly, all of his thoughts think back towards his first meeting with her all those years ago, where she first greeted him at the doors of the Palais Mermonia. All he simply wanted was answers about himself at the time, yet the one who calls herself Focalors had other plans in store for him.
Plans that helped shape him to be the person that he currently is today, with new experiences–new lessons learned, as well as meeting people with their own stories to tell. It was the beginning of a centuries long partnership, one that took years to become the relationship that it currently is today.
Walls were built up only to then be broken down by the weight of intimacy, yet no matter how intimate they managed to get over the years, there always seemed to be this small remaining barrier that she puts up that couldn’t be brought down, regardless of his desire to know the real her behind the facade of being Fontaine’s Archon.
…Perhaps it was due to the pressures of the prophecy getting to her. Surely, that must be it.
Regardless of her reasons, he shall be there for her every step of the way. She was not as superficial as she appeared to be after all, for he has heard of her many efforts to study the ever rising water levels over the years, unbeknownst to Furina herself.
He has always admired her for her dedication to her people, despite multiple critiques time and time again calling her a mere mascot whose only job is to just sit there and look pretty eating desserts.
He could never come to hate her, no matter how many attempts were made to strain their relationship over and over again.
“...villette? Neuvillette? W-why are you looking at me like that…?”
Ah, it seems that he has zoned out yet again.
He notices the faint blush on Furina’s cheeks and her averted gaze. Quite the adorable expression, he thought, mildly amused by the sight. He decided to respond before the silence became awkward.
“My apologies, it seems that I have been reminiscing about the past far too often lately. Sedene has been pointing it out the last few times as well.”
And just as Furina was embarrassed in one moment, she immediately puts her persona back on in the next. “Oh me, oh my! Our Chief Justice zoning out, in public no less? It is not like you to be this nonchalant out here in the open,” she exclaimed.
Neuvillette chuckled. “Believe it or not, that’s what Sedene told me as well, when I zoned out in front of her when she came to my office to remind me of the start of my next trial.”
He looks at her with a fond expression before continuing. “Though I suppose I have you to thank for that. I wouldn’t be here today if it weren’t for your invitation to come to the Court of Fontaine via letter,” he confessed.
Blush creeps back up on Furina’s cheeks. “O-of course! It is all thanks to my very own insistence to have you come stay with us here at the heart of Fontaine! You are, after all, a very important figure in your own right, being the Hydro Dragon Sovereign and all,” she blurts out, muttering the last few words out of secrecy for his true identity.
Just as he was about to respond once more he hears something–
*CLICK*
…He should’ve known that the Steambird journalists were out and about even at this hour.
He quickly turns to the source of the noise, where he notices someone quickly retreating into the bush, creating a decent amount of noise in the process.
“Apologies Lady Furina, but I’m afraid that our little walk has ended prematurely, I suggest we head back to the Palais once I deal with this intruder,” he remarked coldly before heading towards the bush, where a frightened and anxious journalist was hiding, doomed by the impending wrath of the Iudex.
Furina could only stare at the scene and giggle over the situation.
After all, they wouldn’t want the Steambird to blow things out of proportion, now would they?