The Grand Iudex of Fontaine currently sat at his desk, sipping the slightly sweet water of Guizhang Pool of Liyue. A quick look at the watch revealed that it was 30 past 9- half an hour beyond the scheduled time for his meeting with the Hydro Archon. The lack of Alfonso or Allard informing him of a summon told him that Lady Furina was ignoring him again.
His grip on his beverage tightened. His repeated efforts of alerting the Archon to the impending issue of the rapid influx of Primordial Seawater were in vain- the massacre at Poisson had claimed ninety-eight lives. Lady Furina had been present when Alfonso had staggered into his office, clothes torn and eyes red, asking for indefinite leave, whispering "failure, failure, failure" to himself. He remembered how distraught the President of the Spina had been when she was shouting at him, reminding him of the failures of Fontaine's Justice and his own. Miss Furina no doubt knew the plight of the people of Fontaine, then why was she-
The sound of incessant rain with a promise of thunder drew him out of his thoughts. He willed himself calm. It wouldn't do to scare the people of Fontaine, especially with the prophecy and Poisson so fresh on their minds.
Allard had informed him that there had been an incident at the grand theatre yesterday. A masked man had declared the Archon neglectful, and had denounced her role as Archon to him.
Judging from the rant's content, he had a strong suspicion of who this masked man. But he would not accuse without proof. Crude as the man was, he somewhat agreed with the man. He had been wronged, and it was well within his rights to ask for justice. It was the way of delivering his request that violated laws.
Following his speech, great chaos had erupted in the crowds, with people supporting both sides. No doubt there were people who shared his ideology, but were too afraid to speak up. Fourteen people had been arrested in the ensuing violence, and the Archon had further given a speech to calm the citizens down.
Though it wasn't entirely successful, she managed to quell the violence and prevented the worst from happening. However, the seeds of doubt in the people's mind had now sprouted, and they would demand answers. Lady Furina would finally need to step up, and take an active role in quelling the coming calamity.
Something drastic had to be done. Nothing would harm her- he would never allow it, but something that would force her to act. She did value her status as Archon very much. Hmm…
He got up from his seat. He had sworn to Lady Furina herself to protect the people of Fontaine, and he would do it any cost.
xxxx
She was Navia of Poisson, and she was tired. Her tears had long run out, so she had come to the city to visit one of her few surviving friends.
Allard had greeted her at the door with a smile. His smile had gone as fast as it had come upon seeing her face and he had pulled her inside his home quickly. He poured her a cup of tea. He hadn't been at Poisson, so she knew he had questions, but just didn't have enough energy to answer them right now.
"How are you holding up, Navia?"
"What do you think, Allard?"
A beat.
"I-" Navia started, but Allard shushed her, and started massaging her shoulders.
She sipped her tea. She supposed that Allard understood. He had always been the most empathetic one out of all them.
He sat by her side and held her hand. She saw the weariness in his eyes, and the weight of so many things left unsaid. She barely stopped herself from weeping again. Instead, she tried to make conversation.
"Did you talk to Alfy yet?"
"I did." He sighed. He took a deep breath and continued. "I'd like to say he is getting better, but I'd be lying. He's going down a path which I am not sure I'd be able to follow, but if something were to happen to him, I don't know what I would do."
His voice shook, and he went silent.
Navia sipped on her tea again. Fate had been very cruel to them. How many Meluses, Maries and Silvers would the waters take before the Fontaine could rest without the fear of dissolving in their sleep?
It all came back to the damn prophecy. When the flood happened, Marie and Alfy were in a room at the very bottom of Poisson. As horrified as she was of herself now, she had been thankful that it was Marie who died, and not Alfy. Had half her friends died in one night, she was afraid she'd do something drastic.
Come what may, her friends, her family, would not suffer any longer. No one would go through what they had gone through. No weeping friend will ever mourn another one lost to the waves, and no lover will grieve another turned to water.
"Don't worry Allard. Alfy is stronger than that. You two did make it as the Gardiens de Fontaine. You just wait and see, son of Rousseau. See as Navia of Poisson overturns the prophecy, and even fate itself! No more Fontainians will dissolve on my watch!"
The smile on Allard's face was worth the cringe attack she was currently experiencing."Way to go, prez. Just don't announce yourself as a Hero and go an a quest to beat a kid with your umbrella."
Navia's face burned red."That was so long ago, you jerk! And I had you apologise on my behalf, did I not?"
Allard laughed, and it was music to her ears."By the Archon, I was the one who cleaned up after you all, wasn't I? Did you accidentally learn to apologise somewhere in between, or are you still the haughty 'Hero'?"
She surprised herself when she laughed. It really had been a while. She should have visited sooner.
Time went by quickly when drinking and dining. She looked at her watch, clicked her tongue, and took leave of Allard. After a promise to visit soon, she was out in the cold, windy night.
Her conviction burned brighter. She had a meeting to attend.
Xxxx
The Hydro Archon had come to the play for two reasons.
One, she wanted her people to see their Archon. Hope was a wonderful thing, and mortals hoped more than anyone when inder the protection of an immortal.
Second, Furina quite liked plays, and she hadn't been to one in a while.
The play was wonderful- as expected of the Phantom Opera, really. Furina had missed their last show twenty years earlier, and though their main, and her favourite, actress had died and been replaced a new one, the Opera had displayed their brilliance on stage yet again.
Then the man in the mask had spoken up.
At first, the Hydro Archon couldn't see where the man was. The gall! How dare he accuse her magnificence! This was the land of justice, so she couldn't show him his place, but he was a mortal after all. There was more than one way to make someone's life a living hell.
But Furina was scared. This was the first insult she had faced in 500 years after her induction. Had she slipped somewhere?
The Hydro Archon posed her ultimatum, and when Gods threatened a mortal, there was only one conclusion- the mortal being cowed, and instantly apologize. But somehow, incredulously, the man persisted. He gave his explanation, and posed his request, with an ultimatum of his own.
Make no mistake, the Hydro Archon was furious. A mortal had finally forgotten his limits, and done something way beyond his power, and had offended her way beyond anyone had in her five hundred years of life. But there was a hint of respect, somewhere deep inside- this man had the guts to threaten a God, be it for whatever fault he had found within her. Even the dragon had never come close, and here he was, trying to emulate something so far his superior.
Furina, however, had gone silent. Come what may, the plan MUST not fail. There was no other alternative. There was only one path to walk, and even if she hated it with all her being, she gave in to the act fully, ready to fool the heavens and the earth.
Xxxxx
The Hydro Archon entered her chambers after a long day.
She removed her coat and loosened her shirt.
The Hydro Archon set down her sword at the table and slipped out of her shoes into her slippers.
The Hydro Archon sat down on the bed, and only then did Furina take off her mask and allow tears to fall out of her eyes.
She couldn't make any noise- the guards outside would hear, so she cried silently.
That man at the theatre today had almost doomed Fontaine. He was doing it for Fontaine, she could tell, so she couldn't fault him for it one bit. After all, a lying scoundrel like her deserved it, and a lot more.
She had not stopped even then, when the theatre demanded answers, lying and lying till she had contained the situation. However, the face of the Hydro Archon did not lie, could not lie. Back on her throne, she had let go of all the stops, manipulating her people's trust in her with words that burned on her tongue, but not on the tongue of the Hydro Archon. She had spoken with power that Furina didn't possess, but the Hydro Archon did.
But she had done it for the people that Furina and the Hydro Archon loved. She had done it so that Mirror-me would succeed in her plan to save Fontaine. She did not care what happened to her afterwards. Whatever her people decided, she would accept it. She deserved all of it for lying and cheating her nation for five hundred years.
But whatever happens, she would give it her all to make sure that this land she loved would not drown. Everyone deserved to survive and thrive, after all.
(All except her, all except her)