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164 » in the water we will sleep
[It is early evening. The people of the Court of Fontaine go about their day as normally as they can; "regular life" doesn't feel like such a distant dream in the air anymore, now that time has passed since the flood and more efforts are focused on proper rebuilding and reinforcing of structures, rather than the temporary cleanup measures in the immediate wake of disaster. While the Gardes may seem a bit on edge as Aether makes his way back into the city...well. In the last while, when have they not? People don't stop being people for very long even in crisis. Tragedies large and small still play out on the various "stages" that permeate Fontainian society. He'll still get mainly cheerful hellos and good-evenings and waves as he makes his way to Cafe Lutece, to his usual out-of-the-way table. Arouet is sure to make quick work of his order.
Against the backdrop of cheerful voices at the outdoor cafe, the whir of the odd patrolling gardemek, and the distant splashes of the Court of Fontaine's main fountain, a letter finds its way to Aether's seat; the postwoman is polite but distant about it, clearly burdened with too many further deliveries to spend any length of time in pleasantries.
The official seal of Fontaine adorns the back of the envelope, pressed into blue wax. Inside is, naturally, a letter; what else might one expect, in a properly thin envelope of standard size and no interesting decoration? The letter itself seems just as unremarkable, at least until unfolded. It is written on official letterhead, and dated two days prior. Whatever else transpires, the penmanship of the sender lives somewhere above critique.
The traveler will find, written elegantly in blue ink:]
Aether,
Good day. I trust your time spent in Fontaine continues to see you in good health and adventurous spirits. To come to the point, I request your assistance regarding a recent, ongoing investigation. Your assessment and insight would be most welcome. Should you arrive outside of regular business hours, please speak with the Melusine at the desk regarding this invitation.
I await you at your earliest convenience.
Sincerely,
Neuvillette
Iudex of Fontaine
[After everything, one might expect he would at least forgo the closing formalities. Perhaps he had a reason to keep them; perhaps it is simply a habit too difficult to break after all these years. There is, on the surface and for a measurable distance below it, no real reason for Aether to think anything more of it than Neuvillette writing him a note two days ago to ask for his help with something.
(Is it odd? What cause would he have to think Aether might arrive at all hours? That he could not simply walk into Neuvillette's office himself, or that someone not Sedene would take a prominent shift at the Maison Gestionnarie's main desk - to the point where he writes specifically to suggest solutions to these minor inconveniences if they present themselves?)
Yet no matter the hour Aether chooses to go through the Palais doors, Neuvillette's happenstance-allusions prove true: a different Melusine, lemon-yellow and prone to wringing her hands, waits in full uniform at the main desk, and there are multiple Gardes posted at the entrance and at the door to Neuvillette's office proper.]
Against the backdrop of cheerful voices at the outdoor cafe, the whir of the odd patrolling gardemek, and the distant splashes of the Court of Fontaine's main fountain, a letter finds its way to Aether's seat; the postwoman is polite but distant about it, clearly burdened with too many further deliveries to spend any length of time in pleasantries.
The official seal of Fontaine adorns the back of the envelope, pressed into blue wax. Inside is, naturally, a letter; what else might one expect, in a properly thin envelope of standard size and no interesting decoration? The letter itself seems just as unremarkable, at least until unfolded. It is written on official letterhead, and dated two days prior. Whatever else transpires, the penmanship of the sender lives somewhere above critique.
The traveler will find, written elegantly in blue ink:]
Aether,
Good day. I trust your time spent in Fontaine continues to see you in good health and adventurous spirits. To come to the point, I request your assistance regarding a recent, ongoing investigation. Your assessment and insight would be most welcome. Should you arrive outside of regular business hours, please speak with the Melusine at the desk regarding this invitation.
I await you at your earliest convenience.
Sincerely,
Neuvillette
Iudex of Fontaine
[After everything, one might expect he would at least forgo the closing formalities. Perhaps he had a reason to keep them; perhaps it is simply a habit too difficult to break after all these years. There is, on the surface and for a measurable distance below it, no real reason for Aether to think anything more of it than Neuvillette writing him a note two days ago to ask for his help with something.
(Is it odd? What cause would he have to think Aether might arrive at all hours? That he could not simply walk into Neuvillette's office himself, or that someone not Sedene would take a prominent shift at the Maison Gestionnarie's main desk - to the point where he writes specifically to suggest solutions to these minor inconveniences if they present themselves?)
Yet no matter the hour Aether chooses to go through the Palais doors, Neuvillette's happenstance-allusions prove true: a different Melusine, lemon-yellow and prone to wringing her hands, waits in full uniform at the main desk, and there are multiple Gardes posted at the entrance and at the door to Neuvillette's office proper.]
no subject
Aether had plenty of time to turn it over in his hands, contemplating its message and admiring the way that the Fontaine blue wax matches Neuvillette's Fontaine blue ink, as he sat on the aquabus from Romaritime Harbor to the Court.Nothing about the message immediately sticks out as strange, but for Neuvillette to request his assistance at all means the matter must be of some importance — importance that could be either real or imagined. (It's not very kind to intimate such a thing, but there was the whole affair with the "Melusine conspiracy," after all.)
The message isn't particularly odd, but it also explains very little. Aether doesn't mind. Even if the matter isn't something that explicitly requires his assistance, the traveler just likes to be relied upon by the Iudex every now and then.
All melusines are good Melusines, but Aether is surprised to find himself ever so slightly disappointed that the Melusine waiting for him outside of Neuvillette's office is not Sedene. He rather likes Sedene; she's good and reasonable and has a very rational mind on her shoulders, which is actually in rather short supply when it comes to Melusines. (Admittedly, it is also in rather short supply when it comes to humans — Fontainian humans especially so, given their origins.) He resolves to be kind to this little yellow Melusine, however... especially as it seems like she's on the verge of a nervous breakdown.
"T-T-Traveler!" she stutters. "I-I've been waiting for you! Um, M-Monsieur Neuvillette is right this way... p-please don't mind the Gardes..."
It's no trouble, he assures her, his voice low and smooth and reassuring, though he wonders exactly what is in the nature of this "investigation" that has her in such a tizzy. The Gardes are... new, too, aren't they? Sure, the Palais Mermonia has always had security, but wasn't Neuvillette's office usually unguarded save for Sedene?
As Aether walks into Neuvillette's office with a confident saunter that few others could boast in his position, his eyes are fixed only on the silver-haired man seated at his desk. His gaze speaks of two things: one, everything will be fine now that I'm here, and two, now what's all this about? ]
Neuvillette.
[ A beat of consideration. It is a little late, but not excessively so. Most of the Palais office staff have left already, but some unlucky few are pulling extra hours at their desks. ]
Good evening. You sent for me?
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[Neuvillette gave Aether his full attention the moment the latter opened the door; now, he stands, walks around his oraganized-but-busy desk. The confidence and ressurance Aether projects are reflected mirror-perfect by the Chief Justice's welcoming tone and unhurried manner.]
Good evening, Aether. I thank you for coming so quickly. If I have pulled you away from any pressing commitments, please accept my sincerest apologies.
[A respectful nod of his head. A gesture to the nearest long sofa, where a tray rests on the coffee table - already bearing a teapot, a coffee carafe, and a pitcher of clear water, with a matching arrangement of blue cups.]
May I offer you something to drink? [One must wonder if he has simply had refreshments ready every few hours for the last two days, in the event of Aether's timely arrival, or if he knew some other way that the traveler had arrived in the Court in receipt of his letter.] Please, have a seat.
[Pale, piercing eyes take one hard look at the door. Whatever he does or does not find there must satisfy him, for Neuvillette nods smartly. Once Aether sits down, the Chief Justice joins him, folding his hands in his lap.
Very few people left in this world would have the privilege of seeing the Iudex's shoulders...slump, like this. It's slight. Perhaps unnoticeable to a busy Gestionnaire or even a Garde. He lifts his chin and sighs.]
Decorum requires that I ask after your travels, and your health. While I would very much like to hear the answers, I also believe you would prefer...a more succinct conversation.
[He lifts his own glass of water for one contemplative (stalling) sip.]
We are presently involved in an investigation into an incident that took place at the Hotel Debord three nights ago. Have you heard anything at all about this?
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Nevertheless, he selects a glass of cold water from the peaks of Mont Automnequi and lets the matter drop. It would be funny to joke about this, but now is clearly not the time, and Aether left Paimon behind for a reason.
Neuvillette's tone and demeanor suggests that he has summoned the traveler for something very pressing indeed. ]
I noticed that the streets nearby were closed off when I passed through the area, but I don't know what transpired. Please, enlighten me.
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[He isn't shy at all about his appreciation for Lyney and Lynette's talents - in grandiose sleight of hand as well as other matters. Since they met for the first time at just such a show, Aether probably understands that Neuvillette freeing up his evening for another one comes from somewhere genuine, rather than politically astute.]
However, the matter of a different, unrelated case commanded more of my time and attention than I had anticipated. Since the invitation was hardly framed as a business meeting, I sent Sedene and Miss Eunomia in my place, along with a personal letter explaining my absence, and offering to host a meal myself in repayment, at my expense.
[He knows very well that neither of them would be able to, say, discuss the sales laws, or debate the merits of Fonta and the restrictions placed upon production for safety reasons, in his stead. But they deserved an enjoyable evening out as much as anyone working in Palais Mermonia.
Neuvillette closes his eyes.]
They did not arrive safely at the Hotel Debord. There was an explosion in the street, only a block away. Both were injured as a result, and while I am indescribably thankful that they were minor injuries, I cannot help but think that if I- hm.
[That it ought to have been him. Moreover, that someone was expecting him, perhaps, and while it probably would have done him even less harm, two innocent people are hurt because they went and he did not.
Aether is unlikely to let him travel too far down that path aloud.]
I've given them time off. As much as they feel they need. [Sedene already asked to come back, in her usual abrupt and chipper manner.] When the Gardes investigated, no trace of an explosive device, or a person who might have triggered it, could be found, though the surrounding street and some of the walls bear the evidence well enough.
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Aether does not make assumptions. By the sound of it, there were lots of people who could have been the targets of such an attack. Any one of the merchants may have had business rivals. Lyney and Lynette themselves may have gotten mixed up in some Fatui business — they always insist that their "Father" would not send them on dangerous missions, but Aether is much less convinced that their definition of "dangerous" matches that of an ordinary person's.
So it goes. He doesn't make much of an outward expression of sadness, but the nice thing about Neuvillette is that he most likely doesn't expect Aether to make one. Thoughtfully, the traveler passes his fingers over his chin as though he has a beard to stroke. (His face is as handsome, sweet, and youthful as ever.) ]
I'm glad they're both alright. [ A brief pause. ] You needn't blame yourself for anything. You couldn't have known.
[ His eyes flick, golden and too-knowing, in Neuvillette's direction. ]
...Were Lyney and Lynette unharmed?
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[Though Aether wears an expression Neuvillette can't quite interpret, in the Iudex's voice there is only relief.]
They were already inside the hotel when it happened. I have read their statements, as taken by the Gardes, and I fully believe they are not associated with this incident - not personally. Perhaps others of their general acquaintance are involved, but I haven't been able to pursue the matter - which is one of the reasons I wished to speak with you.
[His eyes narrow, their pupils tightening ever so slightly; in anyone else, the overall effect might be very severe. The rest of Neuvillette, though - he looks almost helpless. Without raising a finger.]
Though we cannot, in good conscience, presume that the attack was meant for me, or even that it was premeditated at all, I cannot ignore that two of the victims were there on my behalf. Ordinarily, I would have no further cause to question my own judgment, even in a case like this one.
[Neuvillette is not the sort of man whose anxieties are made public in things like fiddling with hems or brushing imagined dust from his robes. In all things, even this, his general air of collected decisiveness always presides.]
However...so much has changed. While I still have no cause to question myself, I believe it would serve the people well if I addressed the specifics of this case...in the company of a witness.
[A witness to him. To whether he gives each facet of the incident fair consideration.]
In the past, were I to undertake an investigation personally, I would recuse myself from the judge's seat. At present...there is no one else to take my place, and no Oratrice to render a final verdict. Yet, neither would I leave the investigative process to anyone else.
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So: Aether looks, and he sees. He does understand that the snakelike ferocity in Neuvillette's iridescent and vaguely reptilian eyes stems not from rage but from worry. And because he is such a problem-solver, because he always puts others first, Aether's first order of business is this:
He lowers his voice to a soothing whisper, taking the Iudex's hands in his own. And he is not one to make unwarranted promises, but he promises this: ]
I understand. We'll solve this together, Neuvillette.
[ A faint, almost reflexive brush of the fingers across his broader knuckles, the weight of his hands heavy in Aether's smaller fingers — ]
Okay?
no subject
With Aether, it is.
In some ways, he does not understand, even now. Unmasked confusion overtakes the fierceness in his eyes.]
I would like that very much. It is why I invited you here, although...I would never presume to lay yet another obligation upon your shoulders. What you have already done for Fontaine is more than enough.
[Days ago, in the immediate aftermath of everything - and, truly, it is both a small and a large matter - a letter soliciting Aether's opinion seemed rather prudent. Now it rings of selfishness. Of uncertainty, on Neuvillette's part. Yet he was certain when he penned it that it was a good decision.
Change, it seems, is difficult even for dragon sovereigns.]
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He squeezes the Iudex's knuckles gently, just once, before letting go. ]
...How do you think we should begin? I'd like to examine the site of the explosion myself, personally.
[ Not a strict shift to business — his tone is still very friendly and soft — but a bid to put the more important issues in this situation at the forefront of their conversation. Aether is not necessarily so arrogant that he thinks that he'll find something that the Gardes did not, but then, he has Elemental Sight, and a sense of vision that is somewhat more... human-typical... than that which the Melusines have been blessed with. ]
But I'll defer to your judgment, if you've already hit a lead.
no subject
[Neuvillette does suspect Aether might notice something the Gardes did not, and he suspects it will spring from the traveler's ability to see the world so very differently to someone native to Fontaine. It startles him, quietly, how different he feels now that he has...assistance? Backup? They are things he could very well have had before. Aether, specifically, is the comfort.
A glance at the window only confirms what Neuvillette already knew: the evening isn't getting any earlier. And Aether has, likely, just arrived from somewhere, only to find himself buried in Fontainian issues once again.]
If you would prefer it, we can delay until morning.
no subject
Seems like sound judgment. Morning will be a better time to search. With fresher minds and sharper eyes.
[ Neuvillette seems tired, given his infinite vigil over Fontaine without rest. Sure, he doesn't need rest in the same way that a normal human does, but Aether isn't a normal human either, and he knows full well that even immortal beings need rest. ]
I'll stay here, if it helps? I'm sure any room in the Palais will suit me just fine.
[ With you goes unsaid. Close at hand is implied. ]
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When Aether offers to stay, he looks over abruptly. He isn't quite smiling, but the deep worry has receded from his eyes somewhat.]
Of course. I would offer you nothing less. Would you like me to show you to a guest room now? [A sudden, stricken look crosses his face.] Have you eaten?
[He doesn't know when Aether arrived, much less how much time passed between said arrival and the receipt of his letter. Has the traveler even had the chance to settle in after his journey?]
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[ A brief pause, somewhat pointed. But Neuvillette is unlikely to recognize the reason for his pointedness any more than he recognized the faint implications of his Fontainian colleagues, so Aether makes the question more direct: ]
Are you hungry?
[ This is "worrying about Neuvillette" hours now. Is he hungry? (Do Dragon Sovereigns even get hungry?) Aether supposes that this, too, must be something of a unique circumstance for Neuvillette; in all the past hundreds of years, there have probably not been very many people who were capable of fussing over the Iudex.
But here stands Aether now. Fussing. ]
I'll make you something myself, if you want. I know my way around a kitchen.