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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.]
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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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