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“Lady Furina…” Neuvillette stopped at her doorway. He watched her pack her belongings into a small blue handbag. It was not adorned with jewels, but it seemed to still fit Furina's personal tastes.
“Monsieur.” She turned to look at Neuvillette. “What are you doing here?” She hid the bag behind her body. Her clothing seemed somewhat different from her usual white-and-blue uniform, now only black.
Her hair was much shorter as well. Neuvillette was unsure as to where she had gotten the blade in the Palais Mermonia from.
According to the Furina de Fontaine Act Section 4, no sharp objects were to be found in the vicinity of Lady Furina, public or private, lest resulting in a 15 year incarceration in the Fortress of Meropide.
(The only exception was Sedene for cake-cutting during Furina’s daily tea time.)
“… I wanted to see you.” He looked away. “What are you doing…?” Clothes laid haphazardly around the carpets of Furina’s rooms, and only a small handful of wearable outfits lay in the bag. Neuvillette thought this was unfitting for someone like Furina.
“I, I couldn’t stay here, knowing I… I tricked you! I’m not a god, or an Archon! So…” Her eyes darted around the room, obviously looking for an escape.
“But… you are. At least, to me.” He tried to explain. “You are a part of Focalors! You know, the god?”
Furina’s eyes stopped moving, and focused on him. “What… Do you mean?”
Neuvillette took a deep breath. “Centuries ago, Focalors was an Oceanid under the rule of Egeria, but wished to be human, and was turned into one by Egeria.” He continued to explain Egeria’s sin, the prophecy, as well as Furina’s role in all of this. “You are the mortal half of Focalors. Not a vessel, nor a creation.” He stressed.
Furina was silent, her eyes staring at the ground. “If so… then… I’m tired. I wish to leave.” She looked up at the Sovereign. Even now, she still couldn’t believe that her partner for the last 500 years was the role she as Archon had stolen from. “May I?”
Neuvillette wanted to say something, but eventually closed his mouth. His attempts at having her remain at the Palais Mermonia were to no avail. He could only watch, and hear, as she walked off, the sounds of her heels growing softer and softer with every step she took, far away from him.
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Furina remembered the tale told by Neuvillette. It almost seemed like… some sort of fantasy, the kind of story that only existed in entertainment.
But, this wasn’t fiction, this was reality.
The idea of mirror-me being another half of her soul… Now that she knew the truth, she could feel that emptiness in her heart. Like something was missing from her body. It had always been there, but it wasn’t as obvious until now.
Furina wanted to feel resentment towards Focalors. For tricking her, for causing her pain. But, Furina also knew that wasn’t true. Was it not that Furina had agreed to the act, even at the expense of her own suffering?
If anything, since Focalors was just another part of Furina, wouldn’t Focalors be feeling just as much pain as herself? They shared the same soul, after all. They just… didn’t share the same body.
How interesting would that be, if they had been together since the beginning? Furina’s beginning, in this case.
Furina could imagine the possibilities. Furina’s loneliness would be quelled by Focalors, and Focalors could still have conversations with humans and love them, even if she couldn’t be human just yet, and still needed the Indemnitium for the plan to work.
And, was it really necessary to have Focalors in the Oratrice? Why not use the Gnosis to carry the accumulated Indemnitium and have the Gnosis be placed within her chest? Or, maybe some other method. It didn’t have to be as drastic as placing yourself in a machine, right?
(Furina couldn’t imagine the pain of having to simply be in a machine designed to kill you for 500 years. At least she could still have company.)
There would be no need for a curse, nor would there be any desire for escape. And… would the people of Fontaine have more faith in Furina, if that were the case? If there was simply a two-in-one individual?
Furina could imagine the wonder in having two minds within the same person. Would they speak like a singular entity, or could they have conversations with each other? And if Focalors could split herself into two, then could they do that all the time? Could they combine and split whenever they wanted to?
That would seem more divine than one Furina, right? There would be no need to keep up the facade if there was something more magical than divinity: two people within a god.
And, she remembered a phrase she once heard. Two heads are better than one. Maybe… Focalors didn’t need to die. Maybe, had they worked together, they could have found another solution.
And, if Neuvillette was in the know, would things have changed as well? He’s really smart, would he have come up with another solution? There would be three heads with the addition of Neuvillette.
Furina also wondered about her previous life. What was being an Oceanid like? Some Oceanids were able to take on a human form. Was she one of them? Where did the love for wanting to be human come from? Did she happen to chance upon humanity and learned to love them from there?
There was so much Furina wanted to know. What was Egeria like? Was she a benevolent and kind ruler? What other ways could she have prevented the prophecy? How would everything that has happened thus far have changed?
If she and Focalors were one, would they have been more powerful? Furina imagined so. Perhaps their combined power, along with the Hydro Gnosis, would be enough to prevent the prophecy, or at least delay it.
She had so many questions… but no one could answer them. But at least, she was finally free now.