1"Say Alfonso, when I go to the city, do you think I will fit in nicely?"
"Why not? Everyone in the neighbourhood knows you. You can just go to Estelle if you feel bored or want some work. We will be just fine. I'd be quite surprised if we have any trouble at all, actually."
"What about when I wish to meet my friends here?"
"Navia comes by to the city often, and Silver is always by Navia's side. That is about all the people you could manage to become friends with."
"I will be having none of that snark, Mr. Rousseau. Look at you being so confident. I sometimes wonder where the boy who used to break all my toys and run away when the Aberrants used to come went."
He laughed. "By the Archon, when will you let that go? Besides, if I hadn't smashed your sword to smithereens that day, we wouldn't be having this conversation today."
Alfonso's eyes opened slowly, a far cry from the past few nights due to the nightmares that had been plaguing his sleep.
He lay still, trying his damnedest to focus on his dream. Already, bits of it were slipping away. Sighing, he got off his bed and his eyes fell on the clock. Five, so he woke up an hour before schedule again. More time to get ready, he guessed.
Marie was standing by his bed, smiling at him. He was almost tempted to smile back, but what would be the use? She sat beside him on the bed, still smiling.
Save for his clock, a picture of Marie and his desk and bed, the house was bare. Allard had come time and time again to get him to buy some furniture, but he just didn't have the heart to do it.
He ignored Marie and went through his morning routine mindlessly. Shirt on, leggings on, coat and waistcoat on, breech pinned and scabbard at the waist. When he turned to exit his house, Marie was standing by his door. Her smile was gone. Alfonso was somewhat intimidated, but he stepped out of the door anyway. As he set off to the Palais, he returned a good morning to Sarah next door.
It was still dark when he entered the Palais. A couple of sleepy newbies saluted him, and he waved them off. He went straight to his post outside the Iudex's office, nudging Iaune once who'd fallen asleep on his desk again. Stifling a yawn himself, he stood beside Allard, his brother and fellow attendant of the Iudex. He paid attention enough to see that blasted look on Allard's face again.
"You done with your staring, Allard?"
"Ah, uh, I'm not staring man. You want a-"
"I've had a coffee already." He hadn't, but right now he wanted to be alone more than he wanted a coffee.
Allard walked away quietly. Silently, Alfonso cursed under his breath. He knew Allard was concerned and wished the best for him, and he was being an ass to him for no reason. He walked to the door of the office, and leaned against the wall, his hand fiddling with the sword at his waist.
"You should apologise to him later" said Sedene, coming up to his side. Sedene was the only one that didn't change her behaviour towards him after the massacre at Poisson, and he appreciated that. It helped him cling to a sense of normalcy, however flimsy it was.
"Yeah, I will. It's just that he's been asking that day and night. Anyways, how have things been since I left?"
"Allard's been pulling your weight all by his lonesome. He has been pulling double shifts ever since you left. Sir Neuvillette asked me if you have solved whatever issue you had."
He almost choked."The Iudex knows who I am?"
Sedene gave him a look."It would take a fool to not know the name of someone who has been working with them for four years, Rousseau, and Sir Neuvillette is no fool. He is very observant of his surroundings."
"Well, what did you tell him then?"
"I told him the truth. No details, but enough for him to figure it out."
Alfonso remained silent after that. So he knew.
Neither the Archon nor the Iudex had made a public appearance since that day. He wondered if such godly beings, beings that were supposed to protect them, ever experienced emotions- did they, if he dared to think such thoughts, feel guilt seeing a hundred or so people die and many more distraught and still say nothing, and sit in their high castles casting looks of superiority on the mere mortals beneath them?
Sedene quietly slipped away and left Alfonso be. Sedene truly liked Alfonso- he was good at his job kept quiet unless talked to, and knew how to swing his sword well, but many humans like him had come and gone since Sedene had started working as the Iudex's secretary. Tragedy either strengthened man's will, or destroyed it. It would be up to Alfonso how he let this one affect him.
Xxxx
The Iudex retired to his quarters earlier than usual that day and gave him the rest of the evening off. Sir Neuvillette had never left early in his four years of service, so Alfonso was a little surprised. However, when Allard had run up to him while he was walking home with two tickets for the last play of the day at the Opera Epiclese, he was not surprised at all.
Allard had always been that kind of person- quick to forgive and absurdly good at making anyone a friend. Alfonso had tried to apologise for how he'd snapped at him, but Allard had waved it off without paying it any mind. They rushed to the theatre, only to see that all the good seats had been taken. They sat at the end of the third row from the doors to the theatre, next to a sweet old couple.
The play had already begun by the time the pair had sat down. Apparently, the Phantom Opera had come to play at the grand theatre after twenty years, so the theatre had been booked to full capacity. Most people in Fontaine knew of the Phantom Opera, but that wasn't the sole reason the theatre was sold out today.
Fontaine's resident celebrity Archon, Miss Furina de Fontaine, The Regina Of All Waters, Kindreds, Peoples And Laws, had come to the play too. Everyone in Fontaine, bar some, liked the Archon. Whenever she would show herself, there would be a spectacle waiting just around the corner.
His eyes immediately fell on his Archon, sitting on top her throne, overlooking the masses from the top of the theatre. No matter how much Sarah prattled on and on about how beautiful their Archon was and how cute she looked, he could only feel anger whenever he looked at her.
Here she was, the God of Fontaine, laughing and giggling happily at her seat, when five scores of her people had died merely a week ago. Here sat their benefactor, their protector, who did not show up to the mass last rites when they took place five days ago. The Hydro Archon, the supposed saviour of Fontaine, was surely holding her peace about the massacre even when journalists pestered the Iudex in court day and night.
Alfonso found out that he had begun to dislike his Archon.
The play became white noise to his mind, as he simmered in his thoughts. Even as the crescendo of the musical hit, he did not move a muscle as the people around him clapped and clapped. At last came the silence before the parting bow of the actors.
Years of yelling at newbie Gardes finally came useful. A week of resentment came to the front, and he could not control it. His voice boomed in the silent theatre.
"My Archon, have you no shame?"
His heart was thundering in his chest. Allard had always been the stronger one between them, but at that critical moment, even he could not move Alfonso an inch, no matter how much he tried to pull him down to sit at his seat, away from the limelight. He had a distant sense of disassociation, like he was away from his physical body, watching this scene unfold. It was almost as if an unparalleled strength was in his legs and hands at this final hour. Gasps rang out across the theatre. A lone camera shuttered.
"Ninety-eight people of Fontaine died precisely seven days, 16 hours and 35 minutes ago. People that were dear to me, and countless others grieving outside in your country. People that were desperate for even a sliver of support from their God. People that you neglected, my Archon."
More gasps. He did not feel it when Allard slipped on a mask on his face. There were indubitably some in this theatre that were only learning of the massacre then, but there were murmurs too. Murmurs of resent and doubt. After all, here he was, saying what the crowd was too scared to say to her fa-
He could feel it the exact millisecond the Archon finally deigned to look at him. His spine straightened out of reflex, and all his instincts were screaming at him. He had never felt this amount of danger before, and he had hunted a crab the size of a building once. Miss Furina de Fontaine was undoubtedly the Archon, and held the power to match the title. Even with the distance between them, he could clearly see the dazzling blue of the ponds and waterfalls in one eye, and the dark of the trenches in the other.
"Calm, citizen. Free speech is a fundamental right of every citizen of my land, but that right is not a shield against the consequences thereof. Any attacks against the authenticity of my love for my people, and against the record of my duty as Archon will not be taken lightly. I suggest you think over your next words very, very carefully." She grasped the pommel of her sword, and Allard gasped beside him.
That was right. The best lawyer in all of Fontaine was obviously the God of Justice herself. All cases in which she was the prosecutor had ended up in her favor, and he would be no exception. Angry as he was, he could not afford to miss. He inhaled deeply, and resolved his mind.
"God Of Justice, My Archon, is it not true that this is the land of justice? Isn't every citizen of Fontaine entitled to justice? Then where is my justice? Where is the justice for them, who will never be able to ask for it themselves? Were those people not under the protection of their all-loving, powerful God? If there is one person in the whole, wide world who can bring them justice, it is you. Yet you have spoken nary a word for them. Yet you didn't deign to visit those empty graves even once."
His voice shook, and he shuddered. "I have naught but one wish, my Archon. Please bring justice to these persons whose life was cut short. If you cannot even do that, then you are no God to Poisson."
Shouts broke out of the crowd immediately. Denouncing your God was a crime, no two ways about it. Free speech was only so free. However, the whispers of doubt had now been emboldened to heated questions. Suddenly, all strength left his feet, and Allard violently jerked him away, out through the doors. He could feel the weight of the mask clearly on his nose now. Allard had saved him once again. He jumped over the guard at the gate and ran, following Allard into the dark forest.
Meanwhile, inside the theatre, there was utter chaos. A baby was crying and a group was raising slogans of justice. Another group in support of the Archon was at odds with the former, and tensions were beginning to rise between the two. People had already begun shouting at one to the crowd, a switch flipped in the Archon's countenance. A loud voice rang out across the theatre.
When the Archon yelled, people listened.
"SILENCE!"
The crowd immediately stilled. There was a thrum of something in the air. Somehow, even the baby stopped crying.
"Sit."
Every person standing immediately sat down, and silence reigned for a solid minute. The Archon's gaze washed over everyone from where she sat. She cleared her throat.
"My people, I do not like to raise my voice, so do not force me to do it again."She seemed to think for a bit, then spoke again."Today, I stand before you to clear doubts I am sure a lot of you hold. I wished it hadn't come to this, but I will not allow turmoil to linger in my people's hearts."
"Though a certain man lied a lot, there was some truth to his words. It is with a grave heart that I announce that Poisson was flooded with Primordial seawater a week ago. Despite my best efforts to quell the water's anger, I failed, and the consequence is the blood of a hundred people on my hands."
"But a God does not tire, and disaster is no reason for a God to stop. Day and night I have been looking for ways to quell the calamity, and though tragic, the only reason there haven't been more floodings is due to the relentless efforts of the Iudex, the Gardes and me."
"Even so, it is within a mortal's nature to doubt his betters. So, I will forgive all that have doubted my duty today. Yes, even that scoundrel who insulted me to my face. I couldn't be more generous if I tried."
"So go to your homes and sleep peacefully, Fontainians. As long as I draw breath, I will allow no further harm to come to you. I assure you, come hell or high water, my people, Fontaine will NOT fall."
xxxx
Eventually, they reached a clearing. Alfonso was huffing- it'd been some time since he had run so fast. He turned to look for Allard, and completely missed the punch coming for his face.
"What are you doing, you dumbass?"
Allard was hyperventilating, his hands on his knees, his breath coming in spurts and his eyes were rushing about, searching for any onlookers. The mask Allard had shoved onto his face had saved him from being recognized, but he would still have to lay low for a while and bide his time until this situation had blown over. He cradled his jaw thinking about his new circumstances. Seriously, Allard was hecking strong, even without his vision.
"Look, Alfy. I know it's been a tough time for you, and I won't try to tell you that Poisson wasn't an injustice. But going against your ARCHON? You know better, don't you? Then why the heck are you going this far? You think Marie will be happy seeing you like this? Don't go rushing about to meet her just yet."
Alfonso sat down on the grass, a patch of moonlight shining into the clearing through the marrow trees. Marie would have loved this place.
Allard's vision was glowing."By the Archon, you'd just come back to work TODAY! Hopefully nobody recognized you in the dark, but man, hide away for the time being, all right? House to work, work to house, that's all you're doing for the next week, you understand? God, I am so glad Sir Neuvillette wasn't at the play, or he would have recognized you instantly."
Alfonso lied down on the grass. It was very soft. Even when he should have been freaked out of his mind over his recent action, he was feeling unnaturally calm right then. It was true, he had done a very dangerous thing today, but now there will be questions. The people would finally know about what happened in Poisson, under their Archon's protection. He was keeping his oath, at least.
"Allard, do you remember the oath we took?"
"The oath at our initiation? What about it?"
Alfonso stood back up."Say it with me."
"This is not the time for it, Alfonso. We need to get you ba-"
"Please, Allard."
A look of resignation crossed Allard's face."Fine, on the count of three, then, Three, two, one-"
It was Alfonso who took the lead. They started quietly, in unison.
"I, Alfonso Rousseau, swear allegiance to the nation of Fontaine, its people, the Regina of All Waters, and the Ordainer of Inexorable Judgement. I hereby swear to do everything in my power to ensure that justice reaches every person of this blessed nation. All threats, foreign or domestic, will be dealt with swiftly, without discrimination. I will always strive to protect the denizens of my nation, even at the risk of personal harm and death. I will do right to all manner of people after the laws and usages of this realm, without fear or favour, affection or ill will. So help me, my Archon."
Realization suddenly dawned on Allard's face, and he sat on the ground, stunned. Good, so at least he understood. The people were the utmost priority. He'd swore allegiance to them first, after all.