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For three long and agonizing days, Furina remained confined to her quarters. Her world had shrunk to the four walls of her room, the suffocating silence broken only by the occasional rustle of her gowns or the scratch of her pen against paper as she attempted to distract herself. She was forbidden from seeing Lianis, and the absence of her friend made the hours stretch endlessly. Each day, she felt the crushing weight of isolation grow heavier, her spirit wilting like the neglected flowers she once so lovingly tended.

Arlecchino, however, was a constant presence, her visits as unpredictable as they were oppressive. Sometimes she arrived in unnerving silence, her sharp gaze dissecting Furina without a word. Other times, she stormed in like a tempest, her words cutting deep and leaving behind an atmosphere thick with tension. No matter her mood, Arlecchino always left her mark, whether through a lingering touch, a cruel remark, or the oppressive weight of her presence that lingered long after she departed.

By the third day, Furina felt like she was losing herself. She spent hours staring out of the window, her delicate fingers tracing patterns on the frosted glass as she watched the snow blanket the gardens below. The once-beautiful estate had become a prison, and every breath she took felt heavy with dread.

That morning, as the pale winter sun barely illuminated the sky, Furina's restless vigil by the window was broken by a sight that made her breath catch in her throat. In the distance, she saw movement—figures approaching through the gates. At first, it was hard to discern who they were, but as the group drew closer, her heart began to race. She recognized the unmistakable silhouette of Neuvillette, his silver-blue hair catching the light like a beacon, and beside him, Wriothesley, towering and imposing as ever. Behind them, a contingent of guards moved in a disciplined formation.

For a moment, hope surged within her chest, and she pressed her hand against the cold glass, her wide eyes fixed on the scene below. They've come for me. He's come for me. But before she could fully process what was happening, there was a sharp knock at her door.

A Fatui guard stepped inside, their expression unreadable. "Miss Furina," they said curtly. "You are to come to the meeting room immediately."

Furina's heart sank. She didn't know whether to feel relief or terror. Numbly, she allowed the guard to usher her out of the room, her footsteps hesitant as she was led through the labyrinthine halls of the estate. The journey felt like it lasted an eternity, each step echoing ominously in the otherwise silent corridors.

When they finally arrived at the meeting room, the guard opened the door, and Furina was greeted by the sight of Neuvillette sitting at the grand table. His posture was rigid, his hands clasped tightly in front of him, though his gaze was turned away, as if unable to look at her. Beside him sat Wriothesley, who had his arm draped protectively around Neuvillette's shoulders, his thumb absently stroking the back of Neuvillette's hand. The intimate gesture was in stark contrast to the tension that filled the room.

Furina stepped inside hesitantly, her hands clasped tightly in front of her to stop them from trembling. Her throat felt dry, and she struggled to find her voice as she looked at Neuvillette, her brother, the one person she had held onto hope for.

"Neuvillette..." she whispered, but he didn't respond.

Wriothesley was the first to acknowledge her, his sharp eyes softening slightly as he gave her a small nod. "Furina," he said evenly, his tone calm but laced with concern.

Neuvillette finally turned his gaze toward her, and the sight made Furina's heart ache. His lavender eyes, usually so calm and composed, were clouded with an emotion she couldn't quite place. Guilt? Regret? She wasn't sure, but the weight of his stare was almost unbearable.

He opened his mouth to speak but faltered, his gaze dropping to the table as his grip on Wriothesley's hand tightened. Furina stepped forward, her voice trembling as she addressed him.

"Here to sign me off?" she asked, though she already knew the answer. Her voice wavered, but there was a thread of defiance in it, a refusal to let herself crumble under the weight of the situation.

Neuvillette exhaled slowly, his shoulders sagging as if the weight of the world rested on them. "Furina," he began, his voice low and heavy, "I... cane here to..." He trailed off, his words failing him.

Wriothesley spoke up in his stead, his tone firm but not unkind. "We came to finalize an agreement," he said, his words carefully chosen. "One that concerns your future."

Furina's breath hitched, and her fingers curled into fists at her sides. "My future?" she echoed, her voice rising slightly. "What did you two agree too? Who should handle my freedom?"

Neuvillette flinched at her tone, his guilt evident, but he didn't look away this time. "It's complicated," he said weakly, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Complicated?" Furina repeated, her voice shaking with a mix of anger and despair. "You're my brother! How could you—" Her words caught in her throat, and she took a step back, her chest heaving as she tried to process the betrayal she felt.

Wriothesley's gaze hardened slightly, but he didn't intervene, allowing the siblings to face each other. The room was thick with unspoken words and tension, and Furina felt like she was suffocating under its weight.

She looked between Neuvillette and Wriothesley, searching for answers, for reassurance, for anything that would make this nightmare end. But all she found was silence and the cold, hard reality of her situation.

Before furina could say anything else, the room froze as the door swung open, revealing Arlecchino standing in the threshold, her presence commanding the space with an unnerving intensity. In her hands, she carried a pristine scroll, its edges adorned with intricate patterns of gold and blue. Furina's stomach dropped at the sight of it. She didn't need to see the contents to know what it was.

"Ah, good," Arlecchino said coolly, her voice slicing through the tension like a blade. Her scarlet eyes flicked toward Furina, and the faintest smirk curled her lips. "I see our little bride-to-be is present."

Furina felt her knees go weak, but she squared her shoulders, refusing to let Arlecchino see the fear that was twisting her insides. She clenched her fists tightly, her nails digging into her palms as she tried to steady her trembling hands.

Arlecchino strode forward with purpose, placing the scroll on the table with a deliberate motion. The sound of the parchment hitting the wood echoed in the room, and Furina flinched involuntarily. "This," Arlecchino began, her voice cold and commanding, "is the marriage contract. I trust everything has been arranged as discussed, Chief Justice ?"

Neuvillette stiffened at her words, his hands clenching into fists atop the table. He looked at the contract with a mixture of anger and resignation, his jaw tightening. Wriothesley's hand moved to his thigh, grounding him, but even he seemed tense as he watched the harbinger with careful eyes.

Furina's voice cut through the silence, sharp and trembling. "Think about it brother.." she started, her gaze darting between Neuvillette and Arlecchino. "Do you actually know what are you doing? What is this contract means..?"

Neuvillette opened his mouth to speak, but Arlecchino was quicker. "This," she said, her tone dripping with mockery, "is your future, Furina. A binding agreement to ensure peace between Fontaine and the Fatui. You'll marry me, and in return, your nation will be spared from any... unpleasant consequences."

Furina's breath hitched, and she took a shaky step back, shaking her head in disbelief. "No," she whispered, her voice cracking. "No, this can't—this can't be happening NOT NOW." She yelled.

She turned to Neuvillette, her wide eyes pleading with him to refute Arlecchino's words, to tell her it was all some cruel misunderstanding. But he didn't. He couldn't. The silence was louder than any confirmation he could have spoken.

"Neuvillette," she said, her voice rising with desperation, "you can't let this happen! You can't do this to me!"

Neuvillette finally looked up at her, his lavender eyes filled with anguish. "Furina," he said softly, his voice trembling with emotion, "I... I didn't have a choice."

"You always have a choice!" she shouted, her tears spilling over as she glared at him. "You're my older brother for fucks sake! You're supposed to protect me, not sell me off like a archons forsaken bargaining chip!"

Wriothesley's voice was calm but firm as he spoke up. "Furina, listen to him. It's not as simple as you think."

"Not as simple?" she repeated, her voice breaking. "How can you—"

Neuvillette cut her off, his voice breaking with desperation. "The Knave threatened to harm you, Furina! Do you understand that? She threatened to hurt you if I didn't comply!"

Furina froze, her breath catching in her throat. "What?"

"She didn't just threaten you," Neuvillette continued, his voice low and filled with guilt. "She threatened Fontaine. If I refused to sign this agreement, she said she'd unleash the full force of the Fatui on our nation. She'd burn it to the ground."

Arlecchino chuckled darkly, leaning against the table with a smug expression. "It's true," she said, her tone almost playful. "I don't make empty threats, little Oceanid. Your brother knew that, and he made the right choice."

Furina stared at Neuvillette, her tears streaming down her face as the weight of his words sank in. "You..." she whispered, her voice barely audible. "You're sacrificing me to save Fontaine?"

Neuvillette's head dropped, and he couldn't bring himself to meet her gaze. "I'm sorry," he said, his voice breaking. "I'm so sorry, Furina. I didn't know what else to do."

Furina's heart shattered into a million pieces. The betrayal, the helplessness, the fear—it was all too much. She turned to Arlecchino, her tears blurring her vision as she glared at her captor. "Bull shit! ...You're a monster," she spat, her voice trembling with rage.

Arlecchino's smirk widened, and she stepped closer to Furina, her presence suffocating. "And you," she said, her voice low and menacing, "are mine. From the moment that contract is signed, you belong to me. So, I suggest you get used to it."

Furina felt her chest tighten, and she sank into the dispare, her sobs wracking her small frame as the reality of her situation settled over her like a heavy, suffocating blanket. Neuvillette watched her with tears in his own eyes, his heart breaking at the sight of his sister's despair, but he didn't move. He couldn't.

Arlecchino stood tall, her victory evident in her smug expression as she turned to Neuvillette. "I'll leave you to finalize the details," she said smoothly, picking up the contract and holding it out to him. "But don't take too long. I'm not a patient woman."

With that, she turned on her heel and strode out of the room, leaving Furina sobbing in the middle of room and Neuvillette and Wriothesley to face the fallout of their decision. The room was heavy with silence, the only sound being Furina's heartbroken cries.

Furina stood there, trembling, her hands clenched into fists at her sides. The silk of her gown, a shade of deep ocean blue, clung to her as if it bore the weight of her anguish. She blinked away the tears that blurred her vision, her face pale and streaked with lines where the tears had already fallen. Her brother's words hung in the air, unspoken but understood.

Neuvillette rose slowly from his seat, his tall frame towering over her but carrying none of the authority it usually held. His expression was one of deep pain and regret as he stepped toward her cautiously, his hands outstretched in a placating gesture. Wriothesley remained by his side, his piercing gaze fixed on Furina, his silence adding to the tension in the room.

"Furina," Neuvillette said softly, his voice low and trembling. "Please, listen to me."

"Listen?" Her voice cracked, and she let out a bitter laugh, shaking her head. "What is there to listen to, Neuvillette? That you've given me away like I'm nothing more than a pawn? Like I'm something to be traded for the sake of Fontaine's peace?"

"That's not—" Neuvillette began, his voice breaking.

"That's exactly what this is!" she snapped, her voice rising as she stepped forward, her tears falling freely now. "You've made your choice. You've chosen Fontaine over me. Over your own sister! You sick heart of a bitch!"

"Furina, please," he pleaded, his voice desperate. "I didn't want this. You have to understand—I had no choice. The Knave is dangerous. If I refused her terms, she would have unleashed chaos upon Fontaine. Thousands of lives were at stake!"

"And what about my life?" she cried, her voice shaking with fury. "What about me, Neuvillette? Do I not fucking matter to you? Do you not care what the fuck happens to me?"

Neuvillette took a deep breath, his eyes shining with unshed tears. "Of course, I care about you," he said quietly. "You're my sister, Furina. I would do anything to protect you. And that's why I believe... this could be a new beginning for you."

Furina froze, her tear-streaked face twisting in confusion. "A new beginning?" she echoed, her voice filled with disbelief.

"Yes," Neuvillette said, his tone earnest. He took another step toward her, his hands reaching out as if to hold hers, though she stepped back before he could touch her. "This... this arrangement with Arlecchino, it doesn't have to be a punishment. It could be a chance for you to step away from the burdens of being the Hydro Archon. You've carried so much weight on your shoulders, Furina, and I know how much it's hurt you. This could be your opportunity to live a simpler life, free from the expectations and responsibilities of your title."

"A simpler life?" Furina repeated, her voice dripping with bitterness. "You think this is some kind of gift? That being locked away with a harbinger—a monster—is a better life for me? Do you even fucking hear yourself, Neuvillette?"

He flinched at her words, his guilt written plainly on his face. "I'm not saying it's ideal," he admitted, his voice soft. "But Arlecchino is offering you safety. Stability. A future where you don't have to fight to prove yourself every day."

"She doesn't want me for any of those things!" Furina shouted, her voice breaking. "She wants me because she sees me as something she can control. She's made it very clear that she sees me as nothing more than a possession. And you—you're giving her exactly what she wants."

"Furina—"

"No!" she interrupted, her voice trembling with rage and hurt. "You've already made your decision. You've already decided that my freedom, my happiness, my life is worth less than the peace of Fontaine. So don't stand there and try to convince me that this is for my benefit... Don't fucking insult me like that..."

Neuvillette's shoulders slumped, his head bowing as the weight of her words bore down on him. Wriothesley, who had remained silent until now, finally stepped forward, placing a hand on Neuvillette's shoulder.

"Furina," Wriothesley said, his deep voice calm but firm, "I know this isn't what you want. And I know you feel betrayed. But your brother is trying to do what he believes is best for everyone—for you, for Fontaine. The Harbinger... she left us no other choice."

Furina let out a hollow laugh, shaking her head. "There's always a choice," she whispered, her voice filled with despair. "You just didn't choose your blood..."

Her words hung in the air, heavy and suffocating. Neuvillette looked at her with tears streaming down his face, his lips trembling as he tried to find the words to respond. But there was nothing he could say to make this right.

Furina turned away from him, her hands trembling as she wiped at her tears. "I can't do this," she said softly, her voice barely above a whisper. "I can't be in this room. I can't look at your sick face... I don't even know if I can call you my brother anymore.."

Neuvillette took a step toward her, his hand outstretched. "Furina, please—"

"Don't," she said sharply, her voice cracking. "Just... don't."

Without another word, she turned and hurried out of the room, her gown trailing behind her as she fled down the corridor. Neuvillette watched her go, his heart breaking with every step she took.

Wriothesley squeezed his shoulder gently, his expression sympathetic but firm. "She needs time," he said quietly.

"I've failed her," Neuvillette whispered, his voice trembling. "I've failed my sister...she- hates me..."

Wriothesley didn't respond, but his grip on Neuvillette's shoulder tightened, offering silent support as the two of them stood in the heavy silence of the room. "It's for the best my love... she'll understand soon.."

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-lady Furina de Fontaine