Chapter 2: A New Beginning

Neuvillete cleared his throat before speaking,

"Ahem, we have... quite the interesting file over here. Not even a day has passed with you arriving in Fontaine and already such an impressive rap sheet? You've got guts making such a spectacle in the Nation of Justice. Got anything to say for yourself?"

Kyouya remained silent, his lips sealed in a stoic line. The defiance in his eyes displayed his refusal to communicate even in the face of danger. The Chief Justice was not used to such arrogance. His fingers kept tapping on the surface of the table as his impatience grew worse with each fleeting second.

"Well...?"

Furina became curious as to why the man was refusing to cooperate in any form whatsoever despite turning himself in to the Gardes. Had he accepted his fate? Was he simply possessed by a demon when he went on a rampage? Was he just insane?

Her mind was filled with these questions but alas, it seemed like she would not be getting the answers any time soon. The prospect of unraveling the layers of his story enticed her further.

"Monsieur Neuvillette, halt please."

The Chief Justice sighed as the Hydro Archon began speaking. He knew this couldn't possibly turn out well. She got up from her throne in the VIP section and walked down the stairs, approaching Kyouya. The courtroom seemed to hold its breath, the tension palpable, as she closed the distance between them.

"I thought we finally had an interesting case on our hands after all these years. Instead you've brought me a damn mute. How dare you ignore the Hydro Archon? You think this is some kind of joke?"

And yet, there was no response from him.

"Answer me, you imbecile!"

Without hesitation, her hand swiftly swung through the air, the resounding slap echoing throughout the entire courtroom as it made contact with Kyouya's cheek. The force of the blow was enough to send Kyouya's roningasa spiraling through the air, its fabric billowing in its wake.

As the hat flew away, he readjusted himself, turning to face Furina directly. For the first time, she had an unobstructed view of his face, a visage of rugged handsomeness that had initially caught her attention.

...

...

A fleeting blush colored Furina's cheeks, her composure momentarily faltering. Despite being an archon who lived for centuries, she had never seen such a beautiful man in her lifetime. She realized her mind was wandering off elsewhere and quickly regained her composure.

Despite her composed exterior, she couldn't help but feel a hint of fascination. This ethereal man had captured her attention in more ways than one. She wished to unravel the secrets he held, even if it meant delving into the depths of his silence and was willing to do anything to get him to break.

"My, oh my. What do we have here...?"

Furina exclaimed as she gazed into his eyes.

"I see. You're one of those. You don't really care if I were to sentence you to lifetime imprisonment or even take your life right here. You'd willingly accept it because you think you deserve it. I can see it in your eyes. "

She paused before continuing,

"Well, I think you're far too interesting to meet such a boring ending. There are some things I still wish to inquire about."

...

...

"You effortlessly took on a gang of seven notoriously dangerous men equipped with weapons and yet you decided to turn yourself in to only two of my Gardes? Now, I don't like speaking ill of my own troops but I don't believe for a second that you couldn't have taken them on as well and fled the scene. Especially considering you're a vision holder," she continued while pointing at his vision.

"It seems that like myself, you too have a sense of justice. But then again, I can't have the common folk administering judgement as they see fit. Not on my grounds. You need.. a special form of punishment. Looks like you'll be entertaining me for a little while longer. Send him to the dungeon," Furina said, snapping her fingers.

"What are you doing Lady Furina!? What about the trial?" Neuvillette shouted from the judge's seat.

"I'm afraid we'll have to cut the trial short. We're not making much progress here. Sorry, ladies and gentlemen!"

She bowed to the jury elegantly and left the courtroom. They began speaking amongst themselves, curious as to what could have possibly changed her mind so suddenly. The Gardes began rushing towards Kyouya as they put a blindfold on him, swiftly escorting him to the secluded dungeon.

In the dimly lit dungeon, his senses were engulfed by darkness thanks to the blindfold wrapped tightly around his eyes, leaving him alone with his thoughts.The Gardes guided him to a sturdy chair where he was securely chained. Before him, a table loomed ominously, filled with an array of tools and instruments.

Each instrument held the potential to inflict tremendous pain on even the strongest individuals. As the Gardes were about to leave, they were startled to see Furina herself in the dungeon. She always left the dirty work to her underlings so seeing her here was quite the shocking turn of events.

"Lady Furina! What brings you here?"

"I'll handle this."

Furina observed the man with sharp eyes. With a subtle gesture, she motioned for the Gardes to leave the premises.

"As you wish, my lady."

She wished to learn about his secrets through any means necessary, even if it meant descending into the realm of darkness and pain. Readjusting her gloves, she prepared herself.

"Let's get started," she grinned.

Furina slowly approached him, her footsteps echoing in the silence. Reaching behind him, she placed her hands on his shoulders as she brought her lips closer to his ears and whispered,

"Finally, I have you all to myself."

She removed his blindfold before walking off. Kyouya looked around, observing his surroundings. He looked towards Furina, who was looking ever so majestic in her formal attire. She walked towards one of the dungeon walls before tapping on it slightly.

"These walls.." she paused for a bit before continuing, " ... are soundproof. Over here, no one can hear us. You're free to tell me whatever you want."

...

...

"Seeing as you didn't want to talk in the courtroom, I thought that perhaps we could have a more meaningful discussion here. So, what say you? Ready to talk?"

Kyouya silently looked away. Furina, being annoyed, approached him again. She got up close to him, their faces were inches apart. Placing her hand on his cheek, she forced him to look her in the eyes.

"Why do you keep ignoring me? Am I not worth your time?" she teased.

He got a good look at her face. Standing before him was an ethereal beauty. Her white hair cascaded down in lustrous waves, shimmering like moonlight. The strands framed a face that held an air of both elegance and mystery. She possessed piercing blue eyes, one resembling the clear hue of sapphires and the other a slightly deeper shade while her flawless porcelain skin seemed to glow softly in the dimly lit room.

Her otherworldly allure captivated those who stood before her, leaving them spellbound by her presence. Kyouya felt like he was lost in a trance as he observed her up close. He snapped back to reality and saw her walking away from him as she sat on the table full of tools. Her shorts left her bare thighs visible which left him captivated by her beautiful skin.

Her blue suit glistened in the dim light of the dungeon, emphasizing her curves. She picked up a knife and licked it slowly.

"It seems that our little game has taken a turn for the worse, hasn't it? But don't worry, my dear. I'll be sure to get you to talk, one way or another."

She leaned in close, her breath hot on his skin as she whispered into his ear.

"You should really think about telling me everything I want to hear."

Kyouya didn't reply and simply closed his eyes. Even after all the threats, he chose to be defiant.

"That's so cute! I cannot wait to break you."

The chamber became filled with her sinister laugh as she mercilessly drove the knife into his left knee. He maintained his stoic expression, refusing to show any signs of distress. His body was sturdy through countless battles and gruesome training sessions so a mere stab like this couldn't possibly break him.

Furina looked at him in awe.

"Oh, my! Looks like we're gonna be here for a while."

Her eyes narrowed, as she approached the nearby furnace. She pulled out and began admiring what appeared to be a branding iron, the metal growing into a fierce orange from its usual dull steel.

"Very well then. It seems we're going to have to take things a bit further. But don't worry, I promise you'll feel every second of it."

She leaned closer to him, her modest breasts pressing against his chest as she spoke.

"This is gonna hurt..."

With that, she brought the tool down hard onto his arm, leaving a burning sensation in its wake. He winced out in pain ever so slightly, but Furina simply smiled and continued without mercy.

"Ready to talk?"

Kyouya shook his head.

She leaned in close again, her lips mere inches from his ear as she spoke softly.

"Just give in already. Save yourself the pain and humiliation. Surrender to me, and maybe... just maybe... I'll show you some mercy."

There was no warmth or compassion in her tone. The average person would have fallen apart under such duress but Kyouya remained defiant.

"Oh, how adorable. You're so determined to resist me, despite being helplessly bound and in agony. But trust me, my dear, sooner or later you'll break. Everyone does... eventually."

Furina struck again, this time on his leg. As the minutes passed, he begin feeling weak and exhausted from the constant pain and suffering. His resolve started to waver under the onslaught of agony, and he found himself wondering if perhaps surrendering might not be such a bad idea after all. She laughed, her voice ringing out in the darkness of the dungeon.

"You're still fighting back, even after all this... I must say, you're much more resilient than I thought you'd be."

She brought the iron down one last time, this time on his chest. The pain was excruciating, and Kyouya could feel his heart racing as he struggled to breathe. But he had to uphold his honor. He couldn't give in so easily, not to these Fontainians.

"Don't worry, cutie. Soon enough, you'll be too broken to continue. And then... well, then we'll see where things go from there."

An hour had passed. Furina had attempted different forms of torture, none of which seemed to have a noticeable effect on him. She panted a bit from exhaustion before smiling,

"You are... tougher than most. No... you're the most stubborn prisoner I've met in all my years of doing this. And I have done this.. for a long long time. "

Pausing to look at his face, she brought it closer to her own, admiring his rugged handsomeness once more.

"Such a magnificent specimen. I must say, you have very pretty eyes. They remind me of someone, but I can't quite put my finger on it. Anyways, it's quite a shame that you're a lowlife criminal. A man of your stature should never stoop so low."

Furina sat down on his lap and leaned in close to his ear. Her breath felt hot on his skin as she spoke softly while running her fingers through his messy hair.

"You've had quite the weekend, huh? You poor thing. You must be starving and in so much pain. Yet you're putting up such a tough front. I'm truly impressed."

Kyouya closed his eyes as she began whispering sweet nothings into his ears.

"What will it take to get you to talk?"

He was having a hard time keeping his composure. Even though he shut his eyes, he could still smell her from up close. She exuded an intoxicating fragrance that enveloped the air around her. As he took a deep breath, he was greeted by a symphony of captivating aromas.

Hints of delicate florals danced in the air, reminiscent of a blooming garden. The fragrance carried notes of jasmine, their sweet and heady scent mingling with the subtle allure of rose petals. The combination of these floral and warm elements created a fragrance that was both enchanting and seductive. He found himself momentarily transported to a realm of captivating allure. In short, she smelled divine. He couldn't help but open his eyes to admire the beauty sitting on his lap.

Furina began to notice the cracks in his demeanor. She realized that she was finally getting somewhere with this interrogation session. She blushed a bit before continuing.

"Oh my, so this is what you wanted all along?"

Furina leaned in and began planting small kisses on his neck, leaving a path of fire in their wake as she explored every inch of his skin. As she worked her way lower, he could feel the heat rising within him. For the first time, she could feel his body tremble in her presence.

"You're starting to enjoy this, aren't you? Such a pervert!"

Her voice was low and seductive, sending shivers down his spine as she continued to tease him with her lips and tongue. Giggling a bit, she began unbuttoning his shirt while he silently watched her, feeling somewhat excited. She continued to explore his body with her hands, running them over his well toned muscles and touching every inch of exposed skin. Her touch was gentle yet firm, bring him further to the edge.

Before realizing it, he moaned ever so slightly. Furina chuckled, a hint of triumph in her voice as she heard his soft moan.

"There we go. Finally, I've heard your voice. I suppose we can start talking now?"

Kyouya felt ashamed that he could break down so easily. He had dedicated his whole life to the art of the sword, never having the chance to feel the embrace of a woman, much less a goddess. Even though many maidens had sent their advances to him, he would always reject them and continue his journey alone. However, her captivating aura had easily taken control of his cold heart.

"You're pretty skilled with the sword. Not as good as me though. I'm still impressed with how easily you slaughtered those ruffians. I wanted to kill them myself, but it looks like you did me a favor."

She chuckled before continuing,

"However, I can't have vigilantes like you running around on my land. You seem to be a very calm and composed man, what led you to go on a rampage like that? I take it that there's some emotional trauma involved here."

...

...

Kyouya looked at her with a shocked expression, surprised at how easily she was able to read him.

"I was right, wasn't I? " she smiled.

He opened his mouth and finally began speaking.

"Yes.."

Furina looked at him, assessing the situation.

"Well, I'd love to hear that story someday. But I have more pressing matters to attend to right now. Anyways, time for your verdict."

His chest froze up at her words. Just a moment ago he was ready to die.

But now... he wished to stick around for reasons that even he wasn't sure of.

…

…

"As you should know, I am the Hydro Archon. My ideals have no stains. I am judge, jury and executioner. Everything I say is final. I could write off your murders as nothing. No one would bat an eye. I think having you imprisoned or killed would be such a waste when I could use you."

Kyouya looked at her in the eye and asked,

"What use could you possibly have for a murderer? "

He stopped, realizing what he said. He thought that the woman standing before him was twisted to the core and valued justice above all. Of course she had many uses for a murderer like him.

Furina chuckled when she saw him reach the conclusion by himself.

"Oh my, I was worried for a bit thinking you're all brawn and no brains."

She got up from his lap and sat on the table before continuing.

"Well here's my offer. You'll be working as an officer in the Maison Gardiennage. It's either that or you die a slow and painful death. I know you won't deny me as you'll also get to be my precious little toy from here on out."

The words echoed in his mind. Toy? Is this what he had been reduced to?

However, he couldn't help but feel obliged to do as she said, her eyes almost hypnotic to him, as if she was drawing him closer with her captivating beauty. He felt the need to serve her as he nodded his head quietly.

"Well then. Let's get you to your new post."

With a snap of her fingers the chains on his hands were broken off. She walked out of the chamber while Kyouya followed her silently. As they walked through the corridor, she couldn't help but glance back at him and giggle.

"Such an obedient little doggy you are."

They arrived at a secluded room at the end of the corridor with a Garde already waiting for them. She ordered him to fetch something before both of them entered a room which appeared to belong to one of the prison guards. Furina sat on the bed, crossing her legs while he stood there nervously, wondering what would happen next.

...

...

The Garde shortly arrived with a box and left it on the table. Furina instructed him to open the box. He hesitantly opened it to see a brand new uniform.

"Well, what are you waiting for? Wear it. We don't have all day."

Kyouya, realizing the gravity of the situation, began taking off his clothes. She admired his well toned muscles while he was undressing.

Furina realized that he was about to take his pants off. She quickly looked away and began blushing. After a bit, she turned her face back to realize he was done changing.

Kyouya stood infront of a mirror and looked at himself. Never in his life did he imagine himself working for the Maison Gardiennage. Furina approached him from behind and stood on her tiptoes, reaching up to place her hand on his shoulder. The differences in their height was evident.

"Oh, my... Don't you look so dashing? I think that'll definitely get the ladies' attention..."

She leaned in and whispered seductively,

"... but of course, at the end of the day you belong to me only, my precious little toy."

He couldn't help but blush at her words. She simply laughed before walking off.

"Walk with me, cutie."

He walked behind her in the corridor silently, with Furina turning back to sneak a glance at him every now and then. She stopped at the end of the stairway before turning to look at him.

"This is where we part. A new chapter in your life begins today."

He gulped, listening to her instructions.

"Don't worry about your backstory or living facilities, I've already talked with Neuvillette to set everything up smoothly. He is quite the resourceful man so you won't be getting caught unless you do something really stupid."

She paused for a bit, staring at the paintings in the corridor.

"As of today, you will be working for the Maison Gardiennage. And of course, behind the scenes you are still my little toy. What a fantastic conclusion to today's trial, is it not? "

...

...

There was no response from him. He was still trying to process what just happened. Everything was moving so quick.

"You may be wondering why I chose to let you off so easily..."

"...It's because I think your story is far from over. Keeping you around will make things... interesting to say the least. I know you won't disappoint me." she said with a sinister smile on her face.

Kyouya stood in horror as he realized that despite her cutesy exterior, the woman before him was a diabolical mastermind. There was no way out for him anymore, not that he wanted to leave anyways.

"Ah by the way, I forgot to ask. What's your name, cutie? "

"It's Kyouya...".

"Alright then. I, Focalors, hereby welcome you to the nation of Hydro and acknowledge the value and significance of your trip. Now, you may rejoice in this!"

"Lucky me..."

"Anyways, you don't want to miss today's briefing, officer." she said, jokingly saluting him with a mischievous grin.

He walked down the stairs quietly, unaware of the adventures that awaited him. Furina leaned against the wall, admiring his figure until it was no longer visible.

Neuvillette approached her from the shadows and whispered, his words filled with a touch of irritation.

"You've gone and done something ridiculous again."

As her lips curved into a mischievous smile, she turned away with a graceful stride.

"Well, it's your mess now. Toodle-oo~"