#serenity fontaine oc

[vyesquei]

𐙚 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒎𝒂𝒈𝒊𝒄𝒊𝒂𝒏 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒆𝒍 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒈𝒆 ☆ (2/2)

❝ in which; the angel of opera epiclese meets the famed magician of fontaine " » includes: mentions of ocs, oc x canon (irene levasseur x lyney) » note: this is basically irene's pov of events. enjoy reading!

Hotel Debord was livelier than usual, even though it was evening. The moon glowed its serene light onto the stone pavements of the city. It was truly a night of delight.

“And for my next trick, I will give one of you lovely members of the audience your favorite flower!” 

The crowd clapped, chattering about as they watched the famed magician, Lyney, take the stage with his charm and skill. Beside him was a small table with his hat placed up. The spotlight was on him.

A black haired man with white highlights was seated near the corner of the room, checking his pocket watch, shifting his eyes to Lyney. It had been 15 minutes ever since the show started. The guest that the man had been expecting was late.

“Victor,” someone called out, going to the man’s side.

“Irene, it's a pleasure to see you, my dear sister,” Victor said with a small smile. It has been a long time since the two saw each other, since Irene had moved out of their family home. Naturally they missed each other’s presence.

Irene sat down, looking at her brother with slight guilt, “I’m sorry I'm late, rehearsals took a while today.”

“You had rehearsals? Aren't you tired, then?” Victor asked worriedly.

“Not at all,” Irene smiled, watching the show on stage. In truth, Irene was somewhat exhausted, but she didn't tell Victor the truth. Besides, she wanted to see her brother again, and she couldn’t pass on a chance to watch the allegedly fantastic magician, Lyney.

A young lady was called up to the stage, the spotlight shining on her now. She stood beside Lyney, smiling nervously.

“What’s your favorite flower, my lady?” Lyney asked, smiling gleefully. 

“Um… Cecilias from Mondstadt,” the lady replied, her hands clasped behind her back as she answered the question.

“A wonderful choice! It may be a foreign flower, but nothing is impossible with magic!” Lyney said, looking at the crowd, “Now, I would like to request you to take a good look at my hat. Take in every detail.”

Lyney showed the inside of his hat to the lady, then at the audience, “It’s empty, isn't it? Now, I’d like you to try pulling something out of my hat.”

The lady put her hand inside the hat, moving it around Lyney’s hat, then pulling something. She pulled a red handkerchief, tied to an orange one, which was tied to a yellow one, which was tied by a green one and so on.

The line of tied handkerchiefs was long—more than 15 must've gotten pulled already.

At the count of 25, at the end of the seemingly endless tied handkerchiefs was a beautiful bouquet of Cecilias!

The crowd gasped in adulated shock—how in Teyvat could a bouquet fit inside Lyney’s hat!?

Irene clapped her hands and smiled at the wondrous magic trick. She was amazed at Lyney’s trick. He was a marvellous magician indeed, an entertainer deserving of his applaudable reputation.

Irene glanced at Victor, who was uncharacteristically surprised.

Irene, being Victor’s sister, knew that Victor wasn't the type of person to show much vulnerability, may that be sadness, happiness, love, or shock. With that in mind, Irene was even more convinced that this Lyney is a great magician if he was able to get a flabbergasted expression out of her usually calm brother.

“That was a very good trick,” Victor said, taking his teacup and sipping on it, “I should thank Theo… Ahem, Monsieur Fletcher, for the recommendation. I might as well sponsor one of Mr. Lyney’s shows.”

Irene laughed softly, “So Theodore recommended this show to you... That explains it—although, I did guess…”

“What do you mean?” Victor turned to Irene, a red blush on his cheeks. It wasn't apparent, but it was there. He didn’t smile—in fact, he was calm.

“Well, it's not like you to go on shows like this. You're always working, and if not, you're resting, which is rare.” Irene explained, “When you invited me, I was surprised.”

“So then I guessed that someone must've given you free tickets, but that didn't seem right either. You don't take things for free, even if the person giving you something owes you.” Irene smiled at Victor, “So I figured that a special someone must've recommended this magic show to you.”

“Monsieur Fletcher is not special to me,” Victor denied, although Irene knew otherwise. In all honesty, their parents, their younger brother, Yves, even their grandparents, knew that Victor didn't fancy women. And the only one who didn't know it was Victor himself.

“But…”

“But?”

“He’s a great co-worker, a very fruitful employee.”

Irene smiled sheepishly, shaking her head, “...Not exactly the best wording, brother.”

**

The sounds of fast strings played and echoed in the Opera Epiclese. The voice of a boy echoed in song along with the tense music of the orchestra.

Irene was backstage, having her makeup retouched a minute before she got on the stage to sing one single song.

To be honest, Irene wasn't expecting to sing today. She was only an understudy for another famous singer and never really thought of the prospect of the singer being unable to sing because her lover broke up with her.

All Irene wanted right now was a break. She's been taking so many roles in musicals and plays, trying to climb to the top, but to no avail. She wanted an escape from reality for a moment.

Just a moment. A single moment in time.

That's why she ended up buying a ticket for Lyney and Lynette's show after this musical. This might be the 4th time she's watched their shows. Ever since she watched Lyney’s show with Victor, Irene took a liking to watching the fantastic performances of the great magician of Fontaine.

Philippe, Irene’s manager, teased her that it was some sort of coping mechanism, but Irene disagreed, saying that it felt unhealthy to call it a coping mechanism.

“There was wonder and comfort in Lyney's shows, somehow,” Irene told herself once. It made her feel like she was a kid again; singing along to the records that she loved, talking to her aunt again, and unearthing her passion for music.

It was too specific and so out of the blue to feel that way. Magic shows were not at all related to music, but that's how Irene felt.

“You look wonderful, Irene!” Philippe stated with awe.

“Thank you,” Irene replied.

“Are you nervous? Do you need to drink water?-” Philippe asked worriedly. He was like this before every performance. It was a bit too much sometimes, but Irene appreciated his concern. After all, they've known each other for so long. Even before Irene's debut into the world of theater, she and Philippe were already friends, always chatting about films and such.

“I’m fine,” Irene said, “I’m really not nervous.”

“Irene! You're on!” Someone exclaimed.

Philippe reluctantly stepped back, “You can do this.”

Irene nodded, getting onto the stage, beginning to sing a note, trying her best to get everyone’s attention.

As she sang, she looked at the crowd’s rather bewildered faces. They obviously didn't expect Irene, who you might as well mistake for a member of the staff, to sing onstage instead of a well-known prima donna.

Irene felt a bit anxious at their looks of confusion, but she held onto her remaining confidence, singing the song beautifully, her voice clear in the room…

**

The sound of an applause rang in the opera house as Irene exited the stage. It wasn't loud but she was grateful for it.

Irene walked backstage, to be met by Philippe’s flood of compliments.

“Amazing! I swear, you really captivated the whole stage!” Philippe exclaimed, clapping his hands.

“Thank you,” Irene laughed.

Philippe nodded, “Oh yes—your parents are here, by the way. They tried getting backstage to see you-”

“What?” Irene widened her eyes. Her parents only watched her shows once, never again. Irene’s mother was especially indifferent about her career.

“We should go find them,” Irene stated as she walked to the exit when suddenly she stopped, noticing that there were two familiar figures in front of her.

The Magician of the Stage and his assistant.

“Miss Levasseur!” Lyney exclaimed with a smile, “what a wonderful performance you had! I knew that the crowd had their hearts racing as you sang.”

Irene nodded and smiled, “Thank you, Mr. Lyney.”

Irene was taken aback. She didn’t think that she’d have the chance of meeting Lyney and Lynette out of the blue–not only that but Lyney knew Irene. Could Victor have mentioned her to Lyney before?

Victor started sponsoring Lyney and Lynette after watching their show once. Perhaps there was a time that they talked about Irene. However, it seemed unlikely to Irene since Victor rarely talks about family to strangers. If it was because of her career, that would be even more surprising, since Irene wasn’t exactly in the spotlight.

“I’ve been hoping to meet the two of you in person, it makes me very pleased to finally meet you two,” Irene stated. She was feeling happy about this encounter. It was practically like meeting your idols in person.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you too,” Lynette said, “you were beautiful onstage.”

“Thank you,” Irene responded, grateful for their compliments. That’s when she realized that she might have been bothering Lyney and Lynette.

“Are the two of you preparing for the performance you have after this musical? I'm sorry to have bothered you…” Irene asked, a bit embarrassed at herself.

Lyney shook his head, clutching his hat, “Not at all! Me and my sister were only doing prop checks before our show later.”

Irene sighed in relief mentally and smiled, nodding her head. The twins seemed like honest people, so Irene trusted his reply, “Good luck to you both on your performance. I’m sure you'll fascinate the stage.”

“Thank you, my lady,” Lyney bowed with a grin on his face. Irene smiled back and glanced at Philippe—she just remembered about her parents—

“I apologize if it seems like promotion,” Lyney had cut off Irene from her thoughts, which she obviously didn’t mind, “but I'm pretty sure we still have two tickets for our show. If you're interested in watching our show, we have two free tickets for you!”

Irene was taken aback. Was she just offered free tickets? Why? Was it because Irene’s brother was their sponsor? Either way, she’d have to decline since she already bought tickets for their show–she even donated with her own money.

“Ah,” Irene shook her head, “that won't be necessary. I actually already have tickets for your show tonight, so I'm looking forward to it.”

“Oh, I see, I see! Then me and Lynette are honored to see you in the crowd!” Lyney said, still smiling.

“The pleasure is all mine—” Irene smiled at Lynette and then at Lyney, then glanced at Philippe, deciding that they should probably go see her parents—“I’m afraid I must abruptly end our meeting, Lyney, Lynette. It was very nice meeting you both.”

Before Irene could say goodbye properly, Lyney took Irene’s gloved hand, which was a shock to her.

And when Lyney brought Irene’s hand closer to his face, leaning his head down to place a delicate peck on her hand, looking into her eyes as he did so—Irene was even more surprised. Then again, it must be a normal thing, since Lyney was known to be a romantic magician.

“It was very nice to meet you too, Miss Levasseur,” Lyney said, gently letting go of Irene’s hand. Irene didn’t really know what to say, since no man has ever done such a thing. She never really let anyone kiss her hand, anyway. “May fate lead us to meeting again on a beautiful spring day.”

Irene nodded, waving goodbye as she exited the backstage area through the hidden exit where only staff, actors, and actresses may enter.

“That magician truly knows how to flatter someone,” Irene thought to herself, smiling. She certainly wanted to meet Lyney again.

bow divider by @/florietas

[princevictoriapunk]

Sinfonia¹

Disclaimer: Sinfonia is a Genshin Impact fanmade nation.

You're invited to make OCs for this nation :>

Any info below the cut for length! Posts with additional info are linked in the corresponding sections :D

A/N: I'm slightly malding bc Remuria has a few elements I had intended for Sinfonia xD (the GIA challenge I wrote Sinfonia for was back in like October/November '23)

World Map:

Teyvat

Archon Quest:

Chapter V

Associated Element:

Sono

Oculi:

Sonoculi

Archon(s):

✶ Saleos (formerly)

✶ Alloces

Ideal:

Tradition

Main City:

Armonia²

Controlling Entity:

✶ Houses of Staccato³ (formerly),

✶ Council of Ten

Celebrated Festivals:

✶ La Sinfonia Grande⁴

✶ Festa di Voci Gentile⁵

✶ La Mascherata di Eco⁶

✶ Serenata Chiaro di Luna⁷

✶ Armonia Artigiana⁸

✶ Festa di Vigna Risonare⁹

Grammar

Demonym:

Sinfonian

Adjectival:

Sinfonian

Overview

"The city of arts and crafts rivalling Sumeru in pursuit of knowledge. In the northeast of Teyvat, Sinfonia is known for its people striving for perfection and flawless mastery. But besides artistic and literary masterpieces, it is known for their relentless, unshakeable faith in tradition, their truly mouthwatering recipes passed down through generations since ancient times and the age-old winemaking expertise on par with Mondstadt's grand Dawn Winery."

— Genshin Impact Official Website

Sinfonia is one of the regions in Teyvat. It is the nation that worships Lord Alloces, the Sono Archon and the God of Sound, and formerly Lord Saleos, the previous Sono Archon and the God of Melody.

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How to Access

Can be reached after completing Archon Quest Chapter IV.

Map

Location:

East to Fontaine and West to Mondstadt

Sinfonia Map(s)

World Map

Areas

✶ Armonia Plateau

✶ Allegro Vale¹⁰

✶ Crescendo Isles¹¹

✶ Serenata Coast¹²

✶ Vivace Vineyard¹³

Subareas

✶ Armonia Plateau

Melodia Fields¹⁴

Rolling fields dotted with colourful wildflowers, where the melodies of the wind harmonize with the rustling of the grass.

Fioritura Falls¹⁵

Enchanting waterfalls surrounded by blooming flowers, where the scent of blossoms mingles with the melodious sound of falling water, creating a sensory paradise.

Sussurro Meadows¹⁶

Tranquil meadows where soft whispers of the wind blend with the melodies of songbirds, creating a peaceful atmosphere ideal for contemplation and relaxation.

✶ Allegro Vale

Eco Oasis¹⁷

An oasis surrounded by lush greenery and sparkling streams, where rare and exotic plants thrive, creating a harmonious ecosystem.

Vivido Market¹⁸

A lively marketplace bustling with traders and musicians, where the air is filled with the aroma of freshly cooked delicacies and the sounds of street performers.

Canto Vineyards¹⁹

Vast vineyards spread across rolling hills, where rows of grapevines create a picturesque landscape, and the air is filled with the sweet scent of ripe grapes.

✶ Crescendo Isles

Luna Beach²⁰

A pristine sandy beach bathed in moonlight during the evenings, where travellers gather for beach parties, stargazing, and enjoying the serene ambience of the coast.

Sinfonia Lighthouse

A grand lighthouse overlooking the sea, guiding ships safely to the shore with its powerful beams, symbolizing hope and protection for sailors.

Luce Lagoon²¹

A crystal-clear lagoon surrounded by coral reefs, ideal for snorkelling and exploring the mesmerizing underwater world.

✶ Serenata Coast

Aria Waterfalls²²

Majestic waterfalls surrounded by colourful flora, where the cascading waters create a melodic symphony, and visitors often come to meditate and find inspiration.

Ritmo Caves²³

Mysterious caves echoing with rhythmic vibrations, rumoured to hold ancient musical artifacts and secrets waiting to be discovered.

Alba Harbour²⁴

A bustling harbour town where fishing boats dock and seafood restaurants serve fresh catches, accompanied by the soothing sounds of waves gently lapping against the docks.

✶ Vivace Vineyard

Tranquillo Village²⁵

A serene village nestled between gentle hills, where the residents live in harmony with nature, cultivating vineyards and orchards.

Forte Summit²⁶

A majestic mountain peak where strong winds create powerful tunes, and daring adventurers come to test their skills against the elements.

Mount Crescendo

Ancient volcanic ruins where history and folklore intertwine, inviting explorers to uncover hidden tales.

Notable Features

Sinfonia features many unique mechanics and environmental hazards. Some are found throughout Sinfonia, while others can only be found in one of its subregions:

✶ Common

Statues of the Seven

Sonoculi can be offered at Statues of The Seven in Sinfonia for rewards.

✶ Sussuro Meadows

Tree of Ancient Hymns

Sono Sigils can be offered there in Sussuro Meadows for rewards.

✶ Mount Crescendo

Protector of Eruption

The Crescendo Forge is an Offering feature. It's, as the name suggests, a massive, ancient forge created by dwarves ages ago and is located within the volcanic region of Mount Crescendo.

Forge Activation:

● To increase its level, players must collect Crescendo Embers by completing tasks, solving puzzles, and participating in challenges and quests throughout the volcanic region. These embers carry the intense heat and energy of the volcano and are vital for interacting with the Crescendo Forge.

○ To fully activate the Crescendo Forge, players need to make offerings of Crescendo Embers in groups of 6. There are 36 Embers in total.

○ As they offer more Embers, the forge gradually becomes more active, representing the growing intensity of the dwarven workshop.

✶ Exploration

Exploration elements unique to Sinfonia and points of interest can be found here: Sinfonian Travel Guide

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Notable Characters

✶ Archons

Sonata (currently)

Fugue (formerly)

✶ Sovereign Dragon

Duneyr

✶ Council of Ten

Sonata di Armonia

Otello di Armonia

Eleanora Rinforzando di Allegro

Alessandro Rinforzando di Allegro

Isabella Diminuendo di Crescendo

Francesco Diminuendo di Crescendo

Silvano Fortepiano di Vivace

Lavinia Fortepiano di Vivace

Antonio Sforzando di Serenata

Isadora Sforzando di Serenata

✶ Reputation

Octavia

✶ Florists

Serina Arseni (oc by @silvernyxchariot )

✶ Artists

Signor Arte

Sofia Scultura

Leonardo Da Capo

✶ Authors

Penelope Canzone

Alessia Storia

Luca Poesia

✶ Fashion Designers

Seraphina Couture

Clara Eleganza

Giovanni Stilista

✶ Eatery Owners

Francesca Serenissima

Dante Dolcetto

✶ Faeries

Titania (Queen)

Cantilena

Adagio

Belladonna

✶ Dryads

Cantabile

Verde

Arboroso

✶ Nymphs

Naiad

Regina

Aqua

Luna

Luminosa

✶ Sirens

Lirael

Lyrissa

Oceanara

Tempestosa

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Culture

✶ Life in Sinfonia

Agriculture

In Sinfonia, agriculture is an art, a symphony of flavours orchestrated by the skilled hands of farmers who have perfected the craft of cultivating the land. Sinfonia's fertile fields and sun-kissed vineyards yield an abundance of crops and fruits, celebrated for their quality and taste. Rolling hills are adorned with terraced vineyards, where luscious grapes are carefully nurtured to produce the nation's renowned wines, each bottle a testament to generations of winemaking expertise. Olive groves dot the landscape, their silver leaves shimmering in the sunlight, producing the finest olive oils that add a touch of Sinfonian essence to every dish. Wheat fields sway gracefully in the breeze, supplying the grains essential for crafting the perfect pasta, a staple of Sinfonian cuisine. Orchards bloom with citrus fruits and figs, their sweet melodies blending seamlessly with the aroma of freshly baked pastries. Agriculture in Sinfonia is not merely a means of sustenance; it's a celebration of nature's bounty, where every harvest tells a story of tradition, meticulous care, and the harmonious relationship between the land and its stewards.

Architecture

The echoes of Renaissance resonate through the architectural marvels that grace the cities and towns, weaving a tapestry of elegance and grandeur. Inspired by the opulence of Renaissance Sinfonia, architects have crafted buildings adorned with ornate facades, intricate marble carvings, and arched windows that allow sunlight to dance upon polished floors. The Palazzo Sinfonia Grande²⁷, the heart of the nation, boasts majestic domes and towering spires, a tribute to the nation's love for music and the arts. Palatial residences with frescoed ceilings and gardens adorned with classical sculptures stand as a testament to the affluence of the aristocracy. Narrow cobblestone streets wind through the cities, lined with charming boutiques and artisan workshops, each building an architectural masterpiece in its own right. Vine-covered villas overlook rolling hills, their terracotta roofs blending harmoniously with the lush landscape. Every arch, every column, and every intricate detail in Sinfonia's architecture tells a story of artistic brilliance, cultural sophistication, and the enduring spirit of Renaissance elegance.

Education

Education is a revered tradition, echoing the intellectual fervour of Renaissance Sinfonia. Inspired by the scholars and polymaths of the age, Sinfonian education is a holistic journey that nurtures young minds and cultivates brilliance. The nation's modern scholars, much like their Renaissance counterparts, emphasize the pursuit of knowledge in diverse fields such as music theory, fine arts, philosophy, and literature - thus heavily mirroring and opposing the scientific research branches of Sumeru's Akademiya. Academies, adorned with grand libraries and lined with classical art, serve as centers of learning where passionate students engage in spirited debates, hone their artistic talents, and explore the depths of human creativity. Renowned maestros and scholars are invited to mentor the gifted, imparting wisdom that spans generations.

Sinfonia's education system places a strong emphasis on classical studies, with students delving into the works of ancient philosophers, poets, and musicians. The vibrant exchange of ideas in academies and the nurturing of creativity foster a culture where innovation and artistic expression flourish. The Grand Conservatory of Arts and Letters, akin to the esteemed institutions of Sumeru's Akademiya, stands as a beacon of intellectual enlightenment, where the brightest minds gather to push the boundaries of knowledge.

Apprenticeships are highly valued, allowing aspiring musicians, artists, and craftsmen to learn their trade under the guidance of masters, passing down centuries-old techniques and fostering a sense of artistic lineage. Sinfonia's education is not merely a means to an end but a lifelong pursuit, a symphony of learning and discovery that shapes the nation's cultural landscape and ensures the legacy of brilliance endures through the ages.

Cuisine

The nation's culinary landscape is a masterpiece. In this gastronomic haven, every meal is a symphony of flavours, a harmonious blend of tradition and innovation that tantalizes the taste buds and warms the soul.

Sinfonian cuisine is characterized by its emphasis on fresh, high-quality ingredients. Vine-ripened tomatoes, fragrant basil, and golden olive oil are the cornerstones of many dishes, infusing each bite with the essence of the sun-kissed countryside. Pasta, handcrafted with love and expertise, takes centre stage, adorned with rich sauces that tell tales of centuries-old recipes passed down through generations.

The local seafood delights are a testament to its coastal charm. Freshly caught fish, brimming with the essence of the sea, find their way to the tables, transformed into exquisite dishes that capture the maritime spirit. Succulent shellfish and tender calamari, expertly prepared and seasoned, reflect the nation's love affair with the ocean.

But Sinfonia's culinary repertoire extends far beyond pasta and seafood. Hearty risottos, fragrant with saffron and studded with seasonal vegetables, delight the senses. Artisanal cheeses, aged to perfection, grace platters alongside local olives and crusty bread, inviting indulgence in the simplicity of their flavors.

Desserts in Sinfonia are a crescendo of sweetness. Cannoli, decadent tiramisu, and velvety panna cotta are just a glimpse into the world of confectionery delights. The aroma of freshly brewed espresso mingles with the scent of sweet pastries, inviting travellers and locals alike to savour the moment, one sip, and one bite at a time.

In Sinfonia, every meal is not just sustenance; it is a celebration, an ode to the senses that embodies the nation's passion for life and the art of indulgence. Each dish, crafted with love and expertise, invites you to embark on a culinary journey, promising an unforgettable, symphonic experience of taste and tradition.

Available local recipes are Flaming Red Bolognese, Arancini, Focaccia, Risotto, Truffle, Gelato, Stracciatella, Panettone, Frutti di Mare, Ravioli, Carbonara, Panzanella, Cassata, Panna cotta, Tiramisù, Struffoli, and Bicerin.

Music

In the heart of Sinfonia, music transcends mere notes and melodies; It embodies the very essence of the nation's soul, drawing inspiration from the long musical history of the nation. The air is alive with the harmonious sounds of strings, woodwinds, and exquisite voices, weaving a tapestry of timeless elegance and refined artistry.

Sinfonian classical music consists of the intricate compositions of the Renaissance times before the Cataclysm, where every piece is a meticulous arrangement of harmonies and counterpoints. Orchestras, adorned in resplendent attire, grace the grand stages, their instruments resonating with the passion and precision of virtuosos. The music echoes the spirit of the Renaissance, evoking a sense of nobility and grace that transports listeners to eras long past.

Sinfonia's opera, a jewel in the nation's musical crown, captures the essence of the nation's operatic traditions. Theatres adorned with opulent chandeliers and intricate frescoes come alive with the emotive arias and duets of talented sopranos and tenors. The stories sung on stage are tales of love, tragedy, and triumph.

Sinfonia's street corners and bustling squares are serenaded by wandering minstrels and troubadours, their lutes and mandolins resonating with folk tunes that have been passed down through generations. These lively melodies celebrate the joys of life, love, and camaraderie, inviting passersby to join in the merry dance.

Sacred music, inspired by the grandeur of Renaissance choral compositions, fills the air in Sinfonia's cathedrals and chapels. Choirs, their voices soaring to the heavens, perform hymns and motets that echo with reverence, instilling a sense of awe and spirituality.

In Sinfonia, music is not just an art form; it is a language that speaks to the soul. Each note, each chord, carries the weight of centuries of tradition and the boundless creativity of the nation's musicians. Sinfonian music, steeped in the legacy of classical and Renaissance traditions, invites listeners on a journey through time, where the past and the present harmonize in a beautiful, melodic continuum.

Arts and Crafts

In the heart of Sinfonia, art flourishes as a vibrant tapestry: Every stroke of the brush, every sculpted contour, and every intricate detail echo the timeless elegance and creativity that define Sinfonian art through the ages.

Sinfonia's art scene is a blend of classical finesse and Renaissance innovation. Artists as maestros of famed art movements pay homage to the human form, capturing its grace and emotion with masterful precision. Classical sculptures decorate public squares, their marble figures embodying the spirit of beauty and perfection.

The city walls and galleries of Sinfonia come alive with vivid frescoes and murals, telling stories of mythology, history, and everyday life. These fresco techniques masterfully crafted into artworks breathe life into the very architecture that houses them, transforming the mundane into the extraordinary.

Sinfonia's Renaissance-style architecture serves as a canvas in itself. Ornate facades, adorned with intricate carvings and colourful mosaics, reflect the nation's love for aesthetics and craftsmanship. Palazzos, with their grandeur and grace, stand as living testaments to the nation's appreciation for architectural brilliance, drawing inspiration from the likes of the Diminuendo family's architectural patronage.

The streets of Sinfonia are often graced by street performers and artists, their lively performances resounding as the vibrant spirit of Sinfonia's piazzas. Musicians play soul-stirring melodies, while painters create live masterpieces, inviting passersby to immerse themselves in the artistic ambiance that permeates the air.

In Sinfonia, art is not merely an expression; it's a way of life. It breathes passion into every corner, inviting both creators and admirers to partake in the symphony of creativity that defines the nation. From the grandeur of classical sculptures to the vivacity of contemporary street art, Sinfonian arts stand as a testament to Italy's enduring influence, where creativity knows no bounds, and beauty is celebrated in every form.

✶ Designs, Motifs, Symbols

Sinfonian Vision case

Character Cards

Sinfonia Character Cards contain a large circle inlaid with a diamond-shape floral motif. At the top centre of the large circle is the Sinfonia Vision symbol, with the character's element inlaid inside it. Four icons of the same size can be found on each side of the Vision.

The bottom two icons on both sides are identical: the bottom is a fig leaf, and above, it is a Glacier Lily and on top of a bundle of grapes. The remaining icons each represent one of the Noble Crests, depending on which area the character is from.

Crests

In Sinfonian heraldry, especially the red fleur-de-lis (Rinforzando), golden lions (Fortepiano), black eagles (Diminuendo), and blue man-eating dragons (Sforzando) can be found in various colour palettes reflecting the house colours of the respective noble family. The only house represented in the governing nobility who does not depict any symbol other than a silver musical note and their house colours on their crest is the Archon.

Motifs

Craftsmanship has shown itself in marvellously crafted sculptures and paintings and crests of not just people but also animals. Dozens of little cherubs sitting atop pillars and fountains or lined up against the railings of staircases and balconies. Marble lions and eagles are stationed to flank staircases to official buildings and private estates whilst creatures of folklore adorn the gates of gardens and plazas. Especially apples, figs, and quince are used as representatives for the flora, besides any kind of flower the artisan chose to incorporate into their pieces for a specific message. Symmetry in patterns for marble floors, wall carpets, clothes, and more were favoured by anyone.

✶ Economy

Sinfonia's economy dances to the rhythm of tradition and creativity, creating a harmonious blend of cultural heritage and commerce. The nation's artisans, skilled in crafting exquisite musical instruments and intricate masks, contribute to a thriving handicraft industry. Sinfonia's renowned culinary scene, highlighted by dishes like the Flaming Red Bolognese, has become a culinary sensation, drawing food enthusiasts from far and wide. Additionally, the wine produced in the picturesque Canto and Vivace Vineyards not only pleases the senses but also contributes significantly to the nation's exports. The Palazzo Sinfonia Grande, a hub of artistic brilliance, attracts musicians, scholars, and enthusiasts, enhancing the tourism sector. Festivals like the Festa di Voci Gentile and the Mascherata di Eco not only celebrate tradition but also boost local businesses, turning the nation into a vibrant tapestry of economic prosperity where the arts and culture play a central role.

✶ Fashion

The larger city-states produce textiles such as velvet, silk, and wool. Thus, Sinfonian fashion is extravagant and expensive, crafted from velvet, brocade, ribbons, and jewels.

Men's Fashion

Men are seen wearing doublets, tight-fitting jackets with elaborate embroidery and embellishments, paired with hose (fitted trousers) made from rich fabrics like velvet or silk. Crisp, ruffled shirts with lace collars peeking out from under the doublet add a touch of sophistication to the ensemble. Men can layer their outfits with intricately designed vests and capes made from luxurious fabrics, often adorned with brocade patterns and fur trimmings. Wide-brimmed hats and caps adorned with feathers are popular accessories, reflecting the wearer's social status and taste. Knee-high leather boots, often with decorative buckles, complete the look for men.

Women's Fashion

Women tend to wear elegant gowns with fitted bodices and flowing skirts made from silk, satin, or brocade. These gowns can be adorned with elaborate embroidery and gemstones. Corsets help achieve the desired hourglass silhouette, while farthingales, hoop-like structures worn under skirts, create a voluminous effect. Gowns often feature puffed sleeves, which can be embellished with lace or embroidery, adding a touch of femininity to the attire. Women can accessorize with ornate headpieces, such as jewelled tiaras or wreaths of flowers, and wear sheer veils that cascade elegantly over their hair. Delicate silk slippers, embroidered and adorned with ribbons, complement the overall look, offering both comfort and style.

Children's Fashion

Young boys can wear miniature doublets and hoses, while girls can don dresses with simpler bodices and shorter skirts, mirroring adult fashion. Children's clothing can feature playful embellishments like colourful ribbons, lace trims, and embroidered motifs, reflecting youthful exuberance. Children can wear smaller versions of adult accessories, such as feathered caps for boys and dainty headpieces for girls, allowing them to imitate the elegance of their elders. Children can wear leather shoes with sturdy soles, ensuring both comfort and durability as they explore their world.

Uniforms

Past the events of the Cataclysm, the colours for the clerical dress have been decided. Black became the most accepted colour in Sinfonia, with white being left for the head of their belief.

✶ Festivals and Holidays

La Sinfonia Grande

An annual music festival where musicians and composers from all over Sinfonia gather to perform in a grand symphonic orchestra. The event celebrates the nation's love for music, showcasing both traditional Sinfonian tunes and innovative compositions.

Festa di Voci Gentile

A culinary event celebrating Sinfonia's diverse cuisine. During this festival, renowned chefs prepare elaborate dishes, and local eateries offer special menus. The feast emphasizes the use of ingredients that create harmonious sounds when cooked, aligning with the nation's focus on sound.

La Mascherata di Eco

A vibrant carnival where people wear masks and costumes, symbolizing different musical themes and characters. Parades, music performances, and dance events fill the streets, creating a lively atmosphere. The event culminates in a grand masquerade ball where attendees dance to the rhythm of traditional Sinfonian music.

Serenata Chiaro di Luna

A romantic tradition where individuals express their feelings through serenades. During a specific night of the year, people sing love songs under the moonlight to their beloved. It's a charming and heartfelt event, reflecting the romantic nature of Sinfonian culture.

Armonia Artigiana

An event showcasing the craftsmanship of Sinfonia. Artisans and craftsmen display their skills in creating musical instruments, intricate masks, and decorative items. Visitors can participate in workshops to learn these crafts, fostering a sense of community and appreciation for traditional artistry.

Festa di Vigna Risonare

Held in the picturesque vineyards of Sinfonia, this event celebrates the nation's winemaking heritage. Visitors can participate in grape stomping, wine tasting, and traditional dance performances. It's a time of joy, relaxation, and appreciation for the vineyard's bountiful harvest.

✶ Language

Besides the Common Tongue, Sinfonian is the local language spoken in the nation. Sinfonian script is the same overall. Spoken, however, it is separated into two dialects: Northern and Southern Sinfonian.

Sinfonian script

✶ Politics

As aforementioned, the city-states were independently ruled by nobility taking care of their own region. These five regions are governed as follows: Fugue/Sonata in Armonia, the Rinforzando family in Allegro, the Diminuendo in Crescendo, the Sforzando family in Serenata, the Fortepiano family in Vivace. Together, they used to form the Houses of Staccato, but now, they deploy two voted representatives for their houses for the Council of Ten that serves as the government of Sinfonia under the lead of their Archon.

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History

✶ Pre-Archon War

Long before the Archon War, Sinfonia was a land of musical marvels, where the harmonious sounds of nature and the creativity of its people blended seamlessly. The nation's city-states were known for their unique musical traditions, and Sinfonia was renowned as a cultural haven, attracting musicians, artists, and artisans from all corners of Teyvat. Said city-states were governed by nobility within their respective regions, and said families were known as Houses of Staccato.

✶ The Archon War

2,000 years ago in the midst of the Archon War, Sinfonia was engulfed in chaos. Rival factions within the nation clashed, each vying for control and power. The once serene melodies that echoed through Sinfonia's cities were drowned out by the sounds of battle. The sound dragon Duneyr, accompanied by Fugue, fought a bloody battle against the fairies allied with dryads and nymphs and sirens. Days of combat were long and exhausting, gruesome, too. Fugue's music, infused with the elemental power of sound, resonated across the land. They composed symphonies that served as shields, protecting Sinfonia's cities from enemy attacks. The harmonious tunes not only bolstered the spirits of the Sinfonian soldiers but also inspired awe and fear in their adversaries. The nation's musicians composed ballads of heroism, immortalizing the sacrifices made by their fellow citizens.

When the Archon War finally subsided as a consequence of the enemy forces being subdued, Sinfonia emerged as a testament to the strength of unity and the enduring spirit of music. The nation's landscapes bore the scars of battle, but its people stood proud, their melodies carrying the echoes of their resilience and determination. Sinfonia had weathered the storm, and its harmonious legacy would echo through the ages, reminding the world of the unwavering power of unity and song.

✶ Post-Archon War

After the Archon War subsided and peace returned to Teyvat, Sinfonia emerged as a symbol of cultural revival. Fugue, having proven their leadership during the war, ascended to the position of Archon. Under their guidance, the nation embraced a new era of creativity and unity. However, their people didn't know that they've been planning the nation's brainwashing in the process by trying to have their followers obsessively worship them. They also were a firm believer of the motto 'survival of the strongest'. And akin to how the Raiden Shogun closed down the borders of Inazuma, Fugue isolated Sinfonia from all other nations.

In some way, this is also how the Opera War could take place in the first place: A historical conflict where rival factions within Sinfonia fought for control over the nation's opera houses, leading to a period of artistic turmoil and political intrigue. Dozens of fighters fell in battle, serving as morbid amusement for their Archon they worshipped so dearly and prayed to for victory.

✶ Pre-Cataclysm

Once some people realized that there was something off about Fugue's style of ruling, they started meeting up in secret to discuss their course of action. Thus, the Rebellion of Silent Echo was born. In a time when the government suppressed artistic expression, a group of musicians and artists known as the Silent Echo staged a rebellion with the aid of fairies, advocating for the freedom of artistic creation. Their efforts led to significant reforms and the recognition of artistic freedom in Sinfonia. And with Fugue's fall, a new Archon had to be chosen. With the leader of the rebellion, Aria, nearing her untimely demise, her fairy companion Sonata was chosen to take her place. The spirit agreed, pledging to uphold the young woman's ideals forever. Thus, taking a form reminiscent of Aria, Sonata ascended to an Archon.

As a follow-up, the Harmony Revolution came over the Nation of Sound. Sinfonia experienced a period of social and cultural upheaval considered as Renaissance. During this time, there was a flourishing of arts, literature, and science. Sinfonia's Harmony Revolution was a time of great creativity and innovation, shaping the nation's cultural identity for a better after everything that had happened under Fugue's rule.

In the peaceful years following the previous events, Sinfonia continued to thrive as a centre of art, music, and culture. The nation's harmony resonated in every corner, and its citizens revelled in the beauty of their traditions. The Sinfonian people, inspired by their Archon, Sonata, reached new heights of artistic achievement. The nation's orchestras played enchanting melodies, and its craftsmen created intricate instruments that seemed to echo with the soul of Teyvat itself.

✶ The Cataclysm

When the Cataclysm struck and the once-hidden nation of Khaenri'ah faced destruction, Sinfonia was not spared from the ensuing chaos. Abyssal creatures, born from the depths of darkness, seeped onto the surface, threatening the very essence of Sinfonia's harmonious existence. The nation's musicians and scholars joined forces, using the power of their music to create protective wards, shielding their cities and people from the malevolent influence of the Abyss.

During this dark time, Sonata led their people with unwavering resolve akin to how Aria had led them through the Rebellion of Silent Echo. They composed a grand symphony, a musical masterpiece infused with elemental magic, which resonated across the land, bolstering the spirits of the Sinfonian citizens. The music became a beacon of hope, inspiring the people to stand strong against the Abyssal onslaught.

✶ Post-Cataclysm

The Eruption of Mount Crescendo reshaped the landscape of Sinfonia, leading to the creation of unique geological formations and influencing the nation's culture and traditions near the end of the Cataclysm.

In the aftermath of the Cataclysm, Sinfonia bore the scars of the Abyssal invasion, but the nation's spirit remained unbroken. The people, having faced the darkness and emerged victorious, celebrated their resilience. Sonata, hailed as the Maestro of Light, was revered for their leadership during the crisis.

Sinfonia became a sanctuary for refugees from other nations affected by the Abyss, offering them solace, shelter, and a chance to rebuild their lives. The nation's musicians composed elegies and hymns, honouring the fallen and reminding the world of the importance of unity and harmony.

The Cataclysm, though a time of great suffering, had also strengthened the bonds between the people of Sinfonia. They embraced the survivors from other lands, fostering a spirit of cooperation and understanding. The nation's musical traditions evolved, incorporating new melodies and instruments brought by the refugees, enriching Sinfonia's cultural tapestry.

Under Sonata's guidance, Sinfonia became a bastion of hope, a land where the power of music and unity triumphed over darkness. The Cataclysm had left its mark, but Sinfonia stood as a testament to the enduring strength of Teyvat's people, reminding them that even in the face of the Abyss, the harmonious melodies of unity would always prevail.

✶ Recent Past

The Great Sonata's Unification is a major event in Sinfonian history. The nation used to be only a collection of city-states and regions before the Great Sonata's Unification. Sonata, a revered leader, played a key role in uniting these diverse territories into a cohesive nation.

Other than the above, the Feast of Voices is a grand event celebrating Sinfonia's love for music and gastronomy. The Feast of Voices originated centuries ago, marking a treaty or alliance between different Sinfonian regions. Traveler and Paimon also happen to stop by during the final preparations as it's a nationwide festival where music, food, and tradition are celebrated.

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Archon

Sonata

Considering the historical context of scorn towards Fugue, Sonata still has a complex relationship with their people. They're seen as a figure of both reverence and resentment among the Sinfonian citizens. Representing the ideal of tradition, they're respected for preserving the cultural heritage and traditions of Sinfonia. The people appreciate their commitment to maintaining the nation's unique customs, arts, and cuisine.

Alas, some Sinfonians are still wary of Sonata's rule, fearing oppressive measures or outdated traditions that hinder progress. There are factions within the nation that resist Sonata's strict adherence to old ways, desiring more modernization and change. Sonata actively patronizes the arts, encouraging traditional Sinfonian music, literature, and other cultural expressions. This has earned them admiration among artists and intellectuals, even if the general populace remains divided on their rule.

Like historical situations where Fugue's policies affected the economy, Sonata's governance has created economic disparities. Certain regions or social classes could prosper due to their adherence to traditional practices, while others, desiring change, face economic challenges. Sonata employs diplomacy to maintain a delicate balance, seeking alliances with neighboring nations like Fontaine and Mondstadt. This diplomacy is both a source of stability and contention among the people, depending on the outcomes of such alliances.

Despite any resentment, there's a deep-seated pride among Sinfonians for their cultural heritage, which Sonata represents. This pride unites the people, even in the face of internal divisions, creating a sense of identity rooted in their traditions.

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Items

A list of items can be found in the post: Sinfonia Items.

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Achievements

A list of achievements can be found in this post: Sinfonia Achievements.

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Reputation

The NPC overseeing the reputation institution is Octavia.

✶ Rewards

1 — Recipe: Spaghetti All’Assassina

2 — Blueprint: Mystical Manuscript Shelf, Blueprint: Canopy Bed, Fontaine Mining Outcrop Search

3 — Message Decoder

4 — Sinfonia: Citadel, Recipe: Tiramisù, Sinfonia Merchant Discounts

5 — Melodia Flute

6 — Blueprint: Celestial Compass Table, Blueprint: Symphony Chandelier

7 — Sinfonia: Composer, Recipe: Artichoke Truffle

8 — Instructions: Sonoculus Resonance Stone

9 — Diagram: Sono Treasure Compass

10 — Clefwind Glider, Superstar in Sinfonia

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Trivia

✶ In the trailer, Teyvat Chapter Storyline Preview: Travail, under the title of the quest "Melodies Unchanged, Song Remains", there is a line written in Teyvat's Latin script. It reads "Musica est in ancilla divinitatis" which translates to "Music is the handmaid of divinity".

✶ Many buildings in Sinfonia boast rooftop gardens, where aromatic herbs, vibrant flowers, and small citrus trees thrive. These gardens serve as peaceful retreats for residents and offer breathtaking views of the surrounding landscapes.

✶ Sinfonia has a unique "language of flowers," where specific flowers and arrangements convey different emotions and messages. It's a cherished tradition used in various ceremonies and celebrations.

✶ The Nation of Sound is home to rare and melodious songbirds with vibrant plumage. These birds are considered symbols of good luck and are often featured in Sinfonian art and folklore.

✶ Sinfonia is home to prestigious guilds of craftsmen, where artisans specializing in crafting musical instruments, masks, and sculptures gather. These guilds host annual competitions, showcasing the finest creations and innovations in the arts.

✶ As the Archons have financial quirks as they're known to have no [need for] money, Sonata has a running gag related to their love for rare musical artifacts and instruments. Despite being the Archon, Sonata has a habit of spending all their Mora on acquiring these unique items, often leaving them without funds for everyday expenses. In their pursuit of preserving Sinfonia's musical heritage, it is constantly on the lookout for rare musical artifacts and instruments. Their running gag involves them spending all their Mora on acquiring these items, leading to comical situations where they are left without funds for basic necessities. Players can find them frequently searching for discounts, negotiating prices, or relying on the help of the Traveler and other characters to cover their expenses during quests.

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Etymology

✶¹ Sinfonia is Italian for "symphony".

✶² Armonia is Italian for "harmony".

✶³ Staccato is an Italian musical term for shortened and sharply separated notes.

✶⁴ La Sinfonia Grande is Italian for "the grand symphony".

✶⁵ La Festa di Voci Gentile is Italian for "the feast of kind voices".

✶⁶ La Mascherata di Eco is Italian for "the masquerade of echoes".

✶⁷ Serenata Chiaro di Luna is Italian for "moonlight serenade".

✶⁸ Armonia Artigiana is Italian for "artisan's harmony".

✶⁹ Festa di Vigna Risonare is Italian for "feast of resonating vineyard".

✶¹⁰ Allegro is an Italian musical term for fast tempo (120-168 BPM).

✶¹¹ Crescendo is an Italian musical term for a gradually louder dynamic change.

✶¹² Serenata is Italian for "serenade".

✶¹³ Vivace is an Italian musical term for a fast and lively tempo (140-176 BPM).

✶¹⁴ Melodia is Italian for "melody".

✶¹⁵ Fioritura is an Italian musical term for the ornamentation of a melody.

✶¹⁶ Sussurro is Italian for "whisper, murmur".

✶¹⁷ Eco is Italian for "echo".

✶¹⁸ Vivido is Italian for "vivid, bright, intense".

✶¹⁹ Canto derives from the Italian word for "singing" or "song". It's also used to describe the principal form of division in long poetry.

✶²⁰ Luna is Italian for "moon".

✶²¹ Luce is Italian for "light".

✶²² Aria is a self-contained piece for solo voice, usually accompanied by orchestra in opera.

✶²³ Ritmo is Italian for "rhythm".

✶²⁴ Alba is Italian for "sunrise".

✶²⁵ Tranquillo is an Italian musical term for a calm mood.

✶²⁶ Forte is an Italian musical term for a loud dynamic.

✶²⁷ Palazzo Sinfonia Grande roughly translates to "Grand Symphony Hall"; Palazzo being Italian for large, imposing houses/buildings, and Sinfonia Grande meaning "Grand Symphony".

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Cultural References

✶ Sinfonia is inspired by mainly Italian culture and history, especially during the Renaissance.

✶ Sonata is the alias Alloces has chosen for themselves.

✶ Sinfonian Script is based on the real-life script of the Nucerian alphabet: Inscriptions that could be found in southern Italy.

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Credits

✶ Art by me

✶ Map made on Red Blob Games; edited in ibis paint x

✶ Picrew by @/kuren. / @/seep_999

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Crossposted on Genshin Impact Amino

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[rosenongrata]

Heart of the Sea

⋯ 𓆩♡𓆪 Summary. A serene jazz songstress slowly makes her way through the artistic ranks of Fontaine—hoping to eventually connect the dots to her past and lost memories through music. And as she always says, "People come and go as the tides of the sea do."

⋯ 𓆩♡𓆪 A/N. yes. another oc/canon fic i'll probably have trouble with finishing…………………. LOL! anyway, im obsessed with these two as of yesterday. someone get these worms outta my heaaaad!!!! enjoy :)

⋯ 𓆩♡𓆪 AO3 Link.

⋯ 𓆩♡𓆪 Chapter W.C. 1039.

⋯ 𓆩♡𓆪 CW. None................YET. Fluff.

Chapter 1 — A First for Everything.

It's raining again today.

People scurry back to their homes as the rain pelts them from above. Sure, rain is normal here in Fontaine, but it's hardly pleasant either most of the time, even within the Court.

But, somehow the rain intensifies the fragile beauty of the songstress' voice that sits on stage. As her slender, veiny hands dance across the black and white piano keys, her eyes flitter shut to fully dip herself into the song.

Chief Justice Neuvillette doesn't want to be here—no matter how pleasant the water tastes and no matter how wonderful the woman on stage sounds. But, some of the little Melusines had implored him to tag along to a little jazz studio down the street.

He prefers hearing the songs that the heavy rain sings. A human voice could never compare to the pitter-pats of raindrops on the stony pavement—

"Hm?" Neuvillette finally notices one of the Melusines that invited him here has disappeared. "Where did she go…" He mutters to himself, turning in the other direction in his seat at the corner table only to notice the other Melusine is also gone. "They're all gone—" It dawns on him that he spaced out so hard that all four of the little girls had gone with the wind.

When his icy eyes flicker to the stage, he notices the four little Melusines standing at the edge—jumping up and down with pure, unfiltered glee. One of them asks for an autograph on her napkin…it was all she had on her person.

The songstress nods to the four little girls before finishing up the song—ending on a bittersweet note that could only allude to the abrupt death of a lover. He wasn't paying attention too much to the song itself, so when he hears those last words about "Beloved of the Sea," he feels his heart sink. He nearly frowns at the implication, but puts it beside himself for now.

The songstress hops off the small stage after the end of the song, picking up a quill pen from the nearby bar. She laughs about something with the bartender for a brief moment—her smile sweet as candy. Not that Neuvillette of all people would know how candy tastes unless a Melusine forced one into his mouth.

The four small Melusines tag along, following her to the bar. The woman notices with ease but acts surprised when she turns back around. It makes the four girls giggle and apologize bashfully, she pats one of them on the head and forgives them with the grace of an angel.

"H-Here!" Menthe sleepily chirps, handing the songstress the napkin.

"Thank you, little Menthe." The woman nods and scribbles down her very first autograph onto the unused napkin, adding a couple of small hearts as a nice, memorable touch.

"O-Oh, you know my name?" Menthe jumps in surprise, she's unsure about whether she should be scared or not right now. "I hadn't even introduced myself yet…!" She bemoans.

"No worries, I heard such a lovely name in passing the other day when I passed the cafe." The older lady reassures, "And I will tell you mine." She crouches down to the Melusines' short statures, handing Menthe the napkin back. "My name is Kafka. And here's your autograph. Thank you so much for being my first fan!" She nods and claps her hands together.

"Your very first?!" The girls let out a collective gasp of surprise.

"Indeed. People come and go as the tides of the sea do." Kafka giggles, "So, please… Keep that autograph safe." She affirms.

"Y-Yes, Mademoiselle Kafka!" Menthe nods rapidly, hugging her napkin close to her chest. She scurries back off to her table with two of her friends, leaving only one behind.

"How can I help you, Sedene?" Kafka interrupts the lonely Melusines' thoughts.

"Can…Can I put in a song request?" Sedene asks, a curious expression on her features as her hand touches her chin.

"Of course. I'd be happy to try my best." Kafka beams.

As Sedene and Kafka discuss the new song, the three other Melusines return to Neuvillette. They're radiating with joy, and he can't stop himself from finally relaxing. He smiles a little.

"What might you have there, Menthe?" He inquires softly. He already knows what it is, but it's the right thing to do to ask about what happened.

"Mademoiselle Kafka's autograph!" Menthe hops up and down on her bare heels, presenting the signed napkin to him. "Be gentle with it, though." She says very sternly, which he takes to heart.

"I will be as gentle as possible, do not worry." He nods, taking the soft paper napkin from her.

"Thank you for being our first fan!! Sincerely, Kafka and Anais…❤"

That's what the autograph reads—the handwriting is rather small and messy, but still legible. He can only assume Anais is the barkeep. He sighs a little, his icy eyes drifting back to the little girls. He hands the napkin back to its new owner.

"Congratulations on getting your autograph, Menthe." He smiles a little more, "Take good care of it—"

"I want to frame it." Menthe interrupts, a curious expression painting her features. "…Where do I buy a frame?" She asks, sitting down next to him with the other two at the table.

"I will find you one soon." He offers, causing her to clap softly.

"Thank you so much, Monsieur Neuvillette!"

"Not a problem." He nods while he watches Sedene reapproach the table, "Hello, Sedene. What were you two discussing?"

"Oh, well… I asked if she had any songs about Melusines," Sedene starts, crawling up onto her seat before plopping down. "She doesn't, but she said once she does her research, she's going to compose a song for us."

"How wonderful." He assures, "…She sounds very kind-hearted. An autograph and, soon, a new song for you all…" He murmurs. "I am very happy for you four." He speaks up, a soft twinkle in his pale eyes.

"She's so nice! Almost as nice as Monsieur Neuvillette!" Muirne nods happily, "Her hand is pretty rough to the touch, but she was so gentle about patting my head…" She recalls.

He sighs in relief.

…And the rain finally stops.

[viisiond]

CHARACTER PROFILE- MARCHESA BONFAMILLE (OC)

Name: Marchesa Bonfamille Alias: Matriarch of the Bonfamille family, Lady Marchesa, The Duchess Age: 39-40 [12/24] Species: Turkish Angora Beastman Affiliations: Opera Epiclese [Benefactor/Owner], Bonfamille Family

Personality: Elegance and passionate, Marchesa is the head of the Bonfamille family and among some of it’s most prominent and successful members. She is a kind individual who puts the studies of her students before her own needs, making sure they can get the most out of her classes and if needed, advice from their teacher who has had her hand in everything. Outside of running the Opera Epiclese however, Marchesa is the mother to three children- Thibault, Serenity, and Felix. And while she’s a single mother, she still continues to make sure the three are upstanding ladies and gentlemen; she loves them all dearly and is always very proud of how far they’ve come in life...

Family: Lafayette Reitherman (Husband; Deceased) Thibault Bonfamille (Oldest Son; 1st triplet) [17] Serenity Bonfamille (Eldest/middle daughter; 2nd triplet) [17] Felix Bonfamille (Youngest Son; 3rd triplet) [17]

Vision: Cryo Weapon: Sword Constellation: angelus musicae [Angel of Music]

Elemental Skill: TBA

Elemental Burst: She never felt alone [Marchesa can summon forth enemies she has defeated in battle to fight for her as a companion.]

OTHER: - The head of the Bonfamille family, one of the longest living and prominent families within Fontaine. Most members go off to be successful soldiers or mages while others go into the arts be it as performers, musicians, or artists... Which is why the Opera Epiclese exists, being her father’s creation- the Bonfamille family owns and presides over the opera house despite it having an influx of new managers every now and then. Marchesa’s current choice, Gaston, has kept things afloat while she is away. He is also a long term friend of hers from back when she was a showgirl working at the Opera Epiclese. While she is aware they use the building for their trials, Marchesa has yet to attend one until recently. - Marchesa did end up moving from showgirl to opera singer a couple years down the line but she only stopped because of two things: her husband and her triplets coming into the world. Her husband, by that point, had been diagnosed with Tuberculosis and admitted to the hospital. Marchesa did end up marrying him in the hospital so they could be official, sadly he passed before their kids were born and she has made sure his compositions are preserved on the walls of the Bonfamille estate. - At the moment, she has retired from performing and is currently busy running the Opera Epiclese. She still does small shows from time to time but she hasn’t done them as often as she has in the past; you can find her performing with a small jazz club she oversees at small taverns and the like however!

[wri0thesley]

u know what. im gonna let myself be indulgent and post some silly oc writing beneath the cut. cw for unhealthy relationships, whatever the fuck is going on with pantalone and praskovya, dub-con (not explicit not sfw, just implied).

“Panya,” Pantalone says; he’s the only one who ever calls them this; the name sickly sweet from his lips. “Nightingale. Come here.” Praskovya obeys; they always do, when it’s he who is asking. They owe him, after all – and though some of his promises have proved empty (Praskovya dutifully pushes down the reminder of their two elder brothers, dead in duty after Pantalone had found a place in the Fatui for them that the harbinger had promised would be safe), the others remain truthful.

The jewels about their throat, the respectful way people look at them, the residency in the Snezhnayan capital and the fact that they have not had to worry about Mora in some time--

Pantalone’s gloved fingers reach for their face, tip up their chin; he is smiling, and Praskovya forces a smile back for him.

“A kiss, little songbird,” he practically purrs, and Praskovya leans in as they are used to doing – shivers when cool lips brush their own, when Pantalone sighs and his arm pulls them closer. It is a familiar kind of coldness; Praskovya lets themselves be lulled by it, into something cool and unfeeling. When Pantalone pulls back from them, his thumb smoothing over their lips, there is a savage pleasure hidden in his serene eyes.

“You’re still insistent on leaving me, little songbird?” He asks them. “Disappointing your poor devotees?”

“It’s only for three months,” Praskovya says, carefully, knowing this is a sore spot for their patron still. “And it will, I hope, do something for our motherland--”

“Ever dutiful,” he says, and Praskovya does not think it is a compliment. He sighs, thumb brushing from their mouth to the roundness of their cheek, and he murmurs; “Liyue, Sumeru, Fontaine, Mondstadt, Natlan, Inazuma--”

“I should like to see Fontaine,” they say. “It will be novel seeing somewhere water doesn’t freeze over overnight.” Their heart beats steadily against their ribcage as if they are not wildly terrified; if they have their way, they will not see Sumeru, let alone Fontaine. Their vision pulses on the bedside table and Praskovya prays he does not see. Pantalone huffs out a soft laugh, and some of their tension dissipates. He has not noticed.

“Still,” he says. “I shall miss you, Panya.”

“And I you,” Praskovya says, though both of them know it is not true. He smiles all the same; Praskovya is a treasure he has carefully polished up, prised from the cracks of the world on his own, made shine himself. He does not love them. Praskovya is not sure Pantalone is capable of loving anything but his reputation, the Mora in his bank account, the way people look at him in awe and envy--

But Praskovya has nowhere else to go, now.

“Perhaps I’ll marry you when you come back,” he says, lightly, and Praskovya has to fight back the wave of revulsion that washes over them at the very idea of it. Yet another chain leading them back here; yet another way for Pantalone to show them off, to say ‘this is mine’ and have the object he’s referring to be Praskovya themselves--

“Perhaps,” they echo, and he laughs, and the tight string around their heart loosens.

“Come here,” he says again, and this time his voice drops a semitone. His hand pets the silk bedsheets next to him. “Give me something to remember you by. You always sing so sweetly for me, little nightingale.”

As Praskovya has so many times before, they let him take them into his bed and map them by heart until all there is left in their mind is the satisfied panting of their patron against their ear, two voices sighing softly that never quite manage to be in perfect harmony.

when my muse hasnt been in the mood for writing fic ive just been writing out praskovya's silly little backstory and vignettes of diluc and them hashing out their enemies to lovers backstory and. oops.

[eileenfangirls]

GENERAL

Headcanon

Escenario

MANSIÓN COMTE

— Napoleón Bonaparte

Headcanon

Escenarios

Escritos

Peticiones

— Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Headcanon

Escenarios

Escritos

Peticiones

— Leonardo Da Vinci

Headcanon

Escenarios

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Peticiones

— Arthur Conan Doyle

Headcanon

Escenarios

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Peticiones

— Vincent Van Gogh

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— Theodorus Van Gogh

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— Osamu Dazai

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— Isaac Newton

Headcanon

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Escritos

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— Jean d’Arc

Headcanon

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— William Shakespeare

Headcanon

Escenarios

Escritos

Peticiones

— Comte de Saint-Germain

Headcanon

Escenarios

Escritos

Peticiones

— Sebastian

Headcanon

Escenarios

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Peticiones

— MC

Headcanon

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Escritos

Peticiones

CASTILLO VLAD

— Vlad

Headcanon

Escenarios

Escritos

Peticiones

— Johann Georg Faust

Headcanon

Escenarios

Escritos

Peticiones

— Charles-Henri Sanson

Headcanon

Escenarios

Escritos

Peticiones

OTROS

— Serenity Fontaine (OC)

Headcanon

Escenarios

Escritos

Peticiones

[melodiaemfrp]

Hello, Attuned! Thank you for participating in Melodiae’s seventh Activity Check! Listed here are characters that did not pass the check (Seven (7) days of activity in-server) for the period from Friday, July 8th, 2022 to Wednesday, September 7th, 2022.

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ADORNED BY CHI

Kelechi Okafor (Teacake)

ARKNIGHTS

Dusk (Hika)

Ifrit (Azazel)

BANG DREAM! GIRLS BAND PARTY

Hagumi Kitazawa (Isu)

BUNGOU STRAY DOGS

Edogawa Ranpo (Cezanne)

Kouyou Ozaki* (Azazel)

Oda Sakunosuke* (Azazel)

Oguri Mushitarou (Lin)

Yukichi Fukuzawa (Rosel)

CRASH FEVER

Einstein (Jay/Julian)

CROSSCODE

Lea (Chris)

DETECTIVE CONAN

Kaito Kuroba* (Mae / Will)

DRAGON BALL

Kaki (OC) (Ana)

ELSWORD

Ainen Rosso (Xanthe)

Noah Ebalon (Nyx Pieta) (Xanthe)

FATE/GRAND ORDER

Lancer (Enkidu) (Mint)

Merlin (Caster) (Remi)

FINAL FANTASY

VII

Cloud Strife (Nils)

XIV

Hythlodaeus (Skadi)

J’azim Tia (WOL RPR) (D’mi)

Mikh’a Wolndara (WOL DRG) (Gil)

Titania (Z’attana Kett) (OC)* (Ashley)

XV

Gladiolus Amicitia (Cezanne)

Ignis Scientia (Cyan)

Prompto Argentum (Tom)

FIRE EMBLEM

THREE HOUSES

Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd (Sun)

Edelgard von Hresvelg (Xel)

Khalid ‘Claude’ von Riegan (Seren)

GENSHIN IMPACT

Bennett (Fris)

Venti [ Barbatos ] (Noct)

GUILD WARS 2

Ardaigon “Silas” (OC) (Rennigan)

Kerdemelidis (OC) (D’mi)

Malomedies (D’mi)

Tarehu (Sylvari Pact Commander) (D’mi)

Totara (OC) (D’mi)

GRANBLUE FANTASY

Lucilius (Mint)

HELLO CHARLOTTE

Charlotte Wiltshire (Lisa)

Scarlett Eyler (Freya)

3

Charlotte “Lotte” Wiltshire (Lisa)

HEAVEN'S GATE

Vincent Fennell (Corinthia)

HOUSEKI NO KUNI

Diamond (Azazel)

JOJO’S BIZARRE ADVENTURE

VENTO AUREO

Leone Abbacchio (Tom)

Trish Una* (Eris)

JUJUTSU KAISEN

Mahito (Azazel)

KAMEN RIDER

Hitomi Hanamura (OC) (Bedi)

OOO

Hino Eiji * (Ami)

BUILD

Banjou Ryuuga (Lottie)

Sento Kiryu (Jun)

ZERO-ONE

Horobi (Dani)

SABER

Kamiyama Touma (Jun)

Kento Fukamiya (Isu)

REVICE

Daiji Igarashi/Kagerou (Jun)

KATAMARI

King of All Cosmos (Benen)

KATANA ZERO

Leon von Alvensleben (Azazel)

LEAGUE OF LEGENDS

Bel’veth (Xanthe)

LEGEND OF HEROES

Alfin Reise Arnor* (Mikey)

LOST ARK

Armen (D’mi)

Janus (Ilvand) (OC)* (Rennigan)

MEGA MAN

ZERO

Zero (Hikari)

ORIGINAL CHARACTERS

Agate Sinclair (Jaden)

Anaïas Amaervanna (Riparian) (Cricket)

Chariton Argyros (KB)

Daniel Dee (Cezanne)

Eost (Augustus Aurelis Incedens) (Shae)

Estelle VaRossa (Hikari)

Heron (Carnelius Rhiza) (Rosel)

Honeyguide (Snakeroot/Altissima) (Rosel)

Isaris Sirasi (Rennigan)

Kalliden Helios Acanthus (Rosel)

Niko Andros (Isu)

Noah Fontaine* (KB)

Rhyder (Lemegeton) (Bram)

Rovaniemi, Lapland (KB)

Tir ver Lei* (Rennigan)

The Lady in White (Bram)

The Umbral Vices (Cezanne)

Tristana “Titiana” Ulgoras* (Derrick)

Tuesday Sinclair (Teddie)

Wave Roma Aquais (Chris)

Yveri Dalton (Rennigan)

PERSONA

2

Jun Kurosu (Laur)

3

Elizabeth (Mint)

5

Goro Akechi (Flora)

POKEMON

SWORD/SHIELD

Klara (Rey)

PROJECT MOON WORKS

LIBRARY OF RUINA

Binah* (Keizh)

Edelweiss Sturm (OC) (Fris)

Tiphereth A (Lisa)

LOBOTOMY CORPORATION

Malkuth (Tom)

PROJECT SEKAI

Miku Hatsune* (Mikey)

Rui Kamishiro (Fris)

RADIATA STORIES

Lord Lucian Hewitt ( Aphelion )* (Thysto)

RE:ZERO: STARTING LIFE FROM ANOTHER WORLD

Rem (Chris)

RUNE FACTORY

5

Ludmila (Rey)

RWBY

Nora Valkyrie * (Ami)

SENKI ZESSHOU SYMPHOGEAR

Chris Yukine (Chris)

SHUUEN NO SHIORI

E-ki (Shae)

SK8 THE INFINITY

Langa Hasegawa (Mae / Will)

STEVEN UNIVERSE

Cornflower Sapphire (OC) (Tea Cake)

STRAY

The Guardian (Lizard)

SUPER SENTAI

KIKAI SENTAI ZENKAIGER

Stacey (Lottie)

THE WORLD ENDS WITH YOU

Raimu “Rhyme” Bito (Shae)

NEO

Nagi Usui (Ashley)

THE OWL HOUSE

Hunter (Mae)

TRANSISTOR

Red (Freya)

TWISTED WONDERLAND

Cater Diamond* (Freya)

XENOBLADE CHRONICLES

3

Sena (Chris)

YU-GI-OH

ARC-V

Yuuya Sakaki (Isu)

ZEXAL

Yuma Tsukumo (Isu)

[changeling-fae]

Paper Melody

So this is the first chapter of my Phantom of the Opera fic which was basically written out of spite because of Love Never Dies.

I get really angry when I think of how PotO’s ending was broken into shards of glass in LND’s plot, namely with what ALW did to our three main characters (and Meg).

This is not a E/C (although I do ship them) and instead focuses on Erik’s ability to grow and find love elsewhere since his lesson in PotO was putting Christine’s happiness above his own. Christine and Raoul will play big parts in later chapters because they deserve happiness too dammit.

Really my biggest grievance with LND’s is that Erik wasn’t allowed to grow as a character or person when that sort of was the big deal of the finale of PotO. My other major grievance was that Christine and Raoul weren’t allowed happiness when that’s what they fought for (also screw ALW for fridging female characters for male characters man pain).

I’ll admit, I’m really nervous about publishing this because I’ve never written an OC for an already existing story and don’t know how it’ll be received. I’m totally open to comments or questions though! The PotO 25th are the trio I envision for this.

So here it is.

And Ao3 link here.

The Phantom had assumed he would fade from the world, a lost broken soul in the same vein of his title, an echo of something long since dead. Christine Daae had left with her lover, the Vicomte, and he let her go, her happiness more important than his loneliness and despair.

He thought about just ending it all, killing himself and letting his corpse rot on the cold cobblestone for the rats to eat. He came close several times, after all what did he have to live for? Christine was forever out of his life and his music was nothing but a hollow echo in his mind.

He wanted to end it and yet, instead he found himself in England, assuming the identity of a reclusive noble who happened to share the same first name. He was now Erik Fontaine, a wealthy Frenchman who lost his family in a fire and was the only survivor as a boy. The man was then not seen for nearly twenty years and had committed suicide recently unbeknownst to the rest of the world thanks to the few underground connections the Phantom took pains to keep.

It was then easy enough to forge signatures, pay the right undertakers, and with the money he had been saving from extorting the Opera House, was able to buy a modest estate outside of London. He should just end it all but instead he’ll let himself fade quietly into obscurity.

He hired only one servant, an old blind man who spoke very little named Oliver, and very rarely saw the man.

Erik caressed the keys of the piano in front of him but he could not bring himself to play anything. In all his years of loneliness he could conjure some form of music but now it was too painful, memories of Christine always at the forefront of his mind. Still, he persisted an attempt every day with little success or worse, he’d sometimes find himself singing Think of Me like some curse that he could not escape.

The mask concealing his face was black now and he only wore it on the rare times he stepped outside, despite his property being fairly isolated. There was one other estate across the way, separated by a long old graveyard that used to share two long dead families. Perhaps a walk through the silent stone garden would inspire something…

He adjusted his mask and grabbed his cloak, stepping foot into the dreary grey of day. He had lived so long under the Opera House that even the cold grey sky seemed too bright but he continued forward into the graveyard, death and solitude at least something familiar.

Stone angels with serene expressions stared down at him as he passed by, triggering memories he’d sooner like to forget. Lost in his own thoughts he was startled when he turned a corner and came upon a young woman sitting on the steps of a mausoleum.

Long, blonde, loose curls sat around her face in disarray, as if it had once been done up but instead had been torn from its confines to lay wildly without order. Her skin was fair and her cheeks rosy from the cold air as her hands nimbly worked on paper flowers, unaware of his presence.

He would almost mistake her for a servant girl or lower with how undone her appearance was, her sleeves were pushed high up and there were tears in her stockings, she wasn’t even wearing a corset, but the clothing’s quality was too high and her skin too fair to be anything but upper class.

As if finally sensing she was no longer alone, her eyes shot up directly into his, revealing a soft grey-ish green like a lunar moth’s wing, and she leapt to her feet, scattering her flowers to the ground. She looked like she was hesitating to leave them but still she darted away before he could say or do anything.

She ran in the direction of the other estate and after a few moments of waiting to see if she would return, he stepped to her scattered flowers. He picked them up, noting they were nothing but wormwoods and marigolds in design, a rather strange combination.

He gently placed them back on the grave in case she returned for them and headed back to his own home.

He ate supper in solitude as he had for decades, the only difference now being he had Oliver lurking there in the background but he hadn't really hired the man for his conversation. He then retired to his library hoping maybe something would draw his interest but every book he picked up was just filled with lines without meaning to him.

After hours of suffocating silence and hurtful memories, he went to sleep and once again had a fitful slumber as his nightmares haunted him, filled with Christine and that fateful night he let her go. He awoke in a cold sweat, gasping for breath, the side of his deformed features burning from memory of his rejection.

Erik glanced out the window, the soft rays of a cold morning seeping in, filling the room with little warmth.

He really should just end it.

But once again as the day progressed and no music formed from his hands, he found himself in the graveyard again.

When he approached the spot the girl had been in earlier, he noted the flowers were gone and instead a wooden figurine was in its place.

Curiosity had him step closer, the figurine appeared to be a beautifully handcrafted angel holding a bouquet of white clovers, sycamore, and spiderwort, each petal carved with great detail.

Once again it was a strange flower combination but he could not deny the craftsmanship, even the painting over the wood was done with gentle loving care.

The irony that it was in the shape of an angel did not escape him but he was standing in a grave so it was hardly out of place.

He set it back down, having a feeling it was the girl who placed it here and assumed she was leaving it for a deceased love one.

At least he thought that originally, until he found it at the entrance of the grave on his side, facing his estate the next day.

Curious. Why give this to him? She had seemed startled and frightened when he came upon her those two days ago. Perhaps she was merely a bored noble who thought it a fun game.

Well he was done with games and tricks and shadows, he would return this back to where she originally placed it.

He did not expect her to be there, once again sitting in her spot with her disheveled appearance and once again making flowers out of paper.

He stood there awkwardly with it in his hands before clearing his throat to gain her attention.

She did not acknowledge him and he now spoke, "Mademoiselle, is this yours?"

She stopped briefly and pushed a red paper carnation to him before resuming her work. Not once did she look up but her heel was now tapping against the stone ledge she was sitting on.

He frowned, " Mademoiselle, I'd rather not play games, will you take this back?"

Once again she stopped, only this time to push a yellow paper carnation in his direction.

Maybe she was simple?

Before he could decide what to do next with the strange girl she stood up and approached him, her eyes fluttering in various directions but never directly at his face, and she handed him a paper bouquet of garden daisies.

He took it in surprise and she quietly walked away back to her estate, a bit of a skip to her step leaving him confused and a little intrigued.

It was this strange exchange sparking his curiosity, that had him returning the next day and the following day after that; finding her a welcome distraction from his grief although he knew better now than to get attached. It was merely curiosity that brought him back each day where he would find her sitting with her false flowers.

Sometimes he would try and ask her questions but she never responded except to sometimes give him her flowers. Most of the time it was just him standing awkwardly in her presence while she worked but he got the strange sense that she liked him being there. He didn't even know her name.

The irony that he was no longer the mysterious figure did not escape him and after a week and a half of this exchange he decided to call upon her estate.

It was a horrible idea that could easily backfire on him if he was not careful but a fellow noble who was the victim of a tragedy was a story other nobles could tolerate, as opposed to the reality of a deformed man being born with a defect to a poor woman on the streets.

His mask was black and nondescript and he himself a master at charm and deflection, this just being another role for him to play. It was a bad idea but he could pull it off, he just wanted to know who she was.

He approached the servant at the door with a nod of his head and the lie on his tongue, "I am Erik Fontaine, I sent a note this morning, I live across the way and wanted to finally introduce myself. Is the Lord or Lady of the House here?"

The servant nodded and let him inside, "Yes, the Lady Charlotte Hyde is always welcoming of guests, I shall let her know of your arrival. One moment please."

Lady Charlotte Hyde? Was that her name?

He did not have to wait long and was soon led into a sitting room where an elderly woman sat. She was clearly a woman of great wealth and standing but obviously not the mysterious girl he hoped to see.

The aged woman smiled while her grey eyes darted to his mask a couple of times, and she stood to curtsy as he took her hand with a bow in greeting.

"Mr. Fontaine, is it? It is a pleasure to finally meet our new neighbor. I had sent a footman to call upon you when you first moved in but I believe your butler stated you were not one for company."

He had a vague recollection of that but he didn't show it, instead smiling with an apologetic bow.

"A crime of my nature that I'm trying to fix actually. I apologize if I caused any offense, my move from France has simply been a long one."

She sat down and gestured for him to do the same with a wave, "Oh I took no offense, I'm merely surprised and delighted that you decided to pay us a visit."

"Us, Madame?" He inquired.

"She means us, good sir." Two more men entered, a portly man with a red face and a younger man with chiseled features, easily considered handsome and uncomfortably reminded him too much of Raoul.

Lady Hyde motioned to them, "My late husband’s brother-in-law, Charles Moore and his nephew, Henry Whitman."

They all stood and bowed to each other before sitting.

Maybe the girl was a servant after all but before he could ask he felt the young man's uncomfortable stare at his mask. He turned to stare back, his features set in an amiable expression, his brown eyes fixed on the man’s blue.

Henry grinned with a swagger and tapped his own face, "Headed to a masquerade my friend? I know the French can be a bit theatrical but I can tell you that the English are a bit duller than that."

"Do not be rude Henry," Lady Hyde scolded.

Erik just simply smiled as if it didn't bother him, "While I'll not disagree with you on the assessment of my countrymen, I'm afraid this mask has tragedy attached to it, you see my house perished in a fire when I was a boy and I was the only survivor. This mask is to keep everyone's sensibilities in place I'm afraid, my friend."

Emphasis was put on the last words as the lie came easily and Henry merely quirked a brow.

Lady Hyde spoke up, "Oh you poor man, what an awful tragedy. Well you are most welcome here should you desire company or the latest news from the city. I hardly leave thanks to my health so I always welcome gossip from these two."

Henry scoffed, "It's not only your health that keeps you here."

Lady Hyde sighed but did not dispute it, "You know she cannot handle outside society, she is delicate."

This time Charles spoke with an unamused snort, "Delicate is not the word I would use for her."

Erik cleared his throat, "It is not my business but is there another in the house?" Was it her?

Lady Hyde looked like she just remembered he was still here and cleared her own throat, "Hm, yes. My granddaughter Lilian Walden, she has lived with me since my daughter and son-in-law died over a decade ago."

"And she's a bit of a loon." Henry joked, not at all deterred by Lady Hyde's scolding yet resigned expression.

She then turned to a maid, "Will you fetch Lilian and Mrs. Foster please."

A few moments passed until the girl was walked out with a middle-aged woman (who uncomfortably reminded him of Madame Giry), holding her in place by the shoulders.

It really was his mystery girl and yet he couldn't help but note how uncomfortable she appeared before them, she was actually wearing a corset for one thing and her hair was done up tightly but every time she reached to pick at it, the woman behind her forced her hands down.

Mrs. Foster forced her to curtsy when he stood to greet her and the girl, Lilian, made a small noise of protest, the first sound he’s ever heard from her.

Lilian didn't look at anyone in the room and her eyes darted everywhere like a dragonfly as she kept reaching up to mess with her hair or scratch at her corset, only to be thwarted by Mrs. Foster's hands. She looked like a trapped animal wanting to flee even if it meant chewing off her own foot.

Lady Hyde's voice was gentle, "Lily, this is our new neighbor Mr. Erik Fontaine, can you say hello to him?"

Lilian didn't say a word, just clenched and unclenched her hands in an attempt not to pick at herself. He noticed her hands were covered in splinters and paper cuts, some new and some old.

Still, he gave another small bow, "It is a pleasure, Mademoiselle."

Silence.

"Oh, come now, girl! Surely after all these years you can at least manage a hello?" Charles’ voice boomed out.

Lilian flinched at the sudden loud sound and Erik felt such a wave of pity for the nervous creature in front of him that he regretted coming here and putting her through this.

Lady Hyde sighed and gave Lilian a tired smile, "It is alright my dear, Mrs. Foster will take you back to your room now."

She immediately ran out the room, yanking herself from Mrs. Foster grasp who chased after her and once she was gone Charles shook his head, "You're wasting money with that tutor, she'll never be part of civilized society. You should just have her committed, the doctors will know what to do with her."

Erik had to bite his tongue, he knew exactly what doctors did to patients in asylums. Instead he asked a question, “It is not my business but what afflicts her?”

Lady Hyde suddenly looked even older than she did before as she sighed, “The doctors don’t quite know, although they have plenty of theories. She never speaks, not even as a child save maybe a few times when her parents were alive, even though her vocal cords are perfectly healthy…”

Charles spoke up, “Also she throws the largest fits if you touch her, she even bit me once when I touched her shoulder, right on the hand.” He gestured to said hand which has long since healed.

Henry chuckled, “And that’s only the start of it all, other children used to call her a hobgoblin when we were kids, that a witch or troll stole the real Lilian and put an imp in her place.”

“Come see the Devil’s Child,” Erik’s fist clenched on his knee.

Charles just snorted, “She’s just touched in the head is all there is to it.”

Erik kept his tone light to hide his discomfort, "Does she ever leave the house?"

Lady Hyde shook her head, "Oh heavens no, she occasionally will walk in our garden with Mrs. Foster chaperoning but being outside gives her the fits. She mostly stays in her room making her flowers and wood carvings, and other projects, that seems to keep her calm."

Well, clearly, she was sneaking out away from prying eyes, something he could relate to. It also meant she wasn't quite as simple as her family believed.

Henry grinned, "I already said, dear aunt Charlotte, that I'd marry her and take her off of your hands."

Erik didn't like that grin and Lady Hyde just shook her head, "I know you are concerned but she is fine here."

After a moment of silence Charles let out a noise of bemusement, "Such a shame a pretty girl like that was made so odd in the head."

The topics switched after that and after another hour passed he headed back home, now knowing her name but feeling uneasy about her situation, an eerie similarity to his own albeit different too.

He went to bed early that night, pretending to be sociable taxed him emotionally, and he drifted off thinking about her clenched fists and wild eyes, followed by more nightmares of him and Christine.

She was not there in their usual spot the next day or the following three days after and he wondered if she were somehow angry with him.

It actually bothered him even though he told himself he wouldn't get attached. Well, he always was bad at lying to himself but mulling over her situation meant he wasn’t thinking about Christine as much.

He stared at the carved angel which he kept in his library now and perhaps it was pure luck when his eyes darted over to the titles in his collection of books where one title stood out. He leapt up and pulled the book down, scanning it quickly, confirming his sudden suspicion. He let out a small laugh, she wasn't simple at all, she had been speaking to him in the language of flowers.

He flipped through the pages, searching for her messages that she had been giving him. Sycamores meant curiosity, she had been curious about him. The white clovers meant Think of Me and he realized she must have heard him play it at times. Spiderwort meant momentary happiness and he realized she liked his music.

The carnations were literally yes or no and the marigolds and wormwood he found when they first met was her personal message of isolation. The bouquet of garden daisies she had given him when he had tried to return the wooden angel literally meant “I share your sentiments”, she was telling him that she shared his feelings of isolation and sympathized with it.

He sat back in his seat at the revelation that she had been speaking to him this entire time, he wondered if her family knew this was how she spoke but quickly dismissed the notion when he remembered how they talked to her.

He spent that night absorbing and memorizing the book and was already formulating what to do for tomorrow. He just hoped she would appear this time.

When the time did come, he was pleased to see her once more on her perch although instead of working on her flowers, she was rocking back in forth in her seat, eyes closed as if to block out the world around her.

“Lilian?”

She opened her eyes to a single purple hyacinth that he held to her. She stared at it for a moment as all rocking ceased. There was a moment of deafening silence as he waited to see if she would accept his apology, before the largest smile broke out across her face, so bright it was almost blinding.

She took it from him and for a brief moment her eyes purposely met his before darting back down and he knew he just experienced something infinitely rare.

She got up, spinning and twirling with her flower as her joy could not be contained and he realized he might be the first person to understand her way of speaking. He stared in slight wonder, he couldn’t remember if he had ever made anyone smile like that before, Christine had sometimes smiled for his words but rarely for his actions.

After a moment more of this, she finally calmed down and quickly picked up blue paper sheets from the stack she always brought with her, sitting in her usual spot as she deftly created flowers from practically nothing.

He watched in rapt fascination as she thrummed from excitement and within minutes she had created a small bouquet of blue periwinkles and offered it to him.

He blinked and gently took them from her, she was offering him friendship. He… couldn’t say he ever had a friend before; Christine had been his protégé and object of his affection, not his friend.

He didn’t know how to respond, in all honesty he was baffled. All his life he had been treated as lesser, a freak of nature who should have been drowned at birth, leading to his decades of crippling isolation and desperation for companionship which of course lead to him killing his relationship with Christine from said desperation.

He didn’t know how to be someone’s friend.

He murders all that’s good.

He took a step back and her smile died a little.

He didn’t say anything and her smile turned sad with a quiet resignation, as if telling him she too was used to being friendless and was resigned to his refusal. He remembered her family’s actions toward her and how they spoke about her, a creature to be pitied.

He knew what that sense of isolation does to a person (really, he was a cautionary tale on the result of it) and perhaps it is with this common ground between them that he can learn how to be a friend.

His next words had her give him a curious look, “Do you play any music?”

She handed him her yellow carnation, the carnations being something she kept on her at all times, the yellow meaning ‘no’.

He smiled a bit mysteriously, like a child with a secret, “Would you like to learn?”

She looked surprised and her hand went to her throat, causing him to shake his head, “I was thinking the piano might be something you’d be suited for, your fingers are already dexterous and flexible. It’ll leave less splinters and papercuts too.” He said dryly.

She looked down at her fingers and flexed them, as if she didn’t even realize she had cuts.

Her language was soft and he had a sudden desire for everyone to hear her, if they wouldn’t listen to her flowers then he would lend her his music.

“Having no voice doesn’t mean you have to be voiceless.”

She made eye contact at that and for a moment he actually thought he saw tears form before he felt another carnation placed in his hands. This time he broke eye contact to look down to see that it was red, yes.

He smiled as he clutched it, “Excellent.” Now to convince Lady Hyde. “Tomorrow I will ask your grandmother if I can tutor you.”

And if she says no… well, he’ll find a way.

Lilian looked up at him (well his chin) and gave him a small smile, squeezing his hand with her carnation before pulling back to head back home. She turned to give him one last wave leaving him feeling a sense of excitement in a way he hadn’t felt since he first met Christine.