Tamed || Wriothesley x Reader

Chapter 64

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Sigewinne sat in the lobby of Fontaine's courtroom, staring at the floor. She had found herself not knowing what to do with her time; there were people who needed medical help, some needing advice, and others wanting physical needs. She knew she should be out there, doing what she does best, but she didn't have the heart to do any of it.

She found herself looming around Neuvillette more than necessary. Even when he was in the middle of a trial, she waited for him, wanting to hear any news. But today was different, because she was preparing herself to hear the closing of the search case.

"...I see you're already here." Neuvillette spoke after exiting the courtroom into the lobby, approaching her small figure on a nearby sofa.

"...I am." She replied weakly, keeping her eyes on the ground. "It's done, isn't it?"

"...It is." He replied, the room growing silent.

She nodded, her shoulders dropping after taking a deep breath. She had cried all she could, and now all that was left was just... emptiness.

"...However." Neuvillette added, his tone lighter than what it should have been. "There is something that requires your immediate attention."

"I'm sorry." She apologized, shaking her head. "I don't think I'm in the right place to enter the medical field at the moment."

"And if I was to tell you that it pertains to Wriothesley and Miss Y/N?"

In almost an instant, her head snapped up to his, her eyes growing wide with surprise. "Wh-What?"

"Please, follow me." Neuvillette beckoned, nodding his head at her.

She was on her feet as quickly as possible, staying close beside him as he led her outside. Her heart was thrumming with anxiety and curiosity--was it anything good, possibly something bad? She tried to calm herself down, to not get her hopes up, but the way Neuvillette spoke... it had to be something good, right?

It wasn't long before they both reached a small building dedicated to housing the prisoners that escaped from the fortress last week. It was where those who were arrested or detained for questioning were kept, but since it had ample space below, it managed to hold the many prisoners who were still alive. Sigewinne had been to this place countless times, but she didn't think Neuvillette would have led her here.

After entering a rather large room which seemed to be some sort of crime lab, her eyes widened once she caught sight of the large crystal resting on the floor, Clorinde and other Gardes standing around it.

"Ah, you're here." Clorinde addressed to Neuvillette, making room for him to stand within their circle. "As I said, this was recovered buried beneath the ocean floor."

"...He's in there." Neuvillette said quietly, closing his eyes. "...And one other."

Sigewinne's heart stuttered with overwhelming emotion as she listened to the two of them, her eyes glued to the large shard. There was a faint glow surrounding it, and even she could feel the energy it emitted.

"Now, I believe this is where you come in." Clorinde spoke, looking down at Sigewinne. "We have no idea how to break this shard open without harming the life inside."

Sigewinne's mind worked on autopilot as she processed what she was being told, her mouth opening before she could even think properly. "...One vertical line down the center with a four inch blade to sever it in half at a forty degree angle."

"You heard her." Clorinde said, addressing the Gardes. "Let's get to work."

As the group began preparing supplies to crack open the large cryo chunk, Neuvillette took the time to consult with Sigewinne on a different matter. He understood that she must have been feeling a large surge of hope, but there were certain risks he wanted to relay to her.

"Miss Y/N is from Sumeru's desert, correct?" He asked cautiously, gazing down at her.

Sigewinne kept her eyes focused on the chunk, but she offered a nod in exchange. "She is."

"Fontaine's waters exceed well below even the highest surface on Teyvat." He explained, "And the temperatures there are not meant for human life to remain in."

She swallowed, nodding her head once more. "I understand what you're trying to say. But Y/N... she's dealt with cold temperatures before. I don't think it'll effect her... severely."

Neuvillette hummed at that, focusing his attention back on the group as they prepared to cut the chunk in two. The room was tense with pressure and unspoken words as Sigewinne guided Clorinde through the process, the blade carefully splitting the chunk open bit by bit.

It wasn't long before the lining of Wriothesley's sleeve could be seen.

"Ah...!" Sigewinne's eyes widened as she stepped closer, prompting Clorinde to continue. "He's there!"

Doubts started swirling in everyone's mind as no movement was detected. Being underwater for a long period of time was one thing, but completely freezing yourself to preserve the life you hold was on another level. It was a risky move, that was for sure, since anything could go wrong in that moment.

Even Sigewinne understood that much--and the fear she felt as she watched the process go along was starting to eat away at her. What if they were too late?

The more the chunk became severed, the more that was revealed. Neuvillette kept a fixed expression on his face as he examined Clorinde's movements, keeping himself prepared to interject if need be.

But finally, after putting in some more much needed strength, the chunk broke in half completely, allowing the inside to be seen.

And there the two of you were, holding on to each other with the most peaceful expressions anyone has seen.