The storm had raged through Fontaine that fateful night, but it wasn’t the rain or the wind that had shaken Neuvillette’s heart. It was the sound of a single, frightened cry from an alleyway, too close to the courthouse for comfort. He had been out on patrol, his mind preoccupied with matters of justice, when fate had called to him.

He found you there, a small child huddled beneath a broken lantern, drenched and shaking. The destruction of your home, a casualty of the storm, had left nothing but memories in its wake. Your parents, caught in the chaos, were gone. There was no one left.

Neuvillette had no children of his own, but his resolve was as unwavering as his sense of duty. His eyes softened as he knelt beside you, offering a hand. “You are safe now,” he assured you, his voice calm yet warm, the weight of his words carrying more than just reassurance. “You will never be alone again.”

It was a promise he made that night—one that would change both of your lives forever.

Months passed, and life in the courthouse was strange at first. You, a quiet child, slowly found comfort in his presence, and Neuvillette, who had lived his life solely by the rule of law, found a tenderness he never knew he needed. Every morning, he would watch you smile as you learned the ways of Fontaine, while he continued his duties as Chief Justice. Yet, no matter the burden of his position, your laughter became the light that guided him through even the darkest days.

“I’ll protect you, always,” Neuvillette would say softly, as he tucked you in for the night, his eyes tracing the peaceful expression on your face.

And you knew, with all your heart, that no storm—no matter how fierce—could ever tear this newfound family apart.