The Sovereign

The Night

After a few weeks of training Azula, everyone had seen the improvements. Not only did she have a better grasp of the world, but she also had gone a few rounds against Capitano. Given that she never won and got a few cuts and bruises, she was proud of how she had improved.

He visited and talked more. Azula felt like she hadn't just gained battle IQ, but also friends and people she could trust.

"How has she been sleeping?" Azula could hear Capitano and Columbia talking in the kitchen.

"She seems good. Sometimes she get up early and goes for a walk. She seems to be enjoying it here." Columbia said.

"She has improved a lot. Though I haven't used my full strength on her, she isn't as weak as I would have thought. Being locked in a box for five hundred years." Capitano spoke.

"Who put her in the box to begin with?" Columbia asked.

"She doesn't know." Capitano replied. "I wish we knew more about her."

"Like her favorite color." Azula heard from her tone that Columbia was hinting at something. "Blue, by the way."

"I told you that in confidence." Capitano huffed.

"I can't blame you, look at her. I haven't heard you talk about a woman like that since you became a harbinger." Columbia giggled.

"I don't know." Capitano sighed.

"Power is attracted to power. But she's nice, could be worse." Columbia and Capitano seemed to be the closest to each other. Azula got up and went to the kitchen for a glass of water. "Did we wake you?"

"No." Azula waved her hands in front of her face. "I was just thirsty. It's like two hours till midnight, why are the two of you still awake?"

"Not tired, also catching up." Columbia told her.

"Well, good night, the two of you." Azula walked back to her room.

"She is very attractive." Columbia said.

"Tell me something I don't know." There was a brief silence.

"Is it a physical attraction?" Columbia asked.

"Mostly, for it to be emotional, I'd have to have a conversation with her. Training is just a lot of me accidentally hurting her. It makes me feel bad."

"You aren't used to holding back. But you need to learn how to talk to women if you don't want to die alone."

"I could say the same thing about you and the knave."

"Shut up." Columbia laughed.

"I should get going. I have to go to Mondstadt tomorrow." Azula heard him get up. "We'll be staying there for the night."

"Say hi to Barbra for me." Columbia spoke. It was the last word said before Capitano left. Azula heard Columbia humming the whole way to her room. Azula went back to sleep. "Morning." Columbia was already awake.

"Morning." Azula got some tea while waiting for Capitano to get there. They engaged in a simple conversation. "Fennec fox?"

"Small animals with large ears. They are quite adorable." Columbia said.

"I bet." Azula's tea had gotten cold and she used her hands to heat it up again. She closed her eyes and took in the taste of her tea. "So the knave?"

"You heard all that?"

"I couldn't really sleep." Azula smiled.

"I'm a lesbian, I have had feelings for the knave for quite some time." Columbia spoke.

"I can see why." Azula added.

"Relationships make this job hard, even more so if it's within the harbingers."

"Understandable . And encouraging the captain," Azula paused. "It isn't much different." Take your own advice."

"He has things a bit easier. You're not a harbinger, you're different from the others." Columbia shook her head.

"I believe in you." Azula winked. Capitano entered the house and Azula grabbed her coat, gifted by Pantalone. "See you." Azula waved. They left for Mondstadt and arrived at midday. The first place they went was the cathedral.

"Hi Capitano." Barbra waved to the harbinger.

"Hi Barbra." Capitano said. Azula could sense a connection between the two. "How have you been?"

"Good, who is this?" Barbra responded.

"I'm Azula." She answered for him.

"Nice to meet you. What are the two of you doing in town?"

"Running a few errands. Getting ingredients that can only be bought in Mondstadt." Capitano told her.

"I'm glad you stopped by. It's been awhile. How have things been?" Barbra seemed genuinely happy.

"Good, a little this, a little that." Capitano answered. They stayed for awhile before they had to leave to get what they came for.

"She's nice." Azula smiled.

"Yeah, I came here awhile ago and had to visit the cathedral for something. She was a very welcoming person and became a little sister to me."

"How sweet." Azula said. "I would hate to see anyone hurt her." They gathered the ingredients and went to Pantalone's house in Mondstadt. Azula put the ingredients away and Capitano went to his room. Half an hour later, he came out of the restroom in nothing but a towel. No shirt, no mask. "What happened there?" Azula pointed to her own eye.

"I forgot you were here." He had what appeared to be a cross on his face. The top cutting through his eye and the intersection meeting on his cheek. His skin was slightly darker than most of the harbingers. They stayed there in silence for a few moments. In those moments Azula took not of his reveled torso. There were multiple scars, he had a six pack, lots of muscle. His hair was shorter around his face. His ears were pieced with a gold Cain disappearing in his hair. The most noticeable thing was his deep blue eyes.

"I suggest you put some clothes on. The night does seem to get a bit chilly." She turned back to the puzzle that she had been putting together. She put the final piece in and walked past the harbinger to get ready for bed. Without realizing it, Azula had started humming the same melody that Columbia always does. she had gotten used to it and it comforted her. Anyone who heard it was drawn in like a siren song.

After changing Azula walked back out to the living room to put he puzzle away. She took apart the puzzle peace by piece till she closed the box.