The Sovereign

Old Flames

"Azala, Mail." Columbia walked into the room of the sleeping dragon.

"Yeah, yeah." Azula sat up slowly and pulled the envelope towards her and opened it. She read over a few quick words and put the letter back. "Pierro wants to see me." She walked out to the kitchen.

"Oh." Columbia straightened her back. "Must be serious."

"I hope not." Azula got dressed and headed towards the building that the meeting hall was in.

"Dragon Sovereign." Azula walked into Pierro's office. There was a chess set off in the corner. It was dark. "I have to say, that box was nothing short of extraordinary."

"Why am I here?" She asked.

"Took me a while to get you in it at first but winning your trust was easy." He walked towards her. "You mess with my harbingers, or any of them get attached, I will put you back in the box. It makes them weak and vulnerable. Got it?"

"You." She took a step back.

"I don't want you here but I pledged my loyalty to the Tsaritsa." He stepped forward. Azula made her axe appear. "I'd think twice about that." He smirked. "You're not as powerful as you once were."

"And your the harbinger that go blown up by an eight year old." She remarked. "If a eight year old can hurt you then just imagine what I'm capable of. Mortal or not, age gets to everyone. In a way." She moved away from the door. "Slowly, you're becoming the monster that you said you never would be. Taking the others with you. I should have killed you when I had the chance."

"But you didn't." He said.

"Mistakes were made." She raised her axe to his chin. "The only way you will ever beat me is if I let my guard down, I will never to that with you again." She smirked. "Next time I won't be so merciful." She made her axe disappear then walked out the door.

Azula went back to Columbia's and made sure she wasn't followed.

"Hey." Columbia said as she walked I to the kitchen. "What's wrong."

"I'm going to tell you something and I don't expect you to believe me." Azula spoke. Columbia sat up straight once again. Capitano came out of the bathroom and looked just as worried. "I know how I get in the box."

"How?" Capitano crossed his arms and looked a Columbia that looked right back at him.

"Pierro, he drugged me and put me in the box." She spoke. "I don't expect you to believe me. You two haven't even known me for four month yet and I'm disrespecting your leader."

"We believe you." Columbia said after an elongated silence. "How did you find out." Azula sat down in her usual chair.

"He told me, that's why he wanted to meet with me. He doesn't want any of you harbingers to get attached to me." Columbia looked at Capitano then back to Azula. "He said it makes you weak and vulnerable. That why he picked you guys because you had nothing to lose." The harbingers looked at each other once more.

"Can you excuse us." Columbia spoke. Azula stood up and walked to her room but kept the door open so she could ease drop. "Is this why you're so stand off ish?"

"No. I'm holding back and being stand off ish because she is the only woman in a decade I have felt this way about. I hade previously had a crush here and there as a kid but here lately no one has caught my eye except her." Capitano explained.

"Capitano, you can't bottle up your feelings like this."

"She hasn't made a move either. She's not into me, I can take a hint."

"You two will be the death of me." Columbia sighed. "Look Pantalone requested some back up for something. Go help him, both of you, and then I will revisit this conversation."

"Why can't you go?" Capitano asked.

"Capitano," Columbia put stress on his name.

"Ok, we'll go." Capitano huffed.

"Azula." Columbia called. "You two are off to Liyue, I'll figure something out for the director."

"Ok." Azula grabbed her jacket.

"And grab your overnight bag." Columbia smiled. Azula grabbed her things and went with Capitano. They made it to Liyue and went to Pantalone's bank.

"Figure it out." Pantalone looked stressed. "Good you two are here, find out who stole my coat!"

"Don't yell at me." Capitano glared at him.

"Sorry captain. This is very inferiorating." He sighed.

"We'll figure it out." Azula gave him a calming smile. "Mind telling us where we can get settled?"

"My house is getting redone, famous architect from Sumeru, so I'm staying in the place below the bank." Pantalone said.

"You're kidding me." Capitano spoke. "The two bedroom apartment downstairs?" Pantalone nodded. "One, two, three, there is three of us. In a two bedroom."

"And?" Pantalone turned away for a second. "I'm sure one of you can take the coach."

"I'll do it." Azula volunteered.

"No." Capitano piped in.

"You two can share. It's a king size." Pantalone walked away.

"Oh sweet archons." Capitano sighed. They made their way to Liyue and down to Pantalone's bank. His house was getting redone so he was currently staying in the small living space above the bank. After an argument over who would take the couch they both agreed that the bed was big enough for the two of them.