Azura & Yukimura C-A

C-support
Azura: Yukimura? Are you here?
Yukimura: [injured] Lady Azura…
Azura: [frown] …I’ve just come with our latest ration inventory.
Azura: I’ll leave you be.
Yukimura: [sweat, worried] Lady Azura, wait!
Yukimura: I…
Azura: [sad] You don’t need to explain it, Yukimura. I understand. You’ve been avoiding me since you arrived.
Azura: I’m certain you’re not the only one thinking it, either.
Azura: [eyes closed, sad] But I swear that being back here has revived no sleeping loyalty to Nohr.
Azura: If anything, it’s done the opposite.
Yukimura: [surprised] That’s not…
Azura: [sad] …
Yukimura: I’m sorry. I fear I’ve given you the wrong impression entirely.
Yukimura: I would never doubt your loyalty to Hoshido. Nor would anyone with a lick of sense in their head.
Yukimura: You’re every bit as much a Hoshidan princess as Sakura or Hinoka. And Lady Mikoto loved you as her own.
Azura: [surprised] I, ah… Thank you!
Yukimura: I should have said it long ago, before you and Lord/Lady Avatar even set out to find Lord Ryoma.
Yukimura: [smile] You’re one of us. And if anyone were to ever make you feel otherwise, they’d have me to answer to.
Azura: [blush, smile] I’m sorry… I never should’ve doubted you.
Yukimura: No apologies necessary. Now, you’d best be on your way – I’m sure you’ve better things to do than pore over inventories.
Azura: [smile] Thank you, Yukimura. Truly.
[Azura leaves]
Yukimura: [sad] …It’s the very least I could do.

B-support
Yukimura: [frown] What to do…
Azura: [surprised] You’re here very early for the war council.
Yukimura: [smile] As are you, milady. I just thought I’d get a head start on the map.
Yukimura: Since you’re here, might I ask you a question?
Azura: [smile] Of course. Anything to help.
Yukimura: Am I right in guessing that you’re no longer accustomed to the darkness here?
Azura: [surprised] I… yes. I’m afraid I’m having just as much trouble seeing as the others.
Yukimura: Hmm… That blows that manouvre out of the water, then.
Azura: [neutral] Oh?
Yukimura: Our forces are at a natural disadvantage here given the difference in eyesight.
Yukimura: I’d hoped to split us into three groups here, here, and here, with you, Silas, and Avatar leading each group, but…
Azura: [surprised] You’d trust me to lead a group like that?
Yukimura: [determined] Of course! Were something to happen to Ryoma, or Hinoka, I’d trust you to lead Hoshido.
Azura: What?!
Yukimura: [sad] …You’re aware Lady Mikoto foresaw her own death, are you not?
Yukimura: In the days before, she and I discussed a number of urgent matters, the succession order among them.
Yukimura: Ryoma and Hinoka are first and second, of course. But after that… Avatar was never formally disinherited after his/her abduction.
Azura: So there was no clear successor between Avatar and Takumi?
Yukimura: No. And while I’m sure both would make fine rulers given time to learn… Lady Mikoto and I agreed that you would be by far the best candidate.
Azura: [surprised] I… I don’t know what to say…
Azura: [eyes closed] I truly pray it never comes to pass of course, but…
Azura: I… I’m honoured…
Yukimura: [sad] I’m only sorry she couldn’t tell you herself.
Yukimura: And that my reaction to you gave the wrong impression.
Yukimura: In truth, I… had assumed you would prefer not to be around me.
Azura: [surprised] Why?
Yukimura: This was your home, after all. And it was my scheme that took you from it.
Azura: [sad] Windmire holds no happiness for me.
Yukimura: [sad] Even so… I remember the way you looked at me those first few days.
Yukimura: My life’s work has been for Hoshido, and much of it far from savoury.
Yukimura: But… to have a defenceless child look at me that way, I…
Yukimura: [eyes closed, sad] It shames me that I crossed that line.
Azura: [sad] …I understand. Sometimes your own actions are horrifying, even if it turns out for the best.
Azura: But you should know that you saved my life.
Azura: Assassins were commonplace in those days. After my mother died, there was no-one to protect me.
Azura: \Most of the nobility who even knew of my existence wanted me dead.
Azura: The remainder wanted me married to their sons and producing heirs as soon as possible.
Azura: My claim to the black throne was strong because my mother was officially named Queen, even if I was never formally named First Princess.
Azura: If Prince Xander were removed from the equation, my claim would triumph, especially if I had heirs myself.
Yukimura: [sad] Azura…
Azura: I’m not telling you anything you don’t already know. But… I knew these things back then.
Azura: So when I was abducted, I thought…
Yukimura: [sad] Of course. Forgive me.
Azura: [smile, closed eyes] I already did, long ago. So please… try and forgive yourself.

A-support
Azura: [smile] …So I thought perhaps then our forces could move up this way, to flank the reinforcements like so.
Yukimura: [smile] Brilliant! You have a fine strategic mind, Lady Azura.
Azura: [smile, closed eyes] Only from watching you and Queen Mikoto at work.
Yukimura: Don’t sell yourself short, milady. You’ve always had a keen intellect.
Azura: [smile] My mother used to tutor me. After she died, I…
Azura: [sad] I took sanctuary in the books she left behind.
Yukimura: [sad] I’m truly sorry for your loss.
Azura: Thank you. But… I fear if she were still alive, we would be on our way to fight her as we speak.
Azura: She was a keen strategist and mage. And she cared for Garon deeply.
Azura: She would have been a fearsome opponent.
Yukimura: Lady Azura, do you mind if I ask a question? You’re free to decline, of course.
Azura: [smile] Please, go ahead.
Yukimura: You… aren’t King Garon’s daughter, are you?
Azura: [eyes closed] …No. My true father died when I was a baby.
Azura: [sad] Garon took my mother and I in when no-one else would. I… I have few memories of him in those early years, but he was kinder then.
Azura: I remember being upset, telling him he wasn’t my father, and he smiled and said he would protect me nonetheless.
Azura: After Mother died, he could never bear to look at me.
Azura: Still… He never told anyone that I wasn’t truly his daughter. And my claim to his bloodline was all that kept me alive.
Yukimura: [frown] …I see. In fact, I now understand something that had previously perplexed me.
Azura: Oh?
Yukimura: When Lady Mikoto first saw you, she wept with relief. She knew you were Arete’s daughter immediately.
Azura: [surprised] Her foresight?
Yukimura: I thought so at the time, but…
Yukimura: She said you and her were from the same silent place.
Azura: [surprised] What?! It… it couldn’t be…
Yukimura: I thought it a riddle, but it isn’t, is it?
Azura: [sad] …No.
Yukimura: Do you want to return there?
Azura: [smile] No, never. Hoshido is my home.
Azura: I… I want to spend the rest of my life in her bright light.
Yukimura: [smile] And you will.