The Empress assumed that enough time had passed for the now Northern pack to settle themselves and to be prepared for a visit by the Ashen monarch. Not that Venom had sent any kind of warning to the Armada, it was assumed that she was always welcome here just as it had always been. She hadn’t gotten the opportunity to see the new lands but as Spring reached its end and warmth eventually found its way back to the land. Now was the time.

The trip was long and lonely, she really should have brought another, and her mind was often on Maverick. Of course, Poison and Anko accompanied her, but having them was not the same as having her man at her side. Eventually she would bring him to meet with her close ally, but this wasn’t an appropriate time for that meeting. Hopefully she would be able to announce the arrival of new princes and princesses to her allies soon.

This trip was much easier than the trek to Elysium where she had to say goodbye to her eldest daughter, there was nothing looming over her head. The cool mountain air made her feel free, and for a moment as white gloved paws brought her to the border of the Armada every tension in her body left her. Venom breathed in deeply as the chilly air tousled her silver marked fur. She could understand why Sirius moved here.

She admired the mountain views for a moment longer, the quiet north washing over her before she lifted delicate features to the air to call for the royals of the Armada. Too long had passed since they spoke.

"Venom"

There were many, many reasons for Az to be standing guard on the border of the Col but in reality, he'd spent most of the night camped out on the watch point in avoidance of his mate. The fight had been long, loud, and certainly awkward for the neighbouring wolves who chose to den in the southern warren, and the fresh, ugly maim upon his face did nothing to make him more willing to kiss and make up. Fucking pirates.

His initial reaction to the border call was to tense, expecting a stranger or perhaps a pirate he had yet to meet and maim. It had been so long since he'd heard Venom's voice that the once-familiar tone (combined with how unexpected it was for her to be at his border) took time to register. Arriving before his father, Azure's hurried and lengthy strides slowed considerably as the Ashen Empress came unmistakably into view. His stomach lurched at the sight of her, his body still painfully weak to any sudden appearance of his first love who had moved on past him.

"Venom." Azure greeted softly, his low voice pained as the stitches upon his cheek stretched against the movement. What had brought their closest ally such a way from her Empire? Az's rapidly beating heart clenched hard in his chest, considering the possibility that his ex had been angered by his use of her healer. Giving a quick glance over his shoulder, Azure searched for his father. Leaving her standing out-of-territory in the cold felt wrong, but inviting her inside when Sirius had been called here would only complicate her arrival. "You know you can just walk in." He murmured. Had things between them changed so much that she no longer felt welcome crossing their borders unassisted?

"Speech"

The Warlord appeared not long after Azure. The call from his first student, and Empress of a pack he had once pledged his life to was not one to dalley to. He smiled at Venom, glancing at Azure as he heard the trail end of his son's words. “Azure speaks for the both of us. You are always welcome anywhere we call home” he said, stepping over the border to pull the younger wolf into a hug. “It’s good to see you, Venom. Is everything alright, or did you make the trip to see our new home?”

He asked as he pulled back and gently indicated for her to cross the border into the Armada. Depending on what he said, he would either rally troops, or give her the tour


"Sirius"

The Empress was a little surprised by how few moments she had to wait before Azure’s massive frame appeared from the border. He aged considerably since the last time they had had any real interaction. Venom was surprised at the lack of emotions she felt when sunset eyes fell on him. He could have been described as her first love. Memories of being held in his strong arms surfaced, and she realized just how young and naive she had been back then. When he had refused her offer of being Emperor over the Ashen Empire she had known their paths were not entwined as she had thought. She wondered if he was happy with Hanako, or if he regretted not being certain in his decision so long ago. Venom had asked for the whole of him, and Azure could not pay that price.

"Azure.” She greeted in return with a small nod as he said her name, a beat after he reminded her that she could have just walked in of her own accord. Before she could quip back in return that she was just being polite, and wouldn’t have any idea where she was going anyway, Sirius followed his son into her presence. She grinned when the Warlord arrived, always finding pleasure in being with her once mentor. "I would have made myself at home if I knew where I was going.” She chuckled softly in apology. "All is well,” She tried to assure them as Sirius asked what the reason for her visit would be. "I wanted to finally come and see the Armada’s new lands.”

"Venom"

Sirius arrived mere moments after, echoing his sentiment and pulling the Empress into a hug. Azure's head turned subtly from the familiar gesture, finding it too easy to remember the time long past when he would have greeted her that way. As the two had pulled apart and each found others, Azure had felt the gaping absence of closure between himself and his first love. Neither wolf had been prepared to admit fault in what had happened and while the distance between them grew, it seemed so did any hope of reconciliation. While Azure still grieved the loss of one of the few wolves he'd ever loved, he had forced himself to give her space to move on and replace him. And she had. With Hattori. Az was not sure if he could ever move past it to the same extent. Collecting individuals was in his blood, it seemed, and even as a yearling he'd fought hard against the necessity of choosing between the two women who held parts of his heart. Hanako - while not what he'd call a consolation prize - had not been a choice of his own, but the last remaining option. With each sighting of Venom he was bitterly reminded of the decision that had been stolen from him.

"I can't argue with that." He returned softly to her apologetic comment, stepping back as Sirius did to invite her further across their border and into the mountain beyond. "In the future, you could send for an escort. I'm afraid the unclaimed territory outside our borders might not be as safe as we'd like. The pirates have been escalating their harassment against us, we're lucky they did not come upon you in your travels." In fact the entire empire (and the pirates, too) were lucky, as four packs would surely go to war over an attack upon their Empress.

"Speech"