The Royal Court of Harribel is the continuation of Espadas Undercover and The New Order of Espada. So if you want you can go start at the beginning. Enjoy!
Cover image thanks to Blackstorm on Deviant Art who gave me Permission to use their wonderful picture of Tier/Tia Harribel
"What is this?" Nnoitra stared down at the small tea cup size plate on the table in front of him that had a piece of Hollow meat smaller than the size of his hand sitting on it.
"Food." Tia replied, placing another plate with the same amount of food at Aaroniero and Szayel's places. Only to get glares back from the two of them. "Ration sized. Don't like it, don't eat it. But you are going to get the same amount at breakfast, lunch and dinner. Thanks to the Soul Society Spies that have forced me to isolate Heuco Mundo from the other worlds once again."
"Aw…" Nnoitra sighed sadly. "Damn it….thanks anyway….at least you aren't going to make us starve."
Tia smiled. "That's the spirit! Now, everyone dig in."
"It's kinda hard to…" Grimmjow looked down at his food, "Dig in when there isn't really anything to….dig IN to."
"How long are we going to have rations?" Aaroniero had to ask as it had started the day after they got home from the human world on their mission to kill Yammy which was a good two weeks ago. Or what ever time it was. Heuco Mundo was still upset by the fact that the Soul Reaper, Yumichika was still inside and up until recently a whole group of Soul Society Spies. So, the time and dates between worlds were thrown off by a good week. "Because I don't like rations."
"For as long as needed." Tia replied, picking up her knife and fork to begin.
"Wait."
"Wait what?" Tia looked up at Ulquiorra who was sitting across the table from her while Grimmjow sat next to the right of her chair.
"Let us not use forks." The First Espada replied, "as I realize that we may have a limited water supply and do not need to waste it by cleaning dishes every meal."
"I don't think so," Tia was glad he thought of such things, "But I can make water out of the air to-"
"But what happens when we don't have anymore water in the air?" Ulquiorra wasn't going to let the only water in the desert world of Heuco Mundo be used without care.
"…True…What do you want us to do? Lick our plates? Don't answer that, Ulquiorra." Tia put down her knife and fork. "Gentlemen and lady." She addressed Orihime Inoune who was sitting next to Ulquiorra with a simple baked potato on her plate. "Let us not use silverware, save Orihime who may not want to try to- neatly!" Tia yelled as everyone did as they were told "Nicely and neatly! We don't want to have to use too much water to wipe off your faces after this meal! Now, are we clear on that?"
Grimmjow shared a grin with Szayel and Nnoitra who were about to eat like no one was watching. "Okay…does this…" Grimmjow plucked a small piece of meat off his plate and popped it in his mouth. "Better?"
Tia gave him a kind looked, "yes, my kids. Good job…. Let's not eat how the piggies eat, shall we?"
"Yes… miss…" A chorus of voices said, rather disappointed. They liked eating messy!
After breakfast, Tia sent Nnoitra outside for patrol duties while she set everyone else to a different task.
"Aaroniero, why don't you and Rudbornn get to cleaning." She suggested, only to get a scowl from Kaien Shiba's face. "Don't give me that, you have to contribute somehow…"
"Fine…" Aaroniero frowned before grabbing his Fraccion and marching out of the throne room, leaving Szayel, Grimmjow, Orihime and Ulquiorra awaiting orders.
"And…" Tia liked giving orders and she really liked the idea she had, if it would work. "I thought maybe, Szayel…You could start on a garden for some homegrown food for Orihime."
The Fourth Espada looked up at her like she was crazy.
"What?" Tia stared down at him. "What is with that look?"
"I…" Szayel wasn't sure how to tell her. "I don't know how to garden."
"What?" Tia knew he had to be bluffing. "But… you're gay…"
Lady Tia." Szayel wasn't sure what to do, so he opted for the best choice. "Lady Tia. Sit down in your throne."
"How dare you order-"
"I said, sit the hell down!" He repeated. "We need to have a long, long talk. Right now."
Tia scowled and sat down in her throne, ready to attack at any moment. "One false move and I will fry you into a pancake. Is that clear?"
"Fair enough." Szayel put his hands behind his back and stared up at his Queen who was sure to have lost more than a few brain cells beating people into a pulp on a daily basis. "First, I would like to state that I am quite offended that you think I know how to grow a garden and tend to flowers just because of the gender I find romantic interest in. That is a horrible stereotype that should crawl in a hole and die. Second, how dare you assume that a person who is sightly feminine knows how garden in the first place. Lady Tia, you consider yourself feminine and you don't know how to garden, am I correct? Point solved. And now I shall continue onto other subjects that I think we should all be educated on. I do not know anything about cooking and don't watch the house and garden channel or the interior decorating channel. I hate bow-ties. Would everyone please stop giving them to me?! I have made a nice bow-tie-noose (And not the pasta), for the next person to be so kind as to gift me one. Fifth: I will not go shopping with anyone because I hate clothes shopping and anyone who dares to ask me for advice will fine themselves with no need for clothes for I will burn all of them to ashes. Sixth. It may come to shock you, Grimmjow, but I spend most of my time in bed watching the television, not having sex. Wow… what a concept… You may continue now, Lady Tia."
"I…" She hated to say this, but it was needed. "I am sorry."
"Thank you." Szayel smirked and took a step back to glance at Grimmjow who was too shocked to speak. Television?! What kind of crazy reality was this?
"Grimmjow, you garden."
"But I don't know how to-"
"Learn." Tia ordered, throwing a book at his face.
"And let him sit in and watch TV?!" Grimmjow screamed, pointing at Szayel like he just stole cookies before dinner.
"Maybe. I do own a due apology. And as such, Szayel, you can go help Ulquiorra with the rations today and then, you may go do as you wish for an hour. (Yes, Grimmjow, Including TV watching.) After that, you come back to me for more tasks. And I will try to think of something in your skill set while you are away. That is final."
"Wonderful." Szayel wanted to smile, "But for some reason, I just been hit with this horrible feeling all of a sudden."
"And what is that?" She asked, not sure what thought hit him so quickly.
"I have this horrible feeling that Yylfordt is having the time of his life in Soul Society while we sit here with no clean dishes, little water and rations."
Author's piece: Hello once again, My Dear Readers! I am so thrilled to have you here. This story is going to be a lot more silly fun like Espadas Undercover but still keep with the building dramatic plot of The New Order. And yes, some stereotypes should just crawl in a hole. (And note to self, do not buy Szayel a bowtie. I still want to write this story!) I also wanted to say that the Numbers of the Espada have changed in the last story. Hence, the New Order of Espada.
Tia is 0
Ulquiorra - 1
Nnoitra - 2
Grimmjow - 3
Szayel - 4
Aaroniero - 5
Thank you so much for reading a long and for all of the reviews I have been getting. (I love them by the way, if you want to leave me one after reading this author's note.) This is going to be a very fun and crazy ride! Enjoy!
Cover image thanks to Blackstorm on Deviant Art who gave me Permission to use their wonderful picture of Tier/Tia Harribel. If you like the cover of this story, please go leave them a note and take a look at their other work. As it is all wonderful. Thanks, Blackstorm!
