This chapter is inspired heavily by the vintage yaoi manga Kaze to Ki no Uta (Song of the Wind and Trees).

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She was amazing. Smart, pretty, talented, cunning, a natural leader. How could anyone not fall in love with her?

I met Princess Azula of the Fire Nation at the Royal Fire Academy for Girls when we were about six years old. She and Mai and I were a team, always together, completely inseperable. Sure, Azula could be bossy and Mai lacked enthusiasm for anything but we still had fun!

But we got older, and Mai and Azula's older brother got closer. Soon, they were always together, which bothered Azula a lot. Not me, though. I was happy to have Azula all to myself.

I'm pretty sure this is when I realized I was falling in love with her, even though we were only twelve.

Eventually, she went home to her father and I joined the circus. Our paths crossed again when she was given the task of apprehending her brother and her uncle, but the day took a weird turn when we discovered Mai was with them and refused to come to Azula's side.

That was the first time I caught a glimpse of the weakness she hid so well. After that day she refused to let me leave her side or even talk to anyone else. Looking back on it, I realize just how afraid she was...that I might betray her the way she felt Mai had.

She hid her weaknesses so well, but as time went on I noticed little cracks in her mask. Underneath there was a scared little girl who just wanted someone to love her, and I was going to be that someone.

"Why do you cry, Azula? Don't lie to me, I can hear you at night."

"It's only your imagination, you're crazy."

Azula did let me in, we became lovers and we were as happy as we could be. I thought it'd last forever. But soon I began to realize she wasn't well.

"Ty Lee, if...if I die, will you take my ashes and spread them over the Academy's garden?"

"Why are you talking like that? You won't die, you have your whole life ahead of you!"

"Just promise me."

After the war ended and her brother took the throne she went to a sanitarium. I came to see her, but there wasn't much change; sometimes she'd have this...far away look in her eyes, like she was chasing something she'd never catch.

I remember the last day I came to see her like it was yesterday.

"Zuko, what's going on? Why is everyone-"

"My sister died. Threw herself from the tower in a fit of madness."

"No...no, you're lying, Azula would never do something like that!"

After that I found out where was a lot about my princess I didn't know. So much...oh, Azula, why did you hide it all from me? If you'd just talked to me maybe I could've helped you and you'd still be here!

I still keep her royal headpiece on my nightstand. Every time I see it, I see the sharp golden eyes I fell in love with all those years ago.

Azula, the brightest flame in the Fire Nation. May your memory always burn on in my heart.