This is a rewritten/reposted version of my old story Eclipse.
Rated M for lemons and some dark themes.
The Flower of Narcissus
by the princess emoji
The day before her life turns upside down, Ty Lee quits her job. It was draining the life out of her, making her aura paler and paler. Nothing has ever fit her right in the past few years.
She loved her job initially, but she loves pretty much everything until she realizes that not everything is bright, cheery and perfect. Ty Lee wishes the world were as sunny and pink as it is in her mind, but it never is.
Often, she misses being a soldier, but there is no going back to that life.
Not after how her career ended.
When she walks through her sector of the city, she sees how people turn to gawk and quickly look away. Why wouldn't they? She fought for the Eastern Fire Nation in the Civil War, as a loyalist to the crown, and out here in the former capital city of the Western Fire Nation, she feels unwanted.
She is a war hero in some places, but a war criminal in others.
A ball crashes into a wall when a kid nearly kicks it within five feet of her and she considers picking it up and offering to play with them. But she really, really, really doubts that they would ever agree to that. So she keeps walking through the hot, dry streets of Taigasuto City.
At least she will never have to walk this far to go to work again.
At least she will probably never have the means to leave her house again, because it was hard enough to make ends meet working as she was. She had to prove twice as hard how nice of a person she is, like always. She had to prove she even was a person.
Ty Lee used to go to a lot of parties before the Civil War was won. Used to have a ton of friends and was always making more. But she took it all for granted. She makes friends and they drift away. She goes to parties and has fun before being forgotten by morning.
She moves to open the gate leading to her house, not noticing the little girl who lives upstairs sitting on the fence. Ty Lee is too busy reminiscing to herself about her colorful, happy, pleasant past.
"You look upset," Ming interrupts Ty Lee's thoughts. Ty Lee doesn't think that really counts as interrupting.
Ty Lee flashes a smile that sparkles in the blinding sunlight. "I'm not upset at all. I don't get upset."
"Right." Ming clearly doesn't believe her. "See you later then?"
"Of course," Ty Lee agrees, forcing another grin. Ming doesn't buy that either, but Ty Lee manages to get past her and into her house.
Time for a very strong drink.
A cute, fruity, strong drink.
The next morning, Ty Lee is going to go ask the shopkeeper, Rei, if she can get her job back there. So, she ends up being in the city's main square when she stumbles across an execution. An execution. Three men lined up on a raised chunk of stone right by the market.
She knows all of them, and so she curls her fists, digging her nails into her palms, and tries to keep her head down. The last thing Ty Lee needs to be involved in is this…
It is really dampening her previously escalating spirits.
"What did they do?" Ty Lee whispers to Rila.
Rila licks her lips. "They tried to kill the princess."
How are they not dead? Ty Lee wants to ask before she realizes that they are being executed. "I don't understand. Why?"
"Oh, honey, you're… spirits bless your heart," Rila says and Ty Lee cocks an eyebrow. "They're dissidents from the Western Rebels."
Ty Lee used to see them all the time. They never struck her in that way. But she supposes rebels and former Western soldiers would never flaunt the side that they associate with.
"Oh," she squeaks, lacking better words. She looks up and sees the princess, the woman who reigns over the West after the war was won. Ty Lee fought that war for her… fought it with her during a battle or two, but she wouldn't say that anybody really won.
Princess Azula is beautiful, too well dressed for these grimy streets and the gritty death of three dissidents. Ty Lee always wanted to be like her, for about her whole life.
The only thing Ty Lee really understands is the burn one of them receives for spitting at his princess.
Ty Lee is trying to turn cabbage into cabbage soup without a recipe or any experience when she hears the loud pounding on her door. They're going to wake up the nice lady upstairs' baby, Ming's little brother, and so Ty Lee drops her spoon where it is and hastily answers the door.
Those are two soldiers. Ty Lee straightens up her posture.
"Did I do something wrong?" Ty Lee asks, sugary sweet and innocent-eyed.
"I don't know, did you?" asks a voice that gives Ty Lee goosebumps. "Are you going to stop staring and let me in?"
"Yes-yes, of course, princess." Ty Lee's eyes are still wide, but not with feigned innocence—from complete shock. She feels like the princess hit her with her notorious lightning.
Azula walks in and does not bother to hide her disgust. Or maybe she just does not notice. Or no one taught her how to respectfully react to those who live like normal humans instead of in that huge castle in the center of Taigasuto City.
Ty Lee stops thinking of theories when she shuts the door, sealing herself inside with two soldiers and the Princess of the Fire Nation. Which is terrifying. Exciting too! But mostly terrifying.
"You fought in the Civil War, didn't you?" Azula inquires as she removes her gloves and clutches them in one hand. Ty Lee's heart is too wedged in her throat for her to respond. "I know you did. I was only asking to be polite. I'm here to make you an offer."
Ty Lee quickly croaks, "You can have anything."
"You haven't heard what I am about to ask for." Azula smirks and Ty Lee feels her face become feverish. "You might reconsider that stance. I want…" She waits too long. She seems to enjoy waiting too long and watching the ex-soldier sweat. "I want you."
"Me to do…?"
"I want 'you' in general. I mean, I have a certain list of things I do want you to do but mostly I want you to come stay with me and do whatever I ask," Azula says calmly.
She sounds like she is asking to borrow a spark rock. That is kind of alarming, in Ty Lee's opinion.
"Oh," Ty Lee says through a smile. "That's…"
"I'll offer you anything you need in exchange, which you clearly could use. You're not very good at anything but killing people and looking pretty, by the looks of your home and my own research about your life." Still, way too casual, as if this is perfectly normal. Chilling. But mostly too casual.
"You're right about that." Ty Lee smiles and nods. Spirits, she wishes that Azula was not right about that. "You researched my life? Why do you—how do you even know I exist?"
"Something about you being a distinguished and decorated soldier who mysteriously quit the military and moved here. I don't know why anyone would move here willingly. I certainly didn't." That expression of disgust again.
Ty Lee has decided that Azula is kind of dreadful.
But she also is considering this offer.
"Anything I want?" Ty Lee whispers, afraid to sound so greedy so loud.
"Within reason," Azula says and Ty Lee shrugs.
"You just want me to live with you," Ty Lee confirms and it is Azula's turn to shrug.
"And do whatever I ask," she reiterates primly.
"I…" Ty Lee doesn't think there is another choice. She doubts Azula came here with even the faintest idea that she could go home empty-handed. "I'd love to."
Ty Lee doesn't get a thank you. All Azula says is, "Pack and meet me outside."
Azula does not talk to Ty Lee, or take her anywhere personally, or further explain what she is doing. Ty Lee is passed off between various servants that she cannot keep track of. They give her a long tour of a gorgeous fortress with incredible tapestries, paintings and intricate fire blossom patterns snaking between the rooms. Ty Lee is kind of afraid to touch any of the furniture.
"You're going to be a lady in waiting of a sort," says a woman either named Lin or Ren. Ty Lee wishes she could recall which. "Wait on her. Your clothes for serving dinner are in your bedroom."
Lin or Ren points at the door. Ty Lee nods and pushes it open, before noticing she is agape. This room is gorgeous. She grew up well-off and in Caldera, but she never had a room like this. Much less a room she didn't have to share. Between siblings and army bunks, she never has had real privacy.
Ty Lee finishes looking around and pulling out the drawers – empty – to find the clothes.
Oh, those are not clothes.
Those are not what anyone would call clothes.
Wearing lingerie in a kitchen feels complicated. Cold! But mostly just complicated. The chef – well, the head chef – keeps glancing at her as if she is supposed to be doing something. Nobody gave Ty Lee instruction beyond waiting to wait on the princess awaiting her.
Lin or Ren at last approaches Ty Lee, cleaning dust off of her hands. Ty Lee wonders if she is going to have to clean anything. That is not quite her forte.
"You need to re-do your braid to be less frizzy and make your eyes and lips less… whatever they are. I left make-up and hair supplies in the parlor out there," Lin or Ren instructs and Ty Lee nods, grateful to escape the kitchen.
First, she adjusts her braid. Then she cleans up her eye make-up.
She plays with a palette of lip paint before she realizes she has streaked multiple shades of red and pink all over her right hand. Then she tries to wipe it off on the white, which makes her eyes bulge in horror.
How have I already messed this up?
"Are you ready?" asks Lin or Ren. She sounds concerned.
Ty Lee nods. "Yes."
Maybe Azula won't notice what looks like a blood stain all over Ty Lee's bra.
When Ty Lee enters the dining room, she smiles. She has always been able to get by on a smile, and a well-timed punch or two.
Azula is hosting guests. They all are older than the princess and Ty Lee, and look like very important men and women. None of them notice Ty Lee, and she does not know if that is bad or good. She just knows that no one ever trained her for this.
Ty Lee has faced ruthless warriors, harsh conditions and several heartbreaks. She can face this dinner.
She strides forward and serves the table with utter competence, a sweet smile, and sparkling eyes.
Ty Lee watches from the corner as Azula stands with a glass of wine in hand.
"Welcome, I have not yet said, to my end of the world party," Azula announces smoothly.
Ty Lee does not know if she should be frightened about that or not. She does not get what Azula means; it seems like a fairly normal night. But she accepts that she is just the serving girl in lingerie and is not going to be filled in on the details.
Azula continues speaking. "Either my father succeeds and we win or he fails and we die, but no matter what, I think that that is an apt title for this dinner."
Succeeds at what? Ty Lee thinks.
Ty Lee does not ask. However, she does not know that Azulon has been keeping the peace since the aftermath of the Civil War. Both of his sons are war heroes, and his granddaughter, and his eldest grandson who will one day be Fire Lord. Ty Lee was allowed to have a life once Prince Ozai slew the leaders of the West.
Not a perfect life, but a life, and she is mostly happy.
She cannot object to any move he finds appropriate.
Lin or Ren beckons for Ty Lee to return to the kitchen as Azula sits down.
Ty Lee paces around as the party drifts from the kitchen to the parlors.
Lin or Ren gives her a blanket but not her proper name. Ty Lee guesses she will just have to avoid addressing her until someone else says it/ She does wish she had a cold or brave enough heart to ask.
"Who're you?" asks a girl with noble posture but servant's clothes.
When the girl comes closer, Ty Lee notices that she also has a warrior's gait.
"I'm Ty Lee," she says hastily. "I'm new."
"It's obvious. You're the girl Princess Azula went to retrieve personally," says the girl. She has a very bold and assertive voice. Ty Lee already admires her.
"I don't really know why she did it. It wasn't really clear. I did fight in the Civil War and stuff," Ty Lee says, batting her eyelashes.
"Losing side?"
"Winning side."
"Then why the servitude?"
"It's kinda complicated." Ty Lee scratches her head. "Life is weird." They stare at each other for a beat. "We could be friends, if you want."
"That doesn't sound bad." The girl smiles. "I'm Kisu. I can help you get settled in, if you need it."
"Thank you." Ty Lee finally feels welcome.
"Azula wants you." The voice wakes Ty Lee. She had fallen asleep on a seat. "I will escort you to her chambers."
Ty Lee tries to stay positive as she follows the muscly guy down the dark, macabre hallways towards a large, elaborate, shut door. She wipes the sweat off of her forehead and opens it. Her escort abandons her.
"I'm here!" Ty Lee calls out in her sweetest of fashions.
"Come in. Find me by the fire."
Ty Lee does. She stands in front of Azula, feeling even nakeder under her gaze. She has eyes that look into you and through you at the same time.
"I am sure you are curious about my motives," Azula says. "I will make it clear. You fought alongside me. In the turning point of the war. I feel I owe you shelter from what is to come."
Ty Lee thinks there is much more to it than that, but Azula is not going to say it.
"What's to come?" Ty Lee feels too blunt, but Azula just smirks.
"I will sell you that information," she purrs.
"I don't own anything that you want, I bet." Ty Lee tries not to look Azula in the eyes, despite her desire to do it.
"I would be honored to take the clothes off of your back."
Ty Lee is not so sure if Azula is teasing her or really means it. It is the most complicated situation of the night.
"Is that why you hired me?"
"It is a perk of hiring you," Azula replies.
"I-I don't know… if I need to know."
"I'm not asking for sex. I'm asking for your clothes. There is a distinct difference." Azula's expression is both threatening and comforting. Ty Lee cannot tell which one it is.
Ty Lee stares with her mouth open for a beat. She then collects herself and slowly removes her top – if you could call it that. She felt no shame about exposing herself, and she did it more sexily than she believed Azula had ever seen someone do before.
It is graceful. It is hot.
Ty Lee is good at this.
Azula seems to have been expecting something else. Or perhaps she just does not care.
"I'll tell you tomorrow," she says.
"But…" Ty Lee gestures at her discarded clothes.
"I did not specify when I would tell you."
Ty Lee meets Azula's eyes. It sends a shiver down her spine.
The princess holds their gaze.
Ty Lee has never been more confused in her life.