Wild Fire Lilies colored one of the many royal gardens in an assortment of red and gold, the setting sun reflecting off of each petal, filling the humid summer air filled with their scent. Their blurred image reflected in the still blue pool she was sitting in front of. Ty Lee sniffled and wiped away her tears from wide brown eyes, she loved the palace. She loved the servants and how they knew her name, she loved how she got anything she wanted, and she even loved Azula—her first friend at the Royal Fire Academy for girls besides Mai. But, she hated the way Azula mad her cry though, picked on her for being to girly, ditzy, or other passive-aggressive adjective she decided to use that day. She hated the way she couldn't be better than Azula in anything (unless she felt like being imprisoned at best or possibly executed at worst), and it's not like she could tell the princess how she felt either. Otherwise, she loved being there surrounded by those who knew who she was and acknowledged her as different, who used her name and not one of her sisters' on accident.
At least there's that, the small six year old thought, but why does Azula have to be so mean? It's not like I'm mean to her. Her mom always taught her to treat others kindly, and they would do the same. Treat royalty kindly and you were sure to be treated the same in return, it was practically guaranteed, but as she was finding out nothing was as it seemed in the royal palace. Her young face and brown eyes scrunched in distaste, it's not my fault she can't bend backwards. She didn't have to push me for it, now my favorite pants are ruined.
A rustling behind her caught her attention, she immediately straightened. "I don't want to talk to Azula, leave me alone Mai." She sniffled once again, rising with perfect posture to face who she thought was behind her.
"I'm sorry for whatever Azula did to you. She can be particular on what she expects out of others." That definitely wasn't Mai, the voice was to low and now that she thought about it, the steps were to light. She wiped her face, smiled, and turned around. A small embarrassed blush came to her cheeks, realizing who it was, Zuko.
"It's okay! She's the princess, of course she can be as particular as she wants. So, what are you doing here Zuzu? Aren't the fire lilies pretty? Like an ocean of flames!" Her voice was high and sounded like bells ringing out in the hidden courtyard, it wasn't until she looked into Zuko's gold eyes did she realize he heard her cry. Her smile wavered slightly, like the flowers behind her in the breeze.
His face scrunched and he sighed his gold eyes studied her form, catching the patches of dirt, the way her hair fell out of her braid, and the puffiness around her eyes. She hadn't mastered hiding her tears yet. "Girls are weird," he said as he moved to sit down raising his pant legs, taking off his shoes, and sticking his feet into the pool causing waves to ripple outwards. "You've been crying, my mom says it's okay to cry, but don't let Azula see you though it only makes it worse. If she does see you, you better make it good."
Ty Lee sniffled, wide brown eyes studying the boy that was supposedly her friend's clumsy older brother. Why is he helping me? She couldn't help but think, he has always played with us, he has always been nice. She made up her mind. "She pushes me after I bent backwards, I was trying to show her how but she just pushed me instead."
"That sounds like Azula," he said. His brown hair was almost black in a Phoenix tail, black and red clothing with black and gold trim, the fine silks and fabrics were well worn down.
As the sun went down and the stars came out, her smiling face became level with his. "Will you watch me?"
The boy sighed, "Okay," and for a second he thought she was as beautiful as the star lit sky behind her.