It ain't gold.
Ty Lee looked around the most beautiful room in the palace, only there because Azula was Fire Lord and this was now her bedroom. Ever since they won the war things had changed. Azula was the Fire Lord and Ozai was the Phoenix King. The Fire Nation was left to Azula for her to handle and handle she did. Since she was 'stuck' here and could not really leave she did everything that needed to be done her country.
She had did a lot of good for her country, but since Ozai was the overall leader most of it had not been done to better the nation. He was too busy turning the once earth kingdom into his personal Kingdom of 'God'. He was building a new city 'The Phoenix Land'. Ty Lee had went with Azula a few times to see what the new city looked like and had decided her self it was a waste and cost too much, but since the fire nation had all the money in the world and the people that owed them debt were gone they were rich. The city looked good but it was nothing like the 'old' fire nation. It was not built of history, but built from Ego and a lust for power. It was a city that was to look like it was dipped in gold but was Ty Lee had been told by Azula herself 'that everything that glitters ain't gold', she suspected the girl had been talking about her father's city, but never asked her.
Ty Lee looked around the empty bedroom and could see the sun setting out the windows lining the far side wall. Azula was due back any second since she had only left to get something to eat. It was weird seeing her get her self food from the kitchen but she had gotten use to it. Ozai had taken a lot of the palace personal staff to be by his side and left Azula to get her own staff which she did. But in the last five years she had started giving the palace staff nights off and just doing stuff her self or asking Ty Lee. Since it was almost nine Ty Lee knew Azula was sending the staff home and letting some of the guards go.
Every since the Fire nation won the war things had changed and not all for the good. Ozai now had his own new city and the 'old' Fire nation was left behind. The army, navy, and air force had been stripped of most of its top generals and best soldiers. The best ships for both air and sea had been taken and the tanks had been taken. But that was just one minor step back for Azula because since the war was over there was really no need for any of those things. Azula had decided that the soldiers that were left could take time off and enjoy there families, but she never really let her militarily go. She gave them lots of time off and had started a draft to make up for all of the lost soldiers. The fire bender made all of the soldiers under twenty-one go to school and then college to learn different skills, she wanted soldiers who could handle anything in her army, navy, and air force. They had to go to training once a week to keep in shape and combat training twice a week. But the people in the military were treated the best. Their families were the best taken care off and had the most money and best education.
After the military upkeep Azula turned her sights to her city. Schools and jobs were a must. Azula had built twenty new schools in five years, in hopes the children would learn more. She made all schools new and old, were equip to handle the minds of the children. She made sure what they learned was positive and some what fun. Next were the people, they needed the most work done to them. The war being over created many problems. There was the baby boom which was why she built the schools. There was the job shortage, thats why she created many jobs in the city working at the schools, building the schools and many jobs with the keep up of the city. She made sure war vets were settled and retired and happy.
Azula had really changed for the good and Ty Lee couldn't think why, but she knew it had something to do with the fact Azula had saw visions of her mother. Ty Lee thank the spirits everyday because of the change and prayed it stayed. She knew every now and then Azula would tell her something about what made her change, but she never told her the whole story. Ty Lee was fine with not knowing because she knew when Azula was ready she would tell her, but what she was told she would never forget.
Azula had told her the visions spoke to her and opened a pat of her she was not ready to share. One she told Ty Lee a piece of a conversation she had with her mother. At first Ty Lee thought the girl was crazy, but she knew Azula had no reason to lie and spirits were real.
"Mother...why?....I...could..I could...why didn't you say anything to me?...I loved...you....too" Azula could feel tears running down her face. Even though it was just a vision from her own mind it felt so real, like her mother was next to her.
"Azula I couldn't. If there is one thing I know your father hated it was me and you spending time together. When he told me to leave I was told not to talk to you." Ursa watched the girl rock herself back and forth. Trying to convince herself Ursa was not their, but she was. Ursa had died a few years after leaving the Fire nation and her death had been told to Ozai, but he seemed to keep that from their children.
Azula let open sobs come out of her. Their was no reason to hold them in, no one was around. "But...still...Why?"
Ursa touched the girl, her hand warm because they were in the spirit world, but Azula did not want to believe her. "I always thought one day I could come back and get you two, but I knew the chances of that were slim."
Azula looked at her mother knowing she was walking around her question. She wanted to know the truth not a half ass lie. "URSA don't lie to ME."
Her mother looked at her and knew she had to answer the girl. "I couldn't, I did not think you would want to talk to me and would be happy I left."
Ty Lee had not heard the story past that part and was always wondering about what happened. She had been told by Azula how Ursa killed Fire Lord Azulon, but she never went into deep detail with her stories.
Ty Lee looked away form the window and saw Azula enter the room. The fire bender was wearing a silk shirt and matching pants. She had gotten a few inches taller since the war ended five years ago. Her long black hair gone after a indent were Ozai grabbed it when Azula had it out. It was now cut to just past her shoulders. Other then that she looked the same, same eyes and face, the body had a little more muscle but nothing to off. Ty Lee looked at what was in her hand, a cup of gin.
"Azula no drinking before bed,"
Azula looked at the Ty Lee, her soon to be Fire Lady. "It's only nine. I'm not going to bed yet."
Ty Lee watched the fire bender put her glass down and then flop down on her bed. She put her hands behind her back and smiled at Ty Lee. "How about you come and join me. That way I won't drink the gin, but I'll drink you and then I'll sleep,"
Ty Lee still could not get over how brute with her words Azula could be. The girl had a way with words that made her body throb. "I could, but..."
Ty Lee watched as a soldier ran into the room. She knew it must be something big because he was risking his life. She watched Azula talk to the soldier and then sit back on the bed. Ty Lee watched Azula give the boy orders to ready troops and get weapons. What could make her so mad to fight now?
Azula went to her closet and her armor, but she knew she forgetting something. When she looked back Ty Lee was standing in the same place waiting to know what was happening.
"Azula, what's going...." Both girls paused as a bomb was dropped near the palace. Guards rushed in the room and not all of them friendly.
Azula watched as they fought her guards, protecting her and Ty Lee. When they were done, she told them to bring one of the men to her. "Ty Lee I need you to leave. I have a place set up if something like this should happen,"
Ty Lee still was not sure what was happening. She knew they were under attack but from who? Their was no one left to fight. "Azula who are we fighting?"
Two soldiers came in the room carrying a young boy around the age of fourteen. He had gold colored armor and a no weapons. They dropped him in front of Azula, "My Lord he is one of the enemies."
Azula reached down and pulled him up by his neck, "Who sent you?"
The boy seemed to be torn on whether he should tell until Azula burned him a little. He screamed and tried to grabbed his face, but the soldiers keep him in pain, twisting his arms behind him. When he stopped moving he spoke, "Your....yo....your father sent me. He has declared war on you,"