AN: This is the fanfiction I got an account to write and I'm really excited to share it. It's pretty AU, but mostly takes place in canon. I also have changed Azula and Ty Lee to make Ty Lee a few years older, but I've tried not to change anything else about their characters. This is M rated because there will be sex (lemons) eventually, some violence and a lot of sexual situations. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.
The rooftop, cold, autumn, wind stinging against the cheeks of the assassin.
Her eyes narrow, fixated on the window. Binoculars are pressed against her skin, making her cheekbones sore from the pressure. The Fire Lord's daughter is the target, but not now, not from afar. The assassin has been given her orders, and she is to make it very clear that Ozai's daughter's death is more than just a political move.
It is a symbol of discontent among the oppressed living in squalor, cramped behind the walls that keep the center of Caldera pristine, healthy and completely ignorant to the filthy outside world. The assassin moves back, gently, and starts to climb down the building and resume stalking the princess.
Caldera City. The walls are said to protect the Fire Nation from those who seek to destroy its culture. Most people are aware that it is a lie, but they are not foolish enough to disagree. The walls are so tall that they reach for the sky, and surpass the mountain that makes the Fire Nation Capitol.
The Gates of Azulon, they call them. They were Fire Lord Azulon's legacy, because during his reign as Fire Lord he suffered from a most unpleasant betrayal from within. It was then that sympathizers, those not of the pure race of the Fire Nation and anyone else he disliked, were expunged from the city.
The only people who leave are soldiers going off to war. Save for one person rumored to have left the gates, eerily, on the same night the Fire Lord Azulon mysteriously died. Save for one person who happened to be married to Prince Ozai. Who is now Fire Lord Ozai.
But Ty Lee does not care about those types of politics. She is just getting to enjoy retirement from espionage after gaining her medals and her lifetime's worth of money to sit back on. She should be happy, lounging around the pool outside of her house, the beautiful one awarded to her that she gets awfully lonely inside.
She does not have many friends back in Caldera, after spending so long as a spy on the outside world. Her twin sister Kiri comes over from time to time, with her bouncing baby boy. Ty Lee pretends to tolerate them.
All the while, she finds she cannot swim in her pool without immediately leaping into her training exercises. Every bump in the night that is just her cat rubbing at the door sends her into preparation to fight if her cover was lost.
There are hosts of programs for relocating soldiers who have earned the right to live behind the gilded gates of Caldera, but none of them interest Ty Lee. And she still has very little desire to go into the specifics of her work as a spy.
Oh, but it was sexy. Oh, but it was brilliant to be wearing heels and a stunning summer yukata, only to learn secrets from pillow talk and slit throats of men and women before they wake. That she cannot find in Caldera. That kind of real danger and glamor. Working as a guard on the wall or police enforcement or anything else is completely frustrating to her.
During the Fire Days Festival, Ty Lee is invited to a barbeque. It is traditional, of course, to burn meat, fruit and anything that can be burned and subsequently consumed during the festival. She does not go to the major festivities, at least until the last day when Fire Lord Ozai and Princess Azula make their appearance and the attendance of citizens is mandatory.
Sokka is hosting the party, because Ty Lee cannot imagine anyone else being as good at barbeque as him, save for when he tries to make disgusting Water Tribe food. Haru, Suki, and a variety of Ty Lee's other friends are invited as well, and Ty Lee thinks she is the only native Fire Nation person here.
She is good at making friends, but, despite her strength and her loyalty to her country, she always made the wrong friends, somehow. They were all tough, they were all able to move up in the ranks from the lowly roles played by the other elements absorbed by the empire, and Ty Lee loved that. It made them honest, fun; they had a perspective on life outside of having father purchase ranks for his little girl or boy.
"I have to say, if there is one thing I like about life inside the walls, it is the meat selection," Sokka says with a cocked eyebrow. He flips the steak and listens to the very satisfying sizzling sound.
Ty Lee smiles at him, because she knows that the rest of his family is not inside of the walls, and that the Fire Nation killed his mother, that his little sister is missing. No one else here has a better story, and Ty Lee cannot believe that she was taught in school about how Azulon's decision to offer citizenship to conquered city-states and cultures, so long as they assimilated, paid taxes and served in the army was doing such a favor to everyone.
She gets herself a cup of cinnamon spiced liquor and sits down with Suki, languidly talking around the fire about everyone's plans for the next couple of days of celebration.
"So, you're out for a while, huh?" Suki asks Ty Lee.
"Yup," Ty Lee admits. She rarely offers up information about her work in the military, given that it was entirely black ops. "But I'm so bored. It's getting kind of difficult to try to fit back in, I have to say."
"I know the feeling," Suki admits, nodding once.
"Ty Lee," says Haru once he hears Suki say that, as he sets his rough hand on her back. "The Fire Lord is looking for an escort for his daughter on her birthday. He says he needs at least two women, and he happens to be looking for palace guards right around this time, if you know what I mean."
To which Ty Lee can only draw a sharp breath and exhale a frustrated sigh. "It surprises me that you're such a fan of Fire Lord Ozai."
"The Fire Nation saved my life," Haru says sharply as he turns over his extremely hot buffalo-hippo steak. "And they offered me a use for my earthbending that made me feel good. You need to stop being so cynical, and get your nose wet in the fun that comes after the war."
They stare at each other plainly for a moment before he touches his barbeque sauce coated finger to her nose. Ty Lee grimaces.
"I'll get back to you on it," she reluctantly agrees. None her friends seem to believe her, and so she offers the widest grin she can and hopes it works.
It is true that Ty Lee wants to eat herself alive if she has to spend another day talking to her told friends and shopping for perfume when she used to be seducing the enemy. Spying, assassinating, and enjoying the thrill and danger.
But she does not know if a job as a royal guard is exactly what she is looking for in life.
Ty Lee does wind up agreeing, albeit reluctantly. She swigs lukewarm sake out of a water bottle before doing as many push-ups as her body can handle, which is more than anyone else could at basic training and even further after that.
She does not know much about Princess Azula, save for the fact that she was a few years behind Ty Lee in school. Azula is well behaved, the icon of propaganda, and supposedly the Fire Nation's sweetheart. But Ty Lee would be a fool if she did not assume that Azula had a bite of her own.
The fact that Ozai had his wife, son and brother all exiled yet kept her probably means something. Although, Ty Lee is not quite sure what, and her career has taught her to ask questions of no one save for the enemy. Most of her work was part of Operation Because I Told You So.
"You look sympathetic," says the brusque man in charge of the operation. Of course his eyes fall on Ty Lee, the sweet, dainty looking female. "You are to stay with the princess for the entire journey outside of the wall."
Ty Lee opens her mouth to ask why they are leaving the wall for a birthday party, but she keeps her mouth shut. It must be for some reason, and Ty Lee is not dumb enough to ask questions and lose any chance for another job in the business. If even if playing stupid is the best weapon in her arsenal other than lace bras.
"Go meet with her. The rest of you will receive assignments."
And Ty Lee is ushered away from her mercenary friends, to a beautiful room where two servants are fixing the last of the princess's hair. She is very beautiful, more so in person than from afar. Her clothes are tight and short, and Ty Lee wonders if Fire Lord Ozai is alright with that. And then she recalls that those thoughts are treason and silences them.
Azula looks up into the mirror, her golden eyes studying Ty Lee in a way that makes it feel like the flesh is being torn from Ty Lee's bones.
"Stay out of my way. I can protect myself better than you can," Azula purrs coldly, dropping her lip paint into a jar. It makes a loud pounding sound against the glass. "And don't speak to me. Don't look me directly into the eyes. And don't question anything I say. Since I'm sure you're burning with curiosity, we won't be leaving the wall for very long. Just long enough for me to make an appearance and pretend that I care about peasants. Then you can get pleasantly drunk and watch me pretend to like my party guests of vapid teenage girls who are utterly uninteresting to a mind like myself."
Ty Lee is agape again her better judgment after that slick speech. Azula does not seem to be a nice little girl. Not at all.
Then again, Ty Lee reminds herself, she was the one the notoriously ruthless Fire Lord Ozai decided to spare and train as his heir. She probably was not very nice from the beginning.
Ty Lee bows. "I am more than happy to! I mean, I, I obey, sir - princess. Princess. Princess."
She manages not to have a panic attack and mentally rewards herself for it. The concept that Ty Lee can fell generals with a single smile but gets flustered by the glare of a little girl is... disconcerting, but Ty Lee just smiles and tries to focus on her job.
Ty Lee has never been more frustrated than walking beside the palanquin of the sixteen year old heir to the Fire Nation Empire. Azula cannot resist making snide comments and snarling at those serving her. If she were not royalty, Ty Lee would shake her shoulders and give her a ten year time-out.
But, just as Ty Lee is clenching her jaw and trying to keep from yelling her bratty ward, the assassination attempt comes out of nowhere. While most of the bodyguards were focused on keeping people away, and stopping both the idolizing from trying to touch her, and the hateful for trying to throw mud and curse at her, Ty Lee's eyes were fixated on anything more threatening.
She had a bad feeling, a chill in her spine as she remained at the side of the princess.
It paid off, because the moment the death blow came out of nowhere, stunning the entire crowd, Ty Lee pushes Azula to the floor and pins her beneath her slender body.
"Get off of me─!" Azula shrieks before Ty Lee clamps her hand over her mouth.
"Do not talk. Do not move. Stay in my arms," Ty Lee whispers into her ear, and Azula looks about to protest before she sees the explosions in the street.
Those are the eyes of someone who has never left the wall. Those are the eyes of someone who thought that they were immortal.
Azula does cling to Ty Lee as the bodyguard dives beneath the ropes keeping the royal procession separate from the riff-raff. They run into the sketchiest alleyway Ty Lee can find.
"Can you make it up the ─ oh, good ─" Ty Lee says, relatively impressed. Azula has already started scaling the slippery wall with ease.
Ty Lee follows her with three quick steps, and pushes Azula down onto the rooftop before looking around.
Slowing her thoughts and breathing, Ty Lee looks for where the source of the attack is, and then looks for a way around it.
"Behind you!" the princess shouts, and before Ty Lee can react, she hears static in the air.
Fuck, fuck, fuck, and Ty Lee thinks she is going to have to take a bolt of lightning for a bratty sixteen year old, but it is Azula knocking the man approaching them dead.
"You can bend lightning?" Ty Lee asks and Azula groans.
"You can read all about me as long as you get me out of this alive!" Azula shouts vehemently and Ty Lee shrugs, taking her by the wrist and running across the roof.
The fight below is chaotic and disastrous, as Ty Lee looks for a vulnerable place in the wall. Ty Lee knows that riots are common here, as well as looting and fights. But she expected Ozai to have things much, much more under control if he were sending his daughter out.
Ty Lee reaches the wall and takes Azula in her arms. "Try not to look down."
"What?" Azula demands and Ty Lee tries not to smile when she pushes Azula off of the rooftops and at the wall.
Azula grabs it, catching herself on the famous cerulean fire. It is more impressive in person, but Ty Lee has no time to think about that. Ty Lee jumps after her, forcing them both through the wall and sliding down.
They seem to be in safety, having come out on the side of a nice park. It looks eerie, decorated for the Fire Days Festival but with none of the lights on. Ty Lee keeps Azula at her side as they walk quietly towards the palace, trying to keep out of the line of sight.
But no one has breached the wall, because no one can breach the wall. Ty Lee is starting to calm down, and so is Azula, but it is when they are able to see the palace and when their hearts have slowed down that the real attack comes.
Ty Lee wishes she had predicted it. This was not a political display; it was meant to get Azula alone. The princess is hit by a dart and Ty Lee narrowly avoids one coming at her. Ty Lee is grabbed by both arms as Azula tries to bend and fight, gasping like a fish out of water before she hits the ground.
And Ty Lee elbows, kicks, fights with everything in her as she is attacked by competent people in masks. They do not have flaming bottles of liquor or angry snarls. They are the real assassins.
The princess is wrapped in rope, her hands bound, her head covered. But Ty Lee springs into action with the last of the adrenaline in her, dodging another sedative dart coming at her. She jabs the shoulders of the men at either side of her and dives down to knock out the people dragging Azula towards a box.
She snaps one of their necks, and keeps the other alive for questioning, but paralyzed. Ty Lee is removing the canvas bag from Azula's head and undoing her gag when the royal guards come running, accompanied by… the Fire Lord himself.
Azula is gasping as Ty Lee supports her, hoping she does not choke on her own saliva. That would most certainly be a terrible end to all of the effort Ty Lee has put into this.
"What happened?" Ozai demands and Ty Lee realizes that this is the first time she is seeing the man who has sent her on a thousand disturbing missions. "Is she alright?"
"Shirshu venom," Ty Lee says softly as she helps support Azula.
"And who are you?" demands the Fire Lord.
"I was one of the mercs hired to protect her. I thought getting her through the wall would get her away from the attack, but that was the plan. I kept that one alive," Ty Lee says, pointing at the Water Tribe woman snarling and raging.
"Is this true?" Ozai asks Azula and she nods.
"I am very impressed by how competent this bimbo is," Azula says and Ty Lee again wishes she could punch a child in the face.
Ty Lee is sitting in the royal palace, stunned by the beauty. She has been to gorgeous and dangerous places as a spy, but nothing like this. Azula has blankets wrapped around her, and has had four types of tea forced into her arms as her father is yelling at people from behind a closed door.
Ty Lee is forbidden from leaving, and she just looks at her hands and tries to regain her composure.
"What were you?" Azula asks at last. "You definitely aren't regular military. I've never seen anything like that before. Most people hired to protect me are nannies who have done a couple of years on the back lines in the former Earth Kingdom."
"I was in elite espionage," Ty Lee says sweetly.
"Hmm. That explains why you look like you probably don't even know have to count past ten. Must be a useful skill. Also, you have a wonderful body."
"You are sixteen."
"Oh, did you think I was interested in you?" Azula smirks and Ty Lee's eyebrow twitches.
"No. Because you are sixteen." Ty Lee's eyes are wide and terrified. Well, yes, she is flattered to have any romantic attention, particularly from royalty, a sixteen year old just does not work for her. Ty Lee has had not the best situation when she was that age, and she cannot imagine inflicting that on someone else.
"You haven't noticed any of this. I mean, I'm only wearing my underwear under these blankets. It is very pretty underwear."
Ty Lee could not be more confused, and, thankfully, she is called into Ozai's office before she simply snaps.