The Chest-piece
Jump. Flip. Fire. Dodge. Fire. Block. Fire. Fire. Jump. Punch. Kick. Fire. Dodge. Fire.
Azula quickly went through the intricate motions of the kata, twirling in the air as ribbons of blues and reds snarled around her body, wrapping around her knuckles and constantly being pushed in and out of her control. The aggressive bursts of azure kept the young men in red uniforms panting as they tried to keep up with her movements, but she was too quick and too used to the heavy weight of her metal spaulders to be slowed down by them the way the new captains were.
A ball of red fire came hurtling her way and she let it envelope her side before pushing it back out at the exhausted captain. The flame quickly evolved from a dark, feeble auburn red into her trademark electric blue. The captain yelled as it blasted him off his feet and made no motion to get up once he landed. Prodigious, she thought detachedly; then flipped backwards as she heard another fire ball being shot at her back by the remaining captain and used her momentum to blast a distracting attack to get near the young man and jab her fingers into the nape of his neck. She managed, mostly out of luck, to hit the right spot and paralyze his body, putting an end to the fight.
The princess then lifted her hand and caught a silk cloth a servant threw at her to wipe the sweat off her face and threw the crimson cloth at the feet of the fallen captain. "You're going to need more practice if you hope to keep your job, Captain He. Next time I won't stop. Same goes to you Captain Zhèng, a red like that wouldn't burn a child." She mocked.
"Yes, princess." They rasped out as Captain Zhéng got up to help He. The paralyzed soldier groaned in frustration as his whole body drooped when his comrade lifted him; the chunky armor was making it hard for the other captain to get a good hold of him, and his sloppy movements were pushing the metal plates into his friends skin at awkward angles hurting his crippled body even more.
Azula looked on at the two struggling men unsympathetically. They don't deserve that uniform they can barely fill, she thought disgustedly as they dragged themselves out of the room. She then turned towards the door, but caught sight of her reflection in the large mirrors and stopped curiously when she saw a part of her shirt on her left arm had been burnt off.
She frowned and walked closer to the mirror, completely perplexed by the marred robe and stared intently at the chalk black borders of the hole that surrounded her milky skin. The fire had eaten away at the crimson pattern, unknowingly leaving the princesses armor ugly and incomplete. This was the first time she had damaged her army uniform, and she felt more curious than annoyed at her obvious failure in fire control. Of course, this wasn't the first time when one way or another her indigo flames had grown out of control and sullied her clothing and even, on occasion, burnt her skin but it had been a long, long time since it had happened, probably not for a good five or six years, and as the princess looked at the mirror she felt young and childish for making such a novice's mistake.
Azula lifted her chin trying to make herself look taller and hopefully just a bit older but despite the harsh metal spaulders and brigandine worn by her rank, her round face still betrayed her youth. She remembered two years ago the first time she had dressed in her soldiers attire; Zuko had been so jealous that at the age of ten she had been formally initiated into the army when he still had to wait until his fifteenth birthday to receive his burgundy uniform. She never let him know how painfully heavy it felt and whenever he was around she always made a point of strutting proudly regardless of the effort required to maintain the arrogant posture. It was ironic though, that not until Zuko had left, did she grow accustomed to the weight.
The princess started untying the laces that held the chest piece together, exhausted at the thought of walking another step under its burden. The adrenaline had died down leaving her with aching muscles and a throbbing shoulder. Today, like everyday since she could remember, she had woken up at dawn and worked on her bending until around ten o'clock. She'd then had something light to eat and attended her military duties of reading up on the latest information and planning her suggestions for the next attacks. Generals and officials came in and out of her study going over her plans and bringing in more work for her to contribute; pleasing the Fire Lord was a team effort that not even the prodigy could do alone.
At three she had given a demonstration to the latest recruits on the power that could be achieved with fire bending. The quick and powerful pushing and pulling of the delicate katas had, as always, left the new soldiers awed at the power of the young princess, instilling among them a deep reverence for her which would probably last them their whole life. Azula was one of the most popular royals among the army in Fire Nation history, as unlike Zuko, who had been been raised (however grudgingly) to be king, she had been raised to be a soldier. The shift in hierarchy since his banishment had not deterred her commitment to the army and nearly every soldier had seen or heard of the battles she had won on the times she had been deployed to lead troops in difficult Earth Kingdom provinces.
She sighed, mustering the energy to lift the chest piece and set it aside on the little decorative table next to her. The princess had no more duties to attend to and she felt at loss as to what to do next. She'd have a bath and send word to the tailor that she'd need another shirt made for tomorrow but after that she didn't know what more to do to. The princess looked out the window to see the position of the sun; usually her friends would be here to entertain her by now, but as it seemed, Azula had none left. This realization sent her fist flying out with burning fury to punch the mirror, for no matter how exhausted she could be the small princess had a heart swollen and bruised with anger, which at her young age she did not understand why she had.
Azula looked down at her bleeding knuckles, the rush of energy dissipating as quickly as it came. Mai had left a few weeks ago and tomorrow... tomorrow was Ty Lee's birthday. She'd been gone for almost half a year now but Azula kept expecting her to sneak into her room during those nights when thunder roared and neither acrobat nor princess could sleep. She kept expecting her to burst out from some bush or tree branch during her morning practice, clapping with effusive praise at the firebenders new tricks or to come sit next to her and hum an old song as she studied maps and charts. But the little acrobat never came, and the firebenders small heart swelled with regret.
What a waste, she thought. Such talent wasted on a circus. Azula would never admit her jealously, let alone the extent of it, but it pounded in her heart serving as a daily reminder of her solitude. There was no one left her age in the palace, and with all the bitterness she had accumulated over the years, she no longer felt her age either. She felt so much older. Azula looked down fondly at her chest piece and ran her wounded hand over the smooth black metalwork. This was her pride. Her mark of honor. The weight of it pressing on her shoulders was a reminder of who she was and what she had to do, and boy, the weight of them was heavy. She wasn't quite sure anymore of who she was without it on, and the only few people that could remind her were all gone.
She remembered the day they had given them to her. There had been a fancy ceremony and all to commemorate the day. Ty Lee couldn't keep her eyes off her, a mixture of wonder, concern and happiness swelled in the younger girls eyes as they followed the princesses steps. After the celebrations were over and Azula had been allowed to go back to her room, the little acrobat had jumped in through the balcony a few minutes later.
"You look really pretty in it, princess." She had said timidly. Azula had smirked but then looked down quickly. "They're too heavy." She whispered. Ty Lee's eyes widened in surprise as the older girl looked down at her feet in shame. "M-my shoulders are in agony." The little acrobat quickly went over to the princess and started untying the laces. "The priests did them up too tight." She mumbled. "Okay, you lift that side, I'll lift this one." Slowly both girls managed to get the chest piece off.
"Agni! Azula, how much do those things weigh?"
"A little over ten kilos." The princess mumbled as she rubbed her neck. "I'm going to have to get used to it. I have to fight in them."
"Can't they make you a lighter one?"
"Don't be ridiculous, Ty Lee. Do you really think me that weak I would have to do that?" She snapped.
"I'm sorry, I didn't think."
"Of course not." The princess muttered as she carefully lifted her silk shirt to reveal her bruised shoulders. Ty Lee gasped but didn't say anything as Azula sent a fiery scowl her way, but the acrobat was sure she hear her mumble, "Training's going to fun tomorrow."
"What can I do 'Zula?" She asked softly, the princess sighed and sank into her bed. "Just don't say anything. I'll burn your house down if you do." She added half heartedly. The acrobat managed a chuckle before sitting next to her friend. "Lie down on you're back, 'Zula. I've been learning a lot about muscles with my chi blocking training and I think I know just the trick." The princess looked at her hesitantly but eventually gave into her friends frankly adorable pout. "Fine."
The acrobat slowly climbed onto the other girl back and softly started kneading away at the princesses sore muscles. Her hands gently trailed the scars that decorated her back and worked away at the many knots. She could feel her friend quickly relaxing under her hands and a sigh of content accidentally slipped Azula's lips.
"How did you get that scar?" Ty Lee asked. The princess immediately tensed up and Ty Lee almost kicked herself. After a long pause Azula finally rasped out, "Which one?"
The acrobat let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding and carried on her administrations. "This one." She said as her hand caressed it. "I hadn't seen it before."
"Oh... that one. I got it a few weeks back when I was training with Captain Zhao. The man's a complete incompetent when it comes to firebending. Only took a few minutes to break his stance and have him laying on the ground but when I turned my back he threw a fireball at me. I returned the favor, of course, but the bastard still managed to pull quite the number on me."
Ty Lee scrunched her face in concentration. "Isn't he going to be general?" She asked hoping she hadn't confused the titles, a mistake that always irritated Azula to no end.
"Yeah. I don't see what father sees in him." The princess replied in a tone that told Ty Lee this particular subject was over. The acrobat carried on lovingly with her task and let out a giggle.
"What's so amusing?"
"Oh, nothing." She answered giggling again. "I'm just imagining what the future will be like. You know, once the was is over. When Zuko and Mai marry and you don't have any more fights to fight and we'll have time to to do fun things like go to the circus or travel around the Fire Nation. Can you imagine that, 'Zula? Don't you think that would be fun?"
"Even with the war over, Ty Lee, I have a responsibility to my people. I doubt I'll have time for such things." Azula replied, biting her tongue to not add 'childish' to her reply; Ty Lee was giving her one hell of a massage so now was not the time to annoy her.
"Um... 'Zula?"
"Yes, Ty Lee?"
"Um... when will you have to fight on the front?"
"Soon." Azula replied and Ty could almost hear the proud smile on the princesses face. The younger girl looked down at the princesses in front of her and saw her usual regal purple shinning brightly as it swirled with a soothing blue. Ty Lee managed a smile, at least she was being of use to the princess. But then as she focused back on the young princesses skin the harsh scars reminded her of the conversation. "Not too long, I think." Azula was saying. "I know I've heard farther talk about a particular province that's being difficult."
"Oh." Ty Lee managed to splutter out. The disappointment in her usually cheery voice was evident even to the half asleep princess but the acrobat was well aware that it was one thing to play pretend in the playground and a whole other to actually fight in the war. Ty Lee remembered Azula in the early days in the Academy and how she would always get her and Mai to play war so they could practice for when they were older. Ty Lee never imagined that older would come so soon.
"Is something the matter?" The firebender asked perfunctorily.
"No! No! Nothing, 'Zula! I was just thinking!" Ty Lee replied quickly as she jumped off the princesses back and sat next to her. "Just... so soon?"
Azula turned her head to look at Ty Lee and immediately regretted opening her mouth. The little acrobats look of nonchalance couldn't fool anyone and having known her friend as long as she did, she knew it wouldn't be long before she broke out crying.
"Don't worry about it, Ty." Azula said, using the soft voice no one outside the room had ever heard.
"Don't worry about it?" Ty burst out. "Don't worry about it?! It's not like in practice, Azula. They don't stop. What if they do something terrible to you? What if they hurt you?"
Azula sighed and let her have her rant. She should've seen this coming, but she had been so relaxed as Ty Lee's gentle hands ran up and down her back that she had accidentally blurted out more than she should've. Once the younger girl seemed to have finished she pulled herself up to a sitting position and started playing with a little blue flame she bounced from one finger to another.
"After my father, who is the best fighter in the world?" She asked.
"You." Ty Lee immediately answered.
"Exactly. I wouldn't miss Mai being forced into a bright white yukata on her wedding day for the world." She continued, sniggering as she spoke. Ty Lee broke a smile and hugged Azula. "I'll be waiting for you when you come back." She whispered into her ear before she planted a kiss on her cheek. The princesses didn't respond but smiled softly.
"I have to sleep now, Ty. Tomorrow's going to be a long day."
The acrobat nodded and flipped her sandals off and flung her shirt off to the side. Azula raised an eyebrow but didn't complain when the acrobat pulled her into her arms. "Night, 'Zula."
"G'night, Ty."
"Princess." A servant stammered. "Would you like me to return it to you're room?"
Azula shook her head to break away from the reverie before granting the older man permission with a wave of her hand. Then she looked back at her reflection and wondered where abouts in the world Ty Lee was and if they had sugar cakes where she was and if she asked her would she still come back. The princess frowned wondering if reminiscing was going to become a proclivity around this time of year. She looked around the mirrored room and somewhat noted that as time had passed, bits of sadness had piled up everywhere like dust - on the scorched ground and on the dark portraits that decorated the palace. In Zuko's empty room and in every nook and cranny in the hallways. Even the left side of her bed seemed piled high with ashes.
The princess sighed. Nostalgia was something to be stymied, but today of all days she didn't have the energy to preclude the memories that sprung up from the empty halls as she slowly made her way to her quarters. She had never been one for the spiritual side of life the way Ty Lee had, and a small part of her wondered if she'd regret that someday. Maybe, she admitted to herself. But not today.
The door to her closet was open as two servants put her armor away but they quickly scurried away when they laid eyes on her. Pathetic. She mused as she walked into the massive closet inspecting the quality of the folded shirts. That night. There had being so much crying that night. When she left. Azula scowled. The memory of a crying Ty Lee holding a broken arm and a bleeding lip intertwined with her nightmares when dragons chased each other through the crying.
"Again?" She had asked, not needing Ty Lee's sobbing nods to know it had been the acrobats fathers hand who had done this to her. The little acrobat had flung herself into the Princesses arms and for once the Princess held her tight the way the other girl had always done to her when Ozai had pushed the firebender too far as a little girl. "You've got to run far away, Ty, and you've got to run as fast as you can, okay?"
"He'll catch me!" The younger girl cried out terrified.
"I'll stall him. You've just got to get as far away as you can."
Azula had then ran into the closet shoving clothes into her large traveling bag and every bag of gold she laid her eyes on.
"Quickly, change into this." The princess ordered in the voice that commanded armies. The little acrobat changed her pink garments for a black uniform that fit her just a little too big. "Now this will hurt a bit, Ty, but this won't work if you're not wearing it, ok?" The younger girl bit her lip but nodded and let her princess put a red wooden chest piece on her and bit back a scream as the older girl tied it together. "Now do you remember the army ranks, Ty?" The girl nodded. "Ok, then you're dressed as a Lieutenant, which means regular soldiers won't stop you and anyone above you will be too busy to care about you, okay?" The acrobat nodded and pressed her body onto the princesses body once again. "I'm so sorry, Azula. I'll send you a message once I find somewhere to stay. I'll send it with an army hawk."
"You've got to run now, Ty." The princess whispered. "Run, run, run. Just like when we were little girls."
"I love you, 'Zula."
The princess nodded and handed the bag to the acrobat. "Make sure you see a healer. I might need you back someday." The younger girl managed a watery smile and Azula's conviction almost faltered but now was the time to move, and as the guileful soldier gathered her armor together, they rose and moved to the balcony. Take me with you, Azula thought impulsively, as if Ty Lee were starting on some great voyage and not running away; and then, the next moment, it was as if the five acts of a play that had been very exciting and moving were now over and Azula had lived a lifetime in them and had run away, had lived with Ty, and it was over now.
It was gone now. She was gone now.
The princess had sat down holding the pink clothing in one hand and stared at her now empty left one. She stared at them with shock for all the quick plans and analysis that had been running at a thousand miles per hour in her head had all come to stop.
She's going, going, going, going, going, going, gone.
She's gone. Gone. Gone. What an odd word. Gone. I helped her go. I helped her going, going, going. Go. I let her go. Why did I let her go?
The tiny princess looked dwarfed under the intimidating armor she had forgotten to take off and the delicate items which she held in her hand sharpened the acute difference between her clothing and the ones left by the acrobat.
Shoulders slumped in defeat she couldn't think anymore. Her dark room cast shadows on everything in it, and the little princess only knew something was wrong. Why did I let her go? Far, far away she's going. Gone. I told her to.
The little princess stayed were she sat, both unwilling and unable to move.
It started raining but she didn't bother to shut the balcony door.
The sun started rising but she didn't bother to get up to go to practice. Today she wanted the blazing sun that had chased away the stormy clouds to go away. She wanted it to go as far and fast as she had gone. She didn't want to see its bright rays illuminating the golden palace. She didn't want the light to come; she felt at loss and so desired that every other person be blinded too. Was there a sun god she could stab? She made a note of finding out later if she could forever tame suns hash rays.
"Azula!" She heard a voice yelling and slamming the door open. The princess didn't bother looking up. There were only two people left in the city who would dare do that and one was at a gathering with the sages.
"Yes, Mai." The princess replied calmly, still unable to look away from the items on her lap.
She heard the girl fall to floor. "By Agni... she's really gone." Mai's voice faltered at the end and the princess wondered if the other girl was about to cry. Well... it hadn't been years since she'd seen Mai cry.
"Did he... did he hit her again?" She asked mustering all the self-control she had.
"Yes."
"Where did she go?"
"She's going far, far away."
"Ho-how is she going to survive out there?" Mai asked in a strangled sob, her voice rising. This annoyed the princess in some level but she was too concentrated to pay much attention. "The girl has never cooked a meal before or washed her own clothes or gone more than half a mile without guards! Ho-how are they not going to catch her?! He'll kill her if he does!"
"I gave her a couple of bags of gold, dressed her like a soldier and told her to run. Run, run, run, run." Azula finally looked up and saw her friend raise her hand to her mouth as if physically trying to restrain the tears that were falling down her face.
"I-I'm sorry, princess." She tried apologizing but the tears weren't stopping. Azula felt something wet fall down her face.
"Stop crying, Mai. Stop crying!" She ordered as tears streamed down her own face. "You-you-you aren't allowed to cry! Remember what Miss Sheé told us? La-ladies of our rank aren't allowed to cry!"
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I know - I just can't. Azula what if something happens to her?"
"Stop! Stop it! She'll be fine. She'll be fine." Azula said as she reached over to Mai pulling the older girl into her arms. "Just stop crying! Ladies of our rank aren't allowed to cry."
"I know. I know." Mai sobbed onto Azula's shoulders. "I know."
Ladies of our rank aren't allowed to cry, Azula reminded herself as she looked out of the balcony and onto the vast palace gardens. Ladies of our rank aren't allowed to cry.
fin
So yeah... I did something. I hope you liked it.