AN- Okay, so this was a plot bunny that just kept at it. At first it was a simple "oh, Azula and Aang might actually be a good match. Balance each other out and stuff". Then it turned into a full scale Azula personality analysis. I was wondering what would have happened if Ozai honestly didn't care about her. What if (bear with me) Ozai took one look at his second child and went "I don't have time for this! I'm too busy trying to steal the throne and hating Zuko for another kid!" then he goes to hate Zuko. Ursa would obviously be worried about Zuko first (he looks more like her, he acts more like her, Ozai hates him and she needs to protect him...) and just would have no time for Azula. But something didn't fit with that and I realised that if this idea was going to work then Azula would have to be Azul (genderbend!) and to be honest I just liked the idea of Azula as a boy. As a boy Ozai would be more willing to disregard him (oh, another boy. The first was useless...). Because Azula (canon wise) is actually a really smart girl. She's a great tactician just with an overly large sadistic streak that I assumed Ozai forced upon her. I was thinking about it and if Azula hadn't had Ozai breathing down her neck she might not have inherited his cruelty and ideals. She might just be a really really smart prodigy. Then I though about it if Azula was a boy. Azul would be disregarded by their mother because he looked more like their father. Their Uncle likes Zuko better. Their father's too busy hating Zuko to notice him. So where does that leave Azul? He's got no allegiances to anyone and I assume that his first call of duty would be to take the throne. If he's as smart as Azula is and can see the war with a clear mind he'll realise that war is bad for the economy, bad for the population and lowers public opinions of the monarchs. Azula is extremely political but too fixed on her father's ideals so I decided to tweak it slightly. Take away the father's ideals and you've just got a charming, political, driven boy who knows how to get to the throne.
Then I started to worry about where the gaang fitted in here. I didn't want to do a full genderbend, I just wanted Azul. But then I thought back to my whole Azula and Aang ship and well... Things went from there.
There are things in this like Azula's breakdown that will be incorporated into the story. I always assumed that Azula went crazy because of the stress, the betrayal and the paranoia that accompanied the final few episodes. She cracked under the pressure. But I always thought about it and though that maybe some of the insanity was hereditary. Ozai does seem pretty insane. In this story I've made Azul too well balanced to be insane; he doesn't crack under pressure. But I can imagine that the inherited genetic features of Insanity do get to him... Also he's got a few problems of his own. Azula was all about "My mother thought I was a monster" and Azul is more about "No one really talked to me anyway".
I think that might have been the longest AN in the history of ANs but I just needed to explain everything.
So in short:
1. This is a genderbend but only for Aang and Azula. Aang is called Aang and Azula is called Azul.
2. Aang is captured on the Day of Black Sun so the rest of the series doesn't happy. It only happens up to there.
3. Zuko joins the gaang in Ba Sing Se after talking to Katara in the catacombs.
4. It is paired Azul/Aang. Just warning ya.
Anyhow... That was really really long so on with the show!
"It's been too long," She think dully to herself, "It's been much too long."
The chains that wrench her arms back are making thinking hard. Any thought would have to compete with the pain. She's quite sure her left shoulder is dislocated and shudders at the thought of having to put it back together. Though, judging how the screaming pain has now changed into a dull ache, she's pretty sure she's been here for far too long for anyone to actually bother to help her. If they wanted to they would have done by now.
Her newfound cynicism shocks her somewhat but to be honest she's been strung up for over a month; even the most painful of optimists would loose their spark.
Shaking her head hard she forces herself to think about other things. Anything else is better than the huge gaping question of the future.
The clang of the bars on the door sliding open rudely jerks her out of any stray thoughts. Maybe it's better that way; she shouldn't go chasing the rabbit again.
The click of boots against the floor tell her it isn't a guard again. She shivers at the thought of the guards; with their lust-filled eyes and lascivious leers. She knows they have orders not to hurt her but the moments those orders are dropped... The image of a young canary-rabbit being ripped apart by a group of hungry badger-wolves brings up bile and she swallows thickly and jerks her head away as she feels a hand move towards her chin.
"No, no no no no no." The fear is rising and she can't help the words that bubble out of her mouth.
The hand hesitates but doesn't stop, it grips her chin gently and brings her face up. Her eyes are still screwed tightly shut. She knows she should try and hide her fear. Try and act tough and strong and like the Avatar but master of the four elements or not she's still a young thirteen year old girl who's much too out of her depth in this new world.
"Open your eyes." It isn't a request as much as a command. She knows better than to resist a command by now. The sting of remembered slaps from the guards almost bring tears to her eyes but she stops them and is almost proud of how strong her gaze is as she finally wrenches open her eyes.
After they finally adjust to the sudden light (her cell is always dark, always pitch black enough for her eyes never to make anything out and the fire burning in the torches that line the walls is surprising and unusual) she finds herself staring into the intense eyes of the Crown Prince Azul of the Fire Nation. She swallows heavily, what is he doing here? Does this mean they've defeated the resistance? Is the war over? Have they found Katara? Or Sokka? Or Toph? Zuko? Mai or Ty lee? (She'd heard whispers from the guards speaking outside the cell. Whispers of betrayal from the Prince's two right hand women.)
"Don't speak." he barks out brusquely as he lifts a bowl of water to her lips. It's been a while since she drank and she swallows greedily. She knows stronger people would refuse and spit the water back in his face but if there's one lesson that she's learnt it's humility. She won't beg but she won't refuse help. It's not like she had much pride left dangling in the chains with her clothes in tatters. She's too weak to use her bending; even if she still had it after all the bending suppressants they've put in her food.
She coughs slightly when he takes the bowl away. The water had soothed her raw throat somewhat but it still hurts from dryness.
His eyes roam over her, though it doesn't make her feel like she normally does when the guards stare. When they do she feels dirty. But the way he looks at her is clinical and critical. She doesn't really feel anything. He looks at her like a doctor might look at their patient.
Finally he steps closer and she feels panic welling again but all he does is use his bending to slice through the chains that hold her up. She notes that his blue flames have always been unusual. She's never seen anything like them before; even while running around the world a hundred years ago. She wonders what they mean. If they mean anything.
She collapses to the floor, too tired to even try and pretend she has the strength to pull herself up, and blood rushes back into her arms while she breathes out a sigh of relief. She gingerly moves the joints and when she feels the dislocated shoulder protest she lets out a slight squeak of pain.
He's beside her in an instant. Hand gently probing the limb.
"Is it dislocated?" He asks softly. He's speaking quietly. Like one might do to an injured animal. All "hands up" and "I mean no harm".
She nods and does her best to stop the tears that fill her eyes slightly at the pain. It's an involuntary gesture that's created by her body. One that people associate with weakness. For some strange unfathomable reason she doesn't want the Prince to think she's weak.
"I'm going to put it back in." He continues in that same soft tone. "It might hurt but I'll try to make sure it doesn't hurt too much."
She nods and squeezes her eyes shut as he grabs the limb and shoves it back into it's socket. The gruesome clicking sound tells her it's gone back in but it hurts too much for her to care. A tear escapes her eye unbidden and she can't help the sob of pain. At least the dull throbbing is fading now.
"You did well." He whispers to her, patting her head slightly.
She looks up at him and speaks for the first time in weeks, (the air nation wasn't violent and she's never been the type to scream and threaten her guards), her voice is raspy from disuse and it feels odd; like her tongue is too big for her mouth but she speaks anyway.
"Thank you."
His bright golden eyes (so much like Zuko's) look down at her. She's been eye to eye with him in so many fights before but he's never been this still or this calm. No, that's a lie. He's always calm. He's just never been this... un-attacky? Is that a word?
"Your welcome." He says neutrally.
He sits opposite her.
"I have changed the guards outside our cell to females only and they are all indisputably loyal."
She hears the words that he doesn't say. The guards are loyal to me.She suddenly realises what he said. Female. She feels almost light headed with relief.
She nods in response.
Then he leans forward. Lips right by her ear.
"Listen closely," His words are nothing more than a whisper of breathe but she hears them anyway, "In a week Ozai will be dead by my hand." Her eyes widen slightly at the fierce promise in his voice. "I will come down here to release you, I would like you to be there at my coronation." He hesitates slightly at this point but carries on anyway, "As my wife."
Her eyebrows shoot up at this. Did he just ask her to marry him?
"I need some credibility to show the rest of the world that I honestly mean it when I end the war." She nods so slightly it's barely a movement but he notices anyway.
"If we are married." He continues. "Then we can end the war for good with you helping." He backs away and looks at her, reallylooks at her, "As the Avatar."
She suddenly understands; he wants to end the war. He needs her to show the rest of the world that the Fire Nation is not a threat any more. He needs her credibility as the peace maker between the elements. She may only be thirteen but she's not stupid. After their attack during the eclipse went horribly wrong the only way she could save the rest of the resistance was to fight the Fire Lord herself and buy them enough time to escape. She knew what they didn't, which was that they could do more damage together then she would have ever been able to do on her own. She also knows the darker truth: the won't kill her because they don't want to waste their time hunting down the next Avatar amongst the scattered pieces of the water tribes. They'll keep her alive and she hopes that that'll be enough until her friends turn up.
She regards him. He isn't ugly. Far from it. His bearing is regal and proud. His eyes filled with fire and something... darker. His lips curl with arrogance, or maybe not. Maybe it's not arrogance. But she's too tired and her arms still throbs too much to care.
She wonders how he plans to kill the Fire Lord.
She coughs, "Okay." She smiles at him. He's only fifteen but looks a world older. She reaches forward to clasp his hand while he smiles at her. There's something genuine in his smile that makes her smile back. "Okay. I will."
He stands swiftly at that, pulling her up with him. "I'll be back soon." he promises.
And with that he walks out.
Aang stands there, hands limp at her sides; remains of the chains dangling and swaying and clinking ever so slightly as she watches the back of the man who had been chasing her along with his two lackeys for months before the game ended for her retreat behind to heavy cell door. Or maybe it hasn't. Maybe she just got a new playing piece.
Azul has been planning this for years. For years ever since his brother Zuko was banished. He saw the look in their father's eyes when he burnt him and knows that he isn't any safer. His father doesn't like him any better anyways. Only tolerates him because he's quieter then Zuko. Leas trouble. Less emotions.
Or so he thinks.
He conspires with the concubines first. Talks to them and makes them see his way.
If there was one thing Azul was good at then it was talking and leading. He was born for this.
The concubines hate Ozai anyway. Most of them are spoils of war. Ripped from their families to warm the bed of the man who has no love for anything. He's a harsh lover. He likes them to struggle and likes to watch them cry. Lots of them already had lover, already had husbands and children who Ozai slaughtered like cattle when he realised he wanted them. They are all hungry for revenge. For retribution and if the young Prince with the calculating eyes and smooth tongue can give it to them then who are they to talk?
It starts with tea. Ozai is suspicious by nature, so when his favourite, a soft woman named Asi, offers him a cup of strange smelling tea he almost beats her for it until she drinks some and allows him to feed some to one of her bastard children. When he realises that it isn't a trick and she's indeed simply trying to give him some tea he shrugs and downs a cup without a word. What he doesn't know and what even Asi doesn't know (he didn't tell her for fear that Ozai would torture it out of her and implicate all of them) is that the tea Azul gave her to give to Ozai contains bending suppressants. Suppressants that only the strange smelling herb he put in to disguise the familiar smell would cover. There isn't enough in it to stop his father from bending. There's barely enough to weaken his father. But this is only stage one that is carried out years in advance.
As the days and weeks and months and years pass Ozai grows used to the concubines giving him this kind of tea after their couplings. He doesn't know why but can't be bothered to find out. All the concubines know is that the tea will stop him so they keep giving it to him.
The first time someone other than Asi tries to serve it to him he grabs her wrist until it bruises.
"Why are you giving this to me?" He snarls out.
Thankfully Azul is no idiot and the second person he gives the tea to is an unflappable woman named Tessi, she is unbreakable and he knows she won't crumble under pressure.
He was right. Tessi simply sighs, and says "Asi says you enjoy it and recommended we serve some to you too."
Ozai hums to himself, the tea doesn't have any adverse affects and he has become quite fond of the strange flavour. In the end it's his arrogance that's his ultimate downfall. How could concubines, women be involved in a plot?
He scoffs to himself and drinks the tea.
Soon all the concubines serve it to him and he drinks. Every so often he'll force one of them, or their children, to drink but there don't seem to be any problems to he continues drinking and doesn't think anything of it.
Azul knew about their plan. He knew that they meant to invade during the comet. It would have been a clever plan; if fire benders were completely useless without their element. And that, as Azul had proved, wasn't true. Azul knew their plan would fail. He knew that it would end with either the capture of the whole resistance minus the Avatar or just the Avatar. He knew that it had to just be the Avatar this time.
Firstly it was too near the kickoff of his plan. He father would be dead before two months were out; that he was completely certain of. The Avatar was a wild card and he had too many in his deck right now. It would be better to have her safely locked up in the dungeons while the last pieces of his plot fell into place.
Secondly; the resistance of their own was far less dangerous than the Avatar on her own. For one they wouldn't try to attack the fire nation capital in an Avatar state grief induced rage. They didn't have even a tenth of what she could use. She could level the whole Capital if she was in the right mindset. He needed that out of the way.
An added perk was that having her locked up and out of the way made Fire Lord Ozai more relaxed. More... susceptible to different suggestions. More forgiving. And that was something Azul had been doing his best to exploit for the past month and a bit. Gradually convincing him to spend more time with the concubines until it was a ritual to go almost every night. Bit by bit showing him how good a son he was. Suggesting that he should write a will... with Azul as the prime benefactor. It made everything so much easier when it was done legally, didn't it?
He was of course, slightly worried for the young Avatar but the odds were stacked heavily to one side and who was he to deny it? His father normally left important prisoners alone. The constant isolation made them softer. Like leaving something to soak in water for far too long... Because of the fact that Sozin's comet was approaching his father was relaxed beyond belief. Everything was going according to plan. The Avatar was captured and he had as much time as he wanted to play.
Sometimes Azul wishes he didn't know his father so well.
It's a normal Friday and once Ozai roughly jerks out of Asi, wiping the blood on his cock off on the bedsheets, she shakily gets up to make him some tea.
He thinks over the conversation he had with his remaining undisgraced son Azul over dinner.
He had remarked that it may be the time to start breaking the Avatar. He had left her alone in her cell for over a month now and to be honest he was ready to play. She didn't have her bending and he's never tasted a half-god before. Besides, once he was done with her he could always hand her off to some of his favourite Admirals or War ministers. He knew that bedding the Avatar would be something of significance. A little... yearly bonus would you say?
When he'd mentioned his plans to Azul the prince hadn't even flinched. Instead he simply said that whatever his father wanted was fine.
Ozai smirks slightly as he takes the proffered cup from Asi. His son is so obedient.
He doesn't notice anything different or out of place in the taste of the tea, except that it's a little hotter than usual and he can't make out the flavours as well under the heat.
He downs the cup in one gulp in throws it into the opposite wall where it shatters on contact. He them grabs Asi around the waist and throws her down onto the bed where he proceeds to mar her skin with even more bruises.
Ozai senses the disturbance in his room as he wakes and immediately tries to send out a wave of fire to the assailant; that's the way many an assassin have died however his bending isn't responding. He grows cold and panicked. Fear that he hasn't felt in years licks the edges of his mind as the offending person draws near. He doesn't even have time to scream in betrayal when he sees it's his son before the blue flames burn out his brain.
Azul looks down at the broken body in disgust. He had to move his plans ahead once he heard what his father had intended to do to his bride. He had substituted the usual tea for just bending suppressants and told Asi to serve it hot. Bending suppressants loose most of their flavour when served at boiling and he knew that a fire bender's body temperature is higher than normal so his father would only note the tea to be "hot" not "scalding" like any normal person would. He glares down at the body and in a rare show of emotion spits on the burnt out husk before sweeping out of the room.
Time for change.
Aang plays with the ends of her hair as she paces her cell. Azul hasn't been back in eighteen meals. Because of his influence she now gets three square meals a day and the guards are always kind and ready to talk or help as she needs. It isn't really prison apart from the cell and the fact that she can't leave to be honest. She misses Azul a little and wonders where he is. She prays furtively that he wasn't caught helping her, or that the Fire Lord has killed him before he could kill him.
When the cells door clangs she turn eagerly and when the familiar click of Azul's boots against the metal floor resound through the room she bounds over to him eagerly and wraps him in a hug. Aang's always been touchy feely but this man is going to be her husband. Together they can change the world (not to sound over dramatic).
"I was worried you were hurt." She mumbles into his shoulder. "Or that Ozai had killed you."
Azul laughs, "Ozai is no longer a threat." He pushes her to arms length and smiles, "He's dead."
Aang's eyes widen in disbelief.
"I've already been though my coronation," He admits, "I had to do it as quickly as possible so I could speak to the war ministers.
I've retracted the troops that are out at sea or in the Earth Kingdom. I've had to spend the past few days making announcements to the world, trailing some particularly distasteful generals and admirals and executing those who were too close to my father. Not that anyone knows how he really died."
She starts at this. Surely... how did he kill him?
He lays his head on her shoulder and it strikes her how tired he looks. He's looking for human contact to give him comfort and she can give that to him at least. So she reaches with her hand and begins to stroke his hair. "I've released some particularly powerful prisoners of war and have used them to bargain over peace treaties with the Water tribe and the Earth kingdom but they need assurances and reparations."
His sigh sends his breath fanning over her skin and it raises goosebumps in it's wake.
"We have to get married tomorrow."
He pulls back and looks her in the eye. He's full of apologies but she doesn't want to hear them.
"I understand." Her eyes are full of compassion, full to the brim of kindness, "You ended the war Azul." he likes the way his name sound on her tongue.
But he can't say that, she's only thirteen.
So instead he takes her hand and leads her up to the future.
The wedding is quick but well attended. Over the years Azul had built up a support network. He has used spies and informants. He knows more about his nation then Ozai probably ever did. When he was younger he charmed his way around parties while Zuko sulked in the corner. As he grew older he began... hinting. After Zuko was banished he began dropping breadcrumbs. Here and there. Never enough to implicate. But enough to be suggestive. And only to those he knows will listen. He's been collecting war ministers and advisors and nobles all these years and the day he killed Ozai was the day that any of them realised just how big his "coup" really was. Not that they had enough evidence that it was him who even killed the ex-Fire Lord. Ozai was found dead in his bed, brains burnt out and no poison in his blood. His successor had been named as Azul and even the more suspicious could say nothing as the boy of only fifteen took the throne. He has killed everyone (either by assassination for those who should be handled more delicately or public execution for those who he knows public opinion is not favourable) who looked like they might start a civil war and he has invited the remains of his country to attend his wedding.
The one question that rests on everyone's lips is "who". Who is their Lord marrying? They honestly don't know. Azul never had any serious romantic attractions; he was never seen without a girl on his arm at a party but next to none of those girls were asked to share his bed.
Smart people know it must be someone from another nation in order to start promoting peace.
Smarter people know that no one from another nation would marry into the Fire nation yet.
So when the music starts and everyone rises the last person they expect to walk down the aisle, on her own some people note, is Avatar Aang. She is dressed in traditional yellow and orange Air Nomad silks and looks every inch the powerful bender she is. Her skin glows and her arrows seem slightly luminous. Yet the congregation notices she looks haggard and tired and that's when the smarter people realise where she's been for the past few month and a bit. The Avatar disappeared off the face of the earth a month and a half ago.
Disappeared into the dungeons of the Fire Nation.
Many expect the wedding is forced. Payment for freedom. Yet as the whole nation holds it's breath during the vows eyes can't help but notice the way the Avatar's hand squeezes the Fire Lords or the smile on her face as she says the binding words and the ring is slipped on her finger.
They lean in for a chaste kiss and no one can forget the tender age of the world's saviour at that moment.
And with that the days dissolve into negotiations and makings of peace treaties.
Azul has to admit that the negotiations go smoother and swifter then he had ever dared to hope for with Aang by his side. She sees things from an outsider's perspective. Not from the Fire nation's or the rest of the world's. She's the unwitting politician. Reaching diplomacy without meaning to. She is unbiased and speaks softly during meetings. Yet for the volume of her voice not one of the delegates can help from listening when she opens her mouth.
"Not bad work, huh?" Aang asks coyly as she watches Azul undress at the foot of the bed. He disappears into the bathroom for some of the more delicate items but then again so does she.
He grins as he re enters from the bathroom, "Both the water tribe and the earth kingdom have signed peace treaties. Now all that's left is the Air nomads." he pokes her shoulder playfully.
"It's going to take more than marrying me to draw up a treaty." She raises an eyebrow at him.
"Not even making every concubine a Lady and giving them each a house for them and their children was good enough?" He rewards loyalty well and the servants involved have been promoted, the guards given more rights, the concubines freed and allowed to return to their own countries if they see fit.
She shakes her head.
"What do you want?" He asks.
At that she sobers. "I need to find my friends."
He nods in understanding, "Tomorrow we'll find them, my brother included. Hopefully Mai and Ty lee managed to find them." The last part is more for him then anyone else.
Aang's eyes widen and she jumps on him. It's an innocent move and he knows Aang doesn't fully know what she's doing so he uses the highest level of self control he has cultivated in court all his life to keep from shuddering when her hips grind into his.
"You sent them to him?"
He nods, "After the day of black sun I realised things were going to get messy; I didn't want them to get hurt if I failed."
She wriggles slightly on top of him and, damnit, he just turned sixteen and his wife sitting on him is a recipe for disaster.
"Aang," He requests through gritted teeth, "Can you please get off me."
She smiles easily at him and he wonders how she doesn't know. "Of course."
His wife is anything but promiscuous.
"Tomorrow," he promises her.
And with that they fall asleep, side by side in the royal bed as they always do.