Disclaimer: Avatar: The Last Airbender belongs to Bryke and Nickelodeon, not me.
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Zuko shifted restlessly at his sister's side, watching her pore over the reports. Ty Lee sat at Azula's feet, fiddling with the ends of her long braid. Mai stood at her left, stoic as always. Azula's eyes narrowed thoughtfully. She steepled her fingers. "Again," she said. "I need to go over the information again."
"There are three traveling with the Avatar," the lieutenant said again. "Two from the southern water tribe, a boy around seventeen and a girl around sixteen. The girl is a waterbender, but not the boy."
"Those are the two we've encountered before," Azula said. "Both moderately competent, but nothing we cannot handle."
"The Avatar's third companion is a girl around ten or twelve," the lieutenant continued. "A very small but very powerful earthbender. From what we've gathered, however, she is blind."
Azula stared into the distance. Zuko knew that look. That was the "I am formulating something, but you're not going to know what it is until it's too late for you to do anything about it" sort of look. Finally she looked back at the lieutenant. "You're dismissed," she said, with a crisp wave of her hand. He left.
"What gives, Azula?" Mai said. "You've seen all three of the Avatar's companions before, but you made that man tell you all he knew four times."
Azula pushed herself off of the earth king's throne and paced. "I'm looking for a loophole," she said.
"Ooh," said Ty Lee.
Azula whirled around. "The water tribe boy is useless to us," she said.
"Cute…" Ty Lee started to say. Azula shot her a look. "But useless, yeah…"
"Our best bet is either one of the girls," Azula said, continuing her relentless pacing. "The Avatar is fond of that water-tribe girl, but she would be harder to nab." Azula stopped. "The earthbender. That will be the easiest for us."
"She's the one of the most powerful earthbenders in the world. I've heard she can even bend metal," Zuko objected. "How are you-"
Azula shoved her hand in his face. "Shut up, Zuzu," she said. "Firstly, it's not me, it's you three. You'll be the ones to get her. Second, she's blind. The lieutenant reported that she can sense vibrations in the ground, but the moment she's off the ground…"
"She's defenseless," Mai realized.
"We'll get her off the earth. Into water, or onto wood," Azula said. "She will be an excellent pawn." She plunked down onto the throne again. "This works best for the Avatar. Emotional warfare. Take away something he cares about, and he will do anything to get them back. Yes, the little earthbender will do nicely."
A servant entered the room and bowed deeply. "Your highness, your uncle wishes an audience," he said.
Zuko turned his head away. "Send him in," Azula said. "And look up, Zuzu, if you have any ounce of backbone left in you."
"Princess Azula, you should not speak to your brother like that."
"I can speak to him any way I like, Uncle," Azula said. She folded her hands. "What is it you want?"
Iroh looked around the throne room. "I see you have retained all of the earth king's décor," he said.
Azula's lips thinned. "Only the Dai Li know that the earth king is gone," Azula said. "To the rest of Ba Sing Se, he is still on the throne. I will keep the décor to keep up appearances, now tell me what you want before I order the Dai Li to take you away."
"I wish to return to my tea shop, niece," Iroh said.
"So you can plot against me?" Azula snorted.
Iroh held out his hands. "I am an old man, Princess Azula," he said. "My days of fighting are over. I wish to spend the rest of my days in my tea shop, making other people happy."
"You're a silly old fool," Azula said.
"I am," Iroh said, "but I would rather be a silly old fool than join with you."
Azula studied her uncle. "I may be getting soft," she said, "but I will let you return. The Dai Li will escort you. When you return, you are forbidden to mention any of this. Do I make myself clear?" Iroh nodded. "I will send the Dai Li to check on you at various occasions, without warning. If I discover even the slightest hint of rebellion, I will not hesitate to order your execution."
"I understand, niece," Iroh said. "I do not like it, but I understand."
"Then go," Azula said.
Iroh looked past her shoulder to Zuko. Zuko felt his face flame. His uncle stared at him for a moment, with an indescribable look in his eyes. Then Iroh turned and left the throne room, escorted by the Dai Li.
"Be glad you're staying with me, Zuzu," Azula said. "If you left, you would be just as much of a fool as he is."
I'd almost rather be a fool, Zuko thought, but he pushed it away.
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"She's making us capture a little girl," Zuko grumbled.
Ty Lee twisted around on the saddle of her ostrich horse. "What?" she said.
"Nothing," he scowled.
"Gosh, Zuko, you're so moody," Ty Lee said. She bounced up and down in the saddle. "No wonder Mai likes you. You're both all angsty."
Mai's cheeks flamed. "Shut up," she said.
"I don't think he even cares," Ty Lee said.
Zuko stared straight ahead, concentrating. What is wrong with me? he wondered. A few months ago he would have been ready to steal, injure, or even kill anyone to get to the avatar. Now he was torn over kidnapping an earthbender. I need to get my priorities straight, he thought. No, can't do that. I don't even know what my priorities are anymore…
"We've been riding for hours," Mai complained. "Aren't we going to find them yet?"
"We're following the bison's tracks," Zuko said. "I can't tell if we're close or not, but they shouldn't be too far, not with the avatar's injuries."
"Hey, what's that big white lump?" Ty Lee asked, cocking her head to the side. "It looks like a big marshmallow."
Zuko kicked his heels in the sides of his ostrich horse. "Or a sky bison," he said. "Follow my lead."
He had led countless attacks before, but he had never felt so uneasy about them as he did now. The ostrich horses thundered over the field; the river glistened in the distance. Two figures sat on the far bank. Zuko squinted. With a start he recognized the avatar's girl companions. They seemed to be arguing. The smaller of the two girls stood up, but lost her balance and fell hard into the water.
"Perfect," he heard Mai say under her breath. "Hurry up, Zuko."
He kicked his heels in the ostrich horse's flanks. It raced to the river, but skidded to a halt when it reached the water. Zuko tossed the reins to the ground and plunged into the cool water.
The younger girl screamed shrilly, her arms waving as she floundered in the waves. "It's okay," the older girl called, jumping into the water.
Zuko clamped a hand over her wrists and pulled her back. "Just stay out of the way," he said, his lips set.
"Get off me!" she seethed, kicking him hard. He shoved her away and she splashed clumsily on the embankment. "Aang! Sokka!"
"Looking for help?" Mai said. She clamped her hands around her wrists, locking her in a helpless position. Ty Lee leaped in, hitting her in just the right spots. The waterbending girl tumbled to the ground, unable to move.
Zuko swam easily to the younger girl. The water drew her deeper and deeper down and she gulped in mouthfuls of water. Zuko wrapped an arm around her chest and pulled her up. She broke the surface with a strangled yelp.
"You're supposed to just freak her out, not drown her for real," Mai said.
"You planned this?" the older girl demanded. Zuko ignored them both as he swam to the shore, dragging the younger one behind him. He pulled her out of the water and onto the shore. She crouched there, shaking and coughing, her eyes bloodshot and dazed. Zuko stared at her as Ty Lee and Mai climbed onto the shore. He looked over to the other side of the river. The older girl stared at them, unable to move.
"Azula will be pleased," Ty Lee offered.
"Here, let me hold onto the kid so you can change," Mai said. Silently he laid the child on the ground at her feet and stalked off behind the trees. He yanked his clothes off viciously and pulled on the dry ones, his thoughts seething through his mind.
When he walked back, Ty Lee was perched on her ostrich horse and Mai was sitting on a boulder, idly examining her fingernails. "She passed out," Mai informed him.
"We're not supposed to kill her," Zuko said. He knelt down beside the child. She was pale but breathing.
"Well, come on," Mai said. "We'd better get back before the avatar and all them find the water tribe girl." She hoisted the girl as if she weighed no more than a baby doll, tossed her over the pommel of her saddle, and mounted after her. Zuko and Ty Lee followed her lead and rode off.
The ride back to Ba Sing Se seemed to last forever. Zuko rode at the front, Mai in the middle, and Ty Lee at the rear. He was surprised that the avatar and the others didn't come after them, but the girls had seemed to be far from their camp, and the water-tribe girl wasn't going to be moving for a while. Still, he glanced back often, expecting to see the avatar coming up fast.
Night had fallen by the time they arrived at the palace. Several Dai Li agents were waiting for them. "Thank goodness!" Ty Lee sighed. "I'm so sick of sitting still!"
Mai yawned. "I'm just so-"
"Let me guess. Bored?" Zuko interrupted.
"What's got you so upset?" Mai said.
"Nothing," he muttered. He tossed the reins to a stableboy and dismounted quickly.
"I trust you didn't return empty handed."
Zuko didn't even bother to turn around. "We didn't," he said in a low voice.
"We got her," Mai said. "Now what are you going to do with her?"
Azula strolled across the courtyard to Mai's ostrich horse. The girl still lay limply over the pommel of the saddle. Her damp clothing clung to her small body. "Well, then," she said. "What do we have here?"
"She hasn't moved at all," Ty Lee said. "Did we kill her?"
"Don't be an idiot," Zuko said.
Azula tapped her finger under the child's chin and tilted it up. She smiled- a slow, cold, cruel smile. "What a pretty baby," she crooned.
The girl snapped her little teeth, but Azula pulled her hand back. The smile remained frozen on her face. "You've got some spirit to you," she said. "I like that."
"They're going to find me," the girl said hoarsely. "I'm going to break out of here, and they're going to find me."
Azula gripped the child's chin, pulling her face towards hers. "Silly baby," she said softly. "I'll kill you before that happens. Understand?"
The girl gave one slight nod. Azula let go. "Take her to her room," she said. "Station guards at the door and at the windows." She turned and walked away, then turned back. "And send in a maid to tend to her."
The Dai Li agents pulled the child down from the ostrich horse and chained her hands behind her back. Her knees buckled under her weight; the agents pulled her up by her elbows and carried her into the palace.
"I'm impressed that you three were actually able to pull this off," Azula said. "I'm sure you must be tired."
"And hungry," Ty Lee added.
Azula turned to walk away. "What are you planning?" Zuko said.
"I'm not planning anything," she said.
"I know you," he said. "You're going to do something to that little girl."
Azula turned and smiled. "I'm not up to anything," she repeated, and she disappeared into the palace.
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Author's Notes:
I haven't really written much Azula-related stuff. Girlfriend is diabolical.
This story began life as "Pieta," which is actually still on the site. It sucked, so I stopped writing it. Then I started developing a story called "The Sin Eater," which also sucked. Then I hit upon a third plotline, and then just sort of mushed them all together in one happy clusterfrick.
I hope you also stay tuned for the rest of Azula's terrible plan...and be sure to tell me what you think of the story!