"The waterbender, Your Highness" the guard said, bowing before leaving the two alone. Katara smirked.
"You look too at ease in here" she teased and Azula chuckled, reclining on her silken futon. Surrounding her were scrolls on subjects Katara only wondered about, glowing lanterns, and some astronomical devices. Azula pat the bed beside her. Once nestled together, they spoke quietly
"It's been nearly two months already. Can't we tell Zuko the truth?" Azula shook her head.
"I'm still wading through the last of the scrolls and I can't do that in peace while helping Zuko. He can manage for a bit longer and so can we." Katara sighed and leaned against her shoulder, letting her hand slip into her robe and caress the skin within.
"Let me stay with you tonight."
"The guards will…"
"The guards won't disturb us – orders from the soon-to-be Fire Lady." Azula smiled; she really would have to be nicer to Mai in the future.
"What's wrong?" Azula asked, surprised by Katara's resistance to having her top removed but the girl blushed.
"I wanted to show you after you left this place but…" Katara slid just a bit away from her, undoing her own undergarment and slowly letting her arms fall by her sides. Azula's eyes went wide.
"Katara what…" she leaned in, feeling the lines of her seal on the girl's left bosom. Tears trickled from her normally stoic eyes and she looked at her to see her smiling.
"That morning when you left, I never wanted to forget how you looked at me then. I never wanted you to question whether or not I was devoted to you. If the mark you were given is your shame, let this mark be your pride. You've taken possession of my heart and I've given it to you willingly." Wordlessly, Azula leaned down, kissing the mark until sobs shook her body.
"Shh… It's OK. Everything will be OK now" Katara soothed, drawing the firebender down onto the bed and drawing the blankets around them. Finally, husky sobs rang out from Azula, and she gripped her lover tightly, burying her head in her chest. Katara smiled sadly, stroking her hair and resting her head on hers.
"Let it out. There's nothing to conceal from me. Azula, I love you" she said and slowly, her shaking lessened until exhausted, she fell asleep against her. Katara smiled and held her happily, drifting to sleep.
"Katara, I need to ask you something" Azula said, drawing Katara's attention from straightening Azula's things. The girl always seemed to be taking care of someone and Azula loved that about her.
"Sure" she replied, tucking one of her hair loops behind her ear and going to Azula who stood.
"Wait here" she said, disappearing into the corner of the cell and emerging with a small, silken bag.
"Katara of the Southern Water Tribe" she said, sounding as regal as she was and prompting a snicker. At her look of disapproval, Katara covered her mouth and let Azula continue.
"I have abdicated in favor of my brother and therefore cannot provide you the status befitting of you as a ruler or the Avatar could. Additionally, my people have waged war against your nation, causing their impoverishment, subjugation and destruction. I have sinned greatly to accomplish what I felt was the best path for my nation and for the world. I am neither a hero nor regent. However…" at this, her voice become softer, more as she would normally speak with her.
"I do love you more than I imagine anyone could. Being apart from you is as if my own light is being extinguished. I love you, Katara. Please, marry me" she begged, bowing and holding the small pouch up to her. Katara never imagined that Azula would bow to anyone except her father. She had taken possession of the firebender's heart, too, she realized. She felt salty tears staining her cheeks but smiled brightly, lowering herself before Azula and drawing her chin up until she faced her.
"You're right, you're not the Fire Lord but even if it's worth little compared to a nation, you are very much the regent of my heart. Yes, I'll marry you, Azula."
Her hands trembling, Azula opened the bag and held its contents. An ice-blue silken necklace with a deep crimson pendant – a betrothal necklace.
"Would you wear this then?" Katara gasped and touched it, feeling the grooves carved into it, burned into it.
"It's a sunstone from the dragons. They said if my flame could pierce it, I could have it for your necklace. I had decided some time ago that you were the only one I could possibly fall in love with so, I took it just in case." Katara smiled and gingerly unfastened her mother's necklace, nodding. Azula leaned forward and clasped it on her fiancé who immediately drew her into a loving kiss.
"Now will you leave the prison cell?" Katara asked and Azula smirked, kissing her lightly and standing, bringing the girl to rise with her.
"Now I will leave the prison cell."
Katara was excited to see her father and brother who had left the capital nearly two months before. They were coming to celebrate her birthday belatedly but she didn't understand why other Water Tribe elders were also arriving that day. She also couldn't wait for everyone to learn of her fiancé's brilliance. Azula had left the prison with her that morning but wanted to make her entrance at the right moment. So dramatic, that one, she thought with a smirk that she quickly hid upon emerging into the throne room. Mai would have smiled at her if she smiled. She knew where Katara had been the night before, and would inquire with her later as she always did. The waterbender was taken aback by the sudden standing of the Water Tribe men.
"Lady Katara" the Chief of the Northern Water Tribe said, prompting his men to lower their heads. Katara bowed her head also, a bit confused.
"Sis!" Sokka exclaimed, and they ran to great each other.
"Sokka, you've grown" Katara said and Sokka struck a pose.
"Uh huh, take a look at your brother's manly physique" he said, smugly stroking his stubble. Katara smiled proudly instead of laughing.
"You're a man now so, it's expected" she offered and Sokka was shocked by this. His sister's eyes were focused on the Northern Chief.
"Well, you look, er… beautiful, right Dad!? Doesn't she?" Hakoda smiled from his reclined position.
"She looks more like her mother every day. And as much as it pains me to admit, Fire Nation clothing suits her" he said, very intentionally sending out a ripple effect of discomfort. The Northern Chief cleared his throat.
"My lady, won't you sit down" he asked and Katara nodded.
"First, may I present my son, Emarak" said the chief, motioning to a young man a few years older than Katara. He was obviously nobility and his eyes were of a cool, flat gray so unlike Azula's fierce ones.
"Emarak is also a waterbender, and the bravest warrior of our tribe" the chief continued, directing his comments to Hakoda.
"I'm sure he's a fine young man" Hakoda agreed. Aang who had settled beside Katara was struggling not to laugh but Katara was growing annoyed.
"Tell me, Emarak, do you always have your father speak for you?" Katara finally inquired, surprising all of the men who shifted position. Katara detested the sexism that was rampant in her kin from the north. Emarak, though, smirked at this.
"You're as outspoken as the rumors say you are."
"E… Emarak." The chief once again cleared his throat. Katara was now amused. Emarak had no interest in marrying her. Perhaps he had a lover as well…
"Chief Hakoda, as your daughter is now of marrying age, I propose solidifying our alliance as sister nations through the union of Emarak and Lady Katara." Hakoda raised an eyebrow; he really didn't care for the Northern Tribe's pomp or tradition. Still, he had to say something.
"As you know, Chief Daramak, my tribe does not believe in arranged marriages. My daughter may select her own suitor, and I believe she has already selected the Avatar, have you not?" Before Katara could respond, Aang shook his head quickly.
"Not me, Chief! I won't be getting married for a long time anyway, not until I've finished mastering all four elements." Daramak grinned.
"In that case, what do you say, my dear?" Out of the corner of her eye, Katara saw a single flame burn blue and she smiled.
"Chief Daramak, you offer has been considered and I'm certain that Emarak will make a very suitable husband." The Chief's grin broadened.
"However" she said, and Sokka could have sworn that her voice had become too regal in that moment.
"I'm already engaged" she said, pulling her collar away to reveal the betrothal necklace. Sokka was shocked beyond concealing it.
"But if it isn't Aang…" the sound of clapping interrupted everyone and Katara stood up. So dramatic, she thought. The flames surrounding the room all flashed blue in an instant, and Azula stood at the far edge of the room with a very satisfied grin on her face. Everyone except for Mai, Iroh and Aang jumped into a battle stance.
"Sis, stay back!" Sokka jumped in front of her, and Katara rolled her eyes and pushed past him, facing Azula.
"Maybe I shouldn't have let little Zuzu win; you might have been an even shrewder Fire Lady than Mai" Azula teased and Katara smiled.
"I learned from the best, after all" she retorted and Azula smiled, approaching her.
"Well, that's true" she said, and as they met, they kissed deeply.
"Katara!? With my… sister…" Zuko was torn and Mai tugged on his robe.
"Zuko, sit down. You don't even know the half of it."
"Just listen, nephew" Iroh said gently.
The Water Tribe men made a very angry exit. Two women loving each other was not permitted in their tribe, they would be exiled. Hakoda, on the other hand, was intrigued. Aang offered Azula his seat beside Katara and she smiled warmly at him.
"Thank you, Avatar Aang" she said, taking her seat. Katara was right; this was the real Azula. Aang sat beside Zuko as the couple began to explain.
Zuko was angry, angrier than he'd ever been in his life and not even his uncle could calm him.
"You mean to tell me that you set me up!? You wanted me to join the Avatar and help defeat you and our father!? Why!?" Azula sighed.
"Zuko, you're my brother. I watched you suffer for years under his rule. I watched him burn the face of his thirteen year old child just to satisfy his own darkness. You were only a boy. If you hadn't been pried away from him and his twisted definition of 'honor,' you would have died fighting the Avatar or worse, become just like him. Now look at you. You were willing to sacrifice yourself for a woman who was once your enemy. You faced the dragons and were purified. Do you think this would have been possible if you'd stayed here? Because I don't. You would have become like Father instead of Uncle Iroh. I didn't want that for my only brother or for our people."
"She speaks the truth, Zuko" Iroh said sternly and Zuko looked at him briefly before continuing to pace.
"Why couldn't you just tell me? Did you think I was that dumb?"
"I think almost everyone is dumb, Zuko" Azula said in annoyance.
"But no… I just didn't think that you were ready to know the truth. I wanted you to find your own path."
"Then the Agni Kai and the crazy way you were acting…"
"It was a test, Zuko" Katara spoke up.
"And you passed."
"Is that true?" he asked Azula and she nodded.
"Obviously it was staged. If I hadn't held back, you'd be dead. I did hold back and you still got hurt. At least, now you have a burn that you can be proud of" Azula said with a smirk.
Zuko collapsed beside Mai and Aang. Mai rolled her eyes at Azula who shrugged.
"He's your problem, now, Mai" she said, earning her a light elbow jab from Katara.
"And you… you're OK with this?" Zuko asked Aang who nodded.
"Katara's been my best friend ever since I woke up from the iceberg. She deserves to be happy more than anyone I know, and Azula makes her happy." Aang laughed and scratched the back of his head a bit embarrassed. Azula smiled at him.
"I am indebted to you for your friendship to Katara, Avatar Aang. Please do not hesitate to call on me for assistance in the future" she said, bowing her head and Aang returned the gesture.
"I actually really like this Azula. I can totally see how you fell in love with her, Katara."
"Yeah, Azula definitely got all of the charm in the family" Mai lamented with a sigh.
"Hey!" Zuko exclaimed and Mai raised an eyebrow, causing him to blush. Suddenly, Azula began to laugh and all but Katara and Mai were shocked by this sound. It wasn't the harsh laughter they'd heard on the battlefield. It was warm and a bit husky. Everyone began to relax.
"OK. Even if I buy all of this 'Azula's a super genius who secretly plotted to save the world' stuff, you still shot lightening at my sister and imprisoned my girlfriend! Oh, and killed Aang…" Aang glared at him, earning a sheepish grin.
"Let's do this in order of ascending importance, shall we? First off, your girlfriend is a warrior and a spy. And last time I checked, she had already made three attempts on my life by the time I captured her. Did I imprison her? Yes? Did I injure her in the process? Yes. Did I torture her? No – ask her to verify. I make no claims to heroism, Sokka. I was fighting a war. I did a lot of horrible things and that's only one of them. Moving on to the Avatar. That, unfortunately, had to be done. At his age, taking on my father at his full power would have been foolish and lethal. His connection to the Avatar State was poorly developed and I needed him to access it. It was kill him and trust that Katara was gifted enough to save him or simply let my father kill him and have no way to salvage what I'd worked for over the past seven years. Still, I am sorry" she said to Aang who smiled.
"I forgive you. I can't even imagine doing what you've done for so long. I'd have gone crazy" he said with a laugh and Azula smiled.
"Who says that I haven't?" Everyone was laughing except for Sokka who grabbed Azula by the collar.
"And what about my sister!?"
"Sokka!" Azula held up her hand and released herself from Sokka's grasp.
"Perhaps a demonstration is in order. Any volunteers?"
"Yeah. Me" Sokka responded and Azula smirked.
"Ready?" Azula asked of Sokka who stood across the room from her; he was firm and she liked his dedication.
"Yes."
"Close your eyes" she commanded and then breathed in before firing a brilliant white-blue lightning bolt toward him. Zuko realized that her strength was as great as on the solstice – meaning that it had been even greater. Sokka was prepared to die for his sister but the impact never came, instead, the lightning arched around him and back toward it's wielder who easily absorbed it, breathing out and relaxing. Sokka opened one eye and then another, blinking as he watched her absorb it.
"What happened?" Katara was smiling proudly.
"Are you happy now, Sokka?" Katara asked and he nodded, feeling a bit numb.
Katara walked quickly to Azula and drew her into a kiss before they embraced tightly. Sokka, now convinced practically jumped on them.
"Welcome to the family, ya flamey weirdo!" Azula glared.
"Don't touch me" she said and he held up his hands innocently. Those eyes still scared him. Katara pinched her.
"Be nice to Sokka!"
"Ouch… Yes, Mama Bear…" she said, rolling her eyes and Katara blushed furiously.
"I am not anything like a mother bear!"
"You kind of are…" Sokka agreed with Azula, and Katara grabbed his ear.
"Ow, ow, ow…"
"Well excuse me! If I didn't have to pick up after a certain 'Wolf Warrior' and his messy girlfriend all the time, maybe I wouldn't have to be that way!"
"Suki's not messy…"
"Please, Sokka, she's as bad as a boy! Her socks are as disgusting as yours are. I don't even know how you two are going to survive much less run a household."
"Hey, I wash my own laundry now!" Sokka said proudly, puffing out his chest. Katara looked horrified and grabbed his robe, bringing it to her nose and sniffing, moving over it and sniffing several times.
"Katara! Stop it! I'm a grown man!" he exclaimed, swatting at her but she recoiled.
"You are a grown man who smells like penguin blubber and overcooked sea prunes! Ugh! Sokka! What did you wash them with!? Off… off with this!" She shouted, pulling on his robe and he blushed, trying to fight her off but she succeeded in pulling it off, then eying his trousers and he stepped back.
"Katara, no… Not in front of… Ahh!" Sokka ran from the room with Katara chasing after him.
"Give me those pants right now!"
The others stood in awkward silence for a moment as they heard water splashing loudly from the garden and Sokka complaining. The sound of a victorious laugh followed and soon Katara re-emerged into the room, dusting off her dress.
"Well, what are you all staring at?" Even Chief Hakoda and Iroh looked away.
"Nothing, nothing…" Aang said, whistling.
"Umm… you know, good luck with that, Azula!" he said, dashing out of the room and Katara raised an eyebrow in Azula's direction. The firebender smiled. She loved Katara's angry face. She loved everything about her.
"You know, Zuzu, between Madame Sourface and Mama Bear, we might actually end up with normal-ish children around this place" Azula said, wrapping her arms around Katara who glared playfully.
"Be nice to your friend" she warned and Zuko started laughing at last. Hakoda then stood to leave.
"Very well then, I will expect a grandchild soon."
"Dad!" Katara blushed and Azula left her side, opening the door instead of allowing the guard to do so.
"We are happy to oblige, Chief Hakoda" she said, extending her hand and her looked at it and shook his head, seizing her in a fierce hug that lifted her off the floor. He then set her down and she quickly regained composure before he placed his hand on her head.
"We're going to have to teach you about affection, my girl! Katara, come help me find Sokka, and see your father to wherever in this maze of a palace he's staying." Katara rushed to his side and winked at her fiancé before escorting her father out.
The Northern Water Tribesman were unyielding in their demands for compensation, and Zuko grew tired. Azula and Katara had remained silent throughout the meeting but Azula's gaze flickered to Zuko's.
"Azula, what do you think?" he asked and she nodded before speaking.
"Clearly, Chief Daramak, your demands are unreasonable. Damages to your territory have been minimal, and there have been few casualties from your tribe. As such, our priorities remain with rebuilding the Southern Tribe and Earth Kingdom. Now, as your primary disadvantage rests in your lack of trade infrastructure and agreements, should you be willing to pledge assistance to your Southern allies, we could accommodate your needs in these areas."
"Assist them how?" Emarak asked purposefully, earning a glaring look from his father. Katara whispered into Azula's ear: "he isn't with them. Give him something of his own, and you'll win." Azula smiled – finally, she had someone her equal beside her.
"Katara has just informed me that there is currently a great void in the allegiance between the tribes, one that might be resolved should Prince Emarak accept the position of Ambassador to the South, and bring his party of waterbenders to help build up the infrastructure there. This – and a trade agreement ensuring that neither tribe encroaches upon the resources of the other – would appear satisfactory if the Fire Lord should consent."
Zuko was suddenly very happy to have his sister with him. He did not doubt that he would have caved to the Northern Tribe's requests out of exhaustion and guilt had she not intervened. The Fire Lord nodded. Emarak grinned; he liked these women, especially the Princess… and he momentarily lamented that she wasn't a man.
"I would, of course, be honored to assume such a role. I have always felt that our tribes should maintain a greater connection with one another. The North is, as you say, well-developed, and we are able to spare enough waterbenders to help our kinsmen develop the same for themselves. With your permission, Chief Hakoda, Kota and I will set sail with you upon your return, and my party will meet us shortly so that together, we might rebuild your nation." Kota, wondered Azula before her eyes drifted to a small man perhaps of her own age who sat beside Emarak. The way he looked at him was unmistakable.
"My people would welcome your presence, Emarak." Zuko sighed, feeling a great burden lift from him and he inwardly thought that he would have been equally as happy to let this Azula have the throne.
"You wanted to see me, brother?" Azula asked of Zuko who was crouched beside a pond, feeding the turtleducks that he'd always loved. Her eyes softened, imagining him as a young boy.
"Do you remember when we use to play here?" he asked without looking at her. Surely, he hadn't asked for her at dawn to reminisce. No, something was bothering him. Much was bothering him. Azula walked over and let her fingers course through his shaggy hair.
"Talk to me, Zuzu" she said, sitting beside him.
"Ba Sing Se is going crazy. A lot of our soldiers have been killed in the streets before they could be recalled. Others are in jail. Some are missing. The Earth King is an overgrown child, and he abandoned his people. Without leadership, they're turning the city into a boiling pot of dissent and hatred." Azula sighed. She'd heard the reports as well.
"I'll go then" she offered.
"No! It's too dangerous!"
"No, it's too dangerous for our soldiers, Zuko, not for me. I'll get our soldiers, and I'll persuade the king to return." Zuko knew that she was right and nodded.
"Katara's gonna kill me" he said and Azula chuckled.
"Let me worry about Katara; you have your own fiancé to contend with after all."
"Azula, do you ever worry... Worry that we'll become like our father. Mai and I are getting married in two months. What do I know about being a husband… or a father? What if I hurt my kids?" Azula understood his concerns for they mirrored her own, and she leaned her head against his shoulder, sighing.
"I worry, too" she said, holding up her hands and gazing at them.
"After all that I've done, how can Katara love me? I don't deserve this woman and yet, I need her and I love her. I want us to have a family together; I want the chance to right the wrongs that were done in the past. I want to see my children test their limits and, expand themselves. I want them to feed turtleducks, set their toys on fire, hang from the persimmon trees, and speak out of turn. I want to watch them grow into themselves and know that I am growing with them. These are the thoughts that burn away my fears. I have a darkness inside of me but there is light there, too. We will always be scarred, Zuko, but it is our scars that will soften our voices and stay our hands should we be tested." Her words made Zuko feel at ease and he leaned against her.
"Thanks, Sis."
"I'm coming with you" Katara demanded and Azula shook her head. They had been arguing now for hours and she was tiring of it.
"Katara, I need you here to help my brother. Zuko is under constant pressure from the other nations, and from our own. He needs your guidance and your tranquility. Please, do this for me?" The waterbender was displeased, gravely displeased.
"Fine" she relented, angrily sitting in front of her vanity and brushing her hair.
"Katara, don't be angry…" Azula purred, traveling behind her and pressing a kiss upon her neck, draping her arms around her shoulders and smiling at their shared reflection.
"If you're angry, you won't do a very good job with things" she continued, kissing her jawline, then gently nipping her earlobe.
"What things?" Katara breathed out, slowly losing herself in her fiancé's touch. Azula smirked with a hint of evil.
"Arrangements for our wedding, of course. Now that Zuko and Mai have finally set a date, I see no reason to wait much longer, do you?"
Katara turned in her seat and kissed Azula deeply. The prodigy had won this round.
"So, when should…?"
"I will return to you by the eve of the full moon four months from now. Plan on our wedding for the following night." Katara smiled and kissed her again. Azula really was so romantic sometimes.