CHAPTER RATING: T (Language, Violence, Mildly Sexual Situations)
A/N:
A Note of Chapter Length:
One of the things that I've noticed about my writing is that, I've come to associate "long" with "good." Meaning a longer chapter is a better chapter.
But that's just not true.
Sure, I praised myself for being able to write more words in less chapters, but I've come to notice that if I pack too much info in a single chapter, some of the narrative gets lost in the shuffle of events that happen.
The reason why Chapter 1 was 5,000 words long was because it was a one-shot, and needed to deliver a sort of mini story in a single go. Now that this story is ongoing, and essentially improvised from this moment on, I'm going to use it as an experiment for myself. Here's one rule I'm going to follow:
A chapter must have a length of at least 1,500 words. But it will not exceed 2,500.
It's a limitation, but it will allow me to boil down this story to the essentials.
Perhaps that will change.
But there's good news! By the time you've read this Author's Note in Chapter 2, Chapter 3 should be up.
Chapter Length: 1,829 words
Published on: 02/09/2015
Chapter 2: Her Companion in Exile
Azula wraps her arms around him in the closest embrace she has ever given. She feels him shudder, and noticing his unwitting reaction, pulls herself closer to him while pushing her chest against his. She can feel the heat in him rise when the softness of her body touches his through the thin fabric she wears.
Then, she abruptly jumps back, and pulls away.
"..." He stares at her for a moment.
"W...What?" Azula crosses her arms and turns around.
"Did you just..."
"You've never had anyone hug you before?!" She acts defensive and offended. "You don't know how happy I am to finally leave this hell! What did you expect with such an outburst of relief?!" She begins to ramble until she's convinced that he's convinced that she's flustered.
But the reality is different. He's the one who's flustered.
"O-Okay...I'll let you get dressed. I'll be back in two hours or so. Prepare your clothes for a trip, we're leaving soon."
She doesn't answer, and doesn't meet his eyes. A small giggle in victory forces itself out of her when he trips over a small stool while exiting the room.
Clearly, that was the last thing he expected her to do.
...
Only a few minutes later, the door opens again.
"Your bag." A guard's rough voice is followed with a thud on the red carpet.
"Why, thank you so much." She insults him through the appreciative words. Even further, she doesn't face him when addressing his actions. She just stares out the window, into the balcony garden, and towards the looming horizon.
When the door closes, she turns towards the luggage bag and rummages through it. The outfits are familiar, reminders of a life that seemed long past. Clothes that only royalty would wear, articles created from silk, jewels from the deepest mines, and an oddity, but a treasure: the fur of a Sky Bison, expertly shaven, and masterfully woven into a large blanket that could keep the cold out of her bones in even the harshest blizzard.
She unfolds it, and a piece of parchment falls onto the floor. Azula bends over to pick it up, and grins when she reads it.
It's cold where we're going, Appa wanted you to have this gift. -Aang
She sighs, and returns the blanket to its proper place.
Azula looks through the other clothes he's picked out for her. She'll probably see her brother again before she leaves. The thought of him brings a flood of anger that makes her vision red. But if she couldn't kill him, she would mock him.
And the tool she'd use to shield herself from the Firelord's wrath was the Avatar.
She chooses the most extravagant piece of clothing she can find, a black dress, trimmed with bright crimson. She'll wear colors that represent her nation, to show him that they were just as demented as her to follow him. Around her neck, a pendant, and replica of her golden crown, to show him that she would be a better leader.
In her palm she holds four jewels: two diamonds and two rubies. She closes her hand, and let's the sapphire flames burn, superheating the minerals, and forging them into two.
She looks at her creations with a smile. In her palm there are two stones: two bloody rubies with clear spirals of white diamond in them.
She'll wear these, to show the world that the Avatar is her protector, and that she is untouchable.
...
About an hour later...
She took in one last look at the horizon. On the stone balcony, she took in the salty sea air one last time. And the door behind her opens again.
"Are you ready to..." He cuts himself off, and she turns to see his jaw agape. The Avatar shakes his head, and holds it low, as his eyes close, he brings his hand up.
"What's wrong?" Azula asks in a falsely ignorant, playful tone. "Is it what I'm wearing?" She turns around, toying with him with the dress that's tighter against her figure than she thought. Which is exactly why she chose it. She stays that way until she sees him peek at her through his eyelids. "Do I...Do I look that terrible...?" There's a mask of innocence in her voice.
"No. That's not it. You...You look great." His hand begins to twitch, begging for her to take it.
"Get a better look." She teases him. "I do want to look presentable." His eyes open, and she sees them follow her hand up her body, to her shining necklace, and freeze in her burning eyes. "So, what do you think?"
He shakes his head again, and holds out his hand. "Let's go."
"As you wish. Avatar." She places a single finger on his wrist, and slowly runs it down to the end of his middle finger, taking pleasure in his shaken vulnerability.
His head snaps to the side, and she feels a strong grip take hold of her hand.
"Let's go." He pulls her with force, his voice rumbles with a powerful, irritated confidence that sends goosebumps across her skin, and chills down her spine.
He orders her with the voice worthy of the most powerful man in the world.
...
They walk down a dark hall, only lit by torches, a tunnel that stretches from the Fire Nation Palace to her island prison under the ocean. The light of the palace is blinding when they walk through the doors, and find themselves in front of the Firelord, among the nobles of his court.
She hated them. She hated them all.
Ambitious.
Self-centered.
Manipulative.
Ruthless.
Just like her.
But no one would ever beat her at her own game.
"Avatar Aang." Little Zuzu's voice roars through the Great Hall just as she remembers.
"Firelord Zuko." The Avatar bows. "I'll be taking my leave now. And don't worry. I'll keep her safe." He turns to Azula. "Is there anything you'd like to say before we leave?"
"Will I be detained again? Or may I speak freely?" She raises her eyebrow at her brother. Who nods. "Well then, Firelord Zuzu." The Avatar tenses, and the Firelord balls up his fists. "Your rule will end in failure. You bow down to the will of this greed-ridden court as if they were the words of the Dragons themselves. You treat their orders like little treasures. Orders that are like lead stones painted gold. And you cannot see past the shining facade." She's speaking her mind, not just to insult or antagonize him. But because she believes it to be true. "You are the king of an empire that will crumble before a new Firelord is crowned!" Zuzu steps up from his throne, but Azula doesn't back down. "You take their council without question! You do whatever they say! You cannot think for yourself. You. Are. No. Leader."
"ENOUGH!" A fireball escapes his hand and barrels towards her. It strikes, and a black smoke hovers over the hall.
From the blackness, a set of glowing eyes and tattoos shine. The Avatar had jumped in front of her, and stopped the attack. His eyes burn with the power to break the world. She watches half in shock, and half in gratitude.
He doesn't say anything. But his eyes that burn with a pure white light, tell all. His grip on her hand becomes tighter.
"We're leaving." He urges her to join him, and stomps into the ground with every footfall, the gathered crowd spreads apart, making room for the two as they walk.
"Avatar!" Zuzu's voice rumbles again. "Not yet!"
The Avatar turns with the same look on his face. Azula watches as one of the Firelord's aging ministers leans to his ear.
"I've decided! You're prisoner is a danger to the world. I demand that you take her bending away!"
Uncertainty takes her. The Avatar holds his head low, and shakes it with disapproval.
Softly, he begins to speak.
"You only prove her right." Azula hears him say. His tone begins to rise. "Princess Azula is now under my care."
"Now, Avatar! Do as I say! Or I will have you imprisoned for treason!"
The glow in his eyes returns, and his voice shakes the World to its very core.
"I AM NOT A PUPPET TO THE FIRE NATION! YOUR DEMANDS MEAN NOTHING TO ME!"
A shockwave knocks her off her feet. Her blood is frozen from his outburst. The aura around him shines as she looks up to him with awe-inspired eyes.
No one says a word.
The Avatar turns to her, his expression softens, and the aura fades.
"I'm sorry you had to see that." He whispers, and holds his hand out. She's trembling, but manages to take his offer. He pulls her up to her feet, and leads her out of the palace.
Everyone in the room is speechless, and watches them leave in utter silence.
"I...I" Zuzu begins to stutter again, and in a last attempt to regain any credibility to his rule, he makes one last edict. "I banish you! The both of you! Never return again!"
The Avatar says nothing to acknowledge the desperate and pathetic gambit, his hand just tightly holds hers. He doesn't look back, he doesn't stop, he doesn't even let out a tired or disappointed sigh.
And somewhere within herself, Azula felt fear.
A fear that would tear down even the most battle-hardened soldier.
She was now under the care of the strongest man in the world.
A man who could tear the world in half.
A man who could destroy any empire with a wave of his hand.
A man...Who could serve as the ultimate weapon.
Her ultimate weapon.
...
Across the courtyard, and down the massive flight of stairs, the Avatar's hold on her gradually loosens until he lets go.
Azula stays behind him, his walk is solemn, as if he finally realizes the mistake he'd just made...Or the situation she'd just pulled him into.
The Sky Bison yawns as they come into view.
"I missed you, Buddy." The Avatar runs his hand through the beast's fur. He looks back to the massive palace. "I've made a huge mistake."
He holds out his hand, takes her bag, and throws it into the saddle.
"I'm sorry. It just happened so fast." He waves his hand, and creates a stairway. "It looks like we won't be coming back anytime soon." His eyes show regret hiding behind a mask of confidence.
Azula walks up the stairs and sits behind him in the saddle. She looks again towards the palace one last time.
"Yip! Yip!"
Her homeland fades in the distance. It shrinks into a burning horizon, engulfed in a light fueled by the flames of insecurity, inadequacy, and ignorance.
The flames that will burn it to the ground.
A/N:
Thanks for Reading!