Author's Disclaimer: I don't own a thing belonging to "Avatar: the Last Airbender!" Nada thing, bing.
Author's notes: Next few chapters will be connected this go around. On to the Avatar's wedding!
QueenTyzula: Aw thanks! Hope you enjoy the debacles to come :P
CharlieBarrow: Thanks for the words; everyone will interact uhm, quite well :P
Krugerfan18: Aw you made my day! I hope it reads well when binged :P
Ada di Oha Mma: Unfortunately, this won't be updated weekly. Hoping you stay tuned!
"Raking the Coals"
Chapter two "Arrival at the South Pole"
Azula stood at the prow of the Fire Nation freighter ship, bundled in a large fur coat trimmed in red. The coat was buttoned up to her breasts, and she wore two slings inside it. Two of her daughters were pressed close to her body warmth as the cold wind bit into her cheeks. Azula exhaled, breath steaming, and a surge of warmth flared through her body and her babies cuddled closely into her chest.
She felt a ping coming into her peripheral and Azula held out a gloved hand. She smiled when Ty Lee slid her hand into hers. Her mate was wearing heavy gloves also and had the hood of her fur coat pulled tightly over her head. Azula didn't have to glance to know her mate had their last child secured in her own sling in her coat, close to her breast. Azula slid an arm round her mate's waist and extended her bending through her chi, warming her mate and third daughter. Ty Lee settled her cheek against Azula's shoulder.
"Thank you," she said. Azula pumped her bending, extending more warmth to her mate. A wry smirk tugged at the corner of her lips.
"I'll always keep you warm, Ty," she said. Love lit up her mate's eyes and Azula knew she'd spoken well. Ty Lee settled one arm around the bundle in her fur coat and clung to her mate's hand.
"I know, Azula…you always will," she said honestly. Azula worked her mate's glove off and tenderly kissed the back of her hand. She pumped out steady warmth so Ty Lee's hand wouldn't suffer in the freezing wind.
A soft cry erupted from Azula's fur coat. She juggled the babies in their slings, tutting them gruffly.
"Well at least the monk's wedding was delayed enough. Zirin and the walking milk bladders won't have too much of a hassle when I want to get you all to myself." The look Azula cast her mate was smoldering. Ty Lee blushed. Their pups were eight months old now, crawling steadily, babbling and were being weaned off breastfeeding. Ty Lee herself had stopped breastfeeding to gain her figure back, so they had kept on the wet nurses. Plenty of time for sex to be reintroduced into their schedule and Azula didn't have to ask after the proper time after the birth. It was Ty Lee that had come to her, demanding to be serviced.
And with having to see her brother again, Azula would need all the comfort she could get. Plus, she had to remind her mate again who was supreme in her bed. Azula's alpha mind gesticulated, but in her heart, she knew Ty Lee had bound herself intricately to her. She wouldn't have to worry with her brother around. Still, enforcing her status with her mate was always a plus….. Ty Lee came hardest when she exerted her authority.
"The monk is Aang. Please, Azula, let's not make waves with him. It IS his wedding," Ty Lee said. She paused, heart skipping a beat when Azula clasped her chin with her gloved hand. Azula leaned down and kissed her sweetly, forcing her words to effectively stop. It wasn't fair when her mate used physical touches to get her way. Ty Lee tried again. "Did you bring the wedding gift?"
"If we could get a herd of oxen-cow onto the ship, would you notice?" Azula gave a smart reply back. Ty Lee reached down into her fur coat and pinched her near her waist, getting under her clothes to pull hard at her bare flesh. Azula yelped in surprise. "Fine, fine, I brought the envelope….I still think giving peasants a money gift is obstinately pretentious."
"So you've said," Ty Lee said coyly. The babies gurgled inside her mate's coat, babbling nonsense. She rocked Aiko in the sling inside her own coat. The soft look on Azula's face was stamped into Ty Lee's mind and filed away to treasure. "Are they talking to you, love?"
Azula's soft golden eyes met her mate's. She nodded. "They must think they know a slew of words, but I only got 'Ma' out of that," she drawled. Ty Lee had been enormously touched her daughters learned that word first, but she would give anything for them to address their sire with a coherent title.
"They know who you are," Ty Lee urged her mate. A smile quirked Azula's lips and it was genuine. Ty Lee was seeing more of them lately.
"I know. I can see it in their eyes; they know me."
Ty Lee held the curve of the baby in her coat with one elbow, sliding her fingers into the hairs at the back of her mate's neck, to draw her down. The kiss she pressed was passionate and slow. Azula nipped her lower lip playfully, one arm around the two babies in her coat. Ty Lee purred into her mouth.
"And we love you," Ty Lee said softly. Azula's golden eyes were soft and shining with affection. And….
"I know. I love you….." Azula said almost lowly. Ty Lee heard though. She leaned on tiptoes for another kiss.
"You know, Sachi's becoming better company than you two when you get like this." Zirin came up to the prow beside the royal pair, and leaned against the railing, gazing out at the chunks of ice along the surface of the southern sea.
Azula wrapped an arm around her mate's back, bundling Ty Lee and their babies close. "Play your cards right, you could land that one. She's unmated."
"If you insist," Zirin said dryly. She tugged the hood of her fur coat lower. The icy wind was biting.
"We're coming to port, Princess! Do you want to go down below where it's warmer?" The captain came out on deck, heavily bundled himself. Azula could see the outline of icy ridges of land growing larger and larger as they neared. Tiny figures moved along the icy landscapes of the port.
"We're almost there. May as well watch," Azula said. Ty Lee clung to her arm, teeth chattering. Azula let her bending seep over and warm her. Lo and Li emerged also, so heavily bundled they looked positively round. Once the ship docked, and the twin advisors announced her arrival, Azula took her mate well in hand and descended the gangplank. Their babies babbled from the warm interior of their coats.
A retinue of imperial Fire Nation soldiers milled around, spears in hand. Azula then saw her brother. Zuko was heavily dressed, his fur coat lined with red also, his breath steaming in the cold. Azula's eyes flicked to his side, where Princess Izumi stood dutifully. She was clutching the ends of the Fire Lord's cloak, bundled heavily. Fire Lady Mai made fur look a fashion statement, and still managed to look thin in her layers.
Ty Lee's gloved hand was heavy on her sleeve but Azula led the way, striding confidently through the icy streets. The throng of people parted for her without needing a single word from her. Lo, Li, Zirin, Sachi and the other pair of tits followed in her wake. Zuko's eyes met hers and she was pleased to notice him visibly cringe. His chi roiled, settling on his daughter and he held his hand out. Azula watched, apparently at ease, as her offspring slid her mittened hand into the Fire Lord's.
The two parties stood opposite, and Azula knew everyone was remembering the same stand off in the royal palace gardens when Ty Lee had been heavily pregnant with her brood. Azula settled an arm round the pups in their slings and she was pleased when her brother looked down to the bundles with dismay.
"So, you all came. Congratulations, Ty Lee," Zuko extended. Ty Lee thanked him, and Mai pushed forward to see the babies. Azula and Ty Lee opened their fur coats hesitantly and Mai helped shield the bundles from the icy wind.
"Well, they all look so much like you," Mai said dryly to Azula. Azula smirked at her. Zuko scowled to himself.
"They should," Azula drawled. "I did all the work."
The blush on her mate's face was gratifying and Azula was secretly shocked when Mai met her gaze head on, red lips stretched in an interested smile. Huh….
"Don't let her carry on. She'll boast for hours," Ty Lee said. She and Mai shared a knowing smile that drove Zuko privately up the wall. His fingers twitched. Only his daughter's small hand in his kept him rooted.
"Aang will get you guys set up. We're all staying in the visitor's compound," Zuko explained. Azula glanced at the building structures carved out of ice as they walked the teeming streets of the newly expanded southern capital.
"Looks cold," she huffed. Ty Lee's sigh was audible as Azula huffed an exhale, steam exiting her nostrils visibly. Nozomi and Kazumi giggled in the slings in her fur coat, hit with a steady wave of firebending warmth.
"You made it! Hi!" Aang's deeper voice rang out. Ty Lee was amused to see him in his simple yellow and orange tunic and cloak.
'Airbenders must know how to regulate their temperature also,' she reflected.
Katara beamed at them and took everyone's hand in friendship. Azula allowed it and Ty Lee giggled with the bride-to-be over her pups. Zirin shifted uncomfortably when the Water Tribe girl clasped her hand. It wasn't like they were ever friends, so the gesture irked her out.
"We'll set you up in the igloos across from Zuko's," Katara said excitedly. She explained that the visitor compound igloos were spared no expense, being in the private facility of the newly formed Southern Palace. A few of the ice structures were connected by ice tunnels, and the rest were private.
As they entered the long aisles of igloos inside the somewhat impressive ice palace garden walls, Azula had to admit the outside wasn't much to write home about. But when Katara offered one to the royal couple, Azula was surprised to see an advanced fire pit, with proper vent and an elaborate floor bed with brightly stitched comforter. Two doors were off the main comfortable looking room, presumably to its own washroom, and the other was a tunnel to the igloo next door.
Curious, Zirin opened that door. A tunnel of dark greeted her.
Azula smirked. "You and the milk bladders are next door. Get going."
Zirin grumbled and continued crawling through out of curiosity's sake. When she emerged into the adjoining igloo, she was surprised to see Sachi waiting for her. She was feeding one of the babies from a jar of mush and Zirin was surprised how disappointed she was not to get a glimpse of her breasts. Maybe later…..
"Where are the other two?" Always, Zirin would look out for Azula's children. Sachi smiled kindly at her. She wiped Nozomi's mouth with a rag.
"With the Princess. Shall I take Nozomi to her?"
"Yes, let's," Zirin agreed.
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She and Sachi ducked back out into the cold, closing the door of the igloo behind them. Azula was standing in the snow, keeping a careful eye on her pups. They were hesitantly taking small steps, clinging to her and Ty Lee's hands. The look of pride on her friend's face was palpable. Zirin envied her.
Zirin saw Fire Lord Zuko across the way, in the doorway of the largest guest igloo. But seeing the happy smile on her princess's face told her Azula had won in every way.
"Da, I go!" Azula heard. She looked up, golden eyes snapping. Zuko was wincing at Mai as he let Izumi take toddling steps into the snow. She shivered and reached out, mittens reaching for the flakes drifting down.
Her own pups sniffling got her attention and Azula collected all of them against her shins, feeling tiny arms wrap around her legs. Ty Lee knelt down and tried to lend her warmth but Azula spread her feet. She gave a surge of her chi and her pups giggled, warmed, against her legs. Izumi noticed this and toddled closer, seemingly shy at the last moment. Ty Lee held her hand out to her first child and Izumi took it, staring at her curiously. Her inquisitive face was such a stamp of her mate when she was a child it hurt.
"Are you cold, Izumi?" Ty Lee asked gently. She met Zuko's eyes across the snow. He gave a subtle nod, smiling encouragingly at her. His smile dropped when Izumi reached for the hem of Azula's fur coat, taking up a stance beside Aiko. The taller child gazed up at the fascinating princess radiating heat. Azula smirked.
Zuko tensed in the doorway of his guest igloo. It was by far the grandest of all the guest structures, but he didn't feel rich in possessions. His most prized person, his daughter, was latching onto his sister, letting her warm her and the other pups. It was disconcerting and sickening to watch his erstwhile daughter's fascination with her aunt. And yes, that was what she'd be to Izumi, if he had anything to say about it!
"Relax, Zuko…." Mai was at his elbow and Zuko flinched when her hand rubbed up and down his back. "Just a visit…nothing more….."
"As long as she knows that," Zuko complained. Mai laid her head to Zuko's shoulder, but her eyes lit upon the enigmatic presence of Princess Azula. Hoarse panting in her memory echoed in her head and Mai bit her lip, blushing. She had to stop thinking this way….. but seeing the scowl on her husband's face was not attractive. Mai turned his face to hers and kissed him shortly. Her spirit lifted feeling him perk in interest.
"Mai?" he asked. The look of earnest hopefulness on his face made the Fire Lord look younger. Mai kissed him again.
"Do you think the nurse can keep Izumi with her tonight?" she asked. Zuko grinned. He nodded.
"Of course, my lady."
"Now, what's all this?" Mai strode out onto the snow, fur coat flapping over her robes. Zuko strode after her. Aang, Sokka, Katara and Toph were gathered with the small family plus Zirin and Sachi in the snow, and Katara was busy mounting up piles of snow with her bending. She made two forts effortlessly and pulled her fiancée by the hand toward one of them. Sokka jogged after, and Azula and Ty Lee chose to move toward the second with their brood. Zirin pointed and Sachi followed her to Azula's fort.
Zuko watched carefully and waved toward Izumi. His child caught his look and pouted, toddling toward him. As she neared him, Zuko was startled to see her wide golden eyes were filled with tears.
"Oh, what is it, 'Zumi?" Zuko kneeled down, reaching to wipe her eyes. Izumi sniffled with all the sadness a toddler could muster.
"I want….." she pointed toward her "Auntie Azula" and her want was suddenly clear. Zuko wanted to take his child over to Katara's fort so they could all participate in a friendly snow ball fight. But his child didn't want to go.
"She'll be fine, Zuko," Mai insisted. It was only because of her nudging that he swallowed his pride and gave his child a gentle pat on the back.
"Go on, love. Have fun," he said. Izumi's wide grin made his heart ache. Azula looked down, still curiosity in her gaze as the toddler caught up.
"Princess Izumi?" Azula asked formally. Ty Lee straightened the child's coat and hood. Izumi beamed. "You want to be on our side?"
Izumi nodded.
"Can you make a snowball?" Azula pressed. Izumi nodded eagerly. Azula gestured behind the snow fort. "Then go join your…cousins."
Watching Izumi sit down next to her pups pinged Ty Lee's heart. She clutched Azula's hand and was startled when her mate squeezed her hand tightly.
"Okay! Let fly!" Sokka crowed from behind the other fort.
Azula ducked down beside her mate, hovering over the four children. Ty Lee showed their youngest pups how to pack the snow together and Izumi was already gleefully pushing snow together into jagged small balls.
As the snowballs began to fly, Zirin darting up with her princess to take aggressive throws, Azula decided to amp up the play fight. Blue fire lined her fist and she arched a stream of fire against the side of the Katara's snow fort. Sokka yelped in dismay on the other side as the ice melted swiftly, and the ice repacked up with Aang and Katara's help.
"No firebending!" Aang called from the other side. The pups stood up beside Azula, and peered up over the top, each pup supported by Azula, Zirin and Ty Lee. Azula was proud when Aiko and Nozomi pushed their mittened hands out, small blasts of blue fire arching out. Kazumi looked crestfallen, so she leaned down to kiss her pup's head.
"I'll show you how to do a proper jump kick against the monk and his Water Tribe peasant," Azula promised her. The nonbender of her pups perked up.
Izumi was hopping up and down beside Azula's leg and she looked down at the princess curiously. "Mine! Like mine!" she crowed. She spread her small legs and grunted, pushing her own flames from her hands. But like hers and her pups, Izumi's fire was blue.
So many thoughts surged through Azula's head as she watched the princess's natural talent. She wanted to commend her, praise her and hug her all at once. Before she could decide on any one of those actions, Izumi chose for her. The princess toddled closer and clung to the edges of her fur coat, then wrapped her arms around her legs. Azula stared down in shock. She looked up, and Ty Lee shared her surprised look.
Ty Lee gently pushed her aura against her mate's offering encouragement and love. She could feel the surge of love for their firstborn child flair through her mate's chi and Ty Lee was heartbroken from it.
"Good…good job," Azula murmured. Izumi beamed up at her and joined the other pups in pushing more snow into snowballs.
There was a cry of protest from the snow fort across the way and Azula perked her listening that way. Toph's loud voice carried.
"You can't use waterbending to win! That's it, Sugar Queen, I'm joining the other team!"
There was a stomping of footsteps and Toph was hovering over their side of the snow fort, milky white eyes gleaming. "Can I join your little party or what?"
Azula found herself liking the earthbender's moxy and gestured in. "Come on, then. Watch the pups."
Toph carefully felt around her as she sidled around the side of the snow fort. "Sorry, this snow has me all fuzzy. Don't mind me."
Nozomi squealed with surprise and clung to Toph's leg as she knelt down. The earthbender gave a whuff of surprise. "Strong babies, Princess!"
"Just wait 'til I teach them chi-blocking," Ty Lee teased. A nervous smile darted across Toph's lips.
"I'll stay far away from that, thank you very much."
"Aw come on, I can use you has a target for their wee hands…." Ty Lee teased. Azula loved to hear the happiness in her mate's voice. Her own conflicting feelings of love for their firstborn child preyed upon her heart until Azula was certain she'd be sick with it. But when Izumi flashed a beaming smile up at her again, offering a snowball, Azula had to forget that.
"Good job," Azula said. "Now, warriors, gather your weapons! Take aim!"
Her pups all grasped snow balls between their mittens, holding them up for the adults. Zirin was surprised when Sachi lifted Aiko to toss her snowball half a foot from the edge of the fort. Sachi flashed her a wink and all the air left Zirin's lungs.
They had to share an igloo with the other wet nurse, a woman named Su Wong. But suddenly, Zirin had a flash image of opening the woman's robe and parting her thighs with her hand. The flash image was so intense heat slammed through her face and between her legs.
The trip was suddenly looking up.
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When dinner was served in the main dining hall of the palace, Zuko took his place at the long table with his small family. Izumi was seated on a few tall books, barely making height above the table. Mai swept beside him in a flurry of robes. Braziers were lit all over the chilly hall and Zuko gently extended his bending, warming his wife and child. Izumi hummed with happiness beside him as she was warmed.
Zuko sighed internally when Azula sat directly across from him. Ty Lee took the spot beside her, their pups in tow. The eight months old had been cleaned up and dressed in short red imperial robes, looking every bit their role as children of his sister. Zirin sat beside Ty Lee, and she grunted when Nozomi climbed into her lap.
Aiko and Kazumi had seats of honor on Azula's right, with several books stuffed beneath them. Ty Lee flashed a smile across the way to Zuko and Mai. Izumi stared, drawn, to her "auntie" once more. Zuko looked just nervous as all hell but Mai's small smile could mean anything.
"I wonder what we're going to have," Zirin wondered. She had heard of weird things from the South Pole like seaweed stew or roast otter-beaver and the thought turned her stomach.
"Meat," Nozomi insisted. Zirin smoothed the girl's hair back.
"We'll have some then," she said. The child giggled beneath her chin.
Earth King Kuei had arrived a few hours before and was seated near the head of the table. Luckily, he had been talked into seating Bosco behind his chair, instead of at the table. Azula still turned her nose up at the anxious creature. She should have skinned it in Ba Sing Se when she had the chance.
Zuko leaned and spoke to the Earth King in a high tone to catch his attention. The conversation across the table was quick and fast-paced and Azula was thankful when southern heralds clapped for attention, announcing the arrival of the Southern Chief and his family.
Hakoda's clothes were more fine than Zuko recalled, and he seemed to have adjusted to his new status appropriately. He guided a bent Water Tribe woman on his left arm, a thin and beautiful Northern Tribe woman on his right. Hakoda sat his mother-in-law to the right of the head of the table and grandly held his hand out for Malina. She took the seat to his left. The Earth King fussed over Katara and Sokka's grandmother; Katara and Sokka themselves took up seats across from her. Katara was on Aang's arm, and she accepted a kiss on the cheek as he helped her into her seat.
"Friends, family, I welcome you to our home and hearth. In a few days we celebrate my daughter's union to Avatar Aang." Hakoda smiled at the young couple. "It will be my duty and pleasure to welcome him as a son into my family," Hakoda at this point brushed his fist good-naturedly against Aang's broad shoulder. The airbender took it in stride, grinning. "Let's eat and be warm together as we face the cold of the long night."
He could have meant it literally as the sun was setting outside, or figuratively, but Azula was pleased when the servants began serving.
Azula cut up her chicken-duck and set the portions onto her pup's plate. They happily began gnawing on the mashed bits of meat and Azula served her mate from the dishes in front of them. Ty Lee's eyes gleamed. Azula smirked as her mate's hand rubbed her thigh under the table. Only when Ty Lee took a bite did Azula finally begin to eat.
Looking up, Azula was startled to see so many old foes staring at her in shock. Apparently, they never thought she could be paternal or loving.
'Only for Ty and the pups,' Azula thought. She raised an eyebrow at the stares and chewed harshly on a forkful of chicken-duck. She was touched when her pups offered her bits of their own food she had just distributed. They wanted to help feed her too and it seared Azula's heart.
"Meat," Kazumi urged beside her. Azula cradled her fork with her palm and leaned down to take the bite. Aiko stretched across her sister, fingers outstretched. Azula caught the bit of meat in her palm and set it on her child's plate.
"Thank you, Aiko," Azula said gruffly. Zirin grunted when Nozomi shifted on her lap, trying to reach her father across her mother. Ty Lee helped her settle down and Azula chuckled at her.
"Eat, pups. Eat," she urged. The girls stopped trying to offer bits of their meat and it all went into their mouths and laps instead.
Zuko was oddly touched watching this. But he was lucky Izumi had emulated him and Mai so much that she ate rather daintily. She didn't have to be reminded to wipe her mouth.
"So, how's her education going?" Azula shot his way across the table. Zuko cringed. He tightened his hold on his fork.
"Too early for all that. I teach her firebending and we tell her stories for bed," Zuko ground out. Mai watched the exchange, a still look on her face.
"You do. What do you teach her about it?" Azula drawled. She had seen for herself first hand that Izumi had her color of flame. Zuko lifted his chin defiantly.
"How to control it," he snapped. Mai fidgeted beside him. Zuko held up a hand, effectively asking for silence from his wife and the misogynist gesture pissed Mai off. Oh, there was going to be words about this later….
"Control. You know full well passion can ignite one's bending," Azula scoffed. Zuko scowled.
"Azula…" he warned. Her pup fidgeted and Azula's attention was drawn to her right.
"What is it, pup?" she asked. Aiko grinned.
"Can we snow men?" she asked her father, in her faltering way. She grinned, showing a few small teeth. Azula found her heart thumping and nodded.
"After dinner," Azula promised. Katara perked further down the table and Azula wondered how long she was holding onto her family's conversation.
"I could help you form the snow men. Would that be fun?" Katara said brightly. Aiko fisted a handful of chicken-pork meat. She chewed slowly, staring at the bride-to-be and Azula was startled, then filled with pride, to note her own predatory look in her child's eyes. She laid a hand on Aiko's black hair, ruffling her.
"If you'd like," Azula said coolly to the Water Tribe woman. Katara shrugged, trying to smile it off.
"That's quite a lively bunch you've got there, Azula," Aang offered. He gently rubbed his fiancee's arm as she sat, somewhat nonplussed.
The meal wound on and Azula poured Ty Lee more wine. With the pups having ready access to a separate igloo, they could have some privacy. She was feeling the itch in her loins, as it were. Noticing Mai was watching her subtly across the table, Azula smirked.
"With three, you barely have time to take a breath," Zuko was saying to Ty Lee. Azula settled a hand along her mate's inner thigh under the table. Ty Lee gasped.
"We manage to find time for what's important," Azula purred. "How about you?"
The scowl Zuko shot her was worth the pinch Ty Lee gave her under the table. She went back to teasing the princess under the tablecloth and Azula sighed as she did.
End for now
End notes: Stay strong my lovelies. Review if you like; and mention what nasty horrible thing you want to see Azula do :P I'm open to suggestions.
Most sincerely,
Pen 2/21/2018