Part 3
The silence didn't pass. The world sat still that night. Even the though the planet appeared to be frozen in place, they both knew the hours were rolling by and eventually morning would come to tear them apart. Fate just had to be so cruel to them. Morning was far from now and so were their worries.
In the iron prison that rest in Ba Sing Se, there they sat in the shadows of the tiny metal box. The air was a little brisk from the lack of the heat underground and the chilly air that was above ground. The silky moonlight continued to seep in through the almost slit of a window which was barred, the moon was further away and less light crept in than it had an hour ago. So the cell was much darker and it became even more of a challenge to try and see.
The sounds of the midnight city were faint. Every now and then they'd hear a cart go by, or two people talking as they made their way home. Often times they could hear the quiet footsteps of a Dai Li agent stroll by. Somewhere feet away there was a cricket making its music. For a busy overcrowded city it sure got quiet at night. But it was nice, it was like taking a nice long break from reality.
Ba Sing Se was the place to come for a new beginning, for things in life to suddenly become great. Huddled up inside its walls, one can't help but feel protected. Crowded by its millions of citizens, one couldn't help but feel claustrophobic but you get over it quickly knowing that everyone has come there for an opportunity. Some came to escape poverty, others the war, maybe someone needed a new job. Whatever it was the city catered to everyone's needs.
So it must be, since their in the city of opportunity, that their paths crossed in such an odd fashion. Maybe the magic of the city had sunk into their brains so deeply that couldn't help but react this way. If they were in any other city right now, they both knew that would not find themselves in this situation. Right now, in the cell, in this amazing city, the two most unlikely people had become something more.
Azula had come to Ba Sing Se to capture the Avatar and why not take over the entire Earth Kingdom while she was at it? It wasn't hard to get into the city dressed as a Kyoshi Warrior, and oh she had her fun stealing the clothes from that Suki girl. She could still hear the girl rambling on about some Sokka boy and how he was going to rescue her. She couldn't help but chuckle at her knowing the boy probably had no clue where the hell she was. The fire bender was nearing victory, and she didn't know that after all this she'd gain control over the Earth Kingdom and she knew for sure she'd break the Avatar, but the one thing she could not keep is the water bender.
Katara had come to the city for a completely and a way better reason than the princess had. She'd come to Ba Sing Se to help Aang find Appa, the large furry bison with six legs and a thick flat tail. They'd been so devastated since they lost him in the desert, and she knew it wasn't Toph's fault but maybe if someone else was out there he'd still be with them. Not to mention they'd come to speak with the Earth King about using his army to invade the Fire Nation and end this war. She'd come to stop Azula and the princess and had come to stop her. So how did they wind up in each others arms right now?
She was on the left side of the cell her back pressed against the cold metal wall. Her legs were resting before her making a V shape as she sat down and rested. Katara had been standing near the opposite wall but that was no longer the case. The water bender and come over to the princess who had flopped onto the floor in defeat. So now the tan girl was using Azula almost like a chair. The girl's back was leaning on her chest but lightly so she could still breathe. Katara was resting between her legs, the girl's head was on her shoulder and she could feel the girl's warm breath tickling her neck. Her arms were around Katara's stomach, her fingers intertwined with the tan girl's.
Being on the cold floor wasn't comfortable for Katara but she stole the princess' warmth and she knew Azula wouldn't mind. She stared up at the fire bender who had become so relaxed she had to fight her eyelids from closing. Apparently that was one fight the fire bender couldn't win and now Azula sat there eyes closed her head drooping forward. She still couldn't come into grips with the fact that the girl who tried drilling her way into Ba Sing Se, attacking then as they tried to cut the iron beams of the giant drill, was now the girl she allowed to hold her.
Sure she was still a bit nervous around the princess, who wouldn't? Even now as the girl was sitting between sleep and being awake she wasn't sure what to do. Well she knew what she wanted to do but how on earth could you predict what Azula would do in response? Katara merely shrugged and her lips stretched into a smile even if she hadn't commanded them to do that.
She reached up and brought her hand to the princess' cheek, Azula just twitched but continued to sleep. Not to her surprise the fire bender's skin was smooth and soft, her fingers just slid over the surface, the warmth felt nice. There was nothing better than cozying up to a fire bender on a chilly night. She brought her hand higher tracing over the narrow black eyebrows the stood above Azula's placid expression. It was as if she was preparing herself to separate, she was soaking in as much of that face as she could before time ran out. She couldn't help but wish that the face of her lover wasn't the face of her enemy.
Katara had a way of knowing someone's thoughts without really having to ask and she could tell that Azula probably wanted to be awake this night instead of sleeping. And she didn't know how long she could wait any longer to do what her body was aching to do. She leaned closer to Azula only to find the princess smelled like cucumbers and soap, it was a sweet aroma. With her free had she gently moved the pale green collar out of the way revealing the princess' neck to her. Tenderly she touched the skin with her lips.
The princess had been woken up in a number of ways. When she was younger her mother usually came in and placed a caring hand on her shoulder, Ursa stopped doing that when she found out Azula hopped out of bed to wake up Zuko with a slap on the face. Most of the time she was woken by the one of the terrified servants who knew that if they had woken her up to soon they'd get punished severely. Other times it was someone who shoved the door open and stumped in to argue which happened when she was just getting comfortable. Never had she been woken with a loving kiss.
The fire bender stirred, her body slowly woke up and she found she was clinging to another body. For a moment she kept her eyes closed wondering if this was a dream, this was too good be true. But she opened her eyes to find this wasn't just another fantasy.
She spotted the girl who couldn't be more of her opposite, a girl who couldn't be more perfect for her. Her eyes stared deeply in the deep pools of blue rich with compassion. She lifted her hand to feel the tan skin of the water bender. Katara came from the bottom of the world, where there was no sunset for months, where it snowed every other minute. A place where the people didn't think of the world as a dead piece of earth to conquer, she envied Katara for being able to see the good in everything, when all she saw was the negative. Could she show her? Could this water bender teach her how to love? How to live?
The water bender grasped Azula's head from the side, resting her palms just underneath the girl's jaw line, her thumbs brushing over the fire bender's ears. Both them just stared still wondering how this was possible. Just moments ago Azula was going to humiliate Katara. They gave a chuckle as they realized they were thinking about the same thing.
The water bender let out a sigh of joy and Azula gave a kind smile or at least she tried. The tan girl chuckled at the girl's attempt. The tingling sensation in her fingers, heck in her soul, the aching to be one, she would sacrifice anything for this fire bender who smothered her with love. She pushed one of the long black stands of hair away from Azula's face. She tilted her head to the side, it was becoming a bit heavy from all the happy thoughts. "Can I kiss you?" she whispered to the princess.
The fire bender froze in place by the words. She could feel her cheeks grow warm from embarrassment. No one's ever asked her that before. Why would someone even ask that in the first place though? But she wasn't uncomfortable with the question it was something else. Spirits knew how happy she was from hearing that, she'd been thinking about for ages now.
Her only problem was, she's never done it before. It wasn't like she didn't try. Whenever she tried to get closer to someone she usually ended up terrifying them. The only thing she ever got as far showing love for someone else was a hug, and even that was hard to get from someone other than Ty Lee. So she had to practice on her pillow and hope she didn't get caught by a servant. Why did the spirits have do this to her?! She's goanna make a fool out of herself to the only girl who hasn't run away screaming for help.
But she sure as hell wasn't goanna deny the water bender. The princess nodded but just barely enough for Katara to realize it. For second she wondered if Katara had been joking like the last girl had, but she was wrong. The water bender came closer, so close there was hardly any room to breathe without breathing on each other. She bolted her eyes shut swallowing deeply bracing herself, this would either go smoothly or horribly wrong. She felt the warmth of Katara's lips but didn't feel them just yet…
So close now…
And the fire bender thought…
It was better that this is her first embrace, because she didn't want to share it with anyone else…
Then it happened. Azula was reborn. Everything in her being had been awoken. Things she never thought she could feel exploded and her nerves were no longer numb. Pure instinct flung over her and she deepened the kiss. She obviously caught Katara off guard from how passionate she was being but she couldn't bottle up the joy bursting out from her no longer dead heart. This was amazing, Azula didn't think she'd ever pull away and she could tell Katara wouldn't mind.
The tan girl shifted so she sat on Azula's lap and could pin the excited princess to the wall because it was quite clear Azula no longer had control over herself. The fire bender's hands without her really aware of it, were clutching the blue fabric of Katara's clothes tightly, she probably could've ripped them if she gripped any tighter. The water bender had to tear their lips apart so she could get at least two seconds to breathe. She sat there for a moment panting, trying to catch her breath.
"That sure woke someone up." Katara giggled as she encased Azula's neck with a gentle hug. She rested her forehead on the fire bender's and smiled widely. The water bender curled up and clung to the fire bender, they both yawned tiredly. She stared up at the small window to see the coin size moon hovering in the sky with clouds walking by it casually. For a moment she thought of Yue, whoever knew she'd be a close friend of the moon spirit.
Azula stared up at the sky as well, she could feel Katara's stroking her arm acting like it was a pet, to be honest it kind of tickled. The sight of the sky only reminded the fire bender something she didn't want to think about. Time was running out. Trying to distract herself she turned away and stared at the shadows on the wall. She held onto Katara with all her strength because didn't want to let go of what she wanted most.
"Tell me about the Southern Water Tribe." She whispered into Katara's ear as she placed her head on the water bender's. The tan girl was happy to explain her home to the princess, she loved it when she could go on about her family, especially since Sokka wasn't around to tell her to be quiet. The way Katara described it, the south pole sounded like an interesting place to visit, that was if she could go there with the water bender.
"And it's the perfect place to raise a family." The tan girl added and Azula was caught off guard by the words. Katara was right better to have a family there than in the Fire Nation which only raised dysfunctional families since they modeled after the royal family, and we all know how they are. They both kind of looked at each other a bit uneasily. "If things were different, do you think we could be a family one day?"
Azula shrugged. "Maybe." The princess never liked making false promises and saying yes to that question would be a lie, because they'd never be able to love each other like this again. The world wouldn't allow it. But maybe a miracle would happen. The princess leaned her head back and shut her eyes imaging what would it would be like if it did come true…
Part 4
The ship groaned as it shattered another tiny iceberg as it moved over the nearly frozen water. The unforgiving wind threw another wall of cold at the fire bender who was already pretty much raw. She clutched her long flowing cloak and pulled it closer to her and shivered for a second but strained her muscles so she stopped shaking. The rest of the crew was cold but she wouldn't show any weakness, not even now at the end of the war. How in the world could Katara put up with this weather every day? How was she going to put up with this weather?
Then she felt a tugging on her cloak and she turned around to find someone small had hidden underneath it. Azula couldn't help but grin as she realized who it was. "BOO!" The tiny little girl giggled as she popped out from her mother's cloak. "Did I scare you?! did I scare you?!" the child pestered. Azula merely crossed her arms and grinned.
"Yes, I'm trembling." The fire bender replied before reaching down and messing up her daughter's hair. The girl grumbled as she scrambled to straighten her chocolate colored hair.
"How many times do I have to tell you, stop touching my hair!" the girl whined but the fire bender just laughed at the pouting face her child made, it reminded her of Ty Lee's angry expression.
The fire bender sighed. "It's just hair." she said, her daughter was acting like she ruined her favorite doll or something. Another gust of wind snuck up on the fire bender and it slipped into her collar and down her back, the prodigy shivered uncomfortably. "Jeez can it get any colder?" she mumbled.
Light footsteps came up behind her, for a second she thought it was one of the crew members and she was about to shout at them to get back to work, when she turned around she saw the tall slender water bender bundled underneath thick winter clothes coming towards her. Katara gave her that look, it had I-told-you-so written all over it. "You'll get used to it." the water bender said and she came over to Azula. "I'm sure you won't mind wearing Water Tribe clothes at some point." The fire bender muttered something under her breath and she rubbed her hands together. Azula raised her palms to her face and blew into them releasing a bit of blue fire to warm them up.
Their daughter punched the air excitedly. "I can't wait until I get to create fire." The small girl kicked the air. "I'm goanna be the best out there, watch me I'm goanna be the Fire Lord someday." Katara let out a great sigh and placed her hands on her hips and looking at Azula disapprovingly.
"Now I wonder where she got that from." The water bender said and Azula just started to whistle uneasily. The woman grasped Azula's arm and led her a few steps away from their daughter. "You promised me you wouldn't put your crazy goals into her head." Katara whispered.
"There's nothing wrong with wanting her to be a good fire bender." She said in her defense. "I mean I don't even know she is goanna be one." Katara still wasn't too happy with the fire bender and felt she need to argue even more.
"That's right and what if she isn't she'll be devastated because she won't be able to fire bend." Katara whispered. The prodigy glanced over at the girl who was still mimicking Azula's old moves.
"Then she'll be like you." the princess smiled and in an attempt to end the argument she wrapped her arms around Katara. "My amazing water bender." She whispered before bringing their lips together.
"EW NO KISSING!!"
The Southern Water Tribe didn't look as sorry as it had before. There were no longer old and worn blue tents, there were tall buildings similar to those in the Northern Water Tribe made fresh clean snow. They could see more people had come to live there. From where they were they could see dozens of little kids learning water bending from an old man with long white hair and Katara recognized him as Master Pakku. Their arrival sparked some curiosity in some of the people who were on the outskirts of the tribe.
Azula only lowered her head a bit nervous, after all she had been the most merciless fire bender in the Fire Nation during the war and that's a reputation that would do her no good here. Maybe coming here was a bad idea after all. How was she going to convince these people she wasn't going to harm them? And on top of that they had to tell people they were an actual family. This was just perfect.
The fire bender wasn't the only one uncomfortable being here. She felt the tiny hand of her daughter grasp hers and she looked down to see the child looking around. It must be so much different than the palace they had been living in for awhile. Luckily for the little girl's sake the snow was as hard and slick as ice so she didn't perish into the white fluff.
In the distance they could see an old woman making her way across the flat blinding surface of the snow. She had tan skin and silvery hair she looked like a raisin. Helping her along was a tall young man with an almost bald head except for his warrior's wolf tail popping out from the back of his head. Katara smiled at the sight of her brother and grandmother. Not too far behind was Hakoda and a woman with short brown hair and wide gray eyes, it was Suki of course. Azula only grimaced at the sight of her old prisoner.
About halfway they all met, Katara hugged each and everyone one of them. They all seemed to welcome her kindly. Azula kept her distance not sure exactly what she should do. When the water bender was done with her hugs she took her place beside Azula. Gran Gran looked at the princess from head to toe. She wasn't sure what to say but she would greet this woman like most elders would like to be greeted in the Fire Nation, she clasped her hands together and bowed respectfully. Gran Gran merely chuckled and gathered the fire bender in her arms hugging more tightly than she needed and Azula felt her back crack.
"Welcome to the Southern Water Tribe." The old woman spoke joyfully as if she was gaining another family member, she was, but the old woman didn't know that yet. The princess was glad to be freed from the hug she straightened and regained her cool. Gran Gran turned to Katara. "Where is she?"
Azula felt her daughter hide behind her now not wishing to be seen. Katara beckoned the child out from hiding but the girl wouldn't go two feet away from her parents. Gran Gran's face light up and she smiled widely. "Oh she's gorgeous." The old woman said. "Who's the father?"
Katara gave a shy smile her cheeks blushing at the moment. Everyone's eyes except for Gran Gran's fell on Azula who stared at the ground because suddenly it had become so interesting. "Well there must be a father, you can't make a baby with out one." Gran Gran chuckled.
"Actually, she was a gift." Katara said holding her daughter's small shoulders. "From Yue. Certainly an unexpected gift from the moon spirit but the best one I've ever gotten." Azula could tell that the water bender was bracing herself for this moment. The time they would be able to tell the truth to the world. She watched at the woman reached towards her neck but without revealing the necklace. "We came here to be a family." The woman swallowed deeply. "You see, I'm betrothed to…" Katara showed what she had been clinging to. They expected to see the blue cloth with the silver pendant with the Water Tribe symbol on it but it was deep crimson with the Fire Nation emblem on it. "…Azula."
This was the first time her family knew about any of this. Sure they knew that Katara and the princess had become close friends since the war had ended but they didn't about this. Her father, her grandmother, her brother and his wife all stared in shock. Hakoda blinked completely speechless, his little polar bear had grown up, and this was the last thing he thought she would choose to do with her life. Of course Sokka was furious, the woman who had tortured his wife would now be apart of his family! Gran Gran had never heard of anything like this before but she cared far too much for Katara's happiness, so she would just learn to accept this, because no matter what no one turns their back on family.
"It's always an honor to gain a new family member." Gran Gran smiled kindly to the princess. "Now let's get out of the cold." Azula let out a breath of relief, she was starting to wonder if they would stand out there all night…
A gentle hand came to her cheek. "Mmmph…" Azula groaned and started to open her eyes. The early rays of the sun were beginning to come out, she could feel her strength grow just a little more as morning arrived. She had to glance around before she realized where she was. In Ba Sing Se, in a prison cell with Katara. The water bender gave her a sad look.
"I think you have to go now." Katara whispered with so much pain in her shaky voice. She could see tears forming those sapphire irises. "They'll probably be in here soon to come and check up on me."
The princess rubbed her eyes trying to wake up. Today she was supposed to take over the Earth Kingdom. Alls she wanted was a nap. She slowly came onto her feet and dragged them across the sleek iron floor, moving and sounding much like a zombie. Too tired to open the door she kind of just stood there her forehead resting on the cold metal.
She didn't know what to tell Katara. I had a good time I'll try and kill you later bye? This had probably been the best moment of her life and now it was time to turn her back to everything that took place in this cell and continue with her plan. But she it was impossible for her to do that. No one could turn their back on the one person who'd given them something no one else could. She shouldn't have to even convince herself to just forget this, she should be with Katara, that was a fact. Turning around she caught a sight of the water bender who was huddled together near the wall trying to be strong.
This wasn't fair, Katara shouldn't have to be strong, she shouldn't have to sit there and watch the only one she ever truly loved walk away. Why did the world have to be so cruel? They should to be together. They were born for each other. This moment only proved that they can't be without each other for a second longer. It broke Azula's heart knowing that this couldn't happen. Her will to walk out wasn't powerful enough to defeat the emotions of her heart.
Crossing the room as fast she could, her knees hit the floor and she took the water bender into her arms. Katara buried her face into the princess' shoulder making Azula's tunic damp from her tears. "I won't go." The princess whispered…promised. "I won't go…"
