Part 3 - Silk
The coarse fabric of her clothes shifted against Azula's skin as she walked, so unlike the silks that had made up a lifetime of wardrobes up to this point. It was stiff in ways that almost reminded her of her ceremonial armor, but she aware of the lack of protection with every breeze that pushed through the threadbare material. The feel of these clothes on her body was an odd sensation, not quite painful yet more than merely uncomfortable.
But then, there were many new sensations she was experiencing today.
Her feet hurt from so much walking. She kept sneezing from the dust of the road, and her sinuses were warring to just shut down and stay closed. She had only the vaguest idea of where she was going, a dot on a map whose lines had so far failed to convey the humidity in the air or tallness of the trees or the fallen bridge that had added a three-hour detour to the journey. The only acknowledgement she had received from her any of her subjects was a lazy eyeing, head to toes and back, from a man walking in the opposite direction. He had quickly looked away when he noticed Aang, hooded and carrying a tall staff, walking along behind her. All other travelers had ignored them.
Azula was on her first road-trip, and it was proving to be a fascinating experience.
When she said so to her husband, he had given her a little smile from beneath his hood. "The Air Nomads used to say that even though we had our Temples, our true home was the roads we found on all our journeys."
"And when one road becomes too dangerous, you can always find another." Until all roads were lost, of course.
"That's right."
Fascinating.
Azula thought about her own home, back in the Royal Palace, and the fact that she was fairly certain that her Lord wanted her dead.
How many roads did she have left to her?
The seed of her journey had been planted the day before, when she stopped by her brother's court to hear the latest round of public petitions.
(Zuzu reserved sessions each week for the public to come and ask him favors while his court watched. It was so very droll.)
It wasn't often that Azula put in an appearance before the Flaming Throne. None of Zuko's ministers or courtiers had any respect for her, but it wasn't their condescending attitudes that normally kept her away. Being too visible made her into a target for whoever was currently seeking Zuzu's favor, and while she was confident in her abilities, simple laws of probability stated that eventually one attack would get past her defenses. Why increase risk when there was so little to be gained?
But being too invisible was also a problem. It demonstrated weakness, a need to hide, and that could make her an enticing target as well.
And so she made occasional visits to the court, standing and making small talk between petitions while Zuzu sat atop the throne and looked down on them all.
Although, there was another reason why Azula usually stayed away: she found it absolutely maddening how stupid her brother truly was.
"Explain it again," Zuzu told one particular petitioner, just before the business that would later put Azula and her husband on the road, "this time a bit slower."
"Of course, Fire Lord," the petitioner, a businessman from the colonies named Loban, had replied. "But really, you don't need to know the details of the chemical process. The important thing is the discovery that rapid, extreme cooling during the second phase will actually strengthen the material, but there is no mechanical way to bring that capability to our factories in the former Earth Kingdom. And the forge at the North Pole is very small, not suitable for producing significant quantities."
Despite the scar that marred his face, Zuko was at least able to maintain the image of a powerful Fire Lord. But he hadn't been able to keep the doubt from his voice as he said, "I understand the problem, though not your solution. What do you ask of this court?"
Loban bowed his head. "Merely that you allow the Governance Office to issue class-three work and relocation permits to Northern Waterbenders. My businesses have long had great success with Earthbenders in the class-three program, with no major security incidents, and the class-two program at the North Pole has demonstrated our ability to put Waterbenders to use. This would merely be an incremental step on the Fire Nation's path to further greatness."
Zuko seemed to think about it for a whole fifteen seconds. "Very well. The Elemental Outreach program will begin allowing registered Waterbenders to be relocated to the Earth Kingdom for employment purposes. Minister Lee, I expect you to begin implementing this policy as soon as possible. What resources do you need to make that happen?"
While Lee made a play for more funding, Azula was using all of her willpower not to scoff at the whole display. Although she generally approved of the Elemental Outreach program, of finding ways for Earthbenders and Waterbenders to use their abilities to serve the Fire Nation, she was far from convinced that this Loban had the security capabilities to handle forced displacement of Waterbenders. Class-three permits had so far only been used to move Earthbenders to other locations in the former Earth Kingdom, both voluntarily and compulsory. Psychologically, there was a huge difference between forcing a Bender to move to new province and dragging a Waterbender down from the North Pole to a factory in the middle of hot rocky badlands.
But there was little Azula could do about it. Either Loban had a way to cow the Waterbenders and prevent them from lashing out, or he would soon discover that successfully pushing around the Fire Lord wasn't always good for business.
"I see," Zuko was saying by then. "Given the costs, perhaps the Fire Nation should impose a new tax on materials made using displaced Waterbenders. I think a-"
And then was when opportunity knocked in the form of a sobbing mother.
The noise echoed through the throne room, and Azula turned to see Lord Ukano and Lady Michi, Governors of Omashu, stumbling in. Ukano had his arms around his wife and was practically holding her up as she bawled, but he didn't seem to be doing much better. He plodded across the room with no regard for the line of petitioners or any of the courtiers, several people having to get out of his way to avoid a collision.
A muttering rose up that Zuko cut through with, "What is the meaning of this? Why aren't you in Omashu?"
Michi let out another wail as her husband dragged her up to the center of the throne room. Loban backed away from them as they both collapsed to their knees.
"My son," was Ukano's horse reply. "My son has been taken."
The court descended into muttering again, but Azula ignored it all and began shoving her way forward for a better view. This should prove quite interesting.
Ukano removed a piece of paper and a shred of tan fabric from his sleeve. He dropped the fabric to the floor- silk, from the shine of it- to reveal the large bloodstain in the center. Judging from the pattern of the fabric, it was probably a piece of a boy's school uniform.
Zuko was about to say something, but Ukano unfolded the paper and read out loud, "We have your son. You will not see your Tomoshibi again unless you follow these instructions. We will know if you fail. Go to the Fire Lord's court and read these exact words: that the usurper Zuko is a traitor to his nation and his blood, and his dishonorable conduct is ruining-"
"Treason," Azula screeched as loud as she could, successfully drowning Ukano out. He paused, startled, and Azula took to the opportunity to add, "Guards, restrain him and prevent him speaking. His wife, too. Everyone else, clear the room. The Fire Lord will hear no more petitions today. And none of you shall speak a word of this." She summoned her fire to her hands, flaring it bright enough to cast the room in blue light for a moment before the warmer color of the Burning Throne returned. "Anyone who disobeys will be held guilty of sedition against the Fire Lord and executed as a traitor to our nation."
The guards and servants were already moving when Zuko uselessly added, "Do as she says."
It was good to know that a commanding royal voice still counted for something in a desperate moment.
Azula kept her place as the guards dragged Ukano and Michi away, and the servants herded the riffraff out of the throne room. It was a shame she had to help suppress the wisdom in the ransom note, but the veracity of the accusation had nothing to do with the fact that someone outside of the Royal Family was daring to criticize the Fire Lord in public. Even if Zuko currently claimed the title, Azula could not possibly tolerate such a thing. It would undermine the authority she hoped to someday steal for herself.
Let the people think they could call one Fire Lord a coward, and soon they'd be calling all the Fire Lords cowards.
Not that it was really possible to keep people from talking about this incident, not now. But at least her threats would keep it down to a chain of whispers, slowing the word and perhaps keeping it from escaping Capital Island.
When the room was at last empty, she turned to look up at Zuko.
She didn't bother to bow before saying, "You need to have a private conference with your wife and your honor-parents.
"I'll go get my husband."
Aang struggled to keep up with his wife as she led the way to Zuko's private office. "Will the boy- um, Tomoshibi, was it? Will he be okay?"
Azula gave a half-shrug as she stalked forward. "He could already be dead, for all I know. But the bloodstain I saw could have been made without endangering his life. It's a bit of theatrics to motivate the parents, nothing more."
Well, that was a small relief. "So, um, sorry for asking, but why are you bringing me along? I don't really know much about royal kidnappings."
Azula turned to throw him a disgusted glance. "First, this is not a royal kidnapping. Tomoshibi is just Mai's brother, and has no royal blood. Second, you are my husband. Whether or not Zuko has Recognized our marriage, you're part of the family, and to shun you would be to insult me. And I am going to be a part of this."
With that, they reached the door to Zuko's office, and the Crimson Guards on either side of the door only had time to raise their hands in warning when Azula shoved it open and stomped inside.
Aang saw everyone's head turn at Azula's entrance, and he took advantage of the moment to slip into the room behind her and closed the door again.
An older man and woman who Aang didn't recognize were slumped in twin chairs; he guessed that these were Mai's parents. Mai herself was standing a step behind Zuko, her face displaying no emotion and her gaze locked on the floor, all as usual. She wouldn't even react to her brother being kidnapped?
Zuko was definitely reacting, though. He had paused in what looked like mid-step when Azula arrived, and now that he had apparently realized this wasn't some kind of attack, he resumed pacing across the room. "We just finished reading the rest of the letter. It's full of the more garbage like what Lord Ukano and Lady Michi already conveyed to the court, as well as a demand for me to surrender the crown to the Fire Sages so that they can investigate my right to rule."
Azula held out a hand. Zuko shook his head, but handed her the note. She immediately began reading it, taking far longer than Aang knew she needed.
For his part, he went over the parents and kneeled in front of them. "I'm very sorry about this. Is there anything either of you need?"
Lady Michi sniffled, and focused her gaze on him. "Are- are you the Avatar?"
"I am. I'll help in any way that I can."
Zuko snorted. "There's no need. I've already sent word out to the military. The kidnappers must have someone here to make sure that the letter's instructions are followed. I'll tear apart the Capital to find them, and hawks have already been sent out to the garrison in Omashu to convey similar orders. The kidnappers have provided us with no clues, so we'll just have to go door-to-door until they're found."
"Unless they know how to hide," Azula said, still examining the letter. "A show of force isn't a bad thing, but we need to be careful not to overreact. People will think the words on the note struck a nerve. Never mind the reaction when lords and ladies suddenly find soldiers breaking their doors down. A bit of finesse can go a long way."
"Thank you for your assistance." Zuko sounded anything but grateful. "I am Fire Lord, and will take your words under advisement."
Aang wondered if Azula knew Zuko would react that way. Well, it didn't matter. He got to his feet and went over to Mai. "And how are you doing? Do you need to sit down?"
She didn't raised her eyes to him. "I'm fine. Why wouldn't I be?"
"Well, you know, your brother-" Aang shrugged.
Mai returned his shrug without looking at him. "I am the Royal Consort. I will always be ready to do my duty."
A noise from behind drew Aang's attention away from Mai, and he found that Zuko had stumbled out of his pacing for a moment. A look passed between husband and wife, and then Mai's eyes were back on the ground and Zuko was pacing even faster.
Well, if Mai didn't care about her brother- or didn't want anyone to think she cared- Aang wasn't going to press the issue any further. He went over to Azula to see what was so captivating about the note. "Still reading?"
Azula handed it over to him. "I was just admiring the style. The wording contains several references to Grandfather's speech after the conquest of Gar Sai. It's quite clever, using the phrasings of a past Fire Lord to criticize the current one."
Zuko whirled on her. "Why are you even here?! For all I know, you're probably a part of this!"
"Hey," Aang said, sliding over to stand between the two siblings. "Let's not get carried away. Azula stopped the letter from being read publicly. Why would she-"
Lady Michi let out a wail. "They're going to kill our son!" She collapsed sobbing against her husband. "Why did you stop us? Why?!"
Aang shuddered as he took the opportunity to push Zuko and Azula back from each other.
Zuko threw a glare at Aang, but let himself be pushed away. "I'm going to take our guests to Noriko and explain the situation to her. She can take care of them while we deal with everything. Mai, stay here and take messages for me. I should be quick. Azula, just- just stay out of my way."
Aang tensed for an aggressive retort from her, but she just bowed her head and said, "As you say, my lord brother. Aang and I will remove ourselves from your operations. I believe I've done everything I can for you, at this point. Aang, let's go."
Uh oh.
He definitely hadn't known Azula as long as her brother did, but he knew that it wasn't in her nature to back down- she made strategic retreats in service to her long-term goals. And the fact that she was including Aang meant he was involved on those goals.
So it was with some trepidation that he followed her back to their rooms.
And as soon as Aang closed the door behind them, Azula twirled and grinned at him. "It's former High General Bujing."
Aang blinked at her. "Who is what?"
"High General Bujing, whose resignation was requested by Zuko as his first act as Fire Lord, kidnapped Mai's brother." Azula lost her smile. "Bujing was involved in the original incident that got Zuko banished. He was always wasteful with resources, and Zuzu objected to that a little too strenuously. So my father lit Zuko's face on fire."
It was stated so matter-of-factly, but Aang knew it wasn't a joke. The very thought turned his stomach. He couldn't even imagine Gyatso doing something like that to anyone, never mind Aang himself. "Th- that's horrible!"
Azula gave a limp shrug and went to sit down on one of the parlor's couches. "Father said that suffering would be Zuko's teacher. Certainly, he learned his lessons well. As much as I rejoiced at the time that I would never earn such a punishment, now I wish it had been me. Imagine what I could have become if I had been sent out into the world, crushed by shame and disfigurement, to hunt you down. As it is, my beauty gets me nothing but underestimation, a small reward, and I haven't been outside the Capital since I was an infant."
Azula-
Azula wanted to be hurt and banished by her own father?!
Aang's stomach felt even worse. He had run away when the other monks wanted to separate him from Gyatso. While he appreciated the chance to meet people like Katara and Sokka, he could never imagine wishing to be hurt by his family. "So, uh, what makes you think it's this Bujing guy?"
"Oh." Azula's eyes snapped to Aang once again, and her lips curved again in a smirk. "Bujing served under my Grandfather for the victory at Gar Sai, and received a nice promotion for his actions. He even wrote an essay, on the occasion of my Grandfather's death, analyzing the speech that was given there and declaring it the greatest in all of Fire Nation history."
Aang sucked in his breath. "You mentioned that the note referenced your Grandfather's speech!"
"Indeed. Bujing later oversaw the conquest of Omashu, working closely with Mai's father. He has the knowledge of the area to arrange the kidnapping, and probably knows either active or retired local soldiers who could stage it for him. I know, none of this is solid proof-"
"But it's worth checking out!" Aang's thoughts took a moment to catch up with him. "Wait, why didn't you tell Zuko?"
Azula's face lost all expression. "I pointed out the clue to him. But he just told me to go away. I promised not to meddle in his operations, and if he's not doing anything to track Bujing down, then we won't be interfering if you go to investigate."
"Me?! But I'm followed around by guards whenever I leave the palace! And where am I going, anyway?"
"Ah, that's where our little arrangement comes in." Azula got up off the couch and began pacing the room, just like her brother had been doing. "I'm hoping that the latest intelligence reports you copied contain something about Bujing and his known holdings. I doubt he'd keep the boy in his main residence, but if he has a more remote vacation home or ancestral estate, then those would be easy to lock." Azula's pacing took her right near Aang. She stopped, looked to him, and patted his head. "And we all know you're more than capable of sneaking away if you really want to."
Aang pulled away. "I think we should just tell Zuko. Are you really going to risk the life of a little boy just to show up your brother?"
He realized, as soon as he asked it, that he might not want to know the answer.
Azula took a deep breath, and then let it out slowly. "Zuko will bungle it. Look at what he's doing- sending soldiers to go door to door with no clues. His pride has been hurt, and he'll respond strongly but clumsily, if he even accepts our help at all. I can see him dismissing our theory just because of who we are."
Aang winced. "Yeah, me, too."
"I've read the reports of your past battles. I've seen you train. You can sneak out and find the boy before Zuko can ruin things. You'll need to leave tonight, of course, but-"
"We," Aang interrupted. "We need to leave tonight."
Azula blinked. "What?"
"You should come with me. You-" Aang shrugged. "You're smarter than me. You're smarter than pretty much everyone. We'll need that."
Azula blinked again.
Aang offered her a smile. "Besides, you said you haven't been out of the Capital since you were a kid. Wouldn't it be fun to sneak away together and take a trip? We never had a honeymoon."
Azula continued to stare at him. She stepped forward, her eyes locking onto his, peering into him like a sword sliding into his heart. "Very well. I promise you perfection. You can count on it."
Aang took a step back. "I don't need you to be perfect. I'd take you along anyway. You are my wife, after all, and we've managed to find a way to work together. Right?"
Her eyes softened. "Indeed. Speaking of, let's check those reports for Bujing's holdings. I want to give him a heart attack when we show up in the middle of his hideout."
Aang couldn't help but grin. "I like your sense of drama."
Azula tasked Aang with assembling their supplies and some traveling clothes. He was a Nomad, after all, and would presumably know about those kinds of things. She read over the references in the latest intelligence reports to Bujing suddenly paying off some back-taxes several months ago on his family's old plantation on Hing Wa Island. (So pathetically easy, once you know what to look for.) She assembled some maps and planned the journey they would have to take.
Then all that was left was to actually leave.
An hour before dawn, Aang led Azula to the balcony where they had taken tea a few months ago, just before they found a way to work together.
She tugged at the disguise he had given her, old peasant clothes of an origin that she didn't care to know. "What are we doing here? It's quite far to jump."
Aang leaned over one of the knapsacks he had prepared and pulled out a large sheet of black silk. It looked like he had pulled it off of a bed in one of the palace's nicer guest rooms. "We're going to ride the winds straight out of the Caldera. Here, put on your knapsack, and then hold on real tight to me."
Oh.
Her husband was taking her flying.
Oh.
Azula slid her knapsack onto her back, and tightened the straps as much as she could stand them, while he did the same. Then she approached Aang, and was still trying to figure out where to grab him when he pulled her close and positioned her arms around his waist.
She could feel the heat of his body clearly through their ragged clothes.
Then he whispered, "Don't panic."
On impulse, Azula buried her face against his chest.
He jumped, and the air around them burst into the fury of a storm, and they were falling-
-no, rising-
-and the silk sheet was whipping and snapping and the wind was roaring in Azula's ears and then it all suddenly stopped.
She risked opening her eyes and peeking over Aang's shoulder, finding the whole Caldera spread out beneath her. The streets glowed white in the moonlight, a network like a luminescent web of spider-silk, and at the center of it all the palace cast impotent red light like a dim, dying sun.
It was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen.
And Azula floated above it all, held aloft by invisible forces and the strong warm arms of her husband. Her stomach fluttered as they drifted on the winds at a speed that somehow felt too fast even while the ground they seemed to be covering made it seem slow.
Aang said, "Are you okay?"
Azula held him tighter. "It's the best honeymoon a wife could ask for."
Aang laughed. "Keep that in mind when we get to the landing."
"...landing?"
"I don't have as much control with this set-up as I would with just me and a good glider. We're probably going to hit the ground with a little too much speed."
"...are we?"
Azula could see the darkness of the grassy lands around the volcano starting to pass beneath them.
Aang chuckled. "Don't worry. It won't be bad. Just tuck and roll. Like falling off an ostrich-horse."
Oh. Azula had learned to fall from a komodo-rhino, and that wasn't so bad. She just had to-
"And don't take the full impact on your ankles," Aang added, just as the ground started approaching faster than it had been a second ago.
And then they were crashing. Azula let go of Aang and threw herself forward as she tucked into a ball. The first impact against the ground was hard, though not debilitating, but the real unpleasantness came as she continued to tumble forward and even the wild grass didn't hide every stone and lump and bump in the ground. Eventually, her momentum ran out, and she sprawled to a stop on her back.
The crescent moon glowed above her.
Azula was still lying there when Aang poked his bald head into her vision. "You okay?"
She smiled up at him. "Fine, but that could have gone smoother." Smooth as silk. "We're definitely going to have to practice our landings, if we want them to be perfect."
Aang took the lead, using the maps Azula had prepared for him, and somehow managed to be surprised at how good it felt to be on the road once again.
He had been too long away from untamed nature. The park in the Caldera was nice, but it was contained, a meek thing that didn't rise above its ever-visible walls. Out here, between the Fire nation cities, trees reached for the sun with their full being, and grass and flowers and brambles and stone all competed with each other from horizon to horizon.
The air felt cleaner, too.
Too bad Appa wasn't here.
But Azula was surprisingly good company. She gazed around with real interest once the sun rose to reveal the lands around him, and she asked the names of some of the flowers. She marched on without complaint, even when her feet obviously started getting sore. At the first village, she accepted breakfast from a street vendor, and the haggling she did for a pair of komodo-rhino mounts was a lot less violent than Aang had expected.
She even took using a bush as a bathroom with good grace.
As they rode along in their rhinos, Aang had asked her about it.
"What," she laughed, "just because I'm royalty, you expect me to be intimidated by a little hardship?"
Aang could only shrug. "I guess so."
"Well. If you wanted that type of thing, you should have snatched Mai up while she was still single. I understand my place as Royalty. I might have been born into unimaginable wealth and splendor, but what is a Lord if not a military leader? What kind of leader does not understand the filth that her subordinates must wade through? Just because I enjoy my lifestyle does not mean that I wouldn't forsake it in an instant for a higher goal. A little dirt and discomfort now will pay off when we return to my brother's court in triumph!"
Really, when she put it that way, Aang didn't know why he had been so surprised. He knew she was driven and strong.
He was just glad that it had been Zuko chasing him, all those years ago, and not Azula. She wouldn't have let him get out of the South Pole before catching and chaining him.
But then, maybe Aang was selling himself short.
It was days of hard riding to get to the ferry. At night, Aang made a ten out of the black silk sheet he had used to fly them to freedom; for the first time ever, he slept alongside his wife. She was a surprisingly light sleeper, frequently moving and occasionally startling herself awake, only to just turn over and immediately drift off again. Aang wasn't used to that kind of company, so he awoke with her, and wondered at the dreams that could break through her self-control.
The ferry ride itself was the first chance to relax that they'd had the whole trip.
"Now if only we could get a chance to bathe," Azula said, as they sat down on a bench on the main deck.
Aang patted her shoulder. "Don't worry. The funk of komodo rhino is covering up everything else."
She didn't smile. "Just because I can tolerate hardship doesn't mean I find it funny."
"Okay, sorry. You should have said something about a bath sooner. I could have scouted around for a lake or river or something."
Azula sighed. "As delightful as that sounds, I'm glad we didn't stop. If a hawk was dispatched from the Capital as soon as I shut down Zuko's court, then Tomoshibi could have been killed days ago."
Aang's stomach hardened into a knot. "You really think we're too late? Then why-"
"No, I doubt Bujing would be so bold." Azula lifted a hand to examine her nails, and began picking at one with her thumb. "He had to know how unlikely it is that Zuko would simply surrender his crown to the Sages, and if they had the guts to do anything about him, they would have done it years ago. No, Bujing is just doing this to make Zuko look weak, and the boy can still be useful for that."
Aang sighed with relief. "Okay. I believe you."
"Of course, Tomoshibi could also have been killed as a liability before we even knew about his kidnapping. I'd say the odds are equal."
Aang groaned. As tolerable she might be, Azula had a lot to learn about being good travel company.
"There it is," Azula said two days later. "Bujing's father's ash-banana plantation."
The ferry had brought them to Hing Wa island without delay, but finding the plantation had been the slowest part of the whole journey. They had walked a circuit of several villages, asking around for clues to the plantation's exact location.
Aang, naturally, had opened the inquiries with, "Hi, we're looking for Bu-"
Azula had cut him off with a finger-jab into his side. "My husband meant to say that we're tasters from Kirachu Island, looking into the local ash-banana industry. We've heard that some of the best are grown near here, and we're looking specifically for farms close to small volcanos, preferably lands that have their growing done on natural ridges instead of artificial mounds. Could you direct us to such areas?"
As Azula expected, Aang had later asked about it. "What was that stuff about ridges and volcanos?"
Azula couldn't help but smile at a chance to display her cleverness. "Ideal growing conditions for ash bananas. I did some quick reading while you were putting together the last of our escape preparations. Bujing's plantation was listed as an old, successful ash-banana farm, and we can hardly throw his name around if we don't want word to get back to him of our interest. It will take longer, but I'm assuming that if we spot any plantations being guarded by soldiers during out little tour of the local farmlands, that's probably our target."
And, of course, in less than twenty-four hours they did indeed find a run-down plantation near ridged ground, with a volcano on the horizon, which was patrolled by people who walked in measured, professional steps.
Azula and Aang looked down at it from a ridge of abandoned ash-banana farmland. "Well," she said, "can you get in?"
Aang stared for another moment before nodding. "Yeah, but getting out is something else. That's a lot of guards. Dragging a kid along with me is going to be dangerous. For him and me."
Azula considered that. "Then it's a good thing we brought my armor."
"Um, I'm not sure just putting Tomoshibi in some armor is going to help-"
"Of course it won't." Azula was going to get her armor out and start putting it on right there, but then she remembered something that would be a critical flaw in what she had planned. "The armor is for me. But it won't do me any good unless we can find something else."
"What's that?"
Azula suppressed a wince. "A lake or river so that I can wash the stink off. No one is going to believe I'm a princess if I smell like a road trip gone bad." She thought of something else, and hoped that her cheeks weren't as rosy as they felt. "Also, I- I'm going to need help putting my hair in a top-knot."
Aang, thankfully, didn't laugh.
The boy was huddled in the corner of the room, a stained bandage wrapped around his hand and the front of his uniform's shirt missing a rather large patch, and he looked like he had completely let his grooming go. Aang decided to not just hop in through the window.
Not that he wanted to stay outside for very long, either. Even at night, there were enough torch-carrying guards around to make hanging around in plain view- no matter being perched outside the mansion's second story- a risky move. So Aang didn't linger, but did only poke his head into through the window and coo, "Hey, are you Tomoshibi? I think I'm your Uncle Aang."
The boy's head snapped up, and he eyed Aang for a moment before speaking. "I don't have an Uncle Aang. Are those tattoos?"
"Yup! I earned my arrows when I was a few years older than you. And I'm sorry, I'm not really sure how the family stuff works in the Fire Nation. But your sister is married to Fire Lord Zuko, and I'm married to his sister, Princess Azula."
Tomoshibi squinted for a moment. "Mai says Princess Azula is an evil scourge on humanity but I shouldn't tell that to anyone."
Aang nodded. "That sounds right. Azula's very mean, but I kind of had to marry her. Hey, is it okay if I come in? It's kind of awkward out here."
Tomoshibi shrugged. "Are you here to rescue me?"
"Yup!" Aang eased himself in and closed the curtains of the window behind him. "Only we have to wait here for a bit."
Tomoshibi uncurled, just a little. "Why? I don't like it here. They're mean to me."
"I know. And I'll take you away, soon. But there are lots of bad men out there, and the last time I tried to escape a fortress and fight my way through a small army, I wound up getting tied up and captured by the guy I thought was helping me." Aang frowned at the memory of the Blue Spirit's betrayal. He hoped history wouldn't repeat itself with the other Royal Fire Sibling, but he was already captured, so he doubted he had anything to worry about. "We just have to wait for a distraction."
Tomoshibi stood up, and came over to take Aang's hand. "How long do we have to wait?"
Aang thought the boy's eyes were so much more expressive than his sister's. He wondered if they were really related. "Not long. Princess Azula is actually the one who's going to come help us. She's going to be mean at the people keeping you locked in here. And she's very good at timing and-"
That's when Aang heard something explode outside, followed by a chorus of battle cries, followed by a chorus of panicked yelps.
He nodded. "That's her right now. Come on, I'll just pick you up, and we'll go out the back window-"
"And so," Azula concluded, kowtowing to her brother like she actually respected him, "having recruited the local corps of Home Guard by appearing before them in all my royal glory and invoking the name of their Fire Lord, I led the assault against the plantation. Bujing, sadly, sustained fatal injuries during the fighting. He apparently joined the battle, only to be hit in the stomach by a fireball, and wasn't found until after everything was over. He must have experienced excruciating pain and suffering before the life finally ebbed from his body."
She was once again in her red silks, once again bathed and perfumed, once again beautiful and sharp and looking perfect at the center of the Throne Room. The courtiers muttered approvingly at the news of Bujing's fate, while Lord Ukano and Lady Michi were still cooing over their restored son up at the base of the Burning Throne.
Next to Azula, dressed for the first time in rich red silks with the gold trim reserved for the Royal Family, Aang remained silent in his own kowtow.
Zuzu finally cleared his throat. "You have done well, Azula. I chose well when I selected you for this mission."
Azula couldn't help raising her head just enough to wink. "Thank you, my lord brother. I am pleased that my husband and I could be of service."
On cue, Aang lifted his head. "Fire Lord, may I petition you on a related matter?"
Azula once again pressed her forehead to the floor. Making faces at Zuzu wasn't going to help with this. Killing Bujing might have. Aang hadn't been happy about that, but the guards had resisted, and so he admitted that there was no alternative.
He didn't need to know that Azula had made a deliberate gift of Bujing's suffering for her brother.
Zuko huffed, up on his throne. "Very well, Avatar. Speak."
"I have returned your family to you," Aang intoned, his voice filling the Throne Room. A trick of Airbending? "I have preserved the honor of the Fire Lord. I did so with my wife, after your gracious permission for our marriage. Given our service, and the teamwork we displayed, I ask that you Recognize our union."
Azula held her breath.
Come on, Zuzu. He wanted to refuse, Azula knew, but he was self-aware enough at this stage of his life to be conscious of his own sense of guilt and obligation. And besides, maybe saving Mai's little brother would bring a little warmth to their marriage, if Mai was even capable of it.
Zuko still had no heir, after all.
"Rise," Zuko barked.
Azula could only presume that he was speaking to both of them. She got to her feet along with Aang, and they both looked up at their Fire Lord.
Zuko glared down straight into Azula's eyes with the full fury of his scar. "I hereby Recognize the marriage of Princess Azula to Prince Aang. The Avatar shall enter the chain of succession in accordance to the Law, and I award him a suite in my home for his own use, as well as the standard stipend for his investment. May your union continue to bring light to our nation."
Azula broke out into a grin. "Thank you, my lord brother. Your pleasure was worth the wait."
When she looked over at her husband, he gave her a smile, but she saw how it didn't reach his eyes, and his body was stiff in his silk robes. Still, he looked so strong in them, his tall and muscular form filling them out better than Zuko could these days. Even his horrific blue tattoos seemed a nice compliment to the red and gold and the healthy tan he had acquired during their travels.
Perhaps there were different kinds of perfection.
AND THUS THE AVATAR AND THE FIRE PRINCESS RECEIVED THEIR DUE
