AN: Late like my other story chapter was. Kinda got stuck on the middle of it and decided to fix up my other story and type up a new one. Enjoy.
Zuko ran as fast as his exhausted legs could carry him to his mothers room. After he had ran across the palace to find his mother's room, he paused and took several deep breaths to make himself more presentable for he was still shaking from all that had just been put through.
Before he could knock the door was flown open and his mother stood directly infront of him looking down at the boy with wide and surprised eyes.
"Zuko, I thought you were Firebending with your father. Was it over that quickly?" She seemed to look him over once more and took notice of his shaking knees. As she met the young boy's gaze again her expression turned grim.
"You need to sit, Zuko, and probably shower too." She extended her hand to the young prince and took him into her room seating him on a small seat infront of a table taking the cushion across from him.
"Mom I think you should spend more time with Azula." He blurted. His mother almost visibly jumped, which he noticed.
"Is that what you came to see me about in such a rush?" Zuko nodded earnestly and his mother seemed more puzzled.
"Well then, why do you think so?" He was glad he had brought this up if mother hadn't noticed the signs of their deteriorating relationship.
"She told me that you always spend more time with me than with her. Plus whenever you hug me or ask to spend time with me she gets all sour." His mother had a thoughtful expression.
"I always thought Azula preffered your Father's company over mine. Then again she has been playing with you more..." She smiled softly at Zuko who looked at her owlishly, "Are you growing to old for your mother, Zuko? Is that why you want me to spend more time with Azula?" Zuko rushed hurriedly to explain.
"No, Mom, of course not!" She raised an eyebrow with a joking smile, "Azula told me how she feels about you. She thinks you despise her." Ursa's eyebrows rose into her bangs.
"She thinks you don't love her." Zuko's finished glumly. Ursa didn't immediately respond, which made Zuko squirm in his seat as her gaze shifted to a spot on the wall. Finally, she
"Zuko you wouldn't mind spending some time with Azula's friends tomorrow would you?" Zuko hid his grimace and swallowed back the almost immediate 'no' that nearly jumped out his mouth. Azula's friends were always weird.
"Sure, Mom. I can do that." His fake expression didn't fool Ursa, as she seemed to understand, offering him a sympathetic smile.
"They are actually nicer than you may think. Miss Ty Lee is a very outgoing girl who I think you could get along with well and Mai is very calm and mature for a girl her age." Perhaps he was getting his hopes too high for tomorrow but he decided it was best to not brood over. Zuko kept his smile as he left his mother's room.
Azula watched as Zuko ran off feeling very disappointed in the exchange of words they both had. He doesn't love you. He only favors you!. She shook her head and ran back to her room, shaking off the slimy feeling that perhaps Zuko was right. At least she had tomorrow to look forward to with her friends. He had mother tomorrow anyway.
"Hey, Azula!" Ty Lee, who was wearing her usual pink clothing, rushed toward Azula, greeting her with a hug and smile. The latter immediately stiffened.
"Hello to you too, Ty Lee." The girl should know by now how Azula felt about hugs. Azula shrugged her off and looked at Mai who looked quite bored. As expected.
"Hello, Mai." Mai greeted her with a typical bow of a noblewoman and straightened herself.
"How about we go inside." Ty Lee nodded enthusiastically and Mai followed her as they entered the palace. They had only just made it a few feet inside the main hallway when Azula saw her turn the corner of the hallway from their royal family wing.
"Lady Ursa!" Ty Lee squealed and greeted Ursa with another hug around her legs. Mai was silent while Ursa chuckled and ruffled the girls' hair.
"Hello, Mother. I'm about to go play with Ty Lee and Mai. Is there something you want?" A clipped response but she did not want her mother interrupting her free time with her friends.
"Actually, Azula. There is something I need. Please follow me." She beckoned for Azula to follow her as she turned and walked into the hallway she had appeared from.
"Ty Lee and Mai please go ahead to the royal gardens I will meet you there as soon as possible." Her friends looked at one another appearinging concerned before conceding to the princess' request leaving her and bounding off to the palace gardens.
She looked into the hallway her mother had gone off to and sighed following the shadow of her mother ahead of her. Whatever her mother wanted it had better be quick. She had more important people to see.
Ty Lee and Mai walked side by side until they got to the gardens. It was silent for too long and Ty Lee decided to liven things up by talking about how things were going for her and about the dress she had seen at the shop in the Caldera.
"It was amazing! It was two pieces on one dress! I wish my mom would have let me-" Ty Lee stopped talking and took notice of a figure in the gardens. It most definitely was not Azula who most likely wasn't done with her mom.
No, this wasn't even a girl. She took more steps forward and saw it was a boy. A rather cute boy at that. But what was a boy doing in the royal palace gardens. Unless. She gasped and made a mad dash for the boy, jumping in front of him.
"Are you, Prince Zuko?" She burbled, excitedly. His bewildered expression looked from her to Mai very slowly, but eventually he nodded.
"Wow! Azula told us a lot about she said you two had a lot of fun together playing but that we wouldn't really ever see you since..." she trailed off and caught her self before she let that bit slip out.
"Anyway, my name is, Ty Lee. Oh! And this is my friend, Mai!" She gestured to Mai, who awkwardly waved at Zuko.
"Oh, nice to meet you." She smiled even wider.
Azula had followed her mother until they reached the door to her mothers quarters. That was when Ursa asked the dreaded question that hung in the air.
"Azula, would you mind spending the evening with me?" Azula narrowed her eyes at Ursa trying to figure out what she was playing at.
"I thought you and Zuko where going to be spending time with each other." She snapped. Ursa gave a surprised pause, which Azula took as affirmation.
"Exactly. Now if you would excuse me I'm going to see my friends." She turned to leave but felt a soft hand on her shoulder.
"Zuko canceled the evening with me so I could spend more time with you." Azula froze, and her eyes narrowed further. Her body temperature rose enough that Ursa drew her hand back rapidly.
"Oh, so you're only here because Zuko asked you to come." Zuko had certainly surprised her by giving up his free time with mother for her. However, that meant Ursa didn't come for her on her own accord.
"I will tell you the truth. While that is part of the reason I came here there is another greater reason, Azula. I'm concerned. You told Zuko that I didn't want to spend time with you."
"Why would you want to spend time with something you don't love." Ursa gasped and the grip on her shoulder tightened.
"Azula how could you say that?! I do love you." Azula had had it with her mother's lies. She whirled around in fury and would make her point right there.
"You don't love me. You fear me." She snarled and searched her mothers expression for anything she could use against her. Anything. Anything... Time seemed to stand still as all she saw in her mother was concern. Some hurt and so etching she couldn't make out but the concern was there. Perhaps she was wrong. Maybe mother didn't fear her. It didn't mean she loved her but at least she was concerned.
"Azula I don't fear you." The hand on her shoulder was back only she didn't stiffen this time. Azula nodded feeling muted by the situation.
"You still haven't answered the question Azula. Would you like to spend the evening with me?" Azula nodded once more.
"Wait here while I go prepare myself. Don't go running off while I'm gone." A light hearted statement that was secretly an order she could not disobey. Azula would have to use that on her friends later on. Oh. She had forgotten about them. Finally Azula found her voice.
"Mother what about my friends Mai and Ty Lee?" Ursa paused and turned around with a smile.
"Oh, It was agreed that Zuko is going to be with them for the evening." Azula heard the mischieviosness in her mother's voice. Perhaps they could get along after all. She decided to sit and wait patiently for her mother to get back to her.
"So what do you two like to do for fun?"
"Well I can do gymnastics and Mai can throw knives!"
Zuko groaned loudly hoping his mother could here this.
Azula and her mother had walked about the palace for the day mostly in silence getting used to each other's presence. It was quite strange for Azula and she had nearly no common ground with her mother since they had not spent time together for the longest time.
For example when they went to feed the turtleducks - something Ursa and Zuko did often - Azula had crossed her arms and refused to go near the pond, claiming that feeding ducks was still for the weak. The response disturbed Ursa, but she reigned in her judgement.
They had returned later to return Ty Lee and Mai home finding them in quite an odd situation with Zuko. They had both laughed at that. Zuko was apparently their only common ground.
After dropping off Mai, Ty Lee had stayed for a bit longer and sat down for tea with the four of them. Even though the three girls had to drag Zuko along since he insisted that tea was for girls. It wasn't even as bad as Azula thought it was.
Ursa had been trying start conversation with Azula even if they only lasted a few short sentences. On the other side of the table Ty Lee was talking away with Zuko and she found Zuko going along with it. Even going as far as laughing and smiling. She was surprised at how well they got along.
They had sat through tea for a lengthy amount of time before her Father had come in and suddenly the room go very cold. Not the temperature just the feeling she felt inside. He glanced around the room scowling at Zuko, confused with Azula and finally.
"Ursa a letter has arrived from Iroh." Ursa's eyebrows rose and she walked forward to accept it. Ozai didn't stay to hear it, leaving in a flutter of robes as soon as the letter touched her hands. She saw Ty Lee whisper something in Zuko's ear.
"Oh this is great news! Your uncle Iroh has broken through the wall of Ba-sing-se! He also has gifts for the two of you! A knife for Zuko with an inscription on it. It was won from the general who he defeated at the wall." She handed Zuko a very nice pearl dagger which he took and unsheathed Mumbling the words to himself 'Made in Earth Kingdom?'. Then Ty Lee flipped it. 'Oh. Never give up without a fight.' He smiled and went to swinging his dagger around while Ty Lee sat 'oohing' and 'ahhing' at every move.
"And for Azula an Earth Kingdom doll. It has the latest fashion on it and will make a nice toy for a nice young lady." Azula grimaced at the doll and held it far away from her.
"A doll. That's it." She grumbled. Ty Lee walked over with a hopeful expression on her face.
"If you don't want it can I have it? Its a really pretty doll and-" Before she could finish Azula had put the doll into her hands.
"Of course you can have it Ty Lee." She tried her best not to sound rude by disowning such a low gift. A doll of an Earth Kingdom peasant? Who did he think she was. Her mother simply smiled and spoke.
"Well lets end tea on that good note. Ty Lee, I'm going to arrange to have you taken home." The young girl smiled and nodded gratefully. Azula grabbed her mother's sleeve before she stood.
"Well it was an interesting evening to say the least mother. I'm ... glad we shared it." Her mother smiled and escorted Ty Lee out of the room leaving her and Zuko.
"So Zuko how was you evening. I saw you made friends with Ty Lee. Plus,I heard Mai has a crush on you." Azula teased, laughing, as she saw Zuko stutter and walk away yelling "Girls are crazy!". A relaxed, calm day, little did she know there would not be many left.