Now able to firebend, Aang and Zuko got to work, training every day to stop Ozai. The comet was only two weeks away. Zuko asked Aang if he had a plan of attack.
"Oh, I was going to fight him after the comet. I'm not ready yet."
Zuko's eyes got huge. "You can't do that!"
"Why not?"
"My dad is going to raze any part of the Earth Kingdom that won't surrender on that day. If you don't stop him by the comet, there won't be a world to save."
"WHAT!" Katara yelled. "Why are you just telling us now?"
"I thought you were going to stop him before the comet. No one told me he wanted to wait."
Without Sokka, the group was lost. He would come up with a plan. What would they do without him?
In Ba Sing Se, Iroh was with the White Lotus, planning an attack for Sozin's Comet. With the army distracted by their plan to take down the other cities, the world's masters got ready to liberate Ba Sing Se. Iroh heard through the grapevine that Zuko defected, and Ozai had made Azula his new heir.
"What are we going to do?" Piando asked, their numbers too small to storm both the Fire Nation capital and liberate Ba Sing Se.
"We have to leave it to Zuko to get the throne from his sister. We don't have any other choice."
Hopefully, he would survive. Iroh had already lost one son. He couldn't lose Zuko too.
Azula and Sokka were a real couple now. They never said it in those words, but she stopped chaining him, and he didn't try to run away. He still had to hide from the servants and guards, but that was pretty easy once Azula had shown him how to use the secret passageway to get from his room to hers. There was a trick for nonbenders to open the hidden doors.
Azula was afraid that Sokka would coddle her, and their sex would lose its passion. He did coddle her a little, but their coupling only intensified. He was rough with her, not because he was angry, but because he wanted to make her feel good. They could read each other, trust one another, and he knew when to be rough and when to be gentle.
She was about to go to the kitchen when she felt two strong hands pushing her onto her desk. Sokka pulled her pants down and began to squeeze her cheeks. "You have an amazing ass," he said before he slapped one of the cheeks. She growled as he continued the treatment on the other, going back and forth. "You're a very naughty girl. Time for you to get punished."
Once she was nice and rosy, he rolled on a condom and pushed his way into her wetness. She braced herself on her forearms, trying to keep her composure, but she found herself moaning uncontrollably as he thrusted hard and fast, pounding away at her as she whimpered on her own desk.
"Whose your Daddy?" he hissed as he started slamming into her, leaving her unable to speak as she felt an intense amount of pleasure overtaking her. Seconds later she started to gush. He kept fucking her until he was done, abruptly pulling out and leaving her a cum-covered mess.
"Can you get us some breakfast?" he said as he fell on the bed.
Once she recovered and cleaned herself up a bit, she did just that, going to the kitchen to get pancakes, eggs, bacon and some toast. The cook knew she couldn't eat this much herself, but he didn't ask where her extra food was going. It wasn't his business, and if she was happy and not terrorizing the servants, then why rock the boat?
She came back with a tray full of food. Sokka took it from her and set it on her table. As they ate, he asked her what it was like to grow up in the Fire Nation.
"What would you do as a child?"
"Firebending lessons, school at the royal academy, training with Lo and Li."
"What's the Royal Academy like?"
"It's pretentious like it sounds, only for those with noble blood. It's designed to teach both basic academics and things that would only involve nobles and royalty like diplomacy, political theory, and public speaking. I had also had to take classes with the royal tutor to learn how to rule."
"What kind of classes teach you that?"
"Military strategy, national security, agriculture and economics …."
"You had to learn agriculture?" He couldn't picture her farming.
"I have to know every little thing about the Fire Nation. What crops grow in what season? What are the average yields? How much grain do I need to feed everyone? There's more to the Fire Nation than waging war. I had to learn how to run the domestic side too."
In the tribe, Sokka learned by doing and by watching the men before him. They didn't have "how to be a chief" class. He wondered which way was easier. It sounded like Azula would be much better prepared to take the throne than he would be to lead his tribe right now, but the expectations for her must be so high. She was bred and trained to do this. What if she wanted something else?
"Did you ever wish you weren't a princess?"
"Why would I wish that?"
"You could probably do anything you want, but you have a set path chosen for you. Did you ever wonder what it would be like if you hadn't been born a princess and could do anything you wanted?"
"I never saw being a princess as being a trap, well at least not the way you depict it. If anything, I used to wish I could have been a prince. Everything comes so easy when you're a man. No one questions you whether you want to run for office or stay home with your kids and live off a trust fund. The world is your oyster. People expect me to be a breeder for the crown, to produce heirs and watch the men rule.
Everything I ever accomplished I had to get by fighting twice as hard just because I don't have a penis, but I think that only made me stronger. If I were a boy, I'd likely be lazy and entitled, like my brother. Being a princess isn't easy. It's luxurious, but it's constraining. I wouldn't give it away though. If I just ran away, I'd just feel like I let my country down. It's not just a divine right, it's a responsibility, and I think it's an honor."
Sokka loved moments like these, when he could pick Azula's brain and see the side of her that no one else did.
She leaned back against his chest, and his arms slipped to her waist. They would lie there, snuggled against one another until it was time to train.
Zuko and Aang trained hard in preparation for Sozin's Comet. They would have to take down both Ozai and Azula. "She'll likely be there with him," Zuko told the Avatar, who was still unnerved about how she killed him the last time they fought.
Zuko felt ready to take her on, now that he learned the true meaning of firebending. He could finally make up for all of those years where she seemed untouchable, like she was perfection. She uses control as a source, but she wouldn't control him. He found the light.
The White Lotus made preparations in Ba Sing Se to take down the Dai Li and liberate the city and Kuei. Hopefully, he was still alive. The Fire Nation didn't kill Bumi when it had taken Omashu, so why kill Kuei when he's a nonbender and likely has no fighting skills.
Piando and Iroh were having some tea. "Do you think Zuko will be able to keep order in the Fire Nation?" A lot of powerful people in the country support the war.
"He will likely need help to start off, but he is a good man and a powerful firebender. He should be able to get support from enough allies."
"What about his sister? She's pretty popular." Piando was concerned about how much energy it would take to keep him on the throne. She could always plot for a coup.
"We may need to jail her if she won't back down." Iroh thought she'd likely die fighting. She was not one to give up power to anyone.
Today, Azula had a surprise for Sokka.
"Where are we going?" He asked as he was blindfolded.
"It wouldn't be a surprise if I told you that, now hush up!"
She led him up down a long and winding road before she took off his blindfold.
"I'm taking you somewhere I've never taken anyone before."
"Not even Mai and Ty Lee."
"I haven't even told them about it."
He grinned. Then, he saw the stairs.
"Holy Spirits, that's a lot of stairs."
"I know. Good thing you're in shape."
She started to run up them. He was quick on her tail. His legs were burning by the time they got to the top. They reached a giant stone door. Azula sent a fire blast at it, a short one, a long one and then three very short ones all in rapid fire. The door slowly started to open.
A burst of light came from the other side of the door. It was blinding. They went inside to see a whole new world. There was a giant temple. Inside was a statue of a man.
"Who is that?
"Agni, in his human form."
Sokka explored. The craftsmanship was beautiful. The temple looked almost untouched. They got to the other side and there was a gorgeous spring, a meadow, flowers everywhere a flat plain and there was a zip line that went down to the bottom.
"We can take that down, but we can't go up using it," Azula explained to him.
"This is incredible."
"Last one to the spring is a rotten egg!" Azula shoved him out the way and then ran. He chased after her, clothes flying off as they got ready to jump in the spring.
"I win!" she bragged as she landed in the water.
"You cheat!"
"Princesses don't play fair."
He dunked her. "Neither do savages!"
They splashed around, enjoying the warm water as they took in the scene around them.
"So what is this place?"
"Azulon's temple. He built it so he could have peaceful days to himself. He never invited anyone here."
"How did you find it?"
"I followed him out of the palace as a child. I thought he'd kill me when I was spotted. He made me swear not to tell anyone, and I didn't. Ozai doesn't even know about it."
"And you took me?"
"You're the first person I ever wanted to share it with."
He turned and kissed her. This just might be her way of saying that she loves him. He kissed her again and again, each kiss a little longer and a little more suggestive. Oh how he would love to take her right here, right now.
He was so happy right now, a gorgeous day, a lovely girl in his arms and all was calm and peaceful. Then, his heavy heart started to sink. The war was still going on. He was without all his friends. His father was in jail. He was here, having fun like there was no tomorrow. What kind of man did that make him? Azula could see the pain on his face.
"Don't you like it?"
"It's amazing, beyond imagination, but I feel bad being so happy, when I know my friends are fighting for their lives right now. It hardly seems fair that I get to enjoy this when they are scrambling without me."
Azula feared this moment would come. Underneath it all, she was the Crown Princess, and he was the son of Chief Hakoda. This forbidden romance would have to end.
"When Mai and Ty Lee moved away, Lo and Li told me that I had to learn to let people go. If they came back, they were truly mine. If not, then it wasn't meant to be. I thought that was stupid. Just don't let them leave, but I finally learned my lesson. I have to let you go. I can't go with you. My father will notice if I leave and who knows what he'll do, but I can get you to your friends."
"You can?"
"My spies told me where they are. I was going to have them ambushed, but I couldn't go through with it."
"Why not?"
"Because of you," she admitted. He held her in an embrace.
"What about my father?"
"Leave that to me. You only have two weeks. If you are going to win the war, you must do it before Sozin's Comet, or else there won't be a world to save."
"What?"
"My dad is going to raze any part of the Earth Kingdom that won't surrender using the comet."
"He's going to burn down the entire Kingdom?"
"Do not underestimate his ruthlessness, ever!" she cautioned harshly. Then her tone softened, "come on. We have a lot to do if we're going to get you ready in time."
"Can we at least take the zip line down?"
"Of course."
They got dressed and soared over the meadow taking another path to the palace.
Azula gave him his sword and his boomerang. "You'll need armor." She told him. She took him to a metal smith, claiming he was her gladiator and had a suit made for him, a chest piece, a shield and piece to protect his thighs. It was light but strong, hopefully enough to prevent serious burns. It took three days to have it made.
Meanwhile, she prepared him for the final battle. She gave him the schematics of the sky ships her father would use along with the plans of where they would be. "Don't let anyone see these, not even your friends. If my dad finds out they've been leaked, he'll change his plans. If anyone asks, just say you saw them, but you had to run before you could take them."
He nodded.
She also told him to lie about how he got away. "Say a servant felt bad and helped you escape. No one will trust you if they know I helped you."
He protested, but then he eventually agreed. She was probably right.
"I'll come back for you," he promised.
"Don't make promises you can't keep," she cautioned. She didn't want him to die. Her voice was sad.
"I can and I will. I love you." He kissed her before she could slap his head. He wasn't supposed to say it. It's all real now that he said it.
"Don't tell anyone about us, especially not my brother."
"Why would I run into your brother?"
"He defected during the invasion. He's probably with the Avatar now." Sokka was stunned. How did he not know this? He just thought Zuko was off messing around. "Just don't let him think anything's up."
"Right."
"Seriously. He thinks I'm evil. He won't trust you if he suspects anything. Just pretend you hate me okay."
"I'll have to." He could barely remember that time now, but he'd have to fake it.
She started to explain what happened when her father confronted her after the failed Day of the Black Sun invasion. She had lied about Zuko shooting the Avatar, so that her father would end his banishment. Before she could finish her story, however, Azula got called into a meeting with her father.