Chapter 7
Faded Dreams

"FATHER!" Her captive forgotten, the Fire Princess rushed toward the center of the cavern, parting the walls of flame in her way.

Is it over? Did Aang win? But if Azula's that upset… Wondered Katara as she started looking for an ally who could free her. Where was everyone? All the fire and smoke was really getting out of control, making it impossible to see much of anything. As the flames Azula had bent out of her way closed back up behind her, Katara realized with panic that she couldn't even see the Fire Princess and had no idea where the cavern exit was. Katara couldn't believe that she felt less safe with Azula gone. Struggling against her bonds, an image of burning to death alone started to fill her mind.

Fighting down her panic attack, Katara resisted the urge to call out for help. Azula would be the one most likely to hear, and she had to take advantage of the Fire Princesses' distraction to try and escape. The cavern rumbled ominously as Katara got to her feet, starting in surprise as boulders from the ceiling fell near her. Was it just her imagination, or was it getting hotter? It even felt like the ground underneath her feet was warming up! Dismissing it as an after effect from the panic attack, Katara started looking around for a sharp rock or something she could use to try and free her hands. Argh! How could I be so stupid! That's why that cunning bitch pretended to make nice and let me melt those ice shards! Wait…!

*

Steeling herself, Azula still wasn't ready for the sight. Though face down, his long black hair with the royal crest at the top was unmistakable. The rest of his body was buried under an immense pile of boulders. Blood was slowly seeping out from underneath them. Sitting next to him, sadly cradling his one free arm to her face was…! "Mother, what are you doing here!"

"Azula?" said Ursa as she turned toward her daughter, a strange sad look in her eyes, "It's been a long time. Too long; I missed you all so much, and now it's too late…" said the Fire Lady as she reached out and touched her daughters cheek, as if to confirm that she was truly there.

"What are you bab… Never mind! We have to get Father free!" Ordered Azula as she turned toward Ozai's side and tried to pull him out from under the rubble.

"It's too late for him Azula." declared Ursa as she softly put a hand on her daughters shoulder.

"No it's not!" denied Azula fiercely. "I've captured the worlds most powerful Waterbender. She can heal him! KATARA! GET OVER HERE NOW!" bellowed the Fire Princess. "Go retrieve her Mother, she's a dark skinned girl about my age, dressed in blue. I left her straight that way!" Grunting as she strained her arms against her fathers pinned weight, the slick blood made her lose her grip and Azula fell unceremoniously on her rear.

Katara was having some difficulty as well, having cut her wrists several times as she tried to saw Azula's sash against the jagged ice block the Fire Princess had escaped from. Azula's booming summons startled the water bender, making her cut herself again. There was a desperate edge to Azula's call that pulled at Katara. But what if it was the Fire Lord who was mortally wounded?

Katara knew she'd made a good faith agreement to heal the injured, but she hadn't meant that monster. It would go against the whole reason for this battle. What if Azula forced the issue at flame point though? Should she betray Azula, letting Ozai and surely herself die? Would she have the courage to do it even if she decided it was the right thing? Avoiding having to face up to that ethical conundrum, Katara refocused on escape, pushing her arms down with all her might; the jagged ice finally cut through the sash, as well as much of Katara's arm. The water bender barely managed to hold back her pained scream.

Azula began to try and dig her Father free. Unmoving from her vigil beside her husband, Ursa resumed speaking, in a voice that sounded as if she was watching a dream from afar, "Your Father would visit me secretly from time to time you know. After we'd make love, He'd promise that once he'd conquered the world there'd be no where left I could be banished to, and my exile would be over. It was a sweet sentiment, and I let myself believe it, but I doubt it was anymore sincere then when you'd act like family was important. Where's your brother Azula, is Zuko still alive?" asked Ursa with a calmness that grated on the Fire Princess.

"Who cares about that traitor?!" exploded Azula as she tossed rocks left and right. "Did exile drive you insane Mother?! Your daughter needs you to stop sitting there and help save your injured husband who's right in front of you, and yet you ask about Zuko?! Do you really care about him that much more than us?!" screeched Azula, her voice beginning to raise to a hysterical pitch. "And where are those damn earth benders when I need them? Where's Katara?! WHERE IS EVERYONE! DAI LI AGENTS, GET OVER HERE!!" screamed Azula as she strained to move a larger boulder. It finally came free, but more rubble tumbled down into it's place, several smaller rocks striking Azula in the head, cutting her.

"Yes, I did love Zuko the most," admitted Ursa to her stunned daughter. "You made it worse though by pushing me away. You could never stand the thought of coming in second in anything, especially not to your brother. So you'd act like you didn't care about my affections. It hurt a lot Azula, and I don't think I dealt with it as well as I could have. Maybe if I'd had more time I'd have learned…"

"It hurt you a lot?! How do you think I fel…" began Azula, before catching herself. "We don't have time for your sentimental nonsense mother. Get out of the way and do something about those flames closing in. I'm going to blast this damn rubble away!" warned Azula as she backed up and started to generate lighting.

"That's enough Azula," said Ursa as she slapped her daughter firmly enough to halt her attack, then forced her daughters hand back to her side. "It's far too late; Ozai was dead before you arrived. We're able to start the flames in motion," said Ursa as she motioned to the encroaching blaze she wasn't doing anything about, "but we're powerless to stop them once they've began to burn. The destruction we set in motion is destined to continue until it consumes that which fuels it. It is our fate."

"D-dead?" stuttered Azula in disbelief. "…No. H-he can't be! It's a lie! Daddy was always invincible! That little brat could never have beaten him! If I could best and kill the Avatar how could… It doesn't matter, Mother! Just you watch, I can defeat even your so called "fate." I killed the Avatar once, but the Water Witch is unbelievably powerful; she brought him back to life! I'll save Father yet!" declared the Fire Princess with a maniacal defiance as she tried to pull away from her mother.

"Yes you might," chuckled Ursa doubtfully, but she knew her formidable daughter well enough to not completely dismiss her denial as grief induced ravings. Perhaps even the Reaper would cower and flee before Azula's fierce determination. And that could not be allowed to happen. "You were always so capable Azula, I'm truly proud to have been the Mother of such a talented daughter," said Ursa as she embraced Azula.

"W-what are you doing Mother?" exclaimed the Fire Princess as she tried to squirm free. There's no time for this! I have to get Katar-"

"I love you, Azula."

Azula froze as her Mother spoke those three little words. Though she never would have admitted it, even to herself, deep down she'd always feared that her Mother considered her an unlovable monster. So she'd tried to convince herself that she didn't care what her mother thought of her or whether she was loved. But as those words shook her to her core, Azula realized just how much she'd been longing for this; to be embraced and assured that she was loved. As her mother's words sunk in, Azula stiff body began to slowly relax into the her mother's arms. Leaving her just as unready for Ursa's next three little words: "Let's die together."

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Next:
Chapter 8 Waking Nightmare