Chapter 7 – Dinner
Disclaimer: I own nothing
Zuko was awoken by the sound of his door slammed open. The sunlight hurt his eyes immensely but his leg worked just fine as his foot shot out and kicked the mass of flying figure pouncing at him on the snot.
"Little cousi—UFFFGH!"
Lazily, Zuko lay back down, pulling his blanket over his head. "Go eat dirt, Lu Ten."
"Well, excuuuse me, Mr. Blood Flame Captain", Lu Ten picked himself up from the floor, nursing his nose. "Mr. Big Shot Blood Flame has no time for good ole Lu Ten no more. Have you forgotten who it was who changed your diapers when you were a kid?"
"Get lost", Zuko mumbled, his head hurting from the lack of sleep.
"You bring me back anything?" Lu Ten asked brightly, as bright as afternoon the sun shining through the door behind him. "Some of those famous Red Pearl Island's coconut toffee, mayhap?"
"No, get out", Zuko grumbled, grabbing a random pillow and burying his head under it.
"Oh, well", Lu Ten shrugged, tidying his robe. "I'm off to Azula's then. Lu Ten needs some love", he walked out of the room and stepped out with hands ready at the doorknob. "You know, with personality like that, I bet the girls will swarm all over you at the Autumn Light dance. The dark gruff pretty boy is on high demand at the moment", the older Prince slammed the door quickly but some part of the flame Zuko threw still made its way through the slit of the slamming door.
"Well", Lu Ten coolly brushed off a tiny flame on the right shoulder of his garb. "That went better than I expected."
-B-L-O-O-D-
Azula breathed in the crisp autumn air, standing in the middle of the training ground, one the four located on the upper tier of the palace. Wide circular cobblestoned floor of the spacious balcony, with a large black and gold Fire Nation insignia on the middle, and railings around it; it was one of the private training ground reserved only for the members of the Royal Family. The secrets of the higher level of Ancient Magic and firebending techniques of the Royal Family had been preserved for millennia and they were not very keen on sharing them.
Clad in simple garb and trousers, hair up in her usual top-knot, Azula stepped into the ground and, from the shadow of the corner, Lin emerged. Trails of smoke-like shadow flared around his outline before settling onto his skin, the boy stepped towards Azula, smirking.
"Have I told you how I love this spell you taught me?" he managed before Azula rammed her fist onto his gut.
"How many times do I have to tell you not to use magic like that?" she snapped as the groaning boy doubled back from pain and leaned her way. "They're for emergency only. And stop molesting me!" for Lin had used the opportunity to bury his face on the girl's chest.
"Come on", Lin sniggered as he straightened up, grimacing still from pain. "You'll get wrinkle."
Azula simply glared at her.
Smiling, Lin stepped towards the Princess and hugged her. Azula hugged back and Lin noticed how she gripped onto his garb tightly. "I'm fine", he reassured the girl. "You did say that with ample amount of exercise, the strain will be reduced. Sort of like muscle memory, right?"
"Shut up", Azula grumbled, resting the side of her head on the boy's chest. She felt his chin pressing down on top of her head a bit and she tried not to take too much comfort from it. "Anyway", she cleared her throat and unlatched herself from him. "Did you get to do what I asked you to do?"
"Yup", Lin turned and walked farther a few steps. "The Republic Citizens' bendings are rather peculiar. They're weak."
"Weak?" Azula drawled.
"Yeah", Lin repeated, turning around to face the girl. "Weak but fast. Their movements are economical and the magnitudes of their elements are small and almost harmless. Still pack quite a punch though", Lin turned to the direction of the railing facing to the open air and punched several quick jabs he learnt from his short visit to the Republic City's famous Pro-Bending Tournament; small bursts of flame erupted from his fists. He tried a hook next and an arching fireball emerged. "They have better control though. I'd imagine their styles to be more effective for man-on-man fight. Their benders stand no chance against war machines or even mounted soldiers. I'd hazard a guess that heavy armor would put a damper on their effectiveness too."
"I see", Azula crossed one arm on her chest and her other hand tapped her chin, pondering. "We have several strongholds around the Republic City. I shall propose heavy infantries and armored cavalries. Oh, what about their kicks?"
"What kicks?" Lin scratched his head.
"Well, you know, kicking moves for bending", Azula kicked her foot a little for emphasis.
"Oh, the same. Weak but fast", Lin shrugged. Her jumped up and down a bit like boxer and delivered a flaming double spin kicks, sending two fire arcs. "Even for the earthbending, if you would believe it."
"What about weapons?" Azula asked again.
"More Earth Kingdom and Fire Nation than the rest", Lin reported. "But, I wouldn't worry too much. Their military relies heavily on benders. They do have Metalbending Police; law enforcers, earthbenders who bends metal. They wear metal armor and use metal cables as weapons quite proficiently."
"Metalbending, huh?" Azula smirked. "And metal armor, you say? Hmm… nothing a little lightning won't fix."
"Oh, and speaking of lightning", Lin perked up, giddily scrubbing his palms together like a little excited child; Azula could not help but smile. "Watch this!"
Lin exhaled, leaped forward a bit into a light stance and delivered a finger jab; Azula's quirked her brow as a tendril of lightning unexpectedly shot out from his fingertips.
"…oh, that is just so wrong", Azula exasperated.
Lin grinned. "They found a way to replicate Lightning Generation", he said. "They used it in power plants to harness electric power. I lured one of the workers to a dark alley somewhere and made him teach me."
"Power plants…?" Azula frowned, imagining an anthropomorphic cactus with Lu Ten's face flexing its muscle.
Fire Nation, like the other three Nations, still clung to the traditional ways. The Republic City, strictly speaking, still part of the Fire Nation Colonies, had hoarded all the technological advancements like automobiles, electricity, and advanced medical expertise and held them as a bargaining chip against the Fire Nation and Earth Kingdom to gain independence. The negotiation was still ongoing but both Fire Nation and Earth Kingdom coveted such technologies despite the Republic City making it clear that they would not share it with any Nations before they were granted independence.
"I'll explain later", Lin said, grinning while rubbing the back of his neck. "Anyway, what do you think about the lightning?"
"Weak", Azula said flatly. She breathed in, making a gesture of pulling her palms up as her chest rose, and pressing them down as she breathed out. She went through the traditional circular motion of Lightning Generation and shot from her finger tips thick powerful lightning bolt that carried with it loud thunderclap. Lin felt the hair on the back of his neck standing up the moment the energy was released.
"Their lightning is like a spark from a pair of spark rock", Azula commented dryly. "Are you sure the person you learnt from is… or was..?" she smirked.
"Was", Lin grinned back.
"…was proficient enough?" Azula continued. "For all you know, he was one of the bottom-feeders."
"Nah, I'm pretty sure it's about as strong as it comes", Lin waved it off. "There someone called Lightning Bolt Zolt, a gangster leader who's apparently a 'master'…" he made a quotation mark. "…of Lightning Generation. His lightning is about as powerful but he can produce it quite fast."
"Muscle memory", Azula muttered. "Inconsequential", she harrumphed, turning to face Lin. "Let me show you. Shoot me."
"…I'm sorry, what?" Lin gawked.
"Shoot me", Azula repeated nonchalantly. "With your lightning."
"Yeah… I'm not—"
"Shoot me."
"Look, others might like their girl extra crispy but I'm—"
"Shoot me."
"No", Lin crossed his arms stubbornly. Azula sighed and stepped closer to him. Tiptoeing, she whispered something into his ear. Lin's amber eyes went wide for a second before they narrowed. "You wouldn't…"
Azula simply smirked at him.
"B-but, you said you like it when I—", Lin stammered.
"True, true", Azula nodded slowly, crossing her arms. "But, if you don't shoot me with lightning, I will disallow such thing from happening again. Off-limit, no more, never again."
"You're mean", Lin grumbled. He fell into a stance but Azula, arms still crossed, simply took a tiny step back. Reluctantly, he separated the Yin and Yang of his chi, collided them, and sent the spark of energy out.
Almost lazily, Azula slapped the lightning away, deflecting the tendril of blue energy off like she was swatting a harmless fly, and the lightning hit the wall behind her, causing a cracked crater to appear on the stone wall. Azula smirked again as she inspected the smoky back of her left hand. "See that?" she asked, turning to the wall. "Now, watch this", she charged her lightning and shot at the spot beside the crater Lin made. Her lightning punched through the whole wall, crumbling the stone and still travelled through the sky where it disappeared.
"Whoa…" Lin breathed, walking up to the Princess' back and hugged her waist. "Teach me?"
"Hmm… No", she said, letting go of control as Lin pressed herself against him. "Royal Family secret firebending and all."
"So, I just have to marry you, right?" Lin smiled as he kissed her jaw. "That can be arranged."
Azula giggled as Lin gave her exposed neck an open-mouthed kiss.
-B-L-O-O-D-
Fire Lord Azulon waited for his Fire Lady to pour his tea. Such elegance and refinement in her movement, trained in hundreds of lifetime. He took his cup reverently and took a small sip of the scalding hot jasmine and pepper blend. He had to admit that Iroh and Ozai (despite the younger Prince's vehement denial) inherited their affinity towards tea from their mother.
"Something's troubling you, My Lord?" the Fire Lady asked as she set the teapot down. Always the sharp one, Azulon thought, looking into the wrinkled but dignified face of his wife. She might be old but her eyes shone still with the fire that he admired so. Her hair, tied into a feminine top-knot, was now silver and no longer charcoal black. Her face was marred with wrinkles and time but one glance and anyone would know that she used to be fiercely beautiful for the fierceness lingered still on her face. Azulon still admired her.
And, above all, he trusted her.
"I lost another Whispered", he confessed ruefully. "Zhang Wu."
"The mind reader?" Fire Lady Illah quirked her brows; her expression turned sad. "He will be missed."
"It is a great loss", Azulon lamented. Zhang Wu had served his cause for a long time and he was one of Azulon's best and most trusted knives in the dark. "I sent Ikem as his replacement."
"You shouldn't waste manpower, My Lord", Fire Lady Illah chided softly, knowing full well and sharing her husband's reservation towards the Whispered vampire assassin.
Azulon's reply was a non-committal grunt. He picked up the pendant Illah had set on their table in a padded box. The ancient Fire Lord inspected the serpentine engraving of the mounting that kept the large palm-sized fire ruby centerpiece. "Are you sure this is genuine?" he asked.
"I have checked the authenticity myself", Illah replied firmly. "It is real."
"And… about the intel Prince Zuko discovered from the ruins?" Azulon asked sharply.
"Princess Azula discovered the intel, My lord", Illah corrected, also rather sharply. "I have tasked Head Librarian Nazak to investigate. I strongly believe we have a traitor in our midst", Illah took a slow sip from her cup before continuing. "Shall I… double my effort, My Lord?"
Azulon held an urge to snort. His fifth-hundredth anniversary present to his Lady was a small army; a regiment of Imperial Firebenders, a battalion of heavy rhino cavalry, a company of Yu Yan Archers, and a platoon of Royal Assassin led by two retired Whispered captains. Illah adored her gift very much, rechristening the unit the Phoenix Guards and using them every chance she got. Every festivals and events held by the Royal Family had their security details spearheaded by the elite Guards and their distinctive Crimson armors and sash they wore across their chest.
And Fire Lady Illah especially adored her assassins. A platoon of forty highly trained female vampire assassins led by two Whispered Sisters who had survived their duties; one was a venomously beautiful woman who had the ability to entice a person's mind and the other was an Amazonian wild woman who could transform the skin of her arms and legs into a layer of iron-like scales and claws.
Azulon had first thought Illah's persistence of using her army was something akin to a child playing with toys. It was not until he saw for himself the dedication her wife put in every arrangement, every shadow game she played and won, that the Fire Lord noticed Illah's apparent talent in these kinds of thing. Illah, in his opinion, was a war general trapped in a woman's body.
Illah had more real use of her assassins. She had sent them as spies to the many great noble houses to keep them in line. Her assassins had thwarted many conspiracies by providing intel and striking the heart of the would-be rebellions multiple times in the long reign of Fire Lord Azulon. The existence of Fire Lady Illah's personal assassin army is still a matter of debate as some believe it was just a rumor to disparage her already bloody reputation.
But, the Red Rose was real. Fire Lady Illah's personal army of female assassins.
The Fire Lady snapped her fingers and two kneeling Roses appeared out of crimson-colored puffs of mist. Clad in bright red battledress –metal-pated fingerless bracers with rose engraving, breastplate that covered only the breasts, upper abdomen, shoulders and neck while showing quite a portion of their cleavage, pauldron on their upper arms, exposed midriff, short battle skirt with plates of red metal sewn on it, and a pair of metal-plated leather kneepads and Fire Nation boots, and their enigmatic see-through cherry-blossom pink sari across their chest, hooding their heads and veiling heir faces, knotted around their waist, and trailing down their legs- the two veiled assassins inclined their heads reverently.
"Zhang Ling, Wen Zi", Fire Lady Illah addressed them without turning from her cup. "There might have been a theft in the Imperial Library. Investigate this."
"Yes, Fire Lady", the two female assassins bowed and disappeared into twin puffs of red mist.
"You shan't need to worry, My Lord", Fire Lady Illah reassured the Fire Lord once more. "I'll get into the bottom of this."
Fire Lord Azulon smirked as he stroked his beard. "Just make sure your girls don't cause too much damage, eh?"
-B-L-O-O-D-
Azula walked tiredly across the hallway around an indoor lawn, still poised with dignity though. She was in the middle of loosening her armband when something red jumped out of the bushes and, to her slow response's chagrin, hugged her tightly.
"Baby cousin!" Azula heard Lu Ten exclaimed in the middle of being crushed around the torso and lifted off the ground. "Welcome back!"
Calmly, she craned her neck down where her right finger jab was charging small lightning; she tasered her cousin on the ribs, causing the Prince to release her as he suffered a series of spasm and fell on the ground twitching.
"Why, hello, Cousin Lu Ten", Azula poked the twitchy mass with the tip of her boot; her voice and eyes grew icy cold as she accused. "You promised you'd welcome me home. Liar…"
"Eh… sorry?" Lu Ten grinned as he picked himself up and dusted his garb. Spreading his arms wide, he grinned wider. "Now, give Lu Ten a hug."
Still grumbly, Azula stepped into the boy's embrace. Lu Ten, however, stiffened up and broke off the hug roughly. Holding the girl at arm's length, he sniffed like a hound. "You smell off."
Azula's lips parted in an offended manner. "Excuse me!"
Lu Ten sniffed the air around the girl harder, making her cringe in his grip.
"Stop that, weirdo!" Azula nearly shrieked, overwhelmed with oogies.
Lu Ten gasped horrifically. "I smell boys!"
"Oh, first you said I smell and now you're calling me a boy?!" Azula struggled under the Prince's iron grip.
"Don't try to misdirect me!" Lu Ten snapped. "Tell me, who is he?!"
"What he?" Azula screamed back furiously.
"Oh, Agni… please tell me it's not that Chan kid! He's a wuss! You're too good for him!" Lu Ten griped. "You are not ready for a boyfriend!"
"I don't have a boyfriend!" Azula snapped back, finally breaking free. Scowling, she balled her fists, trying her best to quell her anger. If Lin was one of the few who could break her defenses, Lu Ten would be another one. Azula might have drilled herself to guard her emotions, to never show any of them unnecessarily, as she had learnt from the many losses she had experienced in her long life. But, around Lin or Lu Ten, especially Lu Ten, it was easy for her to be… real.
"Are you sure?" Lu Ten did not seem convinced. "I swear, I can and will ask Fire Lady Illah to perform a virginity test on you."
That does it. Azula turned beet red and could feel fire bubbling in the pit of her stomach. "You… wouldn't…" she growled dangerously.
Lu Ten let out a condescending laugh. "Hah! Try me…"
"Fire Lady Illah wouldn't even consider your accusation", Azula narrowed her eyes sharply. "I'm her favorite."
"Oh, she will do it if I ask, baby cousin", Lu Ten puffed his chest proudly, jabbing his thumb there. "Because I'm her favorite."
"Nuh-uh, you're not her favorite."
"Yuh-huh, I am so her favorite."
"Nuh-uh."
"Yuh-huh."
"Nuh-uh."
"Yuh-huh."
"Nuh-uh!"
"Yuh-huh!"
"Look up", Azula said suddenly, pointing at the ceiling.
"What" Lu Ten stupidly looked up.
Azula punched him in the throat and walked away, huffing.
-B-L-O-O-D-
Lin was in the middle of arranging his pieces of armor on Azula's bed while snacking on Azula's secret stash of fire flakes when Azula suddenly barged in, slammed the door behind her, bolted and locked it, and cast like fifteen different spells on it. Huffing, she turned to Lin and froze briefly at the sight of Lin who himself was frozen in the middle of stuffing a handful of fire flakes into his mouth.
"I can explain", Lin began.
Azula's jaw hardened a bit but she strode to the boy quickly and pecked him on the lips. "Yuck… sweet chili?" she backed away, wiping her mouth. "Take it", she picked up the bag of fire flakes and shoved it along with his neatly placed breastplate, pauldron, and other pieces of armor to his chest. "You have to leave."
"Um, okay?" Lin frowned, holding his armor and a few more bags of sweet chili flavored fire flakes that Azula took out from the hidden compartment in her headboard in his arms, chewing the leftover flakes in his mouth. "What's wrong? I thought you wanted me to stay."
"I do", Azula grumbled, looking around for more of Lin's stuff. "But, Lu Ten's on to me. You have to leave. Come back here after dinner. You still have your room in the Palace, right?"
"Yeah, why—", Lin was cut short by the Princess ramming into him lips first. It was as passionate a kiss could go in Lin's opinion and the whole experiences, sadly, had to be marred by Azula ending it and, walking to her nightstand, taking out a breath freshener and using it, and chugging down about five mint candies. "Okay, that's insulting."
"Hmm?" Azula looked up innocently but went back to her nightstand. Chewing her candies, she took out her bottle of perfume and sprayed it all over the bed and the room.
"What are you saying exactly?" Lin said flatly.
"You know what this is", Azula grumbled, moving in to kiss him again. Lin did not mind the spicy minty taste and excess saliva in her kiss.
"Of course, I know", Lin grinned as they broke off. "I'll see you tonight? I might be a bit late, okay. I have to prepare for tomorrow and all."
"Okay", Azula said quietly. "Now, go."
Swiftly, while Lin jumped out the window, the Princess went on to tidying up her tussled up clothes and hair, went to her bathroom to burn her toothbrush and towel that Lin had used, setting up new ones while at it, and jumped back to her bed, picking up a random book from her nightstand and opened it on her lap, absolutely sure Lu ten would not detect any scent that Lin might have left behind on her room or her person.
Casting a quick look at the opened window where Lin had gone off through, she cleared her throat and regulated her breath. There was a nagging feeling that she had forgotten something. She ignored it almost instinctively.
Oh, the incredulity of such notion. She forgot something, pfft! She was Azula. She was royal and perfect, high and mighty, she was brilliant, intellectual. She was perfection personified, a talent of prodigal nature, she—
—THUD—
…BZZZZTTT…
…BOOM…
"AARRGGHH!"
—forgot to undo the enchantments on the door.
Cursing under her breath, the Princess jumped out of her bed and raced to the door. Patting her hair to neaten it, she calmly undid the enchantments and opened it to an extra crispy Lu Ten who had his hand frozen at the door knob and smoking from head to toe; his expression was priceless.
"Why did you place so many dangerous enchantments on the door?!" the boy scolded as soon as he made himself look more representable in Azula's bathroom.
"Well, I'm just being careful", Azula pouted, using her whiny voice, keeping her eyes at her shuffling feet as she sat uncomfortably on her bedside, under her cousin's stare. "After what happened with Chan. What if someone barge into my room and do the things that you told me no boys should ever do to me?"
Lu Ten opened his mouth to reply but fell short; Azula looked up to him with those puppy-dog eyes of her and he just melted inside.
"Don't do that", Lu Ten steeled himself. He just knew that even if Azula grew into a wrinkled old lady, her puppy-dog eyes would never stop working on him.
"Do what?" Azula asked, jutting out her lower lip.
"Stop it!" Lu Ten looked away painfully; felt like he had just removed a stake from his heart. "Just get ready for dinner."
"Okay… don't be mad at me…" Azula said sadly. "*sniff*"
"Aww, baby cousin", Lu Ten finally melted. "How can I be mad at you?" he knelt and let the girl embrace him. Then, his nose caught something off. "You put on too much perfume, don't you think?"
"But, you just said I smell", Azula sulked.
Then, their earlier encounter came back to Lu Ten's mind. "There was a boy here, wasn't it?!" he stood up suddenly, almost dragging up Azula who still held her arms around his neck. "Where is he?!" he looked around with a hungry expression in his amber eyes. "Did he do something to you?! Because if he so much looked at you indecently…" he growled, snapping a fire whip in his right hand while his face changed into the fanged form.
"There's no one here, dumb-dumb", Azula sat, crossing her legs daintily, inspecting her nails. "And, before you asked, I don't have a boyfriend", which was true, Azula thought. She had never addressed Lin as her boyfriend.
"AHA!" Lu Ten pointed a sharp accusing finger at the girl's nose. "You brought up boyfriend randomly! You do have a boyfriend!"
Azula narrowed her eyes sharply at the older Prince. Really, she loved her cousin. She often wished the fun, free-spirited Lu Ten was her brother instead of the sourpuss Zuko. She even held him in such high regard, she had never and would never lie to him (completely).
But, sometimes, she wanted nothing more but wringing Lu Ten's neck with a length of garroting wire.
"Get out of my room", Azula growled dangerously; she did not have enough sleep the previous night, her time with Lin was being cut short, and, so far, she still had not enjoyed her time back yet. She was so not in the mood for this.
"Just promise me you don't have any boyfriend", Lu Ten moved in to hug the Princess again, pressing the girl's head on his protective chest like he often would when Azula was little.
"I'm not a kid anymore", Azula grumbled, fighting the urge to hug back.
"That's what I'm worried about, baby cousin", Lu Ten sighed so very deeply, stroking the girl's head gently. "Look, Azula, just because you've grown boobs, doesn't mean you're ready for boyfriend. In fact, the fact that—"
He did not quite finish that sentence.
Fire Prince Lu Ten, trained personally by the famed Dragon of the West and Fire Lord Azulon whenever the latter was able to find time in between his busy schedule, was a master firebender. After all, ever since Fire Prince Iroh abdicated his birthright, and Ozai made a blunder of himself for the misfortune of not being in the Palace when Kyoshi the Earth Giantess attacked, and hence losing his credibility in the eyes of the noble houses, Lu Ten, who himself nearly lost his life in the defense against the Kyoshi Warriors, had been hailed as a hero by the noble houses and the citizens and was the obvious choice for the heir apparent after Iroh abdicated.
Fire Prince Lu Ten was one of the most dangerous firebenders in history. He possessed the overwhelming power of his father and the cunning fighting style of his grandfather, and he himself being a natural intellect was an unpredictable fighter.
And yet, like any warrior out there, he fell victim to the one kind of opponent no warrior could win against: the opponent that he could not permit himself to hurt.
Fire Prince Lu Ten was a bruised sooty singed mass of ruined red lying on the doorstep by the time his baby cousin Azula was done with him.
-B-L-O-O-D-
Lin knew he would never get used to this place.
Located deep under the Fire Nation Royal Palace, among the intricate maze that made up the secret underground bunker, was a special block that not many knew about. Rocks, jagged rocks everywhere; that was the first thing Lin hated about it. He was born and raised a nobleman; he was more comfortable with flat, smooth, preferably carpeted floor.
The second thing was the fact that the whole place is underground. The smell of damp earth and rock was not something he would consider charming. He much preferred the smell of trees, forest, and leaves; his family estate was located at the foot of the Caldera, surrounded by thick vegetation.
And then, there was the fact that the whole place reeked with death. His room was carved into the wall, like the others really. A simple space with a bed on the far side, which was really a rectangular tub filled with a fitting bed, with one pillow and a simple blanket, a desk of which was really slabs of carved rock, and a wooden chair, and on one side of the wall was a carved rectangular hole with a beam fitted horizontally on top that worked as a wardrobe.
His room was plain and really not meant to be inhabited for a long period of time; they have a communal bathroom, for Agni's sake.
And the whole place really reeked of death. The only way things changed around here is only if death was somehow involved. His neighbors disappearing, they were dead, killed in action; new people arriving, they would kill soon or be killed eventually, more deaths.
His next door neighbor was dead, he noticed; they put a small crimson rose at the doorstep. That was the sign. Lin did not know him well; a middle-aged man, human like him, but not a Whispered, named Zaro. Good man, Lin reminisced. When he first arrived here, Zaro and another guy named Zee were the first who welcomed him and showed him the rope. Zee had died the week after that.
Death… the whole place reeked of it.
Getting ready with his short letter and his stuff prepared –his weapons, knives, throwing knives, his armor, and the moon steel jian he had to bring to Shu Jing-, he exited the room. He traveled light always, a habit he learnt from his father the war general and then his tenure as an assassin. He carried a set of change of clothes only, some medicine and bandages, included in it a vial of powdered blood (he learnt from experience), and a couple bags of the many sweet chili flavored fire flakes Azula had shoved into his arms earlier that day.
The boy snickered at them. The whole place, the whole room was dark and dim, even the lighting was barely adequate and cast a lot of shadow in the room. The sight of the red paper bags of the flaky snack was a welcomed sight.
Shoving one more of bag into his traveling satchel, Lin made his way out, taking his robe from his chair and draping it over his shoulder.
Dark and dim and damp; no place for a flame to flicker.
-B-L-O-O-D-
He had slept the whole day, Zuko knew that. But, when Azula barged into his room and hit his head under the blanket with a pillow, Zuko still felt that he deserved some more sleep.
"Wake up", Azula ordered flatly.
Zuko grumbled and cringed into a fetal position, hugging a pillow in front of him without waking up. He felt the chill air and sunlight (Dang, it's not night yet, he cursed in his mind) when Azula tugged the blanket away roughly.
"Get up!" she commanded him like he was one of the servants. Naturally, Zuko mumbled harshly and buried his head under a pillow.
"Get up!" Azula said again, hitting him yet again with a pillow but on his unprotected back this time.
"Get lost!" Zuko barked but made no move whatsoever.
"Get up, Zuzu", Azula exasperated. "What are you, a bat-wolf. Get up!"
"Just go away, Azula!" Zuko snapped back.
Azula narrowed her eyes at her brother sharply. She looked around and her eyes fell upon the ornamental double dao hanging above the bed; too high for her too reach. She had to climb onto the bed but she was wearing her boots and she was averse to wearing footwear in bed. Only barbarians do that in her mind.
Half-lidded amber eyes found the sheathed conjoined twin dao reigning on the pedestal on the desk at the foot of the bed and Azula went for it instead. She drew the single heavy blade and poked Zuko on the butt with it. Being in a fetal position made the Prince's rear an easy target.
"OWW! Azula, that's dangerous!"
"We need to deal with this Lu Ten problem", Azula said right away, tapping the edge of the sword lightly and ignoring Zuko's pain; she turned her stare to her brother sharply. "It's time we initiate Plan Get-Lu-Ten-Off-My… ahem, I mean, Our-Backs. He has just plucked my last nerve."
"You need a better sense of naming", Zuko got up and rubbed his tired eye; the good eye, the unscarred one. He needed a set of tweezers, or a couple of toothpick, of a very long nail to pick the eye booger off his left scarred eye.
"I do not", Azula huffed, crossing her arms. "I have a fabulous sense of naming."
"Yeah? If you had a son, what would you name him?" Zuko asked bluntly.
"I don't want to have a child", Azula said flatly despite the jolt in her stomach. "But, if someone comes around who can somehow swoon me and I somehow, unlikely thought it is, am willing to marry him and let him impregnate me with a son", she inhaled, trying to keep a certain ponytailed assassin off her mind; she needed to be clear and her mind focused. "Then, I am going to name my son Ozai, after our father as a sign of respect and hope that he will grow into just as powerful a firebender and capable a ruler."
"…You just couldn't think of any new name, could you?"
"…Shut up."
Zuko sighed and got up, stretching his back despite feeling lightheaded from the… he was not sure, either the lack of sleep or too much sleep. "I'll talk to Mai", he said. "I'm sure she'll agree."
"Good, you do that", Azula tapped her chin, thinking.
"What about you", Zuko asked suspiciously. "Who are you bringing?"
"I'll find someone", Azula shrugged lightly. "I already have someone in mind."
"Really?" Zuko frowned deeply. The Azula he knew never associated herself with any boys during their mission and even back home she would either be bugging Lu Ten to no end or locking herself in her room. He simply could not think of a time when Azula actually went out of the Palace to… socialize. He knew that Azula believed herself to be superior and far too good to hang out with the… as she and Lu Ten would say, populace. Even Mai and Ty Lee, she had picked herself. "Please tell me it's not that Chan kid", Zuko felt queasy all of the sudden.
"What?" Azula growled dangerously, fuming. "Why would everyone think I would lower myself that much to even consider that filthy fake-blooded slug?! I have a standard, you know!"
"Well, you did let him walk you into the Female Quarters", Zuko pointed out. "I heard what happened."
"So I'd have a legitimate excuse to almost kill him, you dumb-dumb", Azula huffed, crossing her arms miffily. "And besides, I need to practice my swordplay. I'm getting rusty. So, I needed a live target. Do you know that a person's kidney looks like a bean?"
"Did you really cut his kidney out and stomp on it?" Zuko made a face.
"Please", Azula scoffed, inspecting her nails. "I'm not that boorish. I cut it out and kicked it to the hallway; the guards stepped on it when they came rushing."
-B-L-O-O-D-
Dinner was never a big thing in their family. They were distant and segmented and, for the most part, busy. But, there they were, all of them. Even Iroh.
At the long table they sat.
Azulon was at the head, as usual. Illah sat at his left, as usual. The spot on the Fire Lord's immediate right was reserved for his apparent heir; Iroh used to sit there but now he sat on the seat right after it, before Ozai and Zuko. The seat between Illah and Ursa, on the left side of the table, was left empty and Azula sat by her mother's side. Lu Ten was nowhere to be found.
Ursa was her usual cheerful self, fussing over Azula who could not escape.
"Try this sweet chili tofu, dear", Ursa picked up a couple of those and put it into Azula's bowl. "This is your favorite. Remember when you were a child, you could eat these for breakfast, lunch, and dinner?"
Ty Lee, sitting between Azula and Mai, giggled; Azula turned to her and gave her the evil eye; Ty Lee quickly stuffed her mouth with as much vegetable as possible.
"Where's Lu Ten?" the Princess asked the table, catching Zuko's fleeting glance.
"I don't know, dear niece", Iroh answered warmly. "He did say something about fire flakes and a tent before storming off somewhere."
"The last time he mentioned fire flakes and a tent, he built a glider and jumped off the Astronomy Tower", Ozai commented, sipping his tea calmly.
"Oh, get off his back, Ozai", Illah snapped a little. "That boy has an active mind."
"And a defective brain", Azula grumbled into her cup.
"What's that, dear?" Ursa turned to the girl, smiling warmly.
"Nothing, Mother", Azula replied casually. "I'm just… worried. Lu Ten tried to barge into my room when I was testing some spells on my door; he was blasted with the full potency of ten different trap enchantments."
"Why would you jinx your door?" Zuko frowned at her.
"Hmm, oh, you know", Azula shrugged off-handedly. "To keep away unwanted presence."
She noticed how her words cut deep into her mother.
Azula decided not to care.
"Good evening, everyone!" came from the direction of the door. Lu Ten walked in and threw his arms wide, grinning from ear to ear.
"Why, hello there, lovely ladies", he wiggled his brows at the two female guests; Mai was impassive but Ty Lee giggled a little. "Fire Lord, Fire Lady", he bowed at the two. "Father, Uncle, Aunt", and to the three. He sauntered innocently and guilt-free, despite being late, to the women' side of the table and, wedging himself between Ty Lee and Azula, he turned to the former and flashed his winning smile that had melted several hearts of the maidens of the court.
"You don't mind if I take your seat, would you?" he winked a bit too. "It's just that, it's been awhile since I saw my baby cousin", he turned to Azula and, despite the latter's protest, laughed and pulled her head gently his way so he could peck the top of her head.
"Of course not, Your Highness", Ty Lee replied cheerfully.
"Lovely", Lu Ten said; turning to the attending servants, he ordered. "Hey, you two! Help the lady move, would you?"
Soon, he found himself sitting by the Princess' side, grinning wide; Azula fought the urge to stab his eyes with her chopsticks.
Azulon would have said something but Illah kept glaring his way whenever he opened his mouth to talk. Iroh and Ozai were as knowledgeable in their mother's body language as their father was and wisely kept their silence. Ursa did not feel like she should say anything and risk making the strain between her and her daughter worse.
"Now", Lu Ten received his bowl of rice. "What do I miss?"
"Zuko and I have an announcement", Azula perked up suddenly; Zuko glanced at his sister with mistrust in his eyes.
"I thought you'd bring someone", Zuko had demanded of the girl in the hallway earlier before the dinner.
"He can't make it. Don't worry, our plan doesn't change", Azula had shrugged nonchalantly. Turning to Mai, her lips parted to her usual sly smirk. "So, are you ready, Mai?"
Mai had simply sighed. "Whatever you say."
"What is it, Zuko?" Ursa asked. All eyes were on the younger Prince now.
"Actually", Zuko set down his bowl. "Azula and I have an announcement."
The edge of the Princess' mouth tipped up just a fraction. "Well, yes", she set down her bowl and chopsticks too; unlike a certain uncouth brother of hers. "You see, dear family…"
"…for quite awhile now…" Zuko nodded slightly and resumed her speech.
Then, he said. "I've been dating", while, Azula, against the plan and Zuko's expectation, said in tandem. "Zuko's been dating."
Zuko's jaws hardened as he sent a killer glare to Azula's smirk. "Oh, there she is. Mai, it's Mai, that's Mai sitting right there, there's Mai sitting right between Ty Lee and Lu Ten. Mai. Mai's dating Zuko. And vice versa. I think. I wouldn't know how that works because I don't have a boyfriend."
"Oh, I know I can count on my baby cousin", Lu Ten cooed, patting Azula on the head. Something snapped from Zuko's direction but they both ignored it.
"Oh…" Ursa looked stunned, eyes darting between his son, who was getting a replacement chopsticks and Mai whom she herself knew so little about. Ursa was actually hoping to set Zuko up with Ty Lee, or the likes of her. Ursa found Ty Lee's perkiness endearing and was hoping it could neutralize Zuko's gloominess. Zuko and Mai… Ursa dreaded thinking about their offspring. Her mind pictured a blob of dark gloomy cloud with limbs.
Azula quite enjoyed the next part where Illah and Ursa grilled Zuko with it. Lu Ten rubbing his foot on hers made it difficult to concentrate on it though. Azula was still not quite ready to let Lu Ten off the hook yet, so she stomped her heel down onLu Ten's foot. The table jumped and Lu Ten tried his best to keep his straight face although he had accidentally burst the food in his mouth and now the icky spillage had marred the dishes in front of them.
"Oh, is that your foot, Cousin", Azula asked without caring whatsoever. "I'm sorry, I thought it was a rat", extra goody sharpness on the word 'rat'. "So, I stomped on it."
Lu Ten, through his neutral face, squeaked. "That's alright, baby cousin. Nice heel by the way. New boots?"
"Well, you should know", Azula smirked, sipping from her cup. "You bought these for me for my last birthday."
"Ah, yes", Lu ten cleared his throat, his voice came back. "Custom made, light leather and silk, with hidden pouch on the side for knives."
"Knives?" Azula arched a brow, ignoring the servants who came to clean their table and replaced their contaminated food. "I keep gold pieces as emergency money in there", Fire Nation gold pieces are rectangular in shape.
"Oh, good thinking", Lu Ten patted her head again and Azula smirked wider. "So, Zuko, you've been dating, huh? You dog!"
"Prince Lu Ten", Illah chided. "There is no need for such vulgarity."
"I am so sorry, Grandmother", the Prince bowed politely but exchanged hidden smirk with Azula. "I am merely curious as to how my little cousin can woo such charming young lady", he turned to the other girl at his left.
"No, Lu Ten, the other one", Azula said before popping a piece of tofu into her mouth.
"Oh?" Lu Ten craned his neck and peered past Ty Lee. "Oh! Oh… never mind."
"Lu Ten, be polite!" Ursa chided him now.
"Anyway", Illah started; pretty much the whole table noticed the lack of vigor in her usual steely tone. "Now that Prince Zuko has taken a further step to ensure our great-grandchildren", the Lady warmly smiled and grabbed her husband's hand; Ozai nearly spat his drink, Ursa mentally winced, Iroh had a bad feeling while among the younger generation, Zuko turned dangerously red and snapped another pair of chopsticks, Azula had to bite the inside of her mouth to prevent herself from laughing, Ty Lee choked on her rice, but Mai kept her mask perfectly still.
Lu Ten's mouth hung open.
"What about you, Lu Ten?" Illah turned to his eldest grandson. "You are of age."
"A thousand six hundred something? *gasp* No", Azula muttered sarcastically to her cup. Lu Ten nudged her foot sharply.
"I am not…" Lu Ten cleared his throat. "…quite ready yet. Don't you think so, Azula?" he rarely used her name.
"Oh, no. I agree with Fire Lady completely", she set down her cup and shifted a little towards Lu Ten. Placing a hand on the boy's shoulder, she spoke with such heartfelt affection. "Dear Cousin Lu Ten, surely someone of your age need a lady in your life. Being an heir apparent and busy as you are helping our esteemed grandfather must take such a toll on you", she sighed dramatically, but not too much. "You need someone to fill that gaping hole in your soul—"
"My soul is not gaping!"
"—give some color to your drab life—"
"Excuse me!"
"—and perhaps, if that's okay with our elders, warm your…bed?"
"…Now, wait a second. This dating thing is starting to sound rather fascinating. Tell me more."
"Well—"
"Princess Azula, that is quite enough!" Illah snapped suddenly; her usual fierce glare returned. Azula smirked and acquiesced gracefully. Illah had a nagging feeling she was being played.
The rest of the dinner went boringly. Zuko had clamped his jaw shut under Illah's and Ursa's grilling while glaring at his pudding with such intensity while the men talked of war among themselves. Mai and Ty Lee were talking between themselves with Lu Ten joining them every now and then. Azula just sat there devouring cakes after cakes.
"Are you alright, baby cousin?" Lu Ten turned to her and asked the Princess who was in the middle of drowning her cherry into a bowl of dipping honey.
"Why are you asking?" Azula replied gruffly, running her sticky cherry on a saucer of powdered chili with a fork and popping it into her mouth.
"That's nasty", Lu Ten commented. "And that's…" he pointed at the half-eaten slice of cheesecake in front of her. "…is your fifth slice of cake. You eat when you upset."
"I don't do that", Azula scowled. "And why would you care anyway? Dumb-dumb…" she grumbled.
Lu Ten simply scoffed and poked her side a bit, making Azula jolt. "You'll get fat."
"Boys won't want to date me if I'm fat", Azula said with her whiny voice, looking all innocent as she ate more cake.
"Servants! Ten more slices of prime sweet cake for the Princess!"
-B-L-O-O-D-
"Look, Lu Ten, you're still suspicious? I get it. You want to stay in my room tonight? Fine, go ahead. You want to actually set a tent here? Be my guest. But, by the power vested in me by the blood of my royal ancestors, I, Princess Azula, daughter of Ozai and Ursa, forbid you to MAKE A CAMPFIRE IN MY ROOM!"
Lu Ten stopped rubbing the two pieces of wood together. Azula exhaled sharply and drew an invisible curtain over her face. Sighing, she said with such grace and quaintness befitting a Princess. "Do you understand that?"
"Sugar makes you cranky", Lu Ten grumbled, throwing the pieces of wood away. Yawning, he crawled into the sleeping bag he had set up on the floor by Azula's bed.
"You're not sleeping in the tent?" Azula glared at the big red monstrosity that Lu Ten had set in her room.
"No", Lu Ten lay down and squirmed. "I never said I'd sleep in it. It's ugly."
"It has… horns", Azula put the back of her hands on her head with her index fingers pointing out, mimicking a pair of horns. "Are you sure you built it right?"
"Psh! Like you don't know me. Of course I'm not sure", Lu Ten scoffed. Azula let out a giggle involuntarily and quickly clamped her mouth shut. "Aha! I made you laugh!"
"You did not", Azula denied tersely, crossing her arms and pouting childishly.
"Ah, Lu Ten knows what Lu Ten knows", the Prince smirked triumphantly, netting his fingers below his head. "So, we haven't catch up in awhile. What's up with you lately?"
"The usual", Azula replied dully, slipping into her blanket and dropping onto her pillow. Lying on her back with her fingers netted on her stomach. "I tricked Zuko into opening a trapped treasure chest in our last mission."
"Atta girl", Lu ten raised his fist and Azula bumped it with her own. "You don't have a boyfriend, right?"
"No", Azula said neutrally, ignoring the tiny tug of guilt in her stomach. "You?"
"No, I don't have a boyfriend", Lu Ten yawned.
Azula rolled around to her side and dangled her arm down, her finger poking her cousin's forehead. "Dumb-dumb."
"Can I sleep in your bed? Your floor doesn't like me", Lu Ten asked.
"Nope", Azula replied quickly.
"Your bed's huge", Lu Ten grumbled. "You can sleep on one side and I can sleep on the other."
"Nope", Azula repeated.
"You've changed", Lu Ten lamented, having his nose poked by Azula. "Remember when you were a kid? Sometimes you and Zuko slept in my bed. You always want to sleep in the middle so you can hug someone wherever you turn. You're a hugger."
"I'm not a hugger", Azula denied grumpily. "And I'm not a kid anymore."
Lu Ten simply scoffed. Sitting up, he turned to Azula. "Come here", he spread his arms wide.
Azula hesitated for a second but childhood habit kicked in as she flung herself into the warm embrace of her big cousin.
"No boyfriend, okay?" Lu Ten said, stroking the girl's head gently.
"What if I do have one?" Azula asked before she could stop herself.
"Well, I'll beat him up or something; you know, to make sure he'll be good to you", Lu Ten smiled and let go. He put his hands on the sides of Azula's face, pushing her bangs off her face. "Give Lu Ten a goodnight kiss?"
Azula felt the corner of her mouth twitched. She leaned forward and pecked the boy on the cheek. Lu Ten kissed her audibly on the forehead. "Night."
"Night", Azula said, smiling earnestly. She plopped back onto her pillow and suddenly felt lighter. Happier.
After a few seconds, Lu Ten spoke again. "Seriously, can I—"
"Nope."
"Okay", Lu Ten sighed. Half a minute later, he spoke again. "Azula, you're not gay, are you?"
"Lu Ten, I have something I want to show you."
"What?"
"Republic City's lightningbending."
"I'm sorry, Republic City wha—AAARRGGHHH!"
