Fire Benders rise with the sun but Azula is ducking the sun more and more.

"Father would be proud I think." The Fire Lord's voice intones from her bedside.

Raising her head, she pushes the hair out of her face and glares at him.

"I regret ever giving you a key to my rooms." He's the only one she trusts with it and not even the household staff has one.

"I'm not giving it back." Zuko glares at her from the chair.

Azula stretches and rolls over in bed. "Honestly, Zuzu, if you are going to spend so much time in a woman's bedroom, it certainly shouldn't be your sister's."

"Better me than someone else." There is something in his tone that sparks a memory for her.

"Who were you looking for?" She sits up wincing at the throbbing in her head.

Zuko scowls. "According to the guards, Aang entered but never left."

She laughs. "Your search for the Avatar continues." Throwing off the covers she moves to the edge of the bed and stares at him. "You've already regained your honor, Zuzu."

He ignores the mocking and looks around. "Where is he then?"

Azula stretches again. "I assure you I am not hiding him."

"They said he never left."

Azula tilts her head at him in that way she does when she thinks he's being dense. "He's an Air Bender. Did you ever think that maybe he decided to leave another way?"

Zuko follows her eyes to the balcony. "Why would he do that?"

Azula shrugs. "Who am I to speak for the Avatar?" They fall silent as they stare each other down. "Although…" Zuko braces himself for whatever it is that she is about to say. It's never a good thing. "He was rather drunk last night. You might want to search the palace grounds to be sure he didn't fall. It would be a pity to have to search among the Water Tribe peasants for the next Avatar."

Azula taints everything she touches.

"He had a glass of wine at dinner last night."

She smiles. "We polished off a bottle of Father's special reserve last night."

Zuko raises his eyebrows at that. "You got Aang drunk?" There is disbelief in his voice..as well as reproach.

Azula scoffs. "He's a grown man." Something about the way she says it brings that sinking feeling back in his stomach. "Don't look at me like that, Zuzu. I'm sure you made good time with Katara after we left."

He scowls. "What are you talking about?"

It's true. Mai left soon after Aang and Azula did leaving Katara and him all alone. They were able to talk and laugh without significant others around.

Azula can read people easily. "You're welcome."

She pushes off the bed and is on the move. He watches as she pulls clothes out of the closet and shoes.

When she disappears behind her dressing screen to change he asks, "What did you and Aang do last night?"

"Got drunk and talked about the war. What did you and Katara do?"

Zuko laughs. "Got drunk and talked about the war."

Azula steps out with a gleam in her eye. "Funny how things work out that way, brother."

The Fire Lord considers the look in his sister's eye and what it could mean.

oooooo

Katara finds him on the training grounds.

"There you are." There is a gentle reprimand in her voice but she wears a smile.

Aang turns at the sound of her voice. "Hi."

He's not in the mood to talk so he goes back to what he was doing. Blue flames are elusive this morning. Either he needs to be drunk or he needs Azula around to do it. Neither of those thoughts is comforting.

Behind him, he hears her soft footsteps as she moves around. He shuts her out and tries to focus on the feeling of the cool chi from last night.

"You never returned last night. I was a bit worried." Her soft voice breaks into his thoughts.

He doesn't turn around. "I took Azula back to her room and worked on my Fire Bending."

Aang is becoming frustrated as the chi is just not flowing right. The hangover does not help.

He isn't paying attention to his words until Katara clarifies. "You trained with Azula last night?"

He freezes but doesn't look at her. "Yes." It's useless to deny it so he deflects. "Did you and Zuko have a good time?"

"Mai went to bed not long after Azula and you left. We stayed up late talking." Aang doesn't see the small smile playing on Katara's lips at the memories of the night before. She falls silent as she watches.

oooooo

Azula isn't exactly snippy but she doesn't have patience for Zuko today. He's needling her about this or that, mostly about Aang, and it's wearing on her frayed hung-over nerves.

The siblings make their way to the training grounds. They both need to burn off some frustration and she hasn't kicked Zuko around for awhile. It's something that is long overdue. He may be the Fire Lord but she is still the better bender.

ooooooooooo

There is something about her that Aang can sense and he turns to see her and Zuko slowly making their way towards them. Her golden eyes meet with his and something about it clicks.

Blue flames shoot into the air and he can't help the smile that breaks out on his face.

Katara is astonished too. "How did you do that?"

Zuko sees it as well and glares at his sister like it's her fault. She ignores him and continues walking.

"Very good." Azula remarks as she draws near. The Fire Lord is close behind.

Aang turns at the sound of her voice, eyes bright and happy. "It wasn't as easy as it seemed last night." He admits quietly.

"You just need practice." She smiles at him. "Amazing what having a good teacher can do for you."

Zuko stops closer to Katara and glares at his sister again. "You try dealing with a twelve year old with the attention span of a fire ferret."

Azula smirks. "Perhaps you just weren't able to motivate him properly." She begins to remove her outer robe, revealing the tight dress underneath. With a slight tilt of her head, she looks at Zuko. "Don't think you're getting out of this, Fire Lord."

With a grimace at Katara, Zuko begins to remove his own robes as he follows Azula to the other section of the training grounds. She is intent on a match with him this morning and he could do with letting off some of the excess energy he feels as well. He tries to ignore the feel of Katara's eyes on him as he squares off with his sister.

"Don't make a fool of yourself while the peasant watches, Zuko." Azula hisses a warning to him.

It has the desired effect and he lashes out at her with a wave of fire.

Her laughter fills the air as she easily dodges but she doesn't counter. Instead, she lets him pursue her across the ground as she avoids and evades the onslaught of his attacks.

Zuko realizes belatedly she is toying with him but before he can adjust, she strikes with a solid blast right at his chest. He blocks with a wall of fire which she breaks quickly before pouncing on him with a series of highly aggressive attacks that drive him backward.

Aang and Katara watch the siblings as they tear a swath through the training grounds. Zuko is becoming frustrated and Azula is doing everything she can to push him over the edge.

"Should we do something?" Katara asks without taking her eyes off the scene in front of them. Worry is heavy in her voice.

Aang shakes his head. "Zuko can take care of himself. I don't think she's trying to hurt him."

They both watch as the Fire Lord is knocked to the ground hard and the Princess stands over him, blue flames dancing at her fingertips.

Katara starts to move forward to intervene but Aang stops her. He shakes his head again at her glare. "Zuko's fine."

Zuko is and as Azula draws closer he catches her off guard with a sweeping kick, knocking her to the ground as well. From there a scuffle ensues.

Azula may be smaller than him but she puts up a good fight. She strikes hard but not hard enough to cause serious damage. Zuko works at trying to restrain her and get a lock. Azula beats him to it and the Fire Lord finds her arms around his throat as she tightens a choke hold on him.

"Yield" she demands in his ear from behind him.

Aang begins to question if Azula would hurt him when Zuko's face begins to darken.

"Let him go." Katara shouts as she slips around him.

Azula sees her coming but only tightens her hold on Zuko.

"You better yield quickly before she gets herself hurt trying to save you, Brother." Her voice is low and meant only for him.

He sees Katara's hands move to her water skin and knowing that nothing good can come from it, he taps and Azula immediately lets go.

Zuko draws in grateful lungfuls of air as he feels the blood begin flowing back to his head. Azula for her part easily rolls away from him to her feet.

Katara drops to her knees, hands on his shoulder eyeing him with concern

"Zuko, you need to work on your hand to hand combat." Azula taunts as she dusts herself off. "Apparently, wrestling with Mai isn't cutting it." There are layered meanings in her words.

Katara and Zuko give her matching glares.

Azula smirks as she walks away, eyeing the only other person there.

"Feel better?"

Azula sees the amusement in Aang's eyes.

"Much." She summons one of the nearby servants with a snap of her finger. "Have you had breakfast?"

Aang looks to Katara and Zuko. The Water Bender is still fussing over him. The Fire Lord seems to be enjoying the attention.

"No."

Azula smiles but doesn't' look away as she speaks to the servant beside her. "Breakfast for four. Be sure the Avatar's is vegetarian and make it quick."

The servant bows and disappears.

"I didn't realize you knew I was a vegetarian."

"Know thy enemy." Azula replies easily as she takes a seat at the nearby table and turns her attention back to her brother.

Aang sits besides her watching the same scene of Zuko and Katara talking and laughing.

oooooo

Breakfast is served and Azula takes her time observing the interplay between her dining companions. The furtive glances and sly smiles add up creating a sort of lingering tension around the table. When the Fire Lord and Avatar are called away to a meeting it gives her the opportunity to focus on the Water Bender.

Icy blue eyes meet blazing gold ones.

"You love the Fire Lord." Azula goes right for the kill.

"Zuko is my friend," is the cold reply.

"A friend you love as more than a friend." Azula corrects. Katara doesn't reply but does stare her down. "It's charming really watching the two of you dance around one another." Katara doesn't rise to Azula's challenge and instead focuses on her food. "Mai won't be around much longer."

The announcement draws her attention again. "Your doing I'm sure." Katara snaps.

Azula gives a thoughtful hum. "Mai would sooner kill me then let me have any influence in her life." It's true really and many times when she was arguing with Zuko about this or that she thoroughly expected to feel the sharp end of a dagger in her back. "Actually, it would be Zuko's doing."

The Water Bender meets her eyes again and Azula can see a hint of curiosity in her eyes. "What makes you say that?"

Azula smiles. "Because, peasant, Zuko is in love with you as well." The look in Katara's eyes shows hope and suspicion so Azula explains patiently. "I'm his sister and we have grown quite close ever since my pardon. Zuko and I speak at length about his life."

"He also says you lie." There is a sharp accusation in her voice.

"And he is correct but I never lie unless it serves my purpose and there is no purpose behind encouraging a romance between the Fire Lord and you." Disdain drips from the word 'you'.

Katara ignores the implication in the woman's words. "I love Aang."

Azula arches an eyebrow at her. "I never said you didn't but understand that you can love two men at the same time."

Katara smirks at her. "What do you know of love, Azula?"

The Princess's face grows serious. "While it is true that I have not paid much attention to romantic relationships that does not mean that I am ignorant of love. I just happen to consider it a waste of my time but Zuko is a romantic at heart and I do pay attention to what makes the Fire Lord happy. In this case that happens to be you and you would do well to appreciate what an honor that is to capture the heart of a man in his position."

Blue eyes blink at her in confusion. "You want him to be happy…why? For all I have seen you seem to hate him."

Azula's carefully schooled features break in surprise. "Hate? I adore Zuko." As she says it she considers the truth in her words. "You must forget the past and what happened during the war. I certainly don't hold your actions against you."

Katara scowls at her benevolence. "You have a funny way of showing adoration."

Azula shrugs as she stands. "Ask Zuko yourself what I've done for him lately and you will see that I'm not the enemy you would have me be. The Fire Lord can't rule well if he isn't happy in his personal life and it is up to me to ensure he has a long and happy rule."

Katara stares after the Princess' retreating back as she contemplates the meaning in her words.