Well, here we are again. Sorry it has been such a long time, I am busy and lazy, which is honestly kind of a bad combination. Still here is the next chapter. Dunno when you will get the next. Enjoy!

Fire Nation Fun Fact:
Dragons do not die by natural causes, instead they leave their body behind and live fully in the spiritual world. In rare cases some Firebenders managed the same feat, but the corner that is reserved for dead souls remains inaccessible for the living. It is said that part of the spiritual world can be seen in the Night-Sky, were the most honorable of dead dragons are given a place among the stars, to keep the moon and it's demon of the great deep sea in check. Even tough most people think this superstition, they can't deny that Firebenders feel a certain kinship towards the stars, as if they were distant cousins, burning with a similar flame.

The ninth chapter, in which Ty Lee is buried, Azula gets a letter and Mai plans her redemption.

Ming hurried through the dark corridors, only the little flame in her hand lighting her way. The dungeon was devoid of life at this time of the night. She had poisoned the wardens meal the day before. He should be sleeping tightly right now.

It was a real risk to go through the plan now, but the Fire Lord would thank her in the end. She Wasn't really in her right mind and in that state very dangerous to those she considered her enemies. To ensure, that she wouldn't do something she regretted later, Ming took it upon herself to execute the plan.

Slowly she opened the iron door to the last cell on the lowest level with the key she took from the guard. The air was dry down here and no moss grew on the walls. It was designed with the purpose to keep Waterbenders in check and had only been broken out of after Hama the cruel discovered Bloodbending.

Katara sat on one end of the cell, blinking heavily as the light hurt her eyes and she looked up confused unto Ming's face.

"What the hell?", she muttered sleepily, slowly standing up as far as her heavy chains allowed it.

"No time to explain", hissed Ming. "We need to go, now!"

"Ming, what?". Ming let tears dwell up in her eyes and she closed the distance between them enveloping Katara in a fierce hug. "Please, you must flee!", she hissed again. "I can't let you die."

Katara looked confused and awkwardly hugged back. "But you said that Azula wouldn't kill me", she said. "It wouldn't make sense for her to kill me now."

"I fear the Fire Lord isn't in her right mind", whispered Ming. "Oh Katara", she buried her face in the Waterbender's shoulder. "They killed the Lady Ty Lee. The Fire Lord is in despair and not in her right mind. She will kill you, out of misguided revenge if nothing else."

Katara's eyes widened. "She is dead? That is... I never wanted..."

She stopped and looked up. "I can help, if it's healing and peace of mind Azula needs."

"You are truly a good person", whispered Ming. "You even offer to help your enemy in her darkest hour?"

"I can't just not help:"

Ming shook her head. "But it is not peace the Fire Lord wants. It is vengeance and I fear it will be bloody. Flee Katara, save your life before my league decides to steal what is most precious to the Avatar in return."

Katara stood up. "I trust your judgment. Still it hurts me if someone is in pain and I can't help. I will help. Lead me to the Fire Lord, so that I may plead for the innocent people she would hurt in her rage."

Ming's face fell and she to her knees. "Please Katara, I don't want to lose you. You cannot stand against the Fire Lord, not in this state."

"I faced her before and I will not fight this time. I cannot however, flee and let her anger turn towards my people, which it would do, if I fled on the day of her despair. Believe me, I know humans and as much as she wants to deny it, she remains all to human."

Ming shook her head. "You are just... Fine I will take you to her. But remember that we will both lose our heads should she decide that your argument isn't worth hearing. But it will have to wait. The Lady's funeral is now, that's why I wanted you to sneak out now, that she's distracted."

Katara shook her head. "I will wait. If I have to die for the southern Water Tribe I shall do so gladly and if I can appeal to the Fire Lord's black heart maybe I can save more people."

Ming gave her a strange look. "The Fire Lord's heart was just broken into pieces. You really shouldn't hope to much for her mercy."

Katara smiled. "And still, I will hope. For nobody deserves a heart without love."

Again Azula stood in front of the Altar of the dragons, on the plaza of Iroh's temple. Again a crowd had gathered, held back by lines and lines of imperial Firebenders and soldiers of the seventh Legion, in orderly formation and in ceremonial armor.

Behind Azula the High Priest, dressed in his golden formal robes and holding the staff of his position for the first time in official function. Even if it was a terrible moment.

The altar had been turned into a funeral pyre, big stacks of wood had been built around it, with a grand and decorated red cloth lain above it. Around the altar stood Ty Lee's sisters and her mother, with unlit torches in hand. Some of them were openly crying and some of them had steeled their faces into a grimace of pain and anguish.

They were dressed in white, the colour of mourning, as was Azula herself, who wore a simple white robe, without any decorations or embroidery. Her hair was now short, ending just below her ears and her face was a cold mask, without any emotion on it. She wasn't wearing her crown, what remained of her hair remained open and was shining in the firelight. Her little dragon was curled around her ankles, making soft cooing noises at Azula, which she ignored as she stepped forward towards the pyre.

On the cloth were weapons, broken weapons, spears, shields, swords and bows stapled around the cloth, so that a spot remained free in the middle. These were the weapons of Ty Lee's defeated enemies, stapled upon her funeral pyre to honor her. The belief was, that the broken spirits of the fallen warriors, who had been executed by Azula in her rage after Ty Lee's death would guard her soul on it's way to the great dragons, as a procession of honor.

The temple doors opened and Ty lees father stepped out, holding his daughters body, wrapped up in white silk in his arms. Slowly he stepped up to the pyre and gently laid her down in the spot in the middle. Then he joined his wife and daughters in the circle around the pyre.

Azula stepped forward and slowly unwrapped the silk, freeing Ty Lee's pale face. Her eyes were closed, her skin without blemish and only her deadly paleness told of her death. Ty Lee's mother choked back a sob.

"We are born from flame!", Azula spoke solemnly and her voice carried over the plaza, reaching the people, the soldiers and their hearts, because her voice sounded defeated, sad and on the verge of breaking.

Still she spoke further: "And to flame we return in the end."

A small blue flame sparked from her finger. "We are the children of dragons."

Slowly she lit each of the torches that were carried by the family with her blue fire. In some eyes she saw nothing but sadness, in others hatred and the eyes of Ty Lee's mother seemed to stare into her soul, both knowing what the other went through.

"You were my flame, Ty Lee and without you the world got much colder and darker."

The family stepped forward as one and lit the pyre, the oils soaked cloth and wood burning fast and high in the terrible heath of Azula's divine flame. While they all shied back from the intense heath Azula remained directly next to her dead lover, caressing her face even through the flames. The dragon climbed up her shoulder and reared it's head back, breathing a flame of many colours into the sky and on the pyre, that lit up even brighter in all the colours of the rainbow, carrying the soul of Ty Lee into the heavens.

"You once told me that even I would know love. I scoffed at you and only know do I realize that I truly loved you Ty Lee. Goodbye, my heart, my soul and my flame. Half of all that is me goes with you."

As one the soldiers and Firebenders took a knee and raised their blades or fists to the heavens, as the smoke rose slowly over the dawning city and Azula knew, though her heart and soul hurt like never before, that she had an empire to run and a war to win. Just this little moment of sadness was hers and hers alone. She stroked the head of her little dragon.

"I considered naming you after hatred", she said slowly. "I considered naming you after vengeance. But I think I would name you after Love, my little dragon. Your name shall be "Ai"and you will represent love as she once did."

The beast cooed at her and puffed out a bit of smoke. And they both watched the pyre burn to the ground and take all that remained of Ty Lee with it, until nothing but embers remained and her ashes were buried in Azula's own niche, deep down in the dragonbone-catacombs.

And next to her urn, there would be flowers mad of pink glass and fresh flowers, placed by Azula every time she could. Long after Azula's reign there would be stories told about the love between the Fire Lord and the assassin Ty lee.

Exaggerated stories for sure but as is known, the Fire Nation loves it's tragedies and the love of Azula and Ty Lee was a tragedy indeed. And nothing is known if the lovers were reunited in the great beyond for only the great dragons know the secrets of death and they do not share them with the living.

Katara and Ming had been silently observing the ceremony from within the crowd, with tears in their eyes. "The dragon", whispered Katara, "How did she..."

"Some say it is a blessing", answered Ming. "A sign that she is right. Others think that it was the price for Ty Lee's sacrifice, that to gain one must give another thing up. But there is no doubt, that she is now blessed."

"When the spirits have blessed her, maybe there is no need for the war any longer."

Ming shook her head. "She despises your Avatar. Now more than ever, she can't have peace with him."

"Maybe if the Avatar agrees to keep out of all political matters and only concerns himself with spiritual matters.. We could form a treaty..." Katara trailed of as a shadow fell over both of them. They were sitting at the edge of the dispersing crowd, hiding in the shadows of one of the still burned down buildings, around the plaza, that hadn't been repaired after the Agni Kai.

They were well hidden from the searching eyes of the crowd, especially when everyone was concentrated on the funeral. They were however not hidden from the excellent senses of the dragon, who was now standing before them, mustering Katara intensely, with a confused expression, as of he couldn't figure out what was wrong with her.

The little dragon was impressive from up close, he had almost doubled in size since Azula stepped down from the temple and it's forked tongue was flickering hectic, as he began sniffing Katara, who dared not to move.

"He is a spirit and can feel the Water and the Moon in your soul. He has never seen a Waterbender before and doesn't really know what to make of you", Azula's voice was cold and hard, even if her tone was almost pleasant. Her golden eyes settled on Ming, who stammered something incomprehensible. She was well aware that she didn't follow the plan, but Ming, who was a mediocre Bender at best wouldn't be able to force Katara to do anything.

If Azula was surprised she didn't show it, instead she seemed to forge a new plan from nothing. "I distinctly recall giving you orders to kill her, not to bring her before me", she said to Ming. "Or is there something going on here that I am not aware of?"

Even though Ming knew this to be an act she couldn't help but fidget under her Fire Lord's burning gaze. She kneeled before her Lord. "Your grace, I..."

"Silence", said Azula very quietly with her hand raised. "Your punishment will be decided later."

She turned her gaze unto Katara, who stood tall and proud, her head held high..

"You will have to go through me to get her."

"Interesting", Azula muttered. "How could you have inspired such loyalty from such a powerful Waterbender, Ming?"

"Because she is a decent human being", spit Katara. "Maybe you should try it sometimes."

The dragon hissed at her, snarling angrily at the insult to it's master, but Azula calmed him with a pat on the head. Then her eyes widened as Ming let out a terrified whining noise and she bowed her head a little.

"I'm sorry Azula, but I came her to negotiate for the lifes of my people. Please don't go down the path of revenge, as I tried to. You will not feel better in the end.."

"First you insult me and now you beg?" With a fast step she was right in Katara's face, her golden eyes blazing and locking with Katara's own blue ones.

"I could take the Avatar's lover as his slaves took mine from me." She raised her hand and gently touched Katara's face. "It would be so easy to make him feel the same despair. I would find your little village at the South pole, skin every living thing I find and have them made into a big tapestry depicting my vengeance. I could have your arms torn off and your body and spirit raped over and over again, like the Avatar did to my father. I could simply strike you down where you stand and send the Avatar your head as a lovely little message."

She backed up.

"But no. I won't kill you here. Not at Ty Lee's funeral." She sighed. "Just begone. Tell your Avatar that I would agree to Negotiations over a ceasefire to mourn the dead on neutral ground."

Her gaze flicked over to Ming. "You go with her! If the Earth King and the Northern tribe agree to Negotiations you can help with the preparations on their site and fulfill your functions as my, diplomat."

The way she worded that last phrase sent shivers down Ming's spine. Azula and she had thoroughly discussed what she meant with diplomat and it was a very dangerous game to pass her off as an agent of the Fire Lord instead of an refugee. But Katara had blown the initial plan with her stupid plan of pleading to Azula. Ming knew, if she hadn't been looking at the bigger picture, than Katara would have been dead right now. There was no mercy left in Azula's heart and only the possibility of getting to the Avatar had stopped her.

Ming's own role had become much more dangerous because of this slip of control.

"Azula", Katara said. "I know you're alone now, but if we truly can make peace..."

Azula waved her hand to interrupt her. "Just go! I don't want to hear your preaching. Deliver the message to your Avatar."

She turned around, the still hissing dragon leading the way, but hesitated for just a moment to lock eyes with Ming. "Don't fail me again", she said coldly, before leaving.

Ming just stood there for a second, before falling to her knees and breaking out in tears, Katara's comforting hand on her shoulders.

Mai didn't like children. They were loud, cheerful and dirty, always demanding attention or gifts and not dignified and intelligent enough to understand how much everyone hated them. They were terrible little sociopaths, only interested in themselves and lacking anything comparable to manners or tact. They were also annoyingly perceptive.

And so it was no wonder that the little Bastard that Ursa had produced out of wedlock was constantly pestering Mai while she was recovering. Finding Ursa had been a stroke of luck and Mai was constantly plotting how to get her back to the Fire Nation. Delivering Azula someone she hated as much as she did her mother, would surely put Mai back into the Fire Lord's good graces.

Mai's constant plotting however hadn't gone unnoticed and when the little Bastard. Kiyi wasn't annoying her with questions she had to dodge the suspicious looks from Ursa's new husband Noren.

Somehow he seemed suspicious, as if he knew something. Well if she had a wife with Amnesia she would have tried to find something about her past to. Did he know who she was? Did he keep it from her? Or maybe he was the reason she forgot everything.

Mai didn't trust him.

With a grunt she threw three knifes, each hitting the apples she used as targets perfectly.

"Your'e skilled", came a deep voice from behind her. "I know that technique, but haven't seen it since..."

"Noren", she said slowly. "Is "Noriko" not around?" She spoke his Wife's name deliberate as if she was doubting it and there was the shadow of a flinch on his face. "No", he said with a dark look. "She is cooking with Kiyi."

"Is that so", said Mai, slowly walking a circle around him, while he kept the pace. "You said that you recognized my style. I would be interested in knowing, where you have seen it before?"

"Let us stop pretending", he said. "I know a Fire Nation assassin when I see one. Your elegance is unmatched. I knew from the moment you were strong enough to walk again. Why are you here?"

Mai smiled slightly. "Do you really think you are in a position to make demands?", she asked.

Slowly he drew a broadsword, like it was used commonly in the Earth Kingdom.

"You are a noble", he almost sppat. "Your mask, that arrogance. No wonder I felt there was something wrong with you."

"And you are definitely not", said Mai. "You lack the elegance, the grace. And you are also stupid enough to be alone with someone you suspect to be an assassin of the Fire Lord."

She halted, turning her emotionless face towards him.

"Why would you think an imperial assassin would be interested in a simple farmer's wife? Why do you think "Noriko" is important? And your daughter?"

This reminder of his daughter had him steaming.

Mai spoke more.. "Did you perhaps, know who she was before her amnesia? Did you find her after all was done and took her, a chance for you to have someone dependent on you? Did you find joy in her body, that she willingly offered to you, knowing it would normally be so far out of your reach it wouldn't even be funny? Did you like fucking her, knowing who she really belonged too?"

"She never belonged to Ozai", he screamed. "And watch what you say about my wife."

"So you do know who she was", Mai said. "Thank you for confirming it. The question is who you are. You look Earth Kingdom but you speak as if you knew her as Fire Lady Ursa."

He seemed to calm himself. "I did know her before", he said. "I watched her be touched by that disgusting prince, knowing there was nothing I could do. So I became someone else and the spirits gave me a new identity and through a miracle I found her again." He raised his blade. "You won't take that away from me."

Mai giggled without humor. "Fool. Dealing with spirits is never without consequences. However you can lower your sword. I am not here to kill the Lady Ursa, despite her crimes."

"What crimes?", he barked. "She has nothing to apologize for escaping from you disgusting nobles."

"No?", said Mai. "Killing Fire Lord Azulon and leaving her children alone with Ozai qualifies in my eyes. Or are you happy about that? Like a Lionhawk, you kill the puppies of the old male to replace them with your own, when you take over a pride? Does Kiyi know that she is a princess? Or have you hid everything from them in your selfish delusions?"

With a scream he swung his sword at her, but before Mai could answer a soft voice went through the forest. "Daddy?"

He halted and Mai smiled in victory, when she saw Kiyi standing behind him, eyes wide and softly crying. It seemed she had heard the whole thing. In Kiyi's tiny hands there were flames burning bright through the cool evening air.

"It seems even tough she lacks the Dragon's blood, she cannot deny her heritage you have stolen from her. Fire Lord Azula will be interested."

"Azula", he said. "What about Ozai?"

"You really life on the edge of the world here. Ozai's been dethroned. His daughter took the throne and she will be very interested in her mother's whereabouts. I can tell her alone and she sends a legion to this spirits forsaken dump or you come all with me and we do this without much ceremony."

"What is going on?", asked Kiyi confused. "Why are you fighting?"

"It seems", said Noren slowly. "That we have a lead to your mother's history."

Mai raised an eyebrow. So that was how he wanted to play it? Lying to both of them until the last moment. Pathetic, but who was she to judge?

Kiyi, with her innocent childish mind smiled, not quiet grasping the tension in the air. "But that is great, was it you, lady Mai? Do you know who my mother was?"

She curtsied clumsily, something that was rather endearing, at least Ty Lee would have squealed over it. It was however wasted on Mai, who didn't change her stone cold expression.
"I have a hunch", Mai said quietly. "I will take you to someone who can confirm everything."

"Who?", she asked.

"My most dear friend", Mai whispered and a wistful smile appeared on her lips. "Let's go tell your mother. My friend will be overjoyed to see her still alive." Kiyi and Noren both missed the dark smile that appeared on her face after both of them had turned around.

Azula remained in the ruins of the plaza's building, slowly stroking her dragon.

Then she spoke: "You are fortunate that your letter arrived when it did.. Had it arrived later, I would have killed her. I have spared Katara out of respect for your mistress, you may tell her that I am open to negotiations, too, shinobi. And that I look forward to her gift and have sent one of my own."

The ghost materialized behind her, on her knees. "It was truly an honor to meet with you, Fire Lord. The Lady Toph does speak highly of your skills in battle. In would really like to test them myself."

Azula snorted. "You would lose, assassin. You would have lost before and now, with Ai at my side I am a far better Firebender than ever before."

"Forgive me, my Lord. It was just a thought", he said with his head bowed.

Azula waved his concerns away. "It is forgotten. I do respect your mistress's skills however. She is the most powerful Earthbender I have ever seen. I'm looking forward to get to know her better."

A dangerous smile appeared on Azula's lips. "I wonder if her little trick can be replicated with Firebending", she mused, but shook her head soon.

"It doesn't matter. Tell Toph, that I look forward to seeing her at the Negotiations. Her informations and her gift will go a long way towards peace. And if she is persecuted by the Lotus for walking the way she does..."

Azula grinned.

"...Tell her that there is always a place at my court for a powerful bender and loyal soul."

The shinobi stood up. "It will be done, Fire Lord."

Azula waited until he was truly gone and then she slumped down on the wall of the ruined building. A soft wind came up and caressed her cheeks, while her tears fell like little crystals on her face. A leaf from one of the trees on the plaza landed in her hair and she took it out and stared at it, thinking of Ty Lee, dancing under the leaves and her sweet smile.

"Peace huh?", she said and crushed the leaf in her hand. "Ridiculous."

That was kind of short wasn't it? Meh, but I felt like prolonging it would destroy the little bit of pacing I still manage to keep in this story. Next time we will have a reunion between old friends.