Title: A Net to
Catch the Wind
Author: Burning_Ice
Rating:
M
Summary: The whole Fire Nation is in a tizzy because the
most important birth of the century is about to take place. Of course
there is only one person the Fire Lord thinks is cut out to midwife
such an important delivery.
Beta: WinterhartZahneelCalina
Pairing:
Katara/Zuko, Azula/Hahn, Toph/Aang/Ty Lee, Suki/Sokka, ... Chapter
10: ..
..
…
Disclaimer: Avatar belongs to it's
creators, who, when we Zutarans are being polite, we call Bryke . . .
usually we are not polite.
. .
Ty Lee, Suki, and Toph sat in the shade of one of the large adobe buildings. The two ex Kyoshi warriors had pulled out their fans to combat the high noon sun, and Ty Lee had handed her left one to the little earth bender kindly. Toph fanned herself occasionally, but mostly, the fourteen year old amused herself by tossing the thing so it flipped in the air, and then catching it again. How she managed this without vision was a mystery to the acupressureist.
Aang had come out of the building shortly after Azula, and although he smiled and pivoted, putting on a show for the cheering crowd, they could see his face was pale, and his knees shook. Finally, he pushed by them, into the ally.
"Just, cover for me guys . . . I don't feel well."
Ty Lee would not have been surprised in the slightest if the poor guy was going to throw up around the corner. He looked a bit green around the gills.
"Do you need someone to hold your hair back, Twinkle Toes?" Toph asked, teasing him sweetly. She always had the ability to be silly and sincere at the same time, "Or I could . . ." she fanned herself dramatically, ". . . fan you."
"I'm okay." Aang blushed, "Just keep people away."
Ty Lee sighed, It reminded her of how she and Mai had first met. It was their first semester in the academy, and the hand to hand combat instructor was pushing them so hard that Mai had gotten sick. The acrobat, barely eight and just as springy as ever had helped her with her hair and oversized robes. Mai's parents didn't like her running around and getting sweaty and dirty, so the little girl had been quite out of shape.
"He's fine." Toph informed them after a few minutes, "He's just putting his head between his knees and breathing."
"Captain Suki?" Ayame, one of the Kyoshi Warriors that had come with them saluted. The girls had given up wearing the makeup, they sweat it off so quickly that it was too much of a waste, having to reapply it four or five times a day. Instead, they wore their green pleated under skirts, rolled up to the knee and their white undershirts along with their headdresses, and armor if they felt like it.
"At ease."
"We have nothing to report, there is no signs of sabotage."
"Thank you Ayame, keep your eyes open, I have a bad feeling."
"Of course." Ayame saluted again, then turned to trot back off to her post among the throngs of fire benders.
"Why is Aya reporting to you?" Ty Lee asked curiously, her voice was so hopeful that it sounded pathetic, even to her.
"No, Kisa hasn't resigned and decided to tour the world with you." Suki responded, fanning herself distractedly, "I saw someone suspicious last night, I'm having them watch for him . . . you wouldn't happen to know any fire benders that are also acrobats?"
"Oh, there are tons! The Fire Nation has three prominent circuses, my old one, the Circus of the Ten Torches is touring in the South right now, we should go!! It-"
"Focus, Ty Lee." Toph snapped.
"Well, you'll have to be more specific!" she defended, "Did he bend without moving or balanced on an ostrich horse? Did he bend dragons? Did he make his flames change colors? They all have their own talents."
"Okay, well," Suki held up her hands, "If you happen to see any 'old circus buddies', let me know immediately."
...
...
...
"It looks like she is in pain!" Zuko shielded his eyes from the glare of the sun and leaned far out over the edge of the railing.
"Serves her right." Sokka muttered, "You know, karma and all." They had taken a spot on one of the higher terraces where they had a good view of the proceedings, but were still close enough to Zuko's room to hear Katara if she woke up and called for them.
"The stone challenges us all in different ways." The Warrior Chief explained, "Pain is common, but nowhere near the only way. Our archives state that only Earth-born Avatars have been known to bear it without any ill feelings. It is a test of stubbornness; the ability to be unrelenting."
"What's the other test then?"
"A test of fearlessness."
They watched in silence as Azula passed the halfway point, she didn't even hesitate as she began the climb up the mountain side. Even from the distance that they stood at, they could see every muscle shaking, and her balance failing. Her lurching, unbalanced movements reminded Zuko of their Agni Ki during the comet.
"Most people would have given up by now." The chief reported, "If they even make it this far, they look up the mountain and give up. I remember my grandfather used to tell me stories of the tournaments of old. Usually there were less then ten people who made it to the top of the alter."
"FIRE LORD!!!"
The three of them turned to see Hahn huff and wheeze as he pulled himself the rest of the way up the ladder to their roof. Two Sun Warriors yelled after him not to disturb the clan leaders, but he ignored them. His cheeks were red from exertion, his chest gleaming with a thick, sticky coat of sweat. "Warrior Chief, Prince Soka-"
"It's 'Sokka'!"
Zuko wondered just how long and hard the man had run, Water Tribesmen were not known for endurance. It was too cold in the poles to run for long periods of time.
"-there's an assassin roaming around!!" Hahn continued as though he had not been corrected, "I think they're after Azula, I found them with this, but I don't know what the poison is." He produced the blowgun from where he tucked it into his belt and then handed it over. Once Zuko took it, the North Man bent forward, gagging and heaving, his hands bracing on his knees to hold himself at a ninety degree angle. The orange stone beneath him was quickly speckled brown with human sweat, and true to his gender, he hawked and spat out a mouthful of saliva.
Zuko pulled the dart from the chamber and sniffed the needle delicately, frowned, and handed it to Sokka. The South Man smelled it himself, shrugged, and passed it to the Warrior Chief.
"It's coated with yellowback cobra venom, it causes paralysis." The Chief classified, "We have them around here in the grassy spots along the beach, the Shaman makes an anti venom from the leaves of the sand trees."
"Why didn't you chase them down?!" Zuko asked, as the warrior recovered enough to stand upright.
"Your highness, I chased the rogue halfway around the Sun Temple!"
"Maybe you should spend more time chasing murderers and less time chasing girls." Sokka suggested sweetly.
"Maybe you should quit referring to Yue in passing like that. You're no miserable bachelor, you moved on and so did I!!"
"How dare you!! I still miss Yue every day!! You-"
"What did she look like then?" Zuko asked before the two tribesmen could melt into a fistfight.
"She was beautiful, long white hair and-"
"I meant the assassin." Zuko cut the lovesick sword master off.
"Umm, it was a man. Tall, long hair, pale skin, late twenties maybe?"
"Really!? A man?!" Zuko and Sokka looked at each other, surprised, "This reeks of the Sirens more than the White Lotus."
"Huh? What are those?" Hahn asked blankly.
"It's not the White Lotus," Sokka declared adamantly, "If they wanted to win the contest, they would have entered . . . . Jeong Jeong or Iroh would have stepped in, they wouldn't have sent an assassin to snipe the competition. That's not how we work! Anyway, Piandao would have mentioned it to me."
"Who is Piandao?"
"It could be an independent third party, maybe someone with a vendetta against the Princess? She has plenty of enemies."
"The Governer of the Western Islands is still angry about the dishonor she brought down on their house and his reassignment to such a rural area."
"Yes, but, his household wouldn't try to kill her, she is still the Princess, banished or not."
"At one point, Mai was ready to bring me to my father to be killed, her family is unpredictable." Zuko replied, "But, you're right, this is extreme, even for them."
"Who is Mai?" Hahn was becoming crosser and crosser at being left out of the banter. They could talk after Azula was safe!! "Fire Lord Zuko!! Someone wants your sister dead or paralyzed, and you're just sitting here!! I mean, we can ask him what order or family he belongs to after we've caught him!!" At the younger man's glare, he hurriedly added, ". . . with . . . um, all due respect, my Lord." Clearly he was a man of action and Fire Lord Zuko and Prince Sokka were men of thought.
"The best time to catch him is when he steps up to compete himself, all we can do though is guard him." The Warrior Chief rubbed his beard, "Normal laws don't apply here, the Masters are above the law."
"Alright, Sokka, you stay here with your sister, I'll go check on mine." Zuko turned back to Hahn, "Is there anything else you can tell me about him?"
"Umm, white robes with a sun on them, very flexible," Hahn shrugged, "He was about to attack your sister, I didn't stop to check his eye color or foot size!! He was headed away from Azula when I lost him, but, he could have looped around by now!!"
"Alright, we'll go down to the Master's Alter and check on her, then watch the others . . . we can take shifts."
"It takes less time than one would think, most can't carry the orb more than a few steps."
"Warrior chief, if you wouldn't mind passing along the description to your guards, if they find anyone with poisons, have them confiscate the stuff and bring them in for questioning." Zuko turned reluctantly to Hahn, obviously, he wanted to stay by his intended's side, not his sister's. "She's almost at the stairs."
...
...
...
Everyone was cheering, she could see their mouths moving, but the ambient sounds had faded to a dull, far off hum. Apparently she was doing well. She knew she would. Sangok had been following her, but she had lost track of him. All that she could do was focus on the gilded path in front of her, sweat pouring down her face and neck as the sun burnt the unscarred strips on her bare back.
It had melded into a tempo. The pain vibrated worse every time her foot touched the ground, but she just kept repeating the mantra of 'left step, go, right step, go' in her head, mimicking it with her legs. By now, her brain had resigned itself to the physical beating, and had begun releasing endorphins into her blood, giving her a feeling of euphoria to combat the persistent, rhythmic pain. It was like she was in a space of her own, the only thing that mattered was finishing the job. There was no way she was giving up after coming this far.
You're going first in the Tournament; Do you understand what that means? She asked herself as she walked, taking things one step at a time, It means that the Fire Lord is acknowledging your status as Princess of the Fire Nation by ranking you high in the queue. He is giving you back your identity. Most of the world thinks you're dead. They think that the scarred girl sauntering around in the tank top is just some girl who was in a fire bending accident. Once they see you on top, blue fire blazing, they'll remember that the royal family had two children!!
Bolts of pain shot up through her muscles, and she had to fight to control them. Her fingers and abs twitched almost uncontrollably as she moved, threatening to give out at any minute. It was like when she held a balance to suicide, her body was breaking down at it's most fundamental cellular levels. Her tissues and organs were coming apart at the seams, and all her old wounds and scars, places her body was weak, were threatening to tear open, new and fresh.
Then, suddenly, the ground beneath her changed angles, and she stumbled forward, flattening painfully on the stairs she hadn't even noticed. The masses must have hushed, waiting for her to drop the treasure, to let it go. Now, her body felt bruised and beaten, like she lacked even the strength to pull herself to her feet rather than all the way up the stairway. Numbly, she looked up, following the flight to the top . . . there must have been a thousand stairs!!
"Come on! You have this Azula!!" Sangok was suddenly standing beside her, though he didn't reach out to help her up as he usually would have. It was against the rules.
Again, she stared miserably up the stairs, it was so so so far and the pain was excruciating, it felt like she was holding on to raw lightning. Sweat tickled her nose, and she wished desperately to wipe it off, but, she didn't risk taking a twitching hand off the relic. Rolling on the sharp metal corners of the stairs so she could lay on her back, her eyes softly closed, she thought of her mother. It was not clear where the thoughts came from, it was like the sheer jarring of the electric pain was tearing apart the seams of her sewn away memories.
For the first time, she remembered the woman clearly.
At six, she was doing what six year olds did best, she was crying, sitting in the middle of the palace garden, her mother and her brother sitting together playing not far away. She had skinned her knees doing a tumble in the grass by landing on a rock. Somehow, she knew deep down that there was nothing accidental about the injury, she knew every rock in the area, she knew where it was safe to practice her handsprings and where it was not.
Almost grudgingly, she saw her mother rise and roll the scroll she had been reading the boy. She came over to her daughter and bent down, inspecting the wound.
"Sweetie, what do you do when you fall down?" the memory crooned.
Azula knew the answer but didn't want to say. She wanted her mommy to pick her up and take her to the infirmary and to leave stupid Zuzu to play all alone like she had had to all morning.
"We get back up!" Ursa explained, "Come on sweetie. Be a big girl." Her mother held out her hands.
The Princess blinked at the cloudless sky, then, sat up, staring at her knees, half expecting them to be bloody. They were whole and new, just a little dirty. Gritting her teeth, she decided that her mother was right. Again, determination bloomed in her chest, and hugging the orb to her torso, even though it felt as though the thing clamped down onto her very heartstrings and began sawing on them, popping them one by one. She used her free hand to turn herself over and crawl, lopsidedly upwards.
Hand, foot, press, hand foot press . . . She used her wrist to wipe her forehead off and was shocked to see streaky blood mixed with the sweat, she must have bled through her bandages due to the strain. In what was both a millennium and a millisecond, Azula noticed she was most of the way up, and, if she fell to either side or backwards, it meant her death. That was one of the last things she saw before her vision gave out, her eyes stinging from sweat and blood, and her sight blurring from her erratic breathing.
Then, her groping hand felt nothing but a flat expanse of rock. Heaving with her legs, she pushed her torso up onto the ledge and rolled over. That small move secured her position as a finalist in the competition, secured her title as Princess of the Fire Nation, and proving that she was still as dangerous as ever. Her knees barely supporting her, she pulled herself into a wobbly standing position.
Below her, the crowd erupted in cheering, and, in one last show of power, she swirled an arm around her, her unique blue flames erupting around her and dancing everywhere. Then, she shifted, separating her chi in a long practiced move that she was suddenly completely unable to emulate. No blue lightning cracked out from her fingers, instead, the blurry world exploded in front of her and threw her to the ground.
The mountains beneath her rumbled, and then became still. She felt someone pulling at the arm around the orb, and even through the pain, sprawled on her back, she refused to let it go. Lashing out at the assailant, she heard him yelp as her foot connected with his shin.
"Princess, you have won, we have to transport it back so the next person may go." It was one of the guards. He stood over her, peering down, a sack in his hands ready to move the orb with.
"Feel free to rest here until you can move." The other replied, clutching his leg, "If there are any approaching challengers, we will help you down, otherwise, you will walk down the stairs just as you came up them. Alone with your honor." Someone was holding a petty grudge.
She had only been there a few instants . . . or maybe she had fallen asleep, when she felt water splash on her face, clearing the sweat and blood from where it was caking in her eyes.
"Azula! You are officially the most awesome girl I have ever met!!" It was Sangok, he must have galloped up the stairs the instant he realized they were leaving her there. He bent another splash of water over her, cooling her. "You are like a machine! You power through every obstacle!!"
Her throat was too dry to answer, so, she played it off like she knew and was too haughty to respond. Sangok bought it hook, line, and sinker.
"You're indestructible, how do you do it?! Come on, tell me."
She waved a hand dismissively.
"Alright, alright, Can you stand up? I don't like you sitting in this sun! You'll burn!" he paused, "Plus, I need to change your dressings."
"Sangok!" Azula blinked herself back into focus, seeing Hahn and her brother stumbling up the stairs, "Is she okay? I ran into a hired gun, I think someone wants to throw the contest."
"She's fine." He reported, "Just a little faint . . . which, anyone, male or female would be after that walk." Azula pressed her lips together, pleased, Sangok was so easy to train. If only there was a suitable way to have a gay man as a boyfriend. He would definitely make a convenient escort for her.
"Is she hit? The Shaman gave us antivenom." Zuko leaned over her, concerned, handing an extra vial of it to the younger water bender.
"We need to get her off this stupid contraption and out of sight, that's for sure," Hahn bit out, "Get her somewhere where Hue can take a look at it." He slid an arm under Azula's knees and then the other around her shoulders.
"I can walk myself." She hissed scratchily, but, then wrapped her arms tightly around the tribesman's neck when he called her bluff and put her feet onto the stone. She hung on to him as her vision again turned to black as all the blood in her body rushed to her head at the sudden angle change.
"Pick her back up, Hahn." Zuko told him, unamused.
"She told me she could walk, Fire Lord, I must follow the Princess's orders."
"Obviously, she can't walk . . . anyway, if she is insisting on doing something stupid like try to walk down a catwalk suspended hundreds of feet in the air while she is about to pass out you have my permission to throw the protocol rulebook out the window and use your better judgment." Zuko stared, he was not sure he liked the condescending edge that Hahn's attitude had in reference to his baby sister. On the other hand, he had not had to deal with her for the last several months, the warrior had.
Hahn bowed his head and snaked his arms under her again, adjusting her in his embrace before starting down the walkway. Sangok followed close on his heels, chattering about how amazing she was, and Zuko raised his eyebrow. It seemed like the sixteen year old heir to the Northern Water Tribe had a puppy crush, Zuko thought it was odd, he would have pegged the boy as having alternate tastes.
For her part, Azula screwed her eyes shut. She would have rather walked down. It was disconcerting and scary to be carried down an elevated stairway by a man you didn't trust. What if he stumbled?! What if he dropped her?! What if he sneezed?! At least if she was walking, she would be in control.
By the time they had gotten her into the shade, six more pairs had tried and failed to move the sunstone out of the pyramid's plaza, by the time they had staunched the bleeding on her head four more people had dropped the stone, only one of them reaching the halfway point, and by the time they had spread the word to all the guards and Kyoshi, who, they were surprised to find out were already briefed on the matter, thirty more turns had passed and only one other finalist had risen from the hopefuls.
Her name was Ming, apparently she was a friend of Iroh's from when he was in prison and had since been promoted from a guard to a lieutenant. That was all Zuko knew of her.
So far, there was no sign of the mystery acrobat.
...
...
...
"I don't get it, we should have seen him by now." Ty Lee yawned, the sun was setting, and the line of fire benders was halfway gone. It didn't even make it to the stairs of the alter anymore.
"I think . . ." Suki said slowly, "He must not be competing, it's not technically mandatory. He must not be here trying to make his odds better, he must be working with someone or something."
"You think it's an order sticking their nose somewhere it doesn't belong?" Toph asked.
"I think it would be difficult . . . Zuko was very vague about it, I think half the competitors don't actually know what they're fighting for still." Suki rubbed her sweat drenched hair, "but, it's possible."
"You okay over there Twinkle Toes?" It was not much of a shout, he was sitting right next to her, he just felt distant.
"I think we should check in with Zuko." Ty Lee stood up and grabbed her glider. It looked exactly like Aang's except for the pretty pink flowers and hearts she had painted all over it. Needless to say, the Avatar had not been too pleased when he found out that she had feung shueid a priceless antique from his past.
"Alright, Ty Lee, go check in and then report back." Aang told her, his eyes still fixed on the contestants. There were only four people still in the game.
...
...
...
The feast to celebrate the halfway point of the trials was held that night. It was close to midnight when everyone had finally gone, and perhaps because the day had been such a torture, everyone was ready to blow off some steam that night. The finalists in the competition were being honored with dance and drumming, and it reminded Zuko a lot of the full moon ceremony in the swamp tribe.
As if to illustrate this, Tho walked by, holding the hand of a little girl who looked a lot like him except for the sparks she was throwing to attract the fireflies. Sister city?! He thought, More like lover city.
Large bonfires had been built in all the multiple plazas around the temples, and the locals wore dragon masks with long snouts and beards as they served food and wine to their guests. Others played drums, taught dancing, and others still passed out handmade masks to those who wanted them.
Out of the thousands of fire benders, only seven passed the 'Trial of the Sun Chariot' as the locals called it, since it involved bearing the sunstone from east to west. The winners sat apart at their own table in the same plaza as the world leaders and prominent nobles.
Katara had woken up refreshed but a little groggy earlier that evening, the moon calling to her just as it usually did. She seemed no different than usual except for the slight smell of blood that still clung to her and the un tanned patches of her arms. Sitting next to him, her foot tapped on the floor to the sound of the drums. It didn't take a genius to know she wanted to dance, a diversion he intended to indulge in happily with her later in the night.
He leaned in and kissed her ear, catching her attention, and she raised an eyebrow flirtatiously.
"Keep it in your pants, Sparky." Toph told him, cleaning her ear with a pinky.
"Toph!" Ty Lee scolded, "Don't do that! This is a party! Let them have their fun!! Hey! I know, we should dress you up a bit!!"
"We should what?"
"Come on!" Ty Lee pulled on her wrist, hauling her off through the obstacle course of people, "I'll put some make up on you, you'll look so cuuuute!!"
Turning back to his plate, Zuko picked at the prehistoric looking crustacean that was enthroned there among the vegetables. It was supposed to be a delicacy, but, somehow, it's vacant eyes and mandibles along with it's serrated exoskeleton and claws turned him off to the whole endeavor of eating it. His fiancée had no such problems, and it was almost sexy the way that she easily cracked open the beast.
Almost.
She wouldn't be getting any open mouthed kisses until she chewed on some mint . . .
. . . unless it was a kissing emergency.
"I thought it was just Azula who was the picky eater." Sangok slid down next to him and pointed across the plaza to where Hahn was desperately trying to whet the girl's appetite with the steam cooked lobster.
"It runs in the family." Katara teased, "He also hates eating bugs."
"I had a big lunch." Zuko put the plate aside, in order to talk to the bender properly. Katara happily took it and began scavenging her favorite parts. Her body had burnt up all it's protein reserves regrowing her skin, and she was ravenous for anything with a high amount of the stuff. The dragon's milk, from what she remembered had been disgusting, but had at least accelerated her skin's growth. She still felt a little funny from it, but, couldn't quite place the discontent.
It made her feel . . . giddy.
"You like my sister, don't you?"
Sangok looked up, then gave him a guilty smile.
"We started as her handlers, and ended up as her ladies in waiting." He replied good naturedly, "She has been calming down under the medicines, but, she's nowhere near a docile lamb yet. She and Hahn fight constantly, and about nothing! At least it keeps her too exhausted to fight with anyone else."
As Zuko watched, Azula deliberately overturned her plate bearing the half dissected hot crustacean onto Hahn's lap. The Warrior began snapping at her, retrieving the platter from his now lobster-juice saturated thighs and returning it to the table. Sangok snickered at the whole spectacle.
"You wouldn't know it by looking, Fire Lord, but, he's actually gotten better at dealing with her." Sangok paused, then, seemed to nerve himself, "I actually wanted to talk to you about her."
"Do you need a larger allowance?"
"No, nothing like that . . . I . . . I wanted your permission to court her."
"What?"
"Hmm?!" Katara turned to get a better spot in the suddenly juicy conversation, "You want to what Azula?!" Looking across the way she saw Hahn trying to crack open one of his ward's dinner's claws. He must have cut his finger, because, abruptly, he dropped his knife and began shaking his hand. Azula grinned, amused by the man's misfortune. She picked up the claw and knife and expertly cracked it open, and with a sweet smile laced with poison, offered him the meat.
"I said, I want your permission to court her, I think a marriage between the sister of the Fire Lord and the heir to the Northern Water Tribe would benefit us all."
"She'd never agree to that." Katara shook her head, and Zuko was quick to agree with her. In spite of himself though, he considered it, in a few years, if she stabilized, it would forge a strong alliance between him and his neighbors to the north. Not to mention it would keep her off Fire Nation soil, create a greater understanding of culture, and give him leverage for trade routes. Besides her consent, there was only two real problems. One was, if she won the completion, which she very well might, Azula always won, he doubted a dragon would like, or even be able to live in the frozen tundra. The other problem was less hypothetical, it was more immediate.
"Azula is already engaged." He told the water bender.
"Oh." The man's disappointment was tangible, "Well, it was just a thought . . . I doubt Uncle Arnook would go for it."
"It's not cast in stone though!" Katara added hurriedly, "We could petition her fiancée and have the contract broken. It was only a verbal agreement."
"Really?! That's great!! Who is her intended?"
Zuko and Katara glanced uncomfortably at each other, there was no good way to tell a man that his crush was engaged to another woman. Discretion was the better part of valor, and Zuko found himself avoiding the subject of gender entirely just as he had confused the assassin earlier.
"A lifetime friend of hers . . . the child of the new Governor of the Western Islands." Zuko tried not to look suspicious; it was rather difficult because of the disapproving look Katara was giving him. "It won't be easy though, it's a high status marriage that will benefit them immensely, the family won't want to break the contract if they can help it."
"Well, it was a thought, if it looks like it might happen . . ."
"Will you make her a necklace?" Both men turned to look at Katara, who held the tip of a lobster leg innocently in her mouth, "What's the look for? I want to know!" Zuko gave her a glance that said he was doubtful that the question was meaningless. As far as she knew though, Iroh had not mentioned his mother's necklace to him.
"I'll make her a betrothal necklace." Sangok agreed, "Though, like I said, Arnook will not like it, he is very traditional." Hahn had given up with the lobster and snagged a plate of fruit from one of the locals, shoving a mango into his mouth and chewing resentfully.
"I will write him for you explaining the situation and the benefits if she accepts. Under the circumstances, I think they will- HEY!"
Zuko jumped up and crossed the fire lit Plaza in a few bounds. He skidded to a stop where Hahn was trying to eat from his plate in peace while Azula tried to take what she wanted from it. He was half heartedly trying to swat her away, even if she was only taking the strawberries to annoy him, at least she was eating.
"Hey! Hahn, she can't eat those!"
The still lobster-wet warrior seemed to snap at this, his nerves worn thin by the harassment of the demanding princess.
"What do you care what she eats, Fire Lord?! I don't see you trying to attend to her!!"
"I mean, she is allergic to those fruits, they make her face swell up." Zuko explained, exasperated.
Hahn lowered his plate to her, smiling meanly, "Please, your highness, have a strawberry."
Azula snorted and stood, underhandedly batting the plate from his hand and sending the fruits and nuts cascading to the floor. Without a word to either of them, she flounced out to disappear among the dancers.
"Um, take a break, Hahn," Sangok said hurriedly to calm the imploding tribesman, "I'll go see to her." Hahn ran his fingers through his long loose hair and nodded. He was pale from anger and frustration and looked like he felt a bit guilty, but not entirely regretful.
"Honored Warrior." Zuko crossed his arms, "I know more than anyone else how my sister is. I know how she can find and exploit your weaknesses, how she riles you for fun, and how she always wants to be the center of attention. I grew up with her, I know how it goes, nevertheless, I'm asking you to treat her with the respect she's due."
"Your majesty, by your orders, she is a Water Tribe prisoner, and will be until you officially declare her as family again. For a banished prisoner, she is treated extremely well."
"Hahn, I am warning you, she's only seventeen . . . when you were that age, how mature were you?"
I gotta tell you Soka, I've courted a lot of girls in my time, but, Princess Yue has got to be the greatest. She is really awesome and all, but . . . the perks . . .
"Yes, your majesty."
Zuko nodded curtly and turned on his heel returning to were Katara sat, curiously peering at the scene that had just unfolded. When he sat, she put a hand on his thigh and patted him. He was trying to be a good older brother and stand up for his sister. It must not have been easy.
Zuko turned to her and grabbed her chin, and she barely had time to pull the lobster's leg from her mouth before he kissed her vigorously, drinking in her calm to soothe his parched and tattered nerves.
...
...
...
"Stop fidgeting!" Ty Lee scolded Toph as the teenager scrunched her nose, "You look amazing! This color lip paint looks great with your complexion. All the boys will love it."
"Sure, if they like viscous, cherry smelling slime on the lips of the girls they kiss."
"Well . . . it looks nice . . . and men are very visual. No man will come up and talk to you because he was admiring your personality from across the room."
"That's lame."
"Well, it's how the world works . . . Now, go say hi to Aang!"
"I already said hi to him."
"Well, go start a conversation! Congratulate him on his dance and facing his fears, tell him he would have made a great dragon knight, and try to draw attention to your lips." When the Earth Bender did not move, Ty Lee gave her a light smack on the bottom for encouragement. Yelping, Toph shot her a sightless glare, then stepped into gear, trotting across the floor and flopping down next to Aang in her usual relaxed posture.
"Hey Toph!" He smiled cheerfully and held out his plate, "Do you want some pineapple?"
"Hey Twinkle Toes," she punched him in the arm, "Good to see you've bounced back from the dragon and the trial. You've got more guts than I give you credit for."
"Ow! Um . . . thanks, Sifu Toph."
He his grin seemed a little forced, Ty Lee decided, he must not like the reminder of it even though he is flattered.
Come on Toph, change the subject! She thought, pressing the heels of her hands together, rooting for the younger girl.
"How do you like my lips?" she demanded, "Ty Lee said she changed their color with paint." She leaned in closer and pointed to them.
Ty Lee face palmed. She had meant draw attention to them by biting her lower lip or licking them, or pressing them together, or nibbling on something distractedly. Not flat out telling him to look at them!! Was the art of subtle seduction dead?! Toph was being far too blunt!
"Hey, air bender?"
She turned to find one of the water tribesmen addressing her, it was easy to classify him because of his dark skin and brilliant blue eyes. It must have been Sangok, their commanding officer, as he wore a blue, claw ringed half moon amulet, even though it clashed with his red tribal loincloth.
"It's 'Ty Lee', Can I help you . . . Sangok?"
"Yes, I was looking for Azula, have you seen her?"
"No." Since he did not correct her guess at his name, she assumed she was right.
"Umm . . ."
She raised her eyebrows, why was he so nervous? She was pretty cute. Ty Lee smiled, deciding to be nice and indulge him. He had probably only used Azula as a pretence to come and talk to her. Plus, Kisa was sitting in an easy sight line from them, and a little flirting to rile up some jealousy might be just what she needed to remind the Kyoshi which was more awesome, her or the position of Captain.
"How do you like the tropical island?!"
"It's very nice, I don't think I've ever sweat this much in my life." Sangok then blushed, realizing that talking about his fluids might not have been the best idea.
Blue in his aura shifted to a light pink of embarrassment, so Ty Lee reached out and patted his bare arm flirtatiously.
"Hahaha, it's not so bad." He smiled awkwardly, and then took a sidestep away from her. Obviously he didn't want to be touched.
What in the world . . . Ty Lee wondered, frowning, Did I suddenly un-cute?!
"So, um . . ." he paused again, "I was wondering . . ."
"Yes?" she prompted, a little less patiently, annoyed that her advance was rebuffed.
"I saw you making up the Lady Bei Fong, and I was wondering . . . well, I have a sister. I wanted to bring her back some gifts from the Fire Nation . . . what shade of lip paint would you recommend for her? She looks the same as me, dark skin, dark hair, blue eyes."
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Rudely, Azula pushed through the crowd, ignoring the cries of surprise or the sarcastic 'excuse me's thrown back at her. Losing herself among the masses of drinking and dancing fire benders, she headed towards the Water Tribe's quad. It was up on the second story, but the ladder was missing. She had to walk around the back through the alleyway between buildings to find another way up.
Hajar was there, his arms crossed, his pipe clamped between his teeth. He was staring upwards with a frustrated expression, he must have been trying to get in, the same as her.
"What happened to the ladders?" she demanded of him, and he turned and raised an eyebrow.
"How the hell should I know?" He grumbled, "I came here to get more tobacco, and I can't get in. I bet Tagak and Denahi are screwing and they didn't want to be disturbed, the bastards."
Azula took a step back, flattening herself against the opposite wall, it was too high to jump without a running start. She could jet up, but that would send blue fire billowing out the ally's mouth and into the crowd, which, although she didn't care, they were just peasants, she was sure she would hear about it later from her guardians.
"Cup your hands together and give me a boost." Azula ordered, "If the ladders are up there I'll drop one."
"Psh, you'll just go to bed and leave me here."
"Do you have a better idea?!"
"Fine." He cupped his hands, letting her put her bare foot into his palms. To her disgust, she saw him trying to catch a peek under her blue loincloth as he raised her foot above her hip. "You know, I could have been one of your 'handlers' . . . I could handle you."
Azula, who had been preparing to jump, released the wall and pulled her hair back and off her face, showing him the scarred right half in the moonlight.
"Those things? It doesn't make a difference in the dark, babe. Bet you still play a great game of 'chase the lizard'."
Azula pulled her foot from his hands and kicked him squarely in the groin. She had better things to do than indulge his stupidity. Darting out of the alley and spotting one of the local Warriors, she shoved him roughly against the wall so he nearly dropped his jar of spiced wine.
"What are you doing, ma'am?"
"I'm Princess Azula." She snapped, it was all the answer he needed.
She stepped behind him, hiding as Hajar limped out of the alley and looked around. Unable to spot her, he grumbled and staggered back into the alley to nurse his wounds.
"Would you like some wine, Princess?"
"No." Azula let him go. Suddenly, she didn't feel much like celebrating. Instead of joining in the fire dancing or the merrymaking, she trudged back to the now-empty table for the potential winners and flopped down to watch. The Avatar, the earth bender, Sangok, and the air bender were talking across the way, her brother and his fiancée were dancing far more provocatively than was appropriate around the fire, Hahn was whispering with one of the local girls, and the Kyoshi warriors, the Southern Water Tribe Prince and his girlfriend were playing a game of dice.
One of the warriors, the one with the largest headdress kept glancing up distractedly at the Air Bender, who seemed to be making a show of patting Sangok's arm, hugging his neck, and flirting with him. It was sort of funny, the air bender was trying to make the Kyoshi girl jealous. She relaxed, the air bender was not serious, and she didn't need to step in to protect Sangok's honor. Hahn was a different story. He was showing the girl his tattoos, pointing to his back and relating a story, she couldn't hear what though.
For some inexplicable reason, the more she watched the groups, the more she found herself fuming. Wasn't Hahn supposed to be paying attention to her instead of flirting with the masked wine-wench? She was the Princess of the Fire Nation! He couldn't even see the girl's face!! She could be a hideous floozy, and she showed too much skin . . . unscarred, perfect, caressable skin.
Then, the girl giggled at something Hahn said, and grabbed his wrist, pulling him down one of the alleys between buildings and out of sight.
That whore.
How dare she monopolize her warrior's attention!! Not that she wanted his attention . . . just that . . . she didn't want anyone else to get it either!!!
Jumping up, the princess started after them, meaningfully. She had no idea what she was going to say to him, what demand she would make as an excuse to break up the tryst, but, she didn't care. She didn't know this girl. She didn't like this girl. Hahn was part of her entourage, and not up for grabs and games of 'chase the lizard'. There was no way, no way anyone was touching either of her boys without her express permission.
"Hey Azula, come here," Sangok called her as she passed, "You have to meet Ty Lee. Apparently you and she-" She made a dismissing wave of her hand.
"I'm going to find Hahn."
"Let him be, Azula, I haven't seen him take interest in a woman in, like, for ever!" Sangok paused, "Or maybe it's the other way around . . ."
"No,"
"Ok, I'll come with you."
"No."
"We're not supposed to leave you alone." Nobody had actually told Azula that there was a stalker after her. She was so paranoid to begin with that they were worried she would throw every young male fire bender off the island.
"He's just around the corner." It was a lie, they were probably looking for a place to couple. Then she realized, Sangok was trying to delay her!! He wanted Hahn to go off and have fun.
Traitor.
"It's ok, I- Azula? Azula?"
Losing his calls behind her, she ducked into the shadow of the building, holding her breath and straining for sounds of movement. Turning first left, then right, then ducking into a hidden lagoon in the crevice of the rocks she followed him. The place was beautiful, sounds from the party floated in distantly to pool above the blue green color saturated water. A solitary moonbeam, like a spotlight crafted just for her, fell across him and the local girl standing together, making them shine white in the night. He had pulled her mask back and was kissing her quite sweetly, none of the roughness he showed her apparent in his demeanor.
"Hahn!!" Her seething hail carried across the grass and sand, and the Tribesman broke the kiss and looked up, surprised and horrified to see her.
"Azula? I thought you were-"
"I need to speak to you, now."
"Now is not a good-"
"Alone."
"Perhaps another night." The girl whispered to him as she detangled herself from his arms, glancing a bit fearfully at Azula. She knew the enraged fire bender was a princess and a finalist, and if she wanted the man that night, she was not about to argue.
When the Sun Warrior had rounded the corner, Hahn did the same to Azula.
"How dare you!!!" He admonished her, "You're a fucking Princess!! Don't you have better things to do than to make my life miserable?! Deprive me of any happiness!?"
"I was hoping we could talk reasonably," She replied smoothly, looking impatiently at the rock walls surrounding them.
"That's bull." His voice was filled with reproach and disgust, "Azula, do you know how long it's been for me?!"
"I was thinking," she started cool in the face of his yelling, "Tomorrow morning-"
"One year, one month and fourteen days, Azula!!!" His tirade continued as though she hadn't spoken, "Do you know how nice that would have been?! You must have, otherwise you wouldn't have cock blocked me."
Azula raised an eyebrow at the new vocabulary. She looked up to calculate properly, three fiancées, one baby . . . that would mean he hadn't bedded a woman since his favorite wife's third trimester . . .
"That's impossible, you've had a fiancée since then." She waved him off.
"I thought if I didn't fuck her, she wouldn't die!!" He was pacing now, kicking the sand into the water with his right foot.
"Hold your tongue and watch your language, you're talking to a Princess." She straightened her back, pulling herself up to her full five and a half feet.
"You may be a princess, but, you're not a lady."
"Such slander, now who is immature and throwing a tantrum?" Although it was fun to gloat, it was the wrong thing to say. He wheeled on her and charged, forcing her to retreat to the rock wall or be trampled. She raised her hands, preparing to guard herself from an attack, but none came, instead, Hahn's fists slammed against the stone where his palms pressed flat on either side of her head.
"No, a mature person would admit that she wants a man instead of using playground logic and showing her crush by using every opportunity she had to make him miserable. She wouldn't break up his affair and then pretend she didn't know he was about to have one."
With each sentence, he was leaning in closer and closer, and Azula was finding it hard to find anything else to look at. Eye contact was so powerful, and it was hard to act bored and nonchalant while staring at the person you were trying to fool.
"I don't know what you're talking about." She tried, straightening her back and dropping her fists. It was obvious he wasn't going to hit her, and if he changed his mind, it would have to be either a head butt or a knee in the stomach, he was too close for anything else. If that was the case, her hands best served her at her sides where they could help her duck or execute a low line block.
"You don't?" Hahn leaned in closer, coming in for a kiss, and Azula closed her eyes. She could feel his breath on her face, the heat of his body as he drew nearer and the erratic beating of her heart in her own ribcage. Her pulse jumped a foot to lodge in the back of her throat, and her hands broke out into a cold sweat as she waited for the contact.
It never came.
She opened her eyes again, surprised at the hold up . . . even though she would have punched him if he dared!! His mouth hovered a half inch above hers, his wide blue eyes intense and wild ... he was scared. He knew he was playing with fire. He knew he could be burnt. He knew his theory could be wrong, and he knew her knees were a perfect squashing distance from his favorite organ.
A hot breath trailed across her good cheek, tickling her ear.
He was not teasing her, he was not making any move to get closer, he was waiting, he wanted to know what she was going to do. Suddenly, Azula saw that she had two options, finish what he started and kiss him, or maintain her 'I said I didn't like you and I mean it' position and push him away. If she did push him away, the offer wouldn't be repeated a second time; if she didn't she was admitting that he was right and she was wrong.
Elbows bending more deeply, his body inched closer, but the distance between their mouths did not close. He wasn't going to make it that easy.
She hated to be wrong, but the mindless devotion to a lie long after it has been spotted was crazy. Doing the same thing over and over again expecting a different result was the definition of insanity.
Wake up!! Azula told herself. Hovering a half an inch away from the truth, the ugly, paranoia kicked in. What if he was playing her?
Again his exhale washed over her, now becoming more of a pant than a sigh. Three breaths, three long breaths and he had not moved.
What if he had staged the kiss with the Sun Warrior? What if this was payback with his body as the bait? Get her to admit she likes him and then step back, laugh, and reject her. It would be so easy. He could have been explaining the whole plan to the primitive wench while she was fending off Hajar.
Her chin tilted upwards, in spite of itself and her psyche screamed for her to regain control. She needed to control the situation, and the only way to do that was reject him before he could reject her.
"Why would I want to kiss you?" Her voice cracked as she spoke, the usual amusement overshadowed by lament, "I bet you still taste like the stupid Sun Wench."
"Jealous?" Although she couldn't see it, she was sure that he had quirked an eyebrow.
"No. Why would I be? I don't like you!"
"I don't like you either." One of his arms slid from the stone she had flattened herself against and tucked her hair behind her ear, drawing back the silvery black veil from the scarred right side of her face, exposing it to him.
Although she wouldn't admit it to herself at the time, she knew it was her own traitorous body that had made the first move. She knew she had wrapped her arms around his neck and rose onto her toes; she had crushed her lips to his in a fire fueled kiss. That was all the encouragement the North Man needed.
They kissed like they did everything else. It was rough, competitive, and antagonistic. Each one was daring the other to back off and break it first, tongues and lips narrowly escaping painful bites as they fought for dominance. The rock bit into her back, even through the scars, the ruined tissue unable to stand up to the force of the fury in front of her.
She didn't care.
Instead of unraveling the tension that had built up around them for the past months, it seemed to pique it. Kissing him was not enough, she wanted to possess him, to claim him, to break him. She wanted him screaming for her; it didn't matter if it was in pleasure or pain anymore. Something was rising inside her, arousal and rivalry bringing her closer and closer to the killing edge; the point where her aggression became violent.
Again their tongues collided in the ungraceful choreography of the kiss, and she bit down hard on his lower lip, grinning as the warrior stiffened against her in shock at the twinge. He whimpered a plea, and she released him, the hair of his goatee scraping against her chin.
Someone cleared their throat.
Hahn was off her and across the small lagoon basin so fast it seemed practiced, like he had been caught before and had learned how to execute a quick disengage. Somehow, it wouldn't have surprised Azula in the least to learn that was exactly how he had acquired that particular skill.
"It's not what it looks like!!" He stammered out quickly, trying to nonchalantly wipe the saliva from his lips with the heel of his hand, "We were just . . . ."
"Sparring?"
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I'm glad everyone likes our favorite Honored warrior!!! In the show Hahn is a strange mix of sexism, self importance, outspokenness, and simple mindedness. Bryke did not really give us any redeeming qualities to assign to him except for maybe 'bravery' and 'self confidence'. It's because they wanted his 'death' sequence with Zhao to be funny, and that couldn't happen if the audience felt attached to him in any way. ("Tragedy is when I stub my toe comedy is when you fall into an open manhole and die." -Mel Brooks)
I decided to give him similar characteristics as Sokka, since he is the oldest and most mature of the younger characters (minus maybe Haru) at 20, I've made him, mature, brave, traditional, and protective. I'm going for a loveable brute without extra thought going on upstairs, who talks before he thinks and punches before he looks, but he really tries . . . He really means well.
Traditional: He is very stubborn about gender roles, He is modeled after Pakku in that respect.
Mature: I think his most defining characteristic though is that he was a father at one point. He had a love-of-his-life relationship and family and lost everything. He has experienced happiness and had it taken from him, this makes him hard and lonely.
Brave: Attacking Zhao like that had to have called for some guts, even if they were foolish. He must have known it was easily a suicide mission.
Protective: He doesn't father Azula in the way that Sangok does, (or Katara does Aang), but he protects her because he thinks she needs to be taken care of, and, as much as she hates to admit it, on many levels, she does.
He is also artistic. Most Water Tribe men seem to be. He enjoys drawing, carving, and poetry.
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Anyway, Here is Chapter 10, I suppose that you could say the chapter is one of those 'predominantly shipping' chapters, but hey, it's all good. Who doesn't like shipping?
It's now been Betaed, so, there should be no mistakes.
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Leave me love.