Chapter 10 Escape

She was frozen like an ice cube, she wasn't shaking, she wasn't even blinking, she was just a statue. She couldn't believe what she was seeing, she couldn't bear to bring herself to believe it, yet there it was. No tears fell, no angry shout, nothing. There was only her silence before she mustered up the courage to come closer. She didn't hear Mai's faint weeping or the soldiers whispering not far away.

Her steady hand hesitantly moved through the distance before coming to the cold forehead of the acrobat. But the worst sight was not seeing the acrobat's spiritless body, it was her face or what was left of it. A knife had been dragged across the flesh countless times, Ty Lee had bled to death. Her acrobat was beyond saving, she'd been dead for hours now.

With all her abilities, her precision, her power, it was nothing. She was too late. She couldn't take it, still her face remained expressionless. She failed. This was the one time she was late, why did this have to happen? How could the spirits just sit there and let him to do such a thing? She hated him, and what little revenge she'd gotten was nothing to the kind of pain she wanted to cause him now. She hated all of them, but mostly herself. She should have been there. She should have chosen to find Ty Lee instead saying they should look for the Avatar.

There were so many things she did wrong, so many things she wished she could take back because if she did she would've made it in time to save her. There was no going back now. No time machine that could help her. The evil bell of fate, had rung. All she could go was accept it.

"Come on Mai," she said her voice didn't tremble it was just very, very quiet. "I can't look her anymore." Slowly she turned around unable to keep her eyes on the worst sight she'd ever come across. The two Fire Nation girls made their way to the wall, the soldiers who helped Lee, helped him kill her, just watched, ashamed of themselves. There was no door, you had to earth bend to get out. The princess stopped at the wall. "OPEN IT!" she snapped turning around to see them. "BEFORE I KILL YOU TOO!"

The soldiers quickly made a door and the princess and the assassin walked out of the base. The orange afternoon rays were nearly gone and the dark blanket of night was beginning to cover the Earth Kingdom. Mai led the way back to camp because the princess couldn't think straight. The knife thrower still couldn't believe that Azula would not shed one tear for the lost acrobat, but maybe it was just better to hide the pain than face it.

It was dark when they found the camp in the woods. Everything now looked like the joy had been sucked out of it. Even the blooming flowers looked like they were wilting. Mai placed the body on the ground, pulling an old blanket over it. Azula flopped onto the dirt not even bothering to set a fire.

"Where…" Mai began to speak clearing her throat trying to make it sound more firm. "Where should she bury her?"

Azula let out a deep sigh, she shouldn't even be answering such a question. But she knew of a place. She took a moment, she was still trying to breathe but what was the point of breathing anymore? She had to keep breathing, Ty Lee would want her to. She would keep going, knowing the acrobat would be watching her from the spirit world.

The princess lifted the body into her arms leaving the old and shredded blanket on, unable to take it away, she headed further west towards the shore. It didn't take long until the sound of the ocean waves crashed onto the rocks below. There was a small beach between to tall rock formations. They made there way down to it, forced to go slow because the ground was so steep and there was little to light to illuminate the ground.

Her boots sunk into the sand as she walked towards the water. Another group of steps and then she heard a small splash and her foot was soaked, it felt like a thousand tiny knives stabbed into her foot the water was so cold. Still she headed further into the water until it reached her elbows, wishing that the water could numb the pain. She stood there in the waves, clinging to what she had lived for. It took her moment before her arms were able to let go, she handed the body over to the sea.

She didn't turn away, she stepped back watching the water take the body away. Putting Ty Lee in the ground was certainly something that the girl would have hated, at least this way she could be free. The princess stepped back onto the beach and came next to Mai. The boy was no longer seen as it disappeared into the dark horizon. "We should get moving if we want to get to the Avatar."

"No," Mai said turning to her friend. "We can rest for just a minute." The assassin placed her hand on Azula's shoulder. The princess brushed it off.

"I'll be fine." The princess lied and started to head back to camp.

Three days later…

They hadn't left and they were still in the woods resting close to the Earth Kingdom base. Azula crushed small sticks underneath her foot as she came back from her morning walk. Every morning she'd gotten up just because she wanted to be alone. Mai never asked why but the reason was pretty clear. She was still surprised she managed to get even the tiniest bit of sleep.

After an hour of just thinking she had finally composed herself and was ready to face Mai. The knife thrower was her friend and she'd tried to be happy with just the two of them but life just felt so empty without Ty Lee. The assassin tried to warn them, now look what happened?

Raising her gaze, she saw the red tent and the lonely black fire pit. Mai was sitting on the other side of the fire pit talking to someone. Whoever it was, was hidden by the tent. The assassin wouldn't stop smiling it was the happiest she'd seen Mai in years. Azula became confused, how Mai could bring herself to be joyful when their friend was gone?

Suddenly the girl saw her coming towards the tent and her smile only grew. She pointed to the princess while she looked at the hidden person. The princess wasn't in the mood for company, whoever it was needed to go away and leave her alone. No doubt it was a soldier or messenger telling them they should hurry up and find the Avatar.

First it was a leather boot as dark green as the tree's needles around them, it was attached to a leg wearing tan pants, then the rest came out. It was a girl wearing a shirt far too baggy to be hers. Then she saw the girl's face and her heart started pounding. The girl's face was unscarred, smooth and beautiful, with a head of chestnut colored hair tied back into a braid. The girl was Ty Lee.

The acrobat's face light up ten times more the second she saw the princess. She was alive. TY LEE WAS ALIVE!!! Azula blinked hoping this wasn't a dream. Ty Lee ran over to her and she still thought this had to be an illusion, it was impossible. But then those familiar arms came around her, squeezing so hard she couldn't breathe, there was no mistaking it, Ty Lee was alive. In an instant she took the acrobat into her arms lifting Ty Lee up off the ground. The acrobat's heavenly laughter came over the air.

She set Ty Lee back down but didn't let go, she buried her face into the girl's shoulder trying to hide her smile. The girl wasn't dead and she could hold her, hear her stupid ideas, and above all continue to love her. It was a miracle and she was thankful for it.

Ty Lee rested her head on the princess' shoulder, spirits why didn't Azula hug her like this everyday? She, for once this week, felt safe again. Finally she could stop worrying if she'd ever get out of that terrible place. It seemed like the fire bender had truly missed her over the last days and she couldn't help but lean up and whisper, "Were you scared?" she giggled.

How could the acrobat ask that then laugh? Azula had thought she lost the one thing she lived for. The fire bender had been more than scared, she had panicked, she didn't think she'd ever be able to smile again. She grasped Ty Lee's shoulders and looked down at the acrobat. "Yes," she answered unashamed of admitting that she had being consumed in fear. "Don't you EVER do that again." she ordered trying to be serious but she couldn't help but smile at the sight of Ty Lee's wide gray eyes.

Azula was happier than she had been when Ty Lee had first kissed her. She could set of fire works off she was so cheerful. But then the nagging question popped up and she couldn't hold it back any more. She placed her palms on the girl's smooth untouched cheeks. "But h-how? I-I saw you dead!"

The acrobat tilted her head still grinning widely. "That wasn't me." the girl shook her head faintly. Now the princess became really confused and opened her mouth to ask another question but Ty Lee spoke. "I'll explain later, I'm just…" she stared into those golden irises. "…so happy to see you again." the princess just blinked not sure what to say, the girl she thought was dead was standing before her unharmed. "Azula?"

"Wha…?" was the only thing the fire bender managed to get out, she was still too busy staring at the acrobat.

"Did you cry?"

It was a simple question, she hadn't. She just got really quiet lately and her eyes might have stung for a second or two but she never shed a tear. "Uh…" she said wondering if this was a serious question. "No."

Ty Lee's smile fell to a frown quickly. "You thought I was dead and you didn't even cry?!" the acrobat whined but Azula's smile only widened, Ty Lee was just….so…cute. Soon the pink wearing girl's voice stopped reaching her ears. "What kind of a girlfriend are you-,"

Her voice was cut off as the princess met her lips. Ty Lee lost herself in the embrace feeling the fire bender's body heating up. Suddenly the days of torment, being separated, and the pain were just swept away. She lived for moments like this. They knew they promised Mai they wouldn't make out in front of her but it was impossible not to right then.

"You talk too much." The princess whispered as she pulled away from the acrobat's mouth. The acrobat nodded as she grasped the back of the fire bender's head pulling her closer.

"I completely…" she pressed her lips to Azula's briefly. "…agree with you." Then continued where she left off.

Mai came onto her feet folding her arms as she watched her friends, a smile came over her face. "Whatever makes you two happy." She whispered to herself.

Ty Lee shivered as she sat outside watching the fire before the princess sat next to her wrapping her arm around the girl's shoulder. On the other side of the fire was Mai who was waiting eagerly. "I guess I have to start from the beginning again." the acrobat said nervously. "Well, it was about midnight when Lee came into the room I was being kept in…"

The darkness was broken as the room's door was pulled open. The acrobat lay on the bed in a deep sleep. Lee stepped into the room shutting the metal door quickly, the loud noise tore the girl out of her sleep. Her weary eyes struggled to open only to see a blurry shadow standing at the end of the bed. The boy tossed a pile of clothes towards her.

"Get changed." He ordered.

The acrobat of course had no idea why but he walked out of the room to wait. Hurrying, not knowing how much time she had before he came back in, she changed into the baggy Earth Kingdom clothes and set hers down on the bed not sure what was going to happen. When he came back in he stuck his head through first, probably hoping to catch Ty Lee still getting dressed but luckily he wouldn't be getting what he wanted.

"Serves him right." Azula interrupted. "The little bastard perv-," the fire bender mumbled. Ty Lee gave her lover a smile before continuing.

Finding she was ready, he came back in and walked over to her picking up her Fire Nation clothes and grabbing her arm and pulling her along. They walked into the large hallway, they went down the large spiraling staircase to the lower levels where in the deep foundations of the building rested the prisoners.

"What're we doing down here?" she asked but he wouldn't answer. They stopped at a small dingy cell he wrenched the wall of metal bars open, to reveal a girl about Ty Lee's age, same height, size, and hair color. They could pass as twins if not for the facial features. The girl was uglier than her and her nose was a bit crooked and the girl's eyes were dark brown.

The girl was hanging from her wrists which were chained to the ceiling, she was standing on her the tip of her toes to ease the pain in her wrists. The prisoner already had her air up in braid exactly like Ty Lee's and the acrobat wondered what kind of freak show this was.

Her old boyfriend stepped over to the girl, whose body was hidden in the darkness, appeared to be naked. She was forced to watch the twisted boy place her clothes on this stranger. When he was finished her unchained her and she dropped to the floor. He removed his dagger and moved towards her face.

"You're sick." Ty Lee muttered in horror as she realized what he was about to do. He glared up at her.

"I'm protecting you from the real monster!" he shouted. "That princess doesn't deserve you, at least this way, you'll be free, she'll think you're dead."

"I would've drop kicked his ass right then." Azula again interfered with story telling. Mai shrugged frustrated the princess wouldn't be quiet.

"Azula would you shut up already!?" Mai complained.

"No-!"

"Don't start you two." Ty Lee warned. "Not everyone can do things the way you do princess." Azula nodded.

"Yeah but if you did you would've escaped a lot sooner."

"Just let her talk!" Mai shouted.

Ty Lee couldn't just stand there and watch him carve into the girl's face while she was wide awake. So she came over to the girl and put her unconscious, hating herself as she did, but it was the only thing she could do for the girl. She turned away unable to watch him murder an innocent girl. Soon the smell of blood filled the air and Ty Lee tried not to gag.

The boy stood up looking down at his masterpiece before sighing and brushing his hands off. "Alright, that should do it." he said content then observed the acrobat who hadn't turned around. "Now what do with you?" A cold dagger of fear pierced her heart and her knees started shaking. "I suppose you'll be perfectly safe down here."

Before she could step back into the narrow tunnel, he shoved her to the center of the room chaining her hands. The aching pain of the metal on her wrists and the fact she wasn't tall enough to reach the floor hurt. He bent over and picked up the girl on the ground and turned around, she could see the body was trembling in his hands. Ty Lee grasped the chain, as much of it she could before straining her muscles lifting her feet off the ground.

She rested her ankles on this neck and forced him to move back. He stood there, the pressure she was forcing on his neck didn't feel pleasant. "Unlock it now." she said, watching Azula sure did come in handy for once. "I can snap it and you know it." she applied more pressure to his neck. He dropped the body and fumbled for the key then lifted it towards her.

She bit down on the key and reached up to unlock herself. It was hard to try and keep the key still, she had to bite down so hard she swore a few of her teeth might fall out. CLICK! She jumped down. Her old boyfriend turned around to seize her again but she went straight for his pressure points. The big oaf fell to the floor unable to move his arms and legs.

Looking down at what she had done for moment she felt uneasy. There was no time for this though, she turned around and sprinted down the dark tunnel heading to the main floor, knowing she'd have to fight her way through all the other guards. She found the staircase and went up them as silently as she could. There was a more fancy hallway and she could see a guard walk by she ducked down, watching him go by before deciding to head up three more stairs.

Once she reached the top she slid her back against the wall trying to see if anymore guards would walk by, so far none. The second she stepped out into the hallway there was group of three soldiers at the end of the hall. "Hey you!" one shouted before the rest started to run towards her. Well the only way to go was the other direction. She broke into a run again, the guard who had just gone by heard the noise and now came straight towards her.

Ty Lee didn't stop she went straight for the guard. He smiled widely thinking he would be the one to catch her. She jumped into the air, flipping over his head before landing, when she hit the ground again she turned around and waved goodbye. She went around the corner, feet sliding in the process, another guard only too close to jump over stood in her way. Out of instinct he'd been taught to strike anything that might be suspicious. A long curved blade pierced the air going straight towards her.

The acrobat jumped into the air splitting her legs. Luckily the hall was small enough. One foot hit the wall on her right, the other hit the wall on her left and she stuck in place as the guard fell over below her. "Hurry up get her!" she flipped forward feet touching the ground again, she continued to run down the hall.

She saw a big door up ahead, hopefully that was the exit otherwise she was in trouble. The men behind her were catching up. She looked back to find a block of the wall was flying towards her. She ducked down and watched the large block blast into the door breaking the locks and flinging it open and she could see outside. "Wow thanks!"

Jumping over the debris of the broken door she came out onto the uneven ground of the courtyard. It was too dark and luckily her clothes blended in with the night for the soldiers up ahead to see her. "The prisoner's escaping!" someone shouted from behind.

She managed to run straight towards a few soldiers just standing there looking around confused without being seen. She came up behind one of them stealing their steel helmet and keeping her head low. "Where is she?!" the one in front of her shouted.

"Behind you!"

The man looked behind him but nothing was there. "Where?!"

"She's following your movements!"

"What the-?" the man reached out to grab whoever was behind him but nothing was there.

"She's in front of you!"

He faced forward and still he didn't see a thing. "This is no time to be playing games!" The others came over and found the acrobat had managed to slip away unseen in a split second.

"That can't be it!" Mai said. "You were gone for three days! Where've you been all this time?" Ty Lee shrugged.

"I was looking for you, I didn't know you had come to get me." The acrobat explained. "I knew Azula would rather look for the Avatar than me." the girl crossed her arms giving Azula that look mother's could pull off so skillfully. The princess opened her mouth to say something but Ty Lee shook her head. "Don't even try to act like you were planning on coming for me."

"Well you certainly know Azula, she hadn't done a thing to try and find you." Mai yawned as she stood up. "I'm goanna go bed now so keep the noise down." The assassin said and walked away.

The princess sighed as she saw the acrobat's unhappy expression. "It wasn't like that Ty Lee-," Azula began to say and the pink wearing girl came onto her feet crossing her arms as she took a few steps away from Azula.

"I know you…deep down care about me," The acrobat said faintly looking out into the darkness of the woods. "I'm just tired of being in second place when it comes to what you want." Azula gave an angry look not liking the girl's words. "And it's not just that…when I was captured it gave me time to think."

"What're you saying Ty Lee?" the princess asked.

"It's too hard to be with you. I mean an innocent girl was killed!" The acrobat pointed out. "You weren't kidding when you said people have issues with this. Up until now I thought we would be just fine but we aren't, we'll never be."

"This was just one time!" The princess stood up now, furious with what the acrobat was saying.

"One time sure, you think we'll be fine when we get home? Hiding from everyone! I can't lie to the people I care about like you can! I wish I could because I want to be with you so bad." The acrobat said her eyes now stinging as the tears began to form.

"Then be with me!" The fire bender stated.

"I would but there are just so many reasons why I can't continue to this." Ty Lee said painfully. "For one you lie to me! You don't feel anything! You thought I was dead and you were just blank, not even one tear! I'm tired of hiding but when people find out they freak out!" Azula took a step forward and Ty Lee shook her head. "No, no more."

"Fine leave like the coward you are!" the princess hissed before turning around and disappearing into the shadows of the woods.