I want to take the time to thank Led Feynman M.D. D.D.S PH.D for this awesome premise. The story Bittersweet Ceremony really birthed this story. Also KD for allowing me to use the Avatar drinks...I used it again in this update. Finally, Pen, my dear, you know that your encouragement keeps my stories going. Peace, QTZ. Enjoy! Any quotes, ALL characters belong to Bryke, but I do love to play around with their world!
Four months. Four months were all it took to turn Azula's world upside down…or topside up? The princess was sure of nothing anymore. Certainty was a lie. Trust was for fools. Fear was an illusion. Everything in Azula's life had been one tremendous fairy tale.
#
Certainty, Azula was always certain she was in her father's favor forever. Fire Lord Ozai loved his prodigal second child. He would always shield her from her disgusting mother's jealousy.
"You have something she doesn't, Azula," the fire lord had said before.
Her father never told her outright, but her time served in the institution, thanks to the newly appointed fire lord, helped her put the pieces together. She was certain her mother had orchestrated this somehow. Ursa saw power in a newborn and since plotted her downfall, piece by piece, of this she was certain.
Her father blamed her for their nation's current state when they met for the first time in over a year a glorious tea party between criminals. Azula readily saw through his disdain, however. Of course, it had to be a result of Ursa's accosting to twist her father's mind against his beloved daughter.
"I saw her in your mirror, Father," she confessed when they were finally left alone. "I had to brush my hair as all of the servants could not be trusted. That's when she appeared to me".
Ozai stared at her from behind steel bars. Azula shuddered at her father's strong frame now clothed in rags. "It is true isn't it, Father?" She asked. "The Avatar took your bending. She must have told him to weaken you…worse than…poison".
Certainty, Azula was certain her father was being controlled by Ursa even now, for she could not fathom his next words to her.
"You are worthless to me, now, Child. I am sure your brother will use you for the little worth you have, then rid himself of you. I never thought I would see the day Zuko became stronger than my prodigy. My father's namesake turned out to be a weakling".
Certainty, Azula was certain if she were not chi-blocked, she would have shown her father just how weak she was with a piercing to the heart to match Uncle Fuddy Duddy. Her words would have to be enough, for now.
"Weak? Do you have any idea the monster you helped create with Ursa?"
"Don't push your luck, Princess," hissed Ozai, though Azula saw him, for the first time, she really SAW him.
"I don't need luck, Father," she said confidently, leaning her head back with a smirk. "I'll make my own, besides I still have my bending," she paused to allow the words to sink in. Smirk widening at her father's twitching jaw. "You may be ok with Ursa's controlling, but I'm not. I know she is in your head at this very moment. So I will put her out of her misery for the both of us".
Azula's face nearly crumbled the instant her father howled with insane laughter. He's laughing…He's laughing at ME! She felt her eyes mist. I swear Ursa, when I find you…
"I look forward to hearing of your mother's demise. Therefore, I will help you, Princess".
Azula sniffled, proud that she kept her tears from falling. "So…she really IS alive? I knew it," hissed the 16-year-old.
"Perhaps," answered Ozai.
"Tell me, Father, how do I find her?"
"My secret chamber behind the Flames of Sozin's painting in the temple. In a chest, you will find your mother's treasonous letters to her lover".
"Lover?" Inquired Azula. Ursa was having an affair?
Azula swallowed as she thought of her recent encounter with Ty Lee, shameful that she actually WANTED to provoke the Kyoshi Warrior to action, just to feel her hands. Had Ursa been like her? Trapped and unable to follow her love? Betrayed by her heart?
"Yes," her father answered, interrupting her thoughts. "Your mother committed high treason to leave you and Zuko behind to be with a man she…loved".
She left us for…love? We were her children! The woman was more evil than she had remembered. Azula found it hard to believe from the few memories she had left of the woman, but she was certain her father would not lie to her. Yet, a part of her wondered if she could ever do the same.
When Azula was released to assist Zuko after getting the information from Ozai, she was silently still brooding over the matter while Zuko pushed her wheelchair with Ty Lee and her friend at his side. The women exchanged an unnerving glance and Azula SAW it. Ty Lee's body trembled and Azula knew in that instant, the fear was still there. As surely as the sun set and rose, the acrobat had not lost her fear of Azula, of losing Azula. Fear and love were one in the same, they had the power to destroy a human and trap them at the same time.
Upon being thrown onto a hospital stretcher, her arms bound in chains to contain her bending, Azula was sedated by a jab in the neck from shaking hands. She looked to her old, traitorous friend, noting the uniform they wore in Ba Sing Se.
"You aren't one of them," hissed Azula, coldly when Ty Lee removed a single strand of hair from her forehead. "You're not meant to be a matched set. I could have given you more".
The girl shook her head. "I'm afraid of you, Azula," she whispered.
"As you should be," the princess stated, "fear is a good thing. It keeps you loyal".
Another shake of her head and a sigh, Ty Lee stared at her best friend, amazed at how far the princess had fallen. "I hope you get better. I don't want to lose you," she said, helping the Imperial Guards place the princess on the ship that would carry her to her new home on a tiny island. The asylum for the mentally inadept awaited Azula, now. The bounds on her heart seemed to trap her further as she increased the distance from the acrobat. Ty Lee could not tear her eyes away from the fear in Azula's as the ship left the dock.
Azula was ready to leave the past behind. She knew Ty Lee would wait for her out of fear of the inevitable. She was going to return to the Fire Nation. And return she did with a band of sisters more miserable than Mai to take the capital by storm.
After the events settled, Zuko and Azula came to an understanding on her terms. She struck terror in the capital to send a "fuck you" to her royal sibling, before settling matters, due to his decision to have her institutionalized before finally running future Fire Lady Mai's father, Ukano's precious plethora of societies into bankruptcy to send a final "fuck you" to Ozai. With Zuko on the throne, he was no longer part of the plan. He could rot in his own filth as far as she cared for what he did to her. Besides she was just obeying his mantra.
Trust is for fools.
"You have my sisters to thank, Fire Lord," Azula announced at Zuko's reception. Of course, she had to stop by to see her matchmaking success take the trip down the aisle. "They did the grunt work and therefore, should be fairly compensated".
Zuko raised an eyebrow at the proposal, enjoying the pricey, rare cigar his sister had gifted him. After exhaling, he nodded, answering, "An interesting way to keep them from being locked up, huh? I am sure you have suggestions".
"Guardians of the city," Azula said, flippantly. "Your guards are terrible, so my ladies will be better suited to fight whatever future resistance arise".
Fire Lord Zuko stroked his lengthy beard, handing his sister back the cigar.
"Sounds like a good plan," Mai added on his right.
Azula puffed confidently. She and the Fire Lady were far from complete amends, yet they would always hold a mutual respect for the other. As she exhaled the smoke through her nose, awaiting Zuzu's answer, Azula caught Ty Lee twirling on the dancefloor through the dancing smoke with a man she recognized as Zuko's newly appointed general.
"Can I trust that you will stay as well? Mom would want that," Zuko finally spoke, making Azula cut a cold eye at Ursa and her new family surrounded by the press.
Boy those creeps love a good affair tale.
"If it's in the cards, Brother," said Azula when she met Ty Lee's gaze over her lover's shoulder.
#
That was four months ago. Mai and Zuko were happily or miserably happily married, depending on who you asked, Ursa was a constant, automated piss off while Kiyi was too much like her for Azula to hate her half-sister.
"I said 'yes'!" Squealed the woman, absent of her Kyoshi Warrior garbs.
The royal family, plus Suki were gathered on the temple's balcony, testing a variety of teas prepared and served by Iroh to determine which would serve as the new national tea. Azula had been in the middle of explaining why Ember Long Island Iced Tea could be beneficial for the youth, when she felt her nostrils burn from Ty Lee's unexpected interruption. Were her ears deceiving her? Ty Lee had only dated the pathetic excuse for a soldier for FOUR MONTHS.
Mai, who was glad to have escaped Ursa's terrible advice on rearing children, was the first to answer. "What is it, Ty?"
The acrobat giggled cutely, wrapping her arms about Mak's neck before flashing a diamond engagement ring.
"I'm getting married!"
Everyone expressed congratulations, suffocating the newly engaged couple. Mai had been caught up in the moment, happy for her friend when she thought on Azula. Panic surged through her as she searched the balcony with the eye of a hawk for the princess who was nowhere to be found.