This chapter is somewhat shorter than usual. But. That's because I'm trying to put them out a little faster. So.
Work with me.
And enjoy ;)
The princess' dark eyes scanned the banquet hall, spotting the royal couple without difficulty. It was like hunting red robins in a field of snow; a laughable task to any experienced predator.
Once day had turned to night, the banquet hall was lit by hundreds of crystal lanterns, which glimmered beautifully.
To Azula, the glow was somewhat eerie, but then, everything was always distorted in her bronze eyes.
As it was Fire Nation tradition for the royal couple to be in bright colors, and for everyone else, aside from the King, to be all in white, Azula wore a glossy, ivory qipao, with diamond peonies patterns stitched in. As she was part of the royal family, some gaudiness was still to be expected.
The silk clung to her voluptuous curves and sculpted limbs, the hem falling gracefully around her ankles. Her dark hair was pinned in a loose bun at the back of her head, wavy wisps hanging around her face, framing it prettily.
Zuko's sister sashayed to the newlyweds, crystals sparkling in the dim glow of the room, silver heels stabbing harshly into the marble stone floor. Click click click. She ignored the demeaning glance-overs from her fathers appointed generals and commanders. The whispers and smirks.
Even the un-entitled attendants seemed to think it was OK to look her up and down and smile suggestively.
Strangely, the princess hated the attention.
Which was ironic because she herself licked her lips wantonly at Katara, whom was her attendant for the night, as she passed her by, a platter of cherry blossom champagne shaking slightly atop her tanned fingertips. The water tribe girl blushed, topaz blue eyes looking away. Azula smirked, eyeing the girl's rounded bottom, which was emphasized by the simple wide silk ribbon the princes had given her to tie around the waist of her white cotton dress. Those who'd seen the gesture had mistaken it for an act of kindness.
In truth, the princess was just a bit of a pervert. Especially when it came to young, lovely women.
Turning her head away from Katara's now distant form, she looked to and came to a stop in front of Toph, who looked up into her general direction, painted ruby red lips smiling in earnest, though the princess could sense some boredom behind it.
Standing in front of her brother's sightless bride, ignoring the prince's agitation at her presence, Azula's mouth cracked upwards, eyes not matching the expression. " Ah, duchess. You are a duchess, now."
Toph nodded, shrugged, " Lucky me."
Azula's eyebrow cocked at the possibility of a tone in her brothers wife's voice. " Well. I'm so delighted to have you as a sister." Her words rang loudly, she'd spoken so that everyone would hear.
She placed a hand on the girl's shoulder, sharp nails digging into her supple flesh, the fine cloth covering it, and leaned in slowly, dangerously, then kissed her flawless white cheek.
Toph flinched at the incisions made by the princess' strong fingers in her shoulder, but smiled back nonetheless, " It's nice to know that you and I feel the same about each other."
What Toph meant was missed by neither of the two women.
Zuko, as always, was oblivious.
He did know, however, that he didn't want his sister anywhere near him. Or Toph, for that matter.
Not that he cared.
A husband looks out for his wife.
And stuff.
So don't go jumping to conclusions.
The silence following was interrupted by an uncomfortable cough from Zuko, " Sister. What do you want?"
Azula stepped away from Toph but towards her brother, the dreadful smile still broad on her face, " What? I can't congratulate my brother on his wedding day?"
Zuko was about to retaliate, but stopped once he noticed a new arrival in the conversation.
The smile faltered at the sense of a presence behind her, " Well, he'll soon enough be in your same position, we can all be sure."
General Zhao stood behind her, looking stiff in his crisp, white military uniform. He held bubbling cherry blossom champagnes in each of his scarred hands. The man offered a fizzing pink glass to Azula, who accepted, grin no longer to be seen.
Those who did not know the princess and who witnessed the exchange wrote it off as a young girls reservation.
Zuko knew otherwise. Azula, like his wife, was not a shy girl.
" But what do you mean, General?" The prince dared, looking ever dashing in his suit with his slicked back hair and questioning golden eyes.
The man chuckled, which troubled Zuko further. This was a man who with he shared a mutual hatred, and whom never, as far as the prince knew, had been known to chuckle.
The noise seemed to startle even Zhao himself, who sobered somewhat and said, " Well, I don't want to ruin any surprises. Lets see how the night plays out, shall we?"
Zuko nodded, noting the way his sister was choosing to neglect her favorite drink, the way her jaw clenched. Her eyes darted about the room. She looked like a captured snake.
Toph, reminded of Xin Fu, wondered what he was up to in his room, as he and the other Earth Kingdom men weren't allowed at the wedding feast.
"Right, well, my wife and I best be on our way—to begin the feast."
She wondered what Haru was up to.
…
Nobody cares about Zhang Yi.
" Oh, yes, do so. I've… quite an appetite." Zhao responded.
Zuko nodded, placed an arm around Toph's waist, leading her away from the parasitic pair, to the banquet table. Once they took their seats, it would signal the beginning of the feast.
" Do me a favor." Zuko said to Toph, as two attendants pulled their plush chairs out for them, she quirked her head in question.
" Stay away from her."
Toph didn't respond to his request, simply ignoring him and choosing to inhale the myriad of scrumptious scents wafting through the air around them. An impressive spread was laid out before the court, the guests now all seated at the table.
Fire Lord Ozai stood at the opposite end of the table from the young couple, seemingly scrutinizing the food and everything else. No one was allowed to touch his or her food until the man deigned to take a seat.
Finally, done demonstrating even the most miniscule of his power over all in the room, he was in his chair. He began the consumption by gesturing to a red roast duck, which was sliced and fed to him by an attendant.
Toph placed her hands on the table, in an attempt to 'see' the treats and dishes that had been prepared. There was hot, fried bean curd dipped in soy sauce, fresh vegetables wrapped delicately in rice paper, fried cheeses, fermented cucumbers and cabbage, grilled asparagus, steamed pressed rice noodles, marinated pork, sliced tender beef sautéed with garlic, spices and spinach, red and green curry sauces, caramelized onions, fiery chili peppers in ginger vinaigrette, broiled bamboo shoots, large shrimp simmered with minced lemon, battered tofu, pan fried egg noodles and more and more. It was endless. She didn't know where to begin.
Toph turned to Song Yi, whom was her attendant for the feast, " If it's spicy or tangy, I want it."
Zuko watched her from the corner of his eye, critically. ' She'd better behave before the court.'
Toph's red mouth opened wide for dollop of orange curry. Her lips closed around the spoon like a rosebud closes as day turns to night. She then swallowed, eyes closed, enjoying the savory taste.
The prince looked away, and a few who'd watched the moment chuckled quietly to themselves.
At the opposite end of the table, beside her father but not at the head with him, Azula sipped nervously at her cherry blossom bubbly. Accepting a slice of tender beef offered to her by her equally nervous attendant, Katara, she opened her mouth and chewed, eating automatically, fighting the urge to gag at the sight in front of her.
General Zhao was gazing directly at the princess and slurping indelicately and suggestively at an oyster, running his tongue along the edges of it before deftly plunging his appendage into the shells hollow, lapping up the remainder of the meaty juices.
Azula didn't discount the glances in her direction, the chuckles in regards to Zhao's antics. Her father even, like the generals, was smirking in approval at the sexual display. Her father even, like the generals, was admiring her developing feminine form, the way her dress revealed a little too much cleavage.
Her brother, Zuko, as always, was oblivious.
Azula swallowed her humiliation, along with the beef. It tasted salty, like the tears she'd cried all those nights before in the dark when her childhood was lost and her innocence damned to hell.
' But. I'll be the one to have the last laugh. You can bet on it.'
From across the room she could hear Toph and Zuko arguing about the egg incident with the commoners, from earlier in the day.
" I'm just saying you should be careful!"
" I'm not weak, I can protect myself."
At the doubtful expressions, Toph blinked, then giggled falsely, " Well, from an egg or two. Teehee!"
From beneath the table, she pinched Zuko, who coughed at the egg drop soup he'd been sipping, glaring at her in turn.
Iroh chuckled and looked around at the other members at the table, esteemed military men and members of the royal family, " Lovers quarrels already!"
As usual, he'd saved the day.
Everyone laughed, the 'lovers' in question blushing and rolling their eyes.
The princess noted Mai, somber, beside her. She was unaware, no doubt, that she was gazing enviously, and openly at the newlyweds.
' A predator waits for just the right moment. Then. Strikes.' Azula inhaled with some excitement. She had been wondering if the opportunity she'd needed would present itself at all. But of course, it had. She often was quite lucky that way.
" Mai, my goodness, are you crying?"
Azula gestured for Katara to give her a napkin. She did. The princess dabbed somewhat violently at her friends face.
The sounds of chopsticks tapping and scraping at porcelain plates paused.
A few apprehensive gulps could be heard all across the great hall.
Mai's face reddened in shame, " I'm not."
Zuko's fists clenched. Azula, feigning a comforting pat on Mai's back, slipped a parcel into the white sash around the girls' waist. The movement went unnoticed.
The knife thrower could feel her throat tightening, " I'm not." She repeated, voice breaking.
Iroh, whom sat to the left of Zhao, intervened, " Many people become overcome with emotion at weddings. Especially young ladies, like dear Mai here. Or maybe it's just this roast duck. It is very, very delicious. So much, well, I could cry too, for appreciation of just—being alive."
On that note, Zhao stood ceremoniously, tapping his champagne glass with one of his chopsticks.
" Speaking of—appreciating life. I think it's time I grasped the moment. I have something to say. If it's all right with you, my lord. " He nodded to Ozai, who smirked in response.
" I can't think of a more romantic setting than a wedding. And a little romance is necessary when a man is about to—well, I'm not going to beat around the bush, here—propose."
Azula grimaced.
" Princess. Over the years I've watched you. And I feel that you and I share many of the same admirable qualities; we're cunning. And we go in for the kill."
Azula sat frozen.
" By that I mean when we want something, we go after it. Like a hunter seeks it's prey, and I want you. I suppose in some ways, my love is like a hunter. You probably didn't see it until it was too late. Until I was proposing, I mean. Well, that, and, your father already approves. I guess I'm just hoping that, with these word's, you'll be…ensnared."
Zhao looked back at the amber-eyed beauty with confidence. As he'd already said, her father had approved. Meaning he need not worry about her decision, for there was only one allowed.
' So nice of you to give a grand speech so that we can all act like I have a choice.' Azula scoffed inwardly.
She remembered to force the corners of her mouth upwards, and to stand. " General, I must say you really have trapped me with your love." She giggled, batted her eyelashes, and offered him a clawed hand, which he kissed.
Behind her, Katara cringed.
Ozai stood with them, clapping, and the rest of the guests followed in turn.
The attendants took the break in eating as a cue to bring in the wedding cakes. In the fire nation, it was tradition for the sister to marry directly after her brother, and vice versa. There were also two separate cakes. One was for the newlyweds, the sister of the groom, and her fiancée—a lovers' cake. It was small and red, with gold icing adornments. The second was for the well-wishers—everyone else in attendance.
The four 'lovers' then moved to a small round table separate from the banquet table, where their cake was placed, in the center of it, as everyone else watched. Katara and Azula shared a meaningful glance as the princess sat, Zhao beside her, Zuko and Toph beside him.
Zuko's attendant began slicing the cake, each cut into the moist flesh feeling like an eternity to each of them.
Toph sensed something strange in the princess' breathing pattern.
' Something's wrong. I could tell earlier that the girl doesn't like this ass-hat. But that's not it. There's something else.'
Toph accepted a bite of her slice of the cake from Song Yi, not focusing on the sweet but bitter taste of it.
She chewed. Zuko took his from his attendant, and then Zhao. Then finally, Azula accepted her piece. She bit into it carefully. Toph swallowed. She could feel the princess' heart. It was hammering violently in her chest.
Suddenly, Toph felt her lip twitch involuntarily.
' Oh my god. The cake.'
A white-hot pain ripped through her, she cried out, gripping the table. Zuko looked to her in confusion, but was then gripped by the horrible burning agony himself. " Poison!" He uttered.
The four lovers fell, like droplets of blood, to the unforgiving stone floor.
WHAT. IS GOING. TO HAPPEN. NEXT.
REVIEW.
P.S. I'll say this before someone thinks it-Azula's lesbianism and her being a bitch aren't really related. In a way, they are (the fire nation isn't accepting of homosexuality) but mostly this is just her character. I don't think lesbians are evil or anything. It just so happens Azula is a lesbian. And is possibly somewhat evil. Ok? Ok.