'I missed this,' Ty Lee declared.
Azula smirked but stayed quiet. She did agree with Ty Lee's statement, though. She felt a sense of freedom that she had lost while being home. She wouldn't admit it, but the palace could feel lonely sometimes. Surrounded by so many people, but none of them - apart from her father, of course - really knew her or cared about her. They just looked at her, ready to judge her. Even though she had been accepted back, Azula knew that no one had forgotten about her banishment just yet. She hadn't either.
That was logical, of course. She had only been back for a few weeks. When she returned with the Avatar...
Azula looked at Mai. She was content her friend was with her and happy that Mai didn't look more gloomy than usual.
'We're going to have to enjoy the sun while we can,' Azula said. 'It will only get colder from now on.'
Ty Lee eyed the horizon, as if she was expecting to see the icebergs already.
'It's almost spring,' she said hopefully.
'It is,' Azula agreed. 'But I don't think that'll make a difference on the North Pole.' She was curious as to how her body would react to that amount of cold. Azula had practiced her breath, making sure she could keep herself warm, but she had never tried it in such an extreme environment.
'I like winter,' Mai simply stated.
'I like spring,' Ty Lee said. 'And summer.' She played with her long braid as she pondered the other possibilities. 'I like all seasons,' she eventually concluded.
'With a bit of luck, we'll be back home before summer,' Azula said. She looked at the horizon as well, her thoughts on the future. 'It won't be easy... but I have no doubt that we'll succeed.'
Ty Lee smiled and Mai simply nodded, acknowledging her words. Azula thought a long time about her words before she continued. 'I wanted to thank you for coming with me again,' she said. 'It will be a lot easier with you on my side.'
'You're welcome,' Ty Lee said cheerily. 'I'll always want to travel with you.'
Azula smiled at Ty Lee before she looked at Mai. Their eyes met and for a few seconds, Azula thought she saw something of emotion in Mai's eyes. Comprehension, maybe. Mai nodded.
Azula nodded as well. She thought she knew what Mai had wanted to say, even if she hadn't used any words.
Zuko hadn't watched his sister leaving. He had barely said goodbye to her. He had said goodbye to Mai though. Zuko thought again of their last meeting. She had hugged him. She had told him she would be alright. And then she kissed him. Zuko started blushing everytime he thought of that.
He didn't truly fear for her. Mai was more than capable of defending herself and even though his relationship with his sister wasn't too good right now, Zuko knew that Azula wouldn't allow anyone to hurt Mai.
Still, he worried. Not only about Mai, also about himself. Hís father hadn't spoken to him since their first conversation after his return. It was true that Zuko tried to avoid his father, mad and hurt at the same time, but it was also true that his father hadn't tried to seek him out.
Which meant that Zuko had nothing useful to do. He hadn't been invited to any of the war meetings - which angered him even further. He had found out that Azula had been present at every meeting since her return. She had even sat at their father's right hand. Zuko wasn't allowed to attend.
Zuko hadn't thought that Azula would regain their father's approval so soon. She had always been his favourite, but Zuko had assumed that her banishment meant that she had fallen from grace. But now it seemed as if the opposite was true. He had fallen from grace, because he hadn't succeeded in capturing the Avatar or defeating the North. She, on the other hand, was once more the perfect princess everyone adored.
What would happen if his sister did succeed? Zuko didn't doubt that it meant that she would be his father's favourite. She already was. But it would also be proof that she was more capable than him.
Zuko knew that she was a better bender, but was she also a better leader? She had been away from two years, which should mean that her education had a gap of two years as well. Instead, it seemed as if her banishment had only improved her skills. Zuko briefly wondered if that was what her father had intended. He rejected the idea very quickly. He remembered the conversation he had had with Azula after she had been banished.
'So… I guess this is goodbye.'
She wasn't crying. Her face wasn't blank - it still displayed shock, as if she hadn't fully realised what was happening, or at least as if she hadn't fully processed it.
'You won't be gone forever,' Zuko said.
Azula laughed, but it sounded more like a muffled cry. 'Banished, Zuko. It is not as if I'm going on vacation to Ember Island.'
'I'm sure father will call you back within weeks.'
Azula looked bad. Really bad. Her eyes were surrounded by dark circles, indicating that she hadn't slept in way too long. She nervously played with her fingers. His perfect sister was crumbling before his eyes.
Zuko knew that his entire world had turned around. He couldn't imagine what she was feeling.
Azula seemed as if she wanted to say something. Eventually she said: 'You must be happy.'
Zuko blinked suprised. 'Don't be crazy,' he said.
'You never liked me,' Azula said. 'Neither did mother. Or uncle. I always thought father did like me though, but…' She swallowed.
'You're my sister,' Zuko said.
Azula nodded, but it was as if she hadn't heard him. 'Good luck, Zuko,' she said, without looking at him. Zuko wanted to stop her, to tell her he did care for her, but he never did.
Azula looked at the letter in her hands. 'I have good news,' she said. 'We're not going to the Water Tribe.'
'Yeah!' Ty Lee exclaimed. 'Although it's a pity I won't get to wear my fur.'
'Is it news about the Avatar?' Mai asked.
Azula nodded. 'He has been seen in the Earth Kingdom,' she said. 'I'll inform the captain - we need to change our course.'
When she returned, she saw Ty Lee still chatting and Mai looking uninterested.
'It's good news,' Azula said. 'We'll have the advantage in the Earth Kingdom.'
'Are you sure?' Mai asked. 'They don't really like the Fire Nation.'
Azula shrugged. 'I have brought Earth Kingdom clothes.' She absentmindedly touched her hairpiece when she thought of how they would have to deceive everyone. 'We won't be there for at least a few days, though.'
'So what will we do until then?'
Azula shrugged again. 'I've brought scrolls and books,' she said. Mai sighed. Even though she didn't say anything, Azula knew what she was thinking.
'We can enjoy the sun, we can train…' she continued.
'We can make music and dance!' Ty Lee pitched in.
Azula and Mai simultaneously rolled their eyes, but Ty Lee didn't notice it.
'We can flirt with the soldiers…' Ty Lee continued.
'See? We won't be bored,' Azula said with a small smile. She was happy Mai was with her, but she was remembered of her conscious.
Azula scolded herself for feeling guilty. As far as she was concerned, she didn't have a reason to. She had simply done what she needed to. So why did she feel guilty?
Because you've hurt Mai.
Azula tried to ignore her mind. 'So… what do you want to do?' she asked Mai, trying to distract herself.
Mai's eyebrows raised ever so slightly.
'I don't… really care,' she said.
'We could talk,' Ty Lee said. 'About you… and Zuko.'
Azula's eyebrow twitched, but Mai was busy blushing and didn't notice it.
'There's nothing to talk about,' Mai said.
'Come on Mai!' Ty Lee said. 'I want details. Are you… together?' She giggled, as if she were a little child.
Mai sighed. 'Maybe,' she said.
Ty Lee had expected a blunt 'no' and started to scream. 'That's a yes, isn't it? Maybe is a yes!'
Mai shook her head, obviously already regretting her choice of words. 'No. Maybe is maybe. Yes is yes.'
Azula smiled, even though she didn't really feel happy. 'That's deep,' she said.
Ty Lee grinned widely. 'I knew it,' she said.
Mai sighed and shook her head. 'You're hopeless,' she muttered.
'We'll be back soon,' Azula said. 'You'll see Zuko so much it'll drive you crazy.'
Mai couldn't stop a small smile.
'You'll be sisters then,' Ty Lee said to Azula. Azula nodded.
'If they marry, in ten years, yes, in that case we'll be sisters,' she said.
'I want to be bridesmaid,' Ty Lee said, grinning as she waited for Mai to yell that she wasn't going to marry Zuko.
It stayed quiet.
'Mai?' Ty Lee asked. Mai was leaning against the railing, looking at the water, her mind obviously wandered off.
'Are you okay?' Ty Lee said.
'Of course,' Mai said.
'I can see you're not,' Ty Lee said. 'There's worry in your aura.' Azula would normally roll her eyes at the mention of aura's, but right now she just crossed her arms and waited for Mai's answer.
'I'm just worried, that's all,' she said.
'Worried about Zuko?' Ty Lee asked.
Mai nodded.
'He'll be safe,' Ty Lee said. 'The palace is one of the securest places in the world, isn't it? Azula?'
Azula was suddenly reminded of the day she learned about the Fire Nation enemies. They had entered the palace, trying to harm the royal family. She remembered one of the rebels.
'It's the princess!'
'It is,' Azula agreed. Azulon had made sure that the palace was modernized, improving all the defence systems.
But not all dangers came from outside of the palace. Azula still didn't understand why Zhao had wanted to kill Zuko. It made no sense.
Unless….
Azula's eyes widened in shock.
'Azula?' Mai asked. 'Are you okay?'
'Your aura looks terrified,' Ty Lee said.
'I'm fine,' Azula snapped.
It couldn't be.
Azula looked at the men. She was five years old, but she didn't recognise them and knew they meant trouble.
'Let's grab her and get out of here,' one of them said.
By then she was sure. These were the bad people her father had told her about.
Her? Did they mean... Azula felt scared. She tried to think of what to do. She wanted to be brave, but at the same time she wanted to run as well. To her father. He would protect her.
Azula took two steps backwards. 'Stay away from me,' she said. She tried to sound regal, just like her grandfather did when he sat on his throne.
'If you'll come with us, we won't hurt you,' one of those men said.
Hurt her? Azula streched herself, hoping to seem taller. 'I will fight you!' she said. She wouldn't let these men hurt her. Her father had told her that she was extremely good for her age. He had called her a prodigy. She would show these men that they couldn't mess with a Princess of the Fire Nation.
One of the men laughed.
Azula frowned, not understanding why he was laughing. He didn't take her seriously, she realised.
'Then we'll do it the hard way,' he said, walking towards her with firm steps. Azula knew she couldn't outrun him. She tried to duck away from his hands, but he was too fast and grabbed her arm.
He screamed when she burned his face.
Azula yanked her arm away. She send another fireblast in his direction, setting his clothes on fire. He kept yelling and fell on the ground. The other man seemed surprised, staring at his partner with his eyes wide before looking at her. Azula threw one fireball at him before running away.
She heard footsteps behind her, so she could only assume that one of them was following her - probably not the one she had set on fire though. They wanted to take her away. To hurt her.
'HELP!' she screamed as loud as she could.
She was fast, but she wasn't fast enough.
'Got you, you little wrench,' the man hissed, grabbing her shoulder. Azula fell. She had been trained well enough to roll, but she hadn't been trained good enough to be able to jump up immediately.
'I'll make you pay for what you did,' the man said. 'All you Fire Nation royalty are the same...'
He - too - screamed when he was put on fire.
'Azula? Are you alright?' Ursa asked. Azula forced herself to sit upright. She knew it was bad to cry, but she couldn't stop a few tears from falling.
'You're alright,' Ursa said, grabbing her and hugging her fiercely. 'I was so worried.'
'Is she injured?' Ozai asked. He had been the one to put the man on fire - although other guards now took care of him. He frowned as he looked at his daughter.
'Were there more?' he asked. ]
Azula nodded. 'I... I set him on fire,' she said, tears filling her eyes again. She wasn't sure if her mother would be mad at her, so she tried to avoid her gaze as she instead wiped away her tears.
'Another one?' Ursa exclaimed.
'You've done well, Azula,' Ozai said. 'We'll find him.'
But what... 'I think I killed him... Did I kill him?' Azula asked, her voice thick with tears. Ursa was now stroking her hair, trying to calm her down.
'I don't know,' Ozai responded. 'But you've defended yourself against our enemy, Azula. I'm very proud of you. Come with me - the doctors will have to check you.'
'Zuko is there as well,' Ursa added.
Azula stood up and grabbed her dad's hand. Normally he didn't allow it, but right now he didn't seem to mind it. She felt safe.
'Sometimes it's necessary to kill someone,' Ozai said. 'To protect someone, or for the greater good. Do you understand?'
'Ozai...' Ursa said, but Ozai ignored her.
'I understand, dad,' Azula said.
'You look very pale,' Mai said.
Ty Lee looked at her with worried eyes.
'I just... I remembered something,' Azula said. 'A bad memory, that's all.' She tried to smile, but she was unable to hide the shock from her eyes.
'Are you sure?' Ty Lee asked.
'Yes, I'm sure,' Azula growled.
She did notice that Ty Lee looked slightly hurt, but Azula didn't have time for that right now. 'I need a Messenger hawk,' she said.
'Who are you going to write?' Mai asked.
Azula shrugged. 'A general,' she lied. 'I suddenly got an idea... but it's not important.'
She walked away before they could pose more questions.
'Don't you think that was weird?' Ty Lee asked Mai.
Mai nodded. 'Very weird,' she said. 'She's hiding something from us.'
'I know,' Ty Lee said. 'But she looked... she looked scared.'
And if something could scare Azula,Ty Lee was afraid of it.
They looked at the retreating princess. Outwardly, she seemed completely calm. But that was only the outside. Azula could feel her heart beating in her chest.