Ch 21
Azula woke up to the sound of laughter, and saw Aang with two children. One of them was an airbender, the next a firebender.
"It's nice, isn't it?" a soft voice asked.
Azula turned around and saw Ursa.
"It is, mother." Azula said.
Azula then woke up from her dream, and was about to vomit. Why would she be having dreams about her mother? Looking around, she didn't see Aang in the camp. Standing up, she headed to the nearest source of water, and saw Aang practicing his waterbending.
Rather than disturb him, she decided to watch him. She watched as the water moved to his commands; at times it was soft and cooling and at other times, it was harsh and rough.
"Quite lucky, aren't you?" Ursa asked, her voice lingering.
"Shut up." Azula whispered.
"Just saying. If I was still around, I'd try and get him." Ursa said.
Banishing the thoughts away, she approached Aang.
"Azula?" Aang asked.
"Hey, Aang." Azula said, removing her shirt and pants. She walked into the water, and pulled Aang close. The cold hit her like a ton of bricks, and she briefly wondered how the avatar could handle it.
"It's cold." Azula said.
"Use your firebending." Aang said, moving his hands up and down her arms.
Azula shot a fireball at the water, and watched the steam rise up. Aang used his airbending to keep the steam close to them, and felt Azula dig her hands into his skin.
"Spar with me." Azula said, in a soft tone.
With the steam still up they started to throw the elements at each other, water and fire. The result was a thick and dense steam that clouded their vision. Azula moved forward, groping the steam trying to find Aang.
Aang squealed when Azula found him. He was pushed against the wall, and wrapped his legs around her waist feeling as she thrusted against him. Azula could only gasp as Aang went inside her.
Grabbing his waist, she thrusted back and forth. Both of them climaxed, gazing into each other's eyes.
"So, how long until we hit the capital?" Aang asked.
"Two weeks." Azula said.
…
"This is it." Sokka said, looking at his map.
"Perfect place, Sokka. It's well hidden." Azula said.
"And we're four days early." Katara said.
"Four days?! The invasion's in four days?" Aang frantically asked.
"Yeah. That's four days to just relax." Sokka said.
"Yeah. Try and enjoy our final meal before the execution." Azula smugly said.
With everyone else sleeping, Aang lay next to Azula, wrapping her arms around him and fell asleep.
Yet sleep would momentarily elude him. After having a bad dream, Aang woke up and decided to practice his firebending.
"You need to sleep." Azula said, approaching him.
"I'm perfectly fine." Aang said.
Azula didn't believe him, and knocked him out with a single punch to the head.
"Why does my head hurt?" Aang asked.
"I knocked you out in the middle of the night. You were trying to practice with lack of sleep." Azula said.
"Well, might as well train." Aang said.
Training went well for the day, but night was when the shit hit the fan. Azula could barely sleep.
"My beautiful daughter. You ready to be married?" Ursa asked.
Azula quickly woke up, and looked at Aang. Even if they won the war and survived, could the world accept their marriage? Exhaling, she fell back asleep. Her deep slumber was cut when Aang quickly woke up the next morning.
"Sokka, you got to tell me what day it is!" Aang shouted right in Sokka's face.
Sokka quickly stood up, right into a rock face. Ty Lee only laughed at the sight.
"It's only two days till the invasion." Toph said.
Aang then had Sokka climb up a cliff, claiming that in his dreams, fire nation troops captured Sokka. He also turned on Katara and Toph, and Katara interrupted his mad ramblings.
"It's like every time I think about how stressed I am, I just end up getting more stressed." Aang said to his friends.
"No shit. You have to fight my father." Azula said.
Aang was still a nervous wreck. Ty Lee grabbed Aang and dragged him away to an underground hot spring.
"Ready to be distressed?" Ty Lee asked.
Aang sighed and gave a lukewarm smile. Ty Lee obliviously went straight into the session, and talked to Aang.
"So, how are you feeling?" Ty Lee asked.
"Warm. Like one of the sessions with Azula." Aang said.
"Good. Anything else?" Azula asked, joining the trio.
"Azula?" Ty Lee asked.
"Been having trouble sleeping." Azula responded.
The session still didn't help Aang, so he went to talk to Sokka about it. Meanwhile, Azula was dealing with her own problems.
"Ty, did you hear something?" Azula asked.
"No. Not a thing." Ty Lee said.
Azula looked at the water, and saw her own mother's reflection. Needing to talk to her alone, she kicked Ty Lee out, and waited until she was out of hearing distance.
"What are you doing here?" Azula asked.
"Came here to help. You're about to invade the capital, and you're beginning to lose it." Ursa said.
"Thanks for the obvious. Now get out." Azula said.
"I can't." Ursa said.
Azula turned and fired a bolt of lightning into the water, watching as the electricity ran across the water.
"Well, that'll give me piece of mind." She said, leaving the spring.
Her piece of mind didn't last that night.
Azula looked in horror, as the invasion fell to pieces. They were so close, and the fire nation unleashed its new weapons and crushed them. The survivors ran back to the subs, but were killed en mass.
"Hello, daughter." Ozai cruelly said, as Azula found herself tied to the stake, about to be burned.
"Father, please!" Azula pleaded.
Ozai raised an arm, and set the pyre on fire. Azula initially struggled to push the pain away, but it was overwhelming. She screamed as the flames licked her pale skin, burning it. She begged and pleaded for anyone to save her, but as she looked down at the well-sized crowd, it became clear that no-one wanted to save her.
Lowering her head, she inhaled the smoke, hoping to pass out. But even she was denied that, as a priest bended the smoke away. With her fate sealed, as she could do was scream and wail as the fire finished her.
Azula woke up, screaming her head off. She also heard another person screaming, and saw Aang on his knees, looking like he was about to vomit. Azula quickly crawled to Aang, and tightly held him.
"You two pick a fine time to flip your shit! You're the only firebenders in our group, and the only ones who can go toe-to-toe with the firelord! What the fuck is going on?" Toph asked.
"Nightmares, Toph. And it looks like Azula is having worse ones." Aang said, momentarily forgetting about his troubles, and focused on helping Azula.
"So, anything we can do to help?" Katara asked.
"Don't worry about me. I can handle it." Azula said.
Morning came, and Azula and Aang practiced their firebending. Azula was going all out, and Aang was forced to use all the bending disciplines to slow her down.
"I've never seen Azula like this." Ty Lee said, as she watched their duels.
"Crazy and trying to attack the avatar? I'm sure that's normal." Katara bitingly said.
"Not that. Something's off about her." Ty Lee said, as she practiced her contortions.
"She seems like her normal self." Katara said.
Azula then fired at Aang with a large and powerful blast of blue flame. The flame only last a few seconds, and Azula collapsed from exhaustion.
"Don't leave me." Azula muttered to Aang.
"I won't." Aang said.
Azula attempted to push the nightmares away, but they still troubled her. She was forced to swallow her pride and had Ty Lee and Katara help.
"This should help." Katara said, holding water against Azula's head.
Azula relaxed under the calming presence of the water, and saw something in her mind. She saw her, Aang, and her mother.
"Thanks, Katara." Azula said.
Katara couldn't believe what she heard. But she decided to help Azula, despite her many reservations. Pulling the water away, Azula felt drained. Yet she also felt like a weight had been lifted from her shoulder.
"Why did you leave us?" Azula sadly asked.
"I left to protect you and Zuko. Azula, no matter what happens, I want you to know this. I love you, no matter what." Ursa said, pulling Azula into a hug.