blueandie: For real though lol. I feel like the chapters with the springs are often the strongest. Though I'm very happy with this recent chapter too. Again, it strayed from the outline a lot, but I think it turned out : The lenny face is always an appropriate response. Like even if it's not, it is.

Emizula: The lenny face is always an appropriate response. Even when it isn't, it totally is.


Perhaps the floor of the springs wasn't the best place to have at it, Azula thought to herself as she inspected her back in the mirror. The rough stones of the place had graced her back with minor scrapes and bruises. Her condition was only slightly better than Sokka's, she had been rough with the man and she almost felt bad for it even though he was adamant about it being part of the game. It had been nice to wake up to him even though he, at some point in the night, had ended up elbowing her in the stomach. For that she ended up sleeping with her back to him, but by morning he had his arms around her again, his beard tickling her neck. She dressed herself, ignoring—to the best of her ability the way the fabric scratched at her mildly beaten back. Today she had every intention of collecting Yoona and Khoza and tracking down Wire once and for all. Zuko was growing tired of chasing Petro around and Ursa had a rather irrational fear of the elephant-mouse. Azula spared herself one last look in the mirror and adjusted anything that less than pleased her. Sokka was awake and waiting for her when she reappeared. She pulled him to his feet and practically dragged him towards the stairs. The pair never seemed to make quick progress with hallway ventures as Sokka liked to hold her against the wall for kisses and quick touches. He could be very needy at times, she concluded. But mostly she didn't mind the attention, so long as she wasn't in a hurry. That morning was one such day, since leaving for the Water Tribe she had the district feeling that she'd thrown Chan to the dirt. In his own way he had supported her and given her a broken little sanctuary. She had repaid him by leading him on and it left a sort of sourness in her mouth, a horribly dirty feeling. One she hoped to wash away by reuniting him with Wire. She also didn't mind the prospect of dropping by Ember Island again, especially in light of spending so much time in the cold of the Water Tribe.

Azula figured that it would be rather easy to find Wire, she would host a party for the high-ranking nobles, the kind of party the boy's mother couldn't miss. If the palace staff did their part she could have the palace ballroom re-arranged and ready and an abundance of food and beverage on the tables by nightfall. Rather than going through the trouble of acquiring a reputable musician she had made a work around. Within the invites she had offered them a chance to show off their own skills, a talent show in some regard. If all went as planned and her last-minute invitation gained an audience, it would surly save her the time and effort of traipsing aimlessly around the capital in search of the boy. She had requested that the entire families come so that Wire wouldn't be left behind. She would seek out his family and go from there. She had to admit that she was fishing for an excuse to throw or attend an exquisite party. It had been so long and she had missed out on so many and chasing Sokka to the south, she had missed out on another. She pined for the extravagant feelings that such formal events evoked in her. The potent reminder that she was still a royal despite living so modestly for a good chunk of time.

She supposed that it did her well though, to do so.

"Help me decide how to fix my hair and makeup?" She requested of Sokka.

"Only if you help me get through this whole party thing." He replied.

Azula sighed. "You'll be fine.. I'm sure you've attended plenty of these things before"

"Yeah, and they were all awkward. Ask Aang, he'll tell you."

"Sir Momo of the Momo dynasty." Toph snorted as she walked passed.

"What does that even—"

"Don't ask!" Sokka replied, leaving Azula completely certain that it was something that would make her cringe for hours. No matter, she would ensure that Sokka didn't humiliate himself and by extension her. It was going to be well to address the public for the first time as Fire Lord. She wouldn't be surprised if they had forgotten, she nearly had between going away and letting Sokka continue to call her 'princess'.

.oOo.

Sokka wasn't as thrilled at the prospect of attending some posh palace party as Azula and Khoza were. No, he and Yoona were jittery and constantly sparing each other anxious glances. Even if he got to be arm in arm with an elegantly dressed Azula the idea didn't appeal. The nature of their relationship had never been hidden but it hadn't been exactly public either. He wasn't sure if he was ready to make it so. Yet he was there walking beside her as she greeted her guests. He tried to settle the whirling feeling in his stomach by thinking of something else. Azula herself was an ample distraction in her form-fitting finery. The gown was a very stark contrast to the flowing, loose robes most of the others wore. A far cry from tradition. But at the same time it reeked of Fire Nation tailory. Golden and bright red embroidered dragons coiled and curled up silk of a deeper red. The gold dragon circled Azula's hips until it's head reached her right breast. And the red spanned from the opposite corner to her left breast. It was a sleeveless kimono of sorts that came to reveal her shoulder blades. Her hair was done up in a formal bun with a headdress so elaborate, Sokka had trouble distinguishing what kind of gems dangled from each golden hair chopstick.

Her lips had been painted such a vivid shade of red he thought that they outshined the rubies adorning her head. He looked at her to the point of catching little details he hadn't noticed before. A freckle on her neck and a very faint birth mark on her left shoulder blade that one would miss unless they were staring.

Whenever she shook the hand of a guest he could see the flash of gold as light fell upon an arrangement of rings and bracelets. All in all, the Fire Lord had an obvious air of opulence about her.

By comparison he felt like a potato. A common, everyday potato in expensive robes. A few more people trickled in and he followed Azula on shaking legs to the front of the room where she stood and welcomed everyone to the party. The occasion, to welcome herself home. Sokka admitted to getting a kick out of that one, she would throw herself a welcome back party. He gathered that it was a good enough excuse; her other choices included a party to 'announce our marriage'—as nice as marrying the princess sounded to him, he wasn't quite ready for that—and a 'just had great sex' party. He was flabbergasted at that suggestion despite knowing very well that she had only thrown it out there to make her real theme sound more appealing.

Most of Azula's attention was fixated on spotting this Wire kid and so he was left to his own nervousness with only Yoona for comfort. Her speech was getting better so he didn't have to strain his ears to decipher her words. Mostly the girl talked his ear off about how excited she was to visit Ember Island for the first time and how she had always wanted to wear a bikini and see a volcano. He had to politely and gently remind her that she lived in a dormant one. She seemed genuinely confused at the prospect of a volcano with no lava until Khoza stepped in and said, "the volcano is sleeping Yoona, that's why it has no lava."

After that discussion ended Yoon started in about how he was a beautiful man with beautiful eyes that reminded her of the ocean. She fidgeted with the tassels dangling from the collar of his robe until Khoza elbowed her and told her that she was making him uncomfortable. And to Sokka he added, "if she's bothering you, just tell her, Bo-Rem used to tell her to piss off all the time."

Sokka had no intention of following through on that advice. At last Azula reappeared. "I found him, working around his mother is going to be a little harder, unless of course you'll allow me the pleasure of using less diplomatic strategies."

"Please be nice." Sokka winced.

Azula rolled her eyes. "Lighten up, Sokka, I'm not going to kill the woman. Though she's testing me."

"What is she doing?" Khoza asked, treating himself to another glass of higher end cactus juice.

"She's more dramatic than Zu-Zu. She could give my mother some competition, and my mother was in theater." Azula's eyes lit up. After spending so much time in her company, he knew exactly what that meant. "I'll get mother. I don't know why I didn't think of that beforehand."

.oOo.

Azula retreated to find her mother. If anyone could coax Wire's mother into letting him leave with her for an extended trip to Ember Island, it would be her own. Frankly, Azula was tired of bickering with the woman and she was quite eager to spend at least some of the party with Sokka. She had promised that she would ease his mind, Yoona was kind company, but she doubted that the girl could keep Sokka pacified for much longer. It took some effort to pry Ursa away from Zuko—who seemed surprisingly relieved to be free of her doting. Azula assessed that even Zu-Zu probably got tired of those mushy, 'my handsome boy's'.

"I need you to do this for me, mother. Of course, I can do it myself, but it will take much longer. That woman would be more inclined to listen to a fellow mother."

Finishing her drink, Ursa replied, "I suppose I can try to get her to come around…"

"If she starts getting melodramatic, feel free to outdo her." Azula replied. "And if she tries to tell you that Wire can't handle himself, don't listen."

Ursa smirked, it was unsettlingly the one Azula herself constantly wore. "I know how to do this, Azula. Believe it or not, your father wasn't one for games." With a wink, she ruffled Azula's hair and set off on her mission.

Sokka was waiting for her on the other side of the room, a charming spectacle if she said so. He wore his hair down, a fashion she liked well on him. The bright reds, golds, and blacks of the Fire Nation complimented his complexion very well. She had fixed him with a golden arm cuff that clung dazzlingly to his right bicep. She wasn't surprised that he had shed the outermost parts of his attire. Hence why she had chosen an outfit that boasted more and more elaborate embroidery as one shed layers. He was absolutely perfect.

"So, you're with the tribesman now?"

Azula turned to face Xanu. "I have been for a while, yes." She replied. "I can't imagine that it's of any interest to you."

"Not particularly, no." He agreed, looking entirely unentertained by his own subject of choice. Only a simple conversation starter perhaps. "Will you do me the pleasure of sharing a drink, Fire Lord Azula?" He offered. He held up his own glass. "I could pour you one. A fine import from Ember Island."

"That sounds lovely." Azula replied. "But I promised Sokka that I wouldn't leave him with Yoona and Khoza for too long."

"You are the Fire Lord, he can wait." Xanu dismissed.

"On the contrary, I'd like his companionship."

"By all means, call him over, he can share a glass too." Xanu offered. "I have plenty, might as well give the man a taste of true high-class culture."

Against her better judgment, she motioned Sokka over. She couldn't gauge exactly what Xanu was playing at or if he was playing at all, but she fully intended to find out. Unabashed thrill lit Sokka's eyes as he scampered to join her. "You've met Xanu, correct?"

"Yeah, he and I talked once." Sokka replied.

"Care to join us for a drink," he paused, "Sokka?"

Sokka looked at her with unspoken concern. Azula tugged him in the direction of Xanu's table. Their discussion upon seating was mundane, almost horribly so. She wasn't interested in talk of the guard routines, she was decently familiar anyhow. Though Sokka seemed rather intrigued so she let the conversation flow around her. The drink he had offered, bore the name 'Island Water'. It was a brand she'd never tired and was more curious about its taste than the conversation at hand. She turned back to the conversation, which had turned to something of an expedition Xanu had embarked on earlier in the year. It took a ludicrous amount of willpower to not yawn very openly.

Xanu took the bottle and poured himself a glass. "Shall I fill yours?" He offered. "And yours as well, Sokka?"

"I only drink Water Tribe brews." Sokka replied.

"Oh, well you don't know what you are missing." Xanu took a drink from his own glass. "Fire Lord Azula?"

She took him up on his offer as eagerly as she did reluctantly. It had been so long since she had the taste of alcohol on her lips. In front of Xanu's team of guards it would have been tactless to refuse a generous offer. Sokka, unaccustomed to tradition, would be forgiven. For her, it would be a decent blemish to her reputation. With herself she decided that she had to prove something to herself anyhow. Even as he placed the drink in her hand, her belly fluttered nervously. If she couldn't exhibit a scrap of self-control her reputation would also be tarnished. Sokka shot her a despairing look as she lifted the glass. She took a sip, missing almost immediately the feelings and sensations the bottle had always brought. And this brand in particular had a sublime taste. It was a rather strong drink at that. The knots in her belly grew.

She had missed the taste so much…

.oOo.

He hadn't expected to ever carry a drunk Azula back to her room again. Yet she was leaning on him as they walked. But to his dismay, they weren't walking to her room. No, they were still walking around the ballroom. He knew that the party was going to be a disaster.

"Can we go back to your room yet?" He asked. "Please."

"You'd like that, wouldn't you Sokka?" She replied, leaning in closer. She tapped at his collar bone, with every withdrawal of her pointer, she added an extra dramatic flair. He had to find Zuko or Ursa, or even Iroh. "No, I want to stay here." She answered again when he didn't reply.

He didn't know what else to do, so he held her with a new degree of firmness, as if he could actually keep her from dashing off if she wanted to. Mostly he had to make sure she stayed on her feet. "Azula, please." He repeated.

Azula shook her head. "I'm fine, Sokka." This time she pulled out of his grasp. He could see the slightest hint of pink creeping across her cheeks. The movement wasn't quite steady and she swayed some. With more care, the princess made her way back to the table he had worked so hard to get her away from. A choice Xanu seemed very pleased with.

Sokka scowled, he couldn't figure out what Xanu was trying to accomplish here. He couldn't work out the why's of it either. "Are you sure you don't want any, Sokka?"

"Very." He replied.

"Are you a boy or a man?"

"That depends on the day." He grumbled. "I think I'm a man today."

This humored Azula. Though Sokka couldn't discern if it was funny to her because she thought he was acting like a boy, or because she thought his blatant refusal was funny. With a soft chuckle, the princess took a grape from the bowl next to her and popped it into her mouth.

"How about you, princess?" Xanu asked.

"Fire Lord." Azula corrected crossly. "I'm your Fire Lord."

"Right." Xanu replied with an awkward cough. "Would you like another glass, Fire Lord Azula?"

.oOo.

Azula thought for a moment, a feat that was harder through the fuzz in her head. Another glass sounded very delightful. Oh yes, she had missed it indeed. She missed the taste, the feeling, everything. Sokka cupped her hand tightly, looking completely disheartened and miserable. The look amplified as she reached for the cup Xanu offered. She brought it to her lips, feeling guilty. She supposed that for once it would be better to bask in that emotion. For as much as she wanted to part and let another swig warm her tummy, she still had the sense to recall that the whole point of this was to prove to herself that she could be trusted.

She could still do it though.

Could allow herself one more sip…

She looked at the glass and squinted. He had called her princess. Had it been a few months back, that would have been nothing of importance. That had been her title, it had been her title for a long time. She supposed a slip of the tongue would be natural since her Fire Lord status was relatively new. But she detected it in the same way she had in the Ash Pit, that he was using her former title to degrade her, though he did it with much more subtlety. He thought her a fool.

Azula set the glass down at once. She supposed she didn't need it anyhow. She could always have another at the next party, it would still be there. And if it wasn't she could have more of the stuff imported.

She had a string of witticisms in line but she wasn't sure that she could deliver them correctly at the moment. Even so, all she could manage in that moment was a simple, "I'm your Fire Lord." But it was spoken in a dangerous tone. One that took the snide look from Xanu's face, replaced by a look of knowing. She wondered if it would be better to play it off and pretend to merely be upset over his 'slip of the tongue'—to play the part of the embarrassingly intoxicated princess until he revealed his intentions. Or if she should drop the ignorant act and extract his motivations by force.

"Yes, you have mentioned that." Xanu replied, eliciting a table of laughter. Granted the table only had two other faces.

"Can't handle your liquor can you?" One of them laughed.

.oOo.

Sokka's insides burned. He promised both Katara and Azula that he would keep himself in check. He had promised Zuko and Aang as well and even Toph—not that she really took it seriously. But all of them were testing him and Xanu's face looked so completely punchable in that moment. They had every intention of taking advantage of the drunk Fire Lord.

"I know what I've mentioned and how many times I've mentioned it." Azula replied, she rose carefully, gripping the table quite tightly. He could tell that she was fighting to stay steady. He realized then, that the woman was only tipsy. For unsteady as she was on her feet, she was otherwise coherent. Her speech, though some crasser and blunter than usual was clear and concise. He put his hand on her back. "I also know how many drinks I've had."

"Too many, apparently." Said a the other guard.

"And…" She paused, her lips slowly curving up in a half-snarl, half-smirk. "I know how many guards I have." She took a moment to look at their smug expressions. "Currently there are exactly one hundred and twenty-seven guards working here. Now there are one hundred and one hundred and twenty-four." On trembling legs and in a line that wasn't quite straight, she came to stand behind the guard who had spoken first. Tapping one of her long nails upon his shoulder she muttered, "you can turn in your uniform, Rokem. And yours as well, Lan."

Rokem shifted uncomfortably, he got to his feet only to have Azula push him back into the chair. At once Sokka tensed up, he'd been on the receiving end of a few of her drunk rages, he hoped she didn't drink enough to get hostile. With a look that kept him in his seat she turned to Xanu, but only for a moment before changing directions entirely. She looked back at Rokem. Her smirk grew, letting Sokka know that the direction hadn't changed at all, there was simply a new step in whatever she was thinking. She sauntered over to Xanu. "And you. You're under arrest."

She leaned on the table, lacking a good degree of poise and elegance. "I changed my mind. Rokem, Lan, arrest him."

Xanu blinked, "what for, prince—Fire Lord?!"

Azula shrugged languidly, "haven't decided yet, but it has something to do with treason."

.oOo.

Azula didn't take well to that kind of humiliation not at all so she would make sure it would be paid back in full, when she got her senses fully back about her. For the time being she put all of her focus into not stumbling over herself as she made her way towards a table of more trustworthy guards. "Kai, see to it that Rokem and Lan fulfill their final duty."

"Are you alright, Fire Lord?" Kai asked.

"I'm fine. If you ensure that I stay that way, you might just get to steal Xanu's title." Azula replied. Kai always had been her favorite guard anyways. As a girl he always let her sneak around the palace regardless of Ozai's wishes. It was amazing, Azula fumed to herself, how that man would always come around and make a mess of her life. Ozai had been the one to appoint Xanu in the first place. It took her longer than it should have to realize that Sokka had crept up behind her. "Get my mother."

Azula put her head in her hands, as a wash of dizziness hit her. What an eventful party, she supposed that it wouldn't have been one without some sort of political spat. As fate would have it, Ursa had went above and beyond in her assigned task. When Wire's mother refused to give any headway in letting her son go free, Ursa had followed her home. Under normal circumstances she would have been highly entertained, hell it would probably amuse her in the morning. But she need her mother. Instead she had a very displeased Zu-Zu and an equally as alarmed Katara.

"I can't believe you would do this again." Zuko scolded.

For the sole purpose of proving that she wasn't wasted she replied with abundant snark, "I can't believe you would fuck Katara." Her already flushed cheeks, reddened a tad more. She had meant to say, 'hook up with', but the drinks spoke first.

"W-what?" He sputtered, her question had caught him off guard. "That never happened."

"Relax, I was just joking." She replied with a cheeky little smile. Now that was rich, she had only been trying to mock their parental attitudes. Now little Zu-Zu was all flustered and Katara's ranting was over. Her smile faded some, she had probably proved that she was in a questionable state.

"Sokka, how could you let this happen?" Katara asked.

Azula had the sense to reply, "I'm fine. Really, everything is under control."

"So you aren't drunk?" Zuko challenged.

"I could have been." Azula shrugged. "Believe it or not, I can control myself. Trust me." She knew that, that was asking a bit much of him. Until then, she didn't even know if she could trust herself. But she found herself reassured. She looked over at Sokka, the look he met her with told him that Katara had just hit a soft spot. "Anyways, I'm a big girl, I don't need Sokka to do everything for me."

"He shouldn't have let you…"

She cut Katara off. "He didn't." She had to give credit where it was due. "After the first few we went for a little walk, gave me time to think things through."

"Why did you have the first one?" Zuko interrogated.

"Because, I needed to know that I could." She replied.

"You couldn't have done that in better company?" He countered.

It was a fair point, but she didn't feel like explaining herself, not when the hall was swaying. Instead she gave a dismissive wave. "Just help me to my room before I decide that I don't want your help."

.oOo.

Sokka had foreseen all kinds of horrific outcomes, but as per usual Azula took the only route he hadn't expected. He found himself abundantly thankful that she was safely in his arms and hadn't made an idiot of herself. She had grown groggier as the minutes wore on and had taken to sleepily snuggling herself against him. But she was still awake and mostly alert, though the level of it fluctuated.

He thought that she would fall asleep if he kept rubbing small circles on her back. He could hear her humming softly at his touch. Contrary to his assumption, she took him aback for the second time that night. Instead of slumping to the pillow, she pushed him back against it and crawled atop him, purring as she did so.

Sokka sighed. Carefully removing the princess from his body he muttered, "not tonight Azula. Maybe tomorrow, if you're still in the mood."

She crossed her arms and pouted.

"You need some rest." He added. He could see very plainly that she was dissatisfied with the answer. So he offered those pouting lips a kiss. He brushed a hand through her hair and laid her down. "Get some rest, you'll thank me in the morning."

Azula muttered something and rolled onto her side.

He truly hoped that getting Wire back to Chan worth this whole near catastrophe.