Chapter Rating: T (Language, Brief Descriptions of Blood)

A/N:

Published on 09/15/2020

Chapter 20: A Ghost of the Past

"Thank you for spending the night with me." Azula's voice was soft, softer than he'd ever heard. Her hand still held onto his with a tight grip that shook with uncertainty but was filled with warmth.

"That's why I'm here." Sokka whispered and kissed her hand. His knees hurt and his back ached, but she didn't need to know that.

A knock came at the door.

"Princess Azula!" A female voice came from behind. "Are you awake?"

"I am now!" Azula replied and rolled her eyes at Sokka. "Is privacy too much to ask for?" She whispered.

"Please prepare for the Royal Procession to Jin'u, The Firelord has arranged a visit from the doctor for you on the way there."

"I will do so as soon as possible, please leave us alone for now!"

"Understood!" Footsteps faded after the female voice gave confirmation. Sokka rose to his feet, steadying himself as the blood rushed back to his legs.

He reached into his back pouch, dropped another medicinal pellet into a teacup, and refilled it for her. Azula took the cup and placed it on a table.

"I'll be just outside the door," Sokka pulled away. Azula's hand snapped at him, her grip taking his hand again, almost pulling him to the ground.

"No, I want you here." Azula pulled the blanket aside and sat down on the edge of the bed.

"As you wish, Princess." Sokka nodded, took a deep breath, and helped her to her feet. Azula pointed to a door opposite of his own.

"Without my firebending, it'll take a little longer, but make sure the water is bearable."

"Understood, Princess." Sokka took off towards the door.

"Did you speak to Princess Yue this way?" Sokka stopped at her question. She gave him a stern look, a look that would have come from the Azula he knew—the one who took him as a servant.

"Well, I'm just acting the way you'd expect a servant to; the way you told me to."

"You aren't my servant anymore." Azula said. "I'm not forcing you to be here, am I?"

"No."

"Just be yourself, it's why I want you here. I don't need a servant; I need you." Another wave of warmth radiated out from her.

"Okay."

Sokka turned the knobs on a large tub, releasing a stream of warm water that filled the room with steam. He stuck his hand in the rising pool feeling the temperature change until he found it tolerable. With another breath he turned off the water, closed his eyes, and walked out.

"It's ready." He said.

"Open your eyes." She said. He took a deep breath, stepped to the side, and did so. She walked into the fog, her underwear caught his attention, pulling his eyes with it as the charcoal-black fabric stood out against the steam, and falling to the floor as she stepped forward and shed them. He scrambled for a towel and stood at attention by the door. Her nails pressed into his arm, and she pulled him into the room as the sounds of her body displacing water filled his ears and the door shut behind him.

"Don't make this weird." The sounds of shifting water filled his ears. "Open your eyes." The warm air filled his lungs. Her pale skin glowed against the white porcelain of the tub. "Don't act like this is the first time." She took his hand and placed a hand towel in it.

"Okay." He ran the towel across her skin, his eyes fixed on the soap bubbles that ran down her arms and back. Azula leaned her head back and rested it on his shoulder; her long hair brushed against his face. Her warm breath caressed his ear; he lightly kissed her neck. His breath caressing her neck as she soaked in the calm water.

...

Sometime later, they stepped out of the room. Azula was dressed in clothing that reflected her title, Primary Advisor or Princess didn't matter, she wore a red and black robe. Sokka wore his assigned Fire Nation Guard armor, without the helmet, per her request, with his sword at his side.

He lingered behind her, Azula stepped out of the palace, the sun's rays struck her skin, and the Firelord stepped up from a large carriage to hug his sister.

"We'll find mom, Azula, and we'll bring her back home. I promise." Zuko whispered to her. Azula nodded to him and stepped into the carriage.

"We'll stop by a doctor before we look for my mother, maybe he'll have something to help Azula." Zuko pulled Sokka back and whispered. "Mai and I will be in the other carriage. We can always stop if something happens."

Sokka nodded, took a seat beside Azula, and closed the door. The ride to Jin'u was rocky, but silent. To Sokka's surprise, Azula fell asleep almost immediately as they left the palace. Her head rested on his shoulder, like during the plays they'd watched where she couldn't keep her eyes open. He tilted his head, resting it on hers.

But as she dreamed, she again, whispered to herself frightening words that chilled her body to the bone. Sokka tried his best to calm her in his unseen way, holding her hand, and reassuring her with caring words, uncertain if she heard him. Her hands were still freezing even as he tried to comfort her.

The horizon became red with the setting sun. Sokka wrapped a heavy jacket around Azula, she let out a breath, her eyes met his, and he felt a surge of heat rise through her.

"Feeling okay?" Sokka asked, hopeful at the warmth of her hand. Azula leaned deeper into his shoulder.

"It's so warm." She whispered. "I wish I could sit here forever."

"...So do I." He whispered back.

…

Sometime later after their arrival, Sokka, Azula, Mai, and Zuko were in a local clinic, Azula laid in a bed, the others sat in chairs. An acupuncturist hovered at his desk, observing and choosing from a variety of needles.

"It is my honor to be of service to the Firelord." He walked over to Azula. "Have you seen an herbalist about the symptoms?"

"Yes," Sokka answered and removed some of the leftover pellets from his pouch. "She's been taking these in tea, twice a day. But the herbalist said it was a spiritual problem, not one she could solve."

"Ah." The acupuncturist nodded. "I think I may have an actual solution." He walked over to Azula, "I must warn you that attempting to realign your chakras may cause some sensory experiences that are not pleasant. Do you still wish to proceed?"

Azula sat up and looked towards Mai and Zuko. Sokka pulled the chair up, sat beside her, and took her hand.

"We're right here." He assured her.

"Okay." Azula squeezed Sokka's hand.

"Close your eyes and lay down." The acupuncturist said. "Calm your mind and relax your muscles." He rolled her sleeves up her arm and inserted a needle. Azula's arm went limp onto the bed. The acupuncturist kept working, inserting needles into Azula's skin until her muscles wouldn't respond.

"Relaxed?" The acupuncturist asked Azula.

"You could put it that way." She answered in a flat tone. Sokka felt her hand twitch in his, and tightened his hold. She looked to him; he smiled and nodded to her.

"Prepare yourself," the acupuncturist lowered a needle to Azula's sternum. "I sense that the heart chakra is where the root of your problems lie."

The doctor pressed the needle to Azula's sternum and pushed it down.

Azula's hand tightened around Sokka's. Her nails pressed craters into his skin. Even chiblocked, her body jolted in pain, she pulled Sokka from his seat.

Zuko and Mai leapt to their feet, Sokka bit his lip; it felt like lightning was passing through him.

Screams of terror and anguish escaped Azula, she cried out with an immeasurable, unimaginable pain, her nails pushing deeper into Sokka's hand until they drew blood.

"Why Mother...?" She whispered in a broken voice. "What did I do wrong…?" Sokka found the strength to rise to his feet. "Why do you treat me this way?" Her muscles twitched, like lightning itself forced her to move. "What did I do to deserve this…?!"

The sound of needles struck the floor; they rose from her skin as if they were ejected. Lightning began crackling through her body, from her feet to her shoulders.

Sokka screamed in pain, his muscles flailing as if it were lightning was coursing through him.

Zuko stepped up, with a wooden staff, he pushed Sokka away, breaking the connection and interrupting the lighting's flow.

Mai ran towards her old friend, and removed the needle embedded in her sternum.

The lightning stopped and Azula went still.

"Are you alright?" Zuko held his hand out to Sokka, who didn't answer, but let the Firelord pull him up to his feet.

"I've never seen anything like this." The doctor breathed out. "I will set up a bed for her, but I'm afraid it may be too dangerous to attempt the procedure again so soon. We shall try again in the morning. But until then, she can rest here." The doctor lit a few candles in another room.

Sokka rose to his feet, but Zuko pat his shoulder.

"Take a rest. She'll need you here when she wakes up. Mai and I will go look for my mother."

"Okay." Sokka fell into his chair, Zuko picked up his sister and put her in the other room.

"That lightning really burned through you, didn't it?" Mai asked.

"It's not the first time." Sokka stretched his arm and watched a bit of blue static skip across his skin. "It probably won't be the last."

"..." Mai smiled. "Thank you for being here."

"Don't mention it."

"Sokka, Mai and I will go look for Ursa, stay with Azula. We'll send a messenger when we find her."

"We'll be waiting." Sokka managed to wave to them as they left.

The doctor offered him a small meal and some water. Sokka accepted, and as the sky darkened, Azula slipped into a deep sleep, as if she hadn't slept in ages.

He took a seat next to her. And in her sleep, she began to whisper.

"Mother…You will regret this...I will end you."

A/N:

Thanks for reading.