BOOK TWO: WATER
EPISODE THREE: BEHIND ENEMY WALLS
AN: wow it's been a hot second lol. I'm so sorry for not updating sooner. I promise from now on to update once a week or more. Chapters will become longer from this point forward so it's more that a bitesize peace. Anyway, I hope you all enjoy
Shoutout to Josephkost, I reached a major writing block and he definitely helped. Tysm lol.
Azula glared intensely at the man in front of her. They were having a standoff. Zhao didn't agree with her plan to infiltrate the city, and would not provide his mens support. It didn't matter that she was a princess, the arrogant bastard thought himself above her. Azula seethed, wanting so very badly to kill the man where he stood. But, she couldn't. Not until they were safely in the city. Instead, she satisfied herself by simply glaring at him, seeing him shiver under her intense gaze.
"You guys are pathetic," Mai said. She sat with her legs on the table, twirling one of her throwing knives around her pointer. Mai looked from Azula back to Zhao and scoffed. They were really doing this. She knew Azula hated Zhao, and rightfully so. But, her plan seemed rushed to the girl.
Azula's plan had been for the admiral to attack the city while they snuck in during all of the commotion. Then, Zhao could draw his ships out and leave. It wasn't a bad plan, if they wanted to get caught. It would definitely draw suspicions. People would begin to wonder why the fire navy ships backed away. They would eventually come to the conclusion that it was a distraction, and that would put their plan in jeopardy.
Mai knew Azula understood this, but for some reason she wasn't caring. Mai was a silent girl, which made her all the more perceptive. Azula had some other reason for wanting to get into the city. Something that wasn't simply conquering it. She sighed, deciding she would confront her friend about this later. For now, they needed a plan.
"Why don't we just sneak in with the refugees?" Tylee's chipper voice pipped in. Mai sighed even more dramatically, if that was even possible. Both Azula and Zhao stopped their standoff to stair at the acrobat. The girl was standing on her hands, looking around at the room. Why was everyone looking at her like that?
Azula bit back to urge to say something rude, and decided on explaining it. "We don't have passports Tylee, we aren't earth kingdom citizens." Azula was annoyed with the girl to say the least. She loved her, but sometimes she wondered what was going on in the girls head.
Tylee jumped from her position facing the table of idiot. "Well obviously, we are firenation silly," she said giggling. Azula was about to go off on her but she didn't have time. "We can just steal them." She smiled as she sat down on the free chair. Tylee placed her hands under her chin and looked at the faces around her.
Mai seemed slightly less annoyed, while Azula and Zhao seemed shocked. Why hadnt they think of this? It annoyed Azula, but she wouldn't show it. She turned her attention to Zhao and scoffed at him. "A circus performer outsmarts an admiral, maybe when I return to my father she should take your place."
Azula was meaning in the army, however that isn't what Zhao heard. No, he heard that the girl would be taking his place on the throne. He had seen the way the acrobat looked at Azula, and he had seen the way she looked back. He had heard the guards talk of them leaving each other's chambers early in the morning. Though the reason for this was because of the princesses nightmares, he didn't know this. Instead, he believed it to be something else. It deeply disgusted him to think of Azula lying with another girl. Or, anyone that wasn't him.
"Perhaps the time you share in bed with the circus performer is rubbing off on you. Because you sound like a clown." The admiral said to the princess.
Immediately Azula's face became enraged. She bit her lip so hard blood began to pool in her mouth. Oh how she wanted to burn him alive. Azula had never felt some homicidal in her life. She clenched her teeth tightly. She felt the blood burning in her veins, her heart pounding in her chest. But, it wasn't only her blood she could feel. She could feel the blood of the man across from her. She could feel it as it flowed throughout his body, carrying his chi with it. The more she stared at him, the warmer his blood became. She focused on his hand and sent power to it, heating up the blood.
Mai looked from Tylee to Azula. Azula was staring at the admiral with the most intense expression she had ever seen her friend wear. Normally, Azula was cool and composed. She would allow herself to show anger, but not to this intensity. And Tylee was utterly flustered. Mai squinted at her two friends, what had been going on between them.
She was drawn out of her thoughts by a screech. She watched in horror and Zhao fell to the floor. His hand was red asif it had been burned, and there seemed to be steam coming from it. But, as she looked back to Azula she saw that her friend hadn't moved. She looked back at Zhao who was gapping at his hand, trying to control the heat.
Azula waited three seconds before she released her grip on the admiral's hand. "Good, we will depart tomorrow Zhao. You will accompany Mai, Tylee and I. We will go the rest of the way on foot so as not to draw too much attention to ourselves. It's a short walk to the docks and we will reach them by noon. Until then, get rest." She stepped over the man's crippled mody and snapped. "Mai, Tylee."
Mai sighed, putting her knife into her pouch and walking over the man who lay in pain on the floor. Tylee got up and jumped nimbly over the man. Azula motioned for Mai and Tylee to follow her to her chambers. She decided it was time she told them the truth.
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Mai stared truly dumbfound at her friend. The usually stoic nobel was gaping. What the hell had she just heard? She looked at Tylee's face, seeking something to give away that this was some sort of joke. But, nothing did. The girl just sat there, braiding Azula's hair. She seemed almost bored, humming silently to herself.
Azula sat there, the most anxious she had ever felt. She stared at her friend Mai, trying to gauge her reaction to what she had just been told. And, what exactly had she been told you might be wondering. Everything. Everything Azula remembered. The princess decided she needed to start trusting her friend more if they wanted to win the war. So, now was the perfect time. But, it was suspenseful, waiting for the reaction. Dreading it. It reminded her of when she had told Tylee. Only this time, what she told her friend was more than she was simply the avatar. She told her she was committing treason against their nation. But, just like all those years ago. The reaction she got was not an expected one.
The emotionless knife thrower burst out laughing. At least,that's what Azula assumed it was. She had never heard such a sound escape her friend's lips. It sounded as if she was choking as she tried to inhale. Mai rolled over on her side, the laughter becoming to much to bare. She couldn't believe it, they almost had heard.
Azula sighed, knowing she would need to prove herself to her friend. She didn't blame her. It was impossible to believe. So she would help her out. With one motion of her and she summoned water from the air around her. Mai looked up, confused at what was happening. In mere seconds she was drenched.
Mai looked back at her friend in shock. Shock from the cold. Shock from the fact that her friend had just bent water from thin air. Shock from that her friend had bent water. Shock from that.
"Oh Agni," Mai said, staring at her two friends. It was true, everything was true. Azula was the avatar. Which meant her plans for Ba Sing Se and locating her brother and uncle. Her plans for defeating her father. They were real. The realization hit Mai, and was more shocking than seeing her friend waterbend. Azula, the crowned princess, was going to help end the war, but not in her nation's favor.
Tylee had finished braiding Azula's hair and was now biting her nails nervously. "Please say something." She pleaded to her friend. She felt bad that they hadn't told Mai when they were younger. Looking at the girl now they wondered if they should have. Mais normally blank face was spinning through too many emotions to count.
"What do you want me to say?" Mai said once she had gathered herself. Her voice was monotone as always, but a little shaky. "My loyalty is to you Azula, not your father. I will follow you no matter what path you trod." Mai was being honest. She was never loyal to Ozia. She was loyal to her nation but most of all its princess.
Azula was beyond relieved to hear this. She felt like running over to her friend and hugging her. She couldn't believe how accepting Mai was. She understood why Tylee had agreed to help her, but Mai. She sighed in relief and smiled at her friend.
"I just have one question?" The girl said. "Why are we keeping Zhao?"
And so, Azula explained. She explained that she had not mastered the elements. All her knowledge of airbending was from scrolls. Though she had a waterbending instructor, she had still not mastered the element. Yes, she was a very powerful bender. But, that didn't mean she was strong. Zhao knew what the avatar and his companions looked like. One of them was the waterbender who had taught the avatar. And, she assumed they would be in Ba Sing Se. That's what the spirits told her anyway. So, she planned to use the admiral to find them. Then his use would be up. She would terminate him. After that she would bring her plan before the earth king. At least, that was the plan. But, when did things ever go according to plan.
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The sun snuck in through the window of the room. It's golden rays landing on three sleeping forms. The first form was a girl, her long brown braid barely intact. Quiet snores were coming from her lips. The sound a child would make as they slept. The second form spilled over the girls legs, snoring loudly. Loudly enough to drown out the sounds escaping the thirds mouth. The third girl lay with her head on Tylee's chest, snuggling into her like a pillow.
It was a strangely peaceful sight. No one would have thought the princess of the fire nation would have been one to share her bed with friends (not sexual GOD). But, here she was, nuzzling into her friend and under another. What a sight to see it would be, what a strange one at that. If anyone were to find them this way, they may jump to conclusions about these three girls. And, as luck would have it someone did.
Lieutenant Lee had been ordered to tell the princess that it was time. Zhao had been healing in the infirmary and they already had the passports. Last Night him and his men found some refugees and stole their passports and money. They were surprisingly wealthy, which would help the group in the earth kingdom capital. However, the fact that the princess was not yet up concerned the admiral. So, he sent Lee, Azula's favor, to check on her. The lieutenant was ready for pretty much anything. That is, except for what he saw.
He knocked on the door twice, and once no response began to worry. Could someone have found them and sent an assassin. He quickly opened the door and was just as shocked as he would have been to find the princess dead. She was laying, fully clothed, in a bed with her two friends. The fact that she was clothed didn't escape him, and he knew nothing indecent had accrued. However, it was a strange sight to walk in on. The princess, so vulnerable, curled up to her friend. The acrobat stretched about in a strange and painful looking position. The noble snoring loudly in her sleep. He felt as if he was seeing something he shouldn't be. Hesitantly he walked over to the noble. He gently poked his speed at her stomach, causing her to stir slightly. The small movement caused the princess, the lightest sleeper, to awaken.
As soon as Azula awoke she sprung out of bed, sleeping at the form in front of her. Her eyes had not yet adjusted and were still blurry, but that didn't stop her from tackling the lieutenant to the ground. She summoned her energy and formed a dagger of blue flames, ready to end the assassin's life.
"P-P-Princess," the shaking voice of the assassin said. Good, they should be scared. How dare--. Wait, Azula recognized the voice.
Slowly, she got off the shaking man beneath her. She allowed the fire to disappear from her and blinked, clearing her vision. "Lee?" she asked asif to make sure it was truly him. He nodded, gulping at what had just taken place. The princess had somehow managed to gain the upperhand after just waking up seconds ago. What they said was true, she was a worrier.
Unfazed by the awed way the man was looking at her, she held her hand to him. He hesitantly took it, allowing himself to be helped off the ground. Such a gesture from the princess was strange. Working under her brother, she heard stories of the evil princess. A demon, he had described her as. But, traveling with the princess these last few weeks had shown him how wrong the rumors were. Yes she was powerful, but she was compassionate. She was strong but forgiving. Merciless yet merciful. In truth she perplexed him.
"Next time, knock." She said to the man as he brushed the dirt off himself. She truly didn't care that he had walked in on her and her friends sleeping. It wouldn't matter. She was soon to leave the fire nation. None of their opinions of her mattered. What she didn't understand was that the man had gained respect for her by seeing who she truly was. She had gained his undying loyalty.
The man nodded, not daring to tell her that he had knocked, several times. He then bowed his head and left her presence. Azula turned to her friends and smirked, time to wake up.
The hike to the port was anything but royal. Aside from her friends constantly complaining about how she woke them up. It was just water, but apparently it upset them very much. But, that wasn't the worst. It was hot, and it was moist. Azula could feel the water in the air all around them. She could feel it cling to her along with sweat. She so desperately wanted to bend her sweat away. However, Zhao was here. That was her main problem with the trip.
He would constantly reach for her hand. She would pull away but sometimes wouldn't react quickly enough. The feeling of his gross slimy flesh against her would be enough to cause any women to puke. But, she wasn't any woman. She was strong and resilient. And, she had a trick up her sleeve. Everytime he would touch her, she would make her skin burn to the touch. This eventually got him to back off his advances.
Mai and Tylee walked behind Azula and Zhao. the advances made by the admiral did not go unnoticed by either girl. While it disgusted Mai, it caused Tylee to feel angered. And, maybe jealous. That all went away when their friend began burning him. It was replaced by laughter. It was truly a funny sight to see. The grown man whimpering like a girl. This kept the two entertained until they reached their destination.
As they neared the dock, they pulled their hoods up over their heads. They didn't want to be spotted as a fire nation before they reached the city. And, they weren't. Everything went very smoothly. The old women accepted their passes and gave them tickets. In a matter of hours they were on the train to the upper ring.
Azula looked out the window at the city below her. It was truly something. Definitely not as beautiful as the fire nation capital, but beautiful nonetheless. It was shaped in a circle, the general shape of firenation cities. And, in it they could see many different styles of architecture. It was probably from all the different cultures accumulating here over the course of the 100 year war.
Mai, though she didn't say anything, found this fascinating. She had always enjoyed studying the architecture of different cultures. She even heard that the western air temple was upside down. She secretly hoped after the war ended she would be able to see it for herself. But, as of now she was staring blankly out the window of the train.
Tylee was her normal self, sparking up conversations with anyone that was bored enough to talk to her. Asking where they were from, why they came to Ba Sing Se. it was always because of the war, but they each had different stories. Maybe their village was burnt down or they were simply seeking better lives. She found all the different stories interesting to hear.
This tremendously annoyed Zhao. he didn't like how kind she was talking so kindly to the earth kingdom peasants. They were beneath them. He didn't like how he was stuffed into a train with them either. It was crowded and smelly. Not only that, he saw men eyeing Azula. This upset him because he believed she was his right. For killing the northern princess. He growled under his breath, waiting for the ride to be over.
And eventually, it was. The group of friends (plus Zhao) made their way into the upper ring. It was beautiful, but they didn't have time for sightseeing. Instead they needed to search the city for Azula's uncle and brother. But, Zhao didn't know this. So, she told Zhao that they were searching for anything suspicious. Anything that could give them an advantage. And, like the inferior male he was, he believed her. They spent the rest of the day searching, splitting up and agreeing to meet back at an inn. However, by the time they had finished, no one had seen anything.
Azula sighed as she leaned into the cushioned chair in the sitting room. Zhao still hasn't returned and she was sick of waiting. Knowing that bastard he had probably become distracted by some earth kingdom girl. Azula sighed, feeling sickened greatly by this. She was about ready to just determine him dead when he came in through the door.
He wore his cloak hiding his features as he sat down next to her. He leaned in closer to the group and motioned for them to follow.
"I found the Avatars waterbender, I followed her back to a house near the palace. She was walking with a blind girl. But, I know it was her. I would recognize that face anywhere." The last part made Azula want to kill the man. Perve. Lucky for her, he had given her everything she needed. His time was up.
What's gonna happened to Zhao lol. Probably the most satisfying scene I have ever written ngl. I hated that character. But it's okay, he gets what he deserves. I enjoyed writing it too much. Ahhh ok love you hope you enjoyed and see you soon.