For the first time in over a hundred years, citizens from all corners of the globe graced the Fire Nation's capital city of Caldera; not as prisoners or invaders, but as honored guests for the coronation of the new Fire Lord. Those invited wore the colors of their nations, filling the banquet hall to capacity with an unprecedented array of diversity, bringing in a new era with a feast.
With food came drink. With drink came an outpour of emotions. Some expressed through tears of relief, some simply toasting in joy. And for the younger soldiers, a blind eye was turned to any restrictions, especially for the Freedom Fighters. They were all veterans that had shouldered the pain. Now they shared the relief.
What worried Aang was the violence simmering beneath the surface. The feast was just as much a potential powder keg as a celebration. One-hundred years of inherited war had left marks on them all. Some that would never fade. Many of the gathered would be trying to kill each other just a few short weeks ago, when the sky bled with Sozin's promise of a world turned to ash.
It was too much to ask that these sentiments were simply let go. People had lost loves, been scarred on spiritual levels.
His presence seemed to be the best deterrence, something tangible that assured them the war ending had not been a dream or a feint. He and his friends had split up to mingle amongst the partygoers. Aang bounded from group to group, chatting with those that seemed to revere him. Awe shone in their eyes. Crowds parted for him as if they were waters he'd bended.
He greeted those eating, or simply passed by with a kind word or a smile. The tense energies seemed to dissipate the more near he was.
But Aang could not be everywhere at once, salving every mood. One of the many painful lessons he'd absorbed.
The inevitable happened with a shout, and the clattering of a food tray hitting the ground.
"You damned firebenders! We're just supposed to play nice after everything you bastards have done? You burned down my home!"
Two small pools, one of red and one green, had each other in their sights. Jaws and fists clenched. Earth and fire, the two nations that had fought most bitterly.
The Fire Nation soldier sneered beneath a thin mustache. "Wasting food your host has given you. Why am I not surprised by such savagery? We follow the will of our rightful sovereign," he said with a superior tone. He smirked. "Who I will note have never been invalids ruled by their subordinates, unlike your Kuei, who doesn't know up from down."
"At least he isn't some blood thirsty tyrant!"
"No, just weak and incompetent." He gave the soldier an appraising eye and lifted his chin. "He had all the means to stalemate the war, but he did not possess the ability. I'd rather a tyrant than a benign fool. Look what he allowed to befall Ba Sing Se, his own home."
"We invaded the Fire Nation capital!"
"Yes, an impressive effort. And ultimately repelled with ease."
"Repel this!"
Some Avatars were stern.
Some were carefree.
Avatar Aang was a soul of kindness, patience, and peace.
A gentle gust blew through the room as he jumped lightly, as though his bones were hollow, letting the breeze carry him until he landed not between the two groups, but beside them. He reached out toward a thrown fire and clenched his hand, extinguishing it. Then with a downward thrust of his fist, Aang forced the stones back to the ground.
The developing brawl died in an instant. On their faces he saw similar sheepish and shamed looks to those he'd seen at the temple, when the monks would catch the young doing something out of the bounds of propriety. Not that he had any idea who would lead such rebellion.
Aang smiled kindly. "I'm sure the wine is just getting the better of you at the moment. Let's all just take a breath and relax."
The soldier rounded on him. "How can I relax when there are firebenders at my back!" he demanded.
Aang noticed blood dripping from the soldiers clenched fist.
He spoke calmly and clearly, the voice of a mediator. "There isn't a single person here that was hoping the war would go on forever. Everyone, no matter what side, fought to end the fighting."
A motion of his arm pulled a tail of drinking water from a nearby barrel. "And every one of us is wounded from it. That leaves us two choices. We can let the wounds bleed." The water formed over the man's hand, smothering the cuts on his palm. "Or we can choose to heal them."
The water fell to the floor with a soft splash, yet heard throughout the now quiet hall. He wasn't certain how far his words had carried, but the sentiment seemed to have rippled through the crowds and eased their tensions. The two groups backed away from one another, their tight knit formations breaking apart.
The Earth Kingdom soldier stared at his hand in awe, a common reaction to one's first experience with the miraculous healing powers of water. His brief adversary from the Fire Nation composed himself, clearing his throat.
"You are right, of course, Avatar Aang. Forgive my acrid tongue. It's gotten me into trouble more than a few times. I shall follow the example of our Fire Lord, as I said was our duty as loyal citizens." He offered a formal bow to Aang, then to the soldier he had been quarreling with.
The Earth Kingdom soldier stared, then turned his eyes to airbender. Aang looked at him with imploring eyes and an encouraging nod. He sighed and returned the bow in the Earth Kingdom style, fists touching.
"Yes, forgive me, I let this wine get to my head; it's good stuff you've got in the Fire Nation."
The fire national gained a glint in his eye. "Yes, I imagine such quality is a bit more than a grunt like yourself is used to."
The men garbed in green laughed at the expense of their friend.
"Grunt? Oh, of course you're an officer!"
Aang watched as series of jibes were traded, but not only between the two nations, but amongst soldiers in the same armies. More laughter came.
"Uh…"
Sokka's gloved hand clasped his shoulder. "It's alright, Aang, this is a different kind of fight. Officers and grunts are always at odds. Don't worry, you've done your part."
Aang wasn't sure he understood, but trusted Sokka's judgement of soldiers' mindsets. He backed away from the scene, letting them embrace peace without his shadow hanging over it.
He turned his head to Toph, who stood nearby, arms folded, sightless eyes staring ahead. He somehow saw Toph differently, or at least how Toph dealt with the world around her. He could now understand things as she did, so he imagined the vision in her head, sharper and more crisp than his own seismic vision. He'd never be as good as her at it, and that made him wonder. Large gathering like this would probably be a bit much for him to focus on, but she could do it as easily as breathing. He thought it might be overwhelming, but if she could manage in Ba Sing Se, Toph could manage anywhere.
"And just what are you looking at?" she huffed.
Aang smiled at her greeting. "You could have helped with some of those rocks, you know."
"Bringing peace isn't my job, Twinkle Toes. I'm just here to crack skulls. Besides, it shouldn't be a big deal for you, given your teacher is the greatest earthbender in the world."
He hummed in thought. "But Bumi didn't teach- ow!"
Toph pulled her hand back. "If it were up to me, we'd settle it out in the courtyard, all comers, Earth Rumble style. I'm sure you, me, Katara, and Zuko could pound the fight out everyone. And Sokka, too, I guess."
Rubbing his arm, Aang wondered to himself how they could not have had enough already. He'd only been in the war for a year, but everyone else had been born into it, lived their entires lives through it. They had never known peace before. But then, maybe that was the reason. The world was going to have a hard time letting go of what had defined it for so long.
The destroyed balance must be painstakingly rebuilt. Brick by brick, heart by heart.
"Besides, seeing the Avatar handle things must have been reassuring. Even I almost want to believe the hype. If only I didn't know what a dweeb you are."
The insult made him chuckle. "So you let the bringer of peace handle it?"
"Yeah, I'd probably just get in the way, even if I was gonna do it the way you would. You know, the boring way." Toph paused. "I'm not even sure I'd register beside you."
"What do you mean?" Aang asked, confused. Toph had more presence than anyone her stature had a right to.
"You can't tell how much you affect people, can you? I'll let it slide since you're wearing shoes. Thought you would have given those things up after your training. I was tracking your movement, Aang, when you were rubbing shoulders with the masses. But more importantly, I was paying attention to those around you.
Their heartbeats speed up in your presence, or they mellow out. They tense up, or relax. It varies from person to person, but I've never really sensed anything like it, not even with Kuei or Zuko. They act like they're in the presence of a god."
Aang frowned. "I'm just as human as anyone else."
"Yeah, I get you're not one to puff out your chest, but.. Well, I'm not really sure what glowing is, but I'm confident that's not something we mere mortals do."
"Mere mortal? You?"
"You're right, what am I saying? I've immortalized myself already. Maybe I'll bend a metal statue in my own honor, though. For good measure."
A flash of blue in a sea of green caught his eye. Graceful in her steps, how she shifted her weight. He couldn't help admiring the way she simply flowed through the crowd. It wasn't her waterbending, or at least not in totality. Pakku hadn't moved that way. It was just Katara.
She was doing her part to keep the peace as well, speaking with soldiers and diplomats in her sensible and calm manner. His ears, maybe due to their size, picked up wisps of conversation. All about the uncharted territory of peace.
Haru approached her, and Katara seemed to light up. He stood far too close. Haru leaned in to whisper something and Katara laughed, covering her mouth.
Aang felt the stirrings of a possessive anger, something still new to him, and still unpleasant. He took one step forward, to make himself known, until the memories of Ember Island hammered his foot in place. Aang paused as the feelings from that night and many nights afterward swirled within him. The last time he'd acted on his feelings for her.
He caught Katara's eye, and she smiled at him in approval. It made him feel warm. Did she want him to come over? He didn't want to be rude, and didn't want to be a nuisance, but he wanted to be closer to her.
"Well, I guess we all know someone who has the same affect on you," Toph said with a snicker.
Aang flushed and looked away from his blind but all seeing teacher. He had a horrible thought of Toph knowing everything that had happened, and suddenly felt embarrassed anew.
As he stood riddled with indecision, a servant approached the young airbender. He tore his eyes away from Katara.
"Avatar Aang," he said, with a bow. "Fire Lord Zuko respectfully requests your presence in the throne room."
It would be a formal meeting, then. Good thing he was already wearing his best robes, those he had adorned at Zuko's coronation.
Aang nodded and allowed the servant to lead him, leaving behind the uncertainty of his love life. He had hoped that his presence would not be needed, that the leaders of the world would prove themselves capable of reaching resolution without his intervention.
He had expressed this to Zuko, but also told the young monarch not to hesitate to summon him if he were needed. The Avatar had been called on to serve once more.
Maybe it'll only be this once, he thought.
There were more sober minds inside of the palace. There, matters of state were discussed. Not only was the throne of the Fire Lord no longer within a lake of flames, but the Fire Lord himself sat at the long table at the foot of it, a show of humility. War and other atrocities had been planned and discussed at this table, and a blessing given by Agni's chosen to carry them out.
Aang heard they were in the midst of discussion as he neared. When the servant was going to announce him, he waved it off. He simply took his seat across from Zuko, at the opposite end of the table. On this left sat the chieftains of the Water Tribes, Hakoda of the South and Arnook of the North. On his right were several ministers representing the interests of the Earth Kingdom.
A quiet fell over those present as they eyed him. But it was only the role of one to greet the newest participant in the discussions.
Zuko nodded. "Avatar Aang, we are grateful for your presence."
"I'll be glad to help however I can," Aang said, returning the nod.
Zuko turned back to the ministers. "As I was saying, it will be a few days until the preparations are complete. We are still in the process of designating airships to transport prisoners from the Boiling Rock." Zuko cleared his throat. "That is, former prisoners."
"Why such a delay?" an Earth Kingdom minister asked. "Forgive my impertinence, Fire Lord Zuko, those of our captured are treasured warriors of distinguished families who have not seen their homes in years, and we would have them released as soon as possible. Seeing them set foot on their homeland will do a greet deal to show my people that the war has ended. They do not want to hear that it will take more time."
"I understand your haste, Minister Shuo. And more than most I know the longing for home. But the matter is that our army is going through a major restructuring due to the orders I have given." He gazed at each of the representatives and he spoke. "I would hate for any of your citizens to be lost during a poorly planned transit. I implore patience, so that we may ensure their safety above all things. To make no mention of the Fire Nation citizens whom are actually dangerous prisoners rightfully incarcerated. I cannot have them accidentally released to cause havoc amongst us all.
"I'm still having to select my personnel quite carefully. I want this task executed without flaw. I would like our nations to cooperate fully and in good faith in the expedient release of former prisoners of war."
Those around the table looked at one another with a hidden language. They clearly had spoken prior to the meeting, and although each had their own agendas, they seem to have formed a united front against the Fire Lord.
Zuko understood, but he could not bend. His people needed to know that he was strong, even in the face of the other nations' demands. He was bombarded on all sides with expectations. Some he needed to meet. Others he had to shatter.
"We had all suspected as much," the minister said. "That there would be loyalists to the war."
Zuko picked up his steaming cup of tea, heated with his own fire. "Is that not also the case for your own citizens?" he asked.
They each balked in their own ways. Some with affronted expressions, others with grim silence.
Zuko took a sip. "I'm quite familiar with the pride of Earth Kingdom's people, and how that pride has been wounded. I hear there is no shortage of chatter from a number of citizens, military personnel and officials. Those that would seek not merely restitution, but retribution. To strike the Fire Nation at the heart while our guard seems down."
For a moment, Ozai stared at the gathered leaders, his golden eyes burning them with a calculating glare. Then it passed, and Aang blinked.
"I do not begrudge that such sentiments exist. It could hardly be helped after what my family has done to the world."
Minister Shuo nodded slowly, and seemed to pick his words more carefully. "War is all many of us have known, Fire Lord. In its absence, we will struggle to adjust to a world without it. I can say for our part, my colleagues and I have done our best to quell such… foolish and dangerous notions."
Arnook spoke next. "As have we. We must focus our efforts on rebuilding. So that future generations will not know of the horrors we have suffered."
The pain in his voice rang in Aang heart. He remembered the soft-spoken, big hearted princess that had given her own life to help maintain the balance. In a war the Avatar had brought to their doorstep.
Zuko stared a moment, then nodded. "And I appreciate the efforts each of you has taken to strive for peace."
"That being said," Shuo continued, "I can hardly blame our citizens for their unease. But I believe I have a compromise that will go quite a ways in soothing international relations."
"And what might that be?" Zuko asked.
"Fire Lord Zuko, we shall be returning to Ba Sing Se after this trip is concluded. I would like very much to inform King Kuei that Princess Azula will be accompanying us."
Zuko blinked. "My sister? For what reason would she need to return to the Earth Kingdom? I would think her presence would be the last thing to inspire peace."
"Indeed. She came to us as a conqueror. But should she return as our guest, not only will this be a message and deterrent to the war loyalists, it will also set the minds of our people at ease to see Princess Azula enjoying our hospitality. It would provide us with much needed… assurance."
Zuko's good eye widened. "You want me to give you my sister as a political hostage?" he said, his tone giving away nothing. "Send her away from her homeland?"
"Did not your own journey toward seeing the wrongs of your forebears begin with your banishment? Would you have become the wisened and merciful leader that you are today without the weight of your travels?" Shuo asked.
Zuko grimaced. "That is so. What I have seen taught me the truth of my family's terror. Terror, I'm ashamed to say, I helped to spread."
The tried and seasoned leaders noted the young Fire Lord never placed, or accepted the blame being placed on the country as a whole. Only his own bloodline. As a personal responsibility, a burden that he would bear as much as he did his scar.
"However," Zuko continued, "I do not see how this pertains to my sister. Princess Azula is committed to a facility for her recovery from the devastation of her defeat. Would you consider her a threat in such a state?"
"But, Fire Lord Zuko, you yourself have admitted that there are citizens within your nation that smolder with the desire to end the war 'correctly,' as they see it. Surely you don't mean to tell me that Princess Azula's mere presence and continued insistence on the war is for the good of the Fire Nation's recovery? The world's recovery, for that matter?"
Shuo raised his hands in a placating gesture. "I am not suggesting anything permanent. In time, when your rule is solidified, and the world has truly left behind the sentiments of revenge, Princess Azula may return to the Fire Nation."
Zuko gave nothing away, but rather than seeing a gulf to tremble before, the minister saw opportunity, and pressed forward.
"This also presents us with an unprecedented opportunity. A political marriage between Princess Azula and the nobility of the Earth Kingdom would do more to alleviate tensions than any other measure that comes to mind."
"A political marriage?" Zuko frowned. "And I presume you have picked a desirable candidate."
Shuo smiled. "Fire Lord Zuko, there are a host of young noblemen that would be honored to take Princess Azula's hand in marriage. She would even have her choice amongst them. Surely every young woman's dream."
For the first time since he'd known him, Zuko laughed, and it chilled Aang's bones. It was a sinister sounding snicker he couldn't help but envision coming from Ozai's mouth. He could tell he wasn't the only one that felt it, from the way the others shifted in their seats, but Zuko seemed oblivious to how disconcerting it was.
Zuko's lack of awareness of his awkwardness might serve to enhance his negotiating prowess.
He caught his breath and stared at the minister.
"You have never met my sister, clearly."
Zuko peeked at the chieftains through his good eye. He wondered why they were not contesting for the opportunity to marry Azula into their own nations. But they must have spoken beforehand. The Water Tribe would have their request fulfilled, and the Earth Kingdom would not contest it. It seemed their interests were in alignment.
"It would be uncouth of me to send my sister away in her current condition. Propriety aside, Azula is an incredibly powerful firebender. I fear the damage she could cause would be far from conducive to international relations. Lining up young nobles to 'woo' Azula is like feeding a herd of koala-sheep to a moose-lion."
Aang nodded to himself. It would take a special kind of noble not to be reduced to a smoldering heap by her stare alone.
"Yes," Minister Shuo, said. "Indeed, that is a concern. But we are fortunate enough to have an unprecedented solution sitting with us at this very table. I'm certain the Avatar can set all of our minds at ease."
The monk, both youngest and eldest in the room, blinked. "How may I be of assistance?"
"It seems that because of her bending, Princess Azula presents a danger to both herself and others. Would it not behoove us all if you were disarm her in a manner likewise you did to her father, Fire Lord Ozai?"
Aang felt a shiver tear through him as the memory resurfaced. Images his eyes had never seen, voices his ears had never heard. Things that were not his, but he saw and felt as though they were.
"If you were to take away her bending, then Princess Azula would no longer be a danger to the world that we must be weary of for the rest of our days."
Aang slowly shook his head, in equal parts to refute the request and to clear his mind."Ripping Ozai's bending away was an extreme measure under the most dire and immediate circumstances. He was about to commit mass murder on a scale unseen since there start of the war. It is not something to be done for political convenience."
"Oh, but it would be far from merely convenient, Avatar Aang. It would be justice. Princess Azula's crimes against the Earth Kingdom must be answered for. She brought down Ba Sing Se's walls. No citizen of the Earth Kingdom can truly sleep soundly so long as she remains a threat. And the people of the Fire Nation will see the last of Sozin's will disarmed.
"That is the most crucial step in ushering in a new age, where the the vestiges of conflict would be put to rest. You would, in a literal sense, be dousing the flame of war once and for all. As I and my colleagues see it, and I'm certain many others do, it is the perfect option to settle this matter."
The words resonated with those at the table, and they made a good deal of sense to Aang. Azula was a danger, at least potentially. He sought ought Zuko's eyes.
"Fire Lord Zuko, what are your thoughts of this?"
"I can hardly claim to be impartial, but I have full faith in the judgement of the Avatar."
Aang frowned, but he wasn't sure what else he could have expected. Zuko's relationship with his sister was, politely put, tumultuous. So he left the decision solely to Aang's discretion. He supposed it was inevitable.
A question of balance, and all eyes were upon him.
The reasoning was sound. The minister's argument could not be brushed aside. Aang never wanted to do such a thing again, but a part of him knew that it would come up eventually. He could not think of a reason to refuse, save for the budding trepidation in his heart.
He thought then, not of the political ramifications, but the young woman at the center of it. A danger unlike any other he had faced. Azula had dealt him his most crushing defeats. A perfect tool of destruction. Ruthless, cunning and manipulative. She was… exactly who she was taught to be. Ozai's daughter.
He thought of Zuko. He'd finally made the right choice. But only after he'd been given the opportunity time and again.
Had anyone given Azula that chance? Even once?
Aang considered the weight of a life.
"I won't make this decision without speaking with Azula for myself," Aang declared. "I haven't even seen her since she ambushed us at the Western Air Temple. Deciding behind closed doors, without giving her a say, seems… wrong."
Minister Shuo frowned. "I think her actions have spoken clearly enough, have they not?"
There were times he could feel the influence of his teachers in him, and his inner Toph made him stare rooted at the minister. "I will see her for myself."
The minister relented from the look in his eye, and nodded. "Well then. I understand it will take time to escort her to the palace, or perhaps the Avatar will visit the princess where she receives her care?"
"There's no need to wait," Zuko said. "I had Princess Azula brought to the palace ahead of our meeting. I was certain that she would be a concern brought up." He turned to Aang. "A nurse will escort you to her cell. You may speak with her there."
The Avatar returned the stare, stunned by a sense of betrayal. He was being used as a political pawn in these negotiations. Aang controlled his ire and rose, giving the Fire Lord a sharp nod.
A woman in white and pink robes appeared and bowed to him. People were doing that a lot these days. "Allow me to guide you, Lord Avatar."
"Please do."
As he followed her, he tried to keep focus on the task before him. "Have you been tending to Princess Azula long?" he asked.
She turned to him and nodded. "Yes, Lord Avatar. Since she was committed. The doctor thought it best she have a familiar face to accompany her. I have been tasked with Azula's treatment while she is away from the island."
"How has Azula been?" The question felt strange on his tongue.
"In a word, I would say…troubled. As many of our patients are. But she should not currently pose a danger to anyone, Lord Avatar. Save, perhaps, herself."
Aang frowned. He would see with his own eyes soon enough. His heart raced at the thought of the coming encounter. Azula's presence in his life had never been anything short of an imminent threat to himself and his friends. Whenever he had encountered her, she had been trying to kill him. And at one time she had succeeded.
He calmed himself with a basic breathing exercise, letting the sting on his back fade from his mind.
He was much stronger now than when she had struck him down. He had defeated Ozai, after all. And she was a prisoner. He should see her for whom she was, not what he feared her to be… But what if she was exactly that?
This thought turned over in his mind as he arrived at the palace dungeon. A guard opened the heavy door for them.
Once they had passed, it shut with a suffocating sound.
Everything about prisons made Aang fundamentally uncomfortable, even with how many he had been thrown into. He hadn't gotten used to them, and he didn't ever want to.
If one were to scour the ruins of the air temples, they would not find any forms of incarceration amongst them. Offenses so egregious that they could not be reconciled ended with the individual being excommunicated from the temples, cast out from Air Nomad society. Or so Gyatso had told him. Such instances had not occurred in his time with the monks, and were rare for his people.
"Princess Azula is at the very end of the hall," the nurse said.
He continued to follow her. A long hallway of cells on either side stretched out before him. His eyes glanced into the darkness of each cell, and he felt relieved to discover them all empty.
Torchlight shone through the bars of the door awaiting them at the end.
"Avatar Aang has arrived to see the Princess."
Once the door opened, Aang saw a face now familiar to him, though it was covered in a layer of warrior's paint that he himself had once adorned, and in a past life, had done so many times. She was one of two guards stationed outside of the steel door.
"Ty Lee."
"Hiya, Aang!" she said, giving him a wave. Her cheer abruptly vanished as worry crept onto her face. "If you're here, does that mean..?"
He did not know how much she had been told, but her fear, seemingly on Azula's behalf, left him to wonder how much Zuko had thought this scenario through.
Apparently more than he has most things, Aang thought bitterly.
"For right now, all I'm here to do is speak with Azula. Please open the door."
Ty Lee nodded, and palmed the handle. She paused, and looked at Aang with wide, soulful eyes.
"Aang, I know you don't… She's not," but she stopped, and bit her lip. She shook her head, then looked away as she opened the door fully.
Aang looked at her a moment, having some idea what she was feeling. He smiled.
"It will be alright, Ty Lee. No matter what, I won't let anyone suffer unjustly. And that includes Azula."
She gave a watery smile, and nodded as he entered the cell.
Two torches illuminated the figures in a red-orange glow. One was another nurse. The other, his focus. The nurse who had escorted him followed in behind Aang.
Azula sat in a wheelchair, her arms bound, flushed against her in a straitjacket. Her eyes seemed to glow in the low light. Within those eyes Aang's own saw boundless malice and hostility, shortly joined by recognition.
"Avatar," her cold voice slithered into his ear like a serpent from the darkness. "What an esteemed visitor I have. You'll forgive me for not standing to greet you in our usual fashion."
Aang decided to treat her in a manner to which the she might be more accustomed. He gave a short bow of deference, one he never gave to Zuko. "Good evening, Princess Azula."
"Oh, is it that time already? It's hard to tell down here."
That puzzled Aang. Surely a firebender of her caliber could feel that the sun had gone down. But he pressed on. "I've come to talk to you about… about your place in the world."
Azula gave a slow, deliberate blink. "You can hardly expect me to speak of such personal matters in front of strangers. Not when you and I know each other so very well."
Aang frowned at her, and she stared back, her face stone. Then he nodded. He turned to the nurses. "I'd like to speak with Azula in private."
They looked at one another in worry. "We were ordered to stay by the princess' side at all times."
"It's alright," he said with a disarming smile. "We'll be fine. Avatar's promise."
The nurses shared another look, and seemed to come to a consensus. They bowed. "We'll be right outside, Princess."
The metal door shut behind them.
Aang looked at her, in a way he had never been afforded the time to before. He was no Toph, but he could puzzle out for himself that the princess was not quite what she had been when she served as his adversary, though she bore a resemblance. Her demeanor was not one of a raving lunatic, but rather that of cold calculation.
Even so, something was off. The dark bangs that framed her face, once perfectly symmetrical, now one was significantly shorter than the other. And although her lipstick was still perfectly applied, it framed an eerie, unbalanced smile that crept out when she got her way and they were left alone.
Katara had spoken only briefly of Azula's state after her defeat. She had looked uncomfortable, and Zuko wouldn't even speak to anyone about it.
It was hard to reconcile the image he had of Azula with the young woman before him, but Aang was always getting better at dealing with harsh truths.
"Surely you didn't come here to stare, Avatar. Or were you planning something else by sending my nurses and guards away?"
Aang's brow furrowed. His eyes widened when he understood her implication. He felt a chill crawl over him.
She was trying to unbalance him, upset him. But Aang had dealt with this like before, once, when he'd been in the North Pole. Rather, when he'd entered the spirit realm while his body was in the North Pole.
He thought of the face-stealer, and the calm needed to speak with him and escape without disfigurement. He would use that now.
He took a breath, and looked into her eyes.
"I have nothing of the sort in mind, Princess."
"Then by all means, pull up a chair."
"I'll be fine standing, thank-you."
Aang nearly heard something inside of her snap as her face morphed into a vicious snarl. "It's rude to speak to someone while standing over them! You and those peasants, condescending me at every turn! I am royalty, damm you all!" The torches flared with her temper.
He paused as she she seethed. Aang was intimately familiar with how powerful Azula's bending was. The danger that power posed was the reason he stood before her now. But those flames did not belong a master. Nor were they even her signature blue. Azula was less than she had been in more ways than he'd anticipated. They must have done something to suppress her bending.
Along with her status as a captive and patient, it must have been eating away at her for weeks. He decided to comply with her request. It would cost him nothing, and may placate the princess.
He pulled the stone floor of the cell and made himself a stool directly across from the Princess' wheelchair.
She smiled, seeming pleased that he had obeyed. "Oh come now, Avatar, such a simple seat is hardly worth your station."
"It's honestly more than I need. I've never had a problem sitting on the floor."
She had a glint in her eye that urged him to obey. He humored her.
Aang crafted an ornate and detailed chair. When it was done, a throne awaited him, decorated with the symbol of the Air Nomads. It was an oxymoron that his people's symbol should mark a creation of such opulence.
He sat.
Azula hummed in approval. "Yes, much more befitting the conqueror of the Fire Nation."
Aang felt certain he was the first Air Nomad in history to be called that. "I'm no conqueror, Princess. And the Fire Nation remains its own sovereign state."
"Zuzu is weak." She pronounced the word with as much disdain as Ozai had. "He'll let the Earth Kingdom have its way with our subjects and our land."
"Zuko won't let that happen. He's more than held his own against the world. He won't allow his people to become victims. And neither would I, for that matter. That would only create further imbalance."
Azula sneered at him. "You would defend the nation that cleansed the world of your kind, Avatar? That weakness is why they were killed."
Anger pulsed beneath his stoicism. Gyatso's body, surrounded by firebenders. He had broken his dedication to a life of non-violence to protect the others. And he had done it without Aang's help. He had died not knowing what had befallen his protege.
He strived to maintain the spirit of his teacher. "Mercy isn't a weakness, Princess. It's a virtue."
Her eyes seemed to sharpen like blades pointed at his throat. "Is that what you think you showed my father? Mercy?"
His thoughts turned to Ozai, and he felt them darken further. "Yes. And if you cared for your country, you would be relieved that the war has ended."
She scowled.
"Your people are victims of it as well. Mislead by the misguided aspirations of Sozin. I traveled the Fire Nation before the day of Black Sun. You had polluted your own land and left your people suffer so that you could produce more tools of war. And we saved them."
"Sacrifices must be made in the name of grand ambition," Azula growled. She blinked, then shook her head, hair flailing. "You have not come here to discuss philosophy, Avatar. Why have you disturbed me?"
The princess seemed plenty disturbed on her own. But Aang brushed aside that thought.
"There is a banquet taking place above. People from all over the world are eating together, drinking together."
"Ah, I thought I heard the echoes of peasantry, but I can never be sure what is real these days." She scoffed. "To think the center of the most technologically advanced and powerful empire this world has ever seen would be reduced to a sewer of multicultural festivities."
Aang ignored her. "The leaders of the world are in negotiations at the moment. We're discussing reparations."
She stared, waiting for him to continue. For a moment he could see the calculating princess within the madwoman.
"The Earth Kingdom wants you as a political prisoner."
Her expression twisted with distaste. "I suppose that is the fate of a vanquished princess. Am I to be married off to some obese noble who can't lift himself from his bed? Made to breed heirs like some common sow?"
Aang paused, revolted by her phrasing… but unable to challenge it. "He did mention potential political marriages. From to a nobleman of your choosing."
She scoffed. "As if any of those paltry cowards are worthy of me. And my dear brother was only all to eager to give me away, have me out of his hair, is that it?" She continued before he could respond, her stare blank. "Release me back into the Earth Kingdom and you'll wish you had let my father go through with his task. I will make every person on that continent envy such swift death."
Aang suppressed a shiver at such malevolence. "That was a concern raised. Your bending. That is why I'm here." Aang could think of no gentle way to say it, so the truth simply came out. "Kuei's representatives have requested that I take away your bending."
She stiffened further in her constraining jacket, but did not seem surprised by the idea. "I knew you would come for me eventually," she said lowly. "Your fear would have driven you to this, regardless of the prodding of other nations. To defile the last vessel of true Fire Nation royalty. To commit blasphemy unto Agni itself."
Aang stared at her. He did not have the words to comfort her, to scold her, to agree or disagree.
His silence strained the thin veil of patience she had adorned. "Then what are you waiting for! Why waste time talking? Be done with it and get out of my sight."
"The decision of what to do with you… has been left to me."
Silence stretched between them, the only sound the soft whips and crackles of the torches.
Her painted lips formed a sickly smile. "So my fate is to be decided by the Avatar? Well, are you going to grant me your exalted mercy? Like father, like daughter?" She threw her head back and cackled. Her laughter bounced off the stone walls and seared Aang's skin.
She glared at him, all traces of her twisted humor gone, as though it had never been. "You are more cruel than you know, Avatar. You mutilated Ozai."
Of all his shortcomings and failings, Aang had never thought such a vile term applicable to himself. "What?"
"No, I suppose it would be more accurate to say you castrated him. While you spared Ozai's flesh, you still took the knife to his soul, and left him to rot for the rest of his life. You have disgraced him utterly, and denied him even an honorable death. He must now live as a shell of himself."
Aang grit his teeth. Where is the honor in committing mass murder?
"Did you know that every one of my ancestors to feel the power of Sozin's Comet lived well past the age of one hundred?"
Aang blinked. He shook his head, not yet trusting himself to speak.
"Do you know why?"
"…Powerful benders tend to live longer due the potency of their chi." His eyes widened as he realized her point. He could tell by her smile that she knew the moment he grasped it.
"You have cut his life short, Avatar. Rationalize it however you want. Chant the fairy tales of your dead people if you must. But your hands are far from clean. You've only made premature death look pretty."
His mouth fell ajar. Had never considered the affect it would have on their lifespans.
He stared at the young woman before him, helpless, her fate in his hands. Would he be doing the same to her by taking her bending? Cutting short her life? Aang felt himself shaking.
That's what she wanted him to think. He knew that. She couldn't know that any doubt would render him incapable of bending her energy, and actually let her destroy him from within. Even so he could not shake the familiar twist of conflict in his stomach, just as when he had agonized over how to deal with the Phoenix King.
Be decisive. Justice brings peace. Shape the destiny of the world. Selfless duty.
And yet, what were the alternatives? Kill Ozai? Let him commit a genocide like the one that had left him as the last airbender?
He had given Ozai the chance for peace, but the man had spit in the face of any resolution beyond murder.
They were hard decisions, and he had never wanted to be the one saddled with them. But they were his to make, and Aang was done running from them.
His nerves settled, his resolve hardened. He stared at the bound princess and spoke without remorse.
"If Ozai had gone through with it, his karma would have been irreversibly tainted, and his next life an existence doomed to suffer. Now he can reflect on his actions. He can choose to change. A lifetime spent repenting is infinitely more valuable than one exhausted on wanton slaughter." He continued, unflinching. "I saved him from himself. And I'm willing to do the same for you, if I must."
Her eyes widened. He had surprised her, it seemed.
"But it doesn't have to be that way, Princess. They're only concerned that you are a threat. Perhaps you can convince them otherwise."
She regained her composure and sneered at him. "Oh, is it that you've come to see me beg? Repent for my misdeeds?"
"We can leave the past behind us. I just want to know that you can live without conquest. That you can accept peace, even if you can't embrace it."
All vestiges of restraint and patience fled from the Princess as she snarled, smiled and glared, somehow all at once. "Oh, but Avatar, you naive fool. They are all right about me. I am a threat. I am a promise."
Her hands clenched beneath the jacket as if she wanted to throttle him. "Once I escape from this humiliation, I will reclaim from Zuko my rightful place on the throne. Then I will hunt down all the traitors and ingrates traipsing through my palace. I will rain down fire on this world. I'll be the ruler of its ashes if need be. I am the culmination of Sozin's vision. And when I'm finished, you will finally be reunited with your people. The stain of your weakness shall be wiped away forever!"
Aang sat back in his chair, shutting his eyes as if it would do anything to block out her tirade.
"Azula… is that truly the greatest desire at your heart? You see no other way to live?"
"Go ahead, Avatar," she spat. "Take all that I have left."
The last of her resilience dried up, and the tears poured out. She sobbed unabashedly. She seemed to only break further the longer they spoke. Aang now knew why Katara grew so queit whenever the Agni Kai was mentioned. He had never seen anyone so broken before. As a healer, it must have been even more agonizing for her to witness.
Aang stared down at her, this young woman who had brought so much misery into the world, and delighted in spreading it. She truly did embody the ugly ambition of the century long bloodshed.
Her obsession with power had caused this. It would be a mercy to remove it from her.
The previous Avatars words came to him once more.
Life was about choices. He now had two. Strip Azula of her bending, or she would mount an inevitable attack to disrupt balance.
There was only one decision he could make.
As he stood, the throne sank into the floor from which it had been erected.
She stiffened as he approached. She stared up at him in defiance. He placed one thumb against the chakra on her forehead, and the other against her collarbone.
In a flash of light, Avatar Aang peered into the soul of Princess Azula. And within her soul, he found the truth. He found the answer
When he finished, she looked at him with golden eyes gone wide.
"This is my decision."
Aang left the cell. He denied an escort; he would be able to make his way back on his own.
Outside of the dungeon, he used his seismic sense to detect if anyone was around. It wasn't as effective with his shoes on, but it was good enough to feel no one was near. He leaned against the wall and breathed in. For just a moment, Aang did only that. He breathed. As Gyatso taught him.
A naive part of him had hoped that the difficult decisions, the trials, the tests of his soul, would end with the war. But he realized they were just beginning. Aang had a long life of making up for his failures ahead of him.
He was the Avatar.
He pushed himself away from the wall and returned to the meeting.
Aang stood facing leaders of the world. The Fire Lord, Earth Kingdom Ministers, and Water Tribe Chieftains.
"There is no longer a need to concern yourselves with Princes Azula."
Shuo's eyes lit up with satisfaction. "Then you have taken her bending?"
"No, I have not."
They paused at his declaration. Confusion settling on their faces. He looked to see Zuko face as an array of conflict, as always.
"Do you not agree that it is best for Princess Azula to accompany us to the Earth Kingdom?"
"Princess Azula will remain in the Fire Nation."
His decision was met with a disorderly chorus of dissatisfied mutterings. Aang stood firm.
"But, Avatar Aang," the minister continued, "she must be made to answer for-"
"As far as Azula's 'crimes' are concerned," Aang said. "War is itself a crime. And we are all guilty. If you judge it by her impact, her effectiveness, then she would be amongst the greatest war criminals in history. But if we were to judge it by the lives we've ended… Tell me, how many people did Azula kill to topple Ba Sing Se?"
The question stunned the minister for several moments.
He cleared his throat. "I-well, none directly, Avatar, but-"
"It was a bloodless coup, orchestrated because the Earth Kingdom had betrayed itself long before Azula stepped foot in that city. The fault lies as much with you as it does with her. If not more so."
The representatives were slack-jawed by the Avatar's harsh rebuke. Except for the one who had arrived in the name of Omashu. A relative of Bumi's, he thought, from the maniacal grin.
"As for punishment… Azula has lost the war, her throne, her nation, her sanity and quite possibly her will to live. To heap further punishment upon her would be nothing but an act of vindictive cruelty. The Princess Azula that toppled Ba Sing Se is no more. That in itself is justice."
Those around the table were forced to reassess their estimations of the young monk born over a century ago. It was neither request nor plea. It was his judgement as the Avatar.
Minister Shuo scowled. "You certainly are a compassionate soul, Avatar Aang, to so fervently defend one who thwarted your efforts to bring balance."
"Princess Azula has caused me a great deal of harm. Myself, and the people I love. Her suffering further will do nothing to extinguish that harm. It is up to us to move on, to heal, to strive for better in spite of the pains we've endured. The reparations for all damages done are still being negotiated. You can expect the to be compensated for Azula's actions in the same manner."
"The citizens of Ba Sing Se witnessed their walls torn down before their very eyes! As if gold will erase that memory!"
"They saw their walls be torn down by earthbenders."
The minister grit his teeth. "Semantics. It was at the order of Princess Azula. No citizen of Ba Sing Se, and dare I say, the entirety of the Earth Kingdom can rest easily knowing Azula lies in wait across the sea, waiting to conquer them once more."
"That makes it difficult to explain how my Uncle Iroh still has a tea shop in your city," Zuko said. "Well beyond the first wall he breached."
Shuo gaped at the Fire Lord, his mouth moving, but words failing him. Ordinarily this would have made Aang snicker, were he feeling even the slightest bit of levity.
"He does make excellent tea," the minister to Shuo's left commented. He quieted as his superior glared at him.
"Be that as it may, Avatar. There remain loyalists that would see her usurp the throne. So long as the princess both has her bending and resides in the Fire Nation, even as a prisoner, she remains an incredible threat."
Aang nodded solemnly. "I agree. Azula is dangerous, and the potential destruction she represents cannot be ignored. Not if the world is to recover. That is why…"
He closed his eyes, thinking of his friends. Thinking of her. An Avatar's duty.
"That is why, for the foreseeable future, I will be taking up permanent residency in the Fire Nation. I will watch over Princess Azula myself. To ensure she will not be an obstacle to peace."
"Aang, I," Zuko began, then he caught himself.
Minister Shuo was taken aback by his declaration. "Well, that is, in part, reassuring, Avatar Aang. But it is a solution which creates another problem. Surely you do not intend to sequester yourself in the Fire Nation? There are still issues to be settled the world over, and more will arise in time! You cannot remain here, especially on the accord of one deposed princess."
"No one person is beneath my notice, Minister," Aang said. "But I will be here to stop loyalists as well. I'll have to settle somewhere anyway. My presence will help solidify Fire Lord Zuko's rule.
"I'm well aware of the tumultuous state of the world." His eyes gave time to each of the leaders present. "This transition from wartime to peace will be a difficult one. As has already been proven. Further grievances will be aired. Disruptions to peace will occur. Whenever and wherever they arise, I will travel to meet them as needed."
Aang spoke with a greater confidence and readiness than he felt. Traveling the world to solve more problems was the absolute last thing he wanted. But he was a symbol of hope to all present.
The ministers spoke amongst themselves in a few quiet whispers. The most vocal amongst them seemed mollified. "I suppose that does set us at ease," Shuo said, "for the Avatar to personally attend to the matter. And, no offense meant Fire Lord, but with the Avatar here, we can be considerably less concerned with a new war erupting. That will leave us free to repair our nations."
"I share your relief, Minister, I assure you." Zuko turned to Aang. "Avatar Aang, if that is the case, then I must insist that you take up housing in the palace. The fire nation has spent much time and effort showing you the worst it has to offer. Let us now bestow you with suitable hospitality."
Aang stared at Zuko a moment, uncertain that he wanted such generosity. But it would be a poor and troubling reflection to the other leaders if he were to decline.
He clasped his hands in acknowledgement. "I would be most honored to accept, Fire Lord."
Zuko nodded before returning his attention to the others present. "Now then, we can consider the matter of Princess Azula settled. I'm to understand there was an oil spill from Fire Nation ships some time ago near the North Pole, and that it was never fully cleaned due to our patrols in the waters. I suggest a joint task force from all three of our nations…"
As the talks progressed, and he retook his seat, Aang felt himself sitting apart from the remaining concerns. He considered the weight his decision would have on his friends, and the daunting task of of explaining why he had to leave them behind.
It's been some time since I last posted anything. And I haven't quite done the writing I would have liked to within that span. For one reason or another I found myself inspired to write a story centered on my favorite pairing in the Avatar universe, bar none.
As for what inspired me?
In my opinion, Aang and Katara have the worst romantic relationship in the original series, by far. It stands in stark contrast to the other romances we see. Mostly in its beginning and conclusion.
To begin with, I find love at first sight a contrived and lazy trope. It isn't the worst thing, but it is beneath the quality of writing the rest of the series presents to us.
My greatest criticism is that the issues between the two of them were never resolved. Aang's possessiveness and selfishness are never addressed after the Ember Island Players when Katara is affronted by his unwanted kiss. Katara's indecision and uncertainty, her hesitance to become romantically involved in Aang are likewise not addressed afterward.
The closest we come to their issues being worked out is the adoring look Katara gives Aang at Zuko's coronation. We can only assume that Katara has overcome all her doubts now that the war is over. But this strikes me less as a resolution and more as Katara being presented to Aang as the hero's prize for saving the day. As if her autonomy had disappeared or become inconsequential. And as if he had no need to reflect on his actions.
Compare this to the relationships between Sokka and Suki, as well as Zuko and Mai.
Sokka and Suki speak about his hesitance on the Serpent's Pass. Then he is shown overcoming his issues of over-protectiveness and fear of loss when he realizes Suki was trying just as hard to protect him.
Zuko and Mai air their grievances toward one another, their disputes. But we see the reasons they remain dedicated to one another in a committed relationship, after Mai is released from prison.
In both instances we see the resolution. We get closure. For Aang and Katara, we are left to assume.
I find the relationship to be a rather unhealthy expression of affection and love on Aang's part. He was so distraught from the notion of Katara not returning his affection, or choosing to be with someone else, that he thinks he would have entered the Avatar State. And I'm not going to dismiss that as a possibility. I actually take it as fact.
It would have been peak development for Aang's character if he had left his crush behind as the immature, unhealthy and detrimental infatuation it was.
Aang and Azula, on the other hand, I think had the capacity to be the best pairing this show could offer. There was groundwork laid for this to be to have come to fruition.
Katara points out how a new forest will arise from the ashes in Winter Solctace Part 1. This could have served as symbolism for the new generation of airbenders to come from the fire nation. Azula as the Eve to Aang's Adam, if you will. The added irony of Sozin's own bloodline helping to restore what he had destroyed falls in line with the show's theme of the universe balancing itself out.
As for the characters themselves and why I think they mesh well together... I could explain, but I think my stance will become clear as the story unfolds.
So, how to bring about such characters together? I think in many cases the circumstances for pairings have to be contrived or the setup for this deviation must be extensive. In order to abide the canon of the television series, I think any relationship between Aang and Azula would have to occur after the war, but before Aang and Katara officially become a couple in the final shot of the series... which is meant to resemble a wedding.
After that point I don't think there are any conceivable circumstances that would pry the two of them apart, save for death. Which I have no interest in writing. That is why this story begins after shortly Zuko's coronation.
I have never actually completed a story, and I am determined to see this as my first, as practice for completing my own works. This is a ceiling that I must break through.
If you are concerned about my record of leaving my fanfiction incomplete, you may find it reassuring to know that I have already written a total exceeding 80k words for this story. I plan to post chapters at weekly or biweekly intervals.
Please leave a review to let me know how I did and to help the story gain circulation.