"Alright, Azula. We're just going to move your wrist gently now…"
Azula sighed at Song's precautions but obeyed nonetheless: her wrist no longer pained her as much, for two weeks had passed since she had punched Toph's rock. Song had been deeply concerned about the injury as soon as she had noticed it, upon Azula and Sokka's triumphant arrival in Omashu's governor's residence: the healer had crafted a firm bamboo-and-linen splint for Azula's wrist, sturdier than the one the Race's healers had given the Princess, and she checked on her progress every day, always offering ointments meant to reduce the swelling on the Princess's hand. Azula was convinced the wound was all better by then, but Song insisted that she hadn't recovered yet, and that she might only worsen her injury if she stopped using the splint too soon. If just to prove herself less of a trouble-patient than her gladiator, Azula had decided to follow the healer's orders… though not as passively as Song would have liked.
"Don't give me that look, you don't want to spend longer healing than necessary, do you?" Song said. Azula smiled.
"You can be really strict when you want to be" she said.
"That's true for everyone in this field" Song grinned too, holding the Princess's exposed wrist carefully.
The splint had been undone moments ago, and it rested on the mattress of the Princess's cabin. Azula sat next to it, while Song had taken a chair right in front of her patient. The healer's small hands were firm, yet not as delicate as her mild appearance suggested, since hard work had roughened her palms over the years.
"I suppose. How else would you handle difficult patients like Sokka otherwise, huh…?" Azula said teasingly, casting a mischievous glare at the tall man who had stood near the bed, watching the check-up session quietly so far. He, of course, pouted and scowled at his lover, who could only laugh at his reaction even before he spoke.
"Keep saying that all you like, you're every bit as bad as I am. If anything, I've been way less troublesome with my last injuries" he said "I wasn't rushing my recovery after I got poisoned…"
"Right, it's not like you took off on a rescue mission with no supervision and then spent three nights without sleeping, mere weeks after being poisoned…" Azula recited playfully, and Song laughed and shook her head as Sokka was rendered speechless by the Princess's spot-on accusation.
"That only convinces me further that you're perfect for each other… and a bit of a nightmare for those of us who have to pick up after you" Song said, tilting Azula's hand delicately forward "Feel anything?"
"Nothing in particular" Azula said, and now Song moved her hand back "Still nothing"
"Okay, then… make a light fist"
Azula obeyed, drawing her fingers into her palm… and a light burst of pain brought an inevitable snarl to her lips. Song sighed, Sokka flinched and repressed the urge to embrace Azula, ever anguished when she was in pain.
"Open your hand again, relax it" Song said "The swelling is definitely receding, but you're absolutely in no condition to use that hand in combat"
"Well, good thing the Race is well and truly behind us, then" Azula sighed "And that I shouldn't have to pick any fights in the coming days, hopefully"
"It might take around four more weeks, or even six, for you to make a full recovery. Try not to push yourself too hard, alright?" Song said, smiling reassuringly.
"I'll do my best" Azula nodded, as Song wrapped her hand in the bamboo-linen splint once more.
"We'll be in Ba Sing Se shortly anyhow" Sokka said, glancing out the window of Azula's cabin: the Outer Wall was already within sight, tinged orange with the glow of the sunset "No need to pick any fights there, right? Well, other than verbal ones, if need be…"
"It's not very likely that I'll need to pick verbal fights, even" Azula smiled "Tiang is amongst the more reliable governors in the Colonies. Of all the cities we'll visit, Ba Sing Se is the one that least worries me"
Song smiled at those words: knowing the man who had taken care of her mother for the past years was regarded so highly by Azula was ever reassuring. Myeung always told her she had been treated well, so hopefully Governor Tiang would continue to be an advocate to his people when it came to treating slaves with proper respect, seeing as he had done as much even before the laws were official.
"Omashu should have been the least worrisome one…" Sokka pouted, and Azula chuckled lightly at his bitter words "No offense to Mai's family, but her parents aren't exactly brilliant at managing a city as great as Omashu"
"She'd be the first to agree with that notion, though I doubt she cares one bit about the city itself" Azula said "Still, at least Ukano had made some progress with Omashu's Enforcers, even if not as much as I would have hoped. It was better than Kuan, no contest…"
"Do you think Aonu will get him in line?" Sokka asked, vicious amusement in his smirk.
"Oh, I'm not sure if that's even possible" Azula smiled, as Song finished wrapping the linen properly over Azula's wrist "The question about Gaoling is no longer who should be in charge of the Enforcers there… but rather, who should be in charge of the city altogether, once Kuan is ousted"
Sokka snickered proudly and Song stood up. The young woman bit her lip as she stepped towards the cabin's window: the Barge slowed down as it reached Ba Sing Se's Outer Wall. The earthbending squad assigned to man the wall had already opened the barrier, allowing them to drift into the city's territories. They were here at last: she'd see her mother once again…
"So, is the recovery going well enough, Song?" Sokka asked "No matter if she wants to get out of the splint already, she's healing properly?"
"Oh, yeah. No need to worry" Song said, glancing at him over her shoulder with a reassuring grin. Sokka returned the smile gladly.
"Good" he said, turning towards Azula. She smiled back, her chest tightening at his tender concern for her.
"I'll be back training with you before you know it. Make sure not to slack off too much while you train with the guards instead of me, alright?" she said, with a teasing grin.
"As if they'd let me" Sokka grimaced "They all gang up on me, three or four of them at once… it's really rude, you know?"
Azula laughed softly as Sokka sat down beside her. As much as Sokka wasn't supposed to be in her cabin at all, let alone in broad daylight, it was less dangerous for him to be there when Song was, too. None of the guards had made a fuss over Sokka's insistence on being present during each health check-up session Azula had with Song. Their leniency had struck Azula as odd, especially in Renkai's case… she couldn't help but wonder if everyone had already guessed what was happening between her and Sokka. Considering how poorly they had concealed their affection for each other in recent times, it wouldn't be strange if that was the case.
"But as long as your pretty hand heals the proper way, I'll put up with their nastiness" Sokka said, taking her hand delicately in his and pressing a soft kiss to her wrist. Azula scooted closer to him, comforted by the contact between their bodies, and by placing her head on his shoulder "You're feeling better, right?"
"In all honesty, I never did feel all that bad" Azula smiled "Granted, it hurt, but I guess winning the race and everything else that happened in between has kept me in an unreasonably good mood over the past few days, enough to ignore my wrist"
"You think it's unreasonable?" Sokka laughed, kissing the top of her head now "Say, will we head into Ba Sing Se right away or spend the night on the Barge instead? It's getting kind of late, so…"
It wasn't Azula who reacted to the question but Song, who whipped her head around so fast her braid nearly slapped across her face from the momentum. Sokka blinked blankly at her anxious reaction, and Azula smiled sympathetically at the healer for it.
"I don't think it'd be fair to rob Song from one more day spent with her mother… so, however late it might be, we ought to take off to the city as soon as possible" Azula said. Song sighed in grateful relief, her cheeks flushing with excitement.
"If that's the case, I… I'll go pack my things" Song said, beaming as she started her way to the door "I'll see you on deck in a bit!"
Sokka chuckled as he watched Song leave in a hurry; her bliss over seeing her family again was no longer something to quietly envy her for. After finding Katara in Whaletail Island, and confirming his tribe wanted to see him again, Sokka's latent insecurities had decreased, even if not quite vanished altogether: he would see his sister, his father, later this year… for he knew Azula would stay true to her promise to reunite him with them, no matter what.
He turned his gaze on her to find she was so relaxed on his shoulder she nearly had fallen asleep. He chuckled and pressed a soft kiss to her brow: Azula groaned and raised her head, prompting his lips to slide down over the bridge of her nose, slowly rising over to its tip until he found her mouth: she was smiling as they kissed fully, and, although her eyes were closed still once they parted, it was clear she was no longer quite so drowsy.
"We shouldn't stay here all by ourselves for very long, you know…" he whispered.
"Here I thought no one would bat an eyelash about our closeness now that we're married…" Azula sighed dramatically, and Sokka chuckled "Like it's any of their business what I do to my husband behind closed doors"
"It's not their business, no, but heh, Song left the door open, see? They'll definitely think it's their business this way" Sokka said teasingly. Azula's melodramatic front broke again as she laughed at his silly joke "We should go downstairs, though. The guards will send your luggage to the Palace once we're there, right?"
"They always do, yeah" Azula nodded, sitting up properly: she glanced at her wounded wrist again, eyes half-lidded as she assessed it with a light frown "I always do end up injuring my hands, don't I? I mean, whenever I've taken injuries, it's always something like this…"
"Hmm, true. Guess you rely on your hands a lot, firebender" Sokka smiled, stroking her wrist gently.
"It's a shame it's the right one, too" Azula sighed, turning it to find her palm covered by bandages "I suppose the only possible advantage is that our wedding scar is concealed, which should make us less suspicious. But I'd rather be able to look at it freely…"
"It's only for a few more weeks, okay?" Sokka whispered, wrapping an arm around her shoulders "After that, you'll be able to look at it and remember everything about Shu Jing all you like…"
"Oh, I don't need to look at the scar to reminisce about it all" Azula smirked, raising her eyebrows suggestively at him "Whenever I have any downtime, and I can't be with you, I let my mind drift just in that direction. Though nowadays I happen to think about something else, too…"
"Do you, now? Tomb-related shenanigans, perhaps?" Sokka asked, and Azula laughed as she stood up from the bed, his arm dropping from her shoulders.
"I was too emotional to process it when it was happening, but… damn, it was definitely one of our most erotic experiences, wasn't it?" she asked, and Sokka joined her laughter with his own, pushing himself to his feet to take her face into his hands.
"And that's definitely saying something, considering most our experiences are as erotic as can get" he smirked, pressing a soft kiss to her lips "Ready to go?"
"With you? Always" Azula grinned, pressing her head to his shoulder lightly before allowing him to lead their way downstairs.
The guards and sailors of the Barge rushed on deck and below it alike: they would be docking soon, and everyone on-duty had plenty of work to do. Xin Long lounged on deck as he ever did, ignoring the trotting sailors around him, until his eyes lit up at the sight of his rider, once she and Sokka had reached the deck after retrieving his personal pack. The dragon had been rather lonesome while Azula and Sokka had been away in the Race, eager to seize any opportunities to fly with them, even if just by briefly skirting over the waves at sea.
It didn't seem everyone was as enthusiastic about reaching the massive city as Xin Long was, however: by the time Sokka and Azula were halfway across the deck, his bag tightly strapped to his shoulder, they took notice of Fei Li, standing with crossed arms before Song and Rui Shi. By their expressions, it seemed the latter two were hoping to persuade the Captain of the Imperial Guards of something, and the closer they stepped to the scene, the easier it was to deduce the subject of the discussion:
"It's going to be dark by the time we dock, Rui Shi. We're ahead of schedule anyhow! We weren't supposed to get there until tomorrow, so you can wait until then to travel all the way to the city, right?" Fei Li spoke, and although he hoped to sound serious, his voice ever had that squeaky, childish quality that afforded him none of the authority he was supposed to hold over his fellow guards. Perhaps, if he had been wearing his helmet, he might not sound quite so goofy… but after all these years, Azula's guards had often taken to relaxing their protocols in the midst of traveling, as was the case with Fei Li and Rui Shi right now.
"We're highly-trained firebenders, Fei Li" Rui Shi huffed "It's hardly a problem for us to make our way to the city, even if it's late…"
"It's dangerous! There's criminals and brigands and whatnot!" Fei Li pouted, tightening the lock of his arms around his own body "I can't be irresponsible and allow you to take off to Ba Sing Se when… u-uh, oh, don't look at me like that, Song! I know you want to go see your mother, but by the time I send a bird to request carriages from the city it'll be so dark that they'll never comply, and…!"
"If I might intrude…" Azula chimed in, and Fei Li nearly jumped out of his bones at the sound of her voice. Sokka bit his lip and covered his mouth, conceal his amusement poorly over the Captain's reaction "I can think of two potential solutions for this predicament. The first… I could abuse my authority, fly to Ba Sing Se and demand unreasonably that Governor Tiang sends his troops to escort your carriages all the way to the Lake and back to the city…"
"Uh. Sounds like a hassle, doesn't it?" Fei Li said, grimacing as he tugged at the edge of his uniform's neck nervously.
"Probably. But as I am who I am, I'd get away with it" Azula declared proudly, and this time Sokka didn't try to hide his proud smirk at her arrogance "Still, there's another possible solution… how do you feel about flying on the back of a dragon once again, Song?"
Rui Shi froze as Song gasped in blissful surprise: that wasn't supposed to be an honor she'd ever receive again. The one time she had flown on Xin Long's back had been in the middle of an emergency, and this hardly seemed to count as one… yet where Azula had once been daunting and terrifying, she was friendly and kind nowadays, generous enough to offer her a ride on her dragon as freely as she just had.
"And what of Sokka?" Rui Shi asked, blinking blankly.
"Oh, I can scoot back, Song's not bound to be heavy. Xin can carry all three of us, right?" Sokka asked, grinning at Azula with hopeful eyes, though the Princess's judgmentally raised eyebrow worried him immediately "Hey now, you didn't mean I'd stay behind so Song could take my place, did you?!"
"Your place, is it? How very arrogant of you" Azula smirked now, shaking her head as she approached her waiting dragon: Xin Long groaned affectionately as his rider's fingers glided through his mane.
"It's not arrogance! Y-you always take me with you, and back when we flew with Toph it was three of us instead of two, so that should work this time too…!"
Azula laughed carelessly at his nervous rambling before hoisting herself onto Xin Long's saddle, using her left hand to exert the strength needed for the task: she held out her right, hoping to use it as little as possible, just as Song had advised. From her new vantage point astride her dragon, the Princess continued to smirk at her pouting gladiator.
"As much as I enjoy tormenting you, I'd think it's up to Song to decide whether she prefers to fly on Xin Long or not" Azula said "And, of course, up to Rui Shi as well. Might be he'd feel safer if he can see her to Ba Sing Se himself…"
"Well, I trust you wouldn't let any harm come to Song" Rui Shi admitted, yet he seemed reluctant to see his girlfriend go, missing out on one night he had hoped they might spend together.
"Rui Shi…" Song clasped his hand, and he squeezed her fingers gently before turning a gentle smile on her.
"You should go" he said "I'll catch up with you tomorrow"
"You're sure?" she asked, and he nodded promptly.
"You can see me almost every day. You can't visit your mother as often as that, can you?" he said, separating their hands: he guided her towards the dragon now, as Sokka stood beside it awkwardly, still uncertain of whether he'd be allowed to ride with Azula and Song or not.
Song offered Rui Shi a sad, but heartfelt grin, raising a hand to caress his cheek before turning to face Xin Long: the dragon lowered his body, offering the young woman the chance to climb on him with further ease. She had to draw up her large skirt, and it was certainly difficult to settle properly on the saddle in her current outfit… but she found a comfortable position behind Azula, her heart racing with anticipation. She would be riding the dragon once more, this time with full permission of his rider…
"Consider this a display of my gratitude for helping me with my wrist through these weeks" Azula said, and Song giggled.
"Here I thought you'd been annoyed because I'm too strict…"
"Annoyed? Why, only foolish gladiators are annoyed over the strict orders of health professionals" Azula claimed proudly, smirking before gesturing at Sokka to try his luck climbing on Xin Long's saddle, behind Song: the weight was certainly more than the dragon was used to, but not enough to be overwhelming.
"Be careful not to touch anything you shouldn't, gladiator" Rui Shi growled: the closeness between Sokka and Song certainly didn't reassure him, despite Sokka inched away from his housemate for her lover's comfort. Song, however, only laughed in response to Rui Shi's protectiveness.
"I'll see you again tomorrow!" she said, as Xin Long rose up to his full height "I love you!"
She had to shout the last words, for the dragon had started to move, and the sound of the creature's claws against the metallic ship deck dwarfed her voice easily: Rui Shi watched them speed away, an unpleasant sensation of loneliness rising in his chest as he watched his charge, his girlfriend and one of his closest friends flying away, leaving him behind…
And then the clapping and hooting began. Color rose to his cheeks as he scowled at all the guards who had witnessed Song's bold love declaration: they usually held off from making blatant, public displays of affection, and he seldom did more than hold her hand in front of the rest of his comrades. Her words had been far too revealing for their usual standards.
"Way to go, Rui Shi!" Fei Li laughed, throwing an arm around his former captain's shoulders "She loves you, no less! You should be thinking about getting married, my friend!"
"Congratulations, Rui Shi!" Taro shouted, and the others merely clapped in his direction, some reverently, others with obvious amusement at their former leader's uncharacteristic embarrassment.
Rui Shi only covered his face with a gloved hand, knowing the flush of his cheeks would be the talk of all guards for the coming days. He shouldn't be so flustered – they all knew he slept in Song's cabin whenever she traveled with them, after all, so a love confession hardly should be that surprising, right? –, but he couldn't chase away the heat in his cheeks. He was foolish to be so embarrassed, he knew, for what shame was there in what Song felt for him? None, he knew, but that wasn't what he felt uncomfortable about: the giddy bliss that rushed inside him after hearing Song acknowledge her feelings for him in public was what brought him to blush so deeply. How foolish indeed for a fully-grown man in a committed relationship to be so excited over his girlfriend's words… yet he couldn't stifle his ridiculous, earnest smile over it, let alone could he hold back the intensifying blush that was reaching his ears by now.
Up in the air, Song was caught between being amazed by the sights and wonders of flying so far above ground… and being terrified by the inevitable, irrational fear of falling off the saddle. Despite her better sense told her otherwise, she had instinctively clung to Azula at first: the Princess had only laughed it off, though the healer had been embarrassed for her impulsive reaction all the same. After a few moments of growing used to the sensation she had only experienced once before, she had realized it was far easier to cling to the saddle's supporting tubular structures instead. It even afforded her peace of mind to hold onto them, she found, and she smiled blissfully as the wind played with her hair.
"Having fun?" Sokka asked Song, pleased by her new, relaxed grin.
"Yeah!" she exclaimed "I… I never thought I'd do this again! The first time was nerve-wrecking…"
"I remember, you were clinging to me so tight I think you left your handprint on my arms for a few hours" Sokka chuckled.
"Well, I had every right to be worried and scared" Song pouted, shooting him a reproachful glare "I'd barely even ridden my family's old ostrich horse, I never thought I'd ride a dragon, of all things! And I was so sure the Princess would be outraged about it…"
"Oh, she was, but she got over it" Azula chimed in, prompting both her companions to laugh "Come to think of it, you could consider both your occasions of riding Xin Long to be a sort of payment for all your hard work with healing me. First it was my cold, now it's my hand…"
"Huh, I hadn't thought of it that way… you see, Sokka, this is how you thank a healer, not by eating all the food off her cupboards" Song said, smiling teasingly at her housemate. Sokka scoffed.
"I can't give you a ride on a dragon just to thank you every time you patch me back together!" Sokka squeaked "As much as Xin Long likes me, I'm not his actual rider and I don't have a dragon of my own – not that I could have one even if there were more, right? They only bond with firebenders…"
"Well, you sure bonded with a saber-tooth moose lion the other day" Azula smirked "Might be that's more up your alley than dragons are, huh? Though, for your sake, I don't advise you to ride one of those with him, Song. It's nowhere near as fun as it sounds…"
"Hey! You enjoyed it!"
"You mean you enjoyed it, claiming the front seat and then basking in having me clinging to you so I wouldn't fall off, for a change…" Azula huffed, and as much as he had been confrontational moments ago, Sokka chuckled in agreement with her words.
Song bit her lip: they were used to riding together, with no one in their way. Generous as Azula's offer was, had Song intruded on what usually was a private moment between these two? She was all the more grateful for what Azula had done now, and for Sokka's little-to-no complaints on the matter. No one knew how difficult it was to pry Sokka and Azula off each other as Song did: that they would forsake an opportunity to bask in their love just for her sake was heartwarming, even if she couldn't be sure she deserved it. That they believed she did was already enough of an honor for the obliged young woman.
There was one member of their party who seemed slightly bothered by the latest turn their conversation had taken, though: Azula frowned, reaching to stroke Xin Long's hair with her left hand as the dragon grumbled in her mind about how there absolutely had to be other dragons left, regardless of whether they'd bond with firebenders or non-benders. Azula reassured him quietly through their mental bond, letting him know it was merely an off-handed comment… yet an unsettling dread sprung up inside her chest as she conveyed her thoughts to her dragon: how could she promise, with full certainty, that they'd find dragons when Xin Long had taken advantage of this trip to traverse the Earth Kingdom, and countless other trips before it, and found nothing yet?
It had been quite some time since they had found him – over three years, if Azula's memory didn't fail her. In all that time they'd found nothing, not even the slightest hint of any others of his kind… and as hopeful as Xin Long wanted to present himself, as dismissive of the notion that he'd be the last one left, Azula could sense his hesitation, his fear. Xin Long wasn't ready to wrap his head around being the final legacy of his entire species… yet a slowly festering fear had taken root in his soul since long ago, the fear that he might have no choice but to accept that fate, sooner than later, if he couldn't track down any of his brethren for as long as he lived.
Azula sighed, ignoring Sokka and Song's conversation as she caressed her dragon's hair. It was a grim subject to ponder, but one she had always wanted to avoid: guilt ever wracked her over the fate of the dragons of old, guilt that stung her badly even if Xin Long didn't hold her responsible for those senseless deaths. But Azula knew that her grandfather was responsible: the very grandfather she had been named after. It had seemed right, back when she had first found Xin Long, to clear her family's name, her own name, by bringing back the dragons and saving their species from certain doom. That dream, so bright and clear once, had faded gradually until she could barely see it anymore. She owed it to Xin Long to help him, to try tracking down any other creatures like him… but where to start?
Dusk had spread across the city when the dragon crossed the Inner Wall of Ba Sing Se: his shape blended with the dark skies above to such extent that the Palace remained largely unresponsive to their approach until Xin Long touched down on the Palace's grounds. Nearby servants and soldiers on patrol reacted in various ways to the large creature's presence: some squeaked in fear, others ran off, one soldier even raised a weapon cautiously until he identified the three people riding on the dragon's back – including a Princess who offered him the most skeptical glare possible at the threat he had tried to pose to her animal companion.
"P-Princess!" the soldier exclaimed, dropping his spear when Xin Long groaned menacingly. It didn't help that he had already been in a crummy mood: now he seemed ready to scorch the insolent soldier for his aggressive reaction "We didn't think you'd arrive today! I'm sorry, b-but nothing's prepared yet, I think…! I should go report to General Tiang that you're here!"
"You probably should, yes" Azula convened, sighing and rolling her eyes as the man scurried away at haste "Here I thought their soldiers wouldn't be so squeamish if we arrived at this hour. Guess not"
Sokka hoisted himself off the saddle first, helping Song down with a hand before offering his arms to Azula. She hesitated, uncertain if the cover of darkness would he enough to dispel any gossip about how often she allowed her gladiator to touch her these days – it was far more often than anyone dared imagine, it was true, but common people didn't need to know that either. She caved in and accepted his offer anyhow, knowing that, beyond wanting to hold her, Sokka also wanted to ensure she wouldn't use her injured hand in any way she shouldn't have.
"There… how's the hand now?" Sokka asked as her feet touched the ground. Azula rolled her eyes, though she couldn't conceal her smile even under the cover of darkness.
"Are you planning on asking that question every ten minutes, by any chance?"
"Would you rather I do it every five?" he asked, with a mischievous, toothy grin not unlike Xin Long's frequent smiles.
Azula would have embraced him fully, gladly… but Ba Sing Se was possibly the one place in the world where she felt more paranoid about concealing her relationship with Sokka than she did in the Fire Nation Capital. Despite her impulses proved difficult to resist, she held back and only shook her head, basking in the intimacy of standing together as they were, at a breath's distance…
"D-do you guys think it's okay if I just… go find my mom now?" Song chimed in, interrupting their silence as she glanced at the Palace's main building anxiously.
"Why wouldn't it be?" Sokka answered, grinning at her over her shoulder "We'll head inside too in a bit. Say hi to Myeung for us!"
"Sure!" Song exclaimed, her excitement so bright her smile could have lit up the night all on her own.
Her small frame vanished through one of the Palace's thresholds within moments: by then, Xin Long had taken to pacing over the even grass, wading towards the building that had served as his temporary refuge on their last visits.
"Xin…" Azula called, but the dragon only continued trudging on, seemingly impervious to her voice despite the Princess knew he could hear her perfectly.
"Uh… is everything okay?" Sokka asked, blinking blankly. Azula took a deep breath and shook her head.
"We did say, back in Whaletail Island, that we ought to take advantage of any of our trips to the Earth Kingdom to seek out more dragons" she said "But we haven't done it yet. I… I'm afraid he's starting to despair"
"Woah, really? Just like that?" Sokka said, raising an eyebrow "Seems a bit random for him to be so miserable about that out of… uh, wait, is this because of what I said?"
"Eh, don't blame yourself" Azula sighed "You didn't outright claim he was the last dragon or anything like that. But I guess it's been too long by now. It's over three years since we found him, and still nothing…"
"Maybe we ought to start looking more seriously, then" Sokka pouted, nudging Azula to start her way to the Palace's building along with him. The Princess spared one more glance at Xin Long, as he pushed the building's door with his horned head, before following her gladiator.
Ba Sing Se's Palace remained as grand as ever, its tall, emerald-and-gold halls just as imposing as those in the Fire Nation's own Palace. Servants were lighting the lanterns in the corridors right now, and each one they passed by seemed all the more startled by their sudden presence in the Palace than the one before. It took around five minutes of walking aimlessly, looking for any rooms to sit down and relax at, before a tall man finally offered to guide them to a sitting room until the Governor could see them. Azula and Sokka took him up on that offer: they wound up in a small, cozy room, and they dropped on the cushions before the tea table as they waited to be received by their hosts.
"Didn't you send word we might be arriving today?" Sokka asked Azula, amused as he listened outside for whispered arguments and rushed footsteps, telltale signs of the chaos that raged outside their sitting room. Azula shrugged.
"The estimated time of arrival was tomorrow, actually, but the currents were in our favor and we gained plenty of time because of that" Azula admitted "In a way, it would have been better to stay in the Barge for tonight, at least for the two of us…"
"Yeah… but you figured you'd give Song a chance to be with her mother instead" Sokka smiled "I do love spending extra time with you, but I can put up with the distance if you're being selfless and helpful with people who deserve it…"
"Hmm" Azula bit her lip, tapping her arm gently with a finger. Someone certainly deserved whatever selflessness she could offer him… but she wasn't sure any selfless attempts to seek out dragons with Xin Long would pay off at all.
"Azula?"
"Sorry, I keep thinking about Xin and… I just really want to do something, if I can" she whispered "Now that Aonu will be overseeing the Enforcers in the Colonies I guess I can't quite use that as an excuse to travel here so often anymore… so, if I'm going to help Xin, it should be during this trip. And yet…"
"Well, now, you said Ba Sing Se shouldn't be that much trouble for you, right?" Sokka said "Surely Tiang has dealt with things way better than everyone else has, he's always been efficient that way. So, if you have time to spare…"
"If I do, what will I do with it?" Azula asked, eyeing him with uncertainty "I could go flying with Xin Long if he wants, hell, we both could… but where to? What for? If we don't pursue any specific leads, I'm not sure we'll get anywhere with this. And that's the real problem. We've been anything but efficient in our attempts to find more dragons, and unless we come up with a decent plan…"
"Yeah… I'd accuse you of overplanning again, but you're not wrong there" Sokka admitted, biting his lip "If only there were some sort of dragon expert you could ask… but I suppose no one really qualifies as one, right?"
"Not likely" Azula mumbled "Not here, not in the Fire Nation mainland either…"
"You sure, though?" Sokka asked, sitting up straight: the glow of an idea twinkled in his eyes, and Azula's heart jolted happily, hopefully, at the sight of it "I mean, not to give you false expectations but… isn't there a big university in this city? Maybe someone there could help you out"
"Right… but I don't know if they'd have investigated dragons" Azula said, intrigued yet unconvinced for the moment "I won't say it's not worth checking out, but they might be even more clueless than we are"
"It could be fun to visit that university, though" Sokka smiled "We could even ask about those ruins we saw before we entered the Cave of Two Lovers… though, come to think of it, maybe it was one of the lovers' villages, huh?"
"It's possible" Azula conceded, eyeing Sokka with undisguised amusement as he licked his lips with childish anticipation.
"And there's other stuff we could ask them, like… the Swamp, don't you think? And maybe they know a thing or two about indirect bending, or hey, that lightning redirection Iroh did? Or…!"
"Aren't you getting a little ahead of yourself, Sokka?" Azula chuckled "I mean, I don't mind your enthusiasm over learning new things, not even a little bit, but at this rate the last thing you'll remember to look for is an expert on dragons…"
"Oh, I wouldn't forget about…! Uh, hey. There's actually one thing we haven't investigated yet either and it's pretty important, at that" Sokka mentioned, his sudden seriousness taking Azula aback right away "I mean, we haven't really had time, we pretty much settled on doing that right before the slave riot happened, but…"
"Huh. We've been so busy since then that I have no idea what you're talking about anymore" Azula smiled, shaking her head.
"Coming up with a chi-blocking bomb so I can beat Toph?"
Her smile faded just as easily as it had spread over her face. She certainly had forgotten about that, but…
"Do you really think that's still necessary?" Azula asked, leaning back on her cushion as she studied Sokka's serious façade "You kept up with her so well during the Race… granted, you weren't alone, but neither was she, and…"
"And we were tired, in a complicated environment, and you and I are like ten times more powerful in a fight whenever we join forces" Sokka cut in, and Azula grimaced but fell silent, allowing him to speak his mind "As much as I was stoked that we defeated them, still am, we can't assume it'll go exactly like that when I face off against her, one-on-one, in the future. I'd rather we're properly prepared by then, and I'm sure you would prefer that too"
Azula smiled approvingly and nodded. Sokka's mood was lightened by her reaction, and he grinned back at her as she breathed deeply.
"Guess I taught you well, better than I should have…" she smirked "Who's overplanning now?"
"It's the right amount of planning, Princess, say what you will" Sokka chuckled.
"Then… what exactly do you think the university's experts could suggest with the bombs?" Azula asked "You'd ask some erudite about substances that can produce chi-blocking, perhaps?"
"Maybe. I'm not sure what kind of scholar would be better for this sort of research" Sokka admitted, biting his lip before shrugging "But I suppose we'll find out when we get there, right?"
"Surely, but… it all depends on whether or not I can wrap up all matters pertaining the Enforcers on time" Azula rested her head on her uninjured hand, her elbow on the small table before them "You have a fight in about four days too, in case you forgot we'd arranged for that…"
"I didn't" Sokka said, nodding.
"Granted I doubt that opponent will be much trouble for you, but you can't take them for granted anyhow" Azula sighed "Either way… if things don't pan out and I have to supervise Tiang's Enforcers more closely, unlikely as that sounds, you probably ought to go to the university yourself"
"Whaaaat?!" Sokka pouted, and Azula couldn't hold back the snort of laughter that overtook her at his outrage "No! We're going together! I mean, if I go there alone, they'll probably try to kick me out! What's some Water Tribe guy trying to do, steal their research or something…?"
"Why would they think you're stealing anything?" Azula laughed, but Sokka ignored her.
"Whereas, if you show up, Crown Princess, they'll even beg you to steal their research! They'd hand it over to you in a heartbeat, reveal all their dirty secrets if you so ask, because your authority cannot be contested and…!"
"Cut the nonsense, you're just making up excuses so you don't have to go alone" Azula laughed.
"Heck, no! If it was merely that I don't want to go alone, I'd take Rui Shi or Song or Taro or anyone! But the truth is, Princess, that the only one I want to go with is you!" Sokka declared, finally grinning again "So… please?"
"Oh, curses, Sokka…" Azula huffed, his goofy grin doing away with her defenses easily "You're adorable, you know that?"
"I'll let you get away with calling me that if it means you'll come along…" he said, wiggling his eyebrows and prompting her to laugh again.
Before she could give him a proper answer, however, the door to their sitting room was opened hastily: a familiar woman was carrying a tray of tea for them, and both Azula and Sokka smiled instinctively upon recognizing Tiang's wife, ever the dutiful host.
"Princess! We were so sure you'd arrive tomorrow, but it's wonderful that you're here now!" Jin exclaimed, beaming as she set down the tray carefully on the table before her guests "We would have arranged a better welcome otherwise, but I've already asked the servants to ready rooms for the two of you and Song. She's already with Myeung in the kitchen, I saw them hugging there just as I went to brew your tea…"
"Thank you for your generosity" Azula smiled, bowing her head towards the young woman sitting across them "We didn't mean to impose, but Song and her mother don't have nearly enough opportunities to spend time together, so, as we were already within the city's vicinity…"
"Oh, I understand completely. Reuniting with a family member is always a wonderful thing, after all" Jin grinned "Tiang will be here shortly too, he was dealing with paperwork when we heard you had arrived"
"Ah, I hope it's not last-minute Enforcers paperwork" Azula chuckled, and Jin shook her head promptly.
"Absolutely not, all things pertaining the Enforcers are perfectly ready!" Jin announced, beaming "I suppose it's too late to get started today, but by tomorrow we can show you everything we've been working on! It took us about three days to build their official headquarters in Ba Sing Se, thanks to the earthbending builders guild that my husband has been funding since he took office. Still, we're thinking we should make small stations all over the city anyhow, to ensure we have better control over the slavery system all through Ba Sing Se. We've already recruited around three hundred young women, many of them earthbenders, and most of them are so spirited, you wouldn't believe…!"
Jin paused her enthusiastic rambling suddenly, raising her eyes to find both Azula and Sokka appeared perplexed by everything she'd said, especially when she'd said it so fast. It was inevitable for color to rise in her cheeks, as she felt more foolish with every second she held their gazes with her own.
"Ah, t-that is… sorry. I just said we should leave all that for tomorrow, I got ahead of myself…" she said, smiling awkwardly… and yet it was only now that Azula raised her open, bandaged palm in a gesture to slow her down.
"You seem to know an awful lot about the local Enforcers' operations" she said, and the now color drained fron Jin's face: was her tone meant to indicate curiosity, or was it ominous instead…? "Can I ask if you've been working alongside your husband in this venture?"
"I, w-well… somewhat. Truthfully, he often asks for my advice in some regards and the slavery laws were one of them" Jin answered, lowering her gaze "I know it's not meant to be my place, I'm his wife, not his adviser, but…"
"Hey, now, you can be both things!" Sokka exclaimed, grinning and offering her a thumbs-up. Jin blinked blankly at his enthusiasm "Sounds like you guys have the right kind of marriage if you can work together like that!"
"Uh… right. I would think so, but, uh…" Jin said, flustered again as she eyed Azula warily…
She was smiling. The Princess wasn't smirking, she was smiling.
"My gladiator isn't wrong, Jin. This is… it's actually great news" Azula said, and Jin could finally breathe again after knowing Azula didn't disapprove of her involvement in politics… though it was odd that she wouldn't disapprove, come to think of it.
"It is?" she asked, cautious "I mean, well… I'm not highborn, and I'm Earth Kingdom-born… I only became an Honorary Citizen when Tiang asked me to marry him. You've never looked down on me for those things but… is it really okay for me to be involved in politics? I always thought Tiang was quirky, and that was why he encouraged me to give him my opinions, but… you think it's a good thing too?"
"Well… if I thought only trueborn Fire Nation people ought to be allowed to work with the Enforcers, or involved in politics altogether, I would have never found a cheap, yet effective, swordsman to instruct the Capital's Enforcers" Azula said, jerking her head towards Sokka, who grinned proudly "And that's just one thing to bring up out of many possible examples where he has proved useful beyond belief, such as when this particular goofball of a gladiator saved my life from the White Lotus invasion in the Palace…"
Her words only served to widen Sokka's grin further. No doubt he thrived in hearing Azula singing his praises, but Jin's awestruck silence only delighted him further.
"But I suppose the most important example is…" Azula said, and Sokka bit his lip in anticipation, not knowing what she might reveal next. He wasn't entirely sure there was anything else he'd done that would be convenient to share, but maybe Azula had thought of something…? "The man I've hired as Overseer of all Enforcers in the Colonies is actually an earthbender: he's the bastard son of a nobleman and an Earth Kingdom woman. If he can have such an important job, all across the continent, why shouldn't you be in charge of the Enforcers in Ba Sing Se?"
"I… w-wait, WHAT?!" Jin's previous surprise over Sokka's deeds now was nothing compared to her current astonishment. Sokka, on the other hand, had been pouting, expecting further complimentary stories about him instead of Aonu… yet Azula's new job offer for Jin snapped him out of his goofy brooding all the same "Y-you would… you would have me in charge? But I'm no good at combat or any of those things, I…!"
"Governor Tiang is, by far, the most successful of my father's appointed leaders in the Colonies" Azula smirked "I always thought he was talented, smart, a good man, all in all… but if he's had you by his side from early on in his tenure as Governor, advising him in whatever capacity you did, it sounds like you're talented, smart and good-natured enough for the job just the same"
"But I…! Oh, goodness. Oh, goodness…!" Jin exclaimed, her eyes wide as she covered her mouth with a hand, poorly suppressed giggles tumbling from her lips. Sokka chuckled at her reaction before leveling Azula with a playful glare.
"Not even two days in and you already gave her a job?" he asked. Azula shrugged.
"I'll probably have to see her working with the Enforcers up close to decide for sure, but she's probably qualified for it" she determined, reaching to pour herself a cup of tea – Jin rushed to do it instead, having forgotten about the tea altogether after being swept up by the conversation.
"I… I will do my best! I swear, I…! Oh, goodness, I can't believe you'd give me an actual job…!"
"A job?"
The male voice that drifted from the open door nearly caused Jin to drop the teapot after pouring the second cup: she set it down carefully, but rushed to Tiang's side immediately just after he had crossed the room's threshold, confused amusement in his face.
"The Princess thinks I could oversee the Enforcers in Ba Sing Se!" she exclaimed, and, without waiting for her husband's response – surely, assuming he would be thrilled by the news without needing to wait for his reaction –, she squealed and threw her arms around his neck.
Tiang swayed with Jin, laughing as he embraced her, though he remained utterly perplexed still. By the time he finally set down his wife he turned to the nonchalant Princess with a confused grin.
"Y-you just arrived and you're already making decisions like that?" he asked "I mean, you couldn't have chosen anyone better for the job, I guarantee it! But goodness, I thought you might wait for a day or two…"
"Jin made a surprisingly compelling case for giving her that job when she spoke with such enthusiasm about your plans and progress with the Enforcers so far" Azula smirked, as Sokka snickered beside her "Sounds like she's been helping you govern this city, too?"
"Oh, more than she'll ever admit" Tiang grinned, wrapping an arm around Jin's shoulders and hugging her to his chest "If the Fire Lord would ever allow it, I'd step down and make her Governor in my stead"
"What?! That's insane!" Jin exclaimed, and Tiang only laughed in response to her astounded embarrassment.
"You'd do way better than I ever could! I just know it!" he grinned, pressing a kiss to his wife's brow as he guided her to sit with him across Azula and Sokka.
The two couples would move to the larger dining room merely an hour later, where they were joined by Song and her mother. The food, it seemed to Azula, was the best meal she had ever tasted in the Earth Kingdom, and the evening was rather cheerful, even if concern for her dragon's current depression occasionally marred Azula's pleasant mood. She did well to conceal it, but Sokka could tell she was affected by it, deeply. The bond between rider and dragon was one to cherish and protect: if Azula couldn't quite help Xin Long yet, Sokka would step in for her and try his best to reassure the troublemaking dragon himself.
The Imperial Guard squad arrived on the next day – Rui Shi blushed under his helmet, yet hugged Song back eagerly once she welcomed him with the most enthusiastic embrace. Azula wasn't around to witness their reunion, however: she had already dived headfirst into work, watching Ba Sing Se's Enforcers partaking in many different kinds of training, a task that would occupy her for the coming days. The captain in charge, a tall, older man with a stern glare, resembled Commander Rahi: he as well was an officer out of retirement, willing to serve his nation one more time until one of the talented recruits had gained enough experience to take the position of captain for herself.
The women who comprised Ba Sing Se's Enforcers – and the five men who had joined as new recruits too, to Azula's surprise – were rowdier and less compliant than those in the Fire Nation. They had potential to become a terrifying squad, enough to put the old Dai Li to shame, but they lacked the innocence that had characterized the soldiers Azula and Sokka had helped train in the Capital. That they would prove so much more rebellious came as no surprise: most of these women were proud Earth Kingdom citizens, taking advantage of their first opportunity to defend their people since they had lost the war. They didn't enjoy taking orders from Fire Nation officials, but whenever Jin stepped in to speak with them they would be receptive, even enthusiastic, much more interested in following the lead of an Earth Kingdom woman like themselves than that of a Fire Nation soldier. Azula had already suspected that Jin was the right choice for the role of Overseer in Ba Sing Se, but witnessing her successful encouragement of the recruits led her to wonder if perhaps her role at keeping the peace in Ba Sing Se was far larger than the young woman herself intended to acknowledge…
Sokka watched some of the training as well, and he even helmed a swordsmanship lesson that many recruits welcomed gladly, despite there were some who seemed utterly uninterested in wielding swords – there were more earthbenders than firebenders amongst these recruits, and they weren't eager to add weapons to their arsenal of martial possibilities, despite it could only benefit them, as far as Sokka could tell. Even so, he worked with the Ba Sing Se Enforcers whenever Azula asked him to do so. On the day he wasn't, though…
The gladiator wasn't sure why he tip-toed his way through the Palace gardens, but he did it nonetheless: the doors to the temporary dragon refuge stood fully open and Xin Long lounged inside, nibbling on a large bone he had long since cleaned from any remaining meat. Once he was bored of chewing it, Sokka guessed it would be fated to join the other bones, the only remaining evidence of the meat feast Azula had requested for her dragon before rushing to work with the Enforcers that day. As depressed as he was, it seemed Xin Long still would eat just as much as he would whenever he was in better spirits.
Sokka bit his lip as he reached the threshold of the building. Maybe this was a stupid idea, and maybe Xin Long was angrier at him than he was at anyone else because his careless words, despite that hadn't been his intention, had reminded him bitterly of his loneliness…
He flinched when the dragon swayed his head in his direction. He eyed him keenly for a moment before turning again to focus on his bone.
"Uh, hey, buddy…" Sokka said, biting his lip as he stepped closer "Seems like you enjoyed your meal?"
Xin Long answered with a grunt and carried on munching the bone for a few more moments before spitting it out with disinterest. Sokka stopped beside him, knowing it was better to stop beating around the bush and speak plainly.
"I'm sorry if what I said the other day upset you, boy" he whispered, and instead of growling menacingly, Xin Long only released a long, shrill groan as he dropped on his side. Sokka damn near preferred the groans and the moodiness to this rare, mellow side of Xin Long's "I didn't mean to be insensitive. But… hey, I know it may sound like an empty promise, but Azula and I will try to find out more about dragons soon. What do you think about that, huh?"
Despite trying to feign disinterest, the dragon raised an eyebrow and glanced at Sokka questioningly. He smiled and sat beside him, a hand gently patting the violet-black scales of his magnificent friend.
"See, once we have the chance, we'll visit this place… well, it's where really smart people gather, you see? They know a lot about many important subjects, they study them and investigate, and then they gather there and talk about whatever they discovered, I suppose, so… we'll go and ask them what they know about dragons!"
His explanation didn't sit ill with Xin Long, but the dragon's judgmental stare, so akin to Azula's own, quickly convinced Sokka that the dragon would have easily understood the concept of a 'university' if he had merely stated the word outright. Willing the blood not to rush to his cheeks to no avail, Sokka sighed and shrugged.
"Okay, well, we'll go to Ba Sing Se's university and find out if maybe someone has seen signs of dragons anywhere. If there's nothing on that front, then there's a chance they've at least studied enough to help us figure out the likeliest places where dragons might live. So… I know it's not much. But even if we've been way too busy lately, I promise your rider will absolutely help you find your kin. I can't say for sure if we'll find anything right away… but if there's more dragons out there, we're going help you find them, without a doubt"
By now, the light seemed to have returned to the dragon's eyes. He smiled an innocent, happy grin before wrapping his body around Sokka affectionately, as he ever did to show his appreciation to humans. Sokka chuckled, raising his hands over Xin Long's body, but he didn't protest over the sensation of those scales scratching against his body. Instead, he smiled as he rested atop Xin Long's elongated frame, embracing the dragon too in whatever way he could. Maybe this wouldn't be enough to make him as happy as he always had been… but he wanted to think it was better than nothing.
When the sun set on their third day in Ba Sing Se, Azula had already granted her approval to Tiang and Jin's progress with the Enforcers and encouraged them to keep up with the good work: so far, they had handled the creation and training of the new branch of the Armed Forces with the same effectiveness that ever characterized their rule over their city. The recruits would be ready to begin their first raids in a few weeks, and Azula deeply hoped they would be successful.
With some time to spare at last, the Princess had resolved to visit Xin Long properly, perhaps to take him on a short trip in the vicinity of Ba Sing Se… but all such resolutions crumbled when she reached the temporary refuge to find her gladiator and her dragon, her two closest partners, cuddled together, fast asleep. She tried to bite back a grin she could never stifle fully: the closeness between them ever warmed her heart. Perhaps, once they went home, she ought to paint this image and immortalize it for good, both to poke fun at Sokka, and to honor his own kind of partnership with her dragon…
She resolved to leave them to their rest. She could already sense Xin Long's turbulent heart had calmed, to a fault, and she had no trouble guessing it was by Sokka's doing.
"What skill! What agility! The Blue Wolf is truly unmatched on the battlefield!"
The men behind the megaphones had become far more melodramatic ever since Sokka crowned himself as the top non-bender of the League, unofficial as the title was. Azula smiled, though, watching as Sokka skirted through the chaotic earthbending wielded by Pride of Stone. Without needing Shoji's advice, Azula could already tell the female earthbender's battling style hinged on overwhelming her opponent with displays of power, crafting mazes of earth, shaking the grounds underneath the enemy's feet… skills that would faze unseasoned opponents, but not Sokka.
"Oh, goodness. He really is keeping her on her toes" Tiang said, beside Azula. The Princess smirked and nodded in agreement, as the opposing sponsor gasped in horror: as much as Pride of Stone didn't hold a high position in the ranking, it seemed her sponsor expected her to handle herself against Sokka more effectively than this.
The Governor had wanted to watch the fight, and after checking with both sponsors if he could join them, he had taken his seat between them at the sponsor's balcony in the Green Gates. The stands were packed: Sokka's popularity only seemed to increase wherever they went, and the crowd had been wilder than ever by the sight of his renowned thumbs-up gesture, which he had made moments before the fight began. It was a wicked strategy, Azula knew, for it seemed to be a good way to rile up his opponents… but if this was the best Pride of Stone could do, whether spurred on by Sokka's taunt or not, she was certainly fated to lose.
Sokka dodged all projectiles, jumping out of the way with such perfect control it almost seemed as though he could predict what his opponent would do next – and perhaps he could. His movements would have appeared erratic, and he often made gestures that seemed to hint that he'd make a mistake… Yet the minute Pride of Stone responded by launching streams of sand or rocks at him, Sokka was well out of the way, taking advantage of Pride of Stone's attacks to unleash an offensive of his own.
Such was what he did after allowing his opponent to launch him up in the air: the entire crowd gasped, for instead of losing balance and control, Sokka had taken advantage of the earth pillar's momentum and jumped powerfully forward. Pride of Stone tried to attack him with a sand stream, but even in the air, Sokka angled his body sideways perfectly to evade the blast. Now, while gravity claimed him, he drew his boomerang and tossed it with incomparable precision.
The weapon curved as it progressed towards the enemy, who tried to knock the projectile out of orbit but failed. The boomerang hurtled past all of Pride of Stone's possible defenses, and she couldn't bend at all anymore once the edge of the boomerang struck the nape of her neck in the perfect location for a full-body chi-block.
Shouting, cheers, clapping, music: the noise that rose in the Green Gates was deafening as it echoed across the Arena. Sokka landed heavily on the sand, knees lightly flexed so he wouldn't take severe damage for the reckless jump he'd done. To top off his performance, his boomerang returned directly to his hand after bouncing against Pride of Stone: he caught it right above his head, and the crowd couldn't have gone wilder if he'd made the gesture out of deliberate arrogance.
"Oh, dear… I guess that's that" said the opposite sponsor, and Azula fiddled with her left bang as she smirked proudly at her gladiator.
"Five… six… seven…!" the megaphone man counted, but Pride of Stone couldn't move, and it wasn't likely that she would before the countdown ended.
"Goodness, he's terrific" Tiang laughed, shaking his head as he covered his mouth with a hand.
"Ten! The winner is… the Blue Wolf!"
The crowd had been rejoicing before, and they only grew wilder still after that. Sokka chuckled, raising a hand to thank his many supporters. Who would have thought he'd ever become a favorite of the crowd, to the point where they'd cheer for him so wildly rather than supporting a local gladiator?
"Not a lot of gladiators favor chi-blocking, it's a difficult skill to master. It takes so much precision…" Tiang said, stroking his chin "I'm in awe, Princess, he's incredible. I still remember the first time you brought him to Ba Sing Se…"
"Oh, when he lost against the Lady of Laogai, yes" Azula sighed "Though he's certainly avenged himself by now, he defeated her in the last Pairs Tournament we joined"
The opposing sponsor stood up, smiling at Azula even if he clearly had hoped for a better result. He offered her the money she had earned with gentlemanly respect and he left the balcony without another word. Azula and Tiang followed before long: it didn't seem the Governor could stop marveling at Sokka's progress.
"He's so agile nowadays, I'd dare say that's his best strength if it weren't for all the talents he displayed in this fight" he gushed "And he didn't even use all his weapons. Truly, Princess, you were wise to sense his potential early on. I've never seen a more remarkable non-bending warrior…"
"Well, I did know he had great potential" Azula smiled fondly "But I mostly chose him because of his tactical, strategic fighting style. I didn't give his combat abilities the credit they warranted back in the day, I thought he might improve them to a fault, but nowadays I even think…"
"Yes?" Tiang asked, as Azula paused. She bit her lip before answering, stepping down the stairs on their way to the waiting rooms, for Sokka's health check-up.
"His potential as a warrior actually surpasses any boundaries I ever expected it to be limited by, back when I first partnered up with him. Infinite potential, perhaps, is the proper way to describe it…" she finished.
"If that's so, then he's rather fortunate to have a sponsor like you as his partner" Tiang said, grinning "Seems to me that you must have inspired and encouraged him to live up to all that potential, just as you do with your own"
"Well, now, that's quite flattering…" Azula laughed.
"Oh, if only it were flattery" Tiang laughed as well. They reached the corridor of the Arena's second floor to find droves of fans headed for the vestibule, whether to cash out bets or merely on their way home "But I think the result of the Gladiator and Sponsor Race speaks for itself. Teams like yours are hard to come by, Princess. You made the right decision when you chose him for your fighter"
"Indeed" Azula conceded, smiling as she waited for any signs of Sokka amidst the large crowd "I can safely say I have no regrets regarding my decisions about him"
Tiang watched Azula wistfully, a gentle grin on his face. He had known Azula since she was a child, and they had ever been respectful with each other despite they had never been too close. But Lu Ten had always gushed to him about his cousins, and he certainly had always loved Azula dearly. It seemed to Tiang that she had grown up to embody everything Lu Ten would have ever wanted her to be: she was confident instead of arrogant, a visionary with the sharpest mind… and by the pure grin she showed her gladiator when he finally appeared by the stairs, flanked by staff members who were to guide him to his medical check, she had found true happiness.
Though the nature of that happiness wasn't quite something he was fully certain of yet, Tiang realized, as he stood by while the physicians performed Sokka's medical check. The Princess spoke candidly with her gladiator, at such ease Tiang was starting to suspect she had outright forgotten he was there too. And it wasn't only her who smiled in such a genuine way… the gladiator's eyes glowed as he gazed at her. If only it weren't Princess Azula, he would have thought there might be something else brewing between them…
Come to think of it, why wouldn't there be something else brewing between them, even if it was Princess Azula?
"I didn't land so poorly; my knees are a little sore but it's nothing to worry about" Sokka told the Princess reassuringly, and she nodded in approval.
"I didn't worry too much when you were flung so high, I figured you'd recover quickly enough, but you certainly surprised everyone by handling that situation so well" she said "Seems like the Blue Pack has some competition, huh? Your fans in Ba Sing Se were rather wild today, and you just got them wilder yet with your antics"
"Ehehehe, I figured they'd be happy with the thumb gesture" Sokka smiled awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck with a hand "Looks like our victory streak continues, though! It's almost two years without losing a fight, isn't it?"
"Keep going at this rate and even I shall falter against you" Azula said with a teasing smirk. Sokka snorted.
"Now that's just pure nonsense, Princess, and you know it"
"Well, now, I can't even fight right now, can I?" she said, raising her wounded hand "If I tried, you'd probably defeat me in a heartbeat"
She laughed to herself, and Sokka grinned affectionately at her. The physicians finished fussing over him and assured both the gladiator and his sponsor that he was in good shape. Sokka snickered as he rose back to his feet with a childish jump, hands on his hips in a proud gesture that illustrated his perfectly healthy state. Azula smiled and nodded in response, but where Tiang had expected the three of them would simply restart their way to the Palace, Sokka suddenly bit his lip in apparent anticipation.
"Say… it's not so late yet, is it?" he asked the Princess.
"Well, no, not really" Azula answered, crossing her arms over her chest "I guess it's a good idea to start today, though you do know we may not get all our answers right away, don't you?"
"Oh, of course, but the sooner we start looking for those answers, the sooner we'll find them" Sokka grinned "I know you'd planned for us to stay in the city for two weeks, but as you're mostly done with all Enforcers' matters by now, we have a whole week and a half to find out what we need, right?"
"Right" Azula smiled, and just as Tiang was about to ask whatever they were talking about, the Princess turned towards him "Governor… I do hope you won't mind if we don't return to the Palace with you right away? My gladiator and I have some business to deal with, if that's alright…"
"Oh? In the city?" Tiang asked, perplexed "Why, I don't mind… but can I ask what it is? Or perhaps I shouldn't pry so much…?"
"Nah, I'm pretty sure it's fine to pry a bit" Sokka grinned "We're off to Ba Sing Se University!"
Azula smiled fondly at him, glancing at the man from the corner of her eye, and Sokka's proud smile didn't falter – if anything, noticing she was pleased with his behavior only seemed to fill him with more confidence.
They didn't ask for directions, nor did they request Tiang's advice or guidance for whatever their purposes at the University might be. The General merely watched them as they walked from the Green Gates towards the monorail station side by side, apparently debating which departments of the university ought to offer whatever they were looking for… but to Tiang, it seemed their banter wasn't quite as oriented towards making decisions, and instead towards enjoying their strange, push-and-pull camaraderie. That is, if it could be deemed as simple camaraderie when the parties involved gazed at each other with such genuine, sincere admiration…
He chuckled to himself and turned on his heels, headed to the Palace once more. He couldn't say for sure that romance had bloomed between those two… but he didn't see the harm in it, if it had. Perhaps their partnership was the source of the Princess's new happiness, of the peace she irradiated these days, even in the midst of her most ambitious political gambit so far… and if that was the case, Tiang had the distinct feeling Lu Ten would approve of it wholeheartedly.