For the rest of the night, Toph and Aang sang, danced and played with their comrades. The bridesmaids did dance together but halfway through, it quickly became more like a wrestling match between Katara and Mai. Ty Lee restored order with a couple of well-placed ki blocking punches that brought both of the brawlers to their knees.
Toph laughed at their antics proclaiming it the best dance ever. She and Aang were spirited away by Lao for publicity photos and a ride around the block
Azula was laughing so hard she bent over holding her sides. "I guess our little Mai does hold a grudge, peasant!"
"You're the peasant, princess," the waterbender replied trying to catch her breath from the tussle. "You and those two bitchy bitches!"
"Please stop this, all of you," Jun whispered harshly. "You're embarrassing yourselves and the bride! Can't you put your bickering away for one day or do I have to quiet both of you!" she threatened, cracking her knuckles.
Both Katara and Mai swallowed hard, having seen first hand the former bounty hunter's fearsome skills. It didn't matter if you were a bender or not.
"Is very thing going okay my dear?" Iroh asked as he casually strolled over.
Jun smiled as her cheeks tinged red slightly. "Yes my love, the girls were just, uh, playing around, weren't you?"
"Yes," Mai and I often goof about like this," Katara stated nervously, actually throwing a hand on the tall, dark woman's shoulder. "Isn't that right, Mai?"
The blade wielder stepped back to dislodge to waterbender's hand with a look of contempt. "If you say so… sister," she sneered.
Katara's gaze snapped onto to Mai. She now noticed the bejeweled choker about the woman's long, slender neck. It was made of gold, linking animal images, all related to the Southern Water Tribe. Each charm had a small gem embedded in it, some not really visible until closely inspected. One thing Katara was sure of, it was an engagement/marriage neckband, of her tribe.
The waterbender swallowed hard as she looked over at Ty Lee. The former acrobat was also sporting an elegant necklace as well. Her's was made of braided white, pink and yellow gold strands, with an image of an otter-penguin at the center. Two emeralds formed the eyes.
The waterbender started to physically tremble as she slowly turned to give the smirking Fire Nation princess the once over. To her fear, she saw the azure silken band that graced Azula's neck with three large round diamonds in the front, forming a familiar polar constellation. The embroidery was a mix of Fire Nation and Southern Water Tribe.
"Is something bothering you, sister?" Azula asked with a devilish grin.
"No, this can't be… it… it must be some kind of nightmare," she gasped.
"Oh my, sister looks like she's turning green," Ty Lee commented. "Maybe you should sit down, sister?"
Katara felt as if the room was spinning before she took a step back and fainted.
"Told her she should sit down," Ty Lee quipped with a shrug.
"You know, it's totally unfair, three against one," the old general scolded the three gloating women as he knelt beside the swooned waterbender.
"Whatever do you mean, uncle," Azula asked with an innocent smile.
"Jun, help me sit her in that chair," Iroh requested as he effortlessly lifted Katara from the floor.
The ex-bounty hunter pulled a chair around so that he could seat her as she softly moaned in his arms.
"Katara? Can you hear me, sweetie," Jun asked as she lightly patted the back of the waterbender's hand.
Katara's bright blue eyes slowly opened. "Oh, Jun, Iroh, wow… I must have passed out from the wine. Boy, I had the worst nightmare ever! Azula had become my sister-in-law! Isn't that insane? Sokka would never marry that lunatic!"
"Oh, now that just hurts my feelings, Mai," Ty Lee pouted loudly. "She's forgotten about us! It's always Azula this and Azula that! He married us first!"
"Ma, ma, ma married! When...how?" Katara stuttered as she looked from one woman to the next. "Did he marry you too, Jun?"
The older woman shook her head. "No sweetie, remember, I married this big cuddly guy right here," she disclosed giving Iroh a comforting hug. "You were at the wedding too!"
The waterbender let out a sigh of relief. "Okay, I remember that now. I thought I was still dreaming. For a moment there was this floozy saying something about my stupid brother marrying her. The voice sounded exactly like Ty Lee, but we all know she's gay…"
"Hey, just because I share a kiss and hug with a girl, doesn't make me gay! Yeah, being apart of the Kyoshi Warriors appears kind of gay, and I have a lot of gay friends, but they know I only have eyes for my cutie! Anyways, Toph kisses girls too, and you don't call her gay… and… huh, she's a really good kisser! If I were gay, I would be marrying her, and looking into those dreamy smoky eyes every day!"
"Over my dead body," Katara growled to herself. "Toph is mine."
"What was that, sister? I didn't catch what you were saying," Azula asked as she cupped her ear. "I didn't know you flowed both ways."
"What if I do?" the waterbender replied with a sharp look. "Suki told me all about your 'interrogation technique' on Kyoshi Island, and how she became your favorite prisoner, so are you really one to be talking, sister?"
The Fire Nation princess rolled her amber eyes with a smirk. "You know what they say, 'All's fair in love and war.' Make no mistake, that was war, and I was prepared to do anything for my nation. I can't help if she surrendered herself to save her people. I wouldn't have, but, hey, it was enlightening. I thought, for a while I liked women more than men anyways. I guess going to an all-girls school, and really not associating with guys, tainted my perspective until Suki would tell me about him. She would go on forever about how sweet and caring her boyfriend was. I have to admit; I was surprised she had a boyfriend!"
Katara gave the princess a sideways glance. "Why were you surprised Azula? Yeah, she was a bit tomboyish, I admit, and she even dressed my brother up as a girl. He did look pretty cute."
The Fire Princess rolled her eyes. "I wouldn't know. I just saw this painted mannish girl running around with other painted mannish girls, and took her for being straight up gay. I had no idea she burned both ends until she told me. By then I was infatuated with her story. Did she tell you that as well?"
"Ew, too much information. You were pretty mannish yourself, Azula. I recall you made grown men cower and cry like little girls!" Katara pointed out.
"Your brother didn't seem to be afraid of me, Katara. In fact, when we fought back then, he would give me the panty sweats like crazy. I thought the first time I had peed myself."
Katara rolled her eyes. "Do you have to be so gross, Azula?"
"Teasing you is the best," the princess laughed. "Suki wasn't shy with me either. But I admit, her stories piqued my interest. When she told me his name, I already knew he was stupid and clumsy, but somewhat good looking as well. I started thinking about him and on the Day of Black Sun, when he had me pinned against the wall, I wouldn't have minded if he took a few, liberties."
"The only liberty he should have given you was an open throat," the waterbender growled.
Jun stepped between the two powerful benders as they glared at each other. "I think you all are drawing unnecessary attention that will besmirch the Councilman's reputation," she warned in a low voice, watching the members of the press starting to look towards the commotion. "You know polygamy isn't well received in most of the world, well unless you're royalty."
"I am royalty," Azula declared, looking at her sharp lacquered nails. "And so his my husband."
"A fact few people know, I would gather, only having learned of this myself," Iroh added with a cross look. "If you care for your, husband's, reputation, dear niece, then I suggest that you three continue to keep your, unique arrangement a secret. And that goes for all three of you. Isn't that why you haven't publicly announced this to the world?"
Azula, Mai, and Ty Lee exchanged knowing glances as they crossed their arms almost in sync.
"As always uncle, you're overflowing with sage advice. Mai, Ty, and of course, dear sister, we can discuss this further in the bride's room upstairs where we got dressed," Azula stated matter-factly.
"I'm not going anywhere alone with you three assassins," Katara declared with a look of disgust. "That would be like signing my own death warrant."
"We should be so lucky," Mai replied sardonically. "All your brattish whining is killing me! He really does spoil you, doesn't he?"
Katara stomped her foot on the floor, glaring at the stately blade wielder, pointing a finger. "I am not a brat, an... and I don't whine! Plus, no one has ever spoiled me, ever!"
"So, what did your brother get you for your last birthday?" Ty Lee asked as she stepped closer.
Katara instinctively touched the fancy sapphire and jade bracelet that wrapped about her wrist. "What does that have to do with anything? What my brother gives me is between us and has nothing to do with you three!"
"That's enough, let's go!" Jun ordered the warring women, pointing at the exit. "I'm going with them to make sure things remain civil, but we may be gone for a while, Iroh. They seem to have many things to discuss. If Toph wonders where they went, can you please tell her."
The old general nodded. "Take your time and I certainly will. I'm going to go join the old farts talking across the room. They were having a fascinating discussion about Pai Sho strategy."
Jun stretched over to give her husband a kiss. "Trade ya."
Iroh shook his head. "Not a chance. A wise general knows when to fight and when to flee."
"Coward," the ex-bounty hunter playfully exclaimed.
"Guilty. And Azula, congratulations! I am surprised and equally pleased. You have my blessing. I am proud of your fine choice, my niece. I can't think of anyone that suits you better," he replied, quickly walking away.
The Fire Nation princess' jaw dropped even as her amber eyes began to glisten in her stunned silence. The other women looked intently at the blushing princesses face. Azula was red from ear to ear as the crystal tears fell from her golden eyes.
"I don't need him to tell me that I made a fine choice, I know that already," Azula exclaimed finally in a choked, raspy voice. "That old tea guzzler is always saying unnecessary things! Why do I need his bl, bl, blessings, I don't need anyone's bless…" her voice trailed off until she covered her face with both hands, her sobs driving her to her knees.
Katara recalled the panged, bestial wailing after she had defeated Azula during the Agni Kai with Zuko. This was nothing like that. These cries were girlish and soft. And Azula gratefully accepted the hugs and comforting words from Mai and Ty Lee. The Fire Nation princess the waterbender recalled, thought of kindness as weakness. This woman before her didn't seem to mind the appearing weak and vulnerable.
"You see Katara, a good man can make a difference," Jun pointed out as she led the waterbender a distance from the weeping princess.
"Are you saying that my brother somehow helped to change this… this cold-blooded rat snake, into a human being?"
Jun shrugged. "I couldn't say for sure, but it's my understanding that the princess over there never use to cry, well, not like a normal person. Right now, she looks pretty much like a woman in love, doesn't she?"
The waterbender glanced back over at the now recovering princess being helped to her feet and to her seat. "This has got to be an act, like the time she was pretending to be a spirit. She's always up to something," Katara speculated aloud.
Jun tapped her chin. "Maybe, but I've known a lot of scheming, conniving, people in my former line of business. You come to know the con artists and trust me, the princess was as bad as it gets."
"So you knew Azula, Jun?"
"Yeah, I met that little crazy lightning bug when she was on the run. In fact, we partnered together on a couple of big scores before your brother caught up to her."
An incredulous smile curled the corners of Katara's lips. "Really, Azula was a bounty hunter?"
Jun nodded. "She needed money and I needed the help. She was damn good at the dead or alive ones, bringing them back mostly dead, well all dead, if memory serves me. That lightning of hers did a serious number on the baddies, and I have to admit, we made some damn good coin. She's a quick learner and was thinking of going solo. I could tell she wasn't into having an equal partner."
"Well she did try to kill her own brother to become the Fire Lord, I guess that's a good indicator she doesn't like to share," Katara pointed out.
The former bounty hunter nodded. "Yeah, I saw that she was pretty ruthless from the start, but we seemed to hit it off, as long as we had a common goal. After a while, it was like she'd fry 'em and I would bag them and we split the money. A couple of times she'd get worked up over something and burn 'em to ash. I had to remind her that ashes can't be identified. She would just say sorry and that I could keep all the money. Of course, there was no reward money."
"That figures," the waterbender huffed. "That's the egotistical homicidal maniac we all know and hate."
Jun chuckled softly. "Yeah, for sure. But then Sokka meets up with her at the tavern we used as our base of operations. I thought for sure they were going to fight, after some very unkind comments. But, they sat at the bar and had a couple of drinks instead. I didn't want any trouble so I joined them. Since I knew the both of them, I figured that they might listen to me."
"So did they listen?"
"I didn't even need to say anything," Jun replied with a soft smile. "The three of us laughed and talked like old friends. I was tired and thought if they were throwing down, then they probably wouldn't at least that night. I left them alone and went to bed. I felt like I was being a chaperone or something. I don't know if Azula was tired too from the job we had just done, or if she just found somebody who would listen to her. I was surprised by how she turned into this lively chatterbox. I never saw her so relaxed."
"My brother has a way with vicious wild animals," Katara sighed shaking her head. "Azula probably was looking for an opening to kill him, and he probably took it as flirting."
Jun giggled once more. "I don't know? That night Azula didn't come back to our room. When I asked the barkeep in the morning after she didn't show up for breakfast, he said she left with that guy we were talking to. I didn't see that girl for a whole week. I thought she had run off at first, but I heard the maids talking about this wild couple hold up in a room, ordering lots of food and being very loud; if you know what I mean?"
Katara visibly gagged. "A week... a whole La-damned week?"
"Yep, I even went to check on them towards the end," Jun confirmed. "When she eventually let me in, he was laying in the bed with this big goofy smile and she had a sheet wrapped around her. From all the passion marks on her neck and shoulders, it was obvious what they had been doing. Azula couldn't look me in the eye and Sokka just kept grinning like the panther-cat who ate the sparrow-keet."
"Maybe those marks were from him trying to choke her to death," Katara countered with a sour look.
Jun smiled. "I've never seen anyone choked by a ring of hickeys. Azula looked like a maiden bride caught by her inlaws after her wedding night. I was going to tease her, but I just told her to take her time."
The waterbender was looking more annoyed than ever. "That horny polar bear dog will hump anything with a pussy."
"C'mon now, he a bit more discriminating than that. Yeah, he likes to flirt, but we never got busy, even though I offered," Jun confessed. "Before you lose your water, it was before Azula was in the picture. I guess he was still with that flat-chested girl, and that night I had too much to drink. He saw me to my room and tucked me into bed, and that was that. Not even a little kiss. I had never felt so… well, rejected in my life."
Katara crossed her arms over her. "I think I need a heart-to-heart with my brother. I can't trust any of them," she stated, nodding in her three sister-in-law's direction.
Suddenly Sokka was beside her. "Who can't you trust, sis?"
The waterbender jumped back. "You scared me Sokka. Why are you over here?" she asked trying to calm herself.
"I came over because I heard that you may not be feeling well," Sokka stated with concern. "In fact, somebody said that you even fainted. I rushed right over when they told me, but I can see that you seem fine, Katara. Did something happen?
"She did get a bit woozy, I think from the wine and exertion, but she's all better now," Jun informed him. "I know she has a lot of questions for you and those three, but it would be prudent to wait until after the reception, don't you agree Katara?"
The waterbender took in a deep breath, gazing angrily at her sibling. "I'm going to be spending more time with you, brother," she declared emphatically as she pointed a finger in his face. "Does dad even know that you…"
Jun placed a hand on Katara's shoulder, cutting her off. "I thought you agreed to discuss all this later. It is not later yet, Katara."
The waterbender let out a second sigh. "Okay, but we are definitely going to discuss this, situation, later, brother."
The councilman looked from his sister to his wives. "I think it's time to take a little vacation," Sokka mumbled under his breath.
"I do have one pressing question that won't wait," Katara insisted.
"And what would that be?" Sokka asked.
Katara squared up with her brother. "Did Toph know?"
There was silence followed by furtive glances that told the waterbender all she needed to know.
"TOPH!" Katara screamed at the top of her lungs
.