Chapter 44
Marching along the palace halls beside the city guard, Azula made a point to keep her head high. These men didn't know who she was but she couldn't bring herself to not act the princess here. King Bumi must have had standing orders to bring anyone bearing the oddly important pai sho tile directly to him. She hadn't even had to explain herself or ask to see him after she produced it before four guards had ushered them into a stone cart and bent them up a steep slide to the palace. She was loathe to admit it, but it had been fun.
They were led into a smaller chamber off what she knew to be the throne room. The gnarled king sat hunched in a large stone seat at the end of a stone slab table. He gave her a piercing look over his tea. She shivered. It should be outlawed to have such an asymmetrical face.
The heavy door swung shut behind them and they were alone with the ancient king.
"Ah princess Azula, Lady Ursa, what interesting visitors. Fire Lord Ozai certainly has a penchant for exaggeration and deception!"
Azula had frozen in shock when he said their names, his insane howel of laughter after only intensified her unease.
"To what do I owe the absolute pleasure? Are you here to take over my city princess? Ehh?" He cocked his head and closed one eye, his gaze focused on her. Before she could find her voice again he answered for her. "No HA! I think not. You would not have come into possession of one of these" he held up a lotus tile exactly like her own, "if your intentions were devious. No no no ladies, you are here for something else I think. Please, sit."
He gestured to the other chairs and two slid out from the table. Azula shot her mother a look out of the corner of her eye. Ursa gave a tight nod. Her instinct was to sit tall and proud, to exude the power and pride that had always come easy to her. As she moved to sit, she thought about what they wanted from this man and what he likely already knew about it. He knew who they were so he must be in contact with Yun Sui. Deciding, she adopted an air of humility and allowed herself to appear intimidated by the crazed king. She realized what she was doing as soon as he did.
"Ha ha HA! You do not fool me Princess Azula, I remember you from your last visit. No, you need not hide your true self from me girl. You are royalty! False contrition will not do. You will not find me easy to manipulate to your whims, although I somehow doubt it will be necessary?"
Azula felt a humiliating flush creep up her neck at his directness and she frowned at him before lowering her eyes. Damn him for seeing through her and damn herself for trying. She was trying to be a better person. Good people didn't use tricks and manipulation to get what they wanted, at least so her mother said. This man was infinitely more shrewd than he looked. Honesty was their only option here.
"King Bumi," Her mother spoke next, drawing his attention away from her at last. "how do you know us? Have you been in contact with Yun Sui? What do you know about our reasons for traveling here?"
"Lady Ursa, though I suppose it is rather just Ursa now. Rock candy? Tea?" He handed her a green crystal which she took with an expertly concealed cringe.
"Tea would be wonderful your highness, it has been a long journey." With an expression that Azula could only describe as jolly, King Bumi poured them both tea. Still angry at herself for falling back on old, bad habits Azula decided to let her mother handle this unless called on.
"To answer your questions, yes. I have had word from Yun Sui. When he was last here in person, several months ago, he mentioned that the pair of you would likely be traveling to Ba Sing Se in the future. His most recent message arrived only days ago and mentioned the increasing tensions in the Fire nation army." He paused to pop one of the green crystals into his mouth and chew rather loudly. At least he had the decency to swallow before he continued. "Apparently there is anger brewing over the Fire Lords treatment of his new wife. Tell me, has she given birth yet?"
"Yes. A son. The great beast has named the poor child Sozin. That is one of the reasons we are here. Well, that and he has shut down every hospital, orphanage, care facility and shelter in the country to help pay for his new air fleet. The bastard. I believe my daughter is ready to help her brother kill their father. Yun Sui shared my faith in her. It is time to end this at last." Listening to her mother's voice became increasingly murderous as she spoke about her former husband, Azula realized she may not have gotten her mean streak solely from her father. If her mother had been any kind of a fighter, she had no doubt she and Zuko would have had to get in line behind her to kill Ozai.
"Ah of course. Normally I would send word ahead to warn them you are coming, but I think this would be more fun as a surprise!" He let out another chilling cackle and downed the rest of his tea. "I will have someone escort you to the palace baths, I am sure you could use them, and then off to bed. A few days rest will do you wonders before you head north. I will provide you with the necessary papers to get onto the ferry that will take you to Ba Sing Se, of course. Goodnight ladies!"
With that he was gone. The floor beneath him opened up and he slid down and away towards Agni knew where, his 'whoop' echoing after him.
"Who made that nut case a King?"
"Azula!" Her admonishment fell flat as she could not contain her own laugh. "He is mad isn't he? I wonder how much of it is an act, he is certainly much more keen of mind then he lets on."
"Who knows. He saw through me easily enough." She let out a sigh and ran a hand through her hair. "Forgive me mother, I am trying to be honest and forthcoming like everyone keeps telling me but apparently I still fall back on old habits."
Ursa sighed too, and squeezed her shoulder as she stood. "It's ok dear. You won't become a new person overnight. Not even after a year. Changing, breaking habits and overcoming traits ingrained in you since childhood will take time. I want you to know how proud I am that you are trying." She kissed the top of her head and made for the door. "Now, let's go find those royal baths, hmm?"
oOoOoOoOoOoOo
Bathing had indeed been marvelous. The meal afterwards had been almost too rich after more than a year of simple foods. Azula had been exhausted afterwards, she and her mother had gone to their shared room and fallen asleep almost immediately.
It was still dark when Azula woke. She rubbed her eyes and tried to determine what had woken her. A gasp at her right drew her attention and she rolled over to face her mother.
"Mother?"
Ursa was breathing hard and tossing her head back and forth as though pained. Azula sat up and in a rush, lit every candle in the room. In the light she could see her mother's face was pale and sweat ran down her brow.
"Mother!"
Ursa only groaned in response. Azula started to panic. She had no idea what to do, her mother had been the picture of health hours earlier and now she looked like she was dying.
"Mother! What's wrong? What do I do, what do I do? I don't…"
"Get… heal..er.."
She didn't have to be told twice. Azula sprang from the bed and tore out of the room, shouting for help. A maid came running and she was nearly knocked over.
"My mother, she needs a healer! I don't know what happened but she is sweaty and pale and groaning. Help!"
"Right away miss, I'll fetch the royal healer."
Alone in the hall again, realized she was only wearing a thin night dress and her feet were bare. Sighing in frustration, she stomped back to her room to sit with her mother while they waited. The healer didn't take long. A portly women with grey hair pulled up in a severe bun and a tired look bustled into their room. She may have been woken in the middle of the night but she tended to Ursa thoroughly.
"Well, I have good news and bad. She has something we call, the Lover's revenge. It's not fatal, she will recover. However, it is a long lasting illness. The fever will only last a few days but the malaise will last weeks. Most affected hardly leave their beds for the duration. I'm afraid you will be stuck here for some time. It is fortunate for you King Bumi is such a generous host. Whoever you are." She gave Azula an appraising sidelong glance and stood from the bed. "Keep her hydrated, I'll be back in the morning with some medicines to help with the body aches."
A maid swept in as the healer left with a steaming pot of tea and a pitcher of water. Setting them on the bedside table, she inclined her head to Azula and informed her that she'd woken the king.
"He asked to be notified if anything happened or if you needed anything. He will be along shortly."
Wonderful, a visit from that maniac was exactly what she needed. Azula groaned and sat beside her mother, her head in her hands. This was just perfect. She didn't want to give her father an extra month but there was no way she could go to Ba Sing Se without her mother. As much as she wanted to help and save her half brother, she didn't have a death wish.
Just as she was about to crawl into bed again, the door slid into the ground and king Bumi ambled in. Azula huffed in irritation as he approached the bed.
"Ah what an unfortunate development! The Lovers Revenge, what an impediment to your goals. Hmm, it's too bad Ursa won't be able to go with you to Ba Sing Se."
Azula turned to stare at him in shock.
"What do you mean? I can't go without her, Zuko will kill me. I need her to be with me when I meet him again!"
King Bumi only laughed.
"I have met master Katara, his wife, and the rest of their friends. Not to mention, I have known your uncle for some time. I think you will be fine. You will have the papers from me and perhaps after the fever passes your mother might write your brother a letter. Yes. That sounds perfect! You may stay a few more days until your mother is well enough to write. Then I will send you on your way."
He couldn't be serious. Her mouth hung open in an undignified manner as she watched him go, cackling madly as he went.
Five days later she learned he was in fact, serious.