"Did you get a good look at her face?"
"Did I? I don't think I can again. I remembered when that woman was a little girl...times have changed!"
"You don't have to tell me twice," another seething whisper.
"It's a shame," Azula kept walking, ignoring the elderly servants who whispered on the other side of the open corridors, beyond a small patch of the gardens in the center that demarcated the open sides. "...she used to be powerful - now she's a concubine forced to have that savage's child. It is a miracle that Agni helped the King bring her back again."
"If only that child was never conceived...things would have been less complicated."
Azula kept her eyes away from the whispers. No servant approached her, but they all bowed to greet her. She found a young woman who refused to bow in the quiet part of the palace, where only torches lit up the place. The woman's dark skin and blue eyes made her froze, but she kept moving on when the woman sent her a dirty look and walked away.
The second day of her stay in the place she used to call home had bleak weather in the morning. She had yet to see Ty-Lee.
The colder winds and gray clouds somehow woke her son up, and he gently kicked her all morning until she decided a good walk would calm him down.
In her younger days, the only way to get any news, was first through gossip. Azula remembered standing nearby in the bushes, hoping to catch anyone who dared speak against her father. She listened to each passerby, each guard and servant who whispered as soon as she found them.
Azula also gave herself the task of walking around the palace, to gather her thoughts and to listen to the servants talking. She did this to get any leads on Katara's condition. She paid attention to those from the Southern Water Tribe, who either avoided her, or stared boldly in hatred.
She walked until she saw the familiar doors of her old bed chambers.
Her father took her back to her old room. She remembered screaming in that same room the day he announced her banishment. When she arrived yesterday, its warmth almost overwhelmed her, and that memory seemed so foreign to her now. No furniture moved. People cleaned the chambers daily, but even the cup of water she drank before she went to her father to beg for his forgiveness, stood in its place.
Azula controlled her breathing as soon as she sat on the bed. She kicked off her shoes, and inched herself back until she felt plush pillows behind her back. Soon, a gentle thump in her stomach brought a smile out of her.
"Is that you, little one?" she murmured.
Her son twisted himself until his head reached her hand, which sat on top on her stomach. Every night, Sokka used to talk to him until he stopped his moving. She'd sometimes recite old nursery rhymes she was forced to memorize in school, just to make her son relax. Now, it was almost as if he could sense the dangers. Sokka had not spoken to him for weeks now.
"I want you to sleep," she said, rubbing that very spot. "Do not worry, and do not be afraid...your father wants you to-"
Her lips died down when a shadow flickered over. In the dark of her old room, she spotted the shadow underneath the doors. She waited until the newcomer knocked twice. Ty-Lee.
Azula thought of her all night - her watching the knife Azula almost touched, her warning Azula with just a curious look across the table. Should she trust her?
Another knock. Azula left her bed. She reached the doors and pulled until a somewhat familiar face greeting her.
"Good morning, your majesty," the dark-haired teenager bowed. "I am Yuatak. It is an honor to meet you. I was sent here by Queen Ty-Lee to invite you to her chambers - she apologizes for the weather today."
Azula blinked at the name. "Yuatak? From the Water Tribe?"
Yuatak nodded eagerly. "Yes your majesty, but unfortunately I have never visited. My mother is from the Southern Water Tribe."
Azula read the half lie. Yuatak - a classic case of a child born of a servant and a noble. These children were the palace's dark and open secret, and Azula was no stranger to the practice. Katara blinked up in her thoughts, but the heat in her chest made her squash them down.
It did not help, that Yuatak reminded her of someone she knew. When the young girl's smile started to die down, Azula nodded. "Of course. I apologize, I will be out in a moment."
Yuatak nodded. "Take your time."
The sun just began to peek through dark clouds as soon as she saw her doors open.
Ty-Lee never thought she would grow more specific over how she wanted her food served, but she grew an unnatural habit of being very hands on with how she presented to her guests. As the fifth Phoenix Queen, she stunned the Fire Nation when she did not commit suicide or treason yet. She planned on continuing to avoid death even further.
Azula first inspected the grand chambers Ty-Lee slept in every night. These chambers once belonged to Lady Ursa, but Ty-Lee's mother took control over how the room should be decorated in the first stages of her marriage to King Ozai.
Ty-Lee stood with a soft smile as Yuatak reached out to offer her hand to Azula once the Fire Princess reached the table.
Azula took it. "Thank you,"
Yuatak beamed. Ty-Lee knew Yuatak liked Azula instantly the moment she met her. Azula passed the first test. Her manners were impeccable. Ty-Lee prepared the tea. "You may leave us now, Yuatak,"
The young woman bowed before walking out of the room. Ty-Lee studied Azula as Yuatak walked out. Once the doors shut, Ty-Lee placed Azula's cup in front of her.
"Too much of a resemblance don't you think?" she asked as Azula turned to her.
Azula murmured, "She does not know yet, does she?"
Ty-Lee took a sip of her tea.
"There is no need," Ty-Lee said. "If she finds out General Zhao was responsible for her mother's insanity, I don't think she would be able to stomach it. She has a good soul."
She felt Azula send her a quiet gaze. "Where is Mai?"
Ty-Lee took a bite from her pastry. "The Boiling Rock."
The Phoenix Queen listened to the birds chirping, and the winds brushing in through the same balcony Mai once stepped on.
Azula blinked. "She was the second wife,"
"Yes. I used to visit her, but she stopped recognizing me."
The silence afterwards became thick. Ty-Lee then said, "Azula, I will be frank with you. I heard the waterbender last night in Zuko's room. I don't think you will see her ever again, given the circumstances-"
"Ty-Lee,"
The change in Azula's voice snatched her gaze up. Azula's hands shook, just like they did near the knife in the dining hall. Azula's gaze screamed, but hot tears just started pouring down.
"My husband is dead," Azula forced out, as more tears fell. "...the only father I could ever know was blown to bits...the family who gave me everything is gone...and my-"
Azula's face froze, before it crumbled.
It took moments to register the strange scene unfolding in front of the Phoenix Queen.
Was Azula crying?
Ty-Lee shot up from her seat to kneel in front of the woman who fought to remain calm and poised since she arrived. The fact that she would be crying in front of someone like her, alarmed Ty-Lee. Azula never lost control.
Azula's cries were between enraged and gut wrenching sobs. She cried angrily, her voice echoing in the chambers as Ty-Lee held her tight so that Azula's body would not burn from shaking.
She whispered, "Azula, calm yourself. Do it quickly."
The Fire princess kept crying but started to breathe, reliving the moments of the massacre Ty-Lee would be horrified to experience. Her face turned into a blotchy mess and her voice peaked so high that the servants would definitely hear them. Her cries turned to high pitched attempts to breathe, and they kept slowing down the more Ty-Lee coached her to shut her mouth.
When Azula's eyes returned back to their neutral state, Ty-Lee snatched tissues from the table."Clean yourself."
Azula's eyes were still wide with shock as she quickly fixed her face. Ty-Lee waited until Azula started to look like herself, even though her body still shook.
"...and I don't blame you for wanting to fight for your sister-in-law, but Azula, you know our people better than I do."
The Fire Princess did not speak, but listened to Ty-Lee's voice. Her body still trembled. Ty-Lee bent her head low enough for them to share gazes.
"There are many things you need to know," Ty-Lee whispered, "but now is not the right time to cry. I know you are strong because of the waterbender and your son - but you must play this game. Do you understand?"
Azula did not respond, but nodded.
Illah read each word with great care. She ignored Zuko's intense gaze as he sat across from her. Zuko's eyes always had a red tint, his nose seemed stuffed and his body, permeating with that strange distinct smell.
Her father took a sip of water, wearing a sleep robes with a permanent scowl on his face. The sun peeking through the Phoenix King's suite, toasted their bodies as the bad gray clouds from the weather dissipated.
She rolled the scroll back.
"What did she say?" Ozai asked.
"Nothing important. This is the first time she's written to me personally in a while," she turned to Ozai. "The Northern Water Tribe is stubborn, and they haven't found a weak point on their borders. Our batch from the Earth Kingdom have successfully conquered Kyoshi Island. The rest of the soldiers back in the Southern Water Tribe have made several trips around to assure there are no survivors. They sent those two men who made the deal with you there to search the area."
Ozai scoffed. "Bao, and the younger boy."
"It has been days since their boats were left on the shores. They have not returned yet."
"Is that so?" Ozai asked, turning to his son standing in the shadows. "They must have been surprised by the scene. Perhaps they changed their mind about doing business with me."
Zuko blinked away.
Illah glared in Zuko's direction when a terrible thought slipped through her mind.
Ozai murmured, "We made a deal with them...they understood we did not promise much. Why would they turn back on their word?"
"Or it could be that someone found them and killed them off," Illah said, staring hard at Zuko, whose red rimmed eyes found her. "You did give your sister's husband the killing blow, did you not?"
The room stilled.
"I heard that the waterbender gave you a difficult time," Illah said. "You almost drowned taking her down. I am stunned, that you were even able to hold her down enough to keep her in your room. How did you disarm her enough to keep her on a leash - after you 'killed' her big brother?"
Zuko kept his arms folded.
"The next time you open your mouth to address me," he said. "I will burn you like they did your mother."
Illah's eyes widened before she caught herself. She slipped - bad. Her fists clenched as her body snapped into position to cast a flame.
"Illah," Ozai snapped.
She forced herself back.
Illah may have learned about the young boy who was stupid enough to get scarred in an Agni Kai by his father, but she had to remind herself that the man he became today, assassinated King Kuei.
Zuko did not smirk or flinch in fear. Illah found it troublesome since the day they met, that he could walk so calmly yet stand so ready for combat. The eyes of an bear lion - that was what he had, and he had been eager for her to slip. He wanted the chance to burn her to a crisp.
No matter. Her mother's death was irrelevant now.
Illah let her lips stretch out into a smile, "How silly of me. I almost forgot my place. I apologize Prince Zuko."
Zuko stared longer. He unfolded his arms, and left Ozai's bed chambers. Illah waited until his heavy steps faded in the distance.
"Can you trust your children, King Ozai?"
Ozai blinked. "I am only interested in what matters, and that is this kingdom."
Illah watched him finish his drink, and release a long sigh.
"King Ozai, I know you don't like me speaking against you," she said, looking at the balcony. "But you must watch your son more than your daughter."
Ozai paused. "If you think I've turned into a fool, you have lost faith in me,"
Illah looked down, watching how the sun made his worn golden eyes gleam. Ozai's strength once matched that of a thousand benders, but Zuko blinked up in her mind - a younger, inquisitive and extremely violent version of Ozai.
"I've seen men like your son as a little girl, and I know what they like to eat when they haven't had a meal in weeks."
The elder man froze.
"Whether you plot against them or not, they will sniff you out and take you whole," she said. "...and if you ever snatch the Earth Kingdom for yourself under your son's nose, you will lose your head doing so."
She did not stop to watch Ozai's shocked expression. Illah simply bowed, and walked out of his bed chambers.
Ty-Lee held Azula's hands tightly.
Azula let her guide her through the secret tunnels, even though Azula's memory skyrocketed at that point. As a child, the tunnels of the palace were hers to roam. She would eat in them, sleep in them, and sometimes went into other empty guest rooms to pretend she was a guest too. Ty-Lee had led her to a secret door in her bed chambers, and it was part of an intricate web on tunnels in the palace, all leading to multiple chambers - even the servant quarters.
Ty-Lee breathed out, "The waterbender is in nearby-"
"Katara."
The queen caught herself. "Of course...Katara."
They finally reached the tunnel doorway into the bed chambers where Zuko kept Katara. Azula slowed her breathing. She could not line out Ty-Lee's body in the dark except for the tiny cracks around the door and a shadowy figure moving behind it.
"You can leave me here," Azula said. "I will be back."
Ty-Lee's breath stilled.
"I will be waiting for you here.
Azula did not respond, but listened to the door. She did not hear any heavy footsteps belonging to Zuko, just a shuffle and the quiet voice of Katara sniffing. The voice muted. Azula kept herself rooted by the door until she heard bed sheets moving.
She pushed the door open.
Sunlight broke through. She gently closed the door and returned Ty-Lee's warning gaze. The first thing Azula noticed was how simple the room looked. A heavy scent permeated in the air. She found robes hung on a chair by a vanity.
"Who is that?"
Azula heard the voice. It still held the strength and will she admired so much after admitting to Katara that she was jealous of her. Azula stepped closer around the walls covering what should be the four poster bed. She needed to make sure no one else was there.
"Katara-"
She heard a loud tumble, and a vase break. A dark haired woman with blue eyes emerged from behind the wall - Katara kept running in a silk robe towards her. Azula caught her.
No words. They sunk to the floors and held each other. They understood silence would save them more time. The first thing Azula felt, was Katara's bare body under the silk and how hot it was, as if she had a fever. Azula pulled back to grab Katara's face in her hands. Katara's red rimmed eyes found her. They looked as if they could roll up any moment.
"Katara! Do you know who I am?"
The other woman struggled to gaze back. She couldn't. "Yes."
"What is my name?"
"...Azula."
"Who is your brother's name?"
Katara uttered no sound but broke down, forcing Azula to pull her back into a tight hug. Azula's tears fell, but she did not release any sound as Katara cried. "Azula, I'm not the same anymore-"
"Ssh."
Katara kept repeating it like a dead chant. It kept ringing in Azula's head. "...I'm not the same anymore…please leave here," Katara choked out. "He will come back. Please...you have to get out. Please…"
Azula held on tight, "I should have left to my father so that this would never have happened," Azula whispered to Katara. "I should have left-"
"Azula!"
Azula froze. She turned to find Ty-Lee waiting by the now open tunnel doors. She turned back to Katara, whose deadened gaze focused on her. Her darker hands reached up to hold Azula's cheeks. "Please. I will be fine...just rest for the baby, Azula."
"I will come back for you," Azula said.
Katara froze. "Azula-"
"Katara, please be alive by then."
The dark haired woman's blue eyes glinted. She gently pushed Azula's shoulders back. "Leave-"
Clack
Suddenly, Azula watched Katara stop. The curtains around the four poster bed fluttered and their voices had echoed.
The three women looked towards the door leading to the outside of the bedchamber.
Zuko stood by the open door, and two other henchman who guarded the chambers, leaned near the corridors in clothing dark enough to hide them in the shadows. He listened to every part of their conversation, all down to the last word.
Azula tightened her hold over Katara's shoulders.
"Good morning," he greeted, in a dry voice, "Why are two of you in this room?"
Ty-Lee stepped forward until she got in front of both the women. Katara refused to turn. Azula tried to share her gaze, but she looked beyond her into a terrible space. "We will be leaving soon, but don't you think it may be wise to put her in a proper setting?"
Zuko tilted his head. "Being my father's whore has humbled you."
"I'm more curious than offended," Ty-Lee said. "Azula is carrying the son of this woman's brother. You are violating the Chieftain of the Southern Water Tribe's daughter, the princess of that same tribe your sister married into, a princess in all ways equal to Azula."
"Azula…"
Azula waited until Katara focused on her. Ty-Lee and Zuko's tensed exchange faded in the background.
Katara almost looked like her old self. She spoke low enough for Zuko and Ty-Lee to not hear them, just like they used to do after each trip to a village and a long day's worth of tending to the ill.
She smiled. "Go. I'll be fine."
"Is that him?"
Arnook's hark hair fluttered in the cold winds while he stood by the Northern Water Tribe front entrance.
As a child, the world seemed like a land of ice and snow. He knew nothing of fire and stone until weeks ago - where the trade post between the Earth Kingdom, Northern and the Southern Water Tribe were raided by the Fire Nation, and his wife, who happened to have been there on a trip to meet Chief Hakoda, was murdered.
The dark beacon in the horizon calmed him. His vision, sharp enough to map the new chief of the Southern Water Tribe on the canoe, had a new outlook.
It was almost as if he woke up from a deep sleep, and had to walk out to the brutal realities of the place he used to call home.
He came close to losing Yue once, and with the death of his wife, Arnook realized he could lose the Northern Water Tribe.
The spirit of the Moon lived in her, and she was a goddess in everyone's eyes. People chanted her name in their prayers. If he did not thread carefully, Yue would be a high target - and she would end up Hakoda's daughter.
Arnook turned to his advisor, "Prepare a room, and tell the others to invite the council."
"Will we keep accepting refugees from the Earth Kingdom?" Torak said, the white mist of his breath trailing around his face.
"The warriors guarding the East took in survivors from the Kyoshi Island attack that just happened a few days ago. It may not be wise for us to accept so many. We may have someone who supports the Phoenix King infiltrate the tribe."
Arnook blinked, "I'm eager to get ahold of any imposter. If we find an enemy in there before they try to harm us, they can give us more information about the Fire Nation. You all have my permission to do whatever it takes to get as much on the Fire Nation as possible - and the new king of the Earth Kingdom."
Torak's lips twitched and nodded in agreement.
He turned back to their new guest approaching the gates of the Northern Water Tribe.
"In the meantime, I'd like to make sure Chief Hakoda's son gets a good night's sleep." Arnoook said. "The boy looks like he will fall off that boat any moment. Send others to meet him halfway."
"Yes, sir."
Note - Hi guys! Thank you for the support. Off to write the next chapter! I know Zuko as a bad person is hard to swallow, but this story sort of wrote itself. Thanks again for the reviews!
