Three days later
The light from the afternoon sun caused the green seawater to sparkle like it was made of millions of emerald gemstones. The calmness of the ocean was smashed into a fine spray of aquamarine mist as a gold trimmed sloop pierced through the waves with amazing speed.
Upon the deck of the sloop, a young girl slowly paced between two lines of soldiers. She addressed them with such confidence, and with such authority, that one could've been excused for mistaking her as an experienced war general.
And they would've been only half wrong. For though she was no general, Princess Azula was a veteran of leading troops into battle.
"My brother and my uncle have disgraced the Fire Lord and brought shame on all of us," she said, watching her men for even the smallest sign of dissent. She grinned in satisfaction when she saw a few of the men actually trembling with fear.
"You may have mixed feelings about attacking members of the royal family; I understand. But I assure you, if you hesitate, I will not hesitate to bring you down…"
She let the tense silence stretch until she grew bored, and finally she put them out of their misery.
"Dismissed."
The troops ran off as soon as she said it, leaving her alone on the deck of the ship. Or rather, almost alone.
A lone soldier approached her from behind.
"Major Aizon," she called his name haltingly, without ever turning to look at him. "I must say I am surprised to see you up and walking about at this early hour. I was beginning to get the impression that you had turned into a cat owl…"
He flushed at the not so subtle jab at his questionable sleeping habits. It happened every time he spent any extended period of time aboard a ship, and the past few days were no exception.
The rocking of the ship on the ocean could keep him up for hours, and it was only when the first rays of sunshine started peeking over the horizon that he would finally pass out from exhaustion. On their way to the north pole, Aizon had had to quickly get used to functioning with only a few hours of sleep every night. But that was a thing of the past now that he was a Major.
Having high rank had its drawbacks, like the fact that he had to be more careful about what he said, since everyone was always listening to him now. But it also had it's perks, like the fact that he could now go to bed and wake up whenever he pleased.
"I'm not sure what you mean, princess, but I must say that that was an excellent speech you gave to the men. I wonder how long you spent in front of your mirror reciting it," he finally replied, jabbing back at her for the one time he had walked in on her doing just that.
"Oh, not very long, I assure you," Azula said, smiling at his banter appreciatively. He was uniquely good at deflecting her backhanded sarcasm. It was part of the reason they got along so well.
"But since you're here," she continued a moment later. "I may as well inform you that we're nearing our final destination."
Aizon blinked at her, the sudden move to serious discussion surprising him. "Right... Um, remind me again where that destination is? I only remember you mentioning something about going for a 'family reunion,'" he said using air quotes.
"Oh, but we are going to a family reunion, dear Aizon. Only a few hours from now, you'll have the dubious honor of meeting my uncle Iroh and my brother Zuko."
Aizon hummed noncommittally for a few seconds. "You're speaking of the dragon of the west and the banished prince? That Iroh and Zuko, correct?" he asked finally.
Azula turned around to face him. Her face was completely blank of all emotion. "Yes, Aizon. That Iroh and Zuko. A traitor and a fool to boot," she said, denouncing her own blood coolly, nonchalantly.
Aizon raised an eyebrow at her. "I see you think highly of them," he said in only slight surprise. She had hinted a few times that she wasn't exactly close with her family.
She scoffed in derision. "Oh that's not simply what I think of them. It's what they have made of themselves..."
She paused for a few moments, as if pondering something that disturbed her greatly. "I received an interesting report from Admiral Zhao a few days ago. Apparently, he says that General Iroh attacked him in the middle of the battle at the north pole, forcing his retreat, and causing the invasion force to fall into disarray..."
"And do you believe him?" Aizon asked in a skeptical tone. "Zhao has been known to embellish the truth when it suits him."
Azula checked her nails and shrugged. "What I believe is inconsequential. Father believes him, and that's enough for me. He has asked me to track his errant brother down, and bring him to justice. As far as the Fire Lord is concerned, General Iroh is guilty of treason."
"That is… disheartening to hear," Aizon replied slowly. After being betrayed and nearly murdered by his former master Jeong Jeong, Aizon had developed a bitter loathing for treason. There was almost no greater crime in his book.
He had once respected Iroh for being the great dragon of the west. For being the fearsome conqueror who had broken through the walls of Ba Sing Se. Even after his humiliating retreat, he had still been respected for his power, and for his loyalty to his family.
But it seemed that even the greatest of men could fall to deepest depths of disgrace. Aizon could no longer a summon a reason in his mind for him to respect Iroh. He felt nothing but contempt for the man now.
"And what of your brother? Has he forsaken his family too?" he finally asked a while later, when Azula had turned her back on him again.
"His allegiance is still in question," Azula answered softly. "It's possible he's simply been stringed along by my treacherous uncle... Iroh's probably convinced him by now that he's going to teach the avatar firebending or some other such ludicrousness…"
Aizon coughed to hide his snort of laughter. "Zuko can't be that gullible, can he?"
She twisted back to look at him, and he saw a half-smile cracked over her face. "Oh, you clearly don't know Zuko then, if you have to ask that question Aizon."
"Tell me about him then. Should I be wary of him? Is he powerful?" Aizon asked in genuine curiosity. Azula very rarely spoke of her brother for some reason, and this seemed like a golden opportunity to gleam some information from her.
She laughed incredulously at his question. "Powerful? I suppose in his own right he is a powerful firebender. But what is power without the ability to wield it wisely? Nothing to be weary of, that much is certain..."
"So he's quite rash then, I take it?" Aizon surmised.
Azula sighed, and he almost believed that she was sad about his conclusion. Almost. "Unfortunately so. My dear brother, spirits bless him, has always been an exceptionally naive boy. Always far too impulse for his own good. Poor Zuzu…"
Azula turned back to the ocean. There was a village in the distance that was slowly drawing closer. "I plan to take advantage of his simpleness to lure him and his uncle onto this ship. Then we'll take them prisoner once we reach the Fire Nation," she revealed.
"But wouldn't Iroh see through your deception plainly?" Aizon objected. "Traitor, he may be. But he hasn't live so long by acting a fool. He'll be suspicious from the moment he sees you, no matter what you say to Zuko."
Azula smiled at him. "It's so refreshing having another strategic thinker around. Mai and Ty Lee always fall asleep whenever I start talking about feints and flanking movements and the like…"
She glanced back at him, an odd look of fondness on her sharply angled face.
"But you're thinking ten steps ahead Aizon. And that's a mistake here. This is one of those rare cases where the simplest approach is the best approach. It doesn't really matter what Iroh thinks. Once Zuko's convinced, Iroh will follow him, no matter how suspicious he may be of my motives."
"If you're certain," Aizon said after digesting her words.
"I am," Azula replied.
"And what if you're wrong?" Aizon pushed her. "It never hurts to have a contingency plan..."
She was silent for a few moments as a beautiful resort came into sight. It was surrounded by cherry blossom trees, a rushing river, and a waterfall that created a rainbow from it's spraying mist.
"If you turn out to be right Aizon, and by some curse of the spirits my ruse is uncovered, I want you to focus on subduing my uncle. His capture is of a higher priority than my feeble-minded brother."
"Yes princess," Aizon saluted. He began to walk away, but he only made it three steps before he stopped again. "Oh Azula, that reminds me."
She turned to him. "Yes?"
"I heard the Captain complaining about the tides on my way down here. Said they wouldn't allow us to bring the ship into port before nightfall."
Azula gave him an inquisitive look. "And? What did you tell him? I didn't hear from the Captain, so I can only conclude that you persuaded him otherwise," she said.
Aizon gave her a devilish smirk that almost made her feel like she was looking in a mirror.
"I simply asked him if the tides commanded this ship," he replied.
She returned the exact same smirk at his answer. The story had gotten around about her little outburst at the Captain of their ship back at the north pole. Unsurprisingly, this made the sailors of their new ship absolutely terrified of her.
But it now appeared that this fear had grown to include Aizon as well. Perhaps she should've expected it. Aizon was the only person on the ship who she remained even remotely congenial with, so it was only logical to think that he was an extension of her command.
But still, to hear Aizon projecting her influence so deftly, and with such casualness like it was only what she expected of him… it made her respect for him go up several notches, to say the least.
"Well you've outdone yourself then, Major Aizon. The Captain was becoming quite the nuisance with his incessant whining… Keep this up and you'll make Colonel in no time," she told him.
Aizon bowed respectfully. "You honor me princess," he said as the ship finally came to a stop in the village's port.
Azula nodded as he made to go again, and watched him walk away. If there had ever been a moment where she had regretted agreeing to begin courting him, she sure as Agni didn't now. His parting grin made him look utterly dreamy…
Mai would be so jealous.
An old man with a pointed grey beard dumped a bag of seashells onto a desk. He held one up to the light, admiring it like it was the most priceless diamond. "Look at these magnificent shells!" he said in a voice full of enthusiasm. "I'll enjoy these keepsakes for years to come."
"We don't need any more useless things," replied a much younger man with a face half covered in scars. "You forget we have to carry everything ourselves now-"
A third, more feminine voice cut in unexpectedly. "Hello brother. Uncle."
The two men jumped, and then turned to look at the intruder. A girl was sitting by one of the desks. She had two perfectly symmetrical fringes of midnight black hair that framed a refined face, with a topknot held in place by a hair piece bearing the insignia of the Fire Nation.
They must have recognized her, because the atmosphere instantly became tense. The younger man stomped forward and pointed a finger at their uninvited visitor accusingly. "You! What are you doing here?" he demanded.
The girl didn't look at him, and played with a seashell held between her sharp nails. "In my country, we exchange a pleasant 'hello' before asking questions," she said, looking up with a sly smile, showing off a pair of glittering golden eyes.
She slid to her feet and strided over to the young man at a completely relaxed pace, a haughty look upon her elegant face. "Have you become uncivilized so soon, Zuzu?" she asked teasingly.
Their glares only made her smile wider.
"So did he buy it?" Aizon asked her as she stepped aboard again that evening.
Azula smirked in that self-satisfied way she was prone to give him. "Of course he did. I can be very convincing when I need to be," she said like it was the most obvious thing in the world.
"I'm sure," Aizon replied sarcastically, trying not to roll his eyes. The sailors had already long gone to bed, so it was just the two of them as they entered the ship's gold trimmed tower.
"Would you like me to prove it to you, Aizon? Show you just how persuasive I am, hmm?" she asked, leaning up to breathe hotly in his ear.
Aizon shivered, and his shoulders shook. For a second it looked like he wouldn't respond, but then something in him seemed to snap. He turned to her and slammed her up against the metal wall of the hallway, pinning her arms up above her head.
"I've just about had it with your teasing, woman. I don't care if you're the bloody princess to rule all princesses, there's only so much a bloke can take…"
Azula giggled. She, Princess Azula of the Fire Nation, the girl who had cut down Water Tribe fighters like it was going out of style, and who had nearly tortured their leader to death, had just giggled.
Aizon must've been going mad, because anything seemed more likely than Azula of all people tittering like a schoolgirl.
Then she did it again, and his grip on her wrists tightened dramatically. "Spirits of the Islands, Azula," he said, closing his eyes and breathing heavily. "I am this close to simply ravishing you, damn with the consequences."
Azula suddenly let out a yelp of pain, and he released her in an instant like he had been burned. His eyes flew open and he immediately zeroed in on her holding her wrists leisurely. Her normally pale alabaster skin was glowed pink, almost like… almost like it had been held to a flame!
His eyes widened. "Princess! I.. I'm so sorry, I-" he stuttered in humiliation.
Azula held a finger to his mouth, effectively shutting him up. "It's okay, Aizon. It's perfectly normal for firebenders to have some accidental discharges when they become excited."
She said it with such understanding in her voice that it only made Aizon feel even worse.
"But I burned you! I could have hurt-"
This time she clamped her whole hand over his mouth. "I may be a princess, Aizon, but I am no little girl. It will take more than a few measly bursts of flame to hurt me... Besides, it's a good sign if you're losing control of your firebending."
Aizon couldn't say anything, so he settled for a look of disbelief.
She nodded sagely. "Yes, you didn't know? Only extremely powerful firebenders firebend unconsciously. Fire is the element of power, and you have power in spades, Aizon. You're still growing, so you need to be extra careful. If you don't use your power wisely, it becomes dangerous. It will force its way out of your body when you're least expecting it."
She finally released his mouth, and patted his cheek instead. "Not to worry, it happens to the best of us. Literally. I used to accidentally light stuff on fire all time before I started lightningbending regularly. We'll just have to up your training regimen is all."
Aizon put his face in his hands. Leave it to him to embarrass himself like that in front of Azula. He felt mortified that he had completely lost control of himself.
Aizon had spent years of his life training and developing his self-control, and it all disappeared like in a haze of smoke the second he touched a pretty girl.
Azula pulled his hands away from his face. "That's enough of that, Aizon. You wouldn't want to disappoint your girlfriend now, would you now?"
He swallowed thickly and quickly shook his head. "No, of course not."
Azula smiled at him, then poked him hard in the shoulder. "Then I expect you to pull yourself together. We'll begin intensifying your training as soon as possible, but until then I will not have my plans ruined because of your hurt ego."
She checked her nails and huffed with annoyance. "I need every soldier aboard this ship at their very best tomorrow, and that includes you, Major Aizon. Perhaps more than anyone else. Do I make myself clear?"
Aizon nodded and saluted her. "Yes princess. Crystal."
Azula saluted back. "Sweet dreams then," she said with an excessive batting of her thick, dark eyelashes.
Aizon might've been imagining it, but there was almost definitely an exaggerated sway to her hips as she turned and walked down the rest of the length of the hallway. He watched her go until she disappeared around the corner, then he groaned aloud in frustration.
The rocking of the ship wouldn't be the only thing keeping him up tonight…
Aizon woke early the next day at around nine in the morning. Somehow, miraculously, he had managed to fall asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow. It was extremely refreshing to wake up at a normal time and still feel rested. He felt ready to change the world today.
He made his way down to the deck and found soldiers lined up on the pier, with Azula standing on the ship above them. She turned to him when she heard him approaching.
"Major Aizon. So kind of you to join us. I was almost worried that you would miss the big event," she said.
Aizon walked up and stood beside her, casting a sideways glance in her direction. "So we're all set then?" he asked in a whisper.
She glanced back at him, then nodded. "Yes, everything is prepared. All we need now is for our honored guests to arrive…"
No sooner had she said it - as if they had been summoned out of air - did Iroh and Zuko appear. They slowly walked down the pier between the two lines of soldiers, with Zuko in the lead. He had a nostalgic look on his face, while his uncle was casting suspicious looks at everyone and everything.
When they reached the end of the raised stone platform, Azula held her hands out in exaggerated welcome. "Brother! Uncle! Welcome. I'm so glad you could join us," she said in a tone that dripped with faux sincerity.
The soldiers closed rank behind Iroh and Zuko, while the Captain began climbing the stairs to the ship. "Are we ready to depart, Your Highness?" he asked Azula.
"Set our course for home, Captain," she answered airily.
The captain nodded and turned to the sailors slowly making their way aboard. "You heard the princess! Raise the anchors! We're taking the prisoners ho—"
You could hear a pin drop as the whole world came to a standstill. Zuko looked shocked. Iroh looked vindicated. Aizon looked exasperated. And Azula looked positively furious.
"Your highness… I…" but whatever excuse he was going to make was never heard, as Zuko threw him off the stairs into the water the next second, and the battle began in earnest.
Aizon just barely managed to dodge the banished prince's double attack in time, but the other guy wasn't so lucky. He screamed all the way down to the water until he landed with a big SPALOOSH!
He sent a look back at the princess, momentarily having an internal debate with himself about whether he should help her or not, but then he stopped. Azula had told him to focus on Iroh if anything went wrong, and it looked like the other soldiers would need his help to do so.
The former General was showing why he had once been feared the world over as the dragon of the west. He shrugged off their attacks with a fluidity that Aizon had never seen, and that he would've thought impossible for someone Iroh's age.
The old man had already flung half their contingency into the water, and he was holding the rest off with a hostage that he had taken during a spin move. And he did all that in the span of a few seconds, without ever being hit once, and without ever bending any fire at all.
Aizon was honestly in awe of the man.
But he didn't let that awe stop him as he launched his own attack on the old man. He jumped off the stairs and brought his foot down in a chopping kick. Iroh dodged out of the way, but he was forced to drop his hostage in the process.
Aizon's jaw clenched as he pulled back his arm and aimed a punch. His fist connected and crashed into the old man's nose, splattering blood across his face. Aizon brought his other fist forward and slammed it into his gut, making Iroh wheeze as his breath was violently ripped from his lungs.
Before he could land another hit though, Aizon was thrown to the ground as his legs were swept out from underneath him. He saw stars as his head banged into the concrete with force. Miraculously, he kept his eyes open, and it was only because of that that he managed to roll right in time before Iroh's boot crushed his skull.
Aizon somersaulted to his feet behind Iroh, but pain rippled through his neck as he was forced to bend it at an extreme angle to avoid a wheel of fire that was flying towards his face.
Aizon bit his tongue to stop from screaming when a blast of fire slammed into his shoulder, instantly burning through his thin shoulder guard and singing his skin. Another blast sent him crashing headfirst into the ground. Blood pounded in his ears as he heard footsteps approach his downed position.
"It has been many years since the last time someone managed to draw blood on me," Iroh said with an almost admiring tone. The traitor had the gall to laugh at him. "It's only a nosebleed, but still, you caught me by surprise, soldier, and that's not an easy thing to do…"
Aizon didn't know what he had been thinking. Iroh was a legendary firebender for a reason. He should've come up with a plan instead of just recklessly charging him. Aizon kicked himself for his foolishness as waited for the finishing blow.
But the blow never came. Instead, Iroh seemed much more inclined to chat with him.
"You have talent, soldier. Why do you waste it serving the likes of Azula?"
Aizon slowly flipped over onto his back so that he could face him. It was true what he had said about a nosebleed. Iroh had some blood running down his chin from his nose, but he otherwise looked completely fine.
"Because I'm no backstabbing traitor like you are, old man. I'm loyal to the Fire Nation, and I'm especially loyal to my girlfriend," Aizon declared with a glare full of hatred.
Aizon spat at him. Just the fact that Iroh would ask such a question made him despicable in Aizon's eyes. But Iroh seemed unaffected by this gesture, as an extremely surprised look came over his face.
"Girlfriend? You can't mean… No. Azula would never-"
He never finished, as at that moment the distinct sizzling sound of lightning streaking through the air reached them. It was quickly followed by a bellowing scream and a distant splash in the water.
"ZUKO!" Iroh screamed as he was distracted by the sudden defeat of the banished prince. The second he turned to desperately scan the ship for his now glaringly absent nephew, Aizon pounced.
He threw himself onto the fat old man and wrestled him to the ground. When he tried to buck him off, Aizon grabbed Iroh's head by the ears and smashed his face into the ground. Once, twice, three times and finally Iroh went slack beneath him.
Aizon gulped in buckets of air as he stood up and realized the fight was finally over. He looked around and realized to his amazement that he was the only man still standing. Every other soldier had been either tossed into the water, or knocked unconscious during the course of the fight.
"Aizon!"
He looked up when he heard Azula call his name. Strangely, she had a slightly panicked look on her face. Aizon watched her run down the stairs and grab him by the shoulders, catching him just in time as he began to sway.
"Aizon, you're hurt!" she exclaimed.
Aizon shook his head. He didn't feel hurt. "I'm fine," he insisted, even as he leaned his full weight onto her.
But Azula didn't listen to him. She searched the waters below and spotted the Captain treading water. "Captain! Get up here and fetch me the healer right now! Do it fast or I'll have you vaporized, you witless fool!"
"Yes princess," came the terrified reply.
Aizon tapped her arm, and pointed at the body lying behind him. "Look Azula, I subdued Iroh, just like you asked me to…"
She looked back to where to he was pointing and made a surprised sound. She walked over to the body, still holding Aizon tightly to her side, and pushed the prone form over with her foot. She gasped when the bashed and bloody face of General Iroh was revealed.
"So it is him… You've done well Aizon. Extraordinarily well. Father will handsomely reward you for this, I'm sure... And I will too," she said with a smile of tender affection.
She then knelt down by her uncle, feeling for a pulse.
"Oh, but how dreadful. He's still alive," she said, sighing with disappointment.
Aizon laughed. "Don't sound too relieve-"
Aizon suddenly choked as the adrenaline finally left his system. All the scrapes, aches, and burns that he had gotten suddenly made themselves known once again. He crumpled to the ground in agony.
"Aizon!"
He barely registered it as he was scooped up into the princess's arms. It took all his focus not to black out instantly. Distantly he heard running footsteps, and felt Azula grab someone. There was a hurried conversation, and then the footsteps continued on, running up the stairs.
His eyes had just fluttered close when someone shook his shoulders hard. Begrudgingly, Aizon opened them again and found himself staring up into the worried face of Princess Azula.
He had never seen her look so concerned in his life.
"Azula, I-"
She shushed him. "Save your energy until the healer comes," she said in a whisper.
Aizon nodded. He wasn't sure what a healer was, but he'd do as she asked him, even if he was sorely to give in to the pain and fall into the unfeeling bliss of unconsciousness.
Some unknown time later - what was probably minutes but felt like years to Aizon - the footsteps returned, except this time they were accompanied by a second pair. He glanced up and saw the Captain standing with a Water Tribe girl.
Wait, what?
"Princess, I've brought the healer, as you requested," the Captain said, shoving the girl in their direction.
"It is nice to see that you are not completely incapable of following directions, Captain," Azula said with disdain dripping from her voice.
She then grabbed the mocha-skinned girl by the neck, and forced her to her knees. "You will heal this man, and you will heal him well. If I see one burn on him when you're finished, or even the smallest bruise, you will pay for it dearly. Do you understand me?"
The girl nodded desperately, and Azula threw her to the ground beside Aizon, giving her an expectant look. With heaving breaths, the girl began to remove Aizon's armor, but froze when Azula grabbed her by the neck again.
"You putrid peon! Just what do you think you're doing laying your hands on him? This man has noble blood! He's worth more than your life! You filthy little sea cow, I should flay you alive for daring to molest him…"
"Please… need… skin… to heal," the girl choked out. She frantically tried to claw at Azula's hands as she strangled her, her face turned as blue her eyes from the lack of oxygen.
Azula growled, but finally relented, and threw her back to the floor. "Then do it. Do it now!" she demanded.
Tears filled her sky colored eyes as the girl finally got the rest of Aizon's armor off. She took out a flask of the bluest water, and poured it over Aizon wounds. The girl's hands shook as she brought them down, and the water hovered beneath her hands.
At first Aizon felt nothing, but then he gasped when suddenly he felt energy flowing through her hands and into his body. The water glowed, and Aizon shuddered as he heard the ghastly sound of his own skin knitting itself back together. The stinging pain from his burns and the pulsing ache from the twisted muscles in his neck vanished.
Almost as soon as it had started, it was over. Aizon sat up and stared at the smooth, unblemished skin on his shoulder. Only seconds earlier it had been a painful red color, and felt raw with pain.
Now it was like it had been when he woke up this morning.
"Well Aizon? How do you feel?"
Aizon twisted his head to face Azula, and he marveled at the fact that that action was completely painless. "Good as new," he told her in wonderment. It was hard to believe. It was like magic.
She nodded pleasantly. "Excellent. Strap on your armor then. We're leaving immediately."
"What?!" he blurted out.
Azula ignored him as he wrestled his armor back on again. Instead she turned to the Water Tribe girl who hadn't moved an inch this whole time.
"You. Your work has been satisfactory. Consider yourself lucky… Now get back to your quarters. I don't want to see your ugly face anymore," she ordered.
The girl bowed and scurried up the stairs to the ship, disappearing through the doors.
Azula then turned to the captain and pointed at the still unmoving form of General Iroh.
"And you. Take my dear uncle here and have him thrown in the brig. You are to take him straight back to the capital. He is to be guarded at all times, and under no circumstances is he ever to be released, no matter what he tells you. If you fail, I'll kill you… Is that clear, Captain?"
The Captain bowed deeply. "Yes princess," he answered in a trembling voice.
"Marvelous. Now get out of my sight, before I reconsider letting you live."
The Captain scampered away, he too disappearing inside the ship.
Aizon finally got his armor on, and just in time as Azula began to walk away from the ship. He ran to catch up with her.
"So how long have we had a waterbender onboard?" he asked her once he fell in step.
"Since we left the capital. She and a few others like her have been assigned to members of the royal family," she informed him casually.
"Isn't that a security risk?" Aizon asked her.
Azula chuckled. "Not at all. Her abilities increase our security, as you just experienced firsthand."
"What's to stop her from going rogue?" he asked further, still not convinced.
Azula smirked. "Oh the little sea cow knows better than to misbehave. She knows what will happen to sorry bunch of snow savages she calls a family if she displeases me…"
Aizon gave her a sideways glance as they stepped off the pier. "Blackmail. I suppose it's effective enough," he said, shrugging as they began walking down a dirt path to the village.
"Quite," she replied succinctly.
"What about your brother?" Aizon asked after a moment. It suddenly occurred to him that he hadn't actually seen what had happened between the two royal siblings.
"Dead," Azula replied, her face completely empty of sadness or guilt.
Aizon shivered at her emotionless tone. To be able to kill your own brother so easily, so remorselessly. It made him wonder for a second if she was really capable of feeling anything at all.
He discarded the thought a second later. Azula was only bringing justice to traitors. They had their chance to come peacefully, but they refused, instead choosing to fight to the death.
They got what they deserved...
"Is it possible Zuko survived?" Aizon asked after a few moments. He was reluctant to pronounce anyone dead without seeing a body first.
But Azula shook her head. "No. Even if he survived my lightning strike - an already incredibly unlikely feat - I saw his body go over the waterfall. It's an over one hundred foot drop to the bottom. There's no way he survived," she said with absolute certainty.
Aizon nodded, accepting the logic. Surviving those odds was only possible if the spirits themselves intervened.
They walked on for a while in silence, but Aizon spoke up again when they turned off the path away from the direction of the village.
"Wait a second. This isn't the way to the village…" He stopped in his tracks and turned to her.
Azula grinned at him, and then looped her arm through his. "Why, dear Aizon. Why would you think we that were headed to the village? I told you before that we're going to see some of my old friends," she said with an excitement that had come out of nowhere. "I'm sure they'll be simply thrilled to see us."
"Right... uh... yeah," he stuttered in confusion. "But Azula, pardon me for asking you to repeat yourself, but where exactly are your friends again?"
Azula laughed happily. "At the circus of course!"
Miles away, at the end of a winding river, the body of a young man washed ashore. His hair was cut for a topknot, but the knot itself had long since come undone. A blackened, festering wound covered a patch of skin on his abdomen.
The rest of his skin was white, but not a healthy white. It was a deathly pale color that could only have been a result of spending hours in the icy waters of the river.
But most peculiar of all was the distinctive scar that covered the whole left side of his face.
A raven landed on it and pecked at the young man's forehead. The raven got no response from the young man.
Another bird landed, and it too pecked at the young man's face. But still, there was no response from the boy.
More and more ravens descended from the sky, until the boy disappeared beneath a writhing mass of black feathers and pecking beaks.
CAWCAWCAW!
The ravens suddenly took flight as something disturbed them...
A/N: Thank you for all your nice reviews, I greatly appreciated all the kind words. Like I said before, this chapter is more action packed than the last... even if that action only lasted a few paragraphs. I don't know why, but writing fight scenes is really hard for me. The next chapter is going to be packed full of them, and so it's going to take me forever to write. Also, I know some of the lines in this chapter are taken straight from the show, but that ends here, I promise. I just really liked those lines mostly. But I also wanted to keep a part of canon in, so that the divergences are more clear. But anyway, I'm not sure when the next chapter will be published, since my classes start today. But it will come eventually, rest assured. Just please be patient. Thank you.
