DAY 9
"... seriously, she is behaving worse than ever," Ty Lee complained, pouting.
"Is Ty Woo, Ty Lee," said Azula leaning back on the couch in front of her friends, "Why are you even surprised? She does this kind of stuff, whenever she doesn't get what she wants," she said before adding in a joking manner. "But if she gets too problematic, just let me know and I will be more than glad to burn her eyebrows," she said smirking.
"Azula!" Ty Lee scolded her, amused.
"It's an idea," explained Azula, innocently, "Mostly."
As Ty Lee as promised a few days back, Mai and Ty Lee had come to the Palace to hang around a while, and catch up with their life's, which served to the Princess as a good way to, one: past the time faster, and two: not thinking about Sokka, while he was in his training.
Ty Lee had been complaining for a moment about Ty Woo attitude for a while, according to her she had been doing there -her sisters and her life's- miserable at home, for the last couple of days.
"It's like we are eight all over again," Mai intervened, after lowering her cup. "If I were you I will seriously take her offer in consideration," she said, "Do I need to remind you who gave you that not required haircut when you were asleep?" Ty Lee caressed her braid, pouting at the memory. "All because you got the main role in that play that we were doing for mother's day."
"The worst part, it was that I didn't even got the role," Ty Lee replied, "I was your understudy," she made a nod towards the Princess, "You were supposed to do it… but you had some `princessy stuff´ to do." she snorted, dropping herself on the couch.
Azula raised her eyebrow, "Hold on… How is that my fault again?" she asked, a little affronted.
"You were supposed to do the play! Not me!" Ty Lee retorted joyful, "It's your fault, what happen to my hair." she stuck her tongue out to the Princess.
"Next time one of your sister cuts your hair, I will not defend you. In fact, I will help her," The Princess uttered, with a little treating tone. "You little ungrateful," Azula pouted, "I even got grounded!"
Ty Lee snickered, "I know," she said, "And I felt terrible, that why I sneaked in some mochi when I came to visit."
Azula sighed, "I have to admit, you do know how to get into my good side." she remembered.
It was a little after her mother had lifted the `banning´ of mochi in the Palace, when the incident happened, and she got grounded with no mochi. But Ty Lee, who felt guilty, managed to sneak in some.
Ty Lee leaned forward to reach her teacup, and rested her elbows on her knees, "Seriously, i don't even want to be at home, due to her attitude. It makes me want to go back into the circus." she leaned back, letting out a big sigh.
"If you wish you can stay here, with everyone going around, you will feel like just back in to the circus." offered the Princess, acknowledging how the meals were noisy and crowded.
"Thanks," she grateful at her friend offering, "It makes me kind of miss the circus, even then, not so good bits."
Mai glanced to her friend, "You said you enjoyed it, didn't you?"
"Sure. But circus life, it's hard." she confessed.
"Still, it gave you the chance to meet your boy-toy, didn't it?" Mai inquired.
Ty Lee pouted, "His name is Haru, and yes it did…" she scolded her friend, "Mai, don't be so rude.
She sighed, "Whatever… By the way Azula, I have forgotten to ask but, why was Sokka, so miserable last night?" Mai looked at The Princess.
"Huh?" Azula quirked an eyebrow.
"He was acting like Mai," Ty Lee mocked.
"Ha ha, but yeah…"
Azula snickered and looked at her friends. How opposite they were to each other, the two extremes more opposites of a human personality, yet they were available to get along so well.
Ty Lee all flowers, sun shines and full of pink, while Mai more of a somber, sarcastic and dark personality.
"He was pissed," said Azula playing with her bangs, "Boys are weird and idiots, you know?"
"Congratulations," said Mai, "You have discovered the male sex."
The Princess pouted at his friend. "Ha ha. Hilarious."
"Why was he pissed?"
"Who knows?" she shrugged, "He didn't tell me, and I didn't ask."
"Jeez… You are so close-mouthed," Ty Lee complained.
"Why? For not gossiping in other people's business like you?" Mai mocked at her friend bad habit of sticking her nose into other people's lives.
The acrobat felt a little insulted, "It's doing extra research in other people's life, not gossiping." Ty Lee pointed out, grimacing at her friend, throwing one of the cushions next to her to her friend.
"Mmmmm... Yeah, it gossiping," said Mai catching the cushion in the air. "It runs thru your veins, admit it!." she throws the cushion back at the braided girl.
"Hush…" Ty Lee caught it and tried to repeat the motion. "I don't!"
"Stop," The Princess intervened, amused. "If my mother finds out you have been throwing her cushions at each other, she will make us stare at the wall in silence for hours." she warned them.
Ty Lee made a grin of horror, "Good… I still remember that, the longest hour of my life." she whined.
When they were younger, Azula had convinced them to explore the many, many secret passages of the Palace for hours. They got lost, and they lost lunch. So, when her mother found them, she was pissed and worried.
Azula snickered, shaking her head, "Ty Lee, it was ten minutes."
"What? No." she frowned, remembering the awful punishment.
"Yeap... It was 10 minutes." said Mai, agreeing with the Princess.
"Listen, I know how long it was, okay? It was an hour," Ty Lee replied, "Your mom said it."
"It was originally and hour, but you keep talking, and rambling about chakras and other stuff, that eventually, my mother gave out after just ten minutes." Azula said.
"I think you tackle her with so much babbling." Mai mocked looking at her nails.
Ty Lee pouted at her friend, "Well, the extra talking I do is for all the Mai doesn't. It's just balancing the things." she scoffed.
"Yeahhh… Sure," said Mai, "Now you are going to add balancing things, to your aura reading and one with the universe stuff?" she mocked. Azula knew that just as she, Mai, didn't believe in all that stuff, but Ty Lee was a full-on believer.
Ty Lee stuck out her tongue. "About being one with the universe." she said, like if she had just remembered it.
"Oh god, what now?" Azula flouted, rolling her eyes, wondering what other thing Ty Lee had been thinking.
"I don't appreciate the tone," she scolded her friend, "but… you seem different."
The Princess quirked an eyebrow, "Different, good or bad?"
"Good… Really good. Your aura it's all… Nice and soft," Ty Lee said, "It's been like that for a few days, but I haven't got to tell you," she made a pause, and frowned. "It's almost like if you were…"
"I was what?... Dying?" Azula smirked, this aura talks surely were like dying for her.
"Oi… Don't be pessimistic. That's Mais job," Mai sulked her, while giving her the finger. "I'm going to ignore that…" she said, turning her attention again at the Princess. "But it was almost as,... as if you were in love."
"Huh?"
Azula widened her eyes, raising her eyebrows, amused, "Me?"
"Yes," she smiled and turned towards Mai. "Don't you think Mai?"
"You know I don't believe in things like auras," said Mai rolling her eyes, "But I do believe, that you are crazy."
"I'm not, look at her." Ty Lee nodded at The Princess.
"I'm looking at her," she said looking at her nails. "And I don't see anything else, then someone about to lose her patience with you."
"Good eye." said Azula drinking her tea, agreeing with Mai.
"Thanks."
"You are crazy Ty Lee." The Princess said.
Ty Lee opened her mouth and moved in her place, "Come on… It's obvious…"
"What?..." Azula said a little irked at all the nonsense her friend was saying.
"You are in love…" her friend stated again pointing at her accusatively.
Azula rolled her eyes, "Yeah, sure… Whatever you say, love guru…" she sighed.
"You are," reiterated Ty Lee, "Don't try to hide it!"
"Ok fine," The Princess said annoyed, just to make her friend shut up. "Let's say `you are right'. Who am I in love with, if I may ask?" she said quizzical, crossing her arms.
"It's obvious… " she made a pause for dramatic effect. "Sokka."
"Seriously, Ty Lee?" Mai intervened, irked, with a grin.
"What? Come on, Mai. She has been spending every day with him, they have fun together and have you seen the way he…"
Mai interrupted her, "Yes, like every girl-boy friendship. Why do you always try to turn everything romantically?" she asked, annoyed.
"I'm not… but it's obvious their sexual attraction," Ty Lee restored.
Mai rolled her eyes and floured, "Oh, now you can read someone sexual attraction?"
"When it's that evident, yes! It's like mine and Haru's.."
"You and Haru?" Mai frowned sneeringly.
"Yeah, we instantly hit it off." she said proudly.
Mai rolled her eyes for the tenth time in the last five minutes, "Ty Lee, you give to everything and everyone, love eyes…"
"I don't…" she replied, a little offended for her friend assumption.
"You do! Do I have to remind you of the 20 boyfriends you had in less than three years?" said Mai with disdain.
Ty Lee opened her mouths, "They were not boyfriends." she rushed to clarify.
"Then what they were care to explain?" said Mai looking again at her nails.
"Friends…"
"Yeah, `friends´…" she made air quotes, "Sure…" she sighed, "You know what," At this point she was already annoyed. "I'm going to let Azula fight on her own, it's exhausting fitting you," she glanced at her friend. "Azula?"
Ty Lee also looked over, "Azula?"
The Princess had a vacant gaze. Her mind had been wandering around.
For the first time she had realized that Ty Lee actually had a point. She had tried to deny it; she had tried to deceive herself.
For years, since her father started to introduce her potential suitors, she refused to get involved with any of them, to get to know them, and for years it had worked. Every single one of them, every suitor had been more worried about win the favor of her father, and all the benefits that came with the title of the Princess of the Fire Nation. No one of them had bothered of knowing her, so she hadn't either. And for that, she had made sure of always being hostile to them. But with Sokka, it had been different since the first moment.
Sokka had never tried to court her, in fact all the opposite, he had treated her like a friend, like Azula. And maybe that's what it had meant the most for her. He was always a fool, with terrible jokes, but at the same time he listened to her, he teased her, and enjoyed spending time with her.
He had made her laugh, act childish, long for him, and also, he made her heart race in ways she had never experienced before. And for an unknown reason, for the last couple of days, all she had wanted was for him to spend time with her, to laugh, or just to simply seeing him smile, that goofy, perfect, handsome smile.
Maybe all that had made her start to develop feelings towards him.
She liked it him; she liked Sokka.
Azula felt the intense glances of her friends on her, and that returned to reality, out of her thoughts.
"What? What?" said the Princess, blinking a few times.
"Didn't you hear anything of what we were…?" Ty Lee sighed, "What are you thinking about?" she inquired curiously.
"Nothing." Azula said looking away, she wasn't going to tell her friends, that she had spent the last moments thinking about Sokka.
"Then...Why are you blushing?" Ty Lee asked mischievously.
"I'm not…" Azula pouted at her friend and made sure to avoid her inquisitive eyes.
"You are…" Mai said stoic, also notice the blush in the Princess.
"Tell us. " Ty Lee insisted.
She knew that her friend wasn't going to give up. "It's…" The Princess huffed, and rolled her eyes, "You are not going to stop annoy me until I tell you, right?" she rested her face on her hand.
"Of course." Ty Lee smiled, nodding in a childish manner.
"Fine... But first…" she didn't know how to formulate the question, "T-Talking about your experiences… H-How do you.. How do you…" she said stuttered nervously glancing away.
"How do you what?" Ty Lee and Mai quirked an eyebrow, looking at each other confused. It was not normal for Azula to get nervous about a simple question.
"How do you know you are in love?" Azula muttered fast and between teeth.
"What?"
Azula sighed, "How do you know you are in love?" she repeated in a more understandable way and waited for her friends to make a joke or mock at her for doing such a question, but instead they only smiled softly.
Ty Lee was the first one to talk, "You miss him when he leaves, and you are happy when he is back. Even the most trivial things, makes you think about them."
"It's like a cough you can stop." Mai added.
"Nice analogy." said Ty Lee.
"Thanks…"
"What do you ask?" Ty Lee turned to Azula, but before giving her a chance to answer, she covered her mouth. "Oh, my god. You do like him…." she accused her with a smile on her face. "I know I was right." she raised her hands happily.
"What?" Azula's eyes widened.
"Sokka."
"Huh?" Her face got a shade of red she couldn't hide.
"You do! Just look at you face." Ty Lee pointed at her accusingly.
"I don't I…" Azula dropped her head in defeat, when her nervous overtook her. "Oh my god… Yes, I like him…" she finally admitted, hiding her face with a hand in defeat.
Ty Lee was jumping in her spot, from hearing her friend admit her feelings out loud. "And how do you feel?"
Azula rubbed her forehead with the tip of her fingers, "I don't… I don't know. I have never felt anything like it. All I know is that…" she made a pause, "... I just want to be with him, but whenever he looks at me, I feel like...like I can't breathe ... Is that okay?" Her eyes went from one friend to the another one, back and forwards.
Mai made a grin, "It's actually not. Are you okay?" she asked.
"Not at all. Actually, at this point I'm really scared." The Princess admitted.
Ty Lee rolled her eyes with amusement. "It's called, being in love silly. That's what love does."
"It's horrible." Azula uttered, making a grin.
"What? No," Ty Lee shook her head, "Love is something amazing." she said with an assuring look.
"And why does it feel the entire opposite?" The Princess questioned, frustrated and confused, making a grin.
"What do you mean?" Mai uttered, frowning, but now a little more interested in the conversation.
Azula sighed, not even sure from where to start to explain herself, "I mean I do like him. But thinking about what comes with that, it's way too... troublesome…." said circling the matter in her head.
"Troublesome how?"
"Well," she began still trying to put thoughts in her mind in order. "For instance, even if I like him, he is leaving in less of a month and I probably will never see him again, and…"
"So?" said Ty Lee with a little smirk. "Nothing is written in stone… Plus, if I were you, I will try to make the best of time we had, like doing couple activities." she said with a mischief smile.
"Couple activities?"
"Yeah… You know…" Ty Lee smirked archly.
Mai made a grin of disgust, and looked aghast at her friend, "You are the naughtiest girl I have ever meet, oh my god…," she said with disbelieve. "Can you think about something else for two seconds? Or your brain can't seem too?" said irked.
"Hey! Don't be mean…" she complained, affronted. "And don't act so prude!" she retorted, "You are the one married, don't pretend like you don't think about it!"
"You may actually find it surprising, but the rest of the world has other things to think about than just fucking." Mai grunted to her friend.
Azula looked at her friends discuss groggily, how they had deviated from the topic so much?
She sighed, rubbing her temple before interfering. "Hey!" she made them both go quiet when she clapped to get their attention. "Even though Ii will love to see you both discuss non-stop all day, I think we have deviated from the main topic… Me."
Both of her friends relaxed.
"Sorry. You were saying…?"
The Princess huffed, pouting, and Mai added, "Ok. So, he is leaving in a month, that's all that is troubling you? You are afraid you might never see him again?"
"Well, in a way," Azula admitted looking at her hands. "But also, there is this constant voice in the back of my head..." she said glancing back and forward between her friends. "... that tells me, what if I'm imagining things and he doesn't see me that way? What if I end up hurt? What if he breaks my heart? Or if I ruin things between us? I mean, I'm scared I might lose him as a friend too…" she said snorting, her mind was a mess, she was really over thinking it too much. "And this have never happened to me!" she huffed, "What is wrong with me?"
None of her friends said a thing, instead they looked at each other.
Ty Lee placed a hand on her chin, taking a serious stance for once. "Mmmmm…." Then she looked at the Princess. "For me, it seems pretty normal, don't you think Mai?" she said side smiling.
Mai sighed and rested her head in her hand in a lazy matter, "That's everyone fear, the constant intrigue of is it going to work, or if are we going to be worth it? But that's the exciting part… not knowing the future." she explained in a calm but clear voice, Azula bit her lower lip.
"You are just afraid of the future, like everyone…" said Ty Lee, the Princess concerned look relaxed a little bit. "But something I have learned is, you should not be afraid of what will happen, you should be more afraid of living your life, wondering what would have happen if…"
Mai looked at her friend, surprised for her good advice. She raised her eyebrows and made a grin of agreement, "I agree with her," she said, surprising the Princess for her agreement. "And I may add, you are only seeing the worst case-scenario. What if he likes you too?..."
"Which is the obvious option." Ty Lee interrupted her friend with a smile.
"Also, if he does breaks your heart, you wouldn't be the first or the last person with a broken heart But you will survive, and you will learn from it," Mai advised, "And if you fell in the mood, you can always, of course, break his bones, and kick him in the…"
"Mai!" Ty Lee scolded her, amused, "Don't give her bad advice! It's Azula! She will do it!" she snickered.
Mai shrugged carelessly, "All I'm saying is she can always get revenge to feel better if he hurts her…"
Ty Lee was gaping, "She will not get revenge, she will kill him!" said squealing, and looked at her friend who was smirking. "Hey! No murdering!" she scolded the Princess.
"Tsk!." Azula rolled her eyes, also diverted, and without a warning, she threw one of the cushions at her friend, which smashed her directly in the face.
"Azula!" she complained, before the three started to laugh.
Talking with her friends had always helped her ease her thoughts. Mai will usually give her more realistic advice, more down-to-earth ones, while Ty Lee will be more positive, and sometimes a one in a million scenarios, but in the end, hearing both points of view did help her think more clearly.
The rest of the morning they spend talking about more banal things, catching up with their lives, and so on. Mai informed them, that she and her husband had been talking for a while, and they were actually starting to consider the idea of having kids, which made Ty Lee jump in excitement, and bombard Mai in questions, which later made her regret of telling her.
Ty Lee on the other hand, other than the constant problem at home with her sister, she told them she is planning to travel to Haru's hometown; she didn't say when, but it was in the near future.
Azula thanked her friends for being a little distraction for her. It stopped her from thinking in all the Sokka related topic, which for the last couple of days had been bothering her.
"Why don't we do something tomorrow during the night lights festivals?" Ty Lee proposed when they were on the Palace gates about to leave. Mai and Azula glanced at each other and then quirked an eyebrow. "The six of us, you and Ruo Jian, me and Haru and Azula and Sokka."
"Me, what?" said Sokka, appearing out of nowhere, and jolting up the three girls. He looked a little worn out. "Hey girls." he greeted the Princess friends, while surrounding Azula's shoulders with an arm.
Ty Lee had to press her lips together really hard to avoid making a comment, after seeing the treating eyes that Azula was giving her.
"Hey Sokka." The girls greeted him.
Azula made a disgusted grin, and then turned to Sokka wrinkling her nose, "Agrrr… Don't you smell that?" she asked him disgruntled.
"What?" He looked down to her.
"You stink like a wet wolf." she restored, scowling, pushing him away.
"It's not that…" he said, affronted before smelling his shirt. "Agrr…" he squealed, making also a disgusted grin. "It does smell that bad?" he asked the other girls.
"Like a wet puppy wolf" said Ty Lee lying politely, with a side smile, trying to not make a grin.
"Lie," said Mai, "There are being too nice. It's more like a pack of wet dead wolves." she said with a stoic face.
"Oh…" Sokka shrugged, "Well, it's one of the warmest days of the year. How do you people survive in this weather?" he asked complaining.
"Bathing, daily?" said Azula, "Something you should try, maybe?" she mocked smirking. "And now, thanks to you, I have to take a bath to get rid of the smell." she pouted at him.
Sokka rolled his eyes, "Winy…"
"Stinky…" she replied.
"Hushh…" Now he pouted.
"Bye, girls." The Princess parted from her friends back into the Palace, slowly followed by Sokka.
"Bye..." The both muttered watching them go.
"And just for the record, I do bath daily" Sokka uttered, still a little affronted.
"Yeah, that's something I would like to see." Azula taunted him.
A smirked appeared in Sokka's face, before surrounding her by the shoulders again. "Are you suggesting you wish to see me bathing?" he teased her.
Azula chuckled, before rolling her eyes and pushing him slightly, which made him laugh. "You wish."
"I don't like that look on yours." said Mai when she saw the mischievous smile on her braided friend, after the couple disappeared from their sight.
"I have a plan…" said Ty Lee, with her arms crossed in determination.
"Whatever you are thinking… No." Mai warned her, walking away.
"W-What? But you haven't even heard…" Ty Lee chased after her friend.
"I don't need to… I wish you would have putted the same determination you put into other people's business, in your studies back in the Academy." Mai sighed.
"Hey, my grades were decent…"
…
Sokka and she had agreed to meet back in the library once they were washed up and refreshed.
As soon as she arrived to her room, she had ordered her servants to run her a warm bath, which didn't take them a lot to have it ready.
While her body was sinking in the warm water, she let her mind sink and process again Mai and Ty Lee words. Maybe she was overthinking the situation, just like she used to overthink everything, but why with these kinds of things it was always so confusing for her?
Everything that was related to opening her heart, or her feelings, were the most frightening thing for her. Even if bothered her, she had to admit, thinking about getting a heartbreak or being hurt, trusting and being betrayed, was terrifying. But the eternal wondering of what if… was also horrific?
She stayed so long that her fingertips wrinkled, and the foam was almost gone.
Azula was drying her hair with a towel, wondering if she might have taken too long, when her door opened. No previous knock or any kind of warning.
"Seriously woman, what it's taking you so much? I have been waiting…" Sokka walked in complaining but stopped his tracks when he saw her. He was dumbstruck.
Azula also stopped her tracks and raised both eyebrows, "What do you think you are doing?"
He blinked a few times, "I-I was…"
"I-I…." she imitated him, "Cat-owl ate your tongue?" she frowned, "What if I was naked, huh?" she crossed her arms.
"I-I didn't…" he said looking at her, it was the first time he had seen her with so little clothes on. He had seen her in her nightgown, but the bathrobe was much more revealing, as it was covering her until a little above the knees with a pronounced cleavage and it was from a tin fabric, all that, plus her wet hairs made her look beautiful.
Azula smirked, "Or was that your intention, you perv?" she teased him, returning to dry her hair.
Sokka turned around, hiding his red face, his nervousness and trying to calm his pulse. He took a few deep breaths, before gulping, "I was wondering, what it was taking you so long." he had to calm, if he didn't want to have an awkward situation down south.
She smiled softly, "Sorry, I lost track of time," she said, "Let me change, and I will meet you in the library, okay?"
"Okay." he said, still looking at the door, not turning around. He didn't move.
"Sokka." she called him.
"Yeah?" he finally glanced at her, trying to focus on her face.
Azula raised her eyebrows, "You don't think I will change in front of you, do you?" he was silent, "Get out." she pointed at the door.
He blinked again out of his trance, "Of course," he said, "I will be in the library." Sokka said before closing the door.
Azula bit her lower lip with a smile on her face. He looks adorably nervous and blushed; she thought.
She got changed into her clothes and did her make first to let her hair dry a little more before brushing it. Her thoughts got the best of her again, she was so absorbed in her mind; she didn't even realize she had been brushing the same strand for the last ten minutes.
What brought her back to reality was the voice of her mother at her back. She hadn't even noticed her reflection in her mirror.
"Are you alright, honey?" Her mother asked her. "I have been knocking for five minutes."
Azula blinked a few times, "Yeah…" she said.
"Are you busy?" Ursa asked her, walking towards her.
"No." said The Princess, still brushing her hair. "Do you need something mom?"
"Can't a mother come see her daughter just because she wants to?" she said with a soft voice, and a warm smile, placing her hands on her daughter shoulders.
Azula shrugged, "I guess."
"Let me do your hair." said her mother, lending a hand for the brush.
"Mom, I'm not a child, I can do my own hair." said Azula.
"I know," said the Fire Lady, "But hush... Don't question your mother and just let me do it! It's being so long since I last did it," she said with a smile, "You have always had such a beautiful hair…" said her mother brushing carefully the strands in her daughter's hair. Her touch was soft and caring.
The Princess rolled her eyes and smirked, "Mom… It's identical to yours… I'm all identical to you."
"And I'm glad," she said, "I would have been really pissed if after nine months of caring you, you ended up looking like your father."
"Oh, come on, I bet in his youth years he was probably good looking, huh?"
"Shush… Don't let him heard you saying `in his youth years', or he will be depressed the rest of the day," her mother mocked, she kept brushing the rest of her hair in silence. "There… you look beautiful as always, " she said placing her daughter hairpiece in place, when she noticed her absent-minded daughter. "What's troubling you?" she asked, sitting in the bed.
"It's nothing, it's silly." said Azula, trying to not give any importance to the matter, and brushing her bangs.
Ursa narrowed her eyes, which made Azula glance away in the opposite direction. Her mother determined look was a bit scary. "I know you enough to know that when something is troubling you, it's because it's not silly. So, say it child." said her mother in a serious tone.
She felt her mother strong glance on her, "Damn it." she muttered, turning to face her mother.
"Do you want me to guess?" Ursa asked placing a hand on her chin.
"What?"
"Is it boy's problems?" she asked, and before Azula could open her mouth, she talked again, "Is it girl's problems? Did you fight with Mai and Ty lee?"
"No, mom…" she tried to explain.
"It's…"
"Mom…" Azula interrupted her mother. "It's just... Never mind. It's silly." she throws herself into her bed.
"Azula." her mother said in a tone, which she only used when she was about to scold her.
"Fine…." she sits sighing. "But promise me, that you will not question me about what I'm about to tell you..." her mother open her mouth to say something but she stopped her from talking. "... And you will tell no one, because if you say even to father, I will never ever trust you again, mother…" Azula warned her sternly.
"But what if…"
"Mom" Azula whined.
"Fine…" her mother pouted. "What is it?"
"It's actually two things…" she made a pause, thinking about which one to ask first. "Do you think there is a way… other than being in the military and banish myself -like Zuzu did- to, be available to leave the Fire Nation and maybe... I don't know travel the world?" she asked warily.
Her mother was taken back for the question, usually her daughter was not the one to make this kind of questions, as she understood better than anyone the traditions of the Fire Nation. She took a moment to answer.
"I don't know…" she said in full honesty, "No one of the royal family has ever left the nation for their on liking… Unless they have abdicated their title as you already know."
Azula sighed, and dropped her shoulders, "I know but… Could... there be a way?" she insisted.
Ursa shrugged, "Probably…" she said, "But I will have to look a little more into that. Why the question?" she looked at her daughter curiously.
"I said no questioning…." Azula uttered.
Her mother rolled her eyes and shook her head. Stubborn as always, she thought. "Fine, what's the other thing?"
"As you may or may have notice, Sokka and I…" she began but her mother stopped her.
"So, it was boy problems!" she said with a smile, proud that her assumptions were right. Azula said nothing, only got up from the bed, to try to leave the room, but before she could take two steps her mother grabbed her from the arm and pulled her back in to the bed. "Where do you think you are going? You are not leaving me with the doubt." Ursa said severely. Azula crossed her arms and pouted, "Spill it, child." her mother insisted.
The Princess huffed, "Fine," she took a deep breath before starting, "The thing is... Before marrying father, where you afraid?"
"You will have to explain me more." her mother narrowed her eyes.
"I mean, where you afraid that maybe, you will… I don't know, maybe get a heartbreak?" she inquired. "Or being hurt?"
Now Ursa understood her daughter question, it was cleared now, what it was worrying her. "Of course I was. I was terrified," she admitted, "I mean, it's human to be afraid of the unknown, of those things that we can control."
"And how do you deal with it?"
"You don't," she said, and those words made Azula frown. "Life is full of surprises. And we are humans, we laugh, we cry, we suffer, but also, we have moments full of joy, which for them to happen sometimes you have just push yourself," her daughter was silent. "Why the question?" she asked, tucking in her bangs behind her ear.
"Well, Mai and Ty Lee seem to think, that I should just go for it," said The Princess, "They seem to think that, yes being hurt it's horrible, but that it's worst to live with the eternal thinking of what if…"
"And Mai and Ty Lee are correct." Ursa reached for her daughter's hand. "Listen, before my parents died, they both told me something I will never forget... Never regret of the things you did, even your mistakes, because those, makes us who we are, instead, regret all the what if… because you will never know what would have happened, because you were too scared to take the chance."
Azula smiled at her mother, "Thanks... It really helped."
"I'm glad to hear that." her mother smiled at her lovingly. "Anything else I can help to ease that mind of yours?" she poked her in the forehead.
Azula shook her head. They stayed in silence for a moment. "Mom… Did you ever feel jealous of other girls?"
"Why,... Yeah, I mean… you are right about all that… Your father was a handsome man and a Prince. He was always surrounded by beautiful girls…"
"And you ever felt like…" she asked wary but stopped mid-track.
"Less?" her mother completed her sentence, and her daughter nodded.
"Of course…But also, your father made sure I never felt like that… He will always look for me with his eyes in crowded places and dedicate me a calming smile… And also, he always asked me how I was feeling, whenever I felt a little too overwhelmed." she smiled at the memories. "For little actions like that… his small gestures, I realized that, I shouldn't worry because, it didn't matter how many girls were around him... as long as he only had eyes for me. And also, -a piece of advice- the only man who deserves you, is the one who thinks he doesn't."
…
After talking with her mom, she felt so much better, more at peace, but also fearless. Her confidence was back and stronger than ever before.
Her talk with her mother had lasted longer than she intended, but now she was rushing to the hallways on her way to the library, but when she got inside, she was surprised by finding Sokka
"Are you sleep?... " she muttered getting closer to him to get a better look. She sighed, when she noticed he was about to start drooling, she poked him in the cheek, nothing happened. "Yeap, you did feel asleep… God." She rolled her eyes, and looked at him fixedly, thinking in the best way to wake him up, when a puckish idea crossed her mind.
…
"Now thanks to you, we are late for the festival." she complained as they walked thru the gates of the Palace.
"ME?" he left out a sarcastic huff, "You know how long I waited for you?"
"Hush… It wasn't even that long," Azula restored, "But did you had to fall asleep?"
"I wasn't sleeping!" he squealed, "I was practicing." Sokka said.
Azula made a grin, "For what?"
"My…" he made a pause, trying to think of an excuse. "Dead?" Azula chuckled, "But,… Did you had to slap me?" he complained, rubbing his cheek.
"Well, if you would have woken up the first time, I wouldn't have had to slap you five times." she stated.
"There are better ways to wake up people you know?" Sokka uttered.
"Like what?" she stopped her tracks, and Sokka did the same.
"Like… for example…" he took a moment, "Maybe with a kiss?" he said flirty.
Azula stood there, looking at him with an indecipherable expression to him, and when he thought she might kill him, she said something totally unexpected, she smiled, before saying, "May one day… If you earned." she said walking backwards before winking an eye to him.
Sokka was stunned, still processing what she had told him, "W-Wait… D-Does that mean…" he rushed after her.
NIGHT LIGHTS
DAY 10
The bay, at the skirts of the Royal Plaza, was beautifully decorated. The bay was clear for everyone to witness the beautiful sunset.
Crowds of people from Harbor city and the Capital, were gathering around the seashore, some around the improvised little bonfires, some others buying food, and some other just hanging on the blankets hanging out.
Sokka had gone ahead a little bit as Azula need it to be part of the Royal procession with the rest of her family.
He had been dragged, by Azula's cousin Lu Ten all the way to the bay while being bombarded with questions about the festival. He had tried to explain it the best he could, while at the same time battle with the two little storms that were Lu Ten's kids.
"What do you recommend then?" Lu Ten asked as they walked thru the food stands. "Or should I just go for it?" he asked.
Sokka felt so strange walking with Azula's cousin thru the food stands instead of with her. "Mmm… For you, I think you should just go for it," he suggested with a hand on his chin. "But, for the little ones, I will recommend the melopan."
"Got it," said Lu Ten, before ordering a couple. "So, you two figured it out in the end?" he asked with curiosity, after they were looking thru other stands.
"Yeah…"
"I'm glad," Lu Ten said, before stopping in one stand full of antiques. "Wait," his eyes scanned the place, before finding something that interested him. "I… Huh?" he looked over Sokka. "Mochi!," he screamed, waving a hand in a childish manner. Sokka turned over, to see in the same direction, "Come here," he made a sign with his hand to Azula, who was walking towards them. "Are you afraid of blinking and not seeing her again?" Lu Ten mocked at him mischievously, loud enough only for him to hear, when he noticed Sokka watchful eye on his cousin.
"What?!" Sokka squealed as his heart raced.
"Young love," he sighed quizzically, Sokka opened his mouth to reply, but changed of mind when Azula joined them.
"Hey there." she greeted them and dedicated them a smile which made Sokka sighed.
"H-Hey." he muttered and thanked Lu Ten when he saved him from embarrassing himself more.
"Azula, do you remember this?" Lu Ten said with a side smile, pointing at some small handmade boxes.
"The music box," she said with a smile. "Of course I remember. It was my favorite." she replied looking at them, they were really similar to the one Lu Ten had got her in one of her many travels as a gift. For years it was one of her favorite belongings.
"What happened to it?" asked Lu Ten prying.
The Princess shrugged, "I used so much that it worn out. I still have it, but it can't play anything anymore." she explained still looking with interest at the ones in the counter."
"Do you want me to buy you another one?" Lu Ten inquired, "It could be your birthday present." he said.
Azula shook her head, "N.."
Sokka's eyes widened with the last words, "Wait, birthday present?" he repeated. "Who's birthday?" his glance went from Azula to Lu Ten, then back to Azula.
Azula pointed at herself, at the same time Lu Ten did, "This young lady," he said, "She is turning 21 in a couple of days."
Sokka frowned, "Why you didn't tell me?" he asked a little affronted at the lack of information, placing his hands on his hips.
Azula crossed her arms over her chest, "Did you ask?" she backfired at his question, quirking an eyebrow.
Sokka raised a hand to say something, but stopped when he realized he had nothing in fact. "Well no, but…"
"So, how is my fault that you didn't ask?" she frowned.
He shook his head, "It's not. But,…" he made a pause. "How am I supposed to get you something if i didn't even know it was your birthday?"
The Princess side smiled, "You don't have to get me anything," she assured him.
"But I want to..." he replied, protesting.
Azula rolled her eyes, "Then, think of something," she uttered, before parting from her cousin, her heading towards her friends who were waiting for them near the seashore. "But, I don't want to hear you complain about it. It's your choice to complicate your existence, not mine."
…
At the seashore, Ty Lee had made sure to get some snacks for everyone, and blanket so everyone could lay in it.
"Mmmm… Princess." said Haru, after his eyes wandered from all the presents.
"Shoot."
Ty Lee as always had suggested to play a would you rather game, while waiting for the sun to down.
"Would you rather lose the ability to read or lose the ability to speak?" Haru asked.
"Mmmm… " The Princess took a moment to think. "Lose the ability to speak." she said firmly.
"Really?" Ty Lee asked astounded, as her would more likely chosen the other option-
"Yeah… If I lose ability to read, I would get incredible bored," said Azula making a grin of boredom. "But I could always learn sign language." she shrugged.
"Good point."
"My turn," said Azula, "Ty Lee," she threw at her a fire flake, which her friend caught with her mouth. "Would you rather stop doing acrobatics for a year, or not being available to gossip for a year?"
"Not gossip for sure," she picked, "What?" she said when she noticed the grin that Mai and Azula gave to each other.
"I honestly thought you will choose the former." said Mai shrugging.
"Me too." said Azula.
"Me three." replied Haru.
"Well, I think that maybe if I give it up gossip for a year, it will save me for a ton of problems." Ty Lee uttered, leaning to get more fire flakes. "Huh? We are out of fire flakes." she noticed.
"Give me," said Azula, "I'm going to get some more." she stood up, and a second later, she was heading to get more.
Sokka watched her go, and when he was sure she was out of their hearing range, he turned to her friends. "Okay, emergency," he said in a little alarmed tone. "What can I get her as a birthday present? Ideas? Suggestions?" he focused especially on the girls, who know her the best. "Everything is welcomed, even bad ideas."
"Don't buy her anything expensive," said Mai. "She either will hate it or have it already."
So, buying her something was out of the question, after all she was a Princess what could he possibly get her anyway?
"No flowers," added Ty Lee, "She thinks it a waste, as they die in a blink." she explained, trying to remember something else. "Mochi. Lots of mochi."
Sokka nodded in agreement, "That was a granted. Something else?" he looked over his shoulder, just to make sure Azula was still away.
"The fireworks!" Ty Lee snapped her fingers when she remembered.
"She enjoys her birthday fireworks." said Mai.
"Yes. Make sure to find a good place to see them. A little remote from the crowd." Ty Lee suggested. "If you need help, or anything, let us know."
That helps, Sokka thought, "Thanks. Anything else?"
"Mmm… I remember she has been looking a book she wants, but could seem to find," said Ty Lee, with a hand on her chin. "Dragons among us? Love and dragons?" she tried to remember the correct title.
"Love among dragons?" Mai quirked an eyebrow as she remembered the correct name of the book.
"Yes. That one," she said with a smile towards her friend. "Her mom used to read it all the time, and I think she is looking for the first edition, but…." her eyes widened, when she noticed Azula heading their way. "Act natural, she is coming."
"What?" The Princess asked, frowning, when she realized all eyes were on her.
"Nothing." said Sokka, with a sweet smile, as she took her sit next to him.
...
"By the way," Ty Lee asked Sokka once she had been wary enough that Azula was busy talking with Mai and her husband. "When are you planning on telling her?"
"What are you talking about?" Sokka asked, not sure of what Ty Lee meant.
"About how do you feel silly." she smiled.
Sokka smiled, he had been actually thinking about how to confess to her, but he couldn't seem to find the right moment. Then an idea came to him. "I was actually planning it on doing soon. But I just can't find the right moment" he said.
Ty Lee nodded in understanding, "Wait, why don't tomorrow? At the boat trips."
"Huh." It didn't sound like a bad idea.
"I can help you guys, get some privacy," she said, "And when you find the right moment, you tell Azula..."
"Tell me what?" The Princess asked, when she heard her name pop out in their conversation.
Ty Lee and Sokka jolted up and give each other worried looks at how much had she really heard.
"N-Nothing." stuttered Ty Lee nervously.
Azula frowned as she realized that both of them were too secretive and nervous. "Really?"
"Yeah... It's nothing, woman." said Sokka, trying to sound as calm as possible, while surrounding her shoulders, and giving her a smile which made her heart melt.
As for Sokka, he only hoped she couldn't hear how loud his heart was racing.
He had made up his mind. He was going to make sure that her twenty-one birthday was even special than it used to be each year. He was going to make sure that she will always remember that day. But also, he was going to confess his feelings.
Now, the only problem was... How the hell was he going to do it?
N/A:
Understudy - A performer hired to do a role only if the featured actor is unable to perform; used primarily in theatre.
In all honestly i couldn't seem to find a festival to fit on the day 9. I already have all 30 days planned but that particular day I couldn't seem to find a related festival.
Melopan: sweet bread buns from the japanese culinary.