Author's Disclaimer: I don't own a thing belonging to "Avatar: the Last Airbender"! Nathing.
Author's notes: I have a friend who has a filipino wife who insisted on swaddling their babies in a sling at all times. So, I have to remember to include that in the coming chapters since my family is not Asian and I never saw it done firsthand until said friend's wife.
The naming ceremony seems more oriented for the Water Tribes (water and baptism and all that) so I added the bit of ash to link it to fire in some way. ^_^
Maraghoul: as always, dedication goes to you for helping shape the very bones of this story. Many, many thanks for those messages 😝 (SNICKER) Let's just say the baby spits up on everyone :P
QueenTyzula: Extra delish in dreams is for you! Thanks for trying to keep me on the schedule I try to put out for myself 😝 Ty Lee's got a hard path in front of her for sure, doesn't she….
Harley Quinn Davidson: I always wind up feeling sorry for Azula. Don't worry, she'll get her due.
CharlieBarrow: Tears are real indeed! I thought Izumi was a nonbender, but then again, she's not shown much in LOK at all. What do you think? That will eventually come up in the story.
AJ 24 Rulzz: well if I got you to hate some of the character's actions, I'm doing something right? 😝 Or at least getting a reaction. (lol)
NeverFoundandLost: thank you! I hope you enjoy and this chapter too ^_^
"Stoking the Fire"
Chapter thirty-two "Naming Ceremony"
"The name bestowed to Zuko's daughter, the new princess, is Izumi. Let it be recorded in our archives her name; her auspicious coming to the Fire Nation…."
The Head Fire Sage placed his wrinkled hands over the baby's scalp. His deep voice intoned a prayer to Agni and a blessing on Zuko's line as he spoke over Izumi. He firebended a fireball in his other hand, and set the flaming hand into a still pool of water before them. Steam rose as the fire was put out and the wet bits of ash was carefully smeared along Izumi's brow.
Zuko held her in his arms, and Mai and Ty Lee were on either side of him. The pool of cold water in the heart of the capital temple was used in naming ceremonies for nigh on a thousand years at least. It was said that one of the past avatars had earthbended beneath the temple floor, finding the natural spring for the Fire Lord on the throne at the time. It was used ever since.
The Head Fire Sage filled his palm with the freezing water and cupped it along Izumi's scalp. The flecks of wet ash were washed away. The infant started and screamed in shock, flailing tiny arms. Ty Lee leaned close, laying her hand along her belly over Zuko's hand.
"Ssh, it's okay…" she murmured. Izumi wailed, disconcerted at the cold. The Fire Sages murmured prayers, echoing the Head Fire Sage.
"The fire is stilled with the arrival of a precious heir….. May Izumi grow fast and healthy…."
Zuko shifted her in his arms, pouting at his daughter's wails "Are we done with the water?" he asked the sages. The Head Fire Sage nodded.
Mai handed him a shawl and Ty Lee helped gently dry Izumi's damp cold hair. She stilled as she was dried and hiccuped. Ty Lee helped Zuko slide her into her sling. She tied the sling's ties around the Fire Lord's shoulders.
Only the Fire Lord and parents of the heir were allowed inside the room with the sacred pool. As they left the chamber to a long corridor, the parents of all three were waiting, as well as a retinue of high lords. They had been granted access to witness the end of the ceremony and all bowed at the Fire Sage's announcement. Zuko, Ty Lee, and Mai stood with the baby, accepting the congratulations.
Zuko was pleased when Mai slid her hand into the crook of his right arm. She leaned close, gazing down at the baby. Izumi kicked her feet in her sling, crying out. Mai's chi was still when she regarded the child and Ty Lee caught Zuko's eye and winked at him. He gave a soft smile in return.
As the lords clamored, Lady Michi was glad to note her daughter gazing down at Zuko's child. She looked aloof, but she knew when her daughter was truly interested despite the look on her face. She hoped Mai would take the Fire Lord's and concubine's invitation and spend more time with the child.
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Zuko patted Izumi and laid her on the bed between his knees. It was morning; his bed robe was half off of his chest and he watched Ty Lee stretching with a raised eyebrow. Ty Lee was leaning her head down to her knee, hands clasping her foot in front of her. She was glad she was able to flex this far after the birth; it had been a couple of weeks, but still she wasn't up to balancing her feet over her head. She didn't want to tear anything after all….
"Looking good, Ty," Zuko commented. Izumi gurgled on the mattress. Ty Lee's heart surged when Zuko smiled and leaned down to kiss her cheek. He gave the infant his finger to chew on.
"Thanks, Zuko," she said. She did appreciate his attentiveness to her daughter and his affection. But his advances were growing more passionate. A few more weeks were suggested by the healers to keep from tearing the concubine with early sex after a birth, but Ty Lee knew it was only a matter of time she could keep Zuko away. Despite herself, her body wanted him; he had flooded her enough times and his pheromones were all over her.
But she knew what she had to do, and she couldn't have Zuko's scent more on her than it already was…. Izumi's shrill cry brought Ty Lee from her musing. She lifted her head from her knee. Ying entered the bed chamber with an armful of diaper linen. She set it on the changing table in the corner.
Ty Lee accepted Ying's hand up and both sat on the mattress and smiled down at the staring baby. She wriggled her chubby legs, uncertain of who to focus on first. Her red top stretched over her diaper and she waved chubby hands at the adults.
"I can't get over that you have one of these," Ying teased her friend. Ty Lee winked. She found herself leaning against Zuko's shoulder. His arm wound around her back. His chi flex over hers, pumping out waves of comfort.
"We really should get Mai to spend time with the baby…. want to try later?" Ty Lee found herself asking. The conflicting look on the Fire Lord's face told her she had struck true. Zuko was obviously in love with his wife. Ty Lee could at least try to mend fences between all of them. Well, before…. Ty Lee leaned down and kissed the top of her daughter's downy head. Her heart hurt so badly when she considered what had to be given up if she followed her inner plans.
Izumi began to wail and Zuko talked in a crooning voice to her. Ty Lee's breasts ached and she sighed.
"She's hungry, isn't she? Come here…." Ty Lee leaned back against the pillow and pulled her robe open. When Izumi's mouth latched onto her nipple, love surged through her for her child. Izumi's golden eyes fluttered open and closed as she fed languidly. Eyes the color of her sire's….
Zuko smiled happily to Ty Lee and she smiled back. Ying got up to give them a moment and Ty Lee pressed her head against Zuko's chest when he tried to kiss her. Zuko accepted the gesture and touched Izumi's hand. She clutched his finger as she fed.
Zuko took her to burp. Despite the cloth he had settled beneath her mouth against his shoulder, her spray of dribbly white spit-up ran down the shoulder of his robe. He grimaced and laughed at once, handing her back to Ty Lee so he could clean up.
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Ty Lee cradled Izumi to her chest. Zuko had left her for his council and she had taken the time to bathe and dress. Ying walked beside her. The palace was in a false sense of security after her daughter's birth, but the two still knew there had to be more of Azula's Kemurikage in the palace. They had to be careful.
But Ty Lee wouldn't stay holed up in her apartment. She had a task in mind and she was going to complete it. Izumi gurgled against her and Ty Lee slung her arm beneath her. She wore a sling around her neck and the baby was swaddled tightly against her.
"She can only either sit with you or run," Ying assured Ty Lee. Ty Lee gave a sad smile.
"Both acceptable in their own way, I'm sure," Ty Lee grimaced. Izumi burbled against the chest of her elaborate robes. She patted the baby's back as they moved.
They finally located their query in one of the official sitting rooms. Mai was sitting with her brother and a tutor, and the way Mai's eyes lit with consternation seared Ty Lee's heart.
"Mai, please, don't run," Ty Lee pleaded. She started at a jog, cradling Izumi in the crook of one arm. Mai ran faster, leaving her brother with the tutor, looking rather confused. Ying jogged ahead of her. Mai stopped in one of the private sitting rooms and paced back and forth.
"I just can't…. don't do this to me, Ty Lee," Mai pleaded. The naked vulnerability in her voice killed Ty Lee. She took Mai's arm in one hand and bodily pushed her into an overstuffed chair. She hurried and loosened Izumi's sling, sliding the baby into Mai's arms. Mai stiffened and clutched the infant on instinct.
"Hold her head…..yes….just like that," Ty Lee said softly. Mai held Izumi easily and her lip quivered when she stared down into the wide golden eyes taking her in. Izumi gave small snuffling sounds that went straight to Mai's heart. Mai was started when she felt tears form in her eyes. She sniffled, trying to keep it down, but small tears slid out of her eyes and down her cheeks.
Ty Lee's eyes softened. She sat on the arm of the chair and softly brushed the tears from the Fire Lady's face with her fingertips. "Oh, Mai…."
Mai cried silently as she rocked Izumi. Ty Lee bowed her head against Mai's, and was glad when she wasn't thrown off. The two friends shared the baby amidst Mai's tears.
Ying watched them both sadly.
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Zuko regarded both Mai and Ty Lee across the table. He set his chopsticks in his mouth and chewed slowly as everyone set into their meal.
The entire situation was delicate enough without drawing attention to what he had espied in the sitting room. He didn't intrude on his wife's time holding Izumi. It did him good to see her receiving his apparent daughter, but Mai's tears tore him up. He only wanted to charge in and hold her. But if he showed his face, he knew Mai would fling Izumi at his concubine and flee.
So he had quietly watched. And went back to his council meeting, slightly troubled. Iroh knew the problems and situation between the three of them (well, maybe not ALL of the problems) and tried to keep Zuko on a gentle path in the council meeting. Zuko was oddly grateful for that.
The baby gave a soft cry from her basket on the floor near Ty Lee's leg. Before she could react, Ying moved around the table to pick up the child. She rocked her, smiling into Izumi's curious stare.
"I don't think she's hungry. Keep eating, Ty," Ying suggested. Ty Lee sipped her water and gave her friend a smile. Zuko and Ty Lee both noted Mai following the baby with her eyes.
She lowered her eyes to her plate and picked up a bit of sticky rice with her chopsticks. She ate delicately.
"This is just awkward," she mumbled. Zuko gave a soft grunt. He agreed with her.
"Sorry," he mumbled. Ty Lee reached to touch Mai's arm, not his, and he was surprised when his wife didn't shrug her off.
"One step at a time. We make a weird family, but I guess we are one," Ty Lee said. Affection for her surged through Zuko and he exhaled harshly to keep from surging it across the table toward his wife.
Mai and Ty Lee exchanged a look. A slow stare of understanding passed between them that ended on the infant gurgling in Ying's arms. She pulled the baby's sling around one shoulder and swaddled her close.
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Mai left the Fire Lord and Ty Lee sadly, leaning to touch Izumi before leaving. It did Zuko's heart good to see her interacting with the baby more and more. Speaking of….
Ty Lee was changing Izumi's diaper when Zuko sidled up behind her. He moved her braid aside and kissed the side of her throat. Ty Lee shivered and finished fastening the pins through the linen diaper. She arched her back despite herself.
"What's that for, Papa?" she asked. Zuko gave a slow grin and pressed his kisses along the side of her jaw where he could reach.
"Just thanking you. I saw you helping Mai hold the baby earlier," he said. Ty Lee smiled down at Izumi and slid a warm pajama top over her head. Zuko helped adjust the sleeves over her chubby arms. The baby stared at them, feet wriggling.
"You saw that? Well, I'm glad. Izumi will help heal her hurt over her lost child," Ty Lee murmured. Zuko nodded.
"Ty…."
"Watch her a moment? I gotta wash my hands," Ty Lee wriggled her fingers, smiling. Zuko nodded. He collected the clean infant into his arms and rocked her gently. Izumi's eyes were opening and closing slowly.
He was sitting with her in bed when Ty Lee came back, dressed down for bed. Her shift was simple, but fell to just above her knees. Zuko could make out the shape of her breasts through it. He swallowed, feeling a pang of lust.
"I'll take her," Ty Lee said softly. Zuko nodded. He hurried in the washroom, washing his face and brushing his teeth. He took his lord's ornament out of his topknot and loosened his hair. He was trying to grow it long and uneven strands cascaded down his neck. He came out in a pair of red pajama pants. Ty Lee couldn't help but eye his muscular frame as he knelt on the bed. He gave her a friendly kiss on the cheek, before collecting the sleeping baby in his arms.
"Do you need anything?" he asked softly. Ty Lee kissed his temple gently. She longed to kiss him back, but her plans…..and she didn't want to give the wrong idea.
"No… I can't…..not right now. The healers say a few more weeks," Ty Lee said gently. The look of disappointment in Zuko's eyes was palpable but he wouldn't push her.
"I know," he said softly. His large hand cradled Izumi's scalp as he leaned back against the pillows. Ty Lee pulled the sheets above his legs, caressing his knee in passing as she went. Zuko managed to catch her lips in a short kiss when she moved in to kiss his cheek.
He clasped Izumi to his chest and the infant curled into his bare skin, seeping into his warmth. Ty Lee rubbed her hand along Zuko's hands along the baby's back.
They whispered into the night as the baby slept and Zuko fell asleep before Ty Lee did. She curled against his shoulder, her nose rooting out her daughter's scent close by. The small snuffles she heard soothed her heart. Intertwined with the odd nasal snore from Zuko was a comforting mix of sounds. When Ty Lee fell asleep, the connection brought her to a dream about the night in the Fire Sage's Temple. Ty Lee was in love with Azula, but she had to admit, that had been a heck of a night.
She had fucked without abandon and Zuko proved to be a firey partner, sharing and stoking her lust to high levels of want. In the dream, the mat was itchy beneath her bare skin, but Ty Lee clutched Zuko inside her. He had her knees on his shoulders, thrusting wildly. They had just had the Fire Sage's draught of lust and Zuko was so hard it hurt inside her. But she burned with need, clutching onto him. Sweat poured along her brow and beads of perspiration dripped off of Zuko's jaw. His hair was damp with sweat as they thrust and moved against each other. Zuko was moaning above her, muttering half strings of endearments.
Ty Lee clutched his face with both hands and they stared into each other's eyes. Ty Lee clenched down on his rigid shaft inside her and a contorted expression of agony and pleasure broke out along her friend's face. He cried out, spilling inside her and Ty Lee clutched him, screaming as she came. She shivered, taking everything he had.
As they were coming down, panting for breath, Zuko lowered her legs from his shoulders. A small shuffle sounded opposite the murmuring Fire Sages on their stools. Ty Lee turned her head from Zuko's soft golden eyes to make out a familiar shape. She tensed and panicked beneath Zuko as Azula stared at her, a mixture of betrayal, hurt and rage across her features. She was fully dressed in imperial tunic and trousers, but her gaze was utterly naked and not utterly without contempt for the lolling pair.
Zuko groaned as her movements clutched at his softening cock. He braced himself on one hand and touched her cheek with his other. "Ty, you okay?" he panted.
Ty Lee flung her panicked eyes into the Fire Lord's. She untensed, but only ever so slightly.
"Can't you see her?" she demanded. That hadn't happened that night, but the dream took a side step into something else other than being a memory.
"Who? I only see you," Zuko confessed. A blush stained his pale cheeks red. Ty Lee touched his cheek. In memory, they had kissed deeply, groaning until they had to work for another orgasm. But in this dream, Ty Lee turned her head to the side in agony.
Suddenly, Zuko was gone from her and Ty Lee was padding along the temple stone corridors, naked, and cold. She hugged her arms across her breasts, trying to keep warm. Where had Zuko gone? For that matter, where had Azula?
On cue with that thought, Ty Lee rounded a corridor. Azula was waiting beneath torchlight. The torches high above their heads in sconces glowed with her blue flames. The blue glow was rather ethereal. Ty Lee hugged herself, trying to hide her nakedness, but it was no use.
Azula, despite herself, scanned her eyes up and down her body. She was damp and sweaty, and spots of Zuko's seed still stained areas of her skin. She growled.
"You reek of another," she accused. "You want him."
"I had to," Ty Lee protested. Despite the warning rage in Azula's eyes, she ventured closer. "You don't understand."
"I saw you! "Azula screamed shrilly. Even though she had never witnessed her in Zuko's arms in real life, the dream slammed guilt through Ty Lee. She flinched. "You were fucking Zuzu! Get away from me!"
Ty Lee clutched Azula's sleeve and the hostile rage in her eyes almost forced her back. She made herself stay where she was. "Don't you know it's YOU I love? YOU that I truly want? Azula, please, look at me!"
Azula looked, her rage hard and unrelenting. Ty Lee saw a trace flash of uncertainty in her gaze. She latched upon it.
"Look at me. I love you. I need you…. I had to do what you saw…"
"You smell of Zuzu through and through," Azula complained. "You can't tell me you LOVE me when you have his seed on and in you. Love is for fools."
"Fine. So, I'm a fool," Ty Lee agreed. She clutched Azula's face in her palms and pulled her face down to her. "Look at me…."
Azula turned her gaze to Ty Lee. Ty Lee could feel the flashes of rage and hurt in her chi. She surged her chi forward to dance around Azula's, trying to fill in the chinks. Despite herself, Azula melted toward her. Ty Lee leaned gladly into her warmth as her arms slid around her naked back.
"If you love me, you'll wear my scent, not HIS," Azula hissed. She pulled at fastenings, opening her tunic and unlacing her trousers. Ty Lee gasped as she was yanked against Azula's torso. Her mouth was opened with Azula's tongue and she clung to her princess, taking everything she had to give her. "You'll want my cock in you….MY seed in you….all over you….shit….."
As she murmured those words, Azula lowered Ty Lee to the ground. The stone of the temple floor was strangely warm (again, dream logic did not correspond with real life semantics) and Ty Lee was warmed by Azula's muscular frame settling over her. Her legs spread for her and when Azula thrust inside with one hard stroke, Ty Lee cried out.
"Yes…..Azula….yes…" she murmured. The look Azula flashed her was of hard concentration and acceptance. Her hands clutched Ty Lee's thighs, holding her open as she thrust in and out at a relenting pace. Just when she was about to come, and Azula's head was tilting back as she rode her own pleasure, Ty Lee woke. She slit an eye open, hearing a small snuffle.
Zuko had left one candle burning and it provided a very dim light so she could make out the edge of Izumi's cheek beside her. She breathed deeply in her sleep. Ty Lee touched her tiny hand, even as her body surged with remembered lust. What on earth could that dream mean? It certainly spelled her own love and want of her daughter's sire, but maybe a warning. Or a hint of hope?
Ty Lee made out Zuko in the dim light and her heart surged with guilt. Most of it was for Azula's sake, but also, for Zuko falling in love with her. He didn't have to say it, but she knew his feelings had shifted dramatically. He had asked to mark her, after all. He thought she was going to stay with him and Mai. And Ty Lee DID want to. Especially with how content Zuko made her feel at most moments, and Mai was coming around. She knew she had her daughter to thank for that, but they were growing into a team of sorts.
And it killed Ty Lee inside what she was going over in her mind. She closed her eyes, feeling tears prick the corner of her lashes. She leaned close to Zuko and kissed the side of his temple. "I'm so sorry…." She whispered.
Zuko snored softly.
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Azula leaned into the trunk of a frozen tree. Despite the temperature and the soldiers around her, she had fallen to a fast sleep, tilting her head back against the icy bark. Zirin stood guard over her, keeping the milling soldiers from wandering too close and waking the princess.
Ever since the announcement of Zuko's heir being born, Azula's sleep had been erratic at best, nonexistent at worse. She had ordered the soldiers and Kemurikage to pack up and take a hike through the icy woods from Sachiko's estate with her. Zirin hazarded they'd do an about-face and head back, and that Azula was testing the surrounding icy terrains for far they could travel from the estate.
The hills and forests were still iced over and the winds had picked up in fits of storms. Azula's plan of expanding their hike would have to be cut short. She had announced a break, and hunkered down against a tree, falling asleep almost instantly. That she had done so was shocking, but Zirin would let her rest. It had been awhile since she'd gotten any.
As the princess slept, head half lolled to the side, the firebenders in the Kemurikage flexed their chi over her, keeping her warm. Azula was lost in the folds of her black and purple cloak, hood pulled low over her head. Her red lips parted as she dreamed….
She was utterly warm in her dream surroundings. She was inside a luxurious bed chamber, pulling warm red covers off the reclining naked body in front of her. Ty Lee slept, one arm flung over her head. Her body was completely open to her. Her nipples were stiff despite the warmth of the room and Azula shed her clothes, climbing up after her. She had moved Ty Lee's thighs open and rested half against her, her lips and hands roaming.
Ty Lee gasped in her sleep, when Azula's fingers slid a nipple between them. Her mouth ran up her breast and sucked the peak. Ty Lee woke, gasping. She crooned, noticing Azula, and widened her thighs around her waist. Azula grinned as she settled between them. Her shift had already happened on her way in the door; her erect cock throbbed against pink wet lips. Ty Lee moaned her approval when Azula slowly ground against her. Ty Lee's wetness dampened the underside of her cock.
"Azula….morning…" Ty Lee murmured. She pressed a smear of soft kisses along the side of Azula's head. Azula craned up and caught her mouth with her own. Her tongue entered Ty Lee's lips and began a non-subtle thrusting motion to match her hip's movements. Azula didn't tense or worry when Ty Lee's hands wandered down the muscles along her back. She clutched the small of the princess' back and pressed hard, urging her.
"Well….past…morning…" Azula murmured into Ty Lee's mouth. She settled on her elbows, strangely keeping off of the acrobat's belly. The dream told her she was certain her somewhat mate was pregnant, and this time with her pup. Her cock gave a happy twitch at the thought. Ty Lee grasped the back of her neck, fingers sifting through long black hair. She pulled Azula tightly against her, kissing her deeply. "I came….here….still….sleeping…."
"Inside….. where…you….belong…." Ty Lee murmured against her mouth. Her soft mouth latched onto Azula's throat and her kisses were nipping. "'Zula…."
"Always…" Azula felt a fine line of sweat bead down her jaw. She leaned up and probed for Ty Lee's opening. She loved the feel of shaking along the acrobat's thighs as she waited. "You might be…..already…."
"Might be…." Ty Lee gave a sly grin, looking rather like Azula did at most moments. "You should really knot me and make certain…."
Azula grinned fiercely as she pushed inside. The high gasps she pulled from her mate's throat was music of the best kind. Fully hilted, she clutched the back of Ty Lee's head in one hand. She turned her throat slightly away so she could suck on a certain spot. A mating scar, still fresh, rested beneath her lips. Azula couldn't help running her teeth along it. Ty Lee shuddered around her with each scrape of her teeth.
"Oh, 'Zula….." she cried out. Azula found herself smiling as she thrust harder….deeper….. the clinging satin walls felt so damn GOOD….
One of the soldiers shifted on a pack of impacted snow, the thump-thump waking Azula suddenly. She exhaled, breath steaming, as she found herself fully clothed, fully cold, and fully erect. Her cock tented the lap of her trousers. She exhaled steam, small hisses of blue flame erupting with the motion.
"How long was I asleep?" Azula muttered to Zirin. Zirin blinked.
"Not long," Zirin murmured. "The storm's picking up. Shall we go on?"
"Yes, dammit," Azula muttered. She rose to her feet, the cold seeping into her joints. Her right hand was bandaged, and flecks of red still stained the inside of the white linen. She stamped one boot on the snow. "We need to see how far we can get. Fuck the storm."
"As you wish," Zirin said.
"Move out!" Azula yelled. The soldiers lined up in two's and marched behind the Kemurikage.
End for now
End notes: Bum bum bum! I hope you liked it. Like it, smash that button and do that review thing 😝
Sincerely, pen
3/10/2017