Author's Disclaimer: I don't own a thing belonging to "Avatar: the last Airbender!" Nothing.

Author's notes: Thank you for tuning in, all Azula, all the time now…..

CharlieBarrow: for all the messages, suggestions and shared thoughts. Thank you :P

Maraghoul: For helping form this story at the start :P Thanks, my friend.

QueenTyzula: For sharing story prompts and nudges. Thanks :P

Harley Quinn Davidson: Thanks for the kind words :P

Lance58: Well as for that, we'll have to wait and see. Izumi could never know. Far too many people know the truth now…..

Lill: thanks for reviewing; we'll see :P

"Stoking the Fire"

Chapter fifty-six "Garden Visit"

"She really should be walking around. You said yourself she's forming an ulcer at her ankles. The restraints aren't doing her any good!" Ty Lee protested. She still looked exhausted, but was more rested. Azula lay propped against the pillows, wrists and ankles enclosed in the iron manacles. She blinked.

"I don't think that is a good idea. We were given….express orders to keep her restrained. Until she showed signs of healing," One of the bearded men admitted. Azula slunk in on herself.

"By my uncle?" she mumbled. She sounded small, and utterly unlike herself. Ty Lee frowned.

"I'll be with her. As well as Ying and Tsung. Those imperial soldiers I've seen downstairs will no doubt follow us. Where is Lord Takumi?" Ty Lee demanded.

"I'm here, Lady Ty Lee." Lord Takumi swept in, robes flaring. He gave Ty Lee a small polite smile. "I agree with you. We'll release Azula for the afternoon. Under supervision of course."

Ty Lee almost relaxed. "Thank you, my lord."

But the furtive, nervous looks of Azula made her tense up. The princess didn't know what to expect. Even as she was released, and she was rubbing her wrists, Azula was slow to stand from the bed. Ty Lee touched her arm and Azula cringed openly. Ty Lee's heart sank.

Azula faltered and almost slid down as she took a few steps. Her red bed robe was loosely fastened, one shoulder peeking through. Her black hair was loose around her shoulders and the look of vulnerability was too much for Ty Lee. She wanted Azula to find her strength, even if she became cruel again. This quiet behavior was wholly unlike her. Azula hissed, as she shuffled, trying to find her footing. As the robe lapped over her ankles as she walked, Ty Lee was startled to see the purple bruises there.

"Move, princess. Circulation of the blood is key," one of the smaller bearded men said. He handed a scroll to Lord Takumi who read over it casually. Ty Lee wondered what political favor Takumi was seeking with Iroh, but she'd have to find out later.

Azula was at the chamber door, shuffling out. Ty Lee kept pace. The door to Ying and Tsung's bed chamber opened and the two looked startled. They were dressed and hurried to flank the princess. Whether to restrain her or help, Azula didn't know. She shuddered.

"I'm alright!" she snapped. Ty Lee gave a small smile, even though Tsung sighed obnoxiously at the tone she received.

"Lord Takumi gave the word for a walk," Ty Lee explained.

"We'll go with you," Ying said. She looked flushed, as if they dressed in a hurry. Ty Lee was too tired to congratulate her friend, but she had a feeling what they'd been doing.

Azula scraped down the stone steps, holding onto the high stone wall for purchase as she descended. There was a high crack at the top of the stone wall and Ty lee flicked her eyes up at it as they went. The structure of the manor seemed intact, so she tried to put it out of her mind. But flicking her eyes from the disheveled princess up to the damage in the stone wall put trepidation through Ty Lee. She hesitated and touched Azula's sleeve.

Azula raised her head, her golden eyes looking glassy and unfocused. Ty Lee clutched her arm softly, trying to reach her.

"I'm here. Can you see me?" Ty Lee asked in a small voice. Azula gave a small nod.

"Yes."

"Good."

With those simple words, the four headed into the manor gardens. Cherry blossom trees were carefully attended to by the servants, and a few bowed toward Ty Lee. She wondered if they knew who she really was, aside from being nobility. Azula swept past the servants, toward the flower beds. There was a throng of fire lilies that were carefully being cultivated from buds. The tiny green stems poked from the tended soil. They were carefully separated from the other flowers, because fire lilies usually only grew on a certain small island of the Fire Nation. Many estates tried to cultivate and encourage them to grow, and only a marginal few were successful.

Ty Lee paused, wondering about Azula's stare as she gazed at the green stems poking from the soil. The royal palace fire lilies were a sight to behold, a riot of red flowers as vibrant as blood. Ty Lee remembered playing among them with Zuko, Azula and Mai. Zuko had given her one of them as a gift, and Azula had challenged him to Agni Kai. Her young age didn't deflect the serious accusation.

Zuko had puffed his chest out and accepted. Before the two could strip down and commence attacking, Lady Ursa had swept through the gardens putting a stop to the shenanigans. Ty Lee wondered if Azula remembered that day, when tears suddenly sprang into the princess's eyes.

"Azula, what is it?" she asked. Azula covered her mouth with one hand to stifle her sounds of anguish.

"I don't know," she lied. But she could see the childish visage of her brother harden and become the man he was today, the man who had claimed what she had wanted. Azula's vision of Ty Lee grew hazy as tears flooded from her eyes. She sank to her knees beside the buds of fire lilies, sobbing. In her irrational state, Azula viewed the buds as unfinished, broken, much like she was. It was too much.

Ty Lee knelt to touch her shoulder. Azula lay in the grass and ignored her. Tears sprang to Ty Lee's eyes.

"Please, let me help you!" Ty Lee whispered. Azula swept her anguished look over to her.

"What are you doing here?" she whispered. Ty Lee frowned sadly at her. But she didn't leave her side. Ying and Tsung stood apart, unable and unwilling to leave. Ying's hand sought her girlfriend's and Tsung squeezed back.

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Zirin grumbled as she sat astride her chicken-horse. Finally, the uncle and the royal mother were on the move again in their carriage. They sure had taken their sweet time leaving too. Zirin kept a slow pace, making sure to keep the carriage out of sight. She was doing fine following its tracks, and didn't want to risk bumping into them.

She felt she was too late in getting to Azula as it was. If the carriage stopped for any sort of "break" not associated with pissing in the bushes, Zirin was going to set fire to the trees. Now she knew how Azula felt when she lost her temper. Slow going was like to drive her mad.

Inside the carriage, Ursa and Iroh leaned against each other. Ursa was idly stroking the man's thigh through his robes. Iroh grinned at her. Her heat was barely over, but the afterglow was enough to make him smile like a loon. Ursa looked rather pleased with herself. They had bathed before leaving for the day, and they had needed it. Iroh went over the sexual positions they had gone through, blushing to himself. He was no strange to a good run in bed, but this heat had had him more worked up than most.

Ursa laid her head against his shoulder as the carriage bounced along. "When we…..arrive at the estate, can I see Azula?"

Regret slammed through Iroh. "I don't think that's a good idea. Not right away."

When Ursa's face fell, as duty descended upon them, he tilted her chin up with one finger. "We'll get her the help she needs. I promise."

Ursa kissed his wrist and settled against his shoulder. "Yes…" In her mind, Ursa reminded herself to send a messenger hawk back to give greetings to her child….and husband. In her heart of hearts, Ursa couldn't believe she'd fallen to Iroh during her heat. Guilt would come eventually, but right this moment, she couldn't feel bad about it.

The carriage swayed on and on through the forest.

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"Any word?" Suki asked. Zuko paused in one of his firebending katas. He took an offered towel from the Kyoshi Warrior and mopped his sweaty brow.

"Not yet. I don't know how long it takes to follow a trail, but nothing yet from the hunters," Zuko admitted. He didn't know If that was a good or bad thing. Suki did a few idle forms with her fan in one hand. She smiled when Zuko imitated her form.

"Want me to teach you?" she asked. Zuko nodded. His tunic was sleeveless and the play of muscle along his biceps made her eye them thoughtfully.

"Please. Want to go outside?"

"Snow's gone, but it's still too cold for my liking," Suki said. Zuko gave her a wry look.

"Don't you wish you could firebend. Okay, in here."

"With pleasure." Suki was thrilled their bantering was on friendly terms, even if she could only dream for a moment beyond it. She snapped herself out of it and took up a stance. "Hold your hand this way, as if you had a fan."

"The weapon of choice," Zuko agreed. He sounded interested instead of playful. Suki blushed.

"Move your wrist this way…. then pivot on your back foot, and kick high," Suki said, demonstrating. Zuko copied her movements. After a few times in sequence, they moved as one unit. Zuko looked more relaxed as he moved through the forms.

"My lord," one of the advisors gained entrance to the gym. Suki and Zuko stopped their kata. Suki stood at attention beside the waiting Fire Lord. "Lord Genma has taken his wife back to their estate. How do you wish to proceed?"

"House arrest, of course." Zuko made it sound casual, as if he were ordering lunch. "I won't have a council member trying me."

"Of course, my lord. The lords and ladies on Shun's list have been arrested as well, their children held in their estates under watch. Shall we begin questioning?"

"Without a doubt," Zuko agreed. He idly mopped the sweat from his brow with a towel. "Azula's little coup is all dried up and we're going to keep it that way."

The lord bowed, clutching his scroll to his chest. "Of course…."

Suki left with Zuko. Two of the Kyoshi Warriors peeled from the hallway outside and flanked them. They met with Mai and his half-sister sitting opposite Noren. The grey-haired man looked a little startled, but kept it well in pace. Kiyi chattered excitedly with Mai and Zuko smiled. After their visit, Zuko was alone with his wife, Suki, and child. Izumi yawned and closed her eyes.

"Your child will be kept safe," Suki murmured, as if reading Zuko's thoughts. He looked up, surprised, at his friend. Suki blushed through her make-up. "If Ty Lee hopes to gentle Azula's rages, well, she would give up claim to the throne."

"And hopefully Izumi," Mai murmured. She rocked her child protectively.

"She can't know. Ever," Zuko fretted. Secretly, he hoped Ty Lee would remain loyal to his having Izumi as she had promised. She had to!

"We've got things covered, Zuko," Suki said. Mai smiled at their friend.

"You Kyoshi Warriors always do. We're lucky to have you on our side."

"Isn't anyone that has a friend in the Kyoshi Warriors?" Suki joked. Zuko was glad to see Suki and his wife bantering easily together. He had ignored his friend for too long, so wrapped up in his anxiety and fear for Ty Lee that he was. That and his daughter. The abduction of Azula by Ty Lee of all people made him fear he'd wake up and lose it all, throne, family and child.

Mai seemed to be getting on better with Suki as it was. Not one hint of jealousy was in her features as she joked with the woman. Given Suki's confession of love to him, he would take the easy friendship she extended. Mai certainly liked her.

Zuko leaned into Mai's side, gazing down at his daughter's sleeping face. He could only hope, rather childishly, he admitted, that Azula would remain lost.

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Azula remained lost.

The sunlight peering into the manor gardens blurred her vision and the worried visage of Ty Lee melded into the smiling face of her youth when they were in the Earth Kingdom. Even Tsung and Ying's quiet whispering melded into the harsh wind of the plains they had once crossed.

"Azula?" Ty Lee asked. Worried pinched her pretty features. Azula blinked, her vision blurring. Ty Lee was suddenly smiling into her face, her imperial tunic and trousers gone. She was instead clad in her old pink outfits. Azula was pleased to see her cleavage bouncing with each step. "Azula!"

"I'm here." Clad in the dust of her memories, Azula's vision dimmed utterly, taking in Ty Lee as she had been, long before she'd ensnared her and been claimed by Zuko. Zuzu was on the run with Uncle, and they were with the imperial soldiers. The Earth Kingdom campaign had taken on a long bend, with the party traveling by metal carriage, but Azula didn't mind.

They traveled out of sight of the local villages, and her end goal was Ba Sing Se. And wouldn't Father have to bite his tongue if she conquered the capital? No one else in Fire Nation history had done it. Only a great-great-aunt had managed to get close through marriage. She had been married to the Earth King's brother, and had brought a lot of influence, but still that was as close as the Fire Nation got.

"What are you thinking about?" Ty Lee of the past grinned up into her face. Azula brought her gaze between them down toward the girl's cleavage. Her hand trailed up the flat surface of Ty Lee's bare belly.

"That Father's going to pin me down with a stupid proposal to get married. Zuzu could never come back, after all. Good riddance."

"I dunno, Azula. I hope Zuko's okay, no matter where he is." Ty Lee said. Azula blinked, the current time flashing with the memory. But Ty Lee slung her arms around Azula's neck, getting close. In that moment, Azula remembered her cock growing stiff between them as Ty Lee pressed against her. "Maybe the Fire Lord will let you do as you please. There's gotta be a way to penetrate Ba Sing Se and gain entrance…."

Ty Lee probably hadn't meant it as a double entendre but Azula's mind went red with sudden passion. Her arms slung around Ty Lee's waist; her hands went low and gripped the girl by her ass. "I'm thinking of a different penetration…." Ty Lee gasped as Azula ground against her through their clothes. "Isn't that what you meant?"

Ty Lee's face pinked in a blush. "I….Azula…."

"Aw geez. Don't you ever get enough?" Mai called. Ty Lee pressed her cheek to Azula's shoulder, blushing.

"But we haven't…." Ty Lee made to say when Azula pinched her waist. They may not have lain together yet, but the way Ty Lee was going with her teasing, that could change very soon. "Oooh…"

"I swear, you two are making this trip extra lame. Just get it over with so we can scheme already," Mai groused. But Azula could tell when she was teasing.

"Or maybe you'd rather come to my room instead?" Azula teased. Ty Lee tightened her arms around Azula's neck.

"No. She can't," she insisted. Mai rolled her eyes but agreed.

"Thanks for the offer."

The metal walkways of the carriage dissolved and Azula blinked hard. Sunlight was flashing in her eyes and she shielded them. She was no longer in the imperial tunic and trousers, instead a bannering bed robe. She was on her knees, fingers twisting in grass. Azula blinked rapidly, trying to see, and turned her gaze to the side. Ty Lee was kneeling with her, eyes wide with concern. Her small hand was over Azula's, squeezing her fingers.

And Azula was dismayed to see she was squeezing her back. The years slammed by from the memory, and Zuko and his daughter stood between them. Azula bowed her head, long hair falling over her face.

"I'm tired."

"…Off course. Let's get you back to bed," Ty Lee tried to sound cheerful but she was struggling to hold onto her strength. A fresh pair of hands helped her rise and Azula cringed before recognizing one of the Kyoshi Warriors, sans robe and make-up. Ying was smiling, but Tsung looked hard-pressed behind her.

Azula tripped, her discolored ankle twitching. Tsung clasped her elbow tightly, steadying her. The four women left the gardens and the sunlight behind. Azula cast one look over her shoulder at the buds. Sighing, she let the heavy door of the manor close behind them. They ascended the stone steps slowly, Azula's usual confidant stride worn thin.

The healers were ready the instant Azula was led back in. She was led straight to the bed after a trip to the chamber pot, and her wrist restraints were re-fastened. Ty Lee sat in the overstuffed chair beside the bed and Azula watched her with a still gaze. Ty Lee's beauty was still apparent, even riddled with grief lines. Grief? She wouldn't grieve over her. She was probably missing Zuzu.

And the child. She HAD had a child. Ty Lee was thinking about the princess. And possibly Zuzu. Azula's mood darkened as the sun set slowly outside. Ying and Tsung helped close the heavy curtains. Ying helped one of the healers carry a bowl of fresh water to the bedside.

At her gesture, Azula stared, and pushed the robe up to her knees. Ty Lee took the offered wet rag and carefully washed out a cut along her calf. They seemed to finally be healing up.

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The moon rose high into the night sky. Lord Takumi peeked out of his study window, studying the pure white crescent. He closed the curtains slowly and tidied up the scrolls on his desk. His fingers grazed a sealing block, and he straightened it before it could fall. An outline of a lotus blossom was etched into the back of the block.

Takumi left the rest of the mess for his servants and walked down the corridors. At one bedchamber, he knocked and was admitted in by the servants.

"Your father's health is good today. He still can't stand, but we have hope he will find the strength soon."

Takumi smiled to show his thanks and moved to the large canopied bed. His father had always been a tall man, but his limbs were lost beneath the piles of covers. His face was gaunt and pinched with pain.

"Takumi," he said. Takumi sat at his side. "I trust you know what you're doing. The Fire Lord won't like that you've agreed to house his sister."

Takumi knew he could sway his father to his decision. "At least she's so out of it, we're not in danger of her burning down the estate."

His father made a pained face, clutching his chest. "That's not funny, son."

"Sorry, Father."

"When is Lord Iroh arriving?" His father tried to adjust his position on the bed. One of the servants helped prop him against his pillows.

"He was due a few days ago. I hope he's not been waylaid."

"Iroh will do as he sees fit. Don't worry, son."

"I'm not," Takumi admitted.

End for now

End notes: All Azula, all the time, as promised. Like it, smash that button and do that review thing :P

Sincerely, pen

8/18/2017