Author's Disclaimer: I don't own a thing belonging to "Avatar: The Last Airbender." Nada thing.
Author's Notes: And here we are at the end. I can't describe the smiles I got reading your guy's reviews. Thanks for sticking with this story. Sequel to come hopefully soon. I have a major event planned for the beginning but may have to sidle into the baby angle first.
Maraghoul: for helping form this story's skeleton, I am thankful.
QueenTyzula: for all the nudges and ideas, my thanks.
Harley Quinn Davidson: thanks for always reviewing!
CharlieBarrow: The idea for the lava/wedding rings came from Charlie, so thanks for the all-out idea I used :P
FanofJellicles: Hmm we'll see :P
Brittana4lyfe: Sequel is a coming :P Thank you for the kind reviews.
All the guests: Thanks for giving a word or two even as guests. Thanks a million.
"Stoking the Fire"
Chapter seventy-six "The Birth"
"Should we have waited for all this?" Ying asked. She was a few months along and still looked in good fighting shape; the only differences noticeable were her rounder breasts and slight baby bump. Tsung still made her recline on a long beach chair in the shade. She leaned down to kiss her wife's hair tenderly.
"Ty dreamt it. I'm making it a reality," Azula said. She kept her ramrod stance as she watched the old man she'd hired to blacksmith her task. She, Ty Lee, Zirin, Tsung and Ying had traveled a few small islands over for its well-known active volcano; it had a far lengthier name in original Fire Nation dialect, but Ty Lee had taken it to calling it 'Sir Spews A lot' after a few of the locals gravely pointed out its location to the party. The Fire Sages had it written that Agni himself had formed out of that very volcano, body burning to form the Fire Islands in his image. His consort, Lady Sea, had joined in a tumultuous bond that had formed the islands through the steam of their embrace.
But Azula didn't care about those legends. Her very pregnant mate was asleep on her own beach chair, legs sprawled, and hands on her belly. She had popped, and popped well, and it was a wonder she could get her legs under her to stand up at all. Everyone thought it must be more than one and Lo and Li had confirmed they could feel more than two, which made Ty Lee pale and Azula laugh. When Ty Lee had threatened to full and well freak out in private, Azula had calmed her. She had promised to do everything, to help, and hire on nurses if they needed the break. Ty Lee had only calmed under her mate's promise. She could feel her mate's love swirl through her chi so what did Ty Lee have to fear? Aside from not getting any more sleep for a few more years.
Besides, Ty Lee had asked for rings and to elope, and Azula could only oblige her. She had climbed the famed volcano peak herself, with only Zirin, leaving Tsung to guard the pregnant women. She had climbed down into the peak, laid the pieces of gold into the stream of molten lava herself, waited for them to meld, and collected the mixed metals in a ceramic container carefully.
Zirin was reverent, but Azula cracked that she preferred her to Tsung right now. Tsung was very protective of her wife and hadn't wanted to leave her at all. It was starting to get annoying, really. But Azula was secretly glad that she did have them as friends. It was rare for her to make a friend. So as Tsung fussed over Ying, Azula sat in the shade of Ty Lee's umbrella, watching ruefully.
As her mate slept and the old man hammered on and on, tongs in one hand, other arm pistoning the hammer blows up and down on the jewelry, Azula laid her hand carefully along Ty Lee's huge belly. It really did pump her alpha pride that she had sired more than one. Her virility needn't be questioned, and she knew it was just going to jab Zuzu even more once the birth came. Azula kept her chi soothing as she felt along her mate's belly. The life within responded, small kicks rapped up against her fingers. Azula smiled, rubbing the area and trying to calm the pups before they could wake Ty Lee. She couldn't sense how many there were, but she knew they could sense her, and it made her heart do stupid things. It had to be love. Azula got the same feeling whenever her mate smiled at her.
The man grunted and rubbed his left wrist across his sweaty brow. He carefully picked up the newly crafted rings with his tongs and set them in a bucket of water. Steam wafted up rapidly. He set the two rings carefully on his forge and called out. "Princess, I'll be needing your help now."
Azula had requested this. She strode over to the man and extended her right hand, summoning her fire. She bent the flame craftily over the viable rings of gold, imprinting her name and Ty Lee's and the date. Satisfied, she crossed her arms. The man nodded, satisfied as well.
"Congratulations, Princess Azula. The Fire Sages are ready for you both now," he said. Azula nodded. She handed the old man a handful of gold coins and went to collect her mate. The man applied his own firebending, drawing out as much heat from the newly forged rings as he could. The rings were new, but they would be at a good temperature to wear.
Zirin waited in the shade of her own tree, ankles crossed, as Azula knelt beside Ty Lee's chair. Her hand descended, as always, on the swell of her pups. She leaned to kiss Ty Lee's lips softly, pouring soft waves of love and assurance into her mate's chi. Ty Lee felt it, and slowly began to wake. Azula could feel her fatigue clinging to her eyelids, but Ty Lee forced herself to consciousness.
"Azula?"
Azula streamed light kisses across her mate's face. "Slowly….we have time," she murmured. Ty Lee sat up, crying out in pain. Azula readied her with a steady arm.
"Everything is so sore. How are you going to put up with me?" Ty Lee complained. Azula knew it was only because of her pregnancy. She held her mate's hands and rubbed them gently over their children.
"Because you're beautiful. And carrying my pups. And did I say beautiful?" Azula kissed her mate's cheek. Ty Lee purred into it but still grimaced as she tried to swing her legs to the side and Azula had to help her stand.
"Flatterer," Ty Lee said. She smoothed out her long dress and looked her mate up and down. The sun was high overhead, but Azula didn't break a sweat in her fine tunic and trousers. "Everyone coming?"
"Oh spirits, help," Ying protested. Tsung helped her stand easily and Zirin peeled from the shade.
"So we can offer our congratulations and all that," the Kemurikage said. Ty Lee clutched Azula's arm as they made their way to the wooden structure of the island's fire temple.
The Fire Sage officiating was young; his beard was fully black, and he seemed to sense when not to draw out parts of the ceremony. Particularly the story of Agni's appearance in the local region, and when he tried to name Azula's lineage of course landing on Fire Lord Sozin first (as if everything began with him, Azula thought with a sneer), Ty Lee gave a shake of her head. The man stumbled and read on. Azula smirked as she slid Ty Lee's ring onto her finger. She held her hand out and felt something shift in her heart when Ty Lee slid her ring on.
Finally, the sage spread his hands to the ceiling.
"Use Agni's fire and become one. Kiss your bride."
Azula smiled. Finally, a part she could get behind. Ty Lee closed her eyes. Azula's kiss was surprisingly chaste, but given her condition and the surroundings, she would forgive it.
Zirin and the Kyoshi Warriors applauded as they separated.
"Well, guess you already started on the honey moon," Ying teased. She slung her arm in Ty Lee's. The acrobat groaned.
"I feel like I have to pee every five minutes. This part is not fun!" she admitted.
Azula gently helped her along as they left the temple. "Where shall we eat?"
"Local inn has a good spot. At least it's not too shabby," Tsung said. Zirin shrugged.
"This is all peasant swill anyhow."
"We technically fall under the peasant category," Tsung remarked. Zirin gave a wry smile. Azula helped lift Ty Lee across the inn's front door threshold and her mate clasped her, giggling.
8
8
8
8
8
8
8
8
8
8
"Mother?" Zirin asked. The servants at her family estate had let her in right away, recognizing a mistress of the house, but her mother did not look pleased to have her afternoon upended.
"Spirits alive, child! How did you get out of there, Zirin? When we heard you'd broken out of the institution, I thought your father and I were going to have a heart attack," Zirin's mother complained.
"Well, don't have them just yet," Azula said. She followed at Zirin's elbow and was pleased when her mother recognized her and fell to her knees.
"Princess Azula….I didn't know…you'd gotten out…" Zirin's mother blabbered.
"Stuff it, Mother," Zirin snapped. "Princess Azula is here to enforce my wishes. See, it pays to be loyal. But you weren't loyal to your own child, were you?"
"There were too many of you," Zirin's mother snapped. She glowered, letting her true thoughts out on her lined face. "Who was to inherit? You weren't even in line anyways."
"So you had to get rid of me?!" Zirin yelled. Her fists lined with fire. Azula watched her oldest companion, concern for her tugging at her. But seeing the glower on her mother's face steeled Azula's decision.
"You will lose all you hold dear; you, your husband, as well as all of the elder siblings," Azula ordered.
The woman blanched up at the princess then scoffed. "You can't do that, Princess! Only the Fire Lord can dictate such a decree!"
Azula unrolled a scroll of parchment and waved it in the woman's face. "And by decree of the Fire Lord….get out."
Azula couldn't keep the smirk off her face as imperial soldiers stormed into the estate, grabbing servants and family members, slapping restraints and backhanding those that wouldn't get out fast enough. Zirin's mother had no way of knowing that it was Mai who had signed off on this royal decree, but no matter. Zirin would get her wish and really, it was all legal. Azula had no doubt Mai would force Zuko to keep this transaction intact.
Azula strode down the corridors with her friend. "Well, is this to your liking, Lady Zirin?"
"I've half a mind to torch this place to the ground," Zirin growled. She looked around, irritation all over her pinched features. "Make certain my family can never enter here again, will you?"
"You're not even going to enjoy your rewards? I could send a few omegas your way to christen the family house," Azula offered.
Zirin shook her head abruptly. "The institution held fonder days for me than here! I…thank you for everything, princess. But I'll be heading back to Ember Island with you. You'll need help with all those pups."
"Get your own pups," Azula scoffed, but offered a rare smile. "Thanks."
"Don't get soft on me, princess."
"Yeah, Ty's softened me up enough as it is."
"Let's head back."
Zirin delighted in locking up every door and window and securing the front gates with enough padlocks to keep out a rhino-bear. As she strode away from her family home, Zirin felt much lighter. They'd gotten what she felt was deserved, and she was going where she was wanted.
8
8
8
8
8
8
8
8
8
8
"Azula?" Ty Lee asked. Her mate let her bed robe fall open as she stepped into the bed room. She closed the door and padded to the bed, feeling through the darkness.
"I'm here. I didn't go far. Zirin was checking on Ying and Tsung. She's back now," Azula murmured. She leaned against the pillows, letting Ty Lee cuddle against her strength. Azula didn't even mind when Ty Lee's added weight pressed her into the pile of pillows. She relaxed and spread her knees, letting Ty Lee rest along her torso. Her hand descended on her mate's hip, rubbing.
Ty Lee watched her mate with a soft look. "You always look after me. After us."
"And I'm going to keep doing so," Azula promised. She leaned down as Ty Lee tried to push up. Their lips met shortly. Ty Lee murmured and Azula craned her neck down to kiss her again. It wasn't comfortable for her, but her mate was round with her pups. She could at least meet her halfway.
Ty Lee settled against Azula's naked musculature and sighed. "I can't stop touching you….I'll go crazy if you go away from me too long."
Azula nodded in the darkness. Ty Lee's hopeful babbles brought to mind exactly how her mind worked now that her mate was pregnant. Possessive want swirled through her, and if she wasn't touching close to or touching Ty Lee in some way, Azula found herself growing agitated easily.
"Then I'll stay here. You can't get up without me anyways," Azula murmured. Ty Lee swatted her side.
"Could take me awhile but I could!" Ty Lee protested. Azula rubbed her side, caressed her breasts and rubbed down along the wide expanse of her belly.
"Even if you couldn't, I'm here," Azula agreed. Feeling her mate's content purrs against her told her she'd spoken right.
8
8
8
8
8
8
8
8
8
8
"Ty, are you up?" Azula asked one morning. It was just before dawn, the grey light transitioning between night's end and day's beginning. She woke to Ty Lee's side of the bed empty and swung her legs over the side of the mattress to stand up, stretching. Glancing at the cradles and baby supplies in the corner of the room, Azula felt a moment of trepidation. There were four cradles pushed side by side. Without knowing how many babies were in her mate, it was all they could think to do.
She shambled towards the washroom. "Ty Lee?"
"In here!" Ty Lee's voice was high and excited from the connecting washroom. Azula raised an eyebrow and stumbled in. She was naked and too in need of her mate to search for clothes. Ty Lee was half dressed, in an over-sized shift that made her look like a bleached whale. Her belly pushed the fabric out grotesquely and there was a huge stain on the front.
"Did you miss?" Azula gestured to the toilet bowl. Ty Lee made a face, touching herself gingerly. She looked excited, pale and sick all at once.
"My water broke, Zula," Ty Lee said. Azula's eyes widened. Her eyes darted down then up to her mate's excited smile.
"You could have woken me!" she gasped. Ty Lee leaned against the sink, rubbing her belly helplessly.
"It happened a little bit ago. Help me?" she held her hands out and Azula hurriedly rushed to steady her, walking her back to the bed. "Well, guess it's happening here."
"No kidding, like we discussed!" Azula snapped. She helped Ty Lee onto the bed and leaned her against a pile of pillows. "I'm getting the midwife."
"Clothes!" Ty Lee gestured to her naked state. As Azula jumped into tunic and pants, a startled moan and sniffling from her mate brought her running back to the bed.
"What! What is it?!" Azula demanded. Her eyes were wide with a touch of fear. Ty Lee sniffled through what had to be a painful pause.
"Just….labor….pains. It's worse than when Izumi came," Ty Lee gasped. Azula raised an eyebrow.
"I should say so, she was just one pup! Who knows how many you'll be blessing us with."
"Midwife," Ty Lee suggested. Azula tore through the house, startling Zirin off the sofa. She woke, and hurried after Azula on instinct, rubbing at her eyes with a sleeve.
"What is it?!" she hissed. Azula opened the back door and hopped out onto the sand barefoot.
"Ty's having the babies!" Azula made a beeline for the tent on their private beach. The midwife she had hired had come to live on the property at the end of the pregnancy to be readily accessible whenever Ty Lee was ready to deliver. And she was needed now. Azula tore the flap of the tent open. "Ty's water broke! Get up, woman!"
The middle-aged woman climbed out of her sleeping roll, pushing her messy braid over one shoulder. "That time already? Numi, get up, gather my tools, we're needed…"
The midwife's young assistant, a girl of twelve, rolled out of her own sleeping bag and collected her bag of medicinal tools and the two jogged after Azula and Zirin to the house. Once inside, all four almost tripped over Kumiko, letting herself in for the day.
"What in all seven hells!" The older servant gave a yelp. Zirin steadied her, but Azula tore back down the hallway toward her mate.
"Ty Lee's having the babies. Batten the hatches," Zirin suggested. Kumiko nodded, serious, as the midwife and her assistant followed to the back bedroom.
"I'll boil some water. And get everyone breakfast. We could be in for it for awhile today."
Zirin's stomach growled. "Good idea."
8
8
8
8
8
8
8
8
8
8
8
The labor went on all day and well into the night. The midwife assured the princess this was normal, and Ty Lee smiled bravely, but each labor pain left her limp and gasping with pain. Azula let her clutch her hand, and mopped the sweat from her face tenderly, and brought any food or water Ty Lee wanted. Zirin was amazed how attentive she was. Only Ty Lee could have made Azula this way.
Lo and Li had been sent for, but Azula made them wait in the living room. Zirin had fetched Ying and Tsung earlier, and the two helped where they could. Between labor contractions, Ty Lee joked with her friends, and teased Ying of the pain she was in for. Finally, a few hours until midnight, the midwife told Ty Lee to push. She was more than dilated enough. The moonlight filtered through the high windows of the bedroom. Azula fiddled with the pillows behind Ty Lee's head as Tsung rubbed her feet from the other end of the bed.
"What…are…you doing?" Ty Lee gasped. She gave her friend a nervous smile. Azula carefully climbed onto the bed and Ying helped lift Ty Lee up.
"Getting in, of course. Hold on, Ty." Azula carefully slid behind her mate, and Ty Lee settled in her arms and between her spread knees. Azula kissed the side of her head tenderly and traced her hands down her mate's arms. Ty Lee reached up and clasped her fingers in hers.
"Azula…."
"When you feel the call, push, darling," the midwife said. "Push hard."
Ty Lee did as bade. It took quite awhile and Azula was shocked how exhausted each attempt made her wife. She felt honestly bad for all the awesome sex that had put her in this painful predicament, at least momentarily. Finally, the midwife and assistant frantically worked at the other end of the bed and Ty Lee bore down hard, clutching her mate's hands hard enough to crack something. Azula winced but withstood it.
"Breathe, Ty….breathe," she urged in her ear. A bead of sweat rolled down the side of Ty Lee's jaw.
"Forceps….no, put that aside…." The midwife chided her assistant. Ying gasped at her friend's side, gazing between her legs. A child's cry pierced the air and Ty Lee's eyes snapped open.
"Push, darling." The midwife urged. A few more pushes and the rest of the baby's body was passed through. The midwife gauged for the next child and handed the infant to her assistant to clean.
"Hold her up!" Azula snapped, noticing the smooth genitals between the child's flailing legs. The assistant beamed, carefully holding the child up, her hand supporting the neck as her other hand cradled the chubby legs.
Ty Lee stared and Azula squeezed her fingers hard.
"WOW…." Azula whispered to her mate. "Ty, you did good…."
Tears filled Ty Lee's eyes, but the midwife tutted her. "The next is coming. Push, darling."
The second baby, another girl, slid out into the midwife's hands. She handed this one to Tsung to wrap and clean. Tsung's eyes shot up and locked with Azula. She gave a nod, showing she would care for the baby with her life. The assistant gently told her what to do and the two worked in the corner of the room on a pair of tables.
By this point, Ty Lee was a limp mess in her mate's arms. She lolled her head onto Azula's shoulder, panting. Azula couldn't fight down her protective urges. The insistent cries of their children made her long to go across the room toward them, but her mate was in her arms, weak and needing her. Azula squeezed her hands softly, kissing the side of her head and cheek.
"Is that it?" Azula asked the midwife. The woman was cleaning a few of her tools. She gently spread Ty Lee's thighs.
"I dare say this is the last one. Okay, darling, another push," the midwife urged. Ty Lee sobbed with frustration into Azula's shoulder.
"Three!" she gasped. "Azula!"
"I know, it's my fault," Azula said.
"Dammit," Ty Lee wheezed. She pushed as hard as she could, collapsing in Azula's embrace. She panted, eyes filled with tears. "I can't….."
"You can, Ty. You can, cause I'm here." Azula pumped her chi over her exhausted wife, weaving strength in the cracks in Ty Lee's aura. "Push…you're almost done…then you can rest….it'll be over…."
Ty Lee clutched her hands and gave a few more hard pushes, and lay limp as the last child was pulled from her. She could barely move any part of her but her eyes, watching as the midwife carefully cleaned their daughter's face.
"All three girls," The midwife beamed, looking thirty years younger. "Congratulations, princess, my lady."
"Congrats, Ty!" Ying, heavily pregnant herself, looked daunted, but happy for her friend. She patted Ty Lee's leg. Tsung flashed her a grin across the room as she cradled one of the girls.
"What are you going to name them?" Tsung asked. She carried the baby in her arms closer. Azula gently worked from behind her mate, staying curled against her side on the bed. She sat up beside her wife, taking the baby from Tsung. The assistant brought the firstborn girl to Ty Lee and laid the wrapped bundle in her trembling arms. Ying steadied her.
"We picked out a few. Do you think our last pick will do?" Ty Lee asked her mate. Azula's smile was tender.
"Yes."
"Aiko," Ty Lee said to the girl in her arms. The baby's squished face had so much of Azula in her features it made her want to weep. Looking from bundle to bundle, Ty Lee noted all had tufts of her mate's black hair. Azula gave a rare smile to the baby in her arms.
"Nozomi."
The midwife came closer to the bed with the third girl. "And this one?"
"Kazumi," Ty Lee said. Ying stroked her daughter's back, her hand large over the child's body.
"All fine names," Tsung said. "Look, they're sleeping…."
Azula met Ty Lee's eyes and the acrobat was startled to see a rare grin upon her mate's lips. Azula never said it out loud though it was in her eyes and actions a lot lately, but the words whispered from her lips.
"I love you, Ty," she said softly. Hardly anyone else in the room heard. But Ty Lee had. She cradled Aiko's tiny body in her arms, beaming widely. Azula leaned to kiss the tears from the corners of her eyes.
8
8
8
8
8
8
8
8
8
8
8
"Letter from Ember Island, Zuko." Mai waved the parchment to her husband, as she strode into the room. Zuko held Izumi's pudgy hands in his as he helped her walk slowly across the floor. He looked up, curious.
"Ty Lee has given birth?" he asked. Mai nodded. A small smile was on her lips.
"Three girls."
"Wow…." Zuko blinked and focused on his daughter as she faltered and sat back hard on the floor. Her robes fluttered around her as she rocked back and forth on her rear. He stepped carefully to his wife and put his arms around her. "And here I thought we had our hands full…."
The two adults didn't notice when the princess spread her hands and a stream of blue fire erupted from her small palms.
The End
End notes: This one began as a mental image and blossomed from there. It truly was a labor of love, sweat and tears and all that. Thanks for staying on the ride with me to the end. Stay tuned for the sequel! As always, if you liked, drop a review and make my day. 'Til the next story. Title will be "Raking the Coals." Stay strong, my lovelies. And drop a few words if you liked the end.
Most sincerely yours,
Pen 2/1/2018