Chapter 2

Disclaimer .I don't own Avatar the Last Airbender.

Story- Set 5 years after the series ended. A young fire nation officer is given the task of watching after Azula .Can he succeed after others had failed.

Featured- Azula/OC

Ando awoke and let out a yawn as he sat up in his bed looking around the modest quarters he had been assigned to . Today was the first full day of his job watching after Princess Azula. And if what he went through the previous day was just the beginning he wondered what lay ahead of him . His legs had slowly recovered and his back while still slightly stiff was manageable. He moved out of bed and walked over to where his uniform lay across a chair. Taking his time to make sure everything was correct and clean Ando stood in front of a mirror and gave himself a once over. His dark eyes stared back at him and the fringe of his hair swept across his brow. He had just started his hair a bit longer before he was assigned the opportunity to watch over Princess Azula so if he got a free moment it might be an option to get a hair cut sooner than later. The sound of bell's came into his room signalling the new hour beginning .Normally Ando would have just let it pass but his mind at that moment replayed the last word's Princess Azula said to him causing Ando to rush out of his room without time for a quick meal.

"Oh man I'm gonna be late move Ando " he said to himself running through the court yard of the palace avoiding any who were in his path and barely getting out apologises to those he bumped into. Breathless he reached Azula's quarter's with barely a moment to spare as she entered the dining area followed by a couple of close attendants . Ando knelt down and his eyes followed as Azula took her seat and waited breakfast to be served. She let out a small yawn then shifted her eyes towards him intently watching Ando that it made him slightly nervous.

"Good to see your on time pity the last one who was late had a long string of excuses and I was curious to see what you'd come up with" Azula spoke as her breakfast was served. She bade Ando to sit across from her and watched as he obliged. She could sense his nervousness and smiled to herself already plotting how to work the young man til he ran crying to Zuzu like the other's had. The rest of breakfast went quietly before Azula left to go get her clothes for the day leaving Ando to his own devices for the time being. He stood and walked around the room noting how bare it seemed . Azula had barely any pictures and apart from a large fire nation crest upon the wall nothing very recent was to be found. She did to Ando's surprise have some books mostly to do with military tactics and advanced fire bending that was way ahead of what was taught to him at the fire nation academy. He was skimming through one when Azula returned and hurriedly put it back as he awaited her first orders.

"I have a lot of work for you to do so don;t think for one moment I'll let you slack off" Azula spoke her tone firm and with a hint of menace. She bade him rise and as his first task had Ando arrange for pull cart to take her over to the Fire sage's temple. Once this was done instead of getting a servant to pull the cart she had Ando do it . Ando looked aghast but kept his complaints to himself as he carted Azula to the temple and waited outside as she wanted to speak with the sage privately and that the matter did not concern him. Ando bowed and watched her go and waited by the cart as the sun broke out and a warm wind swept across the temple walls.

Two hours later.

Ando watched as Princess Azula returned and helped her up into the cart .She said nothing and her face showed no sign of weather her talk with the Fire sage went well or worse. Ando started heading back to her quarters when she tapped on the door.

"I'm not heading back to my quarters yet take me to the royal garden's" she said then sat back. She knew that Ando would have been tired from waiting under the hot sun and his legs from running her the long way to the temple from her quarters would be taxing. She did consider easing up on him but dismissed the motion as the fun of wearing him grew the longer she toyed with him. They arrived at the garden's and Azula stepped out and walked to the pound to observe the turtle ducks. Ando set the cart down and watched her. The royal garden's was one of his favourite places in the whole capital and he often went there when he needed to think.

"I guess even she needs a place to be alone with her thoughts" he said to himself watching as Azula walked along the grass. So far he felt things had gone well and yet the worry that Azula could change that in an instant nagged away at Ando. He was brought out of these thought's when he looked up to see Fire lord Zuko enter the garden's. Ando watched as the Fire lord approached his sister who turned her back barely acknowledging his presence. A few moments later Azula walked back to Ando and ordered him to take her back to her quarters . They rode back in silence and Azula exited the cart and turned to Ando.

"You can go for the rest of this afternoon but I want you back here sundown as the Fire Lord has kindly invited me to dinner and we don;'t want to disappoint him now" Azula spoke in a tone that said she'd rather be anywhere but the Fire nation that evening. Ando nodded and turned to leave but Azula held out her hand.

"What is your name I best know it before I forget considering I might be stuck with you for a while yet" . Ando's eye's widened and his tongue became tied and in a low voice he replied.

"It's Ando your highness" he spluttered out. Azula smirked as the young man was amazed that she wanted to know what the poor fools name was. She nodded then dismissed him wanting to be alone before the evening comes and she must grace the Fire lord with her presence.

To be continued.

Author's note.

Hi everyone hope you enjoyed the 2nd chapter . Thanks to RJCA27 and CKA for the comments and I hope I've got Azula's personality right so far and promise Ando's background will be revealed soon hopefully within the next chapter or two.

Comments and feed back are welcome but no flames please.