Chapter 3: Milltown Inn

By: Reblaw

A/N

crazyhorse: I agree, when I was writing it, I figured Aang and Katara were probably feeling very uncomfortable, but they are generally not the characters which will come out and say it. Some parts in this chapter may bother you too, but I really do think that Aang isn't being too OOC here (you may disagree). Thank you for your comments.

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"No inn for me," Toph said as they arrived at the inn.

"But Toph, don't you want to sleep on a nice bed?" the Earth King asked.

"I like being in contact with the ground," Toph explained. "You guys go stay in your inn; I'll be just outside town."

"Is she really like that?" Azula asked, her face showing her disbelief that anyone could enjoy sleeping on the bare ground, Katara in a quiet tone.

Katara turned around and faced Azula. Almost hissing Katara replied, "She's an earthbender, she sees through the ground." After a pause, "Don't you have anywhere else to be your highness?"

Azula realized that she had said the wrong thing. She politely chuckled, "Oh my, what was I thinking, of course!"

"You know what," Sokka said, turning to face Azula. "I think you should find somewhere else to spend the night. You're not welcome with us."

Azula put on her best "hurt young girl" face. She sighed dramatically and said, "I can completely understand why you guys hate me. I hate me too."

Aang made a face, rolling his eyes slightly. It wasn't like she was attacking them, and she was in unfamiliar territory. He figured that if he was going to bring peace to the world he had better start learning to be an example of forgiveness. Even with Ozai gone, there were going to be conflicts between the Fire Nation and the rest of the world.

"Azula should stay with us," Aang said. "Just for the night. I mean, she did save us earlier."

"Thank you Avatar," Azula said hardly missing a beat. She really couldn't believe how stupid the great Avatar was. "You are truly great. I only hope that someday I can follow your great example and live as noble of a life as you do. You are truly the greatest gift the Spirits gave to the world."

Aang blushed slightly at all the praise. He wasn't used to anyone laying on the flattery that thickly. Grinning he sheepishly said, "Don't worry about it."

"I still don't trust her," Sokka announced. His hand clutching his weapon.

The Earth King nodded in agreement. Azula had spent days with him, pretending to be a Kyoshi Warrior, he knew she was a good liar.

Toph shrugged, "Want to know something really weird guys?"

Katara nodded, understanding where Toph was most likely going.

A shiver of fear went down Azula's spine. The blind earthbender's blind eyes were looking right at her. She wondered if instead of normal sight, the girl had the ability to see into a person's soul.

"I can't tell if Azula's lying," Toph said, much to Azula's relief. "I mean, if she is, she's very good at hiding it."

"How can you tell something like that Toph?" The Earth King asked.

"I can feel her body's pulse, when most people lie, their pulse rate increases," Toph explained. "So she's either a very good liar, or telling the truth."

Aang's brow furrowed, "I don't think it's fair to assume she is lying."

"But, Aang," Sokka interjected, having a hard time coming up with the right words, the situation was that frustrating for him. "She just tried to KILL YOU, it was TODAY even. You can't just let that slide off your back. I mean, you still have a SCAR from her ON YOUR back!"

The Earth King nodded in agreement. He knew that Azula had been a very good liar.

Azula raised her hand up to hold her head, shielding her face from the others. "I'm so sorry. I, I didn't want to really kill you."

"I believe her," Aang said. Everyone, including Azula, was shocked.

"I'm going to get some sleep," Toph rolled her eyes. There was nothing anyone could say to convince her that Azula wasn't the world' biggest witch and Aang wasn't the world's biggest idiot for trusting the witch. She wanted no part in any of it.

Katara furrowed her brow, in disbelief that Aang could really be that forgiving. She hadn't even begun to forgive Azula for anything. When she looked at the princess, all she saw was evil, beautiful evil, deadly evil, but still evil.

She caught herself wondering if Aang may just be right, she understood that she wasn't exactly neutral when it came to the Fire Nation. Aang was the Avatar, and the Avatar was the one who was going to restore peace. Maybe she should follow his lead. After all, she did believe in him.

"It would make no sense for her to want me dead," Aang continued. "When Zhao captured me, he told me that the Fire Nation wanted to keep me alive but weak, so I wouldn't be reborn. If I die, I will be reborn, and the Fire Nation would have to search the whole world to find me again."

No one could argue with that. Azula rolled her eyes at how long it was taking the nitwits to decide to be stupid and accept her already. Normally she did not tolerate this kind of irrationality, but it worked to her advantage, so she kept her mouth shut.

"But that might not be such a bad thing for the Fire Nation," Sokka said breaking the silence.

Azula raised an eyebrow, "How exactly do you figure that?"

"No, when the Avatar is reborn, he –"

"Or she," Katara interjected.

"Right, he or she will just be a little infant, and will be rather useless for many years," Sokka continued. "And with the comet arriving, whether the Avatar is useless by age or by being held captive, it doesn't make a difference."

"Wow," the Earth King commented looking very impressed.

Azula nodded, surprised someone had even two brain cells to rub together, "You know, I had never considered that."

"I am the warrior and the thinker from my village," Sokka said proudly, causing Katara to roll her eyes, before he remember that the girl he was talking to, while attractive, was still his enemy. "So don't think that just because you can fool Aang with your 'oh, I'm really good deep down inside act' you've fooled all of us."

The Earth King nodded at Sokka's statement. He wanted the evil princess as far away from him as possible.

"I don't know about you guys, but I'm going to in and get a bed," Katara said, tired of the arguing. She had reached the point where she found Azula more annoying than scary.

"Get a room with two beds for us," Azula ordered quickly. Causing Sokka and Aang to look at Azula as if she had lost her mind. "What?"

"We normally just all sleep in the same room," Katara explained. "You know, keep the costs down and everything."

Azula frowned. "But Katara, you're an unmarried woman."

"And he's my brother," Katara said pointing at Sokka, "And he's the Avatar, who's twelve," she finished pointing at Aang, who frowned a little. "I don't think my honor will ever come into question."

"Your honor might not," Azula said, trying to put it gently. "But I am a princess. There are higher standards for princesses."

"She's right," the Earth King said. "I can't stay in a room with Katara or Azula."

Katara rolled her eyes. "Fine, whatever."

"I hope you're planning on contributing financially," Sokka grumbled pointedly at Azula, quietly so the Earth King couldn't hear easily.

He handed Katara a few coins, and a small knife, just in case. Katara went into the inn. Azula smiled. The girl, Katara, was the heart of the group, that she had given up resisting Azula not only furthered her long term goal, but also her short term one. The objections of Sokka quickly would become a non-issue.

Azula raised an eyebrow, and tossed Sokka a bag full of gold coins. It was probably more money than any of them had ever seen or would ever see again, Azula thought as she smirked confidently.

"Well, okay," Sokka said. "I suppose, if Azula is willing to off Lord Ozai for us, give us enough money that we'll never have to worry about it again, teach Aang firebending including lightening bending, suddenly become a cloistered nun, and reveal she's really her own GOOD twin sister, then, and only then,. I suppose I can't say anything about her staying with us."

Azula shrugged, "You have to admit three out of five isn't that bad."

"You're really Azula's good twin sister?" Sokka asked.

"You're going to become a nun?" the Earth King asked, thinking that it was the only penance she could do for the evil act she had committed.

"You're going to teach me firebending?" Aang asked his eyes wide with hope. Azula was a very talented firebender.

"Yes," Azula said, deciding to play up the repentant sinner role. None of the guys were really sure which of the things she was saying "yes" to but decided it was safe to assume it was the one they had assumed, except Sokka, he still didn't trust her.

--

It was late when by the time Azula finally got to go to bed. Katara already fell asleep, a fact that caused Azula to lightly curse under her breath.

But she finally was able to get a good look at the other girl. The moon was full and lightly illuminated the room through the window.

Azula was taken aback by how calm and beautiful the girl looked when she was sleeping. The girl's features looked like one of those stupid dolls Iroh sent her when he was abroad and she was just a young girl.

Azula had never noticed how warm the waterbender's skin looked with its dark coloring. It was gorgeous. She would truly be a prize.

Azula smirked as she went to her bed and lied down to think about how she'd draw the innocent waterbender to her side and turn her against the Avatar.