In the morning, just after sunrise, the princess had decided to once again emerge in to the outside world. The eastern back entrance to the palace opened on to the rolling palace hillside, that quickly ran in to the sea. The area was filled with the royal gardens, full of blooming reds and sparkling yellows with grass that stayed a luscious green all throughout the year.
Before she was able to take in the beautiful sight of the scene, newly tinged with the awakened sun, she was distracted by the small courtyard and the sugary feast that had been prepared within it. Cakes and sweets and buns and rolls- a bountiful after breakfast affair of some kind. But beyond the display, hung across a sandstone railing, was the form of Ty Lee soaking up the morning rays.
As the acrobat turned and saw the princess her face contorted, trying to find the right emotion within the confusing array that had instantly clouded her mind. Firstly joy, and then fear, turned to regret, followed by relief, and lastly hope- all within no more than a second.
"I didn't realise you were out.." of the dungeon. "I'm.." glad, sorry, lost. "Azula..."
The princess's face burst it to a large grin, her eyes creasing in a rare show of absolute joy. "Ty Lee, it's so good to see you. Oh- with all this confusion I was unsure if I'd ever see my true friends again. You're looking well, I've never been one for auras myself but you look radiant- palace life always did suit you well."
"Azula?" Ty Lee's face was full of worry and despair.
Azula's tone became more upbeat and cheery with each passing word, her body language attempting to quell the pain that her friend felt inside. "Now now, we mustn't let ourselves be bogged down in depressing circumspects, we are too young and too old to let recent events encroach upon us." Azula had reached Ty Lee after a slow wander across the patio. She gently took the acrobat's slender fingers and laced them within her own- a sisterly gesture from years past. "So no moping- please- I've been out of the loop recently, you'll need to fill me in on all the latest happenings."
Ty Lee's chest was throbbing, her eyes close to tears, her voice came out as a hoarse croak. "Stop it."
Azula slid her hands from the gentle embrace, letting them float down to her sides. Her face shifted back to indifferent neutrality, and then she lunged for the pink aura-ed traitor- wrapping her hands firmly around her friend's neck.
Ty Lee squeaked and with her frantic hands grabbed a bagel, which she used in a swift motion to club Azula over the head. The two clawed at one another, the sound of ripping fabric the only indication that any blows were landing. The princess took half a step back, and with ferocious speed tackled the acrobat in to the air and down on to the confectionary table.
Minutes later the terrace air was filled with flour and the unseen tang of a hundred different flavours. The floor was smeared with honey and wood. Cream adorned marble and sandstone equally without prejudice, rhyme or reason.
The princess and the acrobat lay on the floor with their backs partially up against each other and the shattered table. Both dripped with honey, cream and dough- both were finding it hard to move or breath. Nothing was scorched or burned, no one was crippled due to anything but exhaustion.
"Everyone's been celebrating, and dancing and singing. But all I could see was your face- in the fight- and in that dungeon. Funny huh- me- Mrs Party Girl sitting around like a mope when apparently the new age of peace and love has dawned."
"I'm not about to tell you that it's okay- that I'm glad. I'm not, my friends turned against me- it's not a pleasant experience."
"It wasn't supposed to be 'against you', I kept saying that in my head. 'We need to do this to save the world.'"
"Absolute concepts tend to work well in rousing speeches, in practice things aren't that simple. Good, evil, right, wrong- all relative concepts, highly vulnerable to respective points of view and duality. Today the killing has stopped, tomorrow may be the same- but it will start again, it always does."
"He wasn't supposed to die." Ty Lee was resolute.
"Oh Ty Lee..." Azula's tone was full of restrained disappointment.
"He wasn't." Ty Lee was begging for it to be true.
Azula's voice became weary and distant. "Could you see my father ever giving in? Could you see me ever giving in?"
At this Ty Lee paused, the answer clear. After a few moments the acrobat licked her lips and prepared for a few topic. "Mai..."
Azula quickly cut her off. "You were pulled in Ty Lee, I can deal with that. Mai willingly chose my brother over me- that needs to be dealt with directly." The princess's gaze sunk to the floor, a strange darkness shifting across her features. "I'd half expected that you'd of run back to the circus by now."
"You did?" Ty Lee's face became stricken with hurt.
After a paused Azula conceded. "No... I knew that you'd be here, I just wanted to hurt you."
"Thank you Azula." Ty Lee finally let out the tension that had filled nearly all of her joints.
"If you stick around we can hurt each other regularly."
They sat there peacefully and covered in honey for a long time, the longest the pair had gone in silence together while either was still awake.