Ember Island

Chapter 5

"The beach has the most special way of smoothing even the most rigid of edges."

It was an unusually quiet day. Une had ran towards the ocean sometime late last night, both Azula and Ty Lee assumed that it had something to do with the full moon, and hadn't come back. They weren't worried, she had done it before and it was almost expected. When they asked where she went every month Une gave some vague evasive answer which lead to Ty Lee weaving a completely off the wall fairy tale about forbidden love. Something about the water level being at just the right level during the full moon and opening up an otherwise hidden cave that had some kind of magic spell on it that prevented the prisoner within from getting out. Azula couldn't remember the rest but the expression on Une's face when Ty Lee was making it up was priceless and the princess found that she couldn't stop laughing. She had never laughed that hard, ever, but watching Une's usual mask of neutrality crumbled and her literally storm out of the house because of a completely made up ridiculous story was just too much for her and she couldn't stop. The water tribeswoman had left the day after that.

The ever present guards had chosen to suddenly disappear, not that anyone cared. In fact Azula was the one who noted it, and she only did that in passing. She found Ty Lee in the kitchen, of all the places, earlier that morning after nearly collapsing from her training. Azula was about to ask the acrobat if she knew where the guards had gone as she limped her way to a chair. The smell of breakfast made her forget her question so she asked another one. "Why are you here?"

Ty Lee looked up from her cooking with a cocked eyebrow. "Didn't we have this conversation?"

Azula shook her head, "No, I mean why are you in the kitchen?"

"Oh," Ty Lee replied, "Cooking obviously. Someone has to do it, Zuko was pretty adamant about not having any servants in the house in case you, I don't know, went ballistic or something. Before Une came along whom did you think cooked all the meals?"

The princess thought for a minute or two. "I never thought about it, honestly."

Ty Lee smiled. "Well, I do all the cooking. Well, I did. Une's cooking is so much better than mind and she likes to cook more than I do. And she somehow manages to get all of her ingredients for free. So I wasn't going to stop her." Azula nodded, that was reasonable. "How was training? I see nothing's broken."

Azula grunted, her inability to bend without it hurting her wrist or ankles was seriously getting on her nerves. It seemed that no matter what she did they weren't getting any better. "I don't want to talk about it."

Ty Lee nodded, knowing not to pry – she made that mistake before and almost got burned for it. She rounded the island in the kitchen and placed a plate on the table in front of Azula. "Eat this, then we'll skip right to dessert."

That comment threw the princess – since when did breakfast involve dessert – and she looked up from the plate of food to Ty Lee as she turned back to the counter. Then she noticed what the sly brunette was wearing, or more correctly what she wasn't wearing. Smirking, Azula stood, ignoring her food and the pain and rushed Ty Lee, pressing her against the counter playfully. "I think I want dessert first." She whispered huskily, pressing her hips against Ty Lee's plump backside.

Ty Lee stifled a giggle as Azula attacked her shoulders with open mouthed kisses, snaking a warm hand between their bodies to gently stroke her lover's delicate area. The moan of pleasure the action produced boosting her ego and setting her body on fire all at the same time. And that's what they did all morning to well in the afternoon. They did stop to eat whatever they could find that didn't need to be cooked, which happened to be a large bowl of fruit Une had left with a little note saying 'enjoy', which turned out to be highly erotic.

The evening found the couple in a library, lying on the exotic rug with several blankets over them. Ty Lee had fallen asleep a couple of minutes before, snuggled against Azula's warm body. Azula stayed awake, a hand propping her head up to watch the flames dance in the hearth while running her hand through Ty Lee's silky unbound hair. She wasn't thinking of anything, only watching, letting her mind wonder to whatever it wanted. It focused momentarily when Ty Lee shivered, moved closer still, and smiled. The princess couldn't help but smile back as she pulled the covers over the acrobat, vaguely wondering why it was so cold. The light patter of rain on the roof drew her attention, silently answering her question. Even if they were in the Fire Nation, which lay on the equator, the later months closest to the winter solstice were always cooler. Not cool enough to stop tourist from enjoying the beaches during the day but the nights told another story and coupled with the rain. It was slightly chilly.

Azula was not complaining, though, the cooler weather gave her the perfect excuse to pull her little lover to her – not that she needed an excuse. In fact, just to prove the point to herself, she snuggled deeper into the covers, pulling the sleeping woman closer into her. The sudden tightening of limbs around her waist and the warm body pushed against her caused Ty Lee to stir, her sleepy satisfied grey eyes looking into sparkling clear gold as a lazy smile crossed her lips. "I didn't mean to wake you, baby."

Ty Lee shivered involuntarily at the pet name that Azula only called her when they were alone. The acrobat shook her head as she rested it against Azula's exposed shoulder. "We need to get dressed. Zuko will probably be here any minute."

Azula's mood soured instantly but she still held Ty Lee to her. "So he's coming today."

Nodding, Ty Lee risked a quick glance up – slightly relived that Azula's aura was annoyed and not downright angry. "Uh-huh. That's why all the guards are gone, his boat went missing and everyone went out to look for him."

"I see." Azula mouthed coldly.

Ty Lee pressed herself firmly against Azula, drawing a ragged breathe that came out close to a hiss from the princess. "I figured that since the guards were going to be gone and Une was off doing whatever she does we could have some alone time. Just us."

The princess couldn't stop the smirk that donned her lips. "That was a good idea. I did quite enjoy it." She hesitated a second. "I do have to wonder why no one felt the need to tell me."

Ty Lee giggled at Azula's cross expression, pecking her lips lightly. "We did, Une and I, separate times. Both times you nodded and waved us off, far too interested in that book you were reading." She ghosted her fingers over Azula's arm, making her shiver. "What was that book about?" Ty Lee whispered, her warm breath flowing over Azula's lips.

Azula smiled, golden eyes glazed and burning like molten gold. "Like you don't know." The princess said back, pressing her lips against Ty Lee's and running her hand over a well formed thigh.

Ty Lee giggled into the kiss and pulled away. "Of course, Une has interesting taste in books." She stood, letting the covers drop from her body. "We have to get dressed; they could be here any minute."

Azula grabbed Ty Lee's wrist suddenly, stopping her from walking away and almost pulling back to the pallet. "The weather's not getting any better. It could be hours before they arrive."

Again Ty Lee couldn't help but giggle. "Azula…." With the look Azula gave her, a soft smile with eyes that sent her heart pounding in her chest without fail every single time, there was no way she could say no. Ty Lee down played it by rolling her eyes but smiled happily as returned to the pallet, hovering over her lover – her long wavy hair acting as a curtain of silk. "Fine, but just once more." She said, deepening her voice to try to imitate Azula – fighting back the giggles.

Azula giggled, her voice higher pitched, as her arms wrapped around Ty Lee's neck. Over the course of the day they had become good at this little game. "I knew you'd see it my way."

~x~

Azula set on the couch in one of the living rooms writing in her diary, long charcoal hair done up in a messy bun. Well, writing wasn't the right term, doodling was more like it. Ty Lee was off in the kitchen (wearing appropriate attire) making a simple easy quick meal. It had only been a couple of minutes since they had gotten dressed. "Finally," a male voice that Azula recognized but not as her brother's complained. "The weather out there is terrible. I thought we'd never get here."

"Shut up Sokka." A female voice that Azula immediately recognized as that water peasant that hung around the Avatar remarked, making Azula frown at the implications but not making her stand to actually check.

"Zuko…" Ty Lee's voice echoed along the halls. "And everyone. Zuko are you sure this is a good idea?"

She heard her brother scoff, probably with a smile, "Une said it'd be fine."

"No," Ty Lee corrected, whoever else was with them staying silent. "Une said that she was fine, that she was doing excellent. Not that you can bring people who…" her voice lowered to a whisper and Azula couldn't hear what she said.

The princess sighed, closed the diary, and stood – keeping said diary in her hands – as she made her way towards the voices. Finding her brother and Ty Lee easily. Upon her arrival, half the people with her brother went ridged. She recognized most of them, Mai and Zuko – obviously – the Avatar and that water peasant, whatever her name was, the captain of the Kyoshi warriors and the water peasant's brother, whose names she also didn't bother remembering. She couldn't be sure but Azula believed a member was missing. The earth bender, the blind one, that's who was missing. "Azula." Zuko addressed, almost coldly.

"Zuko." Azula replied, just as coldly – crossing her arms. "I see you've brought all of your friends. What's the occasion?"

Zuko squared his shoulders, daring his sister to argue with him. "Everyone's been working hard to keep the peace. I thought it would be nice to have a short vacation of sorts."

She rolled her eyes, as if she was going to take that bait but before she could reply another voice interrupted. "What the hell is going on?"

Everyone turned to the front door where doctor Une stood, her long brown hair more blue than ever and soaked all the way through. The clothes she left with were no longer on her pale body, replaced with a dark blue bikini that hugged her like a second skin. The muscles in her long legs and arms rippled, as if she had just come from a hard long swim. No pair of eyes had turned from her flawless body. Sokka was actually drooling. "By the spirits Une." Azula remarked, her voice breaking the silence. "Look at you. You're…."

"Hot." Ty Lee finished.

A perfect brown eyebrow. "I know. Now is someone going to tell me what's going on?"

The sound of the Kyoshi warrior smacking her husband on the back of the head drew everyone out of their stupor. Golden eyes still scanned the pale woman's body even as she spoke, "Zuko decided to have a short vacation with his friends here." Then as an afterthought. "You are so toned and swimming does this for you?" She saw the disapproving, slightly jealous, look on Ty Lee's face and pulled the acrobat to her (causing more than a few confused looks from Zuko's friends). "Almost as toned as Ty Lee."

Une smiled at the couple, glad that her little day away had brought them closer together. "Yes, but it takes years. We can discuss this later." She turned her suddenly cold gaze to Zuko. "What made you think that this was even close to a good idea?"

He frowned, remembering why he disliked her so much. "This is his vacation home, Une." Azula interrupted before her brother could make a fool of himself. "If the Fire Lord finds the time in his busy schedule" exaggerating the word 'busy' only to get on his nerves. "to have a short get together with most of his friends then he should."

"What do you mean by most?" Sokka asked, offended.

Azula glanced at him, rolling her eyes. "The blind Earth Bender, where is she?"

"Toph?" the water peasant asked, not that Azula knew the girl's name.

"How many blind Earth Benders do you know?" Azula inquired her tone biting.

Katara glared at the princess, making Azula's day even better. "Toph is somewhere in the Earth Kingdom. We've mostly lost contact with her." Mai answered, monotone, stopping Katara's glare.

"You're all right with this, Azula?" Une asked, completely ignoring everything else that was going on, all that mattered was her patient.

Azula sighed. "I don't believe I have a choice in the matter. This place is large enough, I'm sure we can avoid each other."

Une nodded, that's all she needed to know. "Well, alright then. You know where I'll be if you need me. I won't be going anywhere."

"In the kitchen?" Azula asked completely serious though her eyes sparkled, making Une and Ty Lee chuckle at the inside joke.

Une ignored the question, "I'm going to find more appropriate attire."

"Doctor Une." Zuko called before said doctor could get out the front door. Une turned to him but remained silent. "After you find adequate attire I have someone I'd like you to talk to."

Une scowled, "I only take one patient at a time."

He chuckled, though it seemed forced, "No, no. It's just that Katara here," he placed a hand the water bender's shoulders. "Was interested to meet a person who thinks they are from the Eastern Water Tribe."

The expression the doctor's face never changed as she eyed the tanned woman. "What would a peasant of the Southern Water tribe know about the Water Nation's Capital?"

The offended look on Katara's face combined with Une's comment was a little too much for Azula and she laughed loudly. The foreign sound nearly giving the Fire Lord a heart attack. Everyone looked at her, Ty Lee and Une the only ones smiling along with her – they were use this form of open emotion from the princess – but the others only looked at her oddly, having never heard her actually laugh and mean it. She tried to stop herself, but found it nearly impossible, though it did die down to a soft chuckle. "That was hilarious. You should have seen your face."

"Azula," Zuko chided softly, mindful of the temper that the Water Bender usually tried to hide.

For her part, Azula completely ignored him. "I'm glad I could amuse you, Azula." Une said the slight confusion as to why Azula thought it was funny clearly present in her tone. "Well, anyways, I'm going to put on some clothes and when I come back we can discus whatever little fairy tale your grandmother told you about my island."

With that the doctor walked out the front door into the rain, leaving Azula still chuckling and Katara still fuming. Katara sighed in an attempt to calm herself, hands on her hips because it wasn't working well. "Well, what you said about her is true." Katara replied, turning to Zuko.

"See, I told you." Zuko defends. "I still don't know why she likes Azula so much."

"You know what they use to say, Zuzu." Azula intoned her tone dry. "I'm lucky."

He scowled at her and she took that as her queue to return to her dairy. At least, she would have but Ty Lee's hand had a firm grip on her wrist and Ty Lee wasn't going anywhere. "Where are the kids?" Ty Lee asked, tightening her grip on Azula's wrist momentarily and catching the princess roll her eyes but stay rooted to her place.

"Iroh is watching them." Mai answered. "It's just us adults."

Ty Lee nodded and was about to say something but Zuko's question addressed to Katara made her lose her train of thought. "Did she meet all the qualification of the story your grandmother told you?"

Katara scowled but nodded. "Are you talking about Une?" Ty Lee asked, the conversation drawing Azula's attention as well.

"Yes." Katara answered. "Let's sit down. I'm tired of standing."

Much to everyone's disbelief Azula offered, "The living room I was in before you arrived still has the fire lit, it's quite warm. Speaking of which, Ty, how is that meal coming along?"

"Oh crap." Ty Lee exclaimed after a second of 'deer in the headlights' look, having completely forgotten. "I'll go get it right now."

"Isn't it kind of late for lunch?" Aang inquired, though knowing Sokka one would think he knew better.

"Ty Lee and I haven't eaten anything all day, aside from a bowl of fruit." Azula explained, making her way down the hall to the living room she previously occupied.

"Why not?" Zuko inquired and Azula debated if she should guilt trip him into getting them a cook. "Ty Lee's a pretty good cook." He added, as if reading her mind.

"Ty Lee's been preoccupied most of the day." Azula answered instead, a slight devious glint in her eyes – though no one saw it considering she was leading.

"What has she been doing?" Mai asked in her usual deadpan tone.

The response she wanted to give was 'Why, me of course', to stake a public claim to Ty Lee, telling her brother and his wife and his friends that Ty Lee was hers and no one else's. But she didn't, instead she waved her hand dismissively and remarked. "Oh, this and that."

She wanted to keep her relationship with Ty Lee hers and hers alone for as long as she could. Of course, that look in Mai's eyes when she glanced back at her told her that she probably already knew. Oh well, at least she knew Mai wasn't likely to tell anyone. Without another word passing between them they entered the warm living room, Azula unhesitant about taking a seat in one of the armchairs. Zuko, Mai, Katara, and Aang chose the couch while Sokka set in front of the fire – watching everyone – and Suki set as far away from Azula as the room would allow. Azula carefully hid her diary behind her and crossed her legs, the low light of the fire being blocked giving her an altogether menacing appearance.

Katara, Aang, and Suki tried their hardest not to notice, not to even acknowledge the Fire Bending princess. Thought her natural presence was making that hard to do. Tension built into the room like thick smoke from a burning building with no one really knowing how to break it. Thankfully, Ty Lee had no such problem as she bounced into the room all rainbows and sunshine. She handed Azula a bowl of what smelt like dried beef and portage, a simple meal that when Azula accepted it without complaint confounded Zuko and Mai. The looks on their face was enough to make Azula smirk. That smirk only grew when Ty Lee looked around the room, finding all of the seating taken and looked back at Azula. She uncrossed her legs and moved her bowl to the side table, allowing the acrobat to sit mostly in her lap – the chair being large enough to fit a little more than one.

Not even thinking twice about it, Ty Lee turned to Katara, making sure to press against Azula without bringing it to anyone's attention. "So, did I miss anything?" no one answered, most of them still confused by what Ty Lee had just done and that Azula had even offered. "We were talking about Une right?"

"Right." Katara answered, eyeing the two suspiciously. "Well, I was talking with Gran-Gran the other day and I mentioned the Eastern Water tribe and she told me this story about when she was younger."

"Oh, I love stories." Ty Lee exclaimed, the predictable behavior making everyone smile.

Katara chuckled, "I wasn't going to go tell the story." she admitted. "I was just going to tell Zuko that she looks like the description Gran-Gran gave me of people from that tribe."

"Oh?" The acrobat inquired.

"Has she said anything about where she comes from?" Sokka asked from his position.

"She's told Azula." Ty Lee answered, the pause as everyone looked at Azula – who was eating – would have been unending seeing as Azula wasn't saying a thing. "I asked but she said it sounded crazy. What did your grandmother say about it?"

Katara sighed, "It does sound kinda crazy." She admitted. "My Gran-Gran said when she was younger living in the Northern Water tribe she was walking along the shore, far away from anyone else, and she came upon this young woman laying half way on the ice."

"Was she dead?" Suki asked, having not heard the story.

"No, she was just laying there. She wasn't even asleep. Gran-Gran said that she was inhumanly beautiful, in an odd way. Her skin was pale, almost translucent against the sun. I imagine as pale as Doctor Une. Her hair was this aqua green-blue color, but she said it looked like it had once been brown. Gran-Gran said her eyes were cold and hard when she looked at her but softened to apathy after a few minutes of staring at each other. The oddest thing was that Gran-Gran said she had webbed fingers and toes." She paused as most of the people in the room gasped, excluding only Azula. "Gran-Gran wouldn't tell me what her name was but when the creature spoke it was like a wave of calm fell over her, like nothing in the world mattered. Long story short they got into a conversation and the woman told Gran-Gran about where she came from and what it was like there. She said she came from the Eastern Water Tribe and that it was located under the water and her conversation with this woman was the reason she left the Northern Water tribe."

"That does sound kinda crazy." Ty Lee admitted. "But knowing Une, I don't really doubt it."

"Thank you, Ty Lee, that makes me feel so much better." Une replied, her sudden appearance making everyone pause, thankfully dressed in an aqua robe.

"You're welcome." Ty Lee answered automatically with a wide smile that Une couldn't help but return. "Are your fingers really webbed?" she asked bluntly what everyone wanted to know.

"Yes." Une remarked as if it was the most natural thing in the world, walking to the acrobat and spreading her fingers wide.

At first the acrobat didn't see anything, they looked like normal fingers to her – maybe a bit long but some people have long fingers. She pouted slightly and grabbed the pale hand in front of her, turning it so that the thin translucent membrane between her fingers reflected the light. After gasping lightly she smiled, "I bet you swim really fast with webbed fingers."

The younger woman's general accepting nature amused Une as she took her hand back, letting it rest against the elbow of her other arm. "Well, yes, the webbed toes don't hinder my swimming either."

Ty Lee nodded, stopping when what Une said finally registered. "I guess it wouldn't."

"So, the Eastern Water tribe is under water?" Katara inquired, drawing the older woman's attention.

"That is correct." Une answered.

"Why?" Suki spoke up. "How do you breathe underwater?"

The doctor looked at the Kyoshi Warrior before answering, debating if she should go into the story. "Actually I would like to know that as well." Azula finally said.

Une sighed, damn it, if Azula hadn't asked she could have said nothing. Cursed her stupid honor and self proclaimed rule to never lie to those she respected. "The Eastern Water Tribe was, well is, an Island of female warriors, the greatest water benders in the world…."

"Why only women?" Sokka asked curiously with a hint of doubt.

"Water is the element of change, like lightning. A woman's body is more adapt to change than a man's body, meaning a woman is naturally better at those elements that require change. How else do you explain Katara becoming a master of the element at the ripe old age of fourteen?" Une answered as if she were giving a lecture on sand, completely deadpan with no emotion. "The women in my tribe were a fearsome bunch. I assume you've heard of blood bending?" she asked Katara. The water bender nodded solemnly. "As I thought, for those of you who don't know, blood bending is a technique that uses the blood in one's body to control said person that only female water benders can perform. It can only be done by modern water benders during a full moon. The warriors of the Eastern Water Tribe could use this technique any time of the day and what's more blood bending was only the beginning of the form.

"There's bending of water in the muscles and internal organs. Some were, well are, so good that they could bend water directly from the body." Une's smile as she said this was cruel and cold and sent shivers down the spines of everyone there, except Azula – who used that same smile quite often – and Ty Lee – who had seen that smile quite often. "But anyways, after the war ended there was no place for such warriors in the new world. So we sunk the island and our bodies adapted to the new environment. Simple as that."

Silence filled the air, until Sokka finally stood up. "Wait wait. If all you're saying is true, why is the Northern Water Tribe so against female warriors?"

Mai rolled her eyes and answered, "They probably feared the female warriors and didn't want to knowingly create more like them."

Une nodded, "That's mostly the reason. There's also the fact that they are a bunch of chauvinistic pigs but that's neither here nor there."

Katara chuckled, "It's so true." She agreed.

"But you didn't answer how you breathe underwater?" Ty Lee noted. "Do you have gills behind your ears or something?" Everyone just looked at her as if she were crazy. "What?"

Une sighed, slightly surprised at the acrobat's astute observation, but if it was anyone else she would have ignored the question completely. "No, that unrealistic," Une began and everyone nodded in agreement. "My gills are along my neck." She touched the sides of her neck, the very slight almost invisible slits along her neck catching the shadows. "When I'm in water for more than five minutes my secondary respiratory system kicks in and I take the oxygen from the water and breathe."

The explanation was bizarre and unrealistic and threw everyone into silence as they digested the information. Seeing the evidence didn't seem to be helping them understand any better, it just made the whole thing more bizarre. "So, if you're the queen of this tribe of Warriors you must be the greatest water bender ever to walk the earth." Azula observed, breaking the silence again – because Une's appearance or place of origin was unimportant, but having a master water bender who could claim to be the greatest as her doctor was a learning experience and great pleasure she wouldn't pass up.

"I am." Une answered unashamed and unhesitant.

"You're the queen?" "Prove it?" Ty Lee and Katara said in unison.

"Yes I am queen." Une answered. "How do you want me to prove it? I can do just about anything with any thing that has water in it."

The younger water bender stopped, thinking of something that would be nearly impossible, something no other water bender could do. "She could blood bend." Aang suggested, that being the only thing he could think of.

"No, I can do that." Katara shot down.

"You could heal my wrist and ankles." Azula offered a smirk plastered on her face. "You've been boasting about how great your offensive bending is; a warrior like no other. So, let's see you do the opposite. Water Benders are known for healing, let's see you heal something no one else can heal."

Une gave a smirk to rival, just as the others were thinking that that idea was a good one. "I accept that challenge. Stand up, princess. I will not kneel to you."

Azula patted Ty Lee's hips, silently telling her lover to get up. The acrobat obeyed, getting up just long enough for Azula to stand before sitting back down. The princess held her wrist out to the pale woman. Une took the wrist into her cold hands – the slight webbing clearly visible now that Azula knew what she was looking for – not yet producing water, as she gently messaged the area – gauging the damage. "This is bad." She noted, not particularly in a concerned manner. "Thick heavy chains." Again it was a note. "Alright, Azula," She addressed looking up at her charge. "This will hurt."

True to her word, when Une produced the water from seemingly out of the air and surrounded Azula's wrist with it the pain was intense. It felt like the water was spiking into her wrist like countless needles, cutting deeper than the bone. But Azula's expression remained unmoving, even though she felt like screaming. She could handle pain; she'd been doing it her entire life. However, that didn't stop her from sighing when one of her wrists was finished. "Very impressive," Une acknowledged. "I'm going to heal the other one and then you're going to lie down and I will continue with the process. After words you will more than likely collapse from the pain." Azula nodded as Une continued to the other wrist. "Once this is finished, Ty Lee, I will need you to apply lotion to her wrist and ankles, to rehydrate the skin."

"Why?" Azula managed, somehow keeping her tone even.

"I'm using the water in your skin and built up water in your joints to heal your wrists and ankles." Une explained. "The water in your body is already formulated with the right minerals to heal itself and with the right coaxing can get into places normal water cannot and allowing it to get rid of the unnecessary air pockets, rebuild the decaying cartilage, and mend the fractured bones. The pain you feel is from the rapid dehydration of your skin and the water forcing the air out of the dry skin." Azula nodded – though she only got about half of what Une said – and Une smiled sympathetically, truly impressed that Azula hadn't cried out yet. "I'll tell you what, if you can manage to get through the entire process without crying out I'll heal the scars around your neck, wrist, and ankles."

Azula smirked, winced slightly, and nodded, that was a deal she would win without a doubt. Though the ankles were far more painful than the wrists, but Azula set her jaw, ground her teeth and didn't so much as groan. Her body wasn't quiet as corporative as her voice, however. After the first ankle was finished her entire body was trembling, the sweat condensing on her forehead, and the rug below her acquired two new burn marks the exact size of her fists. Ty Lee, being the intelligent and caring person that she was, immediately went to Azula at the first sign of distress once Azula was on the ground. The princess wouldn't admit it but those hands that were rubbing her back and neck and through her hair were the only reasons she didn't cry out.

Once the process was over only a dull throb from her wrists and ankles was left. With a triumphant smirk the princess looked at her doctor, trying and failing to control her ragged breathing – though the smirk never faltered. Her glazed golden eyes shone brightly with pride. "Ha." She managed after a second, glancing at the people around her, the guilty look on her brother's face pleasing her more than it should have. "Champion." She said lightly, before her eyes rolled back in her head and she collapsed against Ty Lee.

Une chuckled. "Ty Lee, take her to bed. She'll sleep till morning." The acrobat nodded, easily picking the princess up and leaving the room. "That could have been avoided. Chains, Zuko, really," The Doctor said as she stood, dusting her hands on her robe. "Well, anyways, now that I've adequately proven myself to you…people I'm going to bed."

"Was that healing session taxing?" Sokka asked, the silent implication that she was lacking in some way clearly understood.

Une rolled her eyes. "That was elementary. This convenient storm with the heavy rain that kept you lot away long enough to give Azula and Ty Lee some much needed alone time was a bit taxing. That and changing the natural current of the ocean," the concerned look on Katara's face that said she was about to protest made her smirk. "Which made sure your boat veered hours off course and making you late. Thus making the guards panic into thinking that something bad may have happened to you and sending everyone out to look for you. Most of them haven't come back yet – not that they matter. I fixed the current as soon as you docked." She walked to the door. "Oh, tell your Gran-Gran that Nelem said hello. She was actually asking about her recently." She waved backwards as she left the room, stunning everyone at the power she boasted.

~x~

Azula was up before the sun, though she lay in bed till long after it rose. When she first woke her mind was foggy and the body against hers was keeping her sinfully warm. Her mind cleared quickly when it registered what, and more importantly who, was sleeping next her. For the next hour, or two, she watched Ty Lee, whispering fingers and knuckles along the contours of her face, till her grey eyes fluttered opened like the wings of the a butterfly. A smile that rivaled the brightness of the sun itself blessed her and she could see herself waking up like this every morning for the rest of her life. "Hey." Ty Lee said.

"Hey." Azula answered back, giving her lover a rare genuine smile – her hands finding a place on Ty Lee's hips.

The acrobat frowned slightly, the edges of her mouth resisting the action immediately. "How long have you been up?"

"How long have you been sleeping in my bed?"

Ty Lee giggled, snuggling in close against the princess, wrapping her arms tighter around Azula's waist and taking in her spicy scent. "Forever."

Azula chuckled. "That doesn't make any sense."

The acrobat only smiled. "How are your wrists and ankles?"

The princess paused, she had actually forgotten all about that. She pulled a hand from Ty Lee's hip up along her side, drawing the tips of her fingers along her arm – smirking when she felt a shiver – until her hand was free from the covers. Mostly she looked at her flawless wrist – the light scars that once marred them completely gone – twisting it and feeling no pain, but she always kept an eye on the acrobat who was watching her wrist. "No pain." Azula admitted putting her hand back in its original place.

Ty Lee smiled. "That's good. I knew Une wouldn't lie to us."

"No she wouldn't." Azula agreed, moving closer to kiss the shorter woman's nose making her giggle. "You know what that means, don't you?"

"You can be the greatest Fire Bender ever again." Ty Lee answered, keenly aware of the warm hand moving lower down her hips.

"I never lost that title, Ty Lee," Azula informed. "But I was thinking more along the lines of something more fun and long last." Her hand ran lower still, pressing against the acrobat's inner thigh. "There's no pain to stop us." She whispered, her husky tone making Ty Lee shiver.

Their lips touched in a passionate kiss as their bodies molded to each other, warm hands running under Ty Lee's shirt – messaging the subtle flesh. "Azula!" a voice that was not Ty Lee's yelled as the door to her room was basically slammed open.

"Fuck." Azula cursed, her good mood ruined instantly as she instinctively pulled the covers over Ty Lee. "Don't you know how to fucking knock?" Azula growled, turning to the door and unsurprisingly finding her brother standing there.

"I thought you'd be up by now. It's way past sunrise." Zuko reasoned with a shrug, ignoring her tone and usage of foul language. Gone were his royal robes and in their place a lose fitting red and gold outfit. "We were about to head down to the beach and Suki was wondering if Ty Lee wanted to come but we couldn't find her. Mai suggested that she might be in here."

Spirits damn her brother, she growled lightly, looking down in Ty Lee's concerned eyes - so much for keeping her relationship just between her and Ty Lee. For a second she considered not telling him and making up a perfectly believable lie but the look in her companion's eyes told her that that solution would cause more problems than it would solve. She could see the doubt in Ty Lee's expressive eyes, thinking that she wasn't worthy of being with her princess publicly. Azula sighed and asked, "Do you want to go to the beach?" Ty Lee shook her head with a smile; she could think of so many better things to do than go to the beach, like breakfast. Une would be up soon and she would start cooking some confection or another. Until then, though, she could think of a few things to pass the time. Azula turned back to her brother. "Ty Lee has better things to do right now. You and your friends go have fun."

"She's in here? In your bed?" Zuko said slowly, his mind simply unable to register what that implied.

The younger royal rolled her golden eyes, getting more annoyed with her brother than she ever had before, which was saying something. Was it too much to ask for him to just go away? "No, Zuko, I was talking to my covers. Yes, she's right here."

Slowly, as if she was embarrassed – though she wasn't – Ty Lee peeked out from under the red silk covers. "Hi Zuko." She said meekly.

"Now you see. Go away and think about what this implies. Or don't I don't care. Just go away. Have fun at the beach."

"Right." He said, agreeing easily because his mind was still processing this new information. "Okay, I'll see you later." Zuko backed away slowly, closing the door behind him.

"Idiot." Azula sighed, smiling as she looked at Ty Lee.

"Does this mean we're official?" Ty Lee asked meekly. "Can I call you…"

A long finger on her lips stopped her from further speech. "You can call me whatever you want, Ty Lee. Just know that you are mine. I only wanted to keep it between us a little longer. Damn Zuko and his timing"

Ty Lee giggled and smiled – she couldn't remember ever being so happy. The woman of her dreams, the most perfect and beautiful person in the world, was claiming her and her alone. A tear slipped from her eye, only to be kissed away. "Thank you."

Azula chuckled, pulling the younger woman to her in a loving embrace. "Don't thank me silly. Now, where were we?"

TBC

A/N: Sorry for the late Update I was totally involved in developing my LARP character.