Hooray for inspiration! The Bison Lord Returns. This takes place a few weeks after Kuei's ball. Azula is back at the Western Air Temple with her herd, resuming her duties. The King is still on her confused, but partially recovered mind. Kuei will appear in the next chapter.
There is some very mild sexual humor in this fic, but I tried to keep it true to the rating and make it fly over the kiddie's heads. If you think this needs to go up to T, pm me and I will consider your opinion.
Someone suggested Azula would make an excellent Tomb Raider. So, I'm going with that. Yeah.
And...Azula's Bison is an alcoholic.
Well I guess you'd better read on.
They were in the wine country after a long and awkward ride out into the vineyards where several families had perfected the art of winemaking. The plan was to visit several that day. Azula couldn't look at the King the entire way, though she felt his eyes on her. She remembered the small talk between him and Zuzu and mother, the quiet churn of the carriage wheels, and the country breeze. No one tried to engage her though Kuei kept stealing glances at her that were half worried, half studious.
They arrived at the first winery and Kuei dismounted first. A coachman came to assist Zuzu and mother, but Kuei insisted on taking Azula's hand and helping her down himself. He looked her in the eyes and smiled.
Azula swallowed, but before she could return the gesture he was leading her out into the quaint vineyards that laced the distillery. He kept her arm in arm all the way to the house: ever caring, ever considerate, and for her, ever the more confusing.
Inside, the merchant bowed and presented his creations for the wine tasting. He gulped audibly when Azula stepped to the front of the group after mother and Zuko had finished.
"This is a semi-sweet red. It goes wonderful with chocolate and roast pheasant," he told her with a quaking voice.
The merchant, a small unassuming man had offered the glass to her with a trembling hand. Five years later, her reputation still preceded her. Princess Azula; the incarnation of evil and cunning combined, and the winemaker was trying his best not to spill his wares and pee himself. Doubtful he would accomplish both.
Kuei saw his predicament and intercepted the glass before his fingers lost their grip on the stem.
She remembered his touch on her hands for two reasons. 1. No one ever touched her. Ever 2. The way he did it. It was new, it was scary. Scarier still, it wasn't unwelcome. She couldn't ignore it; even worse she wasn't sure she wanted to.
For the first time since their conversation on the balcony, Azula felt something. Something she couldn't explain even if she wanted to. It invigorated her. It terrified her.
He closed her hands around the glass, and assisted it to her lips. Azula felt relief when the warm sting of the wine passed down her throat. She avoided too much more the rest of the day. Her doctor didn't want her taking in too much alcohol for fear it might throw off her medication, and Azula certainly didn't want to be off her meds again. Bad things happened when she came off of her meds.
The day passed with even more wine tasting. Kuei was careful not to drink too much, but Zuzu and mother were plastered inside of an hour. As was Dominatia; the poor beast became so wasted she couldn't fly and lumbered along behind the carriage, swerving a little at times. As much as she treasured her bison, Azula had to admit that she was an absolute lush.
When they made it back to the palace at last, Zuzu and Mother retired in their staterooms, still a little tipsy from the wine.
Kuei finally had a moment alone with his beautiful but distant Bison Lord.
He knew she meant nothing by it. She was very unaccustomed to love. He only had to look at Firelord Zuko's face to know that her childhood had been anything but ideal, but he was a patient man, and he loved her. Despite everything, he couldn't help himself. He would make her see, or die trying.
There was so much he wanted to say to her. Instead he cleared his throat and asked:"The Western Air Temple, right?"
Azula jerked a nod.
"It might be a while before I come; I'm very busy right now. But I can't wait to see you again."
Azula's mouth opened partway, a snarky retort on her tongue, but before it could eek out of her, the King had pulled her into his arms again. Azula buried her face in his robes, amazed at how good it felt and how she instinctively melted into him. He smoothed his hands over her hair and rested his chin on the top of her head while she stood there, completely submissive and fighting back tears that, in her mind, had no logical origin. "No matter what happens, I still think you're very brave," she told him as she gently closed the door behind her.
She didn't give him time to answer; no matter what he'd said earlier, she'd convinced herself he wouldn't come.
Sunlight pried Azula's eyes open and she was surprised to see it swimming through her tears. Crying? Whatever for? Azula wondered with a mental huff. She wiped them away hastily, frowning with annoyance and jumped up from her red silk bedding. The images may be gone, but the flood of emotions left in its wake unnerved her.; they were too unfamiliar. She rushed to her wash basin, ridding herself of the remnants of sleep. She hoped the cleansing would bring her some clarity.
Azula looked in the mirror. Her eyes and complexion had been improving over the past year, and her face had a lot of its youthful glow restored. The fresh mountain air was to blame for this as was the combination of medication, and affection from her animals.
Outside her newly refurbished stateroom at the temple, Dominatia called "Good Morning" in what Azula liked to call "bisonese."
"Good morning Dominatia," Azula returned, smoothing her hair and retrieving her robes.
The Giant Bison pushed something through the window of her room. The glint of gold caused Azula to smile: it was the crown that proclaimed her status as Bison Lord.
Brushing her hair, she called out "You polished it again, didn't you Dominatia?"
The bison bellowed an affirmative and something else Azula interpreted to her liking. "Well of course I deserve it Dominatia, but that's not the point." She brushed her hair and donned the ruby encrusted diadem from which tiny gold chains and arrows dangled. Then she affixed her white robes which were trimmed with gold and red. Aang said that in his time the Bison Lord wore such clothing, with the exception of the red stripe at the bottom. This had been added, at Zuko's suggestion, to signify her status as Fire Nation Royalty. "The point, Dominatia, is that some of the other ladies should share these chores. I might be your Lord, but you are my General. Have someone else do it from time to time."
Dominatia grunted with casual agreement as she waited for her mistress to finish getting ready.
At last Azula stepped through the doorway to join her Alpha Female and therapy pet. Azula's position was nothing new; in Aang's time the title was known as "Mother Keeper Superior." The title was given to a nun who showed exceptional skill and control with the bison. It was her job to ensure their health, proliferation, happiness and continued bond with the Air Nation people. Her word became law in anything concerning them.
Sokka thought the term "Bison Lord" sounded more "Fire Nationy" and would give Azula the power status she craved.
Thank the spirits he was right.
To her complete surprise the Temple suited Azula. Even though she was still considered a patient and in some ways "on parole," she felt very free there. There was plenty of room, beautiful scenery, fresh air, plentiful wild gardens, and crisp cool water flowing down through the ravines. Her ancestor Sozin had almost destroyed the bison completely. Now it would be her penance for her multiple attempted homicides to bring them back from almost extinction.
"Good morning my children!"
The four female bison waiting outside of Azula's state room stood, reared their heads, and then bent down on one knee in genuflection, as Azula had taught them.
"As always my loyal subjects, your worship is not only appropriate, but appreciated," Azula said, returning their bow. "Today my beautiful ladies, today I have an announcement. You will all be coming into season soon. Therefore it is imperative that you mate successfully with a male of your choosing. We must increase our Army's numbers!" She brandished her closed fist for emphasis.
The four bison looked at each other. Jezobel lowered her head and trembled a little. Lillith pawed at the ground. Delilah cocked her head. Dominatia stared gruffly at her mistress and reprimanded her with a half-yawn/ half bellow.
Azula scowled. "Well why not? Avatar Aang told me that it's enjoyable for bison, and there are very practical, very necessary applications at play here, ladies! You're lucky my ancestor Sozin didn't wipe you out. Now we have a chance to save you from extinction and build our glorious army! So what's the problem?"
Her four ladies stared blankly at her.
Azula huffed, then guestured up at the cliff overlooking the carved out Temple where a few male bison liked to mill about on the open plain. "The males look at me every day and ask if you're all in season, and Appa's coming in a few weeks. What am I supposed to tell them!?" Just then a male bison, who had been lumbering near the cliff with his other two buddies hung his head over the ledge and bellowed down at Azula.
Azula scowled at the male and put up a warning finger about which danced a stream of lightning. "Stay out of this, unless you'd like to be rendered incapable of mating."
The male grumbled and retraced his head; the others followed closely behind. Azula extinguished her lightning, griping under her breath. Azula didn't have much interaction with the male bison. Mostly they hung out on the plain above the temple and grumbled down at Azula and her ladies from time to time. If they got in her way she wasn't' shy about putting them in their place, and they weren't shy about obeying her. Otherwise, they remained separate from Azula and the females.
Azula cleared her throat, then continued: "Rules Ladies: Keep to one male." She pointed a warning finger at them all. "Why? The genetic pool is thin as it is and we have to be very careful to avoid inbreeding and…well it's just not proper! I consider you all noble bison, not promiscuous bison."
The three lesser females looked at Dominatia and then began to warble extensively, as though complaining. Dominatia sniffed at them, grumbled a little, then smacked her paw against the ground.
Sensing their displeasure, Azula crossed her arms. "Oh, I'm sorry. Do you all need a minute?" she snarked, clearly annoyed.
Dominatia roared a "yes."
"Fine, do what you want," Azula turned her back to start the water pump for her subjects so they could have a drink. When this chore was finished and she returned to her bison, Dominatia gave her an unwelcome verdict.
"What do you mean they're not ready for a relationship, Dominatia?!"
The bison's answer had a distinct hint of obstinacy.
"What do you mean 'I should know?'" Sudden realization dawned on Azula and she grabbed the back of her hair with frustration "Oh, not this again! Dominatia, we've been through this so many times I'm growing sick of it! It was just a one night stand!"
Dominatia disagreed.
"You don't have to do that in order for it to be a one night stand Dominatia! You know very well he won't come; he's afraid of me."
Dominatia wasn't so sure of this.
"I know I told him he was brave, and he is…but not that brave. Everyone's afraid of me Dominatia. He only said those things so I wouldn't cremate him. You know it; I know it!"
Dominatia let loose an obstinate bellow and sneeze.
"Well, everyone except for you. Why aren't you afraid, by the way?"
Dominatia mewled and smacked her paw against the ground, causing the earth beneath Azula to quake slightly.
"Oh, right," Azula remembered. "You weigh ten tons, and I always loose when I wrestle you." She swept a strand of hair out of her eyes. "Well, that doesn't change anything between Kuei and I! He's not a ten ton bison, and he IS afraid," Azula quipped. "He won't come. You'll see." She threw her head and shoulders back, as though proud of what she'd declared, even though she felt a foreign twinge in her chest the moment it left her lips. She huffed a little, as though to force the strange discomfort out, then strode to the water pump to draw more drinking water for Dominatia and the others.
Dominatia rolled her eyes and stuck out her tongue behind her mistress' back, but bent her head down for a drink once the water halted. The other bison joined her.
"There you go ladies. Drink up. We'll continue our conversation tomorrow."
The bison mewled appreciatively and Azula continued with the rest of her chores. Mostly bison were self-sufficient. They foraged their own food, and there was a stream they could drink from running through the base of the canyon below, but there were things she enjoyed doing for them. Pumping fresh filtered water from the underground spring was one; this way they wouldn't have to fly all the way down the canyon in the morning. She also got to baking bread and clay shots that she used for target practice later; the Temple had ancient, but fabulous stone ovens that were great for baking.
There would have been a time when Azula would have considered this sort of work beneath her, but her medication and time alone had changed her. There were also no humans to see or judge her in her drudgery; and the bison bowed to her no matter how much menial work she performed or how dirty she got while doing it. A lot of times, the bison even helped her. Her therapist and psychiatrist came about once a week, and mother showed up every couple of weeks. Zuzu was busy but tried very hard to make it about once a month. In addition, she was allowed to visit the Fire Nation Palace two days per month and take what she needed for her mission to repopulate the bison. What more could she ask for?
What more indeed.
The day passed much like any other day, but Azula spent most of it pensive, her mind drifting between Kuei and the challenges of mating season. It was right around the corner and her last attempt to pair the bison had ended in disaster. Despite two years of being around Azula, they still hated just about every other human on the face of the earth. Dominatia's reaction to Kuei had actually surprised Azula. Her favorite bison was friendlier than the others, but even she would rarely let anyone other than Azula touch her. Kuei had given her a full belly rub.
Azula's eyebrows knit together with frustration and her fists balled at her temples. Of all the ridiculous things to think about at a time like this! She wanted desperately to increase her bison army, and that would only happen through successfully mating them! What of all things did that silly King have to do with that?
She started grumbled to herself towards the end of the day and throughout supper, drawing the attention of her therapy bison who growled a question at her.
"OF COURSE I TOOK MY MEDICATION DOMINATIA!" Azula screamed over her shoulder as she cleaned up after dinner that night.
Dominatia wasn't so sure, and flared her nostrils to make sure Azula smelled of the prescription herbs. Satisfied with the evidence but not Azula's attitude, she roared a rather discontented "good night" at her and then retreated to the ledge of the temple where she rolled on her back to sleep in her classic "belly baring" position.
Azula cuddled up next to Dominatia once her breathing signaled the bison was asleep. The Princess didn't mean to sleep there, only sit for a bit while her mind calmed down, but instead it raced.
Fidgety and annoyed with herself, Azula got up and retreated to her stateroom. Once there she spread out a rug and then sat in the lotus position. She used to think that meditation was a ridiculous past time, but in combination with her medication it worked well to calm her mind and center her. Her therapist had first suggested it and Avatar Aang had helped her to perfect it. Meditation also allowed her to communicate with the spirit world, which had surprised Aang. The Avatar was supposed to be the only one capable, but Azula, who jumped rope with the fine line between genius and insanity could also dance between the natural and the supernatural.
The first time it happened Azula was sure she was hallucinating again. But over time she realized that it only happened during meditation, and never when she was in front of the mirror or near water, like the hallucinations had a tendency to do.
Sometimes the spirits came, sometimes not. She found that many of the Air Spirits liked her, which made sense. She was living at an Air Temple and despite all of her nastiness, she was trying to be good. Or at least use her nastiness for good purposes. One spirit in particular, Pei Chen, often came to Azula in her meditative state.
She claimed to have been Mother Keeper Superior at the time of the Great Genocide.
"Oh, you couldn't' sleep either," Azula observed casually when Pei Chen manifested herself before Azula in robes of sparkling white and orange.
The spirit laughed softly. "Spirits don't' sleep Azula," she corrected.
"Well I'm glad you're here," Azula told the spirit. "I have a problem with these bison. Dominatia doesn't want to mate and neither do her friends. I thought about getting Dominatia and another male drunk, because between you and me she's a complete lush, but…"
The spirit's laughter was mystical, like a thousand bells reverberating around her. "Azula, bison are very sensitive creatures. They feed off the energy of the human they're bonded to, and they will react in situations similarly to the way their bonded human does." The spirit cocked her eyebrow. "Do you understand?"
Azula rolled her eyes. "Oh not you too!" she hissed.
"They sense your hesitancy with regard to your own romance, your fear," Pei Chen continued. "Therefore, they will show fear and hesitancy as well."
Azula stared at her blankly. "That can't be the best advice you have," she deadpanned.
The spirit sighed. "There is another thing. A book; It contains all the knowledge of the Keepers past. My office is located deep underneath the Temple; I was there when your ancestor attacked. I died there with my hand still on it. Then when my spirit left my body I watched as the soldiers left the rest of my office intact. However…"
"However?"
"They burned the causeway from the Temple mount to the tunnel below where my office was located, and the survivors of the initial siege returned twenty years later to lay booby traps at the entrance before they too were hunted down by Sozin. My point is that you will have a difficult time getting to it. And then, once you are there…."
The spirit's expression fell. "My office is surrounded by caverns and an underground spring; it is a very spiritual place where the energies of heaven and the underworld meet, where good and evil are at constant odds with each other. You may not like what you find."
Azula waved her hand dismissively. "It can't be any worse than therapy."
Pei Chen looked at her, a warning in her eyes. "Look below the base of the southernmost building, and be careful, Lord of the Bison." She disappeared.