In this chapter, Azula sees things. Yue gets a job. And they go somewhere.
Azula sat in front of the mirror as a servant pulled her freshly washed hair to the top of her head and pulled it into a simple topknot, binding it with a dark red ribbon. She watched her reflection, golden eyes flickering from her face and the door. The princess looked up at the length of the servant's arm as she reached for the gold hairpiece that lay beside her hand.
The door of the room opened and in stepped Ursa, Azula's mother. She was dressed in the most elegant of robes for a lady of her position-swathed in burgundy and black silk that billowed around her ankles when she moved. Azula hated to admit that her mother looked beautiful, but she did. Her lips were painted in a light shade and half of her hair was piled on top of her head in a traditional knot. The servant bowed to her and Ursa nodded, dismissing the gesture with a wave. "Azula," She said quietly, "You look stunning."
And really, she did. She was dressed in a polished suit of armor that had been fitted for her body specifically. It fit comfortably against her shoulders. The suit was a coal colored gray with trims of red on the bottom. She wore simple pants underneath, but even this did not mar her appearance. "I wouldn't expect to look anything less," She answered and her mother sighed.
"An answer I would expect from you, Azula." Ursa said and then the corners of her lips turned up into a smile, "Come with me, the rest of your team should arrive very soon," She said, gesturing towards the door. "And you want to say goodbye to your father and uncle, don't you?" She took Azula gently by her forearm.
Because Ursa had a rather firm grip, even when she was being gentle, Azula wasn't quite sure if she had much a choice right about now. She followed her mother through the corridors of the palace, sighing loudly. She was being treated as an incompetent little girl-by her mother-when she was a warrior about to set the Water Tribe tyrants ablaze!
Princess Ursa looked back at her daughter and her eyes seemed even sadder than before. "You can at least show some emotion, Azula." She said softly, "Both of my children are going to be gone for who knows how long, fighting the enemy. You won't come back the same, Azula."
I'll come back better. Azula thought, tilting her eyes skyward. "Quite obviously." She said and her mother's gaze caught her own. Azula liked to think she could understand people by looking at them long enough and she could read the message in Ursa's eyes even though the woman didn't speak. Azula looked off to the side and frowned.
"Your father is going to miss you," Ursa said and Azula turned back to her mother. "He may not admit it, but he's going to miss Zuko, too, when the two of you are gone." I find that hard to believe. "But you must grow up, and if this is what it takes…go ahead."
Azula didn't quite understand why her mother was suddenly so against her leaving. She normally would have been clinging to Zuko, doting over him like he was a baby. Ursa would have kissed Zuko's forehead and hugged him, but instead here she was now, standing before her daughter expectantly. "I'm glad that you finally understand," She said and stepped back.
From behind her, Azula could hear the soft sound of voices approaching. She didn't quite recognize them-but part of her told herself that she had heard them somewhere. The younger princess turned and stifled as gasp. Lu Ten was leading a shorter, slenderer figure down the hall, nodding his head absently.
She knew that voice.
The speaker suddenly stopped and emitted a loud squeal. It was a girl, with pale Fire Nation skin and a thick braid of brown hair that arched over her back. Her face was more defined than before. Her eyes were larger than the average Fire Nation woman's and were a very pale gray. She was clad in shades of pink and red. But Azula recognized her all the same. Ty Lee. The girl had once been one of Azula's closest friends as a child, until time had pushed them apart. "Azula!" She winced as the girl raced towards her and all but tackled her, throwing her arms around her neck and squeezing the life from her.
Azula could hear Lu Ten and Ursa chuckling softly off to the side as she patted Ty Lee's back awkwardly. She hadn't seen Ty Lee since the end of their final year at school together. Why is she here? Then it hit her. How did Ty Lee get chosen for this?
"I'm so excited to be here again, Azula!" Ty Lee cried, as joyfully as always. Azula had always wondered how her friend could be so sugary sweet and social all the time, and part of her was bothered that she couldn't. "My dad wanted me to go on this, you know, to get out of the house because Mom's pregnant again. It's going to be so fun, we're going to Ba Sing Se!" Azula had once heard that Ty Lee had six-it's seven now-sisters.
The young princess of the Fire Nation breathed a sigh of relief when Lu Ten pried Ty Lee away from her throat. "I'm sure it is, Ty Lee, I'm sure it is. Azula, Ty Lee was elected for joining us because of…experience with social situations." Meaning, she knows how to talk answers out of people. "And she's experienced in hand to hand combat. By the way, she's not the only one of your friends who were elected to come with us," Lu Ten looked pointedly at his younger cousin. "So you wouldn't be the youngest person on the mission. I was just taking Ty Lee to the throne room, so the last finalities can be put into place."
Azula blinked slowly, just once, and looked at Ty Lee. Her friend was grinning and Azula thought it had been too long since she had last seen her friend. "Well," The princess looked at her mother, then at her cousin, "To the throne room we go, then."
Lu Ten nodded and his gaze flickered over Azula's outfit, "Oh, don't you look stylish, 'Zula? It suits you well," He commented and linked arms with his aunt-in-law, "You know, Ursa, I've discovered something in these twenty-three years I've been on earth, is that you must stay open minded about these things." He said as he led the women down the hall, "I didn't think I would have to choose three teenage girls to drag half way across the world to fight some waterbenders. Isn't that funny?"
Quite honestly, Azula didn't think it was funny, considering that she was one of those teenage girls that he had mentioned. She thought it should have been four teenage girls, because Zuko was just as moody and sensitive as one. Azula had a vague idea on who the third teenage girl would be, but she wouldn't believe it until she saw it.
Which would be soon, because Lu Ten brought them around a corner of the hallway towards the considerably large war room. The last time Azula had been in here was the time she had accidently spoken out loud, and the incident still made her angry that she been so foolish.
The guards in front of the door straightened as Lu Ten approached and the bowed respectfully to the Crown Prince of the Fire Nation. The prince dipped his head and nodded to the guards, "It's the last time you'll see me in a while," He said and chuckled, "I reckon you'll miss me, won't you?" He grinned as the doors to the war room swung open for him.
Peeking around Lu Ten's shoulder, Azula could see her father and her uncle sitting on his dais without the flames this time. She could see Zuko and an older man that she didn't quite recognize, along with a tall, seemingly androgynous figure.
Ursa slipped over to Ozai's side and knelt beside him, folding her hands neatly in her lap. Lu Ten dipped his head to his uncle and his father before arranging himself at Zuko's side. As Azula stepped closer, she blinked. The genderless figure was actually a woman, not much older than herself, who was tall and lanky. Even in the dim light of the war room, her ink black hair glistened, piled high on top of her head. She had a long, elegant, lily white neck that was nearly concealed by the high collar of her shirt. She looked older, but Azula recognized her as well. And it bothered her that they had chosen two people that she left out of her lives.
Azula slipped on the other side of her father, dipping her head out of respect. There weren't many people attending this meeting and as she looked up, she found she could put names to everyone. Her mother, father, uncle, and cousin…Ty Lee, of course. The other girl had also been one of Azula's friends as a child, but Azula hadn't found her nearly as interesting as Ty Lee. Her name was Mai, the daughter of a nobleman she couldn't quite remember the name of.
The man, whose hair was dark brown with streaks of gray, had the uniform of a commissioned officer in the navy. He sat with his head held high and his chin raised. Azula could already tell she didn't like him much, if just judging by the egoistical glint in his eyes.
Looking around her mother and father, Azula caught Zuko's gaze and batted her eyes. They would be away from the watching eyes of Ursa, for once. Then, her view was blocked by Ursa's shoulders as her mother leaned down to face her, staring disapprovingly at her. Azula straightened, rolling her eyes to the ceiling as Lu Ten cleared his throat.
"It seems that everyone is here," He began and Azula realized that Iroh was allowing his son to hold this meeting. Even though Lu Ten could be the lousiest twenty-three year old that she had ever met, she gave honor where honor was due and she had to admit that he could fit the Crown Prince role very nicely when he had to. "First, I would like to introduce the brave warriors that will put their lives on the line for the Fall of the Water Tribes." He rose to his feet, eyes glittering. He nodded his head towards the uniformed man, "Captain Zhao of the Fire Navy, best known for his knowledge of the sea that could rival that of a waterbender's." The captain, Zhao, smirked as Lu Ten moved on, "Lady Mai, esteemed markswoman,"
Mai simply sniffed and Azula remembered why she hadn't liked her as well as Ty Lee. The older girl could be dreadfully boring at times and her voice was a horrid monotone when she spoke. Azula looked at her briefly before turning back towards Lu Ten.
Lu Ten had turned to Ty Lee, who was practically bursting from her clothes with excitement. "Lady Ty Lee, expert gymnast and hand-to-hand combatant," Ty Lee nearly squealed and Lu Ten raised his eyebrow before turning towards Azula. "Princess Azula of the Fire Nation, esteemed strategist and Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation,"
Azula didn't want to hear what Lu Ten had to say about Zuko. In her opinion, he should have said something along the lines of "Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation, expert failure of everything." But he didn't, as she expected.
"This mission," Lu Ten said and his voice increased in volume, "This mission is dangerous and your lives will constantly be at stake. These Water Tribe heathens have increased in number and force, which is why they must be stopped!" His fist collided with his palm, "The battle will be long and you will wish for home, but we will not give up nor will we fail. But you mustn't forget this is for our honor and our country. We will bring down the Water Tribes!" His gaze swiveled across the room, "Because we are Fire Nation," The prince's voice had fallen to just barely above a whisper, "And the Fire Nation never fails."
For a moment, there was silence. Though there were few people in the room, Lu Ten's last words had struck true, straight to their hearts. Azula couldn't deny that her older cousin gave powerful speeches, even with the few words he had spoken. She was impressed.
Lu Ten sat and unrolled several maps that Azula hadn't noticed. One was of the ocean and its waterways, while the other was of the complete Earth Kingdom continent. "Captain Zhao," The Crown Prince looked towards the seaman, "What do you think would be the best way to reach Ba Sing Se without minimal interaction with Water Tribe naval forces?"
The captain studied the maps for a moment and Azula craned her neck to see better. Zhao was tracing his finger along a thin blue line that ran just within the huge continent, "Here," He said finally, "This is a strait that cuts through the lower Earth Kingdom, both the continent and the country. A small ship will be needed, for a newer warship won't fit. That explains why the Water Tribes haven't tried to push their way through the Earth Kingdom."
"But they are waterbenders, can't they just move the water to create a passage?" Lu Ten asked, furrowing his brow and the captain shrugged, "Well, that's beside the point. So, if we run this strait, how will we get to Ba Sing Se?"
From where she sat, Azula could see two possible ways. By land, of course, and a smaller river that curled around the border between the Earth Kingdom and the Water Tribe territory. The easiest would be by land and she could see that Zhao agreed. Azula knitted her fingers together and watched. She had figured that they had gotten all of this done before.
Ozai and Ursa were as still as stone. Azula's eyes flitted up to their faces to read their expressions. Her mother's eyes had shifted into the cool gaze she used in the war room, but Azula could see the emotion that flickered in the corner of her eyes. Azula blinked and looked at her father, who had his hands pressed together with his chin resting on his fingertips. He seemed to sense that she was looking at him, for he turned his gaze to look down at her. He blinked slowly, one, twice, and a third time before turning away.
Azula inhaled and turned her attentions back to the meeting. This would be her time to show her truest potential. An opportunity she couldn't miss for anything.
With the weak sunlight beaming down on the few areas of her skin that were showing, Yue adjusted the cuffs of her parka and breathed in the sharp scent of the sea. She and others were one a rather peaceful excursion to the docks of the Southern Water Tribe's port, though she used the word peaceful very lightly. Between Sokka and Aang's antics, Yue was wondering if she even wanted to continue. And Yue was sure that something was wrong with Katara. She was actually laughing at some joke that Sokka had told. It seemed that all of them were in good moods this morning-a feat that Yue had thought to be impossible.
Water Tribesmen scurried around the docks, checking ships and other duties that Yue didn't quite understand. They stopped long enough to face their prince and princesses, crossing their forearm over their chests and dipped their heads before turning back to their various tasks. Yue smiled kindly at the men and kept walking. She didn't want to smile at someone she didn't know, but she was the princess of the Northern Water Tribe and she must set an example.
It was something that Yue hated. Being royalty, she had to always appear to be the princess. She-or Sokka, for that matter-could never openly admit they didn't support the war effort. If we openly refuse the war, the rest of the country will, too, and if the armies suddenly withdraw, the Fire Nation will close in and kill us all. If the royal family sets an example, the people will follow.
These men, these men who smiled and saluted to her, their lives, much like hers, revolved around the war and the money it brought, even though it was divided three ways: the Southern Water Tribe, the Northern one, and the part of the Earth Kingdom that they kept.
Yue looked at Aang, the child Avatar. The boy was standing beside her, looking out at the ocean wistfully. He's an Air Nomad, she remembered, he needs to move. Yue looked back at the water and though there was no other landmass in sight, she knew the Earth Kingdom was somewhere out there, amongst leagues of water so deep that its depths were unknown. "We'll be able to go soon," She said softly, "You're doing very well in your lessons, I'm sure you can master it on the road."
Sokka moved to Aang's other side and from behind Katara crept up, nodding. "There's only so much you can learn in the poles," She said, turning her gaze towards Yue as she spoke, "And just because Yue and I are masters doesn't mean we don't have much to learn," The younger princess, for once, didn't sound bitter or malicious and Yue thought she seemed rather…hopeful. As if she wanted to leave the Southern Water Tribe. Of course, Yue mused, she only wants to leave to wage more war.
Then, as quickly as the serene moment had begun, it ended. Katara stepped away from the huddle of bodies and the soft look in her eyes began to fade. Aang blinked and tore his gaze from the ocean, "Do you think, Yue," He said softly, looking up at her, "Do you think that there are more Air Nomads out there? Air Nomads that are hiding?"
Yue looked at Sokka, but the Water Tribe prince turned his head to pretend he wasn't listening. The princess leaned down to Aang's ear, because she knew Katara could hear her. And treason was something Yue could not afford to be charged with. "Yes." She answered simply, "I think there are and if we look hard enough, we'll find them." There had to be some chances, perhaps a few of the Air Nomads had escaped the massacre. She straightened and patted Aang's shoulder before continuing to walk.
Sokka came to her left and Katara walked ahead, her arms crossed over her chest. The prince of the Southern Water Tribe appeared as though he was deep in thought and Yue found herself wondering what her friend was thinking about. Sokka wasn't a reserved person-quite the contrary, he was very vocal when he wanted to be, and Yue found him a great conversationalist at times.
"Why are you so quiet now, Sokka?" Aang asked of his older friend, dark eyebrows rising towards his hairline. He had voiced the question Yue had been wondering, but she was too polite to ask. Sokka blinked, refocusing his gaze on the princess and the Avatar. "Are you thinking?"
"No," He said sarcastically, "I was sleeping with me eyes open." The prince grinned, pulling down the skin beneath his eyes and sticking out his tongue, "Do I look asleep to you?" He asked and Aang blinked, reaching up to scratch the back of his head as he stood in front of the older boy, unsure of what to say. "I was thinking."
Yue lifted her gaze skyward, "I didn't know you could think so intensely, Sokka." She smiled as the younger boy furrowed his brows at her. "What were you thinking about?" She asked, and she hoped Sokka didn't think she was being nosy, even though she had a sense that he did.
"The Earth Kingdom and how we'll find Aang an earthbending teacher." Sokka said and Yue was surprised to find that he had no caustic remark to follow; perhaps he wasn't in the mood. "Probably in Ba Sing Se would be the best choice, don't you think?" The prince actually seemed genuinely interested in the boy's lessons. Yue figured it was because he could bend anything and Aang could bend all four elements. Or rather, he was learning to.
The tribal princess nodded. Ba Sing Se had more diversity than the poles and there were earthbenders as well, for the polar climate of the north and south made them uncomfortable and out of their element. Yue-and other waterbenders-could adjust to changes easily, like the element they controlled. Water could freeze and disappear, it could move and it could stay still. Water could be everything. "Yes," She said slowly, "Ba Sing Se is a good choice."
Her words were met by a thick silence, with the exception of the life outside of their group. It seemed that the four of them had fallen into the abyss of their own thoughts for the moment as they walked back towards the Southern Water Tribe palace. Then, she was aware that Sokka was chasing Aang for reasons unknown-she was sure she would find out, though. She shook her head and strengthened her stride to match Katara. "Your brother is strange," She said.
Katara looked at her with a raised eyebrow, "Tell me something I don't know," The younger princess said and rolled her eyes at the fleeting shape of her brother and the Avatar, "Your Avatar isn't so normal either," She commented.
It took a moment for Yue to understand what she meant. "He's not my Avatar," She said slowly, "He's my friend. You forget, I was the first person he saw when he woke up." And you tried to kill him, she thought, but didn't dare say this out loud. Yue valued her life. "He's the world's Avatar."
Yue had expected Katara to say something along the lines of "No, he's the Water Tribes' Avatar." But instead, the Southern princess simply shrugged as they approached the palace. She seemed serene, almost, as if she wasn't planning or plotting destruction. Yue was puzzled, but she didn't question good things. Oh no, she knew better than to do that.
With Sokka and Aang rejoining them, the two princesses walked down the great hall of the Southern Water Tribe palace towards the chief's conference room. As a child, Yue had wondered if the chief ever left the room, but as she had grown older-and smarter-she had figured that his duties as chief often took up so much of his time that he rarely left the room.
The teenagers were greeted by Narak, who leaped up on Aang's shoulders and tried to lick his face. Yue was unsure about the dog, who seemed content to sit in her lap one day, then chased her through the halls the next. Perhaps Aang had a way with animals, for the dog and the boy seemed to enjoy each other.
Guarding the entrance of the conference room were the warrior women. They acknowledged their monarchs by stepping aside, and Yue thought she saw a fleeting smile on the shorter woman's lips. Sokka pushed the heavy curtain aside and stepped forward in an exaggerated entrance.
"Worry not, dear Father, your loyal son has returned home!" He cried and stopped suddenly, shoulders falling. Yue peeked over his shoulder and blinked. Lady Kya was seated on the chief's cushion instead of her husband, a scroll set before her. "Er…hey, Mom." Sokka said awkwardly, looking back at his friends. "I didn't expect you to be in here."
Kya looked up from the scroll and smiled kindly, "I know you didn't." She answered, "Hello there, young Avatar," She waved at Aang before turning to Yue, "Good day to you as well, Yue." The Northern Water Tribe princess was reminded why she liked Kya; she treated her as if she was simply another daughter. "Your father is out stretching his muscles, after sitting cooped up in here all day." She held up the scroll she had been reading, "Foreign affairs, civil affairs, affairs, affairs, affairs, you get so bored of it after a while!"
Katara sniffed, "Oh," She said simply and sat down across from her mother. "We wanted to ask Father about the Avatar's earthbending training, you know. He has to learn two other elements before summer's end," She explained, "But he's not here." The princess scowled Kya suddenly snatched her daughter by the neck and tousled her hair. "Stop!" She cried, "Stop!"
Yue found it humorous to see the normally bad-tempered princess being roughed up by her mother. Kya released her daughter and smiled at the now frowning girl. Kya looked up at her son and bared her teeth in a wide grin, "I'm going to get you next, Sokka, when you aren't looking. And you, too, Yue." What a fun mother to have.
"Now," The woman straightened her clothes, "All of you get out of here, I have to finish reading this and I can't do that with all of you hanging around here," She made a shooing motion, "Go on, go! Find your father and ask him about the Earth Kingdom and finding Aang's earthbending teacher. Just go." She looked up suddenly, catching Yue's gaze, "Except for you."
What does she want with me? Yue could feel Sokka, Aang, and Katara's eyes fall on her. She looked back at Kya, who turned to her children and jerked her head and a silent way that said: Go.
"Come on, Aang, we can go watch you knock Katara down again." Sokka said, ushering the young airbender out of the room with Katara growling as she followed. The prince looked back at Yue and shrugged before the curtain swung back in place after them.
Yue sat on one of the cushions and placed her hands in her lap. She sat with a rigid back, unsure of why Kya had wanted to talk to her personally. The chief's wife had shifted her eyes back to her work, but she must have felt Yue's gaze on her back, for the woman looked up and cleared her throat.
"You know, Yue, I've always been fond of you." Kya said, "You're a sweet girl, you know that?" Yue tilted her shoulders upward and the woman smiled, "You are very blessed to be born a prodigy and the Moon Spirit has shown favor to you," Her gaze wandered to Yue's pure white hair for a moment, "You are granted with a gift of great knowledge, but sometimes knowledge can weigh us down."
The Northern Water Tribe princess wasn't sure if she understood Lady Kya or not, but she turned her head to the side in a half-nod. I don't have a gift of great knowledge, I just think a lot. She thought and opened her mouth to speak, but the older woman held up her hand.
"Have you learned healing, Yue?" Kya asked and the princess shook her head in response. "Well, I want you to. It's an art that should be learned, and I think you would enjoy it. Everyone knows what Katara would say to that," She rolled her eyes, "But I have to ask a favor of you, Yue." Kya leaned forward, eyes glittering, "I want you to learn how to heal altered and shattered minds."
Yue gasped, eyes widening. "But that's not possible!" She argued, surprised at Kya's request. She had never heard of such a thing, and she couldn't grasp the concept. A shattered mind? An altered mind? What is that? "That isn't possible."
The Southern queen shook her head, "It's never been tried. But you're a prodigy, Yue, and you've been touched the Moon Spirit. You have a sense of spirituality that a normal healer like me could never fathom, and I think you could do it. I think you could heal the effects of a broken mind and erase the influences that corrupt someone. I believe in you, but will you do it?"
Looking down at her hands, Yue breathed through her nose. She didn't understand what Kya wanted from her, but she felt that if she tried, it could be possible. "I…I don't think erasing influences is possible, but…I'll try."
Kya nodded her head, "Good girl." She waved her hand, "Now go on, go back to the others and do whatever you youngsters do nowadays. And Yue…keep this your own personal project." She said as the young princess rose to her feet, "There are too many people in the world who smile in your face, and stab you in your back at the same time."
Yue inclined her head and crossed her forearm over her chest in a salute to the queen. She slipped from the room, brushing the curtain back behind her and leaving the woman to herself. She was aware that she had a nebulous expression on her face, for she was suddenly stunned by the task that Kya had given her. Fixing a broken mind seemed foreign and impossible for her to grasp.
The princess walked idly down the halls of the palace, lost in her own thoughts. Perhaps if she could piece everything together, it would make more sense. But it seemed like she was at a feast, and she was the only one attending. She could possibly consume it all, or else she would lose herself.
"Yuuuee!" At the sound of her name being called, Yue turned. Aang was running towards her, a frantic look in his eyes as he hid behind her form. "Tell Sokka I didn't mean to!" He cried, "Tell him to leave me alone! I swear, I didn't mean to!"
Yue blinked, holding out her arms awkwardly as Aang clutched her clothes, peeking around her. She could see Sokka blundering towards them, his hair sticking up awkwardly. It was then that she understood. Aang runs from blame.
Sokka glared at the young Air Nomad, hiding behind the shield of Yue's body. "You blew me over on purpose!" He exclaimed, "I know you did, because you wouldn't be laughing if you didn't." The Water Tribe prince narrowed his eyes and straightened as Aang crept out from behind Yue. "You just wait, I'll get you back." He wrinkled his nose before looking at the princess, "So, what did Mom talk to you about?"
"Nothing really. Just my opinion on some things," She replied, and it wasn't really a lie. But she would keep true to her word and not mention her task to anyone, not even Sokka. Not even Aang. "So, I see you two are here," She commented, "But where's Katara?"
The younger teenager shot one last glare at Aang and turned his full attentions on Yue. "With Dad, proposing our trip to Ba Sing Se. He was out walking when we found him. Before Aang…" He growled, "He was agreeing on it. He said that Aang deserved to learn at least the basics of each element before summer's end."
Each element. That included fire. Aang was the world's Avatar; he had to master the element. Firebenders lived the Fire Nation. The Water Tribes were in a war with the Fire Nation. Yue breathed through her nose and looked down at the young boy. Her life was suddenly becoming increasingly complicated.
The Fire Nation sun felt familiar and comforting against Azula's pale skin. The sunlight was always refreshing to her, but it was the air that made her feel taller and stronger. She stood in the grand palace courtyard, preparing to say her final goodbyes to her family before she and the others would depart for the ship that awaited them. They would travel to the docks by the palanquins that waited across the courtyard.
"Azula." That was her father. He was standing with his arms crossed before his chest. "Come here," He said in his gravelly, low voice and like the obedient daughter she was, she went. "Remember everything you have been taught," He said, "And don't be a fool."
Azula nodded and shifted her gaze to the side, catching sight of her mother embracing Zuko tightly. Something in her chest tightened and she narrowed her eyes. "I understand, Father," She said. "I won't forget, and I won't fail you either. I promise."
Ozai tilted his head in what Azula interpreted as a nod, golden eyes searching her own. "Do as is expected of you, and follow your orders." He continued, "You weren't raised to be a fool, and you won't become one while you are away from me watching. Come back even better."
"I understand, Father." Azula said and fell silent as her mother moved closer to her with Zuko on her heels. "I will, you can rest assured of it." The princess of the Fire Nation tensed as her mother laid her hand on her shoulder. She turned and blinked. "Yes, Mother?"
Ursa held Azula at arm's length, as if she was remembering every feature of her fourteen year old daughter, who was just a girl. Azula would return as a woman, perhaps not physically, but she would emotionally. "Azula," Her mother said softly, as if her name was the white wisp of a dandelion and if she blew too hard, it would blow away. "I'm going to miss you, Azula." And she crushed her daughter to her chest, startling her and casting her breath away.
Over Ursa's shoulder, Azula caught Zuko's gaze and narrowed her eyes. Mommy Dearest won't protect you, she mouthed, you're all mine. Her older brother glared at her, and Azula thought that if look could kill, she would have been fatally injured.
Finally, though, she was released. Azula straightened her outfit, looking up at the sky. A great, dark shadow suddenly passed beneath the clouds, casting the area around her in shadow. She could make out a vague, foreign shape from this shadow, and she gasped, "What is that?" The thing had passed quickly and she hadn't seen the whole of it, but it had startled her.
Lu Ten, who had been standing next to his own father, let out a cry that caused everyone in the courtyard-servants included-to turn. "It was a dragon!" He exclaimed, "It was a dragon, and I know it was because I saw the outline of its wings. You saw it, Azula. You know it was. You saw all of it."
And she did. But she had never seen such a creature in her life. She had heard that they were very first firebenders, and that they had once been close to humans. But apparently, they had learned to fear man and only showed themselves to those they had deemed worthy of viewing their great power of flight. Azula had seen it. She had seen the dragon and it had cobalt and silver scales.
Of everyone in the courtyard, she had been the only one who saw the dragon. Even though her eyes had only caught part of it, some part of her could piece together the whole mass of the beast, as if it had stopped for her to gaze upon it. Did it deem me worthy?
Everyone was watching her now, as if they were wondering if their young princess had some type of supernatural ability that called dragons to her. Her father clapped his hand on her shoulder and pulled her back to him as Iroh-the Fire Lord- raised his voice. "What an auspicious day this is!" Her uncle said loudly, "A dragon has been seen."
She could see envy flicker in Zuko's eyes. She smirked at her brother and lifted her chin. Azula had seen the dragon and he hadn't. The dragon had deemed her, not him, worthy of seeing it. Part of her wanted to see the great beast again, to touch it just to see that it was real. Zuko turned his head away from her and crossed his arms in front of his chest.
"I think it's time we should be leaving." Lu Ten said loudly and turned back towards his father. Even from where she stood, Azula could see the raw emotion the flickered from the man and his departing son. Lu Ten through his arms around his father, nearly lifting the aging man off the ground, and squeezed as if wanted to drag him along with them. But he let go of his father and nodded his head. The words he said next were meant for his father's ears along, but Azula read his lips well enough. "I promise I'll come back."
Lu Ten moved towards the palanquin, walking like the Crown Prince he was, with his back straight and his head held high. Zuko, who would be riding with him, followed. Azula would have a palanquin of her own, and for that, she didn't complain.
Azula took a step forward, and then froze. There was something she needed to do first. She darted back to her father and before he could react, she had thrown her arms around him in a constricting hug. He could be overbearing at times, but he was her father and one of her favorite people. She would be away from him, away from his stern guidance, and she would miss him.
Ozai may have been stern, and cold, but he didn't push his daughter away until she had remembered the way he smelled. Then, he put his hands on her shoulders and pushed her back. Once again, his gaze met hers and he gave a brief nod. "Remember what I've told you, Azula." He repeated.
The young princess nodded professionally and turned back towards her palanquin, shoulders squared and her chin held regally. I won't forget. She thought to herself and the curtains of the litter were pulled closed around her. She crossed her legs under her body as the litter was lifted and she began to leave the Fire Nation palace-and the old Azula-in the past.
Yue wasn't sure if things were working in her favor, or against it. By coincidence, one of the ships that they had been observing would be leaving for Ba Sing Se in just six days. Hakoda had insisted that the teenagers leave as soon as possible, and that meant they would leave on this ship.
That added yet another thing she had to worry about. The palace was suddenly bustling about, with servants preparing supplies that the teenagers might need. Yue found herself lost among the disarray that threatened to drag her under and drown her. Servants were taking her measurements for clothes, even though she was certain they had measured her every time she grew an inch. She was questioned about her choices on food and what type of hats she might like, along with other trivial things. And all this had suddenly happened in a matter of hours.
She had finally been given a rare moment of rest and she spent it in her room, surrounded by familiar, silent things. Things were suddenly moving too fast for her to keep up with and she needed to be submerged in something familiar, something stable. The princess lay face down on her bed, head buried into the covers. She was certain that Aang was enduring the same torture that she had. As a princess, Yue figured that she should have accepted the fact that she would be bothered with trivial things, but she wanted to be left alone.
And sadly, it seemed that no one would respect that.
"Yue?" The girl groaned and contemplated whether or not she could pretend she was asleep. But the voice that spoke wasn't that of a servant's. "Yue, I know you hear me," The speaker, and Yue recognized them to be Katara, said again. "I know you hear me, now get up."
Lifting her head, Yue met Katara's steely glare with a blazing stare of her own. Katara seemed unaffected by this as she stepped further into the room. Yue sat up, watching the younger girl as she moved around the space, looking out towards the open ocean that the window revealed. "What do you want now, Katara?"
The younger princess blinked and turned back towards Yue. "Can't I come in your room without being accused on maliciousness?" No. "I wanted to ask you something," She said and leaned against the wall, "Do you ever plan on telling Aang the truth?"
"What truth?" Yue asked, and then she remembered. The truth about who really killed his people. This is a trick question, she realized, she wants to see my intentions. Well, I've already seen right through your plans. "I don't know," She asked coyly, "Do you?"
At that, Katara straightened. "No." She said simply, "Because if we do, he'll turn against us. And what will stop him from destroying everything we've worked for, once he's mastered all four elements and become a fully realized Avatar? It must remain this way, or else we'll all be killed by his fury." She blinked again, "It'll be nice to go back to Ba Sing Se again, don't you think?"
Yue bit her bottom lip and felt the sharp taste of blood. I hadn't thought of it that way… "Yeah," She said distantly, "It will."
Honestly, if you couldn't guess who in the Fire Nation would be attending, something is terribly wrong...I kid.