Part II
Highly respected Fire Lord Zuko,
What I mentioned in my last letter has happened. You sister has finally realized the loss of her bending abilities, and this has actuated another wave of madness in her. She has had a raging fit, during which she hurt herself. She got her severest injury from when, we do not know yet why, she hit the glass planes of her window with her fist, causing the glass to shatter and the shards bit into the flesh of her arm. Her injuries have been tended, they will not be permanent, and we have also made the necessary precautions to prevent incidents like this ever happen again.
Ever since the aforementioned occurrence happened, your Majesty's sister has been relatively calm, but is still unable to get a hold on reality. I am afraid I have to say that her state has only worsened on that field. She has great problems with communication, and it seems like she even has problem with remembering who she is. Her memory is muddled, and during our sessions her memories of the last year seem chaotic, or even incomplete. But, as for good news, the princess shows complete lack of aggression.
But after all, I am sorry to say it, I am afraid that there is very little hope for Princess Azula to heal. In the last nearly eight months, since the princess has been in our institute, no therapy or potion caused significant or at least permanent improvement. I have already tried every single method I know, but nothing seems to be working. I would still like to continue the therapy, even though I doubt I will be able to reach any improvement.
In case your Majesty knows about any new, or even old, already forgotten method, which could help the princess, please – forgive me my boldness – share it with me.
Your Majesty's humble and obedient servant
Doctor Xia
101 after Sozin's Comet, twenty-eight day of the fourth month
Azula had again been given a new room. Its windows were also way too high, only allowing her to see a bit of the clear blue sky, but the wall had been covered with materials so thick and puffy that she couldn't even fell the bricks behind them. Even the floor was covered with many soft rugs. Or was it only one, enormous rug?
There was no furniture in the room, only a raised mattress, the blanket and the pillows thrown on it carelessly. Azula was sitting on it, the blanket drawn to her lap, while she was nervously kneading its corner. She had to do something with her hands. Not too long ago she would have played with her hair, but it had been cut short, so short, that she couldn't even grab it. Her nails had been filed to nothing as well.
She was scared. It had been hours, maybe days – she had problems with measuring time these days - since anybody had visited her, and she had no idea what to do, she was all alone, but at the same time she was also afraid that someone would really come. She couldn't defend herself then – the fire didn't respond to her calling anymore. Since when? She couldn't tell.
She was certain in nothing these days. Her mind was a whirlpool of pictures and colors and sounds, and she couldn't sort them out. Even when somebody did visit her, she could tell she knew them, but she rarely remembered who they really were.
Princess Azula, the proud heir to the Fire Nation's throne was nothing more now than a broken woman.
She heard muffled voices from the corridor. Azula raised her head, interested – maybe someone was coming to see her? The door creaked open, and she crawled back on the bed in fear, pressing her back to the wall, drawing her knees up.
There was a girl standing in the door, no older than Azula herself. She could distinctly remember her tanned skin and long, mocha colored hair, but she couldn't place her in her memories. The visitor wasn't looking at her, but turned her body from her, as she was talking to a man standing on the other side of the door. It seemed like she wanted to reassure the man about something, at least her arm raised in a peaceful manner made Azula think that. The man argued with her about something in hushed voices for a while, then sighed and respectfully bowed to the girl.
She stepped into the room closing the door behind her and then turned to Azula. She had shining blue eyes and there was a gentle smile playing on her lips. Her instincts told Azula that she should be scared of her visitor, yet she didn't seem to be able to. The girl had no weapons on her, she was calm and moved slowly. There were no signs telling Azula that she wanted to attack her.
She stopped about three steps from Azula and froze for a moment. Her smile almost melted from her face. Azula couldn't understand it – did she look that bad? What could have been the problem?
But at the same time, Azula used this moment to study the girl further more, in case she really had come to hurt her. The brunette girl was wearing a dress of expensive silk in the light hues of blue and lilac; there was even a dragon embroidered on the lower half of the dress. As Azula's gaze turned on the dragon she was sure she saw it move. She would have sworn it growled at her. She blinked, and the dragon froze again. She moved her gaze upwards: the upper part of the dress was tight, too tight to allow moving freely enough to fight. It calmed Azula a little, so she decided that the girl meant no harm.
The visitor was wearing only one thing that wasn't matching her dress: a red silk ribbon hugging her neck, from which hung a heavy golden pendant.
The moment of stillness was over, and the girl moved again.
"Hi!" She said quietly, almost whispering, raising her hand in a careful greeting. Azula looked into her eyes, but didn't react in any other way. "Would it be okay if I sat next to you? Don't be afraid, I don't want to hurt you. I want to help."
Azula didn't know why she was telling her this – like she expected her to be afraid of her. But did Azula have a reason to? She had long ago decided that the girl was no threat to her. There was something in the furthest corner of her mind, telling her that something wasn't quite right, but she couldn't grab it yet.
Azula gently nodded and opened her arms, signaling that she was welcomed to sit next to her. The girl sat down on the blanket with ease and sighed. Azula relaxed a little.
But those blue eyes…
Neither of them said a word. The girl didn't know how to start, she might have even been a little bit afraid, and Azula had long ago forgotten how to act around a new face, and only remembered distinctly of what she should do. In the end, the visitor was to one to break the silence.
"So… are they treating you well here?" She said, her tone honest and nice. Azula waited a few moments before answering.
"Yeah… the people here, they are good. They aren't hurting me." Her gaze wandered to her arm, which wasn't covered with bandages anymore, so the criss-crossing, deep, half-healed cuts on it could be seen. She covered them with the blanket, ashamed. "It wasn't them." She assured the girl. "I did them. I think. I can't remember clearly."
Her visitor wasn't taken aback by her scars, only placed her hand atop Azula's.
"I know. Don't worry, I know everything. I have read what your doctor…" She stopped for a moment, like she had caught herself saying something she shouldn't have. "I have read the letters your doctor sent your brother."
Azula's eyes widened.
"You know my brother?"
Now it was the girl's turn to be surprised.
"Yes, we… I mean… Don't you… Don't you remember who I am?" She stuttered, her words uncertain. Azula only shook her head. The girl was familiar, yes, but she didn't know from where. The visitor sighed, and Azula could have sworn that she had seen pity in her eyes. "My name is Katara."
Katara, Katara, Katara… what a strange name. She was almost sure she had heard it before… She could almost hear Zuko shout it. A lightening flashed in the background. She felt like it had really happened.
"Do you know my brother?" She echoed her earlier question. The girl nodded.
"Yes, I… we are really close." she said and reached up with her right hand, caressing the pedant hanging from her neck. Azula noted the little movement.
"What it is?" Azula felt bold and pointed at the necklace, her finger only an inch or two from Katara's hand. Katara didn't respond for a moment or two, like she couldn't decide how much of the truth she should tell.
"I got it from him." She said and reaching behind her neck she unclasped the necklace. She dropped it in Azula's open palm.
The ribbon was soft and silky, the pedant warm from Katara's skin. The gold shimmered in the sunlight, emphasizing every little wave and spiral imprinted into the material.
"It's nice. Really beautiful." She said, handing back the necklace to Katara.
"I know." There was an all-knowing smile on Katara's face. "It's a special necklace. At least it has a special meaning where I am from."
"Where are you from?" Azula was not afraid anymore. The girl intrigued her. She couldn't even recall the last time she had talked with somebody so freely, so at ease.
"From the Southern Water Tribe." She answered.
The Southern Water Tribe… It triggered something in Azula's memory. Cold. Ice. Small igloos. Blood on the snow.
"That's very far from here." Azula raised her head, trying to look out of the window. She wondered if the sky is also so blue above the South Pole. "I have never met somebody from there."
"You have." Hearing her voice Azula turned to Katara. "You have met someone from the Southern Water Tribe. You have met me, my brother, even my father. Can't you remember?"
Was she supposed to? They had never met before, she was sure. Or had they? She hid her face in her palms.
"I don't remember, I don't know, we have never met!" She tried to sort through her memories and remember, but it only made her head pound painfully. "No, no, no!"
Somebody hugged her shoulders, and a soft, warm body pressed to her body. She whispered into her ear.
"Hush, hush, it's alright, it's alright, don't worry. Everything is going to be okay. I'll help you. Just let me."
Azula relaxed a little.
"Help me? Could you?" A little sliver of hope shimmered in front of her. Katara nodded again, moving a little further back.
"I hope so."
"How?"
"I am a waterbender." Azula just watched her, clueless. She had no idea what it meant. She had never met a waterbender before. Her puzzlement didn't bother Katara. "Here, I'll show you."
With that, she reached to her side, where there was a little waterskin hidden. Azula hadn't seen it before. Katara opened the waterskin and tilted it a little, so the water started slowly flowing out of it. But the it didn't reach the floor, but hovered in midair, then, responding to a small flick of Katara's wrist, it moved, and covered her hand.
Katara again moved closer to her on the bed. She looked at Azula with thousands of questions in her eyes, but she only got adoration, hope and fear in response.
"May I?" at first, Azula almost didn't even hear the question. Then she leaned closer to Katara to, listening, waiting.
Katara moved slowly. She placed her hands – both of them were covered in water by then – on Azula's temple.
Everything changed in a blink of an eye. The water started glowing, and Azula felt such peace, kindness and care like she hadn't felt in months.
Like she had felt never before.
Highly respected Fire Lord Zuko,
I do nott even know how to express my infinite gratitude for your Majesty's intercession and Lady Katara's help. The healing by waterbending was the miracle we had been waiting for. Since the visit of your Majesty's fiancée the princess' mind has been completely clear. She understands her state and position, her raging fits has ceased entirely, and she communicates remarkably well. She knows about and understands the happenings of the last few months, and she voices her opinion about them. For the first time since she has been here she is showings signs of wanting to get better, and takes active part in our therapy sessions.
But I do not want to be too happy too soon. Princess Azula is still quite unstable emotionally, and unable to get used to bigger changes in her surroundings and alternations in her daily schedule. She is often scared of new things and faces. It also took several days to convince her to take a walk in the garden.
But at the same time I would like to consider the rapid improvement in her state as a good sign, and I hope that the princess will be well enough to leave the institute in a few short months.
Your Majesty's humble and obedient servant
Doctor Xia
101 after Sozin's Comet, fourteenth day of the sixth month
Azula didn't know where to look – not into the Sun, that's for sure.
It had been months – or was it a whole year even? – since she had been outside, but now she was there, on the porch framing the inner garden of the institute, half-hidden by the shadows of the lush green bushes, sitting at the small table with Doctor Xia. It was late morning, and the sunshine and the humidity weren't that painful yet, but it was rather hot already, so much that even the gentle wind caressing her skin couldn't cool her.
In the end, she fixed her gaze on the table in front of her. It was a low, pretty wooden table, set for a nice breakfast, with neatly cut fruits on small plates and sweet tea in beautiful, delicate china cups. There were no chopsticks; she had tried using them the other day, but she failed miserably. They always slipped from between her fingers and she couldn't hold the food with them. It had been such a long time she had used them that she had completely forgotten how. So, for now, she was stuck with eating with her finger. With time, she would re-learn how to use chopsticks – nicely, slowly.
"May we start, your Highness?" She heard the doctor's kind, wise voice from the other side of the table. Azula turned her gaze on him.
Doctor Xia was an ageing man, with silver hair and beard, gentle smile on his face and a web of wrinkles around his eyes. He had already set down his chopsticks and held a brush in his hand, the ink set next to his empty plate.
Azula placed a cherry into her mouth, chewed it, put the pit in a small bowl, swallowed, and nodded only afterwards.
"Yes. But don't call me 'your Highness'. I am no-one's Highness." She paused for a moment, then added "I don't want to be."
The doctor only smiled.
"All right, dear, if you wish. Well, then let's start with something simple: what's your name?" This really was simple, but Azula presumed that she wouldn't have found it so simple a few months ago.
"Azula. But I don't want to be called this." She shook her head.
"Why? Would you elaborate?"
"Azula – Azulon. I am not he. He was bad, right? He hurt many. I don't want to be like him."
"That's a very honorable thought of you." The doctor nodded. She had really improved a lot in the last few weeks.
"What do you think, if I asked him, would Zuko give me a new name?" She asked, with a flicker of hope in her tone.
"Why would you ask him? Why not your father?" It was a painful question, but it had to be asked. Azula didn't answer immediately.
"My father is just like Azulon. No, he is worse. My father would have killed his own child. My father is a bad man. He is in prison. If I was given a new name by him, it would only be dirtier." She avoided the doctor's gaze while speaking.
"What an interesting point you have here. Now, since you mentioned him, would you please tell me who this Zuko is?"
"He is my brother. Elder brother. He sent me here. He wants to help me. Right?" She questioned herself.
"Of course. Go on."
"He is the Fire Lord. He is a good ruler, isn't he?" The question was filled with hope.
"That's true." Doctor Xia nodded. "The best who has been on the throne of the Fire Nation in the last century or so, if I may say so. But don't you stop, go on, please. What do you feel for him?"
Azula again waited a few moments before answering.
"I love him, at least I think so. But he doesn't love me. But I understand. I was cruel to him. Bad. I hurt him. I wish I could make it right."
"You will have chance to do so, don't you worry. Now, everything depends on you."
Azula sighed.
"Great. I want him so much to forgive me…"
"That's understandable. Now, what else can you tell me about him?" Doctor Xia continued. Azula needed more time to collect her thoughts this time.
"He is getting married. He is going to marry the girl who visited and helped me. Katara, right?"
"Exactly." The doctor wrote down something on the paper in front of him.
"She is a nice girl. I like her. They are going to be good for each other." Another note. "When is the wedding?"
"It is still two months away."
Azula lifted her cup, but it didn't drink, only watched the amber liquid move inside it.
"May I go to the wedding?" She asked almost shyly, then hastily added: "I wouldn't stay for the reception. I just want to be there for the ceremony. I wouldn't even mingle with the guests. I would… I would just hide somewhere on the sides. I just want to see them. I am sure Katara is going to make a beautiful bride…"
"We will see. I can't promise you anything." Said Doctor Xia, like he was sorry to say that, like he wanted to tell her that she could go. "And please tell me, what would you like to do when you leave the institute?" He altered the flow of the conversation expertly.
Azula set her cup back on the table. She didn't even take a sip. What would have she liked to do when she left? Was she going to leave at all? Did she want to leave at all? She didn't know.
She looked around. She could almost see the whole garden from where she sat. It was beautiful – the turf, the trees and the bushes were watered with care, so they didn't wither in the heat. Along the porch there were narrow flowerbeds, with colorful flowers planted in them. There was even a fountain in the middle of the garden. It really was a beautiful and tranquil place. She couldn't even compare it to anything.
No, she could.
"I want to go to Ember Island." She said finally, without turning her gaze on the doctor. "I want to leave there. It is such a peaceful place, don't you think? Of course, it is full of tourists. But I don't care. They don't bother me." She turned to Doctor Xia at last. "What do you think, if I asked him, would my brother buy me a house there? Not a big one, really. Just a small cabin, on the seaside. Would he let me live there?"
"I can't answer in your brother's stead." Doctor Xia shook his head, but there was a small smile on his face. "Why don't you ask him?"
"Ask him? Could I?" Azula's eyes shone with excitement. "Do you mean that he is going to visit me?"
"I am completely sure that the Fire Lord is going to grace us with his presence soon." A gentle smile appeared on Azula's face, one not unlike the doctor's. Doctor Xia didn't even remember seeing her have such a nice, kind smile since he had known her. The change in her remarkable: the broken woman disappeared immediately, giving her place to a beautiful, young girl. "Of course, if you can't wait for him, you can write a letter to him."
"Really? May I..?" She couldn't believe her own ears.
"Of course. If you want me to, I will personally supervise the posting of your letter, and make sure that it reaches its destination as soon as possible. And, I am advising you, you should write to your friends as well. You haven't heard about them in a long time, have you?"
Ever since they had turned on her at the Boiling Rock, to be precise. And she had punished them, she remembered. It hurt to remember, but not as much as it hurt to be confused, not knowing who she was.
"Yes… Yes, I am going to write them. And I will ask for their forgiveness. For everything I have done to them. I hope they will forgive me."
"Excellent plans, my dear." The doctor wrote something down again, then set down his brush, roller up his paper and slipped it into the inner pocket of his robe. He cracked his fingers then rose slowly. "Well, I think this will be enough for today. Would you like to take a short walk in the garden before we part for the day?" He held out his arm for Azula to take and she nodded, standing up as well.
"Yes, I would like to. Thank you." She took the hand offered to her. Doctor Xia patted the back of her hand.
"My child, I don't think that you will stay with us for much longer. But don't be sad about it. Rejoice instead."
Highly respected Fire Lord Zuko,
At last, I can inform you about an improvement like I have wanted for a really long time.
The therapy is going perfectly – your sister communicates better and better everyday, accepts strangers easier, new things, new impacts don't scare her anymore. She is able to summarize the happenings of the past and understands the mistakes she has committed. She feels ashamed about what she had done to you and her friends, especially during the last months of the war, and wants to make up these wrongdoings. She has plans for her future, and her need of power has completely vanished. Also, she shows no signs of aggression or cruelty. She has even expressed her intentions of going to your wedding.
I have started the preparations for her reintegration into the society: I am enclosing Princess Azula's letter to your Majesty, as well as the copies of her letters written to Lady Mai and Lady Ty Lee.
I consider this an enormous step ahead, since it means that the princess is able to take others into her private sphere again. To help her improve at this, I would like to lift the ban prohibiting people from visit the princess.
Even though Princess Azula is not completely stable yet, and I am slightly worried about an eventual relapse, I hope that if her state improves at such speed, she will be able to leave the institution in mere weeks.
Your Majesty's humble and obedient servant
Docotr Xia
101 After Sozin's Comet, twenty-third day of the seventh month
Azula's dream, even if not deep, was peaceful. Her bed was soft and inviting and the morning sun shone through the gaps between the curtains, gently warming her face. It was the first time in months when she wasn't haunted by nightmares. She didn't relive the Agni Kai with Zuko, nor Mai and Ty Lee's treason, she didn't see the disappointed face of her father, and neither projected her brain terrible, senseless picture to her.
She sighed, and burrowed her face deeper into her pillow.
Her bed slightly moved, the mattress moaning quietly – like someone had sat on it. Azula hardly felt this, and tried not to notice it. She slipped from sleep a little bit, but she didn't open her eyes. After nothing had happened, nothing had changed for minutes, she slowly drifted back into her careless dream.
Then she felt like a hand was rested on the top of her head – no, not a hand, it was more like a butterfly, since it was so weightless. For a fraction of a second the hand didn't move, then it started softly, lovingly caress Azula's short, battered hair.
The gentle touch slowly roused her. It was a very nice feeling. It slightly reminded her of the time when Katara visited her, and, putting her water-covered hands on her temple, she calmed her mind. The water was cool and soothing – almost as soothing as the hand which sometimes touched her temple, slipped to her cheek, then caressed the outline of her ear. Azula sighed contently, then slowly opened her eyes and looked up at her visitor.
It was a woman, a beautiful woman, though it was evident from her looks that the last few years weren't merciful on her. Her skin was more tanned than the employees of the institute, more tanned than Azula's own, like she had spent too much time in the sun, like those peasants she had met on the countryside during her travels. There were silver locks in her black hair, but her face was unwrinkled.
Azula immediately recognized her.
No, that was impossible.
She jumped from bed – almost knocking her visitor to the ground – and backed to the furthest corner of the room.
"Azula, love, you don't have to be afraid-" The woman started, but Azula didn't let her finish.
"No, shut up!" Her voice was like a lightening in the semi-darkness of the room. "You are not here, you can't be here, you are dead!" She said, rather to herself than to her visitor.
"I am not dead. I am here. I am sorry I didn't come sooner, but now I am here." Tthe woman neared her slowly, her hands raised in a peaceful gesture, like one would near an enraged animal.
"Stay where you are! Don't you dare to come closer!" Azula tried to press herself into the wall. "You aren't here, you don't exist, only in my head…" Her legs gave away and tears started flowing from her eyes. "I thought I have finally gotten rid of you. That I have been cured! The doctor… the doctor said that I could leave soon. That everything was alright."
"Azula, dear, I.."
"Stop! Don't talk to me! You aren't here, I don't hear you, you are only a hallucination, nothing more!"
In the meantime, the woman reached her. She didn't even saw her move. She kneeled down next to Azula, put one hand on her shoulder, the other under her chin, gently turning the girl's head towards herself.
"But I am here! Don't you feel me holding you? Azula…" She took Azula's hand, and tried to hug her, but then suddenly she moved – something snapped -, and the next thing Azula knew was that she was in the opposite corner of the room, and the woman was sitting on the floor, one of her cheeks angry red. But still, there was only gentleness in her eyes.
"Why do you have to ruin everything, mum?" Azula was yelling raging. "Always, always, always… It has always been Zuko, right? It has always been he who you loved. That's why you are haunting me, aren't you? Even on the day of my coronation… When I almost… and now, today! I am healed! Why are you here, why? You ruin everything! Get out of here! Get out! I hate you! I hate you! I hate…" The last sentence turned into sobbing. She hid her face in her palms, and collapsed on the floor.
This way she couldn't see the tears appearing in Ursa's eyes.
People came into the room. Two nurses stepped to her – she already knew them. One of them hold her hands behind her back, while the other put a cloth soaked in a smelly liquid on her face. She knew that, too – she knew that she would fell asleep because of it shortly.
With her last drop of strength she looked up, to the spot where Ursa had been sitting earlier, but she wasn't there anymore.
The hallucination had ended.
Maybe, she thought, maybe, if she didn't say a word about this incident to anyone, not even to Doctor Xia, no-one would know what she had seen. And then she could leave…
After all, nothing had happened.
While the two nurses tended to Azula, a third escorted Ursa out. The nurse was worried – was her Majesty alright? Wasn't she injured? Did she want him to get a doctor? Ursa only waved away his concerns. She had always been a strong woman, as she needed to be in the Royal Court, and the last few years had only made her stronger.
And she would have time to cry later, when she was alone.
In the end, the young man turned out to be way too stubborn to let himself be ignored, and wouldn't leave Ursa alone until she let him put some salve on her cheek. He only escorted her to the small drawing room where people were already waiting for her afterwards. Zuko was sitting on one of the sofas, resting his elbows on his knees, his face stubbornly fixed on the floorboards. Katara was sitting next to him, one hand on his shoulder, giving support and comfort. Ursa liked the girl. She knew that she would stand her ground amongst the machinations of the Court and would be make an excellent Fire Lady by the side of her son.
The third person in the room was Doctor Xia, who hurried to her to meet her at the doorway.
"Lady Ursa, you cannot even imagine how terribly sorry I am." He took her hands, and led her to the armchair opposite of Zuko's. Ursa let herself seated. "I would have never thought that your presence would cause such a reaction. I truly, honestly, believed that Princess Azula has been completely cured of her madness…" Doctor Xia's voice was almost trembling.
Ursa tried to find the right words. She couldn't say that everything was alright, because nothing was alright. Her daughter was mad, and it seemed like nobody could help her. They had tried everything.
Katara rose from the sofa and stepped to her side. Since she didn't have her waterskin on her, so she called the water from the small vase on the table to herself, and, covering her hand with it, she placed it on Ursa's cheek. The pain subsided immediately. Ursa was infinitely grateful for the gesture.
Doctor Xia also sat on one of the armchairs, but his movements lacked the confidence Ursa was used to.
"I don't know what else we could do for the princess…" It was the first time Ursa heard him sounding like an old man. "I have tried every treatment I know and trust. Even Lady Katara's efforts were fruitless."
"I don't think that we should give up just like this." Katara said, as she took her hand away from Ursa's face. "Yes, we expected to be able to bring home a healthy Azula today. Yes, she is worse now. But it's not the worst we have seen her."
Zuko raised his head, but didn't say a word. He waited for what else his fiancée had to say. Ursa always found delight in watching the two of them, how well they fit together, how well they understood each other.
"Also, I found your therapy quite successful, doctor," she continued. "And I can continue visiting and healing Azula as well."
Doctor Xia wanted to say something, and Ursa knew what he had to tell: there was only two weeks until the wedding, and after that the two of them was going to spend a couple weeks on Ember Island, and the doctor didn't dare to ask them to postpone it. Katara only flicked her hand, not letting him say a word.
"I will do everything to help Azula to get better. It is very important for me. But I am sure that it is important for all of us. We can't give up the hope. Especially not now, when we are so close to victory." She grabbed Ursa's hand, and, looking into her eyes, she said: "Don't be so sad, Lady Ursa! Azula will be at home in a few short weeks, I am sure!"
Ursa wanted to believe her with all her heart, but found it hard to do so. She saw what she saw, and she, unlike Katara, knew Azula from the day she was born. She had always known that there would be some problem with her. Now, that this problem had occurred, Ursa was afraid that there would be no-one to help her little girl.
Yet she stood Katara's gaze, forced a small smile on her lips and kept gently nodding as Doctor Xia and her future daughter-in-law started to discuss what else could they do for Azula. She didn't understand a word of it.
Some time during the conversation Zuko stood, stepped beside her and placed his hand on her shoulder. When their eyes met Ursa felt that all those years spent apart didn't matter a bit, since she still could read every one of his thoughts in his eyes, just like then: Zuko doubted that there would be any hope for Azula, but, like always, he was reluctant to give up the fight. Instead he stood by his mother, supporting her. After all, those times were far behind them when she had to be the strongest, defending her loved ones.
She reached out and squeezed his hand just to remind him that he didn't have to carry the weight of the world on his shoulders alone.
Their situation wasn't easy, the hope for them was slight, but at least they were there for each other.
A/N. Finally, it's finished :) I have had quite a work with this piece. I hope it worth it and you enjoyed it :) Until next time
Orlissa