Author's Note: Here is the first chapter to the story. I decided to name Azula's daughter, Fei. I thought that it was a pretty name. Enjoy the story and please review.
Disclaimer: I don't own ATLA.
Tattoo
( Bold is Azula. Italic is Fei)
Mama what's that on your shoulder?
It's a tattoo. A symbol of my loyalities and goal. One day when you're older, you'll get one just like it.
I don't think I want one.
You don't want to show pride in what you are a part of? Do you not feel like you should show loyalty to your own mother?
I'm sorry mama. I will get one just for you.
That's what I like to hear.
Fei wasn't thinking straight when she knocked the cups off the table she was cleaning. Normally, she would have picked them up like nothing had happened because to the other occupants in the tavern, nothing really did. Unfortunately for Fei, the owner of the tavern had just walked by her and saw the mess she had made. He shouted at her for being clumsy, for not being the perfect waitress that he had thought he had hired. She wanted to shout back at him, punch him if the feeling ever grew to that level. Keeping herself calm, Fei let the man yell in her face and poke his grubby finger against her chest. It took everything in her to not snap that finger in two.
Her boss glanced up at the clock on the wall, squinting to see it better. A disheveled grin plastered itself on his lips, showing the missing teeth on his upper jaw. He pointed to a stage in the corner of the tavern where a small band of men were setting up for the night's entertainment. Fei knew what she had to do. It was part of deal with the tavern's owner. If she sang everynight at the same time, he would let her stay in the empty room in the upper level of the building without charge and even pay her for waitressing. Fei had accepted the deal on the account that she had a great need for a place to stay while in the royal city in the Fire Nation.
One of the musicians began to tune his pipa while the other one did the same to his zheng. When they were finished, they looked at Fei impatiently with their fingers itching to strum the instruments in their hands. Fei fussed with her clothes so that they didn't look out of place or messy as she walked to the corner. Clearing her throat, she nodded to the two men behind her to start playing. The first measure of the song was mostly instrumental; a melody that the young woman had grown to like after performing the song on multiple occassions. The tavern occupants did not stop conversing when the music started, yet they lowered their voices just enough to hear it in the background. Fei took a deep breath and let the words escape from her mouth in a melodic tone.
"Leaves from a vine," she sang. "Falling so slow. Like fragile, tiny shells drifting in foam."
Someone new entered the tavern, hiding their figure underneath a long dark cloak. They sat at a table in the fartherest back corner of the room. The candle that was the centerpiece on all the tables did little to illuminate the face of the newcomer. Only their chin and lips were visible from the hood that covered their head. Fei kept her eye on the mysterious figure and continued to sing.
"Little soldier boy, come marching home," she continued. "Brave soldier boy, comes marching home."
The new tavern occupant tilted their hood up and stared at Fei with golden eyes. He had all the features of a Fire Nation man, the gold eyes and pale skin just to name some of the sterotypical looks. In his hand was a scroll, which he subtly pointed at Fei with. Narrowing her own gold eyes, she finished her song and took a bow before heading into the kitchen area of the tavern to pick up some of her customers' orders. Balancing a tray of cups on her shoulder, Fei almost ran into another waitress coming into the kitchen. Fei caught the tray before it fell and the waitress quickly apologized for her clumsiness.
"I'm so sorry Fei, I didn't see you there," the girl said. "But I'm glad I ran into you. One of my customers has asked to see you. Apparently you know each other."
Fei groaned and handed her tray to the other girl, dusting off her skirt.
"Thank you Chii," Fei retorted. "Do you think that you could take these drinks to tables one, three, and four?"
The girl nodded and followed Fei back into the main room of the tavern. The man at the back table stood up as Fei approached him and folded his hands behind his back like a soldier. She swatted at his arm and gave him a disapproving glare before directing him to the stairs that led to the upper level of the building. She opened the door to her small room and locked it shut with a key. The cloaked man removed his hood completely and stood by her dirty window.
"The Matron sends word for you to come home," the man roughly said, handing the scroll to her.
Fei unravelled it and read its contents, eyes scanning the parchment. Her nose scrunched up with irritation and narrowed her eyes into slits.
"She always had a way with words, on and off paper," Fei stated, rolling the note back up. "Did she say why she wants me home? Her letter doesn't really elaborate on the matter that much."
The man shook his head. "I'm afraid not Lady Fei."
"Please don't call me that," she sighed. "Just because my mother says that its my namesake, doesn't mean you have to call me that."
"Forgive me then Lady Fei," he replied with a bow. "Should I tell the Matron that you'll be returning to our encampment soon?"
Fei nodded and opened the door for him to leave. When he left, Fei flopped herself onto her bed and took a pillow to her mouth. She screamed loudly into the pillow, not caring if the noise echoed to the lower levels of the building. Her mother wanted her home and she was not ready to return. Fei had been out on her own before, this being her third. However, everytime she had begun to grow comfortable in her new surroundings, her mother had somehow found a way to find her and ask for her return. It angered Fei on how her mother felt like her daughter couldn't be on her own for so long. With all the anger out of her system for the time being, Fei began to pack for her journey home. All her belongings could fit into one small sack that could easily be carried over her shoulder. Stomping her way downstairs, Fei went up to the tavern owner and held out her hand.
"I quit," she simply said. "I need this month's pay along with some food that is light-weight and not too messy for me to take on the road. The key to my room has been placed under your door."
The tavern owner roared with laughter, having a few customers around him starting to chuckle despite how oblivious they were to what was going on. The tavern owner wiped a tear from his eye and patted Fei on the shoulder.
"What makes you think that I'm going to give you this month's pay on account of you quitting without prior acknowledgement and during the nighttime rush?" he asked humorously. "You can leave, but without your money."
Fei gripped the collar of the man's shirt and brought him close to her face. The tavern went silent as its occupants watched the event occuring in front of them.
"You are going to pay me," she sternly told him. "I would advise you to do so. How would you like it if I reported how much of a pervert you are to the Fire Nation's Commerce Committee eh? There is a hole in the wall in the room you gave me to stay in. You've looked through that hole many times since I've been here. Don't think I haven't noticed it."
"You're-you're blackmailing me?" the owner fearfully quizzed his former employee.
"That's right," Fei said in a sing-songy voice. "Now, are you going to pay me?"
The tavern owner nodded and reached into his back pocket to produce a heavy sack of coins. He handed two gold coins and seven silver ones to Fei. The young woman gave him a terrifying look, refusing to take the coins.
"I do believe my salary for one month is usually four gold coins and ten silver ones."
The man's jaw dropped open with disbelief. Fei was going to clean out every last bit of money left in his coin purse. She hadn't thought about doing it at first, but after he refused to pay her the first time, she felt like he deserved what was coming to him. Two more gold coins and three more silver ones were placed in the man's palm for Fei. Fei lessened her grip on his collar and it was only then that the man had realized that her other hand was at his throat with a small, hot flame at its tip. He jumped back in shock, the money falling out of his hand and hitting the floor. With the tavern owner's and customers' eyes on her back, Fei picked up each coin before stuffing them into her sack. She put on a fake smile for her fellow employee Chii, who had been the only nice one to Fei since she had started working at the tavern, and headed out the door to find her mother.
Flat leather shoes were not the ideal footwear to travel in through the woods as Fei later found out. Everything from twigs to small peebles somehow found their way into her shoes. It was growing dark and the trees looked like tall, dark guardians of the forest. Leaves fell from trees without the assistance of wind and twigs snapped ialong the darken path Fei was following. Rushed movement came from all sides and the young woman did not let any of it bother her. Her mother had taught her to overcome fear, that it did not control any aspect of her life. If something was waiting to attack her from the dark, Fei would be more than ready to fight back. The faintest sound of an arrow being drawn back against many bows entered Fei's ears. Slowly, she let her hands rise up towards the sky and dropped her sack on the ground. She wasn't being attacked; in fact, the arrows were just part of the welcoming party home.
Five figures jumped down from the trees, their arrows still locked onto Fei. They grew closer to her and watching her steadily. When they seemed to recall her persona in their minds, the arrows were lowered and Fei leaned over to grab her sack. These were the Yu Yan Archers. After the war had ended and their business with the late Admiral Zhao terminated, the Archers became mercenaries until Fei's mother had offered them a place among her rebellion against the Fire Lord. There job was never certain because it always changed. One day they could be asked to assassinate a Fire Nation official while on the next day they acted as bodyguards for the Matron. Today they were on watch duty for the rebel encampment. They bowed at Fei and went back to being watchdogs except for one who occupanied Fei to the camp.
Trees were excellent cover for the tents that the rebels lived in; there were at least two tents to a tree. A large bonfire was lit in the center of the camp and acted as a meeting place for rebel leaders. Fei walked around the fire to get to the large red tent on the other side. Her mother lived in that tent and Fei remembered growing-up in it as well. Guards at the front of the tent clicked their heels together and lifted their chins up profoundly in the air as they peeled back the curtain door for Fei to walk inside with the Yu Yan Archer at her side.
"Lady Azula, your daughter is here," the Archer spoke and then left the tent.
Azula sat on a cushioned chair with her back to her daughter, brushing her short hair with an old comb. She didn't turn around to speak to her daughter which made Fei a little annoyed. Her mother should show her at little bit of courtesy.
"Where were you?" Azula asked her roughly.
"At the capital," Fei answered her. "Is it a crime to try and make some money for myself?"
"Not when I don't approve of it," Azula snapped. She held back a more demeaning comment and composed herself on her seat. "Is that all?"
"I tried to do a little bit of digging on the Fire Lord to see if there would be any possible events that we could take him out during," the younger woman said. "However, I regret to say that I learned nothing new."
Azula snorted and stood up from her cushioned seat. She went over to an old Fire Nation desk and opened one of its drawers. Pulling out a small scroll, she held it out for her daughter to read.
"Apparently you didn't dig deep enough," Azula stated. "How many times do I have to remind you that its not your job to seek information? You're supposed to carry out the orders I give you after I learn of the latest news."
Fei rolled her eyes which her mother saw and stomped up to her with narrowed aged eyes.
"You are a part of this rebellion Fei," she told her. "You are a part of the Order of the Blue Dragon and you will obey the orders I give you like a good daughter should."
"Yes mama, I understand. I will always be part of the Blue Dragon."
Fei's mother grabbed her daughter's wrist tightly and began to led her outside to another tent. Other rebel members stopped to watch what was going on, only to receive a death glare from Azula. Not wanting to upside the Matron of the Order of the Blue Dragon, the rebels quickly went about their own business. Upon entering a new tent, Fei was roughly seated on a somewhat low cushioned table.
"Since you say that you are a part of this rebellion, I guess that it is time for you to gain its mark," Azula retorted, then motioning to man with a mask over his face in the tent. "You are to get the dragon tattoo."
Fei was not particularly fond of the tattoo her mother wanted her to receive. It wasn't that the design was hideous; it was very beautiful. The truth was that Fei always believed that the process hurt and remembered seeing her mother cringe while getting hers. Despite her growing dread, Fei laid on her stomach on the table and undid her shirt. Her exposed back made goosebumps crawl up her arms and legs. The tattoo artist took out a wooden handle with needles on the end, dipping them in black ink. He then pressed the needles into Fei's skin quickly and rhythmically. The young woman closed her eyes and bit her lower lip to transfer her pain elsewhere.
"That scroll I gave you," Azula said to her daughter. "If you read it, then you will understand what I'm going to say to you."
Her daugher did her best to nod as the tattooist pressed against her back to keep it still.
"My brother is expecting some company in the upcoming week," Azula went on explaining. "Highly important company to be exact. Do you remember the stories I told you about the Avatar?"
"Yes," Fei said between her teeth. The tattooist now stuck a clean set of needles in royal blue ink.
"He is coming with his family to the royal palace to meet with the Fire Lord," the Matron continued. "My brother is having having one of his offspring married off or something like that. With the the Fire Lord and Avatar in one place at once, its the perfect opportunity to attack."
"But the Avatar is a powerful bender," Fei grunted after feeling the needles in her back again. "You have said so yourself. Even if we out-number the palace guard, there is no way that the Avatar wouldn't find a way to eliminate us all in one hit."
Azula chuckled under her breath and tucked a long strand of her daughter's hair behind her ear.
"That's were you're wrong," she said. "He has a weak spot just like everyone else. Your job is to find a way for our troops to get into the palace for a surprise attack among other things."
"Such as?"
"Learn what you can about the Fire Lord's and Avatar's movements; where they sleep, where they eat," Azula explained. "Find that one thing, that one weakness, that'll bring those two down. There will be agents hidden throughout the royal city and maybe even the palace so that you can send me your findings. Do you understand everything that I've told you Fei?"
The young woman nodded and her mother beamed.
"Our dream is coming into place my dear child," Azula proclaimed. "After years of waiting, its finally going to happen!"
Fei sat upright on the table she laid on, holding the cloth of her undone shirt to her chest. She flexed her back and felt the ripple of her muscles become less tense. The tattooist brought over a large mirror so that Fei could see his work on her skin. She only had to arch her neck over her shoulder a little bit in order to see it. The blue dragon on her back curled up into a ball, biting its tail. Symbolic in many ways, Fei knew little on how the tattoo would effect her for the rest of her life.
Author's Note: At the beginning of every chapter, I'm going to have conversations that Fei has had with Azula when she was little. These conversations will go with what the chapter is about. On another note, the tattoo that the Order of the Blue Dragon member gets resembles an Ouroboro which is pretty much a dragon/lizard biting its own tail. Its suppose to represent Yin and Yang. And if you recognize the song from the beginning and guessed that its "Leaves From a Vine", a song that Iroh sings in the show, you would be correct. I hope you enjoyed the chapter and please look out for the next one when it comes out.
