DISCLAIMER: I do NOT own the rights to Avatar the last Airbender.
Chapter 3: The Delegated Freedom
Even though it hurt Azula's pride, she was thankful that Zuko thought to bring her proper clothing, make up and give her time for a quick bath before joining him for dinner. Particularly since that dinner involved almost everyone she had once tried to kill all those years ago. Showing up in her prison outfit would have been humiliating.
The tribal peasant was starting to get on her nerves. He hadn't stopped starring at her through dinner and now into the after dinner tea.
"Why is he looking at me? What can he possibly want?" Azula thought to herself.
From the little glances she took towards him, she discovered that he wasn't staring at her with a look of fear in his eyes, which she normally would have expected. Nor was it one of total hatred. The hate was there but it was shadowed by a look that could almost be considered curious.
"Perhaps he knows what Zuko is up too. Maybe he knows what I have to do for my freedom. Maybe I can work it out of him." With this thought she turned and stared directly back at him.
The years had changed him from a boy on the verge of manhood into a, Azula had to admit, finely built man. He had grown several inches, and his wiry teenage body had been toned to match the man that he now was. He had grown his hair out. It now fell to his shoulders, the top half had been pulled back in a small pony tail.
"Hello…"
Oh crap what was this peasants name….
"Sokka," he replied. "It's Sokka."
"Right right of course it is. I just…actually I don't think I ever got your name from…well before. And it's been so long since I've had a conversation with a man…well person." Azula said, a little hopelessly. Talking with boys, now men had never been a strong suit of hers. She always left that for Ty Lee. Right now she felt foolish, and was made to feel even more foolish as Sokka's lips moved into a smirk.
"Well we weren't exactly tea buddies back then now were we. And we're not exactly tea buddies now come to think of it."
"Yes tea. It's quite good tea isn't it? My Uncle has been known to make some very good tea. Rumor has it Zuko can make a decent cup as well." Azula continued slightly desperately. She had to know what was going on, this man was the key to discovering that she could sense it.
"I wouldn't know, I've been drinking whiskey. One thing your Jerk Bending Nation is actually useful for. You make a damn fine whiskey." Sokka took a deep drink to prove his point.
This was not going well and Azula knew it.
"So much for finding out what's going on from this Peasant" Azula thought to herself.
Her next statement came out coldly sarcastic, "Well I'm glad we can provide you with something useful. But you really should drink some tea. Fire Nation whiskey has quite the bite. It's been known to cause even the strongest of men to pass out after a single drink." She paused dramatically and took a sip of her own tea. Then continued, "And in the morning, it's been said they are seen begging the spirits to take their heads and end the pain the whiskey left behind. Now we can't have that happening, can we?" Azula smirked.
Sokka simply raised his glass to his lips, keeping full eye contact with Azula, and finished off the glass of whiskey. He set his empty glass on the table with a slight chink replying, "There's not a drink in the world that can make me pass out. And it'll take a hell of a lot more that a single glass of whiskey to have me begging the spirits for death. I've survived the deepest of pains, the deepest of sorrows and no amount of whiskey can ever compare to that. But nice try Princess."
Near to fuming now, Azula glared at Sokka and was just about to retort when Zuko made his announcement.
"Well Azula, it seems you can survive a meal without killing anyone. Although currently I can see you're struggling. But since you and Sokka have been talking, and I know Sokka brings out the …well best of everyone. I'm going to let it slide."
"Why Zuzu that's so kind of you," Azula said in an overly sweetened voice. She could hear Sokka's soft chuckling behind her. Composing herself she continued, "Well if I've passed this test of yours, then perhaps we can discuss my journey to freedom. Shall we go into the throne room to discuss it in private?"
"Oh like we're going to let you just go into a room by yourself with him, Azula. We're not stupid you know. You won't be going anywhere alone with Zuko or Aang ever. You are a despicable…"
"Katara ENOUGH!" Zuko barked. Katara head whipped around to Zuko. Her facial expression was one of utter shock.
Zuko continued, "Azula has done wrong in the past but this isn't about what she HAS done. This is about what she WILL DO."
"Yes it DOES matter Zuko! Because what she HAS done has a great effect on what she WILL do. How do you know that she won't just..."
"How can I determine what she will or won't do if she's several stories underground Katara," Zuko interrupted. "As I stated before, everyone.."
"Oh bull..."
"And how long has this been going on?," Azula leaned over and whispered to Sokka. Katara and Zuko continued arguing in the background.
"Well they haven't had one this intense in a few months. But I'd say they've been doing this since Zuko changed sides," Sokka leaned closer to whispered back to Azula. "Got a little bit more intense after Mai left I suppose. That was...what two years ago?"
"Really? I can't say I'm not surprised. Zuko always did seem to have a thing for the water bender. So when's the wedding announcement?"
That made Sokka smirk and he replied softly, "They're fighting not kissing, Princess. I don't know how you Jerkbender's show affection but fighting constantly isn't exactly the 'right' way."
Azula rolled her eyes and sat up straight once more. Zuko and Katara were still arguing.
She pitched her voice at a level louder than the both of theirs, "Well as entertaining as your love bickering is, I'd really like to know whatever it is that I WILL be doing. So that 'I' can decide if I even 'want' to do it."
"We are not lovers!" Zuko and Katara shouted together.
"Thank the spirits for that," Azula heard Sokka mutter.
Azula just smirked and cocked her eyebrow in response.
Zuko pinched the bridge of his nose and took several calming breaths while Katara sat back in her chair and crossed her arms.
"Well are we going to discuss my freedom or just sit here drinking tea and glaring at each other?" Azula asked pleasantly.
Zuko gave her an annoyed look then announced, "We'll discuss it Azula. In fact I've decided to open the conversation up right here. Since everyone here had a factor in ending the war that you and Ozai fought hard to keep going, they should all have a say in this as well."
"What?!" Azula shouted, all pretense of her calmness leaving. This was her freedom, this was her future and it was going to be decided by a bunch of PEASANTS? For the first time, Azula felt a hint of fear. Zuko she could work with and get what she wanted…she figured. However, the rest of them…getting the rest of them to allow her that chance of freedom was going to take a lot more effort.
Azula's hopes drained. She knew how much Katara still hated her. The blind one she had a feeling wasn't pleased with her. While she hadn't said much of anything through the dinner, she wasn't rooting for Azula either. The avatar however seemed to be on her side.
"That could work to my benefit. I mean who can you trust if it's not the Avatar?"
So that just left her Uncle and Sokka. Uncle she had tried to kill all those years ago…but he had liked her…once. And Sokka…well Azula had no idea what was going through the Tribesmen mind.
"Azula are you listening?" Zuko said bringing her out of her thoughts.
"Why is this decision to be made by all of them? They aren't the Fire Lord! They aren't royalty. Why should they have a say?!" Azula claimed, her voice rising with each sentence.
"As I just said, they have a say because they are still rebuilding the world you and Ozai tried to destroy. They have a say because they are my most trusted advisors. And finally, they have a say because if you accept this quest and double cross me, they will be the ones to find you and they will end you," Zuko said.
Azula sat there stunned. This wasn't good. She was going to end up back in that cold, dark, stale air filled cell. She knew it. But she wouldn't give up and she wouldn't go without a fight. It wasn't like her to bow down to anyone. They wanted to judge her, they wanted to try to keep her locked up.
"Well they will have quite the fight on their hands." Azula thought. Out loud she said, "Well then stop being so dramatic Zuzu. Tell me, no tell us, what is this quest you want me to go on?"
"You're going to go find our mother and bring her back home to the Fire Nation. Do that, and you will have your freedom."
