The Princess and the Peasant - (An Azula Epic)

by grither55

Princess Azula believes that she was born with a divine right to rule, and she rules through fear alone. Until, a commoner girl enters her life by giving her a fire lily. Through this act, Azula finds herself undertaking a life-changing journey with her new companion to ascend the throne, save the world from an otherworldly threat, and find her humanity. Femslash.

32. The Component

I am posting two chapters tonight. Updates will slow back down to every three or four days after this.

There is a big reveal in this chapter and I hope you all enjoy it!

The Component – Chapter Thirty-Two

The grievously wounded Avatar was warded off with yet another savage round of lightning that he just barely dodged.

Azula flipped around to gaze up into the air with her eyes widening in shock to see that her royal airship was now aflame.

In the distance was another Fire Nation airship opening fire on her vessel.

'How did the enemy manage to commandeer one of our airships!' Azula thought while exhaling through her nostrils like a wrathful dragon.

Only for her callous eyes to widen in realization when she watched her ship begin to plummet at a dangerous rate.

And for reasons that she couldn't explain she found her cold heart beating rapidly in worry for her young girlfriend and her childhood friends.

The Avatar's enraged roars snapped her out of her reverie while she watched in frustration to see the monk speeding towards her once more.

Through the corner of her eye, she watched the airship plunge through the cliff side while she gritted her teeth in anger like never before.

And then the princess's callous eyes snapped open as wide as can be while her veil of flames suddenly flared to life with even greater ferocity than before.

'I have to get to the wreckage!' The princess thought with lightning generating at her fingertips while she released a thunderous battle roar.

"I told you to die Avatar!" Azula bellowed before releasing a beyond lethal voltage that would have struck the man dead then and there.

The exhausted Avatar attempted to dodge the lightning only for his body to fail to move according to his desires.

Aang stumbled with widened eyes while he watched the lightning nearly strike him just as it had six years ago in Ba Sing Se.

Only to find himself staring on with amazed eyes when a hooded figure leaped down in front of him and swiftly redirected the lightning back at the surprised princess.

Azula stared on with shocked amber golden eyes from within her wall of flames before hastily leaping out of the way of her redirected assault.

And then she turned to glare at the newcomer with her regal lips curling into a scowl.

She knew all too well who this interloper was.

"Hello dear Uncle." Azula greeted in a growl after catching a glimpse of the old man's face beneath the cloak.

"Azula." Iroh replied curtly with his amber eyes narrowing while he assessed his niece's evolved powers in disbelief.

All the while asking himself just one thing.

'How is Azula maintaining a cloak of fire!' Iroh thought with his shocked eyes never leaving his lethal niece.

"You're in the way." Azula stated in a dangerous voice before sprinting forward with her cloak burning brightly in the wake of her footfalls.

The airship spiraled through the air while soldiers slid down the length of its surface desperate to grasp onto anything they could get ahold of.

Pakku rolled down the surface of the vessel with his neck bleeding from a botched cut that had only been interrupted by the assault on the airship's engines.

Due to the presumption that the approaching ship was an allied vessel they had been taken completely unawares.

In the moment of chaos Elle had been thrown from Ty Lee's arms.

And now the teenage girl was tumbling down the sinking ship.

The young girl released a high-pitched scream just when she nearly fell over the edge to her death.

Only to find herself gazing up into protective brown-gray eyes while the agile acrobat took hold of her wrist.

"O-oneesan!" Elle stammered while Ty Lee stare down at her with protective eyes.

"I've got you Elle! It's going to be okay! I'll protect you!" Ty Lee assured in a sisterly voice before lifting the smaller girl over her shoulders.

Elle hung onto Ty Lee's back while she clung to her neck with an emotional tear streaming down her cheek.

"A-arigatou gozaimasu." Elle murmured with a sniffle while she closed her eyes in fear when Ty Lee took off running down the side of the airship.

"Think nothing of it. You're my little sister. You didn't really think that I would let you fall, did you?" Ty Lee spoke in a warm voice while she gazed over her shoulder into the younger girl's misty eyes.

"No. Not for a moment oneesan. I trust you with my life." Elle answered sweetly with her face in the woman's hair while Ty Lee sprang over the rails of the ship.

And then Ty Lee skillfully held onto a bar on the side of the erupting vessel while she managed a small smile over her young friends gentle hearted nature.

Moments afterward Ty Lee dropped to the ground with her grip on Elle never once loosening.

The two tumbled into the dirt while the fires from the earlier assault continued to blaze all around them.

The good news was that the Ty Lee had managed to land without any harm to her precious passenger.

The bad news was that she hurt her leg in the fall.

Ty Lee winced after rolling to a stop when she noticed the injury.

Damn.

That one was going to hurt for some time.

'This day isn't pink. Not pink at all.' Ty Lee thought yet when she felt the smaller girl hug her from behind.

That was more than enough.

Knowing that Elle had avoided injury was victory enough for her.

The soldiers on the ground were shocked at the sight of their crashing vessel.

So much so that it gave Toph a brief moment of surprise.

It was only a few seconds but that was all Toph needed to launch many of them away from her with a pillar of earthen rock.

She quickly gasped for air before turning her 'gaze' to the battle in the distance involving Azula, Aang and the newcomer.

Only to spin around when she heard the soldiers rushing to her once more.

Toph stomped her foot before producing a shield of rock around her on all sides only to gaze up in alarm when it was promptly pierced with an explosive.

She covered her face with her elbow while dust rained in her eyes just before barely blocking a swing from a soldier.

It was none other than Zoi's faithful lieutenant, a young man by the name of Saro.

The earthbender gritted her teeth while two burning fists now engaged in a grapple with her own earthen gauntleted fists only to find her feet being slid backwards.

'This one is stronger than the rest!' Toph thought while Saro stared back at her with dedicated golden eyes.

"I do not fall so easily as the others earthbender!" Saro shouted before making a swipe at the woman's eyes with his burning fist.

"I can see that…you removed the metal from your body…smart move but not good enough." Toph commented with a slight smirk while Saro glared into her glazed sea foam green eyes.

"Perhaps. Perhaps not!" Saro exclaimed before surprising Toph when he lunged forward to pull her into a stranglehold.

Toph snarled while she pounded her fists against the man's cheek only for her attacker to remain persistent even when blood splattered from his cheek.

That when she sensed the vibrations below her with her eyes agape in disbelief.

"Let me go!" Toph yelled out with a furious growl while Saro began to bend her right arm backwards at an agonizing angle.

All the while a swarm of the Dai Li successfully negated her earthbending.

"Oh, I will. In a moment." Saro grunted before he ruthlessly snapped the struggling woman's arm upward.

Crack!

The sound of Toph releasing a sharp cry of pain echoed into the air and into her remaining comrade's ears.

Toph rasped for air with her eyes agape in tremendous pain before finally breaking free of her assailants hold.

And then she sunk to her knees clutching her broken arm with her remaining good hand.

While she listened to the sound of the soldiers descending upon her.

Only for the soldiers to be taken surprise by rebel soldiers descending from the commandeered airship to the earthbender's aid.

Saro spun around with his golden eyes narrowing in anger while he watched the sentries of the Order of the White Lotus drop down around Toph on all sides.

"Kill the rebels!" Saro roared with his comrades storming forward alongside him.

Mere moments ensued a brutal clash of fire, earth and water.

Elsewhere.

Zuko lay bleeding from a gash on his right cheek while he gazed up at Zoi with widened eyes while he desperately fought to wrench her sword free from her hand.

Only for the warrior to begin to choke him with her free hand.

"Die you fucking traitor!" Zoi roared in a merciless voice as she thrust her sword down to piece the pinned man's neck.

Only for her eyes to widen in shock when a dagger stabbed her through the gap in her armor.

While Zuko stared up from behind in a mixture of both relief and surprise.

"Mai!" Zuko cried out in a relieved voice while the surprised Zoi turned to gaze over her shoulder into Mai's piercing tawny eyes.

"Get off of him!" Mai hissed with her arm around the struggling captain's neck while Zoi furiously fought against her.

"Coward! You were too scared to face me in open combat so you went for my back!" Zoi snarled with her eyes agape in unbridled rage while Mai drove the dagger in deeper.

"Now isn't that ironic considering what you did to General Shoren." Mai replied icily only for Zoi to savagely slam her shield into her face.

Zuko struggled to stand up while he watched Mai stagger backwards with her bloody knife in hand.

"You don't know anything! I had just cause for killing General Shoren!" Zoi shouted with rage in her voice while her golden eyes shimmered in anger over the insult to her honor.

"Of course, you did." Mai snorted in a derisive voice while she watched Zoi stagger to her feet.

"If you think that poorly aimed stab will defeat me then you truly are a fool." Zoi stated with a cold sneer while she stood up grasping at the hilt of her sword.

"The stab wound won't…but the land mines will." Mai declared in a cold voice while she stared victoriously into the other woman's widening golden eyes.

Zoi stumbled backwards as she dropped her shield to the ground at her feet while she felt at her back.

Only for her golden eyes to widen in alarm when her fingers grazed over a small land mine.

"I'll kill you! I swear I'll kill you!" Zoi bellowed in a livid voice as she dropped her sword while she furiously fought to remove the mine from her upper back.

"No. You won't." Mai sneered before pulling Zuko to his feet while he watched Zoi writhe with conflicted golden eyes.

Zoi began to roll on the ground in mounting panic while her enraged shouts carried out over the battlefield.

"Traitors! I'll kill the both of you!" Zoi shrieked with her hand struggling to pull the mine off her back.

Only for Mai to wordlessly walk away with her fiancée holding onto her shoulder.

The two glanced over their shoulders at the bloodthirsty captain rolling in the dirt while Zuko watched with clear discomfort over the dishonorable tactic.

After a great deal of thrashing about Zoi finally managed to remove the land mine from her back.

It dropped before her in the dirt while she struggled to push herself to her feet.

Only to widen her eyes when she caught sight of not one but multiple land mines strung out before her.

'The one on my back was a distraction for the ones at my feet!' Zoi thought in horror while she took off in a maddened sprint for cover.

Azula was sent skidding backwards with a droplet of blood on her chin while she glared callously back at her uncle.

Her cold eyes swept about while she watched rebel soldiers begin to surround her on all sides.

"It's over Azula." Iroh remarked calmly while he assessed his niece's exhausted face.

It would appear that these new abilities come at a great cost…

Behind him the Avatar sunk to his knees with his gray eyes gazing up in astonishment.

"Iroh!" Aang exclaimed with relief in his voice while the old man turned to smile down at him upon noticing that he had finally snapped out of the reflexive Avatar State.

"Rest easy now Aang. Let us take care of the rest." Iroh greeted kindly while the young monk nodded in agreement.

"I don't know how you managed to obtain the drop on us…but I can assure you it will be your last." Azula purred with a cold smirk returning to her graceful lips only to whip her head around when a familiar shout rang out into the air.

The princess's amber golden eyes swept about while she quickly assessed her situation.

In the far distance was Ty Lee with Elle behind her while soldiers of the White Lotus too began to surround them.

Somewhere deep inside of her cold heart she felt a shred of relief to see that the two had managed to survive the crash.

Her surviving soldiers were pouring from the downed airship.

A violent battle was now underway between the rebel forces and her own.

That was when her gaze finally landed on the person that had called out her name.

To her great surprise it was not Elle, nor Ty Lee or even Mai.

Saro had just cut down an enemy soldier when one of his men called out to him.

"Saro! The captain!" A soldier exclaimed in alarm while the lieutenant wheeled around with his eyes widening in horror.

In that instance everyone saw it.

Mai was helping Zuko walk away with several land mines exploding thunderously behind them.

Azula gazed over her shoulder with her eyes widening in volcanic rage when she caught sight of her friend's betrayal.

Only for her fury to increase tenfold when saw her greatest warrior staggering through an erupting minefield.

The landmines erupted one after another while the captain's body vanished in the blazing inferno.

"Captain!" Saro called out in rage like never before when he took off darting towards his leader's aid.

"Mai…" Ty Lee whispered with her eyes agape in worry when she caught the murderous rage in Azula's eyes.

And not just the princess.

Nearly thirty soldiers were rushing forward to avenge their beloved leader!

The ground began sinking on all sides while the unstable ground began to sink into the earth in every which way.

The injured warrior hung with her fingers slipping while she yelled out in rage once more.

"Princess Azula!" Zoi screamed before she finally plummeted into the open earth with her call for help resonating across the war zone.

And then…silence.

The princess trembled in unbridled anger while she clenched her fists at her sides.

'Mai you fool! You just cost me and Father the loyalty of all of the Song clan!' Azula thought with fire spewing from her lips while she watched the fallen woman's soldiers move to capture her friend.

She didn't even need to speak the order.

She was well aware that the captain's crew would do so regardless of what she said.

"Go Zuko!" Mai exclaimed before pushing Zuko backwards while he gazed back at her with hesitant golden eyes.

"I can't!" Zuko protested only for Mai to backhand him furiously.

"You had no qualms doing it before!" Mai snapped venomously while guilt now flashed in the prince's eyes.

"Mai I…" Zuko trailed off just as he turned away while the soldiers rushed towards them.

"Six years together Zuko. And you broke my heart. If you had simply told me why you were leaving…I would have understood. But you didn't. Our relationship is over. But that doesn't mean that I am going to watch you die." Mai spoke with downcast tawny eyes while Zuko swallowed in shame.

"I…am sorry Mai." Zuko muttered with great remorse in his eyes before Mai gazed at him one final time.

"Just go." Mai ordered before drawing her blades while she watched her former lover flee the opposite direction.

"Seize her!" Saro roared while they stormed the composed woman.

The prince fled while he watched the stolen airship soar overhead with a rope dropping down from rails.

Zuko swiftly grasped ahold of it while rebel soldiers began to pull him up to safety.

All the while Mai was being restrained by the loyal soldiers with Saro staring back into her remorseless tawny eyes.

"You are going to wish you hadn't done that." Saro stated frigidly before driving his knee into Mai's gut while he glared down at her coughing face.

"Believe me. It was well worth it." Mai responded in an apathetic voice while the soldiers hauled her forward with her hands restrained behind her back.

It was only when she met Azula's glacial amber golden eyes that she finally began to shiver.

Well aware that a gruesome punishment was sure to await her.

The princess turned her callous eyes away from her treasonous subordinate before gazing back at her uncle with her hand wiping her lip once more.

"If you think that you and these nothings can defeat me Uncle…then you are even more of a fool than I had taken you for." Azula scoffed with a sophisticated scoff while her flames flared to life once more.

"By the looks of it we don't have to defeat you Azula." Iroh retorted before leaping out of the way from an exploding fireball.

Her flame has become unnaturally strong!

It was truly terrifying to know that his niece was capable of such devastating power.

Such power should only be possible on Sozin's Comet and yet…

The princess began to reel around with sweat dripping down her face while she launched a rapid stream of blue fire at all of her attackers.

A rebel soldier released a scream of terror when his entire body caught fire while his comrades watched with horrified eyes.

"Stay back!" Iroh commanded with the Avatar staring on in horror at the sight of the burning man.

Several soldiers put the fire out with waterbending yet it was clear that the damage was already done.

The man now lay lifeless in the dirt while fires continued to rage around them on all sides.

"S-she just burned a man to death in a matter of seconds!" A rebel soldier exclaimed while the shouts of the enemy soldiers rang in the distance.

The Dai Li were cutting down rebel soldiers left and right while two rebel soldiers now carried the wounded Toph to safety.

As Elle stood behind Ty Lee while the noblewoman turned to gaze at the rebels surrounding her with unusually stern eyes.

"Surrender!" A rebel soldier ordered while Ty Lee pushed the smaller girl behind her.

"No." Ty Lee answered calmly while Elle hid with her face in her back.

"Then you leave us no choice!" The man shouted before charging forward while the woman stared on with hardening brown-gray eyes.

In mere seconds Ty Lee delivered a brutal strike to the man's jugular before she swiftly removed a blade from his belt.

"Close your eyes Elle." Ty Lee spoke gently with her hair blowing behind her while the petite girl nodded fearfully.

And with that the injured Ty Lee chi blocked the attacking man's pressure points before springing forward with an uncharacteristically cold countenance.

The men released cries of pain while the wounded woman chi blocked them one after another.

Soon enough Ty Lee was standing with Elle under her arm over a handful of wounded unconscious men.

Ty Lee continued to limp forward with her hand pulling the young girl after her.

Only to stare across the battlefield in concern to see that Azula was completely surrounded.

Rebel soldiers were successfully preventing Saro and his comrades from coming to the princess's aid.

While those on the hovering airship opened fire on the Dai Li.

The earthbending assassins were forced to leap for cover while projectiles continued to drop down on them from above.

Azula began to pant from exhaustion before releasing a furious growl.

"Filthy peasants! I will kill you all!" Azula barked with fire spitting forth from her lips while she raised her hands to release another blast of blue fire.

Only to widen her eyes when all that came out was a pitiful sputter that could barely be called a flame!

In that very moment she gazed down in frustration to see her veil of flames vanishing in the blink of an eye.

And then she finally collapsed onto all fours with her amber golden eyes agape in disbelief.

'Impossible! It hasn't even been more than six minutes!' Azula thought with her lips pursing into a thin line while she crushed the dirt beneath her in her anger.

"Chi burnout Azula…it would seem that you've pushed your body too far." Iroh remarked casually while Azula glared up at her with enraged amber golden eyes.

"And what of it? I will recover! And then I will kill you all!" Azula bellowed with her fists gripping the ground below her.

"Judging by the look of you…you won't be recovering soon enough to do that." Iroh commented with a serious countenance while he glared down at his defeated niece.

From high above the airship Zuko sat alongside Pakku while the old man nursed his bruised wrists.

The prince turned to gaze down at his sister with unnerved golden eyes.

In all of his life he has never been as afraid of Azula as he was now.

To think that it would take such extreme measures to finally defeat his sister!

'I can't believe that Azula is powerful enough to challenge Aang in the unrealized Avatar State!' Zuko thought grimly while he gazed down at Azula's defeated form.

Now there was no doubt in his mind that his sister was far stronger than even their father.

He could only hope that his sister would remain down long enough for the White Lotus to take her into custody.

Ty Lee gazed on with widened eyes at the sight of Azula on her knees with soldiers storming forward to apprehend her.

'I have to help Azula! I can't just leave her to die!' Ty Lee thought in alarm before spinning around to stare down at her young friend's horrified face.

"A-Azula-sama is in danger!" Elle cried out with a tear streaming down her cheek before breaking free of Ty Lee's grip.

"Elle no! Elle!" Ty Lee called out in alarm while she watched the innocent girl run across the war-torn battlefield to aid Azula.

The rebel army watched in astonishment while the young girl ran panting across the burning landscape.

Iroh could only gape in amazement to witness such a kind hearted girl running to his niece's aid.

Azula turned to gaze over her shoulder with surprised amber golden eyes to see her handmaid darting through the flames to make it to her side.

Even a woman as ruthless as herself couldn't help but be moved by her servant's unflinching loyalty.

She was so shocked by her handmaid's devotion that she could only stare at the girl running towards her with her mouth hanging open in a speechless silence.

Out of all of her army, the first person to run to assist her was her handmaid!

"Azula-sama!" Elle shouted in a distraught voice just before she nearly stumbled into the burning landscape.

Aang too was staring on in disbelief while Elle made her way through the flames with no regard for her own wellbeing.

The young blonde rushed through the fires only for a land mine to go off mere feet away from her.

The distraught girl stumbled forward with the horrified Ty Lee running after her.

"Elle!" Ty Lee yelled in a frightened voice while the girl finally made her way over to the stunned princess's side.

Mai stood gazing on at the scene with mutual amazement in her eyes.

There was no doubt about it in her mind.

That girl was in love with Azula.

The ruthless princess finally snapped out of her reverie while she reeled around to glare at her panting girlfriend making her way through the throngs of rebel soldiers.

"Stupid girl! Are you trying to get yourself killed!" Azula barked with a seemingly cruel scowl on her lips while she glared at the girl to dropping to her knees before her.

Only for her cold eyes to stare on in even greater surprise when the petite girl rounded around to glare back at her bewildered uncle.

"You stay away from her!" Elle exclaimed with her ever present smile giving way to anger while she held out her arms to shield the stunned Azula.

Ty Lee finally came to a stop behind her leader while she held onto her blade with her wary eyes gazing about.

'This doesn't look good.' Ty Lee thought before turning her attention back to her adopted sister's oddly angered face.

It was just astonishing to witness Elle lose her temper over something that didn't involve spiders.

To think that the only thing that could make the girl truly furious was seeing Azula's life in danger!

"Why do you defend Azula?" Iroh questioned in genuine puzzlement while he stared down at Elle holding her arms out before his niece.

"Because she is my friend!" Elle declared with the princess gazing down at her in a speechless silence.

"Young lady, my niece is not your friend. Whatever she has told you. It isn't true!" Iroh insisted with a frown on his lips while the princess sat on her backside glaring back at him.

"Yes, she is! I know she is! Now get lost!" Elle growled with an adorable expression of anger on her snarling lips while Azula gazed down at her almost amused by her newfound temper.

The rebels stared back at the girl in bafflement while Elle began to pull the exhausted princess onto her back.

All the while Ty Lee and Mai watched in astonishment to see the girl attempt to carry the princess to safety.

"Come on Azula-sama. I'll help you walk." Elle offered sweetly while the princess lay on her back with her stern amber golden eyes peering down at her in disbelief.

"What are you doing peasant?" Azula snorted with a regal roll of her eyes while she peered down at her petite girlfriend's pitiful efforts to carry her.

"T-taking you to safety." Elle stammered before taking a stumbling step forward while she struggled to carry the much taller woman on her back.

It was such a touching sight to Ty Lee that a tear fell from her eye while she watched her young friends' naïve attempts to protect Azula.

And with that she steeled her resolve before bracing herself on her good leg while she glared at the approaching rebels.

For once Azula found herself unable to reply.

All she could do was stare down at her handmaid with stunned amber golden eyes while the girl struggled to carry her armored body.

"I am sorry young lady, but Azula will not be returning home with you." Iroh announced gravely with his sentries stepping up behind him while Azula turned to glare at him over her shoulder.

"She hurt Katara, Appa, Sokka, Momo, Toph and even Zuko! She must face justice for what she has done!" Aang yelled before staggering to his feet while he gazed after the downed princess with angered gray eyes.

In the ensuing panic Saro had thrown Mai to the ground while the firebender and his men began furiously cutting down the rebel soldiers that stood in their way of assisting their princess.

And then the rebels sprang forward while Ty Lee disabled a charging soldier while turning to meet the princess's stunned gaze.

"Go Azula! I'll cover you and Elle!" Ty Lee informed before springing forward on her limp while Azula watched with widened amber golden eyes.

It soon became clear that Ty Lee alone would not be able to cover their retreat.

A rebel soldier rushed forward while the princess stared at their rushing attack with callous amber golden eyes.

Even exhausted and wounded Azula's gaze was so terrifying that it made the rebels feel pause.

However, her uncle and the Avatar were not so easily intimidated.

"I-I said stay away from Azula-sama!" Elle cried out in an emotional voice only for the man to knock her to the ground.

It was an action that proved to be one the unfortunate soldier would regret when Azula swung her bloodied fist into his cheekbone so hard that a resounding crack resonated into the air.

The man fell to the ground with a shattered jaw while Azula glared down at him with enraged amber golden eyes.

"Touch the girl again and I will castrate every last one of you!" Azula snapped in a beyond imposing voice with her eyes narrowing so callously that even her uncle felt pause.

If Princess Azula threatened mass castration, only a fool would doubt her willingness to follow through with her threat.

Yet it did not stop the Avatar from rushing forward in an attempt to bring her to justice.

Elle pushed herself to her feet with her arm once more around Azula's shoulder.

Only for the sentries to swarm forward before shoving her to the ground once more.

And then the enraged princess found herself being restrained on all sides while she thrashed about in a futile effort to break free.

"Release me at once!" Azula roared with her eyes agape in rage while the soldiers began to haul her off.

"Azula!" Ty Lee called out while knocking down rebels in desperation to assist her childhood friend.

Only to find that there were far too many for her to fight all by herself.

And soon she found herself being restrained by her numerous attackers.

Just when it seemed hopeless, she heard a cry of pain from one of the men beside her.

Ty Lee turned her head in relief to see Mai had come to her aid.

"Quickly, let's get to Azula." Mai stated in a tone of resignation while Ty Lee nodded with understanding in her eyes.

Both noblewomen knew that a severe punishment was in store for her for Zoi's murder.

But even that would pale in comparison to what Azula would do to her if she just stood by and watched her capture.

And with that in mind the two continued furiously fighting their way through the Lotus legion.

All the while Zuko watched his sister's capture from above with an expression of conflict in his eyes.

He knew that Azula had to be taken down, but that didn't mean that he wanted to watch her die.

"Quickly! Get Azula aboard the ship!" Iroh shouted with his fists aflame while he fought against his niece's loyal soldiers.

"Kill everyone that stands in the way of the princess's rescue!" Saro called out just before impaling a man through the neck.

Only for Iroh to grasp ahold of his blade while he glared into the veteran's old eyes just as they began to engage in a desperate struggle for dominance.

"Azula-sama!" Elle yelled in a fretful voice before taking off running after the restrained woman.

Azula turned her head to gaze at the young girl once more with her amber golden eyes expressing her astonishment over her servant's unwavering devotion.

'My most loyal subordinate…is also my weakest. How ironic.' Azula thought with an outraged hiss before slamming her elbow in one of her attacker's eyes.

But it was all in vain.

Her chi was completely drained as a result of the overuse of her new technique.

"Let her go! You can't take her away from me!" Elle wailed with soldiers holding her back while she tried to climb over them to reach her friend's side.

The rebel army was completely stunned by the girl trying her hardest to reach the cruel princess.

Even Azula could only stare after the girl with her eyes widening in shock by Elle's devotion.

"I-it can't happen again! I can't watch another person that I love die before my eyes! I won't let it happen again!" Elle protested in a deeply emotional voice with her sorrowful cries carrying out over the battlefield.

The young girl's words took the three women by surprise while they watched their young friend scream over the shoulder of one of the men restraining her.

Soldiers were fighting left and right on all sides.

While Elle fought furiously to reach Azula.

Her eyes were stinging so greatly from her tears that they began to clamp shut.

And then the loyal girl called out to her speechless princess one final time.

"I said let her go! Now!" Elle cried out with her fists clenched in her anger unaware that all eyes on the battlefield were now focused solely on her.

A mysterious wind swept through the air that Aang turning to stare at the young girl with his gray eyes widening in mounting unease.

This…was what he was sensing earlier!

And then it happened.

An inexplicable energy suddenly blew through the air before all of the soldiers that were attacking the three women were blown away by a burst of glowing white energy.

Azula sunk to her knees with a speechless expression in her widening eyes while stared at her handmaid dropping to the ground on all fours.

Ty Lee was so shocked that her hands fell to her sides while she gazed ahead with bewildered eyes to see that her attackers had been removed by a strange propulsion of energy!

But not just her assailants, both of her friends as well!

Mai's mouth hung open in a rare display of great awe.

Her shock was so great that she didn't even notice that her knife falling to her feet.

Even the Fire Nation soldiers and the stoic Dai Li stood gawking at the baffling scene before them.

Every single White Lotus sentry that had been attacking the princess and her two friends had been repelled by a mysterious force.

Iroh stood frozen in disbelief gazing back at Elle with his amber eyes expressing his disbelief.

And the Avatar himself had been sent skidding backwards by the strange burst of energy.

Far above on the airship Zuko gazed down with his eyes widening in puzzlement.

And on the other side of the battlefield Toph sat on her knees with her mouth hanging open in amazement.

As Elle continued to pound her fists on the ground with her eyes closed repeating the same thing over and over.

"Get away from her!" Elle shouted in a shaken voice while Azula still sat gazing at her with amazed amber golden eyes.

"Elle…open your eyes. Azula is safe." Ty Lee assured in an astonished voice with her mouth still ajar in awe at the sight of the faint white glow emitting from the girl's body.

"W-what was that?" A White Lotus Sentry asked in a frightened voice while he gazed in confusion at the young girl opening her amber eyes.

The handmaid gazed ahead with her own eyes widening in surprise while she gazed down at her open palms.

"No way…" Elle breathed in shock while Azula pushed herself to her feet.

The princess took a tired step forward while she stared down at her servant in disbelief before finally regaining her composure.

"How…did you do that Elle?" Azula questioned with her eyes still expressing her surprise.

If she hadn't had seen it with her own two eyes, she wouldn't have believed it.

She would have never expected that her cry baby handmaid had powers of any kind!

"Naoki was right! I thought that she was mistaken when she told me that she wanted to recruit me. She told me that I had a gift…I laughed. I told her that my only talent was a paint brush." Elle spoke with her amber eyes still gaping down at her hands while her friends listened in amazement.

The princess could only gaze down at her young admirer with stunned amber golden eyes while the two noblewomen came running up behind them.

It was plain to see that the gears were already turning in Azula's mind.

Ty Lee gazed between her adopted sister and Azula's unusually surprised face with a trace of worry in her eyes.

She had no doubt that Azula was already thinking of all of the ways that this would benefit her!

"Explain this to me! Every detail!" Azula demanded with her sweat-stained face already staring down at her pet with imposing amber golden eyes.

"Azula!" Ty Lee scolded while her leader paid her protests no mind.

"I…don't know anything about it really. All I know is that this particular power is passed down through bloodlines. When I die…it will randomly transfer to someone else." Elle answered with her explanation invoking worry in the three women.

Even the princess's regal lips curved into a brief frown after hearing those words.

"This…must be what my mother and father died for." Elle mumbled to herself while the two noblewomen gazed down at her with sisterly concern in their eyes.

"Elle…I didn't know…" Ty Lee spoke softly with her warm eyes expressing her sadness over the girl's grief regarding her mother's death.

"Young lady, I must ask that you step aside." Iroh stated once more while he stood up seemingly unharmed by the burst of energy.

"Why?" Elle replied in a thoughtful voice while she pushed herself to her feet while the Avatar stared back at her with stern eyes.

"So, we can defeat the Fire Nation and bring balance back to the world!" Aang declared in a determined voice while he glared at Azula's cruelly scoffing face.

"And where is Azula-sama's place in this world of yours?" Elle pondered with the three women watching in bafflement when a faint white light began to sweep around all four of them.

"Far away from the Fire Nation throne." Iroh answered without delay while Elle hung her head with her bangs in her eyes.

"In other words, you wish to imprison her or kill her?" Elle spoke with her hands tightly gripping the straps of her backpack.

Iroh gazed at his niece's enraged face with a stern countenance.

The old man's silence was all that she needed to know that she would be separated from her beloved princess if they took her away.

"What a preposterous question. My answer is obviously no." Elle announced to the surprise of the enemy forces yet her highborn friends had expected such a response.

"What?" Iroh blurted out in disbelief while the princess smiled smugly before collapsing onto her backside in exhaustion.

"Humph. Nice try Uncle. This one is my most loyal royal servant. She would never betray me." Azula boasted with a pompous huff while she smirked at her handmaid's back in approval.

Such an interesting turn of events…

Any power that her admirer possessed could be considered hers by default.

"You are afraid of Azula-sama's evolved power…and you wish to get her out of the way before she has a chance to recover…and master her abilities further. Is that right?" Elle remarked with her amber eyes gazing ahead at the old man's bewildered face.

The two noblewomen and their princess continued to stare down at their petite friend in rising bafflement over the girl's changing personality.

"Yes! If Azula is allowed to obtain a power that rivals the Avatar State there is no telling what she will inflict upon the world!" Iroh explained with a trace of anger in his usually peaceful voice while Azula's crimson lips curled into a proud smile.

And even Mai and Ty Lee couldn't help but shudder over their leader's clear pride in her new abilities.

"Yep! You have just cause to be afraid. Going to war with Azula-sama is no joke. If you're not careful she could very well kill every last one of you." Elle chirped in an almost carefree voice while her big sisters gazed on in comedy alongside her.

"Once more yes! Now please stand aside!" Iroh repeated with genuine bafflement in his eyes when the girl shook her head.

"I truly hope that all of you survive this war. I hold no ill will against any of you and I wish you all long, prosperous lives. But I will not stand aside." Elle insisted with a small smile while Azula gazed at her in sadistic amusement.

Mai couldn't help but stare down at their strange companion with a sliver of amusement in her stare.

The girl was an odd one, that was for certain.

"How can you say those words and still assist her!" Aang demanded with fury in his voice while the girl laughed bitterly under her breath.

"Because at heart I am a selfish person." Elle admitted to the surprise of even her friends before removing her backpack from her shoulder.

Her backpack promptly fell to her feet before she turned to gaze down into the princess's once more bewildered amber golden eyes.

"I hide my selfishness beneath a smile. After many years of torment and suffering I have finally found a place where I belong. And you think that I will throw it all away just because you ask me?" Elle called out with an expression of unusual boldness in her eyes that took even Azula aback.

"Elle." Ty Lee murmured in a surprised voice while Elle turned to face the now angered Avatar.

"You would put your own desires before everyone else?" Aang inquired with anger returning to his once peaceful eyes while Elle managed another bitter chuckle.

Both Mai and Ty Lee were completely stunned by their adopted sister's cynical behavior.

Even the princess herself seemed thrown off by the change in personality.

"In a heartbeat! I will not trade my happiness just because you tell me to!" Elle insisted with anger in her voice while the three women listened in an amazed silence.

And they were even beginning to grow concerned for Elle's wellbeing.

From what they have seen Elle had no combat ability whatsoever, and on top of that, a crippling breathing condition.

And they knew nothing about this strange power of hers that was suddenly coming to the surface!

"Then I have no choice but to go through you!" Aang shouted with his bad arm hanging at his side while turned to stare hard at the girl's unraveling energy.

Once more…why did gazing at this young girl send a chill down his spine?

"I think I finally understand what it is about the Avatar that bothers me!" Elle yelled out while her three highborn friends stared at her in complete astonishment.

"W-what do you mean?" Aang asked with his anger giving way to hurt while Elle's lips formed a frown.

"You believe that you are the answer to all of the problems in the world but you're just another boy! No different than anyone else and it isn't possible for one person to fix every problem that the world faces all by themselves!" Elle exclaimed while the princess gazed at her back with surprised amber golden eyes.

"Elle..." Ty Lee spoke with her eyes agape in disbelief.

This was the first time she has ever seen her this angry!

The declaration hit Aang harder than any punch ever could.

And even Iroh was staring at the girl with his mouth open in shock over the young girl's angry side.

"We're all selfish here. Azula-sama wishes to rule the world, Mai wishes for her fiancé's safety above all else, you fancy yourself the savior of the entire world and I desire to protect the person that I love at any cost." Elle stated with a bright light beginning to emanate from her body once more.

Even Azula was gazing at her young girlfriend with her crimson lips expressing her surprise over the girl's burst of anger.

The Avatar and his allies stood staring back at the strange girl with unnerved eyes when she continued to glow with a white hue.

"Do you know what you're doing Elle?" Mai inquired with worry in her usually monotone voice while she gazed around at the girl's mysterious protective barrier.

"I don't know." Elle admitted with a twinge of a blush on her cheeks when she sensed her princess staring at her with those brilliant eyes that she adored.

"Well that's unsurprising." Azula snorted with a regal roll of her eyes while her two subordinates stared at the back of her head in disapproval.

"All of my life I have hidden been afraid. I have always been hesitant to face the world. But you give me courage Azula-sama. Perhaps…it was meeting you that brought this about in me." Elle confessed in a return to her bashful voice while Azula gazed at her with a flicker of fondness in her callous eyes.

"That explains it. My greatness must be rubbing off on you." Azula commented with a pompous nod while the other two women rolled their eyes over her gargantuan ego.

"It must. Before I came here, I encountered two fellow survivors of the child hunt." Elle answered before turning away once more while her three friends listened with concern in their eyes.

And the two noblewomen gazed at their leader with questioning eyes.

Neither Mai nor Ty Lee had been aware that Elle had been a victim of a child hunt!

"Naoki wanted vengeance. Katsu wanted the same. But that wasn't what I wanted. I told them that I was searching for something…" Elle trailed off with a reminiscent countenance while Azula listened in a taken aback silence.

"What was it that you were searching for Elle?" Ty Lee questioned gently when the younger girl turned to smile over her shoulder.

"Home." Elle announced with her amber eyes gazing over their speechless faces before meeting her princess's stunned amber golden gaze.

Not even Azula could mouth a reply to such a heartfelt statement.

It was all they could do but gape at the girl when she reeled around to face the Avatar with her smile transforming into a resolute stare.

"And I won't let anyone take that from me!" Elle cried out with the three women gawking at her change in disbelief.

The Avatar hardened his gaze before leaping forward with a burst of airbending.

All the while Iroh watched with shocked eyes when Elle took off in a mad sprint straight at Aang.

"W-what is Elle doing!" Ty Lee exclaimed in horror while Azula sat up with her own cold eyes agape in a rare show of concern.

"Foolish girl! Do you even know what your power does!" Azula barked with something akin to concern in her callous voice while she gaped at the sight of the tiny girl charging the Avatar.

Toph blinked her glazed sea foam green eyes while she 'watched' the young girl dart towards Aang.

"I never would have thought that Sunshine had it in her to be this bold." Toph commented with just a small trace of her usual humor in her voice.

"I don't want to hurt you! You are not my enemy!" Aang shouted with his staff in hand while he watched in alarm when the girl's unnerving energy began to spike.

"I don't know what this power does but I know I can fight you with it! Reiko wouldn't be searching to obtain it if it was useless! So, let's go!" Elle called out with her little fists balled up at her sides.

The princess quirked a brow in curiosity all the while trying to conceal her barest hints of concern for her young girlfriend's safety.

Yet at the same time…curious to see what the girl's power could do.

"Quickly men! Apprehend Azula!" Iroh ordered with his fists burning brightly only for the princess's soldiers to leap down before her.

"Your orders Princess?" Saro inquired with a turn of his head while Azula glanced up with cold amber golden eyes.

"Kill anyone who gets in your way. And do not like that girl die. If she dies…you die." Azula remarked icily with her words causing the soldiers to shiver.

"U-understood! It will be done!" Saro exclaimed before turning away only after briefly casting Mai a warning glare.

The meaning behind the glance was all too clear to Azula.

Zoi's soldiers were expecting her to punish Mai for murdering their captain.

Azula turned to glare frigidly at Mai's flinching countenance only for her eyes to widen when she snapped her attention back to her loyal servant's charge.

The princess's mouth dropped open in complete bafflement when she watched the girl tip her head back and scream at the top of her lungs.

She almost laughed! It was such a preposterous sight!

That was if she wasn't witnessing a powerful chi exuding from her body!

In that very moment each and every person on the battlefield watched in astonishment when Elle ran roaring towards the Avatar.

And just like that Elle swung her arm in the air in the heat of the moment and released a potent blast of energy.

And not a second after that the mysterious energy struck the unsuspecting Avatar.

Only for everyone to gape in disbelief when they watched the impossible happen.

Before the Avatar could even so much as release a single blast of bending.

They all watched in shock when his airbending died out like a waning flame in the palm of his hand.

"My airbending! Where…did it go!" Aang protested as he fell through midair after being hit with the energy with his eyes widening in shock.

High above the airship Zuko stood staring down at the scene in disbelief when he watched Aang drop through the air like a bird with a broken wing.

"What happened Aang!" Iroh called out only to watch in horror when the Avatar fell to the ground on all fours.

"I can't bend! W-what did she do to my bending!" Aang yelled out in distress with his eyes blinking down at his bare fist only for Elle to tackle him.

"Did…she just cut off the Avatar's chi flow?" Mai asked with her tawny eyes widening in awe while she watched her adopted sister comically jump on the stunned Avatar.

"S-she did! H-his flow of chi is completely cut off!" Ty Lee shouted with mutual awe in her eyes while Azula pushed herself to her feet beside her.

The two women turned to stare back into the princess's shocked amber golden eyes while the sadistic woman observed the scene in amazement.

And it didn't take long for Azula's shock to give way to delight.

"The tiger monkey…is the Avatar's bane?" Azula spoke before erupting into belly shaking laughter while her subordinates gawked at the scene.

"Y-you can't bend at all?" Iroh stammered with a frightened realization in his eyes while the young girl glared down at the now frightened Avatar.

"No! It's like she somehow disrupted the flow of my energy!" Aang cried out while Azula's smug laughter continued to ring out over the battleground.

"This…can only mean one thing." Iroh breathed with his amber eyes agape in shock while Azula listened closely with a curious gleam in her amber golden eyes.

"Not so mighty now are you!" Elle growled while she sprung to her feet pointing a finger down at the speechless monk.

"Legend has it that long ago there existed an ancient force that functioned as an opposing force to the Spirit World. They…called it the Component! They say that the Component had the ability to cut through spiritual energy! It was said to have vanished over a thousand years ago! But I thought that it was just a myth!" Iroh shouted with his hands at his sides while everyone listened in utter astonishment.

There wasn't a single person present that wasn't struck by the declaration.

Azula stared at the Avatar staggering to his feet with his eyes agape in horror while her red lips began to quirk into a victorious smile.

The prince listened to those words with a newfound fear of his sister in his eyes.

This couldn't be!

In all of his life he has never been as frightened of Azula as he was now!

Not only was his sister strong enough to challenge the unrealized Avatar State but she was now in possession of the sole person that was capable of cutting through the Avatar's spiritual energy!

"You don't say Uncle? The Component?" Azula purred in a devious voice while she continued to laugh victoriously.

"Vanished over a thousand of years ago…if all of this is true…would this mean that somehow Elle is a descendent of ancient people from our land?" Mai pondered in a shocked voice while the princess tilted her head thoughtfully.

"Hm. An interesting thought." Azula spoke with a hand under her chin while she regarded her shouting girlfriend in approval.

She couldn't have picked a more appropriate girlfriend!

"I…can't believe it…Elle…an opposing force to the Spirit World?" Ty Lee muttered before swallowing in fear for her little sister's safety.

She could only hope that Azula had wouldn't thrust Elle into harm's way!

"An ancient opposing force to the Spirit World? But how will I defeat Azula and the Fire Lord if this ancient force is fighting for the Fire Nation!" Aang yelled out in fright while the princess observed in sadistic delight.

"You won't be defeating Azula-sama! As soon as she recovers, she's going to kick your ass to the moon and back!" Elle cried out before pumping a fist in the air while Azula continued to laugh in hearty amusement.

"My sentiments exactly. It would certainly seem as if I am rubbing off on her." Azula commented with a proud smile while her two-childhood friends gazed at her in discomfort.

"S-she's a sweet girl Azula! Please don't take advantage of her!" Ty Lee pleaded with her words causing Azula to turn around and scoff at her.

"Take advantage? Please! I have done nothing but pamper her!" Azula snorted with a roll of her arrogant eyes.

"I beg you to please stand aside so I can restore balance to this world!" Aang pleaded with his arms at his sides while Toph marveled at the scene from the sidelines.

"No way. Sunshine is Twinkle Toe's weakness." Toph muttered with unusual shock in her expression.

"Go restore balance then." Elle commented in a defiant voice before gesturing to her princess standing a distance behind her.

"I can't do it without my bending!" Aang yelled in rising aggravation while the petite girl mustered her back attempt at a glare.

"You've got your little staff and Azula-sama can't bend right now either. Go on. What's stopping you!" Elle responded with a frown while Aang turned to gaze over at Azula's smugly smirking face with hesitation in his eyes.

All the while everyone on all sides stood watching the confrontation with baffled eyes.

"Yes, do come over Avatar! So, I can cut off your genitals!" Azula bellowed with a violent sneer while her childhood friends shuddered alongside her.

"Uh…w-well…" Aang trailed off with his friends gazing at him in pity while Elle clenched her fists at her side in anger.

"Just like I thought! You don't have the balls to face her on even ground! Go away! My loyalty is to Azula-sama and Azula-sama alone!" Elle declared with a devoted puff of her chest before turning around to rejoin her stunned friends.

"I…still can't believe that Elle is the opposition to the Avatar." Ty Lee muttered with her sisterly eyes still agape in awe while she watched the girl pad her way over to the pleased princess's side.

"And to think that we would have never known if I hadn't brought her along." Azula purred with a refined smile on her regal lips while she turned to gaze at her little girlfriend in approval.

"You must listen to me! Please!" Aang called out in a frantic voice before reaching out to grasp the girl's wrist by his good hand.

"Let go of me!" Elle cried out only to recoil at Aang's touch while Azula waved her hand for her men to back her up.

"It is the Avatar's duty to bring harmony to the four nations! I was chosen by the spirits almost a century ago! But I ran away like a foolish child and I left my friends behind when they needed me most! And then I abandoned the world a second time for six more years! My…my friend Bumi even died waiting for me! And that's why…that's why I will not turn my back on the world a third time!" Aang pleaded with great emotion overcoming his face while Elle stopped to listen as if she were considering his words.

"So, what you're saying is…that the world needs the Avatar?" Elle questioned with a tilt of her head while the monk rapidly nodded his head.

"Yes, it is the Avatar's responsibility to guide the world towards peace." Aang answered in a serious voice while Elle peered up into his eyes.

"Peace…" Elle trailed off with a sentimental expression in her eyes while she briefly turned her eyes away from Aang's gaze.

"Elle, will you help me bring peace and stability to the world?" Aang inquired in an adamant voice with hopeful eyes while Elle stood gazing down at her feet.

For the briefest of moments Azula stood with her lips curving into an annoyed scowl.

She stared hard at the girl with her amber golden eyes momentarily flashing in a long-hidden fear of betrayal.

After opening up her heart to this girl and letting her get to know her in ways that no one else ever has.

After giving this peasant girl the greatest gift of all…her trust!

Elle had better not turn her back on her now!

Not after all that she has done for her!

In that very moment Elle turned to meet Azula's gaze while the princess stared back expectantly at her with narrowing amber golden eyes.

Elle's lips began to crease into a thin line as she recalled the princess's words from that day at the port.

Don't be so afraid to be yourself. Be proud of who you are.

The words from that fateful moment in time continued to play in her mind while Aang gazed down at her with an optimistic smile once more returning to his lips.

Only for each and every person present to stare on with captivated eyes when Elle suddenly slapped Aang's hand away from her wrist.

And Team Azula watched in astonishment when the girl followed that up by knocking the monk's staff from his burned hand.

The staff dropped to the ground at their feet with a resounding thud while Aang gaped down at the girl with disbelieving eyes.

Iroh stood off to the side observing the ensuing conflict with horrified amber eyes while the girl's shouts began to ring into the air once more.

Zuko and Pakku also stood frozen with their mouths agape in shock.

"No matter what you say I will not betray Azula-sama!" Elle insisted with uncharacteristic anger in her voice while the Avatar stared down at her in disbelief.

The princess stood on exhausted legs with her amber golden eyes gazing at her companion in ever rising wonderment.

And somewhere deep inside of her cruel heart she felt a growing appreciation for this young peasant girl from another land.

No one…has ever expressed such undying devotion to her before.

It was surreal.

Yet pleasant all the same.

Ty Lee turned to the princess's stunned face with the barest hints of a warm smile appearing on her lips.

While she had her concerns for Azula obtaining even greater power.

There was no doubt in her mind that Elle's sweet hearted loyalty was for Azula's own good.

"Elle! How can you be this selfish!?" Aang demanded in an utterly furious voice before snatching ahold of the girl's shirt.

As soon as Aang put his hand on Elle the three highborn women were already moving forward to the girl's defense.

And most curious of all was the fact that Azula was the first to spring forward.

The princess's amber golden eyes were flashing with an aggressive protectiveness at the sight of seeing her enemy manhandle her young girlfriend.

Only for the three to halt in surprise when the girl swiftly struck her flat palm into the monk's cheek.

The monk stumbled back in surprise while his head whipped to the side while the three women watched with taken aback eyes.

And then Aang released a sharp cry of pain when Elle followed up with a merciless kick to his groin.

All men present felt a phantom pain in their lower regions when the Avatar dropped onto his back crying out in pain.

Such a sight was just as shocking to Team Azula as learning that their fragile friend held the key to an ancient power!

"I told you not to touch me!" Elle roared with a frown on her lips while she gazed down at Aang's shocked face.

The three women stood gawking at the scene in disbelief.

And each of them had a similar thought running through their minds.

This young girl that they have all come to feel a need to protect was learning to protect herself.

And in some way or another they all found themselves pleased by their young friends' growth.

And strangely enough, no one more so than Azula.

'Is this what it feels like to have pride in someone else?' Azula thought with her mouth still entrenched into an expression of astonishment.

"Maybe the world doesn't need the Avatar to solve all of their problems! Maybe it might be good for the people of the people if they learned how to handle their problems without the Avatar doing everything for them!" Elle shouted with her amber eyes glaring down into the monk's speechless eyes.

The soldiers on both sides had even paused in their individual battles to gaze at the young girl in shock.

And even though none of the White Lotus wanted to admit it aloud, some couldn't help but ponder that the girl had a valid point.

"I implore you to listen to what we have to say! Azula is not what you think she is!" Iroh called out with desperation in his old eyes while Elle turned to glare at him.

"She may not be a friend to you but she is a friend to me! I'm on Team Azula and if you don't like it then too bad!" Elle declared with a scowl before turning around to dart back over to the princess's side.

The princess watched the girl run back over with the shock in her cold eyes giving way to amusement before erupting into approving laughter once more.

"Did you hear that, Ty Lee?" Azula spoke with boundless satisfaction in her voice while Ty Lee sighed fondly alongside her.

"I heard it Azula." Ty Lee replied with a chuckle while she watched the girl run back over to rejoin them.

All the while Toph couldn't help but release an amused chuckle of her own.

If only because she understood where Elle was coming from.

While Azula smirked as the girl slid to a stop before her.

She was well aware that Elle has been keeping her emotions pent up ever since the moment she met her.

It hadn't escaped her notice that while the girl was genuinely happy the majority of the time that she spent in her company.

Up until now she had been stifling all of her anger and her sadness beneath her always cheerful smile.

"So, you're going to stand as our enemy?!" Iroh demanded with a grim look in his eyes while the girl held a fist high above her head.

"Damn right I am! Any enemy of the princess is my enemy!" Elle yelled with her chest puffing out while the princess gazed down at her in approval.

"The Component? This is horrible! Can this possibly get any worse!" Pakku exclaimed with shock in his voice while the prince swallowed fearfully beside him.

"I will bring balance to this world! Even if I have to go through you to do it!" Aang shouted after he shakily pushed himself to his feet while Elle pointed an angry finger back at him.

"Forget your Avatar Cycle! Defeat the Fire Lord you say? Defeat Azula-sama you say! Take a good hard look at me Avatar! I'm your worst enemy!" Elle announced in a stunningly bold voice while the three women gazed down at her in amazement.

Aang and all of the White Lotus could only stare on in horror when the bright chi burst from the girl once more.

The Fire Nation soldiers and the Dai Li also stood marveling at both the young girl's newfound power and words.

"You better be afraid Avatar! Because my name is Elle Turner! I am the daughter of Lana Turner! And I am also one of the Rosa Three and as long as I draw breath, I will stand beside Azula-sama!" Elle concluded with a resolute countenance while thrusting a clenched fist high in the air.

The princess quirked a brow while peering down at her young companion with a hand curled up beneath her chin.

"Elle Turner is it now?" Azula commented with a margin of fondness in her strict voice while she continued to study the girl's chi in astonishment.

Who would have thought that the Avatar's greatest weakness was hiding right before her very eyes!

"That's so Azula-sama." Elle answered in a calmer voice with her loyal eyes gazing up at Azula's beautiful countenance.

"Do you feel better now that you got all of that out of your system?" Mai questioned in her usual deadpan voice while she blinked down at the younger girl in puzzlement.

"As a matter of fact, I do!" Elle chirped with a grin while the three women stared down at her in amusement.

"What brought all of that on little sister?" Ty Lee pondered with a tilt of her head while placing a hand on the smaller girl's shoulder.

"Azula-sama told me to be proud. She inspired me to be open with my feelings." Elle admitted softly with a twinge of pink on her cheeks while Azula eyed her closely.

It was a truly jarring statement to both Mai and Ty Lee.

This was the first time that they have ever heard of Azula inspiring anything that didn't involve cruelty!

"I suppose I did say that didn't I?" Azula sighed with her finger sweeping her sweaty bangs from her eyes before turning to glare in the direction of her uncle.

Evidently the older waterbender had been wrong about Iroh being in the Misty Palms Oasis.

The old fool must have changed course when he received word that Zoi was hunting and killing his soldiers.

"You leave me no alternative Azula but to separate the two of you by force." Iroh informed in a solemnly committed voice with his lips pursed into a scowl.

While Azula's amber golden eyes narrowed venomously at the mere mention of taking her companion away from her.

The meaning of the old man's words was obvious to all three women.

Ty Lee could only stare at the back of her leader's head with angered brown-gray eyes.

Now Elle was going to be an open target for capture and perhaps even assassination!

Her worst fears were confirmed when she rounded around just in time to see sentries rushing towards them.

Heading straight for her young friend to apprehend her!

The small blonde took a fearful step backwards only to watch with moved amber eyes when the tired princess sprang forward with the ferocity of a protective lover.

Both the Avatar and the Dragon of the West watched in shock when the princess savagely restrained the first man around the neck while she glared down at him with merciless amber golden eyes.

The two noblewomen swallowed a stunned gasp while they protectively pushed the petite girl behind them.

"And this poor fool's life is on your head. Watch closely Uncle. You're next." Azula hissed in a glacial voice with one toned arm ruthlessly crushing the writhing man's wind pipe and another clamped down over his muffled mouth.

Zuko gripped the rail of the airship while he stared down at the scene with shuddering golden eyes.

Just before turning away when the man was mercilessly suffocated underneath his sister's oppressive grip.

The other soldiers stood frozen in their tracks when their comrade fell face first into the dirt while the ruthless woman glared back at them with terrifying amber golden eyes.

"A-Azula-sama." Elle squeaked in a mousy voice with her sentimental amber eyes averting her eyes from the slain rebel.

While the sweat soaked princess stood staring icily back at the now terrified enemy army.

"W-well it looks like you're in good hands Elle." Ty Lee stammered with a gulp while the princess's merciless gaze swept across every rebel's fearful face.

In that moment Toph turned to 'gaze' at the White Lotus command with anger in her eyes.

'So that's what this has come down to? Murdering a young girl for being on the opposing side?' Toph thought before turning away to scoff in disgust.

"Anyone that tries to touch my girl will be bathed in blue fire!" Azula roared before springing forward at her shocked enemies.

"Azula's girl?" Iroh repeated with a horrible contemplation in his stunned voice.

"S-She's a monster!" A White Lotus Sentry cried out as he turned around and ran away while the two noblewomen watched in amusement.

Even when she was wounded and drained of all her chi Azula was still a force to be reckoned with!

The former general quickly regained his composure before hardening his eyes while he sprinted straight for his exhausted niece.

Azula's fierce battle roar echoed into the air while she savagely kicked a man to the ground.

At her boot was several stray teeth and a small blood stain.

Saro and his soldiers were ruthlessly fighting their way through the enemy legion while the Dai Li continued to slay men left and right.

The Avatar grasped his staff before he took off running towards Elle while her big sisters stood defensively above her.

"If you won't cooperate then I will just have to take you by force! Maybe then you'll listen to reason and-" Aang shouted only to be cut off when he was sent soaring backwards by a burst of ominous bright light.

And the White Lotus could only stare on in shock to see that the Avatar was truly powerless in the presence of this girl!

"Stay away from me and my family!" Elle announced with her little fists clenched at her sides while her big sisters gaped down at her in awe.

"If you would only give us a moment to explain ourselves you would see that there is truth to what we are saying!" Iroh bellowed with his eyes agape in shock while Azula viciously slammed her body into his side.

"The moment my bending returns I am going to break your back Uncle. After that…I will bring you back to parade you and the broken Avatar through the streets of the Capital!" Azula snarled with her callous amber golden eyes staring back into her uncle's while he slid back in the dirt.

The declaration hit Zuko like lightning in the chest while he gazed down at his sister with newfound horror in his eyes.

"W-we should retreat Iroh! This isn't worth the risk!" Another commanding officer yelled out while he gazed fearfully between the frightening princess and the young girl releasing powerful bursts of mysterious chi.

"You don't scare me! Now get away from Azula-sama or I will not hesitate to fight you!" Elle cried out to the disbelief of her friends while she narrowed her eyes back at the stunned Avatar.

"Fight? I thought you were a pacifist?" Mai asked in astonishment while gazing down at the girl in shock.

"Three weeks ago, I had nothing. I…was alone. I was lost in the world in search of something…somewhere to belong. A man approached me, and he said that he had a job for me. I said that I wasn't interested and then he hit me hard across the cheek. He would have taken me but then a royal litter passed us by. S-she saved me!" Elle explained in mid pant while her sisters and even Azula listened in a taken aback silence.

The two noblewomen were so stricken by the girl's description of when she first laid eyes on Azula.

Ty Lee couldn't help but stare down at the girl with tears in her eyes.

She had no doubt that Azula didn't even notice Elle on that fateful day. That moment in time meant nothing to Azula, but to Elle it meant the world!

"And so, I sat there…so I could watch her walk by every day. And…she protected me without even knowing it. And then…just when I was about to slip away a woman stood over me…that person was Azula-sama!" Elle shouted with her golden locks sticking to her cheeks while her friends and enemies stood in a transfixed silence.

All the while any thoughts the White Lotus had of convincing Elle to join their side began to rapidly soar out of the metaphorical window when the girl's furious cries resonated over the battlefield.

Team Azula gazed on in amazement when the petite girl leaped to her feet with her fists balling up before her in a stunning display of uncharacteristic rage.

"S-she gave me a roof over my head, food, water, and a bed! S-she put this bow around my neck! She brushed my hair! She held me when I was afraid! And she gave me a home! I don't care what you people say to me! I don't care if you're at war with her! I will not turn my back on her! And I won't give up that home for any of you!" Elle screamed with her chi surging to astonishing levels while it swept over the three speechless women.

"Elle…" Ty Lee trailed off in a heartfelt voice while the girl's mysterious power continued to surge while the Avatar was sent skidding backwards on both feet.

Aang held his arms over his face while he gaped at the girl just when the earth began to shake beneath their feet.

Only for Iroh to grasp him by the wrist before he took off sprinting to their airship while Azula's forces watched them retreat.

The princess glanced down at her feet with her amber golden eyes widening in realization while the remaining land mines continued to explode underground.

"Princess! We must leave! Someone detonated the entire minefield!" Saro advised with fear in his eyes while Azula stood scowling in understanding.

Before turning her ruthless gaze back to Mai's flinching face with her cold gaze warning of a severe punishment to come.

There was only one person with remote control over the minefield!

"That's right! You better run! Because there's more where that came from!" Elle called out with a fist held high above her head while the three highborn women gazed at her in bewilderment.

It went without saying that even Azula found herself taken aback by the girl's wilder side.

Elle took a tired step forward with her hands on her knees while she panted for air.

And yet she was smiling once more.

Smiling because her princess's amber golden eyes had swept over her in approval.

And that was victory enough for her.

And that was when it happened.

The princess broke out into a full run to rejoin her companions only for her boot to fall straight through the collapsing ground.

The preceding events seemed to happen in slow motion.

Azula's boots began to slip through the eroding ground only to snap her alarmed eyes upward when a small body slammed into her stomach.

The princess landed on her backside only to find herself gazing on in shock to see her young companion plunging through the ground in her place.

"Elle!" Ty Lee yelled out in alarm while she dropped to the ground to grasp the girl's hand.

Ty Lee watched helplessly when her hand just barely grazed the younger girl's fingers.

She could only watch in shock while the girl fell through the open earth just when Mai arrived over her shoulder with her own mouth agape in sorrow.

And Azula sat on her bottom staring down into the pit with something akin to regret in her amber golden eyes.

Not a single word was uttered when the soldiers rushed to a stop around them.

There was nothing but silence while the three speechless women gazed down into the dark hole.

Even the sounds of the exploding land mines were but an afterthought.

And then…an unsettling silence.

AN:

So, there it is!

That was the big twist!

This is a huge, huge chapter in terms of plot importance. Probably the most plot heavy chapter yet.

Elle is the holder of an ancient power that works as a weapon against the supernatural, which includes the Spirit World and the Avatar, called the Component.

I thought long and hard over the name, I ultimately decided on that because it's all in the name. She is in possession of an essential power that has been missing for a long time in a world full of many supernatural and mystical beings.

But before I get to that. Time to reply.

I thank you again for the big praise Agent Banana. I love writing stories and Azula is my favorite character. So, what can I say?

Now let's go over the chapter.

Yes, Azula and Zoi stalked both the White Lotus and the Gaang simultaneously. And in turn Iroh changed course on his ship when he received word that Pakku's crew was killed and he was taken hostage.

And then he ambushed Azula in the nick of time just after she ambushed the Gaang!

Mai's decision will come back to haunt her and her whole family in more ways than one. Is Zoi alive? Is she dead?

If not, what is she going to do to Mai when she lays eyes on her?

I realize that putting a bomb on someone's back is a cowardly and cruel thing to do. But Mai was only seeing red after all of Zoi's cruel taunts.

And when your lover's life is at risk people tend to not think things through. As we saw with Elle selflessly running to Azula's aid.

Azula isn't going to let Mai get away with this unpunished, regardless if Zoi is alive or not.

If not for Mai stabbing Zoi in the back, her greatest soldier would have been able to back her up while she was undergoing chi burnout.

And we saw that there are dangerous side effects to Azula's new power that she news to use more carefully in the future. She feared terrible side effects if it went past ten minutes but her body gave out four to five minutes sooner than expected.

So, Elle is the Component!

Just think about it. In the grand scheme of things, all of the adorable fluff that we have been enjoying between Azula and Elle in the last three weeks, in over twenty-eight chapters was just Elle meeting the necessary steps to awaken her power.

Had Azula received word that a young girl possessed such a power before she developed compassion for Elle, she would have captured her without a second thought to use her as a wartime weapon.

And now Azula will have to protect Elle from the White Lotus, as well as people in the Fire Nation, including her father.

I want to state very clearly here and now that Elle's power has major limits. There is way more to the Component than what we saw in this chapter.

What we saw Elle do in this chapter is she temporarily disrupted the flow of Aang's chi when he got caught in the way of her energy.

This happened because she caught Aang off guard after awakening her power. There will be ways for Aang to counter this from happening again in the future. But we'll get to that later.

The Component is the very foundation of the expanded fantasy plot to come later in the story.

Elle is also not a born warrior. Her power can be used as a weapon against supernatural beings such as those connected to the Spirit World.

But she is not a trained fighter like Azula, Zoi, Ozai, and the others are. And she may not be as capable of as much destruction as some of the others like Azula are.

It is my belief that the Avatar is not true balance. In reality true balance is not possible. But having one person empowered by the spirits serving as a godlike being that monitors humanity for over ten thousand years is nothing close to balance.

Elle is in possession of a power than can potentially be used to challenge the power of the Avatar, but she has a deeper purpose her power beyond that. But that won't be revealed for a while.

On top of that, Elle still has a very severe yet to be named health condition. She is not a fighter.

This also means that Elle may well be a descendant of blood from Azula's world. This hints towards a possible hidden gateway between Azula's world and Elle's.

This will be explored more in the future too.

Elle has similar moral beliefs as Aang but she is off put by how the entire world is dependent on the Avatar

In essence, the Avatar represents a connection with the spiritual world, and the Component works as an opposing force that can be used as a weapon against the spirits and the Avatar.

We'll go into all of the limits to Elle's power in the many chapters to come!

Elle is still the gentle girl that needs Azula, Mai and Ty Lee to protect her. Because she still isn't a physical powerhouse that means that they will have to still kick the asses of anyone that hurts her.

This effectively makes Elle an open target for many people, some yet to be revealed.

But even though Elle can't fight well yet on her own.

She can now learn to assist Azula with her new power!

And we also saw that Elle is willing to stand against Aang, because she views Team Azula as her home. Even if her happiness is at the cost of the Gaang's grief, she's lived a life of torment and she isn't going to abandon the only happiness that she's ever known just for their sake.

However, Elle still doesn't know about the darker things that the Fire Nation has done in the name of their march of civilization. Such as the genocide of the Air Nomads, the forced labor camps, among other cruelties.

All Elle knows right now is that she has heard rumors in the capital from people that Azula and her father are cruel. And she has seen that Azula was cruel in battle with Team Avatar.

She doesn't know the context behind the war, all she knows is that she feels at home with Team Azula, and that is why she is siding with them.

If she discovers the darker imperialistic side of the Fire Nation, that may make her feel more conflicted about siding with the Fire Nation.

Also, about her power. The power has been in her blood ever since her mother died. If Elle dies without having a child, it selects a new holder in someone else.

I can't explain the specifics, not this early in the game. But there is a succession process. And it has continued on like this for thousands of years.

Elle didn't have the mental fortitude or maturity to awaken it when she watched her mother's murder, and found her father dead soon after.

Just think of it like this.

All Elle needed was a second traumatic moment that would serve as an emotional push to bring it all to the surface.

Ironically, Azula being hauled off by Iroh was just that push.

We also learned this chapter that all of Team Azula are ruthless in some manner.

Azula had no second thoughts about burning a man to death and killing another. Mai tried to kill Zoi without regret.

And even kind Ty Lee, is a soldier in her own right, she was willing to break her ankle and protect Elle against rebel soldiers all for her sake.

Team Azula are very much is the protective family that Elle has longed for since her parents were killed.

As it stands the Fire Nation now has a huge advantage in the war against the White Lotus, the Gaang and the Earth Kingdom.

And they now possess an ancient force that can be used as a weapon against the Spirit World and the Avatar.

And on top of that, Azula with her unmastered new power was able to hold off an unrealized Avatar in the instinctual Avatar State.

It is important to note here, that because of the events in the change in the timeline. That Aang has not yet mastered the Avatar State and he still has not completed his mastery of firebending, so he is not yet a fully realized Avatar.

When Aang fought Azula here, he emotionally transformed instinctively into the Avatar State, he didn't have fully mastery of it like when we saw him fight Ozai and he didn't have full control over his actions.

So, basically, he wasn't in the fully powered Avatar State. However, Azula was still able to hold her own with the evolving heat of her prodigy flames.

When Aang concludes mastering the elements and learns energybending, and masters the Avatar State, then he'll be a fully realized Avatar like we saw in the finale.

However, there is a key difference about the universe presented in my story and the story we see in canon.

As much as I love Avatar as a series, I feel it has one crucial flaw, and that is the Avatar State is overpowered.

Roku warned Aang that he had to defeat Ozai before the comet arrived or even the Avatar may not be able to defeat the Fire Lord.

And then when the comet arrived and they finally fought, it never felt like Aang was in danger until his hesitance to kill Ozai allowed Ozai to get the upper hand.

And then Aang transformed into the Avatar State, and easily defeated Ozai in a one-sided battle. I don't like it when major battles are one-sided and it is my opinion that the fight between Ozai and Aang is one of the weakest moments in the series.

I think that the battle would have been much more interesting if they would have been much closer in power and if it would have felt like Aang had to really struggle to win.

The one thing that I dislike about the Avatar, is I don't like how they presented the Avatar as the be end all, strongest period.

From a story writing standpoint, it is a bad decision to make the central character of your series the strongest period because then it feels like they have no obstacles to overcome.

It takes away the suspense from all of the battles when they face an enemy because you know that they are stronger than all of their enemies.

There is no point in telling a story, and featuring other characters, if every enemy and situation will just come down to the Avatar will take care of it. And that is why decided to do things differently in my story.

In the universe of the Princess and the Peasant, the Avatar once fully realized is just as powerful as in canon.

However, in this universe there will be other talented benders that are capable of becoming stronger and reaching a level of bending beyond master-level bending, that will allow them to pose a threat to the Avatar and similarly powered supernatural beings in battle.

This level of bending will be called ascendant-level bending. And Azula is one of these benders.

Azula showed us in her battle here that she is showing signs of being able to take her bending beyond what is considered master-level bending.

And once Azula masters her newfound powers, we will see just how far she is able to take her bending and how powerful she will become as the story progresses.

And then there's Elle.

How will Elle discover how to use the Component at will?

How will she react when she eventually discovers the darker side of the Fire Nation?

How will Azula protect Elle from people that want to use her as a weapon?

What will Ozai do when he finds out that Elle not only holds this power but that his daughter has gotten this close with a commoner? And a young girl at that?

What will Aang and the Order of the White Lotus do about Elle?

You'll have to keep reading to find out! 😊

Now.

This situation isn't all positive for Azula and her forces. Iroh just destroyed her airship and likely cut off her contact from the rest of her fleet.

Iroh's attack was obviously coordinated. But how? Who helped him?

As it stands Azula lost her airship, and her supply of hot air balloons, most of her food, medical supplies, etc.

For the next twenty or so chapters, Azula, Elle, and the others will have to climb a mountain, hike, and hunt for food. All while they make it to the shoreline so they can flag down help.

Iroh really screwed Azula over big time!

In the midst of it all Azula will have to deal with members of her party trying to kill one another and people testing her every last nerve.

And Azula will learn more about showing compassion to her injured and frightened people.

Azula will learn how to grow as a leader.

And through it all we'll get lots more ElZula fluff! And we'll learn more about Elle's past now that she feels comfortable being open with her family.

Stay tuned for the conclusion of the battle and the struggles that await afterward!

Next time! Marooned!