Sokka pushed the door open, only realizing a little too late that he should have knocked first as a precaution. He froze on the doorway when he caught sight of the Princess standing before her dresser, pulling her hair out of her shirt as she got ready for the day. He hadn't seen anything he shouldn't have, she was already wearing everything but her armor, yet the sight of her was enough to send the blood rushing up to his face again.
Azula turned around when she heard the door creak open, and she looked at Sokka with surprise and almost bashfulness.
"Forgot how to knock, did you?" she asked, raising her eyebrows.
"S-sorry, I thought you'd still be in bed!" he said, nervously. "And since you're not… does it mean you're free at last?"
"Yes, the head physician came by a moment ago and decided I would be released from the confines of my room. Finally," said Azula, buckling her belt.
"Then you've managed a full recovery… I'm glad," said Sokka, smiling weakly. Should his heart be pounding so hard by watching her getting dressed…?
"It seems I have," said Azula, picking up her armor and placing it on with some difficulty.
Sokka's gaze was on the floor as Azula struggled with the armor. Maybe if he stopped watching her he would manage to stop being so mesmerized by her… for some reason the effect she already had on him was stronger now that she was back to normal.
"So… what are we going to do now that you're free?" he asked, still not looking at her as she finished buckling the armor.
"We?" she said, raising an eyebrow. "Putting us together in a set now, are you?"
"W-well, why not?" said Sokka, smiling awkwardly as Azula sat before the dresser and attempted to pull her hair up in a knot. "Uh… why are you pulling all of it up? Don't you usually have just a half-knot?"
"Today is a special day, of sorts…" said Azula, struggling to pull her hair together. "Where are those blasted servants when you need one? Curse it…"
"You want me to help you?" asked Sokka, before he could hold himself. Azula dropped her hair in surprise and stared at him in confusion.
"You?"
"A-ah, well, I… I've put my hair together ever since I was a kid, so…" said Sokka, shrugging and looking at the floor once more.
Azula failed to understand what was with his bashful demeanor today. It didn't seem Sokka himself understood what was happening with him either, though. If anyone should be embarrassed by his walking in on her while she was getting dressed it was her, not him. Yet here he was, acting more foolish than usual…
"Do you really know how? My hair is very different from that of a snow savage, in case you don't know it," said Azula, trying to tease him in order to bring forth his usual attitude.
"You don't need to say that twice," said Sokka, smiling weakly and approaching.
Why had he even offered? What was with him? He had to keep a healthy distance from her now that he was well aware of what he felt for her. He had to keep the boundaries! But why was it that every time he told himself to do so, he was compelled to close the distance between them even more? Now he shivered just by thinking he was about to fix her hair for her…
"Make sure not to pull it," grunted Azula, when Sokka stood right behind her. She was still slightly concerned by his attitude, but she said nothing more as his trembling fingers slid through her hair.
Now it was Azula who wondered why she had accepted to let him do this. Her reflection in the mirror showed her cheeks reddening as he picked a brush from the dresser and ran it down her hair in a much gentler manner than she had expected from him. She was stiff and nervous at first before she gave in to the odd sensations she felt as his hands slid over her scalp. So many people had brushed her hair before, and yet she had never found herself as enthralled over this simple act as she was now.
Sokka set her bangs before her ears and then proceeded to pull her hair up. His breathing was a little heavier than usual as he gathered the strands gently, building a tall bun and doing his best to keep every hair in place. He knew Azula wasn't one for imperfections.
"The ribbon…" he muttered, when he had already shaped the bun.
Azula hadn't realized she had closed her eyes as she genuinely enjoyed his every motion. She took the red ribbon and handed it over to Sokka almost harshly. He took it, trying not to touch her hand. It had been more than enough physical contact for one day…
He could feel himself sweat by the time he finished binding the top-knot. Azula looked at herself in the mirror once he was done, finding he had accomplished his goal properly without pulling her hair at all. Sokka stepped back, wiping the sweat off his brow. This was definitely the last time he'd offer to do something like this for her, he was sure he wouldn't be able to keep his cool if he ever did it again.
"Surprisingly well done," said Azula, taking her hairpiece and placing it right before the bun. "You could pursue a career in hairdressing."
"How funny," grunted Sokka, as she smirked and stood up.
"Oh, have I offended your manliness?" she asked.
"You should thank me instead of making fun of me, don't you think?" said Sokka, glaring at Azula.
"You should know I don't often do what I'm expected to… which is something we have in common," she said, walking past him but not before dedicating him another malicious smile.
Sokka could have pursued the matter, and maybe in the past he would have. But for some reason he couldn't keep from smiling now as she headed towards the door. He followed Azula, a few steps behind, his gaze falling upon the back of her neck. What was with her decision to pull all her hair up? It was the first time he had seen her like this…
He thought the Princess might go have breakfast now, but to his surprise, she walked off towards the gardens instead. And he couldn't keep from smiling when he saw what her objective actually was.
"Well, well… it has been quite a while, you treacherous dragon," said Azula solemnly, approaching the reptile that slept lazily in the Palace grounds.
Xin Long jumped upon hearing her voice. His eyes opened and he gazed at Azula in surprise at first. The Princess smiled weakly at him before the dragon jumped at her with a cheerful groan, blissful to see her for the first time in over a week.
"Hey, hey!" said Azula, as Xin Long leapt back and forth around her, still amongst cheerful whimpers. "I was trying to convey something important here! Stop being such a baby and…! Xin, what are you even…?"
The dragon stopped leaping and surrounded Azula with his long body. The Princess lifted her arms, not knowing how to respond to his unexpected display of affection.
"Now, now, I'm quite glad you're so happy to see me, Xin, but I have some serious scolding to do, in case you've forgotten," said Azula, trying to be stern. Xin Long simply gurgled, as he often did, and pressed his head against her chest. "Xin… Xin, are you going to listen to me at all?"
The dragon seemed to ignore everything she was saying, now nuzzling her and chuckling in his dragon-like groans. Azula sighed, knowing nothing she said would go through to her dragon. Yet she found herself smiling as well as she petted his head, her hands sliding through his soft blue hair.
"Yes, yes…" she muttered. "I'm glad to see you too."
Xin Long seemed to squeeze her harder after what she said, and he whimpered again happily. Azula couldn't help but laugh as she caressed his mane gently, forgetting about scolding the dragon for the time being. Sokka watched them, beaming. If there was a sight he would never get enough of, it was that of a genuinely smiling Azula. Her devious smirks were often present on her face, but this kind of pure-hearted joy was something the Princess hardly experienced. Witnessing her in this state of bliss never failed to bring a smile to Sokka's face as well.
"I hope you're not really going to scold him for what he did that day," said Sokka, at which Azula remembered he was still around. She felt slightly embarrassed at being watched by him in a moment like this one, but she decided not to act upon it. Sokka understood quite well the nature of her relationship with the dragon; that Xin Long would wrap his body around her, and that she'd accept the creature's gesture, shouldn't be much of a surprise for him.
"I wanted to, but he won't let me," said Azula, sighing in resignation. "Such a stubborn dragon."
"A happy dragon, I'd say. Happy to see his rider again," said Sokka, grinning. "In any case, you shouldn't scold him at all. Without him, you wouldn't have known to come to the Palace, and if he hadn't brought me afterwards…"
"I know, I know," said Azula, nodding. "I just want to make sure he won't get used to having other people ride him."
"I don't think he wants anyone else riding him in the first place," said Sokka, reassuringly. "You have nothing to worry about."
"Good to know," said the Princess, smiling and patting the dragon's head again.
"So… what are we going to do today?" asked Sokka. "Will you take flight with him? Or would you rather go train? Knowing you, you're probably desperate to pick up your sword again just hoping to cut me up with it…"
"I would be," said Azula, growing stern suddenly, to Sokka's surprise. "And I would be more than glad to fly with Xin Long for a while, but… there's something else I must do today."
Sokka blinked a few times, looking at her with confusion.
"Really? What sort of…? Wait, does it have something to do with the reason why you wanted to have your hair up?"
"Surprisingly observant of you, Sokka," she said, smiling weakly at him before telling Xin Long through their mind's bond that she needed to leave, but not without assuring him she would come to him again later. The dragon seemed reluctant to let her go, but he did so nonetheless, prodding her shoulder with his nose and asking her not to take too long so that they could fly together once more.
"Then… what is it you have to do?" asked Sokka, as Azula passed him by and entered the Palace's halls again.
"You told my father about your suspicions regarding a spy, didn't you…?" said Azula, as Sokka treaded along with her.
"Wait, you found him?" asked Sokka, shocked. "You know who the spy is?"
"Not exactly a 'him', nor is it just one spy," muttered Azula, dropping her gaze. "Though I'm not sure if we actually caught the right person. I doubt it, to be honest…"
"More than one spy? Then… who are they?" asked Sokka, frowning.
They turned around a corner and entered the Royal Gallery, and Azula smiled weakly upon doing so. Even if she had been so sickly, she still recalled Sokka's offer to make her portrait one day…
"I don't think I ever got around introducing you to my former advisors, did I?" said Azula, somewhat relieved Sokka was so involved in their conversation that he wouldn't criticize the portraits this time around.
"You had advisors?" asked Sokka, surprised.
"They had been my caretakers when I was a child, then they became my firebending teachers and afterwards they took the position of advisors," said Azula.
"But… you said 'former' advisors," said Sokka, frowning again. "Did you replace them or something? Or did they leave your service?"
"You could say I replaced them with a foolish gladiator who happens to make ten wrong decisions for every right one," said Azula, smirking a little at him, at which Sokka scowled.
"At least I get something right once in a while…" he muttered, noticing too late that he wouldn't save face with that argument. "But then… I'm your advisor now?"
"Without my awareness, I'd say you've become one," said Azula, at which Sokka found himself beaming with pride. "You have been handing out advice even when I don't ask for it, so it really isn't as though I appointed you officially or anything…"
"Well, I don't need any fancy ceremonies or anything of the kind," said Sokka, smiling and waving a hand carelessly. "It's quite cool to think I've hijacked the post of Azula's advisors…"
"You would likely say otherwise about the fancy ceremony if you thought there would be food in it…"
"Would there be?!"
"As predictable as ever, Sokka," said Azula, sighing and shaking her head.
"But… wait, back to the main issue," said Sokka, frowning again. "What about those former advisors of yours? They're… they're the spies? How?"
"That's what I'd like to know," muttered Azula, her face darkening as she pondered the matter again. "And that's what I'm supposed to find out during their trial."
"W-what… trial?" asked Sokka, shocked. "That's what you're going to… that's what you have to do today."
"Indeed," said Azula, turning to the right upon reaching Fire Lord Ozai's portrait.
And the Fire Lord himself stood before the curtains of the Throne Room, speaking solemnly to a guard who bowed down and moved away. Ozai caught sight of his daughter and the slave, and he nodded in acknowledgment towards Azula.
"Are you feeling well, Azula?" he asked his daughter.
"I have felt well for long enough now, father," said Azula, bowing her head before him. "There is no need to worry about me any longer. Is the trial about to begin?"
"Shortly. My Imperial Guards have gone to retrieve our suspects," Ozai informed her. "I see you brought your slave to witness the trial…"
"Oh, he just tagged along," said Azula, shrugging, as Sokka gave Ozai an awkward smile. "He'd have no problem waiting outside, I'm sure."
"There's no need for that," said Ozai. "Your gladiator provided quite a service to the Fire Nation. If he wishes to witness this trial, then he is welcome to do so."
"W-wha… really?" asked Sokka, astounded. Even Azula seemed surprised.
"Are you certain of this, father?" asked Azula, staring at Ozai in disbelief.
"So long as he behaves himself, he shouldn't be a concern," said Ozai, looking at Sokka solemnly. "Just stand still and go unnoticed, gladiator, I want no disturbances of any kind coming from you. Keep silent, and don't make me regret my decision of allowing you to witness the trial."
"Uh… okay," said Sokka, blinking a few times and nodding.
"Well, then," said Ozai, entering the chamber and leaving the other two outside.
"That was odd," said Sokka, staring at the curtain after Ozai had gone through it. "Did your father really just allow me to watch this?"
"You were involved in capturing most the White Lotus members," said Azula. "Perhaps he believed you might be able to help determine if these two are White Lotus spies as well…"
"You think?" asked Sokka. "But I don't know anything about the White Lotus… and I hardly know anything about these advisors of yours either. How much use could I really be?"
"No idea," said Azula, shrugging as she walked towards the curtain. "The only other explanation I can think of is that he simply has grown to like you."
The idea of the Fire Lord liking him didn't sit too well with Sokka. He grimaced and looked at Azula's back in utter disbelief before following her inside, entering the Throne Room for the second time.
To his surprise, the room wasn't too crowded. Only a few men dressed in military garb were within, and they failed to notice him as they spoke amongst themselves. But there was another familiar face inside the room, sitting at the left side of the high seat Ozai was about to occupy.
"He's early," muttered Azula, glaring at her uncle, who was so invested in the tea he was drinking that he didn't seem to realize Azula had entered the room. "That's rather unusual coming from him."
"Say… about these advisors of yours," said Sokka, prompting Azula to turn around and look at him. "Why are they suspects? And why did you dismiss them or whatever it is you did?"
"They're suspects because I had cast them out of my service long ago, and yet they suspiciously appeared in the Capital when the Order of the White Lotus broke the prisoners out of jail," muttered Azula, frowning. "And I dismissed them from my service because as time passed by they proved they were unreliable and useless. Hence, I got rid of them as soon as I found an opportunity to do so."
"W-woah… harsh," said Sokka, surprised. He really shouldn't be so astonished. Azula had warmed up to him somewhat, but he could still remember quite easily what she used to be like.
"And that might be, as we believe, their motive for aiding the White Lotus in their attack against the Fire Nation," grunted Azula, her hand curling up into a fist. "Revenge for being removed from their position as my advisors…"
"Wow… wow," said Sokka, grimacing again. "That sounds crazy. Would they really betray the Fire Nation like this just to get back at you?"
"I… I don't know," said Azula, dropping her gaze. "But if everything points at them…"
"But… do you have any evidence aside from this?" asked Sokka, frowning. "Having a motive doesn't necessarily mean they're the perpetrators."
"We actually have no evidence," said Azula, with an ironic smile. "Just the fact that their timing to visit the Capital was terrible and that they knew the Palace and army well enough to instruct the White Lotus on how to proceed…"
"Then… you really don't have much to accuse them on," said Sokka, frowning. "Are you sure these people could do it? That they would do it? Would they really hold such a grudge against you?"
"I did fire them from their jobs after decades of service in the Palace," said Azula. "If it were me in their situation, I'd likely seek revenge in one way or another."
"But you really think they would have been behind this?" asked Sokka, staring at Azula intently. "Do you actually believe these people who were your most trusted advisors would do something so awful? I mean, those guys wanted to kidnap you, but if they had been working under the orders of people who wanted to take their vengeance on you, don't you think they would have mentioned it? Don't you think they would have been even more determined to capture you? If this was mainly an act of revenge on you, why set those prisoners free?"
"Because… because it might have been an act of revenge on the Royal Family in general," said Azula, although Sokka's words were increasing her already plentiful doubts. "I may have demanded their dismissal, but my father was the one who executed it in the end."
Sokka's frown only deepened. He looked at Azula sternly, crossing his arms over his chest.
"Are you really sure, Azula? Do you actually think them capable of this?"
"I… there's no point in asking me this," said Azula, shaking her head. "I can't know until I judge them directly. Until then, everything is a conjecture."
"Including believing they're to blame for all this," said Sokka.
"Indeed, even including that," Azula agreed, although she didn't seem too happy to give him the right of it. "The trial will begin any moment now, so go stand on the back of the room. Try your best to go unnoticed, as my father said, will you?"
"Alright… I'll do that," said Sokka, nodding. "Just make sure actual justice is dealt today, can you?"
Azula just walked away, frowning heavily as she climbed her way to the seat at her father's right side. Sokka obeyed her by heading to the end of the room, where he stood with his eyes set upon the throne area: Iroh met his gaze with his own. The old man nodded towards Sokka, who could only look at him with unease.
"Gladiators witness trials nowadays, Ozai?" said Iroh, sipping more tea.
"If said gladiator saved the Fire Nation, he'll be welcome to any ceremony I see fit to invite him to, brother," replied Ozai. "I still find it unusual that a slave would have gone to such lengths to protect our nation…"
"So… is it you wish to study him?" asked Iroh. "To understand what compels him to fight alongside the Fire Nation?"
"Perhaps," said Ozai, simply, as Azula took her place at his other side. Ozai knew better than to share his thoughts with his brother, of all people.
A guard appeared through the curtains and bowed down towards the Fire Lord. As he did, the other soldiers in the room took their places, lined at either side of the large map that was spread before the Fire Lord's throne.
"Bring in the suspects," said Ozai, at which the guard left the room again and entered it once more along with three other soldiers…
And the four of them escorted a pair of old ladies into the Throne Room. Sokka's eyes widened and his mouth fell agape when he caught sight of them. What was going on here? Azula hadn't mentioned her advisors were a pair of old ladies! How could they expect them to be the traitors they were looking for?
The women performed a careful bow before Ozai, but when they looked at him there was fear in their eyes. Ozai showed them no sympathy.
"Lo and Li, you have been brought here today under the charges of conspiracy and treason against the Fire Nation during the terrorist attack perpetrated by the Order of the White Lotus," Ozai declared, at which the women stared at him in horror. "Do you claim to be innocent or will you confess to having committed these crimes?"
"My Lord! We would never betray the Fire Nation!" exclaimed Lo.
"We would never betray you!" continued Li.
"Our allegiances have always lain with the Fire Nation, and so it shall be until the time of our deaths!" they claimed at unison.
"I will take your word for it… given that, if you are proven guilty, your death shall come to you soon enough," declared Ozai, making the women gasp.
"My Lord, we weren't involved in this matter at all," said Li.
"This is simply a big misunderstanding, no more than…" muttered Lo
"You dare claim it is nothing but a misunderstanding, Li-… Lo… whichever one you are?"
Azula might have aided him in discovering which of the old ladies to address, but as it happened, she also mixed them up quite often. She decided to keep her silence; under these circumstances it would be best to let slide the matter of confusing the twins.
"My Lord, we know nothing about the Order of the White Lotus," said Lo, at which Azula frowned.
"We would never wish for any harm to come to the Fire Nation," said Li.
"So your loyalties are unquestionable?" asked Ozai. "Even after you were dismissed from service? Even after my daughter declared she wanted no more to do with either one of you?"
"My Lord…" said Li. "The Princess's decision was hers, and we would never hold any grudges for it, not against her or against the Fire Nation. If we were of no further value to her, then we would leave as she commanded."
"And that we did, my Lord," said Lo. "We had come to the city a week ago to retrieve the goods that still remained in our former home. We were planning on taking everything back to Ember Island with us when this catastrophe took place."
"We had nothing to do with this incident, my Lord," they finished, together.
"And why should I believe those alibis?" asked Ozai, frowning. "There is nothing to prove that your words are true, and on the other hand, you have a motive to seek to destroy my family and my nation! You could have provided the men from the Order of the White Lotus with the information they required to infiltrate our ranks and take down the Fire Nation from within!"
"We would never do such a thing!" exclaimed Lo.
"We didn't do such a thing!" cried Li. "We have the Fire Nation's best interests' at heart, even long after our dismissal!"
Li's words echoed in Ozai's mind, compelling him to condemn the women with even more determination. It would teach a lesson to all those who believed the Fire Nation could be threatened by spies and infiltrators, just as it had taught a lesson to another fool who had uttered that same sentence in his presence before…
"You claim to be innocent of these charges?" asked Iroh, studying the old ladies carefully. "You are ready to swear upon the Fire Lord's life that you had nothing to do with this incident?"
"We would swear," said Lo and Li, making Ozai scowl. Upon his life? How about they swore on Iroh's life instead?
"That isn't good enough," grunted Ozai. "A mere vow like this can easily be broken."
"Yet you have no evidence that points at these women directly, Ozai," said Iroh, sipping tea again. "And unless you find some, there will be no purpose in sentencing them to death or otherwise."
"I will not allow them to walk freely if they happen to be the instigators of this heinous crime, Iroh," grunted Ozai, glaring at him.
"Then we have reached an impasse, it seems…" said Iroh, setting down his cup and closing his eyes.
Everyone in the room fell silent, all of them judging the situation and trying to discern if the women were speaking the truth or if they had lied to protect themselves. Yet only one person knew if they spoke earnestly… only one person had known them personally for enough time to distinguish whether they lied or not.
But Azula was puzzled nonetheless. Most of what they were saying was true, and yet there was something that wasn't… there had been something off about Lo when she had claimed not to know anything about the Order of the White Lotus. So perhaps she knew them after all, which would mean she could have known about this attack. And even if she didn't, just being acquainted with the Order of the White Lotus meant the twins could be held accountable for treason against the Fire Nation. That crime alone could mean they would be executed, or at least they would spend the rest of their days locked in jail.
Nonetheless, when they denied having been involved in this attack, Azula could tell they were being truthful. Even when that alibi surely had sounded ridiculous to the ears of every other attendant in the room, it wasn't a lie. So… what should she do? Should she speak to their favor or allow Ozai to condemn them?
Her father clearly wanted to accuse them of being the spies, but it seemed his assumption was wrong to Azula. Declaring he had found the spies who were to blame for the White Lotus incident would surely help appease the current unrest in the Fire Nation, and Azula knew that was his ultimate goal. He wanted to soothe his people so that he could carry on with his other pending matters and set aside the threat of the White Lotus for once and for all… but how to do so if he locked up the wrong people? Should he blame Lo and Li for being the infiltrators while the real spies remained at large, conspiring behind his back and waiting for another opportunity to tear down Ozai's reign?
It was folly… sentencing the old ladies would be the wrong move. Sokka had asked her if she truly believed they were to blame, and from the moment Mai had suggested the idea, Azula hadn't thought it possible for Lo and Li to be the spies. It had nothing to do with any emotional attachments she might feel towards old ladies, since she was certain she had none. She wasn't arrogant enough to think that there was no way someone would betray her, not after she had fired these two… nevertheless, she could tell when people were lying. She could especially tell when Lo and Li were lying. And even though there were some lies mixed with their truths, she knew they weren't the spies her father was looking for.
"What shall be done about them, Fire Lord?" asked one of his Generals, looking at Ozai with caution.
Ozai glared at the old ladies, making up his mind. It didn't matter if these women were innocent or not, so long as he could cast the blame on someone and be done with this disturbing matter of the Order of the White Lotus…
"Father… if I may intervene," said Azula suddenly, startling everyone in the room. "I believe they speak the truth."
Lo and Li looked at Azula, their mouths open as they couldn't give credit to what the Princess had just said. Ozai himself looked at her, aghast. She of all people would want to lock up these two women if she suspected them of betraying the Fire Nation!
Sokka looked at her from the back of the room with a mixture of shock and admiration. He had asked her to make sure true justice would be made, and it seemed she had actually listened to him. Whatever hard feelings she might hold for these people had been cast away as she faced this situation for what it was. And for some reason, even if it wasn't his place to do so, Sokka couldn't help but feel proud of her. He smiled and hoped the Fire Lord would listen to his daughter…
"How can you be certain of this, Azula?" asked Ozai, looking at his daughter with mild confusion.
Azula almost felt herself sweating. It was the first time she had dared oppose what her father had set his sights on: it was the first time she was openly going against his will. Yet she had to. For the Fire Nation's sake, she needed to make him realize these women had no part in the White Lotus' attack.
"In the long time I have known these two women, I have learned to discern whether they lie or speak the truth," said Azula. "When they claimed they had nothing to do with the White Lotus's attack, they were telling the truth."
"Azula… this better not be a sudden gesture of kindness from your part," said Ozai, frowning and looking at his daughter glacially. "If these women are the culprits for this crime…"
"If you insist on believing these women are the actual perpetrators, of which I am certain they're not, you could just as easily give them house arrest. They're too old to endure an actual prison," said Azula, startling Ozai. "Yet if they aren't the spies we're looking for, father, you would be imprisoning them for no reason while the actual spy remains at large. The Fire Nation would be lulled into a false sense of security upon believing you have seized the criminals, while the real culprit stands down and prepares a new plan to attack our nation."
Ozai's eyes widened as he looked at his daughter in utter shock. He could see it in her eyes: she was speaking her mind and yet she was daunted by doing so. She feared that going against her father would be a mistake, and yet she had done so nonetheless…
"… I'm certain he could be useful, father. I believe… I believe he's too powerful to be imprisoned or executed," Ozai had declared, trying to keep his palms from sweating as he spoke, fearful.
Azulon merely glared at the young boy before them, the boy the guards were restraining. His eyes were sad, and he wasn't looking up at them. The child knew he would be executed for what he had done… and yet Ozai was vouching for him, asking his father to be merciful. The boy could come in handy eventually, he was certain of it.
"He could… he could take up a position in the army one day, father," Ozai insisted. "I'm certain with his firebending skills he could be…"
"Silence your mouth, child! That is more than enough rambling coming from you," Azulon exclaimed, and Ozai flinched.
The young prince lowered his head, shameful, knowing his father would much rather have Iroh by his side today. Yet the oldest son of the Fire Lord wasn't home, for he was busy winning over more Earth Kingdom cities for the Fire Nation. It was up to Ozai to fill in for the Fire Lord's heir. And given the way Azulon was treating him, he wasn't doing so correctly.
"This brat is but a brat," grunted Azulon, and a long pause followed, during which Ozai could only tighten the fists on his lap. But then his father spoke anew. "Still… in due time he might become useful."
Ozai's eyes lightened up again when, for the first time in his life, his father had acknowledged him. He had actually accepted his intervention! He looked at Azulon in awe, but the Fire Lord didn't return the gesture.
"But if this boy becomes a threat to the Fire Nation instead of an advantage, you will be the one to face the consequences for it, Prince Ozai," declared Azulon, still without looking at his son. "I will have you murder him yourself if that happens."
"Y-yes, father," said Ozai, slightly uncomfortable by the idea of having to kill someone, but accepting the conditions nonetheless.
"Very well, then, remove that pest from my sight. Send him to train with one of our best firebender, to see if he has anything in him aside from brute talent. Unless he miraculously rises through the ranks of our armed forces, I will have nothing more to do with him," said Azulon, waving the matter off as if it were of no importance to him.
Ozai allowed himself a small, victorious smile. The boy was carried away, albeit he raised his sad eyes to sneak a glance towards Azulon, now that his life had been spared. Ozai couldn't help but feel slightly irritated: it was he who had requested for him to be allowed a chance to survive, maybe the boy should give him some credit…
And he did. He turned his brown eyes on Ozai and looked at him as though looking at a savior. Ozai was surprised by the strange look on his face, but the boy was dragged away before Ozai could finish identifying whatever the boy might have been conveying through his gaze…
The memory had returned to Ozai's mind with the quickness and force of a lighting blast. He didn't know for how long he had been looking at his daughter without speaking a word, but it seemed it was enough to make her stare back at him in unease. It was no time to recall his first occasions in the Throne Room…
Or was it?
His father had granted him his trust once, in this very room. He had given Ozai a chance… he had believed in him. And Ozai had delivered in the end. And unlike Ozai at a younger age, Azula had already had her fair share of opportunities to prove her worth, and she had aced them every time. Today he was being defied by her, much as he had defied Azulon once, seeking to make justice and to gain a valuable ally. Azula's reasons made sense: Azula was right. And much as his father had given him a chance once, he would grant one to his daughter.
"Then… shall we keep soldiers vigilant in Ember Island, to ensure they won't leave the island, as you suggested?" asked Ozai. "Even if you believe they speak truly, there is always room for mistakes."
"Ah… yes, I believe that would be the safest way to proceed," said Azula, surprised to hear her father respond so amiably when just a moment ago he had been silent, looking at her with such an expression in his face that she had feared he would banish her much like he had banished Zuko a decade ago.
"Then that is what shall be done, unless anyone has any objections," said Ozai, looking at the soldiers and at his brother.
"It seems a wise plan," said Iroh, nodding.
The rest of the men in the room agreed with him, and Ozai nodded also.
"If any evidence is discovered, evidence to point at the two of you…" he told Lo and Li. "You will receive a far harsher punishment than this. If you spoke truly, as Azula believes, and you were not seeking to damage the Fire Nation, your lives shall be spared and your freedom restored. That will be all for now. Guards, take them away."
The guards who had escorted Lo and Li into the room approached them in order to obey Ozai. The two women looked at Azula in utter disbelief, amazed by the fact that she had saved them from certain doom. The Princess didn't look back at them as they were led outside the room.
"I have trusted your judgment, Princess Azula," said Ozai, turning to his daughter once the women had been taken outside and the soldiers who had witnessed the trial began to vacate the room. "Hence, I expect you did not request to spare Lo and Li's lives out of lingering sentiment of any kind…"
"Sentiment, father?" asked Azula, looking at Ozai with skepticism. "After I had you fire them and after I didn't spare a single thought their way until this situation arose, do you truly believe I would hold any sort of sentiment towards them?"
"They did watch over you ever since you were a child."
"And ever since I was a child, my father taught me that feelings of attachment of any kind were a waste," said Azula, looking at him sternly. "Do you truly believe I would go against your teachings?"
Ozai studied Azula for a moment before smiling proudly at her.
"Of course not. You know better than that," he said, standing up and walking through the back of the room.
"Where are you going?" Azula asked, surprised to see him head towards the Throne Room's backdoor.
"To issue out the official statement to explain the White Lotus incident," said Ozai. "Our people are restless: it is of utmost importance that I speak now. Even if I cannot claim I have captured the spy amongst us, I can keep that information concealed from the public until we seize him. The rest I shall make public, to appease them for once and for all."
"I see," said Azula, nodding, and Ozai left without another word: the backdoor of the Throne Room would lead him close to his chambers.
Sokka had been watching the exchange between the Fire Lord and his daughter from afar, while the generals and commanders passed him by, many of them shooting confused glares at him. What was this man doing here? Had he been allowed into the Throne Room? No matter how he had assisted the Princess during the White Lotus incident, he was still a mere slave…
Sokka did his best to ignore their glances, but it was more difficult to do so than he expected. He glared back at a man with white hair and a long mustache, who blinked in surprise and sped up on his way outside, to Sokka's relief. Yet as Sokka basked in his pride at having been able to intimidate the man, someone else approached him.
"Astonishing to find a slave within the Throne Room for any purpose aside from cleaning," said the familiar voice of Azula's uncle.
"I… guess," said Sokka, gulping and looking down at the old man with distrust.
"I know Ozai is quite permissive with Azula, but I never expected him to let her gladiator inside the Throne Room just because she asked…"
"She didn't ask for me to be allowed in here," said Sokka, slightly uncomfortable by the questioning. "The Fire Lord said I could stay: I had provided a service to the Fire Nation, so I was welcome to watch the trial, he said."
"Is that so?" said Iroh, surprised. "Why, impressive. I haven't heard all of what you did during the White Lotus' attack, but according to what little I know, you were quite the hero to the Fire Nation."
"Uh… maybe?" said Sokka, grimacing.
"I'm sure both Azula and the Fire Lord are quite pleased with the slave you've turned out to be," said Iroh. "Your unwavering loyalty surely is well prized by them… isn't it?"
"It seems so," said Sokka, frowning a little.
Iroh smiled at Sokka before walking off through the curtain. Why was it that Sokka could never bring himself to regard this man casually? He could even talk to Iroh's gladiator freely, despite Toph had beaten him to a pulp once… but Iroh would always make him wary. Something about those gentle smiles told him the man was far more mysterious than he seemed at first glance, that he might be concealing more secrets than Sokka would ever unravel.
"Well, well… what did Iroh want with you now?" asked Azula, walking up to Sokka as she watched the curtain through which Iroh had just vanished.
"I have absolutely no idea," said Sokka, looking at her with concern. "You may be hard to figure out, but that guy is just…"
"He's what?" asked Azula, raising an eyebrow while Sokka sought the proper words to explain himself.
"Completely unreadable," said Sokka, shaking his head. "He looks so nice and relaxed all the time, and yet when you look into his eyes you know there's a lot more to him than he lets on."
"I believe you're flattering him unnecessarily," said Azula, heading towards the door. "It really isn't that hard to read him."
"Maybe not for you, you've known him for ages," said Sokka, following her. "But to me he's a total stranger, and the more he talks to me the more of a stranger he seems…"
"You want to get to know my uncle better, then?" asked Azula, raising her eyebrows. "That's definitely one I didn't expect from you, but alas, to each their own…"
"What the…?! No!" shouted Sokka, as Azula chuckled. "Stop mixing things up! That's not at all what I meant!"
"No need to be so shy, though I'll say there should be better-looking men of advanced age out there, if that's what strikes your mood nowadays."
"Would you quit saying that sort of stuff?!" squeaked Sokka, shuddering. "I'm going to vomit!"
Azula laughed again but left the matter as it was, mostly for the Palace's floors' sake. If they had been elsewhere, she probably would have continued annoying him, even if he spilled the content of his stomach. Irritating him seemed the best way to make him behave as he usually did; putting up with his newfound bashful yet stern demeanor was slightly bothersome for Azula. He was better off being the fool he always had been…
"Say…" he muttered, as they treaded the Palace's halls. "I'm glad you spoke your mind to your father today. For a moment I thought you wouldn't, but it relieved me that you kept him from sentencing those women unfairly."
"Blaming people who weren't involved with this incident would have only helped the White Lotus," muttered Azula, frowning.
"It was really surprising, though," said Sokka. "When you talked about having advisors before, I wasn't expecting them to be two old ladies…"
"What of it?" asked Azula, raising an eyebrow. "They could have been ancient or they could have been toddlers, what is it to you?"
"No, not to me, to you," said Sokka. "Why fire two old women? I know you well enough by now to know that you wouldn't have just kicked them out for no reason. They looked pretty inoffensive to me, which is why I'm so confused…"
"Much like Iroh, Lo and Li aren't simply what they look like," said Azula, stopping once they reached an open hallway. She gazed out into the garden and frowned, deep in thought.
"Azula?" asked Sokka, who had kept walking and only realized she had lagged behind now. "You okay?"
The Princess had grown silent and solemn as she gazed down at the grass. Memories she had cast away along with her advisors returned to her, to remind her why she had decided not to trust those old ladies anymore. She looked at Sokka again, who was regarding her with concern. She had refused to trust Lo and Li… she had refused to trust anyone for the longest time. Yet nowadays she found herself trusting him, of all people. Should she address his questions? Should she let him know why she had fired her former advisors?
"Seeing as you've been doing nothing the whole day aside from chasing after me…" said Azula, making Sokka blush and glare at her.
"I wasn't chasing after…"
"I suppose it wouldn't bother you to stick around a while longer, if you really want to understand what compelled me to fire those two," she finished.
"Oh… oh," said Sokka, blinking a few times before nodding. "I can do that, yeah…"
"Not like you have anything better to do anyhow," said Azula, smiling a little at him before starting off through the Palace halls again, with a blushing Sokka walking behind her.
Being asked by her to stay a little longer, even if it was only to address his questions, was a rather pleasant surprise for Sokka. Only a few months ago she would blatantly refuse to even look at him, and whenever she did she would glare so fiercely he would freeze in place. That her demeanor towards him had changed so much was beyond relieving; it made him prize every moment like this one far more than he usually would.
Azula settled for a random Palace room with a large window, which happened to give her quite an unwanted view of a turtle duck pond… yet she decided to give no importance to the matter. Sokka was asking questions about Lo and Li, not about her mother.
The Princess ordered a nearby servant to bring them some tea, and she continued gazing into the gardens as she waited for it to be delivered. Sokka simply sat across the table between them, glancing at her nervously. Clearly he was thinking too much of this, she simply wanted to drink tea while speaking of some matters, it wasn't as though this meant anything beyond what it did…
It wasn't until the servant had come and gone that Azula finally began speaking. She had a sip of tea and she set down the cup again on the table, and, looking quite uncomfortable, she started talking.
"Several years ago, I… I had an argument with a man. A man who was a Captain of the army at the time," she muttered, looking down at the table now. "A particular incident had brought forth our conflict and, for the first time ever, a man used flattery and charms to conceal underhanded insults towards me."
"Wha-…? How could anyone even…?" asked Sokka, shocked.
"Some people in the highest circles of the Fire Nation are far more conceited than you'd take them for," said Azula. "In any case, his condescending behavior enraged me. When I called him out on it, he simply waved the matter off as though it had no meaning, and yet it had every meaning in the world to me. It taught me I couldn't trust people blindly, not even the people my father had always relied upon."
"I see," muttered Sokka, looking at Azula worriedly. Clearly, the memory of the event still bothered her, given how tense she had become just by sharing the experience with him.
"I returned to my chambers, aghast over what had happened, and my advisors were there," Azula continued. "I told them about what he had said, about the way he had undermined me, how he had pretended to be superior when he clearly wasn't, and Lo and Li just… they just told me to go with it."
"What?" asked Sokka, startled.
"Much like my mother believed sword fighting was no activity for a Princess to undertake, it seemed Lo and Li were certain I was supposed to fulfill the roles society had in mind for me. Straying from them would mean I would be shut down, according to them. And I had duties as a Princess that I couldn't ignore… duties that could be narrowed down to being polite, gracious and gentle to every nobleman around me, in having the best table manners ever seen, in obeying every command given to me by my father and in finding myself a good husband one day. Simply put, to be the perfect ornament, even when I knew well enough that I could be much more than that."
"But… you didn't listen to them," said Sokka, trying to sound encouraging as he drank some tea. "You've become much more than that."
"I have, but not with their leave," muttered Azula, his words failing to lighten her mood. "As soon as this happened, I knew I couldn't trust them. No matter how I tried to reason with them, they wouldn't listen. Nothing I said would matter, not when their old minds had been molded by the old-fashioned world they lived in. They didn't dare question the system, the sole idea was ridiculous to them. So… I realized I couldn't rely on them. If I was to become Fire Lord, as my father had before me, I couldn't surround myself with people who didn't trust my abilities, who would set limits to my growth just so that I would suit their definitions of what a Princess should be."
"And so you fired them," Sokka concluded.
"I didn't do so right away," said Azula. "They had served my father for the longest time… I actually wondered for some time if perhaps they had been informing him of my every move. Yet the actual reason why I withdrew my trust from them was what I explained before. Hence I just drifted away from them, commanded them to leave me whenever I could get away with it… and the more time passed by, the easier it became to push them away. By the end they would be out of my sight for weeks without pestering me, just as I wanted it."
"And only then did you fire them," said Sokka, nodding. "Under the pretense that they weren't advising you properly anymore, I take it?"
"Oh, it was no pretense," said Azula, smirking a little. "If I didn't allow them to advise me in the first place, just what sort of counsel could they give me?"
"Well, you have a point there," said Sokka, smiling also. "In any case, it didn't make much sense for them to be the culprits. Even after you explained this, I don't think they should have been considered suspects at all. They might have wanted to take revenge on you for all this, but why let so much time pass them by? Why wait years…?"
"It hasn't been years since I fired them," said Azula. "Only a few months. Half a year, perhaps, at most."
"Wha-… huh?" said Sokka, startled. "But then that means I was already around when…"
"If you must know, the day I fired them was… well, that night," muttered Azula, frowning.
"What night?" asked Sokka, clueless, earning himself a glare from the Princess.
"Are you really going to make me say it?" Azula asked, and the coldness in her tone should have been enough to give away what she was referring to. "The night you were whoring around town…"
"Eh… Eh?! That night?!" asked Sokka, astonished. "Wait… how come?"
"I saw an opportunity and I took it, that's how," said Azula, standing up and walking to the room's window. "I wasn't quite on my right mind that day, as you must recall…"
"Well, I wouldn't really say… I wouldn't say it was you who wasn't on her right mind," Sokka mumbled, but Azula ignored him.
"I did something rather stupid that day, led solely by impulses and instincts, which was something an advisor of any kind should have been able to warn me against. I made mistakes that couldn't be undone, and yet they only bothered showing up once everything had been said and done. Although, to be fair, not everything had been said and done yet. Our fun little argument happened shortly after I fired them…"
Sokka cringed upon hearing her speak of it with such dry sarcasm. Obviously, the memory of the incident still hurt her, despite it had been some time since it had happened.
"Then… how come did I never meet them? Was that because you kept shutting them out, as you said before?" asked Sokka, seeking to change the subject as quickly as possible.
"Indeed. And because I truly didn't want them nosing around me having a gladiator," said Azula. "Getting involved with the Gladiator League isn't something a Princess should do… you heard Kuan back in Gaoling, didn't you? Most people think that way. They still do, even today."
"Even when now it's both you and Ty Lee sponsoring gladiators?" asked Sokka.
"Even so," said Azula. "Changing the way a society thinks is easier said than done. It isn't a one-day job."
"I figure," said Sokka, nodding. "In any case… nobody can hold you back anymore. You've already proven yourself many times, before your father and the entire Fire Nation, haven't you?"
"And yet I fear it might not be enough," muttered Azula, frowning.
"I guess so… well, you said they weren't lying about the White Lotus, so that's a good thing," said Sokka, gulping as he tried to cheer Azula up again. "They weren't the spies you thought they might be, nor were they seeking revenge…"
"They may not have been involved with this incident directly…" said Azula, her brow furrowing further. "But that doesn't mean they didn't lie at all."
"Uh… what?" said Sokka, blinking blankly. "Come again?"
"When Lo said… oh, well, Lo or whichever one it was," said Azula, rolling her eyes. "When she said she knew nothing at all about the White Lotus… she was lying."
Sokka's eyes widened and he jumped at Azula's statement.
"They were lying? S-she lied about…?! But then, why didn't you say something?!"
"What was I supposed to say, Sokka?" Azula asked, smiling at looking at him with skepticism. "Was I to point out that she was lying right after saying they had spoken truthfully? If I had said she had knowledge about the White Lotus, my father would have kept them imprisoned and he would have had them questioned long and thoroughly until they confessed to having been the spies only to make it all end faster. That is what often happens with those questioned by Fire Nation soldiers."
"Then… you were protecting them?" asked Sokka.
"Not them," Azula replied, folding her arms across her chest. "I was protecting the Fire Nation. They truly weren't the spies we wanted, even if they are acquainted with the White Lotus somehow. And as I pointed out…"
"Having these two take the fall for the White Lotus' attack would give free rein to the actual spy," Sokka muttered. "He would have been able to come up with another plan if he had the freedom to do so…"
"So long as my father continues searching for this spy, he won't dare act in fear," said Azula. "And that way, the Fire Nation will remain safe for a while longer. Whoever this spy is, it won't be long before he's captured. Whatever Lo and Li know about the White Lotus is pointless. We don't need to know what this Order of the White Lotus is. We only need to defeat them, or at least to make them believe we have powerful enough forces to defeat them. If they don't find the resolve to stand up against us again, they won't pose a threat to the Fire Nation."
"That makes sense, I guess," said Sokka, settling down again, his eyes still fixed on Azula. "But then… how will you guys find the actual spy?"
"My father's men still are questioning the White Lotus captives…"
"But if their questioning is the way you just told me, they'll spill any beans just to end the interrogation faster," said Sokka.
"Not quite," said Azula. "Not every interrogation is of the same nature. Lo and Li were under suspicion of having committed treason of the highest order against the Fire Nation. With them, it would have simply been a matter of pressing them into claiming they had actually done it. It was simply a 'yes or no' question, you could say. Yet this kind of questioning is completely different. This time it's a question of 'who' and 'how', and no matter how threatening the interrogator can seem, if the captives are strong-willed, they will hold their silence because they know they have the leverage in these conditions. And if they are fiercely loyal to their organization, as I suspect they might be, then all the more reason they will refuse to speak."
"This sounds too complicated," said Sokka, grimacing. "Can your dad's men make them talk at all? Shouldn't you try to do it yourself? I mean, if you can tell whether Lo and Li are lying…"
"Questioning is a delicate matter, and it would take very long to break a man into surrendering the information he has," said Azula. "I honestly don't feel compelled to waste that much time coaxing truths out of them, not if they refuse to speak as I suspect they do. If they were easy to break, it wouldn't have taken a whole week to do it."
"Then you're just going to let this White Lotus matter go forgotten?" asked Sokka, raising an eyebrow.
"I'm going to seek information through other means, if possible. That is what I'll do," said Azula. "I'll try to find out who they are, and why they have targeted the Fire Nation…"
"Well, that part should be pretty obvious…" said Sokka, shrugging.
"Yet they hadn't attacked before. Or if they had, it wasn't in such a reckless manner," said Azula. "I'll find what I want to know somehow, someday, and not through interrogations. There must be a quicker way to figure out what the nature of this organization truly is."
"I hope you're right," said Sokka, sighing. "It's surprising you won't chase this organization down yourself. Here I thought you might just do that."
"I have other matters to deal with, don't I? Wherever might you be in the ranking nowadays…?" Azula muttered, surprising Sokka.
"The ranking? Really, Azula?" Sokka said, looking at her in confusion.
"The Fire Nation isn't in a good position right now. We've probably never been more vulnerable throughout the entire war," said Azula, thoughtful. "The only way for our people to recover from what happened would be for everyone to return to their activities, so that we can regain the usual atmosphere that has always reigned over the Capital…"
"So… you think we should move on from this and just go back to what we were before?" asked Sokka, astonished. "As if nothing had changed?"
"The fact that nothing has changed is a miracle in itself," Azula said, looking at him. "That you remain my gladiator, and I your sponsor, after all we went through…"
Sokka gazed back at her, suddenly realizing what her words truly meant. He leaned back on his elbows, his eyes never leaving her.
"Well… when you put it that way, no doubt you're right," he muttered, at which she gave him a small smile.
It really was a miracle that their relationship still remained what it was… yet Sokka didn't think nothing had changed. He had accepted his feelings towards her, and he had made several decisions he hoped he would never come to regret. Azula herself wasn't the same anymore, not after having been as vulnerable as she had been. No matter if she had recovered completely from her cold, she still wasn't the same Princess she had been before falling ill. And yet, despite everything that had happened, despite all that could have made them drift apart, they had drawn closer to each other instead. He could still remain by her side, as her gladiator, while she fought to prove her worth in the world she lived in.
And with that uplifting thought in mind, Sokka smiled back brightly at Azula.
A/N:
And thus this arc comes to a close, just a few days after we hit this fic's first anniversary! I wanted to post this update on the exact date, but I didn't manage to finish it on time. Nevertheless, here it goes ^^ thanks to all of you for sticking with me through this crazy year!
I held a small event again this time over at my tumblr, as a celebration for this occasion. Some of you might have seen it… this time it's not me who answers questions, but instead it would be you, my readers, as some feedback after a whole year of reading this story ^^ Naturally, it's just something to partake on in case you feel like it, there's no obligation whatsoever to do so. The questions to be answered would be:
Name (optional, and it doesn't have to be the real name anyhow, it's just for the sake of keeping track of the different answers)
When did you start reading Gladiator?
Your favorite and least favorite moments in the story so far?
Favorite character?
Favorite OC?
Favorite dialogues?
Favorite story arc?
Favorite chapter?
What were you expecting from the story when you started reading it? Did it meet your expectations?
Favorite side pairing?
What are you looking forward to in Gladiator's future?
And anything else you might want to say about the story!
You can send your answers through PMs or through tumblr, you don't need an account over there to do it. Just hit the submit button and send in your answers.
Thanks again for reading Gladiator this far! Here's to all the many more years of Gladiator that await us!