Chapter 16

Aang watched Katara go for an instant, then, steeling himself, turned back to Azula. The firebender was still using her heated hands to melt the ice trapping her. "If I help you with that, can we speak civilly?" he offered.

She nodded. With a wave of his hand, the ice melted and splashed to the ground, water sinking immediately into the thirsty earth of the desert. Even her clothes were dry.

"Why are you here, Azula?"

"I had a business meeting with Gaishun." She half-lied.

"A hostage purchase?"

"No, oil."

"To fuel the Fire Nation war machine?" He shook his head in disapproval. "The misery those ships and tanks will spread. Do you have any idea how many villages, how many children—" He cut himself off, focusing on the more immediate issue. "Were you really going to kill Katara?"

"Just stun her. She started this fight, if you didn't notice." Azula informed him archly, as if offended he had assumed the worst of her. It was actually true, though. She'd known that watching her murder his girlfriend would have turned Aang away from her forever, and had calibrated her plan and her aborted lightning attack accordingly.

"Oh, I noticed." He crossed his arms. "She was thoroughly provoked."

"As was I! I wouldn't have tried to electrocute her if she hadn't pinned me down."

"Then it's a good thing I was here to save you both from each other," Aang answered mildly,. Then he decided to tease her a little. "Although you have to admit, Trainer Xi would have called that match for Katara. And my girlfriend has quite a temper. If you really never intended to hurt her, then you were probably the one more in danger just now. You can thank me for the rescue anytime."

But his attempt at a gentle ribbing only angered Azula further. "I saved you first!" the firebender spat.

She was talking about that fateful night in the throne room, Aang realized. Ozai's attack had been fully intended to kill him, and although he'd managed to redirect the splinter of lightning that still reached him, Azula hadn't known he could do that (neither had he, for that matter). She had selflessly intervened to save him, sacrificed herself for his sake. Aang had to acknowledge that. "That was a brave choice, Azula. Thank you." He paused a moment, his hand on his heart. His sincerity melted her ire momentarily. "And I begged Katara to heal you. She only saved you because I asked her to," he reminded her.

The mention of Azula's unwanted debt to her rival upset the momentary peace Aang's gratitude had brought. "I never asked for her to heal me, and I wish she never did! So you still owe me!" she insisted.

"Perhaps," he nodded calmly, though her words disturbed him. "But love can't be bought that way. It can only be freely given."

And he was refusing to give it to her! Azula's anger flared, then, so quickly it surprised her, turned into overwhelming sadness. She could not understand it. "But I –" love you. She couldn't say it, not again. She was too proud, too afraid he wouldn't say it back.

She didn't have to. He read her mind. "No, you don't. I know what love is, and this isn't it." He blushed and looked down. "You might – desire me. Maybe you're….infatuated. And I – appreciate that. But if what you feel were true love, it would be mutual. I do care for you, Azula, but as a sister, and nothing more."

"Siblings marry in the Fire Nation royal family," she argued.

"Occasionally." He nodded. He had studied the history of his adopted family. "More often, cousins. But my point is, I've never had any romantic feelings for you, Azula. Even when we became engaged, I couldn't. And I never will."

"That was because the waterbender stole you from me!" she snapped, furious.

The airbender shook his head, unperturbed. "Even if I'd never met Katara, I would not have been comfortable marrying my adopted sister. But since she did come to train me, and I fell in love with her, marrying anyone else would have been torture for me. You can't break us up, Azula. Not even if you send a spy to make friends with me and try to make me doubt her. I'm happy with Katara. And if you really love me, you'll let me go."

She couldn't–wouldn't–let him go. Her knees gave out, and she collapsed, as she finally allowed her devastation to come to the surface. "You should have let me die. I would have died happy, in your arms."

Aang swallowed, moved, but did not come close to comfort her. "I want you to live and be happy, Azula. And you would not have been happy married to me. Like any woman, you should be chosen, and desired, and cherished. Even if I'd stayed, and gone through with that sham ceremony, I wouldn't have been able to…." he cringed at the thought, and redirected. "You would have seen how empty it would have been, and you would have hated it almost as much as me. You know I'm right." He looked into her eyes, and saw continuing resistance. He knew then that he couldn't convince her, and was too exhausted to keep trying.

With a sigh, he tried to change her focus instead. "Come on, Azula. What are you doing chasing me out to this desert, anyway? Don't you have a country to run? You could do so much good, if you tried, Azula. You could make the Fire Nation peaceful and prosperous. You could end so much suffering. You could be better than this." He paused again, but she didn't respond.

"Be well, Azula." He turned and walked away.

When the Avatar left the Fire Lord, Raiden cautiously approached. He had observed the entire confrontation, and though he'd had a clear shot of the waterbender several times, had been unsure whether intervening was safe or right. As a guard, he had a duty to defend the Fire Lord. As a member of the White Lotus, he was obliged to help a sister in trouble. And as a non-bender, he thought it wise to stay out of such a fierce fight between two prodigies of opposite elements. Besides, the Avatar was nearby as well, and was surely more qualified to intercede. Thankfully, at the last moment, that was exactly what he did.

The airbender spotted Raiden, and dropped into a ready stance. Immediately, the guard held up his hands in surrender. "I have no wish to fight you, sir. I'm not a fool."

The Avatar chuckled. His good humor was unusual in such an expert warrior, and one who had lost so much, and yet also perfectly fitting for an eternal spirit of goodness. "I'm glad about that," he remarked wryly. "I've seen enough fighting today."

Raiden noted the bald young man's eyes searching his face, perhaps trying to recognize a familiar face from his time at the palace. It made him sorry they hadn't already met, and he realized he wanted this lonely boy to know him.

"My name's Raiden. The new captain of the guard. I'm honored to meet you." He bowed, holding his hand up in the White Lotus salute.

Surprise flashed across the airbender's face, and then he returned the gesture. "You can call me Aang."

Slightly elated to be on a first name basis with the purpose of his Order, Raiden grinned, and an awkward moment passed, both young men glad to become acquainted, but unsure how to proceed.

Their silence was interrupted by a wail from Azula. The guardsman glanced at his monarch, a forlorn pile weeping on the desert floor. "Is she hurt?"

Aang shook his head. "Just her pride. She's heartbroken. Disillusioned."

"I understand." Raiden had privately criticized Aang for jilting the princess, but just now, he had heard enough of the discussion between the pair to realize that their situation was much more complicated than he had thought.

"She needs help, but I can't be the one to help her." Aang stated, troubled.

"I'll try," Raiden volunteered.

Aang nodded. "Thanks." He took a deep breath, as if setting aside a burden. "Well, I want to get back to my girlfriend. I wish you luck, Raiden. You'll need it."

"Thank you, Aang. Good bye." The captain bowed again. He watched the Avatar's back as he made his way through the desert. He walked a bit, broke into a jog, then conjured a ball of wind and hopped onto it. Raiden marveled for a minute at the airbending feat, wondering how many living people had ever seen such a thing. Then he turned back to his sobbing queen.

Author's Note: What did you think of that confrontation? Tell me in a review! Thanks for reading!