Azula huffed to herself as she dragged the large saddle, her arms starting to shake with exertion. "This is getting ridiculous." She mumbled to herself between sharp breaths, sighing in relief as she finally spotted her destination. It would not be too much further.

The first saddle had been difficult enough for her to carry, the basket of food making it all the more difficult. Even that did not compare to this one, which was almost twice the original's size and made longer. The few additions she made to it did not help in the slightest.

Still, the old saddle was unsuitable for Sora's current size, and she would rather not risk flying without some form of safety. 'Though I don't know how often we will be able to fly in the future anyway.' She thought to herself morosely, the feelings echoed by her dragon whom she felt approaching her.

While Azula doubted many had put stock into the rumor Ty Lee had told her about, the risk that came with flying would increase significantly. Most in Caldera had probably heard some variant of the story by now, and even if it was seen as nothing more than a folk tale, that kind of scrutiny was wholly unwelcome. They would have to limit themselves to cloudier nights.

Azula looked up as she heard her companion groan, the dragon sulking at her conclusion. "I don't like it either," The princess soothed, happily letting go of the saddle as she ran her hands through her partner's blue fur. "But it's better than us being caught."

The chances of that happening were high enough without them taking frequent flights, and she wasn't quite in the mood to tempt fate as she so often did.

She pushed those thoughts to the back of her mind, still not having found an appealing solution to finding Sora a new place to stay. "Come on," The girl said with a grunt as she haphazardly tossed the saddle on Sora. "Use those big bones for something helpful for once." She paused for a moment after her words, a feeling of something itching in her mind that she could not figure out at that moment. She shook her head, letting the odd feeling pass in favor of getting to the clearing.

Azula grinned as she felt the dragon's aggrieved thoughts, paying them no heed as she led the way. She could hear her companions grumbling through their bond and in the petulant sounds she was emitting with each heavy footfall. 'Where did she learn to be so vain?' The prodigious firebender easily ignored the dry stare she was receiving from the overgrown lizard.

Before long, they had reached the center of the clearing, where Sora hastily shook off her new saddle, making her way to the remainder of the food she had brought the previous night. Knowing the saddle would be ready, Azula had brought extra for the dragon to last her through tonight. It had made her nervous to take so much food in one night, knowing that the servants had noticed the frequent shortages, but the risk had been worth the effort it saved her.

Still, there were so many risks lately…

The princess idly pat Sora as she moved past the ravenous dragon, her eyes searching the area before she started making her way to the outer edges of the clearing. There, she found unassuming, dense foliage that was surrounded by trees and bushes in such a way that it was almost completely hidden from view if one did not know where to look.

Azula had found this spot a few months ago when looking for a place to keep the saddle when it was not being used. With her unwillingness to traverse with it every night and Sora's unwillingness to wear it more than necessary, having an out-of-the-way area to put it was essential. The fact that it was so well hidden was a great boon, now more than ever.

She sifted through the innocuous area, quickly finding what she was searching for. Hidden among the fallen leaves and greenery lay Sora's first saddle. She lifted it from its hiding place with a huff, setting it down away from the hidden area, revealing several small, full pouches. Untying the knot that held it closed, Azula's golden eyes met coins made out of the same color.

Yes, having a hidden place to stash things was very useful.

While it was the worst-case scenario, the chances of Sora being caught were far too high to ignore. It would be idiotic to not plan for such an eventuality. If there was one thing Azula was not, it was an idiot. She had pondered leaving several times in the last year, though they had largely been flights of fancy. It was something she would like to avoid, but if it became necessary if Sora was in danger… it was best to be prepared

The princess smiled at the innocent joy that emanated from her content partner which quieted her anxious thoughts, if only slightly. She moved towards the large saddle, transferring the small fortune of coins into the built-in pouches. She sighed once she finished, frowning at her proud creation. She would have preferred to take the saddle for a test flight, but it was much too clear to do so. It would be better to hold off for now.

Reluctantly resolving herself to that fact, she placed the saddle in the old one's spot and moved the foliage back into place, completely obscuring it. Hopefully, it would be able to see use soon, but she could wait.

If only her other half was as patient.

Glancing up from the hidden stash, Azula was gifted the image of a pouting dragon. Sora gave a pitiful mewl and sent her a pleading look with large, watery eyes. Sora's expression would not have been out of place on a begging Ty Lee, making the girl question whether her friend had somehow taught the dragon. The princess had seen the look before on the dragon, but she still found herself amazed at the disturbingly pathetic look from such a large creature.

'Younger me would be heartbroken if she saw a dragon looking as pitiful as this,' Azula thought dryly, meeting the dragon's begging gaze with her own nonplussed one. "I already said we won't be able to fly as often as we have."

She watched as the dragon slithered closer, lowering her head so that their eyes would be level, despite their differing statures. Up close like this, Azula could see literal twinkles in the dragon's eyes. 'Cute' Her traitorous mind whispered against her will, which Sora picked up on if the increased intensity in her expression was any indication.

The princess huffed to cover the weakness she was feeling in the face of her partner. She glared at Sora's scaly forehead, pointedly not making eye contact, as she affirmed her previous statement. "Cut it out. I said no, Sora, and that won't change just because you are acting foolish."

Azula moved her hand to push the dragon's face away, hoping to buy herself space from the infernal look she was being sent. Unfortunately, her human strength was severely lacking in its ability to force Sora away. There was no way for her to physically move the 'big boned' dragon unless she-

'"Wait… why does that sound famili- Oof!?" She thought to herself before she was abruptly tackled to the ground. While minuscule, Sora had been putting effort into meeting Azula's pushing force, which she had stopped at her sudden realization. The girl felt the apologetic (and amused) feelings from her dragon, but she ignored that as her mind rushed to solve her new query.

"Bones… bones… bones," The princess mumbled the word repeatedly, the answer she was searching for irritatingly close. She remained oblivious to the baffled look she was receiving, which was good because she definitely would not have appreciated being looked at like a crazy person.

She wasn't crazy! She knew she would find the answer if she could just fit the pieces together. The solution was on the edge of her mind and if she just followed the bon-

Azula jumped to her feet in a blur of motion, the look of someone who had reached enlightenment on her face as she solved the puzzle. She looked at her partner with wide eyes, "The Dragonbone Catacombs, Sora! That's the answer."

The Dragonbone Catacombs were sacred grounds in the Fire Nation, though it was only known to a few. It lay under the High Temple, a place only accessible to the Firelord and the fire sages who maintained it. It was the final resting place for all Firelords, dating back to the very first who ruled over the nation. Azula had rarely thought about it, only having learned of its existence after the death of her grandfather when she had questioned her fat- Ozai on what would be done with his remains.

It had only been an idle curiosity at the time, part of the daydreams of her fantasies of being the Firelord. Now though, it may allow her to find the answers she had been seeking relentlessly for weeks now. The motives behind the actions of her legendary and mysterious great-grandfather.

She had been told by Ozai that Azulon had been buried alongside his final testaments, along with any other personal accounts he had recorded in his time as Firelord. "A way to preserve the rich history of our Nation."

'So much for that.' Azula thought with a derisive smirk, amused at the irony of history being kept away from the access of others. 'All the better for me though. If Azulon kept accounts of his time as Firelord then surely Sozin did as well.'

Calming down from the brief douse of elation, Azula could easily tell that Sora had no idea what she was talking/thinking about, which made sense. Even with her mind as a guide, most human customs only served to baffle the dragon. Though in Sora's defense, many of them left Azula feeling the same way.

Shaking her head at the thought, Azula allowed herself to bask in the satisfying feeling of finally having a lead to learn more about her enigmatic family, which Sora was happy to join in on. So happy that she thought they could celebrate with a quick flight…

Azula rolled her eyes at her partner's persistence but… she was in the mood to celebrate. She huffed in as haughty a manner as she could manage, the corners of her lips twitching despite her best efforts. She met the dragon's excited eyes and finally gave the battle up. "Fine… but only a short one!"

Sora gave a cheerful chirp, her serpentine body twisting in a hilarious expression of her joy that made Azula laugh despite herself. She headed to the hidden nook, fetched the new saddle, and swiftly put it on the dragon with experienced hands. Before long they took flight with Sora's dark form vaguely visible in the sky before they left the island.

The flight lasted well into the night.

Line Break

Azula took a deep breath as she closed her eyes, focussing on extending her heat-sensing past its passive range to scout for any sages who may be lurking nearby. She was hidden behind a pillar, her dark clothing allowing her to blend within the shadows to avoid being seen, unlikely as it was. It took only a second for her to get a feel for the surrounding area. The nearest signature, likely a fire sage, was on the very outside of her resonance.

It was time.

The princess swiftly made her way along the pathway laid out before her, soon coming across a large circle on the ground where all paths met. Had one not known what they were looking for, they likely would have assumed it to be nothing more than a superfluous design, of which the High Temple had many. Fortunately, she knew better, having been inadvertently taught by an oblivious sage.

Azula, not for the first time, thanked Agni that her fire resonance ability seemed to be scarce to the point of extinction. It would have been very troublesome to sneak around as she did if it wasn't.

Kneeling down in the center of the circle, Azula pressed her hand to the ground, channeling her fire into the designated hole, allowing it to funnel through the locking system before the streams found their escape amongst the six outer holes of the circle. The princess grinned as she felt the ground around her receding, revealing a spiraling staircase that led deep underground.

Without preamble, she began her descent, not paying mind to the rough scraping sound of the stone returning to its original position. In merely a second, she was completely encased in eerie darkness. It lasted only a moment before her ghostly flame came to life, causing the all-encompassing darkness to retreat. Azula held her hand high, staring into the source of light almost reverently as she made her way further down.

She would tell no one this, embarrassing as it was, but she was never too fond of darkness. Having been able to conjure fire almost as far back as she could remember, she had never truly been acquainted with the dark. It was all well and good she supposed. 'I would never miss a chance to make fire.'

It was fortunate that no one was nearby to witness the rather ominous smile on her face.

Before long Azula had reached the end of the staircase, allowing her flame to fade as she was bathed in the light of torches that lined the walls of the catacombs. Her previous levity dwindled as she took in the 'decorations' on the walls. She grit her teeth as anger bloomed within her chest.

Between every torch was the skull of a dragon, mounted on the wall like some ornate trinket. The tunnel was long enough that she could not see an end, yet there was no break in the… grotesque pattern. 'There must be over a hundred.' The grim thought was likely a gross underestimate, but she had no intention of counting the exact number.

Logically, she knew that most of these skulls likely didn't come from the hunt. The catacombs had, according to Ozai, been around since the very first Firelord, built as a place of tribute for the man whose name was lost to history. Most of these heads were likely (hopefully) from dragons who had bonded with deceased firelords or were in some way connected to the royal family. That didn't erase the bad taste it left in the princess's mouth, especially as she imagined doing the same to Sora.

She would see the world burned to ash before she reduced her sister to this.

Thinking about her dragon did spark some curiosity in her though. The prodigy moved closer to the nearest dragon skull, leaning closer to examine it, though she took care not to touch it. She repeated this process several times, her mind trying to work out a puzzle that had been plaguing her since she had first met Sora.

Most of the skulls were consistent in shape with only slight variations between them, but the size seemed to vary on practically all of them. Some of the skulls were (relatively) small, coming from her navel to her head if she discounted the horns. Others were much larger, one particular one even being almost the full length of her body. It was fascinating, and her mind was working through what th

The information she had gathered from her library on the topic of dragons was wildly inconsistent. Some of them would have been comical in their inaccuracy if it did not feel like she was being insulted and called stupid with every faulty line. She doubted the authors behind those particular scrolls had ever seen a dragon. 'Or did and simply sustained heavy brain damage after the fact.' Azula thought with a huff as she examined one of the smaller skulls.

The point was that her knowledge of dragons was frustratingly lacking. Most of her information came from observing Sora, but Azula couldn't be sure how consistent her behavior was with other dragons. Or, to be more succinct, she suspected that Sora was a weirdo among dragons.

Azula smirked at the offense she felt from said weirdo and began making her way through the catacombs, quickly resuming her previous line of thought.

Some sources said that dragons were the size of a platypus bear, while others compared them to small mountains. Having inspected the skulls on the wall, she could safely assume it was likely to be somewhere in between those two extremes, but the specifics that she was looking for were lost on her.

As it was, she couldn't estimate what Sora's maximum size would be, which was the whole point of her research. As she was now, her dragon seemed to be on the larger size of most of the skulls, only falling behind some of the truly colossal outliers. If she continued to grow at the rate she was or even half of it, then hiding her would become an exercise in futility. Even ignoring the sheer size she could grow to be, the food requirements would be unsustainable.

Maybe if she had time she could look for information on dragons that surely lay within the catacombs, but it was unlikely. The more time that passed, the less she seemed to have. She would have to focus on her current search and figure things out from there.

The princess felt that resolve solidify as she made her way through the long hall, she allowed her eyes to roam the thin passageway. Her eyes narrowed as she came upon a statue depiction of her Sozin, the features matching the painting that was hung within the Royal Palace. This was it.

She made her way towards it but paused in her steps as something caught her eye. Towards the right of the statue was a long mural, with two dragons flying over a temple as some sort of ceremony happened. Her eyes followed the pictures, widening as she realized what this was.

"These are the Sun Warriors." She mumbled to herself, her mind going back to a lesson on the earliest history of firebending. The first firebenders that were taught by the dragons, warriors who were named after Agni, the patron spirit of the art. "The start of the Fire Nation…"

Azula reigned in her curiosity ruthlessly, shaking her head to keep herself on task. Her mission was to find out more about the decisions and reasoning of Sozin. She could not let herself be distracted by the ancient, lost, and likely only accurate source behind the history of her nation, more of which was likely hidden behind those four stone dragon heads…

'No!' She scolded herself, forcing her reluctant eyes back onto the stone effigy before her. She would stick to her original intentions and that was final!

But she was so coming back.

Placing her hand on the Fire Nation emblem that lay on the chest of the statue, Azula once again pushed her fire into the opening. She stepped away from the statue, in case it swung out or there was some type of trap, but there was no reason to. The sliding door simply split in half, permitting her entrance into the room. She stepped over the threshold, her eyes taking in the tomb with curiosity.

It was dusty, which was to be expected since she doubted anyone had spent more than a few minutes in this room since her grandfather's passing. That didn't stop her from wrinkling her nose in disgust at the unkemptness. That feeling only grew as she saw the large spiderwebs around the place, on which was a large-

The room glowed blue as the large (and horrifying!) spider was burnt to ashes, the various webs around the room following suit. The sound of her heavy breathing filled the room, her dilated eyes rapidly surveying for more of the unwanted company. Finding nothing, Azula straightened her back, trying to regain her composure even as she felt Sora laughing at her actions.

She did not let out a scream! She defended herself valiantly from the (freakishly large!) spider with grace befitting a warrior princess like herself.

Allowing that 'correct' order of events to settle in her mind, she ignored the obnoxious dragon in favor of surveying the room once more. Now clean of spider webs, the room seemed marginally clearer, though that only highlighted just how… empty it was. She stepped forward, looking towards the large dragon statue in the room, noting the collection of urns that took up most of the space. These were the remains of her ancestors, the ashes that were preserved since the start of her nation. Each one was a different size, though they were all well above her height and with a unique design.

Though it was interesting to see such an important part of her family and nation's history, she found her gaze wandering to the large dragon statue in the center of the room. "Was this his dragon?" Her quiet question echoed around the room without an answer, but she suspected herself to be right regardless. The better question was why would he honor his dragon like this when he had been the one to start the dragon hunt to begin with?

Azula didn't know, but she figured there was only one way to find out.

Making her way to the front of the statue, Azula found herself before five boxes with writing on the covers. "The Final Testament of Firelord Sozin," Azula read aloud, her voice doing nothing to hide her sudden anticipation. Finally, after so long of finding nothing about the reasons behind her great-grandfather's actions, she may find the answers she sought. Wasting no more time, the prodigy reached for the furthest right box and swiftly removed the lid from it.

She settled into a seating position as she unfurrowed the scroll, her eyes gleaming excitedly at the sheer length of it. "As I feel my own life dimming…"

Line Break

Azula stared at the scroll blankly, her mind struggling to comprehend what she had read. It was… unbelievable.

Despite not finding the answers about the dragon hunt and gay marriage ban that she had sought, the truth behind this scroll was invaluable.

Invaluable and nauseating.

Sozin had been friends with the previous avatar, practically brothers! They had been close in a way that was much too similar to Mai, Ty Lee, and herself. Her grandfather described avatar Roku as his best friend… and he had left him to die. To be suffocated by poisonous gas and buried alive, all for the purpose of 'spreading our prosperity' with the world.

Prosperity that involved murdering an entire nation for the sole purpose of preventing a possible future obstacle.

For years she had been taught that the air benders had been a threat to her nation, that they had been wiped out to prevent their army from marching onto the Fire Nation. "Some army they had." She scoffed to herself, swallowing the acidic bile that threatened to escape her.

Marched upon without any announcement or declaration of war by an army of comet-enhanced soldiers who were told to leave no survivors. "They never stood a chance." She seethed to herself, disgusted by such… monstrous actions.

Unbidden to her, unwanted memories of her mother came to her at that moment. She remembered the way her mother had looked at her, wondering what was 'wrong' with her. Azula had thought of herself as a monster for years, someone unworthy of even a mother's unconditional love. Even with her friends, her uncle, and Sora exhibiting how much they cared for her it was almost impossible to not think of herself that way.

Having seen the actions of her father, along with what she read now… maybe she wasn't entirely wrong. Being a monster just seemed to run in their veins.

What good was spreading wealth and knowledge to the other nations if they were exterminated in the process? How could such actions be defended when they were so blatantly covered up through censored books and schools that taught lies to their people? How was this war justified beyond the ambitions of an old man with absolute power?

She had no answer, and that terrified her.

Azula stared blankly at the dull ceiling above her as she contemplated these multitudes of questions. Every answer only seemed to get worse and she barely recognized that a sudden heat was coming from her lap. Looking down, she saw that she had been grasping at the scroll far too tightly. She released her hold on the paper, taking deep breaths to help regulate herself after she noticed the edges were singed.

She needed to get a hold of herself. There was a lot to unpack from what she had just read (understatement of the century), but she could not allow herself to act rashly. What she had read was terrible, but, as heavy as it was, did it really change much? At this point, she had no role in the war, something that was unlikely to change for years to come. Plus, even if she did, what would her knowing this truth mean? Regardless of how it started, this war had been going on for almost a century. There was too much spilled blood and hatred on both sides for her to stop it, even if she wanted to.

'Do I want to…?' Azula quickly shook the meaningless question from her mind as she rolled the scroll up and replaced it in its container. All she knew was that she wanted… no needed to make sure that Sora and her friends, Mai especially, would not be in danger. The best she could do to ensure that now was to stay cautious and learn all that she could.

Placing the container back into its place, Azula absently rubbed at her gifted ruby necklace, the subtle motion calming her down significantly and allowing her to think more clearly. What she had found was surprising, but it hadn't been what she was looking for. Sozin's Last Testament detailed how the war began from a young man's dream to a ruler's obsession. It did not detail his motivations for the dragon hunt, or the marriage ban.

But it did give her a hint.

'... I remember my friend, Roku. Close in a way me and Zeisan had never been, I would have gladly called him my brother once upon a time.'

That line had been at the start of the scroll, something she had almost dismissed in her shock at her great-grandfather's bond with the last avatar -the Fire Nations 'Greatest Enemy.' Now though, the seemingly unimportant line was eating at her. Just who was this 'Zeisan?'

Azula had studied her family line in the past on a whim, and though she hadn't committed every name to memory, she definitely did not recognize the name Zeisan. It was possible whoever they were simply wasn't part of the Royal Family, but with the context, Sozin mentioned her under… just who was she?

Looking over the remaining containers, Azula noted that three of the five were likely regarding her grandfather, Azulon's, life rather than Sozin's. Still, even if they weren't, she likely would have gone for the scroll next to Sozin's final testament regardless. The title 'The Life and Rule of the Great Fire Lord Sozin' was rather hard to miss.

Azula dearly hoped the scroll was not an autobiography, even if she would not come up with such a pretentious name as that. Not to mention how uninspired it was! Azula was never one for frivolous names, but at least put some effort into it.

Removing the cover and unrolling the scroll, Azula's wish was immediately dashed as she saw the embellished 'I.' Not bothering to keep in her groan, the princess slumped to the ground and began reading once more. Before long, her eyes widened as they traversed the length of the scroll faster and faster, her heart thundering in her chest at the words before her.

She had just struck gold.

Line Break

Mai felt her heart beat faster as she allowed herself to be dragged by the arm to a secluded area near the school by an excited Azula. She had no idea what was giving her… friend so much energy, but it was clear to her that the princess had been enthusiastic the whole day through the few small tells that almost no one else would notice. She had always been an observant girl, but for Azula that went doubly so.

As she struggled to match her friend's stride, something which should have been easy given their substantial height difference, Mai found her eyes drifting to her long-time friend and… crush. There was no point in trying to deny it at this point, any attempt would be feeble at best. The way her eyes drifted to Azula, how light she felt around her, how her lips felt when she-

Mai ruthlessly stopped that thought in its tracks with the efficiency of someone who had experience doing so her whole life. She may not have been declared a prodigy like her friend, but she was more than smart enough to know how dangerous those thoughts were, especially when they were aimed at the crown princess. What happened in that clearing had been a mistake, a lapse in her judgment that had put Azula in a terrible position.

It felt like things were just now getting to how they were before… that had happened and she was in no need to make things awkward between them once more. As good as she was at ignoring uncomfortable situations, she had no plans to make that a habit around Azula and Ty Lee. The time she spent with them was her one reprieve and she would very much like for that to remain the case.

Azula grabbing her hand to talk to her in private certainly didn't hurt her motivations, though she would be lying if she said she did not feel slightly weary. Between the sneaking around at night, dragons, and whatever other crazy thing her friend got up to, Mai thought it was reasonable to feel nervous at whatever had gotten her friend this excited. Call it a best friend's intuition, but something told the noble-born girl that she was about to be dragged into even more illegal hijinks.

Not that she would have it any other way. Knowing that her friend trusted her with these secrets and to watch her back made her happy, despite the immense risk.

Mai was shaken out of her thoughts as she collided with her friend, releasing a soft "oof," her arms reaching out to steady her off-balance friend. The gloomy girl took a second to steady herself before she froze, realizing how close she was to Azula. She, reluctantly, released her hold on the girl's waist, looking away with a slight dusting of red on her pale cheeks and murmuring, "Sorry."

Thankfully, her friend decided not to comment on her distracted state, seemingly regaining her cheerful energy at a pace that could challenge even the ever-excitable Ty Lee. Just what could have made her this exuberant? Mai knew Azula very well, from her favorite food, mochi, to her least favorite book. The only things that ever caused her to act like this were some new firebending technique, dragons (even before Sora), or, odd as it was, having something new to study. If she had to take her guess she would say-

"I need your help to break into the Fire Lord's tomb to learn more about history," Azula said promptly, her golden eyes shining with innocent excitement.

Damn. She was going to guess that it had to do with firebending. Either way though, it didn't change how absurd that request was.

Mai stared down at the shorter girl, who seemed perfectly at ease under her dry look. It was almost like she hadn't just casually brought up breaking into what was, most likely, one of the most sacred places in the nation. One that most certainly wouldn't take kindly to trespassers, even with their high-born statuses acting as an aegis.

"...Sure." Mai agreed simply, though Azula seemed to not notice as she continued her pitch without hesitation.

"I was there the other day and I found this amazing mural, but I think the rest is hidden behind this locked wall tha-" Azula paused in the middle of her explanation, slowly blinking as she finally comprehended her friend's words. "W-wait, just like that?"

Mai smirked at the slightly dumbfounded look on Azula's face, thinking it a shame she did not get to see it very often. It looked very funny (and cute) on the normally composed girl. "Did you think I would need to be convinced?"

"Yeah," Azula's words were drawn out as she nodded like it was obvious, her eyebrow twitching slightly as she looked away. Mai barely caught the quiet mumbling from the girl, something about "having planned a whole speech."

Agni she was a nerd, but Mai had always found the trait endearing. She would still make sure to tease the girl for it though, something Ty Lee would no doubt help her with. Really, it was the least she could get in return for following her friend head-first into danger.

"Then you don't know me that well. I would go anywhere with you." Mai blushed slightly at her words, not having meant them to come out like that, even if it had not been a lie. She would go anywhere with her, but she needed to restrain herself and keep these stupidly persistent feelings to herself. "You said something about locks? How would we get through?"

Fortunately, Azula didn't comment on her initial slip. Instead, she grew a terribly mischievous grin that was laced with no small amount of smugness as she removed four objects from her pocket. Objects that were key-shaped and that almost certainly went to a forbidden area.

"...How did you get those?" Her tired voice drew a cute (and slightly manic) laugh from the princess, who quickly put the keys back into her pocket.

"It was actually pretty easy," Azula said with a self-satisfied smirk, her eyes going distant as she seemed to remember something amusing. "Who would have thought the High Sage would leave something so valuable in an unlocked box? It wasn't even hidden well."

The princess scoffed at the poor security, though Mai was more concerned with the fact that her friend had apparently broken into the High Sage's quarters. The person who held the most authority in the nation outside of the Firelord himself…

Well, Mai had befriended the girl because she doubted she would be bored around her. Trespassing on sacred ground and stealing from one of the most influential men in the Nation certainly counted as interesting. Really, Mai had been asking for trouble like this.

"So tonight?" Mai asked in lieu of questioning her friend's obvious lack of sanity.

Azula nodded in affirmation, "Tonight."

Line Break

Azula smiled from her place in front of Mai as she held her hand in the air, a mesmerizing flame illuminating the darkness of the catacomb halls. She was grateful that her friend was as good, if not better, at sneaking around as she was. It had already been three nights since her first visit and the anticipation she felt had been eating at her nonstop!

Luckily, her prize was almost within reach. "It's just a little further ahead," She didn't bother keeping her voice down, knowing that there was no one, sage or otherwise, within the vicinity. It was a little disappointing how easy it was to infiltrate the tomb, though perhaps she could give the sages some slack. They were spiritual leaders, after all, not trained soldiers or guards.

That didn't make the challenge any less boring though.

"What will it look like?" Mai asked dully, her eyes moving around lazily and unconcerned. The silent girl had trust in her friend's abilities, which included her still unexplained method of finding people. Still, puzzling as it was, Azula had yet to be wrong with her methods.

"It's a large wall with four dragon heads lined up on it," Azula glanced at her friend when she noticed her twitch, easily recognizing the disgust on her face. It took her only a second to understand what had caused the expression. "I meant stone heads, that's where the locks are. They will be just past a statue of Sozin."

Try as she might, she couldn't help the slight vitriol in her voice at speaking her grandfather's name, even with the time that had passed to temper it. Whatever respect she had once possessed for the man had long since vanished. Mai, observant as she was, easily caught the change in her inflection.

"... You never said why you came down here to begin with. You didn't know the mural was here and I doubt it was for all of… this." Mai waved her hand at the myriad of dragon skulls around them to emphasize her point, her eyes never straying from the princess. "Why come down here at all?"

Azula kept silent as they continued walking, her smile dimming slightly at her friend's words. She had known that Mai would be curious about her motivations, especially given how sudden they were. Outside of Sora, she doubted anyone could read her as well as Mai could, which was both terrifying and comforting. Her friend was bound to have questions.

The difficult part was that Azula didn't know what to say, something that almost never happened to her.

It would be easy to lie to her friend, and she knew that she could probably get away with it too. If there was one thing that had become too clear to her recently, it was how much trust Mai seemed to have in her. Keeping Sora a secret, supporting her when she was having a hard time, and even following her to these catacombs tonight without hesitation. It was clear as the sun to Azula how far Mai was willing to go for her, and it made her feel twice as warm as Agni's rays.

It made the thought of deceiving her loyal friend much harder, but she found it difficult to even attempt to discuss her previous queries and their heavy answers.

How does one bring up that her great-grandfather, the most revered figure in the Nation's history, hid behind a wall of lies? Lies that included a sister whose name had long since been struck from all official documentation, her incredible story to forever remain sealed within a dusty tomb.

Princess Zeisan, the younger sister to the Great Sozin. A nonbending girl who had been made an outcast and shunned by her family for her 'defect,' but who had never stopped striving to be better, to prove herself as her elder brother's equal.

A girl who would fall in love with another girl, but kept it hidden in favor of furthering her goals by marrying a leader of an ambitious movement. A movement that was driven by radical airbenders with ideologies that opposed the Firelord and nobility, seeking to topple the 'corrupt' system, which would ultimately lead to abject failure.

A girl who was banished from her Nation and forgotten by its people. Her only legacy being her brother's fury which would cause him to outlaw what he believed corrupted his sister. Not even a month after Zeisan's departure was gay marriage banned with severe consequences awaiting any who were brave enough to try.

No, Azula didn't have it in her to explain all of her findings to her friend, who also happened to be the reason for her search to begin with. She would save it for later when she had time to process everything she had read for herself. This conclusion didn't exactly help her at the moment though.

She did not want to deceive Mai, but she also had no desire to explain what had motivated her in the first place. Fortunately, there was a middle ground that gave her an out, which would also be truthful. 'Though it's not really pleasant either.' She thought with a grimace, her eyes gravitating to the last few dragon heads on the path.

"I wanted to know more about the Dragon Hunts," She started, easily gaining her friends' attention. "My tutors taught me that it was for glory and to prove one's power and skill at firebending." Azula stopped at the statue of Sozin, turning to meet her friend's gaze head-on. She saw Mai nodding her head with a curious look, obviously wondering where she was going with this. Everyone in their Nation, from the peasants to nobles knew about that.

"It never made much sense to me," Azula continued after a second, gesturing to the tall effigy before her. "Why kill the dragons when they would have been helpful towards ending the war? Why would Sozin begin the hunt when he had a dragon himself? It was always odd before, but after meeting Sora…"

Azula trailed off allowing Mai to fill in the blanks for herself. "You were even more curious, so you started looking for answers." Mai's eyes drifted from the statue to the princess, a slight smirk etched across her face. "I bet not knowing was driving you crazy." The princess rolled her eyes at that but didn't attempt to deny it. She wasn't wrong. "Did you find anything?"

"I did," Azula confirmed, once more pointing towards the statue. "Turns out, Sozin wasn't too popular in his early days as Firelord with the noble clans. He was the one who fully brought everyone in the Fire Islands under the Fire Nation banner, but he still was facing opposition."

The prodigy took care not to mention that the opposition from the nobles mostly came from his seizing and discontinuation of the 'Fire & Air Center of Learning.' Many nobles had apparently embraced the learnings from the Air Nomads, which Sozin despised, especially with his sister's involvement. This caused a rift, which greatly limited Sozin's political power.

That was an odd concept for Azula. She had grown up believing in the absolute authority that the Firelord, and the Royal Family by extension, possessed from the earliest days of their Nation's history. She had firmly believed all nobles to be completely subservient to the Fire Lord with little power to impede him. While that was certainly the case now, it was clearly not always so. It really showed how little the princess knew of her Nation's history.

That was what she was here to rectify.

Continuing her lecture, Azula started moving away from Sozin's statue towards the nearby mural which depicted two dragons breathing fire above a temple, "Dragons were the original firebenders, the ones who first taught humans the art. They represent Firebending in its most pure form, and were legendary even when they were prominent."

"If they were so important, then why did he start the hunts?" Mai asked curiously, finding herself engaged in the tale. "Surely it would have been better to keep them around."

Azula's eyes were bright as she turned to look at Mai, who was sporting a gentle smile. The silent girl was following along, enjoying the clear excitement on the princess's face as she continued her story. Privately, Mai thought Azula would make an excellent teacher, especially with how captivating she seemed as she spoke passionately. Or maybe that was just how Mai felt as she watched the girl.

"It's because they were so important," Azula said, her expression becoming slightly more melancholic. "Dragons represented firebending and power, which is also what the Firelord is known for. Having so many creatures like that around… Sozin thought that they undermined his rule. That they were a threat to his power." Azula's face twisted into disgust as she considered that.

Azula could understand feeling small and weak next to the might of a dragon, her mind flashing back to the first encounter she had with Sora. She had felt insignificant at the time, though that was mostly overshadowed by the shock of seeing blue fire and a dragon, two things she had not considered happening at the time or… ever really. It was an unpleasant feeling, but to do what Sozin had done…

"It was cowardly," She hissed, her voice coming out like poison and causing Mai to flinch slightly. Azula didn't notice, continuing to vocalize her condemning thoughts. "He made it a sport to humor nobles who were dissatisfied with him, made it seem like an honor to kill the creatures that made us who we are. It's just so damn stupid."

Azula felt her inner flame burning more intensely, as well as the concern from Sora through their bond, but it felt distant at the moment. A small spark erupted from her mouth palms, and she felt her throat heating up as well, ready to release in a raging infer-

Azula froze when she felt a hand rest on her shoulders, the heat she felt within her cooling as she looked at the girl next to her. Seeing the concern in Mai's features caused any of the lingering anger to dissipate, her shoulders slumping slightly as they untensed.

"Are you alright?" Mai asked, her monotone voice tinged with worry that caused Azula to twitch.

"Yeah I… I'm fine." Azula sighed as she unclenched her hands, wincing from the sting that came from her sharp nails digging into her palm. She silently scolded herself for almost losing control and, more importantly, upsetting Mai. She was about to, irksome as it was, apologize before she felt Mai nudge her shoulder.

"Come on, let's go see what's behind that wall." The taller girl took Azula's hand, guiding her further away from Sozin's statue, which was probably at risk of getting blown up. Mai wasn't very patriotic, but causing damage to the statue would only bring them unnecessary trouble. "The keys go to the dragon heads right?"

Azula nodded, silently relishing in the feel of the older girl's hand as she felt herself calm down completely. She sent Sora reassurance as she began to answer the question. "They do. I had thought they would be opened with fire, but they didn't budge."

"It makes sense. Having them accessible to all firebenders would have been dumb." Mai said bluntly as they reached the door, silently accepting the two dagger-like keys the prodigy offered her. "You were able to shoot fire into all four at once?"

Azula smirked at the question, flipping one of her bangs as she inserted the keys into the nostrils of two dragon heads. "Of course I did. I am the youngest master in known history." She bragged, ignoring the fact that the majority of the Nation's history was unknown. For now at least.

Mai rolled her eyes but mirrored the princess's actions on the dragon heads nearest to her, taking a moment to wiggle the keys in the nostril until they were snugly in place. She silently lamented that she was losing her sleep in favor of picking the noses of dragons. 'Maybe boring isn't so bad.'

Fortunately, the nose-picking was done quickly. With four simultaneous counterclockwise turns, the door began to separate down the middle revealing a dark pathway. Azula smirked as she lit a fire over her hand to provide light, her other outstretched in offering. "It's to make sure we don't get lost."

Mai's face flushed slightly, which was fortunately hidden in the low light around them. She huffed in amusement and took the hand allowing herself to be led in a similar manner to how she had done so earlier. She kept her focus on the princess who seemed to barely restrain her excitement as they entered the new room.

Azula gasped slightly as she saw how large the new room was, her eyes looking around at a rapid pace. She stopped almost as soon as she crossed the room's threshold, which forced Mai to do the same, her eyes focused on the mural lined up on either side of the room. "The past Firelords…" She murmured to herself, lifting the flame to better see the figures.

The princess easily saw the resemblances between her and the figure, despite the generations that separated them. Each one looked regal in their ceremonial robes, with depictions of fire dancing around them. She felt a bit of longing, imagining herself in the same position. The title of Firelord had long since lost its luster to her, but she wouldn't mind having a similar mural or something similar of herself made. Maybe it was something to look into for the future…

Her thoughts were cut off as she felt Mai moving up next to her, the taller girl looking at the painting with a small grin. "Look at that. Who knew you had so many cranky ancestors?"

Azula scoffed, nudging the girl so they could continue with their exploration. "They aren't cranky," She grumbled unconvincingly. Even she couldn't lie and say much to defend them when every mural seemed to have the eyebrows drawn to depict a glare.

They passed several more before they came upon the final Firelord mural, which was different from the rest. The figure was dressed in white robes, with what seemed to be an actual crown rather than a headpiece. Even the fire around him was different, seemingly resembling the sun more than anything.

"This must be the first Firelord, the man who unified the Fire Nation." Azula admired the larger-than-life feeling the mural projected. To have united the warring clans of the Fire Islands together was no small feat. It was a testament to how powerful he must have been as both a bender and a leader to accomplish what he did.

The princess was about to continue when she noticed a distinct lack of warmth next to her. Allowing her resonance to guide her, Azula easily found Mai in front of a part of the mural that depicted spirit-like hooded figures. She had no idea who they were, but she felt a strange sense of deja vu as she moved closer to her friend.

"The Kemurikage." Mai breathed out, looking slightly uncomfortable. The gloomy girl must have noticed Azula's curious look as she answered her unasked question. "My mom told me about them when I was younger. She said they would take me at night if I was bad. I thought it was just a made up story…"

"That's creepy," Azula said in response, her interest only increasing on the subject. Now that she thought about it, she vaguely recalled Mai mentioning them during one of their sleepovers when Azula had… persuaded her friends to help her liberate some mochi from the kitchens. She hadn't put much stock into it, she had never really been a believer of most spirits, let alone vengeful ones. "Maybe there is some truth to it after all."

The princess looked around before her attention was caught on a box resting on a large stone nearby. She moved towards it, finding a scroll that explained the history behind this part of the mural. She handed Mai the scroll as she held up the fire to provide them enough light to read.

"Long ago, long before the Fire Nation…"

For the next few hours, they went along in the same vein, exploring the various pieces of the mural and reading the corresponding scrolls. Even with how long they spent looking through the ancient history, Azula doubted they had even read through a quarter of the extensive history. Alas, before she could move on to the next part, she felt Mai's hand rest on her shoulder.

"It's getting late," The taller girl paused for a moment, rethinking her words. "... or early, whichever. We need to leave soon."

Azula felt the urge to argue, but the logical side of her mind prevented her from acting on it. She knew her friend was right, and she would prefer to get at least some sleep. She nodded and began walking with her friend towards the exit. They could always come back to explore more at a later date. It wouldn't be the end of-

The princess's thoughts left her immediately as her eyes caught sight of something on the far side of the room. She could vaguely make out the shape, recognizing it as another part of the mural, but it was almost completely separate from everything else.

Naturally, she decided to investigate it.

She gave Mai a nudge, nodding her head in the direction of the oddity. She gave her best winning smile as she stared at the taller girl's tawny eyes, "One last one for the night?"

Mai looked like she was torn between wanting to be safe and her desire to please her friend. The internal debate lasted for a few more seconds before she conceded with a sigh. "Fine."

Azula wasted no time in taking her friend's hand once more, oblivious to the girl's flushed face, and making her way to the strange mural. As she got closer, she noticed that it looked older than most of the other parts she had seen, the colors almost completely faded, and that there did not seem to be a scroll that went to the painting. She moved a bit faster as she became more eager to see the unique section. Soon, she was able to make out the faded shapes.

The mural was relatively simple compared to some of the complex pieces she had seen earlier, but the princess found herself far more captivated than she had previously been. On the wall were paintings of various dragons of differing sizes, colors, and even shapes. Some dragons seemed to possess wings similar to that of Sora, while others had smaller ones, or multiple sets, and in one case even no wings. Though as interesting as that was, it was the figure in the center of the dragons that stole her attention.

It was colossal with pure white scales and dark blue fur, absolutely dwarfing every other dragon. The anatomy appeared similar to that of Sora, but Azula was able to make out what appeared to be a third eye on the forehead of the dragon. Its mouth was open in what seemed like a roar as Agni's rays illuminated its form. The other dragons formed a circle around the large figure, their heads lowered almost like they were… bowing to it. It almost appeared to be a…

"King," Mai murmured, coming to a similar conclusion to Azula.

The princess was about to respond when she felt a sharp feeling of anxiety in her chest, images of a cave with blurred figures moving at high speed playing through her mind. She could feel an intense, raging heat and a deafening roar that caused her chest to tighten as her panic increased and she-

She felt slim arms wrapping around her as gentle words of reassurance reached her ears. She idly noted that she was half sitting on the ground, half being held up by her friend who was embracing her. The immense panic that had been building calmed down as she allowed herself to be held for the first time in months. She took a shuddering breath, closing her eyes to rid herself of the lingering discomfort she had been feeling.

Wearily, she realized that this had been the second time something like this had happened tonight, but she didn't bother to scold herself for this moment of weakness. She would gladly accept the comfort she was offered over the absolute terror from before.

Seemingly sensing that she had calmed down, Mai pulled back slightly as she looked at the princess with concern despite her obvious confusion. Azula guessed that she probably wanted to ask what had happened, but didn't know how to voice her question. That was fine, considering she didn't know what had happened either.

One moment she had been admiring the awe-inspiring painting, the next she had felt a strange sort of emotion build up. The painting- no, the dragon had sparked a familiar terror, like she had felt when looking at her father after the Agni Kai. It was without a doubt real, but it also felt distant… almost like it wasn't her feelings but someone else's.

Someone who had been oddly silent since the panic.

"Sora?" She whispered aloud, receiving no response from her partner. For the first time since their bond had been formed, it felt like she was the one being shut out. She felt a slight ache in her chest that she recognized as loneliness. To not have access to her companion, her sister in all ways that mattered, was deeply uncomfortable.

She would get to the bottom of this later, that much she was sure of. For now, there was something else to do.

Azula lifted her hand to squeeze the arm Mai had around her, silently communicating that she was okay now. Mai kept her arm around her to help her stand, which would have frustrated her in any other circumstance. As it was, she welcomed the aid on account of her legs feeling like jelly.

"Let's get out of here," Azula said after a moment, briefly casting her gaze on the old painting before she turned towards the exit. "I'd like to get some sleep."

Mai nodded in agreement, offering a quiet, "Yeah," as they made their way out. The taller girl kept one arm around her friend as they made their way back to the entrance where they collected the four keys. As troublesome as it was, Azula knew she would need to return the keys as soon as possible.

The walk back was silent, which Azula was grateful for. She was still feeling on edge after what had happened, and talking about it was the last thing she wanted at that moment. Fortunately, Mai seemed to understand that, simply staying close by to offer her quiet support.

For a girl who spoke so little, she always seemed to convey everything that mattered in the simplest of ways.

Azula focused on taking measured breaths as she pushed her resonance to the limit, not feeling comfortable with the substantially smaller range her passive sense offered. Feeling that there was no one nearby, she used her flame to open the receding floor of the catacomb entrance. Finally, they had made it out.

The two came to a stop, recognizing that this was where they would need to part. While Azula would need to return the keys, the proximity of the High Temple to the palace was much shorter than Mai's house. They stood in silence for a moment before Azula sighed, a small, genuine smile stretching across her face.

"Hey Mai?" The gloomy girl looked over curiously before her eyes widened in surprise as she was pulled into a hug. "Thank you… for everything."

Mai stood frozen for a moment before she relaxed into the embrace. Azula almost never initiated contact like this so for her to do so now emphasized how much she meant her words. "...Don't mention it." She returned the embrace with her heart thundering in her chest, which was at odds with the calm that washed over her in that moment.

After almost a minute Azula pulled back, offering one last smile before she began her trek to the High Sage's quarters. She felt her friend's eyes on her back until she turned a corner, easily blending into the shadows around. She liked to think she had become quite proficient in sneaking around after the past year and so months.

Before long she had finished putting the keys back into their proper place and made her way back to the palace. As she did so, she considered all that had happened that night, which had turned out to be more eventful than she had expected. All the unfiltered history that she had learned, the odd experience with the 'Dragon King,' and everything with Mai…

It was a lot, but she was glad that she had gone. For all of the turmoil it had brought, the information that the catacombs had given her was invaluable. Though for all the questions that had been answered by the trips she seemed to have twice as many as when she had started, the most prominent of which being the White Dragon.

There was a feeling at the edge of her mind telling her that there was something more to that mural, something that pertained to Sora and why she was even here. Her partner seemed hesitant (to put it mildly) to give her more so she would have to shelf it for later. As it was there was a more immediate problem to deal with, one that she had almost forgotten about in the recent chaos.

Moving her hand to her sun-shaped necklace, Azula was reminded that Mai's twelfth birthday was coming up within a week and that she had absolutely no idea what to get her. That just would not do. She resolved herself to figure something out, maybe even going into the city to find something suitable…

'Oh well, I guess I'll just have to-'

The princess froze as she felt something within her resonance range, quickly ducking behind a pillar as she felt someone approaching. From her position, she could make out a figure in the standard palace guard uniform. The girl held her breath as she watched him look around for a second, only releasing it when he continued on at a brisk pace.

She hadn't thought that anyone patrolled this area at this time, but she would not pretend to know every route that the guards took. More than once she had been almost caught by surprise by guards taking odd routes, though she had thus far managed to avoid them.

Either way, it was a close call. She couldn't allow herself to be caught like that, even if it would be easy to lie her way out of the immediate trouble. If any suspicion was cast upon her, or Ozai heard she was moving around at night then things could become a lot more dangerous.

Her situation was precarious enough as is and she could not allow herself to grow lax. Not now, and probably not ever.

With that affirmation she pushed her resonance and, seeing that she was in the clear, began her way to her room once more.

Line Break

Chen let out a sigh as he made his way around the palace grounds once more, his feet hitting the ground with more force than was strictly necessary. He knew that he should have more discipline than this, but he couldn't help but get frustrated!

It had been a couple of weeks since he had first caught sight of the princess leaving her room in the middle of the night. He had been tempted to follow her and see where she was going but had decided against it at the time. She was most likely going to the kitchen or something equally mundane, and it was not worth getting into trouble over. He needed this job, and he wouldn't allow his curiosity to ruin that.

That is until he saw her do it again the next night when he 'accidentally' went off the standard path he was supposed to patrol. Then it happened again the next night, then the night after that, and then the next…

Well, the point was that through innocent observation (stalking) he concluded that the princess did it nightly. His curiosity piqued, he had attempted to follow her during one of her mysterious trips, only to find her missing the second she was out of his sight. One moment she turned a corner and the next she was gone. This was a pattern that seemed to occur during every attempt he made.

It was almost like she was able to turn invisible or had a sixth sense to know when someone was nearby at all times. Chen snorted to himself humorously at the thought, before his mind turned pessimistic once more.

Even by changing his routes in increasingly odd ways, actions which would no doubt see him scolded and put through remedial training if his leader caught wind of them, he had no luck. So, with that thought in mind, he decided to try something new.

That was why he was outside, bracing himself against the chilly wind as winter grew nearer. "What I wouldn't give to be a firebender." He mumbled, his voice coming out more bitter than he had intended. It wasn't the first time he had lamented his shortcomings, and he knew it would not be the last. Had he been a firebender he would never have been out here to begin with.

For the longest time Chen had wanted to be a soldier for his Nation, just like his father before him who tragically passed in during the failed siege on Ba Sing Se. He dreamed of bringing glory to his Nation, bringing the walls of that forsaken city down himself, and showing those damn dirtbenders how inferior they were. To make them pay for taking his father from him.

Unfortunately, though, things hadn't quite gone like that. His mother had grown sick not long after his father's passing, and even with the money he received from his father's service and passing, it was not enough to pay for her treatment. Reluctantly he shelved his aspirations of being a soldier, instead deciding to do the next best thing.

Becoming a guard for the Royal Palace and protecting his Nation that way, while also being able to stay close to his mother.

It was a good plan, but he had soon stumbled upon a new problem. Non-benders as it turned out could only get so far in the guard hierarchy. While skilled firebenders were able to join the imperial firebenders, non-benders like himself would only ever be simple footmen. In his lowest moments, Chen would have described himself more as a servant than a trained guard.

So he created a new plan.

If he could somehow get close to the Firelord, and make a positive impression, then maybe he wouldn't remain trapped as he was! It was brilliant, the perfect way to rise up the ranks! If only he had a way to make it happen…

It was as he was considering that, that he first caught sight of the princess sneaking through the palace. Like a gift from Agni himself, he had a path before him to accomplish his goal, and he would see it through no matter how difficult the prodigy proved to be!

His determination restored, Chen began to look around the palace courtyard diligently, making sure to stay far away from other guards who would no doubt report him at the earliest convenience. He was sure she would come around here eventually, all he needed to do was be patient…

After his first few attempts had failed, Chen had decided to wait around her room out of sight to see when she would return. He had expected it to be mere minutes, but the time had only stretched further. It must have been only a few hours before daybreak before she had returned, distracted and dirty in a way that indicated she had been outside. That had led to his new approach, waiting for her to sneak outside, and then attempt to follow her.

Thus far, he had not caught sight of any figures in the dark despite having been searching for several nights. That was the cause of his prior frustration, but he was sure if he just waited carefully he mig-

He cut off all thoughts as he focused intently on the courtyard in front of him, sure he had seen something moving. For a moment Chen thought he had been imagining it, or that some stupid animal had been the cause, but he was proven wrong the next moment.

There, almost near the edge of the courtyard a long distance away, he saw a figure moving away from the palace. He could not make much out from his current position, but he began moving forward regardless. Even if it wasn't the princess, catching a thief in the act would surely be enough to win the Firelord's attention, right?

The figure was gone by the time he reached their previous position, but he could make out the indentation on the ground where someone had been walking. Chen diligently followed the path at a hurried pace, hoping to get some further idea of their destination. Before long though, he had lost the trail as the grass transitioned to stone.

"Dammit!" He yelled in frustration, kicking a nearby rock at full force. He yelped in pain as he grabbed his foot, hopping on one leg as he tried to massage the pain out.

He had been so close! Was this how it ended? Another dead end with nothing to show for it? No, he couldn't let that be the case. He may not be a firebender, but he was smart! He just needed to focus.

Chen took a moment to breathe out, trying to think logically about where they could have gone. Assuming that it was the princess and not some burglar, she needed to be somewhere with greenery. He could vaguely recall the grass stains on her clothing the night he had seen her, along with what looked to be mud…

The capital was a city with very little in the way of vegetation like that, and if he followed the path he was on now…

That's it!

The only place that fit that description on this path was the small wooded area a small ways ahead. No one ever went there that he knew of, which would make it the perfect place to go if someone was hiding something. That had to be where she was.

Following that line of thought, he confidently strode to the destination, his mind imagining how everything would finally get better for him. 'This is just the first step,' Chen thought with a growing smirk as he made his way through the thick trees and heavy foliage. 'Finally, after all this time, I'll be-'

His thoughts came to an abrupt end as he shifted a tree limb around, exposing a clearing that caused him to freeze in terror. Or rather it was what he saw in the clearing that caused him to feel such a way.

He easily recognized the princess who was lying on the ground with her eyes closed, a peaceful expression replacing her typically stoic look. While that would have been interesting on its own, it was what was curled up with her that took his breath away.

It was a dragon. A large black dragon with blue fur. A dragon that could without a doubt eat him in a single bite. A dragon that seemed to twitch slightly as it sniffed the air like it was smelling something… or someone

Chen moved away from the clearing edge as swiftly as he could without making too much before breaking out into a dead sprint. He wasn't even sure he was going the right way, only focused on putting as much distance between himself and that beast!

He didn't know how long he was running, but eventually, he found himself striding across the palace grounds. He made it halfway across the grounds before he found himself surrounded by guards who had no doubt heard his loud approach. The exhausted young man collapsed in the middle of the guard, paying no heed to their loud and frankly annoying questions.

He looked up when he felt a hand clasp his shoulder firmly, an unnatural heat emanating from the appendage. Chen understood the silent threat and, with effort, huffed out between pants, "N-need to… speak… Firelord." He grabbed the hand and looked at the man with a slightly manic gleam in his eye.

"...Dragon."