A soft rumble, followed by a deafening roar. Sokka wasn't easily stirred awake in the middle of the night, but the storm raining over the Fire Nation Capital was far too noisy to ignore. He opened his eyes slightly, glancing at the draped windows: flashes of lightning drifted through the fabric. The loud thunder had been responsible for his return to consciousness: the bolt might have landed close by, for he was certain he'd felt vibrations shaking the bed…
Yet the woman in his arms was completely unaffected by the Fire Nation's fickle weather. Sokka smiled warmly as he gazed at her, their naked bodies pressed together underneath her royal bed's crimson blanket. Was she so used to the storms that she was completely immune to the noise caused by lightning? Or was she simply so attuned to it, as a bender, that she could ignore it with ease?
Either way, she slept tenderly against him, her face smooth and serene. The light that drifted through the closed curtains wasn't enough to illuminate her face as well as Sokka would like… yet the occasional flash of lightning would highlight her features, and he would sigh in unrestrained bliss for it every time. From the moment he had met her he had been floored by her beauty, and in the early days of their partnership he often kicked himself for his inevitable attraction towards her: that beauty only increased with each new encounter they had, with each new side of Azula he learned about… eventually, he hadn't even cared to punish himself for being so weak against her charms, for he was falling in love with her. After all this time, he could hardly remember why he had ever tried to fight against those feelings: he had never experienced happiness like that which he felt by her side.
She breathed slowly against him, her natural warmth enveloping him in an unusually chilly night in the tropical Fire Nation. His fingers trailed gently over her cheek, as he mischievously wondered if he ought to wake her, for a reprise of their earlier fun… what time was it? It wasn't easy to tell in the darkness of her room, let alone when the storm was still raging…
On second thought, no, he couldn't interrupt her sleep any more than he already had. She needed her rest, nowadays more than ever: she had very important duties to uphold, and he couldn't tire her out through the night, no matter how much she enjoyed it. If Azula was a successful Interim Fire Lord, he would have no end of chances to wake her up halfway through the night for devious purposes once they had relocated to the Earth Kingdom.
He couldn't stop smiling whenever he remembered what their future held in store: a life with Azula, without Ozai's shadow – whether the literal one or the damn assassin that, fortunately, seemed to have traveled with the Fire Lord on his trip, according to Azula – looming over their heads. They would do right by the people of the Earth Kingdom, who needed it so direly: they'd have enough power to change the world into a better place, starting with the massive continent. To think it'd be but a taste of what life would be like once Azula was Fire Lord, permanently…
He shouldn't be so greedy, thinking about the future that much when the present was absolutely delightful as it was – especially with Azula pressing against him snugly in her sleep, her bare breasts against his chest. Yet his mind often had drifted off towards the future, just as it had when their relationship had reached the heights of intimacy… never before had the reality of Azula's future as Fire Lord been as close within their reach as it was right now. It was impossible just yet, Sokka knew, but she would definitely end slavery once she had the chance to, and she would see to it that trueborn Fire Nation citizens would respect Honorary ones just as well. She had often talked about trade, too… perhaps they could establish a treaty with the Southern Water Tribe, offering frequent shipments of food and goods so they could get by, whether in good or bad times alike. Surely that would warm up his family further to the love of his life…
Ah, they would train every day, as they meant to do today. They would have dinner together, and breakfast, and lunch, and any snack breaks they wanted, and they would travel for fun, rather than over missions or gladiator fights… come to think of it, would he continue to fight in the Gladiator League, once she became Fire Lord? He guessed she might like it if he did… yet she had been more worried than ever over his wellbeing during his fights as of late. If they could marry each other legally, he wouldn't need to serve as her gladiator to justify his presence by her side.
It wasn't a thought he had allowed himself to ponder until now. He had taken for granted he would be fighting as a gladiator for as long as he had a future… but would he truly have to? Would Azula even want him to? Her hand, resting gently over his abdomen, was laid upon the scar she had cleansed ages ago off his body: she had fought hard, against all sorts of enemies and circumstances, even against Sokka himself, to protect his life. She wasn't likely to demand that he kept fighting in the ring for her… yet Sokka found himself willing to do so, regardless of Azula's opinion. He hadn't always cherished his role as her champion, but he certainly did since a long time ago. Defending her against any threats was second-nature to him as it was; four years ago, he would have never imagined himself thinking he could be genuinely proud of being her gladiator… but he was. He truly was.
"The Fire Lord's gladiator…" he whispered softly, smiling to himself before pressing a light kiss to her brow "Has a nice ring to it. Might be they'll have to feature me in your big royal painting, huh…?"
Ah, her royal painting: the court painters would be delighted to finally have a beautiful, amazing subject to depict in a regal artwork. It would be the best among the pictures that hung in the Royal Gallery, without a shred of a doubt… Sokka would see to it, if anything. Yes, after his latest failures at painting he knew better than to insist he would be the one to paint Azula's royal portrait, but he could definitely oversee the process and ensure his beloved firebender was depicted as beautiful and glorious as she deserved to be. If they messed anything up, he'd make them redo it! As many times as needed until they captured her likeness properly!
Not that he would blame any painters entirely if they failed to depict Azula as she was… he smiled as he continued to gaze upon her features, still lit up on occasion by the bright lightning outside their safe haven. Could the hand of a human being ever depict Azula properly in an artwork? He had failed to do her justice the first time he'd drawn her, and he hadn't done much better than that in his later attempts…
Yet he had cherished her body thoroughly tonight: they had stripped each other naked and bathed together, and his hands had groped her most greedily at every opportunity. They had proceeded to make love again in her bed, and he had held her closely as their bodies joined, their souls colliding closely until they were one and the same.
He sighed happily before remembering why he had let himself recall their nightly affairs: he had touched her everywhere, just as she had guided his hands over her body back when they were in Shu Jing. He had done the same today, just as attentively as he had that day in Shu Jing… could he dare paint her now? Would he be able to depict her properly this time? Oh, it wasn't likely, but it might be fun to try…
He kissed her brow softly, then her cheek, then her lips… and he pulled away most unwillingly, climbing off the mattress subtly. Azula barely shifted at first, but by the time Sokka had walked across her spacious room, ambling towards her desk, he heard her stirring and flinched: had he woken her? Curses, he sure hoped he hadn't.
He glanced over his shoulder…
Azula had changed positions, but she hadn't woken up so far: she had rolled over, lying face-down just where Sokka had been moments ago. The blanket had ridden down her body, exposing her flank down to her waist as she instinctively sought his warmth, his presence, as soon as he had pulled away: his heart yearned for her on a constant basis, but it damn near pained him now as he gazed at the extraordinary woman he loved. As cruel and cold as she showed herself to those she distrusted, as daunting as she might be to those whose respect she was striving to earn, as far as Sokka could tell, the truth was that Azula had a purity to herself, an innocence she was completely unaware of. Perhaps he wouldn't be painting her grand royal portrait… but perhaps he could try to capture that purity instead?
Sokka didn't have to look through many cabinets before finding an empty parchment he could use as a canvas. A thin brush loaded very lightly with ink ought to do for his purposes, too.
He started by drawing a very careful contour, constantly glancing at the slumbering Princess behind him whenever he needed to ensure a curve or a straight line were as they ought to be. The darkness didn't help matters much, naturally… so he found one of the oil lanterns she kept in her room, the ones he had often used when running back home through the tunnels underground. It took him but a moment to light it, and he placed it beside himself, his frame obstructing the lantern's glow so Azula wouldn't be woken by that brightly burning fire.
After the base was finished, Sokka breathed deeply and focused on the face: he could only see one of her eyes as she lay face-down. The angle of her nose might not be that easy to recreate… so he had to be careful, or he might mess up all his work so far.
This was, of course, the perfect excuse to approach his sleeping lover and detail her beautiful face more closely. He leaned lightly towards her, smiling as the lovestruck fool he knew himself to be, and he dared kiss her cheek very subtly before returning to his work.
The brush was smooth, easy to use: it glided over the paper at Sokka's behest, without leaving uneven stains on it. He tugged his wrist in the directions needed, finishing the nose, then moving to the lightly parted lips – it wasn't a good idea to look at those up close, he always wanted to kiss them so damn much and he might wake her if he did it with the intensity the act deserved – and her closed eyes next. Then the curtain of hair, flowing freely down her back and over the pillow…
Ugh, the pillow. He hadn't drawn the background yet, but he'd have to get to it eventually. He sighed, letting his brush hover over his depiction of Azula's exposed body: a line over the center of her back, running down her spine. The spot where the skin at the bottom of her breast joined the rest of her torso, and whatever he could see of her waist… as well as the arch of her rear. He blushed as he wondered if he ought to finish that one by memory, seeing as the blanket covered her lower body… but no, he shouldn't go that far. This was, he knew, a suggestive enough artwork already. To think of what could happen if it fell in the wrong hands… he shuddered, shaking his head to chase away such dark thoughts. Maybe he'd doodle her gown over her after he was finished with the body, that way it'd be less risky, but for now he had to focus, or else he'd never finish, and he was so close, too…
A new glance at the bed revealed it was empty.
Sokka's heart fell and raced wildly simultaneously: he didn't have enough time to register what her sudden absence meant, or to ponder whether she'd find his latest stunt utterly disgusting or flattering instead…
"What are you doing?"
Her tempered voice came from his left: it was familiar, welcome and he knew it by heart, yet he nearly jumped two feet into the air while pulling the half-finished artwork to his chest.
"A-Azula!" he squeaked, his cheeks flushing as she studied him with narrow eyes "I… I didn't realize you were awake. Uh…"
"Awake and displeased, if you must know" she said, raising her eyebrows haughtily as she crossed her arms over her chest: as ever, the gesture highlighted her naked breasts, ensuring Sokka would be enraptured by them. Where she had done it by accident in the past, this time Sokka had the mild suspicion she was tempting him most deliberately, regardless of her declared irritation…
"You… u-uh, wait, displeased?" he said, forcing himself to glance up at her eyes instead.
"You heard me" she said, stubbornly "How many times must you do this to me, I wonder?"
"W-well, I didn't think you'd mind that much, b-but I guess it's just no good, is it…?" Sokka mumbled quietly, still holding the parchment against his skin.
"No, it's no good at all" Azula said, closing her eyes and shaking her head "What's the point of spending the night with me if you'll be out of bed by the time I wake up?"
"I… wait, what? That's what you're… what you're upset about?" Sokka asked, blinking blankly. Azula's eyebrow twitched.
"Is there another reason why I ought to be upset?" she asked, plainly.
"N-not really! I mean, well, maybe. But hey, I really had hoped to be done before you woke up, and I was going to get right back under the covers with you, I mean it" Sokka said, though he sighed and hung his head afterwards "It's only, well… I got a very crazy and impulsive idea after I was woken by some thunder? Though after this, I guess it's really stupid. I'm sorry…"
"An idea…?" Azula repeated, raising an eyebrow as she finally paid attention to the paper he held against his chest.
"It's nothing! Never mind, let's go back to… hey! No need to see it, Azula, really…!"
As much as he complained, the Princess was already lunging for the secretive artwork he had hoped to protect from her: to his relief, there was a hint of a smile dancing over her lips as she clasped his hands, hoping to make him release the paper by force, if need be. She couldn't be that mad if she was smiling, right…?
"What on earth did you do now, huh?" she asked. Sokka groaned, careful not to wrinkle the paper too much as he defended himself against her.
"You'll think it's bad and dumb, s-so don't worry! I'll burn it and you'll never have to see it at all!"
"For that matter you could give it to me, and I'd burn it for you" Azula said, beaming as she continued to struggle with Sokka "Come on, why so protective…? I've already seen your haiku before, as well as your art. What could you possibly have done this time that might be worse than that, huh?"
"H-hey! You liked the haiku enough to keep them!"
"Doesn't mean they were good, I wanted to blackmail you with them, remember?" Azula smirked.
By then, her clever plan was coming to fruition: Sokka stumbled backwards over one of the steps that led to her bed, suspended on a small dais as it was. He lost his footing, managing to retain his balance clumsily for instants before falling on the untidy mattress… and his grip over the paper loosened after he landed heavily on the bed. Just the right opportunity to claim it for herself…
"No! A-Azula…!" Sokka yelped, but the Princess had caught the paper and dashed out of his reach, spreading the unfinished artwork as she turned to face the lit lantern…
She stopped walking, and she fell silent. Sokka's heart sank, and he jumped out of the bed again, despite his legs trembled now: she'd be so appalled, wouldn't she? How had he dared paint her naked without her awareness…? Oh, he was the worst, certainly the worst, and she would never forgive him for it. It was probably a terrible depiction too, wasn't it? Who was he kidding when he had hoped to depict his beloved Princess at her most inoffensive, tender state…?
"So… that's what you were up to?" Azula asked, her voice carrying that tone of deceptive calm that harbored a storm far stronger than that waging outside the room. Sokka flinched.
"I… I'm sorry. I get it, it's awful, I bet I got a thousand things wrong and it's tasteless too… I did think I could draw clothes over you, though! S-so, you know, maybe I could fix it that way…?"
"Clothes?" Azula repeated, glancing back at Sokka with an undecipherable stare. He froze and dropped his hands, falling to his knees in utter, pitiful defeat.
"You know what? Never mind. I have no excuse, and I suck at art" he said, grimacing "Go ahead, I'm ready to be punished"
"Hah, how very submissive of you" Azula smirked at last, shaking her head "Well, if you're that ready… do me a favor and climb back into bed, will you?"
Sokka sighed and nodded, following with her request. To his surprise, by the time she joined him, the artwork wasn't in her hands anymore: had she burned it so fast he hadn't even noticed? Oh, as much as he knew it couldn't be that good, he had hoped to improve on it some more… so much for his best painting yet.
"Sorry" he sighed. Azula huffed, shaking her head as she sat beside him.
"I've always told you apologies don't suit you half as well as you think they do" she said, her hands pulling at him to lie down higher on the bed. Sokka frowned but complied: what sort of punishment was this supposed to be?
"Still, I'm sorry you woke up because I wasn't with you" he said. Azula huffed.
"Do it again at any point this week and I'll have to trial myself for slave mistreatment" she said, though her voice was teasing, to his relief. He smiled weakly.
"For doing what, exactly?" he asked.
"Probably… tying a gladiator to my bed?" she said, biting her lip as she reached up to touch his chin. Sokka snorted.
"How's that mistreatment?" he asked "Are you going to use a bad rope that bites into my skin, maybe?"
"And put up with your complaints about it for years afterwards? No, thank you" Azula smirked "I have more than enough smooth and strong silk I can use to tie you up"
"Heh. Sounds good to me" Sokka chuckled "Why would you be tried for anything, then? If I find it agreeable…"
"My maids might find it most distressing to enter my room in the morning to find you in such a complicated situation, is all" Azula said, with a dramatic sigh as she angled Sokka's face from side to side. He, naturally, laughed at the scenario she was crafting for him "They'll definitely denounce me to the Enforcers, and then the Enforcers will have to keep me in custody until it's time for me to hold my own trial…"
"So very logical, huh?" Sokka said, chuckling as Azula smiled and moved down his body "What are you doing now?"
"Why, nothing you need to concern yourself with. Not after your latest stunt, anyhow" Azula said, her hands moving over his chest and abdomen – she bit her lip appreciatively, making no excuses as she caressed his muscular body.
She only stopped at his legs, flexing one carefully, while keeping the other one extended. Once that was done, she reached for his hands: she placed one over his chest, and the other beside his body, the palm facing upwards. Then she nodded approvingly and, to Sokka's confusion, she climbed off the bed again.
"Azula…?"
"Don't move, Sokka" she said, with her most menacing glare… yet he could see mischief brewing behind those clever eyes even before she smirked proudly at him.
"What…?" he said, smiling slowly as the Princess returned to the desk: to his surprise, the artwork was still there, spread, exposed and open for Azula to see "Are you trying to fix it again? Like… like you fixed my silly painting at Ty Lee's wedding?"
"I am fixing it, but not the way I did that day, no" Azula said, smiling "Stay put, or else…"
"Uh-huh, sure thing, or else…" Sokka mumbled bitterly, though he smiled and relaxed on the bed all the same.
He glanced at her often, watching her working steadily: her eyes met his on occasion, and she answered his questioning, raised eyebrows with a proud smirk every time. As late as it was, and as tired as they ought to be, Sokka wasn't quite so foolish as to misunderstand why Azula would be so adamant that he had to lie down where he was, without moving… though it was difficult to believe anyways. Could she truly be finishing his work by adding him into the picture? His heart raced just to imagine it: she did say she was fixing it in a different way than before, after all. Could it be, then…?
The anticipation kept him on the verge of jumping off the bed to glance at her work for the better part of twenty minutes: Azula rose to her feet by then, however, smiling proudly at her work.
"Much better now" she said, stepping closer as Sokka sat up briskly on the bed.
She raised the artwork, showing it to Sokka, and his racing heart was proven right – as he should've known it would be. He laughed in amazed disbelief: she hadn't changed anything about his depiction of her, only completing the parts Sokka hadn't been able to. And now the Azula he had sketched so carefully had been joined by a Sokka with loose hair, atop whom she rested most comfortably on her bed, a hand holding his, his hand delicately positioned over her back to keep her in place.
"Here I hoped you'd tweak yourself a little too" Sokka chuckled. Azula huffed.
"Whatever for?" she smiled, rolling the artwork into a light scroll "Keep this up and I might even take you up on that offer to paint me for my big Fire Lord portrait, when the time comes"
"You sure?" Sokka chuckled.
"Well… try not to draw me naked for that one" Azula said, raising an eyebrow as Sokka laughed "I mean, the idea is for future generations to gaze upon my magnificence as they stroll in the Gallery, and I don't think I want our potential future children to see naked drawings of their mother…"
"They won't" Sokka chuckled, pushing himself up to his feet to scoop Azula into a hug "I'm glad you didn't hate it, though. I should've asked if it was okay to draw that, and I shouldn't have done it when you wanted to wake up with me…"
"Well, I wasn't that mad, not really" Azula smiled "Though I will be, if you do this again. Tread lightly, gladiator, or else…"
"I know, I know, tied to your bed… frankly, I can't see the downside to that just yet, but alright" Sokka said, smirking as Azula laughed and pushed him to the bed gently.
"You'll take this home, by the way" she said, raising the closed scroll in his direction as she walked backwards, to her desk "I won't keep something so incriminating in my room. My maids don't usually go through my stuff, as far as I know, aside from my closet and laundry… but I'd rather no one finds a painting of us in such a compromising position, alright?"
"Alright, alright. We can pin it to my bedroom wall" Sokka said, beaming as he sat on the edge of the mattress. Azula had been in the middle of tucking the scroll safely into a cabinet when she whipped her head up again quickly.
"Doesn't Song usually fix your room for you…?" she asked. Sokka blinked blankly.
"Uh… true" he said, stretching across the bed with an awkward grin "Guess it's not the best idea either. Dang… well, maybe we'll have a place for it when we have our fortress in the Earth Kingdom?"
"Or maybe we should keep it in a nice, secret place so no one else can know where to look for it but us?" Azula suggested, closing the cabinet and returning to him "It seems more reasonable to me, but if you want to show off that you've been naked with me so badly…"
"I don't need to show off about that…" Sokka chuckled. Azula smirked, climbing atop him on the bed, straddling him while being in all-fours.
"Don't you, now?" she asked, leaning in and pressing a kiss to his lips "Here I thought you wanted to shout to the whole world that you loved me and always will…?"
"I already did that, didn't I?" Sokka said, with a proud smirk "I'd think it means I've showed off plenty as it is"
"Certainly" Azula smiled, dropping atop him carelessly: their bodies ever fit comfortably well together, meeting with a light slapping sound.
She kissed him again, softly at first, but when he parted his lips she took the opening as an opportunity: her hands sought his face, his hair as soft as ever when her fingers brushed through it. She sighed in bliss upon each kiss, moaning as Sokka's hands proved far more agile and mischievous than her own.
"You know…" she whispered, once they parted. Sokka hummed, kneading her left buttock gently "Your hair's getting kind of long"
"Is it?" he asked, smiling into another quick kiss "Want me to cut it? Or… do you want to cut it for me…?"
"Actually…" Azula said, pulling away just to admire him. Cleverness played in her eyes, perfectly accompanying the desire that shone through them "I like it just fine this way"
"Oh, you do?" Sokka asked, amused.
"More of your impossibly nice and soft hair to play with… or to pull while you weave your wonders upon me?" Azula asked, nudging him gently by prodding his nose with hers. Sokka snickered "Sounds like the right idea to me, husband"
They ought to have tried to fall asleep by now, but their latest artistic venture had consequences neither one could avoid: the heat in their kisses increased, even if they had meant to lie leisurely on the bed instead. Their bodies swayed together, seeking more warmth and comfort as they moaned into each other's lips.
"And you were so keen on making sure I got proper rest tonight…" Azula snickered, her brow pressed to Sokka's. He sighed guiltily, his fingers trailing gently over her cheek.
"I did want you to rest, I didn't expect I'd wake you with what I did" he whispered "It's a lot of fun to paint with you, though…"
"We ought to schedule our painting sessions for a more reasonable hour next time" Azula suggested. Sokka snorted, leaning down to nibble on her neck.
"There's not enough hours in the day for us to schedule all the things you're supposed to do, Fire Lord Azula" Sokka teased her, his lips and teeth teasing her as pleasantly as possible. Azula sighed, arching into his mouth gladly.
"True enough… maybe after this week's done, then?" she said, with a leisurely grin "Even if everything goes perfectly smoothly, we'll need some time to plan our big relocation… could be nice to work on a painting or two to pass the time and release our stress, right?"
"There's a lot of nice things we can do to release our stress…" Sokka said, and one of his hands traveled to Azula's rear anew. She smiled knowingly.
"Right… like training. Which we're supposed to do today" she said. Sokka snorted but shrugged.
"I'd say the better way to release stress is more than obvious. We were at it yesterday more times than I dare count, after all" he snickered, raising his head to steal a kiss from her lips "And I don't know about you… but I could go for another tumble right now"
"Could you, really?" Azula smiled "I don't know if we should… would we have enough time before dawn breaks?"
"Uh… beats me. Is it going to be dawn soon?" Sokka asked, frowning.
"I… think so, actually" Azula said, blinking blankly before climbing off her bed, moving towards her bedroom's nearest window.
She didn't reel back the closed curtain – it was unthinkable to do so when she was as blatantly naked as she was –, but she ventured a quick peek through them… to find the skies outside weren't black but gray. A light rain drizzled over the Palace terrains, but judging by the darkness of those clouds, chances were the storm would reignite soon.
Still, that wasn't what mattered: it was later than they realized, and as much as Azula hated to see him go, it was better if Sokka returned home now.
"I don't think the sun has risen yet, but it will soon" she said, returning to Sokka with a sad grimace "It's probably safer if you take off…"
"Eh? Not even a quickie…?" Sokka pouted. Azula snorted and chuckled "I promise I'll leave right after…!"
"One would think you've gotten no action over years, you persistent gladiator" Azula said, stopping at the edge of the bed: Sokka had taken to sitting there, his legs dangling over the side of the mattress as he gazed at Azula longingly. She took his face in her hands, caressing him gently as his head came to rest right between her breasts.
"You're sorely mistaken if you think I can ever get enough of this amazing body of yours…" Sokka groaned, pressing his face further into her chest, his arms reeling her in closer yet.
"Happily mistaken, if anything" Azula corrected him, stroking his hair "Come now, surely we'll be at it again tonight. If we need to blow off steam during the day, we can always sneak into another secret room in the Palace. And, of course, if you hurry up, you could even have breakfast with me once you come back…"
"Ah?" Sokka said, raising his head to smirk at her. Still, the smile froze on his face as he pondered that possibility "Well, I… I'd love to do that. But that means I have to run through the tunnels, all the way to my house to change into fresh clothes first…?"
"Yeah?" Azula said.
"And then run back here across the streets, in plain sight for everyone?"
"What's wrong with that?" Azula asked.
He answered wordlessly, by pulling away from Azula and gesturing at his crotch. The Princess snorted, covering her mouth with a hand as Sokka smiled awkwardly, his cheeks heating up.
"It wouldn't be the first time I can't act on my boner's whims, I know… but running around the whole city with an erection doesn't sound like fun" he said, with a sad sigh.
"Wear your waistcloth, it might conceal your package properly" Azula teased him, leaning close to press her brow to his "I'm the one who's sorry now, though. I'm pretty sure I promised I wouldn't do this sort of thing to you ever again…"
"You didn't do it intentionally, or deliberately, so I forgive you for it this time" Sokka smirked.
"Still mad about that fight, Sokka? And here I thought I'd made it up to you later…" Azula smirked, her forearms resting on his shoulders. He huffed, and he buried his face between her breasts again, groaning voraciously as Azula laughed.
"Wicked, beautiful, sensual Princess…!" he groaned, startling her when his fingers trailed mischievously over her flanks, causing her to twist unto herself and jump out from his reach: she would often let him tickle her as he pleased, but she wasn't about to let him get away with it so easily this time… and Sokka only smirked, his wiggling fingers threatening to catch her once again.
All warnings and dangers were easily forgotten when their banter overcame their common sense… and then the call back to reality would feel like a meteorite striking the ground at full speed.
Azula froze where she stood, past her bed's short dais, when she caught the sound of footsteps down her room's corridor.
That her enthusiasm would vanish so quickly told Sokka they were in danger. He leapt from the bed, waiting for Azula to react with anything other than flooring panic…
"They're too early" Azula whispered, glancing at the door "But… it's got to be my maids, Sokka"
"Shit" he said, gritting his teeth as he glanced about the room: his clothes had been left behind in a trail that led to the bathroom, and the same was true for Azula's nightgown. There was no way he'd be presentable yet, not to mention no way his presence could be excused at such early hours in Azula's room, even if he hadn't been stark-naked…
Azula dashed to the bathroom, gesturing at the carpet-hidden trapdoor: Sokka rolled the carpet as ever, but the trapdoor was closed. There was no way to open it from outside without firebending, and the only firebender nearby was in the bathroom, so…
A knock on the metal door. Sokka flinched, glancing about himself with unrestrained paranoia. Good thing Azula had locked the door last night… but he needed a place to hide, fast. Her closet was too crowded, and chances were the servants would search for her daily clothes in it… finding a naked man inside it would be terrifying. The bathroom wasn't a good idea either, they might inspect it or so: the dining room? The table wasn't that tall, and he would fit underneath it…
"Princess? Are you awake?"
Azula returned to her room to find Sokka dashing into her dining room: she raised her hands in a disbelieving gesture, her arms covered in clothes that she carried slung over her forearms, as Sokka crawled under the table. He glanced at her, once hidden under the shroud of the table's shadows in the already dark room: they had no time left, and he would be safe enough here, right? As long as he was quiet, no one should notice him…
Azula pursed her lips but rushed towards him, dropping his clothes before him so he could conceal them too. She had draped herself with her nightgown already, though it hung open, rushing to collect everything as she was.
"You have to be quiet and still, more than you ever have been, you hear me?" she hissed. Sokka groaned but nodded "Shit, I don't even understand why they're…"
"Princess, we're sorry to be so early, but the Fire Lord asked us to see to it that you woke before the sunrise!"
Zhilan's latest words brought an unbridled snarl to Azula's face. She shook her head, rolling her eyes as she rose to her feet. Well, at least she could pretend she was too tired to get up and open the door right away… which gave her enough of an opening to fix her appearance. At the very least, to cover up the countless love-bites that Sokka had left across her neck and cleavage.
She tightened the sash of her nightgown and rushed to her dresser: never before had she done such a sloppy, quick cover-up job, but she had no choice as she tried her best not to panic under Zhilan's calls. She'd spent enough time stalling that Sokka could've been safely underground by now, even… she groaned as she finished, hoping she hadn't missed any spots, and she shook her head so her loose hair would help cover her appearance further. She muffled the fire in the lantern at a distance – for it had been running ever since Sokka had started it, during his artistic spree – and finally she stopped at the door, breathing out slowly to reel her body back into control. She just had to act believably drowsy…
Azula reached for the doorknob and undid the lock, finally pulling the door open. Predictably, Zhilan stood behind it, ever shining her most insincere smiles upon Azula.
"My father ordered you to start my day earlier, then?" Azula asked, her tone resigned rather than confrontational. Zhilan's smile grew slightly more genuine for it – no sign of immediate retaliation from the Princess over being woken too early was a rather lucky break.
"Yes, we know you must be tired, but we hoped you would forgive us. It truly was his command…" Zhilan said, nodding as the servants filed into the room, as dutifully as ever.
Never before had Azula felt so self-aware in the middle of her morning routines: the servants worked as they ever did, collecting Azula's laundry, laying out her daily clothes, organizing whatever appeared to be out of place within the large bedroom… to Azula's chagrin, she had neglected to put away the ink and brush they'd used while painting earlier, but the maids merely stashed them in their proper places without asking any questions. Perhaps they thought she had stayed awake late into the night, writing reports… that is, if they even bothered pondering why the ink and brush were out of place at all.
The ones bringing her meal arrived shortly afterwards, and Azula tensed up immediately: Sokka remained hidden safely under the table, but it might help if she stood close by as well, covering him – and the clothes he hadn't even dared put on yet – from anyone's potential field of vision.
She walked to the annex dining room nonchalantly, stopping right in front of Sokka. The servants placed her breakfast tray delicately before her favored seat; Azula nodded in acknowledgement, her eyes falling upon the glass of juice she had been given: she needed to brew today's tea, but she'd only do so after the servants were gone, as she always did ever since Iroh's close call. She had no doubts she'd need her daily dose, especially after the countless excesses she'd indulged in with Sokka lately…
"Do enjoy your meal, Princess" Zhilan said, offering Azula her usual meek smile before leaving the room, followed by the rest of the servant retinue: some were empty-handed, others carried Azula's laundry. Within moments, everyone was gone, and the door was closed behind them.
Azula waited ten more seconds before sighing in relief, nearly slumping as she dropped on her chair – below her, Sokka released a breath in the same manner.
"I can't believe we got away with that" Azula said breathlessly. Sokka, despite the dangers, chuckled, pressing his face to her bare calf.
"Neither can I. How much time do we have until they return?" he asked.
"They won't come back until I've left the room" Azula said "So we won't have much cause for concern right now. Still… if we want to spend the whole day together, as planned, you still have to leave and come back, so…"
"Right" Sokka said, pressing a soft kiss to her inner thigh.
Well, that was bold and adventurous of him: Azula frowned, noticing her nightgown had ridden up when she had taken her seat, enough to expose more of her legs than she had intended. Or perhaps it was something she ought to blame on her feisty lover…?
"What do you think you're doing?" she asked, raising her eyebrows even though he couldn't possibly see her.
The low chuckle that reached her ears sent shivers down her spine: he had no right to make such erotic sounds, not when they were supposed to be busy right now. They had a whole day of serious work ahead, Azula had to be the perfect picture of royalty…
Yet here she was, spreading her legs instinctively to the man kissing them mischievously.
"Dunno what I'm doing, but you seem to like it just fine…" Sokka said, with a sing-song voice. Azula tried to muffle a moan but failed.
"Curse it, Sokka, we don't have time for this…" Azula said, her eyes falling upon her food: yes, food, it was time for breakfast. Perhaps, if she offered him some, he'd stay put…
But truthfully, did she want him to?
"I'll be quick about it, Azula" he replied, hooking his fingers around the hem of her underwear after his hands reached into her robe.
What a fool she was for raising herself slightly on the chair, enabling him to tug the intimate garment down her legs, joining his own clothes within moments. What an utter fool, slumping in her chair and exposing her soaked core for him to take…
Sokka proved his words were true: his hands stroked her legs, but his mouth found her exposed clit and he toyed with it immediately, startling the Princess that squirmed on the chair before him. He flicked at it with his tongue, swaying the nub from side to side until her scent and taste overwhelmed him: his lips wrapped around her flesh and he offered her a lengthy, slow suck that found Azula punching the table as she pressed her other fist to her mouth.
The blow on the table worried Sokka briefly – was she angry for his latest mischief? Did she really want him to stop…?
All such doubts were dispelled when her body rode lower down the chair, her legs fully spread: if he had any questions left about what she wanted, she had answered them long before he could formulate them. A devious smirk crossed his features, and he glanced at her from below before digging in once more: he flattened his tongue, running it over her folds greedily… and then he stiffened it, poking at her weakest spots with the tip. She released a breath loud and slowly over the former, and moaned pitifully while shivering against him with the latter.
Doing this at her table was so filthy… this had been her room for so long, and she usually would eat by herself in this very dining room. While she had certainly daydreamed about sharing her food with her future husband in her younger years, she definitely hadn't expected the food to go forgotten while said husband devoured her core, hands massaging her legs expertly as she hissed and groaned in response to his arousing motions. Yet, perhaps because of how unthinkable this was, she was growing just as aroused as she had been the previous day, in the Throne Room…
Oh, if this was what life would be like with Sokka once they were living in the Earth Kingdom, their relocation couldn't happen soon enough. If her breakfast had to go interrupted, she wanted it to be because of the most delightful oral sex her lover could provide her, just like this…
Her hand dropped from the table to find his luscious hair: she fisted it, urging him to close in on her clit once more, and Sokka groaned at the light yanking of his hair. One of his own hands grew more adventurous, rising over her flat belly until it reached one of her full breasts. As much as she had moaned before, now her sounds were even more careless, regardless of the hand she kept over her mouth: to hell with decorum and common sense, the warmth of Sokka's breath against her sopping wet skin was driving her mad with desire, and the teasing of his tongue pushed her to the heights of arousal she had reached so many times thanks to him. She thrusted lightly against his mouth, her body swaying in the most erotic manner Sokka had ever known, and he groaned while letting his hand travel across her body, fingers brushing off the makeup she had smeared over her many love bites. He had been far too tempted by the sight of her legs to control his impulses… but with Azula responding to his deviousness with such reckless moans and thrusts, he was growing to suspect his mischief would be rewarded with the tryst he had hoped for earlier…
"Come on, just a little higher and… ah! Yes…" Azula hissed, her lower lip trapped between her teeth as she failed to stifle her cries of pleasure: Sokka had returned to her waiting clit, sucking it in slow but powerful jerks that sent Azula's mind swimming in the sweetest of blisses. Her chest heaved, and with it, his hand did too: the more he toyed with her hardened nipples, the closer she came to her finish.
His hand, his mouth, his sensual sounds, his touch upon her thigh: all of it, paired with the absolute wrongness of the situation, shot through Azula's system as a wildfire spreading across a dry forest, her needs consuming every shred of common sense she should have been clinging to… yet she clung to his beautiful hair instead, to the strong body that nestled right between her legs. She couldn't take it anymore, not for a second…
Her latest moan heralded the brutal climax her shivering body underwent: Sokka's senses were overwhelmed by her body's reaction, and his already sizable erection only threatened to grow larger yet as he relished in his wife's desperate cries. Her body hardly could translate so much excitement, he knew… for too often, whenever he finished inside her, he would feel the same way. He remained latched to her core, his tongue venturing inside the walls that twitched pleasantly against it: her opening squeezed his tongue, and he groaned appreciatively at the light massage she offered him.
He didn't stop until he felt her core was no longer contracting delightfully: he dared glance at Azula with his typical mischief… to find her red in the face, her chest heaving, her lips puckered out as she breathed through her mouth. Her eyes were narrow too, and Sokka knew the blood would return to her head soon enough… by the time it did, she wouldn't feel as agreeable about their situation as she did right now, he suspected. Oh, but even if she was mad at him, he couldn't possibly have enough of eating her out…
The hand on his hair released him, and Azula stood up abruptly: Sokka bit his lip, anticipating the scolding of the century…
What he certainly did not expect was for the Princess to kneel before him, her eyes still dark with need. He only had an instant to register what was happening before Azula took him by surprise for the second time in a single day, diving in for a kiss that saw him falling on his back, right under the table.
"Azula…?" he whispered against her lips, and the Princess moaned against him.
"N-not enough… all your fault, too, because I was fine with waiting, but now…" she said, shaking her head "Now I'm all yours, and you're about to be mine, that's that"
"I've always been yours" Sokka smiled, and Azula cut him off from saying anything else with a new, voracious kiss.
Whatever time Azula's servants had bought for her by waking her early was wasted that morning: she returned Sokka's favor without a shred of hesitation, and he had to bite the insides of his lips to contain the many sounds that threatened to pour out of him while her lips engulfed his shaft. And while the release he had longed for should have been enough – a release she welcomed in her mouth, no less –, Sokka didn't stop there: it didn't matter how hard the floor was, or how uncomfortable it might be to lay together underneath a table, his manhood was sheathed deep inside the Princess before either of them could regain a shred of rational thought, and they kissed deeply, moaning into each other's mouths until they were well and truly spent once more.
No one suspected the crimes of passion they had committed, a few hours later, when the Princess and her gladiator were seen sparring in the Palace gardens. Guards and servants alike, marching nearby or watching them from a distance, were too far away to find anything unusual in the genuine smiles they offered each other, nor did they seem to pick up on how their behavior was lined with flirting undertones… said undertones didn't fade away once they were together in the spa, relaxing in cushions after cleaning up, barely holding back the urges to dismiss every worker and make the most of the spacious, comfortable location to find further pleasure and comfort at each other's expenses.
If this was how each morning would begin, Azula was certain being Fire Lord would be far more agreeable than she had ever anticipated. No doubt, she'd have a lot of work to do later, handling the daily petitioners and trials at noon only to head to Ozai's study right afterwards, but with Sokka's company for most of the day, she was at perfect ease with each new task before her.
Her second day as Fire Lord appeared to be another great success, as her lover napped leisurely on the study's lounge while she worked on narrowing down possible prospects for handling the slave owner trials in the future. It was as she set down the documents of the fifth promising candidate that she heard a soft knocking on the study's door.
"Come in" Azula called, her voice startling Sokka awake.
Even before the door swung open, Azula suspected the identity of this new arrival, for the guard poised outside the door would always announce her visitors: if he didn't feel the need to do so now, surely it was just another guard. And which guard would be likely to drop by, as casually as this…?
Merely one glance at the Imperial Guard that crossed the door was enough to confirm Azula's suspicions, no matter if he was clad in full uniform. Even Sokka recognized him right away, grinning awkwardly as he endeavored to sit upright, in an unnecessary attempt to appear more dignified than he was.
"Here" Rui Shi announced, without even the slightest greeting, before dropping a small box on Sokka's lap "I heard you were bored"
Azula smiled as Sokka opened the box with unabashed interest: she had asked Rui Shi to find disentanglement puzzles for Sokka earlier that day, after Sokka had complained about having nothing to do while he waited for Azula's trials and petitions to be finished. Rui Shi had been tasked with guarding the Throne Room again, and as he had time off afterwards, he had been as efficient as ever about fulfilling the Princess's request.
"Oh! Well, now…" Sokka said, eyes peeled as he studied the carved, wooden components of the puzzle.
The affection in Azula's smile was obvious, perhaps too obvious, if anything: Rui Shi stared at her pointedly until she realized his eyes were on her, and she tensed up immediately for it, her cheeks flushing. The former guard captain sighed, removing his helmet and placing it before her desk.
"What? You're not about to lecture me, after all this time…?" she asked. Rui Shi huffed.
"That you know I ought to do so speaks well of your conscience" he said, though he smirked slightly "That's not it, however. I… well, I had something to do today, at the port. That's where I found the puzzle"
"Alright" Azula said, raising her eyebrows "Strange for you to have some business in the docks, though. Is it anything I need to know?"
"Not yet. I still have more digging to do, but once I have enough information on what I'm investigating, I'll be sure to share it with you" Rui Shi said. Azula blinked blankly.
"Then… whatever you're investigating is important to me?" she asked "If so… why not share it already?"
"Because I need to be sure I won't send you on a goose chase if you pursue my leads" Rui Shi admitted "This could be a dangerous investigation, whether if I'm right in my suspicions or wrong, so… it's best if you're not involved just yet"
"Then why are you telling me about it right now?" Azula asked. Rui Shi shook his head.
"I didn't mean to tell you about this, actually" he said, biting his lip "While I was looking into this, in the harbor's Naval Coordination and Communication Office, I overheard that two navy patrol ships have failed to report their positions since yesterday. Messenger hawks have been sent to locate them, but…"
"There's no response?" Azula asked, her brow furrowing "That's…"
"Not particularly common" Rui Shi said, extending a scroll towards Azula "As I mentioned I'd be returning to the Palace, they asked me to bring you the report right away"
"And it has to happen just as I'm substituting my father. Figures" Azula said, huffing and shaking her head "Thank you for bringing this to my attention, though… your business was in the Naval Coordination and Communication Office?"
"Yes, it was…" Rui Shi said, grimacing as though to beg Azula wordlessly not to ask anything else. The Princess crooked an eyebrow.
"You're being quite mysterious as of late, Rui Shi… but thank you for being so dutiful, nonetheless" Azula said, her lips twisting into a teasing grin that faded quickly from her face "Have you heard of similar happenings before? About ships failing to report back, I mean"
"Not truly" Rui Shi said, shaking his head.
"Could it be the work of pirates?" Azula mused "Or… huh, maybe two whole ships and their crews are deserting the navy? Their timing is brilliant, if so…"
"The messenger hawks might have gotten caught up in the storms" Sokka suggested, despite being hard at work with his new acquisition – he hadn't figured out the puzzle yet, but he hoped he was well on his way towards success already "There's been a lot of those lately, right?"
"That's a thought too" Azula said, biting her lip. Rui Shi nodded.
"At any rate, you have your puzzle, and you have your report, so if you won't need me anymore…" Rui Shi said, bowing his head as Azula nodded.
"Feel free to head on home" Azula said "Say hi to Song for us"
"I will" Rui Shi said, grinning affectionately, much as Azula had earlier, at the thought of the woman he could barely wait to marry. Yet as he reached the door, thoughts of Song reminded him of the letter he had read the day before… "Uh… by the way?"
"Yes?" Azula said. Rui Shi swallowed hard, a hand already on the doorknob.
"Just… Lo and Li sent you their greetings" he said, nodding in Azula's direction before ducking out of Ozai's study.
The words couldn't have been more unexpected, but Rui Shi was gone too fast for Azula to digest them. She sat in place, blinking blankly at the closed door while Sokka tore his attention away from his puzzle as he glanced at her.
"Um… you okay?" he asked. Azula raised her eyebrows.
"I didn't know he was in touch with them, is all. Though it figures… I think they got along well, back when Lo and Li were here" Azula said, frowning as her gaze lost its way to the horizon.
"It's been a while since you last saw them, hasn't it? Your old advisors…" Sokka asked. Azula grunted softly.
"For good reason. I'm dead sure they'd never approve of us" she said, with a dry grin "Not of our public closeness, let alone of our private intimacy if they knew about it, so…"
"They were sticklers for tradition, from what you've said?" Sokka said, with a sigh "Might be all your progress and successes could have changed their views by now, don't you think?"
"I can only hope you're right about that" Azula said, smiling a little more earnestly as she opened the report Rui Shi had just delivered.
Thoughts about Lo and Li were easily dismissed in the face of the information before her, though. Azula's eyes narrowed as she studied the report thoroughly, an uneasy sensation surging in the pit of her stomach: the two missing ships had scheduled patrols in waters close to the Earth Kingdom shores, and they had failed to respond to up to three messages. Other ships near their position had reported no unusual happenings within the area… so it wasn't the product of a storm, Azula suspected, or of a shipwreck of any nature, since signs of a properly stocked and sunken ship would float over the sea for hours, if not days, afterwards.
"How bad is it?" Sokka asked softly: Azula's foreboding, tense silence had wrenched his attention away from his puzzle again. The Princess pressed her lips into a tight line for a moment before releasing a deep breath.
"It's not easy to tell" she said "The reports of many other ships near their position were positive, stating nothing's happening, so… why are those ships missing, if that's true?"
"You don't think it's some sort of messed-up spirit shenanigan, do you…?" Sokka asked. Azula sighed.
"I would have immediately dismissed that notion merely half a year ago. Life certainly takes unexpected turns rather quickly" Azula mumbled, setting down the report she had finished reading "If it's the work of spirits, I have no idea how to handle it. But if it's not… then it's the work of treasonous soldiers turning against the Fire Nation, pirates seeking profit, or maybe even rebels hi-jacking Fire Nation ships, somehow…"
"Wouldn't someone have noticed it, if rebels boarded a Fire Nation ship?" Sokka asked "There would have been a struggle…"
"And if those rebels appeared difficult to handle, the ship would have sent a distress signal for sure, requesting backup, but there's no report of any such thing" Azula said, rubbing her forehead with her fingertips "Nothing makes sense"
"Can it be an accident?" Sokka said "Could the birds have gotten lost in the storm somehow, like I said?"
"I don't know. It's not impossible, but I can't pretend that's the only explanation, especially when birds from all other ships found their way back to the Communication Office just fine" Azula said, eyeing Sokka with unease "I… I think I need to act"
"How?" Sokka asked, frowning "You don't mean you'll go out there and…?"
"No, of course not" Azula said, shaking her head as she jerked a cabinet open, drawing out a new sheet of paper "Fire Lords scarcely take action themselves, boring as it may sound… I can't be reckless and charge into battle personally unless I have no choice. But for now, I have a choice… and that is to demand for a thorough investigation of the matter"
"Ah? Sounds reasonable" Sokka said, his concern dwindling. It was rare for Azula to take caution before jumping into outright action when it came to defending the Fire Nation, but he was certainly grateful for the unusual change.
"I do hope everyone agrees with you" Azula sighed "If you're right about the birds simply losing their way, it might look like I'm a paranoid Fire Lord, but…"
"If I'm wrong, you'll look like the concerned, responsible and capable Fire Lord that you are" Sokka said, smiling reassuringly "Don't second-guess yourself over how you'll be perceived; you've never been much good at weighing how others feel about you, after all…"
"Ah, I'm not, then?" Azula asked, slightly amused: her eyes flickered at Sokka reproachfully before she focused on composing her own letter.
"Damn right you're not. Everyone loves you to pieces and you just refuse to believe it" Sokka said dramatically, prompting Azula to laugh and shake her head "Deny it all you want, you know I'm right!"
"Feel free to return to your silly puzzle whenever you like" Azula said, and Sokka smirked at her change of subject "If you keep talking, though, I'll take forever with writing this, and I don't have much time to waste…"
"Right… sorry about that" he said, smiling dryly.
He watched her quietly for a moment, giving her time to compose the letter and only speaking again once she paused, when the sheet was almost full already.
"I take it that's the investigation petition?" Sokka asked. Azula nodded "How does that work, exactly? You just ask that naval office to task someone with doing it, or…?"
"I suppose that'd be one way of doing it" Azula said, shrugging "But as things stand, I'd rather ensure my brief tenure as Fire Lord isn't marred by whatever's going on with those ships. By which mean I need to take stronger measures to deal with this than my father would, I suppose…?"
"Stronger measures?" Sokka asked, as Azula added the final touches to her letter. She breathed over the ink once she was finished "Such as…?"
"Such as delegating this very important mission to someone with enough authority and time on his hands to ensure the investigation is handled perfectly" Azula said "And of course, it doesn't hurt one bit if that person owes you a few favors, and has been hoping to stay on your good side for the past years, so he ought to be most determined to fulfill this mission successfully…"
"You mean…?" Sokka blinked blankly as the implications of Azula's words dawned upon him. The Princess flashed him a quick smile after rolling her letter into a scroll.
"Mind keeping me company as I send this letter?" she asked.
As perplexed as he was by the situation, Sokka smiled, easily convinced Azula was handling this sudden crisis in the best way possible. He was on his feet within seconds, and he pressed a quick kiss to Azula's cheek before the two of them set out to the Royal Messengers' Office…
The onions had to be chopped finely – she wiped the tears with the back of her hand but kept working regardless –, then poured over the oil in the heated frying pan. Afterwards, the blended eggs, and then she would add the herbs, the final touch for her omelets. As long as she blended them just right, the consistency would be perfect, and perhaps he would even praise her prowess… though she had a lot left to learn, that was for sure. After all this time, she wasn't skilled enough to roll the cooked omelet unto itself, turning it into the Fire Nation-favorite omelet in squared form… but perhaps one day, if she kept trying. Nailing the taste was the starting point, then the consistency, and the rest of the technique would follow…
She was almost finished cooking the omelet when she heard the sound of flapping wings and rustling feathers in the kitchen's largest window: she had shrieked the first time it had happened, never having seen a messenger hawk until she had come to live in this estate, but after all these years, Rei had grown used to their impromptu visits. She raised her head quickly, her dark bangs swaying as she assessed the creature on the windowsill, and she smiled at it in what she hoped might be a reassuring gesture before removing the frying pan from the fire, once the omelet was perfectly golden. Would the hawk understand the meaning of her actions, of her smile…? Their job was to carry messages all across the world, so Rei wouldn't be surprised if their intellect were far superior than her own… yet she wasn't sure that meant the birds could understand and interpret human expressions and emotions, rather than only simple instructions…
"Sorry I kept you waiting" she told the hawk, pinching a chunk of bread and offering it as a reward to the bird once she reached it "You can rest with us for a bit, if you like. I'll get you some water too, if you need it…"
Her hands found the container strapped to the hawk's back: the creature, busy eating the bread it had been offered, was completely unconcerned as Rei retrieved the message successfully. Yet…
"A black ribbon?" she said, her eyes large and wary. There were many things she didn't know or understand, even now… but she certainly had learned that black ribbons were urgent messages, to be delivered immediately, for they typically came directly from the Fire Lord.
Often such messages were delivered by actual people, in Rei's experience… so perhaps this was so urgent that even a man in a carriage wouldn't possibly travel as fast as a messenger hawk would. And whatever the contents of the message might be…
"He won't be home for dinner" Rei concluded, sighing and hanging her head.
Yet her eagerness for approval couldn't possibly outrank the importance of the Fire Lord's decrees, she knew so by heart. Even before moving here, almost three years ago, Rei had known better than to call attention to herself in her previous home. She would be a fool to jeopardize her current stability over attention tantrums worthy of a child… so she shook her head with determination and started on her way to the dining room, the still-closed message safe in her hands.
"Ah, Rei. Is dinner finished yet?"
Admiral Zhao's deep voice could be soothing when he was in good spirits, and Rei grinned upon identifying that was the case right now. Perhaps the message would dampen his mood, she knew… but knowing he had looked forward to eating the meal she had prepared was enough for her.
"Almost. But a messenger hawk arrived just now… from the Palace, I believe" she said, bowing her head respectfully towards the Admiral and offering him the elegant scroll.
Leisure days were more common for Zhao lately than they ever had been, and he had kept busy reading while he waited for dinner to be prepared… yet those simple moments were often interrupted in the bluntest manner, usually if Ozai demanded his presence, whether for important or trivial matters alike. Yet it couldn't be Ozai this time, for he knew his old friend was taking a short vacation for this week… and he had asked Zhao to stay alert, in case his substitute required his support in any way.
If he weren't staring at the black-ribbon message with his very own eyes, Zhao wouldn't believe for a moment that Azula would ever request his assistance or presence in the Palace. He had been certain the Princess wouldn't want to call on him, most of all to prove her worth and mettle to her father… whatever the cause for her message, Zhao was dead-certain it couldn't possibly be a whim.
"Is… is everything alright?" Rei asked, her head tilted slightly to the side.
"I doubt it, actually" Zhao replied, taking the letter at last and spreading it open quickly.
Rei waited patiently for him to finish reading the letter's contents: perhaps she should package his dinner for him, and he could eat it on the way to the Palace? It would be healthier than not eating at all…
The ease in Zhao's countenance faded gradually until there was no sign left of it within moments. In turn, Rei's own relaxation vanished, replaced by dread: what was it now? Would he need to travel north again? Oh, she deeply hoped not…
"I… I'm afraid I can't stay for dinner, Rei. My apologies" Zhao said, gritting his teeth and pushing himself to his feet. Rei's breath caught in her throat.
"Y-you can eat on your way there, if you like. I could…" she suggested, her voice small.
It was a relief that he spared a sympathetic smile at her… but she could read it easily enough: it wasn't just sympathy, that grin was lined with remorse. Oh, well… she had tried, at least.
"I'm sure it was a grand meal. I'll finish this tedious business as fast as possible so I may enjoy your cooking again soon" he said. Rei raised her eyebrows.
"You'll have to stay in the Palace…?"
"Not necessarily the Palace" Zhao said, sighing and shaking his head "I'm afraid I might be on my way to several sleepless nights, but it's of no matter…"
"Perhaps… you can sleep on your way there?" Rei suggested. Zhao shrugged.
"It's a thought" he said, nodding towards her "I'll be back soon. Keep all doors locked until I return"
"I will" Rei said, bowing her head in his direction as he started towards the dining room's exit "Good luck!"
Zhao cast one more reassuring grin at her before dashing down the corridor at haste. Taking off at dinnertime left a sour taste in his mouth that had nothing to do with being hungry… but Rei understood. As far as he could tell, Rei was the most understanding being alive, albeit he had no idea where such an agreeable trait had come from. She certainly didn't take after him, let alone after her mother…
But while he certainly felt guilty for leaving Rei over such a sudden mission, what Azula had written in her letter was deeply unsettling. It wasn't unheard of for ships to break protocol on occasion, breaking formation by mistake or failing to reply to messages sporadically… but there was no sign of the missing ships. All attempts to communicate had failed to receive a reply. Nothing indicated a shipwreck, either…
He deeply hoped the explanation would be simple and easy, that whatever had plagued those ships was so menial it wouldn't be worth reporting to Ozai, once he returned. Yet the strange, mysterious circumstances of their disappearances were quick to convince him that this was far from a casual happenstance, and that the Princess had contacted him implied she suspected the same thing.
Zhao's estate only had one permanent servant, Rei: the only other man in Zhao's employee, Taoliang, didn't live in the estate and was often free to spend his days working other jobs, only tasked with driving the Admiral's personal carriage and keeping the dragon moose well fed and ready to go whenever it was needed. As it was dinner time, fortunately, Zhao wouldn't need to send word to the man to get him to come to the estate: he was already there, only recently finished with feeding the dragon moose, when Zhao announced he needed him to drive him someplace.
"Where to, Admiral?" the young man asked, as he prepared the carriage, guiding the dragon moose to the front of the vehicle. Zhao sighed, reaching to open the door on his own, his eyes unfocused.
"The Fire Nation Palace. At haste, if you would" he said "I'd rather arrive before midnight. We're not getting much rest tonight, Taoliang"
Taoliang nodded, working quickly to fasten the dragon moose to the carriage while Zhao climbed aboard, his brow heavily furrowed, accentuating the wrinkles of his forehead. Oh, to think he had hoped for one week of respite from all duties to royals, regardless of whether those duties were casual or important… and now it appeared he would be dealing with his second serious emergency since returning from the North Pole.
Well, so be it. It wouldn't be all that easy to investigate and unravel whatever was happening in the Fire Nation's seas, but he would endeavor to prove successful at his newest task. Perhaps the safety of the Nation wouldn't hinge on his performance… he certainly hoped it wouldn't come to that. But if it did, he had no intentions of letting the Princess down. He had done more than enough of that in the past, and he had meant to avoid making any more mistakes of the sort in the future.
Zhao breathed deeply, already pondering how to handle the investigation he had been tasked with, as he waited until the carriage wheels began turning: the powerful dragon moose trotted at haste, guiding his vehicle as promptly as possible to the Fire Nation Capital.