To provide her guests with some privacy, the herbalist decided to adequate another pavilion for their use. The travelers helped her with the endeavor, and by the end of it, the herbalist was merely directing them so they could furnish the pavilion with everything the three of them might need through the night. The older woman bade them farewell once she had given them all they might need, and Miyuki brushed against Sokka's calf again before following her owner to their own pavilion.
Azula regarded the old, thin futons with uncertainty, trying to find some relief, as usual, by reminding herself that she'd done a lot worse while she had been stuck in the forest with Sokka. Despite the futons looked old and uncomfortable, she could conciliate her sleep there, if she was lucky. The two men with her, naturally, had little reservations over the sleeping arrangements.
"Well, we have a roof over our heads. It's a good start," said Rui Shi, setting down their luggage close to the futons and standing upright to analyze the pavilion. "It will be odd to sleep amid plants, but you two aren't strangers to that, are you?"
"Not entirely," Azula admitted, sighing. Rui Shi looked at her with uncertainty.
"How's the battle?" he asked. She stopped worrying about herself right away.
"Earthbenders joined the fray, but everything seems to be unchanged," Azula told him. "There's not a lot of news, no casualties from our side so far. Not sure if there's any on their side either, no idea if the ones who got shot were either killed or injured…"
"It sounds like a very counterproductive fight for both sides," said Rui Shi, gritting his teeth.
"Who knows how long this will drag on, at this rate," Sokka said, crossing his arms in deep thought. "Do you think we'll be able to return tomorrow?"
"To the Stronghold? I doubt it", said Azula. "We have to decide what we'll do, though. Staying here isn't wise. This woman didn't seem to be dishonest, but I don't think it'd be wise to trust strangers so blindly. Staying anywhere for over one day isn't a good idea, especially when we're attempting to disguise ourselves…"
"I suppose we'll continue to pretend we're married?" Rui Shi asked. Azula nodded and he sighed before looking at Sokka apologetically. "You'll forgive me one day, I hope."
"Eh, it's not your fault…" said Sokka, waving a hand as to not give the matter importance, but the scowl on his face said enough about how displeased he was about it.
"At any rate, we do need to choose a course of action as fast as possible," said Azula, frowning. "Do we want to do as Shinu demanded, and stay as far from this conflict as possible…?"
"Truth be told, Princess…" said Rui Shi, breathing deeply and lowering his head. "It will be your decision."
Azula raised her eyebrows, staring at him in confusion. Even Sokka was surprised by this display of submissiveness from the Captain.
"What's that supposed to mean?" she asked. Rui Shi swallowed hard.
"I certainly agreed with the Colonel over holding your safety as a priority, but it may not have been the best decision after all. Truth is, with Jeong Jeong on the loose like this, we're all quite panicked and acting rashly. We might need your insight and strategic mind now more than ever."
Sokka raised his eyebrows and smiled approvingly. Azula was wide-eyed, regarding at a blushing Rui Shi with disbelief now.
"So, you're saying you're… you're going to do whatever I believe is best, regardless if it's a good idea or not?" she asked. Rui Shi nodded. "So, if I decide I'll elope with Sokka, live with him in some Earth Kingdom village and forget about Jeong Jeong and all my responsibilities, you'll gladly encourage us to do so?"
"I… please don't do that," said Rui Shi, his eyes widening in horror. Azula smirked and laughed softly.
"I merely tease, Captain. You should know I'd never dare do that," she said. "Forgetting about Jeong Jeong, that is. The eloping part, on the other hand…"
"Oh, if you'll do it at least do me the courtesy of not telling me about it. I'm better off not knowing," said Rui Shi, sighing and shaking his head while Sokka beamed in joy. Azula chuckled.
"You won't find out, then. Promised thing," she said. "But if you truly think I'm somehow wiser than Shinu, and you are willing to trust that I'll make the right decision… can I see that map?"
Rui Shi nodded and handed it to her. Azula opened it and remained silent briefly: the two men kept their eyes on her as she pondered the situation, her brow furrowed. The anticipation over her decision only increased as she took a deep breath before speaking her mind.
"Returning to the Stronghold is ruled out, since chances are that their attack against it was just a decoy. We'll only get in the way, and we'll be no more help in there than out here. Staying here is the wrong idea, too: from our current position, our movements are a lot more limited than they would be if only we had Xin Long with us… but as we don't, and as we destroyed the boat that got us here, our only choice to get out somehow is by taking one of the ferries down at the crossing in Harbor Town…"
"Where would we go after we cross, though?" Sokka asked, raising his eyebrows. "Yu Dao?"
Azula bit her lower lip and looked at them both. Rui Shi sighed and Sokka nodded in understanding.
"If your suspicions about Yu Dao are correct, they might have already delivered all the damage they intended to," said Rui Shi.
"Hopefully not. The men stationed there were aware of the dangers, so their people shouldn't be rendered completely helpless," said Azula. "I mostly want to make sure the city is safe. Knowing as much might appease my worries, at the very least. Aside from that, if Sokka's theory is right and they're after me, we shouldn't stay put in a single place, right? It would allow them to catch up to us far more easily. If we keep changing locations unpredictably, any attempts to capture me will likely fail."
"But… what if they have been searching Yu Dao for you already?" asked Rui Shi. "Would it be wise to go back there now?"
"Why not? If they're looking for me in Yu Dao right now, they're likely to assume, quite wrongly, that I left the city with no intentions to return," she said. "When you're looking for something, you don't tend to look twice in the same place. And if they decide to look again after we return, we'll be ready for them with a perfect ambush."
"If we're fortunate, it shall be as you say," said Rui Shi, breathing deeply. "So, Yu Dao, then?"
"We could be of more use there than anywhere else," said Azula. "It won't be a short trip, I'm aware, but it's the best place to go right now, I feel. We'll use known roads, stop at villages wherever we can… so it won't be quite as bad as the last hiking trip we took in this continent."
"Sounds like it might even be fun," said Sokka, smiling at her as she addressed the last sentence towards him. "Though, I guess we'll need more than just a fake backstory to keep people from recognizing us, won't we?"
"We should come up with fake names, too," said Rui Shi. "You two are well known public figures, you can't expect to hide behind your real names when we're trying not to be identified."
"And we should ask the herbalist for any clothes she might have to spare," said Azula. "It won't be easy to blend in as Earth Kingdom people, but we need to try, at the very least."
"Agreed," said Rui Shi, sighing. "I'll do that by morning, then."
"Hopefully she'll find something we can wear," said Sokka, biting his lip before moving to the pavilion door. "In the meantime, I think I'll take the first shift and…"
"First shift?" Azula asked, looking at him questioningly. Sokka froze on the threshold.
"W-well, I figured… yeah, the herbalist seemed fine, and her cat's very nice, but someone should be on the lookout in case anyone less friendly approaches," said Sokka. "On top of that, we should keep an eye on what's happening in the Stronghold, even at a distance… if anything strange seemed to happen we could alert you so you can connect with Xin Long and tell us what's going on, right?"
"Right, but… for that matter, I should be the one keeping watch," said Azula. "I'm the one who can actually see what's happening there…"
"You're also the most important member of our group, though, and the one who should be better rested," said Sokka, smiling and approaching her. "I know it may not be much consolation to leave me watching instead of doing it yourself, but you need to sleep."
"So do you," said Azula, looking at him reproachfully.
"He'll get his rest," said Rui Shi, sighing. "He's not taking that first shift. I am."
"Woah, wait, what?" Sokka's eyes widened as he looked at Rui Shi. The man nodded in his direction.
"As a Royal Guard I'm well trained to be effective and efficient even with as little as two hours of sleep in the course of three days. I'll take the first shift, you can take over when I decide to rest."
"But you don't have to…" said Sokka, looking at him with disbelief.
"I beg to differ," he said, hanging his head. Sokka raised an eyebrow. "As the man of honor I am, it would seem unbefitting of me to allow this affair between my wife and servant to continue. But seeing how she seems to crave you, for no reason I can understand…"
"What the…?! Rui Shi!" Sokka said, blushing and glancing at Azula, who smirked at Rui Shi's unexpected reasoning. The guard released a melodramatic sigh and looked at the gladiator judgmentally.
"Don't go overboard, of course. If you get too obvious about your affair, I might give you a beating, servant. But I'll give you some privacy in the meantime. Just for now, though," said Rui Shi, lifting a menacing finger in Sokka's direction before turning to the pavilion's threshold.
"Are you kidding me?" Sokka said, a disbelieving smile spreading over his face. Rui Shi smiled weakly and left with nothing more to say. The fabric covering the doorway fell back into place after he slid through it. "Did Rui Shi seriously just joke around with us? I mean… did he really?"
"Seems like it. Maybe becoming a husband gave birth to his sense of humor," said Azula, chuckling as Sokka rolled his eyes.
"Well, putting aside all matters of him being your fake husband, it was very nice of him to give us some time alone, I'll say," he said, stepping closer to her and smiling gently. "I'm surprised he did it at all."
"So am I, but I'm not complaining," said Azula, embracing his waist and pressing her face to his chest. "It feels like ages ago since we last spent a night together, doesn't it?"
"Yeah… I miss that," Sokka whispered, kissing her temples and squeezing her tight too. "Though… I guess, if just for his sake, we should settle with just resting, right?"
"This place is horribly quiet," said Azula, as she separated from Sokka and leaned down to push her futon closer to his. "I have the unpleasant feeling that the weakest moan either of us utters will be heard all the way to the Stronghold…"
"It's not impossible," said Sokka, chuckling. "If Miyuki hears it, she might try to check on us, huh?"
"Oh, that poor cat would be devastated to find her beloved Sokka already belongs with someone else," said Azula, smirking and clasping his hand before dropping on their respective futons.
The thin mattresses were as close together as they could be, enabling them to sleep comfortably wrapped around each other. With the covers overlapping on top of them both, Azula had wormed her way to Sokka's side, making him laugh as she surrounded him with arms and legs.
"There. Now you're not escaping, servant…" she hissed in his ear. A pleasant thrill ran over Sokka's back, and he smirked at her.
"You know, if you start saying stuff like that, I may end up making you moan pretty loudly, and last thing I knew, you didn't want to do that…" he said. Azula snorted.
"Why would I be the one moaning? You might be the embarrassingly loud one this time, for all you know," she said, smirking playfully. Sokka laughed, pressing his forehead to hers once he had turned to face her.
"Either way, your Captain of the Guards might commit suicide out of dishonor and disgust after hearing us, I'm afraid," said Sokka, with a weak smirk. Azula snorted.
"Disgust? Why, he'd have very poor taste if that's how he'd feel. We're surely the most attractive pair ever to walk this world," she said, proudly. Sokka laughed, his easy smile as infectious as ever.
"His disgust would be over the unspeakable things we do to each other, silly, not about how hot we are," he said, smirking. "If attractiveness were the problem, there'd be no problem. Unless, of course, the problem is that we're too hot for him to wrap his mind around it?"
"I'm afraid that's likely the case," said Azula, laughing and kissing him softly. "But alas, he did let us go to sleep together, knowing full well that we're likely to be anything but innocent… I guess we can cut that hopeless husband of mine some slack, huh?"
"He sure cares about you, letting you sleep with me just to make sure you're happy," said Sokka, poking her nose with his. Azula snorted.
"Still playing around, or do you really mean that?" she asked. Sokka shrugged.
"It's not really just a joke, but it works for the joke too, right? Our reality is a little weird and jumbled right now, isn't it?" he said.
"Indeed, so weird we even need to come up with new names for ourselves," said Azula, biting her lip and eyeing Sokka with uncertainty. "Have any laughable ideas yet?"
"Why would they be laughable?" Sokka asked, affronted. Azula couldn't hold back the chuckles and he pouted. "Unbelievable. I haven't even said anything and you're already laughing!"
"See, that's how laughable they are," said Azula, pressing against him and smiling. Sokka rolled his eyes, caressing her hair gently.
"Well, then, if you're so much better at this than I am, do tell, Princess… do you have a fake name for yourself yet?"
"I guess I haven't really pondered it but… I suppose one like Jing could work. It's not mundane, but it's also clearly not related to Fire Nation royalty. It should serve me well."
"Jing, then? Princess Jing?" Sokka asked, smirking teasingly.
"You can't call me Princess anymore, Sokka," she said, staring at him matter-of-factly. "It's just Jing, at least until we get back to Yu Dao."
"That's going to take forever, though. I'll miss saying your real name," he said, biting his lip and smiling while tracing her jawline with his fingertips. Azula smiled.
"How about you, then? No ideas yet?"
"Uh, well… if you think we should go for something classy, but not too Fire Nation-y, then how about… ummm, Wentai!"
"Wentai?" Azula repeated, raising an eyebrow. Sokka beamed.
"Sounds like the name of a great warrior," he said. Azula frowned.
"Sounds slightly royal to me. Maybe there was an Earth Kingdom monarch called Wentai…?" she said, raising an eyebrow. "Oh, well, I can't remember. Still, are you sure? It's not the most…"
"The most servant-y name?" Sokka asked, pouting. Azula raised her eyebrows.
"Must you add that weird suffix to everything?" she asked, smirking. Sokka beamed and nodded.
"I guess you're too Princess-y to approve of my speech pattern, but you're not supposed to be a royal anymore, remember?" he said, wiggling his eyebrows and smirking widely. Azula laughed and pressed her head to his chest.
"Why are you so ridiculous, damn it?" she said, smiling and huddling closer to him. "Stop making me laugh so easily. It's not fair…"
"Why is it unfair? Don't like being happy, Princess?" Sokka asked, stroking her hair.
"Not when I don't know if my nation's in danger, truth be told…" she said, losing her smile quickly as she clutched his clothes a little tighter.
Sokka was startled by the sudden shift in the conversation, but he only continued to caress her hair while watching her with concern. She had abandoned herself to the easy joy he always gave her, forgetting briefly about the confusing and mysterious circumstances that had brought them here in the first place.
"Do you think Yu Dao will be okay?" she asked. "I made sure most the soldiers positioned there would stay in the city, but… I don't know, I don't feel comfortable about what's happening. Maybe it's because of what Rui Shi said, and it's just that Jeong Jeong gets everyone on edge…"
"He's another firebending prodigy, and a military genius too, was it?" Sokka whispered, sighing. "But so are you, you know. Our crazy, unpredictable movements may get him off our trail if he's after you…"
"We do keep making weird decisions he may have trouble anticipating," said Azula, caressing his chest. "But what if he's really after Yu Dao? What if… what if we're too late?"
"There's no point in thinking that way," said Sokka, kissing the top of her head. "Trust your soldiers, Azula. Trust the men who were trained to keep their people safe. You can't win every battle single-handedly, but you might win them all if you choose the right people to fight them with you."
"Huh. I guess that's true," said Azula, smiling and lifting her gaze to find his. "And not just for the battlefield, huh?"
Sokka beamed and nodded, his forehead against hers again. Her fingertips trailed his face gently before she pressed a soft kiss to his lips.
"I did choose the right gladiator, no doubt," she said. "And the right Royal Guards, too. So… hopefully the men my father chose to take care of Yu Dao's security will have done their jobs properly. Hopefully…"
"Yeah," said Sokka, with another kiss to her brow. "They'll do their best, I'm sure. And if the crisis is still ongoing once we get there, we'll show them how unstoppable we are together. What do you say?"
"What do I say?" said Azula, smirking. "I'd gladly fight by your side, dummy. If anything, we should do that more often instead of fighting each other all the time. But you're so used to fighting against me that you can't seem to stop, huh?"
"Ah, I can stop, I just didn't want to before," said Sokka, chuckling. "I promise I will stop trying to fight you until this mess is over. After that, though…"
"Oh? So I should expect absolute obedience from you for the time being?" Azula asked, amused. Sokka smiled guiltily. "Why, I certainly wonder how that's going to work out for you, rebellious servant Wentai…"
"We'll find out soon enough, Lady Jing," he said, smirking and kissing her again.
Their lips continued to seek the other's until they finally fell asleep. Even then, their faces were scarcely inches apart, and their arms remained tightly locked around the other through the night. It was why she stirred as well when Sokka felt a hand on his shoulder, shaking him gently to let him know that his shift was up now.
"I'm going, I'm going…" Sokka told Rui Shi, struggling a little under Azula's tight grip. He smiled and kissed her brow, upon which Rui Shi returned to the pavilion's entrance, guessing he should give them a little more privacy briefly. "Uh, Azula? You won't let me go?"
She groaned but relented, though it seemed she did it very unwillingly. Sokka smiled as she settled on the futon again, lying on her side with a small frown on her face. He caressed a strand of hair that fell over her forehead, tucking it behind her ear.
"See you in a bit," he whispered, before standing up and making his way to where Rui Shi stood.
"She's clingier than I expected," said Rui Shi. "I figured the one who didn't know how to let go of her for ten seconds was you, not her."
"I don't know how, though, make no mistake," said Sokka, smiling at him.
"I won't need much sleep, I think," said Rui Shi. "But at any rate, not a lot has happened so far out there. The blue fire blasts I saw were still coming from the same direction, so the dragon has stayed with the Stronghold all along. They've been fighting for most the night, looks like, but there's been no noticeable changes."
"Alright then," said Sokka, nodding and patting Rui Shi's shoulder. "Go sleep, pal. I've got this."
Rui Shi nodded and made his way to the free futon: Azula was hogging up the two mattresses she and Sokka had used. The sight of her sleeping made the gladiator smile again before he stepped out into the night, walking as silently as he could and sitting down near the long flights of stairs, from where he could watch the Stronghold easily.
Sokka sat cross-legged at the Institute's entrance, crossing his arms too to retain his warmth. A mild but cold breeze was blowing through the mountain, and although it was already spring, it still chilled him to the bone. He believed they had packed some thicker outerwear than the black cloak he had wrapped around his body, but he decided not to fetch it. He didn't want to take his eyes off the Stronghold for a second, even if the battle wasn't too eventful right now.
The sky grew lighter slowly and birds chirped as the sun rose behind him. Staring down at the Stronghold became easier now, but Sokka found there wasn't much to report even with enhanced lighting. He could see shapes on the mountains still, and flaming arrows flew from side to side now and again, but earthbenders protected the men in the hills just as the metal walls and Xin Long did it for those in the Stronghold.
A soft meow surprised him when the sun's warm rays finally reached him. Sokka smiled down at Miyuki, who brushed against his thigh, her tail upright.
"Hey there. Slept okay, Miyuki?" he asked, scratching the top of her head. She pressed her head to his palm, her soft hairs pleasant to the touch. "Good to know. Want to keep watch with me?"
The cat stayed next to Sokka as the morning went by, until she decided to climb on his lap instead. She kept purring, and Sokka smiled as he kept stroking her fur.
"Don't you think you and your owner should try to, I dunno, repopulate this place? Get new herbalists to work here?" he asked. "Looks like too cool a place to let it die down. Maybe I should tell A-… Jing to do something about it. Who knows? Maybe new people interested in herbs could come join you all. Then you'll have lots of new friends who can pet you, huh? How does that sound?"
Miyuki meowed again and Sokka smiled fondly. He could get used to the cat, although he knew he wasn't going to. They would be gone today, off to Yu Dao, if the Stronghold's condition didn't change in the next few hours. He still hoped Miyuki would find new friends sometime soon, though. It seemed both her and the herbalist were rather lonely in this mountain on their own.
The rustle of the pavilion's curtain, as well as the sudden sound of footsteps behind him alerted Sokka that he wasn't alone with the cat anymore. But he recognized that walking rhythm immediately… he smiled as the sounds came closer, and his grin only widened when he felt two familiar arms wrapping around his chest.
"Morning, Jing," he said, teasingly.
"You're up too early for your standards, Wentai," she replied, kissing his cheek softly. Sokka sighed in bliss. "I'd rather have woken up next to you, truth be told…"
"It was my shift," said Sokka, sighing. "Couldn't give Rui Shi the slip when he worked so hard, now, could I?"
"Of course not," said Azula, tightening her grip around him. "But you could've woken me so I could join you from the start. It's not fun sleeping without you when you're not that far away…"
"Haven't we been doing that for the last month or so, Princess?" he whispered. She sighed.
"We have. It's a waste to do it for longer, though, isn't it?" she asked, caressing his arm gently. She frowned when she caught sight of the puffy white tail moving lazily on Sokka's lap. "Well, I'll be damned. I have serious competition, now, don't I?"
"Now, Miyuki just wants friends," said Sokka, chuckling. "Besides, you're married to Rui Shi! Isn't my competition a lot harder to beat than yours?"
"Not true. She's a fluffy cat, you're clearly as taken with her as she is with you," she said, smiling and stroking Miyuki's back gently. "Whereas Rui Shi is, uh, an 'emotionally unavailable' husband…?"
"You're trying too hard to find excuses not to love him, Jing," Sokka said, teasingly. Azula chuckled.
"Is it that obvious?"
"He's a better husband than you give him credit for, really. He lets you sleep around with the likes of me, doesn't he…?" said Sokka, looking at her furtively. Azula smirked.
"Aren't I lucky he's so understanding of my needs and desires," she said, closing her eyes and relaxing against Sokka. He beamed and kissed her brow.
"We both are, I think," he said, their foreheads pressed together. "Shouldn't you sleep a little longer? It's pretty early…"
"I can't really rest more, I'm already too active," she said, sighing. "Nothing's happened, though. I've seen through Xin Long, and he's tired…"
"Yeah, he went to rest on the other end of the fortress," Sokka said, pointing at him. "It wasn't that easy to spot him until dawn broke, but now it's clear he's there…"
"Those useless minions of Jeong Jeong's…" Azula grunted. "If we ignored them, we'd achieve the same results. Shinu prepared for a major assault to no avail."
"It'd be too risky to send Xin Long to scout the terrains behind the mountains, wouldn't it?" Sokka said. Azula nodded.
"If they've developed any traps for him, they'd catch him easily if he leaves the safety of the Stronghold. I don't want to risk that," she said. "So… the situation remains unchanged."
"Looks like it," said Sokka, sighing too. "So, we're still going to Yu Dao on foot?"
"We're still going to Yu Dao on foot," said Azula, caressing his chest and kissing the side of his neck. Sokka shivered in pleasure, having missed the feel of her lips over his body like that. "We'd best prepare ourselves mentally for that, right?"
"I guess so," he replied, with a weak grin.
Azula leaned closer, pressing a gentle kiss on his lips. Sokka crooked his head back, angling himself to kiss her properly without disturbing the cat on his lap, but he found it hard to focus on petting her when his entire attention was taken by the Princess behind him.
His free hand reached up to cup her face as he intensified the kiss, finally tearing his eyes off the battlefield just to dedicate himself to her. She rewarded him for it, caressing the back of his neck gently, her other hand on his strong chest.
He didn't want to let her pull away, but she did anyways, smiling as she pressed her
forehead to his. Sokka smiled at her.
"Now it really is a good morning," he said. Her smile widened and she kissed him one more time before standing up again, releasing him from her grip. "And now it's bad again. Where are you going…?"
His pout and insistent stare made her chuckle softly. She mussed his hair, most the strands coming out of his wolf's tail as she did.
"I have the feeling the herbalist will wake soon. I doubt she sleeps in a lot, some plants might need early morning care," said Azula. Sokka sighed. "So I'd rather she doesn't catch us like that, don't you think?"
"Well, here I thought you'd realize Miyuki has already seen us," said Sokka, pouting still. "How'd you know she won't tell the herbalist, huh?"
"… You're kidding me, aren't you?" said Azula, an eyebrow twitching. Sokka smiled mischievously.
"Hey, if she has some crazy epic bond with her cat like you do with your dragon, she might just find out through her," he said, pointing at Miyuki on his lap. The cat's green eyes were on Azula now, though given her expression she merely wanted the Princess to pet her too.
"Right. Because the herbalist offered her herbs to the cat and that's how she bonded with her, right?" Azula asked. Sokka nodded. "Do you ever consider not being ridiculous for a day or two? Just for a change?"
"That'd be too boring, Princess, and you know it," he said, smirking. She smiled and shook her head.
"You're unbelievable," she said, focusing on the Stronghold again as the breeze picked up, playing with the dark strands of her hair.
She bit her lip when she noticed Sokka's gaze still lingered on her. She stared back at him and he smiled goofily, as he often did.
"What?" she said. He beamed.
"You're beautiful."
The statement wasn't what surprised her, but rather, the ease and happy earnestness with which he spoke it. She felt the blood rushing to her face, her heart racing as she looked at the man who was as taken with her as she was with him.
"That's… true, but still," she said, stubbornly. Sokka chuckled. "Probably hold back from saying that while we travel, alright?"
"It's fine if only Miyuki hears, though, isn't it?" said Sokka. "She can't possibly have a mental bond with her owner like yours and Xin's, right…?"
"Stop messing with me, gladiator," said Azula, with a smirk. Sokka chuckled as Miyuki meowed, lifting her head towards him.
"Yes, yes, you're beautiful too, no need to be jealous…" he said, stroking her fur gently again, to the cat's satisfaction.
Azula smiled as she watched him with the cat, but she turned her eyes to the Stronghold again. She could see Xin Long down there, and sense his uneasy resting through her bond with him. He had sustained no injuries so far, protected by his armor and the thickness of his scales. He hadn't paid much attention to the orders the soldiers had shouted back and forth, so he had no knowledge of the current circumstances, but Jeong Jeong's men didn't seem prepared to attack the Stronghold with more power so far. Keeping them in check there was necessary, though, albeit a dangerous gamble: were the Stronghold's soldiers needed elsewhere? It was what Azula meant to discover once they reached Yu Dao. The trip shouldn't take over five days, if her calculations were correct. She only hoped to come across no setbacks along the way, so they could reach their destination as soon as possible.
The herbalist fetched them for breakfast around midmorning, and only then did Miyuki climb off Sokka's lap. Rui Shi had already entered the herbalist's pavilion, and despite he hadn't gotten a lot of rest he didn't look tired. His soldier training had been as effective in building up his resistance as he had claimed it was.
"You mean to leave today? Well, that's quick," the herbalist asked, though she didn't seem either too disappointed or too eager to see them leave. If anything, it was apparent she was used to seeing people coming and going all the time.
"We won't impose on you much longer," said Rui Shi, bowing his head towards her. "Thank you for your generosity. Name your price and we shall pay as much as you wish for your services."
"Well, well, we'll talk business after the meal or else you'll have trouble digesting it." said the herbalist, chuckling. Sokka raised an eyebrow.
"But… digestion happens after you eat, so shouldn't it cause more trouble to talk business afterwards…?"
"Oh, don't be so nitpicky, boy," said the herbalist, waving a hand in Sokka's direction. His eyebrow twitched as Azula smiled.
"We do have some last-minute requests to make, though," said Rui Shi. "Do you happen to have any clothes to spare? As much as we're well packed, we may not have enough clothes for the journey ahead of us…"
"Oh. You'll need more, then?" said the herbalist, looking at him with uncertainty. "Why, I don't know if there's much I can offer, but Miyuki can look around and see if she finds anything. Right, Miyuki?"
The cat meowed as a response, but she continued to focus on her food. Rui Shi smiled a little and nodded gratefully.
"We'll take whatever you can spare, don't sacrifice yourself for our sakes. It's fine if you can't find anything, too. We might have better luck on our next stop."
"Ah, it's good to be that enthusiastic. Keeping a positive mind is the way to make sure you'll live long!" said the herbalist, beaming as she poured some tea on four mugs. The sight of it made Azula flinch. "Now, is that all you needed?"
"Yes, we…"
"No," sad Azula suddenly. Both Sokka and Rui Shi stared at her in surprise. "I, uh… have a request of my own."
"Fire away, dear!" said the herbalist, beaming as she set down the teapot.
"I, uh, drink a very particular brew of tea," Azula started, grimacing as she spoke. "An infusion with wild carrot seeds, and roots of…"
"Of the perennial apian plant?" the herbalist asked. Azula froze and nodded, feeling the blood rushing up to her face. No doubt the herbalist knew her trade thoroughly. "Well, is it you have a taste for it? Or are you and your husband not ready for a family yet?"
"T-the latter," she said. Naturally, the woman knew just what the tea's purpose was. "We would rather not conceive on the road."
"Ah, it's understandable, understandable! Children cannot be conceived in a campsite, or else they tend to grow up to become nomads who neglect their family. Terrible thing, I tell you, it's terrible…"
Azula could hardly contain the bewilderment, but she did her best to mask it with an awkward grin. Whatever the woman was talking about, it was surely better to go along with it without making a fuss.
"Yeah, of course," she said. "So, uh… if you don't mind, can I have a bag of those herbs? My supplies have run out, and, uh…"
"You still want to make use of your marital rights?" asked the herbalist, smirking. Azula blushed, along with Rui Shi, who stared at Sokka warily. The gladiator, unsurprisingly, looked as though someone had kicked him in the shin. "Well, I don't advise that either! It's said that spirits will punish those who are too lustful, or too greedy. Pleasure-seekers are easy targets for spirits that prey on humans…"
"Uh… great," said Sokka, with a crooked grin. Azula was befuddled by now, though. "Then I guess you two won't be causing me any trouble through the journey, huh?"
"Well, I… I beg to differ," said Rui Shi, clearing his throat. "I mean, we are married after all. We merely seek ways to, uh, adapt to each other so that we shall be as efficient as possible when we're ready for children. It's not something as bad as, I don't know, extra-marital affairs?"
Both Sokka and Azula cringed at that as Rui Shi stared at the herbalist with interest, looking forward for what she might have to say about this topic. He almost smirked when he felt the charged glares the other two were shooting his way.
"That's even worse, of course!" the herbalist declared, predictably. Sokka's eyebrow twitched as Azula's hand balled into a fist over the table. "It is said that when two unmarried people engage in illicit relations, the spirit of a bull-lion will come to them just as they commit the crime and…!"
"That's all very interesting, sure it is," Azula cut in, as the herbalist froze in the middle of her ominous prediction. "But it would be great if you could fix the tea so we can get ready to resume our voyage, if you don't mind…"
"Oh, sure," said the herbalist, smiling. "Though the bull-lion will bellow and roar until the pair disengage, and then it will chase one of the lovers away until they're too far to be reunited with ease! Also, they're surely too afraid of the bull-lion too to do it again, I believe."
"No kidding," said Sokka, swallowing hard warily before glancing at Azula: the Princess certainly looked displeased by the herbalist's spirit story.
"Alright, then, the tea it is!" said the older woman, clapping and making off to fetch the ingredients.
As soon as the woman was too far to see them, looking for the plants she needed for the tea, Azula turned a narrow-eyed glare on Rui Shi, who snorted and nearly choked on his drink as he was overtaken by a fit of laughter rather uncharacteristic of him. If only the circumstances had been different, both Azula and Sokka would have cherished his laughter a little more.
"That was hilarious. Truly, just, hilarious," Azula growled. Rui Shi couldn't seem to stop laughing regardless of how menacing her tone was.
"All things considered, though, do you need that brew at all?" he asked, when his laughter fit subsided. "Are you two planning on…?"
"It doesn't matter if we are or aren't, I'm supposed to drink that every day, or at least that's what Mai said," Azula sighed, glancing around herself as the herbalist moved from plant to plant, searching for the right ones. "I don't know what the consequences might be if I stop."
"Huh. I see," said Rui Shi, nodding.
"But I will say, after that stunt with the bull-lion spirit I feel a little less inclined to be considerate towards you…" Azula muttered. Rui Shi smirked.
"Not afraid the bull-lion will come drive you apart?"
"I'd shoot it full of lightning if he so much as dares," Azula grunted. "And if you keep annoying me, I might shoot you too".
"Fair enough, fair enough," said Rui Shi, although his smile didn't wane that easily.
The herbalist prepared a cup of the special tea for Azula, and she offered her a bag of the selection of herbs for the infusion. Azula was grateful for it, although the tea's taste still was as unpleasant as ever. After breakfast was finished, the herbalist followed Miyuki through the pavilions while Azula, Sokka and Rui Shi gathered their belongings again. The herbalist returned to them around half an hour later, carrying sets of green and yellow clothes with her.
"Well, this is all Miyuki could narrow down," she said, offering a dark green tunic to Rui Shi, along with green trousers and a yellow belt. "I hope they fit!"
"Thank you," said Rui Shi, bowing his head towards her gratefully as she handed a bright yellow dress and a thick green sash, along with deep green shoes to Azula now. The Princess grimaced at the vivacious color but didn't complain.
The last clothing items went to Sokka, but as he held up the green tunic and belt he frowned with confusion.
"Um… don't I get any bottoms?" he asked, looking at the herbalist. She shook her head.
"I'm afraid that's all we could find, and I thought I had to give the only pants I found to your master!" she said. "I thought that would be better, isn't it?"
"Uh… I guess?" said Sokka, with a grimace and a sigh. The herbalist smiled.
"Well, then, change into your clean clothes and me and Miyuki will bid you farewell later. It was our pleasure to host you!"
"Thank you for your hospitality, truly," said Rui Shi, bowing his head again.
The woman walked out of the pavilion, leaving Sokka and Rui Shi to change in the same one they had slept in, while Azula wandered off to another one. She would have gladly taken the chance to strip naked around Sokka again for the first time in ages, but not while Rui Shi was around too.
"Okay, this isn't nice. The breeze is all up my business…" Sokka complained, swallowing hard and yanking his robe as low as he could.
"You can wear your old pants, then," said Rui Shi. Sokka's eyebrow twitched.
"They're blue. It won't make sense and it won't look like an Earth Kingdom attire for real," he said. Rui Shi shrugged.
"Then you'll have to bear with the breeze," said Rui Shi. "At least until we get to the nearest village where we can buy better clothes for you."
"Heh. I'll appreciate that," said Sokka, sighing and fitting the belt in place.
The two of them stepped out of the pavilion, Rui Shi already carrying his large rucksack while Sokka fixed his own to make sure it was suitable to carry for long distances. His weapons protruded a little from it, and he wanted to hide them better. His black sword wasn't easy to recognize when it was in its sheath, but his other weapons were of evident Water Tribe craft. Giving their identities away through his weapons would be quite a waste, considering how hard they were working to disguise who they were.
"Maybe you should let your hair down too," Rui Shi said suddenly. Sokka raised an eyebrow. "I'm just saying, your hairstyle is… somewhat characteristic of yours as well. It might be less of a giveaway."
Sokka sighed and shrugged, taking off his hair tie and letting his dark locks frame his face. His eyesight was slightly limited this way, but he doubted it would be a real problem.
"Better?" said Sokka. Rui Shi nodded.
"You should be better off like that, yes," he said, his eyes shifting towards the approaching woman clad in yellow. "Ah, you're done?"
"I… guess."
Azula's voice behind Sokka alerted him of her return. He turned swiftly, grimacing bashfully because of his attire, but his jaw dropped as he took in hers: she was blushing crimson in the simple yellow dress, uncomfortable by the thick sash around her abdomen. She had worn sashes before but not like this one. She didn't seem to like it, and she also didn't like the way her sleeveless dress cut right above her knees. She couldn't help but think that this was something someone like Ty Lee would wear, which inherently meant it was something she'd never wear if only she had a better alternative…
"A-A…" Sokka gasped, his eyes wide. Azula's blush grew more intense once she knew he was gawking at her. Why was it embarrassing for him to see her wearing something like this when he had already seen her naked countless times…?
"If I was going to wear such a revealing attire I might as well wear my nightgown," she grunted. "It actually covers me better than this thing…"
Sokka didn't seem to stop gazing at her as though hypnotized, while Rui Shi only looked at her somewhat uneasily. He had to push Sokka a little to make him snap out of his daze.
"I-I mean… well, your nightgown is a bit longer than that, haha…" said Sokka, scratching the back of his head and smiling awkwardly.
"It's much longer than yours, that's for sure," said Azula, eyeing Sokka's green tunic. "But alas, I guess this way you can show off your legs, huh?"
"So should you," said Sokka, smiling brightly. Rui Shi sighed next to him, sensing the conversation was likely to head into a direction he didn't care for.
"I'll go pay the herbalist. Get ready to leave," he said. "Ah, and Princess… perhaps you should change your hairstyle, just to continue hiding who you are."
"Ah. Good idea," said Azula, sighing and looking at Sokka fleetingly as she quickly undid her top-knot and shifted her hairstyle into a ponytail "You changed your hair too, huh?"
"Yeah, Rui Shi thought it'd be better if I kept my hair down. I hope that's alright…" said Sokka, smiling. Azula nodded weakly.
"Yeah, it… it looks good that way. It's all good," she whispered.
He bit his lip, taking notice of how she kept an arm over her sash once she was done fixing her hair. He crooked an eyebrow.
"Are you alright? That sash not working for you?"
"I… I don't know," she said, frowning as she stared at it. "It's too long, too thick… doesn't it look bad to you? Like I'm…"
"Like you're what?" Sokka asked, raising an eyebrow as Azula grimaced.
"Slightly overweight?" she muttered. Sokka's jaw dropped.
"What the…?! How could you think you look overweight at all, Azula?" he exclaimed, eyeing her in disbelief "The sash would have to be like fifty times as thick as it is to have that sort of effect on your body!"
"But this just… ugh, I don't know, maybe it's because it's Earth Kingdom clothing, but it doesn't suit me right," she stated, stubbornly. Sokka shook his head.
"You look gorgeous," he said, outright. She stared at him in surprise. "That's the truth of it. And yeah, it's way less clothes than you usually wear, but it's going to be okay. Rui Shi said we can buy more clothes when we reach a village, so you can change into something more comfortable if you need to. No biggy!"
"… But you do think I'm gorgeous like this? Really?" she asked, questioningly. Sokka snorted.
"I'm growing convinced there's no type of clothing in the world that wouldn't look good on someone as beautiful as you. That's what I really think," he said. She gulped and nodded.
"Well… good. That's… that's good to hear," she said, before gesturing at Rui Shi. "But we've got to go now, yes, so… so let's go, shall we?"
Sokka smiled fondly after her as she walked with uncertainty towards Rui Shi. Despite they were supposed to be comfortable, the flat shoes she wore were too soft and bland, and they scarcely protected her otherwise uncovered legs.
The herbalist had been astounded by the amount of money Rui Shi had handed her. As they took their leave, they heard her telling Miyuki all about the countless things they would be able to afford with all this coin. Sokka smiled to himself as he heard the woman's voice, guessing they had helped someone else in their travels again. Her hospitality, albeit awkward at times, and deeply flawed in regards of the strictly vegetarian meals, had been rather welcome in their current situation. The three of them were very grateful for her help.
Nature's sounds welcomed them as they climbed down the stairs carefully. Azula studied their map once they reached the road again, and she led the way south. The two men flanked her, each bearing with the weight of their packs as they followed the Princess. There wasn't a lot of chatter, especially since Azula zoned out frequently to connect with Xin Long. The battle had stopped for the time being, but after soaring high in the sky to have a proper look at the mountain range, Xin saw there was still a rather large group of outlaws hiding behind the tall hills… and although the dragon was inspecting the area from afar, it looked as though the enemies were furnished with explosives.
"Bombs wouldn't wreak much havoc in the Stronghold, right?" Azula asked after telling them about what Xin Long had seen. Both Sokka and Rui Shi frowned.
"Hopefully not," said Sokka. "I remember Xin ate an explosive once… maybe he can do the same with these?"
"Maybe," said Azula, frowning.
Why didn't Jeong Jeong use those explosives yet, though? What was he waiting for…? Regardless of what it might be, it was apparent Xin Long couldn't leave the Stronghold for the time being. His job there was far from finished.
They spent all day hiking over the cliffs next to the river, and they didn't reach any villages yet. Since the skies were starting to darken, they had no choice but to make camp at abandoned ruins that sent chills down Sokka's spine. The structures had been eroded by long past battles and by the passage of time: despite that, was apparent this had been a city of some sort in its prime.
"What's this place?" he asked, after they had settled within one of the old buildings.
Rui Shi had been warming up their dinner around the makeshift fire they had built while Sokka wandered the area, taking in the sight of the vines tangled around the collapsed columns of the old building. Vegetation had grown wildly all over the former city, merging with the once magnificent architecture.
"It's an old trading city, Taku," said Azula. "It was one of the first places Fire Lord Sozin targeted when he began his conquest of the world. It was a crucial economic center for the Earth Kingdom, so…"
"So, strategically speaking, destroying it was the right way to start a war…" said Sokka, with a disgruntled frown. Azula shrugged.
"He was the one who started the Fire Nation's quest to take over the world, you know. He wasn't going to pull his punches," she said, her chin resting on her hand as she waited for the food to be ready. Sokka sighed and approached her.
"I know, I know. It's still unsettling, though," he whispered, sitting down next to her. Rui Shi eyed them with curiosity, prompting Sokka to raise an eyebrow. "What?"
"Just… surprised this didn't escalate into an all-out verbal battle," he said, shrugging. Sokka smiled and Azula stared at him with a raised eyebrow.
"Indeed, we've lacked major arguments lately… and it is getting kind of boring. Go on, Sokka, press me on and keep badgering me about all the hideous things the Fire Nation did, please…"
Despite himself, Sokka laughed. The Princess smirked at him.
"I'd rather not. It was bad enough the first time I dared," he said, with wide eyes. "And I like having a nice record of no serious fights lately. Wouldn't you rather it stays that way, Azula?"
"Seeing what our last fight was like… yes, you're probably right," she said, nodding.
Rui Shi took care to separate the food equally for them all, but Azula's words continued to roam his mind as they ate. He frowned, wondering if that last fight she'd mentioned was the last one he'd noticed. The one that had happened on that very night Song had kissed him…
He had been holding back from thinking about it, doing his best to focus on work, attempting not to be affected by it, but just remembering it made his spirits sink again. He still didn't understand what had gone wrong, where he'd made a mistake. He'd analyzed the situation from as many angles as he could, and he still didn't know why Song kept avoiding him… but he did have some suspicions about it, despite it all. Suspicions that the pair sitting across him might be able to clarify, in case he had guessed correctly.
"Princess…?" he whispered. Azula frowned.
"Uh… we didn't talk much about it yet, but we did settle on that 'fake name' policy, didn't we?" said Azula. Rui Shi froze. "So don't call me Princess while we're on the road. My fake name is Jing."
"And mine's Wentai," said Sokka, smiling. "Did you settle on one yet?"
"U-uh, not really. But… maybe something like Roshi will do," he said, shrugging. Both Azula and Sokka stared at him in surprise.
"Roshi? It's very close to your actual name…" Azula said.
"It should be fairly easy to remember. But that's not really what I wanted to ask, P-… Jing," he corrected himself, his eyebrow twitching.
"Well, what was?" Azula said, finishing the last bits of bread she had left.
Rui Shi was silent for a moment as he gathered his courage. He raised his eyes, fearful, but knowing he couldn't hold this off any longer. He needed to know the truth.
"What happened that night? T-the night when… when the two of you had that huge fight that made you storm out of his house," he clarified, jerking his head towards Sokka when he spoke about him. Now the pair froze with unease, not having expected to be questioned about that so long after the fact.
"That night?" Azula asked, looking at Sokka. "Well… what exactly do you need to know?"
"I just need to know if… if Song was supposed to distract me while you ran off to see the Princess," said Rui Shi, staring at Sokka.
Had Sokka learned anything from Azula in regards of lying, he would have been able to deflect Rui Shi's question a little more effectively… but he hadn't. So he only froze and grimaced, his wide eyes perfectly betraying his guilt.
"A-ah, well, that is… uh…" he said, glancing at Azula hopelessly. "W-well, maybe…?"
Rui Shi sighed and shook his head. Sokka and Azula's hearts sank upon seeing him like that.
"Why are you asking about that, though?" Azula asked, testing the waters somewhat recklessly. "Did something happen that night that we should know about?"
"I… well, not that you need to know, but…" said Rui Shi, sighing. He wasn't one to share his feelings, but against his better judgment, he had trouble holding back now that he had started talking. "I thought I had been too rude after the gladiator stormed up to his room, so I kept trying to talk to him, but she always said it was better if I didn't. When I tried to do it after dinner, she… she interfered again by, well…"
"By what…?" Sokka asked, looking at him uneasily, but Azula frowned knowingly.
"She kissed you."
"She what?!" Sokka exclaimed, looking at Azula in surprise as Rui Shi blushed a little. "How did you know that?"
"You shouldn't underestimate Song's cleverness," she said, with a weak smile. "And well, I, uh… I may know a thing or two about kissing people for the wrong reasons."
Sokka bit his lip and blushed as well. It was somewhat comforting to pretend it was only the effect of the fire, but all three of them had flushed cheeks by now.
"It was wrong, though. All of it," said Rui Shi, sighing. "She just… did it to keep me away from your room, that's all. She didn't really…"
"Wait, wait, wait…" said Sokka, lifting a hand. "Don't be hasty, Captain. U-uh, I mean, Roshi. As much as she may have kissed you rashly, I'm sure Song didn't kiss you just to save my butt. She actually likes you, has for a long time! She always teased me about A-… about Jing, and I'd tease her about you…"
"You did?" Rui Shi asked, surprised. Sokka nodded enthusiastically.
"So if you think she didn't care and just was… I don't know, manipulating you emotionally, I'm completely sure you're wrong. She's not like that," said Sokka, his arms folded over his chest.
"I agree," said Azula, nodding. "And I should know, I am a lot more proficient at emotional manipulation than anyone else here, so…"
"Eh, you're not that bad," said Sokka. Azula smirked.
"Right," she said, rolling her eyes but focusing on Rui Shi again. "She's been avoiding you since, though. That's what made you question why she'd done it, isn't it?"
"Well… I found her behavior strange all along, but yes. That certainly did it," said Rui Shi, nodding.
"Why do you think she avoids you? Because you were a bad kisser?" Azula asked. Rui Shi blushed.
"How would I know?" he said. Azula laughed softly.
"Well, since it seems you really don't know, I'll tell you my hypothesis: she feels guilty. She knew you'd be disappointed, that you'd feel betrayed, once you knew what the main motivation behind her actions was," said Azula. "And I believe it's only fair to call it the main motivation because she could have easily done something else to distract you, or merely told you to go home for the day and to come back the next day to make amends for your rudeness. But she kissed you instead: why's that?"
"Because… she did like me," said Rui Shi, biting his lip. "But now she thinks…"
"Now she thinks she blew it because she ruined your first kiss," said Azula, sighing. Rui Shi groaned and rubbed his forehead with his fingertips. "And I guess the question is whether you think this is so important you can't forgive her for it, or if you'll keep an open mind and still go forward with her…"
"Go forward?" Rui Shi scoffed, looking at her in disbelief. "I can't… I don't think I can do that regardless of the truth, Princess. As much as I may appreciate Song, I am your guard first and foremost, and…"
"And you called me Princess again. I should flick you for that," said Azula. Rui Shi cringed.
"Sorry,"
"You know, it's kind of ridiculous," said Azula, staring at Sokka with interest. "Here I am, entangled with a slave of all people…"
"A good-looking slave, though, aren't I?" said Sokka, smirking. Azula pushed him gently, making him laugh.
"I fell headfirst into this relationship despite knowing it would likely drag you, and countless others, down a hellish path if the two of us are ever discovered," said Azula, looking at Rui Shi earnestly. "All because I decided to give in to all my urges and try to find happiness with this dork."
"Indeed…" said Rui Shi, raising an eyebrow. "What's so ridiculous, though?"
"That you've seen me doing something so selfish, and yet you refuse to consider the possibility of finding your own kind of happiness just because of your loyalty to me," said Azula. "You do know you're not forbidden from finding a significant other, don't you?"
"I know, I know," said Rui Shi, sighing. "It's just… I don't think it's responsible. I have a dangerous job, what with you jumping headfirst into as many dangerous situations as you can. If I were to be with her, and something happened to me, she'd…"
"She'd be upset whether you're involved with her or not," said Sokka, sipping his water. "She cares about you regardless of your relationship status, I'm sure of it."
"I guess so, but…"
"Alright… Roshi," said Azula, holding up a hand. Rui Shi froze. "You don't need to make excuses to explain why you think you shouldn't be with her. We understand."
"We do?" said Sokka, blinking blankly. Azula rolled her eyes.
"We spent forever trying to stop ourselves from falling in too deep until it was too late, remember?" Azula told him. "And Roshi here… well, he's not like us. If he has better willpower, then good for him. You can be with Song if you want to, I certainly won't get in the way of it. I also won't force you to be with her if you'd rather not go down that path. There are as many reasons to do it as there are reasons not to. So… do as you will. But I do suggest you talk with her and set things straight either way. It would be a pity if you two lost your friendship merely because you're scared of talking things through."
"I… I guess so," said Rui Shi, staring at Azula in surprise. "Then… you don't approve or disapprove?"
"The only thing I disapprove of is you two avoiding each other as you have," said Azula, smiling a little. "Not that I'm exactly an expert on how to handle a relationship crisis, but if I've learned something after almost two years of having this fool in my life, it's that talking things openly can save you a lot of anguish in the long run. So, don't let this wound fester. The longer you drag out the resolution, the worse it'll be for the two of you."
"Huh. I understand," said Rui Shi, nodding and smiling a little at her. "Thank you, P-… Jing. I guess talking does help a little…"
"Well, what else did you expect from your road trip wife other than great advice?" said Azula, smiling teasingly. Sokka huffed and Rui Shi chuckled.
Rui Shi's road trip wife slept holding Sokka's hand, though, tucked in her sleeping bag while Sokka took the first shift and kept guard on their campsite. Rui Shi laid down at the other side of the fire, his back towards them, but his heavy chest somehow felt lighter than before after talking with Azula. He didn't know what he'd decide to do about his relationship with Song yet, but he had time to think about it until they returned home. By then, he was sure he would have made up his mind about what to do.
They woke at early dawn and resumed their journey, passing through the ruins of the city and reaching a very high point in the shore's cliffs around midday: a walkway had been carved to allow travelers to climb down to Harbor Town, from where they could take a ferry across the river. They stopped to replenish their supplies and to improve their attires, too. Sokka found the pants he had been longing for, along with forearm covers that fit perfectly where he usually had his bandages. Azula wasn't as lucky as he was, but she found shorts that would cover her legs somewhat, along with a better pair of shoes than the ones she'd been wearing so far. The blisters on her feet were grateful for the change.
They had lunch before taking off on the ferry. The trip across the river was calm and it gave Sokka the opportunity to make up for the sleep he hadn't gotten through the night. From what Azula had seen so far in Xin Long's mind, the enemies of the Stronghold had yet to use their explosives, but they had injured one of the Yu-Yan archers when an earthbender threw a rock to the man's shoulder. How much longer could this nightmare persist? Azula didn't know, but it was starting to drive her mad. Maybe the way to end the pointless siege would be to find a larger armed force and attack Jeong Jeong's group from behind somehow…?
She resolved to consider that in case nothing was wrong in Yu Dao by the time they got there. If the battle at the Stronghold continued to drag on, she would need to take the pertinent measures to end it as quickly as possible.
They reached the other side of the river in the afternoon, but as the sun was still shining, they kept walking, hoping to find a village ahead where they could stop for the night. There had been only a few houses on the other side of the ferry landing, so they resolved to keep looking for a village to rest, unless the night's mantle spread out before they could find one.
"You know, I can carry the pack for a while if you need me to," Azula told Sokka. They were making their way through a forest's path, headed west. "You must be worn out…"
"Eh? I'm fine, I'm fine," said Sokka, smiling. "You're our navigator, so just keep navigating us. We'll get to a town soon, you said?"
"I… don't really know," said Azula, spreading the map open and frowning. "There's something marked down on the map not far ahead, but I'm not sure what it is. It doesn't look like a town to me."
"Maybe it's not," Sokka said, lurking over her shoulder. "So… should we keep going? Or should we make camp here?"
"We should keep going," Rui Shi said, ahead of them. "We'll cover as much ground as we can until we find somewhere safe to rest, or until the night's upon us, as we agreed."
"Still, it's risky to stay out in the open so late, isn't it?" said Sokka, frowning as Rui Shi stopped to wait for them.
Azula walked ahead, holding the map still as her brow furrowed. Sokka and Rui Shi continued to discuss the matter at hand, but she had an unpleasant feeling sinking in her stomach. The hairs on the back of her neck seemed to stand on end, and she had a mighty urge to turn around, but not now. Not yet. If there was someone there, she needed to know where they were exactly…
She kept walking, occasionally lifting her gaze and staring about herself as though trying to make sure they were on the right path. Sokka and Rui Shi noticed her odd behavior, but they didn't seem aware of the perils Azula had noticed.
"Something the matter?" Sokka asked.
"Not sure, Wentai," she said. "I just… I don't know if we're on the right road. Didn't you see a fork back there?"
"A fork?" he said, frowning. "Uh… no? Was there a fork?"
"I didn't see one either," said Rui Shi. Azula huffed.
"Well, then, you're both extremely inattentive. Are you really just following me blindly instead of taking in your surroundings?"
"We… we were. Sorry," said Sokka, frowning. He stared at Azula questioningly, and she raised an eyebrow.
The wordless exchange between them alerted Rui Shi, as he as well started to have the unpleasant sensation of being followed. He sighed and turned around, as though to stare down the road they'd been walking, but he was trying to spot the possible stalkers just as Azula was.
"Men. Always spacing out when it matters, and always lurking about when nobody needs them to," said Azula, breathing deeply and rolling her eyes as she folded the map and slipped it inside Sokka's pack as inconspicuously as possible.
"Not a fan of lurkers?" Sokka asked, raising his eyebrows.
"Not in the slightest," she said, smirking.
A twig snapped on the tree on their left.
Sokka and Rui Shi dropped their packs, ready to join battle and defend their Princess, but she didn't need much help at the time, clearly: in less time than it had taken them to let those bags drop, she had charged an electric attack and shot it straight at the branch she'd heard snapping.
Two dark shapes fell from the tree, one of them contorting in stunned pain while the other panicked. He clasped his friend's arm, lifting a knife to defend himself from the fire daggers the male firebender had lifted, and the black sword in the hands of the dark-skinned man…
But before either of them could attack him, or before Azula herself could deliver a new blow, something huge crashed through the trees and startled both the travelers and their stalkers. A massive, four-legged creature with no eyes and a star-shaped snout, along with rows of sharp and deadly teeth, and a ridiculously long tongue that struck the back of the man with the knife.
The assailant dropped his knife, losing control of his limbs and body immediately. He collapsed on the ground without the chance to register all that had happened in a matter of seconds. But he wasn't the only one shocked by the sudden turn of events: Azula, Sokka and Rui Shi were staring at the beast in complete confusion, at least until the Princess and her gladiator realized they had seen it before…
The blood seemed to slow in Azula's body when she recognized the shirshu. And the coldness threatened to shift into a burst of rage when she took in that the shirshu had a saddle… and that someone she had hoped to never meet again happened to be sitting on it.
Her leather clothes were as black as her dark hair, and her lips were still colored with the darkest shade of paint she could have found for sale. She was yanking the reins on her beast, pulling them back so the shirshu would stay still now that it had delivered the necessary blow with its poisoned tongue.
The sight of that snake tattoo on the woman's shoulder made Sokka want to dig a hole in this very road and bury himself in it for a century or two. His grip on Space Sword weakened, his chest suddenly constrained and painful. He didn't dare look to his right, where Azula stood, knowing all too well that her reaction upon seeing the woman would not be any better than his own…
The bounty hunter stared at them from her place on the shirshu's saddle, raising her eyebrows with interest. At first sight she didn't realize two of the three people were familiar, but after scanning them carefully for a second time she realized the ones to the right looked an awful lot like two people she had come across some time ago, in Ba Sing Se's outskirts rather than Yu Dao's…
June couldn't help but smirk at the irony of such a coincidence. She patted her shirshu's neck gently.
"Well, well, Nyla. Looks like we found some old friends."