Chapter Text
Azula woke up with a disturbing feeling coursing through her body, but as she turned, she saw Katara fast asleep, clinging to her tightly, with a small thread of drool falling onto her shoulder. Outside, the sky was beginning to brighten, indicating that dawn was near. For Azula, that meant it was time to train; for the waterbender, it was time to remain deep in her REM sleep. Gently, the firebender planted a kiss on her forehead and, with an effort to free herself from her partner’s firm embrace, slid out of bed. She dressed quickly and left to train.
Azula was already in the middle of her pre-training meditation when a familiar figure appeared beside her. Zuko yawned as he stretched.
"Looks like someone had trouble getting up today," Azula teased her brother.
"The entire palace is still asleep," he replied, stifling another yawn.
"All I hear are excuses, dear brother," the princess said with a mocking smile as she stood up with feline agility, as if wanting to remind him of her impeccable physical condition.
Zuko snorted, rolling his eyes at his sister’s need to prove her superiority. Still, he positioned himself beside her, and both began practicing the same katas. Though their movements were precise and coordinated, neither unleashed their firebending. They wouldn’t until the sun was fully over the horizon; it was an unspoken rule between firebenders.
As the flow of movements continued, Zuko suddenly seemed to remember something.
"Oh, by the way, Mom’s arriving today."
The comment, made casually, had an immediate impact. For the first time in years, Azula missed a step in her kata, stumbling clumsily and hitting the ground with a dull thud.
"Do you think it's normal to tell me that in the middle of training?" Azula hissed, rejecting his help with a sharp gesture.
"I remembered just now… Besides, you knew this was going to happen sooner or later," Zuko defended himself slightly irritated.
Azula gritted her teeth, her body tensed up. "How long have you known?"
Zuko scratched his chin thoughtfully, "Hmm… Yesterday, maybe the day before…I’m not sure."
Azula took a deep breath, trying to maintain her composure. "And it didn’t occur to you to tell me earlier?"
"It's Mom, Azula. Nothing bad is going to happen."
"Are you an idiot?" she spat venomously, but before letting the flood of insults burning on her tongue escape, she rubbed her face with both hands, trying to calm down.
Zuko raised his hands in surrender. "I just forgot to mention something you knew was going to happen anyway."
Azula glared at him, her eyes sharp as daggers. It looked like she was about to explode, but suddenly, something inside her shifted. She shook her head in disdain, "I'm done for today."
Without saying another word, she turned and left the training grounds, leaving Zuko perplexed and frustrated with himself, wondering how he had managed to ruin the morning so quickly.
Katara woke up to a series of kisses being planted all over her face. Without even opening her eyes, she smiled slightly, immediately recognizing the only person who would do something like that. In a sleepy voice, she extended her arms to embrace her and murmured:
"Good morning."
Instead of responding, the other person continued kissing her, this time with more intensity. Katara returned the kiss, but when it started to become more passionate, she opened her eyes, watching Azula with curiosity. The princess buried her face in Katara's neck, kissing it softly as if trying to avoid eye contact. But the waterbender wasn’t easily fooled. She gently but firmly pushed the firebender back and looked her in the eyes.
"You know I love when you wake me up with kisses… or whatever you were about to do," Katara said, puzzled. "But I have a feeling something’s wrong. You haven’t said your usual ‘good morning, Katara,’ or teased me about how late I get up."
Azula avoided her gaze, her lips pressed into a thin line."Can’t we just have fun and leave it at that?"
The waterbender frowned and, without hesitation, grabbed Azula’s face roughly, forcing her to look at her.
"Start talking, missy. What’s wrong? Last night, when we went to bed, you were fine."
Azula sighed, defeated. Finally, she let out the words that had been so hard for her to say:
"Ursa arrives today."
Katara’s eyes widened, her mouth forming a small "O" of surprise. However, she quickly regained her composure and spoke gently: "We knew this was going to happen sooner or later. If you don’t feel ready, you don’t have to see her. Okay?"
Azula nodded in silence, still held between Katara’s hands. The waterbender gave her a tender kiss on the lips and, with a gentle push, made her lie back down on the bed next to her.
"Now let’s get some more sleep, because I’m sure you haven’t finished your training, which means it’s way too early…Way too early."
Without a word, Azula let herself be wrapped in the warm embrace of her girlfriend. And although she didn’t manage to fall back asleep, the weight of her anxiety seemed to ease slightly, while the waterbender drifted back into a deep sleep.
Azula and Katara decided to skip the breakfast with everyone. The suggestion came from the former, and the waterbender didn’t object. However, what the firebender couldn’t avoid were the scheduled meetings for the day. Despite everything, Azula headed to her obligations calmly; if Ursa showed up, it wouldn’t be in the middle of one of those meetings.
Katara, on the other hand, took the time to train after breakfast. She still wasn’t sure how to spend her hours when Azula was busy, but training seemed like a good plan for now. Just as she was heading to the training grounds, she spotted someone walking down the hall, holding the hand of a little girl.
The waterbender was taken aback by how much Ursa resembled Azula. The woman walked toward her with a smile, and Katara—who would have once returned the gesture without hesitation—could now only think of Azula’s face when she spoke about her mother.
"Katara! It’s so good to see you," Ursa greeted warmly, though she noticed something odd in the waterbender's expression. "Has something happened? Is that why you’re here?"
"Uh... no, well, yes, but..." Katara stammered, unsure of what to say. Telling her that she was there because of Azula felt like stealing a moment that wasn’t hers to take.
Fate, however, played its hand, and down the same hall appeared the Fire Princess, engrossed in reading a scroll, likely preparing for her next meeting. Ursa’s attention shifted from Katara to her daughter, visibly surprised.
"Azula..."
Ursa spoke her daughter's name with genuine astonishment, as if she couldn’t believe that Azula had returned to the palace. Hearing her name, Azula froze. The scroll she was holding slipped from her hands without her noticing.
Ursa, along with Kiyi and Katara, moved toward Azula. The little girl stayed close to her mother, but the waterbender, on the other hand, positioned herself next to Azula, subtly taking her arm in an attempt to bring her back to reality.
"You’re at the palace… How?" Ursa asked, taking a step closer to her daughter. But for every step she took, Azula stepped back, barely whispering a “No” that only Katara could hear. "Azula?"
The world seemed to spin around her. Azula felt the air grow thick, and her breathing quickened. Just then, she felt a small pinch on her arm; Katara had done it discreetly, without looking at her. The pain was enough to snap her back, and, immediately adopting the haughty posture she often used when feeling insecure or threatened, she said:
"Welcome back to the palace, Mother. If you’ll excuse me, I have another meeting to attend."
Her tone was icy, distant, analytical, as if what had just happened didn’t matter at all. But Ursa, with a slight frown, didn’t seem convinced. Seeing the toll the situation was taking on Azula, Katara didn’t waste any time.
"I need to speak with Zuko, so I’ll go with you," the waterbender said with a tense smile. "It was nice seeing you again."
Without giving space for further conversation, Katara led Azula away.
As they walked through the halls, with Azula beside her as if being dragged, Katara spotted a young servant arranging flowers in a vase next to a decorated column. Without stopping, she approached the girl.
"I need you to inform the councilors that Azula won’t be attending the next meeting."
The servant looked up, surprised to see the princess in such a state, but she asked no questions. She quickly nodded and hurried to carry out the order. Katara didn’t wait to see if the girl obeyed; she knew she would. Firmly, she continued guiding Azula through the halls, heading to her room with determination. Azula, still in shock, let herself be led without resistance.
Azula was sitting on their bed while Katara sat beside her in silence. They had been quiet for a while, trapped in a stillness neither of them knew how to break. The Fire Princess couldn’t find the words, and the waterbender didn’t know what to say.
Finally, sensing the tension in the air, Azula intertwined her fingers with Katara’s and broke the silence.
“Thank you.”
Katara looked at her, frowning slightly, and replied in a hesitant voice:
“I don’t know how to help you face this... I know I should…”
Azula watched her, a bit puzzled.
“What? You don’t have to do anything.”
“But you’re going through a hard time, and you’re my girlfriend. I should…”
“Katara,” Azula interrupted her, “you pulled me out of there when I froze. You haven’t stopped supporting me. My relationship with my mother isn’t your responsibility, nor is it your burden to carry.”
“I know, but…” Katara looked away, unsure, which prompted a soft laugh from Azula.
“What a pair we make,” the princess remarked with an ironic smile.
Hearing her girlfriend’s laughter, Katara couldn’t help but smile too. She decided to play along, narrowing her eyes dramatically.
“It’s like we were destined to be together.”
“Can you imagine? Disgusting.” Azula replied with feigned horror.
“Me? Attracted to you on every level? Never.”
“Who in their right mind would think something like that?”
They both tried to keep up the charade, but it didn’t last long before they burst out laughing. Seizing the moment, Katara threw herself into Azula’s arms, showering her face with kisses until she finally found her lips. Azula quickly deepened the kiss.
Totally incompatible.
Azula took a deep breath before opening the dining room door, trying to calm the knot in her stomach. She had spent months fighting strangers in illegal matches, but she had never felt as much anxiety as she did at that precise moment. Hinro would probably laugh if he saw her like this.
“You don’t have to do this if you’re not ready,” Katara whispered, gently stroking the hand they had intertwined.
“I have to. I won’t let her win.”
Katara wanted to tell her it wasn’t a competition, that this wasn’t about winning or losing, but she knew Azula was determined to face her mother, no matter what. And she wouldn’t be the one to stop her.
So, instead of arguing, she kissed Azula on the cheek and whispered, “I love you, okay?”
Azula, grateful for the gesture, gave her a small but genuine smile.
As they opened the door, both saw Zuko, Kiyi, and Ursa chatting animatedly. Mai, on the other hand, was eating without paying attention to the conversation. Apparently, Azula wasn’t the only one with a strained relationship with the former Fire Lady.
Without saying a word, Azula sat next to Mai, while Katara took her seat with a polite “Enjoy your meal.” Ursa’s disapproval of her daughter’s lack of etiquette didn’t go unnoticed, but instead of commenting, she turned her attention to Katara.
“You’ve spent quite some time in the Fire Nation, dear?” Ursa asked, curious.
Katara thanked the servants for the meal before responding, “A couple of weeks.”
“That’s lovely. Do you plan on staying much longer?”
“I’m not sure yet, but at least a few months.”
Ursa raised her eyebrows, surprised. “Do you have a mission or something in particular?”
Katara hesitated, knowing that Ursa didn’t seem to suspect anything about her relationship with Azula. She glanced at her girlfriend, searching for a clue on how to proceed. Azula, who until then had been merely playing with her food, intervened without looking up: “If she did, it’s none of your business.”
Zuko, who had just taken a bite, nearly choked, while Mai cracked a genuine smile, enjoying the blunt way Azula spoke to her mother.
“I was just trying to be polite to our guest,” Ursa said, visibly irritated.
Azula finally looked up, staring directly at her. “You don’t have any title, mother. Katara isn’t your guest. You don’t belong in this palace anymore.”
“I am the Fire Lord’s mother,” Ursa retorted, raising her voice. Zuko and Kiyi looked at her in surprise, while Katara began to frown.
Azula let out a bitter laugh. “Of course, mother of the year.”
“I’ve done the best I could—” Ursa tried to defend herself, but Azula cut her off, raising her voice even more.
“Don’t you dare justify yourself.”
The tension in the room could be cut with a knife. Katara had never seen Azula so upset, not even on her worst days. Ursa was also losing her composure.
“I did what I had to as a mother,” Ursa insisted as her voice rose.
“Please, don’t make me laugh. You were never a mother to me. And you abandoned Zuko to have a real family.”
Ursa stood up from her seat, pointing at Azula in frustration. “Not being perfect doesn’t mean—”
“You weren’t a mother! You never were!” Azula shouted, standing up as well. Her fists trembled slightly, a detail only Katara, who was sitting beside her, noticed.
“That’s not—”
“At least don’t lie to my face!”
Ursa tried to respond, but Azula, breathing heavily, turned and stormed out of the dining room without looking back, leaving everyone in stunned silence.
Katara didn’t waste any time. She quickly stood up and, without saying a word, went after her, her heart in her throat, hoping to find her girlfriend in that maze of hallways.
Before she left, she caught Mai telling Zuko with a smirk, “Your sister sure knows how to liven up a dinner.”
Katara would’ve said something if she didn’t know that, in another context, that line would make Azula smile. At least her relationship with Mai seemed to be improving day by day.
Knowing Azula, Katara immediately knew where to find her: the training grounds. Not only because it was the most logical place for her, but because the smell of burning guided her. Katara didn’t rush—she knew Azula needed to burn off some of her fury before she could talk. In that way, they were very similar.
When she arrived, the scene was almost surreal. Azula had five dummies lined up in front of her, all ablaze, as she attacked them with a fierce intensity. The waterbender didn’t want to interrupt, so she leaned against a nearby column, watching as her girlfriend dealt with her rage in her own way. The flames Azula was throwing were so intense that Katara’s eyes started to sting, forcing her to squint.
Finally, when the last traces of fire had died down and all that remained of the dummies was ash, Katara decided to approach. Azula was sitting on the ground, staring off into the distance. Without a word, the girl from the water tribes sat down beside her and rested her head on Azula’s shoulder.
“Did burning those poor dummies help?” Katara asked softly.
Azula didn’t take her eyes off the ground. “Maybe they were bad people. Maybe I did the world a favor.”
Katara smiled and cleared her throat. “Let me rephrase: did burning those morally dubious dummies help?”
Azula let out a brief laugh and kissed the top of Katara’s head. “Thank you.”
“For what?”
“Existing, I guess.”
Katara chuckled softly. “Well, I’ve been pretty good at that since I was born.”
Instead of continuing the joke, Azula took on a more serious tone. “I thought it would be easier to confront her.”
Katara stayed quiet for a moment, searching for the right words. “Not all wounds heal the same, and they don’t take the same time to close.”
Azula raised an eyebrow. “Didn’t know you were such a poet.”
“It’s the Fire Nation. It inspires me to innovate.”
Azula let out a deep sigh. “I don’t know how to face her... I don’t know if I ever will.”
Katara intertwined her fingers with Azula’s and lifted their joined hands to eye level. “That’s totally valid.”
“What?”
“You weren’t the responsible adult. You have every right not to forgive her. And you also have every right to do so. It’s your decision, and I’ll support you either way.”
“But... she’s my mother.”
Katara lowered her gaze slightly, remembering. “My mom died when I was six, but I still feel her love, every day she was with me.”
Azula said nothing, so Katara continued. “What I mean is, even though she’s your mother, if you haven’t felt loved by her, you don’t have to force it. If having her in your life doesn’t help you, you don’t have to try.”
“But you told me to try…”
“And you did.” Seeing Azula’s surprised expression, Katara added, “Trying doesn’t mean being submissive. Trying means going to dinner even when you don’t want to, not putting up with being yelled at.”
Azula huffed. “Either way, she’s going to stay in the palace.”
Katara raised an eyebrow. “Are you telling me that you, specifically you, aren’t capable of ignoring someone?”
Azula couldn’t help but flash a small, albeit brief, smile. Katara, noticing the change, squeezed her hand a little tighter.
“Part of you still wants to give her a chance, doesn’t it?” Azula asked in a soft tone.
Katara shrugged. “Maybe. But that part is tiny compared to the part that just wants you to be okay.”
Katara pressed her forehead against Azula’s, smiling. “Whatever you decide, I’ll be with you, every step of the way, okay?”
Azula nodded, feeling the tears start to well up, but in Katara’s arms, she knew it was safe to cry.
Next morning, breakfast unfolded in an uncomfortable silence, so thick it could almost be cut with a knife. Ursa and Azula seemed miles apart, sitting at opposite ends of the table, both determined not to be the first to speak. Zuko and Katara tried to eat, but the tension in the air made each bite feel heavy. Mai, on the other hand, appeared perfectly at ease, even enjoying the situation.
Suddenly, the sound of a chair scraping broke the stillness, followed by footsteps heading toward Azula. She lifted her gaze from the plate she’d been toying with all morning, rather than eating, and found Kiyi standing beside her, looking at her with determination.
“I don’t know what’s going on between you and Mom, but you’re my sister,” Kiyi declared firmly.
Azula stared at her in surprise, setting her chopsticks down on the table. She didn’t respond immediately, only adding to the already thick tension in the room. Zuko paused mid-motion, Katara squinted slightly, and Ursa leaned forward just a bit, alert, as if ready to intervene.
“You’re a really good firebender,” Kiyi continued, her voice wavering slightly at the lack of response, “and I want to be a good firebender too.”
Azula could feel all eyes on her, especially her mother’s, who was watching intently, as if fearing what Azula might say or do. Kiyi, not getting an answer, began to lose some of the confidence she had started with.
“I want you to be my sister and teach me things... I’ve seen you firebend, and…”
Azula studied her carefully, analyzing her. Something stirred inside her. Was it really this child’s fault what their mother had done? Kiyi was just asking to be sisters. Confused, Azula glanced quickly at Katara, who gave her an encouraging smile in return.
Azula wasn’t sure if she could ever forgive Ursa, but the girl in front of her was innocent in all of this. If the world had given Azula a second chance, who was she to deny the same to Kiyi, who had only ever been loved by their mother?
Kiyi had already looked away when Azula’s voice finally broke the silence. “You know I won’t go easy on you, right?”
Kiyi’s smile was immediate, lighting up her face from ear to ear. “And I’m not planning to give up that easily.”
The determination in the girl’s eyes sparked an unexpected warmth in Azula. “After my meetings, I want you ready at the training grounds. Don’t be late.”
Kiyi stood at attention, as much as a ten-year-old could. “Yes, ma’am.”
At that moment, Katara let out a soft laugh, drawing the attention of both sisters. “Sorry, I couldn’t help it,” she said with a smile.
Azula and Kiyi exchanged glances, and a shared, quiet laugh escaped between them. Without another word, Azula refocused on her breakfast. Though the tension at the table remained, it had lightened just enough for Azula to finally start eating. This time, she chose to completely ignore the lingering stares from her mother, who watched her with a mix of emotions that Azula wasn’t ready to face.
Katara was returning from a walk, a routine she had adopted while deciding what to do with her time while Azula tended to her responsibilities in the Fire Nation. If she were in her tribe, there would always be something to do, but in the Fire Nation, everything worked very differently. The little she had seen of Caldera had fascinated her, more for the contrast with her home than for what the capital represented in itself.
As she arrived at the palace, she thought about taking a quick bath before going to see how Azula was training her sister. She had never seen her girlfriend interact with children like that, and although she was sure Azula wouldn't harm them, she was curious.
But before she could head to the bathroom, a noise in the hallway caught her attention. Something had fallen. Instinctively, Katara drew a ball of water from her water skin, ready for any attack. However, what she found was a much more mundane scene: a visibly pregnant servant being assisted by another, with a puddle of water at her feet. It didn’t take a master to know what that meant.
Without thinking twice, Katara approached. “Let me help you,” she said, carefully taking the pregnant woman by the arm. Then, she turned to the other servant. “Go get towels and hot water. I’ll take care of her.”
The woman looked at her in surprise, but recognizing Katara, she quickly nodded and went to fetch the necessary items. Meanwhile, Katara guided the woman in labor to the nearest room, her movements firm but gentle.
“Do you need me to get someone?” Katara asked, but she saw the woman’s expression darken. Sensing she didn’t want to talk about it, the waterbender smiled softly. “I’m Katara, I’m going to help you bring your baby into the world, alright? Don’t hesitate to ask for anything you need; I’ll do everything I can.”
The woman tried to respond, but a strong contraction tore a groan from her instead. Katara, experienced in these situations, drew water from her canteen and gently moved it over the servant’s abdomen, trying to calm the pain. It would still be hours before she was dilated enough, but Katara knew exactly what to do. When the woman’s expression relaxed a bit, the waterbender smiled again.
“Do you have a name in mind?” she asked, trying to distract her from the pain.
“I’ll probably name her after my grandmother,” the woman said in a weaker, but emotionally charged voice. “She passed away a few months ago.”
Another contraction rippled through the woman’s body, but this time, the pain was eased thanks to Katara. “That’s a beautiful gesture,” Katara replied gently, keeping her hands steady as she continued controlling the water.
Katara knew the next few hours would be long, but she was determined to do everything she could to ensure both the mother and the baby would be safe.
The last meetings of the day had been endless and tedious. Azula had to elbow Zuko several times to keep him from falling asleep during the discussions. The older ministers seemed to prefer dragging things out and talking for hours, probably as a tactic to get their way. But with Azula, that trick didn’t work. Still, she couldn’t help feeling exhausted by the end of the day.
When she finally left the room, she headed straight to the training grounds. She was late, but she would keep her promise from that morning. No matter how tired she was.
However, when she arrived, the training grounds were completely empty. Kiyi was nowhere to be seen. She barely had time to process the feeling this desolate sight gave her when she heard a voice.
“She kept her promise; she was here on time, you know.”
Azula clenched her jaw as she recognized the voice. She turned slowly and saw her mother, Ursa, leaning against the railing of the hallway, slightly elevated, as if she always had to be above her.
“She waited for you for hours, until I sent her to rest. It wasn’t easy—she’s quite stubborn when she sets her mind to something, but I suppose realizing her dear sister had ignored her weighed more heavily.”
The coldness in Ursa’s eyes was the same Azula remembered from her childhood, that distant look that only appeared when they were alone. Part of her felt comforted to know that it wasn’t just a memory shaped by emotion.
“I came as soon as the meetings ended,” Azula replied, but her voice sounded more uncertain than she wanted. She hated that her mother could make her feel small, weak.
“Of course, I’m completely sure you didn’t drag the meetings out on purpose to hurt her,” Ursa shot back, her cold tone cutting deeper than Azula would have liked to admit.
Azula clenched her fists, trying to control the pressure building in her chest, trying not to let the pain of her mother’s words reach her.
“Stay away from her. Kiyi isn’t to blame for any of this,” Ursa spat, her voice dripping with venom.
Ursa slowly stepped away from the railing, her posture elegant but tense.
“Do you realize that I’m not the one who approached her, right? She came to me.”
“I don’t trust you, Azula. I know you too well.”
The lamps around the training grounds suddenly shifted from their warm orange glow to a bright blue. Rage filled Azula, and her fists ignited with flames. The blue fire blazed, threateningly. Ursa stepped back, startled by the intensity of the reaction, as Azula took a step forward, the flames reflecting in her eyes.
Just as it seemed like the situation would spiral out of control, a third voice cut through the air.
“What’s going on here?”
Azula and Ursa turned in unison to see Zuko, his brow furrowed, clearly upset and confused by the scene before him.
“Your sister is playing with Kiyi, and I won’t allow it,” Ursa said, visibly shaken by Azula’s reaction.
Zuko looked at his mother, then his gaze shifted to Azula. Though the flames in her fists had extinguished, the anger was still etched in her eyes.
“When? We just finished the meeting. I doubt she’s had time to do anything,” Zuko said, his voice firm but calm.
Zuko’s words seemed to echo in Ursa’s mind, and she now looked at Azula with a mix of guilt and confusion. “Azula, Agni, I...”
Ursa wanted to apologize, but when she turned to look again, her daughter was already gone.
It was nearly nightfall when Katara entered the room she shared with Azula. She was smiling, still elated from the experience of helping bring a beautiful baby girl into the world. "You should see—" she began, but her voice trailed off abruptly. The bed was empty. There was no open book, no sign of Azula where she usually found her. No one had told her that Azula might have left, and it was strange for her to do so without letting her know. Katara still didn’t feel completely comfortable in the palace when she was alone.
She scanned the room, noticing the faint light escaping from the bathroom. Without a second thought, she hurried toward the door. With luck, Azula might have just finished her meetings late and was taking a bath, one Katara could join to enjoy the warmth of the water and Azula’s company.
But as she opened the bathroom door, any cheerful thought vanished, replaced by growing concern.
Azula was sitting in front of a shattered mirror, shards of glass scattered across the floor and sink. Next to her, a pair of scissors, likely the culprit, lay forgotten. Azula was on the floor, her back against the tub, knees pulled tightly to her chest, her face buried in her arms.
Katara approached slowly, but Azula didn’t react. Without hesitation, Katara knelt in front of her, ignoring the glass fragments that embedded themselves in her skin, and gently took Azula’s face in her hands. Azula's makeup was smeared, her eyes red and swollen. Asking if she had been crying would be pointless.
“Azula, what happened?” Katara whispered, her girlfriend’s face still cradled in her hands.
Azula took a moment to respond, gathering the strength that seemed to have drained from her. As Katara waited, she noticed the details: burns on Azula’s arms—none severe enough to be alarming, but still concerning. What caught her attention most was Azula’s hair, jaggedly cut. In the Fire Nation, hair carried deep significance, and seeing it in this state made the knot in Katara’s stomach tighten.
“I don’t want to look like her… I can’t…” Azula’s voice was barely a murmur.
Katara pulled her into a tight embrace, trying to shield her from something she didn’t fully understand. Azula began sobbing like a small child, her body trembling against Katara’s. She could feel the tears soaking through her tunic, which only made her hold Azula tighter. She didn’t know exactly what had happened, but she had a good idea of who was behind it.
After a long while, Azula calmed down. Katara gently pulled back, looking her in the eyes. “Do the burns hurt?”
Azula looked at her in confusion, as if she hadn’t even noticed the injuries on her arms. Katara took the silence as a “no,” or at least not enough to matter.
“I don’t want to see her when I look at myself.” Azula’s voice was broken, a whisper.
“That’s why you cut your hair,” Katara said softly.
Azula nodded, her eyes still brimming with tears. Katara gently ran her fingers through the uneven strands, noticing that the bangs had been left untouched. Her mother didn’t wear bangs.
Taking a lock of hair between her fingers, Katara asked, “Would you like me to fix it?”
Azula looked at her with sad eyes and slowly nodded.
Katara took the scissors and helped Azula to her feet, turning her so she wouldn’t see her reflection in the shattered mirror. She began cutting carefully, evening out the hair to shoulder length. She did it in silence, each cut precise but gentle, until the hair was even. When she finished, she set the scissors down on the sink and stepped back in front of Azula.
Azula’s voice was hoarse when she asked, “How does it look?”
Katara cupped her face in her hands, and Azula closed her eyes at the gesture. “You look beautiful,” Katara whispered tenderly.
Azula let out a heavy sigh. “I don’t want to talk about this…” she murmured.
“You don’t have to,” Katara replied understandingly. “But let’s take a bath, alright? I need it, too.”
Azula finally noticed the blood on Katara’s clothes, remnants of the birth she had assisted earlier that day. Without another word, Katara helped Azula undress and into the tub. Azula heated the water with a small flick of her hands, and Katara joined her, feeling the perfect warmth of the water.
Azula leaned back against Katara’s chest, and Katara, with gentle movements, began healing Azula’s wounds, using the water to soothe the burns. She did everything in complete silence. Once the burns were gone, she started washing Azula’s hair and soaping her body with delicate motions. When she finished, the waterbender washed herself, and the two of them got out of the tub.
They dried off with a few flicks of Katara’s wrist, and without exchanging any more words, they headed to bed. Once lying down, Azula clung to Katara as if her life depended on it, and Katara held her with the same intensity.
Azula fell asleep quickly, exhausted by everything that had happened. Katara, however, lay awake for hours before sleep finally found her.
Azula didn’t wake up with the sun, not even before Katara, which was unusual. Seeing that her girlfriend was still sound asleep, Katara quietly got out of bed and asked one of the servants to inform the Fire Lord that Azula wasn’t feeling well and wouldn’t be able to advise him that day. She knew Zuko wouldn’t ask questions; he’d likely understand that it was best to leave it at that.
Back in bed, Katara picked up one of the books that always rested on Azula’s bedside table, settled in next to her, and began to read. The silence was soothing, a pause from the usual palace bustle. But a soft voice broke the trance.
“I suppose I can’t tease you for waking up late today, huh?” Azula smiled, half-joking.
Katara, surprised by the joke, smiled widely and set the book aside, leaning down to give her a tender kiss.
“How are you feeling?” she asked gently.
“Like ten komodo dragons ran over me,” Azula replied with a grimace.
“Well, at least it wasn’t eleven,” Katara teased, eliciting a small laugh from the princess. That sound, soft but genuine, lightened the waterbender’s heart.
“Thank you… I… thank you,” Azula murmured, her voice barely breaking.
Katara lay beside her, gently stroking her face before giving her another kiss, deeper this time, filled with understanding.
“Are you ready to talk about what happened?” Katara asked softly.
Azula sighed, and in her exhale, Katara felt the weight of her emotions. In a vulnerable voice, Azula responded, “Can I write a letter first?”
The request surprised Katara, but she quickly nodded. “Of course, I’ll go get some paper and a pen. Just a second.”
If it had been anyone else, Katara might have felt puzzled, but she knew Azula well enough to understand that this was her way of processing things. When she returned and saw that Azula had begun the letter with “Dear Osha,” Katara could only smile fondly. She placed a soft kiss on her head and, without interrupting, resumed her book, giving Azula her space.
Dear Osha,
Today's letter will be a bit more delicate. I've been well these days; the meetings are simple, though tedious, nothing out of the ordinary. The problem is that my mother has returned.
I know it could be an opportunity to fix what’s broken, to try and heal old wounds. But I can’t.
Every time I see her, I feel anger. Every time we talk, it ends in yelling. I don’t know what I feel. Katara tries to talk to me about it, but I know it hurts her too, and that makes me feel selfish.
I don’t know if I ever told you, but my mother has a new family now. A little girl named Kiyi. To everyone’s surprise, Kiyi wants me to train her, to be her sister. Maybe it wasn’t the best idea, but since Kiyi isn’t at fault, I decided to say yes.
I told her we would train after my meetings, but you know how endless those can be. By the time I finished, she was already gone, but my mother showed up.
It was the confirmation I needed: my feelings toward her aren’t just inventions of my mind.
I don’t know how to face this. I don’t know if I should. I don’t know what to do.
Take care,
Azula
When Azula finished and sealed the letter, Katara didn’t need her to say anything. She wrapped her arms around Azula, enveloping her in warmth and understanding. Without seeking answers or advice, Azula simply told her what had happened. All she asked was for Katara to hold her.
Katara was happy to do so, in silence, keeping her safe in her arms, letting the weight of the world disappear—if only for a while.