Chapter Text
Azula was returning to her rooms after the day’s work, nothing out of the ordinary, when she crouched a bit with her next step. A knife sailed right above her head, barely missing her. The next two were easily caught by twin flames.
“Mai.” Azula greeted, dispassionate.
To be honest, she had expected an attack sooner or later. Even if Zuko had kept her presence from his most trusted - which she was sure he hadn’t, the boy couldn’t lie to save his life -, Iroh certainly wouldn’t. It was just a matter of time.
She wasn’t sure if this counted as an attack, though. Unless she had rusted to nothing in the past few years, Mai was a lot better than this. This kind of attack was more a passive-aggressive greeting than a true attempt on her life.
“Azula.” She sneered as she came out of the shadows.
“It’s Jin. You wouldn’t want to blow my cover, would you?” She cocked her head to the side, the way she knew it would infuriate the Fire Lady.
“Zuko’s been singing your praises, did you know?” Mai mocked.
“Doubtful.” Azula scoffed.
“He’s so convinced you’ve turned a new leaf. He never truly saw you.”
“He never did.” She agreed.
“What’s your angle? You know you would never be accepted as Fire Lord. Even if you managed to rally your father’s old guard, they’d never accept a mental invalid in the throne.”
“Correct, once again. Is there a point to this?”
“I don’t know what you’re planning, Azula. But I know you, better than most. I will find out, and I will stop you. It’d be best for you to give up now, before things get ugly.”
“So dramatic. These theatrics were never your style, Mai, did Zuko rub off on you that much?” She rolled her eyes. “You can sleep soundly, I have no interest in killing Zuko. I will fulfill my part of the deal, then I’ll be out of your lives, hopefully forever. Simple as that.”
“I know you would not murder Zuko. It wouldn’t do, to start your term by stealing his crown. No, you’d chip away at his power base and reputation, then demand an Agni Kai for the good of the nation. It won’t come to that.”
“That does sound like something I would do, yes. But I won't. I have no interest in the throne, I believe I said so before. My motivations were always to make Father and the Nation proud. Now one is gone and the other betrayed me, so why would I go back to that? And in any case, you just said you would stop me if I move against him. What are you so afraid of, then?”
Mai breathed deeply and met her eyes, a look of fear and hatred that shook Azula. She’d never seen the usually apathetic girl so determined.
“If you even think of touching a single hair in Izumi’s head, I will peel your skin away, bit by bit.”
Any other time, Azula would have congratulated Mai for the gruesome imagery. But she was struck by the accusation.
“You really believe I would hurt an innocent child? My own niece?” She asked, keeping the trembling out of her voice.
“There’s little I don’t think you capable of.” Mai scoffed.
It hurt. Surprisingly, it hurt. Mai had never been her friend, not truly. Everyone had considered them inseparable, but Azula had known it was transactional from the very beginning, as it always was for her. Mai had approached her on her father’s orders, hoping to gain the favour of the Royal Family. She got the benefits and privileges of being the Princess’ friend, and Azula got some company, even if paid.
Nevertheless, she had spent many years with Mai by her side. She thought the gloomy girl knew what she was really like. But, apparently, she hadn’t bothered to look beyond what she needed. Perhaps… the incident with Tom-Tom. Azula had noticed that Mai was colder after that, but she assumed it was about her decision to use the child as bait, not that she really thought that she would allow him to be harmed at all. It was disappointing, if not unexpected.
“I will not hurt Izumi, or allow her to be hurt if I can help it. That I can promise you.” Azula spoke in a serious voice.
“I know the value of your promises, and I don’t need them. I’ve got collateral.”
“Collateral?”
“Zuko told me of that girl you carry around. I don’t care if you’re grooming your own servants now, but if Izumi is even slightly singed, I will-”
Mai’s voice was cut off as her throat was crushed against the wall, Azula holding her there with just a hand. Her eyes widened at the unexpected attack, the speed and brutality of it. The fingers around her throat were sparking, slightly burning her skin.
“Let me make something very clear to you. If the girl is hurt in any way whatsoever, I will assume it’s your fault. Now, I won’t do anything to Izumi, I’m not the person you think I am. But you? I have no issue with killing you. I won’t lay some sadistic punishment on you, I will just kill you. A quick bolt to the heart, and you’re gone. You won’t suffer. But you will never see your kid again, or hear her laughter. You will never hold her in your arms, or see her grow up. All her life, you will be nothing but a pile of ashes. Am I understood?”
The fingers sparked even more violently, and Mai nodded slightly, trying and failing to gulp.
“Good.” Azula dropped her. Mai gasped, trying to get air into her lungs, while she merely resumed her previous position, her look neutral once more. “Send Zuko my regards, will you? Remind him he has to visit every once in a while for the plot to work. Goodnight, Mai.”
“What is wrong with you?!” Zuko bellowed as he entered the room.
“And hello to you too, brother.” Azula deadpanned. “Ran, go read by the pond.”
“But-”
“Now, Ran.”
The little girl pouted but left the room, glaring at the Firelord as she passed him by.
“What have I done now?”
“What, so you think threatening to kill my wife is just a joke?” He fumed.
“Oh, no. I wasn’t joking at all. I actually think I made myself clear enough.” She cocked her head.
“You touch one hair on her head and I will kill you, Azula.” Zuko stomped closer, looming over her.
Azula huffed. He wasn’t even close to as intimidating as Father had been. Shorter, too.
“That’s about the same I said to her, Zuzu. Glad we’re all in agreement. No one hurts anybody and there won’t be any need for reprisals.”
“What, so first you threaten my wife, and now you’re suddenly the victim? Uncle is right, you’ve somehow become even worse in the colonies.” He sneered.
“Colonies? Not republics? Well, can’t expect you not to be a huge hypocrite for even one second.” She sighed dramatically. “Case in point, it was your darling wife who came here to threaten me first. She was rambling about me hurting your daughter, because of course we all know Azula’s favorite pastimes are burning kids and drowning puppies.”
Zuko’s frown turned from anger to confusion.
“And even then, I did not answer the appalling insult because I’m magnanimous like that.” She smirked. Then her mouth closed to a fine line. “Then she thought it was a good idea to threaten Ran in return. So forgive me if I took offense at that.”
“Mai would never threaten a child.” He shook his head in denial.
“Oh, no. She would probably never go through with it, no. But the threat itself? If she thought it would bring her an advantage? She’d be vicious about it, really lay it on, make sure she wouldn’t have to make good on that threat. If you think otherwise, you don’t know your wife as well as you thought.” Azula shrugged.
The Firelord was frozen in place, not willing to believe his sister - Azula always lied - but also aware that it was very possible she was telling the truth.
“Anyways, I’m not here to tell you how to manage your marriage.” She drawled, sitting back on the bed. “I hope at least someone saw you coming here? Get some gossip going?”
“I… Yes, I wasn’t very inconspicuous, I don’t think.” He shook his head, glad for the change of subject.
“Good. That’s what we need. Try and poke around the servants or the kitchens when I’m not there too, look around like you’re searching for someone. If you keep it up we should conveniently have a couple new hires in about a moon or so. Then we can start feeding them a tale.”
“Right, right.” Zuko pinched the bridge of his nose. “I’ll do that. I just- I… Good evening, Azula.” He left the room as swiftly as he had entered, his cloak billowing behind him.
“So dramatic.” Azula rolled her eyes. Well, at least this had gotten him off his ass and kickstarted the plan. She’d have to thank Mai somehow. Perhaps a new knife.
Azula had been worried that perhaps Zuko had been a bit too conspicuous, a bit too obvious about his incensed visit. Her suspicions were confirmed not even two days later, as she was visiting the market. She was buying a few pastries to bring Ran later - she had asked Zuko for a decent stipend when they began this arrangement, if the little girl could get some better clothes and food from this then she was willing to swallow her pride - when she saw from the corner of her eye a blue-clothed figure striding towards her with a furious expression.
The firebender decided to intercept her before she could make a scandal.
“Master waterbender!” She greeted her happily as if old friends. “It is so good to see you. Thank you for your work, Ran’s burn is almost completely gone.” She bowed deeply.
The water tribe girl blinked, shocked.
“Oh, please, allow me to invite you to some tea, I insist.” She grinned, linking her arms rather forcefully and guiding her out of the market through one of the less traversed streets. “Are you crazy? You were about to blow my cover.” Azula reprimanded her, the smile on her face unmoved.
“These people have a right to know there is a murderer among them. You should be in a cell, not in a market.” The waterbender snarled under her breath.
“First of all, try to control that frown, it calls too much attention.” Azula chastised her. “And second, this is all dear Zuko’s plan, so if you have any issues with it, please go bother him. You can even freeze off his fingers if you want. Punch him for me.”
“I don’t know how you managed to convince Zuko to give you this chance, but I don’t buy it. I’m going to stop you.”
“It was Zuko who did the begging, actually. I’ve been living fine on my own for years.” She shrugged.
“On your own? What about the girl? What are you doing to that poor child anyway?”
“Nevermind about the girl, we all pick up a stray pet every once in a while.” Azula drawled. The same people who wanted her dead couldn’t know that Ran was important to her. She didn’t put them above using the child against her.
“That poor girl should be in an orphanage, or anywhere else that is not with you. Are you hurting her? How did you convince Zuko to leave her to you?” The woman frowned.
“Listen, Kalama, I-”
“It’s Katara.” She gritted her teeth.
“It’s whatever. Listen, peasant, I know it’s quite the advanced concept for your people’s limited understanding, but here we’re not savages who live in tents. Which means, because I assume you need me to explain it, that I don’t care in the slightest about your opinion. You’re nothing to me. Not my family, not my friend, not my colleague, not even my compatriot.” She drawled, really stressing the condescending tone. “So you think I eat babies breakfast? That’s fine. I don’t care. I have no need to explain myself to some jumped-up barbarian whose claim to fame is fucking someone with less sense than he has hair. So I will keep with this demented farce, and you will play your part in it, or you will have to explain to the Firelord just why his plan has failed spectacularly.”
She released her arm from a speechless Katara’s, having timed her speech perfectly so they arrived back at another busy street.
“Thank you so much for your time, Master Waterbender.” She bowed again, her expression a perfect mask of respect and admiration. “I wish you a good day.”
Azula continued her walk back towards the Palace, leaving a stupefied Katara behind. She took a bite of one of the pastries. Delightfully spicy. She hoped Ran liked them.