Chapter 7: Return

XXX

Another day, another celebration passed. But today wasn't just any day. Today Azula turned fourteen, giving her chance to take part in the more important activities in the Royal Palace: particapate in father's meetings, plan battles, lead battles, command a war-fleet, and so forth.

Yet she still had a certain boy, stuck in her mind. Six months and still Zhan hasn't visited her, she had received his letter every two weeks, but they were mostly just day-to-day personal stuff: what he did, where he went, who got injured and so on.

To her suprise, when the first letters started to come, it would've seemed Zhan wasn't placed on the front-lines. Seems he had made himself worthwhile, by being a saboteur. Destroying Earth Kingdom barracks's, bridges, supplies and other things. He had been placed as an officer for a group of engineers at first, but he made use of their construction and demolition skills to do some major damage to the Earth Kingdom. The former engineering squad: the Scorchers, now a deadly enemy that the Earth Kingdom fears.

His latest letter, Azula had received two weeks ago, was the most pleasant: setting up an ambush along an important supply route; causing the ground under a Earth supply caravan, to collapse on itself...earth giving away on an earthbender. Oh the irony.

Since then, the Northern front had started to actuallymake steady progress into Earth Kingdom territory, prompting the Earth King to devote more troops to the North, from the Western and Southern front, essentially weakening the entire fronts. She had even wondered, if the troops would reach Ba Sing Se, before she could get out there...not likely, but a girl can dream.

Unfortunately, her celabrations were the same as last year's one, minus a certain idiot.

'Great...now I'm getting jealous as well...curse these emotions,' thought Azula, arriving back in her Royal Chambers.

"Oh...how can people BE in these things," said Azula to herself, removing the extravagant Royal robe from her, changing into her regular outfit.

"Hi there beautiful," said a voice, from her balcony.

Azula reacted on instinct, sending a fire blasts towards there...sending someone with golden hair over the balcony.

'WAIT! GOLD?! OH NO!' Azula realized, who she had just attacked. Immediately running to the balcony, and peering over the side.

"Sorry...but you missed me Azula," said Zhan, hanging from the balcony, smiling.

"You idiot! I could've burned you!" she yelled at him, for his stupid entrance idea.

"Hardly," he replied, chuckling. "I trained you, for your knowledge. So I'd know your moves. And blue fire is easy to spot."

"Idiot," she replied, shaking her head. "What are you doing here?"

"What? Think I'll miss out on the Crown Princess' celebration?" he asked, climbing up.

Azula merely rolled her eyes, returning inside.

"Here you are Princess," said Zhan smiling, offering her the gift. It looked similar to the one she got last year, weight as much. Opening it she found a similar claw-gauntlet, down to the last detail, a twin to her other one.

"How did you make this?" she asked. He had been in battles for six months, how did he make this.

"I made it during the breaks I had," he replied.

"Where did you get the materials?" she asked, some of the pieces were made of metal, yet some had gold linings and a ruby in the center.

"Earth Kingdom: caravans, villages...and the occasional robbing a noble," he said, which Azula couldn't help but chuckle at the mental image. "Also...something else."

"What?" she asked.

"Close your eyes...relax...and don't banish me," he said.

"What are you up to?" she asked puzzled.

"Nothing," he replied, scratching his head.

"Fine," she said, closing her eyes and trying to relax. 'What's he planning? Another gift, idea, plan, tr-'

Azula's thoughts were soon scattered to the wind, as she felt something on her lips. Her eyes shot open, and she saw Zhan...kissing her on the lips.

By the great fires of Agni, her mind was a mess, she was dumbstruck on how to react. She felt good, weird, dizzy...joy. She liked the feeling, and the touch his lips on hers...and it was driving crazy.

"So?" he asked, stopping suddenly to her dismay.

Azula reacted by grabbing his tunic, crashing her lips on his, no way was she gonna get left unsatisfied.

She had put more force to this kiss, but it felt less-feeling than before...until he had wrapped his hands around his waist, pulling her closer.

He was playing with his tongue in her mouth...which felt good, which she replied to. Both fighting eachother for dominance. Azula wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer. Zhan in-turn used his hand to loosen her hair, keeping one hand on her waist. Her long coal-black hair, flowing out, to which he grabbed her head and pulled Azula closer, playing with her hair.

She could feel him against her, rising and falling in-rhythm, his body against hers. It was the greatest thing she had felt in her life: more pride than what her father would give, more warm than what she felt with her mother...more excilirating than the firebending she felt.

Azula also felt getting dizzy and weak in the knees, this was overwhelming to her. As if feeling her body stutter, Zhan inhaled from his nose, and exhaled into her, causing her inner fire to burn more brightly than ever and causing her knees to give. He caught her legs, lifting and holding her up by her legs and back, not breaking their kiss for a second. She wished this would last forever, alas she knew it couldn't.

"So? How about now?" Zhan asked, holding her up, ending their kiss.

"I'd say that was the greatest thing in the world," Azula replied, smiling in-kind, her arms around his neck. "That was something."

"A great gift then," he said.

"More like: I'm sorry I don't visit much apology," she replied, pulling herself closer to him.

"Alright then," he replied smiling at her, pulling her more closer, so that they were only inches apart. "Happy celebrations Azula."

XXX