Chapter 13: New Task

A week...a week had passed since her father Firelord Ozai, had an arranged marriaged forged between Azula and Zhan, the prodigy Princess wed to a goofy tinkerer. In any other situations, she'd ask herself - what in Agni, is going on? But this is totally different.

Zhan wasn't just a gifted maker, he was a great fighter, and a brilliant thinker aswell. Everything he touched, was improved, figurely of course. But that proverb was getting more practical as the days passed

Fire Nation troops were making very slow but some progress, in the fight against the Earth Kingdom, from the usual stalemate. The army was cheaper and better equiped than before, new Tundra tanks, outfitted glaive throwers, were more lethal than ever, cutting down rows of suprised and shocked earthbenders. With the latest happening, being an invasion of the last water-bender stronghold - the Northern Water Tribe. An invasion fleet commanded by Admiral Zhao, his mission of eliminating the Northern water-benders and capturing the Avatar, once and for all.

Yet progress was also made here, in the Royal Palace. Azula and Zhan were making steady progress with bending white fire. Nowadays, they had to perform infront of two sages at a time. She was slightly mad that her and Zhan's special thing was being turned into another training assignment. Luckily for Azula, they had control over how much they wanted to practice or learn. Since the bending was linked to them, and the sages had zero experience on teaching anything about white fire, also that, this kind of bending musn't be lost to anything. So they had control over how much they trained and how long.

On a personal level, they were improving...slowly though.

XXX

"Okay...I'm bored," said Azula, lying on the grass. The twins had advised them, to take a co-trip somewhere...more personal.

"Beat you by an hour," replied Zhan, lying on her legs, plucking some grass out.

"What is this supposed to do? Bring boredom?" she asked.

"I think they said that: It'll bring couples closer, due to the privateness and...from there I lost them," he explained.

"Yeah, Li and Lo do that. They're weird but highly intelligent...like you," she chuckled. Her and Zhan had decided, per the twins advice, to take a private trip to the nearby cliffside, overlooking the ocean.

"..haha...very funny.." he replied, rising to his feet. "Okay...I officially think this is made-up for boredom."

"I second that," she replied, rising up aswell, stretching.

"Seriously, who finds this romantic?" he asked, looking over the side.

"Old people?" she replied.

"Guess so..." he replied, falling face-first over the cliff.

"ZHAN!" she yelled, running to where he was...only to see him, standing on a cliff.

"Gotcha!" he replied, leaning against the rock.

"..very funny..." she replied, climbing down. "What are you doing...down here?"

"Making this interesting," he replied, starting to carve something into the rock with his metal-claw. A word started to appear - Azula.

"I can do that," she replied, lighting a small near her fingertips, then started to carve something aswell - Zhan.

"Ohhh...a dare huh?" he teased, carving another word - Wildflower.

"Indeed," she replied, smirking. Then carved the Fire Nation emblem into the rock. "Beat...that."

"Gladly," he replied, slashing and splitting rocks apart and spitting-up dust.

"Don't go overboard," replied Azula, waving the dust away.

"As you wish," replied Zhan, finishing the touches on the carving - a figure of Azula as the Firelord. "You like?"

"Mmmmm...tasteful," she replied teasingly, admiring the carving.

"Knew you'd like it," he replied, leaning closer.

"Pardon Princess," came a voice above.

"What?" she asked, sighing. Above her was a royal messenger.

"The Firelord wishes to speak with you," replied the messenger.

"Now?" she asked, annoyed.

"...yes..." he replied, before quickly taking his leave.

"Great!" replied Azula, rolling her eyes. "Just when this was getting less boring."

"What ya gonna do?" replied Zhan, boosting Azula up, then following up aswell.

The short trip, back to the Palace was uneventful, mind the occasional mumbling and small cursing.

"Alright, alright. Stay focused, don't worry about it, we can do another one later," he said, calming her down. Adding a quick peck on the cheek aswell. "You know where to find me."

"Yeah, yeah I do," she replied. Heading for the Throne Room and pondering what had happened this time.

Arriving inside the Throne Room, Azula could feel the heat emmanating from there. The Royal Flames hotter than usual...her father was angry and not pleased.

"Iroh is a traitor, and your brother is a failure. I have task for you...

XXX

"So that's it?" asked Zhan, hearing Azula's explanation.

"Yeah. Father sent me to bring in the Dragon of the West and my brother, " she said.

"Need any help?" he asked, hearing the Dragon of the West's name.

"No need. I gotta a lead, on where they're staying. A easy grab-and-detain. I'll be going soon," she replied.

"The Dragon of the West?" he asked worried.

"Oh please...my uncle may have been a warrior once, now he's just a sappy, fat old man," she replied casually. "My brother isn't even worth a thought. He's worthless."

"If you say so," he replied, turning back to his blueprint.

"Ohh! Are you afraid I'll get hurt?" she cooed, behind his back.

"Maybe," he replied over his shoulder.

"Please...the chance of uncle and Zuko hurting me, is equal to that of a turtle-crab growing a pair of wings, and flying," she said.

"That's an interesting notion," he replied, seemingly growing an interest in the subject.

"Stop mocking me," she said, giving him a slight slap on his chest.

"No promise," he replied grinning.

"Whatever," said Azula, rolling her eyes.

"Well...hurry up. Because the war-minister is constructing a machine, that will win us Ba Sing Se," said Zhan.

"Ohhh...I'm curious...what is it?" she asked.

"I'm not sure myself. However that it's big...very big and made of metal," he replied.

"Well then...I'll be sure to hurry back. When I'm done," she said.

"Sure..." he replied. Then grabbed her face, and gave Azula a good ten-second kiss on the lips. "So you won't get homesick."

"I promise," she replied smiling, making her way out of the underground facility.

XXX