Plans

As the morning sun filtered through the curtains, bathing the room in a warm golden glow, Ash's eyes fluttered open.

His gaze shifted slightly, and to his surprise, he found himself inches away from Azula's face. Her eyes met his, and for a moment, they simply stared at each other, a serene silence passing between them.

"Good morning," Ash said casually, his tone devoid of any hint of awkwardness.

Azula raised an eyebrow, her lips curling into a smirk. "I suppose it is," she replied, equally nonchalant.

Their proximity didn't seem to faze either of them as they lay there, their bodies still entwined. Azula's leg was draped over Ash's, and their faces were mere inches apart.

But rather than panicking or pulling away, they remained calm, almost as if they were accustomed to such closeness.

After a moment, Ash shifted slightly, breaking the contact between them. Azula followed suit, adjusting her position until they were no longer pressed against each other.

"Shall we start the day, then?" Ash asked, pushing himself up into a sitting position.

Azula nodded, a small smile playing on her lips. "Yes, we should." She replied, rising from the bed.

As she disappeared into the bathroom, Ash's gaze lingered on the spot where she had been moments before. 

'That was unexpected.' He mused inwardly.

He had never imagined himself waking up in such close quarters with Azula, of all people. Yet here they were, sharing a moment of silent understanding that seemed to transcend their usual animosity.

'Strange how things can change.' Ash thought, his mind drifting back to the events of the previous day. They had been forced into this marriage against their will, yet somehow, in the quiet intimacy of the morning, it didn't seem so bad.

'Perhaps there's more to this arrangement than meets the eye.' Ash pondered, a sense of curiosity stirring within him.

With a soft sigh, he pushed himself out of bed, "Well, no time like the present."

Meanwhile, as Azula stood in front of the bathroom mirror, the events of the morning replayed in her mind.

'What was that all about?' Azula thought, her gaze meeting her own in the reflection.

She prided herself on her control and composure, yet in that moment, she had felt strangely vulnerable.

She hadn't even noticed when she fell asleep, and it seemed the same could be said for Ash.

'Perhaps it's just the proximity.' Azula reasoned, though she couldn't help but wonder if there was something more to it. The thought left her feeling unsettled, a rare sensation that she wasn't quite sure how to deal with.

With a shake of her head, Azula pushed aside her doubts, focusing instead on the task at hand. There were preparations to be made, plans to be set in motion. She couldn't afford to be distracted by trivial matters, especially not when there were bigger things at stake.

'Time to face the day.' She muttered to herself, stepping back out the bathroom, and facing Ash who had already changed into his usual kimono.

Azula emerged from the bathroom, her expression slightly perplexed as she glanced around the empty room. "Why aren't there any servants here?" She asked, her tone tinged with annoyance.

Ash shrugged nonchalantly, a faint smile playing on his lips. "You'll have to get used to doing things yourself, Azula," He replied, his tone light but firm. "As your husband, I simply wish to see you grow and become more self-sufficient."

Azula's frown deepened at his words, ready to retort, but he raised a hand to silence her. "Besides," he continued, his voice taking on a teasing edge, "Aren't you the one who dislikes depending on others? You should be well-versed in handling things yourself."

Her lips formed a thin line as she regarded him coolly. "I don't dislike it," she countered. "I simply find it inefficient to waste my time on trivial tasks."

With a nod, Ash accepted her answer, his gaze shifting to the corner of the room where a small box rested. "Did you find the information I asked for?" He inquired, his interest piqued.

Azula's demeanor shifted slightly as she retrieved a scroll from the box, tossing it casually to Ash. "Most of it," she admitted, a note of frustration evident in her voice. "I couldn't locate any information on the supposed spirit portals, but I found the rest."

Taking the scroll, Ash unrolled it carefully, scanning its contents with a practiced eye. After a moment of perusal, he nodded, his expression unreadable. "That's alright," he replied calmly, meeting Azula's gaze. "You did well. Thank you, Azula."

It was a scroll that showed Zuko's last known location, and information on the Spirit Library of Wan Shi Tong, the big owl. He also wanted to confirm information about the location of the spirit portals being in the South and North Pole because they were never confirmed in ATLA, nonetheless he would deal with it at another time.

And since he now knows Zuko's last known location, and how he wasn't considered a traitor yet, this allowed him to conclude the avatar's current location.

Azula seemed curious as she asked, "What use is this information to you?" 

Ash offered her a knowing smile, folding the scroll neatly, "Let's just say this information will prove to be very useful for us."

Perplexed, Azula tilted her head, studying him intently. "How could knowing Zuko's location be useful? After he was banished, he's made it his life goal to capture the Avatar in order to gain Father's approval. What more could it be?"

"If we act swiftly," Ash began, his voice low, "We'll be able to intercept the Avatar and his group. Not to mention, Zuko and Iroh will soon become traitors to the Fire Nation, so capturing them will get us some merits."

Azula's eyes widened in surprise at the revelation, before speaking in a suspicious tone, "And how do you know this?" 

Ash leaned back slightly, a smirk playing on his lips. "Let's just say I have my sources." He replied cryptically.

Azula regarded him with a raised eyebrow, a hint of skepticism in her expression. "And what, pray tell, might those sources be?" 

A chuckle escaped Ash's lips as he met her gaze head-on. "That's for me to know and for you to find out. But rest assured, I have everything under control."

Azula's expression hardened, a cold glint entering her eyes. "Don't push your luck, Ash," she retorted icily, her tone dripping with disdain. "I may be your wife now, but that doesn't mean I trust you."

Ash's smirk widened into a grin, his eyes gleaming with amusement. "Fair enough," he replied nonchalantly, unfazed by her warning. "But trust me, Azula, you won't regret putting your faith in me."

Azula's gaze sharpened as she turned to Ash, "So, what's the plan?" 

"We leave immediately." Ash replied without hesitation.

Azula nodded in agreement, "But first, we need to inform my father before we go."

They both began to make their preparations, gathering their belongings and readying themselves for the meeting with the Fire Lord. Dispatching a messenger hawk to inform the Fire Lord of their impending visit, ensuring their arrival would not go unnoticed.

And eventually they arrived at the Royal Palace, traversing the tall red corridors.

Once entering the throne room, both of them kneeled, surprisingly this time Azula went on one knee, matching Ash.

Behind the wall of flames, Ozai observed the scene with a knowing smirk. 'So, she believes her status as his wife affords her certain privileges,' He mused silently, noting Azula's imitation of Ash's gesture. 'Interesting.'

"What reason did the two of you call for me?"

Ash was the first to speak as he said, "I have some rather important information that may interest you."

Fire Lord Ozai's eyes narrowed as he regarded the pair kneeling before him, "And what, pray tell, is the nature of this information you bring before me?"

Ash maintained his composure, meeting the Fire Lord's gaze with unwavering confidence. "My sources have informed me of the Avatar's current whereabouts at the Northern Water Tribe," He continued, "Furthermore, there are whispers of betrayal within our own ranks. It appears that Prince Zuko and General Iroh are plotting to abandon their allegiance to the Fire Nation and are also heading to the same location as the avatar."

Ozai's eyes flashed with anger at the mention of betrayal, his grip tightening on the arms of his throne. "Betrayal," he spat, his voice dripping with contempt. "Such treachery will not be tolerated."

Turning his attention to Azula, Ozai's gaze bore into her, expecting confirmation of Ash's claims.

Azula hesitated for a moment, weighing her options, before offering a subtle nod of agreement, "Indeed, Father it seems to be true." 

Inwardly she was still doubting these so-called sources, nevertheless, if she were to show skepticism, her father might be less prone to send them, so for now she decided to lie for Ash.

A flicker of doubt crossed Ozai's features at Azula's response, but he chose to accept her affirmation at face value. "Very well," He conceded, though his tone held a note of caution. "Do what you must, and continue to monitor the situation closely."

With a wave of his hand, Ozai signaled the end of the audience. "You are dismissed."

"As you command, Fire Lord," Ash replied with a respectful bow before turning to leave the throne room, Azula falling into step beside him.

Once they were out of earshot, Azula turned to Ash, a hint of skepticism in her gaze. "The Northern Water Tribe?" She questioned, her voice low with uncertainty. "That's quite a journey, especially if your sources prove to be unreliable, not to mention unlike the Southern Water Tribe, their actually not useless."

Ash maintained his composure as they walked through the palace corridors, ignoring Azula's skepticism. "Yes, it's a risk," He admitted, "But sometimes, risks are necessary to achieve our goals."

Azula's expression remained stoic as she absorbed Ash's words, her mind already working to dissect and analyze the situation, "Risks are indeed necessary, but unnecessary risks are simply foolish."

Ash regarded her with a knowing nod, "Agreed, that's why our plan must be calculated and precise."

Her gaze sharpened as she outlined her plan, "We'll need to tread lightly to avoid spooking the Northern Water Tribe or the Avatar," she began, her tone as calculating as ever. "We'll take just a single ship with a small contingent of men, once we arrive, we'll discreetly disembark and blend in with the traders already present."

Ash listened intently, his expression thoughtful. "Maintaining our cover as traders will afford us the element of surprise, it will also allow us to observe our surroundings and gather valuable intelligence without raising suspicion."

"Indeed," She agreed, "Once we have assessed the situation and identified our targets, we will strike swiftly and decisively, leaving our enemies no opportunity to react. By doing this we can destabilize the Northern Water Tribe's defenses and sow chaos among their ranks, weakening them from within."

With them devising a plan, Azula and Ash prepared to embark on their mission.

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