Morning had come. Ty Lee was still curled up in the corner Azula had sent her to. It was cold, but she hadn't dared to slip into her clothes again. She rubbed her arms and watched the bed. It would be dawn soon and Azula, being a fire bender, would wake once the sun's energy touched her. Then maybe she would let Ty Lee get dressed. The acrobat squeezed herself into the corner, trying to conserve what little warmth she had.
Finally, there was movement. The princess stirred. Ty Lee saw Azula's hand slide down Mai's side, and then disappear under the blanket. Mai didn't move. Azula laughed low and sat up with a leisurely stretch. Ty Lee averted her eyes from the fire bender's nakedness. She heard another soft chuckle from Azula. “Don't you like what you see, Ty Lee?” Looking up through her eyelashes, Ty Lee saw Azula rise from the bed and throw her robe about her lean body. The acrobat quaked inwardly as the princess made her way nonchalantly across the room, coming to a halt about three feet from where Ty Lee was sitting. There was a long and significant pause. Ty Lee waited helplessly, wondering what the princess might be thinking. “Get dressed,” Azula ordered abruptly. “That goes for both of you,” she added, glancing back toward the silent Mai. “I want you ready in case I think of new orders.” With that, she turned and disappeared into the bathroom.
Ty Lee was thankful. She moved to where she had disrobed the night before and quickly began to pull on her clothes again. Mai rose from the bed and walked to a nearby wardrobe. Ty Lee watched surreptitiously, admiring the clean curves of Mai's back and legs. These disappeared as Mai opened the wardrobe, withdrew one of her own outfits, and began to clothe herself. Ty Lee suddenly realized that she was staring. Blushing, the acrobat averted her eyes and did up the waistband of her loose, pink pants.
Things had changed between them, Ty Lee realized. Before, Mai had been her best friend, the one who would always listen when Ty Lee needed to talk. (Well, most of the time, anyway.) But now, Ty Lee couldn't look at her without remembering how Mai's white hands had felt on her breasts, and how good her mouth had tasted. She felt her cheeks burn even hotter at the memory. “I think I'm in love with Mai,” she thought suddenly. “And I think maybe I have been for a long time, but I didn't realize it.”
She heard footsteps. Ty Lee looked up to see Mai approaching her. The taller girl glanced quietly at the closed bathroom door, and then looked down at Ty Lee. “Are you all right?” she asked. Her voice was low, but as steady as ever.
“I guess so.” Ty Lee gave her a shaky smile. “Are you?”
“I'm fine.” Mai shrugged and turned away. “She's done way worse than last night.”
“I know she has.” Ty Lee's voice was barely audible. She was thinking about what she had endured at Azula's hands – the strap-ons, the beads, and the near-drowning. A deep shudder ran down her spine. She wondered what Mai had been going through at the hands of the sadistic princess for the past year. “And I didn't know,” she thought, with a sudden rush of pity and pain. Her eyes filled with tears as she looked up at her friend. “I'm so sorry, Mai,” she whispered. “I wish I'd known.”
The knife expert looked down at her. Her cold expression softened just a little. “I told you before, it's not your fault,” she said quietly. Ty Lee gave a little sob as the tears spilled down her round cheeks. “Hey, don't cry. It's okay.” Mai looked around quickly, as if to see if anyone was watching, then stooped down. Ty Lee threw her arms around her with another small sob. “It's okay,” Mai murmured again, patting her back awkwardly. “It's okay, Ty Lee.”
“Oh, aren't you two precious?” Azula's taunting laughter rippled from the bathroom door as Mai quickly pulled away. Ty Lee wiped her eyes hurriedly with the backs of her hands and looked over. Azula was standing in the doorway with her arms folded, smirking. “Didn't you get enough of each other last night?” she asked, raising her brows gracefully. “Such impatience! For shame. I'll give you another chance together soon enough.” Ty Lee saw Mai's face twist into a scowl. Azula's smile grew, but she didn't comment directly. Instead she moved away from the bathroom, heading for the door of her rooms. “Enough entertainment. Come on,” she said, motioning to the other two. “We'll have breakfast downstairs today.”
They ate alone, grouped around the end of one of the long, elegant dining tables. No one said much during the meal. Ty Lee ate her pastry and drank her tea quietly. Azula had said she was leaving this morning, and the acrobat was looking forward to resting and trying to make sense of everything that had gone on. - And, maybe, a little time with Mai. She stole a glance at the stoic girl across the table. Mai was absorbed in her breakfast, eating with smooth, polite motions. Ty Lee sighed and turned her attention back to her own half-finished cup of tea.
Someone coughed politely. Ty Lee looked up again to see a bowing servant. He wasn't wearing the distinctive clothing of the palace servants. She glanced at the markings on his robe, and realized that he was one of Mai's house staff. “Lady Mai?” he said, holding up a small piece of paper. “Forgive the interruption. This message has just arrived for you. It's from your uncle at the Boiling Rock.”
“Oh?” Mai glanced briefly at Azula before she took the paper. Ty Lee watched Mai's face as she read it. The knife expert's expression didn't change much, but she seemed to grow paler, and her knuckles whitened.
These subtle changes weren't lost on Azula, either. The princess set down the last bite of her pastry carefully on her plate. “Well, Mai?” she said calmly. “What message was so desperately important that your uncle and your messenger saw fit to disturb us with it at breakfast?”
Mai didn't say anything for a while. She looked up at Azula in silence. Then, with a quick intake of breath, she flicked the paper toward the princess. “It's Zuko,” she said quietly. “He's at Boiling Rock.”
It was difficult to faze Azula, but this news succeeded in doing just that. The fire bender froze for a moment. “Zuko?” she said sharply. “At Boiling Rock? What do you mean?” Without waiting for an answer, she snatched up the message to read it for herself. Ty Lee watched her, wide-eyed, over the rim of her tea cup. She watched as Azula's eyes widened, then narrowed. A delighted smile slowly spread over the princess's red lips. “Why, your uncle has actually captured my dear big brother. What a pleasant surprise!”
Was it a pleasant surprise? Ty Lee looked quickly at Mai. She knew the knife expert still had a certain letter that Zuko had left her – a letter that had tersely informed her of his leaving, and told her to forget him and move on. She knew, too, that Mai felt his absence deeply. Mai's face was impassive, but Ty Lee could see a certain clenching of her jaw and flashing of her eyes. “Yes,” was all Mai said.
“We can't waste time.” Azula spoke quickly and thoughtfully, ignoring Mai. “We have to get down there immediately. If Zuko's there, then maybe...” She stopped, rising abruptly to her feet. “Come on, you two. Victory is within our grasp. There's not a moment to lose!” Azula strode for the door. Ty Lee let her cup drop into its saucer with a sharp clink and scrambled after her, without glancing back for Mai. Azula was walking so fast that Ty Lee could barely keep up with her without running.
They went out of the palace and down the steps. Azula got into her royal litter. “To the docks. Move!” she ordered. The bearers started forward. Mai and Ty Lee fell into step beside it.
Five war balloons were waiting by the docks, along with a small army of soldiers. Azula curtly ordered her litter to a stop, then stepped down. Ty Lee watched uncertainly as the princess took in the waiting force. With a decisive nod, Azula finally turned toward the biggest war balloon. “We'll take this,” she said shortly. “The rest of you won't be needed. - Mai, Ty Lee, come.” The two girls followed the princess in silence.
Ty Lee had never traveled on a balloon before. She'd seen them, though. On the Day of Black Sun, when they were supposed to be hiding, she had slipped out to watch the fleet deploy against the Avatar's invasion force. They hadn't been overly effective against the air bender and his Water Tribe girlfriend. Some of Azula's subsequent war meetings had been to discuss ways to improve the design of the balloons. Ty Lee's eyes were wide with curiosity as they went inside. It was one of the big ones, with rooms and corridors like a ship.
Azula walked purposefully to the helm of the balloon. The pilots and navigators bowed low as the princess appeared. “Get this thing off the ground,” she ordered. “Head for the Boiling Rock. Quickly!” They scrambled to do her bidding. Azula turned to the captain of the group of soldiers on board. “My companions and I need to discuss our strategies,” she said. “Show me the rooms that would be most suitable as our quarters.” He bowed and obeyed.
The girls soon found themselves in the largest room on board. It was sparsely furnished with a bunk bed, a desk and a chair. Ty Lee bounced on the bed, testing its spring, as Azula fixed her eyes on the captain again. “We are not to be disturbed,” she said firmly. “Unless this balloon is under attack, we are to be left alone. Is that clear?” The man saluted briskly and left the room. The door closed behind him.
Mai took a seat on the chair. Azula moved to the bunk and sat down beside Ty Lee. Her yellow eyes turned to the quiet knife expert. “So your uncle has captured the traitor prince,” she purred. “That ought to do wonders for your family's status, Mai.” The tall girl's eyes flickered, but she said nothing. Azula leaned back against the wall. Ty Lee felt the arm of the princess hook around her waist, pulling her until she was draped sideways across Azula's lap, her head resting against the side of the fire bender's neck. “I'll tell you what,” Azula said, as if nothing had happened. “You're probably still angry with dear Zuzu, aren't you, Mai?”
“Sure.” Mai's voice was impassive.
“Then I'll make you a deal.” Azula held Ty Lee's weight with her right arm. Her left hand began to wander, sliding over the acrobat's bare midriff. “Your uncle also mentioned that Zuko had someone with him – it's probably one of the Avatar's little posse, if not the Avatar himself. When we get to the prison, I'll let you have first crack at my brother, while Ty Lee and I go to see the other prisoner. What do you think of that idea?”
“It's fine.” Mai shrugged, looking away as Azula's hand pushed underneath Ty Lee's pink shirt. Ty Lee whimpered softly. “Good chance to tell him how stupid he is.”
“Among other things, yes.” Azula smirked. Her eyes moved down to the girl in her lap; Ty Lee felt the clawed hand thrust itself under her breast bindings and wriggle upward to squeeze at the soft flesh. The acrobat winced and squirmed. Azula's gaze moved back to the knife expert. “I want you to question him for me until I get there, Mai. - Once you've finished hauling him over the coals for your own reasons, of course,” the princess said placidly. Her fingers found Ty Lee's nipple and began to pinch and twist it lightly. Ty Lee gasped, clutching at the front of Azula's jacket. “My brother will know where the Avatar is, if he isn't at the Boiling Rock. That's information I want. See if you can get that out of him before I arrive.”
Calmly, Mai shrugged again, her eyes still averted. “If you like.” Her tone was still cool, almost bored. Ty Lee wished she had that option. Azula's deft fingers were impossible to ignore.
“Excellent. I think this will be a good day.” The princess tugged at Ty Lee's breast bindings, loosening them enough to pull them up with her shirt and expose her breasts. Then she paused in her groping to reach up and unfasten her own collar. “You do the rest,” she instructed, her cold eyes catching Ty Lee's. With a gulp, Ty Lee obeyed, beginning to unbutton Azula's jacket. Azula resumed fondling Ty Lee's bosom and looked back up at Mai. “Of course, if you manage to get my traitor brother to tell you where the Avatar is, I'll see that you're rewarded,” she purred. “Such service to the Fire Nation will look very good on your record. Perhaps a good marriage? I have a number of first cousins who are very well-connected. Your family would benefit greatly from that.”
“Yes. They would.” Mai finally looked at them again. Her eyes met Ty Lee's briefly, with a flash of sadness, before moving back up to Azula's.
The princess's jacket fell open, baring the neat strips of black cloth that bound her chest. Ty Lee let her hands fall, whimpering and letting her head tip back as Azula massaged her breasts firmly. It felt good. A moan rose up in her throat as the princess circled her nipple with her thumb. “And when the day comes that my father passes into the Spirit World – may that day be far from now – perhaps you will continue to serve me as one of my advisors.” Azula's palm brushed slowly down Ty Lee's taut stomach, sliding between her muscular thighs to rub her through her loose pants. Ty Lee gave a shuddering gasp and lolled back against Azula's arm, her head rolling limply against the fire bender's shoulder. “The advisors to the Fire Lord wield a lot of power, Mai.”
Quietly, the taller girl nodded. “Yes. They do.”
“And so do the lovers of the Fire Lord.” Azula bent down, using her right arm to pull Ty Lee's head forward, and crushed her lips against hers. The acrobat moaned. She could feel Azula's tongue sliding wetly across her lower lip. Ty Lee clutched at her, groaning louder as the princess began to open the band at her waist. Azula broke the kiss and thrust her hand under Ty Lee's waistband. Shuddering with pleasure and fear, Ty Lee stared up into the princess's yellow eyes. Azula was smiling coldly. “Not so sure about the Fire Lord's toys, though,” she said. “What are you, Ty Lee? My lover, or my toy?”
There could only be one right answer to this. “Whichever you decide, Azula,” the acrobat whispered.
“Now that is an excellent answer.” Azula chuckled softly, her fingers sliding in amongst Ty Lee's wet folds. The acrobat moaned loudly and twitched in the princess's grasp. Azula rubbed her gently, her fingers slipping smoothly over the quivering flesh until Ty Lee was panting and writhing, desperately trying to find relief. The princess leaned down until her lips brushed against Ty Lee's neck. “Keep it quiet,” she ordered softly. “No squeals.” Her hand slipped lower, pressing two fingers slowly into Ty Lee's tight entrance. The acrobat bit back a scream of ecstasy. She could feel her cheeks flushing red as Azula's fingers began a slow back-and-forth rhythm; the tips of the fingers dug upward to massage the bundle of nerves inside her slick tunnel. Ty Lee panted harder.
Through a haze of pleasure, Ty Lee could see Azula's eyes still fixed on her face, studying her even as she played her body like an instrument The acrobat could feel the heat flaring low in her belly – she was getting close. Ty Lee closed her eyes. She was very confused. On the one hand, Azula was raping her – had been raping her repeatedly over the past few days. On the other, she...well, Ty Lee didn't exactly love Azula, but she worshiped her. She had always worshiped Azula. Azula was everything Ty Lee wasn't and could never be.
Ty Lee's hips began to grind against Azula's hand. She opened her eyes again to look up at the princess, still moaning ecstatically. She wanted Azula – she wanted her badly. With a convulsive gasp, she clung to the princess's body and whispered her name. Azula sank her fingers deep into Ty Lee's body, scraping against the slick skin and making Ty Lee spasm. She dragged her fingertips hard against the sensitive spot inside her. Ty Lee shut her teeth tightly on a shriek of pleasure. Again, the fingers dug into her, and again her body convulsed. One last time, Azula scraped her ruthless fingers against the tingling bundle of nerves, sending Ty Lee over the edge. The acrobat panted and moaned as waves of pleasure crashed over her. With one last shudder, Ty Lee let herself fall against the princess's lean shoulder. She squeezed her eyes shut, trying not to think about the fact that Mai was still in the room. Despite all that had gone on between the three of them, Ty Lee still felt a hot flush of shame at the thought that Mai had seen – had heard.
Azula's breath washed over Ty Lee's neck, and she felt her earlobe being lightly nipped. “You're a good girl, Ty Lee,” Azula said, her voice barely a whisper in the shell of the acrobat's ear. Ty Lee felt her shift as she discarded her jacket. She opened her eyes to see Azula tugging off her own breast bindings. In a moment they were tossed aside. The princess cupped her own right breast and pressed it to Ty Lee's lips. Timidly, Ty Lee took the nipple into her mouth and suckled. Azula growled in pleasure and held the acrobat against her body as if she were a child.
Mai was still sitting in the chair by the desk, her narrow eyes averted. She finally looked at Azula again, expressionless. “What's going to happen to Zuko?” she asked. Her tone expressed that she couldn't possibly care less.
“That depends on him, I suppose.” Azula shifted her left hand to Ty Lee's hip, holding her steady, as she looked up at Mai. Her yellow eyes narrowed. “If he cooperates and helps us to find the Avatar, I suppose Father might decide not to have him executed. But Zuzu's a stupid boy.” She smirked. “I guess we'll see what happens, won't we?” Ty Lee paused to let her mouth rest; Azula shot her a cold glare. Meekly, the acrobat went back to her suckling. “Why do you ask, Mai?” she said smoothly. “You don't still harbor feelings for a traitor to your country and your lord, do you?”
“I just wondered.” Mai leaned back in the chair. She drew a blade from her sleeve with a skilled flick of her wrist and began to twirl it idly between her fingers. “What else is there to do in this hole?”
Azula smirked. “I'm sure I could think of something.” She pulled her nipple from Ty Lee's mouth and guided the acrobat to her other breast. Shifting her weight so she could reach, Ty Lee quietly began to suck on the second nipple. Azula sighed in satisfaction. “Your uncle is doing a great service to the crown, Mai,” she mused. “Perhaps a promotion might be in order for him, too. Since your father is doing a god job as the governor of New Ozai, I could see if Father would give your uncle the governance of the next Earth Kingdom city we defeat. Do you think he would be suitable?”
“My uncle is loyal and very good at his job,” Mai said, as dully as if she were reciting from a textbook. “There have been no escapes from the Boiling Rock since he took over as warden. I think he'd be capable of governing a colony.”
“Maybe I'll look into it, then. If you and he prove yourselves, of course.” Azula settled back against the wall and relaxed, pulling Ty Lee into a more comfortable position against herself. The acrobat put one arm down against the bed to support some of her own weight, without taking her mouth from the princess's breast. “I think you're better at this than Ty Lee is, Mai,” Azula said idly, trailing her nails down Ty Lee's cheek. “You'll have to give her lessons later, once we've got all this taken care of.” Ty Lee looked up at her fearfully, still suckling faithfully at the bit of flesh. The princess smirked down at her. “Don't worry. You'll improve, given enough time.” Then she pushed her away. “Put your clothes on properly. Mai, come here.” Ty Lee fairly scrambled off the bed, pulling her breast bindings and shirt back down to cover herself. Mai rose quietly to her feet and moved to sit down in the spot Ty Lee had just vacated. With a rather vicious smile, Azula leaned against the wall again. Mai didn't say anything. She shifted over, bent her head over the fire bender's naked chest, and began to suckle at the breast that Ty Lee had just been working on.
Ty Lee huddled herself on the chair that Mai had been sitting in before, turning her face to the wall. She listened to Azula's lustful growls, and wished that their journey was over.