August had soon passed into the winter months of the Fire Nation, even if it was still warm enough to wear short sleeves outside. Azula had been summoned by her father for a private audience. She walked down the long corridor towards her father's throne room with Percy beside her. As she paused at the doors, she glanced at her friend and bodyguard as he took up a position with the guards already outside the throne room. Percy shot her a grin as she pushed open the doors since he was not permitted to enter with her. She moved inside the throne room before kneeling in front of her father's throne, waiting to be addressed.
If two years ago someone had told her that her closest friend and confidant would be a waterbender, she would have said, "How dare you speak to me?" and throw a fireball at them or something.
But now she would probably say, "How dare you speak to me?" and then have Percy toss them out. The difference being she would believe that person now. She had grown quite close to her bodyguard, trusting him before all others. Including her friends Mai and Ty Lee. As she thought, her father finally addressed her.
"You know of the embarrassing defeat of our fleet at the Northern Water Tribe. News has reached me that your Uncle Iroh is a traitor, and your brother Zuko is a failure. I have a task for you."
"Anything, father," Azula replied calmly, although inwardly she worried about her brother and uncle. While she had never been particularly close with Zuko or Iroh, they were still family after all.
"You will hunt them down and bring them back to the Fire Nation to stand trial. They will pay for their treachery. However, with your brother and Iroh being traitors, some may see the Royal Family as weak. This will not stand. I have chosen you a husband and he will join you on your quest, to remind the world just how strong the Royal Family is."
Azula was completely speechless. She had known that as her father, the Fire Lord had the right to choose her husband, but that right had not been exercised for generations. Not to mention she was only 16. She hadn't even thought of marriage! She was way too young.
As these thoughts flew through Azula's head, a figure stepped out of the shadows of the pillars surrounding the throne. The man had bronze eyes and jet black hair pulled into a traditional phoenix tale.
"This is Raijin, the heir of house Rai. He is your new betrothed and will accompany you on your mission."
Azula was panicking, this was happening and she was in no way okay with it. But she knew it would be suicide to go against her father's wishes outright. She needed to be smart and cunning.
"Father, with all due respect, sending me on this mission with Raijin only sends the message that the royal family is weak and needs help. If you send me alone then when I complete my mission the royal family will be shown to be strong, to be able to handle our problems. This marriage is unnecessary, I will show the world we are still strong." Azula smirked to herself, her reasoning was sound, her father would agree with her.
"You bring up some valid points, daughter. I will send you on this mission alone, but I am unconvinced that this union is not beneficial to the throne. Raijin will remain in the capital with me, we will announce your betrothal on your 18th birthday. Until then I will teach him the ways of leading the nation. He will be like my son where my own has failed me. Go, you will leave immediately."
Azula nodded mutely to her father, accepting her dismissal. She felt numb, in less than 10 minutes her entire life had been changed. She felt like her choice, her independence, and her free will had all been stripped from her. As she walked out of the throne room she continued silently as her bodyguard raced to catch up with her before stopping her.
"Hey, are you okay? You look like you're gonna be sick." Percy asked, concern plain on his face.
"Ah, there you are, my beloved." Came the silky smooth voice of Raijin as he caught up with them, snaking an arm around the princess's waist. He directed a smug look to the stunned demigod.
