Healing chapter 21

Healing chapter 21,

"Mom"?

Juan Lee laughed darkly. "Isn't this a pleasant surprise to you both, see..." He crouched down so he was just above Azula's height. She still laid on the floor not bothering to move. "Smile Azula, your meeting your mother again." He squeezed her cheek. "Isn't this what you always wanted? To prove to mommy that you aren't such a monster." She bared her teeth like an animal and lunged for him. With every intention of ripping his face off. Her hand touched his face and his flesh burned and sizzled under her fiery touch. In that moment she lost her humanity. Azula's pupils dilated and her amber irises seemed more intense. Looking more yellow than orange. She swung her claws at his face. Ripping his skin and leaving a deep mark on his face. Juan Lee shot back and touched his wounded face. He breathed deeply, yet he didn't scream nor complained.


All Zuko could do was watch in amazement. Even when she had a relapse at the palace... It was nothing compared to this. He watched his sister belittle herself as she attacked him in such an inhumane way. It seemed like she forgot all her years of training. She literally threw it out of the window. She was going off primal instinct here. All the years of raw anger and emotion which had been bottled up inside seemed to resurface again. She wasn't much better off than she had been at the Agni Kai. At least then she had shown human emotions and cried. He wasn't actually sure she could cry until that day. Now she was no more than an animal, starved of food. Or in her case power. Something from that scene just made his heart jolt. It seemed to ache. He suddenly became aware that his mother was in the room. He smiled and slowly made his way to his mother's unconscious body. Making sure there were no guards first.


Time seemed to go so very slow at this point. He touched his mother's face. She groaned and woke up. Her vision came into focus. She didn't recognise the young man knelt above her with a concerned look on his face. Then it dawned on her.


She gasped. "Z-Zuko?!" He put a hand on her mouth to silence her. He nodded and pointed in the direction of Azula and Juan Lee.

Azula had infinitely calmed down now. Yet she bent her elbows out and closed her fists. Her breathing hard and heavy. It shocked Ursa to see her daughter be so aggressive. Although she knew it shouldn't.

Juan Lee rose and stood up straighted. For the first time he laughed with actual amusement in his voice. "Feisty." He walked towards Azula with a smug smile on his face. He reminded Ursa so much of Ozai. It was almost frightening to watch. "But you could never stand a chance against me." The fresh wound on his face slowly started to heal. His face was back to normal in just under ten seconds. "As you can see my power is growing!"


"Now lets get down to business" He said mockingly in his attempt to imitate Azula. The princess didn't retaliate. She was just embarrassed by her...Tantrum before. She wouldn't make a fool of herself again by displaying anger.

"You can stay with me. And your mother walks free, or you can go free. But, watch your mother being tortured to death before your very eyes. Fire Lord Zuko can join you if he wants" He cackled with glee. Zuko narrowed his eyes at Juan Lee. It was possible that she could choose for their mother to be tortured.

"And what would happen to the others if I stay?"

"They stay too." He smiled.

"And what would happen to us?"

"Oh dear." He said affectionately. "That is supposed to be a surprise." Juan Lee caressed Azula's jaw line. She slapped his hand away.

"And if I go, the others will go too?"

Juan Lee nodded in the affirmative.

"And how do I not know that your lying?"

Juan Lee laughed. "Darling that's not what I do." He cooed. "Unlike some people." He chuckled referring to Azula. "I prefer to tell the blunt truth and watch my victims feel the burn of reality."

Azula shrugged. "Good method." She replied casually.

"Thank you" Juan Lee bowed in false gratitude. He suddenly jumped up in happiness, and clapped his hands together excitedly, like a small child. "Why don't you have a family bonding time! Just before you make the big decision" He patted her shoulder and shoved her into the direction of Zuko and Ursa. Her eyes locked with her mother's and she narrowed her own eyes. She walked into the direction of a little room just off Juan Lee's throne room. Her eyes never leaving Ursa. She opened the door, while Zuko and Ursa walked in, then she shut the door.


Azula angrily kicked the wall and sat down on a red leather chair behind what she was assuming to be Juan Lee's desk. She rested her head in both hands as she tried to think. Ursa's form went stiff. It broke her heart to know that her little girl hated her.

She didn't show that on the outside of course.

"What are you going to do?" Zuko said. No emotion was in his voice.

"I don't know" She mumbled. Her hands were half covering her mouth.

"What do you mean you don't know?!" Anger started to slip into his voice.

Azula slammed her hand on the table. "You try making this decision!"

"Both of you stop this!" Ursa said firmly.

"Oh yeah, because you have so much control over me. Hell, you couldn't even control me when I was a child, what makes you think you can now?!"

"I'm not trying to control you!" Ursa reasoned.

"Azula you can't seriously be considering watching out mom being tortured to death!" Zuko shouted.

Azula ignored Zuko and turned to Ursa. "I know you told us when we were children to think with our hearts, not our minds."

Ursa nodded. "I did. Yet you always follow your mind." She said unemotionally.

"My mind and my heart are saying two different things right now." Azula turned to Zuko. "Yes Zuko I actually have a heart" She turned back to Ursa. "You better pray that I follow my heart."

"Sometimes, we need to sacrifice the needs of the few, to save the many." Azula started. Zuko gasped. "Calm down momma's boy"

"But is he telling the truth?" Ursa asked.

Azula looked up. And shook her head. "No, I don't think he is. He thinks I'm going to let my mother go free. He wanted to get only me. Although, a few bonus' will be nice. I know he wants me to stay here. That's his goal, to either kill or break me..." Azula pondered it a few seconds more until she came to a conclusion. "So he must be lying then. He wouldn't go through all this trouble of capturing me if he's going to let us go. Why would he want Ursa?"


Both Zuko and Ursa noticed how Azula didn't call her mother or even mom. She said Ursa. Zuko put a hand on Ursa's shoulder and she smiled back at him bravely. She was stronger than what she had let on.


"Ursa" Azula said finally, Ursa turned to face Azula. "You're free to go. We'll stay." Then her voice lowered into a whisper. Just in case Juan Lee or one of the guards was listening in. "We'll break out."

"Although" Azula directed her attention towards Ursa. "There is a big chance that he won't let you go, he'll keep you for his own amusement."

Ursa nodded. "I know"

Azula released a breath what she wasn't even holding. She noticed the quiver of her hand now and again. Ursa was shocked that her daughter was talking to her normally.

Ursa sighed. "Azula? Can I ask you a question?"

Azula shuddered upon hearing Ursa's voice once more. "You are going to anyway" She said levelly with a bit of anger.

"I was reading an article in the news paper and I wanted to know whether it was true..." Azula raised her eyebrow then nodded.

"It's a bit difficult for me to say. But, did you go insane?" She ended quietly. Azula stood quickly knocking her chair over she turned with her back to her mother. "What do you think she said bitterly."

"I-I'm sorry" Ursa said with tears in her eyes.

"Mom there is nothing to be sorry for." Zuko comforted Ursa.

"Nothing to be sorry for?! YOUR THE REASON I'M THIS WRECK!" Azula screamed. She turned the desk over so it hit Ursa but she avoided the desk just in time. She picked up a lamp and threw it at her mother. Azula was surprised by her mother's quick reflexes.

"ENOUGH!" Zuko shouted while stepping infront of Ursa and Azula. He glared at Azula angrily. "enough" He repeated quietly.

"This isn't going to solve anything."

"No, no it isn't. But there isn't anyway I'm controlling my feeling anymore! Years, and years of being cold and hollow." Her voice broke as she bowed her head trying to cover her tear soaked face.

"Azula" Ursa said softly and went to her daughter when Zuko stopped her.

It was now silent apart from the sound of Azula's bitter sobs.


to be continued...