Chapter 7:

Mother

Azula Reborn (Avatar the Last Airbender: Fanfiction)


“Ty Lee told me Mom was here. Can I see her?” asked Azula. Zuko beckons his returned sister to follow, “Come on, she’s helping Kiyi get dressed for her birthday dinner.” The two approach Kiyi’s room, but Kiyi is already outside her room running toward Zuko, “Zuzu!” Zuko picks up Kiyi and gives her a hug, “Hey birthday girl. Meet your big sister Azula.” Kiyi looks up and down at Azula who is awkwardly staring at the floor trying not to make eye-contact. Kiyi asks, “Have we met before?” Azula motions her chin upward to look at Kiyi and swallows her spit to speak, “I may have kidnapped you a while ago. Sorry about that.” Kiyi tilts her head to remember, “Oh, you were that lady in the black robe and mask. It’s okay, I got to meet my new friend Tom-Tom that day.” Zuko and Azula share an awkward laugh about it. Still a little awkward, Azula asks Kiyi, “Do you know where mom is?” Kiyi points to the door at the end of the hall, “Yeah, she’s still in my room.”

Zuko grabs the door handle. “Wait! Let me do it.” proclaimed Azula, heart pounding in her chest and sweat trickling down her neck. She takes a few deep breaths then opens the door. Moonlight filled the room, Azula spots her mother dawning her cloak, the day she left. “Mom?” Recognizing the voice, Azula’s mother, Ursa, turns around, eyes and mouth wide open. Ursa finds her 6-year-old daughter standing in the doorway, wiping the sleep from her eyes, the day Azula lost her mother. “Azula?” The two stare at each other for a moment, neither knowing what to say to the other, still in shock at each other’s presence. The sun poured from the windows, unveiling the present to each other. Azula in tattered clothes and messy hair, tears filling her eyes. Ursa in a fancy-silk party dress, tears bead from her eyes and fall to her hands that cover her mouth. “M-mom I-I..” before Azula can finish her sentence, Ursa pulls her into her arms and holds Azula tight and whispers in her ear, “You don't need to say anything. I have always loved you, Azula.” Azula holds her mom tighter, clenches her mother’s dress and begins to cry softly. “Mom, please don’t leave me again.” Ursa strokes her daughter’s hair and continues, “I’m not going anywhere. I’m here now. I’m home, and so are you.”