The Officer and the Princess: The Flames Of War

Chapter 37

Azula rode hard and fast through the city, her heart pounding as she bucked up and down on the saddle. The night air was cool, the full moon guiding her way as she went down main streets, passed by intersections, and at least once she had been forced to pull to a halt as she hit the recreational district of Ajio. Here the streets were lit up from bars and taverns that dotted the four blocks. People out for a night on the town wandering about, many of them in drunken stupors. Laughs and cheers were in no short supply. Azula cared little for them and their merrymaking. What she was worried about however were the patrols of Warriors that were set up on street corners and moving through the crowds.

Azula was fairly certain that word couldn't have reached this far yet that she had stolen a Yang War Mount. But any second that luck could change. By now the Castle was aware of what had happened, someone had seen her leave after all. Azula was almost certain that Naomi had sent out riders to look for her. To at least bring her back and ask her why she had run off all of a sudden. Azula couldn't allow that to happen, Naomi could never know what evil was lurking on this Island paradise.

She hadn't wanted to tell Nikkō, but it was either that or leave the poor child thinking Azula was running away for selfish reasons, Azula had done a lot of selfish things in her life that she was no longer proud of, but this here and now...her decision to go with Kowareta was one act that she was proud to be taking part in, even if she was afraid. She had never wanted to see her father again after all the trauma she had worked through, and now she was going back to him with open arms. Well maybe not open but she was voluntarily going.

She hoped, no she prayed that the Temple Of Amaterasu could help her. For what she was going to need her mind clear, free of the desire for power she thought she had forgotten so long ago. That itch that she just couldn't scratch as Kowareta had put it. It itched more now than it had done in years, spreading across her mind and body like a rash. She tried to ignore it, she thought of the relationship she had formed with her mother and Kiyi. She thought of the friendship she had with Naomi, she thought of the joy she felt around Nikkō. But most of all she thought of the love she had for Sung, that at least seemed to keep her desires manageable but...she knew if she went to Kurn now even with all the joy she had found in her life to give her strength...she would lose. She would give in and return to her old ways, the days that she had been a monster that cared for no one but herself. She didn't want to be that version of herself ever again.

Her journey to the Temple was a difficult one, not just because she was constantly looking over her shoulder, but because she had only been to the Temple once and she was trying to find it off of memory alone. It had been her and Sung's last day on Sun Dao. Kayo, Sung's mother had told Azula that Sung had gone to the Temple to pray before leaving for the Capital. A carriage had taken to the grounds. But she hadn't paid as much attention to the route as she should have.

She left the recreational center and passed into what looked like a general market area, here foot traffic wasn't as thick as all the shops and stalls were closed for the night, though security was still on patrol, every time she saw that Golden Phoenix she thought it would be a Warrior who had been informed of her theft. But many of the guards around the city didn't give her even a second a glance, as far as they were concerned it was a civilian on a midnight ride, but at any moment that could change.

From there she reached an area of the city that looked like it held homes. She was actually starting to get worried she was lost, until she finally saw it, surrounded by tall red stone walls was the Temple. But for Agnis sake the gates were closed. She could scale the wall, a short burst of flame and she would be up and over. But that wouldn't make the best of first impressions, and with Azula's luck she would run into someone on the other side of the wall that would rather raise the alarm then give her a chance to explain herself. No, she needed to at least try and get in the proper way.