the thing you wanted all along

Part 3

Azula was in her bathing room, talking to Ty-Lee. The servants were running around the bathtub, putting rose petals and pleasant-smelling oils into the hot water. I stopped before the door to organize my hair and catch my breath before walking in.

"Katara, good timing. Ty-Lee, scram" Azula did some hand gestures meant for Ty-Lee to leave the room and approached me. She gave me a golden comb when Ty-Lee closed the door behind her. when Azula was in the bath I took a stool, sat by her head and started to comb her hair gently.

"have you seen Mai? I sent her to get you and get back here, and she's not here" Azula said all of a sudden.

"prince Zuko called her to his side" I said, still brushing her hair. She laughed awkwardly.

"Zuzu called her? does she prefer his company to mine?" I opened my mouth to answer when she kept on talking.

"Don't answer that, of course she does. She does things with him that she can never do with me" I kept brushing her hair, but said nothing. I had a feeling Azula will not stop talking about sex if I ask about it, so I changed the subject.

"what do you want your hair to smell like today, your highness?" I got up, Azula looked at me.

"aren't you going to ask about the activities Mai and Zuzu can do together?"

"what the prince and a lady in waiting do amongst themselves is none of my business, though they are not by themselves. The fire lord and a guest of the crown were with the prince when he called for Mai" I went to the shampoo shelf, Azula sighed and turned her back to me.

"you are no fun, you know that?"

"I am aware, your highness, yes. What shampoo should I use?"

"jasmines, it's a scent I like" I took the jasmine shampoo from the shelf and sat back at the small stool.

"Katara, who do you prefer if you had to choose, me or Zuzu?" I stopped. I was surprised by the sudden question, but even more so by the tone she used. She seemed vulnerable, as if she could unravel if I say the wrong name.

"you, your highness. May I ask why you wish to know?" Azula sighed in relief.

"all the girls that were around me prefer him, even uncle and mother prefer him. father preferred me, but he's not here anymore"

"what about Ty-Lee? She seems to be loyal to you" Azula scoffed.

"Ty-Lee is loyal to me for one simple reason; she's scared of me more than of anyone else in the castle" I kept on shampooing her hair and washing it, wondering the entire time why she felt that way. I heard that she scared all her servant girls away due to whatever foolish reason. I heard she was an absolute nightmare to serve, especially when compared to the generous fire lord and his nephew. Both of them are considered pleasant to serve, as they help the servants serve them.

"I am very sorry to tell you this, but the servants do not stay with you not because they prefer your brother, it's because they find you too intimidating" Azula turned to face me.

"they find me intimidating? Explain what you mean"

"well, I have heard from some girls that they are so scared of you that they requested to transfer to another place and were approved. It is not that they preferred your brother to begin with" Azula sighed sadly and sank a bit into the tub. I got up.

"I'm sorry if this upsets you, your highness. I thought it would make you feel better about not being second place to your brother within the servants" Azula got up and dismissed me with a hand gesture.

"it's okay, I see where you came from. Thank you for trying to make me feel better. Now, find Mai and force her into a shower, I imagine she's quite dirty by now" Azula smiled her evil and creepy smile as she talked. I tied her robe around her waist and bent the water from her hair, drying it up instantly.