The Princess and the Peasant - (An Azula Epic)

Pursuit

One week later...

The princess's small fleet now sat in a misty bay well concealed from prying eyes.

While the captain's airship now rested adjacent beside the princess's royal vessel.

The scouting patrol had just returned after nearly seven days to deliver their findings to their princess.

While Elle was currently away getting her breakfast Azula sat in her throne reading Zoi's classified report.

They had successfully tracked the Avatar's travel patterns and narrowed down the most likely location for the enemy campsite.

And now they were lying in wait for the enemy to show themselves.

If their information proved accurate.

It was only a matter of time before the Avatar and his friends pass through the last available Fire Nation village to gather supplies on their way to their likely hideout.

The Western Air Temple.

And much to her contempt...Zuko as well.

Meanwhile Zoi sat opposite of her, patiently waiting while her princess read the report.

"So Zuko has truly joined the Avatar." Azula stated with a sneer to her voice while she raised her eyes to gaze back at her skilled captain.

"He did more than join them. We recovered this in the mountains." Zoi answered casually just as she dropped a chunk of metal upon the tabletop.

And then she slid it over to Azula who sat gazing down at the burned arm with curious amber golden eyes.

"And this would be?" Azula inquired with a raised brow while her soldier gazed back with a twinge of incredulousness in her eyes that began to irk her temper.

Yet she was grudgingly well aware that the woman was not a soldier that she could so tepidly vent her fury on.

For more reasons than one.

"You don't know who that belongs to?" Zoi queried with a trace of wit that had her princess scowling at her in anger.

"If I knew I wouldn't be asking you!" Azula barked with a finger pointed at Zoi who waved a hand in a placating manner.

"It belongs...belonged to an individual known infamously as the Combustion Man. We have eye witness reports that state that he engaged in a battle with several youths in Fire Fountain City. But that is not all." Zoi explained with her hands folded in her lap while Azula gazed on with a much calmer countenance.

"Interesting, Zoi...and what else?" Azula asked while she stared down at the burned metal limb.

"After consulting with another bounty hunter...June. She not only confirmed that we are indeed traveling in the right direction. She also told me that a hooded young man was seen asking around for an assassin..." Zoi trailed off in a pointed manner while her princess sat back holding a cup in her hand.

"A hooded young man?" Azula repeated dryly with her brilliant mind already piecing the pieces together.

"A hooded young man with the slightest hints of a large scar on the left side of his face." Zoi answered with noticeable amusement in her voice while Azula rolled her amber golden eyes.

"I see that Zuzu is as transparent as ever." Azula spoke smugly while taking a drink of her tea.

"Yes, well...judging by the scorch marks on this arm, and with my source placing your brother with the Avatar's group. I can only conclude one thing." Zoi commented while gesturing at the burned limb.