Ty Lee found herself crying once again.
Real funny Azula, she thought, locking me up in the very prison I saw you last.
She remembered that day all too well. Zuko and that Sokka boy were about to escape with the prisoners. The warden called for the guards to cut the line. She remembered the shock she felt when she saw the smirk on Azula's face. That was her brother about to get deep fried, didn't she care?
But then Mai stopped them. Saving the jerk who dumped me, she remembered with a grin, funny.
What wasn't funny was Azula's outrage. Ty Lee had seen her angry before, but this was a whole new level. Mai's next comment didn't help.
"I guess you don't know people as well as you thought. I love Zuko more than I fear you."
The princess looked shocked, angry, and betrayed all at once. She looked as if she might actually kill her childhood friend.
No, Ty Lee thought, she wouldn't. She's been doing so well!
But the second the princess's muscles tensed, Ty Lee knew she was wrong. Mai drew her knives into a defensive position, but her expression was grim. She knew she couldn't possibly survive this. Ty Lee's eyes darted from the person she loved most in the world to one of her best friends, unsure of what to do. If she stopped Azula, the princess would undoubtedly be outraged. She may even order Ty Lee's death. And if she didn't do that, she'd certainly have her locker away, never to be seen again. Azula would think Ty Lee had betrayed her. That would be a fate worse than death.
But if she didn't, Mai would die. And Ty Lee couldn't let that happen.
Her mind making itself up, she clenched her eyes tightly and allowed her hands to move on their own. Without thinking about it too much, she chi blocked her love.
The face Azula gave her was far worse than she could have imagined. Ty Lee huddled closer to Mai, though all she really wanted to do was run to the girl in front of her and cry, apologize, kiss her profusely and beg for forgiveness. But there was no way Azula would allow that now.
"I never want to see them again!" She had yelled. Ty Lee felt her eyes tear up. She hadn't heard anything after that. The one person she loved more than anyone or anything else in all the nations wanted her locked away to rot in prison, never to see her again.
She'd felt Mai's comforting hand on her shoulder for a split second before it was torn away by a guard. They shared a solemn glance, and against her better judgement, Ty Lee looked back. Her princess was trying to pretend she wasn't watching as the guards helped her waddle away on her chi blocked limbs. Her eyes were so full of hurt, and she looked so broken.
I did that to her, Ty Lee thought, and the tears poured freely once again. Her prison chains rattled as she wrapped her arms around her knees, burying her face in them as she cried.
It's okay, she told herself, Azula will be alright. She's strong.
But she knew she was lying.