#seicho

She meets the girl by chance on the shores of La Digue when the sun is high and the heat is rolling. She has a pretty smile that competes with the sunlight. Azula supposes that it isn’t pure happenstance, she had booked the tour afterall. An all day excursion of the island and the next one over. 

Where happenstance comes into play is that her initial tour guide has fallen ill—parasites of some sort in his fish dinner. So she has met the man’s daughter. 

It is just she and mother for this particular adventure. Zuzu had wanted to go snorkeling, a means of making good on his promise to Katara that he would bring back neat pictures of the ocean. Of course, uncle wanted to tag along. Truth be told, she wouldn’t have been able to guess that father was fond of snorkeling. Apparently he is interested in the stingrays. 

Mother on the other hand has a particularly adventurous spirit. It is one thing that they share. 

She just hopes that the woman won’t be overly gushing about this. 

The girl, who introduces herself as Seicho has a deeper complexion and pretty, soft brown eyes. She wears a wooden turtle necklace, likely hand-carved. “So you guys are staying in one of those spa resorts?” 

Azula nods. She has been enjoying the Rock Spa and its jacuzzi and manicure services. “We have a garden villa.” 

“That sounds lovely.” 

Ursa nods. “The facials and massages are amazing. My husband claims that he didn’t enjoy it but I haven’t seen him this relaxed in decades.” She ends with a chuckle. 

Seicho returns it. “Well first things first. I’ll show you around Anse Source D’argent.”

.oOo.

Most of the photos she snaps have been candid and stealthy. Azula doesn’t care for taking pictures.  It has been so long since the two of them have bonded and there is so much that she doesn’t know about her own daughter. She only has this sneaking suspicion that the girl doesn’t like to be photographed because she has a habit of finding flaws where there are none.

Mostly Ursa has been capturing nature shots, picturesque panoramas of the palm trees and the hiking trail before them. She has managed capture a few images of slumbering flying foxes and white fairy terns just before they took flight. 

Somehow it had been much harder to take a picture of Azula. But finally she has one. The image shows up on her camera screen; Azula is squatting in front of one of several tortoises attempting to feed it a handful of leaves while Seicho stands to her left, stroking the tortoise’s shell. 

Ursa smiles at the photograph. Decidedly, her next mission will be to convince Azula take at least one photo together. She can’t remember the last time that the two of them have been in a picture together, let alone one that features just the two of them. It would be a lovely addition to her scrapbook. 

“Do you want to try to feed them, mother?” Azula asks. 

“Of course I would.” 

Azula takes the camera from her and Ursa allows herself to be on the other side of the lens for a change. 

“We should take a picture together.” She suggests a little ways down the hiking trail.

“Here?” Azula furrows her brows. “Shouldn’t we find a more scenic spot?”

It isn’t a yes, but it certainly implies that she might just get that photo of the two of them, if she chooses just the right setting. It is only night one of their vacation. Ursa smiles to herself, she has a feeling that she will get that photo eventually.

.oOo.

From atop her granite perch, Azula kicks her feet at water that reflects a mango-pink lemonade sunset. The rocks look pink in this light and Seicho’s face is painted a soft gold. The girl’s hand falls atop hers. 

“It’s pretty isn’t it?”

It would be much easier to make the most of the moment if mother wasn’t there observing and giving her what is supposed to be an encouraging thumbs up. It only brings color to her cheeks and she hopes that Seicho hasn’t spotted the woman. 

Azula nods. “I’ve seen sunsets in Hawaii, The Maldives, and Tahiti. I like this one the most.” Although, nothing truly compares to the volcanoes in Hawaii. “It’s a good way to end the first evening.” She wonders how Zuzu, father, and uncle are doing. She speculates that they are probably making their way to one of the resort’s restaurants, likely picking out a seat that overlooks the water. Zuzu is quite fond of ladob and she and father have taken a shine to the kari bonit. 

“Roasted breadfruit?” Seicho offers. 

Azula scrunches her brows at the fruit.

“I guess that it doesn’t look particularly appetizing, but it is tasty.” Seicho promises. 

Reluctantly, Azula picks up a slice. Even more hesitantly Azula pops it into her mouth. 

“Well?”

Azula hums. “It’s alright, I suppose.” 

“It tastes better with coconut oil and other fruits.” 

With nowhere left to take the conversation, Azula resumes looking out at the winking waves as a balmy breeze tosses her locks about. The world around smells fresh and salty. She finds herself slipping into a daydream of sorts; one wherein she and Seicho are walking across the sand while their families enjoy a beach picnic. 

They are supposed to have a family picnic on day three of their vacation.

“Where did you get that necklace?” Azula tries to resume the conversation. 

“It was my great, great, great, great, grandmother’s. It has been passed down for generations. My mom lets me wear it sometimes.” She pauses. “So what brings you to Seychelles?”

“Family vacation.” Azula finds herself staring off again. “It’s the first one that we’ve taken since my cousin Lu-Ten died.” 

“What happened to him?” 

“He and my grandfather were part of a search and rescue team. No one was there to rescue them.” She will leave it to Seicho to piece the details together. The wound is still rather raw in spite of the years gone by. 

“I’m sorry to hear it.” Seicho frowns. 

Azula shrugs. “I’m glad to be going on vacations again.” It is a simple, lighter way of saying that she is glad that her family is finally on the mend after tragedy and tension had put such a rift in the unity of it. 

As embarrassing as it is to have mother lurking about, she is quite relived that the woman cares enough to hover and supervise. To have the woman’s encouragement. “The hike was nice, mother rather enjoyed it.” And they had rather enjoyed each other’s company for a change.”

Seicho grins. “Thanks! It was my first time giving a tour! I’ll let my dad know that you think I did a good job.” 

Azula nods. She casts a glance at the hand that is still resting atop her own.

“Oh! I’m sorry, I can move it if you’d like.”

Azula shakes her head. “You can leave it there.” She doesn’t think anyone, family aside, has ever held her hand before. She has never had someone hold her hand the way that Mai holds Zuko’s. This isn’t exactly hand holding but it is close enough to make her stomach fluttery.

She catches Seicho’s eyes. They reflect the sun perfectly. So much so that Azula is inclined to say that they were made to do just that. 

She doesn’t kiss Seicho that day, but she has all week to try. 

Perhaps it will be a short thing. 

A tiny little blip of a summer romance. 

The sun is still high. It casts vivid rays through the windows of Seicho’s bedroom. It is a small dwelling, but it is very cozy. As fate would have it, she owns the same seashell bedspread that Lo and Li do.

She also owns a lot of clutter. Ships in bottles and bottled sand are scattered throughout the room amid piles of seashells and dried starfish. The ceiling is home to many replica sea animals that hang on strings. Seicho had mentioned that she is terribly uncomfortable with people drying out real sea critters for decoration and Azula supposes that she can see how the other woman would find the practice unsettling. Her floor is covered in mis-matching and colorful rugs that would make Mai hurl. And her wall is covered in paintings and wooden masks that just don’t go together. 

Admittedly, the first time that she’d set foot in this room it had made her head ache trying put the disjointed pieces together. 

She has long since given that up. Seicho seems to acquire new treasures at a rate much faster than she could ever hope to organize things. 

As much as she hates to admit it, she has grown used to the clutter. Frankly, she thinks that she would be more uncomfortable if she stepped into this room to find it suddenly spotless. Not that she isn’t uncomfortable right now.

“You know that it’s not like it was a few years ago. Honestly, Ember Island was never really shy about this kind of thing. And you shouldn’t be either.”

“I’m not shy. I just…I know what’s expected of me.” She pauses. “And what isn’t.” She takes another glance in the mirror. Her hair falls over her shoulders in waves. She had let Seicho fix small seashells into the stands. Really, the swimsuit isn’t all that showy. More so than the one she had worn on her last trip to Ember Island but nothing as brave as what Ty-Lee had worn. 

But then, father hadn’t approved of her first swimsuit either. 

“What are you trying to do?” He had asked. “Do you want people to think that we’re a nation full of harlots?”

“Mai and TyLee…”

She remembers the look on his face as he pinched the bridge of his nose. 

“TyLee, that girl was always floozy, her parents should have raised her better. She’s going to end up pregnant and disgrace her family like Chan’s sister. Is that what you want to do?” 

“We were on the beach…”

It was a logical enough thing to say but father had made it seem senseless and stupid. Like she was a lost cause for doing what? Chancing a quick swim? But spirits it was effective because she feels so very exposed.  

“You look great.” Seicho promises. 

And that’s exactly the problem. She will draw looks, the kind that father has always warned her about. The kind that he would get angry with her for even if she had done everything she could to avoid getting those looks. The ones that make her feel queasy.

“I’d like to put my armor back on.”

Seicho quirks a brow. “You want to wear armor to a chocolate tasting?” She pauses. “On the beach?”

Azula bites the inside of her lip.

“I thought that you were a fan of being practical.”

“I am.”

“Well then, let’s be practical. Beach, sunny. Sun, hot. Armor? Sweltering. I don’t want to have to carry you home because you passed out. I especially don’t want to have to carry you if you’re wearing like fifty pounds of armor.” 

“It’s not that heavy.” She mumbles. 

“My point is, no one wears armor to the beach and you know it.” 

Azula shrugs. 

“This is perfect.” She insists. “You do like it don’t you?” 

Azula nods. The fabric feels very comfortable. The skirt is quite long but so is the v slit. Long enough to show off her whole leg. She likes the gold belt that sits on her hips with its seashell charms and its gold coins. The top suits her nicely, it is sleeveless–held up by a zipper in the back and a chain to match the one at her hips. Embroidered along the bottom of the bikini top are golden flames and one small dragon. There is another chain fixed to the bottom of that bikini top is one more chain. One that dangles down to her belly with a collection of rubies and sunstones. 

It is flashy.

Eye catching. 

She doesn’t want eyes to be caught.

She adores how it looks but she doesn’t love the idea of wearing it in public. She is perfectly content having captured only one pair of eyes. 

“You’re dad was wrong, you know that don’t you?” She pauses.

“He’s not the only one who thinks like that.”

“He’s not the only person with wrong opinions. The Fire Nation always talks about being so brave and amazing. And yet they’re all so scared of a little skin.”

“They’re afraid of change.” Azula mumbles. “Which is strange. I’ve read about Fire Nation fashion as part of cultural and historical research, of course.”

“Of course.” Seicho rolls her eyes. 

Azula opts to ignore the doubt in her voice. “Fire Nation culture has roots in Sun Warrior culture and their clothing style much more closely resembles modern Ember Island fashion trends.” She pauses. “The shift happened during the war.” 

“Yeah, because they want to stifle creativity…or something. Come on.” Seicho hooks Azula by the elbow and begins leading her to the door. “You’re putting so much thought into this, all we’re going to do is go down to the beach and have some chocolate. And a good time, we are going to have a good time.”

Azula certainly hopes so.

She is, afterall, the princess. Now that father isn’t here to demean her she supposes that there isn’t much anyone can do to stop her from having a nice time, from feeling comfortable. 

She can stop herself though.

She is very good at that.

.oOo.

“Well, which do you prefer?”

Azula hums, “I’m not sure, they both taste good enough.” 

Seicho pops another piece of chocolate into her mouth and then a second sample of chocolate type four. 

Both truly are amazing. Type three is a touch bitter, it is rich in the same way that dark silks and woodsy colognes are. Type three is rich like warm blankets, cream, and the glow of a beach bonfire.

“The caramel one.” Azula decides. 

“Yeah, I think that I prefer that one too.” Seicho agrees. “It kind of just melts on your tongue.” 

Seicho links their hands and leads her along to the next stall. The beach is so lively and crowded. For once, Azula is comforted by the massive gathering. Everyone just breezes by her, each person–individual or couple–is invested in their own doings. Their own romances or personal delights. 

Whether that thing is the chocolate sampling breaking away from the crowd to watch the twinkle of lantern lights reflecting in the water. The fireworks will begin soon. 

“Oh! Try this one!” Seicho offers her another chocolate. This one of the white variety. It has been carefully molded and dyed to bare likeness to a firelily. It certainly looks appetizing. 

She plucks it from Seicho’s hand. “It’s got a touch of…peach?”

“I think that it might be mango, or orange?”

“Those are two completely different flavors!” She exclaims. “And they’re both incorrect guesses. It is definitely a hint of peach.” 

“No way, taste it again!” She insists. 

“Seicho, I don’t know how much more chocolate I can handle.” Regardless she lets Seicho give her another piece. “Last one and then I’d like to walk by the water.” 

Seicho exhales through her nose. “Fine, I guess. But I would like to taste Mikahara’s chocolate first. I heard that she’s got some kind of coconut-pineapple chocolate that sounds tasty.”

“Alright, Mikahara’s chocolate and then some quiet time.” Away from people, away from the occasional glances. The ones that linger too long for her comfort. 

She lets Seicho lead her along. They weave through a lively crowd. Everyone looks so comfortable and at ease with hibiscus in their hair and drinks in their hands. No one seems troubled in the slightest. Azula inhales and drinks in the smell of chocolate and fruity drinks. 

“Hey, it’s alright.” Sheicho squeezes her hand. “You’re doing great. We can pass on the Mikahara’s…”

She shakes her head. “No! We can go get it.” She has to get herself comfortable. Has to take back what father and years of ridiculous expectations have taken from her. “I’m fine, I always finish things that I start.” 

“Technically I started it.” 

“I want to enjoy tonight, all of tonight.” Every list scent, taste, and sight. Every emotion that she had, in the past, tried to keep herself from. She wants to be alive. Truly alive.

And tonight is the perfect night to do that. 

To reclaim parts of herself.

To make new parts of herself.

Parts that she can cherish the way Seicho cherishes her. The way she cherishes Seicho. 

“Hello!” Greets a woman with shaved hair and a pearl in one ear. 

“You must be Mikahara.” Azula guesses. 

“I am.” She confirms. 

“From the sound of it, you’ve made quite an impression tonight.” 

Mikahara smiles. “See for yourself, princess.” She hands Azula a box of chocolates. “I heard that you might be here so I saved a little something special for the both of you.”

Seicho’s eyes twinkle. “Oh this is a treasure trove of chocolate!” The woman’s mouth is practically watering. 

“Thank you.” Azula replies.

“Of course, princess. I wouldn’t have had this opportunity if not for tonight’s festivities. And we would be having them if not for you.” 

Azula nods and slips her a gold coin or two. “We can share this by the water.”

“That sounds great, Azula.” Seicho smiles. 

.oOo.

It is quiet here at the shoreline. She has led Seicho a good distance from the jubilant energy of the chocolate tasting stalls and the couples straggling on the sand that is still relatively close to the festivities. 

This portion of the beach is, until the sunrises, desolate. Charmingly so. The music and chatter are close enough to be heard but distant enough to be little more than pleasant white noise. 

“Tell me the truth, how was it?”

“It was…it was really wonderful, Seicho.” It was nerve-wracking but sublime in its own right. There is a certain charm, a sense of exhilaration and freedom in stepping out of her comfort zone and into something new. Something that is probably better.

Something liberating. 

All in all, father had been completely off.

Most people hadn’t even noticed her at all.

And if they had, they opted to give her, her space. 

She certainly doesn’t feel like a harlot. Neither does she feel like she has had herself a scandalous evening. She had simply had an evening. Had put on an outfit sewn, very lovingly, by her girlfriend’s mother, and went to a party. 

“It is going to be nice to go back to the palace and not get a lecture about carelessness and wasting time.” 

“Would he really tell you that today?” 

Azula nods. “He would.” She looks out at the open ocean, at those rolling, twinkling waves and clears her throat. “Can we talk about something else or eat some of that chocolate.”

Seicho quirks a brow. “I thought that you said you were full.”

“Mikahara did make that special for me though, it would be a shame to not try it.”

Seicho chuckles. 

“It would also make father really unhappy if I were to go visit him in prison and tell him that I spent a whole night eating chocolate and wearing sleeveless outfits…”

“Chocolates and no sleeves? On the beach!? Oh we’re getting really wild and daring now!” 

Azula gives a humored sniff and holds a piece of chocolate out to Seicho.

“Very good.” The woman gives a thumbs up. “Try it for yourself.”

Azula cups the woman’s face and brings their lips together. She can indeed taste the lingering chocolate on them. And indeed there is a hint of coconut and pineapple. She holds her face a few inches from Seicho’s, their lips still nearly touch. 

“Oh this is an adventurous night.” 

“It ought to be.” Azula replies quietly. She needs that so badly. She has needed it for a long time. And she promises herself that this will be only the beginning. That her life is going to be hers from now on. Starting with the way she views herself and her body.

Ending with discovering and following her own hopes and dreams.

“Happy birthday, by the way.” Seicho nudges her.