Piano : Ty Lee and Azula

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     She fell in love with her on a Sunday.

     Unholy, as described by many, but love was never meant to be unholy. Their love seemed in the purest form— a field of white flowers and roses within a deep forest. Yet their dynamic was dangerous. Azula, the Crown Princess of the Fire Nation and Ty Lee, nobility.

    A simple heartbeat became as dangerous as war turrets. Still, with a thump thump, Azula's heart refused to listen. She closed her eyes, reminiscent of the scene.

    "A piano out of tune," The professor pointed at the piano in the corner of the room. Gliding through the room he placed his hands on the keys and played. It was a somber tune and out of key. Imperfect but personal. He closed his eyes and spoke once again. "Listen to how it sounds. Listen closely to the incomplete notes— the notes give out. Ty Lee. Play something."

    And so she did. Opening her piano book, she wrote something and began to play. The song was slow, but much more upbeat, livening the sad room. Her hands hopped over the keys, gracefully tapping each note, creating a fluid motion on the piano. She was immersed in the song. Azula smiled. It was a Thursday.

    "Perfect" was the only word in Azula's mind— the only adjective she could describe the other girl with. Ty Lee, in essence, was perfect. She became everything and everyone to her. Everything she had ever wanted became Ty Lee.

     Thump, thump.

    Each time she'd even take a slight glance at her, Azula's heart became full. Ty Lee completed her.

     And now, she was gone.

     Azula became bedridden for a month after Ty Lee's marriage was announced. Fire Nation doctors assumed it was an issue with that of the heart. Some sort of disease seemed to have entered her body, but they didn't know exactly what it was. But Azula continued to stay in bed, praying that she too could leave—that in some way the woman she loved could be erased from her mind, and she could be free. However, love is an inescapable vessel.

     Ty Lee was sent off on a Friday.

Azula refused to see her off. Nevertheless, deep in her heart, she thought of her and wished for the other girl to be with her. Maybe in another world, another lifetime, but it wasn't meant to be here. When Azula dreamt at night, the only fragments in her mind were variations of what her last words could be to Ty Lee. None of them were "I love you," as it would be too much for both the girls to bear, even in a dream. So, Azula settled with "I wish you could have stayed forever."

Forever was then a fraction of time in her mind— now limited.

      And it was the saddest moment in time, for forever should have been a promise made between the two. Those promises become heartbreaking and untrue, and one leaves for that so called forever. But this time, forever retained its meaning. She was gone.

     On a Saturday, Azula heard the song that Ty Lee played. It was less vibrant in nature and not nearly as well played as Ty Lee. But Azula closed her eyes and listened, as if her lover did in fact stay forever. It was the first day she left her bedroom.

    Azula entered the ballroom, where Mai played the piano and Zuko stood next to it. The two, so clearly in love, did not see Azula walk in. Mai's hands danced over the keys, and a tear fell from Azula's eye. She left the room without Zuko or Mai noticing. The music slowly faded and stopped as she re-entered her room.

     She didn't sleep that Saturday night, as she wrote a letter to Ty Lee:

     Dear Ty Lee,

     It has been 171 days since you have left. I count each second— each minute— each hour that I don't see your face. It's Sunday today, and in the palace, they continue to play your favorite song on the piano. It's to tease me and mock me. I'm sure of it. I notice each flower you like when I go on walks, but it's a shame I can't pick them and give them to you. They've also grown cherry blossoms in the garden, and if I could, I would send every tree to you. In another universe, would we be together? Could we have been together? What did the end of time mean to you, Ty Lee? Was the end of time when you became wed? But I'm not angry. I wouldn't have arrived anyways. I've become in accordance with myself. But with each moment of the day, I spend that time pondering what could have been. Each moment I spend alone and without you is a moment I feel wasted. I wasted so much time. It's been 171 days since you've left to marry, and in another life, I hope we found our way to each other. I love you, Ty Lee. Truly. 

     Just as she was about to sign off with her name, in between the books on her shelf was a piano book. She pulled it off of the shelf and began to flip through the pages.

     One page had its corner folded, and upon it was a note near the title.

     Because I have fallen in love,
     For Azula

Le Cygne
Camille Saint Saëns

     She cried. A note, something so simple, on a page where there are no other words other than a title was able to bring her to tears. Because, in some sort of odd way, Ty Lee returned to her, and she was in love.

     Azula never sent her letter, far too afraid of what could happen if Ty Lee's husband were to see. She so desperately wished she could send it, just to tell her those last words. Just to see her another time. As always, one moves on while the other is stuck in an escapable view of the other.

      They met again one last time on a Sunday, two years after Ty Lee had left.

     At an orchestra in the Earth Kingdom, nobility and royalty from all over the world attended. Ty Lee and Azula were in the same building once again. But this time, Azula did not see her. Ty Lee, on the other hand, recognized the woman but never called attention to herself. Azula wouldn't have responded anyways. And yet, she still watched her from afar, admiring her, despite her entire family sitting next to her.

     Ty Lee wanted to lock eyes with her once. For Azula to know that she still loved her.

     The music began to play, flooding the room with soft piano and sweet violins. Le Cygne. Ty Lee kept her eyes on the other woman the entire time, watching as she closed her eyes. As the song closed, Ty Lee turned away and closed her eyes.

     It had been five years after Ty Lee was married. Azula fell extremely ill from her heart condition and was on the verge of death. The Fire Nation doctors did all they could to save the princess, but it was to no avail. She passed on a Friday.

     Ty Lee never heard the news of her death, and she never saw her another time after the orchestra. But she never forgot about Azula.

      Azula's letter remained a piece of paper wedged between books after she died. In her final hour, she held Ty Lee's piano book, a dying confession of love to the girl.

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⏰ Last updated: Jan 16, 2021 ⏰

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