A week had passed since the supposed attempt on Princess Azula's life. The palace had returned to its usual rhythm, but tension lingered, thick and cold beneath the surface.
In the Fire Lord's council chamber, news of Tai Lung's brutal slaughter in the northern slum bar had spread. What had first been a rumor now stood confirmed. The massacre, sixteen dead, bodies mangled and charred, was no longer something that could be ignored.
The council was divided.
Some officials stood firmly against Tai Lung, declaring his actions a clear violation of Fire Nation law. The man had taken justice into his own hands. Vigilantism, no matter the cause, was still a crime. Others, however, defended him fervently. Tai Lung had avenged both the Princess and his own fiance. His rage was righteous, they argued. His violence, justified.
But the debate ended abruptly when General Iroh leaned forward and asked a single question.
"Who here is going to tell him he was wrong and must be punished?"
Silence fell like a guillotine.
None of them dared to speak.
Everyone remembered how Tai Lung had once insulted the Fire Lord himself and demanded an Agni Kai. How he had defied orders of his superiors, acted with mutiny and prevailed. The young man had power, and worse, the nerve to use it against anyone who stood in his way. And with the public calling him a hero, it became near impossible to touch him.
Even Fire Lord Ozai, who loathed Tai Lung with every fiber of his being, remained silent. He knew better than to ignite a fire he couldn't contain. He had decided that no soul must know the truth of the assassination and Ty Lee is off limits. He was lucky this time Tai Lung had acted on his anger and killed indiscriminately without asking questions, but if this happens again, he might try to get into the bottom of the matter.
In the end, the council came to a quiet, collective decision: Tai Lung was absurdly powerful, and dangerously bold. No one wanted to find out what would happen if he felt accused again.
As for Tai Lung, he didn't know anything about the council nor did he care to know.
He spent his days training and his evenings at the royal clinic, visiting Ty Lee. Her recovery had been quick, thanks to expert care and her natural vitality. And now, after an entire week, the time had come, the bandages were to be removed.
He stood at her side.
Ty Lee's parents were present, along with Azula and Mai. The atmosphere was hopeful, tense with anticipation. The medical staff moved carefully, unwrapping the last of the linen from Ty Lee's face and shoulder.
Then they froze.
Ty Lee blinked, noticing the sudden stillness in the room.
"What?" she asked, confusion rising. "What's wrong?"
No one answered.
Fear took root in her chest. "Give me a mirror," she whispered, dread blooming in her eyes.
Her mother, hands shaking and eyes brimming with tears, reached into her bag and handed her a small mirror.
Ty Lee looked.
The reflection stared back, a long, jagged scar stretched from her right cheek down across her jawline, curling down her neck and disappearing beneath her robe. It was raw, pink, and deep.
Her hands trembled.
Then she screamed.
The mirror hit the floor, shattering into pieces. Ty Lee buried her face in her mother's arms and wept uncontrollably. Her mother held her tightly, rocking her gently, crying with her.
Azula, Mai, and Tai Lung left the room without a word.
Out in the hallway, Azula's voice broke the silence. "I knew the injuries might leave traces," she said, her voice low, "but I never expected it to be that bad… to disfigure her."
Mai, for once, looked visibly upset. Her arms crossed tightly, she shook her head. "She didn't deserve this."
Tai Lung said nothing. His eyes stared ahead, his expression unreadable. In truth, he didn't think the wound was that horrific. Yes, it scarred her face and was visible due to the lack of fur, but to him, it didn't change her that much. Still, he chose silence. He knew better than to voice that thought after seeing everyone's reaction.
Some time later, Ty Lee's parents emerged from the room. Her mother's eyes were red, cheeks soaked in tears. Her father looked drained, his face pale and empty.
Tai Lung approached them quietly.
"May I go in?" he asked.
They looked at him, worry and fear in their eyes. Her father opened his mouth to object, then sighed and gave a slow nod. Her mother hesitated.
"Please… she's been through a lot," she said softly.
But her husband placed a hand on her arm and nudged her gently to move aside.
Tai Lung walked past them, silent. Inwardly, he wondered [what did they think I was going to do to her?]
He pushed the thought aside as he entered Ty Lee's room.
Outside, Azula stood still, her arms crossed as a war brewed in her mind. Guilt gnawed at her, this was her fault. And yet, something selfish within her stirred, Tai Lung won't accept Ty Lee with a face like that. That selfish thought battled with her self-disgust.
Mai said nothing. Her hands clenched tightly. And silently, she prayed to Agni that Tai Lung won't hurt her more.
___________
Tai Lung stepped quietly into the room. The light from the window stretched long across the floor, catching the fractured reflection of the mirror Ty Lee had thrown. She sat on the bed, her knees drawn up, her face buried in her hands, shoulders trembling with each sob.
He closed the door behind him and spoke gently, his voice more subdued than usual "How are you doing, Ty Lee?"
At the sound of his voice, Ty Lee turned her head away from him, covering her face as if to shield it from his eyes. Her voice broke as she spoke.
"My face is ruined," she whispered. "I look like a monster."
"You don't," Tai Lung said without hesitation. "Your face is fine."
Ty Lee gave a hollow, bitter laugh, the sound muffled by her hands.
"I don't need you to try and make me feel better," she muttered. "I saw it. No one will blame you if you want to call the engagement off."
"I'm not calling anything off, I see no reason to do that," Tai Lung said firmly.
She lowered her head more, hands still covering her face.
"Just stop," she said. "Tell me what you really think of my face."
Tai Lung hesitated. The silence lingered too long for her.
"You can't say it," Ty Lee whispered, her voice trembling. "I'm disgusting now."
"It's not that," Tai Lung replied at last, he found it hard to articulate an answer without making things worse. "It's just... I don't think you'll like my answer."
That only made her look away further, her whole body folding in on itself. Tai Lung sighed.
"Fine. I think you and everyone else are overreacting. It's just a scar, not a big deal."
Ty Lee looked up at him for the first time since he entered. Her eyes were wide with disbelief, then narrowed with anger.
"Just a scar?" she snapped. "My face is ruined."
"I knew you wouldn't like my answer," Tai Lung said, his tone unchanging. "I don't think your face is ruined. The scar's not that bad. And if anything, it's proof of your strength, that you survived. I truly don't understand what the big deal is about this. It not like you lost a limb"
Ty Lee stared at him. A war of emotions swirled in her eyes, anger, confusion, something close to relief. She didn't know how to feel. Should she be angry that Tai Lung seemed to care so little about her face? Or relieved that he genuinely didn't see her as disfigured and disgusting now? For a fleeting moment, she wondered if he was lying to make her feel better, but looking at him, at his calm, steady face, she could tell he was completely serious.
Her breathing slowed. Some of the tension in her shoulders eased.
"You really don't hate how I look now?" she asked softly.
"I don't," Tai Lung replied. "I think it's fine. Besides, it's not like I proposed this engagement because your face had no scars." His voice took on a more irritated edge. "And your parents and everyone else have been giving me strange looks the entire time, even though I didn't do or say anything. Seriously, it is just a scar! You all care way too much about skin condition."
Ty Lee blinked at him. He looked more annoyed at being judged than concerned about the wound on her face. And somehow, that was the most comforting thing of all.
She laughed a soft, sudden and genuine laugh. The first since her bandages had come off.
Tai Lung glanced at her, slightly confused, but she shook her head, smiling through her tears.
She had always known he acted and thought differently from everyone else… but she had never appreciated it more than now.
___________
When Ty Lee's family and friends learned of Tai Lung's reaction, they were relieved and happy for her. They were glad her fiance hadn't turned away from her, choosing instead to stay by her side despite her disfigurement. Even his own parents expressed their approval, with his father going so far as to say he was proud of him.
As for Tai Lung, he remained genuinely puzzled by humans, even after living among them for fourteen years, some of their actions and worries continued to elude him.