Azula: Redemption

Chapter 7

I didn't leave for hours, left to my own thoughts and grievances. Kidon nowhere to be seen but his presence was there, a cool beat like pulsing ice on my back. A dread reminder of the torment I had endured in my cell.

The wind swept my hair back in hurried whips, the black strands melting into the darkness of the night. Kidon cleared his throat, and broke the delicate silence of the waves. He was stepping closer to me, from the rear left "You need sleep Azula" he said.

I didn't move an inch, not a muscle, I didn't think I could, my legs long gone numb under the weight of my body. He stepped closer in front of me, his eyes burned in the dark, like glowing embers of blue flame.

"I know you are going through a lot, I do not pretend to know how it feels l, but I do know you need to sleep. Get your strength. The crew see you as weak. They will take advantage of that. Don't make it seem more obvious." He said, stooping low to look into my own ember eyes.

His words resonated, I understood from how those men leered at me in the hallways, they had seen me as prey. "Do you see me as weak? Water tribe boy?" I asked lowly.

He surveyed me, looking from my head, to my bent body hunched from the cold. He said without meeting my eyes "I see you as a person who has lost power in more than one way, I see you as someone who deals with demons constantly and is still alive. I see you as a survivor, princess."

Shock rippled through me, at not only his words, but at the word "princess" he said it in a way not to demean me, but to remind me of who I am. With or without my fire. I am a living flame.

I smiled at him, bearing all my teeth, as much of a smile as it was threat. "Kind words peasant, let's see if I can make you regret them." I said, finding the strength to push off my legs and up to standing. He stood nearly a foot taller than me, a stronger build no doubt hidden under his layers of clothes, and a face that was sharp and angular with the scar above his lip blazingly obvious.

He laughed, tilting his head back and bringing it back down to my eyes once more. A true laugh I realized, as his eyes shown brighter with a lingering tilt of the mouth still present " I do enjoy challenges. Let's see what you've got, Azula." He said with a suggestive grin, and started moving towards the door back inside.

I gasped. My brows scrunching together, wishing I could burn his tongue out.

I took a steadying break and on still shaky legs, I  followed suit, with my mind clearer and not in a rush of escape I observed my surrounding, taking in the dents of the metal and the weak spots in the hull. Not the best battleship they had, a used one perhaps that was better suited to staying within the boarders of the fire nation.

As we walked, we seen no guards, either well stationed to be hidden, or this... solider apparently had enough skills to handle me. I noticed that mistake, and counted the many others as we rounded corner after corner until we finally reached my door.

Neither one of us bother with goodbyes as I opened my door and eased it shut with quiet grace. Noticed there was no lock from the inside, I rolled my eyes and walked to the center of the room. Out of the small window, I could make out the waves that drowned the star blistered sky.

Atop the waves, I made out the ghostly figure of my mother atop the waves, as she glided towards me, her figure like smoke drifting across the water, leaving what looked like shimmers in her wake.

I backed up slowly, my back finally meeting the wall as I stared towards her, not once blinking. I could feel a plus of air across the room, I'm staring to wonder if she's truly real and not a figment of my diluted mind.

"Why will you not leave me alone!?" I screamed, not caring who heard. She merely tilted her head to the side while she said "I am your mother, why would I not accompany you on such a long journey?" She asked this as is it made so much sense that my long lost mother would give a damn about her monstrous child.

"You are not real." I said confidently, staring her down. "You never once cared about me when I was a child and you were here, why care now?"

I started backing away from the wall, attempting to show her I was not frightened by her. Pretending that I was the confident, snarky princess she deemed me to be. I was nearing my bed as I looked back at her "As far as I'm concerned, you can rot in hell."

I heard her sigh, as her figure began to dissolve, further and further until she once again became shimmering light, and then darkness.

I let loose a long sigh, fighting against the thoughts in my mind that would surely overwhelm me. I couldn't afford to be brought to my knees, I was on a ship full of traitors being brought into enemy territory. Without my bending.

I needed to train more, to catch up on the months of torture and deterioration I endured. My father has a plan, he took the key for a reason, and once he escapes and puts his plans into action, I will be by his side as his heir. I will regain my throne and power. I will not be defeated.

And so I began my push-ups, a dark part of my mind hoping that Kidon will be left out of the bloodshed to follow.