When All Hope Is Lost

The Blue Spirit

Today just wasn't Auretta's day.

First, she had hallucinations and apparently ran all around the ship, then it got better when Zuko and Iroh took care of her! Then, it went right back to being bad again when three new Fire Nation soldiers took her away on their ship.

These people didn't care that she was sick. They threw her in a cold, damp cell, and didn't even bother with giving her any water their whole way to wherever they were going.

Auretta was in that cell for hours. She was cold and scared. The room was dark. No one was around outside from what she could tell. There wasn't even a slot in the door to see out of. Everything was closed off.

Auretta could tell her fever was getting bad again. Her head was throbbing, her chest was full, and she just couldn't stop coughing. She tried to make herself sleep, but she'd just break out into another coughing fit that would leave her groaning in pain for the next thirty minutes.

Not only that, but she was anxious. She kept going in and out of anxiety attacks every few minutes. She needed to know someone was nearby. She needed to know she wasn't completely alone.

But that was just it- she was alone.

No one was coming for her.

Her friends probably think she's dead, and as much as she wanted to believe she created some sort of bond with Iroh and his nephew, she knew they wouldn't come for her. Zuko was already banished and trying to regain his honor through capturing Aang, and getting into any trouble with other higher-ups in the military would just dig him in a deeper hole.

She was going to be taken to Zhao. Then, she would be taken to the Fire Lord. After that... she didn't want to even think about what would happen.

So, she tried to calm herself with meditation. She reached out in her mind, trying to see if maybe, just maybe, she could contact Kyoshi. Maybe then, Kyoshi could tell Aang what was happening. But, after hours of trying, nothing happened.

Eventually, she gave up, too weak to even sit up anymore. Now, she just layed flat against the cold floor of her cell, staring numbly up at the ceiling. She didn't want to give up so easily, but she didn't feel up to fighting anymore. Everything hurt, and she was tired.

... and thirsty.

Tired and thirsty.

Her throat was so dry now- it hurt so much to swallow, she'd cry every time she did. She was so close to licking the disgusting moisture left on the walls just to try and take a bit of the pain away.

The sound of keys jangling and the twisting of a heavy lock snapped her out of her daze. She lazily slid her eyes to look over at the door, but it didn't matter anyway. She couldn't tell who it was- just that it was two more soldiers coming in to take her somewhere else.

At least she wasn't alone anymore.

Her feet dragged on the floor as the two men held either of her arms. Auretta simply watched the floor go by for the next few minutes, her growling stomach echoing through the halls.

Auretta only looked up from the ground after her feet were chained to the floor, and her arms chained out to her sides. Her shoulders aches from the chains pulling her arms in awkward angles. Her legs felt weak from dehydration, but she did her best to keep herself standing in fear of popping her arms out of socket if she were to fall.

"So. You're the Avatar's sister?" Auretta narrowed her eyes at the man as he walked into the room, closing the door behind him. Zhao smirked at her glare. "Feisty, aren't we? Why aren't you with your brother?"