Azula: Redemption

Chapter 12

The next morning, I awoke in the same spot by the door, my limbs tight from the posture I had stayed in all night, in a tight ball, arms wrapped around my legs, drawn in tight. I stood on shaky legs to find the hateful water bright and flowing, as if no evil from it had attacked me last night. I didn't want to think about what I saw, what I heard last night for hours on end.

So I stood on trembling legs, and made quick work of the handle, threw open the door, and ran like hell, out into the blistering, bright day. The sun danced off the ice in a blinding melody, my vision went white, I still kept running, using what little sense I had left to dodge when I felt a presence near me, that was, until someone tackled me into the snow.

I flipped on my stomach and used my legs to wrap around the assailants middle, with my arms behind me, I pushed up and into my legs to flip onto of them. My vision becoming clearer as my breaths became louder, I noticed that it was Kidon who had attacked me. I looked at him, his bright blue eyes wild with anger, and something else, perhaps, amusement.

I should have slit his throat for laying a finger on me and if I had a knife on me, perhaps I would have considered it, maybe I could use my nails..
Kidon cleared his throat and said "princess, as much as I enjoy you being on top of my, I can't breathe."  I huffed, but noticed he was looking rather blue, and perhaps not from the cold.

I jumped up immediately, not caring that I looked like a ridiculous fool for not at least giving him a bruise to wear after the comment. I am not a blushing lady, and I certainly do not give a damn about a water tribe peasant. I said "If you would have had manners, you would have kept your disgusting little fingers to yourself." I convinced myself the sneer was genuine.

"I couldn't leave a respectable princess out in the cold in only her night shift now could I?" He said, the light in his eyes getting brighter with each word. "I am sure that there are many water tribe peasants who would enjoy the view." his eyes traveling not over me, but over the growing crowd our scuffle had caused.

My face heated, and I blamed it on the wind, however, I would not bow to these barbarians, I would not show my pain or my fear. With confidence, I gave a brutal smile to each one who had gathered, reserving my most hateful smile for Kidon, and stomped back to city hall to find Kana.

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I found her inside her room in the healing center towards the back of the building, I obtained this information after storming inside, with my hair in a fury and my eyes surly blazing, and screaming at the group huddled around the fire place. They didn't take much convincing and spoke only after my simple threat of cutting out their tongues.

Kana was resting in a chair nearest to a small blazing fire in the center of the tiny room. I expected more from the grandest healer in the world, perhaps a chandelier or two at the least. "I am never going near that water again" I spoke, my hollow and ragged breath mixing with the crackling fire.

"Are you scared of what it showed you?" She asked, not bothering to look up from her readings.

I grew more impatient, more deadly, I stormed up to her and threw her book into the fire, watching it burn as though I would have myself. Taking a ragged breath and looking back at her, I seen her face was no more hateful or menacing before my act, calm neutrality. She stood up and took my hands in her own, hers feeling as cool as ice itself, mine blazing from anger and from my own fears.

" When I first touched the water, I seen things that terrified me, chilled me to my bone. I seen my family burning, I seen the world burning. All of my deepest fears come to life, through the very source." She said, her voice not breaking or stumbling, she kept on, " The water is meant to heal, not to change. You cannot change your fears, or your past, but you can change how you react to them, how you overcome them." I looked at her, in a way, I thought she was mad, or perhaps a liar. But when I looked into her eyes and saw nothing but truth, I had no words, I breathed,

"I'm sorry about the book, I hope it wasn't one of a kind" I said, with no sorrow in my voice, only cold stillness. Kana smiled and said "Only a two thousand year old relic from the spirt library that Avatar Aang gave me." My eyes grew wide, and my mouth was gaping while she turned and trotted out the door and motioned me to follow her. "Let's get you some clothes, today you can work with some women in the village, they are preparing a meal for the solstice this Sunday. "

I frowned at the thought of preparing food, I had never ate one meal that someone else hadn't cooked. I opened my mouth to decline, when Kana said "If you would rather do a healing session today instead we can." The words died in my mouth as I sighed and strode to Kana and followed her to another room to get more clothes. I soon realized they were Katara's old clothes. I gaged.