The Dragon Princess and the Wolf Warrior

Chapter 85 [~|~] The Proposition

A.N. I'm back with another set of chapters for you lovely readers! Just a quick warning that this chapter references past abuse and contains threats of abuse (from Asshat in Chief Ozai).

Azara walked through the halls of the Fire Nation palace, easily navigating the corridors despite being away for over three years. She could hear the guards following after her, but she did not pay them any mind. Reaching her childhood bedroom, Azara took a deep breath before throwing the door open.

Stepping inside, she closed the door softly behind her before walking further into the room. Her bed and furniture were covered with thin white sheets to protect them from the dust. Azara tugged the sheets off slowly, memories flooding into her mind as she returned the room to the image she remembered.

Opening her dresser, Azara paused as she spotted the familiar portrait that she had hung up on one of the doors. It had been painted not long after her and Azula's sixth birthday and the stale air had clearly deteriorated some of the edges, but the image remained unchanged. Azara stood in the middle, Azula on her right, and Zuko on her left with their parents behind them.

Trailing her finger over the painting, Azara sighed as the memories of the day returned to her. Azara looked away from the portrait as the door to her room opened. Azula stepped inside and closed the door behind her, a reserved expression on her face. The two sisters stood in silence for a moment, before Azula stepped further into the room, her hands clasped behind her.

"You need to dust in here," she sighed, wrinkling her nose.

"I haven't been here in over three years," Azara shrugged as Azula's eyes landed on the portrait Azara had been staring at earlier.

"I still don't know why you like that portrait," Azula huffed as Azara allowed a twinge of a smile to overtake her lips.

"I think we all look . . . rather happy. A rare occasion," she added in a mutter under her breath as Azula looked away for a moment.

"Congratulations on winning the Agni Kai," Azula stated as Azara nodded, turning to face her sister.

"You didn't bet against me, did you?" Azara joked, a small smile twinging at her lips.

"Why would I want to lose? I knew you would win," Azula replied, a silent understanding passing between the two sisters. As Azula shifted on her feet in the resulting silence, Azara tilted her head to the side, staring at her sister with an analyzing gaze.

"You want something," Azara observed as Azula frowned.

"Why do you just assume the worst in me?"

"I don't. I just know you, Azula."

"Do you?" Azula challenged as Azara narrowed her eyes in response. "This is the first actual conversation we've had in over three years."

"You don't count the business of threatening me and my friends?" Azula scoffed sarcastically, closing the doors to her dresser, and keeping her back to her sister for a moment. "Let me guess, Father sent you."

"I came on my own volition," Azara snapped, glaring at Azara as she turned around. "To warn you. Because I care about you even though you're a pathetic traitor."

"Hmm . . . probably something along the lines of 'one hair out of line and it's back to prison or perhaps the execution block again,' right?" Azara drawled in a bored tone while Azula shook her head.