The Dragon Princess and the Wolf Warrior

Chapter 91 [~|~] The Breaking Point

A.N. As promised, another set of chapters for you lovely readers! Thanks to everyone for reading, voting, and commenting on this story, I really appreciate it! And honestly your support actually motivates me to write, so thanks!

This update has three chapters that will lead up to the Day of Black Sun episodes. These chapters are a bit darker in terms of material (more so the next two) so I'll be adding warnings to them. Went back and forth about how to do these chapters like a thousand times, so let's see how it goes. 

But there is a fluffy snippet at the end of Chapter 93 that I hope makes up for the angst. I promise the fluff will be back in full force soon, but there's just a bit more angst to get through first. 

Azara stood still on the pedestal as servants walked around her, layering expensive fabrics delicately over her body. "Breathe in, Princess," one of them instructed as two more servants walked over with a band of fabric.

Azara grunted as the belt was pulled tight around her midsection, grumbling curses to herself. "Spirits forbid a girl be allowed to have internal organs," she muttered under her breath before she was brought over to the chair in front of her mirror.

Her dark hair, freshly washed, was pulled back into an intricate bun. A headpiece with dangling tassels was pinned in front of her bun. Two thin bangs framed her face down to the tops of her cheeks, but otherwise every hair was pinned and gelled down. Not a single hair was out of place. The servants attached another set of headpieces, two Fire Nation insignias, to the front and back of Azara's bun.

Straightening up as a servant approached with makeup, Azara sat rigidly, staring into the mirror as her lips were painted red. She closed her eyes for them to be properly lined. The servants worked hard to cover the dark circles under her eyes, and with a light dusting of rouge on her cheeks, she was finished.

The servants had tried their best to make her a presentable royal bride-to-be. Everything, down to single hairs on her head and beads on her necklace, were planned out and properly handled. But they could do nothing about her eyes, which were uncharacteristically dull. Lifeless.

For a firebender, she seemed to lack any spark about her anymore.

"You look beautiful, Princess Azara," one of the servants complimented her, causing Azara to purse her lips together.

"I look possessed," she thought to herself before turning to the servants. "Thank you for your help." They bowed in response and walked away without another word.

Once the two servants were outside of Azara's room, they turned to each other with sad looks on their faces. "Doesn't she remind you of . . ." one of them trailed off, looking around for any sign of other people patrolling the halls.

"Yes." The two women shared another look before walking off. "Oh, how Princess Ursa would weep at this situation."

Left to herself for a moment, Azara had to will the tears back. She reached for her wrist, only to be reminded she had taken the bracelet off. It was for the best, she told herself. She couldn't have someone take it. Azula was already suspicious about it, so it was only a matter of time before someone else was as well. She couldn't lose her last reminder of the world outside the palace walls.

The door to her room opened, revealing Azula dressed in formal attire, but not nearly as formal as Azara's own. "Are you ready to go?" Azula asked, moving to stand beside her sister.

"Do I have a choice not to be?" Azara sighed before heading for the door.

She and Azula walked in relative silence until they reached the Fire Lord's hall. Azara stood rigid in the middle of the hall, waiting for her signal to enter. "Good luck," Azula spoke softly, giving her sister's arm a quick squeeze before walking into the room, the red curtains fluttering behind her.