Fire and Silk

01. burns and marionettes

˗ˏˋ four years ago ˎˊ˗

There was a time when Zuko had been uninterested in Azula's friends. Not too long ago, when he played with wooden swords and fed turtle ducks with his mother. Back when his summers were blurred together, and his imagination was rich with youth. Zuko would spend hours in the royal gardens, imagining epic battles against worthy opponents. The lush greenery and tranquil ponds were the perfect backdrop for his imaginary fights.

But that was years ago. Zuko was twelve years old now. In his early stages of manhood, if he did say so himself. He had no time to pretend he was a warrior or reminisce about his last moments with his mother. He was heir to the Fire Nation throne, soon to rule the world, and today was the day he would take his first step to the crown.

It was a warm summer evening. The sun shone down on the grand Fire Nation palace, wooden swords discarded in the corner of Zuko's room, and turtle ducks were the least of his worries. He was standing behind a pillar, his presence disguised by the giant concrete. There had been a long pause in the visitation allowability in the palace, something about the war disrupting alliances. That didn't stop Azula from recruiting new friends though. The Fire Nation Academy for Girls never ran out of mindless little benders to fall into her traps.

Eiyika was Azula's most recent conquest. Her refined posture and elegance were captivating, even for someone who didn't care for visuals, like Azula. It was even more surprising, however, that Zuko had taken an interest in the girl. Usually, the two siblings rarely agreed on anything, much less the company they kept. Mai was as steady as a stone wall, while Ty Lee was a bit odd, but Eiyika.

Eiyika was the spitting image of radiance; her bright smile and warm laugh carried throughout the grand palace corridors, filling the otherwise empty areas. She wasn't just beautiful, but sharp too. Sometimes, Zuko didn't understand how smart she was. Sometimes, he thought she was just plain stupid.

"Eiyika doesn't know the rules of the game," Ty Lee stressed as Azula readied herself. She didn't want Eiyika to get hurt.

Eiyiki stood gracefully on the fountain. Her arms spread like a cross. She was smiling. Plush pink lips pulled upwards. Her eyes gleamed orange like the sun above, and her black hair provided a steady contrast to her slim facial features. The sight of her was captivating. It was no wonder that Azula wanted to see her crumble.

Azula's game went beyond pride and bravery. She didn't want to see Eiyika guess correctly. No amount of intelligence or calculations would buy her freedom. Azula wanted to test Eiyika's limits. She saw it as an initiation. Both girls standing behind her had completed the task many years ago. Of course, she had given the other girls more instruction before their turns. She wanted to see how far she'd go before surrendering, and if Eiyika wanted to be in Azula's good graces, she needed to go beyond loyalty. Eiyika would need to show fear.

"I think Eiyika will enjoy it regardless," Azula smiled. Her eyes held the wrath of a thousand fires, "Final guess?"

"Three." There was no pause, no hesitation. A ball of fire flew through the air, aimed directly at Eiyika, its power too fast to evade. The flames were bright. Their red and orange hues cast a shadow upon the grass.

Zuko had never seen Eiyika show any signs of being a fire bender, but her willingness to come in contact with the powerful bending gave him hope. Maybe she wasn't scared of the power he and Azula held, like Mai and Ty Lee. Perhaps she wasn't scared of Zuko in the way his mother was afraid of the Fire Lord. Maybe Eiyika would accept Zuko for who he was.

Eiyika stood in place and let the fire hit her. When she felt her flesh burn after the heat scorched past the fabric of her sleeve, she didn't even cry out. She knew what Azula wanted. Beyond her enticing smiles and encouraging words, she was no better than her father. Azula was a monster beginning to grow, and if no one extinguished her fire soon, the world would have much bigger problems to worry about. But Eiyika wasn't worried about the world. She would watch it burn on Azula's side, only if it meant she would get her father back.

"Better luck next time, Eiyika."

"You have no idea," Eiyika whispered, her words not carrying to the girl across the yard. It wasn't long, however, before she fell to her knees. Ty Lee's sad eyes caught hers from the distance. Even if the two girls hadn't known each other for too long, Eiyika liked her. She was different from the rest of them.

"We'll have the royal doctor fix you right up," Bared teeth and wild eyes stared at the wounded girl, "Take her away,"

Two palace guards walked onto the grass. Their strides were precise, showcasing the discipline of the Fire Nation. Zuko watched as they each hooked an arm underneath Eiyika, lifting her limp body off of the ground. She looked like a doll, head lulled back and legs bent. He waited until the guards turned the corner to emerge from his place behind the pristine pillars lining the walkway into the palace.

"Zuzu," The nickname was a term of endearment, yet no feelings of love followed, only emptiness and broken promises, "Want to play a game?"

"No," He stomped by, his footsteps making indents on the well-maintained grass.

"Now that mom's gone, you really do have no friends,"

"Shut up, Azula."

It hurt. All of Azula's words hurt, but there was a sliver of hope brewing in the pit of Zuko's stomach. Azula would be an agonizing detail of his life forever, but there was someone who could make that a little more bearable. He saw the faint outline of the guards in the distance and Eiyika's signature dark clothing when he entered the grand entrance hallway. She was on her feet now, walking limply behind the tall men.

"Guards!" He yelled. His command caused both men to stop in their tracks. "Fire Lord Ozai is requesting your assistance."

"Of course, Prince Zuko." They bowed their heads as a sign of respect before unhanding Eiyika.

Thick, rugged hands fell from their place on delicate skin, causing the girl to smile. Beyond her pain, she also felt hope, but for a completely different reason. Her eyes followed every single detail laid out in front of her. And right now, Zuko was no more than a pawn in her game. She thought herself better than Azula, but she was just as ruthless. The only difference was that Eiyika was subject to change, whereas Azula had evil written deep within her bones.

"Prince Zuko," Eiyika greeted him. She was out of breath, likely due to her body's response to her injuries, but she feigned indifference in fear that Zuko would send her away before she got her chance to play her game.

"E-eiyika,"

Standing in her presence was more daunting than ever. Zuko often found himself daydreaming about what it would be like to converse with her face-to-face, but now that he stood in her presence, he was at a loss for words. He watched in awe as she took a step toward him. Even though they were about the same age, she was at least two inches taller than him. She had kind eyes, the ghost of his mother lingering far behind them. He was initially drawn to Eiyika because she reminded him of his mother: contagious laugh and warm presence.

"Prince Zuko?"

"You're hurt, "

"Yes, Prince Zuko," she laughed, "I am very aware."

And there it was. The laugh that had lulled Zuko to sleep many nights before, when he laid in his bed listening to Azula and her friends have a sleepover right next door. The laugh that sounded so close and yet so far away. Eiyika was right here, but her loyalty locked her away. She would never choose him over Azula, not now, at least.

𐙚⊹₊⋆☆

a/n: for anyone wondering, eiyika's name is pronounced "ay-yee-ka"