A Moment, Please.

Chapter 19

Digging my hands into the dirt, I rubbed the grains of earth against my palms. Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath.

Finally free!

The chains had left angry, red marks along my wrist and ankles; but I was still over joyed by my freedom. Not to mention the fact that… Zuko… let me go. He let Appa go, when he could have easily taken us both captive. Yet he didn’t. 

"We need to warn the Earth King. Amaya, what's your thought?"

I opened my eyes, looking up to the group as I did. I hadn't really spoken since we had all gotten back together. I just needed a few moments to myself, to gather my thoughts and what not. A lot had happen within the past few… hours? Days? I didn’t even know.

“Well…”

I thought of my time of being kidnapped by the Dai Li, how Long Feng tried to brain wash me, being chained like a piece of worthless meat, and how they had left me in the cell. It was still so fresh in my mind, and the more my thoughts lingered on it; the madder it made me.

"We need to tell him. I'm sure I'm not the first person kidnapped by the Dai Li, and if we don't stop them...I won’t be the last." 

~~~

Ugh!

I know it’s mean to like to hurt people, but  I was beyond feeling bad for hurting people. Now innocent ones, that’s a little more different. If the guards had been attacking us, I’d take them down in no time. Instead, they just wouldn't move. So I had to make them move.

Placing one foot out with a stomp, I raised my hands. The earth beneath the guards rumbled, before popping up randomly all over the place. Returning the earth to it’s spot, the guards laid in a pile of bodies.

"Sorry! But we need to talk to the King!"

Jumping over the men, I rushed after the rest of the group, who had gone in while I distracted the guards. When I caught them, we kept running, going deeper into the Palace. 

~~~

As we rushed though the blown down doors, I stopped short. There stood the Dia Li, and Long Feng. The Earth King's last defense, was also his biggest enemy. Long Feng met my eyes, and with the same creepy smile, spoke one word.

“Attack.”

We were sent off into yet another fight, though this was one a tad bit easier for me. I had a huge grudge I was holding against Long Feng and his men. Despite my anger filled rampage, Long Feng nearly got us. That is, until the King realized Aang was the Avatar.  When he ordered that the fighting cease, I laughed to myself, in a snotty stuck-up way.  Long Feng had been looking at me, a scowl deep on his face. I'm sure my laugh showed on my face too, because Long Feng narrowed his eyes in a deadly manner at me.

Team Avatar: 1 Long Feng:0 

I stood back, as Aang then explained the war, Long Feng and the Dai Li's conspiracy, the imprisonment of Appa, my kidnapping, attempted brainwash and the brainwashing of Jet; whoever that was, and many others. As Aang finished his long tale, I took a few steps forward; pushing my chest out.

"It's true, your Kingly-ness. Long Feng had me kidnapped from my own home, tried to brain wash me, and then stuck me in chains in a prison cell. He left me for dead, along with Aang's Bison, Appa. You of all people would understand the love between an owner and their pet. Well that exact love is what Aang shares with Appa… we all do."

Everyone in the room now looked at me, for the gang it was the first I spoken of my time inside the prison. The rest of the crowd sat with unreadable face. I was careful to not even bring up how I got out. No one but Appa, I and our saviors needed to know that.