Four years of slavery has past. Four years of depression and four years without her father. Aria hated how time passes so quickly without a single thing changing. She was still a servant, the so called "expansion of the Fire Nation borders operation" was still on going and her father was still out there. She didn't know if he was alive or dead, healthy or sick. If he had food and a roof over his head. She had no idea and that was driving her nearly crazy.
The rules of the kingdom became more strict. No citizen was allowed to travel outside the nation or have any communication with people outside. At this point everyone knew this was a war but nobody dared to say it out loud. Propaganda was stronger than ever, trying to make people believe that the Firelord was a great ruler once again. Aria wondered how can they realise just now a 100 year old war. When she asked her mother she got an answer that explained a lot about how the people of her generation and older believed that the Firelord was a king who only wanted to make their nation stronger with the best intentions. Firelord Ozai accomplissed a lot more than the previous Firelord. He is so close to become the ruler of the world, that things about what is really going on with the world couldn't be completely controlled from spreading anymore. It started with rumors that later became facts. And the people of the fire nation started to realize what is going on but were too afraid to speak.
But those four years weren't a complete waste for the now 17 year old Aria. She has improved so much in her firebending that Lia has nothing to teach her anymore. She is just there to observe her in case of any mistakes or directions. They even have an agni kai sometimes to let Aria experience firebending with an opponent. Lia always won even if she held back but Aria was greatful to her for not going completely easy on her and for teaching to not expect any mercy or savior when she fought.
It was another early morning in the palace and Aria was, as usual cleaning the floors. She had gotten so used to it over the years that her back, neck and knees didn't hert anymore even if her knees were always covered in bruises. She kept washing the floor with the small brush when she saw feet standing over the palce she was cleaning. She looked up to see the lady who was responsible for the servants and a girl who was looking down at the floor not daring to make eye contact with anyone.
"Aria you are released from floor duty. Yui over here is going to take over the floors. Yui I assume you know how to clean floors. Kneel down and start working. Aria come with me." the lady said
Aria glanced at the girl who started cleaning immediatly. 'She must be new, I hope she can survive' Aria thought bitterly and really hopped the girl would be alright because she knew that this job is not easy. Aria and the lady stopped in front of a room Aria knew as the princess's room. Aria held back a deep sigh. She really did not want to clean her room and having her again complain about it not being clean enough.
" What will I be doing now that my job is taken ?" Aria asked, some what afraid that she is being fired. She really needed the money.
"Oh, you are getting a promotion for the amazing work you have been doing" the lady said with irony and mockery. "From now on, you are one of the princess's personal servants"
Aria's eyes winded with sock. 'No, no, no please no' Aria thought, trying to desperately wake up from this nightmare.
"No, please. I can do another job, two cleaning jobs if you want " Aria tried to convince the lady to put her in a different job, any job.
"You do that job or you can leave now and never come back. I don't have the time to start switching jobs for your sorry existance. Now go in there." the lady practically shoved Aria on the door and left. Aria took a deep breath to calm herself. She has talk with the princess's personal servants and she knows that the whole experience isn't a pleasant one.
She mustered all her carriege and knocked on the door. There was no way out, she had to do this. The door was opened by a servant that she knew. It was Anna and she looked both shocked and worried when she saw her. Anna stepped aside and Aria walked in seeing the princess getting ready for the day. Or rather gatting ready by her servants. Princess Azula gave the servants a sign to stop and she stood up.
"You must be my new servant, right? Please make sure to listen and do the things that I ask you to do and to speak only when you are spoken to. Am I making myself clear?" Azula said staring down Aria
"Yes, princess" Aria said bowing. She hated this, she really did
"Great, then, since you are knew you are going to be with me today until I tell you to leave so you can learn the job. I want everyone who works with me to be at their 100%. So, follow me. NOW" Azula ordered and Aria followed. They walked to the gardens Azula in front, Aria a few meters back. At the garden she saw a girl with black hair waiting for the princess. They sat down under the big tree near the lake with the turtleducks. "Servant, can you please bring us some cold drinks? It's really hot today"
"Of course princess, anything specific you would like?" Aria asked not looking at them
"No, just bring whatever and leave already" Azula said with an unrealistic sweet voice. Aria left with her her hands balling to fists. She went to the kitchen ordered the drinks and she took them to the garden. It took her much longer since she couldn't ballance the drinks on the tray but she managed to not spill them.
"Ah! What took you so long?! Anyway, grab the big fan over there and start fanning us" Azula ordered showing Aria the big red fan. Aria grabbed it and started to gently create a gentle breeze.
"So Mai, I will be going to Ba Sing Se in a few weeks. I would like you to come along and bring Ty Lee too. I need you there with me." Azula turned to her friend completely ignoring Aria's existance
"Ok, but what exactly are we going to do there?" Mai asked with her monotonous voice
"We are going undercover for some job that my father needs to be taken care of"
"What kind of job?" asked Mai now a little more interested
"The kind of job my uncle couldn't do so many years ago. And if we are lucky enouph we might be able to do the job my brother can't do for the past tree years." Azula answered with a sick grin
Aria almost stopped her movements. Zuko's job? She wants to find the avatar too? But if she finds it, Zuko might never come back.
"What has Zuko been doing all this time? Shouldn't he have been able to capture him by now?" asked Mai
"Maybe, but Zuzu is pretty useless so it's no question why it's taking him so long. The only thing he has done so far is destroy the kyoshi island and some villages here and there. Nothing much as expected." Azula said with mockery.
This time Aria stopped her movements. The kind prince Zuko she remembers did all that? Why? The prince she remembers would never do such things. But in the end he is the Firelord's son. He is with the Fire Nation. No, not the Fire Nation. He is on Firelord's side so no it shouldn't come as a surprise. Aria thought all that with bitterness. Why did she feel so betrayed? She barely knew him.
"Why did you stop servant? I don't recall myself telling you to stop" Azula practically yelled at her.
That night, Aria went to the beach. She did not have training today but she decided to train a little to release some of her emotions from today. The fear of being the princess's servant and the annoyance and anger that came with it. The anger and unfair feeling of understanding what has really been going on outside the borders of the nation. The bitterness from what she heard about the actions of a prince who she thought was kind and diffenrent from the rest of the family. But now that she thinks more about it, she only thought that because he sometimes gave her flowers as a thank you. Just because he was nice to a servant, didn't really make him defferent but apparentely Aria was too young and naive to understand that. Besides who we are as children can change. And apparentely prince Zuko has become a "real" rpince of the Fire Nation.
After blowing some steem off she went to bed trying not to think what wakens the next day.
YOU ARE READING
Zuko x OC : The Phoenix Princess
FanfictionAria is a servant for the royals of the fire nation. She has no idea , that , at the age of 17 she will be fighting with the avatar and his friends. She has no idea that she will make a friend in prison. She deosn't know that she has a certain conne...
