The Apprentice's Choice (an Avatar: The Last Airbender Fanfiction Zuko X OC)

Chapter 15: The Forgetful Valley (Part 2)

Expression twisted in pain and agony, Chiyo held on to Zuko's hand as Katara tried her best to heal her injured left leg. The apprentice felt guilty when she saw him cringing at her every flinch, so she tried to bear with the excruciating pain, biting her lip almost to the point of drawing blood.

"A-ah...!"

"I'm sorry, Chiyo." Katara looked at her worriedly, keeping the water from the spiritual pool infused with chi above her leg steady. "I'm going as gentle as I can."

Beside them, Azula paced tirelessly, keeping her sharp glare on the attackers who now sat in front of them.

"Won't you sit down, P-princess Azula?" Chiyo breathed out, opening her eyes. "Calm down—"

"Calm down?! How can I calm down when those Water Tribe peasants attacked us?! And now they're sitting with us?!"

"Can you just shut up, Azula?!" Zuko had enough of his sister. Countless times he suppressed the urge to send her back to the asylum and lock her up for good, that being the most merciful of his courses of action. He had trusted that she would at the very least remain civil, considering Chiyo was with them.

Now she had even contributed to a serious injury that nearly endangered her life.

"Why would I shut up?! They were the ones who attacked Chiyo, not me!"

"You killed the vine holding Chiyo and had her fall!"

"Well, at least I did something compared to you, Zuzu! You just stood there, frozen! At least I had the guts to save her!"

"AGH!" Chiyo gripped Zuko's hand tight as Katara located the fracture, intense pain shooting up once more.

The elderly woman, named Misu, stood up and knelt before the girls, offering her hands. "May I?"

"I dare you touch her, peasant!" Azula spat.

"I am a healer from the Northern Water Tribe. I can help the girl."

Tension rose as the silence grew over time. Unable to bear the pain any longer, Chiyo turned to Zuko. "Send Azula away... for a while."

Their eyes locked for a few seconds and Zuko nodded in understanding. "Azula... Chiyo asks that you stay clear—"

"Ha! As if she'd actually say that—!"

"Azula, please." With great effort, Chiyo shifted her upper body so she was sitting up, leaning against Zuko's chest. "Just for once... listen to Zuko."

The princess's face fell as she watched Chiyo, though frail and injured, take Zuko's side once again. She wanted to say a lot of things to them, but the all-too familiar expression on Chiyo's face told her that any argument she had would not take her any further.

Fists clenched tightly, she turned around without another word and marched deeper into the forest, away from the group.

"Are you really just going to let her walk away like that?!" Sokka asked them once Azula was out of earshot, bewildered. "That's just like sending an angry komodo-rhino out into the world!"

"She won't escape." Chiyo shook her head and let Zuko hold her still. "She came here to find Lady Ursa. And she won't be going anywhere without actually seeing her first." She then tried her best to smile at the old woman. "Please... I need your help."

Misu nodded eagerly, stunned for a few seconds, before reaching out to pull water from spiritual pool and aid Katara in healing. She had apologized profusely for the attack and for the injury caused to Chiyo. "We heard the commotion by the pool, and we had to act fast. The pool must remain undisturbed."