The Jaded Princess - A Sokka Love Story

Chapter Twenty-Eight

"Eloh?"

Orzala felt her world stop in that moment. One name was all it took. Her breathing became erratic as her heart pounded in her chest. Her terrified green eyes remained locked on the man, whose eyes darted back and forth between her and the prince.

Only one thought rang in her mind.

He knows. The words were a mantra in her head, echoing and bouncing around with no sign of stopping. He knows, I'm dead.

He knows who I am and I'm dead. Her gaze snapped to the side, sliding over Sokka to see if he had heard anything. He hadn't. His glare was focused on Katara. She turned back to the old man slowly, narrowing her eyes.

"How do you know my mother?" She hissed quietly, and his golden eyes widened a fraction.

"Eloh had a daughter?" The man's voice was small, and Orzala nearly flinched at the pain it held. His eyes drifted over her face, and she shifted uncomfortably as he smiled sadly. "You have her eyes. And you have his nose."

Her blood ran cold at the words. "You know my father?" His smile fell immediately, and Orzala watched the blood flee from his old face. He shook his head quickly, spinning on his heel and walking away from her. The princess's face fell, and a slight disappointment flooded her chest.

The old man came to a stop beside Katara, and he refused to glance at the princess. A scowl curled on her lips.  "Aang, this is all my fault!" Katara called, apologetic.

"No, Katara, it isn't."

"Yeah, it kind of is," the old man stated from beside her, and Orzala nodded along.

"The old man's not wrong."

"Give me the boy!" Zuko snarled, cutting off their conversation. But the pirates weren't having any of it.

"You give us the scroll! Then you can have the boy, and his friends."

"Are you really going to trade the avatar for a stupid piece of parchment?" Zuko's eyes bulged as Sokka spoke, and he shook his head quickly his head.

"Don't listen to him! He's trying to turn us against each other!" The pirates paused, their calculating gazes drifting toward Aang. Orzala swore she could see money signs pop up in their eyes. The princess smirked slightly at the prince.

"Your friend is the avatar?" The captain asked, eyebrow quirked as he looked toward Aang.

"Sure is! And I'll bet he'll fetch a lot more on the black market than some fancy scroll," Sokka taunted, flashing Orzala a wink as he moved next to her. Her smirk widened into a smile. Zuko, however, was not as pleased.

"Shut your mouth, you Water Tribe peasant!"  Orzala's dangerous gaze snapped to the prince as he exploded, a scowl pulling at her lips once more.

"Don't talk to him that way, you pompous prick!" Aang grabbed her shirt with his bound hands, pulling her back and shooting her a fearful look.

"No, he's kind of right. Sokka really should shut his mouth." Orzala facepalmed. Even with all his 'infinite wisdom,' as Katara called it, the boy really could be thick sometimes. She shrugged him off, leaning into the pirates with a smirk.

"He's right, ya know? It's bad business sense. Just imagine how much the Firelord would pay for the avatar!" The surrounding pirates began to smile wickedly. "You guys would be set for life."

"Keep the scroll! We can buy a hundred with the reward we'll get for the kid." Zuko glowered at them, and his soldiers quickly fell in line beside him.