The Traitor Princess

Chapter 49 - The Headband

A/N: Suuuuper sorry for the delay with this one. Please accept this lengthy chapter as a peace offering <3

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The Gaang was traveling atop Appa with a large cloud surrounding them. Katara and Aang bent the cloud around the bison so they wouldn't be spotted. Although it was hard to see through the fog, Eziri could faintly see the land below and her heart started racing.

They were headed towards the island in the far east of the Fire Nation. Although Eziri hadn't been there before, it still felt like she was returning home. Normal teenagers might feel excited and happy at the thought of returning home after so many years. But all Eziri felt was anxiety and dread.

She remembered how widespread her father's propaganda was. She remembered the class politics and stiff culture of her home nation. The more she thought about it, the more she realized she'd never felt freer than when she was away from her nation. She watched the bison approach land and nervously fiddled with the bracelet around her wrist.

Sokka led the bison down towards the shore and both Aang and Katara kept their cloud coverage around them.

"I think I see a cave below." Aang said, pointing down to the ground.

"Shh! Keep quiet!" Sokka chastised. He landed the bison and Aang dissipated the cloud. "Great job with the cloud camo, but next time, let's disguise ourselves as the kind of cloud that knows how to keep its mouth shut."

Everyone started climbing off the bison. "Yeah, we wouldn't want a bird to hear us chatting up there and turn us in." Toph said sarcastically.

Sokka spun around with a paranoid look on his face. "Hey, we're in enemy territory." Sokka pointed towards a nearby toucan puffin. "Those are enemy birds." Eziri knew he was right; they were in enemy territory. But something about her boyfriend being so on edge in her own nation just heightened the already deep pit of guilt in her stomach. She couldn't help the shame that crept up at the term 'enemy.'

"Sokka, you're being ridiculous." Katara rolled her eyes. "It's not like the birds are spies or something, right Eziri?" Katara turned towards the firebender. Eziri was standing a few paces away from everyone, anxiously biting her fingernails. Katara waited for a response but it seemed Eziri wasn't paying attention. "Eziri?" She asked again.

"Hm?" Eziri turned her head to see three pairs of worried eyes on her. "Oh um...yeah." She mumbled. Luckily, Katara dropped it and they all started towards the cave.

Before anyone could even walk inside, Sokka jumped in and crouched down. He crept through the cave, inspecting it as though the Fire Lord himself would pop up at any moment.

"Well, this is it." Having thoroughly inspected the cave, Sokka relaxed a bit. "This is how we'll be living until the invasion begins." He dropped his head. "Hiding in cave after cave after cave after cave..."

Eziri tuned her friends out and set down her bag. She sat on a small boulder and just focused on taking slow, deep breaths. She hated that she was falling apart over nothing, and she was trying to maintain her composure so her friends wouldn't worry.

"Ezi, are you coming?" Aang asked. Eziri snapped her attention to the airbender. He could see the confusion on her face. "We're going to get new clothes." He explained. Everyone else stared at her expectantly.

"Oh." She glanced down at her bag. "Um, I think I'm all set." She pointed to her bag, which still held a few Fire Nation outfits, and gave him a light smile.

"O-Ok." Aang said nervously.

"You guys go ahead. I'll catch up with you." Sokka instructed. The three younger kids left and Sokka walked over to Eziri. "Are you ok?"