Violent Delights, ATLA

chapter eight, grant the sun her freedom!

08
GRANT THE SUN HER FREEDOM!

SAN WAS FOURTEEN AND TRAPPED. The palace? A cage. She? A bird. Her wings? Glued to her sides. Her courage? Gone with the wind but her kindness was everlasting and persistently present, especially with Azula who didn't return it. Lightning struck all of a sudden, flashing white through the windows and surprising her as she sat quietly in her room.

Stormy nights were never a good symbolism and they never will be. Thunder split the darkness above, allowing light to shine briefly before the sky of death swallowed it again, clapping and roaring mercilessly through the twilight. Royal blue clouds haunted the stars and tucked the crescent moon away, depicting the unfortunate event that will soon consume a certain prince.

Tales woven together by Fate were about to enmesh in scarlet swaths from the blood about to be spilled, pages ripped at all edges and charred at the corners, and stars will cry for their light will not shine above him for good luck that night.

And that night, somebody will turn the page of their scorched story and crumble into ashes when they find that a plot twist has taken place, suspense killing them with slow poison and shock coursing through their veins, because he was not safe in these palace walls.

Because that night, somebody will be swallowed by the caliginous timeless existence known as everlasting darkness by someone they thought loved them dearly.

The doors to the war conference room swung open and the nation's greatest army commanders marched out like ants, whispering amongst themselves ferociously. The final one to exit was the prince himself, whose head was hung low in shame as his uncle was right beside him, murmuring reassurance and sound advice in his ears. Something along the lines of keeping in mind everything he knew about firebending and saying he'll be back with a cup of jasmine tea to soothe his nerves before heading to the Agni Kai to face the general he disrespected.

"San!" Zuko exclaimed in a low volume as soon as he spotted a familiar dark-haired girl around the corner. Fortunately, she wasn't with Azula.

"Prince Zuko, what happened?" She inquired in a hushed voice. "All the war generals appear enraged."

"Yeah, it's because of me. I spoke out against one of the generals when I was only supposed to keep my mouth shut." He sighed, squeezing his eyes shut. "But how could I have not? He was going to sacrifice a whole group of soldiers who love our nation like they're pawns."

"You have a good heart, Prince Zuko." San said softly, believing in him. "Always have courage and be kind. That's what my mom always tells me."

"Have courage..." Zuko repeated, bobbing his head up and down confidently. "I can take on that general. I'm not afraid."

Outside the palace, lightning struck again. The prince of the Fire Nation should have been afraid because his opponent was not who he thought it would be.

✷

"PRINCESS AZULA, WHAT'S HAPPENING?" IT was an innocuous question of curiosity as the princess had marched up to her and grabbed her hand without a word, dragging her to who knows where. Nervous thoughts zoomed around in the handmaiden's head and she began to think she committed a mistake by accident and now she was being punished.