Blazing Crystal

Stubborn Water

When I came to sometime later, I winced as pain immediately radiated through my head. Groaning, I tried to move my hand to the back of my head, and when I did I jerked it away quickly. A sharp pain shot through me and I cried out in agony. When I opened my eyes finally, I found I was once again in a cold dark cell, only this time my hands and feet were chained to the wall. Thankfully they'd given me a cot to sleep on, but sadly no blanket.

Managing to finally sit up, I winced at how sore my body was. How long had I been out? My stomach cried out for food and my throat ached for water. As I sat in my cold empty cell, I felt myself curl up into a ball and tears fall down my cheeks. It was cold... They'd stripped me of my water tribe coat leaving me in only my water tribe shirt and trousers. My boots were gone showing bare feet, and I curled up tighter trying to warm myself. I knew why they'd taken my shoes and coat. They wanted me to be cold. They didn't want their prisoner to be comfortable.

It seemed like hours that I sat in my cold cell with only a small candle to light the room, and while this occurred I feared for my family and Aang. Were they okay? Did Zuko capture them too? Were we on our way to the fire nation?

It seemed like a day passed by and still no one came to see me. This only made me thirst and hunger more. Maybe the Fire Nation wanted me to starve to death. It would save them the trouble of having to kill me.

More tears came at the thought of death. At least if I died though I'd be with my mom.

After a few more hours of just sitting in the cell staring absently at the ceiling from where I lay on the cot, I heard something. The sound of footsteps...

As heavy boots stomped against the steel of the ship, I heard the door to the brig open and fire light entered the room. Wincing from the sudden burst of light, I sat up and stared through the bars of my steel prison. To my terror, I saw a guard come in with what seemed to be a tray of food. He also held a canteen of water in his hand that was tightly shut.

When he came in he said nothing to me, only opened my cell and sat the tray on the steel floor in front of me. Then he undid the canteen lid and held it toward me. I cringed away from him, afraid he'd do something to hurt me. Though I couldn't see his face through the red helmet he wore, I could see a small frown on his face. Not an angry one, but an almost sorry one. "It's okay," he said, his voice making him out to be maybe thirty. He sounded kind, and I was really thirsty.

With shaky hands I took the canteen from him and sipped it thirstily. There was only a quarter of the small container full but I sipped it to its last drop. When the canteen was empty the guard took it away, pushed my tray closer to my trembling form, and then left.

When he locked my cell door back and went out of the prison hold door closing it behind him, I sighed in relief. So not all the guards were cruel... Looking down at the food on my tray, I frowned at what little was there. It looked like one piece of bread and some scraps of meat. I guess they were giving me leftovers from dinner.

Shoving the tray away, I ignored my pained stomach and lied back on my cot. As I closed my eyes, I whispered softly, "Katara... Sokka... I hope you guys are okay..."

A tear fell down my cheeks as I curled up into a ball for warmth and let sleep take me over once more. When I woke up later it was because my bladder was full. Wincing, I tried once more to sit up. To my relief a guard was just coming in a few minutes later probably to pick up my uneaten tray. When he went to unlock my door, I noticed he was the same guard from before.

"Please... I really need to go," I pleaded, hoping he knew what I meant. He must have because he sighed and left for a moment. Then he came back with a chamber pot in his hand. Putting it beside me, he muttered, "Be quick." He then left my cell once more to give me privacy. When I was done I waited for him to return, and when he did he took my chamber pot leaving me again.