Daughter of the Moon - Book Three: Fire

Chapter 7.2: Ember Island

- Zuko -

"I thought I'd find you here."

I looked up to find Azula approaching me as I sat on the front steps of my family's mansion, the immortalized handprint of my youth still clutched in my hands. Had I stopped thinking about Elara? Of course not, but at least I had managed to filter in some memories from my childhood as well. But if I was going to be honest, that wasn't much better.

"Those summers spent here seem so long ago," I sighed as Azula stopped just before reaching me. "So much has changed."

Azula studied me intently before turning towards the beach, gesturing for me to follow her. "Come down to the beach with me. This place is depressing."

"I think I would rather stay here," I said as I kept my head down, staring intently at my old craft project in an attempt to avoid Azula's icy gaze.

"Oh?" she prodded at me. "And why is that?"

I knew what was waiting for me at the beach and what would happen if I saw her, and I think Azula knew it too. And I knew I couldn't do it. I couldn't face Mai. Not when every moment I spent with her reminded me of what I could have had with Elara. And Mai deserved better than that. She deserved more than me.

And so did Elara.

"You're thinking about that waterbending peasant again, aren't you?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," I quickly refuted, but the damage had already been done. Azula had struck a nerve, and I'm sure she had picked up on that small detail almost immediately.

"You are aware that you are currently courting Mai, if that's what you would call your feeble attempts at a distraction," Azula sneered. "She would be absolutely heartbroken if she found out you were thinking about another woman."

"I don't care."

That was a lie. I did care about Mai, I really did, but not in the way I cared for Elara. Besides, I had a feeling Mai already knew that I had Elara on my mind, but the both of us had been too afraid to discuss it. Unfortunately, it seemed that Azula was in on it as well, but she was far from fearful when it came to discussing my troubles.

"You really should try to care more, Zuzu," Azula continued in a sing-song voice before taking a grave stance. "You're the reason she's still alive, after all."

"What are you talking about?" I asked as a lump formed in my throat, and I knew right then that we weren't talking about Mai anymore.

"That Elara girl..." Azula continued, the venom in her voice as she said her name making my blood run cold. "If it weren't for you, she would be dead by now. And from what I hear, that weak, little girl would have preferred an execution."

Before Azula even had a chance to finish her thought, I had jumped to my feet and stormed over to her, looming over my sister as I demanded answers. "Where is she?! Where is Elara?!"

"Careful, brother. If you keep acting up like this, I'm going to have no other choice but to bring a swift end to the girl," Azula threatened me with a sigh. "Such a shame too. She really was my favorite prisoner..."

I stumbled back in fear as Azula's words poisoned my mind, collapsing on the stairs as I realized that my worst nightmares had come true. Elara was alive, but Azula had found her before I had the chance to save her. Now I knew that Elara was probably facing the most horrid kind of torture imaginable, and it was all my fault.

"So, this was your plan all along; to use Elara to keep me in check," I wondered out loud, my voice wavering as I tried (and failed) to control my emotions.