The Legend of Percy: Book 1 - Finding Purpose

8. The Escape (Divebombing the Lake with a Big Snake)

Azula woke up before Percy. She should really remember to thank any spirit that happened to be looking over her at the moment. It took her a few minutes to recollect her thoughts, all of which were jumbled up. There weren't any other voices though, that was one thing she was enjoying about it. She could actually unjumble her thoughts, as it were.

She took in her surroundings. Azula had been curled up in a ball in the corner of the room. Shadows would've covered her but the morning sun just managed to hit her face making her squint at it. Must've been what woke me.

She turned to the unmistakably asleep Percy laying on the bench. He looked somewhat uncomfortable, but still quite asleep. The morning orange glow reflected onto his face, light flickering off some light drool that fell out of his mouth. Savage. She noticed it wasn't quite as scathing an insult in her head as before. She shook her head at that.

Azula shifted into a more upright position. She realised she'd been blatantly staring at the boy across from her so she willed her gaze elsewhere. With the soldiers running around, she'd have to move quickly if she didn't want to be spotted. Who knew how well sleeping in the metal box with him would be received, let alone what it implied. Azula didn't even let herself think of that.

The bags had finally faded though. She'd slept well. For the first time in a long time Azula was waking up, let alone well rested. Adopting her princess persona that she'd lost over the past few days, she silently slipped out of the container, flipping down off the side of the ramp. She almost laughed at enjoying how mobile and together she was now, after a good night's rest. Azula absolutely smothered the laugh though. It wasn't very royal of her to do.

Striding confidently, she moved to the throne seat in the front carriage. Sat, awaiting her men, Azula could still hear the voices that had occupied her mind previously, but they'd been toned down. Almost as if sleep allowed her to filter out the more extreme thoughts and modulate their sound. She pridefully gazed upon all that she commanded as she ran back through all that happened over the week or more since Percy had come into their clutches.

The commander of the soldiers came in some time later, rather unsuccessfully covering the shock at Azula's pristine condition this morning. I guess I was worse than I thought.

"Well?" She spoke with her nose upturned.

"Yes, your highness. We will depart immediately." She nodded her acceptance and remained.

Ty Lee and Mai joined her. The former giving her a very bright smile that was only marginally better than the sympathies she was being given over the past couple days.

They set off early and quickly, much to Azula's pleasure, and neither girl even so much as glanced at Azula questioningly, or asked to accompany the prisoner in the back. That gave a certain part of her a surge of what felt like satisfaction, but she couldn't exactly figure out why.

They crossed the river with relative ease, and with the lack of obstacles in their way, they made good time moving north towards the West Lake.

Azula's plan was to transfer them all to a ship and sail across. The crossing, however, was much safer to be undertaken in the light of day. The serpent, while not shy, would be much easier to be defended against if you could see it. So as the sun began to set, they pulled up just off the lake's shore and set up camp again.

The three girls sat around the campfire, and Azula found herself actually enjoying their company somewhat. The sunset on the lake was gorgeous. She'd always had something of an affiliation with the sun, be that for her bending or just a general like of it. So watching it turn the sky all the different reds gave her a nice and peaceful evening.