The Forgotten Princess (SokkaxOC)

i. II

Aang turned around, looking at the group with a mischievous glint in his eye. "Ok, first time flyers, hold on tight! Appa, yip yip!"

The bison leaped into the air, letting out a low groan, before crashing back down into the sea and beginning to swim.

"Appa, you alright buddy?" Azami asked, a little concerned. Appa had never had any troubles flying before, at least not when she was around.

"Cmon Appa, yip yip!" Aang exclaimed.

Sokka deadpanned, before rolling his eyes. Clearly, the two were delusional. "Wow. That was truly amazing."

Azami shot Sokka a glare - insults to herself she could take, but insulting Appa? No. No way was she going to stand for that. "Appa's probably just tired. Believe me, you'll be eating your words before you know it."

Sokka scoffed, turning away from the princess. Katara, on the other hand, didn't lose faith in Appa, leaning down to rub his side gently. She was still in a bit of shock at the idea that there were actually still living Airbenders. After a minute, she felt a pair of eyes watching her, so she looked over at Aang to see him smiling at her. "Why are you smiling at me like that?"

"Oh... I was smiling?"

Sokka let out a sound of disgust as Azami tried to cover her laugh, sending a knowing look in Aang's direction. So much for being a monk, she thought to herself.

Katara shifted, an uncomfortable silence settling on the group again. "So... Azami? How did you and Aang meet?"

"Oh, Aang and I have been friends for years," Azami replied. "We met when we were kids... long story... but we've visited each other a lot, either me traveling to the Southern Temple where Aang's from or him visiting me in the Fire Nation."

Katara frowned - none of this added up. How did an Air Nomad just walk into the Fire Nation without being killed on sight? And why would a Fire Nation Princess be visiting a temple, which to all knowledge, had been abandoned for nearly a century?

As she contemplated the situation, an exciting thought crossed her mind. "Hey, Aang?"

Aang looked up at her, just laying back comfortably on Appa's head. "Hey. Watcha thinkin' about?"

"I guess I was wondering... with you being an airbender and all... if you had any idea what happened to the Avatar?" Katara asked hopefully, though not daring to hope too much.

Azami and Aang sent a knowing glance at each other, coming to a silent agreement, before he replied, looking quite uncomfortable as he did so. "Uhh... no. I didn't know him. I mean - I knew people that knew him, but I didn't. Sorry."

Katara looked a bit disappointed, but still hadn't given up yet. "What about you Azami?"

"Well... Aang's one of the only airbenders I actually got to know, so if Aang didn't know him I probably didn't either. Sorry," Azami replied, feeling a little guilty about keeping the truth from her.

"Okay, just curious. Good night Aang... Azami."

"Sleep tight," Azami said softly, Katara already having laid down.

The whole time, Sokka had been sitting at the back, playing with his boomerang, a small scowl on his face. He still couldn't wrap his head around this - he didn't trust Aang, he definitely didn't trust Azami... so why didn't he feel more concerned? He wondered if it was because he had a bit of a weakness for pretty girls, and he did find himself staring at Azami on occasion...

Ew, Sokka, no! Don't think like that, she's the enemy, remember? Needless to say, Sokka was more than a little divided. He had actually become so wrapped up in his own thoughts that he didn't even notice Azami trying to talk to him.