The Story of Aya: Book 1~Water

A Rude Awakening

Recap:

'I started to grow sleepy as Katara continued to practice her waterbending. She almost got what seemed like a whip, but it was still pretty weak. I curled my legs closer to my chest, focusing on using my air bending to bend a current of warm air around me.'

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Hands quickly wrapped around my mouth and my waist and pulled me away from the scene. My eyes shot open, I must have fallen asleep. I struggled to get away, but once I started, I immediately saw a flame appear right in front of my face. It licked at my face, and I tried to move away, but I was still trapped.

"Come quietly or be burned. Your choice." Zuko whispered coldly into my ear. I nodded my head slowly, seeing no way out of this.

"Good." He kept a tight grip over my mouth and on one of my wrists, and dragged me to the area Katara was practicing in. a handful of Fire Nation soldiers, the pirates, and Katara were already there. Katara was tied up against one of the trees, glaring angrily at Zuko as we approached. He tied me up next to her, and he also made sure to tie my legs to the tree and my hands behind my back. Probably so I had less of a chance at moving and using my airbending. 

"Tell me where he is, and I won't hurt you or your brother." Zuko seethed at Katara. He already knew my answer so he didn't bother with me. 

"Go jump in the river!" Katara spat.

"Try to understand, I need to capture him to restore something I've lost -- my honor." Zuko walked around the tree, but his focus was on Katara as he came up beside her. "I can restore something you've lost." He held up a shiny blue necklace in front of Katara's eyes and she gasped. 

"My mother's necklace! How did you get that?!" 

Zuko smirked as he stepped away. "I didn't steal it if that's what you're wondering. Tell me where he is."

"No!" I sighed in relief as Katara answered him. It would only be a matter of time before they found our camp, but maybe with all this yelling, Sokka and Aang could wake up and get away.

"Enough of this necklace garbage. You promised the scroll." The leader of the pirates demanded as he stepped forward towards Zuko. 

Zuko pulled the scroll out from behind his back, and held a flaming hand underneath it. "I wonder how much this is worth?" He asked the pirates, and they immediately gasped. "A lot, apparently. Now, you help me find what I want, you'll get this back, and everyone goes home happy. Search the woods for the boy and meet back here."

"Fine." The pirates grumbled and took off into the woods. 

Katara and I waited quietly, still tied to the tree, until dawn. Zuko either paced quietly or spoke with his Uncle. I was too nervous to fall asleep, especially as some of the guards whispered about me and my crimes. All I could hope for was that Aang and Sokka would wake up in time to get us out of this situation. 

I heard the boys before I saw them, and looked up to see the pirates dragging Aang and Sokka over to us. Aang looked at us nervously as Sokka tried to free his hands from the rope. 

"Aang, this is all my fault." Katara started to apologize. 

"No, Katara, it isn't." Aang spoke back quietly. 

"Yeah, it kind of is." The Uncle spoke from beside us as he looked between Katara and Aang.  

My attention went back to Zuko as he stood across from the pirates. "Give me the boy." Zuko demanded.

"You give us the scroll." The pirate leader demanded back. 

"You're really gonna hand over the Avatar for a stupid piece of parchment?" Sokka looked at the pirates weirdly.