A Kindred Spirit [Reader x Zuko]

Chapter Eleven

A Kindred Spirit

Chapter Eleven

You sat stiffly in the palanquin, silks draped around you on all four sides. It was just barely enough with that and the wooden top that you could see. But it also was awkward for you. There were four strong soldiers bearing the load of not only the palanquin but you as well. And from the sounds of it there were hundreds of not thousands of people gawking at the royal parade to the castle, the one you were currently riding in. Although the saving grace was the fact that no one could really see beyond the silk walls to wear you were.

Unfortunately even without being directly hit by the sun it was also maddeningly hot. You had lived underground in the dark for six years. You had not been prepared for how stifling the air was. It made you feel almost as though you were panicking. The fact that there were thousands of people around and that the sun was still high in the sky was, perhaps, the only reasons why you weren't trying to escape from your fabric prison.

When the palanquin came to a stop and was lowered down, you froze in your spot. Mentally froze at least, physically you felt like you were melting. What did you do now? The bright sunlight might not have been an issue from the ship to the royal palace but you weren't sure that it would be blocked for you all the way to the Fire Lord. Just the idea of meeting someone as powerful as him was mind boggling. You almost missed your cell - you missed the relative safety of If at least.

"Miss," a voice called out from what you assumed was the side you were supposed to use to exit. "I've been instructed to escort you to his majesty."

You weren't sure if you'd made a noise or not but after a moment a hand slowly reached inside of the carrier. With it parting of the tent a lot of light streamed in. Though considering that it only parted around his hand and arm, it wasn't as much as it could have been.

"I won't be able to see out there," you told the soldier politely.

"That's why I'm here miss," he spoke once more. "Princess Azula instructed me to lead you to her royal father."

Azula did? Huh that was odd. You would have thought for sure that Zuko set this all up. He was the one who had seen what happened to you the last time you tried to go out during the day. And he'd been the one to say that he would figure something out. Perhaps he'd discussed the issue with his sister and she'd been the one to come up with the current solution. That seemed like the most plausible explanation to you.

Without any fear or hesitation beyond the initial confusion, you accepted the hand out of the palanquin. Your eyes instantly closed when your body moved out of the fabric and into the bright daylight. Even with your eyelids closed it was like light penetrated deep into your body. It was so bright. And while the breeze from the bay was nice against your skin you felt the heat of the sun directly against it. Almost like it was burning. The soldier's hands as they helped guide you to the room where you were supposed to be felt too warm under the circumstances.

"Thank you," you said once you realized that you'd stopped at a large room inside.

Carefully you opened your eyes and looked towards the man that had guided you in. His features were very fire nation from what you remembered. Those hazy things known as childhood memories let you know that his light skin, dark hair, and almond shaped hazel eyes. He looked rather young; older than you, sure, but not too old.

"Corporal Hizai," he introduced himself.

You introduced yourself in kind, though you weren't entirely sure you'd ever see the man again. Nor were you certain that even if you did that you'd remember his face. People recognition wasn't exactly a strong suit of yours; most of the time. Once he showed you where you would sit the young Corporal was out of the room.

You stayed at the table, waiting for what felt like at least an hour. You counted just about ever minor imperfection in the wood before you and traced every grain. The room wasn't that ornate. There was the table that you sat at as well as the comfortable chair. Other than that there was a fire emblem tapestry before you. The golds, blacks, and reds were very striking. But after an hour a certain fear started to set down down deep inside of you.

What if they'd brought you back only to lock you up like a prisoner again? What if Azula had rescued you only so that she could use you in the same way that Long Feng had? If that was true then you couldn't understand why she'd ordered her brother to help you get ready to face the society back in the Fire Nation. Or why he would try to teach you how to firebend. You took a little comfort in that but the fear still clung to your insides.

Although when you started to hear words spoken loud and proud from two different woman echo through the halls, it gave you something else to focus on.

"Your princess Azula, clever and beautiful, disguised herself as the enemy and entered the Earth Kingdom's capital. In Ba Sing Se, she found her brother Zuko and together they faced the Avatar. And the Avatar fell and the Earth Kingdom fell. Azula's agents quickly over took the entire city. They went to Ba Sing Se's great walls and brought them down. The armies of the Fire Nation serged through the wall and swarmed over Ba Sing Se, securing our victory. Now the heroes have returned home. Your princess Azula. And after three long years your prince has returned: Zuko!"

A smile wormed its way up to your face as you listened to the announcement. It sounded empowering; beautiful. While you were uncertain about the fact that the other Avatar died you weren't necessarily sad about it either. You'd been a prisoner for too long to be sad about a death that meant nothing to you. The Avatar hadn't been your mother...who died the same day. Any other loss felt meaningless to that. And the fact that the people who rescued you and allowed you to avenge their deaths had killed him, well that somehow felt like maybe he deserved to die.

The tapestry being pulled up brought your attention right back to the room. It rolled up mechanically, though to you it looked like magic as you had never bore witness to the machines of the Fire Nation. Or at least, not in many years. When you were a child there hadn't been very much need for you to see the machines of war for yourself. Nor had you grown up in the Fire Nation where such things were almost commonplace. So watching it move was both frightening and fascinating.

"So you're the new Avatar," the male voice that spoke was refined.

You nodded slightly as you looked at him, "That's what I'm told sir."

"You're much older than we expected," he spoke.

You nodded in agreement. There really wasn't much you could say to that which wasn't telling him exactly what he must have already known. And judging from the sharp look in his golden eyes he knew a lot. The manicured way he kept his long black hair and rather pointed beard also told you quite a bit about him, or at least his preferences. He didn't seem like the kind of person who liked disorder and he took a great deal of pride in his appearance. The sort of attitude he gave also also made you very nervous. Something about him reminded you a great deal of Long Feng...only, somehow, less desperate for power. Like he was assured of his own power more than Long Feng ever had been.

"Why are you here?"

The man was direct. His words and tone were sharp. It definitely wasn't comfortable in the least. You looked down at the table submissively at the negative tone.

"Princess Azula thought it was best," you said quietly.

"You're here because princess Azula said so. You are the Avatar; why are you listening to her?"

"She saved me sir," you answered honestly. "I've been the Avatar for days but I was a prisoner for years. I was unable to rescue myself. She had the strength to do that. For that she has my loyalty."

The answer seemed to appease the man. Not that you saw it exactly but there was almost a small smile, perhaps maybe more of a smirk, on his lips. "Not sir."

You looked up slightly to stare at the man, but only for a second. Your eyes searched his face for any sign of displeasure. You found none. But he still felt very severe.

"It's 'my lord' or 'your highness'."

The announcement made you pale; if it was possible that was. It was too warm to really pale but you found that all your blood rushed out of your face. This was Firelord Ozai in front of you. Oh you hoped that you hadn't insulted the man too much...