The Warrior's Gambit (Zutara)

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Appa had taken to Dhakiya instantly when she arrived at the swamp; she figured he could sense her airbending genetics. But that didn't mean that he didn't terribly miss his original owner. At this point, it had been years since they'd seen each other. Appa was miserable without Aang, but what could they do?

"I'll be back tomorrow with a huge plate of fruit for breakfast, how's that? And, maybe we can take a ride?" she offered.

Appa's eyes glimmered at her suggestion, and he responded by licking her face. Dhakiya shrieked, but she was laughing.

She had found herself quite taken with Appa soon after her arrival, months ago. She was well aware that he wasn't her Air Bison, but Air Bison weren't around anymore, so despite them being a hallmark of an airbender, she would likely never get her own. She was aware that one day, she'd have to give Appa back to Aang.

Dhakiya knew this. Didn't mean it didn't hurt, just a little.

She hugged Appa's snout one last time before bidding him goodnight and leaving his stable.

Outside, she worked to shuck the Air Bison saliva from her skin before returning inside.

Her father stood over their tiny kitchen - a dinky and worn set that would be more likely to set their hut on fire than cook anything good – as he prepared dinner. The catagator they'd caught was roasting in a pan, spitting oil everywhere.

"Hey, hon," he greeted, going over and kissing her forehead. "I just got news. I have to leave again tomorrow."

Dhakiya tried not to let her utter disappointment show and forced a large smile on her face.

"That's okay, dad. I'm perfectly capable out here," she assured. "I'm sure mom misses you."

Ever since Prince Zuko had smuggled her out of the Palace and officially released her from the competition, she'd been living out here in the Foggy Swamp. Her father came whenever he could, with food and supplies and letters from her twin sister, Alcina, but he had to go home to keep up appearances every so often. Dhakiya hadn't been out of the Swamp in months, but she'd grown used to it.

It was worth it to keep herself safe; so far, besides Aang, she was one of the only airbenders around. She knew that if Ozai found her...she shuddered at the very thought. Suffice to say, it wouldn't go well.

Dhakiya opened the cupboard that held her food. "When you come back, bring Fire Flakes. We're nearly out," she said, shaking the can. Most of the food she ate was taken right from the Swamp, and thus a wide variety of spices were necessary to make it palatable. Only the fruit was sweet and flavorful, but that could be found few and far between. She knew that it was the Airbender way to only eat veggies, but she just couldn't support that lifestyle out here, not now.

And even when things were good, could she really go there? Yes, she was an airbender...now. However, she'd grown up as a Fire Nationer, as – she had thought - a late blooming firebender. She was more firebender than airbender in her temperament, so which way to go?

Luckily, these were questions that she didn't have to consider for a very long time.

Her father flicked his fingers, producing a flame to purify the water for their meal. Dhakiya continued going through the pantry, taking some parchment from his bag and making a list - encoded - of what to bring back for her.

Realizing she was an airbender and fleeing the Royal Family, sans Zuko, of course, who was helping her father hide her, had been a tumultuous chain of events. The Dhaikya who resided in the swamp, keeping Appa safe, was wholly a different person than she even was three months ago. The Dhakiya who had entered the Prince's Choice was the quieter of the twins, the softer one. She had only ever worn nice clothes and couldn't remember the last time she was barefoot. She had only eaten things that other people prepared for her, and the thought of any confrontation had her quaking before it happened.