Burning Souls - Book 2 // Zuko

Chapter 10

It was barely dawn when Zuko woke with a start. It was partially because the steady feeling of coolness that Raven had been emitting suddenly increased.... But the main reason was because all the air was sucked out of him.

Zuko sat up only to see Raven clutching him around the abdomen with great strength, her face buried in his chest and her body shaking violently.

"Raven?" he asked gently, touching her shoulder but froze.

The first thing he noticed was that her hair looked different.... Not just the length... but the color. Instead of being raven black, it now looked chestnut brown.... Uh oh.

"Raven," Zuko said, prying the girl from his body. "Does it hurt?"
"A little," Raven whispered. "I can only hear voices.... I cannot see anything...."
"What are the voices saying?" Zuko asked, grabbing her shoulders gently to look her in the eyes.

Raven shook her head, "I cannot understand them... it's like they're muffled."

Zuko nodded, "Okay.... Don't move. I'm going to get uncle. DO NOT MOVE!"
The girl weakly nodded, the faintest of smiles appearing on her face at the boy's concern. The boy sprinted to the hatch and tumbled down, the sound of his not so graceful decent being audible even from the roof.

When Zuko came sprinting back up clumsily with a worried Iroh close behind, they were shocked at what they saw. Sunlight splayed all over Raven's body which was stretched out on the roof like she was sunbathing. Her hands clutched her head and the only thing that was moving was her legs.... Which looked like they were being elasticated, spasming and jolting.

"RAVEN!" Zuko cried, rushing to her side and trying to use his body to block the light, seeing that her black hair was streaked with gold.

"No," the girl muttered weakly, her voice coming out shaky and in short gasps as her breathing was heavy. "Don't...."
Zuko opened his mouth to object but Iroh reached over the girl to grip his nephew's shoulder, "She made this choice Zuko. Let her try."
The boy let out a shaky sigh before coming to sit with Iroh on the other side of Raven so that the sunlight was not blocked by their forms. Raven's legs began to shake again and her hands which clutched the shingles of the roof turned white as she gripped it tightly.

"Azula...." she panted. "Zuko...."
Zuko instinctively reached forward to comfort her but Iroh stopped him, knowing that the girl was not calling out for comfort. "She's remembering..."
Raven began to see little glimpses of scenes that she did not recognize, and she realized that they were of her past.... but they were so foreign.... Like she had never experienced them before.... And none of them seemed to awaken anything.... Only pain of realizing that she did not know when or how those times came about....

A high pitched voice broke through Raven's thoughts and it was as clear as day...

Father! Allow me to take the girl... as a slave girl! The position of a handmaiden is too high for scum such as her. Slavery is best.

A gentle voice followed... soothing and familiar.... Zuko....

I want to help you. I wasn't able to convince my father to help you so I will try my hardest to protect you from my sister.

The next voice was one that Raven knew anywhere... it was herself...

I could never hate you Prince. You have shown me nothing but kindness. Even during the day when your sister is beating me or yelling at me, I think of you when you visit me, and it makes me happy. It numbs the pain, so I barely feel it!

The gentle voice returned but this time it was dripping with pain.

I wouldn't care even if you were a mud bender! You're amazing for who you are