Blindsided {sokkaXoc}

3

Ashton loved her family, deeply. But, she had a habit of the betyraying them. The amount of servants she had snuck out of the palace were countless and she loathed what her nation had become. She betrayed them endlessly but it was always a silent rebellion. Never had she outwardly gave her father and nation the middle finger. BUt, she had done worse, and that fact made her smirk.

The day Azula and Ashton had turned ten was also the day at that Ashton had mastered firebending. She was the youngest in her family to do so and her grandfather and father took immense pride in that. So much so that her cursed grey eyes were forgotten and her grandfather sent the young girl, along with a small crew,  to find enlightenment. A week after her birthday she was made to say her good byes. Her mother kissed her head lovingly and squeezed her daughter so much so that  Ashton remembers almost throwing up.

She smiled nostalgically at that, trailing slightly behind her brother and uncle. If only she knew that it would be the last hug she would receive from the kind and loving woman.

Zuko took the news of her departure hard. he insisted on staying by his sisters side throughout the week and even slept in her bed with the young girl. He always showed compassion towards his sister, No matter how angry or sad he was Zuko would always cheer up in her presence. He was the perfect big brother to her. That only increased Azulas jealousy.

Azula didnt even pay Ashton a passing glance that week. It hurt Ashton greatly. Despite their bickering and coldness towards each other now, Azula and Ashton used to get along amazingly. Ashton seemed to balance out her sisters psychotic tendencies and would bring logic to the table. She wasn't afraid of her sister whatsoever unlike her dear friend Ty Lee who always cowered in her sisters presence.

Ty lee was always kind to Ashton. She always insisted that Ashton participate in her acrobatic endeavors and she even taught the princess how to defend herself without bending. They became great friends and would gush over boys all the time. Ty lee would always talk about how cute she thought Zuko was and of course it would make Ashton exclaim "gross!!" or "Ty lee! That is so just EW!" and her friend would laugh. That week Ashton ans Ty lee were with each other constantly which meant ty lee and Zuko were with one another constantly. Mai liked Zuko so when she walked with Azula and spotted Ty lee and Zuko  playing out in the courtyard without her and Azula around not long after Ashtons adventure began , she got angry and didnt speak to Ty lee for a week. Ashton remembered receiving the sad letter from her best friend and feeling awful that she wasnt there to help her. Though she expressed disgust towards her best friend and her brother being together she deep down hoped it would happen and when Ty lee told her that she agreed to never speak to Zuko unless spoken to, she mourned the loss of possibilities.

Ashton never liked Mai and Mai never liked Ashton. So when the princess left and with Azula's new found hatred towards her,  Mai and Azula threw a celebatory sleepover. Ty lee told Ashton and Ashton cried. She hoped her brother never paid the gloomy girl any mind.

The princess and her crew first made their way to the earth kingdom where she, for the first time, discovered the true devastation that her people brought on to oher civilizations. The strong and beautiful earth kindom that she read about in the books within the palace was no longer so great and when she gazed into the fearful eyes of residents that she passed on their pit stops, she felt sick to her stomach. She cried when her nations soldiers beat men to the brink of death and she had to look away when they separated families. She couldn't imagine the pain and confusion the earth kingdom citizens felt. She wanted it to stop.

"I can't just sit and watch." She mumbled angrily at her accompanying soldiers as one held her small arm in his grasp. She had enough with the scene before her. A child, not even 4, was screaming for his mother that had been thrown into a burning building by a group of drunken fire nation men. It was the fifth town she was ordered to go by her grandfather. After a few more minutes of struggling the soldier groaned and took of his helmet, threw it on the ground and lowered himself to her height, grabbing her shoulders. He had taken a liking to the young girl, he wasn't much older than her, only seventeen, but she reminded him so much of his sister whom he lost to a plague that swept through the colonies a year ago. He stared into her grey eyes with his bright amber ones. "Listen, I know you're the princess and everything, but I can tell by how you've talked to me about your family that they wouldn't just excuse the fact that you went against your nation and saved that woman." He whispered angrily. The two had gotten close. She reminded him of his sister and he reminded her of Zuko. He went by the name Kai. And Kai was the only one that she allowed to speak to her so informally. "But it's just so...so..." she said eyes brimming in her eyes. Kai grabbed his helmet and put it back on, leading the girl back to the ship "I know, Ashton. I know" he muttered.