The Jaded Princess - A Sokka Love Story

Chapter Twelve

"Katara?! What the hell are you doing here?" The waterbender ignored her, opting instaed to rush forward and hug her. Orzala let out a pained hiss as the girl's arms met the wound on her back. "Ok- ok! Back off! Ow." Katara pulled away, a sheepish smile pulling her lips upward.

"Sorry." Orzala only glared, but eventually lifted her hand to shove Katara playfully.

"You didn't answer me. Why are you here?"

"I came to rescue you." The raven-haired girl looked unimpressed.

"Gee. Thanks. You seem to be doing great so far." Katara scoffed, but ignored her friend as her gaze drifted to the old man beside them. Haru noticed her shift of attention.

"Katara, this is my father, Tyro." The man nodded toward her respectfully before handing her a bowl.

"Have something to eat, Katara." Her stomach growled at the thought, and she accepted the bowl gratefully. At least, she was grateful until she saw it's contents. Her stomach went from rumbling to churning quickly.

"Ew." Tyro laughed, promising her that it wasn't actually as bad as it looked. As she raised her spoon to her lips, Orzala snatched her wrist, shaking her head.

"Trust me when I say he's lying. It's bad." Katara frowned, slowly lowering her spoon back to her bowl.

"Tyro." The girls looked up to see a new man who laid his hand on Tyro's shoulder. "The others are saying there aren't enough blankets to go around." Haru's father frowned, but nodded.

"I'll talk to the guards. In the meantime, make sure the elderly are taken care of. The rest of us will simply have to hope for warmer weather."

"If you don't mind me asking, what's your escape plan?" Tyro turned to Katara, eyebrow raised.

"Excuse me?" She went to reply, but Orzala beat her to it.

"You know, the plan? The plan to get everyone off this bloody rig." Katara nodded. "What is it? Mutiny? Sabotage? What?"

"The plan is to survive- to wait out this war. Hope that one day some of us can get back home and forget this ever happened."

The two girls looked at him, faces blank. "Ok, I'm sorry- that's a shit plan," Orzala deadpanned.

"How can you say that? You sound like you've already given up..."

"Katara, Orzala, I admire your courage, and I envy your youth. But people's lives are at stake here. The warden is a ruthless man, and he won't stand for any rebellion." Orzala scoffed.

"Let me at him," she mumbled lowly. "He really won't stand for anything." Katara gave her a disbelieving smile, shaking her head before turning back to Tyro. The old man let out a small chuckle, before he turned sad once more.

"I'm sorry, but we're powerless."

Katara scowled, pushing herself up. "We'll see about that." She picked up a stray pan and a spoon, then turned to Orzala. She extended her hand to the princess, but the raven-haired girl was focused on the pan. When she realized what Katara was about to do, she shook her head, scooting back with a wince.

"Nuh-uh. No thank you. I'm not embarrassing myself for you." Katara rolled her eyes, grabbing her friend's wrist and hauling her up. "Owowowowow ow! Katara, let's not forget I'm sporting all kinds of third degree burns on my back can you chill. out?"

Orzala's shoulders slumped when she found herself standing on top of a table with Katara, facing out toward the earthbenders on the rig. She frowned at the vastness of them, but the princess was snapped from her reverie once Katara began banging on the pan beside her, making her jump slightly.

Orzala glared at her.

"Earthbenders!" She immediately buried her face in her hands as Katara shouted to the assembly.

"This is where the embarrassment begins," she mumbled quietly before raising her voice so the prisoners could hear her as well, "I would just like everyone to know that I am not with her! Thank you! Carry on, Katara."

"You don't know me, but I know of you. Every child of my water tribe village was rocked to sleep to the stories of the brave Earth Kingdom and the courageous earthbenders who guard its borders." Orzala's eyes drifted upward when she saw movement in the corner of her eye. Her gaze locked with the steely gaze of the warden, but he only smirked. She raised her middle finger and smirked back.

"You may think the Fire Nation has made you powerless," Katara continued, oblivious to the interaction that was occurring beside her. "They may have taken away your ability to bend, but they can't take away your courage! And your courage is what they should truly fear! Because it runs deeper than any mine you've been forced to dig, deeper than any ocean that keeps you far from home. It is the strength of your hearts that make you who you are, hearts that will remain unbroken when all rock and stone has eroded away."

"Very poetic, Katara."

"Shut up."

"I'm being serious!"

"The time to fight back is now! We can tell you that the avatar has returned! So remember your courage, earthbenders! Let us fight for our freedom!"

The deck fell silent, save for a couple coughs, and Katara's face fell slowly. Orzala frowned, looking from her friend to the crowd, and she sighed. "Don't worry, Katara. They'll come around."