The Jaded Princess - A Sokka Love Story

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Sokka was less subtle with his amusement, laughing loudly beside her. Katara whipped toward him, eyes narrowed dangerously at her brother. "What's so funny?" She snapped, and Sokka shrugged.

"I'm sorry, but you deserved that!" He turned to Aang, peering at him from behind Orzala. "You've been duped. She's only interested in teaching herself."

"Aang will get his turn when I figure out the water whip!" Katara turned back to the water, raising her hands quickly to try the move once more. This time, it snapped against Momo, making the lemur screech. Orzala stifled her laughter, but it didn't help that Sokka was giggling against her as well. "Ugh!" Why can't I get this stupid move?"

"You'll get it," Aang told the brunette, and Orzala tensed as Katara turned on him. "You've just got to shift your weight through the stances," he told her, performing the move perfectly with grace. "There, see? The key to bending is-"

"Will you please shut your air hole!" Orzala hopped up as the girl screeched in his face, stomping her way toward the interaction. "Believe it or not, your infinite wisdom gets a little old sometimes. Why don't we just throw the scroll away since you're so naturally gifted!" Orzala slipped in between the two, pushing Katara away roughly.

"That's enough," she growled, her voice dangerously low.

"Oh, shit," Sokka breathed, eyes darting back and forth between the two. Katara's eyes snapped toward him, and he tilted his head expectantly.

"What?" Her gaze shifted to Aang once more. His eyebrows furrowed as he looked away from her, hands holding tightly to Orzala's sleeve. Katara's chest swelled with guilt when she noticed the boy's lip begin to quiver. "Oh, my gosh, Aang-" She halted as Orzala shot her a look, hesitantly reaching for the boy.

"I'm so sorry," she told him, causing his eyes to drift up to hers once more. "I don't know what came over me. But you know what?" The brunette took quick strides over to the scroll, rolling it up and returning to Aang. "It won't happen again. Here, this is yours. I don't want to have anything to do with it anymore."

"It's ok, Katara." His voice was small as he accepted the parchment, hurt still dripping from his words. His despondency almost had Orzala attacking the girl, but she opted to clench her fists to her side as an alternative.

"What about Momo?" Sokka called. "He's the real victim here!" Katara bent down to pet the lemur, apologizing quietly. "And what about me? There was that one time-"

"No more apologies!" She snapped, and Sokka only laughed. The girl sighed, running a hand down her face, and she shook her head. "We should probably set up camp for the night." The others agreed, and they found themselves turning in as the sunset.

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Sokka's disgruntled grumbling woke Orzala, and she rolled over in her sleeping bag to glare at him blearily. "It's too early for your nonsense, Sokka, go back to sleep." He feigned offence, kicking her bag playfully as he stood and grabbed his satchel.

"I don't believe it!" He gasped, making the girl shoot up. She found herself fully awake now, watching wide-eyed as he dug through the bag angrily.

"What is it?" Aang's question startled her, but she kept her eyes on the contents of the bag, facepalming once she realized what was missing.

"You've got to be kidding me."

"She took the scroll! She's obsessed with that thing!" Sokka vented, raising his hands in frustration. "It's just a matter of time before she gets us all in deep- whoa!" The boy was cut off as a rope wrapped around his wrists and he was tugged forward harshly. Orzala was up within a moment, rushing to his defense. She threw an undercut punch, and as a rock raised from the earth, she kicked it toward their attacker. He rolled out of the way, however, and she was taken by surprise when a net surrounded her, pulling her to the ground.

"Orzala!" Her jade gaze darted back to Sokka, as she was drug away, and he scowled. With a battle cry, the boy snatched up his club and ran after the girl. He was met by two more pirates, and his heart dropped as the third disappeared in the woods with Orzala in tow. In his momentary distraction, he was kicked down, and his eyes bulged when he saw Aang getting drug away as well. He found himself all alone in the woods, and his shoulders slumped. "What, I'm not good enough to kidnap?" He was answered by another net being fired, this time directly at him.

Orzala's heart was beating out of her chest as the forest floor scraped against her side. She silently cursed her short sleeves as her skin caught another twig. She was sure she'd have cuts everywhere by the time this was over. They came to a stop at a clearing, and Orzala's chest flared with anger as she met the golden eyes of Prince Zuko. He clicked his tongue, flashing her a wicked smirk as she was roughly pulled from the net.

What shook her to the core, though, was not the group of pirates or soldiers. It wasn't even Katara, who was tied to a tree nearby, her blue eyes shimmering with guilt as she tried to catch the princess's gaze. No, what rattled her most was the little old man who stood a couple feet away, golden eyes bulging, and his skin a pasty pale shade, looking as if he had just seen a ghost. It was the word that rolled off his tongue so quietly, she almost thought she had imagined it.

"Eloh?"