Eight years later . . .
A sweet breeze blows in through the windows, blowing back the sewn curtains that fell along the sides of them. Orange and pink rays of the early morning sun shone directly through the open windows and doors, spreading warmth and light throughout the mostly silent room. Rasping breaths were the only sound that could be heard, coming from the man lying on the bed in the middle of the otherwise empty room, but they were growing farther and farther apart. It was almost time for the entire city to change, and it would change for the worse.
The erratic and energetic old man who had been the king of Omashu for so long lay on the bed, his hand dangling off, brushing against the earthen floor. He seemed to draw his remaining strength from the earth like he was holding on to something precious. Nazadori sat in front of a bowl of warm water, squeezing a cloth so that all the water dripped back into the bowl. Crawling forward, she placed the warm cloth on his forehead. His eyes moved slightly as she sat back on her heels, letting out a breath. Brushing her bangs out of her eyes, she stared at the wizened old man, wishing she could take his pain away. She knew the time was coming when King Bumi would die, but she didn't want it to happen.
She left the cloth on his forehead for just a few seconds before pulling it off. There was another cloth resting on her thigh that she used to dab at his forehead just to make sure he wouldn't get a chill from the water on his skin. She didn't want to be the reason that he died quicker than he would have because she knew his advisers would blame her. Besides, she had to do everything perfectly for him as she was his assistant, and he only wanted the best from everyone.
"We must prepare for an outcry of anger and hurt from the public," Gazon, one of the wise old men that Bumi had surrounded himself with after he started losing strength from old age, said behind her. She glanced over her shoulder to see him facing the rest of the advisors and other men that Bumi had hired over the years. Nazadori had been the one to appoint him to help with Bumi's final few years as she was his secretary, personal assistant, and whatever else he wanted her to do. She was there with Bumi when no one else was, and that was what mattered most. "We have to make sure that there will be no uprising after King Bumi dies."
Nazadori couldn't believe they were talking about his death while he was still alive and awake in the room with them. He might not be able to hear what they were saying or understand it, but he was there. She knew he probably didn't want to hear everything that they were saying about his beloved city that he had ruled for so long because it was his pride and joy. It was obvious that the public was going to be devastated because most of them had only known him as their king. His reign was longer than some of the oldest people in the city. She was afraid of what was going to happen next.
It was also very obvious that Nazadori couldn't imagine her life without King Bumi. He found her when she was at the lowest point in her life and gave her meaning. He had lifted her when she was struggling to break away from her past, inspiring her to create a better version of herself than she was before. This man was so special to her, and she didn't know what she was going to do without him there. Tears prick her eyes as she thought about this ending of her life, and she quickly brushed them away so the men wouldn't see her weakness.
"That's a good plan," another man said, but Nazadori wasn't paying attention to him. She was watching Bumi breathe in and out, wondering how he saw her through the crowd of people that fateful day when he found her. She wasn't supposed to be seen by the king, but he saw her and saw the potential in her, the potential that she didn't see. She'd forever be grateful for Bumi. "I will go prepare the announcement now."
The two men bowed to each other and then the one left. There were still at least eight other men in the room with her, but she was the only one taking care of the frail and old King Bumi. Deep inside, she knew it was because the other men were too busy to take care of Bumi, but she felt like they let the only female in his inner circle take care of him. She didn't mind, though. Not for this. She had been the only one to take care of him in his last few days because he had no one else in his life. He didn't have any heirs, he didn't have any lovers, he didn't have anyone but her. That was one of the highest honors -- and hardest tasks -- in her life.
Nazadori remained silent as the other men whispered to each other about the state of affairs of losing their beloved king, even if he wasn't dead yet. She didn't have anything to say to these men, not while Bumi was dying. There was going to be time to talk about what was going to happen after this whole event had transpired, not during it. Right now, Bumi needed those closest to him to offer him support in his next lonely adventure. Bumi needed them, and they were letting him down. At least she could say that she stood by his side until the very end.
Bumi cleared his throat and leaned his head to the side, staring at Nazadori with clouded green eyes. She leaned closer to him as he silently moved his lips. "Thank you for being here," he said to her, his voice cracking under the weight of the illness that was stealing him away. He blindly reached out with his frail, bony hand, and Nazadori took it. "I didn't expect you'd be here, but you are."
"Anything for you," she whispered to the man that had picked her up when life kept knocking her down.
He blinked up at her, and she knew he wasn't seeing the girl sitting in front of him. He was drifting away from her, and she squeezed his hand tightly. "Aang, you were my best friend," Bumi whispered, his voice growing quieter and quieter. He grasped Nazadori's hands in his, and she was surprised to find that he still had so much strength that came from the earth left. Even though he called her by the Avatar's name, she didn't want to ruin his final moments with her. "I prayed every single day that you would come back to me, and you finally did. But you were still the same age while I had grown up. I always knew this day would come when one of us was going to die first. I'm glad it's me." Nazadori swallowed hard. She knew she should have told him that she wasn't Avatar Aang, that she was just his secretary. It wouldn't have made any difference, though. He needed to get this off of his chest before he left this earth. "I was so worried that you wouldn't make it through the summer, but you have, and now you've brought peace to this world when we needed it the most. Thank you."
"You're welcome," she whispered to him, pretending for the sake of the old man. His eyes fluttered shut, and a smile appeared on his face. She held back a sob as he shallowly breathed in and out, in and out. "You're welcome, Bumi. I did this all for you."
"I love you, Aang. Don't forget to think like a mad genius."
Nazadori didn't have time to think about what that meant because his hands grew limp in her own. He let out a soft sigh through his cracked and dry lips. His chest stopped rising and falling without any new air to fill his lungs. King Bumi's face was frozen with that smile decorating his deteriorated features, never to be seen again. He wasn't alive anymore. He had died, and she had watched it. There was nothing more they could do for him now. He was gone.
She slipped her hands from his still-warm fingers and sat back on her heels, shock moving quickly through her veins. The man in front of her had been such an inspiration for her ever since she met him. She had changed her ways of life just because he knew she could do better, and she wanted to prove to him that she could. And now he was just a hollow, limp body lying on the bed. His eyes were still open, staring at her vacantly, the life finally gone from them.
A deep ache entered her chest cavity; it was almost unbearable, and the pain was. Her lungs were having the most challenging time catching the oxygen. Nazadori had never expected to watch someone die right in front of her very eyes. Sure, she had seen a lot of bad things in her life -- bullying, fights, things like that -- but she had never witnessed life leave someone's body before. If she were alone, she probably would have passed out. But she wasn't, so she had to force herself to breathe to keep the stars out of her eyes.
Nazadori slowly stood up and turned around with tears in her eyes. Her vision was blurry, but she didn't dare let the tears spill down her cheeks just yet. There would be time for that later. Right now, she and the rest of the advisors needed to figure out who was going to be the next king of Omashu. They also needed to figure out how to tell the public that their beloved king had died on this precious morning. They needed to begin the mourning services immediately. All she hoped was that they would keep her in the loop about things because he was her king, too.
Her fingers were starting to go numb from the lack of oxygen in her body, and she struggled to brush the tears out of her eyes. She felt the eight men staring at him, but she couldn't see anything because of her grief. She didn't want to look like a weak female in the presence of these men, but they'd understand, right? Hopefully. Through the tears in her eyes, she saw movement in front of her.
She quickly swiped at her eyes and blinked a couple of times, trying to make out what was happening in front of her. All of the advisors were down on one knee, bowing in front of her like she was something special. Her heart sunk in her chest as the oldest and wisest advisor stood up and said, "Nazadori, you have been unanimously chosen to be the next queen of Omashu. Bumi specifically chose you to rule over our home."
"No, no, no." Nazadori quickly shook her head. All the tears that had gathered in her eyes dissipated, leaving confusion spiraling through the rest of her body. She looked at everyone in the room, even risking a glance at the dead body of Bumi still lying in his bed like he was sleeping. "This can't be right. I'm not . . . I'm not someone who should be queen."
"Long live Queen Nazadori!" the oldest man said. This began the chanting from the rest of the men around her. Each of them was on one bended knee, bowing their heads at her. She had only seen them do that once for Bumi when Fire Lord Zuko came to Omashu after being crowned. Now, she was seeing them bow down to her, the girl who had been forced by Bumi to join the government or risk being sent to prison for the rest of her life. "Long live Queen Nazadori!"