Practicing water bending was one of Soana's ways of relaxation. She wasn't so stressed about being in the imperial city, but being caught was her only problem. She often wondered if it would be possible for her to see someone she knew, but then she remembered no one had been in nor out of her home region in years since the war had started.
Quietly, Soana was in her room with the door and window shut. The only light in her room being her candle that flickered repeatedly.
It was early. About four in the morning. Dawn hadn't set yet, so Soana believed this to be the perfect time to practice her bending; when Yuri and Reid was asleep peacefully.
With such focus, the princess held her stance and bended the water to flow through the palms of hers hands then around her neck and back.
The water was fluent and smooth as her stance was tall and sturdy.
She turned towards her last apple that was place on the window ledge. She then took the water and used it to slice the fruit down the middle then across to separate it into fourths.
After she was pleased with her cut fruit, she bended the water back into her pouch and put the plug back on to seal it off.
She grabbed her apple that was cut into four pieces and was about to eat it when she heard a creak in the floorboards behind her.
She whipped herself around to see Reid rubbing his tired eyes and holding a ragged stuffed platypus bear.
"What were you doing, Soana?" He asked in his small voice.
She couldn't speak. She was frozen on the spot, hoping he wouldn't say anything.
He stopped rubbing his eyes.
"Are you a water bender?"
She held her breath and panicked inside until she thought.
"Reid, it's really early for you to be up. I think you're seeing things."
"But I watched you. You made the water cut the," He stared at the cut apple in Soana's hands and paused.
"Is that an apple?"
She nodded, still a bit rattled by this little boy spying on her.
"Can I have some?"
Soana felt a bit relieved but it wasn't enough to not be worried.
Reid went to the sleeping mat on the floor and plopped him down as Soana placed one of the pieces in his hand.
"Thank you."
He chomped into it the second Soana gave it to him. He must have been starving if he was eating like that.
"Momma hasn't been out to the market yet to get food for us. She says we need money to buy food, but she hasn't made any for a while."
Soana frowned and looked at the rest of the apple in her hands.
"Here." She held the rest of the fruit out to him.
He shook his head.
"I don't want to be a moo-piggy. It yours. You have it."
But Soana persisted and stared at the starving boy.
"I'm alright. I still have some tree nuts left. You can have it."
Reid hesitated before he grabbed another slice and had it gone within a matter of seconds. Soana then gave him the rest of the fruit.
"Reid, what you saw before,"
He nodded his head, chewing his apple and holding his stuffed platypus bear.
"You can't tell your mother or anyone else, okay?"
"Why?" He chewed with his mouth open to speak.
"Because," Soana sighed.
"I ran away from home. They're looking for me but I can't go back."
"Why? Don't you love your family?"
Soana frowned.
"No, I love my family to death. It's just that there were certain problems I didn't want to face. I was to marry a person who was and still is a monster."
"Momma always told me that you have to face your problems, like the monster that lives in the kitchen closet. I told him to go away cause he was scaring me and he went away fast."
Soana chuckled but knew she couldn't get rid of the memory of Zuko by telling him to go away. He was always going to be after her even if she didn't want him near.
"Yeah, but my monster is meanest. You can't tell him to go away cause it only gives him a purpose to chase you; he thrives on fear."
Reid narrowed his eyes and punched his fist out.
"Then I will fight him for you! I'm not scared!"
Soana giggled at this child's bravery as he went back to gnawing on his last piece of apple.
"You're not just brave. You're very bold, Reid."
"What's going on?" Soana and Reid heard an exhausted voice say.
They looked towards the doorway to see Yuri peering into the room from the hallway.
"Reid, you're suppose to be asleep. You're going to be very tired later."
Reid frowned, finishing his fruit.
"Yeah, but I got hungry, momma. Soana let me have an apple."
Yuri didn't look to approve of this by the emotion she held. Her eyes shut then opened with a sigh.
"I'm sorry if he awoke you, Soana. He can be a handful sometimes."
"It's no problem. I was up anyways." She shrugged, wrapping her arm around Reid's shoulders.
"I was thinking about going shopping for food in a few hours. I heard if you're early enough you can get the good fruit and vegetables."
Yuri sent her a faint smile and crossed her arms in hesitation.
"I would, but we don't have anything to shop with. We can barely make it by with our monthly dues and I don't make enough from babysitting other people's children."
Yuri sighed.
"Although, I had assisted wealthy families before the Fire Nation invaded, I don't think I could do that here in Ba Sing Se."
Soana furrowed her brows.
"Why not? If you have the experience, then why don't they hire you?"
"I mean, look at me. I'm dressed in rags and covered in dirt all the time. I bathe once a week if I'm lucky and the last of my dresses have been burned along with my home."
"What if I helped you?"
Yuri raised her brows so far that her forehead wrinkled.
"Help me?"
Soana nodded.
"What if I helped you find a job?"
"That's very kind of you, but I'm not so sure if I should have you go to the trouble."
"But I insist. Not only am I going to help you find a job but I'm also going to provide for you and Reid in the meantime."
"No, I simply won't accept it."
"I wasn't asking, Yuri."
"And I wasn't asking for your help, Soana."
Yuri said, almost in a stern manner.
"I'm not going to have you throw your money away for us. When my husband comes back, he will provide for us and we will get back to our old lives."
"Yes, but your husband's not here and you don't know when he could come back. It could be days, weeks, or even months until he does. For now, at least let me help you since you're letting me live here with you and your son."
Yuri hesitated and bit her lip in thought.
"Just a few things." She pointed her fingers at Soana.
"But that's it! Nothing more!"
She smiled at the mother in achievement.
"Thank you, Yuri."