Book I, Act VI: Lost and Found, Chapter I

Edited by: Bieverdog AO3: GalavantingGoose

Book I, Imbalance

Act VI: Lost and Found

Music:

Heavy Thunderstorm Sounds - Stardust Vibes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gVKEM4K8J8A

Wet Hands - Minecraft Volume Alpha

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MSepOYJxB64

Chapter I:

So many questions had run through Azula's head that day: would this be her life now? From royalty to poverty? She already imagined herself robbing merchants and unsuspecting travelers, but that was not her life. Escaping had not broadened her perspective much; it was evident something terrible had happened, or she was in a nightmare so real that it was frightening. Was fate playing a trick on her? Hunted and alone, she could only wonder what on earth had happened to her father. She could speculate, but she thought it would be a waste of time, for there wasn't much she could do about it. And she still had to find out what was happening to her, not to mention that she surely couldn't get near the capital without being arrested.

She carried on, her legs already numb from walking as the cold began to set in, ushered by a storm. After reaching a clearing, barely able to hold on, she ran desperately to what seemed to be her only salvation. Fighting for the smallest amount of warmth, Azula shivered soaking wet in a corner, her mind focused on one thing–survival. As the storm intensified, she could hear voices in the distance. One was a woman's. "I swear I heard something." She startled, clutching her body tighter. The barn door, at the mercy of the wind, flew wide open, crashing violently against the walls.

She could see the shadowy form of a person that jumped as it saw her. "Nari, there's a girl here!" With her eyes half-closed, she could see the man kneel beside her. Behind him entered a woman. With her strength ending, she faded into unconsciousness.

The void invaded her mind, and she felt herself falling into an endless darkness. She didn't have her bending. There was no way to stop the fall. Pulse increasing. Crashing to the ground. A field of flames. Myriad, piercing screams of pain. Heat scorching her skin. She could do nothing. Running desperately until the pain bent her. Crawling, looking up. Two figures stared at her–her mother and the shadow. Emotionless, motionless, silent. She burst into drifting ashes.

She woke up startled, with her body weak, and confused by her surroundings. She was in a small, wooden room. A ray of light from a circular window in a corner blinding her. She tried to get up but stumbled. Felt footsteps hurrying in her direction, and a woman leaned through the door frame. Azula tried to raise her guard but fell again. This time, she grabbed onto the bed, and the woman rushed to help her sit up.

She looked at her worriedly as she lifted her up. Azula still had to hold on to the bed so as not to fall. The woman gently placed a hand to her forehead. "Are you alright? I'm glad you're awake, you were running a fever last night."

"...I'm… okay."

"Well, you don't look like it… You must be starving; I'll get you something." The woman left as quickly as she entered. She still hadn't completely processed what had happened, for her memories were fuzzy from the night before. She could only remember the storm, the freezing cold, and– She stopped before thinking of that nightmare again. Whatever intentions the woman had, she didn't seem like a threat or, at least, did not seem to want to turn her in. Perhaps no one was looking for her there, wherever "there" was. What if she was biding her time? No, she would have been kept somewhere safer. Maybe a scheme to lull her into a false sense of security. Either way, she'd have to discern her intentions… at least until she regained enough strength to fight back. She had even given her new sets of clothes, possibly a ruse to make her believe she cared.

The bed had woolen sheets, a rarity in what she assumed to be a peasant's house. It was all the more evidence that she was trying to buy her confidence as she waited for a patrol to arrive. She could feel the mouthwatering smell of fried bacon, but her hunger couldn't distract her from the fact that it could just be another play on her senses. She waited on the bed, knowing full well what came next.

The woman entered the room with a tray and a clay pot, she smiled as she set them on her knees. Azula sat beside her, not taking her eye off her and discreetly scrutinizing each minor facial expression for tells.

"I know it isn't much, but here." The woman uncovered the pot. It was rice with fried eggs and bacon. The steaming food tempted her, but she knew better. The woman handed her a pair of chopsticks, looking at her with an amateurish worried expression. "What happened to you, dear?" She pretended to be too weak to even lift the food, letting it slip between her chopsticks.

"...I got lost." She tried to distinguish any odd aromas from the dish, for it was likely laced with something, either poison or a drug strong enough to put her to sleep again. She wouldn't be outsmarted by such a rookie move.

The woman brought a hand to her mouth, gasping. She has to improve her theatrics. "Oh, you must have been so scared. Are you from the village?" Yes, pretend like you don't know… Two can play this game.

"I– No, I was traveling with my parents, and… we got separated." She almost got a tear out of her. That's how you do it. Wait… she cares?

The woman took her hand reassuringly. "Don't worry, my husband has already gone to the village. We'll find your parents." She remained silent, not certain what to reply with– "Oh, where are my manners? My name is Nari. What is your name, dear?"

She quickly thought of a name to go with the story, perhaps too quickly. She took a moment to process her thoughts. "Uh… I am… Akari."

Thankfully, she smiled, not having seen through her ruse, or at least that's what she wanted to think. "Well, it's nice to meet you, Akari. How about you finish your breakfast and go out for some fresh air? I know how claustrophobic these rooms can be." The woman stood up, heading for the door; but she stopped, turning to face her once more. "Oh! Also, there are some other clothes there that should fit you. You make yourself at home, dear." She smiled again, closing the door softly behind her.

Azula waited for a moment until she was sure Nari was gone. Supporting herself on the walls, she neared the door, checking if it wasn't closed, and tried to peek outside the window; but it was too high for her to reach in her current condition. So, she went back to the food. Her stomach rumbled. Picking up a piece of bacon, she sniffed it. It smelled normal, but she was still not entirely convinced. She licked only a corner of it, ready to spit it the moment she felt something off. But it was surprisingly… normal. She couldn't comprehend why she had given her regular food, but she didn't waste another second thinking about it, devouring the meal. She left not a scrap behind. She couldn't remember the last time she had eaten something so pungently flavorful, for her palate had grown accustomed to the tasteless noodles of the asylum. Even so, she was still hungry for more.

She looked at the clothes she could use and found there wasn't much room for selection: only a maroon dress and cloak. Already wearing a simple dress, she pulled out the cloak, wrapping it around her neck. With her newfound strength, she walked over to the door, creaking it open for a glance. She could only see a small hallway leading to another door to her right. To her left and connected to the hall was what seemed to be the kitchen, judging by the wafting scent of food emanating from there.

Nari walked out of the kitchen. "Wow, it looks beautiful on you…You finished your breakfast already?"

"Thank you, yes…"

"There's more if you are still hungry. Here." Azula didn't question her motives this time; and taking the plate, she sat down, eating it as quickly as the one before it, much to the woman's astonishment. In the meantime, her mind was already working at capacity. She assumed the woman didn't intend to hand her over at least. Now she needed to discover exactly where she was and if that place was safe. She had mentioned a village, her husband…

"Um… you said your husband went to the village?"

"Oh, yes, he must be on his way back already." She assumed the village was close enough; after all, there was no way these people would be able to live isolated entirely. She glanced out the windows. A farm, obviously. If news had reached the village of her escape, perhaps these people hadn't heard yet… Then, if her husband had gone there, it was likely he realized and told someone; so, she didn't have much time until someone came after her again.

Azula looked at the woman, having thought of an excuse. "I was thinking maybe… my parents could still be on the road, you know… looking for me, so..."

"It's alright. I'm sure, if he didn't find them there, he would have surely left notice." It was as she expected–somebody knew now. "You can stay here in the meantime if you'd like. we've had that spare room for… quite some time now." The woman paused, her eyes glimmering for a moment. She sighed and continued, this time with a timid smile. "We could use… another pair of hands around here."

She still needed to get more information out of her, so she nodded. "Sure…"

Nari's face changed, for now it seemed as if she was radiating happiness. She had seen it far too many times on Ty Lee's face to not know it. "Great then! Would you mind helping me with the weeds in the field?" Although it sounded like an offer, it wasn't as if she gave her much of a choice as the woman guided Azula through the back and past the barn to a small garden brimming with potato-chokes, leakomquats, and radisnips. Nearby, she saw an ostrich-horse in a wooden pen munching the grass. Surely, the man would have ridden it to town; but at least, she knew she could count on a means of transportation if she needed it.

The woman tugged her gently by the arm, taking her to the small plot of plowed land, and knelt on the ground, showing her how to distinguish the crops from the weeds and how to tug them out. She could not believe that she was doing the work of a servant; not even in her wildest dreams would she ever have imagined it. "Don't break the root; it'll just grow back." It did not seem too complex; all that was needed was to grasp the stem firmly and pull without yanking on it. Azula did break a few; but after a few attempts, she began to sweep through the plot, tossing the weeds as she progressed. They also checked for fly-beetles and potato-choke worms. "If you find one, toss it in the bucket for the pig-chickens." A princess of the Fire Nation hunting for bugs? Another sacrifice for the sake of survival. "You're a natural. Have you done this before?"

She looked at Nari, still holding a weed in her hand. "No."

The woman laughed. "Ah, I see. You've got talent, girl!" The woman smiled at her. She tried to smile back but was more focused on the task at hand.

"And tell me, what do your parents do for a living?"

Rural area… transportation of goods… "They are merchants."

"I see. You don't stay in one place often, do you?"

"Well, no."

"That has to be very interesting. In all my life, I have only been as far as the village and maybe Jin Lin once a blue moon. My husband is the one with the adventurous spirit. But our work has always kept us fixed here."

Azula nodded, hearing without listening, for her mind was elsewhere. She was planning what she would do; she couldn't just stand there. The sound of a cart coming down the road set her on edge. It would be a matter of time until someone found her if they were not already set to ambush her. So, she pretended to take her bucket to the pig chickens; and finding a nice spot behind the house for cover and a potential escape, she peeked around the corners, scanning the road for any signs of movement.

It was an empty, ostrich-horse-drawn cart. Azula eyed the tree line, but there was no sign of movement. The woman waved, sounding as happy as before. "Yong, over here!" The newcomer stopped the cart by the field, climbing down to kiss Nari. Having made sure there were no signs of intruders, the princess approached them. They turned to her, smiling. The man appeared past his prime, with his graying hair shining in the sun. Though aged, he was broad shouldered and muscular. Even from a distance, she could not mistake him for anything but a farmer, for he had rough, callused hands, tanned skin, and calm, composed eyes.

The man smiled through his thick beard. "Hey there! I'm glad to see you are doing okay."

"How did it go?" Nari sounded concerned.

"No luck, sadly; but I left notice. If your parents come looking for you, they'll know you're here."

"Oh… thank you." She hoped her smile looked genuine.

"So, Akari, would you like to stay with us in the meantime?" She froze. She didn't expect she'd get so far, and she couldn't stay; otherwise, she risked being captured or worse. Her body still ached from the nights she spent under the trees and open sky, but she knew there was no other alternative.

"I– I really appreciate everything you've done for me–really–but I have to be on my way. My parents must be deathly worried about me."

The woman recoiled from her response. "Oh… I see…"

The man took off his straw hat, wiping the sweat from his brow. "It's already quite late; you won't make it to the village 'til nightfall. Why don't you stay here for the night? I'll take you into town myself tomorrow."

He had made a good point, for traveling at night without fully knowing her location wouldn't be the wisest choice. A part of her nevertheless wanted to continue; but the thought of respite, if only for a night, was a tempting option. "...Very well. Thank you again." She bowed, and the woman seemed delighted.

"It's a setup. Look at the trees." Azula ignored the voice, trying to steer her sight away from the tree-line. She hoped they hadn't noticed her anxiety. The urge to look was too great to ignore. Hidden and peeking around a tree trunk, a shadowy figure lurked.

She looked away, breathing slowly. She had dealt with it before, but it still managed to get on her nerves. Nevertheless, she ignored it and followed the couple back inside, fighting the feeling to look back.

***

As the couple vividly talked about their respective days, one of them cooked whilst the other cleaned the small house. Azula had carefully evaded any more questions by helping some herself. But her thoughts focused more on where to go next rather than her current situation, for she was still mostly in the dark about what exactly happened. Her mind ran wild with speculation. Perhaps her father did return to the capital; and after finding out what happened to her, he gave her the same treatment he did Zuzu, either banished or branded a traitor… If only she could explain… Azula felt a gentle tap on her shoulder and turned around to see Nari balancing three dishes on her hands.

"I thought of making a special dinner for today; it will be your last day with us, after all." She smiled and placed the food gently on the table. The man had already sat down; they were both waiting for her. She took the empty place. It felt surreal, for not a year ago she would have deemed the small feast a mere appetizer at best, a far cry from the worst banquet in the palace. But now, her mouth watered at the sight of simple rice.

"Jae, would you– Sorry, I– Akari, would you pass me the rice, please?" Azula passed the woman the bowl as she took it her eyes were on her.

"Are you sure you want to go? Maybe if you wait a few more days, your parents might..." She held back as her husband looked at her with a somber expression.

"Nari…" The man placed his hand on hers.

She shuddered, like she tried to hold back tears. "We would love to have you here, and it isn't a problem at all."

For a moment, she truly considered it. It was the first time in what felt like a lifetime since she felt safe, relieved, almost at peace; but that was never her destiny. She wouldn't resign and give up. Even though she still felt shattered and her mind was constantly under siege, she still knew who she was, what she lost, what was rightfully hers, taken away. She would never give up without a fight. She clenched her teeth, the peaceful moment having turned to bitterness.

She sighed, lightening her voice. "I really would stay if I could…" The woman sighed defeatedly, words still stuck in her mouth, but she remained silent.

The dinner continued awkwardly silent until the woman sat up, bidding them goodnight. The man took the empty bowls, prompting Azula to pass hers, and he washed them silently.

"I'm sorry… about that." His back was turned to her.

She raised an eyebrow. "It's fine."

"She… She still hasn't gotten over our daughter… Was around your age. War took her."

She had assumed something had happened; after all, the clothes didn't come out of thin air. She thought they were the woman's; but the extra room had pointed elsewhere. "...I understand. You must be really proud she died serving her country."

"Hmpf… Proud… In the end, she died for nothing…At least, I'm glad this war is over, you know? For a child to lose a parent, that's natural; for a parent to lose a child, that's a misfortune I don't wish on anyone."

He sighed. "I didn't mean to make you bitter. I left some of her clothes in your room– she was about your height–you can keep them if you want."

It surprised her. Clueless as to what to respond and not wishing to push her luck any further, she got up. "...Thank you. Good night."

"Don't mention it. Sleep well; we've got a long day ahead of us tomorrow."

Marching into her "new room," Azula began to look through the clothes she had at her disposal and found that that girl hadn't had much to wear. All stuffed in a small chest. She had not expected to find the royal closet; but at this point, anything without holes came in handy. The only thing she needed now were some supplies for her trip and maybe a faster means of transportation. The woman mentioned Jin Lin. She could have sworn she had walked further than that. She was still in Kokuyoseki Province and still had a long way to go to reach the coast. The way she saw it, she could try her luck stealing the ostrich-horse.

Maybe she could continue to elude her pursuers, but she still needed more information. So far, the only thing she knew was that the Fire Nation army chased her, but what happened to her father? The soldiers he had left with? The mission they embarked upon? What happened after her fight with Zuko? She shook her head; she could not assume anything yet. No use for false hopes. Besides, she doubted that her father would receive her with open arms. After all, it had been her fault; Zuzu had defeated her... She had failed. There was a choked laugh behind her. She couldn't see anyone, but she knew who it was.

The shadow's voice sounded unnatural, like an off-key metallic screech. "Why are you running, dear? They should be hiding from you, not you from them. They're afraid of you."

She did her best to ignore it, lying down on the bed and focusing on the ceiling. She had formed the habit at the institution: turning her gaze to anything else that might take her attention until it passed.

Out of the corner of her eye, she could see the shadow leaning against the door. "You let her live. She'll lead her right back to us; now we will pay the consequences. Foolish girl."

"She wasn't working with her… I know it."

"Everyone betrays us. You cannot trust anyone. Even these people will stab you on the back when they get the chance!"

"Stop it…"

"Or what? If you had listened to me before, we wouldn't be here in the first place. You are a miserable failure unable to learn from your mistakes. You could have avoided all of this! Now we are forced to work from scratch."

"You keep saying I'm the failure, yet where were you when I fought Zuko?" She smirked. "Oh, you're silent now?"

"I am your talent; I am your drive, your desires, your ambition, your anger, and the source of all your ability. What are you without me? Just a carcass of flesh, useless, stupid, and insolent. You never learn, do you?"

The shadow appeared behind her. Its figure was no longer uniform, for pieces of its face were twitching and its neck was twisted; but the burning blue eyes still shined. With its deformed hands, it grabbed her by the neck. She couldn't breathe and tried desperately to pull its hands off her, but her hands passed through it like sunlight, its body reforming after every blow. It let go, and she gasped for air as it laughed at her misery.

"Remember your place; remember who the real enemy is; and we'll do just fine."