Author's Note: This is part 4 of my series of one shots for the writing tournament, I hope you enjoy it. Before I wrote this not it there were 1279 words.
My prompts were: Parental Favoritism, which is pretty obvious, We need a distraction, which is not as obvious to see, but we have some here; Defeat means friendship, which is more at the end; False Innocence Trick, on more than one occasions; and Munchausen Syndrome, which is showing more in the first half.
Please Enjoy and Review!
To Zuko's surprise Azula led them to what seemed like a main hall where a big fire burned. A man in green clothing with all white skin and hair sat by it, two girls who looked exactly the same around him. They were obviously listening to some kind of story the elder one told them. Next to one of the girls sat a young man a little younger than Zuko, with a rather bored expression.
The older man looked up to them and gestured for them to sit next them around the fire, "Welcome, strangers. Our home and food shall be yours, please have a seat and share our company.", he said with a broad smile. It sounded like some kind of welcoming ritual and both visitors were unsure what to do now. Finally, Zuko bowed, Sokka only a second after him, and they both sat down.
Meanwhile Azula had went into another tunnel. The smell of food emerged from there. But their attention was drawn to the older man again when he began speaking, "My name is Vander. My folk once made these tunnels, deep under the city we once built, as a refuge from your kind. A fortress if you like. Because though we were friendly and honest, helping you create civilization, and cope with your environment, your folk was not as friendly. And once they felt they knew enough and could take over the reins they began hunting us everywhere as if we were animals. So, what brings you here?", there was something inhuman in the sound of his voice, like a dark singing voice behind it. Even his pronunciation was somehow different.
Zuko felt like this was his key word and cleared his throat, "Sir, I am Fire Lord Zuko and this is Sokka of the Southern Water Tribe. We were searching for my sister, who seems to be your guest."
Vander raised an eyebrow, "Hm, you show respect, that's fairly unknown for your kind," and as Zuko wanted to protest Vander continued, "I speak of you as mankind, I'm not too much interested in your nationality – business. Where ever you were born, you're all human. All nations hunted us, even the air nomads, deep down, you're all the same. But you did not come together. You came from the palace, while you,", he turned to Sokka, "used a far older entrance at one of the walls. Don't even try to neglect it. We heard you for quite a while."
"Uhm, excuse me sir, but I have a question.", Sokka began, he thought, otherwise the man would tell them even more interesting, but distractioning information, "Azula has changed a lot in a very short time. How did you manage that?"
Vander smiled at him, "That is a smart question, Sokka. As long as the women are preparing the dinner I will tell you.", he began but he was interrupted by one of the girls next to him.
"Ada, I'm not feeling well. Can you make me some tea or a cup of warm tea with honey?". Vander smiled at her and pulled her even closer to him, hugging her.
"Not yet, dear. Nana will be here soon and tend to you.", the child looked up to him pleading, but was only rewarded with his ever present smile.
Vander began again, "Now what did I say? Oh yes, Azula…", but was interrupted again, this time by both twins.
"Ada….", but they didn't get any farer as their father leaned backwards and called into the direction of the kitchen tunnel, "Halaema!", it was obvious that the end of his patience was reached.
A woman appeared as pale as her husband, she wore a white apron over a green-blue dress. In a moment she understood the situation. With a few humbled words in a strange language she picked both twins at one of their ears and pulled them out of the main hall.
"Please excuse the behavior of my children. They're doing everything for attention.", Zuko as well as Sokka were a little shocked about these words. Obviously enough he favorited his son far more than the twins.
Vander continued, "We heard the stones falling when the Dai Li agent tried to kill Azula. My dear son went to look for survivors and found her. Afterwards he immediately brought her to my mother and she treated her injuries, and maybe she told her one of two things that changed her mind, or it was just that strange folks like us, though we had every reason to hate your kind, cared for her. Even though we knew what she did some time ago in the jewel mines.
Zuko thought about that for a minute, it sounded possible. Maybe his sister even felt pity for these people, who didn't walk the surface for a time long enough for their skin and hair to turn white.
Then the females came in with a variety of food he and Sokka didn't know, but ate nevertheless. It smelled and tasted delicious. Over dinner the conversation was less formal and serious. Sokka asked Azula if she helped cooking and she nodded shyly. Vander and his wife were making jokes about their youngest children and their false illness, while their son chatted happily with his older sister. But he could have talked to a wall, her stone cold face rarely moved. But he kept on talking to her, as well as her grandmother, who sat next to Zuko. She obviously tried to make her granddaughter and Zuko chat, but since she didn't succeed, she turned to Zuko and talked to him, from which he only understood the half. The twins sat sulkily next to each other, seemingly offended that their little story didn't succeed at all.
At the end of the dinner, Vander offered them to stay overnight and they agreed. Everyone seemed to go somewhere, and only Zuko didn't know what to do. To his surprise Micaiah motioned for him to follow her. She led him into a smaller tunnel, and he wondered what this was about, but suddenly she turned around and pinned him to the wall, a dagger on his throat. He felt that her body was stronger than he thought, especially her arms. He couldn't move out of this.
Micaiah spoke with an almost whispering, but nevertheless dangerous voice, "I don't know what you're up to, but let me tell you, if you try anything to harm anyone of my family, I will have your head on a pike, understood?"
He nodded, trying not to slay his own throat. Her merciless grip loosened a bit, "Good."
The dagger was still not gone, so Zuko tried to speak with her, "Why don't you trust me? Your father seems to."
Suddenly her fist met his lower jaw, "My father is maybe not careful enough."
Zuko slowly straightened up again, before he surprisingly managed to pin her against the wall. A small fire lit the scene from his palm. Coughing he said, "I could…. Kill you … now. But I won't."
Suddenly he let go of her and she almost fell. "Why? Why didn't you just kill me? I threatened you just a second ago.", she asked, rubbing her wrists.
He was attempting to turn his back to her and go away, but stopped and faced her again, "I guess, I trust you. And I don't want to harm you, I want to be your friend."
She was obviously surprised, but then she nodded and unsure of what to do, she reached for his hand. It was warmer than hers had ever been. For a few moments they just stood there in the dark.