Bloodrush
Love. Guilty until proven innocent.
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Chapter 1: Vanity
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She isn't a vain person, and yet…
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She looks into a mirror.
Why?
A teardrop finds its way to her chin and she makes a furious effort to erase any trace.
Liar.
She isn't sure if she's directing the insult to the woman looking back at her. She's been improving with practice that she can fool almost anyone.
Except the person whose blue eyes are piercing through her now.
Fool.
Now she knows she's talking to herself. She hears the loud, almost reckless footsteps only a man could possess and she knows they're here.
"My Lady?"
She isn't a vain person, and yet for each of the past sixteen days her ladies-in-waiting have caught here staring at her own reflection.
"Yes?"
"The Fire Lord wishes for your presence in the throne room, my Lady."
"Who was there? In the hallway, I mean."
"I'm sorry?"
"I heard footsteps. Men. Soldiers, probably. Before you came in, you must have seen them. Who were they?"
The lady-in-waiting pauses in thought, then hesitates.
"The Kyoshi Warriors, your Highness."
Her brows meet.
"The Kyoshi Warriors are women, Ling. Don't lie to me."
"I apologize for the misunderstanding, your Highness. They're the Fire Nation's newly trained Kyoshi Warriors. Trained by General S—"
"Tell your Fire Lord I'll be there on my own time."
She rarely raises her voice. She narrows her eyes at the thought.