a/n: This piece is meant to be read as a companion to a completed fanfiction of mine 'Defying Tradition'. Obviously I won't try to summarize that here, but for those who are going to read this without reading that first, Kya is a Northern Water Tribe girl who was Azula's slave, before escaping and giving away valuable information about their plans. And yes, I am aware that that's Sokka's mom's name. Forgive my unoriginal naming -.- The story is AU. Again, this probably won't make much sense alone, but go ahead and read it anyway. Whatever floats your boat :D
Azula was a festering wound. More precisely, her heart was a gaping wound that poison had spread from years ago. She had no heart with which to empathize. The only emotion she could clearly feel was pain, and as the infection spread; rage and anger.
She watched her brother, who by rights should be as wounded as she, prosper. The love of first their mother, then their uncle, and finally that group of self-righteous freaks, acted as a balm for even the most grievous hurt, while she remained alone and in pain.
Desperately, she tried to obtain the love of her father. She hoped, secretly, that his love would cure her pain. Instead, she fell forever short of his expectations, and the wound tore again. So she went through slave after slave, with the faint idea that human warmth could even temporarily relieve her pain.
It was during this desperate search she found Kya. It took less time than usual to tame her wild spirit, and once tamed, the woman served her every need. It could not be said that Azula felt affection for her slave, but something more complicated.
She yearned to feel the warmth of her slave's smile, while at the same time glorying in her pain. She wanted her admiration, but instead inspired only fear. She craved her loyalty, and in return was given only dull obedience.
The slave was a substitute for her friends, who stayed with her only out of fear, and her mother, who left her alone to face their father's unattainable standards. Her friend's who hated her. Her mother who feared her, who abandoned her, who favored her pathetic, untalented brother over her. Her slave, who bore the brunt of her anger towards them.
Her slave who in her own twisted way, she trusted. At least, believed that she had inspired a strong enough fear in, that she would never leave. When that last illusion came tumbling down around her, with it fell the last defense her mind had against the festering poison. It spread quickly from there, leaving her broken at the hands of her brother and a pathetic Tribe peasant, and quarantined in a filthy jail cell.
It could be that these were her thoughts as she sat alone behind bars. It could also be that these were the thoughts of the woman who watched her from the shadows, who knew her better than anyone and so could not hate her, but neither could she like her.
Azula herself might have known this. Felt the eyes on her, senses heightened by intense paranoia. That could be why she spoke for the first time since her imprisonment, voice trembling and raw, "I know you're there. Come out!"
And it could be that Kya freed herself of the shadows and stepped forward because she saw the absolute, horrible pain of her festering wound, and could not, in good conscience, leave her shivering and alone in the shadows that clung and tore at her mind. Perhaps she could not bear to see someone who used to stand so proud, whimpering at imagined frights like a wounded animal. It could be that she, despite all the hurt the princess had caused her, she wanted to restore to her some of her pride. Again though, it could of simply been force of habit.
Whatever the reason, she stepped into the light and addressed her demon, "Hello Princess."
In that moment, when her slave bowed under the tangled weight of heavy reasons, the shadows were momentarily lifted from her mind. For the first time, Azula believed, however foolishly or arrogantly, that they would never return. For with her, the slave brought light.