Sella gazed out the window of the fire nation military outpost. She could see the Commander and the Prince dueling in the practice yard, she sighed and fingered with her embroidery, absentmindedly wishing that she had more colors to do the flowers with. Her face lit up as she thought of the Commander when he came back up after the Agni Kai. If he won he would be in good spirits and everyone would be happy… if he lost then, everyone would not be so happy.
She looked down at the practice yard again, from this distance it was impossible to pick out one from the other. All she could really see were two figures shooting fire out of their hands and feet. Sella set her embroidery down and closed the window curtains.
"Perhaps he shall be in a better mood when he gets back," she said to herself as she sat at her vanity set and began to brush out her long black hair. She began humming to herself.
After a while the sound of much shouting and the healthy sound of something being destroyed came down the corridor. Sella jumped happily up and set her brush next the large mirror. He's back! She thought happily and ran too the door.
Sella opened the door and stuck her head out into the hall. "Commander?" she called sweetly. The obvious sound of several people listening for an eruption was placed over the corridor.
The Commander stormed down the hall way issuing smoke from his ears and his mouth. Sella opened the door wide for him and let him pass into their rooms. "Do you wish for me to get you a towel?" she asked. He usually liked to bathe after he came back from the practice yard.
"No," he said before flopping back on the bed. Sella, not to be perturbed by his obvious 'I'm-not-in-the-mood-right-now' attitude, smiled. She closed the door and walked over to the bed and lay down beside him.
"My poor Commander," she said as she stroked the side of his face. Zhao grunted and made to move away from her. She pulled her hand back and made a hurt noise. "How did the Agni Kai go?" she asked as she got up to blow out the lamps.
"Wonderful," he said.
"Really? Then why are you in such a bad temper?" she asked as she blew out the last lamp that was secured to the bed post. She heard the Commander sigh as she pulled the covers out from under him. "Then why not celebrate the victory?" she asked as she crawled into the bed with him and pulled the cover up too her shoulders.
"Not right now," he said clearly tired. Sella made a pouting noise and scooted over to the other side.
"Fine," she said and turned over on her side to fall asleep. Good, Zhao thought as he closed his eyes, he knew how to win her back over.
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"Oh Commander! How brave you are!" Sella exclaimed as she looked at one of his many battle scars or burns. "You poor thing!" She said and kissed him on the cheek. "Let me take care of that burn, if I ever meet the Prince he will think exiled!" she cried as she stroked the side of his face lovingly and smiled.
She turned to walk into the bathroom for a pitcher of water. Zhao sat propped up by the bed, he smiled as Sella disappeared into the privy.
She came out shortly afterwards with a pitcher of water and a rag. She tutted and washed the burn marks, Zhao grinned over her shoulder.
"My poor Commander," she said again.
"Mmm…" he said nearly asleep.
"You know, you need to take a vacation," Sella said as she washed his neck with the rag.
"Uh huh," he said.
"I hear there is this nice place in the Earth Kingdom, it's called Suing Ti, my cousin says that it is lovely this time of year," she said and dipped the wash rag back into the pitcher.
"Mm hmm…" he muttered. Sella smiled and gazed at her Commander. He looked so innocent with his burn marks, nearly asleep because he was tired from his Agni Kai the night before. She sighed.
"My sister is getting married to Commander Hatsung this fall, on one of the islands to the west," she said. He nodded his head.
"Yes," he murmured. Sella sighed. He looked so innocent and care free, if only she could see him like this all of the time. That's it! She thought excitedly.
"Why don't we get married?" she asked innocently.
"Mmm hmm…" he said again. Sella squealed and kissed him on the fore head.
"Oh Commander! You have made me so happy! My mother shall be so proud!" she sang as she leapt gracefully from his side and skipped to the door. She opened the door and skipped into the hallway humming.
"Mmm hmm… … … … MARRIED!" he yelled as he fell made to jump out of the bed. He got tangled in the covers and he worm crawled the rest of the way too the door. He managed to yank open the door. As he struggled to get out of his silk cover cocoon, he fell again. Zhao burned the sheets ripping most of them off.
He kicked the last of the covers off of his leg and blundered into the hallway. "Sella WAIT!" he yelled down the hall as an image of Sella's mother surfaced in his mind.
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You see that little box down there that says 'Submit Review'? Well, that's what all of the good little boys and girls click when they want to be nice and tell the author what they thought about the story. D.