Part 2
"Come on!" Azula shouted and tugged the rope around Katara's neck but the water bender refused to move. Furious that the water bender wouldn't do what she wanted, she walked over to the girl. Raising her hand she struck Katara. The peasant rubbed her cheek then smirked.
"You hit like a girl." The ugly girl dare challenge her. She had restrained every last bit of her power, until now. She fought the temptation to burn the girl alive, denied her desire to beat the girl harshly. Katara crossed the line now. No one stood up against her without paying the price.
She spun around bringing her heel against Katara's face knocking the water bender to the ground. Standing up straight again, she took a step towards the fallen girl who's lower lip was bleeding. Katara tried to sit up but Azula placed her dirty boot on the girl's chest and shoved her down. Blue flames flared from the tips of her fingers. "Refuse me again and you'll see what happens." She threatened. "Get. Up."
Turning around she started walking, Katara following close behind like a good peasant should. Now everything had gone quiet since they were no longer exchanging insults. Katara dare not insult the princess again.
The water bender was not afraid of anyone, she did not fear Azula. She feared uncertainty. She didn't know whether the princess would be in the mood to tolerate her insults or ready to snap. It was like waiting for death, you know its coming, but you never know when. From the sheer force in the princess' kick she knew that it was only a fraction of the fire bender's strength. She didn't want to imagine what it would be like to feel Azula's full strength.
As she walked she felt her body buckle, bracing herself because it felt like every time Azula looked over her shoulder to see if she was still there, a fist would ram into her face. Each glare the princess gave was terrifying. The look of death, her eyes were sharp and cruel, as if she saw straight through Katara.
The Water Tribe girl had gone very quiet now, just like she wanted. Azula thought letting go of her anger was fine, punching the person you hated was the perfect way to get anger out. But it just wasn't enough for her. She felt like she didn't do enough damage. No, she loved to get into her opponent's head and play off their fears, which is what she was doing now. She could guess that Katara was scared because she didn't know whether the she would attack or not. Each glance over her shoulder she played with Katara's fear a little more. This for her; was entertaining.
After plotting her next way to torture the girl she spoke. "You know if you're good I might let you go." She said causally. Katara didn't reply. After another three minutes Katara finally decided to say something.
"What do I have to give you in return?" the water bender said a bit angry.
"Honestly, is that hard to figure out?" she laughed lightly.
"I'm not handing Aang over to you." Katara said firmly. She would let Azula do whatever she could do to her but she refused to hand over her friend who was the world's last hope.
"Well then I guess I get a new pet don't I?" Azula grinned cruelly.
"I'm not a pet."
"For now." The princess said simply then went quiet again. Katara tried to get free of the ropes that were crushing her torso making it hard for her to breathe and walk so fast. She didn't want to show any weakness even though she needed desperately to stop and rest for a second. If Azula knew she wasn't able to keep up, the princess would think she was even more pathetic. She needed to prove herself worthy.
Katara became confused. Why did she need to prove herself worthy for the princess? That was just ridiculous. Why did she even care what the princess thought of her? If she ever got free from this torture, she'd put as much space between her and the fire bender. Once the war ended Azula would probably be put in prison or worse so why? She didn't have to prove anything but still she felt the urge to show the princess just how strong she was. That she could be more than a pet to Azula.
The prodigy looked over her shoulder again. For a second her eyes met the glossy blue ones. They were strong and held more love in them than anything in the world. Even in the hands of her worst enemy those eyes held hope and joy. It was the spectacular to see. The blue eyes of the water bender fascinated her and she wanted to look at them closer but remembered that would be a bit strange. Looking away she stared straight ahead of her.
Azula didn't look back at Katara again. She refused to satisfy her curiosity with the girl's blue eyes. Why was she interested in them? She hated the color the blue…until now. It was a relaxing color far more welcoming than the color red. Crimson was the color of blood, anger, and hate. But blue…it was happiness and peace. And what the hell kind of fire bender would she be if she liked the color blue? She had to stop this right now. Maybe just a one more quick look-,
"Azula?" Katara asked oddly. The princess came back to reality and realized she was about to walk into a tree. Stepping around it she continued a bit faster than before. "Can't you bend the sun so it'll be night and I can sleep?"
"What do you need sleep for?" she shrugged.
"We have been walking all day." Katara said struggling to loosen the ropes which were now digging into her arms and making her skin raw. "Do I have to be tied up the entire way to wherever it is we're going?"
Without thinking she stopped and walked behind Katara and untied the ropes. As she undid the rope, she could see the poor girl's red arms. The tip of her finger gently touched the girl's arm to feel the wounds. Katara jerked and grasped her arm. "I thought fire benders had warm hands?"
"They do," Azula said keeping her head low so she wasn't tempted to look into those blue eyes. "Mine aren't warm anymore."
"Why?"
"Why are you asking me so many questions?" Azula said tired of being analyzed. Not everyone needed to know every last detail about her. If anyone should be analyzed it should be Katara. How on earth did she get her eyes to be so glossy?
"Are…you okay?"
"I'm fine!" Azula said a little more paranoid than she would have liked. "We should just really be focused on getting to our destination." She tried to sound a bit calmer but it wasn't really working. Keeping her eyes glued onto an acorn she tried to keep herself from looking at Katara. Those eyes, they did something to her, they made her forget about everything and enjoy that one moment their eyes were connected.
"Can't we rest for like a second?" Katara sighed tiredly. A jolt of concern filled Azula and she unglued her eyes to look at the water bender.
"No, we shouldn't stop." Azula said softly with a hint of sympathy in her voice. Katara wondered if the princess was actually worried about her. She wanted believe the princess but there was just no way of figuring out the truth. "How far do you think you can go?"
"One inch." Katara answered smiling a little.
"We've got at least another good three hours of daylight." Azula said. "You can walk that. If you do I'll let you sleep later tomorrow."
"I want to sleep now."
"I'll let you stop every thirty minutes."
"How about we stop now?"
"We aren't STOPPING!" Azula said frustrated because she could not persuade the water bender to continue.
"Well I'm not moving." Katara crossed her arms and lifted her chin.
"Fine you won't have to." The princess lifted Katara and held her over her shoulder and started walking. The water bender chuckled lightly. Changing positions so it was a more comfortable ride, Katara rested her thighs on Azula's hips letting the princess hold her up and she wrapped her arms around Azula's neck.
"Let's see how long you last now." Katara said and Azula took that as a challenge and picked up speed.
After thirty minutes of walking the water bender fell asleep. Katara's head rested on her shoulder and the girl's breath tickled her neck forcing her body to warm up. Sliding her fingers to get a better grip on the water bender's thighs, she couldn't help but want to feel the tan skin hiding underneath the blue fabric. And it didn't help to know that she in between Katara's legs or the fact the girl's soft chest was pressed against her back. All of this gave her tingles in places she never thought tingles could reach. She was straining to keep her body temperature normal so she didn't burn Katara. The only way to keep her mind away from these steamy thoughts was to walk faster.
When there was barely a streak of sunlight across the sky she decided it was best to stop. She came to an abrupt stop and let go of Katara because she could no longer be that close to the girl. Katara cried out in shock as she hit the ground. Azula didn't have to work hard to make a strong flame for the campfire since she about to burst. The water bender continued to sleep not even bothering to insult Azula for dropping her.
Azula stared at her trembling hands trying to get a grip on herself but nothing worked. She'd done everything. Thought about every little thing she could think of that would get her far from the thoughts that continued to run through her mind. She could use a cold bath right now.
-
Cracking her eyes open she could see the dark sky with millions of white dots across it no moon insight. The black trees stood like tall shadows staring down at her. The air was freezing and she warmed up so she didn't shiver. The sound of the crickets echoed around her. She looked over at Katara who was completely knocked out and not waking up any time soon.
She lay there for a second wondering if Katara was cold or not. It was freezing out here but maybe Katara was used to the cold because she lived in the South Pole. She crawled over to the water bender and stared at the girl's eyelids wishing she could look into Katara's blue eyes. Slowly she dare bring her hand to Katara's arm. The tan skin was like ice. Moving a bit closer to share her warmth with Katara she brought her forehead against the water bender's.
"Mmmph…" the tan eyelids slowly struggled to open revealing those interesting eyes. The water bender didn't move, just waited for an explanation to why Azula was so close to her.
"You were cold." the princess whispered rubbing Katara's arm to make sure the girl wasn't turning into an icicle. A light smile came over the water bender as she stared into Azula's eyes. Katara moved closer to the princess and rested her head on Azula's shoulder and clung to the fire bender cherishing her warmth.
"Thanks." Katara whispered. Azula smiled and held the Water Tribe girl in her arms feeling this strange new emotion she'd never really paid attention to.
"Katara." she said nervously. "I…I think I'm…in love with you."
"NOOO!" Azula jolted and opened her eyes. She was lying on her stomach staring at the trees around them. She tried to move her arms but realized her wrists were tied together. "ARGH!" she rolled over and sat up searching for Katara. Burning the ropes around her wrists she was freed. She stood up; her eyes darted in each direction. She'd been an idiot to untie Katara.
Then the water bender leaped out from behind a tree and sent a blob of water at the princess and Azula was soaked. Then Katara moved her arm forcing the water to freeze and Azula was stuck in place. "Ha try catching me now." the water bender grinned.
The princess' body warmed up rapidly and the ice melted but she was still soaked. "That won't work on me." She said plainly. Katara's eyes went wide and she turned around and started running. Azula created a wall over fire to stop Katara. "You aren't leaving."
Sighing, the water bender gave up. Katara came back and looked at the fire that danced over some of the trees. "Aren't you going to put that out?" Katara asked.
"No." Tiredly Katara bended the water out of Azula's clothes and put out the fire.
