Title: What She Left Behind
Author: winterxlovee
Chapter Rating: M
Summary: The abandoned child of Fire Lord Ozai travels home after 6 years to find everything's altered. She is changing her family's plans, especially Azula's, and will come to find out hidden information on her true destiny . *Starts at the beginning of Book 3*
Disclaimer: I don't own anything except my original characters! All rights go to the Avatar team! Of course if I owned this series it would be so much less awesome, but it would have way more romance! ;D
Pairing: Zuko/OC, later on I'm pretty sure!
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Blue flames blocked my path as I tried to escape their course of destruction to no avail. I had fallen to the ground in a heap, clutching my waist in agony. The smell of charred flesh lingered in the air long after the fire hit me. It seemed like the pain lasted for hours on end, getting worse and worse every passing second.
"Aria!' a voice screamed.
I didn't know who it was, as I could focus on nothing but the excruciating pain I was in. It sounded like my mother, but the voice sounded different in my mind.
Why would Azula hurt me so bad? I had only been at the palace two days and already had third-degree burns across my torso, I was sure. What did I do to her to deserve this?
The last image I saw was my sister, who was laughing, with a malicious smile on her face. My own sister, who I was supposed to fight and argue with, but not this literally!
Black dots danced across my vision as I gave into the darkness, an utterly dark, yet peaceful sleep that felt like death itself.
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The spine tingling memory was being brought to my attention for the first time in years, clouding my thoughts and looming there like a rainstorm that wasn't going to diminish anytime soon.
Azula had told my mother that the burning was an accident, that she had no intention of harming me. I had gotten in her way and I deserved it. Ursa scolded Azula over the incident, her hate burning for me even when we were young children. I was getting loving attention from her mother, what I had no right to do since I had a mother of my own that would comfort me, opposite to the fact that Ursa would console Azula rarely, given her bitter nature toward positive human contact. Don't get me wrong, Ursa loved both of her children dearly, she just loathed the way her little girl always acted like a little brat to everyone but her father.
I still can't believe I was so naive to not notice what was happening. I see now after all these years, even when we were little, we were destined to be enemies. Azula and I, sisters.
Her mark still scars my lower torso, hidden by the skirt Ty Lee had dressed me in so conveniently. The place was still there, not wanting to let me forget who was in control. It had slowly started to subside over the years and had shrunken a small portion in size.
Ty Lee and I were making our way to the palace, stopping to smell the flowers that were stationed at a cart outside of a small cafe we had just finished eating in. There were flower shops set up outside restaurants and shops all around the Fire Nation, especially around the palace.
We both took our time, closely examining each type of flower, smelling their wonderful scent.
"Ooh, Fire Lilies! They're my favorite!" Ty Lee said, scooping up a single lily and pressing it against her heart, being careful not to crush the fragile flower.
She sniffed it a few times, inhaling the scent and commenting on how pretty it was. When I hadn't chosen one yet, she then asked me if I wanted a flower.
"Fire Lilies are my favorite! I guess I came at the perfect time of the season, when they're just blooming." I told her, picking up my own lily and examining it closely.
I always loved fire lilies, even though they only bloomed a couple weeks out of the year in the beginning of Spring, which was very disappointing since they were so beautiful. The scent was so sweet and innocent, yet powerful enough to draw you in. The colors were like harmony, a red/orange, mimicking the beautiful colors of a single flame, living up to its name. Fire lilies come in all different colors, but a great population of them are the same as the red one I'm holding.
If you look closely, you can see little freckles covering the rosy petals, making each of them unique. What I mostly loved about them was that every lily was different, just like humans. Each having a different personality to them, almost, just like us.
My mother had told me while we were picking them one day, 'Your grandmother had told me long ago that if you give someone a fire lily, you want them dead.'
I was debating on getting Azula one . . .
A man was stationed behind the wooden cart, where we were to pay. I didn't have much money with me, so I didn't know if we were going to be able to buy them or not.
"How much?" I asked, pointing to the lilies we held in our hands.
"For the two Fire Lilies? Eh, you two look like fine young girls, so I'll give them to you for free. Just don't tell anyone, okay?" He winked.
We both glanced at each other then nodded our head in the strange man's direction. Ty Lee had an ignorant smile on her face as she waved at the old man. We walked away, clutching our flowers, still feeling uncomfortable at the man's odd approach.
"Why do I get the feeling he gave these to us for free because the way we're dressed?" I whispered, a hint of relief in my voice by the luck we had experienced.
"Because it's true! Hot girls get anything they want." she stated nonchalantly, his flirting tactics not being noticed by her.
"Oh, come on Ty, you seriously didn't see that he was being a total pervert? He was so coming on to us!" I laughed.
"Really? I didn't notice, but don't act like you don't like it, Ari!"
"Whatever!" I said, laughing. Sometimes I wonder about that girl's perception about things. Maybe she was just born that way. . .
We roamed along the busy streets, stopping to start a conversation with a boy who had noticed us walk by, which was every couple of seconds, making our way slowly back to the palace.
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"Where do you think she went to?" Mai asked, leaning against my body, my arm lying lazily on her shoulders.
Azula rolled her eyes, laying back on the green grass, what little of it there was, "Probably off to go sulk in a corner somewhere, or slitting her wrists, hopefully."
"She's probably just with Ty Lee talking about makeup or something. You know how much Ty's talked about Aria since she knew she was gonna be visiting." I shrugged, ignoring Azula's snide comment.
"I'm surprised Ty Lee would disobey me. I told her to go nowhere near that bitch. She's so gullible." Azula laughed, raising herself up on her elbows.
We were sitting in a grassy field the three of us had been training at for over an hour, waiting for Aria to arrive. My guess is that Ty Lee had found her after she had finished her conversation with our father. Either that or Father had said something to piss her off, so she went for a walk around town to clear her head. They both sounded very plausible.
It's still not like we were waiting in agony. Mai and I were sitting on the only soft patch of green grass there was in the field. Azula had burned all the rest of it when we were sparring a little while ago, leaving light brown patches on the ground, which was where she was laying comfortably, arms under her head.
The sun was casting its warm light onto the three of us, giving off a feeling of comfort rarely felt whenever we were here since we were always on guard, wondering what's going to happen next.
The field was not too far from the palace. Not as close to where we could see everyone coming and going, but Ty Lee knew where we were, so she would lead Aria here.
"I think I'm gonna go for a walk." I say, climbing to my feet.
"Do you want me to go with you?" Mai asks, looking up at me with a confused expression on her face.
"I'd rather be by myself."
"Oh, okay..."
"Have fun Zuzu! Maybe you'll see little Aria along the way. That would be fun, huh?" Azula said in a mocking tone.
I ignored her comment and made my way through the remains of the large field.
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Ty Lee and I amble down the bustling streets of Ba Ling. It seems like every part of this town is always alive, something happening around every corner.
Ba Ling is the town just outside the courts of the palace. The capitol, you might say.
A boy at least the age of 15 stops us, a wondering expression evident in his handsome features.
"Aria, is that you? Wow, Everyone said you were coming back after all these years, but damn! I almost didn't recognize you until I saw that necklace that you always had on when I saw you. You're looking really good!" the boy pauses, his eyes exploring my body, "Mind if I take you out some time so we can catch up?"
"Zhen, Aria's really busy, since she's a firebender and all, ya know how it is, don't cha? She's got a huuuge meeting coming up with the Fire Lord and she can't miss that, can she? Well, bye, nice talking to you!" Ty Lee says, forcing me the opposite way of the boy's direction.
Zhen stands there, his eyes wide, watching Ty lead me away.
"Sorry, I have a lot to do! We can catch up later, like, tomorrow maybe?" I yell to him, trying to twist my head around to glance in his direction one last time before I'm taken around the corner of a building.
Ty pushes me against the side of the building, her hands grip my shoulders.
"Aria! You need to know the number one rule when it come to boys, ALWAYS play hard to get. Guys love a challenge!" she says, shaking me softly, but also hard enough to get the point across.
"Ty, I know nothing about boys. I've had two kisses and they weren't even kisses! The guys grabbed me and forced themselves on me." I threw my hands up in the air.
"Oh wow, Ari. You have so much to learn, but I'll teach you!"
She pulls me into a tight hug, wrapping her arms around my neck, our faces pressing against one another.
She abruptly snatched the Fire Lily we had just bought out of my hand.
"I think this would look so pretty against your cream skin! I have my flower in my hair, so we can match! Like . . . twins!" she pulls me into another hug, kissing me on the cheek innocently, "I'm so glad you're back. Azula and Mai don't like any of the things I like to do. You're the only one I can really relate to!"
Ty Lee's upbeat attitude, as annoying as it gets over a period of time, was something I really missed. It was so refreshing to have someone cheering you up all the time.
My mother really had no quality time to spend with me, since she was so busy all the weeks leading up to the meeting with my father. With my Aunt Kara getting married in a few months, my mother's been very stressed with the decorating and planning spent on the wedding.
On top of that, my other aunt, Aunt Ruka, is 6 months pregnant with a little girl. I'm very excited to be an older cousin, especially to a girl who is so much younger that me. Children have always been on my to-do list for the future. Family is always supposed to be number one priority. That isn't always the case, though.
After walking for a minute, we pass a beautiful field covering in white magnolias.
"Hey, Ty? You go ahead, I'll catch up with you in a minute." I say, shooing her away.
"Oh, okay. Well, I guess you just need to clear your head. Everyone's at the training field a little ways from the palace when you decide to come." she waves both hands at me then turns and skips away.
I wade through the tall flowers, running my finger tips over the soft, white petals.
"Will you dance no more? Will the tulip shut up in the earth? Will the swan forever fold white wings? Will the flute go silent and the song be hushed in the air? Will the ray full of rainbows flicker and fail? Your foot is lighter than the perfume of lilies. Brighter than the sparkle of waves. More musical than the thrush at twilight. Somewhere oh, softly, will you dance no more?" I coo quietly, standing on the tips of my toes, mimicking the beauty and grace of a pretty ballerina I had seen in a theater with my mother so long ago.
When I was younger, I would prance around the house in my silken gowns and my ballet shoes after I had seen my first ballet recital. I would always ending up hurting myself somehow; scraping my knee or spraining something. I promised myself that when I got older I would continue practicing and eventually become something that I had admired for years: a legitimate ballerina. One that danced on stage in front of thousands of people, not alone in front of my body length mirror in my bedroom.
Not many things have changed since then, I guess.
"So, you're a dancer?" a voice behind me says.
I abruptly stop my movements to turn around and see who had interrupted my daydream.
Zuko. He had been watching me make a complete fool of myself. But how long had be standing there?
"Oh, uhm, yeah. I mean, if dancing in front of a mirror counts as dancing, then yes." I say, nonchalantly rubbing the back of my neck.
"Well, you're not bad for a girl who just dances in front of her mirror."
"Heh, I beg to differ. So . . . how long had you been watching me?"
"I just got here a second ago. I was getting worried that you two had been snatched by criminals or something so I got up to look for you. Then I saw a girl who looked like you in this field of flowers so I decided to investigate. It was you . . ."
"That's very sweet of you, Zuko, but I think I can handle myself."
I fall in to the flowers landing on my back softly, the white magnolias breaking my fall. The flowers mold around my body as I stare up at the baby blue sky. It seems as if it goes on for an infinity as I look up through the white petals concealing me. At that moment I realize how small we really are compared to the world.
"Even though you don't need my help, I'm your older brother, so it's kinda my job to piss you off. Well, it's actually one of my many hobbies."
He lies next to me and leans toward my body, raising himself up on his elbow.
"What?" I ask, raising an eyebrow then mimicking his actions.
"Nothing, just kinda happy that you're back." he says, shrugging.
"Mhmmmmmmm. This'll be a long couple of weeks, though. Especially if you're not around; so don't leave, okay?"
"Got it."
We sit there in silence, both of us obviously trying to think of how to approach the conversation.
"So, you and Mai, huh? I never expected you would go for someone so . . . gothic like her." I pause, "Something in you has gotten quite dark, though. It worries me. You're not the loving, care-free Zuko I used to know."
"Yeah, well, things change and people change. You just got here so you don't know anything about me. I've had to change alot in my life since the last time we saw each other."
"It's Dad, isn't it? What did he do?"
"Nothing, okay? I don't wanna talk about it!"
"Zuko, what happened to you? You're acting like a complete jerk and if you're gonna keep acting this way, I'm gonna leave. Maybe find Zhen . . ."
"Go ahead! It's not like I wanna be with you so go find your little boyfriend! Our family was perfect before you showed up!"
Tears fill my eyes as I try to blink them away, but they just won't disappear. Why is Zuko acting this way? He's never screamed at me before. The anger wells up inside me and the tears overflow for the second time today. I had been crying so much lately.
"I hate you! I never wanna see your face again, but you won't miss me, so I'm just gonna find Zhen like you said! Have a nice life with Mai and be fucked up forever!" I scream as tears stream down my face, smudging the makeup Ty Lee had tried so hard to perfect.
I run through the forest of flowers, not attempting to look back. It hurt so much hearing Zuko say those harsh words to me, as the kind boy I knew would never say those words to me. We would argue occasionally but we would always apologize and work things out.
I don't know if he can be easily forgiven and this simply worked out. It seems like I don't know anything anymore.
I do know one thing: something is seriously messed up with Azula and Zuko and I need to get to the bottom of it.
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Damn It! Why did I say that to her! I've never even raised my voice at her. I miss her so much, so why did I make her leave?
The wind had picked up as she ran through the forest of white flowers, her legs grazing the petals.
It was getting colder now, which is unusual for Fire Nation weather. It's usually never chilly like this, even during Autumn.
Wait, what am I doing? Why am I not going after her? Do I want her to leave? No, that's nonsense. But I don't want Azula or Mai to think that I love my own sister and I'm following her around like a lost puppy. That's ridiculous. Ah, there you go again Zuko, always over-thinking things. If they see you run up to her room you can say she dropped her necklace, yeah! Was she even wearing a necklace? Yeah, she was. The necklace I gave her the last time she visited.
I stopped in my tracks to stare at the small mold of her body in the flowers.
Wow. She was still wearing the pendant I had given her after all this time. She cared about something so simple from me and I was a complete jerk to her.
Uncle would want me to go after her and make it up to her. He would tell me not to care about what anyone else thinks, that my opinion is the only one that matters. I should do whatever makes me truly happy . . .
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"What happened, Aria? You're crying more than before." Ty Lee says as I walk through the spacious family room entering from the back door, trying to find the quickest way to my quarters as possible.
"Awwww, did you find Zuzu? I'm guessing he told you he didn't want you here, just like the rest of us. The truth hurts Aria, especially in this family, so get used to it, wench." Azula's threatening voice follows behind me even after I had left the three of them.
I fall against the door after I finally make it to my room after walking up flights and flights of steps. Okay, so I'm exaggerating, but today has definitely not been my day. I'm guessing it's going to be like this for the rest three weeks. What joy! At least I'll have Ty with me . . .
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"Aria? Aria, can I please come in? I'm sorry for what I said and I want to talk to you." Zuko's voice is muffled through the thick doors of my chambers.
I had just gotten out of the bath one of the maids had prepared, feeling clean and fresh, my face nude for the first time in days.
"Why should I let you in? What you said really hurt me, Zuko." I yell, leaning against the door, arms folded.
"Listen, I don't blame you for being mad, but just hear me out, okay . . .? Can you please let me in?"
After we stand there on opposite sides of my door for a couple of moments, I decide to unlock the door and let him in.
"I'm listening . . . " I say, crossing my arms over my chest, staring at him.
"I shouldn't have said what I said, okay? It was wrong and Uncle would have wanted me to apologize." He says, pinching the bridge of his nose in annoyance.
"What about what you want to do? It seems like you listen to everyone else but the person that truly matters."
He stares at me, the features of his face becoming tense. His gaze meets the silken robe that covers only the essential parts of my anatomy.
"What the hell are you wearing? That robe barely covers anything." He says, pinching at the hem of the robe that stops above mid thigh.
"Oh, you think this is bad? I sleep naked." I say, winking.
"I really needed to know that, Aria . . . "
"I'm just kidding, Zuko. I sleep in a loose shirt and panties." I laugh.
"How I missed you, I'll never know."
"Who wouldn't miss me?"
Zuko sits comfortably on my spacious bed while I try to find a way not to expose myself in the robe. His hand grips my upper thigh, causing me to gasp from the intimacy of his approach.
"What are you doing?" I ask, my eyes wide.
"That scar. I don't remember it being there. What happened?" He said, his thumb tracing the edges of the healed cut.
After a moment I answer, "It was my step-father. He got drunk one night and tried to do bad things with me, and he cut me in the process of trying to get my clothes off. Of course, it's not something I like to talk about." I whisper, watching his thumb glide over the light pink skin.
The laceration was created with a sharp knife the man had conveniently found lying around the house. He awoke me in my sleep when he tried to get my nightdress off. I tried to fight him when he cut a long, wide gash on my thigh trying to tear my underwear off. That was just a year ago. My mother had soon divorced him right after that had happened and she has been weary of bringing home any men ever since.
My horrid past consisted of being abused because of my appearance. Either I use my looks to seduce the men and exploit their weaknesses or I constantly feel shame and guilt doing whatever I can to cover up.
It's a lose-lose situation.
"I'm really sorry. Do you want me to make it better? Like we did when we were kids?"
I remember when we were children, if each of us ever got hurt, we would always kiss the boo boo to make it better.
I didn't really like where the kiss would be placed, since it's so close to an area I rarely even touch.
I slowly nod my head, a knot forming in my throat.
I watch him as he kneels down in front of me and places light kisses along the scar, running his soft lips along the skin.
My heart races and a stirring starts within the pit of my stomach. It takes all of my strength to remember that this is my own blood related brother. These sensations I'm feeling are dirty and wrong.
It feels so right, though.
"Feel better?" He asks, looking up at me with his warm, golden eyes. The eyes I always recognized. The same eyes that always made me feel safe and comfortable when I was lonely or scared.
"There's the Zuko I remember." I whisper as I run my fingers through his silken black hair. My finger tips slowly trace his handsome features and pause as I touch the scar on his right eye.
A smile plays his lips as he caresses the back of my hand with his soft fingertips, "You're the second person to ever touch my scar, ya know."
"Who was the first?" I ask curiously.
"Katara. She said she could heal me with this Spirit Water she got from the Spirit Oasis."
"I talked to her about that. It's very powerful. She even said it could possibly bring someone back from the dead."
His hand stops its soft movement, his eyes growing wide, "You mean, the Avatar could still be alive? I thought that too."
"I'm not saying. Aang is my friend and I'm not handing him over to the likes of our father." I fold my arms over my chest and look away, pouting my lip.
His head rests against my naked thigh, his hair tickling my skin, "Even if the Avatar was alive, I couldn't say anything. The whole Fire Nation is welcoming me back because of the slaying of the Avatar. I didn't even do it, but if Father will restore my honor as long as I act like the boy's dead, I can put up with it."
"What do you mean 'restore your honor', Zuko? Does this have something to do with your scar?" I ask, running my finger along the rough edges.
"It's a long story, Ari. I don't think it's one you'll wanna hear, either . . . "
"I've probably heard worse."
"Okay . . . So two years ago, Father had invited me to a war meeting. He was talking about something that I didn't agree with so, like a thirteen-year-old, I decided to speak up and voice my opinion. You know Father; it was the worst thing I could do to him. He decided to challenge me to an agni kai. A thirteen-year-old boy. I told him I wasn't going to fight my own father and he told me I'm weak and said I'm a disgrace. He burned my face and banished me, and I vowed that day that I would capture the Avatar to restore my honor so I could return home."
"Spirits, Zuko. Why did you even come back? If I were you I would want nothing to do with the man." I tell him, my ears not wanting to believe what I just heard.
"I guess that's the difference from you and me. You want to run away from you problems and I face them head on. Just another thing I got from my father."
"No! The difference between you and I is that I run away from problems I know I can't handle on my own! You think the whole world is your enemy and that you have every right to say what you want and to act like a complete dick to people weaker that you!" I hop up from my position on the bed, ruffling my robe.
I take a deep breath and try to calm myself down. I didn't want to have another panic attack again, especially in front of him, "I'm sorry, Zuko. I'm just really stressed right now."
"Ummmm, Aria . . .? Your robe . . . " He points, turning his head awkwardly.
"Wh- Oh spirits! Damn this stupid robe." I swear, fixing where the collar of my robe had dipped down too low, revealing my right nipple.
After a little reasoning with the stupid thing, I managed to fix myself to where I looked half decent.
"So, where were we?" I ask, returning to my place on the bed.
"You were screaming at me."
"Before that! Oh, I remember! We were catching up on everything that's happened over the years."
"Well, lets do more catching up, shall we?" He asks, a hint of a smile tugging at his lips.
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AUTHOR'S NOTE:
So, my computer's fixed for the time being, thank God.
I really didn't expect this chapter to go this route, but I liked it. Zuko probably seems a bit out of character at times for you but he's always had a sweet spot for his little sis, which is understandable.
About the whole Zuko and Aria scene: even if I were Zuko's sister, I would still have been really turned on. What can I say? Aria's almost 14 and she's got ravaging hormones in her body right now. One second they want to ravage each other then they want to bite each others heads off. I would know . . .
I also did my research and most of the incest committed hundreds of years ago between royal brother and sister were because of how little time they spent with each other. The siblings were almost always kept at opposite ends of the house and were never around each other. They didn't get enough time to develop a brother/sister relationship, but rather an intimate relationship. Just a little fun fact. (:
This chapter is over 5,000 words. Pretty long like I promised!
Also, just to get completely off the topic: Aria and Ty Lee are sooooooooooooo adorable together! I absolutely love them and I enjoy writing the two of them together. Soooo much. Just had to get that out there.
Well anyways, this has turned out to be a huge author's note, but thanks for reading and I really hope you R&R! (: