Rewrite, Rewind
Chapter 37
"GO!" her father ordered, cradling his dying wife close. "Its time my love." His wife only smiled into the warmth of his embrace, her life leaving before his dared to end.
"Mommy!" Ursa turned, staring at her children stuck together with Xiulan, her daughter unable to walk.
"I've got her!" one of the earth benders shouted, lifting Xiulan. Ikem took Kiyi into his arms. Iroh lifted Zuko. Ursa didn't hesitate about charging and tackling Azula, barely managing to protect her from a fireball.
"Mommy?" Azula questioned, pushing herself up and looking back at her burning house.
"Shush baby," Ursa grunted as she pushed herself up, her arms struggling with the effort.
"You're hurt," Azula whimpered, looking at Ursa's burned legs.
"Hey now," Ursa smiled at her daughter, "have more faith in me." Ursa stood, clutching her daughter's hand. Yang moved towards them, bending a handful of water to coat Ursa's legs before freezing it in place.
"It's all I got," Yang said as she guided Ursa and Azula down the path away from their home. They all scattered, earth benders moving to create walls around the patio, a weak defense that wouldn't stand long. Each fire bender and earth bender moved to accompany a member of the family, rushing away from the burning house.
Azula had questions, dozens of them, but she was too scared to ask them. She knew and trusted Yang all her life but she never knew the woman was a water bender. She's known her grandparents most of her life and didn't know they were fire benders but from the sounds of things, her mother hadn't known her parents were fire benders. As her mother ran with Yang, a fire bender and an earth bender, Azula couldn't help but think that her two uncles had seen this attack happening.
They had known and said nothing about it.
Azula felt cold as she ran beside her mother, unable to see in the darkening forest of her home island. She realized then, as they continued to run on smooth stone steps, that her two uncles had said something. She tried to look behind herself but her mother's hold was tight so Azula was forced to listen instead. The sound of moving and trees being uprooted sounded terrifying close.
Her uncles knew and prepared. They were working together to protect them.
They didn't know, Azula thought as she ran, ignoring the burning in her chest. They didn't know when the attack was going to hit. Azula looked about the forest, she couldn't see anyone beyond her ring of guardians. The setting sun was casting haunting glows throughout the forest of the island, making Azula feel uneasy as they continued to run. For a moment, it was as if they were racing against the dusk. Trying to beat the setting sun to their destination. She prayed with all her might that they would make it, that they would escape into the night, that their enemies would never catch them.
Please Agni, Azula thought leaping with her mother, a burst of orange light exploding from her feet habitually, terror gripped her heart as she realized her mistake too late.
Save us, she crumbled on the other side, biting her lip hard enough to split the skin and taste copper.
"Come on honey," her mother was crying, her legs shaking with her own weight.
Agni save us, Azula hurried to follow her mother, her own legs shaking as she tried to follow.
Please save us, Azula looked down at the ocean, searching for hope as she raced along the edge.
Agni, she could see the ship from before, cruising through the ocean after them. Please save us.
"They're here!" The earth bender barked, she swept low to the earth, clawing her bony fingers along the cliff edge.
"Mommy!" Azula's voice cracked with the cry, watching as huge boulders of flame came flying at them.
"Keep going!" the fire bender ordered as he and the earth bender flowed with one single move, redirecting the boulder and flames alike.
Agni please, Azula begged in the recesses of her mind, racing anew with her mother and Yang on either side of her.
Save us. Ursa stooped and lifted Azula from her feet, following Yang with clenched teeth and trembling legs.
Agni save us! Azula thought, clutching at her mother as she watched the earth bender and fire bender try to redirect and distract the people on the ship. Save us! She felt it before she saw, her eyes widening as she watched the boulder engulfed in green flame near her guardians. She screamed, unable to stop herself, watching as the green fire engulfed the edge of the forest, the boulder itself crumbled the edge of the cliff face sending the two benders down into the ocean side.
"Inland!" Yang shouted, "We have to get away from them!" she turned, summoning a wave of water from thin air, creating a black abyss in the growing darkness, then she froze a path into the forest. Ursa leaped onto the ice, trusting Yang to keep her upright as they traveled the water bender way. Yang kept pulling water out in front of them, thawing the water they left behind and redirecting it in front of them. Azula just cried as she clutched at her mother, unable to do anything else but pray for their successful escape. They stopped by a stream, far enough inland that they couldn't see the edge of the island. Yang looked about, feeling fear squeeze at her heart. They were in a bowl of shallow earth and drooping roots, a shallow waterfall sat beside a towering tree that was propped against a tall rock.
"No one else has been here," Yang murmured as she eyed their surroundings carefully. "Damn it, we didn't think of this," Yang raked a hand through her graying hair, glaring at the waterfall.
"Uncle's friends," Azula murmured, revering to both uncles in this case.
"Smart girl," Yang praised, smiling distractedly at Azula. "Iroh's friends would provide a distraction and Seneca's men would create the escape routes."
"And you would tend to injuries," Ursa murmured, a smile on her face that Yang returned with pride shining in her amber eyes. Suddenly Ursa's world doubled and she collapsed with a painful gasp.
"Mommy," Azula whimpered, landing on her feet as her mother collapsed on the ground, only her hands bracing her up. "Mommy, don't go," Azula whimpered, kneeling and putting her hands on her mother's shoulders. "Kiyi needs you. Xiulan needs you. Zuzu still needs you!"
"And," Ursa gasped for breath, feeling Yang release the ice on her legs and examine the damage done to them. "What of my precious princess?" Ursa looked up at her daughter, smiling as brightly as she could in her pain, "or are you too strong to need me?"
"I need you," Azula whimpered. "mommy please—"
"Don't be afraid my baby," Ursa interrupted, reaching out with one trembling hand and stroking her daughter's tear stained cheek. "your mama is stronger then she looks. Do you know where I get my strength from?"
"Nu-uh," Azula whimpered, shaking her head carefully.
"From my sweet Artic Azul." Ursa smiled, the same smile Azula had often seen aimed at her father Ikem.
Blue pearls, Azula thought, remembering what her mother taught her about the rare gems found only in the south pole. The marriage crown Ikem first weaved for Ursa was made with Artic Azul. It was where her name came from, her mother insisted on it. That's how much her mother loved her, named her after her first love's marriage gift. Even though at the time her mother had been married to another, she still loved Ikem, so she chose to remember him by naming Azula after the very stones Ikem had chosen for his wife's marriage crown.
She may not remember who her birth father was but she knew Ikem was the perfect father, he loved her and Zuko as much as he loved Xiulan and Kiyi. He was the first person to defend them, shielding them from the first blast at home and instead of crying about his wounds he asked if they were alright. Ikem loved them, as much as her mother was trying to express her love to Azula right now.
Talking about emotions wasn't something they were particularly good at, they preferred gentle head pats, teasing voices, encouraging cheers and delicious sweets for rewards. Speaking about their affection, their love, was something better left shown and it was a habit Azula had picked up. Laughing at her brother even as she helped him with his task. Carefully guiding Kiyi with her first steps towards their parents. Helping Xiulan down the path to the city. Stubbornly standing on a stool to help Yang at the stove. Listening patiently for her grandfather's long and drawn out stories. Patently following her grandmother's instructions on sowing. Their family was best at showing love not speaking about love because speaking about love seemed by far too important. It was best to show their affection because speaking about it like now, felt as if there would be no other chance to express it.
"I love you, mommy," Azula whispered, pressing her forehead against Ursa's, crying just as quietly as her mother.
"We can't stay here long," Yang murmured, pulling away from Ursa's burnt legs. "It's night but they're persistent." She stood up and walked over to Azula, "Sweet girl, I'm gonna hide you, okay? Don't come out no matter what."
"Okay," Azula whimpered as Yang lifted Azula into her arms.
"Azula," she looked back at her mother as Yang hesitated. Ursa smiled bitterly to herself, "remember this: Ozai will never hurt you and I will always love you." Yang turned away, leaving Azula to watch her mother tremble on the ground from over the maid's shoulder.
"Do you know what tree this is?" Yang asked as she gently tugged a few branches aside with her water bending.
"No," Azula answered
"It's called a Dragon Tree," Yang smiled as a large hole between the branches was revealed. "It's said to take root wherever a dragon sleeps eternally. Go ahead, climb inside," Azula did so, sliding into the dark hole and resisting the urge to squirm in discomfort as slimy bark spread across her skin and clung to her hair.
"It is said to be a messenger of the spirit world or a guardian of those in great danger." Yang bent the water in the branches again, hiding Azula effortlessly, she smiled at the branches that tangled a weave high over her head. "It is here that our preys can be heard the clearest of all in the spirit world." Something in the distance exploded, making Yang jump with a look of alarm, an orange light-filled their small hideaway.
"Don't panic, I'm gonna go hide Lady Ursa now, okay?" Yang didn't wait for an answer as she turned and hurried to Ursa's side. She stooped and lifted the injured woman onto her back, using her water bending she shot out of their hiding place, using the water to propel her away from the place with a waterfall. Azula snuggled herself into the heart of the Dragon Tree, making herself comfortable because only the spirits knew when she would be found again.
Agni, please, please, no matter what, PLEASE save us. Azula begged, folding her hands together and closing her eyes tightly. Please don't let the monsters get us. Please save my mommy. Please protect my siblings. Please, Agni, please, I would give anything for my family to survive this night. She remembered a time when she and Zuko used to sleep in the same bed as their mother. Their mother would lay beside them, one hand settled on whomever was furthest, smiling gently down on them. She would sing those nights, as soft as a faded memory, a song she made just for them.
"Sleep sound, my beautiful Azul Harmony. I will be with you always, with every drawn you awake and every dusk you slumber. Fear not the destructive flame, for his reach can never get to you. For I am the ocean that will protect you.
Sleep well my beautiful Azul Harmony. For the days are long and the nights are cool, so I will stand beside you through it all. Fear not the monsters of the night nor the soldiers of light. For I am the shelters in your travel and the winds in your sails.
Oh my beautiful Azul Harmony, fear not the destructive flame. For I am the great oceans that will shield you. I am the mountains that will protect you. I am the winds that will guard you. I am the light that surrounds you eternally.
Fear not the destructive flames, for no monster shall waver this mother. For I am all that shall be, so that you may be free."
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