The warmth against her face was the first thing she felt when she woke up. Her eyes slowly opened, and she looked around to see pelts and ice surrounding her. She moved to get up but felt like a Komodo rhino was sitting on her chest. She instantly coughed, spitting out the last of whatever water was in her lungs and looked around for anything familiar.

"You're awake," a warm voice exclaimed and startled Azula from her spot. Azula's eyes took in the woman and the face seemed familiar to her.

"What am I doing here?" Azula's voice was hoarse, her throat scratchy and her lips dry.

"You and Sokka fell overboard off the ship. I tried to warn the captain that those water are nothing to be trifled with but here we are. You've been asleep for four days now." Gran-Gran hands Azula another blanket and a hot cup of tea.

"Four days! I shouldn't be here, I'm supposed to be home!"

"Don't worry child, your family will be on the way back for you both. They had to complete their journey back to the Fire Nation before returning to get you dear. Those waters were too rough for them to safely turn around. It's a miracle you both made it," Azula took in the older woman's words. She was stuck in the savage tribe for even longer than what she signed up for.

"Yeah sure, they're probably glad I-" her throat closed as she realized what was about to be said. She didn't need this peasant looking at her with pity. She was such a failure that she couldn't even end her own life right. Now she was stuck, stuck in the barren wasteland the water tribe idiot calls home and who know how long before they send a ship to get her. If they sent one at all.

"They're glad that you're safe. They were worried about you when you weren't there when they woke up." The water tribe woman tells her and she scoffed at that thought.

Gran-Gran was met with silence as Azula went back to drinking her tea. The princess looked down at her steaming cup of tea as the woman straightened up the room in the igloo. When the Sea Prune stew was finished, fixing Azula a bowl was the first thing Gran-Gran did. She knew that the girl needed to rebuild her strength after nearly drowning. Azula looked at the woman as she held out the bowl of soup to her. Who know what she put in it or if it was poisoned. She also knew that it would not be up to the Princess's cuisine standards. Azula looked at Gran-Gran and went to shake her head in protest when her stomach betrayed her. A loud growl made itself known and Azula rolled her eyes. Even her own body sided against her. She carefully handed the full bowl to her and watched as her face experienced a range of emotions as Azula tried her first sip of the stew. Disgust was the main one followed by shock. A light chuckle left the elder's lips and Azula's head shot up. The fire bender's cheeks turned a crimson color despite the glare that was fixed on her face.

"What is this?" Azula asked, her tone almost angry as she attempted to swallow down another spoonful of the stew.

"It's Sea Prune stew," Both women turned around to see Sokka standing in the doorway of the igloo. Azula narrowed her eyes as she looked at him.

It was Sokka's fault she was here in the first place. She should not have been saved, he should have left her to die. It would have made things so much easier.

Anything was easier than this.

"Oh," was the only word that left her mouth as she attempted to swallow down some more of the foul stew.

"How are you feeling Sokka," Gran-Gran instantly turned on her grandmother charm and trying to usher Sokka into the room. She enveloped him into a tight hug that nearly made Azula throw up.

She couldn't tell if it was because she was jealous, or they were truly just that nauseating.

"I'm feeling fine Gran-Gran. I just wanted to come check on Azula, but I see she's up," an awkward smile graces his lips, and he's met with a glare that he'd grown familiar with. Sokka quickly diverts his eyes away from the eating princess and turns to converse with his grandmother.

They talked about the upcoming plans for both Republic City and for Southern Water Tribe. Azula listened in as she slowly ate the stew in attempts to get rid of the headache she felt forming. It was always fascinating to see families who cared for each other. It went against everything she had ever known, and it made her beyond uncomfortable. She kept her eyes focused on the food and tried her best to fade into the background as they talked.

It only lasted for a few minutes before they seemed to want her attention. Azula looked up from her bowl that was still close to full and saw both Sokka and Gran-Gran stating at her. Her anxiety skyrocketed, and she tried her best to look like she'd burn the both to ashes if they had so much as breathe at her in the wrong way.

She failed at that.

"How about tomorrow we have Sokka take you around the town? I know you didn't get to see much during your earlier visit," the elderly woman suggested. Azula and Sokka's eyes widen at the thought.

"Gran-Gran, I don't think that's necessary,"

"As if I'd want to spend time with him. It's his fault I'm here in the first place," Azula's sentence came out harsh as Sokka's came out nervous and they both looked at each other.

"My fault? How is my fault that you tried-"

"Say it, I dare you!" Azula hissed and Gran-Gran stood from her spot.

"That's enough! How about we all get some rest before supper. There's no need to discuss it now." She tells them calmly and Sokka nods while Azula looks away. Gran-Gran leaves out of the igloo after Sokka, leaving Azula alone.

The next morning Azula woke with the sunrise and was very disappoint by the cold she felt all over. It was awful, she hated everything about being cold. And it didn't help that she was surrounded by water. Azula sat up and thought that she would get ready to do her Katas, but she soon realized that she had no other clothes with her besides whatever they put on her and the clothes she was wearing four nights ago. She didn't think anything she tried would be productive. She found a pair of socks and boots in the closet along with a large parka. Azula put the items on and left the igloo with hopes to find someone she recognized. It didn't take long for her to run into chief Hakoda and relief filled her.

"There you are! We just went to check on you, and you were gone. Glad to see you found the clothes we left for you." Hakoda smiles at her, and she tries her best to reciprocate, but she knew that it didn't look natural.

It never did.

"Thank you. I do appreciate your hospitality." Her diplomatic skills took over, and she bowed in front of him after her thanks.

"It's no problem, truly. Though it seems like you will need more clothing. We just received a letter from your brother. It's going to at least be three months before they return to get you." He explained and she felt her heart drop.

They weren't coming back for her. She knew it.

They'd leave her in this wasteland and forget about her.

"Oh," the word left her mouth quietly and the Chieftain frowned at her.

"I promise, it won't be as bad as you think. The cold is a lot to get used to, but it's a beautiful experience you can't get anywhere else." He says, a grin plastered on his face in attempts to cheer the fire princess up.

"Of course." It took her all to not grit those words out. There was nothing beautiful about this. Who knew what could happen to her, there was nothing and no one to protect her.

Not like they'd want to anyways, the thought fluttered through Azula's mind before she pushed it back. If she had learned anything in the wretched asylum, it was that those were thoughts that did not need her attention. Everyone else was already against her, she didn't to be fighting herself as well.

"Would you like to find a couple pieces to wear later? We can have Sokka show you around. I know you don't have enough to last you three months." Hakoda suggested, and she nodded, not knowing how to respectfully decline. She'd rather drown than spend time with Sokka. He was an idiot who didn't know how to mind his own business.

She followed the man to where Sokka was and tried not to lose her mind in the process. She didn't think she was ready to spend time with Sokka, or anyone. Azula walked behind him quietly and waited to got him to show her to Sokka. The pair entered the igloo, and she cringed at the sight of Sokka helping the children.

Of course, he was good with kids.

Sokka turned at the intrusion and looked surprised to see his father with Azula by his side. He excused himself from the boy he was helping to see what was going on. He wearily approached the both of them and simply hoped Azula wasn't hostile like last night. They walked out of the igloo and moved to talk about their plan for the day. Getting Azula more clothes was important if she was gonna attempt to face the harsh weather. That required asking around for any clothes that could possibly fit her.

"Are you okay to show her around until supper Sokka?" He heard his father ask and nodded before he realized what was asked of him. Sokka's eyes rounded as it clicked, and the tension filled the space as Azula pulled her parka closer and kept her focus on the ground. "If that's okay with you, of course?" Hakoda adds at the end, after seeing both of their reactions.

"It's fine." She hurried out, anxious to end this interaction. This entire day had put on her on edge and being left alone with the peasant only made it worse. The weather was already more than what she bargained for.

You bargained for death, so I don't know if that is true, the princess thought and almost scoffed at herself.

"Well then I guess we can go ask around for some clothes and then I'll show you some of the buildings." Sokka tells her and she nods, following behind the man as he left his father in charge of the children.

"You're infuriating." Sokka gritted out and Azula rolls her eyes.

"And what are you, if not headache inducing?" Came Azula's reply.

It had only taken thirty minutes for them to clash, Azula's snarky jokes and Sokka's need to prove her wrong rising to the surface. Onlookers watched awkwardly as they walked and bickered throughout the center of the village. Azula couldn't contain her disgust or apathy at the people offering her clothes and it Sokka couldn't help but to grow frustrated with her.

"Those people are trying to help you and you're being-"

"I'm being what? Crazy?" Azula sneered back at him and his mouth snaps shut.

"No. Rude. You're being rude." He told her honestly when he finally found the words to say and he could see some of her edge dropping. He didn't follow the script that she had in her head and it confused her. He was supposed to call her crazy, set her off. The peasant somehow managed to not fall for her bait and shock her at the same time. Azula stood there in front of him, narrowed eyes taking him in as he glared at her, annoyance all over his demeanor. Sure, he looks angry but not hateful like she expected.

"Whatever. Can we return to the igloo now?" she tried to shake it off, walking ahead of him. He made her uncomfortable, she didn't know what is was or why but she knew she was put off by Sokka's demeanor. It was clear to the princess that she irritated the peasant but it wasn't the same as his annoying sister or her ungrateful brother. His frustrations were always restricted like he was holding something back which meant he was in control.

And she couldn't have him in control.

Sokka sped past Azula, being more equiped to walk in inches of snow and led their way back to the igloo. He wanted to get away from her as soon as possible. She had managed to offend or upset every family they had asked for clothing to borrow. Nothing was good enough The Great Princess Azula Sokka rolls his eyes at the thought. It was quite idiotic for someone who can barely handle weather further north of the Earth Kingdom, Sokka chuckled.

"What's so funny peasant?" Azula ordered and Sokka shook his head at her.

"Nothing important. Just the fact that you're going to be mighty uncomfortable without the proper clothing." He told her with a grin on his face that told he was making fun of her. Her frustrations grew and she huffed angrily through the fur on her parka, staying silent as she thought about her options.

She could hold her ground but she truly has no clue about the Southern Water Tribe's winter. While Sokka is clearly trying to get in her head, he could still be right and that only made her more annoyed. She could attempt to right her wrongs but would that actually get her anywhere besides further humiliated?

Everyone is not out to get you, Azula could practically hear her mother's voice as that thought passed through her mind.

Yeah right, Azula further thought. Everyone had hurt her in someway or another, the people closest to her always let her down so why would strangers her nation tried to conquer not be the same?