A/N:
An entry for Salixj on Tumblr, as a response to a post she made about Azula, Sokkla, and dragons.
Hope you enjoy!
- Dragons and Desires -
Tenderly, he rubbed the little dragon's head with the tip of his finger, hard deep-blue scales scraping at his skin. Sokka couldn't deny a measure of uncertainty and fear, but this was only a little thing, a tiny, mischievous, and endearing version of what could one day become a fire-breathing terror of the skies.
Perhaps that was why he intentionally regarded the little blue dragon with as much respect as he could, rubbing its horned head between its piercing gold eyes in such a manner as to admire it rather than demean it.
From the shoulder of its red-cladded mistress it gave a piercing screech, nudging its head up into his palm and squirming excitedly. Sokka blinked, taken back by its sudden affection and breathing with much relief.
"Wow. It… it likes me I guess?"
Azula smiled imperiously at him, stroking the little blue dragon's long scaly tail rather idly. "It would seem he does. Perhaps he sees you as his next meal. He's known to eat things larger than him after burning them to a crisp."
"Uh-huh. I'll keep that in mind then," Sokka admitted nervously, hoping she was only joking. "What's his name?"
She twirled the little dragon's tail as if it was a length of her hair, eyeing the boy intently as she followed the way his palm caressed her dragon's head. "Jinshen. Do you like the color of his scales?"
"Yeah, they're nice actually!" he said, choosing his words carefully, " Kind of reminds me of the skin of a shark-toothed whale. Blue on the back, running from its head to its tail and a white belly underneath."
"Would you say that's intimidating then?"
"Definitely. If the waters around the south are feared for what lies below the waves, then the skies above the Fire Nation should be feared for these things."
Her eyes glowed with pride. "Indeed. And they are. Blue is a rather rare color for dragons you know. Most people prefer red I suppose, like my brother and mother. Its a very common shade of you ask me."
"I see…"
"Mine absolutely enjoys torturing the prince. It chirps when it sets fire to his robes."
"Which prince is that?"
"Well, my brother of course! The sixth prince doesn't have a fondness for my little one here. I couldn't care less what he thinks. He spends all his time coddling his like a wounded runt, that small red eyesore with the chipped antler. It'll never grow strong that way."
"Yours is quite intimidating then, huh?"
"Indeed. I'm glad you think so. You should feel quite honored that you can even pet his head," she said. "Mine… doesn't allow many to touch him. He doesn't like many people either."
"Well, I imagine its only because the owner allows me to pet him, right? Then he thinks I'm okay?" he smiled.
She merely rolled her eyes, stifling a blush. "I'm not his owner. I'm something more akin to a mother or even a partner. I must respect him. One day I will ride him into battle, to fight my enemies, and only because he allows me to. Very few understand that connection."
"I guess you understand it pretty well then."
"Well of course I do! You are in the presence of the fifth princess of the empire, it is expected that I know such things, even if I were not to have a dragon as my bonded companion."
Sokka nodded his head, taking his hand away from the dragon as it chirped enthusiastically. "Right, right. So do all the princes get dragons too?"
She scoffed, waving her hand dismissively. "Only if they are found worthy by the dragons themselves. You have no doubt heard of my cousin's dragon. Zhongteng was the bane of the Yuyan rebels during the Yingzui Uprising. Lu Ten, with only a small expeditionary force, laid them to waste."
"Yeah, I've heard. Black scales, red eyes, and a steel gray belly. In the south we have a nickname for her: Lusa."
Her curiosity piqued, Azula regarded the tribal boy carefully. "Hm. Interesting. If I'm not mistaken that means 'midnight' where you come from."
"That's right. People tell the tales of Lusa and Prince Lu Ten in ways that make you think of the Long Night, when food is scarce and monsters prowl the tundra, hidden by the snow and dark. Sends a deep chill down your spine."
She nodded slowly, arching up her hand to gently scratch her dragon's chin as it waggled its head. "I see. Its a fitting name then. Lusa is a fearsome beast. She has been on many campaigns with the prince across this empire."
Sokka tilted his head, perplexed as his hands went to his hips. "I always find it interesting that no one here calls the Fire Nation the 'Fire Nation'."
Azula shrugged. "Foreigners rarely understand that the royal family rules over many different people groups within the island chain, all with a some sense of identity and independence. The Yuyan, The Shi, The T'au, the Kurgan, all of the them fall under the red banner of the empire."
"Reminds me of the Earth Kingdom. Or kingdoms I guess. All the other kings, from Omashu to Taku, swear fealty to the king in Ba Sing Se, but they get to call the shots when it comes to managing their lands."
She was surprised. "Yes. And if the kings do not pay their tribute to the king of kings in Ba Sing Se, then they will be punished. It is the same here. The lords of the islands sometimes find our taxes unreasonable."
He gave her clever, questioning look. "Are they unreasonable?"
"To some they are unreasonable. There is enough unrest brewing among the few rebellious lords to warrant severe punishment. Ungrateful traitors, the lot of them."
Grimly, silencing his misgivings for the time being, Sokka chose his next words carefully, playing the delicate game of words and manners. "Your dragon will grow strong then, if you want him to help you. He'll be big enough for you to ride. Maybe one day my people will have a nickname for him too. Tell stories of his power and might."
She didn't answer him at first. The princess seemed content to merely caress her dragon's scaly head, lost in thought as she contemplated a uncertain future dedicated to war and political machinations.
At last she nodded, her voice distant. "Yes. I should like that very much."
"Should? I imagine you will like it! You'll be in it too. A dragon without its rider makes for a very dull story in the south. Then they start thinking it's a beast that ought to be killed by a slayer."
She chuckled. "It will take more than fire and steel to pierce a dragon's hide, I assure you."
"Ah, no doubt!"
Her eyes met his and Sokka could swear he saw a fire behind that amber glow, a warm and intoxicating look that could melt the hearts of men. "And you? Where will you be in those stories?"
His eyes widened. He wasn't expecting that at all. "Uh, me? Nowhere. Who wants to hear about some son of a chief of the Inupiaq Tribe? We're few and don't have a place to call home, seeing as how the bigger tribes pushed us into the sea."
The little blue dragon gave a small screech and Azula calmed it with pat on the head. "It would seem the water tribes of the south war amongst each other as ever."
"Yeah, too little to go around. A few get big and powerful, to claim good hunting grounds. Sons of the Avanersauq Tribe or daughters of the Tunumitt Tribe though… those are tales to hear. Worthy of great halls, even here in the Fire Nation."
What seemed to him a subtle smile soured into a noticeable frown. "Hrm. Perhaps you're right. Noble men and women with names worthy to be counted as equals among the gentry of the empire."
His heart sank as she uttered those words. They may as well have been daggers.
And she surprised him yet again. "You must make a name for yourself then, Sokka of the Inupiaq."
He regarded her carefully, unsure of what to make of her. "How?"
She smiled, already a step ahead of him. "Is that not why you are here? To implore me to allow you to join my retinue, right? We have need of men like you in the empire, to ensure its longevity, and the Inupiaq have need of a home. "
"You have a dragon. What good can I be to you?"
Again she smiled, a dark, indecipherable intent hidden behind a face of regal beauty. "Yes, but he is still small. Loyal service to the empire ensures handsome rewards. A dragon is a hammer, powerful and terrible on the battlefield. For the delicate games of the court, I may require a dagger."
The lure of it all was tempting. For too long had Sokka known the frigid air of the southern seas, the salty spray of the water against his face as his feet shifted across the ever-rocking deck of barnacle-infested ships. He had heard the splash of diseases-ridden bodies committed to the cold deep too many times, had seen the lifeless faces of friends and family pass under rotting canvas shrouds and grew sick of it.
And that soft oval face, that supple body clad behind crimson robes and obsidian armor, those eyes touched by the sun… she seeped into his dreams, desire clawing at his weary heart for the warmth of a girl he could never have thought existed in his wildest fantasies. He longed to feel her skin against his, to know the feeling of her lips trail across his body and to hear her voice panting in his ear.
"It would be wise not refuse me, Sokka," she stated, frowning at him. "I only offer this opportunity once. Your sister is worthy, I have no doubt a water-bender may be of service to us, but you and I know she lacks the… qualities need for the tasks I have planned. Your service will be much… appreciated."
He squared his shoulders and straightened his posture, moved by her words. "All right. I'm in. What do you want from me?"
Her smile was as it cryptic as it was seductive. He cut such a striking figure to her, the boy in blue with the smile as sweet as honey. How she longed to feel lips like his, to know the feeling of his firm hands caressing her body among silken red sheets, toying with her with reckless abandon.
Her words were measured and deliberate. "What indeed. What shall I do with you?"
A/N:
Hope you enjoyed that one! A bigs thank to Salixj for the inspiration behind this little piece. I like dragons and Sokkla too. If only there was a way to combine them.
I'll see you all in the next installments, with continuations for the Love Bug AU and the Azula Ship Challenge! See you then!