You stay warm as well. "Don't stress yourself too much, okay. You have no deadlines, so no pressure here." Thanks lol. I feel like this time around I've got a good balance. I'll just do however many chapters a day I'm feeling for at the time.
"You definitely caught Azula's character, her attitude and her sharp mind." Thanks, keeping her in character is key. "Sokka wants to spare her cruel details," unfortunatly for him, she doesn't like beating around the bush. "I like how she wants him to tell her the truth, no matter how hard it might be, that's so much Azula in my opinion." Agreed, she's very straight-forward, no bullshit. "Also Sokka acts clever here. He's very careful with Azula and with his family. And he acts very protective here. Sooner or later he'll have to talk with Katara about Azula, but for now he still tries to cover her identity even before his family." That's true too. He wants her to be in better health before revealing the truth. "The dream was so disturbing and so great written. You love to write these scenes." They're still some of my favorites to write; so many opportunities and a lot of room for symbolism. and you did a perfect job as ever. "I'm really curious how she ended up here and what has happened to her." Honestly I can't wait to reveal it.
Azula sits up, every fiber of her soul and body standing on end. The wind whistling against the side of the house unsettles some part of her. She can't say exactly why; at first she thinks it is simply because it is a reminder of the unrelenting cold that had almost killed her. But she thinks that it is deeper than that. More primal. Complemented by the nightmare, the shrill howl and the slight shaking of the house leaves her jittery and on edge.
She doesn't know where to go but she doesn't want to remain on that sofa, fighting for sleep that won't come, so she takes to wandering aimlessly about the house with only a small flame in her palms. She meanders into the living room and stands before the rack of weapons. Those will occupy her, at least for a short span of time.
She brushes her fingers over the dull surface of the blades, runs them over the intricate tribal etchings. Her fire glints and bounces off of the metal. She traces her fingers to the end of the topmost sword. To the hilt. Wrapped around it is a dark leather that ends in long fringes.
She follows the length of the fringe to wear it ends with several large wooden beads, teal and navy in color.
The craftsmanship is sublime.
"What are you doing?"
Azula gives a start and nearly drops the sword.
"Sorry." Sokka whispers, holding his hands up. "Couldn't sleep?"
Azula shakes her head.
"Is the bed not comfy?" He pauses. "No wait, I know! It's too cold isn't it?"
"That's not it." Azula replies. Though it is rather chilly for her liking.
"Then what is it?"
"Don't worry about it." She replies.
"I can't help you if I don't know what's wrong."
"Nothing, nevermind. It's foolish." She cradles the sword back in place.
"So it was a nightmare then?" Sokka asks. "Zuko always gets really defensive and secretive about nightmares."
"Zuko…" she tests the name, trying to coax any familiarity out of it. Still, the name remains as empty as her own.
"What happened in the nightmare?" Sokka persists.
She picks up another weapon and inspects it. This one is a spear with a stone head.
"Alright, I'll leave you alone."
"I died." She puts the spear back in place.
The wind gives another howl at the house. She stares down at her feet with her hands clasped behind her back.
"I think I know how to make things better." Sokka smiles.
Azula stares expectantly.
"It always comforts me."
Azula quirks a brow.
"Follow me." Sokka smiles. He tosses her a coat and a pair of mittens.
The firebender looks at the door. Reluctantly, she slips into the winter attire and lets Sokka lead her out into the snow. Instinctually, her stomach turns. In comparison to the last time she had stepped outside, it is more pleasant. It is quite peacefully so. Snow still falls but it is lighter. Kinder. A gentle little dusting that clings to her lashes and the fur on her hood.
Her breaths come out in small puffs. She watches an artic wolf-fox cross the snow in the distance. Despite the tranquility, she wants to go back inside. Even as abundantly bundled as she is, she still shivers.
"Why are we out here?"
.oOo.
Sokka's heart sinks; she isn't even giving him a chance. He should have known that the firebender would have no interest in the cold majesty of an arctic night. He marvels at twisting curtains of light, she hasn't even noticed. In fact she seems only to stare at the ground, watching each and every step she takes or blankly at the snow gusting about in the tundra. Winds blow loose flakes into large banks, the wisps of wintery powder slither like snakes in the wind.
The sight is familiar and comforting as it is sinister and dangerous. He thinks that she can only ever know it as a sight to dread.
He considers asking her again, what she had dreamt of.
He comes to find that he has no need.
"I died in the cold." She says.
Instinctually, as he would with his own sister, Sokka takes her hand. "You're alive." He laughs, "I can tell because you're complaining."
"In my dream, I mean." Azula replies.
Sokka gives a resigned sigh, "is this your way of telling me that you want to go back inside?"
"It's my way of telling you that you better have a good reason for bringing me back out here." She folds her arms across her chest.
"Look up." Sokka points.
.oOo.
Azula tilts her head. A quartzy dusting of stars glimmer in a deep blue sky. The glistening snow below creates a frigid and elegant ambience. And then she sees what Sokka is referring to. They are luminous curtains of vivid teals and electric greens with an occasional burst of rosy pink.
"I like to watch them. They never get old because they seem to look different every night." Sokka says.
They shift and twirl in the air like pastel flames. Sometimes dipping low enough that Azula feels as though she can reach out and touch them. She holds a hand out, if only to humor herself, but only catches snow.
"They're nice, right?" Sokka grins.
Azula shrugs, "they're alright, I suppose." They'd be better under different circumstances. The more she stares out into the vast tundra, the more that the unease begins to seep in. She half expects to see them stalking over the snow, ready to fight to take her back. She takes an unconscious step towards Sokka.
A particularly strong gust sends her into another round of vicious shivers.
As awestriking as the celestial colors overhead are, the icy breath on her cheeks pulls her attention elsewhere. Feeling it on her skin makes her fingers tingle, even the one that she no longer has…
Especially the one that she no longer has.
The queasiness doubles. She can feel the cold seeping into her bones, turning them to ice. Abruptly, she turns and begins a brisk and somewhat clumsy walk back to the house. Sokka, well accustomed to trekking through deep snow, catches up absurdly quickly.
"Sorry." He mutters. "I thought that you'd like them."
Azula pauses to look at the lights once more. "I do." She admits. "But I also like the nine fingers that I still have."
She doesn't mention how unsettled the landscape-and its horrific weather-makes her feel.
How trapped.
How downright frightened.
.oOo.
Sokka laughs. "That's fair, I guess."
"You guess?" She whips around to face him. "How about this, I'll amputate your finger and keep it for myself." She carries on with her stubborn, awkward-gaited stride, leaving him to dwell on her empty threat.
"It didn't change you much."
Azula brings her strides to a halt once more. "What do you mean?"
"I mean that you're still you. Even if you don't have your memories."
"Is that a good thing?"
Sokka considers the question; it is almost like a reset in some way. She is more like her old self; less impulsive, more logically driven. Sharp-staring and rational. And yet this is her more dangerous temperament. It is the one that had allowed her to burn and singe he and his friends. That helped her overthrow Ba Sing Se. He considers that cold and calculated, piercing stare and then that later vicious, more wild gleam in her eyes as she lashed out at his sister and at her own brother. He decides that he does wish that her amnesia would have left her softer, more timid. "Let's talk about this inside."
Azula doesn't protest this suggestion but she doesn't drop the topic now that they are back in the warmth of his home. "You think that it's a bad thing." She says simply. "Why? Who am I?"
"I told you, I'll tell you all about yourself on the boat ride home."
"Home as in the Fire Nation in general or home as in, to my home specifically."
"Your home." He replies. "Your brother has been looking for you, believe it or not."
"I can't imagine why he wouldn't." Azula shrugs and finds herself a seat closest to the fireplace. She ignites the wood within.
Sokka cringes. "Yeah…"
The way she stares at the fire gives him the impression that she has picked up on his wince. He could really use some more time under the lights. Maybe he should leave her to the comfort of the fire and return to his own happy place.
"I shattered." She speaks, leaving pause enough for Sokka to take in the crackle and pop of the fire. "In my nightmare my body froze and shattered."
Sokka isn't sure if he is supposed to fill the gap with a reply.
"I don't like it out there, Sokka. It's too cold and the only memory I have of it is that it almost killed me and then took my finger to ensure that I'd never forget." She gives another pause. "Do you know what it is like when your clearest memory...your only memory is that."
Sokka swallows. "That's why I was trying to show you something pretty. It isn't all harsh, it can be beautiful and kind." He wonders if and hopes that the same can be said for the woman in front of him.
She peels off her mittens and stares at her palms. "I suppose that I appreciate the attempt. Even though it was a dreadful one."
"Was it though?" He quirks a brow.
"Alright. Fine. Those lights were rather incredible." Azula admits. He watches her stretch herself out on the sofa and bundle herself up. "Stay with me?" She asks.
"There's only one sofa."
"There's plenty of floor." She points out and gestures to a sleeping bag that is haphazardly laying on the ground.
"I can't sleep on the floor."
The firebender frowns before snatching her pillow and curling up on the sleeping bag.
"You can sleep on the floor?"
"No." Azula replies. "But I...I won't be able to sleep anyways, so you might as well keep me company."
Sokka sighs. "You can keep the sofa." Joking or not, he decides that he won't give her a hard time about not wanting to sleep alone. "I said that you can…" but she is already asleep. He almost forgot that she is still running a fever. He lifts her back onto the sofa and curls up on the sleeping back, wondering how he always manages to get the short end of the stick.
He thinks that he is too sympathetic for his own good.
"Hey." She mumbles. Apparently she isn't a heavy sleeper. He almost feels bad for having woken her. Not that she won't fall right back asleep.
"Yeah?"
"You're taking me home tomorrow, right?"
"I'm taking you home as soon as you stop coughing and sniffling."
She nods and rolls over, turning her back on him. As soon as he is certain that she is asleep, he wanders back outside-with a promise that he'll be back inside before she can realize he'd left at all. He only wanders a little ways from the house before turning his face to the sky. Teal and green weave in and out of each other. He is going to miss them. But it will be nice to see Zuko and Aang again. And if he is lucky, Toph too.
He just hopes that they will handle Azula's arrival well.
He looks out into the tundra, the dark and unforgiving openness. She'd made her way out of such a dismal place, he hopes that he can keep her in the light.
The auroras roll and shift.
