'Ain't I a stinker...' ~ Bugs Bunny and me, just now.
~ The Headband~
(Or, Work sucks)
Ryuu POV
As soon as I slipped from the bath, I felt different. But not in a good way. The golden tub shone in the late afternoon sun. Beautiful orange sunset, but it was nothing compared to Ba Sing Se sunsets. The memory brought pain to my throat as I swallowed tears and strapped to leg on. I went through a connecting door to Zuko's bedroom.
He was true to his word about not being there - and also the clothes. My skin pricked at the sensation of hot air as I moved to grab the red garment. It was thin, much thinner than anything I'd ever worn, and silken. I slipped the red material on and brushed my hand over it. Jee's lucky charm bounced at my throat.
The pain in my arm was as bad as ever, but it looked to be kind of healing. The sleeve of the dress covered the wound and halfway down my forearm. The dress had a square low cut collar, off the shoulder and hemline that rustled against the floor everytime I moved. It was alien.
"Well, don't you look a picture."
I squealed and leapt up - I forgot to call out as instructed. In the doorway stood an elderly lady in much the same attire as me - only with a shawl and her hair tied in a braid. She walked over to me with a threatening comb. I stepped back, tried to take a defensive stance, before slipping up on my dress.
"Who are you?" I pointed a finger up at her from my position on floor.
She crackled with laughter, "My name's Rangi. I'm the Chamberlain around here."
Lowering my finger, I scrambled to my feet and pushed my dripping wet hair from my eyes. She tutted and drew a silver brush from a concealed pocket. I leapt back again as she tried to brush my hair. She smiled kindly and lowered her hair brushing equipment.
"I also do all the maids hair."
Her eyes were an indistinguishable shade of greenish blue. Her hair was as white as the clouds and her skin was as wrinkled as it was tanned. Her gummy smile was full of unsaid words. Relaxing a bit, I crossed my arms and forced a smile.
"Pretty girl far from home. Taken on a journey. Only to end in the clutches of the Prince. Sound familiar?" Sadness filled her eyes, "I am Earth Kingdom too. The Current Fire Lord's father took a fancy too me. But he couldn't have another concubine, so I was kept as a Chamberlain. I lost everything... but found a new home. Perhaps that may happen to you."
I snorted, "Not when the Prince betrayed you; stabbed you with a Fire Blade; knocked you out; sent you too prison; changed his mind and made you his personal servant, no. No, Ma'am, it won't happen. "
The old lady smiled with a sparkle in her eye, "Oh, you'll be surprised. The flower that blooms in adversity is the most beautiful of all."
'Great,' I mentally chuckled, 'A lady version of Iroh.'
Rangi put a wrinkled hand out and helped me to my feet. She led me over to a stool and made me sit down, she began smoothing my hair with the silver brush. I closed my eyes - it reminded me of my mother. She offered up a conversation.
"From where do you hail?"
I sighed and flicked my eyes open, "Omashu..."
A sudden pain in my wrists and back made me hiss sharply. They were chafed but - luckily - no skin was broken. I closed my eyes again and hugged my arms over my chest. Rangi didn't ask when I did this. She must've gone through a similar experience. She began raking the comb through my hair. I bit the lining of my cheeks to stop myself yelling in pain.
"I, myself, am from Kyoshi Island. You know the place?"
Through bitten cheeks, I squeaked, "Mhmmm."
She stopped combing and started pulling my hair into a top-knot and braid. I exhaled and was relieved- if she'd carried on combing, then I surely would have made my cheek lining bleed. My wound sustained from Zuko burned numbly. A dull pain - yet enough to hurt.
"He did that," Rangi stated matter-of-factly. I groaned solemnly as she twisted my hair up into the top-knot, causing it to go taught and painful, "Well, my dear, you got off lightly-"
I was about to protest: how did I get off lightly?! I was the closest of all the servants to Zuko who, despite my heart wrenching at the thought, hurt me. Who was a complete jerk. Who betrayed his doting Uncle. Who-
"-because it would have been easier just to leave you to rot in prison. Think of it this way: he's trying to make things right."
Rangi giggled to herself. I desperately wanted to ask what about, but the elderly lady was probably not going to give me a clear, straight answer. She pulled my hair for the last time - now it reached just to my shoulders - and smirked quietly. Out of another concealed pocket, she pulled two hand mirrors. Passing me one, she held the other behind my head.
I'd not seen my proper reflection in about a seven months so this was a shock. My hair was neater than I ever remembered and my skin was much darker tanned than I ever thought. My eyes had become lighter grey, with specks of ember gold - like Zuko's golden eyes - I pinched my thigh to rib myself the thought.
To be honest, I looked a lot like my father. Square-ish jaw, the grey eyes (my mother had bronze eyes) and the nose. The scar I'd earned from the Bounty hunter was still proudly sitting on the bridge of my nose. Rangi smiled.
"You look like a Princess. "
The problem was, I didn't. I wanted to look scruffy. Like myself. In trousers. In something I could fight in. Out of nowhere, Rangi pulled a tight belt around my midriff and finished it off with a great bow. I was winded by the force she used.
"Duties: as Handservent, you tend to all your lordships desires-"
"Excuse me?!"
Rangi carried on regardless, "and look beautiful at the same time. I was once a Handservent, but when I got old, I was transferred to Chamberlain because I no longer had youthful beauty. You, my little lotus, are going to have to be seen and not heard."
That was a problem. A big problem. The light from the concealed windows played with the golden decorations in Zuko's room. As I was made to slip on red sandals, all I wanted was to run away. Run. Run until I was away from this horrific situation. But I couldn't. At least, not yet.
"Now," Rangi slid a headpiece into my hair, "You are ready."
The headpiece, from what I could make out in the mirror, was a hair slide type thing with a stylised flame on the end. Something about it made me start shaking - forcing myself not to cry. It reminded me way too much of fathers death. My amputated leg burnt and prickled.
Rangi, dear lady, was none the wiser as she helped me to my feet, "The Prince will return shortly. Be ready."
...
"Hello, Prince Zuko," I spat.
The Prince swept in and undid his top-knot. He smiled at me as he passed me the ribbon that had held up his hair.
"It's so lovely to see you too," Zuko laughed. He undid his shoulder pad-thing and passed that to me. Stretching as he walked towards the Washroom, He glanced back at me. I maintained my expression of utter disdain.
"Why so glum?" Zuko turned, "I saved you from Prison. "
My mouth twitched, "It wouldn't be of interest to you, sir."
He took a step closer across the room, "Ryuu, I'm still me."
"I know, sir," I dead-panned, all servant like. Zuko was becoming increasingly annoyed. He took another, larger step towards me.
"I demand you to answer my question. Why. So. Glum?"
Shifting uncomfortably, I unintentionally caught Zuko's eyes and pulled my eyes away as quickly as I could. Zuko took another step. He was a foot away now, with his hands raised. I clenched my jaw shut. He growled.
"Well. Answer. "
I gritted my teeth, "Nothing, sir. Just, you know, hormones. "
He wasn't satisfied with my answer as he took a half-step and put his hands on my bare shoulders. His hands warm and familiar, yet dangerous and hostile. I squirmed in his grip. He hooked one finger under my jaw - reminiscent of our first meeting - and forced my eyes to his. He repeated the question softly - yet incredibly menacingly.
"Please let go of me," I sobbed, "Please don't touch me."
A single tear escaped my eye. Zuko let go instantly but I could tell that, as he stared at me, he wanted to kiss me. Wiping the tear away, I clenched my jaw again. Zuko ran both hands through his hair and backed up. He had appearances to keep up. A girlfriend. He couldn't just kiss a servant. A low-born, uneducated, filthy, servant.
"I won't touch you," He promised. I nodded and instinctively touched Jee's lucky charm, which I had mercifully been allowed to keep.
"I'm sorry... uh, I'll go..go have a bath... please lay my clothes out. And a cloak. I'm going out."
Then he disappeared into the Washroom. The lock clicked and I heard him sigh as he entered the water I had prepared previously. To forget crying, I rushed around to prepare Zuko's clothes as requested, but everything I touched was off. It all felt wrong.
