A/N: The struggle of school and life and writing continues. Fortunately the semester is on the final acts now and soon after its done I will be able to write more. The downside is, in the concluding weeks it'll become harder to find more free time. Yet again, another gigantic down time between updates. This chapter, although it places a bittersweet interaction between the two girls in this trio, which I had fun writing, is not the strongest in terms of expressing depth of character I think. This is probably due to the extreme down time in between. This is still a learning process after all, and I can only hope to improve as we continue forth in this drama. Hope you enjoy this chapter! Your thoughts, comments, and insights are always appreciated and are a joy to read! Now without further rambling, Ch13!

Ch13

Azula was overwhelmed. Sure, the pain of saving her captor was both mentally and, mainly, physically taking a toll on her, but then she was both tackled and apologized to on top of that. All three of them, she couldn't say she ever experienced before. Truthfully, she did not know how to react. She didn't know how to feel either.

For Suki and Sokka, her reaction was definitely unforeseeable. The silence that followed surely was disruptive for the moment. Sure, seeing Suki apologizing to her former captor was heartfelt and significant...a silence following would normally be expected and no one would bat an eye. But the sun set lower in the sky before Azula finally responded, it was that long. Finally she had a response, as if a well coordinated and thought out approach. Or, primarily, a compromise.

"Say...Suki.." Azula fumbled about in her wording. 'Prisoner' or 'favorite prisoner' had an easier time rolling off her tongue than calling this disciple of the former Avatar by her name. "The containers of water," she hesitantly continued, "which you've undoubtedly and carelessly lost by now since you've neglected to bring back the items which are essential to our survival.. I guess I could grant you the privilege of me helping you with them."

Suki was taken aback for a moment at the offer, though it did take her a minute to process the wordy and sarcastic phrasing. "Really? You're- You're gonna help me?" She did not believe she would see the day that she would witness this feat, and if she did, she was certain it wouldn't happen this early in her life. "Yeah! That would be great. I'm actually pretty surprised." She held her tongue to prevent saying anything sarcastic in reply.

Don't get used to it, peasant. The former princess wore a cheery, but otherwise forced smile on her face. It was so uncharacteristic of her and felt so unnatural. She might as well have worn one of the over-exaggerated, stiff, and distinctly painted wooden theater masks her mom would use in her former play actress life.

Her awkward facade quickly melted off her face as soon as Suki acknowledged and looked away, revealing her true snarky expression. Her eyes subconsciously wandered over to Sokka, looking for his reaction. She wasn't looking for approval, of course not. He was happy. An appreciative and approving smile met her searching gaze. A genuine smile snuck onto her face, without her even realizing.

It quickly became apparent that Azula herself did not fully realize or agree with what she was giving in to. What seemed too good to be true, turned out to be just that. The hike down to the riverside from the ledge quickly wore down on what little patience and care the former princess possessed in her situation. Fortunately, Suki, although optimistic and hopeful, was not expecting much to come of fruition. She simply rolled her eyes and carried on with a sigh.

The deposed princess sat by the riverside on a stone which also waded in the shallow bank. She placed her boots on the shore and hiked the hem of her trousers up to her knees, letting her feet rest in the gentle flowing current of the stream. The stark contrast of the cold water flowing against her naturally warm skin put her once again in a more relaxed mood and removed her regained edge. It was far from the treatment she used to get from the palace servants, but it was an acceptable alternative given her current status as prisoner. Suki stood in deeper water, attempting but not stressing about keeping her uniform's long and heavy skirts from soaking in the wake. As she had come to expect, Suki was left to do most of the work, diligently collecting the group's drinking water.

Azula watched, blankly staring, at the light cast from the setting sun as it glinted off of Suki's head piece from the slightest movement of her head.

Finally, she broke the silence. "Doesn't it wear on you?"

"Excuse me?"

"I mean, looking like that all the time," Azula motioned. "I get that I am a scary and dangerous person, but surely your battle uniform isn't the only thing you brought with you. And if it was, surely there are exceptions given the duration of how long we'll be out here."

"I'm not getting-"

"You've had your ridiculous face paint on for days straight, Agni knows how long before we've met you've been wearing that. And that even more ridiculous head piece of yours," she went on, "Not only is the light it reflects trying its absolute hardest to ruin an otherwise calming moment for me, but I also remember it being particularly annoying to wear and rather droll to wear."

"It's a show of rank!" Suki became defensive at the princess's insults to her uniform.

"You look like a roach."

Suki stopped what she was doing. That one hit harder. "I do not!"

"Fine. More of a beetle," Azula conceded.

Suki had her fists balled by her side, Azula could visualize the steam radiating from the crown of her head vividly.

"Why does your particular ornament have those antennae anyway? Humor me. Your girls' headpieces don't," she finally asked a genuine question.

"As I said," Suki explained, resuming her activity. "It's a mark of rank. I am after all my girls' captain. My headpiece is the closest one we have that resembles Avatar Kyoshi's own. It was passed down to me from the former captain when I was entrusted with leading the Kyoshi Warriors. It was an extreme honor for me. Though of course, this one is not as large or ornamental as Avatar Kyoshi's own."

"Yes, I've seen paintings of her while at the Royal Fire Academy for Girls," Azula shrugged off, uninterested, "knowing what burden yours is like, I can only imagine an extreme feeling of being front heavy wearing hers."

Suki held her tongue.

"So," Azula switched, "the captain and the future chief. What a dynamic duo of a relationship pairing. How interesting."

"What of it?" Suki deflected. "What about you? Was there ever a pairing for the fire nation's princess?" She couldn't resist putting a bit of a mocking tone to the line as it left her lips.

Where Suki was expecting a verbal lashing, she was surprised to instead receive yet another silence. Was there really no one? The warrior captain looked to Azula and was met with a glare that could kill.

"Well," the princess began, "Boys are stupid anyway. Sure the thought has entertained my mind before, but in reality they are worthless and can't keep up with true power. Who needs them. They're all usually scared of me anyway."

"Scared of you?" Suki laughed a bit to herself. "You've never dated anyone before? I have to say, I am finding that a little hard to believe. My beliefs and feelings about you aside, you are objectively pretty. I'd actually believe that whole line about 'boys in the Fire Nation practically falling at your feet wherever you go' among other things Ty Lee had said."

Azula brushed an unkempt strand of hair back into its place. "Well, just like her, you'd be right about those things. But what usually happens is that, whenever I'm around boys, they always act as if I'm going to do something horrible to them," she admitted. "Commoners and soldiers fear me, not that I'd want anything to do with them. And other nobility and young officers in the military respect me too much...and also fear me. It's quite hard to get anywhere when the guy is unable to get past the whole 'princess' title I hold rightfully."

"Yup," Suki agreed half-heartedly, "Definitely sounds like a curse." She could not relate at all to the other-worldly problems of those of a higher nobility. Frankly, she did not see these things as problems at all.

"Suddenly, the whole mantra of 'if you want something, take it' does not work so well," Azula concluded. "So I've more or less given up on that." The former princess looked to return the favor. "So, what is it like with the water tribe peasant, peasant?" A teasing smirk grew on Azula's face as she looked back to Suki for the reply.

Suki returned her focus on her tasks at hand. "Sokka? He's a bit of a loudmouth sometimes, and he is definitely a handful. He's all sorts of out there and uncontrollable, and I have no choice but to be the anchor to his shenanigans. It can be..a bit much sometimes." A smile grew on her lips as she talked further about her boyfriend. "His methods many times are questionable, and he's certainly almost gotten us killed many times over; some of those times, you were there to see. He even gets on my nerves many times," she admitted. "But he's sweet, caring, and very brave and passionate. Those are the qualities that I love about him. Definitely not to the degree of Katara, who can sometimes be a bit over the top, but Sokka as well is one that won't leave someone in need behind, he'll always find some way to rescue them. I don't admit it to him, but it's this side to him that makes him so remarkable; it's not something I could do so easily."

Azula felt the need to gag. She couldn't bear people being so lovey-dovey at or with each other very well. But talking about Sokka, for some odd reason, provided enough balance that she did not feel sick to her stomach.

"Isn't that just admirable. You two are..just inseparable aren't you," she commented.

"I like to think so," Suki replied straight. "I can't bear to imagine any harm coming to him. He..honestly means a lot to me. Sure I've taught him a couple of things in the past, but I still learn a thing or two from Sokka. In fact," she laughed slightly, "this whole trip, admittedly is a lesson for me as well."

After a moment of thought, Azula found her opportunity.

"So," her voice purred, "You heard our little chat that night? I thought you were sound asleep. Not that sleeping on someone's lap is very comfortable in it of itself."

"How would you know? You've tried it?"

Azula held her tongue on the reply and continued regardless. "Then undoubtedly you heard the louder portions."

Suki was curious as to where she was going with this.

"You were his first crush were you not? First love were you not?"

"Yeah, something like that," Suki shyly admitted.

"Let me guess," Azula pondered, looking up with her eyes as much as she could and placing her thumb beneath her lips. She snapped her fingers, pointing at Suki in conclusion, "First kiss, right? Has to be."

"Yeah…" Suki trailed off. "Something like that." Her eyes looked off to the side at the flowing water.

"You kissed him," Azula specified.

Suki remained silent. The princess's detective skill and aptitude at reading unspoken cues was impeccable, and Suki cursed her for it.

Azula gasped, "But he didn't kiss back. It was sudden. Spur of the moment, I imagine."

Yet again Suki remained silent.

"Well, that's one thing," she settled down momentarily. "My hot headed honor-seeking brother comes knocking and burns the town to the ground, or at least tries to, and the Avatar and his cowardly friends try to run, sure. It's too sudden, that's understandable. But what isn't understandable is what happens in the coming months. I'm sure you've spoken about it."

Suki subconsciously gripped the canister she held in her hand tighter. Beneath all her armor and skirting she trembled ever so slightly, whether it be frustration or fear she did not fully know. She just had a strong inkling as to what Azula was talking about.

Azule felt subtle but unignorable joy within her, seeing the minute and suppressed signs of unease and discomfort she was enacting on the Kyoshi Warrior.

"He then runs off, undeniably remembering you with the unforgettable impression you've left him, and goes on to fall in love, rather quickly I might add, with some princess who then apparently becomes the moon," she blatantly puts it, "..all in a matter of days too. And he's still somewhat touchy about it."

"Yeah, well, he lost someone important to him in a tragic event, which, if I may add, you caused," Suki replied, "I'm sure anyone would be rather touchy about something like that. Not that you'd understand."

"Not true, I'm actually rather emotional I'll let you know."

"Oh believe me, we've seen," Suki followed up.

"Moving back to point, which you're clearly missing, doesn't it concern you just how sensitive he is on the subject. He must have developed something very strong with- what's her name? Yue? Some princess of the water tribe," She paused. "Despite feeling for, caring about, and knowing about you. Maybe he has a thing for royalty or status."

"No! He doesn't care about petty things like that," Suki asserted. "Sokka isn't like that."

"Okay fine, fine! But what about the rest of it? That's infidelity is it not?"

"We didn't have any official commitments back then, nothing was official. You wouldn't understand," Suki continued.

"Sure nothing was officially set. But he knew of your feelings. Didn't give you an answer, fell in love with some girl, and then when everything was said and done took you in when that didn't work out. Honestly, I think you let him off too easy. I certainly wouldn't have been so forgiving, so easily."

"Well maybe I'm not like you!" Suki yelled. Truthfully, every word Azula said cut at her heart strings, nevermind tugging on them. She didn't want to admit, but a small part of Suki's being was admitting that Azula was right to an extent, and she hated herself for it. It went unaddressed for years, Suki never brought it up and it essentially never bothered her remaining buried. The former princess was forcibly exhuming what was suppressed.

Azula backed off, raising her hands in surrender. She had stirred the pot enough. "Of course not, of course not. You don't need to fret over that, you aren't like me at all, so you can sleep easy at night..somehow, with all that armor and make up weighing down on you." She shifted her weight. "Aren't you at the least concerned, though? That he may gain an interest in some other girl though? It wouldn't be the first time you know. Ask Ty Lee, she's had an eye for him before, and the way he looked back at her- well…"

"What," Suki scoffed, "I'm dating him officially and we've been happily committed. Who would he even? You?"

"Me?" Azula paused, glancing at her nails. "Of course not. He's but a simple water tribe peasant. And I? I Am a princess of my nation."

She knew what she was implying, but if her act held, it may be thorn in Suki's side that would offset the coordination between the two of her captors. Not her strongest suit in terms of deceptive methods, but she wasn't going to lose the opportunity to escape if she played her cards right. She wasn't going back to prison, she couldn't.

It was all a guise anyway. And she had played many guises before, well too. The thought of actually having interest or association with some low life peasant? From the water tribe? A former- no- an enemy? Absolutely not. Unthinkable. It could never happen in a thousand years. Her pride and position wouldn't allow for it.

Right?