After discussing their own recent pasts, Zuko becomes curious about Aya's past.

"Mom, has Aya told you anything about her past? How she got out of that prison for instance?" Zuko asks quietly.

"She has, but that is not my story to tell," Ursa states plainly. "Aya!" She calls.

Aya walks back into the room and bows, "Yes ma'am?"

The Lady smiles sweetly at Aya. "Zuko has been wondering how you came to be here. Would you like to tell him?"

Aya shakes her head firmly, "With all due respect, I would rather not talk to him at all. However, you have my permission to tell him anything I've told you. It will not change how I feel about him, or how I act toward him."

Lady Ursa nods and dismisses Aya before beginning the tale, "When you were banished, she heard nothing of it, and you never came back. She felt betrayed and lonely. The guards of the prison were slowly killing her. She grew thinner, paler, weaker, they even began to take an intrest in her body. She was 14 and nearing 15. Zuko, I can't immagine what it was like." She pauses thinking intently on how to phrase it more clearly yet not coarsely.

"Just before her 15th birthday, the guards decided nobody would care if they had a bit of fun with her. Three of them each took their turn with her." When Zuko still gives her a confused look she sighs and rewords it again, "They deflowered her by force. Zuko, for heaven's sake, they raped the poor girl."

Zuko just reels back with the shock. "They... Oh god..."

Ursa continues the story, "Naturally this triggered a primal anger and flew off the handle and used all the bending she possesed to break out of that prison and get away from the Fire Nation. She ended up here a short time later and I discovered her putting on a waterbending show for the local population. After the show, I spoke with her and she agreed to come work here for me as my helper. She still performs, well, she did. For a while, but now she just keeps me company," She concludes.

Zuko just sits there in shock. That was why she's so angry with me. She feels that I really did betray her. I should have taken her with me. I shouldn't have left her there...

Ursa asks Zuko if he'd like to stay the night, and of course, Zuko readily accepts the offer.

"Aya, please make sure the guest bedroom is fit for Zuko. He'll be staying the night," She explains.

Aya bows at the door way and goes upstairs to prepare the room. When she's almost done, Zuko appears in the doorway.

"I'm really sorry, I should have taken you with me when I was banished," Zuko appologizes.

Aya just ignores his presence and continues to prepare the room.

"Come on, Aya. I really didn't want anything bad to happen to you," Zuko tries to coax her to talk to him.

"Zuko, I don't want to talk about it anymore than you want to talk about how you got your scar, I'm sure," She walks to the door and pauses, waiting for Zuko to move out of the doorway.

He places a hand on her shoulder only to have it grabbed by a scalding hot hand of Aya's.

"I told you, don't touch me. Nobody touches me," she growls out lowly. "Sleep well, I'm sure your mother will want to do some things tomorrow with you." She marches out of the room shouldering Zuko out of the way.

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A/N: So here it is... Chapter 7. Well, we'll see what happens down the line!!!