"I don't care you hurry up and get ready! You're already late!" The door swung shut as Daiyu walked out of the room. Her daughter, Bai, had been going on for weeks about the prince's promise to her. Of course, the young girl made sure only to tell her mother, but she had heard enough of it! In the end, Daiyu would be the one tending her daughter's shattered heart. Foolish girl, why would she buy into that?
Because she loved Sozin, right.
She let out an exasperated sigh and rolled her eyes as she walked down the vast corridor of the Fire Nation Palace. As she left the servant's quarts and entered the main hall, the appearance of the palace grew more elegant. Of course it did, they always took care of themselves. The selfish royalty of this nation.
Being a servant gave her low status, being an Earth Kingdom servant made it all the worse. The other woman, some girls, mocked the slaves of the beautiful Kingdom almost daily. Being as wise as she was, Daiyu ignored it; why not let the girls have their gossip? Surely it made them feel better about themselves. In the end, they were all bound to the same labor. The labor that, over the years, callused her hands so. The same labor that made her grey hairs sprout and her wrinkles deepen. Yes, Daiyu had been here for seventeen, and that was many a time ago. She knew this place like the back of her boney hand; she got the job done fast and right.
And despite the years she'd been forced to, the physical work she should have been used to doing, the metal water basin dug its handles deep into the palms of her hands. She tried to blow the strands of scanty hair that weren't long enough to be placed in a bun out of her face. The water weighed more; it seemed to grow heavier each day.
Yes, the Fire Lady was on her death bed and she requested Daiyu to bathe her daily. At first, she was sure it was because of her heritage, but the two older women seemed to bond through this. In a way, they were equal. Both were growing older, thinning rapidly as they did so, and both had come to accept this. They were getting weaker, simple things exhausted them. Daiyu remembered when she could hold two water basins, one under each arm, and carry them across the entire palace. That was when she was young; thank Agni all she had to do now was go down two halls. The difference between the two women? The Fire Lady got to rest in her old age.
Daiyu cracked the door and glanced inside. Sure enough, there was the woman (who was actually two years younger) resting on the bed of crimson satin sheets. She smiled tenderly, pulling her thinning hair out of its tight knot and easing herself up. The unknown sickness was taking a lot out of her.
"Daiyu, you're late." Shino chastised as she eased the Fire Lady to sitting position. Daiyu let her brows furrow. She could deal with plenty of the Fire Nation servants, but this one looked for trouble, particularly with Bai. She was only a couple years older, too.
"I thought you had duties in the washroom. The robes aren't going to wash themselves." She snapped back, easing the basin to the bedside. It felt good on her sore muscles to let it go; this was probably the highlight of the day ahead of her.
"I noticed you sleeping in and rather than disturb your much-needed rest figured I would at least check on the woman you're supposed to tend to at sunrise. It's the least I could do." She shrugged innocently.
"Yeah? If I was asleep then you should have waken me. Don't give me that bullshit that you care you useless whore!" She went on as she dipped the rag in the lukewarm water, glaring daggers at the stunned girl before her. Shino looked to the Fire Lady, then back to Daiyu in slight disbelief. She was waiting for Daiyu to get scolded, maybe even physically punished.
"Now, now, that is enough. You, girl, go wash my husband's robe. I wish to speak to Daiyu alone." She waved her hand. Shino arched a brow, opening her mouth to protest but went against it. She paced out of the room and slammed the door behind her. "Oh, the youth of today. They are so disrespectful it worries me." The tender old woman sighed as Daiyu stripped her.
"Aye, I know." She wanted to talk to her about Bai. About Bai and Sozin, about how troubled she was. Surely the Fire Lady, Sozin's own mother, could do something about it? She knew it was possible, but at the same time she didn't want to make the affair public. What if it outraged the sick woman? What if it displeased her so deeply she'd banish Daiyu and Bai? What if she slipped to the Fire Lord? That'd be a far uglier sight.
"I wanted to know…if you would stay in here with me." The Fire Lady whispered and Daiyu stopped running the damp cloth over her back to try and get a glimpse of her face. "I can't deny that I'll be dying soon…and my husband no longer sleeps in my chambers." That does strike a small nerve, though the Fire Lord had been very blatant with his mistresses around the palace. All the while, his wife was practically bedridden. "I don't want to die in this room alone, where nobody will know. You…you are such a good person. I know what your living conditions are like, very primitive. You can stay here, and it will make your task of checking on me easier and you will get the room right through that doorway."
"Your offer is very generous…but…" Her voice trailed off. Technically, Bai could be on her own if she wished, but that didn't give her any sense of security.
"Your daughter can come, too." She smiled, as though reading Daiyu's mind. The lower-class woman smiled in thanks, and through unspoken words, the arrangement was confirmed.
Maybe this would keep her daughter from Sozin, after all.