Chapter 8:
Appa was finally awake, after several hours of lethargy. The bison stood up and shook himself awake, releasing a loud yawn.
"Finally!" Katara stood up. "Let's get going."
All of their things were packed, and the group just hopped back onto the saddle. Zuko tenderly picked up Azula and carried her while climbing up on Appa. Sokka appeared out of nowhere, holding a coil of rope.
"What's that for?" Zuko muttered.
"Sorry Zuko," Sokka said, not feeling sorry at all. "But we can't trust your sister not to try to kill us when she wakes up. We'll have to restrain her."
Zuko wanted to argue, but the tone in Sokka's voice told him there would be no point in doing that. He consented, and handed Azula over to the water tribe boy. Sokka quickly went to work; he bound Azula's feet together, and then her hands behind her back. After that he fastened the rope to the edge of the saddle. Zuko tried not to scowl as he positioned himself next to his sister.
Sokka ensured that the ropes were immovable, and then called out, "Let's go!"
Aang sat near Appa's head, holding the reins. "Yip yip!" The giant bison rose into the sky and they were off.
The ride was quiet with a small hint of tension. Azula's appearance seemed to have thrown everybody off balance. Aang was at a loss for words. Zuko certainly did not like Azula, but he was still her older brother, and he wanted to protect her. Katara and Sokka were both glaring at the unconscious princess with disdain, and Toph just looked plain uncomfortable.
Katara crossed her arms and bit her lip, wallowing in a sour mood. It made her feel sick to see somebody (even if it was Azula) in such a terrible state. What made her even more sick was that she secretly enjoyed it. Seeing the supposedly perfect Azula suffering and in pain brought a feeling akin to glee. As much as Katara hated feeling this way, there was nothing she could do to smother it. Azula deserves what she got. Katara told herself. She finally gets burned, just as the Fire Nation has been burning everything else.
She tried not to feel pity every time Azula's face cringed in pain in her sleep. One minute she was flushed with fever, and the next she was so pale that veins could be seen on her neck. She deserves it, Katara said to herself. She deserves it.
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Hours passed by, and nightfall eventually came. Appa landed in a forest and the Gaang disembarked, setting up camp in a clearing.
"What do we do about Azula?" Toph asked.
"Just leave her where she is," Sokka answered, yawning. "She could just sleep in the saddle, tied up, and hazard-free."
"We're going to need to change her bandages," Zuko pointed out. He quickly glanced at Katara.
Katara sighed. Being the only girl (who can actually see), Katara was stuck caring for the princess. It was like a knife in the throat. Katara clambered up the saddle to where Azula was lying on her side.
Zuko had lent Azula his robes and baggy pants. The robes were so big and loose on her that they sagged over one shoulder. Katara couldn't help but marvel at how the princess had transformed in her appearance. The formidable-looking armor that she usually wore made her frame broader, and more intimidating. Without the armor and characteristic hairstyle, Azula looked like a normal girl with a slim physique.
Katara slipped Zuko's robes off of Azula, pushing them down her arms (She couldn't take them off completely, for Azula's hands were tied together). She began to slowly unwrap the cloth bandages. The outer layers were fairly clean, but the inner ones were nearly soaked through with blood. Katara proceeded to clean the wounds again with a wet towel. The burns were dark red, hot to the touch, and seeping blood here and there.
As she sponged up the wounds, Azula began to stir. Katara assumed that her body was reacting to the pain from the cleaning, but then Azula's eyelids began to twitch.
Oh great. Katara thought. Out of all the times to have her awaken, she's topless and being cared for by me.
"Guys..." Katara sounded slightly exasperated. "I think Azula's waking up."
Azula's brain was fuzzier than Appa. She could feel consciousness seeping slowly into her. Part of her wanted to ward it away, and spend another eternity in the blackness...but another part, her pride, commanded her to welcome it. Her pride won over, and Azula began to regain her senses.
She was vaguely aware that she was being propped up in a sitting position. Someone was holding her and dragging something on her skin that caused excruciating pain. The more awake she became, the more she could feel the pain; every bruise, break, and burn. Her torso felt like it was still on fire...the memory of what had happened earlier that day caused Azula to swallow back an ache in her throat.
Azula's eyelids fluttered open and shut as her body battled with unconsciousness. She heard a faraway moan, and it took her a few seconds to realize that it had come from her. As her blurry vision settled in, Azula could see a hazy image of a brown-haired girl looking down at her.
"Well, look who's back from dreamland," Katara declared icily.
Azula stared back with glazed and confused eyes, and groaned again. When her vision finally sharpened and her brain processed the information, Azula realized just who the girl in front of her was.
"Oh. It's you," she said simply.
"Yes. It's me," Katara shot back.
Azula's head throbbed so badly. She wanted to touch her temples with her hands, but found that she couldn't. Tight bonds were secured around her wrists, as well as her ankles.
"Release me," Azula did her best to sound commanding, but it came out as a harsh wheeze.
"No," Katara glared. "I would love to leave you to die here, but it seems that my friends are more merciful than I." She began to wrap Azula up in bandages.
That was when Azula realized she was completely topless in front of the peasant. She growled internally. This is so humiliating.
"I don't need your help, peasant," Azula snarled softly.
"Whatever you say, your highness," Katara cruelly yanked on the bandages as hard as she could, squeezing Azula's tender flesh. Azula gasped with pain and slumped over, taking shallow, shuddering breaths.
Katara was far too angry to feel sorry for what she just did. She continued to nonchalantly wrap up the shaking princess, and then sloppily threw Zuko's robes back on her.
When Azula was decent, Zuko, Aang, Toph, and Sokka climbed onto the saddle.
Azula, from her slouched position, realized that there were now five pairs of eyes on her. She was in too much pain to try to sound sarcastic or intimidating. Her eyes widened when she saw that both Zuko and the Avatar were present. Azula carefully averted her brother's eyes.
"Why did you come here?" Toph demanded.
Azula didn't answer.
"Why did you come alone?" Zuko said, a little softer. Azula clenched her teeth.
"And who gave you all those burns?" Sokka blurted out tactlessly. "What in the world could possibly scar the great Azula for the rest of her life?"
"Sokka!" Zuko barked.
The memories of the Agni Kai with her father came harshly crashing down on her. Azula could feel tears of anger, hurt, and frustration build up in her eyes. However, she could not, and would not let everyone see her cry. Azula looked down and willed her tears to withdraw.
Everyone (except Toph) saw the look in Azula's eyes when Sokka asked her the question. The princess looked mortified, and for a split second, Sokka and Katara actually felt sorry for her.
"I think we should wait another time to question her," Aang said carefully. "Azula needs her rest."
"I agree," Zuko sighed.
Azula was about to argue, saying that she didn't need anyone's help. But her body betrayed her. Her wounds, coupled with her father's brutal punishment combined to form a physically and mentally exhausted Azula.
She lay her head down and slipped into unconsciousness before anyone even left the saddle.
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I will update at LEAST once a week! I'm under some stress right now, but I will try to keep the chapters coming out! If you guys have any requests for something that you want to happen in this story, I'll see if I can make it happen. And please review, I love reading them! ^.^