"Put this on, pet." Azula demanded as she held out a thin strip with a flame imbedded in a metal buckle. Nereus blinked a couple of times to see it due to her head still spinning. While the girl didn't look like much, she sure knew how to fight.
Nereus then grabbed the strip and inspected it as best she could. It somewhat reminded her of betrothal necklaces the men used to propose, however this one was a deep red and had a fire ember in front of it. She swallowed silently, was this a symbol of what she was?
"Well? Hurry up." Azula snapped.
Nereus flinched then nodded before stiffly wrapping the collar around her neck, it felt soft, she'll give it that. Once it was on she fixed it so that the fire symbol was in front and the latches were in the back.
Azula smirked in satisfaction before stating, "you are never to take that off, understood pet?"
Nereus nodded again.
Azula then stared at her for a moment longer, "what is your name?"
The dark-skinned girl blinked in confusion before stammering, "m-my name is Nereus..."
Azula scowled, "what an ugly name."
Nereus flinched as her self-esteem dropped dramatically.
Azula sighed as she swished a hand in the air, she looked rather bored, "but I suppose I should expect that from someone of the Water tribe filth."
Nereus glowered as she bit her tongue, she was not filth! Neither was anyone from the Water Tribe from that matter. Azula caught her glaring and sent one herself.
"I see I didn't make myself clear that I'm better than you, have I, pet?"
Nereus scowled as she crossed her arms and looked away. Oh how she was going to dread her life! She'd rather burn herself to death then to serve this royal brat.
Azula scoffed and looked away with a smirk, "no worries, I shall make myself clear soon..." she trailed off before glancing at her new pet, the smirk she had faded.
"How did you learn to firebend? I'm pretty sure there were not others like you, unless your parents were spies or something."
Nereus refused to answer, now her jaw hurt too much to talk anyway and she was not about to blurt out her life story to this fiend who would belittle it.
Azula growled, "fine then, pet. See if I care."
Azula then stood and walked over to the corner of her room, she then pointed the floor, "I don't want you sleeping with the rest of the servants for I fear you might get fleas. So until I can have a servant make you a cot you'll sleep in this corner, understood?"
Nereus's jaw dropped as she tried to process what the brat had just said, she was making sleep on the floor!? Because she might get fleas?
The child was so angry that she didn't notice her master walking out of the room, "good girl." And with that the door closed.
(OO)
Nereus grunted as she dodged an azure flame aimed for her head, she quickly countered by sending a fireball toward her master.
Ever since their first spar, Azula had been determined to continue to fight her. Either in training or not.
It had been a month since Nereus first met Azula, a month since they've butted heads, and a month with dealing with her during training.
Azula claimed she would not have a weak pet to care for, she wanted Nereus to show her worth and practice on it until she had got it perfect.
So far it was a long road.
"Stand up straight, pet!" Azula barked, doing a roundhouse kick and a spiral of blue fire twirled toward Nereus.
Nereus narrowed her eyes at the order before doing so and kicking her own fire at the impending current, so far it slowed it down yet it still hit her with force.
Nereus jumped over the flame and once again sent her own out, while hers was weak compared to Azula's, it still managed to slow at least her attacks.
Azula decided to end the duel with a counter and quickly bent a fire whip at Nereus's right arm.
The girl yelped as the flames ate away at her sleeve. She quickly put out the fire before glancing at her master.
Azula smirked before stretching and yawning, "you're not much of a challenge for me... but perhaps these duels will change that, not likely though."
Nereus puffed out her cheeks after checking her arm, so far it was unharmed, she couldn't say the same for the shirt.
"Are you always this full of yourself?" Nereus sneered. Azula smirked as she twirled her hand in the air.
"Naturally, however any proclaimed master would be. While some others who can only light candles would be jealous." As she said the last part her eyes made contact with Nereus's and her smirk grew.
Nereus sputtered before stomping her foot, she would've left however she was ordered to stay by the girl's side. Oh how she was tempted to leave and face the consequences of her disobedience.
Azula sighed, the hand that was lazily swishing in the air stopped, "you are getting better. Not as good as I would like, but better than when we first met."
Nereus blinked in confusion before rubbing her ears, was that a compliment? From Royal Brat herself? That was too good to be true.
"Don't take it as a compliment, you're still terrible at firebending. I only meant the dodging."
And there it was.
Nereus sighed before nodding, "well I didn't get much training done before you guys trashed my home."
Azula rolled her eyes, "there she goes again about ruining her life." She thought annoyingly.
The princess waved her hand at her pet who was talking about how little she knew and walked away, "since you say you don't know much I'll see if Lo and Li will be willing to teach you. Maybe they can deal with your constant whining too."
"I do not whine!"
Azula stared, "down, girl!" she ordered, she grinned evilly when her pet immediately piped down. With that she then motioned for the girl to follow her to dinner.
(Eight months later)
Nereus was laying in her cot when Azula stormed in and slammed her door, not really much caring as to why the girl was so pissed, she rolled onto her other side facing the wall.
Azula saw this and quickly threw a ceramic jar at her pet, Nereus yelped before holding the back of her head.
"Gah! What's your problem!?" She snarled.
Azula glared at her darkly before bending a small but fast fireball at her, Nereus was quick on her feet and dodged it, however the flame had set her cot aflame.
Nereus paled before trying to snuff out the fire.
Azula had realized she had set her pet's cot on fire however she just sighed heavily and sat on her bed. The rage she had stormed in with seemed to have faded.
Once the fire was out, Nereus glared at her master and stomped toward her, "what did I do this time to deserve my bed get-"
Nereus blinked in shock as she saw Azula turn away from her quickly, however the southern firebender had caught a glimpse of a shiny eye.
Suddenly something within Nereus caused her to jump onto her master's bed and place a hand on her shoulder.
"Master?" She asked timidly, not knowing the consequences of touching her master, or even jumping onto the bed. She wasn't daring enough to say Azula's name however.
Azula shrugged off the hand and pushed Nereus off the bed, "just go away, pet. Go chew on a bone or something."
Nereus scowled at the order however she jumped back onto the bed and glared at the black-haired girl. Azula glared back and growled.
"I said leave!"
"Not until you tell me what's wrong."
Azula bulked, "there's nothing wrong! Leave!"
Nereus shook her head and got more comfortable on the bed, she then crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow.
Azula stared at her for what seemed like hours before she sighed heavily, "I can't tell anyone else since they'll look down on me, however you, you don't matter."
Nereus flinched lightly at the remark, it was a defense mechanism, something she had learned on her third month of being there.
"Yep, I'm just a lowly human pet." Nereus agreed, she shuddered afterward, she would need to wash her mouth out now.
Azula smirked before looking behind Nereus to the burnt cot, "Mother called me a monster."
Nereus blinked again, Ursa called her a monster, while she could agree to it, she couldn't understand why Azula had taken it to heart instead of shooting back a snide remark herself.
Azula leaned against her headboard and brought her legs in, "I didn't think I was a monster in her eyes... I thought she had at least accepted me."
Accept. Nereus stared off at a far wall as a flashback of her own mother rushed in. Her mother feared her, even though Urumi held her as an infant, raised her and loved her deeply, she was quick to shun her upon when fire first obeyed her.
"I'm not like her precious Zuko where I'm weak or need help on everything. I should be the one to make her proud, not him. It's not fair."
Nereus swallowed lightly before edging close to her master, "well from what I've seen, she treats you both equally."
Azula scoffed, "you've only been here a couple of months, pet. Tell me, have you noticed her around me at all? To talk or to just be around me without scolding?"
Nereus opened her mouth to speak however as she thought about it. She hadn't seen Ursa around since they first been introduced. She'd see Zuko a lot more than Ursa, and he was only near Azula to check on Nereus.
Azula knew that Nereus was now noticing it, she smiled bitterly, "now you see it."
Nereus didn't reply as she looked down at the blankets below them. She could understand it actually.
Azula was different, just like herself. Azula was a bit more...rough then Zuko was and Ursa was probably not ready for it.
Janik and Urumi were the same. Despite Hakoda's advice, she had visited them after their son was born. At first they were happy, until that boy gotten older and she had gotten older. Throughout the years they slowly forgot that they had a daughter earlier.
When she showed them that she could control her flame, they fled to the North. Not even saying goodbye.
Nereus sighed heavily, "I've been through it."
Azula glanced at her in curiosity, Nereus returned the glance and showed a small bitter smile of her own. She then turned and stared out of the balcony window and at the clear sky.
"My parents were the same. Before I even knew I was a firebender, they accepted me. Yet when my mother gotten pregnant and I controlled fire for the fire time, their acceptance was gone. They shunned me and ignored me once their perfect little boy was born... then they moved to the North just to be away from me."
Azula blinked slowly as the information sank in, another shunned child like herself. While she didn't think Ursa would abandon her child like Nereus's did, she was sure that her mother would fear her like they did Nereus.
"It seems that we are unwanted children." Nereus whispered.
Azula shook her head, "I still have my father, yet you have me."
Nereus's head snapped back toward her master.
Azula rolled her eyes as she wiped her eyes dry, "oh don't look so happy about it. I'm clearly saying that your stuck with me for now on. And you to me."
Nereus smiled genuinely for the first time before nodding.
Azula nodded quickly before pushing Nereus off her bed and then jumping off as well, so it would seem that just being nice to her would reward her in a better pet. She hadn't seen Nereus smile that genuinely without it being either snide or sarcastic.
It felt good too. Someone understood her. And she understood them. Even if said person didn't talk much about her life other than where she lived.
The princess then caught a glance at the burnt cot and sighed, "I'll get you a better cot to sleep in, okay?"
Nereus nodded with a bright smile, apparently this was an apology thing, yet Nereus accepted it anyway. She didn't know why, but she felt overjoyed that she had cheered her master up. She also felt great that she and Azula had a decent conversation without fighting one another.
An awkward silence gloomed in the air as both firebenders smiled shyly at each other.
Azula being the more shy, "I'm going to go now, I'll get your cot later today." With that she had left.
Nereus couldn't help but giggle at that scene.
(One year later)
Nereus awoke to footsteps passing by the door, while she was a heavy sleeper, something told her to wake up and check it out.
She pretended to be still asleep and turned around in her cot, she laid still for a moment longer then slightly cracked open an eye.
No one was in the room, that was good. Azula was still sleeping as well. Yet something was off about tonight.
She carefully got up and snuck toward the doors, she was careful not to wake her master up as she had learned new katas recently and was exhausted.
Once she was on the other side of the doors she glanced down the hallway to find a cloaked figure rushing down to the corridor and turn left. Nereus blinked in confusion and quickly followed.
(OO)
Ursa had just walked out of Zuko's room when a small voice startled her.
"I guess you're leaving?"
The woman spun around and glared at the now nine-year old child, she sighed heavily in relief as she grabbed her chest.
"You scared me, fireling..." she muttered, she grimaced at the nickname for the child, as it was Azulon who nicknamed her that.
Nereus smiled sheepishly as she rubbed her neck, "sorry... but I didn't want to miss you when you leave."
Ursa nervously returned the smile, "what makes you think I'm leaving?"
Nereus then pointed to her cloak and a small luggage bag. Ursa sighed heavily in embarrassment, of course.
"Why are you leaving?"
Ursa looked down each corridor to make sure no guards were around, she then looked back at the child in front of her. She had grown to care for the child but Nereus could never comprehend this family nor her actions tonight.
"I did something terrible. To protect Zuko."
She noted the grimace in the child's face, so Ozai and Azula was already darkening her mind. She shook her head, she had hoped the child would fight it like she did when she arrived.
"And you're leaving because of it?"
Ursa could only nod.
Nereus sighed before hugging herself and muttering, "once again a mother abandons her child..."
Ursa blinked in confusion before approaching the child. Nereus looked up at the woman then hugged her briefly.
"I won't tell the guards if you say goodbye to Azula as well."
The mother froze in fear, had this child just threaten her?
Nereus backed away, "I know I must sound mean for doing this but... Azula needs it. And I know you won't do it unless I threaten you..."
Ursa's scowl slowly dissapeared as she continued to stare at Nereus. The girl was only looking out for her friend... and she knew Ursa a little too much.
The mother nodded before walking back to her daughter's room.
(OO)
Azula was stirred awake by the one person she didn't expect. She sniffed groggily as she rubbed one of her eyes.
"M-mother?"
Ursa smiled sadly while petting Azula's bangs. She then looked to her right and Nereus nodded. The pet had left the room for them to have their moment.
"Azula sweetie... I just want you to know that I'm sorry..."
Azula blinked in confusion before sitting up, "what do you mean?"
Ursa smiled tenderly while petting her daughter's hair, "I've been a terrible mother to you. And while you think it is your fault it is not. It's mine for not trying hard enough. I hope you can forgive me after tonight and we meet again."
"You're leaving?"
Ursa could only nod.
Azula's demeanor seemed to darken as she pulled herself away from her mother's touch, "it's because of Zuko, isn't it? Because of what I told him?"
Ursa nodded once again, even though she knew her daughter would fight it, she brought her into a hug.
Azula stiffened within the embrace and tried to fight it, spewing words of hate. Ursa took it all in until Azula's rage died and her sorrow pulled through.
She held her mother tightly while sobbing, while she always complained about her mother and how she would favor one child over the other, she still loved her deeply and wanted to be accepted by her.
"I do accept you, Azula," Ursa started, "no matter how rough or cold you get. I'll always love you."
Azula nodded quickly before sniffling and letting go of her mother, Ursa smiled sadly as she wiped away her daughter's tears.
"Don't cry or you'll drown..." Ursa jokes sadly before placing a kiss on Azula's forehead and got up.
Azula watched as her mother walked out of her room and Nereus look into the room, Azula didn't know what to say to her. While they had a rocky relationship, most of their fights and bickering slowly withered away into something strong. Nereus smiled briefly before running to Ursa. Azula wiped her eyes happily before laying back down. Apparently Nereus had something to say to her as well.
(OO)
"Where will you go?" Nereus had to ask.
Ursa stopped momentarily and turned halfway toward the child, "I can't tell you... it'll put both of us in danger."
Nereus nodded sadly before looking at the ground, "when and if the war ends... promise you'll come back?"
Ursa smiled sadly as she walked to Nereus and hugged her again, "I cannot promise. However I will try. I have something to ask."
The girl raised an eyebrow in curiosity.
"I know that when you first came here, you were determined to escape. I want to offer you freedom, this will be very likely your last chance to leave."
Nereus smiled sadly, her heart thundered in her chest and her body shook, now was her chance, finally she could escape and find her way back home.
Yet...
"I'm needed here." She whispered, a single tear escaping. Something told her to stay, and while she knew nothing of spiritual things, she was sure this was one of those rare times it was real.
Ursa nodded with a sad smile of her own, "I understand. Please watch Azula for me."
Nereus nodded again quickly, her own eyes getting misty, "I will."
Ursa smiled again before letting the child go and quickly walked out of the palace. Nereus didn't dare follow her or someone might been suspicious about them. She walked back to Azula's room and closed the door.
"Thank you." Azula said quickly and shyly.
Nereus blushed deeply, however in the dark it was not noticeable, "I'm just a pet, master, no need for thanks."
Azula smirked again before turning over and covering herself up.
Nereus walked over to her new, plusher cot and laid back down. She smiled timidly as he heart thundered in her chest. She was glad she could give Azula this.
Cause she didn't know what would've happened if she didn't.