Footsteps echoed the corridor as a certain pet searched the wing for her Master.
Ever since that nightmare she had the instinct to stay near her master. Azula was constantly demanding her actions yet the pet tried desperately to keep quiet.
How was she to explain it? 'Hey I had a creepy nightmare about losing you.'?
She grimaced, not the best thing.
Her master was probably in the war room at this time of day, so she began her journey as quick as she could. She still couldn't explain her feelings, she had been able to label them yet she couldn't fully understand them.
She loved her master deeply. Her captor of all people! And she cared for her!
How was it possible?
The other servants certainly weren't attached to the Royal Family like she was. They cared about their job and their families. Nereus didn't care for her job, she cared for the Royal Family.
Well... maybe just one member of said family.
The tanned girl sighed deeply as she reached her destination, she could hear speaking however she didn't really care much for politics. She walked to her usual spot by the door and plopped down against the wall.
She hated this life sometimes, while she knew she had it better than others, she couldn't help but feel like a traitor. Here she was sitting outside a war meeting yet it didn't matter to her. She should be disgusted by what she heard everyday. All the inhumane things she heard everyday, the cruel jokes or even the sickening war stories.
But she wasn't.
She could understand the Fire Nation.
Living here had exposed her to the lives of the Fire Nation, they were a small country, mostly islands. They only sought for more land, others had done it for centuries, the Earth Kingdom especially. Yet the Fire Nation were labeled the bad guys. Why should they be when they just wanted more land? Everyone should be the bad guys if that was the reason.
But why stop at just reclaiming what were theirs from the Earth Kingdom?
A banner under one nation. Was it bad to think it was a good idea? No more judgement, no more favorites, cross-breeds like herself would probably be more common.
Nereus's skin crawled at the thought, yet she still nodded her head in approval.
Azula had always told her that people were judgemental, always siding with the element they control and judging others who controlled the opposite. Earth didn't like air. Water didn't like fire. And vice versa.
Perhaps that was true...
She could remember all the times that the children in the Water Tribe used to tease and bully her. Single her out and call her an enemy. She didn't understand it at the time but now she knew.
They hated those who controlled fire. They fear them. They feared her.
Even her parents abandoned her when she first found out that she was a firebender.
Her younger self was too naïve to understand the politics of adults. Now sixteen, she had seen much that strengthened her master's words.
"But Katara was different." Her memory reminded her.
True, but outside their little safety bubble things were not as peaceful as she thought. Behind closed doors she was certain the village complained about her being there. The only ones that she felt safe with was with Hakoda and his family. She still felt that sense of security just by thinking about them.
The pet shifted and glanced up at the door, she had heard Azula's voice speaking up and smiled slightly at it.
She would always side with Azula, through thick and thin, because she was all she had.
From the moment she arrived eight years ago, Nereus only had Azula as a friend, while they never got along that first year, her master confined in her. Telling her secrets that wouldn't matter to someone so low as a pet.
Nereus was just that while Azula was a princess, if she was to blab out Azula's secrets who would believe her?
When she first got here she could sense that her master was mature for her age, her fire extremely stronger than it should, yet she also sensed something dark. In the mist of a strong personality and an intimidating presence she saw a speck of black. A fragile mind.
That was when she got here.
Now, that black was barely noticeable. Hiding behind blue fire. Her master wasn't cold to her when they were alone. Hell, she could even get the princess to smile now and then. Lately it had been nothing but smirks.
It was rare for a genuine smile these past weeks, now hearing rumors of an Air Nomad had spread like wild fire, the Fire Nation was murmuring behind closed doors and the Fire Lord was anxious. Well ... anxious wouldn't be a good word to describe him.
Impatient would.
And that impatience rubbed off on her master.
Which was why she was in the war room as Nereus was in her thoughts.
Supposedly the man and his group had broke out Earth Bending rebels and destroyed the prison, while there were no casualties, they had lost the location and the soldiers were forced to leave or be killed.
The pet flinched at her master's cold voice, "then they should've stayed and died. At least they would've died with their honor intact."
(OO)
A boot poked at Nereus's ear that caused the pet to groan and stir, once she had gotten her barring her eyes snapped open and she quickly sat up to face her smirking Master.
"You've been here this entire time again?" The princess asked softly.
The pet nodded and she rubbed her eye and stood with her shoulders straight. She smiled sheepishly as she bowed from the waist.
" I didn't have anything else to do."
"Sounds like you never do." Azula joked, Nereus chuckled breathlessly as she shook her head.
This was another thing that changed when she got here, her master was finally acting normal, when they were alone her master showed that she was still human and not the cold-blooded monster people saw her as. But if another guard or even a servant was in the same room, Azula would revert back to her cold self and belittle her. But she knew the insults were never true, despite what people thought of it.
Of course the princess needed to upkeep her reputation. But times like this allowed them both to relax and still act like children.
"Well I didn't feel like doing anything today. Maybe I like the floor outside the war room." Nereus muses.
The princess rolled her eyes before treading off, she stopped momentarily to wait for her pet to get the hint to follow her.
Not even a second went by as Nereus trotted to her master.
"You could've been practicing on your firebending, or perhaps beat up the guards with that spear you love so much. Either way you could've been doing something productive."
Nereus bit her lip to think of a reply to lure off the approaching topic that she wasn't ready to answer.
"You know what I'm about to ask."
The pet gulped, "I don't like being alone." Nereus lied pathetically. Yet she already knew that her master didn't buy it.
She had learned from the best however even the best pupil could still be caught by their teacher. Even though she could lie her way out of nearly anything, Azula could always catch her.
"Of course." The princess scoffed.
The pet's golden eyes trailed down to stare at the floor which had suddenly become interesting. She couldn't hold out forever, sooner or later she would have to confess.
She just hoped when the time came that she wouldn't get burned by it.
Azula quickly lifted her hand to signal the pet to stay put, Nereus almost ran into her due to not paying attention.
"I'll be back." Azula stated before walking out of the dining room.
Nereus looked around in confusion, when did they get here? She thought that they were going to the training grounds. Was she so caught up in her dilemma to not notice?
Obviously.
She walked over to the table and sat down with caution, she didn't like being alone lately, her thoughts always seemed to haunt her the second she was alone.
She wasn't ready for it. She didn't have the strength to acknowledge it. She wasn't ready to confess feelings that she couldn't even understand.
She should hate these feelings, she should be ashamed to even know that they were there.
Yet she wasn't.
"Here." Azula's smooth voice broke the girl's inner thoughts.
The Southern Firebender flinched in shock before turning to clumsily grab the goblet the princess shoved at her. She then stood with a puzzled expression.
The princess raised her own and sipped from it, "I heard earlier that we've gotten a new wine from the Earth Kingdom. Thought to let you try some other than you try it behind my back." The girl teased with that characteristic smirk of hers.
Nereus blushed in embarrassment at the comment, feeling rather foolish because her curiosity got the best of her. She looked down at her drink in curiosity as she swirled the goblet around, the purple liquid inside was beginning to swirl as well.
"What's it called?" Nereus asked and she sniffed it then brought it to her lips.
Azula took another sip from her own before looking at it, "I didn't catch the name, but I know its made from several fruits. One of them being a Moon Peach."
Nereus nodded as she smacked her lips lightly, she then poked out her bottom lip as she tried to find the source of a certain fruit. She then nodded.
"I can definitely taste the peach."
Azula rolled her eyes at her pet's action, she then strolled to the table and sat down in one of the cushions, Nereus quickly followed and sat across from her.
"So I heard that some rebels broke out?" Nereus asked casually. Azula nodded with a droop of her shoulders.
"It took almost a year to gather all those dirt slinging monkeys and some pretender thinks it humorous to destroy the place."
Nereus smiled slightly at the nickname for the rebels and placed her goblet down, "well if this guy is rescuing all these prisoners, why not try to trap him in one?"
Azula glanced at her with a glint of approval yet she sighed and swished her hand lazily at the suggestion, "a good try. But this is the only one he's destroyed and now he's disappeared. Along with his small group."
Nereus bit her lip in thought, well she tried, "how about that invasion plan with the North?"
"Worrying if we might hurt your precious parents?" Azula teased with a fine eyebrow arched. A grin formed once Nereus stuck her tongue out and acted appalled.
"Hell no. Let them rot for all I care. It's just that I heard a General is forcing it."
"Zhao." Azula said with annoyance, she grabbed her goblet however noticed she was out, she sighed again before placing it down and went to stand. However Nereus beat her to it and offered to fetch a pitcher of it.
"Fine but make it quick, I don't want to sit here all night waiting."
"Alright." Nereus laughs with a roll of her eyes.
(OO)
The conversation went on for hours, mostly about how Azula hated the hairy creep known as Zhao. Fire Lord Ozai wasn't that all interested in attacking the North, being that the Earth Kingdom was his main target yet to shut the man up, he listened and approved of the invasion.
It wasn't ready for months yet plans had to be in order.
Azula had to sit through all of it. And she despised it with a passion.
Then their conversation led to the pretender. While people said it was an Air Nomad, Azula refused to believe one had survived the attack a hundred years ago. Nereus was even skeptical about the supposed Air Bender. Being that they were an extinct race it was impossible.
"What if it's the Avatar?"
"Don't even joke of that. If he hasn't shown up in a hundred years then he's likely dead or too cowardly."
Now its was just silly goofing off, Nereus had apparently drank her limit and was slurring in her words, her head laid on the table as her arms hung limply off the table, Azula couldn't help but find the situation hilarious, given that Nereus was basically slurring incoherent nothings.
Then a thought occurred. This was the perfect time to get into her pet's head. To find out if Nereus truly didn't remember anything or if the girl was simply too cowardly to say. While she didn't plan for the girl to get drunk, Azula had learned to take advantage of any situation.
This being one of them.
"Nereus..." Azula started calmly, reaching over the table to poke at the dozing pet.
"Hmm?" A muffled voice chimed.
"Do you remember that dream of yours? The one that woke me up?"
The room hung in a pause as Azula waited for the pet to reply, the only thing that told her Nereus didn't pass out was the childish faces the pet made as she tried to remember.
"Yep." Nereus giggled, sitting up momentarily to prop her head on her hands. Her elbows hit the solid wood table with a thud. She grinned tiredly as her eyes were fighting past grog.
Azula nodded before resting her elbows on the table and a hand lazily trailed the rim of her goblet, "what was it about?" She asked softly to not scare the girl off the subject.
Another pause hung in the air, groggy golden eyes stared into bright dragon eyes, the tanned girl smiled softly.
"You."
Azula blinked in surprise, the trailing motion stopped abruptly, "me?"
Nereus nodded roughly, her arms flopped against the table as her head landed above them, "you were in trouble..."
Azula glared at the girl in confusion, she rolled the girl's head to rest on her side and leaned in close, "why was I in trouble?"
Nereus once again giggled as she stared at her Master's raised eyebrow, she then yawned, "I don't know... but I heard you yelling my name, then I heard her yelling for me too."
"Her?"
"Katara." Nereus nodded.
The water tribe peasent? How on earth did the girl even remember her friend was beyond Azula, yet she pushed on.
"Why were we yelling?"
Nereus swished at the hand that was brushing her bangs out of her eyes and shrugged, "I don't... I don't remember. But you were red and she was blue. I had to choose."
Azula removed the hand that was petting Nereus's bangs and let that digest for a moment. Choose? Choose who for what reason?
"And who did you choose?"
Azula watched as the pet stumbled to sit up, her eyes half lidded and a tender smile formed, "I picked you of course... I always will."
Azula couldn't explain why she had felt a sudden relief wash over her, she let go of the breath she didn't realize she was holding as she stared at Nereus.
"And why is that?" Azula asked with a calm voice, even though on the inside she was a bit emotional. She couldn't explain why either.
Nereus leaned over the table with a smile still etched on her face, Azula quickly leaned back in case the girl tried to fall on her.
"Because I care for you." Nereus giggled again. She leaned in once more but a hand quickly held her in place.
Azula blinked as she felt her face warming up in embarrassment, what the hell had she gotten herself into? She gently pushed the girl away and off the table on her own cushion, Nereus didn't oppose since she once again laid her head on the table.
Then silence hung in the air, Azula blinked as she poked her pet on the head in confusion. Suddenly a light snore erupted from the pet.
Azula sighed in relief once more, a puff of steam jutting out. It was a good thing the Nereus was horrible at keeping down her liquor.
Cause she didn't know what she would've done if Nereus tried what she thought she was trying.
She sat up straight as she continued to watch Nereus sleep off the alcohol, their conversation still buzzing around in her head like an irritating bug in her ear.
"Because I care for you."
Like caring for a dear friend right? Not... caring for a lover?
That was impossible. Nereus knew that a princess couldn't love their pet. It was humiliating and wrong. Even her mother would disagree with this.
The princess leaned on the table and continued her thoughts, now this all made sense.
Nereus was clingy because she cared for her. Why the girl even did care for her to begin with puzzled the prodigy. Given that she was actually a prisoner. And Azula wasn't exactly nice to her during their time together. Hell, she even used the girl as a dummy sometimes.
Why the hell would her pet genuinely care for her?
She knew people feared and tolerated her because of her skill and her position. Yet here was a girl who saw through all that and cared deeply for her.
Azula scanned the room before reaching for her pet and petted away those cursed bangs from sleeping eyes.
Nereus always liked to let her bangs grow out till they reached her eyes, yet would continue to swish them away or blow them out of her face.
Somehow Azula liked them, it gave her reason to pet them away like she was doing now.
Nereus was a true friend. Yet if someone told her eight years ago that she would consider a pet her friend, she would've fried them on the spot. Though here she was, allowing a small smile as she acknowledged that Nereus was a more than a slave.
Her father would murder her if he found out she had become attached to a foreigner. Yet she was sure she had hidden it well.
She told Nereus things she didn't even want to think about. And the girl would always encourage her to open up, every secret she heard she swore to keep to the grave.
The Southern Firebender was loyal. More loyal than Ty Lee since even she left her for the circus.
She allowed many possibilities to test Nereus, and the pet passed with flying colors. Giving her opportunities to escape yet the pet stood by her side, even in her foulest mood the girl would simply let her have her space. But was never too far away if Azula needed to talk about it.
The girl had even threatened Ursa if she didn't say goodbye to her. She had only later found out when Nereus confessed when they were eleven. Either way, the girl had done it because she knew Azula needed it. She never forgotten that either.
A servant knocked at the door and bowed timidly.
Azula had long since stopped petting the girl and rudely ordered the servant to clean up the mess and have someone place Nereus in her cot.
The man nodded meekly before following out orders.
Azula took once last glance at Nereus and smiled inwardly.
While she was uncomfortable with this new revelation, she was just glad that the girl actually cared.
Cared enough to choose her.
(OO)
Nereus awoke with a jolt before wincing and clutching her forehead in pain, she shielded her eyes from the bright morning and looked around.
She was in her master's room. Yet she couldn't remember how she got there.
"Finally you've decided to join the living." A familiar voice chuckled.
The firebender smiled despite her headache and nodded slowly, "I...I'm sorry..." she mumbled, her voice just started to warm up.
The princess looked at her pet through a mirror as she was fixing her hair into her usual topknot, the prodigy had just gotten done with her breathing exercises and had come back to fix her hair for the day, "no apology needed, unfortunately that wine was too strong for the both of us. However I held myself more than you could."
Nereus winced in embarrassment, "I didn't make an idiot out of myself, did I?"
"You don't remember?"
Nereus shook her head no. Azula smiled evilly as she thought of a great lie.
"Well if you telling me the times you've eaten yellow snow and acted as a penguin the entire night while telling said stories don't go under the category 'embarrassing' then I am a seven hundred pound purple platypus bear with silver wings and can fly."
She grinned at the ghostly white complexion as Nereus groaned and flopped on her back in severe humiliation.
"Oh spirits... I'm never going to live that down..."
"Nonsense, you'll probably embarrass yourself another time that will beat this one."
Nereus pretended to cry as she covered her eyes with her knuckles and rolled from side to side, the girl then kicked her feet in that air as if in a tantrum, Azula couldn't help but chuckle at the scene.
"Oh quit with that, now I've let you sleep in but I'm expecting triple the effort in our firebending lessons today." Azula said with a grin still on her face.
"Okay." Nereus sighed in depression, still beating herself up that she had humiliated herself.