"Azula, it's time to take your medicine." A nurse says, carrying a tray with a glass of water and medicine on it.
Azula hisses at her, being tied down to the bed all the while having to be restrained in a straight jacket on top of it .
It had already been three months ...
Three Agni damned months since Zuko decided to 'help' her by putting her in this hell. Of course, that's what he wanted for her. Azula was naïve thinking that her worthless brother would actually help her. He just wanted to lock her away, to rot and be forgotten so that he would never have to concern himself about her . That's what he did to their father also.
She still remembered him visiting just a week back, watching her chained to the bed with a straight jacket on, watching her with pitying eyes, as if she was some vicious animal chained in the corner . Only to be looked at from a safe distance with pity and not actually 'help' in any way .
Because that's what she is to him, trash that could be discarded. No different than what father did to her .
She doubts that Zuko actually doesn't know what has been happening to her, the nurses tying her down to a bed while force feeding her with sludge down her throat , and then drugging her to sleep when she screams in pain to the "help" they have been subjecting her .
Zuko knows, he just allows it to happen. And it almost impressed Azula, she didn't know her brother could this be cruel.
Turning her head away from the nurse, the nurse called out a few other workers, gesturing them to her side as she leaned down. "Azula, you need to take your medicine-" Azula lashed out at her, the nurse had been used to avoiding Azula's outburst. She gestured at her companions and they begin to wrestle her down, one was holding Azula's head to make sure she is looking up to the nurse while the other held her by her body to make sure she wouldn't shake. The nurse just squeezed Azula's cheeks to open her mouth and suddenly dropped the pill inside her and poured water to make sure it goes inside her body.
Letting her go, Azula slumped on the bed, coughing and then she began sobbing as they left her alone again.
Azula grits her teeth, desperately trying to hold back the tears in her eyes. Her body shaking as she couldn't take the hellish experience she is subjected everyday. "Zuzu, get me out of here ! You already got everything !" She yells, blue fire coming out from her mouth, but not as strong as it once was. "You already had everything, I had nothing, why did you have to put me here ?"
"I've never been like this to you...Zuz-Zuko." Azula corrected herself. No more, no more nicknames. What's the point on giving nicknames ? Nicknames are for the people that is close to her heart, and at this point, no one loved her, no one is close to her heart.
Perhaps the gift of insanity is not so bad after all .
It at least numbed the pain of being left to rot in this hellhole .
Azula opened her eyes, she sat up, looking unto herself realizing that is on a comfortable bed. The fire nation princess looked around and scanned the room she was in. She was in rather medium sized room, similar of size to the one she had on the palace, and the walls were adorned similar to that of fire nation design with a painting on each side of the walls in the room.
And what was odd though, there is a small baby crib sitting at the edge of the room, empty and unused.
And when she looked to her right side, there was a table along with a pot of tea and a cup that still had its contents, it was already cold. But then Azula noticed a folded paper beneath the pot. Taking it from under she opened the note and read its contents :
I had to make you drink this tea while you were asleep. The tea will help you rest, but will also restrict your chi. Do not worry, you can bend soon, the effects of the tea will fade quite fast.
The note says, and Azula set it down. It made her narrow her eyes, and when she tried to stand up, she realized that she was actually naked, bare like a new born baby, but had bandages on her arm, legs and waist. Whoever did this saw each nook of her body, and it made the fire nation princess uneasy that some stranger had just taken her into their home and basically undressed and raped her with their eyes.
Azula then turns her head immediately when the sound of a door opening reached her ears. Like the reflexes of a tigerdillo, Azula jumped back to the bed and sat up, covering her bare body with the blankets , pretending as if she had just woken up.
Opening the door enters a woman, and the sight of her surprised Azula greatly. She was beautiful, arguably the most beautiful person she could have seen yet, she has full fringe, long black hair tied to a large bun with a small mole under her right eye, and not only that, she had pale pinkish skin similar to that like hers or her mother, though she could see the slightest hint of wrinkles indicating that she is of age, but still her beauty alone could put even the most beautiful noblewomen to shame, and she is arguably more beautiful than her or her mother, and she is one to take pride of her looks.
She was dressed similar to that of a fire nation noblewoman, but it was short sleeved and white, also wearing some fingerless gauntlets. But what really stands out to her was her eyes. Her eyes were beautiful, they were silver light gray and was that like of those mythical dragons, as if telling her that there IS indeed a dragon behind those beautiful eyes. Azula is one to see beauty, and this one really shook her to the core.
"Oh, I didn't realize you had already awaken." The woman says, her voice was soft and maternal, somewhat reminding her the voice of her mother. And the memory of that woman alone infuriates Azula, even when getting away from her, she still manages to always haunt her in the form of this beautiful woman.
Azula didn't realize that she was actually carrying another tray of pot and tea and settled it on the table, taking the now bland and cold tea and settled it to a chair, preparing to take it away when she leaves the room.
"Where am I ?" Azula softly asked, not looking at her even when she decided to sit at the edge of the bed near Azula's feet.
"You're in my house in one of my guest rooms . I'm sorry if its a little small but its one of the only free rooms I have " The woman says as she prepared Azula's tea, pouring it over to cup. This time the contents were freshly made, judging from how steam was released due to how hot the tea was. When she noticed Azula's raised brow, as if asking for more clarification on where exactly, she just added. "We are in a clearing in the middle of the Forgetful Valley."
Her answer satisfied Azula, but it didn't make Azula any less wary about her, considering she had stripped her down naked. Azula looked down unto herself, and then paid back attention to the woman. "You stripped me down naked, while I was unconscious." Azula mentions.
" My apologies but I had to" She says and explained. " When I found you under the pouring rain, you were covered in mud and grime. And not only that when I stripped you down, you were covered in open sores. Trust me, you will be thanking me for it. And..." The woman put a hand on the blanket covered leg of Azula, it somewhat made the prodigy flinch. "I promise you, I did not do anything inappropriate." the woman assured. "What's your name?"
Azula tilts her head slightly, as if telling the woman that she isn't as trusting unlike most people would. "Why ?"
The older woman chuckled. "Well, if I am one to harbor a stranger under my house, I for one would to make sure I know their names to know I'm safe." She explained and her answer didn't seem satisfying enough to Azula as she didn't answer and even out right took her attention away from her as she stared at a wall, though it did not deter the woman one bit and asked another questions. "Well, could I at least ask how old are you?"
Azula sighs, instead of answering she countered. "Make a guess."
The woman traced her eyes on Azula, it unnerved Azula a bit when she scanned her eyes on her, as if she was stripping her down naked. Putting a finger on her chin the woman then answered after a few seconds of silence. "Sixteen."
The fact that the woman actually guessed correctly made Azula flinch a bit. Most of the time, people would mistakenly thought she would be older than she actually is, considering she would act "mature" for her age and not only that, her striking beauty somewhat hides also her real age. Azula was a bit impressed with the older woman, not many could answer correctly. Azula could only nod in confirmation of her answer, and when she nodded, it made the woman smile. Azula isn't the one to reveal her age to some strangers, but she would make exceptions to this one.
"Most people would have guessed wrong, they would think I am older than my real age." Azula said to her.
And the woman stood up. "I guess, they are not paying more attention to detail then. I'm 35, the people I have met told I'm way younger." She remarked, and it really took Azula's attention. "I would have to leave you for now, I already prepared some clothes under the bed, you can wear them." She says as she took the bland cup of tea and pot from the tray. "Feel free to explore the house, it isn't much. But at least you would be familiar to it. I'll be outside if you have need of me, child." She says as she left the princess alone.
Whatever it is, her impression had really strike Azula. And not only that, she still couldn't get over on how beautiful the woman is. After being the limelight in her school, always adored by her peers on how beautiful and talented she is, the feeling of someone being close to her beauty or arguably more beautiful than her is foreign. And not only that, she already had figured that she knows she is a firebender, and perhaps already even knows who she is, only feigning ignorance in order to bring her guard down .
Azula goes under the bed and took the clothes that she had referred to. The clothes had fit her, wearing white sleeved linen clothes and long black pants, the clothes weren't of great quality suitable for a princess, but at least they were comfortable. And just as Azula was about to leave the room, the memories came back again.
A tool that could be replaced.
A monster better off forgotten .
The words struck her like lightning in her heart, she had been replace and abandoned by her friends and family. The thought of it, made her heart skip a beat before resuming rapidly. She tried to breath properly, trying with all her might to find solace in a memory inside her consciousness but she had found none.
The emotional pain hurt to the point that it became physical, her body trying to move in order to make space for her lungs to take in air, but it refused to do so and it brought her to her knees.
The pain was intense, she hadn't felt this much pain since she had found out the whereabouts and the truth of her mother, the sight of that girl filling in her shoes, to be the perfect daughter for her mother that she never came to be. Azula held her head, her hands gripping on her hair to the point that she pulled out some.
She wanted to make the pain stop.
Just stop, just stop, stop haunting me ! Mother, Zuko !
Azula screamed in her mind and as if answering her wishes she regained control of her body.
Azula breathes in heavily, not realizing she had held her breath. Sweat was covering her as her eyes were darting all around, as if looking for a culprit that caused her attacks, but none was found and she sobs to herself.
Azula had to take some time to compose herself, to make sure that she rids herself of her puffy eyes and the stress that was on her face and skin. She wouldn't want the woman snooping around about her mental health. And now she wonders what to do after, she couldn't go back home knowing that Zuko is just there to take her back to that nutcase prison and rot. At this point, she is basically lost, all of her connections when she still held power were gone.
Going outside, Azula found out that indeed the woman was right, they were in a clearing within the forest, the house safely nestled next to the trees of the forest while a large lake was in the middle of the clearing. It didn't take long for Azula to find the woman next to the lake with a tigerdillo and an ostrich horse next to her as she sat down, relaxing under the warm sun. The woman noticed Azula approach and stood up, the animals giving her space as they went to their respective spaces.
She walked towards Azula elegantly, her arms held together by her abdomen. To Azula, the way she moved, everything about her is elegant. Like what you would find around noblewomen of the highest class, but yet she lives here alone with animals inside a forest of whom people fear.
"I see that you finally decided to explore outside." The woman says to her, just stopping shy a couple of feet from Azula. And finally, Azula could somewhat gauge the woman in terms of stature, and it seems like she is of the same height to the woman she had birthed her. Azula sighs in annoyance, that the woman herself has to remind her of someone.
She almost wonders if the spirits themselves are playing a joke on her by having the very woman that saved her remind her of the of the very same woman she was trying to forget .
Azula narrowed her brows and gets straight to the point. "Where is the nearest village from here ?" Azula demanded, though her question was a bit abrupt, it didn't phase the woman and she simply answered.
"It's far, perhaps a full night's journey, if you're lucky . At Hira'a" The older woman replied, still keeping her head high. And her answer made Azula raise brows to the point that it would tear, there is no possible indication that indeed it could be that far. Despite not having her full mental acuity, Azula would remember how much she would have ran.
"There is no way that Hira'a could be that far from here. I think you're lying." Azula accused, it couldn't have been that far.
The woman chuckled and simply answered. "There's nothing for me to lie. That I am surprised myself. If you came from Hira'a, it would have you taken a full day of walking to reach where I have had found you." She said. "I'm a woman of many talents myself, I'm well versed here in the forest. The spirits and its inhabitants aren't kind to trespassers." She adds.
Azula thinks about what the woman had just said , she didn't seem to be lying or that Azula could tell that she was lying . And in all truth , she hadn't exactly been measuring how far she had run from Hira'a to the spot where this woman found her , so there is the chance that she could be telling the truth .
And that really took Azula's intention on how a woman like her would end up in this place. And especially how one could even make a house this deep into the forest. And the woman seems like have caught on to the wondering Azula.
"I know this forest well, I do come to the village of Hira'a from time to time when needed." She said.
"And you're going to take me there." Azula adds, though she wants to get out of this place, Azula herself wondered where she is going to go. Maybe somewhere where she could gather allies, and build something from the ground up.
She didn't really care just as long as its far away from Zuko and the palace would be a start. "You're to help me get out of this place." Azula demands but the woman shakes her head.
"It wouldn't be possible right now, the rainy season has already come. We would just get lost in the forest since the rain muddies the ground, and the ground is my form of navigation." She says as she turned her head. "And besides, child. You're not fit, you're still injured-"
"-don't call me a child." Azula interrupts her voice really set the tone of being annoyed, had the tea not hindered her firebending she would have just put the woman in flames and turn her to ash already. She was lucky that she was smart enough to give her a sedative.
The woman smiles, and nods. "Well then, we can call each other by our names. I am Kazumi." She said, and the way she just said her name to some stranger made her raise Azula's brow. The princess wondered if she have any ulterior motive or is just this creepy on welcoming to strangers that she found in the middle of the forest.
"Azula." She blurts, and at the point, she wanted to hit herself. She wanted to take it back, saying she misspoken but she knew it would be far too suspicious to take it back. She had just hoped that the woman is an ally of the fire nation, not some rebel that would kill her while she slept.
But to Azula's surprise Kazumi only smiled. "That's a beautiful name." She comments and it appalled the prodigy, for one her name is famous all around and not only that, this woman is of fire nation origin who lives in the land of the fire nation.
"Are you kidding ?" Azula could only ask this, still dumbfounded how one could not know that name.
Kazumi raised her brow. "Why would I be ? Unless that name is of importance, and one I should know. I would apologize, I'm not really versed in the outside world." She said, and Azula looked at her in the eye, really trying to find if there is a hint of truth on what she had said. For one, she could read lies, and it seems like she could find none within her.
Though, not a liar Azula could tell, there was more to this woman than it seemed.