Her feet hurt too much but she still didn't stop, she had found a path a few days after her last nightmare and now she found herself following it, at first she had refused but the desire for real food had forced her.
Her clothes were in tatters and she had dirt everywhere, she had tried to wipe his face in a puddle but it didn't make much difference, now she looked more like a tramp than a princess but she could handle it.
She was walking looking at the ground when she heard the galloping of an ostrich horse behind her, she turned and saw a mounted man in the distance, she stopped her walk until the man reached where she was.
"Could you tell me how much longer it is to the next town?" Azula said with the kindest voice she could muster. "Walking will take half a day, but on an ostrich horse you will get there faster. Do you want me to take you?" the man asked with a gesture. selfless, she was not used to living on charity, he had to offer his horse to the princess and walk, he did not want to ride with a dirty peasant but he had no other option, he nodded his head and the man told him to leave. would go up
She was a little uncomfortable holding the peasant by his clothes so as not to fall, but she tried to ignore him as best she could when a voice took her out of her thoughts. "And where is such a lonely young lady going?" the man said with a smile that He didn't give Azula much confidence -It's not very common to have visitors in this remote town- he spoke again when he noticed the girl's silence -I'm going to another place, I just ran out of supplies and I have to stop at this place- She responded somewhat distantly -Well, there isn't much in this town but with enough money you can replenish your supplies in a decent way- Azula didn't say anything, she had no money and nothing to talk about either, the whole way continued in silence.
After a while they passed the first houses, as they moved further they were closer and closer together, until they reached a well -I can leave you up to here, I'm going somewhere else but if you continue along the road from there you will find a couple of shops and Maybe a place to sleep - Azula was barely going to respond when the man was already moving - Don't worry about the ride, it's nothing, you'll need the money more, the inns here are expensive and more so for outsiders - he managed to say while he was walking away.
Azula didn't watch the man disappear down the road, instead she turned towards the well and prepared to drink some water and maybe she could clean herself a little -Hey! "You can't drink from the governor's well without identification," shouted a soldier who was approaching her.
She cursed internally, she had already imagined that not having identification would cause her problems but she didn't expect to have them so soon, she didn't want to attract attention, she was in no condition for a fight, she was tired and hungry, she looked at the soldier, there was only one she could with him, if she finished it quickly she could get out of this easily but eventually they would realize and the problems would only get bigger, she didn't trust his manipulation much at the moment but she was sure that his talk could get her out of this.
-I don't have identification, some bandits robbed me when I was on the road and took everything, I was only able to get here because of a good man who took pity on me- Azula said trying to look mortified, the soldier looked at her suspiciously but after I sigh for a while - I'm sorry, you still can't drink from the well, the stores don't close yet, you can go look for charity there - Azula repressed a flame that was forming in her hand and walked towards the direction that the man indicated, they even denied her. water in his own nation, he made a mental note to punish this specific soldier when he regains the throne.
He was walking down the main street, some shops had begun to close and people were heading home, he quickened his pace to what seemed to be a tea shop, he tried to suppress the disgust for the person that came to mind. and she entered, what she saw left her speechless.
This was not a tea shop, there were bodies mixed in every direction he looked and a couple of drunk men lying on the ground, he was about to turn around and leave when a woman's voice spoke to him - Are you looking for your dad? girl? - He could notice the mockery in her tone - I'm not a girl - was the only thing she managed to answer, it always bothered her when they called her a girl even though technically she was, but she was a princess, they should treat her with more respect - Don't you have clients to serve Miyo? She stops wasting time and continues working - an authoritative voice from her pulls her out of her thoughts.
I didn't notice when the woman named Miyo left until the other woman spoke again -Well, it seems that you don't have money. Are you coming to look for it here? - asked the woman -How dare you treat your... - The words died in Azula's mouth, the woman looked at her with curiosity - It seems that you are tired. Do you want to spend the night here? - The woman asked kindly - I can give you a room and a hot dinner, don't worry about the expenses, the house invites - he said with a smile to try to inspire more confidence.
Azula was not stupid, she knew that things in these places are not free, sooner or later the woman would charge her for her hospitality but she did not plan to stay to find out when that would be, she had agreed to sleep in this place for now, it caused her some discomfort. It was repulsive to think about what the purpose of this room was, but at least I had had something decent for dinner and I was no longer sleeping outside, I didn't have the comfort of the palace but it was better than nothing.
Nothing, that word repeated in her mind, she was no longer in the rain but the cold that she felt from it penetrated her bones, another new thought... She no longer had anything.
Well I wanted to fix this chapter a little before uploading it but I don't have time and if I don't upload it now who knows when it will be.
Thanks to those who read this story 3