The Archer [Zuko]

➳ 5 ➳

Azula was right. One of her maids dropped off a dress a few minutes ago in my room for me to wear to the banquet. It looks about my size, but I'm not sure how I feel about it. The color of it is the same red as the Yuyan Archer tattoo on my face, which is nice. However, it looks more like sleepwear than an actual dress for a banquet with the Fire Lord. I guess that's what girls are wearing these days, so I shrug before slipping into it.

I still have a few minutes until the banquet begins, and I definitely want to make my entrance something they will never forget. At least, I want to be a little late so every eye will be on me, especially Zuko. I haven't seen him since we entered the palace a few hours ago. He's probably trying to avoid me because of our conversation from earlier. He won't be able to avoid me tonight, though.

The mirror in the corner of the tiny room shows a girl with a mischievous look in her eyes. I'll have to quell that tonight because I don't want people to figure me out already. I hope I'm not see through right now. That would be terrible for me; I better be careful here, more careful than I ever have before. This is the biggest job I have ever done.

I wrap my cape around my shoulders and smile at the girl in the mirror. I do have a great poker face, but even I can see through the facade that I'm trying to put on. Maybe that's because I know exactly what I'm doing and why I'm here. Hopefully, it'll fool everyone else around me. The hardest person that I have to fool is probably Azula. She knows literally everything that's going on around her because she runs the place. It'll be hard, but I have to trust myself and my abilities to keep my cool in any sort of situation.

I wish I can have my bow and arrows on me. They're like my safety net, but I don't think the Fire Lord would be happy that a Yuyan Archer brought them to a feast. They are hanging off of my mirror, tempting me to grab them and stuff them below my cape, but I quell those feelings. I need to make a great impression tonight, so my things have to stay in here. However, I'm not going to let them stay on my mirror. I'm afraid that Azula will send some of the guards that are under her thumb into my room and search through my stuff. I don't want them to steal my prized possessions, so I quickly stuff them under my bed. It is low enough to the ground that no one can really see under it. I shove the blankets that were on the bed in front of them just in case anyone does try to look underneath my bed.

There's an urgent knock on my door. A slow smile spreads across my face as I steel myself for this feast. I haven't been this excited for anything in years. I honestly don't know why I'm excited, either. I should be nervous to be surrounded by this many people who might know me. But I know that no one I know will be here tonight besides Xalen. I don't sell the things I steal to most higher ups because most of them would sell me out to the guards and police and I would be in jail forever because of what I do.

I throw the door open and see a guard waiting for me. I reach out, flicking open the face shield. In front of me stands Xalen, a bored look on his face. "You want to make an entrance, don't you?" he asked softly.

"Obviously. You know who I am. I like drama."

"You shouldn't like drama that happens because of you, though." I assume he is going to be my escort to the banquet, so I follow him. He has his arms crossed over his chest with a frown on his face. "Do you really want to get caught this early?"

I roll my eyes. "Who says I'm going to get caught?"

"I do." He glances back at me, his frown deepening. "And why in the world did you decide to wear your cape? You look ridiculous."

"You told me I look sexy in my cape."

"Under different circumstances, you did," he says. His voice sounds strained, which is exactly what I want. He's so easy to annoy. "Not anymore. And definitely not going to the banquet welcoming the Banished Prince home."