Avatar Rose: Dawn

Chapter 57: Rose

(This is how Rose is imprisoned).

For a moment, my brain can't process what just happened. I was about to defend Nathan, but paused knowing I'm practically helpless against another bender. Even though I'm pretty good at martial arts.

Nathan saved me. And he's probably going to die.

I scramble towards him frantically, holding his face in my hands. "No... No, please. Not you too," I murmur quietly, the tears flowing freely this time. A flashback of my foster parents jolts into my mind.

It's happening all over again.

I feel someone grab my arm, then another grabs my left. It takes a few seconds for me to register what is happening. I struggle against their grip. Being so discombobulated, I kick and punch weakly. Blocking someone's chi doesn't only mean your bending is temporarily gone, something happens to your body where you feel a little frail and unable to move quite as right. It's the perfect weapon.

Evan laughs. "How sweet. I knew he'd do that, and it was the perfect way to win the fight. Now we can return this little princess back home." The other men cheer.

"Y- you can't... Please save him!" I splutter. At the moment, it's kind of hard to be defiant when your best friend is about to die.

"Don't worry. After he's all healed up, he'll probably be a personal servant to the Firelord. I feel like that's enough of a punishment," a man says.

"And stop squirming. Nathan lost, okay? You're mine now," snaps Evan.

"I never promised anything!" I growl, kicking someone hard in the stomach. Another man slaps me so hard I see stars. Evan kicks me so hard in the stomach I crumple onto the ground. Anger pulses through my veins. I feel so... weak.

He drags me onto my feet by the collar of my shirt. I'm almost relieved when they drag an unconscious Nathan with us. At least when I escape I'll be able to find him easier. We'll be in the same palace. Chained up, I stiffly walk, my fury unbearable.

We stop in front of a huge blimp, probably able to hold fifty people inside. I'm practically dragged into it when I refuse to go in. They try to imprison me in strait jacket, but I squirm and resist as much as I can.

Naturally, I'm knocked out. When I wake up, I don't only have the strait jacket on, there's something covering my mouth so I'll be unable to bite anyone. I'm strapped upright in a board, and so secured in the blasted thing I can barely move to struggle.

The room is empty, and Nathan lies in a bed on the far side of the room. I guess they wanted us to say out goodbyes before we faced my father.

Nathan can't move his body because of the wound, but turns his head. His icy blue gaze is filled with sorrow.

"Rose... This is all my fault. I- I'm so sorry," he croaks.

I open my mouth to reassure him, but pause. Why? Because honestly, it kind of is his fault. But I would've probably done the same thing.

"We probably would've gotten captured anyway," I reply quietly.

At some point, I'm rolled out of the room, and I infer that we've arrived. I hang my head, losing all hope I once had.

"STOP!" I order. The man pauses, glaring at me.

"What?!" He growls.

"I need to say something. To Nathan," I urge. The man sighs, but relents.

I stare right into Nathan's eyes. "Look, whatever they're going to do to me, it's bad. And I probably won't be the same. I-
I just wanted to say that... I..." Ugh. This is harder than I thought.

"I love you too, Rose," he murmurs. And with that, I'm taken away, petrified.