The Dragon Princess and the Wolf Warrior

Chapter 86 [~|~] The Engagement // The Painted Lady

Katara stared sadly around the quaint Fire Nation village as the four teenagers walked through it. The villagers were all sitting on the edges of their platforms, heads bowed and eyes dull. "Look at this place," Katara breathed out, causing the group to pause. "It's so sad." Trailing her blue eyes over two hunched children, Katara averted her eyes. "We have to do something to help."

"No, we can't waste our time here. We have a bigger mission that we need to stay focused on," Sokka brushed his sister off, already heading towards the fish stand. "These people are on their own."

Katara shot her brother a look before rushing forwards, grabbing his shoulder. "These people are starving! But you'd turn your back on them?" Katara placed her hands on her hips, her eyes narrowed at her older brother. "How can you be so cold and heartless?"

"I'm not turning my back, I'm just being realistic," Sokka spoke as Katara shook her head. "We can't go around helping every rinky-dink town we wander into. We have bigger problems to face."

"Sokka, these are Azara's people. We should—"

"—Well, she's not here, is she?" Sokka snapped out before sobering and looking away. "Look, we'll be helping everyone by taking out the Fire Lord." Before he could say anything else, Toph smacked a hand over his mouth.

"Hey, loud mouths! Maybe we should be a little quieter when we talk about 'taking out the Fire Lord'," Toph reminded them, lowering her hand as Sokka sighed.

"Come on, Katara, be reasonable about this. You know our mission has to come first," Sokka replied before spinning and his heel, ending the discussion.

*|*|*|*|*

Back in the Fire Nation Palace, Azara rushed through the corridors, ignoring Izen's frantic calls for her. "Azara! Azara, listen to me!" Servants and guards ducked out of the way as Azara hurried along. Just another corridor and then she could finally let everything out in the safety of her room. "Azara! Wait, please!" She didn't even have the energy to yell at him.

Reaching her bedroom door, Azara threw it open before slamming it shut behind her, blocking Izen out, despite his frantic knocking on her door. Resting her body against the wooden door, Azara slid to the ground as tears started to dribble down her cheeks.

"Azara, please! I can explain everything if you just let me in!" Izen pleaded as Azara covered her face with her hands. "Azara!"

"Go away!" she cried out; her voice cracked with emotion. "You've done enough!"

"Azara," Izen sighed, resting his head against the door as the room next door opened, a confused Zuko emerging, Mai following out behind him.

"Izen?" Zuko called, eyebrows raised in surprise. He hadn't seen Izen since before his mother had disappeared. "What are you doing here?"

"I need to talk with your sister," Izen explained, standing up straighter as Zuko raised an eyebrow, eyeing Izen with suspicion.

"About?"

"Why their engagement of course," Azula stated from behind him, studying her nails with disinterest as Ty Lee stood beside her. "Haven't you heard, Zuzu? Azara's engaged."

"Engaged!?" Mai and Zuko exclaimed in shock as Izen pushed off Azara's door to stand in the middle of the hallway.

"Arranged, you know how it goes," Azula sighed, placing her hands on her hips, a bored expression overcoming her features.