Should've been me || Katara x OC

twenty-nine || amber

When I wake i shackles, I begin to wonder exactly how many times this has happened to me.

With my arms hung above my head and my knees rested just above the floor, I could feel the strain in my muscles and the sharp dig of the metal into my wrists. With the drug wearing off, my vision was still hazy, a shroud of jade green light overwhelming my surroundings.

It took a few more minutes to realise i was staring at the floor, the pain in my wrists was bringing me back slowly, and i could feel my movement returning. I strained my head up, and was met with an unfamiliar face.

He was older, as old as my father. He wore emerald green robes that fell to the floor, with his long jet black hair swooped behind his head.

He gave me a malicious smile that didn't reach his eyes. 'Princess Arya.'

'Who are you?' I spat, the strain in my voice audible.

He ignores me. 'I have had spies on you since you arrived. I know everything that happens here, you must learn. I could have your friends abducted in a matter of hours. I could sell each of them to the fire nation, if I so pleased.'

The fear must show in my face, because he gives a satisfied grin and laughs. 'No.' escapes my lips before I can stop it. 'What do you want from me?'

He shakes his head. 'Where is your poise? Your Etiquette?'

I say nothing, and instead pick my head up, and spit on his shoe. He reels backwards, cursing at me. I hadn't noticed the guards in my haze, and the punch to my face came from the dark. It came from my side, from someone I had not been able to perceive the presence of. My cheek aches and my ears ring. I spit more blood onto the ground, aimlessly, as dark splotches appear in my vision. 

'I doubt it will take the fire nation more than a day to arrive,' he said, walking from the room. Two figures follow him out, and my intuition tells me there is no one left in the room with me. 

My head swims. Only when my throat begins to ache do I start to hear my screams, disjointed sounds from the pit of my belly. Unintelligible noises begin to form words. I scream their names. All four of them. 

I had always believed myself to be independent. I had promised that after Zuko, I would never allow myself to become so reliable on another human being. Yet, I had never wanted anything more than their rescue. I willed them to throw open those heavy metal doors, to unshackle me, tear me free from these chains. 

I screamed until my voice ran hoarse, until I could taste my tears in the back of my throat. Until I drifted unwillingly into the darkness. 

---

I was woken by banging. A repetitive thrumming that seemed to get louder and louder. My head still drumming, I scrunched my eyes together to block out the light. An incandescent terror ran through my blood.  I doubt it will take the fire nation more than a day to arrive. 

No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no...

The reality of my situation was dawning, the realisation that soon I would be back in that palace, back in that throne room with my father, with my sister. I had the sudden urge to throw up. 

Cold hands meet my face, and in shock, I scream. My eyes fly open, the iridescent green light sending shockwaves of pain through my head. 

The girl i see in front of me is pale. Her dark hair is pinned behind her head, her amber eyes are piercing through my soul, that awful, snarling smirk plastered on her face. She takes me in, and then begins to laugh, a cold, shallow laugh, and reaches her hand out to me. I reel backwards, as much as the chains allow me to, as the metal digs into my wrists, and I feel a cold line of blood swooping down them. I begin to scream again, I cry out for Katara, for Aang, for Sokka and Toph. I cry out for Zuko, I scream his name over and over again, despite the growing hatred and hurt I still have for him, I know he would save me from her, he would never have let Azula take me. 

Slowly, Azula's face begins to deform. The green lights begin to dim, and the throbbing in my head begins to subside. I watch in silent tears as Azula's sharp features begin to soften. Slowly, her snide smirk, her amber eyes, the distinct lines of her face, begin to fade. And, in their place, another face begins to form. 

Katara is saying something, but the ringing in my ears has blinded any other noise. I call out for her, but I falter. Could this be another illusion? Could my mind be making more of this up? 

At once, my hands fall free, long chains falling down with them. Someone has cut me free. Sokka kneels down at my side, picking up my hand, and attempting to free my wrists from these shackles. 

Katara leans forward and places her hands on my cheeks, and then pulls me into her embrace. The ringing subsides, and I can hear her words. My name, over and over again. I whisper apologies, but she shush's them immediately. 

'Katara!' Sokka shouts, but his voice is disjointed. 'Katara, she can't...' silence. '...drugged her... We need to leave... now!' 

Sokka hauls me upwards, throwing my arm over his shoulder. Katara came around the other side. They began to walk, but not long after, they seemed to give up, and slumped me down against the wall, just next to the door. I wondered what could be wrong, but my vision was swimming. Colours and objects distorted, and I watched as their faces disintegrated into the darkness I faced.