Jaded Petals ↛ Zuko x OC ✔️

13 | When it All Burns Down

Daiyu was in her room, having her hair brushed by a servant. Last night, Kyoshi Warriors had arrived and she had easily avoided them. She wasn't ready to face Suki or the other members, still remembering how odd she had left things at Kyoshi Island when she had joined Zuko. She wondered if Suki hated her, she would be surprised if the girl was. Soon there was a knock on her door, "Open." Daiyu had said as Yunru had entered and looked at the girl with a smile. "The Earth King is ready for dinner, Daiyu." He had said as she had stood and walked over to him, her hanbok nice and tidy. He had escorted her down the hallway, her eyes looking at the paintings. "How long are you going to pretend that you are happy here?" Yunru had asked her as she had looked at him. "As long as it takes." She replied. "He's growing fond of you and I have a feeling you are starting to care about him." The boy had said as she had looked at him from the corner of her eyes. "He's kind and sweet. It is hard to not like him, but I do not love him and I'm afraid I never will." She answered truthfully, "But I can still treat him well. That's all I can really do." Yunru hadn't said anything as they had stopped at the large green and gold doors. He had opened it and Daiyu walked in, sitting next to the Earth King at the long, low table.

"Kuei." The man had turned to look at her. Daiyu had picked a clump of pan-friend noodles and looked at him. "How are you feeling?" These past days were stressful for him and even though she did not love Kuei, she had felt sorry and concerned for him. He gave her a small smile and then let out a troubled sighed. "My most trusted advisor betrayed me. Who can I really trust?" He had asked as she had looked away, feeling quite guilty. "I know we haven't known each other for long and its only been two days, but you have been the only truthful per-" Daiyu had cut him off right there. "No. No I haven't." Was being a pathological truth-teller a disorder? She felt like she had it. "What do you mean?" He had asked as Daiyu placed her chopsticks down. "I didn't run away all those years ago." She had said, her eyes closed. "I was taking in by the Fire Nation General who had destroyed the outer wall during the war years ago." She felt a shift in him, which she wasn't sure was good or not but she continued on. "I've lived in the Fire Nation for about two years and then went to Kyoshi Island for Earthbending training for three years. And then I travelled with the banished Prince of the Fire Nation and former General, who were trying to take the Avatar."

"Then why did you defend that Avatar? Was it a trap? Were you trying to help those Fire Nation people again?!" He asked, just as angrily as she thought he would be. "No, it wasn't. I honestly believed in the Avatar in what he said about Long Feng, which was the truth. And I know of the hundred year war so he did not lie. That war took away my father because your father had him commit suicide." She answered as he calmed down at the mention of his father killing her own. "I was homeless and nobody came for me. That Fire Nation general took me in and he had loved me, he still loves me like I was his own. This war? I don't care about it. It's just that banished prince and that ex general are people that I love and took care of me. I never meant for anyone to get hurt, I just wanted to be with the people I love." The Earth King had remained quiet for quite some time. "You are going to change aren't you?" He had then asked as she looked him with surprise. "You like it here, don't you? You were raised here. You are Earth Kingdom through and through. You understand that your place with the Fire Nation wouldn't have been a happy one."

Her eyes had lowered and averted his eyes. Her head slightly down as her bangs had covered her eyes. "I know.." She replied softly. "Since you told me the truth, I won't have you thrown in jail." She had looked at him in surprise, not expecting for him to say that. "But it changes how you feel, doesn't it?" She had asked as he looked at her and then at his bowl of noodles. "I don't know how to feel really. I can't really hate you since you tried to help me and still going to be my wife. You haven't betrayed me really; you have just hidden things from me. I understand that you did not ask for this, neither have I, and so all we can do is adjust." She had folded her hands in her lap. "I'm not stupid." Daiyu shook her head, "I never thought you were. I understood why you trusted Long Feng, even though I knew the truth I knew how it all seemed... unbelievable to you."