𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝙱𝚊𝚕𝚊𝚗𝚌𝚎 𝚘𝚏 𝙻𝚒𝚏𝚎

III

ꕥ

It had been three years since Yurika was abandoned by her parents. She forgotten their faces long ago. All she ever knew was the Fire Nation.

Mako had been taking care of Yurika from day one. Yurika followed Mako everywhere.

It reminded her so much of him.
And it pained Mako's heart.

They wandered the back halls together. Carrying the sheets and blankets of blood and snow. Yurika wonder if she would ever get to see the royal family. She knew she shouldn't bother them but they fascinated her.
She knew of the Fire Lord of course
And the two older princes
And the young ones her age.
So deadly and mysterious.

Mako always told her to just stay here in her place.

But Yurika also knew to be accepted by the Fire Nation she had to fill that place.
And that she did.

Yurika watched and learned about every task Mako did for the royal family.  From peeling potatoes to now washing the fine silk kimonos. She was six and already learned so much. Mako tried not to get attached she really did but her little lily always pulled her back.
Mako taught her everything to know about how to be a prefect maid.
To watch and listen. Walk with pride and humility. To survive.
Yurika was prefect at it. Almost to prefect
Mako was afraid her little lily would be taken from her just like him. To fill some higher place away from Mako. A pawn in a wicked game of chess

She tried not to worry herself and just focus on Yurika surviving.
Steering her away from the dirty looks the other maids gave her. Yurika still deserved to be a child in this hell.
No matter what Amuza told her. Yurika was loved at some point even if she didn't believe it.

They live a simple life in their room they called paradise. After long days of chores they would snuggle together in bed. With Mako pulling out one of her stories.

Yurika sat there in silence simply listening and watching the words on the page. It worried Mako how Yurika never talked.

She would laugh and cry. But not a single word escaped her lips.

Mako could already feel Yurika slipping away from her protective hold.

ꕥ

Water and Water. Water, water, water and of course more water.

It surrounded me everywhere in places I wished it didn't.

I tried to imagine the natural flow of water as I bended it above my head. My face was etched with concentration. Why did the spirits curse me with this. 
I moved the water further away from me trying to break it and hold two separate bubbles. It was good at first until the noise of my door being slammed open was heard. The loud noise caused me to drop the water on my rug leaving a massive puddle.

"The Avatar is on Kyoshi Island !" Zuko walked in slightly out of breath mostly likely coming from the upper deck.

My face burned with annoyance as I got up from my now wet spot on the floor. Until confusion filled my mind. Why was he holding a-

"Why do you have a plate of fish?"

Zuko blanked out for a second before looking down at the plate in his hands.