𝓐𝓬𝓬𝓾𝓻𝓼𝓮𝓭 𝓒𝓻𝓸𝔀𝓷 {𝓐𝓣𝓛𝓐}

Part 19

Will give you guys a double update as thanks for waiting! I've been in and out of comatose so yeah...

but here's chapter 19!

She didn't feel as though she was deserving of the praises. They have successfully taken over the land and have completed their mission. With less than twenty percent casualties, they had taken down the enemy fleet rather quickly.

People say that as long as you come back from war living and breathing, it is a victory. Yet to her, it felt far from it. In fact, she felt humiliated.

Due to her negligence, not only was she seen frozen in the ground, you had to step in to save her from being impaled. There will be yet another scar that will now linger on your body. This one wasn't even her doing. Not directly at least.

It was an accident.

On her part.

Worst of all, since the day her vision got blurred by your blood, each night she spent having nightmares of you being killed. Be it by accident or by someone, you always ended up dying in her arms. She's tired of waking up in a cold sweat, she's tired of seeing your mangled body every time she closes her eyes.

She's tired.

Letting out a sigh, she looked at the dock. Servants running around like headless chickens, filling her boat with crates and barrels. Shortly after she came back from "observing" your battle against the Earth kingdom. She got her first, this time official, assignment.

Though rather than a battle against fully trained and armed soldiers, she will be facing peasant born villagers. It was a siege. A little village in the corner of their world map. An island that exists between the Earth and Water nations.

An insignificant plot of land, though it made a perfect playground for her. A safe place to make mistakes, though she had no plans on doing so.

Walking down the stairs, she drew near the dock where you stood. Personally, making sure she had everything she needed. From daily change of clothes to meals and supplies. As someone who went to countless battles and field training, who knows better to bring what kinds of equipment other than you?

"Will you be seeing me off?" She stood beside you as you checked off a list. You looked better when you weren't covered in blood.

"Yes, I will, Princess." You nodded, your gaze still on the paper, pencil in hand marking off each section. "I believe you will emerge victorious in your first battle." You sounded better when you weren't choking or gurgeling.

"Well, of course. Could you expect anything else?" She smiled, "Though, you could hardly call this a battle. The village has a mix of both earth and water benders, and seeing as most masters prefer being amongst their kind, I can't imagine any of the villagers being proficient enough to be considered a threat."

"Still, it is never wise to underestimate your opponent." You handed your pencil to a passing maid before setting the marked papers ablaze. The gray ash flys with the wind as you spoke, "Killing takes a toll on your mental psyche. If possible, try to do it quickly." You turned to her, holding her gaze but you didn't lean down. "Don't let them speak, don't see them as people, once they open their mouth and start talking about their life, it makes it harder for you to end them."

She feels your hand squeeze her shoulder, "The faster you get rid of them the better. Keep conversations short and eye contact shorter."

Nodding to what you said, she thought back to the battle. Since it was war, who has the time to carelessly chat with the enemy? Other than to interrogate, why talk to them at all? There must be someone that's on your mind for you to say such cryptic things.

Must be someone you had to kill back at the camp.

"Don't worry. Talking over tea wasn't part of the itinerary anyway." With a wave of her hand, she began walking forward. What you said was true, she had no issue in doing away with random soldiers but the mere thought of loosing you grips at her heart. Clearing her throat, she changed the topic. "It's time to board the ship, is there anything that you would like to give me?"

She watched you think something over, something akin to a mental battle with yourself as your shoulder sagged. You kneeled down before pressing your lips on her right cheek. "Don't people usually kiss both?"

Her eyebrow rose when you shook your head. "I'll kiss the other one when you come back." She noticed your eyes soften ever so slightly. Nothing too revealing but to her, for someone who had spent the better part of her life being beside you, she could tell. It was clear enough.

Hiding her joy with a scoff, she crossed her arms, "I'm not a child who needs motivation, you know? But, I guess it won't hurt to play along." She copied what you did, leaving a peck on your cheek, "I'll kiss the other one when you welcome me back."

You went rigid before giving her a nod.

True to your words, you stood with her till she set sail. Though no more words were exchanged.