Phoenix Fire (Avatar: The Last Airbender) #Wattys2016

||Chapter 12 - The Pheonix Part 3||

Lea's POV

I groaned out in pain when I felt a burning sensation on my hands, followed by a good sensation, but the burning sensation canceled out the good sensation. I slowly opened my eyes, my ears felt like they were clogged, like how you go under water, but I wasn't under water which made me confused. When my eyes were fully opened, all I saw was blurry figured in my line of view, I could easily make out Katara and at the corner of my eye, I saw a blue glow around both of our hands, what was she trying to heal? I wondered to myself.

I saw Zuko's mouth moving, but heard no words come out, but I could tell he was yelling, and who he was yelling at wasn't Katara, no, it was Shinya.

I closed my eyes feeling a headache come to me, but that didn't stop me from slipping back into the darkness.

(Time Skip)

I slowly opened my eyes, feeling my ears unclog and that I no longer had a headache. I sat up, feeling the makeshift bed creak underneath me. I looked around to see that I was in my old room, wait what? I got up, pulling the covers off of me in the process. Once I was stood up, I realized there was a note sitting on my desk. I grabbed it and opened it:

Dear Lea,

I'm sorry that you had to find out like this, but you're safer there, all of us took a vote if we should return you to the Fire Nation for your own safety before the war that is soon to come. Zuko and Shinya argued with each other for hours upon hours until they both agreed on it. Shinya was disappointed to find out that you were able to bend fire, it took him a long time to accept Zuko, but now he needed to accept you for your talent. During the healing process that Katara was doing on you, your hair started to change color, back to what Zuko said, your original hair color. We still do not know why that happened, but one day we will find out. I'm sorry, Lea, just know, all of us are thankful that we met you back at the prison, Shinya is thankful that he met you in Ba Sing Se, Zuko is glad that at least one of his sisters cares for him and his well being. Thank you, Lea

Your Friend, Aang. 🐨

Tears started stream down my face as I covered my mouth with my free hand, oh Aang...

There was dried stains of tears on the parchment of paper, so I knew that Aang was crying as he wrote this. I balled my fist up in anger, if only, if only I wasn't born as the Fire Lord's Daughter, if only, I was born somewhere else, maybe things would have been different. A knock on the door caught me off guard, I hurriedly wiped away my tears and bunched up the letter from Aang before throwing it in the corner to hide it. I turned around just in time for the door to open

"Welcome back home, sister." Azula emerged from the doorway, her arms wide open for me, a ghost smile playing on her lips. I stared at her, bewildered

"How did I get here?" I asked her, looking around then down at my clothes. I heard her softly chuckle

"Your friend, who had a long bow on his back brought you here, saying that you would be safer here before Sozin's Comet, which I agreed with, as well did father." My head snapped upward to look at her

"He did?" She walked towards me, resting her hands on my shoulders

"Of course he did, he went rigid when he found out that you were kidnapped by Earth Kingdom Folk." What? They thought I was kidnapped!

"But don't worry, you are safe now, I will make sure of that. I will teach you how to protect yourself little sister." She told me taking a strand of my hair

"Hmm, looks like before they returned you, they got rid of that awful red hair." Azula mumbled to herself

"Princesses! Fire Lord Ozai requests you in the Throne Room." A guard told us, walking into the room

"Very well, I will leave you to get dressed, I'm pretty sure father wouldn't want to see you in your Pajamas." I nodded and waited until they got out of the room and no longer heard their footsteps. I punched the bed as hard as I could, leaving a big dent in it, but it fade away from the soft mattress. Dang it... Even the mattress hates me. Wait, I sat back on the bed and held my hand up towards the ceiling. I closed me eyes shut, imagining fire in my palm. I took a deep breath and waited, concentrating hard. After five minutes, I opened me eyes to see nothing, no fire, zilch. Does it only happen when I dance?

I shrugged, I will figure it out later, right now I need to go and see Ozai.

(Time skip)

After I got dressed in Fire Nation clothing I was about ready to head out when I noticed the Book of Forms by the window, it was neatly leaned against the window, as though someone wanted me to see it. I walked towards it and picked it up, once I did, my hands once again started to feel like they were burning, but it wasn't painful. When I looked up, I gasped to see my left eye was gold, pure gold. I dropped the book and quickly covered it with my dark boring hair so no one else would see it. I sighed in relief when it was no longer noticeable. I looked down at my right hand to see a small insignia of a sun engraved in the middle of my palm, It was the same thing with my left hand.

A knock on the door brought me out of my thoughts

"Princess Lea, I'm here to escort you to the throne room." A heard a guard state on the other side of the door. I took a deep breath before opening the door to see the guard waiting for me. I nodded at him and followed him to the throne room.

As I passed these plain red walls, memories flooded through me of my childhood, of my mother. I clenched my fists at my sides harshly, trying so hard not to punch the wall, remembering what Ozai did to her.

To Be continued