Avatar Rose: Justice

Ch.14: March

Gwendolyn's POV:

Three knocks on my door. "Gwen? Miss Soldak?"

I open the door. "Stop being so formal." I eye Rowan up and down. "Sheesh, it's outrageous that they make me have an escort." He's in a more formal outfit, but less formal than me.

"Not too shabby yourself," Rowan teases, noticing my eyes.

I whack him over the head. "Shut up. I hate wearing this thing. It's so tribal." The word shivers off my tongue.

"Fit for a savage," he jokes.

I glare. "Pardon me, monsieur, would you like to fight?"

He looks away. "I'm joking, Miss Soldak." He offers me his hand in a very ceremonious manner, clearly not meeting my eyes. I whack it away.

No wonder. We're both pissed. Because of a certain something.

We walk to the meeting room. I'm about four large paces ahead of him. Guards salute to me as we pass. By the time we get to the room, Rowan has to sprint to get in front of me to open the door. I step in. There's a long, low table with cushions to sit on. About 3/4 of the people have arrived. Rowan directs me to a cushion and then stands at the back along the wall with the other escorts.

I notice a small sheet of paper with my name and rank on a piece of paper sitting at my place.

Gwendolyn A. Soldak
Unit: Water Forces
Water Tribe Superior Ambassador
& Negotiations Consultant

Basically it means that I'm part of the team that decides whether we surrender or not.

And that will never happen.

Why do these big-shots have to make it so ceremonial anyway? It's just a war meeting.

Oh, wait-there she is.

Pulling my Nathan on a collar beside her.

He doesn't give me a glance, only looks from behind that girl's dirty bob of goldie locks. She takes a seat on her assigned cushion, and gives the man sitting next to her a look that can kill.

She proceeds to guide Nathan into the newly emptied seat.

Bitch.

A couple minutes later, our attention is called for.

"Could I have your attention please?" A figure stands up.

Wow, he's young.

"We'll begin as the agenda indicates," he says. "First, we must discuss our dealings with the Air Nation, concerning mainly that botched bit of produce that came in three Saturdays ago. Mr. Ryuku Mitsuk-"

"Let's talk about when I get to kill my dad. That's the real matter at hand." Rose stands up.

What does that brat think she is?!

"You see," she explains, "most problems can be traced back to him. After living in both the temple for a bit and the palace, I understand why. My father is a major influence of the Air Nation- or, at least he was. He was quite a supporter of them- said he liked their lychees. He provided them with gardens and land in the Fire Nation, but rebuked all of it when he found the Air Nation conducting mass trades with Earth. Hundreds of nomads went unemployed!" She turns to the Air Nation representatives. "Is that wrong?"

They look back, a little stunned. The older one, with blue tattoos lining his body shakes his head.

"Killing him is top priority!" Rose yells, but she yells in a strangely calm way. 'Yells' is a bad word in this situation. 'Politely shouts', then? "He pulled some of the young air girls into the world of prostitution!" She continues, "How can the focus of this meeting not be about killing him? Let's get right to the battle plans. I thought this was a war meeting." She sits back down on her cushion.

Oh, that snotty little bitch!

The emcee looks a little unsure. After a long stretch of uncomfortable silence, he opens his mouth with clear hesitation. "As I was saying, Mr. Ryuku Mitsukane, will now pr-"

He suddenly stops. His face pales white. His eyes widen in shock. His hands, trembling, reach up to his neck...

I sprint to my feet. "Hey! Hey what-" I hear a giggle. Rose?!? What!

She gets up slowly, slumping her body weight and hunched. Her eyes glimmer a mischievous purple. "Wait up here," she laughs, "I thought we were talking about taking my daddy's head. Ripping his face off. Skinning his body. Peeling off each of his dainty liddle' fingernails, offering them sacrificial to the might-"

"Don't play around!" I scream.

Her shadow curls protectively around his neck. He falls to his knees.

"Rose! What are you doing? C'mon, snap out of it!"

Nathan?

"Rose! ROSE!" He's shaking her.

Her eyes glimmer amber again, and then she looks Nathan in the eye, then sits down. The shadow recedes.

"Blondie brat!" I yell. "What the hell are you doing? You can't just pretend that didn't just happen!"

This is the bitch that kisses my Nathan? And he lets her?!

"Beyond saving! That's what you are! Ever since I met you in the tribes I've questioned your sanity! You're a filthy man-user who can't hold her emotions straight, you're a good-for-nothing-"

"Bitch." Rose mutters. She grins. "Missy high-and-mighty Gwendolyn," she says, "you should consider writing an autobiography!"