I Am Not the Last Airbender {ON HOLD}

Chapter Seven

We resumed training again the next day. Slovono seemed to find great pleasure in my terror as he threw things at me, one after the other. But seeing his smug grin only made me want to work harder. I even got a good jab in at one point.

“Alright, Julia,” he said. I had given up correcting him. “Let's take a quick break.” My knees collapsed and I fell to the ground, exhausted. Greedily, I guzzled down half my canteen. “Wore you out, huh?” That smug smile was back.

“Don't make me smack you, Slovono,” I said before I took another sip of water.

“Treat your master with respect,” Slovono said, the playfulness edging out of his voice. I rolled my eyes. Then, all of a sudden, I was soaked. A sphere of water had dropped on my head.

“Hey!” I cried. “What was the point of that?”

“I said you should treat me with respect. Next time you disrespect me, I'll kick you out.”

“But Fire Lord Zuko hired you to train me! You can't just walk out--” I began, but Slovono interrupted.

“I chose to train you, and I can change my decision whenever I wish. So watch your attitude.” This was what drove me crazy about Slovono: one minute he could be joking around, and the next threatening you. It drove me kind of crazy.

I held back a, 'Fine', and stood up. Setting my canteen down and readying my stance. I was about to chuck a snowball at his head, when a voice to my left called my name. Turning, a servant stood there, Macco in tow.

“The Fire Lord wishes to see you,” the servant said, bowing his head humbly. I straightened and walked away from Slovono. Macco and I kept pace just behind the servant.

“What's going on?” I whispered to him.

“How would I know?” he replied. I sighed. We got to the throne room, and Zuko stood up in his chair. There was an undeniable rage in his eyes and his hands almost quivered. Lady Mai glared down at us as well.

“Children,” Zuko began, “I don't like being lied to.” Macco and I exchanged a worried look.

“Fire Lord Zuko, I assure you we have no--” I tried.

“Silence!” he cried. “Do not lie to me any more than you already have. I received word from the South Pole that the Avatar's daughter was missing, as well as a boy from the tribe, too.” His eyes shifted between the two of us. “Jalia, is there anything you'd like to tell me?”

I thought for a moment. I had no other choice: I had to lie. “Fire Lord Zuko, I have nothing to tell you because I have absolutely no idea what it is you are talking about. Father and Mum sent Macco and I here; we did not sneak out. Why in the Four Nations would I ever want to runaway from my own home? Father had to convince us to get us to come here. But now that we're here, I've never been happier. I've been learning so much, and I really don't feel it would help our training for us to be sent home in the middle.”

Zuko and Mai looked perplexed, as if unsure of what to do. Hopefully, it had worked... Zuko sighed. “Jalia, Macco, I apologize for getting cross with you, but I fear I must obey Avatar Aang's wishes. It is beyond me why he would change his mind so suddenly, but I must send you two home. A Fire Navy ship will come and pick you up tomorrow morning.”

“Oh, no,” I said. “That's quite alright. We've got Appa. He can fly us home much faster.”

“No, I must insist,” Zuko said. “I cannot send you home unescorted.”

“If you must,” I said reluctantly. “We will ride Appa down to the docks, then.”

“Very well,” he replied. “It was very nice meeting you both.”

“And you as well, Fire Lord Zuko. And you, Lady Mai.” I said, Macco and I bowing our heads.

“You may want to go and begin packing,” Mai said softly.

“Yes, I think we shall.” With that, Macco and I left the throne room and began down the hall to our rooms.

“We aren't really going back, are we?” Macco whispered.

“Of course not, stupid. Dad's gonna kill me either way, so I'd like to get as much out of our trip first.”

“Where are we going to go, then? We barely got any training done.”

“Where ever the wind takes us.”