The Ruka Wild ↠ Book 3 > A:TLA

04

Ruka (3)

My eyes shot open and all I saw was red. I sat up and looked around. Surely this wasn't another Fire Nation prison. There was fancy furniture around the room and I was laid in a giant bed. Where did Azula take me?

When I heard floors creak outside the room, I moved my legs to the floor and ran over to the door. "Sokka?" I opened the large doors, several women were stood with things in their hands. They wore shocked expressions on their faces.

"The princess was right." One said while shaking her head slowly.

"You poor child." Another added.

"Who are you?"

Their eyes averted away from me to each other. "I suppose she does speak."

"Of course she speaks. She's a human girl."

"Look at her. I hardly see a girl."

"You are right. Merely skin and bones."

I looked down at myself. I was wearing a new pair of clothes. The thought of some stranger changing made me hug myself. "Where am I?" I asked them.

"Do you think she's as crazy as the Princess said she is?"

"I'm standing right in front of you! Can you give me some answers... please." My voice lowered when I saw a persons shadow walking toward us.

He wore Fire Nation royalty attire. His black hair was up in a bun.

I hardly recognized him.

His infamous scar gave it away.

We stared at each other for a solid minute before he snapped his head at the women. "Why did you not follow orders? I told you to get me right when she woke."

"Which was only a few minutes ago, Prince Zuko."

"A few minutes too late. Leave us."

They did as he ordered and scurried away, still whispering to each other about the strange, alien-looking, girl the Prince acknowledges.

This isn't how I thought we'd see each other again. Truthfully, I didn't think we ever would. I dreamt about our encounter, but it wasn't this way. Quite the opposite, actually.

I was still screaming in my cell when he kicked the metal door open. He was dressed in the same clothes we always wore during our time in the Earth Kingdom. It looked like he'd been crying and hadn't slept in days. Much like I did. He said my name with a sigh of relief as he ran over to me.

He kneeled down and grabbed me tightly. I was trying my best to get out his grasp but he wouldn't let me budge. He placed his hand on the back of my head and pushed it on his chest. The sound of his heartbeat made my stomach flutter. Once I had calmed down, he repeatedly said he was sorry and how much he loved me. He kissed my head after every sentence. He came to rescue me.

But I didn't need rescuing anymore. The war is practically over. The Fire Nation won. And so did he.

Zuko took a step toward me and I took one back. He opened his mouth to say something, but I cut him off.

"Don't."

He sighed, "Ruka-"

"I said don't!" My voice echoed through the large halls. "Where is he?"

Zuko just stared blankly at me. He didn't even blink. I could see my own reflection in his eyes. His auburn eyes that I've missed getting lost in.

I gritted my teeth, "Where is Sokka? Where is my brother?!"

Again, nothing. His facial expression only changed just a bit. Now, Zuko was looking at me with pity.

I brought my hand up and forced it across his face. "Answer me!"

Zuko straightened his head out as it moved to the side due to the impact.

I couldn't take the silence anymore. I couldn't take his pitiful stare anymore. So I did the only thing I could do. I turned around and with only a few steps, I was back in the room. Closing the large bedroom doors, I turned the lock before letting myself slide down the door and hug my knees.