Prophecy (Sun and Moon Book 3)

Chapter 33 - Drowning

I glare out over the harbor, my fingers clenched tight on the windowsill. I'm sick of this inn, I'm sick of this town, and I'm SICK of everyone lying to me! SOMEONE in this cursed town has to know SOMETHING about Lia, but everyone is acting like they don't know a thing.

It makes me so mad I could kill something.

All I want in the world is to find my daughter. At this point, I'd let Zuko take her to Ursa with him, as long as she's SAFE.

Let him?

My anger dissipates, replaced by deep sadness and shame. I don't have the right to let him do anything. I kept her from him for four years. I know he'll do everything in his power to keep her with him, and she'll probably want to stay.

Why wouldn't she? Zuko is... well, he's Zuko. Of course she'll want to stay with him.

If we even find her!

No, I can't think like that.

Of course we'll find her.

We have to.

I can't imagine a world without Lia in it. Without her laugh, without her smile. Without her curiosity and deviousness that gets into her trouble a lot. I love her so much. She's a part of me, truly, and I... if she's really GONE... I can't even...

No. I can't think about this. She's NOT gone and I WILL find her. There is no other option.

Even if I have to search the entire Earth Kingdom, the entire WORLD, I will find my daughter and I will make sure she's safe, always.

I have lost Zuko, but I refuse to lose Allia. I REFUSE.

I close the shutters on the darkening town--it's getting late. Tomorrow, I'll get answers, or I'll leave Senlin Harbor and go somewhere else. Maybe King Kuei will help me--I bet he'd issue a decree telling the army to search for Lia! He owes Aang, after all.

Unless he's still mad about Yu Dao.

But who cares?! That's ancient history compared to this.

Besides, I wasn't even involved in the Yu Dao Rebellion. That wouldn't make a difference.

With a sigh, I throw back the covers and climb onto the hard bed. I'm sick of this bed. I'd rather sleep outside.

The lights from outside slowly fade until the room is nothing more than shadows, and the hours tick by. But still, I can't sleep. I toss and turn, I'm restless and I can't shut my mind down.

Finally, near dawn, I fall asleep.

Waves toss me about--I'm floating on an ice floe in a stormy sea. Lia floats on another floe, rushing away from me. I reach for her, but she disappears into the salt spray.

I dive into the water, I have to get to her! I'm caught in the current and I can't move, I can't breathe, I'm going to die and Lia--

Strong arms wrap around me, pull me to the surface. We wash up onshore and then he is kissing me, the familiar taste of Zuko mixing with the salty sea and smoke from a fire.

I burn where he touches me, as if he's branding me. The tattoos that cover my body begin to glow, and suddenly Zuko and I are standing in the shrine where were married, and the Lady of Hope is whispering words in my ear, and Zuko's eyes are blazing fury into mine.

"You kept her from me!"

"I'm sorry--" but he's gone, and the Lady's words echo in my head as I drop beneath the surface of the sea again, drowning in my sorrow.

"Reveal the true you, the person you are inside, and the answers you seek will come to you."

I sit up fast, gasping for air. The sheets are tangled around my legs and the room is filled with soft blue light--my tattoos.

My tattoos are glowing, writhing on my skin.

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Wow, sorry guys. I was swamped from 6 this morning till literally 20 minutes ago. *sighs* I'mma go to bed, and I don't care that it's only 7:30 Goodnight. V.V