ATLA Little Bender

Alive

Two days later Elaria could be found inside a small shop, Mako talking to the vendor in an attempt to buy something for a good price, she wore a hood covering her hair and face, and simply looked about the shop while Uru guarded her.

Elaria could remember how she woke up, feeling particularly empty from the return of her strange dreams;  she hoped that leaving the palace would distance them from her. Yet they followed her onto the ship. It took her a while to discern where she was, and who she was, but after following her routine she resolved to leave the shell of her room for the purpose of gathering trinkets of the journey with Zuko.

If she wanted to get away from the prying knowing looks of her father; to forget the paranoia of insanity from thinking she heard the Avatar that would be her own business. 

Earlier that morning she found bags pulled the light from her grey eyes, her skin was pale and colorless, and her hair felt limp, the nights without sleep were beginning to impact her. Yet Elaria ignored the reflection in the mirror, not wanting to face it or the thoughts that trapped her mind in the uncanny nights. Rising from the bed was easy when she had yet to grow attached to it, still favoring her room in the Royal Palace. A sigh escaped her lips as she ignored the sour taste in her mouth-

Every morning since her departure Elaria would find herself missing Mereese, not because they were friends but because of the girl's talent with her hair and comfort to rope her out of her bleary-eyed state whenever she woke up diaphanous of the visions.

"Ah! Stupid hair!" She cursed as her comb caught another knot, yanking hard she lost her patience and the will to live when a dull ache settled in her head. "You know, I used to do your hair all the time when you were a little girl," Elaria's father paused, Iroh had entered the room during her struggle, doing his best not to smile at his enraged daughter, "I can always do it one more time for you."

"Father, not that you're... unwelcome, but you don't know how to do my hair now," Elaria decisively said; doing her best not to show her annoyance at his arrival, but she couldn't fight the urge to roll her eyes. "Well I would at least like to try, I'm sure I can get it to some extent."

"That's not necessary, father I can manage it on my own," Elaria pulled the brush through the knot fighting a wince as the tips of her curly hair were combed. "Well, who says you have to do it alone?" He asked carefully, Elaria did her best to move on from the double meaning in his sentence. The conversation was too familiar and acidic for her liking. He had the audacity to act as though he hadn't abandoned her shortly after those same words!

Giving up on her hair, for now, Elaria set an excuse for him to leave, "Father, I need into my dress, if you would give me some privacy," She gestured to her dresser along the wall, Iroh's eyes widened, "Oh of course!" He gesticulated the door, "If you need me I will be in my room until lunch."

"Uncle!" Zuko's voice called through the hallways, Elaria felt her lips curl downwards, he always needed her dad. As if he couldn't do things himself...

"We'll be heading into town to search for sightings of the Avatar!" Zuko's voice carried through the corridors. 

"Of course Zuko!" Iroh was at the door when he turned to look at Elaria again, "You know you could always send a letter home Elaria, in times like these it does well to be surrounded by the warmth in our lives rather than the darkness that clouds our thoughts." He said. He gave his daughter once last knowing glance before departing. Elaria didn't care to say hello to her cousin, having heard his earlier temper tantrum when her uncle stepped in his room during meditation to state that the Avatar was nowhere to be found.

"Let me just make some tea before we leave Zuko!" Iroh yelled down the hallway. Elaria closed the door after him. Her father had no right to meddle into her business after he left her.