ATLA Little Bender

I Have No Choice

"I knew it!" Sokka screamed in Elaria's face, next to him Katara and Aang stared at her in shock. Elaria kept her posture, not even bothering to acknowledge the water tribe boy, "What?" He answered the silence, "I totally knew it," Katara's eyes squinted as she flicked her brother's forehead, "You definitely did not!" She yelled back at him. The two siblings began to bicker, voices rising steadily and their words mixing. With their attention away from her, Elaria gave herself the chance to check her wrists, knowing that Aang was no threat to her. The grey-eyed boy continued to stare at her. His face was still, lips forming a near pout. He seemed to be deep in thought.

Despite Elaria's heart-melting at his wide eyes, she merely snapped at him, "What are you staring at me for?"

His eyes didn't even waver, next to him Katara ignored her brother in favor of checking on Aang, "Hello? Aang?" She waved her hand in front of his eyes, "Aang!" she screamed into his ear.

"Ahhh!" Aang yelled, jumping out of the saddle and landing clumsily on Appa's head, the bison groaned, "Sorry buddy," he apologized, Elaria merely rolled her eyes, how was it that her cousin had been chasing him for several weeks now?
Aang flew back up over the rim of the saddle, this time he sat closer to her, "So you're really the Crown Princess?" He asked her curiously, his face was really close to hers, and Elaria leaned back. "No," She answered sniffly "I'm the Regina. Meaning I've been sworn in and have my unbreakable oaths, but the ceremony to crown me is being orchestrated."

"Aang don't get so close to her! She's literally the face of our enemy!" Sokka warned Aang, Katara was silent, her blue hues looking over Elaria, her eyes seemed to lock on her head and complex dress the most.

"She's not our enemy Sokka," Aang corrected him, he looked between Elaria and Sokka as he spoke, "She helped me back on the Fire Nation ship," He reminded them.

Elaria winced. If she knew that he would hold this over her head weeks later she might have thought more about becoming involved in the first place. Before she could respond Sokka cut in, "A ship she practically OWNS," he started to yell, putting more emphasis and less distance as he cut into Aang's space, inadvertently doing the same to Elaria, "Because! SHE. IS. FIRE. NATION!"

"Correction, Fire Nation Royalty," She cut in this time, already having enough of Sokka, her fear was steadily replaced by annoyance, Who was he to belittle her status and people. "And now that you know I'd love to hold your end of the agreement before I answer any further questions."

Sokka maliciously snarled, "Who says we actually have to," He tested her. He wanted to use her as a hostage now that he knew her importance to the men that caused ceaseless death around the world. 

Katara's glances switched between Aang and Elaria. She felt guilt at the red marks on the girl's wrists. Elaria hadn't hurt them yet, and Katara knew that Aang wouldn't agree to use Elaria that way. 

"Sokka!" Katara yelled, "She just wants to go home," 

"KATARA IT'S IN THE FIRE NATION PALACE!" Sokka yelled over her. Katara sighed. She held her hands up peacefully, "We can just do what she suggested, the next time we see a Fire Nation camp we can drop her off."

"Wait but you still have to answer our questions." Aang interrupted; Elaria glared at him for pulling them away from Katara's plan, "Are we going around in circles?" She asked, tired of the repeating conversation.

"Here," Katara handed her parchment and a pencil, "You can use these, although I don't know how you plan to send them." She motioned to the flying bison, "there are no hawks here," 

Elaria, relieved to finally be able to contact her family, saw no harm in telling the older girl, "There are hawks that circulate each royal family member, kind of like our own familiars. Mine has my scent, give her a few hours but she'll be able to find me without the burning scent of fire around."