ATLA Little Bender

Dreams

Elaria was up on Appa's saddle tying down their bags; she stared at her fire nation dress, the familiar wave of homesickness washed over her. She wondered if Bumi had released Azula's hawk, How was Uncle Ozai? Zuko? her father? Azula was bound to know that she was gone, her messenger hawk returning to her with no letter was enough of a sign to raise the alarms all over the Fire Nation. Her thumb rubbed the material recently folded in her hands; she supposed it's better if she never wore her dress again. 

"You shouldn't bite your lip so much," Aang used his airbending to leap on Appa, landing behind her with the blankets the siblings used. Elaria ran her tongue over her bottom lip, feeling the stinging at the corner of it. "I hadn't even realized I was biting it, it's a bad habit of mine," 

"When did you start?" Aang curiously asked her. She stored her dress away from his view. If he saw he didn't comment on it. "I don't know, I think I've been doing it for as long as I remember,"

Before Aang could ask her more, Katara ran into the barn frantically, "They took him! They took Haru away!" 

"What?" Elaria asked her, Aang and Sokka voiced their shock as well. 

Katara ran through her words, hurriedly speaking; " The old man turned him into the Fire Nation - it's all my fault - I forced him into earthbending!" Elaria sighed at the mention of her people. Wistfully wishing that the world wasn't this way. 

"What do you mean, did they come last night?" She asked Katara, her friend nodded. 

"Don't think about turning us in Princess," Sokka commented on her question, he hadn't missed the way she stared at her dress as he was folding the blankets. Even if they could hold a civil conversation- He still wasn't completely swayed by Elaria and felt no need to pretend he was. Bitterness coated his tongue as he watched her fantasize about the Fire Nation. Even more, she and her cousin had burned down Kyoshi Island and had separated him from Suki. 

Katara cut the tension; "Haru's mother said they came for him at midnight."

Sokka frowned, not wanting to tell his sister the news; "Then it's too late to track him, he's long gone."

Katara's blue hues landed on Elaria, grabbed her friend's forearms. "There has to be something you can do right? You can tell them who you are and-"

"And let her be taken in his place?" Sokka asked surprised at her suggestion. Elaria felt the grievous burn at Katara's words. "What? Was I always meant to be used at the perfect chance?" She snapped at the frantic waterbender. 

Katara backed away, "That's not what I meant-" Elaria huffed. Of course, Katara was just using her. Azula's words came to life, '-it's better to surround yourself by girls because they will always have their own self-interest, they are predictable that way.'

"Okay we need to stop for a second," Aang mediated the worsening situation. Katara turned defiantly to the door. 

"Do you know anywhere that they could have taken Haru?" Sokka questioned her, Elaria sucked her lower lip into her teeth, this time conscious of her habit because of her conversation with Aang. How quickly the morning turned on her; she bitterly thought. Elaria welcomed the pain from her lip as a slight distraction from the needles at her gist. 

"I can't say anything for certain-" Sokka cut her off, "Can't say or Won't" She clenched her teeth letting go of her lip. "I told you all of my oaths. Accept it." She barked at Sokka. "And even if I did know, this is a minor operation, only the lord or higher rank in charge of this region would have specific knowledge that could be of use of us,"

She glared at Katara, "But if you really want to use me as a bargaining chip than do it. Although there was no need to pretend you were my friend in Omashu." Elaria stomped out of the barn.