The Jaded Princess - A Sokka Love Story

Chapter One

"Ugh!"

Orzala braced herself against the coming blow, a groan escaping her lips as the rock threw her back. A cackle echoed through the training chamber, earning an eye roll from the young earthbender. 

"Use your bending, Orzala! You could've easily blocked that blow." She glared at the old man above her before quickly sending her own blow. He swiftly split the rock in half, and it narrowly missed him.

Orzala sighed, head dropping back down to the floor. "I'll never be as good as you, grandfather." The old man snorted and reached down to pull her up. 

"We each have our own abilities, my child. No bender is the same: our techniques differ, and while in some ways I may overpower you, you may overpower me as well." The girl nodded slowly, taking in this information. "Plus, I'm old." It was her turn to snort, an action that caused her jet black curls to shake. "I've had many years to perfect my art. But you, my granddaughter, have mastered things I could have only imagined at my age."

Orzala frowned once more, her mood turning visibly sour. "Perhaps that's because I'm forbidden to leave." The old man's lips turned downward, and his hand drifted to her shoulder, clutching it tenderly. 

"You know why, Zala. It's dangerous for you out there."

"But there are hundreds like me!" She exclaimed, tearing away from his grasp. His shoulders slumped.

"Perhaps, but there is only one you." 

Orzala growled lowly in frustration, pale fingers lacing through her hair. "I'm no different! The only difference is that I have a crown! That shouldn't erase me from our history! I should be out there with my people, grandfather! Learning their names and their culture and their values! I should be gaining their trust and making a name for myself."

Her grandfather released a sigh, running a wrinkled hand along his face. For a moment, she felt guilty. His old, wrinkled face had seemed to age years in the duration of their conversation. The stress was clear on his features.

"Grandfather-" He cut her off.

"There will come a day when the world needs you, Orzala. Then, and only then, will it know of you. Trust me when I say that if the Fire Nation knew of your existence prematurely, they would have you in their grasp in a heartbeat."

The girl felt the blood in her veins turn to ice at his words, and a sudden fear struck her heart. What was it about her that would elicit such a reaction? She was sure that she couldn't be that large of a threat to the Fire Nation.

The old king watched his granddaughter's reaction- watched as the blood fled from her face, making her pale skin turn a sickly shade. He reached for her again, bony fingers grasping at her wrist gently. Her jade eyes flickered to his. "What I do is out of love. Not only for you, but for our city- and our nation. You are but one of the two flames of hope that still burn amongst our people."

Orzala furrowed her eyebrows. "How? No one knows I exist."

She watched as his face contorted slowly, and his cracked lips opened to speak once more.  He was cut off, however, by a guard rushing in. "My king, my lady- we have arrested some juveniles and are now awaiting your judgment." The king hummed lowly, avoiding the girl's gaze as he dismissed the man. A slow exhale escaped him before he finally gathered the courage to meet her eyes once more.

"One day, your future will find you out. Your questions will be given answers. I cannot promise you will like them."

His words bounced about her head, and the girl couldn't help but scoff slightly. Leave it to grandfather to speak in riddles, she thought as she shook her head. "I believe I will like my answers more than this secrecy. I am sick of hiding amongst the shadows, fearing the Fire Nation. If I am a hope for my people, shouldn't I be... I don't know... out there giving them hope? They can't have hope from me if they don't know I exist."

An irritated grunt sounded from the king, and he waved her off. Orzala allowed her shoulders to sink as he turned away from her, seemingly done with their conversation now. "They cannot know. Not yet."

"But grandfather, I-"

"I said no, Orzala!" He bellowed, coming to a halt at the door of the training chamber. "Why can you never just accept that? Must you always push my limits?" The princess's lips fell into a frown, and she dropped her head. Her pointed shoes suddenly seemed very interesting.

Another sigh. She seemed to be making him do that a lot today.

The king turned to her once more, bony fingers tilting her chin up so she would meet his eyes. "One day, Orzala, I promise that you will get the adventure you crave. But for now, my child, we have business to attend to. I assume you know what to do?"

A small smile brightened her face, and the girl bowed.

"Yes, your majesty. I believe I do."