The Jaded Princess - A Sokka Love Story

Chapter Ten

It was dark out when the Orzala, Katara, and Haru arrived back at the farm. The three had exchanged quiet goodbyes and smiles before going their separate ways. Orzala's jade gaze had followed the boy to his door, an action that did not go unseen by Katara. The waterbender frowned, a pang of jealousy striking her heart.

The two girls began hiking up the hill toward the barn, and Orzala nudged her friend. "You were very inspiring today, Katara." The brunette beamed at her, nudging her back, as she pushed away her negative thoughts.

"I had to be, you weren't doing anything." Orzala guffawed, shoving the girl's head away with a smile.

"Oh, you were doing something- you were fawning over Haru the whole trip!" Katara's face glowed red at the accusation, and she looked away.

"I was not! A-and why didn't you bend that man out of the mine? I know you could've done it."

Orzala shrugged. "He needed to do it for himself, I think. Like you said earlier, he has a gift. And the only way he can appreciate it is to use it. He shouldn't have to be afraid of his bending." Katara frowned as the girl looked away.

"Orzala-"

"Where have you two been?" The girls jumped at the screech that filled the air, but relaxed when they saw Sokka waiting at the barn door. Orzala sent him an unimpressed glance, walking right past the Water Tribe boy without a word. Katara, however, smiled sheepishly at her brother.

"We were only out walking with Haru, Sokka."

"Do you even know what time it is? I was getting worried, Katara." Orzala rolled her eyes from across the room, throwing an annoyed look their way.

"Since when did you become such a mother hen, Sokka?" The boy's mouth fell open, but Katara and Aang only snickered.

"I'm not a mother hen!" The raven-haired girl only raised an eyebrow as she laid out her sleeping bag.

"Ok, Sokka, whatever you say." Sokka turned to Katara, eyes wide.

"I'm not a mother hen!" Katara only shrugged with a smile before joining Orzala and laying out her own sleeping bag.

Once they had all settled down, Katara began to recount the day's events to the boys. "It was so brave of Haru to use his earthbending to save that man." The princess nodded as she laid down, not really having the energy to interject.

"You must have really inspired him," Aang told her, and Orzala nodded again with a yawn.

"I guess so."

"Everyone should get some sleep. We're leaving at dawn." This statement made the princess shoot up in her makeshift bed.

"Dawn?! Can't we sleep in for once?!" They glared hotly at each other.

"No! This place is crawling with Fire Nation troops! If they discover Aang is here, we'll be eating fireballs for breakfast. Good night."

Orzala grumbled as she laid back down, shuffling around to get cozy again. "I'd rather be eating fireballs than nuts, mother hen." He turned back over to glare at her.

"I said goodnight." Aang and Katara laughed quietly as the girl stuck her tongue out at him.

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Orzala didn't know what time it was when she woke up, but it was still dark out. However, she couldn't ignore the pain that shot through her empty stomach. With an irritated grumble, she pushed herself up and stumbled out of the barn towards the main house. The girl was shocked to see that there was still a light on. Quietly, she knocked on the door, and was pleasantly surprised to find Haru on the other side.

"Orzala, is everything ok?" She gave him a sleepy smile.

"Yeah, everything is fine." Her rumbling stomach cut her off, and Haru gave a small laugh and motioned her inside.

"I think we have a bit of bread to spare." She thanked him as he handed her the food, taking a moment to really observe the boy.

He couldn't have been much older than her- sixteen at the most. The realization caused the princess to frown. "What you did today was very brave, but I'm sorry we put you in that position. I should've done it myself." He gazed at her carefully, shaking his head.

"No, you shouldn't have. It made me realize that my bending isn't a bad thing." She smiled.

"I used to be like you, ya' know." He raised an eyebrow at the raven-haired girl. "I was scared of my bending. I didn't understand it and I didn't want it. That was before I realised it was the only thing that connected me back to my mother- the only part of me that wasn't my father."

"You mentioned him earlier. Why do you hate him so much?" Orzala frowned, taking a bite of her bread as her face contorted angrily. "Orzala?"

Their conversation was cut short by a loud rapping on the door. The two glanced at each other, eyes widening when they heard the voices outside. The knock sounded again, and Haru's mother emerged from her room, a confusion evident on her sleepy face. Orzala stood with Haru, slipping her satchel underneath her shirt and out of sight. She was ready to fight as Haru opened the door. A horrified gasp left her as she locked gazes with the old man from the mines. And what shocked her more was that he was surrounded by Fire Nation shoulders.

He shot her a wicked smile before turning to Haru and scowling. "That's him!" He screeched. "That's the earthbender!" Haru let out a strangled gasp as he was grabbed by the soldier, and Orzala felt her anger burning inside her chest as she raced after them.

"Hey!"

She didn't even think as she popped open her satchel. The soldiers turned, eyes wide as she drew the sand from her satchel with one fluid stroke. "Let the boy go." Her voice was as dark as the sand in the night, and though he would never admit it, Haru felt a pang of fear in his chest for the soldiers.

Before they could even blink, Orzala had sent sand daggers in their direction with a thrust of her hand. They dove to the ground with a shout, narrowly missing the attack.

"I won't ask again." A sudden burst of fire was thrown at her side, and she quickly drew up a wall of rock to protect her with a gasp.

Her eyes were wide and her breath was short. This was nothing like training with the other earthbenders, she thought to herself, but she couldn't stop now- not with the countless blasts coming her way. With a grunt, she thrust up her hand and a rock shot up from the ground. She kicked it toward the soldiers before her.

What she didn't notice, however, was the soldier behind her.

She never saw him.

All she felt was the burning flames that crawled up her spine.

"Orzala!"