The Fire Lord's Ward // MakoxOC

Going Back to the Past

"Before I start Mako, you have to understand..." Eri paused, looking down at the tray of food. "I wasn't in control of my life before I met Zuko. I did what I was told to do and always thought it was the right thing. I was-"

Mako cut her off, "You were surviving. I understand more than you think. I made mistakes in the past as well."

Eri nodded, running a hand through her bed head, "Then I guess I'll start at the beginning."

"I was born at the compound of the Red Lotus. P'Li never told me who my father was, she said he would never be a part of our lives and that I should never ask about him," Eri saw the question in Mako's eyes, "No, it's not Zaheer. Although, for those first few years he might as well have been. They did love me, all four of them. They didn't quite show it all the time, mostly because I just don't think they knew how. They would show me love through training, making me practice at all hours of the day and night. Ming Hua taught me the ways of the water tribes, how to move fluidly like them. Ghazan showed me how to be as strong and as stable as the rock but also how to forge my own path in the same way lava does down the mountain. Zaheer taught me to meditate and center my chi. P'Li, she wanted me to combustion bend so bad, she always said I had the power within me if I only tried hard enough. No matter what I did, it was never enough. She would beat me to the ground, the way the war lord did to her, but it never worked. I would lay battered in the training ground overnight if I was unable to help myself up. Ming Hua would notice at times and come to heal me so I'd be ready for training the next morning." 

"Is that-is that how you got your scar?" Mako asked gently.

Eri shook her head, "No, that was later. My training started when I was a toddler and continued until the day they were locked away. They would use me for kidnappings and murder. I learned how to act as a lost child looking for my family to the victim. Then I'd lead them into alleys or into the woods and let the others ambush them. I knew it was wrong, but what could I do? I was only a child, they took care of me, loved me... or so I thought."

"You couldn't have truly known," Mako grabbed her hand. His touch was warm and calming.

"I knew. I always knew it was wrong. I disobeyed them twice. The first time I couldn't get out of bed for a week," Eri's breath shuddered at the memories.

"And the second?"

Eri looked Mako straight into his amber eyes, "And the second time they went to jail for 13 years."

Mako's jaw opened slightly, "You're the reason Korra-"

"I'm the reason she was almost kidnapped, and also the reason she was saved. Ming Hua pretended to be my mother and we moved to the Southern Water Tribe. I was told to become Korra's friend. It wasn't hard, we got along like we'd known each other our whole lives. I knew what was going to happen to her. I'd seen it time and time again. I'd trick the person to follow me and watch them get cut down by my own family. They were always kind. Always wanting to help me. And I'd lead them to their death," a tear fell from Eri's blue eyes. "I knew I was going to lead Korra to slaughter, my only friend I'd ever had. I couldn't do it. The day had finally come. I would take Korra to the glacial fields, far out from the tribe. Far away from help. We would play a game and the others would come to kill Korra. It was P'Li's job to combust her to death. It would be mine to give Korra a drink, something that would help them kill her forever. I never knew what it was, to this day I still don't know."

"What happened? Did you take Korra out there?" Mako asked, leaning in.

"I did. I was supposed to signal once she had finished the drink. The signal was for me to let my hair down. I swapped our drinks. I gave Korra mine and the others saw her drink it. I let my hair down to signal it had been done but Ming Hua was wary to me and motioned for me to drink my own. I didn't know if it was poison or not, but even as a child I understood the importance of the Avatar from my time with Korra's family. So, I drank it." Eri felt Mako's hand squeeze her own. "Nothing happened so they believed I was telling the truth. The four of them leapt out from the ice, and Korra, oh spirits, Korra tried to protect me.  She had no idea I had been a part of the plan. We were surrounded by the four of them when Zaheer gave me a look. 'It didn't work. Or, she didn't take it,' he had said. The others looked at me and before I knew what was happening the world around us turned to flames. I exploded like a bomb, Korra was safe next to me but the others were shot in all directions. P'Li got up first, she had protected herself and she knew immediately I had swapped the drinks. She began to bend at me, over and over. Lightning, fire, combustion, but she had taught me better than she thought and I blocked every shot. Except for one. The explosion I had made was so large, members of the tribe came to our rescue. Tonraq shouted Korra's name, distracted I turned to look at them and that was when P'Li attacked. The shot of lightning hit me in the face, right over my eye. According to Zuko, I was struck unconscious immediately. P'Li thought I had died and she ran with the others. I didn't know it then, but Zuko had been visiting the water tribe to talk trade negotiations and meet the Avatar. He saw P'Li strike me and followed her. After restraining her, Zuko picked me out of the snow. I was pale, and not moving. The strike had stopped my heart. Luckily he had picked up a few lightning tricks from Iroh and he knew how to start it again."

"She killed you? Your mother actually killed you," Mako's eyes shone with hatred and pain for what he was hearing.

"It was for the best in the end. If she hadn't have aimed for me it might've been Korra who was hurt. I guess there was something about me that made Zuko pause when there was talk of me going to an orphanage. He wanted to have me close, and that's what he did. I became his ward and he taught me everything. I told him everything I knew about the Red Lotus and the four who raised me. Zuko taught me how to fight them, how to be a warrior. I took a vow to forever protect the Fire Nation and to always protect the Avatar from the Red Lotus. The time has now come that I honor that vow, if Korra will have me. She and I have met over the years and our original friendship has stuck, but I was never allowed to speak of the confrontation with Zaheer until now. Zuko and Tonraq forbid it, and now I'm afraid it will ruin our relationship."

"Tell her the truth. Tell her everything and she will understand. Korra may be bull headed but she understands duty. She has hers and you had yours, she will understand," Mako's eyes were firm yet aflame with a gentle kindness Eri had only seen in one other person before.

"You remind me very much of Zuko," Eri smiled lightly.

"Is-is that a good thing?" Mako asked, seeming set aback by the comment.

Eri nodded, "I think it's a wonderful thing." 

A/N Sorry there's no drawing on this one! It's been a busy few days but I'm hoping to add one in a bit. Hope you all liked the background info on Eri, I'm so glad she found Zuko!