Azula Alone

Kallik

"Hey, mom, can you help me?", Pana asked.

"What garbage did you bring home today?", his mom asked while haning the clothes to dry above the fire. She took her time, for this wasn't the first time her son had brought home some strange things. She never knew why he would want any of the junk he collected, but she was glad that he wasn't in his bed all the time anymore. Whatever he saw in those pieces of garbage, it gave him the courage to get up in the morning. And that was enough for her.

But this was an unexpected turn he had taken now. "My, is that a girl?"

"Yes, I saw her reading some book, but then I noticed she's an outsider and was severely under dressed. She probably has hypothermia. Any chance to heal her, or is a fire enough?", Pana asked while his mom helped him carry the girl to the fireplace.

"I think this should be enough, was she out for long?"

"Ehm, I don't really know, I just saw her sitting there. She looked fine at first, but then I noticed she couldn't open her frozen eyelids, so it had me worried. She passed out a moment later", Pana answerd.

"Let's keep her warm for now. Give her your coat, I just cleaned mine, so it won't be much of a help"

Pana nodded and went to his room to grab his coat and a blanket. As he exited, he saw his reflection in the mirror made of ice. He looked down on his arm. The ice the mirror was made of started melting. He didn't want to see it.

"Why did you go into my room? Why did you give that awful thing a place there?", Pana said angry to his mother as he was draping the girl in warmer clothing. He never raised his voice when angry, especially to his mom, but even the light wispers he made would sent shivers to her spine.

Ahnah knew her son was hurting, she knew he didn't want to look at himself this way. He didn't want to accept reality. But she hoped with all the trash he gathered from the ships, he would finally be able to accept the loss of his limb. So she tried, even if it meant being hated by him for making mirrors every other day.

One day he might, Ahnah always thought, one day.

"Don't do that anymore", Pana said while holding his gaze on his mother. She knew that he meant it this time. That she should give up. On not just the mirror, but her son too.

She nodded, understanding the meaning behind his words. "The girl will need a change of clothes and some hot tea, bring me some"

Pana understood that this meant he had to get out of the room, so his mom could undress the girl, exterminate if it was just the cold or if she had some sort of wound and then heal the necessary things.

Ahnah was an excellent healer, not the best, but above average. She noticed that, other then the hypothermia, the girl was in excellent physical health. But something was broken in her. Something psychologically cannot be healed by bending. She learned that the hard way with Pana.

Slowly, the girls eyes were starting to open. Her eyes crossed those of Ahnah. They were n't filled with panic nor fear they were just cold. She didn't say a word. She was still shivering afterall, but that wasn't why. She was fully in control of everything. So she knew, it was better to keep her mouth shut until her words would reflect the cold determination that she had.

"I thought firebenders would be smarter then to go to the north pole in their summer clothing", Ahnah said, looking intensely in the Firenationgirl's eyes. The fear was lacking. The emotion was lacking. This girl was lacking.

So, she didn't care if she was in enemy territory, or at least former enemy.

"I am no Firebender", Azula responded. Her voice didn't shake.

"As long as the snow still has ashes, the people will remember. So better to let new snow fall", Ahnah said.

Azula wanted to roll her eyes, this sounded like something Iroh would say. But she did know what she meant. "How do I let snow fall?"

Ahnah laught: "You are fierce, Kallik"

"May I come in?"

When Azula had finally processed the words, she already saw a boy standing next to the woman with tea in his hand. Could this be anymore like her uncle? The woman exited the room without a word.

"Here, normally you should drink tea to warm yourself up. It'll heal the hypothermia. Sorry I took you home, but you didn't look fine... Hypothermia is a real stinger and it'll creep up on ya", the boy said.

Azula was sceptic; she didn't trust this person, nor that floaty snarly woman. The boy kept holding the tea in front of her, but Azula was hesitant. So, Pana just kept on rambling until she finally took the cup.

"You know, when I was a kid, I had severe hypothermia once. I wanted to go skate, but I thought it would be a great idea if I would make the ice myself while I was on the waves. So of course the ice was too thin. I fell into the water, but then I accidentally froze the water above me. So I was in the water for way too long. My older brother would get me out of there eventually, but I almost died. That's why my hair is white now. It used to be a dark brown, but slowly, ever since that event, my hair started to turn white. ", he continued while Azula drank her tea.

He stared at her for an uncomfortably long time, awaiting her to say something, but she didn't.

"So ehm yeah, I'm sorry if I tire you, you must be feeling awful... Oh by the way, my name is Pana. The woman who gave you warmer clothes was my mother, Ahnah", after saying that, Pana was looking hopeful at Azula. But Azula either didn't understand that she needed to introduce herself, or she didn't care enough.

"So, what's your name?", he finally asked while pouring her another cup of tea.

Azula knew this question would come. He had been fishing her name since the beginning. Let snow fall, hun, she thought and answered: "Kallik"