Chapter Text
Chief Kya of the Southern Water Tribe wasn't the type who took any sitting down, often assigned with looking out for the village the same way her husband, Hakoda, did, as well as the responsibility of raising two children. The Southern Water Tribe always survived. Despite their lack of Waterbenders, the last one being taken long ago, they weren't the only source of survival for those in the South.
"Well, at least we're getting a big meal tonight," her and her husband's old friend, Bato, commented with a small, pained smile, on a umiak next to them, digging another net in. "Things have been really difficult lately."
"We will make it as long as we all stick together," Kya reassured with a smile in the tandem of men and women.
"As long as you let me make the meal, my love," Hakoda teased.
"No," Kya retorted plainly. "You're a good fighter, Hakoda. Not a good cook."
Hakoda let out a small laugh. "What little confidence you have in me."
"You're not the only one with the basic survival instincts in this relationship," Kya returned tauntingly. "Sorry to tell you that."
A creaking sound made itself known, followed by a sound. They loaded up their nets on their umiaks, the sea creatures squirming predictably. They had collected a good load that would at least last them a couple of days.
All of a sudden, an ear-piercing sob erupted. She craned her head up in the direction of a nearby cave and then looked over at her husband, who returned the look and stared in the direction of the cave, the opening so big and obvious.
"Someone is crying," Kya noted with a frown.
"What if it's some trap from someone or something?" Hakoda asked worriedly.
"If it is, it is. I'm not going to take that risk." Kya returned determinedly.
Everyone looked at the cave. "We're all behind you, Chief," Bato vowed with a nod.
Kya thought about arguing against them accompanying her, but they had been together for so long, struggling, and despite everything, they didn't leave each other behind, no matter what.
The entourage of the Southerners traveled in the direction of the cave, with Kya at the lead with Hakoda at her side, prepared for whatever may jump out at them.
The crying only increased in sound, and finally, they found the source of it. Two individuals were in the cave. She looked at the larger of them and then at the shorter one, spotting a girl with black hair, sharp and scrunched, and a barbed chin. Several gasped and recoiled, but Kya controlled herself and came closer.
"Sweetie, are you alright?" Kya couldn't stop herself from bouncing back when intense golden eyes locked upon hers.
'Fire Nation!' She recognized the word spiraling every protective instinct within her body, her hand drawing down to a knife that belonged to the Southern Water Tribe on instinct alone.
A gasp followed suit, but from the taller individual. She — it was a woman — lifted her head weakly to stare ahead, her own eyes flashing with pain.
"H-her name is Azu... Azula." The old woman coughed into her palm. "She's... she's... the Princess of the Fire Nation."
"I don't know you! I don't know any of you!" The girl shrilled, golden eyes leaking.
"I promised Ursa... I would get her... I... I..." She let out a croak, and finally her head fell back, the body stilling at long last.
She had heard that noise many times, had recognized what it meant, and had wished she never could again. Sometimes, it wasn't the eldest among them, but younger individuals with much more sensitivity to the cold than the rest, and checked, still, hoping...
'Dead.'
Forcing her eyes away from the corpse, Kya looked at the sobbing girl, still alive, the scared, frightened child. In that moment, she was stuck with a choice. The Southern Water Tribe did not welcome the Fire Nation. Her husband had thought about going off to join the war with the Earth Kingdom, but wanted to stay with his family at least as much as possible. She pulled back from them and recoiled in fear, trembling.
And as she looked her over to look at a neck where a blade could stab deep, she saw nothing more than a child at that moment. A sweet, innocent child. She was instantly reminded of Katara. The girl could not be that much older than her.
She hesitated.
The thoughts of her second child flashed through her mind. She was five, but she had already decided to help around camp and did what little chores she could. She had always wanted to help even her brother. Despite her... this child, being of an enemy nation, the princess of it no less, she couldn't go back and look at her children the same if she went through with it.
Kya's hand dropped from where her weapon was located on her belt. She couldn't do it.
"It's okay, it's okay," Hakoda reassured, coming closer and kneeling cautiously in front of her. "We're not going to hurt you."
Princess Azula looked up at her with fear in those golden eyes. It was only then that she saw a big bruise on the side of her forehead.
"We're here to help, sweetie," Kya continued her husband's sport, holding her hand out. "Trust me. You're safe now."
Azula looked between the two, cringing further unconsciously against the corpse, before throwing herself forward and wrapping her arms around Kya. The woman felt her coldness against her body and saw her clearly; the girl was wearing torn and soaked clothes, hardly benefiting from this weather.
"Are you alright? Nothing's broken?" Kya asked, concerned.
"M-my leg hurts."
Observing both legs, Kya held her right leg softly, earning a whimper.
"Her right leg has been cut pretty deeply," Hakoda echoed what was on her mind. "We will have to take her home."
"Where is home?" Azula whimpered. "I don't remember. I just keep seeing this... boat thingy, and then it's..."
"You probably have amnesia," Kya informed her softly, at once. "Don't dwell on it."
"Let's get her back home and see if she can remember eventually," Hakoda agreed.
"Well, at least, maybe your little troublemakers could have a new friend," Bato added with levity that caused a few laughs as Kya reached gently over to the child and picked her up.
The child snuggled against her chest, and Kya massaged her disheveled hair as she moved away, one arm against her back as they'd left this dark cave.