Fire and Wind: An Uneasy Alliance

The ship rocked gently below her as Seng breathed deeply, focusing on her breathing and doing her best to ignore any and all outside distractions. Her lungs filled with life-giving air and she held it there for a moment, before letting it all out in one breath. And then the cycle continued.

Since she had learned how to do it, meditation had become a constant in her schedule in this place, if one could even call it that. Alongside her exercises, it kept her sane and relaxed.

Life as a prisoner aboard a Fire Nation vessel was not anything like she expected it would be. She had expected whippings and beatings, verbal abuse spat at her through the bars day in and day out even when she tried to sleep. Instead, she was left mostly alone apart from her two meals and the occasional visit from the princess, and if it weren't for the rocking beneath her or the salty spray of the ocean leaking through the barred window, she would almost say it was comfortable.

Her meditation was interrupted by the loud creak and metallic slam of the door to her cell opening. A single annoyed grey eye opened to glare at the guard who was making his way inside, a bowl of watery porridge held in his hands.

“Here's your breakfast, prisoner.” He said, setting the bowl on the ground and sliding it into the cell. The food inside sloshed about but barely any spilled. At least this one didn't throw her meal on the floor and expect her to lap it up like a dog.

She grunted her thanks and closed her eyes again. She'd finish her meditation and then eat once the guard was gone.

Only the guard didn't go away. He lingered there, just outside of her cell as he stared at her from behind that skull shaped mask. Seng slowly opened her eyes, glaring at him as she noticed them loitering around. What could they possibly want with her?

He shifted from side to side, like a nervous child about to ask their parents for permission to leave the house, “So uh… you're an airbender, right?”

Seng glowered at him and his shifting increased, “I-it's just that I wasn't there that night but I heard you actually managed to land a hit on the princess. You have to be something special to do that so I'm just wondering… how?”

Seng's stare didn't abate, and the man was growing more and more nervous by the second. Yet he didn't leave, and as much as she wanted to simply ignore him and get back to meditating, she had a feeling that he wasn't the type to easily get a hint.

“I used my bending. And my spear.” She grunted, making him jump.

“So it's true? You're actually an airbender?” He asked eagerly, and Seng sighed, before holding out a hand and twirling her fingers.

A small twister appeared in her palm, and the guard stared at it in absolute awe, as if it was the most incredible thing that he had ever seen in his life.

“Wow…” He breathed, drawing closer to the bars, “So they were telling the truth. I thought they were just messing with me!”

The man was close enough that if Seng was just a little bit closer to the bars, she'd be able to just lean forward and grab the keys off of his belt. She stared openly and yet he didn't even seem to notice, continuing to prattle away.

“I can't believe that you're real! I mean, I always thought that there was no way they got all of you! An entire race of benders? There's no way we could have gotten you all.” He said enthusiastically, “Are there more of you guys? You're called Air Nomads so you have to be everywhere, right?”

Seng was beginning to think that this man might not have been the sharpest knife in the drawer. Or maybe even the whole house. His eyes weren't even really on her, they were on the twister that she had moved to the back of her hand. If she was careful about it she could probably get closer and swipe his keys.

But where would she go from there? This man wasn't the only firebenders near her cell, just the one who was responsible for delivering her food. The moment she tried to escape, she’d be bombarded with fireballs and maybe some spears depending on who was close by, and in the tight corridors of the ship, there was no way that she'd survive long enough to get to the main deck, nevermind actually getting her staff.

She settled back and with a wave of her hand, the twister disappeared. The moment it did, the door opened once more, and a scowling Azula walked in, looking none-to-happy to find one of her guards standing around talking to her prisoner.

“What do you think you're doing?” She sneered, gazing at the guard imperiously, “This isn't your post. Get out of my sight before I am forced to remove you myself.”

The guard went from happy, to shivering in terror at the prospect of facing his princess's wrath, “R-right away, princess! I'm very sorry!”

“If I catch you in here again, you will find yourself new accommodations in the cell next door. Do I make myself clear?” The man nodded, practically rattling his armor with fear. Azula gave him a dismissive wave as she passed him by, “Begone.”

He rushed past the princess running out of the room. Now alone with Seng, Azula reached behind her and tossed something into the airbender's cell. The object landed with a loud clang, and Seng looked down to find a pair of iron shackles sitting before her, “Put those on, thief.”

Seng stared at the bindings before looking at the princess suspiciously, “Why?”

Azula rolled her eyes, “I can't have an unchained airbender wandering around my ship. I know how much movement those techniques of yours require so this is to stop you from conjuring more than a gust of wind.”

“You're letting me out?” Seng asked, surprised.

Azula narrowed her eyes, “Yes, though I'm beginning to debate whether you deserve it. Put the shackles on or I will simply leave you here to rot.”

Seng stared at the girl for another moment, before reaching forward to do just that. With a bit of fiddling, she managed to clamp both thick pieces of iron over her wrists, locking them tight with a loud click.

She held her arms up, jerking them apart to prove that she was actually bound and not just faking it, and that seemed to satisfy the princess. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a key, unlocking the cell.

“Follow close behind me and don't stray from my path. An escape attempt right now wouldn't end well for you.”

Seng followed after Azula silently as the girl led her from her cell and away from the bowels of the ship. The moment she stepped out of the room her cell was kept in, the three firebenders guarding her cell fell in line behind her, boxing her in between them and the princess, eliminated any hope of escape.

Together, they made their way up to the deck of the ship. Seng closed her eyes as the sun shines down upon her, warming her body even among the cold most spraying off of the nearby ocean. She had been in that cell for so long that she had almost forgotten what sunlight felt like.

“If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were a firebender with the way you're enjoying the sunlight.”

Seng opened her eyes, finding that it was now just her and the princess on the deck. All the other soldiers had disappeared. “How about you try spending a week and a half in an iron cell with only a window the size of your head. See how you fare.”

Azula smirked, “No, I don't think I will. True royalty would never find themselves spending more than a moment inside of a cell like that. Execution would be preferable.”

Seng turned to look at Azula, “Is that why you brought me out here? To execute me?”

“Not quite.” Azula put her hands behind her back, slowly walking around the motionless airbender, “You see, thief, I have been thinking recently about your situation, comparing it to another situation that has made the rounds in the noble court, and it has come to my attention that keeping you in the brig is like holding a burning stick of blasting powder and just waiting for it to blow up in our faces. Between my incomplete men and your wily nature, it is only a matter of time before you escape.”

Seng didn't move as the girl circled her like a predator, “I haven't tried yet.”

“Indeed, you haven't tried yet. But am I expected to just wait until you do? Perhaps when we are closer to land so that you might avoid drowning in the icy depths?” Azula shook her head, “No, I don't think so. Instead, I'll take a more proactive approach, and give you two options.”

She stopped in front of Seng, “One, I can expedite the process and simply toss you overboard with arms and legs bound in the middle of the open ocean…” Seng tensed and Azula held up a hand, “Or you could prove your usefulness and assist in my hunt for the Avatar. You've already shown you hold no love for him, so I assume that will not be a problem for you.”

The options weren't options at all, really. They were more like an ultimatum than an actual set of choices to choose from. But maybe there was a way she could get something out of it as well.

“I'll agree,” Seng finally spoke after a moment of deliberation, “but when this is all said and done, I want out.”

“Out?” Azula seemed amused by Seng’s demand and the airbender stared back defiantly, “You mean you want me to let you go? I'm afraid you'll have to explain this one to me, because I'm afraid I'm just not getting it.”

“What I mean is that I'm more useful alive than dead.” Seng said, “I hate to tell you, princess, but the thought of dying doesn't really scare me at all so your threat doesn't hold much weight. But I could be a useful asset, and I have a feeling that you know that sir why don't you just let me earn my freedom and disappear into the crowd, never to be seen again.”

Azula laughed, not believing what she was hearing, “Has imprisonment dulled your mind so quickly? Even if I were to consider such a ridiculous proposal, what makes you think that I'd believe you'll just disappear if I let you go?”

“You never knew I existed before.” Seng said simply, “I stayed off the Earth Kingdom’s radar just as much as the Fire Nation. This war isn't my business. You could take Ba Sing Se and I wouldn't bat an eye. If you turn a blind eye to my bending, you'll never see or hear from me again.”

Instead of laughing in Seng's face as she had before, Azula's face actually turned contemplative, as if she was actually considering the proposal. That was surprising but Seng wouldn't look an ostrich-horse in the mouth.

“Please.” Seng implored, “I just want to live my life in peace. Away from all of this fighting and death.”

Azula stared at Seng, her eyes gazing into the airbender's with a great amount of intensity. Seng didn't waver, staying locked on those golden orbs even as her instincts told her to look away. She couldn't tell what the princess was thinking but she knew by now that she was incredibly intelligent. Any sign of weakness would be interpreted as deceit and she would be shoved right back in that cell, any chance at freedom snuffed out like a candle in the wind.

“You certainly are quite the smooth talker.” Azula finally spoke. A smirk came to her face, golden eyes glinting with sharp amusement, “You truly believe what you are saying. Either that, or you are a better liar than I am.”

“I have a feeling lying to you would be a worse idea than trying to escape.” Seng admitted, and Azula's smirk grew.

“You'd be right. Very well, I'll abide by your little request.” Azula’s eyes lost their intensity as she failed to find what she was looking for, “If you prove yourself useful, I will let you go once we have dealt with the Avatar. You may walk free and I will not attempt to pursue you. Provided of course, you keep to your word as well.”

Though her words seemed truthful, and in fact, there was nothing at all that could indicate that the princess was lying, Seng knew that she probably was. She likely had no intention of letting her go.

But she also knew that this was the best option she had. If Azula believed that she was loyal, then she might find an opportunity to escape the princess’s clutches somewhere down the road. With that thought in mind, Seng did the only thing she could do in this situation. She bowed her head.

“If you agree, then I do as well. So long as you keep your side of the bargain, I will do exactly as you wish.” She said lowly as she supplicated herself before Azula who smiled in approval.

“I'm yours to command, Princess.”