Chapter 74: Chapter-74
"I want everyone to meet you!"
"All of them?" The princess surveyed her surroundings with curiosity. It was her first time descending from the roof. The sound of music and boisterous laughter reached her ears, accompanied by the unpleasant aroma of alcohol and perfume that pervaded the air.
The two reached a final door, which opened into what seemed like a tavern. However, the ratio of women to men was unusual, with two or three women for each man. The women attended to the men, serving drinks or providing various services that sometimes led to private rooms.
Azula felt an odd urge to laugh. A princess like her had been recuperating and living in a brothel all this time, a seedy establishment filled with uncouth women who vied for attention and did anything for meager coins.
"Rina, what are you doing here?" A tall, stern brunette woman, seemingly upset, approached the two of them.
"This is Zu! The girl I was taking care of," Rina happily introduced Azula, who stood still under the scrutiny of the dark woman.
"This is the third stray you've brought home this year. What have I told you about this?"
"But she needed my help, Caede! She was beaten in an alley, and I couldn't leave her there alone. It wouldn't have been the right thing to do!" The determined little waterbender stood her ground against Caede, who displayed her frustration by pinching the bridge of her nose.
"As always, little Rina helping others."
Azula raised an eyebrow as a woman only a couple of years older than her approached and hugged Rina from behind. She was undoubtedly beautiful, with a slim figure, brown hair, and fair skin, dressed in a tight blue kimono.
"You're so cute."
"Let go of me, Haru! I'm not a baby!" Rina wriggled in Haru's embrace, but Haru only held her more tightly.
"I will, if you give me a big kiss on the cheek."
"Never!"
Azula observed their interaction with a sense of curiosity, reminiscent of Ty Lee's mannerisms.
"What's your plan, girl?" Caede regarded the princess with a distrustful look. "Now that Rina has helped you, what are you going to do?"
"Leave."
"She didn't make it." Caede produced a bucket and a mop from behind the tavern's bar, placing them at the princess's feet. "If you refuse Rina's help, it's time to pay. I think three weeks of work would be a fair compensation – cleaning floors, tending to restrooms, and dusting. Sounds fair, doesn't it?"
"And if I do not want?" Azula refused to stoop to becoming someone's servant. She didn't ask to be saved, and she owed nothing to anyone.
"I'll leave you worse than how I found you, Rina."
"I would like to see it."
Azula and Caede exchanged intense glances, making several people uncomfortable as they anticipated a fight.
"That's enough, sister." Rina intervened, cutting the tension, preventing a fight from erupting. "Helping someone doesn't mean you can force them to do something they shouldn't. Anyway, she doesn't owe me anything."
"You're a little fool." Caede shook her head, crossed her arms, and shrugged. "If Rina says it's fine, you don't owe us anything. Now, get out."
The princess of the Fire Nation silently regarded the girl for a moment before heading toward the exit.
Rina watched with disappointment as Azula left. She was going to complete her schoolwork and then tidy her room. It promised to be a busy afternoon, a way to distract herself.
However, before she could climb the stairs to her room, Azula reentered through the door, took the bucket and mop, and started cleaning under the surprised gazes of the others. The princess began cleaning the floors.
"I'll help you, Zu!"
...
Hours passed as they mopped floors and tidied up. It wasn't the most pleasant job, but at least it was a brief one. The little waterbender used her bending skills quite skillfully to handle most of the cleaning.
Who would have thought waterbending powers could be so useful for cleaning toilets?
As the sun set, Azula finished sweeping the entrance, ignoring the curious gazes of people passing by the building.
"What's 34 times 4?"
"132."
"Thank you! And what's the boiling temperature of water?"
"100°C."
"Wow, you're so smart, Zu!" Rina smiled, jotting down her answers in her school notebook. Caede had stressed the importance of doing homework when there was free time, instead of waiting until the last minute.
The little waterbender sat on the floor, asking questions she couldn't find answers to from her 'friend,' who, while not smiling much, always replied to her.
Azula was lost in thought as she continued sweeping the dust from the entrance.
Why had she stayed to do these commoner jobs?
Perhaps those mercenaries had beaten her so severely that her brain was scrambled.
Or maybe... she saw something in that girl, something she didn't know she was looking for.
The more she pondered it, the more it reminded her of her mother—how she used to sing her to sleep, hug her, cook for her, and give her those forehead kisses. Yet, all that affection ended when she demonstrated her firebending talent at the age of four.
The warmth her mother once gave her turned into coldness. Their closeness as mother and daughter faded into nonexistence. Affection became rejection.
"Zu?" Rina grew concerned when her friend stood motionless for several minutes, her grip on the broom causing it to crack.
"Hey, you didn't pay!"
"You're terrible! I've never had such bad service!"
"If you can't satisfy a woman, that's your problem!"
Azula and Rina heard the commotion, seeing a massive figure over two meters tall, bearing the appearance of a mercenary. He carried a large axe, which only added to his intimidation.
"Get out and don't come back!" Caede, determined to prevent harm to her girls, tried to usher him out, but he resisted and sent her flying with a kick.
"I'll do whatever I want!" The mercenary drew his axe, ready to harm the person in charge of this establishment, but he stopped when a jet of water struck his back. He turned to find an enraged girl standing at the door.
"Leave Caede alone! You silly, ugly man!"
"Brat!" The girls panicked as they saw the giant charging toward Rina. Some attempted to rush to help her, but they wouldn't arrive in time. Among them was Caede, who felt the world stand still as the mercenary raised his axe, threatening to harm the girl.
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PAT REON I'D:- Alzero ]
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