#d;

“Is that why you're here?” Ursa’s tone dropped to a hiss, “this can wait.” 

“It can’t actually,” the man, Lu Ten, shook his head and turned to her. “And if you're worried about eavesdroppers, don't be. The driver is one of mine. You can be free with your words.”

Her eyes darted to Sokka, and Lu Ten snorted again, dismissive of him as all Fire Nation Soldier were. Sokka held back a sneer, and decided right then to hate him the most. (No surprise there, he hated everyone in the Fire Nation). 

“It deserves to hear this.”

“He’s just a child.” 

“It’s a savage child,” the man corrected, leveraging a hard look on Sokka. His golden eyes seemed to glow in the lamplight and Sokka gulped thickly. “A freshly beaten one at that. And is, if you've forgotten, your newest scandal.”

“Stop it.” Ursa snapped. “Why are you here? If it’s just to tell me what I already know, then get out.”

“I should,” Lu Ten said, his voice harsh, and Sokka, if possible, compressed himself tighter. Maybe if he stayed quiet enough, they would forget he was here. Lu Ten continued, saying, “fortunately for it, I just can’t stand back and watch you get it killed.”

Sokka took in a deep breath, lip wobbling. He buried his head into his arms, giving up on trying to look at this man and his new owner. He was too scared, too weak. His body ached, his head spun - this was too much. Sokka wanted his mom to come and save him. If she was here, she’d wave her hand and wash all them away. Then they could go home, and everything would be alright.

“Don’t call him that, Lu Ten,” her voice trembled, but not in fear like he was used too. It shook with suppressed anger - coiled tightly, a fish-snake ready to strike. “He’s a person, not a thing.”

“Is he?” Lu Ten’s head cocked to the side, a flat expression on his face. “Because that’s not what you just showed. You don’t buy people, Ursa, it’s against the law. You still did it though, which means this kid over here just went from being a prisoner to being a pet.”

Ursa remained silent, the air in the small carriage thick tension. Pet. Pet. Sokka buried his face deeper, comforted by the cage of his arms. He already knew this, but hearing it said out loud felt worse then being beat. He was the son of a chief. Shame swelled up under his ribs, displacing the anger and Sokka bit into his arm, trying to stifle his urge to scream. Was he going to have to sleep in a cage? Forced to eat food on the floor? Wear a collar?

“I didn’t…that’s not what I intended.” She eventually said, now quiet and soft again

The soldier sighed. “I know, Ursa. That much was obvious.” He went quiet for a moment.“What exactly were you thinking of accomplishing?”

“Zuko has been having trouble making friends, and Azula might benefit from having another boy around. Someone else to focus on other than her brother. What good is my status if I can’t even do this?” Sokka hated the hesitation in her voice. What did this mean for him? He didn’t understand. There was a rustle of clothing and he felt more tears leak out. Who was Zuko? Another water tribe boy, captured in an earlier raid? Sokka didn’t know anyone else in their tribe with that name.