The First Awakening

Chapter 1

Sokka woke with a start. Or was he still dreaming. Everything felt strange and surreal and... just wrong. Very wrong. His skin felt too tight in some places, when his eyes moved they felt smaller, somehow. Everything felt wrong.

"Hmmm, bad dream, dear?" She said as she placed a hand on his chest.

His eyes were just beginning to adjust to the moonlight pouring in through the curtains to make out the face next to him. Sokka froze. Then he leapt clear of the bed, only then realizing he wasn't wearing anything.

"Azula!? What are you doing here?! Why are you in my bed! And why am I naked!" He gasped, searching the room for anything that could be used as a weapon while trying to cover himself at the same time.

But he stopped when he saw the look on Azula's face. She wasn't snarling or angry or even doing her well know indifferent face she always wore before she killed someone. She looked at Sokka and the only thing in her eyes was fear. Azula was frightened.

"Kuzon. Are you okay? It was probably just a dream, my love. Please, come back to bed."

But even though her words were soft and meant to be reassuring Sokka could barely hear them as her first words registered.

"Kuzon?! My name's not Kuzon!" Sokka felt the cool prickly of fear dance across his stomach, "Where am I! How did I get here! If you think you can use me as bait to trap the Avatar then you've got another thing coming!"

Azula stood up, the creamy silk gown radiating in the moonlight as she raised her hands and sent fire spearing across the room. Sokka covered his face and winced as he prepared for the blast of the flames. But there was no blast or scorch or burn. He opened his eyes and instead saw the room bathed in golden candle light coming from the sconces all around.

"You must have been dreaming, my love. You are Kuzon. This is your bedroom. Our bedroom. I am your wife and you are my husband. So, husband, come sit and tell me what kind of dream could unsettle you like this." She reached out her hand and Sokka moved towards her. He realized that as she spoke he was beginning to believe her. Maybe his name was Kuzon. Maybe this was his home. Maybe he had only been dreaming about being a boy from the Southern Water Tribe. "And do not fear. If you need to speak to the Avatar we can go see him in the morning. But first, come back to bed."

Sokka did as she asked and lay down on the silk sheets next to her. He felt his hands shake as he pulled the covers up to his naked chest, suddenly very aware of the fact that he was lying naked in bed next to a woman, even if that woman was Azula. Her hand found his and laced through his fingers, her own so thin and fragile that he could hardly believe he had been afraid that they'd kill him a few moments before. But long after her breathing steadied and her grip slacked and he knew she must be asleep, he still could not calm his mind. Because he could not remember ever having the name Kuzon. He could never remember a day when Azula had been anything other than an enemy. All he could remember was the snow falling around Gran Gran while Katara practiced her waterbending nearby. He would ask Aang tomorrow when he woke up. And so the man Kuzon who dreamed he was the boy Sokka fell asleep again in the heady air of the Fire Lord's palace.