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We walk down the halls of the palace, Iroh had just gotten back from another trip out helping with the war. I’ve just been here, with Father.
I don't know why people say I'm not normal, everyone has these weird flashes of their worst memories, right?
I mean, don’t get me wrong, everything’s been… fine, I guess. Since ‘Roh got sent in, everything’s different, and I’m just confused almost.
Iroh has all this power, responsibility and stuff and all I get is a title. I hate this 'royal life' bullshit. Oh, I'm sorry asshat, sorry I was second-born so I get nothing but shit, beatings and being touched oddly whenever I'm the bad child. My question is why?
I realize we’ve walked almost to the meeting room already, I zone back into this very one-sided conversation.
"You see, you gotta be thin to get anywhere in life–to fight, to love, and to avoid attempts on your life" He laughs. I look down to my stomach, Agni, I have put on some weight, haven't I?
“And.. what do I do to lose weight then?” I ask, “Just skip some meals, and throw up what you do eat, it’s what I do.” I ask. Iroh looks at me, almost… happy? It’s been a while since I’ve seen that expression. “And you’ll definitely have to exercise and train more, the more you work out and the less you eat, the better!”
I take this advice to heart.
——
Food just has sounded disgusting lately, I haven’t eaten for a couple days, but I mean it's fine. I'm not hungry anymore. The worst that happens is that I have stomach pain.
It's all good. Father has been too busy to notice me at all, so he hasn't noticed my eating habits, and Iroh has been out serving the nation again.
I'm about to move out, I'm almost sixteen now. Proud that I've made it this long.
——
I sit in a cell, just rotting away. I haven’t eaten in.. days? Weeks? I’m not sure. Doesn’t matter. Maybe he would be proud of me, at least a little. I try not to think about him too much, makes me feel funny.
I look at my stomach, ha! I look like a skeleton. I ask the question, “..am I finally thin enough?”