Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

This story is my take on the fantastic Avatar: The Last Airbender series!

For this story, I aged up the characters because I plan to tackle a few more adult themes in the story. So Zuko is 23 at the beginning of the story and he was banished at 18. Elyrie is roughly two years younger than he is, so she is 21 at the beginning of the story.  The Gaang is also older than in the original series, with Aang being 19 years old, Katara 21 and Sokka 23!

This story will follow the general story of the serie, but with an OC. I try to stay as true to the original source as possible, while focussing on both Elyrie's and Zuko's POV.

Enjoy! 😊

Prologue

84 AG

"Not fair! You cheated!" the eight year old boy yelled. He wiped the dirt from his cheek from where his face had collided with the grass. A small pebble had robbed him of his victory in the race. A very important one, he might add: racing his friend to the fountain.

A tingeling laugh filled the palace garden. A six year old girl stood on the marble stones of the fountain with a wide grin. Her auburn-coloured curls danced around when she jumped down onto the grass.

"I won, Your Highness" she said while making a mocking bow. Her blue eyes sparkled with mischief as she watched him wipe the grass and dirt from his clothing.

"Only because I let you" he answered in a brooding tone. When he fell down, he hadn't hurt himself. Only his pride was bruised because he had lost again. Despite being older than she was, she was much faster.

"So I cheated and you let me?" she asked innocently, "It is my lucky day then!" Zuko groaned as he kicked the pebble away to let out some of his frustrations.

The girl pouted her lips to supress her smile. "Don't be mad." she said in a voice which was sweet as honey.

Zuko smiled back - for he couldn't stay mad at her - and gave her a soft push. She played along and let herself fall onto the grass with a giggle.

"Beaten by the Fire Lord! Totally unintentionally!" she yelled with a dramatic voice as she put the back of her hand against her forehead.

Two women were watching the pair from a distance. One of them had long raven black hair with soft golden eyes. She had her hair in the Fire Nation-style topknot. The other woman had a tanned skin with chocolate-coloured waves and eyes like the morning sky. They were both dressed in silk and mousseline, signalling their status as Fire Princess and first lady-in-waiting.

"Elyrie has my son wrapped around her little finger." the golden eyed woman observed with a loving smile as her lady-in-waiting handed her a cup of freshly brewed tea.

The other woman looked at the boy and the girl, who had begun a playful sparring match. She smiled as she saw the boy carefully blocking the girl's attacks and encouraged her to try again.

"I am glad they get along so well." she said with a smile, filled with motherly love while looking at her blue-eyed daughter.

"As am I." the Fire Nation Princess replied as she took a sip from her tea.

88 AG

"Beautifully played!" Ursa said to the ten year old girl. Placing her hands in her lap, Elyrie looked up with genuine pride, although she smiled shyly. Being complimented by the Princess of the Fire Nation wasn't something that could be taken lightly. But nevertheless, she thanked the older woman for the compliment. "Thank you, Lady Ursa." she said in her musical voice.

Ursa smiled as she patted the little girl on the head. Elyrie seemed to share her affection for music and singing, something that neither of her children had inherited, apparently. As if to prove her point, an impatient tapping sound drew her attention.

"Zuko, on the other hand, could use a bit more practice." Ursa continued, gently scolding her twelve year old son. The older boy groaned and gave her a glaring look.

"Why am I suppose to learn this?" he pouted, while tapping his fingers impatiently on the tsungi horn.

Elyrie hid her giggle behind her small hand. Zuko frowned at her and said "I still beat you in a sparring match, Lily."

Her laughter abruptly stopped. "Only because you get real training" she said indignantly, placing her little hands on her hips.

Ursa smiled at the bickering pair, wisely shaking her head.

94 AG

At the early morning hours, a small cloaked figure walked towards the ship that was located at the harbour. It was barely dawn, the sun still finding his way above the volcano. The cloacked figure, a girl of barely sixteen year old, made her way to a small Fire Nation ship. She saw the crew carrying on the luggage and necessities. The ship would soon set sail, she thought. Her eyes frantically searched the ship, looking for any sign of him.

When her eyes finally found him on the deck, she hesitated for a moment. His back was turned to her, but she recognized him even so. His raven hair was shaved except for a small ponytail, while his left eye still covered with a bandage. She repressed a shudder as she thought about how different he had looked only a few days ago. She still could not believe all this had happened.

Was it wise to call him? Would he send her away? She hadn't seen him since the Agni Kai, since it had been forbidden to visit the newly banished Prince. But this was her only chance to say goodbye to him. What did she have to lose?

"Zuko!" she yelled, her voice travelling all the way up the ship to the deck. She lowered her hood and shouted his name again, praying that he would hear her.

On the deck, Zuko turned around when he heard a painfully familiar voice call. Is she here? He looked down and saw the small figure. The rising sun glittered in her hair, illuminating the reddish shades. The colour that belonged to only one person in the Fire Nation.

"Elyrie!" he shouted as he ran to the ramp. When he had made his way down, she started running towards him. In a few seconds, she had bridged the distance between them, running as fast as her feet could carry her. She did not slow down when he came closer, but wrapped her arms around his neck and lifted herself up to be able to reach him. He was much taller than she was, so she stood on the tip of her toes. He was surprised, but only for a moment and he automatically put his arms around her waist. He pulled her closer, burying his face in her thick auburn hair. No words were said while the pair stood there.

Far too soon for his liking, she pulled back to look at him. "I'll miss you" she whispered. She had purposefully aimed to the right side of his head, so she wouldn't accidentally hurt him by touching the wound on his face.

Zuko's good eye searched her face, trying to remember every small detail. He saw that she did the very same. His heart wrenched at the thought of leaving her. For more than a decade, they had shared everything with each other. She was his friend, his tutor, his confidante.

Her sapphire eyes were filled with tears, but they didn't fall down her cheeks. It was as if she tried her hardest to prevent them from doing so.

Zuko pressed his forehead to hers. "I'll miss you too, but I will return before you know it." He said, trying to reassure her.

Elyrie smiled weakly as she closed her eyes for a moment, savouring their last moments together. She still couldn't believe she had to stay here in the Capital, while he was being banished until he had captured the Avatar. Her stomach turned again at the thought of this: the Avatar hadn't been seen for almost a hundred years.

A small tap on her shoulder brought her out of her thoughts. Slightly panicked, she turned around to see who had interrupted their goodbye. Were they here to escort her away? She dug her fingers deeper in Zuko's shoulders, as if she wanted to hold on to him for as long as she could.

But relief washed over her when she saw a pair of kind eyes wrinkeling as they smiled at her. "We are glad you came to see us off, dear." Iroh said warmly as Elyrie let go of Zuko to embrace him.

"Goodbye Uncle." she said to him in a quivering voice. Iroh smiled at the girl and pinched her cheek. "Goodbye, dear." He then turned to his nephew and said in a fatherly voice "Prince Zuko, we need to go now. It is almost dawn."

Zuko nodded to his Uncle and gazed back at Elyrie. Her blue eyes locked with his golden eyes and they lingered for a moment. Then, she said in a sad voice, barely more than a whisper: "Goodbye."

He lifted his hand and pushed a strand of hair out of her face. He let his hand rest for a moment against her cheek, before pulling back.

"Goodbye Lily."

Chapter Text

Book 1: Water

99 AG

As soon as his ship had docked at the nearest harbour, Prince Zuko rushed onto the land.

"I want the ship repaired as quickly as possible" he said to his older Uncle who walked behind him. "I don't want to lose his trail".

"You mean the Avatar?" his Uncle answered.

Zuko quickly spun around angrily and faced his Uncle. "Don't mention his name on these docks! As soon as word gets out that he is alive, every firebender will be after him. I don't want anyone getting in the way."

"Getting in the way of what?" said a deep voice behind him.

At the same harbour, a young woman was finishing her book. She had begun reading "Love amongs the Dragons" when she had been a girl, but never found the time to pick it up again. Now she had nothing but time. She let out a small sigh as she closed the book. A smile tugged at her lips as she remembered the comical performance of the Ember Island Players as they portrayed the ancient love story. No matter how hard she tried to visualise something else, she kept seeing the actors from the play. She pressed the book to her chest for a moment as she pondered what to read next.

They had told her that engaged women often had no time to spare. Usually it was their duty to entertain large parties and call upon other noble ladies, but since her fiancé was a naval commander she had been restricted to the harbour for these last few weeks. She was lucky to be surrounded by such kind maidservants, otherwise she would have surely been bored to dead within a week. One can only bring so many books, she mused to herself.

She sighed, put her book down and started to softly hum to herself. She fixed her hair, since it was almost time for tea. Undoubtedly, during the tea the commander would boast over his new ship or a recent victory for the Fire Nation which he had secured. Always the same, always the war. She was clever enough not to speak her opinion out loud, but instead smiled and nodded as was expected of a dutiful fiancée. Besides, what difference would it make?

With a sigh, she went downstairs to the hall which was filled with Fire Nation symbols. She mentally rolled her eyes at all the grandeur, but stopped when she heard muffled voices. The door was slightly cracked, so she could hear the what they were saying as they approached. She heard the commanders voice: "You must regale me with all the thrilling details. Join me for a drink?"

Another voice, obviously belonging to a younger man, answered: "Sorry, but we have to go."

A third voice quickly chimed in: "Prince Zuko, show commander Zhao your respect. We would be honoured to join you. Do you have any ginseng tea? It's my favourite."

Her heart skipped a beat.

Zuko followed his Uncle inside, mentally damning him for accepting Zhao's offer and his obsession with tea. He did not want tea and he certainly did not want to drink it with Zhao. He gritted his teeth together in frustration. He had finally found the Avatar after five long years, only to risk losing him again by drinking tea.

To caught up in his own brooding, he only listened half when Zhao opened the door for them and said "Please, I would so much like to introduce my fiancée to the Fire Lord's brother and son."

Zuko looked at him and shrugged. He did not care for Zhao's fiancée. No doubt it would be a Fire Nation noble woman: demure and quiet, nodding at every sentence Zhao uttered and praising his every move when asked. He knew those ladies, he grew up around them. He stepped inside and looked at the woman waiting for them. When his eyes met hers, his heart skipped a beat.

Zhao immediately went to her side as he said: "Let me introduce you to -," but Zuko was faster. "Elyrie?" he whispered.

It had almost been five years since he last saw her. Then she had been a pretty sixteen year old, but now she had grown into a beautiful woman. She was dressed in the finest red silk, befitting the fiancée of a high ranking Fire Nation commander. She had grown taller, with a small waist and long legs, which gave her a mature elegance. Her skin was the colour of ivory, and her dark hair and eyebrows formed a pretty contrast. Her sweet, heartshaped face looked surprised, but then her full pink lips formed into a broad smile at the sight of him. That smile had not changed since she was six years old and still made him feel happy every time he saw it. Today was - despite everything - not an exception. He finally looked in her eyes, which were an unusual shade for the Fire Nation. Her curly auburn hair already made her an exception among the sleek and blackhaired Fire Nation citizens, but her dark sapphire eyes had made her stand out from a young age.

The two of them stood motionless for a moment, but she was the first to retake herself. Like Fire Nation-etiquette dictated, she first greeted Uncle with a respectful bow. "General Iroh, I am very pleased to see you again after such a long time." she said with her sweet voice. That soft voice brought Zuko back, to the times where he, she and his mother played the piano and sang together. He quickly suppressed that memory.

Uncle Iroh smiled widely at the young woman, and took her small hands in his. "My dear, you have grown even lovelier over the years. I am glad to see you as well. It has been a real hard job to find a worthy opponent in Pai Sho, since Prince Zuko does not have the patience."

She laughed as she turned to Zuko. She made a curtsy, but with her lips pressed together as if to hold back her laughter. He knew why: she had always found it funny to bow to him, even when he assured her she wouldn't need to do it. But with her fiancé standing beside her, she had no choice but to follow the proper etiquette. Her fiancé. The words rang in his ears as he tried to piece together the situation.

"Prince Zuko, I am so very happy to see you again." she finally said when their eyes locked. The golden eyes looked into the blue ones and he felt himself smile back at her. It was almost a reflex: it had been a long time since he had smiled, but he would very gladly do it for her.

"It is certainly nice to see you again." he answered stiffly after a few moments when he realised he had to say something, "Let me congratulate you on your engagement." She seemed to flinch when he said it to her, but only for a moment before she retook herself and bowed again.

"I thought you would appreciate a meeting with my fiancée." Zhao said smugly as he placed his large hand on her shoulder. Elyrie slightly winced at his touch, before she reprimanded herself. You better get used to this. It was no more then a second before she smiled again at the pair before her. A genuine smile this time, not the fake one she had perfected over the last few months.

"Would you like to join us for a cup of ginseng tea?" she asked as she motioned to the sitting area. "And perhaps some cakes?"

"You remembered." Uncle chuckled, "How could I refuse such a kind offer?" Graciously, he offered his arm to the young woman which she accepted with a giggle. Uncle had always been a gentleman, she thought to herself as he began telling her about their travels across the world. She listened to the warmth in his voice and imagined herself back in the Royal Palace for a moment, sharing tea with him.

Zuko watched them while he and Zhao followed. Her long hair, almost down to her waist, danced behind her with every step she took. It was almost as if she was dancing across the floor, that was how lightly she stepped.

"She is beautiful, is she not? One of the finest noblewomen in the Fire Nation." Zhao said, pride sounding in his voice, "We plan to marry this summer, after Sozin's Comet." Zuko only nodded absentmindedly. Elyrie engaged to commander Zhao, his best friend engaged to such a pompous man. He could not believe it.

While Iroh kept talking, Elyrie quickly glanced back to Zuko and Zhao. Zuko had changed, she noticed. He had become a grown man at 23 years old. Five long years she had not seen him and General Iroh, yet it seemed not a day had gone by. Iroh told her about their journeys to the Air Temples and the Earth Kingdom, to which she listened with great enthusiasm. They truly travelled all over the world, she thought. She looked over her shoulder and met Zuko's golden eyes. He had become more muscular and his features were still handsome and strong, with beautiful golden eyes.

However, the most prominent change in his appearance was his scar, that completely covered his left eye up to his ear. The burned flesh looked rough and was shaped like a flame. 'I won't fight you' she involuntarily remembered. She quickly supressed the memory and looked back at Iroh, who had not changed in five years. He looked like the same kind old man she remembered. As close as Zuko was to Iroh growing up, so had she been. She smiled at the memory of Iroh teaching them Pai Sho, with Zuko losing his temper and quitting the game rather quickly. It all seemed like yesterday.

"And then, we encountered the most beautiful flowers in the Earth Kingdom" said Iroh, interrupting her thoughts. "They were the loveliest shade of blue and red, but you should have been there to try the sweet sticky rice!" He turned to her with a wide smile. "But tell me, how have you been, my dear? Did you continue with your studies?"

Touched that he remembered, she nodded. "I have, thank you." she said warmly, "But I am currently catching up on my reading."

"Don't you travel with the Commander now?" Iroh asked her as they arrived in the sitting room. She shook her head as she sat down. "Unfortunately not, since we are docked at this harbour most of the time. But I would love to see more of the Earth Kingdom!"

Zuko observed her as he took a seat. She heated the teapot with a quick flick of her wrist and poured the hot drink. He sat down as well and took a sip from the hot beverage. He saw that she listened attentively to the conversation between Iroh and Zhao. Her eyes switched between the two men, as if she made mental notes of the conversation to remember them later. She then looked at Zuko over her cup and winked. He felt his cheeks heat up. It had been a long time since a woman had winked at him so playfully. He quickly looked away and when he looked back up, she glanced at him with a amused grin. He mentally shook his head. After all this time, she was still that playful little girl yet he had not been playful for a long time.

Elyrie noticed his eyes getting darker and frowned. She wanted to tell him so much and ask him even more, but it was not possible with Zhao in the room. She sighed and listened again at the conversation of the older men.

"And by years end, the Earth Kingdom will be under our rule. The Fire Lord will finally claim victory in this war." Zhao said as he motioned to Elyrie to refill his cup without looking at her. Without saying a word, she obliged without taking her eyes off the two men.

"If my father thinks the rest of the world will follow him willingly, then he is a fool." Zuko said as he put down his cup, slightly more forceful than was necessary. Elyrie looked at him, pleasantly surprised. She had been thinking the same for quite some time.

"Five years at sea have done little to temper your tongue." Zhao sneered at the prince. Elyrie sighed, since she was familiar with that response.

She looked at Zuko and gave him a small, encouraging smile. "But I do think we underestimate the power of the Earth Kingdom, like prince Zuko says. They did not survive a hundred year war by mere accident." she said as she started fidgeting with something around her neck. Zuko saw that it was thin, golden necklace as it catched the light when her fingers tangled the chain.

Zhao looked at her, but turned back to Iroh as he said: "We'll discuss this later, we must not bore the lady." He smiled a condescending smile at his fiancée, while Iroh raised an eyebrow.

Zuko's quickly looked up at Elyrie, who pressed her lips together. He expected her to speak out against this degrading comment, but she said nothing. Instead, she kept her gaze fixed on the flowery pattern on the teapot with a dull look in her eyes. Zhao did not seem to notice and turned to Zuko. "So, how's your search for the Avatar going?"

"We haven't found him yet." Zuko answered briskly. He had answered this question a hundred times over the past five years, but now he felt a rush of panic. Nobody can know that the Avatar was alive, least of all Commander Zhao.

"Did you really expect to?" the Commander said mockingly, "The Avatar died a hundred years ago, along with the rest of the airbenders." Elyrie caught her bottom lip between her teeth. He talked so casually about Zuko's situation that it ached her.

Zuko took another sip as he averted his eyes from the Commander. This drew Elyrie's attention: Zuko had never been the type to let a sly comment pass. She had expected him to show his temper, but his reaction was moderate. Zhao noticed his silence too. "Unless you found some evidence that the Avatar is alive" he added while carefully watching the banished Prince.

"No, nothing." Zuko answered, his voice stern as his grip on his cup tightened. Elyrie silently hoped that Zhao did not notice the small twitch of Zuko's mouth. Prince Zuko was many things, but a good liar was not one of them. As smoothly as his sister could lie, that is how terrible Zuko was.

But this meant something else: the Avatar was alive and Zuko somehow encountered him. Immediately, she caught herself before she gave in to her enthusiast reaction. The chance that he encountered the Avatar is impossibly slim, she told herself. It was an impossible task, assigned to him to punish him for speaking out of turn.

She felt her chest contrict, but said nothing and looked down while Zhao said: "Prince Zuko, the Avatar is the only one who can stop the Fire Nation from winning this war. If you have an ounce of loyalty left, you'll tell me what you found."

Zuko looked at Zhao defyingly as he said "I haven't found anything." And then he added, without breaking eye contact: "It is like you said: the Avatar probably died a long time ago."

He didn't blink, but even after five years she could tell he was hiding something. What..? When did you..? How?! the thoughts raced through her head and she bit her lip so hard that she felt the warm, metallic taste of blood. Because there was no doubt about it: Zuko had encountered the Avatar.

Chapter Text

At that moment, a soldier entered the sitting room. "Commander Zhao, we have an urgent message from the colonies." he said as he saluted the Commander.

Zhao immediately rose from his seat. "Very well." he answered as he motioned to the door, "I'll receive him in my study." The soldier nodded and disappeared as fast as he had appeared. Zhao turned back to Iroh and Zuko: "Please finish your drinks, my fiancée will entertain you for the time being."

He left with a nod to Elyrie, who in turn nodded back obediently. As he walked away, she couldn't help but notice that he walked out of the room like a true Commander: proud, straight and aware of his senior position. She had to admit that it was impressive that he had risen through the ranks at his relatively young age, even though she wasn't sure how old he was exactly. He had given an indication, which told her he was in his early forties. The difference between them was at least twenty years. And it shows, she added silently as she looked at his receiding hairline. With his serious face, he always looked older than his years. Zhao himself blamed it on the immense pressure of being a Commander in the war, which she couldn't deny. It certainly was an achievement, although she would like it if he smiled more.

If am to be his wife, I hope he does smile more than he does now, she mused as she turned back to her tea. The first time she met him, he had smiled. Not a wide smile, but a curving of his lips nonetheless. She had thought he was not unkind, albeit a bit proud. She had not been in a cheerful mood that night, she remembered. Nevertheless, he had apparently enjoyed her company enough to make an effort to visit more often.

Her aunt had told her how lucky she was to have been asked by such a important Commander. Consider yourself lucky to be asked to marry. Her aunt had pushed her on the idea that marriage was the next logical step for her. Not that she had been wrong: what could she do as a woman alone? Her fingers grasped the locket around her neck and she played with it for a moment, something she always did when memories came floating to the surface.

After Zhao had closed the door - rather forcefully - behind him, Elyrie was brought out of her thoughts. She looked at Zuko and Iroh and decided it was no use to her somber mood spoil their tea. It had been five long years and she didn't want to waste a second of this small reunion.

"I hope the tea is to your satisfaction, General?" she asked as she turned to Iroh. His eyes wrinkled with a tender smile and she felt her own lips curve in a reflex.

"It is delicious, thank you very much. But I would wish you to call me 'Uncle' again, as you used to do." He replied as he gave her a small pat on her hand.

Elyrie's eyes glittered when she answered: "It does feel more natural to do that, but I am afraid it would go against de proper etiquette." The sarcastic undertone was not lost on both men. Iroh laughed and Zuko cocked an eyebrow at her sudden twist in behaviour. As soon as Zhao had left, she seemed to have dropped her mask and looked like a little girl again. Her eyes twinkled as she turned to him. "I would love to hear about your opinion regarding the war?" she asked as she poured him another cup.

When she looked up at him, he suddenly realised this was the first time she saw him with his distinctive scar. The last time his wounded face had been covered by bandages. He looked away self-consciously as he mumbled something about the Air Temples. When he looked back, she continued to look into his eyes. She had not flinched or looked at his scar, he realised. Like she does not notice it. Normally people look at his scar, then away before trying to hold eye contact. Even worse were the stares people gave when they thought he did not notice. The only other person who looked at him like a normal person, was Uncle. He thought about the little wink she gave, as if he was a normal man. It made him feel... good?

Elyrie raised an eyebrow when Zuko didn't respond to her question. Iroh saw the confused look on his nephews face and quickly resumed the conversation about the war effort. Elyrie was flattered, since she knew he would certainly not underestimate her regarding politics or warfare. Unlike most women in their social circles, she had the possibility to study a variety of subjects. Her father always taught her to make the most of what you got and since she had been blessed with a keen mind and natural curiosity, she eagerly studied. She remembered her fathers proud smile when her tutor told him she was an excellent student and had a talent for languages and history. After that, her father began to tutor her on political subjects and philosophy. Those hours in the library seem like a lifetime ago now, she thought melancholically.

"But what about the prominent position in the colonies?" she asked Iroh, "Don't you think that taking over the entire Earth Kingdom would harm the citizens of smaller towns and villages?"

Iroh looked at her and realised she had been listening to Zhao's conversations. She listened and learned, even though she was not suppose to as the fiancée of the commander. Zuko noticed it as well, as well as her softer view on the citizens. She spoke passionately about the situation for the normal citizens and how the Fire Nation drained the resources, which led to shortages.

Iroh smiled, knowing she was a compassionate person She would have made a fine diplomat or ambassador. Or maybe even a Fire Lady, he thought absentmindedly as he looked at his nephew.

Zuko had joined the conversation and discussed the unwillingness of the Earth Kingdom citizens to surrender. Elyrie listened and asked if the people of the Earth Kingdom were as unwavering as their element. Zuko talked about the small villages he visited and how even the poorest people had a strong sense of pride. As a Fire Nation Prince, he was not very well received but looking back, he admired their pride and loyalty to their own country.

Elyrie listened and smiled, unable to help herself. It seemed like no time had passed between them. They could speak as freely with each other as they used to. She preceded to pour another cup of tea for herself, wanting to hear much more.

But when she reached for the teapot, Zhao entered the room again with two guards. Elyrie froze as she noticed the smug look on his face. Something is wrong, she thought.

Zhao stepped into the room and looked directly at the young Prince. "I have received fascinating news" he said. "I interrogated your crew and they confirmed that you had the Avatar in custody, but let him escape."

Zuko raised his head in alarm, while Iroh sighed. Elyrie looked at Zuko, not surprised: this only confirmed what she already thought.

As she looked at Zhao's smug expression, she also understood that the message from the colonies had been a lie, so he could slyly go behind the Fire Prince's back. Zhao always thought a step ahead when he felt he could gain something from a situation. The crew was already questioned during their conversation.

"Now remind me, how exactly was your ship damaged?" the Commander asked smugly.

Zuko refused to look at Zhao, who came closer. Instead, he looked at Elyrie and met her blue eyes. He saw compassion in them, but also curiosity.

Zuko sighed, looked at his cup and told the whole story: how they noticed a ray of light at the South Pole, how he saw the Avatar playing with a waterbending girl, how he invaded the village and was surprised to find the Avatar being a teenager. Elyrie cocked her eyebrow at this information, since she had long believed the Avatar to be an old man by now. She never believed the Avatar had been in hiding during the Hundred Year War, since it was his duty to restore balance to the world. He must have been around nineteen years old when he disappeared, she quickly calculated.

Zuko grudgingly told his story to Zhao; he told about the attack on his ship where the Avatar, a teenage boy, brought half an iceberg down. Even worse, he had him in captivity but the young monk escaped within hours of his capture on a flying bison. Zhao frowned at all this information, torn between disbelief and enthusiasm. The greatest threat to the Fire Nation is nothing more than a boy, he though smugly.

"So a nineteen year old boy bested you and your firebenders. You're more pathetic than I thought." Zhao spat at Zuko with an arrogant look on his face.

Elyrie stared at the Commander with disbelief. He had no right to call Zuko pathetic, since the Avatar was known to have enormous power and ability regarding bending. He was, and still is, the greatest threat to the Fire Nation, she thought to herself. She looked at Zuko, whose jaw was clenched as he listened to the Commander.

"I underestimated him once," Zuko said, "but it will not happen again."

"No, it will not." Zhao said without looking at him as he turned around, "Because you won't have a second chance."

Zuko's eyes widened in disbelief. "Commander Zhao, I've been hunting the Avatar for five years, and I –".

"And you failed!" Zhao interrupted, raising his voice. As he said it, he turned around with a quick firebending motion to strengthen his words. "Capturing the Avatar is too important to leave in a boy's hands. He's mine now."

Zuko's face contorted in anger, which frightened Elyrie. He lunged at Zhao in anger, but two guard quickly seized him and held him down.

"Keep them here." Zhao said and he motioned to Elyrie to come with him. Elyrie quickly looked at Zuko, who stared with hatred at the Commander. Iroh gave her a quick nod, so she rose and made her way to the door.

As soon as she had left the table, she heard a cracking sound. As she turned around, she saw that Zuko had kicked the table over. It had broken clean in two, sending the objects on it flying through the room. The china broke, along with the teapot. Well, they were ugly anyway, she thought dryly.

Iroh sighed and only said "More tea please."

Taking Zhao's arm, Elyrie walked with him out of the sitting room. "What are you planning to do now?" she asked softly while keeping up with him.

Without looking at her, he answered: "Capturing the Avatar will bring great glory, so I will be the one who seizes him and delivers him to the Fire Lord."

"I am sure you will capture him within a few weeks." Elyrie said timidly, completely playing her part as praising fiancée. "You must already be on his trail, aren't you?" she added softly.

Zhao turned around, smiling arrogantly. "Of course! A flying bison is not that hard to miss. The last hour I received a hawk about a great flying animal flying north. The first stop must be a small island, not far from the Southern Air Temple."

Elyrie looked down with a small smile and softly praised his intelligence and cunning demeanour.

"My search party is almost ready, so pack your belongings." Zhao dismissed her as he led her to her room.

Elyrie nodded, bowed and made her way to her room. As soon as she opened the door, a small plan began to form in her mind.

Jin, her maidservant, was waiting for her in her room to help her pack for the journey. She was a few years older than Elyrie and from the Fire Nation as well. Her black hair and golden eyes made her a classic Fire Nation beauty. But more importantly: she was the only friend Elyrie had in this male-dominated harbour.

"Do you want me to pack your lugagge, Miss?" Jin smiled at her lady. "We'll do it together!" Elyrie answered, "The Commander said that we need to make haste, after all." Jin chuckled and started gathering her things as quickly as she could. After half an hour most things were packed.

"I'll pack the last things myself." Elyrie said as she motioned to the books, "So you can pack for yourself."

The darkhaired girl nodded and left the room, closing the door after her. As soon as the door was closed, Elyrie grabbed her atlas from the shelf and started to flip through the pages.

Zhao had both the resources and the manpower to track a flying bison, while Zuko had a broken ship. Five long years of searching would all be in vain if Zhao intervened now. Elyrie felt a tug at her heart at the idea of Zuko being banished for the remainder of his life because of Zhao's thirst for glory.

She found a map of the Southern part of the Earth Kingdom. With her finger on the page, she scanned for a small island which matched the location that Zhao had described. After a few minutes, she concluded that he meant Kyoshi Island. It was not far from the Southern Air Temple and lay far out in the ocean of the Earth Kingdom. She took a small piece of paper and wrote it down neatly. She folded the paper and hid it in her bracelet.

As she did this, she thought about the consequences if Zhao found out she helped his enemy. She bit her lip and played with her bracelet as she pondered this, but something inside her stirred at the idea of defying him. Almost as if a small flame was lit inside of her, filling her with warmth and excitement. Well, only one way to find out, she grinned as she put away her atlas.

She jumped slighty when she heard a knock on the door. "Enter" she said, quickly checking her bracelet. Calm yourself, she thought as Jin entered the room and said "Commander Zhao requests your presence in the sitting room, Miss."

When she entered the sitting room, she saw Zhao standing with his back turned to her and his hands behind him. Zuko had his arms crossed and stared at the ground with a brooding expression while Iroh drank a new cup of tea and looked up when she entered the room.

Zhao quickly turned around to face her. She nodded to signal she was ready to leave. Feeling her cheeks heat up, she placed her hand swiftly over her bracelet.

Zhao didn't seem to notice as he turned to Zuko: "My search party is ready. Once I'm out to sea, my guards will escort you back to you ship and you'll be free to go."

"Why?" Zuko asked angry, "Are you worried I'm going to try and stop you?"

Zhao laughed mockingly as he looked at the young prince. "You.. stop me? Impossible" he said with a bored expression.

Zuko stood up and walked to Zhao to tell him not to underestimate him. Elyrie looked at the two men with an uneasy feeling. This can not end well, she thought nervously.

"I will capture the Avatar before you" Zuko continued while he looked at Zhao with disdain.

"Prince Zuko, that's enough." Iroh said calmly as he rose from his seat as well.

"You can't compete with me." Zhao said condescendingly "I have hundreds of warships under my command and you're just a banished prince. No home, no allies. Your own father doesn't even want you."

"You're wrong!" Zuko snapped, "Once I deliver the Avatar to my father, he will welcome me home with honour and restore my rightful place on the throne." Elyrie noticed the slight tremble in his voice, as if he was trying to convince himself of his father's love.

"If your father really wanted you home, he would have let you return by now. Avatar or no Avatar." Zhao said coldy.

Elyrie hated to admit it, but she agreed with Zhao on this point. She knew the Fire Lord was a cold man with ruthless ambition. He had cast away his son without a second thought, as if he meant nothing to him.

"In his eyes, you are a failure and a disgrace to the Fire Nation." Zhao continued.

"That is not true" Zuko said, averting his eyes from the older commander as he tried to control his temper.

"You have the scar to prove it" Zhao added with a cruel smile on his thin lips.

"Maybe you'd like one to match!" Zuko roared, finally losing his temper. Elyrie's blood grew cold when she heard those words.

"Is that a challenge?" Zhao asked with a small smile.

"An Agni Kai. At sunset" Zuko said while staring at the commander with hatred. Elyrie looked at the commander with fright, hoping he would refuse.

"Very well." Zhao said, crushing her hopes. "It is a shame your father won't be here to watch me humiliate you. I guess your uncle and my fiancée will do." He turned around and left the room.

Elyrie's hands were shaking as she looked at Iroh. He had the same worried look in his eyes as he said "Prince Zuko, have you forgotten what happened last time you duelled a master?" Zuko continued to stare in front of him, completely ignoring his surroundings.

Elyrie looked back at him and met his golden eyes, which were filled with hate and determination as he answered "I will never forget."

Chapter Text

"Miss, please, you have to eat something." Jin urged as she motioned to the plate of food standing on the low table in the middle of the room.

Elyrie only shook her head: she was too nervous to eat. She sat by the window and looked out over the ocean.

In the hours following the challenge, her suitcases were moved to the greatest warship in the harbour. She had her own room at the upper level of the ship, with a window opening with a view on the front of the ship. She looked out of the window at the setting sun, which made his way closer and closer to the surface of the water. It was a lovely sight, but she could not enjoy it. She looked at the smaller ship next to the great warship, which belonged to Zuko and Iroh. She had seen Zuko returning to his ship a few hours ago, but had not seen him since. She nervously played with her bracelet, which still had the small piece of paper hidden in it. She had hoped to give it quietly to Zuko, but it all seemed useless now.

An Agni Kai was a duel of honour: 'who cannot live with honour, must die with honour.' Those words were repeated to her again and again, when she was younger. The ancient tradition was used to settle a dispute, but only after Fire Lord Sozins ascent to the throne had the outcome become more deadly. Burning the defeated party had not been enough, she thought wryly. She continued to bite her nails - a rarity, since she had quit that bad habit years ago - and she seemed unable to calm herself.

With a sigh, Jin returned the plate of food back to the kitchens. When she returned, she saw that Elyrie had not moved from her seat.

"Miss, do you need me for anything else?" she asked quietly, not expecting an answer. But to her surprise, her Lady asked her to take down her complicated hair updo. Jin obliged, but looked at her Lady with concern. Lady Elyrie had been kind to her, which was unusual in the Fire Nation. Most noblewomen treated their servants as property or things without feelings. Lady Elyrie treated everyone with kindness and respect, regardless of their rank. As her maidservant and official chaperone, Jin had become fond of the girl who was only a few years younger than herself. She loved to talk with her, as they shared the same sense of humour but tonight nothing seemed to distract her.

Without saying a word, she pulled the pins out of Elyrie's long auburn curls. When all her hair was down, she carefully brushed it. Elyrie looked at Jin in the mirror and smiled weakly at her. Jin gave her an encouraging smile, as she knew how much her Lady worried about the banished prince. She had told her about her childhood in the Fire Nation Capital and how she had spent most of her time in the Royal Palace.

When Jin was finished brushing her hair, Elyrie asked: "Do you think I can let my hair down?" Jin frowned, since it was uncommon for engaged women to wear their hair down. It was customary to pin up long hair to signal their status as a woman, instead of a young girl. Only members of the Royal Family were allowed to change their styles, as long as the traditional Fire Nation topknot was worn. But Elyrie looked at her with such sad eyes that she obliged without further protest. "Shall I pin back the front locks so it won't be in your face, Miss?" Jin instead asked as she pulled the hair back to demonstrate. For the first time this evening, she saw a glint of a smile in Elyrie's eyes.

"Thank you, Jin." she replied warmly as she smiled at her maidservant in the mirror.

"Do you need anything else, Miss?" Jin asked softly while giving the auburn curls a last stroke with the comb.

"No, thank you" Elyrie answered, turning around to face Jin. The small smile had disappeared and her face was again strained with concern. She looks so sad, Jin thought. "Why don't you play a little bit, Miss?" Jin motioned to the small piano, "It will be at least an more hour until sunset." The small piano was the one thing Elyrie had insisted on to be taken on the journey on sea. "I have read all my books at least three times already and what else are we suppose to do during those long hours on the ship?" she had asked the captain, clearly not taking no for an answer.

Elyrie eyes lit up at this suggestion. "Why, yes! What a great idea, Jin. Thank you very much", she said with a warm smile at the darkhaired woman. Jin bowed with a smile and left the room to give Elyrie some privacy. She softly closed the door, happy to leave her in a more cheerful mood.

Elyrie walked towards her small piano, which was placed in the corner of the room under the window. She opened the shutter completely and inhaled the fresh air. Then she sat down and lovingly stroked the keys. The lullaby the Fire Lady had taught her kept going through her head. She started to play the melody, softly and surely.

Don't you dare look out your window

Darling, everything's on fire

The war outside our door keeps raging on

Hold on to this lullaby

Even when the music's gone

She sang the simple words of love and kindness, all while trying to control her racing heart. As she continued to play the instrument, her heart began to slow down and she started to sing with more confidence.

Lovely melodies filled her room and travelled out of her window to the deck of the ship. The working crew beneath her window heard her singing. One by one, they put down their work and stopped to listen to hear sweet voice. She did not notice it and sang the whole lullaby, completely losing herself in the music.

In her mind, she saw Lady Ursa patiently teaching her the song. Her small legs barely able to reach the paddles. Lady Ursa stroking her hair. The memories came flooding back one by one as her fingers danced over the keys. Her own mother singing to her with the most beautiful singing voice. Zuko leaning in closer to listen to her.

Her fingers stopped and she gently let the music drift away. After the last notes had died, she heard an applause. Quickly brought back to the present, she looked confused out of her window. Beneath her window, the crew cheered for her and it made her smile and blush at the same time: it had been a long time since she had played for anyone but herself.

She smiled shyly at the crew and bowed her head. When she looked back up, she saw that the sun had almost disappeared completely in the ocean. The Agni Kai will soon begin, she though as she started to turn around. As she turned, a small figure on the deck of the smaller ship beside her caught her eye.

It was Zuko.

Zuko had stormed back to his quarters on his ship. Furious and full of hate, he started to meditate before the Agni Kai. He refused his Uncle or any food as his mind kept racing, like it was refusing to settle down and steady his breathing.

Angry and restless, he started to change into the traditional Agni Kai clothing. He bound leather straps around his biceps and switched into dark red pants. His shoulder garment was draped over his shoulder, but he also added a simple shirt over it. Finally, he left his quarters after hours of locking himself in.

He wandered the ship and made it on to the deck. The blue colour had been replaced with orange and red tones, signalling the approach of the night. The sun is setting, he thought. As he was looking at the enormous war ship beside his own, he felt his anger flare up again. Zhao had everything at his disposal, but he refused to give up without a fight.

He saw Zhao's crew preparing the departure, which only fuelled his anger. He turned around to return to his room, when he suddenly heard soft music. He stopped and listened, not sure if he heard it correctly. He remembered the song: Mother used to play it for me, he though absentmindedly. He noticed that the crew heard the music as well, but after a few seconds he heard a sweet voice fill the air.

Hold on to this lullaby

Even when the music's gone.

Elyrie.

It had been many years since he last heard her sing. She always had a beautiful voice, but now she sounded like Koel-Nightingale. It brought back so many memories of his mother and her, together playing. He was always content to listen, since playing the Tsungi-horn was not exactly his favourite activity. His mother taught her to play and she was an eager student, he remembered.

The crew had stopped to listen to her as well, he noticed. He looked up at the open window and only listened to her sweet voice. After a few minutes, when she was finished, the crew started to cheer. Zuko saw her appear at the window and seemed to be bashful of the attention. She smiled and bowed her head as a sign of gratitude.

Just as she was about to turn away, he saw that she noticed him. When their eyes met, she smiled. Even from such a distance, he saw the small smile that appeared on her lips. She bowed her head to him and closed the shutters.

Zuko knelt in front of his Uncle. He had taken off his shirt and mentally prepared himself. The Agni Kai took place in front of his ship. The harbour had a special plaza for it, in the shape of a rectangle. Red flags with Fire Nation symbols waved on top of the gates, as the setting sun filled the plaza with a orange coloured light. Zuko knew Zhao knelt as well, even though their backs were turned. He had not seen his opponent yet, but he had noticed Elyrie standing on the side. The wind played with her long curls as she nervously bit her nails. He took a deep breath. I will not lose another time, he thought.

His Uncle stood in front of him. "Remember your firebending basics, Prince Zuko. They are your greatest weapons." The old man said to him, as final words of advice.

"I refuse to let him win." Zuko said, more to himself than to his Uncle. His Uncle only nodded as he walked to stand next to Elyrie.

Zuko stood up and shed his shoulder garment to face Zhao. Zhao turned as well to face his opponent. "This will be over quickly." he said arrogantly.

Elyrie looked from the sidelines, still biting her nails as she saw the two men facing each other. Her heart skipped a beat when she heard the gong, signalling them to begin the Agni Kai. After a few seconds, Zuko was the first to strike. He attacked quickly, shooting blast of fire from his fists and feet. He had become better, she noticed. He moved more controlled, but he attacked in anger.

Elyrie felt the heat of the fire on her face as her eyes quickly followed the duel. "Basics, Zuko! Break his root!" She heard Iroh yell next to her.

Zhao countered the first attacks with relative ease, before he started to counter-attack. His powerful blows were aimed directly at the prince. Zuko blocked the first two fireballs, but the third followed too quickly. Zuko lost his balance and landed on his back.

Elyrie cringed when she heard him groan in pain. Her heart began to race, as she noticed Zhao taking advantage of his fallen opponent. With great force, he landed just before Zuko. As Zhao prepared to deliver the final blow, she closed her eyes as tears pricked in her eyes.

Her eyes snapped back open when she heard Zuko yell. It was not a scream of pain, but a battle cry. From his position on the ground, he spun himself on his arms and kicked Zhao's leg from beneath him. Zhao was surprised by this and lost his stance. Zuko was back on his feet and now had the upper hand. Elyrie clasped her hands in front of her mouth as she watched the men. Zuko continued to attack Zhao with more force, until Zhao tripped and fell backwards. Zuko moved swiftly to him and hovered above him. His fist was aimed at Zhao's face.

"Do it!" Zhao yelled. Elyrie closed her eyes again, unable to watch such a horrid sight. She heard Zuko fire his blast and then silence.

To her surprise, she heard Zhao's voice say "That's it? Your father raised a coward."

She opened her eyes and saw the smoke from the burned ground a few inches next to Zhao's face. Zuko had deliberately spared his life. Instead of delivering the final blow, he showed Zhao mercy. Elyrie's heart filled with relief and warmth.

Zuko looked at his defeated opponent as he straightened his spine. "The next time you get in my way, I promise I won't hold back." He said calmly as he turned his back to Zhao.

"No!" Zuko heard a panicked cry and he immediately recognized Elyrie's voice. Then, multiple things happened in less than five seconds.

Zuko turned to see what caused Elyrie's distress. Elyrie ran towards him, but she did not look at him. Her eyes were fixed on Zhao. His Uncle pushed him out of the way. And before Zuko was able to turn around, he saw that Uncle Iroh had grabbed Zhao by his foot and shoved him back with ease.

It was only then that Zuko realised that Zhao had tried to attack while his back was turned to him. He felt his anger rise again and lunged to attack Zhao, but was stopped by his Uncle.

"No, Prince Zuko, do not taint your victory." He said softly to his nephew, before he turned to Zhao who was still lying on the ground. "So this is how the great commander Zhao acts in defeat?" Iroh said with disgust in his voice, "Disgraceful. Even in exile, my nephew is more honourable than you."

He turned to Elyrie, who had been two steps behind him, and added more gently to her: "Thanks again for the tea. It was delicious."

Zuko looked at the girl in front of him. He noticed trembling hands, but she looked relieved. She had a proud look in her eyes, which he knew was meant for him. He took one last look before he followed his Uncle back to the ship. It was better to leave now before there would be any more trouble.

"Did you really mean that, Uncle?" Zuko asked quietly as they walked back to his ship. His Uncle called him honourable, more honourable than Zhao. After long years of believing he had lost his honour, it made him feel good to hear these words.

"Of course," Iroh replied, "I told you ginseng tea was my favourite." Zuko gave a small smile at these words, feeling reassured.

Back in the plaza, Elyrie looked at Zhao with disdain as he sat on the floor, defeated and humiliated. This Agni Kai had been unnecessary: there was no honour for him to gain by defeating the banished prince. He could have refused the Agni Kai, yet he accepted in hopes of humiliating Zuko. His defeat had been a blow to his ego, but to attack the prince in the back was shameful. She had already noticed he had trouble controlling his temper, but this was disgraceful.

"You better keep your mouth shut next time." Zhao suddenly sneered at her. Elyrie's eyebrows lifted in surprise. He blamed her for his defeat?

"I beg your pard-" she began indignantly before Zhao stood up. He didn't even spare her a glance as he made his way back to the ship. Blaming me for your cowardice? She was boiling with anger as she watched him retreat. She clenched her fists and took a deep breath as she turned around to watch Zuko and Iroh walk away. She wished she could have had a few more moments with them. As she was clicking her bracelet, she felt the note. The note! she mentally slapped herself for not thinking about it sooner. Without thinking, she started to ran to Zuko and Iroh, with two guard quickly following her.

"Wait" she yelled. If there was any moment Zuko deserved his advantage, this was it.

Zuko quickly turned around and looked surprised the see her racing after them. He and Uncle stopped and turned to face her. He already had put on his shirt and frowned at her two guards. Elyrie noticed them as well as she quickly straightened her back and bowed to the pair.

"I wanted to wish you a good journey", she said, slightly out of breath. Iroh smiled and playfully gave her a small pinch in her cheek. "I want to thank you, my dear. Despite everything, I had a wonderful time seeing you again."

Elyrie smiled again at the older man. "I am going to miss you. Both of you." She said as she turned to look at Zuko. Zuko smiled at her, but was surprised when she grasped his hand. She held his hand with both her hands as she continued to look him in the eyes. "I wish you all the luck in the world. Maybe we will see each other again soon."

Confused, he looked into her sapphire eyes when she smoothly put a piece of paper in his hand. Her eyes gave a clear message: act normal. He shot her a puzzled look, but he nodded and bowed to her. She let go of his hand, bowed one last time and smiled again. She turned and walked away, the guards guiding her to the ship.

Zuko returned to his quarters immediately to look at the note she put into his hand. When he was alone, he quickly unfolded it and read the two words.

Kyoshi Island.

He sighed, relieved and surprised. Elyrie apparently knew to which place the Avatar was heading. He had a clue, which meant he still had a chance. He mentally thanked her, but it did not seem enough. So, for the first time in years, he send a little prayer to the Gods.

"Please, give me a chance to see her again."

Chapter Text

Two days later Commander Zhao arrived at Kyoshi Island, ready to capture the Avatar and bring him home as his prisoner. On his way, he had spent the time envisioning the eternal glory that was about to be his. The Great Commander Zhao who captured the Avatar, The Invincible, The Magnificent. He was about to write history with his glorious victory.

But they found no Avatar.

Instead, they found Kyoshi Island burned and damaged as if a wildfire had spread through the village. But this wildfire wasn't a natural one: it had been a Fire Nation raid. Even though the people were already repairing the damage, it was clear that the attack had happened less than a day ago.

Elyrie's blood turned cold when she saw the blackened houses and burned rooftops. She mentally cursed herself for giving Zuko the destination when she saw the damage. Then, she cursed Zuko because of his negligence.

"I want to speak to whoever is in charge of this dump!" Zhao roared before anyone could even approach the Fire Nation delegation. With five other soldiers, they were brought to the square where a statue of Avatar Kyoshi was displayed.

Elyrie looked at the statue with fascination. She knew Avatar Kyoshi had been an intimidating woman, with her unusual height and fighting style. She was born on this small island and it seemed the citizens continued to worship her. The statue, like the rest of the village, had been damaged. She sighed and returned her gaze to the approaching figures.

A man and six women who were dressed like Avatar Kyoshi walked toward them. The leader of the village was an older man, around fifty years old, Elyrie estimated, who wore a blue tunic and had a large grey beard. He did not seem intimidated by the presence of so many Fire Nation soldiers. She was surprised by the amount of women present at the meeting. They were all dressed in the same green costume and had their faces painted to the likeness of Avatar Kyoshi. They had two fans attached to their outfits, which Elyrie presumed were their weapons.

Elyrie stood at Zhao's side and bowed respectfully to the older man. "Thank you for receiving us." she said in a polite tone.

The man looked at her with a confused expression. He did not expect such a young girl to be with so many Fire Nation soldiers. Moreover, he did not expect such a respectful greeting. He nodded back at the girl and glared at the older man standing beside her, who was obviously the leader. The man was around forty years old and wearing a Fire Nation uniform, but he was no ordinary soldier. From his clothes and composure, he assumed this was a Fire Nation captain or commander. The man had dark brown hair, with sideburns and a receding hairline. The girl must be his daughter, he mused. He looked again at the girl to find any family resemblance, but he found none: the girl was petite with auburn hair and unusual blue eyes. Not even the Water Tribe siblings who accompanied the Avatar had such a shade of blue. He took a deep breath and looked at the Fire Nation commander in front of him.

Zhao looked at the older man with a furious expression. He was fuming about finding nothing but a damaged town. The Fire Nation soldiers had visited this island before him, that much was certain. The scorched houses and burned roofs were proof enough.

"We heard the Avatar came to Kyoshi Island." he barked, "Where are you hiding him?"

The older man did not look surprised at his demand. It was if he expected this question. "The Avatar was on this island, but he left when the Fire Nation soldiers attacked our village." He replied calmly.

"What kind of soldiers?" Zhao demanded as he crossed his arms.

"I don't know." the man shrugged, "All I remember was that their leader was a young man with a scar."

The man had barely finished his sentence before Zhao shot six fireballs into the air with a loud cry. He stomped in the sand, pushed one of the soldiers out of the way and continued his incoherent ranting.

Elyrie tried to feign her surprise at the news, but she was distracted when one of the fireballs hit the roof of a nearby house. With a quick flick of her wrist, she managed to extinguish the flames before they could spread any further. When she was done, she saw one of the women gazing at her. She must be the leader, Elyrie thought as she studied the woman. Her headband resembled the golden headband of Avatar Kyoshi, while the other women wore a simpler, green-coloured headband. The girl looked at her with a puzzled expression, as if she failed to understand why Elyrie prevented the roof from burning down. The girl was around her age and had auburn coloured hair as well, but with light grey eyes. Elyrie only smiled at her and looked back at Zhao.

Zhao failed to notice her action, since he was beyond himself with anger. He demanded to know in which direction the Avatar was heading before storming out of the village. Four soldiers followed him, while the fifth stayed behind to escort Elyrie back to the ship.

His name was Kun and around thirty years old already a honoured soldier. He had been assigned to be her personal bodyguard on the ship and whenever they went ashore. Elyrie liked him, which was more than could be said of the other soldiers Zhao had employed. Most of them were rough types, not unkind but rather loud with more brawn than brains. Kun, on the other hand, was an intelligent young man with a calm personality.

"Miss, are you ready to return?" he asked as he motioned to the ship. She nodded at him, before she returned her gaze at the leader of Kyoshi Island.

"Thank you again for receiving us." Elyrie said while she bowed a second time. If Zhao wasn't about to show these people some respect, she would do it. I guess this is to become my life, she thought as she started to walk towards Kun. Since the Agni Kai it had become painfully clear to her that Zhao wasn't exactly a polite or respectful person, not to mention dishonourable. But, she reminded herself again, this is your future so you better get used to it.

"Wait!" a voice called out to her and Elyrie turned around. It was the auburn-haired woman. 'Thank you for putting out the fire." she said, which surprised Elyrie. She felt a twinge of shame: her village had been burned by the Fire Nation, yet she was gracious enough to thank her for such a small thing.

Elyrie smiled at her. "It was nothing, but I am sorry for the damage that has already been done to your village." The girl looked pained, but nodded as if she appreciated her apology.

"Can I ask you something?" Elyrie asked before she could stop herself. The girl raised her eyebrows, but nodded at het with an expectant look. "Why are your dressed like that?" Elyrie asked, hoping she wouldn't be considered invasive.

The girl hesitated, uneasy sharing information with a Fire Nation citizen. After a few seconds, she responded however: "We are the Kyoshi warriors. We practice the fighting style Avatar Kyoshi was known for, which is why we use fans as weapons."

"Fascinating!" Elyrie replied, "Is it only possible for girls to practice these fighting skills?"

"It is possible for girls to start training from a young age and become proficient at the arts of battle." The auburn haired Kyoshi warrior answered with a hint of pride in her voice.

Elyrie was intrigued when the girl - who introduced herself as Suki - proceeded to tell her about the history of Kyoshi Island and the Kyoshi warriors. After a few minutes however, she heard Kun softly clear his throat to signal that they had to leave.

"I do not mean to be rude but we have to return, Miss Elyrie." He said to her. Elyrie nodded over her shoulder and bowed for the last time at the older man and the women. "Goodbye and thank you for telling me about the Kyoshi warriors." she said to Suki after she bid them goodbye.

She left with Kun, who said something about keeping up the pace. She smiled, happy to have been able to learn more about this island. But when she remembered the burned houses, she felt guilty.

"That is the way the war works." Kun said to her when she asked him about it, "It is something ugly."

"I understand." she answered while thinking about the return of the Avatar. His return had sparked hope, she had seen it on Kyoshi Island. The greatest threat to the Fire Nation, that was what Zhao had called him. But what if that wasn't a bad thing?

Fire was dangerous: if it couldn't be controlled, it destroys everything on its path. Luckily, there hadn't been casualties or injured people on Kyoshi Island, for which she thanked the Gods. But if even Zuko - who wasn't a bad person, she knew that - was capable of destroying a town, what would other raids be like?

With that troubling thought, she boarded the ship again.

Weeks passed since their visit to Kyoshi and there had been no sighting of the Avatar. Zhao had ordered his fleet to return to the border of the Fire Nation and he prepared a blockade to interrogate every passing ship for new information about the Avatar.

Elyrie saw little of Zhao, who was busy with planning and anticipating the next possibility of finding the Avatar. She picked up bits and pieces during the councils, but nothing seemed conclusive. It seemed the Avatar was a master in manoeuvring. So, the time passed by without anything exciting happening.

The sea was calm, but the days dragged on without any change and so Elyrie amused herself with singing, reading and making conversation with the crew. She felt no longer trapped since the sea gave her a sense of freedom. Just like Mama, she thought with a smile. 'That is the beauty of the ocean: you can look on forever because it always changes.' her mother had told her when she was a little girl when they visited Ember Island.

The Winter Solstice was approaching, Elyrie knew. She could tell by the position of the sun. Mama used to tell her about the festivals that were celebrated on the Winter Solstice, which she called 'Midwinter'.

Elyrie reached for the medallion around her neck and carefully opened the golden locket, which was inscribed with her name. On the left side was a picture of her father. He had a proud face and the classic look of a Fire Nation nobleman with his amber-coloured eyes and raven black hair. He smiled tenderly, which made his eyes sparkle. She missed her father, she missed his smile. She did not resemble him in the slightest, aside from her pale complexion.

But every time she opened the locket, she was reminded of how much she looked like her mother. The picture of her mother, taken shortly before she died, showed a smiling young woman. Elyrie remembered her wavy hair, the colour of chocolate, not auburn like hers. Her skin had been olive coloured, but the heart shaped face, blue eyes and full lips were identical to her own features. It made her proud to resemble her mother, as a way to keep her memory alive.

She was brought out of her memories by a loud call. She quickly put the locket back under her dress and looked out the window to see the entire crew running to the side of the ship. Without second thought, she jumped up and raced towards the deck. Briefly blinded by the sun, she shielded her eyes until they adjusted to the bright light. She saw Zhao standing between massive metal weapons, which were used for throwing fireballs. She walked toward Zhao, while she saw Kun discretely following her. She gave him a friendly nod before she turned to the commander. Before she could ask anything, she spotted a dark figure in the sky above her, but she failed to notice a small Fire Nation ship approaching the blockade.

Zhao looked through the telescope. "The Avatar and the banished prince." he said smugly. "This must be my lucky day." He noticed his fiancée standing beside him, shielding her eyes from the sun. He gave her the telescope. "Here, feast your eyes. Tonight I am delivering two prisoners to the Fire Lord."

Elyrie looked at him with faked admiration and said: "It was only a matter of time before you would succeed." He smiled arrogantly as he gave the order to shoot the sky bison down.

Elyrie quickly grabbed the telescope to look. It was truly the Avatar. He was riding on his enormous flying bison. She never thought she would see one in real life. The bison was wearing a saddle on it's back and she spotted two figures sitting on it. Companions of the Avatar, she assumed.

She moved the telescope downwards to look at the ocean and saw Zuko's ship approaching the blockade. He must be mad, she thought as she saw the ship coming in their direction. The blockade was placed on Earth Kingdom waters, but once you passed it you were in Fire Nation territory. Zuko was banished from the Fire Nation and if they captured him, he would surely be put in prison. If not worse, she mentally added. She silently prayed for Uncle Iroh to persuade Zuko to turn around. She prayed for the Avatar as well, as Zhao gave the command to shoot the bison down.

"But there is a Fire navy ship out there, sir –" the captain said, 'One of our own. What if it is hit?"

"So be it." Zhao said coldly, 'It belongs to a traitor. Ignite!' he commanded. The soldiers lit up the stones covered in tar, ready to fire. Elyrie wrinkled her nose, hating the smell of burning tar. She looked nervously at the sky bison and the ship, hoping they were able to avoid the fireballs.

'Launch!'' Zhao roared. At that moment, dozens of fireballs were blasted into the sky. It was like fireworks, but they started to come down. The sky bison swiftly went from left to right, manoeuvring its way through the sky. Once the first fireballs had passed, the sky bison flew higher into the air. Smart move, Elyrie thought, since the fireballs can only reach a certain height.

She was relieved the sky bison wasn't hit but once the fireballs started their descend, her worry grew. Zuko could not as easily evade the attack. She bit her nails as she watched the fireballs fall into the ocean, mere meters beside the small ship. One of the fireballs hit the back of the ship, setting it on fire. Yet, the ship did not stop or even slow down.

"Launch!" she heard Zhao bark for the second time. Elyrie had been so caught up in the first attack that she did not notice a new set of fireballs being ignited. With even more force, the second set was swung into the air. The sky bison had disappeared into the clouds, but she saw a small figure falling. She looked through the telescope and saw that it was a boy, not much older than she was. He must be one of the companions of the Avatar and swung out of the saddle during the attack. She watched him quickly approach the unforgiving water and prayed he would survive the fall. But just before he hit the water, the sky bison returned and quickly caught him. She sighed of relieve, but looked nervously at the enormous bison who was now flying a few meters above the water.

A third set of fireballs was launched, but the sky bison evaded it yet again. Zhao clenched his jaw and ordered one more fireball to be ignited. The bison approached rapidly, but Zhao waited to give the order. Only when the bison was within range, he gave the order to fire. The fireball went straight towards the bison and Elyrie was sure it would be hit. It was too close to evade. But when she looked through the telescope, she saw a boy in yellow and orange clothing jump from the bison. That must be the Avatar himself, she thought. The Avatar jumped in front of the bison and blasted the fireball to pieces. When he landed on the bison again, he had passed the blockade.

Elyrie looked at them, while they quickly flew away. So the Avatar truly is a young man, she thought impressed. He looked like a true Air Nomad: bald head with an arrow drawn on it. She knew that the arrow tattoo was one of five, each extending to a different limb. The pattern is an emulation of the sky bison's natural markings, she remembered, since they were the original airbenders.

She quickly returned her attention to Zhao, who stared pensively at the Avatar's retreating silhouette.

"Where do you think the Avatar is headed, sir?" the captain asked.

"I'm not sure." Zhao answered as he stroked his sideburn.

Elyrie saw Zuko's ship getting closer and made a decision in a split-second. She put her small hand on Zhao's arm and looked at him. "I bet a certain banished prince will know." She suggested softly. Zhao looked at her and back at the approaching ship. Please, Elyrie mentally pleaded, take the bait and let them pass. Two blockade ships started closing in on Zuko, certainly crushing him if he went ahead. Elyrie looked at the ship, knowing Zuko would not slow down.

"The boarding party is ready to apprehend Prince Zuko, sir" the captain said to the commander. A dozen soldiers behind him were waiting for the order to arrest the banished prince.

Zhao hesitated for only a second before he said: "Wait. Cut the engines and let them pass."

The captain looked confused, but did as he was told. The ships stopped, barely avoiding a collision. Elyrie sighed in relief as she looked over the railing and saw Zuko and Iroh standing on the deck. Zuko looked at her and then at Zhao with a hateful glare. Zhao answered it with as much disdain as possible.

When the ship had passed, Zhao looked at his crew and said "And now, the young traitor will lead us to the Avatar."

Chapter Text

Zuko's grabbed the railing until his knuckles turned white.

"What is he up to, Uncle? Why didn't commander Zhao arrest me?" he said between gritted teeth. Zhao had let his ship pass the blockade without arresting him. Without even an attempt to stop his ship. He did not trust it in the slightest. Even if Elyrie had pleaded on his behalf, he doubted Zhao would let the opportunity pass to deliver him to his father. Zuko narrowed his eyes as he searched for any sign of the Avatar.

As always, Uncle was the voice of reason when he said "Because he wants to follow you. He knows you'll lead him to the prize you're both after: the Avatar."

Zuko did not know what way the Avatar was heading, but Uncle suggested the island where Roku had resided to learn about the Avatar State. The island - named Crescent Island since it was shaped like a crescent moon - was a few kilometres away and had a special connection to the Avatar. Fire Sages had chosen this place to build a temple in honour of the Avatar. Moreover, it was built in such a way that the light of the sun on the solstices and equinoxes would penetrate the sanctuary and illuminate the statue of Avatar Roku. The Winter Solstice was today and the light would hit the statue of Avatar Roku. Zuko had concluded that Uncle must be right, since it could not be a coincidence the Avatar went to hostile territory without a good reason.

Zuko grabbed the railing tighter until the metal began glowing red underneath his palms. Only when he pulled his hands back, he noticed the heat he was producing; the outline of his hands was visible in the deformed metal. Angry and uncertain, his mind raced to find a solution to the problem. He had not come this far only to lose his chance to regain his honour.

"My throne, my country, my honour" he said softly, "I lost it all, and I'll get it back." He clenched his jaw, trying to figure out a way out of this situation.

"We repaired the engines as best as we could, sir" the captain said, pulling him out of his thoughts. Zuko looked at the back of his ship. The engines had been damaged during the attack, but they still were able to move forward. The crew sealed the broken parts, but a thick black smoke covered the back of the ship. It was so thick that it was impossible to see the water behind the ship.

"If Zhao wants to follow our trail of smoke, then that's exactly what I'll let him do." Zuko said determined. Zhao would follow the ship and he'd use the smoke as a cover. An hour later, everything was prepared for their diversion. Underneath the black cloud, Zuko lowered his smaller boat onto the water.

"Uncle, keep heading North." he instructed. Iroh watched his nephew, mentally shaking his head. He hated to let his nephew do this alone.

"Zhao will follow the smoke trail, while I use it as a cover." Zuko continued while he prepared to set course. Iroh nodded, silently praying that his nephew would succeed. He would not be able to help him if Zhao seized him, but he tried to keep faith as he watched the small boat sail away.

From miles away, the smoke was visible and coloured the blue sky black. A few kilometres behind Zuko's ship, Zhao followed in a smaller ship. He had left the flag ship at the blockade and boarded a smaller, more agile ship. Elyrie stood beside Zhao when he looked through his telescope. He was tracking the young prince from the trail of smoke he left behind. His engines truly took a hit, Elyrie thought pensively.

She said nothing, since she wasn't supposed to come along. Zhao had selected a dozen of his strongest soldiers to assist him in the captivity of both the prince and the Avatar. She pleaded him to take her as well, as she would so much wish to see him taking both into his custody. "It will be a historic moment." she had said in her sweetest voice, "Please, would you do me the honour of standing beside you while you accomplish this?" Zhao had complied in his hurry and she quickly boarded the ship before he could change his mind.

In their hurry, Kun had stayed behind and she missed his calm company now. Even though he wasn't much of a talker, she had grown used to his company on the ship. Howeve, she had not left the deck as her eyes tried to find anything beside the smoke. Zuko has to see the enormous trail he's leaving behind, she mused.

Zhao took the telescope from her and continued to looked at the smaller ship ahead of him. He gritted teeht and Elyrie understood why: Zuko kept going North and soon he would reach Earth Kingdom territory again. It simply did not make sense: Why would the Avatar take the risk to travel through Fire Nation territory, only to go back to the Earth Kingdom? He must be looking for something in the Fire Nation, but what? She tried to think of anything, but almost everything with a connection to the Avatar had long been in the hands of Fire Lord Ozai. She noticed Zhao clenching his jaw, frustrated at the situation.

But after a few moments, a grin appeared on Zhao's stern face as he lowered his telescope. "Have you figured it out?" Elyrie asked curiously.

"Prince Zuko wants us to follow the smoke trail, but I wonder why he himself goes east." Zhao said.

Elyrie looked again at the ship in front of her, clearly still going North. "I don't understand?" she asked as she only saw the thick black smoke. Zhao ordered the crew to head east before handing her the telescope.

"Look, you see that small ship going east?" Zhao pointed out as he aimed the telescope in the right direction, "Prince Zuko must be on that ship to lead us away." Elyrie looked and saw indeed a small boat going further and further away. Zhao is right, she thought.

"You amaze me." she said to Zhao while smiling sweetly. Zhao nodded with an arrogant smirk and went on giving orders to the crew. Elyrie looked through the telescope again and sighed.

"Please Zuko, be careful" she whispered.

Zuko reached Crescent Island after only a half hour. The island was shaped like a crescent moon with a dock at the foot of the entrance of the temple, located at the outer horn. He avoided the dock and instead went around the island to the most rounded spot. He docked his ship behind the volcanic rocks, like Uncle instructed.

After securing his ship, Zuko looked up at the temple. It was a beautiful building with red stones and a green, curved roof. The setting sun coloured the sky orange, which lit up the red stones on the temple. He knew the Fire Sages had built this temple in honour of the Avatar, with a special sanctuary for the last Fireborn Avatar, Roku. Uncle had told him that the sanctuary was located at the highest floor. From where he was standing, the highest floor was at least 30 meters from the ground, he estimated. Fortunately, Uncle knew the Temple very well and informed him of side entrance into the Temple. He could take a door that led to a small staircase which came out at the chamber he was looking for.

Zuko climbed the volcanic rocks towards the temple, but he was relieved to find the slope was not as steep as he expected. He could easily carry the Avatar with him down to his boat without any trouble. Slightly panting, he reached the temple. Just like Uncle had described, a red door was located at the spot. There was no need to knock down the door, since all doors opened with fire-mechanism in this temple. With a small fireblast, he managed to open the door. He stepped inside and after a few moments, his eyes were adjusted to the dark. He lit a small flame in his hand for guidance and started to climb the stairs.

Zuko climbed carefully, yet with a quick pace. He was careful not to make any sound or breath too loudly, since he had no idea what to find at the top of the stairs. After what felt like an eternity, he saw a small orange-coloured light at the top. He quickly put out his own flame and quietly listened. He heard men's voices in the distance. They sounded distraught.

He made his way to the top and heard someone say: "How did he get in?"

"I don't know" he heard a second voice answer, "But look at the scorch marks and down there." Silently, Zuko stepped into the shadows to keep himself from view.

From his hiding spot, he saw a large hall with pillars holding up the ceiling. Around the pillars curled decorative dragons of metal. Small lights lit up the room and he saw five older men dressed in red where standing by a massive metal door with a golden Fire emblem on it. The door was at least 3 meters tall and had an complex metal system of gears and firebending mechanisms, which he presumed was to keep the door locked from unwanted visitors. Silently, he observed the men. They were the Fire Sages, he could tell from their uniforms of red robes and ceremonial headcaps. Nobody had noticed him enter the hall, since they were all to occupied with the scorch marks on the door. He looked around and noticed the two Water Tribe siblings standing behind a pillar a few meters away from him. The Avatar must be close, Zuko thought.

"He is inside! Open the doors immediately before he contacts Avatar Roku." he heard the first voice command. But at that moment, Zuko saw at his left a dark figure moving across a pillar. At that moment, the hall lit up at the fireblasts the Sage's aimed at the door. The dark figure lit up as well and Zuko recognized the yellow and orange clothing.

Without second thought, he grabbed the Avatars arms and hold them behind his back. The boy was surprised at this attack and was easily overpowered.

"You are coming with me" Zuko said to him. The Avatar struggled to break free, but was unable to move. The door had opened and a small fight had ensued.

Zuko heard a female voice yell "Aang, now is your chance!" He pushed the Avatar from behind the pillar. While looking at the overpowered Fire Sages and the Water Tribe siblings, he said in a determined voice: "The Avatar is coming with me."

He urged the Avatar to move towards the stairs, but was distracted when he heard a small struggle. He looked over his shoulder and saw that the Sages had used his distraction as a way to break free and grab hold of the companions of the Avatar. Zuko was distracted for a brief moment, but long enough to loosen his grip on the Avatar. The boy felt it and quickly reacted. Zuko felt a blast of air and was thrown down the stairs. He fell a few meters down before being able to grab the railing. Landing on his shoulder, he groaned and ran back up the stairs as fast as he could.

He was too late: the Avatar had entered the chamber.

At the same moment the Avatar entered Roku's chamber, commander Zhao and his fiancée had entered the temple. With their soldiers behind them, they made their way to the highest floor of the temple. Elyrie walked beside Zhao, forcing herself from running to the highest floor. Breathing in deep, she tried to calm herself. She hoped Zuko got away before they arrived at the top.

But her heart sank when she heard a familiar voice say: "Why did you help the Avatar?"

It was Zuko. His back was turned to her, but she recognized him without effort. In front of him, a Fire Sage kneeled with his hands tied behind his back. He seemed younger than the other four Sages that were standing beside him, with his brown hair and sharp eyes.

"Because it was once the Sage's duty." the kneeling Fire Sage answered proudly, "It still is our duty."

Elyrie instantly felt compassion for the kneeling man. Apparently, he tried to help to Avatar and went against all Fire Nation protocols and expectations to do his ancient duty. If only I had his bravery, she thought wryly.

She was startled when she heard Zhao slowly starting to clap beside her. Zuko quickly turned around with a horrified look. He noticed her and looked at her with pained eyes. Elyrie looked away from his gaze.

"What a moving and heartfelt performance." Zhao said mockingly to the kneeling Fire Sage, "I am certain the Fire Lord will understand when you explained why you betrayed him." The Sage looked defiantly at Zhao, but the other Sage's bowed to the commander in respect.

"And, Prince Zuko," Zhao continued, "It was a noble effort, but your little smokescreen didn't work." Zuko narrowed his eyes and aimed a hateful glare at the commander.

"Two traitors in one day." Zhao said with pride, "The Fire Lord will be pleased." He placed his hand on Elyrie's shoulder and said "Is this what you hoped to see?" he asked, although his smug expression was answer enough.

She looked at him, unable to speak. Instead, she bowed while looking at the ground: this was the last thing she wanted and she could not hide her true feelings, so she thought it best to remain quiet.

Zuko, in turn, looked at Elyrie with a hurt look in his golden eyes. Had she wanted to see him captured? He refused to believe it. He tried to look in her eyes, but she kept looking at the ground.

He felt two guards grabbing his arms and was snapped out of his thoughts. He turned towards Zhao and said hatefully "You are too late, Zhao. The Avatar is inside and the doors are sealed."

"No matter." Zhao answered confident, "Sooner or later, he has to come out."

Elyrie was instructed to wait behind the pillars as Zhao was preparing to seize the Avatar as soon as he came out of the chamber. She walked to the back of the hall and waited impatiently. She saw the disgraced Fire Sage and the Water Tribe boy and girl chained to the pillar on her right. The girl was around her own age and looked with a pained look at the door. The girl looked familiar, with her tan skin and chocolate coloured waves. Just like mamma, Elyrie mused.

The girl noticed her staring at her and looked in Elyrie's direction. Elyrie expected to see hatred or anger, but the girl only looked concerned. She must be terrified for the Avatar, Elyire thought. She did not know what to do or say to help the girl, but gave a weak smile. The girl looked surprised and quickly looked away.

On Elyrie's left side was Zuko chained in the same manner. Zuko glared at her and she understood why: he thought she had betrayed him and rejoiced in his capture. She looked at him with pleading eyes and slowly shook her head. She wanted to explain, but how could she here? How could she help him - help them all? This is the worst possible outcome, she thought. The Avatar captured, Zuko captured and three innocent people left at the mercy of the Fire Lord and Zhao.

What can I do? She was a bender, but she never had proper training: all she knew was from Zuko's lessons and what she picked up herself. If she tried to fight, they would overpower her without any effort. Zhao was one of the most fearsome benders in the Fire Nation, which didn't help the matter. And even if she only used her wits, she saw nothing she could do.

Only a miracle can help them now, she thought before a bright light filled the entire hall.

Elyrie was blinded for a second, but was perplexed at what she was witnessing. "Avatar Roku!" she heard someone yell.

It was true, she saw Avatar Roku clear as day. When the doors had opened, Avatar Roku was standing in the opening. His eyes gleamed with a blue light and he bended the fire aimed at him with effortless ease. Elyrie was stunned, unable to look away. Without noticing it, she walked towards the Avatar Roku. She heard Zuko call her back, but she was too curious. She moved in front of the pillar, wanting to take a better look.

That was a mistake.

Avatar Roku aimed the fire back at the soldiers with such force that they were knocked of their feet. Elyrie stood too close and flew a few metres back before crashing into a pillar. Coughing loudly, the impact had knocked the air out of her lungs. After she caught her breath, she felt the floor starting to rumble beneath her.

"Avatar Roku is going to destroy the temple!" she heard someone yell.

While trying to get back up her feet, she saw rocks falling down the ceiling. Suddenly, she felt a sharp pain at the left side of her head.

Everything went black.

Chapter Text

Zuko saw her fall.

He heard her gasping for air.

He saw the stones fall.

Roku's fire melted the chains and gave Zuko his much needed chance to escape. Zhao and his soldiers were too busy trying to escape themselves to pay attention to him. In the panic that ensued, everyone was running in the direction of the doors. Even the bravest of men knew better than to face Avatar Roku in battle.

But it also meant they didn't see Elyrie lying on the ground, covered in dust and stones. Zuko hesitated for less than a second before he turned around and ran to the place where Elyrie fell down. He moved the fallen rocks and saw her face: pale, covered in dust and with her eyes closed. When he touched her cheek, he felt a wetness coating his hand. He pulled his hand back and saw it was covered in blood. Her blood.

"Elyrie?" he said, while carefully turning her head to examine the wound. At the left side of her face, her forehead and temple were covered in blood. He couldn't see how big the wound was, since her hair had come loose from the complicated updo and her curls were sticking to the wound.

He called her name again, but she did not respond. Icy hands of fear grabbed his heart when she didn't seem to breathe. She couldn't be.. she can't... All the horrors went through his head as he looked at her motionless girl in his arms.

The smoke around them started to thicken and Zuko saw the last of Zhao's men run towards the exit. They had to leave and quickly. He carefully laid his hand at the back of her head, pulled her up and let her head rest against his shoulder.

"I'll take you out of here." he said softly as he placed his other arm under her legs and lifted her off the cold floor. She did not weigh much and her small frame made it easy for him to carry her. Making sure she was safely secured in his arms, he started to make his way down. Just in time, as Zuko noticed the lava emerging behind him.

Nobody had noticed the secret entrance, for which he was grateful. The smoke grew thicker around him and he felt the rumbling getting stronger. It'll not take long before the sleeping volcano under the Temple would erupt, he thought and he quickened his pace and ran down the stairs as fast as his legs could carry him.

When he reached the door at the bottom of the stairs, he noticed it had been closed off again. Zuko did not bother to open the door with firebending, but with a smooth and strong kick, he broke the door. Without bothering to look back he started to make his way down back to his boat.

Elyrie stirred in his arms, gasping at the fresh air once they were outside. She coughed as if trying to clean her lungs from the toxic smoke. He felt himself lighten, thankful she was alive an breathing. She coughed a few more times before drifting back in a dazed state, but her motions were enough to ensure him she was okay for now.

Zuko ran down the volcanic rocks, while steadying her in his arms. He felt his lungs burn but was determined to keep going. He reached the boat and ran towards the steering wheel. While still holding Elyrie in his arms, he started the engines of his small boat.

With the engines warming up, he carefully laid Elyrie down on the floor and steadied her against the wall. Once she sat upright and he reassured himself she was still breathing, he quickly turned around to start the boat and sail away from the island. He needed to go back to Uncle, he knew what to do.

While navigating toward the open sea, he continued to look over his shoulder to reassure himself she was still in the upright position. He vaguely remembered something about head trauma's and how you needed to steady the patients. He cursed himself for not paying more attention, since he was clueless how to care for her.

The small boat reached the open sea in no time and it was only a few miles to the Earth Kingdom waters, where Uncle was waiting at the nearest harbour. He tied the steering wheel to the board, so it did not stray from its course. When he had secured the wheel, he turned around and knelt beside Elyrie. She stirred a few times, but relaxed once he placed his hand on her forehead. Her eyelids fluttered and she opened her eyes for a few seconds. With a hazy look in her eyes, she looked around and met his eyes. She smiled weakly, before closing her eyes again.

"No, no!" Zuko said with panic in his voice, "Don't go back to sleep." She opened her eyes again, but it took a lot of effort. Zuko ripped a piece of fabric from his shirt and dipped it in the bucket of water he had taken with him on the way. He placed the wet cloth on her forehand and started to clean the wound as best as he could. The blood had dried up and made her dark hair stuck at her forehead. He kept talking to her to keep her from drifting off again.

"Remember that one time at the beach house?" He said, trying to keep her attention, "Your mother taught us to swim, but I am still not a big fan of the water." .

Elyrie looked at Zuko, still not fully comprehending what was happening at the moment. It felt like her head was split in two and she was nauseous. Zuko continued to talk to her, but she didn't understand what he was talking about. He has a nice voice, she thought absentmindedly. She took a few deep breaths, but her throat felt like it was on fire. Every breath she took was painful and she was thirsty. She turned her head to look at Zuko, but it hurt too much. She closed her eyes again, hoping to lessen the pain.

"Elyrie, open your eyes!" she heard Zuko's deep voice say. Slightly annoyed at his insistence, she opened her eyes again.

"I just wanted to sleep" she rasped, but her voice had the tone of a child.

"I know you do, but please, listen to me." Zuko said in a paternal tone, like he was talking to a child. "I want you to try and stay awake for me, can you do that?" he asked softly.

Elyrie coughed again before she was able to answer. "Yes" she answered, her voice raw.

"Can I have a sip of water?" she whispered after a few minutes, not wanting to strain her voice. Zuko nodded and took the wooden spoon. He placed his hand on the back of her head and carefully lifted the spoon to her mouth. He handled her like she was a small child. She drank the water slowly, but it made her feel even more nauseous. She pulled away, shaking her head and closing her eyes again. The splitting headache had lessened a bit, but it still felt like her ears were ringing.

Zuko carefully placed her head back against the wall, as he noticed the shore coming closer. He saw his ship and quickly stood up and untied the wheel. "Elyrie, we are almost at my ship. Can you stand up?" he asked while navigating towards the metal ship.

Elyrie blinked her eyes and tried to lift herself up from the floor. With one hand on the wall, she slowly steadied herself to stop the world from spinning.

"I am sorry." she said in a thin voice. She felt as if she would fall at the any moment.

"It is alright, please!" Zuko said hastily. "Sit back down!" He looked over his shoulder and saw her slump back like a lifeless doll. "Open your eyes, look at me!" he added, when he noticed her eyes closing again. She lifted her eyelids and he saw the familiar sapphire eyes, looking at him with a confused look.

"Brace yourself." he warned, while letting go of the wheel and kneeling back down beside her. He placed his hand behind her head to let her lean against his shoulder. He knew that the moment the smaller boat would lift back onto the ship, it would create a shock. He did not want her to fall, so he braced himself for the impact. He heard the metal collide and felt the shock going through his body.

It only took a few seconds once he felt that the boat was safely back on the ship. "Wrap your arms around my neck." he instructed gently as he placed his arms around her.

Elyrie blinked at his intimate touch, but did as he asked. Again, he placed his one arm under her knees and wrapped his other arm around her waist and lifted her from the ground.

Iroh had made his way down to the loading deck to assist his nephew, glad to see he returned. But when the doors opened, he was surprised at what he saw. He saw his nephew standing on the deck, carrying a small figure.

At first, he assumed it was the Avatar who was tied up. But one look and he saw it was not the Avatar. He was confused for a moment: who on earth was Zuko holding? That was not even the strangest part: Zuko's shirt was ripped and he noticed the blood on the head of the small person he was carrying.

Then, he saw long auburn curls fall over Zuko's arm and he recognised the person: it was Elyrie.

"By Agni, what happened?" he asked surprised as soon as he registered the gravity of the situation. Elyrie was pale, the red of the blood a stark contrast with her white skin. Her eyes were barely open and her auburn hair was covered in dust.

"The roof of the temple collapsed and she was hit." Zuko answered briefly as he had not time to stop and explain the whole situation. "Uncle, she needs a doctor." Elyrie had closed her eyes again and Zuko shook her in his arms to see if she would stir. Every time she closed her eyes, he was afraid it would be the last time.

Iroh nodded as he quickly. "Place her down on a bed, but keep her awake." he said while trying to keep up with his nephew as he raced to the chambers, "Has she been unconscious?"

"Yes, for a few minutes after she was hit." Zuko answered, not slowing down his pace.

"Has she vomited?" Iroh asked, breathing heavy once they climbed the second set of stairs.

"No." Zuko answered. He had reached the second floor of the ship, where the bedchambers where. Without thinking, he kicked the door open to his own bedchamber and raced to place her on his bed.

Carefully bending his knee, he gently put her down. Her eyes were closed again, but she was still breathing. He wiped the loose strands of hair from her face as he laid down her head on the soft pillow. He noticed the dried blood on the wound at the side of her head, which was luckily not as big as he feared it would be.

"Order the men to get a doctor, Zuko." Iroh said behind him, while he entered with clean cloths and warm water. He knelt beside the bed, gently wiping the blood from her face and hair. Zuko frowned while all his instincts urged him not to leave her alone.

"But Uncle..-' he began before Iroh interrupted with a loud "NOW!"

Chapter Text

Zuko's footsteps sounded loud on the metal floor of the ship as he kept pacing back and forth. Uncle and the physician were in his room taking care of Elyrie.

He groaned impatiently as he passed his door for the sixth time that minute. What could possibly take so long? He was angry that he had been banned from the room after he took it on himself to find a physician as quickly as possible.

Ten minutes ago - was it only ten? - he had raced to the docks and found an older gentleman, who was the local physician. It had not taken much effort to persuade the older man to come with him, especially with his distinctive Fire Nation armour. The older man, who was around sixty years old with a grey beard and intelligent green eyes behind horn rimmed glasses, asked what the problem was before he came with Zuko. Zuko had quickly explained the blow to the head and the hazy state the girl was in. The physician had packed bandages and sterilizer and followed Zuko to his ship. It had taken Zuko a lot of effort not to drag the old man with him, but nonetheless they made it back in no time at all.

Uncle had stayed with Elyrie in the meantime and spoke softly to her, only receiving some form of an answer. She had complained of dizziness and that she felt nauseous, Uncle explained to the physician once he had arrived. The physician opened his bag and carefully began to treat the wound at the side of her head.

Zuko himself had felt nauseous when he saw the bowl on the side of the bed, filled with bloodstained cloths. His stomach had turned, filled with worry and panic when he looked at Elyrie's face, which looked even paler on to the burgundy pillows. Uncle had noticed his discomfort and gently instructed him to wait outside. Zuko had protested but Uncle had practically thrown him out once he started to pace nervously in the room.

So now Zuko was pacing outside, impatiently waiting for some news. It took ten, fifteen, twenty minutes. He sat down, got back up, went in circles, threw fireballs in the air and sat back down again.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the door opened. The physician came out with the bowl filled with bloodstained cloths and pink coloured water. Zuko shuddered at the sight.

"Well, how is she?" he asked, slightly more forceful than he intended.

The physician put down the bowl, straightened his back and took off his horn rimmed glasses.

"The girl will be alright." he replied calmly while looking at the young man, "The blow to her head gave her a light concussion, so it will take a few days for her to recover. She needs sleep, but also fresh air and a bit of light exercise."

He carefully studied the young Fire Nation man in front of him, waiting for his reaction. When the young men let out a sigh of relief, the old man involuntarily smiled. Even behind his rough appearance, it was clear that this boy cared for the sleeping girl in the next room. The girl wore an engagement ring, he had noticed when examining her. Ah, to be young and in love, he thought amused.

"The wound on her head seemed more serious, but I cleaned it and stitched it. It probably will leave a small scar, but the bandage can come off in a few days." He continued, reassuring the young man. "Don't you worry, with enough rest and care, she will be as good as new in no time at all and you'll be able to live a long and happy life together." he added with a smile.

Zuko frowned at the last comment, but the old man failed to notice.

"Now, if you will excuse me, I need to go back." The physician put his glasses back on, grabbed his bag and walked past Zuko with a last nod.

Zuko felt a wave of relief going through his chest. He had been so worried about her, she seemed so vulnerable when he had put her down on his bed. He quickly stepped into his room, relieved but a bit confused as to the physicians words about a long and happy life together. However, he instantly forgot about it once he saw Elyrie's sleeping face in the bed.

The left side of her face was party covered with bandages, which were used to cover up the wound. Her full lips trembled slightly, but she was breathing softly and regularly. She seemed at ease, finally able to rest after the whole ordeal. While making sure she was alright, Zuko absentmindedly knelt down and placed his large hand over her smaller hand which was laying beside her on the bed. It felt cold, which surprised him. The tips of her fingers were like ice, so he gently picked up her hand and rubbed it between his warm, firebending hands. She always had unusually cold hands for a firebender, he thought with a mental smile.

Iroh was still sitting beside the bed as he gently placed a blanket over Elyrie and tucked her in. He too was relieved the girl was alright after having recovered from the first shock of seeing her. The physician had examined her and assured him she would live through this. Elyrie herself seemed a bit confused and disoriented at all the commotion, but the physician reassured her everything would come back to her in a couple days.

Iroh knew confusion and temporary memory loss were side effects from head trauma, so he was sure she would be her old, cheerful self again in a couple of days. The physician had ordered Elyrie to stand up, which she was able to do. She was a bit shaken, slighty disoriented, but eventually perfectly able to walk by herself. The physician then asked her to lie down on the bed again and instructed her to take as much rest as she needed.

She must be exhausted from this day, Iroh thought as he looked out of the window, where he saw that the moon had taken the place of the setting sun. "You need to sleep, dear" he had gently instructed the blue-eyed girl. Elyrie had nodded vaguely and untied the ribbons of her dust covered dress. Iroh was glad it was just her overcoat that was covered in dust and blood, since they had no clean clothes for her. Her underdress would serve just fine for now, but he made a mental note to go and buy some clothes for her tomorrow in town. Not that she noticed it: she quickly closed her eyes and fell asleep within moments.

He had just placed a blanket over her when his nephew entered the room. Zuko did not seem to notice him while he directly knelt beside the sleeping girl. Iroh was amazed at the gentleness his nephew displayed when he carefully warmed Elyrie's hand between his own. For someone who claims that nothing is as important as capturing the Avatar he seems quite distracted, he chuckled to himself. But he still did not understand why and how she came with his nephew and what had happened at the Fire Temple with the Avatar. He walked over to his nephew and placed his hand on his arm.

"Now let her sleep, Prince Zuko." Uncle said while gently tugging at his nephew's arm, "She needs her rest."

Zuko let go of her small hand and gently placed it back on the bed. He carefully stroked her auburn curls before he stood up and made his way to the door. With a last look on the girl, he left the room.

When Iroh had closed the door, he turned to face his nephew. "So, I think you could use a cup of bracing tea."

It did not sound like a question, so Zuko simply followed his Uncle to the sitting room. When he sat down, Iroh poured him a cup of tea. Zuko took a sip and sighed. Iroh poured himself a cup of tea as well, sat down and looked at his nephew.

"Now, will you now tell me what happened at the Fire Temple with the Avatar?" he asked before taking another sip. Zuko's eyes snapped back open, surprised.

The Fire Temple, Zhao, the Avatar.

He had not spared the whole situation a second thought after he saw Elyrie get hurt. He had fled with her, taken her back and only worried for her. He felt his temper flare. How could I have been so distracted, he reprimanded himself with a clenched jaw.

Iroh cocked his eyebrow at his nephew, still waiting for his answer.

"Prince Zuko?" he asked again, "What did happen to Elyrie?" Zuko thought again of the way Zhao and his men had left her behind without looking back, saving themselves. He placed his clenched fists on the table, snapped his head back and exhaled flames into the air. Iroh observed his nephews reaction with a calm demeanour, taking another sip of his tea. Not saying anything was the best way to deal with his nephew's short temper, he had learned a long time ago.

Zuko took a few deep breaths before he was able to calm himself. He looked at the older man, who had poured himself a new cup of tea. He sighed and began to tell the whole story. Of how Zhao was not fooled by the smoke cover and followed him to the small Crescent Moon Island. How he had even captured the friends of the Avatar, but the Avatar had entered the chamber of Roku before Zuko could take him with him. Shortly after, Zhao had arrived.

"Elyrie had accompanied him," Zuko said with gritted teeth, "When Zhao captured me, he asked Elyrie if she was pleased with the outcome."

Iroh cocked his eyebrow. "Why would he say that?"

"I don't know, Uncle" Zuko said, feeling a slight sting, the same he had felt on the island. She had helped him before, so why would she want to see him captured? It made no sense, Iroh mused. He took another sip of his tea, pondering. The girl was smart, so she must have had a good reason to make Zhao believe she wanted Zuko captured.

"What happened after Zhao arrived?" Iroh asked, still curious.

Zuko continued his story, telling about how he was chained to the pillar, how Avatar Roku appeared and had destroyed the Temple. And how Elyrie was hurt in the process, being knocked out and hit by the falling rocks. How he carried her off the island, with him on the ship and back to here.

Iroh had listened quietly, raising his eyebrows at two parts of the story: the part about how Avatar Roku who destroyed the Temple and how his nephew let the Avatar go to save the girl.

"This was not what was supposed to happen today." Zuko said, still clenching his fist. "I don't have the Avatar and don't know where he is going next."

"Prince Zuko, you saved her life today." Iroh said, carefully looking at this brooding nephew, "You do understand that, don't you?"

Zuko's eyes snapped back to his Uncle and raised his eyebrows. He thought of the auburn haired girl, sleeping only a few doors away, safe and sound on his ship. Her pale skin, her cold hands, her disoriented look. Yes, he had let the Avatar go, but only now did he think about his loss. Before his Uncle had asked, only Elyrie had occupied his thoughts. He shook his head and suddenly felt tired.

"I am going to bed." he said while standing up. Iroh cleared his throat at his nephews words while raising his eyebrows. After he shot him a puzzled look, Zuko then remembered Elyrie slept in his room.

"Don't worry, Prince Zuko. You can sleep in my quarters. I'll have a spare room prepared for myself" the older man said with a kind voice. Zuko only nodded at his grey-haired uncle, before he left without saying another word.

Iroh watched his nephew leave with a new feeling of appreciation. The young man had chosen to save an old friend instead of capturing the Avatar. This is a good thing, he mused with a content smile. He left the sitting room, humming a little love song.

At that moment, miles away, the dark night was lit up by a blast of flames.

"Where is she?!" a dark voice roared.

Chapter Text

At the break of dawn, the Dragon of the West woke up with the first rays of sunshine as was the way with firebenders. He streched his tired muscles while looking around the strange room. This wasn't his room? Then, he remembered the events of the previous evening and quickly got up to eat some breakfast. A man cannot work on an empty stomach, he chuckled to himself.

After a quick breakfast - which consisted of 3 omelettes, a bowl of miso soup and a full pot of white jade tea - Iroh went into town to fetch some clothes for the girl. He had checked on her this morning and she seemed better. Her blue eyes looked brighter, although she was still tired and almost fell immediately back asleep. Iroh had folded her dirty dress and decided to go shopping for her as fast as possible. He knew better than to ask his nephew to accompany him. He could go a little overboard when it came to shopping, and based on their earlier experiences, his nephew seemed not to enjoy it.

So he went out alone and bought her two dresses, but also pants and tunics. He remembered she loved to wear those as a child and they were much more practical on the ship than silky dresses. He had to stop himself from buying any more trinkets, since the market was full of nice little shops. However, he did stop to buy a few things, like sweet soaps, flowers and a comb. The girl needed to take care of herself and a little colour in the chambers never hurt anyone, he justified his shopping spree.

With two full baskets, he returned to the ship. He went straight to her room and when he opened the door, he was a little surprised. He saw the back of his nephew turned to him, again on her bedside. Elyrie slept but Zuko continued to caress her hand. Iroh smiled and closed the door without making a sound. He placed the baskets on the floor by the door and walked away, humming.

It is time for an early lunch anyway, he thought to himself.

Zuko opened his golden eyes and looked around the room. He felt slightly confused since they were not his sleeping quarters. He blinked a few times and then remembered. He sat upright and quickly got out of his Uncle's bed. One look outside and he realised it was long past sunrise.

It was not like him to sleep in, especially since he had trouble sleeping anyway. He washed himself quickly, before making his way to his own room.

He knocked on the door before quietly opening it.

"Elyrie?" he said softly as his eyes adjusted to the dark room.

He didn't get an asnwer, but he saw her sleeping, her eyelids fluttering. He knelt again by her bedside with a small smile.

She shivered, which was unusual for a firebender. Cold can't be good, he thougth as he walked to his closet and took out an extra blanket, the one he had used on the icy South Pole. He placed it over her with care, but she immediately wrapped herself in the blankets and stirred. Zuko froze in his movement, not wanting to startle her. She opened her sapphire coloured eyes and blinked a couple times. When the blue eyes met the golden eyes, she smiled. It was not her usual bright smile, it was a very weak smile. But, a smile nonetheless.

"How are you feeling?" Zuko asked softly while he sat down next to the bed.

"I'm not sure. Where am I? What happened?" she said while trying to push herself up on her elbows.

Zuko gently but firmly pushed her down again. "Don't get up. You are hurt." he said in a fatherly voice.

Elyrie sank back down in the pillows. She raised her hand to her head and felt the bandages that covered her head.

"Hurt?" she repeated with a puzzled look as she felt the tender skin under the bandages. Aside from that, she felt alright albeit a bit dizzy.

"Do you remember anything?" Zuko asked.

She took a moment trying to recollect her thoughts. Blurry images came into her mind as she pieced together the meaning. She remembered the Fire Temple, the Sages and a lot of heat.

"Pieces," she replied after a few moments, "Like a dream." Then she frowned and added a bit uncertain: "Did I dream Avatar Roku?"

Zuko shook his head. "No, that was real. He appeared at the Temple."

She raised her eyebrows and closed her eyes again. She remembered now: she was knocked against a wall of some sorts by Avatar Roku's fire.

"I was hurt when he appeared, right?" she asked while straining her memory, "I remember I falling down, but that is the last thing I remember." Zuko nodded, glad she did not suffer from severe memory loss.

"But why am I here with you?" she continued while placing her hands on her face, as if to clear the foggy thoughts, "I came to the Fire Temple with Zhao?"

Zuko took a deep breath. "I took you out of the Temple. You were unconscious when the Temple started to come down on itself. I took you back to my ship, where Uncle and I took care of you." He stumbled, trying to explain his rash decision. What would she think of him? It sounded like I kidnapped her or something, he mentally groaned. It dawned on him that she - still - was Zhao's fiancée. He had taken a high ranking Commanders fiancée with him.

"You took me out of there?" she repeated, frowning again. She remembered his baritone voice, talking to her as if in a dream. She must have been unconscious for some time, since she only remembered his voice in the darkness. His voice, trying to talk to her and keeping her awake.

The thick fog which seemed to cloud her thoughts slowly got thinner once she tried to fit all the pieces together. She remembered coming to the Fire Temple with Zhao, who prepared to take the Avatar and Zuko in custody. The Avatar had escaped with help from Avatar Roku. Roku had defended the Avatar, during which she had been knocked out. Zuko must have carried me away, while Zhao probably saved himself, she concluded as bit her lip until she could taste blood.

She pinched her nose bridge and closed her eyes. No rash conclusion, you don't know for sure. She felt a headache coming up and the fog in her head thickened again. Zuko noticed her discomfort and placed his heated hand gently on her forehead. She smiled with her eyes closed.

"Try to sleep some more, the physician said you will feel better after that." Zuko instructed while wiping a strand of hair from her forehead. She nodded without opening her eyes, but grabbed the hand he had placed on her forehead. She brought his hand to her lips and lightly kissed his knuckles.

"Thank you." she said in a sleepy voice. She turned her head to the side and fell asleep.

Zuko continued to sit by her side for a few more minutes. She still hold on onto his hand after she fell back asleep. With his other hand he caressed the back of her hand while looking at it. She had soft, delicate hands with long nails, like all noblewomen had. Her long fingers relaxed and when her breathing had become steady, he carefully released himself from her grip.

Elyrie stepped out of the bathroom, feeling refreshed and new. The sun had begun to set, so it was almost time for dinner. Uncle had brought her some new clothes and soaps, for which fhe was thankful since she felt incredibly dirty after the whole ordeal.

After a long bath, her hair was finally soft and skily again instead of the roughness from being covered in gravel and dust. It had taken a good effort to wash it, but she was glad that Zuko was keen on his personal hygiene, otherwise she would have taken three more baths just to feel clean.

She put on a towel around her body and stepped back into the bedroom. A tunic and a pair of pants were laid out on the bed. Elyrie picked up the tunic, which was a dark burgundy red. It seemed a bit too large, but she was glad for the clean clothes. Under the tunic lay a small, white piece of fabric. Underwrappings, she thought. She supressed a smile, since this could only be Uncle's doing. She doubted Zuko was worldly enough to think of such a detail.

She picked up the new comb, which was made of wood with details of flowers etched into it. She gently combed her wet hair, trying to take the tangles out of it. It took a lot of time and patience, but finally it was free of knots and tangles.

After that, she took off the towel and carefully wrapped herself in the undergarments and put on the tunic and pants. They were indeed a bit too large, especially around her waist. It must have been a mans tunic, which seemed not to be tailored around the waist. She picked up her old dust-covered silk dress and ripped off one of the sleeves. The sleeve was covered in blood and dust, but it was just what she needed.

She filled the sink with water and washed the sleeve quickly. After a few minutes of scrubbing the fabric with soap, the stains were hardly noticeable. She dried the sleeve using her firebending and tied it around her waist. She walked to the large mirror to inspect her appearance. It would do just fine, she thought. It was nice to wear pants instead of long flowy dresses, which were highly impractical.

She took a closer look at her face. She was still pale, but her normal colour had mostly returned. She carefully touched the new cloth on her left temple, which was covering the wound. It was still healing, but she hardly felt it anymore. The physician had stitched it neatly, but she was told it would leave a small scar. She sighed, glad she survived the whole ordeal with only a minor injury. It could have been so much worse if Zuko had not taken me out in time, Elyrie pondered.

She pushed her hair aside, which formed ringlets around her face. Normally, Jin would carefully brush and dry her hair. It had to be perfect to represent her higher status. But now, nobody could help her. She could try to dry it with her firebending but it seemed an unnecessary risk. My hair is less forgiving than a sleeve, she thought with a grin. Since her hair was almost dry anyway, she left the curls hanging down her back. She tossed her hair from side to side, combing her fingers through it. She liked the look of it, with her hair hanging loose and looking bouncy. She smiled at her reflection before she walked to the door to put on her slippers. After all this, she was really hungry.

"You look a lot better, my dear!" Iroh greeted her cheerfully when Elyrie entered the sitting room, "You have a blush on your cheeks."

Elyrie smiled at the older man before she took her place at the table. Sitting down was far easier in pants, she immediately noticed.

"Thank you again for the clothes, Uncle." she said gratefully, not noticing that she immediately used the term 'Uncle' instead of the correct 'General'.

The grey-haired man chuckled at her - since he did notice it - before adding "I thought you would appreciate the pants."

She nodded enthusiastically while she let her hand slide over the soft fabric with her legs crossed beneath her.

Zuko had said nothing and had only looked up when she entered. She did indeed look a lot better, her cheeks returned to the usual pink colour. Her hair was down, hanging down in ringlets on her back. She suddenly looked younger than her 21 years, with her hair down and in a tunic.

Dinner was served and Elyrie needed all her self-control not to devour everything within a couple of seconds. The food was simple but delicious: fish with rice and vegetables. She ate until she was sure she would burst if she took another bite. She smiled apologetically at the two men.

Iroh chuckled and poured her tea after the meal had ended. He took a breath and said: "Elyrie, we need to contact Zhao about your whereabouts."

She sighed, knowing he was right. "How can we contact him?" Iroh continued as he placed his cup on the table.

Elyrie thought for a second, playing with a loose curl. "He mentioned something about a Fire Nation Fortress in the Earth Kingdom as our next stop." she answered, while tangling her curl between her fingers. "A fortress where they trained elite archers." she added, remembering the detail.

Iroh stroked his beard as he thought about this. "The Yuyan archers?" he then asked. She nodded. "They reside at the Pohuai Stronhold," Iroh said pensively, "It is located in the Earth Kingdom."

"How far is it from here?" Elyrie asked, hoping it would take at least a day or two. For some reason, she felt not ready to face Zhao again. The feeling of betrayal was something she couldn't seem to shake, no matter how hard she had tried today.

"A few days I think, if the tide allows us." The older man answered. Elyrie let out a relieved sigh, before halting herself.

Zuko had noticed it and asked: "What is the matter?"

"Nothing." she quickly replied with a small shriek. Zuko immediately shot her puzzled look and she cursed her voice. Elyrie met his gaze and bit her lip: she was hesitant to answer, being used to hold her thoughts to herself.

However, she knew she could trust Iroh and Zuko, they would never betray her trust. "Let's just say that I am not that eager to return to Zhao." She said with a hint of disgust in her voice.

"Why is that?" Iroh asked with a furred brow.

Elyrie thought about it for a moment, but then turned to Zuko. "If I ask you something, will you promise me that you will answer truthfully?" she asked him with a piercing gaze. She could think of all the worst-case scenario's, but only Zuko knew what really happened.

Surprised by her seriousness, Zuko nodded. "I promise." he replied, although he wasn't sure what she wanted to hear from him.

"Did you save me because Zhao was too busy saving himself?"

"I..-" Zuko began as he chose his words carefully, "I saved you because I saw what happened."

"That is a very diplomatic answer, but it wasn't what I asked." she replied in a stern voice, "So, yes or no?"

Zuko was torn for a moment: if he answered yes, he might be jeopardizing her future marriage to Zhao. And despite his hatred for that man, he did want Elyrie to be happy and this could ruin it. But if he answered no, he would be lying. And he never lied to her.

"Yes." he finally said as he looked away from her gaze.

"Thank you." she said, her voice sounding surprisingly even, "That is all I wanted to know."

She didn't sound hurt or depressed, but the coolness of her voice was almost frightening. "How did you become engaged to him anyway?" Zuko asked before he could stop himself, wanting to know the whole story.

"He came to my aunt and uncle's for dinner one evening." Elyrie said in a neutral tone, "You remember the cousin of my father that I used to call uncle, right? I lived with them after my father died. I am older than my other nieces, so I was to attend as well. Zhoa barely spoke to me, only boasting of his accomplishments and great plans for the future. So I did what every other table lady would do; I smiled and nodded."

Zuko raised his eyebrows, wondering which direction she would go with this story.

"Within a week, Zhao returned to the house and wished to speak to my uncle. He had been looking for a wife and apparently, I made the cut." She continued. "Uncle did not give his consent right away, but I knew it was expected of me. Uncle and aunt did discuss it with me and did not pressure me in any way, but did encourage the idea. After all, I am21 years old and had been fighting marriage proposals for over 3 years by then. With my father, it was easier since I knew I would never be a burden. But when it is someone else, it is harder. So I accepted and within a month I was situated at that harbour we met."

"Doe he treat you well?" Zuko carefully asked although he was slightly afraid of her answer. If Zhao laid as much as a hand on her, he would burn him to a crisp.

"He does," Elyrie answered, "but I have certain expectations to meet if I want to keep it that way."

Iroh raised his eyebrows. "What do you mean, dear?"

Elyrie sighed. "Zhao is a proud, vain man. From the first meeting, it was very clear that he wanted fame and glory." Iroh nodded: he was familiar with Zhao's ruthless ambition and hunger for glory. "I play the part of a dutiful fiancée who worships the floor he walks on. Only that way, I can arrange some profits for myself."

Zuko looked in her blue eyes, which looked sad. "Like?" he asked, wanting her to continue.

"I was not supposed to come to the Fire Temple, because he only wanted his best soldiers and firebenders with him to capture you and the Avatar. As a woman, I was expected to stay behind. " she stated. "But with pleading and asking to see him in his glorious moment, he relented. That is why he asked if I had wished to see this." She said, looking at Zuko. "I never intended for you to be captured, but I came along trying to prevent the worst."

"He truly does not know anything about me." she said as she started tangeling her fingers in her hair, "I doubt he even knows I am a firebender, despite regular displays. He kept going on about a strong bloodline and that he hopes his sons would be benders, like him."

Zuko raised his eyebrows in disbelief. Truth be told, he despised Zhao but he never thought the Commander would be so careless towards others. Towards his fiancée.

"Why do you keep going on with this arrangement? You will be unhappy if you stay there." He exclaimed suddenly, not being able to stop himself.

Iroh raised his eyebrows at his nephew's fervent reaction. Zuko rarely showed interest in other people's private lives, and even if he did it wasn't with much enthusiasm.

"But what other choice do I have? I have no prospects if I break this engagement off." She replied harshly. "I am to be his wife and as such, I will have more autonomy. Besides, it had brought me good things as well. I've seen you again." She continued, but her eyes were softer and she gave him a smile. "And I could help you, maybe I could help others as well." She twisted a ringlet around her finger, softly humming.

Zuko looked at the auburn-haired girl, knowing she was right. But he could not help but feel unhappy about her decision, since she was worth so much more. She deserved a man who saw how special she was, how intelligent, how capable of holding her own in the most difficult situations. Zhao only saw her beauty, not her iron will underneath. He reached over the table and grasped her small hand.

Iroh's eyebrows shot up even higher at this gesture, since he never saw Zuko display any affection in front of others. He suppressed a knowing smile as he stroked his beard. This was something he needed his nephew to figure out on his own.

Elyrie looked surprised as well, but placed her other hand over Zuko's large hand. "I never intended this life, but it the reality that is given to me." she said in a reassuring tone, "I am in no position to change it, but I can work with it."

Iroh looked at the young girl, who seemed mature beyond her years at that moment. She is like a Fire Rose, he thought to himself, Beautiful and sweet but hiding thorns beneath. Like a rose, she bends in which way the wind blows but with strong roots in the ground. She accepts the reality given to her and works with it. But if only there was something we could do for her so she didn't need to face this unhappy future, Iroh mused as he tapped his finger against his chin.

Chapter Text

After they finished tea, Iroh slowly stood up. "If you'll excuse me, there is a game of Pai Sho waiting for me in the steering cabin." He bowed his head before leaving the pair alone, not totally unintentionally.

Elyrie started twisting her finger, a tic she had since she was small. Whenever she was nervous or thinking deeply, she twisted her little finger on her right hand with her thumb and index finger from her left hand.

She thought about their conversation, about her engagement with Zhao and what her life would be like once she was married to him. This is what I choose to do, so I have to make it work. She kept reminding herself that it had been her decision, that no amount of encouraging would have convinced her to do otherwise.

Consider yourself lucky such an important Commander wishes to marry you. Had her aunt been right? Was it a an accomplishment to marry well? She had never discussed that possibility in depth with her parents.

"Sit down, Lily." her father said to her as he motioned to the large chair across his ebony desk. Elyrie sat down and nestled herself in the comfortable chair. She couldn't remember how many time she had sat in this chair in her father's study. It still looked the same, even smelled the same. The comforting scent of books and incense, just enough to not be overwhelming.

"I received a letter today from the Nishio family," her father began as he tapped his finger on a piece of parchment in front of him, "If I remember correctly, you met their eldest son at their party last week?"

"I did." Elyrie nodded. Her father and she had attended the party together, as was customary in the higher circles of the Fire Nation. It had been a celebration of some sort, she couldn't even remember the exact reason. Nevertheless, it had been a pleasant evening with lots of laughter and even a little dancing.

"His father writes to me on behalf of his son: he wishes to become better acquainted with you." her father said while he carefully examined his daughter's face. When he saw her face drop in surprise, he tried to hide his smile. "But I assume from your reaction that you don't wish the same?"

"Well, I-.." Elyrie began as she started shifting in the chair, "I mean, he was nice enough but I don't think - ..."

"Yes?" He asked with an arched eyebrow as his daughter stumbled over her words, which was highly unusual.

"I am only eighteen years old!" she answered finally, "I don't think I am ready for marriage just yet."

"Interesting." he replied as his long finger tapped the letter again, "They never said anything about marriage?"

That was enough to return the usual sharp wit of his daughter. She immediately lifted her chin and pursed her lips in a mocking tone. "Really, Dad?" she asked as he crossed her arms, "You mean to tell me that it is normal for two fathers to discuss the 'acquaintances' of their children, a son and a daughter for that matter?"

"Why not?" He said with an innocent smile, "Your mother and I discussed your friendship with Prince Zuko quite regularly."

"That was different and you know it!" Elyrie said as she let herself fall back in the chair with a chuckle, "That wasn't with the intention to have us marry."

He let out a small chuckle before he gazed at the portrait of his wife. "You are right, darling."

Zuko gazed at her when he noticed her engagement ring was missing from her left hand.

"Where is your ring?" he asked. She looked at her bare left hand, rubbing the empty spot with her thumb.

"I took it off. It lies on the nightstand in your room." she answered. Her eyes lit up and she pulled his arm "Which reminds me, you need your room back." she added.

She was thankful for his hospitality, but she felt a little uncomfortable by all the room switching due to her. Uncle slept in a spare room and Zuko slept in his Uncle's room, but she would gladly take a spare room instead of overstaying her welcome in Zuko's room. She knew how much he valued his privacy.

"Hm?" Zuko looked up with a puzzled look in his golden eyes.

"I mean, I slept in your room these past days. I'm sure you'd like your own bed back." She elaborated.

"But I don't mind having you in my bed." Zuko answered. Elyrie cocked one arched eyebrow and smiled amused, waiting for him to realise what he just had said.

"I mean-… I don't mind having you in my room, eh, sleeping in my room for the time being." Zuko stammered, falling over his words. His face turned a crimson colour, which spread from his cheeks to his neck.

"I see." Elyrie said with pouted lips, her eyes glittering with mischief. "But I would be more comfortable knowing I don't push in" she said with a smile playing around her lips. "Even if you enjoy me in your bed" she added with a teasing tone. Zuko shot her an annoyed look.

Zuko could be so awkward at times and she loved teasing him about it. She playfully slapped his shoulder.

"Come on! Let's arrange it." She said while she stood up.

"I really don't mind." he tried again. She cocked her head to the side in response and said: "We both know I am the stubborn one, so will you help me now or in an hour?" Zuko rolled his eyes at her and rose from his seat.

"Fine." He said in a defeated voice. She let out a soft chuckle and went ahead, her curls dancing behind her. Zuko mentally shook his head at her happy demeanour.

It took them less than thirty minutes to change rooms back.

"Thanks for your help." Elyrie said with a smile. Zuko nodded, while he watched her fluffing his pillows. She had changed the bedsheets as well.

"You know I have people to clean my room, right?" he asked her while watching her arrange the pillows in a way he never bothered.

"Even so, I am perfectly capable of changing the sheets. Especially since I am the one who ruined the previous sheets" she answered. The bedsheets she had slept in were covered with bloodstains and dust because of her, which made her feel a bit guilty.

When she was done with the pillows, her eyes fell on the dual broadswords on the wall. She walked to it to examine them more closely. "Do you still use them?" she asked as he finger trailed the wood of the handle.

"I do." Zuko answered, not without a sense of pride. It was true: even though he mainly practiced his firebending, he always found time to practice with his swords.

"I used to be so jealous of you for being trained by the best masters" she remembered. "No, scratch that: I still am jealous." She corrected herself. She turned around with a fond smile, but saw that he was not looking at her. He looked at the Fire Nation flag on his wall and his eyes turned dark.

"At the moment, there is not much to be jealous of." Zuko said in a grim tone.

She walked over to him and placed her small hand on his shoulder. "I am sorry." she said compassionately. His golden eyes met her blue ones and he quickly looked away. He could not bare it if she looked at him with those compassionate doe eyes. He shrugged and she retracted her hand, seeing the stoic mask fall back in place. She mentally shook her head, wondering how much he had bottled up all those years. She knew he never liked to talk about everything that happened, so she did not push the subject. If he wanted to talk about it, he would do it when he wanted to.

She sighed and picked up her engagement ring from the nightstand. She did not put in on her finger, but let it roll between her fingers instead. Zuko noticed her playing with her ring.

"Can I see it?" he asked carefully. She stopped playing with it and gave it to him.

Zuko squinted his eyes to take a closer look at it. It was a ring like most noblewomen received upon their engagement, with gold and red embedded in it. Her ring had a red diamond in the middle, shaped in the form of the Fire Nation symbol. It is quite large and a tad overdone, Zuko concluded. Elyrie was right, he mused. Zhao wanted this ring around her finger to show her off.

Zuko gave her the ring back and she continued playing with it. She let again the cold metal roll between her fingers. As cold as the man attached to it, she grimly thought. She sighed, but was determined she would not ruin the evening with depressing thoughts. She started to hum a little song, immediately feeling more cheerful

Zuko looked up and saw a smile on her lips. She never is down for long, he thought to himself. He admired that in her, since he himself was the brooding type. He did not like it, but could not help himself either sometimes.

The humming turned in soft singing, while Elyrie went back to cleaning up the room. She did it without noticing, as she always did when completing a chore. Her sweet voice filled the room.

Sing sweet nightingale

Sing sweet nightingale

High above me

Zuko gazed at her, listening to her voice. She repeated the small verse a few times and vocalised the melody. She truly has the most beautiful singing voice, he thought. When he had heard her sing on Zhao's ship, he already had been enchanted by it. But now, seeing her sing the words and her sapphire eyes lightening at every tone, she sounded even more beautiful. If only we had a piano on board, he thought. She would love to play and sing for him, or at least he hoped so.

She caught him gazing at her and he smiled. "What is it?" she asked with a puzzled look.

Zuko quickly caught himself and shrugged. "Nothing, it is just that you never can do things quietly." he said in a teasing tone.

"Ah, making jokes now I see?" she responded with an amused look and elbowed him swiftly in his ribs.

Zuko groaned. "Stop it, Lily!" he said and gave her a soft push. She froze in her movement and looked at him.

It had been long time since anyone had called her Lily.

Zuko saw her freeze, wondering what he had said. "What is wrong?" he asked.

Elyrie's hand went up to the locket around her neck. "Nothing," she answered while her fingers caressed the locket, "It just has been a while since someone called me Lily."

She smiled at the memory of her pet name. When she was little, she could not pronounce her own name, especially the 'r' sound. She called herself Lily and her parents continued to call her by that name.

Zuko mistook her silence for sadness and gave her an apologizing look. "I'm sorry." He said.

"No, I don't mind." she said with a smile, before adding "Would you like me to call you 'Zuzu'?" with a twinkle in her eyes.

"Never." he groaned. She laughed and gave him a wink.

"I think we are done." she said while folding the last of Zuko's clothes and putting them in a drawer. She looked out of the window, where the stars began to climb. The ocean reflected the thousands lights, like a beautiful mirror.

"I am allowed to go on deck?" she asked Zuko. Zuko frowned at her, "Why should you not be allowed?" he asked in return.

She shrugged. "I don't know, Zhao does not allow me out after dark" she answered in a mocking tone. Zuko clenched his jaw at that comment, but nodded to her. "Would you like to go with me? Or do you want to sleep?" she asked him.

He thought about it for only a moment, before he motioned her to lead the way. She walked toward the door, before halting herself and asked "Do you maybe have a shawl or something? I am a bit cold."

Zuko raised his eyebrows at her. "You are a firebender. How can you be cold?" he asked.

"I don't know, I just always am." She retorted. Zuko walked towards the drawer and picked up a small, red piece of fabric. He had used it as a table cloth once, but it would function as a shawl.

"Would this suffice?" he asked and tossed it to her.

She smoothly caught it and wrapped herself in the improvised shawl. "Thanks." she added with a warm smile.

The deck was empty, but the view was beautiful. The ocean stretched out beyond the horizon and the almost full moon bathed them in a bright light. When Elyrie stepped onto the deck, she inhaled the fresh sea air. Her lungs filled with the crisp air, making her feel refreshed. This was the first time she went outside after the whole ordeal with the Temple. She again was reminded of Zuko's heroic action.

"Thank you again for getting me out of the Temple." she said while absentmindedly touching the cloth on her left temple. "I know you had to let the Avatar go because of that." she added while twisting her little finger. She had felt guilty for being the reason he had to flee the Temple.

Zuko looked at her and his eyes fell on the small bandage on the side of her head. He shook his head and said reassuringly "Don't worry about it. I am glad you are okay." She smiled at him and he added "Besides, I most likely would have needed to flee anyway." Elyrie laughed, understanding that even Zuko would not dare to take on Avatar Roku.

She started to hum again. The stars reminded her of the lullaby she had learned when she was younger. She walked towards the railing and let her hands rest on metal, leaning forward. The shawl hang loose around her shoulders. Zuko followed her and rested his hands next to hers on the railing. He recognized the melody and gave her a small nudge.

"Can you sing it?" he asked in a soft voice.

"Really? Now you want to hear my noise?" she taunted with twinkling eyes. Secretly, she was glad he asked it of her. She loved to sing, always had. She took a deep breath and continued the song.

Oh, won't you come with me?

Where the moon is made of gold

And in the morning sun, we'll be sailing

Her voice echoed over the water, filling the night air with music. Zuko closed his eyes and let her voice clear his troubled thoughts

Oh, won't you come with me?

Where the ocean meets the sky

And as the waves roll by,

We'll sing the song of the sea.

She leaned her head on his shoulder as she sang the last notes. Neither of them moved, standing in comfortable silence for a long time. It felt like no time had passed between us, she thought. A sudden cold wind made her shiver and she pulled her shawl closer. She lifted her head from his shoulder.

"I am going to bed." She said with a bright smile. "Goodnight". Zuko smiled at her, wishing her a good night.

When she had left, he continued to gaze over the ocean. Her sweet voice continued to play through his mind. After a few minutes, he too made his way to his quarters. Once he arrived in his room, Zuko quickly put down his head on his clean pillows. When he turned to his side, he smelled her rose scent on the fabric. His large bed suddenly seemed to small. He took a few breaths to calm his racing heart before falling asleep, still hearing her voice in his mind. He sank into a peaceful sleep, like he had not known in months.

Chapter Text

Elyrie woke up past sunrise. She blinked her blue eyes a few times to shake off the sleep and raised herself up. Looking around the spare room, she swung her legs on the side of the bed and stretched her body. She was amazed that she didn't even have soar muscles after her accident. She twisted around to see if anything else might hurt, but she didn't feel anything out of the ordinary. What am I a lucky person, she decided, I have to thank Zuko again for getting me out!

She walked over to the small bathroom while humming a cheerful melody and she inspected herself in the mirror. The bandage still covered her temple and she carefully touched the wound. She felt nothing, so she slowly pulled the cloth away. She looked again in the mirror and saw the thin, red line next to her hairline. It was not very noticeable. The small scar roughly stretched from her eye to her eyebrow, barely more than 5 centimetres

She washed herself and combed her curls. She grabbed a small pin and pinned the front locks of her hair back. It is probably better if I keep my hair out of my face while it continues to heal, she mused. She let the remainder of her curls fall down her back, enjoying the weight as she moved her head. She chuckled and softly hummed to herself as she got dressed in a bright red tunic and pants. She made her way to the kitchen, since she slept past breakfast. She noticed the ship had begun to move, so they probably left a few hours ago at dawn.

She timidly entered the kitchen and greeted the cook. He was a middle aged man with kind brown eyes.

"Ah, yes, Miss Elyrie." he nodded friendly to her when she introduced herself. "General Iroh had asked me to save you some breakfast." he said to her while handing her a plate with fried eggs. She thanked him when she took the plate from him. The eggs were delicious and she ate with a healthy appetite.

After thanking the cook for the meal - whose name was Shin she learned - she made her way onto the deck. She looked around when she stepped outside and saw they were already on the open sea. It was a beautiful morning and she greeted Uncle, who was standing by the railing. He nodded kindly to her, but his look was concerned. She followed his gaze and saw a flock of geese flying over in opposite direction.

Iroh inhaled deeply. "There is a storm coming." he then said, "A big one". Elyrie frowned at him and looked at the bright morning sky.

Zuko seemed to think the same thing, when she heard his baritone voice behind her. "You are out of your mind, Uncle" he said, "The weather is perfect. There's not a cloud in sight." He nodded to Elyrie before continuing to look through his telescope.

"A storm is approaching from the north." Iroh continued, paying no attention to his nephews protests. "I suggest we alter our course and head southwest."

"We know the Avatar is traveling northward, so we will do the same." Zuko retorted. In the early morning hours they had seen the sky bison pass and head towards the north, so Zuko quickly ordered to change their course to pursue the Avatar. He had lost him before and was not planning to lose his track again.

"Prince Zuko," his Uncle said in a reprimanding tone, "Consider the safety of the crew."

"The safety of the crew doesn't matter." Zuko sneered. His eyes met the captain, who cocked his eyebrow at the young man. Zuko was not fazed by the disapproving look and approached the older man. "Finding the Avatar is far more important than any individual's safety." he continued while glaring at the captain.

Elyrie arched her eyebrow, not sure if she heard him correctly. He sounded so harsh, so cold. She shook her head as Zuko stormed passed her without a glance. "He doesn't mean that." She heard Uncle say to the captain, "He's just all worked up."

The captain seemed not convinced. Elyrie turned to the captain and approached him with a tentative smile. "I don't believe we've been introduced, sir." she said politely as she made a quick bow, "I am Elyrie".

The captain's eyes softened at the respectful greeting of the young girl. He nodded his head and gave her a kind smile.

"I know who you are," he said, "You had us worried for a moment when you came to us but I am glad to see you are allright." Elyrie smiled brightly, thankful for the captain's concern.

Iroh's eyes fell on her scar and smiled at her. "I see you look much better"

She carefully caressed the scar on her left temple and nodded to the older men. "I am Lieutenant Jee." The captain continued.

Elyrie smiled "Please to meet you Lieutenant." The lieutenant was a middle aged man with grey hair and sideburns, but friendly brown eyes. He excused himself to arrange some precautions if a storm was indeed to approach. He had served under general Iroh in the army and he never doubted the older general's instinct.

After Jee had left, Elyrie turned to Uncle.

"Uncle, if you are not otherwise occupied, I had a question" Elyrie carefully said. The kind older man nodded to her. "What is it I can help you with, dear?" he asked.

"I was wondering" she began while she started to play with her little finger "if you would want instruct me on some basic firebending moves?" After mentioning it to Zuko the night before, she couldn't help but feel the need to brush up on her firebending. She was by no means a terrible bender, but she needed proper instructions if she wanted to become a better bender. And who better to teach her than the famous Dragon of the West?

"I would be honoured." Iroh said with a smile. "Now, let start with the basics: breathing."

After a few hours of instruction and practising basic forms, Elyrie's eyes fell on the dark clouds approaching from the north.

"You were right, Uncle." she said in a soft voice. Lieutenant Jee and the other crew members also made their way onto the deck and looked at the threatening clouds. Zuko was the last to arrive, his eyes dark and his face impassive.

The captain crossed his arms and said to him "Oh. Looks like your uncle was right about the storm after all."

"Lucky guess." Iroh intervened with a smile, while his nephew turned his back to the Lieutenant.

Zuko's temper flared at the condescending words of the captain. "Lieutenant, you'd better learn some respect, or I will teach it to you." he said while he stepped towards Jee in a threatening manner.

Elyrie's eyes widened at this. She had never heard Zuko speak so harshly to anyone. Maybe to Zhao earlier, but that was somewhat justified. The captain, on the other hand, had done nothing wrong.

Zuko turned away from the captain, but Jee responded in a cold tone: "What do you know about respect?"

Elyrie saw Iroh motioning to Jee to stop his accusation, but Jee failed to notice. His glare was aimed at the young man's back as he continued. "The way you talk to everyone around here, from your hard-working crew to your esteemed uncle, shows you know nothing about respect."

Elyrie bit her lip at these accusations. This had been bottling up for some time, she realised when she heard the lieutenants harsh words. It was hard to believe the captain was talking about the same person who had risked his own life to save hers. Her eyes darted back to Zuko's back, which revealed nothing. She saw Uncle placing his hand on his forehead as Jee sneered at Zuko.

However, Jee was not finished. "You don't care about anyone but yourself. Then again, what should I expect from a spoiled prince?" he finished with an angry glare. Zuko turned around, his face still impassive. His stance on the other hand revealed his sentiments all too well. He took the Agni Kai-stance, silently challenging the lieutenant to a fire duel. Jee did not move a muscle when he too got into his fighting stance.

"Easy now." Iroh tried to calm the situation. The two men paid no attention to him as they crossed their underarms without breaking eyecontact. Zuko's fingertips started to smoke, before Iroh intervened

"Enough!" he said while placing himself between the two men. "We are all a bit tired from being at sea so long." He placed his hands into his sleeves as he continued, "I'm sure after a bowl of noodles, everyone will feel much better."

Jee looked at the older General and relented. However, Zuko turned his back to his Uncle. "I don't need your help keeping order on my ship" he stated with a coldness that made Elyrie shiver. Iroh reached out and placed his hand on Zuko's shoulder, wanting to comfort him, but he pulled away from his Uncle's touch.

Zuko turned away and met Elyrie's sapphire eyes, which looked confused. He quickly looked away from her gaze and made his way back inside without sparing her another glance.

Elyrie did nothing to stop him or reached out to him. She had observed the confrontation in silence; her mind racing and trying to connect the dots. She realized that the Zuko who rescued her and the Zuko who hunted the Avatar seemed two vastly different persons. He may have helped her, but it was clear she was the exception.

Iroh continued to gaze at the upcoming storm, his hands placed in his sleeves again. Elyrie quietly moved to his side and grasped his arm.

"Is this how it normally goes?" she asked quietly while looking at the dark clouds.

Iroh sighed. "I am afraid so," he said in a serious voice, "Zuko is focused on finding and capturing the Avatar, more so than ever before." He sadly shook his head. He had witnessed his nephew's softer side yesterday in his interactions with Elyrie, but that seemed to have vanished at the first sight of the Avatar.

"Come inside and have dinner with me." Elyrie kindly asked the older man, trying to distract him. He looked up and smiled at her hopeful eyes. He offered her his arm and she gladly took it.

Zuko had not joined them for dinner. He had locked himself in his room and refused anyone. Elyrie had brought a tray with dinner to his room, but he didn't open the door. She had knocked two times, but there came no response so she placed the small bowl of noodles at the door, not wanting to push him.

After dinner, Uncle and she walked back to sitting room. On their way through the corridor, they heard muffled voices coming from below deck in the boiler room. Uncle motioned for her to follow him while placing a finger on his lips, indicating for her to remain quiet. She followed the old man with a puzzled look to the boiler room.

When they stood on the bridge that oversaw the entire boiler room, they could make out the inside as a red glow illuminated the interior of the ship. Looking down the stairs, Elyrie saw four men sitting around a fire, drinking and talking.

Elyrie moved forward to descend, only for Uncle to gently grab her wrist; he didn't say anything but motioned for her to wait. She obliged and listened to the muffled voices, which now sounded louder and clear. As her eyes adjusted to the light, she tried to see who the four men below were.

"I'm sick of taking his orders," she heard Jee say in an angry tone, "and I'm tired of chasing his Avatar. I mean, who does Zuko think he is?"

"Do you really want to know?" Uncle asked calmly, his gentle voice echoing off the metal walls. Elyrie repressed a shriek of surprise: she didn't expect him to speak. The four crewmembers looked up in equal surprise, with Jee quickly apoligizng.

"General Iroh, we were just –..." he stammered while trying to explain why he was just loudly questioning the nephew of the esteemed Dragon of the West.

"It's okay." Iroh said while peacefully raising his hand to signal that he didn't take offense. "May we join you?"

"Of course." Jee said and rose up to give his seat to the older man. Elyrie said nothing as she followed Uncle as he descended down the stairs, looking at the crewmembers. Jee politely nodded at her and he gave a quick nod to the other members present. The second man - she recognised him as the engineer - motioned for her to take his place, but she politely shook her head and continued to stand beside Uncle.

Iroh stroked his beard after he sat down. "Try to understand." he began explaining to the present crewmembers, "My nephew is a complicated young man. He has been through much."

Then he started to tell the crew the story. The story which send shivers down Elyrie's spine, even after five long years.

She remembered the day like it was yesterday. She and Zuko had been studying when they got word of a war meeting which would take place later that afternoon. Zuko had been eighteen years old and eager to attend, she remembered. Elyrie felt a sting, as she was the one who had encouraged him to attend, trying to learn as much as he could.

Uncle continued to tell how Zuko asked to attend the war meeting where the attacks on the Earth Kingdom where planned. Elyrie never knew what actually had happened during the war meeting, except that Zuko spoke out of turn. She listened to Uncle's calm voice while fixating her eyes on the fire in front of her.

"The General opted to sacrifice a division of young Fire Nation recruits as a distraction for a powerful Earth Kingdom battalion. The plan was to let them be the bait while the more experienced soldiers attacked the Earth Kingdom troops from behind." Iroh said in a passive tone, trying to control his emotions. "The General barely had finished speaking when Zuko spoke up. He said that they could not sacrifice an entire division like that and that the recruits loved and defended their nation. Zuko stated that they did not deserved to be betrayed."

Elyrie closed her eyes while a tear fell down her cheek.

"Zuko was right, you see?" Iroh added in a grim tone, "But it was not his place to speak out and there were dire consequences." He took a sip of his drink, which Jee had offered him. The crewmembers listened in silence with wide eyes. "After Zuko's outburst in the meeting," Iroh continued, "the Fire Lord became very angry with him. He said that Prince Zuko's challenge of the general was an act of complete disrespect. There was only one way to resolve this."

"Agni Kai" Jee said quietly, "A fire duel."

Elyrie felt her tears flowing as she remembered how the Agni Kai room was prepared for the duel. She had heard from Uncle that Zuko was to participate in the Agni Kai and she had begged him to take her with him. Iroh had relented, but made her promise not to leave his side during the Agni Kai.

"That's right." Iroh told Jee, "Zuko looked upon the old general he had insulted and declared that he was not afraid. But Zuko misunderstood; when he turned to face his opponent, he was surprised to see it was not the general." Iroh continued, while looking around the group of men. "Zuko had spoken out against the generals plan, but by doing so in the Fire Lords war room, it was the Fire Lord himself whom he had disrespected. Zuko would have to duel his own father." The crewmembers sucked in their breath, surprised.

"You will learn respect. And suffering will be your teacher." Those words made her shiver. And the scream that followed, she would never forget.

"I looked away." Iroh finished and looked around the circle. He saw the men stare at him, as if they could not believe what he had just told them. He himself had trouble believing it, but it was the sad truth.

He looked at the girl standing beside him - like she had on that fateful day five years ago - but she did not look at him. Instead, she looked at the fire. Her cheeks were stained with tears, which kept flowing even though she did not make a sound. Her expression hadn't changed, but her eyes told the crew all they needed to know. The look of pure horror and pain was more than he could ever explain with words.

She was reliving it as well, remembering every moment, he thought. She had been beside him during the Agni Kai, she had grasped his hand at the reveal of the Fire Lord but had not said a word. She had been crying as well when Zuko begged for his father's forgiveness. When Iroh had looked away, she had her face pressed against his shoulder, turning away as well from the horrid sight. He was glad she did not witness it, as he himself could not.

The captain finally spoke. "I always thought that Prince Zuko was in a training accident."

Elyrie finally spoke, her voice barely more than a whisper and her eyes still fixated on the fire. "It was no accident." Her soft voice was filled with hatred, as were her eyes.

Iroh resumed: "After the duel, the Fire Lord said by refusing to fight, Zuko had shown shameful weakness. As punishment he was banished and sent to capture the Avatar. Only then could he return with his honour."

"So that is why he is so obsessed." Jee said, understanding at last. "Capturing the Avatar is the only chance he has of things returning to normal."

"Things will never return to normal." Iroh said in a harsh tone. Elyrie looked at the old general and placed her small hand on his shoulder. He too carried the burden Zuko was forced to bear and she was thankful for his compassion. "But the important thing is, the Avatar gives Zuko hope." Iroh concluded in a softer voice as he felt the soft touch on his shoulder.

The Avatar gives Zuko hope, and so does Elyrie, he added silently in his mind. She was a friend, someone he needed beside himself as a mentor. But even more imporantly, Iroh knew Elyrie reminded his nephew of his happier days.

He placed his old hand over her small hand and smiled at the young girl. Her eyes were red, but she bravely smiled back at him.

For a moment, everybody in the boiler room was silent as they thought over what General Iroh just told them. But the moment didn't last long when a loud sound startled them, followed by a crashing sound of falling metal.

The men raced onto the deck with Elyrie quickly following. When she reached the deck, she almost lost her balance. The ship was rocking on the high waves and water was splashing on the deck. Elyrie slipped on the water in her hurry and almost fell over, but two arms steadied her before she could lose her balance. Zuko had caught her before she fell down. She grasped his upper arms, muttering a quick thanks. Zuko nodded, holding onto her while trying to keep his own balance.

"Where were we hit?" he yelled over the sounds of the crashing rain and waves.

"I don't know" Jee yelled back, while looking around. The rain slammed onto them. Elyrie's curls stuck to her face and the waves drenched her, soaking her to the bone within moments.

"Look" Iroh exclaimed, while pointing at the watchtower. Elyrie squinted her eyes when the lightening illuminated the dark ship. She saw what Uncle meant: the helmsman hang onto the railing helplessly, barely holding on.

"The helmsman!" Zuko yelled. He let go of her and swiftly made his way up the ladder of the watchtower, with Jee following him. They started to climb up to reach the helmsman.

The ship continued to sway from left to right. Elyrie watched with fear in her eyes as the two men tried to reach the helmsman. With her hands clasped in front of her face she barely paid attention to her surroundings.

She was startled by a second lightning strike, but saw Uncle reacting quickly. The bolt made its way to the ship, but Iroh redirected the lightning away from the ship and back into the sea. He lit up like a second sun, before releashing the lightning. After that, he looked a bit burned on the edges, but her mouth fell open at this display of firebending.

However, the shock that rocked the ship was the final push for the helmsman. He lost his grip and fell down with a loud scream. In a reflex Zuko grabbed the man hand, preventing him from falling to his death. When he steadied his grip, he carefully lowered the elderly helmsman to Jee. The captain was a few feet beneath him and took over the man, with a proud look at Zuko. Zuko gave him a look of understanding before they made their way back down to the deck.

Once they reached the deck, Elyrie made her way over to the helmsman. She inspected his hands and his face, searching for bruises or injuries. But - despite being shaken up quite roughly - the old man seemed to be okay. She steadied him, letting him lean on her while Zuko and the other crewmembers anxiously searched the ship for damage.

Zuko looked at Elyrie through the rain. Her curls were sticking to her face and she used all her might to support the shaken man. They exchanged looks before his attention was caught by a flying shape in the rainy sky. The distinct shape of the Avatar's sky bison was impossible to miss.

"The Avatar!" Zuko exclaimed, his voice louder than the thunder and the crashing waves.

"What do you want to do, sir?" Jee yelled, waiting for his orders.

It took Zuko only a few seconds to decide. "Let him go. We need to het this ship to safety first." He ordered while turning around to face his crew.

"Then I suggest we head to the eye of the storm." Uncle instructed while giving his nephew an appreciative look. The men quickly spread to change course. Elyrie reacted as well, nudging the helmsman back inside once they reached calmer water. The ship stopped swaying as she led him to her room to recover. The helmsman gave her a grateful look when he sank onto the bed. She smiled back at the old man.

"Can I do anything for you, sir?" she asked him. He shook his head, but she poured him a glass of water even so. He drank it swiftly before laying down. When he closed his eyes, she quietly left the room and closed the door.

She made her way back onto the deck, where Zuko and Uncle were inspecting the ship. The rain had stopped and she saw a spot of blue in the sky. We made it to the eye of the storm, she thought relieved.

When she reached the two men, a giant wave seemed to appear next to the vessel. But it was, on second glance, not a wave. It was the sky bison of the Avatar emerging from the water. She saw the Avatar in his distinctive orange and yellow clothing gazing down at them. She looked at Zuko, who had his eyes fixed on the boy as well until they were out of sight.

"Uncle," Zuko finally said in a raspy voice, "I am sorry." He bowed his head in shame. He had endangered them all in his thoughtless pursuit of the Avatar. It had nearly cost them the life of the helmsman, who had served him dutiful.

Iroh placed his hand on the shoulder of his nephew. "Your apology is accepted." he said with a fatherly smile before turning to go back inside to a nice wam cup of tea.

Zuko's eyes fell on Elyrie, who shook her wet curls out of her face, which made his heart constrict. He had endangered her too. What must she think of him? He expected her to look at him with the same aversion she had displayed when she heard that Zhao had abandoned her. He himself had been disgusted with the carelessness of the Commander, and here he was doing the very same thing.

But when their eyes met, she smiled at him.

Chapter Text

Zuko wasn't someone to give in to his exhaustion, but that night he was grateful that he could lay down his head. He had a terrible headache. While massaging his temples with two fingers, he recalled the events of the day. The fight on deck, the storm, the helmsman, Elyrie's kind smile…

He sighed and turned on his side, away from the Fire Nation flag. As if today had not been hard enough, his head had been overflowing with memories. He had locked himself in his room to meditate for most of the day, but he couldn't clear his mind. Since Elyrie had arrived on the ship, it seemed the past had come back to haunt him with a vengeance and he feared that his nightmares would come back.

His mother, lost and alone. His father, disowning him and banishing him. His sister, taunting him. "Dad's gonna kill you'.

He closed his eyes and silently prayed for another peaceful night, like the night before. He remembered Elyrie's lullaby, hoping it would hold back the nightmares. He was mistaken.

The dark figure moving towards him as he fell to his knees. Begging again for mercy. "Rise and fight, Prince Zuko." A cold voice. Zuko felt his tears flowing. "I won't fight you", he heard himself answer again.

"Zuko!" he heard a feminine voice call from far away. She appeared in front of him, facing him while her back was turned to his fathers approaching silhouette. She looked younger, like she was sixteen again. Her cheeks rounder, her hair down. Crying sapphire eyes.

"Get away!" he yelled to her, but she did not move. She kept looking at him and reached to touch his face. He panicked, wanting to get her out of harms way.

"You will learn respect. And suffering will be your teacher.", he heard his father say while aiming his flaming fist at Elyrie's back.

"No!" he screamed in agony. "Zuko!" he heard her yell again when his father aimed his fire at her. She cried his name again before falling down.

"Zuko! Zuko, wake up!" he heard her voice call him. He turned his head around, but felt hands on his face. A pale face came into his view, blue eyes large with worry.

"Wake up!" she said while shaking his shoulders. In a reflex, he grabbed her and pulled her against his chest. Protectively, he curled his arms around her, feeling her warmth against his body. He closed his eyes and tried to steady his breathing.

Elyrie yelped in surprise when Zuko pulled her down and placed his arms around her. She was surprised at his fervent reaction and was not sure how to react. With her head on his chest, she heard his beating heart and heavy breathing. She did not move and waited until his breathing steadied. She had walked past his room when she had trouble sleeping herself a few minutes earlier. The rain had stopped and she wanted a bit of fresh air, so she made her way towards the deck. But when she passed his room, she heard stifled cries and heavy breathing. She only hesitated for a moment before she entered his room.

He had been trashing in his bed, wildly moving his arms from side to side. She had knelt beside him and tried to wake him. It had the opposite effect, since he seemed to only become more restless. She tried harder, shaking him and kept calling his name. His eyes had snapped open and looked straight at her before pulling her down.

His breathing was more regular now and his heart pounded in a steady rhythm. His arms were still curled around her, but she carefully pushed herself back off his chest onto her elbows. When she looked at his face, she saw he had fallen back asleep. Gently releasing herself from his grip, she sat back. She had knelt down to try and wake him and he had pulled her in a surprisingly tight hug. It had been slightly uncomfortable and she felt her legs stinging. She stretched her strained muscles, still not entirely sure what just had happened.

He had not been wearing a shirt, which made the whole encounter even more uncomfortable for her. It was strangely intimate, even if it had not been the first time she had seen him shirtless. She quickly shook her head and looked back at the sleeping firebender. He most likely did not even realize she was here and had fallen back asleep in moments.

She stood up and wetted a cloth with water. Walking back to his bedside, she softly hummed a lullaby. She wiped his forehead and listened to his breathing to see if there were any more irregularities, but he seemed to sleep soundly. She smiled and then immediately yawned, which told her it was best to leave.

"Goodnight." she whispered as she stood up and left the room, slowly closing the door behind her.

The next morning, Zuko woke up feeling refreshed. He had slept well and the headache was gone. He got out of bed to wash himself and after a quick rinse, he got dressed and went to eat his breakfast. He sat alone as he ate his breakfast and inquired after his Uncle and Elyrie. After all, his Uncle never missed a meal. He was informed that they had eaten breakfast already and were training on the deck.

"Training?" Zuko repeated with a frown. He did not know Elyrie had been training with his Uncle. Again, he mentally slapped himself for his behaviour yesterday. He had lost a whole day with Elyrie because of his temper and pride.

"Yes sir," the crewman answered, "Miss Elyrie requested a few firebending practices." Zuko nodded at the man and motioned for him to leave. Elyrie had mentioned something about being jealous of him for training with masters, he remembered while eating his breakfast.

Jee entered and bowed to him. "Sir," he said while looking at the younger man, "We will reach Pohuai Stronghold tomorrow morning. Would you like to send a hawk to announce our arrival with Miss Elyrie?"

Zuko thought about it for a moment, feeling a sting of regret. He wished it would take just a little bit longer to reach their destination. He quickly repressed the thought of delaying. They had lost enough time chasing the Avatar already.

"Thank you, captain." he said with an impassive face, "Please send a hawk to Commander Zhao announcing the arrival of his fiancée."

Jee nodded, not missing the slight falter of the Prince's voice at the word 'fiancée'. "He would be glad to have his fiancée back safe and sound." Jee answered, misinterpreting the meaning of Zuko's slip.

Zuko nodded absentmindedly as Jee left. He repressed the thoughts about Zhao and finished his breakfast. He sighed and pushed his bowl away. Better tell Elyrie about the news, he thought with an unfamiliar feeling of sadness.

Uncle had convinced Elyrie to start training early in the morning, with the rising sun. She was definitely not a morning person, but she tried her best. She quickly mastered the basics and followed Iroh's instructions carefully.

Iroh had studied her movements and adapted his instruction to suit her. She moved like a waterbender, dancing through the movements. She was flexible and fast, easily evading his attacks. With a good master, she would be able to become a great firebender, Iroh mused.

Her style was unique, which intrigued him. It was clear she mostly taught herself, since her form was vastly different from his own or any other firebender. Instead of using open palms or fists, she bended fire with her middle and index finger, like Azula used to do. However, that was the only similarity to the bending style of the Princess. Elyrie was more defensive and her movements were more circular, like she was dancing. But when she attacked, her attacks were precise and her aim flawless. She even surprised him with her own moves, like how she used her fire to launch herself several meters off the ground.

Elyrie wiped the sweat from her forehead, feeling energized. Her face glowed from the exercise. They had been training for an hour when Zuko approached them.

"Good morning, Prince Zuko" his Uncle greeted. Elyrie nodded to him, hoping it would hide her blush. She remembered how her head had rested on his naked chest. Quickly repressing this thought, she focused on her breathing. Uncle instructed her on a firekick, so she continued the movement.

Zuko mumbled a greeting while he observed the training. For training, she wore pants and a shorter top, which let her stomach and arms free. She had braided her hair out of the way during the practices. His mouth went dry watching her, appreciating her slender figure and womanly curves. She moved with effortless grace as she practiced her movements. Her skin glowed and her blue eyes sparkled. Reprimanding himself for gazing at her, he cleared his throat.

Uncle and Elyrie looked his way when he cleared his throat. Hastily, he thought of something to say.

"You fight good." He managed to say, mentally scolding himself as soon as it came out of his mouth.

But Elyrie smiled at him. "Thank you." She answered while looking at Uncle, "Uncle has been giving me a crash course." Iroh looked at his nephew, noticing the blush on his good cheek.

He smiled a fatherly smile at him and looked back at Elyrie. "You are a very good student, my dear" he said affectionately. "It is nice when someone listens to my instructions for a change" he added teasingly when he looked back at his nephew.

Zuko mumbled something and shot his Uncle an angry look.

Elyrie chuckled. "You are lucky to train with such a great instructor every day," she said to Zuko, "You know I never formally trained with a master. All I can, I taught myself or took over from you."

Zuko remembered sparring with her when they were younger. "How about a little match to see how much you learned?" he answered with a cock of his eyebrow.

Uncle frowned. Zuko's bending was quite rough, mostly due to the fact he fuelled his inner fire with rage. Would he attack her with the same aggression he normally showed and hurt her? However, he did not discourage the idea. He was convinced Elyrie was able to hold her own against his nephew, even in the short amount of time they practiced. She had trained herself with an iron discipline and even if her technique was slightly different, she was still a very capable bender.

Elyrie raised her eyebrows at Zuko, but agreed immediately. She never backed down from a challenge. She nodded at him and took her fighting stance, excited to spar again after such a long time. Zuko quickly removed his heaviest armour, so he was able to move more freely. He walked to the other side of the deck to face her.

Iroh took a few steps back and watched the two with his hands in his sleeves. This will be very interesting, he mused.

When he took his fighting stance, Zuko aimed a fireball at her. It had been a controlled attack to go easy on her. She spun around and easily evaded the attack and ran towards him. In his surprise, he aimed another fireball at her. But he was too slow in his reaction. She jumped and blasted herself into the air with her firebending.

As soon as she flew above him, Zuko looked up but was blinded by the sunlight and he lost her for a moment. Then, she landed in front of him within the blink of an eye. She stood in front of him before he realized it and grabbed his wrist, pushing it down so he couldn't aim at her.

With his wrist down and her two fingers aimed at his throat, he was cornered. He blinked his eyes at her in surprise and was stunned.

"Never underestimate your opponent." she said with a mischievous smile. Her eyes gleamed with pride. He heard Uncle chuckle from the sideline.

She let go of his wrist, still smirking at him. He shook his head and said "You're on."

She retook her stance and waited. Zuko growled and attacked again, aiming his fireballs at her with more speed. She evaded them just as quickly and never stopped moving. Her petite frame and natural flexibility made her a difficult target. It was like trying to punch a feather. He stopped and regained his breath. That is when she started to attack. With two fingers, she aimed small shots of fire at him. When he evaded them, she started doing the firekicks. He blocked her attacks with a smug smile. She saw it and smirked back. Elyrie took a breath and started to make her way towards him, using her flexibility to her advantage.

Iroh watched amused from the sideline. It was like watching a waterbender and a firebender spar. She was more defensive than offensive and slipped through Zuko's fiery attacks. He on the other hand was far stronger in his attacks and blocked hers easily.

They should practice together more often, he thought with a chuckle. Their different styles complimented each other and forced them to adapt to the situation.

Elyrie made her way closer to Zuko, not breaking eye contact as she advanced. Zuko noticed her approaching and created firewhips. The long scorching flames extended from his hands and he aimed them at her. She was surprised, but quickly adapted her style. Evading them using acrobatics, she moved through the lines. She blocked his hits and made her way back to him. She noticed he kept his midriff exposed when he raised his arms for another attack.

She smiled playfully and ran straight towards him, catching him off guard. Zuko yelped when she physically ran into him and they fell onto the metal floor of the deck. In his confusion, she straddled him and pinned his wrists next to his head.

"Mercy?" she asked with a smug smile as her loose curls tickled his face.

However, she was not trained in hand-to-hand combat like Zuko was. Zuko quickly reacted and rolled them over, pinning her wrists to the ground above her head. She shrieked when he moved her around.

Zuko smiled arrogantly. "You cheated, so now you get to beg for mercy." he said teasingly.

"Never!" she yelled while trying to get herself free. It was useless. Zuko was stronger and heavier than she was, so she had nowhere to go. Amused, Zuko watched her attempts to break free but held her pinned down with ease. After a few tries, she relented.

"Fine, I surrender!" she said with an angry glare, "Now get off me!"

Zuko smirked and got off her. He extended his hand to help her stand up and she took it, albeit a little bit grumpy. Her hair had become undone and her cheeks were pink. She started to laugh however when she was back on her feet and Zuko could not help but smile. That certainly was an interesting sparring match.

Iroh looked at the pair and shook his head at them, while trying to hide his amused grin.

"Elyrie, that is not how you spar." He reprimanded the auburn haired girl. She didn't answer, but instead pouted her lips in an innocent way as if to say 'Well, how could I know?'

"And Prince Zuko," Iroh continued, "you never force a lady to beg for mercy."

Zuko shrugged and said "Well, she started it." Elyrie opened her mouth to protest when lieutenant Jee approached them.

"Prince Zuko," he said when he nodded to the other two, "I have received a message back from Commander Zhao." He extended his hand and offered Zuko a piece of paper.

Elyrie widened her eyes, but Zuko evaded her look when he took the massage and read it out loud:

We will pick up my fiancée at the Phan Hue Harbour tomorrow at noon. Expect to see her in good health.

That was it. Two sentences. Zuko felt his temper flare at the arrogance and indifference of the Commander. He looked at Elyrie and saw she clenched her jaw as well. He ignored the urge to burn the paper to a crisp in his hands and pinched his nose bridge.

Elyrie in turn gritted her teeth at the message. She could practically hear Zhao's condescending tone through the written words. There was no thanks for saving her or for offering to escort her back to him. She absentmindedly touched her small scar and sighed.

"I'm going to clean up for lunch." she simply said and walked away.

Chapter Text

Elyrie let the engagement ring roll between her thumb and index finger and sighed. She sat on her bed cross-legged and was wearing a robe. Her damp curls were combed back after she had washed herself. When she had come out of the bathroom, her eyes fell on the pompous engagement ring on her nightstand. She had picked it up and played with it for quite some time now, pondering about what tomorrow would look like.

It had felt like a dream, getting away from her real life. Even if she was hurt in the process, she was secretly glad it happened. These past few days felt like a small vacation with Zuko and Uncle. And it felt longer than a mere three days, but of course a lot had happened in those days. She chuckled and placed her ring back on her nightstand. As long she kept it off, she could pretend it wasn't almost over.

She pushed herself off the bed and started to get dressed. She opened the dresser and took out the two dresses Uncle had bought for her. They truly are beautiful, she thought when laying them down on the bed.

The first dress was made of a burgundy mousseline and trimmed with black lace on the bodice, creating an elegant form. The other one was made of silk in the colour of a rose. The bodice was tight, closing with white buttons in the front, but the skirt hang loose. The first one was more mature, while the second one was more playful. She smiled and picked the second one.

She whistled when she closed the buttons in the front and inspected herself in the mirror. It is beautiful, she thought with a smile, Uncle really has taste when it comes to this. She smiled and spun around, causing the skirt to twirl around her. She giggled and shook out her curls, which were almost dry. She pinned the front locks back again, but left out a few strands for a more playful look. She felt a bit mischievous, but decided that if her stay here was almost over she would make the most of her last day.

When she entered the room, she saw Uncle and Zuko already waiting.

Uncle nodded appreciatively at her appearance. "You look wonderful" he said with a kind smile. Elyrie gave him a broad smile. "Thanks to you, Uncle", she said lovingly, "You truly have an impeccable taste."

He let out a small chuckle and looked at his nephew. "Prince Zuko, don't you think Elyrie looks beautiful?" he asked innocently. Zuko cleared his throat when he looked at her. She gave him a playful smile and made a twirl, her dress flowing behind her.

He rolled his eyes at her, but could not deny she looked truly beautiful. He shot an annoyed look at his Uncle, who wiggled his eyebrows at him, but nodded to Elyrie. He was glad that lunch was served at that exact moment.

Elyrie sat down and picked up her chopsticks. They had spicy dumplings for lunch, her favourite. She suspected Uncle had something to do with this.

"It is delicious." she said to Uncle. He nodded, but was too busy enjoying his meal to answer. She giggled at the old man.

Zuko ate in silence, taking small bites and chewing slowly. He wasn't listening to them, but thinking about their schedule. Jee had informed him a few minutes ago that they had a favourable wind, which meant they should arrive earlier than expected at the Phan Hue Harbour. With a bit of luck, they would arrive before sunset. He played with his dumpling, pondering what to do with the new information. He could contact Zhao about their changed schedule and let Elyrie be picked up this evening. Then he would be free to pursue the Avatar again, who was probably heading farther north. They had lost a lot of time already.

But when he looked at the blue eyed girl sitting across him, he started to doubt. She could stay one more night, he mused. After all, they probably wouldn't depart again before the next morning. He would probably lose only a few hours, nothing more. He convinced himself that it was not worth the trouble to change the schedule.

In the meantime, Uncle had finished his plate of dumplings and patted his mouth with a napkin. He looked at Elyrie, who took her last dumpling.

"You know," he said after lowering his napkin, "This is probably your last evening with us." Elyrie nodded with her mouth full. "We must make it a memorable evening then." He continued. Zuko looked up with a frown, curious what Uncle meant.

"What do you think about a music night?" he asked Elyrie with smile. Elyrie's eyes lit up and her smile widened.

On the other side of the table, Zuko groaned at the suggestion. He hated his Uncle's music nights. Ever since they bought a tsungi horn after their encounter with the pirates, his Uncle had been pushing him to participate.

Just when he was about to protest, he saw Elyrie's face lit up at the suggestion. "Can we really?" she cried out, "I would love that!" She clapped her small hands together and looked expectantly at Zuko. He met her sapphire eyes, full of happiness.

Zuko sighed and knew he could not refuse. "Yes, we can." he mumbled.

Uncle smiled at him with fatherly pride. Maybe she could convince him to play the tsungi horn as well, he thought amused.

"Then I start preparing for tonight." Uncle said when he stood up. Elyrie rose up as well.

"Can I help you with anything?" she asked, still smiling. He pinched her cheek as he passed by and shook his head.

"No, dear, I can manage. But you have to do me one favour." he said while looking at her with a small flicker of hope in his eyes.

"Of course, anything!" she nodded.

"Will you sing for us tonight? I would so very much like to hear you sing again." he asked while giving her a proud look.

She smiled shyly, but agreed. "I would love to." she replied with a half smile as a pink blush coloured her cheeks.

After Uncle had left, Elyrie made another twirl. "A music night!" she happily said, "What a wonderful idea".

Zuko rolled his eyes and shook his head, but smiled amused.

"Come," he motioned her when he stood up, "Let's get some fresh air." She nodded and almost tripped walking out of the door. He again rolled his eyes at her. She kept chatting about the music night and bombarded him with questions about it. He was ashamed to admit he actually disliked the music nights, but luckily she was too busy being enthusiastic to pay attention to his answers.

When they reached the deck, the sun had warmed the metal ship. It was a cloudless day and Elyrie breathed in the salty sea air. She loved the sea wind through her hair. She looked at the seemingly endless sea and extended her arms, as if she wanted to fly away right there.

Zuko looked at her and felt warmth spread trough his chest. It was impossible to be moody around her; she was a ray of sunshine everywhere she went. Even he had not been brooding as much the past days, which meant something.

She suddenly looked at him with her big blue eyes and grasped his hands. Surprised at her sudden movement, he stopped.

"I never properly thanked you!" She said with a genuine smile, "For saving my life, I mean. And I loved spending time with you and Uncle these past days!"

"You are welcome." he said while looking down shyly, "And I never thanked you for your help." he added warmly. She smiled and turned her face towards the sun, leaning forward on the railing.

"I meant to ask you, why did you help me?" Zuko asked as he leaned his elbows on the railing, "You could have gotten in serious trouble if it was discovered."

Elyrie turned her face to meet his golden eyes. "Because Zhao wants to capture the Avatar out of vanity." she answered, "You had a different reason. And I hoped you would treat the Avatar with more respect once you captured him."

She gazed back to the blue waves in front of her. She would rather have all together that they did not need to capture the Avatar as if he was some sort of prize, but she did not say it out loud. It was something she had pondered before she went to the Temple. The deck was stacked against anyone who wished to stand between the Avatar and his destiny to restore balance to the world; the fact that Avatar Roku appeared and destroyed an entire Temple proved it.

Last night - after the storm - she had spent her night thinking about the change the Avatar had brought with him when he was discovered after hundred years. The entire Fire Nation was in state of alarm, while the citizens of the Earth Kingdom allowed themselved to hope. She had seen it on Kyoshi Island and again in the eyes of the Fire Sage who defied the others to help. Zhao kept repeating that the Avatar was the only one who could stand between the Fire Nation and its victory.

The greatest threat to the Fire Nation, that were his exact words. And precisely that was what stroked with her own beliefs. She had been raised with the idea that the four nations were created to keep balance to the world. Air, Earth, Water and Fire. All had their strengths and weaknesses, but all of the elements were needed for the world to live in harmony. But the Avatar had vanished and the Fire Nation had expanded its territory to share the greatness with the rest of the world.

Her mother, however, had learned her from a young age that this wasn't what the rest of the world saw. They didn't see the greatness of the Fire Nation: they saw foreign invaders taking over lands which had belonged to other people for ages. As a small girl, she had never understood how this could be bad if the country brought prosperity to make the other lands better, even if they were foreign. She had never asked her mother about this, but she did remember her words.

She had been raised in the Capital, far from any fighting or the war. But once she saw the damage on Kyoshi Island, she realised that this wasn't a way to spread wealth. It was the way war worked: by destructing everything in its path. And now the Avatar had reappeared and began his quest to restore the balance. How could that be a bad thing? The Fire Nation had enough, more than enough to have left well enough alone.

Zuko noticed the change in tone, however. "You sound as if you care?" he asked with a frown. Elyrie sighed and kept looking at the dancing waves.

"I do." she answered truthfully.

"Why?" Zuko asked while deepening his frown.

She rested her elbows on the metal railing. "Because I do not like the idea of the Avatar, the bridge between the spirit world and the human world, being hunted like some prized animal."

Zuko straightened his back at this answer. "I only can return home after I capture the Avatar and you worry about that?" he answered with a hint of annoyance in his voice. She of all people should understand why it is so important for him to capture the Avatar.

"I know," she replied without looking at him, "and that is why I helped you. But that still does not mean I agree with all of it."

Zuko's temper was tested, but he took a breath to calm himself. "So you think my father was wrong to ask this?"

This time, the answer came without hesitation. The subject of the Fire Lord and why he banished his son was something she never considered understanding, because it had always been clear to her what the problem was. She turned and looked him straight in his golden eyes.

"Yes." she said, plain and simple, "the Fire Lord wages a useless war which only brings destruction to the world. The Avatar brings hope, yet he wants him captured."

Elyrie regretted it as soon as the words had rolled off her tongue. Not because they were not true, but because she knew how much they would hurt Zuko. And she was right.

Zuko's nostrils flared. "You think my quest is useless?" he growled, his voice twisted with contained anger.

She bit her lip, weighing her options. She knew he wanted to hear that his father was using the war as a way of sharing the Fire Nations greatness with the world. That he expanded the empire so his son, the Crown Prince, could take over the greatest nation in history. However, she had never lied to him before and was not planning to start today.

"Yes." she answered again, "We've been told that the war was a way of sharing the Fire Nations greatness with the world, but you know as well as I do that it is a lie. War only brings destruction and pain."

Zuko clenched his jaw and walked away. "You are naïve. What do you know about politics?" he sneered at her.

Elyrie turned around and looked at his back. She knew he was angry with her, but she did not care. He needed to hear it from someone who cared for him.

"You are royalty, why don't you know more about diplomacy?" she retorted with her arms crossed. "Fear is no way to lead a nation. True loyalty comes from love and devotion."

He quickly turned around and approached her. She was not intimidated and met his golden eyes.

"You sound like my Uncle, -." He began, but she quickly interrupted him. "Good, I wish you did." His words failed him when he met her determined eyes. With an angry growl, he lit up his fists and blasted flames into the sky. Then he walked away without saying another word.

Elyrie sat down against the railing, feeling empty.

"I just effectively spoiled the last day" she softly said.

Iroh hummed to himself as he finished the last things on deck and smiled when he looked at his work. He had decorated the deck with a dozen candles, lighting up the night sky. All the instruments had been brought on deck. There were at least ten different instrument, varying from a pipa to a tambourine, so anyone could play what he wished. The sun had set just after they reached the Phan Hue harbour, which made the timing ideal. Without anyone needing to steer or command the ship, they all could participate. He had invited all the crewmembers and they slowly started to arrive on deck. Iroh poured them drinks and made sure they felt comfortable.

But one person was missing. He had knocked on his nephews door earlier, but was rebuffed. Zuko refused to participate, preferring to stay in his dark room. Iroh had tried to convince his brooding nephew by saying it was Elyrie's last night on the ship, but was shot down quickly.

"I don't care if she stays or leaves." Zuko angerly answered before turning his back on his uncle.

Iroh sighed. Something had happened between them, but he was not going to push his nephew. If he wanted to stay alone in his dark room, that was up to him. He refused to let Elyrie's last night be spoiled by that.

Elyrie came onto the deck last - as Iroh had intended - and gasped in surprise. It was beautiful! Uncle motioned for her to come closer and had saved her a seat. She sat down as he poured her a cup of tea. She thanked him and looked around the circle. The whole crew, at least a dozen men, had come to celebrate. She had seen most of them and smiled, but felt a little bit of regret since she knew Zuko was not here. Iroh saw her eyes darken and patted her on the back.

"Don't take it personally, dear." he said in a cheerful voice, "My nephew despises music nights. He never attends them." She gave him a wry smile - knowing that it wasn't the music that kept Zuko away - and took a sip.

"Captain, would you do us the honour?" Iroh said. Jee nodded and took the pipa. The music night is apparently a regular thing on the ship, Elyrie thought amused.

The captain started a beautiful love song while Iroh played the tsungi horn. It was beautiful, especially when Jee started to sing. He had a rich, deep voice. She applauded loudly when he was finished.

Then, more crewmembers started to play their instruments in a more upbeat tempo. Elyrie clapped along to the rhythm, smiling and cheering. The men started to dance and she smiled when the helmsman approached her. He took his cap off and politely asked her to dance with him.

"I would be honoured." she replied and took his hand. She followed his lead and had a wonderful time. The helmsman was much older than she was, so she adjusted her pace to match his. Nevertheless, the helmsman smiled at her and it told her that it had been a long time since he had danced with a woman.

"Mind if I cut in?" he heard the captains voice ask the after a new song had started. The helmsman nodded and let go of her, but not before he kissed her hand and smiled at her. She smiled back at the older man, flattered by his kindness.

Jee was younger, so they moved faster. He placed his hand around her waist and swung her around the deck, with the crew clapping and cheering. She laughed and danced until the song had ended. Out of breath, Jee guided her back to her seat. Iroh poured her another drink and she gratefully took a sip. Even if Zuko was not here, she had a great time nonetheless. The crew continued their happy folksongs. Uncle even tossed her the tambourine and she jumped back up and played along, tapping the tambourine to the rhythm.

After a few songs, she sat down again. The moon was full and the blue light formed a pretty contrast with the warm flames on the deck. Uncle took his seat next to her and gave her a small nudge.

"Would you sing something now, dear?" he asked Elyrie. She smiled and nodded. She knew what she'd liked to sing and walked towards Jee. She told him about the song and he nodded, familiar with the melody. Iroh clapped his hands to get the attention of the crew.

"My dear men, tonight is Elyrie's last night on the ship." She felt herself blush at the disappointed noises the crew made. "Yes, I know it is a shame. However, -" Iroh continued in a cheerful voice, "she has agreed to sing something for us. And I can assure you, you have never heard something like this in your lives. Her voice can break your hearts." He finished. The crew took their seats and applauded.

Elyrie felt herself blush even more at Uncle's words, but took a breath to calm herself. The song she had chosen was from her favourite play. She had sung it a hundred times before by herself and felt comfortable with it. But she would be lying to herself is she believed that were the only reasons. She mentally shook her head and motioned for Jee to start. He played the first notes and she started to sing along.

Think of me

Think of me fondly

When we said goodbye

Remember me

Every so often

Promise me you'll try

On that day, that not so distant day

When you are far away and free

If you ever find a moment

Spare a thought for me

The crew listened in awe while Elyrie sang. She was a soprano and this song fitted her vocal range perfectly. Her clear voice sounded across the deck and over the water. Jee played along, mesmerized by her lovely voice. Every man on the ship was enchanted by her voice at that moment.

Every man, even the brooding one in his room.

Chapter Text

And though it's clear

Though it was always clear

That this was never meant to be

If you happen to remember

Stop and think of me

Her voice made it's way to his room. Her high notes floated towards his ears and he sat up straight. He had heard the song before, but couldn't make out the words. Without thinking, he stepped out of bed and opened his door.

Her voice became clearer and then he recognized the song. It had been her favourite song when she was younger. She had sung it while she accompanied herself on the piano in the palace. It was from a play they had seen together with his Mother. Mother loved plays and Elyrie happily went along with them. Her natural affinity for music had made her an eager student and she had played the piano with his Mother over a thousand times. Zuko listened again to her voice and started to make his way towards the deck.

Elyrie reached the second verse, feeling joy spread through her chest.

Think of us

When the world was green

Don't think about the way

Things might have been

Iroh stroked his beard as he smiled at her choice. Clever little thing, he thought. This song was sweet and innocent, but her reason to sing this was hard to miss. It was her way of apologising without having to say it in so many words. A stubborn girl through and through, but she had the wit to challenge Zuko without having to face him directly. He closed his eyes and continued to listen to her voice.

Think of me

Think of me waking

Silent and resigned

Imagine me, trying too hard

To put you from my mind

Elyrie felt happy that her voice had not failed her. She had picked the song for a reason, but only now did she fully grasp the similarities with the song and her own situation at the moment. She wanted Zuko to think of her, as she would think of him when she had returned to Zhao. She wanted to part as friends, not in this angry way. She poured her heart in the song and sang the lyrics with all the love she possessed. Her eyes found Uncle, who gave her an encouraging nod.

Then her eyes met familiar golden eyes, which shimmered in the candlelight. His face looked stern, but his eyes watched her with awe. She smiled and hold his gaze as she continued

Think of me

Please say you'll think of me

Whatever else you choose to do

There will never be a day

When I won't think of you

Zuko stood behind his Uncle and looked at the girl. She was singing like an angel and her voice had drawn him out of his dark room, as she had done so many times before. Her voice just sounded like home, afternoons spent playing together and music lessons with his Mother.

Flowers fade

The fruits of summer fade

They have their seasons

So do we

But promise me

That sometimes

You will think

Elyrie felt her cheeks heat up as she reached the end of the song. Her eyes glittered with pride and joy. She looked around the men when she took a deep breath. The last note of the song was a high D, so she mastered all her courage. Then she looked Zuko straight in the eyes with a mischievous smile as she belted the last note.

Of me!

She clasped her hands on her chest. Slightly out of breath, she felt her heart pounding against her chest. It had been a long time since she had sung for a crowd, but the feeling of triumph was overwhelming.

There were a few seconds of silence. The crewmembers simply stared at her without making a sound as the last note died away. Then Jee put down his pipa, stood up and started to clap. Iroh joined, quickly followed by the rest. The crew gave her a standing ovation and she felt herself blush again at their kindness. She bowed elegantly and smiled widely when she came back up again.

Zuko clapped as well with a small smile on his pale lips. He shook his head, but could not help himself. He could not stay mad at her. She had sung a beautiful song with the voice of an angel, but he was not oblivious at the hidden meaning. Uncle gave him a small nudge and looked at him. Zuko scoffed at his Uncle, who wiggled his eyebrows at him.

"Stop it." He said in a grumpy voice, "I'm not playing the tsungi horn."

Elyrie walked towards Uncle and Zuko. Her eyes still sparkled with happiness as Uncle grasped both her hands.

"My dear," he said as he looked at her, "You sang beautifully." Then her turned to the men and added "Didn't I tell you her voice could break hearts?" The men murmured in agreement and made their way to her to compliment her. Elyrie felt shy at the attention but happy at the same time.

Lieutenant Jee was the last to compliment her, but he did it in the most gentlemen-like manner. He bowed before her and lightly kissed her hand.

"By listening to your voice, I remembered what true music sounds like." She made a curtsy to him and took his large hand into both her hands.

"Thank you for accompanying me, captain." She said with a fond smile, "I could not have done it without you." He nodded his head at the compliment and let go of her hand.

Elyrie then turned around and made her way over to Zuko, who stood a bit further away in the shadows. She pressed her lips together.

"So, what did you think?" she asked nonchalantly. Zuko looked at her with a smirk.

"Like I said, you really can't do things quietly." he answered, his look teasing. She cocked her eyebrow and suppressed a grin at his teasing tone. That tone told her enough: he was no longer mad at her. She was happy her last night on the ship was not spoiled by a fight.

Then, she smiled sweetly at him and elbowed him swiftly in the ribs. He groaned and she laughed.

The music night had been a great success. Iroh had played the tsungi horn, but Zuko had stayed as well. A rarity, if Elyrie were to believe Uncle. Even though he did not dance or play an instrument, he had sat down with the rest of the crew and enjoyed a drink.

She on the other hand had danced the whole night and played the tambourine, but politely declined to sing another song. One was enough, she thought.

It was around midnight when the crew started to retire to their cabins. Uncle suppressed a yawn and said, "Well, I am going to bed."

Elyrie nodded. "Let me clean up, Uncle." She offered with a smile. Iroh pinched her cheek and chuckled. "No need, dear. Only the instruments need to go back inside, the rest we will do tomorrow."

But she shook her head. "No, please let me help. It is the least I could do after you all have been so kind to me."

"But isn't it too much to do on your own?" Iroh tried, looking at the empty cups and blown out candles on the deck.

"Oh, but Zuko will help me." she said sweetly.

Zuko looked up in surprise and shot her an annoyed look. She returned it with a smirk and batted her long eyelashes at him. "Right?" she asked in a sweet tone, "Since your crew takes such good care of you?"

He scoffed at her and murmured something. It sounded like "The sooner you are off the ship, the better." Nevertheless, he agreed to help.

Wrapped around her little finger, Iroh thought amused.

The deck was clean is less than an hour. With Zuko cleaning up empty cups and Elyrie scrubbing stains of the deck, it was done in no time at all. The only thing left to do was to place the instruments inside.

Zuko motioned for her to follow him and showed her the room were the instruments were usually stored, to which she raised her eyebrows at him.

"I thought you never cared for music night, so why do you know where they keep the instruments?" she asked. "Don't tell me you secretly practiced with the tsungi horn?"

He rolled his eyes when he answered. "I don't, but this is known on the ship as Uncle's storage room. He keeps all his stuff here."

Elyrie lit up her hand to get a better look at the dark storage room. But when she had set one foot inside, she shrieked and almost lost her balance as she backed away. A creepy statue of a monkey smiled at her, his ruby eyes lit up by her fire.

"What in the world is that!?" she asked with a higher voice than usual.

"Something my Uncle bought from a bunch of pirates." Zuko answered as he lit up his own palm.

"It is terrifying." She said with wide eyes, "And I thought Uncle had such good taste."

Zuko shook his head. "Not when it comes to decorating. When it comes to shopping, he lives by the motto 'The only thing better than finding what you are looking for, is finding something you weren't looking for at a great bargain'."

Elyrie chuckled as she looked around. "So I can see." The entire room was filled with trinkets and things you buy at a marketplace. From seashells to antique chairs, it seemed Uncle had collected them all.

"Lily," she heard Zuko say, so she turned around. He handed her a shawl made of red velvet. "In case you are cold."

"Thank you." she said as she took the shawl. She wrapped it around herself, letting the velvet fabric caress her soft skin. "Another one of Uncle's necessary purchases?" she asked with a smile. Zuko nodded.

"Come," he continued, "Let's finish this." She extinguished her flame and followed him back to the deck. They placed the instruments back in the storage, which took only a few minutes. The last instrument on deck was the pipa, but Elyrie hesitated to bring it inside. She lovingly caressed the beautiful string instrument. Mama had one just like it, she remembered. Zuko extended his hand to take over the pipa, but she shook her head.

"My mother had one just like it. She would often play for me." Absentmindedly, her fingers played with her necklace. The golden locket caught the moonlight. Zuko noticed it.

"Did you get the locket from your mother?" he asked. She shook her head and took off her necklace.

"No, but I always carry my parents with me this way." She opened the locket to show him the pictures inside.

Zuko took a closer look. He remembered her parents well. Her father was an intelligent and kind nobleman, who often helped him with his studies. He saw less of him, however. Her mother he remembered vividly, since she had been a lady-in-waiting for his own mother. He remembered that Elyrie told him her mother was from the colonies, which was evident in her distinctive appearance. Elyrie had inherited her blue eyes, but not her tan skin or dark brown hair. Nonetheless, the resemblance was uncanny even with the different colouring.

"She was a beautiful woman. You look so much like her now." he said matter-of-factly, as if he observed something ordinary. Like the sky was blue or that fire was hot to the touch.

He thinks I'm beautiful? Elyrie looked up in surprise. She looked away from his gaze as she closed the locket and put her necklace back on.

"You must miss them." He said softly.

"Every day." She answered with a melancholic look.

She shivered when the wind brushed against her and she pulled the shawl closer.

"I meant to tell you," she remembered suddenly, "I actually learned a firebreathing technique from Uncle! It does help me a lot, but I always love a shawl to wrap myself in." Zuko looked at her with a frown.

"You never knew about the firebreathing?" he asked confused. She rolled her eyes at him.

"Yes, I did. But I enjoy shivering so much that I simply ignored it for the last twenty or so years." She replied in a sarcastic tone. Zuko scoffed at her answer, but thought about the lessons Uncle had given him. He had taken them for granted the last years, but he realised not all were so lucky to have their own instructor.

"Even though I never formally trained with a master, my mother taught me some moves." She continued. She lit up her fingers and formed a long trail of fire. She pulled it back and let it click, like a whip. It was different from the firewhips he had learned, more fluently and less aggressively. "And some others, I invented myself. Propelling myself came from a fairytale about flying persons. And the twirling firewhip was a combination of classic dance and the whip. The Royal Academy for Girls has drilled me with dancing skills anyway, so I might as well use them in combat when necessary." She smiled a wicked smile. He was impressed by her creativity.

She picked up the pipa again. "How about one more song? Since you missed most of music night?" she said teasingly. Zuko rolled his eyes, but nodded. "Any requests?" she said before quickly adding, "Never mind, I only can play like three songs on the pipa."

She sat down on the deck with the string instrument on her lap. Lovingly, she stroked the strings and the redwood. It truly was a beautiful instrument. It resembled the one her mother used to play, except maybe this one was smaller. Carefully, she caressed the strings to try it out. A sweet tune came out of the pipa, which made her smile. She adjusted it and played a simple chord, one her mother taught her. It was a simple lullaby. She sang soft and sweet, while the lyrics kept coming back to her as waves on a sandy beach. The song her mother used to sing to her, all those years ago.

Hush now, my darling

Close your eyes and sleep

Waltzing the waves

Diving the deep

Stars are shining bright

The wind is on the rise

Whispering words of long lost lullabies

Zuko sat down next to her as she continued to play. Her curls hang loose around her face, framing her heartshaped face. Her slender fingers tickled the strings, while she smiled at Zuko. Her sapphire eyes glowed with pleasure and happiness.

Oh, won't you come with me?

Where the moon is made of gold

And in the morning sun

We'll be sailing

Oh, won't you come with me?

Where the ocean meets the sky

And as the waves roll by

We'll sing the song of the sea

"I know it is the same again, but it is all I know." She said apologising as she looked back at him. He did not respond but looked at her with a piercing gaze. Self consciously, she quickly looked away and tugged her hair behind her ear. She stood up and went inside to put the pipa in the storage room. She noticed Zuko had not come with her, so she went back outside.

She saw him leaning on the railing, looking over the ocean. He looked sad all of the sudden. She sighed as she made her way towards him. When she stood next to him, she placed her hand on his arm.

"What are you thinking about?" she asked softly. Zuko looked over the water and sighed.

"What if you are right? What if all of this is useless?" he said in a dark tone. "What if Zhao captures the Avatar before me and I lose everything I ever worked for?"

Elyrie felt her guilt resurface. She did not know what had brought this on, but reached out to him.

"Zuko," she said while softly caressing his arm, "I am sorry about what I said." She placed her hand on his. She choose her words carefully this time, so she could tell him what she thought without forcing her own views on him. "I know you will reclaim your rightful place as heir."

He turned to look at her. She met his piercing golden eyes and saw the pain in them. He must feel so lost, she thought. She wrapped her arms around his arm, pulling him to her side while he continued to look at her. She placed her head against his shoulder.

"I know you will become Fire Lord one day", she whispered "You are a man of honour and I know you will lead our Nation the best way you can."

Zuko felt his heart swell at her words. He sighed and let his cheek rest against her hair. He was not surprised at her reaction. She always knew what to say to comfort him.

After she had finished playing on the pipa, his memories had resurfaced. And how far it all seemed out of reach, like she had at that moment. It dawned on him that tomorrow, she would be out of his life again. It filled him with an inexplainable sadness, even when he knew it was about to come to an end. And with her gone, he would be able to focus his energy again on finding the Avatar. But what if that would fail? He would remain a banished prince forever and probably never see her again. And she would be married to Zhao, who might be the one to capture the Avatar instead of him. It felt unbearable at that moment.

He inhaled the rosy scent of her hair. It felt good to feel her so close to him again. She had always comforted him as a child, knowing what to say to cheer him up. And she had embraced him. Like himself, she did not like it when people came into her personal space too often. But she had willingly embraced him, without hesitation. And he was not bothered by her touch. On the contrary, he cherished her being so close to him.

She shivered, feeling the cold sea wind brush against her shoulders. Zuko placed his arms around her and pulled her closer, resting his chin on her shoulders while holding her in front of him. She leaned her back against his chest and cherished his warmth. His arms wrapped in front of her, she placed her hand over his. They kept standing like that in comfortable silence again looking at the ocean.

"I know you will succeed in reclaiming your birth right." she said after a few minutes while gazing at the ocean in front of her.

"I will miss you, Lily" he said suddenly, his voice almost a whisper. She smiled and turned her head to lean her forehead against his cheek. "I'll miss you too. But this is not the last time we see each other, I promise."

Zuko knew it wouldn't be the last time. He would not be able to bear it if he never saw her again. In a few days, she had become an integral part of his life again. Like nothing had changed since the day he was banished. As if the five long years never stood between them.

He knew he was a banished prince and she an engaged woman by now. But when they were together, they were just like two children again, playing and laughing. He had smiled more in these past days than in all of the five years combined.

Elyrie looked at the night sky. A million stars sparkled bright and the ocean reflected the lights. The moon was full and bathed them in a blue light. It was enchanting. She sighed and leaned closer to Zuko. He wrapped his arms tighter around her and buried his face in her silky hair.

Laughing, Elyrie pulled away from his embrace and turned to look at him. He looked happier, more content. She smiled at him and he smiled back gratefully.

"I am going to bed." she said as she let go of his hand. Then she leaned over to give him a small kiss on his left cheek.

"Goodnight." she said with a smile that drowned out all the stars in the heavens. He only nodded at she he watched her go back inside.

He sighed and turned around, resting his hands on the railing. He did not know what had come over him when he pulled her closer, only that he wanted to hold on to her forever. He laid his hand against his cheek, the one she had kissed. He still felt her touch on his skin. It had been his scarred cheek. She had not evaded it or hesitated. She had kissed it as if it were nothing.

He shook his head at the thoughts that filled his mind. She was his best friend, after all. He cared for her as a friend.

Iroh walked back to his rooms with a fond smile on his lips. He had watched from the window at the steering room, happy with what he saw. He had watched with a smile, seeing how comfortable his nephew was around the girl. He was glad to see his nephew slightly relaxing for a change.

He had heard Elyrie sing from his room and came out to look from the steering room. Iroh had listened to her voice, touched by the tones. Her voice was crystal clear and he smiled fondly at her. After she had finished, he brew himself a cup of tea. No man can have a good night sleep without a bracing cup of tea, he chuckled to himself.

But when he looked out of the window again after he had poured himself a cup, he nearly spilled his precious tea. He had been surprised at the sight. Elyrie, her small frame wrapped in a shawl, had leaned back against Zuko's chest. Zuko had wrapped his arms around her and his head on her shoulder. Iroh smiled at the sight. He finished his tea and saw that the girl had left. Zuko was standing by himself, still looking at the ocean.

Maybe everything will turn out all right in the end, he mused. After all, destiny is a funny thing.

Chapter Text

Even though she expected to fall asleep right away, Elyrie stared into the dark for a long time. She was confused, but content. The music night had been a great success and she had sung for the first time in years for a crowd. She grinned to herself in the dark. Zuko had attended as well, not being able to resist her call. She smiled her wicked smile, happy her little plan had worked as she wished. Now they can at least part their way as friends.

Her smile died on her lips when she thought of the impeding parting. For some reason she couldn't explain it felt wrong to leave Zuko. Zuko rarely opened up, he never did actually. He never liked to talk about his hardships, which she knew where many. This night had been a special moment and she was glad he trusted her enough to do so. She remembered how he pulled her closer and how she had let him. For one moment, she felt sixteen again. Her life ahead of her, when she was old enough to have plans for the future but too young to have true responsibilities.

Zuko had been her best friend, even though she had attended the Royal Fire Academy for Girls and he was groomed for his duties as future Fire Lord. Even when both their lives were filled with duties and other obligation, they always found time to see each other.

He often visited her at home with her father. She had lived not far from the Royal Palace in the capital and he visited her as much as he could in his spare time. She always suspected it was his way of escaping from the rigorous protocols and attention at the court. She smiled at the memories of them, sitting in the library and discussing books. Of her and him at the piano, while she sang and he listened. At the dinner table, where they discussed politics with her father.

But that was a long time ago, she knew that. He was a banished prince and she was an engaged woman. She turned to her side and clutched her locket in her hand. Whatever happened a moment ago, it was not who she was anymore. Five years are a long time. They had known each other as children, but time kept moving on. He had become hard and bitter, focused on his mission to restore his honour. He was a good man, she knew it. Even if he insulted the captain, he had risked his own life to help the helmsman. He was a complicated man with a complicated past.

And a complicated future.

She sighed and closed her eyes. He did not need her to further to complicate things in his life. It will be best for everyone if I leave tomorrow, she thought. We need to get back to our normal life. And with that conclusion, she fell asleep.

But she had not been the only one who had difficulty putting the day behind her.

in his room, Zuko turned around for the seventh time in thirty seconds. He twisted in his blankets, tangeling himself. He imagined Elyrie in her bed, a few doors away. Tomorrow she would be out of his life again. He closed his eyes. He still felt her touch on his skin and smelled the scent of her thick auburn curls. He had been angry with her after what she had said about hunting the Avatar. She had been naïve and did not grasp the gravity of his situation. But then, she lured him out of his darkness with her voice. She had sung for him, he knew that.

He rolled over on his side, trying to clear his head. The girl he once knew had become a woman, an engaged one for that matter. But the way she talked to him and comforted him, it was like nothing had changed. She always had been his safe heaven, especially after his mother had disappeared. Unlike most, she actually knew what he was going through. Her mother had died when she was ten years old. She had comforted him and been his confidante for years.

Again, he rolled over to his other side. He could not comprehend what had come over him tonight. She sang her mother's lullaby for him as she played the pipa, so sweet and so beautiful. She seemed so out of reach at that moment, so full of happiness and light.

And he, he had lived in darkness for a long time now. She again had been the small light that brightened up his life once he held her in his arms. She had fitted so well in his arms, as if she was made for him.

But whatever he wanted, it was secondary. He needed to capture the Avatar to restore his honour. That was the most important thing, all other things were secondary. She could not comprehend that his father had send him on this quest with a reason.

He rolled on his back, looking at nothing in the darkness. Her arrival had further complicated his plans. Maybe it is best if she leaves tomorrow, he mused. Back to her fiancé, back to Zhao. The thought made him tighten his jaw. But he shook his head. I can't change a thing until my honour is restored, he decided.

Elyrie felt emptiness as she stood in front of the mirror.

Her hair was pinned up again, out of her face. She wore the red dress with black trimmed lace Uncle had given to her. She looked at her reflection with a strange feeling. The woman who stared back at her from the mirror looked nothing like the girl she felt she had been in the past few days. The woman had the same heartshaped face, the same blue eyes and same auburn curls. But the auburn curls were tied together, not dancing around her. The heartshaped face was serious and poised, not smiling with a blush on her cheeks. The blue eyes looked sad, not glittering with mischief and joy.

She shook her head and turned around to pick up the engagement ring from her nightstand. The gold felt cold in her palm and she let the ring rest there for a few seconds. Then she blinked and straightened her spine.

Time to return to normal, she thought as she let the ring slip onto her left ring finger. It felt strangely intimate, almost as if the ring had become smaller. She felt the weight on her finger like a foreign touch. She turned the ring a few times on her finger, trying to make it feel more comfortable. To no avail.

She heard a small knock on the door.

"Come in." she said as she straightened her dress. Zuko entered in his Fire Nation armour. It does not suit him, Elyrie thought as she studied him in the mirror without turning around. He had dark circles under his eyes, as if he had barely slept. His golden eyes looked dull when he looked at her.

"It is almost noon," he said somewhat harsh, "Time to go." She nodded and turned to pick up the small bundle of clothes. Uncle had gifted her the new clothing and she thankfully accepted it. I can take a small piece with me, she thought to herself

Zuko waited as she finished packing her clothing. Her back was turned to him, but he saw her face in the reflection of the mirror. She looked older, with the red dress accentuating her slim figure and the curls pinned away from her face. She looked like a queen, poised and regal. But she did not look like the light-hearted girl he had become used to. The girl with the loose curls and mischievous look in her sapphire eyes.

She looked different now. Her dark hair was pinned up in a simple updo, which let her long neck free. Her alabaster skin contrasted with the dark burgundy colour of the dress. She pressed her pink lips together as she folded the last piece of clothing with a concentrated look. When she was finished, she met his eyes in the reflection. She arched her dark eyebrow and her piercing eyes met his gaze. She looked mature and elegant, like a noblewoman.

And so beautiful, he thought as he gazed at her.

She looked away from his gaze and turned around.

"I am ready." she simply said as she held the folded bundle of clothing in her arms. Zuko swallowed when he noticed the small scar on the side of her face again. When she wore her hair down, her curls covered the scar for the most part. But now, she did not attempt to hide it. He felt his chest constrict at the memory of her lying wounded in his arms. He shook his head to suppress the memories and motioned for her to proceed him. She walked out of the room without looking at him and made her way outside. He closed the door behind her.

Elyrie squeezed her eyes at the bright sunlight when she entered the deck. It was a beautiful day, without a cloud in the sky. A soft breeze caressed her face as her eyes adjusted to the light. She was surprised at the amount of people on deck. It seemed the whole crew had assembled to see her off. Uncle and Lieutenant Jee stood in front of the crowd, but she also noticed a tall man in Fire Nation armour. He was no part of the crew, but she recognized the kind brown eyes instantly.

"Kun." she said in a warm voice as she shielded her eyes from the sun to look at him, "I am glad to see you."

Kun took a step forward and made a respectful bow.

"Miss Elyrie, we are here to escort you." he said stiffly. She saw three other soldiers wearing Fire Nation armour standing next to the lowered ramp. Kun nodded to a soldier, who approached her to take over the bundle of clothes she held. She gave them with a grateful smile, but she did not fail to notice one person missing from the small group.

Elyrie raised her eyebrows at Kun and - as if he could read her confusion - he quickly added: "Commander Zhao could not attend, as his duties prevented him."

Zuko clenched his fists to his side, fighting the urge to kick Zhao's men off the ship. The arrogant bastard, he mentally cursed. He looked at Elyrie, who had raised her chin but her face revealed nothing.

"I understand." she said in her beautiful voice, "He is an important man and must not be kept from his duties." Zuko did not miss the hint of sarcasm in her tone, but she hid it well. He doubted anyone noticed the tone. He looked at his Uncle, who pensively stroked his grey beard. He heard it too, Zuko thought as he met his Uncle's eyes.

Elyrie walked towards Uncle and grasped his hands.

"I want to thank you for everything you have done for me." she said, holding back her tears. The old man smiled at her and pulled her into a hug.

"I want to thank you as well, for brightening our days with your presence." Despite herself, she felt a smile twist her lips. He always knows just what to say, she thought.

"Thank you." she said as she let go of him. "Keep practicing." he said with a wink as he pinched her cheek softly in a fatherly manner.

She turned to Lieutenant Jee, who stood on the left side of Uncle. She bowed to him as she said "I want to thank you as well, captain, for being so kind to me."

Jee bowed in return and said, "it was a pleasure having you on my ship, Miss."

She looked over the crew who had gathered on deck. "I want to thank all of you for taking such good care of me these past few days." she said with a warm smile as she looked around.

The men nodded at her with smiles. "Just promise you'll sing for us another time!" someone in the back yelled. The men murmured in agreement.

"Next time, I will sing until your hearts break!" she laughed in a jovial tone, although she felt that it was probably an empty promise.

Zuko silently shook his head. Already broken, he thought.

Then, she turned around to look at him. She walked over in a graceful manner, slowly but certain. His golden eyes looked in the sapphire ones.

"And you," she said as she extended her hand, "I don't even know how to thank you for everything that you have done for me." He took her hand and pulled her closer as he embraced her. "I wouldn't be here without you." she whispered as she wrapped her arms around his neck. Zuko said nothing as he let his cheek rest against her head.

She pulled back far too soon for his liking, but held onto his hands. He did not let go of her as he studied her face, his eyes searching every detail. She did the same, trying to remember every detail.

Why are we getting so good at saying goodbye? Zuko mused as he resisted the urge to pull the strict pins that kept her hair in check. At the same moment, she was imagining him without the stoic armour that was everything she had come to detest.

As long as they were together between the walls of the ships, they had kept the rest of the world at bay. But now - with everything and everyone present - they couldn't ignore that they weren't meant to be in each others life anymore.

"Goodbye Lily." he whispered. Elyrie felt her tears pricking in her eyes as those words ripped her heart open for the second time.

Kun cleared his throat, which made Elyrie snap back into the present. She took a breath and released herself from Zuko's grip. She straightened her dress as she turned around with a neutral look on her face.

Iroh noticed the change in her face, as if a mask fell back into place. Talented little actress, he thought as he watched her walk away. He looked over at his nephews face and saw that his emotions were shielded as well. Zuko's face betrayed nothing and his impassive look had returned. If you didn't know any better, you would have assumed they were just two people saying goodbye without any further trouble. Two old friends parting ways without further connections.

"If you are ready, Miss?" Kun asked as he motioned to the lowered ramp. Elyrie looked over and saw a small carriage waiting. She tried to swallow the regret she felt building up in her chest and nodded. She knew she had to leave as soon as possible, otherwise her courage would desert her.

She refused Kun's extended arm and walked the ramp alone down to the waiting carriage. She bit her lip to keep her emotions in control. With every step down, she felt herself fiddle with her engagement ring more and more. Her hands were clasped in front of her as she continued to walk, but her hands seemed to reject the invasion of the ring. With her long nails, she kept ticking at the cold metal. Snap out of it, she reprimanded herself. She continued to chew on her lower lip, but inhaled to calm her racing nerves. The walk seemed endless, but at last her feet touched the solid ground.

She turned around a last time to smile back at Zuko and Uncle, who where standing at the top of the plank. She waved at them before Kun opened the carriage door for her. After one last smile, she climbed in the carriage and sat down in the soft red pillows. She closed her eyes as she rested her head against the soft fabric. When she felt the carriage started to move, she finally let her tears flow freely.

Zuko watched the carriage ride away between the trees. He sighed as he continued to look at the spot where she last smiled at him. He heard her voice in his mind.

Oh, won't you come with me?

Where the moon is made of gold

He closed his eyes and pinched his bridge of his nose. He shook his head to clear his thoughts. She was gone now, so it was time for him to return back to his quest.

Lieutenant Jee approached him. "What are your orders, sir?" he asked tentatively. Zuko turned around and saw his entire crew looking at him.

"Why are you all still standing here?" he roared as he motioned towards the ocean. "We have lost enough time!" The crowd quickly scattered as the crewmen went back to their posts. Iroh approached his nephew and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Prince Zuko, are you sure you want to leave right now?" he asked. Zuko's eyes snapped to his Uncle. "Why would you ask such a stupid question?" he yelled as he pulled away from his Uncle's touch.

Iroh watched Zuko storm off. The softness Elyrie had brought out in him seemed to have dried up the moment she left the ship. Iroh sighed and stroked his beard pensively as his heart went out to his nephew.

Chapter Text

First of all, I want to thank everyone who takes the trouble to read my fanfic! :)

And especially, I want to thank everyone who left such kind reviews and feedback! It truly brings a smile on my face every time I read your sweet words!

The ride to the Pohuai Stronghold took less then twenty minutes. Elyrie hoped her red eyes were not that visible after they arrived. She felt foolish for crying like that. She almost never let her emotions take the better of her, especially when it concerned herself. She sat up straight in the soft cushions of the carriage and took a few deep breaths to calm herself. She checked her reflection in her locket - for as far she could - and when she was convinced she looked presentable, she leaned over to push the small curtain aside.

Kun was riding his komodo-rhino beside her. "How far is the Stronghold?" she asked. He motioned for her to look ahead.

"We are nearly there, Miss." he said while she turned her head and fixated her eyes on the enormous fort rising in the distance.

It was an impressive fortress, surrounded by multiple stone walls. She counted three walls, each one smaller than the first which circled around the centre of the stronghold. A large pagoda tower dominated the centre of the fortress with it's enormous height and red stones. The walls of the stronghold seemed to be 10 meters high, but the tower was at least three times as tall.

When they got closer, she noticed that the outer wall of the fortress was coated in a shiny substance. Furring her brow, she tried to guess what it was. The faint shimmer in the sun made it look like metal. Of course, she thought, Metal to protect the walls from earthbenders. She had to admit she was impressed by the stronghold. Uncle had told her it was a major depot for the Fire Nation and one of the places firebenders were trained if they were to be deployed in the Earth Kingdom. But most important of all, the Pohuai Stronghold was home to the most elite archers in the world.

The Yuyan archers were famous for their skills and precision. It is said they could pin a fly to a tree from a hundred metre distance without killing it. Uncle told her that the archers are under the command of Colonel Shinu, with whom he had worked during the Siege of Ba Sing Se. The strategic position of the fortress meant that it directly supplied the front near Ba Sing Se. The archers were trained to be used as a secret weapon during battles, which gave the Fire Nation armies a huge advantage. As the commander of the Pohuai Stronghold, Colonel Shinu took special pride in his position, or so Uncle had informed her.

When the carriage reached the gate, Elyrie pulled her head back into the carriage. With a loud cracking noise, the metal doors opened for them. When the carriage came to a stop, she straightened her dress and tucked her loose strands of hair behind her ears. When the carriage door opened, she rose and took Kun's extended hand to help her out of it.

She looked around and smiled when she recognized Jin standing at the door, waiting for her. She immediately walked towards her with extended hands. She resisted the urge to embrace her maidservant, but her smile widened as she looked at her friend.

"I am so glad to see you." she said genuinely. Jin smiled back, happy to see her Lady in good health.

"So am I, Miss." she responded while making a small bow. She happily took her hands and studied Elyrie. She noticed the scar on her temple and her smile faltered a little, but she quickly retook herself.

"Commander Zhao instructed me to take care of you." she said with an apologetic smile. Elyrie frowned slightly but swiftly nodded. She did not expect Zhao to personally welcome her, not after the stunt he pulled on the harbour. I must be fixed up first, she thought with an amused grin, Can't risk embarrassing him with my unkept appearance.

Jin led her to the fourth floor of the Pagoda Tower, which housed the luxurious quarters for the Colonel and guests. Jin opened the second door, which revealed a beautiful room. It had a bed large enough for three people with at least a dozen pillows on it. On the left side of the bed stood a dressing table with a oval shaped mirror. On the right side of the bed was a tub, made completely out of marble. The floor was made of ebony, but a large burgundy carpet was placed over it in the center. A low table was placed in the center of the room, completely with a teapot and small treats.

The room was luxurious but what drew her attention were the double doors, which she opened immediately. It led to a balcony, from which she could view the centre of the fortress and the forest they had passed through on their way here. She saw the main entrance, the enormous metal doors. The forest stretched far, but she also noticed a small harbour next to the fortress where Zhao's ship was docked. Zhao probably did not want Zuko so close for some reason, so they had to dock at another harbour a few miles further. Her eyes drifted towards the sea and looked at the horizon. What she would give to be able to sail to that horizon right now.

Elyrie sighed and turned around.

"You can't imagine how much you had us worried, Miss." Jin said while she poured her tea. Elyrie sat down and thanked her as she took a sip when Jin extended the cup to her. She motioned for Jin to take a cup as well. Jin sat down, smiling. It was not customary for maidservants to drink tea with their ladies, but she knew Elyrie appreciated her company. Moreover, Elyrie had insisted to join her the first time she had served it. Jin had been surprised and cautious, but the girl seemed genuine. So they had grown closer over the past months and Jin truly came to see her lady as a friend.

Jin sipped her tea when she heard the whole story. Elyrie had been dying to tell the whole story to someone and who better than Jin to listen and give her advice. She told about the Temple, the accident and how Zuko and Iroh had taken care of her. She absentmindedly touched the scar on the side of her face while she told about how the Temple came down. Jin's mouth fell open when she heard Avatar Roku had appeared. She had heard from the soldiers that the Avatar brought down the temple, but she assumed they had been too shocked to think rationaly.

"Avatar Roku?" Jin repeated again with her eyebrows raised.

"Yes, I wouldn't believe it myself if I had not seen him with my own eyes." Elyrie answered as she put down her empty cup. "It made me realise that Zhao is toying with things he cannot possibly understand." she continued as she remembered the force Avatar Roku showed when he took down the soldiers present.

"And what happened here after the whole ordeal?" Elyrie asked while she poured herself another cup of tea. For some reason, she was hesitant to discuss how she and Zuko had interacted on his ship. Jin put down her cup and picked up a biscuit.

"The ship returned, but when Kun and I asked for you, nobody knew anything." Jin said. She remembered when the smaller ship had returned and Zhao and the soldiers had disembarked. There had been no sign of Elyrie, but no one seemed to notice it. "Commander Zhao was furious, as he had assumed one of the soldiers had escorted you back to the ship." She quickly added when she saw the look in the eyes of her lady.

"Really?" Elyrie said pensively as she nibbled on a biscuit. It took him a few hours to notice I was gone, she thought darkly. Something inside her snapped at that moment. She had never made illusions that he loved her or particularly cared for her, but this was something else. The whole damn temple came down and he only cared for himself, she thought as she dug her nails into her palm. No more, she silently vowed.

Jin said nothing as she saw Elyrie's face harden. She wanted to say something to comfort her, but Elyrie's face seemed to relax again.

"Okay, now let's make me look more presentable." Elyrie joked as she stood up. Jin laughed and rose to fill the bath.

"A warm bath would do you good, Miss." she said as she picked up the vanilla scented soaps. Elyrie simply laughed as she started to undress herself.

A few hours later, it was time for dinner. Elyrie looked in the mirror and was again amazed at Jin's skills. Her hair looked better than ever, with her curls beautifully pinned up in an elegant updo which let free a few strands on the sides of her face. In her neck, one ringlet was loose and hung over her pale shoulders. Jin finished decorating her hair with a few red stones, which complimented her bright red dress. Jin put on a little bit of lipstain to darken Elyrie's lips and a bit of kohl around her eyes, which made the blue stand out more.

Elyrie looked at her face in the mirror and felt a numb pain in her chest. Gone was the girl with the loose curls and rosy cheeks. The woman who looked back at her was every bit a noblewoman. She absentmindedly played with her little finger as she remembered the past few days. She already missed Zuko and Uncle, she had to admit it. She missed Uncle's tea, she missed Zuko's smile when he thought nobody saw it, she missed singing to her hearts content. She missed the freedom to be herself.

"It is time, Miss." Jin said, bringing her out of her thoughts.

"I'll be ready in just a few minutes." Elyrie answered as she stood up. Jin nodded and discreetly left the room. She felt her lady needed to be alone for a moment.

When Jin had closed the door behind her, Elyrie turned around and opened the balcony doors. The forest was illuminated by the soft orange light of the setting sun. She placed her hands on the marble railing and inhaled the fresh air. She missed the salty sea breeze. She deeply breathed in and out. Then, she lit up her palm and shoot a fireblast into the sky. The familiar warmth spread through her hands as she released the fire into the air. When the fire had extinguished, she smiled with a wicked look in her eyes.

"I am glad to see you are in good health. The scar is barely noticeable" Zhao said when Elyrie entered the dining room.

Which means he is glad I returned without any actual deformities which would bring him complications upon marrying me, she thought wryly. However, she walked over to him with a smile and extended her hand. He took it and placed a light kiss on it, as was the proper thing to do when one greets his fiancée after days apart.

"I am so happy to be back." she said in a regal tone. Zhao looked at her with approval She had always been a beautiful woman, but now she seemed to radiate new confidence. He liked it, since it meant it would make him look good by comparison. She elegantly pulled her hand back and turned to face the colonel.

"Colonel Shinu, it is an honour to meet you." she said as she bowed to the older man, "I have heard much about your Stronghold, but I have to say that the tales do not do it justice." she added as she smiled charmingly.

The Colonel looked appreciative of her compliments and smiled at the young woman. "It is a pleasure to meet you as well. Please, sit down." he said as he pulled a chair back for her. She took place at the table, between the Colonel and Zhao. She mainly talked to the Colonel during the meal, whom she found a charming conversationalist. Zhao was preoccupied with another General on his other side, who visited the Stronghold to select new recruits.

While she diplomatically talked about Zhao's accomplishments, Colonel Shinu observed the young woman. He had heard Zhao's fiancée was younger than he was, but he was surprised at how much younger. The girl looked barely older than twenty years old, but she radiated a confidence which made her appear older. Moreover, he was sure she was well educated based on her choice of words and her manner of speaking. Her education gave her that poise and finish that made her so charming to men and women of mature and brilliant intellect.

"May I ask," he said as he put his chopsticks down, "What do you like to do for your own amusement?" Elyrie raised her eyebrows but was pleasantly surprised at the Colonel's interest.

"I am very fond of literature and music." she answered truthfully as she took another sip of her wine.

"Music? How interesting." he answered with an thoughtful expresssion, "I play the harpsichord myself." he added while following her example and picked up his wineglass. She looked at him expectantly so he continued to tell her about his lessons. "I still like to practice everyday." he admitted, "So I have one in my private quarters."

"How lucky you are." She said as she smiled at him.

"Do you play the harpsicord?" he asked in return as the last course of the meal was served. It was a delicious dessert, made of sweet sticky rice with mango and caramelized hazelnuts.

"I can play the piano." she answered, "I have had lessons since I was five years old."

"You are very welcome to play on my harpsicord during your stay here." he offered with a smile. It had been a long time since he had discussed music with another person in the fortress.

She looked at him with a thankful smile as she said "Thank you. General Iroh told me you were a very talented musician."

"Ah yes, I heard you stayed with the Dragon of the West these past days." The Colonel answered as he dug his spoon in his dessert.

"Yes, I was. He is such a kind man." She answered as she pushed her sticky rice around her plate. She did not know what Zhao had told the Colonel, so it seemed safer not to reveal too much.

"I heard he brought you back after a storm had separated you from the Commander?" the colonel asked with a questioning look.

She simply nodded, but turned to her fiancé on her right.

"I am sure you already sent a note expressing your gratitude to General Iroh?" Elyrie asked with an innocent look as she placed her hand on Zhao's arm. While she looked innocent, the tone of her voice expressed a different message. The Colonel looked at her with an amused grin. They formed an interesting contrast, with her beauty and calm demeanour smoothing the way of the coarseness of her fiancé.

"Of course, I shall arrange it right away." Zhao answered quickly as he motioned for a servant. Elyrie bit on her lip, irritated at his arrogance. You would think a little 'thank you' would be proper, but no. Her fingers tightened around the stem of her glass.

When they had finished the meal, she thanked the servant who picked up her plate. Zhao was, of course, far too important for that.

Elyrie leaned over the stone railing of the outer watchtower to observe the archers below. Colonel Shinu had offered to show her the skills of his famed archers, which did not disappoint. Their precision was legendary. She saw one archer hit the bullseye and then split the first arrow with another, and then another one. The next archer hit the bullseye of three different targets with three arrows at the same time. Her mouth fell open at this extraordinary display of skills.

She turned around when she heard Zhao discuss the archers with the Colonel.

"Absolutely not." Colonel Shinu said decisively, "The Yuyan archers stay here. Your request is denied, Commander Zhao." Elyrie was not surprised at his response. The Yuyan archers seemed to be the pride of the colonel, so it was not difficult to understand why he refused to lend them out.

"Colonel Shinu, please reconsider," Zhao pleaded as he turned to the colonel, "Their precision is legendary. You're wasting their talents using them as mere security guards."

Elyrie cringed. If you want to persuade him, you better not insult him, she thought with a mental shake of her head. Diplomacy had never been Zhao's strongest side.

As expected, the colonel turned his head at Zhao and responded with an angry glare, "I can do whatever I want with their talents. They're my archers, and what I say goes."

"But my search for the Avatar- " Zhao began, but he was quickly interrupted, " - Is nothing but a vanity project" the colonel said to Zhao with disdain in his voice. Elyrie raised her eyebrows. She liked the colonel and she had never heard anyone bark orders at Zhao before, which she appreciated. She felt her lips twitch, but dug her nails into her palm to prevent herself from laughing.

"We are fighting a real war here and I need every man I've got, Commander." Colonel Shinu said as clearly he emphasized Zhao's rank. Zhao may be a Commander, but he still has not the power to order other commanders around, Elyrie thought as she watched the two man. And since Colonel Shinu was the Commander of the Stronghold, he had the power to deny Zhao everything.

"But.." Zhao tried, but the Colonel had enough. "And that's final!" he interrupted again, "I don't want to hear another word about it." He added as he walked over to Elyrie, who quickly turned around. She saw Zhao's face darken and she knew he would not let this insult pass. Even if the Colonel outranked him, he would find a way to make him pay for this.

And as if the universe heard the outburst, a hawk appeared.

Elyrie walked over and automatically extended her arm for the hawk to land on. The hawk wore a leather suit with a small note, which she took out of the cylinder and handed to the Colonel.

"News from Fire Lord Ozai." she said as she recognized the Royal Insignia. She petted the hawk on his head as she watched the Colonel unfold the message. His face quickly changed colour and his eyes widened when he read the note. Zhao walked over and took the note from the Colonel. Elyrie saw his smug grow as he read the message as well. Must be good news, she thought as she let the hawk nibble softly on a treat.

"It appears I've been promoted to Admiral." Zhao said arrogantly, "My request is now an order." Colonel Shinu quickly bowed and made his way down to the archers to give them their new orders.

Elyrie was stunned. This was unbelievable. How much luck does one man need, she thought with a clenched fist. Outwardly, she smiled broadly and took his arm. Zhao was again surprised at her newfound confidence.

"Congratulations Admiral." she said with an enchanting smile. He grinned at her as he placed his hand on her hand. She repressed the urge to pull back her hand. Touching him was one thing, but him touching her still made her squirm.

"And this is only the beginning." he assured her with a smug look.

Elyrie smiled at him, but at the same moment felt a sense of uneasiness come over her. What he said sent shivers down her spine and she dreaded to learn what came after the beginning, but she also felt watched. Her sapphire eyes searched across the yard and up the sides of the fortress, but did not find anything out of the ordinary. The feeling persisted and she was certain she felt eyes on her back.

She let go of Zhao's arm. "I am going to bed." she said as she quickly turned around to look behind her.

"Of course." he responded while continuing to look at the archers.

Elyrie took a last look around the watchtower and shook her head. I must be tired, she shrugged as she descended down the stairs.

But barely a few metres above her, a masked figure tried to steady his racing heart.

Chapter Text

Rays of sunshine broke through the grey clouds and entered the cabin of a small Fire Nation vessel. Zuko leaned on the table on which a map of the Earth Kingdom was placed. He followed the captain's finger as he demonstrated their route. They had left the Phan Hue Harbour, but still roamed the coast near the Pohuai Stronghold as they tried to find any clues regarding the whereabouts of the Avatar.

"We haven't been able to pick up the Avatar's trail since the storm," Captain Jee said while trailing his fingers over the map. Zuko pinched his nose as he tried to clear his head. The loss of sleep last night had taken it's toll on him. Insomnia had plagued him for the longest time, but the unrest of the unfolding events added insult to injury.

"But if we continue heading northeast-" Jee continued, before he stopped himself. While he was pointing in the direction of the North Pole, a large ship pulled over next to theirs. A shadow was cast over the map, which made Zuko look up. Instead of seeing the endless blue ocean with the rising sun out of the captain's window, he saw the distinctive metal plates. The plates used on Fire Nation ships.

Zuko let out an irritated groan. "What do they want?" he growled under his breath, fairly sure the ship belonged to Zhao's fleet. He was in no mood for Zhao and his animosities.

"Perhaps a sporting game of Pai Sho?" Iroh said enthusiastically while rubbing his hands together. As his nephew was busy worrying about the Avatar, he had played Pai Sho with a few crewmembers in the same cabin. Zuko had refused to participate, but it had not stopped him from playing.

After a few minutes, the four soldiers from the other ship walked into the cabin. Without saying as much as a greeting, the first soldier rolled out a piece of parchment. Zuko recognized the wanted poster for the Avatar. He had seen many of them since it had been common knowledge that the Avatar was alive.

"The hunt for the Avatar has been given prime importance. All information regarding the Avatar must be reported directly to Admiral Zhao." The soldier said in a pompous voice while looking at Zuko.

"Zhao has been promoted?" Iroh said while moving the stones around the board, "Well, good for him!" As he made his move, the engineer slapped his hand against his own forehead. Iroh chuckled. When do people finally learn Pai Sho is more than a mere game, he mused to himself as he waited for his opponent to make a move.

As he looked over, he noticed that Zuko did not react to the news of Zhao's promotion. "I have nothing to report to Zhao." Zuko said in a hateful tone while looking away from the soldiers, "Now get off my ship and let us pass."

"Admiral Zhao is not allowing ships in or out of this area –" The first soldier tried again, before he was cut off mid-sentence by Zuko. "Get off my ship!" he yelled as he finally lost his temper.

Their arrogant attitudes disappeared quickly. The soldiers did not dare challenge the banished Prince, not after the Agni Kai with the Admiral. Without saying another word, they quickly made their way to their own ship.

"Excellent!" Zuko heard his Uncle say after the soldiers had left. He turned around as saw a happy smile on his Uncle's face. "I take the pot!" Iroh happily exclaimed as he pulled the mountain of chips to him. "But you are all improving!" he added as he started counting the chips, "I'm certain you will win if we play again."

Did he not just hear the entire conversation? Zuko fumed as he walked out of the cabin without saying another word. Furious, Zuko stamped onto the deck and tore off his armour. In his tunic, he blasted flames into the sky, kicking with a ferocity that was able to burn the Admiral to a pile of ashes had he been nearby. Firebending took a lot of energy, but Zuko was too furious to calm down.

After more than an hour, he still was blasting flames high into the blue sky.

"Is everything okay?" he heard the voice of his Uncle behind him, "It's been almost an hour and you still have not given the men an order." Iroh looked at his nephew, who was out of breath. He had been up here for more than an hour, which surprised him. With the news of Zhao's promotion, he had expected his nephew to set course right away.

"I don't care what they do!" Zuko yelled, his back turned to the older man while aiming another flaming fist at the sky. Iroh approached his nephew. He had known him all his life and he knew about his fiery temper. Yet this was one more ferocious than any other he had ever seen.

"Don't give up hope yet. You can still find the Avatar before Zhao." he said, trying to reassure him. But when Zuko turned around, Iroh felt his chest ache. He could read the desperation, fear and pain in his eyes when Zuko turned around, finally facing his Uncle

"How Uncle?" he yelled, his voice filled with despair. "With Zhao's resources, it is just a matter of time before he captures the Avatar."

Zuko turned back to watch the sun over the sea. "My honour, my throne, my country" he whispered, almost to himself. "I'm about to lose them all."

He stared over the ocean, his mind racing. Zhao promoted to Admiral, all the Fire Nations resources available to him and the hunt for the Avatar has prime importance. Soon, Zhao would capture the Avatar and claim all the glory and honour that comes with it. Everything Zuko had worked for those long years, given at that unimaginable bastard in a whim. Honour, glory, Elyrie, Zuko repeated in his mind and felt his heart ache at the thought of Zhao's bride-to-be.

Sneaking into the Stronghold had been easy, but seeing her was harder. He had to know what Zhao planned to do with the Yuyan archers, as Elyrie had hinted on the ship. The famed archers are valuable to capture a bender which was lighter than air. In an effort to find out Zhao's plans, Zuko had disguised himself and sneaked into the fortress.

He had been listening when the promotion was announced, inwardly cursing at the Admiral. But the girl next to him was what truly made him angry at Zhao. The girl who left in the morning, was a different girl than the one he saw that night at the watchtower. Her face seemed like a mask and her movements were calculated. And her voice was formal and regal. Not the sweet voice that sang lullabies. She had switched back into her role as a noblewoman with ease.

Nobody had noticed him, but she did. She had sensed someone staring and had been looking for the source. He cursed himself for his foolishness. He had lingered too long, wanting to see her for a few minutes more before he returned to his ship. Wanting to see her sapphire eyes, to make sure she was alright.

And now, her fiancé is about to become the most famed man in the Fire Nation, he thought between gritted teeth. In his anger and desperation, a plan began to take form in his mind.

Zhao had wasted no time in preparing for his hunt for the Avatar. Mere minutes after he had been promoted, he had send scouts and archers through the parts in which the skybison was last spotted. And after that, he had celebrated the whole night. Elyrie was informed of all this in the morning in her own room by Jin, who had trouble sleeping because of the loud cheers from the celebrating soldiers.

"Jin, please, you need to sleep." Elyrie said when she saw her friend with shaking hands pouring her tea. "No Miss, I need to help you get ready for-" Jin began before a yawn interrupted her, as if to prove Elyrie's point.

Elyrie chuckled and gently instructed her to take a nap here, since there were no obligations or visits today. "I have a day off, so you should get one too." she ordered gently to her maidservant, "My room is quiet and no one will disturb you."

Jin only protested a little, but gave in after a few weak attempts. Elyrie smiled when she heard the soft snoring after a few minutes. Making herself comfortable, she curled up in one of the large chairs in her room. With the open balcony doors, she could see the sun starting to climb as the day began. It was unusually quiet in the Stronghold, no doubt the result of the grand party from the previous night. Elyrie grinned at the peaceful morning as she opened her book and began to read.

Hours passed in this way, with Jin sleeping and her reading. Around noon, Elyrie looked up from her book. With a loud noise, she heard the large metal gates of the Stronghold open and close for a single rider. Wiping her hair out of her face, she closed her book and walked to the balcony. Leaning over the railing, she followed the rider with her eyes. It must be important, she thought as she saw the man race towards the Pagoda Tower.

The commotion also had woken Jin up, who came to stand beside her lady. "What could be the problem?" she asked Elyrie as she rubbed the sleep out of her eyes.

"No idea." Elyrie answered as she saw the messenger disappear into the Pagoda Tower. Then, she turned around and smiled to Jin. "Hungry?" she asked with a mischievous wink.

They did not have to wait long for the news. Barely a half hour later, the two women ate their lunch in peace when Kun came knocking at her door.

"I am sorry to disturb your lunch, Miss, but I have important news. I am here to inform you that the Avatar was captured and on it's way to the Stronghold." he said, slightly out of breath. The Admiral had ordered him to inform his fiancée straight away, so she could prepare herself.

Elyrie's eyebrows shot up so high at the news, she was sure they disappeared into her hairline. Already? She mentally groaned. You have to be kidding me. Zhao had not even left his bedroom this morning, sleeping off the alcohol and yet the Avatar was brought to him on a silver platter with all honour an glory that came with it.

Outwardly, she forced a bright smile and informed Kun of her happiness and content at the news. Jin quickly began to change her into more formal dresses and styled her hair into a traditional Fire Nation topknot. It was a good thing Jin worked fast, since less than an hour later, another soldier informed her that Zhao requested her attendance at the upper level of the Tower.

Elyrie briefly looked at herself in the mirror before she left her room. Her hair was styled like Fire Lady Ursa used to do, with a small topknot and the remainder of her hair down. She sighed and followed the soldier as she was escorted to the top level of the Pagoda Tower, where they kept the Avatar prisoner.

When she arrived, she saw four soldiers guarding the metal doors. Zhao was waiting at the door with a smug smile on his face. Before Elyrie could say anything, he said "I told you it was only a matter of time."

For the second time today, she forced a smile and bowed her head in respect. "Indeed you did." was all she managed to come up with as she saw the soldiers part for the Admiral. The metal door swung open and Zhao smugly entered the room, his every step filled with the arrogance befitting a bully.

Elyrie followed silently, both feeling curious and guilty. Curious because she had never seen the Avatar up close, only glances and far away. She wanted to see him so badly. But her guilt got the upper hand when she looked inside the room. And what she saw, broke her heart.

The Avatar, who must be around nineteen years old, had his bald head bowed with the signature blue arrow contrasting against his pale skin. He was chained on his wrists and ankles. His grey eyes were filled with raged when he looked at the Admiral and he struggled against the chains.

"So this is the great Avatar. Master of all the elements." Zhao said as he approached the chained boy, his voice full of arrogance, "I don't know how you've managed to elude the Fire Nation for a hundred years but your little game of hide and seek is over." He circled the Avatar, as if to size him up.

"I've never hidden from you!" the Avatar responded angry as his eyes followed the Fire Nation Admiral, "Untie me and I'll fight you right now!"

Elyrie was impressed with his courage. Even in this hopeless situation, he had the spirit to fight and protest.

Zhao turned back to face the Avatar. "Uhh, no." was his simple response. Then, he bowed forward and held his face a few centimetres form the Avatar's.

"Tell me, how does it feel to be the only airbender left? Do you miss your people?" he asked in a cruel tone. Elyrie felt nauseous as she saw the enjoyment on his face. Unimaginable bastard, she mentally cursed. But again, on the outside she kept her hands clasped together and her back straight, her face revealing no emotions.

"Don't worry, you won't be killed like they were." Zhao continued in the same sadistic manner, "See, if you die you will just be reborn and the Fire Nation would have to start searching all over again. So I'll keep you alive, but barely…" he finished with an ominous voice.

But what he did underestimate, was the willpower of the Avatar. The boy inhaled and blew out with such force that Zhao was knocked over. As if he weighed nothing at all, Zhao was thrown to the floor of the cell. Angered and humiliated, he tried to stand up with as much dignity as he could manage. Elyrie bit her bottom lip until she tasted blood in an attempt to hide the smile.

"Blow all the wind you want, but your situation is futile." Zhao spat at him in an angry tone, "There is no escaping this fortress and no one is coming to rescue you." And with those words, he stormed out of the cell.

Elyrie followed him, but looked over her shoulder to the lonely figure, chained and alone as the doors slammed shut. She felt her chest constrict at the thought what Fire Lord Ozai would do to him when he was to be his prisoner. And Zhao was right, escaping from the Stronghold was nearly impossible. There has to be a way to help him, she mused. She knew Zhao's favourite form of torture was deprival of food. He would nearly starve the boy in the hope of weakening his immense power.

When she walked back to her room alone, a plan began to form in her mind. Her dresses were large enough to smuggle food into the cell. Nobody would suspect the demure fiancée of the Admiral to be the one rebelling against the strict orders. She grinned, thanking the gods that she was finally able to reap the fruits of her patience and timid facade.

"I wish to see the Avatar" she said in a commanding voice while holding a plate with a piece of moldy bread on it. The guards looked at each other in confusion.

"But my Lady, Admiral Zhao -," the first one began, but she interrupted him quickly. "Perhaps you would be so kind as to give me your names, so I can talk to the Admiral about you" she said with a raised eyebrow. Her words did not miss their intended effect. The guards quickly straightened themselves and opened the heavy metal door for her. Without giving them another look, she entered and waited until the door had closed behind her.

The Avatar was chained, his clothes torn and burned. He looked weak and hungry. She carefully approached him and he lifted his head, defensively.

"Please," she began, "Don't be afraid." She placed the plate on the floor and lifted her hands to show him she meant him no harm. Nevertheless, he looked cautiously at her. "I brought some food for you" she added while switching to the Air Nomad language.

Aangs eyes snapped open and looked at the young woman in front of him. He was sure he misheard her. "You can speak my language?" he asked in return, also switching to the Air Nomad language.

Elyrie nodded hesitantly. "I studied it for a few years. It is a great honour to meet you, Avatar." she said as she bowed before him. She spoke with a slight stutter, as if it had been a long time since she had practiced it. He also noticed her accent, but that was to be expected. She could have never learned the language from a native speaker, since the language was nearly extinct.

As if he had not been surprised enough, he saw the girl pushing the plate aside and reaching for something inside the flowing fabric of her dress. His eyes widened when she revealed a small basket, filled with apples, bread and a waterskin.

"I am sorry this has happened to you." She said as she reached for her basket. She took out a shiny green apple, cut in pieces. "I thought you might be hungry." she added. Aang nodded dumbfounded and she waited. "May I approach?" she asked again. He nodded again and she made her way towards him.

She gently fed him the apple slices and gave him sips of water. She also broke pieces of bread and gave it to him. Aang ate as much as he could, for only now did he notice how hungry he was. He studied her as she broke pieces of bread. She was young, only a few years older than he was, he estimated. She had very delicate hands with long nails, and long, soft curling auburn hair. She reminded him of Katara in a way. Her motherly concern and compassion was something she shared with the waterbender. Even their eyes looked alike, although Katara's eyes were a lighter shade of blue. The girl's eyes were darker, almost like sapphires.

"You are very kind." he said after he had finished the food. He meant it. When he was captured, the last thing he expected in a Fire Nation fortress was kindness. It made his heart soften a little bit. She smiled at him. She had a lovely smile, he noticed.

"Thank you. My name is Elyrie." The girl introduced herself. "I am Aang." he replied.

Elyrie noticed he had kind grey eyes, the signature colour of the Air Nomads. She was glad he had introduced himself. With a name he became more human to her instead of the vision she had held the past weeks. He was, after all, just a boy trying to do what was best.

"I wish I could do more for you." She said sadly as she wiped the last crumbs of her sleeves. She had barely finished her sentence when a loud call echoed through the entire Stronghold. Elyrie knew what it meant.

"I'm sorry, but I need to go. It is time for dinner." she said in an apologetic tone. Zhao had ordered her to look her best at dinner and stand beside him as he gave his grand speech this evening. Elyrie had gritted her teeth at his commanding tone but obliged nonetheless.

"What is your connection to Zhao?" Aang asked curiously, unable to place the girl into this Stronghold. She was certainly no soldier, but maybe she was Zhao's younger sister or niece. Even though they lacked family resemblance, it was not impossible.

Elyrie twisted her engagement ring a few times before she answered. "I am his fiancée."

"You are Zhao's fiancée?" Aang repeated, his voice getting higher. He had assumed she was some niece, maybe even a daughter since the age difference was so obvious. "How can a man as cruel as him be engaged to you?"

She shrugged. "Fire Nation tradition" she replied simply, her face remaining impassive. "But I really need to go. I promise I'll be back soon!"

After dinner, Elyrie had a few moments for herself and she knew just what to do with them. She hummed as she walked through the corridor. The sound echoed off the walls, which gave a wonderful acoustic effect. She had requested a dress with large sleeves, so she could smuggle more food from dinner into the cell. She had picked up a few extra cookies and bread as well, which she hoped would be enough. Her long dress hindered her in her walk, but she knew it was necessary. Zhao planned to make a grand speech, declaring the victory of the Fire Nation by capturing the Avatar. And his blushing bride-to-be just has to be present, she thought. She rather stayed in her room, but some things are just inevitable.

When she reached the upper level of the Tower, a load croak echoed through the corridor. Elyrie raised her eyebrows as three half frozen frogs made their way towards her. "What the…" she began when she heard a yell.

"My frogs! Come back!" she heard the voice yell. "My friends need to suck on those frogs!"

What the hell is happening here? She thought as she made her way towards the sound. She did not know what she expected to see, but it was certainly not this.

A mysterious figure was all dressed in black, except for a blue mask. She had seen that mask before. It was used for the blue dragon in the play 'Love Amongst the Dragons'. She had seen the play almost every year at Ember Island with Zuko and his mother. Fire Lady Ursa loved it, she remembered, even though the Ember Island players were not the best actors in the world.

She lit up her hands, feeling the warmth spread through her hands. The figure stood a few metres away and did not move once he noticed her presence. She took her fighting stance, waiting. She saw Aang behind him suck in his breath. Then, the figure drew his two curved swords and slowly moved forward.

"Please, she helped me. Don't hurt her." Aang pleaded behind the masked figure. Elyrie met his grey eyes. Then, she looked back at the masked stranger. The masked figure did not respond as he moved closer to Elyrie. Elyrie did not move and looked defiantly at the masked man. Again, she lit her fingers on fire, ready to fight if he as much lay a hand on her.

They stood there in silence as Elyrie observed the odd situation. She watched the pair and it was clear the masked figure was helping the Avatar to escape. She scanned her surroundings and saw no guards. Nobody knew she was here and nobody knew the Avatar was out of his cell, otherwise the alarm must have sounded.

Zhao was about to give his grand speech a few floor beneath them. The only reason she was here, was to bring Aang some more water and food. All the soldiers were present at the speech, except the ones guarding the Avatar. She made a decision in a split second

Zuko felt his heart race as he saw Elyrie standing there, blocking their way. The mask hid his terrified expression as he pondered what to do now: he did not want to hurt her, but he had to get the Avatar out. Her blue eyes looked determined and he feared he would have to fight her to make his way outside. Please, he mentally pleaded, step aside.

Then, as if she could read his mind, she pointed with her slender fingers to the left, to the nearest exit. She took a step back as they passed. "The south side of the fortress is the least guarded. The Admiral is giving a speech in a few minutes." she said, her voice barely more than a whisper.

Aang mouted a quick "Thank you." to her and she saw the gratitude in his eyes. The masked figure did not look back and she watched the pair disappear into the dark corridor.

Now, let's hear that speech, she thought with a grin as she made her way down to the grand balcony.

Chapter Text

"Hold your fire. The Avatar needs to be captured alive!" Zhao roared.

Elyrie ran up behind the Admiral, still trying to grasp what she had seen in the last few minutes. Zhao had given his speech with a lot of grandeur, talking about fire being the superior element and burning down the city of Ba Sing Se. And that with the return of Sozin's comet, the Fire Nation will win the war once and for all now that the Avatar had been captured.

But Zhao had noticed the disappearance of Aang far sooner than she had expected and the alarm had sounded. What followed was the most miraculous attempt to escape she ever witnessed. The masked figure turned out to be a master swordsman, who could easily overpower several guards at once. And Aang was the Avatar, whose bending blew away the other half of the guards. Literally blew away, she thought amazed. She had never witnessed someone using airbending, but what the Avatar had displayed was everything she ever imagined and more. He could fly, he floated through the air and blasted every soldier away with ease.

She wondered if the masked figure and the Avatar knew each other, since they worked together as if they had never done anything else. Moreover, Aang had refused to escape without his rescuer when the opportunity presented itself.

And as a result, the pair now stood surrounded by a dozen soldiers and Zhao in front of them. Elyrie had followed silently the entire time, not wanting to miss anything. But now, all hope to escape seemed lost. But after Zhao's order, the masked figure quickly came up behind Aang and placed his swords in front of his throat. Elyrie's breath hitched when she saw this. But then she understood. With Aang as his hostage, they can escape, she thought.

Zhao came to same conclusion next to her. The Avatar was far too valuable to lose, even if this stranger held him hostage.

"Open the gates." he ordered through gritted teeth. Colonel Shinu, who was present the entire time too, looked at the Admiral in surprise.

"Admiral, what are you doing?" he asked confused. Zhao ignored him and repeated his order. "Let them out. Now!"

The gates opened behind the pair and the masked figure urged the Avatar backwards. Elyrie studied the retreating figure, as her mind raced to figure out his motivations. He plays a dangerous game, all or nothing, she mused. She was not sure who the masked figure was, but she got a gut feeling he was not a bad person. Even more strange, she had the feeling she knew him

As the figure retreated, he kept his swords up. Dual broadswords, she suddenly realized. Her heart started to pound. He could not be that reckless, she tried to convince herself. But she remembered the swords on the wall of his room. He told me he still practices with them, she thought while biting her nails, Oh gods no.

"How could you let them go?" Colonel Shinu asked. Elyrie looked at the Admiral, wondering what he would answer.

"A situation like this requires precision." Zhao simply answered, emphasizing the last word and Elyrie suddenly understood. Of course he would use the archers to take out the masked figure. Always three steps ahead, she thougth while she quickly followed the two men as they made their away to the watchtower on the walls of the Fortress.

"Admiral," she began as they reached the outer watchtower, "Maybe the Fire Lord is interested in this Fire Nation enemy as well?" If she could convince Zhao not to kill the masked figure, the pair still had a chance to escape.

Zhao raised his eyebrows at his young fiancée. "Maybe.." he said while stroking his chin as he watched the leader of the Yuyan archers take position

Elyrie looked over the walls and saw the pair still walking backwards. As her eyes tried to focus, she saw that masked figure still held his dual swords against the Avatar's throat. The leader of the Yuyan archers prepared his shot and strung an arrow on his bow as he looked at his target.

"Do you have a clear shot?" Zhao asked. The archer remained silent, but aimed in response. Elyrie bit her carefully manicured nails one by one, but could not care less.

"Knock out the thief. I'll deliver him to the Fire Lord along with the Avatar." Zhao ordered as he placed his hands on the stones in front of him.

Elyrie was sure they could hear her heart pound through her chest. Zuko, if it is you and you survive this, I am going to kill you myself, she mentally damned him.

The archer released his arrow and for a moment, Elyrie's heart stopped. Then she ran to the railing and saw the masked figure collapse backwards, releasing Aang as he dropped the swords. Aang recovered quickly and used his airbending to draw up a huge cloud of dust around himself and the masked figure, shielding them for her view.

"Quick! Recover the Avatar!" Zhao yelled next to Elyrie. Elyrie saw the soldiers approach the cloud, but when the dust cleared, they were gone.

Trembling, Elyrie let out a sigh of relief as she threw her head in her neck. When she turned to look at the Admiral, she felt a shiver. She was not afraid of him, but the look of intense anger on his face was terrifying.

And as if the universe tried to get back at him for his earlier luck, a thawed frog croaked in front of him before it jumped off the wall to freedom.

Zuko woke up with a terrible headache. With a lot of effort, he opened his eyes and saw different shades of green. He blinked a few times to clear his blurry vision. When he turned his head, he saw a person sitting on a tree root beside him.

The person was bald and wore an orange and yellow tunic. Zuko had to blink a few times before his bruised head registered who the person was. The Avatar sat a few metres away from him, with his knees against his chest as his chin rested on his folded arms.

"You know what the worst part of being born over a hundred years ago is?" the Avatar asked him, while staring into the woods, "I miss all the friends I used to hang out with." His voice was sad and melancholic. Zuko had never heard him speak like this before, as if they were old friends.

"Before the war started," The Avatar continued without waiting for a response, "I used to always visit my friend Kuzon. The two of us, we'd get in and out of so much trouble together. He was one of my best friends I ever had" Zuko saw that his lips formed a smile when he thought about his past.

"And he was from the Fire Nation, just like you." The Avatar added while he turned to look at Zuko. "If we knew each other back then, do you think we could have been friends, too?" the boy asked him with a tentative smile.

The thick fog in Zuko's head cleared and he reacted instinctively. He let loose a huge fireball in the direction of the Avatar, who evaded it with ease. Zuko watched him disappear as he hopped from tree branch to tree branch until he was out of sight.

"Suck on these. They'll make you feel better" Aang said in a tired tone as he gave Katara and Sokka the frozen frogs. Then, he collapsed backwords on Appa's tail with a sigh. This day had been more exciting than he had asked for. His clothes were torn, he was tired and he felt sad. At least my friend will get better now, Aang thought as he stifled a yawn.

"Aang, how was your trip?" Sokka asked, trying to hold onto the frozen frog in his mouth. "Did you make any new friends?" It was clear the Water Tribe warrior had not noticed how tired his friend looked due to his fever. And for this, Aang was glad. Katara did not say a word as she sucked on her own frog.

"No, I don't think I did." Aang answered in a tired voice. Zuko had tried to free him, but attacked him when the moment was there. So much for a new friend. But when he rolled over, he remembered Elyrie and her kindness. She was Fire Nation and a good person, like Kuzon had been.

Perhaps I did make a new friend, he mused before the sleep took over him

Zuko stared at the ceiling of his room.

When he saw the Avatar disappear in the trees, he had felt a sense of guilt coming over him. He felt confused and guilty, unable to understand why. The Avatar spoke to him like they were friends, offering him kindness. He had never considered the possibility to be friends with the Avatar. To him, he was a mere necessity to capture so his honour could be properly restored. He had never thought about the boy himself or what he was like.

Zuko turned on his side as he came to the realization he had never met anyone who offered friendship and kindness to an enemy.

"Please, she helped me." The Avatar had said, he remembered now. Elyrie had stepped aside when he had helped the Avatar escape. There was no way she could have known he was behind the mask for certain, yet she had stepped aside to let them pass. Where did her true loyalty lie? He had asked himself that question earlier when she stated her opinion on the war and his father's ways of reigning.

She had helped him the first time in his quest for the Avatar, but she did not shy away from stating her opinion on the matter. She disagreed with him and talked about the Avatars place in a world out of balance. She had helped the Avatar during his capture and willingly stepped aside when he tried to escape. Her loyalty was not to him, to Zhao or to the Fire Nation. She is loyal to her own heart, he mused as he turned away from the Fire Nation flag.

And for the first time, he realized the Avatar was more than just a prize to be captured.

Elyrie lay down her head and stared at the ceiling. Zhao barely had paid attention to her after the escape from the fortress, so she saw the opportunity to retire early. For some reason, she was completely exhausted after today.

Not for the first time, the events of today made her question her place in all of this. She wondered if she was on the right side of history and if there truly was nothing she could do about it. Yes, she was engaged and she had obligations to her aunt and uncle to keep up the family name. But were they important enough to throw away everything she believed in? Everything her parents taught her? She liked to think she was a rebel, but all the more she realized it were small naughty things that she did.

Feeding a starving boy should not be a rebellious act. Zhao should never held a boy prisoner if all he wants to do is bring balance to the world. An end to the Hunderd Year War. Growing up, she learned that the Fire Nation was the greatest civilization in history and that the Fire Lord was a divine person, brought to this earth to serve as a replacement of the gods.

But her friendship with Zuko made her realize that the royal family was not divine, the Fire Lord least of all. She had lost that belief when he mercilessly scarred his own son. She turned to her side to repress the painful memories.

She remembered the history lessons her father had taught her. Not only Fire Nation history, but also from the other Nations. And because of this, she knew that the Air Nomads did not possess armies when Fire Lord Sozin released his attack on the temples. The greatest battle in Fire Nation history, as she was taught in school, was nothing more than genocide.

She turned around again, switching sides as she let her thoughts wander freely. She was thankful to her father for his honest lessons. He always told her that nobody is perfect, but that people can have perfect intentions. And that they should be judged based on those intentions.

What would her parents think of her now? Her life as a whole, a dutiful fiancée of a high ranking Admiral who was twice her age, was nothing rebellious. It was not even something she did because she loved to. She felt it was her duty to her family and her fathers good name. Her duty as a woman in a patriarchal society. And as a girl in a world which only expected her to marry rich, she played the part as the blushing bride-to-be at 21 years of age.

A shiver went through her. She had not allowed herself to think much about her upcoming wedding this summer, after Sozin's comet. But Zhao's speech this evening had painfully reminded her of her future. She closed her eyes tight as she tried to fight the images flooding her mind.

Herself in a wedding dress, Zhao at the altar, the wedding night…

She quickly sat up and punched her pillow a few times to try and block the thought. She was not naieve and knew what was suppose to happen. But with Zhao…. She let herself fall down on her pillows. Her body physically rejected the idea, as her stomach began to turn at the idea of her future.

But then she remembered Zuko, as he had held her close the last night on his ship. She felt his faint breath in her neck and wondered what it had been like to be kissed there by him. Not for the first time, her mind began to wonder what it would have been like if it had been him to who she was engaged.

She let herself fall back into her pillows. This was exactly her problem. If she allowed herself to think, she started to doubt everything. She was not worried about Zuko, for she knew Aang had taken him to safety with him. If anything, she had to be worried about Aang after Zuko woke up.

Aang, the Avatar had a name now.

She smiled to herself in the dark. His large grey eyes were full of kindness and compassion, she had seen it. He must be bearing a huge burden, she mused as she tried to imagine the pressure on his shoulders from the entire world. But he did not have to bear it alone. The Water Tribe boy and girl, she knew they had accompanied him on his travels. They both had left their homes behind as well. The girl was around her own age, but had left her home just the same. Did she had obligations or an engagement at home when she left? And if she did, did she defy those traditions to follow her heart?

Her mother had been opposed to traditions, which she never tried to hide. She always said to her daughter that she should be proud to be herself. That nobody should tell what she could and couldn't do. What would Mama say if she was here? She thought pensively.

"Mama, if you are listening" she prayed silently, "Send me a sign that you support me whatever I decide to do". She opened her eyes and looked around the dark room. As expected, nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Elyrie let out a disappointed sigh, but was startled by the sounds of the wind. The balcony doors blew open and the full moon shone his light into her room, bathing everything in a mysterious blue light.

Elyrie wiped the curls out of her face and swung her legs over the bed to get and close the doors. But before she closed them, she smiled at the moon and grabbed her locket. "Thank you!" she whispered to the night sky as she softly closed the doors.

Chapter Text

Zhao threw the maps on his desk against the wall in a fit of rage. Why do all bad things happen to me? he thought between gritted teeth.

Weeks had passed since the Avatar had escaped from his clutches and bad luck seemed to follow him since then. First the Avatar had escaped from the fortress and then he lost to him for the second time and he burned down his own ships in the process.

He leaned forward and placed his elbows on his desk. While rubbing his temples with his fingers, he thought of all the misfortunes that had happened. And if that was not enough, around the Stronghold the revolts began to increase. More than once had a convey been attacked and the food supplies stolen which were meant for Fire Nation troops.

The fact that everything around him seemed to crumble was bad enough, but the worst part was that he felt he was not the one in command anymore in the Stronghold.

The last weeks he had continue to use the Stronghold as his basis, so he could arrange his plans from one of the most important fortresses in the occupied Earth Kingdom. And in those weeks, he had noticed a change in his young fiancée: she was more outspoken, more confident and actively engaged in discussions and decisions.

The first months of their engagement, he had barely spoken to her. Of course, he had attended to her every day for an hour and what he saw during those moments, pleased him. She was quiet, demure and agreed with his every word. She never had anything particularly important to say, which was enough for him to convince himself she would do just fine as a wife. They had barely entertained guests or had important visitors when he was situated at the harbour, so he saw no reason to dine with her on a regular basis.

But now with him promoted to Admiral and in charge of the Fire Nation Navy, they dined with important guests and high ranking officers almost every evening. And she played her part graciously. She really blossomed in her role as hostess and was able to converse with everyone. Every guest complimented him on her hospitality and kindness.

And it bothered him.

For the first time, he noticed how intelligent she was. Beautiful she had always been, that he had noticed right away. Her beauty combined with her noble status and riches made her a perfect bride, since everything she owned would be his once they marry. Even her noble status would rub off on him and his descendants.

But now he realized she had a voice as well, which made him slightly uncomfortable. She conversed with the generals and nobility over a variety of subjects. She was able to hold a conversation with anyone about a wide range of topics. He knew she liked to read, which he did not discourage since women should have a hobby, but now he only realised she overshadowed him in his own position.

The praise he received on her behalf infuriated him even more. At first he had been pleasently surprised by her newfound confidence, but that disappeared when he saw that the other officers and guests preferred her company over his own. The praise he used to receive was transferred to her. He would never admit it, but he was jealous. She was young and beautiful and he did not fail to notice she was his superior when it came to intellect. He found it hard to believe, but he got the impression she got bored with him very quickly.

He groaned as he was informed dinner was to be served in an hour.

"Very good!" Kun said with an appreciative nod as the girl swept her hair out of her eyes.

Elyrie wiped the sweat from her forehead as she turned to him with a smile, slightly panting after the effort to master the fire daggers.

For the past few weeks, she had been training like never before in the arena of the Stronghold.

A large oval ring with a stone floor on the lowest level of the Pagoda Tower, the arena was mostly used for Agni Kai battles and for training new recruits. But Zhao had send away all the new recruits to the corners of the Earth Kingdom as his personal messengers. The Stronghold seemed to be deserted, except for the guards and archers who stayed behind to ensure the safety of the occupants.

Now, the Stronghold was mainly used as Zhao's basis to plan his strategies against the rising revolts, but more importantly, to plan his capture of the Avatar.

For Elyrie, this meant long days without any other form of entertainment. With Jin and Kun, she spent her mornings and afternoons. In the evenings, she was expected to attend to Zhao and his guests as a hostess.

Kun, who had stayed behind as her personal guard, had seen her practicing on her own. A trained firebender himself, he saw her potential and offered to help her in the deserted arena. Not sure whether the Admiral would approve, they agreed to do this as discrete as possible.

Alone, she trained Iroh's forms of firebreathing technique. Kun on the other hand continued to teach her the basics and later on, advanced forms.

Kun looked at the young woman, who swept the hair over her shoulder as she tried it a second time. Her style of bending was unconventional, bur very effective. She trained with an iron discipline and was advancing more quickly than he had thought. Her lack of training in her earlier years was evident and she had adopted a more vagabond, circular way of bending. Almost like a waterbender, he mused as he uncrossed his arms to clap his hands together.

"Miss, it is time." He said. Wiping the sweat of her forehead, she bowed to Kun. She was forever thankful for him teaching her during the day. It made the long, tedious days in the Stronghold bearable. Kun tossed her a towel to dry herself before he helped her in an overcoat to cover up her training gear.

As they climbed the stairs back to her rooms, Elyrie wondered what Zhao was doing. She doubted he would notice her absence during the day. As long as she was back in time for dinner, no one would miss her.

Jin looked up when Elyrie entered the room. She repressed a smile at the look of her Lady in trousers and a tunic as she took off her coat. Her long curls, sticking out by her temples from the activity, were tied back in a long braid.

As long as Elyrie practiced during the day, Jin was free to entertain herself. She put down the book she had started and stood up to attend to her Lady.

"What did you think?" Elyrie asked as she motioned to the book on the low table.

"Very good!" Jin answered as she loosened the braid and combed her fingers through the auburn curls, "I never thought history could be so fascinating!." Elyrie smiled as she picked up the book. The History of the Pan Hua region, one of her favourites as she stayed her. Colonel Shinu had been so kind to lend it to her and now Jin was profiting from it.

Jin walked to the bath chamber to fill the tub. Looking as the water filled the marble tub, she followed the small wrinkles in the water. Adding jasmine scent to the bath, she let the scent take her back home. Jasmine was the flower of her hometown. She came from a poorer part of the Fire Nation, where her parents were flower merchants. It was not enough though, to feed their large family. With aging parents and six siblings, they depended entirely on her for income. With her 26 years, she should have been married according to Fire Nation tradition, but it simply never was an option. She had been a servant all her life, but only with Elyrie did she feel as an equal.

She was fond of the younger girl, like a little sister. And she knew the girl was attached to her too. She was thankful Elyrie had encouraged her to continue her studies, so she maybe someday could take a job as a clerk or even a teacher. She smiled at the prospect.

"Ready, Miss?" she said as she saw steam and bubbles forming above the water surface.

"Colonel Shinu informed me you met the Dragon of the West a couple of weeks ago?" Colonel Lee asked her as he picked up his wine. He was delighted to sit next to the Admirals fiancée, who was a charming companion. A man with an eye for women, he was instantly smitten when he saw her unusual beauty. This, combined with her intelligent ways of conversing made her a wonderful hostess. She was closer to his own age than the other high ranking officers. Moreover, she knew the Dragon of the West personally. Lee had admired the famous general his whole life and wanted to know more about this legendary firebender.

"I did." Elyrie answered as she subconsciously touched the scar on her temple. The Colonel noticed it.

"Is that where you got the scar? I heard you got separated during a storm."

"Yes, it was an unfortunate accident." She answered diplomatically.

"But the Dragon of the West helped you?" the Colonel asked, trying to get the whole story out of her.

"Actually, it was Prince Zuko who was the one that helped me." She said, suddenly turning her head with sparkling eyes. Her open face revealed gratitude as she spoke of the kindness the old General and the banished prince had bestowed on her.

With one ear however, she listened in on the conversation on the other side of the table.

It regarded the rebel attacks, especially on the convoys. Zhao was preparing a fleet, she had heard but so did the rest of the Earth kingdom.

Out of fear, they rebelled against the plans.

Lee brought her back to the present. "And now you stay here for the time being?"

"I do. I find it most fascinating to observe the unfolding strategies my fiancé comes up with." she said with a stiff smile. Smile and nod, smile and nod.

Lee let out a low chuckle. "Why do I feel this is not all you have to say about the matter?"

Looking at his handsome face, she involuntarily thought of Zuko. She sighted. "Most of the miseries in the world were caused by war. And when the wars were over, no-one really knew what they were about."

'Ah a woman's view on politics-", Zhao quickly chimed in, overhearing her statement.

Elyrie groaned. The young Colonel saw the face of the girl change, her pretty features twisting as she pressed her lips together.

"Maybe Elyrie can attend our next war council tomorrow? She has some interesting insights" Lee asked while turning to the Admiral. He had no high opinion of the pompous man, who was arrogant and obnoxious. But it seemed his fiancée was more aware of the situation than she let on and he would love to hear more of her. And see more of her, he mentally added as he quickly glanced at her large blue eyes and delicate cheekbones. She was certainly easier on the eye than her middle-aged fiancé.

Surprised, Elyrie's eyes looked at the brown ones of the Colonel. He subtly winked at her, as if to let her in on his little plan. His boyish smile made her grin back, as if they were naughty schoolchildren taunting the Headmaster.

Smiling behind her cup of wine, Elyrie waited for the response.

Weeks of building rapport with the Generals, Colonels and other high ranking officers led to this moment. The remaining guests turned to Zhao with expectant looks on their faces. Colonel Shinu was the first to speak up.

"I think it is a wonderful idea." he said while smiling at the young girl at the other end of the table. She smiled and raised her glass to the older Colonel.

"I suppose she could listen to our plans, since it may be beneficial for the wife of an Admiral to learn a few things about her husbands occupation." Zhao answered with hestitation in his voice.

Elyrie gave him her sweetest smile and gently bowed her head in gratitude. Inwardly, she did not miss the meaning behind his words.

"I will see you tomorrow then." Lee said as he took her hand into his own and swiftly kissed the back of her hand. Smiling broadly, she made a small curtsy at the charming young man.

As she stood up to leave, Zhao grabbed her wrist. It was rather forceful and she repressed the urge to pull her arm back.

"I was thinking, maybe it would be convenient for you to start living in the capital until the wedding? In your old house." He said, trying to sound casual. But his eyes conveyed a different message; they were hard and forceful.

Switfly, she pulled her hand back to sweep a strand of her hair behind her ear.

"That is certainly possible. After all, my father left the house to me." She answered, not completely unable to hide the sharp tone of her voice. Her father had left her in his will their townhouse for whenever she wanted to live in it. He had hoped she would move in with her future husband. And of course, as soon as Zhao got word of that, he had declared the house as his own.

Climbing the stairs back up for the second time today, she saw her house in her minds eye. One of the great mansions near the Royal Palace, it had been for generations in her fathers family. Three stories high with a beautiful garden, it had been their own palace in the middle of the crowded city.

Her old bedroom, the library, the large kitchen where she used the hide and steal sweets. Her mothers dressing room, where she sat on a sofa. Her own little legs barely able to reach the ground, she watched her mother dressing up for formal events. Taking in all the beauty, she silently sat there. And whenever her mother was finished, she would kiss her daughter on her cheek so her lipstick would needed to be redone once again.

Her fathers study was always open. The large leather chair in which her father used to spin her around when she was young. And later, when she showed talent for reading and writing, he had taken it upon himself to teach her subjects near to his heart.

Zuko had visited as often as he could, enjoying the relaxed sphere in the house. Playing together in the gardens, her mother had taught them to swim. She had requested a large pond in the garden, large enough to fit at least ten people, so she could swim whenever she desired. Elyrie had learned to swim from a very young age, yet was always clinging onto her mothers neck as she strongly made her way through the water. It made her feel safe.

She had not been back to the house after her father had died, almost a year ago now. Too many memories, she thought as she twisted a curl around her finger.

Her mother had died when she was ten years old after a short sickbed. Her father had told her Mama had died due to a fever, not uncommon in the Fire Nation. Most people recovered from it, but her mother did not. She remembered the beautiful face of her mother in the white sheets. Her caramel-coloured skin had been paler then Elyrie had ever seen it. Her long fingers had grasped her small hands and kissed them.

My dearest darling, never change who you are. You are my smart, strong, happy and beautiful girl. I love you

Elyrie had not even cried then. She had been too young to fully comprehend that it was to be goodbye for ever.

I love you too Mama.

Her mother had spoken to her in her native tongue, not the Common Tongue spoken by everyone or even the High Language of the Fire Nation elite. Elyrie had understood her, since her mother had always spoken to her in her native tongue. Elyrie was fluent in the nameless language: she always liked to think that it was sort of a secret language her mother and she shared. She had never heard anyone speak the language again, but now just assumed it had been a strong dialect from the colonies.

She had been in a state of shock. Not shedding a tear, not even during the funeral. Clinging onto her father, she stood silently as she watched her mothers casket burn, as per Fire Nation tradition. And not even a decade later, she would watch her father endure the same fate. But now, she was all alone with no one to comfort her.

When her mother died, she had her father beside her. But he was gone. No Lady Ursa, who took it upon herself to look after the motherless girl as best she could. No Uncle Iroh, who comforted the scared little girl. No Zuko, who comforted her in her grief. No one.

And she had cried when she was alone. Cried like never before in her life. And had not cried again after that.

Not until she was forced to be separated from Zuko again, only mere weeks ago.

Opening her door, Elyrie forced herself to return to the present. Having dismissed Jin earlier that evening so she could catch up on her reading, she arrived in an empty room. On autopilot, she filled the tub for the second time today and undressed herself.

Lowering herself in the hot water, she pulled the pins and pearls out of her hair and let her curls float on the water.

Closing her eyes and leaning back, she thought about Zhao's thinly veiled threat. He wanted her gone, that much was certain. As soon as possible for that matter.

I can't leave now, not with all of this coming up. But the question is: what now? Keep her head low and hope he'll forget it soon enough? She doubted it.

Zhao was many things, but an idiot was not one of them. He had worked his way up to the position of Admiral based on his cunning and ruthless ambition. She had to be very careful, because there was one thing she should never forget in this partnership: he wanted to be the one in charge.

She groaned. In the process of making a name for herself, she forgot the most important adversary. Zhao was a vain man and in her blindness, she had ignored the effect her manipulations had on him.

I am such a fool, she mentally cursed. Never forget who your real opponent is when you play the game. And she had forgotten it. If I do what he wants, I can do what I want. And there must be a way to have both, she was sure of it.

She lowered herself in the bath until the water had completely submerged her.

Her intuition told her that silence may no longer be an option in the near future.

When the storm rises up

When the shadows descend

Every beat of my heart

Everyday without end

Elyrie abrupty stopped when there was a knock on the door. Colonel Shinu stopped playing the harpsicord as he heard the door behind him open. Turning around, they saw Kun.

"I am sorry to disturb you, Colonel, Miss," he said with a polite nod, "But the council will begin in a few minutes"

"Thank you Kun." Elyrie said as she straightened her dress. Colonel Shinu rose from his seat and offered her his arm.

"I must say, you have an astonishing voice." He said as the walked to the second floor of the Pagoda Tower, "It reminds me of a singer I was fortunate enough to hear many years ago."

Shinu was grateful for her presence. Their shared love of music made the presence of Zhao in his Stronghold more bearable. He detested the man, but his sweet fiancée was the opposite. Delighted that she knew his favourite song, he had started playing for her before they were interrupted.

"Maybe we could finish later?" he suggested as the entered the warchamber.

"I would love that." she answered with an enchanting smile.

After he had guided her to her seat, on the left side of Zhao at the high table, he sat down cross-legged next to the other officers. Lee winked at her with a boyish smile on his handsome face from a few seats away. She pouted her lips to stifle a grin. Looking around, she saw four other officers present. All nodded to her, except the grey-haired General closest to her. He pretended not to see her, so it seemed.

Zhao coughed to get the attention of the men, and woman, present.

"We are here to discuss the urgent matter at hand." he began while motioning to the large map behind him. Elyrie looked and quickly found the Stronghold on the map, near the sea. However, Zhao pointed at a village, a few miles away.

"This village harbours the most rebels and munition. If we repress them, the revolts will cease to be." Zhao said, "But more importantly, they will be able to give us the information we need to repress the entire rebellion at once. "

"How do you plan to do this?" Colonel Shinu asked

"My informants know that this villages harbours the leaders, so it will be easy to extract the information from them." Zhao answered with a wicked grin. That grin made the hairs in Elyrie's neck rise.

"And how do you manage to persuade them?" Colonel Lee asked, frowning his eyebrows at the Admiral.

"Persuasion." The older General answered, who had not given her a glance, while his eyes had an evil gleam in them, "Fire is wild and dangerous when left uncontrolled. I suggest we set our beautiful element loose."

'It will not break the rebellion. It will only strengthen their hate against the Fire Nation and fuel their desire to win." Elyrie answered, her soft voice so different from the others.

"You better learn your fiancée to hold her tongue in the presence of a man." The older general said with disdain in his voice. The older General turned to face her for the first time since she entered the room.

When the yellow eyes looked at her, she felt a shiver going down her spine. She knew those viper-like eyes. She remembered him. He was the general that Zuko had offended, all those years ago. He looked older, but those viperlike eyes still were the same. She had seen him in the Agni Kai-chamber, standing on the side of the Fire Lord. Uncle Iroh had pointed him out to her, before the reveal of the actual opponent.

She had always felt guilty for persuading Zuko to become more involved with matters of state. She was the one who pushed him to try and attend a war council, only to see it turning around in the worst way possible. Only because Zuko did the honourable thing, she thought.

Not breaking eyecontact, she rose from her seat. Digging her nails into her palms, she stared at the older man. His pale skin showed stains, revealing his advanced age. His grey hair was thinning near his temples and his lips were thin and formed into a grimace. Raising a single arched eyebrow, she took a breath.

"Yet you cannot-" she began.

"I have heard enough from you!" Zhao suddenly yelled at her. All his frustration about her came to a boiling point, "You should be wise and do what we all expect from you: stay silent."

She felt her cheeks heat up at the insult. Forcing herself to remain stoic, she turned to him. "Why do you think you can justify death?" she said with a voice burning like a venom.

Then, she nodded to the others and left the room with her head held high.

The following morning at breakfast, Zhao entered to speak to her. This was unusual: she usually ate her breakfast alone and only saw Zhao at dinner. But her breakfast was one she ate alone, always. So the single reason he had for coming, must be to reprimand her. She mentally sighed and looked up at Zhao with innocent eyes.

"I hope you slept well." Zhao said stiffly, not taking his eyes of her. She nodded and added with a small smile "Yes, thank you very much for your concern."

Zhao kept looking at her, as if unsure what to say next. After a few moments, he added "You need to refrain from speaking out."

Elyrie nodded, while pensively thinking about the hypocrisy. She knew better than to respond, so she nodded and kept everything inward. As usual, she thought. Yet her temper started to flare up, which was highly unusual. .

"Elyrie, do you hear me? My reputation is at stake." Zhao added more harshly.

"We wouldn't want that." Elyrie said while looking at her cup of tea, unable to fully hide the sarcasm in her voice.

"What did you say to me?" Zhao said with wide eyes. She had never spoken back to him.

Elyrie looked up, irritated and said: "I said that we wouldn't want your reputation to be tarnished. That would be completely unbearable."

Zhao's eyes narrowed as he looked at his blue-eyed fiancée. He would not tolerate this mocking behaviour. She must know her place. "You are not allowed to ever speak like that again. You are lucky the general did not take it too seriously since you are only a woman." He said firmly.

That did it.

After all those months of silently playing the dutiful fiancée, she had enough. Elyrie stood up, slowly and elegantly.

"What do you think I am? Some sparrowkeet you can teach to say pretty words and muzzle when you want to?" she said with an icy voice. Zhao's eyes widened in surprise. "I don't know if you noticed, or cared to notice for that matter, but the only reason I spoke up is to prevent any more useless violence." she finished with fire in her eyes. "That is not how you treat your fiancée."

Her words were like rapid fireshots, following each other quickly. He was dumbfounded, unable to comprehend the meaning of those words. But his temper flared up and within a second, he had kicked the table over.

"My fiancée?! Yes, you are and soon you'll be my wife!" he roared. "You should respect me, and help Agni if you don't." he continued raising his hand.

When he kicked over the table , flames started to dance around Elyrie's fingertips. She hid her hand behind her back, but felt the familiar warmth spreading through her hands. She could strike him, she could take him. She was not as helpless as he had thought, she was far stronger than he would ever be. As he approached her, she felt her bending growing stronger. It was like Uncle had said: fire thrives on emotions and at that moment, she was furious. She was not afraid of him, not even a little bit.

But through the fog of her anger, she saw a small light. Her common sense tried to make it's way through the thick fog. She thought quickly, weighing her options as she saw the whole picture more clear. She would be guarded every moment if she fought back now. Even if she could take Zhao down, she had nowhere to go now, so no real chance of escape. He would not give her an opportunity to escape once he knew what she was capable of. She would be locked up.

She dropped to her knees, with a bowed head and faked her shivering. Zhao stopped, and looked down on her. She looked up with wide eyes at him, as if to apologize.

Zhao said harshly: "Do you understand?" She nodded quickly, and looked down again. Zhao straightened his back and walked away, content he had shown her her place.

When he had left, she let out a breath and noticed the burned spot on the carpet where her hand had been. She smiled.

"Don't you worry," she whispered while raising her chin, "I know my place."

Chapter Text

The next few days, Elyrie was careful to keep her head down and not to attract too much attention to herself. She avoided most of the visiting officers, General Shinu and Zhao. Especially Zhao.

The remaining officers, including the viper-like General and Colonel Lee, stayed in the Stronghold for the time being as Zhao concluded his plans. The assembling of the fleet for the expedition to the North Pole had been given main priority after the informants had returned with new information regarding the Avatar.

Zhao prepared for them to leave at the earliest opportunity, as soon as he had assembled all available naval crews of the Fire Nation. Elyrie silently listened during dinner, but did not speak unless spoken to. The plans for an attack on the village seemed to have been faded into the background, for which she was thankful. However, Zhao must have something enormous planned for the expedition to the North Pole for it to get such attention.

She needed to play her cards right this time, otherwise she would be send away before the expedition would even take place. For the most time, she stayed in her room to read and help Jin with her studies. She did not mind, but she started to feel restless when she had no idea what the future would hold for her.

The only thing she continued to do, was training with Kun. Especially now when she might needed to rely on her bending did she need to keep up an practice. She knew Kun risked the anger of the Admiral, but for some reason it did not bother him. Even though she was grateful to him, she could not help but feel anxious about the consequences.

After finishing her training for the day, she passed Colonel Lee on her way back to her room. She halted in her pace and gave him a quick nod, hoping he would let her pass.

Lee stopped in his tracks when he noticed the fiancée of the Admiral and bowed to her.

"Miss, what a pleasure seeing you." he said while his brown eyes glittered with mischief. Elyrie smiled but barely slowed down as she gave him a quick "Good day."

He turned so he blocked her way effectively and she halted with a small sigh. Please, let me be, she mentally pleaded as she pushed a strand of hair behind her ear and lifted her chin to look at him.

"May I ask if you are all right?" he asked as he searched her pale face. She had been quiet after the Admiral's outburst during the war council, for which he felt partly responsible. From that day on, she looked as if she had lost her will to speak.

"I am, thank you." she answered while looking down. She started to play with her engagement ring, frantically twisting it around her finger as she was eager to leave.

"I see," Lee answered while gently stepping aside, "But if you need anything, please let me know." He added as she walked past him. She looked so helpless and it was part of his male pride to help a woman in need.

Elyrie gave him a quick nod before she quickly walked back to her room. After she had shut the door, she sighed as she threw her cloak on the table.

Lee undoubtedly meant well, but it was impossible to trust anyone in this Stronghold at the moment. She had even refused the offer of Colonel Shinu to play the harpsichord together, even though her fingers ached to play again. And her voice longed to sing again. However, aside from Jin and Kun, she would much rather spend the upcoming days alone than risk another outburst at her expense.

In her efforts the manipulate her way around everyone she had forgotten who she was playing against. She had underestimated his ego. She never dreamed he would feel threatened by her, so she left him out of the equation by calculating every step she made. She cursed her own blindness. But she was willing to bear the consequences if it meant she would get her freedom back, eventually.

But would you get your freedom back once you are his wife forever? The voice in the back of her head kept confusing her. What am I suppose to do? There is nothing left for me, she answered the nagging voice. But isn't that better than being trapped in this forever? the voice replied and now it sounded suspiciously like Zuko's voice.

In a reflex, she grabbed a glass from the table and threw it against the wall in a fit of rage. Stop it! I can't-.. I won't! I am all alone and what am I to do then?! She placed her face in her hands and repressed the urge to scream at the top of her lungs. She sobbed as she fell down on her knees on the soft carpet.

The tears flowed down her face as the desperation took over her entire being. "Lucky to marry", she repeated in her head in an attempt to silence the voice. What am I going to do without this? Nobody is waiting for me back home.

Home. The place she once shared with her parents, where she felt safe and secure.

"If you have a problem, you come home. You don't go off and make matters worse!"

Her mother had insisted on always talking about the problems she faced, because there was nothing they couldn't fix as a family. But now, nobody was there to help her if she wanted to get out of this situation. You made this choice, you must deal with it. She said to herself as she stood up and wiped the tears away with the back of her hand.

That same evening, after an uneventful dinner, she brushed her hair carefully in front of the mirror. Lost in thought, she was startled by a sudden knock on the door.

"Who is it?" she asked while pushing her hair aside.

"Jin, my Lady." she heard the familiar voice answer from behind the door.

"Please, enter." Elyrie said as she rose from the chair, "You know you don't have to ask permission". Jin entered with a burgundy piece of fabric in her arms before she quickly closed the door again.

"I know, but two guards passed and I thought it would be wise to keep up appearances" Jin answered with a wink as she laid down the burgundy-coloured fabric on the bed.

Elyrie gave her a grateful smile. Jin didn't need words to understand her, which made her all the more thankful for having such a good friend in this hostile place.

"What is this?" Elyrie asked as softly caressed the red silk.

"Admiral Zhao requests your presence at his office in half an hour. He ordered me to dress you in this." Jin answered as she picked up the brush from the table to pin up her hair.

"Did he say why he wants me to come to him?" Elyrie asked again as she held up the dress. It was a beautiful dress, tailored around the waist with golden embroidery. The long skirt flowed around as if it was made of water, catching the slightest breeze of air. "Or why I should wear this expensive dress?" she added as she noticed the craftmanship.

"I'm sorry, no." Jin answered while tapping the brush in her handpalm.

"Hmm" Elyrie hummed as she put the dress down again. What could he possible have to gain from me by dressing me in the finest silk late at night? Involuntarily, she shuddered. Whatever it is, it can never be a good thing. Quickly repressing that thought, she shook her head and let Jin help her get ready

After half an hour, she knocked on the door of Zhao's office. Her auburn hair was pulled back into a small bun, which let the ends of her curls fall down her shoulder. Her makeup was simple, but her lips were coloured the same red as the dress. I could go to a party¸ she mused. But since Zhao was not particularly fond of parties, or anything fun for that matter, she knew that would not be the case.

"Enter." she heard his deep voice answer. Without saying another word, she pushed open the mahogany door and stepped inside the room.

Zhao sat bent over the large desk, which was filled with parchment and maps. A dozen candles were lit in the room, so he would be able to work after the sun had set. Which he apparently did most of the time.

"Close the door." he said without looking up. She gritted her teeth at his dismissive tone. Sure, dress up nice and come to the office at this hour, no inconvenience at all, she thought sarcastically. But she needed to be keep her wits about her so she turned around and closed the door softly. Then, she turned around and clasped her hands together in front of her. Patiently, she waited.

He kept on writing without bothering to look up to her or to offer her a seat. She knew this technique, it was to make her wait and make her impatient. Nice try, but I know what you are doing, she though amused. So she kept smiling and waited. Het patience was far greater than Zhao's and her pride prevented her from playing into his game.

After a few, long minutes, Zhao finally looked up and saw his fiancée standing in front of the door. Hands clasped together and her blue eyes turned down, she patiently waited until he spoke. She did not even dare to sit down, he grinned. This is what he liked to see. Obedience and submission.

"Please, sit." he said with a smirk, which was undoubtedly his attempt at a smile. Elyrie repressed an eyeroll and sat down with her hands folded in her lap. Again, she did not speak unless he asked her something. Play the game, beat him to it.

"You might wonder why I asked you to come here." He began. It did not sound like a question he needed answering to, so she kept looking at him with her lips sealed.

"You see, I am recruiting all available Fire Nation ships for a little expedition to the North Pole." He continued, while standing up from behind his desk. "This will be the greatest armada the world has ever seen and I need every last available man with me."

He started pacing around as she remained quiet. She knew about the plans for the armada, but she was still unsure what he exactly wanted from her.

"I have prepared every ship and in a few days, we leave for the harbour." Zhao continued as he pointed at the position on the map lying on this desk.

Elyrie bent forward to look and saw a rather large harbour at the Northern part of the Earth Kingdom. From there, she estimated it would take only a few days to reach the North Pole. She smiled inwardly, glad that it was expected of her to accompany them on this expedition. I am not to be send home just yet, she thought while biting her underlip.

"However, I still need the crew of one ship and you will accompany me to it." Zhao concluded as he placed his hands on the desk while looking at the auburn-haired girl in the chair in front of him. She was vital for recruiting the last men for this expedition. With her, they would follow without any trouble. She might be able to convince the last General to join him on his mission, who was famous for his many conquests. He smirked, proud of his strategical planning.

"Why would you want me to accompany you?" she asked timidly as she looked up, unable to repress her curiosity.
"Because the last ship belongs the banished Prince." was the brash answer.

As Elyrie walked up the ramp of the small ship, she heard the sound of distant music. On the arm of Colonel Shinu - who accompanied them - they had arrived at the small harbour in the Northern Earth Kingdom in less than an hour.

Winter, spring

Summer and fall

Four seasons,

Four loves

She smiled as she stepped onto the deck. Another music night, she thought with an amused grin. Her smile quickly died however, when she remembered the reason for coming her. Walking behind Zhao and two guards, she saw a small circle of men standing around a fire.

With his back turned to her, Uncle Iroh was the one that had been singing. On his right, Captain Jee played the pipa. The engineer and helmsman danced together on the song, which made her repress a chuckle.

However, when they noticed Zhao's presence, the music quickly stopped. Zhao grinned at the small group of men before he turned his attention to the Dragon of the West.

"General Iroh, I've come here to invite you and your crew for an expedition to the North Pole." Zhao began while eying the group of men. "Your support would be valuable for the quest to capture the Avatar."

Iroh turned around to look at the newly promoted Admiral. Hiding his hands in his sleeves, he answered in a neutral tone.

"You honour us with your visit, Admiral Zhao." the older man said, "And I see you have brought guests." Ignoring Zhao's earlier comments, he walked straight towards Elyrie and Colonel Shinu. Standing next to Zhao, Elyrie could feel his temper flare as she saw a particularly large vein in his neck popping.

"Colonel Shinu, it is a pleasure seeing you again." Iroh said with a bow to the Colonel. Shinu answered with a respectful bow, deeper than Elyrie had ever seen him bow.

"And Miss Elyrie," Iroh continued while grasping the hands of the young girl, "It makes my old heart joyous seeing you again in good health." The fatherly tone brought a smile to Elyrie's face as she bowed her head in gratitude.

"I am very pleased to see you as wel, General Iroh." she answered in her musical voice. Iroh gave her a quick wink before he turned again to the Admiral.

"Anyone who brings us such a visit, is our honoured guest. Would you like to join us for music night?" Iroh asked while looking at the Admiral.

Zhao frowned at this and gave Elyrie a nudge, harder than necessary. Repressing a sigh, she knew what she had to do.

"Nothing would make me happier, General." she answered with a sad look in her eyes, "But I am afraid we have other business to attend to. See, I told the Admiral about this crew and the impeccable state of work. We are more than eager to let you join us for our expedition." Looking around the crew, she managed to smile at them. Some of them, mainly the helmsman and Captain Jee, returned the smile with fondness.

Her cheeks hurt from the fake smile, but she managed to let the warmth be present in her voice. After all, she did not lie. She was fond of the crew and wished for them to join them. But she knew at what price.

"The North Pole is home to the Northern Water Tribe, a great nation. There's a reason they've survived a hundred years of war." She continued her speech, prepared to the letter by Zhao, "The frozen tundra is treacherous, the landscape itself is an icy fortress. We'll need a massive invasion force."

He never needed this group, Elyrie realised as she ended her speech, he just wants to cross Zuko in every way possible. She began twisting her cold engagement ring again, fighting the urge to throw it into the dark shimmering water of the ocean. She knew Zhao could simply order them to join them, as his rank as Admiral was able to do. By using me to convince them, it is just another blow.

"Even more so, it would be a great honour having you as the General, the mighty Dragon of the West." Elyrie added with another smile that strained the muscles in her face while turning to Iroh.

Iroh stroked his beard as he looked at the girl. He saw the hurt in her azure eyes and knew she was forced to come along. Zhao was using her as pawn in his games.

"I see." Iroh simply answered, "Well, who are we to refuse such an offer?" Elyrie mentally thanked him for making it easier for her. Iroh send her a reassuring look before he turned to Zhao.

"We need to inform Prince Zuko about this turn of events, since he is in charge of the crew" Iroh said in a neutral tone before adding "But I am afraid I will not be able to accompany you on your expedition."

Elyrie had expected nothing less from the old General, loyal to his nephew to the very end.

"Then let's inform him of our new arrangement." Zhao said with a cruel smile.

"For the last time, I am not playing the tsungi horn" Elyrie heard the brooding voice say.

"No, it is about our plans." his Uncle answered as he stepped into the dimly lit room.

"Hi Zuko." Elyrie said as she stepped into the dark room, only lit by a few lanterns that gave of a reddish light. No wonder he is so grumpy, she mused as she looked around. She would be brooding a lot too if she kept herself into such a dark place. It certainly did not look this way when she stayed on the ship.

Zuko quickly sat up straight when he heard the familiar voice. "Elyrie?" he asked as he stood up from his bed. She gave him a weak smile and slowly shook her head. She noticed he was still in his training gear, and probably just finished with his meditation. We are going to need all the peace of mind we can get, she thought as she anticipated the situation.

Zuko observed her, as she stood with her hands clasped and her eyes sad. She was not here for a visit, he knew. Looking at her, he did not failed to notice how beautiful she looked. It looked like she really made an effort, with an expensive dress and a complicated hairdo.

"There's a bit of a problem." Uncle Iroh said while placing a hand on the shoulder of the young girl standing next to him.

Zuko's rose up from his bed when he saw the pompous figure of Admiral Zhao enter his room.

"I'm taking your crew. I've recruited them for a little expedition to the North Pole." Zhao simply informed the Prince, as if it was nothing. Inwardly, he enjoyed the look of confusion as the Prince realised what he had said.

"What?" Zuko roared as he moved forward. With two great steps, he was standing in front of the trio. "Elyrie, is that true?" he asked while looking at the pale face of his friend.

"I'm afraid so." she answered, meeting his pleading golden eyes.

"He's taking everyone." Uncle added before he wiped his eyes, "Even the cook."

"Sorry you won't be there to watch me capture the Avatar, but I can't have you getting in my way again." Zhao added before he turned to examine the room.

With a yell, Zuko leaped forward to physically attack the Admiral. "No!" Elyrie said as she moved in front op Zuko, placing her hands on his chest to stop him. Through the thin fabric, she felt his heart race. He inhaled through gritted teeth while meeting the pleading sapphire eyes. Those eyes gave him a clear message. Don't do this.

As always, her presence had a calming effect on him. Even now, when he felt his temper flare and his blood heat up, she calmed his racing heart.

Noticing she still had her hands on his chest, she pulled her hands back without breaking eye contact. A faint blush appeared on her cheeks as she turned to look at Zhao's back. Zuko followed her example and looked at the Admiral.

And then, two hearts simultaneously stopped.

Zhao reached for the swords which decorated the wall. Zuko's dual broadswords. The swords he had used in his disguise as the Blue Spirit.

Zuko's golden eyes widened as he quickly looked down and met Elyrie's blue eyes. For less then a second, they shared a look of terror. And then, he knew that she knew.

"I didn't know you were skilled with broad swords, Prince Zuko?" Zhao said casually while swinging one of the swords he had taken from the wall.

"I'm not." Zuko said while sending a hateful glare to the brown-eyed man, "They're antiques, just decorative."

Elyrie chewed on her bottom lip as she saw Zuko looking away. He had always been a terrible liar.

"No proper firebender would deign themselves to train with weapons when they are able to bend the most powerful element in the word." Elyrie said with an impassive look, trying to take the heat off the situation.

Zhao nodded at her comment as he walked towards them with the sword still in his hands. While examining the blade, he asked "Have you heard of the Blue Spirit, General Iroh?"

"Just rumours," was the disinterested answer of the older General, "I don't think he is real."

"He is real, all right," Zhao answered without looking up from the sword, "He's a criminal and an enemy of the Fire Nation." He swung the sword for the last time before handing it to Iroh, who took it wordlessly.

"But I have a feeling justice will catch up with him soon." Zhao finished as he motioned to Elyrie to follow him. While making their way out of the room, Zhao halted and without turning, he said to Iroh "General Iroh, the offer to join my mission still stands, if you change your mind."

Iroh did not answer, but he and Zuko followed the pair back onto the deck. Zuko was still fighting the urge to attack Zhao, bitterly regretting not using his last opportunity to hurt him.

"I expect you at the harbour in two days." Zhao ordered the men as soon as he had reached the deck. While making way to the ramp, a voice disrupted the silence.

"Miss, you promised to sing for us!" the helmsman cried out. The crew murmured in agreement.

"Please, I would very much like to accompany you on my pipa." the captain added as he motioned towards the instrument next to the fire.

Elyrie blushed, but Zhao raised a dark eyebrow at the request.

"Why would you want to do that?" he asked as he looked at the esteemed Captain. Why would they want to hear her? He thought with a mental frown.

"Because, Admiral," Jee answered as he straightened his back, "She has the most beautiful singing voice"

"She?" he asked, somewhat indignant. He felt his temper flare up again. Everywhere they went, she was showered with compliments. He felt his annoyance grew.

Next to the door, Zuko smashed against the metal wall. It bulged and left a visible mark. He did not even notice it, that is how angry he was at Zhao. He started to walk towards the arrogant Admiral, but he felt a hand on his shoulder. Uncle Iroh halted him and shook his head, barely moving.

"Yes. I would love to sing." Zuko heard a soft voice answering. Without giving Zhao a so much as a glance, she walked forward to the captain. Her blue eyes reflected the dancing flames as her smile lit up her entire face.

Zuko relaxed, understanding his Uncle's intention. She doesn't need anyone to fight her battles.

Elyrie elegantly flipped the ends of her curls over her shoulder.

"Colonel Shinu, do you have any requests? To make up for the last time?" she said with a smile that outshone the stars in the sky. Zuko watched as Colonel Shinu gave her a appreciative look and returned her smile.

"I would love it if you sang my favourite song." The Colonel answered, "You know, the one we started last time?"

"I remember." she answered with a smile, "Captain Jee, are you familiar with the song?"

As she walked towards the captain to discuss the song, Zuko understood something. Something he failed to notice the last time she was here.

She doesn't need physical strength or intimidation to get what she wants. She doesn't need to lie, cheat or kill. She simply is herself. Charming, friendly and attentive. And that way, she can wrap anyone around her little finger.

By now, the whole crew was present on the ship. They formed a small circle around her, eager to hear her sing again. Colonel Shinu and Zhao stood in front of the others, one with an anticipating smile, the other with an annoyed look.

As she stepped on a small box, she was able to overlook them all. But most importantly, she was able to see the two figures standing in the back.

As Captain Jee started to play, she took a deep breath. The flames from the small fire illuminated her pale face and bathed her in a warm light as she began to sing.

You're the bravest of hearts
you're the strongest of souls
You're my light in the dark, you're the place I call home
You can say it's all right, but I know that you're breaking up inside
I see it in your eyes
Even you face the night afraid and alone
That's why I'll be there

Elyrie quickly took a breath as she looked around the circle of men with a smile. She avoided Zhao's look but searched Zuko's eyes as she continued.

When the storm rises up
When the shadows descend
Every beat of my heart
Everyday without end
I will stand like a rock
I will bend till I break
Till there is no more to give
If that's what it takes

Sapphire eyes met golden eyes. He smiled lovingly at her and she winked. He softly chuckled as he watched her voice grew more powerful.

Through the wind and the rain
Though the smoke and the fire
When the fear rises up
When the waves ever higher
I will give you my heart
My body, my soul
I will lay down my life
And never let go
Every second I live
That's the promise I make
Darling, that's what I give
If that's what it takes

Slightly panting, she looked around as the men started to cheer. Even louder than the last time, they clapped and cheered for her. She bowed with gratitude as she answered their praise with a thankful smile.

However, Zhao had not missed their silent conversation. Clenching his jaw, he looked at the cheering crew. Even his own soldiers cheered her on. And that ungrateful Colonel Shinu, he looked at her as if she suddenly was made of gold.

He did not even know she could sing. She had never sung when he was around. He was impressed, he was enchanted and he was furious.

With gritted teeth, he had to admit she had beaten him at this. Again, she managed to get the crowd on her hand by simply letting others request something of her.

"We need to go." He brashly said as the pulled the girl with him.

"I'm very impressed." Zhao said at the group in front of him. One of his spies had informed him of a group who was more than willing to help him with a little problem.

Seven pirates were standing around his desk, with the captain sitting down. A colourful group of men, varying from fat, skinny, dark and pale. They all looked at the small, red chest Zhao had pushed towards the captain.

"That's some tasty gold." a skinny, longhaired pirate said as he tried to bent the gold piece between his teeth. All the men eyed the small chest hungrily.

The captain quickly took the coin from the pirate and placed it back in the box. With his large hat and an Iguana-parrot on his shoulder, he looked just like the pictures in children's books. This, however, made him no less dangerous.

He closed the box and turned to Zhao. "What do you need us to do?" he asked in a grim tone.

"I believe you are acquainted with Prince Zuko?" Zhao answered with an ominous grin

The Prince had stood in his way too many times. He helped the Avatar escape as the Blue Spirit. And Zhao did not like the way he looked at his fiancée when they were together. She was his ticket to nobility and he was not going to lose his potential noble status because of some banished prince. She was to be his wife and no Prince was to stand in his way

Zhao the Conqueror, Zhao the Invincible. He had spent too much of his life fighting for his place. Now nobility and a legendary status were within his grasp. His legacy would be legendary. And nothing and no one would stand in the way of his victory.

Chapter Text

The last days at the Stronghold crept up on Elyrie. With everyone preparing for their departure, it was like living in a busy bee-hornet nest. Colonel Lee and the other officers were send ahead to organize and prepare the vessels already present at the harbour. Only the last soldiers - two dozen or so, Elyrie estimated - remained at the Stronghold for the last preparations.

Of course, Colonel Shinu remained at the Stronghold as well. And with him, the Yuyan archers. The archers were instructed to stay at the Stronghold after much debate, because even Zhao understood that archers are of little use in the frozen tundra and icy surroundings of the Northern Water Tribe.

Elyrie had kept her eyes and ears open at all times, trying to gather as much information as possible. Jin and Kun helped her, also gathering gossip and rumours about Zhao's plans for the invasion of the North Pole. Elyrie felt he was purposefully vague about his goal. Sure, he wanted to capture the Avatar who was heading North to learn waterbending. The Avatar-cycle had followed the same routine: water, earth, fire and air. After air came water, then earth and finally fire. It was easy to guess why the flying bison was continuously spotted going north.

But what she didn't understand was the need for an entire armada to attack the Northern Water Tribe in the process. It is a powerful nation who survived hundred years of attack without making much of an effort. Their icy temperatures and frozen landscapes were dangerous for anyone who dared venture into it. Firebenders were especially at a disadvantage since the cold climate weakened their bending, while it only empowered the waterbenders.

With all this, it would be a more logical move to wait until the Avatar - or Aang as she continued to call him - left the North Pole to return to the Earth Kingdom to find a teacher there. Most of the Earth Kingdom was taken by the Fire Nation anyway, so this would give Zhao a huge advantage. And even if Aang decided to leave for Omashu or Ba Sing Se, they had a better chance at capturing him on the way there instead of trying to force themselves into the icy fortress of the Northern Tribe.

With a sigh, Elyrie shook her head and looked around her empty room. Everything was packed and ready for their departure. Jin and she had prepared everything for a longer stay on a ship, so most of her items were send back to her old house. She expected to live there soon anyway. Only her warmest clothing was packed, along with her personal items which she wanted on the ship with her, mostly books to pass the time for the long journey ahead.

Playing with her locket, she stood up and pushed open the balcony doors. Lingering at the balcony, Elyrie watched the sun reaching it's highest point. It was almost noon, so they would depart soon. Breathing in the fresh air, she let her elbows rest on the stones. Her chin placed in the palm of her hand, she admired the view over the sea. The ocean shimmered like a mirror and let the light dance on the soft crashing waves.

The sound brought her back. She remembered the summers on Ember Island. As lady-in-waiting of Lady Ursa, her mother was asked to spend summers there. Not as a lady, but as a friend. Like most Fire Nation nobles, they preferred to spend their summers outside of the scorching capital.

In the crashing waves, her mother taught Zuko how to swim. Beautiful tan in the sunlight, her mother seemed more at home in the water then anywhere else. And her daughter, following everywhere she went, had dived in the waves without seeing any danger. As fast as her little legs could carry her, she ran into the waves at every opportunity. Zuko had been more hesitant, not used to the wild waves and pulling currents. However, he refused to let her beat him at anything so he had followed her without thinking. In less then five minutes, he had managed to step on a crab, cutting open his food and falling facedown into the waves which returned him to the shore with quite some force. This resulted in an afternoon of Zuko brooding, coughing up seawater and his lifetime resentment of crabs.

Smiling at the memories, she exhaled and looked at the gates. A carriage was rolled forward, undoubtedly for her to take her to the harbour. She was brought out of her thoughts by a soft knock.

Turning around, she saw that Kun had softly knocked on the open door. Remaining on the doorstep, he asked: "Miss, are you ready?"

"I am." Elyrie answered as she closed the balcony doors. With all her bags already packed, she had nothing to carry with her, so she closed the door to her room and followed Kun to the carriage. Walking behind the young man, she noticed he was tense. He had always been quiet, but he seemed somewhat nervous. Which was odd, since she never thought he would be fazed by anything. With his cool demeanour and calming presence, he was a constant person. He even offered to train her without hesitation, without bothering to think what Zhao thought of those practices. He must be anxious about the expedition, Elyrie shrugged, not wanting to bother him with invasive questions.

"You will ride with me." Zhao said in a harsh tone as soon as she stepped outside. Keeping her face impassive, Elyrie simply nodded and got into the carriage. Kun mounted the komodo-rhino next to the carriage without saying another word.

Zhao rode the Komodo-rhino next to the carriage and gave the order to leave the fortress. Last night, he had come to a decision. Elyrie was still too independent, too confident. She needed to know he was not to be crossed, in any way. Last night, when the pirates returned from their mission, Zhao had stayed up late to think about the lack of a problem now. Without the banished Prince, he was no longer bothered by his attempts to capture the Avatar or to influence his fiancée in any way.

But the more he thought about it, the more he started to doubt that getting rid of Zuko was truly the answer to all his troubles. Gazing at the carriage, he remembered how she had sung on the ship. Her voice full of power and her eyes full of strength, her very being seemingly defying him.

He was certain she was scared of him, after his outburst at breakfast. But her spirit still wasn't broken. Scared and afraid, yes, of course. She would be foolish not to be, he thought as they followed the main road. But she needed to be broken if he was to spend his entire life with her as his wife. He wanted and needed her noble status, her possessions and her beauty to ensure a legendary legacy, but he refused to be second in any way. And if she saw what he would do to those who defied him, she would never question his authority again.

Elyrie looked at the soldiers riding along, but noticed Colonel Shinu and a Yuyan archer riding with them as well. Which is odd, since he was suppose to stay at the Stronghold. Frowning her brow, she was even more surprised to see that they went further into the country instead of following the shore to the harbour. Closing the curtain and shaking her head, she let her head rest against the cushions. It would be useless to ask anyone about it, so she just had to wait and see where they would end up.

"Admiral Zhao wishes to address the whole village." Colonel Shinu informed the village leader, "Gather everyone in the Temple."

The soldiers drove everyone, men, women and children, together in the wooden temple which dominated the centre of the town. A large building with a roof made of straw, it was used for decades as a place of worship for the Spirits of the Forest. But now, it was used to drive the villagers together like kettle.

A silence fell on the murmuring group when Zhao stepped forward.

Elyrie was forced to stand next to Zhao as he addressed the anxious villagers. She knew this village; it was the one which seemingly harboured the rebels which attacked the convoys. Apparently, Zhao wanted to take a last look to make sure no rebels remained as he left the Stronghold. Or so Kun had told her when they walked into the town.

Mentally damning Zhao for forcing her to witness him humiliating innocent villagers, she stood next to him while chewing on her bottom lip. Kun stood slighty behind her, but close enough to ensure she was well-guarded. She sighed as she looked around. Aside from a few men, the village consisted mostly of women and children. Most young men were forced to fight anyway, she thought. It was the same in almost every small Earth Kingdom town.

"This town has given aid to the rebels which attacked Fire Nation convoys. I wish to know their whereabouts." Zhao began as every pair of eyes in the room was focused on him. "So, anyone who comes forward may be forgiven their treason." He continued, almost politely.

Nobody spoke.

Elyrie was sure she could not even hear the breathing of the citizens. Her eye fell on a little boy, barely older than five. Clutched to his mothers skirt, he looked wide-eyed at the Admiral. With his black curls and green eyes, he was undoubtedly from the Earth Kingdom. And very skinny, too skinny for such a young boy.

The silence lasted for a few seconds. Nobody came forward. What does it matter? Elyrie wanted to ask. The attacks had not harmed any Fire Nation soldiers, they had only stolen the rations. And as she looked around the townspeople, she understood why. The villagers looked famished, undoubtedly the result of shortage due to the plundering of passing Fire Nation soldiers.

"Very well." Zhao said after another fifteen seconds of silence, "You had your chance."

"Wait!" a voice cried out from the crowd. A young man stepped forward. "These men are leading the revolts. They are here right now!" he yelled as he pointed at six men, standing at the front of the group.

"Those men?" Zhao said with an almost disinterested voice while motioning to the men, who looked defiantly at the Admiral. "Yes" the young man replied eagerly.

"Don't listen to him! He lies!" a woman yelled. "Yeah, he is not even from here!" a man's voice added. More townspeople voiced their opinion about the man, who grinned at them.

Elyrie looked at the young man, who indeed seemed different from the green-eyed citizens. His hair was sleek and black and he had yellow-coloured eyes. Fire Nation eyes. His skin was slightly paler than those of the other townspeople, which made Elyrie guess he was part Fire Nation. Most likely, a son of a Fire Nation man and an Earth Kingdom woman which was not uncommon in the colonies. These 'halfbloods', as they were called, were shunned by both cultures and never fitted in. No wonder this man was eager to please the Fire Nation soldiers, since the villagers seemed to hate him.

"Thank you very much." Zhao said calmly to the man before turning around and walking out of the Temple. He did not even bother to give another look at the rebels, who raised their eyebrows in surprise.

"Wait, you said I would be forgiven?" the yellow-eyed man cried. "And indeed you may. That is between you and the Gods." Zhao answered without slowing down as he walked outside. Motioning for the soldiers to follow him, Kun gently took Elyrie's arm and escorted her out of the Temple as well.

"Shut the doors!" Zhao shouted as Elyrie walked past him. Kun almost pulled her with him. Holding onto her upper arm, he quickened his pace.

"Kun, what is happening? What is the matter?" Elyrie asked as she tried to keep up with him. He didn't answer, but continued to walk into the direction of the carriage and Komodo-rhinos.

"Ready to burn the houses on your orders sir." Colonel Shinu said as he lit up his fists. As a final answer to the attacks, the plan was to burn the village until nothing but ashes remained.

"Houses?" Zhao replied with a mocking smile, as he motioned to the large wooden temple, "No, burn the temple."

"Sir?" Shinu answered with his mouth open.

"You heard me, Colonel." Zhao replied in a neutral tone.

Shinu felt as if a bucket of icewater was dumped on him. In the Temple were women and children, defenseless and helpless. This was not the way honourable men fought. This was cowardice.

"There is no honour in this." The Colonel replied through gritted teeth as he lowered his fist. The flames disappeared.

"I bet the Fire Lord would be pleased to hear you side with traitors of the Fire Nation." Zhao answered. He enjoyed the look of fear on the Colonel's face. He had not forgotten the refusal of using the archers that very first night, so he planned to make him pay for it.

Both Shinu and Elyrie shall never forget what would happen if you cross the great Admiral Zhao, Zhao thought with a cruel smile.

"Burn the temple."

Elyrie had been standing too far away to hear the conversation between the two men. Kun had ushered her away, trying to get her as far away from the temple as possible. He held her close, his hand tightly holding onto her upper arm. "Miss, we need to go."

"They are going to burn the village, aren't they?" Elyrie said with wide eyes as she tried to pull herself free. She saw Colonel Shinu lit up his fists.

"Miss, you need to go." Kun repeated as he tried to usher her away. She needed to get out of here. He had sworn to protect her and what would happen next, would haunt her forever.

"Kun, let go." She said as she pulled with more force.

"Miss, please," he tried again, "We really need to go."

"What are they planning to do?" she asked while focussing her blue eyes on him, "Tell me!"

"They are not going to burn the village," Kun replied with a hesitant voice, "They plan to burn the temple."

"Let go of me." she said with a voice of iron, not even raising it, "Now."

"Miss, you can't do anything to help them, please." Kun pleaded again as he reluctantly let go of her arm.

"Don't you think I have to try?" she answered before she turned around and sprinted back to the temple. Kun stood motionless for a few seconds, torn between his loyalty to the Fire Nation and his own conscience. Then, he ran after her.

"No!" Elyrie shouted as she made her way through the rows of soldiers. Surprised at the small figure pushing them aside, the soldiers did not react at first. Then one reached to grab her by the arm. Not too hard, since she was but a small girl after all. And he instantly regretted that thought when she sent him flying.

Zhao had been watching the flames spreading onto the roof of the Temple. The cries inside grew louder and he heard fists banging on the walls.

Then, distracted by the commotion, he had turned around to see what was happening. And now he stared at the young woman, dumbfounded. She was a bender? he thought with a surprised look.

Without hesitation, she had aimed a coordinated fire punch at the soldier. Not hard enough to seriously injure him, but forceful enough to knock him over.

"Stop her!" the Admiral screamed after he found his voice again. The soldiers moved in front of her, but she was fast. Too fast.

Zhao continued to stare at her as she avoided every attack. The soldiers seemed to go easy on her, but none of them were able to catch her.

When four soldiers blocked her way, she propelled herself off the ground. Flying over them, she landed a few feet away from the burning building.

"Shoot her!" Zhao yelled as he saw her flying over the men, pulling on the archer next to him.

The archer readied his shot to stop her, but was surprised by a swift kick which knocked his bow out of his hands. Then he was floored by a punch straight into his face. For the second time that day, Zhao was dumbfounded when he saw Kun jumping over the unconscious archer as he ran to help the girl, kicking aside two men in the process.

Elyrie wasn't aware of Zhao's state of shock. As fast as she could, she ran towards the large doors of the temple. While the roof of the temple burned and spread warmth, she kicked against the wood. Unforgiven, the wood did not oblige. Her anger and frustration grew as she heard the screams grow louder inside the temple. Smoke poured out from under the door. She knew she did not have much time left.

To her surprise, another figure next to her kicked against the wood. Kun had come through the help her. "Together!" he said and she nodded, preparing her stance to simultaneously force open the door.

"NOW" Kun yelled as he lit up his foot, with Elyrie following his example. The wood finally broke and the townspeople poured out, running and coughing. Spreading quickly, chaos ensued in front of the temple.

The few strong villagers, some of them earthbenders, pushed aside the attacking soldiers to let the women and children escape into the forest. Outmanned, the soldiers did not stand a chance against the running townspeople. The earthbenders send rocks flying to the soldiers, who were knocked over again and again.

A young woman, barely older than Elyrie, erected a stone wall between the door and the soldiers. Shielding the fleeing villagers from the fireblasts, the temple was almost empty as more people fled into the forest.

The remaining soldiers had enough trouble as it was to stop the fire kicks the young girl and Kun were sending their way. Over twenty soldier came along, but only a handful remained standing.

Elyrie displayed fire power, unlike what they had seen. And worst of all, she had not even received a single punch. Far too fast and agile, she seemed to dance around. She did not fight to hurt, but she effectively knocked out enough men.

Then, a wall of fire separated her from Kun and the remaining soldiers. Turning her head, she saw Zhao erecting the wall of flames around her. Returning to her fighting stance, she waited. And when he lifted his flaming fist, she moved into action.

Blocking his attack with a circular motion, she propelled herself again and shot a firekick his way.

"Have you lost your mind?" Zhao roared as he aimed another fireblast at her.

'On the contrary," she said, while dodging it with a grin, "I got it back."

Zhao roared in anger as he blasted another shot at her. Attacking in blind rage, he was too slow to hit her. As she landed in front of him, she gave him a strong kick. A kick straight to the chest, he was knocked over and landed on the unforgiving earth. Coughing, the impact had knocked the air out of his lungs. Catching his breath, he saw the last people leaving the temple, the few earthbenders remaining attempted to retreat to the forest as well.

He had enough.

"Stop!" Zhao's voice roared over the sounds of boulders, fire and screaming. Elyrie turned around and saw he held the little boy by his arm. It was the black-haired boy she saw in the temple. "Or the kid pays the price!"

"Mommy!" the boy cried as he tried to pull himself free from Zhao's grasp. A woman, his mother, cried out and ran towards her son. The young earthbender stopped her and needed all her strength to contain the struggling woman.

"You unimaginable bastard." Elyrie hissed as Zhao.

"If you do not stop, this child pays the price." he repeated, his eyes full of anger.

Holding up her arms, she motioned her surrender. Two soldiers grabbed her by her arms and held them back, forcing her to bent forward. Next to her, Kun was forced into the same position as well.

Zhao pushed the boy down, who ran straight into his mother's arms. The young earthbender pushed them into the forest by bending the ground forward, but was forced to surrender when four soldiers grabbed her.

Zhao slowly walked towards Elyrie, still full of rage about the stunt she pulled. Looking around, he saw half of his men lying on the ground. Only three earthbenders were captured, while most of the villagers had escaped during the chaos. Behind him, he heard the creaking sound of wood, as the construction of the temple finally gave in. With a loud crash, the building collapsed.

The whole ordeal had taken less than ten minutes. But in those ten minutes, his whole plan had been smashed into pieces.

"When we return, you will marry me and I will show you how a proper woman behaves!" he yelled, as small bubbles of foam formed around his mouth.

He has lost his mind, Elyrie thought as she watched the Admiral. Nothing remained of the collected, cunning Admiral.

"I will never marry you." she stated calmly as she straightened her back, forcing herself to stand erect as the soldiers continued to hold onto her arms.

"You can choose me, or the dungeon." Zhao said as he placed his face right in front of hers with a cruel smile and he lifted her chin with his indexfinger.

Without breaking eyecontact, she inhaled. And then, she spat in his face with all the disgust she could bring up.

For the third time, Zhao stood dumbfounded. But his surprise did not last long, as he straightened his back and wiped his face clean with a handkerchief. When he was done, he took a step forward and slapped her across the face with all the anger he had inside of him. Her face snapped to the side, but she made no sound. Not even a cry escaped her lips. She simple turned her face to look at him. Her blue eyes glimmered with hate and her mouth was twitched in a arrogant smile. She said nothing, but her eyes said everything.

Never bent, never broken.

His temper flared and he grabbed her by the front of her shirt, pulling her up so her face was a mere inches from his.

"You can spit and fight all you want," he said in a low voice, vibrating with anger, "But one way or another, you shall be my wife."

He roughly pushed her back against the soldiers. "Lock her up and make sure she stays there until we reach the North Pole." He barked at them without taking his eyes of the young woman.

As Zhao watched her being taken away, he was fuming with anger. With a loud roar, he turned around and shot a fireblast at the surrounding houses.

"Burn it all!" he yelled at the remaining soldiers.

As he saw the flames take over the town, he felt a sense of calm coming over him. The villagers may have escaped, but nothing shall remain of this treacherous town.

And nothing shall remain of the Northern Water Tribe, he vowed.

This chapter was inspired by the movie The Patriot. The creators of Avatar TLA based the character of Zhao on Colonel William Tavington, which inspired me to use part of the story into my own story. We all know Zhao is not a man of honour and by adding this chapter, I wanted the show the horrors of war and how they always hurt the innocent. Also, it gave me an opportunity to let Elyrie finally use her skills as a firebender and fight Zhao on equal ground.

I hope you liked this chapter!

Chapter Text

For the next three days, Elyrie received no food and barely more than a few sips of water a day. Her spirit needed to be broken, she knew that was Zhao's plan. Obedience without question.

After the attack on the village, she was restrained and taken to the harbour. Placed in an empty cell at the lowest deck of the flag ship, she was forced to wait. And so did she, for three whole days.

The cells were small, barely larger than her closet in the Stronghold. With just enough space to pace two steps, she felt like a caged animal. The metal cell was cold and unforgiving, especially so far below the surface. Mentally thanking Uncle for his lessons, she used the fire breathing technique to keep herself warm.

The first hours, she banged on the door of the cell like a madwoman. Screaming and yelling, she banged her fists against the cold metal. Screaming until her voice gave out, she demanded to know what happened to Kun. Her dear friend, who helped her and the townspeople. She had seen him being taken away by other soldiers, but what could have happened to him?

She knew if Zhao planned to punish her severely, she would most likely be receiving very little or no food and water. But what about her friend? Her loyal friend, who risked everything to help her train? It made her insides squirm at the thought of what Zhao was about to do to him.

After what felt like hours, she simply stopped screaming. Nobody could hear her this far below and even if someone heard her, they would not answer her. So she waited.

Minutes.

Hours.

Days.

So far below in the insides of the ship, there was no daylight. No indication to tell what time of day it was, or even to say if it was night or day. She counted the moments the guard comes to get her, which she assumed was in the morning and the evening.

So the only exercise she got, was if a guard brought her a jug of water. And with that, she got the opportunity to visit the dirty bathroom twenty metres from her cell. But not before she was cuffed behind her back, with the heaviest metal cuffs she ever felt to prevent her from bending. She already cursed herself for her stupidity to show her bending to Zhao but what choice did she have? But that knowledge did not make the treatment any better.

The temptation to run is always present, but she resists. Six times she saw the guard and six times, she obliged his requests. It was no use to fight now. Not when she was in the deepest darkest parts of the ship, surrounded by at least a hundred trained soldiers.

She felt dirty, disgusted and tired. She felt weak. She had never experienced something like this. Complete isolation from everything, even basic hygiene and food.

And that was not even the worst part. The worst of all this was that she did not know what would come next. What was Zhao planning to do with her?

If he wanted her dead, she would already be executed by now. Zhao never waited around to show his power, especially not now with the entire navy present. The same goes for imprisonment in the Capital, she would already be sent that way as a traitor if that was the case.

You can spit and fight all you want, Zhao's voice echoed in her head, but one way or another, you shall be my wife.

She was to be kept alive then and be taken to the North Pole, but how long would it take to get there? She knew they had not left the harbour yet, she could feel it in the vibrations of the sea. She knew how a moving ship felt and this was certainly not it.

After losing complete track of time, she heard the metal lock open. Based on the forceful nature, she had no doubt it was Zhao. He expected to see her broken into obedience and shivering.

Very well, then, she mused. She had come to this decision at the end of the first day already. Because the one advantage of solitary confinement is that you have more than enough time to think. And thinking, she did.

For this time to convince Zhao she was broken into obedience, she had to go all the way. The first time, she was sure he was not convinced, especially after the singing on Zuko's ship. He wanted to see her broken, so she was to give him that. Eyes on the prize and beat him at his own game, she repeated in her head.

She didn't even have to feign her exhaustion: she was so hungry, so tired. All the energy had drained from her body. To survive in this situation, she needed to really convince him. So she remained seated on the dirty, cold floor. Her knees pulled up against her chest, she started to shiver and looked down when he entered.

His silhouette was in stark contrast with the light coming from behind him. She had to blink a few times, her eyes used to the complete darkness of the cell.

"Life will be easier for you, if you accept you must be seen and not heard. Because no one wants to hear what you have to say." Zhao blurted out as he saw the shivering girl on the floor. She looked smaller, with her curls undone and the dark circles around her eyes. Her hands trembled and her lips had become a blue-ish shade.

She bit her lip and looked down, feigning humility. Broken prisoners did not respond to such taunts. All she did was nod, which even took a lot of effort. She did not have to pretend she was shivering, because it was so cold in the cells that her breath was visible.

Zhao smirked at the sight of the broken girl. She looked tired and beaten-down. And even if she was not yet completely subdued, he had one more surprise on his sleeve. But that was for tomorrow, he thought with a mental grin.

For now, she could come out of the cell if she behaved.

"Up!" he demanded as he turned around and walked out of the cell,

Leaning against the wall, she tried to stand up. Shaking on her legs, she had to be supported by the guards. One foot in front of the other, she walked the long corridor without help. The stairs were the worst, but she managed with all the energy she had left.

After what felt like an eternity, they reached a room at the highest level. The doors swung open and she squinted her eyes at the bright light of the setting sun that shined through the large windows. The stay in the cell surely deteriorated her eyesight. But after blinking a couple of times, she could make out a filled tub and a large, comfortable bed.

She mentally thanked the one who had arranged this for her, most likely Jin. The guards left her alone and she practically pulled her clothes from her body to get into the warm water and the sweet-smelling soap. Diving under and washing her curls, she started to feel like herself again.

She almost fell asleep in the tub, but was startled by a soft knock.

"Dinner!" she heard an unfamiliar voice say before she heard the footsteps disappear. As if her stomach knew, it growled at that moment. Rushing out of the tub and into her dressing robe, she opened the door.

On the floor was a tray with a piece of bread and a bowl of light soup. The smell alone made her feel weak in the knees.

Picking up the tray, she sat down on the bed and forced herself to eat slowly. She knew if she stuffed everything in her mouth now, it would only come back up. So she practiced her discipline, or what was left of it anyway.

She had just enough energy left to place the tray on the floor before she fell asleep.

She had been tired, beaten-down and hungry.

But broken? Never.

"Jin has been send away. I have assigned a new handmaiden for you when you return to the Capital." Zhao said the following day when he woke her up past noon with a forceful knock. His hands placed behind his back, he observed her reaction. He did not want to take another risk by letting her out, only to see her turn against him again.

At that moment, Elyrie felt her anger resurface. She wanted to claw his eyes out. To burn him to a crisp. To pull out those stupid looking sideburns until she wiped that arrogant smile from his face.

But again, she did not move a muscle. This is exactly what he wanted, to isolate her from everything. Making her feel alone in the world, completely dependent on him.

So she only nodded, still looking down. She did not dare to ask about Kun, not yet.

"Very well", Zhao said after a few more seconds of silence, "Clean up for tea in an hour." And with that, he left and slammed the door behind him.

Elyrie let herself fall back into the soft pillows. She had slept well into the day, that is how exhausted she was. Snuggling back into the soft blankets, she sighed deeply and started to think about her situation.

She knew she had nowhere to go now. No connection who would take her in after it had become public she left the Admiral of the Fire Nation Navy.

She might as well be banished.

She sat up right. Could she do that? She could join Zuko as a banished Fire Nation citizen. Technically not banished, but a frowned upon citizen. Would they take her in?

Uncle certainly would. But then, they would return to the Fire Nation if they captured the Avatar. If, not when. She was not sure they would ever be able to capture Aang or that she wanted to be part of that plan.

Rubbing the sleep out of her eyes, she pushed the blankets back and swung her legs over the edge of the bed. She would not think about that now, she would do that tomorrow. For now, she had to made it through tea.

Looking in the large mirror, she saw her curls sticking out and her pale face drained from every hint of colour. Well, this might take some time, she mentally sighed before tying her hair back into a bun.

"I am devasted to hear about Prince Zuko. Just devasted." Zhao said.

Something inside Elyrie splintered. She heard the words, knew their meaning and yet, they meant nothing.

Nothing.

Her mind was empty, her voice gone. No thoughts, nothing to make sure she grasped the meaning of the words. She felt her knees weaken, almost giving in. Her head began to spin. She needed all her strength to remain standing upright.

"I-...I am so sorry for your loss" she said to Iroh, her mind working on autopilot. She felt empty, nothing seemed to make sense.

Iroh rose from his seat and walked to the trembling girl. Placing a hand on her cheek, he tried to give her a reassuring smile but she did not look at him. She stared, as if she was unable to register anything.

Zhao hit his wicked smile behind his cup. His fiancée may have been broken into obedience, but this would be the final blow to crush her spirit completely. And then, she finally be the obedient, dutiful woman she was suppose to be.

"Would you please escort her back to her room?" General Iroh asked to the soldier standing behind him. Elyrie felt herself shake her head as she stumbled backwards, but the soldier placed his hand on her back to steady her. His touch was gentle and surprisingly tender. She would surely have fallen over if he had not caught her in time

"Please excuse me." she managed to say as she walked outside.

The soldier followed close, no doubt to catch her if she would faint. She felt like fainting but forced herself to remain standing. She did not remember walking back to her room, but somehow she made it.

When she reached her door, she leaned against it and grabbed her midriff. Catching her breath, she opened the door and absentmindedly thanked the soldier.

Then she closed the door and fell down. She caught herself when her legs gave out and leaning on her arms, she felt her breathing being shallow as if she had run for miles and miles.

Her throat hurt from the tears she had held back and she coughed a couple times to try to relieve the pain. To no effect.

She placed her hand in front of her mouth to stifle her cries, but allowed the tears to flow freely.

Dead. Gone.

Fully dressed, she made her way to her bed and laid her head down, feeling her tears continuing to stream down her cheeks.

She cried herself to sleep that night.

On the other side of the door, Zuko leaned against the door and listened to her soft cries. Placing his forehead against the wooden door, he closed his eyes and felt guilt taking over him.

"I am so sorry." he whispered.

Chapter Text

"Why can't I tell her? She would never –" Zuko began as he looked at his Uncle.

"No!" Iroh interrupted him. "It is for your own safety." He looked at the wounded face of his nephew, the results of the brutal attack on his life. His left eye was already permanently scarred, but his right eye had bruises as well. His lips, nose and cheeks were wounded as well, although it slowly started to heal.

"Zhao wants you dead," he continued with a pained voice, "And our plan is working perfectly. If he even suspects you might still be alive, all your chances are lost."

"But Uncle, you know as well as I that she is hurting." Zuko pleaded again, his voice strained as he remembered her quiet sobs through the door. She had looked exhausted when he saw her at tea that afternoon. Her cheeks looked more hollow and her eyes had dark circles under them. When Uncle told her about the attack on his life, he saw the little colour remaining in her face disappear.

He could say nothing to comfort her. He had to hide in plain sight, for his own safety.

But he had reacted when she stumbled backwards, fearing she would fall over. Luckily, Uncle was quick to react to order him to bring her back to her room. And when he had placed his hand on her lower back, he felt a small shock. She seemed to feel it too, since she straightened her back and walked out with her head held high.

The entire way back to her room, he closely walked behind her. He wanted so badly to speak to her, to comfort her and to embrace her that he had to constrain himself to hold back.

"Zuko, it is also for her safety." his Uncle answered, "The attack was also meant to hurt her."

Zuko's thoughts were interrupted and his eyes snapped back to his Uncle's, confused and angered.

"What do you mean?" he said with a low grow. Who would dare to touch her? She wouldn't hurt a fly, he thought as he remembered her compassionate nature.

"She was not sick the past three days, as we were told." Iroh replied in a low voice, "She was being held in the cells below deck."

He had asked around by the crew about the wellbeing of the girl. Shin, the cook who had served on his ship as well, told him about the situation. Shin knew, because he had supplied the food the first day and heard from the other guards what actually happened to her.

"What?!' Zuko exclaimed as smoke started to come out of his flared nostrils.

"Keep your voice down!" Iroh said while pushing his nephew behind a boiler, out of sight of the other soldiers. "If you promise to control your temper, I'll tell you." he added while turning his head to see if they truly were alone.

Zuko did not answer, but gritted his teeth as a response. Iroh took that as a 'yes'.

"She defied Zhao and fought against him to save a village from his wrath." Iroh said, "Zhao wanted to burn all the villagers in a Temple, but she broke them out and fought against the soldiers."

"She rebelled against Zhao and knocked over his soldiers to prevent a mass murder?" Zuko answered with raised eyebrows, "All by herself?"

"Not entirely, but she was the only one who was brought back to the ship to endure her punishment here." Iroh replied, while stroking his beard, "But you saw for yourself how exhausted she looked."

"Why are you telling me this?" Zuko roared, his blood heating up and his nostrils flaring again. Does he want me to kill Zhao right now? he mentally cursed.

"The stay below deck was to break her will, and the news of your death was to be the final blow." Iroh explained to his nephew, "What do you think will happen to her if she steps out of line another time?"

Zuko did not respond, but Iroh looked at the metal pipe Zuko had placed his hand around. His knuckles were white and the pipe was deformed, the metal glowing red from the heat generating from his hands.

"You want to know how you can help her?" Iroh said as he placed his hand on the shoulder of his nephew to calm him, "Stay hidden until we reach the North Pole and the Avatar is yours, then you can regain your place at court and take her away from this."

"Uncle, she is not the type of woman to throw herself into fits of emotions." Zuko tried another time, "She is not foolish enough to- "

"But she does have emotions, Prince Zuko. Do not forget that" Iroh interrupted again in a calm voice, "You cannot expect her to play along with a secret that so dangerous for the both of you."

Elyrie had spend most of her free time in her room, trying to comprehend the situation. She was still able to eat and breath, but she did it on autopilot. She was not present in the moment. She was not even present in the past.

She just stared, having no thoughts at all.

She felt that she should be crying uncontrollably, but she seemed to be done. She felt a odd sense of calm coming over her. There was one good thing that came out of this horrible situation: she knew Zhao had told her the dreadful news to crush her completely. To isolate her even further and to make her desperately depended on him.

And desperate, that was the one thing she was not. Though her whole being ached for the loss of Zuko, while her heart bled and her blood froze whenever she thought of him, it also made her realise that she had absolutely nothing to lose anymore.

If anything, this whole ordeal only made her more determined to get out of this horrible place. As soon as they returned to the Fire Nation, she would leave. Fleeing into the icy tundra was simply impossible, so she had the wait for her chance to disappear.

Why did I ever think this engagement would be the right decision? Elyrie mused as she stood up. Grieving is a luxury she did not allow herself right now, that would come later.

"Affection is desirable, money is absolutely indispensable." She heard her aunt say in her head. Those were the words of advice when they had discussed Zhao's marriage proposal all those months ago.

Money was indeed necessary, but nobody had told her how much money was necessary. They just assumed she would need the amount she was used to.

The Fire Nation did not discriminate on gender, although it was somewhat more expected of noble women to submit to a man. The pressure to marry was indeed present in the circles she had grown up in, but lower class women had opportunities in the Fire Nation. She could leave with all her jewels and sell them on the way for basic needs. She could go to a village in the middle of the Fire Nation where nobody knew her and maybe even become a teacher there. She had the knowledge for it. She might not have the opportunity to have the same amount of wealth she was used to with her parents, but she could survive on her own.

As long as she did not marry Zhao, the house and the inheritance remained legally hers. Besides, she knew her parents would rather see everything being burned down to the ground than that their only daughter would be trapped in this situation.

She might not live the life she was used to, but it was better than this. Anything would be better than this.

Zuko had observed Zhao's interaction with Elyrie the past days as their journey went on. And everyday, he found a new reason to despise the man. To him, Elyries intelligence and her confidence were nuisances, rather than qualities to be encouraged.

Zuko remained close by, to keep an eye on her. He was not sure what Zhao planned for her if she stepped out of line, but he would not wait around to find out. That deceitful man tried to break her will, subdue her mind and silence her voice. And when he had watched her stumble that night, he feared Zhao might have succeeded.

He was thankful for the Fire Nation armours: nobody would suspect anything, since they all looked the same. If one guard paid extra interest in the young fiancée of the Admiral, it would be suspicious. But with their matching uniforms and facemask, nobody could tell the difference. Maybe his Uncle noticed, but he could count on him to keep silent. He might not think it wise that he paid so much attention to the girl, but even he understood that is was impossible for Zuko to sit around and do nothing to protect her.

Elyrie was silent during the moments she spend with Zhao and Uncle, simply listening and only answering when someone asked her something. Even when Uncle asked her something, she only replied in a quiet voice and gave minimal answers. She mostly kept to herself, head down and silent.

Zhao only smiled at this, content with her behaviour. Uncle sometimes gazed at her with a look of concern at her quiet demeanour, but he didn't know what to do about it. 

If only she knew she wasn't alone, Iroh thought to himself as he looked at empty shell of the feisty girl she once was. Her eyes looked dull, her skin was like snow and her hands seemed to be permanently trembling whenever she picked up her cup of tea. 

Zuko noticed it too and it made his chest constrict. He couldn't remember her not smiling. All he could do was look at her, praying she didn't lose all hope. When he looked at her broken figure, he was afraid she had already lost it. 

But after only a day, Zuko was glad to see that the old Elyrie had not disappeared. He saw her fiery spirit, but only in flashes.

When observing closely - which he could from behind the safety of his mask - he saw the glimmer of defiance in her eyes. The slight pouting, the curling of the edges of her lips. The blue eyes stared into the distance, but they were paying attention to every word being spoken. Picking up everything, processing and storing it.

He was surprised he still remembered her little quirks, her small tics to pick up on her mood. He knew she was not broken and that she would never break. She had a strength to her which could whether any storm, one that came from deep within her. The little firecracker he knew from his childhood shined through the woman she had become.

Uncle once compared her to a Fire Rose, which hides his thorns beneath the surface. Like a rose, bending in the wind, she adapted to every situation. She had done it again now: by keeping her head down, she fooled Zhao into believing her complete submission.

And like all flowers, she would eventually bend towards the sun.

"Soot, I've seen it before," Sokka said while he grabbed a handful of grey snow, "Right before my village was attacked."

While examining the flakes of black snow falling down on the frozen landscape of the North Pole, the blue-eyed warrior sighed. "It is soot combined with snow." he repeated as he stood up and looked out over the sea.

"But why?" the sweet voice of the white-haired Princess asked, while placing her hands against her cheeks in confusion.

"It's the Fire Nation, they've closed in on the North Pole," Sokka answered while looking back at her with a feeling of dread coming over him, "And from the looks of this stuff, I'd say there's a lot of them."

The pair looked out over the endless sea, where the blue sky was darkened by a dark grey cloud heading towards them.

Chapter Text

The cold wind stung on her skin, but Elyrie remained on the private deck. Leaning over the golden railing, she had longed for the fresh air and inhaled deeply. The cold air tingled in her lungs. She smiled as she looked over the endless sea. Standing on the Zhao's flagship, they lead the Fire Nation Armada to the North Pole for the attack. The past days, dark clouds had accompanied them on their way to the icy North. But this early morning, the sun had broken through the clouds at last.

She smiled when she felt the sun warm her face. She cherished the warmth it gave her, for she had a thick coat over her shoulders to protect her from the icy winds. She hid her hands in the pockets of her dress, which was lined with fur. The air had grown colder as they approached the North Pole.

Behind her, a soldier watched as the sun illuminated her alabaster skin. The rays of sunshine danced through her hair, brightening the red in her auburn curls. When she turned at the sound of the door opening, he could see her face. Her blue eyes were the same colour as the dark blue sea behind her. It looked like the sun had broken through just to shine his golden rays on her. Zuko mentally shook his head at his thoughts, but smiled under his mask.

Then, his attention shifted to the pair that entered the private deck. Elyrie did the same as she bowed and lowered her eyes when Uncle nodded to her with a smile. Zhao barely gave her a glance. Slowly, she took a few steps back to give the two men more space. But she did not leave the deck. Instead, she waited and listened to the conversation of the men. Conversation might not be the correct word: it was more a monologue, with Uncle occasionally agreeing with the Admiral.

"This will truly be one for the history books, General Iroh." Zhao said with a smug look on his face, "Just think, centuries from now, the people will study the great Admiral Zhao who destroyed the last of the Water Tribe civilization." He proudly lifted his chin as he said it.

It did not sound like something you would want to history books to write about, Elyrie thought as she repressed a shudder. She estimated they would arrive tomorrow morning at the North Pole. And she feared what would happen then.

"You are lucky you're here to see it." Zhao continued as he glanced sideways to his General.

"Be careful what you wish for, Admiral," Iroh did not turn to look at Zhao, but kept watching the waves in front of him, "History is not always kind to its subjects."

Zhao clenched his jaw at this. "I suppose you speak from experience," he replied smoothly, "But rest assured, this will be nothing like your legendary failure of Ba Sing Se."

Elyrie bit her lip harder to repress her irritation. Unbeknowst to her, the soldier behind her did the same thing to hold himself back to send a fireblast at the arrogant Admiral. Iroh on the other hand did not react. "I hope not, for your sake." he simply replied.

"Tell the captains to prepare for first strike," Zhao ordered without turning to the General.

"Admiral," Iroh replied in a serious voice, "as your miliraty consultant, I must advise you plan your attack carefully. The waterbenders draw their power from the Moon, and it is nearly full tonight. This means it will probably be full moon when we reach the North Pole."

"Oh, I'm well aware of the Moon problem." Zhao said as he let his hand go over his sideburn. His eyes looked over the oceans, as if was lost in thoughts.

"If we don't defeat the Water Tribe before the full moon rises, they will be undefeatable." Iroh urged again. But yet again, Zhao did not respond.

After a few seconds, he finally answered "I assure you, I have everything under control."

Elyrie raised her eyebrows at his calm demeanour, as did General Iroh. For him, the attack on the Northern Water Tribe was badly planned from the beginning. If they arrive when the moon is full, no Armada could take the icy fortress.

"I intend to remove the Moon as a factor." Zhao suddenly said with a large grin on his face. He enjoyed the confusion on the face of the older General.

"Remove the Moon? How?" Iroh said, unable to hide the surprise in his voice. Nobody could remove the Moon, that was simply impossible.

Zhao placed his hands on the golden railing, as he remembered his discovery from so many years ago. "Years ago, I stumbled upon a great and powerful secret," he said as he paused for the dramatic effect. Then he turned to the General as he said "The identity of the Moon Spirit's mortal form."

He saw the look of surprise on the old man's face and he grinned. He knew about the respect General Iroh had for the Spirits, so this would come as a surprise.

"I was a young lieutenant serving under General Shu in the Earth Kingdom," Zhao continued his story, "I discovered a hidden library, underground in fact. I tore through scroll after scroll. One of them contained a detailed illustration and the words 'Moon' and 'Ocean'." He saw the parchment clearly in his minds eye. The illustration of the koi fish, who descended upon the mortal world to protect the Water Tribes. Of course, he did not tell General Iroh this. This would be his victory, and his alone. "I knew then that these spirits could be found and killed. And that is was my destiny to do so."

Elyrie's eyes snapped to Zhao. So that's why he wanted to go the North Pole, she thought as she clenched her jaw. She knew he was ambitious, but this was pure madness.

Uncle seemed to think the same thing. "Zhao, the spirits are not to be trifled with!" he said in a warning tone as his kind eyes formed into splits.

"Yes, yes." Zhao said in a tone as if he was speaking to an impatient child, "I know you fear the spirits, Iroh."

Iroh's eyes remained focussed on the Admiral with a weary look.

"I've heard rumours about your journey into the Spirit World, but the Ocean and Moon gave up their immortality to become a part of this word." Zhao continued as his eyes remained fixed on the horizon, "And now they will face the consequences."

As Iroh retreated without saying another word, Elyrie followed silently. As soon as they were out of reach, she softly tugged on his arm. Iroh, who had not heard the girl behind him, turned his head. Surprised, he looked at her with frowned eyebrows. The last days, she had not said a word unless someone specifically asked her something. And even then, she answered with barely a whisper.

"Uncle, what are the consequences of such an action?" Elyrie asked as she placed her small hand on the arm of the older General. Her voice was clear and calm, like the a ticking clock.

Again, Iroh looked up in surprise. This was the first time he had heard her speak in her normal voice since they had set course for the North Pole. He looked at the girl and the dark blue eyes gazed back, serious and sharp. Her shoulders were rolled back and her back was straight, with her chin lifted as she waited for his answer.

"Everything exists together in a delicate balance." Iroh explained as he studied her face. She listened closely, keeping her eyes directed at him. "Everything has its opposite: push and pull, water and fire, moon and ocean." He continued, "If something as vital as the moon would be eliminated, the balance would cease to exist."

Iroh repressed a shudder as he thought of the chaos it would unleash on the world. But he did not say this out loud. "But like I said, the spirits are not to be trifled with" he repeated in a reassuring tone as he patted her hand, "I don't think Zhao would be so foolish to go through with the plan."

Elyrie nodded when Iroh gave her a reassuring look as he patted her hand. She pulled her hand back and smiled, thanking him for his explanation. Then, she excused herself to return to her room. Because, despite what Uncle had said, she was everything but convinced Zhao would abandon his plan.

As soon as Elyrie was out of sight, Iroh turned to the soldier behind him.

"We will be landing soon, do you have a plan?" Iroh asked his nephew.

"I'm working on it, Uncle." Zuko answered as he removed his facial mask. For now, the only plan he could come up with was leaving in a canoe once the ship had reached the North Pole to row to the icy fortress.

Back in her room, Elyrie threw her cloak over her bed as she felt the fear creep up on her. As she let herself fall on the bed, she remembered the look in Uncle's eyes. She had never seen Uncle so distressed. He tried to hide it from her, but she had seen the fear in his eyes. Despite his reassuring words, she felt the cold hands of fear grabbing her heart. Uncle did not know about the months in preparation for this. Or how she had wondered why he had been so determined to attack the Water Tribe in his quest for the Avatar.

Uncle was wise, but he was also kind-hearted with a great respect for the Spirits. Zhao, she knew, was none of this. He was ruthless, ambitious and arrogant. The fact that he even considered such a blasphemous plan, made her even more sure of his determination to succeed.

She clenched her jaw as she cursed his ambition. Glory was not enough, he wanted to be a legend. An infamous legend which will tilt the balance of the world. She turned and turned as Zhao's plan occupied her mind. The man is truly evil, she thought as she finally rolled on her back to stare at the ceiling. She felt the blood rush to her cheeks when she thought about his plans. But also, how he had wronged Jin and Kun to punish her.

She sat up straight and walked to her closet. Opening the closet, she found the small leather purse Jin and she hid in her widest clothing. Opening the purse, her locket and three rings fell in the palm of her hand. One ring was made of white gold and had a sapphire embedded in it. It had been her mothers engagement ring, one her father had made specially for her. The other two rings were the wedding rings of her parents, with their name engraved in them: Thyra and Jian.

She remembered the time she had looked up the definition of her parents names. Jian meant 'man of strength', while Thyra meant 'sacred thunder goddess'. And those names suited them. Her father had been a strong but patient man. Her mother had been a woman who let no one tell her what to do. She smiled at the memories which came flooding back, when they were together as a happy family. Warmth spread through her chest, like she had not known in many months.

As she let her finger caress the simple gold rings, she came to a realization. After the death of her father, she had lived in a fog. Unable to see ahead of her and unable to make concrete plans for the future. And when Zhao proposed, she accepted without a clear view of the future. The past months, all she seemed to be capable of was nodding and smiling.

Elyrie realised that she had been numbed by grief for more than a year. She had not cried, but instead had lost her inner fire. She agreed with the marriage out of obligation, she missed the strength to look further at her possibilities. With her father, she felt safe in their own world. Plans for the future had been far away, unneccesary even. She was sure her father would care for her, no matter what. But then he had died as well, which made her feel completely unable to do anything.

Now she finally realised she had been numbed by the grief of losing everyone she ever cared for. And with the feeling that she had nothing to lose, she had complied to the will of others.

Despite these dark thoughts, a smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. She would still be complying if fate had not brought Zuko and Iroh back into her life. Her small rebellious act of giving him the location of the Avatar had sparked some of her old fire. And she finally had been able to come back to life on the ship, where nothing seemed to be expected of her. She was treated with kindness and was finally able to talk about her parents. They brought me back, she mused as she placed the rings on the chain of her locket.

She looked down at her own engagement ring on her finger. Now she had truly lost everything, but with that nothing left to lose anymore. Without hesitation, she pulled the pompous piece of metal off her ring finger and placed it on the desk. The white gold ring took it's place on her finger as she lovingly let her finger glide over the smooth sapphire.

Then, she cried. The dam was finally broken and she let her tears flow down her face without even bothering to wipe them away. She cried for everything that had happened. For the loss of her mother, her father and finally for Zuko. But at the same time, she felt relieved. The tears were not only tears of sadness, but also of peace. The realisation made that the flames in her heart were ignited after a long slumber and she felt stronger than ever before

She had been so blind for such a long time. Numbed and beaten down by grief, but she had emerged like a phoenix from the ashes. Zhao could not break her, but she was damned if she allowed anyone else to be the victim of his cruel deeds. Remembering the burning village, she came to a conclusion.

First, she would try to set all her wrongs right. Jin was most likely send back to her village, so she would make sure she send her a letter, along with some jewellery as a way to make amends. As for Kun, she needed to find out what had happened to him in order to help him.

She felt a wave of excitement go through her. The energy that came with it, made her heart pound faster. As she opened the red velvet box on her desk, she examined the ruby bracelets and emerald necklaces. Surely, this is enough to feed a family for a couple of months, she mused as she held the stones against the lights. The sun, which came through the windows, made the stones lit up and coloured the walls of the room in a soft green colour.

She smiled as she put two bracelets, a ring and the necklace in the small leather purse. It could not be too heavy, for a hawk needed to carry it all the way over the sea. If needed, she could send more. Then, she picked up a piece of paper and dipped her pen in the ink on her small desk.

Dearest Jin, she began her letter. I am sorry for what happened to you because of me. I know I cannot do anything for you now, but I hope this will give you and your family some means of…

A soft knock startled her and she quickly placed a book over her letter. The figure that entered had kind eyes with small wrinkles around them. "Uncle!" Elyrie said, relieved.

Iroh frowned his eyebrows at the girl. He saw that her cheeks were stained and her eyes red, no doubt from crying. Her scared look at his entrance made him shudder. She must live in a permanent state of fear, he thought sadly.

"I just came to bring you a nice cup of bracing tea" the old man said in a kind voice as he showed her a tray with a pot of tea and some sweet cakes. Elyrie smiled. "Thank you, Uncle." she said as she took the tray from him, "Would you like a cup as well?"

"I wish I could, dear." Iroh answered, "But I need to arrange the landing party for when we reach the North Pole."

"Landing party?" Elyrie repeated with a puzzled look, "Does the Admiral expect the invade the city right away?"

Iroh raised his eyebrows at her efforts to keep the conversation going. Nevertheless, he was pleased to see she seemed to do better. If only I could tell her Zuko is all right, he mused as he watched her place the tray on the small desk, which stood against the wall of the room.

"Not exactly," Iroh answered after a few seconds, "But he wants a ship with fifty man as a division."

"To be send ahead instead of the full Armada at once, no doubt?" Elyrie said while smoothly covering up the sapphire ring she was wearing. Even though she knew Uncle would never betray her, it was better to keep her guard up.

"Exactly." Iroh said with an appreciative nod, "But if you will excuse me, I need to go."

"Of course." Elyrie said as she smiled at the older man. When he left the room, a concrete plan began to take form in her mind. I will no longer be on the wrong side of history, she mentally told herself as she started her preparations.

"I want the first 50 men to prepare for the diversion!" Zhao's voice roared that evening through the intercom system of the ship.

Elyrie waited behind the door as she saw the selected division of men pass. They were preparing for their departure on the smaller ship, which was to be the first to attack the North Pole in the morning.

She scanned the men that walked by, carefully selecting them. The last one was roughly her height.

"I am sorry, but can you help me?" she asked innocently as stepped from behind the door. She blocked his way, so the rest of the men went around the corner of the corridor. When they were out of sight, she smiled sweetly at the confused soldier and extended her hand. In a reflex, the soldier grabbed her hand to help.

What happened next, the soldier didn't remember. Only that he woke up in the dark corridor without his helmet or armour, but with his limbs tied together and a silk scarf pushed in his mouth.

Next up: The Siege of the North! :)

Chapter Text

"Fire!" General Bujing roared as he gave the order to launch the first fireball. The sounds of screeching metal filled the air as the enormous arm swung the flaming rock to the city in the distance.

Her heart pounding, Elyrie stood in the back row of the waiting soldiers. She saw the towers and walls of the Northern Tribe in the distance, surrounded by the large icebergs. Despite the sun, it was so cold that her breath crystallized when she exhaled.

It was freezing on deck, but the entire division needed to be present for the attack. The cold wind cut through the holes of the face masks all soldiers wore. Elyrie mentally thanked the nameless soldier for being much broader than she was, so her thick coat would fit underneath the armour. She had tucked her long hair underneath the helmet as well, both to be warm and so nobody would suspect anything.

Last night, she had noticed that most of the soldiers were young men. Some were even younger than she was. She understood that they were the bait. If the Water Tribe returned the attack, the men on this ship would become war prisoners. Or worse, she thought as she felt a shiver go down her spine.

Every minute, she prayed that her courage would not desert her. She had come so far and there was no time to turn back now.

She winced when she saw the fireball hit the wall of ice. It crashed into the water symbol on the centre of the wall and blew a massive hole into the ice. Even from afar, she saw the smoke from the explosion.

"Another!" the General ordered when the soldiers ignited the second fireball.

Elyrie gritted her teeth while she looked at the General. The leader of this expedition was the viperlike General. The one who had sneered at her, the one who was responsible for Zuko's outburst all those years ago. She learned that his name was Shu, as she heard Zhao say when the smaller ship had departed.

"Fire!" the viperlike General Bujing roared again. The trebuchet fired a second time and Elyrie followed the flaming stone. It looked like a comet that was about to strike the frozen city again. But then, she saw that an invisible force blew the stone out of his course and hit an iceberg instead.

"They prepare to attack!" she heard a soldier yell, "Everyone in position!"

Elyrie focused her eyes on the large figure that was flying through the air in the direction of the ship. It must be Aang! she thought as she tried to make out the shape of the skybison. But in the hurry, she was pushed in line with the other soldiers.

"I'll take it from here, boy!" Aang yelled to Appa as he jumped off the saddle into a free fall. Just above the ship, he opened his glider and soared above it. He noticed the two enormous trebuchet, which were shooting the fireballs into the city. He needed to disarm the weapons first.

As he avoided the fireballs which were hurled in his direction, he landed on the deck. He blasted the first row of soldier away with ease. A soldier whirled around large chains, trying to capture him with it. Aang raised his staff to blast the man away, but he was too slow.

A small soldier aimed a precise attack at the man with the chains, heating up the metal. This led the man to release them in a reflex when his hand couldn't take the heath. Then, the soldier shot a fireblast with such force that he fell over the railing.

'What the..?" Aang murmured as he looked at the soldier. When the soldier blocked another fire attack, he flipped backwards to avoid the second attack. When he did this, the facemask fell down.

"You!" Aang heard the old General roar as the face mask fell. The 'he' was a 'she', as was evident by the full lips and long eyelashes.

The small soldier took the helmet off. Aang saw a waterfall of auburn curls fall down out of the helmet. Then, he recognized her.

"Elyrie!" he exclaimed, but he was interrupted when a large man aimed his war hammers in his direction. Evading the attack, he made his way to the trebuchet to disarm the weapon.

Swinging the helmet away, Elyrie shook out her curls. As she took her stance, she was unable to hide her smirk. This is a match I have been wating for, she grinned as the General prepared to attack her. She quickly evaded his attack and returned the favour.

The General was an experienced firebender, she had to admit it. But he was at a disadvantage. Elyrie was far younger and too fast to be hit, while the Generals older style was more based on anger and brute strength.

And the second disadvantage was the cold weather. Firebenders were at a natural disadvantage in the cold climate. Elyrie compensated for this by using Uncle's fire breathing technique. The General, however, had work with whatever little energy the sun gave him now.

And most of all, she had a reason to fight. Her inner fire was set ablaze by her desire to make this old man pay for the hardships Zuko had endured. Her anger fuelled the fire even more, which made her feel undefeatable.

"The Admiral shall hear about this!" the General yelled at her, "My order will not be disrespected by a mere girl!"

With pointed fingers, she created the firewhips and slammed them in front of his feet.

"And I won't be intimidated by a dishonourable man!" she retorted as he stumbled backwards, brought out of balance by her attack.

She turned around to finish it with a firekick, like Kun had taught her. The General was blasted backwards over the railing and right into the icy waters of the North Pole.

How's that for holding a tongue? She thought with a small smirk.

Distracted, she failed to notice that the man with the war hammers aimed his attack at her. She ducked in a reflex, but was startled when a soldier stepped between them. He caught the chains and swung them over the railing, with its owner flying behind it.

With wide eyes, she stared at the soldier. But when he removed his helmet, she recognized him.

"Kun!" she exclaimed as a wide smile spread across her face. She wrapped her arms around his waist, since he was a lot taller than she was.

The young man was surprised at her fervent reaction and awkwardly patted her on the back.

"You are alright! Oh, I am so happy!" she continued as she let go of him. Kun smiled at her. "I'll explain later." he simply said.

They both turned around to see that Aang was trapped on the last catapult. Before either of them could move, something huge landed on the ship.

The enormous skybison landed on the deck and simply dropped the man who attack Aang into the water. Elyrie gaped at the enormous furry creature, who came to the aid of his friend. Then, she saw that a soldier wanted to blast a fireball at the animal. Elyrie quickly grabbed the arm of the man and spun him around, so he was knocked over.

The furry bison looked at her. Elyrie stared with large eyes at the famous creature and did not dare to move. Then, he nudged her with his enormous head, supposably to say thank you. It was meant to be soft, but it knocked her over nonetheless.

"Oof." she groaned as she fell on the metal deck, but smiled when Kun extended his hand to help her back on her feet. "Aang!" she said happy when the Avatar landed in front of her.

Aang quickly embraced the girl, thankful for her help. "This is Kun." Elyrie said as she motioned toward the young firebender.

He bowed his head in respect at the young airbender. "It is a great honour, Avatar" Kun said in a calm voice. Aang smiled brightly at him and turned back at Elyrie.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, before they felt the ship rumble. Elyrie looked over the railing and saw at least twenty waterbenders freezing the water around the ship.

"Aang, the Water Tribe is in danger! Zhao is planning something horrible!" Elyrie cried out as she saw all the waterbenders, remembering why she had come here in the first place.

"Worse than this?" Aang answered with a frown. What could be possible worse than an entire Armada?

"Far worse." Elyrie said with wide eyes and a slight tremble in her voice, "Please, I need to warn them."

"I understand." Aang said as he turned back to Appa. Appa seemed to like her and he trusted her. He had to hear what she had to say.

"Listen everyone!" Aang yelled to the waterbenders that entered the ship, "This girl needs to be brought to the Chief!"

"But she is-," a waterbender began as he pointed at Elyrie's Fire Nation armour.

"Yes, I know what she is!" Aang interrupted impatiently, "But she has valuable information."

"Can Kun come as well? He helped me." she pleaded. Aang nodded and gave the orders to the waterbenders before he flew off to the second ship.

The waterbenders, all men she noticed, looked at her and Kun with caution.

"If you feel safer, you may handcuff me." Elyrie said as she extended her wrists to the nearest waterbender. The man blinked his eyes at her, unsure of what to do. Her blue eyes focused on his. Her openness was disarming and the man grinned.

"I don't think that would be necessary." He said as he motioned for her to enter the canoe. Kun followed closely. She smiled inwardly. Still my loyal guard, she thought as she gave him a warm smile.

He helped her in the canoe and when they were both seated, the canoe started to move. Intrigued, Elyrie watched as the two waterbenders started to move in unison, bending the boat forward with an impressive speed.

She shivered, suddenly aware of the fact she was in the middle of the icy northern sea. Underneath the armour, which she was still wearing, Elyrie had put on her warmest cloak. It was made of red velvety material and trimmed with white fur. Hopefully, it would be enough to keep her warm for the time being.

Kun, who had remained silent next to her, turned his head. "Are you cold, Miss?" he asked politely. "I think we can leave the 'miss' now." Elyrie said with a smile, "But I am fine, thank you."

"I am glad." Kun answered and returned his gaze to the approaching North Pole. Elyrie remained silent for a moment, but she was unable to temper her curiosity, "What happened to you after the attack on the village?"

Kun told about how he was kept below deck and used as part of the decoy as a punishment. He told her his story in a few words, like she was used to.

"But I am glad to see you are in good health." he answered, just in time halting himself when he wanted to call her 'Miss' again. He had heard the rumours about Zhao's abuse and her stay in the cells after they were separated.

Elyrie smiled as she looked at her sapphire ring, which had taken the place of the horrendous engagement ring Zhao had given her. "I feel wonderful." she said as she placed her hands over his.

After they arrived in the Royal Palace, Kun was requested to help with a secret mission to infiltrate the Navy. His knowledge was valuable to the warriors and he was more than willing to fight against Zhao at this point. Elyrie was instead escorted her to the private chambers of the Royal Chief.

As she walked through the Palace, she was amazed by the grandeur of the Northern Tribe. In her Fire Nation lessons, they described this place as primitive or backwards. But the city was beautiful, loaded with streams, waterfalls and fountains. Everything was made of ice, in a elegant and firm manner. She had gaped at everything as they passed through the canals on their way to the Royal Palace.

When she entered the room, she saw six people sitting cross-legged on blankets made of white fur. She recognized Aang, sitting on the far left, next to a young woman who was around her own age. She was beautiful with hair as white as the snow that covered the North Pole and clear blue eyes, like the icy ocean.

In the middle sat a man, whom she presumed to be the Chief. He nodded at her, not unfriendly but cautious. Next to him sat a younger man, presumably his brother due to the resemblance. At last, an older man sat at the far right. The man was around seventy years old, but looked surprisingly agile for his age.

She approached them slowly with her head down as sign of respect. When she took off her hood, she saw them all looking at her with curiosity.

"Chief Arnook, this is Elyrie." Aang said. Elyrie gave a small nod as she bowed before the Chief.

"Welcome," Chief Arnook said as he rose from his seat to welcome her, "I am Chief Arnook." He spook in the Common Tongue, so they could understand each other.

"Thank you," Elyrie answered in her musical voice, "I am very grateful that you are willing to receive me."

Chief Arnook looked at the young woman before him. She had something vaguely familiar. He studied her face, which looked even paler in the blue light which lit up the room. She had fine features, with delicate cheekbones, a small nose and full lips. In the azure light, her eyes almost seemed the same blue as the Water Tribe citizens possessed. If this girl was Fire Nation, she certainly did not look like it.

"You have already met the Avatar," he continued, but he introduced the other attendees to her, "My daughter, Princess Yue."

Elyrie bowed again to the white-haired woman, who look at her with friendly blue eyes.

"My brother, Panuk." the Chief continued as he motioned to the younger man sitting next to him, "And Master Pakku." The older man did not gave her a nod, but kept looking stoically at her.

"Please, Elyrie," the Chief said as he motioned for her to sit down, "tell us why you have come here." His sources told him that she was the fiancée of Admiral Zhao, who was leading the attack on the Northern Water Tribe. So why the girl was here, was a mystery to him.

"I have come here to warn you, sir," The girl said in a polite tone.

"About what, if I may ask?" he replied as he frowned his eyebrows. "According to my sources, you are about the be married to the admiral of the navy." he added as he saw the stone in her ring reflect the light.

"I think I burned that bridge after coming here." Elyrie answered in a firm tone, "But I have come because I need to inform you of the graveness of his intentions."

"You are very brave then." the younger man - Panuk she remembered - said as he looked at the girl.

"Or very stupid." the older man said under his breath in the Water Tribe Tongue. Elyrie looked at him and saw that he looked at her with a look of condescension. But that wasn't what had shocked her. It was the fact that she had understood what he had said. Don't be silly, she reprimanded herself, you just heard something and you thought you understood it. Why on earth would you be able to understand the Water Tribe Language?

"Master Pakku." Panuk said in a reprimanding tone. The girl couldn't have possibly understood what he had said, but it was unnecessary to offend her. Panuk tapped his chin as he studied the girl again, unable to shake the feeling that he had seen her before. Why does she look so familiar? he thought as he searched his brain of possibilities where they could have met.

"Worse than an attack on our culture?" Arnook asked with raised eyebrows.

Elyrie straightened her back as she turned back to the Chief, who listened carefully. In a clear voice, she continued: "Zhao plans to remove the Moon as a factor in this battle, since he knows the Water Tribe draws its power from it. I don't know how he will do this, but he spoke of the mortal forms of the Moon and Ocean Spirits. According to his sources, they reside here at the Northern Water Tribe." Her words did not miss their intended effect when she saw all eyes widen in shock.

"That is impossible." the Chief mumbled as he let her words sink in.

"I assure you, sir, that it is not" Elyrie answered, "I heard him say that he had stumbled upon this ancient secret "

"We know that there were rumours, but we don't even know what forms the Moon and Ocean Spirit took when they descended to our world." The Chief said as he looked at Master Pakku.

"Can we trust this girl?" the older man said, switching to the Water Tribe language again, "What if she is here as a decoy?"

As Master Pakku switched languages, Elyrie felt a shock go throughout her entire body. This time there was not doubt about it: she knew this language, the Water Tribe language. It had been at least ten years since she last heard it, but it was unmistakable. It was the language her Mother had spoken to her throughout her entire childhood.

Inhaling deeply, she calmed her racing heart. "You don't have to trust me, sir." Elyrie smoothly replied in the Water Tribe language as well, "I just ask you to believe me."

The men turned their heads in shock when she replied without hesitation.

"Sir, I have absolutely nothing to gain by coming here on my own." Elyrie said, effortlessly speaking the language of her childhood, "I urge you to believe me, for your culture, your city and your lives depend on it."

After she had spoken, she bit her lip and remained quiet. She felt her heart pounding as she turned to look at Aang with a pleading look. They had to believe her, so they could take measures to protect themselves.

Aang nodded to her with a reassuring look in his grey eyes. He trusted her and he knew she spoke the truth. He had not forgotten how selflessly she had helped him in the Stronghold. He smiled inwardly when he thought of Appa, who had lovingly nudged the girl. Even if he had his reservations about her, they disappeared when his loyal bison gave her his approval.

The silence had lasted a while now, he noticed. Master Pakku found himself at a loss for words when she had replied fluently to his suspicious comment. The Chief was amazed as well, especially because she spoke almost without an accent. He realised she could not have learned this from books, she must have had a teacher. A native from the Northern Water Tribe, he mused when he stroked his chin. The girl looked so familiar, but he couldn't place her. Why did she look so familiar?

"You speak our language?" the Chief finally said as he looked at the young woman with renewed interest.

Elyrie nodded. "My mother spoke it to me."

"Where was your mother from?" the Chief asked, trying to connect the dots. He had a gut feeling, but he needed to be sure.

"The Fire Nation colonies, but she always insisted on me learning as much languages as I possibly could." Elyrie answered proudly.

Then, Panuk's eyes widened in surprise when he looked her in the eyes.

"Thyra!" he exclaimed.

Elyrie looked at the man, confused at his reaction. "No sir, my name is Elyrie." she said apprehensively. "But if I may, how do you know my mothers name?"

Panuk did not speak, but exchanged looks with his older brother. Uneasy, Elyrie looked at the Chief for help. He did nothing except stare at her.

Then, the Chief rose from his seat and approached her. She rose as well, following the proper etiquette. When he stood in front of her, his eyes searched her face. She was shorter than he was, yet seemed to be completely taken with her. Elyrie looked at him with a confused look. What was happening here?

"You look so much like her." the man finally spoke, his voice trembling.

Elyrie understood that the man had known her mother, but it was still a mystery why he was so emotional. "How did you know my mother?" Elyrie asked again.

The Chief let out a shaky breath. "She was our sister. She was born here, at the Northern Water Tribe."

That was something she had not foreseen. Of all the possible ways they could have known her mother, this wasn't one of them. Not even one she had considered. Mama was from the Water Tribe? How? Why? But the Fire Nation.. My father..?

Her hands started to shake as she mumbled "A-are you sure?"

"Positive," the Chief said while examining her face. Her pale skin and reddish brown curls were a stark contrast with the chocolate waves and caramel-coloured skin his sister was known for. But despite her colouring, he now realized she looked exactly like his younger sister. The same heart-shaped face, the same small nose and full lips. Even her hands were the same: small and delicate, but with long fingers.

"Why? How? What happened?" Elyrie asked all at once after she had found her voice again.

"She was to be married to a young man from this Tribe, yet she resisted. She wanted to be married for love, not out of duty." Panuk said. He had approached her as well and looked at the young woman, "She always had a will of iron."

Elyrie's cheeks heated up at the attention. "So she left?" she asked while looking at the two men. My family? she thought pensively. This could not be happening, but at the same time could it not be a coincidence.

"Yes," the younger man answered, "But she kept contact by sending letters, sporadically. It was enough for us to know she was safe and happy."

"She never told me." Elyrie mumbled as the memories resurfaced, "All I knew was that she told me she was from the colonies, to explain her dark skin and blue eyes. She met my father there." As she started to twist her little finger, she searched her memories for clues, "He must have known about her heritage, but kept it from others. Even from me."

She needed to be a hundred precent sure, so she took the golden necklace and placed it in the palm of her hand. With trembling fingers did she open the locket and showed the picture to the two men.

"Is this your sister?" she asked in a small voice. The Chief looked at the picture and she saw tears welling up in his eyes. "Yes, that is our darling Thyra." he said in a stifled tone.

"Are you a waterbender?" the white-haired princess asked with a small smile. She had observed the conversation with amazement and could no longer contain her curiosity.

"No, Your Highness. I am a firebender." Elyrie said proudly. To strengthen her words, she lit up a small flame in the palm of her hand. The princess stared in awe, while her father looked uncomfortable at her. "I think my parents were relieved I did not inherent my mother's genes on that part, since it would have been harder to hide that. "

"Thyra was not a bender, but she often watched us practice" Panuk said. Elyrie remembered the moves her mother had taught her. Now she knew why they differed so much from the basic firebending forms: they were waterbending techniques.

"Did you not suspect anything?" Panuk asked as he took the locket from his older brother.

"No sir," Elyrie said as she frowned, "But it does explain a lot things now I think of it."

Her memories brought her back to everything her mother had taught her. And only now did she realise how it differed from the way other Fire Nation children were raised. She felt tears welling up.

It was Master Pakku who ended the moment. He coughed to gain the attention of the Chief, his brother and Elyrie. "I hate to interrupt this beautiful reunion, but what are we going to do about the attack?"

"I know the importance of balance, even more now I know I am connected to it as well." Elyrie pleaded as she felt her fear resurface, "I could not let Zhao allow this treacherous plan to continue. Please, you have to believe me!"

Arnook looked at her and finally smiled. "We believe you."

Barely a kilometre away, a young man was preparing an escape plan as well. The kayak, which was made of the lightest material, was hanging in front of him above the water. The man was dressed in grey, fur lined clothing to keep him warm from the freezing temperatures.

"If you are fishing for an octopus, my nephew," he heard a voice behind him say, "You need a tightly woven net or he will squeeze through the tiniest hole and escape."

Without turning around, Zuko sighed. "I don't need your wisdom right now, Uncle." he said tersely. His nerves were already getting the better of him, because his plan was fairly desperate.

"I'm sorry" Iroh said as he watched his nephew fumble with the ropes, "I just nag you, because, well-"

Zuko heard the voice of his Uncle breaking slightly. He felt his chest constrict.

"Ever since I lost my son,-" his Uncle continued, holding back the tears which constricted his throat.

"Uncle," Zuko said softly, "You don't have to say it."

"… I think of you as my own."

Zuko turned around to look at his Uncle with a soft expression on his face. He felt the warmth spread through his body at the words of his Uncle, but he quickly shook off his feelings.

"I know, Uncle. We'll meet again." he said as he bowed for his Uncle, but Iroh wrapped his arms around him. Zuko answered the hug briefly, before he turned away and got on the boat. "After I have the Avatar."

"Remember your breath of fire! It could save your life out there." Iroh said as he saw Zuko lower his boat in the icy waters.

"I will." Zuko answered.

"And put your hood up! Keep your ears warm!" Iroh added.

"I'll be fine!" Zuko answered again, slightly annoyed.

Despite everything, Iroh smiled at his tone. He sounded like an impatient child, too stubborn to listen. What he still is, actually, Iroh thought. He watched as his nephew peddle away until he disappeared behind the icecaps. I have two stubborn children to worry about now, he said to himself when Zuko had vanished. Because what he failed to tell Zuko, was that no one had seen Elyrie for over a day.

He prayed everything would turn out all right in the end.

Elyrie was glad - not for the first time in her life - that she had an adaptable and flexible nature. Because what had happened to her in less than a day, was more than anyone could possible start to comprehend. That same day, the entire Royal Family was gathered to be introduced to their newest member. Her grandmother, an lively woman of seventy years, had wept when she saw her granddaughter. The entire time, she had hold onto Elyrie's hand to make sure she was really there. She also met her baby cousin, the son of Panuk, who had happily lifted his little fists when she held him. Despite the unfortunate timing, it had been a joyous occasion.

Princess Yue was eager to get to know her long lost cousin better. When twilight approached, the attacks on the city ceased and were they free to explore the city. With their arms locked, the two women walked the streets of the icy North Pole. She told Eyrie all about their culture and how the city came to be. Elyrie was eager to hear about a culture, which was part of her now as well. In return, she told Yue all about her life in the Fire Nation. The princess had led a sheltered life and was glad for a cousin her own age at last.

Aang had introduced Elyrie to Katara and Sokka as well. They were the Water Tribe siblings Elyrie had seen in the Temple, months ago. Katara was cautious, but trusted Aang's instinct and made Elyrie feel welcome. Sokka was more hesitant, but he was civil to her. It was more than she could have hoped for.

When the night had fallen, Yue took her to the balcony of the palace along with Katara and Aang for the most beautiful view. The night sky was a dark blue colour with a million lights in it. The moon bathed everything in a mysterious blue light.

Elyrie inhaled deeply. Despite the unexpected revelations, they still had a problem. They had no idea how to stop Zhao's plan. The Chief had ordered an emergency meeting to gather information about the Moon and Ocean Spirits, but no one seemed to know more about it. The force of the Armada made everyone worried, but the most looming threat was Zhao's plan. For centuries, nobody knew that there were physical forms of the Moon and Ocean Spirit.

"The legends say the Moon was the first waterbender," Yue said to Elyrie, bringing her out of her thoughts, "Our ancestors saw how it pushed and pulled the tides and learned how to do it themselves."

"I've always noticed my waterbending is stronger at night." Katara said while gazing at the full moon in the sky.

"You are a waterbender?" Elyrie asked curiously. Katara nodded to her before she added "I am still training, but I have gotten much better at it."

"Interesting," Elyrie said while twirling a curl around her finger, "My bending is stronger during the day because firebenders draw their energy from the sun." Then, she chuckled and said "But it does explain why I'm not a morning person; that must be the Water Tribe gene."

The three girls chuckled, but Aang remained quiet. He seemed to be lost in his own thoughts. Like Sokka, he had grown increasingly anxious as the night passed. Sokka had stayed behind to search in the library for information on the Fire Nation, but as far as anyone knew there was no additional information to be found.

"You could be right about that," Yue said to Elyrie, "Our strength comes from the Spirit of the Moon, our life comes from the Spirit of the Ocean. They work together to keep the balance."

"The spirits!" Aang suddenly exclaimed as he lifted his head, "Maybe I can find them and get their help!"

"How can you do that?" Yue asked with a puzzled look. Elyrie turned around as well to look at the young Avatar, whose face had lit up.

"The Avatar is the bridge between our world and the Spirit World," Katara explained, "Aang can talk to them."

"Maybe they'll give you the wisdom to win this battle!" Yue said with hope in her eyes.

"Or maybe they'll unleash a crazy amazing spirit attack on the Fire Nation!" Aang exclaimed as he waved his arms in his excitement.

There fell an uncomfortable silence. Elyrie blinked her eyes at him, while Yue and Katara gave him odd looks.

"Or wisdom," Aang said as he straghtend up, "That's good, too."

"The only problem is," Katara said pensively, "Last time you got to the Spirit World by accident. How are you going to get there this time?"

"I have an idea!" Yue suddenly said as she motioned for Aang to follow her, "Follow me!"

Then, Yue turned to Elyrie with a small frown. Not everyone was allowed into the Spirit Oasis, so she was unsure whether Elyrie could accompany them.

Elyrie saw her hesitation and shook her head with a smile. "Don't worry," she said in a calm voice, "I understand that is a private thing. Good luck!"

Then, she walked back inside the Palace. She would be unable to sleep anyway, so she decided to join Sokka in the library.

She found him bent over maps of the Earth Kingdom. He was sitting near the fire, with maps and books scattered all over the table. A steaming pot of tea was standing amidst the chaos.

"The back-up forces are here." Elyrie said as she pointed over his shoulder to the Pohuai Stronghold. She recognized the part of the Earth Kingdom where she had spent months inside the walls of the fortress.

Sokka was startled. He had not hear her come in.

"I did not mean to startle you." she said as she took a step back.

"You did not!" the warrior answered, almost indignantly. Elyrie repressed a smile at his tone. "May I?" she asked as she pointed to the pot of tea. He nodded and she poured two cups of tea, for herself and him.

"Have you found anything useful?" she asked as she sat down in the large chair next to him and picked up a book on Water Tribe history from the table.

"I haven't." he said as he slumped his shoulders. When he placed his fingers around the cup she had offered to him, he let the warmth spread through his body. Sipping his tea, he studied the girl as she opened the book and let her fingers glide over the pages.

He was still apprehensive about her presence here. She had been proven to be a valuable asset and willingly shared the information. But still, she was Fire Nation. He sighed as he rubbed his neck. He had learned his entire life that people from the Fire Nation are fundamentally evil. They took his mother, they were the reason he had not seen his father for many years. Zuko and Zhao had tried to capture them multiple times in less than three months.

Elyrie turned a page, oblivious to his conflicting thoughts. Her eyes flew over the pages which described the build and history of the Northern Tribe.

They sat in silence for quite some time.

"Do you hate the Fire Nation?" Sokka suddenly blurted out. Elyrie looked up with frowned eyebrows. "I am sorry?" she asked as she placed the book in her lap.

"Do you hate the Fire Nation? Is that why you decided to help us?" He asked as he straightened his back and let his hand go over his ponytail.

Elyrie sighed and closed her book. "No, I don't hate the Fire Nation." she answered as she twisted the sapphire ring around her finger.

"But you know Zhao, you saw the Armada." Sokka retorted, still trying to figure out her loyalties, "You choose willingly to abandon them."

"I did." She answered, choosing her words carefully, "I hate the war and I hate Zhao. He is a vile man and the war brings only misery to the world."

"But," she continued after Sokka opened his mouth again, "I do love my country. You have to understand that we learn from a young age that the war is not meant to bring destruction to the world. We are taught that the war is a way of sharing our greatness with the world."

She saw the surprise in Sokka's eyes, but he listened attentively. "The Fire Nation is a beautiful country, with a rich culture. It is filled with generous people who love their country so much they are willing to help expand its greatness so others can profit from it as well." She continued, "They are loyal people, but often misinformed about the ways of the war."

"So they believe that the Fire Nation is actually helping others?" Sokka asked with his eyebrows raised.

"They do," Elyrie nodded, "We have no war on our grounds, so we have to rely on the information that the Royal Palace is giving us." She felt a sting in her heart as she thought of the Royal Family. Zuko, she mused as she turned her ring around her finger.

"But why don't you believe this?" Sokka asked as he put his maps away.

"I was educated by my father, and he taught me the importance of balance and that there are meant to be four separate nations, like the elements." Elyrie said as she placed her book on the table as well, "Now that I think of it, it must be because my mother was from the Water Tribe."

"This gave me an advantage, but when I was engaged to Zhao," she continued as she shuddered, "I saw what war truly does to people. The innocent are the victims and that is why I refused to cooperate any longer." In her mind's eye, she saw the burning village and she heard the screaming citizens.

Elyrie sighed and looked out of the window, where she saw the first rays of sunshine reflecting on the ice. She felt the warmth spread through her body, her natural reaction to the source of firebending. "But I know that the world is not divided into Fire Nation and good people, it does not work like that. You have good people in every nation."

Sokka nodded slowly as he let her words sink in. He had never thought of it like this, but he thought of Jet and how he was willing to drown the innocent in his blind rage. He was from the Earth Kingdom, but he was a bad person. She could be right, he mused as he stroked his chin.

"Sokka! Help!" they heard a feminine voice yell. Elyrie and Sokka looked up in alarm.

Princess Yue appeared, her cheeks flushed and panting from the running. Sokka immediately stood up and walked over to her, guiding her to a nearby chair.

"Yue, what happened?" he asked as he studied her face and tried to calm her.

She seemed too out of breath to speak, so Elyrie quicky started to pour tea from the tray that was standing on the table. A bracing cup of tea always helps, she thought as she remembered Uncle's words.

"Katara was attacked by a firebender with a scar!" Yue cried, "He wants to capture-,"

The sounds of shattering ceramic stopped her in the middle of the sentence. Startled, Sokka and Yue turned to Elyrie. She had knocked over the tray and the teapot on the polarbear dog rug. The tea soaked the white fur, but she did not seem to notice.

Her blue eyes were impossibly large and her lower lip slightly trembled. "Scar? A scar across his left eye?" Elyrie stammered as she tried to connect the dots. It cannot be possible. She felt the colour draining from her face.

"Yes! A firebender, Katara seemed to know him." Yue said again.

Elyrie searched support against the massive bookcase. Her pounding heart actually hurt, that is how wildly it slammed against her ribs.

'You know Zuko?" Sokka asked with wide eyes. Elyrie looked up and nodded, her throat still constricted.

"Elyrie, are you alright?" Yue asked as she saw her cousin lower herself on her knees. All the colour had drained from her face and her hands were shaking.

"I thought he was d-d-de-," she stammered again as she failed to form the last word.

She refused to believe it. This could not be possible. He could not be alive. Uncle had told her himself. Why would he lie? Her mind raced, jumping from one conclusion to another.

"Elyrie?" Sokka said as he extended his hand to her to help her back on her feet, "We need to go to the Spirit Oasis."

She took his hand and exhaled. She had not realised she had been holding her breath. What is one more surprise today? She thought dryly as she followed the pair.

"I can't believe that I lost him." Katara sat down on her knees in the grass, her arms wrapped around herself. Her eyes were filled with tears.

Elyrie was torn between happiness about the news that Zuko apparently had survived the attack and was here on the North Pole. On the other hand, she was incredibly sad that he kidnapped Aang and took him. She felt the sting of guilt as she remembered she had once helped him trying to capture Aang.

She shook off the feeling, knowing it would not help her now. She looked around and studied the Oasis. She felt the warmth of the spiritual energy through her thick layers of fur. The waterfall softly clattered behind them as Elyrie knelt down in the grass next to Katara. Placing her hand on her shoulders, she tried to reassure her.

"You did everything you could," Elyrie said softly, "And now we have to do everything to get him back." As she rubbed Katara's shoulders in a soothing way, she watched the two koi fish in the pond before her. They were swimming in a circular pattern, the white and black colours of their scales contrasting.

"Zuko can't have gotten far. We'll find him," Sokka said in a firm tone, "Aang's gonna be fine."

"Is the small door the only way out of here?" Elyrie asked as she watched the massive walls of ice that surrounded the Oasis. They were at least 30 feet high, she estimated.

"Yes." Yue answered and she looked back at the sobbing Katara, kneeling next to her as well.

"What is up there?" Elyrie asked while pointing upwards, as her eyes following a narrow path leading up the sides of the iceberg. The sky looked grey, which probably meant it was snowing at the top.

"The heart of the North Pole, but it is freezing cold and dangerous due to the instable ice and snow." Yue answered as she followed her gaze.

Elyrie looked back at Katara and Sokka, the look in her eyes unmistakable.

"He wouldn't..?" Katara asked hesitantly as she looked at the snowstorm.

Elyrie sighed as her eyes went back at the top of the iceberg.

"Yes, he would."

Dun, dun, dun!

I have been working on this chapter for a long time, because I wanted to do the thrill of the episode justice! Fitting in Elyrie was a bit of a challenge, but I hope you like this chapter!

The second part will follow soon :)

Chapter Text

Zuko felt the heat of his breath against the fabric he had placed over his face to shield himself from the cold wind. The blizzard was raging across the snow-covered landscape, which made the temperature drop even lower than it already was. His legs felt heavy and his muscles started to ache when he plodded through the thick layer of fresh snow. The Avatar, who he had slung across his back, was silent and he only occasionally felt his breath against his ear.

It had been an enormous advantage that the Avatar seemed to be in trance. It made it far easier for him to capture the boy. Of course, the Water Tribe girl had tried to stop him and proved to be quite the adversary. She had learned a few new tricks, now that she had found a master. He had to admit that he was impressed with how much she had advanced in such a short period.

Luckily, he managed to gain the upper hand when the sun rose at last. Her power comes from the moon, mine comes from the sun, he thought when he saw the sky darken again. The night would soon fall in again. During the winter, days on the North Pole tend to be shorter than average. With less than a few hours of sunlight, he needed to make a quick escape.

He knew he could not just walk out of the Oasis with the unconscious Avatar on his back. That would have been too obvious. Neither could he drag the boy back under the ice, the way he had come in. He knew he had not enough breath. And if the boy drowned, his whole quest would have been in vain. So he saw no other option than to climb out of the Oasis and make his way back over the frozen wasteland of the North Pole.

The snow blinded him and he felt his limbs growing heavier by the minute. The firebreathing technique of his Uncle helped a little, but it drained much of his energy. More than he had, in fact. Pure on his will, he managed to get through the snowstorm. He needed to reach the shore, where he could leave the North Pole with the Avatar. But he had no idea how to get there from here. All he had to do, was go forward. A plan would come eventually, now that he had the Avatar.

As he tramped on through the snow, a loud cracking noise drew his attention. Zuko's eyes widened when he saw the ice starting to crack under his feet. He did not dare to move. Then, the ground started to cave in around him.

Zuko reacted on instinct and started to run away from the cracking noise. With one arm holding onto the Avatar, he ran as fast as he could. The cracking sounds of ice were now everywhere and his footsteps left marks in the thin ice. Breathing heavy, he managed to keep ahead of the yawning hole that he caused.

But the ground in front of him started caving in as well. In his hurry, he tripped and lost his balance. In a reflex, he threw the Avatar over his back when he fell on the hard ground. Landing face down, he braced himself when a loud crash surrounded him.

He waited for the fall, but nothing happened. Still panting, he pushed himself back up. Frantically, he looked around for the Avatar. Then, he saw a small orange-yellow figure lying a few feet away from him. He was still in trance with his tattoo aglow.

Zuko felt the firm softness of snow under his palms and let out a sigh of relief. At least they were safe. When he pushed himself up on his elbows, he saw that the ice had fallen down and created a canyon. As he regained his breath, his eye fell on a small pile of snow. He tried to focus and saw that it was not a pile of snow: it was a rock ledge overhanging a small cave.

"Shelter." he murmured relieved when he stood up. Grabbing the boy by his collar, he dragged him inside the sheltered spot.

As soon as he stepped inside, he felt his inner fire regaining the upper hand. Out of the icy wind, the temperature was considerably less cold. He walked to the back of the cave and dumped the unconscious body of the Avatar on the ground. With ropes he brought along, he started to tie his hands behind his back.

"Can't risk losing you in a blizzard." Zuko muttered. When he was finished, he sat down exhausted against the cold stones of the cave. Blowing fire into his hands, he tried to keep himself warm.

"I finally have you," he said, looking over at the Avatar, "But I can't get you home because of this blizzard."

He stood back up and walked over to the entrance of the cave, looking out of the falling snow.

"There's always something." Zuko spat. Not for the first time, he cursed his continuous stroke of bad luck. For some reason, it made him irrationally angry with the Avatar. Everything seemed to come easy to this boy: he had friends, he had help and he was a master bender. He had everything Zuko wanted.

"Not that you would understand," he said to the unconscious boy, "You're like my sister: everything always came easy to her."

His sister. Princess Azula of the Fire Nation. A firebending prodigy, a master strategist and a perfect princess.

"She's a firebending prodigy and everyone adores her."

"During training today, Master Kunyo said I was holding my arms too far apart for one of my forms." the eight year old Azula said while motioning her arms to show it to her father, "I told him that's how you het the biggest fire blast!" Her large eyes looked at her father, who smiled fondly at his young daughter. She sat on his left side while they were eating dinner.

"He didn't care," she continued, "He wanted me to do the form the way he does it. The dumb way." Azula let out a small chuckle. "So when he had his back turned, I set his pant's on fire." she ended with a smug smile.

"Hm," The Fire Lord said pensively as he stroked his beard, "Your teacher sounds like a fool. I'll have him sent to the colonies." Ozai looked at his youngest child, who's smiled back at him in pure delight. "Serves him right!" she exclaimed happily, "What a dummy!"

"He's not a dummy!" Zuko exclaimed, looking over at his sister, "He just thinks that proper firebending has to start-,"

"Zuko!" his fathers voice roared while he slammed his fist on the table. The plates started to jingle due to the vibrations. "How dare you lecture your sister on firebending?!" The soft voice he had used to speak to his daughter had disappeared. Instead, his voice sounded like a raging blast of fire, aimed at Zuko himself. Zuko felt his throat constrict at the sight of his father's rage.

"Despite being a year younger, how many more forms has she mastered than you?" Ozai asked in a cold tone while looking at his nine-year old son.

"Fourteen." Zuko answered in a small voice with his eyes fixed on his plate. He did not dare to look at his father.

"When you were born, we weren't sure if you were a bender at all." His father continued in a cruel tone, "You didn't have that spark in your eyes."

His yellow eyes narrowed when he felt the shame rise again. The thought that he should have a non-bender as a son was unbearable. "I planned to cast you from the palace. How embarrassing for a Prince of the Fire Nation to have a non-bender as his firstborn!"

He looked at his wife, whose eyes were large with indignation. Her beautiful features were twisted in anger but before she could say anything, he continued: "Lucky for you, your mother and the Fire Sages pleaded with me to give you a chance." Zuko felt all the colour drain from his face as his father's words kept hitting him, as if they were physical punches. "Azula on the other hand never needed that kind of luck. She was born lucky, you were lucky to be born."

"Ozai!" Ursa exclaimed as she slammed her small hands on the table and rose from her seat, "What a terrible thing to say." Zuko didn't say anything. He only tried to hold back his tears.

"My father says she was born lucky. He says I was lucky to be born." Zuko said in a dejected voice when he remembered his fathers words from all those years ago. The years had done nothing to lessen the pain.

"I don't need luck though, I don't want it." he said to himself. It was a sentence he had repeated over and over again to comfort himself over the years. "I've always had to struggle and fight and that's made me strong. It's made me who I am."

But who was he really? He thought about it when he looked away from the snowstorm outside of the cave. He truly had no idea who he was. He only knew that he wanted to show his father that he was not worthless, that he had worked hard to become worthy to him. He wanted to sit at his father's side, like a true Crown Prince of the Fire Nation should do. He wanted what he had lost; he wanted his father's love.

He sat down with a sigh against the wall and looked at the blizzard raging outside.

"Guess we'll be here awhile."

"Don't worry!" Yue said as she put her hand reassuringly on Katara's arm, "Prince Zuko can't be getting too far in this weather."

"I'm not worried they'll get away in the blizzard," Katara answered cheerlessly, "I'm worried that they won't." Her blue eyes were still rimmed with tears, but Elyrie couldn't see if it was out of worry for her friend or because of the icy wind.

Sitting on top of Appa, Aang's flying bison, Elyrie held on to the side of saddle until her knuckles turned white. She had never travelled in this manner and it was both exhilarating and terrifying at the same time. Any other day, she would have been thrilled with this experience. But now, her sapphire eyes searched the frozen grounds for any sign of Zuko and Aang. She mentally thanked Uncle for his firebreathing lessons, but even now she felt the tops of her fingers grow colder by the minute.

Katara had worded her thoughts perfectly, as she felt her worry grew and grew when she saw how the storm pulled at her coat and hair.

"They're not gonna die in this blizzard," Sokka said with his hands on the reins, steering Appa through the snowstorm. His voice was determined "If we know anything, it's that Zuko never gives up. They'll survive and we'll find them!"

At least he got that right, Elyrie mused as she let go of the saddle and rubbed her hands together, breathing a small flame between them.

Sokka's voice had an annoyed undertone, which made Elyrie wonder how often Zuko had crossed them. Sokka's comment and Katara's determination made her think that they had met Zuko on far more occasions than she realised. He probably hunted them down, all the way from Kyoshi Island.

And I helped, she shuddered again as she looked at the Water Tribe siblings. They had been so kind to her and she felt so guilty. But, she reminded herself, I am trying to turn things around. It was a small step, but a step in the right direction nonetheless.

Yue saw the sadness in the sapphire eyes of her cousin, as she continued to rub her hands together.

"Elyrie, what is wrong?" she asked in her beautiful voice.

"I am so worried about them." Elyrie answered in a small voice. She inhaled deeply and let her innerfire warm her from the inside. As she did this, small sparks escaped her red lips.

"You knew Prince Zuko, didn't you?" Yue asked, as she remembered the fervent reaction of her cousin when she heard he had attacked Katara and Aang.

"Yes," Elyrie nodded softly, "We grew up together." Katara and Yue looked over her in surprise.

"I just started to like you!" cried Sokka from the front, "And now you say you were friends with that angry jerk with a ponytail?"

"Sokka!" his sister said in a reprimanding tone when she saw the eyes of the auburn-haired girl.

Elyrie did not respond, but she thought about everything that had happened to Zuko. The loss of his mother, the bullying from his sister, the banishment by his father. The true reason why he needed to capture Aang. How could she possibly begin to explain this to people who never saw anything other than a vengeful Fire Nation Prince? And even more important, she knew Zuko did not like to talk about what happened to him. That had become painfully clear in the conversations she had with him.

"It's complicated." was all she managed to say. She sighed at the cliché answer, but there was simply no other way to summarize the whole situation.

"I'm sure it is." Sokka mumbled as he turned around to steer Appa further into the frozen tundra. At least it had stopped snowing, which made it easier to see.

Elyrie's eyes fixed on the horizon, where she saw the darkness descending over the North Pole. The vague outline of the Moon became visible at the dark sky. They had been searching for hours and now the night was setting in.

"Look!" Katara suddenly cried out, startling Elyrie. She pointed at an ball of blue light arcing over the frozen landscape. It looked like a blue comet that was flying over them. "That's gotta be Aang!"

Sokka immediately flipped Appa's reins to follow the spirit comet.

The cave was briefly illuminated from the inside. Zuko had to shield his eyes from the bright light coming from the unconscious boy. Once his tattoo's stopped glowing, the Avatar woke up. Struggling briefly against his bonds, he looked around with a confused look.

He sat up and saw Zuko standing next to him in the cave. "Welcome back." Zuko said coolly. He was glad that he tied the boy up, so he could not escape as easily.

"Good to be back" Aang answered in a threatening voice before he inhaled deeply. With a mighty breath, he blew Zuko against the wall of the cave while simultaneously propelling himself out in the snow. Grunting, he moved forward like a caterpillar trying to escape from a predator. Which - ironically - was exactly what was happening at the moment.

Zuko walked through the snow and grabbed him by the collar to lift him up. "That won't be enough to escape." he growled as he levelled the boy to look him in his grey eyes.

"Appa!" Aang exclaimed as he saw the silhouette of his friends appearing over Zuko's head. Zuko saw it too and let go of Aang as soon as the bison had landed in the snow. "Hey!" Aang yelped when Zuko tossed him aside.

"Here for a rematch?" Zuko asked when he aimed a fireblast at the brunette waterbender who dismounted the bison to face him.

"Trust me, Zuko," Katara replied calmly as she took her stance, blocking his attack with a waterbending move "It is not going to be much of a match."

Then, she bended the snow around Zuko to send a shock wave of ice to him. Zuko growled as she encased him in a pillar of ice, raising up hight of the ground. With a flick of her wrists Katara dropped the pillar to the ground, effectively knocking out the Fire Prince.

"I'm sorry Elyrie, I-," the waterbender began in an apologizing voice, but Elyrie cut her off by raising her hand from the saddle.

"Don't worry," She answered as she watched Sokka cut Aang free. She hated to see this, but she understood the hesitance of the group. Heck, he had kidnapped Aang into this blizzard for crying out loud. "It was probably the best method to convince him to come along anyway." She said dryly.

The proud, headstrong and hot-headed prince would probably refuse to come along. Even if it had been her who had requested it. Not in this company.

"Hey, this is some quality rope." Sokka exclaimed while looking at the pieces of rope he cut off of Aang.

"We need to go!" Aang said as he rubbed his wrists, "The koi fish are in danger! They are the mortal forms of the Moon and Ocean Spirits".

"Of course!" Yue exclaimed.

Aang used his airbending to lift Zuko into the saddle on Appa's back. Elyrie extended her arms to him, so she could let Zuko's unconscious body rest in her lap. When he gently laid down Zuko close to Elyrie, Sokka let out an indignant sigh.

"Yeah, that is a great idea!" Sokka said sarcastically, "Let's bring along the guy who's constantly trying to kill us."

"He never tried to kill you" Elyrie replied, her tone slightly sharper then she had intended.

"Much better, yet I feel much more comfortable if we tie him up." Sokka said as he climbed onto the saddle with the ropes.

Elyrie bit her lip, but understood why he felt that way. "Fine." she said with a sigh, "But please, be careful."

"Yip yip!" Aang said when he was ensured Zuko was tied down. He flicked the reins and Appa set off into the night sky, where the full moon was now shining brightly.

Elyrie let her long fingers caress Zuko's face. Now that she held him in her arms, alive, she tried to overcome her shock at the state of his face. His alabaster skin was bruised and beaten up, as if he had been in a fight. His lips were cut. His good eye was bruised, with a reddish-blue spot around his lid. His jaw had a dark blue spot on the left side as well.

What have they done to you?

He had been in the exploding ship and sustained the injuries. But like a miracle, he survived it. And she thanked all the Gods, Agni, Tui and La and all the others who listened, for that miracle.

Still unconscious, she placed his head in her lap and softly caressed him. She was glad she wore the blue and white fur coats of the Water Tribe, which were incredibly soft to the touch.

You're an idiot, she mused as she watched him with his eyes closed, almost as if he were asleep. But you are my idiot and I am so glad you are alive. Laying down in her lap, he looked younger. His features were relaxed, almost serene. She lovingly caressed the bruises with a light touch.

With Zuko's head resting against her, she placed her own hands on his chest. Using the breath of fire, she generated the heath to her hands and moved the warmth to his heart so the cold wouldn't bother him. She knew that the breath of fire used up a lot of energy, which his body obviously had.

Zuko felt numbed with his limbs restrained, but he felt the warm presence of someone who was cradling him. Through his hazy mind, he felt soft hands caress his face. The icy winds of the North Pole hurt his cheeks, but he was surprised at the warmth that spread from his chest through his body. His head rested against something soft. Not a pillow, but something firmer. A familiar scent reached his nostrils and he felt himself relax. He was not conscious enough to register what was happening or where he was, but he felt safe.

Unbeknownst to both of them, Katara was observing the girl as she cradled Zuko in her lap. The blue-eyed waterbender said nothing, but watched as the girl carefully stroked Zuko's face. To her, it was the face of the enemy. The man who had knocked her out in the Spirit Oasis, not for the first time. Zuko had crossed their paths so many times; he had attacked her village, set fire to Kyoshi Island, paralyzed her and Sokka, tied her to a tree and used her mother's necklace as a bargaining tool. Subconsciously, she touched the choker around het neck. Playing with the smooth stone, she observed her enemy now.

He looked so peaceful, so vulnerable. She could almost see his lips form a smile, which is something she had never seen. First, she thought he looked frightening. His scar was distinctive, but the bruises he had gotten only seemed to exaggerate his status as the enemy.

But then, the girl was Fire Nation as well. And from what Katara had seen, and she knew she was a good person. She believed with her whole heart that everybody had something good in them. She just never thought about Zuko's good sides. She never had the chance to. And maybe this girl had. She must have seen his good sides, otherwise she would not have been so concerned. After all, she left Zhao without a second thought. She must have seen the good in Zuko.

Katare was brought out of her pensive thoughts when she saw Yue holding her head, as if she was in pain. Elyrie looked up as well, alarmed.

"Are you okay?" Sokka asked the white-haired princess.

"I feel faint." she answered in a thin voice.

"I feel it too." Aang said with his hand on his head while looking up at the Moon, "The Moon Spirit is in trouble."

"I owe the Moon Spirit my life." Yue said while looking at her hands.

"What do you mean?" Sokka asked while placing his hand over hers.

"When I was born," Yue explained, "I was very sick and very weak. Most babies cry when they're born, but I was born as if I were asleep; my eyes closed."

She looked at Elyrie, who listened while she continued to hold onto the unconscious Fire Prince. She has the Water Tribe eyes, Yue thought absentmindedly while looking at her cousin. Elyrie gave Yue an encouraging smile, urging her to continue her story.

"Our healers did everything they could. They told my mother and father I was going to die." Yue continued while she turned to Sokka and Katara, "My father pleaded with the spirits to save me."

"That night, beneath the full moon, he brought me to the Oasis and placed me in the pond. My dark hair turned white, I opened my eyes and began to cry – and they knew I would live."

She sighed as she looked down again, still thankful for the gift the Moon Spirit had bestowed on her. "That is why my mother named me Yue, for the moon." She finished as her blue eyes were rimmed with tears. She could not bear the thought of harm coming over the Moon Spirit, who had given so much to her Tribe.

Underneath Appa, Elyrie saw the form of the Oasis. Softly lifting Zuko out of her lap and placing him on his side next to her, she bowed to look over Appa's back. She felt goosebumps going all over her body when she heard Zhao's voice echoeing across the walls.

"I am a legend now!" she heard him say while raising his fists to the heavens, "The Fire Nation will for generations tell stories about the great Zhao who darkened the moon! "They will call me Zhao the Conqueror! Zhao the Moon Slayer! Zhao the Invincible!"

Elyrie just wanted to propel herself out of the saddle to silence him when a small cry came from Zhao in the middle of his speech. Momo, the small flying lemur that belonged to Aang, had jumped onto Zhao's face.

She took her chance and before Appa had even landed, she had jumped out of the saddle and landed on the soft grass on the other side of the pond. Aang and Katara followed her example.

"Get it off!" Zhao yelled when Momo started to pull on his sideburns with an impressive force.

How often have I wanted to do that, Elyrie thought as she felt her blood beginning boil. Her innerfire was set ablaze when she saw Zhao holding a dripping bag. He had captured the Moon Spirit, the white koi fish. Behind him, his four most trusted soldiers had accompanied him on this quest. In the pond, she saw the black fish franctically swimming and searching for his other half.

Momo had finally decided to let go of Zhao's sideburns and flew to his masters outstretched arm. He landed on Aang's shoulder while his Master locked eyes with the Admiral.

When Zhao looked at the group before him, he felt his arrogance grew. These five children cannot stop me, he thought smugly. He let his eyes go over the familiar figure of the Avatar, the two Water Tribe siblings and a women with white hair.

But he halted when his eyes rested on the fifth person. In the dark, it was difficult to see her face under her hood. When she lowered her hood, he recognized her instantly. Pale face, auburn hair and dark blue eyes which were filled with fire.

When their eyes locked, none of them spoke. She simply raised an eyebrow, but took a fighting stance along with Aang, Katara and Sokka.

Just as she wanted to lit up her palms, Zhao raised his hand. "Don't bother." he said arrogantly when he held a small knife next to the bag with the Moon Spirit in it.

He enjoyed the look of fear that crossed her face when he raised the bag where he kept the koi fish. Still squirming inside the bag, the fish tried it's hardest to escape its prison. Zhao raised the knife in his fist on the level of the moving bag. All he had to do was stab and the Moon would cease to be. Forever.

It was the Avatar who spoke. "Zhao!" he said while raising his hands in a soothing motion, "Don't."

"It is my destiny." Zhao replied, not breaking eye contact with the young airbender, "To destroy the Moon and the Water Tribe."

"Destroying the Moon won't just hurt the Water Tribe," Aang said while trying to keep his voice from trembling, "It will hurt everyone, including you." He had to convince the Admiral to stop this foolish mission. "Without the moon, everything would fall out of balance. You have no idea what kind of chaos that would unleash on the world."

"He's right, Zhao." a familiar voice said. On the small wooden bridge, a cloaked figure had appeared. Elyrie had instantly recognized the voice, but so had Zhao.

"General Iroh.", Zhao said in an almost bored tone, "Why am I not surprised to discover your treachery?"

"I am no traitor, Zhao." Iroh answered calmly as he lowered his hood, "The Fire Nation needs the Moon too. We all depend on the balance." He points his finger at Zhao and thundered "Whatever you do to that spirit, I'll unleash on you ten-fold!" Iroh took his fighting stance with his kind features twisted in anger, "Let it go, now!"

Elyrie had never heard him speak like this. The kind and soft voice of the Uncle she knew was gone. This was the feared General, who singlehandedly could take out an entire army.

Zhao locked eyes for a moment with the old General. His courage faltered, for he knew he could not take on this master firebender. He slowly lowered the bag and knelt down to released the koi fish back into the pond. Resting on his knees, he placed the knife in his waistband and saw the Moon regaining his natural blue glow again. The koi fish returned to their circular pattern, swimming around each other.

For a moment, Elyrie felt a wave of relief coming over her. Is he really doing it? she thought as she saw Zhao kneeling down by the pond, his face unreadable. Maybe he isn't as cruel and blind as I thought he would be. Surely he sees the importance of the balance? For a few peaceful seconds, she felt as if everything would turn out all right.

But her heart stopped when she saw his face twisting into a look of madness and desperation. Before anyone could react, he stood up with a cry of rage and aimed a blast of fire into the pond.

Elyrie felt the heat on her face as she watched in horror. When they all looked up, the moon was winked out of existence. Darkness had ascended over the world.

Iroh instantly moved to attack the Admiral. Firing blast after blast, he crossed the bridge with a single jump. Elyrie followed his example, aiming her fire at the group of men standing at the pond. In the time she knocked over one guard, Iroh had taken care of the others. On his own, he knocked out the three guards with effortless ease and precision. In the corner of her eye, Elyrie saw Zhao backing away and running out of the Oasis.

"Coward!" she yelled at him while she sprinted to follow him. Iroh grabbed her wrist to stop her, but she pulled herself free. "Come back!" Iroh yelled, but she was too furious to listen. She felt her blood race. He wouldn't get away with destroying lives. Not again. Not if she could do something about it.

Zhao had barely gotten through the wooden door before she blocked his way with a fireblast.

When he turned around, he saw the small figure of his fiancée standing behind him. Her eyes were filled with hatred and her face was twisted in anger.

"You traitor." he said to her, "I could have given you everything you ever wanted." He aimed a fireblast at her with a raging fury.

"You could never have given me what I wanted." she answered when she blocked his attack.

"You'll see no mercy from me now!" he growled as he retook his stance.

"You don't know what mercy is!" she replied in a biting tone. She blocked his attacks with ease, moving faster than he could aim.

But Zhao had not become an Admiral by mere luck. He knew how to handle an enemy. She might be faster than he was, but she was also smaller. She was less experienced in hand-to-hand combat. He had at least 60 pounds on her, which made her vulnerable to his physical strength. He continued to step forward to physically attack her. All she could do, was block his attacks as best she could.

She managed to hold him off by igniting her fists to block his attacks. He aimed his fists at her face, but she continued to dodge every blow. But when she tried to propel herself over him, he spun her around and placed his arm around her neck.

Elyrie gasped as his grip tightend. Feeling her windpipe being crushed, she tried to remain calm as she struggled to get herself free. With one hand, she tried to pull his arm away from her neck. With the other, she tried to crack up a fire whip, but her breathing was too restricted to conjure any fire.

"I told you, you'll see no mercy from me." Zhao whispered next to her ear. Elyrie didn't answer - she couldn't - as her vision became blurry. She felt her strength flow away, but she kept trying to lessen his grip on her throath.

Zhao made the mistake of overestimating his power, because he wanted to end her swiftly by slashing her throath. Elyrie felt the grip around her neck lessen when Zhao reached for the knife which was stashed on his waistband. Taking the opportunity, she took a breath and her palms ignited. Her whip circled around his upper leg, which made him hiss in pain and let go of her in a reflex. The smell of burnt flesh reached her nostrils and she turned away in disgust.

She needed to get him away from her, but the attack had slowed down her own defence. She felt something warm gush over her left arm when she pulled herself away from his grip. Still inhaling the much needed air, she looked down. The sharp edge of his knife had cut deep in her left arm. Her whip immediately extinguished. It was a deep cut, when she saw blood gushing out of the wound.

Strangely enough, it did not hurt. The adrenaline that was pumping through her body had prevented her from crying out. Instead, she straightened her back and retook her stance. Her blood dripped on the white fur, staining it.

Zhao lay down on the ice, clutching his upper leg. Her firewhip had burned through the fabric of his armour and left him with a severe burn. Leaning on his good leg, he tried to stand back up. Their eyes met, both filled with hatred.

"You were never fit to be my wife." He growled when he slumped down again.

"I completely agree." she answered without hesitation with as much disgust as she could bring up. He looked helpless, lying down on the ground.

She felt her conscience taking over her anger. As much as she wanted him to pay, she did not want him dead. Seeing him down on the ground, she realised that there was no honour in this. She had nothing to gain by attacking him now. She would be no better than he was.

Then, everything was illuminated by a blue light. Elyrie looked up at the sky in surprise and felt a twinge of hope. But all she saw was the dark night sky without the bright light of the moon.

But the blue light had to come from somewhere. She turned around and saw an enormous figure making his way down the city through the canals. His glow illuminated the entire citadel.

She stood to close, but it seemed to be a koi fish. An enormous koi fish, made of glowing water with blue veins in his enormous body. Then she realised it must be La, the Ocean Spirit.

In the middle of its body was a white orb in which a silhouette was standing. She recognized Aang in the middle, aiding the fish. The enormous koi fish made its way to the Armada, which was still attacking the Northern Water Tribe.

She was too distracted by the otherworldly sight that she completely forgot Zhao for a moment. Zhao seized this opportunity to make his way back to the ship. He shot a fireblast at her, aiming for her head.

She ducked in a reflex, but lost her balance and fell down on the ice. To break her fall, she automatically extended her hands, but she landed on her left arm. Now she cried out in pain. She looked back at Zhao, but he had managed to get away. She put her teeth on each other to prevent herself from crying out again.

She cursed under her breath now that she had lost him. She stumbled back on her feet, clutching her arm. The cut was worse than she initially thought and she noticed blood dripping onto the ice, leaving a small puddle.

The adrenaline started to fade away now that she started to calm down. She tried to sit back up to go after Zhao, but a hand on her shoulder startled her. In reflex she pulled away, but the touch was soft and reassuring.

Golden eyes locked with sapphire eyes. Without saying a word, Zuko took off his scarf and tied it around her wounded arm to stop the bleeding. He pushed a strand of hair behind her ear before he helped her stand back up.

"They need you back there," he said in a soft voice, "I'll go after Zhao."

Before she could say anything, he jumped off the parapet in pursuit of the Admiral.

"He got away." Elyrie said in a defeated voice when she returned to the pond in the Spirit Oasis. Iroh looked at her with sad eyes as he was holding the scarred white fish. The limp body was a horrific sight to see and Elyrie sat down next to the old man, feeling defeated.

Katara extended her hand once she saw Elyrie's arm. "You're hurt." The scarf was stained with blood and Katara cursed the fact that she could not heal her. She had no waterbending powers without the moon

Yue looked at her cousin, her eyes large with worry. She grabbed her hand to support her, while Sokka had is hands on her shoulders.
"Yue, your eyes?" Elyrie said as she looked at her cousin.

The darkness that now had engrossed the North Poe made everything look grey and gloom. Yet Yue's eyes seemed to shine with a light from deep within her in an unnatural shade of blue. Her eyes were like two moons, shining bright in the night sky.

"You have been touched by the Moon Spirit," Iroh said, realizing the connection "Some of his life is in you!"

"You're right." Yue answered while looking up at the old General, "It gave me life. Maybe I can give it back."

She got up, but Sokka grabbed her hand. "No!" Sokka reached for her hand, holding on tightly, "You don't have to do that!"

Yue gave his hand a small squeeze behind her, but she did not turn around to look at him. "It is my duty, Sokka." she said determinedly.

"I won't let you!" Sokka cried out, "Your father told me to protect you!"

Yue still did not turn around, but looked up and inhaled before she said "I have to do this." Letting her hand slip out of Sokka's grip, she walked to the Fire Nation General. Iroh held up the dead fish in his hands.

"Take care of our people." Yue said to Elyrie, who was standing next to Iroh. Elyrie was on the verge of tears. She felt her chest constrict at the sight of the Water Tribe Princess.

So much courage and determination to save her people, Elyrie thought as she nodded. "I promise." she whispered.

Yue gave her a small smile before she placed her palms over the Moon Spirit. As soon as her hands touched the wet scales, the fish started to glow.

Closing her eyes for the last time, Yue exhaled. Then, her entire body fell back into Sokka's outstretched arms.

"No!" Sokka cried out in despair. He placed his hands on her cheek and held his ear next to her mouth, but looked away in defeat. "She's gone." he said sofly, while he hugged her lifeless body tighter, "She's gone."

Elyrie let her tears fall down her cheeks without even trying to wipe them away. The sight of Sokka cradling Yue's body was too much to bear. But then, Yue's body glowed briefly before it disappeared.

At the same time, the fish in Iroh's hands started to glow and squirm. Swiftly putting the Spirit back into the water, the pond started to glow white. From the water, the misty form of Yue rose. She looked the same, but she floated above the pond in an unearthly form. Her face was as white as the mist of which she now seemed to be made of.

"Goodbye Sokka." she said, her voice now sounding otherworldly and echoing "I'll always be with you."

She lowered her face to level his and placed her hand on his face. Then she kissed him for a moment before fading away in the night.

For a moment, everything was quiet. Then a beautiful full moon appeared amidst the shining stars.

Zhao jumped down the parapet, trying to get his weight off of his injured leg. He cursed the little wench, but he had to get away before anyone could catch up with him. Clutching his burned leg, he only got one story down before a fireblast halted him in his flight.

He turned around, expecting the small form of Elyrie behind him. Instead, it was a man in grey clothing. The unmistakable scar across his left eye left no room for confusion.

"You're alive?" Zhao asked incredulously.

"You tried to have me killed!" Zuko roared as he aimed another fireblast at the Admiral, now aiming for his body.

The darkness of the moonless sky was briefly illuminated by the orange light of Zuko's flames. But Zhao had dodged his attack by rolling away on the ice, hissing out in pain when his injured leg touched the cold ground.

"Yes, I did." The Admiral answered with venom in his voice as he saw Zuko approach him, "You are the Blue Spirit. The enemy of the Fire Nation. You freed the Avatar."

"I had no choice." Zuko simply said as he continued to attack firing volley after volley at Zhao, who had gotten back on his feet. Zhao blocked his attack by extending his arms to break the flames apart in a wedge in front of him.

"You should have chosen to accept your failure, your disgrace!" he spat as he took his fighting stance, "Then, at least, you could have lived! Now you die, just like that little wench will once I get my hands on her."

With a roar, he ignited his fists to finish the Fire Prince once and for all.

But he was wounded and Zuko's fury had reached the highest point. His firebending was insignificant compared to the Prince's inner inferno.

Smoke came out of his nostrils when Zuko thought of Elyrie and the puddle of blood around her. That bastard tried to have him killed, tried to capture the Avatar and he had hurt Elyrie.

He saw that Zhao left his chest unguarded, so he blasted him right in his chest. With a cry, Zhao fell backward off the parapet wall onto the bridge below. A blue light illuminated the bridge and the canal beneath it, but neither Zuko or Zhao noticed it at first.

But when Zhao tried to get up, he saw the Moon shining over Zuko's shoulder.

"It can't be!" Zhao cried out in horror. Beneath them, the water started to glow with a blue light. Blue veins shaped the water into an enormous hand, which reached out to grab Zhao.

Dodging the hand, Zuko flipped forward to escape the grip. When he looked up, he saw Elyrie standing on the parapet.

Elyrie looked with wide eyes at the hand of the Ocean Spirit, which had Zhao in its clutches. Still panting, she had ran as fast as she could to search for Zuko. They had not come far, but she had not expected this sight. She saw Zhao's desperation and was torn. He did not deserve to die, not like this.

Zuko saw her face and looked back at the struggling Admiral. "Take my hand!" Zuko yelled when he got up and extended his hand.

For a moment, it seemed like Zhao tried to reach for it, but he drew his hand back at the last moment. The Ocean Spirit dragged him under the water and disappeared.

Standing on the bridge, Zuko stared at the water which had submerged Zhao. Somehow he knew Zhao was not drowned. He was taken to the Spirit World. He repressed a shudder as he stepped down.

Elyrie had jumped from the parapet onto the bridge and looked at him with a half smile on her lips. Zuko wanted to say something, but he couldn't find the words.

She walked towards him, slightly stumbling until she was a mere centimetres away. Zuko noticed that her arm was healed, as if Zhao never touched her.

She extended her hand, her slender fingers caressing his face. He closed his eyes as he felt her cool fingers softly touch his split lip and his cuts. The results from Zhao's attempt on his life. When he opened his golden eyes, he saw her piercing sapphire eyes gazing back.

And then, as if she finally let herself belief he was truly there, she fell against his chest. He placed his arms around her, feeling by her motions that she was crying. Her fingers grasped his tunic, digging into it as if she held on for dear life. He placed his hand against the back of her head, while the other hand soothingly caressed her back. He held her as if she was a little girl. With his face buried in her hair, he felt the adrenaline leave his body.

"You're alive. You're alive." she whispered again and again, her voice breaking with every breath she took.

Guilt hit him again like a wave crashing into the rocks.

"I'm so sorry." was all he managed to say.

"Don't be." she answered, her face still in his shirt, "You are alive."

He pulled her even closer to feel her warmth. Oh Agni, how long he had been waiting to hold her this close. His heart started to pound faster when he buried his face in her curls again.

"Prince Zuko?" they heard a voice say. Looking up, but both not letting go of each other, they turned to the figure approaching them.

"Uncle." Zuko said as he reached out for the older man. Iroh took his hand with a smile before turning to Elyrie, who was still holding on to Zuko's tunic.

"I am so sorry for deceiving you like this," Iroh said, "But we had to protect him from Zhao's wrath."

Elyrie smiled so brightly that it seemed like the sun had come out at last, ending this long night.

"If both of you ever deceive me like this again, I promise you I will personally kill you myself." She said with the teasing look, but with a serious undertone.

Iroh chuckled. "I don't doubt it." He turned to his nephew, who had his arm still around the shoulders of the young girl, "Prince Zuko, the Armada is retreating. We need to go now."

Zuko nodded and looked back at the girl he was holding in his arms. She had nowhere to go now, he realised. "Come with us?" Zuko asked, his eyes pleading.

Elyrie looked at him. He look wounded and torn and for a moment, she wanted to leave with them. But she knew she could not leave. Not now she had found her mother's family. Not now that their Princess had passed. Not after she what she had promised her.

"I can't," she whispered, "My family is here. I need to stay."

Zuko looked at her with a surprised look. "Your family?" he asked in disbelief. "Yes, and I'll explain it someday, but for now Uncle is right," Elyrie said in a decisive tone, "You need to leave."

Not letting go of her hand, Zuko followed her small figure to the docks. There, they found a very primitive raft, which was just enough to fit two grown men.

"Are you sure you will be alright here?" Zuko asked for the last time as his Uncle was untying the ropes. Elyrie nodded with a smile.

"Trust me," she said half jokingly, "They'll treat me like royalty."

The sun started to rise and her auburn coloured curls glittered in the sunlight.

"Prince Zuko," he heard his Uncle say, "It is time to go."

For a moment, the golden eyes looked into the sapphire eyes. His eyes drank in her face, trying to remember every detail. He lifted his hand to rest it on her cheek. She placed her own hand over his with a courageous smile on her red lips. Zuko looked at her full lips for a moment, whishing things would be different. His heart splintered into a million pieces when he uttered the painful familiar goodbye.

"Goodbye Lily."

End of Book 1

Thank you to everyone who made it this far!

I hope you enjoyed my story so far! I tried to leave in the big character moments, like Zuko's last fight with Zhao, but worked around the situation by fitting in Elyrie.

Please leave a review if you liked it!

Lots of Love!

P.S. I have a lot of ideas for Book 2: Earth, so stay tuned!

Chapter Text

Book 2: Earth

The morning came at last.

The sky was grey without a hint of blue to brighten it. It was if the sun did not dare to shine his radiant light over a place that had endured so much tragedy. Veils of clouds passed through the sky when the soft breeze pulled them along. And yet, despite all the sadness the sky expressed, a silver coloured moon was still visible.

Yue. Moon.

"The spirits gave me a vision when Yue was born."

Chief Arnook looked up at the moon. His blue eyes, almost the same colour as Yue's had been, were rimmed with tears. His face was engraved with deep lines, as if he had aged a hundred years in the last moment.

Sokka looked up to the Moon as well. He had taken it upon himself to tell the Chief what had happened to his daughter. This is something no one should have to tell a father, he thought.

"I saw a beautiful, brave young woman," Chief Arnook continued without looking away from the Moon, "become the Moon Spirit."

He finally lowered his eyes and sighed deeply. "I knew this day would come." he said without a tremble in his voice.

"You must be proud." Sokka said as he turned his head to look at the Chief, wording the same thoughts he felt when Yue made her brave decision. He was heartbroken, sad and proud beyond words.

"So proud." Arnook answered as he looked back up to the Moon again. It almost seemed like he wanted to say it one last time to his daughter. "And sad." he added quietly when his voice broke at last.

A few feet behind the two men, a young woman had quietly listened to their conversation. She had put her arms around herself in a soothing way to comfort herself. Her pale skin, even paler due to the lack of sleep, was almost the same colour as the snow which covered the North Pole.

Her heart went out to the two men that were standing there, looking up at the Moon. The Chief's voice had broken at the last word, but at that moment Elyrie admired him more than she had ever admired anyone before. His suffering - too terrible to name - had not broken his spirit. He accepted the sacrifice his daughter made with pride and continued to cherish her memory. She had not even heard him speak ill of the Fire Nation or the attack on their city.

Along with the two men, she looked at the beautiful Moon. It almost looked as if Yue was watching over them.

Please Yue, forgive me, she silently thought.

Elyrie quickly learned that the people from the Water Tribe were as flexible as their element. Within a week, the citizens had rolled up their sleeves to rebuild their city. Every male waterbender was put to work to repair the damages the Fire Nation attack had caused, while every female waterbender was required to help in the improvised hospital for the wounded.

Master Pakku - the stern man who had looked at her with suspicion - turned out to be a man of action despite his advanced age. He made sure every waterbender knew how to fix the damage and how to rebuild the destroyed walls. Katara, never far away to offer her help for reparations or healing, explained to Elyrie that Master Pakku had almost singlehandedly beaten the invading soldiers during the last battle. Elyrie had grinned when she looked at the older man and did not doubt for a second that he was a great master, albeit a bit of a grumpy one.

The good news was that Elyrie could contribute a little bit in rebuilding the city as well. With firebending, she and Kun melted the steel and weapons which were left behind by the Fire Nation soldiers. With the steel, stronger ships were made instead of wooden canoes. Kun, who had fought alongside the warriors of the Water Tribe, was accepted into the community as a hero. When the two Fire Nation citizens walked over the icy streets of the North Pole, people nodded to him with respect. He had become a hero among the citizens because of his bravery during the Siege of the North.

Elyrie had heard the story afterwards: when the Moon had disappeared that fateful night, Kun had taken it upon himself to defend the children and weaker citizens, who had taken refuge in the cellars of the Royal Palace. This had made him a particular favourite among the children of the Northern Water Tribe, who followed him everywhere like turtle-ducklings following their mother. And to her surprise, the quiet soldier seemed to be a natural when it came to entertaining children. Elyrie was glad he seemed to enjoy his stay so much. It seems like a vacation for him, she mused when she saw him play with the children, And if anyone deserved some time off, it was him.

As for her, she tried to keep as busy as possible. Not that there was much time left in a day. Outwardly, her life seemed to be better than it had been in a long time. She was finally liberated from the yoke of her engagement. She had found a loving family who had accepted her as one of their own. Even the citizens of the Water Tribe had welcomed their new princess with more warmth than she could ever have dreamed of. She was amazed at the strong sense of community of the Water Tribe, even if she was from the Fire Nation.

And thus, she tried to adapt as best she could. Kun was her rock during the first weeks. He never left her side unless it was absolutely necessary. She was touched by his concern. She enjoyed his company and calming presence, even though he was still not a talker. Despite this, Kun seemed to have found his place in the Water Tribe rather quickly. It did not surprise her that Sokka and Kun got along well. They spend hours in the library, bending over maps of the Earth Kingdom and discussing the strategies. Elyrie joined them on several occasions and explained the way the Navy operated during their attacks.

Sokka was surprised at the intelligence of the young woman, who discussed the battle strategies as good as any warrior he had known. They discussed the war and politics, often in the large chairs of the library. Both were enthusiastic about the topics, which they so seldom could discuss with anyone. Her intelligence, dry wit and calm demeanour impressed Sokka. Likewise, Elyrie was glad for a kindred soul, especially since he seemed to share her sense of humour. They became good friends in the weeks after the Siege of the North.

Katara, who had observed their interaction, was amused that her sarcastic, rather sexist brother seemed to get on so well with a freethinking young woman. Maybe Suki did learn him some valuable lessons, she thought amused as she watched Sokka listen eagerly to Elyrie's tales of the history of the Fire Nation.

Like her brother, Katara found a friend in the young firebender. Both women bonded over the fact that they had not been able to develop their bending abilities earlier in life, but tried to make up for it as best they could. Friendly sparring matches were not uncommon between the two. Katara was glad she could practice against a real firebender, which could help her in the future.

Elyrie also accompanied Aang and Katara to their waterbending training whenever she could. She found it fascinating to see Katara and Aang bend the flexible element as it twirled through the air. How different from her own fire, which had a life of its own if left uncontrolled. Then again, the giant sea and crashing waves also followed their own path, so maybe the elements were more similar than she thought. While observing Katara's more defensive style of bending - so different from the aggressive form Elyrie was used to - she tried to mimic the movements. Even though she was by no means a master bender, she saw that her bending improved.

As for her newfound family, there was much to be done for her. With Yue gone, the whole family was gathered together in their grief. But with the grief came also hope for new beginnings. The Royal Family seemed eager to honour the brave woman who had saved them all. With that, they also wanted to include Thyra again in the official line-up. Elyrie's locket was given to the painter, so he could paint a picture of her mother to hang at the Royal gallery. Chief Arnook and Panuk had insisted that the portrait of their sister should hang in the gallery, where all members of the Royal Family belonged. Elyrie had gladly accepted the kind gesture and handed over her locket to the painter, so he could copy the picture. She carefully examined his work, helping with the smallest details whenever she could.

Her grandmother had taken it upon herself to teach her granddaughter the ways of life at the Royal Palace of the Water Tribe. She made new clothes for her, which were more suited to the freezing temperatures. Elyrie was dressed in the blue colours of the Water Tribe. Dresses and robes were needed to keep her warm, since she was still adjusting to the cold climate. Her grandmother learned her how to braid her hair according to the customs of the Water Tribe as well. Nana - as she wished Elyrie to call her - was a loving, motherly figure who tried her best to help her granddaughter adjust to her new life as Princess of the Northern Water Tribe.

Elyrie smiled so much that the muscles in her face hurt. But the forced smiles hid the loneliness she felt deep within.

More and more she realised that this was her family, but not her world. Every night at dinner, they laughed and they spoke about customs and ancient traditions. It was so familiar to them, so safe. It was their entire world. But not hers. She was a blood relative, but she was not one of them. Her appearance, though so similar to mother's, was different. Her pale skin and auburn hair were unnatural in these surroundings.

She was not naive. She knew their were still people in the city who mistrusted her. And she couldn't blame them. She was from the same country as the man who had attacked their city, less than a month ago. But she also saw the looks of discomfort whenever she displayed her firebending.

She felt like a spoiled child. These people wanted to take her in as one of their own. Which, in fact, she was. But it was so far from the world she had grown up in. Every night in bed, she reprimanded herself for her feelings. She recounted how horrible the situation in the Stronghold had been, how underappreciated she was there. But at least she knew how to handle herself in those situations. Here, she was an outsider. She had never cared much about being on her own. But it was so different now. She felt guilty, when her grandmother tried to do anything she could to make her granddaughter feel at home. And it worked: Elyrie did feel loved and she did feel safe.

But the longing feeling for her home across the sea still smouldered within her. Like embers which glowed after the fire had gone out. Every night, she worried about the fates of Zuko and Uncle. It had been weeks since she had last seen them. Since then, she had not received a word. She was surprised to learn that even the Northern Water Tribe used a service similar to the mail system they used in the Fire Nation. Instead of using hawks, they used kittiwakes to deliver messages to the Earth Kingdom. The seabrids were tamed and trained specifically for the purpose of connecting the icy North Pole with their allies on the mainland. Their nesting place was on a high cliff, close to the edge of the city. Elyrie had visited it a couple of times, but every time she decided against sending a message. Zuko and Uncle could be anywhere in the Earth Kingdom by now. And more importantly, her intuition told her that it was unwise to send a message. So there was nothing to do except to wait for a sign.

Zuko, where are you?

That was how Elyrie got to know loneliness. How to feel 'half'.

She felt new sympathy for the halfbloods born in the colonies. To her Water Tribe family, she was Fire Nation. And now that it had become known what she was, her Fire Nation family would undoubtedly see her as Water Tribe. Even though she grew up in the Fire Nation, some things were fundamental to belonging in a country which was so prone to blood purity. This meant she would remain an outsider in two countries.

But she damned herself if anyone would notice it. Thus, she smiled and laughed and listened to everything her family told her.

She could learn to fit in here in time. And as best she could, she tried to silence the voice in her head who asked her if this is what she wanted for the rest of her life.

After a particular long day of repairments, Elyrie let herself fall down in the giant chair in the library. The sun began to set so she knew she had some time to spare before she was expected at dinner. The library had become her favourite place of refuge during these weeks. She could always count on some quiet time there. The table next to the chair was filled with maps of the Earth Kingdom. It was for Aang and his friends for their journey to Omashu, one of the two cities which were still under Earth Kingdom rule. She knew that the next element in the cyclus would be Earth, so Aang needed an earthbending teacher. Aang told her about his friend Bumi, one of the greatest earthbenders in the world despite his age. She chuckled to herself when she imagined the hundred year old man teaching the 19 year old Avatar. Kun was about to leave with them back to the mainland. From there, he would travel back to his family in the Fire Nation. They all would depart in a few days.

Elyrie picked up a book about the history of the Northern Water Tribe, which her Nana advised her to read. She sat down again in the chair and let her fingers trail the sides of the pages of the atlas, but she did not attempt to open it. With a sigh, she stood back up and walked around the library.

Outside, she saw the setting sun shining his last golden rays over the frozen city. As he let her elbows rest on the windowsill, she let her chin rest in the palm of her hand. It was a beautiful sight. The sea glittered in the orange light and the wall was mostly repaired, as were the houses that were damaged during the attack.

When her eyes went over the icy roofs, he felt a sense of melancholy coming over her. Kun was about to return to their home country. But she was not going with him. She belonged here now. Softly humming to herself, she leaned forward and inhaled the crisp air. How she longed for the dry heat. As always, singing helped calm her mind.

Let me have a moment
Let me say goodbye
To bridge and river, forest and waterfall
Orchard, sea and sky

Harsh and sweet
And bitter to leave it all
I'll bless my homeland till I die

A smile tugged on the edges of her mouth as she saw the beauty of the Fire Nation in her minds eye. The firelillies, the volcanos, the beaches on Ember Island, her home in the capital, the scorching heat.

But as the sun almost disappeared, she saw the vague shape of the Moon taking its place. A shudder went through her. When she was alone with her thoughts, she kept reliving the moments in that long night when the Moon darkened.

She walked away from the window and fell down in one of the chairs. She was sad. Sadder than she had ever felt because so much had happened in so little time. But she refused to complain to anyone. They all had suffered enough. The last thing they needed was a whining girl from the Fire Nation, because it was her country that launched the attack. It was her fiancé that had initiated the attack.

Every time she thought of Zhao and her former connection with him, she wanted to ran into the frozen tundra and scream on the top of her lungs. The guilt came crashing back as if a wave of emotions had hit her with full force.

"Hey!" a voice said, bringing her out of her thoughts. It was Sokka who had entered the library. She smiled at him, but he frowned his brow.

"What are you reading?" he asked as he rolled up a map that was laid out over the table. He saw that the book laid unopened next to her. Elyrie sat up while she exhaled. "Oh, nothing much." she answered while stretching her arms over her head.

"Is something bothering you?" he asked with his blue eyes focused on her. She seemed so down, so sad.

"No, no!" she said while quickly plastering a smile on her face. But it did not reach her eyes.

She rubbed her empty left ring finger where the ruby engagement ring once resided. Now, she had the sapphire ring of her mother on her right hand. She tried to repress the urge to blurt out her worries and frantically turned the sapphire ring around and around.

"Elyrie?" Sokka asked again, "Are you sure?"

But it was useless. Sometimes it was just enough to have someone ask you what was wrong.

"I saw Zhao once lock up women and children in a wooden Temple, only to burn it down." she began bluntly. Sokka raised his eyebrows at this sudden change. Her face seemed to harden and her voice was constricted.

Elyrie stared at her hands. The screaming of the villagers kept ringing in her ears, even now. "Lucky, they got out in time for anyone to get seriously hurt, but that was not because of him. Then, after everyone had escaped, he burned the entire town down."

Sokka looked at the sad blue eyes in the pale face. He knew what had happened. He heard it from Kun when he had asked him why he turned against his former Admiral. Kun had told him how Elyrie had fought against the tyranny.

But Sokka did not tell her that. He felt that she needed someone to talk to. And even though his sister kept saying he was clueless to this sort of thing, he instinctively felt Elyrie needed a listening ear, a word of compassion, a soothing motion.

"I once knew a man who wanted to drown an entire city just because they were Fire Nation." Sokka said, "Old people, women and children. All innocent lives found guilty based on their heritage."

Elyrie did not dare to answer. She knew how black and white some people could think about being Fire Nation and being the enemy.

"Did he succeed?" she asked carefully.

"No," Sokka answered while clenching his jaw, "We prevented the loss of lives, but the town was destroyed."

"That was very brave of you." she answered with a smile.

Sokka nodded and thought about their earlier conversation. He had known there were not only good people and Fire Nation, like she said. He had acted on it even before he had realized it.

"So, what is it that is truly bothering you?" he asked as he turned his chair to face her. Her dark blue eyes continued to look at her folded hands in her lap.

"You know, when Zhao lowered Tui back into the water?" she asked Sokka, even though it was obvious he would remember that. "For a moment there," she said, "I was convinced everything would work out. That he would give up his delusional quest."

"But then," she continued, "He attacked Tui even so." She inhaled deeply to calm her racing heart. "He killed the Moon Spirit!" she said, her voice slightly trembling as she remembered that horrible moment. Sokka nodded slowly, not wanting to interrupt her.

"I should have seen it coming." Elyrie said in a small voice, "I have seen him do unspeakable things to innocent people, but at that moment I was convinced he would do the right thing."

"But he didn't and Yue paid the price." she said while chewing on her bottom lip. Her eyes were rimmed with tears. "And I feel guilty." she finally said out loud, "I feel so incredibly guilty. I could have prevented it if I had just used my better judgement and then none of this would have happened."

Because of her, the Water Tribe had lost their beloved princess. She could never feel at home here. Not when she was responsible for the grief that had taken over the city. She felt tears welling up in her eyes and tried to prevent them from falling down. Why was she chosen to live and had Yue been forced to sacrifice herself? That question had been crossing through her mind over and over again.

"Elyrie, it is not your fault," Sokka said while bending towards her, "You have done everything you could to help the Water Tribe." She looked up and he saw the tears glittering in her eyes.

"You risked your own life to come warn us about Zhao's plan, even before you knew you had family here." he continued, "That takes a lot of courage."

"That is kind of you to say." Elyrie answered in a small voice.

"Hey!" Sokka added with a smile, "I wouldn't say it if it wasn't true."

"Thank you, Sokka." she smiled at him.

"We all miss Yue," he said as he patted her hand, "But the best thing we can do now is honour her memory."

"You are right." Elyrie said as she wiped the edges of her sapphire eyes with her sleeve.

"Don't you know by now?" Sokka asked in a serious voice, "I am always right."

Then, she laughed out loud. And she laughed even harder when she saw his indignant face. Shaking his head, Sokka repressed a smile when he saw the light return in the sapphire eyes.

"Ahh" yawned Iroh with a content smile, "This is what I've been missing."

The soft petals of the cherry blossom twirled down as the older General laid on a massage table. Two young men were working on the knots in his strained back and shoulders.

"Who knew floating on a piece of driftwood for three weeks with no food or water and sea vultures waiting to pluck out your liver could make one so tense?" he said happily, his cheerfulness in stark contrast with the seriousness of the hardships he and his nephew had endured the past weeks.

Only a few days ago did their raft reach the lavish resort on the Su Oku River. Hungry and tired, the staff had welcomed the banished prince and the Dragon of the West graciously. They were recognized as royalty and given the full respect of the spa staff, despite the little money they had to pay. Iroh had wasted no time and spoiled himself with all the luxuries the spa had to offer. Relaxing massages, delicious food and the company of kind people. Even the beach was a welcome addition; the warm weather suited him better anyway.

Zuko sat against the wall, his face partially covered by a large straw-hat. He did not share his Uncle's contentment. The past three weeks had been torture. He had no Avatar, no hopes of capturing him in the near future and he had left Elyrie in that frozen hell. It seemed everything worked against him. And to make matters even worse, it was almost that time of year again. The universe seemed to work even harder to make him feel more worthless than ever.

His Uncle, who had noticed his silence, came to sit next to him.

"I see," Iroh said in a soft voice, "It is almost the anniversary, isn't it?"

"Next week," Zuko said in a raspy voice, "It will be five years since I was banished."

"I lost it all. I want it back." he added as his eyes darkened, "I want the Avatar. I want my honour, my throne. I want my father not to think I'm worthless." His voice slightly faltered at the last word.

"I'm sure he doesn't," Iroh said in a cheerful voice, "Why would he banish you if he didn't care?"

Zuko did not look at his Uncle, but stood up and walked away without saying another word.

"That came out wrong, didn't it?" Iroh asked the massagers sheepishly. He rubbed his neck and looked at the retreating figure of his nephew. There had to be something he could do to cheer up his nephew in this difficult time of year.

But I might need some help with that, he chuckled to himself.

Happy holidays! :)

I hope you enjoyed the first chapter of Book 2: Earth.

I had a question: what do you prefer when reading a fanfic?

Smaller chapters (which are posted more regularly) or long chapters, which might take longer but will cover the span of an entire episode?

Let me know!

Chapter Text

"Tomorrow we will leave for the Earth Kingdom, buddy!" Aang said as he patted Appa on his head, "You can finally stretch your legs again!"

The skybison growled and revealed his enormous teeth, which were the size of small iceblocks. Elyrie chuckled when the gigantic animal laid back down with a loud thump. For such a ferocious looking animal, he was so gentle. She caressed his furry head and he growled softly at her.

"Where is the base?" Elyrie asked as she fed Appa a new cabbage, "Near Omashu?" Appa crushed the cabbage with ease between his massive teeth, the sound of the crackling vegetables echoing off the icy walls of his temporary stable.

"Yeah!" Aang nodded while playing with his wooden staff, "It is just on the west coast of the Earth Kingdom." The swift motions of his staff ignited a small wind, which blew some of Elyrie's curls out of the long braid that hung over her back. She looked up and saw Aang twirling small whiffs of air around him. His fidgeting - almost nervously - made her realise that he was eager to leave the North Pole.

"Can I brush him?" Elyrie asked as she pointed to the brush in bag Aang brought with him. She was not a natural when it came to handling animals, but for some reason she had a soft spot for the giant mountain of fur that yawned contently.

"But isn't that base halfway around the world?" Elyrie asked when she carefully brushed the fur on Appa's back, "How will you get there?"

"Appa!" Aang said while patting his furry friend, "He can fly us there in less than four days if everything goes according to plan."

"That is amazing!" Elyrie exclaimed. She had never realised how fast a flying bison could to travel. How wonderful it must be to travel like that, not hindered by the tides or rocky roads, she mused as she continued to brush Appa. If he had to make such a long journey, he deserved some pampering.

"Of course we have to stop a few times to rest," Aang said while he fed Appa large cabbages, "Appa is not made of stone, are you, boy?" He grinned when Appa licked his friend with his enormous tongue. Aang was lifted off his feet by the force, but landed just as gently.

Elyrie giggled at the sight and patted Appa herself. His fur felt like soft grass and she furred through his manes. Appa seemed to like it and gave her a nudge. She braced herself for the impact, like on the Fire Nation ship, but it was much softer this time.

"He likes you." Aang said as he bended the liquid traces of Appa's affections off his clothing.

"I am glad, because I like him too!" Elyrie confessed with a smile as she handed the brush back to Aang, "You know, I am not very good with animals."

"Really?" Aang asked as he took the brush from her, "How come?"

"No idea," she answered while playing with the end of her braid, "Some people have that special connection with animals, but I seem to lack that gift. I can never quite understand what they are thinking and I think that scares me a little bit."

"You know," Aang said as he used his bending to lift the fresh water into Appa's open mouth, "Animals can tell you a lot about the character of a person. If Appa likes someone, I know I can trust that person."

"I have heard something like that before," Elyrie answered while twirling the end of her braid around her finger, "Their instinct is very strong, right?"

"Exactly," Aang nodded, "So just remember this: look at how an animal approaches you. You can tell a lot from that, which makes it easier to judge their intentions."

Elyrie looked into the big brown eyes of the skybison, who looked back with affection at her. His eyes were gently, she could see it. Aang is right, she mused, Animals could never feign love or trust like people could. Quite ironic, that she was more comfortable confronting and defying Zhao than she was patting a regular polarbear-dog. Even the more dangerous animals, like the poisonous spider-serpent that lived in the Fire Nation, would only attack when they would feel threatened. Involuntarily, her mind wandered off to Azula, who was just as deadly as a spider-serpent. But her poison was far more dangerous. She could lie and manipulate like no one could. Elyrie quickly shook her head and repressed a shudder. Instead, she turned to the young Avatar.

"Thank you," she said to Aang with a smile, "I'll remember that."

She looked over her shoulder and saw that the sun was setting over the ocean. "We need to head back," she said as she picked up her robe and swung it over her shoulder, "You can't miss your own goodbye party!"

Back in the palace, Elyrie walked cheerfully to her room. She pushed aside the woollen fabric which shielded her room from the icy corridor. Her room was large but surprisingly comfy. The icy floor was covered in white furs, which made it a delight to walk barefoot. It was like the softest grass, especially in this place where grass was extremely rare. On the left wall, a large bed with fluffy pillows and large blankets took up almost one side of the room. It was the most comfortable bed she had ever slept in.

A closet for her new clothes was placed on the other end of the room, next to a wooden dresser with a mirror and a chair in front of it. A bookcase, stuffed with volumes about traditions and the history of the Northern Water Tribe, took up the last wall.

But the most comfortable spot was the soft rug before the build-in fireplace, placed next to her bed. The heater, made from left over steel, was her personal heater in this cold place and she lit it herself every time she entered. The freezing temperatures were so extreme that the heating did not even melt the icy walls, but was just enough to keep her warm. Her Nana had told her that her blood ran warm, so she would adjust to the colder climate soon enough. Elyrie chuckled, since she doubted it very much. She was the only firebender with permanent cold hands, so it seemed like her blood was not as hot as was expected.

She knew she had some time before her grandmother would come and help her get ready for the feast that evening. In honour of Aang, Katara, Kun and Sokka, as well as the departing waterbenders who went to the Southern Tribe to help rebuild their sister tribe. With food, music and songs, it was a celebration everybody needed after such a troubled time.

Loosening her braid, she combed her fingers through her auburn curls and shook out her hair. After a warm bath, provided by herself, she took place behind her dresser. No doubt today her hair needed to be pinned up, like Jin used to do.

She felt a sting go through her heart when she taught of her friend. She had sent the jewels and the apology to the address of Jin's family, but there was no way to know for certain that it had arrived. She only hoped it did. Maybe some day I know for certain, she thought as she reached for her comb.

Then, she saw a small scroll lying in front of her mirror. That had not been there before, she was certain of it. Her name was written on it in a beautiful handwriting. She broke the red wax and rolled out the parchment.

Dearest Elyrie,

I hope you are enjoying your time with your family at the Northern Water Tribe. Zuko and I are currently residing at a wonderful village resort on the Su Oku River. Don't you worry, we are doing well. This resort has offered us a comfortable room with all the luxury we can dream of!

Zuko seemed down since our return from the North Pole. You know it has been almost five years in a few days. If you can (and want, of course) would you like to visit us? I know it would cheer him up immensely to see you again.

Now, I have another tea brewing session planned so I will end the letter. I hope to hear from you soon!

Love,

Uncle Iroh

Elyrie let out a sigh of relief as she reread the letter again. Uncle and Zuko were safe! She pressed the parchment against her chest, as if to feel their presence though the piece of paper.

She did not just miss the Fire Nation. She missed two friends in particular. She stood up and picked an atlas from her bookcase. Placing the atlas on her dresser, she scanned the map for the resort Uncle had described in his letter.

She leaned back and let out a defeated sigh when she saw where it was located. It would take weeks to get there, especially on a boat through hostile territory. There was no way she could get there in time.

Unless…

She sat back up. She could accompany Aang and the rest to their first stop, which was undoubtedly near the colonies. It would take less than two days to get there. She could make it.

"Calm down, Lily." she reprimanded herself while massaging her temples with her two fingers. What had happened in less than a month was more than she had bargained for, but she had to accept the situation and live on as best as she could. Sitting in front of the mirror, she thought about what Sokka had said. She had to honour Yue's memory and her request to help the Water Tribe as best she could. And she would do that. There was no time for a small vacation now.

But she missed the Fire Nation. She missed her home country. She chuckled humourlessly. The country everyone here despises, yet I yearn for it.

She let her chin rest on her palm when she looked in the mirror. That is because they never went there, she mused while playing with a loose curl. Without realizing it, she began to sing to relieve her homesickness.

How can I desert you?
How to tell you why
Stay, I pray you

Let me have a moment
Let me say goodbye
To bridge and river, forest and waterfall
Orchard, sea and sky

She smiled at the old song, written in honour of the Fire Nation country. It was an old folksong about a traveller who was eager to see the world, only to yearn for his own country. She did not miss the irony at the moment.

Harsh, and sweet, and bitter to leave it all
I'll bless my homeland till I die

Her high voice echoed off the icy walls, creating a wonderful acoustic effect.

How to break the tie?
We have shared our tears
And shared our sorrows
Though the scars remain
Tears will never dry
I'll bless my homeland till I die

The second verse hit her hard when she continued the song. She felt the longing the traveller must have felt when he had abandoned his home.

Never to return
Now I'm breaking free
But you are all I know
You have raised me
How to turn away?
How to close the door?
How to go where I've never been before

Let me have a moment
Let me say goodbye
Harsh, and sweet, and bitter to leave it all
I'll bless my homeland till I die

Tears pricked behind her eyes but she refused to allow them to spoil the last evening with Aang, Katara, Sokka and Kun. She smiled as she shook out her damp curls.

"Elyrie?" she heard the voice of her grandmother outside the room call her. Elyrie put on a brave smile, "Please, enter!" she said in a cheerful voice.

The woollen fabric was pushed aside and the smiling face of her grandmother appeared. Despite her advantaged age, she seemed years younger than she was. In her youth she must have been a rare beauty, Elyrie thought as she respectfully bowed her head to the older woman. Her olive skin had very few wrinkles and even though her once dark-brown hair had gotten grey, it suited her very well. It gave her an elegant appearance. Her figure was still slender and she was unusually tall for a woman, taller than Elyrie was. Elyrie chuckled, because now she knew where her genes came from. She was by no means extraordinary tall, but with her 5"7, she was above average in the Fire Nation.

"So dear," her Nana began as she looked at the damp hair of her granddaughter, "Are you excited about tonight?" She motioned for Elyrie to sit down and picked up the comb to brush the auburn-coloured curls.

"I saw the great hall on my way here," Elyrie said as she watched her grandmother in the mirror, "It looked beautiful with all the lights and decorations!"

"Yes, it does," her Nana chuckled as she pulled up the curls into a fashionable braided updo, "I am glad we have a celebration after the hardships of the past weeks."

"As do I," Elyrie nodded as she watched her own reflection. Her eye fell on the letter and felt a small sting again. Uncle would have loved this, she mused before she shook her head and turned around. Her Nana hold up a beautiful sapphire-coloured dress with white fur-trimmings on the edges of the skirt and sleeves. "Would you try it on?" she asked with a motherly smile as she handed it to the girl.

"You look absolutely beautiful" she exclaimed when Elyrie turned around in the dress. "Thanks to you" Elyrie answered as her grandmother took her small hands into hers, "Thank you for everything you have done for me."

Her grandmother pushed a strand of hair out of the pale face of her granddaughter as he gave her a small nudge on her chin. "Come, it is time for a party!" she said as she took the arm of the girl.

The wall of flames revealed nothing about the dark silhouette sitting behind them. A young girl with raven-black hair knelt before the flames, feeling the heat on her face as she bowed her head. Her yellow eyes glittered with enjoyment as she waited for the orders she was about to receive.

"Iroh is a traitor and your brother Zuko is a failure", the deep voice of the silhouette said. The girl looked up, her yellow eyes gleaming as her lips formed into a small smirk. This is what she had been waiting for.

"I have a task for you."

Across the sea, a young woman sat at the large table for a banquet. Unlike the spicy dishes served in the Fire Nation, the Water Tribe used more sea fruits and fishes. She loved most of it, but the sea prunes were not exactly her favourite. Pushing the prunes around on her plate, she saw that Aang was feeding pieces to Momo when he thought no one was looking. She grinned when his guilty grey eyes met hers. She winked at him and tossed Momo a piece from her plate under the table. The lemur flew on it as if it had not have been fed for days.

She chuckled before the man next to her cleared his throat to get her attention. Elyrie repressed a sigh of annoyance. Next to her sat Hahn, the former fiancé of Princess Yue. What she had heard from Yue, she did not particularly care for him. She did not say this out loud though. The last thing she wanted to be was impolite in front of her newfound family, who had given her so much.

But the young man had appeared almost everywhere she was. When she was taking a stroll, there he was. When there was an official dinner, he sat in the seat next to hers. When she was watching the waterbending training, there he was 'working out'.

She came to a very quick conclusion: she found him handsome, rude and conceited. Everything about him made her skin crawl. His arrogant manner, his pompous use of words and his obvious vanity and obsession with his looks. Just now, he had told her about his heroic actions during the Siege of the North. For the tenth time. She had trailed off, because one can only feign so much interest.

"And there I was," Hahn said with his chest puffed out, "Facing at least thirty soldiers alone when I climbed aboard of the main ship."

Elyrie took a sip of her mulled wine to hide her smile. Every time he told that story, the number of soldiers seemed to increase. How convenient, she chuckled to herself, an infinite growing number of soldiers. He better not tell anyone his secret otherwise that army would have been unstoppable.

"You must be proud to sit next to one of the heroes of the Siege." He said as continued to flick his hair around.

"Delighted." Elyrie pressed her lips together but the sarcastic tone was unable to hide. Her eyes met Sokka's, who was sitting on the other side of the table. His mouth stuffed, he tried to prevent himself from laughing out loud. Elyrie shook her head with an amused smile.

"Admiral Chow was surprised by my attack." Hahn continued, "After I had defeated the fifty soldiers on the ship."

"Zhao." Elyrie mumbled behind her cup. She felt her grip tighten until she was sure she could break the cup with just her hand. "Didn't he throw you in the ocean?" she asked innocently to lift up her spirits. Hahn was getting on her nerves and she enjoyed the look of shame that crossed his face.

He was silent for a few minutes, which she used to talk with Kun who was sitting on her other side. He was excited to go back to his home, but Elyrie saw him more than once exchange glances with the pretty Water Tribe girl on the other side of the table. She knew her name was Lyana and she saw a faint blush on her olive skin whenever Kun looked in her direction. Elyrie took a sip of her wine to hide her smile when she saw the blush that stained Kun's pale cheeks.

"You must be hearing rumours about us." Hahn suddenly said while flicking his hair away from his face, undoubtedly an attempt to woo her. She almost spit out the mulled wine.

"Beg pardon?" she coughed in an attempt to win some time to make sure she had heard him correctly. Us? she thought as she tried to wipe the stains from the table with her napkin, when was there an 'us'?.

"I was promised Yue's hand in marriage." Hahn answered with his eyes on her profile, "But that didn't work out." He watched the newest member of the Royal Family clean the table with her napkin. She had a pretty profile and the classic blue eyes of the Water Tribe. Like Yue, her appearance was not like any other in the Northern Water Tribe. He liked that, especially because she came with the most benefits now that Yue was gone.

"And what has this exactly to do with me?" Elyrie asked in a calm voice and looked him into his eyes, crumpling up the napkin.

"Since her departure," the young man said while flipping his hair out of his face again, "I have no longer a betrothal."

"Neither have I," Elyrie replied, her sapphire eyes gleaming with irritation because she knew which way this conversation was heading, "And I am quite content that way."

"You must know that the people are expecting us to marry." Hahn countered as he started tapping impatiently on the table.

"I am done with complying to other people's wishes." Elyrie replied as she picked up her cup of wine. She did not drink from it, however. She felt her fingers tighten around the cup, ready to throw it if he dared to insult her again.

"That is not how a proper woman behaves," Hahn said in a condescending tone, "A true woman is obedient and dutiful. She must support her husband and is to be seen and –"

"Better seen and not heard?" she interrupted with a sneer, the wine in her cup now boiling from the heat she was igniting, "I have heard that before."

"But-," he began before she cut him off by raising her other hand. "No." she said decisively.

"You might not get another proposal" he said in a tone which implied that it was all she could hope for.

"I'll take that chance." she answered while uncrossing her legs to stand up. When he grabbed her wrist, her body reacted before she did. She didn't hesitate and poured all the hot wine she had over his head. It was not hot enough to burn him, but just enough to thicken and make a sticky mess of his proud hair.

A wave of shocked murmurs went through the hall. Everyone stared at her when she placed the empty cup over Hahn's ponytail, so it could stand upside down. She knew it was petty, but she didn't care.

"Please, excuse me." She said in a polite tone before making a curtsy and walked out of the great hall without looking at anyone.

As soon as she was out of sight, she began to run. She ran all the way back to her room. She felt herself slightly shaking. She was not used to acting out like that. She ever did something before thinking, but even the mention of another betrothal made her blood boil and her skin crawl. Especially to such a figure as Hahn.

She sighed as she pushed aside the woollen fabric, wondering if she would be reprimanded for speaking out against such an important family of the Northern Water Tribe. Or humiliating such an important family, she thought as she picked up a pillow and gave it a few punches. She wanted to scream into the pillow, just scream to let out the frustrations.

But she didn't. She threw her pillow on her bed and began to pace back and forth.

"I've been here for barely a month!" she yelled to no one in particular. She knew about the customs. The patriarchy. If I thought the Fire Nation nobility had few opportunities for women, I was sorely mistaken. Marriages for convenience were common, but the woman always had a say in the matter. Women were free to educate themselves and serve in the army. Here even the female benders were excluded from battle and forced to stick to healing. Katara might study waterbending here, but she was an exception.

Elyrie let herself fall down on her bed. She felt everything inside her turn when she though of another engagement. She inhaled a shaky breath, feeling her skin heat up as if her body physically rejected the idea. "Not again, never again" she mumbled as she wringed her hands together, "Not another prison."

In her anger and frustration, she pulled the pins from her hair until her curls were all down her back. Igniting her fists, she wanted to burn something to the ground. This was unlike her, she never lost her temper. So this is what Zuko feels like every day, she mused as she extinguished the flames from her hands. She chuckled as she felt her anger and frustration cool down. There had to be a first for everything, she mused as he lit up her fingers and watched as the flames danced over her fingertips. It was a soothing sight and she felt the calmness come over her again.

After what felt like hours, she heard Kun call her name. "Elyrie?" the familiar voice said from the other side of the fabric. Elyrie sighed and sat back up. There was no need to postpone the inevitable any longer.

"Come in." she said as she straightened her dress and tucked her loose strands of hair behind her ears.

Kun entered with a serious look on his face. "Chief Arnook requests your presence in the sitting room." he said as he extended his arm to the young woman. Elyrie took it without protesting.

"I'm sorry I created such a scene during your party." Elyrie said as they walked through the icy corridors of the Royal Palace. To her surprise, Kun chuckled. "No problem at all," he grinned, "you created quite a stir. Especially Sokka seemed to enjoy your little stunt."

Elyrie pressed her lips together to prevent herself from giggling. Then a shadow crossed her face when she thought of the reprimanding that was about to come. About the arranged marriage that was planned for her. Her nostrils flared and her skin heated up again, as if her body prepared itself for an Agni Kai.

Kun noticed it and placed his large hand over her small hand, which rested on his arm. "Maybe it will turn out all right." he said in a comforting tone just as they reached the wooden door which let to the private quarters of the Chief. The room where she had first spoken to her family, to warn them about Zhao's plans.

"I hope so," she sighed as she let go of his arm, "Thank you for accompanying me." Kun smiled and bowed before he walked away.

Elyrie took a deep breath and knocked on the door. The sound echoed throughout the corridors. "Come in." the deep voice of the Chief said. Inhaling sharply, Elyrie pushed open the door.

Chief Arnook, Panuk and her grandmother were all sitting down and looked at her when she entered the room. Even Aang was present, sitting in the corner of the room. I need to beg forgiveness from a lot of people so it seems, Elyrie thought as she clenched her fists, at least Hahn is not here.

"Elyrie," the older woman began as she looked at her granddaughter, "You know what we want to talk about."

It did not sound like a question, so Elyrie didn't answer. Neither did she sit down. She started to turn her mother's ring around her finger and avoided the blue eyes of her grandmother.

"Hahn's family is very important here," her Chief Arnook continued, "We don't want to create tension without our borders. We need to keep the Tribe together, especially now."

"When was this discussed?" Elyrie asked as dug her nails into her palms, "I have never heard of an engagement until this evening."

"Hahn's betrothal was ended after the Siege," Chief Arnook said stiffly, "So he and his father have been demanding a new bride."

"But I am very happy to never marry. You don't need me to carry on the Royal bloodline." Elyrie said quickly as she lifted her head. She knew she was not to be the next in line. The lineage was male, so Panuk would be the next Chief. And after that, his son when he came of age.

"You have to understand, dear," the older woman said in a soft voice, "That there are rules in place which dictate how we live."

"You break every rule when it matters enough, Nana," Elyrie answered with a calm voice, "I am the evidence. My mother did not agree with the rules, that is why she left."

That hits the target, because she saw the eyes of the old woman soften.

"Nana, I want to belong here," Elyrie continued as she lifted her chin and straightened her back, "You have no idea how much, but I won't be forced into this. I was someone's fiancée once against my better judgement and I will never make that mistake again." She felt her heartbeat increase. "I will not be forced into marriage, not now, not ever. I have been engaged to a man whom I did not love and I still carry the consequences of that decision."

"I don't want to create a rift," she continued as she looked from person to person, "But you have to understand how troubling this is for me. I was not raised with your customs, nor is arranged marriage something that is very common in the Fire Nation. You can't expect me to completely adjust to a new culture in less than a month?"

Three pair of blue eyes looked at her, unreadable. Chief Arnook looked at the girl in front of him. She had stood there when he first saw her. On her own, to warn the Water Tribe for the upcoming danger. All on her own, with no idea how the warning was to be received. He could have thrown her in the dungeon just as easily, but that hadn't stopped her from taking the risk of coming to the Water Tribe as a Fire Nation citizen.

She had been so polite, so patient. But he immediately saw that her gentleness and polite manners were not to be mistaken for weakness. He saw it again as she stood in front of him now: with her chin lifted and her back straight, she looked as if she was ready to fight until the end.

He remained silent as his thoughts wandered off to his own daughter. She had accepted the arranged marriage without question and obliged to the expectations of her people. Had she been hesitant as well? He would never know now. She seemed content with the arrangements, as was customary in their Tribe. He himself was married out of duty. He came to love his Kiana with all his heart, but that was not the way it always happened. Thyra had proven it.

"You truly are your mother's daughter." Chief Arnook finally said while stroking his chin, "Thyra had the same opinion about arranged marriages. And if it is any consolation: we never agreed on a match between you and Hahn. It was something he tried to arrange himself, but we all saw how it was received."

Panuk chuckled and Elyrie looked down, slightly embarrassed. "I do apologize for creating such a scene during the banquet." she said as she twisted her little finger.

"Don't be sorry," Panuk said with a smile, "It was about time someone put him in his place."

Elyrie exchanged looks with her younger uncle, who gave her a wink. Her Nana, however, remained serious and looked at her granddaughter. "And we know you are homesick." she said with a motherly look, "That is what we wanted to discuss with you. But it is very much to your credit that you apoligised to us for your behaviour."

"You knew I was homesick?" Elyrie asked as she looked up in alarm.

"Yes, dear" her Nana answered with a gentle smile, "Words travel fast over an icy surface. Especially if they are sung in such a sad song by such a talented singer."

"Elyrie, we apologize if you feel forced or restrained by us and our customs," Panuk said with a kind smile to his niece. He had grown very fond of the spirited young girl. "If your mother taught us anything, it was that rules were meant to be broken once in a while."

"We want so much for you to feel at home here, but we understand that it cannot happen overnight," her grandmother continued as she stood up and took the hands of her granddaughter, "We know you received an invitation from old friends, so you are welcome to accompany the Avatar and his friends on the way there."

Elyrie was so surprised that she did not even ask how they knew about the invitation. She looked at Aang, who nodded at her enthusiastically. "We'll travel together until we reach the colonies, and from there you and Kun could take a boat to your desired destination. Do you want to come?"

"Can I?" she asked as her voice started to tremble with excitement, "Oh, can I really?"

"Of course!" Aang smiled at her, "We would love to have you come with us!"

Touched by so much kindness and understanding, Elyrie embraced her grandmother warmly. "Thank you, Nana." she whispered.

Her grandmother patted her on the back. "You are a good girl and you deserve to be happy. I owe it to my darling Thyra to help her daughter in any way I can."

"Know that you always have a home to return to," The Chief said as he placed his hand on her small shoulders in a fatherly manner, "Because you are our family and that will never change."

"I am in no mood for surprises, Uncle." Zuko groaned with his back turned to the door. He laid on his bed in the small cabin he and his Uncle occupied during their stay in the resort. The sun was going down, but it was almost completely dark in the small room. He had closed the shutters and did not bother to light a candle.

Tomorrow would be the anniversary of his banishment. Five long years of yearning and dreaming of redemption, but he was still not a step closer to restoring his honour. No surprise could make him feel better.

"Not even for an old friend?" A soft laugh like a clattering waterfall followed.

Zuko immediately sat up straight and looked at the smaller silhouette which stepped from behind his Uncle's.

A few golden rays of sunshine had slipped through the shutters, just enough to illuminate the face which belonged to the small silhouette. His golden eyes met the glittering blue eyes and he saw a smile that he would recognize anywhere.

"Hi Zuko."

Chapter Text

*Revised 9/1/2021*

I rewrote part of this chapter because I was not entirely happy with the first draft. Hope you like the (albeit small) changes!

Special thanks to formerAnnie for her feedback :)

There are people that can make your heart instantly beat faster.

There are people that light up a room, just by their presence.

There are people that can make you smile by just seeing their face.

If you are lucky, you will find a person that can make you smile every day. No matter how difficult or how dark everything seems at that moment, you cannot help yourself but smile in their presence.

And for Zuko, that one person just entered his dark and gloomy existence again.

"Hi Zuko," he heard a female voice say, "Glad to see you again."

Elyrie saw his dark silhouette sitting up straight. "Lily!" he answered, his baritone surprisingly clear in the dark. Elyrie felt a wave of affection go through her at the sound of her pet name. She had not told anybody about her pet name at the North Pole. For some reason, it felt extremely private and she was not ready to share something so personal with her newfound family just yet. But she could have known that Zuko would call her that. He barely had called her anything else for as long as she remembered.

Smiling, she walked over to the shutters to open them. The setting sunlight filled the room with an orange light. Zuko stood up from the matrass and walked towards her as his eyes adjusted to the light.

In the light, Elyrie was finally able to see his face. It was healed, for which she was glad. The bruises and cuts had disappeared and his alabaster skin was as smooth as she remembered. His cheeks were somewhat hollow, no doubt the result from the weeks without food and water. His hair was still shaven except for the ponytail. His eyes, the colour of molten gold, looked red and puffed as if he had not slept in days. She did not doubt for a second that the last few weeks had taken their toll on him. Nevertheless, it seemed like his lips formed a smile.

Zuko walked towards Elyrie, just as she opened the shutters. Shielding his eyes from the bright light that filled the room, he walked towards the small figure. When his eyes adjusted, he was able to see her more clearly. No longer wearing the long, flowing dresses, she was now dressed in a pair of blue pants and a thin, white vest. Her auburn hair was tied back into a low ponytail, which let small strands of hair dance freely around her heart-shaped face. She had a blush on her pale cheeks and her full lips were formed into a broad smile. The captivating sapphire eyes looked at him with the same happiness he felt when he finally saw her sweet face again.

"What are you doing here?" he asked as he found his voice again. Her smile was so enchanting, he could not help himself but to answer her smile.

His eyes fell on the small scar on her temple, which was barely visible anymore. Only a thin white line had remained. How different from my own, he involuntary thought. Again, the anger and desperation came back to the surface.

"I came to see you." Elyrie answered cheerfully, but she did not miss his eyes darkening, "I missed you." In a reflex, she grabbed his hand. Surprised at her reaction and her words, Zuko looked down as she closed her cool, slender fingers around his.

Before Elyrie could say anything, she felt Zuko pull her closer and place his arms around her in a swift motion. With one hand on her back and the other on the back of her head, he pressed the girl to his chest. Pleasantly surprised by his reaction, Elyrie placed her own arms around his waist. Burying his face in her shoulder, she heard him say "I missed you too, Lily."

Slightly pulling away, Elyrie looked at Zuko's face and saw the golden eyes brighten again. Relieved, she softly exhaled. As she did this, her full lips slightly parted. Zuko's golden eyes looked at her mouth for less than a second. He wondered how soft the touch of her lips could be. Elyrie saw his face lowering slightly and felt that her own heart started to pound faster.

Then, small cough brought the two back to the present moment.

Zuko let go of the girl and looked at Iroh, who was still standing on the doorstep with an amused smile. Sheepishly rubbing his neck, he nodded to his Uncle. He had completely forgotten he was there too.

"Prince Zuko," his Uncle said with knowing look, "Isn't it wonderful that Elyrie has rejoiced us with her presence here?"

"Yeah," Zuko stammered as he looked at the twinkling blue eyes, "I-, ehm, very wonderful."

Elyrie let out a small chuckle at his stammering. "Do you want to come to the beach with me?" she asked with a voice like warm honey. Zuko groaned and shook his head, scoffing at the suggestion. It was nothing his Uncle had not asked a million times since they arrived at the resort. "I promise you don't have to swim!" she added with a smile.

Looking back into her blue eyes, he wanted to refuse. Then he halted as he saw her expectant look. "Fine." he sighed. Elyrie clasped her hands together in delight as she practically danced to the door, her curls bouncing up and down behind her.

"Will you be joining us, Uncle?" she asked in a sweet voice as she placed her hand on his arm. Gently, the general patted her hand as he shook his head. "No dear," he answered, "I have a tea brewing session planned." He frowned his brow at the torn pants and old shirt his nephew was wearing, the rags from his outfit at the North Pole. "Prince Zuko, wouldn't you want to change first?" he asked carefully, "to something more appropriate for the beach?"

Zuko looked at his attire and felt his good cheek heat up. He had not been expecting company, so he had thrown on the first thing that was laying around the cabin. "Just a moment," he mumbled as he walked to the small closet, "I'll be right out."

Elyrie hid her smile behind her hand as she tactfully walked out of the room. His Uncle lingered in the doorstep for a moment before he said "Enjoy your evening, Prince Zuko." Zuko nodded to his Uncle as he grabbed a light red tunic and comfortable pants.

Fumbling with his torn shirt, he took a few deep breaths. Was she really here? He found it hard to believe. The last weeks had been nothing but misery and bad luck for him. The moment he had left her in that frozen hell, everything had spiralled downwards. He pulled his tunic over his head and straightened it. It still hurt that she had stayed there. After Zhao's demise, he had expected her to come with him. He wanted her to come with him. He could have protected her and taken her with him when he returned to the Fire Nation with his honour, like his Uncle had said.

With one leg in his pants, he almost fell over because he was not paying attention to what he was doing. Steadying himself against the wall, he groaned. She had stayed behind for her family. People she barely knew. It made him irrationally angry for some reason, but then again: almost everything made him angry at this point.

But then, she came here and it was as if dawn itself had returned in his dark life. With her, it always was as if no time had passed between them. And now, she was waiting for a walk on the beach with him. His lips twitched again, forming a smile against his better judgement. He had refused his Uncle's requests a hundred times over, but he realised that he would even play the tsungi horn to be with her at this moment.

Elyrie looked around the resort and was pleasantly surprised at its beauty. Uncle had given her a quick tour just after she had arrived and shown her the massage parlours, relaxing pools and the beautiful beach. The village was located in a mountainous region close to the ocean, which created an unusually beautiful scenery. With a waterfall so close to the ocean and cherry trees surrounding the area, it almost seemed like she had designed the place herself.

The perfect cure for homesickness, she thought happily. Even though this place was technically not Fire Nation, the influences were visible everywhere in this part of the colony in the language, customs and architecture. The waterfall, beautiful mountains and the sight of the ocean was like one of the pictures in her books.

She kicked off her slippers and stepped off the wooden deck in the soft white sand. She cherished the feeling of soft sand beneath her bare feet. After weeks of steel and ice beneath her, it felt refreshing to feel warm sand again. The sweet scent of cherry blossom and grass tickled her nose as she inhaled deeply. Walking to the shoreline, she felt a pleasant shiver as the waves rolled over her bare feet.

Standing on the shore, she felt the pushing and pulling of the waves against her ankles. The clear water came again and again. The fresh air and salty sea breeze caressed her face.

Zuko saw her silhouette standing by the shoreline. The reddish-brown curls formed an aureole around her face as she stood with her back to the setting sun. "Beautiful, isn't it?" she asked when he came standing next to her, although out of reach of the waves.

"Look," she said as picked up a beautiful white shell, which curved upwards. Placing the shell against her ear, like her mother had shown her when she was small, she heard the sounds of waves. She handed the shell to Zuko, "Remember how Mama used to tell us that you could hear the sea in this, no matter how far from the ocean you were?"

Zuko nodded and when she handed him the shell, he saw the small white line on her left ring finger, where the engagement ring used to be. For some reason, it made him quite happy to see that it was gone. But he had noticed the other ring on her right hand. He took the smooth shell from her, but didn't raise it to his ear. "Lily," he asked tentatively, "Where did you get the ring?"

Elyrie turned her hand to look at the stone. "It was my mother's" she answered with a smile as she extended her hand to Zuko so he could get a better look, "It was the engagement ring my father had given her."

"It is beautiful," he answered as he lightly lifted her slender fingers to his eyes. The ring was made of white-gold and was more delicate than the pompous ring Zhao had given to her. The sapphire was almost the same colour as her eyes. "It suits you" he said as he let go of her hand.

"I think so too!" she retracted her hand with a smile and let her thumb go over the sapphire.

For a time, neither of them said anything as they began to walk across the shoreline. It was not an uncomfortable silence, on the contrary: they simply enjoyed each other's company in silence. Zuko had never been a man who enjoyed meaningless chitchat very much. Nothing bothered him more than people who continued to fill the silence by talking about superficial subjects like the weather or his health. To make matter worse: that was all the people in the resort seemed to talk about.

Zuko growled and kicked a small stone in the water as he thought about the last couple of days. They had stretched on like a yawning void, inevitably leading up to tomorrow. Tomorrow, he thought as he felt his chest constrict.

"Lily," Zuko finally said as he continued to walk alongside her, "Why have you come here?" Her arrival was so unexpected and so well-timed, he refused to believe it was a mere coincidence that she was here. "I thought you needed to stay at the Northern Water Tribe?"

Elyrie bit her lip before she answered. Instinctively, she felt that he did not need to hear that his Uncle had summoned her as a means of distraction. Moreover, it was not entirely true. She exhaled slowly as she kept looking at the shoreline in front of her.

"To tell you the truth," she began as she started to turn her ring around her finger, "I was homesick." She cursed herself as soon as the word had left her lips.

Zuko raised his eyebrows as she walked out of the waves and let herself fall down in the warm, white sand.

"Homesick?" he asked, unable to believe that she of all people could feel unhappy.

Chewing on her bottom lip, she knew she was entering dangerous territory. If anybody was homesick, it was him. She had not come here to tell her own depressing stories. But they had never lied to each other.

"It was truly a blessing to learn more about my mothers culture and the other part of my history," she said while turning her sapphire ring around, "But it was all quite overwhelming."

Zuko saw that she started to twist her ring, signalling she was nervous. "It is a vastly different place," she slowly explained with her eyes fixed on the horizon as the sun started to touch the surface of the ocean, "It is a tight-knit community and people are very welcoming."

"The only thing is, I felt like an outsider. Not just because I am Fire Nation, but because everything is so different from everything we grew up with. The culture, the customs, even the food! They all tried their hardest to make me feel welcome, but I could not shake the feeling."

Elyrie walked out of the waves and let herself fall down in the warm sand in the hope to calm her nerves, but it was no use. The fear and helplessness she felt when Hahn began about another marriage resurfaced.

"When I was there," she said as while still kicking the sand beneath her feet, "One of the men proposed the idea of marriage."

Zuko's hand tightened around the shell she had given him until he heard a soft cracking sound beneath his palm.

"I refused and might have thrown my wine over his head in the process," Elyrie continued as Zuko sat down next to her.

"You threw wine over him?" Zuko repeated with raised eyebrows. His prim and proper friend who never spoke out of turn had thrown wine over somebody who proposed marriage. It was an amusing idea. But when he looked at her face, he saw that she didn't smile. Instead, her eyes darkened as the last rays of sunshine disappeared behind the waves of the ocean. On the dark blue canvas of the night sky, the stars and moon became visible.

"My family fortunately agreed with me that marriage was not the most logical next step for me" she said as she looked at Zuko and her blue eyes hardened, "But all the time it felt like I was a foreigner and I just felt-," she said as her voice broke.

"Alone?" Zuko finished for her.

She sighed and turned to look at him. His eyes almost glowed in the dark. She away from his compassionate eyes and felt foolish. She was here to cheer him up, yet now he was the one comforting her.

"Yes" she whispered as she looked at the Moon, "But I am so sorry to cast such a shadow on a lovely evening." She pulled the ribbon from her hair and let her curls fall down her face as she twirled a strand of hair between her slender fingers . "I came here because I missed you. I missed Uncle. I missed my home." She let her hand rest on his knee, "And you have no idea how happy I am to be here."

With the starry sky above them, the waves provided a soothing musical symphony. The two of them sat in comfortable silence for a long time. Zuko absentmindedly caressed her long hair as he watched the waves in front of him. Her familiar scent of roses comforted him, just like she had done so often. And you have no idea how happy I am to see you again, he thought to himself.

Maybe it is not always about avoiding hardships, Elyrie mused while enjoying how Zuko stroked her hair, Maybe we can find solace in comforting others as well. Compassion is a wonderful thing; it can help you see things from another perspective and help yourself as well.

"Frankly, I don't know where to go from here." Elyrie said, breaking the silence. "For the first time, the path that lies ahead is determined by only me."

"And isn't that what you always wanted?" Zuko asked as he continued to let her soft hair slip between his fingers. It was so simple, yet so comforting to have her with him here.

"It is!" she said cheerfully as she stood up to stretch her strained muscles, asleep from sitting long in the same position. Zuko let the strands of hair slip out his hand as she pushed herself up.

"Perhaps I'll travel the world as a writer," Elyrie said as she twirled around " or an opera singer, wouldn't that be lovely?" She started humming as Zuko glanced at a loose curl that fell over her shoulder.

Zuko shook his head with a smile. Leaning back on his elbows, he watched her twirl and hum. "What would you write about then?" he asked as she stopped twirling and sat down again.

"Oh, everything!" she exclaimed as she sat down on her knees, "I have spend my entire life reading books, so maybe I finally put them to use?"

"And what do you want to sing then?" he asked as his hand went over in the warm sand.

"Love songs, lullabies, folksongs!" she chuckled as stood back up and made a mocking bow, as if she thanked the invisible audience, "Everything I know!"

She extended her hand to help him stand up. "Come, it is late." she said as he grasped her hand, cool fingers entangling warm ones, "We need to head back."

"So," Zuko said as they walked back, "This means that whole world can enjoy the noise you so often produce, both on paper and in real life?"

Elyrie threw her head in her neck and laughed. "Of course!" she said with glittering eyes, "Why torture only you when there are so many others?"

Zuko shook his head and she stepped in front of him and walked backwards so she could look him in the eyes. "Is there by any chance a piano here?" she asked, "I haven't played in a long time."

"There is," Zuko answered, "But do you really need it to sing?"

"Zuko," she answered with a glitter of mischief in her eyes, "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you wanted me to sing."

"Don't be ridiculous." he answered with a smirk. She laughed again as continued to walk backwards. "Any requests?" she asked playfully as she raised her arched eyebrow.

"Surprise me" Zuko answered.

Then, she started to sing. Soft, but clear and pure.

I can hear you
You can hear me
When we listen with our hearts

I understand you
You understand me
That's a place where we can start

Her soprano reached a crescendo and echoed over the smooth surface of the sea.

Words of kindness and forgiveness
Bring us closer, not apart
When we speak our minds
And listen with our hearts

In her enthusiasm, she did not pay attention where she was going and her heels met the wooden deck behind her which separated the resort from the beach. Zuko grabbed his arm when she almost stumbled backwards on the deck.

"Thanks!" she laughed as she grabbed his lower arms with both hands to steady herself. When she stepped backwards on the deck, her eyes levelled with Zuko's. His warm, golden eyes looked beautiful, she involuntary noticed.

"Don't mention it" he answered as he stepped on the deck and swept the sand from his clothing. Elyrie followed his example and ran her fingers through her long curls to pat off any leftover sand.

Iroh smiled when the pair entered the cabin. Zuko looked a lot better, he immediately noticed. A glimps of a smile was visible in his golden eyes. Iroh sighed content.

"I have made some special tea for you, dear!" Iroh said to Elyrie as he motioned to the steaming pot on the table, "It is a blend of jasmine and lychees!"

Zuko groaned at his Uncle and his tea obsession, but Elyrie smile widened.

"It sounds wonderful, Uncle" the girl answered as she sat down at the table. She took a sip from the cup Uncle offered her. The sweet, warm drink tasted delicious. Uncle's tea is always delicious, she mused as she took another sip.

"Now," Iroh said as he gave Zuko a cup and sat down as well, "I want to hear everything about your stay at the North Pole!"

So Elyrie told them everything that had happened to her. It almost seemed like a fairtyale when she told the whole story. She told how she had stowed away on the battleship and got picked up by waterbenders and brought to the Chief. How she had been recognized and her relation to the Water Tribe was made known. That her family were no mere commoners, but members of the Royal Family. That her mother was Thyra, the lost princess of the Northern Water Tribe. The lost princess who ran away from home, only for her daughter to return years later to take her rightful place.

"So you are a Princess of the Northern Water Tribe then?" Zuko asked in disbelief. The whole story had baffled him. He thought she had found her family among the commoners. This could only happen to her, he thought amused.

"Don't look so shocked," Elyrie answered with a playful look, "Have you never noticed my royal appearance and natural elegance?"

"Just a minute ago, I noticed you falling over because you were not paying attention to where you were going" Zuko quipped with an arched eyebrow.

Elyrie let out a sparkling laugh. "But to answer your question: I am not a Princess, but my mother certainly was!"

"That would explain a lot." Iroh said as he tapped his finger to his chin and thought about Thyra. He always had admired her and was saddened by her death. Her soft voice and natural grace was something that could only be achieved by growing up among generations of royal women. Elyrie had inherited her poised demeanor, he mused, as well as the adaptable nature of the Water Tribe citizens.

"Now I understand why my parents were always so adamant about not letting me try bending," Elyrie said as she lit up her fingers. The small flames danced over the tips as small candles. "If I turned out to be a waterbender, it could have been discovered."

"And once you turned out to be a firebender, they could not go back on their word." Iroh finished for her, as he remembered how hesitant her parents had been about the bending of her daughter. Yet, he wondered why neither of them had told her about her mother's heritage. They surely had a good reason, he didn't doubt it, but it made him curious nonetheless.

"Exactly," Elyrie answered as she extinguished the flames, "But I do wonder why I turned out to be a firebender. Has it something to do with your character?"

"Partly, but my theory is that it has something to do with your birthdate." Iroh said as he poured himself another cup of tea.

"Why?" Elyrie asked as she took another sip from her own tea.

"Your character is more fitting for a waterbender: calm and patient. Firebenders often have more temperament," Iroh said as he put down the pot and shot his nephew an obvious look. Zuko answered it with a glare.

"But you were born on the Summer Solstice," Iroh continued, ignoring his nephew and looking at the auburn-haired girl across the table, "During the Summer Solstice, firebending is at its strongest. They say that the most powerful benders are born around that time."

"So you think that I was destined to be a bender and my birthday was the tiebreaker?" Elyrie asked as she tapped her nails on the side of the cup, pondering his theory.

"More or less." Uncle nodded to her.

"I see," Elyrie answered as she placed a hand over her mouth to stifle a yawn, "But forgive me. It was a long day and I am very tired." Stretching her arms above her head, she asked "Do you mind if I went to bed?"

"Of course not, dear", Iroh said as he rose from his chair. He walked over to the closet and handed her a blanket. "I prepared the cabin next to ours for you. Your bags are there already, but here is a blanket in case you are cold."

She took the blankets with a smile and embraced the older man. "Thank you for always being so thoughtful." she said warmly.

Iroh beamed with pride. "You are very welcome," he answered as a faint blush coloured his cheeks, "but now it is time to go to bed!"

The next morning, Zuko woke up long past sunrise.

Stretching his muscles, he blinked a few times to watch the bright sunlight that filled the small cabin. He felt well rested, undoubtedly the result from a good night sleep.

"Good morning, Prince Zuko" he heard the voice of his Uncle say, "Would you like some lunch?"

"Lunch?" Zuko repeated as he rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand.

"Yes," Iroh replied jovially, "It is almost noon."

"Noon?" Zuko repeated again as he jumped out of his bed to get dressed, "Why didn't you wake me?"

"What for?" Iroh asked innocently, "Did you have plans?"

Grumbling, Zuko said something that sounded like "Nothing." Iroh hid his smile by pretending to cough. The last days had been a great pain to get Zuko out of bed at all. With a little bit of luck, he might even forget what day it is, Iroh mused as he watched his nephew pulling a shirt over his head. He knew that was too much wishful thinking, but it was nice to see Zuko enthusiastic for a change.

Zuko splashed a bit of water in his face to wash himself. In the small mirror, he tied his hair in a ponytail and inspected his reflection. Before he could open his mouth, his Uncle already responded: "On the pier."

Still mumbling, he thanked his Uncle and swiftly walked outside to the small pier. Build above the river, it was a beautiful place to look at the mountains. Zuko immediately spotted the auburn hair. Elyrie sat crossed-legged on a bench with a book in her lap. The book, bound in red leather, was opened at the middle. She must have sat there for quite some time.

"What are you reading?" he asked as he say down next to her.

"Good morning!" Elyrie said with a radiant smile, "If even I am up before you, it says something."

"Yeah, yeah," he scoffed as he pointed to the book in her lap. "What is it?"

"A collection of old legends and myths." she answered as she showed him the beautiful picture of a castle on the side of a rock, "I was just starting with the myth about Eros and Psyche."

"What is that?" he asked when she placed a small piece of paper as a bookmark between the pages.

"A legend about a beautiful mortal woman who caught the attention of an immortal God." she answered as her finger trailed the golden letters on the cover. "Do you want to hear it?"

She opened her book again at the beginning of the story when Zuko nodded to her. When he saw her sitting there, he thought about the first time he had met her, more than fifteen years ago.

With a grunt, the eight year old Prince threw the book against the wall. Despite his expensive education, reading was something that was a challenge for him. He hated the small letters that danced around when he tried to make sense of them.

"Why did you do that?" a voice asked indignantly. When the young Prince looked up, he saw a girl with reddish-brown standing at the entrance of the library. She couldn't be older than his sister, but he had never seen her before.

"Who are you?" he asked when the girl picked up the book he just had thrown off the table. "Elyrie." she answered without looking up. Instead, she inspected the cover and the back of the book to make sure it was still intact.

"You shouldn't throw with books," she said in a high voice, "They didn't do anything to you."

"Maybe not to you," he answered as he crossed his arms in an annoyed manner, "But they are so boring."

The girl did not answer, but instead studied the title on the cover. An Extensive Guide to the History of the Building of Temples. "Is this all you read?" she asked as she placed the book on the table in front of Zuko.

Zuko looked up and saw that the girl had big, dark blue eyes. She didn't look at him as if she wanted to taunt him, like Azula used to do whenever he couldn't do something. She looked rather curious, as if she was truly interested in his answer.

"Yes" he mumbled as he pushed the book away from him, "Books are boring."

The girl chuckled and Zuko looked up annoyed. "Don't laugh at me!" he exclaimed. But the blue eyes were not unkind. "I understand why you hate reading if this is all you read." She said as she walked to a bookcase. For a few moments, she said nothing as she let her small hand trail the backs of the books.

"Here!" she said as she pulled a book from the shelf, "Maybe you like this!"

"What is it?" he asked as he let himself glide out of the chair by the table. "The Legend of Yue Fei" she answered as she climbed into a large chair next to the bookcase. She was so small and the chair so big that she almost sank into the pillows. "It is a story about a brave general who fought to defend his country and protect his family" she said as she placed the book on her lap, her tiny legs dangling above the floor.

"You want me to read it to you?" she asked as she patted the empty spot next to her. He shrugged and climbed into the chair next to her. Then, she started to read out loud.

Her voice was clear when she told of the heroic deeds of Yue Fei, the brave general who defended his country from foreign invaders. A symbol of loyalty, he always stood up for the poor and weak members of society.

Zuko was entranced by the story, but just when the hero was about to leave to fight in the war, the two children were interrupted.

"Lily!" a female voice called from outside the library. "I am here, Mama" the girl answered.

Two women walked into the library. Elyrie immediately recognized the beautiful woman with her mother. Lady Ursa, Princess of the Fire Nation. Wife of Prince Ozai, the brother of General Iroh. Elyrie let herself glide out of the chair and bowed to the Princess.

"Zuko, dear" Ursa said to her eight year old son, "This is Elyrie, the daughter of Thyra."

"Lily," Thyra said in her gentle voice, "Please show your respect to Prince Zuko."

"Very pleased to meet you, Your Highness" the little girl said with a small curtsy, although she almost lost her balance doing it in the long dress. Zuko chuckled and the girl looked up with a shimmer in her eyes. "Well, you try it in a dress then!" she said with a pout.

"Lily" Thyra scolded her daughter, although she tried to hide her smile. Lady Ursa did not even attempt to hide her laugh when she heard the little girl.

Zuko smiled at the long forgotten memory. Her voice, musical even at such a young age, had given him the stories and fairy-tales from around the world. He never knew what kind of worlds were hidden within the pages of books, but she had shown it to him.

"There never was a story of a more pure love, than this of Eros and his Psyche." Elyrie finished as she closed the book.

"So, she only returned to him when her castle was taken from her?" Zuko asked as he leaned back with a scoff.

"You can't be serious!' she exclaimed as she put her book down, "That is not the message at all!"

"Oh please," Zuko answered as he rolled his eyes, "The girl only fell for him because of his riches."

"I can't believe that is what you took from the story!" she said while she playfully slapped him against his chest, "Unbelievable."

From a distance, Iroh stroked his beard with a loving smile as he watched the bickering pair on the small pier. "Are they fighting?" the young masseur asked the older General when he looked at the pair.

"No, not fighting," Iroh answered. "They don't agree on much. Frankly, they don't agree on anything. But there is one thing they share, and that is that they are completely devoted to each other."

He had seen them grow up together. The calm personality of the girl and the hot-headed temper of his nephew couldn't be more different. Yet the funny thing was, they brought out those two traits in each other. She was the only one with whom Zuko acted relaxed. And he was the only one who could tease Elyrie enough to get under her skin and made her lose her patience.

Iroh hated to disturb this peaceful setting, but it was time to go back and have some tea. "Zuko, Elyrie" he shouted, "Time for tea!"

When they entered the cabin, Iroh opened his bag to show them his new treasures. "Look at those magnificent shells" he said with a content smile as he picked up a beautiful shell, "I'll enjoy these keepsakes for years to come!" Elyrie took it from him and admired the pink colour.

"We don't need any more useless things" Zuko groaned as he watched the ever-expanding assortment of trinkets of his Uncle, "You forget, we have to carry everything ourselves now!" Elyrie chuckled, but was abruptly interrupted.

"Hello brother." a sharp voice said, "Uncle."

I hope everyone had a merry Christmas!

In the spirit of that, I thought it was time for some long overdue fluff!

Chapter Text

A slender figure sat relaxed on the wooden chair. Her long legs were elegantly crossed while she held one of the shells Uncle had found in her hand. She had an oval-shaped face and the classic beautiful features of a Fire Nation royal. Her raven black hair was pulled back into a classic Fire Nation top knot, with the two front locks hanging from the side. In her topknot, the Fire Nation symbol was attached to signal her high status. Her lips were painted in a dark red colour, which complemented the colour of her Fire Nation attire. Her cat-like eyes were a dark shade of amber, not gold like Zuko's. But the family resemblance was unmistakable.

Azula, Princess of the Fire Nation. Firebending prodigy. Ozai's favourite child.

"What are you doing here?" Zuko asked, his voice getting dangerously low as he spoke to his sister. Elyrie saw that he clenched his hands to fists and that the muscles in his neck tensed, as if he prepared himself for a fight. Next to Zuko, Iroh's kind face darkened at the sight of his niece.

"In my country," Azula said undisturbed as she continued playing with the shell in her hand "We exchange a pleasant hello before asking questions."

She stood up from her seat and walked casually to Zuko. "Have you become uncivilized so soon, Zuzu?" she asked, the tone of her voice innocent as she called Zuko by his childhood nickname.

"Don't call me that!" Zuko yelled at his sister, who stood unaffected with her arms crossed in front of him.

"To what do we owe this honour?" Iroh asked, his tone respectful but Elyrie did not miss the wary undertone in his voice.

"Must be a family trait," Azula said with a sadistic smile on her face, "Both of you so quick to get to the point." Her long nails, filed to sharp points, broke the shell in her hands without effort. As the pieces of shell fell on the floor, Elyrie exchanged looks with Iroh, who had narrowed his eyes at the Fire Nation Princess.

Elyrie had said nothing and watched the encounter. As caring as Zuko was, that is how ruthless his sister could be. From a young age she was a manipulative genius, bending people at her will. So far, she had completely ignored her presence in the cabin. Not that Elyrie minded in the slightest. First of all, she knew it was one of Azula's strategies. And second, she was not sure what the Princess was doing here, but whatever it was: it could never be good.

"I've come with a message from home," Azula continued in an almost bored tone, "Father's changed his mind. Family is suddenly very important to him."

Elyrie clenched her jaw at Azula's message. She said it casually, as if it was not an enormous load she just landed on her brother.

"He's heard rumours about plans to overthrow him," Azula continued as her amber eyes kept looking at her brother's face, "Treacherous plots." She lowered her voice, as if she tried to let her brother in on this secret. "Family are the only ones you can really trust."

Are you sure about that? Elyrie thought to herself as she clenched her jaw tighter. She did not trust this charade one bit. A quick glance sideways and she saw that Uncle shared her sentiments.

"Father regrets your banishment," Azula said as she looked away with a look of feigned sadness in her eyes, "He wants you home."

Those words. How long Zuko had waited to hear those words. That his father wanted him home and wanted him to come back to the Fire Nation.

"Did you hear me?" Azula said, her voice sounding far away now to him, "You should be happy, excited, grateful!"

Zuko did not respond. Instead, he turned to the window and watched the setting sun cast a red light on the cherry blossom.

"I just gave you great news." Azula said, her voice now soft and her smile inviting.

"I'm sure your brother simply needs a moment–" Iroh began in an effort to give Zuko more time to let the news sink in, but he was quickly cut off.

"Don't interrupt, Uncle!" Azula sneered at the older man.

There it is, Elyrie thought as she saw the charade of the Princess slightly falter. Iroh had always been the only one who didn't let himself get manipulated by the young woman. And Azula knew it. Uncle did not get a chance to speak, because that could ruin her plan.

"I still haven't heard my thank you," Azula said as she turned to her brother, "I'm not a messenger. I didn't have to come all this way."

Then why did you? Both Iroh and Elyrie asked themselves the same question. It wasn't like Azula to do something this caring for her brother.

"Father regrets?" Zuko asked as he continued to look outside, his voice slightly trembling, "He wants me back?" Elyrie felt a sting go through her as she looked at Zuko's helpless face. For a moment, he was a little kid again. The little boy who did everything for his father's approval and attention.

"I can see you need some time to take this in." Azula said gently.

After she had turned around, she fixed her amber eyes on Elyrie's small figure at last. "And here is our lost little friend. You know, you had us worried when you didn't return from the North Pole with your fiancé." The Princess said, her tone sweet and inviting.

"I am touched by your concern," Elyrie replied smoothly as she raised her chin, "But as you can see, I am quite well." Inwardly, she was boiling with anger. What does she know about the Siege of the North Pole? she pondered as she looked into the snake-like eyes of the young woman. Probably everything there is to know.

The two women kept eye contact, neither one of them breaking the silence. Elyrie knew that remaining silent was Azula's way of making another person uncomfortable. But she didn't give in. She had grown up around this girl and she wasn't afraid of her.

Azula's red lips turned into a line when the silence lasted. The blue eyes of the girl in front of her were confident and unaffected. She simply looked back at the Fire Nation Princess, which angered her in a way.

"I'll call on you tomorrow." Azula finally said as she looked at her brother, who was still staring at the red cherry blossom out of the window, "Good evening."

Elyrie finally exhaled when the Princess left the cabin. The veiled threat was not lost on her: if Azula knew anything about her heritage or what happened to Zhao, she would be in great trouble.

She crossed eyes with Iroh and could almost hear the wheels ticking in his brain as he pondered the same question she was asking herself.

What does this mean?

An hour later, they were not anywhere near the answer. In the meantime, night had fallen outside and Elyrie had lit the small lanterns in the cabin. Uncle had brewed them a fresh pot of tea and poured two cups for himself and Elyrie while Zuko had walked tirelessly around the cabin.

"We're going home!" Zuko exclaimed, looking happier than Elyrie had seen him in a very long time, "After five long years, it's unbelievable!"

Elyrie sat across from Iroh at the wooden table with a steaming cup of tea in front on her, but Uncle had not even touched his drink. With her hands clasped around the cup, Elyrie said nothing as she watched Zuko pack his belongings. Silently sipping her tea, she looked at Uncle. Iroh had not shared his nephew's enthusiasm. He sat with his hand on his chin, looking pensively at the rough wood of the table.

"It is unbelievable," Iroh finally agreed with Zuko, "I've never known my brother to regret anything."

"Did you listen to Azula?" Zuko asked as he turned to his Uncle with a frown, "Father realized how important family is. He cares about me."

"I care about you," Iroh retorted, his voice louder than normal as he rose from his seat, "And if Ozai wants you back, it may not be for the reasons you imagine."

Elyrie did not miss his choice of words. He referred to his brother as Ozai, not 'your father'. Now that she thought about it, he almost never had referred to the Fire Lord as Zuko's 'father'.

"You don't know how my father feels about me," Zuko said angrily as he turned his back to his Uncle, "You don't now anything!"

Elyrie tightened her grip. Zuko was being unreasonable now, but she understood why. She did not agree, but she understood. His home, the Fire Nation, his honour; all the things he had dreamed of these past five years were suddenly given to him on a silver platter.

It was too good to be true. It had to be.

She knew that, but he didn't.

"Zuko," Iroh said soothingly, "I only meant that in our family, things are not always what they seem."

"I think you are exactly what you seem," Zuko said furiously as he turned around to look at his Uncle, "A lazy, mistrustful, shallow old man who's always been jealous of his brother!"

"That's it." Elyrie finally said as she slammed her cup on the wooden table. The hot tea spilled over the edges, but she did not pay attention to it. Both men looked surprised at her uncharacteristic outburst. She pushed her chair back, grabbed Zuko's sleeve and pulled him with her. "Outside, now."

Taken aback by her reaction, Zuko followed without protest. Elyrie had remained silent the entire evening, so he had assumed she agreed with him.

"How dare you speak to your Uncle that way?" she said in an icy voice as she let go of his sleeve. They were standing in the dark, the moonlight lighting the cherry blossom above them. Elyrie's blue eyes caught light of the moon and her pretty features were twisted in anger.

"You of all people should agree with me." Zuko said impatiently, "You told me how much you missed home. Why aren't you more supportive? Azula told me-,"

"Zuko, do you hear yourself?" she interrupted in a clear voice, "Why do you trust Azula more than Uncle? Only because she tells you what you want to hear?"

"As if you would understand." Zuko growled at her as he turned his back to her. He did not need another lecture now.

"Don't act like I am a fool, I am not." she retorted, her tone like a poisonous sting. He turned around to look her in the eye, but she was not fazed. "Why are you angry at him? Uncle always has your best interests at heart."

"I am not angry!" he yelled at her as his nostrils flared and sparks came out of his mouth.

"So you are yelling out of pure happiness?" she said with a raised eyebrow as she crossed her arms. He gritted his teeth at her response. Damn this woman, he mentally cursed. He had a temper, but she never seemed to be fazed. Always calm, always collected.

"Just leave me alone." he sneered at her, out of arguments. He turned his back to her again and crossed his arms.

He waited for a response, but nothing came. That was not like Elyrie, so Zuko turned around to see where she was. He saw her retreating figure walking back to her own cabin.

"I know this is how you want things to be, but remember one thing." Elyrie said as she stopped and turned around. She looked him straight in his golden eyes.

"Azula always lies."

The following morning, Zuko was pacing up and down the cabin. All his belongings were collected by the guards, who had taken it to the ship that was waiting in the harbour at the foot of the mountain.

His steps sounded loud in the quiet cabin. He was all alone. Uncle had taken his belongings and moved to Elyrie's cabin when Zuko had told him off last evening. He had seen neither his Uncle or Elyrie after yesterday evening.

He was angry with them, but he couldn't imagine they would let him leave without saying goodbye. He had expected to see them at breakfast, but neither had shown up.

After a few more minutes of pacing, he furiously grabbed his last bag and swung it over his shoulder. "Fine then," he mumbled, "See if I care."

The harbour of the resort was situated at the foot of the mountain. To get there, you needed to climb down the stone staircase, which would take roughly 10 minutes. As Zuko was making his way to the stone staircase, he saw the ship docked at the harbour.

I am really going home, he thought to himself as he saw Azula's flagship. After five years, he finally was going home. He felt happy, but he couldn't shake the feeling of regret. These five years, Uncle had been his constant companion and now he was leaving without even saying goodbye to him. As for Elyrie, it pained him to miss her so soon after being reunited again.

"Wait!" he heard a voice behind him. Zuko turned around and saw his Uncle running down, holding his hand up to motion him to stop. "Don't leave without me!"

"Uncle!" Zuko said, his face immediately lighting up, "You've changed your mind!" Behind Uncle, he saw another figure making her way down to stairs. He felt himself smiling even brighter when he saw the sun catching the red in the auburn hair. Elyrie was coming down the stairs as well.

His Uncle gave him a warm smile as he placed his hand on the shoulder of his nephew. "Family sticks together, right?" Iroh said, touched by the happiness he saw on his nephews face.

"We're finally going home!" Zuko said contently as he looked down at Azula's ship.

"And you?" Zuko asked, his look hopeful when Elyrie reached them. She had her bag strapped to her back and wore loose pants and a tunic with flat shoes. Her long hair was tied with a ribbon in a ponytail, with a few the stubborn strands at the side of her face. She looked ready for travel.

"I am coming to see you off," she answered with a smile, "I want to visit Kun and Jin before I return to the Fire Nation Capital, but I'll visit you in the Palace as soon as I return."

That was enough for him for now. He was going home with Uncle and Lily would follow in no time at all.

"Let's go!" Zuko exclaimed as he took Elyrie's hand and pulled her with him. Elyrie laughed at his enthusiasm and tried to keep up with his quick pace.

Iroh, on the other hand, waited for a moment and shot a suspicious look at the ship down the foot of the mountain. He and Elyrie had discussed the situation at length last night. She agreed with him that Azula and Ozai could have an ulterior motive for summoning Zuko home, but neither of them could explain what it could be. After sleeping on it for the night, they agreed that it was best that Iroh accompanied Zuko in case something would go wrong. Elyrie didn't need to come along, since she had already planned to visit her friends to make sure they were alright. Especially Jin, because she felt responsible for what happened to her.

They had agreed, however, that they would keep an eye out for any oddities this morning. When either of them had the slightest suspicion Azula was up to something, they would take action. "Azula always has hidden motives" Elyrie had said pensively that morning. Iroh had agreed with her, which is why they needed to keep up their guard at all times.

When they reached the walkway, the trio was greeted by at least a dozen guards of the Royal Procession. Elyrie bit her lip at the welcoming committee. She recognized their armour without effort, since she had grown up around them. Their helmets had three-point theme: three spikes a on top of the helmet, three eye holes and the shard-shaped mouth holes. Their colours were mainly gold and red, which easily distinguished this group of elite firebenders who served as personal guards to the Fire Nation Royal Family. Carefully selected and trained, they were among the best firebenders in the world.

As she walked past them, she counted them in her head. Iroh, who was walking beside her, eyed them with suspicion as well. In all his life, he had never seen this many guards for the transport of a single member of the Royal Family. Even Ozai himself was never accompanied by more than four guards.

Elyrie discreetly placed her small hand on his arm and he immediately patted it. They watched Zuko practically ran to the end of the walkway to get up the ramp. Then, Elyrie held up two slender fingers and after a few seconds made it four. She had counted twenty-four guards. Iroh nodded and formed a 'three' with his fingers as he motioned with his head to the ramp.

Azula was standing at the top of the ramp, flanked by two guards. The captain stood at the foot of the ramp as he welcomed his royal guests. Iroh let go of her arm as he walked to his nephew's side. Elyrie remained a few feet behind them.

The twenty-four guards behind Elyrie closed their ranks, forming a row behind her. The uneasy feeling crept up her spine as she bowed before Azula. Twenty-four guards behind me, two next to Azula and a captain on the ramp, she counted while scanning the surroundings.

"Brother, Uncle" Azula said while raising her hands, "Welcome!" Her red lips formed a irresistible smile, as if she was truly happy to see her family again. "I am so glad you decided to come."

"Are we ready to depart, Your Highness?" The captain asked as he walked up the ramp. "Set our course for home, captain." Azula said sweetly as she tilted her head to the side.

"Home" Elyrie heard Zuko say wistfully. Please, let this not be a trap, she thought as she ignored the nagging feeling in her stomach. Let him be happy, he deserves it.

"You heard the Princess," The captain commanded as he motioned to the guards, "Raise the anchors. We are taking the prisoners home."

Everything seemed to stop for a moment.

Azula's face darkened.

Zuko's eyes widened.

The captain swallowed nervously.

Elyrie's breath hitched.

And then, Iroh turned around to kick the guard nearest to him in the water with one smooth motion.

With that move, everything was set into motion again. Elyrie ducked as she felt the heat of a fireblast coming from behind her. She spun in the air and with a fiery kick blasted the guard into the water.

Zuko stormed on the ramp and pushed the captain out of his way without effort. "You lied to me!" he cried furiously at his sister.

Azula simply raised her eyebrows and turned around with a passive hand gesture. "Like I've never done that before."

The two guards at her side shot fireblasts to Zuko. With a cry, Zuko crossed his arms and spread out the flames to deflect the attack. He leapt onto the ship and kicked off the two guards with fireblasts of his own.

On the walkway, Elyrie and Iroh were busy getting rid of the guards. Elyrie's main advantage was her speed and flexibility. The heavy armours of the guards slowed them down, so she used precise attacks and quick moves to knock them into the sea. She propelled herself and flipped backwards when four guards stormed to capture her. Landing behind them, one powerful blast was enough to simultaneously knock them down.

Her hands on her knees, she panted with a grin as she watched Uncle fight the remaining guards. The Dragon of the West hadn't earned his fearsome reputation for nothing: he fought like one-man army. Not for the first time, Elyrie was glad they fought on the same side when she saw guard after guard flying and landing in the water. In the time she had knocked out five guards, Iroh had taken care of at least twelve.

Propelling herself over the guards, Elyrie landed by Iroh's side. Deflecting a fireblast, Elyrie formed a circle of fire around herself and shot small blasts to every guard that approached her.

Iroh pushed away several guards before he took one in a wrestling hold. "Zuko!" he yelled over the commotion, "Let's go!"

Zuko didn't appear, which made Elyrie fear the worst. "Get him!" Iroh yelled at her, "We need to get out of here!" It was no longer the tea loving Uncle who spoke. This was the powerful Dragon of the West, the General who broke through the outer walls of Ba Sing Se. All she could do was obey.

Using firedaggers, Zuko charged at Azula with a blazing fury on the deck of the ship. But Azula dodged all the attacks. Not even using her bending to defend herself, she simply spun around and blocked his attacks with effortless ease.

The smirk never left her red lips. "You know," she began in a taunting tone, "Father blames Uncle for the loss of the North Pole." Her smirk widened as pushed her brother away with a simple move. "And he considers you a miserable failure for not finding the Avatar!"

Zuko was out of breath as he listened to the cutting words of his sister. It had all been a lie. She had done it again.

"Why would he want you home, except to lock up where you can no longer embarrass him?" she added with a sadistic smile.

Conjuring his daggers again, Zuko leaped into the air in his anger and humiliation. This was just what Azula wanted. As he attacked her in blind rage, she pushed him back and scraped his forehead with her sharp fingernails.

"Zuko!" he heard Elyrie's voice call him. In the corner of his eye, Zuko saw her running towards them. Azula saw it as well and aimed a blue blast of fire to the girl.

Deflecting them with a circular motion, Elyrie shot back the flames in Azula's direction. Copying the move she watched Katara perfect at the North Pole, she conjured up her own circle of flames to surround her. She waited as she saw Zuko retake his stance.

"As for your little halfblood friend" Azula added with a cruel smile, "Let's just say that father doesn't take treason lightly."

Elyrie felt her stomach drop. She knew. Of course she knew, Azula was always three steps ahead of everyone.

With a quick blast of blue flames, Azula knocked over Zuko. With a groan, he landed on the steel flour of the ship. Preparing for a second attack, Azula pointed her two fingers at her brother.

Elyrie quickly blocked Azula's attack as she jumped in front of Zuko. The flames still circling her, she attacked by sending small and precise blasts of fire in the direction of the Princess. All the black-haired girl could do, was evade the firebullets. One managed to graze her sleeve and set the expensive silk on fire.

"You filthy,-" Azula cursed as she started the familiar circular motion with her arms. Lightning.

Elyrie inhaled, but was lost on what she could do to stop her lighting. Aim at the legs, she remembered, Break the root.

But before she could do anything or Azula could release her lightning, another hand grabbed the wrist of the Princess.

Uncle pointed his fingers to the nearby cliffs, redirecting the lightning bolt away from them. Then, he forced Azula to bend backwards and kicked her smoothly off the side of the ship. With a loud splash, the Princess landed in the water.

"Ha!" Elyrie said, unable to hide her surprise and delight. Quickly grabbing Zuko by his arm, Iroh helped him back on his feet.

"Let's go!" Iroh yelled as he pushed them both in the direction of the ramp.

Running as fast as they could, they made their way into the forest and followed the river. Feeling the adrenaline rush throughout her body, Elyrie ran faster than she had ever done before.

Finally, after what felt like hours, Elyrie tripped on a rock and fell down on the ground. Panting uncontrollably, she tried to steady her breathing and get back up. But she was exhausted. "I can't go any further" she coughed.

Zuko and Iroh saw her fall and stopped immediately. They too fell down on their knees, panting and coughing. "I think we are safe here" Iroh said out of breath.

Elyrie didn't even react, but laid on her back as she felt her chest heaving up and down as her lungs screamed for air. She couldn't speak and only coughed a couple of times. Then, she pushed herself up to drink from the fresh water of the river. Cupping her hands and lifting the water to her lips, she drank eagerly. Her dry throat thanked her when the cool water made her finally calm down.

She leaned back and looked at the two men, who followed her example and quenched their thirst.

"Now what?" she asked finally after a couple of minutes after they had all calmed down.

"Returning to the Fire Nation is not an option," Iroh answered as he wiped his mouth with his sleeve.

"So we need to go into the Earth Kingdom?" Zuko asked indignantly, "To do what?"

"Live as fugitives, I guess?" Elyrie answered while looking at their meagre belongings. She was surprised to see that her bag had survived the whole ordeal on the ship. "Do we have other options?"

"We could go to the Water Tribe?" Zuko suggested, "Would they cast us out if you plead on our behalf?"

"I can't go back!" she replied with a shriek, "Azula knows I'm part Water Tribe and what do you think she would do if she finds out we hide from her there? Zhao's Armada is nothing compared to her wrath." Her blue eyes shot fire. "I'll die before I let that happen."

I promised to take care of the Water Tribe, she reminded herself. And she would keep her promise to Yue, which for now meant that she had to stay away Well done, Lily she groaned inwardly, You were so eager to leave and now you got your wish.

Zuko said nothing, but reached for the sharp knife in his waistband and cut of his ponytail at the base. Without saying a word, Zuko handed Iroh the knife as well. Iroh cut off his topknot in a smooth motion. Elyrie swallowed her emotions when she saw the two men do this with an impassive look on their face. Cutting off their hair signalled cutting their roots with the Fire Nation.

Elyrie extended her hand to take the knife from Uncle before Zuko grabbed her wrist. "What are you doing?" he asked with a puzzled look. "Cutting my hair" she simply responded.

Zuko looked at her in disbelief. She had always been so proud of her auburn curls. They were hanging past her waist and she always had lovingly nourished it.

"But, you can't-" he started, tripping over his words, "Your hair can be worn down. You do it most of the time!" For some reason, it was harder to accept that she was cutting her hair too.

"Zuko, my hair is long, curly and reddish brown." Elyrie said as she gently pulled back her hand, "It is a dead giveaway."

"But-," Zuko tried again. Her beautiful curls. The crown on her beauty.

"There will be wanted posters of us and it is my most distinctive feature. I have to get rid of it." She interrupted without hesitation as she brought the knife to her hair. "Besides, it will be good for my vanity." she joked in an attempt to lighten the mood.

With a few slashing motions, she had cut her hair just above the ribbon which had held together the ponytail. It was hanging just above her shoulders now and she gathered it to make a small bun in her neck. "There, better."

But when she saw her long ringlets laying on the ground, she felt a sting of regret. Her mother had always loved her hair. But she shook her head and with a determined motion, she tossed the remainder of her ponytail in the water.

There is no going back now.

Happy 2021 everyone! :)

Chapter Text

"Out of the question!"

Elyrie arched one eyebrow and crossed her arms while she glared at Zuko. He, in turn, looked at her as if she had completely lost her senses.

The two firebenders sat crossed-legged on the hard ground of a clearing in the forest. The sun was just over its highest point, which meant it was somewhere in the middle of the day. On their flight, they had ran in the direction of the Earth Kingdom and away from the colonies and the Fire Nation surveillance. They were still in the colonies, but it was a good start.

Iroh had estimated that it was only a day's journey to the nearest Earth Kingdom village. The older General had been occupying himself with mapping out their location. Elyrie had brought maps of the colonies to find her way around. She was glad she had packed them in her travel bag, because they were invaluable now. With a little bit of luck, they would make it out the forest without any further complications.

That is, if Azula would not immediately pursue them. And somehow, she doubted that Azula was reckless enough to blindly pursue three people with an entire army. No, if she wanted to capture them she was working on something far more cunning. Something that would certainly work. Elyrie shuddered at the idea, but was also pragmatic enough to see that if she wanted to arrange something, the time had to be now.

"I don't see why not?' Elyrie shot back, "I doubt that Azula has already spread the wanted posters."

She put down one of her dresses, which she was inspecting for her selection. Since they had to carry everything themselves, they had to get rid of unnecessary luggage. Zuko and Uncle had left their luggage when they had to flee. Her bag had been strapped to her, so she hadn't thought about it. In her bag were mostly clothing and maps, not sufficient for a long journey on foot. As for money, she cursed her stupidity to leave her purse in her cabin to pick up later. She had convinced Uncle to let her pay for the resort after they had set sail, but now she wished she had packed it with her.

Oh well, she mentally sighed, No use to dwell on that now. The next best option was to trade and sell some things for a little bit of money. Elyrie planned to bring her dresses to a tailor to trade them for more practical clothing for Uncle and Zuko. Her clothing was mostly blue and white now, so it would not attract too much attention in the Earth Kingom. Zuko and Iroh, on the other hand, still wore the red colours of the Fire Nation. That was one of the first things they needed to take care of.

"Besides," she said while folding the last dress, "I blend in here quite well."

Zuko gritted his teeth at her, but he couldn't deny that she was right. With her auburn hair and light skin, she could blend in well with the people here. More often than not, the citizens were of mixed heritage themselves. And more importantly, she spoke the native language of the Earth Kingdom which was predominant in the colonies.

But he was not comfortable about the idea to let her walk in a town alone, only to send a hawk to the North Pole. Elyrie was determined to first send a hawk to the North Pole with a message what had happened to her. She was adamant about this: first the message, then she would accompany them further.

This, of course, caused a few words between the two of them. Zuko was not about to let her walk into town with her face plastered on every poster. And Elyrie was not about to let him tell her what she couldn't do. So they argued the opposite points for more than fifteen minutes.

"Just stop asking, " Zuko said decisively, "I don't think it is a good idea."

You also thought it was a good idea to trust Azula and go on the ship, Elyrie thought but immediately she reprimanded herself. That was below the belt and she knew it. So, she pressed her lips together in annoyance and swallowed her reply.

But it did not change the fact that she hated to be told what to do. She knew he was only worried about her, but it irritated her nonetheless. And she wanted now against all costs inform her family to prevent them from worrying about her. She would explain that there had been unforeseen circumstances and that she needed to stay longer, but that she was safe. No more information needed, but just enough not to make them worry. That surely wasn't too much to ask?

Elyrie sighed and placed the last dress on the pile of clothing. They were all just a little worked up after the whole ordeal that morning. One of these days, I am going to pray for a calm and quiet life, she thought to herself. Because for the second time in a very, very, short time her life had changed in less than a day.

"I am not asking for permis-," Elyrie began again, turning her head to look at Zuko but she was interrupted in the middle of the sentence. But not by Zuko, as she expected.

"And what if I arrange it?" Iroh chimed in. Despite his focus on the safest routes, he had heard the entire conversation. Or discussion, which might be a better word.

"You, Uncle?" Zuko said surprised with a raised brow, "What are you going to do?"

"Well," the old man said as he stood up and picked up the folded dresses, "I could trade these in the nearby village and send word to the North Pole. I am sure that would not be impossible."

"But,-" Elyrie said before she thought about the idea. If anyone wasn't suspicious, it was a kind old man who knew his way around. He could manage the two tasks with ease. She glanced at Zuko and saw that even he had nothing to object to the plan of his Uncle.

"That would be very kind of you." she said as she openend a sack for him, "Thank you."

"No problem at all," Iroh answered as he put the dresses in a knapsack, "But you two prepare yourself for our departure."

Both nodded dutifully, almost as if they were schoolchildren who gotten orders from a teacher. Iroh grinned at their nodding heads and lifted his finger to strengthen his point. "We'll leave as soon as I return," he said he as he swung the sack over his shoulder. "I'll be back in an hour."

Then, he walked away whistling a love song.

Elyrie waved at the older man as he walked away. For some reason, it almost seemed like he enjoyed the change of scenery. Then again, Uncle always had an joie de vivre-attitude about everything.

She smiled and extended her hand to pick up the maps Uncle had been studying. Placing them in her lap, she leaned forward to map out their location and how their journey to the Earth Kingdom would be.

"What are we going to do in the Earth Kingdom?" Zuko asked as he moved himself closer to her so he could look over her shoulder to the map.

"Find a way to avoid Azula and provide for ourselves?" she answered as she raised her shoulders, "I have honestly no idea."

Zuko let out an irritated sigh. Not at her answer necessarily, but more at the whole situation he had found himself in. This morning, he had woken up with the idea he would soon be back at the Royal Palace. He would see his father again and be the son he always dreamed of having. His old life, the life he had lived before he was banished.

This was even worse: when he was banished, he at least had a goal. If he captured the Avatar, he could return home with honour. And to that goal, he had desperately clung these past five years. But now, he had no prospects and no plans. The idea he had to travel every day for the rest of his life just to evade capture by Azula was intolerable.

Elyrie lifted her hands to pull her loose locks to the back and she tied up half of her hair so it would be out of her face when she studied the map. But again, she was surprised when her curls fell over her shoulders. It was not the first time she forgot she had cut her hair. Just a moment ago, she let her hand go through the length of her hair, only to find out that it stopped abruptly. She had to get used to the shorter hair.

Unbeknownst to her, Zuko was just thinking the same thing. Leaning back and trying to clear his mind from his troubling thoughts, he studied her. She had been right: her long hair was so distinctive for her, he couldn't imagine her without it. Without the curtain of long curls covering her back, she almost seemed like a different person.

He had to do a couple takes whenever he saw her in the corner of his eye, yet the short hair suited her very well. It made her look younger, more carefree. She looked no longer like an elegant noblewoman, but more like pretty girl with her curls springing around her heart-shaped face. Her hands and movements on the other hand were still elegant and refined, the epitome of grace. He might have scowled at her, but she truly had the poise and grace befitting a princess.

"Zuko?" he heard her ask as she looked at him with questionable eyes, "Are you even listening to me?"

"I'm sorry?" Zuko said as cleared his throat, hoping he had not stared at her.

"I said, is there anything else we need to remember before we start our journey?" she repeated slowly, but with an amused twitch of her lips.

"No, I don't think so," Zuko replied as he sheepishly rubbed his neck.

"What were you thinking about? You looked so far away?" she asked as she cocked her head to the side to look at his face.

"Nothing" he replied quickly and he cursed how his voice betrayed him went it came out with a shriek.

"I see," she answered neutral, but with a shimmer in her eyes. This was usually the moment to tease him relentlessly about his stumbling's, but now was not the time.

Still, old habits die hard.

Chuckling to herself, she thought about all the ways she could taunt him. The squeaky sound that came out of his mouth sounded just like his voice when he was ten years old. And his defence was just as good as when he was ten years old. She grinned wickedly, remembering how she loved it to outwit him at every opportunity as children.

It turned out, she didn't even need to say anything out loud because Zuko's scowled expression was the same.

Zuko saw her lips curling and her eyes glittering and he was immediately offended, just because he knew that she was thinking about all the things she could say to tease him.

"Stop it," he said in a low voice as he watched the amusement dance in her eyes. Apparently, she was thinking about something funny and he didn't doubt that it was about him.

"I didn't say anything" she countered trying to hold back the laughter she felt pricking in the back of her throat.

"And I am sure you are not thinking about vexing me?" he answered coolly as he arched an eyebrow.

"No." she answered, her tone sarcastic and she drew out the 'o' sound for at least five seconds. He scoffed at her, but she simply shrugged and focused her attention again on the maps in front of her.

Zuko wanted to be mad at her for laughing. How could she be so cheerful now? He wanted to be angry and frustrated because of what happened earlier that day. He wanted to lash out to her because of her calm reaction to all of this.

But he knew it would be useless. First of all, it wasn't her fault. Neither was it Uncle's. If anyone was to blame for this outcome, it had to be him for believing Azula.

Azula always lies

He had muttered that sentence over and over again when he was younger. Whenever Azula taunted and bullied him. Whenever she manipulated him and made him look like an utter fool.

It was frustrating to realise how gullible he was. Elyrie and Uncle, on the other hand, had not been not fooled by her ruse. Now that he thought about it, even when they were children, Elyrie had kept her distance from his sister.

She used to get along fine with both Mai and Ty Lee, but she was always hesitant around Azula. Was it because she was afraid of her? He could easily believe that, since Azula was able to make any grown man shudder in fear. Elyrie had reacted almost frantically on his suggestion to hide at the Northern Water Tribe because she was afraid of what Azula would do to it.

Zuko glanced sideways and saw her tucking the loose strands behind her ear over and over again. After a few tries, she swung her hair to the side and tied it together with the ribbon in a low ponytail. Her blue eyes kept studying the map and when her hands were free again, she let her indexfinger trail the routes.

For some reason, he couldn't believe that she was actually afraid of Azula. If she had been, she would not have sat here so relaxed. More importantly, she would not have wanted to march right into the nearest village to send word to her family.

Her intelligent blue eyes never left the pages, but he gazed at her nonetheless. She didn't look afraid, not really. She was cautious around Azula, that was a better description. Even as a child, she had simply been cautious. He, on the other hand, tried to best his sister at every opportunity. Usually with terrible results for him.

Zuko was brought out of his musings by the sound of cracking tree branches. Jumping up, he took a fighting stance as his eyes scanned the surroundings. He half expected a wave of blue flames to engulf them right then and there.

Elyrie reacted slower and remained sitting on the ground. She turned her head to identify the cause of the sound. In the corner of her eye, she saw Zuko's muscles tense.

"Hold your fire!" a familiar voice sounded from the bushes, "I come in peace." Zuko and Elyrie relaxed immediately at the sound of Uncle's voice.

A moment later, Iroh's smiling face appeared amidst the green leaves of the bushes and trees. His red clothing was already switched to the light green pants and tunic. Without his topknot, he looked just like any other man in the Earth Kingdom.

"Uncle, you look amazing!" Elyrie exclaimed as finally jumped up. She needs to have her priorities sorted, Zuko thought dryly as he watched her walk towards his Uncle. She didn't move when they were possibly endangered but she jumped to her feet to offer someone a compliment. Nevertheless, Zuko had to admit that his Uncle looked just like any other fugitive in the green colours.

"I brought some for you as well," Iroh said as he reached in his bag and gave Elyrie two pieces of green-coloured farbric, "Because the seamstress was more than willing to help me." He wiggled his eyebrows at them.

Elyrie let out a giggle, but Zuko groaned. His Uncle could be a smooth-talker whenever he wished and for some reason, it made him feel awkward just thinking about it.

"Just give me my clothes." Zuko murmured as he grabbed his clothes from his Uncle's outstretched hand and disappeared behind the trees to change.

Iroh rolled his eyes at his nephew and turned back to Elyrie, who was examining her clothing. "I have send word to the North Pole about your situation," he said, "It will reach it soon enough."

"Thank you." she said with a smile that softened his heart. Her blue eyes looked relieved as she added "I hope it was not too much trouble?"

He pinched her cheek lightly in a fatherly manner. "Don't worry about that, my dear," he said reassuringly, "I have my ways."

He sounded secretive but just as she was about to ask what he meant by that, Zuko appeared again in his other clothes. His attire was similar to his Uncle's: a tunic and loose pants in the same olive-green.

Iroh nodded approvingly at his nephew. If he let his black hair grow out, which was already happening before they left, he would blend in quite well. The only thing that they couldn't hide was his distinctive scar. But they could count on the discretion of people not to ask invasive questions about this. Even his crew had not asked anything and just assumed it was a training accident.

And even if they were curious, no one would associate the scar with the Crown Prince of the Fire Nation. They had the secrecy of the Royal Family to thank for that: few knew about Zuko's 'accident' before his banishment. It would do the divine idea of the Fire Lord no good if it was widely known he had publicly burned and scarred his own son, the heir to the throne.

Lasty, if someone was to ask about it he could simply respond that it was because of a firebender. No one would hold that against him. Unfortunatly, it was also not uncommon around these parts.

Elyrie changed her outfit just as quickly as the two men. Her tunic was a little bit too big, but at least the pants were the right size. She had never worn green before but it complemented the auburn shade of her hair, Uncle noticed as the girl turned around to let them judge her.

"Perfect!" Uncle exclaimed as the trio packed their other pair of clothing in the bags, "Just one more thing."

"Where did you get the hat?" Zuko asked as his Uncle handed him a straw hat to place over his head until his hair was a little bit longer.

"The seamstress was kind enough to give them to me!" Uncle said with a mischivious smile. The other one was smaller and green like the rest of the clothing. It was a flat cap, usually worn by older men or young boys.

"Can I have it?" Elyrie suddenly asked as she picked up the cap and turned it around in her hand.

"You?" the two man asked in unison. Uncle had planned to wear it himself, like older citizens used to do.

"Well," she answered while placing the cap on her head, "I was thinking about how we would be described as fugitives. You can be certain that it will be 'two men and a woman'."

"So," she continued as she pushed her short hair under the cap, "With this I could pass for a young boy?"

"Uhm," Zuko said as he rubbed his neck, "I don't think this is going to work"

He looked at her, but even with her hair under the cap she didn't look the slightest like a boy. Her long eyelashes, large blue eyes and soft cheeks were as feminine as could be.

"It is not necessary to look exactly like a man" she answered, "But just at the first glance?"

Clever girl, Iroh thought as he saw her tuck the last strands of her beneath the cap. The loose clothing hid most of the curves of her body, so with a quick glance you would think she was a boy of no older than 12 or 13 years old.

"I think this might work" Iroh said as he motioned to the path further in to the forest, "But now we really ought to keep going if we want to reach the Earth Kingdom before sundown."

When the sun finally started to set hours later, they had almost managed to reach the edge of the forest. They had taken care of almost everything, but one unanticipated problem surfaced: Elyrie couldn't walk.

Zuko and Iroh kept the shoes of their Fire Nation armours, which were designed for support and comfort. She, on the other hand, only brought slippers with her which were not made for long walks. The flats she wore were almost worn off by the end of the afternoon.

The blisters and blood in her shoes were impossible to miss, but she gritted her teeth and stubbornly kept on walking. She ignored the pain as much as she could, but she started limping after barely an hour of walking. She refused to complain, but it was obvious that at the end of the day she was getting behind on the two men.

"Lily, are you sure you are alright?" Zuko asked for the tenth time that hour, "You can lean on me if you want?" Iroh turned around as well and saw that the girl was more than ten metres behind Zuko and him.

"If I need help, I ask for it." Elyrie answered between her teeth. Not out of frustration, but to numb the pain as much as she could. She was considering throwing away her shoes altogether, but it seemed useless at this point. Her feet were already painful enough as they were, with or without the shoes. Besides, she felt nothing for adding cuts and splinters to her list of injuries.

Stubborn girl, Zuko thought as he saw her limping towards them. He exchanged glances with his Uncle, who nodded to him. With a sigh, Zuko finally did what he planned to do for at least two hours now.

Before she could protest, he put his arms around her waist and lifted her from the ground, placing his other arm under her knees to steady her.

"Put me down!" she yelled as she stretched body to make him put her down, "I can walk by myself."

"No." he simply responded as he continued walking, although it was hard to hold her if she kept kicking and moving. She is much more manageable when she is unconscious, he thought wickedly as he remembered the last time he had to carry her in his arms.

"Lily," he said as if he were talking to a little girl, "I am not putting you down."

"Put me down!" she yelled again while placing her hands on his chest to push herself away. With a sigh, Zuko stopped and placed her on a large stone on the side of the way so she could at least sit down. She did not get up and rubbed her feet, but still avoided his look.

Zuko placed his hands on his hips. "Look at you," he said while pointing at her feet, "Your feet are blistered and you can barely stand." Elyrie didn't answer but looked away with a pouted lip and crossed her arms, like she did when she was small.

Zuko shook his head. "Uncle," he sighed as he turned to the older man, "Some help here?"

"Dear, listen," Iroh said as he sat down next to Elyrie on the stone, "We have a long way to go and I hate to see you in pain. Please listen to my nephew and let him carry you for the remainder of the day?"

"But,-" she began her protest before Uncle lifted his hand to stop her. "It won't be much longer," Iroh promised as he patted her hand, "We'll find shelter soon."

She looked from Uncle to Zuko, both staring at her with their golden eyes. "Fine" she sighed. She knew when she was beaten.

"Would you please help me?" she asked Zuko quietly. Zuko uncrossed his arms and nodded as he turned his back to her and knelt down, so she could climb on his back. She pushed herself off the rock and placed her hands around his neck.

Leaning forward, Zuko placed his hands under her upperlegs and stood up. "Good?" he asked as he slightly lifted her higher so he could carry her.

"Mhm" she mumbled with her chin on his shoulder, "Thank you" she whispered in his ear. Zuko felt a pleasant shiver going through him as he felt her lips so near his skin, but he composed himself.

"I-, ehm, you're welcome." he stammered as he began to walk without looking.

"Zuko?" he heard his Uncle call him. Zuko turned around with Elyrie on his back and looked bewildered at his Uncle. "What?" he asked, impatiently waiting for his Uncle to catch up.

Iroh didn't move, but pointed his thumb over his shoulder. "It is that way." he said amused as he saw his nephew's cheeks turn red.

I want to thank everyone for leaving feedback! It truly helps me writing this story, so please keep doing it! :)

Chapter Text

After walking for an hour more, Iroh stopped to look at sky. It had changed from blue to orange and pink shades, which meant dusk was approaching. The sun would disappear soon and it was best if they were able to catch the last hour of sunlight to prepare themselves for the night.

They had reached a open spot in the forest, beneath a mountain that was on Earth Kingdom territory. Iroh cocked his head as he focused on the silence and heard the soft sound of rushing water. There was a river nearby, most likely the So Una river that flowed through the colonies and the Earth Kingdom. They had passed the border, or were at least very close. This was far enough for today, he decided.

"I think it is best if we stay here for the night" Iroh said while he pointed to a cave, hidden behind the bushes at the foot of the mountain. The opening was mostly hidden behind the green leaves, but left just enough room to see the inside of a hollow cave.

Zuko had barely noticed the cave when his Uncle suddenly stopped in his tracks. His attention had been on the girl on his back, who had dozed off with her head lying on his shoulder. He felt her regular breathing close to his ear and he watched her fluttering eyelids longer than was necessary.

When his Uncle came abruptly to a stop, Zuko had practically run into him. His sudden stop nudged Elyrie awake on his shoulder.

"Wha-wha-we attacked?" she mumbled in a sleepy voice as she blinked her eyes to wake herself up. The soothing pace of Zuko's steps and the warmth from his body had made her sleepy. She had dozed off on his shoulder, feeling completely safe.

Iroh let out a deep laugh at her dishevelled look when her big blue eyes looked at him over his nephews shoulder. "No, dear," he said as he motioned to the cave, "We'll stay here for the night."

"Really?" Elyrie asked, much more awake as she stretched her legs in enthusiasm to force Zuko to let go of her. Zuko couldn't hold on to her when she stretched herself out of her comfortable position and she landed on her feet behind him. And she immediately regretted that action.

"Oof." She said as she fell on her behind on the grass with a soft thud. Her feet, though less tired, still hurt like she had sawn-off half of them. "Stupid shoes, stupid feet" she muttered under her breath as she pushed herself up on her arms and stretched her legs.

Zuko turned around and shook his head as he placed one hand on his hip. "Are you alright?" he asked with a grin, actually amused by her antics. It was normally him that made a fool of himself while she floated through everything like a feather. He saw she had not hurt herself badly, which made the situation all the more entertaining.

"Yeah, yeah." Elyrie scowled as she stretched her arms to him, like a child wanting to be picked up by her parents. "I think I am totally depended on you tonight." she said as she batted her eyelashes to him with a cheeky grin. If anyone saw the humour in her helpless situation, it was her. Her pride hurt far less than her feet did now.

Zuko felt a warm feeling spread through his chest at her words, but quickly repressed it and picked her up by placing one arm around her waist and the other under her knees. She put her own arms around his neck to relieve some of the weight.

Iroh, who had been too busy expecting the cave to notice the small stumble, came walking back to the pair. He raised an eyebrow when he saw Zuko holding Elyrie in his arms but said nothing. Instead, he motioned for them to follow him and pushed aside the vines which covered the entrance to the cave. "I'll cook some dinner for us." He said as he placed his bags on the floor and took a small kettle from one of them.

"Ah! Thank goodness!" Elyrie exclaimed, louder than she had intended so Zuko winced and snapped his head to the side at the sudden outburst that hurt his eardrums. "Oops," she said as she saw his pained expression, "Sorry."

"Why do I have the feeling that I am hurt much more in the process than you are?" Zuko mumbled as he evaded her cheeky smile.

"Sorry Zuko," she repeated sincerely as she planted a kiss on his cheek. Even if he wanted to be angry with her, it was impossible after the sweet words she said. Her sweet voice was able to make his knees weak.

Iroh might have missed the entire stumble earlier, but he certainly didn't miss the softening look in the eyes of his nephew. He had been worried about his nephew. The hurt and betrayal of Ozai and Azula could have been enough to break his spirit. He might have been able to ease some of Zuko's pain, but it couldn't be enough to cheer him up. These days almost nothing could have cheered him up.

Life is full of surprises, he mused as he looked at the two young people in front of him. His nephew had half a smile on his face as he looked at the young woman he was holding in his arms. The young woman smiled enchantingly and kissed his cheek. His nephew's good cheek turned a colour which looked suspiciously like an overripe tomato, but in a good way.

Besides, his nephew looked good in any way. He was not brooding, grumpy or even angry. The entire walk he had been too occupied by her wellbeing to even complain about his own situation. It was a good thing the girl was here with them, Iroh decided as he stroked his beard. He had been worried about her, about how he had pulled her into this mess. But she didn't seem the least bit frightened or angry at him. She had only been concerned about her family, but she accepted the situation graciously.

Like a Fire Rose, Iroh reminded himself, bending in the wind. He knew now it was her Water Tribe heritage that gave her the flexibility and adaptiveness.

After Zuko had carefully placed Elyrie on the hard floor of the cave, she unpacked the luggage while the two men searched for wood and fresh water. She was glad she was able to stay in the cave, because now she could finally kick off her shoes and examine her wounded feet. The blisters looked swollen, but the worst ones had finally stopped bleeding. All she needed to do was bind them for comfort, so she could walk at least by herself again. She ripped two sleeved from an old dress, which could function very well as improvised bandages.

After she was done she studied the small kettle Uncle had brought, no doubt purchased in the village earlier that day. It was a small teapot, but it would function very well as a cooking pot for the time being. When she opened it, she saw that it was filed with something that looked like a stew with vegetables. She felt her stomach immediately starting to rumble and placed her hand on her midriff to silence the sounds.

Zuko came back, his arms full with old branches which he assembled in the middle of the cave. With a swift flick of his wrist, he lit up the fire. A comfortable warmth spread through the small space.

With a smile, Elyrie moved closer to the fire to warm herself.

"Better?" Zuko asked as he sat down next to her. "Absolutely," she smiled back as he cherished the warmth that heated up her skin. The heat made her shiver in a pleasant way, like when you step into a warm bath and completely submerge yourself in the warmth.

She took off the cap to let her hair fall down her face, but she immediately remembered she had cut it. Even worse, it had become tangled under the cap and the small ribbon she used to tie her hair together was stuck in it. Just as she was about to untangle it, Uncle entered with a bowl of fresh water. It can wait, she thought as she place her cap on her head again.

"Where did you get the food?" Zuko asked as he took a cup of fresh water from his Uncle. "From the village." Iroh answered as he filled another cup to give it to Elyrie, "I bought it when I was finished with the clothing."

"Who's hungry?" he then asked as he placed the kettle on the small fire to warm up the food. The delicious smell filled the small cave. Despite everything, Elyrie felt a comforting sensation coming over her. Sure, they were fugitives but at least they had food, warmth and a place to sleep. A lot of people had it worse than they.

After Uncle had given Zuko and Elyrie their portion in their cups, he ate out of the kettle over the fire. It was a simple but good dish. The three of them were starving after a long day, so they ate quicker and made more noises than was socially acceptable. But nobody would hold that against them in a cave on the edge of the Earth Kingdom.

"We need to find a way to get more money soon," Iroh said as he wiped his mouth with his sleeve, "We have only a few coins left."

"Is it safe for us to enter the villages of the Earth Kingdom?" Elyrie asked as she put down her cup and warmed her hands by the fire.

"It could be, if nobody recognizes us," Iroh said pensively, "And of course, if we don't show our firebending. But that is a problem for tomorrow," he added as he stifled a yawn.

"I think it is best if we put out the fire, so nobody can see us here." Zuko said when he dimmed the fire with a flick of his wrist. Suddenly, it was much darker in the cave with only the last rays of sunshine peaking through the leaves that covered the enterance.

The last pieces of wood were still smoking when Zuko and Elyrie heard Uncle snore deeply and loudly. Elyrie chuckled as she raised her knees against her chest in an effort to warm herself. She'd rather have the fire burning all night to keep her warm. She shivered and with trembling fingers, she tried to loosen the ribbon in her curls.

Zuko saw her struggling with her ribbon next to him. Without saying a word, he turned sideways as he placed his hands over hers and calmly untangled the ribbon.

Elyrie lowered her hands and let him help her. Their hands touched briefly, but long enough for Zuko to notice that her fingers were cold. Colder than normal and the tops were a strange blue colour. He frowned, but said nothing as he carefully removed the ribbon out of her tangled curls.

"Do you want me to untangle your hair?" he asked while raising his body temperature so she would be warm.

"Please." she said with a smile as she leaned her head back. Zuko took his time to make sure he didn't do any damage, since the hairpiece had really created a mess in her curls.

Elyrie felt her eyelids grow heavier every time he stroked her hair. It was such a nice feeling, so comforting.

As soon as her untangled curls fell around her face, she expected him to stop. But he continued combing out her hair with his fingers, softly and delicately. She said nothing as she felt goosebumps go over her skin. It was so simple yet so intimate.

Zuko didn't knew he was going to let his fingers trail through her hair. He didn't anticipate it, but once he started it was impossible to stop. The rosy scent that seemed embedded in her skin was woven through her hair as well. Her hair felt like silk, gliding through his long fingers. For some reason, he suspected it pained him more to see her long, lucious locks gone than it did her. He would never say it out loud, but he had loved her hair. Her beautiful auburn curls, which had made her stand out from the crowd from a young age.

His thoughts wandered off to the time he had recognized her because of her hair. He must have been around sixteen years old and it was at a party in the Royal Palace. The great hall was lit by at least a hundred candles and a small band played a soft melody, filling the room with music. Now that he thought about it, it must have been for his birthday party. Yes, he was certain it had been for his birthday. His mother had insisted on it. She wanted him to have a proper party, so he and Elyrie...

"Thank you." Elyrie's voice brought him out of his thoughts. He blinked and saw that he had stopped combing her hair. Instead, his hands were resting on her shoulders, just an inch from the soft skin of her neck. He felt himself blush as he quickly pulled his hands back.

Elyrie repressed a disappointed sigh as she felt Zuko retract his warm hands. Zuko picked up the blanket and gently placed it over her shoulders. She hadn't noticed she was still shivering, but she was certain it wasn't from the cold anymore.

"How are you feeling?" he asked as he saw her hands returning to her normal colour. "I feel fine, really." she reassured him, slightly embarrassed. She had been nothing but a liability today.

"Try to sleep," Zuko said as he moved to stand up, but as soon as he left her side, Elyrie felt the chill of the cool night air caressing her skin again. She didn't want him to leave and in a reflex grabbed his hand. "Can you stay here?" she asked, her cheeks turning slightly pink but not letting go of his hand, "You are so warm."

Zuko felt his heart skip a beat when she grabbed his hand, her fingers still cold. She had to be the only firebender that had trouble warming herself. He knew she Uncle taught her the firebending technique, but she still had to master it. For him, it was habit by now. He sat back down with his back against the cave.

Without hesitation, Elyrie let herself fall in his arms. Her head rested on his shoulder and she nestled against him with the blanket covering her. The warmth he was radiating was so comforting that she had the feeling that she could sit like this forever. Involuntarily, she thought about how right this felt. Through his tunic, she could fell his heart beating and his familiar scent of sandalwood tickled her nose. She shivered again in delight.

Zuko tucked the blanket tighter around her when he felt her shiver. "Thank you." he heard her whisper against his chest.

"Try to sleep" he said gently as he listened to her soft breathing. Once again, he caressed her hair to soothe her.

Zuko didn't know how long they sat like that but he knew that she was about to fall asleep against him for the second time that day. He smiled involuntarily at the absurdness of this whole situation, but he would be lying to himself if he said he didn't find it comforting to help her. It felt nice to have her depend on him for a change.

Elyrie stirred slightly, but she didn't say anything. Zuko looked down and saw that she almost seemed to be asleep. A small smile played on his lips as he though about how comfortable she was with him. He was even more surprised how comfortable he was with her. He hated it when people invaded his personal space, but with her he couldn't stand it if she was too far away from him. She was the same, he was certain of it. She'd never let anyone near her if she wasn't completely comfortable. He was thankful that they were such good friends, allthough for some reason the word friend stung a little bit as he let his fingers trail through her hair.

Of course they were friends; they had known each other far too long to be anything less than that. It isn't unusual for men and women to be friends, right? However, Zuko couldn't remember the last time he had felt so comfortable around another woman. And now that he thought about it, he had never seen Elyrie willingly sit in the lap of another man.

Zuko thought about the last time he had seen her near another man, which was when she had still been Zhao's fiancée and she had avoided the Admirals touch at every possible opportunity. Clenching his jaw, Zuko thought about Zhao's behaviour and how he had tried to break her will. But she wasn't broken and Zhao would never try to harm them again.

Zuko had often thought about what could have happened to Zhao after La had pulled him underwater with him. Uncle had told him that he was probably taken to the Spirit World, where a fate worse than death would await him. Despite everything that the Admiral had try to do to him, Zuko wasn't happy about the idea of Zhao suffering for all eternity. Then, he remembered how Zhao had tried to kill the girl that was lying in this arms. He remembered how Zhao had wounded her, locked her up and how her red blood stained the ice of the North Pole.

Inhaling deeply, Zuko tried to get himself to think about other things and put his arms closer around Elyrie. Once again, he noticed how perfectly she seemed to fit in his arms. Placing his hand on her hair, he immediately felt himself calm down.

He leaned back and felt his own eyelids growing heavy after a while. I need to go to sleep, he told himself but for some reason it felt wrong to leave Elyrie alone. She told me she was cold, he reminded himself. He couldn't just let her sleep on the floor so she'd be cold again? No, that wasn't right. Still, he knew he needed to rest as well.

When he was sure she was fast asleep, Zuko carefully lifted her from his shoulder and slowly moved her with him as he laid down on his back on the grond. He placed her head on his chest and put one arm around her. With his other arm he grabbed his own blanket and placed it under his head as a pillow.

Elyrie didn't even move when he finally was comfortable. Stroking away a strand of hair on her forehead, he looked at her sleeping face for a moment. Her lips were slightly parted and her eyelids fluttered. Even when she was asleep, it seemed like a smile was visible on her lips. His thumb gently caressed her jawline as he looked at her full lips.

"Good night, Lily." he whispered softly when he closed his eyes.

The first rays of sunshine made their way through the roof of leaves which shielded the forest.

"Have you found something?" Elyrie asked as she cocked her head to Uncle. Iroh sat in a squatted position and didn't respond, but was staring in awe at at beautiful white and red flower. She repeated her question, but he still didn't answer. He probably hadn't even heard her.

The ruffling of the bushes drew Elyrie's attention away from Iroh's intense look. Grunting loudly, Zuko struggled out of the leaves.

"I didn't find anything to eat!" Zuko cried out, "I can't live like this. I wasn't meant to be a fugitive, this is impossible!" To strengthen his words, he threw his hands up to the sky.

Elyrie repressed a chuckle at his antics. A hungry Zuko is often a cranky Zuko, she thought with pouted lips. As soon as she said that, she felt her own midriff starting to growl. And a hungry me is also a cranky me. She was glad that she had at least slept well, because this morning she had woken up warm and well rested. Zuko must have placed her on the ground during the night, because she had woken up on the floor of the cave. Zuko had, of course, woken up before her to wash himself in the river. But to her surprise, she wasn't the last one to get up because Uncle's snoring had continued for quite some time, even after she had washed herself.

Iroh wasn't disturbed in the slightest by his nephews rant. Instead, he inhaled the sweet scent of the flower in front of him.

Zuko, surprised by the silence, turned to his Uncle with a confused look. He raised one eyebrow at Elyrie, silently asking her what his Uncle was doing. Elyrie simply shrugged to signal she didn't understand it either.

"Uncle," Zuko asked, "What are you doing?"

"You're looking at the rare white dragon bush!" Iroh finally said as he gently clasped his hand together in delight, "It's leaves make a tea so delicious it's heart-breaking!"

Tea? Elyrie mouthed over his head at Zuko with a puzzled look.

"That," Uncle continued as his frown suddenly deepened, "Or it's the white jade bush which is poisonous."

Elyrie stared at the older man. She knew Uncle had an obsession with tea and truth be told, he made the most delicious blends. But to think about tea now? Zuko seemed to share the sentiment, although he said it a bit more gruffly. "We need food, not tea!"

"I am going fishing." He added as he stormed off to the river. Once again, Iroh didn't seem to hear him.

"Hmm" he pondered out loud while continuing to stare at the flower, "Delectable tea or deadly poison?"

The question didn't seem to be directed at anyone in particular, so Elyrie shook her head and let the old man alone with his plant. Still limping a bit, but much better than yesterday, she walked in the direction of the river. She had never seen Zuko fishing, but maybe he learned some skills on his travels. And even if he didn't, it would be quite a show to see him try.

When she arrived at the riverside, she saw that her second guess had been correct. Armed with a long stick, Zuko stood knee-deep in the river. Almost slapping the stick in the water, he attempted to catch something. The water splashed him every time he missed and after a few tries, he was soaked to the bone.

Elyrie coughed to mask her chuckle but Zuko turned around with an irritated look. "What is so funny?" he asked while the water dripped from his face.

"Nothing." Elyrie shrieked, her voice betraying how amused she was. To make the situation even funnier, a large silver fish jumped out of the water in front of Zuko. It was as if he was mocking him, because he jumped out a few more times and splashed more water in Zuko's direction.

Now she was laughing out loud. "I am sorry," she said when Zuko turned around and gave her a look that could scorch her right on the spot. She quickly covered her mouth, but her eyes continued to spark with amusement.

"Can't you search for berries or something?" Zuko growled as he turned his attention back to the water, "Or edible plants?"

"I don't know which plants are edible!" Elyrie responded with raised eyebrows, "What makes you think that?"

"Didn't you study every subject imaginable?" he asked as he frantically poked his stick in the water in the hopes of catching the fish. It wasn't going to work that way, but she didn't dare point it out now.

"Languages, history and politics!" she said as her eyes followed the movements of the stick, "Not biology or farming!"

"And you never thought that might be useful?"

"Then why didn't you study it? I don't see you climbing to the top of the food chain at the moment."Elyrie pointed out as she motioned to his attempts. The fish jumped out another time and she bit her lip to prevent herself from laughing again.

"You try it then!" Zuko said indignantly as he handed her the stick.

Now she was sorry she had laughed at him, because her attempts were even more pathetic than his were. It took a few minutes for her to be soaked as well, although she was much less irritated by it then he was.

After more than an hour, neither of them had managed to catch something fit for three people. Zuko did manage to catch a small fish, but it was barely larger than Elyrie's little finger. The fish was flapping about helplessly at the end of the stick as they walked back. It looked absolutely ridiculous, but Elyrie didn't dare to say that out loud.

When they returned to Uncle, it seemed as if he hadn't moved from the spot where they had left him. He still sat down by the plant, but Elyrie noticed that the flower was missing.

"Remember that plant what I thought might be tea?" Iroh said without turning to them.

"You didn't?" Zuko asked in shock.

"I did." Uncle said as he turned around, "And it wasn't."

Zuko dropped his stick and staggered back. At the same time, Elyrie let out a gasp and she clasped her hands in front of her mouth.

Uncle looked horrible. His face was swollen and his entire skin was covered in a red rash. It appeared to be the itchy kind of rash, because he kept scratching his face as he walked towards them. She saw that his hands were covered in the rash as well, as if someone had spilled red wine all over him and it had left stains.

"How bad is the poison?" Elyrie asked after she had found her voice again. If it was only a rash, that might not be so bad. It might be better than it looked.

"When the rash spreads to my throat," Uncle said, surprisingly calm as he scratched his back with a stick, "I will stop breathing."

"But look what I found!" Iroh added while showing them the stick he used to scratch his back with. It was a branch on which pink coloured berries were growing. "These are Pakui berries! Known to cure the poison of the white jade plant!"

Elyrie felt a wave of relief go through her, but only for a moment. "That or Makaola berries that cause blindness." Iroh continued with a frown as he vigorously scratched his stomach.

"We are not taking any more changes with these plants!" Zuko said as he snatched the branch from his Uncle and hurled it into the bushes.

"We need to get help." Elyrie said as she saw Uncle bending in different positions to scratch his irritated skin. She resisted the urge to scratch her own skin, since she started to feel itchy over her entire body the more she looked at Uncle's rash.

"But where are we going to go?" Iroh said while bending down on one knee to scratch his back and upperleg, "We are enemies of the Earth Kingdom and fugitives from the Fire Nation." He squatted down to scratch both his upperlegs. If he hadn't been in such a grave situation, it might actually be funny to see him bend in such awkward positions.

"If the Earth Kingdom discovers us, they'll have us killed." Zuko said while placing his hand under his chin as he thought about the possibilities.

"But if the Fire Nation discovers us, we'll be turned over to Azula." Elyrie added while she tapped the side of her chin with her index finger.

All three of them exchanged looks and nodded after a brief pause.

"Earth Kingdom it is."

It has been a while since I could use the name of an episode as a title, but funny enough I had written the cave scene before I even realised that it fit very well with the episode title!

Chapter Text

"You three must not be from around here," Song said while wringing the cloth, "We know better than to touch the White Jade." She smiled, but gently slapped away the hand of the old man she was taking care of, since he was about to scratch his rash again. "Much less make it into tea and drink it." she added in a slightly amused tone.

Uncle smiled sheepishly when the healer took his hand to wash it. "Whoops." he said, trying to smile as much as his swollen face would allow him. Song gave him a wink, to signal she was joking.

She turned around to the young man and woman sitting at the table. The man was leaning against the side of the table with his eyes fixed on the floor so the straw-hat was covering most of his face. The young woman looked at her with sharp blue eyes. Unusual shade, Song mused. "So where are you traveling from?"

"Yes," the young man suddenly said as he straightened himself, "We're travellers." Song didn't miss the slight arching of the girl's eyebrows when she heard the man stutter a bit nervously.

"Do you have names?" Song kindly asked while applying more ointment on the skin of the older man.

"Names?" the young man answered, slightly hesitant as if he was not used to people asking his name, "Of course, we have names!"

Song turned around to again slap his hand away when the older man tried to scratch the ointment from his skin. When she did this, she missed the swift kick the young woman gave the man under the table. Her message was clear: Act normal.

Zuko stifled a cry when he felt Elyrie's foot kick his shin. I thought her feet hurt, he thought as he rubbed his painful leg.

"I'm Lee" Zuko said hesitantly, "And this is my uncle-,ehm, Mushi."

Elyrie bit her lip to stifle her laughter when the swollen face of Iroh, covered in green cream, shot his nephew an indignant look.

As Song continued to put healing cream on him, Iroh smiled sweetly to Zuko as he added "My nephew is named for his father, so we just call him Junior." He leaned over to his side to give him a pleased smile.

Zuko gave Iroh a dangerous look as he let his finger slide in front of his throat. The message was unmistakable: I am going to kill you. Elyrie had to place her hand over her mouth to hide her smile.

"Mushi and Junior?" Song repeated before she turned to the girl. "And what is your name?" she asked kindly.

Elyrie was wearing her cap, but the brown-eyed girl looked directly at her. She pondered a boy's name, but she felt that it wouldn't suffice. "Li-," She began, picking a common name when she saw Zuko raise his eyebrows at her. She realised Zuko had used something similar as his fake name, so she quickly added "-anna. My name is Lianna."

"I am Song, pleased to meet you all." the brown-eyed girl answered with a kind smile.

Her eye fell on Elyrie's feet. Elyrie followed her gaze and she saw that the improvised bandages were visible over her shoes. With an embarrassed smile, she looked back at the healer.

"Do you want me to take a look at your feet?" Song asked in a concerned voice. Her trained eye immediately noticed that the bandages were not sufficient enough to support her, especially if they travelled by foot.

"Thank you, I appreciate it." Elyrie replied gratefully as she kicked off her shoes.

She quickly understood that Song was an exceptional healer, because the paste she spread over her blistered feet made the last pain disappear. Elyrie let out a sigh of relief when Song wrapped new bandages around her feet for comfort and support.

"It is best if you don't walk distances for a while." Song advised when she was done. Elyrie sighed and exchanged looks with Zuko. He gave her a crooked smile and shrugged, as if to say: We'll figure something out.

"You look like you could use a good meal." Song said as she studied the trio, "Why don't you stay for dinner?"

Three empty stomachs reacted at once, but Zuko was the first to turn down the offer. "Sorry, but we need to be moving on."

Elyrie nodded with an apologetic smile to Song. Zuko is right, we can't stay too long, she thought as she tried to ignore the growling sounds of her stomach.

"That is too bad," Song shrugged in a sweet manner, "My mother always makes too much roast duck." She looked away with an innocent smile, as if it truly pained her that nobody could help them out.

And before Elyrie or Zuko could react, Iroh piped in. "Where do you live exactly?"

"My daughter tells me you're refugees," Song heard her mother say as she put down a platter of roast duck, "We were once refugees ourselves."

Night had fallen and Iroh, Zuko and Elyrie were welcomed in the house of Song and her mother. The table was filled with the most delicious dishes, enough to feed at least ten people.

"When I was a little girl," Song said sadly as she looked at their guests from across the table, "The Fire Nation raided our farming village. That was the last time I saw my father."

The blue eyes from the girl widened when she said that and she looked at her with compassionate eyes, as if she understood the tragedy she had endured. Now that she had taken off her cap, Song noticed that the girl had auburn-coloured hair. Combined with the blue eyes, she didn't resembled the two men in the slightest. But then again, the Earth Kingdom had been flooded with refugees these past decennia from all corners of the world. It wasn't unusual to have different features.

Song looked at Lee across the table. He seemed to be taken aback by her story because he stopped eating. She studied his face without trying to stare at the large scar that covered the left side of his face. It was the kind of scar only a firebender could give you, she knew that from experience.

Despite his facial scarring, he was a remarkable handsome man. He had an ivory skin, golden eyes and classic features. He resembled the older man, his Uncle they had told her. In the corner of her eye, she saw her mother smiling at Mushi, who was obviously enjoying her cooking.

"I haven't seen my father in many years." Lee suddenly said, his voice barely more than a whisper.

"Oh," Song felt guilty for bringing up such a sensitive subject, "Is he fighting in the war?"

"Yes." Lee answered after a brief silence but looked away in dismay from the kind eyes that glanced at him. Song immediately felt a sort of kinship. He had endured the same hardships she had faced, she felt it.

Elyrie pushed around the duck on her plate nervously as she listened to the conversation. Iroh stopped slurping his noodles as well. With a nervous look, he watched his nephew put down his plate.

Song and her mother were kind enough not to press the subject any further. Elyrie was relieved, but she also felt a sting. These kind women were driven from their home, possibly in the same way Zhao had burned down an entire village. Every hair in her neck rose at the memory and her heart started to pound rapidly. She could still hear the screaming of the women and children ringing in her ears.

"Are you alright?" she heard a voice say to her from far away, "You look pale." A soft hand was placed on her own, which brought her back to the present. She saw that Song's mother had placed her hand on her own. With a soft squeeze, she tried to calm her.

"Yes," she managed to say, "Thank you." She saw that her knuckles had turned white, that is how hard she squeezed the chopsticks in her hand.

"I am sorry if we brought back painful memories." Song said with an apologetic look in her chocolate-brown eyes.

"No, it is fine, truly" Elyrie said quickly as she lifted her chin and smiled, "It was a long time ago."

Elyrie felt the eyes of the two men on her, but she purposely avoided their gaze. They didn't knew about Zhao's cruelties. She had never told them about it. About how he planned to burn down an entire village and all the people with it. About the little boy who cried for his mother after Zhao had taken him hostage. How he mercilessly had threatened a child to make her obey him. How he had locked her up and tried to break her spirit. How he wanted to kill her by slitting her throat that night on the North Pole. One way or another, you shall become my wife.

Iroh and Zuko saw that she was lying. What is she thinking about? Zuko mused when she saw the colour return to her face. But she didn't meet his eyes as she continued eating her duck. He envied her. Whatever it was that was haunting her, she pushed it away with so much ease.

For him, on the other hand, it felt as if someone had plunged a fiery dagger into his heart. Song's story reminded him of his own father. Oh, he was fighting in the war, all right. He wás the war.

His father. It had been so long since he had seen him. He hadn't seen his mother for ages, but he could easily remember her. Her beautiful face, her pale skin and her kind eyes. Her voice, soft and gentle, even when she scolded him or Azula if they misbehaved. But his father didn't seem to have a face. He knew he had long, black hair and the same amber coloured eyes Azula had. But for some reason he couldn't remember his fathers face.

His voice he did remember, scolding him every time he did something which made him unworthy of being the heir to the throne.

You will learn respect. And suffering will be your teacher.

"If you will excuse me," Zuko suddenly said while standing up from his seat, "I think I need some fresh air."

It struck Elyrie how sad he suddenly looked. Iroh saw it too and put down his plate with a sigh. This was what he had been afraid of. It had been inevitable that Ozai's rejection would come back to haunt Zuko.

"Is he all right?" Song asked Elyrie when Zuko had shut the door behind him.

"I wish I knew." Elyrie answered with a doubtful look in his eyes.

"Zuko?" a voice brought him out of his wanderings. Elyrie walked towards him and sat down next to him on the patio, "Are you alright?"

He didn't look at her but kept staring in front of him to nothing in particular. The message he conveyed was not that hard to read: I don't want to talk about it.

"They will serve tea in a moment, won't you join us?" she then asked as she tucked her legs under her. Zuko shook his head and fixed his gaze again on the darkness in front of him. Dozens of fireflies danced around them, like little stars against a black sky.

Elyrie followed the movements of the fireflies while waiting for Zuko to say something. However, he seemed not particularly eager to speak. So, she sighed and stood up to go back inside. Sometimes being alone was the best thing. Besides, she knew Zuko could shut as tightly as a clam if there was something he didn't wish to talk about. Like a clam, he would open when the timing was right. Or when slammed against a rock with force, but she considered that a bit too rash.

"Elyrie," Zuko suddenly said as he turned his head to her. The fact that he used her full name drew her attention. He almost never used her full name when they were together. "Yes?" she replied as she turned back to him.

"What is it that happened to you?" He asked, his golden eyes capturing hers. He saw her eyes widen at his question and averted her gaze from his, while the fireflies danced around her.

Elyrie knew she could have expected that question sooner or later. Nervously, she started to turn her ring around her finger. "Zuko," she said slowly, "I don't want to talk about it."

It was only half true. It wasn't so much that she didn't want to, it was that she couldn't talk about it without getting upset. The ruthlessness of the man who had abused her and who she might have married was still an open wound. Subconsciously, she touched the small scar on her temple. Less than three months ago, she had received that scar due to Zhao's recklessness. If it hadn't been for Zuko, she would have died in that Temple.

Zuko would understand, she knew he would. But she just couldn't make herself talk about it. Not now. Not yet.

"I see." Zuko replied impassively, but not breaking eye contact. He wanted to press the subject, but instinctively felt she would evade every question if he tried. She was rather good at not answering questions if she didn't want to.

Nevertheless, it made him even more eager to know what bothered her this much. He suspected that it had something to do with Zhao. Uncle had told him how Zhao had kept her prisoner after he tried to burn a village down. But she had never talked about it and it hurt to think she didn't trust him enough to share her sorrows.

Elyrie opened her mouth, as if she wanted to say something but closed it again after a couple second. Zuko raised one questioning eyebrow, but she didn't reply and walked back to the door. Zuko heard the door slam shut, slightly harder than was necessary. Lily, what is haunting you? he thought over and over again as he stared into the darkness.

Inside, he heard to soft tinkeling sounds of ceramic. His Uncle's deep laugh and Elyrie's high voice were audible on the patio. He didn't feel the need to join the cosy tea party. It just wasn't like him to join and smile, like Elyrie and his Uncle both could. He envied them. They had what he didn't: the ability to turn away from their sorrows.

When he heard Elyrie's laughing inside, it was almost unthinkable she was haunted by her memories. He didn't knew why it hurt so much that she didn't want to share her story. She was a strong woman and she wasn't easily broken. She wasn't the least bit afraid of Azula, so what was it that made the memory of Zhao so terrifying to her?

Song's caring heart couldn't help to feel pity for the young man who sat alone on her patio. She looked at the young woman, who was helping her mother clear the table after they had finished their tea.

"Let us at least help you clean up," Lianna said as she picked up the plates from the table, "You have already been so generous."

"Are you sure?" Song asked the blue-eyed girl, who immediately nodded to her. "That is the least we could do." she answered cheerfully.

Lianna picked up a cloth and started washing the dishes, lively chattering with her mother about the china. Mushi helped with cleaning the table and piped in about his favourite tea flavours. Song chuckled, since it was exactly his love for tea that had caused the old man trouble today.

"I insist you take this with you." her mother said as she started to wrap the leftovers from the roast duck.

"You are too kind." Mushi answered with a wide smile and a loving gaze to the roast duck.

Amidst this friendly chatter, Song saw her chance to slip outside to the patio. The lone figure of Lee sat cross-legged on the edge, his gaze fixed at something in the dark.

"Can I join you?" She asked softly. Lee didn't respond, or even looked at her when she sat down next to him. She didn't blame him for his sombre mood. It had been years since her village had been invaded and she still dreamt about that day from time to time.

"I know what you've been through," she said when he continued his silence, "We've all been through it." She slowly lifted her hand to touch his scar. "The Fire Nation has hurt you."

But before she could even reach for it, Lee grabbed her wrist rather forcefully. Without even looking at her, he pushed her arm away from his scar.

"It's okay," she said compassionately. She wanted to let him know she understood his pain, so she placed her left leg in front of her. "They've hurt me too." she whispered as she lifted her pants over her knee, exposing her calve.

Zuko's eyes widened in shock when he saw Song's leg. From her ancles to her knee, it was covered in red scars in the shape of flames. It was the kind of scar you got when your clothing was set on fire and it caught the skin in the most painful way.

Song saw his shocked expression and looked at her own leg. Her scar was not as severe as the one on Lee's face, but it still carried a painful memory with it.

"I ran from the soldiers, but my clothing was set on fire by the flames that engulfed our house." She answered his silent question. It looked much better than it had been, mostly due to her mother's knowledge of ointments and herbs.

"It is why I became a healer," she added as she pulled her pants back over her leg, "I want to help people heal their wounds, because nobody should have to endure such pain."

At that moment, Uncle and Elyrie came out of the door. Zuko immediately stood up and walked away from Song.

"Thank you for the duck," Iroh said while taking the small package from the older woman, "It was excellent."

"You're welcome." Songs mother answered with a smile, "It brings me pleasure to see someone eat my cooking with such gusto."

"Much practice." Iroh chuckled as he patted his stomach in a contented manner.

"Thank you both so much for tonight," Elyrie said as she bowed before the two women, "I have enjoyed myself immensely."

At that moment, Zuko suddenly turned around and started to walk away.

"Junior!" his Uncle said, slightly irritated by his lack of manners, "Where are your manners? You need to thank these nice people."

Zuko turned around and bowed. "Thank you." he said, his tone not matching his words. As soon as he had said it, he turned on his heals and faced the darkness in front of him.

"I know you think there is no hope left in the world, but there is hope!" Song said to Lee's back, "The Avatar has returned!"

"Yes," Lee answered bitterly, "I know."

Song frowned her eyebrows at his tone, but both Elyrie and Uncle sucked in their breath. Thanking the women one more time, they followed Zuko as he started to walk away.

Zuko's pace quickened, only wanted to get away from this place as far and as fast as he possibly could. He pushed open the small gate, but halted when he saw an ostrich-horse next to the house. Without saying a word, he unfastened it from its post. Swiftly mounting the ostrich-horse, he led it to Uncle and Elyrie.

"What are you doing?" Iroh whispered in shock, "These people just showed you great kindness!"

"They are about to show us a little more kindness." Zuko said in a matter-of-fact tone. He extended his hand to both his Uncle and Elyrie. "Well?" he demanded impatiently when neither took his hand

"Zuko" Elyrie hissed at him with fury in her eyes, "You can't do this."

"And you can't walk." he answered with a straight face.

"We're not stealing." She said, ignoring his comment as she crossed her arms. Zuko growled under his breath. "We'll leave without you then."

"Go ahead" she shot back without attempting to move, "But don't you think the Fire Nation has taken enough from them?" She saw his jaw clench and she knew she had hit the target.

Damn stubborn girl, Zuko thought. He knew she wasn't about to yield in this regard. But he also knew she wasn't able to walk any long distances anymore.

"If I am not taking this one, it will be another." he warned her as he motioned to the surrounding houses.

"If you have the incredible need to steal," she retorted, "Then do it by someone who has more than one ostrich-horse."

"Do you see such a place nearby?"

"No, which is exactly why I said it."

Zuko scoffed at her and extended his hand again to his Uncle. "Are you coming or not?" he asked in a rough voice.

"Uncle, please" Elyrie said as she turned to the older man, "You have to agree with me on this?"

"I do," he admitted as he turned to his nephew, "Zuko, she is right."

Without waiting for Zuko's answer, Elyrie grabbed the reins of the ostrich-horse and gently pulled him back to his place. Zuko jumped off the animal with a frustrated noise and kicked some sand in her direction.

"Don't expect me to carry you." Zuko warned her when she limped slightly back to Uncle.

She didn't respond and didn't look at him, which for some reason made him even more angry.

"You two are impossible!" he said as he stormed off into the direction of the forest.

The next few days, they travelled in silence. Zuko had stolen two ostrich-horses from a large mansion which had at least a 100 of them. Even though Elyrie did not agree, she was glad she was able to let her aching feet rest, as Song had ordered her to. However, she and Zuko had barely spoken to each other after they had departed from Songs house. He was too angry and she was too stubborn. Iroh knew they would eventually come to their senses, but until then he wasn't about to intervene.

The leftovers Song and her mother had given them had provided them with food for two days. When it ran out, they decided to try their luck in a small village along the main road.

Elyrie sat down against a wall which passed by the main street. Zuko and Uncle Iroh followed her example and took the time to rest. It was a busy street with a lot of people and merchants passing by. Elyrie even saw a cart with masks for sale in front of them.

Iroh took off his straw hat and kept it up to the passing people. "Are you going to beg?" Zuko said vexed.

Uncle simply nodded while he said to a passing man "Spare coins for weary travellers?" He received a few copper coins and smiled gratefully at the man.

Zuko was less pleased. "This is humiliating!" he said angrily while he folded his arms, "We are royalty, these people should give us what we want."

Elyrie rose her eyebrows at this statement. They hardly looked royal at that moment with those worn off clothes and undone hair. She could hardly imagine what she looked like at that moment. Probably just as homely, she thought. It had been days since someone had fixed her hair or she had put on perfume. She tried to keep herself as clean as possible and luckily enough Zuko and Uncle shared her dedication to hygiene.

Uncle was not fazed by Zuko's criticism: "They will if you ask nicely." he said as he lifted his finger in a wise tone. A young woman passed by at that moment. "Spare change for a hungry old man?" Iroh asked as he pouted his lips to the woman.

"Ahww," the woman smiled at him and took a coin from her sleeve, "Here you go."

"The coin is appreciated," Iroh said with a grin, "But not as much as your smile!"

The woman giggled as she walked away. Zuko slapped his forehead in frustration at his uncle's antics. Elyrie repressed her own giggle, but it died down when a man casted a shadow over them.

Elyrie immediately felt a chill going over her at the sight of the man. He was tanned with a scraggly beard and he wore two broadswords on his back. He gave them a sly smile, directed at Uncle.

"How about some entertainment in exchange for…" he said as he dramatically pulled a shiny coin from his pocket, "a gold coin?"

"We are not performers" Zuko said annoyed.

"Not professional, anyway" Uncle said cheerfully while standing up. He wouldn't, Elyrie thought horrified. Uncle was many good things, but a singer was not one of them. Before she could say anything, Iroh started to sing on the top of his lungs and terribly off-key:

It's a long long way to Ba Sing Se

But the girls in the city

They look so pretty!

Elyrie clasped her hand in front of her mouth to hide her smile since it was almost comical how terrible his performance was. Her urge to smile quickly died for the second time when she saw the face of the man lighten up in a sadistic manner.

"Come on old man, it is a gold coin." He said in an annoyed voice as he drew his swords. "Come on, dance!"

Elyrie saw Zuko's jaw clench when the man drew his swords. She knew he would attack the man if he would come a step closer to his Uncle. She put her small hand on Zuko's knee and just as the man prepared to make Uncle dance by hitting on his feet, she quickly stood up and continued the song:

"It's a long long way to Ba Sing Se

But you can always find a path

You are always free to begin again

And you're always free to believe

When you find the place where your heart belongs

You'll never leave."

At the moment she started to sing, the man lowered his swords. Even though she trembled slightly, her voice was crystal clear. She kept eye contact with him, to be sure that he would not strike at Uncle. He stared at her with his mouth open. She sang the whole song, all five verses, with all her might to keep his attention.

It is so sweet

That you'll really liked to meet

The girls from Ba Sing Se

When she was finished with the last sentences, she heard a small applause. Surprised, she looked around and saw that a small crowd had gathered to listen to her. She hadn't noticed it, because she was so focused on the man that tried to hurt Uncle. She was flattered, but kept her face straight.

She turned back to the man and raised one eyebrow. "How is that for a performance?" she said in a haughty tone. That sleezy no-good of a man might think that they were simple travellers, but that was no reason to treat them as if they were worthless.

Zuko glanced at Elyrie when she straightened her back and raised one eyebrow at the man. For a moment, he saw the attitude of someone with royal blood. She lifted her chin proudly and gave him an arrogant look, as if to say that he was beneath her at that moment. He couldn't help but admire her pride.

The man was taken aback for a moment, but then started to laugh. "No professional performers you say?" he said with a head tilt to Zuko, "This girl sings like an angel." He took a step closer to her. "Sing another song for me, pretty girl." he added in a sleezy tone while licking his lips.

Finally, Zuko stood up and said in a firm tone "I think you have heard enough. Keep your money and leave." He placed his hand on Elyrie's shoulder and lifted his chin as well. Almost as a reflex, Elyrie placed her hand over his to signal their unity.

The man looked at him, irritated that he refused him. He took another step closer to Elyrie, but Zuko moved slightly in front of her and towered over the man. This time, Elyrie didn't even bother to intervene. She knew Zuko would wring his neck if he as so much lifted a finger to her or Uncle. And the man seemed to realise this too.

He narrowed his eyes at the young man in front of him, who was at least 10 inches taller. He didn't like it when he was refused something he wanted and right now: he wanted that girl. She didn't seem to be intimidated, which was a welcome change. He could take her 'guard' down with his swords, but he doubted he would be fast enough. He weighed his chances and finally backed down.

He tossed the coin to Elyrie, who let it fall at her feet. "Here, sparrowkeet. You earned it." With a last dark look at Zuko, the man turned around and left.

After the man had left, Elyrie's face finally broke in a smile and bowed to the crowd. The crowd started to break apart, but not before most of them threw more coins in Uncle's straw hat. She picked up the gold coin the man had tossed her and flipped it in her hand. She and Zuko exchanged a quick look and she gave him a grateful smile. He simply nodded in return. Uncle sat down again and said in a content voice "Such a kind man."

Elyrie smiled at him, touched by his goodness. She flipped the coin another time before saying "So, who is hungry?"

Chapter Text

"Where did you get these?" Iroh asked when Zuko dropped two barrels of food at his feet.

"What does it matter where they came from?" Zuko growled before he turned on his heels to walk straight out of the cave again.

Elyrie wanted to ask him where he was going, but she knew better by now. She pulled her legs closer to her chest and placed her chin on her knees. Zuko had been in a particular foul mood the last few days. She didn't blame him though. She herself had trouble keeping up her spirits with the hardships they faced.

Her gaze went to the barrel filled with pastries at the opening of the cavern. She wasn't gullible enough to think Zuko had paid for them. Uncle saw her look and offered her one of the sweet treats, but she simply shook her head as she chewed on her lip.

"Having principles is important, dear" Iroh said while licking the cream from the pastry from the corner of his mouth, "But they don't fill your stomach."

"I know" she sighed as she picked up the jam-and-cream filled treat. The sweet smell reached her nostrils. She took a small bite and chewed it slowly. It was delicious and rich and decadent. The vanilla cream was velvety and smooth, as well as the raspberry jam. She couldn't remember the last time she had eaten something so delicious.

And it made her nauseous.

She couldn't shake the feeling they might have been taken from people who needed it more than they did. True, it were luxury items and probably only the richest could afford to pay for them but that didn't made her feel better. She kept thinking about Song and her mother, who had shown them so much kindness even though they had lost everything they had when they fled.

It was a feeling she was unable to shake. Without saying another word, she stood up and straightened her tunic. She pushed her short curls in a bit of a model, for as best she could, and put on her cap and worn off shoes. Her feet were healed completely, but she did need new shoes.

"Where are you going?" Iroh asked while chewing on his third pastry as she walked out of the cave. His mouth was completely covered with the cream and sugar, which made Elyrie chuckle.

"I'm going to see if someone needs a hand and is willing to pay for it." She answered while standing on her toes. She was eager to leave the damp cave. "It is a market day in the town, so I might be able to find a job?"

"Be careful!" Iroh warned her as she walked off into the direction of the village, "Make sure you're back before sunset!"

"I will!" she shouted over her shoulder.

The two ostrich-horses were waiting by the entrance of the cave and she saw that Zuko had brought food for them as well. Well, I can't say he doesn't think about others, she mused while pondering whether to take the ostrich-horse with her to the village. She decided against it, since it was a short walk to the nearest village.

Like every other town in the Earth Kingdom, this village had a market day on which the entire town seemed to gather around the travelling merchants. Uncle, Zuko and she had travelled further into Earth Kingdom territory and everywhere they went, there was a stark contrast between the rich and the poor. For every job, there were at least six pair of hands willing to take it. Most of them were refugees, just like she was.

After two hours of walking around town, Elyrie hadn't found any sort of job. She got the same response over and over again: Sorry, no need. She shouldn't have been surprised: this town was a well-known place for passing travellers and thus as well for refugees. It seemed like everybody needed the money.

After a while, she sat down on the steps of a large stone building which dominated the square, probably the town hall. Sitting cross-legged, she looked at the different stalls on the square. The smells of freshly baked bread and roasted meat drifted her way. Her mouth began to water again, but she bit on her fist to repress the growling sounds of her stomach. A quick look around assured her that there were more people like herself sitting down, begging for scraps.

While observing the passing people, she fiddled with her ring on her right hand. The sapphire caught the sunlight and glittered like waves of the ocean. How much was it worth? Probably enough to feed them for at least a couple weeks. She could sell it to make sure they wouldn't starve. To make sure Zuko wouldn't need to steal to feed them.

She sighed as her chest constricted at the thought of parting with it. She knew she couldn't. So she decided she couldn't give up looking for another way to make money just yet. She lowered her hand again and looked at the people from the market. There had to be a way to make money, right?

You could sing, a little voice said from inside her. The little voice she had tried to repress the entire day since she considered singing her last option. Well, second-last option since she just decided that selling her ring was her last option.

The last time singing had managed to provide them with some money, but she had done it merely to distract one particular rude man. She'd never intended to make a display of herself, but it had happened just the same.

But was making a spectacle of herself worse than starving and stealing? Did she dare to sing? She had never sung for so many unknown people, but it was worth a shot, right? She had observed several musicians on their way here and everyone seemed to be willing to pay for a few moments of amusement.

But she didn't have an instrument, so could she sing? You didn't need one last time, the voice persisted as she tried to talk herself out of it.

She leaned forward and placed her elbows on her knees when she inspected the town square. It was crowded with a wide range of colourful people who went shopping. She saw multiple purses, full of money, passing by. She played with her cap and as she was turning it around in her hands, she decided it was perfect to place in front of her if she were to sing.

What was she about to sing? Her mother's lullaby? No, that is too personal, she immediately decided. It had to be a song she could sing without an instrument accompanying her. And no song from the Fire Nation, because that would only make people suspicious.

The last song she had sung with Zuko on the beach? That one was perfect; short enough to be over as soon as possible and easy to listen to.

Did she really dare to sing on het own? I must be losing my mind, she thought as she inhaled deeply and straightened her back. Standing up and stepping forward, she placed herself strategically on the side of the square. Well, here goes nothing, she thought when she closed her eyes and began the first verse.

There are times I think that no one seems to listen
There are times I think they listen but don't hear
There are times I think they hear but something's missing
The thoughts behind the words aren't clear

Elyrie opened her eyes and looked around her. Nobody stared at her in horror, which was a good start. She chuckled, since the lyrics matched her situation unironically. With new confidence, she continued the verse.

So they're saying something they're not saying
They think I mean something I don't mean at all
Do we raise our voices, miscommunicating?
Or simply say nothing at all?

Is there another way to say it
In a way that can be heard?
Let me see if I can put it into words

People had stopped in their tracks when she began to increase her volume, so she could be heard over the rattling of carriages and the voices of the merchants. A small crowd gathered around her, but now she was completely aware of it. She smiled broadly when she started the refrain.

I can hear you
You can hear me
When we listen with our hearts

I understand you
You understand me
That's a place where we can start

Words of kindness and forgiveness
Bring us closer, not apart
When we speak our minds
And listen with our hearts

She sang that afternoon until her voice gave out.

"She still hasn't returned?" Zuko asked his Uncle when twilight approached. Iroh shook his head and looked worriedly at the darkening sky. It would soon be completely dark.

"I'll go look for her." Zuko said as he walked out of the cave, "You stay here in case she comes back."

Without waiting for a response from his Uncle, Zuko walked straight to the hollow tree where his new Blue Spirit mask was hidden. He had stolen it from the carriage in one of the first villages they visited. His Blue Spirit disguise allowed him to stalk in the night and remain hidden in the shadows. Letting the mask glide in his bag, he took it with him just in case.

He practically ran over the main road to the city gate, praying she would have gone to the nearest village. On his way, he saw a lot of merchants leaving the town and the street lights were already lit. Where the hell is she? He thought as he looked around the town square. The last merchants were still packing their belongings, so he walked over to them.

"Have you seen a young girl?" Zuko asked the first merchant he saw, "Auburn curls and about this tall?" he added as he raised his hand to the level of his chin.

The merchant looked puzzled, but his wife seemed to have a better memory. "Oh, you mean the singer?" she asked from behind the chart, "That was a sweet girl." She nodded to her husband as she lifted a heavy basket, filled with apples. "We have just sold her some fruit."

Singer? Zuko thought in disbelief, but it did fit Elyrie's description so he nodded. "She was in a hurry to leave when she saw that it was about to get dark," the merchant added as he tapped is finger against his chin, "She went into that direction, maybe ten minutes ago." With his index finger, he pointed to the direction of the city gate.

Zuko thanked the couple and quickened his pace. She couldn't have come over the main road, otherwise he would have seen her. She could have gotten lost in the dark, he mused as his eyes scanned the surroundings. Her sense of direction wasn't particulary good, so it was plausible she could have taken a wrong turn.

The streets were emptying now that everyone returned to their homes. Only a couple of sleezy looking types were out, which didn't raise Zuko's hopes.

"Hey handsome," he heard a female voice yell from across the street. He looked up and saw an older women in a low cut top motioning to him to come to her, "You looking for a good time?" Zuko almost choked when the woman raised her skirt to just below her tigh. Quickly averting his eyes, he walked away. He didn't like this one bit.

It would probably be best if he didn't attract any more unwanted attention. Disappearing in the shadows, he put on his mask and swiftly climbed on the roof of the nearest building. He could search much faster when he had a look from above.

Jumping from roof to roof, he kept his eyes and ears open for any sign of her. The brawling of drunken men in the streets became louder and louder. Lily, he mentally called her, where are you? The fear that something had happened to her became greater and greater when he heard the comments of the men in the streets. A beautiful girl like her was bound to attract attention.

Just as he was about to search another part of town, he heard a familiar voice say: "I really, really, don't."

And he knew that voice well enough to know something was very wrong.

Damn it, Elyrie mentally scolded herself for not paying attention to the time.

She had purchased most of her things immediately after she decided she had earned enough money for that day. The first thing she bought were new shoes for herself to prevent another disaster with blisters and injuries. And just in case they got themselves injured, she had also bought enough bandages and ointment to last at least a year. Finally, she had spend the last money on groceries to feed them for the next week. Healthy food, she thought amused when she filled up her basket.

Humming contently to herself, she had made her way back to the city gate and the forest. The street merchants were clearing out their charts and most people disappeared into the safety of their homes. He will be moody for sure, she grinned to herself when she pictured Zuko's reaction to all the healthy food. He was not necessarily a picky eater, but he did have a secret sweet tooth.

Lost in her thoughts, she had missed the last turn in the dark and ended up in an alley with a dead end. "Oops." she said sheepishly but as she started to turn around, she saw a silhouette approaching. In a reflex, she stepped behind a pile of wooden boxes that were conveniently dumped there. She was in no mood to get robbed, especially since she could not use her bending here. She wasn't afraid, but merely cautious.

"Who's there?" the silhouette said while he drew the swords from his back. Dual broadswords. Damn it, she cursed when she recognised the man. It was the same man who had tried to attack Uncle a few days ago and who had tried to humiliate him for money. Uncle might have been so humble not to take offense, but she was less forgiving. Moreover, she had no intention of another encounter with that sleezy excuse of a man.

"Show yourself!" the man yelled as he let his swords swing again and his voice came closer. It was inevitable that he would discover her and she didn't particularly like the idea of meeting the end of a sword. With a sigh, Elyrie stepped from behind the boxes with gritted teeth.

"I took a wrong turn," she said in a calm voice, hoping he would let her pass without issue, "Pardon me."

"Ahh" he said, lowering his swords as soon as he recognised her, "The little sparrowkeet. I am glad to see you again."

"Thank you." was her short reply.

"Have you followed me here?" the man asked while casually walking closer to her. Elyrie flexed her hand in an effort to calm herself, but her voice came out annoyed when she answered: "No."

"My name is Elai." the man continued, not in the least bothered by her short replies. She didn't respond, so he swiftly moved in front of her and forced her to stop.

Elyrie leaned as if to go around him, but Elai quickly lunged to the side. She made a move in the opposite direction, but he did the same. Finally, she rolled her eyes and exhaled. "What?" she snarled, not even trying to be polite anymore.

"You know," he said while standing in front of her, "A girl as pretty as you should not be begging in the streets. If you want, I can-"

"I don't." She interrupted him without bothering to look at him.

"Come on, be a sweet girl" he said while taking another step closer to her, "I didn't do anything to you, now did I? Don't you want to get to know me better?"

"I really, really, don't." she said through her clenched teeth while trying to step aside. Please, she mentally pleaded as her eyes searched for the main road, I really don't want to be forced to firebend.

What neither of them realised was that they were being watched by a figure in the shadows. The mask concealed his face, but his hands were clenched into fists.

"Do you think you are better then me?" Elai said in a low voice as he came even closer. He had to admit that he had liked her spirit, but enough was enough. He was not about to be put down repeatedly by such a tiny girl. She didn't look the least bit intimidated again. He licked his lips as his eyes went over her.

"Yes." Elyrie lifted her chin arrogantly in response. A little voice inside her told her she'd better not provoke him, but her pride refused her to back down.

Suddenly, he pushed her roughly against the wall. In a reflex, she placed her hands on his chest to keep him from coming any closer to her. She dropped the basket and the groceries rolled over the stones.

Elai grabbed her right hand and studied it. "Ah," he said while clicking his tongue, "Such a pretty ring for a beggar." He had been right: this girl was no ordinary beggar. That arrogant pride was something you only saw the richest, most privileged people express. A diabolical grin crossed his lips. Oh, he was going to enjoy making this one squirm beneath him and beg him for mercy.

Elyrie pulled her hand from his grip, but he forced her into a corner. "Sing for me." the man commanded as he pushed her back against the wall and placed his hands next to her face, "Or you can kiss me." His eyes looked at her as if she was a prey and he was about to pounce on her.

"Let me pass." she said, trying to push him away from her. He was so close now that she could smell the alcohol on his breath. He didn't bother to move and when she finally looked into his eyes, her heart started to pound in panic. The predatory gaze was a look that reminded her of Zhao. Adrenaline rushed throughout her body as she tried to push him away, but he wouldn't move. He had her cornered and Elyrie knew it.

And in the shadows, Zuko knew it too.

Sparks came from the corners of his mouth as he exhaled in anger. He jumped off the roof to pull him away from her, but before he could grab the man by his shoulders he heard a loud cry echoe through the night.

Zuko froze for a second. Had that man hurt Elyrie? His heart went cold at the thought. The cry was one of pain, but it didn't sound like her.

Instead, Zuko saw that the man lowered his head and slumped forward as if he wanted to throw up. Then, he heard a rather sickening sound of a smack, obviously one of flesh against bone. It was followed by a duller thud as the man staggered and fell on his back on the stones.

Elyrie shook her hand, stretched her fingers and inspected her knuckles. The skin was broken, but it was worth it. When Elai had bent forward to kiss her, her knee had found a very obvious place. And when he had bent forward in pain, she had given him the hardest punch in the face she had ever given anyone.

"What the…?" she heard a familiar voice. Elyrie looked up and saw a masked figure looking at the unconscious man lying on the floor.

"Fancy seeing you here." Elyrie said as she stepped over the man, not bothering to pay attention to his state. She picked up the bread and fruit from the floor and inspected them for bruises or dirt. They had managed to survive the ordeal, so she quickly assembled them in the basket. "Here to help me?" she asked in a conversational tone, as if she had not just knocked out a grown man twice her size.

"As if you needed it," Zuko replied, not even bothering to hide how impressed he was as he took off his mask to take a better look at the unconscious figure on the ground, "You knocked him out flat." He squatted next to man to check on him. Not that he particularly cared for his wellbeing, but he was curious to see the damage Elyrie had managed to bring to him.

His bleeding nose was somewhat off-centre and a dark bruise covered his cheekbone. When he looked closer, Zuko saw that his cheekbone bled as well. He looked back up and saw that Elyrie shook her right hand. The hand that had hit him was conveniently the one on which she wore her ring. And if something was hard, it was gold and stone.

"He was asking for it," Elyrie said while she rubbed her knuckles, "No, wait. That is not true. He was asking for a kiss." Her lips twisted in a devilish grin and she looked rather pleased with herself.

A faint whimper came from the figure on the floor as he rolled onto his stomach. He was regaining consciousness as he rolled onto his stomach to push himself back up, clutching his obviously broken nose. Blood ran over his hand as he tried to stop the bleeding. His gaze was foggy and he saw stars. When he sat back on his knees to clear his head, he looked up at Zuko and his eyes widened in horror.

"Do you mind?" Zuko asked Elyrie as he motioned to the man. "Not at all." Elyrie answered while studying her right hand again.

With a swift kick, Elai was knocked out for the second time and landed on his stomach on the ground. His swords, which he had put back in the scabbard, were still attached to his back. Without saying a word, Zuko took them from him. And for once, Elyrie didn't object to him stealing from others.

"Let's go back," Zuko said while pointing one sword in the direction of the forest, "Uncle was worried about you." Although there was truly no need, he thought as he looked at the pathetic figure on the floor. The bleeding had stopped, but even in the dark he saw that his bruise was starting to turn a blackish-blue colour.

Zuko tied the leather scabbard on his back and placed the swords in it. It gave him a safe feeling knowing he had the weapons with him, especially now that they had to walk back in the dark.

"Thank you," Elyrie suddenly said, turning around so fast that her short curls flew in her face, "For coming to find me."

"You didn't need my help." Zuko answered as he shrugged. He meant it, but he couldn't help imagining what might have happened had the situation been different and had he not been there to help her. His jaw clenched and he resisted the urge to knock the unconcious man for the second time, just to make sure he would have a splitting headache tomorrow. Serves him just right.

Elyrie shot him a lopsided grin. She was proud of herself, he could see that. And he couldn't explain why the fact that she didn't seem to need him was like he was punched in the face himself.

This is actually the first part of a larger chapter I had in mind, but it became longer than I intended so I decided to split it into two parts. The second part will be added soon!

Lots of love and stay safe! :)

Chapter Text

"You did some serious shopping." Iroh said dryly while looking around the cave. When they had woken up the next morning, Zuko had filled the small space with brand new stuff, among which a pipa and a massive golden tea set.

When Zuko and Elyrie had returned to the cave the night before, Uncle was thrilled about the fresh food. They had tried to drastically reduced the graveness of the situation, but he had seen right through them. Zuko was a terrible liar and Elyrie was not much better when it came to lying to people she cared about. But - albeit after a stern lecture - Iroh had congratulated her on her resourcefulness to restrain from firebending while defending herself.

Elyrie looked from the expensive stuff back to Zuko with an arched eyebrow, but he avoided her look as he slumped against the walls of the cave. A quick scan of the cave made her realise that his mask and new dual broadswords were not here. Probably hidden somewhere in the forest, she thought as she picked up an expensive burgundy-coloured rug, embroidered with gold. The image on the rug seemed to be a firebreathing dragon. It was so over-the-top that Elyrie had to wonder why Zuko of all things decided to take this.

"Zuko," Elyrie asked in a confused tone, "You know you don't need to do this? I can -."

"You're not going to sing anymore." Zuko interrupted her in a tone that indicated that he didn't wish to be countered, "It is far too dangerous."

"You said yourself that I managed very well yesterday!" she remarked indignantly. His sharp golden eyes snapped to her when she dropped the rug and crossed her arms.

"I did," he admitted as he crossed his arms as well and leaned back against the cave, "But that doesn't mean you need to go start looking for trouble."

In reality, he knew she was able to defend herself. He knew very well she'd manage without his help. He didn't object to her singing, but it was the fact that she managed to provide for them. It was another chip in his already wounded pride.

Since the dinner at Song's house, he had been struggling with the question what his purpose really was and what he could do with his life now that everything had fallen apart. Song said there was hope left because the Avatar had returned, but that was exactly the reason why he felt no hope at all. He had no prospects, no plans for the future and absolutely no idea how to go on like this.

And as if it wasn't humiliating enough, he felt unnecessary even with Uncle and Elyrie. Elyrie had been cheerfully skipping through these difficult times. She had made her opinion clear on the matter of stealing, but he couldn't be bothered now. It was some form of protest against her principles, to prove to her that he could get by himself. And then, she had earned money herself to feed them. It might never have been her intention to slight him, but it felt like that just the same.

Elyrie opened her mouth to fight Zuko on the matter, but she saw Uncle place his finger on his lips in the corner of her eye. Iroh shot a silent look, which was clear: let him be. Obediently, Elyrie closed her mouth but looked back with a puzzled look.

Iroh simply shook his head and motioned to the outside of the cave. He needed to talk with his nephew alone. Elyrie swiftly nodded as she understood the message.

"I'm going for a walk." Elyrie said instead and made her way out of the cave as she bit her tongue to prevent herself form adding the petty I hope that is allowed?

Zuko avoided her glare when she walked out of the cave. He remained sitting against the wall, slouching with his arms crossed.

There fell a silence when Zuko and Iroh were left alone in the cave. "Do you like your new teapot?" Zuko asked, finally breaking the silence when he saw his Uncle picking up the heavy pot.

"To be honest with you," his Uncle replied as he put down the pot, "The best tea tastes delicious whether it comes in a porcelain pot or in a tin cup."

Zuko looked away again and didn't reply. Iroh was silent for a few more seconds as he walked over to his nephew and sat down beside him.

"I know we had some difficult times lately. We've had to struggle just to get by." He said quietly as he placed his hand on Zuko's shoulder in a comforting way, "But it's nothing to be ashamed of. There is a simple honour in poverty."

Zuko closed his eyes while he listened to his Uncle. He might be right, but he couldn't shake the feeling that he had no honour left at this point. There was no honour for him in being a refugee or by starving on the side of the road.

"There's no honour for me without the Avatar." Zuko finally said while opening his eyes.

Iroh repressed an exhausted sigh. "Zuko," he said in a calm voice, hoping to get through to his nephew, "Even if you did capture the Avatar, I'm not so sure it would solve our problems." Iroh thought about their situation: Zuko was labelled a failure and both Elyrie and himself were considered enemies of the Fire Nations. The three of them were refugees with a price on their heads if they had the misfortune of running into Azula. "Not now." He added, as if the strengthen the truth that capturing the Avatar wasn't going to solve anything.

"Then there is no hope at all." Zuko said while turning away from his Uncle as he tried to stand up. He felt an emptiness inside himself as he thought about what his Uncle had said. It was true: capturing the Avatar wouldn't solve anything. Everything that had driven him the past five years was suddenly meaningless. So what was there to live for now?

"No, Zuko!" his Uncle said as he grabbed him by the shoulders, "You must never give in to despair. Allow yourself to slip down that road and you surrender to your lowest instincts." Zuko leaned back as he closed his eyes again.

"In the darkest times, hope is something you give yourself." His Uncle said gently, "That is the meaning of inner strength."

Zuko turned his face to his Uncle, who looked back at him with a sad look upon his face. He couldn't bear the compassion, so he abruptly stood up and pulled free from his Uncle's grasp.

Without going in a specific direction, he subconsciously followed the path he saw Elyrie take before she walked off.

Elyrie had been circling around an open spot in the forest to kill the time. She had no idea how long she had been walking there: it could have been five minutes or it could have been half an hour. She was a patient person, but she was terrible at telling time and she had no idea what to do while Iroh and Zuko were talking.

The leaves rustled behind her and she stopped in her tracks. Flexing her hands, she waited for the person who was responsible for the sounds.

"Zuko." She said when the familiar face came into view. He was apparently fed up, because he didn't bother to push the branches away, but set them on fire in front of him. "Going for a relaxing walk?" she asked dryly, trying to lighten the mood.

Zuko wasn't in the mood for her cheerfulness. He simply scoffed and wanted to walk past her.

"Zuko, would you please stop brooding?" she asked as he walked past her, sounding almost exhausted, "It is not going to change anything."

"Do you want me to be as insufferably cheerful as you always are?" he growled, "Is that going to change anything?"

"Well, it would make it a lot easier for me." She remarked bluntly. He averted his eyes and she immediately felt bad for snapping at him. "Look," she said, her voice much softer now, "I understand that this isn't ideal. I know you aren't happy with-,"

"Happy?" he interrupted her as he turned around with an angry expression on his face. All the frustration and all the anger he had bottled up and repressed over the past few days came rushing to the surface. He wanted to throw it all out, all at once. All the despair and anger he had felt, despite the compassion from Uncle and her. Their compassion and understanding made it somehow even worse.

"How could you possibly think that I would be happy here?" he yelled at her, surprising her as she stared at him with wide eyes, "Do you think we can sing and dance our way through this godforsaken country and live happily ever after?"

"I didn't expect you to-," Elyrie tried, but as soon as she opened her mouth to answer, he cut her off again.

"You can never understand how it is." He continued, the dam broken as the flow of words continued, beating on her like merciless waves, "You would never understand how it feels to have your future taken away from you!"

"So you think this isn't difficult for me?" she said as her eyes darkened, "You think that it didn't take away the future I dreamed of?"

"Oh please, you told me yourself you had no plans!" Zuko growled back, "But I never choose to live as a fugitive!" To strengthen his words, he slammed one of the tree branches away from him while setting it on fire again. With this rate, he will burn down the entire forest, Elyrie thought. He was acting like a child and it bothered her immensely.

"Then you are more than welcome to hand yourself over to Azula," She replied sharply, "But things will get better, even if they don't seem like it now."

Zuko looked at her as she stood straight with her arms crossed, her chin lifted and her blue eyes calmly observing him as he put out the fire. He gritted his teeth at her cool demeanour. Normally, she had a calming effect on him but now she only seemed to enrage him even further. He knew why: she showed the inner strength that he lacked. She would never give into despair, while he was practically running towards it by now. He turned around to walk away from her, but she wasn't about to let him off that easily.

"This isn't the end." He heard her voice behind him say. He could hear the sigh in her voice, as if she was exhausted.

"Life without the Avatar-", Zuko answered without turning around.

"- Is still life." She interrupted him, "You can still find something to live for."

"Like what? Like you?" he snarled at her as he spun around to face her. He had enough of people telling him to be happy and to be content with the situation.

Elyrie's eyes narrowed for a second before she composed herself. "Don't be ugly." She replied smoothly, but she dug her nails into the palm of her hand. It did hurt to hear him sneer at her like she didn't mean anything to him.

"No, I will be as insufferably cheerful as you are while everybody just hands you stuff."

They glared at each other before Zuko turned around again. Elyrie sighed deeply as she tried to recollect her thoughts. "I am so insufferably cheerful because I believe we can make something of this."

"Easy talk," Zuko said, "You can return to the Northern Tribe whenever you want. This is like a vacation to you, isn't it?"

He was being unreasonable and he knew it. She knew it too. She sighed and turned to walk away from this useless discussion.

"What?" she heard him call to her, "To hard for you to hear it?"

"No," she replied as she turned around, her blue eyes glittering with anger, "Too hard for me to see it. It breaks my heart seeing you this way."

"Don't pity me." He growled at her. He was angrier than ever and filled with despair. The last thing he needed was someone pitying him. This was humiliating enough as it was.

"I'm not pitying you." she spat and she looked at him with such a cold gaze that it rivalled the cold he had felt on the North Pole.

"No, you just care so much, don't you?" he roared as smoke came out of his nostrils and small flames escaped his lips.

"Listen to me, and listen very carefully," Elyrie said in a low voice, her compassion melting away like ice in the scorching sun "I am not here for you. I am here because I want to protect the people that I love because my very presence is the reason they might be attacked again."

Zuko looked at her with narrowed eyes. For some reason, hearing her say that she wasn't here for him but to protect her newfound family hurt more than her pity would. It hurt to think that she would have otherwise left him, like everybody seemed to do. I don't want you to leave me, he silently thought as she approached him with fire in her eyes.

"You are my friend and I care for you, but I am not naïve. As your friend, I want to help you but I am not going to hold you by the hand as you try to figure out what you want to do. Do you think Uncle and I know what we are doing here? We are refugees as well, but you don't see us whining about the situation."

Zuko wanted to interrupted her, but something in her blue eyes made him stop. Besides, even if he tried to interrupt her now, she didn't give him the opportunity.

"You have two choices now: stay and make the best of it with us, or leave and figure it out on your own."

She had never spoken to him like this. She wasn't out of control, she didn't raise her voice or even showed a sign of a rising temper. But all the same, she was terrifying in her control over her emotions.

He wanted to respond, to outwit her, to make her feel at a loss for words. But he couldn't. He didn't have the strength to fight her. He didn't have the will anymore to fight her. So, without answering her, he turned around and ran further into the forest.

Hours had passed before Zuko returned to the cave.

"Uncle." his baritone made Elyrie look up. She turned to him and saw that his face had taken on a peaceful look, as if all the stress had left him. It made her feel hopeful: he might have come to his senses. Nevertheless, she frowned when he purposefully ignored her.

Iroh turned around as well when he heard his nephews voice. Zuko's serious face betrayed no emotion as he said: "I thought a lot about what you said."

"You did?" Iroh replied as he felt his face brighten, "Good. Good."

"It's helped me realise something," Zuko said while taking a step closer to the cave, still trying to avoid looking at Elyrie's blue eyes. He could only disappoint one person. Two was too much, even now. "We no longer have anything to gain by travelling together. I need to find my own way."

Elyrie felt as is someone had punched her in the chest. A sideways glance made her realise that Uncle was just as surprised by the news as she was. "But-," she began, not really knowing what to say. Zuko didn't look at her, but picked up his bag and swung it over his shoulder. Without saying another word, he untied one of the ostrich-horses and mounted it.

He waited for a moment and turned back. The sad look he read in his Uncle's eyes was painful, but he knew he had to leave. Then, because he couldn't help himself, he finally looked at Elyrie. His golden eyes met her sapphire eyes. He could read the hurt and the anger in her eyes, but it wasn't enough to convince him to stay. Then, he headed off and didn't look back.

"Why is he so incredibly stubborn?" Elyrie asked, kicking one of the pebbles in an attempt to have an outlet for her frustrations, "As if we are so happy with all of this."

She tried to feel sympathy for him, but she was angrier than she had ever been at him. She could live with the idea that he was angry at her, but the thing that frustrated her the most was the fact that he left his Uncle without so much as a goodbye. His Uncle, who had stand by him during all his struggles. She looked to her side but was surprised to see a serene look on the face of the older General.

"Uncle?" she asked with a puzzled look as she reached out to him, "Are you not frustrated?"

"No, dear." Iroh said while he took her hand and patted it in a soothing way, "Zuko will come around after he found his path again."

"Ahh," she replied in a sarcastisc tone, "That will only take five more years. How fun."

Iroh shook his head as he watched the girl press her lips together. It was a fascination sight: if she didn't want to show her emotions, her face could be unreadable. But when she didn't need to watch herself, she had such an expressive face that you could read her emotions effortlessly. Like now, when she was obviously angry and frustrated.

He let out a small chuckle, which made Elyrie raise her eyebrows. "Try to be patient, dear," he said gently, "He doesn't have the same luxury you have."

"And what luxury is that?" she asked, while still kicking the pebbles. For some reason, she wasn't in the mood for Uncle's wisdom at the moment. She was here as well, wasn't she? It wasn't as if this whole ordeal was a relaxing vacation for her.

"The fact that you knew, despite everything, that you were loved." Iroh replied calmy.

As soon as he said it, she froze halfway another kick. Her blue eyes widened as she looked at him. Slowly nodding, he saw that she immediately understood what he was talking about. Zuko and she could not be more different, both in character and in upbringing. And that was exactly the reason why Zuko was so desperate now, while she had adapted to the situation quickly.

Elyrie never thought that one sentence could cut so deep so fast. Uncle didn't say it to make her feel guilty, but it was to let her remember how different Zuko's life had been compared to hers. Zuko was forced out of his country by his own father and his mother had simply disappeared one day. She, on the other hand, knew that despite her parents untimely deaths, that they had loved her unconditionally. They would never have left her, no matter what she did. Being loved wasn't something she considered a luxury, it was just how it had been. Only now did she realise how much of her confidence came from the love and nurture that she received. Not only from her mother and father, but from everyone around her.

Zuko, on the other hand, had to fight and excel to earn Ozai's affections. And even if he did excel, it was for the briefest of moments. The kind of love he was used to wasn't given; it had to be earned. Such a shortage couldn't easily be filled.

At that moment, she vowed that she would never have Zuko question her love for him. Just like he never had to question Uncle's love for him, even though he might not realise it just yet.

"What are we to do now?" she asked quietly as she wrapped her arms around herself in a soothing manner.

"Did you think I was about to let him wander off on his own?" Iroh replied with a playful smile.

"But," Elyrie said, furring her brow, "You said that-,"

"I said that he would find his path again," Iroh repeated slowly and with a glimmer in his eyes, "He doesn't want us to be around right now, but if he needs us; we will be there." A sly smile crossed his face when he added: "It is not as if we have anything else to do, right?"

A slow smile spread across her lips as she thought about the goodness of the old man. If only Zuko realised how much we love him, she mused as she gave Uncle a tight hug. He patted her on her short curls, like he did when she was younger.

"You truly are too good for this world, Uncle."

"You flatter me," he said, although he was touched by her kind words, "So, what do you say?"

"I'm in." she answered with a cocky smile, "He wouldn't last three days without us."

Even though it pained me to separate them (again!), I felt that I needed to stay true to the original material. Moreover, I think Zuko really needed to hit his rock bottom so we can see his growth, like we saw with Elyrie in Book 1. And of course, Zuko Alone is one of my favourite episodes, so I needed to keep it in.

Chapter Text

Firebenders draw their powers from the sun. The scorching heat is the source of their power, so the hotter the environment, the better they thrive. But after five long days on a weakened ostrich-horse with no food and barely enough water, Zuko started cursing the scorching source of his bending. The sun was beating down mercilessly on him as he tried to continue his journey throughout the wasteland of the Earth Kingdom. As soon as he had left the wooded area where he, Uncle and Elyrie had stayed, the environment changed as quickly as one could imagine.

Cursing himself for not paying more attention to where he was going, he realised that the wasteland was about to go on for a long time. The capital of the Earth Kingdom, Ba Sing Se, was located in the midst of a desert, but until then were there only small patches of mountain areas and small villages where there was nothing to get.

He thought he had known hunger before, but it was nothing compared to the empty and corrosive feeling he was experiencing right now. His stomach growled out at certain points and it simply hurt, that is how hungry he was. His senses started betraying him as well, because with every turn he thought he smelled, saw or even felt food near. The slightest breeze of wind seemed to carry the smell of roasted meat. Zuko inhaled the smell before halting the ostrich-horse. Squinting his eyes, he saw a fire in the distance.

Blinking, he tried to make the image disappear. Shutting his eyes tightly, he tried to ban the smell from his nostrils. He exhaled through his nose and inhaled again, but the delicious smell didn't disappear.

Giving the animal a nudge, he steered it in the direction of the mirage. At the side of the road, he saw a man roasting a piece of meat on a crackling fire, which drifted the smell in his direction.

At the sight of food so close, his stomach growled with a vengeance. Narrowing his eyes and placing his hand on his swords, he quickly estimated his opponent. The man seemed no fighter and he was unarmed. Despite Zuko's weakened state, it should be no problem to take the food from the man. If he didn't fight back, no one should have to be harmed.

The man walked with a piece to someone who sat behind the only tree for the shadow. The long hair and dress betrayed that it was a woman. Neither of them had spotted him yet, so this was an easy victory.

Just as Zuko wanted to jump off his ostrich-horse, he halted when the man knelt down in front of the woman. He handed her the food as she smiled at him gratefully. He smiled back and lovingly caressed her swollen belly. The woman was pregnant. And by the looks of it, the baby was to be due very soon.

Immediately, Zuko released his grip on his swords. They were fugitives as well, he realised at that moment as his gaze went over their meagre possessions. No one in their right mind would be travelling in her condition if it wasn't absolutely necessary.

Don't you think the Fire Nation took enough from them? Elyrie's voice kept ringing in his ear. Turning his head away from the familial picture, he urged his animal to keep moving forward to prevent himself from being tempted any longer. "Great," he murmured as he went on, "Now my conscience sounds like her."

Most of the time, the nagging voice in the back of his head sounded like his Uncle. It sometimes even gave him proverbs, although he never understood them even when his own mind was making them up. And now, he had another voice to keep it company and criticize every thought that came into his head.

That is your curse. You are required to love me even when I vex you. Elyrie's laugh sounded in his ear before he shook his head. I am losing my mind, he thought to himself. The hunger and thirst, combined with the heat, made his vision blurry and he felt completely exhausted.

After walking for a few more miles, a small and rather poor-looking village appeared at the side of the road. The houses were small and poorly constructed: the wood was rotting on the roofs, as well as on the walls. He had hoped for something more, but this was the best under the circumstance and he dismounted his ostrich-horse by the nearest store. Across the store, Zuko saw four men playing some sort of game with dices. He didn't pay much attention to the dirty looks they shot at him as he walked to the counter.

"Could I get some water, a bag of feed and something hot to eat?" he asked, his voice raspy from the thirst. He held out his hand to show the merchant the two last copper coins. Uncle had given him half the money they had left so he wouldn't be completely without resources.

"Not enough here for a hot meal." The owner looked at him with pained eyes. If he could, he would have given the young man a sufficient meal but there was simply not enough food left. "I can get you two bags of feed?" he offered as he motioned to the ostrich-horse, "And you can tap the water by the pump in the square if you wish."

Zuko looked down, feeling the disappointment in his chest when he heard that there was no food here to sell. At least I can drink, he mused as he nodded to store owner. When the man disappeared to get the bags of feed, Zuko saw two children hiding behind the store counter.

One of them giggled and threw an egg to the gambling men. Even though Zuko didn't turn around, the indignant cry from one of the men indicated that the egg had hit its target. The children ran off as soon as they'd seen that their throw had been successful.

"Hey!" came the loud voice from behind Zuko, "You throwing eggs at us, stranger?" The man spoke in a threatening manner.

"No." Zuko replied stoically without turning around.

"You see who did throw it?" the man insisted.

"No." Zuko said again as he turned around to face the man. He wasn't going to tell those men that it had been two kids. He examined the four men standing in front of him. They all wore the same green-coloured armour and carried different weapons: a spear, a sword and the largest man wielded two hammers. By the looks of it, these men were Earth Kingdom soldiers. And based on the egg-throwing incident, they didn't seem popular around these parts. Zuko could see why: they looked like straight up thugs with their arrogant attitudes. He had seen their kind before: when you gave small men like them power, it goes to their heads like a strong drink.

"Is that your favourite word? No?" one of the soldiers asked him. Zuko bit his lip to not reply with 'no' again, since it would only further provoke them.

"Egg had to come from somewhere." The largest man with the hammers insisted. He was probably the leader, based on the fact that the rest stood behind him.

"Maybe a chicken flew over." Zuko shrugged and turned around again, hoping that the owner would hurry up with the bags of feed. He wasn't in the mood for a confrontation. Besides, he was too tired and too hungry to fight them.

The store owner returned with his bags but before Zuko could even reach for them, the largest soldier took them.

"Thanks for your contribution," he said with a sadistic smile, "The army appreciates your support." He threw the bags to his fellow soldiers and turned back around to Zuko. "You better leave town," he added in a threating voice as he patted his hammer in a menacing way, "Penalty for staying is a lot steeper than you can afford, stranger. Trust me." With one last disdainful look on Zuko, the men turned around and left.

"Those soldiers are supposed to protect us from the Fire Nation," the store owner said in a bitter voice, "But they're just a bunch of thugs."

The mention of the Fire Nation made Zuko's chest constrict, so without saying another word he walked toward his ostrich-horse. Just as he was about to re-mount it, a little figure popped up from behind the animal.

"Thanks for not ratting me out!" a voice said. Zuko blinked in confusion as a pair of big eyes in the skinny face of a child looked at him with awe. Zuko was too tired to reply. Besides, his friendly gesture had cost him his last two coins and he still had nothing to feed himself or his tired ostrich-horse.

"I'll take you to my house and feed your ostrich-horse for you! Come on, I owe you." The boy pulled the reins of the animal with him and Zuko was too surprised to protest. And maybe too relieved as well by the promise of food.

Just outside of the small town was the farm, which apparently belonged to the boys' parents. The sounds of oinking cow-pigs and sheep-hogs welcomed them as they walked past their enclosers.

"No one can ever sneak up on us." The boy grinned as the oinks grew louder.

"No kidding." Zuko answered with a hint of a smile at the lively sounds of the animals. The boy pulled the ostrich-horse with him to a small barn and left Zuko alone to exchange an awkward glance with a rooster-swine.

Zuko looked around the small farm. Located on the plains, it was surrounded by dried grass patches. However, it wasn't as dry and dusty as the rest of the land he had seen on his way here. The farm consisted of an old but well-kept farmhouse, a small pig pen, a thatched barn and in the distance could Zuko see a sunflower field. With both the livestock and their own vegetable garden, these people were able to feed themselves.

"You a friend of Lee's?" a voice asked him and brought him out of his musings. In front of him stood a man with a sunburned face. Zuko estimated that he was around forty years old and was most likely the boy's father.

The boy, Lee apparently, came back running out of the barn. He grabbed his father's arm in excitement as he pointed to Zuko. "This guy just stood up to the soldiers!" he exclaimed while jumping up and down, "By the end, he practically had them running away!"

Just when Zuko was about to protest about the overexcitement, a woman came forward to join her husband and son. She was wiping her hands on a rag as she smiled at Zuko.

"Does this guys have a name?" she asked kindly when she looked at the stranger with an inquisitive look.

"I'm, eh." Zuko stuttered. The boy's name was Lee and it would be suspicious to say it was his name as well. He tried to think of another name – he refused to call himself Mushi – but the father saw his discomfort.

"He doesn't have to say it if he doesn't want to, Sela." The father answered for Zuko, "Anyone who can hold his own against those bully soldiers is welcome here. Those men should be ashamed to wear Earth Kingdom uniforms." Zuko didn't miss the bitterness in his voice and he wondered how much problems those soldiers had already caused in this small town.

"The real soldiers are off fighting the war," Shela said to Zuko, "like Lee's big brother Sensu." She paused for a moment as she looked at Zuko's famished form. "Supper will be ready soon, would you like to stay?"

"I can't." Zuko said, even though his empty stomach protested, "I should be moving on." In truth, he didn't want to take advantage of these kind people. He tried to do it to Song, but Elyrie had called him out for his intention to steal from them. Voice of conscience, Zuko mused as he remembered her persistence. He knew she had been right, but it had been so hard to care at that time. He had felt as if the bottom was knocked out of his existence and he kept falling deeper and deeper. He didn't care about other people's feelings.

But after travelling alone, he slowly started to realise how lucky he had been to travel with the constant company of his Uncle. He had taken him for granted during those long years on the ship. He had always been there, so it had been hard to finally be alone for the first time.

As for Elyrie, he missed her smiles. He missed that she could make him smile, even when he didn't want to. However, as soon as she told him off about his desperation he had wanted to shut her out. He wanted to get away from his Uncle's protection and from Elyrie's optimism. And only now did he fully realise how much he had taken for granted.

No use to dwell on it now, but he could learn from it. He didn't want to take food from people who had already lost so much in the war.

"Gansu could use some help on the barn." Shela said as she shot her husband a knowing look. "Why don't you two work for a while and then we eat?" She saw that this young man didn't want to take something without doing anything for it, which she respected. However, her motherly instincts felt the need to feed this hungry young man, probably no older than her own son who was fighting at the front. One way or another, she would give him some kind of nourishment.

And luckily, this time the young man did accept the offer.

That evening at the table, Zuko ate in silence as he listened to the conversations of Lee and his parents. They didn't bother him with invasive questions or tried to figure out where he came from. Instead, they kept filling his plate and talked about such simple things as feeding the cow-pigs and wielding the vegetables. Lee told his parents about the egg- incident and while his mother gently scolded him, his father smiled and agreed with his young son.

Zuko didn't feel the need to participate in the conversation, but he did listen. Involuntarily, his attention went to Gansu as he watched the man interact with his family. The small gestures, such as the loving gaze to his wife or the patting on the head of his son, seemed almost foreign to Zuko. Gansu listened to their questions and answered them as best he could, without ever sounding patronizing. As for Zuko himself, he was grateful that the man had forbidden Lee to continue asking him personal questions.

After dinner, Zuko accepted their offer to sleep in the barn since it wasn't safe to travel the roads alone at night. As he let himself rest in the hey, he thought about his own family and the way they had talked to each other. It hadn't been anything like this. At least not since his mother had left.

"That's what moms are like." Ursa said as she put her arm around her young son, "If you mess with their babies…," and she playfully bit behind Zuko's ear.

The memory of his mother always reminded him of when they had been a happy family. Of the relaxed sphere in the Royal Palace, of her loving advice and support.

His father and Azula he remembered differently.

Zuko shivered despite the heat of the flames. His grandfather, Fire Lord Azulon, was seated behind the wall of flames while listening to his son's requests. Azula sat next to Zuko along with Ursa and Ozai.

"You'll never catch up." His sister whispered to him after she had displayed her talents as a firebending prodigy.

He tried to replicate his sister's movements, but he failed miserably.

"Enough!" the booming voice of Azulon, still strong despite his advancing age, "Prince Ozai, why are you wasting my time with this pomp? Just tell me what you want."

He had been send away, accused of wasting the time of his own grandfather. He turned on his side in the hey as he tried to repress the flow of memories that filled his head.

The creaking sound of the door surprised him as he lay still in the hey. Soft footsteps approached him, but Zuko's trained ears immediately registered that it was only Lee. Without moving, he heard the boy picking up the dual swords and sneaked them outside.

Zuko repressed a smile at the boy's eagerness as he stood up from the pile of hey and followed him outside. He wasn't mad at Lee, because he understood the curiousness of the little boy. He had been one himself, a long time ago.

He had done the same thing to Lu Ten for that matter. His cousin hadn't been a bender, but he was very proficient with his swords. He even studied under Master Piandao to become a master swordsman. Despite being a bender himself, Zuko had practically begged to be allowed to train with the Master as well. His father had been opposed to the idea, but his mother and Iroh had persuaded him to allow his son to learn as much as possible.

"You are holding them wrong." Zuko said calmly as Lee fell backwards in his surprise. He had been awkwardly poking the wooden beam in the middle of the sunflower field with the swords but it had little effect.

With a guilty look on his face, Lee returned to swords to Zuko. He took them, but instead of scolding the boy he showed him the essence of the two swords.

"Keep in mind, these are dual swords." Zuko said as he placed the two blades against each other, "Two halves of a single weapon." He repeated the lessons of Master Piandao when he had instructed him to use the dual swords. At first, he had been hesitant about using two halves instead of one powerful sword. Master Piandao had explained to him that the division of power doesn't mean that it weakens your skill but increases it.

"Don't think of them as separate, because they're not." He started swinging around the swords to demonstrate his skill. "They're just two different parts of the same whole."

He handed back the swords to Lee, who tried it again. A little more careful and a little less awkward, he followed Zuko's instructions. Zuko nodded with a smile as Lee started to swing the swords in the proper way. His agility made him jump around the flower field like a little feather.

"I think you'd really like my brother Sensu," Lee said when they walked back to the farm, "He used to show me stuff like this all the time." Zuko only smiled as he returned to the barn.

The next morning, Zuko mounted his ostrich-horse to continue his journey. Gansu, Shela and Lee all came to see him off. For some reason, it made him actually happy that the family would take the trouble to see him off while he was no more than a mere stranger.

Shela reached up and offered Zuko a small package. "Here," She said in a motherly voice, "This ought to get you through a few meals."

Just when Zuko wanted to take the food and thank the family for their hospitality, they saw a cloud of dust forming in the distance. Without much effort, Zuko recognized the soldiers from the village.

"What do you think they want?" Gansu asked as he clenched his jaw.

"Trouble." Zuko answered with a dark look on his face.

"What do you want, Gow?" Gansy asked when the soldiers stopped in front of them.

"Just though someone ought to tell you that your son's battalion got captured." Gow answered with a sly smile as he turned to his fellow soldiers, "You boys hear what the Fire Nation did with their last group op Earth Kingdom prisoners?"

"Dressed 'em up in Fire Nation uniforms and put 'em on the front line unarmed, the way I heard it." a skinny soldier answered cruelly. Zuko felt as if he was punched in his stomach. He wanted to say that the men were liars and bullies, but he knew all to well that it was indeed one of the tactics the Fire Nation used for prisoners.

The soldier spat on the ground as he added: "Then they just watched."

"You watch your mouth!" Gansu shouted angrily at the soldier.

Gow's face darkened and he rode a little more toward Gansu, but Zuko swiftly moved his ostrich-horse between them. He glared at the large soldier without saying a word.

"Why bother rooting around in the mud with these pigs?" Gow shrugged after a few seconds. They rode off with a cloud of dust behind them.

Gansu and Shela didn't even bother to look at them as they rode off. "I'm going to the front," Gansu said, "I'm going to find Sensu and bring him back." Zuko watched the pair walking away, heartbroken by the news. Lee looked at the ground as his eyes were rimmed with tears.

In an impulse, Zuko reached into his satchel and took out the dagger his Uncle had gifted him many years before. It had belonged to an Earth Kingdom General, so it would only be fitting to give it back to the Earth Kingdom. "Here," Zuko said as he gave the dagger to Lee, "I want you to have this. Read the inscription."

"Made in the Earth Kingdom." Lee read. Zuko sighed. "The other one."

"Never give up without a fight." Lee read with a faint smile. Zuko smiled to himself as he rode off.

For some reason, Zuko didn't feel like traveling further. When the sun was at his highest, he laid down in the grass and stared at the blue sky.

"Dad's going to kill you!" Azula taunted him, "Really, he is!"

Elyrie looked at Zuko with alarmed eyes, but Zuko scoffed at his sister. Azula had pushed open the door and stood in the opening, leaning relaxed against the doorframe. Zuko was sitting on his bed while Elyrie had nestled herself in the large chair against the wall. With the open door, she was just out of sight of Azula.

"Haha." Zuko said in an annoyed voice, "Nice try, Azula!"

"Fine, don't believe me," Azula answered casually, "But I heard everything. Grandfather said that Dad's punishment should fit his crime." The fourteen year old Princess lowered her voice to imitate the Fire Lord. "You must know the pain of losing a first-born son, by sacrificing your own!"

"Liar!' Zuko yelled at her.

Elyrie kept quiet as she saw Azula approach her brother. She moved with the stealth of a predator, waiting to pounce on her prey. Elyrie wondered whether she should be here for this, but Zuko had asked her to come after the audience with the Fire Lord to talk to her about the death of Lu Ten. She too was saddened by the news. She knew Zuko had looked up to his older cousin, almost like an older brother. Azula, on the other hand, seemed not terribly shaken by the news.

Azula turned around the bedframe while she continued to taunt her brother. "I'm only telling you for your own good," she said in a sweet voice, "I know! Maybe you can find a nice Earth Kingdom family to adopt you."

"Go away, Azula." Zuko snarled at his sister as he turned back to Elyrie. "Don't listen to her." He said to the blue eyed girl, whose eyes were focussed on Azula's face now.

Azula's face faltered slightly when she saw that Zuko wasn't alone as she had expected. The look on the face of the other girl was unmistakable: she believed what Azula told her brother. Azula narrowed her amber eyes to her as she tried to make out her reaction on this.

"My father would never do that to me." Zuko said to Elyrie, although she wasn't completely sure he tried to convince her or himself.

"Your father would never do what to you?' a soft voice asked, "What is going on here?" Ursa walked into the room with a stern look on her face.

"I don't know!" Azula said in an innocent voice but her eyes quickly went to Elyrie's face. Ursa followed her daughter's look and saw that Elyrie's eyes were widened in shock. The little girl said nothing as she quickly looked away from the piercing gaze of the Fire Nation Princess, but Ursa knew her well enough to see that something had shocked her.

"It's time for a talk." Ursa said firmly while she grabbed Azula's arm. On her way out, Azula shot Elyrie an angry look for getting her into trouble but Elyrie didn't even see it. Instead, she focused her gaze on Zuko.

"Azula always lies." He only said, not to her but to himself, "Azula always lies."

"Azula always lies." Zuko mumbled to himself.

"Mama?" the  eight year old  girl asked as she lowered her spoon, "Can I ask something about the Fire Lord?"

Thyra looked at her daughter, who had spoken to her in her native tongue. She smiled when she heard the unmistakable accent of the Water Tribe royal family. Most citizens swallowed the vowels, but her daughter's speech was impeccable and she articulating every syllable. Her blue eyes, so much like her own, looked at her with a curious look.

"Darling," she said gently, "Papa is here as well. It wouldn't be fair to leave him out of the conversation, now would it?"

The girl quickly shook her head, her curls dancing around as she did it. "Why doesn't the Fire Lord like Zuko?" she asked, switching to the Common Tongue with ease.

Jian understood some Water Tribe Tongue, so he wasn't surprised by her question. Elyrie saw that her parents exchanged a quick look. "Why would you ask that?" Jian asked as he looked at his only daughter.

"Well," she said with the courage of an eight year old, "When I was there, Zuko asked the Fire Lord if he could show him his firebending exercises, but he walked away without an answer and Zuko looked very sad about it."

"Lily, the Fire Lord is a busy man." Her father said while glancing at his wife.

"You are a busy man," his daughter pointed out, "But you talk with me."

Jian pressed his lips together to prevent himself from smiling. He was actually impressed by his daughters perceptiveness. Nevertheless, it was a dangerous subject to discuss the Fire Lord's private affairs. It wasn't odd that Elyrie noticed these things with all the time she spend at the Palace with Zuko and Princess Ursa, but she needed to be careful. Especially since she didn't have any restrictions in asking these questions. She could have asked the Fire Lord himself -just because she was curious – without any idea of the inappropriateness.

"I don't think he dislikes Zuko," Thyra slowly said as she tapped her slender fingers on the wooden table, "But he isn't the kind of father who spends a lot of time with his children.

"Then what kind of father is he?" Elyrie asked

She never got her answer. At least not from her parents, that is. Elyrie sighed as she sat down against the trunk of a tree. The shadow was welcome after a long day of walking through the scorching sun. Wiping the sweat from her forehead, she closed her eyes for a moment as she thought about all the things she could discuss with her parents. She could ask everything she wanted, but she had to promise that she did not tell others. What is said within these walls, needs to stay within these walls. Her father had repeated the sentence multiple times whenever they were discussing something not entirely appropriate for the social circles they moved in.

Everything could be discussed and her parents always answered her questions. But the most pressing question was one she would never get an answer to.

"Uncle," Elyrie began as she took her cup from his hands, "Can I ask you something?"

"Of course, dear." Uncle answered as he poured his own tea and took a sip.

"Why do you think my parents never told me the truth about my heritage?" The question had been going through her head a couple of weeks since she had learned the truth. She knew it was mostly to protect her mother and her, as well as her father. But had they been planning to keep the secret forever? "I mean, if they wanted me to know they would have told me before they died?"

"I wouldn't be so sure about that," Iroh answered pensively, "Your mother was taken by the influenza in a couple of weeks. You were very young back then and you maybe didn't understand the gravity of the situation yet. However, your father might have planned to tell you if he hadn't so suddenly been taken as well."

There was truth in those words, but it made it even more frustrating for her. "So, they might have told me one day but it was something that by coincidence never happened?"

"Maybe," Iroh answered while he lowered his cup, "And maybe, if you are patient, the answer will one day come to you in an unexpected way. Just have faith."

"You know," she answered while twisting her ring around her finger, "Patience is something that might solve a lot of issues, but for now I would very much like the answers."

He knew she referred to Zuko among those issues. It was true: the past week they had been tracking him throug the deserted wasteland. She didn't complain and kept up with him, but he saw the strain it had on her. Her skin was sunburned due to the excessive sunlight and her fair skin wasn't prepared for it. She had lost weight as well, no doubt due to the long walks and less than satisfactory food. Her singing had provided them with enough money to eat, but they couldn't afford to spend it lavishly. They had been tracking Zuko throughout this wasteland, but kept their distance. He understood why she felt frustrated: they had literally nothing else to do except to wait.

"I am going to the village for some more water." Elyrie said while grabbing the waterskin with her and placing her cap on to prevent her skin from more excessive sunlight. "Bring some fruit as well!" Iroh called after her, "I miss the taste of healthy food!"

Elyrie grinned as she walked out of the shaded tree area to the dusty main road which led to the nearest village. As she walked down the hill, the heat of the setting sun scorched the wasteland. The damaged road signs indicated that the area was a poor one, but almost every poor village had at least a water pump so it didn't discourage her. At the foot of the hill was a small village with weathered houses, which indeed indicated that this wasn't a particularly wealthy place.

She immediately saw a friendly face when she walked into town. An older woman with her grey hair in a bun was sweeping in front of her house. The dust of the hot day had settled on the rough planks, which obviously ached her hands to clean it. Nevertheless, she looked up and smiled kindly when Elyrie approached her.

"Good afternoon," Elyrie greeted the older woman in a polite tone as she took off her cap, "Can I perhaps fill my waterskin here?"

"Yes, of course." The woman answered with a smile as she pointed in the direction behind Elyrie, "The pump is-," but she was interrupted before she could finish her sentence. Her eyes widened in fear when she saw someone standing behind Elyrie. Elyrie noticed that her grip on the broom tightened and she turned around to see what scared the woman.

"Another stranger." A large man said to her as she turned around. It didn't sound like a question, so Elyrie didn't answer. Besides, she didn't want any trouble so she just lowered her eyes. Tapping his hammers menacingly while looking at her, it seemed as if the man was inspecting her. "We see a lot of your kind lately." he continued as Elyrie avoided to look at him.

"I'm only passing through." She answered briefly as she showed the waterskin she wanted to fill.

"We don't want to keep seeing strangers taking our resources. We need those to fight the Fire Nation." he said to her in an arrogant tone.

I'm sure you do, Elyrie thought. She had been around soldiers enough to see which one's were fighting and which one's showed off their new status to oppress other people. This man was definitely the latter, with his obvious display of his armour and weapons.

"Sir!" A soldier dressed in a similar uniform peered his head around the house, "You better come see this! He's back." The large man cursed under his breath and immediately walked off without so much as a second glance in Elyrie's direction.

"Who's back?" Elyrie asked the older woman, but she had already dropped her broom and started hobbling towards the square. Elyrie couldn't help but follow.

In the middle of the town was a square on which the main road into town ended. Elyrie had chosen for a side road to avoid arriving where all eyes were on her. But as she walked to the side of the main road, she saw a large tower, build from crooked pieces of wood. The water pump stood next to it, but that wasn't what drew Elyrie's attention. She saw a small boy, probably no older than eight years old, tied to the tower. His small body was almost entirely covered up in the thick ropes and he was put on display as a criminal.

"Why is he tied up?" she asked in disbelief when she looked at the child, surrounded by Earth Kingdom soldiers. "He stood up against those ruffians." The older woman whispered back, "They captured him to use him in the army."

"But he is just a kid!" Elyrie whispered as she placed her hand over her mouth. She had seen boys no older than sixteen training to become soldiers, but this was something that was incomprehensible. "Those barbarians don't care about that." Another man said to Elyrie while leaning on his walking stick, "They'd do anything to make our lives miserable."

Elyrie's heart went out to the little kid, but when she expected to see fear in the child's eyes, she saw hope. "See!" she heard the little boy shout, "I told you he'd come!"

Elyrie followed the gaze of the soldiers to a lonely figure standing next to an ostrich-horse. He took of his straw hat and walked confidently towards the four men. The sun behind him made Elyrie's eyes squint as she tried to make out the figure. But before she could even recognise his face, she heard the familiar baritone voice.

"Let the kid go."

Gow laughed when Zuko approached him. "Who do you think you are?" he sneered at him, "Telling us what to do?"

"It doesn't matter who I am." Zuko replied impassively as he seized up the men in front of him, "But I know who you are. You're not soldiers; you're bullies. Freeloaders, abusing your power. Mostly over women and kids." To his satisfaction, he saw Gow's jaw clench at the insult. "You don't want Lee in your army – you're sick cowards messing with a family who's already lost one son to the war."

Gow narrowed his eyes as the stranger kept insulting him, but he wasn't that stupid to fight him just like that. That's were his men were for. "Are you gonna let this stranger stand there and insult you like this?" he asked the soldier next to him.

The soldier nodded and ran forward with his spear in his hand. Elyrie's eyes followed the man as he ran toward Zuko, who had placed his hand on his sword. Just as the soldier was close enough to attack him, Zuko bended forward and punched the man in the stomach without even fully unsheathing his swords.

In a smooth motion, he re-sheathed his swords as he straightened his back. The soldier fell backwards with a cry. As soon as he was able to get up, he ran away while panting heavily in fear. So much for bravery, Elyrie thought as she saw the man running out of sight as fast as his legs could carry him.

She focused again on Zuko as the second soldier prepared his attack. Running faster than his first soldier, he held his spear higher as he approached Zuko. Without even blinking, Zuko punched the spear upward to move it out of the way and grabbed onto the man's forehead. Pushing him down with little effort, he shoved the man to the ground. He didn't punch or attack him in any other way, but the man followed the example of his predecessor.

With two of his soldiers gone, Gow felt his face heat up in anger. He roughly pushed the last one forward to silence this stranger for ever. The third man charged toward Zuko with his spear as well. For a moment, Zuko stood motionless as the man came closer. Waiting until the spear was close enough, he kicked the spear right in the middle. It snapped like a twig when the spearhead, along with the other half of the weapon, went flying in the other direction. This time, the soldier didn't even wait to see how Zuko would shove him to the ground and ran off like the two men before him.

Pathetic, Zuko thought with disdain. Like all bullies, these men were just cowards. As he raised his chin, his eyes locked with those of Gow.

With the last of his cronies gone, Gow had no other choice but to fight the man himself. He drew his dual hammers, with Zuko following his example as he drew his broadswords.

"Give him a left!" the man next to Elyrie cheered, "A left!"

"It's not a fistfight." The older woman said to him.

"He's got a left sword, don't he?" the man answered as he pointed to Zuko's swords.

Elyrie felt a smile tugging at the ends of her lips, but it quickly disappeared when the soldier threw three large rocks at Zuko. This was no honourable way of fighting: The soldier used weapons and bending against a man who only wielded weapons. She knew, the only one here, that it could become a fair fight if Zuko used his own bending. And that was exactly what he couldn't do.

"Look out!" the man shouted at the same time Elyrie yelled: "Behind you!"

She saw what Uncle had meant when he talked about the offensive strategy of firebending. Zuko was a master swordsman, but he was forced in the defence. He had no time to become offensive in his attacks, which was something he was used to. Instead, he was avoiding the rocks being thrown at him as best as he could. The third one hit him hard in the stomach an he stumbled backwards. Gow saw his defence falter and continued shooting rocks at Zuko. Elyrie dug her nails into her cheeks as she saw Zuko having more and more trouble keeping up and deflecting the attacks.

A loud gasp escaped her lips when Gow aimed a rockalanche at Zuko. The impact of the attack made her cringe as she saw Zuko being thrown back on the hard ground.

Zuko landed straight on his back and the impact knocked the air out of his lungs. Completely dazed for a moment, he was unable to stand back up.

Zuko, please, my love, listen to me, his mother's voice whispered in his ear, Everything I've done, I've done to protect you. Remember this, Zuko: no matter how things may seem to change, never forget who you are.

"Get up!" Elyrie whispered. She was sure he didn't hear her, but she instantly saw his eyes snap open and with a loud cry, he pushed himself up. Swinging his swords around, the heat of flames touched Elyrie's skin. She shielded her eyes against the bright light of the flames which now surrounded Zuko.

The force of the attack knocked Gow backwards. He hit his head as he landed on the hard floor in a cloud of dust, which filled his lungs. "Who-," Gow coughed, "Who are you?" He was now reduces to a small, quivering man as he backed away in fear.

"My name is Zuko. Son of Ursa and Fire Lord Ozai. Prince of the Fire Nation and heir to the throne" Elyrie heard his baritone voice answer.

"The Prince of the Fire Nation?" People murmured to themselves as they involuntarily backed away from Zuko after his revelation. Elyrie bit her lip when she saw Zuko's eyes go over the crowd. Afraid he would recognize her, she quickly pulled her cap over her eyes and stepped behind the man with the walking stick.

"Liar!" shouted the man suddenly at Zuko. Elyrie was startled by his loud response and backed away as the man continued his rant. "I've heard of you! You're not a Prince, you're an outcast!" Waving with his stick in Zuko's direction as if he was an annoying fly, he yelled to the crowd. "His own father burned and disowned him!"

How did he know? Elyrie thought in shock. Almost no one was aware of the true cause of Zuko's absence, not even Fire Nation citizens. Especially Fire Nation citizens, she mused as she remembered the propaganda about the Crown Prince travelling the world. No further explanation was given and the people who had attended the Agni Kai understood that there was not to be spoken about what had happened.

For a few seconds, Elyrie was completely rendered speechless, unable to move or defend him as more citizens started to throw insults at Zuko. For the first time, she truly understood prejudices and hostility in the war-torn country. The suspicious looks people in the Water Tribe had given her had been hurtful enough, but to be completely shunned like Zuko was at this moment was a hundred times worse. She felt tears pricking behind her eyes as she saw Zuko squatting down in front of the boy he had just saved, but he and his mother rebuffed his gesture.

"Serves him just right." The older man said next to Elyrie as she saw Zuko walk away.

"How dare you" she suddenly snapped at the older man as his words brought her out of her trance, "He just did what no one in this village had the courage to do. He defended the boy and this is how you repay him?" Her voice was like a knife as she stepped forward. "Shame on all of you." She turned to all the other citizens who gaped at her. Some had the decency to look ashamed, but most of them scoffed at her.

She wanted to walk to Zuko, but she felt a soft hand on her wrist holding her back. She wanted to shove it away in her anger, but she looked right into Uncle's kind face. The look in his eyes told her that he had seen the whole fight, as well as the reveal.

"But-," she began, motioning to Zuko who mounted his ostrich-horse. Uncle simply shook his head without letting go of her. "He needs to be alone right now."

"But he is hurting! We can't just let him ride off?" she asked in disbelief as she felt Uncle's grip on her wrist tighten.

"If we approach him now, he will not be able to bear it." Uncle calmly answered, "He doesn't want to be pitied so he would only push you away."

Don't pity me! She remembered that was what he had said to her during their last conversation. Her heart went out to him as he rode out of town by himself. The citizens gave him cold stares as he rode by without anyone saying so much as a word. Elyrie only averted her gaze when she saw Zuko riding out of the town.

She let Uncle guide her back to their camp, but on their way they walked past the young boy and his mother. A small crowd had gathered around them and Uncle squeezed her hand, but she couldn't help herself.

"You must be grateful that he saved your son" Elyrie said in a regal tone as she stopped in her tracks. The mother looked at her in surprise and opened her mouth to retort, but Elyrie simply lifted her hand. "No need." she said calmly, surprised by how even her voice sounded, "I understand that prejudices are more important than actions."

The mother closed her mouth again and looked somewhat shameful. The boy had hidden himself behind her and said nothing. "I hate him" he suddenly shouted with anger in his eyes as he looked at her. Elyrie only nodded at him. "Make sure you remember that the next time he is not here to save you."

Iroh said nothing as he tugged on her arm to take her back, but he felt torn inside. It was painful to see how deep people could be hurt by the war. So deeply hurt that they would reject a man based on the place he was born, as they had done to Zuko. He had hoped that his nephew would receive the praise and gratitude he deserved, but the road ahead of him was never that smooth.

He squeezed Elyrie's hand again to reassure her, but he saw in her eyes the same pain he felt. Not for themselves, but for the young man they both loved. The man who showed who he really was and got shunned as a result of it.

Destiny is a funny thing, he mused to himself as the sky darkened above him and the first stars started to appear, but I hope that it one day will be Zuko's friend.

Chapter Text

Elyrie and Iroh travelled in a companiable silence for the next days. They left the wastelands behind them and continued their way to the more mountainous areas of the Earth Kingdom. Again, Elyrie was amazed by the variety of one country. She knew how many different places the Earth Kingdom had since the vast size stretched from ocean to ocean, yet seeing the natural environment in front of her change in an instant was nothing short of marvellous.

The mountains welcomed them with their sheer beauty and calmness, a welcome change after the scorching drought of the wastelands. She had grown up in a city which was built literally on a volcano, so it wasn't as if she was new to this kind of landscape. But the cool blue tints and the snowy tops had a completely different sort of beauty: a cool, icy form as compared to the scorching heat and the dry ground.

Amidst the mountains, they followed the trail of Zuko and his ostrich-horse. Secretly, she was now glad he had taken two ostrich-horses, even though she and Uncle had to share one. She had never been a good rider, so she let Uncle take the reins as often as possible. But, she had to admit to herself that she was getting better at it. She had to be, otherwise she would have been a very sorry excuse for a travel if she was still not able to manage.

They had set up their camp for the night in the middle of a pinewood forest. It had been a long day of travelling, but now with the full moon shining above her, Elyrie didn't sleep that night. Every full moon, she had something her mother would refer to as 'moon-sickness', since she could never sleep well during those nights. Her mother had experienced the same issues. She grinned as she laid on her back and let her eyes glide over the dark canvas of the night where the stars twinkled. Even now did she feel the Moon giving her energy, despite bending a different element. The opposite element, she thought as she gazed at the beauty of Yue in the sky.

She had asked Zuko once if he suffered from 'moon-sickness', but he had looked at her with bewilderment, as if he didn't know what she meant. She pondered with the question why she never thought her family any different compared to others, but then again: what child ever saw their life as extraordinary? The only one she could truly compare it to was Zuko's, and it was not as if his life was 'ordinary'.

She kept turning and thinking about Zuko's lonely figure as he rode off. As she rolled over from side to side, she kept turning like the thoughts in her head. More than anything, she wanted to push the blankets from her hot body – a rarity – and run away. Run to Zuko and tell him he was not alone. That he would never have to be alone.

She had been too late when she had the chance. He had already gone off, probably feeling completely alone in the world. Her heart cried for him, but she noticed that her eyes joined after a while. Angry, she wiped her eyes as she sat up and threw her blanket away. No one would be helped if she started crying. With a sigh, she looked at the improvised camp. The charred wood was burned out. Next to her, she heard the soft breathing and heavy snoring of Uncle. In the dim light, she could just make out his silhouette.

The last weeks, she had slept as light as a little bird: the faintest sound could wake her. It didn't help that most of the time they slept in caves or under the stars. The nature had all sort of sounds and she was on permanent alert.

The last time she had slept soundly, was their first night in the Earth Kingdom. She smiled wryly as she remembered why: Zuko had held her while she drifted off. She had felt so safe when he had put his arm around her. She felt a familiar wave of affection going through her as she remembered his gentle caresses over her hair. Despite everything, she smiled at the memory and realised she missed him terribly, even if he was as stubborn as cow-pig.

As are you, her inner voice said to her in a stern tone. She mentally smiled at her own repercussion, but she knew it was true. She was as stubborn as he was, which is why they would clash as hard as they did.

With a sigh, she turned her head away as she saw dawn approach in the distance. The sky painted a soft pink tone with orange colours the more she looked at it. Uncle probably be up soon, she mused as she stood up and stretched her tired muscles. Around her, everything was unusually silent: not even the bird made a sound to disrupt the calm of the early morning.

In the dim morning light, Elyrie walked over to the river and cupped her hands to fill them with water. Splashing the water in her face, she felt more refreshed. She had a disoriented feeling, since she was never up this early. Usually it was Uncle who would wake her. She sat down and let her arms rest on her knees as she looked at the changing colours of the sky. Maybe this was a good time to watch a sunrise, since she could so rarely enjoy one.

An unfamiliar sound startled her as it seem to ripple through the morning air. The birds, who had been silent until now, flew in a haste to get away from here. It brought her out of her pondering as she saw the flock of birds flying just over her head.

Elyrie ducked in a reflex and started shaking uncontrollably, but it was not her own doing. It almost felt as if there was a small earthquake, that was how much the ground beneath her was vibrating. The smoke above the trees betrayed that it wasn't a natural occurrence, but she had no idea what it could be. Trying to make out whether she was in danger, she saw that the trees started shifting uncontrollably beside her. Leaves and needles flew from the trees and the barks moved uncontrollably. "What the..?" was all she managed to say before she was cut off by the loud rumbling sounds that sounded closer and closer.

Suddenly, something that looked like an enormous metal snake emerged from the woods with enormous speed. The dark smoke put a veil over the upcoming sun, shielding it as a fog and watering her eyes. The trees that had hidden it were thrown aside as if it were twigs snapping in the wind.

With a surprised cry, Elyrie threw herself to the side to avoid the enormous metal construction which didn't slow down and was heading right for the spot she had been standing. A small fireblast gave her the last push to avoid a collision as she flew over the metal monster. Landing on the hard ground, she coughed as when the smoke and dust filled her lungs.

As she lay on the ground she heard a screeching sound, indicating that the metal train stopped. The ground stopped vibrating as Elyrie coughed a last time to clean her lungs but before she could properly do it, a voice came from the metal monster.

"Well, well, well." she heard a familiar female voice snarl behind her, which made the hairs in her neck rise, "Look who we have here."

"Oh, no." Elyrie mumbled under her breath as she turned around to look into the familiar amber-coloured eyes.

"I can't believe those girls followed us all the way from Omashu." Katara said as she repressed her third yawn in five minutes. The cool wind kept her awake, even though she felt her eyelids grow heavier by the minute. High in the air on Appa's back, they at least had a few moments of peace before those three women started chasing them again.

"I still think we could have taken them." Toph answered gruffly. The blind earthbender was tired and cranky, and she would have loved to take her frustrations out on those three crazy women.

"Are you crazy?" Katara asked in disbelief, before she realized that Toph hadn't been there when they first met them. "The crazy blue firebending and the flying daggers are bad enough, but last time we saw them, one of those girls did something that took my bending away." Katara remembered the cold feeling that washed over her when the brown-haired acrobat had attacked her. With a few swifts punches, she had her rendered completely helpless. "That's scary."

Toph didn't answer as she rubbed her eyes. She was too tired to respond, so she let her eyelids close as she drifted off. The cool breeze of the air told her that it was very early in the morning, even if she couldn't see where they were going.

Before she even finished her though, she heard Sokka groan. "Oh no, the sun is rising!" he complained in a rumbling voice, "We've been up all night with no sleep!"

"Sokka, we'll be okay." Aang sighed from Appa's head as he tried to stifle his own yawn. He shielded his tired eyes from the bright rays of sunshine that peaked over the mountains.

"Are you sure?" Sokka said nervously as he felt his eyes twitching in anguish, "I've never not slept before!" He held his hands up and looked at them with a panicked look. "What if I fall asleep now and something happens?! And something ALWAYS happens!"

Not that far from the flying bison, Elyrie was agreeing with Sokka's statement when she found herself imprisoned in the metal machine. Something. Always. Happens.

She had been brought into the belly of the metal contraption, where half a dozen chairs were assembled with small pillows for comfort. Small lanterns lit up the dark interior, since there were no windows to let in daylight. Entirely made out of metal, it was as if she was brought back below deck on a warship. Elyrie felt her blood run cold as soon as she stepped inside and resisted the urge to scream out in her panic. Luckily, her thoughts were interrupted by an enthusiastic cry.

"Elyrie!" Ty Lee exclaimed happily as she jumped up and down, her long braid bouncing behind her like a ribbon, "It has been such a long time!"

"Hi Ty Lee, Mai." Elyrie nodded to her old school friends. Mai only nodded to her, not unkindly but with a bored expression. Nevertheless, the small smile the woman send her was somewhat apologetic as if she truly was sorry to have caught her. Ty Lee's enthusiasm was almost infectious, had the situation not been so grave.

The four of them had been classmates at the Royal Fire Academy for Girls since the time they were eight years old. However, she had mainly been friends with Ty Lee and Mai. Even as a child, Azula had given her an uncomfortable feeling, although she was slightly prejudiced because of the stories Zuko had told her when they were younger. She had avoided the Princess as much as she could.

On the other hand, Ty Lee's bubbly personality made her instantly popular and easy to be with. Mai's silent composure was more distant, but Elyrie had always liked talking to her. She was surprisingly perceptive and although some mistook her silence for boredom, Elyrie had instinctively felt it was to hide her true feelings.

"Oh no!" Ty Lee said as she extended her hand to Elyrie's short curls, "What happened to your hair?" The wide-eyed shock of the acrobat made Elyrie almost smile. Like herself, Ty Lee's appearance had been unusual in the Fire Nation. With cinnamon-coloured long hair and beautiful grey eyes, the girl had been a favourite amongst the boys.

"Ty Lee," Azula ordered her friend as she stepped into the sitting cabin, not one moment sharing her enthusiasm, "Block her bending."

Ty Lee smiled at her with an apologetic look as if to say "I am sorry, but I can't refuse." Elyrie simply nodded and extended her arms to allow her easier access. There was no point in running or fighting. She couldn't fight the three of them off alone. A simple firebender was no match for a firebending prodigy, a master knife thrower and the fastest acrobat who could block your chi in three seconds. As she summed up their specialties in her mind, she felt her heart sink at the danger of it.

These three women were a dangerous team. This had been Azula's plan: a small elite team for swift operations. And with her, they had caught the first one. Zuko had no idea she had been here and Uncle would miss her only after a few hours. By then, Azula could have easily executed her.

Not allowing herself to give into panic, Elyrie tried to observe the situation as objectively as she could. Was this metal thing build to track Zuko? She doubted it: it had been pure luck – or bad luck might be a better description – she had crossed their path.

So what was to happen to her? Captured and burnt to a crisp at this instance? It did sound like Azula, but somehow, she felt that was not the Princess' intention. She was most likely going to use her as bait for the more prized culprits. It had it's advantages some time to be the least notable among your peers.

"What a luck to have found you!" Ty Lee babbled on as she caught the auburn-haired girl after four swift punches to block her bending. Elyrie was glad she did, because the impact on her body made her feel dizzy. It was as if her inner fire was blown out like a candle and only a small whisp of smoke was left. "We are chasing the Avatar and his team."

Just my luck, Elyrie thought as she caught her bottom lip between her teeth. Surprisingly strong, Ty Lee helped her on a metal chair. For such a frail-looking person, she lifted her as if she weighed nothing. But then, she remembered that this girl was capable of standing on just two fingers, so this was nothing to her.

Elyrie was surprised she could still move her limbs. Ty Lee had only blocked her bending, but allowed her to use her normal functions. It could have been worse, Elyrie mused as she tried to think of possibilities to escape, They have bigger prizes and at least they do not treat me like garbage.

But she was wondering why Azula had been so overly quiet. It wasn't like the Princess to be so forgiving after she had burned her clothing. Hell, she had tried to practically burn her hair after she had let her stumble as a child. She didn't think for one moment that Azula was being generous now. However, Azula had barely spared a glance in her direction after she had lifted her inside.

She hadn't asked about Zuko or Uncle. She had not spoken to her, not tortured her for information, no threats on her life. Yet.

What game was she playing? Luring me into a false sense of security? She surely couldn't think I am that naïve. Elyrie observed the Princess as she disappeared in another cabin, probably where they could manoeuvre this enormous metal contraption. Ty Lee waved at Elyrie before she jumped to her feet to follow Azula.

The Princess was, for a lack of a better word, 'a people person'. She was incredibly perceptive and figured out most intentions within the blink of an eye. With Uncle and Zuko, Elyrie hadn't felt a twinge of fear because she could hide behind the two men. Now, she was Azula's only prisoner and probably her main focus if she wanted to find out more.

Yet, like most people, Azula had her blind spots. Truth be told, there were few. The combination of prodigy, intelligence and cunning made her a dangerous adversary. But her most obvious flaw was that she simply disregarded things she couldn't understand. Elyrie had seen it in her relationship with her mother. She had interpreted her Mother's scolding and reprimands as acts of failure on her part. The young Princess had been convinced her own mother hated her because of her stern demeanour, instead of her Father's praise whenever she excelled in something. Something cruel, she added in her mind.

She probably thought Elyrie didn't return to the North Pole because of a strategic move. Most likely, she would never have considered her motivation to be love for people she just met. Please, let underestimating me be the reason she hasn't ripped my head off, Elyrie silently prayed, because then I have a shot at winning. How she would win, or even escape, that was another problem entirely. But, one thing at a time.

She had been placed next to Mai, who played with her throwing knives with a bored expression on her face. She slouched in the chair, not sitting upright like they were taught as children. She gave Elyrie a curd nod, but didn't stop playing with her small knives.

For some time, Elyrie said nothing as she watched Mai swiftly move the knives between her fingers, throwing it up and catching it without injuring herself. It was fun for some time, but after a while Elyrie began to move in her seat nervously. She had never been uneasy in smaller rooms, but this closed off room made her want to cry out again as she tried to repress the images of Zhao's sadistic smile when he had looked down at her in the cells below deck.

"So," Elyrie finally said as she needed to distract herself, "What have you been up to?" Mai was not a particularly talkative girl, but everything was better than sitting here in silence.

"Nothing." was her short answer as she threw a knife against the wall, hitting it right in the middle of two metal plates.

"Impressive!" Elyrie said when she saw that the knife didn't even vibrate from the impact. Mai had thrown it with such precision that it stopped in the wall. She was truly impressed: the precision with which Mai could aim and throw her knives was terrifying. She could throw three knives at once at a person without injuring them. A small part of her cringed at the idea that she could aim just as easily for someone's heart, but she repressed the thought.

Mai simply shrugged at her response, but Elyrie saw the small glimmer of pride in the yellow eyes. She tried her luck and pushed further on the subject. "Don't act like it is nothing!" she said, trying to sound as cheerful as she could, "I don't know anyone who can aim as well as you can."

"Maybe you just don't know a lot of talented people, then." was Mai's seemingly bored answer, although she sat up a little straighter and turned to the blue-eyed girl.

"Ouch, that hurt." Elyrie remarked with a smile she plastered on her face. It didn't reach her eyes, but Mai didn't seem to notice. She actually let out a sound which could be a chuckle or a scoff. "You know, sweet talking me doesn't help you with Azula."

"Oh, I am well aware that it doesn't help me," Elyrie replied seemingly breezy, but inward she stored this small hint, "But you truly are talented."

Even though Mai was a cynic, she had known Elyrie long enough to know she wasn't insincere. Ty Lee, Azula and herself had always been a trio, with Elyrie occasionally playing along if Azula wished it. However, Elyrie was more a friend to Zuko than she had been to Azula despite the age difference. Mai had always been sort of jealous that the auburn haired girl got along with the Prince that well, but she couldn't hate her for it.

Elyrie had been a quiet girl whenever they played together, but Mai always admired her surprisingly quick wit, always finding the humour in situations. She had enjoyed her company when they were younger because of her calm demeanour. Azula had always wanted to play games she could win and Ty Lee had been too enthusiastic for her at times. She, on the other hand, much preferred to look on and stay quiet. Elyrie had been more like her, sitting together in companiable silence as they watched Ty Lee and Azula perform their tricks.

Even now, when they hadn't seen each other in at least five years, was she looked just as calm as she had been as a child. But before Mai could answer her, they were interrupted when Ty Lee came back with a summersault.

Ty Lee graciously jumped through the small space and landed in the seat opposite Elyrie. Her big grey eyes were twinkling as she looked at Elyrie. "We are getting closer!" she said happily as she played with her long braid. It was as if the shock of Elyrie's short hair made her cherish her own cinnamon-coloured locks even more. "They are so tired because we keep pursuing them!" she added as she continued to stroke her braid with loving caresses.

"I see." Elyrie answered, although she had no idea what the acrobat meant, "But how did you get here? I thought you joined the circus?" She tried to keep the conversation casual as she steadied her own nerves.

"Oh I did!" Ty Lee exclaimed as she started babbling on about how she had run away to join a travelling circus and was hired as an acrobat. Somewhere between her tricks as an acrobat and the description of a platypus-bear did Elyrie lose the point of the story, but it was enough to smile and nod to encourage Ty Lee.

"So, that is how I ended up here!" Ty Lee concluded after she told her how Azula had requested her help. Elyrie nodded sympathetically, but didn't miss the slight crack in Ty Lee's breezy tone. It wasn't that difficult to piece together what had happened: Azula had asked Ty Lee to accompany her, Ty Lee had initially refused but Azula had made it inexplicably clear that she wasn't to be refused.

"And you?" Elyire asked as she turned to Mai when Ty Lee was finished. What kind of manipulation would she have used on the stoic, sleek-haired girl? Mai was entirely different from Ty Lee, so it might fruitful to understand how Azula manipulated her in joining this mission.

Mai looked up in surprise when Elyrie asked her a question. "Imprisoned in Omashu." Mais answered. Elyrie's lips curved in an actual smile this time at her answer. "Imprisoned?" she repeated, "That sounds rather harsh."

"There really is no fathoming the depths of my hatred for that place." Mai replied stoically as she threw another knife under the first one. "So that is why I joined this mission, because nothing ever happened there."

Something always happens to me, Elyrie thought wryly, Want to trade? She wanted to ask more, but before she could they sloped over when the machine came to a stop. Azula came into the cabin and motioned for the two girls to follow her. "Take her with you." she added with a passive hand gesture to Elyrie.

Obeying, Elyrie rose from the seat and was wedged between Mai and Ty Lee as they were walked outside. When she stepped outside, she squinted her eyes at the bright sunlight. Her eyes had been used to the darker room, so it almost hurt when she stepped outside. After blinking a few times, she was able to register her surroundings. They had stopped in front of a river and Azula knelt down to grab something from the water.

"Wads of wet fur." Mai said as Azula lifted them from the water, "How delightful." Elyrie peaked over her shoulder and saw that some clumps of fur were left in the water, as well as on the grass.

"They're not wads," Ty Lee said thoughtfully, "They're more like bundles, or bunches?" She scratched her head as she tried to remember the word, "It's got and 'uh' sound."

"Clumps?" Elyrie said helpfully.

"Clumps!" Ty Lee exclaimed, her braid bouncing up and down, "They're clumps!" She embraced Elyrie quite abruptly. Elyrie's eyes widened in surprise as she crossed looks with Mai, who rolled her eyes.

"The trail goes this way." Mai said when her eyes found the trail of fur on the grass. It seemed to go into the direction of the steppe area, away from the forest.

Azula's eyes narrowed as she turned around, away from the trail as she lifted her gaze upwards. The treetops appeared to be broken, Elyrie noticed as she followed Azula's gaze.

"The Avatar's trying to give us the slip." Azula said as she pointed to the trees, "You two head in that direction and keep your eye out for the bison." She then walked over to the fur trail on the ground, "I'll follow this trail."

Elyrie wondered what was to be expected of her as three mongoose-lizards were led out of the metal machine. But before she could even finish that thought, Azula seemed to have read her mind. "Take her with you." she said without bothering to look at Elyrie, "I don't need her getting in the way when I face the Avatar alone."

A little relieved, Elyrie stepped to Ty Lee who gracefully mounted the green, lizard-like animal. Frowning, she looked at the enormous reptile-like animal as his eyes twitched from side to side. It was probably an amphibious creature, judged on the fins on it's feet. A ride on an ostrich-horse was something entirely different from this and it wasn't as if she was a talented rider as it was.

"You ride with me." Mai said to Elyrie as she extended her hand to pull her onto the animal. Gratefully, Elyrie wanted to take her hand.

"Oh before I forget," Azula said suddenly, "Ty Lee, do paralyze her, will you?"

Because just taking my bending isn't humiliating enough? Elyrie bit her tongue because she wasn't about to enrage Azula in any way until she knew what game the woman was playing.

Within seconds, Ty Lee had punched her and she felt an unpleasant feeling spreading throughout her limbs. It was as if her bones were ice, dripping in the scorching sun and melting in a rapid speed. With no way to support herself, she might have fallen on the grass. Mai had been quick enough to catch her before she touched the ground.

With little effort, Mai swung her over the saddle in front of her so she could steady her when the lizard-like creature started moving. With her limp arms in front of her, her body on a saddle and no use of her legs, Elyrie didn't like her chances that day.

"That really hurt my tailbone." Iroh moaned as he rubbed the soar spot on his back. The impact had thrown him on the ground as he tried to see whether the young woman had been the one he was looking for.

Traveling with Elyrie was like traveling with a child, even worse than with Zuko. She seemed attract trouble even more than his nephew did by accident. First she managed to almost get robbed, then she found herself in the midst of Zuko's confrontation with the Earth Kingdom soldiers and now she had disappeared with something that was almost like a tank, probably used for warfare.

Nevertheless, it was fairly easy to track her now. The tracks of the metal contraption were easy to follow, but it had stopped when he reached the river and found it empty. He had no idea where they had taken Elyrie, so he had scanned the surroundings. He had hoped that she was the young woman who he had seen walking alone but as he had peered from a safe distance, the earth had moved beneath him and thrown him on the ground. Still rubbing his back, he looked up at the young woman standing on the rock.

She was petite and young, probably a few years younger than Elyrie. Her black hair and green clothing betrayed she was an Earth Kingdom citizen, but her eyes were not looking at him. If anything, they seem to gaze at something just beside him.

"Why were you stalking me?" the girl asked, her voice surprisingly blunt. Iroh paused a moment as he observed her. He noticed she was barefoot as she stood steadfast on the rock, not seeming to be able to knocked over. She was an Earthbender, he realised.

"I apologize," he answered as he pushed himself back up, "I thought you were someone else." He felt his aging body protest at the movements. The girl mumbled something in response as she jumped down and landed next to him. Now that she was closer, he wanted to ask her more but he noticed that her gaze was not fixed on him. Rather, it was again as if she was looking at something beside him again. He frowned for a moment before he noticed the milky-green colour of her eyes. This girl was blind.

She started to walk away before Iroh called her. "Miss?" he said as he wiped the dust from his tunic. The girl stopped, but didn't turn to look at him. He now understood why, but he had also seen that she was exhausted. He felt like he could use a small break as well, so he simply asked: "Would you like to join me for a cup of tea?"

This is the first part of the episode 'The Chase'! The second part will focus more on Zuko's point of view as we get the big battle scene (which is conveniently one of my favourites in the entire serie!)

Hope you are all well and stay safe! Xx.

Chapter Text

Update:

This story originally started because I was bored in quarantine but once I started writing it, the ideas just kept coming. However, I noticed that the start of my story was quite stiff. English isn't my first language and I didn't expect this story to continue after three chapters or so. So, I have rewritten parts of this story: the story is pretty much the same, but I have adjusted the grammar, spelling and added some new details.

I rewrote the previous chapters to give their backstory more depth, make the emotions more realistic and let the story flow more to the idea that I now envisioned. (Not enormous differences, but just a bit more so it fits my writing style now)

I view Book 1 as more of Elyrie's story to find herself, while Book 2 focusses more on Zuko's journey. Book 3 will be divided between the two of them.  I think I will finish the whole series (if people of course like the read it ). I have the whole plot planned, but please leave feedback because it does help me write.

Thank you :)

"Do you really want to fight me?"

"Yes." Zuko answered as he jumped off his ostrich-horse, "I really do."

Tossing aside his straw-hat, Zuko straightened his spine as he looked at his younger sister. Her face showed no surprise at his sudden appearance.

"I was wondering when you'd show up Zuzu." She said casually as she crossed her arms.

"Back off Azula!" Zuko said, ignoring her comment, "He's mine." He immediately took his fighting stance, stretching both his arms to his adversaries.

This was a showdown he had been waiting for since his sister's betrayal. He had now the two people in the world who he'd wanted to beat more than anything else.

In the corner of his eye, Zuko could make out his familiar figure. The distinctive orange and yellow clothing, his bald head, the prominent Airbending tattoo's. It would take all his strength to take down the Avatar, especially now he mastered at least two elements. Zuko didn't knew how far he was with his Earthbending training, but knowing how talented he was, he'd assume the worst.

Yet, for the first time he wasn't the one Zuko was worried about.

Azula took her stance as well. "I am not going anywhere." She said, her voice dangerous and threatening as she smirked at him.

A silence fell over the abandoned town. The soft breeze made the old buildings creak and moan, but the three people in the middle made no sound.

Zuko's eyes went from the Avatar to his sister, keeping his gaze fixed on them as he tried to see who would attack first. The Avatar had his staff raised in defence, but his eyes had dark circles under them and he seemed not in his best shape.

Zuko flexed his fingers as he waited. He had tracked his sister for hours as soon as he saw the mysterious metal machine cross through the silent landscape of the Earth Kingdom. At first, he had avoided her but he quickly realised he wasn't the one she was after.

This confused him, but only for a second. He might not have the same cunning mind as his sister but it wasn't difficult to guess who she'd been tracking. There is one person more important to capture, Zuko thought as his eyes went to the Avatar.

And now, he found himself standing between the Avatar and his sister. This is a rematch I've been waiting for, he thought. If he defeated his sister and captured the Avatar, he might have a chance to regain what he had lost.

Lost in his thoughts of the future, he saw the twitch of Azula's lips too late.

Without hesitation, Azula aimed her blue flames at him. Zuko conjured a fire shield to deflect it, but reacted too slow and felt himself flying backwards against the old building. With a loud crash, he landed on the wooden porch, which broke when he was smashed against it.

Couching and panting, he felt his back sting when it had collided with the old wood. Splinters flew in all directions, but none seemed to have caused him permanent damage. And even if they did, Zuko wouldn't have noticed. He was far too angry now.

Immediately standing up, his eyes searched for his sister. She wasn't on the ground anymore but was aiming her flames from the rooftops. He gritted his teeth when he saw her move with elegance, as if it didn't take her any trouble facing two enemies at once.

The Avatar was still on the ground, which gave Zuko the opportunity to aim his fireblast at him. Azula had landed as well, aiming a blast of her own. But the Avatar – always evading a fight – circled around all their attacks as he tried to make his way out of the town.

He didn't get that chance, but now Azula was standing between Zuko and the Avatar. To any other person, this might have been a disadvantage. But for Azula, this was a chance to show how precise and in control she was. Aiming with her middle and index finger, she shot her small blasts to the two men she was facing.

Zuko tried to land a blow, but she was too fast. He tried several shots, but missed all of them. Feeling his anger grow, he leaped in the air directly behind his sister. He used his legs to firebend as he struck the ground.

Azula reacted quickly and shielded herself with her blue flames. For a second, Zuko was blinded when the two fires collided. The orange and blue flames created a wall of fire as a result of the impact, but neither one of them was fazed by it for long. Zuko ducked when his sister fired another time and tried to knock her off her feet. Of course, she managed to evade his attacks again and forced him to back away when she unleashed another attack on him.

Zuko landed with both hands on the ground to prevent any damage as he took a second to catch his breath. Lack of food, water and proper training took its toll on him, but he refused to give up now that he was so close.

When he looked up, he saw that his sister ran up a flight of stairs in pursuit of the Avatar in an old building. He stood back up and ran after them, taking the stairs two flights at a time.

The doorway at the top of the stairs was open and Zuko ran as fast as he could through it. In less than a second, he realised that might have been a mistake.

In a flash, he saw the Avatar floating on a ball air and his sister standing with her back against the wall. Before he could wonder why they where doing that, he felt the ground disappear beneath him. With a yell he fell roughly down onto the first level floor, sending up a cloud of dust.

Wiping his eyes, he could just make out the Avatar as he pushed Azula off the railing in an attempt to get away. His sister landed next to him on the floor as he pushed himself back up. Like a cat, she landed elegantly on her legs with an almost bored expression at her brother.

"You know," she began as her eyes followed her brother as they circled each other on the floor, "When you came here, I thought it was for your little friend."

Azula feigned her surprise very well, but it wasn't entirely a lie. She was of course an excellent liar, but some part of her had expected her brother to come barging in and demand that the little wench was to be set free. After all, that had been the reason for her to keep that nasty halfblood alive. She was no further use to her, except to bait her brother.

Zuko's eyes widened when his sister relaxed her stance. "What are you talking about?"

"Your little halfblood friend? She was so nice to come and visit me." Azula elaborated, her amber eyes carefully examining her brother's face. Her words did not miss their intended effect, because she saw fear and rage cross Zuko's face.

"What have you done to her?" Zuko growled, "Where is she!?" Fear gripped his heart when he saw his sister's face split in her menacing smile.

What did she do to her? What happened? Why did I leave her alone? She can't have..

In his surprise and shock, Zuko had lowered his guard which was exactly what Azula was hoping for. Azula didn't wait for a moment to knock him over with a fireblast.

Not having enough time to shield himself, Zuko was pushed through the walls and landed hard on the unforgiving earth. The air was knocked out of his lungs and the impact on the back of his head made his vision go black immediately.

Pathetic sentimental fool, Azula thought as she stepped over the unconscious body of her brother. She almost felt pity for him when she saw how easy it was to bring him out of balance. Don't you know? Love is weakness.

"She is Zuko's sister?" Katara repeated, at the same time Sokka cried out: "There are more?!"

"She is far more dangerous than he is." Elyrie answered as she held onto the side of the saddle.

Appa yawned again, obviously tired from lack of sleep and the continuous activity of the night. Elyrie tightened her hands again of the side as she filled in Katara and Sokka on their new enemies.

Azula had been right when she had opted that the Avatar was trying to distract them, which caused Elyrie to be taken with Mai and Ty Lee in pursuit of the skybison. The ride – on which she was swung up and down – had been most uncomfortable in her paralysed state, but that wasn't the worst part. The worst part was when Azula had been right and Ty Lee and Mai found the skybison with Katara and Sokka on it.

After a short chase, a fight had ensued. Elyrie had never felt so useless: while Katara, Sokka, Ty Lee and Mai were battling each other, all she could do was try to get Appa's attention. The poor creature had been exhausted and was sleeping soundly while his friends were almost captured.

Luckily, her fervent cries were enough to make him open his eyes just long enough to send Ty Lee and Mai flying into the river. Elyrie would be lying if she didn't feel bad for them, but they were working with Azula. And remaining Azula's prisoner equals a lot of trouble, so she wasn't too sad about it.

Katara had managed to free herself from Mai's daggers and used her healing powers to patch up both Sokka and Elyrie. The reunion, although quite joyous, was short-lived when Elyrie filled them in on Azula's plans.

Appa had recovered enough to fly them, but Elyrie didn't feel anything for falling mid-air without anything to hold on. So - as she gripped the saddle and hold on for dear life –, she had filled in Katara and Sokka as much as she could about Mai, Ty Lee and Azula. How dangerous each of them was, what their particular skills were and how skilled they were at what they were doing.

"I thought we had strange friends," Sokka said as he steered the reigns to follow the fur trail Aang had left, "But your circle of friends seems to be made up entirely of psychopaths."

"You have no idea." Elyrie mumbled as she looked over the dry lands. They had left the forest behind them when the trail seemed to go into desert-like environment.

"There they are!" Katara exclaimed as she pointed in the distance. Elyrie squinted her eyes and she saw an old town being lit up by orange and blue flames. That is hard to miss, she thought dryly. Even from this distance, she could she that at least half of the building had been set on fire.

"Aang!" Katara yelled when she saw an orange and yellow clothed person jumping on a roof. Sokka stirred Appa to the battle and both siblings jumped down to assist their friend.

Elyrie followed, but she had seen something else. They arrived just in time to see a blast of blue flames knock over someone. Even from the far distance, Elyrie would recognize the figure everywhere.

Zuko! She ran to him, practically falling over her own feet to get to him as quickly as possible. Her breath hitched when she saw that he didn't get back up and she kept praying he wouldn't be hurt badly. Please, no, please. Not like this, not like this.

She fell on her knees in the sand as she frantically felt his pulse. Her other hand touched his face, hoping she would at least see some sign of life. He groaned as she did this and a wave of relief flushed over her. At least he was alive. She leaned back on her heels as she exhaled, but she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"Help them." a calm voice instructed her when she felt hand on her shoulder. Looking over her shoulder, she saw Uncle Iroh's determined look as he knelt down by his nephew, "He will be all right."

Elyrie only nodded as she let go of Zuko's wrist and followed the trail of blue flames into the town. As she looked up, she saw that fire had spread across the roofs. It wouldn't take long before the entire town – small though it was – burnt to the ground.

As she searched for Katara and Sokka, she heard a cry when Katara sprinted out of a building which might have been a tavern once. Azula was hot on her heels, which was never a good sign. However, before she could catch Katara, Elyrie saw that Sokka blocked her way and swung his machete at her.

Azula ducked in a reflex, but it didn't take long for her to retake control. Now that she had the two Water Tribe peasants in front of her, she had free range. One of them wasn't even a bender, which would make it all the more easy.

Azula smirked when she blasted a firewhip at the siblings, but was surprised when her flames changed course before they even came close to them. She followed the string of flames and she saw that one familiar face smirk as she aimed the flames back at her. For the second time, Azula ducked and when she looked back up again, a pair of glittering blue eyes glared at her.

How did she get here? Azula cursed inwardly when she saw Elyrie block her attacks without effort. For some reason, the fact that the halfblood blocked her attack again was enough to get under her skin. The one thing Azula always prided herself on was the fact that Elyrie never received any firebending training, while she herself was considered the best bender in the Fire Nation.

In her frustration, she aimed a second attack at her but the girl managed to avoid it just as easily. But what truly surprised Azula was that she didn't just evade the flames. She had seen it on her ship, but that little halfblood summoned a circle of flames around her. With the flames dancing around her, she again shot small fireblasts in her direction.

I should have killed her when I had the chance. Azula thought just before the ground moved under her feet and she lost her balance.

"I thought you guys could use a little help." The Fire Princess heard someone say as she extended her hands to avoid collision with the ground. Azula mentally damned every single one of the people in the old town at that moment.

At the same moment, her brother finally opened his eyes again. "Uncle?" Zuko said as his blurry vision made out the form of Iroh.

"Get up!" Iroh ordered as he pulled his nephew from the ground.

"Where's Elyrie? Azula said-," Zuko began before his Uncle pointed over his shoulder. He saw her familiar figure blocking Azula's attacks. He wanted to help her, but a firm grip on his elbow stopped him.

"This way." Iroh instructed in a tone which didn't allow any protest. All Zuko could do was nod and follow his Uncle between the ruined buildings.

Just when he was about to ask why they were going in an alleyway, he saw his sister cut the corner and ran straight onto his Uncle's massive form. His rotund belly was enough to halt Azula in her flight and let the others catch up.

As soon as he saw the familiar auburn curls, Zuko let out a sigh of relief. She didn't appear to be hurt, but her cheeks were flushed and her eyes shimmered with a new form of determination.

He saw that she gave him a mischievous grin. He had seen that grin often enough when they were younger and they were hiding from Azula's taunting. And he knew what it meant now: Let's do this.

"Look at this, enemies and traitors all working together." Azula sneered as she looked around the seven enemies that forced her agains the wall. Her catlike eyes went over all of them as she tried to calculate her chances. On her right, she saw the Water Tribe siblings: one waterbender, the other a warrior. The Avatar was standing between them, his hands raised in a threatening manner.

Then came the Earthbending girl, the one who'd knocked her over just moments ago. From her gaze, Azula almost immediately saw that she was blind. She wasn't looking straight at her, but Azula was clever enough not to assume that this was in any way a disadvantage.

On her far left, she saw her Uncle and her brother. Both of them accomplished firebenders, she had to admit that even her brother had improved over time. The famous Dragon of the West was difficult enough to take on one-on-one, but with six others around it was nearly impossible.

Finally, her eyes landed on the last one in the group: the girl standing between her brother and the Earthbending girl. She had been the most unpleasant surprise of them all, and if it were up to Azula she would have obliterated the halfblood right on the spot.

But for now, that had to wait. Azula was a patient woman: her time would come.

"I am done," Azula said while raising her hands, "You got me, I know when I'm beaten. A Princess surrenders with honour."

Nobody moved. She didn't expect them too, but she kept her gaze focused on the blue eyes in front of her. All it took was for Elyrie to let her guard down just a moment. Come on, Azula baited her, lower those hands. Hurting one of them as a diversion was a fool proof plan. The damaged wall behind her was low enough to blast herself over, which meant she would be out of their sight. Also, she thought with a menacing grin, when one is hurt, they will all flock to her like the fools they are.

Iroh saw the amber eyes of his niece focus Elyrie. As he briefly looked over at Elyrie, he noticed the young Earthbending girl next to her. It was the same girl with who he had only hours ago shared a cup of tea.

Their little chat over tea had cheered him up, but he hadn't expect to see her here. She stood just as fierce as the rest of the group and her body language told him that she knew the Avatar and his group.

An Earthbender, he realised, she is his new teacher.

The second he realised this, was the second Azula reacted. She too had seen how her Uncle was briefly distracted. And to take out the most powerful of them all was exactly the kind of advantage she'd hoped for. I will get my chance with her one day, Azula vowed as she moved into motion.

Quicker than the lightening she often produced, Azula shot a precise fireshot straight to Iroh's form. She hit him right where his heart was.

With a cry, Iroh lost his balance and staggered backwards. As soon as he was hit, Elyrie had turned around in a reflex to catch him. A loud explosion quickly followed and the thick, black smoke blinded her for a moment.

As soon as the smoke had cleared, she saw Zuko sitting on his knees in front of her on the other side of Uncle's unconscious body.

"Get away from us!" Zuko yelled as he looked over his shoulder at the Avatar and his group. He immediately turned back to search Elyrie's face for clues as she listened for a pulse. Her face was undisturbed, as if she didn't notice the other people.

"Zuko, I can help." he heard Katara say behind him. That made him snap: her pity was the last thing he needed right now.

"Leave!" He roared as he raised his fist to blast fire at the group behind him. But before he could do that, he felt another hand grab his wrist and pull it down. In a reflex, Elyrie had grabbed his arm to prevent him from aiming at the group. He looked at her in disbelief, but she didn't look at him. She had already let go of him and walked to the group.

"No! Wait, please!" Zuko heard her cry out as the group started to run away. He didn't turn around to see what she would do, but instead bowed his head as he tried to find any form of life in his Uncle.

Elyrie immediately turned to Katara. "Can you heal him?" she said in a pleading tone, her blue eyes large with worry.

Katara said nothing at first as she looked wary at Zuko, who still sat beside his Uncle. Elyrie gave her a quick nod of understanding before she turned around to place a hand on Zuko's shoulder. He didn't react to it, but she spoke to him even so.

"Zuko," Elyrie said softly, "Please let her help him." Zuko didn't say anything, but he remained on his knees beside Iroh.

"He is wounded and in a lot of pain." The soft voice was firmer now, as he felt her hand gliding down his arm to his hand. He still kept his head bowed, but she took his hand and gently and pulled him away. Zuko didn't look up once, but felt that Elyrie pulled him away to a safe distance.

Elyrie strategically placed Zuko with his back to his Uncle. She put her arms around him and turned his face away. He could hate her for this, but Uncle was not about to be a victim to his pride.

"She healed me too when Zhao-, when I was wounded at the North Pole. She won't hurt him" She whispered to him, but Zuko didn't miss the faltering in her voice when she misspoke. He remembered the puddle of blood on the ice when Zhao had stabbed Elyrie.

"Please?" Elyrie whispered as she pulled him closer and wrapped her arms around his neck. Finally Zuko slumped his shoulders and leaned onto her smaller frame. Taking that as a yes, Elyrie nodded over Zuko's shoulder to Katara.

The waterbender nodded back and the ribbon of water flowed out of her waterskin as she knelt beside Iroh's unconscious body. Glowing water covered his burned skin as Katara's skilled hands moved to heal the damaged skin and nerves. Elyrie let out a sigh of relief when she saw his face relax when he felt the pain lessen.

All that time, Elyrie hold onto Zuko as if she was afraid he would suddenly turn around and attack them. Zuko said nothing as he felt Elyrie holding onto him. He could feel her bones sticking out as he leaned his head on her shoulders. But despite her apparent weakened state, she hold him quite forcefully.

He knew better than to protest now, but he felt betrayed. She talked to the Avatar and his group so freely, as if she knew them. His thoughts came to all sorts of conclusions, but none of them satisfied him. Even more strange, that wasn't the thing that bothered him the most. Well, it was, but now he kept thinking of the hint of fear in her voice when she talked about Zhao.

After less than a minute, Katara stood up and nodded to Elyrie.

"He'll make it." She said when the water flowed back into the waterskin.

"Thank you." Elyrie mouthed to her over Zuko's shoulder. Sokka motioned to Zuko's back with a questioning look in his eyes and Elyrie shook her head at him. She was staying with Zuko and Uncle. They needed her.

"Go!" she said. The group all ran back to Appa, who had been waiting for their return.

Only when Elyrie saw Appa fly off did she let go of Zuko.

He said nothing to her and Elyrie did not expect him to.

While he got the ostrich-horse - the one Uncle had travelled on since Zuko's animal seemed to have disappeared when the fighting broke out -, Elyrie knelt down again next to Iroh. He was still unconscious, but Elyrie was comfortable enough to move him now that she knew that most of his wounds were healed on the inside. She mentally thanked Katara again, because she had been too afraid to move him if he had any internal injuries.

As Zuko lifted his Uncle on the ostrich-horse, Elyrie steadied him with both hands. Zuko took the reins and stirred the animal up the hill to a lonely cabin. The whole way, they didn't speak and for the first time, Elyrie didn't mind in the slightest; she had no idea what to say to him.

Zuko was occupied too much with his own thoughts as they walked on. He did his best not to look at the burned skin and the charred clothing of his Uncle. The feeling of nausea resurfaced when he thought about the smell of charred flesh, but he swallowed it down. Ever since he received his own scar, the smell and look of burn wounds made him feel physically sick. But now, the thought that his Uncle's life had been hanging by a thread was even worse.

And she let them help him, he thought angrily as he looked over to Elyrie's face. She didn't look at him as she was completely focussed on Uncle. He wanted to yell at her, but he was afraid he'd disturb his Uncle.

After what felt like an eternity, they finally reached the cabin. It was abandoned – just like Zuko had hoped – and he lifted his Uncle from the animal. Elyrie had placed straw on the floor to soften it as much as possible.

Zuko carefully laid down his Uncle and turned away when the wound was exposed again. Elyrie, on the other hand, only needed one look as she stood up and grabbed something out of the saddlebags

She was glad she had bought so much bandages before, because this was exactly the moment she needed them. She dipped her middle and indexfinger in the ointment and gently applied it to the red skin on Uncle's chest.

"Where did you learn to tend wounds?" Zuko asked as he watched her fingers skilfully apply the ointment.

"At the Stonghold." She answered without looking up, "I often received burns during training. Hold him for me, will you?" she asked as she measured the amount of bandage she would need to cover the wounds. Zuko carefully lifted his Uncle up again while Elyrie tore the scorched pieces of his clothing off so she had better access. We can buy new clothes, she thought as she started winding the bindings around Uncle's chest and shoulder.

Because she was so occupied with nursing Uncle, she didn't see that Zuko's focus shifted to her. Now that he knew his Uncle would make it, he allowed himself to look at Elyrie. Her sapphire eyes were fixed on her work and she pushed a lock out of her face.

Zuko had seen her do that at least a thousand times. For some reason, it had a calming effect on his conflicting thoughts. He knew she knew the Avatar: she had helped him when he was captured in the Stronghold. And of course she knew the rest of his group, she had been with them on the North Pole.

So why was he so offended? He had known for some time that her loyalty was always to herself, not to any nation or group. Was it because he was still afraid that she didn't need him? That she would leave him when she could? But she had stayed with Uncle, even after he left them. Had that been a mistake?

"Thank you." Elyrie interrupted his thoughts as she secured the bandages with a small pin. Carefully, they both lowered Uncle on the straw to make sure he wouldn't be disturbed.

"I think rest is now the most important thing." Elyrie said as she turned to Zuko. When the golden eyes met the sapphire eyes at last, she gave him a small smile.

"I'll look for food." Zuko said, not answering her smile as he stood up. Elyrie put the remaining bandages and ointment back in the bags as she watched Zuko walk out of the cabin.

What I would give to be able to know what goes on inside his head, she thought to herself as she leaned against the wall. Little did she know that Zuko was just wondering the exact same thing.

Chapter Text

The remainder of the day, Zuko and Elyrie talked no more than was absolutely necessary. Whenever one of them was in the cabin – which, of course, was only made up of one room - the other seemed to have haste to find food, water, or even feed Zuko's ostrich-horse that returned. Both of them knew that the other was avoiding them, but neither felt the need to initiate the conversation.

Now that they were both convinced that Uncle was going to make it, there was a tension between that was so thick, they could cut it with a knife.

Elyrie was too nervous to start talking, since it was never established that Zuko was planning to stay with them. For the first time since she they had reunited– or for the first time ever, now that she thought about it – she didn't know what to say to him.

He doesn't have the luxury you have. You knew, despite everything, that you were loved.

Uncle had explained it to her and for weeks, she had waited for the moment Zuko would reappear again, so she could comfort him and assure him that he was loved. That he would never be alone in the world, that there were people that cared for him. That she cared for him.

And she had no idea how to do that.

All those years, they had simply been together and that seemed enough. They were friends and always found each other when one of them had a problem. It happened after five years of being apart. Even as refugees, she had the idea that she showed her love and concern, only Zuko never picked up on it apparently. So what was she to do? Just straight out tell him? That didn't sound like her at all. There were moments she did, but she wasn't the type to flat out tell someone she cared for them. If she did that now, Zuko would only be freaked out.

Just like I would be, she said to herself.

Besides, she might care for him but that didn't mean she had forgiven him for just leaving them when things were hard. The fact that he almost attacked Katara for wanting to help Uncle only fuelled her frustration with his selfishness. Yes, she knew he was confused and he was hurt, but why should she take his feelings into consideration when he so clearly disregarded hers?

As the night fell, she decided that everything would look better in the morning. She lit the few candles in the cabin for light as she checked on Uncle the last time. If Zuko wants to talk, he'll talk, she told herself as she wetted a cloth and wrung it out again. With a careful touch, she wiped away the sweat from Uncle's brow.

As for Zuko, he had been struggling with his words as well. He had never been a man who enjoyed chitchat, or talking at all for that matter. But with Elyrie, conversation had always been easy. Her cheerfulness and fast chatter was enough for him to join. The fact that Elyrie wasn't the one to initiate the conversation made it all the more difficult.

Now that night had fallen – and that they had enough food or water to last three weeks -, Zuko couldn't do anything beside watching how Elyrie nursed Uncle Iroh.

Leaning against the wall on the other side of the cabin, he looked at the girl. She was thinner than he had ever seen her. He could see her collarbones moving under the wide shirt. It had been a bit too large when she first wore it, but now it looked as if she was drowning in the clothing. While the light had dimmed now, in the sunlight her face seemed flushed as the red colour spread across her cheeks and nose. She had been sunburned, but unsurprisingly her skin was just as fair as always. It was as if her skin just refused to tan.

Elyrie wiped the sweat from her forehead with the back of her hand. As she did this, she felt the roughness of sand and dust that left a fine layer on her skin. She sighed as she let her other hand go through the knots in her hair. After the long day, she hadn't taken the time to bathe or even so much as wash her face. She threw her head back to assemble her loose hair and tied it together in a small bun in her neck.

Zuko let his own hand go through his hair when he saw her do that. Just like his hair had grown, so had hers. It was hanging past her shoulders now. The front locks were still too short to put in a bun, so they hang loose around her face. The dust from the battle was still stuck in her hair, which made it look dull instead of her usual shiny hair.

Without all the soaps, oils and make up she normally used, he now saw how the past weeks had taken a toll on her. Her hair was tangled, her skin red and burnt and her nails were broken. The day had been long for her as well, because he saw the dark circles under her normally vibrant eyes. If even she looked like this, he wouldn't even want to know how he looked.

Elyrie's vision became blurry with exhaustion. She rubbed her eyes, which were itchy and bloodshot. She felt dirty and tired. In one day, she was captured, paralysed, saved from a psychopath, whom she had fought and now she to take care of a wounded older man and a broody younger man. Enough is enough, she decided.

"I can't stay awake for much longer." she said, her voice breaking the silence that was hanging thickly in the air. Zuko looked up in surprise, but nodded to her.

"Sleep then." he answered in a voice that was rough from the dust as he saw her wipe her forehead again. She gave him a half smile before she folded her arm under her head and laid down on her side on the wooden floor. She pulled her knees to her chest and closed her eyes.

Zuko said nothing as he saw that sleep took over her in less than minute. Her steady breathing was soft, but it was the only sound to break the silence of the night.

"We can't stay here forever." Zuko mumbled as he saw his Uncle stir in his slumber. The cabin was so old that it didn't even have a proper door. Instead, it had a gaping hole in the wall which functioned as a door. The rotten wood and damaged roof would not offer much shelter if the weather decided to change, but for now it worked.

Hoping he didn't wake up, Zuko followed Elyrie's example and wiped the sweat from his Uncle's forehead. He placed a new cloth on his Uncle's forehead so he would at least be a bit cooler for the remainder of the night.

When he was sure both Uncle and Elyrie were asleep, he allowed himself to lie down on the hard floor and closed his eyes.

He didn't fall asleep as fast as Elyrie. Instead, he thought about Azula and her threats. About her frightening skill and her precision. He finally dozed off when sleep took over, but not because his mind was at peace.

He might have dreamed about the day's events when he woke up in cold sweat, but he couldn't remember anything. Through the holes in the wall, small patches of sunlight peaked through to signal the start of a new day.

Zuko went out to gathered some plants and leaves for tea. When he returned, he saw that they were still asleep, so he started brewing the tea in silence. He did his best to remember his Uncle's lessons, so the tea would be to his liking.

Surprisingly, Elyrie woke not long after he'd returned. She opened her eyes and he greeted her with a swift nod, but did not miss the look of surprise in her eyes.

"I found this for his skin?" Zuko suggested as he saw Elyrie's eyes move to Uncle's sleeping figure. He showed her the plant he had found that morning when he was searching for herbs to put in the tea.

Elyrie took the thick leaves and saw that It were the leaves of an aloe vera plant. "Yes, that is perfect for him." She answered since it was indeed what they needed to soothe Uncle's burnt skin.

"And for you?" Zuko said as he pointed to her face. Elyrie's hand flew to her face and softly touched the skin on her cheeks. It was hot to the touch and she felt the glowing. She sighed when she felt her skin protest against the movements.

"Thank you." she said as she took the knife to cut out the gel-like substance and carefully applied it to her skin. The freshening coolness of the plant made her immediately feel better. If she was to stay out of the sun for a couple days, she was sure her skin would heal properly.

Zuko watched how she let out a sigh of relief when the cool substance coated her skin. Her blue eyes met his and her lips parted in a smile. Zuko opened his mouth and just as he was about to say something – anything – to her, a small moan broke the silence.

"Uncle?" Zuko said as he bowed over Iroh. His voice was filled with concern and his look softened when he took the wet cloth from his head.

Elyrie and Zuko both let out a sigh of relief when the amber-coloured eyes of Iroh opened at last.

"Uncle," Zuko said again as Iroh pushed himself up, "You were unconscious. Azula did this to you: it was a surprise attack."

"Somehow, that is not so surprising." Iroh groaned, his voice hoarse. He grasped his chest in pain, but was surprised when he saw he was wrapped in bandages.

"Don't touch it!" Elyrie said as she gently grabbed his wrist, "The skin still needs to heal."

"Only the skin?" Iroh asked her with a frown. He doubted that Azula's attack had been that light. Elyrie nodded and shot him a knowing look as her fingers subtly went to her lower arm. With her slender finger, she followed the line of her veins.

Iroh furred his brow, but then he suddenly understood: the arm that the young waterbender had healed on the North Pole when she had been wounded. So the waterbender had healed him as well.

Elyrie lightly shook her head to signal that he shouldn't ask more and Iroh nodded.

"I hope I made it the way you like it." Zuko said as he handed his Uncle a cup of tea, oblivious to the silent conversation between Iroh and Elyrie.

Elyrie took the other cup as she watched Uncle take his first sip. His eyes immediately widened and he masked his cry of disgust.

"Good." Iroh grimaced as he swallowed down the bitter moisture, "It is very, ehm, bracing."

Elyrie said nothing as she smoothly put her cup aside. Uncle's look was enough to make her courage falter to take a sip from whatever it was Zuko had made.

"So Uncle, I've been thinking." Zuko continued as he poured another cup of tea and handed it to Iroh. Elyrie stifled a laugh when she saw Uncle throwing it over his shoulder.

"It's only a matter of time before I run into Azula again." Zuko hadn't noticed it. "I'm going to need to know more advanced firebending if I want to stand a chance against her. And I know what you're going to say:" Zuko waved his hands dismissively as if he wanted to counter that point, "that she's my sister and I should be trying to get along with her."

"No. She is crazy and she needs to go down." Iroh said, and now Elyrie let out an actual laugh. Both men turned to her, one with a smile and the other with a frown. "I couldn't agree more." She said with a mischievous look in her eyes.

"Then it is time to resume your training." Iroh said as he stood up, suppressing the moans of pain as he looked at the two firebenders in front of him. "For both of you."

An hour later, both Zuko and Elyrie sat cross-legged across Iroh. He had brewed a new pot of tea – which was much needed before they began their practice.

"Lightening is a pure expression of firebending." Iroh began as he poured the tea, "without aggression." He emphasized the last word as he looked at his nephew. "It is not fueled by rage or emotion the way other firebending is. Some call lightening the 'cold-blooded fire'. It is precise and deadly, like Azula."

He handed Elyrie the first cup as he continued: "To perform the technique requires peace of mind."

"I see." Zuko said while taking the other cup, "That's why we're drinking tea - to calm the mind."

"Oh yeah, good point!" Iroh responded jovially. Elyrie let out a small chuckle as he retook himself, "I mean, yes."

They drank their tea in silence, trying to achieve the peace of mind Uncle had instructed.

"Are you ready to try?" Iroh asked Zuko when he put his empty cup down. "Yes." He answered immediately.

"As for you," Uncle turned to Elyrie, "Do you want to learn it? Since you only started properly practicing a few months ago?"

"I want to try." She said, her tone firm.

"Then follow me." Iroh said while standing up, "Because we are going to need some space for this."

At the top of the hill, he stopped as he looked over the destroyed town in the valley. This was an excellent spot to practice: the open air and empty space were all a beginning bender could wish for.

"There is energy all around us," Iroh began his lesson as he placed his palms together, "The energy is both yin and yang." He held up to fingers to signal the difference between the two. "Positive and negative energy. Only a select few firebenders can separate these energies."

"It has been reserved mostly for the inner circles of Fire Nation royalty and high-ranking officers, correct?" Elyrie asked curiously.

"Indeed." Iroh nodded, "It is incredibly difficult to separate the energies because it creates an imbalance. The energy wants to restore balance and in the moment the positive and negative energy come crashing back together," he clasped his hands together to signal it, "You provide release and guidance, creating lightning."

Iroh motioned for the two to step back as he prepared for lightening generation. Letting the energy flow throughout his arms, he circled his arms in a steady circular motion. The sparks flew almost immediately from his stretched fingers, before he shot a lighting bolt in the open sky.

"I am ready to try it!" Zuko said eagerly as he watched the power release from his Uncle's fingertips.

"Remember," Iroh said, "Once you separate the energy, you do not command it. You are simply its humble guide."

Zuko mimicked the motions his Uncle showed and tried to generate lighting. He tensed his muscles as he felt the energy flow through his body. He exhaled and stretched his fingers, but instead of a lighting bolt, an explosion launched him back with immense power.

"You okay?" Elyrie asked Zuko when the black smoke had disappeared. He had blasted himself back at least three metres and fell hard on his back.

"I am fine." Zuko grunted as he pushed himself back up. He looked more embarrassed than anything else, so Elyrie returned her attention to Uncle.

"Elyrie, try it." Iroh instructed her as he took a few steps back.

Elyrie inhaled deeply as she placed her palms against each other. She focussed on the energy flow in her body. No emotion, she repeated in her head as she exhaled. She made the circular motions Uncle showed and stretched her arm, aiming her middle and index finger.

If she expected a big lightening bolt, she was sourly disappointed. But at the same time, it wasn't the explosion Zuko created. What she created was… nothing actually. All she managed to generate were two faint sparks from her fingers.

She pulled her hand back to study her fingers in disbelief. "That's it?" she asked incredulously. She had seen bigger sparks when she had created static electricity as a child.

This is going to take a lot of work, Iroh thought as he both of them instructed to try again. But neither of them seemed to improve.

After the fiftieth attempt, Zuko let out a frustrated cry.

"Why can't I do it?!" He yelled, "Instead of lightening it keeps exploding in my face. Like everything always does."

Elyrie didn't say anything. While her attempts could be called miserable at best, at least she wasn't knocked over every time she tried it. Then again, nothing happened when she tried it.

"I was afraid this might happen." Uncle said to Zuko, "You will not be able to master lightening until you have dealt with the turmoil inside you."

"What turmoil?!" Zuko snapped.

"Zuko," Iroh said patiently, "You must let go of your feelings of shame if you want your anger to go away."

"But I don't feel any shame at all." Zuko answered, his voice now calmer, 'I'm as proud as ever."

"Prince Zuko," Iroh said again, purposefully using his title, "Pride is not the opposite of shame, but its source. True humility is the only antidote to shame."

"Wel, my life has been nothing but humbling lately." Zuko answered in a voice that was barely louder than a whisper.

"As for you," Iroh moved his gaze to Elyrie, "You can only succeed if you let yourself be open to it."

"But I am open-," she began her protest, but Iroh cut her off by raising his hand.

"I can only tell you where to look, I can't tell what you need to see."

Ah proverbs, Elyrie mused as she lowered her hands, as clear as ever.

The disappointed looks on both their faces made Iroh feel a bit guilty. "I have another idea." He said, "I will teach you a firebending move that even Azula doesn't know, because I made it up myself."

"What is it?" Elyrie asked as Iroh motioned for them to sit down in front of him.

"Let me show you something." Iroh said cryptically as he took a stick from the ground.

"Fire is the element of power." He began as he started drawing the familiar insignia of firebending in the sand, "The people of the Fire Nation have desire and will, and the energy to drive and achieve what they want."

He paused for a moment before he moved his stick above the firebending insignia and started drawing the angular symbol of earthbending. "Earth is the element of substance," he continued, "The people of the Earth Kingdom are diverse and strong. They are persistent and enduring."

He moved the stick to the left of the firebending insignia and formed the circular symbols of the airbending insignia. "Air is the element of freedom." He explained as he finished the third symbol, "The Air Nomads detached themselves from worldly concerns and found peace and freedom. Also, they apparently had pretty good sense of humour!"

He saw a smile tug at Elyrie's lips, but Zuko didn't react at all. He shook his head as he finished the final element. "Water is the element of change. The people of the Water Tribe are capable of adapting to many thing. They have a deep sense of community and love that holds them together through anything."

Elyrie felt a sting in her chest when Uncle said that and missed her newfound family even more. One day, I can return, she told herself as she started turning her ring around her finger.

"Why are you telling us these things?" Zuko asked as he stared at the four emblems in the sand.

"It is important to draw wisdom from many different places." Iroh explained, "If you take it only from one place, it becomes rigid and stale." To strengthen his words, he divided the four insignias into separate sections. "Understanding others, the other elements, and the other nations will help you become whole." He finished as he drew a circle around all four elements, combining them as one.

"All this four elements talk is sounding like Avatar stuff." Zuko grumbled impatiently.

"It is the combination of the four elements in one person that makes the Avatar so powerful." Iroh answered, ""But it can make you more powerful too. Elyrie?" Uncle said as he moved his stick to the sitting girl, "Would you please demonstrate?"

Elyrie shot him a puzzled look. She had been paying attention, but what did she need to demonstrate? Zuko was far better in firebending than she had ever been.

"But I don't-," she began uncertain. "Just humour me." Uncle said with a wink as he extended his hand to her to lift her up.

"Now," he said as she took her stance, "Block my attack."

"Uncle, I really don't know-," she tried again. She had no idea what he wanted to see from her.

"Don't worry," Iroh answered in a reassuring tone, "Just follow your instinct."

She sighed and retook her stance. Iroh aimed a fireblast at her and she bended the fire around herself in a circular motion, creating the circle of flames around her as she shot the fireblast back to him in small forms.

"Exactly!" Uncle cried out as she extinguished the ring of flames, "That is what I meant!"

"I don't understand?" Elyrie said again and she looked at Zuko for reassurance. He shook his head, signalling he didn't understand what his Uncle meant either.

"Dear," Iroh elaborated as he saw her confused face, "What you just showed us was no ordinary firebending form. The main disadvantage for firebenders is that we depend too much on attack instead of defence. Waterbending is the opposite with more defensive methods. You redirected the flames as your defence and used it as your own offence, like a waterbender would. Your defence is better than most firebenders, precisely because you studied the waterbending techniques. And the technique I am about to teach you, is one I learned by studying waterbenders as well."

"Ah, I see." Elyrie nodded enthusiastically as she finally grasped the concept. She also felt just a tiny bit proud he praised her like that.

"Like Elyrie showed, a waterbender lets their defence become their offence, turning their opponents' energy against them." Iroh said to Zuko, "I learned a way to do this with lightning."

"You can teach me to redirect lighting?" Zuko asked.

"That's what you did with Azula!" Elyrie said, remembering how Uncle had moved the lightening away from them, "And during the storm!"

"You have an excellent memory." Iroh praised her before he he lined out out the path of the energy, "If you let the energy in your own body flow, the lighting will follow it. You must create a pathway from your fingertips, up your arm to your shoulder, then down into your stomach." His hand followed the path he described. "The stomach is the source of energy in your body; it is called the sea of chi. Only in my case, it is more like a vast ocean." He tapped his rotund belly with a laugh.

"From the stomach, you direct it up again and out the other arm." Iroh continued as he finished the motion, "The stomach detour is critical. You must not let the lightning pass through your heart, or the damage could be deadly." He touched Zuko's chest right where his heart was. Elyrie visible swallowed at the idea, but Zuko didn't even flinch.

"You both may wish to try a physical motion to get a feel for the pathway's flow," Iroh said as he demonstrated the motion, "Like this."

Elyrie and Zuko followed his movements. Down one arm, to the shoulder, into the stomach, out the other arm.

"Now, are you focusing your energy? Can you feel your chi flowing in, down, up, and out?" Iroh asked when they tried it again.

"I think so." Zuko said carefully as he made the motion another time.

In, down, up and out. Elyrie kept repeating it in her head, making her body follow the words.

"Come on," Iroh said as he made extravagant flowing moves with his arms, "You've got to feel the flow."

The two young benders repeated the motions over and over again, until Elyrie was sure she could feel her chi following the path she created.

"Excellent!" Iroh said when he saw them move simultaneously, "You've got it!"

"Great!" Zuko exclaimed, "I'm ready to try with real lightening!"

"What, are you crazy?" Elyrie asked in disbelief.

"Zuko, lightening is very dangerous." Iroh said with raised eyebrows.

"I thought that was the point!" he answered as he shot Elyrie an annoyed look, "Teaching me to protect myself from it!"

"Yeah, but I'm not going to shoot lightening at you!"Iroh yelled, frantically waving his hands in the air, "If you're lucky, you will never have to use this technique at all."

"Well, if you won't help me," Zuko barked as he turned around to untie his ostrich-horse, "I'll find my own lightening." His gaze went to the mountains in the distance, where the sound of thunder rumbled.

Elyrie's jaw dropped when she saw him ride off. Not this again, she wanted to yell after him in her anger. What is it with that man that makes him want to get hurt so badly? Stubborn, selfish, pig-headed… her thoughts trailed off as she turned around to walk back to the cabin.

Iroh reacted quickly, placing a hand on her shoulder to stop her. "Elyrie, you cannot- " he began before Elyrie interrupted him.

"Don't worry," she answered with a passive gesture of her hand, "I know better than to chase him and convince him to return. If he wants to leave, he can." Her tone was bitter, as was the look in her eyes.

Iroh didn't say anything as she kicked the sand in front of her away, but in her eyes he could read the disappointment, the confusion and most of all: frustration.

For as long as he had known both of them, he had never seen them so distant with each other as this day. Elyrie acted cold and Zuko purposefully avoided to look at her. A lot of the turmoil inside of them would be resolved a lot quicker if they just talked to each other, Iroh mused as he moved his gaze to the retreating figure of his nephew.

Well, maybe hers, he mentally sighed as he watched the first stroke of lightening split the sky in the distance, but his is going to take a lot more than that.

The thunder roared like a ferocious dragon. Lightening split the sky around the top of the mountain, far more powerful than Azula ever could generate. The pouring rain was like a waterfall, cold and unforgiving in its force.

On the top of the mountain, Zuko stood surrounded by all this violence of nature.

"You've always thrown everything you could at me!" he yelled as loud as he could at the dark clouds in the sky, "Well, I can take it, and now I can give it back!"

Lightening struck around him, but not where he was standing. The rain whipped his face, as if the universe was taunting him.

"Strike me!" He cried out, "You never held back before!"

But even now, it seemed like the universe was unwilling to grant him his wish. Zuko looked up at the grey clouds as the lightening and thunder rolled through the sky. It sounded like a laugh, a deep, sadistic laugh at how miserable his life was.

He fell down on his knees as his tears blended with the rain and streamed down his cheeks.

And finally, he screamed at the top of his lungs at everything in the world.

Chapter Text

"Maybe we should make camp?" Zuko asked after his Uncle fake-moaned for the fifth time that minute, while pretending to be in pain every step the ostrich-horse took.

"Please, no." Iroh said in a dramatic voice as he clasped his chest, "Don't stop just for me."

Zuko didn't reply, but pulled the reins of the ostrich-horse he shared with his Uncle as the moaning continued. Just behind them, Elyrie halted her own ostrich-horse. With loud groans, Iroh lowered himself off the animal and sat down on a large rock while still clasping his chest.

"How are you feeling?" Elyrie asked as she dismounted.

"Wonderful." Iroh groaned while putting the back of his hand against his forehead.

"I see." Elyrie responded smoothly as she handed him the waterskin to let him drink. She knew better than to argue with the older man.

She handed the second waterskin to Zuko, but he evaded her look. Elyrie rolled her eyes, but said nothing. Last night, Zuko had returned to the old cabin and he took the pouring rain with him. He had been soaked to the bone and at his feet were small puddles were the water came dripping from his wet clothing.

She hadn't asked how his trip was, she hadn't asked about the lightening, she hadn't asked anything. And Zuko, in turn, hadn't said anything to her.

That had been enough to convince Elyrie he wouldn't be there in the morning, but just like the day before: he hadn't left. He had helped packing the ostrich-horses and offered to ride for his Uncle. Elyrie had observed the situation without making an effort to chime in. She still didn't understand what Zuko wanted from them, or what they planned to do next.

She shook her head but just as she was about to take a large sip from the water, a rumbling sound drew their attention. The ostrich-horses looked up in alarm in the direction of the impeding danger.

"What now?" Iroh sighed, sounding more annoyed than afraid. Zuko took a fighting stance and Elyrie flexed her own fingers in anticipation.

The sounds became louder and the trembling indicated that they were being surrounded. Then, suddenly five soldiers on Komodo-rhino's were visible through the thickets on both sides of the road. The largest man – obviously the leader with a nose ring and a rather unpleasant look in his eyes - pulled back the reins when he stopped in front of the trio.

"Colonel Mongke!" Iroh said as he recognised the leader, "What a pleasant surprise!"

"If you're surprised we're here, then the Dragon of the West has lost few steps." Colonel Mongke answered brashly. To strengthen his words, he lifted his arms and let sparks fly off his metal bracers. The other men whipped out their weapons simultaneously.

Elyrie was surprised to see that they all wielded a different weapon. She saw the bearded soldier draw a spear, while the heavily armoured soldier lifted something that looked like explosives. The soldier with the braided hair swung around a heavy looking metal chain with a ball, while the last soldier – a Yuyan archer, she recognised – drew his bow and arrow.

"You know these guys?" Zuko asked surprised as he let his gaze go over the soldiers.

"Sure," Iroh responded calmly, as if it was a pleasant reunion with old friends who hadn't just drawn their weapons, "Colonel Mongke and the Rough Rhinos are legendary. Each one is a different kind of weapon specialist. They are also a very capable singing group.

"Beg pardon?" Elyrie answered, since that wasn't what she expected.

"We're not here to give a concert!" Colonel Mongke exclaimed, "We're here to apprehend fugitives!"

"Would you like some tea first? I'd love some." Iroh responded, "How about you, Kahchi?" he turned to the bearded man, "I make you as a jasmine man, am I right?"

"Enough stalling!" Colonel Mongke yelled impatiently, "Round 'em up!"

The first to attack was the man with the braids, who swung his ball and chain in Iroh's direction. If the older man had been in unbearable pain a few seconds ago, there wasn't much left of it: with ease, he kicked the ball away. The ball redirected and wrapped its chain around the foot of the Komodo-rhino of the bearded soldier - Kahchi, as Uncle had called him.

Iroh rolled to dodge the fireblasts and swatted the rump of the Komodo-rhino that was now chained. Surprised, the animal immediately ran off, yanking both Kahchi and the soldier with the braid with him.

Elyrie had been too focussed on evading the flaming arrows of the Yuyan archer to pay attention to Uncle. Zuko and she stood back-to-back with their hands raised, just as the archer shot another flaming arrow.

"Duck!" Elyrie cried, but Zuko effortlessly turned around and broke the arrow in two. Elyrie took the opportunity to shoot a small but precise blast at the archer, which burned a hole in his bow. The blast passed through the bow and broke the string, effectively disabling the archer.

Zuko finally had enough when he saw Colonel Mongke aim another fireblast at his Uncle. He ran up to the back of Mongke's rhino and jumped on the saddle behind him. Mongke only had the time to shoot a small blast before Zuko spun around and send the Colonel flying with two fire kicks.

Amidst this battle, Elyrie had mounted her own ostrich-horse and pulled the other with her. Iroh jumped on the second one, while Elyrie extended her hand for Zuko to jump on the animal as she passed by the Komodo-rhino of Colonel Mongke.

Zuko grabbed her waist with one hand, while aiming a few fire shots at the last soldier: the one with the explosives.

"Faster!" Zuko said to her as she tried to steady the animal. Elyrie dug her heels in the flanks of the ostrich-horse, and it was just in time. A grenade flew just by them and exploded between the two running animals, but they all made it through the explosion's smoke.

Elyrie wiped her watery eyes from the smoke and looked over to see if Uncle was still beside them. To her surprise, she saw him smiling. "It's nice to see old friends." He said with a content smile.

"Too bad you don't have any old friends that don't want to attack you!" Zuko answered behind Elyrie as he looked over his shoulder to see if anyone was following them.

"Old friends that don't want to attack me..?" Iroh repeated in surprise, as if the whole concept was foreign to him.

"Where are we going now?" Elyrie asked Iroh, when he steered his animal in the direction of the desert.

"Misty Palms Oasis!" Iroh replied.

"You want to go to an oasis?" Zuko repeated in disbelief, "Like it is a vacation?"

"You asked me whether I had old friends that don't want to attack me," Iroh answered, "Well, I might have one in the Misty Palms Oasis."

"No one here is going to help us!" Zuko said as he let his gaze pass over the tavern, "These people just look like filthy wanderers."

"So do we." Iroh answered calmly. He might have had a point, but Elyrie felt far from comfortable in the shady tavern. She counted at least twelve different kinds of weapons and all of their carriers didn't seem hesitant to use them.

Subconsciously, she moved closer to Zuko, who in turn made sure she was safely between him and Uncle. Iroh repressed a smile at the natural bodylanguage. He had seen it during the battle with the Rough Rhino's and now as they were surrounded by these rough looking bounty hunters.

"Ah, this is interesting," Iroh said as he pointed over Zuko's shoulder, "I think I found our friend." Both Elyrie and Zuko turned around and saw an frail-looking, bald man sitting at a Pai Sho table.

"You brought is here to gamble on Pai Sho?" Zuko asked him in a tone that implied he thought his Uncle was joking.

"I don't think this is a gamble." Iroh replied cryptically as he walked towards the table. Elyrie followed him as she studied the man behind the table. The man sat slightly hunched over and he seemed at least as old as Uncle. He was completely bald, but still had greying eyebrows and a long moustache. How can this man help us? Elyrie wondered as they approached the table.

"May I have this game?" Iroh asked politely.

"The guest has the first move." The Pai Sho player replied in a surprisingly soft voice. Iroh sat down and placed the lotus tile in the middle of the board.

"I see you favour the white lotus gambit. No many still cling to the ancient ways." The player observed. To Elyrie's surprise, the man articulated every syllable instead of slouching together the words. She understood that this was not someone who played Pai Sho in a place like this without a good reason.

"Those who do can always find a friend." Iroh answered as he looked the man in the eye.

"Then let us play." The man answered as he placed another tile on the board while Iroh followed quickly.

Elyrie's eyes went over the board as she tried to find the strategy in the game. She had played at least a hundred games of Pai Sho, but she had never seen a game go as fast as this one. Or as random as this one.

None of the tiles were placed on their strategic places, or used for their purpose. Zuko sat down, but her eyes kept following the tiles. Both men placed their tiles with lightening speed, without even looking at what the other person was doing.

Just as the last tile was placed by both men, she finally saw that they had made a pattern on the board. From above, it looked like a flower. No, a lotus. The white lotus tile in the middle was the centre, surrounded by other pieces.

"Welcome brother." The man said as he spread his arms, "The White Lotus opens wide to those who know her secrets."

"What are you old gasbags talking about?" Zuko said angrily, but he quickly shut up when Elyrie lightly slapped him against the back of his head – a thing she had done often whenever he was being impolite.

"Don't be disrespectful!" she hissed at him when he shot her an annoyed look. Zuko grumbled something as he rubbed his head, not believing she had actually reprimanded him on his manners. He was a grown man, after all!

"I always tried to tell you that Pai Sho is more than just a game." Iroh said as he rolled a tiled over his knuckles with impressive ease.

"It's over!" a loud voice cried out, "You three fugitives are coming with me!"

Elyrie snapped her head into the direction of the voice. She saw a tanned man with long, black hair and a rough exterior stomp in their direction. Following behind him was a man with a lighter skin and dressed in fine silk. She was certain she had never seen any of these men, but it wasn't hard to understand that they knew who they were.

The wanted posters, of course. She groaned inwardly as she remembered that their faces were plastered all over the Earth Kingdom by now.

Zuko rose from his seat and turned around to face them, but to his surprise the Pai Sho player placed himself between him and the two men.

"I knew it!" the man exclaimed while pointing to them, "You three are wanted criminals with a giant bounty on your heads!"

"I thought you said he was helping us." Zuko hissed angrily at his Uncle as he tensed his muscles.

"He is." Iroh replied as he placed a hand on the shoulder of his nephew, "Just watch."

"You think you're going to capture them and collect all that gold?" the man added, his voice loud enough to make every man in the tavern look up.

"Gold?" a voice echoed. The word rolled over the men like a small wave, before a eery silence took over. All heads turned in their direction.

Elyrie sharply inhaled her breath when she saw the man closest to her draw his knife. Zuko saw the look of fear in her eyes and placed his arm in front of her as if to shield her when he saw the light reflect off the knife.

But to Zuko's surprise, none of the men attacked them. Instead, they attacked the two men who wanted to capture them.

The Pai Sho player subtly pushed the trio back when everyone started to attack each other in an effort to claim their prize, so much that the didn't notice the three fugitives making their way out of the tavern.

"Back here!" the man hissed as they ran after hem into the dark night. He led them to a large wooden building at the edge of the village and opened the door for them.

When he made sure nobody had followed them, the man shut the door. "It is an honour to welcome such a high-ranking member of the Order of the White Lotus." He said to Iroh with great respect, "Being a Grand Master, you must know so many secrets."

"Now that you played Pai Sho, are you going to do some flower arranging or is this club going to ofer some real help?" Zuko asked impatiently as he motioned to all the flowers around him. Elyrie wanted to reprimand him again, but she was confused as well. However, the cryptic words of the man were enough to convince her there was more to this than she had initially thought. Order of the White Lotus? Grand Master? She had no idea what all of this meant, but Uncle seemed to.

"You must forgive my nephew," Iroh said without paying no mind to Zuko's tone, "He is not an initiate and has little appreciation for the cryptic arts."

They walked further into the store and the Pai Sho player knocked at the wooden door in the back. A small window in the middle slit open and a man peeked through.

"Who knocks at the guarded gate?" the man behind the door asked.

"One who has eaten the fruit and tasted its mysteries." Iroh answered.

The door opened immediately to let the Pai Sho player and Uncle in, but the door shut as soon as Zuko tried to enter.

"I'm afraid it's members only." Iroh said through the small window, "Wait out here."

Elyrie sat down against a wooden box and folded her hands patiently as the window closed again.

"How can you sit here like this?" Zuko said.

"Because what else is there to do?" she shrugged as she picked up a beautiful lily and examined it.

"How do we even know if we can trust these lunatics?" Zuko said as he paced around.

"Uncle seems to. Didn't you listen to the cryptic messages?" She answered as motioned with her hands to the closed door, "I am sure he knows what he is doing."

Zuko scoffed at her and folded his arms as leaned against a wooden box with a sour face. He sniffed a large flower next to him, but turned his head away again.

Suit yourself then, Elyrie thought as she saw his face.

Zuko tried to listen in, but gave up. If there were men talking inside the room, neither of them heard it. It seemed the door was soundproof. He looked around the dimly lit flower store, but focussed his attention on Elyrie on the floor.

The faint flicker of the lantern lit up one side of Elyrie's face, the part where the thin scar covered her temple. Elyrie leaned back and folded her legs under her. As she did this, her shirt slightly shifted off her shoulder and Zuko noticed a blueish spot on her shoulders. Her shoulder seemed to be swollen a little and she tried to move it as little as possible.

"Lily?" he asked finally.

Ahh, we are back to that then. "Yes?" she answered, not looking up from her flower.

"What happened to your shoulder?"

"I fell on it when I was paralysed by Ty Lee." She answered as she pulled the fabric over her shoulder again. She had rolled of Mai's lizard-creature in her effort to wake Appa. It had worked, but she hadn't been able to break her fall properly and landed hard on the earth. And now, her shoulder was sore but aside from some black spots, it seemed fine.

Now that she looked at him straight, Zuko saw the slight swelling. He balled his hands into fists and his anger resurfaced when he thought of Azula's taunting look when she told him how she had captured her.

But for some reason, Elyrie didn't seemed to be fazed in the slightest. She tilted her head with a half smile but nothing more. No anger in her voice, no fear when she said it. Even when facing Azula head on had she smiled at him: a fearless smile.

She is never fazed by anything, he thought but at that same moment he recounted the flash of fear in her voice when she talked about the North Pole after Uncle's attack. The same fear he saw only a moment ago when the man drew the knife at her. She only seemed genuinely scared whenever someone brought up something connected to Zhao.

With a shock, the conflicting thoughts came rushing back. The night on Song's porch and how she refused to talk about her troubles. Why is she afraid of Zhao and not of Azula? A wiser person was more afraid of Azula. Hell, even Zhao would probably have been afraid of Azula. Zhao was a brute, but he had been vain, conceited and a coward. Even Zuko himself beat the former Admiral in an Agni Kai when he wasn't at his strongest.

"Why are you afraid?" Zuko suddenly blurted out.

Elyrie shot him a puzzled look. "I am not afraid? It was an accident because I fell-,"

"I don't mean that." Zuko interrupted her, "You aren't afraid of Ty Lee or Azula, I know that."

She gave him a cheeky smile. "That's the nicest thing you ever said to me."

Zuko didn't return her smile. "Why are you afraid of Zhao?"

As soon as he uttered his name, her smile faltered and her eyes widened as she drew in a sharp breath. Zuko saw her long fingers tightening around the flower she was holding. Such an extreme reaction was unnatural for her, but he couldn't help but wonder what made it so severe.

"What makes you think I want to talk about it now?" her voice was suddenly sharp. Everything inside her squirmed when she thought about Zhao.

"I thought that-," Zuko began, taken aback by her tone. They hadn't exchanged many words the past day, but they had remained civil with each other – save for the slap on the back of his head.

"You thought that because Zhao was only half the threat Azula is, I shouldn't be this concerned? That because he is gone, I should be fine?" she asked sarcastically with a cold stare in her eyes.

Zuko felt his temper flare at her condescending tone, but he had to admit that it was indeed what he thought.

"Lily, I just-,"

"Don't bother."

"You are always the one who says you need to talk about your problems." Zuko shot back at her, annoyed by the fact that she was putting up her walls again. He had spent weeks wondering what she was thinking and now he would finally put it to action.

"I am also the one who never forced you to, because I know you'll only talk when you are ready." She answered immediately as she stood up to level his stare.

"And I know you will never talk about it if I don't try." Zuko shot back as he stood up straight, "Don't you think I know by now how stubborn you are? Even Uncle said you needed to be more open if you want to solve the turm-."

"Fine." She interrupted him as she stood up, "We are solving turmoil? Then answer me this: why did you leave us?" Her frustrations and stress from the past day finally made her boil over.

"What?" Zuko said dumbfounded, "That is not what I-,"

"I know, but if you want to hear my story, you need to answer one thing first." She crossed her arms, "How could you leave us?" She knew that might not have been the best way to let Zuko know she cared for him, but the soft approach wasn't working so what did it matter?

"What?" Zuko's jaw dropped when she said that.

"Why did you leave?" she said again as she took a step closer to him, her voice now softer, "Why didn't you want us around?" Why didn't you want me around? She knew that Uncle was right, that Zuko never had the luxury to take love for granted, but it still hurt when he had left. She tried to deny it for his sake, but it had wounded her that he pushed her aside so easily.

Zuko looked at her with mixed feelings as he let her words sink in. Her eyes, large and blue, were no longer angry slits. Instead, they were open and vulnerable. She missed me? He thought as he watched her clasp her hands together.

"I didn't think you would need me." Zuko answered honestly.

Elyrie didn't miss that he now referred to her specifically. So he knows Uncle would never abandon him, but he wasn't certain of me? The thought hit her like a punch in the stomach.

"Is that why you kept pushing me away?" she asked matter-of-factly. Zuko wanted to protest, but he stopped to think about what she just said to him.

He had been pushing her away. He had been pushing her away and pulling her back since she had visited them in the Resort. When she was Zhao's fiancée, she didn't seem so sure as she now did. He had felt protective of her: she didn't complain but he could see in her eyes how unhappy she was. And then, she pulled herself free and took charge of her own destiny. She wore it beautifully: a woman who knew who she was. And it had been so hard for him to accept this, he understood that now. She had succeeded in everything he had failed.

She had warned him for Azula's intentions, but he had ignored her and pushed her away. When she needed his help when she couldn't walk, he pulled her back to protect her. She had slept in his arms and he had felt so happy, but then she eclipsed him again by adapting to their situation with such ease. He wanted to protect her from the robber, but she took care of it herself and made the money to support them for a time.

He had pushed her away every time she had managed to be independent and now he understood why: he had been afraid to lose her. By pushing her away, he justified that he didn't need her around because she didn't need him around either.

"Yes." He answered, not brave enough to look at her. ""And I thought that I could spare myself the pain of seeing you leave. I am sorry."

"Don't be." she said as she finally smiled at him, "It means I need to work harder on showing my affection." Something inside him sparked when she said it like that. Affection.

"Then sorry because I was such a worthless idiot?" He finally looked at her and he saw the warmth in her blue eyes. The little spark didn't seem to go away as she smiled at him. Then, she surprised him as she closed her arms around his shoulders. He immediately placed his own arms around her waist.

"Don't call yourself a worthless." She said with her face in his shirt.

"What about an idiot?" Zuko quipped, knowing it would made her laugh. And indeed, he felt her smile against him as she let out a small chuckle.

Her short curls tickled his face is a pleasant way as he gently straightened them. He felt her relax against his touch.

"Do you want to tell me about it?" he asked softly when the familiar scent reached his nostrils and made him shiver.

"It is complicated." She answered after a few moments as she pulled back slightly, without letting go of him. Zuko didn't anything as she tried to form her feelings into words.

"I am afraid of him – the memory of him – because what he could do was far worse than what Azula ever could do to me." She finally said after a few moments. "Azula could obliterate me, but that is all she could ever do to hurt me."

"With Zhao," she forced herself to say his name, "The hurt was all my own doing on top of the grief I had after the passing of my father. When he asked me to marry him, I accepted without truly thinking what it meant to be his wife. I had the feeling that the bottom of my existence was knocked out from under me, and I followed what others told me was a wise decision. And it seemed like a reasonable decision for a while."

Her unbearable blue eyes focussed on his face. "Until I met you again. When you and Uncle came to the harbour, for the first time in the months since my father's death I smiled. I actually smiled."

Zuko remembered that smile. The smile that hadn't changed since she was six years old and seemed to be a part of her face as much as her small nose, her arched brows and her soft cheeks. How could she not have smiled? Again, he repressed the fluttering feeling in his chest that kept peaking up.

"As you remember, that was quite an eventful day." She pursed her lips, "But it did make me reminiscent the days before I lost both my parents and when we were younger. At first, I didn't realise I could doubt my decision – remember when you asked me? – and instead focussed on the potential future."

"But then I stayed with you and Uncle. You two welcomed me, made me feel at home." A warm feeling spread through Zuko's chest when she said it. "And when I returned, I felt like a different person. Zhao noticed it too, but wasn't too happy about it." Her face twisted as she thought about her time in the Stronghold. "He tried to push me back in the obedient fiancée he had come to know."

"I tried to adjust, but it wasn't enough apparently. So he tried and forced me witness the destruction of a town; he planned to burn all the villagers as retribution for stolen goods." The desperate screams and the crying children kept ringing in her ears. The sounds of fist banging on walls in a desperate attempt to break out of the burning Temple.

"He, he-," she began as her voice started to tremble, trying to describe the horrors of that day, "He did horrible things. That was the moment I decided that enough was enough. But as punishment, I was imprisoned in a cell below deck and he removed me from everything I held dear. And when he told me you had died in the …" Her voice finally broke before she could continue. Her blue eyes were rimmed with tears and she made a great effort to hold them back.

Without thinking, Zuko took her hands into his. The cold hands immediately grasped his as if she held onto him like a lifeline. With his thumbs, he gently rubbed the back of her hands. It seemed to calm her as she continued her story.

"I knew I needed to get out, but how I didn't know. And when I finally did, Zhao wanted to kill me. He wanted to slit my throat with a knife, he wanted to kill me in the most painful way." She said with a slight quiver in her voice, "He was a brute who relished the pain he could inflict upon others. Upon me. And I had actually accepted his marriage proposal. How could I have been so blind?"

He saw the vulnerability in her eyes as she recounted everything that had happened to her under Zhao's watch. He didn't interrupt as she told him everything. She had been bottling this up all these weeks, he mused. He had assumed she had left it behind her when she had escaped from his clutches. She seemed so fearless, so sure of herself.

But as she told this, he finally realised how absolutely terrified and alone she had felt. She hadn't shown it to anyone and she kept up her appearances. Why didn't he see it sooner? He always thought she was so unbearable happy, but that was only because he never saw her at her lowest point.

"You got through this all by yourself?" he asked as he held her gaze. Her shoulders were tense, but her face seemed to relax a little bit.

"I didn't allow myself to break down." She answered with a decisive look, "Picking myself up would take so much longer." The way she said it, with her chin lifted and her eyes fierce, he didn't doubt that she wouldn't allow herself to give in to emotions.

Zuko felt as if someone had frozen him on the spot as he thought about what she just told him. If anyone should have understood this, it was him. He had been cut off from everything for years, he should have noticed her state. But he didn't because he was too busy feeling sorry for himself. What must she have hated him.

"I only realised that I had so narrowly escaped from the worst decision of my life." She added slowly, "It can be called a miracle that I escaped from Zhao's clutches in the way it all happened. And I was accepted into a new family – my family – before I was forced to adapt again by Azula's treat."

"Then why aren't you more upset about us being fugitives?" Zuko asked, wanting to know everything now.

"Because this gives me an odd sense of freedom. With you and Uncle, I finally feel like I am somewhat safe, even though I know I am not." Elyrie answered. Her hand went to her neck, but she lowered it again after her finger touched the empty spot between her collarbones. Zuko understood why: her necklace had been hanging there. She had always touched it for comfort, but now her long neck seemed bare without it.

"I like not knowing what comes next." She answered as she let go of his hand. She sat down and wrapped her arms around her knees, "I never had that opportunity, not really. I might have joked about running of to become a writer or singer but I know that I would have returned to the Water Tribe after some time to see what my next step there would be, which would undoubtedly be marriage. Zhao refused to acknowledge I had a voice and in the Water Tribe might not be the future I dreamed of. I only want the freedom to make my own mistakes. And here, I believe I finally can."

Zuko sat down next to her without interrupting. He felt as if the strong walls were finally broken and the wave of thoughts, emotions and longings had poured through at last.

"I hate that this happened, but I try to focus on the bright side of it all. Without anywhere to go, I can finally allow myself to ask the big questions: who am I and what do I want?" Elyrie said, now a little more cheerful as she started turning her ring around her finger.

"Why did you stay with Uncle then? You could have gone anywhere, but why did you stay?" Zuko asked.

"Because I care for Uncle, just like I care for you and hoped you would return." She replied truthfully, "And I am sorry if I hurt you by saying I wasn't here for you. I want to be, I truly do."

Her eyes, unbearably blue, turned to him. "Can you forgive me?" she asked genuinely. It had been plaguing her how they had parted their ways, jut like it had bothered him. She asked his forgiveness, just as much as he wanted hers for being so blind and foolish to her terrors.

You need to let go of your feelings of shame. He did feel ashamed: ashamed he wasn't there for her. Ashamed that he only saw his own fears. Ashamed he couldn't be the man she deserved.

"Can you forgive me?" he asked quietly.

"Of course I can!" she said and her smile lit up her face once again.

Zuko only nodded when she was finished as he tried to wrap his head around her complexity. She seemed so sure of herself and he had to admit, she seemed to be perfectly comfortable with being herself. Why did this bother me so much? Why did he feel like the child when he was almost two years older than she was? Because girls just mature faster, Zuko, that is the way it is, his mother had once told him, Look at them for guidance.

"Lily?" Zuko asked.

"Yes?" she answered.

"I want you here too."

For a moment, neither of them said anything. Elyrie's face split in a genuine smile but just as she was about to say something, the door swung open with a loud squeaking sound. They both looked up in surprise when Uncle entered the room again.

"Is the club meeting over?" Zuko asked, still a bit surprised as he rose to his feet.

"Everything is taken care of." Iroh answered with a knowing smile as he pretended not to see the blush on both their cheeks, "We're heading to Ba Sing Se."

"Ba Sing Se?" Zuko repeated with a frown.

"Why would we go to the Earth Kingdom capital?" Elyrie asked as she took Zuko's hand and lifted herself from the floor.

"The city is filled with refugees," The Pai Sho player answered as he stepped out of the room, "No one will notice two more."

"We can hide in plain sight there," Iroh added with a joyful smile, "And it's the safest place in the world from the Fire Nation. Even I couldn't break through to the city."

He said it far more cheerful than anyone would have when talking about their greatest military defeat, but it did made Elyrie think about it. Ba Sing Se was the last place Azula would come for them, simply because she couldn't.

"We need to make sure you don't stand out among the other refugees." The Pai Sho man said as he motioned to their clothing.

"With these outfits, I thought we'd blend right in." Zuko answered as he looked down at his own attire.

"She doesn't." The man said while pointing to Elyrie.

"What?" she asked surprised, "But I thought I was the least obvious one? I don't have the Fire Nation characteristics?"

"It isn't the fact that you don't look like an Earth Kingdom citizen, but you don't look like a refugee. Look at your hands." He motioned as she lifted her hands to study them. Her usually well-cared for and shaped nails were now broken. It had been weeks since she applied oils or cream to her skin, so the knuckles were a slight red colour form the drought. The only thing that really stood out was the thin white-gold band with the sapphire on it.

"It is not just the ring," the man said as if he could read her thoughts, "But the softness and the good shape of the nails. They are the hands that belong to a noble woman, not a refugee."

Zuko took one of her hands to study it and immediately felt how soft her skin was, despite the weeks of hardship. "But they are rough?" Elyrie said as she pulled her hand back and twisted her ring around.

The man let out a low laugh, not unkind but slightly amused. "They are rough because of the lack of creams, they aren't rough from years of hard work. Their hands are rougher because of their fighting experience." he added as he motioned to Zuko and Iroh. "First, we have to get rid off the ring."

As soon as the man said it, Elyrie backed away and placed her hand behind her back. The man laughed at her hesitant reaction. "Don't worry," he said in a reassuring tone. "I only mean you need to hide the ring, I am not taking it from you. I would suggest you wear it on a string around your neck so you can hide it beneath your clothing."

"It is a good thing that you'd cut your hair." He added as he further studied her, circling her like an eagle-hawk, "You'll find more women with short hair in Ba Sing Se." Elyrie wanted to ask why, but he already went on.

"If you all tried to keep your heads down as much as possible, I don't see any further complications to this plan." He handed Elyrie a simple string to hang her ring on. It pained her to take it off, but she understood why they needed to blend in as much as possible.

Years of pampering show, she mused as she attached the ring to the thin rope. Zuko and Uncle both put on their straw hats, which was enough to make them look like proper refugees.

"I have the passports for our guests," a second man said as he entered the flower shop, "But there a two men out there looking for them."

"The two from the tavern?" Elyrie asked as she put the rope around her neck and hit it beneath her clothing.

"How do we get out now?" Zuko asked the Pai Sho player.

"Don't worry." The man said with a knowing smile as he motioned to the large flowerpots behind him, "I know just the way."

Chapter Text

The ferry started sailing away from the harbour towards the capital of the Earth Kingdom.

Elyrie felt the cool breeze caress her face as she looked over Full Moon Bay. The secluded clove was the reason why so many refugees could cross over to Ba Sing Se without being detected by the Fire Nation. Even though the water and land surrounding the capital was heavily patrolled, the Fire Nation never discovered the hidden bay between the cliffs. Elyrie knew that their maps only showed the Serpent's Pass, which was synonymous with 'death'. The narrow pass along the cliffs always had the risk of breaking off, which could kill you or throw you in the water. And if you didn't get caught by the patrolling Fire Nation ships, the enormous water serpent did the trick.

How they kept this a secret for over a hundred years is impressive, Elyrie thought as she leaned over the railing and looked at the four other ferries ready to sail behind them.

"Who would have thought, after all these years, I'd return to the scene of my greatest military disgrace," Iroh said seriously, before he whipped out that ridiculous straw hat with flowers, "As a tourist?" The big smile was almost infectious and Elyrie was happy that at least he was in a good mood today.

"Look around," Zuko said as he leaned on the wooden railing, obviously not sharing his enthusiasm "We're not tourists, we're refugees." He took a sip from the brew they were giving. They were told that the trip would take the whole night, so they were served food on the ship. If that is what you could call it. Zuko had known hunger, but he almost spit it out right away. "I'm sick of eating rotten food, sleeping in the dirt." He sighed as he looked down the brown blur, what was suppose to be stew, "I'm tired of living like this."

Elyrie turned around and looked around her on the deck of the ship. She never thought she would see so much suffering in one place. All kinds of people were assembled on this spot. Young people, older people, children, crying babies, people who walked with canes, people without legs, people with broken limbs, people with severe burns. So many burn wounds…

"Who isn't?" she said as she let her gaze go over all the hungry, desperate faces around them. Uncle, Zuko and she were at least relatively healthy adults who made their way here. But all these children, elderly, pregnant women, sick people… They had given up everything to get here, hoping for a new life, safe within the walls of Ba Sing Se.

The knot that had settled in her stomach refused to go away. It was too much to comprehend how many lives were destroyed by the war. By the Fire Nation, she thought as she saw a young man around her own age pass by. He limped and his lower leg was completely wrapped in bandages. His right arm was wrapped in a sling and the arm that supported the cane was scarred from fire. Elyrie had seen enough burns to know these were serious. From his wrist to his elbow, long red patches contrasted against the tanned skin colour. She wanted to look away, but forced herself to return his smile as he walked by.

It was probably a soldier who had been sent home from the battlefield due to his injuries. And a father, she thought when she saw the young woman walking next to him. The hair of the young woman was even shorter than Elyrie's: the thick brown hair was chopped off, which probably meant that it had been burnt as well. She was carrying a baby, while a little girl walked just behind them. The little girl was barely old enough to walk by herself, but her mother couldn't carry her as well. Aside from a baby, the mother was carrying the one bag they brought on her back.

Elyrie's eyes followed them until they were out of sight. It was a family on their way to a new beginning and she hoped they would find their place in Ba Sing Se.

"You are absolutely right." a male voice answered and made Elyrie snap out of her thoughts and look up. A tanned young man with messy black hair stepped out of the shadows. He had a sly smile, accentuated by the straw dangling from his mouth.

"My name is Jet." He said, his low voice sounding casual as he pointed to the two people standing next to him, "And these are my Freedom Fighters: Smellerbee and Longshot."

"Hello." Zuko said, turning back to the ocean. The message was obvious: don't bother me.

"I am - ehm,- Liana," Elyrie introduced herself a bit uncomfortable. She had to remember to use the fake name that was registered on her passport, "And these are Lee and Mushi." They nodded at her and she took a good look at the Freedom Fighters. Jet seemed to be around her own age but the other two were even younger than she was, Elyrie estimated, maybe in their late teens.

"Here's the deal," Jet said, immediately getting to the point, "I hear the captain's eating like a king while us refugees have to feed off his scraps." He arched an eyebrow while he narrowed his eyes, obviously discontent with the arrangement. "Doesn't seem fair, does it?"

"What sort of king is he eating like?" Iroh asked with a small longing in his eyes.

"The fat, happy kind." Jet replied, his voice betraying his anger.

Iroh didn't respond to that with words, but the small drool forming on the outside of this mouth was reply enough.

"You want to help us "liberate" some food?" Jet asked, his gaze fixed on Zuko now.

Elyrie followed his eyes, which went to the broadswords standing at Zuko's feet. Even though Zuko had given no indication that he was interested in what Jet had to say, she knew Zuko would agree to this.

And Jet seem to know it too. She had to admit that she was impressed by his perceptiveness: he had observed their discontentment and saw that Zuko was physically up to the task of sneaking in and stealing food.

Zuko briefly met Elyrie's blue eyes, who nodded almost invisibly. When he looked down into the drab in his bowl, he had made his decision. Zuko threw the bowl in the water. "I'm in." he said with determination shimmering in his eyes.

"As am I." Elyrie added as she straightened her spine. Zuko's eyes quickly went to her, but he felt that this wasn't the moment to point out her earlier opinion about stealing. She would only counter that this was different. Besides, she was probably right: he knew she only agreed because the captain had more than they had. Apparently, that was enough to convince her.

Jet seized them both op before a slow smirk crossed his face. ""Let's get to work then."

Along with the other Freedom Fighters, Elyrie went around to distribute the food on the ship they had swiftly stolen that evening. It had been fairly easy for them: at dusk, Jet and Zuko snuck into the kitchens while she and Smellerbee stood watch. With three bags full of food, they had made their way down to the deck again with the help of Longshot and a perfectly aimed arrow.

Jet surprised Elyrie by insisting they should equally distribute the food between all the refugees present on the ship. She had underestimated him: the name Freedom Fighters was more than just for his own freedom, then.

The five of them worked around the ferry to make sure everyone was fed well, so they had the strength to last through the night. The grateful faces of the people on board were heart-warming every time she handed a bowl of food or a piece of bread to them.

As she made her way around the other side of the deck, Elyrie recognized the family she had seen on deck that afternoon. Kneeling down, she handed the woman with the short hair a package with a little bit extra food. With a grateful smile, the woman took it with one hand while steadying the little infant in her other hand. Elyrie returned her smile and winked to the little girl next to her before she went on.

The ferry wasn't extremely large, so within ten minutes Elyrie had done her share of distributing. On her way back, she saw that the young woman was struggling with her baby.

"Do you need some help?" Elyrie asked as she saw the woman holding her baby while she tried feeding her husband. He couldn't hold his bowl and eat with only one hand, but the woman couldn't feed him while simultaneously holding their baby.

"Thank you." She answered as Elyrie sat down in front of them and took over the fussing baby. She let his head rest in the crook of her arm and she saw that it was a little boy. He couldn't be older than a few months, she estimated based on her limited knowledge of infants. His eyes were blue, but she saw the slight decolouring around the irises. His eyes were turning brown, just like his sisters' were.

The little girl said nothing as she sucked on her thumb and leaned against her mother. With her big brown eyes, she observed Elyrie with the shameless curiousity of a child. Elyrie gave her a small smile. "What's your name?" she asked in a soft voice.

"Shia." The girl answered while still sucking her thumb. "That is a pretty name." Elyrie complimented her and to her delight, she saw the little girl beaming with pride. "How old are you?"

"Four." Shia answered proudly as she held up four finger.

"You are a big sister then!" Elyrie said, "I am sure you are a great help to your mother and father."

"Did you get money for your hair too?" the little girl suddenly asked as she looked at Elyrie's short curls. Elyrie blinked a couple times, just as her mother shushed her daughter. "Shia, we don't ask people questions like that!" she reprimanded her as she shot Elyrie an apologetic look. "I am sorry."

"It is no problem." Elyrie said as she plastered a smile on her face. Inwardly, she felt something crumble. The chopped off hair wasn't because of a fire, it was because of poverty. Of course the woman had sold her hair. Hair was always something that brought up a lot of money, especially when someone had nothing left to sell anymore. She had cut it voluntarily to earn some money, maybe to pay for this journey.

Elyrie thought about her own long locks and how torn she felt when she had cut it. But her regret was because of vanity, not one moment did she consider selling her hair for the money. Again, she felt the shame rise as she let her hand go through her short hair. Then, she lowered her hand to touch her ring that was hidden under her shirt: she was wearing expensive jewels, while this family had nothing. Conflicted, she started playing with the hidden ring in an effort to calm herself as she thought about all the luxury she had when she was Shia's age.

The baby boy in her arms started crying, which brought Elyrie back to the present. "Hush, hush, little one," she said softly as he gently rocked the fussing baby, "Don't cry."

She started humming softly to sooth the baby. The notes of her mother's lullaby made his attention focus on her as his large eyes stopped crying. She smiled when she saw his little fists swing in the air from delight.

Oh won't you come with me

Where the moon is made of gold

And in the morning sun

We'll be sailing

Shia kept sucking her thumb as she moved over and she leaned against Elyrie's arm. Surprised by the gesture of trust of the little girl, Elyrie turned to her.

"Is everything alright?" she asked as she stopped rocking the baby in her arms.

"You have a pretty voice." Shia mumbled in a sleepy voice.

"Thank you." Elyrie answered with a genuine smile. She continued the song as she saw Shia's eyes grow heavier, but as soon as she stopped her eyes flew open again.

"Can you sing some more?" a low voice asked. Elyrie looked up and saw it had been the father who had asked her that. She looked him into his brown eyes – so like his daughter's – and she saw an almost pleading look. His face didn't have any scars, but she saw the pain in his eyes with every move he made.

To refuse such a simple request would be heartless. "Any requests?" she thus asked, as she handed the baby back to his mother. The man smiled at her – a genuine smile – as he asked for an old folksong.

"So you finally talked to her?" Iroh asked as he took a bite of the good stew in his bowl. They had rolled out their sleeping bags and sat on them as they ate the food.

"Yes." Zuko answered as he played with a piece of bread.

"Communication is always to key to a happier existence. Or at least a co-existence." Iroh nodded as he slurped the food with delight.

"Hmm," Zuko mused as he took another bite of fresh bread, "I didn't realise that she was so affected by it, because she didn't let it show."

"Yeah, I know." Iroh answered as he chewed with a content smile.

"You knew?" Zuko asked with raised eyebrows.

"You don't travel so close by and not exchange some thoughts." Iroh answered pensively, "Besides, she wore it on her face every time we passed a village which had been raided by the Fire Nation."

"She did?" Zuko asked while he thought about all the villages and houses he had passed that had been burnt or destroyed. He was certain he had seen a few, but they hadn't stood out in his mind. Was it because he hadn't seen the horrors of war as close as she had?

That sounded ridiculous, especially if you took into consideration that he had been travelling all over the war-torn world for the last five years. Yeah, but then you were the destroyer, a little voice said to him. Fire is a dangerous element, when it's left uncontrolled. He shook his head and focussed on another subject.

"So you think she will be able to conjure lightening now?" Zuko asked, even though he lowered his voice to avoid attention.

"No." Iroh said decisively, "There is a difference between knowing you're closed off from your emotions and actually managing those emotions."

Zuko wanted to ask what he meant by that, but they were interrupted by Jet as he sat down cross-legged across from them. He had distributed his portion of the food around the ship, and Zuko appreciated him for it. He had to admit that he hadn't thought of equally sharing it until Jet had suggested it.

"From what I heard, people eat like this every night in Ba Sing Se," Jet said as he started on his own portion of roast pork, " I can't wait to set my eyes on that giant wall."

"It is a magnificent sight." Iroh answered as he saw the hope in the eyes of the young man.

"So you've been there before?" Jet asked him curiously.

"Once." Iroh nodded a bit dejected, "When I was a different man."

"I have done some things in my past that I'm not proud of," Jet said to him, "But that's why I'm going to Ba Sing Se: for a new beginning. A second chance."

"That's very noble of you," Iroh said with admiration in his voice, "I believe people can change their lives if they want to. I believe in second chances."

Zuko felt that this was directed at him, but he had no idea why. What was his second chance? A life in Ba Sing Se as a refugee? He refused to believe that. Was there anything worth looking forward to in Ba Sing Se, other than the relative safety it offered him? Days dragging on without any purpose? What would be the point of building a life there?

"Where is Liana?" Jet asked as he turned his head. It took Zuko a moment to realise who he meant. He gritted his teeth, annoyed by the fact that Jet noticed her absence before he did. But he was right, where was Elyrie? Where did she wander off to now? Zuko sighed inwardly. Why did she always disappear? Luckily, it was boat she had to be somewhere on the ship. Or she had fallen overboard, which would be very typical.

"I'll go look." Zuko said as he stood up, missing the knowing smile of his Uncle.

As he walked over the deck, looking out for short auburn curls or blue eyes, he thought about the last days. Even though their journey to the city had been tough, it hadn't seemed to difficult now that he and Elyrie had settled their differences. Uncle had been right: communication seemed to be the key.

He felt that warm wave roll through his chest again as she so playfully suggested that she needed to show her 'affection'. And she had.

From the moment they had escaped the desert, they had been as inseparable as they always had been. Her fast chatter, her clattering smile and her natural cheerfulness had returned and it wasn't that threatening to him now. Instead, he found comfort in her presence again.

And even though he might be oblivious to most thing, he knew she found comfort in being with him as well. While they had been waiting for their ferry, she had fallen asleep with her head against his shoulder. His heart started pounding when he remembered how she had snuggled up against him, in such a trusting manner. He quickly shook off the memory as he continued looking for her distinctive features.

But he heard her before he could see her.

Everybody is born to care

It is something we were meant to share

Not to keep to ourselves all alone

As Zuko turned around the corner to the other side of the ferry, he saw that Elyrie sat cross-legged on the deck surrounded by young children as she sang. In her lap sat a little girl who sucked on her thumb and was clearly falling asleep against her.

If we make room for someone new

Doesn't mean that there's less for you

Only means that our circle has grown

Zuko saw that not only the children were listening to her, but adults as well. Everyone listened with a smile. Music is a language we all speak, his mother had taught him that. Her voice soared far above the crowd. Higher and farther than anyone on that ship dared to dream, as if a bird spread it's wings to fly to freedom.

Love knows

Love grows

Bigger than before

In your heart

There's always more

Zuko leaned against the wall as he listened to her. It had been a long time since he heard her sing. He didn't remember the song, but that wasn't important. He heard the words, knew their meaning and listened to her beautiful voice.It's magic

The more you give it away

The more love comes back to you

Every day

As her song continued, the frightening future in an unknown city didn't seem as frightening. On this ship, people had come together on their way to a better life. They had nothing and lost everything. But in that moment – in that brief, sweet moment - every person on that ship was the richest one alive.

Zuko felt an strange sense of peace coming over him. As she sat there, he couldn't recall a moment she had ever been more beautiful to him.

Her clothing was old, not the fine silk she wore when he knew her as a child. Her shiny auburn curls were unevenly chopped off, hanging just past her shoulders now. But her smile was even more beautiful now he knew what hardships she had faced and how she had conquered them. Her eyes were vivacious, filled with the all the love and kindness she could fit in her frail frame.

His heart started pounding again as he admired her, her beauty and grace. The soft smile that played on his lips was almost unconsciously. He looked over his shoulder when he felt a small tap on his arm. Uncle stood beside him with a serene smile.

"I heard her too." He said when he saw Zuko's look, "The ferry isn't big enough to escape one show."

Zuko's lips twitched in a half smile as he looked back at Elyrie, surrounded by children. She did make it a show, alright.

So, love knows

Love grows

Bigger than before

In your heart

There's always more

Zuko's heart softened when he saw her gently nudge the cheek of one of the little girls as she sang. It seemed so natural, even though he hadn't seen her often with children. She would be a wonderful mother, he thought to himself as an image of her with a small baby appeared in his mind's eye. He blinked a couple of times in surprise. Where did that come from? He shook his head as her song came to and end. Zuko looked around as he heared the applause.

Zuko smiled – an actual smile – when their eyes met as he raised his hands to applaud as well.

"Thank you." she mouthed to him before she let her radiant smile pass over the crowds. Then, she carefully lifted the sleepy girl from her lap to the mother as she stood up. She waved to the other children with a friendly smile before she walked over to Zuko and Uncle.

"You really can't do thing quietly, can you?" Zuko asked with a grin.

"Sorry." She answered with a smirk, not looking the least bit sorry at all.

"Yeah, right." Zuko chuckled, while he muttered something under his breath. Iroh couldn't hear it, but it did sound something like 'show-off'. Elyrie heard it too, because she stuck out her tongue and gave Zuko a playful slap against his shoulder. As they made their way back to their sleeping bags, the two continued their banter in a way only they could.

Iroh walked just behind the two, saying nothing but listening to every word they exchanged. He had heard it over a thousand times and it never differed: Elyrie's voice would get higher and the speed of her talking increased; Iroh was always amazed at how many words she could produce whenever she was agitated about something. But in sharp contrast to her babbling, Zuko would only react with an arched eyebrow, a silent nod or just plainly look at her at the end of an argument. And precisely that was what got under her skin, because she got more worked up about it every time.

"I mean, you are more of a show-off than I am! The way you stacked the bowls of food with only your swords," Elyrie continued, "I mean, you could have just picked them up!"

"Hm, sure." Zuko nodded, his voice even and his look blank. To a bystander, this might seem like he agreed with her, but Iroh saw at the look in his eyes that he was exactly responding this way because he knew it would agitate her.

"Ugh!" Elyrie pursed her lips as she obviously fought the urge to punch him as he let a slow, sarcastic smile cross over his face. "But, you are!"

Iroh placed his hand in front of his mouth to cover his smile as this continued. Zuko's relaxed smile and Elyrie's worked up state seemed the polar opposite of their normal behaviour. And precisely that was what was so comforting to him now: Elyrie needed the outlet and Zuko needed to wind down.

As he watched them, he saw that the flutters and sparks were impossible to ignore, even though they seemed completely oblivious about it. But, he was confident that one day they would realise it themselves. They have to, he mused as he saw the look in Elyrie's eyes as she gazed at his nephew.

However, the discussion didn't stop until they were in the sleeping bags and they had wished each other a good night.

"Good night, Uncle!" Elyrie said to him as she snuggled under her blanket. She fell asleep almost instantly, just like Zuko did as soon as his head hit the pillow.

This is a good thing, they are together, Iroh thought as he looked at the relaxed features of his nephew. In Ba Sing Se, they would get the stability and safety that they had missed these past months. It might not be ideal, but he hoped it would be enough for them to rest and recuperate. The future looks a little brighter tonight, he thought with a smile as he looked over the night sky above the ferry.

The water was calm, with only the moon shining the light in the bay. The sounds of the waves were soothing as the ferry moved forward silently. Iroh sought the stars, recounting all the different forms as he found the familiar patterns. How often he had watched the stars these years was impossible to count but it always relaxed him.

All I need now is a bracing cup of tea, he thought. Too bad they hadn't been able to steal some jasmine tea from the kitchens. This had to be the longest he had ever been without a good cup of tea.

We all make our sacrifices, he chuckled to himself, just as a dark shape crossed the sky. Iroh squinted his eyes as the figure came closer. It looked like a giant shadow heading for the walls of Ba Sing Se, but he recognised the shape in an instant.

He gasped audibly, unable to stop himself.

The sky bison! If he is here, then the Avatar…

"Uncle, what is it?" Zuko asked as he lifted himself on his elbows. Iroh turned around and saw that Zuko looked at him with half-opened eyes, obviously woken up by his distress.

"Nothing." Iroh answered quickly as he tried to gather his thoughts, "Go back to sleep."

The morning fog seemed to remove the sight of the water in front of him. Zuko stood on the top of the ferry and looked at the grey curtain of mist. Even though the sun couldn't break through, Zuko knew it was early in the morning. Whether it was visible or not, the rising sun always woke him up.

"Enjoying the view?" he heard a female voice ask. A smile tugged at his lips when the small figure of Elyrie walked up to him.

"You are up early." He said as he shot her a sideways glance. Her skin was glowing and the dark circles under her eyes had lessened, as if they had been straightened out by a good night sleep.

"I slept well." She answered as she stretched her arms above her head, "Do you think we will arrive soon?"

"I have no idea where we are now." Zuko answered as he looked back in front of him. The mist had removed all sights and with it, his orientation, "But it won't be long now."

Elyrie tangled her fingers together as she breathed in the salty air. It won't be long now, she repeated in her head as she felt the ferry slowing down, just as she heard footsteps on the wood behind them.

"You know, as soon as I saw your scar, I knew exactly who you were." She heard the voice of Jet say, obviously referring to Zuko.

Elyrie felt Zuko stiffen beside her and she grasped his sleeve in an effort to restrain him. And maybe to seek some comfort herself, because she couldn't help it as her heart began to pound wildly. She did not look at Jet, who walked up next to Zuko, but kept her eyes focused on the waves in front of her.

Zuko's eyes went sideways. First to Elyrie on his left: her features seemed to harden as she let her mask slip in place to reveal no emotion. He felt himself do the same as he looked at Jet, who stood on his right.

"You're an outcast, like me." Jet added in a relaxed tone. Elyrie held back a sigh of relief and released her grip on Zuko's arm.

"And us outcasts have to stick together." Jet continued as he chewed on his straw, "We have to watch each other's backs, because no one else will."

That sounded rather bitter, but Elyrie wasn't in a place to judge him for it. Last night made her realise again that a life of luxury came with blind spots for the misery of others. Nevertheless, she felt relieved that he hadn't recognised Zuko. Otherwise their cover would have been blown before they had set foot in Ba Sing Se.

"I've realised lately," She heard Zuko say "That being on your own is not always the best path."

As he said this, Elyrie felt his fingers stroke against the back of her hand. She drew in a breath at the softness of his touch as his large hand gently grasped her smaller hand. She did not look at him, but gave his hand a soft squeeze as their fingers locked together. His familiar warmth was so comforting that she felt herself relax as she let her head rest against his shoulder. Zuko placed his cheek on the top of her head as he leaned into her touch.

It was as if the universe shared their moment, because the sun finally broke through the fog and the outer walls of Ba Sing Se appeared in the distance at last.

Chapter Text

"So ms. Liana, mr. Lee and mr. uhmm.. Mushy, is it?" the woman behind the desk asked as she read the names of their forged passports.

"It is pronounced Moo-shi." Uncle corrected her as he broke up the fake name, emphasising the enunciation.

"Are you telling me how to do my job?" the woman answered with a stern face. Elyrie swallowed when she saw the look on the darkhaired woman. She reminded her of her former math teacher at the Academy. She even had the same hairstyle and mole.

"No, no." Uncle said, smoothly making his way over to the ticket lady, "But may I just say you're like a flower in bloom." He showed a seductive smile at the woman. "Your beauty is intoxicating."

"You're pretty easy on the eyes yourself, handsome." The woman answered, her pudgy face now split in a smile. She roared flirtatiously at Uncle, looking more like a giddy schoolgirl than a annoyed ticket lady now. "Welcome in Ba Sing Se."

She stamped their passports and Uncle took them with a last wink at the ticket lady. When he turned around, he saw Elyrie standing with both her hands clasped in front of her mouth and Zuko with his hand covering his eyes.

"I'm going to forget I saw that." Zuko said as he snatched his passport from his Uncle.

"Why? You can learn something from it." Elyrie shot him a cheeky smile as she took her own passport from Uncle. Zuko returned it with an angry glare, but she tactfully ignored it as she tried to keep her own laughter in check.

They made their way to the platform where the trains were about to transport them to Ba Sing Se. All and all, the journey wasn't as terrible as Elyrie had expected. The hard part is done, she thought as she sat down on one of the benches on the platform.

"Where are we going now?" she asked Uncle as he sat down next to her.

"Our friends arranged an appartement for the three of us in the Lower Ring," Uncle answered, "That's where we'll live."

Zuko sat down next to Elyrie, his arms crossed and his expression somewhat frustrated. She could see that all of this wasn't what he'd been expecting. The Lower Ring was for the refugees in Ba Sing Se: the poorest citizens lived there, cramped together in small spaces. From what she could remember, it was the most populated part of the city: too many citizens and little job opportunities.

"So," Jet said as he interrupted her thoughts. Elyrie looked up at the young man, wondering how he kept popping up at the most unexpected moments. She realised he wasn't talking to her when she saw that the Freedom Fighter sat down next to Zuko, obviously eager to speak to him. "You guys got plans once your inside the city?"

"Get your hot tea here!" a tea seller yelled as he walked by them, "Finest tea in Ba Sing Se!"

Before Zuko or Elyrie could answer Jet, Uncle waved his hand at a tea seller. "Ohh! Jasmine, please!"

Zuko rolled his eyes, annoyed that his Uncle spent the little money they had on something as trivial as tea. After his first sip, Iroh immediately grimaced at the repulsive taste. "Blaugh!" he cried out with an indignant expression, "Coldest tea in Ba Sing Se is more like it! What a disgrace!"

"Hey," Jet interrupted as he nudged Zuko, "Can I talk to you for a second?" He motioned for Zuko to follow him as he walked away from the bench.

Zuko raised an eyebrow at Elyrie, who simply shrugged in response. Zuko shot her an exhausted look as he audibly sighed. He had envied his Uncle and Elyrie since they always were invited to join groups, but now he regretted his envy. This Jet didn't seem to leave him in peace, and it was exhausting. He didn't want to join a group now, he had trouble enough as it was adapting to his new surroundings. He rose reluctantly from his seat and made his way over to Jet.

Jet didn't waste any time – again- in making his intentions clear. "You and I have a much better chance of making it in the city if we stick together." he said, almost enthusiastically, "You want to join the Freedom Fighters?"

"Thanks." Zuko answered, "But I don't think you want me in your gang."

"Come on!" Jet urged him, "We made a great team looting that captain's food. Think of all the good we could do for these refugees!"

"I said no." Zuko answered, more annoyed now as he started to walk away. But Jet wasn't about to let it go.

"Your friend can join too." He added as he pointed to Elyrie, "We can use another girl." Now Zuko did turn around as he saw the sly smile crossing Jet's face. If he thought he could convince Zuko this way, he was sorely mistaken. It only made Zuko feel more agitated, angry at the attention Jet had for Elyrie. He didn't even bother to answer him as he made his way back.

Elyrie looked at Jet as Zuko walked back to them. She had tried to eavesdrop on their conversation, but his expression said enough: Zuko wouldn't join the gang.

Jet caught her eye and stepped in her direction – undoubtedly to ask her the same question -, before he shifted his gaze to Iroh sitting next to her.

At first surprised, Elyrie saw his eyes widen in shock. She turned her head to see what surprised him, only to see Uncle enjoying his cup of tea. The tea he just spit out because it was cold. His now steaming cup of tea.

Cold hands grasped her heart as she resisted the urge to turn around to assure herself Jet hadn't noticed it. But she knew better.

"What are you doing firebending your tea?" Elyrie hissed at Iroh just as Zuko slapped the cup from his grasp. "Hey!" Iroh cried out, but Zuko leaned in closer. He had seen Jet's look too. "For a wise old man, that was a pretty stupid move." Zuko said between gritted teeth.

The cup bounced over the ground, spilling the hot liquid everywhere.

"I know you aren't suppose to cry over spilled tea," Uncle said with tears in is eyes, not even bothered by their reactions, "But it is so sad."

Elyrie was astonished: he worried about the tea?

She crossed a look with Zuko and saw the same worry in his eyes. But more importantly: fear. Jet was perceptive, he had shown them. Seeing Uncle with hot tea, he surely could piece it together. If people knew they were Fire Nation, then… Her thoughts jumped from one conclusion to the next, panic taking over her.

"Oh Gods." She mumbled as she pinched the bridge of her nose.

"Calm down," Zuko hushed her as he lay a hand on her shoulder, "We aren't even sure he saw anything."

"And what if he did?" Elyrie asked, her voice low, "You know what that would mean, right? If the people knew what we were?"

"I know, Lily." Zuko sighed, "Believe me, I know." He added as the look in his eyes darkened. Elyrie lightly touched the hand that rested on her shoulder and let her fingers linger over his. Zuko's eyes lit up and he gave her a small smile, which she returned.

"From now on," Elyrie said as she turned to Uncle with a stern look and a lifted finger that reminded Zuko of his old nanny, "No more bending." Iroh looked up at her with watery eyes, but swallowed once he saw the look on her face.

Then Elyrie looked at Zuko with a softer look in her eyes, "For all of us."

"Couldn't those flower merchants arrange something bigger?" Zuko mumbled as he inspected their new apartment, if that was what you could call the small space of three rooms. Even his room on his ship had been bigger, and that had been only his private quarters.

The first room made up the living room, kitchen and dining room and the second room was much smaller, just enough for two beds. One of them had to sleep in the living room, which would most likely be Elyrie. Lastly, they had a very, very, small lavatory with a bath but he was glad they didn't have to share one like most in the city. Elyrie had apparently less trouble with the size of the bathroom and had practically ran into it when she noticed it. Zuko heard the splashing sounds of water through the door.

"It is perfect!" Iroh exclaimed, pretending not to hear Zuko, "Now, freshen up because we need to start our new jobs this afternoon!"

Zuko didn't answer immediately as he walked to the small window. Lines full of laundry were strung across the apartments, so he could not see beyond the buildings. Not even the sky could be seen in this part of town.

"This city is a prison." Zuko said in a dark tone as he leaned on the windowsill, "I don't want to make a life here." On their way to the apartment, he had watched the people living here. Children without shoes running through the streets, exhausted mothers with crying babies and men with bottles in their hands in the early morning. His trained eyes had spotted knives in the stashes of some of the other young men, who shot them suspicious looks.

Well, they shot him suspicious looks. They looked in a whole different way at Elyrie. The hairs in his neck stood up every time they passed a group of youngsters. Their eyes went over her as if she was a piece of meat, ready for the sale in a butchery.

She hadn't said anything, hadn't shown any form of intimidation as she made her way through the crowds. But he had seen her flexing her fingers, her deep inhales that made her chest rise and fall. She wasn't afraid, but she was careful.

He had walked behind her the entire time. He knew she would tell him she didn't need any help. He knew she didn't need it, but he still had that unnerving feeling every time that something terrible would happen if he left her. That nagging feeling had been haunting him ever since last night. For some reason, he felt the need to be near her.

The situation had almost escalated as well. A large man had bumped into him on their way, which was obviously on purpose. "Watch it!" he had growled at Zuko. That had been enough to agitate him when all the stress and confusion came to a boiling point. He had turned around in anger, ready to fight the man and let all of his frustrations out. The man had turned around as well and given him a look as if to say 'come and get it.'

Zuko almost had attacked the man, if it hadn't been for the small hand on his arm. Elyrie had taken his arm without saying a word and without even looking at him. Nevertheless, the strength with which she held him was enough to signal her message. Zuko had felt the blood pump through his body and heard his own heartbeat pounding in his ears as he looked at the man. The cool hand slit into his own and her fingers entangled them, like she had done that morning on the ship. It had been enough for him to snap out of his anger and shift his attention to her.

Zuko let his head hang as he leaned on his elbows on the windowsill. For some reason, he couldn't think straight today. Every time Elyrie spoke, laughed or even moved was enough to make him feel uneasy inside. No, not uneasy: nervous. Well, not exactly nervous. It was more a feeling he had never felt before. With a sigh, he shook his head and pushed himself back from the window.

"Life happens wherever you are." Iroh answered as Zuko turned around, "So I suggest you enjoy the things that are happening to you now."

Zuko opened his mouth to protest again, but he was interrupted when Elyrie swung the door open. If he wanted to protest earlier, he was unable to do it now as his breath hitched.

Elyrie looked refreshed and it was clear she had just taken a bath, judging by the towel that she had swaddled around her body. Her face was clean again, her cheeks rosy from the warm water. She had washed her hair and she smelled like a combination of vanilla and roses - she had probably used up all the soaps. Her legs were bare, and Zuko swallowed thickly as he let his eyes glide over her slender frame in the towel. Longer than was necessary, he looked at her tanned legs, her smooth arms, her bare shoulders.

Her skin looked so soft, so tempting for him to touch. He imagined what it must feel like to let his hands glide over her silky skin, smooth and soft as the petals of a Fire Lily. He almost extended his hand to do exactly that, before he halted himself and shook his head in embarrassment. What was wrong with him? He was no better than those sleazy figures in the streets, looking at her like that.

But he would be lying if I didn't admit that she looked absolutely beautiful. It was a different sort of beautiful than last night: when she had sung, her beauty had come from the inside. But now, with no clothing or jewels or anything, she looked like a vision. She didn't need to pin up her hair to look sophisticated, she didn't need the make up to have a blush on her cheeks, she didn't need the fancy clothing to show off her desirable body. She was beautiful, it was as simple as that. It was simply…

"Unbelievable." he whispered to himself. Or at least he thought he had, because both Elyrie and Uncle looked in his direction. He could slap himself: had he really said it out loud?

"Ehm, I mean- what were you doing in there for so long?" Zuko asked, clearing his throat in an effort to mask his embarrassment.

"First of all, you never ask a lady about her bathroom habits. Second," Elyrie continued as her eyes took on that mischievous glance, "Why do you want to know?"

"I don't-," Zuko sputtered, his face turning a crimson colour. It deepened when Elyrie winked at him, so he quickly stepped in the bathroom to splash cold water in his face. Or drown himself, whatever worked better to hide the embarrassment.

When they all were ready – Iroh took his time as well in the bathroom – they walked to their new job. It was only a five minute walk from their apartment to the Middle Ring of the city.

Even though their apartment was in the Lower Ring, they could freely travel to the Middle Ring. That was were all the restaurants and shops were located. Zuko was at least glad it was in a better neighbourhood than the one they passed through that morning. Nevertheless, he did not waver from Elyrie's side. But if she noticed it, she didn't say anything.

Suddenly Uncle stopped in front of a small building just on the edge of the Middle Ring. A stone step, two wooden pillars flanking the door and an overhanging welcome sign marked the entrance. Each pillar was decorated with a green lantern, which made the plain shop look cheerful.

But neither Zuko nor Elyrie reacted cheerfully once they read the sign above the door: Pao's Family Tea House.

"You found us a job in a tea shop?" Zuko asked, just as Elyrie let out a reluctant sigh. After what happened this morning, she was in no mood for more of Uncle's tea shenanigans. "You have got to be kidding me." she muttered under her breath.

"Isn't it perfect?" Iroh answered happily as he pushed the door open. A small bell announced their arrival.

Elyrie let her eyes go through the small tea shop as she stepped inside. It contained eight square wooden tables with matching benches to sit on. The tables were divided by four, placed at each side of the shop so that there was a broad pathway in the middle for the waiters. It wasn't big, but it was cosy and the aroma of herbs and fruits lingered in the air.

On the walls hung paintings of animal designs and the room was decorated with a few vases with flowers in them. But what drew Elyrie's immediate attention was the small, wooden piano in the right corner of the shop. It was a bit rough around the edges, but her fingers immediately itched to play a few notes to hear if it was in tune.

She almost made her way over there, but she was halted when the shop owner walked into the room. He greeted them with a gracious smile, obviously glad for the three pair of extra hands to help him in his shop.

"Hello," he greeted them jovially, "My name is Pao and I am glad you are coming to work for me." He smiled widely, which made fine wrinkles in his slightly tanned face. His olive-green eyes looked kindly, and his black hair was tied back in a braid. He sported a small moustache and a goatee, like most men in the Earth Kingdom.

Elyrie saw the laugh wrinkles in his face and decided immediately that she liked him. Maybe this isn't so bad, she thought as she returned his smile and bowed to him with respect.

Pao handed them their work attire: which was a simple apron over their green-coloured clothing. "Well, you certainly look like official tea servers." He said contently as he looked at the trio in front of him, "How do you feel?"

"Ridiculous." Zuko murmured under his breath, which earned him an elbow in the ribs from Elyrie. Luckily, Pao didn't hear him as he looked at Iroh who was struggling with the strings of his apron.

"Uh, does this possibly come in a larger size?" Iroh asked as he tried to tie the string behind his back, but his effort was in vain.

"I have some extra string in the back." Pao nodded to him as he poured them a cup of tea, "Have some tea while you wait."

As Pao disappeared through the door, Uncle took a generous sip from his cup. But for the second time that day, his face contorted in disgust.

"Blech!" he cried out, "This tea is nothing more than hot leaf juice!"

"Uncle, that's what all tea is." Zuko said.

"How could a member of my own family say something so horrible?" Iroh's kind eyes formed into angry splits. Elyrie didn't dare to point out that his family had committed numerous crimes, since they were not nearly as grave as offending tea.

This tea is going to be the death of us one day, she mused as she saw Uncle take the pot and head over to the window. He dumped it outside with a determined look. "We'll have to make some major changes around here."

"Unbelievable!" Elyrie cried out as she let the tray fall down on the wooden counter in the back. Zuko turned around when he heard the wooden door open. He had hidden in the back to escape from the demanding costumers for a minute. Apparently, Elyrie was having the same trouble.

As soon as the door closed behind her and she was out of sight, Elyrie had dropped the smile she had plastered on her face. It had been a long day in the tea shop, but it wasn't the working hours that plagued her. Apparently, when one works in service people automatically assumed you were an imbecile.

An older woman had ordered tea: "We always want a special flavour." she had exaggerated, only to order the chamomile tea. One of the most basic flavours. She had drawn out the syllables as if to spell it out for her and explained that they were the 'dried flowers.' Then she had turned to his partner and said something in a dialect, but Elyrie understood enough that it meant something about 'waitress' and 'simple." She had to bite her tongue to prevent herself from talking back to the woman in her native language, just to show that she could in the few words that she mastered the language and wasn't an idiot.

"Bad day?" Zuko asked as he filled a new pot with water to boil it for the tea.

"That woman assumed that I am some kind of idiot, just because I am serving tea!" Elyrie answered indignantly.

Zuko bit his lip as he placed the full pot on the counter. It was true: some people seemed to think that they were morons because of their work. Especially some of the Middle Ring-citizens who were themselves barely any better than flat out idiots. But if there was anything Elyrie hated, it was if she was considered stupid.

"I am sure they don't know any better." Zuko answered in an effort to cheer her up.

"Yes, I know that." She answered as she wrung a cloth between her hands in frustration, "But it is so annoying. She actually spelled out chamomile for me." The edges of the cloth started to smoke as she continued her rant.

"If it's any consolation," Zuko said as he took the cloth from her to prevent her from burning it, "They talk to me too as if I am very slow of mind."

Elyrie's face split in a playful grin. "I know." She answered with lights in her eyes, "But being considered stupid is new for me; you're used to it."

With a laugh, she ducked to avoid the cloth Zuko threw in her direction. But as she did, she hit the pot of water that had been standing on the counter. Accidentally, she knocked it over and lost her balance when she tried to catch it. She let out a small shriek, followed by the sounds of something shattering. Zuko turned around to look if Elyrie had hurt herself, but he was relieved when he saw she was alright. She laid on the floor, with her face, hair and clothing dripping with water. The pot she tried to catch was in pieces on the floor next to her.

Her shocked face and soaking wet appearance were so unexpected that Zuko could not help but laugh.

It wasn't just a giggle or a smile. No, he was laughing out loud. Elyrie was astonished at this, but he laughed even harder when he saw her eyes, looking offended.

"Really?" she said, barely able to hold back her own laughter, "You never laugh, except when it comes to my humiliation?" Zuko was only able to nod as he was unable to stop. He was actually holding his side, because it actually hurt how much he was laughing.

"I understand," she said with pouted lips while picking up the cloth and wiped up the water. Her eyes sparkled with mischief as she got back up on her feet and straightened her wet apron

Zuko wiped his tears away to apologize, but before he was able to utter a word, Elyrie threw the soaked cloth to him, which covered his face with a loud splashing sound.

"Ahh, what the hell." He yelled, wiping his eyes.

"You were right" Elyrie said with a wicked grin, "It is funny."

"You're on!" he said as he took a soaked cloth and tried to hit her with it.

"Wait, no!" she cried out laughing as she ran around to avoid his hits. He swung the cloth around and let it crack, like a whip. "Stand still!" he yelled, "I am trying to hit you!"

"Have to catch me first!" she yelled back in a high voice, trying to make her way through the small space as she kept his arms away from her with the wet cloth.

She let out a shriek when she felt his arm around her waist as he pulled her to his chest. "No! Stop!" she yelled as he used his other hand to push the dirty cloth in her face. She heard Zuko's deep laugh in her ears, "Mercy?" he asked, and she could almost hear him smile.

"You should never let a lady beg for mercy!" she laughed, as she turned her face from side to side. Zuko's cheeks tickled when her curls went over his skin. Something stirred within him when he inhaled the sweet scent of her hair. Her thick locks were no longer tangled or dry, but they were soft to the touch. Zuko took a moment to let the softness of her hair caress his face and he lowered his chin so it rested on her shoulder.

"I'm not asking a lady, I'm asking you." He whispered in her ear as he pulled her closer. For a moment, she stopped struggling and opened her mouth to answer. As she did this, Zuko pressed the cloth against her face and neck.

Her yell was louder than she had meant to, so Zuko was sure someone had heard them. And as if to prove his point, they heard Pao from outside the door. "What is going on here?"

His footsteps came closer to the door and they quickly let go of each other. Elyrie wiped the wet strands of hair out of her face and straightened her clothing. Zuko followed her example as he quickly threw the cloth in the sink – out of sight – and let his hand go through his wet hair.

Still having fits of giggles, Elyrie went to the door. She peaked her head around the corner so Pao only saw her face, and not the mess in the kitchen. "I am so sorry sir," she said with her sweetest smile, "But I am afraid Zuko dropped a pot and made a mess of the kitchen."

Zuko stood behind her, but before he could protest, she kicked him against his shin and he yelped.

"Make sure you clean this up," Pao said as he turned around, obviously in a rush, "We are swamped!"

"Of course!" Elyrie replied with a smile as she closed the door. As she turned around, she thought she had control again over her laugh, but then she saw Zuko hopping up and down as he shot her an annoyed look while rubbing his leg.

She covered her mouth as she let out a stream of laughter she tried to hold back.

"You are mean. You know that?" Zuko said with a pout as he put his leg down and crossed his arms.

"If I was more of a lady, I might have been more polite. Oh, stop pouting, will you?" she grinned. Zuko wanted to say he didn't pout, but she made her way over to him and wiped the wet strands of hair out of his face.

The simple gesture was enough to render Zuko speechless for a moment. The touch of her fingers against his face was so calming, he stood frozen for a moment. "I'll clean this up," she said, breaking the silence as she motioned to the shards on the floor.

Zuko only nodded as he walked outside with the same dazed feeling that had been plaguing him ever since he set foot in Ba Sing Se. If he had hoped the feeling would go away over time, he was mistaken. If anything, the feeling only grew stronger the more he tried to ignore it. It seemed to be connected to Elyrie's presence, which meant that he had to ignore her.

But he couldn't ignore her, not really. He heard her sing in the room next to him when she got ready for bed. He smelled her sweet scent in the apartment when they left in the morning. He saw her laugh and interact with costumers in such a friendly manner that he couldn't help but want to join in. He couldn't ignore her when they lived so close together, but more importantly: he didn't want to ignore her because he wanted to be near her.

His confused feelings weren't getting any better, so he decided it was best to carry on with the work in the tea shop. And maybe that was for the best, because the crowds grew bigger every day. Ever since they started working, Pao had remarked that it was getting busier by the day.

What drew the crowds to the small tea shop? It could have been the handsome waiter, over whom all the young ladies swooned. It could have been the pretty waitress with the enchanting smile. But more than anything, it was the new tea maker, who was hauled as the best in the city.

"This is the best tea in the city!" one of the guards complimented Iroh as he poured their tea on a warm evening, only two weeks into their new job. And it was true: Iroh truly blossomed in his new role. Finally he could put the years of tea brewing and enthusiasm to good use. And the customers were thankful for it: within a few days, the word started to spread that Pao had hired the best tea maker in the city.

"The secret ingredient is love." Uncle answered humbly, as he enjoyed the fresh aroma of his brew.

Elyrie looked up as she attended the table at the front of the tea shop, hearing Uncle gracefully accepting compliments. She chuckled, happy to see him so content.

All and all, she decided that working in a tea shop wasn't so bad after all. Uncle was happy and she got to spend more time with Zuko, even though he was acting a bit awkward the last few days. Not that she minded: he was awkward most of the time. As for her, she found that she enjoyed the interactions with the customers. Most of them were very nice, which led to some interesting conversations.

Just as she picked up her tray and cleared one of the tables, a loud knock startled her. The door swung open and a silhouette entered, his two swords by his side. He looked determined and angry, his whole composure filled with hate.

This was someone who was looking for a fight. Elyrie took a step forward to calm him down - it wasn't the first time she had to deal with difficult customers -, but she almost dropped the tray when she recognised him.

It was Jet.

Note: I worked as a waitress in a restaurant, so the rude woman is based on an actual experience I had when I was working there!

Chapter Text

It was Jet.

And he knew.

"I am tired of waiting!" he shouted as he pointed an accusing finger at Iroh, Zuko and Elyrie, "Those three are firebenders!" He unsheathed his hook swords, with one sword in the direction of Uncle and Zuko while aiming the second one at Elyrie. She was standing closest to him, so she immediately backed away until she felt the table behind her. In her shock, she held her tray so tightly she was sure she would break it.

Jet took his fighting stance, swinging his swords and waited for the reaction of the crowd.

The whole tea shop fell silent as Jet shouted his accusations. For a moment, nobody moved. Nobody even seemed to breathe, that was how surprised they all were.

"I know they are firebenders!" Jet continued, his face twisted in anger, "I saw the old man heating his tea!"

"But he works in a tea shop?" Elyrie responded quickly, trying to salvage the situation as she put down her tray and stepped between Jet and Uncle, so she shielded Iroh from his view.

She could slap herself when she heard that a small wave of laughter went over the costumers. This wasn't good; this would only enrage Jet more.

"He is a firebender, I am telling you!" Jet cried out while pointing at Uncle. "They all are!" he added as he pointed his second sword to Elyrie again.

Elyrie swallowed when she saw the rage and hate in his eyes. She had never seen someone look at her like this. Her heart started pounding was she carefully tried to step back but with his weapon aimed at her, there was only so much she could do.

"Drop your swords, boy, nice and easy." It was one of the guards Uncle had attended to.

Elyrie looked over her shoulder and noticed that the two guards had stood up, with their hands resting on the swords on their hips; their looks were annoyed and impatient. Apparently, they had enough of Jet's little show. She saw that most costumers started shifting uneasily in their seats and she could imagine what they were thinking: What was this all about? Nobody understood why a young man had barged in like that with his weapons drawn. For all they knew, Uncle, Zuko and she were simply refugees who found their place in a tea shop.

She held back a sigh of relief now that she saw their reactions: Jet looked like a madman – nobody would believe him.

Elyrie crossed looks with Uncle, who shot her a clear message: don't say anything. She was relieved that the guards were present and that it wouldn't escalate. She turned over her shoulder to look back at Uncle before she heard the swing of the sword near her.

Instead of lowering his swords, Jet had stepped in her direction so his blade was mere inches from her body.

"You have to defend yourself, then everyone will know." He said in a cruel tone, while she looked defiantly at him. She steadied herself and lifted her hands, to signal she did not want to fight him. "Go ahead, show them what you can do." He continued as he raised his swords again, holding them just a few centimetres away from Elyrie's throat.

Elyrie clenched her jaw in frustration; she hated this. She couldn't fight him because he had weapons, but she couldn't use her bending because that would prove him right. So she was unable to do anything if he indeed decided to attack her.

"Get away from the girl." the guard said, his voice now threatening as a low, concerned murmur went through the tea shop.

However, Jet didn't seem to realise that he was sounding like a violent lunatic. Instead, he took it a step further to convince the people that they were firebenders. He didn't comply to the request of the guard, but as a response placed the curved part of his blade around Elyrie's slender neck, so he could slash her neck if someone made a wrong move.

Elyrie inhaled sharply when she felt the coldness of the blade on her neck. She couldn't move and she didn't even dare to breathe.

Something inside Zuko snapped.

He saw her hands and shoulders tense and he heard her gasp when the blade touched her skin. She had pinned up her hair in a low bun, so every inch of her ivory neck was visible. Her hands were balled into fists, but Zuko saw them tremble.

He couldn't see her face, only the curve of the blade around her neck.

"He wanted to slit my throat."

Zuko remembered her saying it, the anguish in her voice when she recounted what Zhao tried to do to her. The fear in her eyes was impossible to forget. And now that lowlife was pushing her through the same thing.

The audible gasp she let out – filled with fear – was enough to make him lose all inhibition.

Without saying a word Zuko took a few steps forward, grabbed the swords from the guard with one hand and moved towards Jet and Elyrie.

Jet's smirk widened as he prepared his second sword for an attack, but he was surprised when Zuko didn't even aim for his sword. Instead, Zuko grabbed the blade around Elyrie's neck with his free hand and yanked it back. When Elyrie felt that her neck was free, she immediately ducked and spun around the blade.

When he saw that she was out of range, Zuko pushed the blade back with all the strength he had. He gritted his teeth as he felt the blade cut his palm, but he was far too angry to care.

Jet was surprised by his action and staggered back when Zuko pushed his sword away with impressive force.

Zuko immediately moved himself between Jet and Elyrie and pushed her behind him, putting her out of harm's way.

"You want a show?" Zuko said hatefully as he separated the swords, "I'll give you a show!"

He lifted his leg and hooked his foot around the table and pulled it towards him. Then he gave it a swift kick in Jet's direction.

Jet had recovered from his surprise and was prepared for Zuko's attack. He sliced the table with his swords and jumped over it. He landed hard on the floor and ran in Zuko's direction. The sounds of the swords colliding made everyone in the tea shop back away from the fight.

Iroh quickly came into motion and grabbed Elyrie's arm, pulling her away from the fight. Elyrie clung to his arm as he pulled her backwards.

"Are you hurt?" Iroh asked as he looked at her neck. But aside from a few loose locks that had come out of her bun, she looked relatively okay. Albeit a bit pale, but not seriously injured.

"I'm fine!" Elyrie whispered, but she dug her nails in her palm as she followed the movements of the two men fighting in the shop.

Zuko's face was contorted in anger and frustration. Zuko had been aching to fight something, she thought as she saw him swing the swords with a fury.

The last time she had seen him fighting, it had been the thugs in the Earth Kingdom. He had been in complete control then, not even breaking a sweat. He had beaten them without effort, but Jet wasn't some bullying thug; he was a trained fighter and, more importantly, he was fuelled by hate.

As if to prove her point, Jet jumped off a table and kicked Zuko across the chest, sending him flying through the door.

Zuko groaned as he felt the hard surface of the stones beneath him, but he quickly spun himself back up again. Jet attacked him again, but Zuko was faster and blocked his attack.

"You must be tired of using those swords," Jet said with a sinister grin, his faces inches away from Zuko's, "Why don't you go ahead and firebend at me?"

The truth was that it was very tempting to do just that. Zuko clenched his jaw tighter and hoped he was not breathing smoke, because it took all of his self control not to spit fire in that arrogant face.

Behind Jet, Zuko saw that all the customers poured out of the shop and formed a circle around them on the street. No!" he heard Elyrie's voice cry out amidst the chaos.

"Or maybe she can help you out with a little fireblast?" Jet taunted while unhooking his swords from his as he turned around, back to Elyrie standing in the crowd. If he thought that would provoke Zuko, he was right. But not in the way he intended, because Zuko swiftly spun around and kicked Jet's legs from underneath him.

Jet quickly caught himself, but gritted his teeth as his hands landed on the hard stones of the street. Zuko lowered in swords when he saw Jet fall, but that was a miscalculation: if he thought Jet would fight with honour, he was mistaken.

Jet jumped up and swung his sword in Zuko's direction. A small cry escaped Elyrie's lips when she saw Zuko get struck, but at the same time Zuko landed a blow on Jet's upperleg.

"You're the one that needs help!" Zuko growled when he swung his sword in Jet's direction. The adrenaline raced throughout his body when he dodged another swing from Jet's longswords.

Jet might be fuelled by hate, but Zuko was motivated by something entirely else. Hate is a powerful motivator, but now Zuko was fighting for the opposite. He felt his inner fire blaze as a fierce protectiveness drove him to make sure Jet couldn't come anywhere near Elyrie again.

"Please son, you're confused!" Iroh yelled from the entrance of the shop, "You don't know what you're doing!" His voice was high and filled with concern, which Elyrie knew was meant for Zuko. But to the bystanders, he sounded like a meek refugee who's afraid of what was happening to his innocent nephew.

Which isn't technically untrue, Elyrie thought as she saw Jet swing his swords again. Whatever it was that was driving this man, it was something more than a simple hatred for the Fire Nation. This was a deep seated fury, an anger she had never seen in anyone.

Zuko and Jet continued their fight and were clearly evenly matched. Every attempt to strike the opponent was blocked or dodged, so neither could get past the other's defence. Elyrie had been so caught up in watching the two men fight that she hadn't noticed the arrival of two stern looking man in dark robes.

"Drop your weapons." One of them said, not even raising his voice as they walked through the bystanders to the fight.

Zuko immediately stepped away, while Jet stepped towards the men. Zuko had lowered his swords, but Jet used his to point at Zuko, Iroh and Elyrie.

"Arrest them!" Jet yelled, "They're firebenders!"

Elyrie didn't pay attention to the accusation as she ran towards Zuko, clinging onto him to make sure he was all right. She saw that the white cotton of his sleeve had turned red with blood, but Zuko did not seem to notice that Jet had managed to land a strike on his upper arm.

Zuko instinctively put his arm around Elyrie's shoulders and pulled her closer, as if to protect her. She placed her hand on his chest, answering his protectiveness with her own.

"This poor boy is confused," Uncle said in an innocent tone as he motioned to Jet, "We're just simple refugees."

Now that Elyrie allowed herself to take a better look at the two men, she saw that they wore the symbol of the Earth Kingdom on their chest. Of course, she thought as she looked at the stoic figures, they are Dai Li agents. The elite police force of Ba Sing Se were famous for their stealth and precision, as well as for their Earthbending skills.

"This young man wrecked my tea shop and assaulted my employees!" Pao yelled indignantly.

"It's true sir, we saw the whole thing!" the guard chimed in, "This crazy kid tried to attack the girl and the finest teamaker in the city."

"Oh, that's very sweet." Iroh blushed.

Apparently, the two Dai Li agents had heard enough as they walked up to Jet. "Come with us, son." one said as he lifted his hand to grab his arm.

But Jet wasn't prepared to give up that easily: he swung his sword at the agent, but he had miscalculated the situation again. The Dai Li agent caught the sword with ease. For a moment, Elyrie wondered why he didn't seem to be hurt, but then she saw that he was using some sort of rock glove.

The two men disarmed Jet and put his arms behind his back, binding his wrists together using the rock gloves as stone cuffs.

"You don't understand, they're Fire Nation!" Jet cried out as they pulled him away, "You have to believe me!"

He sounded desperate and confused, as if he had fallen prey to his delusion. If Elyrie had been a better person, she would have felt sorry for him; but all she could feel now was indifference and relief.

"Are you all right?" Zuko asked as he pulled his eyes from Jet, his voice laced with concern as his fingers went to her neck to see if Jet managed to cut her skin.

For a moment, Elyrie was speechless. He worried about her? "I'm fine!" she stammered again as she felt his soft touch on the delicate skin of her throat, "But you..? Your hand, your arm..?" She placed her hand over his and turned it over so he could see the cut in his palm.

While it wasn't extremely deep, Zuko still frowned when he saw how much blood there was. He looked back in her blue eyes, but she wasn't looking at his face. He followed her gaze to his upper arm and saw that the white fabric was stained with blood. His blood.

"When did this happen?" he asked as he saw Elyrie tear a piece of fabric from her apron. It made him angry that Jet managed to land a blow, but he didn't even feel it. Elyrie didn't answer as she tied the improvised bandage around his bicep to stop the blood flow.

After she was done, Elyrie gently grabbed his good hand and urged him towards the apartment. "Do you mind?" she asked Uncle, who shook his head. "Not at all, take care of him while I close off."

Elyrie gave him a grateful smile before pulling Zuko with her. "Let us through." She said in an authoritative voice as she walked with determined steps towards the crowd.

For a moment, Zuko saw again the person she actually was: not a tea server, but a girl from privilege born amidst servants. It was that air that was enough to make the bystanders part and let them go through.

Zuko followed silently, still trying to relax after his encounter with Jet. How dare he threaten her? Putting a blade around her neck, threating to hurt her if she didn't fight him?

He looked down again at his wounded hand. Had he really pulled the blade away with his bare hands? It sounded pretty stupid now he thought about it. Hadn't Master Piandao taught him to always fight on equal terms?

He looked to his side to Elyrie. She held his good hand as they walked back to their apartment, which luckily was nearby. She took determined steps and was oblivious to his stares, but Zuko couldn't help but look at her.

The fact that she wasn't hurt was enough to justify his action. After all, they had done it for each other before? He had rescued her from Roku's Temple, she had saved him on the North Pole. They had always protected each other, all their lives.

So why was he feeling so confused now? He hadn't thought about it when he had carried her out of the burning Temple, just like he hadn't thought twice about placing himself between her and Jet. It shouldn't feel different, right? So how come it did?

Oblivious to Zuko's internal conflict, Elyrie opened the door to their apartment.

"Sit down." she said, using the same tone as before. Zuko obeyed and saw her going to the closet to search for bandages and other things she could use. When she found what she was looking for, she filled a bowl with water and put a small towel in there.

"You need to-, uhm..." she said as he motioned to his bloody shirt. Zuko arched an amused eyebrow, but took off his apron and shirt without saying anything.

It was impossible to ignore his muscled arms and chest as he took off his shirt. Elyrie's eyes lingered for a moment before she reprimanded herself. Pull yourself together, she said to herself, nothing that you haven't seen before.

Her cheeks turned slightly pink, but she sat down beside him and started cleaning the blood away with a damp towel. She began with the cut on his arm, which needed to be treated first. Zuko hissed in pain when she wiped the towel across his wound. Now that the adrenaline had left his body, he felt the sting of the wounds."That hurts." he grumbled.

She chuckled, and playfully smirked at him. "For such a great fighter, you can be such a baby."

Zuko didn't reply, but took another look at her. Her bun had become partially undone, so a few strands flowed around her face. She moved her head, trying to flip a lock out of the way. With both hands on his bicep to clean the wound, she could not use her hands. Instinctively, he raised his good hand and pushed the strand behind her ear. She smiled gratefully at him, before her cheeks turned even pinker.

With the wound clean, she pressed a wet cloth against his arm and heated it with her firebending. Zuko felt his skin warm up, which helped the clotting of the blood and effectively stopped the bleeding.

"I thought you said we couldn't use our bending?" Zuko asked as he felt her warmth on his skin.

"I also said that it wasn't wise to attract too much attention," she answered pragmatically, "but I guess that went out of the window tonight too."

She pulled away the warm cloth and studied the cut. Now that it had stopped bleeding, she saw that the wound was not as deep as she had feared.

"I don't think you are going to need stitches." Elyrie carefully said as she applied some ointment on her fingers. She started to gently cover his wound as best as she could to prevent infections. She was glad he didn't need stitching, because for some reason she didn't trust her fingers enough to do it right now. For some reason, her hands didn't obey her as good as they did normally - even applying some ointment seemed to be an issue.

"Good." Zuko mumbled. He remembered the needlework she had butchered as a child, so he was glad she wouldn't go anywhere near him with a needle. He watched her face as she began applying the desinfecting ointment to his wound and he almost chuckled when he saw the look on her face: a small wrinkle between her eyebrows, her eyes focused on the task and the tip of her tongue sticking out just a bit in her concentration.

She looked so sweet, so young. How often had he seen her make that face? Every time he showed her a new firebending form; every time she had hunched over a mathematical problem; every time she had begun something she had never done before.

The longer he looked at her face, the more he felt the feeling in his chest grow stronger. The uneasy feeling he had felt whenever she was near was still there, but it seemed to grow stronger every time she did something. It couldn't be that he didn't want to be near her: all he wanted was to be near her.

"All done!" she said, making him snap out of his thoughts. The unusual trembling was getting very irritating, but at least she managed to properly care for his wounds.

With a radiant smile – obviously proud of her work as an improvised nurse – she looked up at him."That wasn't so bad now, was it?" She quipped as she took his palm to take care of the cut on his hand.

Zuko let out a half smile, but didn't really listen to what she was saying. Just hearing the sound of her voice was enough to calm him after the whole ordeal. He had seen her nurse Uncle, but he had never noticed how gentle her touch was. She extended her hand to take his as she carefully cleaned the cut and wrapped the bandage around his palm.

"Remember I did this on Ember Island one time?" she said without looking up, "You had cut your hand on the sharp rocks."

Zuko only nodded; he knew what she was referring to. "It was kind of your fault I got hurt, remember?" he answered as he smiled at the memory, "You dared me to go further in the ocean."

"Oh no, I don't remember that part at all." She answered innocently as she tied the bandage. "Done!"

She stood up and placed the bowl on the kitchen counter. As she gave Zuko a clean shirt, she tried to ignore the fact that she felt some sort of regret that his upper body was covered up again.

She hid her blush as she picked up his ruined shirt. The crimson colour of his blood on the sleeves made her insides squirm again. "Zuko?" she asked as she placed the shirt in a bowl of water, along with the bloodstained towel, "Promise me that you're not going to make it a habit to get hurt because of me." Her tone was seemingly breezy, but she felt her chest constrict when she looked at the pink water in the bowl.

Zuko gazed at her lovely features. His stomach turned when he thought of the possibility that Jet had indeed hurt her. What would he have done without her? Suddenly, he was consumed by a strong desire to take her in his arms.

"Lily, you know as well as I that I'd never make that promise." he said as his good hand took hers.

Elyrie opened her mouth to protest, but she couldn't find her voice as his fingers entangled hers. Her sapphire eyes looked into his golden ones and she suddenly felt a bit faint.

During their friendship, he had looked at her in all sorts of ways: happy, cheerful, annoyed, sarcastic, angry, but never like this. The smouldering intensity in his eyes was something she had never seen before in him. It was filled with passion, filled with determination, filled with admiration, filled with… love.

Her breath hitched when she completed her thought and she pulled away her hand in a reflex.

Zuko raised his eyebrows at her sudden reaction. "Are you all right?" he asked tentatively.

"I'm fine." She said quickly as she turned around, her gaze fixed on the counter, "Just a bit shaken up from tonight."

"I see." Zuko answered impassively. It was obvious he didn't believe her, she could hear it in his tone. But the thing was: she didn't believe it herself either.

"Lily?" Zuko asked behind her, his baritone making a shiver. His tone was almost pleading, so she turned around again, not knowing what to expect as she felt her heart pounding against her ribcage. She tried to avoid his smouldering gaze as she chewed nervously on her lower lip.

Zuko tried to meet her eyes when she turned around again, but she purposefully avoided his look. As she lowered her gaze, the loose strands of hair fell over her round cheeks and the shadows of her eyelashes made them even look longer. After a moment of silence, she lifted her incredibly blue eyes up to meet his eyes.

The soft light of the candles lit up her face in an unnatural, almost otherworldly beauty. Zuko knew she didn't try to look beautiful in the way she stood there, leaning against the kitchen counter in her work attire. She was still wearing her torn apron and her hair had become undone. With no kohl or any form of lipstick, she looked like any other tea server in the city. But she was so incredibly beautiful - so good, so feisty, so sweet - unlike anyone in the entire City, he was sure of that.

He took a step forward as he touched her hand again. He waited for her reaction, but she didn't pull her hand away. Encouraged, he let his hand gently trail to her elbow, up her arm. His hand found her neck and he caressed the soft edge of her cheek with his thumb.

His eyes went to her lips, her beautiful lips. She was so beautiful to him, so precious. The feeling of desire grew: he wanted to take her in his arms, feel her soft skin, run his fingers through her hair and press his lips against hers.

Zuko didn't linger on his thoughts as he followed his body's reaction. Not for the first time did he realise how perfectly she fitted in his arms. But it was more than that: holding her in his arms felt more natural than his own heartbeat. He brought her face closer to his until her lips were mere inches from his own.

"Lily, I-" he said as he saw her close her eyes. He closed his own, lowered his face and then-,

"Are you both alright?" Uncle's voice broke the tension as he opened the door of the small apartment.

Elyrie practically jumped back when she heard the knob turn. "Yes, fine." She squeaked, her voice higher than normal as she felt the edge of the counter bruise her back. She didn't look at Uncle as she felt the heat on her cheeks burning, thinking about what almost had happened.

Iroh looked at Elyrie, who was standing with her back against the counter, her hands clutching the edges until her knuckles turned white.

But she wasn't the one he was worrying about, so he shifted his gaze to his nephew. Zuko had just fought someone, which usually didn't bring out the best in him. Iroh had expected to see him angry, agitated, frustrated: all the things he had been on their journey here. All the things he had seen during his years of banishment, for that matter.

But what he saw in that small apartment was something he didn't think he would ever see; what he never dreamed he would see. Zuko's face was serene, almost blushing. His body was turned in Elyrie's direction, almost shielding her from his view when he came in. When he had announced his arrival, they had jumped back as if they had been stung by bee-hornets, but it wasn't difficult to see he had interrupted something.

Iroh looked surprised and let his gaze go from one to the other. For a moment, he said nothing as he looked at the pair, but then his face split into a broad smile as he said: "Wonderful!"

Can you feel the heat growing? ;)

Chapter Text

The Tale of Elyrie

Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap.

With one elbow on the table, Elyrie was leaning her chin in the palm of her hand. With the other hand she was – almost frantically - tapping her pen on the wooden surface of the table, an annoying habit she never could seem to shake. Her father used to say that he always knew when something was bothering her, because it sounded like a horn-pecker was hammering its way through an entire forest whenever she was pondering something. The worst part was: she didn't even hear it anymore, but everyone around her did.

"Lily, please." Zuko groaned as he placed his hand over hers, forcing her to stop tapping the pen.

"Oops, sorry." Elyrie replied sheepishly. Zuko shook his head in a sort of 'what is to become of this girl'-way as he returned to the small lavatory. Apparently, he had heard her tapping all the way in there. Uncle had said nothing as he was stirring in the pot and boiling the water for their tea.

Elyrie sat cross-legged at the low table in the middle of the living room, which also functioned as her bedroom. The tea shop opened in the later hours of the morning, so Uncle and Zuko were preparing for their shift in the tea shop. Which was great, because it meant that Elyrie had the morning off and would work the night shift.

However, with them stumbling around in the living room, it was no use to sleep so she had taken her time to sit down and answer the letter she had received. As she tried to ignore the tingling feeling on her hand were Zuko had just touched her, she tried think of things to write to her grandmother on the North Pole. One of the advantages of hiding in the Capital of the Earth Kingdom was that it had a functioning postal system. Once she had discovered this, she sent at least five letters to the North Pole to report her situation and that she was well.

Elyrie reread the last part of the new letter that had arrived last evening:

I am glad you are at least safe withing the walls of the mighty city. How I'd love to see the famous Walls myself one day, but I feel as if I am there through your stories.

And of course, I am glad to see that you are well. Keep writing me, dear, for it makes my old heart rejoice every time I hear from you!

All my love,

Nana.

Elyrie felt the tears rimming her eyes and quickly blinked them away, as the sense of melancholy took over her. As the days went over in weeks, she fell into the new rhythm of the city. They worked in the teashop during the days and they had two days off – rotating so that there was always someone working. The positive part of this was the Uncle was flourishing in the tea shop. More and more costumers came from the Lower and Middle Ring to taste his delicious brews. Last night, even some citizens of the Upper Ring had deigned themselves to travel to the Middle Ring, just for his tea.

The downside of it al was that she - just like in the Stronghold or in the Northern Water Tribe - felt herself growing more and more restless by the day. She was glad she didn't have to work this morning: she liked the job, although Pao had decided that it was best for her to take the orders and receive guests after one too many broken cups. Not that she minded: she was far too clumsy to work with boiling water on a daily basis.

Yet at the same time, she felt as if her mind was slowly crumbling as the days went over into weeks and it stretched on like an empty void. It wasn't the working hours that kept her, it was the lack of stimulation. She knew herself well enough to know what kept her going: planning.

But here, in a new city, it was difficult to look forward to things because she'd never know when she could start something new. She knew she should be thankful, grateful, happy. They had a stable life, they had food and they were safe. So why – why, why, why – did she feel so dissatisfied?

Her father had always said that one day she would 'make a difference'. That was what he liked to call it. Her mother often told her that his pride in her accomplishments started the moment after she said her first word - 'More' – after she read her a bedtime story. It had become the family joke: Lily always wants more.

Elyrie started chewing her lower lip as she thought about that night, not so long ago. Had she wanted more then?

Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap.

She quickly let go of the pen as she felt herself starting tapping again, so she pushed herself up and stood up to pin up her hair. Or at least to have something to do other than pondering.

She sat down on her bed and picked up the hairpins. The small mirror next to the door was perfect, so with three pins squeezed between her lips and her hands holding up her hair, she looked at her reflection.

Humming to herself, she began pinning her hair back in a neat bun.

Love knows

Love grows

Bigger than before

Subconsciously, she had chosen to sing a love song, but she stopped abruptly when she realised what she was doing.

"Of course." She mumbled to herself. Quickly suppressing the thoughts that came flooding to the surface, she took the pins out of her mouth and threw them in the direction of her bed.

"Something the matter?" Uncle asked when he saw the pins flying across his breakfast.

She sighed and looked around the tiny apartment: her world for an unknown amount of time. Her time was spent here, near Uncle and Zuko. They were safe, they were working and they were well kept.

But being near Zuko took more effort than not being with him. She tried to avoid him, but that was barely possible with them living and working together.

She inhaled sharply as she felt tears rimming her eyes and she wiped them away before they could fall. What was the matter with her?

She had to get away, - it was too full here.

"I'm going for a walk!" she answered as she grabbed a shawl on her way.

"Careful!" she heard Uncle say to her, but she was already out the door. Pulling the shawl closer, she descended down the stairs. Almost running, she made her way to the street and inhaled the crisp morning air.

So, she began the conversation with herself as she walked without going in a specific direction, Always wanting more is not necessarily a good thing. But it is what has always kept me going, she thought while she avoided the people on the street with ease

Even though the streets were full, she felt quite alone now and that was exactly what she wanted – no, what she needed.

What she wanted was an entirely different discussion. Had she wanted more than Zuko's lips inches away from her own? Yes. But some part of her was relieved that it hadn't happened, because then she would have had to deal with the consequences of such an action. And now, it was something neither of them had further discussed so her thoughts about it were just that: thoughts.

Avoiding the thoughts was the easiest thing to do, which was quite pleasant. But at the same time, it was all she could think of. She didn't need more confusion and frustration than there already was in her life.

The irony of the situation wasn't lost on her: she was far more frustrated here than she had been on the run as a fugitive. Maybe that was the luxury of stability, so that you could fret over the things that required your attention whenever you weren't struggling to get by.

That thought didn't help her and if singing didn't clear her head, there was always another place for her to go to. Somewhere she could lock herself in her own little world, with no one there to disturb her. So, she turned around and made her way up to the Middle Ring.

"Miss, can I help you with anything?" a polite voice asked her. Elyrie looked up from the book and saw a pair of kind hazelnut-coloured eyes look at her with a curious expression.

"No, thank you." Elyrie answered quickly as she placed her finger between the pages of the book she had been reading. She sat up straight in the comfortable chair in the large bookstore she had discovered on one of her first days in the city. It was three stories high, from top to bottom filled with books on every subject imaginable. Across the store were comfortable leather chairs for customers to enjoy a bit of peace and quiet, and she had come here two times to lose herself in the hundreds of books. She silently thanked the fact that the University of Ba Sing Se was located in the Middle Ring, so the bookshops and stationary shops were available to her here.

The young man nodded, but she saw his eyes go over her hair. Elyrie followed his eyes and her hand flew to her hair, only to find out that she had pinned up half of her hair. The right half was neatly tucked back, while the left half was still hanging loose around her shoulder. I must look like a madwoman. She let out a long sigh: today was not her day.

"Rough day?" the man asked her with a empathic tilt of his head.

"Something like that." Elyrie answered as she pulled the remaining pins out of her hair, slightly harder than was necessary. At that moment, her stomach started to growl. Placing a hand over her midriff, she shot the man an apologetic look: she had not eaten anything yet today.

The man nodded, before he disappeared between two bookcases. Elyrie thought that was a little bit rude to leave so suddenly, but before she could open her book again, he returned with a plate of biscuits and a glass of freshly squeezed mango juice.

"Here, I thought you might like this." He said as he placed it on the small table next to her.

Elyrie felt the tears pushing again, but she made an effort not to let them fall. "Thank you so much, you are so kind. I am Liana, by the way." She extended her hand to the man, who took it.

"Pleased to meet you," he answered, "My name is Roman. I work here."

Elyrie looked at him with interest as she took a biscuit. He was around her age, with the slightly tanned skin and dark brown hair many Earth Kingdom citizens had. He was not from the Lower Ring, since his clothing was made from fine fabric in the colour of olives, decorated with intricate embroidery. He had intelligent hazelnut-brown eyes, which studied her face in return.

"I take it you came straight from your job?" he asked her while looking at her uniform.

"No, I actually need to go to my job." She replied sheepishly. She had put on her uniform that morning, even though she knew she didn't have to work the morning shift. She wasn't really there with her thoughts today. If her head hadn't been firmly on her shoulders, she might have lost that on the way as well.

"Where do you work?" he asked, interested but not pushy.

"Pao Family Tea House." She answered.

"I have heard of that!" he exclaimed, "Rumour has it you serve the best tea in the city!"

"That is wholly thanks to my Uncle," she laughed, feeling strangely comfortable with this young man, "He is the real genius."

"That is what people claim, yes." Roman answered with a smile as he extended his hand to the book lying on her lap," May I see that?"

She looked at the book in her lap: The Invisible Life. She had never read it, but to push herself she had picked up the copy in the Earth Kingdom-language, because she was embarrassed to admit how badly she was able to converse in the native language of Ba Sing Se. She understood most of what people told her, but speaking the language was an entirely different experience. So, she had forced herself to ignore the copy in the Common Tongue and work herself through this version.

She handed it to him and he flipped through the pages, seemingly looking for a specific part. Then, he handed it back to her. "What do you think of this part?" he asked while closely examining her expression.

Elyrie took the book from him and studied the pages. He had given her the book upside down, probably to test her. She felt her pride flare, but kept her face even. After all, only a few fugitives in the Lower Ring were able to read little more than their own name. And this book was considered a higher part of literature.

"I like this part very much," she said as she kept eye contact with him as she turned the book back so the right side was up again. "However," she continued as she flipped some pages back. "This is my favourite part."

She sat up straight as she read her favourite line from the novel: "Books, she has found, are a way to live a thousand lives – or to find strength in a very long one."

Roman smiled at her unsubtle response. "And which way do you feel then?"

Elyrie's mouth twitched slightly in an attempt to smile. At the moment she tried to find strength in a very, very long and complicated one, but she wasn't about to pour her heart out to a stranger.

"A way to live a thousand lives." She answered instead, "Because I am still adjusting to life in the city, but with books I feel I can travel all over the world."

"It is miraculous, isn't it? The way books offer us an escape from reality?" he asked her when he saw her eyes trail over the books behind him.

"Very much." She answered with a smile, "I came here just so I can read a little bit." And definitely escape, she finished in her thoughts.

"You are very welcome to borrow books if you like?" Roman answered, "Then you can read them at home."

"Really?" she asked surprised and now her lips formed a genuine smile.

"Certainly. There is a register you can use." Roman pointed to the open book that was displayed at the entrance of the shop. On a tall, wooden table it was opened in the middle with a pen next to it. "Just write your name, date and the books you took. If you want to take a novel or two, you are very welcome to do so. Only if you plan to return them, of course." He quipped as he gave her a wink.

Elyrie's smile widened as she clutched the book to her chest. She could read again! She could borrow books to get through the long nights! "Thank you so much!" she exclaimed happily. It was an escape, even for a short time, "How can I thank you for your kindness?"

"No problem at all." Roman answered, "I'm always happy to help out a fellow book lover."

"Then let me at least offer you a freshly brewed cup of tea?" Elyrie answered, feeling instantly lighter.

"Now, that is an offer I can't refuse!" he answered jovially, "How about later this afternoon?"

"For once, the rumours were true." Roman said as he placed his now empty cup on the table with a broad smile.

"I shall inform Uncle then." Elyrie laughed as she picked up his empty cup. She looked around the crowded shop, filled with customers enjoying their tea. Uncle walked around the tables with a steaming pot, offering refills and a smile to anyone who wanted more. Which, to be frank, was every person in the shop.

Zuko was standing with his back to her behind the counter, picking up the empty cups. His dark hair had grown longer now, although it wasn't nearly as long as it once had been. How often had she teased him when they were little, running her fingers through his dark locks? She smiled inwardly, because he had always scolded her for doing it. If only she could do that now, her hands in his hair with his hands around her waist, pulling her closer and...

"Do you play?" Roman asked her suddenly, making her snap out of her thoughts.

"I'm sorry?" Elyrie answered, hoping her cheeks weren't burning red.

"The piano?" Roman said as he motioned to the instrument in the corner of the shop.

"Yes, sometimes." She nodded. Pao had given her permission to play from time to time, but she found it a bit difficult to do during working hours. If you play then, everyone listens to what you are doing. While for her, it was always the silent moments that made her crave to let her fingers caress the keys.

Roman, on the other hand, didn't seem to share her hesitancy as he sat behind the old piano and began playing. His fingers moved so elegantly across the keyboard that Elyrie stepped closer to him to admire it. Music filled the small shop and out of habit, she sang along with the notes. Losing herself in singing and music was always a good way to clear her thoughts, which she needed now more than ever.

Shall we dance?

On a bright cloud of music,

Shall we fly?

She saw Roman look up in surprise, but nodded encouragingly to her.

Shall we dance?

Shall we then say goodnight and mean goodbye?

Roman joined in, playing and singing along. He had a pleasant voice, one that was obviously well trained. While she was a soprano, he had a deep voice to compliment it. The combination was enchanting, which attracted the attention of everyone in the shop.

Or per chance?

When the last little star has left the sky?

Shall we still be together

With our arms around each other

And shall you be my new romance?

It was a famous song, one almost everyone knew in the shop. It didn't take long for the customers to join them with clapping and cheering.

On the clear understanding

That this kind of thing can happen

Shall we dance?

Shall we dance?

Shall we dance?

As the song continued, so did Elyrie's feeling of lightness. Roman didn't miss one note as he sang and played, while so often looking up at her and smile.

After they were finished, the customers in the tea shop applauded and cheered loudly.

"You have talent!" Roman proclaimed, "Have you ever had singing lessons?"

"No, I haven't." Elyrie answered honestly, although she had to admit that the hours spend with Zuko's mother had taught her a lot about the proper breathing techniques and postures.

"Well, you have to get some!" he continued, obviously enthusiastic about the idea, "Maybe I can speak to someone in the music department of the University of Ba Sing Se." As he rambled on, Elyrie only shook her head with pursed lips.

"Would you like to play now?" Roman asked as he stood up from the chair. Elyrie nodded shyly and sat behind the small instrument. She placed her hand above the keys, ready to play.

"Have you been married?" Roman suddenly asked. In her surprise, Elyrie's hands missed the key and she faltered obviously. What was it with this man and his blunt questions? In the corner of her eye, she saw Zuko raise his head in alarm.

"Pardon me?" Elyrie stuttered when she found her voice again.

"Your hand," Roman said as he pointed at her left hand. Elyrie pulled her hand back as if she was stung, but did look at her hand. First, she didn't notice anything out of the ordinary: her skin was a bit dry from dunking her hands in the water often, her long nails neatly cut off so they didn't interfere with the physical work. She was confused, but then she saw it: her hands were a bit tanned – obviously the result of the weeks of sun – and the white band on her ringfinger was clearly visible. The result of wearing her mother's ring all those weeks.

"No." she answered firmly, surprised that the question didn't frighten her as much as it would have done weeks ago, "I wore a family heirloom, but we had to sell it when we came here." In truth, her ring was safely tucked away in a small bag in their apartment on the bottom of her closet. Walking around with expensive jewels wasn't a risk she was willing to take any longer.

"Ah, I see." Roman answered, dropping the matter entirely after she answered his question. Elyrie instantly decided she liked him: even though he asked a lot of questions, she valued anyone who didn't pry on her personal information or gave her the feeling that he wanted more from her. Instead, they had mainly discussed literature. He knew so much about the Earth Kingdom literature - and was musical as wel. These were exactly the conversations she had been missing. She knew she had found a kindred spirit.

"I want to thank you both for the performance," A voice said behind Elyrie and she turned around to gracefully accept the compliment.

"That is very kind of you." She smiled at the pretty young woman with the darkbrown hair in braids. She had seen her before; she was a regular and always very polite. The girl nodded friendly as she walked over to the counter were Zuko and Iroh were standing.

"Oh and thank you for the tea!" Elyrie heard the girl say to Zuko, who was standing behind the counter with his back turned to her, "What's your name?" she asked him casually as she placed the coins on the counter.

"Ehm, my name is Lee." Zuko answered as he turned around, "We just moved here."

"Hello Lee," the girl greeted him, "My name is Jin."

Jin. Elyrie felt a pang in her chest at the mention of her name. She thought about her Jin, back in the Fire Nation. How was she doing? It had been months since she had seen her, after Zhao had so cruelly dismissed her. All because of me.

Elyrie turned back to the piano and began playing a simple folksong, so her hands could be occupied as she let her thoughts transfer her back to the two friends she had left behind in the Fire Nation. It was frustrating that she couldn't send Jin a simple letter, because her association with a fugitive would only lead to more trouble. Hadn't she caused enough trouble for her as it was? And what about Kun? Was he alright? What had happened to him after they parted ways months ago? If only she could…

But before Elyrie could let her thoughts wander off, the Jin in the shop continued. "Thank you and.." she said, slightly nervous, "Well, I was wondering if you would like to go out sometime?"

For the second time in two minutes, Elyrie completely missed the right key on the piano.

The Tale of Zuko

"Would you like to go out sometime?" Jin asked with a sweet smile.

If it had been physically possible to let your jaw drop on the floor, Zuko was sure that would be happening now.

But before he could open his mouth, the music stopped abruptly with a false note. He quickly looked over at Elyrie behind the piano. Her reaction mirrored his own: she stood up from behind the piano and her blue eyes had grown six sizes.

The surprise couldn't have been more evident on her pale face, but Zuko saw her bottom lip slightly tremble. Her eyebrows almost disappeared in her hairline, that was how high they had shot up. Her lips parted ever so slightly, but then she regained her impassive expression and looked away from him.

Jin cleared her throat subtly. Feeling a slight blush on his cheeks form, Zuko looked back at Jin who was looking at him expectantly. He realised that he had not answered her question.

"I, that is to say, I-, uhm.." he began a bit bewildered as he tried to form coherent sentences. Subconsciously, his eyes darted back to Elyrie but her face was now unreadable. He wanted to meet her eyes, because it seemed like she wanted to say something earlier.

Zuko wanted to protest, to turn it down the offer, or at least say anything but he didn't get the chance to do so. "He'd love to come!" he heard his Uncle answer for him.

"Great!" Jin answered with a smile, "I'll meet you by the shop at sundown." With a last smile at Zuko, she turned around and walked out of the shop.

"What a nice girl." Uncle said contently as he picked up his ceramic pot with jasmine tea. He had a large smile on his wrinkled face.

"She really was." Elyrie said as she walked over to the counter. Her tone was casual, but Zuko noticed that she clenched her jaw slightly. She kept looking at her hands and started fidgeting with her little finger, "So nice of her to invite you. I hope you have a wonderful evening."

"Yes, but back to work now!" Iroh instructed as he pushed his nephew from behind the counter to the nearest table, where the dishes had assembled. Supressing another groan, Zuko picked up an empty tray.

"And why don't you go on a date with that nice boy there?" he heard Uncle say to Elyrie. Zuko turned around to see Elyrie leaning on the counter on her elbows, as Uncle motioned to Roman, who had resumed playing the piano, "It seems like you got along really well."

"Because he would rather go on a date with Zuko as well." Elyrie answered with a cheeky smile, which didn't reach her eyes.

"Still, you deserve a night off?" Uncle insisted.

"Thank you, but I'd rather stay home tonight." Elyrie said as she pushed herself up, her voice slightly harsher than Zuko was used from her.

"Are you ready for your date, Prince Zuko?" Iroh asked that evening, his eyes gleaming as he put combed his black hair.

"Do you really want me to answer?" Zuko answered, his arms crossed as his Uncle was busy working on his hair. He was most certainly not ready for his date. He felt he had a better chance facing Azula tonight than having a good time.

He knew he wasn't being fair: Jin seemed like a very nice girl, not to mention pretty. Uncle had hammered it into his head that not all girls were as forthcoming as she was, so he should take his chance. But what did one say to a girl one barely knew? Hell, what did one say to a girl?

He sloughed in his seat, irrationally angry about the turn of events for tonight. He had set his mind on going home early and just stay in. Maybe Elyrie could read to him from the books she had lend from the bookstore. He would have liked that, very much in fact.

He grinded his teeth in frustration; how useless was his life now that he looked forward to be read to? As if he was a three year old! But it wasn't as if the Avatar would suddenly appear in front of him and ask him to be captured and returned to the Fire Nation, where his honour and his father's pride were waiting for him.

And it was Elyrie who would read to him: to hear her voice, to see her smile, to see those sapphire eyes light up every time she read something new – so many nights were spend in the Royal Palace like that.

He looked over to the corner of the room, where Elyrie was sitting on her bed with a book in her lap. She hadn't looked in his direction as she was completely caught up in her new book.

Lately, it had come to his attention that part of her charm was her enthusiasm whenever she did something she loved. He had seen it when she was singing, or when she had returned that morning and told him all excitedly about the books she got that day. It made her whole face lit up and her eyes sparkle with delight. And her smile, oh that smile…

"Okay, this is where I intervene." Elyrie said, making him snap out of his thoughts as she closed the book and stood up.

For a second, Zuko thought she had actually heard his thoughts and he felt his cheeks heat up, but then he saw that she looked at this hair. She extended her hand and tussled his hair for a few seconds.

"Hey!" Iroh protested, "I spent ten minutes on that!" Elyrie only laughed at him, but didn't apologise.

"I just saved him a bit of embarrassment." She answered lightly, as she wiped the sticky product off her hand with a towel, "There was enough grease in his hair to fuel three battleships." Zuko sighed as he stood up; this night was off to a great start.

And fifteen minutes later, it didn't seem to go any better.

Why, why, why did I agree to do this? Zuko thought as he stared down in his bowl of noodles. This was torture, simply torture. Even Azula herself couldn't torture him as much as this night was.

Jin sat across from him at a table in a small restaurant in the Middle Ring. She had picked the place, because she claimed that the food was incredible. But Zuko hadn't tasted anything yet.

It was so incredibly awkward: what could he say to the girl? He kept picking his food with the chopsticks, trying to avoid any eye contact.

"So," Jin tried, her tone friendly, "How do you like the city so far?"

"It's okay." Zuko answered, poking in his meatball.

"What do you like to do for fun?" she asked again, sipping her tea as she looked intrigued at him.

"Nothing."

Nothing. He had actually answered nothing. If Elyrie had been here, she would have surely given him a slap on the back of his head for this.

"Excuse me, sir," the waiter interrupted, "Would you and your girlfriend care for dessert?"

As thankful Zuko was for the interruption, that's how angry he got when he heard the man address Jin as his girlfriend.

"She is not my girlfriend!" he exclaimed, slamming his hands on the table. The waiter looked at him with wide eyes as a silence fell over the restaurant.

Some people turned in their seats to stare at them.

What is the matter with me? Why can't I act like a normal person? Zuko mentally groaned as he fixed his eyes on the bowl in front of him. Even for him, this was a new level of awkwardness he was not accustomed to.

Irrationally, he thought about how easy it was for Elyrie to socialise with others, even though he knew she was just as private as he was. Why was it that she hadn't trouble in such situations?

Because she hadn't spend her teen years banished on a boat. Zuko almost let out another yell now that he realised how cut off from normal life he was. If he couldn't even make it through one date with a nice girl, how was he ever to manage to live a normal life in this city?

Well, he didn't want to but he had to make more of an effort.

"You have… quite an appetite for a girl." He thus said, watching Jin eat her noodles.

"Uh, thanks?" she answered uncertainly.

Great start, Zuko.

"So, Lee," Jin said as she put down her bowl, "Where were you, your niece and uncle living before you came here?"

"Uhm, well.." Zuko cleared his throat, "We've been traveling around for a long time." It wasn't technically a lie, but he hoped she wouldn't ask any more questions. But of course, she did.

"Oh, why were you traveling so much?" Jin asked interested.

To escape from my homicidal sister, who is also the Princess of the Fire Nation by the way. "We were, uh…, part of this traveling circus."

"Really? What did you do?"

Zuko couldn't think of anything, but Jin already filled it in for him: "Wait, lemme guess: you juggled!"

"Yes, I juggled." Zuko replied annoyed as he crossed his arms. So far making small talk made him feel even more ridiculous than saying nothing at all.

"I've always wanted to learn how to juggle," Jin said as she handed him a few objects from the table, "Can you show me something?"

Needless to say, Zuko made quite the spectacle of himself. Again.

He paid the bill as quickly as he could and he thought that would be the end of the date, but apparently Jin had other ideas.

"I want to show you one of my favourite places in the city," she said as she pulled him with her through the streets of the Middle Ring.

After a few minutes, she stopped at an open area with a large fountain and several posts with candles on top surrounding it in a circle. A few turtleducks were swimming in the fountain, looking up expectantly as they saw the visitors arrive.

The whole square was lit with a dozen lanterns. Several lanterns floated in the water, adding to the almost mystical feeling in the middle of the city. Zuko had never realised how beautiful candlelight could be in a dark place, such as this city.

"It is beautiful." Zuko said in awe. This reminded him of the Garden in the Royal Palace. During the winter, they had lit up the Fountains with similar floating lights. He remembered that he and Elyrie made a game out of it: who could light most of the lanterns from a distance. Elyrie had always been more precise when it came to firebending, but Zuko had been a worthy opponent.

She would love this, he thought as he let the beauty of the Fountain sink in, maybe I can take her here sometime.

He felt Jin's hand grabbing his, which brought him out of his thought. She turned to face him and he felt slightly uncomfortable with the way she was standing so close to him.

"I've brought you something." He said as he quickly pulled out the coupon Uncle had given him, "I's a coupon for a free cup of tea."

"Lee, that's so sweet." Jin answered as she took the coupon with a sparkle in her green eyes.

"Don't thank me – it was my Uncle's idea." Zuko said as he took a few steps back, "He thinks you're out most valuable customer."

"I have something for you too." Jin said softly as she walked closer, "Close your eyes."

Zuko obeyed and to his surprise, he felt the soft touch of her lips against his own. Her lips briefly caressed his for a second, before he felt the touch disappear.

His eyes still closed, his mind raced to that not so long ago night. Elyrie had been standing as close to him as Jin was doing now. He could so clearly remember her scent, the softness of her skin as he let his hand trail over her arm to her cheek, while caressing her soft hair.

It would be a lie to say that he hadn't thought of the possibility to kiss her, then and there. If Uncle hadn't entered at the moment that he did, Zuko was almost certain that he wouldn't have stepped back. And he didn't want to step back, he never wanted to. He wanted to feel her soft lips, to hold her close to him. Almost automatically, he leaned down his head to feel the softness of lips again.

It only lasted for a second and he opened his eyes, feeling a smile spread across his face. After all this time, he knew finally what it was he wanted to do.

But the olive-coloured eyes that met his, weren't the blue ones he was expecting to see.

He jumped back in surprise.

"What's wrong?" Jin asked, her eyes large with worry.

Zuko stopped for a moment as he tried to gather his thoughts. He felt his heart shatter in a million pieces as the truth came crushing onto him.

"It is complicated." he stuttered, "I have to go." And he was ashamed to admit it, but he ran. He ran away as fast as he could, leaving Jin standing there by herself. He didn't look back once. He couldn't, not now.

His lungs started burning and he started panting, but he didn't slow down. The houses and streets became a blur as it finally dawned on him what he had known for such a long time.

Elyrie. Lily.

Memories started to overflow his thoughts.

Her smile when she greeted him at the harbour; her relief when he won the Agni Kai; how she slipped him the note; how she stepped aside to let him escape the Stronghold; her fearlessness in the battle against Zhao; how she had jumped in front of him to fight off Azula; how she had knocked a fully grown man unconscious.

How she had fitted in his arms as if she was made for him; him carrying her to safety from the burning Temple; holding her after the Siege of the North; carrying her on his back through the Earth Kingdom; comforting her after she opened up about her fears.

Her soft touches when her gentle hands nursed his wounds; how she had warmed him on the North Pole. How she had comforted him, her arms around him; how she had kissed his scar, the one thing he didn't let anyone touch.

Her beautiful voice, singing on the ship, on the beach, on the ferry. Her laughter, her sly smiles, her cheerfulness. How she could make him smile, make him happy; the calming influence she had on him. How she lit up the room whenever she entered it; her sharp intellect; her irresistible beauty; her playful mannerism.

Oh Gods, he could punch himself for being so stupid. How could he have been so blind? It felt as if he had swallowed lightening that was now running through all of his veins. He was sure that redirecting lightning wouldn't feel half as exhilarating as this feeling he now experienced.

Out of breath, he arrived at the wooden door of the appartment. Just as he was about to enter and tell Elyrie what he had discovered, something stopped him. What was he about to say to her? What could he say to her? But he had to say it, didn't he? He had to tell her how he felt.

With a hand on the door, he hesitated. The small voice in the back of his head came through at last, sounding an awful lot like Uncle: are you sure you want to do this?

Yes, he had to ask her; he had to know.

"How was your evening, Prince Zuko?" Uncle asked with a smile as Zuko entered the room. Frantically, Zuko looked around the room but he didn't see Elyrie. The disappointment made his chest contrict, almost as if he was punched in the ribs. Where was she?

Without even answering his Uncle, he entered his bedroom, slamming the door behind him in frustration. Then, he saw her.

"Elyrie!" he almost yelled in surprise as he saw her sitting cross-legged on his bed.

Elyrie looked up in surprise from her book. "What? What?" she answered, almost sounding frantic as she looked at him, obviously unnerved by the fact he used her full name, "What's the matter?"

"I,- you.. fountain!" came his incoherent answer as his courage failed him now that she was sitting in front of him.

"Any possible chance that you ate a poisonous fish on your date?" Elyrie asked, sounding only half joking as she searched his face.

She was wearing loose pants and a shirt in the olive colour that complimented the red in her short curls. Her front locks were tied back, so the back of her hair fell around her shoulders. Her lovely face was illuminated by the soft light of the candles, which she used for her reading. The thin scar on her left temple caught the light, slightly shimmering against her pale skin. Her blue eyes look even brighter as she stared at him with a confused look.

"No, I-…" Zuko began again, not sure where the sentence would end. His heart started pounding, almost slamming against his ribs. He wanted to tell her what she meant to him, how much he cared for her. She knew that, right? She must know.

Would she feel the same for him? He had to know; he had to ask her. All he had to do, was ask her.

He had seen her sit like this so many times: legs under her, a book in her lap, her hair down, her impossibly blue eyes fixed on his face.

With those eyes looking at him, he felt his courage wash away, like a wave erased footsteps in the sand. She looked so innocent, so pure that he didn't dare to ask her. He was afraid, more afraid than he had ever been in his life. Not that she would laugh at him, she was far too kind for that. He was afraid that she wouldn't return his feelings.

"So, how was your date?" Elyrie asked him, arching her dark eyebrow.

For a moment, Zuko said nothing as he looked at her. Her face was even, almost stoic. Her full lips were slightly pursed and for a moment, he thought about the kiss he shared with Jin. The kiss he thought he shared with her.

"It was nice."

This was my take on the short stories from 'The Tales of Ba Sing Se.' I incorporated Zuko's story as best as I could, while simultaneously creating one for Elyrie. It took me forever to work out a fitting story that entwines both of them! I must have rewrote it at least four times (and now I have drafts which follow four separate stories, lol)

As for Iroh's story, that one was so perfect and heart-wrenching in the episode that I didn't even wanted to rewrite it. So, I instead chose to leave that as it is and give him a bigger part in the next chapter.

Chapter Text

"No, I don't think I-"

"Yes, you can! Just try it one more time."

Hearing the voice of his nephew, Iroh turned around and was surprised to see two children sitting at the other end of the garden. Zuko didn't often bring people to the garden of the Royal Palace. Aside from feeding the turtleducks with Princess Ursa, he wasn't much the type to sit outside.

Iroh watched with fascination as he saw the auburn-haired girl – Elyrie, he remembered - close her eyes and focus on her breathing as she extended her small, trembling hands. A small flame, like one belonging to a candle, appeared in her small palm.

She quickly opened her eyes again and shook her hands to make the flame disappear.

"Very good!" Zuko exclaimed enthusiastically. Iroh smiled at his nephew, who was sitting across from the girl on the soft grass in the garden. In the shadow of the cherry blossom tree, Zuko had apparently shown Elyrie a simple firebending form.

"I don't want to try anymore." Elyrie said, her hands still shaking as she made sure the fire was completely gone from her hand and fingers.

"But you are a firebender! You should try and practice more!" Zuko answered as he lit up his own palm to show her again.

"But you've had real training." Elyrie answered as she crossed her arms and swept a loose curl out of her face, "Papa and Mama don't think it is something that's good for me."

"You don't have to become a master," Zuko said to his new friend, "But don't you think it is fun to see what you can do?"

"No! I don't want to, please," the six-year old girl answered, "Fire is dangerous."

"Only if you loose your control." Zuko said, mimicking the words of his Uncle, "You have to be focused to learn." Good to know he does listen to my lessons, Iroh thought to himself as he smiled inwardly.

"But Papa and Mama told me that I didn't need to practice firebending," Elyrie said with a pout as she tugged on her long, reddish-brown hair, "That studying and learning was as valuable as any bending."

"But don't you want to try?" Zuko asked as he stood up and extended his hand to the little girl. Iroh saw that to him, it was unfathomable that a firebender wasn't constantly practicing to get better.

"Yes, but what if I can't do it?" Elyrie said, her blue eyes wide.

"But that's why you have to keep trying! You should never give up!" Zuko said to her, smiling as he placed her hands together, "Now, let's try it again."

"Uncle, table three wants one chamomile and one lychee tea, please."

Blinking his eyes, Iroh looked up. Elyrie – now at least fifteen years older than the girl he remembered that afternoon in the garden- handed him an order. She smiled at him, raising an eyebrow when he didn't respond right away. "Are you alright?" she asked tentatively.

"Yes, yes." He answered quickly, "Lost in thought for a moment."

She nodded with an understanding smile before she turned around again to help the other customers.

As she turned around, Zuko returned from a round of clearing tables, a full tray in his hands. On her way back, Elyrie brushed past him and murmured a quick 'excuse me', to which Zuko didn't even react. Instead, he walked straight to the kitchen without even looking at her.

Iroh could see the sadness in Elyrie's eyes, obviously the result of his nephew's distant behaviour. It was only for a moment before her stoic mask slipped back into place and she carried on with her work.

He let out a long sigh as he poured the new order of tea. How he longed for the easier times, where they played together as children without a care in the world.

Dealing with one complicated youngster was a difficult job. But managing two, both vastly different in character, was nearly impossible. What made it even more frustrating, was that all could be solved if they only talked to each other. If he was to make a guess – and he knew it was a very, very good guess – he thought about the situation:

Zuko had realised his budding feelings for Elyrie, but was too afraid to say anything about it. Instead, he avoided her as much as possible so that he didn't need to be confronted with it – or with her.

As for Elyrie, that was a bit more complicated. He had a pretty strong feeling that she was afraid as well and even more closed-off. More importantly, she was denying the possibility so she could continue to live on as she had before.

And now Iroh was ready to hit them both over the head with the kettle, because – for Agni's sake – the heat that was radiating from the two was almost palpable. Ever since they entered Ba Sing Se, the lingering tension was everywhere they went.

With a sigh, he brought the order of tea to the table. As he placed the cups on the table, he smiled at the customers. "Enjoy your tea!"

To him, wisdom was like tea: the key is proper aging. And with two in their early twenties, they would think they have all the time in the world. But one day, they would realise how precious the time is on this earth. We have such limited time here that we are almost obliged to make the most of it, he thought to himself. It was easy for him to tell them what they should do, but he knew it wouldn't work. They would be too stubborn to listen to him anyway.

"So," the customer said, forcing him out of his thoughts, "You're the genius behind this incredible brew. The whole city is buzzing about you! I hope Pao pays you well."

The man smiled at him, but Iroh only humbly bowed his head. "Good tea is its own reward." He answered, which was partly true. Pao paid him, Zuko and Elyrie enough to life moderately comfortable in the city, which was enough for now.

"But it doesn't have to be the only reward," the man continued as his smile widened even further, "How would you like to have your own tea shop?"

Own teashop? Iroh was convinced he heard him wrong. "My own teashop?" he repeated in amazement, "This is a dream come true!"

Iroh crossed looks with Elyrie, who had walked over to them with large eyes. Pao had heard it too and quickly tried to intervene. However, the investor seemed to be determined to convince him.

"I'll provide you with a new apartment in the Upper Ring; the tea shop is yours to do whatever you want: complete creative freedom!"

"I even get to name the shop?" Iroh asked excitedly.

"Of course!" the investor answered.

That sealed the deal. Iroh handed Pao his pot of tea and bowed to the man, agreeing to the terms. Elyrie immediately hugged Uncle in excitement.

"Your life is about to change for the better, young lady." The man smiled at her, before he turned to Zuko who walked by, "As is yours, young man."

"I'll try to contain my joy." was Zuko's sarcastic answer as he walked outside and slammed the door shut behind him.

The man, who introduced himself as Quon, continued to talk about the arrangements they had to make if they wanted to move out tomorrow, but Iroh only listened with a half ear. His gaze went to Elyrie, standing beside him with a smile plastered on her face that didn't reach her eyes.

He patted her hand in a reassuring manner, as if to convince her that everything would turn out all right in the end. And maybe it would, if he could convince Zuko that happiness can come in small forms.

Or in this case, in the form of a lovely blue-eyed firebender.

He chuckled inwardly as he listened to Quon and his plans. Yes, everything would turn out alright.

"Ah!" Zuko said sarcastically as Elyrie entered the apartment later that afternoon, "So glad you can join this tea party as well!"

Elyrie only raised her eyebrows, just as Zuko turned away to face the window. She had just come back from Roman to tell him the good news of today – and of course to pick up a new book. She had expected to come home and find them busy packing for their move tomorrow. Instead, she saw Zuko being obviously agitated and Uncle looking disappointed.

"Can you explain this?" Elyrie asked Iroh while pointing at Zuko's tensed back.

"He is in Ba Sing Se." Iroh answered solemnly, before he perked up and exclaimed: "The Tea Weevil!" But he immediately shook his head after that, "No, that is stupid."

To an untrained ear, this might have sounds like a nonsense answer, but it took Elyrie only a few moments to grasp the whole situation when her eye fell on the flyer on the table.

She picked it up and quickly read the information. Apparently, Aang and his friends were in Ba Sing Se in search of Appa. The feeling of excitement to see them again was quickly subdued when she realised what effect this news had on Zuko. She quickly folded the flyer and placed it between her new book, out of sight.

As she took in the news, she started twisting the ring around her finger. The first thing she had done once she heard of their plans to move, was take out the leather bag of her closet and place the sapphire ring on her finger again. She felt whole again, happy things were looking brighter for them.

Zuko didn't seem to share that sentiment, though. After a few moments he walked past her without saying a word and slammed the bedroom door shut.

Iroh sighed deeply. "I'm going to meet with Quon and the investors," he said as he turned to Elyrie, "And you should finish packing. We're leaving for the new apartment tomorrow morning."

Elyrie only nodded. After Uncle had left, she started cleaning up the small living room. She had been in such a good mood today, only for it to be spoiled by Zuko. Why was he being so selfish? She couldn't comprehend why he wasn't able to be happy, or at least enjoy the good things that were happening to them. Why did he need to start stirring trouble now?

As she started washing the last plates and cups, she tried to think of other things. Of the new apartment in the Upper Ring and of the possibility for her to take courses at the University of Ba Sing Se. Now that she would earn more money, she could afford it. She would be able to attend a few lectures, Uncle had told her so himself.

As she was drying the plates, she heard the bedroom door open again. With a sigh, she placed the last plate on the sink as she turned around. "Okay, spill it." Elyrie said as she threw the wet towel in the sink.

Zuko looked at her with a frown, obviously as angry as he had been before. "Spill what?" he grunted as he made his way to the door, but Elyrie wasn't about to let him off that easily.

"You know perfectly well what." she simply said as she crossed her arms.

"I don't want to…" he began, but she broke him off.

"You don't want to?" She asked while emphasising the first word in an angry tone. She felt the fire coursing through her as she looked at him. For some reason, she had little patience with him today. "Have you ever thought about what Uncle wanted? Do you think he wanted to travel the world in blind search of the Avatar? To leave the comfort of the palace? He did it for you, because he loves you. Don't you think you owe it to him to realize his dream?"

Zuko stopped in his movement, as he was surprised at her fervent reaction. "I want more from life than serving tea! I want my dest-"

Before he was able to fully finish that sentence, Elyrie had grabbed her book from the table and hurled it at him with impressive force. The book hit him right on his forehead. He looked bewildered at her, not even feeling pain. She threw a book at him? She? A book?!

"What the…?" He managed to exclaim before he dodged another object, which was the wet towel.

"You egotistical..," she began as she searched for another object to throw, "disrespectful," she continued as she threw a plate, which he deflected. It slammed against the wall with a loud shattering noise.

"Self-centred.."

He dodged another book.

"What do you think, you little know-it-all,-" he spat back as he ducked for the cup she flung at him

"Ungrateful,-" She ignored his question as she hurled a pillow.

"High and mighty,-" he sneered as he caught the pillow and threw it aside.

"Delusional,-," she continued as she got closer to him, throwing another plate.

"Repressed,-"

"Insufferable,-"

"Alright, enough!" Zuko yelled as he grabbed her wrists and forced her arms beside her body. He had dodged and reflected almost all objects she managed to throw in his direction, but he wasn't waiting for the moment she would pick up something heavier to hurl at him.

She was panting from the excitement and struggled to get free, but he held her arms in an iron grip so she couldn't move away. She looked at him with an angry expression that he had seldom seen in her. He had never seen her lose her temper, not with him or with anyone. "What the hell is wrong with you?" he said between gritted teeth as she stopped resisting after a few moments, but he didn't let go of her just yet.

"Wrong with me?!" she hissed as his face was inches from hers, sparks flying from between her lips, "For once in your life, think about someone else than yourself!"

Zuko pushed her away in frustration, which surprised her as she stumbled backwards. She quickly found her balance again, but she apparently wasn't done with him.

"Uncle worked hard for this, it's his dream! Why can't you be more supportive and help him with this?"

"I want more of my life than a nice apartment and a job serving tea," Zuko answered, his jaw clenched.

"I want more too, but I'm willing to wait for it!" Elyrie said.

"Wait for it?!" Zuko yelled, stepping in her direction until he was but a few centimetres away from her face, "Easy for you to say: it has not even been six months for you! I have been waiting for nearly six years until I finally can start my life again!"

"Your life didn't stop!" Elyrie said, as he arched her neck to look him in his eyes, "It changed its course."

"It did stop," he insisted, "And if you could just look past your own spoiled outlook, you can see that too."

"Spoiled outl-" Elyrie began, indignantly planting her hands on her hips to give him hell, but Zuko cut her off. "Yes, spoiled." He repeated as he looked intensely at her, "You are spoiled rotten. You say you want change and that you want more, but you sit around passively waiting for things to magically solve itself."

"I don't-"

"Yes, you do." Zuko cut in, "You always do because everything has always solved itself if you only waited long enough. But in case you hadn't noticed: I don't have that luxury!"

"No, you want your so-called destiny," she answered, her cheeks now red from frustration, "But it doesn't matter to you who gets hurt in the process of getting it! I don't understand how you can be so selfish!"

"That's because you, once again, get everything without doing anything for it," he snarled, "It is mighty easy for you to say that I shouldn't be selfish while everything works out for you, isn't it?" Smoke came out of his nostrils, but neither of them was even the least bit worried that someone should see their displays of firebending.

Elyrie was sure that if she were able to conjure lightning, she would have shot a bolt of lightning at his thick skull. "Believe me," she said while inhaling through her nose, "This isn't what I want. None of this is what I want."

"Then what is it you want? Go back to the North Pole? To the Fire Nation? What?" Zuko said in an angry tone, obviously out of patience.

"I-, I.." Elyrie began before she thought about what he said, but her mind refused to form coherent thoughts. Zuko was standing so close to her, their bodies almost touched. She felt her cheeks heat up again, but she wasn't sure it was out of frustration.

She forced herself to look into his golden eyes as she thought about what he had said; what was it that she wanted? She had lived day by day, wanting more than this simple life but never once stopped to think what it actually was that she wanted.

Surprising herself, she closed her mouth again and looked away from Zuko. Even in his agitated state, she couldn't deny that she was comforted by his presence.

She actually did know what she wanted: she wanted him to bend forward and kiss her. She abruptly turned away from him and bend down to pick up the pieces of the plate she had thrown.

Zuko arched one eyebrow when she didn't immediately answer his question. It wasn't like her to falter, to not know what to say. What the hell was the matter with her today? "Elyrie!" he said, "Why don't you answer me?"

Elyrie stopped in her motion when he used her full name. She hated it when he did that. He called her 'Lily', always Lily. 'Elyrie' was formal, distant. 'Elyrie' was patronising. 'Elyrie' was what he used to call her as if he wanted to say 'listen, I know better and this is how it works'.

"Just leave me alone." She said as she clenched her jaw, trying to ignore the fire that was again building up from under her skin.

"Elyrie," Zuko said again, his voice impatient as if he was talking to a child.

"I said: leave me alone!" Elyrie yelled, turning around and raising her hands as fire sprung from the tips of her fingers, "Go and find your precious destiny, but leave me alone!"

Zuko was surprised and shocked at her fervent reaction. He gritted his teeth as she looked at him, her eyes almost daring him to push her even further over the edge. Even in the fog of his anger, he knew that was a bad idea.

But he wanted to tell her that she didn't understand. She would never understand. He hated it. She didn't care for his birth right, or for him. All she wanted was her easy life.

If she didn't care, she would not have reacted like this. His inner voice – which sounded suspiciously like Uncle – whispered to him when he took another look at her almost decomposed look. She looked like volcano, ready to explode again if he as so much dared to open his mouth. No, a snow-covered volcano, he thought as he looked at the pale skin and the blue eyes. The cool exterior was hiding the fiery spirit within, which she so seldom showed. Like a volcano, the pressure builds over time: it can take years for it to erupt but once it does, you better hide.

He looked at her, wanting to be angry as he let his eyes go over her. Her blue eyes were filled with fire, her curls were sticking out and her face was flushed from the excitement of throwing all imaginable objects at him. Her lips were pressed together in a line and she looked at him defiantly.

Oh for Agni's sake, why did he have to look at her like that? He'd rather have that the anger and feeling of injustice came back, because everything was better than this touching feeling of knowing that she did care.

Without saying another word, he turned around and walked out of the apartment. He slammed the door in anger as hard as he could, hoping the wood would splinter and break into a thousand pieces. Of course, it didn't. Even that can't go right today, Zuko thought as he ran down the stairs into the streets of the Lower Ring.

On the other side of the door, Elyrie picked up the book she had thrown at Zuko in her frustration. The spine had cracked and some pages had folded when it had collided with his impossible thick skull, but the damage was not too bad.

She sat down on the floor as she tried to straighten the pages, heating up the tips of her fingers to generate warmth to straighten them out.

She perked her ears, listening to the sounds in the stairwell. Then, she finally heard Zuko descended from the steps and into the street. Now that he was gone, she stood up and placed the damaged book on the table. She would have to buy it from Roman, but that would be alright.

As she leaned on the table, she looked around the room. Scatters of her outburst were visible everywhere. She couldn't think of the last time she had exploded like this, yelling and throwing things. It was just that Zuko made her so angry, she wanted to strangle him.

"Spoiled." She murmured as she felt her anger resurface. She pursed her lips together in an annoyed manner: she hated that Zuko called her spoiled. Hadn't she just travelled all across the Earth Kingdom with little to nothing? She was just as much of a refugee here as he was!

It is not that kind of spoiled and you know it, the little voice inside her said. She sighed as she picked up an empty cup that had survived the whole ordeal. She let it turn in her hands as she though about what Uncle had once said to her: you knew that, despite everything, you were loved.

Love. The one thing Zuko never was able to take for granted from the people around him, because he didn't knew that safety. And it was true: she had never doubted that people were good and would take care of her.

She bit her lip in frustration but her father always told her that if critique bothers you, there is some truth in it. Zuko is right, she thought. Everything came to her because there were always people willing to help her and to love her, to make her feel safe. Even here, Roman offered her a place of refuge in a foreign city. Uncle was offered a new tea shop, but Zuko had nothing of his own, nothing at all.

And now, with Aang in the city…

She let the cup dangle between her fingers, hating the feelings of uncertainty and frustration. She looked around and the damage around her was proof enough that there was something inside her that there wasn't before.

She forced to admit to herself that she knew exactly why she was so frustrated. There was no need to overthink what was happening to her. She could say she had conflicted feelings; that she was confused; that it had been the stress of the past weeks, or that she had no idea what was happening to her. She shook her head, for she knew herself better than that.

She had fallen in love with him.

She laughed at herself when she finally thought the words. Of course she was in love with him, it would be nonsense to deny it.

With a smile, she weighed the cup in her hands. Then, she threw it against the wall with all the strength she had.

"So, the Blue Spirit," Iroh said, seemingly confused as he stroked his beard, "I wonder who could be behind that mask?"

"What are you doing here?" Zuko sighed as he lowered his swords and took off the mask he had been wearing to get into the secret headquarters of the Dai Li. For him, it had been difficult enough to discover the hiding place of the sky bison and to get here undetected, but apparently his Uncle had managed to do the same.

And with much less effort, he judged by his simple clothes and calm demeanour. He had opened the door as if he was going on a visit, not just had snuck into the most secure and secretive place in the whole Earth Kingdom.

"I was just about to ask you the same thing," Iroh replied as he looked at his nephew, dressed all in black with his broadswords in his hands. They had moved their stuff this morning to their new apartment in the Upper Ring, but after that Zuko had disappeared. He knew his nephew well enough to expect him to do something rash, but even he was surprised at the stupidity of this action.

"What are you planning to do now that you found the Avatar's bison?" he continued as he motioned to the enormous animal behind Zuko, "Keep him locked in our new apartment? Should I go put on a pot of tea for him?"

The sky bison sensed the tension and remained silent as his large brown eyes followed the two familiar figures in front of him, growling softly. Iroh saw that the creature had recognised them and he felt a sting in his heart as he saw him chained up in here. However, he would deal with that later. First, he had to make Zuko see that he could decide his own fate. That he had to decide his own fate.

"First I have to get it out of here." Zuko mumbled as he avoided Iroh's look, but Iroh was done with being patient and understanding.

"And then what?!" he yelled, "You never think these things through! This is exactly like the time you captured the Avatar at the North Pole: you had him and then you had nowhere to go!"

"I would have figured something out!"

"No!" Iroh said harshly, "If Elyrie hadn't been there to take you back, you would have frozen to death!"

Zuko turned away in frustration as his Uncle's voice cut through the dark air of the cell. An uneasy feeling in his chest grew as he realised his impatience and his rashness might have had a different ending. It was true: Elyrie had been the one who guessed he had escaped into the frozen tundra, because she was the only one who thought him capable of such a dangerous plan.

NO! he said to himself as his mind wandered off, thinking about how she might have saved him. He would have made it! He always had to struggle, but he always found a way to survive.

"I know my own destiny, Uncle!" he answered, turning back to the bison.

"Is it your own destiny, or is it a destiny that someone else has tried to force on you?" Iroh asked, finally saying out loud what he had been thinking for the last five years. Inwardly, he resented his brother for forcing Zuko down this path of unhappiness and misery. He resented him for denying the thing Zuko needed most: love.

"Stop it, Uncle!" Zuko said out loud, hoping to silence the nagging feeling in his chest as well, "I have to do this!"

"I'm begging you, Prince Zuko," Iroh yelled, finally losing his patience with his stubborn nephew. He loved him and he wanted to see him happy, but he was unable to stay silent any longer. The effect his brother had on him was too great and Zuko needed to break free from his past if he was to become the man he always was meant to be. "It is time for you to look inward and ask yourself the big question: who are you? And what do you want?"

Zuko felt his blood turn to ice as he realised he had asked Elyrie that same question. She hadn't answered it, she didn't seem to know. He had judged her for it, but now he felt the same indecisiveness coursing through his veins.

What did he want?

As soon as he asked himself that, all the different voices – all his inner thoughts - yelled louder at him, screaming over each other for his attention.

What was his destiny? If he had a choice, what would he do now?

Deep down, he knew what he should do. What would be the good thing to do, but what would go against everything that had driven him for the last five years.

He looked at the sky bison, who was looking at him with an almost frightened expression. He knew this animal shouldn't be locked up like this, that he should be reunited with his master. But his master was the Avatar, and he had been trying to capture him. He had to capture him if he wanted to regain his honour.

If we had known each other then, you think we could have been friends too?

After he had been knocked out with the arrow, the Avatar had taken him away from the Stronghold and stayed with him until he had opened his eyes. The boy had offered his friendship but he had rejected it, believing it to be impossible.

But was it truly impossible?

He clenched his jaw, trying to shut out all of the feelings and thoughts that raced through him. With a loud scream, he threw down his swords and mask. His yell echoed off the walls of the cell, all the way back to the surface.

After that, there was a deafening silence. And Zuko knew what he had to do.

The whole day, Elyrie had seen neither Zuko nor Uncle. Where they were or what they were doing, she had no idea. Inside the new apartment, she started to decorate and make it feel more like a home. They had moved that morning and after a few hours, she had done the groceries, cooked a dinner and had eaten it without much gusto. But she had to do something, because she was starting to feel more worried by the minute.

The sun was starting to set on the horizon when she heard the door open.

Zuko walked in first, dressed completely in black with his broadswords strapped on his back. Elyrie immediately recognised the outfit as the one he had been wearing as the Blue Spirit. After him, Uncle entered with a happy expression on his wrinkled face.

She wanted to make a snarky comments when the two men entered the apartment, but immediately saw that something was wrong. Zuko didn't seem like himself as he took steps into the dim apartment, looking as if all the blood had drained from his face.

"What happened?" she asked them, walking over to Zuko as she extended her hands to him.

"He did the right thing," Iroh nodded to her with a proud smile, "Letting the Avatar's bison go free."

"I-, I," Zuko began, taking Elyrie's outstretched hands, "I don't feel right."

Just as their hands touched, his eyes closed and he fell over. In a reflex, Elyrie caught him but she wasn't strong enough to hold him up by herself. She lowered onto her knees, with Zuko still unconscious in her arms.

"Uncle, what is happening?" she asked, her voice high with worry, "What is the matter with him?" His weight still on her, she could feel his heart beating faster than was normal. His skin was hot to the touch, almost as if he had a fever.

"I don't know." Iroh answered as he placed his hand on his nephews forehead.

That night, Iroh didn't sleep a wink as he watched over his sick nephew. Elyrie had fallen asleep, but before dawn she had woken up and found Iroh in an uncomfortable position on the wooden floor.

"He has been stirring all night," he yawned when Elyrie had given him a cup of tea. Zuko was still laying on his bed, which they had moved to the living room.

"Is it serious?" she asked, looking at Zuko's pained face. He looked even paler on the white sheets.

"It isn't lethal, but it won't be a pleasant experience." Iroh answered as he took a sip of tea, "He is going through a metamorphosis."

Elyrie wanted to ask what it meant, but Iroh yawned again and his eyes were watery from exhaustion.

"Why don't you sleep a little bit? I can watch over him, don't worry." Elyrie instructed gently.

She had expected Uncle to disagree, but he only nodded as he stood up. Stretching his sore muscles, he turned to Elyrie.

"He might be delirious from the fever." he warned her. As if to underline his point, Zuko moaned in his sleeps and turned around.

"Uncle, go to sleep." Elyrie instructed when she saw the dark circles under his eyes, "I'll take care of him, I promise."

Iroh complied and after a few moments, she heard the soft snoring coming from the other bedroom. She picked up a book and started reading it, every few minutes looking over at the sleeping figure of Zuko. A silence descended over the apartment, but it wasn't calming or peaceful. However, hearing Uncle say it wasn't lethal had eased her mind a little bit.

But not for long, as Zuko started trashing again in his sleep while sweating profusely.

Elyrie wiped his brow with a damp cloth as she softly started humming. She didn't knew if it was the coolness of the water or the soft tones of her voice, but he seemed to relax a little bit.

After he had calmed down, she got up to get some fresh water. She might not be a nurse, but she knew that he needed to drink plenty if he didn't want to get any weaker. Still humming, she filled a cup with water and sat down next to Zuko again.

"Elyrie." She heard her name in his faint voice and she looked at him with a smile. His eyes were half-open and he was still sweating.

"Here, this helps." She said to him as she gave him a bit to drink, placing her hand behind his head to help. He lifted his head, but his heavy-lidded eyes kept looking at her with a fuzzy look.

"Lily." He said, as if to get her attention again. "Yes?" Elyrie responded with a smile on her lips as she helped him drink the water.

"No." was his answer after a few sips, "You cannot be her."

Delirious from the fever, she thought. "Oh? And why is that?" she answered innocently as she stood up to fill the cup again at the kitchen counter.

"She is far away." His answer was hoarse as if he tried to hold back emotions in his feverish state, "She is far, far away from me."

Now Elyrie did turn around and leaned against the counter.

"Is she, now?" she asked as she crossed her arms as she tried to figure out where he was in his dream. He sounded so sad and beaten. Uncle had told her he was going through some kind of transformation but she didn't understand what he exactly meant by that.

"Yes." His voice was weak and she had to strain herself to hear it.

"And where are you then?"

"Darkness." Quite the dramatic answer, she thought as she sat down and wiped his head another time.

"I see." She said patiently, as if his answers were not delirious at all.

"That is why she can't be here." Zuko continued as he rolled on his side and looked at her. He didn't recognise her, but talked to her as if she was some figment of his imagination. "She is light." He said in a raspy voice.

Her heart started pounding at this compliment. At least, as far as it could be a compliment in his feverish state. "Try to sleep." Elyrie gently instructed as she took the cloth from his brow, suddenly feeling a bit awkward.

But something had made him panic. The heat he was generating was unnatural, even for a firebender. He trashed his head back and forth, but calmed down once she placed another cool hand against his cheek and felt that his fever hadn't broken yet.

Softly, she started singing her mother's lullaby.

Oh, won't you come with me?
Where the moon is made of gold

He seemed to relaxed at the soft tones of her voice, for which she was grateful. If he slept another good night, she was sure he would recover in no time.

His clammy hand searched for hers and she took his. Even though she felt that he was weak, the strength with which he grasped her cool fingers was surprisingly strong.

And as the waves roll by
We'll sing the song of the sea

She finished the song softly and felt his grip relax. She sat there for a few more minutes, until she was sure he was asleep.

Just as she wanted to release herself from his grip, his hoarse voice broke the silence. She froze in her movement as his eyelids flew open again. For a moment, she thought that he recognised her when his piercing golden eyes looked into her own eyes.

But when she saw no sign of recognition, she knew he was still delirious. She continued to hum the lullaby as she stroked his shaggy hair in a soothing manner. The panic in his eyes ebbed away as she smiled at him and he seemed to relax at the sight, but didn't let go of her hand.

"Do you-," he began before he coughed a couple times. The sound cut through the apartment, as if the words were too much for him.

"Ssshtt." Elyrie hushed. Even though Uncle had assured her that his illness wasn't lethal, it pained her to see him like this. She couldn't remember the last time she had seen him this weak. Even when he had almost frozen to death on the North Pole and she had held him in her arms, he had radiated an unusual strength.

But those had been physical wounds, she knew that. Zhao's attack on his life, the freezing temperatures, Jet's swords… Those wounds healed over time. But what he was experiencing now was apparently connected to the deeper wounds within him. The scars that weren't visible on his face, but buried deep down. He had been going on for so long, it was bound to happen that those wounds would come and haunt him.

Zuko's coughing fit finally ended when she placed the cup against his chapped lips. He took over the cup with one hand, while continuing to hold onto her other hand. When he was finished, she took the cup from him and put it aside.

With an exhausted expression, Zuko lowered his head again and closed his eyes. Elyrie wiped away the strands of hair that stuck to his forehead. He looked so fragile, so young.

"Do you think-," Zuko began again without opening his eyes, "Do you think she could have loved me?" he sighed, as if he had given up on the world. The sheer desperation while simultaneously sounding at peace were heart-breaking.

She didn't need to think about her answer.

"Yes." Her soft voice answered him, "She could."

I think she should! ;)

Chapter Text

Elyrie was lying in her bed, her arm tucked under her head for support as she looked at her new room in the dark. The small nightstand had a book on it and the closet had her clothes in it. There was a soft rug, which was a soft green in the daytime but now looked like a black hole on the lighter wooden floor in the darkness of the night.

Her bed was incredibly soft, unlike the hard mattress she had in their apartment in the Lower Ring. Her new pillow was made of silk and she felt her hair sliding of the fabric every time she turned on her side. The blankets were warm and soft, hugging her comfortably as she lay down.

But despite the comfort, she couldn't sleep. She had the feeling she wouldn't sleep a wink tonight - or any other night for that matter.

She turned on her back again and stared at the dark ceiling. Her heart kept pounding vigorously every time she thought about what Zuko had said to her.

Do you think she could have loved me?

Did he even know what he had said? Did he mean it? Or was it just the fever talking?

A few hours ago, Zuko's fever had finally broken and he got a little better. Even though he remained in bed, he seemed to be in better spirits. He had smiled and thanked Uncle for his good care, as well as thanked her for her kindness.

After he had gone to bed to sleep off the last remains of his sickness, she had withdrawn herself in her own thoughts again. She had hoped that retiring early would help her sleep, but it wasn't doing her any good: it must be after midnight and she was still wide awake.

With a sigh, she pushed her blanket away and got out of her bed. She opened her door and walked into the dark corridor. Her room was the one furthest away from the living room, so she slipped as quietly as she could past Uncle's and Zuko's rooms.

She turned around and let her gaze go over their new apartment. The hardwood floor was covered with a soft green carpet, on which the furniture was placed. There were three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a spacious living room and a kitchen – which was Uncle's favourite spot. It was more than enough for three people, and at least three times as large as the apartment they had shared before.

The large window on the right side of the apartment gave her a view of the Upper Ring. In the Lower Ring, she couldn't see the stars out of the window. But here, she could see the night sky shining above them.

Under the window was a low table which faced their new kitchen. Elyrie sat down and let her elbows rest on the darkbrown wood of the table. The moon was full and illuminated the streets of Ba Sing Se with her light. Elyrie smiled at her cousin as she lit the small candle on the table with a snap of her fingers. "What do you think, Yue?" she asked her, not really expecting an answer as the flame illuminated the room with a warm, orange light.

Folding her legs under her, Elyrie looked at the dancing flame in front of her. Everything was so quiet around her. The city was quiet and peaceful: everyone was asleep in their beds. Only she was kept awake by the thoughts that kept spinning their web inside of her mind. And the longer she waited, the vaster that web became. But what could she do about it?

Her mother used to say: "Never let 'what if' control your life, because it'll wreck havoc on your mind." Yet, all the 'what if's' had crossed Elyrie's mind by now. As she let her hand go over the little flame, she felt the heat prickling on her skin. Letting her fingers dance over her element, she let her thoughts wander off again

What if he had said it while he was awake?

What if we were still in the Fire Nation?

What if he hadn't been such a difficult, stubborn and impossible man?

"The night is perfect for overthinking." Uncle's kind voice came from behind her, "Because only in darkness can you see the light of the stars."

Elyrie let out a low chuckle at the proverbial entry of the older man. "I am sorry, did I wake you?" she asked as she turned around to look at him.

"No, dear." He answered as he walked over to the kitchen, "I slept so long today, that I am not tired now. Do you want a cup of tea as well?"

Elyrie only nodded. Silently, she watched Uncle prepare two cups of the hot brew. Her fingers kept playing with the fire. The warmth and light was soothing to look at, even if she manipulated it from time to time by increasing and decreasing the size of the flame.

She had expected Uncle to scold her for displaying her bending – even if they were such small things as manipulating a candle – but he didn't say anything. Instead, he just used the firestones to make a flame to heat the water for their tea.

"Do you want to tell me what is bothering you?" Iroh only asked her as he handed her the cup and sat down across from her at the low table.

Elyrie contemplated it for a moment as she took a sip from the sweet tea. It was chamomile, used to treat anxiety and insomnia. She smiled inwardly at the attentiveness of Uncle, because he could so clearly see she was bothered.

With her gaze fixed on the dancing flame, she thought about it. She could lie and say that nothing was bothering her. That she was fine, just a bit nervous for their new shop. She could think of a thousands things she rather wanted to say, but she knew it was no use.

"Zuko said something to me today that I can't stop thinking about." she said in a small voice, "He was sleeping and he didn't know he was speaking to me, but he was asking about me. He asked me if I-, if I could-…" She stumbled on the words now that she had to repeat them out loud to another person.

"Yes?" Iroh urged gently.

"If I could have loved him."

She said it. The whole day, she had tried to convince herself that he hadn't said it like that. That he meant something entirely different; that he was delirious from the fever, not in his right mind - but he had asked her this, asked her if she could have loved him.

"And can you?"

She looked up at Uncle, but his reaction remained neutral. Even in the flickering light of the candle could she tell by his reaction that this didn't surprise him. His question was direct, but she wasn't ready to answer it yet.

"Aren't you surprised by this?" she instead asked.

Iroh repressed a smile when she turned the conversation around, but he decided to humour her for now. "Actually no," he answered, "I am shocked it took you two so long."

Elyrie opened her mouth in surprise, but closed it again when Iroh placed a finger on his lips and motioned to the bedrooms, indicating her to be quiet.

"The tension between you is almost palpable, so it was hard to miss." He said in a hushed tone. She only nodded as she stared at the flames.

"What you have together, goes deeper than mere love." Uncle continued in a soft tone, "You two have an almost spiritual connection, forged in childhood and formed as you grew older. Have you never wondered why it didn't seem like any time had passed between the two of you, even after being years apart?"

Elyrie started twisting her ring around her finger as she listened. She had never wondered about it, she had taken it for granted.

She didn't answer, but Iroh continued: "Because of that connection you share: platonic love at its finest, because you bring out the best in each other - you always have done that. You are the calming influence on Zuko's temper and the cheerfulness compared to his more solemn character. And he makes that you think about the serious questions in life, that you look further than your own safe circle where you've grown up in. His determination is in stark contrast with your own wait-and-see attitude, which inspires you to take more action."

"What do you mean by that?" Elyrie asked quietly, still playing with her ring.

"That you're not exactly the type to go out of your comfort zone." Iroh replied. Elyrie's blue eyes shot up and she opened her mouth to protest, looking almost offended.

"Please, let me explain," Iroh quickly said, "I don't mean to say that you are a coward – far from it. But you adapt to a situation if you have to, but your feelings take longer. You create the safe haven for yourself by bottling everything up inside, so you don't have to face the conflicting feelings. That's your comfort zone."

Elyrie let his words sink in as she took a sip of her tea. "I don't know how to love him." she finally said, saying out loud what she had been feeling for quite some time, "I'm in love with him, but I don't know what to do with it."

"Why?"

"Because I don't know how I can possibly cross over from friendship to more?" she answered, "There will be no turning back once I do."

"You are afraid?"

"Terrified."

"Even now you know that he loves you too?"

She let out a low chuckle. "That is even worse. I am already terrified, but I wouldn't want to hear it from him. As long as we can keep the silence, I can pretend it isn't there."

"You could ask what he thinks of all of this?" Uncle frowned, "Don't you think he gets a say in this?"

"Sorry," she answered as she stood up, "I cannot do that."

"Why do you deny yourself a chance?"

"Because it is much easier."

"So, what now?" Iroh sighed, wondering what he had done to get two such stubborn cow-pigs under his wing. Well, at least this one was willing to discuss her feelings and emotions – albeit to confirm that she'll shut them off.

"Carry on with our lives as we've always had." Elyrie answered firmly, "I can handle that."

"I once told you, you need to be open to be able to generate lighting. You understand now what I mean by closing off? For you, the most difficult part is letting go of the control." Iroh tried for the last time as he picked up the two empty cups.

"Uncle, you know how much I value your advice,-" she began as she crossed her arms.

"Which means you intend to ignore it." Iroh cut in with a raised eyebrow.

"- but I am not going to overturn his life now that he finally seems to be doing better. I am not that selfish."

You're confusing stubbornness with strength, dear, Iroh mused as he looked at the girl. With her arms folded and her face stoic, she didn't allow for any other arguments. And I warn you: you aren't going to like yourself for it.

The following morning, Zuko woke up feeling like he had slept for weeks on end. He felt refreshed, like a new person. As he got out of bed, it seemed like the sun had finally broken through the thick blanket of dark clouds that had surrounded him for months. He felt lighter, almost as if he was flying every time he did something.

Rubbing the sleep out of his eyes, he walked into the living room. Elyrie was sitting at the low table, eating the breakfast that Uncle had prepared. The smell filled the entire apartment.

"What is that smell?" Zuko asked as he walked towards them.

"It's jook." Iroh answered, preparing himself for a scowl from his nephew, "I'm sure you wouldn't like it."

Zuko leaned forward and sniffed the porridge. "Actually," he said as he picked up a bowl, "It smells delicious. I'd love a bowl, Uncle." With a smile, he lifted his bowl to the older man, politely waiting for him to give him the jook.

Iroh filled the bowl and exchanged a look with Elyrie at the table. She only raised her shoulders, apparently just as surprised as he was by the soft demeanour of his nephew.

"Now that your fever is gone, you seem different somehow."

"Tonight we have the opening party for your new teashop." Zuko smiled content as he took a sip from the jook, "We have a new apartment, new furniture. Things are looking up, Uncle."

And he meant it. Uncle's new teashop, 'the Jasmine Dragon', was almost ready to open and he was actually glad that he could help his Uncle prepare for his special day.

"So, we're going to have a busy day." Iroh answered as he sat down as well, slurping the jook from his bowl, "You both know what to do, right?"

"Run our errands, but be back at four o'clock to prepare ourselves for the party," Elyrie repeated, because the schedule was hammered into her brain, "Or in my case: at three o'clock."

"Are you planning to take that long to prepare?" Zuko asked her and she turned around with a mischievous grin.

"Of course!" she exclaimed, although her voice was slightly higher than normal, "I have to prepare myself without help, so it's going to take forever. But how often do I get the chance to dress up?"

"If everything goes as planned, dear," Iroh smiled, "You'll have to dress up more than you'd like."

"I'm counting on it!" she answered as she stood up and placed her bowl on the kitchen counter.

A few hours later, all three of them were preparing themselves for the party. Not only Quon and the investors would be present, but other important shopkeepers and merchants from the Upper Ring would attend. Any other person had worried about the etiquette and customs of the upper classes; after all, they were mere refugees from the Lower Ring. Quon had given them a brief summary of the customs in the upperclass, but it hadn't been necessary; they didn't differ much from the ones in the Fire Nation. Zuko smiled at the irony: from upperclass Fire Nation citizens to refugees in the Earth Kingdom, only to rise in the ranks of the city.

He was confident that tonight would be a success. Elyrie and he had been brought up in these circles, so he wouldn't be too out of place. And even if he was, he could hide behind her – as he had done so often.

"- and that is how I became acquainted with your father." the Councilman finished with a wide smile that made his round face even more look like a full moon.

"Indeed, sir," Elyrie answered as she waved her fan, feigning interest, "What a fascinating story." In all of her sixteen years, she didn't think she had ever heard such a long and boring story, which could have been summed up in four words: we met at court. "But if you'll excuse me, I think my presence is required by the Princess." Without waiting for a response, Elyrie turned around.

As if she ever would attend to Azula, but she needed an excuse to get away from the tediously boring man.

"You know," Zuko said as he walked beside her, "You are a terrible liar." Elyrie gave him an annoyed look as he smiled arrogantly at her. He had been standing just behind her the entire time without even bothering to help her get away from the Councilman.

"Hard times require hard choices," she answered as almost frantically spun the fan in her hand, "How long do you plan to hide behind me?"

"Just as long as this party lasts," the eighteen year old Prince said with a grin, "Doesn't your face hurt from all the fake smiling by now?"

"Don't laugh at me," she said, although he saw the lights dart in her eyes, "At least I am playing my part. That is more than I can say of you." Accusingly, she poked him in his chest with her fan.

"I am the Prince," he answered as he pushed her hand away with a smirk, "That comes with certain privileges." His eyes lit up in an amused way as he looked just over shoulder into the crowd. "And one of those privileges is seeing the young Nishio coming over here to speak to you."

"Help." She mouthed before she turned around to look at Nishio, who almost stepped on her toes as he practically ran to them.

"Miss Elyrie, what a pleasure seeing you at this party in the Palace." He said as he took her hand. Elyrie might have been able to smile, were it not that every time he said the letter 'p', he covered her in consumption.

"The pleasure is mine." She answered, subtly wiping her hand on the skirts of her dress.

"I can see that: his pleasure is all over you." Zuko mumbled before she stomped on his foot with her heel.

He smiled at the memory. She had been the one to do the small talk and she had been great at it. He didn't doubt that tonight she would be the one to do the smooth talking- but what surprised him was that he didn't felt exhausted by the idea of socialising now. He felt excited, like he hadn't felt in a long time. Uncle was right: he seemed different, but how could he not be excited? Things were looking up for them and everything seemed to be going well.

Even more, he finally felt as if the heavy stone wall that he had build around his heart slowly started to crumble down. His Uncle told him he would emerge stronger than before, and he felt stronger.

"You look very handsome, nephew." Iroh said approvingly as Zuko stepped out of his bedroom in his new attire. He wore a white tunic with an olivegreen overcoat, decorated with golden embroidery. It was perfect for a festive event.

Uncle had surprised them all by gifting them new clothes for the special occasion, and he hadn't forgotten himself. He looked very sharp in his softgreen robe complimented by a round hat, according to the latest Earth Kingdom fashion

"Thank you, Uncle." Zuko answered cheerfully, before he turned around and saw Elyrie enter the living room.

"How do I look?" Elyrie asked as she twirled around in her jade dress. The sleeves were white, but the bodice was made of the beautiful green shade of mousseline. It was tight around her waist, but the skirt flowed around when she moved as she walked, as if it was made of air. Her hair was pinned up in a bun in the nape of her neck, with the two front locks framing her face. A elegantly curved jade pin was placed in her dark hair, complimenting the colour of the dress. Her face was powdered with a blush on her cheeks and kohl around her eyes. Her lips were a tint darker than normal, which suited her look perfectly.

"You are a vision, dear!" Iroh exclaimed as she walked to him.

"You are so beautiful." Zuko whispered with a smile she had never seen before. Elyrie stopped in her tracks when she looked at him and he saw that a faint blush spread over her cheeks.

She looked at his outfit and smiled at him. "Don't you two look handsome too." She complimented them with a smile. Now it was Zuko's turn to blush as he shyly looked away.

"Ready?" Uncle asked as he opened the door for them.

Zuko nodded and offered Elyrie his arm, ready to escort her as a nobleman would do. Elyrie looked surprised, but immediately took his arm. When Zuko felt her touch, his heart started pounding faster but he remained stoic as they walked outside.

As they walked toward the shop, Elyrie took in their new surroundings. Even in the twilight, she could see the green grass on either side of the pavement. The lawns were in immaculate state, very well-kept like the rest of the street. Her gaze went over the other houses, very much the same as theirs.

She was ashamed to admit that she felt immediately at home in this neighbourhood. It was almost amusing how similar Ba Sing Se was in comparison to the Fire Nation Capital. At least, the part of the Capital she had grown up in: the wealthy part where the streets were clean, the people were happy and poverty seemed to be non-existent.

The big difference was that the Capital at home was mainly inhabited by the wealthy aristocrats of the Fire Nation due to the presence of the Royal Family. But here, in Ba Sing Se, only a few kilometres away from this paradise, thousands of people were in the streets begging for work and food.

In the Lower Ring, she had taken weeks to feel comfortable with her surroundings. Most difficult of all was the smell: the stench of poverty. It wafted off everything. Uncle told her that was what poverty smelled like: like desperation and transpiration.

But here in the Upper Ring, everything was clean and proper. The streets were swept every evening and the grass was watered. The jasmine in the gardens wafted their smell around, almost as if they were decorating the perfect state of the wealthy. The people walking around were dressed immaculately. Elyrie had seen some girls around her own age with beautiful dresses and jewellery. Her own sapphire ring had maybe drawn attention in the Lower Ring, but here it was barely noticeable.

"There it is!" Uncle said enthusiastically as he pointed to the building in front of them. The building was once home to another business, but it was forced to close due to lack of interest. Uncle had told them that Quon had been looking for some new form of tea shop and that's where he came in.

The sign was the first thing that drew attention: black, decorated with the carefully applied golden letters to form the name 'The Jasmine Dragon'. The sign was flanked by two elegant dragons, painted in a shimmering gold.

Zuko looked up at the large building. Two separate, broad stone steps led up to a neatly tiled patio. Wide stone steps stood before the wooden, double front doors at the centre of the building. The sweet aroma of tea welcomed them even before they stepped inside.

"It is beautiful!" Elyrie exclaimed as they entered the shop on Zuko's arm. On both their sides, two hostess welcomed them with a respectful bow.

Uncle gave them a tour through the building, pointing out all his suggestions and the functions. The working area and kitchen were similar to the ones in the shop in the Lower Ring, but the main area was the largest room and took Elyrie's breath away. It was filled with brown square and round tables with matching chairs. In the middle of the shop was a large, dark green carpet edged with a yellow border and depicting two dragons. The large windows let in the last rays of sunshine, but as the sun was setting a dozen lanterns were lit to provide the lightening. All colours were yellow and green, the colours of Ba Sing Se.

"And this was my addition as well!" Iroh pointed to a framed piece of calligraphy above the entrance.

"It is better to go for three days without food than one day without tea." Elyrie read out loud, and Zuko chuckled. "Proverbs about tea in your shop," he said, "Why am I not surprised?"

"And this is our menu," Iroh said as he handed them a beautifully decorated paper. Zuko let his eyes go over the beautiful calligraphy on the soft green paper. All the tea's had different names: White Lotus Tile – made of white tea and sweet fruits; The Jasmine Dragon – Jasmine tea with spice and cloves, and …

"The 'Fire Rose'?" Elyrie asked as she read the ingredients. "A mix of green and black tea with rosebuds and spice. But Uncle, this is -,"

"Your favourite tea, exactly." He nodded, "That's why I named it after you." He gave her a knowing wink and pinched her cheek.

"Does that mean that the 'Red-blooded Nephew' is named after me?" Zuko frowned as he read the ingredients.

Elyrie let out a chuckle as she read the ingredients: it was a black tea with cinnamon in it. "Jup," she nodded as she smirked at Zuko, "That's you, alright. But Uncle, this is so sweet." Elyrie looked at the beautiful menu again, feeling touched that he would name a tea after them

"Sweet is not necessarily the right word for it,-..." Zuko began, but he was interrupted.

"Roman!" Elyrie said surprised, "What a surprise to see you here!"

Zuko looked up and saw the young man enter the shop with a wide smile. Roman was impeccably dressed in a fine white shirt with an emerald green overcoat. He nodded politely to Zuko and Uncle, but walked straight to Elyrie.

"Hasn't your Uncle told you then?" the young man said as he took her hands, "He employed me as the pianist to entertain the guests."

"That's wonderful!" Elyrie smiled at Uncle, who nodded to her. Zuko repressed a frown when he saw that Roman continued to hold Elyrie's hands. It wasn't necessary to hold on to her for that long, was it?

"The young man impressed me so much with his performances, I decided to offer him a job during the evenings." Iroh smiled, "These are the songs I would think suit this shop very well." He handed Roman the sheets of music.

"Oh, but these I know!" Roman exclaimed happily as he let his eyes go over the pages, "And you too, Liana." He handed her the sheets and Zuko looked over Elyrie's shoulder to see, and approved Uncle's choices. They were all soft and easy songs, perfect for a peaceful teashop.

"Good choices." Elyrie agreed as she gave the sheets back.

"And of course," Uncle continued with a wiggle of his eyebrows at Roman, "You'll need a singer to accompany you from time to time."

"Ah yes," Roman agreed immediately – a little too fast for Zuko's liking – as he nudged Elyrie, "Do you want to help me make this a success?"

"You guys planned this," Elyrie groaned, but Zuko saw that she smirked. Her eyes began to lighten as she look from one to the other, obviously eager to grant them their request.

"I don't know what she's talking about. You?" Iroh said innocently as he winked at Roman, who only shrugged.

"Thank you so much." Elyrie smiled with a twinkle in her eyes, "When do we start?"

"Tomorrow!" Iroh said as he handed her a glass of wine, "For tonight is a party. Now, can I offer you a drink?"

"Anything the new owner wants!" she answered with a mischievous glance.

Zuko smiled at her enthusiasm as she took her glass of wine. With her beautiful dress and her pinned up hair, she looked perfectly at ease. As the crowd grew larger, she whipped out her fan – an accessory that came with the dress. The light colour of the bamboo complimented the soft green shade of the paper as Elyrie elegantly waved it near her face. Zuko repressed a smile when he saw that she closed the fan again and let it spin in her hands with impressive skill. She did it so casually, because she had always done that in the Fire Nation whenever she had one; playing with it and doing tricks. They were much needed in the hot summers on the mainland, but it was nice to see that they were also available in the Earth Kingdom. It suited her, almost as if she was back at court again.

Zuko took his own glass from the tray and took a sip while he turned away from gazing at her – although he would never admit to that.

He looked around his Uncle's new shop and the people who had gathered around. A band, standing on a small podium, started playing music to entertain the guest. Zuko let his eyes go over the crowd in the shop. Everyone seemed to be ready for a party, judging by their clothes and their happy faces. All came their way to greet Uncle and congratulate him on the opening of his new shop.

Zuko nodded politely to all the unfamiliar faces and knew that nobody would blame him for his silence. Next to him, Elyrie had a radiant smile on her lips as she thanked everyone for their kindness and complimented people on small things.

As Zuko watched her interact, he knew she would fit right in. She could sing and help in this shop, all the while being here with him. He would help his Uncle realise his dream in the shop. He would be here with the two people he cared for most in the world - wasn't this more than he could have hoped for?

"Lee!" he heard Uncle's voice and it took him a second to realise he was Lee, "Come, ask a nice young lady to dance!"

Zuko blinked confused as he saw the wrinkled smile of his Uncle beside him. He had been so lost in his thoughts that he hadn't realised that more couples had gathered on the dancefloor as the band continued to play. He looked to his side - where Elyrie had been only a few moments ago - but found it empty.

The whirl of jade on the dancefloor indicated that she was otherwise occupied. Roman had asked her to dance, and she was apparently eager to follow the music.

Reluctantly, Zuko turned away from the pair on the dancefloor. At that moment, he cursed himself for not paying more attention during his mother's dance lessons. She was the one who taught them how to dance, but it was so long ago. Oh, how he would have loved it to dance with her. Watching her eyes sparkle, her face light up and her beautiful lips form the most beautiful smile.

Elyrie – on the other hand – twirled around with Roman as a very capable partner. It had been a long time since she had danced, but it felt natural as soon as she heard the music. Roman was a good dancer: steady and with a feeling for rhythm. Nevertheless, she found that she secretly had wished she could have danced with Zuko. Immediately repressing the idea, she focused on Roman's steps as he let her spin around the dancefloor. The figures became a blur as she spun around again and again, laughing and enjoying herself.

She wasn't the only one who enjoyed herself, because Iroh was even more content with the evening. "Ah, Mushi," Quon said to Iroh as he joined him, "It is a success, yes?"

"Indeed it is." Uncle agreed as he raised his glass to toast.

"Is he the musician you want to hire?" Quon asked as nodded in Roman's direction, still dancing with Elyrie.

"Yes," Iroh nodded as he watched the pair danced, "He is very talented and played a couple times in the teashop in the Lower Ring."

"He's got the rhythm, I can see that." Quon laughed as he saw Roman masterfully direct Elyrie around the dancefloor. Zuko saw it too and took another sip of his wine, hoping to repress the jealousy he felt building up in his chest. And if he couldn't repress it with the wine, than at least soften it.

"And the singer?" Quon inquired as he watched the pairs continue their dance.

"Oh, that would be Liana." Uncle said with a proud smile, "She is the most talented singer I have ever encountered."

Quon raised his eyebrows and looked in Zuko's direction, who nodded in agreement. For the first time, he felt that his Uncle wasn't overselling it. "She is a wonderful singer." Zuko agreed immediately, "Ever since she was a little girl, everyone praised her for her talent."

Quon nodded pensively as the music came to an end and the couples applauded for the band. "Liana!" Quon said as she walked in their direction, "Mushi told me he plans to have you sing here."

"Yes, and I am honoured by the request." Elyrie answered, humbly bowing her head.

"If you sing as good as you dance, you are the perfect addition," Quon said as he extended his hand to her, "May I have the next dance?"

"You guys can go home," Iroh insisted, "I'm joining in a minute."

"You don't need any help cleaning up?" Zuko asked as he put on his overcoat. Most of the guests had left, but there were still a few people in the shop.

"No, please," Iroh urged as he practically pushed them outside, "I am fine."

"Then we see you back home!" Zuko said and he started walking with Elyrie. "Why do I have the feeling Uncle wanted us gone?" he asked, half-joking as he turned to her.

"No idea." She shrugged, but she started walking faster as she said it.

Zuko expected her to be chatty, happy, cheerful – or at least anything else other than silent. He walked beside her for a few more moments, but the silence was almost unnerving and it made him feel a bit uncomfortable.

As he searched his brain for things to discuss, he felt the chill of the night air. He knew that Elyrie didn't bring a shawl, but just when he wanted to give her his overcoat to help with her permanent coldness he noticed that she kept inhaling through her nose. She was using the breath of fire that Uncle had taught her: very subtle so nobody would notice it as it happened inside of her, but she was regulating her body temperature.

"You mastered it." He commented as he felt her temperature increase next to him.

"I had to, otherwise I would have frozen to death on the North Pole." Elyrie responded, her tone laced with pride. It looked as if she wanted to add something, but after that she didn't say anything.

Confused, Zuko walked next to her in the silence as he searched his brain what could have made her so quiet. It couldn't be the party: it had been a great success. All night, she laughed and danced and met new people from the Upper Ring. Even he had enjoyed himself, although he hadn't danced with her – or any other girl for that matter. But nevertheless, he thought it had been a fun night, so why was she so…? He couldn't place his finger on it.

As she walked into the apartment, she pulled the jade pin from her dark locks. "Glad to be home." She said as she shook out her curls and they fell over her shoulders. The gesture was so simple, but he felt a shift in the air as she did it.

"You were so beautiful tonight." Zuko said before he could stop himself.

Elyrie stopped tossing out her curls, but she didn't turn around. She didn't acknowledge the compliment, but instead went silent again. Zuko frowned at this. It was as if she had frozen on the spot as he said this. It was almost cold, like a layer of ice had separated her from him.

"Lily, are you alright?" he asked her softly as he touched her shoulder. She didn't move when he did, but didn't look at him either.

"Fine." She answered, her voice a bit raspy. Elyrie seldom gave such one-syllable answers. Zuko walked around her to look at her. He took her hand in his and gently warmed her cold fingers between his warm hands.

"Tonight was a great success," he told her with a gentle smile, but she didn't meet his eyes.

"It was." she answered but she still avoided his gaze. Her lips were pressed in a tight line, but even now was the dark colour in stark contrast with her pale skin.

He waited for a moment, but she didn't seem to be willing to talk to him. He felt his chest constrict in sadness: was this because of his unapologetic behaviour in the past? He knew he had been a jerk to her and Uncle, so he didn't blame her for keeping her distance. But it saddened him; he wanted nothing more than to hold her close and tell her how much she meant to him.

"I'm going to bed," he finally said as let go of her hands, "Good night, Lily."

"G-good night." Elyrie couldn't help that her voice came out slightly jagged. His golden eyes had looked at her with such intensity that for some reason her normal functions seem to have left her. Her heart started pounding when the silence continued longer than was normal between the two of them. The sudden tension could almost be felt now, although she couldn't explain why. Oh, how she hated this feeling. It was as if her bones had turned from ice to water, making it almost impossible for her to remain standing upright.

Zuko looked up when her voice slightly faltered. In all those years he had known her, he had never hear her stutter once. He met her sapphire eyes, shining even in the dark of the night. In the soft light of the full moon seemed her skin to glow with an almost magical light.

Her lips parted slightly, barely enough to inhale some much needed air. He couldn't help himself as he took a step closer. That was enough to break the tension. He opened his mouth to say something, anything really. To explain to her what she meant to him, how much he cared for her.

His hand cupped her cheeks at the same time she placed her hands on his chest and tilted her head back to look up at him. His thumb softly caressed the thin scar on her temple. It was almost invisible and during the day, you would hardly notice it if you didn't know where to look. But now, he was standing so close to her that he could hear her soft breathing. His eyes caressed her face as he admired every detail. Her smooth forehead, her arched eyebrows, her small nose, the softness of her cheeks, her long lashes, her beautiful eyes and lastly, her full lips.

A million things crossed his mind at that moment, more than he could ever comprehend. Years of friendship, hardship and trust came together in this one moment. In an apartment in the capital of the Earth Kingdom were they lived as refugees. He had nothing to give her, nothing to offer. There was a hundred men prepared to offer her more than he ever could now. Why would she ever choose him? - but he wanted her to choose him.

Elyrie did her best not to avert her eyes from Zuko's gaze. In her entire life - all those years they had known each other - he had never looked at her like this. It made her slightly self-conscious, like it always did when people looked at her for a long time. Her pounding heart was slamming against her ribs and she couldn't calm it.

But the longer Zuko looked at her, the more she felt something building inside herself she didn't know existed. The comforting feeling of his hand on her face, his other hand lightly around her waist. The physical contact from which she shuddered from others felt so natural with him.

She let her eyes go over his face, the one she knew so well. His strong jaw, slender eyes, straight nose and high cheekbones were nothing short of perfection. He was so handsome, even if he didn't see himself that way. If only you could see what I see, she though as she looked into his golden eyes. The colour was so special, so entirely different from Azula's amber eyes that she was sure it was because of the gold that was hiding deep within Zuko's soul. The fragments that now started to show, now that he let himself be the man he always was supposed to be.

A few strands of hair fell over his forehead and she lifted one hand to wipe them away, a habit she had picked up as his hair grew longer. As her slender fingers pushed the hairs out of the way, the tips of her fingers caressed the rough skin of his scar. She saw him flinch slightly when the touched it and she retracted her hand. "I'm sorry." She whispered, but he took her hand and entangled his own, warm fingers with hers.

"Zuko?" she asked, her voice quivering slightly. The moment she opened her mouth to whisper his name, was the moment that Zuko placed his lips over her. In her surprise, she froze for a second before she finally let herself enjoy the softness of the kiss. It was only for a second when Zuko pulled his head slightly back.

"I'm sorry." He said, his face still inches away from her. He leaned his forehead against hers as he still wasn't able to let go of her. He never wanted to let her go, but he couldn't force her into a decision. The look of surprise in her eyes made his heart sink. What would she think of him? He of all people knew how much it frightened her, how she was scarred. What had he done?

But then, as she always did, she smiled at him. "All this time, and only now you kiss me?" she quipped as she gently pulled him back to her. Thankful that he had the courage to begin, she was about to finish what he started. She thought it would frighten her to take this step with him but in less than a moment she knew all her fears were just that: fears.

Now was it Zuko's turn to be surprised, but he melted into her embrace as he curled his arm around her waist. Her hands were in his hair and on his neck, the same way he had his other hand in her thick hair.

Zuko gently opened his mouth and she followed his lead as he deepened the kiss. He felt her hands glide to his neck as she gently tangled her fingers in his hair. He reacted by pulling her even closer so she was on the tips of her toes to accommodate his taller frame.

When they parted, Zuko closed his arms around her and pressed his lips against her forehead. "You're smiling." Her voice came from against his chest.

He pulled back slightly to look at her. "How did you know?" he asked.

"I felt it." She answered, her arms still around his midriff.

"Lily." He whispered, "You make me feel-, I want to -, tell-, I-.."

"Zuko," she smiled softly as she pushed his hair out of his face, "I know." She knew how difficult it was for him, but she knew. After all, she had heard him ask it before.

That smile was all Zuko needed as confirmation. He leaned down again to capture her lips, to which she eagerly responded. Zuko cherished the feeling of his lips on hers as his hands trailed over her hips, across her slender waist, her neck and in her thick hair. Elyrie in turn caressed his face, neck and shoulders as they melted together. The relief, the tension and everything that had led to this moment made them completely lose themselves in each other.

So much, that neither of them heard the clicking of the lock or did they did look up when the door flung open.

When they parted again to inhale much needed air, Zuko saw in the corner of his eye a figure and turned his head to see who had interrupted them.

Iroh was standing in the door opening, looking from one to the other with large eyes. They didn't jump back this time; instead, they held on to each other as a blush went over both their cheeks.

Iroh said nothing for a moment as he let it sink in what he was seeing. Then, he threw his hands in the sky and shouted: "Finally!"

Chapter Text

*Warning: this chapter contains some light lemony content*

"Don't be late today!" Iroh warned them as he opened the door to leave for the tea shop. He was in an exceptionally good mood today – even for his standards. Today was their first official workday in the Jasmine Dragon; he would be brewing, Zuko would be serving and Elyrie would be hosting and singing. Even though the shop was new, every table had already been booked for the entire day. It was exciting and Iroh couldn't be happier about it. Well, it was that and the fact that Zuko and Elyrie finally had kissed each other last night.

"We won't," Elyrie said to him, "I promise!"

"See you at the shop!" he waved at them before he closed the door, humming a love song as he made his way down to the street.

"Come, we need to get ready!" Elyrie said to Zuko as she stood up from the breakfast table.

Zuko nodded absentmindedly as he played with his food. His stomach was in a knot, but he decided to try his luck. "Lily?" he cleared his throat as he called her.

"Yes?" Elyrie turned around. Zuko swallowed thickly when her blue eyes focused on him. Her hair was still down and she was holding her bowl from breakfast, but she was already dressed for their first workday in the new teashop. Her ring was glittering on her left hand, catching the early rays of sunshine. Not for the first time did he see how much the sapphire resembled the colour of her darkblue eyes.

"I wanted to ask you,- well, that is if you don't have other plans..-," he began, trying to gather his courage. He had never been good with words, but now it seemed like he had completely lost control of his voice. Why was it so difficult to ask her the simplest questions? Hadn't she last night willingly kissed him back? He should be sure of himself, but for some reason he was even more agitated than ever - afraid that he would push her. "See, I was wondering if you,-" he tried again, rubbing the back of his neck, "With me, you know,-"

"Zuko, would you like to go to dinner with me tomorrow night?" Elyrie asked before he could stumble over his words and choke on them, "Just the two of us?"

Zuko only blinked at her, a bit confused. "Well, I was hoping to ask you that," he answered as he crossed his arms. He pouted slightly, which looked adorable to Elyrie.

She looked down to bite her lip, but it couldn't possibly hide her smile. "Yes, I know," she answered as she placed her bowl on the counter and walked over to the large mirror which was placed in their living room. She picked up the pins on the dresser and started pinning up her soft curling hair. Letting the back of her hair still fall over her shoulder, she looked in the mirror at Zuko's face. She winked as she placed the last pin in her hair, "But it seems that women have to ask you out."

He scowled at her, but she only smiled playfully. "Don't start stumbling around me, Zuko," she said, "You know you'll pay for that in teasing."

She looked over her shoulder to blow him a kiss, but was surprised when she suddenly felt two hands on her hips. "Hey!" she yelped. She immediately felt her cheeks heating up when he slipped his arms around her waist.

"Okay, then I promise not to stumble." he whispered in her ear as he pulled her against his chest. With his arms around her and his breath so close to her skin, she felt a tingling going down her spine.

"This is quite out of character, isn't it?" she asked, still a bit perplexed that Zuko would so spontaneously embrace her. Last night, it had been a miracle that he was the one to initiate a kiss, given his history of avoiding physical contact as much as possible. She had assumed she would have been the one to embrace or kiss him again – but apparently, she was wrong.

"Or just tired of hiding it." Zuko answered as he placed a kiss on her temple. His heart was racing as her rosy scent reached his nostrils, but he felt encouraged by his own boldness. If she only knew how long he had wanted to pull her against him and hold her as long as he could; that he wanted to touch every inch of her ivory skin; that he would kiss her lips until he was out of breath.

Elyrie laughed as she tilted her head to the side to answer his kiss briefly. She could only feign so much annoyance, because she was secretly very happy that he took her in his arms. She was amazed, delighted and just a bit surprised from this uncommon reaction to her teasing. He would often pout or scowl, but never had he so spontaneously reached out to her. She liked that he was comfortable enough to do so.

"However," Zuko said as he looked at her in the mirror, "It is quite out of character for you to be so flustered."

"I'm not flustered!" she protested, although even she could see the blush on her own cheeks. Zuko chuckled softly and opened his mouth to retort, but Elyrie quickly interrupted him. "But we have to go to work." she said as she let her hands glide over his larger ones.

"Oh, absolutely," Zuko agreed, although he made no effort to let go of her, "We should really be going now." he extended his hand to push some of her curls off her shoulder.

For a moment, they looked at each other in the mirror. Elyrie laughed when she felt the fluttering feeling in her chest settle as she looked at his face. He answered by leaning his cheek against her hair.

"Your hair is growing longer again," Zuko said as he combed his hands through her soft curls that were hanging down.

"I know," Elyrie answered as she closed her eyes, enjoying his caresses, "It seems to grow like crazy all of the sudden."

"I like it," he answered as he continued to stroke her hair gently.

"Thank you," she said as she turned around and let her own hand go through his longer hair, "The longer hair suits you too."

He smiled as he let go of her to prepare himself for the day. Elyrie shook her head with a smile as she finished her make up in the mirror. With a bit of kohl around her eyes and powder on her face, she looked at her reflection. She picked up the dark lipstain to colour her lips a dark red colour, but halted for a moment when a thought popped into her head. She put it down again as she saw Zuko walking towards her in the corner of her eye.

"You look beautiful," Zuko said from behind her. He was dressed in his light green servers uniform and the golden embroidery matched his eyes perfectly. She smiled at him when she saw his face reflected in the mirror. "Thank you," she answered, feeling her heart flutter as she gathered the courage to be as bold as he had been only a moment ago, "But you better kiss me now, before I colour my lips."

The twinkling in her eyes combined with her words made Zuko's throat go dry in an instant. He hadn't expected her to say that, but he immediately reacted. Placing his hands on her shoulders, he gently turned her around and pressed his lips against hers.

With his eyes closed, he felt her arms wrap around his neck as his own hands settled on her hips. He melted into her, deepening the kiss. Since he had kissed her last night, it had been all he could think about, but his fantasies didn't match the reality of finally feeling her lips on his own again.

She pulled away from him with a smile. "Now we really need to hurry," she quipped as she turned back to the mirror again to colour her slightly swollen lips. I don't need any rouge, she chuckled to herself as she saw her pink cheeks.

Zuko said nothing as he looked at her. Was this what he had denied himself all this time? Had it always been this simple, if you only trusted in another person? In his chest he felt the emotions rush as he extended his hand to entangle her cool fingers.

"Zuko?" Elyrie asked as she squeezed his hand lightly, "Can I expect more of this now? Just so I can prepare myself."

"Only if you want to," he answered as she turned around to look at him again, "And let me."

She wanted to chuckle, but she saw that he was serious. His smouldering golden eyes looked at her with such intensity that she swallowed her teasing words. He was serious and asking for her permission, which made a feeling of joy spread through her chest.

She couldn't remember a moment when Zhao asked her permission for something. He had never touched her, but never taken her feelings into account either. The thoughts about her failed engagement didn't frighten her anymore; it was as if it was pushed away and couldn't co-exist next to this new feeling - this happiness which was only possible with the knowledge that Zuko would never hurt her the way Zhao had.

"Believe me," Elyrie said as she looked up at Zuko's handsome face, "I would want nothing more."

"Thank you for the impeccable service," a young man said as he kissed the back of Elyrie's hand in a gentlemen-like manner.

"My pleasure, sir," she answered with a smile, "I am glad you enjoyed yourself."

Her smile wasn't forced now. She was enjoying her new role as hostess in the shop; it suited her far better than walking around with scorching hot tea.

"I would return, if it was only for your smile." He added as he put his coat on and waved to her as he walked out the shop.

Roman – who had been sitting at the piano on the small podium near the entrance - wiggled his eyebrows at her as he caught her look. Elyrie rolled her eyes at him and motioned for him to focus on his playing. He shrugged in response as he continued playing without missing a note.

Elyrie shot him a smile, knowing she would join him in a few moments to provide the customers with musical entertainment.

As she turned around, she saw that Zuko was having a similar conversation with a customer. A young woman was touching Zuko's arm in a flirtatious manner, but Zuko looked a bit flustered at the attention. Elyrie watched as the girl waved over her shoulder to him, obviously hoping that he would follow her.

She met Zuko's eyes and she felt her lips form into a mischievous smile. She was going to have fun vexing him about this. "So, that makes two girls who flirted with you this morning and one man with me, but that one man was a nobleman," Elyrie said casually as she flipped her hair over her shoulder and counted on her slender fingers.

"You are keeping score now?" Zuko asked incredulously.

"Yes and as for now: the nobleman who kissed my hand is winning." she answered innocently. She pursed her lips and disappeared into the worker's area, obviously trying to hold back her laughter.

Zuko watched her with a bemused grin as he picked up a tray. He wanted to be annoyed, but he knew she wasn't trying to make him jealous; it wasn't in her nature. However, it was in her nature to relentlessly tease him about everything.

It was true: two girls had flicked their hair at him and batted their eyelashes, but he had been a bit awkward in his response. Elyrie only did her best to hide her laughter when she saw it, not getting even a little bit mad. He had been afraid she would, but he knew that she wasn't like that. And the best part was: he wasn't jealous either. That was something that he pondered for a second, but maybe it was because he was so comfortable with her and so sure of how she felt.

Nevertheless, saying he was behind a nobleman was a slight he would not let pass. He bit his lip as he followed her into the worker's area.

Elyrie turned around when she heard the door open and close. "He kissed your hand, hmm?" Zuko said with a devilish grin, almost whispering in his low voice. He placed the tray on the counter and walked towards her.

Elyrie pursed her lips to repress a smile and stepped back. After three steps, she had her back against the wall. Zuko placed his hands on either side of her head on the wall and lowered his face so he was inches from hers.

"Kissing your hand..," he mumbled again, "I guess I have to do better then?"

"I guess?" Elyrie answered, her blue eyes glittering mischievously.

Zuko didn't answer but captured her lips as he placed his hands on her face. Elyrie reacted immediately by leaning into his taller frame.

His lips on hers were nothing short of utter bliss. Elyrie felt his hands glide into her neck as he curled his other hand in her hair. She always knew he was radiating heat as a firebender, but she never knew she could share in his warmth - hat it could make her own blood heat up when he deepened the kiss by parting her lips.

Zuko pulled back slightly after a few moments, but not before he placed a little kiss on her lips. She looked up at him and smiled brightly. He reacted by placing his arms around her waist and locking his fingers behind her, pulling her closer to him.

"Hmm, the nobleman still won.' She said after a moment, blinking innocently.

Zuko only shook his head at her reaction, which made a few strands of hair fall over his forehead. Elyrie laughed as she lifted her hand to push the strands away from his face.

"I feel so sorry for you," she said as she caressed the right side of his face with her long fingers.

"And why is that?" he asked as he watched the twinkling in her eyes.

"Because you're stuck with me," she answered as her finger trailed down from his cheekbone to his chin, "And I keep vexing you."

Now it was Zuko's turn to laugh as he let his hands glide to her elbows until he held her hands in his own. "Of all the things you could pity me for," he said softly as he leaned towards her, "Being here with you is certainly not one of them."

She leaned forward to kiss him again, but jumped back when she heard the door slide open. A silhouette was standing in the opening, which she immediately recognised as Uncle's.

"I know I have been the biggest supporter of this," Iroh said as he crossed his arms, "But don't make me fire you both because of it."

Zuko's cheeks immediately reddened, but Elyrie didn't seem fazed.

"Would you fire us?" she asked while she fanned her eyelashes at Uncle, "For following our hearts? Not now that we finally have found each other?" She clasped her chest, as if it physically hurt her. She placed the back of her hand against her forehead as she continued: "That our whole lives have been leading up to this moment? That even in sheer desperation, we endured and -.."

"Elyrie," Uncle sighed as he pointed to the door, "Please go and perform with that dramatic flair for the customers instead."

Giggling, she went out the door. Iroh shook his head when Zuko came standing next to him.

"Are you mad, Uncle?" his nephew asked tentatively as he watched Elyrie made her way to the podium.

"It would be cruel of me to deny you to be happy, especially now that I am so happy." Iroh said, raising an eyebrow at his nephew. He wasn't mad, not really. It made his old heart rejoice to see Zuko this happy and content. In his surprise, he felt Zuko place a hand on his shoulder.

"Who thought when we came to this city as refugees, that I'd end up owning my own tea shop?" he said as he patted his hand, "Follow you passion, Zuko, and life will reward you."

"I have the feeling life already is rewarding me," Zuko answered as his eyes followed Elyrie. Iroh smiled broadly at this answer: it had been a long time since Zuko had felt grateful for his life.

"I am very thankful." Iroh observed quietly, but with a content smile.

"You deserve it." His nephew agreed as his eyes went over the crowd in the shop, "The Jasmine Dragon will be the best tea shop in the city!"

"No, I'm thankful because you decided to share this special day with me. You and Elyrie," Iroh said heartfelt, "It means more than you know."

He was even more surprised when Zuko pulled him in for a hug. He answered it briefly, before Zuko pulled back with a smile. "Now, let's make these people some tea!"

"Yes!" Iroh answered overjoyed, "Let's make some tea!"

The three of them worked until nightfall to make the Jasmine Dragon a success. Which – based on the joyous reactions of the customers, as well as Quon's approval – was indeed achieved. When the last customers had left the shop, Iroh motioned for Zuko to leave.

"You can go home, nephew," he said, "Elyrie and I will clean up the rest."

Elyrie arched an eyebrow at Uncle, wondering why he would send Zuko away. Was she about to be reprimanded?

"You don't want me to wait for you?" Zuko asked as he folded his apron and placed it in the washing basket.

"Oh no, please," Elyrie said as she waved her hand, "Go home, I'll come with Uncle."

"As you wish." Zuko nodded. Elyrie walked over to him and placed a kiss on his lips. "See you in the apartment."

He walked out of the shop and Iroh locked the front doors behind him. Elyrie watched him with a teasing look in her eyes. "You're not going to fire me over a little kiss, are you?"

Iroh laughed as he folded his own apron. "Careful, dear," he warned her, "Even you can push the limits."

Elyrie chuckled as she took the apron from him and started gathering more laundry. "I just wanted to tell you that you were right, Uncle," she said after a short silence when she picked up the washing basket, "All we need is the chance to see what can come of this."

"So that means you were wrong?" Iroh asked, feigning innocence but she saw his eyes flicker with joy.

"Yes, Uncle," Elyrie sighed in a defeated tone, "I was wrong."

"How do those words taste in your mouth?" Iroh quipped as he teasingly squeezed her hand.

"Like a cold tea." She answered with a wink.

"Oh, the horror." Iroh answered, placing the back of his hand against his forehead in a dramatic gesture.

Elyrie laughed at the old man as she embraced him. "Thank you for not giving up on us. Not just now, but all the time. I'm sure it can't be easy to have two such stubborn children."

"You are right about that," Iroh nodded, "But at least you have admitted it to yourself." Suddenly, his eyes lit up and he grabbed her sleeve. "Which is why I need to show you something," he said as he pulled her with him to the back of the store to the worker's area.

In the corner of the workers area was a large wooden trapdoor on the floor, which Iroh pulled open to reveal a large staircase going down. Elyrie peaked into the darkness, wondering why she hadn't seen this before. Then again, she had been rather preoccupied with other things in the worker s area that afternoon.

"So, I know we are not suppose to be doing this," Iroh began as he walked down in front of her on the dark steps, "But come with me."

"Uncle, where are you taking me?" she asked as she followed the flickering light of the candle in his hand. The way down was quite long, and she had no idea what was waiting for them at the bottom.

"The cellars below the tea shop," he answered.

"Please tell me you are planning to take me back up again?" she asked with a nervous laugh, "I promise never to let my private life interfere with work again."

"Don't worry, dear," Uncle laughed as he lit a lantern at the bottom of the stairs, "I only want to show you this because it is safer here."

As soon as he lit the room, Elyrie could see more of the cellar. She looked around and saw that most of the cellar was made of stone. The ceilings were high – at least three metres, she estimated - as if someone had tried to dig as deep as they could when they built this cellar. It was as large as the entire first floor of the tea shop, but mostly empty. If someone had planned to use it, it had been a long time ago: only a few boxes were carelessly thrown around the space, which apparently contained nothing of value.

"What is this place?" she asked as she let her hand go over the cold stone wall. It was damp and it smelled musty, like it hadn't been visited for a long time.

"When I sieged this city, most citizens of the Upper Ring built a shelter to hide in case we broke through the walls," Iroh answered, "This was one of them, but now they are mainly used as cellars. Quon told me about the cellar, but it wasn't used because of the dampness. You can't keep tea in a place like this, so he planned to have it closed off. However," he continued as he motioned for her to come to him, "Once I saw this space, it reminded me of a training arena."

Elyrie looked around and understood what he meant. It was large and open, like the training area in the Stronghold had been. "So, do you want to train me here?"

"I want to see if my theory works out and if you can produce lightening now." He answered, "But we have to adjust it a little: we can't go around shooting fullsized bolts in this space or my tea shop would burn down."

"We wouldn't want that." Elyrie agreed with a tilt of her head as she moved to Uncle's side.

"So Elyrie," Uncle said as he showed her a snapping motion, "I want you to try this." He lifted his right arm and placed his middlefinger and indexfinger against his thumb. "Breathe in and out, separate the energy in your body – and.." he snapped his fingers and a small bolt released from the tips.

Elyrie tried it and a small lightening bolt ignited from her fingers. It wasn't as enormous as Azula's, but smaller and more precise.

"I am doing it!" she exclaimed while jumping up and down, "It's lightening!"

"I told you, if you're open to it." Iroh grinned, "Now, aim for one of the boxes."

The next week was utter bliss; there was no other way to describe it. Elyrie felt lighter, almost like she was flying through the days. The tension that had been building up between Zuko and herself was finally released in sweet gestures and caring touches. Just spending time together by going to dinner or taking walks was enough for them. They had agreed to take it slow to see where it would lead them, for neither wanted to rush into anything and ruin the friendship they had. So, for now they were looking at the situation day-by-day, which suited them very well.

On top of it, she had been able to train her lightening generation every day with Uncle beneath the shop. Except for tonight, she had worked in the tea shop and practiced with Uncle after opening hours every day of the last week. She hadn't told Zuko about this development yet, not until she was sure she could master it properly. Somewhere deep inside, she was even a bit hesitant to do it. Maybe he would perceive it as showing off, especially because last time had been such a disaster for him.

However, she felt a bit guilty for keeping this from him. She sighed and looked up from her book. The candle was providing enough light to read, but she tried to read his mood to see if now was maybe the right time to tell him. She was sitting cross-legged on his bed and had been reading out loud from one of her books.

"Zuko?" she asked him, "When did you first realise you had other feelings for me?" It might not be the question she had wanted to ask him, but it was a good start to a deeper conversation.

Zuko pushed himself on his elbows from the rug where he had been listening to her reading. He pondered it for a moment as he searched his brain, "Tough to say," he answered, "I fully realised it after my date with Jin, but I think the first time I felt different was when you sang on the ferry."

"That long, hmm?" she playfully quipped as she closed her book and turned to look at him. He moved to sit next to her on the bed.

"It was because you were so sweet and caring on the ferry, with the children" Zuko answered as he tucked a lock of hair behind her ear, "So if you hadn't been so damn stubborn and difficult all your life, I might have discovered it sooner." he added with a sly smile.

Elyrie laughed. "Oh, yes," she answered while casually twisting her ring around her finger, "I am stubborn and difficult."

"Very." Zuko agreed as he leaned in to kiss her lightly on her lips, "And you? When did you realise it?"

"For me it came gradually, but I only admitted it to myself after I hurled the entire inventory at your head." she answered, without even sounding remotely sorry about it.

Zuko laughed – actually laughed – at that answer. "So I ran back as soon as I realised it to tell you, but you decided to throw a book at me?"

"Yeah, and don't tell me it wasn't justified." she shrugged as her eyes glittered and she placed her hands over her book in a mocking threat.

"I'm sure it was," Zuko mumbled as he moved his lips to her cheek and slowly whispered against her skin: "Which is why I need to make more of an effort to make it up." His lips touched the sensitive skin in her neck and Elyrie automatically placed her arms around his neck and pulled him closer.

Zuko continued the trail of kissed across her neck. "You are so soft," he whispered against her neck as he enjoyed the sensation of his lips on her skin.

Elyrie didn't answer, but moaned softly as Zuko made her blood stir and her thoughts go hazy. Forgotten was her intention to tell him about her training, but instead she moved her head to the side to allow him an easier access as his lips continued to caress her. Encouraged by her reaction, Zuko placed his hands on her slender waist to pull her closer. Elyrie in turn placed her hands on his shoulders and he felt the soft scraping of her nails through the thin fabric of his shirt.

He let out a soft moan as he felt her nails go over his back and in his hair. He felt his neck ache from the angle, but before he could do anything about it, Elyrie put her book aside and swung her legs over his. She straddled him and without parting from her skin, Zuko grabbed her thighs and lifted her higher onto his lap.

She let out a small cry of surprise as he did this, but grabbed his longer hair and lifted his head back up to her lips. She moaned against his mouth and his blood began to boil. He wanted more – he wanted to feel the silky touch of her skin on his own. As if she read his thoughts, she entangled her fingers with his. Gently, she placed his hand just above her collarbone.

Zuko gently caressed her shoulder as he trailed down to her chest. He paused for a moment and looked up at her, but she nodded eagerly. He had to supress a groan - the tension was killing him, with her so close pressed against him.

Elyrie's body ached to be touched by him, so much that it was almost driving her crazy. The sensations racing through her body were so intense that she was glad that they were sitting down – otherwise, she would have fallen to her knees.

Zuko looked at her for confirmation and she smiled as she guided his hand lower. He audibly exhaled as he felt her breasts under her dress. His blood began to stir as he felt the softness beneath his palms. In that moment, he knew he needed all his self-control not to rip everything away that stood between him and her smooth skin. He wanted to touch her, feel her.

Elyrie threw her head back at his touch. Her hands went to his neck as he slowly opened the buttons on the front of her dress. She felt her body shiver, but not because she was cold. She felt a new sensation taking over her as Zuko pushed the top of her dress down to her waist, exposing the binding around her breasts.

Zuko's hand trembled as he untied the ribbon that held her bindings in place. When they came loose, he could do nothing but stare. "So beautiful," he whispered but he didn't move.

Elyrie took his hand and guided it again to her breasts. "I won't break," she whispered as she leaned forward to kiss him again. Zuko answered her kiss as he gently pushed her back. When Elyrie was laying on her back beneath him, he kissed down her neckline to her chest as he felt electricity coursing through his entire body.

When he reached her uncovered breasts, he took the time to admire them. He would never admit it out loud, but he had been dreaming about her naked body ever since he had seen her wearing only a towel. But now with her here, he couldn't possibly imagine anything more beautiful.

When he felt her hands in his hair, he found the courage to continue. He gently leaned down and latched onto her right nipple.

"Oh," Elyrie only moaned as soon as he touched her, but she didn't push him away. Bolder now, he sucked softly as he placed his other hand on her left breast. Gently caressing her other nipple, he felt himself grow hotter and hotter. He could do this for ever, but he felt Elyrie pull him back up to her face again.

She pressed her lips against his and sat up again, her hands now on the hem of his shirt. Zuko knew what she wanted and he took his tunic off.

Elyrie leaned back for a moment to admire his torso. His muscles were lean and he was thinner than she remembered, but she could feel a spark inside her belly when she looked at his naked chest. She had seen him without a shirt before, but nothing prepared her for the wave of desire that washed over her now. She placed both her hands on his chest, caressing and touching the hard muscles under his alabaster skin.

Zuko closed his eyes as he felt her hands glide over him. Then he pushed her back down again and placed his lips on her left nipple while kneading her other breast with his warm hands. She threw her head back again and relished the pleasure he was giving her. The sensation of their naked skin touching was simply incredible.

Zuko let his tongue trail around her nipple as she arched her back to meet his touch. He felt her hips raising as well and supressed a moan when she wrapped her legs around his hips.

Elyrie felt her entire body heat up when Zuko was kissing her so intimately. Fisting his hair, she gently pulled him back to her to kiss him again, but as she did it she pulled him back with her hips as well. The movement made Zuko growl against her mouth and she felt her courage flare up again.

She pushed him on his side and swung her own legs over his to straddle him again. Placing her hands on his chest, she leaned down to kiss him on his lips before she trailed off to his neck. Zuko closed his eyes and wrapped his arms around her as she made her way down to his chest, enjoying the feeling of her lips on his body.

Then, she stopped to sit up straight again. He opened his eyes and was astonished by the view. Her dark hair was falling over her shoulders, almost hanging over her exposed breasts. Her dress was pushed further down her waist, so everything from there up was visible for him to admire.

Elyrie carefully watched as Zuko looked at her, feeling strengthened by his reaction - she had never known how empowering and feminine this could feel. In her boldness, she placed her hands on his and placed them over her breasts. Zuko immediately started kneading them, almost as a reflex. Elyrie smiled slyly when she felt that his hips arched upwards, obviously in need of more. She answered this by grinding her own hips against his instinctively.

A powerful sensation shot up her spine as she did this. Zuko seemed to feel the same, because he moaned audibly as she did this, saying her name. "Yes?" she answered innocently, but he immediately shot back up and flipped her around so he was the one on top again.

He kissed her so intensely that she might have passed out, were it not that she was just as fiery in her passion. "I want you," he rasped, his voice hoarse with desire as his hands went down her waist to her thighs. She lifted her legs top allow him easier access, which made the remainder of the dress fall over her hips. Without leaving her lips, Zuko trailed his hand to her inner thigh, higher and higher until he reached..,-

"Listen, I have great news!" Uncle's voice burst through the silence when they heard the front door slam open in the apartment.

Zuko cursed under his breath. "One of these days, I'm going to nail all the doors shut so he can never enter again." Zuko groaned as Elyrie quickly pulled up the top of her dress and fixed her hair.

"Don't be cranky," she said smoothly as she watched him put on his shirt, trying to hide her own disapointment, "Let's hear the news."

Zuko stood up, but Elyrie immediately pushed him back again. "On second thoughts," she said as she gave him a pillow, "You might want to take a moment." He frowned at her, but she pushed it into his hands and arched one eyebrow meaningfully. As soon as he realised what she meant, he groaned and snatched the pillow and placed it over his lap.

"We're in here, Uncle!" Elyrie said as she picked up her book and opened it randomly, so she appeared at least relatively normal.

Iroh burst in, his wrinkled face in a broad smile. "We have been invited to serve tea to the Earth King!" He waved the letter in his hand, oblivious to the flushed faces.

Elyrie's mouth fell open. "Really? All three of us?" she asked as she took the letter. It was true: the owner, his server and the singer were invited to serve tea and provide entertainment for the Earth King himself. She handed Zuko the letter and gave him a smile. Zuko didn't answer her smile as he kept the pillow in place, but did read the letter quickly.

"This is unbelievable," he agreed as he looked up at his Uncle, his annoyance washing away when he saw his happiness. Maybe now destiny was truly on their side, as his Uncle had always predicted.

A belated Merry Christmas to all! It took me very long to write a fluffy chapter that I was happy with. Please leave a review if you liked it (or didn't, I would love feedback!)

Chapter Text

Serving tea to the Earth King might be a great honour, but Zuko was convinced he would die of tea poisoning before that day would come. With a growl, he sipped from the fifth brew Uncle had poured for him that morning.

Since Uncle had received the invitation, he had done nothing but brew tea in their apartment and in the teashop. Not that he had been doing much else before, but he had forced Zuko to taste all – and he meant all – of his brews to judge which one was fit for the Earth King.

Zuko groaned when he pushed away a cup of chai with cardamom. It might have been delicious, but he couldn't taste the difference anymore. He had once uttered that he had been sick of tea after working in a teashop all day, but now he was sure he would faint if he had to try one more of Uncle's brews.

And what was even worse: he was the only one to taste the tea, because Elyrie had been practising and practising ever since she heard that she would sing for the Earth King. Every moment in the teashop, she and Roman would be hunched over sheet music to narrow down the options and decide her repertoire for the upcoming performance.

With a sigh, Zuko quietly opened the door to the teashop. He saw that most of the tables were occupied and all the servers were walking around with trays full of steaming cups.

On the stage, Elyrie was performing with Roman accompanying her. They had decided to combine the practice with the live music, to see which song were preferred by the audience.

When the storm rises up

When the shadows descend

Every beat of my heart

Every day without end.

Zuko caught her eye. She winked at him and he knew she remembered the last time she had performed that song.

I will stand like a rock

I will bend till I break

Darling, that's what I give

If that's what it takes

Under a starry night in the Earth Kingdom on his ship, just as Zhao had taken over his entire crew to hunt the Avatar to the North Pole. It seemed like a lifetime ago.

Zuko cocked his head to watch her now and couldn't help but compare her to her past self. Now he knew she had sung it under extreme stress and fear. Even then she had sounded beautiful, just like she did now.

But now, it seemed nothing was left of the hurt girl that had confided her fears in him; she looked happy - actually happy. She glanced over her shoulder to smile at Roman, who was giving her an encouraging nod.

Zuko felt a small pang in his chest at the gesture. He immediately shook it off, because he knew jealousy was fruitless. She had no feelings for Roman, just as Roman had no attraction to her. He knew she wasn't interested in any other man, but that wasn't where the pang came from; it was the easiness of their contact. She seemed so comfortable with Roman, here on the stage in the Earth Kingdom.

Zuko glanced over to his Uncle, discussing with Quon about the new tea flavours he was planning to put on the menu.

Once again he was reminded how effortlessly they blended into their new surroundings – they found their place wherever they ended up. She was singing like a nightingale and Uncle was running his teashop like he had never done anything else.

Zuko looked down at his own apron and frowned lightly. Even though this was his life now, he wondered if he would feel like he belonged here as well. Would he find his place between Uncle and Elyrie?

"- and my nephew agrees with me, don't you?" Iroh said jovially as he took Zuko's arm with a wide grin. Zuko forced himself to smile and nod, inwardly feeling his tastebuds dry up as Uncle placed a new cup of tea in his hands.

Elyrie laughed from the stage when she saw Zuko's face sour and shot him a knowing look. He answered it with a brooding glare, until she winked at him. He smiled back as he bravely took another sip.

"There you go, Miss," the coachman said as he extended his hand to help Elyrie out of the ostrich-drawn carriage that had picked them up.

"Thank you," Elyrie answered, while giving him a curd nod as she stepped outside. With one hand lightly lifting the hem of her skirts up and the other placed in the outstretched hand, she elegantly descended from the small steps.

Zuko watched her with an amused grin as he stepped outside the carriage himself. He was sure that it had been months since she was helped in such a manner, but her lifted chin and elegantly outstretched hand showed that she never forgot how it was to be treated like royalty.

As she turned around, she elegantly swept her white silk shawl over her shoulder. It complimented the jade colour of her dress perfectly, Zuko decided. "Ready, Miss?" he quipped as he mockingly offered her his arm. Elyrie made a face and playfully slapped his arm away with her fan.

Zuko grinned as he lifted his head up to the sun. It was a beautiful morning: the sky was a crisp blue colour and the sun was already high in the sky – perfect for a visit to the Earth King.

"Many times I imagined myself here," Iroh said wistfully beside him as he watched the grand entrance of the Palace. Zuko followed his gaze to the large symbol placed over the entrance: the golden sign of the Earth Kingdom. "But I always thought I would be here as a conqueror. Instead, we are the Earth King's personal guests, here to serve him tea." Iroh mused as he proudly walked forward, "Destiny is a funny thing."

"It sure is, Uncle," Zuko agreed as he glanced over to the old man on his left.

A woman dressed in emerald-green robes greeted them at the entrance.

"Hello, I am Joo Dee," she said with a smile so wide that Elyrie could almost count all of her teeth, "Welcome. Please, follow me to the Tea Palace."

Without waiting for a response, she motioned for them to follow her – the smile still plastered on her face. Her steps were quick and even, almost like she was marching.

The three of them were guided to the magnificent gardens. "The King has a special place in his garden for brewing and serving tea to his honoured guests," Joo Dee told them over her shoulder. A small wooden pavilion – well, relatively small compared to the grandeur of the Royal Palace – was situated in the middle of the gardens.

Elyrie looked around and was delighted at the sight of so much lush colours of green. They might have travelled for weeks through the woods, but here in Ba Sing Se there was no nature to spare. Now she saw why: the Earth King had horded it all for himself here.

"This is one of the fanciest tea rooms in all of Ba Sing Se," Jo Dee told them as she led them into the pavilion.

It was indeed a magnificent room, with a low throne on top of a raised platform, complete with a small table for the tea and a mahogany piano in the corner. The decorative screen behind the throne showed a relaxing landscape of lofty, mist-shrouded peaks and pines. The entire room was filled with gold and green colours, to highlight the Earth Kingdom's natural beauty.

"Wait here," Joo Dee instructed them, "The Earth King will arrive in just a moment." She left abruptly and closed the door behind her.

Iroh sat down as he began to sort out the different flavours of tea he had brought. Zuko had convinced him to narrow it down to five options, so that the Earth King wasn't overwhelmed by the possibility of choices. Uncle had – thankfully – agreed with him.

While he was preparing the tea, Zuko looked over his shoulder to Elyrie. She had nothing of the calmness she usually displayed. Instead, she was nervously fidgeting with her ring, turning it around almost frantically.

Smoothly, Zuko took her left hand – the one with the ring – and gave it a light squeeze. Elyrie looked up and smiled, returning his squeeze.

Just like Uncle had been fretting over the right blend of tea, she had been up all night practicing her song for the Earth King. Zuko had never seen her this agitated, but – he had to pride himself on it – she seemed to relax a bit more now. Lightly resting his hand on her lower back, he sat down next to her.

Elyrie felt the soothing caresses on her back. She smiled and looked over, but Zuko didn't seem to notice as he listened to his Uncle's monologue about the importance of the correct blend of jasmine tea to serve the King.

Five minutes passed.

Then another five.

Uncle kept up the lively chatter, but even he fell more silent as the minutes passed away. Elyrie started fidgeting with her ring again, taking it off a couple times and placing it back again.

Another ten minutes.

"What's taking so long?" Zuko wondered out loud at last as he looked around the empty room. Not even a servant was present to serve the guests of the Earth King.

"Maybe the Earth King overslept?" Uncle suggested, although his tone implied that he himself didn't believe it.

Elyrie opened her mouth to respond, but she quickly closed it again when the doors opened.

Three pair of eyes snapped in the direction of the door as fifteen solemn looking men entered the room. Each of them looked forward, as they stood in a circle around the trio sitting in the middle. The long dark robes and stone gloves were unmistakable: they were Dai Li's agents.

Elyrie's eyes followed them as she clenched the silk between her fingers, inwardly questioning the entrance. She knew the Dai Li were the guards of the Earth King. That wasn't the unusual part: having grown up around royalty, she knew about the protection the Royal Family had from elite warriors.

But this, as they closed around them, was different.

"Something's wrong," Zuko hissed, as if he read her thoughts. Uncle said nothing, but Elyrie saw in the corner of her eye that he was eyeing the agents with suspicion.

Immediately counting the Dai Li-agents in her head, Elyrie felt her chest tighten in panic. Had they found out they were Fire Nation? Were they lured here to be arrested? Did someone know about Zuko and Uncle? About her?

She realised that she wasn't that far from the truth when a voice like a razor cut through the tense silence of the room.

"It's tea time."

"Azula!" Zuko jumped up, all his muscled tensed as soon as his sister entered the room. She was looking just as arrogant as the last time he had seen her, but now in the clothes fitted for Earth Kingdom royalty instead of her usual Fire Nation armour.

"Have you met the Dai Li?" Azula asked casually, tilting her head, "They're Earthbenders but they have a killer instinct that is so Firebender." Her amber eyes had a devilish shine in them. "I just love it."

Elyrie felt all her muscles tense as she looked at the Fire Nation Princess.

"Have I ever told you how I got the nickname 'The Dragon of the West'?" Uncle said, picking up his steaming cup of tea.

"I'm not interested in a lengthy anecdote, Uncle." Azula said in a bored tone, while examining her nails.

"It's more of a demonstration, really." Uncle answered, taking a sip of his tea.

Zuko immediately moved and placed his arms around Elyrie, pushing her head down against his chest. But it hadn't been necessary: Elyrie knew what was coming.

She had seen Uncle do this a thousand times as a child, simply to amuse them. He showed them he could use his breathing to spit flames in the air.

Uncle exhaled and the blast of flames spun around the room

At tea time, he had done it with small sips to spit small flames in the air. But now – with his full power displayed – did Elyrie finally realise how terrifying this skill must be to others.

Elyrie felt the heat of the flames above her head. Looking around, she saw every agent stagger back. Trying to avoid the flames, they scattered around the room.

She saw the opportunity to shoot a fireblast at the wall closest to them, breaking through it as she felt the adrenaline strengthen her bending. Luckily, it hadn't been a heavy wall. Jumping up from their crouched position, Zuko and she ran to the hole into a corridor while Uncle gave them much needed cover with his final breaths of fire.

As they ran, Elyrie heard a clattering sound follow them. It was as if someone was throwing pebbles at them at an alarming speed – which, since the Dai Li were Earthbenders, was probably the case.

She wasn't about to wait until they started throwing heavier things at them. Without stopping, she twirled around and snapped her fingers – like Uncle had taught her. A small bolt extended from her fingers and crossed the small space between her and the approaching Dai Li-agents. Without looking if she had hit something, she turned around again and kept running.

The sound of electricity crossed the room, but she heard the rumbling sound of something solid being erected. For a moment, the pebbles stopped.

In front of her, she saw Uncle igniting a powerful blast – far larger than hers had been – to break to the walls. Immediately jumping, she heard him yell. Without even hesitating, she ran past Zuko and jumped after Uncle – praying there would be something soft to break her fall.

Bracing herself for the impact, she landed on something relatively soft, not the unforgiving earth she had been expecting. Luckily for them, the Earth King was very fond of decorative bushes because both Uncle and she had landed on of them. She had completely destroyed the bear sculpture, but now was not the time to feel sorry about it.

"Come on! You'll be fine!" Iroh yelled. Elyrie looked up and saw that Zuko was still standing inside the palace, waiting in front of the gaping hole Uncle's lightening had made.

"What are you waiting for?" she screamed, pushing herself out of the bushes. He was too far away for her to see his face, but his posture was remarkably calm.

"I'm tired of running." Zuko answered in a determined voice as he straightened his spine, "I'm going to face Azula!" Without waiting for their response, he turned around and ran back into the corridor.

"Such a brave sentiment at such a bad time!" she yelled back at him, while Iroh grabbed her arm and pulled her out of the bush. She had barely enough time to scramble to her feet as he yanked her with him in the direction of the exit.

"Uncle, we have to-," she began but Uncle cut in: "No, we can't help him alone."

Again, he spoke like a General: no discussion possible.

You have got to be kidding me, she thought as she ran after Uncle, why – why?! – does Zuko go around looking for trouble? She recognised the same rush of annoyance she felt when she had hurled her books at him in frustration.

"What now, Uncle?" she dared to ask while trying to keep up with him.

"We'll get help." He answered without looking back.

"Help?" Elyrie echoed, "Where are you going to find help in a city taken over by Azula and swarming with Dai Li agents?"

"Well, with the Avatar in Ba Sing Se I could think of one."

"Do you know where they are?" Elyrie almost stumbled over in surprise, but caught herself fast enough.

"More or less." Iroh said over his shoulder.

"How are we going to find him?" She asked, "This city is enormous."

"And the Dai Li know it like the back of their hand."

"And they'll tell us?"

"If we ask them nicely."

Uncle threw the captured Dai Li-agent on the patio of a large house.

"Now, if you would be so kind to wait here while we'll get the Avatar and his friends, we would be very grateful." he said politely, as if they were visiting an old friend.

"You sure this is the place?" Elyrie cocked her head to the side when she was that half of the house was under construction, almost as if someone removed the wall entirely. A large cloth was placed over it to hide the construction, but it had taken a serious blow.

The Dai Li-agent nodded - at least he made an effort to. He was so restrained that she was surprised he could even move.

"Thank you so much." Iroh said as he nodded to the cuffed up man and made his way to the door.

"You really think they will help us rescue Zuko?" Elyrie asked, not to entirely confident that Aang, Katara and Sokka would be jumping with joy to help Zuko.

"We only know for certain if we ask them." was the pragmatic answer from Uncle.

That was true: they had nothing to lose, but everything to gain. Besides – now that she thought about it – Katara offered to help before when Uncle had been wounded. Yes, they might be willing to help them. With new courage, Elyrie walked behind Uncle up to the front door.

The door opened before they could knock.

Sokka thought he had seen everything on their trip around the world: hypnotised servants, angry Dai Li-agents trying to kill them, an enormous Fire Nation drill, singing nomads…,- Yes, everything.

But seeing the Dragon of the West on their doorstep was the last thing he had expected.

And it didn't help that Toph greeted him as an old friend.

"Glad to see you're okay!" she said cheerfully.

"I need your help," Iroh said as Toph greeted him.

"You guys know each other?!" Aang exclaimed, his grey eyes three times their normal size.

Sokka saw that Aang had assumed a fighting pose, just like him – with his mouth hanging open as well.

"I met him in the woods once and knocked him down," Toph shrugged, "Then he gave me some tea and some very good advice."

"May we come in?" the older man asked politely. Toph nodded, but Sokka frowned: we?

He peered around Iroh, clasping his boomerang while waiting for the brooding face of Zuko to step into the living room. But to his immense relief, he saw a familiar and much friendlier face.

"Sokka! Aang!" Elyrie said, "Good to see you again!"

"What are you doing here?" Sokka asked bluntly – he didn't wanted to be impolite, but it was hard to believe that Elyrie is here in the capital city of the Earth Kingdom with General Iroh. And in such fancy clothes as well, he thought as he cocked his head to the side. Why are they here?

"Princess Azula is here in Ba Sing Se." Iroh answered, as if he heard his thoughts.

"She must have Katara!" Aang said.

"Katara is captured as well?" Elyrie asked, her blue eyes widened in shock.

As well? Sokka thought, Wait, does that mean she is talking about …-

"She has captured my nephew as well." The old Fire Nation General said.

-.. Jup, the angry jerk.

"Then we'll work together to fight Azula," Aang said, immediately understanding the situation, "and save Katara and Zuko."

"Whoa there!" Sokka interrupted him, "You lost me at 'Zuko'!"

"I know how you must feel about my nephew," Iroh said as he walked toward Sokka and placed his hands on the younger man's shoulders, "But believe me when I tell you that there is good inside him!"

"'Good inside him' isn't enough."Sokka answered as he stepped back. "Why don't you come when it is outside of him too?" he asked while frantically waving his arms in the air, as if to underline the ridiculousness of the whole idea.

"Sokka, please," Elyrie said in a soft, but firm voice, "We need all the help we can get to stop Azula. We need Zuko and Katara to help us."

"And what makes you think he will help us?" Sokka asked her with a frown.

"Because the last thing he would do is help his sister." she shrugged, "I don't have to tell you that she's crazy."

While Sokka might not have believed that Zuko was capable of good, he did believe that he wanted to beat his maniac sister. He hadn't forgotten how he had faced her along with them in the abandoned town. Being the least hated of the two options did work in their favour, after all.

"Fine," he sighed defeated, "Let's go get them."

"We brought someone who might be help to us," Iroh said as he motioned for the group to follow him.

The Dai Li-agent hadn't moved from his spot on the patio. Toph stretched her arms to bend earth pillars on both sides of the man, effectively pushing him up whilst keeping him restrained.

Iroh bent forward to remove his gag, but before any of them could ask anything, the agent spoke: "Azula and Long Feng are plotting a coup! They're going to overthrow the Earth King!"

Well, that was easier than expected, Elyrie thought dryly.

Sokka stepped forward in a menacing way. "My sister!" he said through clenched teeth, "Where are they keeping Katara?"

"In the Crystal Catacombs of Old Ba Sing Se, deep beneath the palace."

"What is the fastest way to get to them without being seen?" Elyrie asked.

"Just outside of the Palace walls," the agent answered.

"And the fastest way to get out?"

"There is a river that runs throughout the catacombs, which leads back to Lake Laogai." He answered again, "Follow it up and you will get out."

"Thank you so much," Elyrie said as everyone turned around in the direction of the Palace.

Ten minutes later, they were standing just outside of the spot where Uncle and she had come from.

The small earthbender placed her hands on the ground. "Well, what'd you know?" Toph exclaimed after a few seconds, "There is and ancient city down there, but it's deep."

Elyrie had already noticed the girl's blindness, but that only seemed to be the case for her vision. She assumed that she used her bending in a way to feel the world around her. She was intrigued, but now was not the time to ask questions.

Toph stretched her arms to bend a tunnel through the ground, starting a path down to lead to the catacombs.

"We should spit up," Sokka said as he tapped his chin, "Aang, you go with Iroh and Elyrie to look for Katara and the angry jerk." He glanced over to Iroh and placed his hand on his shoulder in an apologetic gesture, "No offense."

"None taken." Iroh shrugged.

"And I'll go with Toph to warn the Earth King of Azula's coup."

"Isn't it better to let me come to the Earth King as well?" Elyrie opted, "Three man to free two might be a bit much."

"I'd rather have you with me," Iroh answered, "And I think that Zuko would be anxious to see you're allright."

Elyrie immediately nodded."Where do we meet after?" she asked instead.

"On the shores of Lake Laogai," Sokka answered, "We will be there waiting with Appa to pick you guys up once everything is settled."

Or if everything goes completely downhill and we need to make a quick escape, Elyrie thought. When she looked around, she saw that she didn't need to voice her concerns: everyone was sharing her sentiments, judging from the grave looks on their faces.

"Good luck everyone," Iroh finally said as he lit up his palm and started to descend down the tunnel with Aang. Elyrie followed them.

The tunnel was not wide enough to allow the three of them to walk beside each other, so Elyrie walked just behind Aang and Iroh.

"So," Aang began after a few moments, "Toph thinks you give pretty good advice, and great tea!"

"The key to both is proper aging," Iroh smiled, "What's on your mind?"

"Well, I met with this guru who was supposed to help me master the Avatar state and control this great power, but to do it, I had to let go of someone I love," Aang said, "And I just couldn't."

He stopped to push the earth back again, creating a deeper tunnel.

"Perfection and power are overrated," Iroh said calmly, "I think you were very wise to choose happiness and love."

Elyrie was surprised at Aang's trusting nature to tell Iroh about his concerns, but Uncle always seemed to have that effect.

"What happens if we can't save anyone and beat Azula?" Aang asked as he pushed the tunnel deeper into the ground again, "Without the Avatar State, what if I'm not powerful enough?"

"I don't know the answer," Iroh replied honestly, "Sometimes, life is like this dark tunnel: you can't always see the light at the end of the tunnel, but if you just keep moving-..,"

The last wall was pushed back and the flames were sniffed out. Instead, a mysterious green light filled the tunnel.

"- you will come to a better place." Iroh finished as they stepped outside of the tunnel into the enormous Catacombs of Old Ba Sing Se.

A river ran through the center of the large cave, which obviously once had been a main square in Old Ba Sing Se. Elyrie looked around and saw that the old city had been composed primarily out of rock houses; some of them were excavated out of the wall while others were built against it. The doors were large holes, with smaller holes for the windows.

The mysterious green light didn't come from any source of daylight, but was provided by naturally luminescent crystals. They were spread all over the walls and floor of the catacombs, allowing for them to see without the use of their fire.

"We must be under the Lake," Elyrie said as her eyes followed the river to the waterfall upwards.

Aang crouched down and placed his palms on the stone floor. With a concentrated look on his face, he slowly breathed in and out.

"We are," he said after a few moments, "and the prison cells are that way." He pointed across from the waterfall, to the old houses in the walls.

Zuko closed his eyes as the young waterbender carefully placed her hand on his scar, her thumb lightly resting on his lips. For a moment, there was silence.

Then both of them were startled by the sound of breaking rocks.

"Aang!" Katara yelled as she lunged forward to embrace the Avatar, who had appeared from behind the dust.

Before Zuko could open his mouth, Elyrie appeared from behind the Avatar and ran to him. He immediately placed his arms around her small form. When she pulled back, he inspected her face to see if she was wounded. But aside from her some loose strands of hair, she looked unscattered.

Relief washed over him as she stepped back to allow Uncle to hug Zuko. Zuko answered his hug too, but frowned when Elyrie turned around to hug Katara.

"Aang, I knew you would come!" Katara said with a smile over Elyrie's shoulder, "Although I am surprised to see you two here." she said as Elyrie pulled back.

"Surprise." Elyrie said dryly.

"I don't understand," Zuko said finally, "What are you doing with the Avatar?"

Elyrie wasn't sure whether he asked that question to her or to Uncle, but she assumed he meant both of them. She stepped forward to calm him, but Aang answered before she could.

"Saving you, that's what." He said coldly.

Zuko growled at his response and took a step in Aang's direction, but Iroh immediately stopped him.

"Zuko," he said firmly with a hand on his nephews shoulder, "It is time we talked."

Zuko avoided his eyes as he saw Elyrie standing across from him. She was standing between the waterbender and the Avatar, fitting in perfectly. He felt a sting in chest – of regret? Jealousy? Anger?

He didn't know.

Elyrie smiled radiantly at him, oblivious at his racing thoughts. She extended her hands and took his. "I am glad you are okay," she said, happy that they had found them without much trouble.

Without taking further notice of Zuko's shifting mood, she turned back to Aang and Katara. "We need to leave here," she said, "Sokka and Toph might need our help."

"Go on," Iroh said as he motioned to Elyrie to go back the way they came from, "We'll be right behind you."

When Elyrie opened her mouth to ask why, Iroh simply shook his head. She looked over at Zuko, but he wasn't looking at her. He stared into the distance, away from everyone.

She stepped in his direction, but Aang grabbed her arm. Elyrie halted and turned back to look at the Avatar – a motion that felt like a sharp dagger being plunged into Zuko's chest.

"Elyrie, we need to hurry," he said, "Azula could have noticed our absence us by now."

Zuko let his head hang down. In the corner of his eye, he saw that Elyrie lit up her palm and walked into the darkness of the cave. Aang and Katara followed her and he glanced away from the greenlit cave.

Elyrie looked back and saw Zuko look down, but she saw something else as well: Katara glanced over her shoulder to Zuko as well. When she turned back, Elyrie saw something in her azure eyes – something she couldn't quite place. Compassion maybe, or pity?

She shook her head and looked in front of her, quickening her pace. She heard the fast footsteps of Aang and Katara behind her, following her light. After all, they needed to keep going and make it out of the Catacombs as quickly as possible.

The green light of the crystals came closer. Elyrie closed her palm and descended down to the main square from where they had come, making her way to the waterfall.

"Where are we going to find Sokka and Toph?" Katara asked as she they ran over the grounds of the catacombs.

"We'll meet them at the edge of Lake Laogai," Elyrie answered as she pointed upwards to the waterfall, "It is where the catacombs lead to."

She looked over her shoulder to see if Katara and Aang were still behind her, but immediately saw the flicker of blue coming in their direction, standing out from the green light in the catacombs.

"Watch out!" she yelled as she turned around. Katara and Aang reacted immediately, bending the water in the river upwards as a shield for the oncoming blue flames.

They heard the sizzling sound as the flames hit the water, but they were extinguished almost immediately. Azula jumped throught the steam, aiming fireblasts at the trio before landing on rock high above them.

How did she find us so quickly? Jumping into action, Elyrie ran in front of the watershield while making the snapping motion with her fingers once again in the direction of Azula.

A small bolt hit one of the rocks on which Azula was standing, making her briefly lose her balance. Aang immediately reacted by bending the rocks away from the wall, forcing Azula to jump down.

She landed between the three of them, arms stretched in the direction of Elyrie and Aang. Katara was standing slightly behind Aang, her hands stretched and ready to attack.

Elyrie exhaled slowly through her nose, focusing on her breathing. Her heart was pumping in her chest with anger and determination.

Where are Uncle and Zuko? Panic washed over her as she saw the menacing figure of the Fire Nation Princess stand between them. Azula's amber eyes locked with her own blue eyes, and she almost felt the hatred coursing through her veins. She was here in Ba Sing Se to capture Aang and Zuko. She was here to end the peace they had finally found. She was here to wreck havoc on their lives, as she had done so often before.

It ends today, Elyrie vowed to herself as she felt her blood pump.

Now she understood what Zuko had felt this afternoon: the determination to face her and end this. The difference had been that Zuko had been alone; she was with the Avatar and a master Waterbender. And she wasn't as helpless as she had been: she was far better trained now. And Azula was alone.

Azula seemed to realise this too, because she kept looking back at all three of them. From the slight clenching of her jaw and the pursing of her red lips, it was evident that she was contemplating her plan of attack against three other people.

A ball of red flames landed between Azula and Elyrie. Azula immediately looked at her, but Elyrie hadn't moved.

The flames came from the entrance of the catacombs.

Zuko stood with one arm stretched and the other bend above his head, ready to release a second attack. He had thrown of his apron and heavy overcoat, exposing his muscular arms.

The siblings glared at each other for a moment.

Zuko shifted his eyes from his sister to Katara, to Aang and finally to Elyrie.

When their eyes met, Elyrie smiled, feeling the rush of relief come over her now that he was here with her.

Zuko's eyes shifted back as he carefully looked at everyone in the standoff.

Nobody moved for a few seconds.

Then, Zuko attacked.

Next up: the finale of Book 2!

Chapter Text

Zuko, I am begging you. Look inside your heart to see what it is that you truly want.

Uncle's words rang in Zuko's ears as he looked at the people in front of him. From the moment he had left that crystal prison to pursue his sister and the others, he had no idea what he would do when once he got there.

He was standing with his arm extended, his fists tightly clenched. In front of him were standing four people. The scorched stones between them was evidence that he had aimed his fire, but at who?

His eyes went to his sister: her amber eyes were small slits as she looked back at him. He knew why: she was waiting to see to whom he was truly loyal. To the Fire Nation, or would he join the band of traitors?

"You will have your honour back, you will have father's love."

Zuko's eyes went over the brunette waterbender. She was staring back at him with a look of surprise on her tanned face. In her eyes, he could read the uncertainty: would he fight with them or against them?

She had offered to heal him, to erase his scar from his face.

"Maybe you can be free of it. I have healing powers." Her soft hand carefully placed on his scar, he felt the coolness of her bending under her skin.

His eyes went over to the Avatar, wo was standing beside the waterbender and had his arms lifted to defend himself if Zuko attacked him. For him, there seemed to be no confusion: Zuko was here to fight him.

"Saving you, that's what." Aang glared with grey eyes at Zuko, looking almost annoyed.

The last person he could bear to look at, was Elyrie. Her face had an entirely different expression than the others: no anger, distrust or surprise. She looked calm, almost serene. The small smile that curled around her lips was one of trust and confidence.

Her blue eyes met his when he looked in her direction. He saw the small twinkle in them and he knew what she thought: he was here to fight with her.

With her. Or with them?

Zuko's jaw clenched when Elyrie's eyes went to the Avatar and the waterbender. He knew what she wanted to say to them: 'don't be afraid, he is here to help us.'

Us.

Before today, he hadn't doubt what she meant by 'us'. But now, she had joined another group to fight against Azula.

Not that he could blame her for going up against Azula. But he had hoped she would stay behind – stay with him, like she had done the last time Azula had crossed their paths.

But she didn't. She had guided the waterbender and Avatar out of the cave to the rest of their group. Only Uncle had stayed behind with him, and that was to scold him for his stubbornness.

He should have realised that he would never belong anywhere else, not in the way she does. Not in the way his Uncle does.

Look inside your heart to see what it is that you truly want.

He wanted to belong somewhere; and more than ever he wanted what was rightfully his. Something no one could ever take away from him.

In that moment, it was crystal clear where he belonged.

His eyes snapped back at the Avatar. At the moment they locked eyes, both knew what Zuko was about to do.

"Ya!" Zuko roared as he punched his fist forward in a powerful motion. The bright orange flames flew in the direction of the airbender. With a quick movement of his hand, the boy stopped the flames from hitting him.

Bam.

Bam.

Bam.

Zuko's eyes were wide open, his jaw clenched as het sent more and more fireballs in the direction of his source of anger. The source of all his misfortune. And now: his way back home.

Elyrie looked with wide eyes, but had not enough time to process what just happened.

"Zuko! Wh-," she began, but her throat seemed to close when she felt the heat of flames scorching past her face. Blinking, she snapped her head in the direction of the flames.

Azula wasted no time and immediately sent a blast of blue fire in her direction once she saw her brother attack the Avatar. Elyrie could have been hit but lucky for her, Katara was quicker to react and shielded them from the flames with a wall of ice

The flames and the ice evaporated, leaving only the heat of steam between them.

Panting, Elyrie saw Zuko in the corner of her eye. With a loud yell, she saw a massive force of fire coming from Zuko. The stones and crystals above the catacombs shattered when the flames hit them.

Elyrie had only enough time to jump out of the way, before Azula sent another blast of fire in her direction. The scorching heat of the fire went over her left shoulder, barely avoiding her face for a second time.

Katara yelled Aang's name when she saw him being knocked over by Zuko.

"Help him!" Elyrie said, finally coming back to her senses as she took her fighting stance at last.

"So you learned a new trick with lightening?" Azula smirked and the gleaming look in her eyes made it look almost feline, "But you never fought me one-on-one!"

"No," Elyrie answered as she lit her palms, "But I always wanted to."

That wisecrack was going to cost her dearly, because Azula aimed her ferocious power at Elyrie with all the frustration she felt. Blasting herself in the air, Elyrie jumped away from the attack.

Landing on the cold stones, she straightened her back again and blocked Azula's attack. Creating the ring of fire around her, she shot the flames back to the Princess.

Azula knocked the flames away with ease as she made her way over to her. But by doing so, she stepped in the puddles of water Katara left behind.

Hearing the splashing sounds, Elyrie got an idea. Time for some extra lighting, she thought as she placed her thumb on her middle- and indexfinger. Aiming at her wet boots, Elyrie snapped her fingers at Azula.

But nothing happened.

She looked astonished. Nothing but a few sparks came from her fingertips. "What the-?" she muttered as she looked at her hands.

"You thought that a few new tricks could make you a master?" Azula taunted her as she approached her, a predator toying with her prey. Elyrie only looked up in confusion and surprise.

Azula aimed at Elyrie's feet and made her loose her balance. With a second powerful blast, Elyrie was knocked back. She went flying through the air until the back of her head slammed against the crystals that filled the catacombs. Her body went limp and she fell on her knees.

Elyrie's vision became blurry, she felt a burning pain on her shoulder and the sickening stench of burning hair reached her nostrils just before she fell down in the cold water of the moat.

The blast had almost knocked her out, but the freezing cold was surprisingly just what she needed to snap out of the hazy state.

She couldn't pass out, not now.

Immediately reacting, she stretched her arms and swam back to the surface. Coughing, she lifted herself out of the water. "Get up." She mumbled as she forced herself to stand up again, "You'll die if you stay down."

Her hands slipped on the stones as she stood up and she wiped the wet strands out of her face. Her ends felt ragged and coarse. The skin on her left shoulder was exposed now that her clothing was burnt. She saw the burning red colour in sharp contrast with her white skin and realised that Azula had hit her full on this time.

As she felt her panic and agony grew, she wondered why the hadn't felt the finishing blow from Azula. As she lifted her eyelids, she saw that the Fire Nation Princess was too busy fighting off Aang and Katara.

But where was -,?

Then she saw him. He was standing a few feet away from her, looking at her with a concerned expression.

It cut right through her core.

He ran forward and grabbed her hands, but she pushed him away with all her strength. He lowered his arms and looked at her, not sure what to do next. But she spun around and fired a rapid shot in his direction. He had been standing too close to her, so he fell over.

"You…" he sputtered as he worked himself back onto his feet.

"Liar!" she yelled, shooting a fireball in his direction, "How could you do this?" Her inner fire blazed like a thousand suns, fuelled by her anger and increased by the passion of the heartbreak she felt.

"Who do you think you are, trying to prevent me from taking back my honour?" he yelled back at her, "If I take Ba Sing Se and the Avatar, I'll return home with honour!"

"You are delusional!" she screamed, but Zuko was faster and grabbed her hands again. His grip was firm on her cold, wet hands. He pulled her closer and for a moment, the sounds of the battleground silenced around them. She could only hear his soft breathing close to her ear and feel his hands entangled with her own.

"Don't you realise what this means?" he said, his voice suddenly surprisingly soft, "We could go back home. Together."

"But there is no-," she began, wanting to say all the things why she couldn't go back. She was branded a traitor, she was an outcast, she had family she needed to return to – but all of this died in her throat the moment she looked into his pleading eyes.

The pleading eyes of a child, craving his father's approval and the comfort of home.

You knew, despite everything, that you were loved.

This hit her like a lightning bolt – as if the world beneath her feet started to crumble. She thought that she had known everything, that everything would work out now that they had finally found each other. Now that Zuko finally had been given a sense of peace, of stability.

But all had been a whiff of smoke, a fleeting moment.

He didn't want the peace and stability: he wanted what had been taken from him. He had told her so many times, but she had just refused to believe it.

"Happiness alone would never have been enough for you." she said, her voice steady. It wasn't a question or a pleading for him to change sides. It was a simple fact.

Zuko halted for a moment as he heard her speak in that cold, unfamiliar voice.

"You don't know how to be anyone else." she continued, her voice finally breaking, "You only can be the Prince that lost his honour. And I have seen too much to join you now."

She pushed herself away from him but did not noticing how the ring slipped from her wet hand. The sound of the battleground emerged again, so no one heard the ring fall down on the stones.

She shot the fireblasts as soon as she could, trying to ignore the tears that were forming in her eyes. She had to turn against him now, because it would hurt all the more if she waited longer.

Zuko felt his blood run cold when he looked at her. Not because of what she said or even because of what she did. He saw that the blasts weren't particularly aimed at him, because none hit him and he did't make much of an effort to evade them.

But it was the way she looked at him. He never thought she would be able to look at him with such scorching pain and anger.

Zuko felt his flames grow fiercer than ever. He had been right all along: she would have left him. And now, he finally saw her for what she really was. A traitor. A selfish, spoiled girl that switched sides. To her, he had been nothing more than something to pass her boredom. To pass the long hours in the city.

They both took their fighting stance; but this time it wasn't a friendly sparring match.

What happened between then and now, Elyrie would never been able to recollect. She didn't trust her memory anymore.

All she remembered was that Aang's body contorted in an unnatural way as blue light illuminated the catabombs. Azula, who shot down the Avatar with a bolt of lightning had her perfectly manicured fingers aimed at him.

It seemed to happen in slow motion: his body fell to the unforgiving stones.

While everyone was distracted by the commotion, Katara used a tidal wave to overthrow them all. All the Dai Li-agents that were present, Azula and Zuko.

Elyrie took advantage of the moment and propelled herself off, over the wave Katara had formed to reach Aang. She landed next to them. Katara, who held the unconscious body of the Avatar in her arms, stared at her with desperation in her eyes.

In the corner of her eyes, Elyrie saw a whip of fire coming in their direction. Her hand flat, she pushed it aside in a reflex.

Zuko had cracked his firewhip, planning to finish it right there. The Water Tribe girl was occupied with the unconscious Avatar. He might even be dead for all he knew. Azula's lightning had struck him right in his back, effectively knocking him down. With those two finally captured, he could return with his honour like he always wanted.

Just as he stroked the whip, Elyrie jumped in front of the pair. She was able to redirect the whip away from them, but was too slow to avoid the string of fire herself in the process. As soon as he saw her jump between them, Zuko extinguished the whip. But it was too late.

The whip hit her already wounded shoulder. It set her clothes on fire, burning right through the fabric and touching her directly on her skin.

Her high voice screamed out and the cry echoed off the walls of the cave.

Zuko cringed at the sound of her scream. It was unlike any sound he had ever heard from her. The scream made his blood go cold and at the same time, heat up his entire body in fear.

Elyrie fell on her good side, hurting with every move. With a hateful glare, she gazed at Zuko.

Agni, it hurt so much. The first hit to the shoulder was bad enough, but now it felt as if her whole arm was burning. And it had been Zuko who had done this to her.

She forced herself to stand erect and resume her fighting pose next to Katara and Aang. She gritted her teeth together as the adrenaline pumped through her entire body. She met Katara's eyes and saw the same despair she felt. They were outnumbered and she was hurt. They could never escape now.

"Just give up," Azula taunted as her lips curved when she saw the burned skin, "You can never-."

A fireblast suddenly knocked Azula and Zuko off their feet. For a moment, Elyrie was sure she had imagined it.

It was the Dragon of the West himself, jumping onto the battleground. Fighting like a one-man army, he easily took out 10 Dai Li agents before he turned to the two girls.

"You have to get out of here! I hold them off as long as I can!" he yelled while shooting more fireballs to the attacking Dai Li agents.

"No! Uncle, please…" Elyrie began, but she was quickly cut off. "Go now! Get yourself to safety!" Uncle yelled as he motioned for her to get away.

Elyrie placed Aang's arm over her good shoulder, just as Katara did with the other arm and pulled him towards the waterfall.

"Hold on to him!" Katara said as she assembled the water around them. With the adrenaline still numbing part of the pain, she took advantage of the moment as she took over the unconscious Aang while Katara bended the water around them.

Holding on to Katara, who used her waterbending to get them up, Elyrie took one last look at Uncle, praying he would be alright.

Zuko watched Elyrie disappear; he saw his Uncle surrender and avert his eyes from him.

"Come, brother" Azula's voice called him, "Let's go home."

Home.

She was right: what he had done was the right choice. He finally got what he had worked for five long years. If his Uncle and Elyrie did not see that, they never wanted the best for him.

He turned around, but something glittering in the corner of his eye caught his attention. The sapphire shimmered in the light of the torches.

Elyrie's ring.

He picked it up and looked at it in his palm. Her mother's ring. The small sapphire sparkled in the light of the green crystals of the catacombs.

"Zuko!"

He turned around, quickly closing his hand to hide the ring. "Yes?"

"Didn't you hear me? I said let's go!" Azula said impatiently.

He nodded to his sister, but he let the ring slip in his pocket. He took one last look at the waterfall, which was back in its normal state. The water fell down as it always had, but something irrevocably had changed for Zuko.

His hand still in his pocket, he let his thumb caress the sapphire.

"Goodbye Lily." He whispered.

When they had landed at Chameleon Bay, Katara put down Aang. He'd live, but he was in a deep slumber. Tears still pricking in her eyes, she felt grateful she didn't waste the Spirit Water on Zuko. Now, Aang would live and everything would be allright.

Wiping her tears away, she hurried over to Elyrie. Sokka carried her off the saddle and placed her on the soft sand on the beach. Her features were contorted in pain as she held onto her shoulder.

Katara bend over to try and manage her wounds as best she could. "I am sorry I was not able to help earlier" she said apologizing as she placed a cool hand of water on the red skin.

"Don't be." Elyrie comforted her, exhaling at the pleasant feeling of the cool water on her skin. "I am a firebender, burns are about to happen" she added with a wry smile.

Katara chuckled, and continued the healing session. "It will take a few days to heal, and I am afraid it will leave a scar."

"I am fine with that." Elyrie said while sitting up straight and carefully stretched her arm. It did indeed feel better. Sokka handed his sister the cloths to wrap the wound, but he also handed Elyrie his pocketknife.

Elyrie looked at him with a puzzled expression. "Elyrie, I'm sorry to tell you, but your hair-..," Katara trailed off as she motioned above her wounded shoulder. Elyrie's hand flew up to her neck and felt the hard, uneven pieces were Azula had burned her hair off.

Now, she had to cut her hair again. I like it, Zuko had said about her longer hair.

Without hesitation, she took the knife and cut off her hair for the second time.

End of Book 2

Thank you to everyone who came this far! I apoligise for the late post, but I had trouble writing this final chapter. In the end, I had three possible outcomes and wasn't able to pick one.

Sending lots of love!

Chapter Text

The heavy ship creaked as it slowly made its way through the black waves below. There was no wind, only the shimmering of the full moon on the surface of the water. In the dark of the night, Mai's black eyes snapped open.

Another boring night, she mused as she swung her long legs over the side of her bed. She was an incredibly light sleeper, but also: sleeping was just so dull. Better to take a quick walk to stretch her legs.

Automatically, she slit a stiletto in the holsters around her wrists and grabbed an overcoat to shield herself from the cold on deck. Mai hated the cold but even so, she enjoyed gazing into the darkness. The world looked so much more cheerful when covered in black.

On deck she saw the silhouette of a man. His shoulders were broad, his black hair loose and long. Gazing at the moon, he had a faraway look in his golden eyes. Apparently, her boyfriend was also awake.

Her boyfriend, she repeated in her mind and felt the corners of her mouth tug upwards. Had it only been three weeks since the Fall of Ba Sing Se? Zuko had chosen to side with them and together, he and Azula had brought his Uncle and the City to it's knees.

"Aren't you cold?" she asked him.

Zuko shrugged carelessly. "I have a lot on my mind," he answered, "It's been so long, over five years since I was home. I wonder what's changed. I wonder how I've changed."

She yawned, casually placing her long fingers in front of her mouth. He had been saying that on their entire journey back: complaining about how he changed. She didn't understand his problem: he was here, right? He was on his way home.

"I just asked if you were cold," she said in bored tone, rolling her eyes, "I didn't ask for your whole life story."

Zuko turned away from her, one hand clasping the railing and the other hand slit into his pocket. Mai half expected him to grab something out of his pocket, but his hand stayed inside.

She shrugged, but placed her thin hands over his, cupping his cheeks. The eyes that met hers were golden, but distant.

"Stop worrying." She simply said. She guided his face to hers, kissing him.

Zuko responded to the kiss, just as she pulled away. She felt herself smile again, just like the first time they had kissed.

Azula had – very obviously – set the two of them up on a date the day before they were about to leave for the Fire Nation. Zuko had been withdrawn and sullen and Mai hadn't been too eager as well, but Ty Lee and Azula had lured them to a 'private' dinner. All and all, it had worked out just fine.

Childhood crushes amount to something, she thought as she pushed the shaggy strands of hair out of his face.

"Stop worrying." she repeated as she let go of him and made her way back to her chamber. After all, worrying was so boring.

With his thumb and indexfinger, Sokka stroked his chin. Hunched over a stack of maps and papers, he tried to memorise the routes in front of him.

"What about this?"

He looked at the slender finger placed on the edge of the map of the Fire Nation. "This island is hidden, and I assume it can provide enough place for all the forces."

"It might, depending on the amount of warriors who'd join us," Sokka answered pensively, "From how many have we conformation?"

Elyrie's face was partly covered by the Fire Nation helmet, so she pushed it up to get a better look at the messages. "From the two dozen messages, I'd estimate we have at least ten groups who have agreed to join us." Elyrie said, slipping a stack of paper in his direction.

Sokka saw her wince slightly when she moved her left shoulder with the motion, but said nothing. The way she pressed her lips together was enough for him to avoid bringing up the subject again. It had been almost three weeks of fruitless efforts.

He let his gaze glide over the papers and saw her in the corner of his eye do the same.

"This might actually,..- " he began. A loud banging on the door made them both look up.

"He's awake!" the silhouette of Pipsqueak appeared in the doorway, holding his helmet up.

"He's awake!" Elyrie said, as she rose from her chair and started running after the incredibly large former Freedom Fighter.

Sokka followed them onto the deck, where they found Aang locked in a tight embrace with Katara and Momo sitting on his shoulder. Around them, their entire group had assembled. Pipsqueak, the Duke, Bato and his father were still in their Fire Nation uniforms and Toph had thrown the red cape with Fire Nation insignia over her green outfit. Appa stood from a distance, contently growling to see Aang back on his feet again.

"Aang!" Sokka exclaimed, "Good to see you back with the living, buddy!"

"Sokka?" Aang frowned, his voice sounding weak and confused. His grey eyes went up and down Sokka's Fire Nation attire. When he turned to look, he saw Elyrie standing next to Sokka, in a similar armour.

"Glad to see you're okay!" she chimed in, along with all the other happy well-wishers.

Aang's eyes drifted from Elyrie, to Sokka, to Katara and the group of people standing around him; everyone was dressed in the bloodred colours of the Fire Nation.

"Someone catch him! He's gonna,-" Toph yelled, before they all heard the loud thunk of Aang's body that collided with the metal floor of the ship. Only Katara had been quick enough the catch him. Partly.

"Too late." Sokka deduced.

Thanks to Katara's healing powers – and Pipsqueaks excellent cooking – Aang sat upright with a bowl of noodles only twenty minutes later.

"Why are we on a Fire Nation ship?" Aang asked after he had drained his first bowl of noodles and Pipsqueak handed him a second. "Why is everyone dressed this way? And why am I the only one who's completely out of it?"

"You need to take it easy, okay?" Katara said gently, "You got hurt pretty bad." Aang looked at her with an pensive glare before she added with a smile: "I like your hair."

"I have hair?!" Aang asked, his hands going up his usually bald head. Now, his blue arrow was partly covered up by short, black curls.

They all laughed.

"While we're on the subject of hair.." Sokka removed his helmet, showing that his hair had grown too. His wolftail was no longer shaved on both sides, but his chocolate brown hair now covered all of his scalp.

"And me too," Elyrie added stiffly, removing her helmet as well and shaking out her curls.

Elyrie's hair had been cropped shorter than before, so it only came a little below her chin. But that wasn't the greatest difference: her normally auburn locks were now ravenblack.

"Your hair is black?" Aang said a little surprised.

"Less recognisable this way." Elyrie shrugged in response. Her long fingers tapped on the metal helmet. The frantic motion made Aang a bit unnerved.

"We all are trying to blend in more,"Sokka nodded, "It was her own idea to dye her hair black with charcoal."

"Hey, I can't spot the difference." Toph joked. They all laughed again, before Aang narrowed his brows again.

"But what happened?" he finally asked, his grey eyes going from Elyrie to Sokka to Toph and back to Katara. Toph stared with her milky green eyes fixed on nothing in particular. Elyrie's lips had formed a thin line and her fingers dug a little in the helmet she was holding.

Katara shared a look with her brother, before Sokka answered him: "After what happened at Ba Sing Se, we had to get you to safety. We flew back to Chameleon Bay where we found my father and the other Water Tribe men." Sokka motioned to his father and Bato, who nodded in response.

"The Earth King decided he wanted to travel the world in disguise, so he set off alone." Sokka added, before stroking his chin, "Well, not completely alone: he took Bosco with him."

"Soon, the bay was overrun by Fire Nation ships. Rather than fight them all, we captured a single ship and made it our disguise." Sokka shrugged, "Since then we've been traveling west. We crossed through the Serpent's Pass a few days ago. We've seen a few Fire Nation ships, but none have bothered us."

"So what now?" Aang asked, after he had processed most of the information.

"We won't be able to mount a massive invasion without the Earth King's armies, but with Elyrie on our side we are changing the invasion plan." Sokka smiled at him.

Elyrie nodded to the airbender. "The plan for the invasion was a good one, but the Fire Lord is prepared for eclipses. The darkest day in Fire Nation History taught them a tough lesson, so since then solar calendars were invented to predict the next eclipses."

Sokka didn't miss the fact that she referred to the Fire Nation as 'them', not 'us' whenever discussing matters of war.

Aang slumped his shoulders. "So the whole plan is useless?"

"Not necessarily," Elyrie answered. "They might expect an invasion, but a smaller more agile group can still be a surprise. After all, a solar eclipse will still leave the Fire Nation vunerable."

"Which is even more convenient for us!" Sokka chimed in as he showed Aang the paper, "We are planning to assemble a ragtag team of our friends and allies from around the Earth Kingdom. We already ran into Pipsqueak and the Duke." He motioned to the largest Freedom Fighter with the smallest Freedom Fighter on his shoulder.

"Good to see you again, Aang." Pipsqueak said in his low voice, chewing his food. The Duke only nodded, his mouth stuffed with noodles.

"And the best part is, the eclipse isn't even our biggest advantage. We have a secret..." Sokka whispered in a conspiratorially voice as he bowed to Aang, "You."

"Me?" Aang frowned.

"Yep, the whole world thinks you're dead!" Sokka exclaimed, triumphally punching his fists in the air "Isn't that great?

The garden of the Fire Nation Palace was an oasis of peace and beauty amidst the splendid residence of the Royal Family. Even if the sun was searing and the Capital was scorching hot, the garden was cool and refreshing. There was nice spot, just by the pond, in the shade of an old tree where you could cool down.

And if Azula could calculate her brothers next move – which wasn't that hard – he would be brooding right there.

"You seem so downcast," Azula said to her brother, casually inspecting his hunched form in front of the turtle duck pond, "Has Mai gotten to you already?"

Zuko didn't answer and he tore another piece of bread from the loaf and threw it in the pond.

"Though actually, Mai has been in a strangely good mood lately." Azula added, feigning ignorance as she tapped her finger against her pointed chin.

"I haven't seen Dad yet," Zuko said, "I haven't seen him in five years, since I was banished."

"So what?" Azula studied her nails.

"So," Zuko said, his jaw slightly twitching, "I didn't capture the Avatar."

"Who cares?" Azula shrugged, "The Avatar's dead."

Zuko's eyes immediately avoided hers.

"Unless," she continued, inspecting his face, "you think he somehow miraculously survived?"

Zuko's eyes shot back to look into hers, the silence heavy between the siblings. "No." Zuko answered after a short pause as he glared at his sister, "There's no way he could have survived."

"Well, then I'm sure you have nothing to worry about." Azula said, her eyes never leaving his. You've always been a terrible liar Zuzu, but you really should try harder, she thought as she walked away.

Aang had paced the deck of the ship at least seven times – an impressive feat, Sokka had to admit, if you remembered that his back had been damaged for at least 40 percent.

"No, no, no," Aang kept repeating over and over again, "This is bad, this is very bad."

"Aang, please, listen to our explanation." Katara had tried to calm him, but Aang didn't seem to hear her. She eventually grabbed his wrist gently and urged him to sit down again.

"The world thinks I'm dead? How is that good news?" Aang shouted after he sat, "That's terrible!"

"No, it's great!" Sokka answered jovially, "It means the Fire Nation won't be hunting us anymore!"

"And that's what makes the invasion plan work," Elyrie added, "They will not be expecting you on the Day of Black Sun."

Aang shook his head again, almost digging his fingers into his head. "No, no, no, no, no. You have no idea. This is so messed up!"

The blaring of a foghorn cut through the air and all of them looked up. In front of them, another Fire Nation ship approached and sounded the horn again to signal them to stop the ship.

"I'll handle this." Aang said determined as he opened his glider, "The Avatar is back."

"Don't you dare start a fight now," Elyrie cut as she rose and pushed his glider down, even though Aang winced from the motion, "It is common for other ships to check on each other in case of irregularities. If you start trouble now, they'll know we are not Fire Nation."

Aang glared at her for a moment, but Elyrie didn't bother to look at him.

"Everyone stay calm," she said as she motioned for Hakoda and Bato to put their helmets on, "I'll handle this."

Pipsqueak and the Duke immediately rolled out a large cloth to cover Appa. The skybison had lowered himself into a loading platform on the deck, so his large form didn't attract attention. With the cloth covering him, it looked like some cargo had been stored there. Momo duck under the cloth to hide as well.

Sokka pulled Aang to the stairs that lead downstairs in the middle of the deck. Crouching down, he squeezed in with Katara and Toph.

"I hate not being able to do anything." The airbender grumbled under his breath.

"Hopefully, you won't need to." Toph hissed back.

Peeking over the edge, Sokka saw the other ship lowering the ramp to come aboard. Elyrie had placed her helmet on again and stood straight, Bato and his father at either side of her.

With a loud clang, the metal collided and three men walked the ramp. The man in front was a stern looking officer, with black hair and impressive sideburns.

Elyrie bowed and Bato and Hakoda followed her example. Sokka knew what they did: the traditional Fire Nation bow, which she had taught everyone on the ship. This bow was done in placing a hand in a straight fashion with the other being fisted placed underneath it vertically. Elyrie had practically drilled them: respect meant everything in the Fire Nation.

"Commander, why are you off course?" The Fire Nation officer asked Elyrie. "All Western Fleet ships are supposed to be moving toward Ba Sing Se to support the occupation!"

"We are aware of the occupation, sir." Elyrie answered coolly, "But this ship has specific orders to deliver cargo to the homeland."

Sokka heard her answer in an even voice. Clever, he thought to himself. Again, he thanked the universe for having one of the good Fire Nation people on their team.

"Hmm?" the officer stroked his chin, "Well, nice of the admiral to let us know he was sending one of the ships back our way."

"I'm sure the admiral meant no disrespect, sir." Elyrie bowed her head apologetically.

"I mean, how hard is it to write a quick note and send a hawk our way?" the officer said as he pulled on his sideburns. By now, he was sounding more annoyed than suspicious.

"The order was given only a fortnight ago, sir." Elyrie looked up with a suspiciously sweet smile on her lips, "As I was told, it was on personal request of Princess Azula."

Even from afar, Sokka could see the officer whiten just a little around his nose when he heard the name of the Fire Nation Princess. Ahh, you've met her personally, he thought slightly amused.

"I shall personally see to it that our communication shall henceforth be correctly handled, sir." Elyrie answered, "Can we be of any other service?"

"No, no, carry on." The officer turned around quickly and motioned for his men to follow him back to their ship. Elyrie, Hakoda and Bato all bowed again until the men had turned around.

After a few tense minutes, the ship passed by and they were free to continue their journey without any further delay.

"Impressive!" Sokka complimented after Elyrie took off her helmet.

"Yeah, right on!" Toph punched her shoulder, "Good job, Princess."

"Thanks," Elyrie grimaced as he rubbed her hand over the spot Toph had hit, "It was quite easy really: almost half of the Fire Nation Navy has met Azula and the other half knows about her cruel streaks. They are all too afraid to even question it."

"I felt so useless." Aang murmured as Katara supported him back on deck.

"But we've been alright, haven't we?" Elyrie answered with an arched eyebrow.

"Yeah, Princess knows what she's doing here," Toph added with a grin, "Although I would have liked to kick some Fire Nation butts." To strengthen her words, she placed her small foot on deck and turned, making the metal creak and form after her motion

Sokka saw Elyrie raise her eyebrows – either at the damage to the ship or at the nickname Toph had bestowed on her. Get used to it, he grinned, it means you're part of Team Avatar now.

After a few more hours, the ship docked into a small harbour. They needed to restock after the journey, so it was best to stay overnight. Plus, Sokka had been complaining to whole journey about a proper dinner so they had to get into town as well.

"Remember," Elyrie had said after she had tossled her black curls, "We cannot stand out." So after everyone had their Fire Nation attire ready – which actually meant: red capes – they headed down to Aang's chamber.

Aang was lying on his bed and had his hands tucked under his head, but sat up as soon as he saw them enter his room.

"Hey Aang," Toph greeted the airbender, "We're going into town to find some dinner."

Placing a hand on his grumbling midriff, Aang nodded. "I am pretty hungry, so maybe dinner's a good idea."

"Here," Sokka pulled the red bandana from his belt, "Tie this around your head; it'll cover your arrow." He handed it to Aang, but he saw him back away immediatly.

"I'm not going out if I can't wear my arrow proudly," Aang yelled, his eyes flickering angrily as he rolled onto his side on the bed, his back turned to his friends.

Sokka looked over his shoulder in confusion. Katara's blue eyes softened in compassion, but Elyrie's eyes seemed to harden. In her cheek, Sokka thought that he saw the tiniest twitch of anger.

"Come on, Aang. Be practical." Sokka said, his own voice laced with annoyance.

"Aang," Katara's soft voice cut in as she walked to the Avatar, "Is there anything we can do for you? Anything you need?"

"I need to redeem myself." Aang said downcast, "I need my honour back."

"What you need is to stop acting like a spoiled child." Elyrie suddenly snapped, her voice echoing of the metal walls of the chamber.

Sokka looked over with wide eyes. Her jaw was clenched as she turned her back and slammed the metal door behind her shut as she walked out.

"We'll leave you alone." Katara said to Aang, ushering her brother and Toph out of the room. Aang didn't answer, but kept staring at the wall.

The three of them walked out of the room without saying another word.

"We can't let her snap at Aang like that, not in his condition." Katara finally said, her fingers enlacing as they walked down the corridor onto the deck.

"Even so, she does have a point." Sokka said, "Aang needs to accept that he can't fight right now, and won't win any wars in this condition."

"But he has been through so much," Katara insisted, "We should support him as he -,"

"We can't support him by babying him," Toph said, pushing her way in between the siblings, "He doesn't want pity and he is too angry to even listen to you now."

"I do not baby-," Katara began, before Toph interrupted her. "Believe me," the small Earthbender said, "I have been smothered and pitied all my life by everyone around me. It doesn't work"

"Let's just hope that time to reflect is enough for Aang to process today," Sokka intervened before more people in the group went at each others throats, "As for Elyrie, let's just hope she does the same."

"Why'd you do it?" Zuko slammed the door open.

Azula was just so relaxed in her enormous bed that she didn't even bother to open her eyes. "You're going to have to be a little bit more specific." She answered, her voice slow.

"Why did you tell Father I was the one who killed the Avatar?" Zuko elaborated as he stepped into her room.

"Can't this wait until morning?" Azula said.

"It. Can't." Zuko hissed through gritted teeth.

Azula sighed as she sat up straight in her bed. "Fine." She yawned as she swung her black hair over her shoulder, "You seemed so worried about how Father would treat you because you hadn't captured the Avatar. I figured if I gave you the credit, you'd have nothing to worry about."

"But why?" Zuko asked.

"Call it a generous gesture." Azula got up and casually walked to her brother, "I wanted to thank you for your help and I was happy to share the glory."

"You're lying." Zuko stated, his voice trembling slighty.

"If you say so..." She shrugged as she walked past him and stretched.

"You have another motive for doing this, I just haven't figured out what it is." Zuko growled.

It must be painful to be that slow, Azula thought as she turned around to look at her older brother.

"Please Zuko, what ulterior motive could I have? What could I possibly gain by letting you get all the glory for defeating the Avatar?" she said as she approached Zuko and placed her hand on his shoulder. "Unless," she whispered in a low voice, "somehow, the Avatar was actually alive. All that glory would suddenly turn to shame and foolishness."

Like a predator toying with her prey, she watched the expression on her brothers face change. It was ever so slighty, but his face had always been an open book to her. She saw realisation, shock and then horror.

"But you said it yourself, that was impossible." She whispered as she walked back to her bed. When she laid down, she saw Zuko's silhouette leaving from the corner of her eye. Her lips curled into a malicious grin.

"Sleep well, Zuzu."

"He's gone!" Sokka burst into Elyrie's chamber, pulling her with him without waiting for a response. On deck, Appa was already saddled and ready to leave. Toph and Katara were already seated.

"He couldn't have gotten far!" Sokka yelled as they ran over to them, "Not in this weather."

"Find him!" Hakoda said to his son, "We'll meet again before the Day of Black Sun."

"Thanks Dad," Katara's blue eyes were filled with tears as she waved at her father. Elyrie only nodded and pressed her lips together. Sokka extended his hand to her and helped her onto Appa's saddle.

"Yip yip!" Sokka said and Appa took off into the sky. The rain fell down on them, but none of them seemed to be bothered by it. Katara was searching the waves and Toph held on to the saddle for dear life. Sokka shielded his eyes from the pouring rain as he tried to make out their direction.

Elyrie's already pale face was drained of all colour. "Katara, I -," she began as she extended her hand, but Katara shook her head. "You aren't to blame for this," she said, wiping her tears with the back of her hand, "But we have to find him." She squeezed Elyrie's hand.

"What is the nearest island from here?" Sokka asked over his shoulder to Elyrie. Her fingers were tightly clasped together as her blue eyes searched the map for their position.

"Here," Elyrie pointed at the small island in the middle of the ocean, "Crescent Moon Island."

Sokka didn't miss the slight falter of her voice. "What's the matter?" he asked when she came to sit next to him to show him the map.

"You've visited the Island before, when Zhao tried to-.." she trailed off and looked back at the map.

"Ah yes, wonderful memories." He replied sarcastically, but Elyrie didn't respond. He looked over and saw that her face had hardened. It almost looked as if she had turned to marble. She was frantically rubbing her left ringfinger as her eyes searched the black waves below them.

"You are not to blame for any of this, you know that right? We wouldn't have gotten this far into the Fire Nation if it hadn't been for you." He said in a reassuring voice, "Aang was gonna do something rash either way, it's his way of trying to gain back control."

Elyrie still said nothing, but Sokka saw the tears rimming her eyes now. Her face didn't change it's expression and only the tears dropped down her cheeks.

Oh Gods, I made it worse, he cursed inwardly. "Have I said something wrong? I'm-," he began awkwardly.

"No. Thank you." Elyrie answered as her gaze met his. And then, he saw a hint of a genuine smile curl her lips for the first time in weeks as she turned around to Katara and Toph, "Thank you all."

Book 3! My favourite :)

I wanted to start this Book with the perspective of the other characters, just so Elyrie and Zuko are more out of touch with themselves after the ending of Book 2.

New chapter coming up soon!

Lots of love 3

Chapter Text

Together they killed the Avatar and took over Ba Sing Se. And now, the heroes have returned!

Zuko felt his stomach tighten as he turned in his enormous bed. The nagging of doubt kept bubbling to the surface every time he laid down his head.

Unless somehow, the Avatar was actually alive. All that glory would suddenly turn to shame and foolishness.

One of the dozen pillows suffered a fiery death and he used another to press his face in to scream.

He threw the blankets from himself – too hot to stay under them. Swinging his legs over the side, he leaned his elbows on his knees. With a rugged motion, he let his hands go through his long, black hair.

I am proud of you, Prince Zuko. Proud because when your loyalty was tested by your treacherous Uncle, you did the right thing and captured the traitor.

He groaned again, feeling the knot in his throat growing tighter and tighter until it almost suffocated him.

He crossed his legs under him and straightened his back, assuming his meditation pose. Inhaling through his nose and exhaling out of his mouth. A few sparks flew with each breath. Annoyed, he tried again.

In. Out. In. Out. In. Out.

By now, the flames came out of his nose. He repressed another yell and grabbed his cloak. He pulled his hood over his face as he made his way out. As quiet as a ghost, he slipped out of the confinements of the Palace.

The night was pleasantly warm as he walked past the quiet streets of the Capital until the Capital City Prison appeared in front of him. It was a large, fortified stone tower located inside the hollow volcanic crater that also contains the city, where highly prioritized criminals are kept.

He stopped in front of the prison. "Who's there?" a guard asked, leaning over the railing when he spotted him.

Zuko gazed from under his hood. Then, he turned around.

"Great job with the cloud camo, but next time, let's disguise ourselves as the kind of cloud that knows how to keep its mouth shut."

"Yeah, we wouldn't want a bird to hear us chatting up there and turn us in."

Elyrie tugged at the cloak around her shoulders as she listened to Sokka and Toph bickering. Aang followed her example and smiled at her when he motioned for her to toss her cloak on Appa's saddle. She returned his smile gratefully: after they had found him on Crescent Moon Island, she had apologised for her earlier outburst. And he had apologised for being so frustrated and taking it out on them. And now, they had all made their way to the neighbouring island as one team again.

It had been Sokka's idea to follow the islands to their meeting spot for the invasion; Elyrie and he had mapped out their journey together so they would arrive well before the Day of Black Sun.

Elyrie inhaled the scent of jasmine in the air. The warmth of the summer was on its way, even in the early morning. The heat upon her skin felt familiar, as if the sun itself welcomed her back in her homeland.

Home.

"Hey! We're in enemy territory now," Sokka said seriously while pointing at the toucan puffins above them, "Those are enemy-birds." And as if to prove the point, one bird hopped on Sokka's head and squawked at them.

Elyrie's lipped curled upwards while everyone else laughed heartily at the idiotic sight – except Sokka of course.

While Sokka was still overly enthusiastically scanning the area, they walked to a nearby cave. It was cool and smelled musty, as if something had been rotting for quite some time.

"Well, this is it." Sokka announced, "This is how we'll be living until the invasion begins. Hiding in cave-..,' He lowered his head, "After cave-.."-, and even lower, "After cave, after cave -..."

"Sokka, we don't need to become cave people." Elyrie said, shivering in the dirty surroundings, "What we need is some new clothes."

"Yeah, blending in is better than hiding out." Aang agreed, "If we get Fire Nation disguises, we would be just as safe as we would be hiding in a cave."

"Plus, they have real food out there. Does anyone want to sit in the dirt and eat cave hoppers?" Toph added as she punched the wall of the cave. The vibrations made a dozen cave hoppers appear.

Elyrie automatically jumped away from the crawling insects, At the same time, Momo shot in front of her feet to eat one of them. Momo turned his little fuzzy head and looked at her in the eye as he chewed. Then he spat out the crooked leg of the cave hopper. Brutal, Elyrie thought.

"Looks like we got outvoted, sport." Sokka said to Momo with a tilt of his head, but he grinned as he turned to the rest of his group, "Let's get some new clothes."

Luckily for them, there was a natural steaming place nearby where people brought their clothes for cleaning. Four long lines were spanned over the natural hotsprings. Clothing in various shades of red were hanging there: dresses, pants, shirts, everything.

"I don't know about this." Aang whispered as they peeked over the rocks, "These clothes belong to somebody and -..."

"I call the silk robe!" Katara jumped from behind the rock and raced to the nearest clothing line, followed by Toph and Elyrie.

Elyrie grabbed a top and pants, just before Sokka pulled the line to grab the burgundy shirt.

The light fabric caressed her skin, made for the high temperatures of the Fire Nation summer. The top was carmine red, fitting around her waist and was hanging loosely around her elbows. The pants were a darker shade of red to just above her calves. Yes, this does feel right, she thought – pushing away the little voice in her head that reminded her about her earlier hesitations about stealing. With a small ribbon, she tied the top part of her short black hair in the signature top knot.

"Hm, I should probably wear shoes," Toph mused as she examined her small feet, now placed in delicate red slippers matching her new outfit, "But then I won't be able to see as well. Sorry, shoes!" She sat down and pulled on the shoe, launching the sole forward – directly at Sokka's face. "Finally, a stylish shoe for the blind earthbender." she said with a grin as she placed her feet firmly on the ground.

"Yes, I assume those are very hard to find in the Fire Nation." Elyrie remarked dryly while Sokka rubbed his injured nose.

"How do I look?" Katara asked rather shyly as she stepped from behind one of the rocks. Elyrie was impressed how well the cherry-red clothing complimented her tanned skin. Katara's long brown waves hung loose, except from the signature Fire Nation top knot.

"Amazing!" Elyrie said approvingly, before she mentioned to her neck, "But your mother's necklace?" The dark blue colour of her choker formed a stark contrast with the red of her new outfit.

"Oh yeah." Katara touched the stone around her neck gently, "I guess it's pretty obviously Water Tribe, isn't it? She took off the necklace and held it in her hand for a moment.

Elyrie felt a weight settle on her chest as she rubbed the empty spot on her ringfinger. "We're going to buy you a replacement," she said, swallowing the pain in her throat. "We could all use some accessories." she added with a plastered grin on her face.

That afternoon, they all went down to the market to buy trinkets in a small village nearby. Katara choose a dark red choker with a gold lining in place of her mother's necklace. Toph decorated her pinned up black hair with a crown, and Sokka picked the traditional Fire Nation insignia for on his top-knot. Aang didn't pick anything. Instead, he had tied the sash around his forehead to mask his arrow.

Only Elyrie was doubting what to pick as an accessory. A necklace or a ring felt hollow, but a crown or insignia felt somehow provoking. Finally, she settled on a fan of red fabric with a golden handle. She spun in around her fingers, letting it twist over her hand and catching it again.

"Wow," Sokka said as he saw her open the fan casually, "You are skilled with that!"

"I always played with them when I was younger." Elyrie explained, "To occupy myself during boring visits." She rolled the fan again over her long fingers, flipping it over and casually catching it again.

"Suki used them to fight." Sokka commented with a wistful look in his eyes, "She was a master fighter with them."

"Suki?" the name sounded vaguely familiar to her.

"She is a Kyoshi Warrior. They use fans as weapons."

Now she remembered: Suki was the woman who had talked with her on Kyoshi Island. The leader of the Kyoshi warriors with the light eyes and auburn hair. They use fans as weapons.

"Suki trained me for a short time," Sokka grinned, "She put me in a dress for it and -"

"Can you teach me?" Elyrie asked suddenly, interrupting him, "Can you teach me how to use a fan as a weapon?"

"But I-," Sokka protested confused, "She only taught me for a -,."

"But I am sure a great warrior such as yourself can teach me?"

Sokka blushed slightly before Toph interrupted. "Can we please go and get some real food now?" she said as she grabbed her stomach, "I. Am. Starving."

"Let's go! I visited my friend Kuzon here!" Aang said enthusiastically, "Just follow my lead and -"

"Ehm," Katara interrupted Aang as she pointed to Elyrie, "It might be more helpful if Elyrie tells us what to do and what not to do."

"It is not that difficult to blend in," Elyrie said as she walked to Aang, "We'll just say we are from the colonies visiting the homeland, that will often be enough."

"Is there a big difference between the colonies and the Fire Nation?" Sokka asked as they passed the market square. People were buzzing as they went around buying their groceries, barely paying attention to them.

"Not necessarily," Elyrie shrugged, "The colonies just have different customs – or rather, less strict customs. Just remember: we seldom call it 'the Fire Nation'. 'Homeland' is the word we use."

"Greetings my good hotman!" Aang greeted cheerfully when they passed a man on the square. The man scratched his head as he gave Aang a weird look. "Uh, hi? I guess?" he mumbled back as they walked on.

"And that," Elyrie said as she tapped Aang on the shoulder, "Is not a word we use." She saw a small restaurant on the edge of the square. "Here we can get something to eat!"

"Oh -eh," Aang hesitated, "We're going to a meat place?" His eyes went to the various cuts of meat displayed over the counter.

"Come on, Aang, everyone here eats meat. Even the meat!" Sokka pointed at a hippo cow eating a piece of meat swarming with flies.

"It's fine, Aang." Elyrie said as she motioned inside, "There are vegetarian options as well. The spicy cucumber salad is one of my favourite side dishes."

The restaurant was small, but the smell coming from the kitchen was delicious. The fire from the stove was high and the chatter was busy. As they sat down, Elyrie immediately grabbed the menu. Familiar dishes, finally. Her midriff started to rumble when her eyes flew over the food. Could she convince them to order everything?

"Can someone read the menu to me?" Toph tapped her fingers on the table impatiently.

"Do you want meat or fish? Maybe some stir fry?" Elyrie asked as she read the menu out loud, "Or perhaps the noodles? The spice levels are pretty tough, so maybe mild would be a good choice? With some cow-pork meat?"

"Cow-pork noodles sounds perfect, just make it a lot." Toph nodded contently before she leaned back and folded her feet unceremoniously over each other. Elyrie wanted to point out that it was considered bad manners, but let it slide.

"I want the cucumber salad and the vegetable stir fry." Aang smiled. "And the seafood noodles for me." Katara placed down her menu, "What about you?"

"The spicy peanut noodles," Elyrie pointed to the top of the menu, "With the homemade chili oil. Extra spicy."

"Make that two." Sokka placed down his own menu.

"Uhm, Sokka," Elyrie said as she tapped on the spice levels "Are you sure? I mean,-"

"Look," Sokka interrupted as he wiggled his finger in front of her, "If I am eating something, I choose the highest spice level there is!"

"But Sokka, it might be different than –".

"Elyrie," he interrupted again, "I appreciate your concern, but this is what I do! I eat! If you can handle spice, then I can do it just as well."

The corners of her mouth curved slightly up at those words. "Then, by all means, try it!" she said, her voice sounding perfectly amiable. Homemade was equal to swallowing lava in the Fire Nation – but he would find that out soon enough.

When the food was served, the smell was nothing short of divine. The nutty sweetness, the chili oils, the tangy sensation of the cucumbers. Elyrie immediately picked up her chopsticks and dug in her noodles.

The first bite danced on her tongue, leaving the tingeling sensation on the back of her throat. The heat spread through her mouth – a delicious combination of sweetness from the peanuts, the chewiness from the thick noodles, fresh crunch of the cucumbers and the spice from the chili.

Around her, she heard approving sounds when they ate their food. Toph almost gulped down her meat, Katara was more patient and chewed carefully; Aang was examining the different vegetables and he seemed to enjoy every bite.

Sokka said nothing but Elyrie saw that the tiniest layer of perspiration was appearing on his forehead. Exhaling through his mouth, he took another bite of his meal.

After four bites, he started blowing his nose as the sweat dripped down his temples.

"Sokka, are you alright?" his sister asked concerned as she handed him her napkin.

"I'm fine," his voice came out slightly squeaky, "Why do you ask?" He looked up with watery eyes and coughed as he shoved down another mouthful of noodles.

"Because you're crying." Aang gaped at him.

"That's because it's like I swallowed the sun!" Sokka suddenly cried out as he grabbed the jar of water from the table.

"No, Sokka!" Elyrie said, seeing his desperation and she lunged to grab the jar, "The water makes it worse! You –" But it was too late. Sokka had swallowed at least half a litre of the water before his screams became even louder.

"I'm on fire!" he managed to cry out. His tongue out of his mouth, he was waving his hands up and down to fan some coolness to his mouth. "Make it stop! Make it stop!"

So far for not drawing attention to ourselves, Elyrie thought as she looked around the restaurant. People were staring at them and she waved dismissively with her hand. "He's from the colonies." She shrugged, as Sokka was pressing napkins to his forehead and neck in an attempt to stop the sweating "First time visiting the homeland."

Fifteen minutes later, Sokka had calmed down. It had taken two jugs of milk, five slices of bread, three mouthfuls of plain rice and Katara icing his tongue before he was ready to eat again. Around the same time, Toph was almost done crying with laughter.

"You want some spicy cucumber salad?" Toph offered, holding up the bowl in front of Sokka.

"Take those red spots of evil away from me." He shrieked as he shoved another bite of white rice in his mouth.

Darkness had cloaked the Capital City as the hooded figure made its way back to the prison. His footsteps were barely audibly as he walked through the halls. Just before he reached the cell, a guard crossed his path.

"You again?" the guard shouted as he lifted his spear directly at him, "Stop where you are!"

All Zuko needed to do, was lift his head and look the guard directly in his eyes. "Prince Zuko...?" the guard stammered before Zuko's hand grabbed his collar. With a smooth motion, he was lifted off the floor and slammed against the wall, hands still on his collar.

"I'm going in for a visit. You're going to stand guard here, and no one is going to know about this." Zuko's voice was stoic, betraying nothing. All the guard could do was nod, before Zuko let him go. The man fell on the ground couching, but Zuko had already entered the cell.

In a cage, the silhouette of the Dragon of the West was barely visible in the dim moonlight. His back was hunched and his grey hairs were dirty and unevenly spread out over his balding scalp.

"Uncle, it's me." Zuko said softly as he lowered his hood.

As soon as he spoke, his Uncle turned his back to him without saying a word.

"You brought this on yourself, you know." Zuko continued. He had expected this silent reaction, but it wasn't fair that his Uncle blamed him, "We could have returned together. You could have been a hero!"

Iroh barely acknowledged his presence in the damp, dark space.

"You have no right to judge me, Uncle. I did what I had to do in Ba Sing Se, and you're a fool for not joining me!" Zuko said, his voice growing louder, more frustrated. "You're not going to say anything?!" he yelled when Iroh didn't move.

When no reply came, he kicked up a small stool, slammed it against the wall and destroyed it with firebending. "You're a crazy old man! You're crazy! And if you weren't in jail, you'd be sleeping in a gutter!"

Zuko fell down on his knees, hand gripping his dark hair as he tried to sort his thoughts. His anger was blinding him, but the uncertainty grabbed his throat again. Breathing in and out, he tried to gather his thoughts again.

"The truth is, I need your advice." Zuko lunged forward to grip the bars that separated them, "I think the Avatar is still alive, I know he's out there, I'm losing my mind. Please, Uncle," Zuko begged to the back of the old man, "I'm so confused, I need your help."

But it seemed Iroh still had nothing to say to him. "Forget it, I'll solve it myself! Waste away in here for all I care!" Zuko stomped out angrily.

But when he slammed the door shut behind him, he missed the single tear that slid down Iroh's face.

"Rise and shine, Princess," Toph greeted Elyrie the following morning.

Elyrie groaned and pulled the blanket over her face. Again, she rolled her eyes at the nickname the earthbender had bestowed on her. At first, she had felt a little self-conscious about it. Maybe she behaved haughty and proud? But Katara had quickly assured her it was Toph's way of welcoming her in their group. Katara had the nicknames Sugar Queen and Sweetness, while Aang was Twinkletoes and Sokka was Snoozles.

She did ask Toph about the origin of her nickname, but the earthbender had simply shrugged. "It is not the way you behave, but how you talk. You see, I can't see you the way other people see you, but I can smell and hear you. You always have a sweet rose or vanilla scent hanging around you and you walk so quietly. I can tell you come from a wealthy family as well."

"I see." Elyrie had answered pensively. "You are from the Beifong family, correct?" Toph had nodded as she casually picked her ear. Elyrie remembered that she had repressed a frown. The young woman may be from one of the most influential families in the Earth Kingdom, she did not follow the etiquette. She admired her for it.

"So, what's the plan?" Sokka yawned on the other side of the burned out campfire.

"What plan what now?" Elyrie rubbed her eyes, too sleepy to respond right away.

"What are we going to do about Aang's firebending training?" Toph elaborated as she sat down next to her.

"Oh, that plan." Elyrie hid her yawn behind her hand, "I can teach the basics, but if you had me in mind as the one who has to teach firebending to Aang, we might need a back-up plan."

"Why?" Katara asked.

"The masters of the Avatar are the best benders in the world, but I need to learn more. I need to master it myself." Elyrie answered as she stretched her arms above her head.

"But who would want to teach me? How many firebenders are on our side?" Aang frowned, coming out of his sleeping bag.

"Jeong-Jeong?" Elyrie said, remembering Zhao's rant about his traitorous former master. After all, he was nicknamed 'the Deserter'.

"Can't," Sokka answered, "We met and lost him a few months back after Aang destroyed Zhao's ships."

Ahh yes, I do remember that. Elyrie pulled up her legs and rested her chin on her knees. If only she had any idea where Kun was. She hadn't seen him since she joined Zuko and Uncle in the resort, months ago. He would've helped them without question. She felt a pang in her chest and pushed away the memories that came flooding to the surface – as she had done for weeks now.

"Do you know anyone else?" Katara asked with a frown.

Elyrie would be lying if she told them she did not have someone in mind, but he was far away. Probably locked up. Her stomach sank as her thoughts returned to Uncle , sitting all alone in a jail. If only they had saved him - he would have been of more use to this team than she would ever be. And now, she was here while he was probably sitting in the heavily guarded Capital City Prison.

Capital City? She immediately sat up. The Capital wasn't impossible to reach, but was he there? After all, he could have been brought to the Boiling Rock. Going there on a hunch felt too dangerous but Uncle was their best option. And didn't the Fire Lord use the Capital City Prison for the highly prioritised prisoners? To keep an eye on them?

"Let me think about it." she said at last. After all, there had to be a way to figure out where Uncle was. And for now, that was her own plan to figure out.

"Alright then," Sokka yawned again, "Then we better get up to start your training."

Elyrie reached for the fan and let it spin in her right hand, "I'm ready!"

"Orange is such an awful colour." Mai stated as she watched the sun slowly sink in the ocean. Her head rested on Zuko's shoulder. He snickered at her comment.

"You're so beautiful when you hate the world." He said as he leaned his cheek against her ravenblack hair. It had been a relatively peaceful evening so far. Mai had invited him on a picnic on the cliffs together. After all, they were boyfriend and girlfriend now

"I don't hate you." Mai looked up with her dark eyes in his golden ones.

"I don't hate you too." He answered and leaned in to kiss her. He felt a sting go through his chest, but tried to focus on the sensation of her lips on his instead of the gnawing voice at the back of his mind.

"Ahem."

The gnawing voice sounds suspiciously like Azula, he thought annoyed. He looked up and saw his sister, who was standing with her arms crossed.

"Zuko, could I have a word with you?" Azula said, clearly not taking notice of the romantic endeavour in front of her.

"Can't you see we're busy?" Zuko answered, now more annoyed than anything when he leaned back in to kiss Mai again.

"Oh Mai, Ty Lee needs your help untangling her braid." Azula simply said as she focused her yellow eyes on her friend.

"Sounds pretty serious." Mai immediately agreed with a smile as she stood up. As she walked away, Zuko frowned at her obedience.

"So," Azula continued when Mai was out of sight, "I've heard you've been to visit your Uncle Fatso in the prison tower."

"That guard told you!" Zuko stood up, his fists clenched in anger.

"No. You did. Just now." Azula said in a bored tone.

Zuko sat back down, cursing himself for taking the bait so easily. "Okay, you caught me. What is it that you want, Azula?"

"Actually, nothing." His sister answered, "Believe it or not, I'm looking out for you. If people find out you've been to see Uncle, they'll think you're plotting with him. Just be careful, Dum-Dum."

Dum-Dum. Zuzu. He clenched his teeth, but didn't respond to his sister. The voice in the back of his head warned him again: Azula always lies.

"Too slow, Princess!" Toph's voice came from the right.

Elyrie coughed up some dust and rolled her neck while massaging her shoulder muscles. She bit her lip to repress a groan of pain. Her shoulder had been healed, but it was still weaker than the rest of her body. She didn't complain, but she trained.

She had to.

In the mornings, she trained herself in firebending. Just like when she was a child: practising the movements Uncle and Kun had taught her over and over again until they were perfect.

To expand her skills, she also tried to mimic movements the others made. Katara taught her the technique for the Octopus: it made a ring of fire around her feet with firewhips extending from them. From Aang, she learned how to make spinning fireballs she could spin around in various sizes - small ones to distract opponents, larger ones to knock them off balance.

And Toph helped her rely on her senses, other than sight. This time, she had blindfolded both Aang and Elyrie during their training sessions.

I need to be able to fight anyone, Elyrie grimaced as she stood back up. Toph had – as a way of training– hauled a boulder directly at her. The little earthbender didn't go easy on her.

"Again," Elyrie said as she took her fighting stance, trying to concentrate on the sounds and vibrations around her.

"I think that is enough for today," Sokka's voice came from behind her, "After all, I need you in one piece for our training."

Elyrie untied the blindfold and shielded her eyes from the harsh sunlight. Sokka's form came into her view, now that her eyes slowly started to get used to the light again.

"Are we done?" Aang asked, still blindfolded.

"Princess is," Toph said as she roughly grabbed his arm and forced him back into fighting stance, "You could use more training. Now, stand up straight!"

"I am ready, Sokka." Elyrie said, grabbing the fan from her waistband. Her sparring sessions extended to hand-to-hand combat with him. He was an excellent teacher and she felt her old strength return. And it was a good thing - after all, she refused to be rendered powerless on the Day of Black Sun.

"Wait a minute," Sokka said as he pulled two long pieces of metal from his satchel, "We have a small something for you."

"For me?" Elyrie asked as she tugged her fan away and took the strange forms from him.

"Yeah, we need you to be able to fight something once the eclipse leaves all firebenders powerless." Toph nodded enthusiastically beside her, "Sokka came up with the idea and I formed the fans with my metalbending."

"These are fans?" Elyrie was amazed.

"Careful, the outsides are sharp like knives," Sokka warned her as Elyrie unshielded the fans, "But the metal is fireproof, so you can use it with your bending as well. It doesn't melt, we tested it!"

He looked so excited, it was endearing. Elyrie opened the first fan, four fingers on the metal and her thumb under the hold. A sharp sound – like knives crossing – came from the metal, along with small sparks.

It was beautiful: the two metal fans seemed identical and were featherlight in her hands. They reflected the sunlight and she was able to see her own reflection in the opened weapon.

Breathing in through her nose, she closed her eyes. She exhaled and aimed the fan at the boulder Toph had sent in her direction.

The flames flowed from her fingers over the metal, making it broader as they followed the form of the fan. Once they left the metal, the form cut though the air onto the stone. A perfect horizontal line was visible on the surface.

"This is amazing," she said, feeling the tears prick behind her eyes, "Thank you both so much."

"We thought you could use something to cheer you up," Sokka smiled at her.

Elyrie spun around and aimed again. Another wave of flames extended from her fans and crossed the rocks.

"Now," she said as she twirled the metal fans around her fingers, "Who wants to spar?"

The sound of metal on stone cut through the silence of the night.

Two men stood across from each other on the cliffs, just outside of the Fire National Capitol.

"You're sure you weren't followed?" Zuko whispered from under his hood.

The mercenary didn't respond. He was well over seven feet tall, Zuko estimated. And that wasn't even his most threatening feature. His right leg and arm were made of shimmering metal – prostetics from his years as an assassin no doubt. His head was shaved and his dark eyes revealed nothing. His most distinct feature was the tattooed third-eye in the middle of his broad forehead.

"I've heard about you." Zuko eyed the enormous mercenary that stood just a few feet away from him, "They say you're good at what you do, and even better at keeping secrets."

The most deadly assassin in the Fire Nation, with the ability to detonate large explosions at will from his third-eye. Silent, willing to do any dirty job with no questions asked, and driven to complete his assignments – it was all that Zuko needed to ease his troubled mind.

"The Avatar is alive." Zuko said, his jaw clenched, "I want you to find him, and end him."

The assasin didn't change his stoic expression. He didn't nod nor acknowledge that he had understood his mission. Instead, he turned around and started to walk away.

"But one more thing," Zuko said after a moment, feeling something tugging at his heartstrings, "There is a chance there is a young woman with the Avatar: a firebender with blue eyes and dark auburn hair. If she's with him, she's not to be harmed. Bring her to me and I'll double your reward."

Chapter Text

The mighty Dragon of the West. That was how he had been known throughout the Fire Nation. Throughout the whole world.

The name had evoked power, respect and even fear.

And now, it was used to taunt him as the old man sat in his damp cell. The heat of the summer had barely begun and he felt it through his bars. Sweat dripped along his greasy hair on his wrinkled face.

"You used to be the pride of the Fire Nation. Our top general, the Dragon of the West." The guard spat at the hunched man in the corner of the dark cell, "Now, look at you." He dropped the tray of food to the floor. The fruit and porridge landed on the dirty stones, just within reach of the prison bars.

The old man crawled to the bars with an almost manical look in his eyes to grab the food and shoved it directly into his mouth.

"Look what you've become." The guard glared at him with disdain. He saw not the mighty General Iroh before him, but a dirty old man who wasn't able to string three words together. Pathetic.

He stomped out of the cell, pulling the door behind him shut. As he did this, he didn't notice that the eyes of the old man lit up as he straightened his back and started doing pull-ups with one arm.

Zuko threw the towel against the ground with more force than was necessary. His skin glowed from the exercise and the sweat gushed down his back, but it wasn't enough to make him stop his training.

"Another." Zuko ordered as he spun his dual broadswords in his hands. The servant in the training ring immediately brought a new dummy for Zuko to practise on – since the last dummy had been sliced in two pieces.

The new dummy before him was made of steel, but the scratches on the torso became deeper and deeper. It was meant for withstanding the heat of firebending, but Zuko preferred to hit it with his swords. The shining head on the dummy had no face, but Zuko could practically see the blue arrow on the smooth surface.

Slash. Slash.

The two swords made a crossing motion across the metal neck. Zuko exhaled through his nose as he twirled the swords again. If he only could have had his swords that day in the catacombs; then he would have been sure that he could have killed the Avatar.

And you would have never hurt Elyrie.

Zuko yelled as he spun around and kicked the dummy over. He jumped over and brought his swords down with all the anger he felt in his chest.

"Your Royal Highness," a servant approached him with a bowed head.

Zuko's head snapped back up. Unwillingly, the servant took a step back with wide eyes.

"Speak," Zuko sighed as he stood up and pulled his swords from the destroyed dummy. The two holes in its torso were almost perfect moulds of his weapons.

"If I may, Your Highness," the servant said, his head bowed but his eyes fixed on the destroyed dummy, "Would you prefer a steam bad or a relaxing massage?"

Zuko waved his hand dismissively at the proposal.

"Or perhaps a calming tea?" the servant tried again.

"I don't need any calming tea!" Zuko yelled, his long hair falling in his eyes as he threw his swords down. The clattering sounds echoed through the training arena.

"O-,o-fcourse, I a-a-pologise." The man stuttered as he bowed down and walked backwards. Just as he reached the door, he pulled it open and flew as quickly as a rabbit-hare.

With a sigh, Zuko sat down. With his elbows leaning on his knees, he bowed his own head down. He shouldn't have yelled at the poor man – he only tried to help. But why was it so hard for him to control his anger?

You don't know how to be anyone else.

As soon as the words echoed through his mind, he slammed with his bare fists on the wooden floor. Again and again, he smashed against the hard surface. The vibrations went through his arms as he lit up his hands. After he few seconds, his knuckles were bruised and there were two blackened spots on the floor.

And he didn't feel any better.

Raking his hand through the messy strands of long black hair, Zuko let himself fall flat on his back with his arms and legs spread out. He didn't need calming tea or relaxing massages – they wouldn't work. But slicing up dummies didn't either.

With a growl, he pushed himself from the floor and marched towards his own room. He ignored the servants trying to offer him food, drinks or a clean towel.

He walked faster than normal, without any sense of where he was going.

After a few minutes, he realised he had taken the wrong turn in the Great Hall. He was now in the old wing – belonging to the women of the Royal Family. For now, it was Azula's private wing since she was the only female member of the family.

And his sister was the last person he wanted to talk to now. He spun back and walked swiftly out of the long corridor, back to the Great Hall.

But as he passed the library, he lingered for a moment at the door. It was ajar and in the corner of his eye, he saw the magnificent pianoforte that had belonged to his mother. The deep black colour of the ebbenwood was polished and reflected the sunlight – almost like a mirror. The ivory keys were a pearly white, placed on an elegantly formed keyboard.

Had the instrument always been this beautiful? He couldn't remember.

A bit hesitantly, he walked over and played a few notes on the piano. Funny, when his mother used to teach him – or attempted to – he never seemed to have the patience to finish a piece. But some parts remained in a hidden part of his memory and he slowly played on.

The notes strung together to make the music flow slowly from his long fingers.

"What is the sudden interest in playing piano, Zuzu?" Azula said, stepping out of the shadows as quietly as a panther-shark.

"Nothing." he murmured as he pulled his fingers from the keys.

"Maybe music can help you relax," Azula continued, "Mai told me you were very busy – too busy for her even."

Zuko only shrugged as his fingers danced over the keys again, lightly caressing the smooth ivory.

"Or too busy to properly change." Azula added.

Zuko glanced down. He was still in his training clothes, stained with sweat and dirt. He sighed defeated. "What is it you want, Azula?"

"I have something to cheer you up," Azula as she handed him a rolled up piece of paper.

Zuko took it as he felt her amber eyes scanning his every move. He really was not in the mood for his sister's tricks right now. He rolled out the paper and recognised the four sketched faces.

The two Water Tribe siblings – Sokka and Katara – with a short description and price next to their faces. The young Earthbender – Toph – had a similar description: 'Dangerous enemies of the Fire Nation.'

The face on the top of the paper had a different description: "Traitor of the Fire Nation." And Elyrie's face looked back at him from the page.

Description: Average height. Pale skin. Firebender

Eye colour: Blue

Hair colour: Brown.

"The halfblood will have nowhere to go in the Fire Nation – or the rest of the world," Azula said she turned her back to her brother to walk away, "She'll probably slither back to the North Pole and we'll catch her soon enough."

Zuko watched his sister retreat. Her straight back and rolled back shoulders indicated that she didn't doubt herself or what she believed. He didn't doubt that she had already sent out search parties to the Northern routes to try and intercept the fugitives.

His eyes went over the etched faces on the paper in front of them. The description of the team seemed pretty accurate.

But it didn't look like Elyrie, though. He knew her hair wasn't completely brown. The copper undertones made it look like her hair was a burning once the setting sun caught in it. And the description missed the small scar on her temple. Or the fact that she had an exceptional singing voice. Or that she had the tendency to play with her hands if she was nervous. Or that her lower lips was slightly fuller ..-

He blinked a couple of times to clear his mind. Azula had been sloppy. She seemed to have spent an impressive amount of effort to make sure that the remaining fugitives should be caught as soon as possible. But why couldn't take the time to describe Elyrie's appearance?

Or was it because he knew every centimetre of her face? He slipped his hand in his pocket and felt her ring. He rubbed his thumb over the smooth sapphire stone.

With a basket hanging on her elbow, Elyrie walked to the town of Shu Jing to do some shopping. Due to its secluded location and natural surroundings, she had decided it would be the perfect place to stay on their way. Especially now, with Sokka training at the castle of Master Piandao and Aang, Katara and Toph were hanging around the campsite. But she was far to restless to lie down – or to hear one more of Katara's attempts to make 'Sokka'-jokes.

Besides, she enjoyed walking around the town. Shu Jing itself is situated at the edge of a canyon, through which flows a small river. Though narrow, multiple waterfalls and cataracts dot the canyon, where the rock was black in coloration.

The town itself was located on the slope of a hill and its architectural styles were similar to that of many other rural Fire Nation towns. The buildings were mainly low-rise and red or white in exterior coloration, with golden trimmings. They had slanted roofs, a few windows, and entryways at their facades.

Around her, the people spoke the familiar language: full of the rolling vowels with the exaggerated movements as they talked. The colourfulness, the liveliness, the passion that one could only find in the Fire Nation.

No one could deny what she had told them: the Fire Nation was warmth, passion and liveliness. She let herself follow the flow of the chattering crowd, almost emerging herself in the content feeling that one can feel at home.

The small stands with the fresh fruits and vegetables were everywhere. She couldn't help it and made her way to one of the stand.

The colours of the products were so inviting and the smell so fragrant, she almost forgot her manners and wanted to sink her teeth in a ripe, juicy peach.

"Can I interest the lady in something?" the merchant asked with a inviting smile.

"Thank you," Elyrie replied, effortlessly switching to the Fire Nation language, "I've just come back from the colonies and I missed our own delicious food."

She wasn't lying: the volcanic grounds were extremely fertile and nothing tasted like Fire Nation-produce. She picked up one tomato and weighed it in her small hands. In Ba Sing Se, the tomatoes were the size of her fist. But here, at home, she needed two hands to pick up one vegetable.

"We are blessed with a good harvest this year." The merchant commented as he saw her study his products, "I haven't seen anything as fertile as this in years."

"I understand," Elyrie answered as she placed the tomato in her basket, picking up a sweet, juicy peach.

"This, please," she said as she handed the merchant her basket.

"Here, take these as well." The merchant said he winked and placed two extra peaches her basket, "I know how one can miss our homeland."

"You too, then?" she asked as she took the basket.

"Absolutely," he nodded, "I stayed at the Earth Kingdom for a few months. You can never imagine the longing I felt for our meats and products."

"And spice! Food in other parts of the world is so terribly bland." She chatted along, the smile plastered on her face.

"We are all kindred spirits in other parts of the world."

After doing her groceries, Elyrie sat down on the edge of the fountain in the middle of the round square. In the middle, it was spewing water high up to the cloudless sky. Two children were playing near it. With her basket next to her, she folded her legs under herself and leaned her elbows on het knees. One hand under her chin, she let her blue eyes glide over the people walking around.

A group of schoolchildren, probably around twelve years old, crossed the square in neat rows of two by two. They walked – no, marched – over the cobblestones. Their uniforms were black with red and gold accents. Were uniforms everywhere in the homeland the same? Probably, it was just the way things were arranged here in the homeland.

It was funny, because she never thought about the uniformity of her country before. It made sense: everything the same in the homeland, with only different customs in the colonies far overseas. It was easy. One country equalled uniformity. It had been the Earth Kingdom that showed her its diversity.

She heard the children recite the oath - the oath said every morning was the same as well:

"My life I give to my country. With my hands I fight for Fire Lord Ozai and our forefathers before him. With my mind I seek ways t better my country and with my feet may our March of Civilization continue."

Head bowed, your right fist pressed against the palm of your left hand, facing the portrait of the Fire Lord.

The words had once been different. She had learned 'With my hands I fight for Fire Lord Azulon'.

She looked down at those hands. Once soft and elegant, she saw the callus forming on the palms. It had been red and tender for a few days as her body started to adjust. Her grip on the metal fans were starting to show on her hands. Her knuckles were red and scraped; on some places was her skin lightly broken. No doubt the effect of her bare hands on the colliding rocks. And the absence of creams and lotions.

They felt stronger, though. That was a good thing. Her hand caressed the leather pockets under the flowing skirt. From her thighs down to just above the knees was she hiding her metal fans. It had become quick habit to take them everywhere with her. It felt safe to have something on her at all times.

"Jin!" a voice cried just near her.

Elyrie looked up and shielded her eyes from the sunlight, her heartbeat drumming in her chest. For a split-second, she expected to see the kind eyes of her friend. Was this the small town she came from? Had luck brought them back together?

But as her eyes adjusted, the hope immediately sank and turned into disappointment. A young girl had splashed herself in the fountain and the mother was reprimanding her.

"Jin, don't you do that," the mother said as she pointed to Elyrie, "You're splashing that lady. Sorry," she said as she looked at Elyrie.

"It is not a problem, really." Elyrie plastered the friendly smile on her face. The sting in her chest had subsided, but the disappointment still hurt.

"Can I sit?" the mother asked after she had wiped her daughter dry as best she could.

"Please," Elyrie gestured to the empty spot as she moved over to make some room.

With a sigh, the woman sat down. She had to be around the same age as Elyrie. She had long dark hair and beautiful light brown eyes, but the deep lines in her face betrayed a life of worries and hard work.

"You must be new in town," the woman turned her head, "I have lived here me whole life but never seen you."

"Indeed," Elyrie nodded as started fumbling with her hands when she thought of what to say. She didn't want the woman to be suspicious, but at the same time didn't she want to divulge to much information "I just returned from the colonies."

"So you are travelling?"

"Yes," Elyrie answered, not wanting to elaborate. There was a vulcanic eruption two days ago that forced us to stay longer, she thought. And after that, Sokka had decided to seek out a master in swordfighting.

"Gods.' The woman said as her eyes followed her daughter chasing a butterfly, "Must be a long way on your own."

"I am not alone," she answered, "I travel with friends, working and earning money along the way."

"What's your job?"

"I'm a waitress."

"I am a housemaid," she answered and pointed to the castle of Piandao just above the town, "For master Piandao."

"I've heard many stories about the legendary swordsmaster."

"Aye, he's mighty powerful. They said he once defeated a hundred men on his own. After that, nobody dared to bother him no more."

"That is quite the accomplishment," Elyrie nodded.

"Say, you talk fancy for a waitress." The woman turned her head, "They all talk like that in the colonies?"

"The teachers are very strict," Elyrie said quickly, "We must speak the way they do in the homeland."

"Nobody here talk like that." The woman answered, but – thankfully – she started grinning.

Repressing a sigh of relief, Elyrie followed her eyes to the young girl. She had been joined by a boy, around her own age. Splashing with their hands flat on the surface of the water, they tried to soak each other.

With a wry smile, Elyrie looked away from the two and studied her reflection in the water of the fountain. Her short black curls were tied back, finally growing back after she had chopped them off. Her eyebrows were darkened with kohl to make the coloured hair look more natural. The thing was: she didn't look natural at all. Her skin was translucent, her cheeks hollow and she had dark circles under her eyes. With her hand, she splashed the water to make her reflection disappear.

She didn't even look like herself anymore.

The little girl laughed when she managed to soak the shirt of the boy.

"I won!" she shrieked with laughter.

"Only because you cheated." the boy responded with a pout.

With a swift motion, Elyrie stood up and walked away.

"Sokka, when you first arrived, you were so unsure. You even seemed down on yourself." Master Piandao's voice was surprisingly soft for such an imposing master.

Knelt behind him along with the rest of the team, Elyrie only saw Sokka's back. The stiffness of his shoulders betraying his nervousness.

"But I saw something in you right away." Piandao continued, "I saw a heart as strong as a lion turtle, and twice as big. And as we trained, it wasn't your skills that impressed me. No, it certainly wasn't your skills." He shook his head, the wrinkles on his tan face showing as he examined the sword Sokka had made himself.

"You showed something beyond that," the older Master continued as he unsheathed the sword, showing its black blade, "Creativity, versatility, intelligence."

Elyrie saw that Sokka bowed his head. She assumed it was out of respect, but his shoulders slumped.

"These are the traits that define a great swordsman. And these are the traits that define you." Piandao knelt down to present the sword to Sokka. Sokka hesitantly reached for the sword. The black blade glittered in the sunlight.

"You told me you didn't know if you were worthy, but I believe that you are more worthy than any man I have ever trained."

"I'm sorry, Master. You're wrong." Sokka said, his voice slightly trembling, "I am not worthy. I'm not who you think I am. I'm not from the Fire Nation. I'm from the Southern Water Tribe.

In the corner of her eye, Elyrie saw that Aang, Katara, and Toph matched her reaction: shock and disbelief.

"I lied so that I could learn swordsmanship from you. I'm sorry." Sokka bowed his head as he offered his sword back to Piandao.

You could have thought of that before you started your training, Elyrie clenched her teeth together. Her blood went cold as she looked at the swordmaster. Lying to your master was a flagrant violation of their honour.

"I'm sorry too." Piandao said calmly.

Piandao quickly turned back around and swung his sword at Sokka. Sokka leapt backwards to avoid the attack. In a swift motion, he unsheathed his sword again and blocked a thrust from Piandao.

Elyrie didn't move, remaining knelt down on the marble floor. Aang, Katara, and Toph jumped up in unison to help Sokka. Sokka who raises his hand to stop them.

"No, this is my fight, alone." He said, the determination vibrating through his voice.

The fight was quick and intense – Elyrie had never expected Sokka to become such a good swordman in so little time. Against the master swordsman, he held his own. Piandao noticed it too – complimenting him on every move he made to outsmart him.

"Excellent! Using your superior agility against an older opponent. Smart." The master said when Sokka used his speed to evade the attack.

"Good use of terrain; fighting from the high ground." Piandao commented when Sokka leapt on the stairs and retook his fighting stance.

Elyrie followed the fight with clenched fists and a pounding heart. But something felt slightly off. Disrespect and deceit was a severe crime in the homeland. But Piandao didn't seem to be the slightest bit vengeful or angry. He even complimented Sokka when he threw the dirt from the ground in his eyes, blinding him temporarily.

Piandao moved to attack by swinging his sword in large, horizontal arc at Sokka. Sokka evaded the blade, but was instead hit in the chest by Piandao's arms, knocking him on his back. He landed on the dust and he looked up fearfully. Piandao turned and pointed his sword at his head. Sokka leaned back in fear.

At that moment, Aang, Katara, and Toph all jumped from the balcony to the ground and ran toward Sokka and Piandao. Elyrie hesitated for a moment, but jumped as well.

Piandiao swong his sword away, so it was straight next to him. "Excellent work, Sokka," he lifted his weapon as his assistant flung the scabbard of his sword toward him, "I'm a little old to be fighting the Avatar," he added casually as the scabbard slipped right onto the blad

"How did you know?" Aang asked with a frown.

"Oh, I've been around a while. You pick things up." Piandao said casually as he wiped off the dirt from the fight, "Of course, I knew from the beginning that Sokka was Water Tribe. You might want to think of a better Fire Nation cover name. You should try Lee, there are a million Lee's.

"But why would you agree to train someone from the Water Tribe ?" Katara asked when Piandao turned to face them all.

"The way of the sword doesn't belong to any one nation," Piandao answered, "Knowledge of the arts belongs to us all." He turned to Sokka. "Sokka, you must continue your training on your own. If you stay on this path, I know that one day you will become an even greater master than I am."

Elyrie smiled warmly when Piandao and Sokka bowed to each other. Sokka grabbed his sword – his space sword – and turned to them with a grin.

"Did you hear that?" he grinned, "You soon have to all call me Master Sokka."

"I only heard that you need to continue your training," Toph shrugged. She punched Sokka playfully on his shoulder as they all returned to the castle.

Elyrie moved to follow them, but halted when she felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned around. Master Piandao stood behind her in his smeared tunic, but in his dark eyes she saw a mixture of curiosity and amusement.

"I know that the two siblings hail from the Water Tribe." he pointed to Katara's back, "As well as I know that the other lady is from the Earth Kingdom. The Avatar, of course, speaks for itself." Piandao continued as he pointed to Toph and Aang respectively, before he let his gaze rest on Elyrie again, - "just as I know that you are a highborn lady of the Fire Nation,"

"Beg pardon?" Elyrie asked, her lips slightly parted in surprise, "Master." she added quickly and bowed her head.

"Like I said, I've been around a while," Piandao shrugged, "Every nation has different characteristics, which can't be disguised with merely Fire Nation clothing. For example, you were the only one who didn't interfere with the fight because you have internalised the importance of honour in the homeland. They, however, have not."

It had been foolish to try and blind such a wise master, Elyrie realised.

"We shall work on it, sir." She said firmly as bowed her head ashamed. They could have been caught, because of her stupidity. Of course the excuse of the colonies could not fool everyone.

Piandao turned to face her. "If I am not mistaken, you are Elyrie - daughter of Jian?" his dark eyes took in her face.

"B-b-beg pardon?" Elyrie asked again, before feeling her cheeks redden. Both from surprise and embarrassment - she sounded like a stuttering child.

"I knew your father well," Piandao answered matter-of-factly, "I was present at his funeral last year. I recognised you as soon as you entered this afternoon."

"I-, I-," she stuttered, completely lost for words. She tried to remember him amongst the gathering of mourners. But it seemed such a blur. She only remembered standing next to her aunt and uncle, dressed in her impeccable white mourning costume. Her back straight, her face impassive – every inch the daughter of the respected nobleman.

She started twisting her little finger before she looked down at her hands. They were callused – more than her mother would have ever allowed them to be. Suddenly, she felt ashamed of how dirty and homely she looked.

"Tell me," Piandao motioned for her to sit down on the bench on the terrace, "Why do you look so downcast?"

"Pardon me?" Elyrie asked surprised. The master only raised an eyebrow, fully aware that she heard his question. She started feeling more foolish with every word she uttered.

With a sigh, she sat down on the bench. "To be perfectly honest, I feel completely useless."

"That seems like a rather harsh judgement." Piandao said calmly, "Why do you feel that way?"

"I can't guide my friends through the Fire Nation without drawing attention," Elyrie counted on her fingers, "I can't teach the Avatar firebending, I can't visit my family without endangering them and I couldn't even save one of the dearest people in my life. On top of that, I was left- .." Her voice faltered as a sob caught in her throat.

Tears pricked behind her eyes and with her thumb, she rubbed the empty spot on her ringfinger out of habit. The faint line reminded her of what once had been there. She wiped the back of her hand against her tearstained checks. A black smudge was left on her skin. She frowned, before she realised it was the kohl.

"I came from a large family, all firebenders." Piandao said as he handed her a handkerchief, "All firebenders. You can imagine my fathers disappointment finding out I was a non-bender. And for the longest time, I was disappointed in myself too."

Elyrie wiped her eyes with the handkerchief. "But you are the best swordsman in the world."

"I am, but only after I realised I needed to face my inner demons and realise my worth." Piandao answered, "Just like you need to."

"But what difference could I make?" Elyrie let her head hang down, "I seemed to fail at everything I undertake." I couldn't save Yue, I couldn't stop Azula,I couldn't help Uncle, and as for Zuko... She quickly wiped her tears away again before they fell down.

"Do you see that mountain?" the Master pointed to the very top of a magnificent mountain. The peeks were partly hidden by whispy thin clouds. Elyrie nodded.

"Do you think the stone at the very top is more important than the stones that form the base?" Piandao asked her, "That it will not collapse if it was pulled form under them? Don't you think you should view your worth in the greater design? Being here and guiding the Avatar and his friends through hostile territory is no easy task. The fact that you got them this far safely is very impressive." Piandao placed his hand on her knee, "Please, do allow yourself to be proud of what you are doing. Everything might not be the way you expected it to turn out, but have patience."

"Thank you Master," Elyrie placed her hands together and bowed her head.

"Here, take this," Piandao reached inside his tunic and pulled out a small, round stone. Elyrie squinted and then, she recognised a Pai Sho stone, "May it help you remember things are changing."

Piandao placed the stone in het palm. The picture of the White Lotus was drawn in the middle of the surface.

"The White Lotus?" she asked incredulously.

Piandao only nodded at her before he stood up and made his way into the castle. Elyrie was left bedazzled and studied the stone in her palm again. Then, she closed her fingers over the stone. She brought her closed fist to her lips and kissed it softly. Soon, Uncle. She vowed silently, soon.

A thousand apologies for the absence! I never stopped imagining this story, but I couldn't find the time. Luckily, I am back in the flow and expect to update again soon!

Chapter Text

"Aang, I know swimming is fun and all, but do you really think you should be exposing yourself like that? Cover up!"

"What? I'm wearing trunks."

Elyrie only heard the muffled bickering of Aang and Toph. Her ears were submerged as she was floating on her back in the warm water of the hot springs. She felt the sun warm up her bare skin and a pleasant tingle went over her entire body.

It had been a long time since she felt this relaxed.

"Don't worry," she swam back in the direction of Toph, who was dangling her feet in the water, "We are surrounded by volcanic rocks." She motioned upwards to the cliffs surrounding them, along with the waterfalls.

"Besides," she added as she dipped her head down and submerged herself for the last time before coming up again, "We are in the most quiet part of the country. This island is quite remote and nothing ever happens here."

She massaged her scalp until all the kohl had been washed from her hair, eyebrows and face. The remains drove away in a mirky cloud on the surface of the water.

"Good to see the brown again," Sokka commented with a grin when she shook out her wet hair.

"Black didn't suit me, did it?" Elyrie shrugged as she combed her finger through the wet strands. Inspecting her fingers, she saw no more black stains. Good, she thought to herself.

"Made you look sulky and sombre." Sokka nodded, "Like someone from the Fire Nation."

He ducked from a splash of water Elyrie shoved in his direction. With the motion, one could have mistook her for a waterbender.

"Hey!" Sokka looked up, droplets falling from his hair, "You made me lose my fish." At the end of the rod, only a small empty hook was dangling.

"I do apologize," Elyrie said casually as she warmed up her body temperature. A small cloud of steam evaporated from her hair and skin. Within moments, she was completely dry and put on her clothes.

"Neat trick," Aang said admiringly.

"Do you want me to show you how to do it?" Elyrie offered as she tied her hair in a small topknot, "It is quite a basic technique."

"No, thank you." Aang said as he ran off to the waterslide.

Elyrie arched an eyebrow. "He has to start someday, right?" she asked Sokka, but he only lifted his shoulders and Katara mimicked her brothers reaction.

Toph exhaled through her nostrils in response. "He still hasn't mastered Earthbending, so that needs work too."

"Well, he should at least make a start." Elyrie insisted as she lit up her palm. The fire danced over her fingers, stretching out just past her nails. The pleasant warmth tickled her skin. She clenched her fist shut and aimed at a nearby rock.

The fireball left black scorch marks on the surface, as well as a solid dent about the size of a watermelon - a watermelon from very fertile volcanic grounds.

Just above the dent, a crack was visible sneaking it's way up. Elyrie lit up her fist again and aimed at the exact same spot. The rock cracked in half, sending some pieces of stone high in the air. After a few seconds the boulder broke off and landed with a crash on the ground.

"Nice job, Princess." Toph commented from 30 metres away.

"Thanks! Must be all the Earthbending you threw in my direction." Elyrie answered with a small glitter of pride, "Hard work does pay off."

It was true and it was amazing to see as she watched the remains of the rock crumble off. Only a few more weeks and she would be able to blast herself through thick stone walls.

Now, I wonder… she mused as she lifted her hand again. Placing her thumb against her middle- and indexfinger, she inhaled deeply. As she snapped, she aimed for a smaller rock.

Only a few sparks flew from her fingers. She sighed defeated before she turned back to the others. "Does anyone need anything from the market?"

His Father was punishing him, Zuko was certain of it. Or at least torturing him.

For what other reason could he possibly have to banish him, along with his sister and her friends for a weekend on Ember Island. No matter what Azula claimed, he felt like a child being sent away. Again.

So now he was forced to sit on the scorching sand under a parasol, along with a gloomy Mai – covered in black lace and satin, matching her mood.

And, to top it al off, he had the unforgettable image of Lo and Li in bathing suits that was imprinted on his eyeballs. He resisted the urge to boil water and rinse his eyes with it - but just barely.

Mai sighed next to him. Annoyed, he looked over at her solemn face. The ends of her mouth dipped down, her lower lip stuck out and her eyes were empty.

He leaned back on his elbows, spotting a pink shell next to him. It was curved in a spiral with a lovely pink tint. He felt the corners of his mouth tip. Elyrie had found one just like.. No. He interrupted his own thoughts.

But he did pick up the shell and inspected it's smooth surface. It was gorgeous. With a soft smile, he turned to Mai. "This is for you."

He expected her face to light up, or to at least make her smile. But her face remained as impassive as ever. "Why would I want that?" her tone was bored.

"I saw it, and I thought it was pretty," Zuko said defensively, "Don't girls like stuff like this?"

"Maybe stupid girls." Mai scoffed.

"Forget it!" Zuko snapped as he threw the shell away. He stood up, kicked some sand and walked in the direction of the water. Mai didn't even call him back.

Zuko watched as another guy picked up the shell and raced towards Ty Lee to offer it to her with a wide grin. "Thanks! It is so pretty!" he heard Ty Lee exclaim enthusiastically.

He sighed as he watch Ty Lee giggle and the guy flirt with her. It may not be the attention he wanted, but a little joy would have been nice. Had he expected that from Mai? Had he expected to see her jump for joy?

Of course not. He knew that. It would be unfair to expect that of her.

He turned away and overlooked the horizon. The waves playfully rolled over his bare feet and the sun warmed his pale skin. He should relax and enjoy he moment. He had done it before on a beach, not too long ago. 

"Guys!" Toph voice cut through the silence of the night, ""You're all gonna think I'm crazy, but it feels like a metal man is coming."

Elyrie, who had been awake anyway, sat up immediately. She heard Aang groan next to her as a small light reflected on his sleepy face. Her eyes followed the line of the source up the walls of the rocks.

The light reflected from a silhouette standing atop the cliffs. In the corner of her eye, Elyrie saw Sokka clenching his sword. Her own hands went to her thighs, where her fans were attached.

Then, a bright light illuminated the spring for a moment. Before she could register what was happening, an explosion landed just a few metres from their camping spot. The hot air blew in her face and she felt herself being thrown away by the impact.

She landed rough on her side, covering her face from the pebbles and dust that followed. Coughing loudly, she lifted herself up as she wiped the dust from her eyes. As she squinted her eyes in the dark, she tried to make out obviously dangerous situation they had found themselves in.

Toph reacted faster and steadied herself on the earth. The next wave was coming – from whatever it was. She hadn't time to comprehend as she saw Toph erect a rock slide to shield them from the attack.

It didn't deter the attacker as he launched another explosion, completely disintegrating the rocks in an instant.

Elyrie dove behind the rock nearest to her. A few metres next to her, she saw that Aang, Katara and Sokka were crouching down as well.

"This is crazy!" Sokka yelled above the sound of the explosion that followed, "How do we beat a guy who blows stuff up with his mind?!"

Combustion bending, quickly passed Elyrie's thoughts. A rare bending ability.

"We can!" Aang yelled back, "Go to Appa!"

"I'll cover!" Elyrie shouted back. Peaking over the rock, her eyes could just make out the silhouette coming down the cliffs. She waited for the moment for him to light his combustion bending, which started with a small light from the source.

In a flash, she saw it and aimed a fireball to redirect the attack. Mid-air, a major explosion erupted when her flames and the combustion collided.

The smoke gave them the needed cover as they made their way to Appa. But just as Elyrie stepped outside of the smoke, she was knocked back for the second time. An explosion was aimed just before her and she fell hard on her back. With the air knocked out of her lungs, she coughed hard.

Standing up, she turned around when she heard the sound of metal and rock colliding. In the corner of her eye, she saw a glister in the moonlight. In a reflex, she ducked - just fast enough to escape from the metal claw that lunged for her.

Propelling herself upwards with her bending, she made her way over the rocks that surrounded them. Jumping along with her fireblasts, she hopped over the stones. Higher, she repeated to herself, higher, and don't look down. One foot in front of the other, she reached the edge of the cliffs. Barely two metres wide, she steadied herself as she turned around. Behind her she only saw smoke. No sign of Appa, the rest or the faceless man.

She had hoped that the confusion would temporarily hold him off. But not even a second after she landed on the edge of the cliffs, she heard the rocks shake behind her. As if it was nothing, the man walked with long strides along the walls of the cliffs - his metal leg and arm giving him the balance he needed.

Elyrie ran away as the man followed her, blocking her from a distance with smaller explosions at her feet. Her breathing came in small puffs as she tried to jump over the explosions without losing her balance. Her steps became faster and faster. Her lungs were screaming for air, before she tripped on the rough ground near the edge of the waterfall.

There was nowhere she could turn now. It was too high to jump down. He would follow her down anyway, or block her with another explosion.